Basic Digital Photography Hints
The Washington Post has published an article with some good, basic advice for novice digital photographers. The tips come from pros and hobbyists, and are spot-on for the most part.
The only bit I’d disagree with is Nigel Aves’s comment that you should throw out the image editing software that comes for free with your camera. Nigel says they’re all junk, but this isn’t as true as it used to be. Some digital cameras are now shipping with Photoshop Elements, a very capable program that I use myself.
For digital photographers seeking more advanced advice, I strongly recommend O’Reilly’s Digital Photography Pocket Guide, by Derrick Story. It’s packed full of concise information that you can put to use immediately, and it’s small enough to fit in your backpack, purse, or camera bag.
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Actually I’d like to agree with that comment. There are now some good image editing packages being shipped with digital cameras. So, I’ll apologize to those manufactures that do ship a worthwhile editing package.
Unfortunately many do not! (The same is true in the video world, probably even more so). My comment was really targeted at the low-end cameras because they do produce good images; the frustration is trying to edit them on the software supplied. If you just need to brighten / enhance / probably some red eye removal then go for it, but if you need to go further in you editing don’t get frustrated. There are fine editing packages out there that will fit your needs and not burn a massive hole in your pocket.
Nigel.
Comment by Nigel Aves — August 2, 2005 @ 1:26 pm
how would i best do portraits??
Comment by Josh — January 23, 2007 @ 4:59 pm
Josh,
What do you mean?
Nigel
Comment by Nigel Aves — January 23, 2007 @ 5:25 pm
Hi, Josh. I’m pretty busy on a client project right now, so I can’t attempt to answer your question in much detail. The answers you need would also depend on your current skill level as a photographer, which I don’t know. A quick Google search does turn up some useful articles, however.
Here’s a list of helpful articles that give general information for the novice digital photographer. The focus in those articles is on quick tips that can improve your portraits right away: use a fast shutter speed for kids and babies, avoid flash as much as possible, and so forth. This article goes into a bit more detail on capturing the character and personality of your photographic subjects.
Best of luck, and happy shooting!
Comment by Adam Messinger — January 23, 2007 @ 8:17 pm