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Inexpensive digital cameras make it easy and affordable for anyone to become a good photographer. Unfortunately, it takes more than a camera, even a good camera, to take high quality pictures. You must also educate yourself on the proper use of digital cameras.

Photography is an art form. It takes a certain way of looking at things to be able to take pictures that are truly impressive and rise above the ordinary. Fortunately, this can be learned and the skills get better with practice.

Let's begin by analyzing some common mistakes people make when taking digital pictures.

Not Knowing Your Camera

Your camera's manual is a valuable resource. Using it will help you to get the most from your camera's features.

Not Using a Tripod

Tripods help you to achieve sharper pictures, even in low light conditions. It's well worth the extra time and effort. You may not always be able to use a tripod, but it can greatly improve your results when this is possible.

Not Allowing Enough Time for the Camera to Focus

Digital cameras need some time to focus properly and to get the right exposure. Depending on the situation and camera, this could take a fraction of a second to several seconds. Get in the habit of accounting for this when taking pictures. A little patience goes a long way in improving your photographs.

Relying too Much on Zoom

Zoom is a great feature, but it does make the picture grainier, so it's preferable to get closer to the subject then to rely too much on zoom. Of course, keep safety in mind, too. A grainy picture is preferable to entering an unsafe situation.

Relying too Much on the Flash

Natural light generally provides the best pictures. Flash can make pictures look harsh and unnatural, so it's preferable to use natural light as much as possible.

Not Taking Enough Pictures

A digital camera with a good memory card can easily store many hundreds of pictures. This makes it easy to experiment. Try many different angles and compositions and simply delete the pictures you don't like.

Always Putting the Subject in the Exact Center

Pictures like this can get boring. Learn the rule of thirds in composition and you will achieve better, more interesting photographs.

Forgetting to Check the Horizon

If you can see the horizon, make sure its horizontal in the picture. This can be a good way to level your shots.

Selecting a Low Resolution Setting

It's generally not necessary to select a low resolution setting on your camera. It's better to buy additional memory for your camera than to rely on a low resolution setting just to save memory space. Digital memory keeps getting cheaper and it's a good investment for photographers.

Trying to Include too Much

Don't try to cram too many objects and or people into one picture. Pictures are usually more effective when they focus on a single subject. Simplicity is often better than unnecessary complexity.

Not Using the Camera

You never know when you will get a good opportunity to take some great pictures, so make a habit of always having your digital camera with you.

If you have a digital camera and enjoy taking pictures, chances are you have thought about making some extra cash with your photos. Digital photography is a hobby that is becoming more and more popular, as most people today have a digital camera in their home. If you just have a little bit of creativity digital photography can turn into a money making business. There are several different ways that you can use your camera to make money.


All it takes is a little imagination, a flair for showmanship, a bit of salesmanship and the willingness to do some work - and you are set.


If you are a digital photography hobbyist, the chances are good that you already have the equipment you need to get started. The first thing that you are going to need for this is a digital camera with features similar to those of a SLR film camera, along with a tripod for some occasions. You will also need an excellent printer or printing service.


You will also need good digital photo editing software. The best applications that you can use are Adobe Photoshop CS3, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Corel Paint Shop Pro X, and Adobe Photoshop Elemts 5.


You might want to invest a few hundred dollars in these programs if you want to get off to an excellent start.


Before we move on, this is a good time to clear up one misconception. Many people believe it's impossible to make money at photography these days. They explain that almost every person has a digital camera or a camera phone. Most people think that no one will pay for pictures when people can take their own pictures.


The answer is simple. The fact of the matter is that everyone has some sort of camera. However, how many people can really use them?


If you look closely at the pictures that most people take, you will see what I mean. Let's be honest. They're horrible. There are usually motion blur pictures from holding the camera the wrong way. bad color or lighting, Akwardly positioned objects. No composition skills. There are shadows on the subject of the picture. Even those people that know how to use photo editing software may need help when it comes to taking amazing pictures. You can only do so much with correcting a bad photograph.


What do you think is going to happen when these people try and print their photos. Undoubtedly, you?ve seen some of these images. The prints have poor resolution. This happens when the photographer had no idea how to adjust the camera settings to produce printable photos.


This is where you come in. Use your extensive digital photography skills to work up a few samples that you can show to potential customers and reel them in.


Maybe you do not think this is likely. I attended a birthday party recently and I am going to tell you about it. The hostess hired an amateur photographer who was striking out to start her own business, much like you are.


Almost everyone at the party brought their own digital cameras - but once the party got rolling, who remembered to take pictures? Those of us who did take snapshots were poorly positioned and usually couldn't get a good view of the scene.


The photographer received payment for her services. She then uploaded the pictures to her own website. Party-goers received the link by email. The photos were then downloaded, printed, or saved to the computer of those that attended the party.


This photographer had a good gig, since she didn't even have to bother with printing and delivering the work, although she received generous pay.


Pretty awesome, huh?


You can do this too. So, learn all you can about photography and photo editing, create a marketing plan, and get out there!