A Beginner's Guide to Flash Photography | Fstoppers

A Beginner's Guide to Flash Photography | Fstoppers

 Ten things to do before you take the photo

Everyone who takes pictures wants them to be the best they might be. You want to show them to your friends and family; you want to print some of them. You want to display them so you can show them off to everyone who comes to your house. To ensure they are the best possible, there are some guidelines that you should always consider before you hit the shutter button and take the shot. There are ten things that you should always run through your mind, during the setup and just before you take the shot.

 

Picture of my granddaughter when she was little

1. What do I want people to think about when they see this shot? What is the story of this picture? You want every picture to tell a story about the subject. If it's a portrait, you want to tell something about the subject, about their personality, and show something they like to do.

2. What is the most critical part of the shot? Where do you want the focus to be? Where will the viewers' eyes go first?

3. Are there any distracting objects in the shot that will take attention away from the subject?

4. Is the background clean and not cluttered? Again, look for distractions or bright colors that are not part of the subject. A pole or tree behind someone's head ruins many good shots.

The background is not a distraction

5. Am I close enough? If I get closer to the subject, will it make the picture better? In most portraits, the closer you can get in, the better. You get more details about the subject, and it's easier to avoid background distractions.

6. Where is the primary light source? Would it look better coming from a different angle? Is there enough light to light up the subject? Are there shadows on the subject's face?

7. Is the camera straight? This is especially important when taking shots of landscapes or buildings, or something that is rectangular. If there is a comparison part of the subject to the horizon, you need to have the camera straight, so it matches the angle of the subject.

8. Would this shot look better from a unique perspective? Should you get higher or lower? Should you shoot from a different angle? Have the subject turn part of their body, etc. If you can think of an unusual way to make the shot more interesting, it will improve the shot, and make it unique.

9. Would the shot look better in portrait or landscape format? Do I want to use the photo for something that would make it better from one orientation or the other?

10. Is the shutter speed fast enough so the shot will be sharp? There is nothing worse than getting a great shot on the computer, only to realize that it's not clearly focused.

 

This may feel like that's a lot to think about before you take the shot. After you do this for a few hundred photos, you will not even think about it. It will be natural. Once it becomes part of your routine, you will always take brilliant pictures. Like muscle memory in your mind, and you will just do it every time.