Need simple tips

[clutchkiller]

I recently bought my first digital camera. I wanted something that wasn't going to break my heart or wallet if it got banged up on a hunting or fishing trip. It's a HP photosmart 435.

Do any of you have any simple tips on how to improve the pictures I'm taking? I will try to post a few, so you can see what I typically get.

By the way I have the Adobe Photoshop 2.0 and the HP Photo & Imaging programs which aren't helping much.

The first pic should be a B&W

 

[clutchkiller]

Some kind of orange mushrooms

 

[clutchkiller]

A deer skull I found

 

[clutchkiller]

I would really like to take better close-ups, if any of you have any tips. The toad in this picture is way too blurry.

 

[foulshot]

CK, on the toad. It looks like the cam was trying to focus on something to close to the lens. Your book that came with the camera should tell you the minimal focal length, or how close you can be to the subject.

Does it have a Macro mode? If so use that for the close ups. Just keep taking pictures and take mental notes of the settings and see what works best. Just keep shooting, you'll get it figured out.