1. GET DOWN ON THEIR LEVEL
- Hold your camera at the subject’s eye level to capture the power of those magnetic gazes and mesmerizing smiles.
- For kids and pets that means getting down on their level to take the picture.
- They don’t have to look directly into the camera, the eye level angle by itself will create a personal and inviting feeling.
2. USE PLAIN BACKGROUND
- Before taking a picture check the area behind your subject.
- Lookout for trees or poles sprouting from your subject’s head.
- A cluttered background will be distracting while a plain background will emphasize your subject.
3. USE FLASH OUTDOORS
- Even outdoors, use the fill flash setting on the camera to improve your picture.
- Use it in bright sunlight to lighten dark shadows under the eyes and nose, especially when the sun is directly overhead of behind your subject.
- Use it on cloudy days, to brighten up faces and make them stand out from the background.
4. MOVE IN CLOSE
- To create impactful pictures, move in close and fill your picture with the subject.
- Move a few steps closer or use the zoom until the subject fills the viewfinder. You will eliminate background distractions and show off the details in your subject.
- For small objects, use the camera’s macro or ‘flower’ mode to get sharp close-ups.
5. TAKE SOME VERTICAL PICTURES
- Many subjects look better in a vertical picture from the Eiffel tower to portraits of your friends.
- Make a conscious effort to turn your camera sideways and take some vertical pictures.
6. LOCK THE FOCUS
- Lock the focus to create a sharp picture of off-canter subjects
- Center the subject.
- Press the shutter button half way down.
- Re-frame your picture (while still holding the shutter button).
- Finish by pressing the shutter button all the way.
7. MOVE IT FROM THE MIDDLE
- Bring your picture to life simply by placing your subject off-center.
- Imagine a tic-tac-toe gird in your viewfinder. Now place your subject at one of the intersections of lines.
- Since most cameras focus on whatever’s in the middle, remember to lock the focus on your subject before reframing the shot.
8. KNOW YOUR FLASH’S RANGE
- Pictures taken beyond the maximum flash range will be too dark.
- For many cameras that’s only ten feet about four steps way. Check our manual to be sure.
- If the subject is further than ten feet from the camera, the picture may be too dark.
9. WATCH THE LIGHT
- Great light makes great pictures. Study the effects of light in your pictures.
- For people pictures, choose the soft lighting of cloudy days. Avoid overhead sunlight that casts harsh shadows across faces.
- For scenic pictures, use the long shadows and color of early and late daylight.
10. BE A PICTURE DIRECTOR
- Take an extra minute and become a picture director, not jest a passive picture-taker.
- Add some props, rearrange your subjects, or try a different viewpoint.
- Bring your subjects together and let their personalities shine. Then watch your pictures dramatically improve.
