It’s easy to take a picture, but taking a good one is more difficult than it seems. You obviously want your photos to look great so that you can post them online and share them with people. But the question is, how can you make them better? Just follow these helpful tips, and you’ll be on your way to taking the professional-looking pictures you’ve always wanted.
Choose A Higher Resolution
Most digital cameras and smartphones have settings for different resolutions. Using the lower settings can save space on your SD card, but your pictures won’t look as good. Switch to the highest setting your device has, to get the best quality shots from it. This might eat up your storage space quickly, so remember to transfer your photos to your computer or external hard drive.
Use Proper Lighting
Lighting can have a major impact on how good your picture looks. A properly lit shot makes your subject really pop out, highlighting the features you want to see while adding shadows and contrast in a way that brings your picture to life. You can use natural light or studio lights to achieve these effects, but the former is harder to control than the latter. If you don’t have access to studio lights, try using the ring light on a makeup mirror to get rid of unflattering shadows on your subject’s face.
Apply Digital Filters and Presets
The advent of digital photography and photo manipulation has made it easier than ever to fine-tune your pictures on a computer or mobile device. Photo editing software lets you adjust the brightness and contrast, hue and saturation, and white balance. Things you used to have to spend hours in a darkroom developing by hand can be done in minutes, thanks to the marvels of technology.
If you’re not proficient in photo editing, that’s okay; there are plenty of filters and presets that let you choose how you want your pictures to look. The folks at “www.parkerarrowpresets.com” suggest using Lightroom presets to capture the mood of different seasons or give your interior snapshots a clean, crisp feel. There are filters and presets that can mimic all kinds of lighting conditions and exposure settings, making your photos look like they were taken by a professional.
Change Your Shutter Speed
The amount of light hitting your camera lens changes the way your pictures look depending on the conditions of the environment. Your camera’s shutter speed determines how much of that light is captured when you take a shot. Faster shutter speeds mean less light, which makes for better photos when you’re outside on a bright, sunny day. Slower speeds are ideal when taking pictures at night or in darker locations.
Choosing Deep vs. Shallow Depth of Field
When you use a deep depth of field for your photo, your camera will capture as much of the shot in focus as possible. This is great if you’re taking landscape pictures, as you want to see everything in the environment clearly. However, using it when shooting a single or small number of subjects will make your picture look flat.
Instead, set your camera’s aperture lower and get as close to your subject as you can while still keeping it in focus. This will make your subject look sharp while the background will be out of focus. A shallow depth of field can give such pictures a more professional look.
Use A Tripod or Camera Stand
When taking a photo, your lens will pick up any motion that occurs between the shutter opening and closing. If you’re taking a shot with a handheld camera, even the slightest movements can end up causing motion blur. Investing in a tripod or other type of camera stand will let you take steady, blur-free pictures.
Try Different Shot Compositions
If you’ve been just pointing your camera and clicking when taking pictures, try using different shot compositions to make your photos more interesting. Shoot from another angle or capture your subject in a more natural pose than standing still and smiling. Use your environment and line up your shot, so your subject isn’t right in the middle. While not everything will work, there’s always the possibility you’ll end up with an incredible picture when you try something new.
Pictures can express so much more than what you see in front of you; they capture memories and feelings, not just objects and people. Give these tips a try next time you take one, and you’ll be amazed by how much better they look. Keep at it, and soon enough, you’ll have great photos to share with everyone.
