Simple Things You Can Do To Be A Better Photographer

Jun 22, 2012 by Lebrog93

Do not underestimate the disposable camera as a way to take wonderful photos. The technology has improved, and you can take shots equal to, and even better than, your durable film camera. Many disposable models also offer a built in zoom feature. New disposables are not the same old junk cameras they were ten years ago.

Pay attention to the symmetry in your pictures. A picture that is supposed to be symmetrical and isn’t will appear much worse than if it were and frustrate your viewers. Make sure you’re standing in the dead center of a symmetrical object if you are trying to create a symmetrical composition.

Don’t rely on your camera’s zoom. Get a close as possible before you start to use your zoom. Zooming in can be helpful, but after a while the picture can get distorted. You’re better off getting as close to the subject as you can before you try to zoom in on it.

There are some occasions where over exposure can add a gorgeous perspective to a photo. This will make the photo look clean and simple. Making the image brighter than it really is a technique, that when done correctly, can add a beautiful effect to a simple photo that may otherwise be bland.

Use your camera’s zoom feature to highlight your subject and eliminate nearby distractions. After you’ve framed the subject, take a moment to look around the frame to see if there’s anything creeping in on the sides that will end up being a distraction in the final image. If there is, zoom in a little until the distractions are gone from the frame. If your camera doesn’t have a zoom feature take a few steps forward and then re-frame your subject.

Make sure to set up your compositions so that vertical lines are truly vertical. Tilting the camera backwards to capture a tall building, for example, can cause the building to appear as if it is falling backwards out of the frame. Photographs in which buildings are not vertical often appear unnatural.

Invest in small, high-speed memory cards instead of one that will hold a lot. It will help you protect the photos that you have taken if something should happen to make your card fail. Do not wait too long to back up the images to a hard disk to avoid losing everything.

A good photography trick that can help you out is to focus on a particular spot in front of the action if you’re taking an action shot. If you simply try to take a picture of the action itself you might miss it entirely. It’s better to focus on an area in front of the action.

When photographing landscapes, use defined lines to direct attention to the section you wish to highlight. Examples of defined lines in an outdoor setting could be fences, roadways, streams or trees. Position yourself and the camera in a way to use existing lines to lead the viewer’s eye toward that barn or sunset or field of flowers in the distance.

Don’t be too “flash happy.” While flash has it’s time and place, you don’t need to use it for every situation. In fact, it’s recommended that you do not most of the time anyway. If you must though, try lowering its intensity so that you can get more natural shots.

On your smart phone (as long as it has a camera), keep a special inspiration album within your photos. Every day you may stumble upon some amazing, inspirational idea, moment or place. Snap photos of these locales and moments, and store them in this inspiration album. Next time you are looking to try something new with your photography, look back to your inspiration folder for some great brainstorming ideas!

Pay attention to what is in the background when you are taking a picture. A relatively simple or plain background will better emphasize the subject of your picture. Make sure there is nothing distracting or embarrassing in the background that will draw attention away from the subject of your photograph.

In order to produce the best and clearest photographs, you should use a tripod. A tripod allows you to stabilize the camera, so that your photos are in better focus. This is especially important if you are using a high-zoom lens or shooting at night, since small changes in the camera’s position will result in major blurring.

Using all or some of these tips can help drastically improve the quality of shots you get with your camera in your every day life. Try taking a picture or set of pictures using these tips today and see what kind of difference you are able to notice in your photos.

Rickey Esmond blogging concerning NY Wedding Photographers