Simple Tips for Better Pictures

I doubt that there are many people who haven’t taken a picture at some time during their lives. I am not a professional photographer, but I do enjoy landscape, nature and flower photography as a hobby. Like everyone else, I have taken pictures that were OK, but weren’t as good as I had hoped. First let me say that the best and final judge of your picture is YOU. If you're happy with it, then it is a good picture. Pictures are like fingerprints: all different, expressing their own story.

One area that can add tremendously to your photos is composition . This isn’t as scary as the term sounds. It simply means: How is the photo set up, and what does it contain? There are some simple things you can do that will give you some different results for your photos. The common way that pictures are taken will find the main subject centered in the photo. Now this is nice, but it is something like only eating vanilla ice cream when there are several different flavors to sample, and believe me, I know my ice cream!

First, your picture frame can be divided into 9 areas. Think of a window.



There are 9 areas in which you could place your photo subject. Each of these areas will give you a different aspect to the picture. You may have seen photo portraits where the subject is placed off center to one side. This gives the photo a much different view than if it were taken straight on.

Also, you can incorporate backgrounds into the photo. One example might be a picture of a tree with clouds and blue sky. Placing the tree toward the bottom third allows you more sky and clouds. No fancy setup, just move your subject.

Another great thing is that everything today is digital. I can remember not wanting to take a lot of pictures of the same thing. I only had so many pictures per roll and then had to wait for the film to come back from the Rexall Drugstore to see whether any of them had come out right. Not today, my friend. The sim cards can hold thousands of shots and you can delete any or store them on a computer. So exercise that “shutter finger” and shoot away. Use the window frame principal and take some with the subject elsewhere in the frame, try different angles, take several, and then pick from the best right away (sorry, Rexall).

Next you can add things to the shot. Trees, bushes, buildings, or people, for example.


The same subject, just taken from a different angle.



The following pictures used added items to change and enhance the image












The next thing that has an effect on your photos is light. The amount of light, the time of day, and the angle of light all have a bearing on the finished product. A prized plant or daylily can look totally different in varying light. What you see at noontime can look vastly different than what you see in the morning or early evening. Many people, including me, have taken flower photos from directly above at the brightest time of day. Front, side, or back lighting, along with composition (there’s that word again), can give you interesting views of the same subject. For landscape or nature shots, early morning or early evening can give you some outstanding results. Early morning along the coast of Maine often adds fog rolling in off the water. These are special opportunities for photography if you’re there with camera in hand.












When taking a shot of something, remember that unless it is a close-up of a rock, the subject or its environment is constantly changing, so take several shots, over a period of time if possible.

And speaking of flowers:












As I said, you don’t have to possess a camera that costs thousands. Every single picture here was taken with a “point and shoot” digital camera. It is simple to own and use. These cameras come with many features that you can try out when you feel adventurous. And remember: Don’t consider it a bad picture; think of it as a learning experience.

Best of luck, and I hope these few simple tips help you to better enjoy the beauty that nature has to offer.