“Hold it as tight as your candy", my uncle told me when I was about to take the first snap in my childhood. I do not actually remember the model name but I remember that line with some added words - hold it tight but softly enough as you would hold your candy. A lot of problems can be solved if you have total control over your grip.

Digital cameras normally take a bit more time than the film cameras to capture a photo. It is always better to keep it half-pressed for a few moments before capturing the photo. If your camera supports these features, you can also find lighting and other specifications for that photograph while half-pressing the shutter button.

Take a good look at the edges of the frame – is there anything that may disturb the balance of the frame or may take away the focus of the frame. Beware of your fingers if you do not want them to be a part of the image.

Do not try to include everything within a single frame. I would always prefer to tell a single but complete story in a single frame. You should always try to keep a frame as simple as possible. Most of the amateur and new photographers do not understand that even confusion needs to be preplanned. You must give your object its due prominence.

Give your image some space or depth to breathe; like keeping your object in the foreground of a ship in the deep sea. However, it all depends on your shooting location.

If you are shooting indoor, try to play with the lightings. Shade and light can provide you a deep background but beware of the flickers. A single flicker can damage all your hard work.

If you are shooting indoor it is always better to arrange for some extra lighting as table lamps, ceiling lights or camera flashes are never enough to give proper exposure to the object. This often ends up in a dull photograph. To add to this you cannot have total control over these lighting sources.

If you have to use camera flash than make sure that the object is within ten to twelve feet from your camera. Normally a camera flash can provide some light within this range. You can also use an external flash which is more powerful than the inbuilt camera flash.

If lighting is lesser than needed than you can use the aperture if your camera supports manual settings. By using the aperture, you can widen the opening of the lens to allow more light into the camera.

You can also make some adjustments in the shutter speed to allow more time for light to enter your camera. It lets you take most out of the existing and natural light. But in both the situation the images are more prone to blurring or shake if you are not using a tripod to hold your camera steadily for longer period.