Tips How To Make Photos With A Digital Camera.

The visitors of this page probably feel the need for clear written, basic tips about digital photography. Although the latest techniques are focused on making photos easier and more fun, it doesn’t always result in better pictures. A lot of amateur photographers are still struggling with the basic principles of photographing, like focusing and composition. With these basic tips we want to give you some information, with these tips you will soon make better pictures with your digital camera.

Prevent moved and unclear photos

We all make bad photos. Blurry photos, because the camera was moved during the making of the picture, or photos that are partially unclear because the auto focus of the camera was not used properly. Many uninspiring photos are made because we don’t pay attention to the right composition. Many of these problems can be prevented, by using a few simple basic techniques. By just holding the camera better, to correct use the auto focus system and giving more attention to the composition, you can achieve amazing results.

1. Hold the camera the right way                                                                     

Most digital camera’s come with a grip on the right side. On some mini camera’s you can hardly speak of a grip anymore. Those cameras are hard to keep stable. When your camera has a grip, hold it steadily with your right hand; support the camera with your left hand, while your elbows are pressed against your body for extra support. Use the image optical viewfinder as much as you can. Keeping the camera at arm’s length: looking at the LCD monitor is asking for blurry photos. Put your left foot half a step forward when making a picture, so that the body weight is divided between both legs. Try to stand still and find support next to a wall, a tree, or another vertical object. Kneel down if possible and let the elbow of the arm that you use to support the camera lean on your knee. Before you carefully press the shutter button with your right finger, breathe in and out once, and hold your breath while you press the shutter button.

2. Resolution

Choose the right resolution to make your photos. With a digital camera you have no material loss, but it is a shame to waste time on working on unnecessary big files. Use the low resolution mode for photos that are meant for e mail, Web or presentations. Use high resolution for photos that you want to print.

3. Composition, come closer!

One of the biggest beginner’s mistakes in the area of composition is to take way too much distance from the object that they want to photograph. Often, most of the picture consists of a boring background. So, come closer, not just a little bit, but really closer. Use your legs, or use the optic zoom option of the camera. You can of course, when you edit your digital photos, try to get rid of the background later, but by doing this you throw away valuable information. Especially for the people that have a CCD camera with less than two mega pixels, is it very important to come as close to the object as possible. This way you will optimally use the low amount of pixels.

4. Delete photos

Why wait with the deleting of photos until the memory card is full, when you wanted to throw away bad pictures anyway? Murphy’s Law has a long arm, just when you wanted to take that gorgeous action photo; you have no more storage… If you make a bad photo - delete it immediately.

5. When to photograph with a flash?

Many cameras use the automatic flash as a standard set up. But if you point the flash directly at the object, it can lead to flat photos because the flash minimizes the shadows. Experiment with the scattering of the flash light with a paper towel (use an elastic to keep the towel in place) and try other flash set ups, like "slow sync". People on pictures that are made with flash, often have red eyes. Preventing red eyes is as simple as choosing the anti red eye flash set up on the camera; some HP camera’s can even remove the red eyes after a picture is made.

6. Use of daylight

Use, if you can, normal daylight and not the built in flash. Day light is softer and more realistic than the bright white light of a flash. If you want to photograph in dark circumstances, enlarge the sensitivity by choosing a higher ISO number in the menu.

7. The rule of three

In the rule of three, imaginary lines are drawn on a third and two thirds of the vertical as well as the horizontal ax. Like this the frame is divided in 9 similar sections. Place the most important part of the composition on one of the four places where the lines cross each other. Although this might turn out to be an imbalanced composition, the object is kept in balance by the other two thirds of the frame. When you photograph a landscape, try to place the horizon on one third of the frame. Often this results in a dynamic composition. But, this is a rule and not a law. So, keep on experimenting with different original angles.

8. Looking at photos

Is it necessary to use the LCD monitor when you make photos? The LCD monitor can be used when making pictures and for the looking at pictures afterwards. The older camera’s use batteries, ask yourself if you want to use the LCD monitor if you also have the optic search engine. Find out what is handy and what the status of your battery is. Save energy by refraining from using the LCD monitor to make pictures.

9. Focus on the object

Almost all digital Auto Focus cameras (AF cameras) have an optical searcher with hooks that indicate the focus area. Within this frame you find the area that the camera focuses on. When the focus area has several objects at different distances, problems can arise, because the AF doesn’t know what to focus on. By locking the focus you can prevent this from happening:

1. Point the camera, so that the focus is focused on the main object.

2. Press the shutter button half way, so that the lens is focusing on the object.

3. Keep the shutter button pressed down halfway so that the focus is locked and find the right composition of the photo.

4. Take the photo by pressing the shutter button all the way.