TAKING GREAT SHOTS with lower-budget gear...

[Lars]

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I completely agree with this statement. There was a famous photographer (cannot remember who) that said the same, with different words. He never took pictures of "objects", being it landscapes or buildings or people. He tried to capture the light. I often try to follow this philosophy when I shoot landscapes. If the light is dull, I will probably end up deleting the image when I get home, so why bother. If the light is perfect, the images will most likely be good as well.


A second thing I try to remember is to look twice before pushing the button. In the old days when I shot with film and manual focusing (and only primes), I had to be careful not shooting pictures I didn't want. Developing cost money, and money has always been a limiting factor. Secondly, I had to check that the focus was set properly. This took me perhaps a few seconds, which usually made me adjust the composition or camera settings and the result was probably better.


To wrap it up, lighting and think twice. That is what I try to think at when trying to produce WOW shots.

[bob williams]

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1. Ditto to above.


2. Additionally, Plan the shot, Work the shotand don't ignore white balance.If you simply snap and go than that is probably what you will get and snap-shot.


3. Double check your exposure and focus on every shot when possible


4. If you can, seperate your autofocus and metering buttons and learn to use them individually---tricky at first, butyou will soon learn the benfits.


5. Practice with manual exposure settings----Its quicker and easier to adjust once you get the hang of it. When using creative modes or full auto, I often forget what settings I am using and end up blowing the shot. It is also more difficult to set exposure compensation, than it is to adjust on the fly when using manual.--For me any way.


6. Practice. If there is a particular kind of shot that you want, simulate it in your house or back yard and work it until you get the results that you arelooking for. I have gone as far as to put a stuffed animals on by back fence and take shots with different settings and different lighting until I basically got and idea of what I wanted and how to do it.


7. Don't get so involved with the technical that you forget the artistic---Compositionis key. A well composed shot that has some technical imperfections is vastly superior to a technically perfect, poorly composed shot


8. Work with things like Live view if available, mirror lock up, Exposure bracketing, exposure modes, focus modes, etc---Basically, learn your equipment.


9. Read about your craft.


I have some pretty good equipment, but if but if I don't follow some or all of these rules, my shots look like I took them with a $3 disposablecamera and I have thousands of these shots to prove it.


Just my 2 Cents worth.


Bob