A self learned antidote to mediocre photos.
So how many of you people have asked yourself this question, while learning photography? Why are my photos bad? Well, everyone takes bad photos. They just show the good ones. So how to take the good ones? Well let me tell you.
So, instead of jumping to the conclusion of 'I just suck at taking photos', think about this. You're probably NOT the only one who has ever taken a bad photo. Everyone has done that and it's okay. So now that you're a bit chilled out, let's work the problem.
Now then, what is it about your photos, that you don't like? Is it the framing? the light? the colours? the angle? is it grainy? is it boring? what? Think about the thing that you don't like. You generally never dislike something for no reason right? There is always a reason, so what is it about your photo?
So now that you've had some time to think about it, I'll tell you some of the common mistakes people make, based on my own experience.
Usually the most common problem is the exposure. Either it's under exposure or over exposure. Under exposure is obviously when you let in less light for your camera and over exposure is the exact opposite. Overall Exposure is controlled by three things, the ISO, shutter speed & aperture. Shutter speed is the duration during which the camera's shutter remains open to let in light. Aperture is the opening on the camera lens and an an ISO setting defines the sensitivity of the sensor to light. All these factors determine the exposure of a photograph. Practicing with the manual mode, aperture priority mode and Shutter priority mode helps you understand these factors better.
To understand how aperture works, read my post on Aperture.
To learn how the shutter speed works, check out the post on Shutter speed.
And to learn more about ISO, check out the post on ISO.
Now if you think that your photos are exposed properly but are just plain boring, then keep the following things in mind. You have to guide the eyes of the viewer to a specific thing in your image. Your photo is probably boring because there is nothing in it for the eye to hold on to and hence you lose interest. So think about interesting patterns, frame your shot using the rule of thirds or if you're breaking the rule then make sure your photo is eye catching. Use leading lines in your image and guide the viewer. Leading lines can be anything; train tracks, sticks, stones, rivers, trees etc. They should be used as a line, or a path way to the focal point of your image. Obviously you don't have to do this. But trying out stuff helps.
Now, if your image is grainy or shaky, then there are a couple of things you could do. Firstly, keep your camera steady while taking a picture. At slower shutter speeds, camera movements seem even more pronounced. To avoid these, use a sturdy tripod whenever possible. Tripods are a must if you're taking a long exposure shot unless you're aiming for a specific effect or something.
When it comes to reducing noise and/or grain, proper exposure is needed. Shooting in low light and/or higher ISO settings will introduce noise in your image. As a rule, I try to stay below ISO 1000 while taking photos, just to be on the safe side. If it's too dark, then consider using flashes or strobes instead of increasing the ISO or slowing down your shutter speed too much (specially if you're shooting hand held). Like I said before, using a proper tripod in low light and using flashes and managing you're ISO properly will save you a lot of head aches.
Also, in the end, it helps to practice using your camera. The more you practice, the more you'll get better at photography, as you'll keep learning new things. Try shooting with other photographers as well so that you'll know what other people are up to as well.