Photo Tip: Creating a Message

No matter what camera you use, you can take great photos.  By learning a handful of techniques you will have tools to document your daily lives in interesting and unique images that you will actually want to print and share.  

My goal is to post a series of photo tips that you can use TODAY!  No fancy camera to buy, no filters or expensive software - just you, your camera, and your subject.  Let’s get started!

CREATE A MESSAGE

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  What do your pictures ‘say’?  If you want to transform your pictures into dynamic, interesting images, create a message.  Rather than reacting to a situation, visualize what you want to say and figure out how to capture it in a unique way.  For now, a simple message is good: Cute kid. Pretty flower. Emotion. Speed. Tell a story. 

Cute Kid/Pretty Flower:  Your subject (child, flower) should be the focus.  Eliminate anything that competes for attention.  Check your background and eliminate unwanted distraction (trash can, tree branch) by changing your perspective: find a higher vantage point, lay on your belly for a lower angle, move a little to the left/right to help isolate your subject and give extra visual interest.   

Capturing emotion:  Happy?  Zoom in to fill the frame with those excited eyes and contagious smile. Calm? Use a wider angle and show the peaceful locale. Don’t forget to rotate your camera to capture both landscape and portrait orientation. You can even tilt the camera!

Speed or Motion:  Use your camera settings to blur motion, ie: nighttime setting.  And try using this setting during the day - it’s just a slower shutter speed.  Pan as your child speeds by on his bike or skateboard.  Here’s an easier situation - try this technique on a carousel.  You and the subject (child or even a character/horse on the carousel) are stationary, but your environment is spinning.  You got it - motion! Of course lights at night or blurring water is always fun, too! Your subject should be clearly in focus and your background blurred with movement. Keep a steady hand for this technique.  Keep your arms tucked into your body for stability - like a human tripod.  This will take some practice, but it’s fun for everyone.   

Tell a Story:  Take a series of shots that tell a story - show the progression of your child learning to tie her shoes.  Follow a duck family off on an adventure waddling after mama.  Here's a sweet moment: meeting her first sand crab at the beach.  Note, there is some distraction in the background, but I think the series tells the story just the same.  Sometimes a moment happens and you capture it as it unfolds - imperfections and all - otherwise you loose your opportunity.  Don't get trapped by the 'rules' and miss the moment.

Let’s review -  6 ways to create an interesting message (or ANY photo):

      1. Choose your message (have a purpose don’t just point-and-shoot)
      2. Check your background, eliminate distraction
      3. Change your perspective, get lower/higher, move left/right
      4. Change your angle, narrow or wide angle (zoom), rotate camera
      5. Change your camera setting (learn your settings and what they will do)
      6. Take a lot of pictures - toss the bad, print the best

Lastly, give your images variety by varying where your subject appears in the frame.  Your subject doesn’t always need to be dead center (in fact it’s not visually stimulating and becomes boring).  We EXPECT the subject to be in the center, so when it’s not, our eyes begin to search for it - meandering through the image, taking in each element of the message.  This is the first step in composition - which will be the next post in this series.  I hope you come back for more!  

Also, please email me your best image with a clear, concise “message” using one, if not a few (yes you can combine techniques for an ever greater impact), of the lessons you learned in this post!

Thanks!  Have a blessed day!