When one pursues photography, one often has to sacrifice one’s vision to cater to what’s in and trending to make a livelihood. Moreover, many photographers are now directly competing with content creators, especially since social media is leveraging short-form videos to get more reach or views. In such scenarios, one finds themselves at odds about their practice and, sometimes, may lose their direction as well. Here are five photography tips that will help you get back on track, especially if you have just begun your artistic journey.
Tip #1: Show The World Images That They Haven’t Seen Before
This means that while one is photographing subjects that others have shot before them, one must utilize a new perspective to make that image distinct. For instance, most people have photographed the Grand Canyon and its texture. The question is how you will utilize your vision to make your image stand out. Will you have a distinct composition, or will you play with light? In the end, the image has to be your own, in whatever way you can achieve that.
Tip #2: Don’t Shoot Like Everyone Else
Continuing from what we mentioned above, if you were to see yourself composing a shot that looks like an image you had seen in the past, change it. This means you can shoot the same thing from different levels. For instance, people don’t shoot from lower angles as much or create complexity with layers. So, the best way would be to utilize different points of view to make a picture different. An example of this is Tina Modotti’s image ‘Worker’s Hands’, which showcases the challenges of blue-collar workers by simply depicting their hands. Who would have thought something as simple as hands can tell a layered story.
Tip #3: All the Elements in Your Frame are Your Own
A cropped body or missing legs are some common errors one makes while photographing a scene. So one of the tips had to be about that. This is even more common when shooting in fast-paced environments. Generative fill is certainly something people rely on, but why would you want to do that for your work? Instead of becoming a photographer in post-production, gain discipline in framing the elements in your image. Some of the biggest photographers in the world do that, from Henri Cartier Bresson to Ansel Adams to Dorothea Lange. Observe. Wait. And when the scene unfolds, press the shutter.
Tip #4: Important Rules You Must Not Forget
These three tips are significant if you wish to excel:
- Learn about the Inverse Square Law, which can help you understand the use of light in your images. For instance, you can learn how to use harsh or soft light based on this formula, which can highlight the subject of your image.
- The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, which is yet another law that can help you avoid harsh reflections in your images. The angle of incidence talks about the degree of light, while the angle of reflection showcases where the bounces off. This can be useful in commercial photography, such as jewelry photography.
- The Sunny 16 is another rule that can help one understand exposure in various scenes and scenarios. While lighting meters are helpful, this rule can gauge light better without one.
Tip #5: Just Take That Image
Often, we wonder if an image is really that good or whether it is artistic enough for that project. Instead of wondering on the spot and censoring yourself, just shoot that picture. Don’t let fear or confusion get a hold of you, or think about whether that image will be liked by your peers. It’s you who will, in the end, make the decision to publish it or not. It just may so happen that you happen to like it months or years later down the line.
These tips are a few rules that can push your journey on the right track. So, keep observing and learning to reach where you wish to be.
