A Better Shot II: Learn to use Your Camera

Hey guys!

This is my second, "A Better Shot" post so far, and today I will be teaching you one of the most fundamental principals to taking better photos. In today's quickly advancing technological field, cameras with dozens of crazy features are the norm. Optical image stabilization, sports mode and manual white balance can all be found on a decent camera (probably around $150). And a simple way to take better photos is to know how to access and use these modes found on your camera (I may go into greater depth in future posts about how to use specific shooting modes).

Let me give you an example. My camera is a digital Panasonic DMC LS2. It is a basic point and shoot camera and has lots of features. Here... let's see. There is auto shooting mode, "simple mode" (for beginners), macro mode, sports mode, portrait, night portrait, starry sky and fireworks mode, just to name a few. For example; sports mode increases the shutter speed from around 1/150 or 1/200 on a sunny day to around 1/500 when there is sufficient lighting. This of course, can be very useful when taking pictures of a beach volleyball match or other outdoor sports game. The portrait mode enhances the "flesh tone" of a person's skin to reduce the visibility of blemishes and other marks. And of course, starry sky mode enables you to set the exposure from 15 all the way up to 60 seconds. As you know, my profile picture was taken using that mode on a 15 second exposure.

The point is, by using the proper features and settings at the appropriate time, you can get a much better picture than by just using "auto" mode. Here is an example:
















The top picture was taken using auto mode. The bottom picture was taken using the white balance setting "cloudy skies". Which one do you think looks better? The one on top, in my opinion, looks harsher and colder. In the bottom picture, the color tone of the sand is brought out more and the whole picture has a different feel. Although this might not be the best example, you get what I mean. Using these different modes can produce totally different photos than if you just use auto mode.

Here is another example; this photo of a Burton logo is very clear and sharp. It is easy to see the details of the printing and the textures of the bag. I took this shot using macro mode which enables you to take close up shots with good clarity and detail.

So before you sling your camera for your next camping trip, take a few minutes and get to know that 20-mode dial on top of your camera a bit better. Trust me, it will pay off.

kamster