How to take a good photo: choice of location, pose, background, device quality, photo editing programs and photography tips

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:40

In the life of every person there are many events that you want to leave in memory for a long time. That is why we love photographing them so much. However, it often happens that our photos come out unsuccessful, and they are even embarrassing to print. In order for the photos to turn out beautiful, you need to master several important rules, the main of which are the golden ratio and composition.

Special attention should be paid to the choice of a camera (phone), but you should understand that this is just a tool in your hands. Think about why, being in the same place, people get different pictures? Photos can be so different that people from the outside may think that different places were photographed. It is clear that the matter is not only in the camera (phone), but also in the personal skills of the photographer. After all, if you know what a street shot and composition are, and also know morea couple of rules, then you can take very beautiful photos that you will not be ashamed to show to others by posting them on social networks or hanging them on the wall.

Composition

If you are thinking about how to take a good photo, then the first thing you should master is the rules of composition. Composition is the harmonious arrangement of objects in a photograph. It makes the photo look more coherent and also makes sense.

To see the composition, you need:

• choose a suitable point for the frame (look around and see how the object will look from different angles, because even a slight shift can change the photo for the better);
• choose the correct arrangement of objects in space.

It rarely happens that a photo has a good composition from the very beginning, most often the photographer needs to create it himself. Every time you take a picture, pay attention to the composition, and then, after a certain time, you will be able to feel it automatically on a subconscious level.

It's not as easy as it might seem at first glance. To increase the level of perception of the composition, you need to master several fundamental rules:

1. Separating the subject from background elements.
2. Cropping and perspective.
3. The balance of the composition of the frame.
4. Guiding lines in the frame.
5. The golden section rule.
6. Ease of composition.

Of course, these rules will not help you take a beautiful picture without a creative approach, so take them as guidelines. Below you will see a more detailed description of each of them.

Separating the subject from background elements

A photograph is a two-dimensional space, so in our perception, the foreground and background are combined together. Try to separate the background from the subject itself so that they overlap less. Pay attention to the fact that the object does not blend in color with the background. Choose a more neutral background. To avoid getting ridiculous shots like those where a palm tree grows out of a person’s head, always pay attention to those objects that are behind, and just change the angle.

Cropping and perspective

Cropping implies the choice of frame boundaries. For this purpose, you can use both objects located in the background, and those that are located in the frame itself. Cropping is very important, because it helps to give the image depth and additional focus on details. Thanks to this, the picture is more voluminous and lively. Let's say a photo of a boy running is cropped with a clearing line and side trees, so it looks more lively and voluminous. If this photo were cropped in such a way that only the boy and the line of the meadow remained on it, then it would turn out to be less interesting and "flat".

The balance of the composition of the frame

It's necessaryso that the picture is harmonious. You can balance the composition with the help of another object (in the event that the additional object will not distract from the main one), the color components of the picture, shadows or the play of light. For this rule, you need to use your creative thinking.

Guiding lines in the frame

Lines. They are always in the picture. Sometimes the lines are pronounced, an example is the road, tending into the distance, or the horizon. More often, lines create the objects themselves, located in a certain way in space, through which you can draw a conditionally straight (smooth) line or get an interesting geometric figure.

It can be used both to compose the subject of a photograph, to emphasize it, and to give harmony. A good example of a line that emphasizes and seems to point towards an object is a road leading to a building. Another example of a line that gives harmony to a photo is a directional sunbeam. Interesting photos are obtained when a line (more often a geometric figure) is used as a plot. For example, several people are put up as a figure. They often do flash mobs, in which a large number of people create a certain image.

The golden section rule

For the correct location of the object in the frame, the "golden section" rule is used. Its essence is to mentally impose a grid on the frame. The stack consists of three horizontal andvertical lines. Once you have drawn the frame visually, position the target object(s) along one of the grid lines or at grid nodes (where the lines intersect).

Example. Imagine a sailboat at sunset. If you place it right in the center, then the photo will be boring. If you apply the golden section rule, then the photo will immediately become more interesting, a view of the sunset beautifully reflected in the water will open.

Most often, a sunset located in the center will look ugly, as the photo will be visually divided into two parts, and the emphasis of the photo will also be incomprehensible.

If you are taking a picture of a static object, then take the frame not in the front, but at an angle, also leave space in the direction where the object is directed. It is important that space is felt in front of the object. If you are photographing a person, then ask him to turn halfway towards you. If you are taking a photo of a building, then frame it so that the facade is not parallel to the plane of the photo, but is at some angle.

Ease of composition

For photographing a specific object, simplicity in the composition of the frame is important. It consists in the fact that the object occupies a dominant position. That is, when looking at a photograph, a person pays attention precisely to the object. For ease of composition, you need to be guided by three rules:

1. Choose one object, as otherwise the viewer's attention will be scattered, due to which the composition may beviolated.
2. The subject must fill a large area of the frame.
3. Choose a background that is as simple as possible and does not contain distracting bright elements, thereby focusing attention on the object.

Example1. You want to capture the sunset. Then why would you include part of the bush in the picture?

Example 2. You want to rent a beautiful building. Then why would you turn on the part of the car that is in the parking lot?

Take the picture in such a way that the viewer can understand the purpose and meaning that has been put into it. Secondary parts should be brought into the frame in such a way as to complement it, and not distract from the main idea.

However, don't make the mistake of thinking that the frame's simplicity lies in the fact that it contains a single object! The essence of the simplicity of the composition is to highlight it. Thus, the viewer will pay attention first of all to the object itself, and only then to others that complement it.

There are two tricks to highlight:

1. Play with scale. Make the main object larger in relation to the secondary ones.
2. Shoot a specific subject.

Another secret is the location of the subject in the frame. Surely everyone has a photograph where he (she) stands against the background of the monument, and the position of the person is strictly in the middle of the frame. Such photographs are not interesting in the first place because it is not clear which of the objects is the main one. To figure out which photos are best to take, you should not place the object in the middle of the frame, this makes the photo boring. Trymove the subject away from the center to make the photo more lively and natural.

How to take a good photo so that the subject is located in the correct point? Here we need a look into the future. For example, if you are filming a moving subject, try to make room in front of it (in the direction of its movement).

Choosing a seat

How to take a good photo? The above rules will help you. Often people worry about where the most beautiful shot will turn out. If you are just an amateur and are thinking about where to take good photos, then do not forget that we take pictures as a keepsake, capturing the pleasant moments of our lives. So don't worry about this issue. If you see a place you want to remember, just take a photo!

Nuances and tips

The general rules listed above will help you figure out how to take good photos with your phone. This is relevant, since recently computers and cameras have been replaced by phones quite well.

In the question of how to improve the quality of a photo, various programs will help you. At the moment, there are a large number of programs and applications for processing and editing images. Rules for taking a good photo in Photoshop:

1. Darken the highlights and brighten up the shadows.
2. Use vignettes and shadows.
3. Use the clarity and sharpness settings to get an idea.
4. Use filters.

So, we briefly decided how to makegood photo quality.

However, these are not all pressing issues. If you are thinking about how to take a good photo on your avu, then give preference to those pictures where your face is clearly visible, those where you are happy and beautiful.