Photography Tips & Tricks
 

I searched for a thread like this, but wasn't able to find it.

So, I was wondering if you all had any tips for getting better pictures. I know I'm not quite at the level of the OneExposure guys (Onexposure - 1x.com - Best photos in the world), but I am thinking of buying a camera that will be able to do that now. And since I won't be able to blame the equipment, I better know what I am doing. Now, I have taken good pictures before, though I may have just got lucky. :)

Here are the tips I know of:
1. If you are at a public event with other professional photographers, there is a reason they are where they are. You may want to try and get close or buy tickets near where they are.
2. You have to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right weather conditions.
3. Always keep the horizon horizontal.
4. Reflections in water are a good thing.
5. The light is best at sunrise and sunset.
6. Use lines and patterns.
7. Take as many pictures as you need and sort them out later.

trial and error is key. Technically knowing everything about depth of field and exposure are meaningless until you start getting the right feel for it.

Beyond that, many of the "standard" rules of photography can be broken with pleasing results. You'll find great pics with crooked horizons, in harsh light, etc.

Look at a lot of photos, try to emulate whatever effect they have, decide why you like the photos you like, etc. Find a place where people will give you honest feedback.

By the way, the equipment is only the limiting factor in extreme cases where you have either very low light, very small object or very distant subject.

Or just the really crappy equipment can be a limiting factor. :) I have a little point & shoot with a small sensor jammed packed with too many pixels that cause the pictures to come out blurry if you look at them at 100%.

Then again, the iPhone can take pretty good pictures it looks like.
iPhone Photo-of-the-Day - Mac Forums

While it all depends upon what your intentions are, I believe a lack of personal style to be just as bad, if not worse than a lack of technical proficiency. Photographers aren't walking xerox machines.

I've got a lot of cameras and one of my favorites couldn't have cost more than a few cents to manufacture.
Blur and noise aren't always bad and are often a good thing.
Besides pixel peepers, who really needs to view an image at 100%?

I agree completely. And just to clarify above, when I said to try to emulate the effects of some pics, I didnt mean to emulate the picture itself. Just the effects and associated techniques, like depth of field, lighting effects, etc.


As far as equipment goes, here's a few interesting links:

Kidding

wrotniak.net: Don't Blame Your Camera!

Rob Galbraith DPI: Alex Majoli points and shoots

Cameras with lack of control frustrate me. At a minimum I'd like control over aperture / shutter speed, turning off flash, and maybe ISO.

But stay out of our way when you do this. Nothing pisses us off more than some amateur jumping around in front of our lenses, or leaping on and off the camera riser 300 times and making our video shaky. Might be a good idea to watch how the pros do things and then try to blend in. I don't personally do this, but I've known photogs to "accidentally" bash someone upside the head with their 10-pound battery pack when they're being overly obnoxious ;)

Great suggestions!

Light is not best at those times, but rather an hour or two before sunset and after sunrise. Either time creates deep shadows and loss of detail not to mention can create glare and an imbalance of shadows to brighter areas.

The truest colors actually will show in your images on bright but cloudy days-when the sun is not shining in one's eyes and creating all that brightness.

Using lines and patterns may make some interesting images, but overdoing either one just makes the viewer go "Huh?" Use lines OR patterns to draw the eye in to a focal point. Good general rule of thumb-if someone asks "where's the subject?" you failed.

Reflections in water might be a good subject, but they can also wash out if the sun is also being reflected. Like any subject, reflections should be interesting and clear.

From an artisitc standpoint, sometime tilting the camera is a good idea; it also can allow you to fill the frame with the subject when straight up and down doesn't. Just be sure to allow for "waste" when it comes time to crop.

one thing that I forgot to mention earlier. Having a good, well calibrated monitor will improve your (digital) photography more than any lens or camera body.

First let me say, buying a $3500 camera is not going to make you a good photographer. I've seem many pro's using $150 point and shoot cams put less skilled shooters with their $2500 DSLR's to shame.

The advise that has helped me the most:

Know your camera.
Shoot lots and lots of pictures.
Use ALL of the features on your cam at least once to see what they do.
Shoot in RAW whenever possible, your computer is a much better photo editor than any camera.
The most interesting shots are usually from a different POV, if you just stand and click no matter how good the shot, it will be mundane. Squat, lay, climb, swing, whatever it takes to achieve a different POV.
KNOW THE GOLDEN RULE.

When I remember to do all those things, I'm never disappointed.

This sight has some good basic tutorials and explanations, it helped me a lot.

Digital Photography Tutorials

I don't know what kind of gear you use, but this is one of the most helpful forums I've found. They are definitely biased, but still polite when you lense is not white with a red ring.

Canon Digital Photography Forums - Powered by vBulletin



HTH,


Brock

Shoot lots and lots of pictures.

I think RogueGypsy said it and it's probably the best single item on the advice list. Even good photographers will tell you you need to take 100-150 shots to get those 2-3 few great shots.

Learn proper handholding technique, anchoring your arms to your body, your left hand under the lens and the camera to your face. Holding your camera out in front of you is a recipe for blurry photos, even with image stabilisation.

A monopod can be a handy tool, easy to take around and can help produce sharper photos with less motion blur.

When you're walking around, notice the things around you and learn to spot composition opportunities. Oh, and carry a camera with you whenever possible... even if it's a little compact camera.

Do not be afraid of using a high ISO to keep the shutter speed up above 100. Noise can be a good thing and newer cameras can easily go to 1600 without significant noise.

...Do unto others?

As a non-photographer, this thread is illuminating. I really had no idea there was so much to it. I know it's a skill and a talent, but so many little details to watch for.

I guess that's the same as anything really. And also why I'll probably never be any good at it. :p

That's right, take their picture so they will take yours. :orly:

Otherwise known as the 'rule of thirds' which is odd because it's actually the rule of fifths.

When composing a shot the human eye doesn't like things centered, to make a shot more interesting (or anything group of objects you may be looking at) divide the scene into fifths and frame the object of interest so that it sits 2/5ths from the left or right.

Oh, and once you know all the rules, do not hesitate to break them when it is necessary.

Snicka +1. Learn the rules, if you must, then forget them. Follow your instincts.

Train your eye to look closer at things than you would normally. Really observe what is going on around you. The closer you look, the more possibilities you see in even the most mundane objects, scenes, situations, etc. Before long you will see beauty everywhere. You don't even have to have a camera with you, just get used to looking at things inside the frame that exists in your mind - always thinking about composition.

Take chances. Don't be afraid of negative space (I don't care for that 'fill the frame' rule). And if you're looking through your viewfinder and your subject begs to be centered, then center the goddamn thing - and do it powerfully!

Same goes for perspectives, someone mentioned previously. Condition yourself to imagine what a subject will look like from different perspectives - and try them all.

Otherwise, yes, just take a lot of pictures. And trust in your own unique way of looking at things. I believe that if you have the urge to do more with a camera than take snapshots, then you have a vision trying to get out. Don't doubt yourself. And don't let anyone tell you you're not doing it right.

I found this site to be a great intro. Well written and easy to digest the basics. It was my crash course when I got my DSLR, and I am sooo glad I read it.

Damnit... I just went to the page to get the link and my virus scan told me to turn back. Anyway.. Here's my dump of hints:

Google the rule of thirds.

Never use a direct flash or a flash at all if not necessary.

The ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture form a balance to reach the optimal development. So, many cameras will adjust the other two parts when you change one.

Generally, you want to Max out the ISO, with enough shutter speed to keep it from being blurry. If you have a Tripod, use 100 (in good light), 200 for hand-held shots of stationary objects, 400 for moving things including falling water when you want to catch the drips, 800 for low light or when you are in low light, but the object is in high light. 1600 for extreme cases of this... think museum or aquarium.

Slow down the shutter speed when you want to capture and express motion, or if you are in a dark spot with a flash. (The flash can serve as a shutter of sorts... try this out on lightning) Remember to use a tripod if you slow it down a lot. You want to capture the motion of the object not the shaking of your hand.

Lower the aperture (higher F stop) if you want more depth... Open it to let more light in when you need a faster shutter.

Shoot in color always, you can switch to B&W on your computer later.

Zoom in to autofocus, then zoom out to the right frame.

Try to use a telephoto lens when photographing people, especially children... ok that didn't sound right... :) The point is that people are more likely to look comfortable if you don't have a camera stuck in their face. Leave space for the object to look into. Unless you want to add the feeling of curiosity, then purposefully restrict the viewers' aspect.

Be mindful of what you are trying to share with the potential viewer before you snap the picture. The photo should be more than a new perspective, but the perspective that maximize conveyance of the story, experience, or shared feeling.

Keep a mental note of scenarios that convey feelings, so you can add them later. For example... Take a picture of a someone standing 25 feet away but in between pillars which are 10 feet away from you. First zoom in so that the pillars are not in the picture, there is a comfortable closeness. Zoom out so that part of the pillars show and you will notice that the framing of the shot portrays a slight feeling of claustrophobia or restriction. Zoom back so that you can see the outsides of the pillars and there is a feeling of separation from the viewer.

One more thing... get Lightroom 2 for post processing. Photoshop might be bigger and better, but I find it overwhelming.

That's all I got.....

Don't focus on equipment to the exclusion of composition and developing your eye.

Focusing on equipment, bells, whistles, filters, etc. won't make any better as a photographer and it will actually detract / distract you from your learning composition and developing your eye.

Really good, artistically focused photographers hate it when someone looks at their photos and says, "Wow! what kind of camera did you use?" as if it's all about the camera and not the artist. Camera geeks are just the opposite; they want to talk about the specs of their camera and their equipment instead of their results.

When you get to the point where you (and other people) are focusing on the content and subject matter of your photos, rather than the technical aspects and "how-to" then you'll know you're on the right path.