How to make your photo stand out from the crowd.

1. Know your camera

- Understand how to use your camera and more importantly understand how camera setting will influence your final image.
- Learn to have more creative control rather than rely on automatic or program modes. Try using Aperture Priority
   or even manual.



2. Evoke an emotion

- From joy to sadness. From hope to despair. From peace to anger, and everything else in between. If your image
  evokes emotion in those who view it, then it will stand out from the crowd.



3. Add some humour

- Look for subject matter that viewers will find amusing.
- An entertaining image will be one in which people will remember
- Just think of all those emails that go around the internet with amusing attached. They evoke an emotion and
  people remember them.



4. Use colour effectively

- Consider colour in your images, in particular primary colours.
- Does the colour compliment the image?
- Consider complimentary colours.



5. High contrast scenes

- High contrast scens have impact. Look at sunsets and silhouettes but make sure that you have a strong subject matter.
- A sunset without a strong centre point is just another sunset.



6. Find the right light

- Photography is all about light.
- Try to photography early morning or late evening when the light is warmer and lighting is less harsh.
- Try to avoid the harsh light of midday.



7. Simplify

- Get in close, and then get in closer.
- Remove all unwanted elements.
- Use different lenses to chang field of view.



8. Use framing.

- Use natural or manmade object to frame your image, drawing your eye into subject matter.
- Consider using doors, arches or trees.



9. Crop (camera/computer)

- Remove any unwanted elements in your image that do not add anything.
- Consider cropping sky, distraction elements, water.



10. Use depth in your image

- When composing image, consider your foreground, subject matter and background.
- Look at rolling hills where haze causes the hills to have progressively lighter tones. This gives the image depth and draws
  your eye into the scene.



11. Try different perspectives

- Don't just take your image front in, try different perspectives.
- Try a low perspective, high perspective, move around and try taking it from a different angle.
- You will be surprises how much a difference moving one step to the left and right can make sometimes.



12. Use leading lines

- Use objects/features, patterns in your iamge to lead your eye into and through the scene.
- Look for rivers, fences, roads or the natural forms of landscape.
- Try to compose your iamge so that your eye is drawn into image from the bottom left corner.



13. Rule of thirds

- The "Rule of Thirds" is not a rule at all; it's a guideline, intended to help you when you are uncertain as to the placement of
   elemetns in a scene when you are framing the picture. By ignoring the rule, you may still have a great picture,
   depending on the content of the image and how well its elements are balanced.
- It has been repeatedly shown that by placing objects over these intersections, a pleasing and balanced arrangement 
  often results, whether the composition is horizontal or vertical.



14. Counter point.
 
- When an image's centre of interset is placed at an intersection of one of the thirds, balance in the picture can often be
   achieved by placing a secondary object(known as a "counter point") at the opposing intersection.



15. Patterns & repetition

- Patterns and repetition exists everywhere we go, with nature be abundant with them.
- Learn to see patterns and repetition and then learn to photograph it effectively.



16. Geometric shapes

- Look for geometric shapes in yout image or in the relationship of elements in your image.



17. Reflections

- Look for reflections in water and in windows and pay particular attention in how normal scenes can be transformed.
- Consider just including the reflection only.



18. Watch your background

- Make sure that there are no distracting elements in the background that draw yout attention away from the main subject.
- Look out for poles and trees protruding out of the top of people's heads.
- Look for bright colours or highlights in the background.



19. Use flash effectively

- Use fill flash to assist in high contrast situations.
- Puts a catch light in eyes of people and animals.
- Learn to control your flash and use it effectively.
- The goal should be an image that doesn't look like it has been flashed.
- One of the most difficult aspects of photography to master.



20. Work the subject.

- Take heaps of photographys - film's cheap.
- Be patient - take your time and wait for the moment.
- Explore different perspectives, different camera settings.



21. Dynamic images / Action

- Don't just take static shots; try to include movement or action.
- Timing is crucial.
- Shoot a sequence of shots.
- Learn to anticipate the action.



22. Tell a story

- Try to captivate the viewer with a story.
- Ensure that the viewer can relate to your story.



23. Try something new

- Dare to be different
- Break the rules.



24. Tweak your image

- If you want your photographys to stand out from the crowd, learn to enhance them through editing in your
  graphics program.
- Clone out unwanted elements, reduce highlights, desaturate bright colours in backgrounds, and apply creative techniques
   to enhance the image.



25. Be creative

- If all else fails, try something creative.
- First and foremost, be creative in your editing.
- Try not to just apply basic Photoshop filters and plus-ins. Some judges will expect more from an image
   than just a basic change.



26. Photography is Subjective.

- We're wall individuals and each of us will be attracted to different things in an image.
- For an image to be interesting to viewers with no emotional ties to the subject or photographer, it must have properties
  that appeal to the viewer.







Written by Malcolm Fackender

www.spotlightonasia.com