A guide to brilliant photography

Photo by cc

LIKE everyone else who bought or was given a camera/camera phone as a gift, I started from scratch. I just knew one thing, you focus the camera, fit the subject in the screen, click and voila- a picture. So I began to explore and experiment in the art of photography and eventually I started getting compliments about the photos I have taken. I have no plans of becoming a professional photographer but I actually received an invitation and became a member of an artistic photography group based in Southern California, United States of America.

Here are twelve helpful tips on how to become savvy in shooting pictures:

1. Read Review Research

Let’s start simple. Read the product information written in the manual or guide. Review the features of your equipment. Know everything about the product and its specifications. And if you need more pizzazz, research in the internet. Google it.

2. Lighting

Light illuminates everything so that everything will be seen as how you want it to be seen. Play with the light. It is your friend. This is actually the most basic advice: do not shoot against the light. If you have no other choice use the back light setting of your camera. I love taking pictures during the day as there is natural light. I like shooting at night time to photograph the city lights, moonlight, and sunsets. Remember without the light your picture will just be a black rectangular box.

3. Foreground and Background

Envision contrasting colors. If you are a tourist wear something of the red shade when you will be in forests or green vegetation. Think how clothing manufacturers use black or navy blue in their line of surfing wear from wet suits, shirts, pants, and board shorts. This color looks great at the beach. Here you want to be seen and not be camouflaged or blend into the background.

4. Three words: Black and White

Just change the specification into black and white then your photo is magically and instantly transformed into an art piece. Subjects such as columns, rows, series, lamp posts, night city lights, people expressing emotions look surreal in black monochrome. Here you combine light with this style and you get a fantastic fusion. I went to an airport lounge before and framed pictures hanging on the walls were all in black and white. They depicted sceneries and sights of the country.

5. Portrait, the more the better

Before I got the shot that I usually love, I had to take several shots at least maybe 15. Then I just picked the best one among the photos I created. This style works well with things, animals, birds, plants, and humans. You try to combine different techniques when doing portraits. Here quantity will get you quality.

6. Focus like an eagle and portray a flattering flock

Group shots. Here I remember someone telling me that everyone must look good in group pictures. No embarrassing shot not even for one team mate. Also don’t forget to use auto focus or the sport feature for moving subjects. If the photo is a wacky shot, encourage everyone to do something crazy. The mood and theme must be harmonious to produce a cohesive effect.

7. Like a diamond it has many facets

Sometimes to get the best shot you have to find the best angle. Remember a picture comes out as two dimensional. When shooting faces of people be creative. Create depth. Make the eyes look away instead of just a blank stare at the camera. Make people look their best. Flaunt their assets and hide their flaws.

8. Hard subjects

Children and animals are harder to shoot. They can’t keep still. This is troublesome especially for group pictures. Everybody is looking straight ahead except the little girl. Taking photos of pets is also challenging. Again the advice here I can give you is to call to their attention. Use a toy rattle for taking pictures of babies. And just keep shooting. Or better yet try to take some candid shots as well.

9. Create a set

When taking photos, you want everything to appear picture perfect. No eyesores. A useful tip is to always find the best location. Remove a distracting object from the scene. Perhaps, when indoors keep the clutter away. When outside, let’s say a group of tourists, wait for passersby to disappear from your frame.

10. Shooting Tourist Spots

Make sure everything is included in the picture. This may include the church spire. Towers like the Petronas and Pisa or Cagsawa ruins will look their best when captured in its entirety. Posing with these landmarks is always very appealing. Try to look your best so as not to ruin the shot. Look like a cool well-traveled tourist.

11. The “WOW” factor

That one word is probably the best compliment you can ever get from your photos. Discover. Don’t give up. Love this hobby. You are captivating memories that will last a lifetime. And remember practice makes perfect. It is a talent and a skill at the same time and turn it into a passion. All of these will improve your artistic eye.

12. If all else fails, edit

There are a lot of editing applications you can download. The most basic editing tool is crop and auto correct. I believe that the best pictures are the ones that are unedited so the less retouch the better. When it comes to old photos and I mean vintage or damaged I ask help from a colleague who uses Adobe Photoshop. Just make sure that it is not obviously edited.

Nobody can ever be a perfect photographer, and no one expects us to be. However, we can all improve our style and produce beautiful photos by following these guidelines.