Point and Shoot Digital Cameras

To some people, point and shoot digital cameras are inferior to the single lens reflex camera (SLR), thinking it to be little more than an a casual or hobby camera. This is not an adequate assessment, for the point and shoot camera actually has several benefits over it's more expensive counterpart. It is light enough to be carried at all times, even in just a pocket. Lens quality is also comparable, unless the SLR user has spent the money to upgrade his lens. Most likely only a professional or a really dedicated hobbyist would do that, however.

Now to be honest, the person with the SLR has a ton more options about how to take pictures and that camera has more controls to allow for that pinpoint precision. Rest assured also that more than likely that professional also has a point and shoot digital camera in their pocket as well...

Lighting

Lighting is the first thing to keep in mind when taking pictures. Improper use of flash and ambient light can ruin the best effort to set up a good photo, or distort a memorable moment.
As anyone may have already experienced, an over exposed photo can leave unrecoverable blown out highlights, and an underexposed photo will come out too dark. It is important to be at the right distance when taking a picture and be mindful of how the light will affect it. Also important is a steady camera.

Over use of the flash is a common mistake made by many people. When indoors a flash is NOT always needed. When the flash goes off it sometimes creates a bright spot where it reflects off a surface. The way to avoid that is to not use the flash at all and let the light in the room or setting work on it's own.
Make sure to use the light as best as you can, perhaps even moving the subject closer or adjusting the light if possible. Setting a faster ISO speed also helps in a dim room.
Since the shutter have to be open longer in low light situations, it is important to steady the camera. Setting the camera on a table or chair and setting the timer is an easy solution, or simply bracing it can work just as well.

Using the flash, however, can be useful. But perhaps not where it might be apparent. As using the flash indoors can be problematic (even though that seems to be the best place), it is actually a useful tool outdoors! This is true if shadowing caused by natural light can affect the final picture.

Take many Pictures

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