Basic Photography Rules - Follow These Simple Rules and Take Your Best Travel Photos Ever
Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.
If you like what you see on your camera screen, or through the viewfinder, you will like the photograph.
There are some basic photography rules for composition.
Once you know these rules, you can use them, ignore them, or break them.
Follow your gut, and you will end up with spectacular, sometimes breathtaking results.
Ready? It really is as simple as you hoped - just keep the following in the back of your mind, and have fun! ~ Rule of thirds.
This is it, the bottom line composition rule taught in every beginners photography class.
The full on rule is a bit more complex, but here is an easy version, and will get you fabulous results.
The idea is to break your photo into three sections, using horizon lines, sky, roads - whatever is horizontal in your photo.
And the thirds don't have to be equal - to the contrary, the most arresting images use unequal thirds to create a perspective that draws you right in.
Have only vertical lines? Apply the same principle.
And remember, these lines don't have to be straight.
Play with this one, and before you know it, composing will be second nature, done without a thought.
~ Shoot during the golden hours.
This varies among photographers, but the rule of thumb is before 10 am and after 4 pm.
The light is softer, without the harsh shadows cast when the sun is overhead.
With that said, I've taken some brilliant photos in the dreaded noon hour.
Those "harsh" shadows can create beautiful contrasts in your photo, especially in architectural shots.
And sometimes you don't have a choice - you are somewhere for a short amount of time, smack in the middle of the day.
Here are a few tricks to help you make the most of the light you have:
You've seen them before - trees sprouting out of heads, buildings sprouting out of heads, columns sprouting - you get the idea.
As you compose that beautiful portrait to commemorate your trip, pay attention to what is behind your subjects.
And this rule applies to more than people - a rusty trash truck can spoil that pristine landscape.
It will be even more disappointing if you spot it long after you are gone from the location.
Yes, you can PhotoShop it out, but I personally object to that kind of manipulation, when just a bit of attention to detail at the time saves you loads of hassle later.
Simple, easy to remember - but these rules can literally make or break your result.
Take a bit of time to practice them before your trip, and you will have travel photos you can be proud to show off.
If you like what you see on your camera screen, or through the viewfinder, you will like the photograph.
There are some basic photography rules for composition.
Once you know these rules, you can use them, ignore them, or break them.
Follow your gut, and you will end up with spectacular, sometimes breathtaking results.
Ready? It really is as simple as you hoped - just keep the following in the back of your mind, and have fun! ~ Rule of thirds.
This is it, the bottom line composition rule taught in every beginners photography class.
The full on rule is a bit more complex, but here is an easy version, and will get you fabulous results.
The idea is to break your photo into three sections, using horizon lines, sky, roads - whatever is horizontal in your photo.
And the thirds don't have to be equal - to the contrary, the most arresting images use unequal thirds to create a perspective that draws you right in.
Have only vertical lines? Apply the same principle.
And remember, these lines don't have to be straight.
Play with this one, and before you know it, composing will be second nature, done without a thought.
~ Shoot during the golden hours.
This varies among photographers, but the rule of thumb is before 10 am and after 4 pm.
The light is softer, without the harsh shadows cast when the sun is overhead.
With that said, I've taken some brilliant photos in the dreaded noon hour.
Those "harsh" shadows can create beautiful contrasts in your photo, especially in architectural shots.
And sometimes you don't have a choice - you are somewhere for a short amount of time, smack in the middle of the day.
Here are a few tricks to help you make the most of the light you have:
- shoot with the sun at your back - it will highlight your subject, and can add a luminous quality
- use the sun to your advantage - shoot facing into it, and let the flares become part of the photograph - you can get some interesting effects
- if the sun is just a giant glare straight overhead, take long shots - of scenery, a curving street, a line of cottages
- get close, really close, and take detail shots - you may be surprised by the results.
You've seen them before - trees sprouting out of heads, buildings sprouting out of heads, columns sprouting - you get the idea.
As you compose that beautiful portrait to commemorate your trip, pay attention to what is behind your subjects.
And this rule applies to more than people - a rusty trash truck can spoil that pristine landscape.
It will be even more disappointing if you spot it long after you are gone from the location.
Yes, you can PhotoShop it out, but I personally object to that kind of manipulation, when just a bit of attention to detail at the time saves you loads of hassle later.
Simple, easy to remember - but these rules can literally make or break your result.
Take a bit of time to practice them before your trip, and you will have travel photos you can be proud to show off.
