If you are getting started in the world of photography, below you will find some tips to improve the composition of the scenes and benefit in different light situations that you have. Telling stories through images is an exciting world and there are many ways to get eye-catching snapshots.
1. The rule of thirds
First, it is essential that you know the rule of thirds to easily get harmonious photographs. It consists of dividing the camera screen into nine equal parts with two horizontal lines and two vertical lines (real or imaginary). Therefore, the protagonist of the image that we will take must be located along some of the lines or intersections. In this way, you will be able to direct the attention of the person who sees the photo to the point of interest.
2. Avoid using zoom
Zoom in instead of zooming, as this flattens the image. It takes the depth away. When we take a photograph, we capture in two dimensions a world that we visualize in three, so the closer you get and the more angles you try, more sense of depth you can give to your snapshots and more details you can capture. In fact, seeing everything from another point can completely change the image.
3. Highlights a main element
If you use too many flashy elements, you’ll end up not seeing anything. Clean your frame and highlight only the main ones. In this way, you will improve the aesthetics, harmony and balance of the image and will manage to convey the meaning of this more easily. In photography, less is more.
4. Pay attention to the substance
In relation to the previous advice, it is important that you do not focus exclusively on the main element. Many times we do the photographs without noticing what is behind and we can spoil them completely if we realize the error too late, when we are no longer in the scene in question. Observe the environment before shooting and avoid those colors or objects that can make the result not the desired.
5. Use the RAW format
Configure your camera to use the RAW format and increase the quality of your photos. This setting allows you to display more pixels, so the quality of your images will be higher and you will be able to edit them with greater precision. Just keep in mind that they will take up more space on the memory card, so it is advisable to use one with spare capacity.
6. Lower the ISO as much as you can
The lower the ISO, the less grain the photographs will have. The ISO is the sensitivity of the camera sensor to light, that is, it is responsible for measuring the amount of light that the camera can capture. By modifying it, you can brighten or darken the snapshot, however, the higher the value (more light), the more noise the image will have. For better illumination, it is better to reduce the shutter speed or open the focal so that more light enters the sensor and it is not necessary to increase its capacity to capture it. In this sense, as we increase the zoom of the camera, the focal is closing and the need to raise the ISO is greater.
7. Use tripod and flash when necessary
The tripod can be of great help to ensure the sharpness of an image when the lighting conditions are not good. If you need to reduce the shutter speed a lot, for example, it will give you an extra stability compared to your own hands. For its part, the flash will not only allow you to take pictures in low light scenarios, it will also help you balance the amount of light on a sunny day, preventing the appearance of shadows and giving a uniform color to the image.
8. Bonus: Don’t lose your curiosity
Repeat, repeat, and repeat. Try new things. Break the rules, experiment. The tips we just gave you can help you get amazing pictures, but they are not immutable rules. The art of photography goes much further. Discover it through your camera and... Enjoy!