Good for you! As you may have noticed, there’s a ton of information out there, and it can be hard to sift through it all. This article will provide you with some proven techniques that can help you take better photos.
Try using different shutter speeds and remember what works for a specific situation. Photography allows you to capture a split-second moment and to blur together large time periods. A fast shutter speed can stop a moving object in it’s tracks, while a slower speed allows you to blur motion a bit, such as water moving over a waterfall.
Use photo manipulation programs to create images that would have been impossible with ordinary film only, including those that resemble watercolors, pencil sketches, and oil paintings. There are a variety of photo editing programs out there, but all the cool kids use Photoshop. With image editing software, transforming your photograph into a painting is sometimes as easy as applying a simple filter or mask.
Keep the arms close to the body and the hands around the bottom and along the sides of your camera when you hold it. This will help to steady your hands and prevent blurry shots. Having your hands and arms placed like this also reduces the chances that you will get bumped or drop the camera.
Be mindful of which and how many objects appear in your photos. A good picture should be like a small window showing a certain aspect of your subject. Don’t attempt to include too much. If you are trying to convey an overall impression of a scene, shoot a sequence of pictures, instead of a single image without a clear subject.
An important factor in photography composition, is framing. Zoom in on your subject by eliminating objects which detract from your main focal point. This method can help eliminate any unnecessary focal points and prevent tons of clutter in your pictures.
Shutter Speeds
Whenever you are trying to decide which of you pictures to show, it is important that you select your best work. Resist the urge to show people every photo, especially multiple shots of the same person or subject. Your audience can become bored with repetitive images or too many of them. Always try to show new perspectives, and showcase various aspects of your talent with your photography.
Test varying shutter speeds to learn which speed works best for certain scenarios. Photography lets you capture moments in a split-second and allows you to blur together time periods that are large. If you use a fast shutter speed, you can get photos of things that are in action, whereas slow shutter speeds are good for things that are not moving.
Take photographs from the moment you leave your front door until you return to it on your next vacation. You can find many photo opportunities when at your location, but use the trip to get some unique shots. Documenting your journey, whether it’s the airport, a cab ride, or even interesting rest stops on the road, will give you priceless memories of your trip.
Take shots of people you see in your day. Make sure you always ask if it is okay before you proceed. People from foreign lands add authenticity, character and liveliness to photographs. Look for candid expression and casual clothing.
Be vigilant about charging your batteries, as missing a great shot due to dead batteries would not be cool. Digital cameras using an LCD screen require lots of power, so check the batteries before you need to take pictures. You could always carry a spare set of batteries with you so you can change them out, and you’ll never miss a great photo.
External Flash
Take photographs of insignificant items while you are travelling to, and visiting, your destination. Once you get home you will appreciate all the photos you have taken and relive the journey in your mind. Oddball items you come across, street signs and paper memorabilia can be great subjects.
Built-in flash comes on almost all digital cameras. It can kick in automatically in low-light situations. Even though these may be convenient, you may want to get an external flash with different light ranges, so that you have more control over your lighting. Find out if your camera comes with a “hot shoe” attached to the top that will allow an external flash to be attached. If you are not familiar with cameras, consider going to a professional to ensure you have purchased an external unit that is compatible with your camera.
Get as close to your subject as possible. There isn’t anything worse than a photo where you cannot see any of the details of your subject. Make it easy for yourself and your viewers to see a subject clear and vividly.
You will have to play with ISO, aperture and shutter speed. It is those three elements which make up the exposure of the shot. Overexposure or underexposure are usually considered to be negatives, unless you are going for a very particular feel to the image. Try different things and find out which combination of these three features works best for you.
Centering your camera on your subject will bring it into focus, but try moving the camera to change the shot’s framing after focus is established. Centering a subject in a picture is an expected tactic and may detract from the interest of the photo. Try to place your subject to one side to be more interesting.
To make photos look more distinctive, play a bit with with perspective, scale, and expectations. Place ordinary objects in extraordinary settings or ones that draw attention because they are out of context. Your composition of your photos will create interest when you are creative with common objects.
When taking indoor photos that are under fluorescent lights, try adjusting the white balance for your setting. Blue and green light is usually given off by fluorescent lights, so subjects of your photos might take a tone cooler than you intended, unless you compensate with the red tones.
Watch for any patterns, natural or artificial, you may see when you’re shooting your subject. Any sort of pattern draws the eye to that part of the shot, which makes your photo more appealing. In addition, patterns can be used as backdrops and unique perspectives for framing your subject.
Do you want a wet or misty effect from rain for some photographs? Make your own rain by bringing a spray bottle of water with you and misting the subject you wish to take photos of.
To add interest to your photographs, experiment with your camera’s focus. Focus on your subject by using a smaller depth of field, and slightly blur your background. This technique works well for portraiture-style shots or any setting in which the subject is in close proximity to the camera. A larger f-stop number will increase the depth of the field, making everything in the photograph, background and foreground, focused. This particular setting is ideal for shooting landscapes.
When taking group photos of couples, families or larger groups, give them advice on the best type of clothing to wear in the photoraph. Not everyone likes matching colors, but complementary colors or patterns should be encouraged. Suggest clothing in neutral colors or warm shades because they will blend best with natural backgrounds or settings. If you are considering a more festive, brightly colored setting, advise the subjects to balance colored tops with black bottoms. This ensures that the various colors do not compete for the viewer’s attention.
It is important that you understand the ISO function of your camera and what it can do to your photo. The more the ISO is the higher you can view, that means all aspects of the photo. If you don’t need grain on a shot, this can really ruin the affect you were trying to achieve.
Try to take your photographs quickly. Be prepared to snap that image before it disappears. Some special moments are only available to photograph for a few seconds and then they are lost forever. Don’t worry about correctly using every setting on the camera or you could lose your shot.
When shooting landscapes, make sure that something interesting appears in the photo’s foreground. A simple flower, leaf, or bug could give the shot an amazing focus and appeal. This will allow viewers to notice the entire scope of your picture.
Be on the lookout for patterns whenever you are shooting any subject. Any sort of pattern draws the eye to that part of the shot, which makes your photo more appealing. Patterns can be used to incorporate interesting angles and beautiful backgrounds into your photographs.
Think of how you will use your photograph before taking the picture. For example, should it be shot horizontally or vertically? Photo editing can only do so much, so get the picture right the first time around.
Take your photographs using a white balance. This allows you to have greater control over your pictures by altering the overall mood and tone. It takes a while to learn exactly what looks the best, but using this feature will allow more creativity to come through in your photos.
Get close to your subject. When you are setting up your frame, either physically move closer to the subject or use optical zoom to zoom in. Make sure the subject fills the frame. Too much scenery or visual noise, no matter how interesting, distracts the eye from where the focus should be: the subject. When the subject is close, details appear more engaging and visible.
When you find a brand that you like, that gives you great results, stick with it. You need a quality brand, if photography is going to be a hobby that you pursue for a lifetime. Although a lot of professionals might prefer certain brands, there are many other manufacturers that can provide similar results.
One crucial thing to remember is to shoot multiple pictures of your subject; take as many as possible. You can choose later which shots are best. Thanks to having digital cameras, this can be done easily and then you are sure that you will not miss any moments that you really wanted to get.
When trying to get the best landscape shot, use a tripod. A steady base is always handy, but when taking landscape shots, it can be very important because you want to adjust settings without worrying the camera will shake all over the place.
Now that you have read this article, you probably have some idea of what you need to do to become more proficient in photography. You can always come back to this list if you need to. Don’t give up. Persistence is the key to becoming a great photographer.
You should think about your approach before you start taking pictures. It is important to plan out your shot ahead of time. Like other art forms, careful planning and an attention to detail often translate to a great shot. This will inspire you to produce great results when you approach it this way.
