Here are a couple of simple tips that will allow you to overcome two of the main problems people have using SLR cameras such as the Cannon rebel digital SLR - controlling the focus and taking well exposed pictures.
Focus Most modern cameras, especially SLR s are very good at focusing on the object that is at the center of your picture, however pictures are often much more interesting if the main subject is slightly offset from the center of the image.
Your camera probably will not automatically focus on this off-center subject.
It is actually very easy to trick your camera into focusing on the subject you want.
Start by framing the picture so that your subject is in the center, then press the shutter button to its halfway point (you'll probably hear a short beep or a click when you get to this point) your camera will now auto focus on the subject and you can now reframe the picture with the subject slightly off-center.
Once you are happy with the composition, fully press the shutter switch and take your picture.
Taking well exposed pictures With many cameras, the auto mode is all that you have and we have seen what can happen when you get it wrong: beach pictures that are too bright and look washed out and pictures of buildings or people where no matter what you do, you just get a dark silhouette.
One of the disadvantages of an SLR camera is that an optical viewing system can make it difficult to judge exposures.
With an optical viewing system, you view the picture directly through the lens, this allows you to get the focus exactly right but the camera sensor is not activated until you actually take the picture.
This means that you have no idea what the final exposure will be.
There is a simple way to correct for this manually, using the same technique that we described when talking about focus.
Press the shutter button halfway! If your picture looks too bright point your camera at something that is bright, (the picture will get darker to compensate) now push the shutter button to the halfway point (which locks the exposure settings) reframe your picture (keeping the shutter button at the halfway point) and take your picture.
If your picture looks too dark simply, repeat the process but point your camera at an especially dark area.
Focus Most modern cameras, especially SLR s are very good at focusing on the object that is at the center of your picture, however pictures are often much more interesting if the main subject is slightly offset from the center of the image.
Your camera probably will not automatically focus on this off-center subject.
It is actually very easy to trick your camera into focusing on the subject you want.
Start by framing the picture so that your subject is in the center, then press the shutter button to its halfway point (you'll probably hear a short beep or a click when you get to this point) your camera will now auto focus on the subject and you can now reframe the picture with the subject slightly off-center.
Once you are happy with the composition, fully press the shutter switch and take your picture.
Taking well exposed pictures With many cameras, the auto mode is all that you have and we have seen what can happen when you get it wrong: beach pictures that are too bright and look washed out and pictures of buildings or people where no matter what you do, you just get a dark silhouette.
One of the disadvantages of an SLR camera is that an optical viewing system can make it difficult to judge exposures.
With an optical viewing system, you view the picture directly through the lens, this allows you to get the focus exactly right but the camera sensor is not activated until you actually take the picture.
This means that you have no idea what the final exposure will be.
There is a simple way to correct for this manually, using the same technique that we described when talking about focus.
Press the shutter button halfway! If your picture looks too bright point your camera at something that is bright, (the picture will get darker to compensate) now push the shutter button to the halfway point (which locks the exposure settings) reframe your picture (keeping the shutter button at the halfway point) and take your picture.
If your picture looks too dark simply, repeat the process but point your camera at an especially dark area.
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