General Photography Tips
This section will give you some general use tips that will aid your photography.Protect your equipment.
When not in use store your camera in a dry shaded area. The electronics in these cameras cannot accurately operate at extreme temperatures.
Keep your lenses clear.
You can buy a lens brush in any Walmart or camera shop. These are brushes attached to syringes that blow air across the lens to remove dust. In a pinch, a clean, well-washed, and unstarched handkerchief or other cotton cloth will do. For tougher grit, oils, fingerprints, and occasional cleaning a lens cleaning kit consisting of a special cloth or tissues and a lens cleaning fluid can be used. Don't overdo the cleaning. Avoid facial tissues as the dyes and perfumes can leave residue and they tend to leave more lint than they remove.
Use a lens shade.
A lens shade is a tube that extends past the lens to shade it from extraneous (non-image forming) light. This will enhance both colors and contrast while keeping out glare. Many lenses have a lens shade built onto the lens. If so, extend it while in use. For other lenses, you can purchase plastic or rubber lens shades in a size to fit your lens. Investigate different models and ask for recommendations at your camera shop.
Set your camera for the highest resolution/format (Digital).
Digital images are composed with a finite number of pixels. The greater the number of pixels, the higher the resolution. This allows for finer detail and a greater ability to crop the photo. Use RAW if your camera supports it and you have the software to use it. TIFF and JPEG are other useful formats.
Use the lowest ISO speed that is practical. (All)
A slower (lower numbered) ISO contributes greatly to the detail of the image. Digital cameras, in addition to resolution and format, have an ISO setting. Film cameras determine the ISO by the choice of film. Use the lowest ISO for the subject you will be shooting. As so much pavement work is done at night, you may have to use a film/setting of ISO 800 or greater.
Review your shot list.
Carry your shot list and check them off as you make the images. You will often find other images that will make your point while shooting, but get everything on the list. Just like the grocery store.
Take a big step forward.
Literally. Most photographs will be improved by taking a big step forward or, if you have a zoom lens, zooming in tighter. There should be exactly one subject of each image. Eliminate everything that does not focus the viewer's attention on your subject. In-camera cropping provides the best detail and more flexibility.
Just like Spielberg.
Have you ever seen a vertical movie? Vertical TV? You may have a business use for vertical images such as full bleed brochure covers, but make most of your images horizontal. These are much better for projection and reduce the need for cropping. When vertical images are used for projection, there is a lot of wasted space on the screen and the image may now be too small to be of value.