Try to experiment with different exposure levels. Just like film cameras, digital cameras work best in sunlight. When you take photos indoors, or in dim light, things get much trickier. So take some time and experiment with different exposure levels.
One thing to try is to shoot your subject from different angles, using different lighting. Try turning off the flash, if your camera allows you to do so. If your camera allows "fill flash," try that, too. Every now and then a perfectly exposed picture is made even better with fill flash. From time to time turning off the flash and leaving the subject somewhat underexposed can add drama to the shot.
One thing you should do is take the same picture three different ways, with three different exposure options; you are guaranteed to get three radically different pictures -- and all of them will look good. But you must experiment.
If at all possible, bracket your shots, with one shot slightly underexposed, one slightly overexposed, and one "just right." Some digital cameras will do this automatically, but even then you need to practice. If you are expecting the camera to shoot one frame and it shoots three, there is an excellent chance the last two will look like they were taken by a very surprised photographer.
Special features Most digital cameras have a variety of built-in special features. Some will allow you to record sound, some allow you to take short QuickTime clips, and some allow you to experiment with special effects, such as shooting black and white or sepia-tone images. Until you learn the basics of your camera I recommend that you ignore the special features.
Keep in mind that some of these special features can be accomplished with photo editing software, such as black and white or sepia-toned images. Simply open a normal color image in Photoshop and, in a few minutes, you can have perfect black and white or sepia-toned photos. Basically, if you can easily accomplish it in Photoshop, you might be better off concentrating on taking a good color photo, and worrying about special effects later.
However, there are some features you should try out. For instance try panning your camera to track a car moving at high speed; the car will appear in sharp focus however the background will be blurred, making an attention-grabbing picture. Or you can try and do the opposite: focus on a particular stationary object -- a child flying a kite, a freshly-painted fire hydrant -- and allow a speeding car to enter the frame. You'll then have a sharply focused center of attention with the added benefit of motion.
Silhouettes are another nice special effect. Try taking a photo with your subject in shadow, eclipsing a brightly-exposed object in the background. The reverse -- a brightly exposed subject against a dark background -- can be just as interesting. Trying to get a good silhouette with film is expensive: you shoot a lot of frames with little or no reward. With a digital camera, however, the only cost is your time and patience, and your patience will be rewarded. - 16747
One thing to try is to shoot your subject from different angles, using different lighting. Try turning off the flash, if your camera allows you to do so. If your camera allows "fill flash," try that, too. Every now and then a perfectly exposed picture is made even better with fill flash. From time to time turning off the flash and leaving the subject somewhat underexposed can add drama to the shot.
One thing you should do is take the same picture three different ways, with three different exposure options; you are guaranteed to get three radically different pictures -- and all of them will look good. But you must experiment.
If at all possible, bracket your shots, with one shot slightly underexposed, one slightly overexposed, and one "just right." Some digital cameras will do this automatically, but even then you need to practice. If you are expecting the camera to shoot one frame and it shoots three, there is an excellent chance the last two will look like they were taken by a very surprised photographer.
Special features Most digital cameras have a variety of built-in special features. Some will allow you to record sound, some allow you to take short QuickTime clips, and some allow you to experiment with special effects, such as shooting black and white or sepia-tone images. Until you learn the basics of your camera I recommend that you ignore the special features.
Keep in mind that some of these special features can be accomplished with photo editing software, such as black and white or sepia-toned images. Simply open a normal color image in Photoshop and, in a few minutes, you can have perfect black and white or sepia-toned photos. Basically, if you can easily accomplish it in Photoshop, you might be better off concentrating on taking a good color photo, and worrying about special effects later.
However, there are some features you should try out. For instance try panning your camera to track a car moving at high speed; the car will appear in sharp focus however the background will be blurred, making an attention-grabbing picture. Or you can try and do the opposite: focus on a particular stationary object -- a child flying a kite, a freshly-painted fire hydrant -- and allow a speeding car to enter the frame. You'll then have a sharply focused center of attention with the added benefit of motion.
Silhouettes are another nice special effect. Try taking a photo with your subject in shadow, eclipsing a brightly-exposed object in the background. The reverse -- a brightly exposed subject against a dark background -- can be just as interesting. Trying to get a good silhouette with film is expensive: you shoot a lot of frames with little or no reward. With a digital camera, however, the only cost is your time and patience, and your patience will be rewarded. - 16747
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