Photography Basics...

            

           “Sav, you take it you’re the photographer,” this is what I typically hear whenever my friends and I get together. Every occasion calls for a photo, right? And given that photography is my favorite pastime-I am the designated “selfie-taker.”

Photography is an underrated craft. Everyone these days has access to a camera, but owning a camera or an iPhone does not make one a photographer any more than owning a paint brush makes someone a painter. It is a form of art, and it does require skill. 

I’ve been working with a camera for almost ten years now. When I was a teenager, my friend Emily and I would do “photo-shoots” with each other around our neighborhood. (See below.) Eventually, we both fell in love with the art and attended the same college for a degree in Photography Technology (I am still working towards mine but more to come on that!). Anyway, my point is, I’ve been at this for a while. Though sometimes I am a little bashful and second guess myself, I still know that I am a good photographer. I have an eye for it. Given my passion, I thought for this post I would share a few tips from my personal experience and what I have learned along the way.

(Isn't she gorgeous?! And talented too! Check out her work here emilyjanephotography.org)

Here are four photography basics to help you take better pictures with your point and shoot, Polaroid, or iPhone.

Lighting:

Lighting is literally EVERYTHING. I can’t stress that enough. That being said, it is important to learn how to adjust and make whatever lighting situation you have, work for you. Most of the time, I prefer to work with natural lighting (the light from the sun). This means, shooting outside or next to a window. Artificial light, (like the florescent lighting you will find in most offices and hospitals,) tends to be harsh and makes the skin look dull. Most florescent lights come in either a yucky yellow color, or a dreary ominous blue. Neither of which are flattering. If this is what you have to work with, move your subject next to a window or, editing may be your only option.

If you are shooting mid-day when the sun is at the highest point in the sky, a common mistake new photographers’ make is facing their subject towards the sun. This may cause the subject to look squinty and often the direction of the sun can cause harsh and unattractive shadows across the subjects face. The best thing to do in this situation is to photograph your subject with the sun behind them, and if you are feeling really fancy, you can use a reflector to illuminate their face if it is looking too dark. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to pay a lot for a reflector, and you can even make your own (another blog for another day).

Another idea, and perhaps more simple, is to just find some shade. It’s easier to enhance the brightness on a photo than it is to tone down a photo that is over exposed (too bright).

COMPOSITION:

Composition is a fancy way of explaining the way in which you set up your photo. Think of a musician, they compose songs and even symphonies-photographers compose photos.

One trick for good composition is to “frame” your subject. If you can put something in the foreground that almost surrounds them, it draws the attention towards the subject. (See the picture below.) This small boat is the subject of the photo. However, it would go unnoticed, if it weren’t for this window framing it.

Remember those awful pictures from the 80’s with the haze surrounding everyone? That’s called a vignette. And while it’s a little outdated-it is effective. Framing has the same effect as a vignette in that it draws attention to your subject, without the added editing. (But sometimes, just sometimes, vignettes...are kind of cool. Check out Morgan below-Killin' it!

Once you have a setting, you have to decide where to place your subject. Most photographers, position their subject dead center. If asymmetry is what you are going for, then sure, that works. However, putting your subject just left or right of center can actually make the photo more visually interesting.  The best example I have of this would be the photo below. This was one of the first photoshoots Emily and I did together and I have always loved this photo. Something about it intrigued me. And I never really understood why…until I took my very first photography course in college when we studied composition. It suddenly made sense. The reason I had liked this photo so much was because it was more aesthetically appealing because of how off-balance it was. Graphic designers use this same technique in ad campaigns. It is a way of forcing the viewer to make them look where you want them too.

Another way to dictate where your viewers’ eyes go is to use leading lines in your composition. The photo above is also an example of leading lines.The lines in the bricks and the stairs all direct the viewer towards Morgan. Your eyes are trained to follow lines, and if these lines lead to your subject, you’ve been successful.

ANGLES & PERSPECTIVE:

If you take a lot of selfies, you probably know what angle works best for you. And if you are anything like most of my friends, you probably know which side is your good side. But what works for you, doesn’t always work for everyone else. It is important to keep that in mind when you are photographing someone else. This is also a great opportunity to experiment. Try things down low, or get an aerial view. Don’t just shoot straight on. Mix it up, stand on top of something. Show me something I wouldn’t normally see. The photos below are examples of angles and perspective. 

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:

Location is another crucial element of photography. Most photographers don’t have issues with finding a location to shoot at. The issue most photographers encounter, is pairing the subject with the background effectively. So if these next few paragraphs, I want to talk about making the background and the subject work well together.

In men’s fashion there is something called “The Tie Rule”. Essentially, this rule states that your tie is the focal point of the outfit and therefore, your shirt, should never overpower your tie. In photography, consider your subject your tie. You never want your background to be so wild that your subject is no longer the subject.

Consider the outfit the subject is wearing. If the outfit is loud or has a fun pattern, try pairing them with a simple background, or against a wall with a solid color. Conversely, if the subject is sporting something simple you can allow for the background to be a little more elaborate. But don’t neglect your artistic freedom. Picasso said, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” So go with your gut. What looks good to you? You are, after all, the photographer.

Like with anything, practice makes perfect. So get out there and shoot something. And when you shoot, shoot with a purpose. It kills me to hear people say they took 3,000 photos of a single event. You may as well have just shot a video. If you have to take that many shots to get a photo, you are just getting lucky. Slow down, think about the shot you want and make it happen.

I can’t guarantee that using my tips will make you into a professional photographer overnight, but I can guarantee they will get you thinking. Photography is an endless opportunity to be creative and express yourself. Use these tips to improve those selfies or to take a meaningful photograph you will keep for years to come.

“You don’t take a photograph. You make it.” –Ansel Adams

Love,

Sav xo