Simple Tips for Taking Great Pictures

One of my hobbies is photography.  Everything from [briefly] working at MotoPhoto to actual dark-room black and white photography in a closet, to digital.  I'm particularly fond of capturing moments in time and landscapes.  Try to make sure your photos capture (as closely as possible) what your own eye's are seeing, in terms of lighting, color, depth, frame, and emotion at that exact moment in time.  Here are a few tips!


1.  First and foremost, the best camera to use is the one you have with you!  Did you know that iPhone is the most used camera, of any other brand combined, according to flickr?  Rather than lugging around a [complicated] DSLR or even one of the newer mirrorless models, your smartphone is probably your best shot.  I've seen some really great photos on all the popular brands/OS's.  Is the quality the same as a DSLR?  Nope.  Not even close.  How likely are you to carry a smartphone vs. that DSLR though?  Bottom line - just embrace your smartphone as a real digital camera and learn how to maximize its potential.



2.  Rule of thirds.  This is ridiculously simple but helps compose an image that feels like you're "capturing a moment" instead of a "thing".  Rule of thirds is simple:  imagine four grid-lines that split your screen into thirds (two vertical and two horizontal).  Those are the lines you want to frame your subject on, to make a great photo.  Look at the overlay - the right line is over the fire hydrant, through the middle of the door, the middle of the building.  The upper line is close to the molding over the door and sort of averages out the roof-line:

3.  Remember you're capturing light.  Your eyes have an incredible dynamic range, largely unmatched by digital sensors.  Try to get an exposure that's as close as possible to what your eyes are seeing in the moment.  Look for areas of under/overexposure.  When faced with a choice, slightly underexposed pictures can be easier to recover with your auto adjustments.  See how easy it can be to lose detail in the butterfly's wings (exaggerated to prove the point):

4.  Use the color and contrast correction function in your phone (for quick edits) or in a program like Lightroom after.  When using a smartphone, try to correct it right where you are - you want to capture the moment as it was and there's no better place to do that than where you are.  Just don't spend an hour doing it and miss out on other moments!  Look at especially the contrast in the building and brightness (light) on the new concrete sleeper.  Also cropped square instead.  Which one feels more real, like you are there?  Which one looks more like you're looking at this in real life instead of looking at a photo?

5.  Don't miss out!  Don't miss the moment, trying to capture it.  There is a saying made famous by John Lennon:  "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."  Just think about "making other plans" = "taking 1,000 photos of the happy birthday, instead of singing along and being in the moment".  Trust me, you'll never go through those 1,000 photos anyway!