Tutorial on how to compose your shots?

[Muse]

My niece and company are in town visiting and I reviewed several pictures she had taken that day with her Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 on the big LCD. Pretty appalling composition, typical of untrained camera users. Far too far away from her subject or not enough use of the zoom feature, several where you have the top 1/2 of a person and much too much of what's above the person's head.

I told her she should take a course in photography (she affirmed this enthusiastically), or get a good book (no response!).

Obviously post processing can accomplish wonders but I wonder if she even bothers to do any cropping after shooting. Seems a super shame. I could show her in 20 minutes how to do it, but I am not going to see her again for a few months and don't know if and when I'd have the opportunity. Aren't there some cool online tutorials I could link her to by email that would clue her in on how to better compose her pictures from the get go?

 

[corkyg]

Don't know your location, but Arizona Highways offers really great workshops, and the $24.95 illustrated book ain't bad either.

http://www.arizonahighways.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=63

In any case, have her check her local community college - they offer such courses. Example - fall schedule for PCC - $40 fee: (Under Digital Arts)

http://www.pima.edu/courses/lists/index.shtml (Jump to DAR)

 

[basslover1]

I actually bought this book last night:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

So far it's been very helpful IMO. Coming from someone who's photos just don't look right, or there's something missing. I can skip the geek speak and get straight to the point, much more helpful.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Have them enable the grid on the ZS3's LCD and give a quick instruction on the rule-of-thirds to get them started.

 

[Muse]

Have them enable the grid on the ZS3's LCD and give a quick instruction on the rule-of-thirds to get them started.

I won't see them for ~3 months. Maybe then. Meantime I was hoping I could just link her to a web site that would clue her into how she's ruining her shots by not standing close enough to her subject or zooming adequately and framing her subject well. I have been using a 3.2 MP P&S for over 6 years and although I've cropped a lot of shots I have tried to frame my shots initially so that they'd be acceptable without cropping. It's something you can learn to do.