Tips for taking great pictures
It doesn't matter if you have just bought yourself a pocket-sized compact, a rugged waterproof camera, or a top-of-the-range DSLR with all the trimmings, there are some straightforward techniques that will help you make every shot stunning.
Before you do anything, have a read through the manual and familiarise yourself with all of your camera's modes, filters and settings, as well as the options you have for transferring images to your computer. The range of different modes you can find on the latest cameras may surprise you.
For a quick guide to your mode dial options, click here for our interactive guide
The basics - simple tricks for great results
First of all, take your time. Unless you have a split second opportunity to capture a once in a lifetime event, you don't need to rush. Study your subject, work out how picture elements such as foreground, background, details and light sources are all going to combine to create the shot you have in your head.
Also, you don't need to get absolutely every detail of your subject into the picture. A nicely composed shot, bringing out the most interesting details with a dramatic perspective and lighting, is going to make for a much more powerful shot than a harshly exposed subject placed dead centre in a flat-looking image.
That said, don't clip off bits of your subject that you didn't mean to – if you're taking a group photo, for example, make sure you're standing far enough back for everyone to be in shot, or if you have a DSLR, consider changing to a wide angle lens. If you're shooting moving subjects, such as wildlife or racing cars, it's worth taking a few practice shots to perfect your timing - digital cameras give you the luxury of perfecting your shot without wasting film.
For the best results, set up shots using your camera's viewfinder (if it has one) as this will allow you to frame shots and judge image brightness more precisely than using the LCD viewscreen.
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Portrait - make friends and family look stunning
When the word 'portrait' is mentioned, it creates a mental image of the Mona Lisa, or something similar. Now while you can achieve great results using a composition like this (Leonardo da Vinci did, after all), if this is the way you have always photographed your family, try playing around a bit with the way you snap your loved ones.
Your subject doesn't have to be dead centre, so try putting them to the left or the right of the frame, allowing the background to play a role, though be aware that a very busy background may distract attention from the subject. Also, try shooting from a different level, with your subject looking up or down at you, or if you're taking a photo of a pet or a young child, lie down and take a close-up from their level.
Portraits don't need to be face on though. A wistful look out of frame can add mystery and atmosphere, and family shots of kids can look great even if the little ones have been distracted by what's going on outside the window. If you are taking shots of your kids, a prop such as a ball or soft toy can add interest to a shot as well as keeping them occupied. Whether shooting adults or kids, try to snap a few candid shots when they're not aware of you, as they will be relaxed and completely natural.
Don't be afraid of dressing a scene to improve your composition. For example move furniture and plants around, and try experimenting with lighting rather than using the flash, to achieve a more subtle, atmospheric finish. You don't need to invest in expensive studio lighting - you can achieve great results with desk lamps and other household lights.
Macro mode - life in the smallest detail
Sometimes you might want to take a portrait shot of something much, much smaller than the family dog, such as an insect or a tiny flower. For picking up all those minute details, you should use your camera's Macro mode, if it has one.
This mode allows you to get in really close and take crisp photos of details the naked eye cannot even see, so it is a massively fun mode to experiment with. Macro does have a very small depth of field though, so a steady hand is required to keep the subject in focus – resting the camera on a flat surface or using a tripod can really make a difference here.
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Landscape - preserve holiday memories the way you saw them
A great landscape is a gift to the photographer - rugged mountain ranges, fields of golden wheat, stormy seas, but there are some things to bear in mind if you want an image that truly captures the spirit of the scene.
Spend a bit of time setting up your shot, seeing how the composition looks from different angles or different heights. Get a bit closer to the ground, perhaps even climb onto a tree stump or bench. Also, if the light is not right, wait a little while to see if it gets better - your subject has been there a long time, so it probably won't mind waiting a few minutes more.
Find a focal detail within the landscape - an unusually shaped rock, maybe, or a small building or vehicle and compose your picture around it in such a way that it will draw the eye into the scene. For best effect, use what photographers call the 'rule of thirds'. Mentally divide the image you see through the viewfinder into nine equal rectangles, like a noughts and crosses grid. By positioning the focal point of your picture at one of the intersection points or along one of the lines, you will create an image that naturally pulls the viewer in.
Also think about the foreground - having foliage, grasses or part of a fence or window frame coming into the edge of the shot will add depth to the finished image. Lighting is important as well. Many people assume that bright afternoon sunshine provides the best conditions for landscape photography, when in fact an overcast sky will allow you to bring out richer colours, and stormy conditions can add drama to mountains and seascapes. Getting up early and taking photos at dawn, or just as the sun sets, can offer some of the most rewarding natural light for your outdoor shots.
If you have a DSLR, use a smaller aperture setting, as this will provide the greatest depth of field, so that the entire picture will be in focus. This means that you will need to set a slower shutter speed, so it is worth considering buying a tripod to ensure perfect, crisp shots without any camera wobble.
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Action - capture sports and wildlife on the move
Predicting that one perfect moment, where all the elements are in the right place - lighting, subject, vantage point and finger on the button - is something that is almost impossible to predict with certainty. Professional photographers know this, which is why that stunning shot of Fernando Torres knocking in the winner, or that herd of wildebeest charging across the plains wasn't a single fluke shot, but probably part of dozens, taken on continuous mode, from a vantage point that had been carefully planned (maybe weeks or even months ahead).
You probably won't need to go to quite such elaborate lengths to take great snaps of the local Saturday league football team or your dog racing round the garden. However you can still learn a great deal from the professionals and massively raise your chances of getting that dream shot.
First of all think about where the best action is likely to unfold - for example on the goal line at football matches, in the corners at motor races - and when. The big cats at your local zoo are going to be far more active just before feeding time than just after it. Then position yourself in the right place - low angles are particularly good for dramatic shots - and take lots of photos!
To stand the best chance of getting that perfect shot, use your camera's continuous or burst mode, so you'll not miss a moment of the action. If you're planning on taking a lot of action shots, it may be worth buying a more advanced DSLR and some high speed memory cards, as this will enable you to take many more shots per second, raising your chances of snapping a winner.
Also, learn to track your target with the viewfinder before you take the shot - practice tracking family pets, or cars or birds passing by outside. To cut down 'shutter lag' (the delay between pressing the button and the picture being taken), keep the button pressed halfway in and focused on the area you think the action may happen in - try to anticipate rather than run after the action (unless the action is running after you)!
A fast shutter setting will allow you to crisply freeze the action, while tracking the subject with a slow speed will create a great sense of action by blurring the background.
When you do get that dream shot, why not see if anyone wants to publish it - local papers are often interested in great shots of local sports matches and events, and there are many photography competitions out there.
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Low light - take quality shots on a night out
Chances are that if you have bought a camera to photograph your family and friends, some of those photos will be taken in the dark, whether as a permanent record of a romantic dinner, or a wild night out clubbing with friends.
The best advice if you want to take night shots is to get hold of a decent DSLR, which will allow you to tinker with individual settings and enable long exposure times and controlled flash (with a flash gun) to create excellent shots after dark. However, on a lot of social occasions all you want is a slim compact that you can grab quick shots with and then slip into a pocket or bag, and there are things that you can do to improve your night shooting with these too.
First of all, it is a good idea to use 'night portrait' mode. This combines a flash to light up your subjects and a long exposure to pick up any ambient light in the background, offering a balanced shot. If you don't want to use flash, or you're not allowed to (i.e. at some concerts), you'll have to rely on the lighting in the venue. In that case, try to shepherd friends into a well lit area and snap performers when the most light is on them. You will also find this mode is useful in daylight when the sun is coming from behind your subjects, to prevent them appearing as silhouettes.
If your camera allows you to, increase the exposure time as much as you can. This will require a steady hand to prevent blurring, so try to rest the camera on something solid, such as the back of a chair or a table, or failing that, prop yourself up against a wall. Also, remember that if you're taking photos under artificial light, you'll need to set your white balance to 'tungsten' or 'flourescent' to get rid of the yellowy effect of indoor lighting.
Blurring is impossible to remove from images (though sometimes it can be desirable - such as with long exposure night shots of city traffic), but if your night photos are a bit grainy, you can try opening them in a photo-manipulation program, and use the noise reduction utility to improve them. Some cameras also feature a noise reduction option, which should be switched on for night shots. Another option, if that doesn't work, is to try converting the images to black and white or sepia, as this can turn a grainy colour shot into an atmospheric mono masterpiece.
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