Photography Tips

So why are we dealing with photography tips on a site dedicated to Photoshop?

The raw material used by Photoshop is the photographic image. The more suitable and the more successful the photograph is, the easier will be the post-production process.

Well begun is half done.

Taking a better photograph in the first place will make the tasks in Photoshop that much easier.

Everybody can use a few photography tips; it's just that beginners in a field are more prepared to admit it than those with greater experience.
Photography tips can shape composition, create ideas and develop skills.
Natural photographers have ways of seeing and composing images which are effortless and successful.
Such people follow certain guidelines instinctively, but these guidelines can be identified and picked up by others. Before long, practically anyone can incorporate these new ways of seeing and they become a normal pattern of viewing.

Rules of composition should never become too rigid, however, or all images can look alike and too standardized. Images need to be lively, original and contain something which is challenging to the viewer.
A truely successful image must stimulate feeling, emotion and imagination in the viewer.
Tips and guidelines should be no more than that. They should not become rigid rules of engagement or all the fun starts to go.

This page will contain photography tips about composition and viewing. Equipment and gadgets will not be discussed here. What make of camera someone uses, often even what type of camera, is irrelevant. Try asking a top chef what make of pan s/he uses and be ready to duck the reply.

The topic will change on a regular basis.

Look at the Light

At the risk of stating the obvious, light is a visual thing, and it should be considered in its own right and used and controlled as much as possible by being more selective about the time and place when the photograph is taken.
A change in the light will change the landscape and with a little practice these changes will soon be noticed.


Early morning spring light gives a feel to
a scene not found later in the day

Early morning light and sun have a unique quality not found at other times – a freshness and sparkle with or without any mist. Such circumstances give a special feel to most situations, and it can be worth rising for an early morning walk in order to catch these moments.
The atmosphere of a scene will, therefore, be greatly influenced by the light and the same scene can look very different in the sun, under cloud or in the numerous changing weather conditions.

Evening light adds warm tones and, with long dramatic shadows, will give extra modelling to the subject. The same scene photographed with a high sun in the middle of the day can look flat and uninteresting.


The low sun emphasizes the shape and
character of the scene


Back light, that is shooting into the sun, also has its own qualities, giving attractive halos to the subjects. Some halo effect can be seen in the above picture of sheep.

If there is water in the scene, such as a lake or river, then the use of back light will put a real sparkle into the water.


With the sun in front of the photographer,
the water has a sparkle it would not have
if the sun had been in any other position


Even the sun behind the photographer can be effective sometimes, although it is not generally recommended, because it will make the subject look too flat and characterless. The very low sun over one's shoulder late in the day, however, can give colours a strength and richness not normally seen.
It is under such circumstances, with the sun behind the photographer, that rainbows are usually seen.

Perhaps one of the most appealing types of sunlight is that of dapple light, with a strong sun shining through trees and lighting up the subject in patches.
In any season, such sunlight can really make the picture, with its depth and multitude of tones. If there is any early mist around, the sunlight might be seen as shafts of light and with autumn leaves there is likely to be an extra warm glow to the colour of the light.


Dapple light can give an interesting look to a scene


There can be situations where a cloudy day is best. Strong sun gives a bright picture but it also gives high contrast. When the sun is shining in a narrow street or a picturesque alley in a Mediterranean village, some of the street will be in strong sunshine and some of it will be in shadow.

This will give a contrast range which is so extreme that it will not be possible to produce a good print through a normal printing system. In such circumstances, if you can manage to photograph that side street or market corner on a cloudy day or when no sun is directly on that area, then the lighting will be much more even and all of the detail will be printable.

Certain lighting conditions can certainly be a bonus;

• sun poking through the clouds
• sun on rain-covered ground
• a shaft of sunlight coming through a window or doorway.

All this means that it is not advisable to shoot too quickly, but to look at the light and consider its effect. The sun brings out colours and brings everything alive so it can be worth waiting perhaps 10 minutes for the weather to change, or going back on another more suitable occasion.

A potentially good picture can be a great disappointment purely because the light at the time does not do the scene justice. On a very dreary day, it can often be better to wait and return later when the sun has moved round to the best side of a building or landscape.

Just a short walk might be sufficient for that gap in the clouds that will send out shafts of sunlight; or try using the gathering storm clouds to your photographic advantage before running for cover.


Photography Tips

Look at the light, and its effect on the subject.
Don't shoot too quickly, but be prepared to come back another time with better lighting conditions.



This page is a sample from the Happier Snaps manual.
It is a simple guide on how to take more successful photographs with basic compact cameras.

Happier Snaps is free from jargon and technical stuff and although originally aimed at non-photographers, there is something useful for everyone with a camera.

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