Naturally, you want to make beautiful photographs every time you go out to shoot your surroundings. Really, this goal is much more attainable than you might think. It does not necessarily require a lot of fancy and expensive equipment. You just need to put a little forethought into your shots. The following tips can help you to capture gorgeous photos.
If you know that you have a really important shoot the next day, make sure that you get ample rest. Yes, a lack of sleep will directly result in loss of judgment, which will hurt the quality of the shots that you take. Get at least eight hours of rest the night before a photo shoot.
Don’t be afraid of taking pictures. If you use the wrong settings, it’s okay. Go ahead and take the picture anyway. If you want to photograph a person or pet, go up and ask if it’s okay; create a release form to sign if it makes you more comfortable. Just go do it!
In order to produce the best and clearest photographs, you should use a tripod. A tripod allows you to stabilize the camera, so that your photos are in better focus. This is especially important if you are using a high-zoom lens or shooting at night, since small changes in the camera’s position will result in major blurring.
Even if you are taking a landscape photo, make sure your shot has a focal point. Shots without a focal point can look rather empty and dull. Possible focal points for a nature landscape photo include big trees, waterfalls, and distant mountains. Another trick is to use something that stands out as your focal point, such as a patch of different colored flowers.
In photography, make sure that your main focus is on the quality and not the quantity of the pictures that you take. It is always better for you to get ten great shots than one hundred average shots in a day. Quality is always the better choice.
Understand and anticipate the impact that wind will have on the photos that you take. For example, if you are planning on shooting flowers, avoid days where the wind is very active. When flowers and plants are stable, you will have the best chance to get the highest quality and resolution in your picture. In situations where you don’t have a choice, such as weddings, have a contingency plan. Are there sheltered areas where the wind will have less impact?
When traveling, take pictures of your food. Take the time to play with lights, colors and compose your pictures. You might get used to the food by the time you come back home, but these pictures will look very original to you and your friends later when you reflect back on your trip.
Every time you set up a shot, you need to stop first and think carefully about what you are doing. Think clearly about what your goal is for this particular photo. What are you trying to capture? What do you want to create? Put into practice the pointers you learned in this article, and you can begin creating beautiful shots every time.
Beatrice Cox is a writer and stylist with a passion for the intersection between biology, technology and design. High in Swedish Bali and Heritage, it travels around the world encouraged and informed a global perspective on the future of fashion and its relations with planetary health. She is currently working for a sustainable fashion label in Bali, Indonesia.