2010 Senior Portraits San Antonio

Warning: Don?t Assume that DigiCams Are the magic answer!

Perhaps you have heard this before: “The better the cameras, the better the photos.” In this effect, you might have thought of digital cameras. Numerous believe that these models are just a one-click away for great photos. Do you also believe in this?

Just consider as you read this article and the appropriate answer will be revealed to you.

The rivalry between film cameras and digital cameras is relatively fresh. How come? Three mega pixels digital cameras have an array of choices for consumers, which is already comparable to a high quality point and shoot models. Nowadays, the same thing goes with five mega pixels digital models for excellent quality photographs. The thing is, quality photographs can be taken with ease using digital cameras.

Some of the main advantages to digital photography are:

* pictures can be previewed immediately on the built-in LCD screen
* costs of installing films are replaced with memory sticks or cards that are primarily reusable and can store thousands of pictures
* the stored photographs can easily be shared by copying off the images and/or sharing the memory stick or card
* images can easily be transformed into black and white and/or sepia and can also be cropped after the picture has been taken

However, photos under low light and taken using film and digital models are both susceptible to artifacts or granularity. Images taken by both cameras appear to be very similar can be further improved with the advent of software that can improve and manipulate the quality and details of images.

Furthermore, you can take lousy shots with the most expensive Nikon models and make great photos with the pass? point and shoot cameras. It suffices to say that it is not the camera that solely makes famous and even picture-perfect images. The man behind the camera can squeeze or miss a big time out of the gadget that he has.

The following presents a ten-point aid that will enable you to take photos like a pro using your digital cameras. Practice on these tips so you can maximize the expense of your gadget.

1. Those Tones Should Warm Up

Change your white balance setting from auto to cloudy when shooting sunny landscapes and outdoor portraits. This increases the yellow and red tones, thus resulting in warmer and richer pictures.

2. Use a [Sunglass] Polarizer

A polarizer should always come in handy when taking those general outdoor shooting. Polarized shots have more saturated and richer colors because unwanted reflections and glare are minimized or even removed.

If your digital camera can not accommodate a polarizer, simply place a sunglass as close to the camera lens as possible making sure that the rims of the glass will not be taken along with the image. The effect of a polarizer can be maximized when the light source is perpendicular to the object.

3. Shining Outdoor Portraits

Singularly the most useful and amazing features of digital cameras is the flash on or fill flash mode. This feature allows you to take control when to use the flash. It simply goes on whenever you want it available. This helps in capturing grand outdoor photographs.

The camera exposes for the background first then adds enough flash to illuminate the subject when you are using the flash on option. Wedding photographers have been using this technique for numerous years to create professional looking portraits where everything in the composition is simply excellent.

To come up with a more relaxed photograph, try putting the subject under the shade and use the flash to add illumination.

You can also practice on using rim lighting where the sun illuminates the hair of the subject from the side or the back.

However, you should not stand that far away when using the fill flash since most built-in models have a range of 10 feet or even less.

4. Macro Mode Frenzy

I am quite sure that you would want to look at the fine details of your surroundings but would not be willing to crouch down and lie on the ground with your belly.

In that case, you just have to look for the macro made or close up symbol, usually a flower icon, and get as close to an object as possible. Once the confirmation light signals you to shoot, just press the shutter down to record the portrait.

However, using the close up mode allows you to have a shallow depth so you can concentrate on the part of the subject that you want to emphasize and let the rest go soft.

5. Chaos of the Horizon Line

There are still photographers who become disoriented when lining up their shoots. In other words, once they look at their cameras monitor, images that are erect seem to be a little tilted or bowed inward.

The most appropriate way to take care of this matter is to take your top shot at a straight picture, then take another picture after repositioning the camera. Afterwards, you can delete the others once you feel you captured a perfectly aligned image.

Also, just practice level framing your shots until you become acquainted with the process.

6. Massive Media Card

You have to have an extra memory card especially when you want more moments to preserve. The following suggestions should be considered before buying a memory card:
a. for 3 mega pixels – a 256 MB memory card
b. for 4 mega pixels – a 512 MB memory card
c. for 6 mega pixels – 1 gigabyte memory card

Then you do not have to miss another shot because your card is full.

7. Not High Resolution All the Time

It is more advisable to squeeze more images by shooting a low quality and resolution settings than taking shots with a high resolution all the time. This way you can reserve a space and a 2272 x 1704 resolution on the next famous image of the century and enough for the portrait to be printed on a 8″ x 10″ inch paper suitable for framing.

However, if you have enough memory (and you should), there is no reason to shoot at a lower resolution and risk missing the chance to display your work the big way.

8. Tolerate that Tripod

Tripods are “unnecessarily bulky” for some so seldom do people like to bring them around.

Nowadays, there is an ingenious way to settle the dilemma whether to bring a tripod around or to do without it. The UltraPod II developed by Pedco fits in your back pocket and holds your camera steady in various situations.

You can use the Velcro strap to attach your camera on a tree limb or an available pole. Its legs can be opened on any flat surface or even on a boulder.

Now, you can be a real photographer without carrying a heavy burden.

9. The Fun with Self Timer

Another under-used feature on almost every digital camera is the self timer. This function can be used to save the photographer for missing the picture by delaying the firing of the shutter up to 10 seconds.

You can attach your UltraPod to ensure that your camera will not be taken away that easily by some strangers. Of course, you need to aim at the subject and not at a distant background before setting up the timer. Also the depth of the subject should be checked too.

By using self timers, you can also avoid accidentally jarring the camera when you are interested in making long exposures of cars driving at dusk as you initiate the focus.

10. Slow Motions

Normally, you will use an exposure of one second or a bit longer to create the flowing effect of water. In this case, you have to look for waterfalls or streams that are under the shade.

One trick is to use a polarizer or your sunglasses to darken the scene and create a longer exposure. More so, this technique can also eliminate distractions from your portrait.

For a really good photographer, which implies using creativity and ingenuity, viewers often get curious and ask, “What sort of camera model do you have there?”

Would it be more humbling for them to hear that you are using a normal aim and shoot model?

Or you can simply say, “Model ME.”

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Problem: Lackluster composition
Sometimes just a subtle shift of emphasis is all it takes to turn a throwaway digital photograph into a treasured keeper. Here are the top tips to immediately improving your composition.

Tip 1: The Rule of Thirds is a time-honored technique professional photographers use to improve composition. Imagine a tic-tac-toe grid over the image you want to take. Use the intersection of those lines to place your subject slightly off center, and bring interest up or down.

Tip 2: Take photos at various angles and distances to give you more options to choose from. Also experiment with vertical and horizontal camera orientation?you may discover that this simple shift yields interesting results.

Tip 3: Eliminate distracting background clutter by getting closer to your subject. Or try using your camera?s Portrait pre-set mode. This will keep objects close to you in focus, while blurring the background. You can achieve the same effect, known as a shallow depth of field, by manually adjusting your aperture setting to a low f-number, such as f2.8.

Problem: Poor lighting
Digital photography is all about catching that magic moment when the light is just right. But lighting also provides some challenges. These tips will help, whether you?re indoors or out.

Tip 1: Balance bright or dim light
Digital cameras get ?confused? by unbalanced conditions, such as a very bright or dim light, causing the camera to under or over expose your photo.

In low light conditions, try using your camera?s night shooting mode, or lower the ISO to 50 or 100 to get rich detail in low light. Use a tripod, or steady yourself against a stable object to avoid moving the camera.

In bright light, try your camera?s Beach or Sunshine mode, or manually choose a fast shutter speed to control the amount of light that comes in.

Tip 2: Shooting indoors
Avoid using your flash. Instead, provide as much natural light as possible?open curtains, or even the door. Or use lamps to add light to the scene. Your flash mutes color and casts stark, deep shadows that are especially unflattering in portraits.

Don?t place your subject in front of a bright window or they will become a silhouette (although this can be a nice effect when done intentionally). Try placing them off to the side instead, or facing a natural light source.

Tip 3: Shooting outdoors
Try to have the sun behind you when you shoot. This will provide the most flattering light to your subject.

Shoot early or later in the day?dawn and dusk provide lovely light, whereas midday light can be harsh.

Take advantage of overcast days for photography. That?s when the light is even, and casts almost no shadows.

Problem: Red-eye
The appearance of glowing red eyes can ruin a portrait of even the cutest child or pet. The red color comes from light reflecting off of the retinas in our eyes. The following quick tips can help get the red out.

Tip 1: Try not to use a flash if possible?it is the number one cause of red-eye. Instead, turn on lights or open curtains to add additional light to your scene.

Tip 2: Ask your subject to look toward the camera but not directly at the lens or to look into a bright light first.

Tip 3: Stand farther away from your subject.

Tip 5: Take advantage of in-camera red-eye removal. Many digital cameras and photo printers now allow you to remove red-eye or prevent it altogether. Check your digital camera?s manual to see if it includes these features.

Problem: Blurry photos
While a photo with a dramatic blur can often be artistic, it can also render a subject incomprehensible. Here are some ways to add clarity to your digital photographs.

Tip 1: Reduce shutter lag. The time between pressing the trigger and the camera taking the picture is called shutter lag, and it can cause blurry pictures. Avoid it by pressing the trigger halfway down until you?re ready to shoot. When the right moment comes, press the rest of the way. This strategy is great when you’re taking pictures of people (especially kids) or animals. ?

Tip 2: Minimize camera shake. Even the slightest camera movement can cause unclear photos. Use a tripod or brace yourself against a stationary object to hold the camera still. Some digital cameras come with image stabilization, another way to get clear images of moving subjects.

Tip 3: Use your digital camera?s Action shooting mode for sports or other action shots. It automatically optimizes your shutter speed to help capture motion. Or manually increase your camera?s shutter speed to achieve the same effect.?

Problem: Low-quality prints
If you plan to print your photographs using a digital photo printer, keep resolution in mind. Resolution is measured in megapixels (MP), and matching the resolution to the print size will help you get clear digital photo prints.

Tip 1: If you plan to enlarge or crop photos before printing, it?s best to shoot at the highest resolution possible. But high-resolution pictures take up more memory.

Tip 2: If you plan to e-mail images or print smaller sizes, like 4″ x 6″ or 5″ x 7″ photos, you can stick to 4-5 MP with no problems.

Tip 3: Many digital cameras let you select the resolution level, so you can determine ahead of time whether you want to shoot a big file with lots of detail, or a quick snapshot you can post to a website or e-mail to friends and family.

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