Take Better Pictures

 If it hasn’t happened already, be prepared! When friends and relations begin to see what a great photographer you are, you will soon be asked to take pictures for special occasions.  Of course you will be flattered to be asked.  But….. “With great power comes great responsibility”.   All superheroes are told this sooner or later.  YOU are the picture taking superhero!   When someone asks you to take pictures for a special occasion, you have to take the opportunity seriously and prepare yourself for the things you will have to do to properly shoot the special occasion. Planning Planning for a family special occasion such as a birthday party or holiday party  is very much like planning a landscape shoot except there are people to consider.  Just as in landscape photography, you will want to visualize what your ideal final pictures should look like. But to do so, take some additional steps: Meet with the the family member organizing the sp...

Close to Home Sometimes you don't have the time or money to travel to a far location for a photo adventure.  The good news is you don't have to travel far to make great photographs.  Great photographic locations are nearer that you think.  They may even be in your own back yard. What? Yep, your back yard can offer you some wonderful photo opportunities.  Think about the flowers that you grow.  You can make great pictures of the flowers that bloom in your backyard throughout the summer.  Flowers attract butterflies and birds.  You can make stunning pictures of butterflies and birds. Don't forget your bird feeder either!  The possibilities are endless.  Check out local parks and nature preserves I used to live in the middle of a fairly large suburban city.  One of my favorite places to shoot was a local nature park about a mile from my home. There was this wonderful haven with nature trails and a beautiful stream running through it right i...

7 Questions 7 questions you should answer when planning to make an outdoor photograph. 1. What do you want the picture to say?   Photography is a language. It can document an event or a place. It can evoke an emotion by the way the subject matter is presented. As the photographer you must decide what you want your picture to say. 2. What is the main subject?  This may seem like a silly question, but it isn't. When you look at a scene that you want to photograph, you must determine the most important element. If you are shooting a scene on the beach, is the most important element the lighthouse or the children playing on the beach? If the most important element is the lighthouse then you must shoot so that the lighthouse draws the most attention. The children would add to the overall interest of the picture, but the lighthouse would dominate the picture. If on the other hand, your main subject is the children on the beach, you need to shoot so that the lighthou...

What the heck is depth of field? Depth of field is one of the most powerful tools you can use to take better pictures. Depth of field is the area between the camera and infinity that is in focus.  Sound confusing?  You are not alone.  The truth is, it is not that complicated. OK, then explain it! First, lets talk about the pictures you have seen where the subject is in perfect focus and the background is out of focus.  The example shown below shows that at f/2 the "in focus" area is small.  That is where your subject is placed to get the subject in focus and the background out of focus. You have seen other pictures where everything is in focus from the foreground to infinity.  The graphic above shows depth of field when you use f/22.  Everything is in focus except for a few feet in front of the camera.   Here are two pictures that illustrate the difference in depth of field.   How does this happen? Depth of Field is controlled by th...

There are some basic things we photographers absolutely should do in order to take better pictures. 5 Tips to Help You on Your Shoot When we head out to take pictures, it is best to be prepared for whatever you may encounter.  Here are 5 things that you should do before you head out the door to go shooting. Make sure your battery is charged!!!   This is a common mistake.  You head out the door with the greatest intentions only to discover that your battery is almost used up when you go to take a picture.  It happens to everyone, beginner and pro.  Once I headed out to a shooting location about an hour from my home. I began to shoot and things went smoothly.  Smoothly until a half hour after I started shooting.  I looked at my battery level:  FLAT .  I was so disappointed. What was even worse, I did not have a charger I could use in my car.  My day had ended.  I turned around and went home.   How do you solve this pro...