Take better photos part two

by Jatin Valabjee

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

Next time you’re about to press that shutter release button on your camera, just stop and think. Will the scene I am looking at translate to a good photograph? In photography there are no hard and fast rules, but from my experience I have found these sure fire ways to take better photos. If you practice these tried-and-tested techniques, you will find that you and your friends will fall in love with your photos!

1. Is there a lot of clutter in my photo?

   The purpose of a photo is to tell a story. Just like a well-written news article, try and tell your visual story clearly and with little or no irrelevant and distracting information.

   So, what does this mean when you’re about to take a photo?

   Let’s say you are taking a photo of a friend or family member at the beach. Look through your viewfinder - are there joggers, kids or dogs in the background? Are there bright patches of sunlight, branches or anything potentially distracting anywhere in your scene? If so, try one or more of these:

   • Wait for the distracting elements (people, animals, cars etc.) to leave the scene
   • Move yourself or the subject - possibly into the shade to avoid bright patches (recommended)
   • Zoom in on the person which blurs the background behind them (also recommended)

   You can use this technique to improve any style of photograph:

   • Landscapes (remove unwanted branches, rocks etc. from the scene physically or just recompose your shot from another spot)
   • Streets (wait until there are not cars, or come back at a quieter time
   • Inanimate objects (zoom in to blur the background, or move the object to a place with a simpler background)

   If you “kill the clutter” in your scene, I guarantee you will end up with a much “cleaner” and visually striking photo

   

   (bad) The bright umbrella in the background takes the focus off Amit in the foreground. There is too much information and the impact of the photo is lost.

   

   (good) by simply moving to another spot on the beach, this portrait of Amit has more visual impact.

2. Am I framing the scene?

   This is a simply but extremely powerful technique which may not be immediately obvious or intuitive. When you use it well, however, it can really make your photos jump off the page!

   When you’re about to take any photo, look for an object which makes a “frame” along at least one of the edges of your scene. Try using:

   • an overhanging tree branch
   • a window or door frame
   • a hole in the wall (hint: point your camera lens through the hole so you get a nice black border around your subject
   • a tunnel

   

   (good) Notice how the bright frame around this kitchen window in Peru captures your attention and encourages you to look around the scene.

   

   (good) I used this 17th century door frame in Machu Picchu to accentuate the architecture and to encourage the viewer to peer “through” it.

   

   (good) The stone archway in this Newtown, Sydney cemetery frames Joe and Carly nicely.

   Framing the scene has the double effect of capturing your viewer’s attention, and encouraging them to stay in the scene and explore some more. The beauty of this technique is that there is almost always something around which can be used as a frame. Try it!

3. Have I considered the foreground AND the background?

   Repeat after me - “foreground, background”… “foreground, background”. Now, next time you’re about to trip that shutter, chant this over and over in your head (or out loud if you want to get some funny looks). Look through the viewfinder at the scene and think - have I considered everything that’s in the foreground? How about the background?

   As an example, say you’re at the beach taking photos of your friend (again). You look through the viewfinder or LCD screen at eye-level and see the rolling blue waves and a cloud-painted azure sky. There is a band of sand in the lower half of the scene. If you take this photo, it will most likely be uninteresting as there is nothing leading your eye into the scene. It’s essentially going to be a pretty background with nothing in the foreground to capture your viewer’s attention.

   Now, try taking the same shot, but this time find a branch, beached jellyfish, rock or other natural beach feature. Recompose your photo so the object is sitting on the sand in one corner of the frame with the sand, water and sky in the background.

   Notice the result - now there is something interesting in the foreground to grab the viewer’s attention, and a pretty background to explore!

   

   (good) This photo of Manly Beach in Sydney was taken by my most inspirational Australian photographer, Sheila Smart. The surfboard in the foreground grabs your attention, and the background sets the scene.

   Foreground / background applies to absolutely any photo:

   • Portraits (the subject in the foreground, a simple or blurred background - see above)
   • Streets (try a street sign on one side in the foreground and the street scene in the background)
   • Your dog/cat (crouch down to their level and get some grass running along the bottom of the scene in the foreground and your pet in focus in the background)

   If you follow this simple and effective technique, your photos will be more eye-catching and will tell a better story because you’ll have more useful visual information in the scene.

   

   (good) Even a simple background like the spotlight shining on this girl adds depth and interest to a photo.