Easy Photography Tips And Techniques - Shooting Out Of The Box Like A Pro
Many people think that exquisite shots are shot by very good photographers with great, very pricey photography tools. While that may be true most of the time, it is not true all of the time. Nice shots can be created by just about any person with a camera, expensive or cheap, with some preparation.
Here are some tips to remember when shooting:
1. Get in Close - Once you see the shot, before you click the shutter, move in closer. Crop out any distractions that you see. In other words, if you're about to shoot a sleeping cat, for instance, have the subject fill the viewfinder. Cut out what's near the pet. Zoom in until the subject is very prominent in the viewfinder.
2. Act Fast - This may take some practice, but learn to be quick, your subject may move, fly away, or simply change expressions at any moment. Take the picture as fast as possible. Take a bunch of shots before the moment passes. In this digital age, wasting film has become a thing of the past.
3. It's All About Composition - A picture composed well is admired much more that one that is not, so be patient when composing the scene. Keep the horizon of the shot level. Crop out the extra stuff in the viewfinder. Move the subject around the frame. For example, just because the tree is in the middle, does not mean it has to be there in your shot. Move it to the side for a more interesting photo.
4. Be Selective in Subject Matter - Don't waste your time taking pictures of things that you do not find interesting. This will require shooting all kinds of subject matter until you figure this out about yourself. Once you find your passion, your art will follow. It is possible to use the same subject at different aspects for years if you are passionate about it. We will never run out of flowers, people, landscapes, cloud formations or insects; find something you love and keep on shooting. Again, fill your viewfinder with your passion and leave the rest out.
5. Define the Subject - Don't lose track of what the subject is. If the subject's surroundings are busy and contrasting, use a narrow depth of field to blur the surroundings. You want to move the subject forward so that it dominates attention of those looking at the picture. Practice shooting the same subject with different camera settings and light sources. The subject might look better centered in the frame, or it might look better to one side or the other. Experiment with all of this until you are satisfied with the results.
6. Playing Around with Shutter Speed - A control opportunity that SLRs offer, that is not often told to beginning photographers, is experimenting with shutter speed. Shutter speed allows you to speed up time or to slow down time. The freeze frame shot can be captured with a fast shutter speed. A time lapse moment can be captured using a slower shutter speed. I enjoy the time lapse shots that show motion while still defining the character of the subject. Play around and experiment with the aperture function.
7. Look at the Light - Now don't go looking at the sun, but do look at how the light is playing around your subject. Is it a gloomy cloud ridden day or a bright and sunny one? How do the shadows fall over your subject or are there any shadows at all? Is your subject squinting? Can you see your subject; meaning is the sun in front of or behind? Harsh light can bring out bold colors, while indirect light can make your focus soft.
8. Watch Weather Conditions - The mood of a shot may be entirely changed by the weather. The tones in a picture may be muted by an overcast sky. A cloudy sky often has uses though; some really remarkable effects in black and white photography can be obtained in this condition. If it is bright outdoors, then the sky is the limit. With that said, a polarized filter is needed on sunny days to help take out harsh glare and reflections. A polarizer helps keep the scene clear and the tones sharp.
9. Know Your Equipment - Stay with simple camera settings and functions when you first get started. If you are planning to use the pure automatic functions, you may as well be using a point and shoot camera. Getting frustrated when first learning camera settings is common, but it does get easier with practice. Put your camera in semi automatic to allow for some adjustment and after you get better. Use it in manual setting to obtain total freedom over your shot. Remember, don't be in a hurry; learning how to correctly use a camera takes practice and time.
10. Be Bold - Do not spend a lot of your time being concerned about the camera's settings. If you are not pleased with the photo, continue shooting until you are. Don't let fright or worry daunt you into not taking the picture you want. When capturing photos, you don't have to worry about being politically right.
