10 Techniques for better Fotos
- Get close - approach the motif
- Keep the background simple
- Hold the camera steady - avoid shaking - use both hands - relax - don't tense
- Attend to the correct exposure - particularly when using flash lights
- Know your camera - read the manual
- Don't always place the motif in the center
- Put the lights (e.g. the sun) behind you or to the side
- Take many pictures - later you can keep only the good ones
- Shot peole when they are occupied with something
- Be creative
10 Examples for creativity
- Include People - people are interesting
- Change perspective: duck down or get a higher standing sometimes
- Use Proportion: compare the size of an object to a smaller/bigger one
- Arrange things: place something interesting beside the actual motif
- Try black and white (not only for portraits)
- Show details - don't try to cover everything - often the details are more exciting
- create depth - try to show the third dimension
- Switch the format - use vertical format to emphasize height
- Use different angles
- play with colors - emphasize what you want to catch in the photo
Howto use flashlights
- Use a mounted flash light if possible - the further away the light source is from the lense, the smaller the change for red eyes
- Use tele and step back for less contrast (the light spreads)
- Also use flashlights in daylight to lighten up the motif in front of a bright background (e.g. for portraits in front of the sky or blossoms in front of bright green leaves)
- Mind the flash light exposure settings on your camera
Howto avoid blurry images
- Hold the camera in both hands, lean to a wall, rest your arms on something for support
- Rule of thumb: You can hold still at most 1 / focal length. If the shutter is greater than this, use a tripod.
Exmaple: Focal distance is 35 mm, than everything smaller than 1/35 seconds is ok, for greater than this the chance to shake and get a blurry image rises
- If you don't need depth of sharpness use a wide aperture (small f-value) and a fast shutter
- Use a tripod when available
- Do the focus manually if the camera cannot do automatically
Software
- GIMP is your friend (GNU Image Manipulation Program, a free alternative to Photoshop
- Cinepaint is a branch from GIMP with other focus
- PanoramaStudio: a great Shareware-Program (for win32) to generate Panroma-Images. Runs perfectly in WINE.
- Photomatix: a great Shareware-Program (for win32) to generate High Dynamic Range Images. Prices are 70% off for University-Members.