12 Free Ways To Improve Your Photography!

We live in an age where digital has made photography easier and more accessible than ever. There is virtually no limit on the number of photos we can take. We can instantly see our photo, and know if it needs to be retaken. Even phones can take decent photographs at this point. So, if we're at the point where anyone can pick up a phone and press a button to take a photo, why do some people's photos just look so much better than others? Why can someone using a phone get a much better shot than someone with a DSLR that cost thousands of dollars? Basically, it's because the operator is much more important than the gear he or she is using. That is great news, if you think about it. It means that you can drastically improve your pictures without spending a dime. Here are 12 free things you can do to take better pictures:


#12 Understand Light - The word photography literally means 'painting with light.' You must pay attention to what the light is doing. If it's a bright, sunny day, you will have very harsh light and shadow, which is the least ideal scenario for taking attractive photos. If it's an overcast day, the clouds will soften the light, which makes for better photos of just about everything. And, of course, take all the photos you can during "Golden Hour" - that time within 30 minutes of sunrise and sunset where everything is painted with a very flattering, almost magical light.


#11 Use The Rule Of Thirds - Imagine a grid of 9 boxes (like Tic-Tac-Toe) over the image you're about to take. (Most cameras have this overlay now, so you may not have to imagine it!) Most of the time, placing the subject of your photo roughly at one of the four intersections of those lines will result in a more dynamic, appealing photo. Placing the subject dead center is usually dead boring. Another aspect of this rule applies to the horizon. If the sky is more interesting, make your photo 2/3 sky and 1/3 land. If the land is more interesting, make your photo 2/3 land and 1/3 sky. Placing the horizon right in the center does not usually produce a very interesting image.


#10 Learn To Do Basic Post-Processing - It doesn't matter whether you use an app on your phone, tablet, PC, or a even a free website. If the only image you can produce is the one straight out of your camera, you're going to have inferior photos. You need to be able to perform basic functions like cropping, adjusting brightness, contrast, sharpness, etc if you want your images to look pleasing. There is no shame in editing a photo...the pros do it constantly. That said, don't go overboard and make everything look massively overdone (unless that's your artistic style.)


#9 Use Foreground To Create Interest And Depth - Placing something in the foreground of a photograph can help draw a viewer into the image. It's the way we see every day...look around right now. You will see things close, medium distance, and far away from you. It's the same way with photos...if they have foreground, mid-ground, and background, our brains instinctively understand the depth and we like the image more than if it was 'flat.' Just make sure that what you choose to put in the foreground is not going to distract from the subject.


#8 Find Photos You Love,  Write Down Why, And Include Those Things In Your Photos - Here is an exercise for you. Go to www.500px.com and start flipping through the photos there. When you come to a photo you LOVE (which is easy to find over there) I want you to write down on a piece of paper what you love about that photo. Is it the light? The subject? The color? Is the background blurred or sharp? What draws you to it? Do this for 10 or 20 photos, and you will start to see patterns emerge about what makes a good photo to you. Maybe you'll discover that you love black and white, or landscapes, or pictures with lots of saturated color in them. Whatever those things are, you'll be able to focus on the elements that you like and include them in your own photos.


#7 Shoot Horizontally For Impact - Check out your face in the mirror. You'll notice that your eyes are aligned horizontally. Check out your TV screen and computer monitor. They are also arranged horizontally. Why? Because it's the way we naturally see. Let's be realistic here...99% or more of your photos are going to end up on the web or on your PC. Therefore, it makes sense to shoot your photos in a way that is going to fill up the screen as much as possible, and that means shooting horizontally. (If you're shooting with the intent of doing a magazine cover or printing out a poster, go ahead and shoot vertically.) Vertical images displayed on our horizontal devices only take up a fraction of the screen, and simply lack impact in comparison.


#6 Get An Angle People Don't Usually See - Don't always go for the same eye-level shot that everyone else would take. It's amazing how much an image changes when you take the photo from 6 inches off the ground. It immediately adds foreground, and with it, more depth and interest. If you have an opportunity to safely get a higher angle, this can also be more interesting simply because it's something people don't usually see. Before you walk up to something and take a picture, ask yourself "If a 5-year kid old also took this photo, would mine look any different from his?" If the answer is no, find a better angle.


#5 Avoid Camera Shake - We've all deleted plenty of photos that were just completely blurry. Why did that happen? Well, your camera was moving slightly during the time when the shutter opened, because it's very difficult to hold a camera perfectly still in your hand. There are a number of ways to eliminate camera shake. You can hold it firmly with two hands instead of one. You can place the camera (or your hands or elbows) on something solid to reduce motion before taking the shot. You can take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, press the shutter. (This is your least-shaky period. The same technique is used by snipers to hold their rifles still for accuracy.) You can buy an inexpensive tripod or monopod to hold your camera steady. You can use a remote shutter release or the camera's self-timer to avoid shaking the camera by pressing the button directly. All of these things will help you get sharper photos more consistently.


#4 Eliminate Distractions From Your Subject - Have you ever thought to yourself "Gee, that's a nice photo, but it's too bad she has a car growing out of the side of her head?" Be aware of things in your image that take attention away from your subject, and reposition yourself (get a lower angle, get a higher angle, move left, move right) until they're gone. Also be aware of unwelcome things creeping into the edges of your image such as tree branches, ugly signs, power lines, etc, and move yourself around until you get a clean composition where the subject is the star. If you cannot completely eliminate distracting elements, minimize them. You may be able to eliminate them in post-processing with a crop, or more advanced technique. If you have a camera with an adjustable aperture, take the aperture as low as it will go to create bokeh (nice background blur) that will eliminate background problems naturally.


#3 Maximize File Quality - If your camera shoots RAW format, use it. The files are larger, but they are like digital negatives...you can go back and process the file differently as many times as you want to without destroying the original. If your camera is shooting JPEG, it has already thrown away ~80% of the original information before you even get a look at the photo. This results in more artifacts, and much less flexibility with post-processing, particularly when correcting exposure or white balance. If your camera only shoots JPEG, make sure it is set to record the highest quality possible (often called 'Fine') to minimize compression, and use the highest resolution possible as well.


#2 Learn From Others - You'll improve faster and with fewer headaches by learning from other people who are knowledgeable about photography than by your own trial and error. I highly recommend watching some episodes of The Grid, in particular their blind photo critiques like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NwJua-pDOBc#t=953 After watching a few episodes, you will have built a critical eye that will prevent you from making these mistakes in your photos that might have taken you years to learn on your own. B&H photo also has a ton of free classes with well-known professionals on its youtube channel.


#1 Select More Interesting Subjects - If you want to take more interesting photographs, stand in front of more interesting things. Pictures of extremely common objects or scenes are unlikely to evoke an emotional response from people, no matter what angle you use, no matter what the light was like, and no matter what you do in post-processing. We've all been guilty of this to some extent. An interesting subject is something that can't be taught or replaced...go find one!

Favorite movies of 2013

#11 Monsters University - I love this franchise. It just appeals to the kid in all of us, while keeping the adult side of us entertained as well. Billy Crystal just kills it with his comedic delivery throughout. Art is my new role model. He made me belly laugh for about 10 minutes straight with one line! There are tons of this kind of movie out there, but most are not this entertaining for both kids and adults.

#10 Rush - I know nothing about (and care nothing about) Formula One racing, but this is truly a movie that anyone can enjoy. Why? Because it's not actually about the racing, but instead, about personality types. There is tons of automotive eye candy throughout too, in terms of the interesting way it was shot. I didn't have high hopes for this one, but I ended up really enjoying it, so if you feel the same way, give it a chance.

#9 Pacific Rim - The script doesn't offer anything new (or even particularly good) but that's not what this movie is about. It's pure spectacle, Godzilla-style. You can see where every penny of the budget for special effects went. Everything looks slick, has weight, and moves in a realistic way. If you like the idea of insanely large and detailed giant robots and monsters battling each other, this will entertain you. A home theater lover's wet dream.

#8 The Conjuring - James Wan has released a number of somewhat creepy horror movies in the last few years, but this is by far his best and scariest. The script is solid, but the quality acting from the four key cast members really makes this suspenseful. I found the ending to be a little anticlimactic, but I don't mind a film playing against my expectations if it's done in an enjoyable way. There are a few jump scares which I'm not a big fan of, but it doesn't go completely overboard with them like so many other horror films do. A minor nitpick: there is not a single conjuring in this entire film.

#7 Gravity - As a big fan of all things astronomy and space, I had mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I loved the scientific accuracy of an incident in space occurring in total silence. This, along with the stellar special effects, made it that much more terrifying and spectacular. Sandra Bullock did a great job. On the other hand, I found her character's somewhat forced sub-plot near the end and also George Clooney just playing 'George Clooney in space' to be inconsistent with the tone of the rest of the film, which knocks it down a few places on my list.

#6 Dark Skies - This is horror done right, except it's not traditional horror. It is the best alien abduction movie I've ever seen. J.K. Simmons only has a brief part, but his performance is what really makes this movie feel dreadfully believable. The 5.1 audio track is so unnerving that several times, I got goose bumps. The uncomfortable atmosphere and tension this movie builds is pitch-perfect. I was on the edge of my seat near the ending, and that rarely happens. Don't miss Dark Skies if you enjoy suspense and a more cerebral brand of horror.

#5 12 Years A Slave - Powerful stuff that takes you back in time to the very real horrors of the slavery era. Chiwetel Ejiofor has been one of my favorite actors for a while, and he does a fine job of carrying this film on his shoulders. The supporting cast is excellent as well, notably Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o. Everyone over the age of 10 should see this film, but because it is so realistic and disturbing, it's probably not something you're going to want to re-watch very frequently.

#4 Out of the Furnace - To be honest, this script is only average. However, the entire star-studded cast brings its A-game, and their outstanding performances elevate this into something special. Woody Harrelson really stands out, playing a role unlike anything he's ever done before. I'm glad that Christian Bale is done playing Batman so he can sink his teeth into more substantial roles like this. To its credit, this is a very ugly film, in the way it depicts absolute realism of economically depressed areas. I also found the score to be very enjoyable.

#3 Prisoners - Some of my favorite movies make you take a firm moral position when faced with a very difficult situation. Here, you are going to come down on one side or the other, and there are perfectly valid explanations for both viewpoints. This is one of the few movies where I found Jake Gyllenhaal to be enjoyable, and Hugh Jackman does a fine job as well. I would have written the ending a bit differently, but it's still pretty good. Just once, I'd like to see Maria Bello play a character that isn't broken down and sobbing because of a crisis (although she is great at it.)

#2 Dallas Buyer’s Club - Based on a true story, this is an absolutely inspiring tale, showing how a person is a capable of growing far beyond what you'd think is possible when you consider where he/she started. It's very nice to see Matthew McConaughey developing into such a great dramatic actor, after a long time of being the RomCom or slick lawyer guy. It also does a good job of showing what a corrupt organization the FDA is, and how it was in bed with big pharma even back then. (I experienced this myself when I had to import medicine for a rare medical problem because the only FDA-approved drug was completely unsafe.)

#1 Her - I love films that make you think, and I'll be thinking about this one for a long time. While it does raise some intriguing questions about the role of advancements in technology in our lives, the main focus is on human side of relationships. Her captures the essence of our emotions during a relationship in a very realistic, identifiable way. There is interesting use of color throughout the movie as well. Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson (impressively, using only her voice) knock this one out of the park. Well done, Spike Jonze. The year's best film.

Huh, this bag feels lighter...

I've noticed a disturbing trend at the supermarket over the last couple of years, and I'm wondering how many of you have seen the same thing happening with the items you buy. The price that you and I pay for food is skyrocketing, but the way this change is being implemented is moderately deceptive. Here's how they do it:

-They keep the price of the item the same

-They keep the appearance of the packaging the same

-They cut the amount of food in the package down to a fraction of what it was previously, in some cases going so far as to double the cost of each unit of food

Apparently, that's all they need to do to drastically raise the price without freaking out the consumer. They make the (correct) assumption that most people will either not notice a difference, or will notice it - but for some reason, won't be too upset about the change as long as the package looks the same and the price stays the same. What does this say about us on a psychological level? Is our perception just that bad? Do we cling to the familiar so tightly that we're satisfied as long as something looks the same?

I'm sure some of you are thinking "This is just something in Pete's head that he's manufacturing by looking at one or two obscure products." That is not the case. I have specific examples. Off the top of my head, here are some changes I've seen in the groceries I buy:

Product                                               Price change             Packaging change           Old amount         New amount

Tyson grilled chicken breast               none                           none                                10 pieces              6 pieces
Nature's Promise banana chips         none                           none                                12 oz                     6 oz            
Golden Blossom honey                      none                           none                                12 oz                     8 oz
Emerald Mixed nuts                            none                           none                                12 oz                     9 oz
Nature's Promise sesame sticks       none                           none                                12 oz                     6 oz
ICBINB Buttery spray                          none                           none                                12 oz                     8 oz
Kraft Singles American cheese          none                           none                                24 slices               22 slices


There are more examples I've witnessed that I can't recall at this moment, but it's certainly not my imagination.

Here are some other specific examples of this phenomenon:


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/business/29shrink.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2008-06-11-shrinking-sizes_N.htm

http://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/food-price-inflation-hidden-in-packaging/

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/04/u-s-companies-shrink-packages-as-food-prices-rise/


How many of you have noticed the same thing happening with the food you buy? Do you have a strategy to deal with it? Do you think I'm blowing this out of proportion? Would you be more angry if they raised the price the equivalent amount, rather than doing this change with the amount of food in the package? If so, why do you think that is? In your opinion, is this simply corporate greed, or is it a matter of finite food resources?

Practices like this make me feel that even if minimum wage is raised, people in full-time, low-paying jobs will still be struggling exactly like they are now. Even if you are working a steady job, performing well, and getting raises periodically, you may be falling even further behind as your cost of living outpaces your increase of income. I just wonder how this situation will look in 2 years...in 5 years...or in a decade. At what point will people have to turn to some other means of survival, and what will that be?