So you want to be a photographer? Try using all the photography techniques you’ve learned to create photographs you can be proud of. Photography is a personal art, and what works for someone else may not work for you. If you are struggling with the next step, read the following article for a fresh perspective on photography.
Framing is essential to photography composition. By zooming onto the subject, any surrounding distractions can be removed. You can take away all of the clutter and unwanted objects in your pictures.
Life is in constant motion, so when it comes to snapping photos, don’t hesitate. Taking longer to snap a photo increases the odds that something will move, change or in other ways ruin your perfect photo op. The faster the shutter on your camera, the better.
When deciding on which shots to display, choose the best ones. You do not want to show every picture, or too many with the same subject. Many people tire quickly of viewing picture after picture of a single subject. Keep your photo displays fresh and interesting, and show off a variety of aspects of your creative photography talents.
Stand close to your subjects to take better pictures. This allows you to eliminate disruptive backgrounds and frame your subject. It also has added benefit of capturing facial expressions which can add a whole new element to the picture. If your subject is not close, you tend to miss many of the little details.
You want the background to be slightly blurred when taking photographs of people. If the background is just as in focus as the subject, it takes the eye away from where you the viewer should be looking. This is most easily accomplished by moving your subject further away from the backdrop.
Shutter Speed
One of the key ways to take great photographs is to take lots and lots of them, so buy a large memory card that can hold them all. If you have a large enough memory card, you can take as many pictures as you want without ever worrying about whether or not you will have enough room. A spacious memory card will also enable you to shoot in RAW, presenting more opportunities for editing in the post production phase.
To improve your photographs, try playing around with the shutter speed on your camera under a variety of different shooting conditions. Photography gives you the power to turn a series of single moments into a larger, more broad time frame. 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.
Play around with alternate approaches to expressions, perspectives and scale. Even the simplest of objects can be viewed as works of art, if you portray it in such a way. Practice altering your composition in order to see familiar objects in a new way.
Avoid taking pictures under an overcast, cloudy sky if possible. If you have too much gray sky in your photograph, it will create a washed-out appearance in the image. If you cannot exclude the overcast sky from your shots, you may want to consider taking black and white photos. If the sky outside is a beautiful blue, include it in your photos but watch the light.
When you travel somewhere new, try getting ideas of what you will be shooting. Go look at postcard racks to get some ideas. There are also postcards highlighting the major attractions in town, so make sure you include these on your subject list.
When shooting landscapes, it is important for you to create depth within the image. Shooting a person in front of the landscape will provide perspective and scale to your picture. If you set a small aperture, one that is not greater than f/8 (for many digital cameras that are made for consumers), or f/16 (on a full-frame SLR) you will notice that your foreground and background look sharp.
Are you looking to take images of objects that are wet or have a rained-upon look? Just create a little rain yourself. Carry around a spray bottle, and mist the subjects up a little to get the right effect.

It is a good idea to look at what other photographers do in order to get inspiration. Seeing their work can remind you of all the various ways to take photos of many moments.
Watch for any patterns, natural or artificial, you may see when you’re shooting your subject. Patterns, especially repeating patterns, make for something interesting to look at in a photograph. You can play off these patterns to get unusual angles or frame your subject relative to the background.
When you are going through your photographs and picking the ones that you want to show to others, be sure to pick the cream of the crop. You do not want to show every picture, or too many with the same subject. Your audience does not get as much out of each picture, and can become quickly bored from seeing the same photo subject matter over and over. Keep things unique by trying out different types of shots.
When you want a great photo, make sure your camera is well-focused on its subject. Having your subject matter in complete focus is a key element to taking fantastic photos which reflect your style and your intentions when shooting. When you are beginning, keep in mind what you want to take a photo of and make sure it is at the center of the picture. Let the background sort itself out.
When preparing for a trip, pack your equipment carefully. Pack extra accessories and lenses so that you won’t miss out on any photographs during your trip because of poor planning. Try and think what is most important on your trip and how convenient it is carry to carry around.
When dealing with photos, you generally must decide whether you should expose the shadows or the headlights of the subject. However, with new digital technology you can take two photos of the same subject, each with different exposures, and stitch them together into a perfectly exposed photo.
Be sure to find a subject who is interesting and compelling. Without the right subject you will be unable to compose a beautiful portrait even if you have the best equipment available. Chose inanimate objects that inspire you, or search for a willing participant that can act as your muse.
You do not want to miss the perfect shot because you were playing with the settings on your camera. However, you should not preset your camera, which lets your camera choose the settings itself. Learn and explore your camera’s options and settings.
Many people believe that it is advantageous to wear white when they are being photographed. However, white is actually one of the most unfavorable color choices. Many photographers use the auto focus setting on their cameras. This setting doesn’t work as well if the camera can’t pick up different shades in its lens’ range. For example, if a subject wears white and the background is also white, the camera won’t focus properly. White will register as an abundance of available light and cause an overexposed appearance in photos.
You need to understand your camera’s ISO feature if you want to make your pictures turn out as desired. You need to keep in mind that if you increase the ISO it increases how much light is let into the camera; this then affects the print and grain on your picture. If this is not an effect you are consciously aiming for, visible grain can make your photo look awful.
If you plan to take photos that include more than one person, advise everyone in the group on choosing the proper clothing. This holds true whether you are dealing with a family, a large group or a couple. They don’t have to wear the same colors, but they should try complementary shades to produce the best results. If you are photographing outside, then recommend neutral colors that will complement the natural backdrop. When a group insists on using more colors, especially bright ones, try to encourage a mix of colors and black. This ensures that the photo is not one with clashing colors detracting from its quality.
If you want higher-quality pictures, get a tripod. Your tripod needn’t be expensive or fancy. If you take a lot of motion or low-speed shots, even the slightest jiggle could affect your shot. An inexpensive tripod effectively prevents your photographs from blurring. If your tripod is good, the pictures appear more professional and gets rid of any unwanted results.
The ways that you can improve the quality of your photos and refine your photographic skills are nearly endless. Some people work best with one technique, others with another. That’s fine. By reading this article, hopefully you got some tips that will help you get started on your path to great photography.
Consider not only the background of your landscape images, but also the foreground, by centering on things of interest. You might include a rock, leaf or branch in the frame to give the photo depth. Having perspective will emphasize the subject of your picture and add interest.
