CameraWhy and How to Take Great Digital Photos: An Enlightening Hour with Leslie Fisher

Sallye Martin
East Fayette Elementary School, Fayetteville, Georgia

 Photographs are useful in myriad ways in the school setting. The cost-savings of digital photography have revolutionized the opportunities for staff and students to communicate effectively and to bring the larger community to the inner workings of education.  Relatively inexpensive, yet powerful, cameras, software, and storage media open expression and creativity doors previously closed to those lacking the funding or expertise to gain access to excellence in photographic expression.

For teachers, digital photography enriches direct instruction, maintenance of student portfolios, visual recordkeeping, newsletters, multimedia presentations for parents or peers, and yearbooks, to name just a few uses of photography.  In direct instruction, powerful images offer teachers and students another means of transferring concepts to long-term memory. Instructors who use photography frequently find it indispensable.

For students, inexpensive digital photography and editing allows students to demonstrate thought and action processes involved in completion of projects or problem-solving – meta-cognition at its best.  Students can use creativity in taking pictures or editing the resulting images.  Photography allows students to create high-quality products for presentation or publication in digital or print media.  Expression of student understanding and mastery gains new channels through digital photography and editing.

How to Take Great Digital Photos, presented by Leslie Fisher at GaETC 2006, was entertaining and extremely informative about problems, solutions, and tips for getting exactly what one wants when taking  digital photographs of any type. Unlike most of Leslie’s presentations, The Good, Bad and Ugly: Taking Digital Pictures Effectively is not available on her Web site www.lesliefisher.com due to its original commercial development and fee-based use. While my furious note-taking netted many fine pieces of information, her presentation offered much, much more.

The first and most-stressed piece of advice presented was to become friends with Manual, that sometimes-small book that comes packaged with a digital camera. Careful reading and study of the users’ manual and camera are the first steps in effective digital photography. Many photography methods remain the same, regardless of camera, but the manual contains instruction for applying these photography methods with the camera at hand.

Some general suggestions that were offered include taking numerous pictures, as many as possible, of subjects. Film and development costs are not a factor; bad images can be deleted easily. A large-capacity, professional grade memory card may be more expensive at the onset, but it will allow great numbers of images to be made and studied. On-the-fly viewing allows for on-the-fly editing while the subject is still before the camera.
Focus on the important parts of the photographic subject. Frame photographs, looking around the edges of the viewfinder of LCD screen before clicking. If there are unwanted elements in frame, or if items that should not be are cut off, adjust accordingly. Turn off the digital zoom feature. Digital zoom is only cropping the subject and does not add any detail.  Cropping done with photo editing software is far superior to digital zoom.


Common problems that digital photographers experience include the following. Leslie offered the solutions listed.

  • The photographer is not close enough.
    • Move around. Take test shots. Move closer. Zoom in.
    • Most cameras have a flash that will work only to 8 – 10 feet.
  • Photographs are not in focus.
    • Pay attention to the focus point.      Sony and Canon have a square that is focus point. A blinking dot or light is an indication that focusing going on.
      • Hold shutter button halfway and wait for focus to be complete.
    • Whatever is in the small square is what is in focus. If subject is not in square, focus will be on another object – one that is within the small square when the camera is focusing.
      • Once the camera is focused, by holding the shutter button halfway, the small square may be moved away from the focus point to create a more interesting photograph. (See solutions for boring compositions.)
      • Camera shake is indicated by blurring in images or camera shake icon. This problem is usually lighting that is too low.
    • Use the Sports setting (running man) icon. The camera will take the picture as fast as possible. Light is sacrificed, but image editing software such as PhotoShop Elements can improve light levels. It is better to take a picture that is too dark than a picture that is too light.
    • Add lighting to the area or use a tripod.
    •  Ask subjects to sit still, set the camera up on a table or other stable platform, and set the timer to allow the camera to stop movement before the shutter activates.
    • USE the MODES offered on the camera! ie: Nighttime. (New friend Manual can help with this.)
    • Look for natural light sources to enhance image.
  • Image composition is boring.
  • Wander around; get a new perspective.
  • Use different heights and angles. Shoot low or high.
  • Look for cool perspectives.
  • People shots are more flattering high – especially with older people or kids working or playing with interesting items on table or floor.
    • Use the LAW OF THIRDS.
      • Break viewfinder into tic-tac-toe – important part goes in the corners / intersections of the center square. Many cameras have this feature, showing the grid in the viewfinder. Check the camera’s manual for setting this feature.
      • It’s even better to flow the action across two or more of the grid intersections.
      • Squint Test: Whatever pops out in the squint goes in the intersection.
  • Look for lines: Some lines can draw attention, others detract. Adjust to eliminate or use lines in the composition of the frame.
  • Space makes the viewer think.
      • Have fun with open spaces.
      • Maybe place subject in corner of amazing view. (See focus point – above.)

Don’t put person in the center of in front of scenery; the Eiffel Tower looks funny growing out of someone’s head, for example.

      • Pay attention to the background. Reposition camera or use zoom to adjust background to build interest.

The session also included more technical information on settings such as RAW, color settings, shutter or
aperture priorities, exposure compensation, white balance, etc. Along with explanations of these terms and the advantages of using them to improve or modify images, Leslie recommended playing with various settings on the same subject to learn about what the settings can do and how to achieve the photographic results desired.

Leslie Fisher’s  credentials in technology education started in the technology realm at Apple Computer rather than in a classroom. There she worked with K-12 educators in Apple’s product information and direction. When she left Apple in 1997, she was contacted by schools for Web development, training, etc. She began Fisher Technologies, Inc. in response to customer demand. We are fortunate that her training sessions grew into presentations such as those she shared at GaETC 2006.

Leslie is listed to present again at GaETC 2007. I urge you, as Patrick Crispen did me, to attend Leslie’s upbeat and offbeat sessions. She is informative and thought-provoking. How to Take Great Digital Photos is a must-attend session for anyone who picks up a digital camera. More valuable information is available at www.lesliefisher.com.

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