With the price of digital photography within the grasp of nearly everyone, taking scores of pictures of nearly everything has become a fad. If you don’t like one, you have a dozen others to choose from. Gone are the days when pictures were well planned because, good or bad, each one cost you money. Unfortunately, gone also are the days when amateurs studied how to take a good picture.

Sadly, even with dozens of pictures taken at an event, far too often not one of them is worth keeping, except as a reminder of the day. If you’re interested in Virginia photography or anywhere else and the above describes you, then learn these ten rules of taking a good picture, drawn from the Kodak website, then practice them before your next really important event.

Principle number one: get down to the subject’s level. Unless you desire a special effect, you will want to bend over or kneel down so that you capture the person’s face in a personal way. Don’t worry about being self-conscious about your method. The picture will last a lot longer than your damaged pride.

Rule number two: pay attention to the background. If it is cluttered, it will distract from the subject. The background can also give a false impression. A bright light above a child’s head may give the appearance of a halo that is inappropriate! Be sure the background focuses attention on the subject.

Principle number three: use a flash, even outdoors. Electronic cameras will measure the amount of light available and then will, according to the setting, choose whether or not to use the flash. When taking close subject pictures outdoors, force the camera to flash. In the sun, it will eliminate shadows on the face. In the shade, it will brighten the face.

Principle number four: move in close. Too often the photographer will fail to consider the final product when taking a picture. The result is disappointment as faces are too small to see. Move in as close as possible physically to let your subject fill to the borders. If you do this with the zoom lens, remember that the flash has a greater area to light than appears. This may or may not be good.

Principle number five: Consider turning your camera ninety degrees to capture some scenes. Since the camera takes a rectangular picture, a tall subject may well be better recorded sideways and then rotated in the camera, computer, or printer afterwards. A large family gathering should be captured horizontally, but a small family might possibly be better vertically.

Principle number six: Check your focus. At times the camera will focus on the distant objects instead of the subject of your picture, especially when the subject is off-center. To avoid this, hold the shutter button down half way as you point the camera directly at your subject. This will lock the focus. Then move the camera over to the position you wanted and take the picture. The camera is amazingly smart, but it doesn’t always guess correctly what you have in mind.

Rule number seven: Don’t always try to center your subject. Sometimes an added warmth is accomplished by moving the subject off center. For example, you want to include a picture of your house in a Christmas card. If centered, it just says, “This is where we live.” If, on the other land, the picture is taken from the driveway, it may be inviting people to come visit. Be sure to follow the focus rule as described above when doing this.

Rule number eight: know the strength of your flash. Most cameras have a flash range of ten feet or less. Thus, if you want the flash to light your subject, you have to be that close to it. And don’t forget, if the zoom is used, the subject may still be out of range, even though it looks close.

Principle number nine: check your light. Outdoor shots of people are best without direct sunlight. If this is unavoidable, then be sure to use the flash, as described previously. The long shadows of the early and late part of the day are best for scenic shots.

Principle number ten: be a picture director. Arrange the subjects, move to a different perspective, add some props. Don’t just take a shot; plan a shot and do it the way you want. Make your picture more than just a record of the event. Make those seeing it feel the event as well.

Following these tips will have your pictures turn out far above the norm. However, some events require a professional. If you’re interested in, or near eastern Virginia, consider the services of Del Haven Studio, an accomplished Virginia Beach portrait photographer.