My Photographic Tips

A personal collection of tips learned through the years

51 GOOD PHOTOGRAPH - HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU PHOTOGRAPH SOMETHING?

52 GOOD PHOTOGRAPH - LOOK AT ART BOOKS AND PHOTO BOOKS. COPY FIRST AND THEN CREATE YOUR OWN MASTERPIECES.

53 GOOD PHOTOGRAPH - KEEP A COPY OF THE BEST IMAGE THAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND KEEP LOOKING AT IT. GREAT MOTIVATOR TO DO YOUR OWN MASTERPIECES.

54 GOOD PHOTOGRAPH - STOPS YOU IN YOUR TRACKS AND YOU NEVER GET TIRED OF LOOKING AT IT.

55 GOOD PHOTOGRAPH - SHOOT WHAT YOU LOVE, NOT WHAT OTHERS WILL THINK IS GOOD.

56 GOOD PHOTOGRAPH - STUDY ART IF YOU WANT TO BE A GREAT PHOTOGRAPHER

57 GOOD PHOTOGRAPH - THROW AWAY YOUR BAD PICTURES, THEY WON'T GET BETTER WITH TIME.

58 GOOD PHOTOGRAPH - USE LENS SHADES FOR YOUR LENSES, KEEPS GLARE OFF THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE LENS AND WILL MAINTAIN THE CONTRAST OF THE IMAGE.

59 LENS - FISHEYE LENSES ARE FUN BUT VERY HARD TO USE BECAUSE THEY TAKE IN SO MUCH ANGLE OF VIEW. GREAT TOOL ONCE YOU MASTER IT! 15MM AND 16MM LENSES ARE MY "NORMAL" LENSES !

60 LENS - THE WIDER THE LENS, THE HARDER THE PHOTOGRAPH

61 LENS - THE LONGER THE LENS THE MORE STEADINESS IS REQUIRED

62 LIGHT - BEST LIGHTING IS 1/2 HR BEFORE SUNRISE TO ABOUT 9AM AND ABOUT 5PM TO 1/2 HR AFTER SUNSET.

63 LIGHT - LIGHT IS EVERYTHING, LOOK AT THE DIRECTION OR QUALITY OF THE LIGHT.

64 MATTING - PICK A COLOR THAT COMPLEMENTS A COLOR WITHIN THE IMAGE. DON'T LET THE MATTE, OR FRAME, DOMINATE THE IMAGE.

65 MATTING - SOMETIMES MULTIPLE MATTES WILL MAKE OR BREAK AN IMAGE.

66 MATTING - WIDTH - SMALL AS NECESSARY, SHOULD NOT OVERPOWER THE IMAGE.

67 MULTIPLE EXPOSURES - DO NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT BUT CAN BE FUN AND CAN PRODUCE VERY INTERESTING RESULTS.

68 PRACTICE - SHOOTING AT SLOW SHUTTER SPEEDS - GET GOOD AT BEING STEADY AT SLOW SHUTTER SPEEDS.

69 TECHNIQUE - 50MM - "NORMAL MAGNIFICATION", WHAT OUR EYE SEES, GENERALLY BORING.

70 TECHNIQUE - "ALMOST" SHARP IS USUALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE.

71 TECHNIQUE - ALWAYS BE READY TO CLICK THE SHUTTER (PRE-SET FOCUS AND EXPOSURE).

72 TECHNIQUE - BE ALWAYS READY - BE FAST, FLEXIBLE AND MOBILE.

73 TECHNIQUE - BE CAREFUL OF SOMEONE WHO STARTS ADVICE WITH "ALWAYS….OR NEVER..."

74 TECHNIQUE - BE CRITICAL OF YOUR OWN IMAGES, KEEP RAISING THE BAR.

75 TECHNIQUE - DO NOT KEEP YOUR CAMERA IN IT'S CASE WHEN YOU ARE OUT SHOOTING.