Aamora member John Linton concludes his instructive presentation of Kodak’s classic “Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures”,  insightfully demonstrating each tip with his own photographs. 

For the original Kodak Top 10 Tips, click here. You may want to begin by reviewing John’s the first 5 tips here.

And now, for tips #6-10. Pens and notebooks ready?

Ladies and gentlemen, John Linton!

TIP #6:  “Lock the focus to create a sharp picture of off-center subjects. a. Center the subject. b. Press the shutter button half way down. c. Re-frame your picture (while still holding the shutter button). d. Finish by pressing the shutter button all the way.” TIP #7:  “Bring your picture to life simply by placing you subject off-center. Imagine a tic-tac-toe grid in your view finder. Now place your subject at one of the intersections of lines. Since most cameras focus on whatever’s in the middle, remember to lock the focus on your subject before re-framing the shot.” TIP #8:  “Pictures taken beyond the maximum flash range will be too dark. For many cameras that’s only ten feet – about four steps away. Check your manual to be sure. If the subject is further than ten feet from the camera, the picture may be too dark.” TIP #9:  “Great light makes great pictures. Study the effects of light in your pictures. For people pictures, choose the soft lighting of cloudy days. Avoid overhead sunlight that casts harsh shadows across faces. For scenic pictures, use the long shadows and color of early and late daylight.” TIP #10: “Take an extra minute and become a picture director, not just a passive picture-taker. Add some props, rearrange your subjects, or try a different viewpoint. Bring your subjects together and let their personalities shine. Then watch your pictures dramatically improve.” Well, that’s all for today.  Professor Linton’s office hours will be posted on the board. Probably. If you have any questions on today’s lesson, he reminds you that Kodak probably has a toll-free number or something. Now get out there and shoot something!

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John Linton is aamora.com’s floundering member living in Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, the state with the biggest name and smallest size. View more of John’s work on his Flickr stream, JPG Magazine or aamora.