If you’re finding that a lot of your pictures are coming out with the same kind of style and lacking something that you can’t quite put your finger on, try trying something new. There are an infinite number of ways to get a good shot on any one item or place. In this article, we’ll supply you with a few suggestions that can help change the kind of images you end up with.
Be selective when taking your photos. Find exactly what you want in that photo, and remove anything else from the shot. If you’re trying to take a picture of a flower, you don’t want a bunch of other flowers or trees in the shot. Get as close and focused on the subject as possible to get the best possible photo.
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.
Don’t make your photographic techniques too complicated; simplifying your process can get you better pictures. Often, you can create a magnificent photo without having to play with different color settings and motion settings.
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.
Use a diffuser to minimize the negative effects of flash photography. The built-in flash on most cameras produce photos that have a high light-dark contrast, which makes them look harsh and unrealistic. A diffuser diffuses the light from the flash, distributing it more evenly and making your flash photos look more natural.
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 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.
Do not forget to take pictures of yourself. You can still compose the background and choose how you want to use light and colors. Give instructions to a friend and look at the preview before you go pause. These pictures will be nice memories when you look back at them.
A good photography tip is to take a look at post cards when you visit a new country. Looking at their post cards will show you all kinds of great opportunities for shooting. It will save you the hassle of having to search for these places by yourself.
Now that you have a handful of new ideas to help improve your photography style, have fun and try to see how many of them work for you. You may find that all of them improve your pictures, or you may find that some just don’t add what you’re looking for to the style they already have. Most importantly, just have fun!
