Three Ways to Improve the Lighting in Your Photos

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If you want to take a great picture with your point and shoot digital camera, you need to have great lighting. That much is a given. It’s why so many leave their flash on either the automatic setting or permanently on.

The only trouble is that most point and shoot digital cameras’ flashes aren’t very good. Manufacturers have a tendency to put the flash too close to the close, which causes photos to look too bright or even washed out. In fact, it’s typically better to just turn point and shoot digital cameras’ flashes off.

So if lighting is one of the tricks to taking great pictures, and if the flash doesn’t work well, how then are you supposed to use a point and shoot digital camera properly?

Easy. You pay attention to the natural lighting, or you find ways to bring more light in. Here are a few tips to help you snap awesome photos with your point and shoot digital camera.

Use the Sun.

What better source of light could there be than the sun? That big, glowing ball of fire in the sky is literally the best light source in the solar system, and can help you take some really great pictures with your point and shoot digital camera. You can also do some interesting things with shadow, depending on how you position your subjects. Try turning your subject so that the sun is to their left or right, and see how half their face is cast in shadow for a cool, dramatic looking portrait.

Move Your Lamps.

If you’re shooting indoors, you have much, much more control over your light sources. You can move lamps and other lights around for optimal lighting. Change light bulbs to make things brighter, darker, or even multi-colored. Ensure that everything is evenly lit — nothing is too bright or too dark. Shooting indoors is often the best place to shoot because you have so much control over the light. If a room is too dark, consider turning on more lights, or bringing in a new light source.

Try Diffusing the Light.

To diffuse light is to soften the light. The softer the light, the less harsh and dramatic it is, which is typically preferable. Clouds and trees are two natural objects that diffuse light, so if you’re shooting outside and the light is a bit harsh, try going to somewhere more cloudy or to a place with more foliage. If you’re shooting indoors, you can cover your light source with a piece of paper or light cloth to diffuse it.

In order to take great photos with your point and shoot digital camera, you need to make sure you have good lighting. Though online digital camera stores have a plethora of different equipment that can help, it’s more economical to use the light sources found naturally in or around your location.

If you have any questions about point and shoot digital cameras, feel free to ask in the comments. Helpful sites.

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