Photography is an ever-changing game. Especially with Instagram and social media constantly changing photography trends, it can be difficult to keep up. Many photographers are self-taught, learning from online tutorials or webinars. However, there are a few cardinal rules that have been around a long time, and understanding them can change your photography game in a great way!
A little background on me: I graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Visual Communication Technology, specializing in photography and video. While at BGSU, I completed three different internships, all working with digital media. My first life-changing gig was an internship with the creative agency OC Creative in DeKalb, IL, which I did for two summers.
At OC, I learned industry skills focused on graphic design, photography, and video. This was a great opportunity to learn so much new information and hone in the skills I already had.
My second amazing experience was back in Bowling Green, with the BGSU Marketing & Communications department. I worked for a year and a half under two great industry professionals that had extensive experience in marketing photography and photojournalism, and alongside my really cool student coworker, Isaiah.
(Check out his website here: https://www.i35photography.com)
Isaiah and I learned to diligently pay attention to details when it came to our photography, since our photos were available for the entire university to see. We were given weekly critiques on our work and learned what to focus on and what not to do when it came to marketing and sports photography.
These experiences have taught me so many ways to improve my photography. I know I have a ways to go and a lot to learn, but I do feel I have learned valuable information which I'm excited to share!
1. The Importance of Cropping
A simple crop adjustment can get rid of small, ugly distractions and clean up your background. Cropping and straightening your image makes it more enjoyable to look at. Centering your subject, cropping unnecessary background items like bushes or people, and straightening your image are all basics that every photog needs to follow!
2. The Back Of The Head Rarely Makes A Good Photo
When it comes to marketing/event photography, there are going to be people in the way all the time. When you're photographing a single subject, make sure you aren't also getting the back of someone's head. Position yourself so you're going to be getting the majority of faces. No one wants the back of their balding head to be the focal point of a photo!
When it comes to sports and team celebrations, I only keep the photos that have a good percentage of faces. Hockey players especially cluster around each other after a goal, so I aim for a photo before or after the embrace so I get their faces, not a mess of helmets. If a subject is facing away from you, wait for them to turn their head to the side so you at least get a partial facial expression.
There are some occasions where the back of a head makes for a good environmental photo (see example here). But when it's an event and someone is standing in your way, just move.
3. You Don't Need A Heavy Filter To Make A Great Photo
There has been an ongoing trend, especially in landscape and sports photography, of increasing clarity to 100% to give a photo an "edgier" feeling. However, in my opinion, filters can sometimes take away from a great composition because they are too distracting. If your client wants some heavy editing then by all means go for it, but when it's your own work, consider improving your compositions and quality instead of relying on heavy editing to mask mistakes.
With that in mind, if you are a social media manager or a blogger who uses another photographer's photos for a post: ASK before applying a heavy filter. You may think your VSCO edit is super cute, but there are certain editing techniques that can take away from a photo and the creator of said photo might not want you to do that! I honestly get a little irritated and insulted when someone throws a heavy filter on a photo I already edited to my liking.
4. Learn How To Properly Expose
When I first got my camera, I (like many) set it to auto and relied on my camera to do it's thing. However it's really important to learn how to adjust your camera settings for proper exposure. For example, if you're in a dark room or outside at night, your camera will slow the shutter to allow light in. However, this will make your subjects really blurry! I personally prefer to shoot during golden hour, when it is still light outside but there won't be blown out highlights.
5. Create Dimension In Your Composition
In all art, whether it's painting, photography, or design, there should a foreground, middle ground, and background in a composition. I have a bad habit of just planting my subject in front of a cool background like an old wall, instead of using the location around me. Consider your background, where your model is standing, and then where you are going to stand. Move around a bit to try different angles, such as part of a building in the background and then another building further in the background.
If you're in a location that is sort of bland, move closer to your subject and have them move their body to give you some dimension in your lens, such as sticking out a hand, leaning forward, or extending a leg.
Pro tip: My favorite lens to use for fashion portraits is a 24-70mm, at 24mm it gives you just the right distortion to add dimension to your comp.
Jessica Whitaker has this trick of taking a piece of the background and putting it close to her lens to create a pop of color in the foreground (she explains it here).
Bonus Tip: Hold Your Camera Correctly
The easiest way to spot a rookie photog is the way they hold their camera: with their elbow out, one thumb under the lens, and the rest of their hand on top of the lens. I did this for the longest time until I graduated to using bigger lenses, and my thumb wasn't strong enough to hold it!
I learned from my boss that the proper way to hold my camera is to tuck my elbow into me and turn my hand so my wrist is facing me, and my thumb and fingers are on the sides of my lens.
Fun fact: I was able to hand hold a 300mm lens with a Canon 1D-X for 7 innings of a baseball game. I wouldn't have physically been able to do that if I wasn't holding my camera properly!
In conclusion, paying attention to little details can vastly improve your photography. I hope this will inspire you to shoot more often and improve your skills!
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