Taking photos with a digital camera is different from taking photos with your regular camera. You don't have to close your one eye and focus… holding the digital camera up and away from you… you look at your subject on a clear LCD screen. Press the clicker lightly once (half way) and then do a regular click, this gives you better focus. There is no film to purchase, and uploading pics to your computer is free (providing that you have the accessories) some cameras come with the accessories in a kit, and the printing is easier than having that old darkroom. Even without having printing equipment, pics can be uploaded for email, to photo sites, or storage. Some of the digital models are really small.
You will find that pictures will turnout darker. This can be corrected with knowing how to adjust the settings. Let in as much light as possible, indoors window light is a bonus. Summer easier than winter. The flash is not necessary if when the ISO is set for 100, or 50. Flashes are all right, but if you for example are taking a still life and there are reflections off of shiny surfaces, a better photo is without a flash. Outside, it is still good to have the ISO 100 or lower, this is for less grain/noise, also. Where it doesn't matter, digital cameras have higher ISO's, also for less grain, set to Fine. If the wind is blowing and hair is flying, or the flower is waving, you can shoot, but with the flash on because the flash stops still the moving. Always keep your back to the sun, a good old standby. You don't want your screen picking up the sun; you will end up with harsh overblown highlights. If you are on a walk, and the sun is in front of you, but just over the hill… it is still light; you will find that in the that area you will get purple fringes, notice the purple around the trees. It can be changed in Photoshop or other soft wear, to sepia tone.
Digital is mega pixels, so when you take pictures of the blank sky, pixels fill it up.
It is tricky. Grain, may be acceptable, but if you want a more professional photo, again the lower ISO. It matters for making to larger sizes. Depending on the scene if it an overcast day set the settings to Sepia tone; then the lighting is acceptable, but change to usual setting too. Photoshop, (or similar programs) can also change an overcast pic to sepia tone, if you want to.
There are different resolutions, email size to 8.0 and higher. Eg: 4.0 MP is 1700 X 1300.
But, if you want to send an email pic emailing it, and you want to have it for printing too, it is best to choose the 1 MP size instead, as if you develop the memory card/stick and the store the email printed, will not be the best, it will be off focus. It will not fill-up the emailee's mailbox. For dark pictures and overcast ones, with My pictures, directory, or the like, in your computer operating system, you can adjust the brightness, and lighten, and other adjusting.
If you do not have a tripod, and are taking a still object or scene, place it where you can balance your arm on something solid, to steady your camera. The digital is great for letting you get really close up with the Macro setting, but still watch that you do not come closer than the lowest set suggested in your manual, as you can still get it out of focus is you are too close. Don't have Photoshop set up on your computer… so you can't isolate your subject/object, try setting a large blank stiff paper behind.
The old stand by take several shots of the same subject, but… change you're setting for different effects. Go easy on that Delete button; be sure you know what you are deleting.
If you take a lot of photos, you might want to invest in buying a battery charger, have a second
set charged… and if on a long trip, carry the seconds with you.
When hiking, don't carry your camera in your hand, have it in it's case handy… and don't lose your manual (but if you do, manuals can be found on the Internet search engines).
Jessie Eldora Robertson is a Freelance writer & photographer also a seller of digital cameras & accessories on her estore/site; a young-spirited grandma keeping-up and keeping fit.
The author of this article has chosen to make this article available with free reprint rights. Click here to copy this article.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
