It is very common for most people in this day and age to have a really decent DSLR camera and I hear all the time; "I really want to get better at using it and take better photos"I think the best advice that I typically give to anyone who has expressed desiring to get a better grasp on how to take eye catching and compelling photos whither it is of your children, nature, landscapes, or your travels is just a few simple tips that I always keep in the back of my mind when shooting and I would like to share them to hopefully inspire you to get outside and put that nice camera you have to use and enjoy it!!
First things first; if you are still really confused about getting the right exposure and the words ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed, Metering for proper exposure and Manual scare you then I would suggest:
1) Reading your owners manual (Yes, seriously:)
2) Checking out some books or magazines for beginners
{I suggest Better Photo Basics by Jim Miotke and Popular Photography Magazine}
3) Talk to fellow photogs and learn from them
4) Learning from the internet and blogs is very easy now;
just try out this fun little interactive site from CameraSim {here} which helps you to better understand how all your camera's features work together and are really not that scary! {All of these shots are SOOC and shot in Raw so no fanciness here just basic camera imagery!}
Now, onto some other simple tips!!
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| Most people see something that catches their eye and they want to capture it! That shot could end up like this |
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Or like this...
So from a standpoint of a basic photo; mission accomplished!
But we don't want basic if were are taking the time to get out and really USE our camera! We want more of a wow factor; and here are a few suggestions. |
Think about what you are trying to convey. The feeling, the moment, or what specifically drew you in.
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| For me I wanted to capture the feeling of spring and loved this color pink so by shooting up towards the sky I got a the crispness of the blue sky, a few puffy clouds in the bottom and a fair shot of the main focus; my pink flowers:) |
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| Just a slight change, but by quickly shifting the angle of my camera and snapping another shot; I actually like the composition of this one more. Sometimes very subtle changes can give a shot that extra something special! |
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| For this shot I recomposed a lot actually choosing to shoot down and capture more of the green in the background and only leaving a bit of the blue sky peeking through the trees. Again, just a bit of a perspective change can go a long way and it is worth it if it turns out to be the one you love! |
For me personally this one is the shot I was going for!
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| I have caught not only my beautiful flowers that drew me in, also you can see the other budding branches conveying SPRING!! And of course the perfect balance of blue sky and puffy clouds in this shot is what draws me in and to me gives the best overall appeal I was desiring! |
So lets try a different angle all together!
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| Most people may have heard of the rule of thirds when it comes to photography and in this case I am going to emphasize that not in my main subject but in the background. As you can see the land and sky meet right at about halfway and this shot is very good by most standards but if I want to get that perfect one I may have to take a few more... |
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| So simply changing the angle I have modified my horizon line significantly |
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| Again, changing the angle and I favor the branch shooting right, maybe bc I am a righty:) |
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So this is the final shot that I like the best in my opinion;) It is closer to the main subject, and the horizon is falling into the rule of thirds with the green being at the very bottom half and then the blue backdrop against the pink pops the most to me!
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So let's change subjects and talk about filling the frame to create drama!
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| Again I like this cactus and the complexity of it, the colors of the plant against he crisp sky were also stunning |
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| So by moving in I create a new perspective and draw in more details of the plant, also filling the frame completely |
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| This is almost filling the frame (basic cropping here could have created even more drama!) and conveys the main subject, reveals interesting details and again the color really pops with the contrasting colors! |
Lastly, choosing your focal point and creating depth of field
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| So my focus here is this lovely flower in sharp focus and then the background which is blurred but my camera focused on the farthest reaching petals and I wanted the focus to be on the center |
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| Although very subtle, now the center is in sharp focus and more of the details I wanted are revealed |
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| But by just simply pulling back I can fill the frame and create drama by adding outlying flowers and still keep my central focus |
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Another change and I am convey what drew me in which was the sun shining on these yellow flowers. By not stopping at just one shot or perspective I created at completely different feel; filling the frame, creating depth of field with the many other flowers in the background blurred out, and keeping the main flower in the left third of the frame!
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So putting it all together the main things to think about to inspire your creativity in my personal opinion would be:
~Composing your photo utilizing the rule of thirds
~Conveying your vision though changing perspectives and trying new shots your first attempts my fall short but switching it up can really make a difference!
~Filling the frame can create drama and sometime close up is more compelling than the subject as a whole
~Carefully choose your focal point and take multiple shots to ensure that your main focus is the main focus!
~Create depth of field shooting one subject close to blur the background
~Lastly, get out their and practice practice practice and have fun with your camera, be creative and get inspired!
