Top 10 tips for taking good farm photos

- 05 November 2012

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As the judging begins on the Farmers Weekly photo competition 2012, we examine what makes a good photo.

Jean Macdonald, winner of the 2011 Farmers Weekly photo competition, gives us her top 10 tips below.

You can have a look at some of the entries in our photo competition 2012 gallery.

1. Read your manual
This may sound obvious but a lot of people don’t do it and getting to know how your camera works is essential.

2. Get the right setting
Start off by setting your camera to one of its automatic modes. Most useful is “Program” or “P” mode on digital SLRs.

3. Get closer
Move in as close to the subject(s) as possible. Unless you’re taking a scenic shot, a lot of background in the picture is not important.

4. Framing
Carefully position your subject where you think it most belongs, rather than just accepting it wherever it happens to land in the photo.

5. Keep the horizon level
When taking landscapes it’s important to keep the horizon level. If possible use a tripod.

6.Composition
Play with perspective so that all lines show a pattern or lead the eye to your main subject.

7. Rule of thirds
Placing your main subject in one third of the frame makes a stronger and more powerful image.

8. Portraits
Be they of people or animals, try to focus on the eyes as this will ‘draw’ the viewer in. Also use a shallow depth of field to blur out the background.

9. Take more than one, just to be sure
It is always best to take more than one shot just in case there is a problem with the first image.

10. Take your camera everywhere
When you have your camera with you all the time, you will start to see the world differently. You will look for and find opportunities to take great photographs. The main thing is to enjoy your photography. Remember, though, never put you or your group at risk for the sake of the shot.