Originally Posted by Lars
1. Ditto to above.
2. Additionally, Plan the shot, Work the shotand don't ignore white balance.If you simply snap and go than that is probably what you will get and snap-shot.
3. Double check your exposure and focus on every shot when possible
4. If you can, seperate your autofocus and metering buttons and learn to use them individually---tricky at first, butyou will soon learn the benfits.
5. Practice with manual exposure settings----Its quicker and easier to adjust once you get the hang of it. When using creative modes or full auto, I often forget what settings I am using and end up blowing the shot. It is also more difficult to set exposure compensation, than it is to adjust on the fly when using manual.--For me any way.
6. Practice. If there is a particular kind of shot that you want, simulate it in your house or back yard and work it until you get the results that you arelooking for. I have gone as far as to put a stuffed animals on by back fence and take shots with different settings and different lighting until I basically got and idea of what I wanted and how to do it.
7. Don't get so involved with the technical that you forget the artistic---Compositionis key. A well composed shot that has some technical imperfections is vastly superior to a technically perfect, poorly composed shot
8. Work with things like Live view if available, mirror lock up, Exposure bracketing, exposure modes, focus modes, etc---Basically, learn your equipment.
9. Read about your craft.
I have some pretty good equipment, but if but if I don't follow some or all of these rules, my shots look like I took them with a $3 disposablecamera and I have thousands of these shots to prove it.
Just my 2 Cents worth.
Bob
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