The adage "a picture is worth a thousand words" has been a truth for decades and one that will live on true for decades more.
The human memory is limited to only so much information, and photos are the easiest way to relive memories and bring back strong positive emotions you never want to forget.
With photographs playing such a vital role in society, it is imperative we take worthy ones.
Here are a couple of tips that will significantly enhance the casual photographers photo taking abilities.
Modify the Point of View For years have you had the same family portrait taken head on about 15 feet from the camera? Why not try mixing things up by changing the angle of the shot through one of three options.
A bird's eye view shot can generally be taken from the second level of your house, or even standing on a chair.
This shot will make people in the portrait seem smaller, and you can create surprising patterns with different arrangements of people if you have a large enough group.
A head on shot can still be interesting if you arrange the people in the shot in an intriguing manner.
With head on shots, make sure smaller people are closer to the front to insure they can be seen, and if you want to have fun with it try having people lying down, or even organized in a human pyramid.
The worm's eye view shot is a classic that is largely underutilized in the casual photographers arsenal.
Just get low to the ground, and make sure there is nothing obstructing your view.
This shot will make people in your photo seem relatively large, aiding in highlighting certain people or aspects of a photograph.
With all types of shots, try messing with the camera's lens, which will give all kinds of funky effects to your photograph.
Lighting Lighting! Lighting! Lighting! Can't say it enough times.
The light in a photo can make or break it, so it is crucial that this aspect of a photograph be carefully considered.
Have you ever seen a professional photographer without some type of lighting device? It's pretty rare.
Obviously it would be rather excessive to carry such a device with you wherever you go, but make sure to take into account the lighting in a photo.
I'm not just talking about the basics like making sure all faces are lit up (although this is important for certain types of shots), but also about giving various effects to your photo.
For example, you can use shadows to significantly enhance the balance of the photograph by distorting the size of certain objects and pushing the light towards a certain portion of it.
This tool will help to catch the viewer's eye and force him or her to delve into the photograph a little more.
Action Shots Chances are that the majority of photos you take are either posed or still.
How about capturing a photograph of someone or something in action that can capture a personal side of someone not typically captured in photos? The best moments in life are filled with actions and interactions, as opposed to stiff formulaic formalities, such as class photos.
Life is about being present, in the moment, so why not capture photographs in the same manner.
Whether it be your dog frolicking on the lawn or your child swinging for the fences in baseball, both will make photography that much more enjoyable and alive.
What to Take Away Photography is an art that you truly have to experiment with.
One great way to get experience with a professional is to take a photography class.
Try taking photographs from locations you never would have thought of or at obscure hours of the day.
Travel Vivi gives a great list of locations that would be beautiful to capture in a photograph.
But regardless of where you are, make sure to be imaginative, even for the simplest of photographs such as a family portrait.
As you take more and more photographs you will slowly start to understand the qualities of a perfect photo and will be able to replicate that quality regardless of constraints.