A while ago I was going over the pictures I took on my last trip. I must admit that I am somewhat irregular taking pictures, and whenever I ask myself why I come to the same conclusion, sometimes do not pay all the attention they should and do not the pictures “with love”. When I look what I’ve done I realize the times when I did the photos, the failures that I made in each of them, and above all, the reasons why, in my opinion, some of the photos I do that they are clearly better than others pictures of me. So, I wanted to reflect in this article about some tips that work for me and that will surely work to make better photos when you go out with your camera the next time. If you have two minutes I’ll tell you what they are.
1. Check the camera settings
This, rather than to make better pictures, is not to make them worse or not completely spoil.
And it often happens to me that I have not reviewed how the camera settings even from session to session.
By shooting modes with which I work, I usually have controlled the aperture and shutter speed to use in my photos, but there are other elements such as the ISO , the exposure compensation or measurement mode light that , not to adjust each picture, sometimes I forget to review them.
It’s good that you apply one discipline review of the camera controls to minimize the number of problems caused by incorrect settings when taking pictures.
2. Watch the background
When I take pictures, sometimes I focus on the main element of the photo and see if any unwanted forgotten item appears at the bottom of my photography.
I’m so focused on what I get to forget everything else.
My brain isolates the main detail of other elements within the frame at the time of taking pictures, but when I check the computer work I realize the error: in many photos are elements that, far from being interesting, become annoying distractions that ruin the job.
Therefore, it is good practice to check the background well beyond the focus of the picture to make sure that nothing comes out that should not be in the picture.
3. Fill the frame
This is one of the main problems of who starts photography.
We want to get too much into our pictures, and in the end we took while there’s nothing there.
Many experts say that a photograph should have a single center of interest. If to look at a picture can not clearly identify which is the focus, the photo probably be improved.
Therefore, if you doubt or not to include something in a picture, most of the time it is best not to include it. And to do that, you can get closer to what you really want to shoot, either yourself or using the zoom.
4. Select the target for the occasion
If your photographic equipment accounts for various purposes you will probably ever present this problem.
The objectives, according to their characteristics, are typically designed to cover a topic or a series of them.
There are especially suitable targets for portraits others landscapes, macro others … Each has characteristics that make it great for that topic but maybe not so much for others, such as its focal or opening.
Although it not has to be a hard and fast rule, if you use a target for what you are probably thinking of greatest satisfactions.
5. The interesting elements can make your interesting photos
Surely happened to you many times that you go with your camera and there is nothing to encourage you to take a picture, and others in which you suddenly see something and wish to take your camera up to portray.
Certainly, there are situations and elements that deserve to be photographed. Over time you will know to recognize them. And photograph.
And surely they will become strong magnetic Attraction in your photos.
6. Understands light
Everything about photography is light.
The size of the light source, angle, how it impacts on the scene, are elements which completely determine the final look of your photo.
Have you ever tried to take pictures in one place and have seen the outcome varies depending on the time of day or the weather?
One outdoor stage at different times of day can acquire completely different aspects and a lot more interesting than others to be, and so does artificial lighting.
They understand the basic principles of light will help you choose the best moment to make the best pictures.
7. Get a sense of depth
We live in a three dimensional world to reduce to two dimensions at the time we do a photo.
But we have elements that can help us move that feeling deep in our photos and return the information that third dimension.
Perspective, the use of foreground elements and the lines within our composition are elements of great help in achieving this sense of depth.
8. Test different views
We are used to take pictures always in the same position: standing, with the camera pointing forward, forming a plane parallel to the ground, as we see the world.
Have you ever stopped to try to change the perspective ? Take pictures looking up or down, from high points or from the ground, they can give a new perspective to your most interesting photos from the conventional position.
9. Try different locations
Sometimes you get to a site or see something you want to photograph without more, prepare your camera and you start to take pictures.
There’s nothing wrong with that, but maybe you’re not leaving best frames analyze the scene and your environment.
Many times what I do when I get to a place that I want to photograph is me looking around to see different locations from which one story with a better view of what I portray in my photos.
10. Take care composition
The composition is the set of practices and rules that make a picture works and another does not.
It may seem magical, but since time immemorial have been applied in other fields of art. We simply work.
If you’ve never been interested in photographic composition, it is a good time to do so. You will discover the existence of basic rules that you can also skip and that certainly will help you improve your photos.
11. Tell a story
Do the exercise of looking at the cover of a newspaper and look at the main photo. It is suitable for accompanying news? Do you transmit information?
When you take a picture you have the opportunity to tell a story with her.
Think about what it represents, think what their most notable features, and how you can empower your photo to emphasize the message.
