Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Tips That Can Make You A Better Photographer

By Brett Finn Sanchez


There is more to photography than a clear picture. Think of photography as an art. This is a form of art that has many different techniques. It requires an eye for what looks beautiful and interesting, as well as a sharp attention to detail. This article can help you to develop your own photography skills.

Simplify your camera settings for the best results. Become familiar with one of the settings, like shutter speed or aperture, before you tackle the others. The picture you want to take may no longer be there if you take too much time worrying over settings before you shoot; the scene may have changed or the person has gone away.

Built-in flash comes on almost all digital cameras. It can kick in automatically in low-light situations. While this may work for the average photo, you will need an external flash device for more professional photos with more light. To attach an external flash onto your camera, make sure it has a hot shoe on top. Then take it to a camera store, so they can help you pick out a flash that lines up with your camera.

Get close to the subject of your photograph. When framing a picture, zoom in or move physically closer to the focal point of your shot. Try to ensure that the subject of your photo fills the frame. If your pictures seem busy and lacking a focus, it may be because people don't know where to look. Your photo will contain more details if you are closer to it as well.

Pictures of people are great. Always ask their permission first. After you get home from your trip, these images will provoke thoughts and memories, even if they are nothing more than ordinary. Try to catch people that are just ordinary.

Crop your pictures strategically. There are times you may think your photo would be excellent if it weren't for that sock laying in the background. Maybe the subject is slightly unbalanced or off center. These are problems that can be easily altered by using the cropping feature, and cutting the unwanted item out of the picture.

Limit yourself to ensure that each photograph you take is creative. For instance, set a daily goal and just shoot what represents a single concept, like "sweet." You might try shooting 100 photos from a particular viewpoint or inside the same room. By enforcing this limitation, your mind has to find new ways to express the subject in a great photograph and this causes you to think beyond your normal comfort-zone.

When you are ready to take a photo, you should first figure out if you need/want to expose the shadows or highlight of your subject. You can take 2 pictures of the same subject and expose one of each. Then you would need to use a software program such as Photoshop to blend them together.

Make sure you have a good sense of depth when shooting landscapes. Get a sense of scale by having a person or object placed in the foreground. You can sharply define the photo's foreground and background by using a small aperture. The aperture should be set at no more than f/8 or f/16, respectively, for a basic digital camera or a full-frame SLR.

Having the background slightly out of focus, when shooting a live subject, can really enhance your photograph. Having a background that is in full focus will take away from your subject, making it harder to direct your viewer's focus to the right location. You can get your subject to come closer to your camera, or adjust your f-stop settings to achieve this effect.

As you have read, getting the perfect shot requires a number of different elements and conditions. You'll be able to increase your photo quality when you do.




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