Quick and Dirty Tips for Taking Freelance Article Photos

If only I had known then what I know now. I really tried to learn about photography before I went on my first assignment. But my eyes glazed over at the talk of f-stops and exposures. I didn't have time to take a class, but my pictures improved enormously after I looked at some basic tips Kodak has for taking pictures - with visuals!

Check out their 10 Tips for Great Pictures.

What I've learned:

Don't Put Your Subject Smack the Middle:

This is tricky because most cameras auto focus on stuff in the middle. I have to push the button halfway to focus it, then move the subject to where I want it.

Clear out the Clutter:

Use a one color background to highlight your subject matter. Stuff get's lost if the background is too busy.

Avoid Creating New Life Forms:

Sure, we always said it about Aunt Verbena, but be careful she doesn't actually end up with a pole up her butt in the photo. Watch for objects that visually merge together in the photo and move your subject as needed.

Try Different Angles:

The same subject from another angle can look uber different. Here are two pictures I took from different angles. This is Branson's Titanic Musuem shot from both sides.

Buy a 2G memory card for your camera, and go crazy. It's always better to have more pictures to choose from.