Iteration the Third

Crack those vac snaps! Posted: 28-Aug-2008 13:55		Reply
(Reposted from our website) What did you bring home from your holidays? Well, a few bottles of that local red wine that went down so well in the Taverna (especially after the third bottle!), but which now mysteriously tastes of creosote. A shell-covered box that, when opened, plays Nessan Dorma and has been doing just that for three days non-stop, despite your trying to turn if off. With a hammer. A nearly-gold necklace set with almost-emeralds that you bought from that lovely young man on the beach, and which has left you with a strange rash. (The necklace, not the young man. You hope...) And, of course, some photographs. Ah yes. Those photographs. Let's take a peep at the photographs... Look: here's one of the Taverna. Which seems to have acquired orange decor. And orange patrons. And all the food is, well, orange... Remember the lovely view over the bay? Well, here it is. Actually the sea wasn't at quite that angle... And as for the pictures of the Cathedral, and me in the sea, and both of us on the mountain taken by that friendly German chap - well, I'll try to explain what they were meant to look like, only the battery ran out, or the camera was full, or when I plugged it into the computer when we got home all the images sort of evaporated... Sound familiar? Odd, isn't it, how people will plan their holiday down to the last sock and aspirin and yet the camera, which arguably will bring back more memories than anything else, including the stuffed donkey, often gets shoved into a pocket as an afterthought - if, that is, it gets remembered at all. Having remembered your camera, here are a few things that can spoil your holiday shots... Flat battery- take spares (or pack the charger) Dirty lens - get a cleaning kit (about £5 from camera shops) Full memory card - Clear the old photos before you go And a few things that can improve them... Practice! Take some shots at home. Read the manual. Amazingly, and to their shame, some retailers fail to provide a full manual with their cameras and may even try to charge extra for one. Do they do this with televisions? With washing machines? Complain bitterly and very loudly if this happens to you. Sneer at the manager's tie. Write to your MP. Walk out of the shop. Then take a look at this link: http://www.retrevo.com/samples/index.html This site has thousands (I'm not exaggerating) of manuals that you can download free of charge. Vary your eye line. Crouch down for some shots. Stand on a wall (only when sober...) Look for a different angle, and then use... ***THE NUMBER ONE TIP IN THE HISTORY OF HISTORY*** for taking better photos: Take another shot! Pictures taken on a digital camera are essentially free. As long as you have spare memory, ALWAYS take extra shots. Whilst you can delete the ones you don't like when you get home, when you get home it will be too late to take extra ones. Happy holiday! Jon Ryan Edited by: Moderator on 30-Aug-2008 10:53 That's what you get for copy and pasting in a hurry!