Posting Thirty
Making Good Pictures into Great Images – Pt. I


Good pictures are made by combining photographic parts to make a harmonious whole. This means great images are not quick snapshots but well thought out placements of various elements.

Well Posed Leaf

One can start with the way the camera is held. Horizontal shots are good for landscapes as they convey a sense of serenity. It is essential to keep the horizon line level but not in the middle of your frame. If you want to add depth to your scenic try incorporating a foreground, middle, and a backdrop – layer your image. A smaller f/stop (f/16,f/22, etc.) will help with your depth of field. You will probably want to use a tripod to ensure little or no movement with the smaller f/stops.

Pisa Villa

Shooting vertically usually meant taller subjects or portraits but it’s not a hard fast rule, so feel free to break it! This orientation conveys a sense of height and strength. Trees, tall buildings, or flowers can be enhanced shooting vertically. With a flower, keep the blossom above the middle of the frame with the stem off at an angle. Shooting digitally, we have the luxury of capturing an image in both orientations.

Volta Light

Article reprinted from the Lens Tissue