For many, photography can seem like a challenging skill that only professionals can master. But having a proper camera, such as a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR), and being familiar with the settings can help you take high-quality photos.

Use these camera tips to capture the essence of a special event, and take pictures that are not worth a thousand words, but a million!

ISO: sensitivity to light
Controls how sensitive the camera will be to light. The higher the ISO, the grainier the image will appear.

Aperture: depth of field
Controls how much light enters through the lens. The lower the number, the more blurred the background will be.

Shutter Speed: duration
Determines how fast the shutter is opening and closing to expose light.

Exposure Compensation
Increasing exposure brightens the image, while decreasing exposure darkens the image.

Camera Modes
Portrait
The camera will automatically use a large aperture to help keep the background out of focus by ensuring that the subject being photographed is the only thing in focus.

Manual
A main setting that lets you manually control shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.

If your photo is…

• blurry, increase your shutter speed.
• dark, decrease shutter speed and open up aperture.
• bright, increase the shutter speed and close up aperture.

Tip: Try to keep the exposure meter close to or on “0.”