Frame your shot

Composition is the name of the in photographing people. Pay attention not just to your subject but also to what surrounds it. Is there a clear uncluttered background which enhances your subject’s head? Position your subject or your camera before you take the picture so the subjects head is centered in the frame. Frequently, photos turn out better when the subject is center, because centering the subject will provide you with a good static appearance. Don't worry if the subjects head is nor perfectly centered, most high quality photo ID software will provide auto cropping features. Before you purchase your photo ID software make sure that cropping is part of the product features. This simple feature will benefit you when it comes to producing first time quality photographs.

Shooting Better Portraits

There are many things you can do to take a good portrait, and all are fairly simple. Always try to position your camera slightly below your subject’s nose, but not too low. This will help eliminate forehead glare spots. Fill you subject the viewfinder or LCD in a way that pleases you. Always, try to have your subject look just slightly away from the camera's lens. When photographing indoors it is better to use soft light as opposed to flash, be a little careful with florescent lighting as some florescent lights will give you subject a green tint.

If you are outdoors, set your camera's flash to "Flash On" mode (via the button on the back of the camera represented by the lightning bolt). The camera will automatically balance the daylight with the light given off by the flash and provide correct exposure (also known as Fill-in flash). Light from the flash will simply fill-in the harsh shadows that might have been present on your subject's face. Take an image with the flash on and one without it and you'll be surprised how much of a difference it makes!

The Answer is in the Reference Manual

A majority of times the most overlooked camera accessory is the reference manual. While most cameras come with a Basic Guide, your camera reference manual provides the most detailed answers. Before you start photographing subjects with your digital take the time to become familiar with the reference for your camera. Whether you've just purchased your digital camera or if you've been using it for sometime read (or at least skim) through the manual you will discover some important features that will help you take better pictures.

ARE YOU TWAIN COMPLIANT?

Is the digital camera you are planning on purchasing TWAIN compliant? You may wish to check as a TWAIN compliant camera is an important feature of your Photo ID System. TWAIN initiatives were originally launched in 1992 by leading industry vendors who recognized a need for a standard software protocol and applications programming interface (API) that regulates communication between software applications and imaging devices (the source of the data). TWAIN defines that standard.

You can learn more about the TWAIN compliant initiatives by visiting www.twain.org were you will find a lot of information about TWAIN.

In simple terms TWAIN ensures proper image handling between the capture device (Camera) and the photo ID software. If neither (camera nor ID software) are TWAIN compliant you could experience difficulties in capturing a subject’s photograph and placing it in a legible form within your photo ID software or on the ID card itself. All cameras listed in this section and all Lexington Technology software are TWAIN compliant.