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5 photographic techniques every photographer needs to know

Whether you are a novice photographer or not, it is always important to seek more knowledge to excel in the photography market , right?

A superb tip is to try to unite the techniques with a personal touch. Thus, it is possible to become a reference in the market so that when someone looks at a particular photo, they associate with its name.

Have you ever imagined having your own style marked in the history of photography ? Great references are born when they decide to have their own work signature.

Therefore, improving your photographic techniques is essential for you to be increasingly recognized in professional photography .

To help you figure out how to take perfect photos using different techniques, we have made a super complete article. Here you will know 5 photographic techniques that every photographer needs to know.

Good reading, see you in the hall of famous photographs !

# 1 Rule of Thirds
One of the main photographic techniques is the rule of thirds. It serves to make the composition of the image more harmonious.

This method consists of dividing the screen into two horizontal and two vertical imaginary lines, forming a kind of imaginary grid.

Photographic technique of the rule of thirds and its exemplification in practice

The intersections of these lines form four points, which are where the object to be highlighted should be.

This is because, when looking at the image, we first identify these intersections.

However, if you are a novice photographer and have no notion of these lines in an imaginary way, you can activate this feature on your camera or mobile phone. This makes it easier to know where to fit the object that deserves highlighting.

The rule of thirds photographic technique can be applied via an automatic grid on the camera

If you forget to enable this function when shooting, you can make this framing more harmonious in any editing program .

For this, just cut the photo, fitting it in the rule of thirds. Superficial, isn't it?

However, did you know that it is also possible to have a good composition without using the rule of thirds?

See below the photographic techniques of centering and symmetry!

# 2 Centered Compositions and Symmetry

Another option for composing the photo is to use the centering and symmetry techniques of the highlighted object.

Centering tends to leave in the middle of the image what needs to be highlighted. It is often used for photos where you want to show the architecture of a place, such as real estate photography .

Remember that it is important to pay attention not only to what you want to highlight, but also to the surroundings.

This is the secret to making the photo look amazing: the whole composition being strategically thought out. Thus the big photography competitions are won .

Symmetry photographic technique applied perfectly in a round building

If we look at the image above, you can see that there is centering to favor the symmetry of the photo.

By dividing the photograph in half vertically, we have two identical parts.

Also note that while the focus is the center of the image, the photographer has not ceased to worry about the sides.

See that he was very careful that the edges fit correctly into the frame: not too far apart or too close to the point of being cut.

Symmetry is one of the most commonly used photographic techniques in architectural photos, as in this photo from several bottom-up balconies

In the image above, notice that although the focus is on the central division, the whole composition is designed to be completely symmetrical, from the outer to the inner.

It may sound simple, but it is quite complicated.

Even the last yellow triangles at the far right and left are the same size, and believe me, this never happens by luck. It's really skill!

However, you can also have a symmetrical photo without necessarily centering the object. Check out the example below.

Photography with one of the most used photographic techniques, symmetry.

The symmetry of the image happens because of the reflection on the floor. Photograph worthy of an image bank , right?

If we divide the photo into two parts with a horizontal line from one foot to the other, it is noticeable that it was captured using the symmetrical technique.

Now that you are an expert in photographic composition, find out the best time to shoot in natural light. After all, good lighting makes all the difference, doesn't it?

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# 3 Golden hour

The golden hour , in English, is nothing but the best time for outdoor photography.

This period occurs just before the sun goes down and also moments after the sun rises.

Golden hour is one of the best known photographic techniques.  The sun is fundamental for its application.

In the golden hour, the sunlight is not so bright, which gives a warmer coloration to the image.

There is no specific time for golden hour , because it depends on many factors. This way, it can vary depending on the time of year, altitude and region of the planet you are on.

The Golden Hour Calculator is a great tool for anyone who wants to apply the photographic technique but doesn't know exactly when the time is right in their area.

To make it easier for you to “discover” the golden hour in your area, there are sites like The Golden Hour Calculator . When you access it, just click on the location you are in that will appear the ideal time to capture amazing photos outdoors.

Many wedding photos use the golden hour photographic technique to give this magical and charming look, as in the couple in the photo.

Considered one of the favorite photographic techniques of professionals, golden hour is widely used to photograph weddings . This is because, due to its more orange coloration, it gives a magical touch to the image.

In addition, this is one of the photographic techniques that serve to prevent shadows in unwanted places, such as below the eyes and nose, due to the angle of sunlight.

This is because at golden hour the sun's rays shine in front of the photographed, as the sun is almost setting on the horizon.

So the shadow is literally behind him, while at noon the shadow is on his feet, as the sun is shining down from his head to the ground, for example.

Did you see just how golden hour can add to the charm of photography? However, there is a technique in which light does not have to be directed at the object highlighted in the photograph: it is known as backlighting.

# 4 Backlight

The backlight method is widely used by those who want to give a more dramatic or even nostalgic mood to the photo .

During image capture, the camera must be facing the light.

Thus, it is possible to make the highlighted object just a kind of “shadow” in the photograph.

Man photographed using photographic technique against the light with a beautiful twilight in the background.


Since this is one of the photographic techniques that move the shadows of the image, it can be used in conjunction with the methods mentioned in the previous topics.

To illustrate this possibility, we have separated a photo that combines the backlight method with golden hour and the rule of thirds. Check out!

Man on top of a mountain, photographed against the light, one of the best known and most used photographic techniques.

To get a nice result when capturing the image, you need to pay attention to the amount of light coming towards the camera. That way, just adjust the focus to decide what will be highlighted.

In addition, the amount of light coming from behind the photographer needs to be zero or almost zero, as it directly interferes with the backlight effect.

This is because the object highlighted in the photo cannot be illuminated from the direction the photographer is in, only from the opposite direction.

Remember : When capturing the image, be aware of shutter speed and camera aperture. These are the two settings that need to be adjusted to get a perfect shot with the backlight technique.

After learning how to make your photos more dramatic, get to know an effect that gives the image a more artistic look, the bokeh .

# 5 Bokeh Effect

The bokeh technique is the darling for those who love special effects on images. Here you can use creativity to get stunning photos.

Having Japanese origin, the word bokeh means blur or stain.

In photography, blur is widely used in the background of the image, which ends up giving a more professional look to the click, since it is evident that these blurs were made on purpose.

Photograph of a person in the rain with lights in the background using the bokeh effect to blur the lights and give a special touch

However, what draws attention in this technique is not the blur itself, but the points of light that are well defined.

To get a nice result when using this effect, you need to set the camera with the widest possible lens aperture, such as f1.4, f1.8 or at most f2.8.

Wedding photo using the bokeh technique, which gives the image a charming and unique feel!

Another tip is to make the shutter speed high, over 1/50 seconds, for example. This way you can have more defined points of light, giving the image more charm.

Also, worry about being close to what you want to leave in the foreground . Thus, the bokeh effect will be more accurate.

Bokeh technique applied to photography with natural light

Although many people associate this technique with artificial light points, it is also possible to achieve the effect with natural light.

As illustrated in the photo above, the bokeh effect was formed by the incidence of sunlight that passed through the leaf breaches. Very cool, isn't it?

Imagine an exclusive photobook with photos like this? You can abuse creativity and deliver a different result!


Another method widely used by those who like more artistic photos is light painting .

# 6 Light painting

If you love photography, you have certainly seen or heard of light painting !

This method consists of making drawings, phrases, etc. with the light, giving a cooler and more artistic look to the image.

Man photographing with ligh painting, photographic technique using light and longer open shutter

To be able to perform light painting , it is necessary to be in a dark place or in low light.

The camera, in turn, needs to be in long exposure mode and if possible attached to a tripod, which ensures that it will be still while shooting. This way you can prevent the picture from being blurred or blurred.

This is one of the photographic techniques in which you can abuse creativity , not only drawings and phrases, but also in the light source that will be used. You can choose to:

lanterns;
candles;
cell phone flashes ;
lamps;
laser ;
other objects capable of emitting light.
Photo of friends using light painting, photographic technique that can be used in many ways

Using this method, you can produce different effects, designs, and shapes .

However, remember to ask the people being photographed to stay still as much as possible.

If they move a lot, they can have a "ghost" effect on the photo, and that's not cool.

To help you better understand how to take photos with this technique and make your photos professional , check out this video lesson.

If you have come this far, it is because you love to study photographic techniques , right? Because of that, we've separated bonus content for you: check out the high key method and learn how to make your photos professional .

Bonus technique: high key
The high key technique works with soft tones and aims to create a clean effect on the photo.

Thus, it becomes the opposite of the low key method , which aims to highlight the shadows, giving a deeper and more striking effect.

High key and low key application examples, contrary photographic techniques

The low key and high key methods , respectively.

It is noteworthy that the high key technique does not mean to have a photograph with overexposed effect, beauty?

After all, an image with high exposure tends to make the lighter parts burst, and this is the opposite of having professional photos !

When shooting using this technique, you need to consider a few things:

The background needs to be appropriate as it greatly influences the final result of the image. Because it is a light tone method, your background needs to match it;
Photo composition elements also need to be clear;
bet on good lighting as it is she who guarantees a high quality photo. Moreover, it is fundamental for the best application of this method;
special care if the session is done outside a photo studio .
This technique is so cool that we made a whole article about it and so we will not delve here.

Check it out by clicking: High key: Understand how the technique works and take great pictures!
After all these tips it is much easier to understand what are the best photographic techniques for your work, right?

Now that you are an expert on the subject, it is time to put into practice everything you have learned from this content. Look for references on photography sites for even more ideas!

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