Always take your time in pressing the shutter button.

This tip usually sound silly to people when they hear it for the first time. But one of the most common reason for improperly exposed or out of focus photos is improper shutter button technique. Most digital cameras feature automatic exposure and automatic focus. For these automatic mechanisms to work correctly, you must take a two step approach to snapping the photo.

After framing the shot, press the shutter button halfway and hold it there. In a second or two, the camera beeps or displays a light, which is your signal that the focus and exposure have been set. You can then press the shutter button the rest of the way to take the image. Try to remember that if you merely jab the shutter button down in a quick press, you don’t give the camera the brief time it needs to set the exposure and focus properly.