Photography can be an extremely fun and rewarding hobby. There is quite a bit that goes into making sure that you are producing quality content. Follow the advice provided in this easy to understand article and you will find yourself taking great pictures in a relatively short amount of time.
Use a tripod for maximum camera stability. For random shots of your kids or buildings, a bit of camera shake isn’t a big deal, but for once-in-a-lifetime shots that really matter, a bit of camera shake can ruin a perfect memory. If a tripod is not available, try setting the camera on a flat surface.
Don’t be afraid of taking pictures. If you use the wrong settings, it’s okay. Go ahead and take the picture anyway. If you want to photograph a person or pet, go up and ask if it’s okay; create a release form to sign if it makes you more comfortable. Just go do it!
Make sure the background you choose complements the subject of the photo. If you take a photo of a model against a busy background, the viewer’s attention is going to be drawn to the background rather than the clothes. As a general rule, simple backgrounds with colors that contrast with those of the subject are ideal.
To avoid red eyes in your photographs, make sure that your camera either has built in red eye reduction or you change the direction of your flash. If you did shoot a photo and it contains red eyes, you can easily remove them through the use of a graphics software such as Corel or Photoshop.
Play with lens distortion. Most photographs use portrait lenses or zoom lenses to focus on an object, and use a wide-angle lens for landscapes and such. By using a lens for a different use than its intended one, you will get a very original photograph. Do not let this become your style: learn when you can use an original lens.
A random element that can give you unique photos is to change the lighting. There is an unlimited number of ways you can use light to change pictures. Using side lights can help to create silhouetting the subject to hide their features. It can also create back-lighting and mood. Using sync-flash can also help to create unique photographs.
To get a great photo, make sure your subject fills the frame. Too much empty space will distract the viewer, and they will not know what they are meant to be focusing on. A tight crop on your subject will direct the eye and show more details that will transform your image into a story.
Keep an eye out for all kinds of natural geometry when taking pictures. Pay special attention to any “lines” that your eye can pick up on in the area or on the subject that you will be shooting. Find the “line” and use it to take a good shot.
When setting up a photograph, ask yourself what exactly you want the picture to show and convey. Is it a child, a snowy mountain, the beach? Use this information to choose where to place our subject in the picture, what pose to use and how you use the light.
Look through other photographer’s websites. Many times they will have the meta-data displayed so you will know what settings that they used to get the photo to turn out the way that they did. You will be able to learn a great deal about photography by looking at other’s work.
When you are looking to get tack sharp shots by using a tripod, you need to get a remote so that you can eradicate camera shake. Also, you can use the timer on the camera. Even if you don’t have a tripod, this can work great, but you’ll need a stable surface to set it the camera on.
Every picture you take needs a focal point. Determine your focal point before you snap the picture. When trying to determine the focal point, try to think about what will draw the viewer in. Keep the focal point simple, if you use too many focal points it will only confuse the view. You do not have to make your focal point be the center of the picture, but it does need to stand out.
When photographing a building or landscape, consider shooting from an angle that incorporates a strong point of interest apart from the “bigger picture.” Examples could include a colorful bouquet of flowers next to the building, or a majestic oak tree in the forefront of that distant sunset. Landscapes are often lost in translation if not defined by their proximity to other items.
To summarize, picture taking can not only be personally rewarding but it can also be a way for you to make money on the side. You need to be sure that you are aware of the fundamentals of photography as provided in this article so that you can build from there.