Female Photography

Simple tips for taking better photos

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Sunlight

Using the sun to light your photos

Natural sunlight provides some of the best lighting for great shots with more detail and vivid colors. Be careful:

Really bright sunlight casts harsh shadows
Overhead sunlight can wash out detail in faces

The sunlight is extremely harsh in this photo. Most of the little girls' facial details are lost.

This photo is a bit too bright. Using a little less sunlight makes colors brighter and more vivid.

The girls' faces are too dark because there isn't enough sunlight in this photo.

There isn't enough sunlight in this photo. Place your subjects where they can be lit by the sun.

Perfect! The colors are rich and vibrant, and the girls' facial features are nicely defined.

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	Tip: For best results, avoid taking photos when the sun is directly overhead. This can cause harsh shadows. Also, try to shoot with the sun behind you. This prevents loss of detail caused by bright light.

Cloudy/Overcast

Get creative on gray days

Less-than-ideal weather conditions won't keep you from getting that perfect shot. Cloudy skies produce unique photos:

Get interesting highlights with enhanced mood
Make colors pop in contrast to the gray sky

Shooting on a sunny day creates shadows and highlights on the boy's face and arms.

Partly cloudy skies give you even lighting and glowing colors, with less dramatic contrast.

Notice how the boy in the foreground pops out in contrast to the overcast sky.


	Tip: Shooting in the rain can be fun, but be careful not to damage your camera. You can waterproof your camera by wrapping it in a plastic bag and cutting a hole for the lens to poke through.

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Night-time photos

Capture breathtaking evening photos

The key to great night photos is turning off your flash. Just follow these guidelines:

Set shutter speed slower to let in enough light
Stay steady, slow shutter speeds blur photos
Use a tripod or place camera on stationary surface

The flash lit the faces but canceled out the fire's glow. It's okay, but not very dramatic.

You get blurry photos when you turn off the flash and don't hold the camera steady enough.

Perfect! For dramatic night shots like this one, turn off your flash and hold your camera steady.


	Tip: Place your camera on a tripod and set its shot timer so there's no risk of your camera moving when you press the trigger.

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Golden hour

A great time for some photo magic

Sunrise and sunset are what photographers call the "golden hour" or "magic hour." Photos taken at these times are rich and dramatic:

Get "golden" light instead of blinding midday sun
Your photos will have warm and inviting colors

This photo looks like it was taken mid-day in bright sunlight.

This photo is a bit darker, but it still lacks the warmth of the golden hour.

This photo was taken a bit too late in the day.

This photo was taken too late in the day to benefit from the golden hour.

Notice this photo's warm, rich colors and dramatic lighting.

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	Tip: Using the golden hour is especially good for people shots so you avoid harsh shadows on faces caused by midday sun. Experiment with angles and zoom to find the perfect balance of light.

Flash

Get more effective flash photos

The flash is a great tool if you know how to get the most of it. The key is keeping your distance:

Your camera's flash has a range of about 10 feet
Too far? Your photo will be too dark
Too close? Bright light blows out detail

This photo was taken from too far back while using a zoom. The photo lacks light as the flash was too far away to reach the girl's face.

Yikes! The flash fired right in front of the girl, causing her face to be harshly lit.

Yes! The girl is at a perfect distance from the flash, resulting in a bright and clear photo.


	Tip: The best way to avoid overexposed flash photos is to step back and zoom in to your subject. This way, the flash is a good distance from your subject, but you still get your close-up.

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Red-Eye

Keep annoying "red-eye" out of your photos

The flash reflecting off the retina of your subject's eyes is what causes the common problem of red-eye. Reduce red-eye by following these guidelines:

Move outdoors or into brighter light
Have your subject avoid looking directly into the lens

Notice how red-eye occurs when the flash is used and the subject looks toward the lens.

Notice how red-eye occurs when you use the flash and the subject looks toward the lens.

Red-eye is more common in low-light situations; you can reduce red-eye by increasing room light.

Red-eye can be avoided by having the subject look away from the lens.

The easiest way to avoid red-eye is to turn off your camera's flash; you can also increase room light.

Use your camera's red-eye reduction flash setting to help avoid red eyes.


	Tip: Many HP cameras offer in camera automatic red-eye removal.

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Rule of thirds

Move your subject for more compelling photos

You don't have to center your subject in every photo you shoot. Create more visual interest by using the Rule of Thirds:

Divide your photo into a tic-tac-toe grid
Place the main "interest" at grid intersections
Use photo software to crop later if necessary

Placing the subject in the center of the photo isn't ideal. Try moving the subject to either side.

This placement works well by using the hillside to emphasize the subject.

Placing the subject here provides an interesting, eye-pleasing composition.


	Tip: You don't always get the perfect shot to begin with, so keeping the Rule of Thirds in mind, try cropping your photo after you've shot it using HP Photosmart Essential software for the same effect.

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Camera positioning

Change the angle and create more impact

The difference between a good photo and a great photo is sometimes just a matter of how you approach it.

Change the camera angle for creative shots
Move your camera in relation to the subject
Zoom in or out to change the composition

While this is a good photo, it could be made more interesting by changing its perspective.

Shooting from above draws more attention to the child as the main focus of the photo.

See how you can create a more exciting photo by shooting the subject from below?


	Tip: Try these ideas to get a different perspective when you take a photo: Hold your camera at arm's length above your head Lie on the ground Get very close to your subject

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Frame the shot

Add more visual appeal to your shots

Sometimes the best way to draw attention to your center of interest is to create a frame around it.

A "frame" helps the subject stand out
Add drama, depth and interest
Use scenic elements like trees or other objects

This photo lacks the visual appeal it might have if some framing elements were included.

See how the tree adds drama and interest without dominating the photo?

Using the tree and the grass as framing elements makes this a remarkable photo.


	Tip: Once you've situated your subject in the area where you want to shoot, always view your subject from several different angles to locate objects you can use to frame your photo.

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Using lines

Add depth and create interest with lines

Create interesting perspective and enhance ordinary shots by using straight or curved lines within the frame.

Lines lead the eye to the center of interest
Look for brick walls, sidewalks, fences, and edges
Shoot lines at an angle for unique shots

The sidewalk on the left and the curb in the center draw attention to the girl and add depth.

Notice how the horizon line and the lines of the pier draw the eye into the photo.

See how placing the boy on a line adds depth to the photo?


	Tip: Get creative with lines in your photo. Position your subject at a corner where a fence intersects, or use a long sidewalk to "point" to your subject.