Taking A Picture

So you have a new digital camera but you'd hardly classify yourself as a first rate photographer.

The first thing you should recognize is the difference between a snapshot and a photograph! However you want to look at it, a snapshot is simply a representation of one moment in time while a photograph is the careful composition of elements telling a story about that moment. When you decide to take a photograph there are some common things you may want to consider.

Rule of Thirds: Split the frame into thirds, like tic-tac-toe, is your subject in the middle? Usually you want the main element in the photograph to lie along one of those lines.

Lighting: Do you have contrast? A good photograph will typically have lots of contrast to help distinguish between highlights and shadows. Pictures taken with a flash or during the middle of a sunny day will usually have a very "washed out" look. (lots of highlights) To avoid washed out pictures try and play with capturing shadows in your composition.

Focus: Is everything in the photograph sharp or did u chose to make the background blurry? Sometimes playing with which objects are in focus and which ones aren't will have a dramatic impact on the emphasis of your subject. Try experimenting with the Macro or flower mode that comes with most digital cameras in order to achieve a blurry background.

Angle: Straight on pictures are usually a little more boring than a picture taken from an interesting angle. If you want someone to look important, try crouching down and pointing the camera up at them.

There are so many ways to make your photographs stand out. The real key is to experiment, have fun, and learn how to get the most from your camera.