Whether you’re a casual snapper out capturing memories or you’re the next aspiring Andreas Gursky, David Bailey, or any of a long list of well known photographers, there are a number of basics everyone should follow.
Basic principals to look for in any photograph are:
- Interest – What does the picture actually convey? Is there a point to it? It doesn’t have to be award winning material, but it should either hold a memory for you and your friends/family or have some sort of “je ne sais quoi” that will mean that someone else will enjoy spending time looking at it.
- Composition – A badly composed arrangement can ruin even the most photogenic subject. It’s worth spending a few moments looking around your subject area to see if there’s a better angle to take the picture from. You may be surprised by the difference it can make.
- Lighting – Poor lighting can ruin your well crafted image, unless compensated for with longer exposures or additional lighting. However, for longer exposures you will need to use a stand such as a tripod or any convenient flat surface to steady the camera, otherwise you will be left with a blurred image. And don’t forget that additional lighting, such as a flash can change your intended shot and make for a harshly lit photograph.
- Focus – Unless artistically aesthetic, a blurred image is generally useless and while you may be able to use software such as Photoshop to fix a minor blur, there is a limit as to the abilities of such software.
Over the next four blog entries I will go into more detail on the Basic Principals of Good Photography starting with Interest and continuing with Composition, Lighting and Focus.
Afterwards, I will cover other basic concepts such as: styles of photography, types of camera, Compact Digital v Digital-SLR, D-SLR accessories for the beginner, D-SLR camera settings for the beginner, Image Manipulation Software (such as Adobe Photoshop) and anything else that comes to mind.
In the meantime take a look at http://www.worldsfamousphotos.com for a bit of inspiration.