Step 1:
Camera: No matter what tips you get, if you don’t have a decent camera, you will never take a good picture. Did I say expensive? No. Get a decent one. Disposable cameras have become quite the fad but, the fact is, a disposable camera does not have the engineering that you need to take great photos consistently nor does a $10 wal mart camera in most cases. For roughly $30-$50 you can get a 35mm camera that will suit your needs. If you want to go digital, I encourage it. For less than $100 you can get a camera that will suit your needs and then some.

Step 2:
Quality/Resolution: One of the biggest factors when people use digital is the resolution and quality. Always use the highest quality. Some cameras call this fine mode or simply have a quality setting. This is how many dots per square inch the camera can take. Resolution is the size of the photo. A bigger photo means more dots which means you can take a better picture. If you want to print a 3x5 and you take your picture at 1 mega pixel, the photo will be grainy. If you like the shot and blow it up to 8x10, you will want to throw it in the trash. However, if you take a picture at 3 mega pixels, you can print amazing 3x5’s, 4x6’s and 8x5’s with no problem at all. Does your camera go up to 6 or maybe 8 mega pixels? Use it all! What if you decide you want a poster?All this means the photo takes up more space on the media card so, when you buy a digital, get the biggest media card you can afford. Your addiction to photos will require it. Quality and resolution are more difficult with film. It requires a quality camera with an adjustable armature to control the quality. Also, the size of the film affects the resolution which means having a different camera for each resolution you want to use. That’s not as practical as digital in this case.

Step 3:
Composition: OK, this one is important. Real life is in 3d but, pictures are in 2d. It is difficult to see depth in photos, especially close ups. Choose solid backgrounds whenever possible. If you have plants behind you, for instance, it may come out looking like a new interesting hair style in the photo. The second thing to consider is the layout of the picture. Can you see all the aspects of the picture that you want to see? Are they clear and in focus? For pictures of people, you may want to move them. For scenic pictures, try moving yourself until you can get everything you desire out of the picture. A rule that most photographers use is called the rule of thirds. It’s a 3x3 grid. Many cameras have these on the viewfinder. For some cameras, you can turn this functionality on and off. What this does is helps you line up the picture. Place people or other things points of interest on these lines. This will help the picture to be pleasant to the eye.

Step 4:
Light: If you are in a dark place, use a flash, obviously. But, whenever possible, use natural light. It looks better on film. When taking outdoor pictures, try to use indirect light. If you are looking at the sun, you will get a glare. If you have your back to the sun, you get a silhouette. Make use of red eye reduction when taking pictures of people, especially indoors.

Step 5:
Equipment: This can be important. Get a camera bag…and use it. This will protect your camera from functional problems and scratches on the lens. A tri-pod can be a useful tool as well. If you are taking a picture that is far away, it can be difficult to line up the shot and keep it in focus without one. It’s also useful when setting up family photos where you are using the timer on your camera.