We are overwhelmed with good photography today, due in large part to the explosion of the Internet. While good photography used to require intimate knowledge and proficiency with photographic equipment and principles, the growth of digital cameras has made the task of creating acceptable exposures much easier. That said, great photography requires much more than just proper focus and exposure.

The ability to make your photographs standout from the crowd requires a critical eye, but also an imagination. Here are some tips of great photography I always try to apply when determining the overall effectiveness of my photographs:

• Tell the story with a single photograph. When on assignment or just shooting a personal project, we often document and overshoot what we are covering, knowing that upon departure, we have captured all the elements of the event. However, often is the case, we have several images which captures some of the elements of the story we are trying to convey, but failed to get that one image which ties it all together. Our goal is summarize as much as possible in as few photos as possible. Think about your photographs, as if there were going to run on the front page of your favorite newspaper. You can always have additional photos, but at least one should tell the complete story.
• Frame your images. When I talk about framing your photographs, I am not talking about a walnut or cherry frame. Framing your images, refers to incorporating of the objects of a scene to funnel the viewer’s attention to the main subject. Framing can consist of including a doorway, overhanging tree, and any other objects placed around the image to force the viewer’s eye to the main point of interest.
• Control your depth of field. The new age of digital photography has made taking good photographs very obtainable with little photographic knowledge. But to create great images, it is important to understand the role depth of field has in the final outcome in your prints. I understand we can accomplish much of this work in post-production using Adobe Photoshop, but why spend hours of time in front of the computer screen when just a general understanding of the depth of field principle can eliminate much of this work. Our goal as photographers is to improve our workflow and spend the bulk of our time photographing, so let’s consider this during the initial time of exposure. Besides great composition and photo elements, ensure that you are using appropriate exposure settings as well.
• Look at these great photographs as examples of the topics we just covered.