Find your subject and focus on it.
Picture it: The scene is perfect, vivid colors and memorable detail. Inspired, you raise your point-and-shoot camera and start clicking. You look in the viewfinder, hoping for the “ooo.” But what you see is stagnant. Boring. Shadows overtake the details that inspired you in the first place. You try again. Same results. Frustrated and at a loss, you place your camera back in the bag. Better luck next time.


Sound familiar? Not to worry. Photography is an art. And like any art form, the more you do, the better you get. An artistic photo takes preparation, imagination and most importantly, a sense of play.





Preparation: Know your equipment

According to Jeff Fay, an 18-year veteran photographer and owner of Hollowtree Images in Tampa, preparation
Better RVing Advertisement
is key. “Make sure you’re camera is ready at all times,” advises Fay. “And make sure it fits your hand—that your thumb doesn’t cover the lens.” 


Some additional tips: 


• Know your settings. Most point-and-shoot digital cameras address the common photographic challenges: shutter speed, red eye, and under- and overexposure. Get familiar with the settings that address them.


• Take time to get the right shot. “A lot of pictures are taken too quickly,” says Fay. “Pictures tell a story.The camera’s only job is to get to the next frame. It’s up to the photographer to get the picture. So think before you shoot.”

• Be careful about storage. Don’t compress pictures to save space. Instead, invest in a high-capacity memory card. Then save your photos in high-resolution. You won’t be sorry. 



Play with your light settings to create drama.
Use Your Imagination…and Play!

What is it about the subject that inspires you? Is it the size? Find a way to illustrate its scale by capturing something smaller next to it. 

If it’s the subject itself that intrigues you, come in close so it is the focal point of the photograph. But avoid the zoom. In point-and-shoot cameras it tends to stretch things and make them fuzzy. Instead, move yourself closer to the subject. 

Are the details catching your eye? Set your exposure to the right setting. It will bring out every one. Play with angles: up, down and sideways.  Shoot the photo from your dogs point of view and you may a completely different world open up.

Is it mood? Most good photographers will tell you an overcast sky or a low sun provide the most provocative photographs.  An overcast sky will alleviate harsh shadows on the subjects while sunset creates dramatic soft light. Use your night setting to get more ambient light.


If it’s people you’re after, capture the moments, not just the people. Posed pictures are stagnant. First, set your shutter
Wait for the moment to come to you.
speed and exposure. Then wait for that perfect moment. You will capture the story and its main character with his or her personality revealed, like when your grandchild is in the middle of a giggle instead of a staged smile.

Fay has a great tip for capturing children. “Get down on their level. Give them a something to play with. Then call their name. When they look up, you’ve got the shot.”


So capturing a work of art is easier than you may think: Know your equipment. Play with your camera. Use your imagination. Then be prepared to find the perfect frame for that perfect picture.