Mostly I learn by doing. This applies to all things in my life. I wanted to learn to edit videos on my computer? I start editing videos on my computer with a friend's hi-jacked editing program. I wanted to learn pilates? I start doing pilates with an at home DVD. I wanted to learn to take pictures? I started taking pictures with an old 1976 Cannon AE-1 (I still have that camera, it is a magical camera). I don't like reading instruction manuals and I often don't like lengthy instruction. Just put the thing in my hands and let me try!
However, with all that being said there are 5 things I learned from other photographers that have changed the way I do photography. I thought I'd pass them on to you. If you are a "learn by doing" person too, just take a quick look at these 5 points and then go out and do it yourself.
1) The Rule of Thirds
If you have ever taken a photography class you've heard this one. Use the rule of thirds. If you aren't familiar, let me fill you in. The rule of thirds simply means that you don't always have to center the subject of your picture in the middle of the frame. Picture the scene you are photographing divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically (like below). The subject of your picture should be along these lines or at a junction. This creates more interest and energy in the picture. Bottom line? Your picture will seem less plain and amateur.
However, with all that being said there are 5 things I learned from other photographers that have changed the way I do photography. I thought I'd pass them on to you. If you are a "learn by doing" person too, just take a quick look at these 5 points and then go out and do it yourself.
1) The Rule of Thirds
If you have ever taken a photography class you've heard this one. Use the rule of thirds. If you aren't familiar, let me fill you in. The rule of thirds simply means that you don't always have to center the subject of your picture in the middle of the frame. Picture the scene you are photographing divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically (like below). The subject of your picture should be along these lines or at a junction. This creates more interest and energy in the picture. Bottom line? Your picture will seem less plain and amateur.
2) Get closer. Good, now get closer
In a photography class I took when I first starting taking pictures, the instructor had us take our cameras out and place ourselves in front of the object we were going to photograph. Then he told us all to get closer. We all took tentative steps nearer our subject. Then he told us to get closer. Again we stepped forward. Again he told us to get closer. So I took a huge stride forward until I was basically all up in my subject's grill. The teacher laughed and said that was about right. While you may not want to go nose to nose with whatever you are photographing, the "get closer" rule still almost always applies. A good picture often becomes great just by getting closer!
3) Look at the edges
Many people are so focused on the cute kid, the beautiful waterfall, the whatever-whatever you are taking a picture of, that it is all they see. Later you are somewhere else looking at your stunning master piece of a photograph and someone says, "Hey! What is that?" pointing to the big trash dumpster at the edge of the picture or the flower arrangement growing out of grandma's head. So, before you snap that picture look at the edges! What is going on around the edges of your frame? Around the edges of your subject. Many a good photo can be ruined by not looking at the details.
4) Use leading lines
Not every picture needs leading lines, but they are pretty great. Anything in your picture that leads your viewer's eye to the subject is a leading line. You've seen pictures of someone walking down a winding road right? Well that road is your leading line, you follow it right to the subject. Leading lines can be all kinds of things. Look for them, use them.
5) There is strength in numbers
Another photographer once told me the most valuable and least expensive object a photographer can carry with them is film, and LOTS of it. Of course in this day and age I highly doubt you are using film. But the concept is the same. The more pictures you take the more likely you are to get a gem. Not that snapping the exact same picture ten times in a row is going to do any good for anyone. But keep taking pictures as you move around and look at things from different angles. The same photographer with the film hoarding complex told me that out of every 100 pictures he took he felt like he had one really great photograph, and dang he was way better than I was! So I figure I have to take like 1,000 pictures. Now-a-days pictures that aren't actually all that great can be made to seem great with fancy digital effects and editing. But if you want to snap that photograph that is stunning all on its lonesome, you'd better be taking a lot of photos.
Okay there are my rules or tips or what have you. Go out and try them and remember that rules are great, but they're made to be broken.
Have fun!
