Now that you know how to read your light meter, you need to understand how the different settings on your camera affect the light itself. Aperture is an adjustable opening inside your camera lens that adjusts the amount of light that can travel through the lens. Aperture is used in conjunction with other settings to control the maximum amount of light that can reach the film/sensor.

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Photography is all about light. Our photographs are recorded light. How we control the available light and add additional light when needed is basis for all photography. There are numerous controls and methods for controlling light available to today’s photographer.

Your camera’s light meter is your link to understanding how your camera sees light. This device takes into account all of the settings on your camera (aperture, shutter speed, film speed, etc) and tells you what type of exposure that combination plus the available light will create on film/sensor. The first step to understanding photography lighting is to understand this tool for measuring light.

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Red-eye is a common problem, not only with digital cameras but with standard film cameras as well. Why? The flash is generally located close to the lens and the subject is usually looking into the lens of the camera. The light from the flash will bounce off the retina and reflect back to the lens, along the way however it will pick up the hue from the blood vessels in the eye and hence you get the "red" eye.

A few tips to avoid this problem:

• Try profile shots or position your subject so they are not looking directly at the lens
• If indoors try turning on as many lights as possible to avoid the brilliance of the flash
• If your camera has a red-eye reduction mode try to use that

Here are some helpful hints when taking pictures.

Take Lots of Shots – Remember that you are using a digital camera.  It’s almost free due to the fact that just because you took the picture it doesn’t mean you have to print it.  You can easily delete the pictures you don’t want or that don’t come out well.

Keep the Camera Still – Camera movement is still the usual cause of blurry pictures. If you find you are unable to keep the camera steady, invest in a small tripod or try leaning against something to help steady yourself.

When to Use a Flash – Most cameras have an auto flash but you may not need it on all the time. If at all possible try using "natural" light.  If this isn’t possible, using regular lamps and try different ways of muting the light to get the effect you are looking for.

Picture Posing – It isn’t necessary to get someone to pose for that great shot.  Even the best portrait shots sometimes are from spur of the moment pictures.  Saying "cheese" or "smile" may only get the smile action but not the emotion.  Try making your subject laugh. It will make a much better picture.

Camera Angle – There ’s nothing wrong with placing your subject in the exact center but there might be a better picture to be captured.  Even with portraits, a slightly off-center picture can give it character depending on how the subject is positioned.  One of the best pictures I have ever seen is from a mom looking down at her sleeping baby with its arms outstretched.  The baby’s hand was actually in the center of the photograph and made a great visual impact.

Many new cameras offer a digital zoom option.  This can be a great option if you know how to use it properly but in most cases, it is better if you just turn this option off.

Many believe that the digital zoom will allow you to catch additional detail that an optical zoom may not be capable of doing.  Instead it uses

What Story Are You Wanting To Tell?

There are many reasons to take a particular picture.  You can be just taking a recording of a moment or you may be trying to capture the emotion of the moment.  Is it a picture you want to give to someone else because you know they will want to keep that moment in their mind forever?  Is it a picture that you will add to other shots so you have a complete recording of a particular event?

The reason why this question is so important is because it will effect the picture in ways of how you frame it, the exposure, and many other factors. If you are trying to capture a particular emotion, the focal point will be the face of your subject and you may want to blur out the background slightly to give it that special effect.  If it is an event, you may want to make sure that you have something commemorating the event in the background of your subject.  An example would be that if you wanted to take a picture of the excitement on a five year old child’s face when they first see their birthday present, you will want to make sure you have something in the background like a banner wishing the child a Happy 5th Birthday.

Always stop before taking the shot and think about what you are trying to tell so you will always capture that perfect picture.

Take Plenty of Photos

The more photos you take, the better the chance several will come out great.

Capture the Emotion of a Great Play
Capture players’ expressions with your digital camera.
 

A Long Zoom is Essential
Take great sports photos even if you are in the ‘cheap seats’.
 
Fast Shutter Speed is Crucial
Prevent your sports photography from becoming blurry.
 
Don’t Forget the Scoreboard
Snap a few scoreboard photos to help tell the story of a sporting event.
 

Anticipate Shutter Lag
A digital camera’s slow shutter speed can prevent you from taking great photos if you don’t plan for it.
  
Capture the Anticipation of a Moment
Tell a story with your sports photography on the events leading up to a play.
 
Look for the Unexpected
Sometimes the most interesting sports photo opportunities are not found on the playing field.
 

Increase ISO Settings
Reduce your required digital camera shutter speed by increasing your ISO.
 
Bring Plenty of Batteries
Ensure your digital camera does not run out of power when taking sports photos.
 
Prepare for the Elements
Don’t let the rain, wind, sleet, or snow keep you from taking great sports photos.
 
Capture the Interactions Between Teammates
Photograph how a team responds to a key moment in a sporting event.
   
Burst (Continuous Drive) Mode can be Useful
How burst (rapid shot, or continuous drive) mode can aid your sports photography.
 

I find it quite amazing how well you can get that perfect photo of the snowy landscape with your digital camera.  Being in the outskirts of Buffalo definitely gave me plenty of opportunity for the shot that just makes others go "Wow, what an amazing shot!" As much as I would love to take the credit, I do understand that my digital camera is what makes the picture look that wonderful. Both of the attached photos were taken out of a moving vehicle’s back window.

If you have a landscape mode on your camera, trust it. Most of the time it will get that perfect shot without much effort or changing of settings. 

These photos were taken on an overcast day with no snow falling.  They almost look like they are in black and white.  The best winter landscapes you can get are usually found with a spec of color somewhere.  A red robin in a tree, a nice dilapidated but colored tractor would have made the top picture perfect.

Although I know this sound like an oxymoron, but if with the sun had been shining, the second photo really would have the "it" factor of being a professional photo. With the sun glinting off the trees, the lighting would have amazing to have the contract needed to make the picture "pop" off the page for you.

I suggest you go for a Sunday drive and take as making photos as your memory card will allow and I’m sure you will see something that will take your photographs to the next step.

There are a few basic tips when trying to photograph fireworks. I have found that using digital cameras to take this type of pictures is much easier simply due to the fact that after the first one, you can check to make sure the camera settings are correct before taking that next picture.

One of the most important tips that I can share with you is to secure your camera.  Using a tripod is the best option for ensuring the camera does not shake and blur your photos. You will need longer shutter speeds so this is a very important task.  Because you will be using a tripod, the need for preplanning is a necessity.  The camera will need to be aimed where you think the fireworks will be set off. I tend to take wide-angle shots of fireworks simply due to the fact that with digital photography, I can crop as much as I’d like to get the same effect using the computer.

Once the camera is setup and aimed properly, you need to get the camera options setup.  The aperture should be set somewhere between f/8 to f/16. You will need to set the shutter speed for a nice long exposure. You will need to experiment with several before learning what is too short or too long.  Also, set your ISO to 100.  This should allow for nice clean shots. Please don’t forget to turn off your flash.  This can override some of your other settings to ruin that perfect shot.

Keep Snapping – Take as many pictures as you can. You can quickly go through and delete the ones you don’t want to keep and store the ones you do onto your computer.

Know the features – Different phones come with an array of different options. Learn what your phone is capable of doing and take advantage of it.

Be Courteous – Ask permission before you take someone’s picture. Be mindful of others right to privacy. Also ask permission before sharing photos of friends and loved ones.

Use High Resolution – Check your phone’s settings. Setting the resolution to its highest will lead to better quality pictures.

Be Creative – Try different angles. Turn your camera, step up on something, kneel down, anything to make the shot creative and unique.