Taking great photographs of children can be a stressful experience, especially if you’re conscious of the onset of boredom as you fiddle with your digital camera settings. .Memorable images never occur by accident, but happen as a result of thought, planning and the ability to anticipate a potential photo opportunity. Great portraits are more than just the sum of clever photographic techniques -they create a lasting impression of a particular day, event or rite of passage.

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Pentax Optio 550 may be old, but it is still a good buy. The programmed auto-exposure mode provided by most digital cameras will only take you so far. It’ll provide perfectly acceptable snapshots, but it doesn’t provide the kind of creative control that more ambitious photographers will need. Why? Because programmed auto-exposure systems adjust the shutter speed and aperture in combination to get the right exposure. That’s fine if you don’t really understand much about photography but you miss out on the creative control possible when you can adjust the aperture and shutter speed independently.

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Towns often come alive at night, as the lights go on inside buildings, their exteriors are floodlit, and street lights get  switched on. If you’re going to a public display, arrive as early as possible, so you can check out the location and find the best  vantage point. If you’re not sure where to stand, ask where the fireworks are expected to explode, so you can position  yourself to get a clear view.

While it’s tempting to go really close to the display, you’ll get a much better perspective by staying well back. You’re  also less likely to have people getting in front of the camera or knocking into your tripod. It’s a waste of time and effort  trying to hand-hold for aerial displays, so remember to take a tripod, because it takes a few seconds for each volley of  fireworks to fill the sky.

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