World Photography Day -- 🌻 Summer 2021 on the O2 Community 🌻

[Projectionist]

Hey everyone,

As it's World Photography Day ( Thurs 19th August ), I thought it would be an idea to share a few tips on how to get a bit more from that camera phone that we're all lugging around everywhere all day ( you could even use a "real" camera 😎 ) ....

Make the most of your summer and new-found freedom this year by take some photos of the high points – you can share these with your friends (personal, and here on the board) – they will also serve to cheer you up later (sometimes years later), and remind you of some really great days, and how interesting life can be, if we look a little closer...

Carry your camera (or camera phone) with you - always

But remember to try not to spend too much time looking at the screen if you’re outside (or inside, frankly)– just use the camera when you want/need it, if you’re out and about. It’s surprising how often you’ll see something interesting, be it a sunset, nature, weather, buildings etc.

Get the picture right 

Pay attention to the picture you’re taking – your mind sees what you have noticed, but others may see things differently – for instance, a car might ruin your nature pic.

Compose your picture carefully, you don’t need to put your main subject dead centre – the Rule of thirds - Wikipedia is a good, basic composition rule that’s pretty effective.

You could use something as a frame - the following photo used a doorway in a wall to frame a lady against the Roman Aqueduct at Segovia, Spain

Perspective can be used to convey an impression of distance - the photo above uses this to some extent, and below is another, taken of a groyne on the beach at Cromer, on the North Norfolk coast

If your subject is moving, then move the camera with it as the picture is taken – you should get the subject nice and sharp, with the background a little blurred – this gives a sense of speed/movement, and is known as panning

Take several shots, you can always delete the unused extras.

Think about lighting, shooting into the sun will cause your subjects to be darker than the background - so try to get the sun behind you, or to the side – especially with people shots and portraits – not many people like looking straight into the sun.

The time of day is also a factor, as this changes the lighting – the further away from midday, the longer the shadows will be.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on equipment 

Pretty much any smart camera phone, or digital camera is good enough for non-professional photography – taking care over your picture is far more important - if you point a £1000 camera at something uninteresting, it stays uninteresting.

Basic software can correct/improve your photo 🖥 💾

Even something as simple as Google Photos will let you crop the photo, adjust contrast/brightness, make the horizon level etc – save this until you get home though, it’s easier to use your PC

Cropping the picture is useful for improving the image by removing unnecessary areas to top, bottom and/or sides - the image below, of beach huts at Wells-next-the-Sea, been cropped top and bottom using Google Photos.

Enjoy yourself, and let’s see some of your work here on the forum ?  🏜 🏝 🏞 🌪 🌍

( edited to correct font and to add -- photos © @Projectionist )

[Anonymous]

@Projectionist Some great info and very well put together, I'm sure a lot of people will benefit from reading this post.

I've been in to photography for many years although I don't use a phone, I use a DSLR.

You're very right about not having to spend a lot of money nowadays, most phones are now very good and quality secondhand digital cameras and lenses can be found at bargain prices online too. 

[Anonymous]

I always carry my smartphone (iPhone 8 Plus) but I'm never in the right place at the right time. When I do take a picture its usually in a hurry because i'm trying to stop, reach for my phone & get that action shot but am always seconds too late & blurred. I love the fact that there are so many ways to alter & adjust pictures these days but it's all useless to me being colourblind. I'll have to settle for looking at some of the offerings you lot paste here. 

The last shot taken of any interest was last week when I rode past The Major Oak

Very hard to get a decent shot as the background is the same colour as the subject. How could i have improved the shot at the time or how can i adjust it now @Projectionist ?

Great thread btw. 

[Cleoriff]

Excellent article @Projectionist and some beautiful photographs. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

All a bit late for me annoyingly. Always been a point and shoot type person

I have a friend who used to be a member on here and he has now taken up wildlife photography. He doesn't travel out of his back garden but the pictures are superb. He submitted one to a competition and in that section he was a winner. I never realised bugs, moths and other insects could be so beautiful.

Love your picture where the lady is framed in an archway. So clever.

Thanks for this. As they say 'Every Picture tells a story'.

[Mi-Amigo]

Great thread @Projectionist with beautiful photographs and great advice.

I no longer have a camera or camera phone but do appreciate the lovely photos which you and others share with us on the Community. 

Thank you.

[Projectionist]

That's an impressive tree @Anonymous 🌳 - the Major Oak is an English legend.

As for your question on possible improvement, that little bit of fence, bottom left, is begging to show us what's on the other side - path, road, info centre - maybe move the tree, and include the other side of the fence, or crop the fence out by taking a slice off the bottom of the image. It's a decent picture as it is, though - more please 😃

[Anonymous]

I'll take a pedal that way again & see what I can do.

[LukasB]

Sorry @Projectionist a bit late to the party but a very inspiring post - now I want to go out and take pictures

[TallTrees]

Hey @Projectionist 

This is a lovely topic, thank you for posting this along with the photos which are beautiful.

I really enjoy photography.  In 2009 I bought a DSLR Nikon D5000 nice all round camera with it I bought a

macro lens as I like to do close up work ~ I have a light tent and a tripod for this work. 

I have my phone which is a Samsung Galaxy A70 with camera and use this a lot as this is normally with me. So gone are the days that I carry a camera.  Before the Nikon I bought a very neat Olympus Camedia think it was 2003, possibly one of the first digital cameras and certainly pocket size.  It still works perfectly.  

My phone now takes nearly all my photos~ it is very good at close-ups too not to quite the clarity of the Nikon.  My photos during the day are :- get it quickly or it's gone ~ much the same as @Anonymous 

I can't pay much attention to light focus or anything as subject bird butterfly etc. "gone" ~ this is my latest attempt at get that quick.

I have a robin that feeds from a dog bowl every day she pops in, thought I'll try and get a photo saw her come in and I rushed for phone and got these not brilliant but such fun.

on the bowl then YUM in the bowl

Wildlife is absolutely terrible to me they flit off just I have the focus etc. 

This is a Passion Flower taken with my phone:

Fiddled around with some effects with the begonia flowers and this Guy hung around for a long time! 

This is my cooking board and some of my vegetables cut up to make a sambal ~ taken with phone 

This is my Washing Basket recently bought it from a guy in Scotland who makes them by hand ~ yes I photo'd it !   I photo lots of things I like😍  and it's great I love it.

Thanks enjoyable topic

Lots of happiness here ~😁

[Cleoriff]

Lovely pictures @TallTrees