Basic Photography: Mr.

Zeko

Six Tips to Start Taking Great Photos

(From Snapshots to Photographs)
The Big Six
1. Get Closer!
2. Strong center of interest!
3. Good lighting
4. Compose boldly: thirds/angles
5. Frame your subject
6. Simple backgrounds
1. Get Closer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
■ If an image isn’t interesting-it’s probably
because you weren’t close enough.

(you don’t need to include the whole

Grand Canyon!)
Not this!!!!!!!
This!!!!!
You Don’t Need Everything!
You’ve already seen the top!
Don’t need the whole body.
2. Strong center of interest!
■ What am I supposed to focus on?
■ Make sure viewer knows your subject.
Not this!!!!!!!!!!!!
Clear simple subject.
Simple can be beautiful
Isolate your subject.
3. Good Lighting!
■ “Photo” is Greek for light.
■ Good light is essential for a good
photo-graph.
■ Shoot during the “magic” hours-just
after sunrise & just before sunset.
■ Keep sun and other light sources
behind you! (unless going for a
silhouette-then use fill flash).
Not this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Magic” Hour-Late afternoon
Late day “glow”
Late day “glow” and shadows
Sunsets & Silhouettes
4. Compose boldly!
■ Try imaginative angles
■ Look for the unusual
■ Don’t need the whole body
■ Rule of thirds
Dutch or “Batman” Angle
Get low to the ground!
See everyday in a new way
Change Angles
Look for the unusual
Use reflections!
Use mirrors
Rule of thirds-don’t center
Rule of thirds gives room
Rule of thirds-object
Rule of thirds-landscape
5. Frame your subjects
■ Look for “natural” frames. E.g. trees,
rocks, bridges, doors.
Bridge as a frame
Frames all around you!
Frames in nature
Frames at the Ranch!
6. Simple backgrounds
■ Isolate your subject by shooting against
simple backdrops.
■ Use shallow Depth of Field to isolate
subject.
■ Watch out for trees, poles, and anything
busy in background.
Shallow depth to highlight
Simple backgrounds
Cool Bokeh (blurry “lights”)
Shallow great for macro
Summary. So…..a Big 3?
■ Light! (photo)

■ Subject (what you’re shooting)

■ Composition (your arrangement)

(Light + Subject + Composition = photograph)