7 Tips for Shooting Great
Digital Photos
By: Gary Hendricks
Do you have trouble shooting good digital photos?
Perhaps you've been taking digital photos for some
time, but never really got the beautiful shots you
wanted. Maybe you somehow messed up the photos you
took of important events, like your daughter's
birthday or your trip to Paris.
How do you begin to take good
photos? Well, the first thing to remember is this:
It's the photographer that takes great photos, not
the camera. Think about that for a minute. It's true
isn't it? I've seen some people take great photos
with a simple point-and-shoot camera, while some
take lousy shots with the most expensive SLR.
Fret not! Read these tips on
shooting digital photos and apply them the next time
you have a chance. Before long, you'll be shooting
photos like a pro! 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.
About the Author
Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on digital
photography. Visit his website at
http://www.basic-digital-photography.com
for tips and tricks on buying digital cameras, as
well as shooting great photos.
Do you have trouble shooting good digital photos?
Perhaps you've been taking digital photos for some
time, but never really got the beautiful shots you
wanted. Maybe you somehow messed up the photos you
took of important events, like your daughter's
birthday or your trip to Paris. 
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.
