When it comes to taking photos that look professional, there’s no true substitute for years of practice and effort. However, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, certain camera tricks are sure to make your photos stand out more than they are currently. (Image Credit: Photo Mix/Pixabay)
In this article, we discuss some of the top camera tricks that can considerably improve your photography skills without much effort.
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Use the Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is one of the most well-known rules of composition used by almost all photographers to make their photos look professional. The rule of thirds implies that an image is divided into thirds using a vertical and horizontal line. This means that an image is divided into 9 blocks with four important intersecting points. These intersecting points can be used as focal points for placing your subject.
While some images also work well with the subject in the central square, you may try placing your subject off-center at one of the intersecting points to create an aesthetically appealing picture.
Los Angeles fashion photographer Mike Azria explains that using the rule of thirds makes your photo more balanced, and it can also make your image more interesting. This makes the viewer interact with it more naturally. To ensure that you make good use of the rule of thirds, keep this rule in mind even while you’re editing your photos.
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Get the Right Lighting
When it comes to taking photos that look professional, the right lighting can entirely change the way your photo looks. Lighting is one of the most important aspects to ensure that the images you take come out well.
Correct lighting can provide contrast and highlight the colors in a photo. This highlights the subject and can enhance its appearance, thus making the photo look more professional. One of the ways to make a portrait photo better is to place the subject in the shade so that there is even lighting on their face.
When it comes to taking landscape photography, timing is key. Take photos in the “golden hours” – this means taking photos in the early hours during sunrise, or in the evening before sunset. The lighting at this time is soft and provides a warm, natural glow, making everything look good. Check this 40 awesome photoshoot ideas guide to take your photography skills to the next level.
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Use the Exposure Triangle Correctly
Exposure in photography terms means the lightness and darkness of the photo. This is something that most photographers spend a lot of time learning. The exposure of a photo is controlled by the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
To up your photography game, it’s important to learn how to use the exposure triangle – shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Since all these three functions are related, when you adjust one of these functions, you will have to re-adjust another for the best results. Though the auto-mode in your camera takes care of these controls, the results may not always be ideal. Learning to use these controls manually as a beginner may help you understand the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO clearly so that you can use these controls for taking professional shots. Check out this manual photography cheat sheet to learn more about the exposure triangle.
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Depth-of-Field
Depth-of-field is among camera tricks used by professionals to add more texture and character to their photos, especially portraits of people. Using the shallow depth of field makes the subject in the photo look sharp while the background is blurred. To use this trick, start by using your longest lens, then set the aperture to aperture priority, set the aperture as low as possible. Now focus on the subject, ensuring that the subject is away from any background, and click the picture. This will help you take photos that reflect the mood and essence of the composition more effectively. For the right lens, check out Bounce Color.
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Create Depth in Landscape Photos
When shooting beautiful landscapes, you want to make sure to create a depth in your image that makes the viewer feel like they’re there in the frame. For creating this effect, you’ll have to use a wide-angle lens and a small aperture of f/16 so that the foreground and the background appear sharp.
When creating depth in landscape shots, it’s advisable to use a tripod since the shutter speed will be slow due to the smaller aperture. Using a tripod will ensure that your camera doesn’t move when the shot is taken. To provide a sense of scale to your landscape image, place a subject in the foreground.
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Create Motion
Panning is a technique that’s used to create motion in an image. Most photographers use this technique to capture the motion of birds in flight. In the panning technique, you use a slow shutter speed and shoot while moving your camera along the target’s path. To take the photo, keep your camera leveled whilst moving your camera at the same speed as that of your subject. Place your finger on the shutter to press when you’re ready. Now take the photo while following your subject as they move.
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Don’t Shake Your Camera
A shaky camera can spoil your photos. The best way to avoid this is to learn how to hold your camera correctly. The correct way to hold it is to support your lens by holding it from beneath with your left hand while you hold the body of the camera firmly with your right hand. Finally, use your body to support your hands to get stability. This prevents the camera from shaking.
To ensure that your photos aren’t blurred, make sure that the shutter speed for the lens’ focal length is appropriate. A slow shutter speed can lead to a blurred image even with an unintentional movement of the camera, thus spoiling your entire image.
Conclusion
Using these time-tested camera tricks will ensure that you get the desired results from your photoshoot. To perfect your photography skills, practice these tricks regularly and you’ll keep getting better each day. However, don’t just stick by the rules, have fun and use your creativity while taking photos.
Finally, be in the present moment to enjoy and capture its beautiful essence.