As you might know, Noortje Blokland is the jury of the current Xpozer Photo Contest: Cars & Bikes. Noortje has told us how she will judge the submissions. In this article, she explains what is important to her when looking at a Cars & Bikes photo. These happen to be her specialty. So, pay attention to her tips and learn how to win this contest.
Most important to Noortje are creativity, panning/sharpness and composition. Ze explains what the challenges are and how to overcome them.
Tips for Creativity
What I want to see is a creative photo. So, is your photo original? Does it stand out among all submissions? Was the photo edited in a creative manner?
Tips for Panning/sharpness
Panning is moving the camera in the same direction as the moving object. You pan your camera to keep your subject in focus. I’ll check if the focus is correct. Is the subject in focus, or is there some motion blur? Both types of photos have their own kind of charm. Was the shutter speed set correctly? If your shutter speed is too slow, it’s very hard to get your subject in focus. Shutter speed also determines to what extent motion and speed are visible in the photo.
Tips for Composition/Storytelling
Does your composition tell a story? You can create many different stories with a single photo.
For example: a photo which shows a car just before a sharp turn, the emotion on the driver’s face clearly visible when preparing for the corner.
Do you put the subject in the top, bottom, right, left, or center of the frame? This also influences your story. Where did the vehicle come from? Are there any differences in heights in the road that would make your photo more interesting?
And now go get ’em!
We’d say: keep Noortje’s tips in mind when shooting your cool car and/or bike photos. For more photography tips, read our blog! Read up on photography and win that Xpozer 4Pack!
Articles you might find interesting:
Photograph with camera or smartphone? We’ve put them to the test >
Want to know more about composition and ratio? Read our tips >
Photo taken? You’re not all done yet. Learn the basics of photo editing >
