Digital Camera

Night photographs express a special something that cannot be seen in normal daytime photography. Whether it is a photograph of a moon and starlit sky over a windy deserted beach, the excitement of a downtown cityscape when the lights go on, or just a picture of you and some friends in front of a favorite hangout, nighttime photos, when done right, are sure to attract attention.

However, even for experienced photographers, nighttime photography can be a tricky situation. Photos often look unfocused, blurry, or lacking crucial details, and many may not come out at all. There are some tricks, though, to taking spectacular nighttime photos with your digital camera, tricks that can be explained yet only completely learned through practice.

This first part of a three-part series on nighttime photography will cover tricks not necessarily related to digital camera settings, but tricks nonetheless that can result in better photographs or a more pleasing photo-taking experience.

* Although more expensive digital cameras do not necessarily result in better photos, realize that the cheapest cameras may not be capable of taking great photographs at night. It requires more work, both on your’s and the camera’s part, to take spectacular shots in very low-light situations. Though you don’t have to spend over a thousand dollars for night photography, don’t expect too much out of a sub-two hundred-dollar camera, either.

* Especially if you are not completely familiar with your camera’s settings to enhance nighttime photography, consider first taking some photographs around dusk, when the sun has not yet completely left the sky. Dusk photos can sometimes be even more dramatic than those taken in the pitch-black sky, as the added light helps illuminate details easily missed in a completely dark environment Check your local newspaper where you are shooting photographs or a website such as http://www.weather.com for sunrise/sunset times, and be ready to shoot around a 20-30 minute window for best results.

* Plan your photos before you shoot! While it is always a good idea to study an area first, this is crucial if you are planning on snapping photographs around dusk! You will not have much time to plan, and if you spend five or ten minutes just getting a perfect angle or framing the perfect shot, the overall lighting will change as the sun slowly sets. And of course, remember when composing your photos that the sun sets in the west.

* Be prepared for the environment. If you’re heading out by yourself, especially in a semi-deserted wilderness area, always carry a map so you remember how to get to your home, camp, or hotel. Check the weather before you go and wear a poncho or coat if necessary. Carry a flashlight, or, in the most extreme environments, a flare, to help others find you if you become lost. Also, bring along a WELL-CHARGED cell phone in case of emergency! You’re taking photos at night to have fun and create spectacular results. Be prepared for unexpected situations so they don’t ruin your experience.

While the results can be outstanding, night photography presents its own unique benefits and hazards. Not just any digital camera will do; lower-end models may not have the capability of taking spectacular shots. Timing is crucial, especially when taking pictures in the brief time between dusk and total darkness. And, the environment and weather can play havoc with your plans. By purchasing the correct equipment, studying the subject area before nighttime falls, and dealing with unexpected situations with the correct nighttime gear, you can be better prepared to take amazing nighttime photos.

Copyright 2004 Andrew Malek.

Andrew Malek is the owner of the MalekTips computer and technology help site at http://www.malektips.com. Visit his digital camera page at http://malektips.com/digital_cameras_help_and_tips.html for more digital photography advice.

A digital camera can appear complicated, but there are certain basic points that can be quickly learned and will help you become a better photographer. It is worth it to spend some time thinking about your camera’s pixel count, white balance, sensor, sensitivity, optical zoom, digital zoom, etc. These features will improve your pictures and increase the enjoyment you get from your digital camera.

A digital camera’s basic unit of measurement is its number of pixels. The clarity and resolution of your pictures improve with the number of pixels per square inch your camera has. Each pixel contains within it three color channels (red, green and blue) and carries a numerical value of between 0 and 255.

Digital camera manufacturers use the pixel count as one way to describe their product. The pixel count of low-end digital cameras are usually around 1 million, a number that seems large, but is strictly for beginners! Better digital cameras and those used by professionals range in the 14 million to 22 million pixels-per-image.

Pixel number also determines the quality of your pictures at a given size. For example, a 3MP camera can give you beautiful 4″x6″ prints, but would not give you the same quality at 5″x7″ or larger. A 4 or 5 MP digital camera is necessary for excellent quality bigger prints.

You should also be familiar with your digital camera’s digital sensor. The sensor element in most digital cameras is small, about the size of a fingernail, which is much smaller than a 35mm camera’s negative. Again, high-end cameras have the larger sensors, which produce better quality large prints.

Another helpful feature of your digital camera is the white balance. This is adjusted to suit the light source and keeps your colors true, ensuring that whites are pure and not yellow or blue looking. Generally, your digital camera adjusts automatically, but for a really beautiful shot, you can manually adjust to get results exactly as you want them.

A digital camera’s sensitivity setting is similar to ISO ratings on film. Generally, the sensitivity settings of digital cameras compare to ISO100 and ISO 200. Some have a setting for ISO 400. A few digital cameras with large sensors (and large price tags) have a setting for ISO 3200 or ISO 6400.

Another very important feature to be familiar with is optical versus digital zoom. Both are important, but for different reasons. Digital zoom physically crops the image to a smaller size; this cropped image expands to fill the frame. This cool feature allows you to cut out ugly background or focus on a particular object in the frame that might not be centered. Depending on the amount you “zoomed” out, there may a significant loss of quality in your pictures. The optical zoom lens actually changes the magnification and focal length, drawing subjects in and out depending on your desire.

Picture image storage can also be an issue and it’s important to familiarize yourself with the manner in which data is stored. Each pixel generates three bytes of data. A photographer using a modest 3MP will need an amazing nine million bites to store each picture! Compressing an image using a format called JPEG significantly reduces the file size, which causes a corresponding loss of quality. For some purposes, this loss is not important, but as a rule, it is not preferable. Digital camera manufacturers have come up with different storage format designed to minimize this data loss. The format is not uniform; for example, Nikon calls its process NEF, while Canon calls its format RAW.

For more information on the advantages of digital photography please visit Digital-Photo-Tips.info where you will find a digital camera buying guide and helpful information on how a digital camera works.