Recommendations for creating frame composition. Photographing people. Rules for portrait photography Rules for good photography of a person

Any person, as a rule, begins his acquaintance with the world of photography by photographing his friends or relatives. However, he soon realizes that to create a masterful photo portrait, it is not enough just to point the camera at the subject and take a few shots. Creating interesting, artistic shots of people requires considerable experience in order to correctly assess the lighting, background, setting, build relationships with the model and choose the right pose for shooting. When photographing people, the photographer has to carefully consider every detail. Only in this way can you get not just a photograph, but a certain image that most accurately conveys character traits person.

Relationship between model and photographer

Photographing people requires, first of all, the choice of a model for photographing. The appearance of a person or the proportions of a figure do not always play a key role in choosing a model for shooting. First of all, a person must hook something, interest the photographer himself, so that he wants to capture this image that has arisen instantly in his head in the picture. When choosing a model for shooting, there can be no rules or strict recommendations, everything is limited by the interest and inner feelings of the photographer. But for professional master the ability to select people for shooting is one of those essential qualities that he must possess in order to achieve the final result he conceived in the form of artistic photography.

Perhaps one of the main difficulties in photographing people is to establish a psychological contact between the photographer and the person he is going to shoot. Often, the model simply cannot relax in front of the camera, the person looks constrained and pinched, which has the most negative effect on the quality of photographs. The preparatory process for artistic shooting can take a photographer a long time, and during this period the model often manages to strain to such an extent that she has a stressful state and even real jitters. As a result, a strong pallor appears on the person’s face, breathing becomes rapid, and the forehead is covered with perspiration.

In such a situation, it is very difficult for a model in front of the camera to relax and behave as naturally as possible. This is where the real skill and talent of the photographer is manifested. Its purpose is to help a person open up in front of the camera lens. In this regard, the work of a professional photographer is akin to the art of a psychologist, when in a matter of minutes of a conversation or a friendly conversation with a photographer, a person suddenly forgets his fears and ceases to seem unattractive to himself.

The basis of mutual understanding between the photographer and the model is laid already at the stage of meeting and establishing relationships. At the first meeting of a photographer with an unfamiliar model, it is recommended to be cheerful and cheerful, it is advisable to smile sincerely and show more participation to the person. You can strike up a casual conversation with the model, recalling funny incidents from your life.

After meeting and establishing the first contact, it would be good for the photographer to discuss together with the model the task facing them and the fundamental issues regarding the creation and disclosure of a certain image in photographs. Before starting work, you need to explain to the model that she should relax, try to look as natural as possible in the frame and not be squeezed. In the case of jitters and rapid breathing, you can advise a person to simple breathing exercises - six seconds for inhalation, exhalation and pauses between them. At the beginning of the shooting, the photographer can let the model know that he will first take test shots to set up the camera and equipment. At this point, people usually relax and act more at ease in front of the camera.

In fact, almost every professional photographer has their own tricks on how to restore the psychological balance of the model in front of the camera and make it look more natural and relaxed. For example, to liberate the model and establish friendly relations with her, the photographer can have long conversations about life over a cup of tea or coffee. Some prefer to leave the model alone in the studio for a while before filming to give her a chance to settle in. Some photographers try to dump a wide variety of information on the head of the model during the shooting, talking tirelessly. Between these conversations and the avalanche of words, they insert short commands, which the model usually executes without question.

Others try to invent for the model some fantastic situation or fabulous place in which it is supposed to be. Realizing that the model is imbued with this fabulous story, the photographer proceeds to shoot. Of course, you should not discount the most unpretentious and simple way to relieve stress and stiffness - alcoholic beverages. In a word, the photographer can use a wide variety of techniques to establish contact with the model and relieve psychological stress. The main thing is that they should be effective and ensure that the model will behave during the shooting as relaxed and calm as possible.

Choose a pose

People who find themselves in front of the camera lens for the first time, as a rule, simply do not know how to properly present themselves in order to get beautiful photos. Here, the photographer is also required to choose the most expressive poses for photography, in which a person would feel comfortable and attractive. It's quite common for aspiring models to push themselves too hard while doing some really weird things with their arms and legs.

An expressive pose should not only present the person in the photograph from the most attractive side, it should also correspond to the internal state of the model at the moment. This is necessary to create a complete, interesting image. The main requirement for artistic photography of a person is a straight posture. Even with a slight tilt of the body, the back of the model should remain straight. The position of the body of the model during the shooting should look as natural and free as possible. The basis of any pose is the position of the legs: the nature of the picture and the image of the model will largely depend on where the socks will be turned. For example, socks turned directly to the lens with the transfer of body weight to the foot closest to the camera will make the person's pose defiant and more aggressive.

In order to emphasize the dignity of the model's figure, they usually shoot in full height. In this situation, the classic pose for the model is considered to be the following: the hips are turned away from the camera, the body is rotated at an angle of 45 degrees, the far leg is turned perpendicular to the camera, the weight of the body is transferred to it, and the near leg looks into the camera with its toe. A sitting pose is best for a shot of the model's face and shoulders. At the same time, the shoulders should be lowered and relaxed, and the face should be turned at an angle to the camera to create a sense of intrigue and mystery in the viewer. Professional models are well aware that a certain amount of asymmetry must be present during posing. For example, if one arm is straight, then the other should be bent. This helps to convey a feeling of relaxation and naturalness of the model in the photo. In turn, the head, tilted to the lowered shoulder, allows the model to express a sense of dignity and superiority.

When choosing a suitable pose, you should pay attention to the hands of the model. The hands of a person during the shooting should not be tense, they should be in a natural state. It should be avoided that in the photograph the person’s arms are lowered along the body, and the hands are straightened. In addition, models should not point their palms at the camera lens or clench their fingers into a fist. It is best if the hands are located near the face, but you can think of other uses for them. In particular, slightly relaxed hands resting on a surface.

It should be noted that often during photography there are certain problems with poses that may appear, or may not be too noticeable in the photo. For example, hunched shoulders are a common problem for both men and women. To straighten your back and open up a person’s chest, you can ask him to lean his shoulders against the wall while shooting. Other posture problems are often solved with lighting or finding a better angle to shoot.

The process of photographing people

When photographing a person, pay close attention to the following points:

— Angle

You should not always photograph people in full growth. You can find more interesting angles, for example, close-ups - waist-deep, chest-deep, or just the face or eyes of the model. Full-length shots are mainly used for portfolios to give an idea of ​​the body type and body proportions of the model. It is always best to photograph people at eye level so that the person's face looks natural and proportionate.

You can also shoot a few centimeters above the eyes of the model so that the body and head of the model remain visible at the desired angle. A high vantage point is preferred when photographing overweight people to make them feel light and slender in the photograph. In turn, a low shooting point can be useful in order to visually increase the height of a person.

When photographing people, you should not get very close to the subject, as this can cause the camera lens to distort the proportions of the face. Instead, it is recommended to use magnification. The optimal shooting distance is usually 2.5 - 3 meters. Shooting from a greater distance is fraught with visual distortion of the model's face and loss of communication between the subject and the photographer. Experiment with different shooting angles to create a more attractive and interesting image of the model.

- Location of the face in the frame

The ideal position of the face in the frame is considered to be that obeys the rule of thirds: the person's eyes should be somewhere in the upper third of the photo, and the distance from the eyes to the side edges of the picture should also be about one third of the entire picture. However, sometimes placing the eyes right in the center of the picture is the best option.

In any case, you need to understand that the eyes of a person are the semantic center of the frame. When a viewer views a portrait photograph, they expect to see the eyes of the person in it, so they should always look sharp, whether the model is looking directly into the camera lens or away from it. In this regard, when pointing the camera lens at a person, it is better to focus on his eyes. Even if all other facial features - nose, lips, ears - will be a little blurry.

In order to optimally position a person's face in a photograph, it is necessary to correctly correlate the size of the subject in the frame and, in particular, to refuse to use an incomplete frame with free space on the sides of the subject.

- Aperture

Using a small or large aperture when shooting a person depends on what the photographer wants to get in the final result. If he wants to focus all the attention of the viewer on the face of a person or his figure, then you can use a small aperture to blur the background. If the background in the photo should also play a significant role, then it is worth choosing a larger aperture in order to keep both the background and the face of the model clear in the picture.

– Lighting

Lighting plays a huge role in creating a certain mood of the picture and revealing the image of the model. Shooting outdoors under bright, harsh light is definitely not the best option. Such light produces thick, hard shadows that look unattractive in any photograph. If the model is shot in natural light, then it is advisable to choose the time of sunset and dawn, or take pictures in cloudy weather, when there is even, soft lighting. But if you still have to shoot in cloudless sunny weather, then you should take the model into the shade, for example, under large sprawling trees. When shooting on the beach on a sunny day, try to keep the sun on the side of the model. This will most successfully illuminate the model and all the advantages of her figure.

For a high-quality portrait shot, it is still better to use the possibilities of artificial lighting in the studio. Thanks to various lighting devices, it is possible to create not only a general soft, diffused light, but also to focus the viewer's attention on individual details of the image with light. At the same time, natural lighting can also be used, for example, the light from a window, which will evenly illuminate a person’s face, smoothing out, in particular, some skin imperfections.

Photographing people is an art. To comprehend the basics of the skill of photographing people is possible only through your own trial and error. To create an interesting, memorable image of a person in a photograph, you will have to take into account many little things and nuances that may seem insignificant only at first glance.

So, we have a camera viewfinder and a rectangular plane of the frame in which we can position the person being portrayed.

Where to place it? In the center?

Or maybe there are some special areas in the frame where the model should be placed?

Maybe there are so-called "nodes of attention", which involuntarily attract the eye?

Let's figure it out.

All novice photographers tend to place the main object of attention (the person) in the very center of the picture. And in most cases, this is more bad than good.

And where then to place the person in the picture, if not in the center?

There is an interesting mathematical rule of the "golden section" and its simplified version - the rule of thirds.

The "golden section" is the division of a continuous quantity into two parts in such a ratio that the smaller part is related to the larger one in the same way as the larger one is to the whole value.

It is also called "ideal proportion", "divine proportion", etc.

It was discovered in ancient times and is now used wherever it can be used - up to predicting prices in the foreign exchange markets.

Photography also uses a simplified version of it called the rule of thirds.

Its essence is that we divide the frame area with lines parallel to its edges into three equal parts and thereby create a third grid.

This rule is rooted in modern photography education, and there is an opinion that it came to us from the "bearded" artists of the past.

Let's check.

"Mona Lisa" - Leonardo da Vinci "Portrait of Father Tanguy" - Vincent van Gogh

"Unknown" - Ivan Kramskoy

And what do we see?

As if by a lucky chance, all the plot-important elements of the picture pass by the grid lines of the third and its nodes.

Or maybe these same "bearded" artists did not know anything about the rule of thirds, which they are trying so hard to impose on all novice amateur photographers?

I won't say anything against using this rule in portrait photography, as in some cases it can actually make your job easier and make the image more "strong" in terms of composition. I just recommend using it more intelligently.

In many cases, it will be much more successful to only slightly shift the model from the easiest point for perception - from the center of the frame.

This shift already forces the viewer to “cling” to the main subject in your picture and hold their attention in the photo longer. You can position the horizon along the third grid, but as for the model itself, always look at the situation, the presence of additional objects, the pose you have chosen, etc.

Pay special attention to balance!

If you place your model in a portrait according to the rule of thirds, then try to avoid this kind of misunderstanding:

Balance the shot either with additional objects or by looking towards empty space.

Let's look at a few examples:

The position of the subject in this picture is close to the rule of thirds, the tilt of the head and gaze create the correct balance.

In this picture, the rule of thirds does not smell, but it does not lose its expressiveness and dynamics at all.

And here the rule of thirds is partially involved, because the shot is balanced by the position of the model, the rise of the shoulder and the direction of the gaze.

It was appropriate to build this picture exactly according to the rule of thirds, try to analyze it yourself - why?

For portraits lying down, you can only move the lower vertical line of a lying person down slightly, and the photo will look stronger.

And when should you place the person in the center of the picture?

The simplest example is a symmetrical photograph. Only if you decide to take such a photo, then select a person with the most symmetrical facial features, this will allow you to achieve the desired effect.

Another case where you can put a person in the center of the frame is using manipulation tricks.

attention of the viewer with the help of lines.

What it is?

These are elementary converging lines that come out of the front corners of the frame and go into the depth of the picture (road, bridge, rails, houses). A person can be in the center of these lines.

It is also possible to position the model in the center in cases where we are dealing with a neutral background and the person's gaze is directed to the camera.

Grass, sky, water surface can also serve as a neutral background.

What's the trick?

It refers to the link "the scale of the portrait - the largeness of the plan."

Here is its meaning: depending on the size of the person in relation to the rest of the frame, you can create a feeling of a large space, which in turn will reinforce the idea of ​​emptiness and loneliness. And vice versa - you can create a feeling of limited space, tightness and fuss.

Take note of this pattern - it will come in handy when you want to make a portrait with a certain meaning or plot.

Here are a couple of illustrative examples:

Notice the person in the background. What feeling does it give you? Also note that this shot was taken in violation of the "don't put people in the corners" rule. It is violated here intentionally, why? A person is not located in the very corner, a lot of space is left in front of his face (in relation to himself). In addition, this person, by his position, creates a balance according to the “swing” principle. The essence of the principle is that we can place a large object in the foreground (close to the viewer), and a small object far from the viewer and in the opposite corner of the frame. This will create balance, as if the child sat on the far end of the swing and the adult sat close to the center.

This shot is quite dynamic and conveys action, play, tension. Objects occupy almost the entire space of the frame, and this helps to convey the right atmosphere of fuss. If there was a lot of space around the edges of the frame, the effect of the photo would be weakened.

You can learn more about how to correctly position models in the frame.from my posting: http://manhattan-photo.ru/

Next post: Errors in scale formation

Previous Post: Model pose in portrait photography

Photographing people is usually not the easiest direction for a beginner photographer. Everyone loves looking at good portrait photos, whether it's family, friends, or just an interesting face. And, as photographers, we have the ability to do very interesting photos, but due to inexperience, we often get angry when our expectations are not met. With that said, here are some technical tips to help you improve the quality of your portrait photography and use the right camera settings to do so. And finally stop being afraid to photograph people.

Focusing

Sony a99, 135mm, f/1.8, 1/250s, ISO 200

We have five (or so) senses, but the one we use the most is our sight. This means that the eyes in the photo must be sharp, no matter how many people there are. Here are some tips to get sharp eyes.

Try to focus on one point. Automatic modes do not always hit the target exactly, even if the camera is set to focus on the eyes. Use one point and focus on the closest eye. Lock focus and recompose the frame a bit if necessary to get the right composition before shooting.

After a few shots, check the sharpness. Be sure to enlarge the photo on the screen to see the eyes in more detail. Shoot again if you are not in focus. If the process still fails to achieve the ideal result, then most likely the matter is in the settings of your camera. Therefore, here are some of these settings that can affect focus misses.

Exposure in portrait photography


Canon 6D, 135mm, f/2.0s, 1/1600s, ISO 50

There are many rules for calculating the maximum slow shutter speed for certain lenses, but they don't always need to be followed, especially if you're photographing a live person who will naturally move.

Using a 50mm lens is not a good reason to use 1/60th of a second. If you are photographing a non-static subject, it is better to choose a shutter speed 1/320 in this case. It will not greatly freeze the movement in the frame and there will be no blurring. Oddly enough, many photographers have noticed that at this shutter speed, the photos are obtained as if with continued movement, more alive. Of course, if in the frame Small child, here you will need an exposure even shorter. After all, children are perpetual motion machines.

Don't rely on specifications cameras such as optical image stabilization. Stabilization can compensate for slight hand shaking, but will not solve the problem of fast movement in the frame. Therefore, let it be turned on, but so that the manufacturers of equipment do not come up with further, the photographer is always in charge of shooting.


Sony a99, 135.0mm, f/1.8, 1/1000s, ISO 200

To shoot a rather interesting outdoor portrait, it is better to open the aperture as wide as possible to get a blurry background. In the studio, the background is mostly uniform for portraits, but on the street, a lot of distracting objects can get into the frame (passers-by, protruding tree branches, etc.). For clarity, be sure to try to shoot a portrait with an open aperture (for example f 1.8) and with closed ( f 5.6), then you will definitely see the difference. A portrait with a blurred background will be more pleasing to the eye and all attention will be focused only on the subject. But even here there may be exceptions, if, for example, the background corresponds to the idea of ​​​​the photo, you can cover the diaphragm a little (for example, to f2.8). It all depends on what you want to say with this photo.

Light is also very important, for example, when shooting in the midday sun, you will most likely get sharp transitions in shadows and highlights, so in this case, I advise you to find a shade or shoot at sunset, when the light is much softer and more pleasant.

Choosing the right focal length

Nikon D7000, 240mm, f/5.3, 1/320s, ISO 400

For large portraits, lenses over 85mm are ideal. A 50mm lens is only suitable on a cropped camera (there it will just show itself as 85mm).

It's all about perspective distortion, and the wider the lens, the more we will notice distortions in the proportions of the face. But there are exceptions of course, there are photographers who are very skillful at shooting large portraits at 50mm, but they understand that this is not suitable for all people.

For starters, it’s still better to take a lens with a distance of 85mm, when shooting with it, we will hardly see any aspect ratio distortion.

Camera settings for group portraits


Canon EOS 6D, 85mm, f/2.2, 1/250s, ISO 400

Photographing a group of people is not easy in itself, you need to keep track of everyone, both to get into focus and to look at the camera (if necessary).

Now we are only interested in the technical part, that is, how to shoot a group of people so that they are all in focus.

The easiest thing you can do if the shooting is staged is to put people in a row, at the same distance from you. If the group is large, someone can stand behind someone's back, but at the same time, his face must necessarily be in the same row with others. So that they are all in the same zone of sharpness.

And how large this zone of sharpness will be depends again on focal length lens and distance from you to a group of people.

Next, select the desired aperture, depending on the lens you are shooting with, by the way, 50mm can come in handy here. To do this, focus on the closest person in the group to you, take a picture and see how the rest of the group turned out in sharpness. Aperture here can be from f2.8 before f 5.6. Also, do not forget about ISO, if you close the aperture too much, then most likely the ISO will need to be increased.

And as soon as you select all the necessary camera settings and take a few test shots, you can already start working with people - to amuse them, attract the attention of the smallest, or simply catch the moments of their interaction with each other.

10 simple rules building a composition in a frame.

1. Contrast

How to draw the attention of the viewer to your photo? There should be contrast in the frame:

  • A lighter object is photographed against a dark background, and a dark object against a light one.
  • Do not photograph people on a yellow or brown background, the color of the photo will be unnatural.
  • Do not shoot people against a colorful background, such a background distracts the viewer's attention from the model.

2. Accommodation

Important plot elements should not be randomly placed. It is better that they form simple geometric shapes.

3. Balance

Objects located in different parts of the frame must match each other in volume, size and tone.

4. Golden Ratio

The golden ratio was known in ancient Egypt, its properties were studied by Euclid and Leonardo da Vinci. The simplest description of the golden ratio is that the best point for the location of the subject is about 1/3 of the horizontal or vertical border of the frame. The location of important objects in these visual points looks natural and attracts the viewer's attention.

5. Diagonals

One of the most effective compositional premiums is the diagonal composition.

Its essence is very simple: we place the main objects of the frame along the diagonal of the frame. For example, from the top left corner of the frame to the bottom right.

This technique is good because such a composition continuously leads the viewer's eye through the entire photo.

6. Format

If the frame is dominated by vertical objects - shoot vertical frames. If you are photographing a landscape, take horizontal shots.

7. Shooting point

The choice of shooting point directly affects the emotional perception of the picture. Let's remember a few simple rules:

  • For a portrait, the best point is at eye level.
  • For a full-length portrait - at waist level.
  • Try to crop the frame so that the horizon line does not divide the photo in half. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the viewer to focus on the objects in the frame.
  • Keep the camera at the level of the subject, otherwise you risk getting distorted proportions. An object viewed from above appears smaller than it really is. So, shooting a person from the top point, in the photo you will get a person vertically challenged. When photographing children or animals, lower yourself to their eye level.

8. Direction

When building a composition, always keep this in mind.

9. Color spot

If there is a spot of color in one part of the frame, then there must be something in the other that will attract the attention of the viewer. This may be another color spot or, for example, an action in the frame.

10. Movement in the frame

When filming a moving subject (car, cyclist), always leave clear space in front of the subject. Simply put, position the subject as if it had just "entered" the frame, not "left" it.

7 tricks to take good travel photos

Once a year there is a vacation and we go to rest in distant, and not very distant, countries. After a trip, you always want to bring beautiful photographs that you are not ashamed to show to your friends and leave as a keepsake. Unfortunately, even the most expensive cameras cannot provide interesting pictures. But in skillful hands and cheap "soap dishes" are capable of making, if not masterpieces, then quite worthy photographs.

Let's reveal 7 secrets professional photographers how to get beautiful pictures regardless of the brand of your camera and photography experience.

1. How to photograph nature, urban landscape

Remember: the most "flat" and boring pictures are obtained at noon. The most fertile time for good photos- morning. Therefore, do not be too lazy to get up early and you will not only get great photo but also a lot of positive emotions.

If you are planning to visit some very the best option will do it on their own, and not in a crowd of tourists - unfortunately, all typical excursions are held at the most inopportune time for photographing, and hence the mass of boring and too typical photographs.

What to do when a typical excursion is inevitable, but get good shots still want? Difficult but possible:
- move away from the place where everyone takes pictures, find a more interesting angle that conveys the atmosphere of the place being photographed;
- to make the photo "play", take diverse pictures - for example, put a flower or a branch in the foreground;
- the photo will "come to life" if you capture a person, animal or bird in the frame.

How to photograph nature the right way. Photos with people in the frame always look "alive". Indonesia, Lombok.

2. Photographing landmarks

The same rules apply here as in the previous paragraph, plus
several useful tips:
- When photographing buildings, make sure that there is air above the building, do not be afraid to capture the sky.

How to photograph landmarks the right way. Leave space around the building to convey the surroundings. Spain, Olot

Take close-up pictures of interesting details to convey texture.
- Use photos to convey the size of the attraction and features by placing a person for scale.
- Interesting photos obtained by catching people and their emotions caused by sightseeing.
- When photographing people against the background of sights, the pictures should be made more fun. Photos like "stand in a pile and portray joy" are extremely boring. Photo examples, .

3. How to take pictures at night and in the evening

Are you tired of looking at night photos with whitened faces and a black background, explaining to your friends: "It's me against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, but the tower didn't work out for some reason"? Then forget about the built-in flash, use a tripod and self-timer. Keep in mind: when shooting at night, the "night" mode will not help, only manual! Find out more on the Internet, what is shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Find in the instructions how to change these settings on your camera, and then experiment more boldly: set the shutter speed and aperture, turn on the self-timer, fix the camera on a stable surface, press the button, remove your hand and ... do not breathe.

How to photograph landmarks in the evening. Thailand, Turtle Island.

If you don't have a tripod handy, use any flat surface. Example:
- If you want to get beautiful evening streets with illumination, start taking pictures not when it gets completely dark, but at dusk.
- Taking pictures night city, close the aperture to get a clear frame.
- Do not install the camera under a lamp.
- When photographing a lantern, move a few meters away from it. If you cover the aperture, then the light from the flashlight will be in the form of rays, with an open aperture, you will get a blurry spot.
- In order to have less noise in the photo, try not to exceed the ISO value of 400 ISO, and if possible set it to 200 or 100.
- Do not set the shutter speed to more than 1 minute to avoid unnecessary noise.

How to photograph landmarks at night. Singapore: people in the photo emphasize the height of skyscrapers. The slow shutter speed made it possible to photograph people, buildings and even the cloud behind the skyscraper.

7 tricks on how to photograph people, children, animals, food

Taking beautiful photos with a regular camera

Continuation.
Start:

4. Photograph food beautifully

When traveling, do not forget to take pictures of interesting exotic dishes. The most "delicious" pictures are obtained in daylight. When photographing indoors with a camera with a built-in flash, you risk getting absolutely "unappetizing" photos. Food is best photographed in macro mode.


How to photograph food the right way. The cake with fresh cranberries and raspberries was bought from a street food shop. The photo was taken "on the knee", so close-up, no background. Spain, Banyoles.

Pay attention to what surrounds: if the serving is beautiful - take it into the frame, but if there are drops of sauce on the plate, or the table setting is unsuccessful, take close-up pictures of only food, even without a plate.

Take multiple pictures from different angles. The best angle is usually from the side. The worst one is on top.

5. How to photograph people the right way

When photographing a person against the background of sights, do not try to cover a lot - let the person, and not the sight, remain the main thing.
Catch the moment when people are genuinely laughing, fooling around, surprised, or busy with something.


Hong Kong.

Avoid boring "me and the tower" photos. Travel photos should convey your excitement about the trip, not boredom. When bored, it is better to forget about the camera. Why bad moments? It happens that you really want to portray joy, but it doesn’t work, in this case ask people to jump - they always look fun and are remembered for a long time.

If you will later show the photos to your friends, come up with a plot. Imagine that you are a reporter and you need to make a photo essay for a fashion magazine. Can your photos tell a story without words? Not just "I was in the temple, I'm on a yacht, and this is an incomprehensible dude", but something like "We climbed the stairs of 500 steps to the temple, a sleeping ginger cat lay at the gate, the sun glared beautifully on the golden roof of the temple , girls in shiny dresses were dancing, and this is our guide showing that we must take off our shoes when entering the temple ... "Try to convey the emotions from what you see: joy, charm, fatigue, delight, surprise, etc. Do you catch the difference? See how photo essays are made in magazines and make up your own fascinating story.
Take pictures not only of each other, but also of the people around you, local features:


How to photograph people the right way. Hong Kong: Morning Exercise


Photographing people the right way
- To make a fat person in the frame look slimmer, find a point where a shadow falls on the face, and the second half of the face is lit. Try to take a picture a little from above, from the side of the shadow, so that the person looks into the lens, raising his head a little - you will get expressive eyes and the second chin will “leave”.
We also recommend some tips to look slimmer.
- Women with large hips are best photographed from above, thin women - from below.
- A thin person with a large nose will become less "nosed" if the camera is slightly lower than the level of the face.
- To make your legs appear longer, tilt your body slightly when taking a photo.

6. How to photograph children correctly

Choose a bright environment for the child - among the bright warm colors, the child always looks better.

Children should be photographed only in a natural setting. Don't ask the kids to pose. Would you like to get memorable photos? Let your child jump freely, and seize the moment yourself.


How to photograph children the right way. A mother is waiting for a good moment, photographing her daughter. Spain, Barcelona.

If you can’t catch the moment, then invite the child, for example, to smell a flower, stroke a horse, disperse pigeons, climb the steps of the castle and imagine being a knight ... - let the child express his feelings.
By the way, children's jumpers are always good when traveling.

To better convey the inner world little man Take pictures at the level of the child's eyes. Sometimes you get interesting photos taken from below: the child looks bigger and more mature than it really is. This technique is good when shooting children against the backdrop of the city or old buildings.

7. How to photograph animals and birds correctly

Birds and animals are best shot from below - this way they will turn out to be more impressive and funny. For example, like this one.
When photographing animals, it is important to catch an interesting moment:


How to photograph animals the right way. Walking with dogs in shopping centers is not allowed, so sometimes they are hidden in strollers. Thailand, Bangkok.

A bird or animal will be more expressive if you blur the background. To capture an animal or bird in motion, use the tracking technique: focus on the subject and move the lens smoothly to track the movement. Press the button at the right time. The result is a photo with a sharp subject and a blurred background that emphasizes movement. This trick can also be used when photographing running people, moving cars, a plane taking off, and other objects in motion.

Perhaps, with the help of our advice, your photos will not turn into masterpieces of photographic art, but they will certainly become more "alive" and interesting.
We want unique and beautiful photos!

All photos for this article were taken by ordinary tourists using ordinary "soap dishes".

 

It might be useful to read: