Taking Photographs With A Digital Camera

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With the advent of the digital camera, taking photographs has never been easier. And the ease of using point and shoot cameras means everyone can take photos without any great difficulty.

This lens will give you some advice and tips for taking great photos, photos which you will be proud of and eager to display!

I hope you enjoy this lens!

Taking Close Up Shots of Babies and Small Children 

Smile Please Doesn't Work!

You've a lovely new baby or a little child and you want some special pictures. But children are not performing monkeys and are not always easy to photograph! Trial and error can work wonders over time but in the meantime here are a few of my tips.

Wait until the baby or child is quite settled. After a bath or first thing in the morning or after a nap can be good times. If the subject is hungry, needs a fresh nappy or feeling unwell the results will not be so good!

Place babies in a safe spot and avoid patterned backgrounds which will distract from the baby. Try to have plain backgrounds where possible.

Try to get as much natural daylight as possible into the place where you are taking your shots. If you are indoors pull back all the curtains and blinds. this will result in lovely natural colours and roundness to features.

If you are taking outdoor shots, avoid direct sunlight as it can cause squinting and shadows. Find a shady but well lit spot instead.

Avoid using flash whenever possible. It can bleach out babies' and childrens' features and make them blink! It also often results in red-eye! If you must use your flash, try covering it with a piece of tissue or a special custom-made cloth to soften the effect.

When taking your shot go as close to your subject as possible for the best results. If you are a novice try setting your camera to automatic mode or if you are feeling a little experimental set it to portrait mode. Some cameras even have a special setting for babies and children which can give excellent results.

If the baby or child is moving around a lot, try distracting it by waving a toy or keys or ask a parent or other family member to help out! asking a child to look at something or to see if they can hear a sound can be a good distraction technique.

Take several pictures at once by holding your shutter release button down. Then you can choose the best of the bunch.

If the baby or child gets fed up, leave it for a while and try again later.

Most of all have fun and make it fun for the child too!

Which Camera? 

Which Brand Are You Using?

We all have our preference - share yours!!

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Digital Photography Guestbook 

Please tell me how you first got interested in photography.

Lensmaster

Zoe Hellar wrote

I started photography with a Practica SLR.Although it was East German built, the low cost of the camera made it an excellent option toenter the world of photography. It built up from their along with a subscription to amateur photography magazine. Now I run a website on camera reviews:
http://digital_camera_reviews.protechltd.com
Zoe

Reply Posted January 10, 2009

MarkDicker wrote...

My Dad always had 35mm SLR cameras and I got intrested. He gave me a Zenit E. A Russian camera that was totally manual. I learnt so much by having to do things myself. Nowadays I use Canon DSLRs but I understand what the camera is doing and how to get the best out of it.

ReplyPosted July 12, 2007

flowski wrote...

When I was 5, Mom got me a 110 TeleFocal at a garage sale and it's been a love affair with photography ever since. Now I have a Canon 30D digital camera and I'm a pro in the Lake Tahoe area!

ReplyPosted June 24, 2007

SPF wrote...

I wanted to thank you for the nice comments on my lens and my Flickr account. I love your pregnancy lens also!

ReplyPosted May 02, 2007

SPF wrote...

I started getting into photography when I had my first child. Since then, I've become very interested in nature and wildlife photography. I'd love for you to visit my lens www.squidoo.com/pollyklaas/funfotos and let me know what you think of my pics. Be sure to visit my Flickr account for more!

ReplyPosted April 23, 2007

freezeframe wrote...

My senior year media teacher in HS. He turned us onto a whole world of film, video, and photography. Changed my whole life. I have been shooting ever since. Now I am digital. What fun.
Come over and see... http://greatdigitalcameras.info

ReplyPosted January 02, 2007

Telephoto ("Portrait") Lenses 

When taking the plunge and moving away from your kit lens which is your lens of choice for taking portraits?

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Here's a Few I Made Earlier! 

These are a few of my own photos taken using my Nikon D50 DSLR

I enjoy caturing images at any and every opportunity and experimenting a little with any I particularly like. It's fun even when you don't always get what you are after. And with image editing even dull pictures can take on a life of their own. My advice - practice, practice, practice!

It's Cold Out There! by sinhob

Taken with Nikon D50 on tripod in my garden on a crisp winter's morning.

Grass in Winter by sinhob

Close up shot of overgrown grass in my garden on a frosty winter's morning. Take...

Peacock's Eye by sinhob

Taken with Nikon D50 using a tripod on kitchen windowsill.

What Vine Tomatoes! by sinhob

Taken with Nikon D50 on a tripod. Shot on kitchen windowsill with a reflector us...

Get This! 

Want to take Better Pictures? Here's a few necessities!

Whether you shoot with a compact or a DSLR there are a few things that guarantee better pictures!
  • Camera bag - to protect your camera from bumps of course!

    Tripod - no more camera shake!

    Camera manual - find out what your camera is capable of!

    Learning Photography Techniques Guide

    Lens Cloth - no point taking great pictures if your lens is grubby...

    Spare Battery

    Spare memory cards/ film

    External Hard Drive - back up those images or learn the hard way!

    Photo Editing Equipment - to touch up and improve your images

    Different Lenses for different shots (if your camera permits!)

    Lens Hood - to prevent flare

    Reflectors - to add warmth, light or shadows

Family Photographs 

An Article I Wrote Earlier!

A Picture of Perfection!
Never work with children or animals... easier said than done when you're a parent...

Squidoo Photography Lenses 

Squidoo is all about sharing - so here are a few of my favourite photography lenses!

Everything Photography
Everything Photography! - For anyone who has a lens that discusses photography.
Wedding Photography
A lens on Wedding Photography.
The People of Wales: A Collection of Portraits
A Collection of Welsh Portraits.
Black and White Photography
The Squidoodliest place for all things on Black and White Photography.

My Favourite Photography Blogs 

Search the Blogosphere for Regularly Updated Photography Techniques

Digital Photography School
Digital Photography School - Digital Photography Training for You
Photocritic Photography Blog
Photocritic photography blog - The Photocritic DIY photography projects blog.
Ken McGuire Photography - A Photo Blog By An Irish Photographer
A Photo Blog By Irish Photographer, Ken McGuire
Ophrys Photography Blog
Ophrys Photography Blog - A wildlife and nature photography blog by John Devries, a professional photographer based in the UK.
Graf Nature Photography; Notes from the Woods
Nature photography blog, environmental news, insights, composition discussion, photo equipment and Photoshop tips

Digital Camera Reviews 

Here are some useful links to websites which offer free reviews - great if you can't make up your mind about which camera or printer to purchase!
DP Preview
Digital Photography Review: All the latest digital camera reviews and digital imaging news. Lively discussion forums. Vast samples galleries and the largest database of digital camera specifications.
Steves-Digicams.com
Digital camera reviews - amateur to professional cameras, the latest industry news, public discussion forums, photo-quality printers and digital video. Links to manufacturers sites and end-user photo album pages on the Web. The webs original Digital Photo of the Day Contest.
Imaging-Resource.com
The Latest on Digital Cameras, New Cameras, Scanners, Printers, & More. Current Digital Camera Reviews, Specifications and Comparison Shopping!
LivingRoom.org.au
Digital Camera Reviews, Ratings and Comparisons - Digital Photography News, Digital Camera Tips and Tutorials.
PhotographyReview.com
Digital camera and photo equipment reviews, photo gallery, camera forums, and more - PhotographyREVIEW.com is you total photography resource

New Amazon Plexo 

Photography Books

Want to improve on your photography skills? Then stock up on the following. These are just a few of my recent purchases that I can highly recommend!

The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby

The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby

This is one of my very favourite books - no messin more...1 point

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) by Bryan Peterson

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) by Bryan Peterson

A great addition to any bookshelf. Explains everyt more...1 point

Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Photographers: A Professional Image Editor's Guide to the Creative Use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC by Martin Evening

Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Photographers: A Professional Image Editor's Guide to the Creative Use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC by Martin Evening

Great tips and tricks for professional and budding more...1 point

Photographing Children and Babies: How to Take Great Pictures by Michal Heron

Photographing Children and Babies: How to Take Great Pictures by Michal Heron

Another favourite of mine, this is a fabulous intr more...1 point

The Best of Family Portrait Photography: Professional Techniques and Images by Bill Hurter

The Best of Family Portrait Photography: Professional Techniques and Images by Bill Hurter

Want a professional portrait but can't afford the more...1 point

Ansel Adams 2007 Wall Calendar by Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams 2007 Wall Calendar by Ansel Adams

Fascinating pictures by one of the worlds top phot more...0 points

Adobe Photoshop CS2 One-On-One by Deke McClelland

Adobe Photoshop CS2 One-On-One by Deke McClelland

Plenty of tips and tricks here to make the most of more...0 points

2007 Photographers Market (Photographer's Market)

2007 Photographers Market (Photographer's Market)

Who to approach if you want to market your photos more...0 points

How to Photograph Your Baby by Nick Kelsh

How to Photograph Your Baby by Nick Kelsh

Babies can be notoriously difficult to photograph. more...0 points

Taking Digital Photographs 

Make the Most of your Digital Camera

Understanding Digital Photography: Techniques for Getting Great Pictures

Amazon Price: $18.21 (as of 07/10/2009) Buy Now

40 Digital Photography Techniques, 3rd Edition

Amazon Price: $12.74 (as of 07/10/2009) Buy Now

Shoot Like a Pro! Digital Photography Techniques

Amazon Price: $26.95 (as of 07/10/2009) Buy Now

Digital Photography Expert Techniques

Amazon Price: $29.69 (as of 07/10/2009) Buy Now

Digital Photography Techniques 

The Latest Digital Photography Techniques

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New Amazon Standard 

Portrait, Macro or Wide Angle?

Time to move away from your trusty old kit lens? Here's what I recommend!

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 07/10/2009) Buy Now

Blog Posts from Google 

Photography News

Find out the latest photography developments in the blogosphere!
Mary Ellen Mark's Set Photography | vanityfair.com
Only Mary Ellen Mark can claim to have documented the turmoil on the most notorious film set of all...
Fantastic Fire Round Up: Photography, Illustrations and Logos ...
Fire has to be the most misterious of the 4 elements of nature. It warms you up in a cold night, but...
Learning Photography – Basics For All | ThePortfolioPro.org
Photography is defined as The art or process of producing images by the action of light on surfaces...
On Event Photography |
There are only a handful of what I would term 'really talented' event photographers in the Philadelp...

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