Digital Cameras - Get to know your digital camera

by Dan Feildman

Your digital camera exposure time determines how long your digital camera takes to record its picture. On a well-lit day, exposure times can be very short because plenty of light is available to help record a photograph. At nighttime, exposure time can increase dramatically due to the near absence of light. Although most digital cameras handle this adjustment automatically, you should learn how to adjust your exposure time by hand. Read your digital camera's manual for instructions.

Most higher-end digital cameras support a histogram feature that can be displayed before or after you take a photo. Though it looks like a complex chart, a histogram is merely a representation of an image's brightness, and whether or not it has rich shadow and highlight areas. Without going into science or a lot of details, here's how you can use your histogram while taking pictures. If the histogram is weighted towards the left side with vary little if any curvature near the right, your photo will most likely be underexposed (too dark). Use your exposure compensation tool to brighten the image. Consider a slower shutter speed to allow more light to enter the camera lens. Note that there are exceptions. Are you taking photos of fireworks in a night sky? Since most of the picture will be dark your histogram should naturally be weighted towards the left.

What do you do when you leave your tripod at home and you see an awesome shot? There are several things you can do, its not the end of the world. If you are using autofocus mode, your digital camera may have a shutter button that requires you to press halfway down to focus, then fully down to take the picture. If you are experiencing camera shake, get the camera to focus on the subject by pressing the button down half-way, then press the button down fully and keep your finger pressed on the button until the camera has taken the picture.

While sunrise and sunset photos are nice, unless the scene contains spectacular colors, huge clouds, or fast-rolling waves (at a beach), too many of these photos can be bland. Try to add a silhouette, such as: A person or people; An animal, such as a bird or a dog; A sailboat or other watercraft; Trees or shrubs; An expansive bridge To get certain subjects into your photo may require patience, but they help add depth and perspective to your photos.

During travel you could experience and might want to go to places that are cold. When the weather gets much colder, especially as it gets below freezing, take care to not breathe on your digital camera. Tiny water droplets in your breath could form condensation on your digital camera lens. If this happens, immediately wipe the moisture off with a lint-free cloth, lest it completely freeze and possibly cause damage.

Looking for ways to take 'aerial' photography of a large city without taking a helicopter ride or paying to stand in a skyscraper's observation deck? One place you may have not thought about is a garage. A large parking garage with a high vantage point can provide great locations from which to take photos from high above street level. However, don't trespass, and don't arouse suspicion! Bringing along a tripod or taking too long to frame a photo might raise the ire of security guards. Some places don't allow you to take photos altogether, and even if you pay for a parking spot, you might be considered a trespasser or possibly a security threat. So just take a few quick hand-held photos and move on as to not attract attention.

If you are just starting out taking photos at night, check to see if your digital camera has a special night program or scene mode - read your camera manual. This mode will adjust your camera settings, tuning it to low-light conditions and possibly allowing you to take better night photos than if you were fumbling through other options. If you're not sure about adjusting exposure times and have no idea what ISO means, a one-touch setting may be all you need.