1 Photography tip

[Brettus]

I'll try really hard to keep this brief, post up your one key idea/tip that has helped you out most or you find helpful on a regular basis.

To try and keep a consistent list yet allow for discussion could you copy the list posted so far and then add your own?

List:
1: Take many, post only your favourites.

Elaboration that doesn't need copying and can stay in the individual posts:
When I really started getting serious and taking pictures instead of snaps, I'd heard about lightroom after watching a video tutorial so I got that and a flickr pro account. I took hundreds of pictures and on any shoot I'd have 5-6 variants that I quite liked (often of a very similar view like the lighthouse or the ship recently) and I'd make (what I consider a mistake) of posting the 5-6 up. I can't remember where I got the tip from but I realised that the best flickr streams (other photo sharing services are available ;)) were populated by single examples, the similar pictures just dilute the originality of the single real good one of that subject.

[keith_d]

Sorry, I have to add two.

Short term tip: before pressing the shutter look around the edges for crap that doesn't belong in your photo. We all tend to focus on the the subject and ignore the distractions, but you'll get better photos if you can get rid of extraneous junk.

Long term tip: be critical. Look back at your last month's photos and see what you did right and where you would improve them. Also look at other people's photos the same way (but don't say anything if you want to stay friends :) )

[Bri w]

If you're taking a portrait photo set the camera to multiple shots. Quite often, when you ask people to smile you get an obvious 'plastic' grin but when the subject hears the shutter they relax. The second shot captures them as their facial muscles start to relax, and quite often the second shot is a better photo.

[LankyIanB]

Look at the angle between you and the subject, experiment by crouching or lying down or standing on things - it's amazing the effect the change in angle can have.

You get used to the world from a specific viewpoint as the height of your eyes above the ground is relatively constant. However it's not always the best height to take the photo from....

[mister c]

Don't be afraid to shoot in manual. Look at the automatic settings & work around them in manual. Sometimes a little darker, or lighter can make a big difference.

[Littlepeahead]

Always change your lenses somewhere out of the wind if you can. Had to drive 40 miles today to get a spider removed from my sensor. I can only think he got in there when I changed lenses at a cricket ground yesterday as there was no shelter And turn the camera off of course as the static will attract dust to the sensor otherwise.

Can I also add buy a polarising filter. Great bit of kit.

[Mark_h]

Get a big bulbous puffer thing for cleaning your sensor. Has to be at least as big as a tennis ball to be of any use.

Periodically take a picture of your ceiling or something else flatish and then zoom into the pic looking for blotches. These blotches are muck on your sensor. (Assuming you've already checked your ceiling for blotches)

Set your camera to B, Bulb or "clean" to lift the mirror. Quick puff with your bulbous blower and it's sorted.

DO NOT BLOW IT WITH YOUR MOUTH. That puts spit all over your sensor. Not that I would know because of course I wouldn't have done that would I as that would just be daft. Spit can be cleaned off by some special solvent and a very special big earbud thing that the man in the camera shop has. Or at least that's what I assume would happen if you were daft enough to spit on your sensor as obviously I wouldn't know.

[Paul the 6th]

- shoot it wide
- shoot it tight
- rule of thirds - try composing the shot using different 3rd's for different bits..
- if shooting in low light, just before pressing the shutter release (that button what takes pitchers) tuck your arms in tight against your torso and hold your breath. It doesn't always work but does most of the time and you'll be glad you atleast tried..

[Kenzie]

Shoot RAW if possible. Just started dabbling with this and I have saved a few wedding shots that would otherwise have been ruined. Also fit a UV filter, it's cheaper than scratching your lens.

[Littlepeahead]

Of course the first rule of photography is... always carry a camera. Easier these days with mobiles, but I always have my £90 Fuji Finepix in my pocket or bag. So if a great photo opportunity arises it doesn't matter that I'm not lugging a DSLR around.

[Sir Trev]

Buy a camera with an image stabiliser. I get MUCH better images now when not on a tripod.

[stewie]

Dont follow the established rules, make your own up and if others dont like it, tough :)

[GowerSV]

30 years as a professional photographer left me with quite a few tips to pass on to trainees, that's for sure. I suppose the most meaningful if you are ever tempted to earn money from your camera is 'don't give up the day job'!There are a lot of photographers out there who would love to turn pro but the hard truth is that there is not a lot of work to spread between a lot of guys.

That out of the way.....one tip. In the days of film a wedding could be covered on a coulpe of rolls. With digital you can take loads. My last wedding ran up to about 700 images (all single frame). Always keep the shutter clicking. Yes set up some special shots but don't miss anything inbetween; when you get back home, it's too late! This is true for amateurs as well as pros.:thumbsup:

[ScottishRawker]

30 years as a professional photographer left me with quite a few tips to pass on to trainees, that's for sure. I suppose the most meaningful if you are ever tempted to earn money from your camera is 'don't give up the day job'!There are a lot of photographers out there who would love to turn pro but the hard truth is that there is not a lot of work to spread between a lot of guys.


After running my own photography business i agree and i've had to find a day job as there isn't enough work and there is so so so many people out there offering services (and giving away copyright) for £25 for a job a professional would bill for £200

Upside to that is, I can enjoy taking photos compared to feeling forced to take them!

[ScottishRawker]

ohh and tip,

My main one i've told students is the angle you shoot at, try to never be standing, either go higher or lower. Someone else said this already.

Experiment would be my other one! try different things, try different types of photography.

Hold onto your copyright, could be you get a brilliant photo that someday becomes your pension!!

[Viney]

Always check the settings on your camera before you go out, or take another batch of shots. You may, like i have, changed setting for a specific area then put the cemera away. When getting it out again, realising that i hadnt checked. I got a load of shots that i couldnet edit (For the record, i set the camera for Jpg only capture instead of the normal RAW & Jpg. I had a couple of nice shots that i couldnt edit)

Gutted.

[jambo]

Always check the settings on your camera before you go out

Blueish portraits, screaming ISO landscapes, spot-metering a variable scene and wondering why the exposure's all over the shop. A morning's photos all under exposed by nearly 2 stops... Yep, I've taken 'em all... :rolleyes:

Jambo

[embee]

Very simple one for me, my cam has the option of displaying a grid on the screen. This has helped me enormously to get the image as near upright as makes no difference. No more lakes with a slope.

[Brettus]

Just thought I'd Zombie Bump this thread back a little as it is still valid info and there may be some more contributors now too.

My point is still my mantra, hence why I have two flickr accounts. My main one is still under a pro subscription so I can see stats when I start whoring one of my images out and such but also just so I can see activity.
The other free account is for other similar pictures that I want to share but if they were all in the same stream it'd be boring.

[Brettus]

Ooh, just thought of one that I saw recently
The harder you work, the luckier you get.
so if you get up earlier, walk further, climb higher etc you will get a more rewarding image or more images that work well etc.

[Littlepeahead]

Never work with animals or cricketers. More to the point never leave your camera unguarded with cricketers who have had a few drinks. [Shudder]

On a serious note - always back up your photos in more than one place. Having seen a neighbours house go up in smoke recently, they admitted at the hospital afterwards that ALL of their family photos were in one place on one hard drive. Thankfully it survived the fire, but they have now copied them across to a second drive kept at the in-laws house and also to a cloud service. No point in taking all those fabulous pics in a lifetime only to lose the lot in minutes thanks to a dodgy boiler.

[Richie]

Always read the manual. There might be some hidden gems like filters built into the camera.

[keith_d]

Turn off exposure compensation the moment you stop using it.

If I had a pint for every photo I've spoiled by forgetting the exposure compensation I'd be drunk for at least a week.

[tactcom7]

If you spot something and think 'that would make a great photo' take it ASAP. For about 15 years I've been driving past a gate with 2 sandstone pillars, one of which was extremely wasted in the centre by wind/rain etc and looked almost too thin to hold the weight. Wow that looks great I would always think as i went past, would look great against a sunset!

Sure enough the inevitable happened and about 2 months ago it had snapped in half :( bummer.

[maviczap]

If you're a professional doing the annual school photo for my kids, don't use the 'in mode' bright white background.

I won't buy any, I hate the effect it has.

When my Dad did portrait photos, it was always with a coloured background