Best photography tips by Michael Tsoukas
1. Using the flash
Changing the flash setting often leads to more creative pictures. The majority of people their digital camera’s flash on automatic, meaning that it only is activated at night or indoor settings. Taking pictures outside may result in parts of the face casting shadows. To correct this, Michael Tsoukas suggests a technique called fill-in flash be employed – basically involving the flash to go off even though the camera things there is plenty of light. This will likely remove the shadows and yield better color range in the pictures. At nights, turning flash off but making sure the camera doesn’t move, will result in increased exposure time and some great pics of lightings, building, and nature.
2. Maximise quality of photos from the beginning
Ensure that you are taking the highest quality pictures right from the beginning, as trying to alter this later is not possible. You must set your photos to the highest possible resolution, usually labelled as LARGE, FINE or SUPERFINE. Examples of high quality photos may be seen in this Michael Tsoukas album. The more compact cameras tend to use a jpeg picture format, but other formats are actually better, including TIFF or RAW. Less information is lost with these methods.
3. Accessories count
A tripod is absolutely necessary for taking long-exposure shots, such as night time pictures, and can even be used for self-timed photos. According to Michael Tsoukas an expensive one is not necessary; any sturdy one will do. Memory cards are also vital – many are supplied with cameras but are usually too small and not useful. The larger the space on the memory card, the less worries you make have, therefore higher capacity cards are suggested. Never delete images until they are confirmed to be backed up. Lastly, a good camera pouch always protects the equipment, leading to improved shots and decreased costs.
4. Manual settings should be used
While automatic settings are great for most images, manual settings photos usually yield even better results. Full manual mode may be used; the camera may go into aperture priority vs. shutter priority to account for light differences. Shutter speeds and aperture are linked, thus a quick shutter will require a large aperture and vice versa. A large aperture will have a shallow depth of field, making it ideal for portraits as the background will not be in focus. Quick moving activities, such as speeding or racing, require a fast shutter speed to freeze the action. Michael Tsoukas says longer exposure times are required if you want to take shots of objects lit up at night – best done if you set the shutter sped to manual.
5. Shooting at the best angle
The majority of pictures are taken from eye-level because it is the easiest for a camera operator to performe. However, they are often not natural looking and may be rushed. By lowering the camera (or lowering your body) or vice versa by elevation, a more interesting picture can be taken from your own perspective. As well, Michael Tsoukas thinks that changing the camera angle, by tilting it to one side, will also create effect. Never shoot everything with a horizontally placed camera; rotating the camera will provide original frames and better fill. Finally, it is best to have a good vantage point to properly check out the scenes best angle. Note some examples from Michael Tsoukas. Take your time finding this spot as it is critical to a great photo!
Michael Tsoukas 