Published: August 17, 2007 05:09 pm      

PHOTOS: How to win fans and impress photo geeks

We asked some well-regarded Flickr users, along with Greater Niagara Newspapers photographer Doug Benz, to offer some tips on how to make a standard digital camera shot stand out and look better, whether on a print or on the Web.

• Fill your frame — and watch it

Many of us have deeply-stored memories of relatives trying to fit entire generations of family into one frame while shooting from across the lawn. That’s a great picture for genealogy enthusiasts, not so much for impressing friends.

“Don’t stand back 20 feet, so your subject is merely a portion of your frame in a ‘head-to-toe’ shot,” Benz said. “Be mindful of the subject, the frame and the background ... that means watching for things like bright red exit signs, or objects that might be half-covered by someone’s head, which will be noticeable later.”

• Know your geometry and the “rule of thirds”

The “rule of thirds” has been around since the mid-19th century, and sounds more complex than it is. Basically, put a tic-tac-toe grid on any picture, and the ones that seem more pleasing to the eye often have interesting things happening at the points where the lines meet. Many digital cameras can place a digital grid on the viewfinder for a point of reference.

You can find all sorts of lines in almost any picture — where eyes are looking or the arc of people’s arms, for example — and really great pictures have a kind of geometry to them. Try shooting from different angles, experiment with different zoom levels and framing.

• Don’t get cluttered

James Stewart, a Lexington, Ky., resident who has made the coveted “front page” spot on Flickr (chosen by site editors), has learned that taking an extra moment to scan the viewfinder for distracting or generally out-of-place items creates a focused picture that draws the eye.

Benz also notes that a photo with too much happening at once, or sometimes just too many people, leaves a shot feeling cluttered and unappealing.

• To flash or not to flash

In general, use a flash if the subject is close by and needs more light. Uncle Joe by the brink of falls at night should have it; Peter Frampton at Artpark shouldn’t, and turning on the flash confuses the camera’s computer and results in discolored shots.

If you have to use a flash while indoors, consider bracing yourself against a table, door jamb or wall, as low-light pictures without flash have a tendency to blur. Don’t be afraid to also try setting the camera on something or using a timer to achieve the same steadying effect.

If you’re taking a group shot with a flash, take at least three photos and the last will likely have the fewest closed eyes, as eyes adjust and stop blinking. A regular coffee filter, when placed over a flash, can also help diffuse the light and prevent harsh wash-outs.

• Learn from others

One of the many reasons photo geeks post their pictures to sharing sites is to get feedback from like-minded members, as both positive and negative feedback can help develop their own style and tastes.

Many sites have areas where users can specifically seek help on shooting or editing. Dave Rogge recommends fixmypic as one example, and notes that many users post explicit detail about their cameras, equipment and the shooting conditions when a shot gets noticed.