|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
||
|
|||
Basic tips for beginning shootersin Tutorials |
||||
By juusan/S (329) 
on April 2, 2003 8:56:33 PM CST
Introduction IntroductionI see so many photos on PhotoSIG that are almost great. I understand that 'great' is a subjective term, and that many of my own images probably fall under many people's definition of almost great, but there are a few tips that will help beginners without a lot of effort.(fyi, these tips will prove useful to both black & white and color photographers)
FocusFirst of all, we're going to THROW AWAY the auto-focus feature on our cameras. That's right, pretend your camera doesn't have it. I see many photos that are so close to being focused, but are a hair off because something two feet behind the subject is what the auto-focus locked onto.Pay careful attention and spend at least a full second making sure that your subject is as sharp as possible. Even a small miscalculation can throw off your entire image. Another tip is to set your camera's aperture to F-8/11 (depending on what you're photographing and how far away you are from it) to bring more of the area around your subject into focus, and your subject along with it.
BlurAnytime you're shooting slower than 1/125th of a second, you should be using a tripod and a cable release. Sure, some folks have steady hands and can shoot up to 1/60th without obvious camera shake, but if you're planning on blowing up your images to a fairly large size, the small amount of shake that you didn't notice in a smaller image will be glaringly apparent.Use a tripod. As often as possible.
Depth of FieldThere are a few things to keep in mind when deciding what F stop to use for an image. In a portrait, you usually want to take the background out of focus to make your subject should stand out, so you would potentially want to set your camera to around F5.6. Landscapes usually have the entire subject plane in focus, so F22 + is what you'd be shooting for.Again, use a tripod.
HorizonA crooked horizon is annoying. Either level it out when taking the photo, fix it during printing, or take care of it in photoshop. It will ALWAYS be distracting and ruin your image.
BracketingIt's a good idea to take several photos of the same subject from the same and other positions. Increase and decrease the exposure via your aperture and shutter speed until you've exhausted your curiosity. In the end you'll have several images to choose from, and likely at least one of them will turn out. Film's cheap, so don't be afraid to burn it. Every shot you take increases your understanding and skill that much more.
ColorSo many images display colors that COULD have been great, but fall a little short. Never underestimate the power of underexposing. Lowering your exposure a half to a full stop can make all the difference in the world.This idea applies to black and white photography also. Over/underexposing will yield more or less fine detail in shadow/highlight areas.
CompositionThis is a tough one. Very rarely do you want to have your subject in the center on the frame. Why, you ask? Because it's boring. Static.Do you know the rule of three? Split your frame into three equal parts both vertically and horizontally. Now you have four imaginary lines in your image, right? OK, now place your subject on one of those lines. If the subject's facing one direction or another, it's usually better (aesthetically) to have it facing into the frame. Look around your subject to see what side of it is more interesting. Explore the area and be aware of what else is going to end up in your image. You don't want the trash can on the right side of that tree, right? So turn a little the left and cut it out, putting the tree farther on the right side of the frame. Your daughter has a pimple on her cheek that you didn't notice before? Photograph her profile from the other side. Don't be afraid to move around your subject. Just because you walked up to a tree from the south doesn't mean that you have to photographic from there. Examine the tree from all side and decide which is the most interesting viewpoint. Better yet, take several picture from all different angles/views. You may be pleasantly surprised what you come up with. here's a PDF I found that may also prove helpful (please notice the figure 1 and an example of the rule of three): http://www.empken.com/tutorials/composition.pdf (you'll need Adobe Acrobat to view this article)
Educate YourselfRead books. Take classes. Ask questions. No question is a stupid question, and the person you're asking probably had to ask it themselves at one point.Simply picking up a camera does not a photographer make. Every bit of information you absorb with increase your ability to effectively say what you want to say through your images. It may take a while to get where you want to be, but it will happen if you put the effort into it. :)
That's it!That's all I can think of for now. Please let me know if I missed anything.
Read 4,914 times
|