Photography Tips
Better Photos Are Just a Click Away
Whether you’re looking to submit photos to CW to consider for publication or just want a better-looking family photo album, keep these professionals’ tips in mind.
Susan Ley lives in Key Largo, Florida, where she focuses on animal photography, and Sharon Gatrell Meriash of Galena, Illinois specializes in macro photography (extreme close-ups) of flowers. Both accomplished professionals were recently featured in Country Woman, and they are happy to share some advice for amateurs.
Susan Ley’s Tips for Great Photos
- Read. Review your camera’s manual thoroughly.
- Relax. Before you take a picture, take some deep breaths. Look through the viewfinder and focus your mind on the present moment.
- Set the shutter speed. When photographing action, set your dial on the action icon. If you’re using a manual camera, set the shutter speed on 1/250th of a second or higher for crisp action-stopping shots.
- Move in close. For pictures with impact, fill the viewfinder with your subject. This also crops out clutter.
- Keep it simple. Concentrate on one idea. Do you want a photo of your pet or the flowers around him? Pick one.
- Avoid harsh light. Shoot during early morning or late afternoon to avoid a glaring sun.
- Know your flash range. Memorize the flash-to-subject distance range for each digital ISO (or film) you use, and stay within it.
- Anticipate movement. Pre-focus on the spot where you know the action is going to happen, holding the shutter button halfway down. That way you'll be ready to shoot when the action starts.
- Focus on the animal’s eyes. When photographing small pets, lie on the ground—weight on your elbows—with your camera propped up to your eye.
- Use props. To grab an animal’s attention, try a battery-operated toy, a bright waving cloth or a whistle.
Susan was featured in our July/Aug 05 issue. To learn more about her work, visit her Web site, www.susanleyphotography.com
Sharon Meriash’s Hints for Floral Photos
- Keep it simple. You don’t need expensive equipment to get great shots. The choices in digital cameras are amazing and affordable. Many photo labs and stores can print directly from your camera’s media card, so you don’t need a computer or printer.
- Always use a tripod or monopod. Macro photography requires the camera to be as still as possible. A sturdy tripod helps assure photo sharpness. The one-legged monopod also works well and costs less. Or brace your camera on a fence, wall or tree branch.
- Don’t wait for the sun. You’ll get your best photos when the sky is overcast or cloudy. Filtered light gives rich colors and beautiful detail that full sun can distort or wash out. If you must shoot in bright sun, use your hand or other object to shade the flower.
- Or create a diffused light box or photo tent in your garden. Set a small card table on its side, so the legs extend above and around the flower you want to shoot and the tabletop forms a backdrop. Then drape a sheer cloth or curtain over the legs, leaving one side undraped so you can shoot the flowers inside.
- Be creative. Look at the flower from all angles. Try shooting from the side or from underneath toward the sky. Imagine yourself as a bug or bee, and you’ll be amazed at how you’ll see your subject.
Sharon was featured in our June/July 2007 issue.