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With all the different milestones we feature, it’s safe to assume there are going to be photos taken. I’ve outlined a few simple tips you can follow to take your photography skills up a notch.

Sometimes it’s easier to just say “look over here real quick” and snap a shot, but if you take the time to evaluate what it is you’re photographing, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

Get Closer
This is particularly important to think about when photographing people because facial features tend to disappear as you move further away. By moving closer you not only get a more detailed shot but you eliminate distracting background elements.

Backlighting
This is a common mistake people make. It’s important to think about where the light is coming from. If the light is coming from behind your subject your camera is going to compensate by making your subject darker.

If possible, reposition yourself or your subject so the light source is behind you instead of them. If repositioning isn’t possible be sure to turn on your flash to brighten your subject.

Backgrounds
Be sure to double-check your background before shooting. You don’t want a tree growing out of someone’s head.  It’s also a good rule of thumb to keep your backgrounds simple. A cluttered background can be distracting.

Composition and the rule of thirds
The composition of a photograph is the overall feeling or look achieved by the specific arrangement of elements involved. Good photo composition can be broken down into many parts including color, lines, angles, perspective, space, and more. As a novice photographer it’s very challenging to consider all of these aspects at once.

A quick and relatively easy way to ensure a nice composition is to follow the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds breaks an image down into thirds horizontally and vertically. If you place points of interest where the lines cross or along the lines you can easily achieve balance. Some cameras come with this feature built into your viewfinder or display screen.  If not try to visualize the lines when taking your photographs.

I hope these tips will help you in the future as you take photos of the moments you want to keep forever. Remember that you can also share your photos on xtraxtra.com to share them with the whole community!

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