I'm Dreaming of a White Tuna

You can observe a lot just by watching -- Yogi Berra

With digital cameras, it's so easy to point and shoot without giving too much thought to exactly what is in the picture frame. After all, you can always crop the photo to exclude any unwanted objects (or relatives). A better way is to try to pay attention to the scene composition as you're taking the picture. That way, you don't have to spend time "fixing" the photo in a photo editing software and you don't have to make excuses for an almost great picture. As you are composing your shot, take a moment to look around in the viewfinder (or LCD screen) to make sure that you can see to the edges. If there are unwanted objects, and time permits, move closer, zoom in or change your position to get a better shot.

Also, pay attention to where the light is coming from. For the most part, try not to shoot facing the sun or a bright window. When you do, you will typically find that your subject looks very dark. If you are trying for a special effect or if you are using a "fill" flash, it's a different story, but in general, you want the sun or bright light source behind you.

If you do want to edit your photos, I found a free online editor at DrPic.com. I have not played with it yet, but it looks like you can resize photos, improve contrast and color, and add some nice effects. If you try it, let me know what you think and I'll pass along your comments.

Have you seen the Art Smart Car? My wife, Nancy Noel May, purchased a new Smart Car, which she named Bebe. Nancy's a painter and manager of Spectrum Art and Jewelry. Bebe is wrapped with an image of one of Nancy's paintings. You can follow the adventures of Bebe on her blog.

If you see Bebe out and about, take her photo and send it to me. I'll post it the next time.