Five Easy Tips to Make Your Digital Photography Five Times Better

There's no doubt that the advent of the digital camera has made photography much easier for the average person. And while it's true that you can often "point and click" and achieve a reasonable results, it's not that hard using a little technique and "know how" to improve your photography substantially. Here are five easy tips that will make your digital photographs at least five times better.

1. Think about composition

Always try your best to compose your pictures correctly at the time you take the photo, ensuring you crop tightly and remove unwanted elements from your photo. Many people are tempted not to worry about composition, thinking that they'll simply edit the photo on their computer. However, cropping your image on the computer reduces image detail, and your pictures lose sharpness and overall quality.

2. Get close to your subject, fill the frame

A common mistake made by beginners is allowing the subject to get lost in the background. If you're taking a photo of someone, get as close to them as possible. You can do this by moving closer to them or by using your optical zoom. Don't be afraid to zoom in to remove distracting backgrounds.

3. Avoid placing the subject dead centre

One of the easiest ways of ensuring a boring photograph is to the place your subject exactly in the centre of the photo. One way around this is to mentally divide your image into thirds, and place your subjects along these imaginary one-third lines. You'll be surprised at what a difference this can make.

4. Draw the viewer into the photo

Want to create photos that draw the viewers into photo? One technique is to use leading lines, such as roads or fence lines, natural frames, such as door ways, to lead the viewer's eye to the subject.

5. Consider lighting when taking a photo

Many beginners overlook that lighting plays an important part in photography. While the professionals can afford the latest lighting equipment, there's a lot that a beginner can also do to make their photographs special. Try taking photographs at different times of day - the early morning in particular offers opportunities for taking dramatic images. When indoors try using window light. Avoid taking photos in harsh, bright conditions, particularly in the middle of the day.