I've been a digital camera user for almost three years and I learn something new every time I use it.  The leap from film to digital was daunting, but exciting, as my photography was taken to a whole new level.  Now I can experiment with various camera settings in different situations, without worrying about wasting film, or the cost of developing bad photos. 
 

The best advice I can give a digital camera owner is "read the instruction manual"!  Most of us tend to refer to the instruction manual to learn about the basics, such as setting the timer, or installing and charging the batteries, but then never look to it again for guidance.  Your camera manual holds a lot of great information about ISO speed, exposure (aperture and shutter speed), macro settings, flash management, and how to use special effects such as solarize, sepia, burst shooting (multiple shots when shutter button is pushed), etc.  I keep my manual inside my camera bag for easy reference, and believe me, I refer to it continuously.

Photo credit: Michelle Shefveland

The best advice I can give a digital camera owner is "read the instruction manual"!  Most of us tend to refer to the instruction manual to learn about the basics, such as setting the timer, or installing and charging the batteries, but then never look to it again for guidance.  Your camera manual holds a lot of great information about ISO speed, exposure (aperture and shutter speed), macro settings, flash management, and how to use special effects such as solarize, sepia, burst shooting (multiple shots when shutter button is pushed), etc.  I keep my manual inside my camera bag for easy reference, and believe me, I refer to it continuously. 

Secondly, take time to learn to use your camera.  It was a slow progression for me - I began in full auto-mode, and only when I became comfortable with the feel of the camera, did I begin to experiment with different features and settings. You will only use up space on the memory card, and it's easy to delete the not-so-good shots as you go. 

Another key to outstanding digital photographs is understanding your photo-editing software.  The steps taken after the images have been uploaded to your computer are just as important as the photographs themselves, and can be the difference between a good and bad result.  Some software packages demand a steep learning curve to master even the basics, but there are plenty of books (see Michelle's book, Scrapbooking the Digital Way, for a full chapter on photo editing techniques), courses, and even on-line tutorials to help you out  (check out our Photoshop Elements photo-editing tutorials here). Our Scrapper's Guide Volume 2 CD - Fabulous Photos, teaches you oodles of editing tips and artistic effects for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. You won't believe what can be created once you begin to feel comfortable with the software! 

For those who really want to improve their photography skills, consider taking an on-line course, or one at your local college. You'll be challenged to grow by your instructor's and fellow students' critiques of your images. Some great courses are offered at www.betterphoto.com.

An image that looks good through your camera lens can be transformed into something even better with a little photo-editing knowledge.  Make sure you first learn the basics of how to re-size, crop and make color adjustments - the results will be well worth it!  See below for my before and after photo clean-up and Michelle's photo tinting technique.