BEYOND IMAGININGS

 

Inspire Memories

With Photography

Point & Shoot...

 

Most cameras tout just that, especially in digitals. Aim the camera at whatever subject you are interested in... push the button... and voila! What an awesome creative tool. Great results from little effort. Can you imagine the results with some effort!

 

Depending on the desired results of your picture taking, the camera quite naturally plays the greatest role. If you simply want to create memories of family events or reunions, then the more basic digital cameras will do. But if you are an avid nature photographer or professional photographer, then the more advanced digital SLR will fill your needs. Once you have determined your skill level and the function your pictures will perform, then it is time to compare cameras and their features. Do some comparisons at

Digital Photography Review.

 

Shop for your cameras and supplies here:
 

 

A next step is selecting an image editing software, again based on the features you are looking for in your pictures. There are many to choose from.  A good place to start is PhotoLinks.
 
 

Here is a sampling of shots taken by the author of this website:
 

Cloudy Hues

Moonlit Hues

Droplet Hues

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

The point of all this, of course, is to 'get out there' and use the power of your finger on that all important camera button.

 

Remember that with a digital camera, as opposed to film, if you don't like a picture - no worries - you can just delete it and take another one.

Point and shoot...

Then...  what to do with all those images...  How do you do them justice?  How will you display them?  Who will see them?

 

Ah, there are many options. And here's another one - scrapbooking - with all sorts of ideas from Michaels or at www.scrapbooking.com.      

 

Tips For The Digital Photographer

 A common issue with photography, whether film or digital, is red eye.  It's common when taking photos with the camera's flash feature on.  Most of the newer digital cameras have a 'remove red eye' feature on them.  But if not, most image editing software programs have the 'remove red eye' or 'fix red eye' feature in them.  Check your camera or software documentation.

 

Exposure times on your digital camera are determined by how well-lit the day is, and at night - how the absence of light dramatically increases exposure.  Exposure time is how long your camera takes to record a picture.  Most digital cameras perform this task automatically, but it is wise to learn how to adjust exposure manually (again, refer to your camera's manual).  The difference in your images can be significant.  When shooting, for instance, water dripping from an eave or a leaf, set your exposure speed to take your pictures quickly.  You may very well catch that water droplet in mid air.

 

 

Or on the other hand, if you slow down exposure speed to a fraction of second while shooting something moving, for instance a biker passing you by, this might result in some very interesting shots.  Just experiment.

 

Sometimes, the composition of your picture can be changed dramatically by just turning the camera.  Have you noticed that when shooting tall objects, like a tree or tall building, it won't fit into the frame?  But if you turn the camera at an angle, say 90 degrees or so, then your subject may fill the frame just fine.

 

If the result of a shot is blurry, it's probably the result of 'camera shake.'  You may not be holding the camera steady while taking the picture.  You might try bringing the camera in closer to your body, while still being able to look through the viewfinder.  This steadies your arms, decreasing the chance of moving while snapping photos, increasing your chances of sharper images.  This also occurs while using the zoom feature on your digital camera.  This is where the use of a tripod comes into play - to keep the camera steady while taking low-light or moving pictures.  If possible, move in closer to your subject so that you don't have to zoom in so much.

 

A very helpful tool on some digital cameras is the histogram.  This feature is like a chart.

 

 

It represents an image's brightness, differentiating between shadow and light.  When the histogram is 'weighted' on the left with no curve toward the right, your image will probably be underexposed (dark), and the opposite in this weight (on the right) means it will be overexposed (too light).  In the histogram above, the weight is in the center, demonstrating normal light conditions and correct exposure.

 

Cropping unwanted objects in a picture can make it worth keeping.  Maybe something undesirable got in the way while shooting.  It's possible to take it out with the crop tool without throwing out the entire picture.  Most digital cameras today provide enough megapixels to allow cropping portions of your images, and still produce a 4x6 or even an 8x10.

 

Symmetry is not always the best approach in photography.  In other words, don't always center your subject in the picture.  It's one sure sign of a novice photographer.  To add variety to your shot, try placing your subject just off-center, or in some instances even more.  Now there are certainly times when centering your subject is quite appropriate.

 

And don't let a dreary day stop you from taking pictures.  Clouds can add a textured backdrop to a horizon or mountain shot.  Find a tall subject, like a tree or building, and point your camera up the object with some of those clouds at the top in the viewfinder.  This angle makes for some very different and interesting photos.

 

It can take some planning, experimentation, and a lot of practice to learn your camera's different features.

 

Be creative!