It would be a waste to only use your digicam to record your family at birthday parties and Christmas celebrations.
Because you don't need film, digital photography is so inexpensive that you can afford to try out all sorts of different subjects in your photography. Not every shot needs to be perfect and it is likely that your shots will never be interesting if you don't experiment and explore new approaches.
When you find a subject that suits you or catches your imagination, shoot it from a variety of positions, in different light, from close-up to wide-angle. Try over exposure and see what the effect can be. Explore the effect of different white balance settings for your subject. Look for unusual light, or play with shadows and patterns in landscapes. Keep experimenting and trying out new techniques to build your skills.
In this chapter we will show you some techniques for capturing buildings, portraits or landscapes. Follow our tips but by all means dare to be different. Despite what some people believe, there are no fixed rules in photography. The best thing of all is you don't have to go to unique places and exotic locations for interesting photographs. There are buildings outside every doorstep, people inside every home who might be willing to model for you and landscapes on the border of every town. You only need to get up and go.