Take Better Photos With Your Digital Camera

Almost everyone has a digital camera today and we all take a lot of photos. But if your photos still have trees coming out of your father’s head, mom has red eye, and your beloved pet is never facing the camera then I have here some tips to help you take better photos.

1.If at all possible use available light. Most digital cameras have an option to turn the flash off so if it’s light enough outside to read a book then use the available light and turn the flash off. In general camera flashes are too harsh for human skin and make all of us look pale. (Even better if your camera has a fill flash use that indoors where there isn’t enough daylight, and possibly place the person by a window.)
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2.Always be aware of the background. I know this is the hard one but it is critical. If you’re setting up a shot take a quick look at what is behind the people in your shot. So many perfectly good photos are ruined by a tree seeming to grow out of a person’s head. It can be as simple as the person taking one full step to the right or left to move the obstacle that would ruin your photo. I always look around the perimeters of the viewfinder to see if there is anything that shouldn't be in the picture as a last action before I press the shutter.

3.Use ambient soft light. The reason that so many of us pose people under trees, and end up with the ruined photo with a tree coming out of dad’s head, is that we all instinctively know that soft light is best. Sunlight filtered through a trees’ leave is beautiful and warm. It warms up the skin and puts a soft light to the features. Indoors near a window with drapes has a similar effect.

4.Aim your camera slightly down at the person’s face. Now I don’t mean climb a ladder but just don’t ever, and I mean ever, point your camera looking up to a person. We all look fat and bloated at that angle, and nobody wants a photograph looking up their nose. Also don’t shoot just face on to the person, try a little to the side, a three quarter view, so that you see more of their face. Remember camera higher looking down and a three quarter view, it will slim your subject.
5.Remember your focus, are you taking a photo of somebody and the tree, then take subject with the whole tree. But if you’re taking a photo of the subject next to a tree do we really need to see the entire tree? Get closer to your subject. We can see some of the tree bark with our subject leaning against it, but showing the whole tree is a waste.

6.Remember this tip with children, many people take a shot of their dear child for an expression on the child’s face, but in the printed shot the child is lost next to another kid, the swing set, and the dog. Remember get closer.
7.Never put your subject dead center. A lot of amateur photographers do this and it’s as hard of a habit to break as remembering to look at the background. But if you’ve moved closer to your subject remember to put them just slightly off center. Not a lot just a bit. When you’re shooting even groups of people this is especially easy but odd numbered groups is a little more difficult. Just find your imaginary center line of your group and put that line just a bit off center in your view through your lens or screen.

These tips should help you on your way to taking better photos and increasing your enjoyment of your hobby.