by Steve Midway

Created on: January 24, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

I've been shooting photographs for several years, in various and disparate locations and with a diversity of gear. Once, while teaching photography in a lab, I got into a conversation about the simplest things someone can do to improve their work. Shortly after this banter, I decided to write down what I thought were the easiest ways for anyone to improve their photography. The following is the result: a short list of methods, techniques and tips for improving the quality of your photographs. The list deals with very basic ideas that can greatly improve the photographic quality of the beginner photographer. The list can also be useful to the intermediate and advanced photographer as a reminder of the building blocks of good photos.

1. Identify what you want to remember.
Taking a photograph means capturing something a person, a place, an action indefinitely. Be sure that before you press the shutter button you have identified specifically what you want to remember. You can eliminate a lot of sub-standard photographs (and save a lot of money) by first identifying exactly what captures your interest.

2. Create different viewpoints and angles.
No two photographs are the same. Every photograph varies temporally and spatially from even its closest matches. You can however, exacerbate the uniqueness of your photographs by searching for different angles and viewpoints to shoot from. For some subjects you won't need to do this they are already unique (although this doesn't mean you can't still try) but for everyday photographs in which an audience sees the same thing, a photographer can be successful by presenting a different look at a familiar subject.

3. Don't tell people you are taking pictures.
Candid photographs are often more unique than artificially composed images. That's not to say you should shoot photographs of people looking at the camera, just limit them to really nice shots such as with exceptional backgrounds. Otherwise, just shoot photographs of people doing what they are doing. This provides the photograph with a sense of intimacy and will often bring stronger emotion to the viewer.

4. Get in close.
Taking close photographs can be difficult without the proper equipment. But when you get the chance, get in as close as your lens/equipment will allow. This information (focal distance, or closest the camera can be to the subject) is available on the camera and disposables are generally 4 feet. Getting details of the subject is little more than creating a new

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