You might be surprised to learn that using your camera's flash outside is an important aspect of taking beautiful portraits of people. In this video, photographer and Dummies author Julie Adair King explains why, and she provides other valuable advice for shooting outdoor portraits.

In this video, Dummies author Julie Adair King tells you how you can get great family photos at home — even when your kids are being rowdy. Learn about choosing a good background and lighting the scene.

When it comes to checking exposure, the image shown on the digital camera monitor can be misleading. The actual image may be brighter or darker than what you see onscreen because the display is affected by the ambient light in which you view the image and on the brightness of the monitor itself.For more reliable exposure guidance, find out whether your camera offers an exposure meter, histogram, or highlights display mode.

Many dSLR cameras offer a choice of shutter-release modes, which controls what happens when you press the shutter button. The name of the option varies, but it's typically something like Drive mode or Release mode. Check your camera manual for that information and for details on how to select the mode you want to use.

Focal length, stated in millimeters, refers to the distance from the center of the lens on your digital camera to the image sensor. Focal length is measured when the lens is set to focus at the farthest possible distance.Now that you know the technical definition of focal length — which, by the way, isn't really important to remember unless you want to impress a roomful of optical engineers — here is an explanation of focal length in real-world photographic terms: Focal length determines the angle of view.

With a little bit of planning and some patience, your photos of natural scenery can get better and better. Watch this video and pick up on some tips and tricks for photographing nature.

Your digital camera’s aperture settings (f-stops) can make a world of difference, so choosing the right f-stop can be an important part of creating a perfect finished picture. You need different f-stops for different photographic situations:Use an almost-wide-open f-stop to boost sharpness.Most cameras and lenses are their sharpest when they’re closed down only one or two f-stops from wide open.

Understanding the art and science of exposure in digital photography involves three main settings on your camera (which is probably a digital SLR, or dSLR): aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Adjusting these interrelated settings will alter the look of your photos, and when you understand how these settings work, you'll begin to take the kinds of eye-catching and impressive photos that you probably dreamed about when you first invested in a quality digital camera.

Lighting is a very important aspect of digital photography. As a photographer, it’s your job to use that light in the best possible way. The lighting process starts with being able to measure the light and determine the best settings to correctly expose for the available light, using a flash to add some light to a scene when needed, and using light to illuminate or hide areas in your images.