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Six practical tips for successful photographyin Tutorials |
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By loiswakeman/Lois (13,326) 
on February 27, 2003 7:15:08 AM CST
Introduction
IntroductionWhen making my critiques, I find myself typing the same old phrases again and again, so I thought it might be useful to say things here so I can refer to the article, and also in the vain hope that perhaps some people may find it helpful.
What are my credentials?None really - your idea and mine of a good photo are probably different, but there are some ideas here that you may think useful before you click the shutter button. I don't claim to be a great photographer myself, but I hope that being a reasonably intelligent and observant member of the human race is a fair start to being able to appreciate what is good and what is not so good.
Please bear in mind that my favourite subjects are natural abstracts and quirky details, so some of what I say may not be exactly applicable if you do glamour shots, sports photography, documentaries, product shots and so on. However, most of it is, so please stay with me. Anyway, on with my main points: each in its own section.
1 Emotional involvement with the subject can cloud your judgementEveryone is guilty of this minor sin - I do not except myself. It is very, very hard not to be subjective about a photo you have taken. An alternative title for this section could be, "You really had to be there to appreciate this".We naturally look fondly on shots of people and animals we care about. Sometimes it is hard to remember that to others, this is just a family snap of a girlfriend, boyfriend, child, granny, cat or dog, rather than a treasured memento.
Similarly, if we look at a photograph of a well-loved scene, a sunset or the seaside, we imbue it with all the memories of being there: happy holidays, pleasant intoxication, the fresh air, the quality of the light, the birds singing, and so on. To others, it is just a photograph of a scene with which they may have no particular connection. I remember exactly the autumn evening when the sky turned flame red, but in all honesty, I cannot say it has made a good photograph. So, if someone doesn't think much of your photograph and hasn't taken the trouble to explain the above, please try to take it into account. Remember that other photoSIGgers are a valuable source of objective input on your photos. If they have pointed out that, actually, your photo is rather boring, then usually this can be taken as true, and you should consider marking their comment as useful - it has given you some impartial advice, even if your pride in your work is a bit dented. Note:The next two items (2 and 3) are related to the way the human brain works. In order to avoid information overload and make sense of the world, our brains do a lot of selective filtering of the raw data that comes from the retina. One of the effects is that we tend to see what we are interested in, and overlook what is superfluous. This is fine for everyday perception, but unless you learn to overcome it, it is hard to take good photographs, where everything in the frame is of consequence.
2 What's happening at the edges of the frame?We have all taken snaps of people without heads, or failed to see that there is a thumb over the lens, or a camera strap dangling in the foreground. They are the hallmark of every beginning photographer, and accidents happen to all of us. But if you are posting here, then I guess you want to do better than that. So, here is a tip that I find useful (except for high-speed action shots).Before you click the shutter button, take a second to look consciously around the edges of the frame. Check 1: Is everything you do want in frame there, whole and uncut? Check 2: is anything you don't just visible at the edges? Here are two scenes to practise with, using your imaginary viewfinder:
If both checks are satisfactory, then go ahead and click. If not, recompose your scene - move the camera, step sideways, zoom in or out, until it works. Then click. Don't forget that once a photo is on the computer, as long as the problem area is just along one edge, then you can crop it to a different aspect ratio, and perhaps get a better result. But if the visual junk is too obtrusive, you may as well not bother. Of course, for action shots, you don't have the luxury, but you can at least minimise the risk by anticipating the action and doing the checks beforehand.
3 What's happening in the middle of the frame?This isn't a detailed treatise on composition - you'll find plenty of articles here to help you understand when to break the rule of thirds, or how to use DOF creatively. It is more about another simple visual check before you click.Are all the elements of your photo properly arranged from your chosen viewpoint? Is there nasty gunk in the corners of the cat's eyes? Can you see burger wrappers in the park flowerbed, a lamp standard growing out of Uncle's head, or a rubbish bin in front of your subject? Does Granny's green coat make her disappear into the foliage? Have you cut off the petals of a flower in the wrong place? If so, try to clean up, or find another viewpoint to minimise the problems you see. Here are two more examples to practise with:
4 It's all been done beforeWell, there may be a few places and situations on earth that haven't been snapped yet, but in general, most subjects have already been thought of by someone. No problem!What you need is to find a less formulaic way of presenting them if you can, rather than trotting out yet another lone tree on the skyline, butterfly on a flower, palm tree with sunset, kitten in a wicker basket etc. (Unless you are selling postcards and chocolate box covers of course, in which case, carry on with the usual winning formula!) Suggestions: Instead of snapping into a sunset, turn 180 degrees and see what the sun is shining on - it might just be a bit more unusual. If you have your tripod or something to rest the camera on, you may be able to capture a moody atmospheric shot. Here is a very pedestrian sunset, and the rather nicer clouds that were visible at my back:
At a well-known location, take a few snaps for the family album, then look for some interesting details or unusual angles to shoot. You can often find a semi-abstract framing that is much more interesting than a general view that shows everything. By bringing your own feeling and original interpretation to the subject, you give it meaning, not only for yourself, but for the viewer. And if you can post some photographer's comments explaining your shot, even better.
5 Sometimes, a photo just isn't there Especially if we've made a special effort to be somewhere to take a photo, it can be very annoying if circumstances prevent us from getting a good shot. This can be for all sorts of reasons - dull flat lighting conditions, too many people or not enough to make the scene, uncooperative subjects, the tide was in when we wanted it to be out, forgetting the tripod, and so on.
If you have a digital camera, of course it doesn't cost much to take some photos anyway. But I have a polite suggestion: why not put the camera away and just enjoy being there instead? At the time, I must have thought that sun on the sea and some distant deer would be nice to capture - but I was wrong. And then there was the day I found two doors with pleasingly opposed colour schemes. Unfortunately, without a fisheye lens, there is no space in the narrow alley to take any kind of shot that is worthwhile. You don't have to look far here to see photos where you think: "why on earth did he or she bother to post that?" Those are the ones that make me think of the pictures of my feet or the view out of the kitchen window I used to take to finish off the roll of film: you don't share these with friends, so why post them here?
6 Do you really think you can do better than Nature?I do not intend to start a (forbidden) discussion on the merits of enhancing a photo in PS here. Many people love oversaturated and contrasty views of our beautiful planet, as is their right. I happen not to, but I never comment adversely on such photos unless the intended atmosphere is spoilt as a result.What do I mean by that last sentence? Well, if I look at a landscape and spend all my time spotting the fakery, then I don't actually appreciate the beauty of the scene that, I assume, the photographer intended to convey. So, in my books, it is a failure. Of course, there are exceptions where deliberate distortions or montages are used for a specific effect, but most of the time, we are actually asked to believe that the photographer is very skilful and lucky with his/her locations. What I do urge you to do is to think carefully before putting pieces together from different scenes and passing them off as reality. Many of the montages here are obvious fakes because the creator didn't take time to observe reality and choose harmonising elements.
I see these sorts of thing all the time, but hardly anyone takes the trouble to mention them, even if they see them. Since observation is an important skill for the successful photographer, why not practise when you do your critiques here? If you don't want to offend your circle of friends on the site, just make a mental note about what looks wrong, so you can learn to do better.
Here's an exaggerated example for you to practise on: see if you can find at least two obvious inconsistencies (though in fact this illustrates three of my points, as well as being a pretty terrible photo).
ConclusionI hope you found at least some of my six tips helpful or thought-provoking. If you want to give any feedback, please do contact me by email or by leaving a comment. And of course, you are free to point out all the faults in my photos, which are inevitably more pleasing to me than to others (see tip number 1!)
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All of the points here I have noted in many photoSIG photos - but I am not unkind enough to hold their owners up to ridicule: I have instead used my own examples. I am sure you can find your own examples if you want. To start with, I offer you this rather dreadful snap of my beloved, and now late, cat Cosmo at sunset. When you have read the rest of the tips, perhaps you might like to think about why I used it as an example of what not to post.
A sunset with a side-lit foreground,