Better Photos with Your Digital Camera

Everyone has a digital camera today and we all take a lot of photos. But if your photos still have trees coming out of your father's head, mom has red eye, and your beloved pet is never facing the camera then here are some tips to help you take better photos.

1. Always be aware of the background. I know this is the hard one but it is critical. If you're setting up a shot take a quick look at what is behind the people in your shot. So many perfectly good photos are ruined by a tree seeming to grow out of a person's head. It can be as simple as the person taking one full step to the right or left to move the obstacle that would ruin your photo.

2. Use available light. If your digital camera has an option to turn the flash off and it's light enough outside to read a book then use the available light and turn the flash off. In general camera flashes are too harsh for human skin and make all of us look pale. (Even better if your camera has a fill flash use that indoors where there isn't enough daylight, and place the person by a window as well.)

3. Use ambient soft light. The reason that so many of use pose people under trees, and end up with the ruined photo with a tree coming out of dad's head, is that we all instinctively know that soft light is best. Sunlight filtered through a trees' leave is beautiful and warm. It warms up the skin and puts a soft light to the features. Indoors near a window with drapes has a similar effect.

4. Aim your camera slightly down at the person's face. Now I don't mean climb a ladder but just don't ever, and I mean ever, point your camera looking up to a person. We all look fat and bloated at that angle. Also don't shoot just face on to the person, try a little to the side, a three quarter view, so that you see more of their face. Remember camera higher looking down and a three quarter view, it will slim your subject.

5. Remember your focus, are you taking a photo of mom and the tree, then take mom with the whole tree. But if you're taking a photo of mom next to a tree do we really need to see the entire tree? Get closer to your subject. We can see some of the tree bark with mom leaning against it, but showing the whole tree is a waste. Remember this tip with children, many people take a shot of their dear child for an expression on the child's face, but in the printed shot the child is lost next to another kid, the swing set, and the dog. Remember get closer.

6. Never put your subject dead center. All family photographers do this and it's as hard of a habit to break as remembering to look at the background. But if you've moved closer to your subject remember to put them just sightly off center. Not a lot just a bit. When you're shooting even groups of people this is especially easy but odd numbered groups is a little more difficult. Just find your imaginary center line of your group and put that line just a bit off center in your view through your lens or screen.

With these tips you can be on your way to taking better photos today.

About The Author

Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal

Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

kellypaa@kellypaalphotography.com

---

Canadas Digital Cameras, Digital Camcorders and Cheap Memory Cards Canada

Digital SLR Camera or Digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is... Read More

Take Spectacular Nighttime Photos with your Digital Camera - Part I

Night photographs express a special something that cannot be seen... Read More

Elephants in the Sky and Four Poems

Elephants in the Sky[1980s, Lee Evens in Mali, Timbuktu/Africa]Advance: Lee... Read More

Photographing Kids

Kids grow up so quickly and while we are often... Read More

Digital Cameras Demystified

Demystifying Digital Camera JargonWant to buy a digital camera but... Read More

Start Up a Nude Photography Business

There are major obstacles to overcome to get into nude... Read More

Who Had The Better Brushes Leonardo or Michelangelo?

Ordinary photos of dull subjects do actually sell, but the... Read More

Your Mobile Digital Darkroom ? Five Tools of the Trade

While digital photography offers you the ability to review photograph... Read More

Make Your Digital Camera Batteries Last Longer

One technology that hasn't kept up with the rapid pace... Read More

Entering the World of Digital Video Cameras

Gone are the days when you would need to employ... Read More

Exposure Compensation

The digital camera is in reality a great possession with... Read More

Things You Should Know Before Buying A Digital Camera

In a traditional camera, the lens was king. If the... Read More

African Safari Photography Best Five Destinations

Good wildlife safari photography is not only about composition and... Read More

Becoming A Digital Artist On A Budget

So, you want to become a digital artist but paying... Read More

Using Film Speed Effectively

So you have this great new camera. Now you're standing... Read More

Color Management, the Digital Darkroom, and Adobe Photoshop

PrefaceIn order to understand color management, it is important to... Read More

Digital Camera Basics

Digital Camera Basics? The VocabularyShopping for a digital camera can... Read More

Photography 101 Part 1

Photography 101 Part One Equipment: camera, meter, flash, tripod This... Read More

Panasonic Digital Cameras - The History Behind Their Cameras

Panasonic is a world-renowned consumer electronics company today. Its digital... Read More

How to Make Your Production Look a Lot Slicker for £40 More

Tight BudgetsTight budgets are common these days. But the demand... Read More

Digital Camera Printers

The digital camera is not meant only for capturing images... Read More

How to take Great Photos of Your Pet

We all love our animals. They do such funny, adorable,... Read More

Digital Camera Memory Cards

A digital camera accessory you should purchase is a spare... Read More

Understanding Digital Photography

Most serious photographers and all professionals use a Single Lens... Read More

Black and White is Beautiful

Think about Laurel and Hardy for a moment, or Charlie... Read More

Transfer The Digital Camera Images To Your Computer

There are a few very important tasks associated with using... Read More

How To Reduce Red Eye The Easy Way With Any Pro Or Point & Shot Camera

There is one simple technique any body can do to... Read More

10 Steps to Buying a Digital Camera You Must Know

You are anxious to purchase your new digital camera! You... Read More

How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera

Getting the most out of your digital video camera can... Read More

Canon-Powershot-A80 Review

Last month we bought the Canon Powershot A80 online for... Read More

Tips for Purchasing a Digital Camera Lens

Your lens is an essential element to good photographs. It's... Read More

Fuji Digital Cameras

Fuji digital cameras entered the market in the late 90's.... Read More

Proper Handling and Storage of Paper Photos

Youv'e taken that perfect photo in the perfect light at... Read More