Last week, we talked about choosing a digital camera and I assume you all have one now. This week we’ll look at the mechanics of taking pictures with your new digital toy.
First set up your camera with the correct date and time. This may be the one time you’ll have to read that little book that came with it. Just kidding, as you get more experience, you’ll want to delve into some advanced features. If you set it up properly, the correct date and time will be imbedded in each picture along with additional info about how the picture was taken; lighting and focus data for example.
Second, especially while you’re learning take all your pictures in Auto Mode. Most amateur photographers take very good picture using this mode. It’s easy and it does much of the work for you. You can gradually add camera modes as you progress, but don’t get bogged down at first.
Plan to take lots of pictures; the only cost to you will be your time in reviewing and editing them. Shoot two or three shots of a subject till you get a feel for your camera and your own ability. Learn how to delete as you go so that you don’t waste time and storage capacity.
Frame, focus, shoot with a steady hand and preview your work. If you are using the optical viewfinder, holding the camera against your face can help to steady it. If you are using the LCD viewfinder, it’s often handy to steady yourself against a solid object while you are shooting. Don’t forget where your fingers and the lens cap are. Frame your pictures so that objectionable objects are not in the picture or at least in a spot easily cropped out. Watch out for subjects that would appear better vertically than the usual horizontal. Plain backgrounds often work better than real busy ones, especially when taking portraits. If your camera is slow to focus, press the shutter half way and focus on your main subject, then you can steady your aim, frame the shot and shoot.
Make light your friend, not an enemy. Consider your lighting before you do anything else. You want major light sources behind you. If you are shooting inside, remember that one major light source is outside, the Sun. The Sun streaming through a window directly behind a subject can ruin your camera’s ability to auto focus. Lamps and other light sources in a room can get in your way unless you position to shoot away from them or turn them off. Shooting into too much light is probably the single most common pitfall for amateur photographers.
Preview your shots from time to time to make sure that you or your camera are not doing something unexpected, like shooting against a reflecting surface or with the flash turned off, or not on Auto Mode.
Remember that the more zoom you are using on a shot and the lower the light, the steadier you need to be. Blurs happen, but a steady support or tripod can minimize them. Optical Zoom is a good thing and can make possible some neat shots, but it does require more attention to frame, focus and steady.
Lastly, get closer on your shots and take them at the level of the subject, even if it means getting down on your knees to shoot a grandbaby or up on a ladder to shoot a bird’s nest.
Fire when ready and often!
Written by Jim Hall. Email your questions to geekspeak@mchsi.com . You can find Jim online at HallsTrainingSolutions.com
