I receive quite a few emails from aspiring photographers asking how they can improve their photographs. While great equipment helps, it does not instantly make you a better shooter. Sometimes, having a camera with all the bells and whistles scares many beginners into using only automatic mode when they take pictures. If you have a clear idea of what you want your pictures to look like and you are willing to experiment, I am sure the following tips will help you become a much improved photographer.

Composition Counts
Take the time to make sure everything in your photo is balanced. You do this by making sure the horizon line is level, using the rule of thirds , cropping out distracting elements and playing with patterns and perspective. The rule of thirds states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines. Where the lines intersect is where you want to align the main subject of your photo. It is believed by following this rule, you create interest and tension in your photo…but rules are meant to be broken, so you don’t have to follow this all the time. In fact, I encourage you to learn the rules, then break them.

Fill the Frame
Filling the frame basically means get closer. If you think you are close enough for your shot, take a big step forward, then and shoot…then move in a couple of more steps and shoot again. I bet you will end up liking the second or third image a lot better because the focus will be on your subject instead of the stuff around your subject. This will dramatically increase the attractiveness and intimacy of your photographs.

Be Selective with Your Focus
Be selective with what you choose to include in your photograph. Traditionally trained as an artist, I was taught to take it all in and include as much detail as possible so the viewer of my drawings would see what I saw. With photography, I find it to be the opposite. Decide what the focus is and remove everything from the frame that detracts from the primary focus of your photo.

I admit I love soft, buttery bokeh. Bokeh is a Japanese term for the subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of a photographic image. If you want to really put the focus on your subject, play with your aperture and blur out the background. The smaller your f-stop number, the blurrier your background will be.

K.I.S.S. Your Camera Settings
If you primarily shoot in automatic mode, it is time to get a little risky and switch to one of the semi-automatic modes. I primarily shoot in Aperture Priority mode (that whole bokeh thing). It is my favorite. Since I shoot a lot more portraits than stationary objects, I don’t have a lot of time to play around with my settings, but I do like having control over how my photos look. Keeping your settings simple allows you to focus on creating a great picture while controlling how the final image looks.

Just Do It!
Finally, if you really want to improve your photography, the best advice I can give is this…experiment, play and have fun. The great thing about digital photography is you can instantly see what your photo looks like. You can shoot as many pictures as you want without worry about processing rolls of film. Have a sense of adventure and don’t be afraid to try something new. While rules are cool, they are meant to be broken. Master a skill, then find a way to do it better. Some of my best photos have been happy accidents.

I hope these tips help you improve and grow as a photographer. Now go forth and be a photographic rebel!