Essential SkillsMaking The Most Of Your Holiday Snaps

Animals:Photography Secrets

Get Snappy

Apps:Make your Pics Look ProfessionalFor Less

Keen Eyes:Make The Most OfYour Local Town

Early Bird:Getting Up EarlyCan Put YourPhotos Up There With The Best

Contents March 2011 Animals:

Get the best when taking pictures of animals with these simple tips.

Apps:

Here at GS, we have have tried and tested a selection of apps available on the market.Getting effective images has never been so simple.

Keen Eyes:

Make the most of your surround-ings, you dont have to travel far and wide to get the best pictures, your local area has plenty to offer.

Early Bird

To get the best picture, sometimes all you have to do is get up early.

Essential Skills:

With summer almost upon us, the staff here at GS talk you through the best ways of taking your holiday pictures, so that you come home with photographs to make the whole family jealous.

Light

Using light to your advantage has never been so easy, as we review lighting products new onto the market for summer 2011.

Feature

Anything From Technique To Practical Advice And Inspiration

10

37

42

54

33

47 1045

55 60Reader Images

Reviews:

We review the best photgraphy products on the market

53

57 Community

Readers pics and views

25 Workshop

We help you brighten up your dull snaps.

March 2011

Animals As those who have attempted it before will know all too well, photographing animal and wildlife can be a real challenge. However, with the help of this feature, the team will have you snapping the best wild life pictures before you know it.

Know your subjectThis may sound silly, but it’s one of the best pieces of advice that you will ever get where animals are con-cerned. Know your subject, get into their heads. No matter what animal it is, whether it’s your household cat, or a Lion on the African plains, the photographer needs to understand the animals typical behavior so that it’s moves can be anticipated.Consider the animals character in exactly the same way as you would when photographing people, and make sure you have a clear idea about what you want the photographs to say.

PatienceBegin by keeping calm. take things one step at a time, and always stay on your toes, animals often have a knack for being completely uncooperative, then at the exact second you let your guard down finally doing what you were hoping or trying to get them to do.In many ways, taking pictures of animals, is like fishing. you have to be patient, and often wait a long time, in exactly the right position if there is any chance of getting the best ones.

PracticeIf you are planning a trip into the wilds, practice practice practice before hand. To do this, a zoo, or even a farm is an ideal place. These places will allow animals to be confronted and studied. Practice can be had to test out your patience when watching them and allow them to be studied in detail, providing an opportu-nity to gain an idea of how they move and act, helping their actions in the wild to be predicted.

SafetyIf you have taken a trip into the wilderness, don't forget that these animals can be very dangerous. never put yourself in danger. how can you enjoy photographs if you're dead?

Well, by now you'll be thinking about taking that suitcase down from the attic, dusting off that sun hat and donning those brightly coloured swimming shorts your whole family hates.Don't let your pictures turn out as badly as last years. Thankfully if you follow our guide to taking holiday pictures, the staff here at Digital Photography can help you come home with pictures to go with the memories.

Step 1Always be prepared, always make sure you take extra batteries to go in your camera. Theres nothing worse than finding the perfect photo opportunity, only to find that the batteries are dead, and there are no shops around.Make sure you're well up to scratch on the features that your camera has, and how you turn them off, should they accidentally become switched on. No use discovering at the end of the day that you've been taking a whole days pictures with a sepia tint, then spending the next day trying in vain to turn it off.Step 2Don't be shy. Tell people where you want them to stand, and or sit. Try to get photographs that look natural, try taking photos when people are not expecting it, trust us, some of your best photographs will come from this.

Step 3Get on their level. Whether its adults or children, try to get your lens down to their eye level. If its children, get right down beside them. If you're taking a family photo, then take your photograph from the level of those sitting down.

Step 4Get snap happy. Always take more than one picture of a view or moment. This way there is more chance off getting one right. Often once a moment has passed, there is no way of getting it back. Ex-cess pictures can be deleted.

Making The Most Of Your Holiday Snaps

Step 5Be aware of your surroundings. Have a look and see how the scene looks in a viewfinder or LCD, is there too much going on in the background? Is there a tree branch cutting off the top of someones head? If there is anything getting in the way, move, or move your subject.

Step 6Get your mug in that shot. Share out the picture taking responsibilities or take a tripod and use the self timer. You’re on this holiday too, and deserve to be In the frame.

Step 7Don’t be greedy. The best photographs don’t all have the most in it, or happening. Even with landmarks, the whole landmark doesn’t necessarily have to be in the picture to capture a mood, or tell a story.

Step 8Have fun. Make sure you enjoy your holiday. Don’t live it behind the lens of the camera.