There are many reasons for taking pictures -- a couple of the more obvious are:
To document something
To remember something, and
To show someone else what you saw.
Of these, the last is probably the most common. But, does it aptly describe the reality of photography? The short answer is that you can NEVER show someone exactly what you saw by taking a photograph of it! There are lots of reasons for this and most reasons revolve around the fact that the technology and physics of optics, film and light can not represent what our eyes and brains can see.
So don't try to show what was physically in front of the lens -- your goal in photography should be to show to the viewer what you want them to see or how you saw it, which is not necessarily how it physically was. That's why photography is referred to as one of the "arts."
For those starting out, the best camera to have is . . . the one you have! The best film is the one on sale!
Next. The things you can control are camera position, lens choice, lens aperture, shutter speed and having fun. What you can't control are basic light direction and quality.
Keep reading for some important picture taking tips, then grab your camera and start shooting your way to great pictures! Most importantly, take lots of pictures. The more pictures you take, the more great shots you'll get (and the more fun you'll have!)
The Four Elements
Four elements are common to all good photographs: simplicity, composition, lighting and practice.
Simplicity is actually a deceptively difficult element to capture. What you as a photo-grapher needs is to let the camera help you simplify the things you see in front of you. You can do this by either getting physically closer to the subject, or by using a telephoto lens to zoom in and crop the shot tighter. When you photograph a person, for example, photograph his or her face only, rather than the whole person.
Composition is equally important. The "Golden Mean" is to divide the picture into imaginary thirds both vertically and horizontally, like a tic-t ac-toe board. Then, place the subject of the photo on the or near those imaginary lines or their intersections.
Lighting is the third key ingredient. Try to photograph only at dawn, in the late afternoon, and at dusk, when the angle of the sun produces warm, rich colors and long shadows. Avoid shooting at noon, a time when light is very "flat."
Practice! Taking photos that you like won't take a lot of special, expensive equipment, but it will take lots of trial and error. Even professional photographers take many photos of the same subject to get just one that they like. Remember, only practice makes perfect!
Design Basics
Technique Tricks
Hold It Steady -- A problem with many photos is that they are blurry. Avoid "camera shake" by holding the camera steady.
Put the Sun Behind You -- A photo is all about light so always think of how the light is striking your subject. This front lighting brings out color and shades, and the slight angle (side lighting) produces some shadow to indicate texture and form.
Get Closer -- The best shots are simple so move closer and remove any clutter from the picture.
Choose a Format -- Which way you hold the camera affects what is emphasized in your shot.
Include People -- Have you ever got your photos back only to discover that something that looked awe-inspiring at the time now looks dull on paper? This is because your eye needs some reference point to judge scale. Add a person, a car, etc.
Add Depth -- You want the viewer to think they're not looking at a flat picture, but through a window. Add pointers to assist the eye.
Search for Details -- It's always tempting to use a wide angle lens and "get everything in." However, this can be too much and you lose the impact. Instead, zoom in.
Position the Horizon -- Where you place the horizon in your shot affects what is emphasized. To show the land, use a high horizon. To show the sky, use a low horizon. In other words, be creative.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose speed?
The numbers -- 100, 200, 400 -- refer to how quickly the film reacts to light. A 400-speed film reacts twice as fast as a 200. Higher speed film is used for action shots because it helps reduce blurring, and for low-light, indoor settings. But higher-speed film also results in weaker colors and grainier images in your finished photos than slower films. If your prints are blurry, try using a faster film. If you want better (less grainy) resolution for enlargements, try a slower film.
Does brand make a difference?
Film brands do vary somewhat, but as long as you choose a known brand from a reliable supplier, you won't notice a great amount of difference between brands. Because film deteriorates with age and heat, buy it fresh (the packages are dated), keep it cool, and use and develop it promptly.
Should I use print or slide film?
Color print film accounts for 90% of film sold and is best for consumer use. Prints are easy to store, view and show, and enlargements are relatively inexpensive.
What makes a good photograph?
A photograph is a message. It conveys a statement ("This is what . . . looks like") or an emotion. You are an author trying to convey this message in a clear, concise, and effective way. But how?
Like any message, you first need a subject. The subject is the central point of interest and is usually placed in the foreground of the shot (towards the viewer). Now you compose the message by including a second element, a context, which is often the background. The context gives the subject relevance, presence, location, or other interest.
It is the combination of the two elements -- subject and contest, foreground and background -- that tells the message.
Just as important as knowing what to include is knowing what to exclude. Anything that isn't part of the subject or its context is only a distraction, cluttering up the image and diluting the message. So eliminate extraneous surroundings -- usually by moving closer to the subject -- and makes a clear, tidy shot.
Photo Tips
Top 10 Tips
Look your subject in the eye
Use a plain background
Use flash outdoors
Move in close
Move in from the middle
Lock and focus
Know your flash's range
Watch the light
Take some vertical pictures
Be a picture director
Tips for Camera Phone Pictures
Take lots of pictures
Move in close
Shoot at eye level
Watch the light
Try different angles
Set resolution to high
Be courteous
Don't forget your regular camera
Discover your camera phones capabilities
Store and share pictures
How to Photograph Anything
Buildings
To minimize the angular distortions of looking upwards, always look for a high viewpoint. Ascend stairs, stand on top of another building or the crest of a hill. If you can't get high, stand far back. Use the widest angle you have and try to include people for scale and human interest. Look for interesting details, often around the doorway, columns or windows. Zoom in and isolate the detail.
Interior
Stand well back or shoot from outside through a window. The low-light dictates a long exposure, so load up with fast film. Natural lighting casts shadows for a tranquil atmosphere. Expose for the highlights.
Landscapes
Always have something in the foreground. This gives depth and scale -- using a person also adds human interest. Look for a high vantage point such as a hotel balcony, roof top restaurant, or wall. Late afternoon is usually best. Ansel Adams declared landscape photography to be the supreme test of the photographer.
Water
With sprayed water, use side-or-back lighting for a translucent look. This also works well with smoke, grass and leaves. Experiment with shutter speed so that the rushing water creates a soft, romantic blur.
Sunsets
The best times are when the sun is just about to touch the horizon, and the afterglow 10-30 minutes after the sun has set. Try adding a person in the foreground for interest, depth and character. Either include a reflection from the ocean, or eliminate the scenery and keep the horizon low in the frame.
In Bad Weather
Bad weather doesn't mean bad photos, it just changes your options. Storms and heavy rain add drama and power to an image. Dusk shorts are improved with reflections of neon lights in puddles. Clouds create moving patterns of interesting highlights, particularly when a storm is clearing. Fog makes lakes, rivers and valleys look ethereal and primordial.
How to Take Photos of People
Of all the various subjects, people make the best photographs. Nothing is more fascinating to us than other people. A good "people" photo shows character, emotions and a connection for the viewer. Here are some tips to help you take great shots of the people in your life.
Subject Placement -- The biggest mistake many photographers make is to try to shoot a person's whole body, head to toe. Don't attempt this, unless clothes are important. Instead, focus on the face. The eyes and mouth are the most important features, so start there and work out until you have just enough to represent the individual(s). Crop tightly, and don't be afraid to overflow the frame with the person's face.
Lighting -- A standard lighting technique is to position yourself so the sun is behind you and to one side. This arrangement will shine light on the subject's face, while the side angle will produce shadows to illuminate form. A better approach is to put your subject in a shady area with a shadowed background.
Lenses -- Use a long lens such as 135mm -- the "people" lens. A wide-angle distorts the face, although it can be effective for parties. Find a simple, mid-toned background such as tree leaves or a wall as a background. Center the eyes in the shot, not the head, to provide balance in the shot. When photographing children, crouch down so that you're shooting at their eye-level.
Setting the Scene -- Try to set up your camera ahead of time rather than making people wait. Help relax your subjects by engaging them in conversation. Get them to laugh or smile with a joke. Finally, be sure to put yourself in the shot -- that's what the self-timer is for!
Getting Technical
Aperture
Inside the lens is an adjustable device, the diaphragm, which alters the size of the opening -- the aperture. Changing the aperture is useful as it has a handy side-effect. A very small aperture makes everything (background and foreground) in focus. A large aperture makes only the subject you're focused on in focus. Try squinting your eyes (everything is in focus) and opening them wide (some things are blurry).
Shutter Speed
Inside the camera is a mechanism (shutter) which controls how long light is allowed to act on the film. When you take a photograph (by pressing the shutter-release), the shutter opens and then closes a fraction of a second later. How quickly this is done is called the shutter speed and is measured in seconds. A fast shutter speed is good for action shots as it freezes movement. A slow shutter speed blurs moving objects, which is useful when you want to emphasize movement and speed.
Film Speed
How quickly the film's chemicals react is known as the film speed. Generally, it is preferable to use a slower film (100) as it gives a sharper image (a finer grain). But when there isn't enough light (indoors or at night), you'll need a faster film (400 or 1600) and will have to suffer it's less distinct-image (coarser grain).
Advanced Photo Tips
Work the subject, baby! -- As film directors say, film is cheap! Work the subject and take different shots from different angles. The more you take, the more likely you are to get a good one. Don't be afraid to take five shots and throw four away. Find different, unusual viewpoints. Shoot from high and from low. It's often said that the only difference between a professional and a amateur is that the professional throws more shots away. National Geographic magazine uses only 1 out of every 1,000 shots taken!
Expose for highlights -- When a scene has a mixture of very bright and very dark areas, the light meter in your camera will have difficulty finding the right exposure. In such high-contrast shots, try to expose for highlights. To do this, walk up to, zoom in to, or spot meter on the most important bright area (a face, sky, detail) and half-depress the shutter release button to hold the exposure (exposure lock). Then recompose and take the shot.
Supporting the camera with your right hand while trying to focus with your left hand is courting disaster. For sharper pictures and to minimal camera movement, it is better to support the camera with your left hand, palm up, keeping your elbow under the camera. You can even press the camera against your forehead for additional support.
To "freeze" the action, such as a child on a swing or jumping up and down, press the shutter button just before the apex of the movement.
Amateur vs Professional Shots
The most important element to many great photographs is the lighting. Warmth, depth, texture, form, contrast and color are all dramatically affected by the angle of the sunlight, and thus, the time of day. Shooting at the optimum time is often the biggest difference between an "amateur" and a "professional" shot.
In the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun is low, the light is gold and orange, giving your shot the warmth of a log fire. Professional photographers call these the "magic hours." Most movies and magazine shots are made during this brief time. It takes extra planning, but saving your photography for one hour after sunrise, or one to two hours before sunset, will add stunning warmth to your shots.
Finally, strive to record the spirit of the place. You are making a portrait of the world as you see it -- not just taking a picture. Such deserves your best. Think about what you want to communicate. Slow down. Breathe. Focus. Hold steady. Shoot.
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