Careful focusing is extremely important when trying to capture the perfect picture, especially when working with SLR cameras that allow you to adjust the aperture and customize the depth of field. Paying close attention to exactly what is and what is not in focus can mean the difference between a great picture and a disappointment.
Keep your background as simple as possible. By having a simple background, it will help to enhance your subject in the photograph. Busy backgrounds will distract the viewer's attention. You can also blur the background with a wide aperture to focus on your subject only. Either one of these techniques will help your subject to stand out in the picture.
To make your subject stand out from the background, choose a wider aperture before taking the shot. Larger apertures lower the depth of field in the image, which decreases the amount of objects in front of and behind your subject that are in focus. A very large aperture can lower the depth of field enough to make everything outside of your subject soft and blurry.
Play with the idea of depth of field and aperture. Most photograph place their object in the center of their composition and have their background look blurry. Reverse this convention and blur your object to focus on your background. You can also play with the placement of your object in the picture.
Play with the aperture settings. Take a number of photos of the same subject with different settings to see how it affects the look of the final photo. Bigger f-stops allow you to get an entire landscape in focus, while a smaller f-stop will draw attention only to the center of your frame.
When photographing portraits, isolate your subject. Use a medium telephoto lens or the medium telephoto setting on your zoom. That, combined with a large aperture (try f/4 or larger), blurs the foreground and background. Focus on the eyes. Use diffused lighting for a flattering look. If outdoors, wait for an overcast sky or shoot with the subject in the shadows and the sun at your back.
Learn the apertures of the camera and understand how they are used. The aperture varies the amount of light allowed to travel through the lens which expands and contracts to allow this light to pass through. The more light that is allowed to travel through the lens, more objects in the photo will be in focus. The less light allowed through, the focus will shift to only focusing on objects in the foreground.
If you are going to be taking pictures in low lighting areas, you may want to consider lowering the camera's f/stop (aperture) setting. This will allow the aperture to open to its widest setting, which in turn, allows the most light available to pass through the lens and the shutter as well.
Learn how to use aperture on your camera. It indicates how much of the stuff that is seen in your view finder will be in focus. Low aperture means that only the foreground will be in focus and the background will be more blurred. High aperture means that everything will equally be in focus.
It's time for your tripod. Take it out of the closet and find the cable release. Still have those neutral density filters? Get them too. You're going for a night shoot at the school fair. You have arrived. See the pretty colored lighting at the booths and rides? You will photograph the Ferris wheel, exposing not for the overall scene but for the lights. Place the camera on the tripod and attach the cable release. Set the ISO low, at 100 or if possible, lower. Use a shutter speed of maybe fifteen seconds. Set the aperture at f/16 or smaller if your camera can do it this will make pinpoint lights look like stars. Take some test exposures and make adjustments, and use your neutral density filters if necessary. You have a finished product! Thanks to the tripod, everything is sharp except for the ghostly images of fair goers moving about, and the turning Ferris wheel appears as a circular streak of gorgeous colors. The lights at the booths shine like stars.
Since you now have a handful of great tips under your belt, you should be on the road to understanding photography and you should find yourself taking higher quality photographs the more you follow the tips given. Practice these techniques and put your own, unique stamp on them so that your photographs express your personality and point of view.
Author Resource:
Photography is an art form that turns life into memories. Using film, lighting, and shadow, photographers capture any moment perfectly. Anyone can practice photography with the right information. There is a lot of information to be had and you need to know how to apply it. Visit my Photography Website and you should find that the many helpful hints will help to get you on the right path if that is indeed your goal.
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