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Quick Photo Tip
Level: Intermediate
Using light stands outdoors? Consider using sandbags to protect your equipment.
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Quick Photo Tips

Found in: Photo Tips
Feb 03 2011

This page contains our collection of short photography tips. The goal of each tip is to quickly (in one or two sentences) explain a certain photo concept, trick, or technique. Many of the tips will be explained in greater details in the future.

If you feel like you already know some of these tips and could share your knowledge with others, consider writing articles that would explain and illustrate them.

Check back later for more quick tips. The newer tips appear at the top of this page.

Beginner Intermediate Advanced
Posted: Jun 21 2012
Level: Beginner
A tripod is a must-have when taking photos of fireworks.
Posted: Feb 22 2012
Level: Advanced
When on a job, always have a back up for every critical piece of your equipment.
Posted: Jan 11 2012
Level: Intermediate
Getting the correct exposure in the camera saves you time in post-processing.
Posted: Apr 21 2011
Level: Intermediate
Ring lights create unique look popular in fashion and portrait photography, but they also work great as fill lights.
Posted: Mar 08 2011
Level: Beginner
To avoid blurry pictures when hand-holding your camera, set your shutter speed to 1/(2x[lens zoom]) or faster. For example, if lens is set to 50mm, shutter speed should be a least 1/100th of a second.
Posted: Feb 14 2011
Level: Beginner
What camera mode to use with your flash gun? Most people use M, Av, and Tv.
Posted: Feb 11 2011
Level: Intermediate
To make background look white, you have to light it separately from your subject. The background light(s) should overexpose by approximately 2 stops.
Posted: Feb 08 2011
Level: Beginner
Taking a picture in direct sun light? Use your flash to fill in the shadows.
Posted: Feb 07 2011
Level: Beginner
When taking pictures of kids, don't shoot from your height - get down to theirs.
Posted: Feb 03 2011
Level: Beginner
Cropping a picture with people in it? Never crop right at the joints. You don't want people look like amputees.
Posted: Feb 03 2011
Level: Beginner
Diagonal lines can make your photo look more dynamic.
Posted: Feb 03 2011
Level: Intermediate
Never judge your exposure by how an image appears on your camera's LCD. Always check the histogram instead.
Posted: Feb 03 2011
Level: Intermediate
Using an on-flash softbox with your flash gun? To get softer light, switch the flash to manual zoom mode and put it to the widest position.
Posted: Feb 03 2011
Level: Intermediate
Correct colors is one of the biggest things that differentiate professional photos from amateur ones. Take care of the white balance!
Posted: Feb 03 2011
Level: Advanced
Any memory card fails sooner or later. On a job, it is safer to use larger amount of smaller cards than a lesser amount of bigger cards.
Posted: Feb 02 2011
Level: Beginner
Do you take snapshots? By simply cropping your images, you can make them look much better.
Posted: Feb 02 2011
Level: Advanced
Even if you can make a nice flash diffuser yourself, it might be worth considering buying one to look more professional to clients.
Posted: Feb 02 2011
Level: Advanced
Too many test shots may annoy some clients. Limit the number of the test shots or use a light meter.
Posted: Feb 01 2011
Level: Beginner
Taking snapshots at a party? Grab a paper napkin and position it in front of your camera's built-in flash. You can get more pleasing lighting.
Posted: Feb 01 2011
Level: Beginner
While taking a portrait of a person, watch the surroundings. Make sure other people are not in the picture or not in focus.
Posted: Feb 01 2011
Level: Beginner
One of the most popular composition rules? Rule of thirds: mentally break your frame in thirds with a tic-tac-toe grid and place the subject on the lines or their intersections.
Posted: Feb 01 2011
Level: Beginner
Is there a horizon in your image? Make sure it is level.
Posted: Feb 01 2011
Level: Intermediate
Using light stands outdoors? Consider using sandbags to protect your equipment.
Posted: Feb 01 2011
Level: Intermediate
Thinking about buying a snoot for your flash gun? Have you tried using your flash at the longest zoom position? Flash head itself is a short snoot.


If you have any questions or comments, please post them below.


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Related terms: photo tip of the day, quick photo tips, short photography tips