How To Take a Better Photo

You're probably wondering why I'm writing about photography when I shared that I was focused on technology this month. Well, cameras have increasingly become very technical over the past decade.  

I currently have a simple point and shoot camera that I use in the classroom, however, I not happy with the quality of the photo I'm getting.  The pictures need to be sharper, especially if I plan to upload them to the blog, or use them for class slideshows, such Animoto, or in yearbooks, such as Shutterfly.  I also use my Samsung Note tablet, or the school's Ipad, but again, blur.  This is probably a user issue, and that will be another post.

But for now, I'm thinking of investing in a better camera sometime this year.  I'm not the type to rush out and buy the first camera I see, or the newest model.  I do all my research first to ensure that I'm happy with my choice, a strategy teachers try to pass along to students.

Some blogger are becoming very knowledgeable in their quest for the perfect photo, even offering online classes.  Melissa, over at the British style blog mediamarmalade.com, who asks in her blog that if I redistribute her content, to credit her with a direct link, shared these tips on photography that sounds like it will give me the clear photo I desire, but it also sounds like the camera I buy will have to be DSLR.

"In the summer, your shooting settings generally will need to change versus those in the dull, dark winter months.  With more natural light you can drop your ISO down to around 100 – 200, to ensure you get a crisp and sharp image. You can up your shutter speed, up to 1000 – 1500+, this means you’ll get a very focused and ‘no noise’ image. With so much natural light, your shutter speed can be much quicker, meaning action and movement is captured so quick, you’ll have no blurring or ‘movement’!  

So bright light = drop your ISO, up your shutter speed."

“Action and movement is captured so quick,” that is exactly what I need for my energetic, fast moving students. But hold on a minute, DSLR, ISO, “up your shutter speed.”  This all sounds pretty techie.  Good!  This is just what I wanted to investigate this summer.  I’m off to do some research.  Maybe I don’t need a new camera, maybe the tablets will be enough, and I just need to learn how to use them. 

If you would like to read more of Melissa’s tips, check out the whole blog post at:

http://mediamarmalade.com/2015/06/5-photography-tips-for-shooting-in-the-summer.html