HOW TO TAKE PHOTOS LIKE A PRO

By Jim Zuckerman

For an amateur photographer, capturing a wonderful photo is as simple as point-and-shoot because of the advances in digital cameras and smartphones. Our lives and memories are defined in many respects by our photographs, and in this digital age who doesn’t have thousands of pics on their phone. Even with all the available technology, there are things you can do to improve your picturetaking skills to capture the perfect shot. Below are five fundamental suggestions to immediately put to use when taking pictures with a smartphone or a more sophisticated digital camera, like Canon, Nikon, Fuji, or Sony, to make your photos look like they were taken by a professional.

PHOTOS JIM ZUCKERMAN

Notice the background in this shot. It is complementary to the subject and completely unobtrusive. In this picture, nothing diverts our attention from the wrought iron bike.

PHOTOS JIM ZUCKERMAN

Don’t put your camera away on a cloudy day. Direct midday sunlight is harsh and often results in unattractive shadows. The diffused light from an overcast sky is ideal for most subjects.

AVOID DISTRACTING BACKGROUNDS

Before taking a shot, run your eyes around the picture frame for a moment or two and notice the background. Are there distracting elements that divert your attention from the subject? Are there other people in the background that are superfluous or visually annoying? Are there bright highlights in the background like reflections on water, chrome, or windows? All these things should be avoided when possible.

The easiest way to change the background is to ask your subject to move to another location. If that’s not feasible, change your perspective. Move closer to the subject and “fill the frame,” meaning don’t leave too much space around the main object or person, or switch to a telephoto lens to compose the shot with less of the background showing — both smartphones and cameras have these options. Another benefit of a long lens is they have a shallow depth of field, meaning the background is thrown out of focus, and distracting elements often disappear as they become blurred. Portrait mode is a great option on smartphones to create that blurred background.

CHATEAU DE CHENONCEAU, NORMANDY, FRANCE, PHOTOGRAPHED FROM A HOT AIR BALLOON.

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TAKE PICTURES WITH DIFFUSED LIGHT

You can never go wrong with a cloudy sky. Light from the sun is softened because it’s filtered by the layer of clouds, and this creates less contrast in your shots. In other words, the highlights won’t be too bright (or overexposed) and the shadows won’t be too dark (or underexposed). This is true for photographing nature, people, architecture, sports, flowers, and anything else. Soft light is complementary for pretty much all subjects.

RIGHT: WHITE RHINOS, LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK, KENYA.

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SHOOT FROM A LOWER PERSPECTIVE

This is particularly true when taking pictures of children and pets. Instead of standing at an adult height and aiming the camera downward at the shorter subject(s), kneel on one knee to shoot at eye level. Shooting low implies a more intimate relationship between the photographer and subjects, plus it also gives the subjects greater stature. This can also be applied when photographing other adults or when taking pictures of wildlife, even large animals like elephants and rhinos at the zoo or on safari in Africa, shooting from a low angle makes the subject seem larger and more impressive.

PHOTOS JIM ZUCKERMAN

Shoot from a low angle, especially when photographing children and pets. Kneel down to shoot eye to eye with shorter subjects. This creates portraits that are more intimate and compelling.

MAKE SURE THE SHUTTER SPEED IS FAST ENOOUGH TO CAPTURE SHARP IMAGES

With smartphones, the photographer has limited control over the shutter speed. The shutter opens and closes to take a picture, and the longer it’s open, the more probable images won’t be sharp. In low light environments, such as when shooting indoors or at night outside, smartphones automatically slow the shutter down to allow more light into the camera. That’s the compromise the smartphone’s camera makes to compensate for less light. Therefore, when taking pictures in these conditions on a smartphone, hold very still, push the button gently, and it’s also a good idea to hold your breath and stand steady to minimize any movement on your part that would introduce blur to the pictures. Alternatively, use a tripod and the built-in self-timer to trigger the shutter without you touching it to get that perfect photo.

When shooting with a DSLR, a digital single-lens reflex camera, or a mirrorless camera, choose the shutter speed based on the lens aperture and the ISO setting. If the shutter is too slow for a sharp picture, either raise the ISO or use a tripod.

PHOTOS JIM ZUCKERMAN

This barn in Franklin, Tennessee, is perfect for a horizontal composition. To fill the frame with just the two cows, use a vertical orientation for a completely different photo..

SHOOT BOTH HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL COMPOSITIONS

Don’t get stuck in the rut of taking your pictures the same way all the time. Some subject matter is better composed as a horizontal or landscape image, while other subjects are appropriately photographed with the camera in a vertical or portrait orientation. This will give variety to the photographs, and it’s also a good way to eliminate unwanted and uninteresting background elements. Experiment a bit, you may be pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

In low light environments, make sure your shutter speed is fast enough for sharp pictures. Either raise the ISO, use a tripod, or brace yourself and push gently on the shutter button.

JIM ZUCKERMAN has been a professional photographer for more than 50 years. His photography has been published in scores of books and magazines such as Time-Life, National Geographic Society, Outdoor Photographer, Life Magazine, Omni Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, Shutterbug, and National Wildlife. For information on upcoming tours and workshops, or to subscribe to his free monthly eMagazine, Photo Insights, featuring articles on photography and Photoshop, visit jimzuckerman.com.