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Oktober 2018
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That’s not the image I wanted
O
ften the image you took is worlds apart from the one
you were trying to capture. According to photographer
John Fox this is usually a sign that you are entering an
exciting new developmental stage of your photographic
journey, as it takes a little while for the execution to catch up to the
expectation when one is in the beginning stages of an upgrade of
your understanding and knowledge of photography.
To help you get closer to the perfect image, here are a few sugges
tions from photographers John Fox and Jim Harmer:
Understand your equipment, learn how it works and how to use
it. A camera is just a photocopier of the image. Shooting on auto
mode cannot create mood or creativity. Fox says photographers
can take better photographs than their cameras can.
Get the full picture by learning as much as you can from
photographers who capture the kinds of images that excite you.
They have insider knowledge, tips and tricks, and specialist
equipment which have been developed over years.
Practice! Regular practice helps you to master your equipment,
identify and correct mistakes with better picture retention
rates. Shooting loads of pictures is the best shortcut to your
development. Remember the master has failed more times than
the beginner has even tried.
Timing is everything. With landscape photography, the time of
day is crucial. Previous articles have looked at why sunrise or
sunset is the best time. Beginner photographers often overlook
this important tip and try to take a photo in the middle of the
day, which is rarely a recipe for success.
Avoid aberrations. An aberration is something in the picture
that distracts from the subject, like a piece of trash in the
background, an ugly pole in the distance or a plant that seems to
be growing out of a person’s head.
Find a unique perspective. This subject has also been covered.
Landscape photographs usually look better when captivated
from a higher perspective shooting down to get the full view.
Sources
Fox, J. 17 August 2017
. Why don’t my photos come out the way I want them to?
.
Retrieved from:
https://digitalphotographycourses.co.za/why-dont-my-photos-
come-out-the-way-i-want/.
Frugal Photography. n.d.
Why are my photos so dull?
. Retrieved from:
https://
splurgefrugal.com/why-are-my-photos-so-dull/.
Kelby, S. n.d.
How do I make my photos look like they were taken by a professional?
Retrieved from:
https://improvephotography.com/35020/how-to-make-a-photo-
look-professional/.
Relevant
Photo competition
SA Graan/Grain
editorial TEAM
The prize money of R1 500 in the August
competition goes to Renette van der Merwe
from Potchefstroom for her photograph of
a
suikerbekkie
(sugarbird) captured in the
Vredefort Dome area.
Chrismari van der Westhuizen from Loeriesfontein is the winner of the R1 500 prize money for the September competition. The photograph,
titled, ‘Duimpie en Duimpie se maat’ shows the horse, Duimpie and his little friend, Mischa Batt, who has featured as a ‘model’ before.
Winning photo
For september