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General tips
• Shoot a lot and choose your best entry for
each category; don’t expect to get it
perfect in one try
• Check your images often while shooting;
look closely for focus
• Pay attention to backgrounds; don’t have
antennas sticking out of your subject’s
head
3. AprilKillingsworth/Flickr/CC-BY-2.0
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General tips
• Pay attention to lighting. On a bright,
sunny day, avoid shots where part of the
subject is in sunlight and part in deep
shadow
• Avoid using flash on camera; it results in
harsh, flat lighting
• Use Photoshop if needed to make minor
fixes – straightening the crop, fixing color
balance
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Head and shoulders
• Show the subject’s eyes clearly and in
focus
• Don’t cut off any part of the head; leave
some room to breath on top and the sides
• A good expression, showing emotion,
adds interest
5. 01: HEAD AND
SHOULDERS
This is cropped too tightly for the
assignment (top of head cut off; not
enough of body showing).
The background is not as plain as it
could be, but it is blurred enough
that it doesn’t distract from the main
subject.
The eyes are not in the very
sharpest focus.
This would be an average to below-
average photo.
6. 01: HEAD AND
SHOULDERS
The photo could be cropped a bit
closer on the left. But, because the
subject is looking in that direction,
it’s good practice to allow some
extra room; otherwise the subject’s
eyes will draw the viewer away
from the image.
The background is plain, but the
small, dark object on the right is
slightly distracting.
This would be an average to above-
average photo.
7. 01: HEAD AND
SHOULDERS
The subject has a great expression,
but the crop leaves too much room
on the right; she appears to be
looking out of the frame.
In addition, she is turned so far
from the camera, and her eyelids
are so far down, that the impact is
lessened.
This would be an average to above-
average photo.
8. 01: HEAD AND
SHOULDERS
Though shot as a candid, not
posed, the framing is correct.
The photo gains extra interest
because it captures an unusual
expression.
This would be an exceptional
photo.
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Environmental portrait
• The portrait does not have to be posed,
but the person’s face should be clearly
visible and in sharp focus
• Find a background that tells a story about
the person
• Frame carefully; fill the frame with relevant
background
10. 02: ENVIRONMENTAL
PORTRAIT
We see more of the person than in
a head-and-shoulders shot, and the
background plays a role in the
storytelling.
However, what the story is here is
unclear: Is this a student?
Librarian?
This is an average to above-
average photo.
Max Talbot-Minkin via Flickr | CC
BY 2.0
11. 02: ENVIRONMENTAL
PORTRAIT
The person is posed, but this is
more than a face shot. Other
elements – here, his clothing, gear
and the ambulance – tell us
something about him.
This is an above-average to
exceptional photo.
U.S. Air Force photo / Senior
Airman Jonathan Steffen
13. 03: FROZEN ACTION
Water droplets can be seen in
sharp focus, so this is clearly frozen
action.
The boy’s arm draws the eye to the
main splash, but it’s centered, and
we can’t see any expression on the
boy’s face.
This would be an average to above-
average photo.
14. 03: FROZEN ACTION
The man just to the right of center
is clearly not balanced, so the
action is frozen.
The viewer’s eyes are drawn to the
man because the other people are
looking at him and the diagonal
dark slash of the bull points at him,
giving this extra appeal.
The photo could be cropped more
tightly.
This would be an above-average
photo.
15. 03: FROZEN ACTION
The children are clearly in mid-run.
However, the cropping is a bit too
tight. It’s OK to cut off the tops of
the heads of those in the blurry
background, but cutting away at the
boy at left and the main runner
lessens the impact.
This would be an average to above-
average photo.
17. 04: BLURRED ACTION
Instead of clear water droplets, the
water forms a white curtain,
showing motion. But the rocks of
the waterfall are in sharp focus,
showing the camera was steady
during the exposure.
The photos shows signs of
excessive editing (note the
darkness of the sky in general, but
lightness at the tops of the trees).
This would be an average photo.
19. 05: CLOSEUP
The entire area covered by the
image is less than 6 inches in
diameter.
However, the spider is not entirely
in focus. And, because it’s backlit,
the details are not clear.
This would be a below-average to
average photo.
20. 05: CLOSEUP
The center of interest is a small
pavement market, about 4 inches
across.
However, the crop is wide.
This would be an average to above-
average photo.
21. 05: CLOSEUP
The center of interest is small and
fills the frame.
This would be an above-average to
exceptional photo.
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Framed
• The framing should wrap around at least
three sides of the point of interest
• The point of interest must be in focus; the
frame often is out of focus
• You may need to use manual controls to
be sure the focus and exposure are being
set for the point of interest, not the frame
23. 06: FRAMED
The tunnel forms a frame. However,
there’s nothing of interest inside,
and the scene beyond the tunnel is
washed out.
This would be a below-average
photo.
24. 06: FRAMED
The woman is framed in the phone
box’s door. However, the viewer
doesn’t have the sense of looking
through the door at her; she’s
clearly in front of it.
This would be an average to above-
average photo.
25. 06: FRAMED
The window in this door frames an
interesting image, pulling the
viewer’s eye to the bride.
This would be an exceptional
photo.
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Leading lines
• Diagonals that cut across the frame or
perspective lines that converge work best
• Diagonals don’t have to be straight; curves
work too
• Make sure you’re not leading the viewers
to nowhere; draw their eyes to something
interesting
27. 07: LEADING LINES
The fence lines form curved
diagonals. However, there is no
payoff; there’s nothing of interest
that the lines draw the eye to.
This would be a below-average to
average photo.
28. 07: LEADING LINES
The line of bottles forms a diagonal.
The closest bottles are the main
subject, in sharp focus.
It’s not clear which direction the
diagonal should lead us, however.
This would be an average photo.
29. 07: LEADING LINES
The two rows of flowers form slight
diagonals converging on the
mansion.
This would be an above-average
photo.
31. 08: SYMMETRY
The fountain’s spray is centered
horizontally.
This also captures motion, and it’s
cropped tightly to emphasize the
points of interest. This would be an
above-average to exceptional
photo.
32. 08: SYMMETRY
The glass pyramid is centered both
horizontally and (counting its
reflection in the pond) vertically.
This would be an exceptional
photo.
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Depth of field
• The wider the opening of your lens (the
lower the f-stop), the shallower the depth
of field.
• Use a tripod to ensure the subject you
want stays inside the focused area
• If you can’t use a tripod, hold the camera
as steady as possible and shoot multiple
exposures to find one that works.
34. 09: DEPTH OF FIELD
The flowers are in focus, but the
background is extremely blurred,
drawing more attention to the
blooms.
This would be an above-average
photo.
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Unusual angle
• An unusual angle is one viewers would
generally not encounter in regular life
• Remember all the other rules of
composition; a dull subject in a poorly
composed photo is bad no matter what the
angle
36. 10: UNUSUAL ANGLE
The photographer was high above
the subject.
This is an above-average photo.
37. 10: UNUSUAL ANGLE
The Eiffel Tower is tall; any shot of it
could arguably be said to be taken
from below.
However, this shot is taken from
very close to the base; the
perspective produces an unusual
shape. Add the way the diagonals
draw the viewer through the whole
frame, and the careful symmetry,
and this is an exceptional photo.
