With digital cameras at their most affordable, anybody can be a photographer these days. Problem is, it takes more than a camera to take good pictures.

It takes a certain eye, a way of seeing things, to take pictures that make people go "Wow!". Fortunately, it can be learned. And the more you practice, the better you'll get.

If you're interested in becoming a good digital photographer, I recommend the "Shoot Digital Pics Like the Pros," a free report.

Start by taking a look at these most common mistakes people make when taking digital pictures:

1. Not knowing your camera

If you never read your digital camera's manual and learn its features and how to use them, you won't be able to make the most of it.

2. Not using a tripod

Tripods allow you to take the sharpest pictures even in low light. Use one as often as possible.

3. Not giving the camera time to focus

Digital cameras need time to properly focus and get the right exposure. It can take a fraction of a second or a couple of seconds. Account for this when taking pictures.

4. Relying too much on zoom

Using the camera's zoom feature makes the picture grainier. Get as close to the subject as possible.

5. Taking pictures against the light

This makes the subject dark and the background too bright.

6. Relying too much on the flash

Natural light gives the best pictures, so use it as much as possible. Flash tends to make images look harsh.

7. Not taking enough pictures

It's almost impossible to take the perfect shot at one try, so take many pictures. With digital photography, this doesn't cost you extra. Try different angles and compositions.

8. Always putting the subject dead center

Learn the rule of thirds in composition, and you'll have more interesting pictures.

9. Forgetting to check the horizon

When taking pictures with the horizon showing, make sure it's level.

10. Selecting a low-resolution setting

Your camera will allow you to select different resolutions. Don't be tempted to choose a low resolution just to save on memory space. Instead, buy additional memory for your camera and always take your pictures in high resolution.

11. Trying to take too much

Don't try to include too many things in one picture, such as people and scenery. A picture is more effective when it's focused on a single subject.

12. Not using the camera

You'll never know when a good photo op will come up, so have your camera with you at all times.

It may seem like a lot to think about, but with practice, these things will become second nature.

For those who want to learn even more digital photography techniques, check out the free report, "Shoot Digital Pics Like the Pros." It's a short but info-filled guide that will have you shooting digital pictures like a pro in no time.

Find out more about "Shoot Digital Pics Like the Pros" here:
www.learndigitalphotographynow.com

Here are 12 ideas to get your creative juices flowing and increase your skills and value as a photographer.
TIP 1 - Time Lapse photos. I showed my niece how to do this with clay figures and stitch the resulting frames together into a video file, and she was busy for days. If you control the exposure consistently to keep the images consistent with one another, you can do some really fun stop-motion animation. Or, you can set up your camera to capture other slow motion effects such as flowers opening and seedlings growing.
TIP 2 - Night Lights. Things look very different at night. Shooting city scenes with available light creates some interesting images. And shooting outdoor images under moonlight or with "light painting", where you open up the camera shutter for an extended exposure, and "paint" your targets with colored or plain light, can create some truly bizarre images.
TIP 3 - Astrophotography. Hook that SLR up to a telescope, and you are ready to peer into the depths of space and time. You'll need some adapters, and ability to compensate for the earth's rotation for really long shots. Start with the moon and move on from there.
TIP 4 - Macro photography. From flowers to coins to stamps, you can polish your skills at close-up photography and capture some really detailed images. Often a macro lens or close-up attachment will help. See my tips on Flower Photography to get more information.
TIP 5 - Micro photography. If you can interface that camera with a microscope, you can get some really crazy images. Or, stack up a bunch of close-up magnification and try your hand at turning salt crystals into surreal imagery.
TIP 6 - Insurance Photos. OK, maybe a bit boring, but you and your friends and relatives will thank you. Take a couple hours and touch and photograph everything of value, with a full shot or two if each item of value, accompanied by a shot of the identifying marks - manufacturer model or serial number. Then burn a CD or DVD and store it off site. If you have a fire or other loss, this could save the owner thousands of dollars.
TIP 7 - Family Recipe book. Anytime those family favorites are prepared, copy down the recipe and take some photos of the food. You can produce a printed or electronic cookbook of family favorites that everyone will love.
TIP 8 - Stock Photography. This is a very busy market niche, but the cost of entry is low. Specialize in things you love, and you may be able to generate some income from your stock images. Search for stock photography sites, and make sure you understand your rights before you post images.
TIP 9 - Special Effects. Maybe you want to specialize in high-speed images of athletes, or surrealistic collages. Try your hand at using your editing skills to put someone in a soda bottle or floating on a candy lifesaver. Often more artistic than photographic, it will test your composition, lighting and editing skills to come up with believable artificial realities.
TIP 10 - Still Life. Ahh, the bowl of fruit. Sometimes a simple object or collection, properly lit, shot and edited, is a thing of beauty. It's a great way to study light. Start with an egg on a light background, a lamp and a window and see how you can learn about lighting and composition.
TIP 11 - Computer Control. Many cameras have a USB interface and remote control software. You can actually control the camera from the computer. See if you can get it to work to your liking, and maybe even program some time lapse or exposure bracketing experiments.
TIP 12 - Be Like Andy. Take some images of everyday items and try to create those neat colored backgrounds like Andy Warhol used to make. Create a 4-up print of the same image and change the colors of each quadrant to make an interesting square print.
Have fun with these ideas, and let me know when you become famous!
John Huegel is a photographer in the Erie, Pennsylvania area who specializes in Seniors, Dance Studio, Families and other groups. He is active in many charitable and volunteer activities in the Erie area. His work can be seen at http://jhphotomusic.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Huegel
Here are 12 ideas to get your creative juices flowing and increase your skills and value as a photographer.
TIP 1 - Time Lapse photos. I showed my niece how to do this with clay figures and stitch the resulting frames together into a video file, and she was busy for days. If you control the exposure consistently to keep the images consistent with one another, you can do some really fun stop-motion animation. Or, you can set up your camera to capture other slow motion effects such as flowers opening and seedlings growing.
TIP 2 - Night Lights. Things look very different at night. Shooting city scenes with available light creates some interesting images. And shooting outdoor images under moonlight or with "light painting", where you open up the camera shutter for an extended exposure, and "paint" your targets with colored or plain light, can create some truly bizarre images.
TIP 3 - Astrophotography. Hook that SLR up to a telescope, and you are ready to peer into the depths of space and time. You'll need some adapters, and ability to compensate for the earth's rotation for really long shots. Start with the moon and move on from there.
TIP 4 - Macro photography. From flowers to coins to stamps, you can polish your skills at close-up photography and capture some really detailed images. Often a macro lens or close-up attachment will help. See my tips on Flower Photography to get more information.
TIP 5 - Micro photography. If you can interface that camera with a microscope, you can get some really crazy images. Or, stack up a bunch of close-up magnification and try your hand at turning salt crystals into surreal imagery.
TIP 6 - Insurance Photos. OK, maybe a bit boring, but you and your friends and relatives will thank you. Take a couple hours and touch and photograph everything of value, with a full shot or two if each item of value, accompanied by a shot of the identifying marks - manufacturer model or serial number. Then burn a CD or DVD and store it off site. If you have a fire or other loss, this could save the owner thousands of dollars.
TIP 7 - Family Recipe book. Anytime those family favorites are prepared, copy down the recipe and take some photos of the food. You can produce a printed or electronic cookbook of family favorites that everyone will love.
TIP 8 - Stock Photography. This is a very busy market niche, but the cost of entry is low. Specialize in things you love, and you may be able to generate some income from your stock images. Search for stock photography sites, and make sure you understand your rights before you post images.
TIP 9 - Special Effects. Maybe you want to specialize in high-speed images of athletes, or surrealistic collages. Try your hand at using your editing skills to put someone in a soda bottle or floating on a candy lifesaver. Often more artistic than photographic, it will test your composition, lighting and editing skills to come up with believable artificial realities.
TIP 10 - Still Life. Ahh, the bowl of fruit. Sometimes a simple object or collection, properly lit, shot and edited, is a thing of beauty. It's a great way to study light. Start with an egg on a light background, a lamp and a window and see how you can learn about lighting and composition.
TIP 11 - Computer Control. Many cameras have a USB interface and remote control software. You can actually control the camera from the computer. See if you can get it to work to your liking, and maybe even program some time lapse or exposure bracketing experiments.
TIP 12 - Be Like Andy. Take some images of everyday items and try to create those neat colored backgrounds like Andy Warhol used to make. Create a 4-up print of the same image and change the colors of each quadrant to make an interesting square print.
Have fun with these ideas, and let me know when you become famous!
John Huegel is a photographer in the Erie, Pennsylvania area who specializes in Seniors, Dance Studio, Families and other groups. He is active in many charitable and volunteer activities in the Erie area. His work can be seen at http://jhphotomusic.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Huegel

I f you have a lot of pictures that are on the hard drive of your computer, you may want to think about using free online photo storage to prevent them from ever getting lost. If your computer ever crashes and you lose your hard drive, having your special photos stored in cyberspace means that you still have them, and all is not lost. You should also make a hard copy of your photos, by saving them on disk, which means that you will have your photos all stored in three different places. You will have some on your hard drive, some on disc, and some at a photo storage site.
At these free online photo storage sites, you are able to make different kinds of photo albums. This means that you can take your special photos and arrange them in online albums, much as you would do with hard copy pictures. You are in fact forcing yourself into taking your disorganized mess of photos, and organizing them into logical-based albums that you will be able to enjoy for many years to come. It is actually very delightful, once you have accomplished this, to step back and realize that you have actually accomplished something that you have been putting off for many years.
Once you have uploaded all of your pictures onto the site, you are able to invite all of your friends and relatives to come and view your pictures. You need to find out, however if there is a limit to how many pictures you are allowed to upload for free online photo storage, before you need to upgrade to a paid service. Sometimes there is a limit, or sometimes you are only allowed to keep them there for a certain amount of time before you have to pay for an upgrade. Usually the fee for an upgrade is quite minimal, and worth it in the long run. You can rest assured that your pictures are in a safe environment.
If you want to know more about free online photo storage, just go to a site and see all of the wonderful things that are offered there. You will be quite pleased at how many options you have as far as arranging your photos, and what you can do with them. Quite often there are options for adding decorations and captions to them. This can make the whole experience quite fun and enjoyable.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a free online photo album.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=MJ_Johnston

Here are several tips to increase the impact and effectiveness of images used in your yearbook.
1. Covers. Encourage the submission or creation of custom cover photography. Last year, our high school yearbook cover was an abstract image of CD's reflecting light in rainbow colors - taken by a student member of the staff. A cover contest generates interest and personal stake in the yearbook, increasing the student body's participation.
2. Club and Team shots. Chess club? Try for an artsy shot of a chess table with the team behind and slightly out of focus. Debate club? How about a staged brawl? Think creatively and do some planning to come up with original and entertaining images.
3. Baby Match. Take candid baby shots and sprinkle them in the yearbook. It will be fun for the students to match up to the right kids.
4. DVD Insert. Consider putting a DVD slide show in a plastic jacket as an upsell. Make sure you use legal music for the soundtrack. Lots of programs can be used to take images and music and make a DVD. Proshow is my favorite.
5. Pro Photos for Ad Space. Consider sprinkling in photos taken by professionals, in exchange for ad space.
6. Faculty Shots. How about a hobby focus? Instead of the same dry shots, have the faculty dress or bring items that they use in a hobby or interest and make a mini-bio for their images.
7. Contributor Web. Consider a public website such as Winkflash where anyone can submit photos for consideration in the yearbook. Make sure you get their name and credit them on the page where the images are used.
8. School Shots. Take some creative shots of the architecture and features of the school, such as mascots or common areas. Choose some times when they are busy and filled with kids, and contrast when they are empty. This will create pride and good memories of the school buildings and property.
9. Town Images. Some images from the local towns will also be appreciated. Consider asking for ad sponsors and spice up their contribution by taking a photo of their business and including it in the book. Think product placement.
10. Assemblies and Events. Make sure someone from the yearbook staff has permission to shoot freely at assemblies, pep rallies, sports and art/music events. Try to capture all scholastic, recreational and athletic/music activities as candids so you capture the depth of the high school experience.
Have fun with your High School Yearbook!
John Huegel is a photographer in the Erie, Pennsylvania area who specializes in Seniors, Dance Studio, Families and other groups. He is active in many charitable and volunteer activities in the Erie area. His work can be seen at http://jhphotomusic.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Huegel

Kodak, the company well-known for taking cameras out of the hands of professionals and put them into the hands of everyday users, is in financial trouble. Why? People today -- everyday people -- are moving toward digital cameras, leaving film-based cameras to gather dust in the closet. As the largest manufacturer of film-based cameras, and photographic film, Kodak finds itself losing loads of money.
But a digital camera won't save you any money if you don't know how to use it. So here are some pointers on how to use your camera, and take advantage of your Mac, too.
You need a computer
While some cameras will allow you to view your pictures on a TV, in practice a digital camera is pretty useless without a computer. The best computer to have, of course, is a Macintosh with a USB port, which pretty much covers everything Apple has introduced since the iMac.
It will also help if the camera comes bundled with Macintosh-compatible photo editing/viewing software. Mac OS X 10.1 comes with software capable of downloading pictures directly from some cameras; you may not need to load a thing.
Learn the basics
Yes, you will probably need to read the cameras manual. Please note that some cameras don't come with a printed manual, you must read an Acrobat file from the CD-ROM that came with the camera. Take your time and find all the controls and learn how to use them. Make sure you understand how to load batteries, plug it into your computer, and turn it on and off.
You will also want to be aware of buttons you don't want to push. (I recently watched someone wonder aloud what one button did, so they pushed it -- and watched their rechargeable battery fall into the Pacific Ocean.)
Generally speaking, the more expensive the camera, the harder it will be to operate. Low-cost digital cameras rarely support more than "point and shoot," which means you simply aim it at the subject, push the button, and it takes a picture. The camera will try to auto-focus the image and adjust the exposure according to available light.
More expensive digital cameras allow you to manually adjust focus, focal length, lighting, and countless other settings to help you turn a good picture into a really bad picture -- if you don't read the manual.
Looking into digital photography, ever want to start Learning Digital Photography? Find some great tips on how to take digital photographs with This Free Report
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Feildman
Kodak, the company well-known for taking cameras out of the hands of professionals and put them into the hands of everyday users, is in financial trouble. Why? People today -- everyday people -- are moving toward digital cameras, leaving film-based cameras to gather dust in the closet. As the largest manufacturer of film-based cameras, and photographic film, Kodak finds itself losing loads of money.
But a digital camera won't save you any money if you don't know how to use it. So here are some pointers on how to use your camera, and take advantage of your Mac, too.
You need a computer
While some cameras will allow you to view your pictures on a TV, in practice a digital camera is pretty useless without a computer. The best computer to have, of course, is a Macintosh with a USB port, which pretty much covers everything Apple has introduced since the iMac.
It will also help if the camera comes bundled with Macintosh-compatible photo editing/viewing software. Mac OS X 10.1 comes with software capable of downloading pictures directly from some cameras; you may not need to load a thing.
Learn the basics
Yes, you will probably need to read the cameras manual. Please note that some cameras don't come with a printed manual, you must read an Acrobat file from the CD-ROM that came with the camera. Take your time and find all the controls and learn how to use them. Make sure you understand how to load batteries, plug it into your computer, and turn it on and off.
You will also want to be aware of buttons you don't want to push. (I recently watched someone wonder aloud what one button did, so they pushed it -- and watched their rechargeable battery fall into the Pacific Ocean.)
Generally speaking, the more expensive the camera, the harder it will be to operate. Low-cost digital cameras rarely support more than "point and shoot," which means you simply aim it at the subject, push the button, and it takes a picture. The camera will try to auto-focus the image and adjust the exposure according to available light.
More expensive digital cameras allow you to manually adjust focus, focal length, lighting, and countless other settings to help you turn a good picture into a really bad picture -- if you don't read the manual.
Looking into digital photography, ever want to start Learning Digital Photography? Find some great tips on how to take digital photographs with This Free Report
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Feildman

Shooting flowers in the great outdoors is considered to be a pastime more than work. The relaxing feel of the outdoors in national heritage sites and parks is enjoyed by many outdoor photographers. Going on such outdoor day shoots requires some equipment especially if you're using a digital SLR. I currently enjoy my Nikon D40, probably the most affordable digital SLR bought from Hidalgo for a mere P21, 000.00. If you want to do some flower photography, it would be a great idea to invest in a few lenses.
The cheapest lens you can get that yields great results is a 50mm prime lens with an aperture of f/1.8. A lot of photographers have dubbed this lens as the "nifty fifty" because it delivers absolutely clear photos for a price less than a hundred dollars. This lens is available for both Canon and Nikon DSLR brands with Nikon's being slightly more expensive. The true benefit of this lens is that it takes very good portraiture, allowing your flower subject to stand out clearly while blurring the background.
If you have a little bit more money to burn I would highly recommend a macro lens. My personal lens of choice is an old inheritance - a Micro Nikon Auto f/3.5 macro lens which I've seen all over the Internet. It's not being sold in stores anymore but you can probably grab one from eBay if by some twist of fate the previous owner has decided to sell.
If you're going to go "deep" with shooting, you will definitely need a mini tripod or a monopod to deliver versatile shots. You can find pretty versatile mini tripods for less than P400.00 in some malls. But I suggest investing in more durable tripods such as the mini GorrilaPod that retails for about a thousand bucks. A monopod, on the other hand will help you get sturdy in thick situations like when inside bushes or when the area does not give you the luxury of spreading out a tripod through a wider plane.
With a variety in equipment coupled with the basics of photography, shooting flowers outdoors can be a therapeutic and rewarding experience altogether!
This article was written by Timothy Spencer for Island Rose - Send Gifts to the Philippines. We hope you enjoyed this article and encourage you to visit our website. Through Island Rose, you can send Flowers Philippines or simply browse through our blog for more informative articles.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_Spencer

So what is the best digital camera on the consumer market? The answer is probably the Hasselblad H3D-39. The 39 indicates that it is a 39 mega pixel camera and if you trip down to your local camera dealer you probably won't find one. If you did find one you probably would not want to spend the amount of money that they would be asking for the camera!
So much for what is the best camera, what is the best camera for you? Once again the answer is not as difficult as you might think.
The first question you have to ask yourself is how will I use my new camera? Compact cameras are great for slipping into your pocket or handbag and they do generally take much better pictures than your average phone camera. If you simply want a camera to take happy snaps at parties and when you go on holiday there is a wide range of compact cameras to meet you needs.
If you are thinking about taking up photography seriously and want a camera that will take shots in all lighting conditions then you may want to consider going down the DSLR route. Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras, or DSLRs, are becoming increasingly popular and big manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Samsung, Sony and Olympus have keenly priced entry level models. DSLR cameras have larger sensors compared to compact cameras making them less susceptible to noise. They also allow you to change the lens to cope with different shooting conditions. DSLRs are the preferred choice of professional photographers.
Bridge cameras are almost the same as a DSLR in look and feel except for having a non interchangeable lens. Usually they have a slightly smaller sensor than a DSLR and they also usually come with a large zoom range making them a favourite with bird watchers and nature lovers. Fuji and Panasonic have the most popular range of bridge cameras.
Once you have decided on what type of camera is best for you the next step is decide on the price you want to pay. After that it's time to go bargain hunting.
If you stick with the big camera names I've quoted in this article you won't go far wrong. Also if you look for a year old model, you can often pick one up a camera with as much as 30% off the initial price. Web sites like dpreview and Steve's cameras contain all the latest reviews. If you are still uncertain what model to buy, select a few you think you might like, and then go read the comments and look at the pictures on the forums at dpreview.
Bill Morrison is a keen amateur photographer and recommends http://www.digicamuser.com as a good resource for anyone interested in digital photography.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Morrison