Now looking back on my skills from last year when I first got my Canon 700D, I wish I had known the simple yet essential things that all beginner photographers should know.

1. Manual Mode

First off, Manual Mode is the way to go for novice photographers. Many are wary of the setting but it allows you to learn so much about your camera. When I first started shooting in Manual mode it felt like I was just pressing random buttons-which was the case. But it helped me learn so much and improve. Just go out in the street and play with it for a bit and you can figure out how different things impact your shots. Manual mode is the only mode that allows you to adjust the shutter speed and aperture. When using Manual mode, you’ll see these random strange letters like ‘F’ and ‘ISO’ next to numbers. These…