Six Easy Steps To Taking Better Pictures

In photography, there are two basic kinds of “stuff:” “thinking stuff”--the way you take your photographs (planning, composing, and shooting); and, “gear stuff” (cameras, lenses, and accessories). While either kind of stuff can improve the quality of your images, most people like to think that new gear stuff will be the magic bullet that turns ho-hum snapshots into exhibition art. You know the kind of rationale I'm talking about: "Get the latest and highest-megapixel camera or scanner, and you'll get better pictures." That reasoning may help if you have antiquated or malfunctioning equipment, but new gear won't fix how you take photographs.

I spent some time figuring out the "thinking" stuff and came up with a list of techniques to improve my own work. I suspect that you'll find one or more of these techniques useful for your photography.

1. Stop making the same stupid mistakes. I spent a reflective afternoon sorting through my image archives. Patterns emerged. Whether a result of time pressure or old habits, I found that my lousy shots were all lousy in the same old, tiresome ways. Granted, there is a lot to remember before pressing the shutter release button, but, I finally had to ask myself how many ways could I find to mess up what should have been a good photo?

For example, one pattern was to take too many of the obvious shots without exploring alternatives that could give the image more impact and interest to the images. Other patterns I noticed included:

• Mixed-lighting scenes and scenes with a high dynamic range (extreme lighting with very dark and very light areas in the scene that are beyond the ability of some cameras to handle).
• Pushing the limit on hand-holding the camera at slower shutter speeds.
• Not framing the scene tightly and losing too much of the image to after-the-fact cropping.

Find & implement solutions. First, I committed to using WhiBal Reference cards consistently to solve problems such as mixed lighting. And I am getting good results compositing bracketed RAW images for high dynamic range scenes. I also made a list of my problem patterns on an index card, and then I put the index card on top of my camera bag. I knew that having this card hanging around would irritate me. And further, by having it on top of the bag, I would have to handle it—and read it—before I began shooting. I was right. It irritated me, but it served its purpose as a reminder to change my slovenly ways.

2. Compare & learn. The next afternoon I went through a stack of magazines, books, and brochures that I'd been collecting. I found pictures like the kind of shots I most often take, and then tore out the pictures or flagged them. Then I got out my photo archive and matched up pictures by category. For example, I stacked my nature shots alongside nature shots that I admire, placed my still-life images next to still-life images that I admire, and so on. Then I compared them side by side. I found that most often, I had not waited for the best light. On others, I could have easily improved the framing or camera position. And, most telling, I realized that I often got the "documentary" shot, but not the more studied shot that conveyed how I 'felt' about the scene or subject.

Every photographer who has more than a year of shooting under his or her belt knows that the most important skill that a photographer can bring to the image is his or her “feeling” and interpretation of the subject—that is what gives an image its impact and staying power. It is the literal “soul” of the image. And without it, images become quickly forgettable. Sure, the technical aspects of photography are important. But the technical aspects have to become second nature—only then can the photographer fully focus on expressing the subject.

Get out of the rut. The goal of this exercise was to determine ways in which I can improve my approach to specific types of photographs. I studied the differences between the shots I'd collected and my shots, and I looked specifically for variations that would give my photos more creative punch without mimicking another photographer’s style and approach. For each category of shots, I made an initial list of impressions and ideas. I waited a couple of days, and then revised the list of ideas. The waiting time was enough to allow ideas to incubate so that I could refine the ideas and put my personal spin on them.

I chose one of the categories and experimented with the approach I envisioned. In some cases, I quickly realized that I needed to do more research and experimentation. In other cases, the new approaches worked well. And through the experimentation, I re-reminded myself how important it is to break out of the same old rut and try new approaches. I already knew that, but I needed to be reminded.

3. Get to know the subject first. When possible, the best shots are made after taking time to get to know the subject, whether it is a location or a person. The idea of waiting to shoot is something I've known is important, but that I haven't practiced regularly, as was clear in some of my photos. To break my pattern of taking quick, obvious shots, I went to Pike Place Market in Seattle one morning. Although I had the camera ready, I forced myself to walk around and sit in various areas of the market and watch the activity. I chatted with market vendors, drank coffee, and watched some more. By lunchtime, I had a sense of the market activity and flow, not to mention that, to my delight, the light had changed from dull gray to moderately sunny. As I learned more about the scene or subject, waiting to shoot gave me a clear sense of where and what the best pictures were. During the getting-to-know-you time that morning, I made new acquaintances that were willing to let me shoot from vantage points that I wouldn't have had access to otherwise. Furthermore, I found that while I took the same number of pictures, I concentrated on fewer locations, and I got better results.I've subsequently applied this approach to people photography as well. Before a portrait session, I call the subject and spend some time chatting about their interests and ideas. By the time the subject arrives for the portrait session, we are no longer strangers. And the immediacy of digital photography extends the interaction. With a digital camera, I can show the images to clients immediately. And when they see the images, they can better articulate what they want. From there, it becomes a productive and creative collaboration.

4. Learn to shoot instinctively. Although this seems to contradict the previous suggestion, it is the complementary side of "getting to know the subject." In many scenes, there are shots that you see in an instant from the corner of your eye or over your shoulder as you walk away. These opportunistic shots demand no-hesitation shooting. Quick, instinctive shooting doesn't come naturally to me. To capture the spontaneous moments, so I had to teach myself to literally point and shoot, and, in doing so, to trust my instinctive eye for composition. Of course, to get good results with instinctive shooting, it's vital to know the camera controls inside and out, and backward and forward.

5. Be your own toughest critic. As I reviewed my photos, I would look at a picture and instantly know how I would shoot the image differently. I most often decided that if I had a 'do-over,' I'd refine the composition or focus on more specific aspects of the scene or subject. I also realized that time, experience, and an evolving personal style all factor into my evaluation of how I'd reshoot the picture.Since the time that I went through these exercises, I've added other techniques to freshen my approach. I visit art galleries at least once a week. I've begun collecting art books that range from classic masterpiece collections to rising stars in the art world. Both the gallery visits and the books are a continuing source of inspiration.I've also started going back to favorite subjects and scenes. If the subject was worth shooting the first time, chances are good that it's worth shooting again--from a new perspective, from a different angle or vantage point, or in different light or season. But most important, the more often you go back and reshoot, the more you familiar you are with the subject, and the better the images are.

6. Get a second opinion. Regularly sharing photos and exchanging critiques helps you see your images through their eyes and to look at your images more objectively. In addition, friends, coworkers, and family--anyone with an eye for design, composition, and style--can give you valuable feedback. Even untrained friends and family will see elements in your photos that you may not have noticed. Almost all feedback provides valuable insight and ideas. Of course, you have to decide whether or not to take the advice. And you have to stay true to your vision of your work. The interchange may sound complicated, but, in time, everything falls into place naturally. Another great way to improve your photography skills is by attending any of the great workshops that are offered throughout the world. The workshops provide you with insights on your work provided by expert photographers, an opportunity to exchange ideas with other photographers, and tips to help you improve your shooting and image-processing skills.Certainly it takes both the "thinking" stuff and the gear stuff to get great pictures. But I know first-hand that the time spent in personal evaluation pays great dividends.

You stay classy,

~CH