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Experiment with exposure Digital cameras usually work best in sunlight, just like film cameras. When you move indoors, or into dim light, things get much trickier -- just like film cameras. So experiment.
One thing you can do is try to shoot your subject from different angles, using a variety of different lighting. If your camera allows you to do so, try turning your flash off. If your camera allows what is called "fill flash," I recommend you try that as well. You will find that every once in a while a flawlessly exposed picture is made even better using fill flash. Also, 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.
Try to bracket your shots, one shot somewhat 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 ends up shooting three you camera is bracketing.
Special features Most digital cameras have a variety of in-camera special features. Some allow you to take short QuickTime clips, some allow you to record sound, and some allow you to experiment with special effects, such as shooting black and white or sepia-tone images. I personally recommend that you ignore the special features until you learn the basics.
If you are proficient with your computer please 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. You can open a normal color image in Photoshop and, in a few minutes, you will have perfect black and white or sepia-toned photos. Essentially, if you can easily accomplish it in Photoshop, you might be better off concentrating on taking a good color photo and worrying about what special effects you wish to have later.
However, you should try out other special effects. For instance you can pan your camera to track a car moving at high speed; the car will be in sharp focus but the background will be blurred, making an interesting picture. Or you can 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.
One thing you can do is try to shoot your subject from different angles, using a variety of different lighting. If your camera allows you to do so, try turning your flash off. If your camera allows what is called "fill flash," I recommend you try that as well. You will find that every once in a while a flawlessly exposed picture is made even better using fill flash. Also, 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.
Try to bracket your shots, one shot somewhat 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 ends up shooting three you camera is bracketing.
Special features Most digital cameras have a variety of in-camera special features. Some allow you to take short QuickTime clips, some allow you to record sound, and some allow you to experiment with special effects, such as shooting black and white or sepia-tone images. I personally recommend that you ignore the special features until you learn the basics.
If you are proficient with your computer please 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. You can open a normal color image in Photoshop and, in a few minutes, you will have perfect black and white or sepia-toned photos. Essentially, if you can easily accomplish it in Photoshop, you might be better off concentrating on taking a good color photo and worrying about what special effects you wish to have later.
However, you should try out other special effects. For instance you can pan your camera to track a car moving at high speed; the car will be in sharp focus but the background will be blurred, making an interesting picture. Or you can 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.
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