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10 Things to Do Before Pressing the Shutter Button
Whenever
we press the shutter button to take a photo, we’re making a commitment.
Certainly,
we can press this button again and again to take as many pictures as we’d like,
but we find it best to slow down and really take some extra time to consider
the shot before rushing in for the snap.
One
way we can learn to be more mindful about our photography and take more
intentional shots is by following a mental checklist of things to do before we
press the shutter. Below, we’ve listed 10 things you can ask yourself to make sure
your shot is the best it can be.
1. Find the leading lines
Make
yourself aware of the leading lines that
occur naturally in your scenery so that you can take advantage of them. Perhaps
you want to use them to lead the viewer’s eye toward the photo’s focal point,
or maybe you want to use these lines to draw the viewer into the far distant
horizon.
It
all depends on how you hope your audience will experience the photograph, and
leading lines can make all the difference.
2. Strengthen
your focal point
.Speaking
of focal points, let’s chat about them for a moment! One could
argue that the focal point is the most important part of a photo because it is
what’s responsible for anchoring the viewer’s attention. Once this attention
has been captured, the focal point can then lead the eyes toward other elements
within the scene.
Without
this singular point, however, a photo may appear without purpose.
3. Consider
other perspectives
Before
you press the shutter, ask yourself if you are getting the shot from the best perspective possible. Is there somewhere else you
could go to better capture your subjects and the surrounding scenery? Might
shooting from above or below better communicate the feeling you’re aiming to
create?
4. Double-check
the background
A
common mistake (and one of the worst ones we can make as photographers) is
focusing so much on our subject that we don’t pay enough attention to the background before grabbing our shot and moving on.
This
can result in the presence of distracting background elements that cheapen the
intensity of the focal point and, in the worst-case scenarios, the quality of
the photo as a whole.
5. Ask
yourself if the lighting is appropriate and how you can improve it
Prevent
lighting that is too harsh or too yellow by intentionally positioning yourself
away from direct sunlight or by using light modifiers like reflectors. If you are shooting in a studio, consider
different lighting arrangements. Also, ask yourself about the desired mood of
your photo and ensure that the lighting you achieve contributes appropriately.
6. Run
through a mental composition checklist
No
matter how complex your composition, it’s never
a bad idea to return to basics. In your head, consider your camera’s position,
the orientation of the horizon, the Rule of Thirds, whether you’ve achieved the
desired sense of scale in your shot, and anything else you find important to
your composition.
Keep
this checklist mostly the same each time so that it becomes a mental habit, and
soon enough you won’t have to think twice about it.
7. Understand
the exposure triangle
When
it comes to nailing your camera settings before pressing the shutter, the exposure triangle is one of the most important
concepts you can master to ensure that you end up with an appropriately exposed
photo.
Before
your finger presses down on that shutter button, think about the relationship
between your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO settings.
8. Consider
focus as it relates to your subject
Have
a plan when it comes to deciding how much you want your subject to be in focus, then adjust the depth of field
accordingly.
When
shooting a portrait, for example, you may want the focus to be primarily
directed on the subject’s eyes to capture the maximum amount of emotion. In
this case, the background may be less important. Landscapes, however, generally
benefit from a greater depth of field to keep everything simultaneously in
focus.
9. Ask
yourself “why”
Each
and every photo you take should have a purpose, a reason for existing. Before
taking the shot, take a moment to ask yourself “why”.
In
other words, ask yourself what about the subject, background, composition, and
lighting you have chosen makes this an essential photo. Does it tell a story? Does it provide a new
perspective? If you find yourself unable to answer this question, it might mean
that your composition lacks purpose and could benefit from some
reconsideration!
10. Think
about framing and symmetry
The
human eye likes order, meaning that it is particularly fond of natural frames
(a doorway, archway, bent tree, or anything else) and an even spread of subject
material throughout each half of the photo. If your composition lacks symmetry or fails to utilize available framing, ask yourself if you are making this choice
intentionally.
It’s
okay to break the “rules”
if done so with a purpose!
Every
photographer’s mental preparation for taking a photo is going to be different,
but we hope that this will give you some ideas as you prepare your own
photography workflow and make an effort to become a more mindful photographer
before pressing the shutter.
source: https://contrastly.com/10-things-to-do-before-pressing-the-shutter-button/