Saturday, December 17, 2011

How To Increase Your Photography Skills

By Gisela Schiefer Devone


Today, photography is an incredibly popular hobby that is gaining in popularity. The demand for cameras that can take great photos for personal use is numerous. Now is the time to take advantage of it. Here are some tips that you can use to get you started with your photography plans.

When taking a photo, try to use any kind of lighting other than your camera's flash. The flash creates unnatural photos and dark spots in a picture. If you absolutely need to use the flash, tape a small piece of white paper over the flash. This will diffuse the light, making for softer, more natural lighting in the photos.

If you are planning to take pictures outside, reevaluate the lighting every 10 minutes, as lighting is constantly changing. Adjust your angle to get the best possible shot and illuminate the features that you are trying to highlight. Planning in advance is very important for producing quality photos.

Keep a notebook with the dates of the days that you were out taking photos with the location where you were shooting. You can get as detailed as you like in these notes. They are meant to help you remember exactly where and when you took the photos so you can add it to captions later.

In most parts of life, we are trained to make things even and centered. Perfection is valued in our society, and rightfully so -- but when it comes to creating interesting photographs, try pointing your camera in a way that puts your subject slightly off-center. Beware of auto-focus features that lock in to whatever is in the center of the lens. Just focus manually and then lock the focus before clicking the photograph.

If possible, avoid using the flash that you find on most cameras nowadays. It tends to give the subject 'red eye', and it removes a lot of the shadow that can create depth in a picture. If you have to use a flash, such as an indoor nighttime shot, keep your subject away from walls. This way you won't end up with an ugly black shadow that resembles an outline.

If you do not have a tripod available to use for low lighting situations, try using your motor drive. Try to turn it up to high and then proceed to take a series of shots. Disregard the first shot and go ahead and keep the others that will always be sharper than the first.

When taking pictures with your camera avoid any unnatural cropping. It looks sloppy or strange when pieces of heads, entire heads, hands or feet are cut off. Remember photos should include the subjects main features.

When trying to get that perfect photograph, take lots of shots. The beauty of digital photography is that you can take countless shots of a scene to get the picture that is just right. There is no need to worry about wasting film because you have unlimited space. Take lots of shots to make sure you will get the perfect frame. You should now see why this hobby is very popular. There is so much you can do in it! There is also a ton of information on how to start enjoying the benefits of it. By following these tips, you are well on your way to becoming a successful photographer.




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