Photography Tip # 78: Take Excellent Photos in 2008

Eliminate unwanted clutter in the background of your shot.

All too often, you take the perfect shot, only to find out later that a huge red stop sign or other unwanted debris in the background takes attention away from your subject. Take a second to examine the entire frame, and recompose if necessary – find a new angle or clean up the scene to eliminate background distractions. Don’t let anything divert attention away from the purpose of the photo.

Avoid always shooting from the standing or eye level.

Slight angle adjustments go a long way in making an ordinary photo much more interesting and appealing. Take a knee, or get up higher and shoot down; the more creative you are with choosing the shooting angle, the more imaginative the resulting photo will be.

Avoid always placing the subject dead center in the frame.

Centering the subject can block a lovely scenic background. Rather than centering someone, put them on the side of the frame, and give them something to look at. Think of it like speaking; a photo of a person centered with the Grand Canyon in the background says, “I am at the Grand Canyon,” whereas a photo of a person on the side looking at the vast majesty of the Grand Canyon says, “I am experiencing the Grand Canyon.” If you must center the subject, try taking a vertical shot so you don’t always cut people off at the waist.

Know when to use the Zoom feature and when to use the Wide Angle feature.

Almost every digital camera has a zoom feature and a wide angle feature. Keep this basic rule in mind when deciding which one to use: zooming in will flatten the depth of the photo, so the foreground and background are basically the same size. The wide angle feature will expand the depth of the photo, enlarging the foreground and shrinking the background. Both have their advantages, it’s just a matter of using the appropriate feature at the appropriate time.

Shoot, Adjust, and Reshoot!

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about digital photography is that you are not using film anymore, so don’t be shy! Take as many shots as you can, especially for composed photos. Shoot the photo, adjust what you need on the camera or with the subjects, and reshoot. Don’t stop until you get it as perfect as possible! Remember to also delete the test or bad shots to save space on your memory card. This does not always apply to spur of the moment or spontaneous photos, but if you keep these best practices in mind, you will establish better photography habits and your natural reflexes will kick in when you need them for quick, “now or never” shots.

Throughout the year, I will expand on some of these topics a bit more, as well as introduce new techniques and other photography tips. Until then, keep shooting, and good luck with the rest of your New Year’s Resolutions!