8. Flash mode. I'm a flash hater. My usual advice: Turn your flash off and leave it that way. But if you do use your flash, it has all sorts of options, including red-eye mode, rear curtain, and force-flash. You might also be able to fiddle with its intensity. Just don't forget that you changed something, because this is one of the hardest camera settings to troubleshoot since its effect on your photos can be somewhat subtle.

9. Shutter setting. Your shutter release might have a smorgasbord of settings, like single shot, quiet mode, rapid fire, and more. This setting isn't that dangerous because it doesn't influence your exposure much. But it can be embarrassing to snap a photo in a quiet place (say, a church or museum) and the camera accidentally fires off a dozen exposures in rapid succession.

10. File format. Finally, most people set their camera to shoot a single file format like or JPG and never touch that control again. But if you find yourself switching between them occasionally, this is another good setting to double check.

Hot Pic of the Week

This week's Hot Pic: "" by Ankush Kaul, Albany, New York