9 Tips to Get a DSLR-like Photo with Your Point & shoot camera
Do you ever feel like taking incredible photos just like your pro photographer friend? Tempting, isn't it? But all you've got is a point & shoot camera. Well, never feel inferior! "the best camera for a perfect click is the camera you already have." All you need is some excellent tips and tricks that can take your photography skills to another level. You need the most useful hacks of perfect photography that professionals use in each of their legendary photos. You will get the most essential photography tips for Point-and-Shoot cameras that will help you to take pictures with a DSLR grade quality.
1. Know the camera menus
Before you can shoot like a pro, you have to know your camera very well, because the menus make the whole difference. High-end cameras will have higher functionality, get through some review of point and shoot camera before you buy the camera in the first place. For taking incredible photos, you need to tweak the menus and make a perfect combination of light, subject, and camera. So, explore every menu your camera has and experiment with them with different values and sliders.
2. Balance the functions
Take photos with different settings like changing shutter speeds, ISO, capture mode, and so on. Make sure you go through all the menus and try relating with each other, how one function is manipulating others. You need to know how much exposure and light you need on that subject; therefore, you have to master the functions. Once you get the idea of balancing between functions, such as ISO with Shutter speed, you will improve faster.
3. Take random photos
It may sound a bit off the table, but trust me, it helps, it makes you learn to see a new perspective. Taking a lot of photos without thinking about the importance of the subject will help you understand different shooting modes. It enables you to know how to take the maximum amount of light into your subject. Shoot both from close and long-distances while implementing the different functions into the photo. Take your time and fill the camera's storage with your photos, and you will gradually start understanding the differences when looking at them.
4. Learn the angles
Keeping your subject right in the middle of your capture is never a good idea, although it seems obvious. Getting the capturing angle right is severely essential to take incredible photos. You must focus on the main subject of your photo, and the viewers should be able to distinguish what they are looking at. You should experiment with the Rule of Thirds, the golden ratio, distance from the light source, the shadows, and so on. Use the gridline on the screen to determine the best position of your subject.
5. Use the zoom perfectly
Every Point & Shoot camera comes with an optical zoom feature, which allows you to enlarge the picture without losing quality. You have to know how and when to use it to get the maximum out of this feature. When you take close shoots, use the zoom option to take macro photos. If you use the zoom on high too often, make sure you get a tripod to keep your camera steady. When you zoom from quite a distance, the camera becomes prone to shake, even if it's a very tiny one.
6. Beware about using flash
You get an on-camera flashlight with every Point & Shoot camera; you must not use it unless you need it badly. Always try to get the most benefit from the natural light source, if it's too dark to capture the subject, use external lights. You should configure the external lights carefully, make sure you have no excessive light on a portion of your subject. Too much light will burn your subject; you can use a white umbrella to shade the light and make a nice ambiance. If you are outing and have no external or natural light source, use the on-camera flash, but enable the redeye reduction feature.
7. Develop a style of your own
You will be able to develop a creative style of your own, once you understand the different angles of your subject. When you can see the subject from different perspectives and take perfect shoots, you will develop an ideal move. Practicing your own style will help you get perfect shots every time you keep your eyes on the subject. Growing your own photography style will take time and practice. However, you should experiment with different shooting modes before you can understand you are ready to rock.
8. Focus the subject correctly
Just because the camera is Point & Shoot, it doesn't mean that you should just point the camera and click the shutter! You must make sure the subject in the photo has enough focus and placed on the right position in the frame. Place the subject on the correct position in the frame, now focus the camera right on that subject and forget the rest. Your goal should be to capture the proper perspective a subject is throwing to you and grab the massage.
9. Know how the professionals work
You will be able to develop your photography skills if you follow the professionals in the line. They will teach you from their experiences they gather from real-life photography. You may don’t understand how you deal with a subject from a long distance! They will tell you never to use the digital zoom, and you shouldn't ever crop your photo after you've taken the picture! Instead, you should use the optical zoom before capturing it.
Final thought
Photography isn't just a hobby or passion. Rather it's an art of telling a thousand stories without saying a word. You keep silent, but your photos are delivering a message that people understand, that's what photography is. It's not necessary to have a ridiculously expensive DSLR camera to capture the right moments and the right message. A good point and shoot camera will do the job just fine if you can master the tips and tricks mentioned above. Good luck with your photography journey!