Photo Tips for Holiday Hits Series-#2

Hi , Are you avoiding the crowds at the mall today? How did your shots come out when you went back to the fundamentals? For this message, we're going to focus on some tips on cleaning up blur in your shots and lighting. A shooting strategy for sharper images. When photographing candids, portraits, or action, set your camera for continuous mode. This lets you take a rapid-fire series of images for as long as you press the shutter button. Firing off several shots right around the time you see an expression about to occur – or just before the critical point or the peak of action - increases your chance of getting the shot. -by Jim Miotke and Kerry Drager, from their new book, The BetterPhoto Guide to Creative Digital Photography How to get sharper pictures When you are forced to shoot in a low-light situation without a tripod, hold your breath as you very gently push the shutter button. Don't pounce on the shutter with enthusiasm and end up with a blurred image. Lean against a wall or brace yourself against a rock – anything you can find – for stability. That will help you get sharp images. Don't use an ISO that is inappropriately reduced for low lighting situations. We all should be shooting at 100 or 200 ISO to minimize digital noise. But there is no point in going this low if your pictures won't be sharp. If you are not using a tripod, you have to adjust your ISO until your shutter speed is fast enough to hand hold the camera. Making your pictures noise-free is irrelevant if they will be blurred. -Jim Zuckerman Avoid harsh overhead sunlight for outdoor portraits Instead, use soft and diffused lighting such as from an overcast sky or shade. Make sure the background is in shade, too. Don't photograph someone in the shade and have a background with direct sun or even sunny highlights. That will ruin the picture. -by Jim Zuckerman Be on the lookout for our next e-mail discussing more advanced ideas. Now get out there and get shooting! Thanks, Jim Miotke Founder and Owner, BetterPhoto.com P.S. Do you know anyone who you'd like to give the gift of photography? Maybe a gift to reward yourself? We're holding a big sale on Monday where you can stock up on courses for 2012 at 2011 prices! Be on the lookout for more info soon! BetterPhoto.com is the worldwide leader in online photography education, offering an approachable resource for photographers who want to improve their skills, share their photos, and learn more about the art and technique of photography. Click here to opt-out of future communications from BetterPhoto.com. The sender of this email is the BetterPhoto.com, Inc., 16544 NE 79th St Redmond, WA 98052