Although most people think that taking a picture is just as simple as pointing and shooting, there really is an art form to it. Typically, your photos never look quite as good as you imagined they would. However, once you learn the proper techniques, it really is simple to take great pictures.
Take your pictures quickly. The longer you hesitate, the better the chance that your subject will move away, break their pose, or become tired and stop smiling. Start taking shots as quickly as you can, and don’t worry about getting the camera perfect before the first shot. The faster you shoot and the more photos you take, the better your chances are of getting a good one.
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.
To take professional-looking photos, you should use a professional-quality camera. A dSLR camera is your best bet if you want your photographs to be superlative. High quality photographers are using this so you must as well to keep up with this standard in the industry.
Use other photographers to get inspired. If you look at other photographers’ work, you can learn new strategies for capturing a scene.
When you are taking landscape photos, consider the sky. If the sky is rather bland and boring, do not let it dominate the photo. If the sky is lit up with wonderful colors (especially during sunrise, sunset or a storm) it is okay to let the sky dominate the photo.
If you can’t use a tripod while taking photos for some reason, you should always brace your upper body on a solid surface. Hold your breath if you can while taking the shot. This will minimize shake during the exposure, resulting in clearer pictures. A tripod is always best, however.
Before traveling with your photography equipment, take the time to carefully plan which equipment you need to take. Bring as many lenses you think you’ll need and never forget to have spare batteries and maintenance accessories. Do not take more than what you need and think about what will be convenient to transport with you on your trip.
Move in close to your subject. Nothing is worse than viewing a photo of a subject that is too far away to see any clear details or colors. Make seeing your subject with clarity easier for both you and the viewers of the picture.
Positioning of the subject can make the difference between a good photo and a great photo. The subject should rarely be dead center in the middle of the photo. When taking your photo, try to position the subject in the upper, or lower third of the image. This effect works best when there is a horizon in the distance.
Play with lens distortion. Most photographs use portrait lenses or zoom lenses to focus on an object, and use a wide-angle lens for landscapes and such. By using a lens for a different use than its intended one, you will get a very original photograph. Do not let this become your style: learn when you can use an original lens.
It is possible that in the past you have been extremely disappointed with how your pictures turned out. But that problem will be a thing of the past if you act on the advice presented in this article. These tools will show you to take beautiful pictures that can be put on display.
