In this digital era, one can take photos every single second. This tendency has decreased the thoughtfulness applied and preparation taken behind a photo. If you want your photos to stand out, you need to do something that most of your competitors don't do much, i.e. thinking before acting (read clicking). In this article, 3 thought-provoking questions are discussed to help you get more engaged in shooting, rather than just clicking the shutter because you like a subject or location. The habit of asking these 3 questions every time you begin your shooting will help you to improve yourself as a photographer.

3 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Clicking A Photo

What do I want to tell people through this photo?

Even the photo with the perfect settings and lighting is incomplete without a message in it. Your audience should not only be impressed with your photo but also cherish the intense idea behind it. Before clicking a photo, you should be clear to yourself why you are doing so. For example, if you are a street photographer, ask yourself before you step out, how will your audience perceive the image? Which emotion do you want to convey- positive, like humor, hope or trust, or negative, like despair, mistrust, or helplessness? Plan the story you want to tell through your photo carefully. If you are capturing a beautiful landscape, add deep meaning to it. So, be a storyteller. Do not just show your photography skills, make an impact on the viewers' minds.

Is this the best possible lighting?

Before clicking the shutter, observe the lighting conditions. If you want to highlight the textures in a black and white photo, are the shadows enough for that? Is the light too harsh to affect your photo, even minorly? Will an external source of light make your image much finer? Is the light coming from the right direction or should you change your position for improvement? All these necessary queries are related to the single question that you need to ask yourself, whether you would call the lighting condition perfect or not. The purpose of asking yourself this question is to not settle for a lighting situation that is merely 'okay' but trying to make it better in every way possible.

What will I do with the photo?

This question is of extreme importance as different answers would lead to different compositions, camera settings, and post-processing techniques. For example, if you are going to send the photo to a magazine, you would require to leave some space while framing your photo. If your photos are to be published on greetings cards, you would prefer to take snaps in portrait mode instead of landscape. If you want to add the photo to your portfolio, you can take creative liberty and experiment with the techniques. Even when you are taking photos for no particular reason, make a habit of chalking out a few possible options quickly in your mind. This habit will help you in the long run. Your photos will always be apt to the requirements.

Written By Sanga Basu, Content Writer, WPC.

In this digital era, one can take photos every single second. This tendency has decreased the thoughtfulness applied and preparation taken behind a photo. If you want your photos to stand out, you need to do something that most of your competitors don't do much, i.e. thinking before acting (read clicking). In this article, 3 thought-provoking questions are discussed to help you get more engaged in shooting, rather than just clicking the shutter because you like a subject or location. The habit of asking these 3 questions every time you begin your shooting will help you to improve yourself as a photographer.

3 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Clicking A Photo

Published by WPC Official Account on Oct'19,2021

0 | 512