Digital photography has revolutionised image making. Film and photo-chemistry has all but gone. However, a photographer – professional or amateur – still needs a good eye for a newsworthy image. Appreciation of the value of light, composition and a steady hand are as important as ever. For the times you may not be able to use a professional, here are a few tips for taking publishable pictures using digital cameras.

Ten Things You Should Do

1. Know the camera. In the days of film, getting to know the camera was important. Going out with several rolls of film and taking as many pictures as possible in different conditions showed what the camera could achieve. This still makes sense with a digital camera – but now this can be done without the cost of film and with instant feedback. Also read the manual, purchase a good book on the basics of digital photography, look at photo magazines and magazines in your industry to see the images others produce.

2. Let there be light. There is no doubt that digital cameras are far more light tolerant than their film counterparts. Nevertheless, understanding light and how to control it is vital in creating the best pictures. Correct lighting (natural or artificial) is just as essential as with film to achieve good colour rendition, contrast and the light and shade that creates depth and interest.

3. Full frame image. Wherever possible it is still best to use a selection of lenses so that the subject – object, person, event or landscape element – fills most of the frame. Use the highest resolution that the camera offers. This will avoid or minimise the need for cropping in post editing and ensures the retention of digital information required to produce and improve the image.

4. Composition. The old rules still apply. Divide the image in the view finder into thirds horizontally and vertically using imaginary equally spaced lines (2 horizontal, 2 vertical, like a noughts and crosses game). On some camera models there may be an option for dividing the viewfinder area into thirds. Where the lines intersect is often the best place to locate the main subject of the photograph. Also look for converging lines and interesting angles to add a degree of artistry that distinguishes good photography from a mere snap.

5. Steady the camera. Some cameras compensate for hand-wobble, but it is still better to have pin-sharp images from the outset by steadying the camera against a solid object or, better still, using a tripod. Tripods are cheap and really do improve image quality. In addition they make you slow down and think about composition more as it takes more time to position a tripod than shooting pictures hand-held.

6. Move into the discomfort zone. If 99% of all pictures are taken by hand-held cameras at head height it makes sense to try something different. Lie on the floor, stand on a chair or get down on your knees. Seeing things from on top, below or just an unconventional angle will add a new dimension of interest. Just think differently about the view – how would it look from a tiny ant’s perspective for example?

7. Use all cylinders. If you had a car with a V6 engine, would you run on 4 or 2 cylinders? So why do this with digital cameras? Give yourself a fighting chance; use the highest resolution possible. Use the cameras highest quality setting for storing images – this maybe RAW or TIF formats (on higher end cameras) or super-fine jpeg on mid range models. Carry spare memory cards in case you need more storage.

8. Transfer and back-up your images. Get images off the camera onto more permanent storage as soon as possible. And remember to back-up too! When editing digital images always use a copy of the image – never the original. You can re-edit images in many ways so don’t destroy your originals.

9. Calibrate. When editing and printing images, think about colour! You can adjust images on screen so they ‘look good’ but did you calibrate your monitor first? Most quality image software supplied with good digital cameras come complete with a method of calibrating your monitor so the images can be edited more accurately. The same is true of printer drivers. Look for these calibration tools and use them before editing images. There are professional calibration devices, but these can be expensive. A little bit of experimentation and a critical eye can achieve much.

10. Test print. Before sending an image file to an editor, produce a test print on the best settings your printer can achieve using high quality photo paper. If you have calibrated, it should be a close (but probably not perfect) match to what is on your computer screen.

Five Things You Should Not Do

1. Don’t expect an expensive camera to make you a pro. An inexpensive camera, in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing will produce better results than the most expensive camera in the hands of someone without a clue. Digital pictures still need creative inspiration, carefully considered exposure, framing and composition.

2. Don’t rely excessively on digital post editing. Yes, you can do marvellous things on the computer, but this is not a substitute for getting the best image you can in the first place. Post editing can also be costly and time consuming.

3. Don’t use mobile phone cameras. Maybe one day, phone cameras will match the low end of the digital camera market for image quality. However, they don’t right now so don’t expect editors to use images taken with phones - unless, of course, the image has national news significance and you are the only one that captured the moment!

4. Don’t forget to back-up. Safeguarding your valuable images is vital. If someone runs off with your laptop or a flood trashes your hard disk you may have lost your images for ever. Images on disk should be backed-up off-site and on-site.  Having key material as prints that are properly stored in a safe dry place can be the ultimate back up if disaster strikes.

5. Don’t panic. Remember your first driving lesson? Photography is like driving, the more you do it, the more you read the situation and cultivate good habits, the better you become and the more fun it will be.

Further Reading

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© Ainsworth Maguire