Improve your photography with these 3 simple tips and tricks to

#TheShutterbug

Nothing makes me happier than to see the joy in a person’s eyes when they have that moment when something finally clicks that they have been learning. So this inspired me to write a short introductory tips and tricks for the new photographer that could also be a good refresher for the already experienced ones as well.

1. One of the first lessons I ever learned about photography (and cinematography) was the Rule of Thirds which utilizes the Golden Ratio. If you have ever noticed the grid lines on the display screen of your camera, those are the lines used for the Rule of thirds. The idea behind the Rule of thirds is that by placing your subject where the lines intersect or along the lines themself, you immediately improve your composition compared to having your subject in the center of your image by utilizing the Golden Ratio.
2. The next tip I like to recommend is play around with your aperture size. By using a wider aperture, you shrink your depth of field which blurs the background and can create that beautiful bokeh effect with lights and gives more of a professional look.
3. I remember having a professor that told me 2 really important things that drastically improved my photography and videography. First he told me to find an artist that I really enjoy seeing the work of and to mimic them to the best of my ability. The second thing he told me to do was to take 3,000 photos within a 3 month period. The idea behind this being to find someone who had experience taking aesthetically pleasing photos and putting myself in their shoes so I could understand a little bit of how they put together their shot. As for the 3,000 photos it just came down to experience and nothing teaches better than learned experience.

Have more questions? Schedule a 1-on-1 in-person photo class at the Shutterbug (1 hr for $45) online or in-store! Need to rent a camera? Give us a call for availability at (503) 639-5088.