Simple techniques for taking great photos!

1. How To Take
Incredible Pictures
By Theresa M. Pepe

2. Taking home and vacation
photos, without the expense
of professional equipment,
means knowing the rules
for simple picture taking.

3. The rules are the same for
any camera!
Point and
Shoot
Professional
Digital
Camcorder

4. Recognize
warning signs
of poor
lighting.
Lighting

5. Be careful when
windows have too much
sunlight!

6. This
column
blocked
the
center
of
this
photo.

7. A different
ANGLE of
the same
room
makes the
difference!

8. Sunlight
behind a
clear
subject
makes
lovely
rainbows.

9. The right
lighting
brings
elegant
simplicity!

10. You
may
want a
shadow
when
there is
no
subject.

11. Too much
shadow
hides the
subject.

12. Moving closer in gives
more light to the
SUBJECT.

13. But a ZOOM-in
makes it even better!

14. Your
main
focus is
your
subject.

15. A subject can be found
taking a stroll…

16. …or your subject may come to you!

17. Your photos may have titles...
“My Favorite Fish.”

18. Backgrounds and Foregrounds

19. About 1/3 of the
picture should be
either background
or foreground…
…the sky
vs. the
water.

20. Cutting a picture into thirds loses
the focus.
1
2
3
Perhaps more sky!

21. Don’t add too much foreground when
other objects are focused on.

22. Summary & Pointers
• Keep a steady hand on your camera and
press the “shoot” button with care.
• Look through the lens and find the best
angle for the result you want.
• Don’t put a tall object in the middle of
your picture, such as a tree.
• And don’t forget to say, “Cheese!”

23. References
• Heinich, Molenda, Russel & Smaldino. (1999).
Instructional media and technologies for learning. Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey: Simon & Schuster.
• Kasper, T. (2001). Florida photos. [Author’s collection].
• Kodak. (2001). Guide to better pictures. [Online].
Available: http://www.kodak.com. [2001, September 18].
• Kodak. (2001). Ten top techniques. [Online]. Available:
http://www.kodak.com. [2001, September 18].
• Newsweek. (2001). The week in pictures. [Online].
Available:
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/theweekinpictures/defaul
t.asp?pne=msn. [2001, September, 23].

24. The End!