Better Photos - Tips & Hints

In this section you will find a very basic guide containing tips & suggestions for taking better photographs. These simple tips were prepared with portraits in mind. I am not a professional photographer nor do I claim to be, but I do know many of the factors that go into making a good photograph. Really.

The Camera

The camera and the settings used when taking photos play an integral part in the photographic process. If you do not own a decent digital camera you should seriously consider purchasing one. The number of photos you can take is only limited to the size of your camera's memory card and the strength of your batteries. This enables you to snap a gazillion pictures and keep only the best ones. Unfortunately, the technology is changing so quickly that a state-of-the-art camera from 3 or 4 years ago does not compare with what is currently on the market today. When shopping for a good digital camera I would suggest sticking with a name-brand such as Canon or Nikon when possible. The digital software packages that come with most cameras are very handy when it comes to post-production features especially when it comes to enhancing your raw shots or altering the composition altogether. My personal digital camera is a Canon Powershot S1 IS. It only has 3.2 mega pixels (which is quite small when compared to current models) but it has a good quality lens which makes all the difference. It also has 10x optical zoom and an image stabilization feature which virtually eliminates camera shake and makes blurry pictures a thing of the past. Nearly every picture that is on this site (including all the artwork in the galleries) were taken with my camera. And the photographs of my artwork were shot in less than ideal conditions (moderate artificial fluorescent light in my basement). A good quality camera with decent software can compensate for a lot. Don't cheap out on the camera.

All images found on this site are low resolution and substantially compressed in size and quality. This is necessary in order to retain browser speed. Please keep this in mind when viewing artwork & photos.

photo for hints & tips

The photo of the caterpillar to the left was taken with my Canon Powershot on a somewhat sunny day. I tried to get really close so as not to have to use the zoom feature. Nothing too special - just a bug on an old chair.

photo for hints & tips

This image is the same photo only cropped to focus entirely on the subject. The field of depth has been eliminated but we can now make out the insects markings & features quite clearly.

The point in all this? Well, there are several to be made. The above photo took zero skill on my part - but the result is nothing short of what one might find in a professional book or magazine on insects. The camera was set on "auto" so all my exposure settings and decisions were made for me. I had good natural light which is very important and I positioned myself as close to the subject as I could get. Light and proximity are both crucial factors when taking photographs.

See next page for tips on portrait photography