Just clicking the picture is not enough. Knowing the technique to click correct picture is important too. There are certain photography rules that every professional photographer swears by. These rules are found to have profound effect on final outcome of the click. Let’s try understanding what these rules are and how these impact the photographs beautifully.
- Rule of thirds
In this rule, you envision an imaginary frame while taking the shot. This frame is divided into a matrix of nine blocks. The picture is clicked in such a way that the most important elements are made to affix on the lines and the intersecting points. This rule works the best when you want to click landscapes. The horizon is made to correspond to the either of the horizontal lines and the vertical objects like trees, etc, are focused at the vertical lines. This offers a beautiful symmetry to the landscape picture.
- Give importance to lines and shapes
When you are clicking the picture comprising of triangles placed one after the other in a row, you need to adjust focus so that it fixes on the points where the lines meet. This step helps you to guide the eyes of the viewers towards the points in the picture that you actually want them to see. Similarly, while taking pictures of bridges or tunnels having a similar frame one after the other throughout the length, you focus the lens in such a way that all shapes are highlighted well. Thus, the picture comes out to be livelier and appealing.
- Understand the focus and the real main object of the picture
As a photographer, you are actually a story-teller. So, you know who the central character is. Correspondingly, you need to find yourself first what you want to capture. Once decided, you focus most portion of the light on the main object while blurring or lighting the other elements of the picture. This helps retain the interest of the viewer and they exactly know what the main subject of the picture is.
- Study background well
Always remember that background is just to add impact to the presence of the main subject. So, you certainly cannot afford allowing the background to steal the show. If nothing from the background is supportive of the photograph, it is better to keep it completely out of focus. Else, make sure that the elements of the background are not interfering with the contours of the main object. For example, any branches peeking from above the head of the person in picture will reduce it to laughable content. So, ensure that no goof-ups pertaining to background are there while taking the picture.
- Identify the symmetric objects or patterns in the shot
If there are objects placed symmetrically, choose the frame that brings out that symmetry distinctively. The main object lying at the end of a track or at the end of the road lined with trees on the side can be best accentuated when the symmetrical elements are included in the focus. Wavering the focus from the pattern can dilute the attention of the viewer and it will be difficult for them to make out what the actual main object in the picture is.
- Create depth by making use of all sides of the background
All other elements complementing each other can form the background or the premise of the picture. The single rock obstructing the view of other closely placed objects is never the main object; in fact, it takes away the message. So, have a shot that include a little bit of rock, a little bit of shore and sea and the skyline, to create a compelling and deep landscape picture. The depth can be achieved by having the front, middle and back detail and it brings a very balanced view too.
- Never cut off the appendages or limbs
This is a serious issue and has to be avoided at all cost especially when you are clicking portraits. The very sincerity of the picture is lost if an obvious element like a limb does not come into the frame completely. This can make the photographer look callous in approach.
So, gather more information by referring to professional catalogues and search the one who meets all the rules and is capable of making every picture talk.