Camera Tips Contents


Camera Tips Contents


Get close to your subject
		Get close to your subject When you look in your viewfinder, what you see is what you'll get in the picture.  Look at the edges of the viewfinder.  If your subject doesn’t fill the frame, move in closer.  If you don’t see the edges of the viewfinder, move the camera closer to your eye.


Get a good grip
		Get a good grip A steady grip is essential to eliminating blurry pictures.  Grab the right side of the camera with your right hand and push the shutter button with your right forefinger.  Grip the lower-left corner with your left hand.  If you have a larger camera or a camera with a manual-focus lens, rest the camera on your left palm and focus the lens with your fingers.


Anticipate the action
		Anticipate the action As you look around for candid pictures, try to anticipate the action.  Some of the best action pictures occur, not because of luck, but because the photographer guessed what was going to happen next.  This photographer saw three girls fishing with their father and waited for a fish to bite.


Seize the moment
		Seize the moment Some of the best pictures exist for only an instant, so click the shutter as soon as you see something happen.  Then, pause and watch; another good picture might occur.


Take plenty of pictures
		Take plenty of pictures Be willing to take a few extra pictures.  Smiles can be elusive, so you may not get a good one on the first shot.  When things happen quickly (as they often do with kids), the best strategy may be to shoot quickly and often.  Some of the pictures might not turn out, but that’s a small price to pay for getting a really good one.


Use your feet
		Look for new views Your first vantage point for a scene may not be the best one.  Look for other points of view that may improve your picture.  Walk around, look up and down; explore many visual possibilities.  Try to find a stronger foreground, a less cluttered background, better light on the subject, or an unusual angle.


Variety, the spice of life
		Variety adds spice Variety makes a photo album more fun to look through.  The best coverage of birthday parties, reunions, family vacations, or other events includes a variety of views.  Take candid and posed pictures, horizontal and vertical views, close-ups and panoramic views.


Best times of day
		Best times of day All light is not created equal; the sunlight at noon causes glare and dark shadows.  Try taking pictures early and late in the day (the two or three hours after sunrise or before sunset).  The light is softer, warmer, and more flattering for both people and landscapes.


When to use flash
		When to use flash After dark is not the only time to use flash.  If you photograph people in the middle of the day, turning on the flash will solve some of the problems caused by backlighting and dark shadows.  When using flash in daylight, make sure that you are close enough to your subject (usually 6 to 10 feet).


Have fun
		Have fun This may be the most important tip of all: have fun while you’re taking pictures!  If you’re having fun, your pictures will show it.  The people you’re photographing will enjoy the experience more, and their enjoyment will show in their faces.


Portraits
		Portraits Entertaining your subjects while they are in front of the camera is key to taking good portraits.  With children, try using toys or puppets or just being silly.  With adults, who are simply big children, you may need different toys or jokes, but they like to be entertained, too.


Wedding portraits
		Wedding portraits Try this great outdoor portrait technique at weddings: position your subjects with the sun behind them and shining on their heads and shoulders.  Then, use your flash and move in close enough (usually 6 to 10 feet), so the flash lightens the shadow on their faces.


Backgrounds
		Simplify backgrounds A simple background focuses attention on your subject. This picture would have been even better if the photographer had knelt down and positioned this mother and son in front of an uncluttered background.


Favorite things
		Favorite things Using props can create a feeling of ease and confidence.  It also gives your subjects something to do while you are taking the pictures.  Ask your subjects to pose with a favorite possession.  It could be something they made or use in a hobby or favorite activity.


Close-ups
		Close-ups Close-ups are a very intense way to see someone.  Aim at and focus on the subject’s eyes.  If the face is turned away from the camera, focus on the eye closest to you.


Details
		Details People often have expressive features other than their face.  Hands offer great opportunities for good pictures, especially those of people who talk with or work with their hands.  If you want to make a close-up, be aware of your camera’s minimum focusing distance.


Minimum focusing distance

Most cameras and lenses have a minimum focusing distance of 4 to 6 feet.  If your lens has a macro setting, the minimum distance will be shorter.  Check the camera manual for the exact distance.


Couples
		Couples To make pictures of couples more interesting, look for ways to vary their poses.  If one person is sitting, ask the other to stand.  If one person is facing straight ahead, ask the other to turn their body left or right and turn their face toward the camera.


Groups
		Groups When you arrange faces on different levels instead of all in a straight line, the picture becomes more interesting visually.  With a group of three, arrange the people so their faces appear in a triangular pattern.  With four or more people, arrange their faces in triangular or diamond shapes.


Time capsules
		Time capsules Try photographing your kids, your cousins, your husband and his brothers, or any special group of people year after year in the same pose or location.  You’ll create a family record of their growth and changes, as well as the changing fashions in clothing and hair styles.


Pets
		Pets You can count on pets to do something other than what you want.  Their spontaneity makes for great fun and great pictures.  Expect the unexpected.  Make sure you’re ready when the moment comes and click a few extra pictures.  Until you get the prints back, though, you never know which shot will be the best.


Baby pictures
		Baby pictures Infants are amazed and delighted by the simplest things.  Get them involved with a small object they can hold.  If someone is talking to the baby, have that person stand right next to you, so the baby looks in the direction of the camera.  Feel free to take plenty of pictures because the next one might be better than the last.


Kids' eye level
		Kids’eye level Photograph kids from their own eye level.  From an adult’s perspective, you see more of their hair than their faces.  At the kids’-eye level, though, you see directly into their faces.  These pictures are more personal, intimate and full of impact.


Kids showing off
		Kids showing off "Hey Mom! Watch this!" "Hey Dad! Look what I can do!"  How many times have you heard that? The next time, ask them to show off for the camera.


Show them in action
		Show kids in action It’s natural for kids to be in a state of constant motion.  Get your camera ready, follow them, and photograph them doing the things they would do anyway.  And be active yourself.  Try to move to a position where you can photograph their faces.  After all, that’s what everyone wants to see when they look at family pictures.


Set up a "candid" picture
		Set up candid pictures Tired of your kids mugging for the camera?  You can set up candid pictures.  Get them involved in an activity and wait until they are having too much fun to notice you or the camera.  Then, snap away!


Art and mementos
		Art and mementos You probably can’t save every one of the children’s drawings, school projects, and trophies as they grow up.  But you can take a picture of them displaying their artwork or prize for the camera.  Your family album will become a colorful record of the children’s creativity and accomplishments.


Outdoor sports
		Outdoor sports If you’re taking sports pictures for the family album, you want to see faces and the action.  To see the faces, get in front of the action (or behind it if you are photographing the defenders).  When the ball enters the frame, start shooting.  Use fast film (ISO 400 or higher such as KODAK GOLD 400) to freeze the action and get sharper pictures.


Indoor sports
		Indoor sports In basketball, volleyball, and other indoor sports, the players move fast, and the light is often dim.  To capture the action, you’ll need fast film (ISO 400 or higher such as KODAK GOLD 400).  Prefocus on a spot where there will be action (such as under the basket or at the edge of the pool) and wait for the players to get there.  Time your shot to capture a peak in the action.


Peak action

In most actions there is a momentary pause. Sometimes it occurs at the beginning or end, as in serving a volleyball.  It can also occur in the middle of the action, such as at the high point of a jump.


Follow their growth
		Follow their growth The pencil marks on the wall tell only a part of the story.  If you snap a few pictures of each child as the new mark is being made, you’ll be able to see how they looked at each stage of their growth.  This is a great theme for an ongoing series of pictures.


Kids with pets
		Kids and pets What a wonderful combination of love and fun!  It’s hard to tell who is more uninhibited or more unpredictable.  Make sure that you’re ready because the animals won’t freeze when you say, “Hold it!”.  Take plenty of pictures and hope to get one or two really good ones.


People add interest
		People add interest Include a person in the picture to increase the appeal of many landscapes and cityscapes.  A human figure in the scene gives the viewer a sense of the size or scale of the scene and provides another visual center of interest.


Include visual reminders
		Include visual reminders When traveling, take a moment to snap a picture of people next to signs and recognizable landmarks.  Years later, it will be easy to remember where that group of pictures was taken.  Your photos will tell the story of your vacation by themselves.


City lights
		City lights Evening is usually the best time to photograph city lights.  More lights are on and there is more activity in the streets.  Use fast film (ISO 400 or higher such as KODAK GOLD 400), a camera support, and if your camera permits, a slower-than-normal shutter speed.  If your camera has a slow synch or night mode feature, turn it on.


Flash at night
		Nighttime shots Now you can capture background details, even in flash pictures taken at night.  Many cameras now offer a slow sync or night mode feature that is designed for this purpose.  On a manual camera, set the shutter speed at 1/15 or 1/8 second.


Monuments and landmarks
		Monuments and landmarks Use the light to enhance your subject and look for the light to accent an edge or bring out the subject’s shape.  In this picture, the side lighting brings out the shape of the presidents’ faces.  Improve your pictures by changing position, waiting for a better time of day, or using trees or landscaping in an interesting foreground.


Street scenes
		Street scenes Collect interesting characters as well as colorful scenery.  Asking shopkeepers permission to take a picture is a great way to meet someone new.  They’ll appreciate your enthusiasm for their store and probably be glad to pose for a picture.


Beach and snow scenes
		Sand and snow scenes In the clear sunlight, the added brightness of sand or snow can cause contrast and backlighting problems.  If you see dark shadows on faces, turn your subjects until the shadows are eliminated.  If your subject is backlit, turn on the flash and move to within 6 to 10 feet of the person or group.


Backlighting

Backlighting occurs when the background is brighter than the subject and the subject appears dark.


Scout the postcard racks
		Scout the postcard racks The quickest way to identify the local sights  is by looking through the postcard racks.  Local postcard photographers work hard to find the best views; learn from them by spending a few minutes buying postcards.  You’ll get ideas about the best angles and times of day, too.


Look for expressive details
		Look for expressive details Textures, patterns, and small objects often say as much about a place as the sweeping panoramas.  In this picture, the sunlight on the pottery brings out the colors and textures of local handicrafts.


Visual humor
		Visual humor Capturing funny moments requires a stroke of luck, but you can also base a funny picture on a funny idea.  Practical jokes, silly poses, oddball juxtapositions, even kids making funny faces can all be a source of visual humor.


Foreground and background
		Foreground and background Draw your viewer into a beautiful landscape with a colorful, engaging foreground.  Include the lake or field of flowers in front of the mountain.  It makes a picture seem more three-dimensional if the scene appears to come right down to the viewer’s feet.


Horizon line
		Horizon line Think about where you want the horizon in your picture.  Do you want to show the expanse of rocky shoreline stretching into the distance?  Place the horizon near the top.  Do you want to emphasize the immensity and grandeur of the sky?  Compose the picture with the horizon near the bottom.


Natural frames
		Natural frames Use a natural frame, such as this tree trunk and branches, as a powerful way of adding interest to a picture.  Frames unify the composition, create depth, and give the impression of moving from one part of the scene to another.


Intimate landscapes
		Think small Photographers can spend so much energy wrestling with the grand panoramas, that they overlook the picturesque details at their feet.  The shapes, textures, patterns, colors, and other details of an intimate landscape can reveal a new world of natural wonder.


Panoramas
		Panoramas Don't be limited by the picture dimensions the camera gives you.  With the ability to make changes on the computer, you can crop a picture to suit the subject and create new visual effects.  The panorama format emphasizes the sweep of the scene and eliminates empty sky and foreground areas.


Lightning and fireworks
		Lightning and fireworks With a point-and-shoot camera, this is a challenge.  Use a camera with a slow-sync or night-mode feature and support the camera. Try to anticipate the bursts of light, and take plenty of pictures.  With a manual camera, set the lens to f/5.6 (use ISO 100 film such as KODAK GOLD 100).  Open the shutter and wait until you see several bursts of light.


Camera support

A tripod is the obvious and best choice of support.  If you don’t have a tripod, you can rest the camera on any immovable object, such as a car roof or window ledge.


Waterfalls
		Waterfalls A slight blurring of moving water creates a more natural-looking impression than frozen drops hanging in the air.  To blur the water, use a manual camera and select a slow shutter speed (about 1/15 to 1/2 sec).  If you don’t have a tripod, support the camera on a rock or well-anchored branch.


Wildlife
		The Moon Photographing the moon requires a manual camera with a telephoto lens of 300mm or more and a tripod or other camera support.  For a full moon in a clear night sky, set the lens at f/5.6 and the shutter at 1/30 sec (use ISO 400 film such as KODAK GOLD 400).  If the moon is less than full or the sky is hazy, increase the exposure by two or more stops.


Sunsets
		Sunsets To capture the colors of a sunset, use the brightest or most colorful part of the sky to set the exposure.  If your camera has an exposure-lock feature, use it to lock on that setting.  Then, reframe the picture and click the shutter.


Rainbows
		Rainbows Rainbows are a trick of sunlight shining through the rain, so they tend to look pale and insubstantial. To bring out the rainbow colors, try to find a dark background, such as stormy clouds or a shadowed landscape.  With an automatic camera, simply point and shoot.  Remember to include an interesting foreground if you can.


Direction of light
		Direction of light Look at how the light falls on your subject.  It should shine directly on the subject and clearly illuminate it.  Frontal light (light that shines straight into your subject from behind or next to the camera) illuminates detail and lessens shadows.  Light from the side of the subject (also called side light) emphasizes the shape of three-dimensional objects and the texture of flat objects.


Composition
		Composition Placing the subject slightly off-center creates a more dynamic picture.  Here’s how to use the Rule of Thirds, a basic principle of composition: visualize two horizontal and two vertical lines that divide the picture area into nine roughly equal areas.  The points where the lines intersect are the best places to position the main subject.


Framing movement
		Framing movement Framing a moving subject off-center increases the feeling of movement.  If the subject moves from the edge to the center of the picture, the impression of movement becomes stronger.  If the subject moves from the center to the edge, the impression of leaving becomes stronger.


Verticals for variety
		Verticals for variety Look at your subject through the viewfinder.  Then, turn the camera on its side and look again.  Some subjects, such as the Statue of Liberty are naturally vertical.  Subjects such as the children on the steps will look best when they are composed as a vertical picture.


Shooting for a collage
		Shooting for a collage If you want to photograph someone or something for use in a collage, place your subject in front of a plain background.  The Smart Task Edge Finder in the CUTOUT BY TRACING task pane works more accurately when it has a clear edge to follow.  If the background is too cluttered, you might have to trace the edge manually.


Candlelight
		Candlelight If you want to capture a child’s face lit only by candlelight, use fast film (ISO 400 or higher such as KODAK GOLD 400) and turn off the flash.  To capture the child blowing out candles on her birthday cake, get into position and wait as she takes a deep breath.  Then, click the shutter when she starts to blow but before the candles go out.


School plays
		School plays Here’s a situation where you probably can’t use a flash.  To make the stage lighting work for you, use fast film (ISO 400 or higher such as KODAK GOLD 400) and the fastest shutter speed the light allows.  Hold the camera as steadily as you can and wait for a peak in the action.


Peak In the action

When a hand is raised in a gesture, for example, it pauses for a moment before going down.  A pause like this occurs in many gestures and actions.


Find a new angle
		Find a new angle Look for new or unusual camera angles to spice up your photo album.  Most of the pictures we see are eye-level, horizontal views of the world.  In this attention-grabbing family portrait, the unusual child-level view is both intriguing and playful.


Silhouettes
		Silhouettes A silhouette is a picture that is intentionally backlit.  If your camera has an exposure-lock feature, base the exposure on the light behind the subject.  If the print looks too washed out, take it back to the lab and explain the effect you want.  The lab will probably get it right the second time.


Using zoom lenses
		Using zoom lenses Lens choice is a creative decision.  Do you want to focus on the children’s faces?  Use a telephoto setting.  Do you want to show the children in their surroundings?  Use a wide-angle setting.  Each choice creates a very different look and feel.


Color Shift
		Color shift Each light source (regular or fluorescent light bulbs or even daylight) has a subtle color.  The human eye adjusts to the color shifts caused by different light sources; film records colors literally.  Most film is made for daylight, so other light sources can cause colors to shift.  Click the example that looks like the picture you’re working with.


Too blue
		Too blue Blue shift occurs when all or part of your picture is in the shade.  Use the Tint tool to correct blue shift.  To fix blue shift in part of the picture, make a cutout of that part and adjust the color. Try this... Improve blue shift by moving to a spot in direct sunlight or by using the camera flash.


Too yellow
		Too yellow Yellow shift occurs when light from an ordinary light bulb shines on all or part of your picture.  Use the Tint tool to correct yellow shift.  To fix yellow shift in part of the picture, make a cutout of that part and adjust the color. Try this... Improve yellow shift by using your camera’s flash (if your subject is in flash range).


Too green
		Too green Green shift occurs when a fluorescent light shines on all or part of your picture.  Use the Tint tool to fix green shift.  If you want to fix color shift in part of the picture, make a cutout of that part and adjust the color. Try this... Improve green shift by using your camera’s flash (if your subject is in flash range).


Blurry
		Blurred images If everything in the picture is blurry, the problem may be camera shake.  If the main subject is blurry but the background or foreground is sharp, the subject is out of focus.  If the subject was moving and the blurring looks like streaks, the problem is action blur.   Click the example that looks like the picture you are working with.


Camera shake
		Camera shake Camera shake can cause blurred images.  Try using the Blur/Sharpen Focus tool to sharpen a slightly or moderately blurred picture.  If you want to sharpen only the main subject, make a cutout of that part and then sharpen it. Try this... To avoid blurred images, stand still, hold the camera with a steady grip, and use a smooth stroke on the shutter.


Out of focus
		Out-of-focus subject You probably got too close to the subject or you focused the camera on something other than the subject.  Trace a cutout of the subject and try using the Blur/Sharpen Focus tool. Try this... Check your camera manual for the minimum focusing distance.  If your camera has an autofocus or focus-lock feature, focus on the main subject.


Action blur
		Action blur The shutter speed may have been too slow to freeze the action.  Action blur is hard to remove; use the cutout task panes to create artistic effects instead. Try this... Use faster film (ISO 400 or higher such as KODAK ROYAL GOLD 400 or higher), which might make your camera use a faster shutter speed.  If you are close enough, use a flash.


Too light
		Images too light If everything in a picture appears too light, the picture was probably overexposed.  If the main subject is very white, there was too much flash.  If the highlights are too light and the shadows too dark, the picture has too much contrast.   Click the example that looks like the picture you are working with.


Overexposure
		Overexposed Overexposed pictures occur when the camera metering system picks the wrong setting.  Use the Brightness/ Contrast tool to darken overexposed pictures.   Try this... Use the autoexposure or exposure-lock feature (if your camera includes it).


Too much flash
		Too much flash You may have gotten too close to the subject or set an adjustable flash too high.  Use the Brightness/Contrast tool to correct too much flash.  If the background is OK, make a cutout of the main subject and darken it. Try this... Work within the flash range and become familiar with adjustable flash settings (if your camera has them).


Too much contrast
		Too much  contrast This problem often occurs when you take pictures during the middle of bright sunny days. Use the Brightness/Contrast tool to reduce the highlights and lighten the shadows. Try this... Wait for a better time of day, use the flash to lighten shadows, or position your subjects in the shade.


Too dark
		Images too dark If everything in a picture is too dark, the picture was probably underexposed.  If the flash was turned on and the subject is too dark, not enough flash reached the subject.  If the background is bright and the subject is too dark, the subject was backlit.   Click the example that looks like the picture you are working with.


Underexposure
		Underexposed Underexposed pictures occur when the camera’s metering system picks the wrong setting.  Use the Picture It! Brightness/ Contrast tool to lighten the picture.   Try this... Prevent underexposed pictures by using an autoexposure or exposure-lock feature (if your camera includes it).


Not enough flash
		Not enough flash This problem occurs when the flash is too far from the subject or the setting on an adjustable flash is too low.  Use the Brightness/Contrast tool to lighten the picture.   Try this... Identify and work within the flash range and become familiar with adjustable flash settings (if your camera has them).


Backlit
		Backlit subject Backlighting occurs when the background is brighter than the subject. Make a cutout of the subject, and then use the Brightness/Contrast tool to lighten the cutout and darken the background. Try this... Turn your subject to face the light or use the autoexposure feature (if your camera has it).


Blue color shift

An unpleasant blue tint that is especially noticeable in the lighter colors.


Scattered daylight
In the shade

Subjects positioned in the shade are lit by the sky instead of direct sunlight.  The light from the sky is more blue than direct sunlight.


Yellow color shift

An unpleasant yellow tint that is especially noticeable in the lighter colors.


Green color shift

An unpleasant green tint that is especially noticeable in the lighter colors.


Smooth stroke

A smooth stroke on the shutter button helps ensure sharp pictures.  Press the shutter button smoothly and firmly.  Don’t poke it, punch it, stab it, or jerk your finger from it.


Using autofocus

Most autofocus cameras focus on the object in the middle of the picture.  Subjects positioned off-center may not be in focus.

If your camera has a focus-lock feature follow these steps:

1	Put the main subject in the center.

2	Let the camera focus.

3	Press the focus-lock button.

4	Recompose the picture.

5	Press the shutter button.


Close enough for flash

At night, this can be any distance within the range of the flash.  Check your manual for your camera’s range. In daylight, this is probably not an option.


Using autoexposure

Built-in exposure meters read the brightness of the picture and calculate the exposure.  If parts of the picture are much brighter than the subject, the subject may appear too dark in the picture.

If your camera has an exposure-lock feature, follow these steps:

1	Put the subject in the center.

2	Press the exposure lock button.

3	Recompose the picture.

4	Press the shutter button.


Flash range

Most built-in flash units have a range of 4 to 12 feet.  Check your manual for the range of your flash.


Tint tool

Click Prepare It!, Touchup, and Correct Tint.


Blur/Sharpen Focus tool

Click Prepare It!, Special Effects, and Blur/Sharpen Focus.


Brightness/Contrast tool

Click Prepare It!, Touchup, and Brightness/Contrast.


Cutout task panes

Click Prepare It! and Make Cutout.  Then, click either  Cut Out by Tracing or Cut Out with Shape.