Arts and Photography

I know an amateur photographer who was asked by family members to take pictures at a wedding. His role was to take extra pictures at the wedding even though the family had hired a professional wedding photographer.

He noticed that the pictures he was taking from a distance during the ceremony were coming out too dark. It became obvious that the built in flash wasn't strong enough to take properly exposed pictures at a distance of more than maybe 12-15 feet. He was using a "Bridge" type camera with a decent zoom range but couldn't figure out how to get better exposed pictures.

It wasn't until the next day that he realized that his camera actually had a setting that would have boosted the flash power above the standard setting. Using that setting would have produced properly exposed pictures for most of the shots that were taken at a distance further away than the normal flash range.

When you buy a car, new or used, one of the first things you do is to find all the control buttons so you can safely and comfortably operate the vehicle.

For some reason, many of us don't do the same when we buy a camera. Of course there is no safety issue to worry about if we just turn on the camera and start shooting. However, it is inevitable that at some point, a few of your shots won't come out the way you thought they would.

For instance, many folks don't realize that if their pictures are coming out with a greenish or yellowish tint they can use the camera's White Balance feature to adjust the color.

Also, some people don't realize that if their pictures are coming out too light or too dark, they can use their camera's Exposure Compensation EV+, EV- feature to quickly correct that problem.

The following are a few things that can be done to avoid being caught in the middle of some picture taking situations without having a clue as to how to solve a problem.

The most obvious thing to do would be to read the instruction manual. Get to know what the various buttons and controls are for.

Take a trip through your camera's menu. If you don't know the purpose of a function or setting, make it a point to find out. You might not need to use that setting or function right now, but it could be a make it or break it factor in some future picture taking situation.

Visit a few "learn photography" websites. Some sites are geared towards beginners and amateurs and you can probably find some simple explanations to common problems. Usually there will be references to the same control buttons and menu items found in your camera.

Also, try taking shots in a variety of situations just for practice. That way you can see how your camera performs in various scenarios. If you find that something is not right in your pictures, you can once again reference the manual to see which controls or settings will correct the problem.

Learning the features of your camera and how to use them can only help you when it comes to taking better pictures. It doesn't make a difference if you are using a Compact Digital Camera or a Digital SLR camera.

Also, it doesn't make a difference if you are a beginner or if you have been taking pictures for a while. Technology is rapidly advancing and there are always new features being added to cameras.

So read about your camera's features, test them out, and you will get better results just by knowing your camera.

Visit http://easybasicphotography.com/ for some easy to understand photography principles and techniques.

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One of the most common photography related searches on Google is "what is the best camera to buy?" That might not be the best question to ask when you are buying a camera.

That is because the best camera to buy for you might not be the best camera for me and vice versa. A better question is what camera has the best features to satisfy my photography needs at my skill level. Of course price will be an important factor as well.

For instance, lets say that you will mainly use your camera for family snapshots and an occasional birthday party. A basic compact camera with a 3X to 5X zoom in the lower end price range should be all you need.

The picture quality of most compact cameras in a similar price range is pretty much the same. If you could take a look at an image from the Canon A2400 and then look at an image from the Nikon S4300, you would see that there is not much of a difference in the quality of the images.

The main differences between compact cameras will be more in the extra "Bells and Whistles" than in the picture quality.

For example, some of today's cameras have built in GPS systems to give you driving directions as well as to let you know where you took a particular picture. So ask yourself, would you pay extra for a camera with a GPS system, or would the GPS in your smartphone be enough?

Another feature of some of today's cameras is the ability to take 3D pictures. Once again, is that something you'd be willing to pay a few extra bucks for or can you live without that feature?

Next, lets say you will be taking pictures at sporting events or maybe you might be thinking about trying some wildlife photography. You might not be able to get close to your subjects in those situations, so a camera with a long zoom range might be best for you.

A camera like the Fujifilm Finepix HS25EXR has a 30X zoom. It also has manual and semi-automatic exposure settings for those who might be interested in learning about those type features. Hopefully you are beginning to see that how you plan to use the camera, and the camera's features should have a big impact as far as which camera you choose.

Lastly, lets say that you've been taking pictures for a while with your compact camera. Your pictures might be ok, but you wonder why some pictures seem to look crisper, brighter, and sharper than yours. It is probably because those pictures were taken with a Digital SLR camera. (Digital Single Lens Reflex)

Digital SLR cameras have larger image sensors than compact cameras. The larger image sensors of Digital SLR cameras produce higher quality images than compact cameras. That higher quality is retained even when large size prints are made from images.

Another great feature of Digital SLR cameras is that you can change the camera lens. There is a wide range of quality lenses available for Digital SLR cameras that might fit certain picture taking situations better than the one that comes with the camera.

The better picture quality of these type cameras also comes with a higher price tag than compact cameras. However, entry level Digital SLR cameras like the Canon T4i and the Nikon D5100 are good affordable cameras to get started with.

Please note that Digital SLR cameras are larger and bulkier than compact cameras. Placing one in your pocket is out of the question.

However, there is a smaller, more compact size camera with features that are pretty much the same as the Digital SLR cameras. They are called Mirrorless cameras. So maybe the smaller size mirrorless camera might be the best fit for you.

In any case, think first about what features you need or want before buying a camera. Remember that it doesn't make sense to buy a camera with a lot of features that you don't need or will never use.

On the other hand, it might be wise to spend a few extra dollars on a camera with features that will be useful to you.

So do a little research when buying a camera and see which cameras have features that are a good fit for you. Then, hopefully you won't need to ask "what is the best camera to buy?'

Please check http://easybasicphotography.com/Types-of-cameras for more details about the types of cameras mentioned in this article. Also check http://easybasicphotography.com/ for more information on photography basics.

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Digital cameras have taken away most of the challenge in taking challenging shots. It's now possible to take that macro shot without having to have specialized equipment. Now even a novice photographer is able to take that extreme close-up image with a perfect success rate. Great for capturing small things like the pupil of a fly.

For you to have the ability to capture an image not easily visible to the naked eye and bring it to extreme close up in beautiful color may be something that becomes addictive. There is nothing more satisfying than to capture a huge print of an insect, or any small object that normally is tiny to the naked eye and capture it with the technique of macro photography.

Back in the day with old school cameras you had to have all types of add-ons to take high quality photos of highly magnified images of extremely small subjects. Now a days however, a digital camera or compact DSLR, will allow even a child to take amazingly large photos of small tiny subjects.

Macro Photography
The term macro in photography speak, used to refer to the capturing of a subject that resulted in an image on the 35mm film frame (24x36mm) that ranged from 1:10 to 1:1 the size of the original subject. The term micro referred to a film image that was larger than 1:1 life size; micro photography could easily give you a 35mm film image of a flea that was much larger than the original flea. A CCD or CMOS sensor can be as tiny as 3x4mm, so any definition term that applied in the old school days now no more. But the rules that apply in accomplishing successful and satisfying macro photography still stand. But the same basic rules apply.

The camera's purpose is to record a sharp image by adjusting the lens to sensor distance: For photos taken at a great distance, the lens is positioned at the minimal lens to sensor distance. Therefore for short distance photos the lens to sensor position is increased. With macro photography the lens to sensor lens is positioned even closer, much closer than normal. It's been found that most compact digital cameras and most DSLR's have selectable macro mode. In some cameras you can select macro mode via an external control, while in others you must access the viewfinder menu. It's just that locating the function varies between manufacturers.

Tips for Macro Beginners
Being intrigued by how a photo of a honey bee can be captured beautifully at over 10x's it's natural size may have led you to find out just how you may be able to do the same with your own subject.

When you set your digital camera to macro mode it automatically adjusts the lens elements into an array best suited for close focusing. Which is no simple task. In fact it's so complicated that once macro mode is enabled, you lose control of both your lens aperture and shutter speed. No matter what digital camera manufacturer's camera you choose to use your best macro photos will be created only when you use the smallest lens aperture in order to produce optimum image sharpness and depth of field in your shot. Also using a small lens aperture is going to mean that you're going to need more light. So extend the exposure time to create a correctly exposed photo.

Omar Erwin has developed a passion for digital photos and its many different avenues. This passion has driven him to write a book not just for beginners of digital cameras and digital photos, but for all who love participating in digital photography. You may get your free copy as a gift by going to http://www.omarerwin.com/gift.html

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There's an old saying that you should never work with children or animals, they are so unpredictable, and very difficult to control. For this article, we'll only focus on one half of this age old saying, on animals. Now to photograph animals, specifically your pet, you need to be quick and alert, and you can capture your shot with any camera you like. But there are some useful techniques you can use to help you capture the shot you're after. This article will look at a few of these techniques to help you on your way to photographing animals.

Tip #1 Be Positive and Keep Things Light

Be a little playful, but not too much, you don't want your pet to be hyper, but you do want to keep it light and happy, especially with dogs. Include things which they are familiar with, perhaps their beds, or a favorite toy, anything to keep the atmosphere relaxed and calm.

Tip #2 Be Candid

Alternatively, you can catch them unaware, and end up with extremely natural shots. Try not to use your flash, as this will annoy them and cause them to turn away, not to mention the likelihood of red eye appearing in every shot. Use your zoom so as not to get into their personal space, or alert them to your presence.

If they are turned the other way, focus on them, call their name and be ready to shoot as soon as they face you. Some great shots are captured this way.

Tip #3 Use a Wide Angle Lens

This can produce some wonderful shots with interesting distortions and perspective, not to mention getting a whole lot more pet into the shot.

Tip #4 Use Your Shutter Speed to Your Advantage

If your camera allows, enable a very fast shutter speed, and catch your pet in mid flight. Often pets like to run around, and by capturing the action with a fast shutter speed, you'll end up with some remarkable results.

Tip #5 Framing and Composition

Think about different ways to compose your image, rather than the general perspective of standing up and shooting down towards your pet. Get down at their level or lower if possible, and try finding new ways to photograph. I saw an extreme example of this recently of a photo of a stampede in Africa. The photographer had bravely placed his camera on the ground pointing up towards an oncoming stampede and managed to take some remarkable shots from low down that you would never have seen before. Perhaps you could do the same for your dog or cat, and be lucky enough that they are in the right place at the right time.

Photographing animals is a challenge, but approached in the right way can be a lot of fun.

Like What you Read? Try our Free Photography Secrets
Take amazing photos with these little known tips and techniques.

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Is taking digital photos something you are having a little trouble getting your head around? Maybe you've been at it for a while and just haven't been able to produce that one SHOT that you have been hoping to capture. I hope you're not the one that was in charge of taking photos that day at your child's birthday party or that amazingly fun trip you took and all of your digital photos came out really bad. Our photos capture memorable moments in our lives and there is nothing more frustrating than having those memories captured in a bad photo.

Here Are Some Tips for You

First things first. You as the photographer are responsible for how a digital photo comes out, not the equipment that was used. Consider that there have been some amazing digital photos taken with a simple point and shoot camera, and at the same time there have been just terrible shots taken with very expensive digital cameras. Never fear, simply apply these tips to your digital photography game next time you are taking digital photos, and in no time you will be taking digital photos like a pro.

Increase your digicam know how
Does this sound familiar? This is simple but effective. When you purchase your digital camera don't bring it home, rip off the plastic and just start shooting photos all willy nilly. You briefly flick through the hundred page camera manual and then never look at it again. Take your time and read the owner's manual. This was placed in the same package as the digital camera for a reason, for you to read it and comprehend what you read. Learn how to control exposure, how to use different camera modes and how to use the flash. You will learn how to completely use your digital camera as an extension of your imagination. The knowledge you gain about the camera will be invaluable when you're out in the field taking those special photos. Absorbing the knowledge from your owner's manual is invaluable for knowing what to do when you are in your element while shooting.

Control the Flash
Your flash is important. You must learn through trial and error when and when not to use it. Me myself, I don't rely completely on my auto flash. It all depends on the scenery and the situation. As you gain experience you come to see that the flash can be both good and bad in different indoor settings.

Macro Mode
Most digital cameras come equipped with macro mode. You will find this setting very helpful when you want to take close up shots of some of your smallest subjects. My Canon PowerShot shows the symbol of a flower while this setting is enabled. Read your manual to see how your own is displayed.

On The Level
A most fundamental rule to any photography is to hold your device level as possible. On the display screen try to look for the horizontal lines and use them as guides.

Tripod
For all beginners tripods are an essential to the photography arsenal. When will you need a tripod? Well, under low-light conditions or trying to capture fast moving objects of course. Or when taking night shots on city streets, for example. The new pocket tripod has been my new best friend. For personal use, you don't need a huge one just simple and compact and easy to pack.

ISO Setting
The ISO setting on digital cameras is very helpful. The ISO setting of any digital camera essentially controls it's sensitivity to light. This is where you have control of setting your digital camera's sensitivity to light.

Omar Erwin has developed a passion for digital photos and its many different avenues. This passion has driven him to write a book not just for beginners of digital cameras and digital photos, but for all who love participating in digital photography. You may get your free copy as a gift by going to http://www.omarerwin.com/gift.html

View the original article here