Lots of people are camera shy, but are you shy of using a camera? Taking fantastic photos can be easy with a few simple rules that will make you snap happy in no time! Learn how to take a great photo so you can hit them with your best shot!
Camera Crash Course
Whether you like taking impromptu pics on your phone or have dreams of being a professional photographer, every camera works a little differently. If you find your photos are leaving your special moments a blur, it might be a good time to sit down with the instruction book and find out how your camera works.
What to Look For:
- Find out where your flash is. Flash can be useful for outdoor photos in bright light, can lessen shadows on faces and can improve shots in cloudy weather.
- Find the Zoom in/Zoom out function so you can look at things close up or show the big picture.
- Learn to lock the focus - often this is built in as an automatic function by pressing the shutter button down halfway, once your image comes into focus you can decide if you want to go all the way and take that shot.
Image-Ine
Once you’ve mastered how to use your camera, it’s time to think about light, composition and angles. You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take a great photos, sometimes you just need to “find your light” and work with your environment. Here are some quick tips!
- If you want the subject of your photo to stand out, try finding a solid colored background to really make it pop – whether it’s your BFF’s face or a bowl of fruit.
- Light is a major part of how a photo turns out. If you’re not liking what you see through the lens, try moving based on the direction of the sun.
- Professional portrait artists often use a technique called “Rembrandt Light” where they sit their models under a light angled from the corner of the room onto the side of the face to highlight a person’s features.
- Scenic shots of natural beauty and buildings look great early and late in the day - the softer light produces long dramatic shadows.
- Angles are another great reason to move – if you want something to look bigger, put yourself low to the ground, like if you’re taking a picture of a pet. Take the same shot from lots of different angles, high and low, and look at the difference to get a feel for how it changes a scene.
- If you have an image in mind, don’t be afraid to set it up by moving your friends around, changing the scenery and messing around until you get exactly what you want.
Camera, Light, Action!
The best way to take great photos is to take lots of photos, play around with different things and learn what you like best by trial and error. Even the best photographers need lots of practice. So slip that camera into your pocket wherever you go and capture every moment!
Have Your Say!
Do you like taking photos? Let us know in the comments section below!
Related Stories
