How to Apply Elementary Principles of Photography
Whether your camera is digital or uses film, taking great pictures requires some basic skills that everyone can learn. With today's camera options, most of us no longer need to worry about F-stops, light meters and ISO speeds, but we can all use some help get subjects into proper focus, eliminating red eye and getting the best photos possible from our cameras. Apply some simple fundamentals of photography, before you squeeze the shutter, to make your personal photos better every time.
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Instructions
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Investigate the automatic settings on your camera. Read the manual and note which settings are automatic and which ones the user can change on the fly. Download the camera manual's quick set-up guide from the manufacturer's website, if possible. Create a mini manual by copying or printing the pages that you will need most often. Keep this guide with your camera for quick reference.
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Compose your pictures before you shoot. Evaluate focus, background and angles. Look at shapes, lines, patterns, textures, sizes and forms that can be emphasized in the photograph. These basic elements distinguish good photos from great photography.
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Practice framing your photographs. Look for indicators on your camera's viewfinder that help you square up your photos more precisely. Lower the camera and look closely at the background and additional components of the setting that you can include or exclude. Repeat this framing procedure until you see the scene that you want to capture in your viewfinder.
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Study the lighting on your subject and take photos from an angle that uses the light effectively. Avoid photo shots with a direct light source such as lamps behind the subject. Use the flash sparingly. Automatic flash settings on many cameras are the easiest to override. Turning off your flash is often a good idea and it will result in less red eye. It can give your photos a perspective that natural light can provide.
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Use tools like zoom features as little as possible. Move farther way or closer to your subject instead. You will have more control over the finished result.
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Stand still and take a deep breath, before pressing the shutter button. Expert photographers agree that all photographers must learn this technique. Not only does this reduce shutter shake, but it also gives you more control over framing. Press your elbows against your ribs first, then raise your camera and look into the viewfinder without moving your arms away from your body.
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