Ten essential tips for
great digital photos
SPONSORED BY
This article sponsored by Canon. Costco
carries a variety of Canon cameras, including
the Canon Rebel XTi digital SLR an d the
PowerShot SD890 IS and
DIGITAL CAMERAS TODAY HAVE AN incredible array of features. Still, the
photographer has ultimate control over the image. Follow these tips for the
best results.
1. Don’t ignore the fundamentals. The same basics that have made certain
film images great over the years continue to make digital images great.
Composition is one of those basics. In great pictures the main subject is
rarely dead-centered in the frame.
2. Move in close. While wide-angle vistas certainly have a place in good photography, always consider moving as close as you reasonably and safely
can to your subject. Make the primary subject the primary point of inte rest
in your picture.
3. Timing is everything. Waiting that extra moment for a subject to look into
the camera and smile or react to something can take a picture from nice to
exceptional.
4. Sharpness starts with steadiness. Always be aware of holding the
camera as steadily as you can. This is increasingly important as the light
around you becomes progressively dimmer.
5. Be in charge of what you focus upon. Today’s autofocus cameras are
technical marvels, but for the best pictures the photographer always has
to have the final say on exactly what is focused upon.
6. Photography is all about light. You’re still capturing subjects as they’re
struck by light. You can’t move the sun, but always be aware in daylight of
how light and shadows are affecting your subject.
7. Use your flash outdoors. Strange as this may sound, turning your flash
on when you shoot outdoors in sunlight or even on cloudy days gives an
added shot of brightness to live subjects such as pets and people.
8. Use the power of lenses. Many users rely on telephoto settings for much
of their work. It’s often a mistake: Using the wide-angle setting and moving
in close often results in a powerful image.
9. Your camera is the photo lab. Digital cameras have a variety of in-camera
controls to change how color is rendered, and it’s worth experimenting to
see what settings enhance what sorts of scenes.
10. Print it. Many users do little more with their pictures than look at them on
the camera’s LCD monitor, and that’s a shame. A good printer is one of the
finest accessories a photographer can have for his or her digital camera. A
SD790 IS. For more on
Canon’s cameras, go to
www.usa.canon.com and
click on “cameras.”
