| LADY LUCK THERE’S A TOP RANKIN | | | | pressing the shutter down fully you're more likely |
| PRO IN US ALL | | | | to get sharper focus photos. |
| 50 Fantastic Photography Tips | | | | 24. Eyes right When shooting portraits always |
| At PhotoBox we know how important your | | | | make sure you focus on the eyes as they are |
| photos are to you. That’s why | | | | the most important part of the photo to get right. |
| we’ve put together our favourite photo | | | | 25. Learn to anticipate When photographing an |
| tips and tricks to help you become a better | | | | event learn to anticipate what’s going to |
| photographer. Forget about relying on lady luck, or | | | | happen next so you can prepare your camera |
| wasting your precious time wading through and | | | | settings and attempt to be in the right place at |
| deleting disappointing photos, we’ll help you | | | | the right time. |
| get it right first time. Making it easier to print your | | | | 26. Follow the action Experiment with capturing |
| favourite photos and share the highlights of your | | | | action shots by panning the camera and following |
| life online. | | | | the action. The aim is to get your main subject in |
| So whether you’re going to be out & | | | | sharp focus, but blur the background to emphasis |
| about photographing weddings, your kids and | | | | the movement. Slowing your shutterspeed down |
| pets, enjoying family days out, or you latest | | | | will help achieve the desired effect. |
| holiday, follow our advice for fantastic photos to | | | | 27. Fish eye fun Investing is a specialist fish eye |
| be proud of. | | | | lens for your digital SLR, which gives an interesting |
| 1. Get inspired Flick through online photo galleries; | | | | distortion to your images, is an easy way to add |
| you’ll find they’re a great source of | | | | more creativity to your photos. |
| inspiration when it comes to taking your own | | | | 28. Interesting landscapes To give your |
| photos. | | | | landscapes real depth and draw the viewer in, |
| 2. Personal photography manual Use a Photo book | | | | always include an interesting element in the |
| or Stylebook as your own personal photography | | | | foreground. This little trick helps give a sense of |
| manual. Include details on how you took the | | | | scale too. |
| photos, the settings you used, and any other | | | | 29. Good looking groups With group shots it's vital |
| handy hints. It’s a great way to learn. | | | | to see everyone and form a flattering shape. |
| 3. Off centre It’s tempting to just aim | | | | Place the tallest people not only at the back of |
| your camera directly at your subject and shoot. | | | | the group but in the centre, with shorter people |
| You can create a more dynamic feel though by | | | | either side, and you'll get a relaxed but orderly |
| placing your main subject slightly off centre. | | | | image. |
| 4. Steady support Tripods aren’t the | | | | 30. Reflective surfaces Look out for reflective |
| easiest things to carry around but they do enable | | | | surfaces in your photographs such as mirrors and |
| you to use a slow shutter speed without getting | | | | glass, as they could mean you’re |
| camera shake. | | | | accidentally included in the photograph! |
| 5. Waste of space Wasting space is widely | | | | 31. New tricks Keep trying out new tricks and |
| regarded as one of the most common crimes | | | | learning different photographic skills so your |
| committed by amateur photographers. Some | | | | photos are constantly changing and you start to |
| photos work with plenty of space around the | | | | develop your own style. |
| main subject but most have more impact close | | | | 32. Perfect patterns Look out for repeating |
| up. | | | | patterns in the objects around you as they often |
| 6. Show off the shape Interesting shapes are | | | | make for fantastic photos. |
| best shown against a plain background where | | | | 33. Rule of thirds Instantly improve your |
| there is little or nothing to distract the eye. | | | | composition by imagining an empty noughts and |
| 7. Strong lighting Strong direct light from behind | | | | crosses grid over your image, then place your |
| the camera works well with architectural photos | | | | main points of interest where the gridlines |
| but is usually very unflattering for portraiture. | | | | crossover. |
| 8. Magical monochrome Black & white images are | | | | 34. Fill the frame By moving in close on a subject |
| great for disguising clashing colours and focusing | | | | and really filling the frame, your photos will have |
| your attention on the mood of the picture instead. | | | | much more impact. |
| 9. Light ideas Experiment with different light | | | | 35. Exaggerate it It’s easy to exaggerate |
| sources such as candlelight, firelight and tungsten | | | | the size of your subject by either looking down |
| to give a different feel to your photos. | | | | on what you’re photographing or gazing up. |
| 10. Celebrity stance A trick favoured by | | | | 36. Quick work When you're taking portrait |
| celebrities is angling one shoulder slightly towards | | | | photos of people, working quickly is a good way |
| the camera, this gives an instantly more elegant | | | | of ensuring you keep everyone's interest and get |
| and slender look in photos. | | | | natural smiles. |
| 11. Low light When photographing in low light, if | | | | 37. Frame it Give your subject a natural frame |
| you don’t want to use flash, try bumping | | | | such as shooting through a doorway or window |
| up your ISO setting to 800 or 1600. | | | | that can act as a strong border to your photo. |
| 12. Group shots For large group shots it’s | | | | 38. Dappled sunlight On a bright sunny day try |
| worth getting sizeable photo enlargements printed | | | | photographing someone under the dappled light of |
| up so you can be sure of seeing everyone clearly. | | | | a shady tree to give an interesting effect. |
| 13. Learn from the pros Become a regular at | | | | 39. Dramatic backdrops Take time to find the |
| photography exhibitions, seeing others’ | | | | right location as it can make all the difference to |
| work will help give you your own ideas for | | | | the feel of a portrait photo and even alter the |
| themes and projects to try. | | | | mood entirely. |
| 14. Correct the crop Re-cropping an image before | | | | 40. Main element Think about why the photograph |
| ordering digital photo prints can make all the | | | | you're taking appeals to you, it will help you focus |
| difference between a simple snapshot and a | | | | your thoughts on how best to capture the most |
| professional looking print. | | | | important elements. |
| 15. Always carry a camera The first rule of | | | | 41. Creative cropping Try cropping a single photo |
| photography is to always carry your camera. If | | | | in a few different ways and see the difference it |
| you haven't got it with you, you won't be able to | | | | makes to your photo prints, it's a great technique |
| take that award-winning photo! Just one of the | | | | for helping you think more creatively. |
| many reasons camera phones are so popular. | | | | 42. Monochrome made easy Try converting |
| 16. On an angle Try tilting your camera at a | | | | colour photos to black & white with photo editing |
| strong angle to get a much more interesting | | | | software to give your photo album or photo |
| perspective. It will give your photos a whole new | | | | book a completely different feel. |
| look. | | | | 43. Spark your creativity Give yourself a fun |
| 17. Mirror image Seeking symmetry in your | | | | theme and see what interesting photos you can |
| photos can be very exciting. Look for interesting | | | | come up based only on this theme. |
| examples such as reflections in lakes or puddles, | | | | 44. Double take When the sun is at a right angle |
| or many modern buildings have reflective surfaces | | | | to your subject its shadow has the same |
| which are fun to play around with. | | | | proportions, so use this symmetry to create fun |
| 18. Perfect timing Think before you click! By | | | | shots that look like you're seeing double. This type |
| waiting just a few seconds for people to either | | | | of shot makes for great personalised gifts. |
| walk into or out of your shot, depending on the | | | | 45. Feeling reflective Just for the fun of it try |
| look you’re after, can make all the | | | | building up a series of self-portraits using reflective |
| difference. | | | | surfaces whenever you see them. |
| 19. Back light Back lighting is a great way to | | | | 46. Blink trick If someone tends to blink when you |
| emphasis strong shapes and gives a really artistic | | | | photograph them, ask them to close their eyes |
| feel to a photo. | | | | and only open them when you say so. |
| 20. Shed some light A reflector, or even a piece | | | | 47. Impressive panoramas Take a series of |
| of white card, is an easy way to vary the | | | | overlapping landscape shots and stitch together |
| amount of light falling onto your subject. This is | | | | with photo editing software for a really impressive |
| particularly useful for portraits and still life shots. | | | | panoramic picture. |
| 21. Deceptively spacious If you use a really wide | | | | 48. Alter the angle Get into the habit of always |
| angle lenses when shooting interiors photos the | | | | taking a few shots of each image from slightly |
| rooms will look much bigger. | | | | different angles and then editing out the best |
| 22. Avoiding flare Lens flare is a common problem | | | | ones. This will improve the overall quality of your |
| when the sun is low in the sky. Avoid it affecting | | | | photos no end. |
| your photos by using a lens hood, or simply using | | | | 49. Impressive patterns A telephoto lens can help |
| your hand to shield the sunlight. | | | | accentuate repeating patterns as it compresses |
| 23. Focus first Half-pressing the shutter down | | | | what it sees giving greater impact to the pattern. |
| actives your auto focus, by doing this before | | | | 50. |