3 Simple Tips to Improve Your Photography

Photography can be a bit overwhelming for most people, which is why we tend to just stick with the camera’s auto function. However, auto mode only has the ability to produce average looking photos (at best) which are generally not lit accurately. Do you want to improve your photo taking skills and produce better photos without investing hours and hours into research? Check out these 3 easy things you can do to achieve more professional looking pictures.

1. Get Acquainted with your Camera’s P Mode

Using program mode (P mode) allows you to choose when your flash actually fires. However, keep in mind that for best picture quality, you should avoid using the flash at all unless it’s nighttime or the subject’s faces are covered in shadows.

Program mode also allows you to control your camera’s metering. Have you ever taken a picture of someone in front of a well-lit background only to find that the subject looks too dark in the photo? The reason this occurs is the camera has chosen to base its light settings off of the background rather than your subject. Solving this issue can be done in two easy steps:

• Tilt your camera downward so the subject fills most of the frame. Hold the shutter button down halfway, which will lock both your exposure and focus. This tells your camera that the lighting is off of the subject.
• After adjusting the metering, lift your camera back up to your original view, and press the shutter button the rest of the way. Your result should be a well-lit subject in front of a muted background.

2. Learn to Play with Aperture

Changing your aperture gives you control over how much of the image is in focus. Playing with the settings a bit can add some really cool effects to your shots. Aperture mode is the best option for taking portraits, because it has the ability to focus in on one specific object. Or if you’re skilled enough to run your camera manually, you can get the same effect by increasing the aperture.

The settings work opposite to what you would assume. The lower your f-number is, the larger your aperture is. So essentially, a low number equates to a photograph with less of the background in focus. A high f stop, on the other hand, means more of the total picture will be in focus.

Utilize aperture to accomplish the effect that you want with your photograph. It will differ depending if you are shooting a portrait of your child or a landscape shot.

3. Master Shutter Speed

The shutter speed of your camera gives you the ability to stop images that are moving at a very fast speed, or even intentionally add blur to capture a subject’s movement. The larger the fraction of speed, the slower the shutter will release.

For example, try setting your speed at 1/10, which means 1/10^th of a second. Snap a shot of your child chasing after a soccer ball. Review the image, and you will likely see some blur around his legs depicting his speed and movement.

Now take the same shot, but this time change your speed to 1/100. Your child’s legs will be significantly more focused, and he will seem as if he’s been stopped mid-stride.

By becoming familiar with these three settings on your camera, you will be well on your way to capturing the excellent photos you’ve always wanted. Play around as much as you can until you feel comfortable with the features your camera offers. Before you know it, tinkering with the settings will become second nature.

By Ryan Avila.