In my previous blog I detailed some of the notes I took while sizing up some of my recent shots. My photo evaluation (which basically consisted of me looking through and studying pictures I had taken during a 6-month span) was an eye opening experience that could have been even more beneficial if I had a professional photographer examining the same shots. But, alas this was a simple self-evaluation, which yielded some helpful points.
For example:
I need to take more action shots.
This is quite different from including motion in your photos. You don’t want motion in your shots if you are photographing a still object. If there is something moving while you are trying to photograph a stationery object, don’t press the button on your camera. By action shots I am referring to subjects that should be moving, for instance, your son catching a football or your daughter on her bike. I noticed that I have quite a number of pictures of my daughter on her bike, but none of them show her actually pedaling.
I need to anticipate shutter lag.
If you have an expensive digital camera you don’t have to worry about shutter lag. If you have a moderately priced camera you know what I am referring to. Shutter lag is that frustrating period of time between the moment you press the button to take the photo and the time your camera actually snaps the shot. It can take up to a second for the shutter to take a photo, by that time the subject you were photographing could have moved or changed somehow. To avoid this from happening you have to compensate for shutter lag by anticipating what your subject is going to do and snapping the photo the second before.
I need to pan more.
If you are trying to take an action shot and you are constantly battling shutter lag you need to learn how to pan—-or move with the object. Basically, you just want to follow the subject from start to finish and snap the entire way. By doing so at least one of those shots will be a winner. You have more chance of getting a decent photo if you take more then one shot.
Related Articles:
Knowing When to Zoom and Other Photo Tips
Getting Your Kids to Smile… for the Camera
More Tips On Photographing Newborn Babies
Photography Potpourri—-NO To “Cheese” and YES to Hats
Telling A Story With Your Shots
More Common Sense Tips To Capturing A Frame-Worthy Picture
Common Sense Tips To Capturing Frame-Worthy Pictures