Nothing is more frustrating than returning from a family vacation or a fun outing to find out that the pictures you took are not what you hoped. There are a handful of common mistakes that people make that can be easily remedied and doesn’t require the purchase of a fancy camera. Unless you’re planning on going pro full-time, save your bucks for something else – simple is good. With auto exposure built-in the greatest challenge is usually composition and an expensive camera won’t fix that. I get panicky without a camera on me at all times, so I save the fancy camera for special occassions and carry a cheapy $75 point-and-shoot that does a more than adequate job.

Mistake #1 – too far away. Closer, closer, CLOSER! Unless you are trying to include something important in the background, chances are you’re too far away. It’s not necessary to include Uncle Ned’s black socks and sandals – nobody cares and really, the thing that makes Ned so fantastic is his smile. Get up in his grill so we can see it! Ditto that for nature shots. Here are a couple shots from my backyard this morning. The first photo is rather unimpressive, eh? The second is much more appealing. I used the macro setting on my camera (it’s the tulip on most point-and-shoot cameras).

Mistake #2 – subject faces the sun. Unless it’s totally unavoidable, make sure the sun is behind them. If your subject is facing the sun he or she is sure to be grimacing. Spin ‘em around and take one for the photo team. Nobody cares if you’re making a funny face, you’re not in the picture.

Mistake #3 – subject is stiff/fake smiling. My mother is the queen of the fake smile. She sees a camera and she becomes totally robotic. The best way to deal with someone like her is to take lots of pictures. I’ll take one where she’s giving me her best stiff and phony smile, then right after I’ll take a few more. Usually, I can catch her in a more natural pose after the first shot is out of the way.  Some cameras have a special setting that allows you to fire the shutter in rapid succession – this is a great tool to use on a difficult subjects, squirmy kids and pets. Check your manual.

Mistake #4 – too high/too low. Either way, if you’re shooting from under or above the subject, the result is unsightly. Too high makes people look bobble-headed with teeny tiny bodies. For some reason this angle is popular with the kiddos – the “My Space” angle. Shooting from under people has a different, yet still unattractive result. Unless you’re trying to accentuate Aunt Martha’s double-chins, cut her some slack and get eye-level. When shooting kids and animals a good shot might require lying on the floor – don’t be afraid to suffer for art. My dog, Mackie, volunteered for this demonstration. The first photo doesn’t do his cute mug justice. The second photo shows his smiley face – much better!

Mistake #5 – the mysterious object. Take an extra second to scan the background. Does your subject have a tree branch sticking out of his/her ear? Is there a bunch of yucky garbage in the background? Giant shadow across the subject’s face? You might need to reset the shot from another angle or location. If your family and friends are like mine, they’ll get used to it; remind them that patience is a virtue they get to practice thanks to you!

The beauty of a digital camera is that we don’t have to worry about wasting film. Take lots of pictures. Take some with a flash and without. Natural light is the most flattering light for everyone – especially early in the morning or late in the day; midday photos are going to be fraught with heavy shadows. Try different angles. Take a field trip to practice your new skills. When you get your pictures uploaded or printed, take some time to study the ones that you like the best. What do you like about it? Make mental notes about what works and what doesn’t for your next shoot. Patience and practice count for a lot and most of all have fun!