Want to know THE biggest secret totaking good digital photos? Well here itis: It's the ... that ... photos, not the camera. ... that for a minute. It's true ... seen so Want to know THE biggest secret totaking good digital photos? Well here itis: It's the photographer that takesgreat photos, not the camera. Thinkabout that for a minute. It's true isn'tit?I've seen some people take great photoswith a simple point-and-shoot camera,while some take lousy shots with themost expensive SLR.But fret not. Read these ten tips onshooting digital photos and apply themthe next time you have a chance. Beforelong, you'll be shooting like a pro! 1. Using the Flash for Outdoor PortraitsHere's one of my greatest secrets ontaking great photos - using the fillflash or flash on mode. Very few peopleknow that you can (and should) takecontrol of the flash when shootingoutdoor pictures. Learn to control theflash so it goes on when you want it to,not when the camera deems itappropriate, I guarantee you can startachieving better outdoor shots.A good technique is to put your model inthe shade under a tree, then use theflash to illuminate the subject. Bykeeping the subject cool andcomfortable, you'll get a more relaxedlooking portrait. 2. Watch that White Balance The default white balance setting, which is set to auto for most digital cameras, can cause problems in your shots. I've found that leaving the white balance setting on auto may leave your digital shots a bit on the 'cool' side.Next time you're shooting outdoorportraits and sunny landscapes, trychanging your white balance setting fromauto to cloudy. This adjustment isequivalent to putting a mild warmingfilter on your camera. Doing thisincreases the red and yellow tones,resulting in richer, warmer pictures.3. Experiment with the Macro Mode A neat digital photography technique is themacro mode. Learn to activate the closeup mode on your digital camera, usuallyrepresented by a flower symbol. You'llbe amazed at the different perspectivesyou get on simple, everyday objects whenthey're framed in macro mode.Get as close to an object as your camerawill allow. Once you've found somethingto your liking, hold the shutter buttondown halfway to allow the camera tofocus. Only depress the shutter all theway down when the confirmation lightgives you the go ahead. 4. Hold the Camera Level Holding thecamera level when using the LCD monitorsis an important part of taking greatdigital photos. Next time you're takinga outdoor shot, try looking for thehorizontal lines in nature and use themas guides. An example is to use a stripof land, or perhaps the horizon.Practice level framing of your shots andover time, the process will become morenatural to you. 5. Polarized Shots Attaching apolarizing filter to your camera ishighly recommended for landscapes andgeneral outdoor shooting. This type offilter reduces glare and unwantedreflections - resulting in richer, moresaturated colors, in your photos.If your camera can't accommodate apolarizing filter, then you can try thislittle trick which I've been using foryears on my point-and-shoot camera. Ifyou have a pair of quality sunglasses,then simply take them off and use themas your polarizing filter! Place theglasses as close to the camera lens aspossible and make sure the rims are notblocking the shot. Try it, it works. 6. The Tripod is an Essential ToolPlease remember this tip. Tripods are anessential tool to every digitalphotographer and should be used whennecessary. They are not restricted to'professional' photographers (a commonmisconception). Why are tripods aninvaluable accessory? Because they lendstability to an otherwise jittery shot.The problem is that some tripods arepretty bulkly to carry around. Well, youmay want to try the UltraPod II by REI.This compact, versatile, ingeniousdevice fits in your back pocket andenables you to steady your camera in avariety of situations. I think it goesfor about $15. 7. Learn to Use the Self-Timer Are you taking so many photos that you'remissing from your family photo albums?Well, here's the solution - theself-timer. Sure, you could hand yourcamera over to strangers while you jumpin the shot. But then you'll have toworry about them dropping it or runningoff with it!When using the self-timer, first find agood stable surface to place the cameraand compose the shot. Make sure thefocusing sensor is aimed at a person inthe group and not the distantbackground. That way, the pictures willturn out nice and sharp.Another way to use the self-timer is tomake long exposures of cars driving overa highway at dusk. Simply secure yourcamera on a tripod, then trip theshutter using the self timer. 8. Slow Motion Water Effects Here's a nice effect to use when taking outdoor shots which are near water - take images of slow motion water. Streams andwaterfalls that are in the shade areideal. If you do it correctly, you'llget a digital photo that is really'professional' looking.Here's how to do it. Use a tripod tosteady the camera. Adjust your camerafor a greater depth of field and slowthe shutter down. Ideally, you'll wantan exposure of one second or longer tocreate the flowing effect of the water.Then simply use the self timer to tripthe shutter. 9. Get a Huge Media Card There's nothing worse than running out of memory when you sot a 'great photo opportunity'. Here are my recommended sizes for different cameras:* 2 megapixel cameras - get at least a64MB card* 3 megapixel camera - getat least a 128MB card* 4 megapixelcamera - get at least a 256MB card* 5 megapixel camera and above - get atleast a 512MB card10. Shoot at the Maximum Resolution I'm still surprised when I hear peoplegetting a 5 megapixel digital camera,but shooting lower resolution and lowquality compression settings. From mypoint of view, you should always shootat the maximum resolution your camerawill allow. Heck, you never know whenyou may want to blow up your prints toan 8 x 10 inch format.The bottom line is: If you have enoughmemory, there's no reason to shoot atlower resolution and risk missing theopportunity to show off your work in abig way. Conclusion Whew. A pretty long article. I hope I've managed to give you some good tips on shooting great digital photos. Always remember what I said - while the latest and greatest digital cameras have amazing features, you still need a skilled photographer to take nicepictures. Apply the above tips to youreveryday shooting and learn to be abetter photographer. 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