Take better photos in 4 easy steps - part 3

by Jatin Valabjee

This digital photography tutorial is a follow-on from part 1 and part 2.

Here are some more useful techniques and tricks I’ve learned from taking photos over the years, that I hope you can learn from too. Of course the name of the photography game is there are no rules and to find your own groove, but I’ve found it’s good to have a starting point to grow your digital photography skills.

1. Are my lines straight?

   Often you see photos where things just “feel” a bit off balance. This often happens in candid photos where the photographer hasn’t had time (or given thought) to composing the photograph properly. This can be due to not aligning the lines in the photo to the edges of the frame.

   Unless you are going for an effect (such as tilting the camera to give a more dynamic, edgy feel), try and find a straight line in the frame and angle your camera so that the lines are straight. You can find verticals and horizontals in almost any frame - try using:

   • The horizon
   • The eyes of someone in the frame - if they are facing straight at the camera, imagine an invisible line connecting their eyes and line that up so that it is horizontal
   • Building verticals (watch for converging lines if you are tilting your camera up or down)
   • A straight tree

   

   (bad) The slight tilt on this photo I took of Kyoto station in Japan ruins the otherwise balanced composition of this photo and can make the viewer feel uneasy.

   

   (good) Lining up the rails and roof of the train station with the edge of the frame helps emphasise the straight horizontals and verticals of the shot, resulting in a more visually pleasing and balanced composition

   If you keep your lines straight you will find your photos will feel more balanced and look more professional and well-planned.

2. Have I tried tilting the camera?

   No, I am not contradicting myself. Sometimes tilting your camera just a little to the left or right can really help your composition. This works especially well when taking portraits that include part or all of the subject’s body. Tilt can add a dynamic feel to your photos. Beware though - avoid tilting your camera too much (more than 15 degrees either way) otherwise you will ruin the composition by making it look like the subject is “falling out” of the frame.

   

   (good) Without the tilt on this photo of a girl in a Sydney nightclub, the photo would have felt flat and uninteresting.

   

   (good) Tilting the camera when taking this photo of a DJ in a Sydney nightclub helped me convey the motion and excitement of the night.

3. Am I focussing on the eyes of the subject?

   Of course, focussing correctly on the right part of your photo is crucial to emphasising the part of the photo you want the viewer to see first. Focus is super important when taking a portrait - most of the time the eyes of the subject become the focal point which will draw the viewer in and entice them to look for longer.

   

   (good) By focussing on the eyes of this very bizarrely dressed girl in Harajuku, Japan, I was able to draw the viewer’s attention to her blue eyes and encourage the viewer to explore the rest of the photograph and spark curiosity. Notice how emphasis is further placed on her eyes by the shallow depth of field (i.e. the out of focus areas)

4. Have I included the floor in the picture?

   A common mistake I often see people make is taking photos of the subject and their surroundings but not “grounding” the subject with what is around them. For example, if you take a picture of a person walking but don’t show their feet connecting with the floor, it can be disorienting to the viewer; there is no connection between the subject and their surroundings.

   

   (bad) by not including the pavement in this photo of an apprentice Geisha (Maiko) in Kyoto, Japan, it appears as though she is “floating” in the frame, which harms the composition of the photo as she is not connected in any way with her surroundings.

   

   (good) I think you’ll agree that this photo looks more “complete”. The only difference is the inclusion of the Maiko’s feet connecting with the pavement. The subject is connected to their surroundings, providing a more complete scene. Try including the floor your subject is standing on, in your next photo.

   Of course this is not always the case; you can take a perfectly composed photo showing the subject’s upper body with the surroundings around them. This simply depends on what “feels” right to you - I am just encouraging you to try it both ways and see what works for you.

Read more tips! Check out part 1 and part 2.