Make your Photos Better ...

[r_fredrick_smith]

If you look at the large range of photos that are posted to this site, or any site, you find that they often have common problems. Over and over again we see the same basic photographic elements being discussed. So I thought I'd start this thread about the common problems that many photos have that make them less than they could be.

1. Focus issues --- If shooting shots of a model or person who is looking at the camera, you should have the eyes sharply in focus. The exception would only be if there is a really good reason (which you should state when you ask for a critique). If not shooting a person, then try to have the most important thing in the photo in sharp focus.

2. Contrast --- Digital photos tend to come out of the camera lacking really good contrast (depends on the settings of the camera and often the defaults are not sufficient). So most photographs will need some contrast adjustment in a Photo Editor. This is really quite simple and only takes a few seconds and can add "pop" to a photo.

3. Background clutter --- There are extraneous elements in the background that compete with the main subject. This can be anything from the horizon line or poles or branches, etc, running through the subject's head (in people photography) to very bright objects, or random items scattered in the scene that don't add to the scene, but just draw the eyes away from the main subject. When composing in the viewfinder look for distracting elements and recompose.

4. Sharpness --- Often shots from digital cameras are not very sharp right out of the camera. So usually you need to add some extra sharpening in your Photo Editor. Again, this is easy to do and only takes a few seconds. Sometimes all you need is to selectively sharpen the main subject or maybe just the eyes.

5. DOF --- Be sure the area that is in focus is the important part of the scene. If there are distracting elements that you can't compose out of the scene, then you may be able to use DOF to make them "very" out of focus.

6. Color casts --- Look at your photo before posting and ask if the colors look natural for the given light. If they don't, then fix it before posting (unless you have a reason and know you have a reason). Color casts can be subtle and many are not aware of them. It is easy to get rid of color casts using some of the modern tools (especially those in Photoshop Curves). But there are also plugins that do a fantastic job. Color casts can often be prevented just by being careful with your lighting and backgrounds. In other words be careful when shooting subjects against bright colored backgrounds that throw that color into the skin, etc.

7. Composition problems --- Try to use time proven techniques such as the "rule of thirds" to compose. Once you know these basics, then you can break the rules for effect, because you'll know why. When you crop your photo, try to crop to bring the subject of interest into one of the "rule of thirds" zones. Avoid centering the major point of interest (again --- unless you know why to break this "rule").

8. Camera Angle --- Be sure to pick the proper camera angle for your shot. If you shoot down on a scene its going to look quite different than if you shoot up on it. If shooting a person, then shooting from a low angle can sometimes emphasize certain things and as well shooting down on a person. Low camera angles on persons is often more difficult to get away with (due to things like shooting up the nostrils, etc). So try several camera angles and see which works best for expressing your vision of a scene (NOTE: #8 has been added after the fact to keep all the recommendations in one place.)

So you can be your own critic. Before you post, run down this check list and see if any of the above problems are in your photo. Sometimes you can correct in Post, but sometimes you just have to go back and shoot again.

There are other areas we can talk about, so feel free to add to this thread. Also if you don't know how to do something to correct a problem, you can often just type the key words into Google and find lots of help. But you can also ask here.

Cheers,
rfs

[RSStory]

Very good tips that we should all (regardless of experience) think of when we shoot.

I am also a Paramedic and in Michigan there are 3 levels of EMT's Basic, Specialist and paramedic. I used to have a t-shirt that said "paramedics save lives and Basic EMT's save paramedics. The point of this is that as we get more advanced and can use more tools we tend to forget the basics. This is a good reminder for all of us.

Thanks for posting this.

Scott

[Arbib]

These are, as you say, things we should be thinking about when we take a photo..And, if needed, adjust the camera before we take the photo to have as much "Right" "In-Camera". This will save us Post time later on.

I remember when I was learning the "basics" at age 14-16. My biggest problem was Background, and ground clutter (Nature stuff), that I didn't see, because I was "seeing" a finished print, not actual setting. So..I had Cig. Butts, and smaller clutter at times in the frame. I learned quickly that I had to "Open" my eyes to see the whole frame "As-Is" and clean it up, if needed.

The next thing I was doing wrong, was my Camera angle..That took longer to figure out...I still get it wrong sometimes..

You could write a tutorial on each topic easily...

[r_fredrick_smith]

Originally Posted by Arbib

The next thing I was doing wrong, was my Camera angle..That took longer to figure out...I still get it wrong sometimes..

You could write a tutorial on each topic easily...

Camera Angle should easily be #8 in the list --- So consider it added.

Some things can be dealt with later in Post, but Camera angle is a hard one usually. So it needs to be right in the camera. Composition is the other thing that often is hard to fix in post if you've placed the most important subject in the wrong place in the original composition.

Cheers,
rfs

[A.C. Gellert]

Originally Posted by r_fredrick_smith

Camera Angle should easily be #8 in the list --- So consider it added.

Some things can be dealt with later in Post, but Camera angle is a hard one usually. So it needs to be right in the camera. Composition is the other thing that often is hard to fix in post if you've placed the most important subject in the wrong place in the original composition.

Cheers,
rfs

I would go ahead and edit your post and add #8 to the list. It would make sense to keep all the tips like this together in one list.