12 Simple Ways To Get Good in Digital Photography

© Digital Photography Principle - Mount Etna, Taormina, Sicily

Know your camera

You have to know your camera inside out, you don’t have to take it apart, you just need to read your user manual - a few times. You will be surprised at how easy you understand a feature you couldn’t understand on your first reading at later readings.

Have your camera with you at all TIMES

A good photo opportunity is never announced, you never know when one will come up, so have your camera with you at all times. If your DSLR is too cumbersome, get a back-up compact.

Give your Camera time to focus

Digital cameras need time to properly focus and get the right exposure. It can take a fraction of a second or a couple of seconds. Take this into consideration when taking pictures.

Get as close to the subject as you can

Using the camera’s zoom feature makes the picture grainier. Get as close to the subject as possible.

Take pictures with the light shining on the subject

This sounds obvious, but it is a mistake many beginners make. Taking pictures against the light is why you get the features of the subject dark and the background too bright. An awareness of this will most times, make a better angle for your picture obvious.

Go easy on the flash

Natural light gives the best pictures, so use it as much as possible. Flash tends to make images look harsh.

Take lots and lots of pictures

Getting the perfect shot at the first try is almost impossible, so take many pictures. With digital photography, this doesn’t cost you extra. Try different angles and compositions.

Use the Rule of Third

Don’t put your subject dead centre. Use the rule of third. The rule is a compositional rule of thumb in photography. It states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that your subject should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Learn the rule of thirds in composition, and you’ll have more interesting pictures.

Check the horizon

When taking pictures with the horizon showing, make sure it’s level.

Select a High-resolution setting

Most cameras allow you to select different resolutions. Don’t choose a low resolution just to save on memory space. Buy the most memory your camera can handle and get some spare ones and always take your pictures in high resolution.

Don’t include too much in the scene

Don’t try to include too many things in one picture, such as people and scenery. A picture is more effective when it’s focused on a single subject.

Use a Tripod

Tripods allow you to take the sharpest pictures even in low light. Use one as often as possible.

Remembering all these might seem over-whelming, but with practice, these will become second nature.