what SIMPLE thing can people do to make their photographs better?

[Sirius Glass]

Exclude the sky from the lightmeter's view.

 

[NedL]

say "cheese"

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. Overly complicating the technique or my equipment can make a photograph about technique or about the gear and not about the subject.

 

[frank]

Use the frame, your perspective, and focal length ckoice to exclude visual elements that distract and do not support the main idea or subject of the photo. Don't place a focus of interest of your image close to an edge of the frame. Look out for and avoid intrusions into your frame.

 

[pthornto]

Do a visual sweep of the frame before tripping the shutter. Check the edges and corners where distractions can often lurk. Corners and edges likely won't make a photo but they can sure ruin one.

 

[blockend]

1) Stand in front of interesting things, then press the shutter.
2) Don't rely on anything after 1) to get you out of a hole.

 

[macfred]

From personal experience ...

- remove lens cap (a never ending story)
- remove yellow filter when switching from b/w to color film (I actually shot a roll of Provia100F with yelllow filter ...)
- watch the ISO settings on your exposure meter (after switching from T-MAX 100 to 400TX)
- ...

 

[norphot]

Some simple things which I have found valuable:
- Do projects rather than snapshots or random street photography (street photography projects are ok). It's not a lot of work, but many times it's easier to avoid articulating the plan or purpose of your photos, even if writing a plan only takes an hour or two.
- Think about your audience, and adjust your photography to them. Is your audience the f64 club, family, dancers, musicians, this forum or others? Often I get stuck in one approach (which might please the f64 club e.g.) for every audience.
- Don't get too stuck thinking about composition, it basically just reflects the way our brain to processes visuals as harmonious or not. Lack of composition does not mean lack of communication, just less "sugarcoating".

 

[munz6869]

If you really love b&w* film, but logic suggests you should take colour film because you're going on an expensive overseas holiday... ignore the logic - you'll only wish you'd taken b&w film and you should make the pictures you love.

You can also substitute b&w film for '4x5 camera', or any other crazy thing.

Marc!

 

[Eric Rose]

1. Use a tripod
2. Close one eye when evaluating the "scene"
3. Learn to not use an exposure meter

 

[LAG]

Learn to see

 

[removed account4]

squint your eyes a little and it will drop all the mid tones out of your perception
you will see the contrast of the scene, or lack of it.
to judge light, make it a point when it is sunny 16 / actully F16
( sunny mid day cloudless bright harsh sun ) to put your hand infront of the palm of your hand
to see the shadow it makes .. hard and crisp. do the same thing at f11 and f8 &c so you can have your
own way to judge what the light is doing. knowing how to judge the light and the scene will help you make better
exposure decisions which might even be better than whatever meter you are using because it is based on your experience, not a device ..

 

[tomfrh]

Get CLOSER!

 

[KenS]

Eliminate the word "shoot" from thy photographic vocabulary.... and STOP using the word "take".... as instructed... nay... MANDATED by my mentor some 60+ years ago, when I first became interested in
learning to "MAKE" a photograph.

Ken

 

[Eric Rose]

I understand the "make" a photograph thing, heck I stress that to my students as well. However I have been subjected to many a bearded AA wannabe using the term as an affectation. That and the score/music crap. Nauseating! Just venting, carry on.

 

[removed account4]

shoot, take, make ... the main thing is to do it, not worry about what to call it.

 

[HiHoSilver]

In the darkroom, get a larger trashcan and remove the words "good enough" from your vocabulary.

For being better with a camera, take walks without one. Take the time to see unencumbered by worries about exposure/development/etc. Use your hands to frame (or carry some framing cards).

Take chances... work outside of your comfort zone (if you consider yourself a landscape specialist, shoot some portraits, and vice versa). You may not be drawn to continue the pursuit, but it will help you see your specialty in new ways).

Finally, don't worry too much about getting better. Make sure it remains fun. If it remains fun, you'll do more and (just through repetition) improve.

Re-visiting the thread - Eddie - this is very cool. The closing item (keep it fun) especially.

 

[Eric Rose]

shoot, take, make ... the main thing is to do it, not worry about what to call it.

Exactly. Personally I'm a photon wrangler

 

[HiHoSilver]

'Really glad I revisited this thread. 'Wonderful posts, all.

 

[darkosaric]

Develop and print your work.
Get close to your subject. Then get closer.
Review your old photos.

This is a good summary, I do this regularly !

 

[Helinophoto]

1. Get your technical skills down to a tee (this is where the magazines start and stop)
2. Have a great idea (concept, project, whatever)
3. Visualize it in a way that communicates the idea in a cool way
4. Photograph it

2 and 3 makes or breaks.....imo, if your photo's "suck" after this, you either failed to pre-visualize and materialize your idea properly, if it still "suck", you need to work on the concept/idea.
- You will know when you have captured your idea in a complete way, or if your concept was crap to begin with.

Most "how to make your photographs better" articles I've seen is directed towards beginners and soccer-mom and pops, useless.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Look at other art media (painting, sculpture, etc) from time to time, take notes on what it is you see that you respond to about it (shape, contrast, color, texture, whatever) and then think about how to apply that to your photography. Photography does not exist in a vacuum - it is constantly reacting to, and influencing, other art media.

 

[jtk]

If you remember the good job somebody else did, do something else.

 

[ReginaldSMith]

My advice for making better pictures.
1. Stop thinking about the camera. Cameras are the absolute least import element to securing a good photograph.
2. Learn to see in 2-D rather than the normal 3-D of human vision (photos are 2-D)
3. Do NOT apply names to what you see in the viewfinder. See only shapes, colors, lines, patterns and objects to be arranged.
4. Use your feet - the two most important photographic tools you own
5. Fill the frame with SUBJECT matter not superfluous masses
6. Learn to SUBTRACT stuff from the viewfinder. Almost always one includes way too much extraneous mass with no information in it.
7. Compose with DIAGONALS.
8. Arrange elements for higher contrast: big/small, old/new, bright/dark, yellow/blue, soft/hard, straight/curvy, and so on.
9. Never ask a subject to smile. If they want to they will, if they don't, there is a good reason.
10. Really look hard at all the edges of the viewfinder and be certain you have ONLY what is needed for the picture you envision.

 

[Cholentpot]

My advice for making better pictures.
1. Stop thinking about the camera. Cameras are the absolute least import element to securing a good photograph.
2. Learn to see in 2-D rather than the normal 3-D of human vision (photos are 2-D)
3. Do NOT apply names to what you see in the viewfinder. See only shapes, colors, lines, patterns and objects to be arranged.
4. Use your feet - the two most important photographic tools you own
5. Fill the frame with SUBJECT matter not superfluous masses
6. Learn to SUBTRACT stuff from the viewfinder. Almost always one includes way too much extraneous mass with no information in it.
7. Compose with DIAGONALS.
8. Arrange elements for higher contrast: big/small, old/new, bright/dark, yellow/blue, soft/hard, straight/curvy, and so on.
9. Never ask a subject to smile. If they want to they will, if they don't, there is a good reason.
10. Really look hard at all the edges of the viewfinder and be certain you have ONLY what is needed for the picture you envision.

#9 works sometimes. If 12 year old Susan is smiling but grandma ain't and it's a closeup headshot the photo might be unusable.