How to take great photos – tips from an award-winning photographer

The award-winning Guardian photographer David Levene affords recommendations on methods to get a great image.

Get nearer

Be daring and get near your topic somewhat than taking pictures from afar – which will both make your topic too insignificant within the body or imply that undesirable parts creep in to your composition.

If you're super-close, then strive utilizing wide-angle lenses, which could make your pictures really feel extra dynamic. Get artistic with taking pictures angles: see how your topic seems to be from down low, or discover a excessive vantage level from which to shoot down. Take a look at different factors of view somewhat than simply accepting what you see earlier than you.

A closeup of ‘Patty’s Plum’ at the 2019 Chelsea flower show.
A closeup of ‘Patty’s Plum’ on the 2019 Chelsea flower present. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

See the sunshine

As apparent because it sounds, it's price remembering that pictures depends on mild and, typically, good-quality mild will allow you to to provide extra impactful imagery. Certain, golden hour (the interval simply after dawn or simply earlier than sundown) could be stunning however you would possibly discover extra fascinating circumstances simply earlier than dawn or after sundown, because the blue night shade mixes with the orange and yellow glows of city night-lighting.

Patagonia national park, Aysén region, Chile.
Patagonia nationwide park, Aysén area, Chile. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

Shoot on guide

If you're utilizing a standalone digital camera, see if you happen to can function it on absolutely guide, or semi-automatic, modes and experiment with totally different apertures and shutter speeds. Soften the background (in case you are comparatively near your topic) by taking pictures with a large aperture, akin to f2.8. Experiment with lengthy shutter speeds, maybe even shifting the digital camera whereas exposing your photograph, to see what sort of outcomes you will get. If you're utilizing a telephone digital camera, it's best to be capable to swap off the automated flash, and might be able to override different settings, too.

Get good glass

Put money into higher lenses to see a direct enchancment in your images. Past the “equipment” lenses which may come as customary together with your digital camera, you will see higher distinction and sharpness with fastened focal size or better-quality zoom lenses. “Quick” lenses (those who obtain a wider aperture) can even permit you to shoot extra successfully in decrease mild circumstances.

Shoot in uncooked

A car filled with apples in Azerbaijan.
A automobile stuffed with apples in Azerbaijan. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

All fashionable DSLR and mirrorless cameras (and even some smartphones) will permit you to shoot uncooked recordsdata (akin to CR2, NEF or DNG). These retain way more info than Jpegs, which compress recordsdata by discarding info and element. You will have extra reminiscence card house and exhausting drive storage however your pictures can have way more scope in the case of processing them.

Give your pics a pep

Anish Kapoor
The sculptor Anish Kapoor on the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, Italy. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

Experiment with a few of the primary adjustment instruments in programmes akin to Photoshop, Lightroom or Seize One to seek out methods to reinforce your pictures. Instruments akin to publicity, shadow element (HDR), readability and vignetting can do wonders to your images (notably if you happen to’re taking pictures in uncooked). Don’t overdo it, although.

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