Take Better Pictures With Your Digital Camera

Today’s digital cameras make taking pictures a lot easier than the one’s of yesterday. However, there is always room for improvement. If you are learning digital photography here are some easy to follow suggestions to get better pictures.

Portrait Photography Tips.

Here are some portrait photography tips to help you take your photos from acceptable to great.

Be aware of the background.

• If you're outdoors, you don’t really want to find trees growing out of people’s heads or a passing vehicle to draw attention away from your subject. To get a better portrait, sometimes moving your subject just a couple steps to either side can make a big difference.

Outdoor Photography.

• Taking pictures in general is easy. Learning how to get good outdoor pictures will take patience, practice, and good timing.
  
  I happen to be a fan of outdoor photography, especially portrait photography. I like the natural lighting.
  
  Here are a few tips on how to get better outdoor photos.
  
  
• The best time to get good outdoor photos is in the morning or later in the afternoon or if there is an overcast sky - these will all help to even and smooth out your pictures and you won't get the harsh glare from the sunlight.
  
  
• If you happen to have a tripod, bring it along so you can experiment with more depth of field by using a slower shutter speed.
  
  If you don't have a tripod then experiment using the camera settings so you know what shutter speed you can use to get a good picture that isn't blurry.
  
  
• You want the focus to be on your subject so don't let the background overpower them. If there is a busy background that you or your subject really want in the picture, zoom in on the subject so the background is slightly blurry and don't forget about using the Rule of Thirds rule.
  
  
• If you have a reflector try using this for supplementing the lighting. If you have a polarizing filter for your digital camera try using it to eliminate glare and darken the sky.
  
  
• If it is a sunny afternoon when you're taking pictures, your subject may have to stand in the shade and you may have to use your flash to eliminate shadows. Practice with this and test the range limitations of the flash you are using.
  
  

Indoor Photography.

• If you have to shoot indoors because of weather or whatever reason; these are some tips and techniques for using a flash and not using a flash.

Indoor Photography Without a Flash.

• If there is enough light and you're not using a flash, you can get good portraits from the light coming in through a window (in my opinion this works best with smaller groups), using an aperture setting of about f4 (no lower) and using a tripod if you have one. Experimenting with the angles in which you stand and where your subject is placed.

Indoor Photography Using an External Flash.

• If at all possible - avoid posing anyone in front of reflective surfaces such as windows, walls, and if there is someone who wears glasses ask them if they wouldn't mind taking them off.
  
  
• Keep your subjects far enough from the wall (at least five feet) so you don't get too much reflection or shadows. If you don't have the room and a wall is closer than you'd like, try standing at a slight angle. If you have an off-shoe flash try bouncing the light off the ceiling or other surface.
• Take control and try shooting in manual mode.
• Something to keep in mind when using your external flash. There can be several seconds between shots as the flash will need to recharge unless you have a flash unit that allows for rapid fire. However, even with rapid fire capabilities there is still a slight delay while the flash recharges.

Indoors With Flash, Without Flash.

• The other thing you can do is to bump up the ISO (no flash) and use a tripod if you have one, if you don't have a tripod, you want the shutter speed at least to 1/50th of a second. The higher the ISO setting the lighter the picture - but - with some point and shoot cameras you may see some graininess. Most digital SLR cameras will do a good job at higher ISO settings.
• If there is room and you have backdrops and stands, try using these for background variety.

Head Shots.

• I like taking head shots. Just because it's a head shot doesn't mean the picture has to be taken face on; try taking the picture of your subject with their head turned a little to one side or the other.
  
  
• You can also take the picture slightly higher (looking down on them), just a little higher so your subject is not forced to turn their head in some uncomfortable position or so your not taking a picture of the top of their head with a bit of their nose sticking out.
  
  
• Let your subject be comfortable so you don't end up with a stiff looking picture. If you have a backdrop and are shooting either indoors or outdoors, place them at least a few feet from the backdrop; more if you have the room. The same thing applies if you're using Mother Nature as your backdrop.
  
  
• If you have a reflector this can be used with natural light or a flash to help reduce shadows. A good range for your shutter speed would be between 50 - 125. The aperture setting would depend on how much light is available. If you are using the Auto settings, these tips for getting a nice head shot will work just as well.
  
  
• If you want the background slightly out of focus, stand back further and zoom in.
  
  
• If you want the background more in focus, get closer to your subject.
  
  
• Experiment with this as it may give you that dynamic look you may be looking to get.

Move in closer.

• Another photography tip for getting a better portrait is to get closer to your subject. Fill the frame with your subject and there will be no doubt as to what the picture is saying. By moving in you also get rid of all the distraction from the background. Read up on your cameras manual and experiment with your aperture settings so you can blur the background but at the same time keep the subject in focus.

Offer a Variety of Poses.

• If your shooting a group of people, then offer a variety of poses with some standing and some sitting or kneeling. And try to keep them spaced proportionately. This can sometimes be hard with younger children as they tend to want to stay right next to mom or dad, but do the best you can and have fun with group photography.

Use a Tripod.

• Sometimes you will notice the pictures you have tried so hard to perfect are coming out blurry. Many digital cameras offer a nice feature to adjust for a little camera shake. But if it's cold outside or maybe you just naturally have a shaky hand when holding things then a tripod is what you will need to get the quality pictures and great photos you are looking for.

You don't always have to have your subject dead center.

• Taking portraits of friends and family is fun. Try putting them slightly off center; not a lot, just a little. When you’re shooting groups of people, find the imaginary center line of your group and put that line just a bit off center. You might just like the results.

Join a Photography Class.

• There are always new things to try and learn in the field of photography. Reading, studying other photographer's, practice and experimentation are just some of the ways to make you a better photographer. Joining a photography class and learning from experts is also a good way to improve your skills. There are online classes you can take, some local photography stores offer classes from time-to-time, and check out a community college in your area.

Read Books and Learn All You Can.

Books are also a great source of information for many types of photography and can help you get familiar with your camera and taking better pictures. Photo Nuts and Bolts is one of those books. This book will help you have a better understanding about your camera and use it to it's fullest potential.

Photo Nuts and Bolts has 10 lessons for you to follow, helping you understand how the camera works so you can be in a better position to make better decisions and become a better photographer.
Click here to view more details

As the photographer you want the best portraits possible to give your client, friends, or family, so be natural. With you being calm and natural you will see how the facial expressions on your subjects become more natural themselves.

Following these photography tips won’t turn you into an award-winning photographer today, but you will be on your way to better, more powerful photographs that others will comment on for years to come.