This is part 2 of the post “11 essential rules for taking Excellent Pictures Part 1“

6.- Use composition in your pictures.

If you want to distinguish yourself from the amateur photographers you should improve your composition skill.

Composition pictures

One of the most important considerations in taking a picture is its composition – what exactly should be part of the photograph as well as what perspective to use.

This is more of a photographer’s artistic sensibilities or how he/she wants to tell a story through a picture. It should be borne in mind that a picture tells a thousand words.

A badly-taken picture may say a lot of words, but all they may be saying is gobbledygook or blah-blahs.  Always remember that a picture must communicate something – whether it is an emotion, idea or experience.

7.- Utilize different angles.

When it comes to perspective, you need to try different angles. You can shoot a subject head-on and that’s it.  Or you have some fun! Be unexpected and take a few shots from different angles.

The angle may be from above.  Capturing a scene from above gives the viewer a feeling of taking a bird’s eye view of the scene. A photographer may also follow the lines of a room, or the shadows created by an object.  Different angles can convey different feelings.

Choosing the right angle can be the difference between a dull or a vibrant and bright color. They can also lead the eyes to focus on a specific point.

So make you figure out what you want to capture in the image and then use different angles to achieve this.

8.- Focus.

A bad focus can make or break a perfect photograph. If you don’t know how to focus manually you shoot consider using the automatic focusing option of your camera. The camera will then automatically set the focus and even choose the correct focus for the scene.

The main object of the picture should be in the focus when you look at it through the viewfinder. It is possible for the camera to be fooled by the scene so always be sure that the object you care about is in the area that the camera focuses on.

Remember you don’t want to photographs to blurry and unclear.

9.- Don’t move!

If you want to eliminate the blurriness from your pictures you need to keep still. I see this over and over again when people are trying to take a close up or a shot from the distance.

Keep your arms close to body, as this will stop your hands from shaking while you are trying to take the perfect.

If you are using a camera with a zoom lens, hold the camera in one hand with your finger on the shutter button, and steady the lens by holding your other hand in a cup form beneath it.

You may also find an image stabilization option on your camera. Use it. The term for this is IS on the Canon equipments, and VR, which stands for vibration reduction on the Nikon.

10.- Prevent red eyes in pictures.

It is very common seeing photos of people with monsters eyes. And I mean the really creepy red eyes. Red eyes may occur when your flash is on and you take pictures of people and animals  in a dark place.

This phenomenon can be prevented turning on the “red eye reduction” mode on your camera, which will enable the camera to fire the flash a couple of times before capturing the image.

The downturn of this method is that people may shut their eyes as a reflex, as they are totally blinded by the light of the pre-flash.

Some cameras come with an integral software that automatically takes away the red eyes and of course, there are many programs out there that can removes the redness of the eyes.

11.- Practice makes perfect.

Yes. Practice does make perfect, so the more you actually go out there and full your camera, the more awesome pictures you will take. By doing this you will eventually learn from your mistakes, and become a better photographer in the process. Make use of different angles, shutter speed, and composition. Capture emotions!

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment. What are the main tips your follow when taking pictures?

Here is part 1 of this post: 11 essential rules for taking Excellent Pictures Part 1

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