Week One: Point-and-Shoot Photography by Jason McInnis Modern photography has come a long way since the days of the Daguerreotype, the first successful form of capturing images directly on a two dimensional surface. Today we can take very good pictures just by aiming and pressing a button. The photographer of 160 years ago had no such luxury. Instead of exposure times measured in fractions of a second, he or she would need to expose the metal plate, which held the image, for ten to fifteen minutes in bright sunlight! Also, poisonous substances where used in the development of the image, including liquid mercury. However, many people are led to believe that, except for those bulky cameras used by serious amateur or professional photographers, all of the creativity has gone out of picture-taking. Autoflash, autofocus, and zoom lenses do all of the work for us. This is not true! Yes, taking pictures is easier than ever, but much of the picture quality depends on the photographer. You can still get creative and get great results with your point-and-shoot camera. If you do not believe me, take out an old set of pictures from your drawer. Have a look at them. Chances are, there are two or three that are really good. However, the rest are okay to not so good. Good pictures are not an accident of the camera happening to function better at those times. Rather, it is a combination of you choosing the right film, using the right modes for the situation (most cameras have multiple flash, focus, and subject modes), and aiming in the right direction at the right time. Here are some tips for immediate picture improvement: One of the most important factors in choosing a film is the speed. Are some of your pictures blurry, lacking in detail in low-light shots, or grainy in big blowups? This is due to an improper film speed, shown as an ISO number on the film box. An ISO 100 film can show the finest detail in big blowups, But is more sensitive to camera movement and exposure time. ISO 800 offers lower quality blowups, but offers good exposure in almost any light. Probably the best general-purpose film is an ISO 400, which offers the best of both worlds. Also, most point-and-shoot cameras have multiple modes for different situations. Without getting into too much detail, some modes favor low-light shots, others for landscape shots, while others are for portraits. Choosing the correct mode can make the difference between a mediocre picture and a great one. This final tip seems simple enough, but where you aim your camera can entirely change the nature of your picture. Instead of placing your uncle Kim right in the center of the shot, try placing him at the right or left edge. Also, lie down on the ground or climb a tree to get more interesting angles of uncle Kim. Try standing close to him with the wide angle setting on the lens to emphasize picture depth. Then stand back and zoom in as far as your camera can to flatten out the details. With practice, your pictures can be as good as some people get with their big cameras and bulky lenses. Give it a try!