InTechSpot  

Digital cameras have changed the way we think about taking pictures. With major names like Sony, Canon and Kodak leading the way, the possibilities of the digital image are almost limitless.

The latest cameras enable you to make highly technical adjustments at the touch of a button. They can zoom great distances, focus and flash automatically, add cool effects and display your pictures instantly in the viewfinder for you to edit as you please.

However, even with all these incredible tools at your disposal the single most important factor when it comes to taking great shots is still the same as it always was: YOU. It doesn't matter how advanced the camera is if the photographer is not up to speed. You may have the world's best tennis racket, but that doesn't make you Roger Federer.

Here then are 10 tips to help you get the very best from your digital camera.

1. Take your time
Get to know your camera. Read the instructions. Understand the features and familiarize yourself with what they do. A little time spent getting to know your equipment will go a long way. Then, when it comes to taking pictures, take your time again. Think about the shot you want to take. Visualize it. See it in your mind first, then put it on your viewfinder.

2. Get Close
Just because you've got a hi-tech optical zoom doesn't mean you should be lazy. Ideally, you want your subject to fill up the picture area. This is particularly important with people. Up close you can pick out amazing details of a person's face. Also, remember that old saying about not shooting till you see "the whites of their eyes"? Well, it applies to photos too. Get in close and make sure the camera is at eye level with the person you're shooting. For children, that means getting down to their level. That eye level angle will create a personal and inviting feeling that draws you into the picture.

3. Get Macro close
As someone once said "God is?in the details". You can discover this for yourself by activating the close up or macro mode on your digital camera. This is usually represented by a flower symbol. Turn it on and get as close to the object as possible. Once you see something you like in the viewfinder, hold the shutter button down halfway to allow the camera to focus. When the confirmation light comes on, press the shutter down the rest of the way. This enables you to capture intricate details that the human eye might miss. Found a baked bean that bears the image of the Virgin Mary - snap it in macro mode and get the thing on eBay.

4. Ahh, you've made me look so fat/old/ugly!
As we have all discovered at some point in our lives, certain people can be personally offended if a photo shows them in an unflattering light. There are a number of ways to avoid this. Firstly, pay attention to the light. Bright sunlight looks great on children's smiles but it is not so kind on granny's wrinkles. For kinder images, shoot in softer light, either by moving yourself or your subject or waiting for the clouds to move. Secondly, to avoid that horrible question: "Am I really that fat?", consider cameras such as the new 8.2MP Photosmart R927 from HP, which has a special "slimming feature". Turn on the effect in the Design Gallery in playback and she'll look as much as 5kgs thinner on the LCD screen. Whew!

5. Change your perspective
To avoid the "boring holiday snap" syndrome try playing around with the composition of your pictures. If you're shooting a particular building or landscape feature it doesn't always have to be right in the middle of the shot. Moving your subject slightly to one side will instantly add a bit more interest to the photo. If your viewfinder has a horizontal "tic-tac-toe" grid, use it to place your subject somewhere on the intersection of those lines. Also, if you're shooting a tall object like the Eiffel Tower then why not turn the camera sideways and take a vertical shot. Experiment. Be creative. The people forced to watch your next slideshow will thank you for it.

6. Warm it up
The default white balance setting on most cameras is auto. That's fine for most snaps but it can sometimes take the shine off some of your outdoor shots, particularly where there's already nice sunlight in the shot. To add a bit more warmth and life to your photos try switching the white balance to cloudy. It increases the reds and yellows, giving you a more vibrant shot.

7. Use flash in the daytime
An easy trick you can use to get great professional-looking outdoor snaps is to turn the flash on while shooting in daylight. When photographing people the flash will lighten the face, eliminating dark sun shadows. If the person is within five feet, use the fill-flash mode; beyond five feet, use full-power mode. Wedding photographers have been doing it for years.

8. Use cool filters
If you really want to get arty with your shots then get yourself a polarizing filter. These reduce glare and unwanted reflections, giving you richer, more saturated colours. Don't worry if your digital camera can't accommodate filters, there's a nifty little trick you can use to get more or less the same effect for nothing. Just place the lens from a pair of sunglasses as close to the lens of the camera as possible. Line up your shot in the viewfinder to make sure you can't see the frame of the sunnies and simply press click. Great for moody landscape shots.

9. A flash in the night
Nighttime flash mode is an excellent way of capturing the spirit of a party or night out. It slows down the camera shutter speed, enabling you to catch a glimpse of the background beyond the flash range while illuminating any party animals within 10 feet. Because its so sensitive, the slightest hand movement while shooting will produce wild colour streaks and cool lighting effects. When it works, the results are amazing. When it doesn't, there's always the delete option.

10. Work it Baby
When taking photos of children, family or your mates, don't be afraid to direct the action. Part of the reason professional photographers are able to get such great shots is they're not afraid to say to their subjects: "yeah, that's it, show me love Angelina, give me rage, work it baby, work it". You don't have to go overboard, but a couple of good directions to your girlfriend or mates could make all the difference between a memory you want to keep forever and another boring shot of someone looking at the camera.

Finally
Once you come to putting your snaps onto your hard drive, here's a little tip to avoid having to name each one individually.

First, open the folder and select View > Thumbnails. Click the last picture in the folder that you want to rename, hold down the Shift key, and click the first picture; this will select them all. Right-click the first photo, and select Rename from the drop-down menu. Windows XP will then highlight the filename for the first photo, allowing you to give it a descriptive name, "2006 man of the year world tour" for example. After you type in the name, click the white space outside of the photo and watch as Windows applies the name with a sequential number to each picture in the folder. Easy.

Armed with these tips you'll be ready to start reaching for a better world inside your viewfinder, beginning right now.

Source : Digital Home.

Labels: Digital-Cameras, Tips