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- Written by By Dr. Lori Verderame By Dr. Lori Verderame
History’s famous photographers show us some tips for taking super photographs. The masters of photo history discussed everything from shooting lots of film to composing a good picture.
Here are their Top 5 Tips:
Storytelling is Key
The photographer Lewis Hine thought that telling a story with a camera was much better than telling it on paper. His pictures made an impact on society when he shot a photo of a group of coal mine breaker boys, dirty and tired, from Pennsylvania.
Their job in the early 1900s was to separate coal from slate, and Hine’s photo sparked a revisiting of America’s early 20th-century child labor laws. Photos can be powerful.
Once in a Lifetime or Bust
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin took a major photograph in the history of mankind. He captured a once-in-a-lifetime event. Aldrin snapped a photograph that had a long-lasting impact on world culture.
His photo was that of the famous lunar footprint of fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong. When Armstrong stepped onto the moon and made that giant leap for mankind in July 1969, Aldrin got the famous photo of the footprint that remains on the moon today.
Parts Tell the Whole Story
Don’t take a photograph of an entire subject, but instead take a photograph of one or two parts of the subject.
For instance, take a photo of the eye of an alligator at the zoo instead of the entire alligator. Take a picture of a blade of grass instead of the entire lawn.
You get the idea. Let the viewer of the photograph fill in the visual blanks.
Various Vantage Points
Common shots are just that: common. Try to take a photo in a new way.
Don’t take a picture of your grandkid’s soccer team in the traditional manner; take a photo of the team as they run to congratulate a fellow teammate or on their way off the field.
Kneel down, get to their level, and snap your photos. Forget the perspective that’s typical and try a new perspective that’s terrific.
Shoot, Shoot, and Shoot Some More
National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry tells budding photographers to shoot mountains of film and seek to capture images instead of just taking pictures.
McCurry’s famous Afghan Girl photograph was published in National Geographic in June 1985 after he disguised himself to gain access to Afghanistan, passed border guards, and then smuggled the film he shot out sewn in his clothing.
When it comes to taking great pictures, use these tips from the greats in photography to get the best shot possible.
Ph.D. antique appraiser and award-winning TV expert Dr. Lori Verderame is the star appraiser on Discovery channel’s international hit TV show Auction Kings and appears on FOX Business Network’s Strange Inheritance. Visit www.DrLoriV.com or call (888) 431-1010.