Photography Rules of Thumb

[jenny2]

What are the rules of thumb that you use when shooting?

Years ago when my dad was teaching me how to shoot on his old, manual Minolta SLR I remember him telling me that when shooting a picture that includes the horizon to not put the horizon in the center of the frame - to put it at the 1/3 or 2/3s mark. I've heard people referring to the "rule of thirds" which I think is the same thing

Another post by Kelly reminded me that when hand holding your camera, to prevent taking a blurry picture your slowest shutter speed should be the one that most closely matches the millimeters of the lens you are using. So if you're shooting at 100mm, 1/100 should be the slowest shutter speed you try to hand hold at.

Any more that you use regularly?

 

[Geoff_M]

You are correct, it is the "Rule of Thirds".

There's also the "Sunny f16 rule"... It may not come in handy for a lot of people, but if your camera meter goes out and it's a sunny day (not early AM or PM) then setting the exposure to f16 and a shutter speed of the reciprocal of the ISO should get you a decently exposed image. So if it's ISO 200, and sunny then use 1/200 sec at f16 (or 1/400 sec @ f8, or 1/800 @ f5.6, etc.).

 

[jann1033]

no tidbits just subscribing...like the sunny f 16 though ( knew the rule of thirds even though i can't say i always am aware of it when i should be it's been a long long long time since my single high school photography course.. those cameras are probably museum pieces by now)

 

[Anewman]

My number 1 rule.

"Remember that most rules are more like guidelines."

but if I had to choose one guideline that is important to me

"Get the eyes in sharpest FOCUS possible." Blurry arm is no big deal, Blurry eyes equal bad picture.

 

[safetymom]

Make sure your memory card is in the camera and the batteries are charged.

 

[TheLionKing]

Don't put your thumb on the lens while shooting.....



Oops, sorry misread that, I thought it said Thumb Rules of Photography.

 

[Charade]

Make sure your memory card is in the camera and the batteries are charged.

Doh!!

 

[Charade]

If you don't like your pictures, you're not close enough.

 

[jann1033]

i did think of one

take off lens cap first thing so you don't miss something( have forgotten before)

I agree safety mom, sometimes the most obvious are what you forget

 

[jann1033]

Don't put your thumb on the lens while shooting.....



Oops, sorry misread that, I thought it said Thumb Rules of Photography.

"t"he can't help it if "t"he lisps

 

[manning]

There's also the "Sunny f16 rule"... ..

How stupid of .......me. After all these years I never came across that. Have to remember it. Thanks!!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

(tongue firmly in cheek) don't buy a Kodak P&S

 

[Geoff_M]

Another good one: "Crop it tighter!"