How to take better digital photos?

The following are a few tips on how to take better digital photos:

1. Look beyond the subject. Before you press the shutter button, look beyond your intended subject to make sure that there are no distracting objects behind the subject. For example a utility pole or a tree jutting out behind a person's head.
2. Compose carefully. Take time to make sure what you see now, before taking the photo, is what you want to see as the finished "product". This act of creating the photo that you want is called "composing". To improve composition, you may have to zoom in or out, or adjust your position by moving left-right or back-forward. In some instances you may be able to ask the subject to adjust their position.
3. Steady the camera. If the camera shakes at the instant you take the photo, the resulting photo or image will be severely blurred. To avoid "camera shake", hold your breath at the instant of taking the photo and press the button gently; do not abruptly jam down on the button. If you are using an SLR or a camera with an electronic viewfinder, which I prefer, look at the scene through the view finder, tuck your elbows into your body and gently squeeze the button.

I hope these three (3) tips will help you to take better digital photos and also make you picture taking experience more enjoyable.

Please let me know if these tips were useful and also let me know what other areas you may need help with.

Trevor Headley

Founder of Digital-SLR-Photography