There are so many rudiments to really good photography as to boggle the mind of the person contented with their cheap little toss camera. Pick up any expensive 35 mm or digital camera and look at all the dials and knobs with their many settings. If you are like the typical uninitiated person you will be tempted to set the thing on automatic and never try deciphering the instruction booklet, in which case you have just paid a lot for a "point and shoot".



Taking the time to learn the basics of photography is worth your while. There are lots of books and magazines on the subject, many universities offer courses of study in photography, and there are thousands of photography tips online. Many people are stunned at how many elements go into a good photograph.

The three essential rules are: to know your subject, to put the focus on that subject, and to simplify. Composition, therefore, is much more than just finding something pretty to photograph. You must consider items that may clutter the scene or draw the attention away from your subject. Contrary to intuition, your subject should be off-center, following the Rule of Thirds. Think of the frame divided into three parts by two vertical or horizontal lines; the subject should be centered on one of the two lines.

Of course, once you have your composition in mind, you must think about the lighting, if necessary. Is there enough natural light? Can you avoid an ugly flash and the resulting shadows? Is the sun too high in the sky? Once the lighting issue is decided, the camera must be positioned. Do you want a bird's eye view? Would the subject be more interesting photographed from below? Photography involves a lot of decisions and then there is the manual focus to accomplish!

It takes a lot of misses to create a stunning photograph. Any quality photojournalist will tell you that with a traditional 35 mm camera, it usually takes one full roll of film to yield a single perfect shot. At least with digital, you have the luxury of reviewing immediate results! After that, there is the color correcting, the cropping, the light level correction.