Here are a few great ideas used by both amateur and professional photographers to create wonderful photographs. We hope they help you take better pictures for aVinci movies…or any purpose.
New to photography? Don't be overwhelmed. Remember the first rule: Have fun!
If you're not enjoying taking pictures, perhaps you're trying to learn too much at once. Most of the tips we share here are easily learned, and make picture taking great fun. But don't feel you have to learn them all at once. Follow a few simple rules and you'll soon be taking wonderful photos!
When the kids are in bed and you have a quiet moment, glance through the section headers below and pick one topic of interest. Print the section if you desire, and write notes in the margin. Practice the concept when you next take pictures, reread the section and practice again. When you've mastered the concept to your liking, put a check next to the header on the main page if you've printed it, and tackle another.
Take your time. You don't have to learn everything, nor everything at once. What skills you put into practice along the way will make your pictures all the better.
Here's a suggestion:
Learn and practice the Rule of Thirds. The concept is simple, but can make a big difference in your photographs. Then work your way through "Pictures That Make a Great Movie." Take a good amount of time with that one. Then learn about lighting, or whatever suits your fancy.
Have fun! Happy picture taking.
When you take pictures of an event, don't just take pictures. Consider the story you want to tell. Take pictures that introduce the event, those that show the event, followed by some that show the results of the event. Every event has a beginning, the event itself and a closing.
Get closer to your subject when you can. Zoom your lens when you can't. Catch the emotion. Don't include things in your image that don't add to the emotion of the moment. This applies especially to portraits of people.
Steadying your camera is often overlooked as a requirement for good photographs, especially as light gets low. It's easy to forget, then after the event to see your blurry pictures, and realize the moment is gone forever.
Hold the camera with both hands, with your arms against your body if needed. This is more important if indoors or outside at dusk. Use a tripod. Steady your elbows on the back of a chair, table or fence. Or hold your camera on top of your walking stick during a family hike, or on anything solid.
At times you may want a blurred effect. If light is good, you can pan the camera with a moving object, such as a train, car, or your young soccer player, which may cause the background to blur but the object of the picture to remain clear.
Imagine a tic-tac-toe grid over your photo, and position your subject, the focus of the photo, over one of the four intersecting points of the grid. This will usually improve it. This is the Rule of Thirds, a good photographer's secret sauce to many a good photo. (Do a search on the Web for "Rule of Thirds" to learn more.) Using the Rule of Thirds is much more cinematic, and brings a feeling of action or movement to the scene, leading the viewer's eye right or left, up or down.
When there's a horizon in the photo (such as a tabletop edge, a sky horizon, or a row of faces), place the horizon along the horizontal top-third or bottom-third line of the imaginary tic-tac-toe grid. Likewise, if there's a vertical line (such as a standing person, a tree or the edge of your house), place it along the left or right grid-line of the tic-tac-toe. Place your soccer-player son along the vertical grid-line of the photo, with his head at the intersection point of the grid, so that he's running into the center of the photo, causing the viewer to feel the movement.
As you look at others' photos that impress you, see how their photos may have used this Rule of Thirds.
There will be exceptions. Putting your subject dead center, instead of at a tic-tac-toe intersection, can create a desired feeling of stillness, tension, or formality, and force the eye to focus straight ahead into a photograph.
It's common to take a photo that you've printed and frame it. The frame may be a stand that displays your photo on the living room table or child's nightstand, it may be a digital frame, or perhaps a frame of your own making on a scrapbook page. That's not the type of frame we'll discuss here, although they serve some of the same purposes.
Some of the finest photos include something from the scene that acts as a natural frame to focus the viewer's eyes, to give depth to the image or to give context to the setting.
We recommend that all images you use in a movie have a resolution of at least 800 by 600 pixels in size. Anything less will likely produce inferior results in your movie. As much as possible, use the highest-quality images as possible in your movie, and let the aVinci software handle downsampling higher-resolution images to the resolution supported by DVD technology (720 x 480 pixels).
You may receive an error if you attempt to put an image in your movie that is either less high or less wide that 256 pixels — these images are not large enough to put into a movie without getting poor results, so we prevent you from using them.
There is no easy way to re-create or fix a picture whose quality is too low — you should retake the picture, or find a replacement. Although image editing software will allow you to increase the pixel size of an image, the quality of the image is not improved, and the results will seldom be pleasing.
To determine the resolution of an image, for most image file types you can open Windows Explorer (click your Windows Start button and select the option to open My Documents or your pictures folder), and browse to the folder where your images are found. Single-click the image name. At the bottom of the Explorer window (always shown in Windows Vista, or in Windows XP if the Status Bar has been turned on), you'll see the image's dimensions. Image editing software will also allow you to determine the size of a picture, as well as crop and make other changes to the picture.
We recommend taking photos that are greater than two megapixels in size (about 1600 x 1200). This usually provides sufficient resolution so that even if you crop the image, it will still be greater than our recommended 800 x 600 size for images used in movies. (Images used in posters and photo books may need an even higher resolution.) Many cameras allow you to select the resolution quality of the images they take. Check your camera's user manual to learn your camera's photo quality (resolution) and how to control it.
Photos you take with a digital camera are stored on your camera's memory card (and on your computer if you copy them there) in some kind of file. There are many kinds of files that cameras and software programs use to store a picture. Here we discuss a very few of the common file formats, why there are different formats, and what you need to know about them.
aVinci supports the following digital image formats for use in movies, posters, photobooks, and other media:
JPG or JPEG (An acronym for Joint Photographics Experts Group. Commonly referred to and pronounced "jay-peg." JPG is a "lossy" format.)
GIF (Pronounced "jiff," an acronym for Graphic Interchange Format. A "lossless" format.)
BMP (Short for "bitmap," a file format used to store digital images, especially on Windows operating system computers. A "lossless" format.)
PNG (Pronounced "ping," an acronym for Portable Network Graphic. A "lossless" format.)
As you learn to use and prepare pictures in image editing and storage programs, use one of these formats. Keep the following in mind:
Lossy File Formats — JPG is a "lossy" method of storing pictures. "Lossy" means that cameras and programs that create JPG files have created files that have already lost some of their detail and quality. Many cameras use this format because JPG files are very small, allowing you to store many images on a memory card or hard disk. Because JPG files are small, and the format has been around for some time, it is also the most common format for images accessed on the internet.
JPG Format — Because the JPG format is a "lossy" format, we recommend that you never store an image in this format except for the image's final use and when that use requires a small file size. Instead use PNG or another lossless format when your end use of the image requires higher quality, such as for a poster. High quality is less critical for a movie or other uses when your image is already of large size (larger than about 800 x 600 pixels), and when the final use will not require a high quality. (DVD movies have a resolution usually lower than most pictures you will take with a camera of good quality, so saving to a JPG file is less critical.)
If your camera creates JPG-format files and no other, never save a copy of that image in JPG format unless you need a very small file size for its final use. For example, if you open a file taken by your camera and crop the image, take out red-eye, or perform other modifications, save the file in a "lossless" format. You may keep the original JPG as your master copy, but don't save a copy in JPG format unless you need a small-size file.
Keep Originals of Important Pictures — For pictures that are important to you that you may use for multiple purposes, always keep the high-quality original, from which you make the copies you need. For example, from an original make one copy cropped for printing, and make another copy cropped differently for a movie. Always start with the original from which you'll make modified copies, or make a copy of the original in a lossless format and toss the original so you won't accidentally save it in JPG format. But even then, with few exceptions, each time you resave a copy of an image, even in a lossless format, the image may lose a little quality. (That is why some image-editing programs never modify the original image when you make changes to a picture. This is the case with Google® Picasa® for example. You may crop the image, take out red-eye, and change the picture's brightness, but when you "save" your changes, Picasa is storing a record of how you changed the image, but doesn't actually overwrite the image. Next time Picasa shows you the file, it visually modifies the picture according to your previous instructions before displaying it to you.)
BMP Format Files — BMP files are "lossless" and are very large because they contain all the information needed to display your picture in original clarity. It is a Windows format, and commonly recognized. Because of the large file size, this format is not necessarily good for long-term storage of images or sharing them with others.
PNG is a "lossless" format, creating files about the third the size of BMP, but 5 to 10 times larger than JPG. It is a newer but universal format. This is a recommend format for nearly all your photographic needs. PNG format creates files small in size, without loss of quality, and is recognized by nearly all programs. PNG is intended to replace GIF, and intended for internet images. Usually creates smaller files than GIF, and supports more than the 256 colors supported by GIF. PNG files are 5 to 10 times larger than JPG.
GIF is a lossless format, and has good compression when the image being stored has large areas of the same exact color, usually the case for clip art images, but not for images taken with a camera. You will not usually use this format for photos.
Always, always take pictures in the highest quality your camera will support.
Aperture controls how much light gets in. It is measured in f-stops (f/2.8).
The shutter speed regulates how long the light is allowed to register the image on the sensor, and is measured in seconds.
Fast shutter speeds (1/500th of a second or faster) freeze the action. Use fast shutter speeds at sports events.
Slow Shutter speeds (1/30th of a second or slower) blur the action. You can use a slow shutter speed to make water in a waterfall or stream appear smooth and soft.
Large apertures (such as f/2 or f/2.8) give you a shallow depth of field. This causes things in the distance to be out of focus, and to not distract from the subject. Tiny apertures (such as f/16 or f/22) give you deep depth of field, causing everything both close and far away to be in focus.
Search the web or consult your camera manual for more information on this topic if you're interested.
Good photos are often controlled by the direction and quality of light. For people, especially, a soft warm light is almost always preferred.
Keep the light source behind you when shooting, indoors or out — putting the light source in your face will usually cause the subject to appear too dark in the finished photo.
When shooting indoors, turn on all the lights and open all the shades.
Natural (sun) light is always best when you can get it. However, avoid direct sunlight that creates intense light areas and very dark shadows in an image, especially when photographing people.
Avoid harsh mid-day light. Diffused light is usually best. Look for softer light…
on overcast days,
in early mornings or during the evening,
and in the shadow of a building, a tree or a canyon wall.
"Bouncing" or diffused light coming from walls, the sky, buildings or through white curtains, removes the otherwise harsh contrast of direct sunlight.
Light is everything. Without light you don't have a picture. Too much light, and shadows are harsh, detail is washed out, or your picture is overexposed. Light can be your enemy, but with a little know-how, it becomes your greatest ally. And although our eyes easily adjust as we move from the dark to the light areas of the scene before us, the camera's "eye" doesn't adjust, often leaving dark areas too dark, or light areas too light.
There are exceptions to nearly every photography rule. With practice, bright and high-contrast scenes may create an effect you want for example.
For the same reasons that direct and bright sunlight is not good for most pictures, the harshness of a flash can ruin an otherwise good picture. Use a white reflective piece of cardboard to reflect light from your light source. The cardboard will bounce light into the shadow areas of your subject and reveal detail otherwise lost. And here's a twist: when you really need that picture in the bright of day, a flash can sometimes bring light to the shadow areas that would normally appear black in the finished photo. (Refer to your camera manual to learn how to turn on the flash even if the camera light sensor thinks there is sufficient light.)
What mood and emotion are you attempting to evoke in 1) each picture you take, and 2) a movie made of many pictures? Do you want your pictures to be fun? To celebrate? Show respect? Elicit excitement? Show calm, or adventure? Think about this mood as you take pictures.
As you practice capturing emotion into your pictures, initially work to make each photo capture the emotion of your subject. Then work to take pictures that work together to tell the emotion of a total story.
As you frame a picture, find where the emotion is. Is it in the eyes? The hands? A smile or scowl? The way the arms are folded or placed? How the body is leaning?
As you find the emotional focal point of an image, remember the rule of thirds. Where you position the focus of a picture in your viewfinder will enhance or weaken the emotion.
Let the people in your photographs be themselves. Let them have fun! Let them be sad, or whatever emotion they're feeling! Capture that emotion. Don't "say cheese" before you press the button unless you are taking a portrait and truly want the simulated emotion of happiness. Use your camera often so your family and friends don't tense when they see it in your hands. Or joke and talk to relax them and allow them to be themselves. Don't force your subjects to show an emotion they're not feeling unless that's what you really want.
Have fun! Try new things. Take many pictures of the same subject using different techniques. Use different framing, lighting, cropping and angles. Stand high. Crouch low. Get in front of and behind your subject. Catch your subject unawares for some photos, then take time to pose your subject for others. Even when you're not "practicing," take extra pictures, and plan to toss those that failed to capture the feeling or effect you're seeking. With digital cameras you're not wasting film, so click away. When you've copied the images to your computer, delete the junk. Learn from your mistakes.
There are many good, and even free, photo editing tools that can assist you in preparing your images. If you have the desire (and time) to learn to use these tools, consider free tools like Google® Picasa® or Adobe® Photoshop® Album Starter Edition, or high-end tools like Adobe® Photoshop®, or Corel® Paint Shop Pro®. Microsoft Paint or other Microsoft tools come with some versions of Windows, and allow you to do some simple image manipulation.
Red-eye — Read the help that comes with a program to learn how to take out the red in eyes when you've used a flash. It's usually a simple matter of clicking the center of the eye, or dragging a circle or rectangle around the red area of the eye.
Brightness and Contrast Settings — Play with the options in the software to adjust contract and brightness, needed when a photo was taken in light too low or light too bright. Be careful, as making large adjustments will often make the image look fake, but carefully increasing or decreasing the brightness of a photo may make it useable when otherwise it was not. It is always best to have a photo that needs no brightness adjustment (see Lighting), but these adjustments can save an important photo. Sometimes add more contrast may have the same effect as increasing the brightness. As a general rule, if you increase the brightness, try also increasing the contrast a little. Some programs have an "auto" button that analyzes your picture and makes a best-guess brightness/contrast adjustment. Often it does a great job.
Special effects such as Sepia, Black & White, and Sharpen — Play with special effects on some of your photos. Don't overdue it, but some pictures look better in black and white than color. Or perhaps you want the effect of an old-fashioned photo that the brown sepia color of a photo adds. Some photos that you've needed to crop a lot may have lost quality. Although it's better to have a higher quality photo, the sharpen effect may simulate higher quality for a photo you really want to keep.
Undo — All programs have an Undo option. Have fun playing with the various features of the program, select the Undo option to compare your change to the original, to see if it made it better. Remember, always keep your original photo untouched so you can go back to it if you ruin a photo with all your playing around.
Once you've gathered all the photos of your event, review them carefully. Put all of them in an order that tells the story of the event, with opening, storytelling, and closing photos. Then pull out your favorite 40 (or as many as your selected theme takes) to tell the story. Now make your movie!