Bhaavya Roy-Essential Photographic Techniques

1. Master the Exposure Triangle

• Aperture (f-stop): Controls depth of field. Wide aperture (f/1.8) = blurry background. Narrow aperture (f/11+) = more in focus.

• Shutter Speed: Controls motion blur. Fast (1/1000s) for action; slow (1/10s) for long exposure/light trails.

• ISO: Controls sensor sensitivity. Low ISO = clean image; high ISO = more noise.

2. Use the Rule of Thirds

• Place your subject off-center at the intersections of an imaginary 3x3 grid for balanced and dynamic composition.

3. Understand and Use Light

• Golden Hour: Shoot during sunrise or sunset for warm, soft light.

• Blue Hour: Just after sunset or before sunrise, ideal for moody landscapes and cityscapes.

• Backlighting/Sidelighting: Adds depth and drama.

4. Control Depth of Field

• Use shallow depth of field (low f-number) for portraits to blur the background.

• Use deep depth of field (high f-number) for landscapes to keep everything sharp.

5. Long Exposure Photography

• Great for night scenes, waterfalls, and light trails.

• Use a tripod and neutral density (ND) filter in bright conditions.

6. Leading Lines and Framing

• Use roads, fences, or natural lines to draw the viewer’s eye to your subject.

• Frame your subject using doorways, windows, or foliage for depth.

7. Shoot in RAW

• Provides more flexibility in editing without loss of quality, unlike JPEG.

8. Try Different Perspectives

• Get low, shoot from above, or tilt your camera to add variety and interest.

9. Experiment with Minimalism and Negative Space

• Embrace simplicity and let your subject breathe with lots of empty space.

10. Black and White Photography

• Helps emphasize contrast, texture, and shape.

• Especially powerful for street and portrait photography.

🧠 Creative Exercises

• One lens challenge: Use only one focal length for a week.

• Color hunt: Capture a specific color throughout your day.

• Photo stories: Shoot a series that tells a story (e.g., "a day in the life").

💻 Post-Processing Tips

• Use Lightroom or Capture One for color correction and global adjustments.

• Use Photoshop for advanced retouching and composites.

• Learn about curves, histograms, and color grading. READ MORE