Compact Cameras
Photography
has evolved at a rapid rate over the last ten years or so. Digital cameras
are getting ever better, But I have always believed that the one
thing that is not in the box with the new camera is the no how, the
skill, the ability to take a decent photo.
Having the latest digital camera doesn't automatically
mean that you are instantly going to take better pictures. believe
me, many years of working as wedding photographer, standing next to
thousands of wedding guests with their compact cameras saying "got
that" tells me that is true.
One look at their technique and I know that they
didn't. Also, I must share some of the blame for that as it is an
old pro wedding photographers trick to have the sun behind the group, and
use fill flash to light them, we then shoot from the shade keeping
the sun off our lens. The poor old paparazzi don't have a hope in
hell of getting a nice photo as
their wide angle lens will catch the sun in their photograph,
degrading the image. After all, I am there to make a living.
But, apart from my sabotage, their technique will
doom them to a blurry image no mater what happens. In most cases
they simply need to read the instruction book that came with the camera
to improve the quality of their photo's.
In these pages I will use articles by well
know photographers to help point out some very simple techniques that a photographer can
use to improve
their chances of taking a nice photo every time either using a compact
digital camera or a DigitalSLR.
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Compact cameras are light, indeed it is one
of the salesman's greatest selling points. But that in itself
creates the first major problem, camera shake. Most people press
down on the button way to hard, shaking the camera as the photograph
is taken and blur is the result. (Even pro's do it)
The best technique to use is to
squeeze the button between the thumb (on the bottom of the
compact digital camera)
and the index finger until it fires, this will hold the camera as still
as possible.
Many of the cameras have a zoom lens allowing
close up photographs to be taken, but again this is the beginning of
their next problem, as you increase the focal length of the lens
(zoom in) it becomes necessary to hold the camera very still. Pros
would use a tripod for this, but most people who own compact cameras
would not have one handy.
Try instead to rest the camera on a wall or post
to steady it, or if possible just move in closer to the subject.
(NOTE: do not try that if
you on safari in Africa photographing lions! ) But it
works at weddings and other events. BUT, please remember that the professional
photographer is the main photographer at the wedding and he or
she is
there to get the photographs for the happy couple, they won't thank
you for being in all their images (well, your back, anyway!).
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A word or two on 'zoom', compact cameras have two methods of
'zooming' one is called the optical zoom and the other digital zoom.
Optical zoom uses the lens to 'zoom in' to the subject by changing
the focal length of the lens but uses all of the sensor (CCD) giving
you more pixels and therefore a bigger image.
Digital zoom on the other hand zooms in to the image on the
sensor, resulting in fewer pixels and a smaller image. It's up to
you which to use but I like to have as many pixels as possible, pity
to take that perfect photo and only be able to make a small print.
Capturing special moments with the people dear to you is one of
the benefits of having a camera at your side. However, the enjoyment
does not end with that, more people have become interested in
controlling the properties of the pictures so that they would be
able to get better pictures.
Having a point and shoot camera handy may be an easy choice of
taking pictures. However if you get more interested in photography
and you may want to improve the quality of your pictures, having an
DSLR digital camera may at the end of the day be a better choice. The next level in
photography to be more creative is to control the settings of the
pictures.
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With the improvements in the cameras that are available and even
better printing functions of the pictures, having good quality
pictures may now be an easy thing to do. Photography enthusiasts now
have a better and faster ability to achieve a picture that they like.
There are already many different cameras available in the market.
Finding the right camera for you may be the most tiring part with a
number of good choices. What makes this task difficult is that the
cameras have several options that may make a buyer think that this
one is better than the other cameras.
A DSLR camera may have many different buttons that may promise a user to do some things
that are not available in other cameras but not all of these
functions may be important.
Thus, it does not guarantee that once
you have the latest camera, you have the one best.
Being a good a good photographer does not solely rely on the camera
that you use. Having the latest camera does not mean you will be
able to capture good pictures. This means that your ability to have
good pictures would still depend on your own abilities. Even if you
have the latest DSLR camera, but you don't know how to maximize its
functions, then maybe a point and shoot camera may still be better.
If then you want to have good pictures, it will depend on your
abilities and the things that you have learned. Controlling the
functions of the camera and maximizing the things that are offered
by the gadget may be the key for you to have good pictures.
There are already many ways for you to have good pictures. IF you
really are interested in photography, then it is the time to start
to learn more than using a compact camera. To start off, one can
think on reviewing the reason why you want to take pictures. If it's
for capturing moments with the family, taking pictures of vacation
trips and other spur of the moment photos, then having a compact
camera may still be a good choice. However, having an DSLR digital
would then be used if the pictures that you want to take may be more
detailed and more creative pictures.
Photography is all about capturing moments to be remembered, so
enjoy everything and every picture taken would definitely be
beautiful.
So there you have it! Do you know even pro
photographers carry a compact digital camera in their pocket?
pro gear is heavy and you can't live life with big bag of cameras on
your shoulder all the time, so it is a simple way of catching that
special unexpected moment, you can even shoot a short video with
them. which is best? well, there are hundreds of web sites that will
go into the nity-grity of which one is best, For me I bought the
most pixels with the best lens for the least money.
How's that?
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On the next page we talk about Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR)
cameras, the big boys toys!
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