Do you scrapbook your photographs? Or do you feel your photos aren't scrapbook worthy because they never come out as well as you would like? Are you somewhat intimidated by taking photos, because you really don't know how to take good pictures?
Over the next week and a half, I am going to share Ten Tips that I learned from our friends at KODAK-the picture experts! Once you've learned these tips and apply this knowledge to your photo shoots, you will see the quality of your pictures improve, and you'll feel much more confident about picture-taking! Be sure to check back here for a photo-taking tip each day, that will help you take better photographs with your digital camera!
The next step after taking good pictures, is knowing how to make great scrapbook pages with them! I teach rubber stamping and Scrapbooking 101 classes every month at my in-home studio in Hardyston NJ using Stampin' Up! stamps, Simply Scrappin'™ products and accessories, Designer Series Papers and much more, so make sure you check out my CLASS CALENDAR too! If you attend these classes in person each month, you will receive hands-on experience creating eye-appealing layouts, with attractive colors, titles and journaling-all necessary components to putting together a great scrapbook page! When you combine your newly found knowledge of good picture-taking, with the steps to creating fantastic scrapbook pages, you will be so excited to make some beautiful pages you and your family will cherish for years to come!
Tip#5: THE RULE OF THIRDS & OFF-CENTER SUBJECT PLACEMENT
Where do you think the subject of your photo should be positioned in the viewfinder? in the center? The only time this is so is when the subject is part of a formal arrangement such as a wedding pose, prom photo etc. Otherwise, it's best to use the Rule of Thirds when photographing people. Imagine drawing a tic-tac-toe grid on your viewfinder-then place a prominent feature such as the face, on one of the points where the lines intersect. In a close-up, you would position the eyes on this focal spot. Always position the subject off-center on the side of the grid where the subject is turning or facing an open space. If you have an auto-focus camera, you'll need to lock the focus to prevent the subject from being placed in the center of the viewfinder.
In summary, by moving your subject away from the center of the photo, you will bring the picture to life! Here's our beagle Shiloh-checking out a squirrel on the deck outside: