Point and Shoot help

[naznomore_92]

Hello everyone I am a beginning photographer and am very excited to get started. Everyday I grab my little Nikon L18 and go take pictures like a mad man. It is great and I am really enjoying learning. What I need help with is everything. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to get good pictures with a point and shoot camera, or if you know of any good websites that help in this area. I want to learn so any help will be greatly appreciated.

Naz:thumbsup:

[Lori11]

Hi and welcome! Im sure there are site to help, Im sure Nikon has one too. I am one of those people who learns by doing, trial and error basically (thank god for digital or I would be broke lol) take shots, post them and you will get a wealth of information!

[naznomore_92]

Thanks for the post. I have been looking at some different sites ,just want as much info as I can get. I am a reader and a doer so I have been taking a lot of practice pictures and reading a lot of books. I checked out your smugmug pictures they are great. Thanks again.

[polarbeardiggers]

actually if you own the nikon camera you should check out nikon's site digitutor,and look for your camera,it will play a video of all your settings and proper uses for each that should give you a great understanding not only how to shoot but your own features to master on your particular nikon camera.

[Asylum Steve]

I want to learn so any help will be greatly appreciated...

Well, the principles of good shooting apply regardless of what type of camera you use. Basic composition rules also...

The main things you should concentrate on are: learning to focus on critical areas of the frame, holding the camera very steady so as not to shake and affect shaprness, and learning which auto modes are best for different situations. Yep, there's a lot of trial and error involved.

Remember, movement is frozen by shutter speed, so if having moving things still is important, use shutter-priority mode.

Aperture (lens opening) affects depth of field, so if lots of in-focus elements are important to the shot, use aperture-priority mode.

Don't be afraid of using on-camera flash in daylight. It often acts as a "fill" that opens up shadows and makes the shot much better.

Most of all, have fun, and don't worry about "discards". As your shooting improves, the rejects will be less and less...