Post on 17-Jan-2015
description
Composing Photos
A guide to taking photos
Written by Jacqui Sharp
Have spare digital cards
They can get corrupted and need to be formatted
And batteries
Invest in a battery charger
Label your leads with what camera they come from
Use a tripod for extended shot taking
Mini tripod
Use the flash outside
Think of complementary colours when taking photos
How kids cantake great photos
Special care rules with cameras
If there is neck strap…wear it! If there is a hand strap…put it
on! If there is lens cap…always
replace it! Try not to touch the screen or
lens with your fingers Turn off the camera when you
are not using it
If you are taking a close up…
…move the camera up closer rather then using the zoom
Background space with moving objects
Take photos of objects moving
Show the background space from where the object has come from
Hold your camera at an angle
Series of shots
Your subject should look small and insignificant so the higher up looking down the better!
High Angleor Birds Eye
The camera is down low looking up making your subject look more important or powerful.
Low AngleOr Worms Eye
Try Unusual View Points
Wide Shot or Long ShotEstablishes the
settingTake a Wide shot
that sets the scene for the viewer
Horizon line
Don’t cut your picture in half by setting the horizon line in the middle
Set high to suggest closeness
Set low to suggest spaciousness
Leading lines
Look for natural lines of the scene that leads the viewers eyes into the picture and to your main centre of interest
Remember horizon lines Do a vertical and a horizontal photo
Look carefully behind your subject or beside your subject
Horizontal and Vertical
Take a photo in horizontal view
Take the same photo in Vertical view.
Close up ShotThe subjects head will fill most of the shot from the chest or neck to just above the head. Use this shot to emphasise something. Have them look away!Put space in front of them
Do not put the head in the middle of the shot (unless it is a newsreader) give the head space in front of it!
Newsreader shot
Space in front
The subject is looking into space
Creates a path or flow to viewer
Bad Weather
Photos of kids
If they are smaller then you then get down low.Take photos when they are doing something.Get in close.Make it fun.
Extreme close up (ECU)
Only a part of the body orface is shown and generally is used to demonstrate deep emotion.
Two shotProfile of two people communicating
Over the shoulder
Face and shoulder shot of speaker, listener just part of head and one shoulder
Reverse ShotSame as above but change speaker and
listener
Macro or super close upSet your camera to Macro and take close ups of nature
When taking close ups move as close to the subject as possible before using the Zoom
Foreground
Sometimes objects in the foreground can set a scene like branches or doorways
Medium Shot MS
shows a character from the waist to just above the head
Remember these rules
People or subjects are better off centre
Don’t make the eyes the centre of the photo
Portraits are usually eye level (position yourself so you are eye level)
Find simple uncluttered backgrounds
Stay away from signs and large text
Tips On a trip carry spare digital cards Label your leads with what camera they come from Spare batteries Use the strap Charge your camera or batteries Use a tripod for extended shot taking Use the flash outside (diminishes harsh shadows) Turn off flash when using macro or taking photos of books or of items behind glass Vary your camera angle and take different angled shots of the same object Switch to vertical for some shots Don’t use the special effects on the camera, take colour photos and then use
computer software to add the effects Use windows, doorways, arches, trees foliage to frame a photo Think of complementary colours when taking photos Fingers away from lenses Replace Lens cap Turn off camera when not using it Don’t use the Digital zoom if possible When taking closeups move as close to the subject as possible before using the Zoom Try unusual view points, get down low or high Look carefully at your backgrounds, make sure that there is not something sticking
out of your subjects head like a pole Remember you can always crop an image on your computer Always leave space in front of a subject, it makes for a better composition People or subjects are better off centre Don’t make the eyes the centre of the photo Portraits are usually eye level (position yourself so you are eye level) Find simple uncluttered backgrounds Stay away from signs and large text