At PosterBrain we’ve seen a lot of photos of all types. Within all the different categories of pictures, we’ve also seen a range of quality in the photos. Amateur photographers often try to combine too many elements into one photo. Or, if there are only a couple elements in the photo (like Aunt Mabel and the Grand Canyon) they often don’t focus on their subject. Most new digital cameras will show you a series of lights or boxes to tell you what you are focused on. Why else would tele-photo lenses be so popular? A quick note on digital zoom: Most new point and shoot cameras come with a “digital zoom” feature. Digital zoom is effectively blowing up the photo (via software) and concentrating on a specific portion. Simplify to Amplify
Simplifying your photos goes along with getting closer to your subject, but presents its own challenges. Declutter your camera’s field of view and get better pictures right away.
BORING! Have you ever seen a photo from an uncommon angle and thought “Wow!” Think about taking a photo of your dog from his level, or slightly below. Get creative, try holding your camera over your head and shooting downward, paparazzi-style. Lights On!
Think about lighting. Now, you may have to adjust a few steps left or right if your shadow is interfering or if your subject can’t stop squinting, but for the most part you want light on your subject.
Second, if you have to take a photo looking into the sun or other light source, make sure to use the “half-press” trick above to force your camera to focus on the subject, not the sun. Lastly, if you are inside, consider how the internal lights will affect the colors in your picture. Open the curtains for natural light, or turn off the ugly lights and use a flash.
The bottom line here is to think about the final product before you shoot the picture.
