Photography has changed a lot over the years, from black and white darkroom photography to semi-pro digital cameras, to today’s high end DSLR workflow. I’ve loved working with every one of them, but I’m here to tell you that you don’t necessarily need a ton of cash or super expensive lenses to shoot like a pro.  And while I can’t promise that my pointers will turn you from casual photographer to paid profession, these 5 tips are sure to help you maximize your camera and your subjects for better pictures.

1.) Maximize Your Digital Camera Settings

Before we get started on actually taking pictures, I want to start you off with some menu settings and tips that are going to get you off on the right foot.  To begin, you should make sure that you are shooting in the highest format possible. In most camera’s, this is via high quality JPG, but you should be sure to take advantage of shooting in RAW format if you camera has the capability.  Since RAW is able to translate your picture with the least amount of “lost” data, it lets your get clearer shots and give you the best possible starting point before you start editing your images in post.

Here’s an example of some menu settings you might see on your own camera when experimenting with your image settings.

Next, you should make sure to turn off any unnecessary sounds (like menu beeps and artificial shutter sounds).  When it comes to family photography, ominous beeping is sure to distract the kids, and if you’re trying to get a shot of wildlife, there is nothing more likely to scare away your subject like unexpected clicking.  These sounds might be reassuring for a first-time photographer, but they’re sure to sabotage you the next time you’re trying to get that perfect shot.

Finally, and this may seem like an obvious tip for some of you, but you should turn off your digital zoom function!  I know that a lot of camera’s advertise digital zoom as an added value, but digital zoom diminishes pixel resolution the closer you zoom onto your subject. Even on a clear day with perfect lighting, your shot could end up looking like a grainy picture of Bigfoot if you try and extend your camera’s range with the digital zoom.  Instead of zooming in, you should try walking towards your subject if you need to be closer.  And if you think that you’ll be taking long-distance pictures on a regular basis, it might be time to consider a higher-end camera rather than relying on your digital zoom.

2.) Maximize Your Gear

We’ve all been there, you’re about to shoot the image of your dreams until you see a “no memory” alert on your LCD, or worse, your battery goes dead mid-picture.  These little heartbreaks can really leave you with a bad taste in your mouth, and sour folks on photography.  I know that I promised you didn’t need to spend big bucks to shoot like a pro, but here are a few small investments that work with any camera and will help you get that dream picture.

First, I would really recommend that you buy at least two large memory cards (Think 32 or 64GB SxS cards).  Remember when I told you to shoot in high quality JPEG and RAW?  Well those photos are going to take up more space on your memory card than the lower-quality photo files otherwise might.  If you want to keep on shooting high-quality pictures without running out of memory, a few large memory cards are a must.  And while you’re out shopping, go ahead and pick-up an extra battery at your local camera store or over at B&H.  I can’t tell you how often an extra battery has paid off for me.

Here is an example of a compact bare-bones gear kit.

Another fine addition to your camera kit are these compact little tripods.  These guys attach to anything and are compact enough to fit into almost any camera bag.  And if you don’t have a bag for your camera, memory cards and shiny new tripod, take a look here for a compact gear bag to hold all your goodies.  Be sure to throw in a nice lens cleaning cloth too. They’re only a few cents and are a lifesaver if you’re shooting in the tropics, near waterfalls, or on a boat.  Now that you’ve maximized your camera settings and you’re gear, lets get down to the magic of creating your images.

3.) Manual Focus and Controlling your Frame

A lot of digital cameras have come out in the past few years that feature a manual focus option, but they don’t always work very well. And whether your camera has a manual function or not, here is a ridiculous little trick that will help you focus on some of those hard-to-get shots.  A classic example (and hard to focus-shot) is a spider in a web. Cameras rarely know how to focus on the spider or even the web automatically, but you can trick the lens by focusing your camera on the palm of your hand first. Make sure you are holding your hand the same distance away from your camera that you wish to be shooting your spider web from. As you focus on your palm, hold the shutter halfway down to get the camera to focus on your hand. DON’T LET GO!  Now, keeping your finger halfway down on the shutter, gently move your hand away from the lens, and move your camera towards the spider web. Move the camera backwards and forwards until you see the spider in focus, then press the shutter all the way down.

Here is a lucky shot of a crab spider in Costa Rica.

You may have to try it a couple different times with different lighting on your hand to get the results you want, but this technique was an amazing fix for me when I was nowhere near being able to afford a DSLR with interchangeable lenses or a manual focus. The other great thing about this trick is that it allows you to compose the frame however you like as long as you’ve got your focal distance right.

4.) Photo Yoga

Ever try to take a picture in low-light and it keeps coming out blurry? Forgot to bring your tripod to steady the camera? Well, then I’d suggest “photo yoga”.  I call it photo yoga because sometimes the perfect shot requires you to create your own, weird contorted tripod to get your shot.  Sure, you look ridiculous with your butt in the air, your legs spread into a near-split with one arm against a tree, but your picture will be sharp as a tack.

Here is an example of low light conditions, taken in Krabi, Thailand.

I often shoot a few inches off the ground, so for this I use both hands on or against the camera while extending my bottom fingers to make little finger tripods on the ground. And just like yoga, you need to consider your breathing. If you’re not breathing right, your hands will be shaky and your picture will blure. For those of you who have fired a gun or shot a bow, this is the same technique. You simply aim, exhale nice and slow and when you’re about halfway through your breath, fire! – I mean hit the shutter.

5.) Lighting is Your Problem

No matter how fabulous your camera is, it doesn’t know when your subject is unintentionally backlit or over-exposed. If you want to save yourself a lot of headache, try and be aware of the natural light sources around you, and what angle the light is coming from. For example, if you’re in an interior space with (always crappy) incandescent lighting and a window with natural light, try and place your subject nearest to the window/  Then, stand across from them as close to the wall that your window shares as possible. Does that make sense?  If you did it right, your subject will be lit from one side, creating a dynamic picture.

This is our friend’s dog, “Buddy”. Dogs are fun to photograph, if you can get them to sit still WHILE looking at the camera.

Examples aside, you can really make your pictures amazing by placing your subject in good lighting. We’ll write something soon about how to light a subject when shooting at night, but in the meantime, unless you have an understanding of advance flash systems, don’t use your flash on your digital camera.

I hope you found these tips useful.  If you feel like you’ve got a good handle on these, be sure to stay tuned right here for more advanced tricks of the trade.  And if there’s anything special that you’re curious about, drop us an email and we might write a special blog just for you.