Recently, I have been given the task of helping my grandma sort through her dresser full of photos. She could have used a good article on storage tips many years ago, but I’ll touch on that another day. As we go through the piles of photos, I keep noticing the same problems with them. Whoever was behind the camera seemed to be standing so far away! I have noticed that my grandmother still does this. She insists to get the full body shot, along with the whole tree, a few feet of grass, and whatever else she can squeeze into the frame. Unfortunately, I don’t think this will change any time soon.
For the rest of us though, one way to make our photos better is to move in closer. Fill the frame with your subject! In all the photos I have seen in my life, full body photos usually are not flattering. Obviously, this is different with posed photos and special occasions like weddings. However, for family or social gatherings, moving in close is a great idea.
An alternative for moving in close physically is using an optical or digital zoom on your camera for an up-close shot. Good photo-editing software programs will help you achieve this as well.
Okay, so what is the difference between optical zoom and digital zoom and which is better? Optical zoom uses the lens on the camera to bring your subject closer. Digital zoom uses software to digitally enlarge the subject, simulating an optical zoom. In the end, the optical zoom is better. With digital zoom, you end up with a lower quality photo because you are enlarging a portion of the image instead of getting closer to the image you are photographing. It is better to use the optical zoom on your camera to take the initial shot and enlarge with a digital zoom later to insure you have the most clarity in your photo as possible. In turn, this will lessen the chances of a fuzzy photo after enlarging.
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