 | Get to grips with your EOSHolding your EOS correctly will help to avoid camera shake. Pick up your EOS by the grip with your right hand, leaving your index finger free for the Shutter Button and Main Dial. Your thumb should naturally sit across the back of the camera. Then cup the camera in the palm of your left hand to support it, using your thumb and index finger to operate the lens as required. |
 | Filter your resultsA polarising filter can create effects that are difficult or impossible to achieve digitally. This filter can turn a blue sky more intense, making clouds stand out; alternatively it can remove unwanted reflections from water or glass. As you rotate the filter you can see its effect through your viewfinder or on your LCD monitor in Live View mode. |
 | Give yourself room in your moviesWhen films are shot, the cameras roll before the action starts to help with editing. So when you shoot video, leave a couple of seconds at the beginning and end of your clip. If you start recording action straight away, it is more difficult to get exactly the start and finish points you want when you edit. |
 | Closer without a macro lensYou don’t need a specialist Macro lens to take close-up photos. Canon’s EF12 II and EF25 II Extension Tubes are hollow tubes that fit between your lens and camera body. They move the lens away from the sensor, so you can focus much closer than normal. It isn’t true macro, but it’s a great starter. There are no additional optics, so picture quality is maintained. |
 | What does the name of a lens mean?Let’s take an example: EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM • EF – stands for Electrofocus, the lens mount on EOS cameras • 24 – the focal length in mm at the lens’s widest angle of view • 105 – the focal length in mm at the lens’s narrowest angle of view • f/4 – the maximum (widest) aperture of the lens • L – L-series lenses are the “Luxury” professional lens in the EF range • IS – IS denotes Image Stabilizer, which detects and corrects camera shake • USM – an ultrasonic motor within a lens makes autofocus quieter and faster |
 | Conserving battery lifeMake sure that your camera is always ready for action. Set the ‘Auto power off’ function on your EOS to 1 minute so that the camera will go sleep after that time. To reactivate it, simply half depress the shutter button. Another power-saving measure is to switch off the LCD display(s) and metering on your camera, so you can keep shooting for even longer. |
 | Get the right stabilization for panningYour Canon IS lens has a switch on the side of the barrel which can improve your panning shots. Normally the switch is in Mode 1 which offers stabilization in both vertical and horizontal directions. Switch to Mode 2 and stabilization is then given only in a vertical direction only; perfect for panning action shots. |
 | The widest panoramaOne of the software packages supplied with your EOS is PhotoStitch which joins a series of overlapping photos together to create an ultra wide-angle image. When you take your photos, make sure that all the settings (exposure, lens focal length, focus) on your EOS are constant. Download the pictures onto your computer, open PhotoStitch and in five minutes you will have an amazing panorama. |
 | The point of focusYour EOS allows you to control how much of your photo is in focus so you can create an image with a pin sharp subject and blurred background and foreground. Select Aperture Priority (Av) on the Mode Dial and adjust the aperture on the Main Dial; the lower the aperture number, the less foreground and background will be in focus. |
 | Add a little colourIf your landscape photo lacks a little of the colour you can clearly see, try switching the White Balance from Auto to Daylight. In Auto setting your EOS is trying to normalise colours; for example it will remove warm oranges from a sunrise. Switch to Daylight and the full colours will flood back. |
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 | Horizontal versus Vertical Most of the pictures taken are horizontal (landscape), mainly because that is the most natural way to hold a camera. But you can turn your camera through 90° to create a vertical (Portrait) shot. And just because they are called portrait and landscape don’t think you can’t experiment. Try taking portraits in landscape format and vice versa. |
 | The power of the line Lines within photos lead viewers into the image. A classic example of a successful line is a road leading into the distance - the converging lines create a strong focus. Alternatively look for diagonals such as a mountain ridge or the curves of a river to create interest. |
 | Fill the frame When you are photographing a subject make sure that it fills the whole picture; then there is nothing to distract the viewer so their focus will go to the subject. Don’t just use the zoom, changing your position to be nearer your subject will also change the perspective and importance of the elements in your photo. |
 | Get up close and concentrate on the detail Often it is the small things that make a scene special. So use the Macro setting on your camera to capture a close-up. And remember that you will actually get larger magnification with wide angle than zooming in – you get much closer to your subject. |
 | Foreground interest to add scale and depth When you are shooting a landscape, include an object of interest in the foreground. This could be a gate, wall, tree, person or building and helps lead the eye of the viewer into the picture as well as giving scale to your photo. |
 | Great group shots It’s obvious but do make sure everyone is in a group photo! Your camera needs to be far enough away; but not so far that you can’t recognise people. Encourage your group to talk amongst themselves until you’re ready so that they are relaxed (make sure you leave room for yourself). Then get their attention and everyone will appear engaged, looking at the camera at the same time. Set the self-timer, FaceSelf-Timer or WinkSelf-Timer and then go and join the action. |
 | Capture the real person in a portrait If you are shooting a head and shoulders portrait, ask your subject to stand at an angle to the camera, with their head turned towards it to creative a lively, more active shot. If they are standing, give them something relevant to hold or lean against as it will add a context to your photo. Then set your camera to Portrait mode which will set the camera up to produce natural skin tones and help to blur the background so the main focus is on your subject. |
 | Take away colours Black & White and sepia photos are easy with a PowerShot or IXUS either by using the “My Colors” feature or the Monochrome setting in the “Creative Filters” in more recent models . Black & White shots let you discover interesting new perspectives on familiar views as they emphasise the forms and shapes within a photo whilst sepia immediately gives images an older look and feel. |
 | Know your colours Colours change the mood of a photo. Red is a warm colour and tends to dominate, so even a small amount will attract attention. Blue is cool so appears to recede in a photo and is soothing. As one of nature’s colours, green is typically fresh and relaxing. Being the colour of earth, brown is a good canvas for other colours but is rarely a suitable main tone. You can even try using the Colour Accent feature you can pick out one color within the scene and leave the rest black & white to emphasise just one colour. |
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| Bonnie banks, © Douglas McMinn 2011, Canon PowerShot SX110 IS |
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| Autumn, © Alec Schaerer 2011, Canon PowerShot A1200 |
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| Sunset, © Rolf Pahnhenrich 2011, Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
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| Mr. Jojo Bonnett from Avantech Ltd. presenting the camera to Ms. Alexandra Cortis from Hospice Malta |
