As promised, here are the rest of my top tips for taking better pictures. If you didn’t read the first half of this article, be sure to go back to my January 15th posting to get the full picture (pun intended)
FILL THE FRAME - Try zooming in on your subject or get the shot from a different angle. Shooting your subjects the same way, with them looking straight into the camera and completely centered gets a bit boring. Tight shots are often times much better than a full head-to-toe shot. Don’t worry about cropping off the top of a head here and there, its perfectly fine. You might also try zooming in on hands or feet. These types of pictures make great mementos.
KEEP SHOOTING -Take more than one shot! The more pictures you take the more likely you'll be to get the shot you want. It is amazing the difference just one second can make. Make sure you invest in good quality memory cards that write fast. Take into account your camera’s ‘lag’ and learn to work around it.
MOVE!! - Get down on the subject’s level. This may mean that you have to get on your knees or belly. Trust me it is worth it. You will get a much more natural look and you will begin to see the world from a whole new perspective.
MOTION BLUR & CAMERA SHAKE: The most common reason that some pictures turn out blurry or apparently out of focus isn’t really due to the focus at all - it’s called “camera shake”. Make sure that you are standing with your feet slightly spread apart and support your arms against your chest to help support your camera and keep it steady. The best way to eliminate camera shake is to use a tripod. This is especially true when you are taking pictures in a low light situation or any time that your exposure settings utilize a slow shutter speed.
Motion blur is not the same as camera shake – it is a result of a slow shutter speed and shows your subject’s motion trail – e.g., a spinning wheel or a passing train. Motion blur can add a lot to a photo whereas camera shake just ruins it!
YOU KNOW BETTER THAN YOUR CAMERA
Once you know what you want from your photo, you can “fool” your automatic camera into giving you the settings you want. For instance, most cameras will have a “normal” mode, some sort of “slower speed” mode (this may be called something like “landscape mode”), and a “higher speed” mode (sometimes called “sport” or “action” mode”.
A
slower shutter speed will mean a smaller aperture setting, and a greater depth
of field. A faster shutter speed, on the other hand, means a wider aperture
setting, and a narrower depth of field. You can adjust your automatic mode to
best suit your needs. Depending on your make of camera, you should be able to
manipulate your ISO, picture quality, white balance etc
I would love to hear from you with any questions you may have, email me at the address below.
Sarah Ra’anan is a portrait photographer living in Ra’anana. Her style is fresh, contemporary and natural. Sarah specializes in photographing babies, children and families. She is also available for group or private workshops. Her website is www.sarahraanan.com or email her at studio@sarahraanan.com
