You have an appreciation for photography but you have no idea how to work a camera. This article will break down some of the basics steps of how to use a camera and how to get great looking images, no matter if you have a point and shoot camera or a dSLR.
To create photographic images that resemble paintings, try having your photos printed onto matte or semi-gloss papers, then painting them by hand with photographic oils or pastels. These items can be picked up at most art supply stores and many camera shops. The most popular paints are made by Marshall’s and are created specifically for use on photographs.
Overcast skies can present problems when you are taking pictures, so exclude them from the image frame. Too much gray sky showing in a photo makes it appear washed-out and muted. Black and white photography may work better if you must shoot into an overcast sky. If the day is not overcast, you can show as much of the sky as you want to, but make sure you are attentive to the lighting.
Make sure the background you choose complements the subject of the photo. If you take a photo of a model against a busy background, the viewer’s attention is going to be drawn to the background rather than the clothes. As a general rule, simple backgrounds with colors that contrast with those of the subject are ideal.
Make sure you have the right lighting before taking a photograph. Lighting is perhaps the most important factor in producing a good black and white photograph, because it affects the texture, contrast and shape of the image. Side lighting can produce some dramatic photographs as it creates shadows and highlights the edges of shapes.
The number one lighting to avoid in photography is the use of your built in camera flash. Using the flash setting in your camera actually creates the dreaded red eyes and makes your subjects appear featureless shadow blobs. Only use this setting in the case of an emergency if you are left with no other choice.
Make use of lines to draw the viewer’s eye into the photograph. Lines can help provide a sense of depth to an image. If done correctly, the lines themselves can even be an interesting subject themselves. The use of lines in photography is a complex topic, but the main thing to consider is that they should draw you in, not push you away.
When photographing portraits, isolate your subject. Use a medium telephoto lens or the medium telephoto setting on your zoom. That, combined with a large aperture (try f/4 or larger), blurs the foreground and background. Focus on the eyes. Use diffused lighting for a flattering look. If outdoors, wait for an overcast sky or shoot with the subject in the shadows and the sun at your back.
Develop your creative vision. You can make an object from your everyday life look interesting if you know how to adopt a point of view that differs from what everyone sees. You can use your imagination to show usual objects in original settings or outside of their everyday use. Look at the world with a different point of view.
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.
In conclusion, you have a love for the art of photography but you do not know the first thing about how to take a good picture. Hopefully, you were able to follow along with the advice provided in this article so that you can take this on as a hobby and start creating your own art.
