By The Editors

1 Brace the camera. Bring your arms into your body. Photographing while viewing the camera's LCD often leads shooters to hold the camera and their arms well away from their bodies. This doesn't provide a stable platform and can lead to camera shake.

2 Use two hands. It's tempting to hold a compact digital camera with one hand, but this is the least stable way to hold it. Hold the camera with both hands for maximum stability.

3 Be aware of shutter speed. Be careful that shutter speeds aren't so slow as to lead to camera shake and, consequently, soft images. Choose a relatively fast shutter speed (e.g., 1/60 sec.) or use the camera's flash for illumination.

4 Increase ISO. Many advanced cameras allow you to increase their ISO sensitivity. By increasing the ISO from 100 to 400, you gain an additional two stops of light. You can then shoot at a shutter speed that's two stops faster and more hand-holdable.

5 Turn on the flash. Under low-light conditions, the use of flash will actually freeze the action.

6 Use a tripod. A tripod can create stability, especially under low-light conditions or for close-up photography.

7 Zoom lens. With long focal-length zooms, a higher shutter speed is needed to produce a sharp image. At a telephoto focal length, your body movement will become exaggerated. Reduce this by zooming the lens back to a moderate or wide focal length.

8 Clean your lens. Fingerprints on your lens can produce poor- quality images. When not in use, be sure to cover the lens with the lens cap. You should also periodically clean your lens using lens-cleaning tissue or microfiber cloths.

9 In-camera enhancements. Some advanced cameras allow you to apply sharpening or increased contrast to your images. Experiment with such features to see how they improve your photographs.

10 Brace your body. In situations where a tripod isn't a viable option, bracing your body against a solid surface will provide stability (e.g., leaning your body against a door frame or resting your arms on a short wall).