ISO settings

Unlike film cameras which don’t allow you flexibility in choosing different films for different conditions. You had to finish your film before being able to get a new one to suit your new conditions. However, with digital cameras, you can choose from a variety of settings based on the situation, weather and change throughout the day after each and every picture.

Lighting

Lighting is very important when it comes to how good a picture looks in the end. We have hard light and soft light or somewhere in between. Hard light is very harsh and produces a sharp shadow, not strongly desired by many. Soft lights are more flattering and produce less of a shadow. Soft lights can often be found under a tree or any shaded areas, or areas that are lit by windows. The best light is light that comes from the rear of the photographer, striking the front or side of the subjects face. A photographer should avoid light from behind the subject. Natural light is also another great way to capture appealing and natural looking photographs. When shooting outdoor events, photographers need to make sure they avoid “raccoon eyes”. Raccoon eyes is caused when overhear light strikes the subject from above, causing unpleasant shadows on their face.

Artificial light

Even though a couple might fall in love with the beauty of the stained glass in the church they are getting married in, stained glass unfortunately does not allow natural light to fill the room. As a result, this eliminates the photographer from producing the best quality photographs he can. A church is a great example of place with little ambient light, light that exists without the photographer doing anything to enhance it. When a photographer is in need of light, he/she must refer to their camera’s build in flash. The flash of a camera is typically unflattering therefore; it may produce harsh shadows and poor quality photographs.

Composition

Composition is when a photographer effectively and neatly rearranges all the visible elements in a photograph to make them look more natural and appropriate. Your elements that are in the photograph but are not the main subject should not distract the viewer’s eye or seem more important than the primary subject. A photographer should consider the following two elements, contrast and leading lines. A viewer’s eyes are naturally attracted by areas of great contrast. Therefore, a picture with a high contrast level should be carefully evaluated to make sure that the spotlight is not being taken away from the main subject. Second, we have leading lines. Leading lines are things that draw your eye in towards the subject and can greatly enhance the composition of an image. Items that cause leading lines are pathways, fences and even walkways.

Rule of thirds

The rule of thirds is used to create flow in a photograph. Flow is the natural arrangement of elements that draw your eyes through the frame and towards the main subject. In order to achieve a photograph that abides by the rules of the rule of thirds, a photographer must imagine that the photograph is dissected by two horizontal lines and three vertical. Your main subject should then be placed in one of the points where these lines intersect. Where the lines intersect is referred to as power points, for they are the points that make the photograph look the most natural and eye pleasing. Also since we naturally read right to left, most photographers place their subjects in the power point that is located at the lower right hand site of the photograph. Centering your subject in some cases may be a mistake, however in other acceptable, centering however is appropriate when the subject is symmetrical or it’s a group shot. In these situations centering is okay for it causes a bull’s eye effect which draws the viewer’s eye right to the centre and retains their attention.

Distracting elements

Distracting elements are anything in the picture that takes away a viewer’s undivided attention off the subject. Many things that look unnatural or out of place are light switches, bathroom signs and telephone poles.

Improving composition after the shoot

Of course while in the mist of trying to capture as many pictures as possible and the stress of the shoot, being able to get 100% satisfactory pictures is just simply impossible. However, that does not mean that picture is garbage. Thanks to technology, there are many things you can do to make the picture look much better. Cropping for instance lets you improve the picture by cutting out anything that is distracting and draw your eye away from the primary focus. Retouching is another great tool that adds life to your pictures.

http://www.mgproduction.ca