How to Get the Best Out of Your Compact Digital Camera

You have bought a compact digital camera and you are enjoying taking photographs with it. Taking a photograph can be as easy as pointing and shooting. It doesn’t have to be like this though, as you would be missing a lot of possibilities.

Knowing your camera’s features very well will lead you to make better decisions about what settings to use in different situations. Most compact cameras come with a preset of automatic settings used in specific situations. These setting will work well in most cases, but in some, they will not yield the expected results . That’s why manual setting are usually more preferred. The give you the ability to fine tune your photos as you wish.

If printing photographs is desired, the camera should be set to maximum quality and the photographs should be stored at the maximum resolution. This is important to insure that the prints will not look pixelated. Consequently, the size of the images will increase, so it is advisable to make sure you will have enough space in your storage media, while at the same time trying to find a reliable backup solution.

Nearly every compact camera sports an autofocus feature these days. When taking your picture, just press the shutter button half way down and keep holding it that way. According to the available objects in the viewfinder automatic focus will be chosen. That’s why pressing and holding the button should be done while aiming at the subject and then the camera can be moved (while still holding) to get the desired composition. After choosing the desired composition, the button should be completely pressed so as to capture the photo.

One of the main drawbacks of photographing in low light situations is the difficulty to get a decent photo without a tripod. The reason is that the camera will try to compensate for the low light with long exposure. Most compact digital cameras will not produce very clear images in low lighting even when a tripod is used, so it is always advisable to improve the lighting if possible.

In all the features that your camera is capable of, some are not very useful. Most compact cameras produce bad photos at high ISOs (>400) and they should only be used for capturing fast moving objects. Using the built-in flash should be avoided except when there is no other efficient light source. Its strong, non diffused, near the lens frontal light will make sure that your photos look awkward. That’s why external light sources are usually preferred. The only feature that you should never use is digital zooming.

Obviously, one needs to understand some basic photography concepts in order to get the best out of his camera . Fortunately, this can only increase its worth by making it produce better photographs and increase your experience by making you a better photographer.

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Focal Points In Photography

In optics, a focal point is the point of intersection of parallel light rays that passes through a convex lens or that are reflected from a concave mirror. Similarly, in photography, a focal point can be considered as the place on which all the observers’ eyes will be set when he looks at a photo. Therefore, focal points are important elements of any photograph.

Any photograph lacking a focal point will not attract except a few quick glances. This is because naturally the eyes will search for the unique and different things in the composition. It may be any object within your photograph, an object that is interesting enough to stand out from the rest of the composition.

The impact of the focal point on your photo can be further enhanced using many techniques. The first thing to take care of is where to place your focal point. According to the Rule of Thirds, it is better to be placed at one of the four intersection points. A different approach is to let other elements, like leading lines, dictate the focal point. Studying your surroundings is essential to know which is the best approach to use.

Making an object more significant can be done by having a strong contrast between it and patterns around it. The sudden break of a plain background with an interesting object is very attracting to the eyes. A strong colorful contrast can only improve the effect further. Always remember that the brighter and bigger your object is, the more attention it will grab.

Another form of contrast that can be used is that of details. It is a sort of distinction between the out of focus environment and the in focus object. The abrupt change in details will give the object a definitive and clear shape, making it the center of attention. During this process, the depth of field is changed. The shallower the DOF is, the blurrier the out of focus objects will be. If you are photographing in a dynamic surroundings, you can make use of the movements around you to achieve a similar effect without messing with DOF. A still object will stand out in a photograph with many moving objects when utilizing a slow shutter speed.

Although you may contain more than one focal point in your composition, too many will just render your photograph confusing. So next time while composing your photo, let your eyes lead you.  

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Lines and Shapes in Photography

Photography isn’t just about including the desired subjects inside the frame. It is a process similar to painting in which you try to convey a message or strike an emotion. A strong composition is the product of a thoughtful study of the environment around you, its lines, shapes, and the patterns they form.

Understanding the effect lines can have on a photo will allow you to turn an ordinary composition into something extraordinary. Using them correctly can totally transform the mood of your photo as well as add a more depth to it.

While you may not notice, lines are abundant in our surroundings. Horizons are the most common of all horizontal lines that if placed on the top third will emphasize the landscape, while when place on the bottom third, more emphasis will be on the sky. While adding lines to you composition, you should not forget about the Rule of Thirds, and try keep the horizontal lines perpendicular to the edges of your photo. It is worth noting that horizontal lines usually look better in landscape orientation .

If you look around, you’ll probably notice that vertical lines are even more abundant. Think of buildings, upright trees and light posts, they usually reflect growth and strength and when used correctly, they can provide interesting patterns especially when the photograph contains other elements. To avoid misusing the vertical lines, make sure that they are perpendicular to the top and bottom edges of the photo. These lines look best in portrait orientation.

Diagonal lines are even more usable than the previous two types. They can add depth to a photograph as well as creating points of interest inside your composition and if repeated, they can also produce nice patterns. They can give a sense of speed and movement. It is usually better to have the diagonal lines away from the photo’s diagonals so as to make it more interesting.

The lines’ types and orientations are related to the viewpoint used in the photograph. By utilizing a different angle, a pair of parallel lines can easily become converging lines and lead the eyes into the photograph. This can produce a totally different composition with more depth and more points of interest at the meeting point of the diagonal lines.

While lines may add a certain mood to your photograph, shapes usually provide the meaning. Shapes are the 2D outlines of the objects, and they play a major role in making these objects recognizable. Contrasting an object with a different background is usually the best way to put emphasis on its shape . Thus, the edges of your object will be clear, and consequently, its shape will be very well defined.

Every object has its own distinct shape from specific angles, but some objects may look similar from different points of view. To avoid this, choose an angle that will portray your object in a unique way.

Understanding composition in terms of lines and shapes is one step forward toward more mature artistic expression.

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