Copyright Scott Bourne 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Here’s the 11th installment of my fast photo tips. These are simple posts filled with several short ideas to help improve your photography. Don’t over-think it. Just try it.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #31

Cluttered photographs can confuse the viewer. While it’s tempting to make “sophisticated” images, simple often wins the day. Don’t feel like you need lots of elements to make a great picture. Most of my best-selling images offer a simple subject against a simple background.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #32

Ansel Adams used a technique that is widely-adopted now to make compelling images. Include a strong foreground image when shooting something in the distance. If the foreground is important to your landscape photo, then get down low so it’s impact can be felt by the viewer.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #33

When shooting for a stitched panorama, shoot verticals not horizontals to give your panoramic conversion software more data to work with.

_______________
This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Copyright Scott Bourne 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tips – Week 10

Here’s the tenth installment of my fast photo tips. These are simple posts filled with several short ideas to help improve your photography. Don’t over-think it. Just try it.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #28

If you are having trouble capturing fast-moving subjects, try pre-focusing on a point where you know the subject will be. Then shoot.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #29

Unless you’re shooting a pro camera body, chances are your viewfinder doesn’t show you a 100% view. Keep this in mind when composing. There may be more to the image than you can see in the viewfinder.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #30

When shooting portraits, pay particular attention to posing hands – ask your subject to keep them relaxed and fingers separated.

___
This post sponsored by X-Rite Color and the ColorChecker Passport

Copyright 2005 - All Rights Reserved

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tips – Week 9

Here’s the ninth installment of my fast photo tips. These are simple posts filled with several short ideas to help improve your photography. Don’t over-think it. Just try it.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #25

For some reason, babies always, always, always look great when
photographed in B&W. Try photographing a child with this in mind. Don’t rely on brightly colored clothing. Rely on your ability to allow the light and shadows to illuminate and define respectively.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #26

Use EXIF data. It has lots of value, including the ability to help you determine what went right and what went wrong with your photo. It’s also a good way to embed Copyright and photo ownership information.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #27

On vacation? Don’t forget to photograph the signs. Signs are
interesting, add context and can be funny subjects. If you’re making photos of the family in new places, shoot the signs to intersperse with your slide show.

___
This post sponsored by X-Rite Color and the ColorChecker Passport

Copyright Scott Bourne 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Here’s the eighth installment of my fast photo tips. These are simple posts filled with several short ideas to help improve your photography. Don’t over-think it. Just try it.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #22

Sometimes the most important tool in your photo bag is patience. Stay an extra 15 min on location to see what you’ve been missing. Spend time really waiting for the very BEST light. Don’t settle for good. Wait for great.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #23

Many point and shoot cameras are capable of full manual control. Read the manual and use these cams to the best of their ability. Spend a day shooting only with your compact camera. Be as serious as you’d be if you were shooting with your DSLR. Take your time. Compose well. Use the camera AS IF it were a top-of-the-line DSLR. I bet you’ll get better than expected results.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #24

In low light situations – use a wider aperture and a higher ISO to get the best results you can without flash.

_______________
This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Copyright Scott Bourne 2005 - All Rights Reserved

Here’s the seventh installment of my fast photo tips. These are simple posts filled with several short ideas to help improve your photography. Don’t over-think it. Just try it.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #19

Cropping is one of the easiest ways to eliminate framing mistakes. Don’t get too wrapped up in cropping ratios or how much you crop. For decades, cropping has been used “in post” to make photos appear the way the photographer intended. As long as there is enough information to render a nice final print, crop away.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #20

Backing up pics to CD or DVD? After burning the disc, don’t label it. The top of the disc, NOT the bottom, is the most fragile part! Buy gold, archival discs. I no longer use CDs myself. I use DVDs. I have been using the Verbatim 95355 4.7 GB 8X UltraLife Gold Archival Grade DVD-R, 50-Disc Spindle and really like them. They cost more but it’s worth it to me.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #21

Here’s a quick composition tip – when shooting multiple objects, try to shoot an ODD number of subjects such as 3, 5, 7, etc. rather than even. This leads to a more balanced composition. By the way my florist friends say this is the same rule they use when arranging flowers :)
_______________
This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Copyright Scott Bourne 2004 - All Rights Reserved

Here’s the sixth installment of my fast photo tips. These are simple posts filled with several short ideas to help improve your photography. Don’t over-think it. Just try it.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #16

Sometimes you just need to use manual focus. If you don’t have enough light or contrast – or simply at night in darkness, you’ll want to try manual focus. As good as auto-focus has become, it’s not perfect and in the situations where it isn’t, manual focus is the way to go.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #17

Keep your horizon level. Look for horizontal lines in the shot and frame up on them. Use a bubble level on a tripod for perfect level. Some modern cameras also offer you a custom function that displays a grid in your viewfinder or an electronic level. These work very well for straightening a horizon.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #18

If you’re photographing people in foreign lands, be respectful. Match their customs, dress, and manners. Respect their religions and dignity – ask permission before you make a photograph.
_______________
This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Copyright Scott Bourne 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Here’s the fifth installment of my fast photo tips. These are simple posts filled with several short ideas to help improve your photography. Don’t over-think it. Just try it.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #13

If you shoot video on hybrid Canon Cameras those THM files that accompany your video files can be used to view the video file in Adobe Bridge and to see ALL camera metadata! Don’t throw them away.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #14

If you can press your face against your camera when you handhold it, you can stabilize it and reduce the chance of camera shake. The more points of contact, the more stable.

Scott Bourne’s Fast Photo Tip #15

Pay attention to color in photographs. Color isn’t just visual. It can cause people to feel physical differences like warmth, joy and peace. Color can BE the subject or tell the story or draw the eye or set the mood.

_______________
This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store