Would you like to know how the camera sees a scene before pressing the shutter? Try squinting!
By closing one eye completely and squinting with the other, you will be able to assess the contrast levels in a scene. When we view a subject with our eyes wide-open, we take in all the mid-tones in a scene, as well as the highlights and shadows. By squinting, we are able to see just the highlights and shadows, the way the camera sees it. This tip is especially helpful when shooting during the worst time of the day - midday on a sunny day.Â
The next time you are out on a photo shoot, put this to the test. You will be amazed at how helpful it is. Â
Add impact to your photographs by using dramatic lighting. The best lighting occurs during the magic hours around sunrise and sunset on sunny days, midday on overcast days and during the building or clearing of storms. Avoid shooting midday on sunny days whenever possible.
Do you have certain things you need or want to improve on photographically? For instance, you may want to learn how to take better portraits. Or maybe you want to learn how to shoot at night, or how to use one single control on your camera that has got you puzzled.
Setting up "self-assignments" is a great way to improve those skills. Make appointments with yourself to go out and practice one or two things at a time. Be sure to bring your camera manual with you!  If you are using film, you should also bring a note pad to record what you do. If shooting digital images, all the data is recorded with each image. When you critique your images, you can see what you did that worked and what didn't!
By all means, test your battery power before heading out for a photo shoot. If it's low, recharge or replace your batteries. But, don't stop there! Carry an extra battery/batteries along with you. Certain situations will drain your battery power very quickly, such as shooting in very COLD weather and previewing your digital images as your shoot.
When I am out snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, I also tape a handwarmer to my battery storage area with DUCT tape. This keeps my battery from draining so quickly. I also look at my images as I shoot, as many people do. This is both good and bad. The good is, you can delete the obvious bad images, which saves space on your memory card. The bad is, it also uses lots of battery power. If you were to be both shooting in very COLD weather and previewing your images, the chances of needing a spare battery increases.
While teaching a photo workshop recently, one of my students failed to bring a spare battery with her. I'm pretty certain she didn't check her battery power beforehand either. About 1/3 of the way into the workshop, she ran out of battery power. That was a hard lesson to learn! Â
Instead of shooting your subject at eye level, try shooting down from a bird's eye view, or shooting up from a bug's eye view. Try shooting from the moon roof of a moving car (I have only done this out in the Nevada desert), while out on a trail run, or horseback riding. Use your imagination and you will come with ideas of your own. Don't be afraid to experiment!
When in doubt, leave it out - the sky that is! When shooting a scene that includes a sky consider this. If the sky is great by all means include it, but if it's not, leave it out. By leaving the ugly sky out, you will actually add more color and impact to your photograph.
Next time you are confronted with this situation, try shooting the scene both with and without the sky and see which one you like best.
When you think you are close enough to your subject, move closer! You can get too far away from your subject without trying, but getting close enough seems to be difficult for most people. Try getting what you perceive as "too close" and you will most likely love the results. This is something I still have to work on after years of shooting!
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Many people shooting with a digital camera these days, seem to think that Photoshop will be their "saving grace" when their photos are not what they hoped for.  For best results, get it right in the camera first, then you can always tweak it later if you want to. It's far better to experiment with Photoshop to make a great photo even better, than to depend on it to turn a bad photo into a good enough photo!
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I can't stress this enough. Whenever you have a great subject in front of you, shoot several frames instead of only one or two. Shooting a few extra frames is a lot less expensive than returning to the location, especially if it's not in your own backyard.
Most people are shooting digital these days, so there is no excuse not to practice this simple tip. Here are a few things to try. Shoot your subject in both horizontal and vertical formats, use different lenses, shoot from different angles, shoot with a flash, then without, shoot a landscape with a person included, then without. The possibilities are endless. You will have a much better chance of getting at least one "keeper" if you practice this simple tip.
If you have any photo tips you would like to share, please comment. Happy shooting!
Dawn with Justice (horse) and Fiona (donkey) in rural Auburn, California. All Creatures Professional Pet Sitting www.allcreaturesauburn.net
