10 BELLA RMINE MAGAZINE From the experts Now that practically everybody has a camera in their possession at practically every waking moment, we all have thousands of digital photographs. But quantity and quality are two different things. Here are some tips to help you take better photos. Edit visually (A) A scene will feel more dramatic if you position your camera so as to leave out mundane elements. Unless a broader visual context is needed to get your idea across, take the time to zoom in and/ or angle your camera in such a way as to leave out anything superfluous and potentially distracting, such as garbage cans, parking meters, the guard rail in front of a “scenic view,” and so on. Fill the frame (B) Get the most out of each photograph by filling the picture with interesting visual information. This may be as simple as getting closer to your subject. Experiment with camera angles (C) Eye level is not the most interesting perspective for every scene. Explore bird’s-eye view, worm’s-eye view and other unusual camera angles. We’re drawn to photographs that surprise us and reveal the world in inventive ways. Turn off your digital zoom A traditional camera “zooms” by moving the glass elements in the lens. These movements make objects appear closer or further away. This is called Optical Zooming. On digital cameras, there is an additional option called Digital Zoom, which continues to make objects appear closer even when the lens elements won’t move any farther. Digital zoom simply enlarges the central part of the image. This creates the illusion that the camera is continuing to “zoom in,” but the result is an inferior image, since the same digital information is spread over a larger picture area. It’s better to get closer to the subject than to use digital zooming. Use your autofocus and auto exposure lock Although many cameras have sophisticated focusing and exposure mechanisms, many simply focus on whatever is in the middle of the picture and set the auto exposure for the same area. Luckily, virtually all cameras let you “lock” the focus and/ or exposure simply by pressing the shutter button half way down. Try locking the focus with the subject in the middle, then adjusting the camera to create the most interesting composition before you press the shutter button all the way. How to Take Better Photos By Laura Hartford A B C
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