Photography. It's can be both fun and challenging. But, with some simple techniques, a lot of the mystery will be taken "out of the picture". Here are some basic tips to get you started.

It's critical that the camera remain steady while taking your picture. Movement will result in blurry images. Hold the camera firm, but not tight. Rest your arms on your chest and take your shot. Another option is to purchase a camera bag which will accommodate a tripod and use it to hold your camera.

Another important aspect of photography is lighting. You should always keep the sun behind you, and slightly to one side. This technique provides interest to your photograph by giving the subject a shadow and the photograph texture and form. The only time the sun should be in front of you, is when you're shooting a sunrise or sunset. We'll talk about this technique later.

Next, focus closely on the subject and remove as much of the "clutter" as you can. The simplest way to accomplish this is to move close to the subject or use a zoom lens. These two techniques will ensure that what you intended is truly going to be the focal point of the picture. Another tip is to, whenever possible, use a plain background.

The actual visual aspect of how you take the picture is an easy technique to learn, but one which dramatically changes the end result. For example, if you want to get a shot of a tall building, you would turn the camera vertically. But, if you're standing on a cliff overlooking a rugged shoreline, you would hold the camera horizontally.

Always strive for variety when you're photographing. This can be accomplished in several ways. By adding life to your photos with family, friends or pets. This is especially effective when photographing scenery or buildings. Take several shots of the same picture at different angles and with a different

lens.

Move your subject off center. Picture a tic-tac-toe grid and place your subject at one of the intersections. This is called Rule of Thirds and adds texture and life to your photograph.

As promised earlier, here's a technique for photographing a beautiful sunset. Some feel the best time is just as the sun is touching down on the horizon. You can also get some awesome pictures of this gorgeous atmospheric phenomenon anywhere from10 to 30 minutes after the sun has actually set. It is agreed by most that a zoom lens is very useful to capture the best possible shot and a tripod is also recommended.

If you take these tips and combine them with a good camera tucked in a quality camera bag, the only thing you need to add is your vision and imagination. The results will be inspiring.