Before deciding on purchasing a digital camera, it is important that you set yourself a budget. This should happen before going online or visiting an electronics shop. It is just like purchasing any other large item else such as a computer. There are a lot of options, and you don’t want to get stuck biting off more than you can chew, expense-wise. High-end cameras offer the great zoom, more extra features and more megapixels. Having more megapixels doesn’t mean you will have the great picture quality. Unfortunately these cameras can also take a huge bite out of your wallet if you are not careful. When you are starting out in the wide world of digital photography, it is easier to not spend a huge amount of money on the high-end SLR cameras. Look for cheaper, yet effective, compact digital cameras that are a lot easier to hold. The best thing to do is learn the basics with this digital camera and make sure you enjoy the hobby before spending the cash for higher-end digital cameras.
Some people don’t really enjoy going on airplanes or helicopters, how do they take those spectacular aerial photos? Guess what you don’t have to use planes or helicopters! Sometimes aerial shots on planes can sometimes get expensive unless you have a friend with a plane. Flying in a little plane around a city a couple of times can be quite frightening for some people. The little secret that few photographers know is: some “in-flight” photos are not actually taken from a plane. Quite the contrary, they are taken from a countryside or city vantage point. Being in the observation deck of a skyscraper will actually get you just about as high as a low flying plane would. Your photographs will look like aerial shots that were taken as you were flying around, but in fact you didn’t even enter in any aircraft.
For most photographers autumn is one of the most enjoyable times. There are pretty arrangements of colors, ranging from red to gold from tinted green to shades of brown and tan. If you would like to enjoy photography natures fireworks display a well planned trip to one of the best fall places can be arranged. If you live in the US, the Department of Agriculture has a website that displays fall foliage information by geographical area. It is important to plan your trip precisely when the fall colors are their strongest. Information is updated as soon as conditions permit. If don’t plan to travel to the US, check with your country’s forestry or agriculture department website to see if such information is available. A good website for the US is the USDA Forest Service Fall Colors fs.fed.us/news/fallcolors.
Fireworks are one of the most fun places to take as many photos as you can. Composition is one of the most important factors of getting a fireworks display on your camera. Before it even starts you need to find a good place to observe and take pictures. You should scout out an area that provides you a clear shot and won’t get you in trouble. Going to a crowed baseball field may not be the best option if you don’t have clear high seats. Streetlights are also a big no; they compete with the brilliance of the fireworks. Try to not intrude on private property and be safe where you go at night. Keep a really good eye out for a place that you will be able to see the fireworks and catch them on film clearly.
Shooting photos at dusk may provide your digital camera with just enough light to take great cityscape photos. If you are looking for a great nighttime cityscape picture, consider taking your photos at dusk instead of in the pitch black of night. The sky is dark at dusk, but not so dark to prevent some degree of sunlight entering your digital camera, making it easier to take hand-held photos that do not result all blurry due to ‘camera-shake’. Dusk only lasts for a little while, so research your shot locations beforehand. Plus, check the local newspaper or visit a weather website for the sunset time, and be prepared to shoot photos around that time frame.
Parade shots can sometimes be difficult, people are always moving, and something is generally happening. It is a complete waste of time to be refocusing shots during a parade. Try to shoot as many photos as you can, focus locks can help you do keep the focus on your camera. What a focus lock does specifically is it keeps your shutter button held halfway down and doesn’t completely release it after taking a photo. Or you might want to set your camera up for manual focus. This way, you can take several photos one right after the other, or use your camera’s drive mode for lots pictures within a small amount of time. This enables you to take a bunch of photos without having to refocus for each shot and your digital camera should function much quicker. Some shots you may want to set up for specifically but you can have just as much fun shooting continuously.
When you are taking digital pictures on sunny days, you must be careful. Sometimes the sun can completely damage your electronic camera. Taking pictures of sunsets and rises can be amusing and enjoyable, but pointing your lens directly at the sun may damage it. Try to keep your lens pointed a little bit away from the sun directly. There is a similarity between your eye and the camera lens, they both can see and both can be damaged by the sun. As a little kid your parents told you never to look at the sun or you will see spots. The same concept applies to your camera. When you are not capturing fantastic views, turn off your camera and store in someplace room temperature so you don’t damage it. It is best and easiest to take photos in increments, and then allow your camera to relax by enclosing it somewhere cool.