1,000 words...

Both Homebase and Roscommon got new digital cameras recently, and I have been getting into different modes of photography with my camera of late and so, in that spirit, here are a few guides and how-to's for canon-style cameras.
Basically, Digital Cameras these days come with several settings for different kind of photo. Back in my High School days, we'd have to change aperture sized and shutter speeds manually on our SLR's. Today, there are presets to make this process easier, but only about 2-10 people use them. Here's a quick breakdown.
:Use this mode when you want to obscure the background and make the person you are shooting stand out.

:The Close-up Mode allows you to create impressive images of flowers, still life scenes, and subjects shot at close range.

:The Sports Mode pairs a high shutter speed with the AI Servo AF function, which can continuously focus on athletes, animals, or other rapidly moving subjects.

:The perfect mode for shooting nighttime scenery or people against a sunset.Shooting in this mode illuminates your subject with the flash and beautifully captures the background with a slow shutter speed.

:Use this mode when you want to avoid the reflection of a flash or shoot with the effect of natural light.

:This mode is the one to use when you want an image perfectly focused from near in to far away.

Color Settings:
Monochrome: This is a color setting (look for Sepia/B&W/etc for this setting). "When color data is discarded, light and shadows come to the fore and produce impressive images. The "Monochrome” Picture Style is not a revival of the past but an introduction to digital black and white. Monochrome offers the prospect of profound discovery and is worth the effort to master it."
Neutral: "With low saturation and contrast, the "Neutral” Picture Style leaves richer detail and gives photographers the greatest latitude for creating the finished images they envision."
Faithful: "Rather than the overall impression of a photo, the aim of the "Faithful” Picture Style is accurate reproduction of the colors of the subject. The "Faithful” Picture Style is the optimal choice for accurately reproducing color, showing the details of a pet’s fur, and in other cases when you want to express the subject without exaggeration."
Landscape: "The "Landscape” Picture Style is for communicating impressions engendered by the scenery before your eyes. Blue skies that seem like they could swallow you up. Trees swaying in the wind. More than the colors you saw, the "Landscap” Picture Style produces highly vivid images based on the colors you want to remember. The "Landscape” Picture Style also employs a high sharpness setting to clearly reproduce structures and other distant details. "
Portrait: "People are the most familiar —and the most difficult— photographic subjects. Adjusting the light level and exposure balance can produce vastly different development results. The "Portrait” Picture Style produces glowing expressions of healthy skin color for infants, children, and women. With the reduced sharpness and soft finishing of the "Portrait” Picture Style, you can almost hear the laughter of the smiling faces in your photograph."

Last, but not least, is Focus-Lock. This is a technique that anyone with a digital camera should be able to do. Most every newer camera uses Autofocus or something similar. Ever wander what the box is that appears for a split second in your LED screen when you're taking the picture? Here's how to use it to take better pictures.

These things aren't disposable cardboard cameras, people. To get your moneys worth out of them... everyone should learn these few basic tricks of the trade. Like with any hobby, it'll take practice.