If you’re like me and love to take photos, I’ve got some suggestions to take even better pictures in the new year and to take better care of those precious memories.
1. Take more pictures. Don’t just save the camera for special events, get shots of everyday life, too. Take photos of your house and the rooms inside and pictures of your yard and your neighborhood and your town. Someday those photos could be great memories for you and a touchstone for your family. Go out on a spring day and get nice shots of your tulips and other budding plants. Capture your kids playing in the driveway. Go for a walk in the park and take shots of the squirrels. Either keep your camera with your, or if you have a smartphone, familiarize yourself with the camera.
2. Learn more about your camera. Whether you use the camera on your phone or a fancy DSLR model, make sure you’re familiar with all the settings, modes, and possibilities for the device. If your camera has an option to turn off auto-focus and auto-flash, do it. Play around with manual focus and experiment with modes like panorama. It might be challenging at first, but you it will result in improved images.
3. Get the images off your camera! With the advent of digital photography, it’s easy to leave thousands of photos stuck on your camera or your phone. Make sure you back up those images to your PC or the cloud just in case something happens to your device or the storage card in it.
4. Organize your photos! Break your digital photos up into files organized by date or subject. You’ll probably discover that you have hundreds of images you don’t even remember taking. Also, make sure to share those images with family and friends. Get the special photos printed off and framed.
5. Try new equipment! Whether it’s a tripod or an extra light or even just getting a good camera case, equipment can make all the difference. A tripod can lead to stable and better-framed shots. A light kit and reflector can lead to much better family portraits.
Trying one or two or all of these ideas can make taking and managing photos a better experience this year.
~ Cynthia