Tips

Taking digital photographs can make even experienced photographers let some aspects of their practice slip occasionally. Being able to shoot and review on the spot, and the enormous scope for post-capture tweaking of images can make digital photographers careless. Standards slip and before long you find the shots on those memory cards don’t meet your expectations. Or maybe, there aren’t any shots at all!

Summer weather brings people out onto the streets, parks, sports fields, beaches and other public places. Given the proliferation of digital cameras and camera phones, it’s inevitable that lots of pictures will be taken. But few photographers understand what they can and cannot photograph and how they are entitled to use their pictures. In this feature we will provide some easily-understood guidelines.

All but the most basic of digital cameras offer a selection of metering modes, usually multi-pattern evaluative, centre-weighted and spot metering. Unfortunately, many photographers don’t know how to take advantage of these ‘advanced’ settings and leave their cameras set on the default multi-pattern mode. While this mode works well for a wide range of subjects, there are times when spot metering can deliver much better exposures because of the greater precision it provides for controlling which parts of a subject are captured with full detail.

Cloudy days can provide great opportunities for picture-taking with a digital camera because the cloud cover diffuses the light, turning the world into a gigantic softbox. This softer light is not only more flattering for portraiture, it also allows you to record more detail in both highlights and shadows -even with a compact digicam. The cloud structures can also provide some dramatic pictures – especially when storms threaten.

One of the key features of digital cameras – especially compact, fixed-lens models – is their limited dynamic range and tendency to record images with blocked-up highlights when shots are taken in contrasty lighting. Such conditions are common in Australia, where clear skies and brilliant sunlight can be found throughout the year. Over-expose in these conditions and the highlight areas will contain empty white pixels with no data whatsoever, and any detail in these areas will be irretrievably lost.

Have you ever wondered whether you could get away with using a point-and-click camera for vacation photos? The answer is simple: you can make do with a decent point and click camera, as long as you choose it carefully, know the camera, understand its limitations and accept the image quality sacrifices you must make.

Many photographers consider sunset shots an essential element in their photo albums. A few would add sunrise shots, although more effort is required to obtain them. Unfortunately, many shots taken at these times are disappointing. But they need not be if you take the right approach.