A Good photograph comes from developing an eye for a photo. Not all the accessories in the world will help a photographer with this. The key is to train yourself, that making what you see, to work as a great photo. The secret of this, is training the eye to see imagines that will give a pleasing thought, when taken out of a complex and confusing world. Experienced photographers learn to identify their images by spending most of their time looking thru a viewfinder of the cameras. Anyone can learn to see this way, by concentrating on what they see in the frame and how the shapes and colors they see work together. Applying this method will help your photographs immensely.
The first step in all photography is choosing a subject. This may seem obvious, but any one situation usually offers many choices. Most all photographers will choose a subject that will make a very strong point. The camera, unlike the eye, cannot point out what is interesting in the subject and ignoring the rest. Everything in the viewfinder tends to have equal prominence unless the photographer organizes the scene and selects the image to bring out a particular part or the important aspect of it.
Many first time users, set out taking pictures thinking everything will fall into place. More times then not, the camera is aimed at the subject with it directly in the center, as if aiming at the center of the target. This will record the subject, but is unlikely to produce an appealing image. You should allow yourself time to think about what you see in the viewfinder. Look for the things that will distract from what you want, and how you could change your viewpoint to achieve a better photo. A few simple ideas can help point the way. Try to place the main subject just alittle off center, to create a more balanced and visually satisfying effect for the photo. This will help teach you the visual awareness of a photograph.
Any photographer, will eventually develop their style of taking photos that are personal and distinctive. A very few, are blessed enough to have such and individual way of seeing, that it surfaces the very first time they picked up a camera. For the rest of us normal people, it comes as we gradually begin to master the techniques of photography. I think that trying different styles is important because you are more likely to discover the style that suits you best. You can shoot many different styles from landscapes to abstracts, and it doesn’t mean you have to stick with a certain favorite subject to develop your style. I find I shoot everything that catches my eye, no matter what type of photography it is. In the winter time when studio time is slow, I am shooting birds, while in spring and fall I tend to do more floral and landscapes.
There are 2 different areas of skill in photography. One, you need to develop the skill to see creatively, seeing the interesting and appealing aspects of the world around you. The second, you need the skill to translate your ideas into pictures. The camera (your tool) will become the servant of your creative impulse, if you learn how to use it correctly. That’s another subject in itself. Learn your camera, so that using all its functions become second nature to you. Consider the camera you use with the types of photos you intend shoot. You will have to work within the limitations of your equipment. Photography is most enjoyable when your equipment extends slightly beyond your current needs. And as your skill level grows, you will appreciate the more versatility your equipment will provide.
With today’s technology, cameras make it simple. With auto focus, and auto shutter speeds, the camera controls everything. They even make exposure control simple. Their automatic systems of measuring and regulating light entering the camera do most of the work for you. But, sorry to say, sometimes it does not get it quite right. No amount of computerized circuitry will produce just the picture you want in every situation. In the final analysis, you must yourself decide how you would like the picture to look and, if necessary, overrule the automatic system. Some cameras don’t offer this, so if you want more control over the pictures your shooting, you might want to step up to a system that will offer manual controls. A good metering system on a camera, aims to provide an exposure that is technically correct. It offers a compromise between the amount of light needed for a dark and light areas of the scene you shooting. Most of the time, the result will look good. Although sometimes a certain part of the scene is more important to you than the rest. The camera can’t see this, and in calculating the average exposure it may over or under expose the main subject of your shot. This is where you need to learn exposure and light to be able to compensate for the cameras light readings, and adjust accordingly.
If you continue to practice taking the pictures you want, thinking before shooting, and learning to understand your camera and light, you will see your pictures improve each and every time you go out shooting. All it takes is time, and a little understanding of your equipment.
Author: Danny Boxberger
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