10 ways to better photographs!

[zaren]

....just for newbies.

read this somewhere, sometime ago, found it quite interesting

1. go closer
2. bounce your flash
3. tell a story
4. wait for the moment
5. avoid the obvious
6. fill the frame
7. simplify
8. use a tripod
9. try another angle
10. plan your background

[alfredlau]

Simple, but true!

[cantaresg]

11. Come back during a different lighting.

[zaren]

Originally Posted by cantaresg 11. Come back during a different lighting.

good one. feel free to add to the list.

[hungt23]

How about this?
12. Take as many pictures as you can. You never know, one might turn out to be good. You can always delete the one you don't want.

[zoossh]

Originally Posted by hungt23 How about this? 12. Take as many pictures as you can. You never know, one might turn out to be good. You can always delete the one you don't want.

probably not a good point or not specific enough for improvement. it may mean burst mode, multiple bracket, varied angle/compositions, or simply fast snaps without thought.

[zoossh]

my thoughts, something even more basic than the 1st 10 rules given above

1. familiarise with the buttons on your camera body.
2. go slow with your improvement, and let nature takes its course
3. decide on subject of interest
4. ensure proper focus of subject or important part of it, e.g. the eyes
5. aim at proper exposure of main subject, for details to show well
6. watch for factors of handshake
7. understand focal length properties of lens versus distance, go near to near-range subjects with wide angles.
8. take time to enjoy your pictures in front of the screen, you think and view better than you are on the spot, learn from it to apply on subsequent tries.
9. shoot on raw to capitalise on the ability of post processing or for future edits.

[Kit]

R T F M....

[cantaresg]

Actually there were another 2 tips given that I read from NG.

1. Decide on a project. This can be anything, perhaps your home, garden, different faces of your neighbourhood. This help you to focus you on your subjects.

2. Use a fix focal length. The availability and convenience of zooms resulted in over-reliance on zoom. But even if you use a zoom, you can fix your focal length, and challenge yourself by taking from various perspectives. And since you are "forced" to use a fixed focal length, you will be forced to move about more.

[Azure]

One point left out (and probably will remain ignored by the equipment wankers) - Stop worrying about what equipment...

[catchlights]

Originally Posted by zaren ....just for newbies. read this somewhere, sometime ago, found it quite interesting .................

Yes, agreed with that, but would like to add on a little

1. go closer, this is same as #6, #7, sometime.
2. bounce your flash, only when it is bounce-able, so many time see photographer use omnibounce bounce at the sky at outdoor shoot.
3. tell a story, every picture should tell a story, or has a theme.
4. wait for the moment, means you need to study the subject first.
5. avoid the obvious, the second part is #9
6. fill the frame, see #1
7. simplify, see, #1
8. use a tripod, use whenever is needed.
9. try another angle, see #5
10. plan your background, has some points same as #3, #7

[aussiecanonboy]

Originally Posted by hungt23 How about this? 12. Take as many pictures as you can. You never know, one might turn out to be good. You can always delete the one you don't want.

I think this would be my fav. I have taken so many crappy pictures using film only to turf them in the bin. Thats the beauty of digital, you can see what you've taken in an instant and if you dont like it BIN IT !!. A good way to learn about composition ect i think.

Blair

[catchlights]

Originally Posted by hungt23 How about this? 12. Take as many pictures as you can. You never know, one might turn out to be good. You can always delete the one you don't want.

depend on what type of situation, like zoossh mention, try to shoot as many as you can without thinking compare to shooting varies with composition, angles, focal length, exposure, speed, depth of field.

shoot without thinking, most likely will end up junk, no matter is one shot or a thousand shots.

[catchlights]

Originally Posted by Azure One point left out (and probably will remain ignored by the equipment wankers) - Stop worrying about what equipment...

it is the best to use only the top of the line cameras and lenses,


so when anything went wrong, we can for sure that the Problem is lies behind the viewfinder.

[cantaresg]

Originally Posted by catchlights it is the best to use only the top of the line cameras and lenses, so when anything went wrong, we can for sure that the Problem is lies behind the viewfinder.

Haha... that's a good one.

But the next thing that people will blame on is the brand, camera format, or any possible external factors. Anything, but the problem behind the viewfinder.

[Dan]

Know this four item:
1)Camera
2)Subject
3)You, the photographer
4)PP

C.S.Y.P.

[zcf]

think before shoot

[konahead]

Originally Posted by catchlights 2. bounce your flash, only when it is bounce-able, so many time see photographer use omnibounce bounce at the sky at outdoor shoot.

hilarious...

[ortega]

i use a P&S
and when the picture don't turn out nice
can always blame the camera

[ortega]

another important point

lighting,

1. good subject with bad light will give you a bad picture
2. bad subject with good light always better than #1

think about it