DO YOUR “PHOTOGRAPHS” STILL LOOK LIKE “SNAPSHOTS”?
Every day, talented photographers post hundreds, even
thousands of incredible images on social network
sights. When you see them, are you often in awe of
these shots? Do you find yourself wondering “How
do other photographers get their pictures to look so
good?” Or, “ Why do my photos look like snapshots
while everyone else’s look like works of art? What
camera or processing trickery do they know that I
don’t?”
Think about using the Rule
of Thirds as a starting point
(see “Rules of Composition”
in our October issue), in
order to help position the
focal point of the photo in a
more interesting position.
There’ll be times when it does an acceptable job.
But your camera doesn’t have a clue what you’re
photographing or how you want to photograph it. It’s
pre-programmed to deliver a specific set-up for its
scene modes and defaults to the safest settings in fully
automatic mode.
We’re not suggesting you should take all your
photographs during the ‘golden hours’ at the start and
end of the day, although that is the best light available.
No, shooting at dawn and dusk might be the classic
advice for landscape photography, but it doesn’t suit
every subject, or every shooting timetable.
For more interesting and creative results, you need
to take control of the picture-taking process. Your
camera’s Program, Aperture Priority and Shutter
Priority modes allow you to do this, while still retaining
a degree of automation.
Some subjects work better with more directional, hardedged light, while others are better photographed under
softer, more diffused light. The harsh, burning light you
get in the middle of clear, sunny day is generally the
least flattering, particularly if you’re creating portraits
or close-up photos, but sometimes, that’s all you have
to work with.
Check the edge of the frame for distracting elements
and make sure you’re not cropping off the main subject
The good news is that you’re not alone: no photographer at an awkward point, such as the waist or knees in a
started creating magic the minute they picked up a portrait.
camera. It can take months or years of work until YOU
are completely happy with the pictures you take. But Use the Live View display’s grid overlay to make sure
there are some things you can do right away to help the horizon and other straight edges are level. Try
prevent your photos from looking like snapshots.
alternative crops when you’re processing your photos
on a computer too, as this will help you develop your eye
for a picture.
1. Stop letting the camera decide
If you treat your DSLR like it’s a point-and-shoot Before you take a photo, ask yourself what you’re trying
camera then you’ll end up with point-and-shoot to show. How does the scene or subject of the photo
snapshots.
make you feel? Which parts are you drawn to? Is this the
best angle to photograph it from?
Left in one of its automatic
shooting modes, the camera
will choose where to focus,
3. You’re not paying enough attention to the light
the aperture, shutter speed
The quality and quantity of light will make or
and ISO mix required to make
break a photo. If you’re not shooting in light that
an exposure, how saturated and sharp the image is… complements the subject, or the look you’re after,
pretty much every shooting parameter.
then you’ll end up with a so-so snapshot.
2. You’re not exploring more interesting compositions
Snapshots are taken spontaneously with little
thought to the composition. But deciding how to
arrange things within the frame and what things
to leave out of it are crucial steps to giving your
photos more weight.
If the light’s not
working,
then
try
enhancing
it: a diffuser or
reflector can help
you manipulate the
Some photographers are lucky and find that good existing
lighting,
composition is instinctive, but most of us have to learn while fill-flash will allow you to reveal detail in shadows
the basics and work at it.
that would otherwise be lost.
84
NM CliQ Magazine | December 2015