Digital Camera Reviews & Photography Tips

Hey, I’m new to the forum. I had a photo accepted by BigStock right out of the box – a clear, crisp photo of the Manhattan Bridge, NYC (pretty dull photo, but still). Another photo taken near the bridge was first rejected for exposure problems, then when I fixed that with levels (gimp) it was rejected for lack of model release (I disagree the faces were recognizable – they were obscured, but I accept this). Now, two photos, one of Central Park, and one of a horse in its paddock, were rejected for being blurry when viewed at a larger size. They don’t appear blurry to me. I’m a new photographer but I have a decent grasp on basic composition, and my stuff looks like a lot of the other stuff on BigStock (not the popular selling photos, but others that are in the same category) I have a Canon Rebel XSI. I use auto most of the time.

Accepting they are blurry, what am I doing wrong? Snapping the shot prematurely? How can I be sure the photo is in focus before I snap? Again, I’ll have to rely on tips because these photos don’t look blurry to me on my computer. Anyhow, I don’t want to be killing my chances here with things like poor exposure, blurry photos, etc., which mean I’m not operating my camera properly! How can I be sure I’m taking clear photos while using the auto setting, until I get a grasp of the manual settings? Thanks so much.

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Has anything replaced or come close to the Fuji f30 in regards to shooting quality at night without flash and without substantial noise?

Im am looking for a compact that will give me the best quality for the following situations:
– photographing at night without flash
– ornate fixtures, lamps, etc that are lit at night without additional lighting
– neon signs
– fireworks (not so frequently)
– concerts
– at the beach

I know this is a tall order for a compact but would love some favorites and why… what are the best compacts these days for both day and night shooting?

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