In today’s fast-moving culture, we are constantly grabbing our phones to snap some quick pics. Most of the time these are snapshots taken without a whole lot of thought about composition, lighting or location. I encourage you to be more thoughtful about your shooting, and today I offer up some tips on things to AVOID when taking your photos this summer: 7 things that can RUIN your pictures.
.jpg)
1) Trees – Trees are a great addition to any photo, depending where they are placed in the composition. If you want your subject to stand by the tree, place them next to the tree, not directly in front of it. Having a big trunk coming out of their head can look terribly awkward. Same goes for telephone poles or any other vertical background elements – make sure your subject doesn’t have any odd “growths.”
2) Photo bombers – You know the drill, you’re at your child’s high school graduation, about to snap a picture of your proud grad and, just as you push the shutter button, a young teenage boy jumps into the background of your photo and totally bombs it! Watch for these jokers in big crowds.
3) Awkward backgrounds – You need to update your profile picture and happen to be in the bathroom fixing your hair. You snap your own “selfie” and love the photo! Later looking back you realize that the bathroom hand dryer and feminine napkin dispenser also made it into your image. Uh-oh – trash that one! Or better yet, forget about taking a picture of yourself in a public restroom altogether – the fluorescent lighting is rarely flattering on anyone.
4) Shooting from low angles – Unless you really love the look of double chins, hold your camera above your eye level when shooting yourself, or above your subject’s eye level. This helps to thin out the face of the subject, whereas shooting from below the chin puts more emphasis on the extra baggage commonly referred to as a “double chin.”
5) Shooting in direct sun – Contrary to popular belief, direct sunlight isn’t the ideal place for lighting. It causes your subjects to squint and also creates harsh shadows under their eyes, nose and chin. Instead, look for a shady spot that is still evenly and well lit (in the shade of a tree or doorway). Your subject will have a nice evenly lit face and much less squinting. If you cannot avoid shooting in direct sunlight (at the beach at noon, for instance), don’t worry about your subject looking directly into the camera and capture some lovely candids instead.
6) Camera wobble – Hold that camera still! Especially if you are shooting in low light situations, it’s important to hold the camera very still when shooting. Any movement from your hands can cause your photo to turn out blurry.
7) Dark rooms – When you shoot in a low-light situation and forgo using a flash, your shutter speed will slow down dramatically in order to get enough light on the subject. That slow shutter speed can be the reason for blurry photos. Always choose the most well-lit area possible for the best quality picture. Also keep in mind that often using a flash in a dark room will result in your subject having the devil-eye glow . . . pick your poison, as most consumer cameras just aren’t powerful enough to take fabulous pictures in really low-light situations.