Even the most experienced photographers can find taking shots of wildlife a challenge. To get the best pictures, tricks of the trade need to be learned and practiced before venturing out into the field. Setting up your equipment and framing your shots has to be done quickly. One way in which to practice set-up and framing can be done by taking pictures in your own yard and/or local parks of your own animals (if you have them).

With your own animals you have the opportunity to study their behavior up close and personal so you can then anticipate what will happen next. Ultimately, the more knowledge you have about your subject, particularly in the case of animals, the better pictures you will get. Here are some tips on how to get the best shots of animals [and birds] in the wild:

Practice taking shots of moving targets. Learning how to pan moving targets will allow you to take dramatic photographs with a sense of speed.

Always keep your camera at the ready – unexpected things can happen when out in the wild. If using a digital camera, make sure it has enough memory and is fully charged. Ensuring you have batteries on hand is also a must.

Knowledge is key when setting out to photograph wildlife. Wherever it is you decide to go to take pictures, make sure you research that particular area in advance of arrival so you know what to expect in terms of what kind of animals and birds you will see there. Knowing an animal’s habitat can go a long way to figuring out where to find them and what type of behavior you might encounter.

Once you have reached your destination, make sure to walk and move quietly as you search for animals and birds to photograph. By learning to be immobile, you will ensure that your presence doesn’t startle or threaten the wildlife around you.

All of your senses will become more important then ever when out photographing wildlife. You need to use your eyes to observe what’s going on around you, your ears so as to detect movement and sounds, and even your nose to try and smell an animal that could be right there [beside you] but is in hiding. A heightened awareness of where you are and what your intentions are will enhance the wildlife photography shoot.

In the wild, telephoto lenses are basically a must. This brings you in a little closer without scaring the animals. The use of a tripod is not always mandatory, if you have enough light you will be able to shoot at a fast shutter speed to eliminate shake. Some telephoto lens have vibration reduction technology but are considerably more expensive.

For the best shots, it is imperative to put the sharpest focus on the eyes of animals or birds.

Make a habit of photographing small animals from a lower angle.

The best times of the day for viewing and photographing wildlife are early in the mornings and just before dark. This is when wildlife is usually most active and the light is the most dramatic.

Try to keep the sun at your back so that the light falls directly on your subject.

Using all these digital photography tips will help you discover your ultimate aim of how to photograph wildlife. The very most important thing is practice, practice, practice and don’t forget to enjoy yourself too!

If you would like additional digital photography ideas that cover a whole range of camera shots, tricks and tips, be sure to grab a copy of our free report, “Shoot Digital Pics Like The Pros”

If you have ever tried to take a photograph of your pet you will have discovered that it is not as simple as you may have thought.

Taking photographs of them while they are sleeping is not really a problem, but once they wake up and are running close to causing mischief you will need lightening fast reactions so that you can get a good image.

There’s a phrase frequently quoted, especially on television about ‘never working with children or animals’. Even if your dog is being a bit mischievous or is full of energy, you’ll want to take good photographs of them and if you’ve lots of patience you will be rewarded having a stunning portrait which you will wish to cherish forever.

You will find a lot of exotic pets like for example snakes, bearded dragons and chinchillas, but for most of us, having a pet usually indicates a cat or a dog.

It is so rewarding to capture the personality of your dog inside a portrait. This can easily be achieved because they know you very well, are comfortable being with you and are much less likely to be over excited, especially if they have a camera whirring and clicking away in their faces.

For the best images you should roughly follow the exact same basic principles as you would when dealing with portraits of individuals:

- Make sure you shoot at the animals level (in other words, not directly from above)

- Focus on the eyes

- Fill the frame

- Use a somewhat longer lens and avoid getting a distracting or busy background or direct flash.

You would like your dog to be as natural as possible within the portrait, so snap the photograph a fraction further away and capture the photo utilizing a telephoto lens. The animal well be less anxious and also the result will be a far much more organic photograph.

Lighting

Organic daylight is always your greatest choice and outcomes inside a lot better image.

If, for instance, you would like to pick up the texture of one’s pets fur, you will need to use pretty directional light coming from one side. As with humans, the best pet portraits are frequently taken using the topic sitting next to or nearby a window.

Important Photo Tip: If your pet has dark fur, you’ll have to be careful as it might fool your camera’s metering program so you might have to alter the AE-C setting to lighten it somewhat, using the ‘ ’ setting.

Just as you would with individuals, when taking images of a pet it is vital that you try to capture the character of your pet within the photograph. I’ve seen some pictures where somebody’s adorable cat appears positively evil in the picture or a lively, cute dog looks either rabid or completely docile.

If you’ve ever taken a photograph of a baby you are able to use similar tactics for your pet: Just use a favorite toy to attract their attention, or make funny noises or gestures to obtain a reaction.

As mentioned earlier in most cases photographing your dog not only requires patience but you will need lightening quick reactions in order to be ready to shoot at any moment.

This applies even more within the case of little pets such as hamsters or rodents. To make things easier, it might be much better to have somebody hold the animal whilst you are capturing the image. With cautious cropping using a program like Photoshop you should have the ability to erase the image of the individual holding the animal from the frame.

As you would with any type of photography where the topic is moving and you have to snap the image rapidly, you have to combat potential problems such as camera shake by utilizing a quick shutter speed and taking lots of shots.

In case you stick to these tips you’ll manage to take a spectacular portrait that will capture the characteristics of your dog, something which you will treasure forever.

Digital cameras flash units come in many shapes and sizes. Low end digital cameras include low energy built in flash units. High end digital SLR cameras can support sophisticated external flash units which can provide superior lighting in difficult scenarios. Here are some basic facts and tips about digital photography flash units both built in and external.

Flash units came a long way since their early days. Back then flash units were using powder that was lit by electrical current and literally “blew up” to produce the light energy. Using these flash units was a risky business. It was also difficult as the flash units were not automatically synchronized to the camera’s shutter. The photographer had to make sure that the flash goes off at the exact right time synchronized with the shooting of the photo.

Today flash units have eliminated this challenge. An electronic flash tube ensures flash timing is synchronized to the camera. The photographer now gets to concentrate on other aspects of the photo. New digital cameras can even determine on their own if the flash is even needed, set its intensity and other parameters and fire the flash at the precise time the shutter is opened. All of this is automatically done in the background. Should the user want to make their own adjustments, digital cameras also allow the user to manually control the flash, set its intensity and more.

Flash units are separated into two basic categories: Internal built-in flash units or external flash units. Internal flash units are naturally built into the camera. Nearly all digital cameras come with such a unit and permit the user some control over it through the camera’s menus and buttons. External flash units are attached to the camera’s body through a dedicated slide-in slot or by using an electrical cable. Not all digital cameras can support external flash units. Generally the lower end pocket cameras do not support external flash units while all high end digital SLR cameras will. There can be quite a bit of difference in external flash units. They can have different light energy levels that they can emit and different mechanical characteristics. Some external flash units also include smart sensors to measure ambient light, distance and other optical parameters in order to make the most of the flash effect.

Flash units can be used in both automatic and manual mode in most digital cameras. When in automatic mode, the camera measures ambient light and fires the flash when there is a lack of enough light. There can be times the camera will make the incorrect choice in using the flash and will either fire or not fire the flash when the contrary was needed. Setting the flash intensity is important also. Should the flash unit fire too much light energy on objects that are too close to the camera the digital photo will be washed out. Of course if the flash unit fires a small amount of light energy on an object that is farther away from the digital camera the digital photo will be a too dark.

Your flash unit does come with boundaries. They can not light every object and every scene at every distance from the camera. Know what you camera’s flash unit limitations are. Experiment with different setups and determine what the highest light energy it can emit is and at what distance an object can be effectively lit from. This is called the effective flash range. Turn off the flash completely and use a tripod with a longer exposure if the object is out of the effective flash range. Should certain areas of what is considered a well lit scene still be dark, you might find it helpful to use the flash. This is known as fill-in flash and will fill-in the shadowed areas on objects in your photograph.

Unfortunately we have all been there. The subject matter is uninspiring and there is absolutely nothing you can do to make it visually stimulating. For me this usually occurs when I have to film an event or other social gathering however I never let it get me down; when this happens I figure I have two choices, I can either let the boring and humdrum win or I can use some of the following tricks and attempt to get some prize winning footage.

POV: Point of View Shot This means shooting the action from the point of view of the subject itself. One of the most memorable POV shots I have ever seen is during the film The Patriot when the cannon ball comes right at the camera and then cuts to a soldier being hit by that same cannon ball. It ignites interest and instantly forces the audience to become part of the action. Utilize POV shots when there is a lot of shots of the same action.

Rack Focus: Rack Focus is when you change your focus between a close subject and a distant subject. You can get some pretty amazing footage using these because it puts the camera man in direct control of the audience. By manually switching the focus of the camera between subjects distant and close you include two totally distinct subjects without cutting or moving the camera. You are forcing your audience to follow the focus since the blurred images are not easily interpreted. This technique adds a professional look to any video.

Crooked Angle: You can get some great shot simply by turning the camera to the side so the ground is no longer parallel with the square of the viewfinder. You will be amazed at how incredible some of these shots can be. A bit of a warning though, try to keep the camera somewhat still as a lot of movement may make your audience sick. Using very slight movement at crooked angles is an easy way to create interest and cast your subjects in a new light.

Track Shot: If you can figure out the logistics track shots is a great way to get a video that will hold peoples interest. A track shot is when you move the camera in a definite path. You can do this shot using a wheelchair or skateboard but it creates some amazing video!

Using these four classic shots will definitely increase the interest of your productions and leave your audience wanting more.

Hope you enjoyed this online photography course about camera shot trickery, and before you go why not grab this FREE Digital Photography Report by clicking here, or accordingly visit www.LearnDigitalPhotographyNow.com for immediate access!!!

For the past 20 years we have been on the digital fast track. This is seen in a variety of areas  however nowhere is this more evident than with cameras. Since the moment digital cameras hit the market they have been a must have item for everyone. If you haven’t yet joined the digital camera revolution I would put money on the fact that you have thought of purchasing one. Not only do you get clearer photos but you have the chance to have instant photo gratification by seeing your work immediately. Furthermore, you can enhance your digital photos with photo editing software.

If you have been looking for a digital camera I am sure you have noticed that there are a huge variety of digital cameras on the market today. No only are there a variety of manufacturers but each manufacturer has hundreds of cameras on the market to meet every ones particular needs. Companies such as Fuji, Sony and Kodak undoubtedly provide you with the best digital cameras in the market today. Not only do these companies offer the best cameras but they also offer warranty packages in the off chance that your camera requires aftercare.

Included in the box of your digital camera is a manual that walks you through how to use the camera. Regrettably most people ignore the manual and learn how to use their camera through trial and error. Many people don’t understand all the features of their camera and only use it for point and shoot photos. Most cameras contain sophisticated features that require a bit of knowledge in order to make them work at their optimum level.

Digital cameras are more complex than their film counterparts. Included in your manual should be a warranty card letting you know what the manufacturer will fix or replace during the first year of ownership. It is important for you to read what the warranty covers as they will typically only cover internal working pieces. If an item that is covered by the warrant should fail during this one year period you can have your camera repaired free of cost. Depending on whether you live in a larger city you may be able to find a service center locally however you may be required to mail your camera in for repairs.

Buttons are the main items that fail on digital cameras. The most common button to break is the shutter button. Understandably this is the feature used most often on a camera. It usually will either become stuck or stop working all together. To prevent breakage I recommend you use gentle pressure on the button as opposed to stabbing at it.

One thing people do is repeatedly press down on the button when trying to take multiple photos at one time. All you need to do is press it down one time and you will take multiple photos. People starting out with digital photography often fail to remember this. If this is not covered by your warranty you can expect to pay $40-$50 for a repair.

Another common problem is when your camera doesn’t connect with your computer properly. For instance, the latest model of the Concord Digital Camera is not compatible with the Windows Vista. If you run into this problem you could wipe out your cameras memory which results in loss of your photos if you have not stored your photos to a memory card. It is important to always check the manual to see which programs your camera is compatible with.

Customer service is your best friend if you run into this or any other problem. Most manufacturers offer a support web site or phone number that you can utilize and they should be able to walk you through an easy fix.

If your camera warranty has expired and you run into a problem you don’t need to fret. Again, depending on where you live, you should be able to find a local electronic repair shop that can either help you or point you in the right direction.

Another great resource are specialty camera stores. As with electronic stores, if they are unable to repair your camera onsite they should be able to point you in the right direction. Certain repairs, including driver and sensor, demands expertise. It is best to have these problems looked at by certified specialists.

I recommend you do not try to clean your cameras sensors yourself. These are fragile components and can be easily damaged. To keep your camera working at its best always treat it with care and seek proper advice if you run into a problem. If you do run into a problem check with the manufacturer for the best repair suggestions.

Discover the Dan Feildman Digital Photography Course and learn more digital photography tips found on his excellent free report by visiting  www.LearnDigitalPhotographyNow.com or just CLICK HERE for an instant download!!!

In our technologically enhanced society “digital” is the new buzzword. No matter where you turn you will see everything from TV to music to cars ignitions that has converted to digital. Yet, the one item that has changed the most from the digital revolution is the camera.

The way we take photographs has changed dramatically with the advent of the digital camera and manufacturers have taken advantage of this by developing a wide array of digital cameras. No longer are we dependent upon film and photo processing and people have found they are addicted to the instant gratification that comes from seeing the photo the instant we take it.

Increased consumer demand as well as the variety of choices available has given consumers something they never dreamed of, amazing discounts. Because of this you can get more bang for your computer buck and purchase an incredible camera that will meet all your needs.

When you begin to look for a camera you will be able to see what I am talking about when I mention bargains. If you haven’t found them you might be wondering where you can. My goal is to help you find the discounts available so you can join in the digital camera revolution.

The best source for discounts is through the Internet. You can find no faster nor comprehensive marketplace that what is available through the net. With a bit of research you should easily be able to find amazing discounts on every make of digital camera, undoubtedly including the one you are looking for. The sheer number of discount web sites might astound you. Knowing what you are looking for will help cut down the number of choices significantly.

Understand the specifications that will meet your needs will narrow your results when comparing the various manufacturers and discounted prices. For instance, you may be looking for a 5.0 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom and a 2 inch LCD monitor and an aperture range from f/2.0-f/8.0. Quite a few manufacturers make these cameras and offer them at different prices. Comparing prices and possible discounts will give you the best bang for your buck.

You can also use the Internet to check out consumer reviews of the different cameras you may be interested in. Checking out what others think may steer you away from one brand to another if you learn about malfunctions or problems.

There are also a few sites that will ask for exactly what you are looking for and then take you to a page that has only those cameras along with the price. Typical questions include your required megapixel range, zoom range, flash, memory, exposure and size. Once you have finished answering these questions you will be transferred to a site that will show you the cameras that have the features you are looking for along with the discount offers.

Unfortunately if you don’t have access to the Internet you will need to rely on your local phone book. Going this route will be difficult as you will need to find discount local dealers and then call each one. It is important to visit each store yourself to compare the prices and then return tot he one which offered the best price. Going this route requires more time, money and patience. Unfortunately, the discount that you would get won’t be as high as the Internet price.

Understandably you may be worried about purchasing items over the Internet; however, it is undoubtedly the best way to get a digital camera at incredible discounted prices. With a bit of research you will be able to get more an incredible bang for your buck.

Discover the Dan Feildman basic Photography Course and learn more digital photography tips found on this excellent free report by visiting  www.LearnDigitalPhotographyNow.com or just CLICK HERE for an instant download!!!