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Learn & Explore Tip of the Day

June 19, 2013

Take plenty of pictures. With the split-second nature of sports, it is extremely hard to capture every moment perfectly. Shooting a lot will increase the odds of getting the one great photo you'll want to share. Put the camera on continuous shooting to maximize your efforts.

June 18, 2013

Keep an eye on your LCD after you take photos of people, and when you find a particularly flattering shot, show it to them. Nothing makes a person relax like knowing that the photos you’re taking make them look good.

June 17, 2013

Sitting around a campfire and roasting marshmallows? You can get some great shots in the light of a fire, but remember that if the fire’s in the picture, the camera’s meter can be fooled by the brightness of the flames. Compose and meter your exposure on your subjects’ faces to expose them properly.

June 16, 2013

Take plenty of photos during your Father’s Day celebrations. Remember to print multiple copies, so everyone can have their own photographs of dad to cherish.

June 15, 2013

Planning to take a vacation by the beach? Look for a compact digital camera that’s waterproof, such as the Nikon COOLPIX AW110, S31 or get an underwater housing for your camera. You’ll be able to take your camera under water and capture what goes on below the surface.

June 14, 2013

Use panning for a different action shot. Slow down your shutter speed and follow the subject (panning) with your camera as you take the picture. This will blur/streak the background and keeps your subject in focus. Try to shoot about 1/30 of a second as you follow the action.

June 13, 2013

When shooting groups of five or more people, make sure you stagger them. Put tall folks in the back and the shortest ones in front. It may seem simple, but blocking out just one face can ruin a group portrait. Always tell them, “If you don’t have a clear view of me, the camera can’t see you.”

June 12, 2013

Want a unique video of sports action? Use the slow-motion mode that many Nikon digital cameras offer. By shooting the action faster than normal and played back at normal speed, your subject’s movements are slowed down and look more deliberate.

June 11, 2013

When shooting bodies of water, use a polarizer filter to reduce glare. It will increase the contrast of the overall image, making colors seem deeper and more vivid.

June 10, 2013

When photographing animals of any kind—pets, birds in flight, animals at the zoo—try to zoom in as close as you can or use a longer lens to isolate the animal from its background. By getting a close-up view you have a greater chance of capturing a wonderful expression on the face of the animal, which will give you a more interesting photograph.

June 9, 2013

Spend a day taking photos using the effects modes that your camera offers. Check your camera manual to see where to find the effects available on your specific camera.

June 8, 2013

Baseball games provide a lot of angles. Get low, near first base. From there you can see most of the infield action, plus home plate. Try shooting through the backstop with a long lens as the pitcher warms up. But don’t get too close to the action. You don't want to get hurt.

June 7, 2013

Check the weather before an outdoor event. Protecting your camera and lens is critical. Consider buying a rain hood for your camera. It will protect your camera and allow you to keep shooting. If you don’t have one, use a gallon-size plastic bag or trash bag with rubber bands to protect your gear.

June 6, 2013

When composing a sports picture, leave some room for the action. For instance, if a runner is going left to right, leave more room on the right side of the frame for him/her to run into. This will make a big difference on the impact of the image.

June 5, 2013

Change your white balance during a sunrise or sunset. Take your camera off auto white balance and switch to Cloudy or Shady white balance. This will add more strength to the reds, oranges and yellows. Auto White Balance tries to keep colors neutral.

June 4, 2013

Posing a bride and groom for photos is sometimes difficult. Concentrate on close shots of just the two of them, with clean backgrounds. Then create a fun group shot having them in the center, with others gathered around them. Just make sure no one gets in front of them. After all, it’s their day.

June 3, 2013

Use a polarizing filter to lessen or eliminate reflections from glass. This works really well on windows of stores or cars. But the trade-off is that your exposure will be a bit longer, as the light is cut down by almost two stops.

June 2, 2013

Try shooting panoramas if you’re at a sport stadium, beach or park, for more interesting images. Some Nikon Digital Cameras have an Easy Panorama mode or a Panorama Assist mode, which make these photos easy to capture.

June 1, 2013

Use a small flashlight to light up a scene. Put one behind or under an object at night to create an interesting glow or use it instead of a flash. Take long-exposure shots using a flash as a light source and you can create interesting glowing sections of your photos.

May 31, 2013

At a gathering of friends or family take an extra camera and let everyone know they can take pictures with it. Leave it out and let anyone grab it and shoot away. Then use one of the photo sharing sites to make sure everyone can get a copy of the photos they took.

May 30, 2013

At a wedding, watch what the photographer is doing and pick something different to shoot. If the photographer is shooting the cake cutting, take pictures of the band. If the photographer is shooting the bouquet toss with a wide-angle lens from behind the bride, use a telephoto to capture people trying to catch the flowers. You’ll capture a part of the wedding that wouldn’t have been documented otherwise.

May 29, 2013

Look around you when you’re shooting at sunset. The objects that look boring during the day magically come to life when the rays of the sun hit them. Buildings, cars and anything reflective take on a special quality at sunset.

May 28, 2013

Patience is a virtue. But it’s a necessity when taking pictures of children and pets. Slow down, watch and keep shooting. A healthy dose of patience can really pay off in much better pictures.

May 27, 2013

Bring your camera when you go to your local Memorial Day Parade. You can make great pictures of your children as they get ready, as well as while they’re marching on the parade route.

May 26, 2013

When photographing cars, try getting a different perspective. Use a wide-angle lens to capture the hood ornament with the hood stretched out behind. Get low and shoot up on the car. Grab a ladder and shoot a bird’s eye view. You’ll create a photograph that captures a car as art.

May 25, 2013

Babies are great subjects because they’re so darn cute. Focus on the teeny body parts with a macro lens. Pudgy hands, small ears, and teeny elbows—they’re even cuter when they’re the subjects of your photo.

May 24, 2013

Ask people to write down their e-mail address on a piece of paper and take a photo of that paper along with their photos. That way you’ll always have their e-mail address on file. Send them a copy of the photo as a thank-you for their time.

May 23, 2013

May 22, 2013

Planning to take a vacation by the beach? Look for a compact digital camera that’s waterproof, such as the Nikon COOLPIX AW100, AW110, S30, S31 or get an underwater housing for your camera. You’ll be able to take your camera under water and capture what goes on below the surface.

May 21, 2013

When shooting nighttime landscapes, use a low ISO (400 or below if possible) while working from a tripod. Open your aperture to F/4 or F/5.6. This will allow you to have a shot full of detail and of good quality. Remember that night shots need a subject, just like day shots.

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