Photography Tips for Aspiring Photographers

I posted this over at the Art Slam and thought I should share it here, too.

I get quite a few emails from aspiring photographers asking how they can improve their photographs. Having the best equipment does not instantly improve your photography. If anything, having a camera with all the bells and whistles has scared many a beginner into using the automatic mode the majority of the time. With a clear idea of what you want your pictures to look like, I am sure the following tips will have you well on your way to being a much improved photographer.

Composition Counts
Take the time to make sure everything in your photo is balanced. You do this by making sure the horizon line is level, using the rule of thirds , cropping out distracting elements and playing with patterns and perspective. The rule of thirds states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines. Where the lines intersect is where you want to align the main subject of your photo. It is believed by following this rule, you create interest and tension in your photo…but rules are meant to be broken, so you don’t have to follow this all the time.

Fill the Frame
Filling the frame basically means get closer. If you think you are close enough for your shot, move in a few steps and shoot it again…then move in a couple of more steps and shoot again. I bet you will end up liking the second or third image a lot better because the focus is on your subject instead of the stuff around your subject. Seriously, this will dramatically increase the attractiveness and intimacy of your photographs.

Be Choosy
Be selective with what you choose to include in your photograph. Traditionally trained as an artist, I was taught to take it all in and include as much detail as possible so the viewer of my drawings would see what I saw. With photography, I find it to be the opposite. Decide what the focus is and remove everything from the frame that detracts from the focus of your photo.

Focus!
I admit it, I love soft, buttery bokeh. Bokeh is a Japanese term for the subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of a photographic image. If you want to really put the focus on your subject, play with your aperture and blur the background out. Your ssubject can not help but pop off the page. The smaller your f-stop number, the blurrier your background will be.

The Light…the LIGHT!
If you learn how to take advantage of lighting situations, you will end up with some interesting and dramatic photos. When shooting people outside, I like to position them so they are backlit. I will have my subject turn until around and tell me when they are not squinting. Nine times out of ten, the sun is at their backs. This effect creates a beautiful glow. You get the best effects when the sun is rising and setting. I do not believe there are bad lighting conditions. There are challenging ones, which lend themselves to fun experiments. So, play and see what you get.

K.I.S.S. Your Camera Settings
If you primarily shoot in automatic mode, it is time to get a little risky and switch to one of the semi-automatic mode. I primarily shoot in Aperture Priority mode (that whole bokeh thing). It is my favorite. Since I shoot a lot more portraits than stationary objects, I don’t have a lot of time to play around with my settings, but I do like having control over how my photos look. Keeping your settings simple allows you to focus on creating a great picture while controlling how the final image looks.

Just Do It!
If you really want to improve your photography, the best advice I can give is this…experiment, play and have fun. The great thing about digital photography is you can instantly see what your photo looks like. You can shoot as many pictures as you want without worry about processing rolls of film. Have a sense of adventure and don’t be afraid to try something new. While rules are cool, they are meant to be broken. Master a skill, then find a way to do the opposite. Some of my best photos have been happy accidents.
I hope these tips help you improve and grow as a photographer. Now go forth and shoot. Capture beautiful people and sunsets. See things in a different way and be a photographic rebel!