Top Ten Tips for Great Pictures

TIP ONE - Get down to their level

• Hold your camera at the subject's eye level to capture the power of those magnetic gazes and mesmerizing smiles
• For kids and pets that means getting down on their level to take the picture
• They don't have to look directly into the camera, the eye level angle by itself will create a personal and inviting feeling

TIP TWO - Use a plain background

• Before taking a picture, check the area behind your subject
• Lookout for trees or poles sprouting from your subjects head
• A cluttered background will be distracting while a plain background wil emphasize your subject

TIP THREE - Use flash outdoors

• Even outdoors, use the flash setting on the camera to improve pictures
• Use it in bright sunlight to lighten dark shadows under the eyes and nose, especially when the sun is directly overhead or behind your subject
• Use it on cloudy days, to brighten up faces and make them stand out from the background

TIP FOUR - Move in close

• To create impactful pictures, move in close and fill your picture with the subject
• Move a few steps closer of use the zoom until the subject fills the viewfinder. You will eliminate background distractions and show off the details in your subject
• For small objects. use the camera's macro or 'flower' mode to get sharp close-ups

TIP FIVE - Take some vertical pictures

• Make subjects look better in a vertical picture - from the Eiffel Tower to portraits of your friends
• Make a conscious effort to turn your camera sideways and take some vertical pictures

TIP SIX - Lock the focus

• Lock the focus to create a sharp picture of the off-center subjects
  1. Center the subject
  2. Press the shutter button half way down
  3. Re-frame your picture (while still holding the shutter button)
  4. Finish by pressing the shutter button all the way

TIP SEVEN - Move it from the middle

• Bring your picture to life simply by placing your subject off-center
• Imagine a tic-tac-toe grid in your viewfinder. Now place your subject at one of the intersections of lines
• Since most cameras focus on whatever's in the middle, remember to lock the focus on your subject before re-framing the shot

TIP EIGHT - Know your flash's range

• Pictures taken beyond the maximum flash range will be too dark
• For many cameras that's only ten feet - about four steps away. Check your manual to be sure
• If the subject is further than ten feet from the camera, the picture may be too dark

TIP NINE - Watch the light

• Great light makes great pictures. Study the effects of light in your pictures
• For people pictures, choose the soft lighting of cloudy days. Avoid overhead sunlight that casts harsh shadows across faces
• For scenic pictures, use the long shadows and color of early and late day

TIP TEN - Be a picture director

• Take an extra minute and become a picture director, not just a passive picture taker
• Add some props, rearrange your subjects, or try a different viewpoint
• Bring your subjects together and let their personalities shine. Then watch your pictures dramatically improve