3 Tips to Shoot Perfect Pictures
You’d like to give a boost to your Instagram feed and surprise your visitors with stunning pictures?
You’re lucky: it can be very easy.
Grainy pictures, not straight framings, dull colors: you are trying to do your best, but you don’t feel like you are talented? There are some basics you can learn to shoot beautiful and harmonious pictures.
Let’s go through them.
1) The light is your friend.
Light is a fundamental part of a photography: its intensity is called exposure. When a picture is dark, it is said to be under exposed, when if it is excessively bright it is said to be over exposed.
How to reach a perfect exposure?
Set more light source to shoot the picture, ideally 3: one in the front, one in the back and one on the side.
Put your subject in the center of the light sources, so that front – and principal light – makes it bright, while lateral and back lights make it well inserted in the context.
Common mistakes about light: a too bright front light cause the so-called flasheffect, making the subject over exposed and the background extremely dark. A too strong background light causes the so-called silhouette effect: the subject is dark and not recognizable.
Start shooting with regular light and then prepare to break the rules: a good silhouette effect, for example, is impressive. You can also think to shoot with dramatic shadows, placing your subject partly in the light and partly in the shadow.
2) Rule of third
Our eye is attracted by symmetry: one of the key points is the rule of third. Imagine your pictures as divided into 9 symmetric square. Place your subject in the lateral intersection of the four lines which compose the squares. Placing the subject on the side makes the photo appear more professional and harmonious.
Common mistakes about symmetry: placing the subject in the center of the picture – this is not properly a mistake, but a classic way to shoot that can make pictures boring and all the same in the long period. At the same time, placing the subject too low, too far away from the camera or too high with the effect of cutting the subject.
Start trying the rule of third first. When you master the rule, break it: shooting with no symmetry can be a style, as it is absence of light. Be careful: do not exaggerate.
3) Play with perspective
The secret of each photographer is the ability to see details. Train with your smartphone or camera, choose a day and stroll around looking for details. Stop to observe a flower, a bug, lay down on the floor, step on a bench, try to see things from a different point of view.
Common mistakes: shoot without changing perspective.
Every point of view is unique, make it stand out.
