Taking your first shots
Setting shooting mode
When the camera is switched on, shooting mode is enabled automatically. The icon for the se-
lected shooting mode appears at the top left in the display. You can find out more about shoot-
ing modes and icons on page 67.
Tips for taking good shots
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The camera should not move when you press the shutter release. Do not move the cam-
era directly after pressing the shutter release. Wait for the shutter release signal. If necessary,
use a tripod or the image stabiliser (see page 34) to securely support the camera and prevent
blurring.
•
View the subject on the display before pressing the shutter release.
•
The main subject should take up the largest part of the picture and dominate it. Always
move up close enough to the subject.
•
When taking shots of landscapes and buildings, ensure you do not include too much of the
surroundings in the photo. Such photos are also appealing, but use the panorama function
for this instead.
•
When taking portrait shots, remember that the face is the decisive subject, and the body or
shoes are not relevant here and should not be included in the picture.
•
Pictures are more interesting to the viewer when the subject is not exactly in the centre of
the picture but rather slightly to one side.
•
Many attractive subjects do not come out as well as they could because the background is
too distracting. Change the camera angle to get as neutral a background as possible.
•
For landscape shots, use the rule of thirds as orientation; i.e., the picture is divided into
three horizontal areas and the photographer uses this division to influence the effect of the
picture. Shots with a division of 1/3 sky and 2/3 ground have a quiet and idyllic effect on
the viewer, but pictures with a division of 2/3 sky and 1/3 ground have a more dynamic and
lively effect on the viewer.
The picture grid lines (see page 30) are very helpful for these types of landscape shots be-
cause important picture objects can be aligned to these intersections.
•
Give your pictures depth by including several levels in the picture, e.g. by selecting a suita-
ble foreground and/or background.
•
Choose a picture format that matches the subject, e.g. towers and high buildings have an
even more impressive effect when taken in portrait format.
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