Many people think they will improve their photography by buying a
spiffy new camera. In photography, technique is more important than
equipment. In addition, taking good pictures is something anyone can do
with any camera, if you practice enough and avoid some common mistakes.
Part 1 of 8: Understanding Your Camera
-
1
Read the camera's manual.
Learn what each control, switch, button, and menu item does. Learn the
basic actions, such as using the flash (on, off, and auto), zooming in
and out, and using the shutter button. Some cameras come with a printed
beginners manual but also offer a free larger manual on the
manufacturer's website.
Part 2 of 8: Getting Started
Set the camera's resolution to take high quality photos at the highest resolution possible.
Low-resolution images are more difficult to alter later; it also means
that you cannot crop as enthusiastically as you could with a
higher-resolution version (and still end with something printable).
Upgrade to a bigger memory card. If you don't want to or can't afford to
buy a new one, then use the "fine" quality setting, if your camera has
one, with a smaller resolution
-
1
Start with setting your camera to one of its automatic modes, if you have a choice.
Most useful is "Program" or "P" mode on digital SLRs. Ignore advice to
the contrary which suggests that you operate your camera fully manually;
the advances in the last fifty years in automatic focusing and metering
have not happened for nothing. If your photos come out poorly focused
or poorly exposed, then start operating certain functions manually.
Part 3 of 8: Finding Photo Opportunities
-
1
Take your camera everywhere.
When the camera is in your possession, you will start to see the world
differently; you will look for and find opportunities to take great
photographs. Because of this, you will end taking more photographs; and the more you take, the better a photographer you will become. [1]
Furthermore, if you're taking photographs of your friends and family,
they will get used to you having your camera with you all the time.
Thus, they will feel less awkward or intimidated when you get your
camera out; this will lead to more natural-looking, less "posed"
photographs.
Remember to bring spare batteries or charge it if you are using a digital camera.
-
2
Get outside. Motivate yourself to get out and take photographs
in natural light. Take several normal 'point and shoot' pictures to get
a feel for the lighting at different times of the day and night. Go
outside, especially when most people are eating, watching television, or
sleeping. Lighting is often dramatic and unusual to many people
precisely because they never get to see it!
Part 4 of 8: Using Your Camera
-
1
Keep the lens clear of caps, thumbs, straps and other obstructions.
It is basic, yes, but any of these (often unnoticed) obstructions can
ruin a photograph. This is less of a problem with modern live-preview
digital cameras, and even less of a problem with an SLR camera. However,
people still make these mistakes, especially when in a rush to take the
image.
-
2
Set your white balance.
Put simply, the human eye automatically compensates for different kinds
of lighting; white looks white to us in almost any lighting. A digital
camera compensates for this by shifting the colors certain ways.
For example, under tungsten (incandescent) lighting, it will shift the
colours towards blue to compensate for the redness of this lighting. The white balance is one of the most critical and underused settings on modern cameras.
Learn how to set it, and what the various settings mean. If you are not
under artificial light, the "Shade" (or "Cloudy") setting is a good bet
in most circumstances; it makes for very warm-looking colors. If it
comes out too red, it's very easy to correct it in software later on.
"Auto", the default for most cameras, sometimes does a good job, but
also sometimes results in colours which are a little too cold.[2]
-
3
Set a slower ISO speed, if circumstances permit.
This is less of an issue with digital SLR cameras, but especially
important for point-and-shoot digital cameras (which, usually, have tiny
sensors which are more prone to noise). A slower ISO speed (lower
number) makes for less noisy photographs; however, it forces you to use
slower shutter speeds as well, which restricts your ability to
photograph moving subjects, for example. For still subjects in good
light (or still subjects in low light, too, if you're using a tripod and
remote release), use the slowest ISO speed that you have.
Part 5 of 8: Taking Good Photographs
-
1
Compose your shot thoughtfully. Frame the photo in your mind before framing it in the viewfinder. Consider the following rules, but especially the last one:
Use the Rule of Thirds, where the primary points of interest in your
scene sits along "third" lines. Try not to let any horizon or other
lines "cut the picture in half."[3]
Get rid of distracting backgrounds and clutter. Move positions to
avoid trees looking like they are growing out of heads, when they are in
the background. Change angles to avoid window glares from across the
street. If you are taking vacation photographs, take a moment to get
your family to put down all the junk they may be carrying around with
them and to remove backpacks or hip packs as well. Keep that mess well
out of the frame of the picture, and you will end with much nicer, less
cluttered photos. If you can blur the background in a portrait, then do so. And so on.
-
2
Ignore the advice above. Regard the above as laws, which work much of the time but are always subject to judicious interpretation — and not
as absolute rules. Too close an adherence to them will lead to boring
photographs. For example, clutter and sharply focused backgrounds can
add context, contrast, and colour; perfect symmetry in a shot can be
dramatic, and so on. Every rule can and should be broken for artistic effect at times. This is how many stunning photographs are made.
-
3
Fill the frame with your subject.
Do not be afraid to get closer to your subject. On the other hand, if
you are using a digital camera with plenty of megapixels to spare, you
can crop it later in software.
-
4
Try an interesting angle.
Instead of shooting the object straight on, try looking down to the
object, or crouching and looking up. Pick an angle that shows maximum
color and minimum shadow. To make objects appear longer or taller, a low
angle can help. You may also want to make the object look smaller or
make it look like you're hovering over; to get the effect you should put
the camera above the object. An uncommon angle makes for a more
interesting shot.
-
5
Focus. Poor focusing is one of the most common ways that photographs are ruined.[4] Use the automatic focus of your camera, if you have it; usually, this is done by half-pressing the shutter button. Use the "macro" mode of your camera for close-up shots. Don't focus manually
unless your auto-focus is having issues; as with metering, automatic
focus usually does a far better job of focusing than you can.
-
6
Balance in ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.
ISO is how sensitive your camera is to light, shutter speed is how long
it takes for your camera to take a picture (which in turn alters the
amount of light coming in), and aperture is how dilated the lens of your
camera is. Not all cameras have this, mostly only digital photography
cameras. By balancing these and keeping them as close to the middle as
possible, you can avoid the noise caused by high ISO, the blurriness
caused by low shutter speed, and the depth of field side effects caused
by low aperture. Depending on how your picture should be, you should
change these settings accordingly to keep light at a good level but
still have the effects you want on your picture. For example, say you
are taking a picture of a cool bird coming out of the water. You will
need a high shutter speed to get it in focus, but you will also need a
low aperture or high ISO to compensate for the lighting. A high ISO will
make it look grainy, but a low aperture is perfect because it also
creates a cool blurry background effect that draws attention to the
bird. By balancing these elements, you can make the best image possible.
Part 6 of 8: Avoiding Blurry Photos
-
1
Keep still. Many people
are surprised at how blurry their pictures come out when going for a
close-up, or taking the shot from a distance. To minimize blurring: If
you're using a full-sized camera with a zoom lens, hold the camera body
(finger on the shutter button) with one hand, and steady the lens by
cupping your other hand under it. Keep your elbows close to your body,
and use this position to brace yourself firmly. If your camera or lens
has image stabilisation features, use them (this is called IS on Canon
gear, and VR, for Vibration Reduction, on Nikon equipment).
-
2
Consider using a tripod.
If your hands are naturally shaky, or if you're using large (and slow)
telephoto lenses, or if you're trying to take photographs in low light,
or if you need to take several identical shots in a row (such as with HDR photography), or if you're taking panoramic photos,
then using a tripod is a good idea. For long exposures (more than a
second or so), a cable release (for older film cameras) or a remote
control is a good idea; you can use the self-timer feature of your
camera if you don't have one of these.
-
3
Consider not using a tripod, especially if you do not already have one.
A tripod infringes on your ability to move around, and to change the
framing of your shot rapidly. It is also more weight to carry around,
which is a disincentive to getting out and taking photographs.
For shutter speed and the difference between fast and slow shutter
speeds, you only need a tripod if your shutter speed is equal to or
slower than the reciprocal of your focal length.[5]. For example, if you have a 300mm lens, then you want a shutter speed faster
than 1/300th of a second. If you can avoid using a tripod by using
faster ISO speeds (and, consequently, faster shutter speeds), or by
using image stabilisation features of your camera, or by simply moving
to somewhere with better lighting, then do that.
-
4
If you are in a situation
where it would be nice to use a tripod, but you don't have a tripod at
the time, try one or more of the following to reduce camera shake:
Turn on image stabilization on your camera (only some digital
cameras have this) or lens (generally only some expensive lenses have
this).
Zoom out (or substitute a wider lens) and get closer. This will
de-magnify the effect of a small change towards the camera, and increase
your maximum aperture for a shorter exposure.
Hold the camera at two points away from its center, such as the
handle near the shutter button and the opposite corner, or toward the
end of the lens. (Do not hold a delicate collapsible lens such as on a
point-and-shoot, or obstruct something the camera will try to move on
its own such as a focusing ring, or obstruct the view from the front of
the lens.) This will decrease the angle, which the camera moves for a
given distance your hands wobble.
Squeeze the shutter slowly, steadily, and gently, and do not stop
until shortly after the picture has taken. Place your index finger over
the top of the camera. Squeeze the shutter button with the second joint
of the finger for a steadier motion; you are pushing on the top of the
camera all along.
Brace the camera against something (or your hand against something
if you are concerned about scratching it), and/or brace your arms
against your body or sit down and brace them against your knees.
Prop the camera on something (perhaps its bag or its strap) and use
the self-timer to avoid shake from pushing on the button if the item is
propped on is soft. This often involves a small chance the camera will
fall, so check that it does not have a far drop. Avoid it with an
expensive camera or one with accessories such as a flash that could
break or rip off parts of the camera. If you anticipate doing this much,
you could bring along a beanbag, which would work well for it.
Purpose-built "beanbags" are available, bags of dried beans are cheap,
and the contents can be eaten when they begin to wear through or are
upgraded.
-
5
Relax when you push the shutter button.
Also, try not to hold the camera up for too long; this will cause your
hands and arms to be shakier. Practice bringing the camera up to your
eye, focusing and metering, and taking the shot in one swift, smooth
action.
Part 7 of 8: Using the Flash
-
1
Avoid red eye. Red-eye
is caused when your eyes dilate in lower lighting. When your pupils are
big, the flash lights the blood vessels on the back wall of your
eyeball, which is why it looks red. If you must use a flash in poor
light, try to get the person to not look directly at the camera, or
consider using a "bounce flash". Aiming your flash above the heads of
your subjects, especially if the walls surrounding are light, will keep
red-eye out. If you don't have a separate flash gun which is adjustable
in this way, use the red-eye reduction feature of your camera if
available. The red-eye reduction feature flashes a couple of times
before opening the shutter, which causes your subject's pupils to
contract, thus minimizing red-eye. Better yet, do not take photographs
which require a flash to be used; find somewhere with better lighting.
-
2
Use your flash judiciously, and do not use it when you don't have to.
A flash in poor light can often cause ugly-looking reflections, or make
the subject of your photo appear "washed out"; the latter is especially
true of people photos. On the other hand, a flash is useful for filling
in shadows; to eliminate the "raccoon eye" effect in bright midday
light, for example (if you have a flash sync speed[6]
fast enough). If you can avoid using a flash by going outside, or
steadying the camera (allowing you to use a slower shutter speed without
blur), or setting a faster ISO speed (allowing faster shutter speeds),
then do that.
If you do not intend the flash to be the primary light source in the
picture, set it up to give correct exposure at an aperture a stop or so
wider than that which is otherwise correct and which you use for the
exposure (which depends on the ambient light intensity and the shutter
speed, which cannot be above the flash-sync speed). This can be done by
choosing a specific stop with a manual or thyristor flash, or by using
"flash exposure compensation" with a fancy modern camera.
Part 8 of 8: Keeping Organized and Gaining Experience
-
1
Go through your photos
and look for the best ones. Look for what makes the best photos and
continue using the methods that got the best shots. Don't be afraid to
throw away or delete photos, either. Be brutal about it; if it doesn't
strike you as a pleasing shot, then ditch it. If you, like most people,
are shooting on a digital camera, then it would not have cost you
anything but your time. Before you delete them, remember you can learn a
lot from your worst photos; discover why they don't look good, then don't do that.
-
2
Practice, practice, and practice. Take many photos -- aim to fill your memory card or to use up as much film
as you can afford to have developed. Avoid messing with film until you
can get decent pictures often with a simple digital camera. Until then,
you need to make many glaring mistakes to learn from them. It is
convenient to make them free and find out immediately, when you can
figure out exactly what you did and why under the current circumstances
it is wrong). The more pictures you take, the better you will get, and
the more you (and everyone) will like your pictures.
Shoot from new or different angles, and find new subjects to take
pictures of, and keep at it. You can make even the most boring, everyday
thing look amazing if you're creative enough about photographing it.
Get to know your camera's limitations, too; how well it performs in
different kinds of lighting, how well auto-focus performs at various
distances, how well it handles moving subjects, and so on.
Tips
If you shoot digital, it's better to underexpose the shot, as
underexposure is easy to correct later on in software. Shadow detail can
be recovered; blown highlights (the pure white areas in an overexposed
photo) can never be recovered, as there is nothing there to recover.
Film is the opposite; shadow detail tends to be poor compared to digital
cameras, but blown highlights are rare even with massive overexposure.[8]
Your camera does not matter. Nearly any camera is capable of taking good photographs in the right conditions. Even a modern camera phone is good enough for many kinds of shots.[7]
Learn your camera's limitations and work around them; don't buy new
equipment until you know exactly what these limitations are, and are
certain that they are hindering you.
Don’t be afraid of taking too many pictures. Take pictures until you
feel like you got the best shot possible! It usually takes time to find
the perfect composition, and your subject deserves this time. Once you
found something that interest you, treat it like a treasure and give it
your attention.
Get your photos off your memory card as soon as possible.
Make backups; make several backups if you can. Every photographer has,
or will, experience the heartbreak of losing a precious image or images
unless he or she cultivates this habit. Back up, back up, and back up!
Keep a notebook handy and make notes about what worked well and what did not. Review your notes often as you practice.
Pick up a big-city newspaper or a copy of National Geographic and
see how professional photojournalists tell stories in pictures. It's
often worth poking around photo sites like Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/) or deviantART (http://www.deviantart.com/) for inspiration, too. Try Flickr's camera finder (http://www.flickr.com/cameras/)
to see what people have done with the cheapest point-and-shoot cameras.
Look at the Camera Data on deviantART. Just don't spend so much time
getting inspired that it stops you from getting out there.
To
find an interesting angle at a tourist location, look where everybody
else is taking his or her picture, and then go somewhere different. You
do not want the same picture as everybody else.
Western
societies tend to prefer snapshots with faces or people filling the
frame, e.g. within 6 feet - East Asian tourists tend to takes photos of
people standing at least 15 feet from the camera so they appear tiny and
the photos is mostly location/background - the photo is not about 'me'
but showing the place I went to.
When shooting photos of
children, get down to their level! Pictures looking down at the top of a
child's head are usually lame. Stop being lazy and get on your knees.
If the camera has a neck strap, use it! Hold the camera out so the
neck strap is pulled as far as a can, this will help steady the camera.
Also, it'll also stop you from dropping the camera.
Source: Wikihow.com
Post a Comment