Digital Passport Photo Tips #1: Don’t Assume that DigiCams Do All The Work!
Digital Passport Photo Tips – Maybe you have heard something like this before : The better the cameras, the better the photos. In this effect, you might have thought of digital cameras. Many believe that these models are just a one-click away for great photos. Do you also believe on this?
Ponder on the following article and the appropriate answer will be revealed to you.
The rivalry between film cameras and digital cameras is ongoing. How come? Three mega pixels digital cameras have an array of choices for consumers, which is already comparable to 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 of 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
Get Rid of Artefacts
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 and 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 great 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 photographer using your digital cameras. Practice these tips so you can maximise 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] Polariser
A polariser should always come in handy when taking those general outdoor shooting. Polarised shots have more saturated and richer colours because unwanted reflections and glare are minimised or even removed.
If your digital camera can not accommodate a polariser, 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 polariser can be maximised when the light source is perpendicular to the object.
3. Shining Outdoor Portraits
One of the most useful and amazing features of digital cameras is the flash-on or fill-flash mode. This feature allows you to take control of when to use the flash. It simply goes on whenever you want it available. This helps in capturing great outdoor photographs.
The camera exposes the background first and then adds enough flash to illuminate the subject when you are using the flash-on option. Wedding photographers have been using this technique for many 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 emphasise 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 camera’s 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 best shot at a straight picture, then take another picture after repositioning the camera. Afterward, 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 megapixels and a 256 MB memory card
b. for 4 megapixels and a 512 MB memory card
c. for 6 megapixels and 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 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 great image of the century and enough for the portrait to be printed on 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 of whether to bring a tripod around or to do without it. The UltraPod IIô 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 to 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 from 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 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.
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 polariser 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?
Finally, should you need a digital passport photo for online application, please connect with the id experts at ThePhotoApp.Co.UK
