Digital photography tips

The digital camera has completely changed the way we take photographs. Gone are the days when you send your film off to be printed while hoping that all or at least most pictures are clear enough to have captured the moment. Now people can take many photos, download them to their computers, discarding poor quality pictures while saving the rest or even printing them off.

Here at CameraInsurance.co.uk we have put together the following tips to help you produce even better photographs.

• When you are taking outdoor photographs, try where possible to make use of the golden hour, which is one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset. The light at these times is less harsh and the colours will appear rich compared to those taken in full sunlight.


• Digital cameras have a shutter delay which you should be aware of. The photograph is not taken the second you press the shutter button. Practise a few times first and always take this into account when taking photographs.


• Digital cameras have both a digital zoom and optical zooms. A tip is to go into the setting on your camera and turn off the digital zoom. Digital zoom works by the camera cropping off part of the picture and enlarging it by adding in extra pixels. The result is a slightly blurred image and a loss in detail. Optical zoom uses the lens within the camera to enlarge the image. Detail is not lost and quality remains the same as the full resolution of the camera can be used.


• It is a good idea to use the flash when taking pictures in daylight. Any shadows that could spoil your photograph are then removed. The result is nice bright photographs.


• Digital cameras have all sorts of modes on them to add effects, such as black and white, sepia and solarise. You are better off always taking your photographs in colour mode then converting them by adding effects later. If you take a picture while using any of these modes the colour cannot be put back after.


• Checking your photographs on your camera uses lots of battery power. You are better off downloading them all to your computer and then deciding which ones to keep or bin. A large camera memory is essential though if you are planning on taking lots of shots.


• When taking group photographs take multiple shots so you have a choice for the final one. Get in as close as you can so the people in the picture are as large and clear as possible. Think about the light beforehand, so that the sun for example is not directed straight into the camera lens, and also not straight into the eyes of the subjects. Squinting is not a good look! It is very hard to take a photograph of a large group of people as they all have to be staggered in order to get everyone in. A far better idea is to take the photograph from an elevated height, looking down at all the people. The effect is unusual and more people can be seen clearly.


• For the perfect photograph you really should use a tripod. This will remove any blurring from handshake.


• Lack of sharpness ruins so many photographs. The main causes of this are: poor focus, subject movement and camera shake. This is where you need to prepare before taking the shot. Using two hands on the camera rather than one will reduce some of the shake. If using auto focus give the camera time to adjust before fully pressing the shutter button. If your subjects are people then warn them before taking the shot.


• Finally see if you can find the continuous shooting mode on your camera. This is sometimes referred to as the burst mode. The result is a series of shots that can look great framed and displayed next to each other. This effect is particularly good when photographing animals or children.

Your digital camera should provide you with many treasured memories. Please do not forget to always have camera insurance to protect against theft and accidental damage.