Your photos 33

Your photos (33)

Take Better Photos

Hints and tips
by Philip Grosset

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with comments from Philip Grosset

"hi, there :) i've been to your website, it's fantastic! here i've attached three photos and hope that u can advice me on how to improve phototaking. i'm big film lover and wish to take cinematic photos (is it possible or am i choosing the wrong medium?). these photos were taken around my living space. (C. S. James)

Well, what can I say? These are certainly imaginative, with a pleasantly subdued use of color, but I don't get any very clear message from them, and I'd have preferred at least part of each to be in focus!

The most successful, I think, is the one on the left, as it has an attractive atmosphere, although I've no idea what the white on top of the building is meant to suggest. Perhaps it's just there to challenge the restful atmosphere!

Your pictures do look quite "cinematic", with a real sense of science fiction about the one on the top right!

Reply from C. S. James: "Thanks for the comments, they make me think about more on what i wanna say in my phototaking rather than just interesting shots.cheers, james."

"This is a picture of the Cape May Pt. Lighthouse in New Jersey. This Picture is a cropped version of the original and I darkened the sky (just a little) With Adobe. What do you think? Thanks, Joe." (Joseph Butindari, Staten Island, NY)

Your photo (on the left) is quite dramatic, but what I presume are cables seen below the lighthouse are a bit distracting, so (on the right) I've tried removing them. It would look more impressive if the lighthouse wasn't dead centre, so I've moved it to one side and come in just a bit closer. It might have been more interesting if there'd been more of a view below it, or a more colorful sky behind it.

"Please let me know what you think of my photos. I love taking pictures, and my son is my favorite subject but I'd like to improve all of my pictures - especially the pictures taken during special times like birthdays or vacations. Any suggestions you have will be greatly appreciated! :)" (Tressie Wheeler)

A very pleasing picture, although the boy does look just a little bit posed, and his face is rather lost in shadow. It might have been better if he'd been a bit more involved in what was going on. It's often a good idea to show children busy about some activity.

Your photo (on the left) looks interesting and natural, but it might have been even more effective if you'd got a background entirely filled with snow, as on the right, as this stops his clothes merging into the background and produces a more contrasty and lively result. It also helpfully emphasises the presence of the snow. I moved the boy slightly off-centre too (often a good idea). I lightened his face a bit, as snow often causes a camera meter to under-expose faces. To avoid this, and if your camera allows it, try taking a close-up reading from the face.

Why leave out the dog's feet? If you were looking for a way to include the darker green area in the background, it would have been better to use a lower camera angle than to cut out part of your subject.

A pretty and attractive scene, but I'd have been inclined to have moved in closer so as to concentrate attention more on a main point of interest (perhaps the running water, with just a few of the colorful plants behind it).

Reply from Tressie Wheeler: "Thank you! :)"

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