| Learning how to compose your photographs can | | | | imagines six evenly spaced lines breaking the |
| mean the difference between a so-so snapshot | | | | image into nine even parts. Some cameras have |
| and a high quality picture. This article will help give | | | | a feature that lets you opt to have this tic tac |
| you some tips to improve your photo | | | | toe grid, superimposed over your image in |
| composition and take great digital pictures. | | | | preview mode. |
| Filling the Frame & Clearing Clutter | | | | Using this grid in preview mode – or your |
| There are exceptions to this as you'll see in a | | | | imagination – you can frame the composition |
| second, but generally filling the frame is one of | | | | so that the subject (whether an individual, group |
| the easiest things you can do to compose | | | | or object) is on one of the lines of the grid. And |
| interesting photographs. | | | | you don't need to line this up exactly. With a little |
| Most people make the mistake of trying to | | | | practice, using the rule of thirds will become |
| include too much in their picture and end up with a | | | | second nature. |
| boring photo where nothing really stands out. | | | | Keeping Focused |
| For example, if you are taking a picture of your | | | | Now lets talk about getting your subject focused |
| child playing on a swing, you should fill the frame | | | | without placing them dead center in the picture. |
| of you child on the swing and leave out the | | | | This technique works great for subjects that are |
| swingset and other background clutter like Uncle | | | | not moving, like people sitting down or a picture |
| Ed tending to the barbeque. | | | | of a statue or tree. Here is how you do it: |
| Otherwise your child will be lost in the clutter and | | | | 1. Using the viewfinder's focus point, move the |
| the picture won't capture the wonderful details of | | | | camera until your subject is in the middle of the |
| your child's fun flight through the air on the swing. | | | | frame, and press the shutter release button half |
| You can always go back and take a close up of | | | | way down. |
| Uncle Ed flipping the burgers. | | | | 2. Wait for the green light to glow steadily |
| A nice thing about digital cameras is that after | | | | signifying your focus is locked. |
| you take the picture you can check for clutter in | | | | 3. Keeping your finger on the shutter release |
| playback mode. By checking the picture right | | | | button so it remains pressed only half way, move |
| away, you often can retake the picture and | | | | the camera until you have the composition you |
| make it better by getting everyone smiling or | | | | want. |
| removing clutter from the background like a lamp | | | | 4. Now, hold the camera steady and press the |
| post or tree branch. | | | | shutter the rest of the way down. |
| Sometimes leaving lots of empty space in the | | | | 5. As always, wait for the green light to signal the |
| photo also works well. You might take a picture | | | | camera has captured the shot. |
| of something that fills two thirds of the photo for | | | | |
| effect. Just be sure to get a close enough shot | | | | More Composition Tips for Taking Digital Pictures |
| that your subject fills at least about a third of the | | | | (Or Film) |
| frame. So now it's time to talk about one of the | | | | Focus on something specific on your subject. With |
| most important tips for taking digital photographs. | | | | people and animals, the eyes are often the most |
| Rule of Thirds Technique | | | | expressive area so they tend to be the center of |
| Most pictures have the subject directly centered | | | | attention. |
| in the picture with a lot of empty space (or | | | | If you want your pictures to stand out, train your |
| clutter) around them. That happens because most | | | | eye to look for photo opportunities with contrast. |
| digital compact cameras with autofocus have | | | | Contrast in a picture is good when the brights are |
| center weighted focus. | | | | bright and the dark colors are dark. |
| Professionally taken photographs rarely have the | | | | Too add interest to a set of photos of a given |
| subject in the center because they use manual | | | | subject, take photos from different angles. Stand |
| focus (we'll look at a trick that digital compact | | | | on a chair or lie on the floor. Don't always take |
| users can sometimes use). If you have a DSLR | | | | your pictures from the same vantage point. |
| you can also use this trick too. | | | | Start using these tips and before long you'll be |
| The "Rule of Thirds" is one of the most popular | | | | getting all kinds of compliments on your well |
| techniques. With this method, the photographer | | | | composed pictures displayed on the wall. |