Journalism student Charnay Anderson is ready for her close up in front of Stevens Hall at Towson University.

Ferocious Towson Tiger on the prowl in front of 7800 York Road building at Towson University

An excited Towson U. sophomore, Amber Owens celebrates fall as the leaves dance around her in front of Stevens Annex at Towson University.

In class this morning, journalism and new media students were instructed to take pictures illustrating the proper photo techniques to make future pictures a photo finish. In order to take better pictures you want to think outside the box and look at your subject from a variety of angles. Action shots bring the picture to life and show more creativity and appeal. Take a quick surveillance of your surroundings and determine what you want and dont want in the shot. Consult the rule of thirds, in your mind divide the frame into nine equal segments, then focus on the main center where the interest is taking place.

When capturing a shot, ensure that there isn't anything taking away from the main focus such as a tree, plant or branch sticking out of an individuals head. A major concern is lighting either artificial or natural light from the sun. You want to avoid too much light to the point where it shadows your subject or not enough light where the image may look darker. So the next time you pick up a camera take these photo techniques into account and your shots too will be picture perfect.