Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Photo Tip: Improve these shots...

Hi Dear,

Here's your first issue of The Right Way to Travel e-letter.

Every week (on Wednesdays) we'll send you a Weekly Photo Tip like the
one below.

I've pulled this tip out of our archives for you because I think it's
an important lesson you should apply to all your picture taking
immediately. It's also one we will refer to in future issues so I
thought it'd be a good place for you to start.

Then, starting next week, you'll receive regular issues like this on a
weekly basis. And each month we announce a new photo challenge, and
you are invited to submit your photos too.

We've seen big improvements in the photos that our readers upload to
each month's photo challenge, so hopefully these weekly photo tips
will help you improve your skills as well.

Take care,

Lori Allen
Director, AWAI's Travel Division

P.S. Don't miss your latest free report, 101 Things You Can Get Paid
to Photograph: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/101things

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The Right Way to Travel
Weekly Photo Tip
Archived: January 2007
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SIMPLE, EASY-TO-USE TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS
By Shelly Perry, in Portland, OR

This month's photo challenge theme is "Paint the Town Red." And by the
looks of it, that is exactly what's happening.

Take a look at the first picture ...
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/ruleofthirds

Good composition is a key ingredient in a saleable photograph. And
The Rule of Thirds is one of the first tricks new photographers learn.

The idea is simple: When you look through your viewfinder, imagine a
tic-tac-toe grid that divides the image into thirds from top to bottom
and left to right. You want to place your subject on or close to one
of the four intersections rather than smack dab in the center. This
photo does a nice job of that, as seen in the second image...
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/ruleofthirds

Notice the three quarter grid set up on the image to the left. See how
the man is lined up perfectly on the left line? Notice, also, how this
image has strong points of interest in both the top right and bottom
right sections -- it creates an almost visible triangle that keeps the
eye of the viewer traveling in the picture (another good compositional
element). Very nicely done.

Now take a look at the next shot...

(continued below...)

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*Highly Recommended*

12 Photography "Cheat Sheets"

Ensure you'll get the best possible picture every time with our
easy-to-use, pocket-sized Photo Tip Cards. People, sports, waterfalls,
beaches, sunsets -- whatever you're shooting, just grab that card and
it'll tell you which camera settings to use, what to look for, and how
to get the best images.

These Photo Tip Cards are filled with practical, easy-to-follow advice
including which techniques work best and which to avoid.

Details here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/tip/autofr

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and see if we can't improve it using what I just talked about with the
first picture...
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/ruleofthirds

I love this shot for its perfect timing and good stop action. The only
thing I would suggest to make this a stronger image would be to take
the subject out of the center and use the Rule of Thirds. This can be
done horizontally or vertically, but in this case I think the action
of the person's body lends itself more to the vertical format.

Take a look... http://www.thephotographerslife.com/ruleofthirds

Same with this Lego shot. The Rule of Thirds can be used in all types
of photography -- from portraits to abstracts.

Take the third photo. The photographer has made good use of color,
texture, and pattern. By off-setting all that red with the black Lego,
the photographer employs a great technique we call Patterns
Interrupted.

Patterns, in general, make for very interesting photographs and great
fine art prints. But sometimes, an interruption in the patterns --
one broken picket in a picket fence or this black Lego here surrounded
by all the red -- makes your image much more unique.

That said, you could improve this image by getting in a little bit
tighter, eliminating the empty or gray spaces on the left. And you
could improve it further by taking the black Lego out of the center
and placing it on a three-quarter line.

With this shot, that works well both vertically and horizontally. I
think I'd opt to put the black Lego on the bottom third of the
horizontal. That's because it is a "stronger" color, and so, when
placed near the bottom of the frame, it gives a feeling of support or
foundation for the rest of the image.

This month, folks have submitted quite a few sunset shots for our
contest, like the last shot...
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/ruleofthirds

Sunsets must be one of those things that most people love to shoot. I
know I take my share of them. There is something so magical and
inspiring about sunsets -- like a snow flake, no two are alike and
they change by the moment.

They can be hard to resist. But with so many of us shooting sunsets,
you'll have to make a special effort to capture images that set your
sunsets apart from others. How? One way is to include "supporting
elements" that are well-placed (hint -- think about the Rule of
Thirds).

Notice in this picture how adding the silhouette of the little boy
(with his forefinger pointing right on the one-third line)
dramatically changes the dynamic interest of this sunset.

Suddenly we have human interest -- and this shot goes from being
another pretty sunset to being a lifestyle shot somebody could hang on
the wall in the family room or a stock shot that could illustrate a
variety of topics.

That's it for this week's photo tip. Keep it in mind as you're
shooting.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: You can enter our photo contest every month - for free
- and there's a chance to win the grand prize of $2,000 There's still
time to submit your entry. To do so, log on to our website at:
http://www.thephotographerslife.com and register to win.

If you're a first-time user, you'll need to register first on the
"register" link on the right side bar. Once you have a username and
password, click "Enter to Win" to upload your photo. Only one photo
per applicant will be considered. See entry site for details.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Shelly Perry from Portland, Oregon specializes in
people photography, what she calls documentary or lifestyle portraits.
She is known especially for her imaging of children. Her concern for
people is reflected both in her sense of purpose and the images she
produces. Her images have been seen all over the globe on music CD
covers, books, magazines, catalogues, websites, ad campaigns, and even
on TV. Her work has also appeared in several local exhibits and
gallery shows.

To learn more about how you can turn your pictures into cash, visit:
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/phc/autofr]

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The Right Way to Travel is a FREE newsletter from the American Writers
& Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.

This newsletter is coming to you because you are either a member of
The Ultimate Travel Writer's Program or Turn Your Pictures into Cash,
or you have opted to receive information about getting paid to travel
from the AWAI Travel Division.

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