With your camera at your side, read the instruction book, then read
it again. Whenever you take out your camera and can't remember what that
"thing" does, read the instructions again. Continue doing this until you
remember how everything works. Even if it is a feature you don't use, know
what it is so that you are not using it because you don't want to, not
because you don't know how. Don't wait until all else has failed. Don't
decide you don't really need to know. A camera is a tool and like any other
tool, it will produce good results only if you know how to use it.
Have your camera with you and be ready to take photos when opportunities
occur. How many times have you said "I wish I'd had a camera". More potentially
great photos are lost for lack of a camera than any other reason.
Practice holding your camera steady while you trip the shutter. Situate
yourself (sit, stand, brace yourself against a wall or other object) so
that you are steady, tuck your elbows close to your body with the camera
against your face, press the shutter button slowly and steadily. It should
almost be a surprise when it trips. Do this "dry" (no film in the camera)
until you are good at it and try it while looking at yourself in a mirror
to observe whether you are moving the camera (the mirror trick won't work
with an SLR because the image blacks out at the critical moment).
If you have manual focus, focus carefully on the most important part
of the scene or subject. If your camera has fixed focus, be sure you are
far enough from the subject for it to be sharp. Fixed focus (AKA "prefocused"
or "focus free") cameras usually have a minimum distance for sharp focus.
It should be listed in the instruction book. If you have an old camera
with no instruction book set up a test with cards at measured distances
from your lens (labeled with the distance, of course) to see how close
you can get and still have things in focus.
Center your eye in the viewfinder eyepiece when framing the scene. No
viewfinder shows exactly what the film sees (not even a single lens reflex).
If your eye is not centered in the eyepiece it may be even less accurate.
Keep your camera clean. A dirty lens will not produce sharp pictures.
A dirty flash emits less light. Bits of film and dirt inside can leave
marks on negatives and even jam the winding mechanism. Clean the lens with
a dry soft brush or cloth. A breath exhaled onto the lens will give sufficient
moisture to remove most things that won't come off dry. Wipe the moisture
with clean, soft, lint free cloth. Do not use paper tissue unless it is
specially made to clean coated lenses. Use lens cleaner as a last
resort. When you must, use only cleaners that are safe for coated lenses
and never spray or drip them directly onto the lens. Apply the cleaner
sparingly to a soft cloth ( again, no tissue!!!!), then wipe the lens gently
with the moistened cloth.
Know the range of your flash and keep your subject in it. If you get
too close the subject will "wash out" white. If you are too far away it
will disappear into the shadows. Remember that instruction book? It should
tell the range in there. If not, here's an excuse for a new experiment
with your measuring tape and some cards.
When taking flash pictures, watch out for shiny surfaces behind the
subject. Windows, mirrors, pictures with glass or shiny paint will make
a white flare when the flash goes off. Move your subject to a less reflective
background. If you can't move the subject, move yourself so that you are
not at a 90 degree angle to the reflective surface. The light will then
reflect away at the same angle and not back into your lens.
KISS - Keep It Super Simple. Most beginners include too much in their
pictures. Stick to your most important subject. Don't be afraid to have
the subject fill the frame. A lot of extra space, things and details are
distracting to the viewer unless they all support the main subject. Get
as close as you can or move to eliminate distractions. A picture may be
worth a thousand words but the thousand words should all be about the one
subject.
When photographing people, take the photo while they are doing something.
Even something inactive like reading or watching something. The point is
to avoid the "I'm posing for the camera" look. Professional models can
be aware of the camera and pull it off. Most ordinary folks can't. Also
the activity can tell the viewer something about the subject.
Whenever possible use a tripod. The tripod is the most under used of
all photo accessories. Many people don't like to take the time to set up
their tripod but using it goes a long way toward insuring sharp photos.
It also has the advantage of slowing down the process and forcing you to
take the photo more seriously and give it more thought.
If you are serious about making better photos, be prepared to work at
it. Take pictures regularly, not just on special occasions. Practice, practice,
practice. Read about photography. Not just technical manuals but monographs
of well known photographers, especially those whose work you like. Make
a habit of looking at photographs frequently. Read photo magazines, photography
books, go to exhibits. Ask yourself why you like (or don't like) each picture.
Does it communicate anything to you? How? Use what you learn to make your
own photos better. Good photography is largely a state of mind that is
cultivated through regular exercise and attention. There is no such thing
as point and shoot, or as Mark Twain said "Chance favors the prepared mind".
"Education is a wonderful thing. If you couldn't sign your name, you'd have to pay cash." Rita Mae Brown