How to Take Better Photos

Set the resolution to the highest level for high image quality. Low resolution products make editing difficult, you can’t crop them as freely as with the high resolution version (and still get printable results). Memory card upgrade. If you don’t want or can’t buy a new memory card, choose a “good” picture quality mode if available, with a smaller resolution.

If so, start with one of the machine’s automatic modes. The most useful mode is “Program” or “P” on digital SLRs. Skip the suggestion of full manual control – the development of autofocus and metering technology over the past fifty years hasn’t come for nothing. If the image is in focus or poorly exposed, now start manually adjusting certain functions.

Take the device anywhere . With your camera in hand, you’ll start to see the world differently, always looking and looking for opportunities to take great photos. As a result, shoot more and shoot more, the more you progress. ^[1] Furthermore, as you regularly photograph friends and family, they will get used to having your camera with you, gradually becoming less shy about being photographed. Your image will be more natural, with less of a “posed” feeling.

• Remember to bring a spare battery or charger if using a digital device.

Go out. Encourage yourself to go outside and take pictures in natural light. Do a few casual ‘point and shoot’ shots to get a feel for the brightness at different times of day and night. While many people feel that the ‘Golden Hour’ (the last two hours before sunset) is the best time to take pictures, that doesn’t mean mid-day photography is impossible. Under bright sunlight, sometimes an open shaded space can create a soft and inviting glow (especially with a human subject). Get outside, especially when most are eating, watching TV or sleeping. The sunlight is often too much or unaccustomed to many people just because they never see it !

Do not let the lens be covered by caps, fingers, straps or any other obstructions. Yes, this is the basics, but any of these (usually unnoticed) obstructions can destroy your photos. With digital cameras equipped with live preview mode, especially with SLR cameras, this error is less common. However, we still stumble, especially when rushing to capture a frame.

White balance settings. Simply put, the human eye automatically adjusts when it receives light, in almost any lighting condition, white is still white to us. Digital cameras do this by converting colors in certain ways.

For example, under tungsten (filament light), blue is added to compensate for the red in the light. In contrast, with cold light like a fluorescent lamp, the camera will turn red to compensate for the blue. Some machines even have tungsten (pure white light setting) and filament light modes simultaneously. Experiment with each setting to see the results and learn how to take advantage of them. White balance is one of the most important and underrated settings in modern cameras . Learn how to adjust and what each setting means. Under natural light, “Shadow” (or “Cloud”) is a good choice in most cases and helps create warm colors. If the result is too red, you can easily correct it with the following software. “Auto”, which is the default setting on most cameras, sometimes produces good results, but sometimes also produces slightly cooler colors. ^[2]

• This setting may also be known as color temperature.

Set a slow ISO speed if conditions permit. Digital SLRs usually don’t have a problem with this, but it’s especially important when using compact digital cameras (they often have small sensors and are, therefore, susceptible to noise). A slower ISO speed (smaller number) helps reduce image noise, but at the same time, it also forces you to open and close the shutter more slowly, leading to some disadvantages, such as limited ability to capture dynamic scenes. For a still scene and good lighting (or a stationary subject and low light with the help of a tripod and remote control), use the slowest ISO speed you have.

Arrange your photos carefully. Frame the photo in mind before working with the viewfinder. Consider the following rules, especially the last one:

• Use the Rule of Thirds, whereby the focal point in the photo is along the “third” line. Try not to let any horizontal or other lines “divide the image”. ^[3]
• Eliminate background scenes that are distracting or cluttered. When there is a tree, move so that it does not feel like the tree is growing from the top. Change the angle of the shot so that the window doesn’t look out from across the street. If you’re taking a vacation, take a little time to let all the family members put away all their stuff, backpacks, and bags. Keep that mess away from the image and you’ll have a nicer, less messy product. If it is possible to blur the background in portraits, do so and so on.

Ignore the advice above. See it as a rule , which works in most cases when understood correctly — and don’t see it as an absolute rule. Sticking to the rules can give you boring pictures. For example, background clutter and focus can add content, contrast and color as well as sheer symmetry can create drama, etc. Sometimes, all the rules can and should. demolished for artistic effect. That is how countless outstanding works were born.

Fill the frame with your subject. Don’t hesitate to approach. If you’re using a digital camera with tons of megapixels, you can always use cropping and editing software later.

Try an interesting angle. Instead of shooting straight, try shooting from above or crouching up. Choose a shooting angle that maximizes color and minimizes shade. The low angle makes the subject look longer or taller. You can also make the subject appear smaller or appear as if you are floating above it by placing the camera above the subject. A strange angle gives you a more interesting photo.

Focus. Bad focus is one of the most common ways to ruin an image. If so, use the camera’s autofocus. Normally, you can do this by pressing the shutter button halfway. Use the “close-up” mode for close-ups. Don’t focus manually unless there’s a problem in autofocus because usually, the machine is capable of focusing and metering much better than you do yourself.

Balance ISO, shutter speed and aperture. ISO represents the camera’s light sensitivity, shutter speed indicates how long it takes to capture a photo (adjusts the amount of light received by the camera) and aperture is the aperture. By balancing them and keeping them as close to average as possible, you can avoid noise caused by high ISOs, blur from low shutter speeds, and the side effects of low aperture shots. Depending on your shooting intentions, you should adjust these settings to get enough light and still retain the desired effect. For example, if you want to capture a bird jumping out of the water, you need a high shutter speed to focus and at the same time you need a low aperture or high ISO to compensate for exposure. A high ISO creates noise, but a low aperture is perfect because it can create the effect of losing the background and drawing attention to the subject. By balancing these factors, you will have the best image.

Hold the machine steady. Many people are surprised with the blur of the image when zooming in or shooting from a distance. To minimize blur: If using a full-size camera (one that uses an image sensor the same size as a standard film frame) with a zoom lens, hold the camera body (finger resting on the shutter button) with one hand and Use the other hand to support the bottom to fix the lens. Place your elbows close to your body and use this position to keep your body steady. If so, turn on the stabilization on the camera or lens (IS in Canon gear and VR – Vibration Reduction in Nikon).

Consider using a tripod. If you experience natural handshake, if you are using a large (and slow) telephoto lens, if you are trying to take pictures in low light, want to shoot continuously (such as HDR (High Dynamic Range) If you have a long exposure (more than a second), the switch cord (for older cameras) and the remote control are a good choice for you. no, use the self-timer.

Consider not using a tripod, especially when one is not available. It limits your ability to move and adjust the frame. At the same time, it is also heavier to carry and makes you hesitate to go out to take pictures.

• Given the shutter speed and the difference between fast and slow closing, you only need a tripod when it is equal to or slower than the inverse of the focal length. ^[4] For example, if you have a 300mm lens, your shutter speed should be faster than 1/300 second. If the use of a tripod cannot be avoided by using a higher ISO speed (resulting in a faster shutter closing), by using the camera’s anti-shake function, or simply by moving to a place with better light, try use it.

If the situation is not suitable for using a tripod, or there is no tripod at the time, try one or more of the following ways to reduce vibration:

• Turn on stabilization on the camera (only some digital cameras have it) or on the lens (generally only on some expensive lenses).
• Zoom in (or substitute with a wider lens) and get up close. This reduces the effect of small changes on the camera and increases the maximum aperture for a shorter exposure time.
• Hold the camera in two positions away from the center, such as near the shutter button and on the opposite side or bottom of the lens (do not cover the lens, do not interfere with the operation of a self-adjusting device such as the focus ring or hold the lens if it’s a delicate part like in a compact). This will reduce the corresponding vibration of the machine when the hand moves.
• Press the shutter button slowly, firmly, and gently. Release your hand only when the picture has been taken for a while. Place your index finger on the top of the device. Press the shutter with a second knuckle to keep the button steady. Anyway, you had to hold the camera for a long time.
• Find a support for the device (or your hand if you are afraid of scratching it) and/or lean on your arm or sit down and rest your hand on the pillow.
• Rest the camera on something (perhaps a camera bag or strap) and use the self-timer to reduce vibration from pressing a button if the object is soft. In this case, there is a small chance that the machine will fall. So check and make sure if it happens, it’s not a hard fall. Do not apply to expensive cameras or devices with fragile accessories such as flash. If you plan to do so often, consider carrying a bean bag, which can come in handy in this case. There are many specialized “bean bags” on the market at affordable prices. When old, the bag can be upgraded or eaten.

Comfortable pressing the shutter button. At the same time, try not to lift the device for too long, causing your hands to shake. Practice raising the camera to eye level, focusing and metering, shooting neatly and smoothly.

Avoid red eyes. Red-eye is caused by dilation of the eye under low-light conditions. When the pupil is growing, the flash illuminates the blood vessel located in the inner wall of the eyeball and causes the eye to appear red. If you must use flash in low light, don’t let the subject look directly at the camera or try using “reflex flash”. Pointing the light above the subject, especially when surrounded by light-colored walls, will avoid red-eye. If there is no separate light to adjust as above, use the red-eye reduction feature in the machine if available. This feature illuminates a few times before opening the shutter, and thereby shrinks the eyeball and reduces red-eye. However, it is best not to take pictures in conditions that require flash, but find somewhere else with better light.

Use flash wisely, don’t use it unless absolutely necessary. Using flash in low light often results in poor images, or causes the subject in the image to become “fatigued”, which is especially true when photographing people. Flash, on the other hand, is quite useful for filling in the shadows (if you have a flash sync speed ^[5] fast enough). Don’t use flash if you can avoid it by going out or holding the camera steady (allows you to use a slower shutter speed without causing blur) or setting a higher ISO speed (allows the shutter to close faster).

• If you don’t intend to use flash as your primary light source, set the exposure to be correct with the aperture used (appropriate for ambient light intensity and shutter speed – this flash sync speed must not be exceeded). You can do this by selecting a certain step for the aperture with manual flash or thyristor, or by using the “flash compensation” found on good newer cameras.

Review your photos and find the best ones. Identify what makes them the best products and keep working on them. Do not hesitate to remove or delete the image. Be strong with them. If they can’t please you, let them go. If you use a digital machine like most people, you will lose nothing but time. Before you delete them, remember that the worst photos also have many lessons. You need to find out what causes them not to look good and avoid repeating them .