Tradeoff Between Quality and Quantity
Increasing the amount of compression means that you can store more images on your media card, but there’s a catch,
because as the compression increases the quality of the resulting photo decreases.
Determine which quality level setting is best for you
If you ask yourself the following questions, you can determine the most appropriate settings for your needs:
Are the pictures for the print or the web?
What is the normal size of photo that you use?
How big is the sensor in your camera?
What Are the White Balance (WB) Settings?
The light source used to illuminate your subject has a color temperature that effects the colors in the final photo.
If you’ve taken photos with film cameras, you probably shot with “daylightbalanced” film.
Best Time to Take Pictures.
The best time to take pictures is the early morning and late afternoon. This is best especially for landscapes and reflections.
(2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset)
Shooting the Picture
Fill the frame with your subject
Use the zoom feature of your camera to get closer whenever possible to reduce the distortion caused by the wide angle lens
(called barrel distortion), which pushes out the middle and bends the lines on the edge. This problem is worse when photographing
people, because barrel distortion makes their faces look much larger and rounder, with exaggerated noses.
See the Whole Picture, Not Just the Subject
When composing a picture you need to view the entire picture area rather than focusing your attention only on the subject matter.
Change Your Camera Position
When you came upon a photo opportunity and raise your camera to shoot, you are not compelled by any state or federal law to
remain in that position.
Surefire Rules of Composition
Whenever possible do not place the subject in the center of the photo; rather place it off-center.
This is especially true when taking photos of people.
A popular guideline used by photographers and other artists is called “Rule of Thirds”, and with it imaginary lines are drawn
dividing the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically.
When composing a photo, you should try and place important elements of your composition where these lines intersect.
Know Where the Light Is Coming From
For best exposure, avoid having the sun or another light source coming from behind the subject (backlighting) or from
behind the photographer (unless you like the photo of people squinting).
Having the light directly overhead is not good either, as it can cast harsh shadows on the faces of the subjects.
Your best lighting comes on overcast days, but when that isn’t available and you are face with backlit situation, try turning
on your flash as to act as a fill flash, which will allow the background and the subject correctly exposed.
Ways to ensure proper focus
Quick tricks to tackle auto-focus problem
Find a high contrast subject roughly the same distance from your camera. Focus on it by pressing the same distance
from your camera. Focus on it by pressing and holding down the shutter button half way (this produces a focus-lock)
While still holding the button, turn the camera to face original subject and press the button the rest of the way.
Simple ways to steady your camera
A common error many photographers make is to move the camera when he presses the shutter button to take the photo.
The resulting blur in the image is thought to be a focus problem; however it may have been cause by camera movement.
Keep in mind that if you are shooting with the zoom set at its maximum magnification position, any camera movement is
greatly magnified. Traditional way to steady a camera is to use the tripod.
