Want to get it right in camera? Here are some of my favorite tips and techniques:
1. Achieve a solid knowledge of exposure.
Knowing how and where to meter will help you to avoid having to "fix" exposure errors. And not all exposure errors can be fixed, even if shooting in the much more flexible RAW format instead of JPEG.
2. Pay attention to your composition.
Make sure that there are no distractions in the background or edges of the frame before you press the shutter button. Remove distracting elements either by hand if possible, or change camera position. While a lot of that can be done in computer, it takes a lot more time to do so.
3. Choose the best possible subject possible.
For example, if shooting flowers look for the flower with the least amount of marks, browning and other flaws, unless that is the reason you are capturing the image. If capturing images of people, make sure they look their best (neat clothes, perfect makeup and hair.) That way, you’ll have the least amount of retouching to do later. Of course, it is not always option but if it is use it!
4. Achieve a solid knowledge of depth of field.
Some background distractions can’t be removed by hand or by moving the camera. That’s when shallow depth of field can help. Use the widest aperture your lens offers and move as close to the subject as you can for the most minimal depth of field and out of focus backgrounds. And if you don’t know how to do that or what I am talking about, I refer you to the next tip.
5. Learn as much as you can about photography.
Having a solid knowledge base will help improve your photography. Buy books & magazines, and read articles online. Watch you tube videos. But don’t just study and observe, go out and practice, practice, practice.
6. Use optical filters.
I have already expressed my love of experimenting with filters. In addition to Cokin, there are many different brands available. Some filters render effects that can be duplicated in the computer, such as color filters, but some can’t. In particular, I recommend experimenting with polarizer filters. They deepen colors and remove reflections in a way that can not be replicated in the computer.
7. Experiment with shutter speeds.
Using a slow shutter speed can add motion blur. Yeah, you can do those corny motion blur effects in the computer. But they are much cooler when captured in camera. Trust me.
8. Experiment with lighting.
Mixing available light (daylight, moonlight, room lamps etc.) with an accessory flash can render some interesting effects. Especially when you also experiment with shutter speeds and colored filters.
9. Try different lenses.
Lenses are the photographer’s paintbrushes. Different lenses can render many different effects. From wide angle to telephoto lenses and novelty lenses like a Lensbaby, there are many different effects that can be had just by the simple act of changing a lens. The photograph at the top of this page was captured with a Lensbaby lens. Lack of interchangeable lenses is part of the reason I felt creatively stifled by using cameras with fixed lenses. If you are lucky enough to be using a dslr or film dslr camera, don’t just stick to using one lens all the time. Take advantage of all the "photographer paintbrushes" that you have in your current kit and regularly add new ones.
10. Have fun!
Don’t be afraid to experiment and learn new techniques. The best artists and photographers experiment throughout their whole lifetimes. Enjoy!