I am a life-long photographer. I remember playing with a small camera as a
child and learning photography from my father at an early age. I think that I have always had some sort of
camera. When I was in graduate school I
managed to incorporate photography into my Master’s Thesis. At that time I lived with a camera in my
hands. I did everything related to
photography. It was film photography
then and I processed and printed my own photographs.
Today I shoot with Digital Cameras. They are expensive Digital Single Lens Reflex
cameras that shoot pictures of better quality than the single Lens Reflex Film
cameras of my past. Though my camera
equipment would be classed as professional by most there is a wide variety of Digital
Camera equipment available that is quite affordable.
These cameras are made by companies like Canon,
Nikon, Kodak, Panasonic, Sony and Olympus.
Yes some of those companies are best known for electronic devices, but
Digital Cameras are electronic devices!
All of the above companies and more make excellent products in all price
ranges. If you are buying, look for a camera that shoots pictures of 10
mp (megapixels) or more. Also look for a
camera with a lens of good quality. Many
cameras today come with wide angle to telephoto lenses.
This whole article was inspired by another with some
photographic tips. I include the tips
below:
“Photography Tips
·
Invest
in a good quality, affordable digital camera. Most cameras are easy to use and
allow you to share photos with a wide audience.
·
Know
your objective: before you shoot, decide what your focus will be. When you
know, you can emphasize it.
·
Keep
it simple: good photos are simply composed, including only the subject and an
interesting background.
·
Crop
behind the lens: don't be shy - get close to your subjects so the important
elements fill your frame.
·
Select
a spot: in the room that has good lighting so the subjects are not in the
shadows.
·
Avoid
placing people in front of a window: back-lit photos will throw off the light
balance.
·
Try
placing subjects off-centre: be creative, no need to shoot a formal pose,
relaxed subjects are better.
·
Capture
the context: photos need to tell a story. Don't get so close that the camera
misses what subjects are reacting to or participating in.
·
Wait
for the moment: take your shot at the moment when your subjects look at ease or
are reacting spontaneously to events around them, when the animal turns to look
at you, or the bird flies across the horizon.
·
Take
lots of shots: These moments will never come again, so take many photos so you
can take your pick.
·
Go
big: make sure you shoot photos at high resolution with your digital camera to
achieve good quality results. This will ensure your photos can be printed in hard
copy or reproduced in a newsletter and featured on your website.
·
Don't
forget the photo releases - get them signed if needed. “
These
tips are great. I know that many people
use their cameras to document family events and to shoot portraits of family and
friends. Other people like to photograph
scenery. Some additional things you
might remember. Digital cameras don’t
use film, but relatively inexpensive Digital Cards. Large capacity cards let you take many
pictures even if you shoot at maximum quality.
Remember bad pictures can easily be deleted so take lots and lots of
pictures.
All of
the cameras operate electrically from batteries. If the battery dies then you can’t shoot any
more so take extra batteries along. If
your camera uses rechargeable batteries make sure you recharge beforehand.
Use the
rule of thirds when focusing. Imagine
that your picture is overlaid by a tic-tac-toe grid. Instead of the subject being in the center
square it would be better to align the subject in one of the other thirds of
the grid (I know there are nine squares, but the nine squares let you visualize
the scene in thirds.)
Lighting
is critical as indicated in the tips.
You can often assist front lighting by using the camera’s built-in
flash.
Prints
can be made by using one of the many high quality desk printers available
today, but you can get digital prints from many drug store chains today. You can also get prints from online services
like shutterfly, snapfish or from Kodak (there’s a classic name.)
The most
important thing to remember when taking pictures -- Have Fun!
For me taking pictures is a labor of love and enjoyment. Go out and have a good time. Photos let you remember those good times
fondly.
Michelle
Hansen