Creative Photography The Complete Manual

Discover how to push your digital camera skills to the limit! There has never been a better time to learn photography. Imaging technology has come on in leaps and bounds in the space of a few short years, and to be able to get the best out of your camera, you need a good understanding of the fundamentals. Within the pages of this guide our team of professional photographers will take you through our comprehensive guide to becoming a far better photographer. 100% unofficial.

Creative Photography

GETTING STARTED • Choose the right camera and accessories for you

Know your camera • A quick guide to all the major dials and buttons

The right camera for you • We highlight the main types of digital camera

What lenses do I need? • We take a look at the main lens types available for your camera

Why do I need a tripod? • An essential piece of equipment

Flashes and lighting • Add light and boost your creativity

Types of light modifiers • Make light yours to command

Filters and filter systems • Some must-have filters for creative photography

Photography software • How to bring your photos to life

Digital storage • Your precious holiday photos in safe hands

USING YOUR CAMERA • Learn how to get the most out of your camera

Aperture and depth of field explained • A key technique that controls how much of your photograph is in focus

How does shutter speed affect photos? • Shutter speed is an important setting and worth taking time to master

How ISO works on a digital camera • What impact does ISO have on your photography?

Methods for getting good focus • Here’s how to get the most out of your autofocus system

Be the master of metering • Know when to use the different types of metering modes

Lenses and focal length • How focal length affects your shots

Explore your camera’s scene modes • Let your camera help out with scene modes

Camera shooting modes • Which one should you use?

The rules of composition • Improve your photos with these essential guides

White balance and colour • Control the colour temperature of your shots

Hyperfocal distance • Essential for sharp photos and it’s not as scary as you think

What is Jpeg and Raw? • Our thoughts on the great image format debate

Light it up with flash • Some quick tips on using your camera’s flash

Using external flash • Some useful info about getting more creative with your lighting

From screen to paper • Printing your photos on standard paper sizes

Organising your pictures • Keep track of your ever-expanding photo library

Sharing your photos online • Let the world see your work by posting it on the Internet

Taking care of your equipment • Both dust and fingerprints can ruin your pictures

TAKE BETTER PHOTOGRAPHS • Some tips that can help you improve as a photographer

1 Choose the right camera

2 Choose the right lens

3 Buy a tripod

4 Early bird

5 Visual interest

6 Pick a prime

7 The holy trinity

8 Stop the shakes

9 Depth cueing

10 Enhance your photos

11 Are you compensating?

12 Don’t fear the histogram

13 Learn from others

14 Further afield

15 Out of the shadows

16 Batteries

17 A sense of perspective

18 Maximum exposure

19 Lock it up

20 Filter systems

21 There’s an app for that

22 Take control

23 Stay sharp

24 Persistence pays off

CREATIVE PROJECTS • It’s time to unleash your creative side

HOW TO… Photograph Women • We share some handy...