You consider yourself a pretty decent photographer but understand that photography is a hobby that can always be open for improvement. This article will provide many helpful tips and tricks from a Victoria Canada Family Photographer that are used by top photographers – some of which you may have never considered using previous to now.
Be selective when taking your photos. Find exactly what you want in that photo, and remove anything else from the shot. If you’re trying to take a picture of a flower, you don’t want a bunch of other flowers or trees in the shot. Get as close and focused on the subject as possible to get the best possible photo.
Do not make your camera settings too complicated. You should learn to use one camera setting at a time. You will be able to pivot your effort around the subject you are photographing. This avoids the common time-wasting confusion that ensnares many amateur photographers.
While many would believe that taking pictures when it is sunny will result in glorious pictures, sunlight can actually ruin the quality of an image. This can result in sun glare, distracting shadows, odd highlighting and squinting subjects. Whenever possible, shoot outdoor scenes during the early morning hours. Late evening hours are equally ideal.
When composing shots, set your white balance manually, instead of relying on the automatic settings. Setting your white balance manually gives you more control over the contrast and mood of your photo. You can make photos look more stark or more natural, and it’s all up to you. Don’t let the computer program decide how your photos will look.
Shoot during the “golden hours,” especially if you are shooting human subjects. The time around dawn and dusk are named “golden hours” because the hue of the light makes objects look like they are glowing. This light also complements human skin, making human subjects appear to look better than they would in photos taken at other times of day.
Don’t rely too heavily on image-editing software. It’s a great tool to have, but if you rely on it too much, your photographs will start to look highly artificial. Try to achieve what you want before bringing it into image-editing software.
A great photography tip you should keep in mind is to never compare yourself to someone else. If you’re constantly comparing your work to someone else’s, you’re selling your own work short. You must learn to value and appreciate your own work, and not worry too much about everyone else.
When you finally find that perfect moment to snap a shot, make sure not to move at all when you press the shutter. Even hold your breath, if you have to. Even the slightest movement can mess up a shot. Take a moment before taking the picture to gather your breath and ensure the shot is straight.
A great photography trick is to incorporate texture into your photographs. Textures are very interesting to look at because we can imagine what they feel like. You can adjust the focus of your camera to make sure you’re able to capture texture in a areas that you want it in.
To take more unique pictures, try using limitation. As an example, you may decide to take pictures for the day that represent the concept of “sour.” Restrict yourself to standing at one point or staying in one room for your next 100 photos. By enforcing this limitation, your mind has to find new ways to express the subject in a great photograph and this causes you to think beyond your normal comfort-zone.
Whenever you are taking photographs of landscapes, your pictures should always have three key aspects. The foreground is closest and sharpest in focus, the middle ground less so, and the background is remote, giving a sense of distance. This concept is not exclusive to photography, however. Painters rely on the idea to add visual depth to their creations.
In conclusion, you know what you are doing when it comes to photography but want to make sure that there are not any pieces of advice that you might have missed or forgotten about. This article provided some of the best advice available and hopefully you will be able to use it in some way.