Making Pictures
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This article discusses seven techniques for taking more interesting photographs: following the rule of thirds when composing shots, varying the angle of view, using perspective to draw the eye, including focal points, using a timer to avoid camera shake, playing around to find unique shots, and learning your camera's capabilities.
Making Pictures
- 1. Making Pictures: Seven Techniques for More Interesting PhotographsGeoff CainTacoma Community College
- 2. 1. The Rule of Thirds
- 3. 2. Angle of View
- 6. 5. Use the Timer
- 7. 6. Play
- 8. 7. Know Your Camera
Editor's Notes
- #2: In the last presentation, we focused on sound. Today we are looking at images, and our goal for next week will be to take some of the images that we create and some of the sound files we edited to create films. But lets take a look at pictures first. I use an Olympus Camedia, a $10 Innovage camera from Walgreens, and various film cameras and a scanner to make pictures. It can be helpful to have a handful of principles in mind to make your photographs interesting.
- #3: In your camera’s viewfinder, imagine that the frame is divided up in to nine blocks. Center your subject in one of those blocks rather than the middle. We want to see your subject in some kind of context. What else can you put in the frame that will give us more information about this person, place, event, or time?
- #4: Taking a photograph head-on is not always the most interesting shot. Try some extreme angles. Don’t be afraid to crop, edit, and play with the exposure. The photo on the right violates a lot of traditions by being taken into the sun, but now and again, breaking the rules can capture the essence of a moment.
- #5: Try to find lines and angles in the scene that direct us to your subject. Paths, roads, poles or even beach chairs can point the way. Notice that the photographer here was using the rule of thirds as well to keep the composition balanced.
- #6: Think about what others around you are looking at and then take a picture of them looking at it. Its not about the cake, it is about the people around the cake!
- #7: If your camera has a timer, use it. Use it to run into shots without telling anyone! Have everyone walk away from the camera and turn around. The timer is a great impromptu tripod.
- #8: The great thing about digital photography is that you are not wasting film.
- #9: Does is have exposure settings and shutter speeds? Does it have a manual mode? What are your cameras limitations and advantages? Is there information about your camera online? Knowing a little bit about how to use shutter speed and aperture can really help you become a better photographer.