Hi, it’s Nic from Street Library.
This post should help you take a great picture of your Street Library.
- Composition tip #1: Have people standing next to your library.
Without people, a street library is simply a decorated wooden box! Taking a picture of your library with the people that helped make or decorate it is a great way to say thanks to them, as well as show off your wonderful masterpiece.
- Composition tip #2: Your picture should show everyone where it is
Be certain to take a picture of your library once it is installed (not before) – your picture should indicate to a total stranger exactly where it is, so that if they come to donate books to the library it will be easy to find. Sometimes people will take a picture of their library before its installed – this is a no-no.
- Composition tip #3: Make sure the light is great
Let’s face it: You’d be hard-pressed to find a great smartphone photo that was taken with a flash. Most of the time, they make a photo look overexposed, negatively altering colors and making human subjects look washed out. Sometimes we receive pictures of Street Libraries (usually taken on a phone camera) where the light is not so good and the features of the library are not shown that well. Try to take into account where the sun is coming from, and make sure your library is bathed in light like it should be!
- Composition tip #4: Show and Capture Joy!
Related to tip #1, the best photos have people smiling / looking happy in them. Sometimes the most memorable photos are the ones that make us giggle
- Technical Tip #5: Lock the focus
Make sure your camera is focused properly on the scene in front of you – locked on one subject. Tap the screen of your phone to focus on the library! - General Tip #6: Look for symmetry
Symmetry can be defined as “a vague sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance.” And pictures that contain symmetry can be incredibly pleasing to the eye — it’s also one of the simplest and most compelling ways to compose a photo.
- Composition Tip #7: Take candids
Sometimes, candid shots of people doing things, or people with people, can be far more interesting.
That’s because candid photos are better able to effectively capture the emotion and essence of a moment. One of the best ways to capture this kind of shot is to just take as many photos as possible. You’ll have more to choose from, and the best photos often happen when the “stars align,” so to speak, in a single moment — everyone’s eyes are open, one person is tilting their head just so, and you finally got a shot of your chronically closed-lip friend smiling with his teeth.
- After the shot Tip#8: Don’t afraid to edit.
Composing and taking your smartphone photo is just the first step to making it visually compelling. Editing your photos is the next step — and a very critical one, at that. Filters can be a valuable photographic tool, particularly when it comes to two goals: 1) Removing blemishes from a picture, and 2) making your library look even more fantastic. - Composition Tip #9: Alter Your Perspective
Most portraits are taken with the camera at (or around) the eye level of the subject. While this is good common sense – completely changing the angle that you shoot from can give your portrait a real WOW factor.
- General Tip #10: Take Lots of Pictures
The more you photograph, the more you learn – as simple as that. Use every opportunity to capture images, whether it is early in the morning or late at night.
