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Basic Digital Photography: Taking Action Shots
                                       Taking Night Time Images    
                                       Getting the Light Source Right 
                                       Taking Control of Exposure
Battery Devouring Digital Cameras and the People Who Love Them
Digital Cameras: A Beginner's Guide to File Formats
                         Caring for the Lens
                         Getting Better Photos of Family and Friends
8 Tips for Protecting a Digital Camera's Memory Card
For Digital Camera Novices: How Images Are Stored and Transferred
Getting Up Close with Digital Cameras: A Brief Guide for the Novice

Return to current Digital Camera & Photography Topics

Personal photography has gone through a sort of mini evolution in the past 20 years as the digital camera has emerged as the tool of choice.  With the ability to take huge numbers of pictures, save them on computer, and share them over the internet, the cost of film and developing are no longer limiting factors. 

Although group photographs, portraits, celebrations, and vacations are still common images, personal photography now captures more impromptu and daily types of events. Photographs of fast moving action are more common also as people are able to experiment to obtain the type of images they want without fear of "ruining" a shot that requires more skill to take.  Capturing action can be challenging for a beginning photographer and requires quite a bit of practice to master.  The following outlines a few pointers that can get the novice started off on the right foot.

• When trying to obtain shots of action, the photographer can use one of two approaches:
  • Follow subjects with the camera as they wait for action to happen.
  • Focus the camera on a particular spot where action is anticipated and wait for it to happen.  An example would be focusing on the basketball goal or 1^st base.  When using this method it is often best to observe through the Optical Viewfinder and keep both eyes open so that it is easy to anticipate shots as action approaches.

• Reduce lag time and latency:
  • Shutter lag is the delay between the time the shutter button is pressed and the time when the camera actually takes the picture. During this lag time the camera is setting the exposure and focus. Shutter lag is particularly problematic when trying to capture action shots.  One way of decreasing shutter lag is to press the shutter button halfway down, hold it, and then press the button down completely when ready to take the shot.  This process allows the camera to perform some of the focusing function prior to taking the shot thereby reducing the shutter lag time.
  • Latency is the time it takes the digital camera to write/store images before the next shot can be taken. To reduce latency, a photographer should use flash cards with fast write times.  In some instances, a lower resolution setting can be used for the shot so that the camera has less information to process and store, but this technique of reducing latency must be used carefully as image quality can be compromised.

• Follow the action; this is known as "panning".  Panning involves tracking the motion of the subject horizontally with the camera to capture the movement as it goes side to side.  As the photographer moves in the same direction as the motion, a slow shutter speed is often used to allow the subject to be focused and the background to blur demonstrating the action that is occurring.  Panning is not necessary for all action shots but is one method of demonstrating the movement while keeping the subject in focus. The process of panning involves the following:
  • Tracking is initiated prior to taking the shot.
  • The shot is taken by squeezing the shutter button to avoid any downward movement of the camera.
  • Tracking of the movement continues for 1-2 seconds after the shot is taken.

• Use Burst Mode when wanting to capture a series of movements.  A digital camera may offer a Burst Mode which allows the user to capture a sequence of shots.  The camera tends to set the focus and exposure on the first shot and then take remaining shots with these same settings.  This allows the camera to take the shots in a more rapid sequence.

• Action shots can be taken from any angle.  However, staying parallel to the action generally produces the best demonstration of movement and allows the photographer to pan if desired.

• Shutter speed reminder.  A faster shutter speed generally freezes action to help eliminate blurring, however a somewhat slower shutter speed can better demonstrate movement by allowing some blurring of the arms, legs, and feet as the subject moves.  The type of shot desired is what dictates the appropriate shutter speed to use.

• Practice, practice, practice.  Beginners can anticipate their action shots will not meet their expectations initially.  Practice is necessary and will require many shots to be taken.  However, with the ability to delete images on a digital camera, practice is only an investment in time.
  
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From sparkling city skylines to moonlit rural landscapes, night time scenes can be enchanting. Although a digital camera is capable of capturing more color within a night scene than the human eye is capable of registering, capturing such a view requires some adjustments and special techniques to avoid blurry, underexposed photographs.

The following tips will provide a good starting point for beginners as they begin to experiment and practice with night photography.

• A digital camera often has a "night" setting.  If it is available, this feature needs to be selected. Although most models of digital cameras can create a reasonable night time image, higher resolution cameras produce higher quality low light photographs.

• Turn off the flash function if at all possible.  Use of flash for night photography often results in underexposure of the subject.  The flash range on any camera is limited to only several feet.

• Light is required for night photography, therefore, the best time for shooting tends to be just after sunset or just as the moon is rising.

• To get enough light onto the sensor at night time, it is usually necessary to use a slower shutter speed.  It is also possible to obtain more light by increasing the aperture. Most digital cameras offer a shutter priority and an aperture priority mode that allow the user to make adjustments manually. Manual mode allows the user to adjust both shutter speed and aperture.

• As more light comes into the camera, the sensor can heat up quickly and create thermal "noise".  Noise is simply the white spots that distort the image.  For this reason it is best to leave the camera off until ready to shoot the picture or to take night shots during cooler weather.  A digital camera may also have a noise reduction feature; again this can be quite effective in reducing the effects of noise and should be selected if available.

• Camera shake can also distort an image.  The risk of camera shake during night time shooting is increased due to the slower shutter speed.  Use of a tripod or some other form of stabilization is highly recommended to eliminate camera shake.  Most photographers even recommend the use of a remote or manual cable to trigger the shot versus touching the camera to assure that it is stable for the shot.  When a remote is not available, use of the self-timer can also allow triggering without touching. A digital camera may also offer a feature that allows the user to lock the mirror which can further assure stability during shooting.

• Take multiple shots.  Taking good images requires practice, beginners should be prepared to take multiple shots of the same scene, select the best, and delete the remainder.  Check the viewfinder for the results of each shot and readjust shutter speed and aperture as needed.

Creating clear images that capture the magical quality of a night time scene requires a small amount of light which can be obtained through shutter and aperture adjustments, stabilization, and a significant amount of practice. 

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Millions of people have fallen in love with their digital camera; and for good reason.  They are compact making them easy to tote along anywhere a person may wander, they are capable of producing images of outstanding quality which can easily be shared online with others anywhere in the world, and with digital storage, they are a space saving wonder.  In addition, a digital camera allows users to save the expense of film and developing.  But perhaps the greatest attraction of such a camera is the control they provide over the images one creates during the editing process.

Unfortunately, most of those who love digital cameras have also come to know their dark side; their thirst for power.  From the first touch of the button to power a digital camera on, setting the focus, shutter speed, zooming, and providing a flash for image capture, to reviewing images taken and editing, these cameras are energy junkies.

The good news is that there are things that can be done which make it easier to live with a power craving camera and to curb their appetite. Certainly, having a camera with rechargeable batteries is by far the best option and charging the battery per manufacturer's guidelines can help sustain optimal functioning. For the people who love their digital camera, there are also steps that can be taken in the way they use it to help reduce the rate of power consumption.

• When finished shooting, remove the batteries from the camera if it will not be used for another 2 or 3 weeks.  This will prevent a trickling discharge that can occur when left in the camera.
• Use the on/off function appropriately.  Certainly a digital camera should not be left on for any extended period of time as the energy is wasted.  However, if another shot will be taken within a few minutes it is better to leave the camera on as it consumes a great deal of energy to power on/off.  If the camera has a sleep mode, it is best to set the timer for that function to the shortest interval in case the user forgets to turn the camera off.
• Disable or don't use features that aren't needed.  Zoom for instance uses a great deal of power.  If the same result can easily be achieved by simply moving the subject or stepping closer, do that instead.  Use of the flash function is also energy intensive.  Flash should be used only when it will be effective.  For instance, if lighting is already sufficient or the subject is out of flash range anyway, don't use the flash function.
• When possible use the viewfinder to set up a shot as the LCD screen consumes a great deal of battery power.  Use of the LCD screen can improve some shots such as in the case of close-up/macro photography but in most instances use of the viewfinder is sufficient.  (Remember, photographers operated without LCD screens throughout the history of photography!)
• Use other power sources when appropriate.  For instance use an AC adapter when downloading images and use the computer for review and image deletion rather than performing such functions directly on the camera.
• Do things manually when feasible.  From powering the camera off to focusing; auto anything takes more power.
• Some experts indicate that some types of media storage consume more energy as well.  For instance, Compact Flash is said to be a more energy conscious form of storage than MicroDrive Media.

Certainly, the many features offered on a digital camera are convenient and desirable.  Users merely need to be aware of the tremendous demands placed on the camera battery by these same features. Understanding this allows a digital camera owner to make a choice between ease of use and conservation of the battery.

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For those who aren't computer savvy, buying a digital camera can force the issue of learning a few things about computers if they wish to download, save, or print their pictures at home.  Gaining knowledge about file formats is one example.  Understanding a little bit about how pictures are recorded on a digital camera and then subsequently saved on a computer is critical but fairly simple even for a beginner.

A digital camera records images as a grid of pixels. Because the data, the information about the grid of pixels, must be communicated to a computer for downloading, saving, and printing, the format used by the digital camera for storing the data must be understood by the computer as well regardless of the type of software used by the computer.  Thus, there are standardized file formats used allowing this communication and transfer of data.

There are many file formats but there are only a few that are the most common used with images. Knowing which of these file formats to use when recording and saving images from a digital camera is crucial in assuring good image quality.

• JPG:  The JPG file format is the most commonly used for photographs.  A digital camera if often set to store images in JPG automatically.  The JPG format compresses files to save storage but in the process eliminates some of the data which degrades image quality to a small extent.
  
  Users can adjust the degree of compression/image quality on their digital camera.  However, as degree of compression is reduced and image quality increases, the number of images the camera or memory card is able to store decreases.  It is simply a trade off between image quality and storage capacity.
  
  Choosing the JPG file format is often a good choice for color and grayscale photographs whether putting images on the web, viewing them on screen, or producing regular sized prints.
  
  Users new to digital cameras need to understand that images recorded on the camera can be saved to computer in the same or different format.  However, an image originally recorded in JPEG will never have better quality than that in which it was originally recorded.  Thus, if a user records an image with high compression on their digital camera, they can not reduce the compression or save as an uncompressed TIF file on their computer expecting to obtain better image quality.
  
  Each time a JPEG file is opened, editied, and re-saved it loses data, and therefore, image quality is lost as well.  Thus, users should make every attempt to save original copies on their computer so that the image does not become progressively worse with repeated editing.
  
  
• TIF:  The TIF file format can save images without compression and therefore no loss of image quality. This format can be used with both Macintosh and Windows based computers.  Choosing to use the TIF file format is wise when enlarging images as there is a greater need for high image quality in these situations. 
  
  A digital camera often allows users the option of recording images in TIF format.  Although this allows superior image quality it drastically reduces the number of images that can be stored and is therefore used far less often by the average photographer.  However, if a user wants to produce large prints, setting their digital camera to record image in TIF format and saving them on computer in the same manner would be recommended.
  
  
• GIF:  The GIF file format is used most often for graphics and animation on the web.  It has a limited color palette and is therefore, not generally a preferred choice for color photographs although it does well with black and white images.  GIF format images are also somewhat preferred on the Web as their background can be made transparent and, because of the way they display, can help images load/display more quickly.

Some of the less frequently used formats in saving images include BMP which produces very large, uncompressed images such as those used with wallpapers, PICT which is the file format for Macintosh computers, PDF used by Adobe Acrobat, EPS, FlashPix, and PNG which are used primarily for graphics, and PSP which is the Photo Shop format.  However, for the average person, recording and saving images from their digital camera in JPG, TIF, or GIF will meet their needs if they understand the benefits and drawbacks of each and how to adjust accordingly.

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The popularity of digital cameras is due in part to the vivid, life like photographs that they can produce. The lens of a camera is the key to creating these clear, sharp images. However, dust, fingerprints, scratches, and other dirt and smudges can destroy contrast, produce pictures that appear out of focus, and eventually can result in the expense of having to replace the lens, or camera, altogether.

Obviously, proper care can help extend the life of the lens and assure better quality images. Following just a few basic tips can go a long way in assuring a digital camera lens does not fail.

• Avoid contact with the lens when possible.  Keeping the lens cover on and placing the camera in the bag when not in use can shield it from dust and other potential damage. Basically, anything that comes in contact with the lens of a digital camera can damage the special coatings that allow the lens to function properly.  Extra care should be taken when shooting pictures with a digital camera to assure that the lens is not touched as it is grasped in the hands.

• Keep lenses away from excessive heat which can breakdown the greases used within the barrel of the lens.

• Add a UV filter over the lens as an extra layer of protection.

• Keep the lens dry.  Moisture whether from your breath, condensation, a cleaner or another source can create fogging and, in some case, can warp the lens housing. Because of the potential damage from moisture, care must be taken in exposing your camera to cold as condensation may form when it is returned to a warmer environment.

• Remove visible particles from the lens without touching it when possible. Using an ear syringe or special dust blower is the preferred method.  Soft bristled brushes are available as well but care must be taken to assure that the brushes are clean and do not scratch the surface of the lens.

• Remove fingerprints and smudges with a dry microfiber cloth. Lens cleaning fluids are available and can also be applied to the microfiber cloth as needed. The fluid should not be applied directly to the lens.  Only cleaners made specifically for camera lenses should be used; do not use cleaners made for eyeglasses.

• Use extra care in harsher environments.  As described above heat and cold extremes can cause damage to lenses as well as the digital camera itself. Because cameras travel with us however, they are sometimes exposed to environments that are somewhat "hostile". Thus, extra precautions are sometimes necessary.  For instance, in extremely cold weather it is generally best to carry the camera close to the body, perhaps covered by a coat to keep it warmer.  On rainy days wrapping the camera in a plastic bag can help shield it from the moisture.  The beach can also be hostile due to the potential exposure to wind, sand, moisture, and heat. Again, covering the camera with a plastic bag and shading it from the sun are good preventative measures.

Reducing contact and exposure to contaminants, proper cleaning, and protecting the lens from extreme environments are key to assuring the longevity of a camera lens. These basic precautions entail minimal expense and time commitment and can become second nature very quickly to beginning photographers.

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Taking photographs of the people in your life is simple with a digital camera.  We all have collections of images which represent the important people and events in our lives. Some of the pictures are great, but some leave our subjects stiffly posed, lost in the sea of a cluttered background, and often lacking personality as they stare back with the same "posed" face as in every other photograph. 

So how do we capture the detail and the personality so that the image saves for us a more meaningful record of a moment or a person?

Obviously, professional photographers take control of the background and lighting, direct the pose of their subjects, and use a great deal of creativity with props and camera controls to assure the highest quality image.  For the average person however, candid shots are more effective in capturing the true meaning or personality at a given moment. For these individuals, following just a few basic tips can go a long way in obtaining photographs that will become a treasure for many years to come.

·        The subject should be the focus of the picture.  Avoid a cluttered background so that it does not distract from the subject.  Using the viewfinder allows the photographer to determine how the shot will look.  If the background is too cluttered the subject can be moved, but in more candid shots of individuals, holding the digital camera in a vertical position sometimes helps to eliminate some of the background.

·        Step in close to capture more detail.  For an image that captures the true personality and emotions of the subject, a photographer must get facial detail.  When taking a candid shot and stepping in closer would disrupt the moment, use of the digital camera's optical zoom or telephoto can have the same effect.

·        Some shots don't require posing.  Many of the most meaningful shots are taken as subjects interact or are engaged in an activity.  From images of children at play, a spouse reading the morning paper, a parent and child talking, or grandma gardening these are the moments that reflect the true personality of subjects.

·        Happy is good, but there are other emotions worth capturing.  It adds depth to a subject when images reflect other feelings such as humor, concentration, relaxation, or even boredom. 

·        A relaxed subject makes for a better photograph.  When posing subjects, many photographers suggest talking to them to get them to relax and reveal more of what they are feeling or thinking.  A natural, relaxed posture will provide a better image than that of a person standing rigidly with their arms crossed. A subject may be seated with their head resting on their hands or standing with their head at an angle and hands in their pockets; posture varies in real life and should be varied in photographs as well as it reflects the subjects mood.

·        It is sometimes acceptable for a subject to be looking away from the camera.  Just as with expressions on the face and posture, variations in where a subject is looking can work well in capturing a more meaningful image. Whether it is a child daydreaming as they gaze out of a window or simply an attempt to catch the profile of an adult as they drink their morning coffee these images which most accurately capture a subjects personality don't always require that they face the camera directly.

·        Use the portrait setting on the digital camera for individual shots.  The portrait setting will set the depth of field to focus on the subject.

·        Focus on the subject can also be enhanced by framing them.  For instance, a subject may pose in a window, an arbor, a doorway, sitting on a swing, or something similar to focus attention in the image on them.

·        Lighting does matter.  Although natural light outdoors is generally the best lighting for photographs, direct sunlight must be used carefully as it causes harsh shadows.  Using the fill flash on a digital camera can help to reduce such shadows.  Otherwise, taking shots in the shade, on an overcast day, or in the morning or evening when the sun is less harsh can help alleviate this problem.

For images that truly capture the personality of people that matter to us, photographs taken by family members can offer a dimension that is very difficult to capture in a studio.  A willingness to experiment with more relaxed and natural poses or to avoid posing completely will provide a collection of photographs that reflect and record our lives more accurately.

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It's Monday evening, you've made it through the first day back into your routine after a much needed and memorable vacation. You pull out the memory card from your digital camera thinking you'll download the photographs that record the spectacular sights, reunions with seldom seen loved ones, and memorable events that you experienced in the previous days.

But then the unthinkable happens.  With your digital camera in hand you connect to the PC but the photographs can not be retrieved; they are lost.  What could cause such a catastrophic failure and more importantly, how could a repeat of this scenario be avoided? 

The way that memory cards for your digital camera are handled, used, and stored can greatly influence the length of their useful life and dependability.  Observing a few precautions can be the difference between the disappointment of lost images and the pleasure of having pictures with which to reminisce.

Avoid physically damaging memory cards:

• avoid exposure to direct sunlight and temperature extremes
• protect memory cards from exposure to moisture and store in a low humidity environment
• do not write or put stickers on the cards
• store cards in a protective case or leave them in the camera to avoid accidentally breaking them or getting dirt or dust on them

Protect memory cards through proper use:

• keep the batteries of the digital camera fully charged to assure they don't fail while shooting pictures as a failure may result in lost images and permanent damage to the card
• be sure data has been saved, the process completed,  before removing the card from the camera or card reader; it's best to turn the digital camera off before removing the card
• move images to the computer to edit rather than editing photos on the card itself
• delete images and re-format the card in the digital camera after downloading on a regular basis

Although the failure of a memory card from a digital camera is a rare occurrence, the results can feel tragic nonetheless.  Observing manufacturer's guidelines and some of the precautions reviewed above can help to circumvent the unnecessary loss of photographs.

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Although Digital Cameras entered the picture quite a number of years ago and have subsequently all but eliminated film cameras, some consumers are just now making the switch. The reason for this is clear as the quality of a 35mm shot is outstanding and quite simply, we understood them. 

However, digital cameras offer advantages as well, such as the ability to edit photographs and to delete unacceptable images prior to printing or "developing": a tremendous cost savings that allows photographers to experiment worry-free.  When a stalwart film camera fan decides to take the leap some basic questions about how digital cameras function can arise.

For the average person, digital cameras are the tool of choice to snap pictures of family and friends, to record special events, and to capture images of inspiring landscapes seen on vacations.  However, for some, a love of nature, simple curiosity, or an interest in photography as a hobby guides them toward the world of close-up, or macro, photography.  

Close-up photography is simply a matter of taking pictures of small objects by getting very close and obtaining a magnified view.  For anyone serious about macro photography an SLR camera is needed but for those interested in dabbling with their basic digital camera, a little experimentation can produce interesting close-up photographs.

Special "macro" lenses are recommended for the enthusiast but most digital cameras can accept small screw on "close-up" lenses which provide additional magnification. The digital cameras most consumers purchase are auto focus and merely require the push of a button to enter close or "macro" mode but the owner's manual should be reviewed to discover the minimum focusing distance of the camera.  When shooting at a distance of only inches there are a number of precautions to take to assure a high quality image.

1.)  Focus:  When photographing at close range/high magnification, images can be blurred by the slightest movements.

• If the digital camera has a feature for mirror lock-up, it should be activated as the mere movement of the mirror can blur the image taken.
• Use a tripod
• Because slight breezes can cause movement, it is easiest to shoot subjects indoors when possible to gain control over the environment.  In addition, shooting inanimate objects can also be a good starting point for a novice as the subject of the picture will not be moving.
• Because of the close range, blurriness in all but a very small area of the picture frequently occurs.  To get more area in focus, reduce the aperture and increase lighting. In some instances, increasing distance from the subject may be necessary.
• Be sure the subject is parallel to the lens as items which are perpendicular have portions which are further away and therefore tend to blur.

2.)  Getting the view you want:  What is seen through the viewfinder of the digital camera is different than what the lens sees.  This is particularly evident when photographing at close range.

• Use the LCD instead of the viewfinder to see what is being photographed.
• Or, use the correction marks (lines) that can be seen through the viewfinder which approximate the border of the image being taken to visualize what the lens is truly seeing.  Then adjust the shot as necessary.

3.)  Lighting:  True macro photography commonly makes use of specialized flash units but care should be taken when using the flash unit with a digital camera to avoid over exposure and to obtain a natural looking background.  Beginners can try a couple of things to obtain the best outcome

• Diffuse the light by using very thin tissue in front of the flash
• Place plain poster board (beige or gray is often used) behind the subject if the background is blackened.  This will lighten the background and if placed far enough away, blur to look more natural.
• Use natural diffuse light when possible.  As in most photography, avoid direct, overhead sunlight.

Although basic digital cameras have limitations related to macro photography, beginners can certainly obtain images with a level of detail and beauty seldom seen with the naked eye when giving necessary attention to the special needs of close up photography.

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