7 Sins of Indoor Photography

Perhaps one of the most testing places to shoot for photographers is indoor photography. Natural and artificial light united with natural light, which tends to reflect and refract through windows and off walls can give you some groovy pictures. To master indoor photography can be one of the most annoying things to learn. These 7 sins of indoor photography should be avoided and doing so will give you nicer photographs.

1. Insufficient balance of Custom White.
 

Many of you know how and why you must set your white balance manually. You should always the time to do it because virtually all indoor photography has some type of a mixed lighting situation. It is a definite that auto or other presets available on your camera will not give you awesome results.

2. Camera Flash.
 

By using the on camera flash for indoor pictures will definitely give you a unflattering, washed out photograph. This must be avoided it at all costs if you can, even if the ISO is needed to be raised, avoid on camera flash whenever you can.

3. Composition is everything.
 

Indoor photography consists of many architectural lines, so keeping a good composition is of the utmost significance. You must pay attention to how you frame images, particularly in places that have exposed tile or brick work. Sustaining a nice, event flow through the images is vital and being slightly off balanced it will be noticeable.

4. Paying Attention to Small Details.
 

Whatever you're shooting, whether it be friends over for a dinner party or architecture, the small details absolutely matter! Look for things out of place, like pens and notepaper on counter tops, do they belong there in the shot? A toilet seat cover being down will probably look more attractive, and take time to even out towels on a rack if needed; this will provide a better picture. Are dirty dishes in a sink? clean and put them away. Ashtrays that are full look disgusting and crooked picture frames can make properly composed photographs look crooked. Take the time notice all the small details.

5. Bouncing the Flash.
 

If you have to use a flash inside, try to use a hotshoe mounted flash, not the pop-up on-camera one. I suggest a flash bracket to get the flash further away from the lens and also reducing red eye. Bounce the flash off a ceiling or wall, and, if none are available, use an Omni Bounce or something similar. Remember that by bouncing or diffusing a flash, you will lose some of the effective power of it. You may also need to use the exposure compensation on your camera or adjust the ISO slightly higher to compensate for the difference..

6. Mirrors, Windows, Glass Cabinets and Picture Frames.
 

Definitely one of the most frustrating things to overcome while shooting indoor photography is reflective materials, especially with a flash. Always try and avoid using your flash if there is glass or reflective materials in the room. A circular polarizer filter will deal with the reflective and glass objects in your shots, but be aware you could lose 1/2 to 2 full stops of light, so adjust accordingly by either opening up the aperture or bumping the ISO higher.

7. Tripods are Your Friend!
 

We all know it's virtually impossible to shoot candid photos of people with a tripod, but if you're doing architectural shots or stationary matter indoors, use a tripod. It will allow you to use the lowest possible ISO for the least amount of digital noise and provide a solid platform for you to compose and align your photograph. Indoor photography can be a bit tricky and a lot of people tend to give up quickly. I suggest that you continue to experiment and take several shots of everything, also known as bracket shooting. You will then have a better idea of what works for you. One thing often overlooked is knowing the time of day and the weather outside, and how that affects the house or building you're shooting in.