Turned out my self-delusion of artistry was just a delusion, a mask against the painful truth of the fear that maybe everything I’ve stood up for is mediocre, average.
So when the 3-month summer photography class concluded via a contest, I was depressed for days, maybe even weeks, not because I didn’t score any notable mentions, but because my worse fear came in like a wrecking ball: photography was not the way to fulfillment.
I have to start from scratch all over again.
Just kidding.
I was a newbie back then so it was understandable that I won’t be getting awards. I was there to learn, to understand the complexities of a DLSR camera and to forge bonds with fellow photography enthusiasts.
Really.
The urge to be lazy is strong, but since you are a person of exquisite standard and taste, you will install PS Express to usher a new era of artistic awakening and people pleasing by applying easy and quick enhancements to your future social media posts.
PS Express is Adobe Photoshop’s mobile application version. Clean, intuitive and powerful, the app’s easy-to-use interface and minimalism won’t overwhelm.
Brightness
Your friends (and haters) won’t care if you took those pictures with your spanking new phone; They just want to look at something pleasant.
Dark shots are and will never be pleasant.You’d be surprised how a small tweak in brightness could make a huge impact in the overall presentations of your images. See:
Indoors
During the opening of Italian luggage brand BRIC’s in Ayala Center Cebu’s new wing.
Outdoors
Morning photo-walk on Panglao, Bohol’s stunning shoreline.
While your sister’s best friend look at photography as ‘spamming FaceBook with selfie,’ the ancient Greeks kept it simple and classy with ‘drawing with light.’
You will choose the latter from now on.
Background check
Do this: Ignore the subject and focus your attention at the background. What do you see in theirs that you see in yours? Or rather, what do you NOT see in their picture that you see in yours?
A small thing like the hanger in your room or the phone charger in your background could contribute to the selfie’s utter destruction.
Likewise, the trash can in the mall, the empty wrapper of Mr. Chips on the table, grimy poster of Elisha Cutbert in your room, that dirty towel at the gym or that mineral water you’re holding when the picture was taken. Take anything that would distract the world from you (because it’s so important). See:
Girl bonding getting destroyed by innocent bystanders, Milo sachets and the jacket:
The next time you take a selfie, don’t be lazy and have these ‘things’ excluded in the scene.
Ask friends or colleagues nicely for their cooperation during group shots. Not only everyone will get the best shot that will garner 22+ likes in the first five minutes in FaceBook, you’ll also get respected for upholding quality and being brave about it.
Trimming
Well, you and friends, then. Should everything’s been said and done and you can’t do anything to change how ‘things’ are captured in that picture, trimming offers salvation.
It would be hard, in the beginning, to trim down raw pictures because real estate is real estate. Also, you grew up in a lazy society and you got used to it. This is the 21st century and competition is stiff.
Quality is that one benchmark where the poor can triumph against the rich, the ugly against the pretty and the bald to the hairy. Tweet this
Don’t waste such opportunity. Let go of the excess. See:
I want to showcase the mood in this group shot, so I got rid of the floor, the feet and excess spaces on both sides. Now, I can clearly see each person‘s mood, looking into their eyes. Notice you can still get get a glimpse of the mood of those who are wearing ray bans. The power of strategic trimming!
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No need to cry over spilled milk, though. Everything will be alright now.