Shoot Like A Pro
8 Simple Rules
Keep your camera Steady
This is the most basic of all rules. One of the main reasons people get blurry pictures is because they did not hold the camera still. Support your camera and brace yourself properly. Consider using a tripod if you are planning to use slow shutter speeds. Also, avoid slamming your finger down on the shutter release, instead gently press it.
Look for good lighting
Generally, one should look for good, natural lighting. Your subject should be the brightest object in your picture. Pay attention to where the shadows fall in your picture and watch out for glares. Usually photographers like to have the sun behind them. Many photographers get their best pictures in the early morning or late afternoon/evening or on overcast days. Shots of people tend to be best on overcast days because there is no squinting and the backgrounds are softer.
Think about composition
Composition encompasses many areas but if one takes the time to think about a few of the following items composition can be greatly improved. First, check the horizon. Is it level? Next check to be sure no telephone poles or trees are growing out of people’s heads. When shooting scenic shots, consider using parts of the foreground such as an overhanging tree branch to frame and add depth to the picture.
Keep subject busy
Poised pictures are for church directories and yearly school pictures. If you wish to have natural looking pictures that aren’t stiff and poised looking keep the people busy. Try to capture, the persons expressions
Keep Camera upright
Always check that vertical lines (such as the door in the background) really are vertical! This is particularly important when parts of buildings are seen. The photo would also have been improved if the girl's hand had not been obscuring her face!
Get close and then closer
Perhaps one of the most common mistakes of the amateur photographer is the failure to get close to the subjects or objects they are photographing. Getting close helps eliminate ugly and/or distracting backgrounds and shows off the actual activities and or emotions of your subject better.
Use a simple background
Using a simple uncluttered background helps give you a better, cleaner looking picture.
Keep Your camera and Practice!
The best way to learn is to try it, experiment and learn from both your mistakes and successes. Carry your camera. Some of the best photo opportunities come when you least expect it. Then be sure to take a many photo’s as possible. The more pictures you take the better the chance of getting a good picture. Digital photography makes it easy to change mistakes and to take lots of pictures. of Remember too that image editing software can turn even poor quality photos into great ones, so don’t be discouraged.
Reduce Red Eye
This occurs because the pupil of the eye opens up in dimmer lighting: you then see the flash refle
cted in the blood vessels of the retina, so it is basically the reflection of the flash on the eye.
Red-eye seems to be more evident when the subject is young and has blue eyes and digital cameras would capture it more oftem than 35mm due to the afalsh settings.
Solution(s)
Many cameras come with a red-eye reduction device that fires off preliminary little flashes – just enough to close down the iris. But these don't always make all that much difference - and they often confuse the subject!
It's more effective to arrange for your subject to be looking away from the camera lens
or ask your subject to glance at a bright light before you take the picture, but this method can result in the subject's face looking confused.
Turn on all the lights in the room to increase the light level.
Or to eliminate red-eye from pictures you have already taken, take your prints to our shop and using FDI digital technology, we will remove it for you at no extra charge.
Using Flash
Flash can be very useful, but it has very real disadvantages...
The most common mistake
when using flash is to forget its limitations: a typical built-in flash, used with a 200 ASA film, can't illuminate anything more than about 8-14 feet away (depending on the focal length being used), so all those people flashing away happily at distant objects in large buildings are just wasting their time! They'd be much better to switch the flash off and prop the camera on some convenient support. This will produce the necessary longer exposure time, the only danger being camera shake
Any comments or Questions you may have, please dont hesitate to contact us.