Digital Photography Simplified

1 Getting Ready to Take Pictures

Set Up Your LCD for Optimum Use

Viewfinder or LCD -- Which to Use?

Choose a Resolution and File Type

Choose a Memory Card

Hold the Camera for Sharpness

Choose a Program Mode

Using Your Camera's Autofocus

2 Taking a Better Picture through Composition

Simple Pictures Work Best

Get Close to Your Subject

Find a Foreground

Watch Your Background

The Rule of Thirds

When Centered Is Good

Where Heads Belong

Watch Your Edges

Shoot Verticals and Horizontals

3 Using Light to Your Advantage

See the Light

Shadows Are Important

Light Can Hurt Your Photos (What to Avoid)

Low Front Light Can Be Beautiful

Make Textures Show Up with Sidelight

Separate with Backlight

Add Impact with Spotlight

Turn On Your Flash When the Light Is Harsh

Time of Day Changes the Light

Try Out Night Light

4 Understanding Exposure and White Balance

What Your Camera Meter Does

The Problem of Underexposure

The Problem of Overexposure

Correct Exposure Problems

What Is White Balance?

When to Use Auto White Balance

When to Use Definite White Balance Settings

Using White Balance Settings Creatively

5 Choosing Shutter Speed and F-Stop

Control Exposure with Shutter Speed and F-Stop

Stop Action with Fast Shutter Speeds

Blur Action with Slow Shutter Speeds

Increase Depth-of-Field with Small F-Stops

Create Shallow Depth-of-Field with Large F-Stops

ISO Settings Affect Exposure Choices

6 Getting Maximum Sharpness

Minimize Camera Movement

Focus on the Most Important Part of the Subject

Choose F-Stop or Shutter Speed for Appropriate Sharpness

Get Maximum Sharpness with a Tripod

Get Sharpness with Other Camera Supports

7 Getting the Most from a Lens

Get a Big View with a Wide Angle

Get a Tight View with a Telephoto

Zoom for Best Compositions

Choose Focal Lengths for Different Subjects

Closeups and Lenses

Focal Length and