Better Photography - Move in Closer

Photoshop is now one of the major computer programmes around. The basis of it all, however, is the photographic image.

Very often the quality of the original image can get overlooked or can be considered unimportant. We hear sentences like: "Oh that'll do - we'll fix it later in Photoshop". Perhaps it can, but starting off with a better photograph in the first place can save a lot of trouble later.

Well begun is half done.

Everyone seems to have some sort of camera now, whether it's a high-end digital camera or a basic compact or the camera within a mobile phone.

Taking a good and attractive photograph can be easier than some people think. Good photographers instinctively follow certain guidelines and principles when taking their photographs. The good image just seems to make itself.

These guidelines can be identified and implemented by anyone and with a little practise the improved images will come along.
Here is one of a series of tips that can be used to make the process of taking photographs more successful.

Move in Closely, then Closer

When photographing any subject it can be useful and effective to move in closely to the subject, then move in more closely still.

The simple act of moving in very close to the subject can greatly increase the subject's impact and can serve to attract and concentrate one's attention in a way that a more general shot cannot.

Trying to photograph the whole of a large church, for example, might not be too successful – there might be a shortage of space, which prevents you from getting back far enough, the conditions might be dull and overcast, or perhaps the building as a whole has little architectural charm. Concentrating on one carving could be visually more effective.

Similarly, any historic town will be full of detailed features, carvings, signs, lanterns and so on, which enhance the feel of the period, showing workmanship and character which might not come across so effectively in a general photograph.

A detail can tell a better story than trying to include too much. One beautiful bloom isolated from a whole flower bed can have greater impact. A general picture of birds with lots of surrounding area can be rather boring whereas a real close-up might be more interesting, and it is quite feasible to take close-ups of animals, even with standard cameras, in parks or nature reserves where the wildlife is not too wild any more and is more accustomed to people. What they really want from you is food, so go armed with some of their favourite morsels.

Focusing on a subject close-up has an added bonus. The background will be thrown out of focus which increases the emphasis on the subject itself. You won't actually notice this while looking through the viewfinder of a compact, point-and-shoot camera. This is because the viewfinder is separate from the lens, but the effect will be seen in the print.

There is an unlimited supply of material for close-up photography:

the head of a friendly cow;
a much-repaired country gate;
a sheet of plastic caught on barbed wire;
barnacles on a rock;
frost and snow on branches with berries.

With a lifetime's familiarity with the home environment, most people don't notice the everyday objects of town and country, much less would they photograph them, but every place will have a wealth of objects which are unique to that particular area.

When visiting foreign countries, suddenly we notice the different letter boxes, doors, bicycles and styles of dress. These "routine" items serve well to sum up the character of a region and become good triggers to remind us of a visit. 

A few words about framing up the camera for such close-up shots. It can happen that the final picture cuts out a little part of the subject when you are sure you included it when taking the photograph. This is due to the frame inside the viewfinder not always being an accurate representation of the area the lens will be photographing. Although this is usually a problem only with some of the cheaper cameras, when first using a new camera, it can be useful to do a little testing on a close-up. Carefully frame up a subject, such as a spread out newspaper, take a photograph of it and compare what is covered by the finished print. This will be a good guide as to how accurate the viewing frame is.

Tips

* Move in closely, then even closer

More photography tips can be found here: Photography Tips
A reminder then that better photography makes later work in Photoshop easier.
Photoshop In A Day