Taking Better Pictures
Part 2
You will find many great tips on taking better pictures all over our archives.
Here are just a few of the notes from past meetings on related topics:
| Better Holiday Photos |
| Giving Photos a Professional Look |
| Outdoor Photography 101 |
| Theory and Practice of Photography |
| Taking Better People Pictures |
| Taking Better Pictures (Part I) |
For our meeting this month we discussed common mistakes people make with their photos.
RULE #1: Make it interesting –
While there are tons of "rules" to follow while taking photos, another great rule is to try breaking the rules. No matter what rules we discuss, your photos will only be good if they are interesting.
Take time to compose the shot:
Use the rule of thirds to compose a nice photo. Don't stick the subject in the dead center of the photo.
For nature photos:
- Use a tripod
- Include some foreground
- Shoot early or late during magic hours
- Set your camera on a scenery setting if available
For wildlife Photos (including macros of bugs and flowers):
- Don't feel obligated to show the whole animal or whole group of animals
- Use a tripod
- Use portrait settings
- If you can't zoom in to make it interesting, get as close as you can
For Architecture:
- Look for interesting angles and shapes
- Be aware of the background
- Be even more aware of the foreground (cars, trash, signs, etc.) that could distract the viewer
- Lead the viewer into the photo, not up to the object
For ALL PHOTOS:
- Use the rule of thirds
- Try to contrast opposite colors
- High contrast light is OK if it is interesting
- Always be aware of the background and other distractions
- Capture moments
- Keep all in-focus shots
- Motion is great in photos of people, wildlife and sometimes nature scenery
