Friday, April 27, 2012

Photography Principles - What Is Photography All About?

By Rene Jenkins


Understand and get to know your camera. Although this sounds simple, many people have never even read the instructions on how to operate their camera. Get to know and understand the various menus and functions of every button on it so that when you need to use a certain function, you know where to find it and that the camera can accomplish it.

A great photography tip is to simply be prepared. There's nothing worse than showing up to a location to shoot at the wrong time, or to realize that your camera only has half a charge left. Take steps to make sure that you're prepared at all times.

When photographing landscapes, create a sense of depth. Use a wide-angle lens or your zoom's widest setting for a broad, panoramic view. Get a sense of scale by having a person or object placed in the foreground. Setting a small aperture ? no greater than f/8 with most consumer digital cameras or f/16 with a full-frame SLR ? will provide sharpness to both the foreground and background.

Make sure you have a focal point for your photograph. This should be the first thing that the viewer's eye is drawn to. Whether it's a flower, a person, or a bird, every shot you take should have a specific focal point. Don't only think about what the focal point is, but figure out the best spot for it in the shot.

If you're doing a landscape shot, try and capture some movement in the shot. Whether it's the wind blowing the trees or a wave crashing against the shore, capturing this movement can add an extra layer of depth to the photograph. If you're going to try and capture movement, make sure you've got the shutter speed set correctly.

Keep your camera settings simple. Learn to master one portion of the control, such as aperture or shutter speed, before you worry about the next. This will allow you to focus on capturing the picture, instead of spending all your time fiddling with the camera while your subject simply walks away.

Don't be afraid of taking pictures. If you use the wrong settings, it's okay. Go ahead and take the picture anyway. If you want to photograph a person or pet, go up and ask if it's okay; create a release form to sign if it makes you more comfortable. Just go do it!

Keeping your batteries charged will help you never miss the shot of a lifetime. Digital cameras can use a lot of power, especially when using the LCD screen, so make sure your batteries are fully charged before needing to use the camera. Another good idea is to carry a set of spare batteries for your camera with you so that you never miss a shot.

A great photography tip is to try and find your own voice through photography. You want to set yourself apart from all the other photographers in the world. You can do this by figuring out how you like to capture things, and by figuring out which emotions you want to feature. Find and express an individual style.




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