Tips on Outdoor Photography

I still haven't had time to post most of my best photos, but I'm working on it. I'll make it a priority during the next couple weeks.

Meanwhile, a local group asked me to do a workshop on outdoor photography. Below are the tips I presented.

Composition
Keep the background simple.

Zoom in on your subject. (Don’t try to photograph a whole body, head to toe. Zoom in.)

Place the “key subject of interest” slightly off-center. (Often eyes are the key subject. Don’t put the key subject dead center in the photo.)

Try different angles/alignments (horizontal, vertical, side-view).

Light, Focus and Exposure
Take outdoor shots in the early morning or late afternoon – the magic hours.

Lock the focus and exposure (Aim the camera at your subject, centered, then push the shutter button halfway down. Hold the button halfway down while you compose the photo. Complete the shot by depressing the button all of the way, never letting it up until the shot has been taken.)

Use fill flash when shooting people outdoors.

Use contrast (shadows, colors) to add dramatic effect.

Use a tripod when shooting in low light, or when shooting close-ups.

Learn to use the controls on your camera (portrait, landscape, action, etc.)

Read your camera manual.

Organizing, Archiving Photos
Back up your photos. Remember that memory cards, computer drives and cds eventually wear out.

On-line storage and sharing may be a good option. I use Google Picasa, which is a good, free program to help organize, optimize, archive and share photos. I’m sure there are other good services.