Photography Basics Camera Settings - How to Use Different Camera Modes in Your Photos

Before taking great photos, you need to familiarize yourself with your camera and learn how to control your camera exposure, use different camera modes, flash and choose between optical or digital zoom.

Most digital cameras have both optical and digital zoom capabilities. Optical zoom is the camera lens which brings an object closer in focus while digital zoom uses in-camera software to digitally enlarge a portion of the object's image without necessarily using the zoom lens.

Optical zoom is better for digital photography since digital zoom only enlarges the image surrounding using a portion of the image to enlarge back to full image size. This will normally cause loss of quality making your photos look blurry. In case you want to enlarge or crop your image, use a software program such as photoshop installed on your pc, to get better control over how your final image will look.

Most digital cameras allow you to set the camera when to start using digital zoom and when not to. Constantly reading your camera manual will also come in handy giving you enough time to concentrate on your image composition, background, and your subject.

It is very vital to learn how and when to use and control your camera flash more especially when using a digital camera, since most digital cameras have an in-built flash.

Flash feature often comes in handy during bright sunlight and helps eliminate dark shadows under the eyes and chin. It also emphasizes your focus object thus making it stand out from the background.

Turning your camera flash on, helps illuminate your object in a shade, when it is backlit, or where there's water reflecting sun's rays on your focus object. Such bright conditions often darkens your object's surface.

Always consider playing with your camera modes since most digital cameras have macro modes which helps with close-up shots of smaller objects or flowers. When using a macro mode setting, ensure that your camera is able to focus on your object before pressing the shutter button fully.

Digital cameras have different modes with tailor made settings suited for each camera. Feel free to use preset scene modes of your camera.