Digital cameras do not come cheap, and if you have recently purchased one then it is your right to make the best out of it! However, most digital cameras nowadays come with complex menus, and many amateur photographers may find that difficult to cope with. Here are several useful tips and hints that will help you get the best out of your digital camera, quickly and effortlessly:
1. Understand The Lighting Options And Use Them In Your Best Interest
Every digital camera has an element known as a shutter, which basically exposes the inside sensor of the camera to a beam of light – the sensor automatically reacts to the light, thus triggering the picture. The amount of light and the amount of the exposure can determine the quality of the image, this is why you must be familiar with notions like focus, aperture, depth of field or shutter speed.
2. Get A Tripod
Tripods are vital for every digital camera, as they are designed to keep the camera steady during the photo. Even the slightest movement (be it accidental or intentional) can result in a blurry, low-quality picture. Also, long-exposure photography demands a tripod as well – it is impossible to keep a camera steady for several minutes without such an important instrument.
One of the downsides of digital cameras is that unlike film cameras, which react as soon as you push the button, digital devices usually require up to a couple of seconds before the taken is picture. This is why the tripod is of utmost importance!
3. Save Battery For “Rainy Days”
Digital cameras are known to consume the battery faster than you would expect – even though you do not need to worry about wasting film, you do need to worry about wasting battery! It is highly recommended to get a battery charger as well, as it will greatly benefit you in the long term.
4. Increase The Storage Space
Storage space is an aspect of paramount importance for photographers – there is nothing more annoying and unprofessional than running out of storage space in the middle of a wedding or an important photo shooting. You can upgrade the storage space with the help of a memory card.
5. Understand The Principles Of Exposure
Digital cameras come with different types of exposure: manual or automatic. Automatic is the best in most situations, but not in all. Basically, the fully automatic exposure is aimed at the camera settings (focus and such) and it is designed mainly for outdoor photography and portraits.
6. Choose The Best Zoom
Choosing the best zoom is vital for the quality of your photos, as the wrong decision can result in a blurry image. Basically, you can either opt for digital or optical zoom – it is highly recommended to opt for optical zoom rather than digital, because the latter only forces the camera to take pictures.
7. Get Rid Of The Clutter
Not only amateurs, but also professional photographers deal with huge loads of clutter, as in unwanted pictures or bad pictures – if this is your case as well, then get rid of them right away. This way, you will make room for other pictures!
8. Manage The Pictures Properly
Picture management is another important part of photography – after finishing the photo session, the next step is to transfer the pictures onto your computer. This usually happens either by transferring the card from the camera to the laptop or card reader or by connecting a USB cable to the camera.
9. Choose The Best Printing Option
Choosing the best photo printer is essential when it comes to the quality of your pictures – however, truly professional printers do not come cheap. Fortunately, most of them are compact and portable, therefore you do not need to worry about portability issues. By purchasing your own professional photo printer you can save a great deal of money in the long run.
10. Sharing Is Caring!
Last, but not least, don’t be ashamed to share your work with your friends and family – before you distribute them online, you can resize or edit them so they will not take too much space. You can either reduce the resolution of the picture (the number of dots per inch) or the overall size of the image.
