By Theresa Rose
Digital cameras are ubiquitous today! Unfortunately, the focus is on quantity and not quality. If you follow the simple tips below you will improve the quality of your photos.
When you look through your lens, notice the composition of your subject matter. Does your subject look natural instead of ‘arranged’ or ‘posed’? A natural or relaxed looking photo is more appealing. Whether you are shooting people or scenery, be aware of the way the elements within the frame fit together as a composition.
For outdoor photography, the best time of day to take photographs is before 10 am and after 3 pm. The light is bright but not glaring and your subjects look warmer, richer and have more depth than when the sun is directly overhead. Overcast days are great for outdoor photography as the colors will be more saturated. If you are photographing people, make sure neither you nor your subject are looking directly into the sun.
If you need to use a flash to fill in shadows on your subject’s face, here is a trick I’ve used. To soften the effect of a bright flash. take a white coffee filter, cut a piece off and wrap it around your popup flash. Tape it , so that once it is fitted correctly, you can reuse it.
The flash provides plenty of light but you won’t get the red eye or burnout spots from a bright reflecting flash.
Don’t be afraid to move around, change position and see how the view looks through your lens. Don’t center your subject in the middle of the picture. Try an angle, a view from above or below, a side shot. Experiment and take lots of pictures. The more images the better. You can always delete what you don’t like.
Be aware of your surroundings and be creative!