What's Your Secret For Good Pictures

I have a new Nikon Coolpix...5 MegaPixel....I usually set it to Auto.....my pictures don't come out even close to what I see on here..... Share some secrets!!!! Especially you, Itzkirb!!!!! Forgive me for repeating this, but I'm going to put it on 6Speed as well, because I really want the most info I can get.

Try a Nikon D70.

A good camera - ;-)

One of the most common mistakes that people make when taking outdoor pictures is taking the pictures in the middle of the day, when the sun is overhead creating harsh light and shadows. Photographers will tell you that the best time to take outdoor photos -- of landscapes, of a beautiful bikini-clad supermodel, or of your car -- is during the "Golden Hour". The Golden Hour is the hour before sunset and the hour after sunrise when the sun is low and adds a lot of warmth and drama to the scene. Try to take pictures of your car early in the day. The light may not be as bright as it would be during midday so use a tripod, if you have one, to avoid camera shake. Also, to take advantage of the warm light from the sun, try switching your digital camera's auto-white balance (AWB) off or to manual. While a Nikon D70 is an obvious step up from the Coolpix, it will not make you a better photographer instantly. Even a good 2 megapixel camera in the hands of someone with a good photographic eye can yield amazing pictures for posting on the web. One of the nice things about having a digital camera is that you can take as many pictures as you want and it doesn't cost you money. Try different things -- try shooting at different times of the day, try different angles (get down low), try focusing in on details with close-ups -- to see what works and what doesn't. Practice makes perfect. Finally, I would recommend you check out some photography books to help you get started. One of my favorites is "The A-Z of Creative Photography" by Lee Frost. It is an excellent book for beginners. Cheers and happy shooting!

or a D50

Photography and Porsches are my main hobbies. And yes a good camera and great lens make a difference, but before these instruments, it is the photographer's eye and skill that make a great photo. I highly recommend you spend some time browsing on the following website: http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQueri...q-locale=en_US Try and experiment with the techniques and tips as suggested. I am certain you will be happy of the results. And one thing I learned a long time ago, is never go cheap on lenses, always buy the best. Namely lenses before camera body. Best!

Your question is a good one and seems simple, but the answer can be complicated because it means different things to different people. Taking a photo with any camera (conventional or digital) is only one part of photography. As a photographer, I have spent many years in my darkroom developing film and printing my own photos. In the darkroom you can spend hours cropping, determining exposure of print, dodging, burning, selecting the right paper, etc., all to achieve the results of the final print. Starting with an image that pleases you is important, but it should only be the first step. I have not shot a photo with conventional film in about five years and my darkroom is long gone. All my images are digital but the same rules of processing and creating your final image still apply. The difference now is that my darkroom is Photoshop and the control of an image is much, much greater, i.e., levels, channels, curves, adjustment layers, and on and on. In my opinion, learning any image manipulating program (just the basics) is mandatory for good results. Even the most simple adjustments can improve a photo significantly. You don't need to become an expert in color correction to see the improvement. I'm not trying to complicate your life, just pointing out that I have never taken a photo that I considered to be an end in itself, just the first step in the process. Whatever route you take, it will be what pleases you most. Besides, the learning process is part of the fun. Best of luck.

Which version?

Photoshop Elements is relatively inexpensive and has most of the features of the full version. I use Photoshop 9.0, the lastest version for Macintosh. It is expensive and you really don't need it unless you are a professional. Actually, any image editing program will get you started and give you results that you can appreciate right away. Later, you may want more control. Photo magazines will give you tips and help you see the benefits of image editing. You will find something to fit your needs.

If you are on a budget, you can try the free GIMP program - http://www.gimp.org/ It has a lot of the same features as Photoshop, but its open source.

Try shooting with aperture priority. You can control depth of field and shutter speed easier. Higher aperture (f8, f11, f16) means more of the picture in front of and behind the exact point of focus will tend to appear relatively in focus. Lower apertures increase shutter speed and lower depth of field. Higher shutter speeds make for sharper pictures, assuming proper focus, since they tend to minimize any camera shake. Try manual focus. Auto focus is pretty good on most modern digitals but depending on background or foreground objects the auto focus point might not be where you want it to be. Use the camera's diopter control, if it has one, to make sure the image in the viewfinder appears in sharp focus for your eyesight. Auto white balance is usually pretty good, but if your camera has settings for specific lighting conditons, try using these. Auto white balance will sometimes vary from shot to shot, leading to inconsistent color. Nikon's traditional center-weighted metering system is incorporated into their digital cameras, but most also have matrix and spot metering as well. Matrix tends to work well for scenes where the entire area is generally lit the same, but spot or center-weighted might be best for metering where the car itself is your main interest. Digital images tend to be soft by their very nature, so you should sharpen them before printing or posting. Light in the morning and later afternoon/early evening tends to be more subtle and often results in more pleasing pictures. Midday sun tends to be harsh with pronounced shadows. An open but shaded area can be workable in the midday, but your background will need to be monitored. Shooting RAW (Nikon calls them NEF, or Nikon Electronic Format) gives you larger files that are better if are going to do extensive manipulating on the computer. JPEGs can be fine for many applications, but if you open JPEGs repeatedly, make changes, and then save the changes, the JPEG image loses data and eventually will visibly degrade. Most Nikon digitals will allow you to save both a JPEG and a NEF copy of an image capture. Photoshop CS2 handles Nikon NEF files, but earlier versions don't. Nikon makes Capture 4 software that costs $99 and has some neat features and tools. I run my NEF files through Capture and anything that it can't handle I leave for Photoshop. Capture will allow you to save NEF files as TIFF files, which earlier Photoshops can manipulate. The best thing with your new digital is to shoot lots of pictures and try out the various features. There's no film involved, so it doesn't cost you anything to shoot a bunch. Once you start doing your own printing, then the money starts to flow. Get a card reader to transfer your images from the CF card to your computer- if you take them directly from the camera and the battery goes away you could lose images. When you go to delete all the images on your CF card, just reformat the card rather than going through the delete process in the camera menu.

Just to add my 2 cents worth, take lots of photos and don't be afraid to experiment. If I can get just one good shot from a photo session, I'm happy. In this digital age, the only real cost is memory cards so don't be afraid to try different, settings, angles and so on. I agree with Programmatore, that the actual light is probably the most important factor. Early morning shots are my favourite. The other thing to do is to make sure you give your car a good wash before your session. A shiny car is much more photogenic than a dirty one.

My secret? Hmm, dunno haven't taken good pictures yet and if I have it was pure luck.

Here's another good quick and practical resource: http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/enjoydslr/index.html Cheers.