A great photograph is an artwork. It should emotionally engages the viewer. Whether you are an amateur photographer or a like-collector on Instagram, we wrote this piece with you in mind. We gathered simple photography tricks that will inspire your next snaps and make them much more likeable and original.
Symmetry
Symmetry is a powerful photography trick that adds a certain harmony and balance to your composition. It is all around us: natural and urban landscapes, the human body, etc. If you want to learn more about what you can achieve with it, check out this excellent tutorial on how to use symmetry.
Reflection
In your quest for symmetry, another photography trick is to take advantage of sources of reflection. The surface of a lake, a polished table, a mirror, or a metallic plaque will add value to your pictures. I am sure you have seen photos where a mountain reflects on a nearby lake. Travelers to Chicago never miss the occasion to take reflective shots of the Bean. You might be seeing more and more compositions using glass balls. We have. Again, your imagination is the limit. Here are 4 quick tips to stunning reflection photography. Use them.
Shadows
Photos are still just 2-D. Mastering lights and shadows add that third dimension to your work. Shadows can add drama, emotion, and contrast. They can reveal forms and textures. Don’t take our word for it; have a peek at this 15 slick photography tricks with shadows. Just imagine what you could do with this during your next travel.
Silhouette
One takeaway from this article should be the difference between shadow and silhouette. A silhouette is YOU as the subject of a photo flooded with backlight. A shadow is your projection on a surface. Silhouette photography can be tricky, especially if you include halos in it. We came across this article that is worth an eye. Best time to practice this photography trick? The Golden hour! Check out this neat web app that tells you when it will occurs near you.
Perception is a matter of perspective
The way you look at things gives them new lives. Some will argue that photography is all about perspectives. You can use eye-level, high and low angles. Lenses simulate and force viewers’ perception, etc. A popular perspective is the first-person view. How many of us shoot photos of our feet in front of majestic beach scenes? Check out how photographer Murad Osmann made a clever use of that technique. Thank Light Stalker for this basic lecture on perspective and photography. The forced perspective gives awesome optical illusions every traveler should have in their photo album. We should dedicate a whole post on using optical illusions in travel photography.
Did you like this post? How useful was it to you? Which other techniques do you think we should add to this list? Shoot us a little comment below. You could also show us your work on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by adding #travefan to your photos.