These are some quick and easy basic tips to help you take better photographs starting today!
So, you have a camera of some sort, and you took some pictures. Some are good, but most are slight to REALLY blurry. Maybe the subject of the photo was all shadowy. In today’s take a better photograph lesson, we are going to learn how to do just that.
In my opinion, the most important part of taking a photograph is about the light. Yes, that is right, LIGHT! Control light and your photos will instantly start improving.
If you take a shot and notice your subject is all dark and the background all bright. You need to have your subject face the light, or use a reflector to “bounce” light to them, or use a flash (yes even in the daylight) to counteract the shadow created by the backlight. You, as the photographer, the person making the art come alive, need to be aware of where your main light source is and make it work for you. Control it.
“Never shoot with the sun directly behind you. It creates boring, flat light on the subject. If you shoot with the light source to the side or behind the subject, you are able to shape with the light, creating a more interesting photo.” — Patria Jannides
Next is to be aware of your surroundings. You can have the light perfect, and be so excited, and when you pull up the photo to edit or simply post, you then realize you missed that hideous bright blue trash can be sitting in the background totally distracting from the rest of the awesomeness you made happen. Nothing is worse than having everything perfect only to find you missed that one ridiculous thing in the photo that taking a step to the side could have prevented. Be aware of what is in your frame!
Change your perspective! That's right folks. Not all pictures need to be taken at eye level while standing perfectly still. Don’t be afraid to get down low or climb up on a stable and safe surface to get a new angle.
Piggybacking off of perspective, I will jump into framing your subjects, within your frame! Using the lines of a window or through a soccer net or shooting through leaves to give a more voyeuristic feel to the image can really change the feel of a photo and enhance the “wow” factor we are all hoping for from our final images. Try it. Don’t be scared, its digital!
Take pictures. A lot. You may think that is a no-brainer, but most people just ‘shoot’ when they need to instead of practicing in their free time. The more you photograph things, the more you use your camera and get to know it, the better it will work for you.
Especially once you start going into manual mode, but that is a lesson for another day.
Read your manual! This is also super important. If you want to use your camera right, and know all the cool functions and how to create that cool blurry effect (bokeh) read your manual. Seriously. The thought of it makes me cringe too, but you will be better off for it, and so will your images.
So you found a cool background for your subject. Guess what, PULL YOUR SUBJECT AWAY FROM IT! Most people take their subject and stick them on a wall and take the shot. You want to create some depth in your images so pull your subject away from the background. Approx 5ft is a good starting point. It will also help with that soft bokeh effect (blurry-ish background.) Try it, look at the difference. Of course, this will vary depending on what lens you may be using and the look you are trying to achieve, but this is a good one to keep in mind no matter where you are.
Taken from the B&H Photo site, here are some creative Photo exercises to help you practice, we are going to try some now.
Exercise 1: Two Dozen
Pick a location. Stand in one spot and make 24 unique photographs while standing in the same place. You cannot move your feet.
Exercise 2: Ten of One
Take 10 unique and/or abstract photographs of 1 small subject.
Exercise 3: Portable Subject
Carry a subject with you and put it in the frame no matter where you are shooting.
Exercise 4: Nine Elements
Photograph these nine elements of a scene while in one location.
Light
Shadow
Line
Shape
Form
Texture
Color
Size
Depth
Exercise 5: Portrait
Find someone to photograph. Make their portrait. Not just a snap of someone smiling, try to tell a story of the person in the frame with one image.
Baroness Lady Jae has been a professional photographer for 8 years. Her work has been featured in multiple magazines and galleries across the country.