One great way to express yourself artistically is through photography. There are many people interested in photography, but not many get into it because they get scared by all the knowledge it takes to do photography well. If you’re ready to take the plunge and explore photography as more than just a passing fancy, this is the article for you – so read on!
Play with the aperture settings. Take a number of photos of the same subject with different settings to see how it affects the look of the final photo. Bigger f-stops allow you to get an entire landscape in focus, while a smaller f-stop will draw attention only to the center of your frame.
If you are taking pictures in the sun during the spring or summer, make sure to turn the flash on. Failing to put the flash on your camera can result in a bad glare, which can taint your photos. Once you turn the flash on, you can take pictures as you usually would.
The “S” stands for shutter speed. Use low shutter speed to get sharp pictures when capturing moving objects. Set the shutter speed to higher speeds for creating a more experimental picture. This is a cool feature to use when getting photos of fireworks or tail lights on a car. It is an easy way to get artistic features in your photos.
Know your camera. If you have recently purchased new equipment, or if you have had yours for a while, but never taken the time to know it’s ins and outs, then do so. Read the manual, or play with the functions extensively until you understand it. Knowing what your camera can do will give you better pictures as you can adjust to changing light and circumstances.
Play with the shadow of your object. When a shadow is projected on a distorted surface it adopts interesting shapes. You can even have an original shadow become the subject of your photograph. Arrange the lighting and the background to make shadows change and adopt a shape you want to work with.
When taking group shots, pay attention to the height and build of each person in the photograph. Arrange the subjects so the taller ones are in the back row, with the tallest one in the center. If tall and short subjects must be placed together for some reason, consider having some people sitting and others standing.
Most photographers wish for their subjects to look into the camera. Have your subject express a variety of emotions to capture a unique photograph. It can also work well for them to focus on something that is in the picture.
Read the manual for your camera. Manuals that come with your camera are often dense and large. Most people put them back in the box or toss them without ever looking at them. Instead of letting it gather dust, crack it open and give it a look. This simple act can help you enhance the quality of your pictures as well as avert you from making amateur mistakes.
When you are taking a picture, your arms should be close to your sides. This will help keep the camera still and ensure that your picture turns out clear and crisp. Your non-dominant hand should also be under the camera lens to hold it steady as you snap the picture.
Whether looking at a natural scene or one you have set up, including repetitious patterns will give a rhythm to the photo and add interest. Any sort of pattern draws the eye to that part of the shot, which makes your photo more appealing. You can also make the patterns part of your photo by using them as a backdrop for your subject. This is particularly effective if the backdrop is slightly burred to allow your subject to stand out while still maintaining the interest.
Photography is something that appeals to a lot of different people. However, many people are intimidated by the amount of technical gadgets and accessories that are used by professional photographers.
