Capture the portrait : how to create great digital photos

It's every photographer's dream: to take beautiful, high-quality portraits of family and friends. And with the multitude of easy techniques and tips provided by best-selling author and photographer Jenni Bidner, that goal's in sight.

She provides an overview of the basics, including how to eliminate distracting backgrounds by decreasing depth of field and how to modify lighting, flash, or white balance settings to flatter your subject and diffuse facial flaws.

You'll discover why changing the camera angle can make a huge difference in someone's appearance, how to place the subject using the 'rule of thirds,' and how to arrange small groups for a big visual impact.

Whether photographing children for a holiday card, capturing a friend's wedding, or taking snapshots to feed a scrapbooking hobby, these strategies will improve the results!