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Microsoft Picture It! Companion Guide
33
Chapter 2: Making the Most of Your Camera
Ten Tips for Great Pictures
The following 10 tips offer suggestions for developing your photography
approach, technique, composition, and habits. If you are an inexperienced
photographer, some of these tips might be new ideas for you. If you’re a
photography veteran, these tips might be a good reminder of things you haven’t
heard in a while. Either way, we hope they inspire you to get out and shoot
some great photos!
1. Know Your Gear
Having command of your equipment is an important aspect of enjoying and
being successful with photography. As you get to know your gear and gain
confidence in a camera’s capabilities, the camera can become an extension of
yourself. When you have reached this level of competence, you can concentrate
more on the creative aspects of photography.
When you get a new camera, first read through the manual. With digital
cameras especially, operating the controls may not be intuitive, since many
digital cameras’ controls must be accessed through menus on the LCD screen.
After you’ve read the manual, and you understand how and when to use your
camera’s features, go out and take a variety of photos using the different
settings. Take some photos outdoors and indoors, with the flash and without the
flash, with automatic settings and with manual settings. As you shoot, take
notes to record the settings used for each shot. Later, look at your photos on
your computer, and take note of both the settings that worked well and the
settings that produced poor results.
Missing a great photo because you get hung up on technical issues is frustrating.
Spend time getting to know your gear, and prepare for great photo opportunities.