Tip #2  Use Optical rather than Digital Zoom
 Why optical? Well lets start with digital zoom first. Digital zoom is not zooming in at all. it is a little program found inside all digital cameras. It is designed to enlarge a portion of the photo causing them to become blurry and graining.

So on to optical. Optical zoom uses the optics of the lens without giving you a blurry or grainy image. Seeing that digital is meant to act like optical zoom but with more draw backs. I would say that optical is definately the better choice.

Tip #3 Place your subject off center.
Rather than placing your main subject in the middle of the screen, place it to one side and ensure something interesting is in the background that fills the remainder of the image. A good way to do this is with the rule of thirds. When taking a photograph seperate it into third horizontally and vertically. Now place your subject on either one of the sides, or where the lines would intersect resulting in a pleasing easy on the eye picture, plus it helps with the tiny subject and to much extra space problem.

Tip #4 Take More, And Erase Your Shots
This one basicly says it in the title. Take more shots then you think you will need.  Then, every half hour to an hour go back and erase the ones that don't make the grade for you. or that you have a better copy of, if you don't have the time for this. Try to buy spare memory cards, so when that card is full you can put the shots on a larger storage device such as you computer, and work with them later.

Tip #5 Use A Tripod
Yes, tripods can be a hassle to carry around with you but they help you take great shots in two ways.  First, the part I hate most is the time it takes to get the tripod out, setup and get the camera into position. This isn't actually a bad thing. Yes it takes more time and make the shoot go allot slower but it helps you to be aware of your external surroundings a little more. You will be more focused on lighting and picture composition, and that will lead to a better finished product.

Second, The added advantage is your camera is more steady allowing you to take razor-sharp images - particularly in low light situations.

Tripod Tip : If you have a light weight camera, you might consider purchasing a ultra lightweight tripod. These are small, don't weigh much and easily fit in a backpack or camera bag.

Tip #6 Unusual Angles
Taking pictures at diffrent angels adds a little extra impact and impact is extremly important if you want them to stand out. Lets say you were taking a picture of a of a son or duaghter for thier parents. Naturally, you want to do it eye level and full face. Normaly that is not a bad idea but think about where this picture is going to go. Probably on a mantel with a hundred more.  I would take this shot at 2/3 positon, with the camera slightly raised, adding a more seirous and contemplative felling to the picture. This is just one way. Experiment...  You never know what you will find out...

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