Shooting during the golden hour. The golden hour is what photographers call the time just after sunrise and just before sunset. This is when you can capture scenes bathed in golden-hued light—which makes for a great photo. Also, since the sun is low in the sky, things cast very long shadows that can create a dramatic effect.
Create a silhouette. Try shooting a subject in front of a bright light like the setting sun, and manually adjust your camera settings so all you’re left with is a dark silhouette against a background of light. Check out this guide to learn all the ins and outs of silhouettes, Silhouette Photography 101: Master The Basics.
Shoot in hard light. Shooting in areas or times when there’s lots of bright light and shadows can make for an interesting photo with lots of contrast. For example, look for things that cast interesting shadows onto your scene such as window blinds or a fence. Then capture those shapes or patterns created by the shadows as they fall on your subject. For more info on this technique, take a look at hard light photography advice.
It’s not only about how to take professional photos. You should also learn how to edit photos like a professional.
Photoshop is the professional photographer’s best friend. Practically any image can benefit from some touch-ups, whether it’s cropping, brightness adjustments, color corrections, or other tweaks.
So it’s worth spending some time learning what the program is capable of. There are lots of helpful tutorials available online, including a bunch on the Adobe website.
If you don’t have access to Photoshop and aren’t looking to spend the money on it, there are many free Photoshop alternatives. One of the most popular is GIMP.
But no matter what photo editing software you use, there’s one rule that remains constant: you should use a light touch when making adjustments. Inexperienced photographers tend to go overboard during editing. Start with a preset look and make small adjustments to develop a consistent body of work. If you make too many drastic adjustments, the final result won’t look realistic and your touch-ups will be obvious.
Relying on the camera’s automatic settings is another thing that will hold you back when it comes to understanding how to take good pictures. While it may work fine at times, you won’t have nearly as much flexibility to get creative with your photography or handle unique situations.
For instance, if you are trying to take a silhouette, your camera may try to capture the wrong details and you’ll end up dimly lit subject against a blown out background. If you’re trying to shoot at night, it may give you an extra-long exposure when you don’t want it, and you’ll end up with a blurry mess. So spend some time familiarizing yourself with your camera’s settings, because it’s a critical step in learning how to make pictures look professional.
We’ve already covered some lighting equipment, but there’s one more piece of photography gear you should definitely consider adding to your arsenal if you want to know how to take professional photos.
You might think you don’t need a tripod if you have a steady hand and are comfortable with handheld shots. But a tripod allows you to try a variety of shooting techniques that you can’t do without one. Just a few examples include tethered photography, long exposures, or creating your own 3D images.
A tripod also lets you set up your shot and then take care of other aspects of the scene while keeping your camera ready to go. For example, you might want to line up a shot and then speak to a model, make lighting adjustments, or just wait for the perfect moment.
And you don’t have to spend much money to get a quality tripod. For some info on the variety that’s available, read up on these must-have portrait photography accessories.
Using the professional photography tips above, you should be able to vastly improve your results without spending any money. However, if you’re working with sorely outdated equipment and have the budget for some new gear, it might be time to upgrade your camera, lenses, and accessories. For some help deciding between all the options out there, take a look at these guides:
As high-quality camera phones have made photography more common, the value of a professional-looking photograph has only increased. People who are experienced in taking professional pictures make it look easy, but this is a skill you need to practice and hone if you want the best results. To take professional photos, it's important to fully understand all of the factors involved, from the lighting and framing to the settings on your camera. In this article, we discuss the value of a professional photograph, explain how to take a professional photo and offer tips to improve your photography skills.
Photography is one of the most versatile skills you can master, and you can apply the skill to nearly any field. In the modern business world, every organization needs to have a professional-looking website, and you should also take advantage of social media to help expand your reach and brand loyalty. When deciding how to market your business online, using professional photos can help you make a strong first impression on your audience.
The question, however, is how to get those photos. Paying for an outside photographer can be pricey, so learning how to take professional photographs yourself can help you provide your business with the high-quality pictures you need without adding to a project's budget. Taking your own professional photographs also provides you with full control over the photos available to you without needing to account for your photographer's availability.
Every picture tells a story, and the star of that story is the subject of your photo. As the star, your subject plays a large role in determining how to best implement the other elements needed to take a professional photograph. When taking a picture of a landscape, you need to use a different approach than a portrait in a studio, and both will differ from an action shot at a sporting event, for example.
Sports Photographer LondonIn addition to understanding the type of photo you are taking, you should also approach each shot with a set purpose in mind. Small changes to the way you frame, pose and light your subject can have a big impact on the final product, and to get favorable results, you should always start with a goal in mind.
Getting started in photography can be intimidating when you look at the extensive setups for some photo shoots, but the good news is you don't need a professional setup for professional-level photography. While expensive cameras and accessories can help improve the quality of your photos, you can still create beautiful shots on a moderate budget. Here are some tips when it comes to your photography gear:
One benefit of the expanded use of phones as cameras is the rapid growth in lens quality. If you have a modern smartphone, you may be surprised at the high-quality photos you can take. Phones even have ways to simulate camera effects, like narrowing your depth of focus.
Changing your camera's lens is a quick way to radically alter the type of pictures you can take. A basic adjustable lens can help you take professional-looking photos in many different settings. However, if you want to focus on a specific photography style, you can significantly improve your results by finding the appropriate lens.
A tripod is an affordable way to improve the quality of the pictures that you take. In addition to allowing you to trigger the shots remotely, a tripod keeps your camera steady to avoid blurry photos.
Although most modern cameras can produce professional-looking photos, it's important to remain within the limits of your equipment or experience. If you find that you're struggling to create the image you're looking for, it may be time to assess your current setup for potential upgrades.
Getting the right lighting is the most effective way to transform a picture from everyday quality to professional quality. Lighting allows your subjects to pop, makes your images more dynamic and helps you set a specific mood. Mastering lighting is one of the most important skills you can learn to improve the quality of the pictures you take. If you're new to using lighting to enhance your photos, these tips can help you improve your skills:
Getting the right lighting is the most effective way to transform a picture from everyday quality to professional quality. Lighting allows your subjects to pop, makes your images more dynamic and helps you set a specific mood. Mastering lighting is one of the most important skills you can learn to improve the quality of the pictures you take. If you're new to using lighting to enhance your photos, these tips can help you improve your skills:
Using the sun to light your subjects is the quickest way to light a scene, and you should always try to maximize the benefit of natural light. The best natural light for photographs occurs in the hour following sunrise and the hour preceding sunset, known as the golden hour.
The key to a professional headshot is ensuring that there are no harsh shadows on your subject. A headlamp facing your subject, assisted by a softer fill light to balance out shadows, creates an attractive portrait.
Although it is generally advised to keep light sources behind you, by positioning your subject between you and a strong light source, you can create an eye-catching and professional silhouette shot.
When using natural lighting, you lose control of the direction of your light source. A reflector is an effective way to redirect the direction light is striking your subject to help fill in your lighting profile.
Too much direct light on a subject creates distinct shadows. While this can be useful, if you want to lessen the effect, placing a diffuser on your lights, or positioning one to catch natural light, prevents direct light and makes shadows more gentle.
The way you position subjects in your picture is a crucial factor in taking a professional photograph. When framing a shot, the choices you make can make your image more visually interesting, make the final product more appealing or even tell an entirely different story than a shot with slightly different framing. The best way to improve your framing is to practice. As you take more shots and try different framing techniques, this concept will come to you more naturally. Here are some tips you can use to frame your shots effectively:
When lining up your shot, pay attention to everything that is in the frame, and remove as much unnecessary distraction from your intended focus as possible.
One thing that makes professional shots stand out is that they show the world from an interesting point of view. Look for ways to find new angles that you might not have considered before, such as climbing up onto a stepladder to take a picture from a higher angle. This can be particularly useful when taking an interesting picture of a person if you want more than just a simple headshot.
When someone picks up your photo, you don't want them to feel confused about where to look. The subject of your image should be framed in a way that ensures it is the first thing a viewer's eyes are drawn to when they look at it.