Taking Pictures of Landscapes – Cityscapes 2

Using the Panorama Function
When you go on a trip and encounter wide landscapes or beautiful street scenes you want to take a picture that preserves that wide feel. But most of the times that wide look is lost because you can take only part of the scene, and even if you zoom out all the way towards W (wide-angle) the subject seems too small. In such cases, try using the panorama function.

Select the [PANORAMA] mode from the camera’s menu to take the pictures. Take one picture, move the camera to take the next picture and repeat as necessary. Later, join the pictures in a computer using the provided software OLYMPUS Master. The software will recognize the pictures taken in Panorama mode and you can create a single panoramic picture.When you set the camera to [PANORAMA] mode, blue frames will appear on the monitor. Move the camera so the portion of the first and second pictures that is in the blue frame will appear at the same position.

Join the pictures to a single panoramic picture using OLYMPUS Master
Other examples of panoramic pictures

Useful things to remember

• You can use the panorama function only when using xD-Picture Cards. Join the pictures using a computer after having taken the pictures. Install the OLYMPUS Master picture management software from the provided CD-ROM in advance.
• The software will automatically recognize the overlapping portions of the pictures, but you will get better results if you use a tripod when moving the camera to take consecutive pictures.

Taking Pictures of Landscapes – Cityscapes 1

Using the SCENE mode
Cityscapes of streets and scenery glowing with the setting sun are always beautiful and dramatic. The sunset light changes all the time, leaving only a short period when the light is perfect for taking the picture. If you take too long changing the settings on the camera, you may miss the right moment for a sunset scene. The [SCENE] modes will come very handy in such cases.

Use the [SCENE] mode’s [SUNSET] mode for twilight pictures of the city
The [SCENE] modes allow you to change several settings automatically to match the subject. Try using the [SUNSET] mode to take pictures not only of the sunset itself but also of city scenes illuminated by the sunset glow. The result will be beautiful pictures, slightly tinged with red tones that reproduce the look of the twilight scene.

Many times when you take pictures of twilight scenes, the sunset in the picture does not come out red enough and looks disappointing. The [SCENE] mode’s [SUNSET] mode emphasizes the red hues in the picture. So you will be able to get impressive pictures of sunsets. And you can still use the exposure compensation function even though it is a [SCENE] mode. By adjusting the exposure compensation towards [-] you can get richer sunset colors. You could take several pictures with different adjustment values to try different brightness levels.

The [SUNSET] mode emphasizes the red hues of sunset scenes

	Picture taken using Program Auto (P) mode		Picture taken using SCENE (Sunset) mode)

Combine with exposure compensation to bring out the atmosphere in the picture

Useful things to remember

• Some camera models have the [ (White Balance Compensation)] function. By using it and adjusting towards RED you can accentuate even more the red tones in the picture.
• The actual effect will depend on the subject but by setting the white balance to [Cloudy Day ] you can emphasize the red tones even more than in real life.

Taking Pictures of Landscapes – Snowscenes 2

 
Using Exposure Compensation
Snow scenes in pure white can be very beautiful. It’s also not that hard to take pictures of them, but it may be difficult to capture that pure-white look. Try this technique to get the snow-white look in the picture.

Using Exposure Compensation to Bring Out the Look of Snowfields
Most cameras include the Exposure Compensation function. You enhance the whiteness simply by adjusting towards the [+]. But be careful as this may result in a picture with a look different than in reality. If you emphasize the white color too much, the whole quality of the snow may be lost so check the effect on the monitor while making the adjustment.
The Exposure Compensation function changes the brightness of the picture. Using it you can alter the impression of the picture or the condition or look of the subject. Snow scenes are one example of the subjects for which it is hard to adjust the exposure compensation. By adjusting towards [+] you can get a whiter, brighter picture but doing it too much can result in overexposure. To be on the safe side you can take several pictures with different adjustment values.

Changing the look of a snow scene using Exposure Compensation

Useful things to remember

• Adjusting too much towards [+] can result in overexposure. On some models you can check for overexposure on the playback display after taking a picture, and other models allow you to check the white balance using a histogram while taking pictures.
• Auto bracketing is very convenient to take several pictures at different adjustment values. The auto bracketing function takes a number of pictures changing the adjustment value automatically. This can be handy especially when it is difficult to find the best adjustment value. Open "Useful Tips: Using the auto bracketing".

Taking Pictures of Landscapes – Snowscenes 1

 
Using White Balance Compensation
Sometimes when you take a picture of snowy scenes, the resulting picture does not really express the cold feel of the snow. A picture where the snow looks not truly white but rather appears in sightly blue hues can enhance the feel of intense cold. Adjust the White Balance to get the impression of freezing cold.

Using WB Compensation to Express Intense Cold 
With camera models that feature the [ (White Balance Compensation)] function, you can adjust it towards BLUE to strengthen the blue tones in the picture. Even with models that do not include [ White Balance Compensation ], as long as you can change the [], you can get the same effect by using the [ (Tungsten Light)] setting.
Usually, the purpose of the White Balance function is to get the correct colors in a picture. But sometimes it is better to emphasize some colors in order to get a certain look or expression. Pictures of snowy scenes will have a richer atmosphere if you bring out the blue tones by adjusting the [ (White Balance Compensation)] towards BLUE. Not all camera models feature the [ ] function.

Compare the effects of small adjustments using

Useful Tips – Take pictures of children from their eye level

When you take pictures of children or places where children play, try to take the picture from a height that is level with the child’s eyes and not from above. If you take the picture from an adult’s eye level, the picture will be looking down, showing mostly children’s heads and not really showing their facial expressions. Also, since perspective is accentuated with the zoom at wide-angle (W), children’s heads will be emphasized and their bodies will look smaller than in reality. By squatting and taking the picture so as to have your eyes level with the child’s eyes you will get much better results.

Try different eye levels

Picture taken from the parent’s eye level
When the picture is taken from an adult’s eye level, the head is over-emphasized and it’s difficult to see the child’s expression. In addition, the ground appears as background resulting in a dull picture.

	Picture taken from the child’s eye level When the picture is taken so it is level with the child’s eyes, the facial expression comes out really well. Try squatting and taking the picture so as to have your eyes level with the child’s eyes.

Picture taken from a height lower than the child’s eye level
From time to time, try taking the picture from even a lower height. Since the perspective is accentuated with the zoom at wide-angle (W), the legs will seem longer giving the child a taller, more slender figure. Compact digital cameras are light and small enough to make it easy to take pictures from very close to the ground without using the viewfinder.

Useful Tips – Auto Bracket

When shooting pictures, it is often difficult to decide what exposure setting should be used. One big advantage of digital cameras is that you can delete unwanted pictures after a shooting session. Therefore, it is recommended that you take extra pictures with various exposure settings. In such a case, the BKT (Auto Bracket) function – if your camera supports it – will come in handy. BKT is a function that allows you to take successive pictures while gradually changing the amount of exposure compensation. You can shoot as many pictures as required simply by keeping the shutter button pressed.

In most camera models, BKT is located within [DRIVE] mode in the menu. You can set the amount of change in the exposure compensation and the number of pictures that will be taken.

* This is the menu screen of SP-500UZ.

To shoot, simply continue pressing the shutter button. Pictures will be recorded in the following order: If you let go of the shutter button in the middle of auto bracketing, the pictures that have been shot up to that point will be recorded.

The pictures will be recorded from left to right, in the following order:
[BKT] Correction value: 1.0 / Number of pictures: 5

±0	+2.0	+1.0	-1.0	-2.0

The pictures will be recorded from left to right, in the following order:
[BKT] Correction value: 1.0 / Number of pictures: 5

+2.0	+1.0	±0	-1.0	-2.0

Useful Tips – Exposure compensation or flash

When shooting pictures indoors or in a dimly lit location, you need to change the camera setting so that the subject will be adequately illuminated. Methods using exposure compensation or flash are available. Which option you should use will differ depending on the picture subject and the conditions for taking the picture. It is easy to use the flash to illuminate a subject. However, when you use the flash, pictures may seem unnatural since the flash eliminates ambient lighting conditions. By contrast, using exposure compensation preserves the ambient lighting, which results in a more natural-looking picture. However, the shutter speed may drop, making it more likely for subject or camera movement blur to occur. If you are in a situation where blurring may occur, you can increase the ISO sensitivity setting. Increasing the ISO sensitivity, however, may result in more noticeable noise. There is no definite answer as to which method is better, so it is probably best to take your pictures using both the flash and exposure compensation.

Compare these pictures taken with exposure compensation and flash

	Shot using exposure compensation: The subject’s facial expression and the incoming light are adequately visible, but the bright areas in the background are overexposed.		Shot using flash: The entire picture is nicely lit, but the interior/exterior brightness and the atmosphere of the interior lighting are not accurately reproduced.

Taking Pictures of People – Night Scene

Use [SCENE] (Night & Portrait) for slow synchronization photography

When taking pictures of night scenes that include people, using the flash in the Program Auto(P) mode will illuminate the person but the night scene will appear completely black. To avoid this, illuminate the person with the flash, and use a slow shutter speed for the night scene. This method of photography is known as slow synchronization shooting. You can take beautiful pictures using slow synchronization shooting just by setting [SCENE] to [NIGHT+PORTRAIT]. If your camera does not have the [NIGHT+PORTRAIT] setting, try taking pictures by setting the flash mode to slow synchronization.

Compare the effects of Slow Synchronization photography and the regular Program Auto mode

	Picture taken using the flash in Program Auto mode		Picture taken with [SCENE] (Night + Portrait): The shutter speed is a bit too slow resulting in camera blur		Picture taken with [SCENE] (Night + Portrait). A cross filter was used

Useful things to remember

• To shoot night scenery, the shutter must remain open after the flash has gone off. Be sure to tell the subject in advance not to move until the shutter closes.
• With slow synchronization photography, images are more likely to show blurring since the shutter speed is slower. Stabilize the camera by using a tripod or other similar equipment.
• If there is a long distance between the camera and the subject, the light of the flash may not reach the subject. Have the subject stand closer to the camera.
• It may be harder to focus if the subject is in a completely dark location. If it is hard to focus, have the subject stand in a brighter location.
• To further enhance night scenes, try using a cross filter or a similar filter. Although it may not be possible to attach filters to some cameras, filters can be just as effective if you hold them in front of the lens with your hand.

Taking Pictures of People – Indoors 2

Use the [SCENE] mode’s [SMILE SHOT]
In [SMILE SHOT] mode, the AF mode is set to [FACE DETECT AF] so the camera will automatically detect faces within the frame and track them while keeping the focus on the faces. When a face is detected, a green frame will be displayed around it. The camera looks for changes in the facial expression to detect smiles. The camera may also take the picture when there’s a large change in the facial expression, even if it is not a smile. The camera shoots automatically 3 frames at a time. The record mode is automatically changed to a slightly smaller image size.

	After you point the camera at the subject, the camera will display a green frame when it detects a face.		When the subject smiles, a sequence of 3 pictures is shot automatically. No need to press the shutter button.

Try shooting all kind of pictures using the [SMILE SHOT] function

 * Note that the camera shoots the picture when there is a change in the facial expression. A picture may be shot even if the subject is not smiling.

Useful things to remember

• If the location of the face is moving within the frame, it may not be detected correctly. Try, as much as possible, to have the subject and the camera not move.
• If your camera does not have the [SMILE SHOT] function, try taking pictures setting [DRIVE] to sequential shooting. If your camera has the high-speed sequential shooting drive mode, you can use sequential shooting and not miss any changes in the facial expression.

Taking Pictures of People – Outdoors

Use the exposure compensation to make the subject brighter

When taking portraits of women, a brighter picture gives a fresh feel to the portrait. To get a brighter picture, adjust the exposure compensation towards the [+]. Although you can use a flash to illuminate the subject, the results sometimes seem unnatural and it is not easy to achieve the effects you want from the flash. Exposure compensation may get better results.

Compare the effects of different values of exposure compensation on the feel of the picture

	Exposure compensation at -2.0		Exposure compensation at -1.0
	No exposure compensation		Exposure compensation at +2.0

Useful things to remember

• When you take pictures of people or moving objects, you may miss the perfect moment if you adjust the exposure compensation every time you take a picture. In this type of situation, the auto bracketing function comes in handy.
• If you compensate to make the picture lighter, be sure not to overexpose areas such as the subject’s face. On some models you can check for overexposure on the playback display after taking a picture, and other models allow you to check the white balance using a histogram while taking pictures.