People often ask me how I capture the touching images that I do. There really is no magic bullet, or secret that I have, other than being ready and having a camera. So I thought I would provide a few insights that I have, and hopefully, these tips will help you too.

First, a word about equipment, you don’t need a fancy DSLR, or even an expensive point and shoot. Most of the time, all you need is your cell phone. When you really think about it, most people like to share their images on social networking sites like facebook, twitter, flickr, etc, and a smartphone is the perfect device. Chances are, you’re already doing this.

Here is a list of things to think about to get you on your way to taking those images you will treasure for a lifetime.

Peaceful and quiet moments are often the easiest to capture.

10 Tips For Capturing Precious Moments

• Keep your eyes open – The more you look around, the more things you will notice around you, and the more opportunities you will see, and eventually shoot.
• Keep your camera with you – As I mentioned before, it doesn’t have to be fancy…to paraphrase someone much wiser than I, the best camera is the one you have with you.
• Take lots of pictures – They say practice makes perfect, and the more pictures you take, the more familiar you will get with how your camera performs, what it’s strengths and weaknesses are, and how to compensate for them.
• Get to know your camera’s special features – If you are using a point and shoot, or DSLR, get to know it’s feature set, at least to the point to where you can quickly make adjustments and take a shot. If you are using a smartphone, download an app or two and play with them, have fun with it…but remember, special effects should be used to enhance the ‘mood’ of a picture, and NOT be used just because.
• Sometimes, the quiet peaceful moments can be the most powerful.
• Anticipation is key – When you’re at a family gathering, you know there is going to be a lot of hugs and kisses, especially as people are coming and going. It is easy to spot, so if you can get a good vantage point, your camera is ready, and you see two people approaching each other with open arms, you stand a good chance of capturing a great shot.
• If you miss a shot, don’t get frustrated, digital is cheap, try, and try again.
• Don’t go for the perfect picture – Cameras can be temperamental, and rarely deliver exactly what you expect. Sometimes the image is blurry, too dark, too light, or any number of other things that may be faulty…the important thing is the mood. Does your image still tell a story, or make you feel something when you look at it? After all, you are capturing a mood, as well as preserving a point in time.
• Take a shot after the ‘shot’ – Very often when people are in front of a camera, they aren’t going to show you their real smile, or their eyes may be in the middle of blinking, try taking a picture just after you’ve taken your first or second take. You may capture a more relaxed smile, or better yet, someone being goofy because they think you’ve already gotten what you want.
• Above all else, have fun, if you’re having fun, so are your subjects, and they will be more relaxed in front of the camera.

Well, that’s it for today’s round of tips. Now get out there and preserve some precious memories of your own.