Use Red Eye Reduction Flash
by Alvaro Lopez
Most newer cameras have two flash modes. Standard and Red Eye Reduction.
The Red Eye Reduction flash causes the camera to flash multiple times before taking the shot to get the subject's eyes used to the bright light.
Use this whenever taking photographs of people looking directly at the camera in low light.
Many people don't realize they needed to use the red-eye flash until after they look at their photos after the event. So remember to use red eye reduction whenever taking photos in the following situations :
Don't add frills
by Alvaro Lopez
Some manufactures give you a feature that can imprint the current date and time onto your image. Or they offer to imprint other stats like the current exposure settings, or shot number.
Turn these off!
You don't want anything to distract you or your viewer from the subject of your photo.
Modern digital cameras record the time and date the shot was taken anyway in a separate part of the image file anyway, and most digital printing places will stamp the back of the image with the time and date the shot was taken so you can always see it.
Don't Rely On Flash
by Alvaro Lopez
In previous tips, we've discussed using your flash. There are occasions, however, where using a flash ruins the mood of the event you are photographing.
Why? A flash tends to create harsh subjects and will ruin any natural mood.
So, rather than using the flash whenever your camera tells you to, use available light whenever possible.
In a dark situation, it's often better to open the shutter for longer to let in more light, or turn on existing lights to illuminate the room than to use the flash.
In daytime and when your subject is inside and near a window, have them face the light and position the camera between the window and your subject. This will allow the sunlight to light your image fully.
Use the LCD Monitor to preview images
by Alvaro Lopez
The LCD monitor will show you what your final image will look like. It won't be as large in size as your final image, but you will get enough of a feel for the image to know how your shot will turn out.
If your camera can show you a half second freeze of your shot just after you have taken it, turn this feature on. The half second will give you enough time to see if the image was well framed, and have the correct exposure or if you need to take another one.
Use Predefined Modes
by Alvaro Lopez
Many people don't know that most cameras now come with selected modes for taking shots. Eg Landscape, Cloudy Day, Full Sun, Indoors, Night.
Changing the mode of your camera to match your situation can result in better shots, as the camera has a better chance of selecting the shutter speed, flash and other exposure choices for a perfect picture.
Camera makers put a lot of thought into the settings for each of the different modes and tailor the settings to what will work well with their camera. So don't be afraid to use the predefined scene modes of your camera.
New Photographer Tip: Warning - Don't resave and resave your JPG files
by Alvaro Lopez
Avoid saving and resaving jpg files. Each time a jpg file is changed and saved it is compressed and you will loss image quality. The preferred option is to save your files as TIF files (or PSD files using Adobe Photoshop software) as they are not compressed and you will retain your image quality. To select your file formats in your image editing software select File/Save as/dropdown menu. If necessary use the jpg format as final file save for smaller files.
Reasons to Shoot RAW files Raw files have not had while balance set. This allows one to set any colour temperature and white balance one wishes after the fact with no image degradation. File linearization and colour filter array (Bayer) conversion is done on a computer with a fast and powerful microprocessor versus in the camera. The raw file is tagged with contrast and saturation information as set in the camera by the user, but the actual image data has not been changed. The user is free to set these based on a per-image evaluation rather than use one or two generalized settings for all images taken.
Possibly the biggest advantage of shooting raw is that one has a 16 bit image (post raw conversion) to work with. This means that the file has 65,536 levels to work with. This is opposed to a JPG file's 8 bit space with just 256 brightness levels available. This is important when editing an image, particularly if one is trying to open up shadows or alter brightness in any significant way.
Reasons to Shoot JPG. Files are smaller and therefore more of them fit on a card. For many applications image quality is more than sufficient (family snapshots, news images). Small files are more easily transmitted wirelessly and online. This is important to newspaper photographers. Many photographers don't have the time or inclination to post-process their files. Many cameras (especially digicams) can not shoot quickly when working in raw mode. Some lower-end models can't record raw files at all.
Lighting Secrets
by Alvaro Lopez
· The best outdoors light to be found is at dawn and dusk. Here the light is not as bright as midday, and the sun produces some wonderful reds. Both these help to make a normally ordinary shot look magic by creating a warm glow.
· When you are shooting outdoors, the best way to shoot is away from the sun. Don’t have the sun in your photographs because it will overpower the colors and ensure the side of your subject facing the camera is in shadow. Ensure the sun is behind your back.
· Another thing to watch out for is that your subject doesn’t squint. We all love to see bright wide eyes, so ensure the sun isn’t too bright. This is another reason to shoot at dawn or dusk – you can have the subject facing the sun but not squinting… and you get much better colors in your image at the same time!
· If shooting in sunlight, watch for shadows. Look at the shadow cast by your subject and ensure it doesn’t block anything, or look unsightly. Additionally, ensure your own shadow doesn’t fall into the picture!
· The best night shots are taken just after sunset. This is where scenes are lit up as if it were night, but there is still a tiny bit of sunlight around to help light the scene and bring out the detail. When indoors, try moving your lighting sources around. Lights at lower angles are usually more dramatic than plain overhead lighting.
· Remember the secret about using your flash during the day? It’s also possible on most digital cameras to take night shots without a flash. Try setting your ISO speed to 800 or above to ensure the camera is sensitive to very low light.
· Need to use the flash, but it’s a bit harsh? Try taping some wax paper over the flash to diffuse the light.
· Want to light a very small object? If you’re using your macro setting to take a shot, cut up a plastic milk container and place it around the object. It will diffuse the surrounding light.