PHOTOGRAPHY LESSON 1: HOW TO TAKE GOOD PICTURES

Summer is here again! The sun is shinning and people are smiling. So, why not keep those beautiful memories alive by taking pictures! Or better still, why not create better professional looking pictures for your ‪#‎facebook‬, ‪#‎twitter‬, ‪#‎youtube‬, ‪#‎instagram‬ and ‪#‎pinterest‬ profile page? Look no further. Learn the secrets of great photography without paying for a course here...

Here is a quick course on taking unforgettable photographs of people, places and things - even if you are a newbie... 

Photography Lesson 1

Get ready

1. Get a digital camera and at least a 4GB SD card or for more storage use this one. You don't need to buy an expensive camera. The quality of the camera does not really matter. Just point and shoot and take lots of shots. 
2. Observe your object carefully, move around as you photograph to experiment and give yourself plenty of choice.
3. Open your eyes and always pay attention. Look for interesting objects and stay alert for that chance-of-a-lifetime shot.
4. The best shots happen so quickly or at times that may be inconvenient for average people such as in taking a photograph of a baby's first smile.

Light

1. Take pictures in soft light for example on cloudy days. The soft light you get on overcast days is especially good for photographing people, as is produces the best skin tones.
2. If you take pictures in the sunlight, let the light fall on your object from the side as this is more interesting. If you take pictures with the sunlight behind the object then use a flash.Turning the flash ON in bright sunlight will help lighten the shadows to make them look much more natural.
3. Use your flash only when necessary. You can also soften the light from a flash by placing tissue paper in front of the flash. Experiment with different coloured paper.
4. Most people incorrectly use flash indoors or in low light at night. Using the flash indoors leads to the  dark backgrounds and washed out objects.Instead use a diffuser with your flash.

How to Use Lines and Curves

1. You can create a sense of direction using naturally occurring lines such as the landscape, the sea, hills and so on.
2. Direction and orientation of lines can imply certain feelings. Seaside create feelings of happiness while trees and grass create quiet calmness. So, choose your backgrounds thoughtfully.
3. Note: Slanting or 'oblique' lines imply movement, action and change. Curved lines or S-shaped lines imply quiet, calm and sensual feelings.
4. Lines that come together create depth and distance, for example, the outer edges of a road converge as it disappears into the distance, creating a three-dimensional image.
5. Repetitive elements create a sense of rhythm, which is more interesting,. such as, if you duplicate your picture in one frame. 

Colours

1. Your pictures can look warm, cool or neutral. Red for instance, will create a warmer feel for your shots than blues or greens.
2. Using the right colours will enhance your pictures because colour affects the way we look at pictures, so try to use colour creatively in your shots.
3. Look for images that contain contrasting colours, such as red and green or yellow and purple to make your shots attractive and dramatic.
4. You can create harmony in your pictures by using shades of the same colours.

Composition

1. Try not to turn your camera to take pictures from an angle as this will make your shots appear crooked.
2. Many people mistakenly put the main points of interest in the centre of their photographs. Keep the main points of interest away from the centre, slightly to the edge but not on the extreme edge of your shots.
3. Don't shoot everything from a standing position. Look for interesting angles by changing the camera positions.
4. Try to avoid empty space in your photographs.

Taking Portraits

1. When taking people decide whether you want to take a full length, mid length or portrait which is just the face up to the chest.
2. The best shots will be those where your object is smiling and looking directly at the lens.
3. In close up shots such as, portraits,
4. Try to avoid empty space in your photographs.

 These are just suggestions above all, be yourself. Show your passions. Don't try to duplicate someone else's shots. You have to go out, be yourself, and your own style will develop. Never, ever think that because you like something done by someone else that you have to do the same.

There is no right and no wrong. Just go make good photos. A good photo is one you or someone else likes. There are no formulas or grades or scores. So, simply practice, practice and practice. Check out reviews ob the top cameras here.

Have a time and enjoy yourself! 

iShine Magazine © 2013