Photography is all about life; it’s about capturing memories and emotions. Photography is all about the look on your child’s face when they get a present they have waited for, the picture of your dog as a puppy reminding you of the good old times or the proud moment when someone has mastered a skill. Photographs metaphorically stop time to capture your core memories into a snapshot. People have a false idea that great photography is all about the camera they use. While cameras can make some difference in the quality of your pictures, this could not be further from the truth. Good pictures are a culmination of luck and learnable skills. Here are some tips and tricks from the experts for taking good pictures:
Subject: Deciding on the subject of your photograph is critical for taking good photographs. Suppose you are taking a picture of your loved one in front of a beautiful view. In that case, is your subject the person or the view? There should preferably be only one subject in the photograph. When you have decided on your subject, try to avoid all other elements from the photograph for a better composition. If your subject is your loved one, make them the center of the photograph by moving in a little closer.
Background: Is the background of your subject clean and tidy? Or is it filled with unnecessary distracting elements? An overhead telephone wire, a post, or a mess behind your subject makes your photograph less appealing. Another method to keep your photographs appealing is by getting closer or zooming in to fill the frame with your main subject. The close-ups can eliminate distracting or dull backgrounds. Most people tend to center their subjects in a photograph. Placing your subject off the center allows for more focus on the background and can be an interesting twist to your photo. To captivate your audience with your photograph, place your subject according to the Rule of Thirds. Consider your frame to be divided into three equal parts, either vertically or horizontally, and place your subject at one of the end sections.
Lighting: To take great photographs, use natural light. Outdoor lighting must be soft and indirect to cast shadows in the right way. Early mornings and late evenings are perfect examples of this kind of natural lighting. When shooting in outdoor settings, always keep the sun at your back to avoid problems of incorrect exposure and lens flare. If you want to take great indoor pictures without flashlights, make use of windows and doors with plenty of natural lighting.
Depth: Photographs can turn out boring and plain if there is no element of depth in them. One trick to add depth to your pictures is by adding elements in the foreground. Foreground refers to the space between your camera and the subject. If you are trying to take a picture of a landscape, try to include elements in the foreground.
Point of View and Timing: Sometimes photographs can turn better by changing the point of view. Try taking pictures at a different angle– slightly move up or down, left or right. Pictures taken from above can be very flattering as it hides facial fat, double chins, etc. Taking pictures from below can make them look more dramatic. Good photographs are also about perfect timing. One simple trick to capture such moments is to use Continuous Shooting mode.