There are those that will have a hard time understanding the nuances of photography. This is generally because such people are not knowledgeable of where to get expert photography advice. Read on to learn what you need to know to make your pictures the best they can be.
Take your pictures quickly. The longer you take, the higher the chance of the subject moving, running off or something else changing to ruin the photo. So therefore, the faster you are when you are taking your photos, the better off you will be.
If you’re trying to take the best possible picture, get close to the subject you’re photographing. Getting close allows you to avoid distracting backgrounds, and nicely frame your subject. You also get the opportunity to allow your subject’s face to be the star of the shot; this is especially impactful with portraiture. Little details are often missed when your subject is too far away.
Having the background slightly out of focus, when shooting a live subject, can really enhance your photograph. Having a background that is in full focus will take away from your subject, making it harder to direct your viewer’s focus to the right location. You can accomplish this by having your background further away from your subject.
Avoid taking pictures under an overcast, cloudy sky if possible. If your photos contain too much gray sky they will appear washed-out and muted. A better option for shooting in overcast is to use black and white. A bright, blue sky can create a lovely backdrop as long as you are careful not to overexpose the shot.
Always make sure you have a fully charged battery before any special event or when you are planning on using the camera. Digital cameras use up lots of power in a short period of time so make sure the battery is charged fully before you start taking 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.
There’s this myth floating around that sunny days are best for taking photos. But the truth is that too much sunlight will interfere with even the most scenic photos. Direct sunlight causes glaring and shadowing. It can also cause the people you are photographing to squint. If it is possible, shoot outdoors only in late evening light or the very early morning.
Having people in your pictures can add authenticity, perspective and interest. Ask permission before photographing anyone. People from foreign lands add authenticity, character and liveliness to photographs. Try to catch people that are just ordinary.
Here is a good photo tip! Educate yourself about the advantages of different shutter speeds. The shutter speed settings you will find on your camera are: P,M,A & S. The ‘P’ button will take you to the program mode. This setting is your automatic one. The shutter and aperture speed are automatically set up for your use. If you don’t know what you’re shooting, use your “P” setting.
In this digital age it can still be pleasurable to experiment with old fashioned film photography to achieve some different results. Use black-and-white film that has an ISO value of 200 for dramatic photographs. Try having prints made on different papers, like fiber-based papers.
When going on a trip, start shooting photos the instant you depart. Once you get where you’re going, there will be ample photographic opportunities, but the trip itself can provide some unique shots. Record your travels. You can, for example, find many potentially interesting subjects to shoot at the airport.
To take more unique pictures, try using limitation. One way is to limit your shots for a whole day to subjects that express a single idea. Focus your shooting to one spot or room and shoot 100 varied photographs. By limiting yourself to a small area and view, you will find yourself thinking outside of the box and coming up with more creative photos.
If you want to get into taking pictures in the old fashioned manner try finding a old film camera and taking some shots! For a dramatic shot, black and white film is great. Make sure you get one with an ISO of 200 for a good all-around film. Once you develop your film, try printing it on different paper styles, including ones that are fiber-based.
Use natural lighting. If you’re taking photos outdoors, early morning and late afternoon are ideal times to take them because that’s when the almighty sun is lowest in the sky. When the sun sits high in the sky, harsh shadows or squinting subjects can become an issue. Consider a position where your subject has the sun shining on them from the side.
If shooting for a wedding, warm up first by shooting artistic shots with small details in them. For example, such shots could include floral designs, or catching a candid image of someone. This could be the occasion to take some great pictures.
Are you attempting to capture your subjects as if they’d been caught out in the rain? Create the effect yourself by carrying along your own spray bottle and gently misting some “rain” on the subject that you need to photograph.
The lighting will have a huge effect on the outcome of your photos. The ideal lighting for outside photos is provided by the sun when it is low on the horizon. At the height of the day the sun will produce unwanted shadows in your photos, plus your subject may have issues avoiding squinting if the light is too strong. Position your subject to they are hit with the sun on their side to get a wonderful looking effect.
Look for opportunities to frame creative shots. Not a physical frame, but one that is totally natural. Try looking at surrounding objects, such as trees or hills, to create a “natural frame” for your subject. This is an ideal method to use when you want to practice getting a photo’s composition right.
Auto Focus
While you might think using a lower setting on your camera is a good thing because you can store more photos, you must consider the resulting quality. If you intend to print the photographs, you will lose a good deal of quality by doing this. Use the lowest settings when you’re absolutely confident that your shots will only be on computer screens.
A lot of people make the mistake of wearing white to get their picture taken. A lot of the time cameras are set on auto focus. Auto focus means the camera is going to try and get a reading on everything in what the camera is seeing. White clothes will always look very bland.
Usually, you need to choose whether you’d like to expose shadows of a subject or whether you’d like to expose highlights instead. However, you can still take the photos in different conditions and then use a program such as Photoshop to combine them into a great picture.
Is taking pictures where the subject has been rained upon something you need to do? You can create this effect yourself with a spray bottle that you can mist over the subject to give the appearance of “rain.”
If you have to adjust to new backdrops or subjects, take lots of practice shots. Every photographing situation can vary widely, and taking practice shots will give you a feel for the environment. You have very little control over your surroundings, so realize that changes in weather or scenery can provide different types of lighting. Make sure to snap plenty of practice shots to make sure you’re getting the right shot.
When photographing more than one person, it may be advisable to provide them with some wardrobe suggestions. Matched colors aren’t mandatory, but clothing colors in the same family or in complimentary tones will greatly enhance your resulting photos. Recommend warm colors or neutral shades, as they go well with natural surroundings. If there is a need to have bright colors, try wearing black to help the colors be more balanced in the photo.
Add a new dimension to your photos with silhouettes. Many methods for creating a silhouette exist, including the most popular method of using a sunset. If the background of your photograph is brighter than the main subject, you may get a silhouette. Create a silhouette shot by putting your subject in front of a sunny window or by setting up a flash off-camera, behind the subject. Keep in mind that outlines on a face or body may highlight some unpleasant features.
For most shots, the most important step in getting a good photo is ensuring the subject is in good focus. If you need your photos to have good composure, keep your camera in focus at all times. Especially when starting out, your main subject should be in view and centered. Leave the background and the framing to sort themselves out for the time being.
Sometimes, the available lighting just won’t cooperate when you are trying to get a landscape shot. You may not be able to find a better place. So, what do you do? You might use photo-editing software, like Adobe Photoshop, to adjust contrasting light levels.
Usually, you need to choose whether you’d like to expose shadows of a subject or whether you’d like to expose highlights instead. On the other hand, if you take two pictures, using different conditions, you can use software to blend the two together into one image of perfection.
Keep in mind that images don’t always require horizontal positioning. Some of the most striking pictures happen when the camera is turned vertically. Zoom in for dramatic effect, and zoom out for head-to-toe shots.
Red Eye
When taking a photograph with your cell phone you must be even more careful about the lighting you use. Most of the time, cameras in cell phones don’t have any flash available, so you will need to make good use of your available light. If you zoom in close, you will eliminate excess shadows and sunspots.
Red-eye, while seemingly a tiny flaw, can make a photo appear un-frame worthy. Red eye can be avoided by staying away from using the flash, or having your subject look away from the camera if flash is a necessity. Some cameras are also equipped with an easy to use red eye feature.
Be aware of when it’s appropriate to use, or not use, your camera’s flash. Having the flash on continuously will not produce the best pictures in all situations. In many cases, the light from the flash could ruin the overall effect. If there is not much light around in your scene, the flash should be turned on.
For many, photography is quite the tricky topic. Nonetheless, taking a little time to learn the ins-and-outs of photography will help you acquire an enjoyable hobby. Take the advice that this article has provided to you, get your camera out, and you are ready to go!
Think of the function of your shot before you take it, and how the picture will eventually be used. You will be able to capture some scenes better by shooting them vertically, rather than horizontally. After the picture is taken, you can always edit it on your computer. You can crop your picture or change the colors and light very easily. However, you should aim to get your picture right on the first attempt.
