Category Archives: photography

Once upon a time, I was a snapshot photographer.  I took tons of pictures, and they were good – but they weren’t great.  I started “applying myself” around ten years ago, and have improved a lot since then.  Today I’m going to share how you can improve the photos you’re taking with these 6 helpful hints.  I don’t profess to be a pro – and my photographic schooling is limited to one six-week adult education course that taught the basics – but I have developed my eye and some practices over time.  Hopefully this information will help you, too.

1. Always Remember the Rule of Thirds
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Per Wikipedia’s wisdom: The rule of thirds is a compositional rule of thumb in visual arts such as painting, photography and design.  The rule states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.  Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.

In other words, don’t always frame your point of interest in the dead center of your photo.  Sometimes it’s called for (and believe me – I love symmetry more than the next gal) but you’re likely to have a more interesting photo if you compose your photo so that the point of interest is at one (or more) of the intersecting points.

2. A Fancier Camera Isn’t Necessarily Better
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The best camera in the world won’t do you any good if you don’t compose careful, mindful, interesting photos.  So don’t focus on getting new equipment – focus on using what you have well.  A relatively simple point-and-shoot camera can still do a great job.  For example, I used a Canon PowerShot SD780 IS Digital Elph when I traveled to Peru a few years ago, and still got some amazing images.  Sure, I would’ve loved to have taken a DSLR with multiple lenses, but for safety and for simplicity’s sake I took a camera that fit in my pocket.  If you have a point and shoot camera with a decent macro feature on it (look for the little flower symbol), you’re probably good to go.

3. Get Up Close & Personal: MACRO

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And speaking of macro, I love shooting close ups.  If you’re familiar with my blog and/or photography, you know this already.  And while not everyone likes the close ups and detail photos as much as I do, it’s important that your camera has the capability – in case the mood strikes.  Want a close up of the texture of a ribbon you’re using on a craft project?  Macro.  Want to share the lovely center of a diminutive flower you stumble upon while out on a walk?  Macro.  Do you want to share the surface texture of your most recent baked dessert with your friends, family or blog readers?  Macro!  The macro features on my cameras are indicated by a small flower symbol.

4. Eliminate Distractions!
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Sometimes, particularly in fast-moving situations, you have to just snap the photo and take what you get.  However, if you have time to compose your shot carefully and make a few adjustments, look carefully at your shot before taking your picture.  Are unsightly elements ruining your shot?  Sometimes shifting a foot or two will remove a lamp post, a trashcan, or a parked car from your shot – making it much more pleasing.  Scan your shot for things you don’t want included, and adjust to remove them when possible.

Here’s a good example: While taking photos in Kansas, I came across an aged sign post with beautiful coloration.  My first photo, shot vertically, captured the colors on the post but the cars and buildings in the background were distracting.  By shooting horizontally (landscape) and pushing in so the post filled the frame, the photo became more interesting and more abstract.

5. Photograph Children & Pets at THEIR Eye Level
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Photos of children and pets are much more engaging when they’re taken at your subject’s eye level.  It can be good to shoot from above if you’re trying to clearly establish their size in relation to the photographer, but the viewer will be drawn into the photo more if they’re seeing the child or critter at eye level instead of hovering above.

6. Look for Interesting Perspectives & Angles
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Take time to play and look for interesting angles when taking your photos – particularly when shooting buildings, nature, and scenery.  For example, when photographing a tree don’t just shoot it from straight on from a distance.  Why not walk to the base of the tree and shoot straight up the trunk?  The same suggestions apply to a building.  Taking a photo from near the base of the building will provide a unique perspective.  By using different angles and perspectives when taking photos you can capture details and sights that many pass by and miss entirely.

Questions?  Comments?

Please let me know if you have any questions about what I’ve shared above.  I personally respond to all comments posted on my blog (giveaway comment entries excepted), and am always glad to hear from you!

Warm regards,
Melody