Take Better Pictures by Knowing What You See Is Not Always What You Get
Sometimes what you see is not what you get!
How many times have you taken a picture that you thought was pretty good, only to find it disappoints you when you review it? You notice an ugly bush in the foreground or a utility pole coming out of the head of your subject. You think, “hey that wasn’t there when I took the picture!”.
Sadly it was. The camera sees what your eyes ignore. We have selective vision, cameras do not.
Our eyes direct our attention to those things that are important to us that we want to include in the picture. In doing so, we can miss some obvious things that can distract us in the final picture. The camera sees everything!
In the picture above, someone's hand got into view when I took the picture. I did not see it when I pressed the shutter button. Fortunately, I looked at my instant review and noticed it. I took another shot, as you can see in the picture below.
Even with this ability to instantly review, not all photographers take the time to do so.
So what can I do?
The best way to combat this situation is to develop a shooting routine that ensures you always do the instant review on the spot.
I know, easier said than done. You get busy, the kids are screaming, you just want to get that one shot of grandma. You don’t think you have time to do the instant review. So your picture of Grandma has a Norfolk Pine coming out of the top of her head.
The extra 2 seconds to review would have told you to retake the picture.
So how do I set up a routine?
We’ve talked in earlier postings about having a plan when you shoot. Well this is the level above having a plan.
Your new routine must include the basic things you have to do each time you take a picture. It goes beyond the instant review. It is making sure you set your camera up for the shooting situation.
If your camera has settings that you can adjust, you must be aware of those settings for each picture. For example, on Digital SLRs you need to know:
- your ISO setting
- your shutter speed
- your white balance
- your aperture
- your battery level
If you are using a point and shoot camera you need to:
- set your mode to the right shooting mode
- check your battery level
Now for the fun part!
You have to practice going over the things cited above each time you are going to shoot. This will ensure that you are using the proper setting for the picture you want to take.
Go out and take lots of pictures. Do it over and over. Check your instant review after each shot.
Practice makes perfect! Once you develop the habit it will become second nature to you.
Time for a Break!
I will be taking a break for a couple of weeks. I will be traveling and working on new ideas for the blog. In the meantime, go out and take lots of pictures!
If you are getting together with family for Thanksgiving, don't forget to review my post on taking family pictures.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
If you wish to see examples of my photography, visit my website at
Comments
Post a Comment