Optimizing boring picture compositions(Picture Optimization)

              In some situations, you have to be fast: take out the camera and switch it on, position the camera and click. And then often, the main subject – like the seagull in the picture – is not optimally in the centre of the picture.
THE PROBLEM: The seagull in this picture could have fl own away the very next moment, which is why one must stop dithering in such situations. Focus for a bit and click. At that speed however, it can easily happen that the horizon is not exactly straight in the picture. This is all the more prominent in pictures like these, in which the ocean ruthlessly cuts through the picture. However, what is more important than the perfect picture is that the subject should be sharp. In this picture, the cloudy weather gives the picture a very dreary gray tone. In all, the photo is not as exciting as it could have been.
CLICKING IT DIFFERENTLY: When non-artistic reasons compel a consciously symmetrical picture composition, you must place the main subject off the center of the picture. This increases the excitement. In the example shows us another faux pas: the sea gull is divided by the horizon. However, it would stand out better on a single-color background. This can be managed easily: simply squat and then take a picture of the bird against the sky.

OPTIMIZING ON THE PC: The picture can be edited very well with the help of some photo-editing software such as Photoshop. Straighten it out fi rst – for that, select the ruler tool in the tool list and draw a line over the horizon in the picture. Then proceed with ‘Photo | Rotate work surface | Apply’. Photoshop has already determined and entered the right value through the first action. Now you only have to click on ‘OK’. Now select a narrower, asymmetrical picture section, which will shift the focus back on the actual subject of the photo – the seagull. Our suggestion above shows the optimized picture. Now pep up the dreary colors to some extent. For that, use the ‘Selective color correction’, which can be called through ‘Photo | Customize’. In the dialog, vary the color channels of Cyan-, Blue-, Magenta- and gray tones. The optimal values must be determined by tying out. In the last step, we also stamped out the wooden stick.
             Set the camera such that the center auto-focus field is identical with the marking. Then set-up the camera again. Now search a point in the foreground, e.g. a lantern, or a lead going back. Now when you rotate your camera on the stand towards the left and right, the distance between the two points will increase of decrease depending on the rotation. Move the camera on the guide, till you reach a point where the distance between the two markers no longer varies on rotating the camera.