How to Take Better Photos – The Alternative to Going Out on Spec

If you’re a landscape photographer, prepare for the weather. In the image above, I’d spotted this location that I knew I wanted a moody feel for the shot. So, I waited for a gloomy, overcast day.

Plan for the time of day. I checked the time of sunrise and got up at 5:00 AM to be in position for this sunrise. The early morning runner was a bit of a bonus.

Think where the sun is going to be. I used a photographer’s app to work out the time of day that the shots of sunlight would light up the old Man of Coniston and then the hillside. And then it’s a question of being in the right position at the right time, and watching the changing patterns on the hillside for the right moment. I waited for about two hours to get this shot. Does this make sense?

If you’re a wildlife photographer, study your subject. When’s the best time of day to capture them? For example, butterflies and dragonflies are easier to shoot in the morning because they can’t move much before they’ve warmed up. This was taken in a disused quarry just after the sun had come over the rim. And there’s a stack of 20 images to get the sharpness from wingtip to wingtip. 

If it’s birds, what’s their favourite habitat? I knew herons fished in this particular stream, and it was a question of being patient. This was the result of about one and a half hours in a hide. To help capture the moment, I use the feature available on modern mirrorless cameras called pre or pro capture.

When are they likely to be out? Here I knew the tern had a nest amongst the rocks. It was likely to be defensive if something else came close. Does this make sense?

If you’re a street photographer, think about where you’re going. This was taken in a slightly rundown inner city shopping street, which I find tends to lead themselves to these sort of gritty images. And then it’s a question of when you get there looking around. Here I found the betting shop and the worried expression on the guy’s face says to me – either his bet lost – or it won, but he’s lost the betting slip.

What’s the theme for today’s outing? Maybe it’s street musicians. So think about where you’ll find them and go there.

Or is there a story you’re trying to tell? Street preachers always make for interesting images and they’re usually highly animated. It’s a question of finding the location, knowing your camera settings so you don’t miss the moments as it happens. Are you getting this?

If you’re a portrait photographer, so you’re taking family portraits in a studio, know your lighting setups. To get that pure white background it needs one to one and a half stops more light on the background than on your main subject. For children’s portraits I get down on their level. I often lie on the floor.

If you’re on location, think about the time of day and lighting angles. Here I chose the location so that the sun backlit the client’s hair and the angle so that the natural lines of the building, take your eyes right to the subject.

If you’re shooting boudoir, plan your poses. For this shoot, I’d already created a shoot plan with the client thinking about the shots that she wanted, so I could work out in advance the lighting setups I needed and the angles to make her look the best. Do you understand what I’m saying here about preparation and planning?