Anyone can snap shots with a camera and be lucky enough to get a few decent pictures. There is much more of a process to taking a good picture than most people realize. If you are looking to take your photographic skills up a notch, see the following tips on how to improve.
Decide what is going to be in your picture. Many good photos show only a carefully chosen portion of the subject, rather than the whole thing. Avoid trying to get too many things within the frame. If you want a better impression of a subject, take as many photos as you can.
Select a subject and focus on it. Point your camera towards this subject or object and use the auto focus feature if necessary. If you do not do this, your picture will look blurry. Play with conventions and select an unusual point of focus if you want original pictures.
If you know that you have a really important shoot the next day, make sure that you get ample rest. Yes, a lack of sleep will directly result in loss of judgment, which will hurt the quality of the shots that you take. Get at least eight hours of rest the night before a photo shoot.
In order to produce the best and clearest photographs, you should use a tripod. A tripod allows you to stabilize the camera, so that your photos are in better focus. This is especially important if you are using a high-zoom lens or shooting at night, since small changes in the camera’s position will result in major blurring.
Shoot during the “golden hours,” especially if you are shooting human subjects. The time around dawn and dusk are named “golden hours” because the hue of the light makes objects look like they are glowing. This light also complements human skin, making human subjects appear to look better than they would in photos taken at other times of day.
Try getting closer to the subject that you are trying to photograph. Nothing is as bad as taking a photograph of something that is not close enough to see well. Make it easier for yourself and for your viewers to see your subject clearly and vividly.
Almost all digital cameras contain a built-in flash, and it will pop up automatically when dim conditions are detected. The convenience of this feature can be great for quick candid shots; however, if your goal is more professional shots, weigh options for the purchase of an external flash option. This will allow greater diversity in your lighting needs. Look at your camera and determine whether or not it features a “hot shoe” near the top; this is where the external flash unit attaches to the camera. If your camera can accommodate the external flash, bring it with you to the camera store to find the right model.
While talent can be an important factor in taking excellent photographs, there is quite a bit of learned technique that goes into it as well. Learning the latest techniques on a decent camera and practicing them again and again, should bring up your confidence level. Understanding how to take great pictures can become much more rewarding.