Last night's class for a lot of fun - it's so great having you all at my house laughing and having a good time! Thanks for coming. Here's the presentation. I'll add some more pictures later (no time this morning). If you have any questions, let me know. Thanks!
Good news! This month’s lesson is for ANYONE – regardless of the type of camera. These are all ideas you can use even if you want to shoot in Auto mode (but I hope you don’t).
Tips for Shooting Fireworks:Bring a tripod and flashlight to the fireworks display. It's dark and you'll need longer exposures, so use the tripod to avoid blurry pictures. The flashlight will help you adjust your camera settings in the dark. Taken from: Cory Adams Photography
Now, on to the show…Don’t worry if these look familiar, we are going to review the“10 Ways to Improve Your Pictures” first, and then we’ll add some more at the end.
4. Get down on their level.
5. Know your flash
•Avoid red eye by producing more light (shoot outdoors, open window coverings, move your flash off of your camera).
•If your flash only works up to 10’, don’t try to shoot something further away when you have low light.
•Try using your flash outdoors (fill flash). This works well on really sunny or cloudy days. This helps lighten up their eyes and any other shadows caused by the sun.
•Try turning your flash off indoors.
6. Frame Your Subject
•Use trees or a building to help frame out your subject.
•Don’t be passive. Help people look their best.
•Move people around, add props or try different viewpoints (360).
•Bring people’s faces together.
•Take LOTS and LOTS of pictures. The more pictures you take, the better chance you have of getting the “perfect” picture.
•When taking pictures of people, posed pictures aren’t always best. Try to take pictures of people without them knowing or while they’re busy doing something else.
•“Grandma Pictures” – your subject doesn’t always have to be looking at the camera smiling.
•If you can avoid it, don’t tell kids to say “cheese” or “smile”. Tell them a joke. Bark like a dog. Laugh really loud. Get them to smile naturally and you’ll get a much better picture than a forced smile.
I could go on and on forever!! Just by googling photography & composition, I found ENDLESS ideas. Hopefully this will just give you something to think about as you are taking your pictures.
COMPOSITION -
“The artistic arrangement of the parts of a picture.”
Oxford American Dictionary
“The artistic arrangement of the parts of a picture.”
Oxford American Dictionary
•Remember, these are just “guidelines” not hard-core “rules.”
•Photography is an art – and the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
•You might like a certain picture style and not others. That’s okay.
•You can decide what you like best.
•Photography is an art – and the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
•You might like a certain picture style and not others. That’s okay.
•You can decide what you like best.
Good news! This month’s lesson is for ANYONE – regardless of the type of camera. These are all ideas you can use even if you want to shoot in Auto mode (but I hope you don’t).
One of the best ways, in my opinion, of learning about composition is to find a picture you like. Study the picture and try to figure out why you like it.
Photo courtesy of Christie
Does it have good lighting? Does it have an unusual angle or lines? Are the color unique or different?What do your eyes do when you look at the picture?Now, try to copy that picture. See if you can replicate it.
Photo courtesy of Stephanie
BUT FIRST>>> Just in time for the 4th of July......
Tips for Shooting Fireworks:Bring a tripod and flashlight to the fireworks display. It's dark and you'll need longer exposures, so use the tripod to avoid blurry pictures. The flashlight will help you adjust your camera settings in the dark. Taken from: Cory Adams Photography
Set your camera to Fireworks mode (if you have that feature), which will automatically take care of the settings. If you don't have Fireworks mode, set your camera to
Manual mode:
ISO 200,
aperture f/8, and
shutter speed between 5 and 15 seconds.
After you take a few pictures, take a look at how they are turning out, and adjust the shutter speed accordingly (leave the ISO and f-stop alone).
Include a landmark in the photo, such as a statue, stadium, park, lake, or whatever the surrounding area includes. As the fireworks explode, they will light up the landmark beautifully.Take a lot of pictures! You can take over 100 pictures and only keep 2 great ones. The more pictures you take, the greater chance you have of capturing the perfect shot. Be a ruthless editor; you only need one or a few photos to frame and share!
Remember that fireworks come fast and furious during the finale of the show. Therefore, you may need to decrease your shutter speed. 15 seconds will likely be overexposed during the finale. Try 5 seconds instead.
Now, on to the show…Don’t worry if these look familiar, we are going to review the“10 Ways to Improve Your Pictures” first, and then we’ll add some more at the end.
1. Get CLOSER. In my opinion, the number one thing you can do to improve your pictures is to move in closer.
Use your zoom.
Step in closer.
Don’t be afraid to cut off heads.
Fill the view finder with the subject.
Keep your arms close to your body and take a deep breath, hold it, and then take the picture. This will help prevent blurry pictures.
Use your zoom.
Step in closer.
Don’t be afraid to cut off heads.
Fill the view finder with the subject.
Keep your arms close to your body and take a deep breath, hold it, and then take the picture. This will help prevent blurry pictures.
2. Avoid Cluttered Backgrounds
•Look behind your subject to make sure he doesn’t have a tree or pole growing out of his head.
•The more simple the background, the better. A cluttered background will be distracting while a simple/plain background will emphasize your subject.
•Look behind your subject to make sure he doesn’t have a tree or pole growing out of his head.
•The more simple the background, the better. A cluttered background will be distracting while a simple/plain background will emphasize your subject.
3. Rule of Thirds
•Keep the main point of interest away from the middle.
•Pretend there is a tic tac toe board in your viewfinder. Put the main interest at one of the intersections of those lines.
•You will have to lock your focus and then move your subject off center. This is done by pushing the button half way.
•Don’t put your subject dead center in the picture. Lock your focus by pushing the button down half way and then recompose the picture.
•THE EXCEPTION, in my opinion, is with group pictures. If you are shooting more than 2 people, I think it should be centered. You can still lock the focus on their eyes and recompose so there’s not so much head room, but don’t move them off centered.
•Pretend there is a tic tac toe board in your viewfinder. Put the main interest at one of the intersections of those lines.
•You will have to lock your focus and then move your subject off center. This is done by pushing the button half way.
•Don’t put your subject dead center in the picture. Lock your focus by pushing the button down half way and then recompose the picture.
•THE EXCEPTION, in my opinion, is with group pictures. If you are shooting more than 2 people, I think it should be centered. You can still lock the focus on their eyes and recompose so there’s not so much head room, but don’t move them off centered.
4. Get down on their level.
•Don’t shoot everything from a standing position.
•If you are shooting kids or animals, get down on their level by getting on your knees or tummy.
•Shoot at eye level.
•If you are shooting kids or animals, get down on their level by getting on your knees or tummy.
•Shoot at eye level.
5. Know your flash
•Avoid red eye by producing more light (shoot outdoors, open window coverings, move your flash off of your camera).
•If your flash only works up to 10’, don’t try to shoot something further away when you have low light.
•Try using your flash outdoors (fill flash). This works well on really sunny or cloudy days. This helps lighten up their eyes and any other shadows caused by the sun.
•Try turning your flash off indoors.
6. Frame Your Subject
•Use trees or a building to help frame out your subject.
7. Try Unusual Angles
•Look for unusual angles by adjusting your camera. Don’t be afraid to be creative.
•If you have a horizon, try to keep it level or your picture will look crooked (like a picture of the temple, ocean, sunset, etc.)
•Also, be sure to keep your horizon true to the rule of thirds. Place it along one of the lines.
•Don’t always shoot horizontal. Turn your camera vertical as well.
8. Watch the Light
•If you have a horizon, try to keep it level or your picture will look crooked (like a picture of the temple, ocean, sunset, etc.)
•Also, be sure to keep your horizon true to the rule of thirds. Place it along one of the lines.
•Don’t always shoot horizontal. Turn your camera vertical as well.
8. Watch the Light
•If you are shooting outside, avoid the middle of the day. The best light is sunrise and sunset.
•Cloudy days are good as the light is being filtered through the clouds.
•Try using natural light indoors by placing your subject next to the window. You can use a white cardboard to reflect light on the other side.
9. Look for Interesting Lines
•Cloudy days are good as the light is being filtered through the clouds.
•Try using natural light indoors by placing your subject next to the window. You can use a white cardboard to reflect light on the other side.
9. Look for Interesting Lines
•Fences, roads, railroads, etc. all make good pictures. They help your eyes move to the main subject.
•Look for patterns.
10. Be a Picture Director
•Look for patterns.
10. Be a Picture Director
•Don’t be passive. Help people look their best.
•Move people around, add props or try different viewpoints (360).
•Bring people’s faces together.
•Take LOTS and LOTS of pictures. The more pictures you take, the better chance you have of getting the “perfect” picture.
•When taking pictures of people, posed pictures aren’t always best. Try to take pictures of people without them knowing or while they’re busy doing something else.
•“Grandma Pictures” – your subject doesn’t always have to be looking at the camera smiling.
•If you can avoid it, don’t tell kids to say “cheese” or “smile”. Tell them a joke. Bark like a dog. Laugh really loud. Get them to smile naturally and you’ll get a much better picture than a forced smile.
Digital Photography School - 5 Elements of Composition:
Patterns, Symmetry, Texture, Depth of Field, Lines
I could go on and on forever!! Just by googling photography & composition, I found ENDLESS ideas. Hopefully this will just give you something to think about as you are taking your pictures.
One Last Thing...
•Rules were meant to be broken (except the commandments)
•Don’t be afraid to try new things – even if it breaks the photography rules.
•Also, don’t forget to read your camera manual. So simple, yet so important.
•Rules were meant to be broken (except the commandments)
•Don’t be afraid to try new things – even if it breaks the photography rules.
•Also, don’t forget to read your camera manual. So simple, yet so important.
HOMEWORK
•If you want it, here it is…
•Check the blog for an extensive list of what has been talked about tonight.
•Try to implement a few (if not all) of these composition guidelines.
•Post them on the blog.
•Questions?
•If you want it, here it is…
•Check the blog for an extensive list of what has been talked about tonight.
•Try to implement a few (if not all) of these composition guidelines.
•Post them on the blog.
•Questions?
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