Photography has always captured the hearts and minds of people the world over, and it is a skill that anyone can learn. Anyone can take a photo, but to take great photos you need the right skills. Here are some tips to improve your shots and your skills.
Don’t go crazy messing with the settings on your camera. Learn how to use your camera one feature at a time. Learn each one completely before moving on. This way, you can concentrate on taking the shot instead of fiddling about with camera settings while your subject walks away.
An important factor in photography composition, is framing. By zooming onto the subject, any surrounding distractions can be removed. This helps your photo remain clutter-free without distracting elements.
Consider trying new things; don’t be scared of taking pictures that are original. When you take photographs, you should be working to develop your own personal style. You want to show the photographed item through your point of view. Avoid recreating certain famous photographs to see how your view differs from that of the original artist. Using your creative skills, try using some fresh angles.
Photography Skills
In a landscape shot, the foreground is just as important as the background. To create a frame that is striking and increase the depth of your photo, plan the foreground of the shot.
Practicing your photography skills should be a pleasant, engaging activity. Taking photographs should give you a sense of accomplishment, and reviewing them later should give you a sense of warm nostalgia. When you enjoy taking photos, learning new photography skills is something you are likely to be excited about.
Taking many, many pictures is one of the ways to capturing something great, so purchase a memory card that is big enough to hold large amounts of information. With more storage on a memory card, having room for photos does not have to be a worry. An added benefit of a larger memory card is that you will be able to shoot in RAW (if your camera has this capability). The RAW format preserves more details than JPEG and allows for a lot of flexibility once you get into post-production.
Blur the background when shooting photos of people. A sharply focused background pulls attention from your subject, and that is not ideal. You want your viewer’s eye to fall on the intended subject. This loss of focus is achievable by increasing the distance between the person and the background.
Figure out the best blend of aperture, ISO and shutter speed. These three features determine the exposure of your picture. Overexposure or underexposure are usually considered to be negatives, unless you are going for a very particular feel to the image. Play around with the features to judge how they work together. Use the combination you like the best depending on the environment.
If you want to get into taking pictures in the old fashioned manner try finding a old film camera and taking some shots! Using black and white film (200 speed), can also create that old-time look. Try having prints made on different papers, like fiber-based papers.
When you are traveling, take small snapshots of intricate details. These pictures will often bring back more memories than a picture of a landscape would. Every time something strikes your fancy, pull out your camera and photograph it.
Composition is an important factor that every beginning photographer should consider and educate themselves on. Composition is important in most art forms. Without a good composition, your pictures will look dull. Study up and use what you learn about composition when you take pictures and you will get better in photography.
Use limitation to help you become more creative. For instance, make a goal to only photograph images that represent one concept, such as “red.” Take that goal one step further, by take 100 different and unique photos of the same subject, or in confined quarters. By using limitations to your advantage, you’ll be forced to think more creatively, resulting in interesting and unusual pictures.
Pictures of people are great. It’s important and often legal that you gain permission before taking someone’s picture. These photos will bring back memories from when you travel, even though the subjects of the photographs weren’t people who would normally stand out in a crowd. Try capturing natural expressions and everyday clothing.
Rained Upon
Do you need to take shots of some subjects that have been rained upon? You can create some rain in your shots even if the weather is not cooperating by using a simple spray bottle filled with water. Just give your subject a few spritzes for that freshly rained upon look.
Make sure to find an interesting subject to photograph. The subject can make or break a photograph regardless of how technically advanced your equipment is, or how good your photography skills are. Choose your subject carefully, whether its a model who can pose or just a still object.
Take your photo quickly. Moments are fleeting, if you take too long getting ready for a shot, your subject may be long gone by the time you take the photograph. It takes only seconds for an animal to run away or hide. People’s smiles begin to look strained after a short period of time. That cresting wave or speeding SR-71 jet fighter that seemed to appear out of nowhere isn’t going to pause while you fiddle with your flash. While camera settings are important, you should never lose a shot trying to get a camera set just so.
Try to have frames in each of the shots you take. Not a picture frame, of course, but one that occurs naturally within the shot. If you are attentive, you can find “frames” within the environment that make your subject stand out. This is a great way to practice composition.
Usually in life we have been trained to see things that are centered and even as good. To create photographs that are more interesting, try aiming your camera so that your subject is slightly off center. Watch the auto-focus features that start to lock in the core of your shots. Use manual focus instead, and lock your focus before snapping the picture.
Don’t miss out on a picture that is fantastic by staying too busy adjusting your camera’s settings. However, you also don’t want to let the camera decide everything for you. Experiment with your camera settings to determine what works best for various types of photographs.
Even the most unremarkable subject matter can create a striking photograph, but only if you play with the settings and features of your camera. You can also add visual interest by shooting from different angles or adjusting the lighting levels. Practice these techniques before you shoot your photos so you know what results you’ll get from each.
If you’re just becoming accustomed to photographing a new type of subject or background, make sure you spend some time taking practice shots. Every location presents a photographer with a new challenge, and snapping practice shots can help you to achieve a perfect finial photograph. Try taking practice pictures between you real shots.
Red Eye
Red eye is so ubiquitous that a lot of people accept it, but it’s still a blemish that can spoil an otherwise-perfect photo. 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 also have a red eye feature.
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. Many professionals prefer name brands, but there are a few other manufacturers that also provide great results.
Set out with a plan before you shoot. Give yourself time to think about what you are trying to capture and convey, then make notes about the creative ideas that can make your photographs even better. Photography is art, and the skillful execution of a well crafted plan will show. This will inspire you to produce great results when you approach it this way.
Since you have now read the helpful tips in this article, you are ready to begin implementing what you have learned. You can now apply this knowledge and start to take photographs.
Exercise patience with setting up your subject into the right pose. If your pictures of events and people are always candid or surprise shots, they probably aren’t giving you the results you were hoping for. You will get that perfect shot if you take the time to arrange everyone.