Home Photos: How to Take Better Pictures
Justin Solomon
You're coming home from a family reunion or just finished taking candid pictures of your kids, and you are looking through your photos. The first thought that pops in your mind is "why do my pictures always look flat and boring?" Well fear no more, because here are a few tips and tricks to take even your iPhone photos to the next level!
Get on my level
When taking any picture, it is always important to structure the photo "in-camera" accordingly. When I say in-camera, I mean that it is essential that you place the subjects in the frame the way you are imagining seeing them in the finished product.
Easy, right? This is the one piece of photography that most people forget when taking pictures. For example, when you take pictures of your kids or pets, it is key to get on your subject's level. Take a look at the two photos in this example of Riley:
Above shots always distract from the subject, and do not capture the emotion and environment that is intended to be portrayed. Not getting on Riley's level also creates boredom in the photo.
Getting on your subject's level will add character and definition to any picture. Off-setting Riley also gives viewers the chance to see what is going on around her, and makes the picture complete.
Getting on her level made the photo much more enjoyable to look at, and took the composition of the photo from a standard "picture" to something that is worthy of displaying in a print on my desk!
The "Odds" ARE In Your Favor
One technique that is incredibly easy to implement in your home photography is a very simple one: using odds in your photography. What exactly do I mean by this?
Notice how the subject is positioned off-center in the photograph? If you take this picture and fold it into even thirds both "hamburger" and "hotdog" style, you will see that her face is positioned right in the crosshairs of the photo. The Rule-of-Thirds is an easy way to add definition and compose your photo.
When positioning subjects, odd numbers are easy on the eyes and draw attention to the area of the photograph that you desire. An example of this is the "Rule of Thirds". Positioning your subject offset from the center of the screen or viewfinder will provide a unique perspective that gives an artsy feel to your work.
The "Rule of Thirds" also provides an in-depth view of the environment the subject is pictured. Showing this pulls the whole theme of the photograph together to provide a great piece that can be framed for everyone to see!
Draw a line from the oats on the table, to the jar, to the dried cranberries. Do you see the triangle? Triangles create reference points for your eyes, which make it easier and more appealing for the viewer to look at a photograph.
Another great tip is to use triangles to focus on subjects. Visually seeing the "3-points" of a triangle that intersect your subjects will draw the eye to each of them, creating a great photograph that you will want to show all your friends and family.
Why does this matter?
The concept of guiding the viewer through the photograph gives them the experience that you might have had (or intended to have) in your photograph.
Three is the magic number in this photograph. 3 doors frame the photo, with the center holding the main subject. Odd numbers draw the viewer's attention to the areas you want them to look, keeping the art interesting and fun.
Finally, using an odd number of subjects in your photos will also provide viewing pleasure when displaying your art. Remember, a subject does not have to be a person or pet. It can be 2 people leaning on a tree, a child on a bench eating a lollipop, or 1 single flower. The possibilities are endless!
I hope this helps each of you in your quest to take better pictures. Whether it be with your iPhone or digital camera, you can create art that you can be proud of!
Interested in creating artwork for your home, office, or family members? Contact ShutterVibes today to schedule your session!