When I purchased my first digital camera, complete with its small viewing screen, people would invariably ask, "Can I see the photo?" Children would ask me to take their picture, and then run over and ask to see it, then go back and ask me to take another!
It's great to have all that excitement, but were my pictures actually the best they could be?
Here are 7 tips that I have learned that have improved the quality of my photos.
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1. Use the high resolution setting. At the start, I had the resolution set to medium. That way I was able to take hundreds of pictures before having to download the memory card to my computer's hard disk. That was fine for viewing on screen, but then one day I wanted to do an 8x10 paper version, and the results were disappointing. Now I always use the highest resolution my cameras can provide. That led to higher expenses for memory cards, but it was worth it.
2. Use a Tripod. Even the slightest movement of the camera can create a blurry image. Invest in a tripod. I have also found that when taking group shots, I am better able to judge when to "click" if I am looking directly at the group, rather than through the view finder. Line up the shot while the camera is on the tripod, and then look at them while clicking the shutter.
3. Buy a Good Photo-Editing Program. Perhaps your camera came with Photoshop Elements, or similar. If not, go to your computer retailer and buy one. Not only can you fix blemishes (maybe Susan was having a bad zit day), but you can do more creative things as well. Recently I took a photo of my grand-daughter and combined it with one of Dora-the Explorer. Jasmine loved it.
4. Watch the Compression. As you use that fancy photo editing program, be careful of your compression setting. Most programs default to "jpeg" format, which saves space by selectively removing pixels, and recreating them the next time you view the photo. Multiple edits, saves, and re-opens of a photo decreases the quality over time. Try to do all your editing in one pass, using the lowest compression, or if you need to do more editing tomorrow, use a format like "tiff", which does not compress. If you will using a retail print service, make sure you keep a copy in a format they can read. You could then make a compressed copy for use in email.
5. Get in Close to Your Subject. Don't waste pixels on excess background. Get in closer, either physically, or with an optical zoom setting.
6. Good Things Come in 3s (or more!). When you think about the actual cost of taking a photo with a digital camera (close to nil!), you should take lots of shots. If the shot is available for more than a few seconds, take more that one photo. I always tell the subjects of my photos that I will be taking at least 2 or 3 shots of them (using a tripod of course!). A blink at the wrong time ruins the potential.
7. Read the Manual. In fact, read it more than once. As if I have to explain this one! (actually, you should not only read the manual that came with the computer; you should also look for websites on the Internet that can help you learn more about your hobby)
Consider this equation.
(LOTS of photos with your digital camera) + (the above tips) = (a day coming soon when you'll be proud to show off your creations)
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