Photography can be difficult. However, if you own a good camera that is loaded with lots of features, you can use some sound information to take wonderful photos.
Get as close to your subject as you need to. If you move close to your subject, you can frame it more effectively, while avoiding distractions around it. This also better captures facial expression, which is very important in portrait photography. Small details such as the unique colors in your model’s eyes, or an adorable dimple are often lost when you are too far away.
Use manual white balance to spice up your photos. It is possible to let the camera decide the proper white balance for a given environment, but sometimes the camera will get it wrong and the photo will look washed out. Using a manual white balance also allows you to take artsy photos with sepia tones, for instance.
Often digital cameras will have a flash option that responds to dim light, making the feature available automatically. This is good for random, candid shots, but if you want a professional look, invest in a flash that is external and offers more lighting. 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.
A great photography tip is to keep a folder of your best images. This can be a great way to look back and see the highlights of your work without having to dig through piles and piles of photographs. Update the folder as you take more and more pictures.
Remember to look for unusual things. It can either be a small detail or a strange situation. Learn how to represent what strikes you as unusual or original in the world you see. As you practice, you will be able to recognize what makes a good subject for your pictures.
Many digital cameras nowadays actually have a setting for red eye reduction. One of the worst things that can happen to a good picture is the subject will have red eye, ruining an otherwise perfect picture. If you have a setting, turn that setting on first, then snap your shot, and presto, no red eye!
Keep your eye out for patterns when you shoot your subject matter. Patterns help draw the eye to a photograph and make it more interesting to view. You can use patterns to your advantage and create backgrounds and interesting angles that enhance your subjects.
Vary your lighting when taking several pictures. It is harder to do in natural light, but you should adjust light levels when possible to see the different effects light will have on your picture composition. Keep the lighting comfortable to your subjects, and in line with your chosen color schemes.
Keep an eye on the weather outside. Weather conditions can create many opportunities to improve or destroy a great picture. You can still get some great outdoor shots on a cloudy day. Compose your photos so that the gray sky is not actually in the frame. Don’t let it stop you from taking great pictures.
Be aware of what shooting mode you are in. For example, you need to know that when you decide to shoot in RAW that you will not have preset corrections that you can use when you upload them on the computer. You will, however, have much better post production quality output from this photo format.
As you’ve seen, photography is just a matter of getting the right camera, and using the right strategies. Even if you can’t draw or paint, you can take a picture. After reading this article, you now know just what it takes to take a great picture, and you can turn photography into an art!
