Art photography often poses a subject at an unusual perspective, or zooms in or focuses on a very narrow depth range. This is generally not appropriate for scientific publications, except where high-end photography is a feature of the publication design.

For most purposes, you should aim to document your subject as clearly as possible. Centre the critical part of the subject, ensuring even space all around. Include the whole subject, if possible (avoid cutting off the tops of people’s heads or animals’ tails) – this may require you to zoom out or stand further away from the subject. If your subject can be manipulated, ensure that the critical part of the subject is clearly visible and not obscured. For example, when photographing a person performing an activity, ensure that their hands and body are positioned so that what they are doing or holding is clear.

Photographing sequences

If photographing a sequence, ensure that you take photos of every step or stage. Consider using a tripod to maintain a consistent point of view. Keep the orientation of the camera (see Consider other key elements) the same throughout the series. Take more photos from more viewpoints than you think you need – this allows you or your designer to choose the most useful photo for a particular layout.

Taking group photographs

Look for a location that is adequately lit with different light sources or good natural light. Every face should be equally visible, regardless of their position and distance from the light source. Consider:

• arranging people in a staggered, triangular or semicircular formation, with shorter people at the front and taller people at the back
• using different levels, via stairs or chairs, to give different height and depth to large groups
• using an external flash unit if the setting is too dim (angle it up so that the light bounces off the ceiling and not directly off the subjects); use a diffuser to soften the harsh shadowing
• using your camera's continuous burst mode to shoot several frames.