14 Must-Know Photography tactics.

I've been asked a couple of times by either clients, friends are just curious individuals where I learned what I know about photography and taking pictures better than "the average joe" (so to speak). Others ask how they can improve in taking the pictures they take and what the key things to note are.
I've recently come across a blog post that detailed a few of these "tactics", the things that separate the "picture-taker" from the "photographer". 


This post will touch base with the 14 must-know tactics for any photographer. 
You may also be interested in our post about Common mistakes by beginner photographers before reading on.


Composition: Anyone can point a digital camera at a subject and get a good quality snap shot. The camera will almost insure that the photo will be sharp and exposed correctly. However, the one thing the camera can’t do for you is compose the shot. One of the major differences between average photographers and professionals is that the pros spend a lot of time thinking about composition while amateur’s just point and shoot.



The law of Thirds: If you mentally divide your camera viewfinder into three horizontal and three vertical sections, where the lines intersect are considered ideal focal points. Focal points are what the eyes are naturally drawn to when you look at a photograph. Therefore, any one of these focal points is a good place to position your main subject.


Portraits: When taking portraits the closer you get to the subject the better. You will focus attention to the subject by cutting down on the amount of superfluous background detail.


Landscape: When shooting landscapes you usually want everything in focus all the way to infinity. Therefore, you will want to use as small an f/stop as your camera will allow.


Vary your shooting angle: Instead of always shooting at eye level try shooting overhead, waist-level or ground-level. When photographing small children or animals, get down to their level for best results.


Steady the camera for sharp pictures: The key to getting sharp photos is keeping your camera steady while pressing the shutter button. Digital cameras are so light that special care is required to hold them steady during shooting. Squeeze the button very gently, making sure you don’t jerk the camera as you press the shutter button.


When using an LCD preview, make sure that you hold the camera to your body to prevent movement.
Consider using a tripod especially in low light situations, long zooms or slow shutter speeds. If you don’t have a tripod try leaning against a wall to help steady your shot. Another option is to rest the camera on something solid such as a table.


Framing the shot: The first thing to decide before taking a picture is what’s the main subject. To compose your shot, you either need to move your subject around or get closer yourself. Try to frame it, so that your intended content fills most of the picture area. Don’t forget to use the law of thirds.


Use movement: Sometimes you will want to simulate movement such as a race car going by at a racetrack. Use a fast shutter speed or pan the camera to follow the subject to maintain focus. Done correctly, panning will keep the subject clear, while blurring the background, giving the impression of motion.


Getting the exposure right: Digital cameras use a light-sensitive chip rather than film to capture an image. The camera is designed to let light through a hole (aperture) on to the chip for a limited amount of time (exposure). Digital cameras use “auto exposure” to take care of exposing the picture for you. But there are a few things about aperture and exposure that you should be aware of.


Use the appropriate camera setting: Digital cameras allow you to take pictures at different quality setting. The higher the setting the better the photo quality. Higher settings use more memory then lower settings. If you intend to make prints, always use a medium or high setting. The low setting should only be used when all you want to do is view the pictures on your computer or send them by email or over the Internet.


Using white balance: Automatic exposure settings can produce an unnatural reddish glow when shooting indoor pictures. Most digital cameras automatically adjust the “white balance” to compensate for oddly coloured lighting. However, this may not always result in natural looking photos. If your camera allows you to set the “white balance” mode manually give it a try. The result will be a picture with more natural looking colours.


Using zoom: Most digital cameras come with a wide-angle lens as standard. This enables you to get the whole scene into the frame without having to stand too far back. However, it’s not so great if you can’t get close to your subject. That is why it is recommended that you buy a camera that includes a zoom lens.




Focus: Auto-focus is great, but it isn’t perfect. Most digital cameras tend to simply focus on what’s in the center of the picture. If your main subject is not dead centre, point your camera at the subject, half-press the shutter button, re-compose to the desired scene, then finish pressing the shutter button. This will ensure that the main subject is perfectly sharp.


Experiment: People take good pictures not cameras. It’s up to you to compose the shot carefully, making sure that the lighting is correct, etc. Digital cameras are great for this. You can experiment by taking as many test shots as you like using various camera settings, compositions, etc. You get instant feed back by way of the preview screen. If you don’t like the shot, it can be deleted right away. “Practice Makes Near-Perfect.” :-)




SOURCE: http://brajeshwar.com/2008/must-know-photography-tactics/