Whether you’re using a smart phone or digital camera, everyone has the ability to take a great photograph. Below, Judy shares her top tips with us to help capture the best shots. You can view our full range on online courses, including Photography, on our website.
Composition (How to Frame an Image)
- Avoid framing your main part of the image in the center use the intersection lines to give balance to the subject using ‘Thirds’.
Camera Angles
- Consider your Viewpoint (where you stand to take the shot)
- Avoid taking images at eye level use the camera at different angles
- High to Low and Low to High to give a dynamic view
Fill the Frame – Get Closer to your subject
- Avoid too much confusion and business as below (1st Image) as this detracts from the focal point of your composition
- Using your zoom Lens, focus on your main subject and zoom in closer to draw your image nearer to enhance detail, colour and texture
Technical considerations
- ISO controls light into your camera/phone. Setting your ISO to 100 for brighter light situations and increase your ISO for low light situations setting the ISO 400 and upwards for Museums, Theatres and Music gigs.
- Setting Higher ISO will help with increasing light and for camera shake Use of a tripod and self-timer/remote control may be required for darker conditions (Night) to avoid camera movement
- Avoid fully ‘Auto’ set your camera for ‘Aperture’ priority for control for light and creating blurred backgrounds (Using Wider Apertures f1.8 to f5.6) See Blossom Image above
- Set your camera for ‘Shutter Speed’ priority for capturing movement, using Higher speeds (125thupwards) to freeze a image and Slow shutter speeds (1/30th and below) to create movement
- Make sure you focus on your main subject by using the focus indicator on your camera/phone for your image to be sharp