I was reading the rules for entering the competition for photos of monuments for Wikipedia when I clicked through to their advice page on taking photos. I knew several of the basics, including:
1 Make sure your picture is horizontal
2 Or correct it later
3 Ensure the autofocus is on the main subject of the photo.
Photographing People
Regarding autofocus, I know that when you are taking a picture of two people, you have to ensure that the camera is not focused on the wall behind and between them, in the centre of the picture.
Focus Fix
On some cameras which focus on whatever is in the middle of the box shape frame or cross in the middle of the picture, you can focus on the person, one of the people, press something to hold that focus, and then move back to correct layout. I have never mastered this. Also it causes delay. I prefer to move one of the people into the middle and have the other person behind looking over their shoulder.
What Wikipedia adds is how the camera might focus on the foreground, such as a lamp post, which is incidental, whilst the main subject of the photo, the cathedral in the middle distance, is out of focus.
The Wikipedia article handily shows several photos of the same scene.
Before And After
I have always wanted to do a before and after photo guide, or a wrong or right guide. Every time I delete a bad picture I think, maybe I should have kept that as an example of what goes wrong and how to correct it. I probably will do so eventually.
Meanwhile, enjoy the useful Wikipedia article, which is clear and not over technical which is the fault of many books on how to improve your photographs.
http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org.uk/category/common-photo-errors#11
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
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