How to take good pictures for amazing memories
Are you interested in how to take good pictures? You don’t need to be a professional photographer in order to take good photos. A few simple tips can improve your skills considerably and you will be able to take the photos you always dreamed about. The key is to stop for a moment before hitting the button and think about what you are going to do.
If you want to take pictures, you have to know exactly what end result you wish to have. Once you know what your goal is, you will know what you will have to do in order to get there.
How to Take Great Pictures That Will Become Everlasting Memories Not Only for You but Your Loved Ones as Well
So, how to take great pictures? What is that you could do to make sure your photos will be spot on each and every time?
Look in the subject’s eye
You need that contact
Some people try to avoid direct eye contact to escape the red-eye effect. If you are wondering how to take pictures, keep in mind that looking the subject right in the through the camera is just as engaging as looking them in the eye in real life. In case you are preparing for taking a picture of someone, you should hold the camera to their eye level. In case of children this means that you will have to bend forward. Also remember that your subject doesn’t necessarily have to stare right into the camera. Just the fact that the camera is at eye level will create a personal connection with the subject.
Check the background
Don't let it ruin the photo
When wondering how to take a picture, you should also think about the background. If you want to focus on the subject, you shouldn’t allow the background to take over the photo. Another aspect to consider is that you should always make sure there is nothing sticking out of the subject’s head or ears. For sure you have seen photos of this kind. Although they are funny, they might ruin a perfectly good moment. If you really want to know how to take better pictures, you will have to be mindful not only of the subjects but of their surroundings as well.
It is alright to use the flash
True that
A lot of people are reluctant about using the flash outdoors, but unwelcome shadows could really ruin a picture. You can eliminate these by turning the flash on. Before taking a picture you may be asked about the kind of flash you’d like to use: fill-flash or full-flash. If the subject is at a distance of five feet, it is enough to use the fill-flash. Beyond this distance it might be best to use the full-flash mode. If you have a digital camera, always look at the resulting picture and take other shots if you’re not happy with the results. In case it is cloudy outside and you are wondering how to take picture, opt for the fill-flash mode. This will make people’s faces brighter and they will become the center of attention. However, you might want to try taking a shot without the flash as well; in some cases you might get great results because of the soft light.
Get a little closer
Don't be reluctant
If you are focusing on a relatively small subject (such as a child), you might want to move a little closer. As one of the tips for taking good pictures, you should will the frame with the subject. This way the photo will reveal all kinds of interesting features, such as an arched eyebrow or freckles. However, you have to make sure that you don’t get too close for the photo not to become blurry. Generally speaking, cameras take good photos from a distance of three feet. If you get any closer, the photo might get ruined. This is something you will have to experiment with for the best results.
The subject doesn’t have to be in the middle
Feel free to experiment
Performers need to be in the center of the stage, but not your subjects. In order for you to take better pictures, you should move them to the side of the frame. In order to find the perfect place for the subject, you should think about the rule of thirds. This means that you have to divide the frame into three sections and make sure that the subject is on the line between the first and second section. In case you are using a camera on auto mode, you should make sure to lock focus because when using this mode the majority of the cameras focus on whatever is in the middle of the frame.
Locking the focus
This is an important step
As it has been mentioned before, if the subject isn’t in the middle of the photo, you will need to lock the focus to make sure that the photo won’t be blurry. As one of the tips on taking pictures, first you should place the subject to the middle, lock focus and then make it move to the side. Usually there are three steps you need to take to lock focus. Have the subject right in the middle and press the shutter halfway down. Then, while holding the shutter, reposition the camera to have the subject off-center. Finish the process by pressing the shutter all the way down. This way you will have the perfect picture.
The range of the flash
Rookies don't know about this one:
In case you would like to know how to take amazing pictures, learn about the range of your flash. One of the rookie mistakes is taking pictures with the subjects being outside the flash’s range. This way the whole picture will be too dark. In the majority of the cases the flash range is of about fifteen feet. You can find the range of the camera in its manual. If your camera is using film, you could buy special films that increase the flash’s range.
There is a lot that you can use pictures for. As an example, if you want to immortalize your college bucket list, you will also have to learn about how to take a good picture of yourself while doing something.
