First, here's some obvious stuff you probably already know: Most often you will be lining up a shot through one hole in the camera (the viewfinder), and the picture is going to be taken out of another hole (the actual lens). These two holes might be some distance from each other. This means that even though you have a great shot lined up, your finger or thumb may be in front of the lens without you knowing it. My friend Steve is notorious for taking pictures of his finger. It's incredibly funny. Sometimes his finger can be cropped out leaving a useful photo, but sometimes not. This is the value of cameras with an LCD display. I often shoot entirely by the image on the display and don't use the viewfinder at all. That's pretty much foolproof in my experience, because it shows you exactly what will end up stored as the photo.

      And although digital cameras are advanced in many ways compared to film cameras, you still need to hold them as still as you can. Again, perhaps trial and error has made you aware of this already.

        Here are some other basic tips to help you on your way to good digital pictures.

        1) Most digital cameras have sensors on the front that give it information like whether or not the flash is needed, and how far away to focus the lens. Be careful when up close to an object, because the distance finder may be pointing at something way beyond the item you are trying to take a picture of. This will mean the background is crystal clear while your object ends up blurry. Try to get your camera pointed squarely at whatever you want the picture of and check the shot afterwards closely if you have a display.

        2) Be sure to check the lens for lint, dust, hairs, and smudges when you take it out of the case, and every once in a while afterwards. Some digital cameras have recessed or inset lenses, so take a good look. This applies to cameras with and without LCD displays. Things like this are often impossible to see on the display, so you still need to check the actual lens. And be sure to use only proper lens cleaning materials (or a blast of air) when needed.

        3) Take several shots, justified left, right, and center. This will give you better odds of getting shots that are level and/or square to your subject. With a display this is easier since you can view and delete the pictures you don't want or don't need right away.

        4) If you know how (and have software), you can use some of your photos for graphics. If you intend to use photos on web sites or to create cards, stationery, or other things, try getting shots with objects set off to one edge (top, bottom, left, or right). Try getting shots with lots of open space or with large light coloured objects in the middle to put text over later. Also, experiment with using horizon lines and building edges to place text along afterward.

        5) Some people don't realize that almost all digital cameras have mounts on the bottom for standard and often inexpensive tripods. You may want to get a small one for various uses. I've seen good tripods for less than $20.00.

        6) Many cameras come with software for cropping and editing your photos. Cropping is normally an easy process where you just click-and-drag a box around part of your photo. I recommend you experiment with cropping photos much closer than you might instinctively. I also recommend you preserve the original photo, and "Save" your cropped photo under a new name. Crop very tight around people and objects, especially for pictures to email friends and family. This makes your photos easier to see on computer monitors (some people may not be able to zoom in themselves), and makes the file size smaller (meaning they load faster) for those still on dial-up.

        7) Many sources of soft light are better than one incredibly bright light. This goes for both film cameras and digital cameras, and is especially important indoors with any kind of subject (a room, an object, or a person). Think of any photo studio. Do you know those huge white umbrella-like things? All they do is deflect one incredibly bright light so it bounces everywhere and gives an all-around glow to the room or setting. The lighting ends up like outdoors, where it comes from everywhere. This means everything is equally lit, and also reduces or eliminates shadows and edges around things. That's why outdoor photos are usually so easy to take, all you have to do is avoid the glare of the sun itself, get the kids to stay still, and you are in business, without having to worry about the lighting.

        8) Many digital cameras have red-eye reduction settings or options. If this is an option on your camera that needs to be turned on and off, check your manual for how to do this. Most red-eye reduction cameras I've seen work very well, and you should use this option when photographing people and animals. Even if you have software to correct red eyes in your photos, it is still easier to take the picture without them in the first place.