One genre of photography is different from another, and each has its own set of rules, restrictions, and methods. Many photographers think that there is no 'one for all' tip that can be used in any genre. How can the rules of portrait photography do well in sunset photography?! But fortunately, in reality, some general tips actually exist there that are applicable in any genre of photography. These are advised by expert photographers of different genres. If you follow them, it will not only enrich your photography skills but also help to fix the issues you often face. Let us see what are those common tips applicable for any genre of photography.
7 Tips Every Photographer Should Follow Irrespective Of The Genre
Shoot in RAW
New photographers often tend to ignore this tip as post-processing the photos shot in RAW seems daunting for them. After all, in this age of social media, who does not want to share photos immediately after clicking? But shooting in RAW has some prime benefits- the files store maximum possible data that is easy to adjust later. These files allow for much more control over noise reduction than any other mode. Shooting in RAW enables you to capture a dynamic range of tones. So, the chance of you coming home after shooting outdoors only to see spoilt photos with blown-out skies or dark shadows is almost nil when you shoot in RAW. Also, such processing can be done using the software in your camera.
Check the details
Before clicking, make sure the subject, setting, and lighting, are just as you want in your picture. Pause and look over every detail of your scene. For example, if you are a fashion photographer, make sure the makeup, hair, costumes, and pieces of jewelry are proper, the lighting is not creating any unwanted shadows, and there is no undesirable element showing in the background. This last-minute checking is necessary even for the most experienced photographer too. If you think something will not go well at the last moment, do not be afraid to eliminate it. The same goes for the addition of things.
Notice the edges of the frame
First of all, be careful about the edges of the photos. It is particularly applicable if your viewfinder does not cover 100% of the field of view, as you will not notice if there is any unwanted element like a pole, portion of human, animal, etc. So, in those cases, try to fill every corner of your frame- with your subject, or some well-suited elements. You should also enable the live view mode to see every detail of what your camera sees. It is advised to use some other element than the subject so that the audience gets a sense of depth.
Plan ahead
It is always expected that a photographer should be fully prepared before shooting in every aspect. You should conceive the idea in your mind, identify what settings, lighting, props, etc. you will exactly need to manifest it, and visit the location ahead if possible. Of course, such planning is not applicable in candid or street photography, but you must do it in other genres. If you are a portrait photographer, first find out the best angle of your model, and then observe which light set up is best highlighting this feature, and how it is illuminating the background.
Strive for the correct lighting
Correct lighting is probably the most important criteria for photography- much more than you probably think it is. It can make or break your photo. So, you must visualize your image first, decide what the lighting should be, stick to it and never compromise. Especially for outdoor shoots, if you find that the lighting is not right, postpone your shoot, or make some alternative arrangements to make it right. For example, the light in overcast days is good for outdoor portrait photography, whereas golden hours light is best for landscapes. When you know which is the right lighting for your photo, you must thrive for it.
Underexpose is better than overexpose
Exposure often gives a headache to photographers. It is advised that whenever they are confused about the exposure of the scene, they should go for underexposing and not overexposing. It is because the overexposed images are a total waste, whereas some details of underexposed images can be retrieved later. And as you know- half a loaf is better than no bread! Keep in mind that underexposing will increase the noise in your image which may make it grainy. But you can always deal with that later, and fix it to some extent.
Play with the ISO
While most photographers are afraid to increase the ISO and like to keep the same ISO for most of the shoots, you can get some benefits by increasing it. Though it increases the noise in your photo, it helps you to click sharp images in low light. It is of course better than not increasing the ISO to avoid noise and end up clicking blurred images that are of no use. Low light conditions and faster shutter speeds demand a high ISO in most cases. In DSLRs, ISO can be increased to 1600 and 3200, without or with a little noise. If you do not have a DSLR, you can lower the noise later provided you shoot in RAW.
Try to implement these 8 tips in your photography and see the difference!
Written By Sanga Basu, Content Writer, WPC.
