Whether you’re a blogger, vlogger, or just someone who loves to take photos, there are a few things you can do to take your images to the next level. In this post, I’ll give you 5 Easy Steps To Take Better Photos with any camera. And your photos will be so much more polished and professional.
Minimalist compositions are ideal for sharing on Instagram . (iphonephotographyschool.com)
The Importance of Good Lighting
When you’re taking photos outside, or in lower light conditions, having the right lighting is key. This means, using the right type of light on your subject. Today, it’s common to use artificial light. However, you can achieve similar results using natural light, if that’s your preference. For instance, if you have a digital camera with a built-in flash, you can use it to bounce light directly onto your subject. There are downsides, though. If the light is too bright, your subject will look washed out. If it’s too dark, it won’t be easy to tell the subject from the background. When it comes to natural light, there are three types: Aperture (where the light falls through the lens) Light (how much light is in the photo) Exposure (how the light is measured) By adjusting your aperture.
This time of day, when the sun is low on the horizon, makes every photo more beautiful. So, always try your best to incorporate external sources of light before you turn to your camera’s flash.
Taking photos between 10am and 3pm usually means the light will be too harsh unless you find a protected area where the sunlight doesn’t fall directly on you. During this time the sunlight is more evenly diffused and much better for most photography. (shutterfly.com)
Pointers for good lighting:
Using a flash vs natural light
Backlighting vs Front lightingUsing a reflector
It’s hard to find a great smartphone photo that was taken with a flash. Sometimes, using your camera’s flash can improve a photo but rarely does it do so at night.
Because dark shots reveal a much sharper contrast against your phone’s flash, it can make any flash look invasive and uneven In already well-lit spaces, however, a flash can help to soften some dark shadows behind or beneath your main subject. (blog.hubspot.com)
The Importance of Framing
Before you can take great photos, you need to know what good photos look like. And to be able to look at good photos, you need to know where to frame your subject. A good way to practice framing is to take photos of a subject that’s stationary and in one place, and then use them to create a collage. A great way to do this is to use the timer on your camera. So, take a couple of photos and use them to create a collage.
- Search The Scene For Framing Objects
- Shoot Through A Frame To Add Context & Storytelling
- Draw Attention To Your Focal Point
- Create Extra Visual Interest With A Frame
Use Frames In Portrait PhotosInclude A Frame To Add Depth
- Set Your Focus Point Carefully
Embrace negative space. “Negative space” simply refers to the areas around and between the subjects of an image and it can take a photo from “good” to “great.” When you include a lot of empty space in a photo, your subject will stand out more and evoke a stronger reaction from your viewer. This look can be accomplished by cropping an abstract portion of an otherwise normal photo, or by taking close-up shots of objects that leave the viewer wondering in admiration, of course what the subject might be. Try taking a photo directly upward and playing with the sky as negative space, like in the first photo below. (blog.hubspot.com)
The Importance of Composition
Composition is one of the most important things you can do in photography. The more elements you put in your shot, the more interesting the composition. Your subject matters more than your background, because you want to find the subject, and then put the background in a complementary place. I love taking photos in the redwood forests, because there are so many landscapes.When you place your subject in the foreground, it will dramatically change the Photograph.
A busy scene makes it hard to create a beautiful composition One interesting subject is all you need to take great pictures. Before you take the shot, check the scene for any distracting elements.
Creating depth helps draw the viewer’s eye into the scene. This draws the viewer through the scene, making your photo more engaging. The rule of thirds – It describes a basic compositional structure of a photograph. Taking any image, you can split it into 9 segments by using 3 vertical and 3 horizontal lines.Creating depth with a wide angle lensUsing color to draw the viewers eye.
The Importance of the Camera
First things first – take photos. And take lots of them. Not everyone can afford expensive DSLR cameras. But it doesn’t mean you can’t have a great camera at home. Even if you just use your smartphone, it’s still a decent camera that will take a good quality photo. That’s why I’m focusing on getting a quality DSLR camera later on in this post. Not All Photos Need to Look Beautifully Organised Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with editing or playing around with your photos, but don’t make the mistake of creating an image that has no meaning behind it. Photography isn’t just about looking pretty – it’s also about telling a story and making people feel something. That’s what makes photos so unique – they have the ability to inspire others to take action. What do you think?
Cameras are complicated and take time to fully understand and get to grips with. Being the only option, photographers were forced to learn to use their cameras in manual. (expertphotography.com)
Learning how to use ISO, aperture, and shutter speed together is an important step in taking better photographs. Lower your shutter speed as close as you can get it to 1/750 without making a shaky photo.
The Importance of Editing
Its pretty well-known at this point that the photographs you take with your DSLR or mirrorless camera aren’t going to be quite as good as the photographs you take with a high-end compact camera or smartphone. But you probably still don’t edit your photos regularly. Why? Because they don’t look as polished and professional. And that’s totally fine! However, you can still improve the quality of your photos by editing them. What’s that mean, exactly? Well, let’s go over an example. How about you take a photo of your lunch? You might be able to take a photo that shows off the food really well. But all you need to do is edit it a little bit. You might adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation, and sharpness a bit. You might also change the saturation level.
Conclusion
I’m not saying you need to spend a lot of money on the equipment you need. I’m saying that it’s wise to invest in a quality camera (but one that can take good photos) so you’ll be able to take the best pictures possible with it. Once you know how to take good photos, you’ll be able to make a living out of it. What steps do you take to take great photos?