1) Get down on their level

• Hold your camera at the subject's eye level to capture the power of those magnetic gazes and mesmerising smiles
• For kids and pets that means getting down on their level to take the picture
• They don't have to look directly into the camera, the eye level angle by itself will create personal and inviting feeling

2) Use a plain background

• Before taking a picture, check the area behind your subject
• Lookout for trees or poles sprouting from your subject's head
• A clutered background will be distracting while a plain background will emphasize your subject

3) Use flash outdoor

• Even outdoors, use the fill flash setting on the camera to improve your pictures
• Use it bright sunlight dark shadows under the eyes and nose, especially when the sun is directly overhead or behind your subject
• Use it on cloudy days, to brighten up faces and make them stand out from the backgroud

4) Move in close

• To create impactful pictures, move in close and fill your picture with the subject
• Move a few steps closer or use the zoom until the subject fills the viewfinder. You will eliminate background distractions and show off the details in your subject
• For small objects, use the camera's macro or 'flower' mode to get sharp close-ups

5) Take some vertical pictures

• Many subject look better in a vertical picture from the Eiffel Tower to portraits of your friends
• Make a conscious to turn your camera sideways and take some vertical pictures

6) Lock the fucus
Lock the focus to create a sharp picture of off-center subjects

• Center the subject
• Press the shutter button half way down
• Re-frame your picture (while still holding the shutter button)
• Finish by pressing the shutter button all the way

7) Move it from the middle

• Bring your picture to life simply by placing your subject off-center
• Imagine a tic-tac grid in your viewfinder. Now place your subject at one of the intersections of lines
• Since most cameras focus on whatever's in the middle, remember to lock the focus on your subject before re-framing the shot

8) Know your flash's range

• Pictures taken beyond the maximum flash range will be too dark
• For many cameras that's only ten feet about for step away. Check your manual to be sure
• If the subject is further than ten feet from the camera, the picture may be too dark

9) Watch the light

• Great light makes grate pictures. Study the effects of light in your pictures
• For people pictures, choose the soft lighting of cloudy days. Avoid overhead sunlight that casts harsh shadows across faces
• For scenic pictures, use the long shadows and color of early and late daylight

10) Be a picture director

• Take an extra minute and become a picture director, not just a passive picture-taker
• Add some props, rearrange your subjects or try a differ viewpoint
• Bring your subject together and let their personalities shine, Then watch your pictures dramatically improve