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Learning From “Bad Photos”

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Photos by Steve BerardiIn teaching photography, a lot of attention is always paid to the “good photos” — pointing out what made the photo “good.” We don’t really hear much about the “bad photo” ever, but I think you can learn things from any photograph.

I’m putting “good” and “bad” in quotes here because, like I’ve said before, I don’t really think there are good and bad photos. I think it’s more of a personal choice about whether or not a photo triggers some feeling in you. So, in that sense, when I say “bad photo” here, what I really mean is a photo you took that you personally don’t like for some reason—it doesn’t say what you want it to say about your subject. [Read more…] about Learning From “Bad Photos”

What Would Make It Better?

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Photo by Steve BerardiOne of the habits that can lead to better photos is to ask yourself a very simple question after you take a photo: what would make it better?

Every time you take a photo, take some time to review it on your camera’s LCD, and look for ways you can make it better. It could be simple things like “wait until that flower stops moving in the air” or it could be more artistic stuff like “change my position so the image has more natural lines to guide the viewer through the frame.” Just look for something, anything.

And then, make that change you thought of, and repeat the process again: asking yourself “what would make this photo better?” Keep doing that until your answer is “nothing” or “I have no idea!” — but think hard about it! You don’t want to get home, review the photos on your computer and say to yourself, “oh no! I should’ve composed it like this instead.” [Read more…] about What Would Make It Better?

Reviewing Old Photos

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Photo by Steve Berardi
Photo by Steve Berardi
In a previous post, I talked about why you should periodically review old photos. In the post, I specifically referred to photos that you originally overlooked and didn’t think were “good enough” to process and share.

Well, I’ve recently realized how valuable it can be to also review all your photos that made it to the “good” pile, especially concentrating on your favorite images. Once we take a photo we’re proud of and post-process it and share it online or print it, we usually stop thinking about it. But, I think it’s really helpful to review these photos periodically for a variety of reasons.

Here are some things to think about when reviewing your old favorites: [Read more…] about Reviewing Old Photos

How To Prepare Your Images For the Web

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Photo by Steve Berardi
Photo by Steve Berardi
These days, most photographers share their images on the web (for many good reasons). But, before posting images online, there’s a few things you should do to prepare them:

#1 – Convert color space to sRGB

Color spaces are a complex topic, but to ensure the colors in your images look consistently across a wide range of screens, it’s important to convert your images to the sRGB color space before posting them online. This is the most compatible color space across all devices.

Your images may already be in the sRGB color space, but many cameras export images in Adobe RGB 1998 or some cameras have their own unique color space. Be sure to check! [Read more…] about How To Prepare Your Images For the Web

Completing Your Vision in Post-Processing

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Red-tailed Hawk / Photo by Vic Berardi
Red-tailed Hawk / Photo by Vic Berardi
Note from the editor (Steve): After reading this great post by my Dad, please check out his new blog, where he’s writing about his travels, his passion for hawks, and other thoughts on life.

That term “vision”—what does it mean? For me it’s simple. When I get home from a day of shooting, I review all my photos. I intentionally look for the images that stood out when I first saw them through my viewfinder. However, I usually get confusingly disappointed when I realize the camera didn’t capture the scene exactly the way I “saw” it—or maybe the way I thought I saw it? [Read more…] about Completing Your Vision in Post-Processing

5 Tips For Aerial Photography

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Photo by Jeff Stamer / Kauai's Kahili Falls
Photo by Jeff Stamer / Kauai’s Kahili Falls
Many of us were first attracted to photography because it allowed us to see the world anew. Your camera challenges you not only to explore new places but also see familiar ones differently. One of the most dramatic ways to do this is with aerial photography.

Have you ever taken two shots a few yards apart and been amazed at how different they looked? That slight difference in perspective is multiplied exponentially in aerial photography. [Read more…] about 5 Tips For Aerial Photography