Things You'll Need:
- Camera
- manual
- tape
- tissue paper
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Step 1
Different viewpointsEXPERIMENT WITH VIEWPOINT ANGLES -
Don't just walk up and push the shutter. Walk around your subject, looking for different viewpoints. Notice which ones look better than others. Make a conscious decision to choose the angle that looks best to you. Experiment with different angles. Squat down, sit down, lay down, climb a ladder, stand on a chair. Snapshots are almost always taken from a standing, eye level position, and this is why they usually look ordinary.
With kids and pets, try to photograph them at their eye level. Get down on the floor when they're playing or resting. -
Step 2
Snapshot on left. Improved composition, with subject emphasized, on rightLEAVE OUT UNNEEDED STUFF
Every picture tells a story, and the simpler the story, the better. So eliminate everything that complicates that story. If the subject is a crashing seascape, don't put your brother in front of it. If the subject is your brother, get close enough that he's the subject - don't emphasize the sea behind him.
Get close enough to emphasize the real subject and leave out anything that doesn't contribute. -
Step 3
Vertical and Horizontal SubjectsDARE TO TURN THE CAMERA -
Look at your subject - is it tall or is it wide? If it's tall, turn your camera vertically to match. If it's wide, like most landscapes, hold it horizontally to match. -
Step 4
Original on left. Using rule of thirds for better composition on right.DON'T CENTER IT!
If the subject is centered in the photograph, it's usually ordinary and boring. Learn the "rule of thirds" for better composition. The rule of thirds is when the picture is divided into thirds by imaginary lines. Wherever they intersect is a good place for the center of interest. Faces, eyes, etc.
Your camera is likely to have a display setting with the third lines, to make it easy. Check your manual. -
Step 5
SNAPSHOTS AND FLASH Most snapshots, especially indoors, are taken with the harsh on-camera flash. This makes anyone look bad, even movie stars. But there are several solutions to soften and diffuse the light and make the pictures look much better.
You can tape tissue to the front of the flash, or tape itself, or buy or make gadgets to diffuse the light. A clear plastic film container, for instance, can be trimmed to slide over the popup flash on a DSLR and soften it. -
Step 6
SPEAKING OF FLASH AND RED-EYE Here's a simple - very simple - solution to eliminate the red-eye problem. It's caused when people look directly at the camera when it flashes, and it reflects in their eyes. So, the solution is... don't have them look at the camera. Have them direct their gaze a couple of feet away from the camera and then fire it. Presto.
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Step 7
TAKE MORE THAN ONE This is so simple, yet most people don't think of it. Take more than one picture. Take different angles, change things around, take multiple shots of your kid. You'll be amazed at the differences, and the choices you'll have. (When I'm photographing, it's normal for me to spend an hour or two and take close to 100 shots.)
Don't keep the bad ones, though. Delete them! You don't need to clog up your storage space with bad pictures. -
Step 8
DON'T MAKE THEM LOOK AT YOU Don't tell your subject to look at you and smile. Those are snapshots. Instead, have a conversation with them or let them be busy with something, and take lots of shots. You'll surely get some that are really natural and flattering.
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Step 9
FORGET THE SUNSHINE Bright sunshine is not good light - it's too harsh and contrasty. Especially mid-day sun, that's the worst. That's where those black eye sockets come from.
Instead, choose a cloudy day or find some shade. The light will be softer and more flattering. "Dim sun" or "bright cloudy" days are also both very good lighting for outdoor photographs.
