Do you find it difficult to take great digital photos? Many people can take digital photos for years without capturing the stunning image they wanted. I myself have been guilty of ruining photos of important moments like my son's baseball tournament or my own daughter's graduation. There is not a worse feeling in the world than when a photo of an important event is horrible.
That leads us to the question of how do you take that perfect photo? The first rule lies within the photographer themselves, for it is with the photographer that the photo begins, not the camera itself. It's just that simple. Think about how you can see a photograph that a child has taken playing around with a simple disposable camera and it is wonderful while a photo with the priciest SLR can turn out to be awful.
Take the opportunity to check out these simple tips on shooting digital photos and use them the next time you pick up your camera. With these in mind, you will be successful in all of the photos you take!
1. Get to Know Your Camera You know how this story goes. You rush out and buy the latest and greatest gadget on the market only to take it home and rip it out of the packaging only to throw aside the instruction manual. Not a good idea with your digital camera. You owe it to yourself to take the time learning about your camera's features. Knowing how to control even what you may consider the basics, such as controlling the exposure or even the flash are always important. What you learn will prove to be priceless when actually taking your photos.
2. Learn to Control the Flash One of the most important things you need to know about digital photography is to control the flash. Personally, I hate to rely on the automatic flash that comes with the digital camera. Depending on the situation, you need to switch off or switch on the flash.
For example, when taking outdoor photos, it is sometimes good to turn on the flash to illuminate the subject, especially if he or she is in the shade. On the other hand, you can also choose to turn off the flash when taking indoor shots. Sometimes, using the flash indoors will result in unnatural skin color and harsh glare in your photos.
3. Experiment with the Macro Mode Most digital cameras available these days come with a macro mode. This setting is perfect for capturing close ups of objects like flowers or insects. I have a Canon PowerShot S500 and its macro mode is represented with a flower symbol. To take photos in this style, choose your subject and making sure the macro mode is turned on, get as close to your subject as possible. Give your camera enough time to focus properly before pressing the shutter button all the way.
4. Hold the Camera Level Holding the camera level is a basic rule in photography. As most digital cameras come with a LCD, you can make use of this to correctly frame your shots. Next time you're taking a photo, try to find the horizontal lines and use them as guides. One example would be to make use of the horizon while taking a photo of a sunset.
5. Use Your Tripod No matter what level of expertise your photography skill is at, tripods are essential in your photography. How will you know when to use your tripod? It is helpful when taking photos in low-light situations or when trying to capture fast moving objects. I personally use a tripod when photographing certain nature shots such as birds in flight. Try to find a tripod that is easy to carry with you. For your personal use all you will probably need is a simple compact tripod that is easily mobile and you can avoid the inconvenience of a larger, bulkier tripod.
6. Know the ISO Settings I have found the ISO setting in my digital camera to be very useful. The ISO setting on a camera basically controls light sensitivity. When taking a photo of an object that is still such as a flower vase, always use a low ISO setting to allow for a longer shutter speed and sharper image results. On the other hand, use a higher ISO setting for moving objects. A picture of children playing would need an ISO setting of about 400 for optimal results. Keep in mind though that a higher ISO setting allows for a faster shutter speed and needs less light.
7. Memory Capacity Needed While traditional cameras need film, your digital camera needs memory to store the photos you take. Just imagine being on that perfect vacation only to discover that your memory card in your camera is full. Some guidelines for digital camera memory are helpful:
2 megapixel cameras - get at least a 64MB card 3 megapixel camera - get at least a 128MB card 4 megapixel camera - get at least a 256MB card 5 megapixel camera and above - get at least a 512MB or 1GB card
Conclusion Whew. A pretty long article. I hope I've managed to give you some good tips on shooting great digital photos. Always remember what I said - while the latest and greatest digital cameras have amazing features, you still need a skilled photographer to take nice pictures. Apply the above tips to your everyday shooting and learn to be a better photographer.
About the Author:
FREE Book: Uncovers Professional, "Insider" Tips And Tricks For Taking Awesome Digital Photos With Your Digital Camera... (Even If You're A Complete Newbie To Photography!) Click here to access "How To Take Photos Like The Pros" We teach digital photography and suggest you get started with the free report, and then Watch this Youtube video channel "Free Digital Photo Tips"
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