>>3359357These aren't pro tips necessarily, but more of a list of things I wish I knew starting out.
Shooting manual won't make your pictures better, and time wasted trying to match the exposure needle in the viewfinder with "zero" can cost you shots.
You don't need the best camera ever but you need one you like. Specs matter to a point but if you hate using the camera, it doesn't matter how technically good the images are, especially if the alternative feels better in your hands but also gives "good enough" image quality.
Chase good light. Sometimes the subject you want or the time of day you scheduled for a gig won't have the best light ever, but when it's possible, start with great light first and work backwards i.e., set up the best light possible in the studio, or look for it while scouting and THEN try to find a suitable subject and expose accordingly.
Composition isn't just about the rule of thirds, or not centering the subject or the horizon. It's about what's included in or excluded from the frame, how large the objects are, their position relative to each other, and how they create balance or flow. It's a very important part of "telling a story" in a picture.
Expose as best you can, and bracket or chimp if you have to. That the image is exposed properly and has the desired effect is far more important than gloating about getting it right the first time. You'll nail them much quicker and easier as you gain experience, but with photography your goal is probably going to be documenting something, and you want it to be done right, no matter what it takes.
That said, there is no "one thing" that makes a good photo. A lot of people will argue one has more weight than the other among these, but not limited to: light, composition, subject matter, exposure, post processing. They're all very important parts of what makes an image anywhere from horrible to mediocre to good to exceptional.
