Photographs To Make Us Better

Armed with a point and shoot pocket camera, I was able to get quite a few good pictures to keep in our vacation album. I also wanted some images to use for discussion starters for both of my blogs. I also have a spiritual blog called Gods Ways are Different). Below is a gallery of nature pictures followed by 10 tips for creating useable images. I like to think a good picture can start a good conversation. Click on any picture to enlarge or begin a slide show in your browser.

1. Find a way to stabilize the camera…no shake for a clear picture
2. Camera angle…change angles for the same picture. many of these pictures were taken with the camera 4 inches from the ground. This also allowed my pinkie finger to hold the camera still in the sand (shell and wave pictures).
3. Make sure you get the desired lighting by putting the camera sensor on the brightest part of the picture and then moving it until the picture has the most color and desired lighting.
4. Use your telephoto to frame what you want in the picture.
5. Know why you are taking the picture. Adding too many ingredients makes every picture a “landscape” picture unless these ingredients add to the main character(s) of the picture.
6. Take several pictures of the same thing…one will stand out later.
7. Edit ruthlessly later or you might be using good but not great pictures in your blog later. Most people only think they don’t care. Your readers love to be pleasantly surprised with gems that add to your words.
8. Good pictures will add painless details to your words. This allows a post to say more with less words. Have a reason to press the shutter button.
9. Stay away from too much editing, especially over-enhancing color. I personally dislike ai pictures that could have been physically taken with a little extra work.
10. Use the “gallery” feature when creating your blog if you want people to click on a picture (in their browser) to see the picture title as well as have each picture be a stand-alone picture with its own “like” feature

When I shot this picture of a broken washed-up seashell, I was immediately reminded of so many times when I have felt broken, alone and without a chance of any significance (in my mind). This is a picture of hope, a broken shell holding, reflecting and emanating the light of the world. What a world we could be, even in our brokenness.

Gary