A lot of us really don’t have the expertise we’d like to for taking photos that are worth framing. Digital cameras really have come a long way, however, making it quite possible for just about everyone to capture excellent pictures.
Photo by Aftab Uzzaman; ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/50-second exposure.
Today’s cameras do just about everything for you, from recognizing faces to finding out if a flash or no flash might be better, saving you a great deal of work.
However, becoming a better photographer is doable when you have a bit of experience with your camera and a sense of know-how. Grab your camera and have a peek at these tips that will make your photos even better than they used to be:
1. Make eye contact with your subject to get a more interesting photo. Having your camera at the very same level as your subject’s eyes creates a picture that is far less forgettable. When you take pictures of animals and children, be sure to get down to the same level as them. This is much more attractive than shots taken that look down on a subject. Additionally, when a picture is taken at eye level it’s much more personal and welcoming and more likely to draw in the viewer.
2. Accentuate your main focus in the picture by keeping distractions outside of the background. A flagpole which seems to spear your subject through their head will draw attention away from the real subject of the picture. Ensure that you take into account the things surrounding the subject when taking pictures. A common or undecorated setting with virtually no distracting activity is ideal.
3. Know when you should move in closer. When your subject is of smaller size than a vehicle of standard size, move a handful of steps closer to the subject before taking the picture. Or better yet, zoom in. Your objective in doing this is to clearly show little details, like a great set of pearly whites or a grouping of adorable freckles.
Photo by merec0
4. Find out when you ought to utilize the camera’s flash. Dazzling sunlight can work to create deep shadows in the face. You can get rid of these shadows by using the flash on the camera, even when there is a lot of light outside. This is particularly true if the day is really sunny. If you have a choice between full flash or fill flash, the general rule is to use the fill flash for subjects five feet or closer, and the full flash for the subjects that are farther away than five feet.
5. Understand when you’re too close. While getting close makes for a much better shot most of the time, you should also avoid coming too close. If you’re too close, your pictures will end up blurry. The closest focus distance on the standard digital camera is about a yard, which is roughly one step beyond the lens of your camera. If you move any nearer than this you may not get the nice clear pictures you desire.
6. Put your subject in the middle, but only when they appear best that way. The beauty of the digital camera is that you are able to shoot, shoot, and re-shoot until the shot you are capturing turns out like you want it. Many times, the middle is an ideal position for the subject, but this is not always true. Take a number of shots and compare them to each other to determine what position is best suited for your subject.
Photo by Brian Geltner; ISO 400, f/2.2, 1/80-second exposure.
With a little care and forethought, you can take pictures that are worthy of framing and displaying around your home and workplace.
About the Author:
Autumn Lockwood is from a framing company. Listed on their website are a wide variety of picture frames. Your Picture Frames makes it easy for you to find just the perfect frame.
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