Photography Tips

Where do you start when it comes to taking photos? Sure, anyone can point a camera and push a button to take a photo, but will it be a good photo that people will come back and say “This turned out great”? That is our goal isn’t it? We take photos to capture a memory yes, but we also want to be able to share those pictures and hang them on the wall for everyone to see. So to help achieve this, here are a few tried and tested tips to taking more photos to display.

1. Use a plain background - If you can, take a moment to look at your surroundings before you take your photo. Look for things in your background that could distract from your subject. Are there objects showing behind their head? Double check the scene through your viewfinder. Sometimes restricting your view this way can help you to visualize your photo and see what you may want to remove or alter. A cluttered background makes for distraction. If possible, place your subject against a simple background for more impact.

2. Change your angle - Shoot your subject at eye level. Kids, pets, and even other adults. By shooting at the same level as the subject, the photo becomes more personal and inviting. Then experiment with shooting your subject as you stand above them, as they are partially turned away from you or standing above you.

3. Get close - Zoom in as tight as you can on your subject and fill your viewfinder. This will eliminate distracting backgrounds and it will highlight the details of your subject creating greater impact.

4. Get away from the middle - We talk about our rules of thirds in scrap booking all the time. The same can be applied in photography. Your subject doesn’t have to be in the dead center to be the focus of your photo. If you imagine the viewfinder having a tic tac toe grid on it, place your subject on one of the spots where the lines intersect.

5. Don’t forget about vertical photos! Some photos just look better in a vertical format.

6. Lock your focus - I told you to get away from the middle of your photo, but how? Try to focus on where you want your subject to be. Push your shutter button half way down. While holding it down, reframe your photo to place your subject where you want it to be in your photo and then push your shutter button down the rest of the way. Voilà!

7. Be a picture director - Don’t be afraid to rearrange your subjects for a photo. Even add a few artfully placed props. Also, consider changing your angle.

8. Watch your light - We all know that the light is different depending on the weather or the time of day. Cloudy days are perfect for taking portraits because they don’t create harsh shadows on faces or squinting eyes. Early morning and end of evening light is beautiful for taking landscape photos. Study the way light falls on your subjects and use it to your advantage. If you are trying to take portraits on a bright sunny day, then put your subject in a shaded spot just out of the sun. You will still have beautiful light and get great portraits.

9. Use your flash outdoors - If you can’t find a shady spot to take photos out in the midday sun, try using your flash. Fill light from the flash can lighten the shadows around the eyes, nose and mouth. It can also be wonderful for cloudy days to help brighten up faces and help subjects stand out from their background.

10. Know the range of your flash - Most flashes only have a 10 foot range. Check your manual. If your subject is out of range as you attempt to use your flash, the photos will turn out too dark. This applies indoors or out.

Keeping some or all of these in mind when taking your photos should help get the most from your camera.