Tips and Tricks
To help make you a better
photographer
Composition Guidelines
• Formatting
Horizontal
• Angle and Point of View
Vertical
Where your camera is in relation to your subject
• Simplicity
•
Move up Close, Move Unrelated Objects Out,
Simplify your background
• Rule of Thirds -and- Odd Numbers
-vs- Bulls eye
Thing to Look For
• Lines – they move your viewer’s eye along
a path and help to create interest
• Texture
• Colors
• Repetition
Cropping
Framing
When you surround your focal point
with objects in the foreground
Oddities
Anything out of the usual,
whether in it’s own element
or created
Find your own Gimmick - Series
Camera Scavenger Hunt

Learning how to use your camera to its fullest potential
is Key

Things that are good to be able to control
All these can be controlled with SLR cameras, most with
“hybrids” and some with strictly point and shoot.

Flash Setting

Macro Setting

Resolution (Make sure it is set to its highest, for best quality
printing)

ISO (low number for a lot of light, high number for little light)

White Balance

Auto Bracketing – or ability to bracket

Aperture control, Shutter Control (for use with depth of
field and motion)
Aperture Control
Depth of Field


A high number aperture (22, 16, etc.) will allow for
wide depth of field (everything in focus)

Need a LOT of light

Good for landscapes
A low number aperture (2, 4, etc.) will allow for
shallow depth of field (one thing in focus)

NEED a small amount of light

Push shutter button half way down to focus on the
thing you want, then move camera for correc
composition, then push shutter rest of the way

Good for flowers/close-up (“flower” setting)
Wide Depth of Field
ISO – 200
F 1/22
S 1/180
Shallow Depth of Field
ISO – 400
F-stop - 5.6
Shutter – 1/40
ISO – 400
F-Stop – 4
Shutter – 1/125
Motion


To “Blur” Motion you must have:

A little bit of light

A Slow Shutter Speed – 1/15 or slower
To “Stop” Motion you must have:

A lot of Light

A Fast Shutter Speed – 1/60 or higher
Trick: For a “Foggy” look with water,
use a slow shutter speed to blur the
movement of the water
Stop vs. Blur
ISO – 400
F- 8
S – 1/125
ISO – 400
F- 20
S – 1/15
Landscapes

Try to capture the
whole image – the
feeling behind what you
are viewing. Try to get
your viewer to have the
same sense of feeling
you are getting right
then.

Wide depth of Field everything in focus

Use a Polarizer if
possible

High ISO
Flowers

Macro Setting (“Flower”)

Move in Close

Lower Light – Shallow Depth of Field

Push shutter half way down to focus on the flower, then move
camera side to side to compose your image (not closer or farther
away because it will mess up your focus). Once you are happy
with the composition, then push shutter rest of the way to take
the photograph.
People
• Remember Rule of Thirds, centered is not always correct
• Keep Background in mind – watch for Mergers
• Get them into it – interact with your subjects, be funny, serious, whatever
emotion you are trying to get out of them.
• BE DIRECTIVE (when able)
• Get on their level – do not shoot from above, below, shoot straight on
• Do not be afraid to zoom in
Pets - Animals
• Same rules apply as people
• Can be difficult to be directive
• Highly suggest a zoom lens
or zooming in
Some More Tips

GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Do things you normally wouldn’t


Take A LOT of photos of your subject – this is the digital
age, no more paying for film!



Lay on the ground, pull over when driving if you see something
neat/interesting, ask people to move out of your way.
The more options you have to choose from the better
Always have extra:

Batteries

Memory Cards
Avoid flash at all costs – unless you have a professional
one

Flash will distort colors and create glares

Use a tripod when possible – or set camera on something

Set ISO to a higher number to allow for more light
Some More Tricks

Use “Continuous Shot” When shooting people/animals

Use your ISO as a way to control Light


A higher ISO is like having more light (800) and allows you to
achieve Wide Depth of Field and Stop Motion easier

A lower ISO is like having less light (200) and allows you to
achieve a Shallow Depth of Field and Blur Motion easier.
Use Filters

UV – Helps protect your lens

Polarizer – Adds contrast to outdoor photos (or use your
polarized sunglasses to cover your lens

Magenta – For shooting at Night
And a Few More…

When Traveling, take pictures of signs and names of
things so that you remember and have correct spelling.

Look for WEATHER


Shoot right after a rainfall – more contrast

Look for fog – it can have some really neat affects

Shoot in the rain – (Or use a sprinkler to emulate rain)

Sometimes sun-rays can be a good thing (coming from
behind a mountaintop, church steeple, etc.)
Be Patient

Wait for an animal to be turned just the right way – like for
the 3rd bird to fly in and land.

Wait for people to move out of your picture (or ask them
to)

Wait for the clouds to sweep in just right
Photo Editing Programs

I, personally, am not big into photo-editing. I feel that that ability
to take a good photograph without having to edit is ideal. The
less work you have to do after the fact.

All of the photos in this presentation have been taken from my
travels within the past month from our family reunion in Gulf
Shores, AL and Germany and have not been edited in any way.

Photoshop is ideal, but you can make basic photo edits from your
own computer's program, Picasa, and almost any free download
(just be careful of what you are downloading).

What I tend to use the most:


Curves – Contrast – I just bump it up slightly when needed

Hue/Saturation – Again, add or take away as needed

Sharpen (under filter in Photoshop)– Mostly for printing purposes, and
again, just slightly.

Cropping

“Band-Aid” – to touch up spots
You can do a TON of different manipulations using Photoshop and a
lot of neat affects, but that is a class all in itself.
Some Useful Websites

http://www.betterphoto.com/exploring/tips.asp


Very basic beginner tips, you can click on each one for
more information
http://photo.net/learn/basic-photography-tips/

Shows basic tips for beginners in all types of photography


http://digital-photography-school.com/21-settingstechniques-and-rules-all-new-camera-owners-shouldknow/


Portraits, children, travel, landscape, etc.
More for SLR Cameras, more advanced settings
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/50-essentialphotography-tips/

Some more advanced technical skills and when to use
what tips/tricks. A good site to read over.
Happy Shooting!