Often it's important to get back to basics. Whether you're a seasoned photography professional or just excited about owning your first digital camera, it's always important to visit - or revisit - the fundamentals of taking great photographs. Here are ten must know tips for taking great pictures:
1. Get to know your camera - a digital SLR camera behaves quite differently to a pocket-sized point and shoot camera. You don't want to be fiddling blindly with settings in the heat of the moment. Read the instruction manual, take some experimental shots and get an idea for how your particular make and model behaves before you take it on the road.
2. Turn your camera around - frame your shots in portrait and landscape. A good tip is to follow the lines of your subject - so if you're photographing a building you'll want to try a portrait shot, but if you're after a skyline you should crop it in landscape mode.
3. Frame your shots - pay attention to everything in the frame, especially the background. Look for branches growing out of your subjects' ears or random heads that could ruin your composition.
4. Get some perspective - don't just take shots from a standing position, experiment with different angles - take photos from high up or down on the ground. If you're photographing children, get on your knees and take photos from their eye level.
5. Go off centre - photographs are generally more interesting when your subject is not in the dead centre of the frame. Try the rule of thirds when framing your subject.
6. Get up close and personal with people - close ups of faces are some of the most interesting compositions when it comes to photographs. Using a zoom lens will help you get closer without being in the face of your subject. Whether you're after candid or posed photographs, getting up close and personal will let you capture the emotions of the moment.
7. Get off the automatic - the automatic mode is a great starting point, but experimenting with settings will give you stunning effects. Be bold and change some settings - you'll often be amazed with the results.
8. Try the different modes - most digital cameras have a number of different modes for various situations - they help optimise the lighting conditions and focus required. So use the night mode when taking night-time portraits (it allows for a bright foreground and background) while the action settings allow for sharper focus of moving subjects.
9. Steady hands - keep your hands and body as steady as possible when you push down on the shutter release. Keep your elbows in and your stance wide to give you optimum balance - or use a tripod.
10. Enjoy the moment - photography is lots of fun, but don't forget to enjoy the experience itself - you don't want to miss your kid's winning goal because you were too busy playing with your camera settings! Put yourself in the moment, whether it's a performance, a sporting event or just a pretty landscape - being passionate about the subject at hand will improve your photos.