They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean those words are good ones. A poor photo will have people focusing on its quality rather than the memory it was intended to capture. So what can you do to take better looking photos? Here are some tips to get you started.
One way to improve your own photography skills is to get inspiration by studying the work of other photographers. You will stimulate your creativity and reach out for new ways a moment can be captured by seeing some of the methods other photographers have used.
When photographing portraits, isolate your subject. Use a medium telephoto lens or the medium telephoto setting on your zoom. That, combined with a large aperture (try f/4 or larger), blurs the foreground and background. Focus on the eyes. Use diffused lighting for a flattering look. If outdoors, wait for an overcast sky or shoot with the subject in the shadows and the sun at your back.
You can do a lot to change the quality of your pictures by adjusting the focus of the shot. What is your primary subject? This doesn’t always have to be in the center of the photo. Having your subject in the lower right hand or left hand corner, for example, can increase dramatic aspects of your picture.
Pay attention to your background. Your main focus should be on your object, but you should use the background to support it. Avoid any unnecessary distractions and clean your background to report the attention on your object. Play with lines and perspective in your background to compliment the shape of your object.
A great photography tip you should keep in mind is to never compare yourself to someone else. If you’re constantly comparing your work to someone else’s, you’re selling your own work short. You must learn to value and appreciate your own work, and not worry too much about everyone else.
Get closer when you are taking photos. Especially when you are taking a series of shots, from which you will chose the best, get in there. The better your scene fills the frame, the better the overall picture will be. Take several shots, so you can get the nicest shot possible.
You have to be quick! Work on your reflexes so you can take faster pictures! It will take practice, but you need to get quick with your equipment. Don’t let a once in a lifetime shot pass you by because you were busy fumbling with cases and caps. Find portable camera storage that will provide easy access.
A good photograph should capture only a part of something. You do not need to get a panoramic vision when you can find the right detail that says it all. You should learn how to look for something that will speak to people and convey the meaning you are looking for.
A good photography tip that can help you is to make sure your computer monitor is calibrated. The last thing you want is to print out a picture only to find out that the colors are totally off. Calibrating your computer monitor can save you a lot of frustration and heartache.
Just like it is recommended for an artist to keep some paper and a writing utensil on them at all times, a photographer should always keep a camera on them too. You never know when a photo opportunity will present itself, so you need to be prepared at all times.
Any time you take a photograph, you want to be sure it’s a good one. In today’s age of photo editing and digital cameras, anyone can take a high quality photo. It’s just a matter of learning how. Thanks to the advice in this article, you should be taking better looking photos in no time.
