Tip: Shooting an Oft-Photographed Scene
One of the biggest tasks I give myself when I’m shooting popular landmarks is to create a shot that is unique. Sometimes it may seem difficult to get a unique shot of such a frequently photographed spot, but with a little planning and thinking, it’s really quite easy.
Do a quick Google search for a popular subject, and you’ll see what I mean. The majority of the photos you see will all be from the same spot. For this post I’ll be using the ‘Cape Lookout Lighthouse’ as an example. In the screen capture below, you can see that the majority of the photos returned are very similar. Most are shot vertically and are close ups of the lighthouse. You’ll find the same kind of photos no matter what lighthouse you’re searching for, it’s just the way most people see them and want to remember it.
Quick and Easy Tips to Better Photos (vol. 1)
I have been wanting to work on a series of blogs with some beginner tips for quite some time. I always told myself I would do it once I had some more material, but I have decided against it for two reasons. One- it is much easier to digest information if it is given in small portions and two- I want to share some tips that are on my mind at this moment (I tend to easily forget things) while they are still fresh.
All of these tips are things that I had to over come early in my photography, and cruising around on Flickr and Facebook I see that I was not the only one who overlooked these simple steps that can make your photos 100x better. So without further ado, lets get started.
1. Straight Horizons- a very common issue I see in inexperienced photographer’s photos are that their horizons are not straight. Even if the subject of your photo is a close-up or macro, you still need to make sure the horizon (or horizontal lines) in the background are straight. It adds so much more to the photo when you pay attention to this simple composition issue. This is one thing I didn’t ever really struggle with too much. Something in my head is just geared to notice geometric things like this, which is probably why I notice it so much. It is a subtle thing that makes a huge difference.
Notice the difference in the dunes along the green line. Although the sign is the focal point of the photo, the image to the left feels like it is falling over, while the well-balanced image to the right doesn’t give the viewer that uneasy feeling.
2. Get Low- When many people shoot, they do so standing perfectly erect. To get rid of any weird distortion and to give a much more unique vantage point, simply kneel down. You would be amazed at the difference it makes. Just grab your camera, take a shot of something while standing then take a shot of the same thing from a kneeling position. Check out the difference on your viewfinder. This is something that I have really begun to embrace. You’ll find me kneeling, sitting or laying on my stomach all over the place!
Notice how much more of an imposing POV is created from simple kneeling to shoot rather than standing. This is a very easy way to set your photos apart from others’ of the same subject.
3. A Minimalistic Approach, Embrace Negative Space- One of my favorite artistic techniques is to take the ‘Rule of Thirds’ to another level by using a minimalistic approach. This works out very well when taking shots of things like monuments, buildings, clock towers etc. Use negative space (area in the scene with not much of ‘viewing value’) to add to the focal point of the image. This can be anything from patterns or clouds in the sky to pavement or even the blurred background of the image. It is fun to experiment. This is a technique I often use for poster or sign designs in which I will need an area to place text later (see Jeep photo).
If you find these tips helpful, let me know! Likewise, if you have any suggestions do the same!
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