Photography Tips

I have been trying to improve my photography skills and I thought I would share what  little I have learned. I can't stress how important it is to use natural light. Natural light will greatly improve your photos. I took this photo of my vintage Easter card by a window on a rare sunny day. It turned out so much better then my first attempts when the light was not as strong.

Also use some imagination when it comes to props. The first time I had a white background, and some pink and white flowers sprinkled around. Although it sounded nice it just didn't do much for the card and was boring. The second time (photo above) I used a bible to set the card on and just used the curtain for the background and it turned out much more interesting.

When shooting closeups use your timer. While manually pushing the shutter button can some times cause the camera to shake. You will get a clearer picture using the timer. Or you can use a tripod. I just find that most of the time when I am shooting indoors I don't have room for the tripod. I have been known to use a stack of books to provide the right height and flat stable surface to get a shot without going to the trouble of setting up a tripod.

The paper doily on this Easter card was sprayed with glimmer mist which just gives a shimmer of sparkle and is very hard to catch with a camera or at least with mine. I just have a digital point and shoot. I had to place it in a spot that had sunlight but not too much and I just kept turning the card to different positions until I got it right. Also I used the macro setting on my camera to get in close.

I still have lots more to learn but feel I have already improved my photos greatly just from these few small things. Sometimes it's not the big things that make all the difference but the little things.

What are some tips that you have found that improved the quality of your photos?