How to Operate a Digital Camera

Knowing how to use your compact camera is essential if you want to get good photographs and in this photography class Karl shows you all you need to know about basic camera operation.

You’ll learn how to hold your camera to avoid camera shake, where and how you should focus your image and how to expose your shot. Balancing your exposure in difficult lighting situations can be tricky, but Karl shows you how to use both manual and program mode to control the creative effect in an image.

He also demonstrates how to apply the rule of thirds and shows you how following this simple rule can really help you get a more pleasing image.

In this photography class we cover the following:

  • How to use your compact camera
  • How to hold your camera to avoid camera shake
  • How to focus your camera
  • How to expose an image correctly
  • Using manual and pre-set modes on your compact camera
  • Creative composition: The rule of thirds

To learn more about some of the concepts discussed in this class, take a look at our Photography Quick Start Guide.

If you have any questions about this photography class please post in the comments section below.

NOTE: This photography class is available with subtitles.

Comments

  1. I will have to locate my manual but I believe the yellow square means the camera is unable to focus for whatever reason. I like that you are clear in your instruction. I dislike that there is no way to share practice shots to get feedback from you or your students. If wisdom is applied knowledge, to see if the knowledge has translated into wisdom you need to see the resulting images. I am new so maybe you have a platform for this.

  2. I am assuming when there is more than one green square on the LCD screen, it is multi point focus? When I switch to one point focus, sometimes the square is yellow. Why is that? Since in one point focus the green square is in the center, you want to press half way down, focus the shot then recompose?

    1. Hi, you can use the centre one and re-compose that’s often what I do. I’m not familiar with a yellow square option, you’d have to check your particular camera manual for an answer on that. You should also be able to select any of the one squares of your choice if you know you are going to put your subject in a particular position.

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