| 1. Know
Your Camera Does this sound familiar?
You buy the latest digital camera out
there, come home, rip off the box, then
proceed to fiddle with the device. You
briefly flick through the hundred page
camera manual and then never look at it
again. Not a good idea! If you buy a
digital camera, you owe it to yourself to
understand its ins and outs. Learn how to
control exposure, how to use different
camera modes and how to use the flash.
The knowledge you gain about the camera
will be invaluable when you're out in the
field taking those special 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. Play
with the Macro Mode
Almost
all digital camera these days have a
macro mode. This setting is ideal for
taking close up shots of objects like
flowers or insects. On my Canon PowerShot
S500, it's represented by a flower
symbol. What you do is to pick a subject,
turn on macro mode, then get as close to
it as your camera will allow. Make sure
you allow the camera to focus properly
before depressing the shutter button
fully.
4. Hold
the Camera Level
A basic
rule of photography is to hold the camera
level. Since most digital cameras come
with a LCD, you can use it to properly
frame your shots. Next time you're taking
a shot, try to look for the horizontal
lines and use them as guides. A good
example is to make use of the horizon
when you're taking a photo of a sunset.
5. Use
The Tripod
I
recommend this tip to all budding
photographers - camera tripods are an
essential tool in your photography
arsenal. When will you need a tripod?
Well, it's useful if you're taking shots
under low-light conditions or trying to
capture fast moving objects. I like to
use a tripod when taking night shots city
streets, for example. Always try to look
for a tripod that's convenient to carry
around. For personal use, you don't need
a huge one - just a simple compact one
that's easy to pack.
6. Play
with the ISO Setting
I find
the ISO setting in digital cameras very
useful. The ISO setting of a essentially
camera controls it's sensitivity to
light. If you're taking a photo of a
still object, like a flower, then always
use a low ISO setting. It allows for a
longer shutter speed and produces a
cleaner image. If you're shooting a
moving object, like a baby playing with a
toy, then a higher ISO setting of say 400
would be better. Do take note, however,
that a higher ISO setting gives a faster
shutter speed and requires less light.
This will produce noiser photos.
7. Have
Enough Memory Capacity
Just
like you must have enough rolls of film
when using traditional cameras, make sure
you always have enough memory capacity in
your digital camera. It's terrible to be
on a holiday taking great photos and
suddenly realizing you've no memory space
left. Here are some general guidelines
for digital camera storage.
- 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.
|
Articles