By MJ Johnston
If you love to take digital pictures outdoors, then you've probably already experimented with a variety of up a notch, and you may even start to prefer taking your photos to a lab for printing, or doing your digital photo printing through another professional service, like your favorite online photo sharing service, for the best results. However you do your digital photo printing, try these two techniques for outdoor photos and you'll end up with some of the best digital pictures possible.
If you love nature and the outdoors, then you already know that it's amazingly beautiful, from the impossibly vast sights like the Grand Canyon, to the tiniest stamen on a flower. And while shots of things like the Grand Canyon can be stunning, there's nothing quite like a close up of an intricate spider web, or an extremely close shot of the inside of a flower. Zooming into nature opens up a whole new interesting world that we take for granted every day and never really examine.
Flowers, especially, can look even more stunning when you can see the texture of the stamen, or the dots of pollen or dew resting on the petals. Some of the most beautiful pictures ever taken of flowers were extreme close-up shots. So look for the setting on your digital camera that allows these extreme close-ups. It's often called "macro mode" and sometimes is even represented by a flower symbol. When you've found your photo subject, focus on the part that moves you. Up close shots have a more shallow depth of field, so everything but the most focused part will soften a little into the background. Hold the button halfway down to give the camera a moment to focus, before depressing the button all the way.
Another gorgeous technique for stunning outdoor digital photo printing is that of photographing moving water. Find your waterfall, stream or other water source where water turns to "white" water by going over a fall or even just small rocks in the path of the stream. A shaded water source is best. You'll also want to use a tripod to keep the camera steady. Set the self-timer on your digital camera, and set the aperture to f-8, f-11 or f-16, if your camera has an aperture priority setting. This slows the shutter down for a longer exposure each time. If you can get each exposure to last a second or two, the water in your photo won't look captured or frozen in time, it looks as if its flowing. different ways to get the best shots possible, especially if you do your digital photo printing yourself. But there are a couple of techniques for outdoors shots that can make your photography time even more rewarding and fun, and make digital photo printing even better because the photos you'll be producing will be even more impressive than usual.
If you usually do your digital photo printing yourself, practicing these techniques could take your photography skills.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Digitalphotoalbumsite, a photo site that offers advice on easy ways to enjoy digital photo printing, as well as free online photo storage.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Female Photography in Style - Learning the Art of Photography
By Wendy Pan
With the advent of the internet, female photography is on the sky. Yeah! As these photos gets constantly shared, female photo fans keep uploading , downloading, surfing, saving moving, blogging and . . you can keep listing. . and loving. So much get involved that the field constantly gets wider, almost daily, new female photography concepts .
A lot is involved in female artistic photography, for instance: good cameras, backdrops, location, lightening props, and models, to name a few items. There are just too many choices. Now add the 'artistic' to 'photography', and you give it another cool concept. Imagine the effect of the Mona Lisa art on a live photo. That's what we're talking about. If you want to be in the crowd, stay away from this.
All you need to be a female amateur photographer for the internet is a simple camera a little knowledge of getting photos onto the computer. Ever seen women taking pictures of themselves with their small cameras or webcams or posing for photographers in different forms, at home, beaches, in parties and other events? Just check out the blogs and personal websites. That's it! If you want to go into Female body photography be smart enough to avoid defaulting privacy invasion laws. It is about mastering the right camera and photographic technique. I mean something like 400mm and 800mm telephoto lens. Also get some kneepads and maybe a good camouflage jacket and be sure you don't get caught.
Female fashion photography has been around for quite a while. The focus here is more on the design of the dress and how well it fits. When designers create clothing in different styles, and colors, female fashion photographers simply sparkle up the new design in notable magazines and newspapers. Check out the billboards and posters for more.
Female figure photography highlights the shape, physique and other physical characteristics of the female gender. Get the models, get a shot of the cool figure you intend to promote for what product then go and do your homework.
Don't mix them up, female form photography highlights those beautiful curves of a woman for the law court, government or some other forensic purposes. Ask the girls with an eye for good money.
Female glamour photography is another branch of female photography that concentrates on the subject rather than the fashion or products. it is the type you can do if you want to market or further market the model. Make sure you know how to bring out the best looks from the woman.
You need all the technical skills to do well in female lifestyle photography. The reason is because, unlike fashion or glamour photos, you show off a dream lifestyle and fantasy that gets people craving for some product.
Female physique photography is also something that calls for great skill. Hey, get to the basics first!
Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about female photography, please visit Photography Hobbyist for current articles and discussions.
With the advent of the internet, female photography is on the sky. Yeah! As these photos gets constantly shared, female photo fans keep uploading , downloading, surfing, saving moving, blogging and . . you can keep listing. . and loving. So much get involved that the field constantly gets wider, almost daily, new female photography concepts .
A lot is involved in female artistic photography, for instance: good cameras, backdrops, location, lightening props, and models, to name a few items. There are just too many choices. Now add the 'artistic' to 'photography', and you give it another cool concept. Imagine the effect of the Mona Lisa art on a live photo. That's what we're talking about. If you want to be in the crowd, stay away from this.
All you need to be a female amateur photographer for the internet is a simple camera a little knowledge of getting photos onto the computer. Ever seen women taking pictures of themselves with their small cameras or webcams or posing for photographers in different forms, at home, beaches, in parties and other events? Just check out the blogs and personal websites. That's it! If you want to go into Female body photography be smart enough to avoid defaulting privacy invasion laws. It is about mastering the right camera and photographic technique. I mean something like 400mm and 800mm telephoto lens. Also get some kneepads and maybe a good camouflage jacket and be sure you don't get caught.
Female fashion photography has been around for quite a while. The focus here is more on the design of the dress and how well it fits. When designers create clothing in different styles, and colors, female fashion photographers simply sparkle up the new design in notable magazines and newspapers. Check out the billboards and posters for more.
Female figure photography highlights the shape, physique and other physical characteristics of the female gender. Get the models, get a shot of the cool figure you intend to promote for what product then go and do your homework.
Don't mix them up, female form photography highlights those beautiful curves of a woman for the law court, government or some other forensic purposes. Ask the girls with an eye for good money.
Female glamour photography is another branch of female photography that concentrates on the subject rather than the fashion or products. it is the type you can do if you want to market or further market the model. Make sure you know how to bring out the best looks from the woman.
You need all the technical skills to do well in female lifestyle photography. The reason is because, unlike fashion or glamour photos, you show off a dream lifestyle and fantasy that gets people craving for some product.
Female physique photography is also something that calls for great skill. Hey, get to the basics first!
Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about female photography, please visit Photography Hobbyist for current articles and discussions.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Film Photography - Gone, But Not Forgotten in a Digital World
By Andrew Goodall
Digital photography is king of the photography world. For most of us, film is now a relic of the past...but our great photos on film should not be forgotten.
Forget the traditionalists who insist that film is better. In some ways it definitely is; it is simply not practical in the digital world to continue taking your photos on film. However, that doesn't mean you should throw your old photos away.
It may come as a shock to some young people, but great photography has existed for many years, done by true artists who relied on camera skills, not computers, to produce their images. Some manipulation was possible in the darkroom by the few who knew how, but most great photography was captured 'in camera.'
What a shame, then, that so many of these great images are now gathering dust in closets around the world.
Our rush to embrace digital technology was not gradual. Digital cameras made film almost obsolete in just a few short years. With the cameras came computer software, USB cards, online storage and social networking. Almost overnight, everything related to photography involved digital technology. You really could not do anything with a photo unless it was on your computer.
Of course, this is no problem for photos taken now and in the future. Most of us now have digital cameras and are becoming comfortable with software. My concern is, what has happened to all those great photos from the past, taken on film and now out of place in the modern world?
I have been taking photos to sell in my gallery for over twenty years. I appreciate all the benefits of digital photography, but for now I have chosen not to buy a digital camera. I have thousands of photos from my many travels, all taken on colour slides, which I am determined to put to good use.
I just know that when I buy a digital SLR camera and start snapping, all these old slides will be forgotten. They will gather dust, fade, and eventually be good for nothing but throwing away. So my decision to continue working with film is about making sure that doesn't happen.
These days I am trawling through years of images, picking out the shots that deserve to be seen, and scanning them. As long as they remain on film, they may be out of date; but once converted to digital files they are every bit as good as anything taken on a modern camera. Some people would argue that for quality, they are even better.
Since I started scanning my slides, I have rediscovered a treasure trove of photos from years past. For every photo I have printed and sold, there are ten more photos just as good that have never seen the light of day. Some photos I always knew were there. Others I had forgotten I ever shot. Some of those photos are now on sale and proving more popular than photos I had been selling for all these years.
When you revisit photos after many years, you start to notice things about them that you may not have appreciated before. Sometimes the photo you chose to print first is not the best, although you may have thought so at the time. After admiring one photo of a waterfall for ten years, it is a real eye-opener to remember you also have ten other angles of the same waterfall, taken on the same roll of film but never printed, and each spectacular in its own way.
Scanning your negatives and colour slides does not have to be expensive. You can buy a film scanner for just a few hundred dollars which has the resolution and the software to get the job done. After that, the only thing you have to spend is time.
If scanning them yourself doesn't appeal, you can pay to have it done professionally. This can cost as little as a few dollars a file, and should include all the colour correction and spot removal you need to make your photos ready for printing. It may be too costly to have all your photos scanned commercially, but you could make a selection of your top 100 to save for posterity.
Whichever way you choose to go about it, I encourage you to revisit your old photos. Don't allow them to gather dust until they are thrown away. Scanning can breathe new life into old memories, and I guarantee you will find some real gems that are worth preserving.
If you want to see some great photos taken on film, visit http://www.naturesimage.com.au and see Andrew Goodall's nature photography collection. If you like Andrew's commonsense approach to photography, sign up to the free online newsletter for more ideas and tips.
Digital photography is king of the photography world. For most of us, film is now a relic of the past...but our great photos on film should not be forgotten.
Forget the traditionalists who insist that film is better. In some ways it definitely is; it is simply not practical in the digital world to continue taking your photos on film. However, that doesn't mean you should throw your old photos away.
It may come as a shock to some young people, but great photography has existed for many years, done by true artists who relied on camera skills, not computers, to produce their images. Some manipulation was possible in the darkroom by the few who knew how, but most great photography was captured 'in camera.'
What a shame, then, that so many of these great images are now gathering dust in closets around the world.
Our rush to embrace digital technology was not gradual. Digital cameras made film almost obsolete in just a few short years. With the cameras came computer software, USB cards, online storage and social networking. Almost overnight, everything related to photography involved digital technology. You really could not do anything with a photo unless it was on your computer.
Of course, this is no problem for photos taken now and in the future. Most of us now have digital cameras and are becoming comfortable with software. My concern is, what has happened to all those great photos from the past, taken on film and now out of place in the modern world?
I have been taking photos to sell in my gallery for over twenty years. I appreciate all the benefits of digital photography, but for now I have chosen not to buy a digital camera. I have thousands of photos from my many travels, all taken on colour slides, which I am determined to put to good use.
I just know that when I buy a digital SLR camera and start snapping, all these old slides will be forgotten. They will gather dust, fade, and eventually be good for nothing but throwing away. So my decision to continue working with film is about making sure that doesn't happen.
These days I am trawling through years of images, picking out the shots that deserve to be seen, and scanning them. As long as they remain on film, they may be out of date; but once converted to digital files they are every bit as good as anything taken on a modern camera. Some people would argue that for quality, they are even better.
Since I started scanning my slides, I have rediscovered a treasure trove of photos from years past. For every photo I have printed and sold, there are ten more photos just as good that have never seen the light of day. Some photos I always knew were there. Others I had forgotten I ever shot. Some of those photos are now on sale and proving more popular than photos I had been selling for all these years.
When you revisit photos after many years, you start to notice things about them that you may not have appreciated before. Sometimes the photo you chose to print first is not the best, although you may have thought so at the time. After admiring one photo of a waterfall for ten years, it is a real eye-opener to remember you also have ten other angles of the same waterfall, taken on the same roll of film but never printed, and each spectacular in its own way.
Scanning your negatives and colour slides does not have to be expensive. You can buy a film scanner for just a few hundred dollars which has the resolution and the software to get the job done. After that, the only thing you have to spend is time.
If scanning them yourself doesn't appeal, you can pay to have it done professionally. This can cost as little as a few dollars a file, and should include all the colour correction and spot removal you need to make your photos ready for printing. It may be too costly to have all your photos scanned commercially, but you could make a selection of your top 100 to save for posterity.
Whichever way you choose to go about it, I encourage you to revisit your old photos. Don't allow them to gather dust until they are thrown away. Scanning can breathe new life into old memories, and I guarantee you will find some real gems that are worth preserving.
If you want to see some great photos taken on film, visit http://www.naturesimage.com.au and see Andrew Goodall's nature photography collection. If you like Andrew's commonsense approach to photography, sign up to the free online newsletter for more ideas and tips.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Portrait of a Historical Phenomenon
By Victoria CochraneA
A picture speaks a thousand words, and capturing a moment in time with our family can give us hours upon hours of wonderful memories. A family portrait is an heirloom, a legacy, and each tells a story about our nearest and dearest.
Children are growing up faster and faster, and getting all the family together for a family portrait while they are young and still at home enables us to keep the family altogether, long after the children have flown the nest.
Archaeological evidence shows that the art of taking a portrait dates back to pre-historic times and ancient civilizations, particularly the rulers of ancient Egypt. Over the centuries, portraits were painted on all kinds of materials including stone, clay, metal, plaster, wood, and even ivory.
Before the invention of photography, portrait paintings were for the rich and powerful, and recorded the status and position of notable figures in society; they were traditionally created in oil paints. Over time it became popular for the middle-classes to commission portraits of families or loved ones. Today it is the likes of governments, corporations, clubs and individuals that are keeping the trend of portrait paintings alive.
The popularity of photography in the 19th century made portraits a cheaper and more accessible option for the masses, and has been our preferred mode of capturing moments on print ever since.
These days the trend for an official, composed family portrait makes for a true family keepsake. It's a great investment that can be passed down from generation to generation. Many local professional photographers offer a session at a studio or will even come to your home. Online companies, like Venture, offer many different kinds of styles of portraits to suit all tastes and homes - from the traditional, relaxed family pose, to fun, offbeat images.
An emerging trend is to have a favourite family photo turned into a work of art. Working from the print, artists can recreate the image as an oil painting, ensuring it will last for an eternity. Alternatively you can have a photograph printed onto canvas, to make a really contemporary work of art. Either of these can be an innovative and apprecatied gift for a parent or grandparent.
Alternatively, if we need something less formal and a lot cheaper, taking our own family snaps is the natural option. The digital age has enabled us to become much better photographers, and we have the freedom to take as many shots as our digital camera's memory card allows. Using on-line resources, we can edit and enhance until our heart's content, download them onto a memory stick and slot images into our digital photo frames, thus creating constant reminders of those special memories with our beloved family.
Commissioning a family portrait will not only grant some quality time with our loved ones but will provide us with a unique way to keep our precious family memories alive.
More about digital photo frames. Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
A picture speaks a thousand words, and capturing a moment in time with our family can give us hours upon hours of wonderful memories. A family portrait is an heirloom, a legacy, and each tells a story about our nearest and dearest.
Children are growing up faster and faster, and getting all the family together for a family portrait while they are young and still at home enables us to keep the family altogether, long after the children have flown the nest.
Archaeological evidence shows that the art of taking a portrait dates back to pre-historic times and ancient civilizations, particularly the rulers of ancient Egypt. Over the centuries, portraits were painted on all kinds of materials including stone, clay, metal, plaster, wood, and even ivory.
Before the invention of photography, portrait paintings were for the rich and powerful, and recorded the status and position of notable figures in society; they were traditionally created in oil paints. Over time it became popular for the middle-classes to commission portraits of families or loved ones. Today it is the likes of governments, corporations, clubs and individuals that are keeping the trend of portrait paintings alive.
The popularity of photography in the 19th century made portraits a cheaper and more accessible option for the masses, and has been our preferred mode of capturing moments on print ever since.
These days the trend for an official, composed family portrait makes for a true family keepsake. It's a great investment that can be passed down from generation to generation. Many local professional photographers offer a session at a studio or will even come to your home. Online companies, like Venture, offer many different kinds of styles of portraits to suit all tastes and homes - from the traditional, relaxed family pose, to fun, offbeat images.
An emerging trend is to have a favourite family photo turned into a work of art. Working from the print, artists can recreate the image as an oil painting, ensuring it will last for an eternity. Alternatively you can have a photograph printed onto canvas, to make a really contemporary work of art. Either of these can be an innovative and apprecatied gift for a parent or grandparent.
Alternatively, if we need something less formal and a lot cheaper, taking our own family snaps is the natural option. The digital age has enabled us to become much better photographers, and we have the freedom to take as many shots as our digital camera's memory card allows. Using on-line resources, we can edit and enhance until our heart's content, download them onto a memory stick and slot images into our digital photo frames, thus creating constant reminders of those special memories with our beloved family.
Commissioning a family portrait will not only grant some quality time with our loved ones but will provide us with a unique way to keep our precious family memories alive.
More about digital photo frames. Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Now You Can Turn Your Photos Into Works of Art
By Alex Don
Where do most of our digital pictures end up? We all know that the vast majority of snapshots are burned on a CD or saved on the PC in a not so organized fashion so they are very difficult to find. Some of the are uploaded on the Internet and then erased. Very few get printed and placed into scrapbooks or photo albums and even a smaller percentage are enlarged and framed to display on the wall. The reason for this is than most of the snapshots we take are not good enough in terms of photographic quality. Those photos that are printed for scrapbooks and photo albums can be a nice memory and perfectly good in small sizes, but not good enough to put on the wall.
Fortunately, this all can be improved. The latest techniques in digital processing can improve a photo to such extent as to turn it into a picture which is worth enlarging and put on the wall to see it every day. One of the most popular methods to do this is with PhotoArt canvas printing. Here is how you do it.
Choose a photo
The first step and often the most difficult one is to pick a picture. A lot of people just can't decide which one too choose. The best way to go is pick one you like from an emotional point of view regardless of its quality. It can be a sweet photo of your children playing, a family reunion with grandparents and all the relatives or a little puppy sleeping in a chair - or whatever you want. When you have a selection of a few photos, choose one or two that are also the highest quality. The most important thing is not to be out of focus. Just about anything else can be fixed, but there's not much you can do with a fuzzy picture.
Select a company
Photoart canvas printing is not a do-it-yourself thing. To make sure you get the best results, you have to pick a high-rated company that can turn your image into a beautifully enlarged picture worth printing on canvas. Google is a good way to spot one. Pick a company which specializes in this kind of printing, not just a digital processing one. Chances are you'll be more satisfied. The companies you'll find generally have an upload page to submit your photo and will have the canvas sent right over to your house.
Make your picture tell a story
The first thing a professional photographer will do is use advanced software to remove any small problems like red-eye effect or date stamps that once the photo is enlarged would really be noticeable. An artist should then at least adjust color saturation, tones and contrast. In addition, a good artist can also correct things like facial tones, remove wrinkles and blemishes and lessen shadows without making the photo look unnatural.
The real magic
Up to now all we have is a high quality photo. Here is where magic begins. One of the most advanced and popular photo treatments available today is giving the photo the effect of an oil painting. Digital artists use a specific software to simulate brush strokes and "digitally paint" the photo. It takes a lot of talent, but the result is truly unique. Now the hard part is done and the photo is ready to print.
Printing and final touches
Photoart companies then use a giant inkjet printer to print the photo directly on a high-quality canvas. These machines can print up to 5 ft wide and weigh about 700 pounds... quite different from a home inkjet printer, but using the same principle. The ink used is made to last for over 80 years, about 4 times longer than a regular photograph. The printed canvas is sprayed with a protective overcoat so that light and water don't ruin the image. Then they use the so-called gallery wrapping technoque to stretch it over a wooden frame. This technique makes the image continue around the edges so you can hang the photo on the wall directly from the box without framing it. There you go... you now have a beautiful work of art you can use to decorate your home and brighten every day or give out as a special gift to someone.
The cost
Canvas-printed photos are actually quite affordable. 16'' X 20'', which is the most popular size, generally costs between $80 and $100. Considering that getting a traditional photo enlarged and framed can cost you more than $100, it's a real bargain. Stay away from companies with significantly lower prices - there's little chance they actually spend time to improve your photo before printing it. And make sure they have a 100% money-back guarantee.
Don has been writing on the theme of photo resizing technology for reshade.com. Reshade.com works in the domain of photo resizers and offers an online photo resizing software. As a plus it offers a photo enlargement software.
Where do most of our digital pictures end up? We all know that the vast majority of snapshots are burned on a CD or saved on the PC in a not so organized fashion so they are very difficult to find. Some of the are uploaded on the Internet and then erased. Very few get printed and placed into scrapbooks or photo albums and even a smaller percentage are enlarged and framed to display on the wall. The reason for this is than most of the snapshots we take are not good enough in terms of photographic quality. Those photos that are printed for scrapbooks and photo albums can be a nice memory and perfectly good in small sizes, but not good enough to put on the wall.
Fortunately, this all can be improved. The latest techniques in digital processing can improve a photo to such extent as to turn it into a picture which is worth enlarging and put on the wall to see it every day. One of the most popular methods to do this is with PhotoArt canvas printing. Here is how you do it.
Choose a photo
The first step and often the most difficult one is to pick a picture. A lot of people just can't decide which one too choose. The best way to go is pick one you like from an emotional point of view regardless of its quality. It can be a sweet photo of your children playing, a family reunion with grandparents and all the relatives or a little puppy sleeping in a chair - or whatever you want. When you have a selection of a few photos, choose one or two that are also the highest quality. The most important thing is not to be out of focus. Just about anything else can be fixed, but there's not much you can do with a fuzzy picture.
Select a company
Photoart canvas printing is not a do-it-yourself thing. To make sure you get the best results, you have to pick a high-rated company that can turn your image into a beautifully enlarged picture worth printing on canvas. Google is a good way to spot one. Pick a company which specializes in this kind of printing, not just a digital processing one. Chances are you'll be more satisfied. The companies you'll find generally have an upload page to submit your photo and will have the canvas sent right over to your house.
Make your picture tell a story
The first thing a professional photographer will do is use advanced software to remove any small problems like red-eye effect or date stamps that once the photo is enlarged would really be noticeable. An artist should then at least adjust color saturation, tones and contrast. In addition, a good artist can also correct things like facial tones, remove wrinkles and blemishes and lessen shadows without making the photo look unnatural.
The real magic
Up to now all we have is a high quality photo. Here is where magic begins. One of the most advanced and popular photo treatments available today is giving the photo the effect of an oil painting. Digital artists use a specific software to simulate brush strokes and "digitally paint" the photo. It takes a lot of talent, but the result is truly unique. Now the hard part is done and the photo is ready to print.
Printing and final touches
Photoart companies then use a giant inkjet printer to print the photo directly on a high-quality canvas. These machines can print up to 5 ft wide and weigh about 700 pounds... quite different from a home inkjet printer, but using the same principle. The ink used is made to last for over 80 years, about 4 times longer than a regular photograph. The printed canvas is sprayed with a protective overcoat so that light and water don't ruin the image. Then they use the so-called gallery wrapping technoque to stretch it over a wooden frame. This technique makes the image continue around the edges so you can hang the photo on the wall directly from the box without framing it. There you go... you now have a beautiful work of art you can use to decorate your home and brighten every day or give out as a special gift to someone.
The cost
Canvas-printed photos are actually quite affordable. 16'' X 20'', which is the most popular size, generally costs between $80 and $100. Considering that getting a traditional photo enlarged and framed can cost you more than $100, it's a real bargain. Stay away from companies with significantly lower prices - there's little chance they actually spend time to improve your photo before printing it. And make sure they have a 100% money-back guarantee.
Don has been writing on the theme of photo resizing technology for reshade.com. Reshade.com works in the domain of photo resizers and offers an online photo resizing software. As a plus it offers a photo enlargement software.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Capture Winter's Beauty
By Suzanne Vandegrift
Whether you've rented a cabin for a winter vacation in Montana or you're traveling through Oregon in June and see the snow is still beautiful on Mt. Hood, the photographic opportunities can be both breathtaking and bountiful. Or, maybe you live in an area of our country that provides winter wonderland scenes right outside your backdoor. Whichever the case may be, seize the moment. Get on film the snow fort the neighborhood children built and are defending with volumes of rapidly made snowballs before the heat of the sun turns it into slush. Or take your camera bag to the local pond that has just frozen over and take some great action shots of people ice skating.
There's so much beauty in the winter that can be turned into impressive photographs. Depending on your location, you may find frozen lakes; ice encrusted trees and bushes; glistening, snow-drifted fields; forests of evergreens, heavily laden with fresh snow; icy-banked rivers, where deer come to drink; and snow-capped mountains aglow with the beauty of an evening sunset. The availability for winter picture taking is almost everywhere.
Winter photography does, however, require some special preparation. Since the best time for lighting is early in the morning or later in the evening, before the sun sets, staying warm is important. It's best to dress in layers, so that as the temperature increases or decreases, you can add or subtract an article of clothing and continue your photographic shoot in comfort. Then, take your camera backpack, that could hold all your equipment, and head out in search of some winter beauty.
Equally as important is the safety of your equipment. If you're photographing in freezing conditions, you must protect your camera. It's not so much what type of camera you're using, as it is the batteries. Extremely cold temperatures tend to kill the batteries, until they're warmed up again. Many experts feel lithium batteries perform better in cold environments than other batteries. Whichever type of batteries you choose to use, always pack extra ones in your camera bag and keep that camera bag in a warm place, such as your car. You can also warm up your batteries by holding them in your hand or keeping them close to your body, in a pocket, for warmth. Then, when you need to change your low batteries out, you'll have fresh, warm batteries ready to continue photographing.
As far as warming the camera is concerned, it's best not to while you're taking your pictures. Going in and out from a warm environment to a cold environment will cause condensation to develop on the sensor and lens. When you're finished for the day, place your equipment snugly in a plastic bag, remove all the air and seal tightly. Place the plastic bag in your camera case and take the equipment inside and let it warm up gradually. This process will avoid the risk of spots developing on your equipment.
To get the best images of bright snow, compensate for the brightness by opening up one or two stops or over-expose, to let in more light. Take a couple shots using different settings, to produce the best results. By taking different exposures of each of the day's shots, you can then review all the photographs you took when you're back in the comfort of your nice warm home. There you can delete the ones that didn't work and keep the successes, repack your camera bag and get ready for the next day in search of more incredible winter scenery.
Suzanne VanDeGrift of has developed this article for M-ROCK.com, manufacturer of exceptional quality backpacks.
Whether you've rented a cabin for a winter vacation in Montana or you're traveling through Oregon in June and see the snow is still beautiful on Mt. Hood, the photographic opportunities can be both breathtaking and bountiful. Or, maybe you live in an area of our country that provides winter wonderland scenes right outside your backdoor. Whichever the case may be, seize the moment. Get on film the snow fort the neighborhood children built and are defending with volumes of rapidly made snowballs before the heat of the sun turns it into slush. Or take your camera bag to the local pond that has just frozen over and take some great action shots of people ice skating.
There's so much beauty in the winter that can be turned into impressive photographs. Depending on your location, you may find frozen lakes; ice encrusted trees and bushes; glistening, snow-drifted fields; forests of evergreens, heavily laden with fresh snow; icy-banked rivers, where deer come to drink; and snow-capped mountains aglow with the beauty of an evening sunset. The availability for winter picture taking is almost everywhere.
Winter photography does, however, require some special preparation. Since the best time for lighting is early in the morning or later in the evening, before the sun sets, staying warm is important. It's best to dress in layers, so that as the temperature increases or decreases, you can add or subtract an article of clothing and continue your photographic shoot in comfort. Then, take your camera backpack, that could hold all your equipment, and head out in search of some winter beauty.
Equally as important is the safety of your equipment. If you're photographing in freezing conditions, you must protect your camera. It's not so much what type of camera you're using, as it is the batteries. Extremely cold temperatures tend to kill the batteries, until they're warmed up again. Many experts feel lithium batteries perform better in cold environments than other batteries. Whichever type of batteries you choose to use, always pack extra ones in your camera bag and keep that camera bag in a warm place, such as your car. You can also warm up your batteries by holding them in your hand or keeping them close to your body, in a pocket, for warmth. Then, when you need to change your low batteries out, you'll have fresh, warm batteries ready to continue photographing.
As far as warming the camera is concerned, it's best not to while you're taking your pictures. Going in and out from a warm environment to a cold environment will cause condensation to develop on the sensor and lens. When you're finished for the day, place your equipment snugly in a plastic bag, remove all the air and seal tightly. Place the plastic bag in your camera case and take the equipment inside and let it warm up gradually. This process will avoid the risk of spots developing on your equipment.
To get the best images of bright snow, compensate for the brightness by opening up one or two stops or over-expose, to let in more light. Take a couple shots using different settings, to produce the best results. By taking different exposures of each of the day's shots, you can then review all the photographs you took when you're back in the comfort of your nice warm home. There you can delete the ones that didn't work and keep the successes, repack your camera bag and get ready for the next day in search of more incredible winter scenery.
Suzanne VanDeGrift of has developed this article for M-ROCK.com, manufacturer of exceptional quality backpacks.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
What Are Digital Storytelling Stories?
By MJ Johnston
Digital storytelling stories are stories that are created by using photographs, music, graphics and voice recordings. This is a relatively new way to express creativity and tell a story. The digital storytelling stories you create can be fiction, educational in nature or just a great way to display your own photographs. These digital storytelling stories become useful when you like to go on family trips each year and take a million pictures. You can take each trip and make it into a digital storytelling story, and look back at the wonderful time you had spending time together.
How Do You Create Digital Storytelling Stories?
There are many tools both online and off that can be used to create digital storytelling stories. A simple example would be a PowerPoint presentation that includes music and a narrative. There are several other free programs available for download on the internet and some websites where you can simply create your digital storytelling stories online.
What are the important elements of a digital storytelling stories?
As with any type of story, there are certain elements that are required to make it compelling. First you need a topic. The topic of digital storytelling stories could be about almost anything. A story that can be told in anywhere from a couple of minutes to about ten minutes at most is best. The story needs to have a definitive beginning, middle and end.
The other important elements of digital storytelling stories are the pictures, words and sounds that are used. The pictures should almost be able to tell the stories themselves and the words should give further illumination and detail. Music should be used, as it is in movies, to evoke the emotions.
Why should you create digital storytelling stories?
This is where digital storytelling stories get really fun. They can be about almost anything. Often they are used to convey a particular point of view through the use of a story. An example would be a story about global warming and the importance of reducing pollution in the air. Other times they can be used to educate. An example would be a story about proper tooth care that showed how to brush and floss properly.
Fiction stories are also a fun use of digital storytelling stories. You could use a book and the illustrations would each be a frame of the story. Sound effects and music could be added with the narrative to make the story come alive. Another option would be to have "actors" play out the scenes in your story and to take digital photographs of the action.
As mentioned above, family vacations and other fun family events such as birthdays or holidays make great topics for digital storytelling stories. This is a great way to preserve family memories and they are a lot more interesting to watch than an old fashioned slide show or 8mm home movie!
Summary
Digital Storytelling Stories are a fun way to combine traditional storytelling with modern technology in order to truly engage the viewer. Stories may be true or fiction and can employ various graphics, words and music. They are a great tool for preserving memories, educating people or just plain good entertainment.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a digital photo album.
Digital storytelling stories are stories that are created by using photographs, music, graphics and voice recordings. This is a relatively new way to express creativity and tell a story. The digital storytelling stories you create can be fiction, educational in nature or just a great way to display your own photographs. These digital storytelling stories become useful when you like to go on family trips each year and take a million pictures. You can take each trip and make it into a digital storytelling story, and look back at the wonderful time you had spending time together.
How Do You Create Digital Storytelling Stories?
There are many tools both online and off that can be used to create digital storytelling stories. A simple example would be a PowerPoint presentation that includes music and a narrative. There are several other free programs available for download on the internet and some websites where you can simply create your digital storytelling stories online.
What are the important elements of a digital storytelling stories?
As with any type of story, there are certain elements that are required to make it compelling. First you need a topic. The topic of digital storytelling stories could be about almost anything. A story that can be told in anywhere from a couple of minutes to about ten minutes at most is best. The story needs to have a definitive beginning, middle and end.
The other important elements of digital storytelling stories are the pictures, words and sounds that are used. The pictures should almost be able to tell the stories themselves and the words should give further illumination and detail. Music should be used, as it is in movies, to evoke the emotions.
Why should you create digital storytelling stories?
This is where digital storytelling stories get really fun. They can be about almost anything. Often they are used to convey a particular point of view through the use of a story. An example would be a story about global warming and the importance of reducing pollution in the air. Other times they can be used to educate. An example would be a story about proper tooth care that showed how to brush and floss properly.
Fiction stories are also a fun use of digital storytelling stories. You could use a book and the illustrations would each be a frame of the story. Sound effects and music could be added with the narrative to make the story come alive. Another option would be to have "actors" play out the scenes in your story and to take digital photographs of the action.
As mentioned above, family vacations and other fun family events such as birthdays or holidays make great topics for digital storytelling stories. This is a great way to preserve family memories and they are a lot more interesting to watch than an old fashioned slide show or 8mm home movie!
Summary
Digital Storytelling Stories are a fun way to combine traditional storytelling with modern technology in order to truly engage the viewer. Stories may be true or fiction and can employ various graphics, words and music. They are a great tool for preserving memories, educating people or just plain good entertainment.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a digital photo album.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Portrait Photography Tips - Get the Most Out of Your Portraits
By Lance Carr
Portraiture can be very rewarding. It's a chance to show the best side (literally) of someone, and create a photo that communicates something unique.
The first rule of good portraiture is LOOK at your subject. This sounds obvious but take a browse through all the shots you have of your family and friends and see if they don't have a sameness about them. Head and shoulders, passport photos, awkward poses, uncomfortable expressions, blank looks, embarrassed smiles...?
Each person has some unique quality that deserves photographing. It doesn't have to be perfect skin, a remodeled nose, pouting mouth, stunning eyes. But it should be some quality that best communicates the person's individuality.
Sound daunting? It isn't if you follow some basic tips.
Don't use direct flash. Flash is light at its most boring. On rare occasions it can really lift a shot into dazzling life, but most of the time using available light is better. Flash tends to give a bland look and the fact of the flash going off takes away any intimate atmosphere you may have created.
Use a telephoto lens. 105-135mm is best. Wide angle is a big no-no.
Compose vertically. Turn the camera on its side. A portrait usually includes the head and upper torso and sometimes the hands. These work best in a vertical format. Horizontal framing leaves you with wide open spaces either side of the subject that can detract from the feel of the shot.
Dress your subject up if possible. If this is a semi-formal portrait you can have some say in the clothes. Solid, dark or light colors work best. Stripes checks, swirls, and patterns confuse the viewer's eye. Bold colors can overwhelm the skin tones. A vee or scoop neck is better than a round neck. For a man or older woman, cover the shoulders, for a young woman leave them bare.
Try to use the available light to good effect. Position the person where the light is soft and coming mainly from one direction. This can give a moody feel and usually gets the eyes more attention. You can use a reflector on the shadowed side to 'bounce the light' if the contrast between highlight and shadow is too strong. You can make a simple reflector using aluminum foil on a sheet of cardboard.
Pick the person's 'best side'. People really do have one. Get one shoulder turned towards the camera so one side is favored a little. Try the pose the other way and figure out which is best.
Let the person sit down. This helps them to relax and helps you to be able to direct them more easily.
Direct the person. In portraiture, you're dealing with minor movements and shifts of position and angle. Try to shoot slightly above the person to make the eyes open more. Lower the shoulder closest to the camera, get the head straight or at an engaging angle. Lower the chin a little.
Some people look best when they smile and some don't. You can get more interesting expressions and nuances without a smile. Tell the person to think of something they like doing. This will bring up subtle lights in the eyes and shifts in the mouth lines.
If the hands are in the shot, take a good look at them. Hands can look ugly or awkward. A lightly closed fist is usually neutral. Let the hands rest on a knee or in the lap and see what you have. Crop them out later if they don't work.
If you're shooting candid portraits the same tips apply but in these shots you have to move around to get the best angle.
Lance is not very good at writing about himself in the third person. He is an ex-patriot Australian living in Taiwan running a business consulting company. His grasp of the Chinese language ranges from poor to laughable and in most circumstances his actual use of the Chinese language results in laughter. Complete Portrait Photography Tips
Portraiture can be very rewarding. It's a chance to show the best side (literally) of someone, and create a photo that communicates something unique.
The first rule of good portraiture is LOOK at your subject. This sounds obvious but take a browse through all the shots you have of your family and friends and see if they don't have a sameness about them. Head and shoulders, passport photos, awkward poses, uncomfortable expressions, blank looks, embarrassed smiles...?
Each person has some unique quality that deserves photographing. It doesn't have to be perfect skin, a remodeled nose, pouting mouth, stunning eyes. But it should be some quality that best communicates the person's individuality.
Sound daunting? It isn't if you follow some basic tips.
Don't use direct flash. Flash is light at its most boring. On rare occasions it can really lift a shot into dazzling life, but most of the time using available light is better. Flash tends to give a bland look and the fact of the flash going off takes away any intimate atmosphere you may have created.
Use a telephoto lens. 105-135mm is best. Wide angle is a big no-no.
Compose vertically. Turn the camera on its side. A portrait usually includes the head and upper torso and sometimes the hands. These work best in a vertical format. Horizontal framing leaves you with wide open spaces either side of the subject that can detract from the feel of the shot.
Dress your subject up if possible. If this is a semi-formal portrait you can have some say in the clothes. Solid, dark or light colors work best. Stripes checks, swirls, and patterns confuse the viewer's eye. Bold colors can overwhelm the skin tones. A vee or scoop neck is better than a round neck. For a man or older woman, cover the shoulders, for a young woman leave them bare.
Try to use the available light to good effect. Position the person where the light is soft and coming mainly from one direction. This can give a moody feel and usually gets the eyes more attention. You can use a reflector on the shadowed side to 'bounce the light' if the contrast between highlight and shadow is too strong. You can make a simple reflector using aluminum foil on a sheet of cardboard.
Pick the person's 'best side'. People really do have one. Get one shoulder turned towards the camera so one side is favored a little. Try the pose the other way and figure out which is best.
Let the person sit down. This helps them to relax and helps you to be able to direct them more easily.
Direct the person. In portraiture, you're dealing with minor movements and shifts of position and angle. Try to shoot slightly above the person to make the eyes open more. Lower the shoulder closest to the camera, get the head straight or at an engaging angle. Lower the chin a little.
Some people look best when they smile and some don't. You can get more interesting expressions and nuances without a smile. Tell the person to think of something they like doing. This will bring up subtle lights in the eyes and shifts in the mouth lines.
If the hands are in the shot, take a good look at them. Hands can look ugly or awkward. A lightly closed fist is usually neutral. Let the hands rest on a knee or in the lap and see what you have. Crop them out later if they don't work.
If you're shooting candid portraits the same tips apply but in these shots you have to move around to get the best angle.
Lance is not very good at writing about himself in the third person. He is an ex-patriot Australian living in Taiwan running a business consulting company. His grasp of the Chinese language ranges from poor to laughable and in most circumstances his actual use of the Chinese language results in laughter. Complete Portrait Photography Tips
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Pet Picture - Enjoying a Hobby and a Business
By Eliza Maledevic
There are great things that we should be proud of, things that give us joy and happiness. And usually capturing those happy moments is really very important to treasure happy moments for a lifetime.
It is good to know that there are things that we can cherish for the rest of our life, and through pictures we ca preserve that moment and keep us reminded about the happy occasion or events of our lives. We might have captured rare moments with our pet doing different trick or funny things, and taking picture of those rare things of our dog is a great remembrance that we can look back from time to time.
But of course you should have a camera always with you so that you won't miss any first experience of your dog. If your dog is a type of a pet that is too shy to show off in a big crowd, picture is a good way of showing to your friends their abilities and their cuteness.
Taking pet picture is somewhat a hobby that you might enjoy, you can earn money taking pet pictures, there are sites that features different pictures of a pet especially dogs. You can upload those pictures on the internet and let the people see how good your pictures are. You may also offer pictorial service if they want to have a beautiful pet picture. Of course you need to be familiarized of the job. Knowing that dogs are good subject for a pictorial, you need to learn things on how to have a good quality pet picture.
If you have a dog, you can practice taking your dog picture so that you can make use of it. Learning dog's moods and routine is one good way of having good pet picture. You may find it hard in the beginning but as you have familiarized their moods and routine, it would be easier for you to take those dogs pictures.
Practicing is also a help in having great pet pictures, so if you have lots of time to practice then do so. Use digital camera in taking pet picture to save money from spending film development for the output of your work. Using a digital camera can help you in the most convenient way, you can instantly view those pictures that you have taken and you can easily make a selection upon uploading or saving it on your personal computer.
You can also do picture editing if you used digital camera in taking a pet picture. You can add some effects and beautiful background to make your pictures look good.
Article Author Eliza Maledevic from http://www.Jump2top.com, a SEO Company.
There are great things that we should be proud of, things that give us joy and happiness. And usually capturing those happy moments is really very important to treasure happy moments for a lifetime.
It is good to know that there are things that we can cherish for the rest of our life, and through pictures we ca preserve that moment and keep us reminded about the happy occasion or events of our lives. We might have captured rare moments with our pet doing different trick or funny things, and taking picture of those rare things of our dog is a great remembrance that we can look back from time to time.
But of course you should have a camera always with you so that you won't miss any first experience of your dog. If your dog is a type of a pet that is too shy to show off in a big crowd, picture is a good way of showing to your friends their abilities and their cuteness.
Taking pet picture is somewhat a hobby that you might enjoy, you can earn money taking pet pictures, there are sites that features different pictures of a pet especially dogs. You can upload those pictures on the internet and let the people see how good your pictures are. You may also offer pictorial service if they want to have a beautiful pet picture. Of course you need to be familiarized of the job. Knowing that dogs are good subject for a pictorial, you need to learn things on how to have a good quality pet picture.
If you have a dog, you can practice taking your dog picture so that you can make use of it. Learning dog's moods and routine is one good way of having good pet picture. You may find it hard in the beginning but as you have familiarized their moods and routine, it would be easier for you to take those dogs pictures.
Practicing is also a help in having great pet pictures, so if you have lots of time to practice then do so. Use digital camera in taking pet picture to save money from spending film development for the output of your work. Using a digital camera can help you in the most convenient way, you can instantly view those pictures that you have taken and you can easily make a selection upon uploading or saving it on your personal computer.
You can also do picture editing if you used digital camera in taking a pet picture. You can add some effects and beautiful background to make your pictures look good.
Article Author Eliza Maledevic from http://www.Jump2top.com, a SEO Company.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Uploading Photos - There's Nothing to Fear
By MJ Johnston
The phrase uploading photos can paralyze people with fear. For novice digital photographers, it sounds like a daunting technical exercise better left to computer geeks and teenagers. Even seasoned computer users are unsure how to feel about it. The truth is; uploading photos is as easy as checking your e-mail.
In fact, easier in most cases. And, learning how to upload your photos can open a whole new world in terms of sharing and storing your memories. There are many different reasons to upload photos. Your digital memories can be uploaded to personal and business websites such as; company directories, or networking sites.
These type of uploads allow you to put a face to your name, or share events and memories with co-workers, friends, or future romantic interests. A picture's worth a thousand words, right? The beautiful thing is you can change the images at will; should you decide to change your hair color, show off a new piercing, or just share your last trip to the zoo. Just upload the new pics and away you go. Uploading photos for these sites can be fun and rewarding.
You can also create online photo albums, or store your digital images on free online photo storage sites. In fact, these two services can be of paramount importance in that they allow you to organize, personalize, and protect your precious memories without worry of physical damage, or loss to your digital photos. This allows you to keep your computer, phone, or PDA clean and quick in terms of not chewing up a lot of ram having the pictures physically on your device. For instance, cell phone photo gallery full, yet you absolutely have to take a picture of that cute guy to send to your girlfriend?
Uploading photos onto an online photo storage site will free up space, so then you can upload photos of the guy straight to your online photo album, and text the link to your friend. Slick, huh?
Don't worry you won't need any special technical skills, or have to learn any new tricks to uploading photos. Most of the venues you will be uploading to have step by step instructions on how to upload your photos, whether they are being uploaded from your PC, or digital photo device. So, lose the fear and start uploading those memories. You'll be glad you did.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a free online photo album.
The phrase uploading photos can paralyze people with fear. For novice digital photographers, it sounds like a daunting technical exercise better left to computer geeks and teenagers. Even seasoned computer users are unsure how to feel about it. The truth is; uploading photos is as easy as checking your e-mail.
In fact, easier in most cases. And, learning how to upload your photos can open a whole new world in terms of sharing and storing your memories. There are many different reasons to upload photos. Your digital memories can be uploaded to personal and business websites such as; company directories, or networking sites.
These type of uploads allow you to put a face to your name, or share events and memories with co-workers, friends, or future romantic interests. A picture's worth a thousand words, right? The beautiful thing is you can change the images at will; should you decide to change your hair color, show off a new piercing, or just share your last trip to the zoo. Just upload the new pics and away you go. Uploading photos for these sites can be fun and rewarding.
You can also create online photo albums, or store your digital images on free online photo storage sites. In fact, these two services can be of paramount importance in that they allow you to organize, personalize, and protect your precious memories without worry of physical damage, or loss to your digital photos. This allows you to keep your computer, phone, or PDA clean and quick in terms of not chewing up a lot of ram having the pictures physically on your device. For instance, cell phone photo gallery full, yet you absolutely have to take a picture of that cute guy to send to your girlfriend?
Uploading photos onto an online photo storage site will free up space, so then you can upload photos of the guy straight to your online photo album, and text the link to your friend. Slick, huh?
Don't worry you won't need any special technical skills, or have to learn any new tricks to uploading photos. Most of the venues you will be uploading to have step by step instructions on how to upload your photos, whether they are being uploaded from your PC, or digital photo device. So, lose the fear and start uploading those memories. You'll be glad you did.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a free online photo album.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Photography Tips For Backpackers
By Peter Siljerud
"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams
General Advice for Photography
Imagine losing all your photos on your last day of your backpacking trip. You can take simple precautions to avoid this. Make regular backups of your photos in case something happens to your camera or if the memory card gets full. You can burn CDs or DVDs in Internet cafés (make sure you have a good sturdy jewel case which protects the media) or you can store your pictures on your MP3/media player or an external memory stick. If you are on a really fast (and I mean reaaaaaaaaally fast) connection you can even upload the photos somewhere on the Internet such as Flickr or Picasa.
If you make two copies of your photos (in case one is lost) make sure you store them in separate places (e.g. one in your daypack and one in your backpack) so you do not lose both of them if one of your bags gets lost.
If you want to ask someone to take your picture try to find someone with an advanced camera with a tele lense - they are usually skilled at taking photos. Give them instructions how you want the photo to look e.g. crop the picture above our knees, include all of the church towers.
Do not forget to recharge your batteries before heading out into places where recharging may be difficult (such as longer treks). Bringing spare batteries is a must if photography is your main interest.
If you are on a formal cruise or another place where you get your photo taken and the photos are displayed on a wall for purchase (most of the time at outrageous prices) and you are a bad person you can use your digital camera to take a photo of your picture. Now you did not hear that one from us ;) This also works for the postcard section ("Gee, I did not know that the Sydney opera house looked like that inside.")
Personal Experience - The Memory Card Mess
Keep track of your memory cards if you have several ones. I met an Irish couple in Jordan who managed to lose their card with all their photos from the trip. Memory cards are getting really cheap these days so get a big one (if your camera can handle it) so you do not have to bother with several cards.
Rule of thirds
Many people perceive the camera as a rifle: aim in the middle and hopefully you catch what you shoot. Many times pictures with people, animals and other stuff centered in the middle look pretty static and sometimes downright boring.
The trick is not to always put your subject straight in the center of your picture. The rule of thirds states that you should divide your image into different sections. Imagine two horizontal lines and two vertical lines in your viewfinder like a tic-tac-toe grid. Where these lines intersect is where you should place your subject.
Try to put the horizon on one of the lower or the upper lines of the image.
Use flash
Flash is not only useful when light is low. If the sun is positioned behind the subject the subject can turn into a dark silhouette.
Move in close
Do not be shy. Moving in close on your subject can create a strong sense of presence. This technique may not always be appropriate, e.g. at certain religious procedures. Some people have a strong aversion of having their picture taken for various reasons.
Diagonals
Diagonals can be used to provide a path for the viewers eye to follow in the photo. It can be used to lead the eye in one direction into the photo and in on direction out of the photo such as in the below example.
Personal Experience - The Mineralnye Vody Mistake
On the small airport of Mineralnye Vody in Russia my friend brings up his camera to take a picture of a plane he finds quite amusing - something most people would never set their foot in. Two Russian guards materialize from nowhere and demand him to hand over the film. Which he did after a few minutes of "negotiation".
Use natural frames
You can sometimes find natural frames which you can use to frame your subject. This can range from doorways, window frames, rocks, trees, etc. and can give a good composition to your photo.
Use your imagination
Change your level e.g. shooting upwards from a low position or downwards from a high position. Also experiment with changing from horizontal to vertical position in your camera.
Taking photos is all about being creative. Try to look for new ways of seeing your subject. What if you climb the stairs and get above it? What if you lie down on the ground? What if you turn the zoom lens while you take the photo? What if you use the timer on your camera and hurl it into the air and see what happens? What if you break all the "rules"in this section?
This article is based on the free e-book The Backpacker's Toolbox It contains checklists, templates, FAQs and practical advice (and a few bad jokes) to make your backpacking experience as smooth as possible. http://www.hellobackpacker.com - practical advice for new and experienced backpackers for all trip stages: get inspired, plan your trip, advice on the road, tips when back home
"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams
General Advice for Photography
Imagine losing all your photos on your last day of your backpacking trip. You can take simple precautions to avoid this. Make regular backups of your photos in case something happens to your camera or if the memory card gets full. You can burn CDs or DVDs in Internet cafés (make sure you have a good sturdy jewel case which protects the media) or you can store your pictures on your MP3/media player or an external memory stick. If you are on a really fast (and I mean reaaaaaaaaally fast) connection you can even upload the photos somewhere on the Internet such as Flickr or Picasa.
If you make two copies of your photos (in case one is lost) make sure you store them in separate places (e.g. one in your daypack and one in your backpack) so you do not lose both of them if one of your bags gets lost.
If you want to ask someone to take your picture try to find someone with an advanced camera with a tele lense - they are usually skilled at taking photos. Give them instructions how you want the photo to look e.g. crop the picture above our knees, include all of the church towers.
Do not forget to recharge your batteries before heading out into places where recharging may be difficult (such as longer treks). Bringing spare batteries is a must if photography is your main interest.
If you are on a formal cruise or another place where you get your photo taken and the photos are displayed on a wall for purchase (most of the time at outrageous prices) and you are a bad person you can use your digital camera to take a photo of your picture. Now you did not hear that one from us ;) This also works for the postcard section ("Gee, I did not know that the Sydney opera house looked like that inside.")
Personal Experience - The Memory Card Mess
Keep track of your memory cards if you have several ones. I met an Irish couple in Jordan who managed to lose their card with all their photos from the trip. Memory cards are getting really cheap these days so get a big one (if your camera can handle it) so you do not have to bother with several cards.
Rule of thirds
Many people perceive the camera as a rifle: aim in the middle and hopefully you catch what you shoot. Many times pictures with people, animals and other stuff centered in the middle look pretty static and sometimes downright boring.
The trick is not to always put your subject straight in the center of your picture. The rule of thirds states that you should divide your image into different sections. Imagine two horizontal lines and two vertical lines in your viewfinder like a tic-tac-toe grid. Where these lines intersect is where you should place your subject.
Try to put the horizon on one of the lower or the upper lines of the image.
Use flash
Flash is not only useful when light is low. If the sun is positioned behind the subject the subject can turn into a dark silhouette.
Move in close
Do not be shy. Moving in close on your subject can create a strong sense of presence. This technique may not always be appropriate, e.g. at certain religious procedures. Some people have a strong aversion of having their picture taken for various reasons.
Diagonals
Diagonals can be used to provide a path for the viewers eye to follow in the photo. It can be used to lead the eye in one direction into the photo and in on direction out of the photo such as in the below example.
Personal Experience - The Mineralnye Vody Mistake
On the small airport of Mineralnye Vody in Russia my friend brings up his camera to take a picture of a plane he finds quite amusing - something most people would never set their foot in. Two Russian guards materialize from nowhere and demand him to hand over the film. Which he did after a few minutes of "negotiation".
Use natural frames
You can sometimes find natural frames which you can use to frame your subject. This can range from doorways, window frames, rocks, trees, etc. and can give a good composition to your photo.
Use your imagination
Change your level e.g. shooting upwards from a low position or downwards from a high position. Also experiment with changing from horizontal to vertical position in your camera.
Taking photos is all about being creative. Try to look for new ways of seeing your subject. What if you climb the stairs and get above it? What if you lie down on the ground? What if you turn the zoom lens while you take the photo? What if you use the timer on your camera and hurl it into the air and see what happens? What if you break all the "rules"in this section?
This article is based on the free e-book The Backpacker's Toolbox It contains checklists, templates, FAQs and practical advice (and a few bad jokes) to make your backpacking experience as smooth as possible. http://www.hellobackpacker.com - practical advice for new and experienced backpackers for all trip stages: get inspired, plan your trip, advice on the road, tips when back home
Monday, October 20, 2008
Basic Photo Tips For Beginners
By Nick Estrada
This article will show you some basic photo tips for beginners. There are many tips out there but this article will focus on the beginner composition techniques that will get your shots looking better in no time. Examples of this include the rule of thirds and such.
Before we dive into all this, first know that all these compositional rules are just guidelines. Even so, it's best to learn the rules before you break them.
One of the simplest rules you can use right now to improve your shots is simply to answer a question. What is your main subject of the photograph? If you're taking a shot of a park is the main subject the dog lying on the ground? The old lady taking a walk? Or is it the entire park? Whichever you answer will have a major impact on how you are going to frame your shot.
If you want to have the subject be the dog you probably want to get close and isolate the dog. Any other information in the shot will be distracting. For example, having the old lady in the shot concentrating on the dog will just clutter the picture.
Now, if you want to have a shot of the entire park you should try to include everything and use the subjects in the shot to create an interesting composition. For example, you could use a large tree to create an imaginary border around the people beneath.
Nevertheless, defining your subject is critical. I know that lots of advice says to "get closer to your subject" but this really revolves around defining your subject and laser focusing on it. Get rid of all the background noise if it isn't helping with your main objective of the shot. Use a shallow depth of field. Get down low to have the background be a plain blue simple sky.
Nick Estrada recommends a Free Photo course that teaches beginners digital photography. He also recommends a free five day video e-course on how to Sell Your Pictures Online
This article will show you some basic photo tips for beginners. There are many tips out there but this article will focus on the beginner composition techniques that will get your shots looking better in no time. Examples of this include the rule of thirds and such.
Before we dive into all this, first know that all these compositional rules are just guidelines. Even so, it's best to learn the rules before you break them.
One of the simplest rules you can use right now to improve your shots is simply to answer a question. What is your main subject of the photograph? If you're taking a shot of a park is the main subject the dog lying on the ground? The old lady taking a walk? Or is it the entire park? Whichever you answer will have a major impact on how you are going to frame your shot.
If you want to have the subject be the dog you probably want to get close and isolate the dog. Any other information in the shot will be distracting. For example, having the old lady in the shot concentrating on the dog will just clutter the picture.
Now, if you want to have a shot of the entire park you should try to include everything and use the subjects in the shot to create an interesting composition. For example, you could use a large tree to create an imaginary border around the people beneath.
Nevertheless, defining your subject is critical. I know that lots of advice says to "get closer to your subject" but this really revolves around defining your subject and laser focusing on it. Get rid of all the background noise if it isn't helping with your main objective of the shot. Use a shallow depth of field. Get down low to have the background be a plain blue simple sky.
Nick Estrada recommends a Free Photo course that teaches beginners digital photography. He also recommends a free five day video e-course on how to Sell Your Pictures Online
Thursday, October 16, 2008
20 Tips For Beginners to Become Better Photographers
By Peter Phun
How to become a better photographer
1) get a decent digital SLR body. A user-friendly model with lower megapixel can actually be better than higher megapixel e.g. Canon 30Ds are easier to use and more versatile even though their megapixel count is lower than the Canon Rebel XSi.
2) get a "fast" 50 mm lens something with an aperture of at least f 1.8. Those zoom lens kits are terrible for beginners.
3) a decent flash with an off-camera sync cord to allow you to shoot with flash off-camera
4) use and learn adobe photoshop if not the full version then photoshop elements
5) shoot both camera and flash on manual. By doing so, the camera records the exposure info. It will enable you to troubleshoot when your pictures don't turn out the way you want them.
6) open pictures in photoshop study pictures at 100% for focus accuracy
7) study your pictures' metadata. If something works see why it did, if it didn't, this is where you can learn from your mistakes.
8) join the myriad online photography websites like strobist.com, dpchallenge.com, digitalphotographyschool.com, bookmark them
9) find a professional mentor
10) be humble about your abilities
11) be willing to share what you know without bragging
12) enter contests
13) invest in good professional level equipment especially lenses
14) study visual publications
15) keep a notebook of clipping of your favorite pictures
16) if you're shooting digital, learn the ins and outs of your operating system
17) study and pay attention to lighting in the natural world
18) take seminars and classes
19) have your camera with you at all times
20) Take pictures daily.
Peter Phun teaches photography at Riverside City College. He does portraits, weddings and editorial work. He writes about photography, Macs and the internet. He also designs websites and is a stay-at-home dad.
Previously, Peter worked as a staff photographer for 18 years at The Press-Enterprise, Southern California's 4th largest daily newspaper. He is the webmaster for the Mac user group in the Inland Empire. For more information about this Riverside based photographer, visit http://www.peterphun.com
How to become a better photographer
1) get a decent digital SLR body. A user-friendly model with lower megapixel can actually be better than higher megapixel e.g. Canon 30Ds are easier to use and more versatile even though their megapixel count is lower than the Canon Rebel XSi.
2) get a "fast" 50 mm lens something with an aperture of at least f 1.8. Those zoom lens kits are terrible for beginners.
3) a decent flash with an off-camera sync cord to allow you to shoot with flash off-camera
4) use and learn adobe photoshop if not the full version then photoshop elements
5) shoot both camera and flash on manual. By doing so, the camera records the exposure info. It will enable you to troubleshoot when your pictures don't turn out the way you want them.
6) open pictures in photoshop study pictures at 100% for focus accuracy
7) study your pictures' metadata. If something works see why it did, if it didn't, this is where you can learn from your mistakes.
8) join the myriad online photography websites like strobist.com, dpchallenge.com, digitalphotographyschool.com, bookmark them
9) find a professional mentor
10) be humble about your abilities
11) be willing to share what you know without bragging
12) enter contests
13) invest in good professional level equipment especially lenses
14) study visual publications
15) keep a notebook of clipping of your favorite pictures
16) if you're shooting digital, learn the ins and outs of your operating system
17) study and pay attention to lighting in the natural world
18) take seminars and classes
19) have your camera with you at all times
20) Take pictures daily.
Peter Phun teaches photography at Riverside City College. He does portraits, weddings and editorial work. He writes about photography, Macs and the internet. He also designs websites and is a stay-at-home dad.
Previously, Peter worked as a staff photographer for 18 years at The Press-Enterprise, Southern California's 4th largest daily newspaper. He is the webmaster for the Mac user group in the Inland Empire. For more information about this Riverside based photographer, visit http://www.peterphun.com
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Beginner Digital Camera - Find the Camera For You
By Wendy Pan
So, you are wanting to buy a digital camera? There are many great beginner digital cameras out there and there are also great expert digital cameras out there also. You just have to research before you buy to make sure you get what you want. If you are new to taking pictures why don't you start out with a cheap camera and get used to that camera and get to know how to use it before you step up to a higher quality camera.
Some questions to ask yourself before you choose a digital camera that is right for you:
- Do you want a thin camera or a fat camera?
- Do you want one that has a fast response time?
- Would you like digital or optical zoom?
Make sure when you go to purchase a digital camera make sure that there aren't a lot of options on the camera. That can really confuse a beginner photographer. Even if you have an instructional book it can still be rather confusing.
Check out as many stores as you want before making a decision on what you want. Stores always have some our on display for you to touch, feel and see how comfortable it is for you to hold. And that is important. You want a camera that is comfortable in your hands. While you are figuring out what camera is comfortable to you get a sales associate to help you out with any questions that you may have. Questions are important. You can ask them what the best beginner digital camera is.
Now of course you are starting out with a cheap digital camera, so it's not going to have the best quality pictures. That is okay though. Pictures are pictures. Just as long as you capture what you want to that is okay. Family and friends won't mind. They know you are a beginner.
Once you have taken your pictures you can insert your memory stick into your computer and download your pictures on the computer. You can also edit them. For instance, you can take the red eye out, crop them, adjust the brightness, etc. Once you have done that you can send your new pictures to your friends and family for them to enjoy. There are many of websites online that let you download your pictures on there site for you to stick in a photo album. Trust me it's much easier to email that way.
Now once you have taken plenty of pictures of kids, animals, landscaping, etc. and you have figured out how to use your beginner digital camera and you are doing well and feeling comfortable than it's time to move up to a bigger and better camera. Now this of course will take more than a days research online and at stores to figure out what all you want and expect out of the camera. For now though just snap as many pictures as you want and have fun with it. There is no need to rush to get a bigger and better camera yet.
Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about digital camera, please visit Cameras For Sale Online for current articles and discussions.
So, you are wanting to buy a digital camera? There are many great beginner digital cameras out there and there are also great expert digital cameras out there also. You just have to research before you buy to make sure you get what you want. If you are new to taking pictures why don't you start out with a cheap camera and get used to that camera and get to know how to use it before you step up to a higher quality camera.
Some questions to ask yourself before you choose a digital camera that is right for you:
- Do you want a thin camera or a fat camera?
- Do you want one that has a fast response time?
- Would you like digital or optical zoom?
Make sure when you go to purchase a digital camera make sure that there aren't a lot of options on the camera. That can really confuse a beginner photographer. Even if you have an instructional book it can still be rather confusing.
Check out as many stores as you want before making a decision on what you want. Stores always have some our on display for you to touch, feel and see how comfortable it is for you to hold. And that is important. You want a camera that is comfortable in your hands. While you are figuring out what camera is comfortable to you get a sales associate to help you out with any questions that you may have. Questions are important. You can ask them what the best beginner digital camera is.
Now of course you are starting out with a cheap digital camera, so it's not going to have the best quality pictures. That is okay though. Pictures are pictures. Just as long as you capture what you want to that is okay. Family and friends won't mind. They know you are a beginner.
Once you have taken your pictures you can insert your memory stick into your computer and download your pictures on the computer. You can also edit them. For instance, you can take the red eye out, crop them, adjust the brightness, etc. Once you have done that you can send your new pictures to your friends and family for them to enjoy. There are many of websites online that let you download your pictures on there site for you to stick in a photo album. Trust me it's much easier to email that way.
Now once you have taken plenty of pictures of kids, animals, landscaping, etc. and you have figured out how to use your beginner digital camera and you are doing well and feeling comfortable than it's time to move up to a bigger and better camera. Now this of course will take more than a days research online and at stores to figure out what all you want and expect out of the camera. For now though just snap as many pictures as you want and have fun with it. There is no need to rush to get a bigger and better camera yet.
Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about digital camera, please visit Cameras For Sale Online for current articles and discussions.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Nature Photography - Going the Extra Mile For a Great Photo
By Andrew Goodall
Nature photography classes have taught me a lot as a teacher. They have helped me to evaluate how much emphasis in nature photography should be on technology, and how much on creativity.
Half my time spent teaching is concentrated on the essential mechanics of good photography; aperture, shutter speed, ISO, lenses and so on. The rest of the time is focused on understanding natural light, and the techniques of good composition.
I truly believe that a good photographer, no matter how good their camera may be, must have a good grasp of the basics. If you don't understand the relationship between shutter speeds and movement effects, you won't get the best results from your waterfall photos. If you don't understand depth of field you won't know how to capture real character in a wildlife photo.
However, the simple truth is that most of the time, especially in clear daylight situations, you can leave your camera on automatic and rely on it to do the job for you. I don't encourage this, as the more experience you have with your manual settings, the better prepared you are to use them when the situation calls for it. But auto is a reliable option most of the time.
So, if your camera can take care of the technical aspects of your photography for you, what sets a good photographer apart from the rest? The answer is simple; their creativity, and their willingness to put in the extra effort for a great photo.
If you are prepared to go to the trouble to take your photos in the best possible light, you can improve your photography one hundred percent overnight...without doing one thing to the settings on your camera.
If you ask 100 people what is the best time of day for landscape photography, 95 of them will probably know the answer: early morning and late afternoon. This is when the sun is low in the sky and the light is soft and colourful. The fact is, people don't need to be told when to take their photos; they just need to be prepared to put it into action. It is just too much trouble to wait until sunset, or stay overnight to be on location at sunset.
The great photographers are the ones who are prepared to make that extra effort. They may even stay several days, or return to the same location time after time, just to get their perfect shot.
So what sets a great photographer apart is not what they know. In relation to capturing the best light, they really don't know anything that the rest of us don't. The difference is that they have the level of commitment required to turn knowledge into results.
Good nature photography is about much more than just perfect lighting. There is also attention to detail, and creativity in composition. Once again, this is not rocket science. It often boils down to patience and how much effort you are prepared to make to get a result.
Let's examine the approach of two hypothetical photographers.
The first photographer finds a nice location at the right time of day, snaps a couple of shots and then heads home for dinner. Later they look at the photos and notice some dead grass in the foreground, and a plane in the sky that spoils the natural look of the photo. This photographer is not happy with his photos and does exactly what most people do: he blames the camera.
The second photographer arrives at the same scene, at the same time of day. He looks carefully through the viewfinder and notices the dead grass in the foreground. Knowing this will spoil the shot, he finds a better location just a few metres away, where an old fence leads into the distance adding depth and interest to the image. He notices a plane in the sky and waits a few minutes until it is out of view. In the meantime, he sees some clouds drifting into the frame, and waits just a few minutes more until they are in a perfect place to fit the composition. Later he looks through over the photos and is deservedly happy with the result.
Which photographer do you want to be?
Good nature photography is not rocket science. Anyone can improve their photography no matter what sort of camera they have. All you need is to understand a few essential camera skills, and a little about composition and light. It is all so easy to understand when explained in Andrew Goodall's top selling ebook "Photography In Plain English." Find it at http://www.naturesimage.com.au and sign up to the free online newsletter for even more great tips!
Nature photography classes have taught me a lot as a teacher. They have helped me to evaluate how much emphasis in nature photography should be on technology, and how much on creativity.
Half my time spent teaching is concentrated on the essential mechanics of good photography; aperture, shutter speed, ISO, lenses and so on. The rest of the time is focused on understanding natural light, and the techniques of good composition.
I truly believe that a good photographer, no matter how good their camera may be, must have a good grasp of the basics. If you don't understand the relationship between shutter speeds and movement effects, you won't get the best results from your waterfall photos. If you don't understand depth of field you won't know how to capture real character in a wildlife photo.
However, the simple truth is that most of the time, especially in clear daylight situations, you can leave your camera on automatic and rely on it to do the job for you. I don't encourage this, as the more experience you have with your manual settings, the better prepared you are to use them when the situation calls for it. But auto is a reliable option most of the time.
So, if your camera can take care of the technical aspects of your photography for you, what sets a good photographer apart from the rest? The answer is simple; their creativity, and their willingness to put in the extra effort for a great photo.
If you are prepared to go to the trouble to take your photos in the best possible light, you can improve your photography one hundred percent overnight...without doing one thing to the settings on your camera.
If you ask 100 people what is the best time of day for landscape photography, 95 of them will probably know the answer: early morning and late afternoon. This is when the sun is low in the sky and the light is soft and colourful. The fact is, people don't need to be told when to take their photos; they just need to be prepared to put it into action. It is just too much trouble to wait until sunset, or stay overnight to be on location at sunset.
The great photographers are the ones who are prepared to make that extra effort. They may even stay several days, or return to the same location time after time, just to get their perfect shot.
So what sets a great photographer apart is not what they know. In relation to capturing the best light, they really don't know anything that the rest of us don't. The difference is that they have the level of commitment required to turn knowledge into results.
Good nature photography is about much more than just perfect lighting. There is also attention to detail, and creativity in composition. Once again, this is not rocket science. It often boils down to patience and how much effort you are prepared to make to get a result.
Let's examine the approach of two hypothetical photographers.
The first photographer finds a nice location at the right time of day, snaps a couple of shots and then heads home for dinner. Later they look at the photos and notice some dead grass in the foreground, and a plane in the sky that spoils the natural look of the photo. This photographer is not happy with his photos and does exactly what most people do: he blames the camera.
The second photographer arrives at the same scene, at the same time of day. He looks carefully through the viewfinder and notices the dead grass in the foreground. Knowing this will spoil the shot, he finds a better location just a few metres away, where an old fence leads into the distance adding depth and interest to the image. He notices a plane in the sky and waits a few minutes until it is out of view. In the meantime, he sees some clouds drifting into the frame, and waits just a few minutes more until they are in a perfect place to fit the composition. Later he looks through over the photos and is deservedly happy with the result.
Which photographer do you want to be?
Good nature photography is not rocket science. Anyone can improve their photography no matter what sort of camera they have. All you need is to understand a few essential camera skills, and a little about composition and light. It is all so easy to understand when explained in Andrew Goodall's top selling ebook "Photography In Plain English." Find it at http://www.naturesimage.com.au and sign up to the free online newsletter for even more great tips!
Monday, October 13, 2008
How to Become a Professional Photographer and Live Like One
By Cindy Heller
You have been an amateur photographer and now you want to get profit from your hobby by becoming a professional. In fact, there are many amateurs who want to do the same thing as you. Sometimes you will face some difficulties when you want to take a step from amateur to professional photography. Obviously your photography skill is an important factor, but other than that, you also need self awareness, patience, focus, and marketing skills. However, you should never feel discouraged because famous photographers used to be amateurs as well.
Important factors to become a professional photographer
Quality is very important and it is more important than quantity, by far. If you have started taking some pictures and find some good quality pictures, you should start marketing and selling immediately. Don't wait until your collection is too much, which can create sorting problems. By selling your pictures in advance, you also will understand the preference of the market so you can adjust your style to meet the demand.
The next important factor is to create an online portfolio. This is the best way to market your photographs and reach out to international audience. Preparing a personal website that contains some of your works is a good way to start making your online portfolio. It is better to include purchasing capability in the website, usually by credit cards, so visitors can buy your works immediately.
Perhaps the most important step to become a professional photographer is to promote your works as much as possible. Submitting your best photos to many companies that need this kind of work is a good idea. Some companies that you can consider are calendar producers, brochure makers, advertising agencies, and newspaper companies.
The last thing to remember is that you must not be fear of rejection. Many people are disheartened and stressful when their works are rejected. You must not allow the same situation to happen to you. If a company rejects your works, you should keep submitting to other companies because opportunities are everywhere. Of course you should make sure that the photos are of a good quality in the first place. Rejection is a part of photography career and you can learn from it.
Live as a professional photographer
When a person is paid to do things that he or she is an expert at, he or she can be considered as a professional. Some people say that it is only a hobby if you do not get money from the activity. The same thing applies to the world of photography.
There are two opposite schools of thought concerning professional photography. The first says that a photographer is an artist who can make pictures as what he wants. On the contrary, the second argues that a photographer is paid by others so he or she should make pictures that meet the requirements of the requesters. It depends on your choice of living to choose between these two scenarios because both can earn you money.
The demand for professional photographers is always high, especially in the world of marketing. You can see big billboards everywhere that need an involvement from a professional photographer. Marketers need professional photography to make their products or services much more tempting. Even a simpler work like taking baby photographs has its own market as people always want to remember their loved ones wherever they go.
Cindy Heller is a professional writer. For more photography ideas, please visit Online Photography Courses.
You have been an amateur photographer and now you want to get profit from your hobby by becoming a professional. In fact, there are many amateurs who want to do the same thing as you. Sometimes you will face some difficulties when you want to take a step from amateur to professional photography. Obviously your photography skill is an important factor, but other than that, you also need self awareness, patience, focus, and marketing skills. However, you should never feel discouraged because famous photographers used to be amateurs as well.
Important factors to become a professional photographer
Quality is very important and it is more important than quantity, by far. If you have started taking some pictures and find some good quality pictures, you should start marketing and selling immediately. Don't wait until your collection is too much, which can create sorting problems. By selling your pictures in advance, you also will understand the preference of the market so you can adjust your style to meet the demand.
The next important factor is to create an online portfolio. This is the best way to market your photographs and reach out to international audience. Preparing a personal website that contains some of your works is a good way to start making your online portfolio. It is better to include purchasing capability in the website, usually by credit cards, so visitors can buy your works immediately.
Perhaps the most important step to become a professional photographer is to promote your works as much as possible. Submitting your best photos to many companies that need this kind of work is a good idea. Some companies that you can consider are calendar producers, brochure makers, advertising agencies, and newspaper companies.
The last thing to remember is that you must not be fear of rejection. Many people are disheartened and stressful when their works are rejected. You must not allow the same situation to happen to you. If a company rejects your works, you should keep submitting to other companies because opportunities are everywhere. Of course you should make sure that the photos are of a good quality in the first place. Rejection is a part of photography career and you can learn from it.
Live as a professional photographer
When a person is paid to do things that he or she is an expert at, he or she can be considered as a professional. Some people say that it is only a hobby if you do not get money from the activity. The same thing applies to the world of photography.
There are two opposite schools of thought concerning professional photography. The first says that a photographer is an artist who can make pictures as what he wants. On the contrary, the second argues that a photographer is paid by others so he or she should make pictures that meet the requirements of the requesters. It depends on your choice of living to choose between these two scenarios because both can earn you money.
The demand for professional photographers is always high, especially in the world of marketing. You can see big billboards everywhere that need an involvement from a professional photographer. Marketers need professional photography to make their products or services much more tempting. Even a simpler work like taking baby photographs has its own market as people always want to remember their loved ones wherever they go.
Cindy Heller is a professional writer. For more photography ideas, please visit Online Photography Courses.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Why is Digital Photo Printing Better Than Traditional Photo Processing?
By MJ Johnston
As digital photography becomes more popular, the debate over which type of photo processing is the best rages on. There are many proponents on both sides of the aisle, and each may have valid points. However, for most consumers, digital photo printing, such as the kind you get from a free online photo album site, definitely has the edge and can provide them with higher quality images and at less cost. Let's take a look at why digital photo printing is quickly becoming the most popular solution for developing pictures.
1. The ability to control the final picture. When you're using a traditional camera, you won't have the ability to see if your image turned out right. This means waiting to get the film developed, and it can be very frustrating to find out too late that someone blinked, a hair was out of place, or the image just didn't turn out. With digital cameras, you can instantly check on the picture you just took. If it isn't right, it's nothing to simply retake the photo.
In addition to this point, when you are using traditional film, you are very limited in your editing options pre-development. Even if you have your own darkroom, there are only so many things that you can do to your film before you process it. This is an area that has given digital photo printing the edge in many experts minds. When you have the ability to completely customize any image, before processing, it puts you in control of your photos.
Digital photo printing allows the user to take the best picture, and then use photo editing software to improve the results even further. Whether it's changing an image, removing bad lighting, or simply making the image sharper, photo editing software gives you complete control over you own images.
2. Safer storage. Digital photographs can be stored online, on a disc, on a jump drive, or even just on your own computer. This gives this medium the edge in many different ways. Traditional photos degrade rapidly and although you can put them in a safe place, such as a safe deposit box, over the years, they will fade, warp or even disintegrate. When you are using digital photo printing services, you'll have the ability to save a digital copy of your images forever.
For those that don't want to lose their precious memories, this is a huge benefit. Many of these services will allow you to keep your images stored online in your own account. This removes any danger of losing photos to floods, computer failures, storms or even fires. When you have memories you want to keep safe, digital photo printing services give you that edge you need.
If you have never tried using a digital camera or digital photo printing service before, now is a great time to get started. There are numerous options available to you and digital photos are an economical choice that offers you more control. Plus, saving them at a free online photo album site means safer long term storage options.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a free online photo album.
As digital photography becomes more popular, the debate over which type of photo processing is the best rages on. There are many proponents on both sides of the aisle, and each may have valid points. However, for most consumers, digital photo printing, such as the kind you get from a free online photo album site, definitely has the edge and can provide them with higher quality images and at less cost. Let's take a look at why digital photo printing is quickly becoming the most popular solution for developing pictures.
1. The ability to control the final picture. When you're using a traditional camera, you won't have the ability to see if your image turned out right. This means waiting to get the film developed, and it can be very frustrating to find out too late that someone blinked, a hair was out of place, or the image just didn't turn out. With digital cameras, you can instantly check on the picture you just took. If it isn't right, it's nothing to simply retake the photo.
In addition to this point, when you are using traditional film, you are very limited in your editing options pre-development. Even if you have your own darkroom, there are only so many things that you can do to your film before you process it. This is an area that has given digital photo printing the edge in many experts minds. When you have the ability to completely customize any image, before processing, it puts you in control of your photos.
Digital photo printing allows the user to take the best picture, and then use photo editing software to improve the results even further. Whether it's changing an image, removing bad lighting, or simply making the image sharper, photo editing software gives you complete control over you own images.
2. Safer storage. Digital photographs can be stored online, on a disc, on a jump drive, or even just on your own computer. This gives this medium the edge in many different ways. Traditional photos degrade rapidly and although you can put them in a safe place, such as a safe deposit box, over the years, they will fade, warp or even disintegrate. When you are using digital photo printing services, you'll have the ability to save a digital copy of your images forever.
For those that don't want to lose their precious memories, this is a huge benefit. Many of these services will allow you to keep your images stored online in your own account. This removes any danger of losing photos to floods, computer failures, storms or even fires. When you have memories you want to keep safe, digital photo printing services give you that edge you need.
If you have never tried using a digital camera or digital photo printing service before, now is a great time to get started. There are numerous options available to you and digital photos are an economical choice that offers you more control. Plus, saving them at a free online photo album site means safer long term storage options.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a free online photo album.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Printing Photographs
By Peter Gitundu
Printing photographs has been made easy now by the birth of digital cameras. You can now print your photographs directly from the camera with the option of connecting directly to the printer without the use of a PC, Mac or laptop. This however won't help you if you have to edit your images and need to adjust the lighting or color of the image.
Printing photographs can also be done by your local photo studio if you are worried that you might mess things up, but it would be better if you did it yourself that way you get to learn and you can edit the photos. There are some that will edit for you but its better you learn for yourself and you won't have to spend cash just to print or edit your own photos.
You must put in the right editing software before you can print out your images. But that usually depends if you have to do it. You can decide what kind of paper you want the pictures printed on and then after you have edited you get good looking pictures that you can even frame. Off course you must not forget to check that your printer has sufficient ink and printing paper.
Before printing photographs you can always edit by cutting, copying, designing and even creating Christmas cards with the images. Have fun as you explore your options in the photo editing software. Learn more about what you can create and always make a backup CD or DVD in case your computer crashes or you lose your memory stick.
Peter Gitundu Researches And Reports On Photography. For More Information On Printing Photographs, Visit His Site At PRINTING PHOTOGRAPHS. You Can Also Post Your Views About Printing Photographs On My Blog Here PRINTING PHOTOGRAPHS
Printing photographs has been made easy now by the birth of digital cameras. You can now print your photographs directly from the camera with the option of connecting directly to the printer without the use of a PC, Mac or laptop. This however won't help you if you have to edit your images and need to adjust the lighting or color of the image.
Printing photographs can also be done by your local photo studio if you are worried that you might mess things up, but it would be better if you did it yourself that way you get to learn and you can edit the photos. There are some that will edit for you but its better you learn for yourself and you won't have to spend cash just to print or edit your own photos.
You must put in the right editing software before you can print out your images. But that usually depends if you have to do it. You can decide what kind of paper you want the pictures printed on and then after you have edited you get good looking pictures that you can even frame. Off course you must not forget to check that your printer has sufficient ink and printing paper.
Before printing photographs you can always edit by cutting, copying, designing and even creating Christmas cards with the images. Have fun as you explore your options in the photo editing software. Learn more about what you can create and always make a backup CD or DVD in case your computer crashes or you lose your memory stick.
Peter Gitundu Researches And Reports On Photography. For More Information On Printing Photographs, Visit His Site At PRINTING PHOTOGRAPHS. You Can Also Post Your Views About Printing Photographs On My Blog Here PRINTING PHOTOGRAPHS
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Starting a Photography Business - Tips For Success
By Bobby Jonnes
I'm often asked, what is the best way to start a photography business? The answer depends mainly on what area of photography you want to specialise in, or whether you want to be an 'all rounder'.
You should be clear about this before you start. There is nothing more distracting to achievement of your goals than jumping constantly from one specialist area to another; you never quite make it at anything!
You need a business plan and goals and targets to work toward. Your aim should be to become competent in only 2 or 3 areas. You can choose between commercial photography, portraiture, wedding photography, pet photography, group photography and many more.
The main distinctions between these are the pressures you are under to produce the level of skill needed to please the customer. For example wedding photography will require working under a lot of pressure with people to produce the goods in a few hours, whereas commercial photography may give you a few days, say working with equipment rather than people.
So you need to decide if you are a people person and have the skill and ability to carry off your chosen area of work. You need also to discover your style of photography; this applies mainly in wedding and portraiture photography. Will it be candid, will it be reportage, will it be formal or a mix of all?
After you have a clear picture in your mind of where you are heading with your photography business goals, you need to start to look around at the competition. How do prices compare, what is the size of the market, what equipment would you need, do you have the experience, if not where and how could you learn?
For example wedding photography is an area where I would advise that you steer clear from until you have the confidence, the technical expertise, posing and people skills required to achieve a high standard product. I usually advise people to start with group photography and work there way towards weddings.
It's ideal if you can get some experience shooting with a professional, you could offer your support service at no cost to assist the pro with weddings. You will learn a lot this way.
Other areas of photography allow you to become conversant with lighting and exposure techniques before you decide to tackle weddings. So perhaps group, or pet photography is best for you to start with.
The key to successful business, without stating the obvious, is getting and keeping customers. It should be your aim in the early days of your photography business to over deliver for your first customers. You will find for example if you take christening shots for a family and make a good job of it, they will hook into you and you will be first choice for all other family occasions. This is by far the best type of marketing approach for your photography business.
Do you want to learn more about starting a photography business? I have written a comprehensive guide on wedding and group photography.
Visit my site for more information Wedding and Group Photography Guide
Bobby is a photographer and author. He has been commissioned to shoot thousands of events, including weddings.
I'm often asked, what is the best way to start a photography business? The answer depends mainly on what area of photography you want to specialise in, or whether you want to be an 'all rounder'.
You should be clear about this before you start. There is nothing more distracting to achievement of your goals than jumping constantly from one specialist area to another; you never quite make it at anything!
You need a business plan and goals and targets to work toward. Your aim should be to become competent in only 2 or 3 areas. You can choose between commercial photography, portraiture, wedding photography, pet photography, group photography and many more.
The main distinctions between these are the pressures you are under to produce the level of skill needed to please the customer. For example wedding photography will require working under a lot of pressure with people to produce the goods in a few hours, whereas commercial photography may give you a few days, say working with equipment rather than people.
So you need to decide if you are a people person and have the skill and ability to carry off your chosen area of work. You need also to discover your style of photography; this applies mainly in wedding and portraiture photography. Will it be candid, will it be reportage, will it be formal or a mix of all?
After you have a clear picture in your mind of where you are heading with your photography business goals, you need to start to look around at the competition. How do prices compare, what is the size of the market, what equipment would you need, do you have the experience, if not where and how could you learn?
For example wedding photography is an area where I would advise that you steer clear from until you have the confidence, the technical expertise, posing and people skills required to achieve a high standard product. I usually advise people to start with group photography and work there way towards weddings.
It's ideal if you can get some experience shooting with a professional, you could offer your support service at no cost to assist the pro with weddings. You will learn a lot this way.
Other areas of photography allow you to become conversant with lighting and exposure techniques before you decide to tackle weddings. So perhaps group, or pet photography is best for you to start with.
The key to successful business, without stating the obvious, is getting and keeping customers. It should be your aim in the early days of your photography business to over deliver for your first customers. You will find for example if you take christening shots for a family and make a good job of it, they will hook into you and you will be first choice for all other family occasions. This is by far the best type of marketing approach for your photography business.
Do you want to learn more about starting a photography business? I have written a comprehensive guide on wedding and group photography.
Visit my site for more information Wedding and Group Photography Guide
Bobby is a photographer and author. He has been commissioned to shoot thousands of events, including weddings.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
How to Scrapbook With Your Free Online Photo Album
By MJ Johnston
If you are looking for a new way to record your memories, and the thought of scrapbooking is just too much, you may want to consider using a free online photo album instead. These tools make it so much easier to collect, organize and display your photos, and you can customize them just like you would a normal scrapbook. Let's go over a few hints to get you started.
The first step is to get together all of the photos you want to display in your free online photo album. You may find it helpful to do this on your computer with digitized images, or you can always use your hard copies to get everything organized. Find out which photos you want to use, and then you can start organizing them by event, or by any way that you would like to display them.
Now comes the fun part. Instead of using the same old scrapbooking materials, you can use digital graphics to enhance your existing photos. Try to find fun clip art that matches the event you are organizing and find a way to integrate them into your photos. This is a great way to personalize your free online photo album and the sky is literally the limit when it comes to choices. You'll be able to find hundreds of thousands of images to use, and you can have a lot of fun putting them together.
If you're a little stuck as to how to organize your free online photo album, many people find it helpful to start with a specific event, such as a child's birthday party. For example, you could include actual pictures that were taken at the event, coupled with photos of the child when they were younger, and other important milestones. Put all of these together to form the "story" of the event.
When you look at a free online photo album as a way to tell a story with your pictures, it opens up a whole new avenue of creativity. While it's certainly fine to just group your photos together randomly, you can make it more interesting by adding different elements, such as clip art, or different pictures that are related to specific events. Take your time when you're putting everything together and see just how many great combinations you can come up with.
No matter what you'd like to do with your photos, a free online photo album makes it easier to keep everything together and safe. Try using one today and see just how much fun you can have when you're creating your virtual scrapbook. Involve your children for some great quality time and let them make their own little sections in the book, or even give them their own photo albums that they can customize to their heart's content.
A free online photo album is more than just a place to put your pictures. It enables you to tell a story, commemorate an important event and keep your photo memories safe.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest online photo sharing.
If you are looking for a new way to record your memories, and the thought of scrapbooking is just too much, you may want to consider using a free online photo album instead. These tools make it so much easier to collect, organize and display your photos, and you can customize them just like you would a normal scrapbook. Let's go over a few hints to get you started.
The first step is to get together all of the photos you want to display in your free online photo album. You may find it helpful to do this on your computer with digitized images, or you can always use your hard copies to get everything organized. Find out which photos you want to use, and then you can start organizing them by event, or by any way that you would like to display them.
Now comes the fun part. Instead of using the same old scrapbooking materials, you can use digital graphics to enhance your existing photos. Try to find fun clip art that matches the event you are organizing and find a way to integrate them into your photos. This is a great way to personalize your free online photo album and the sky is literally the limit when it comes to choices. You'll be able to find hundreds of thousands of images to use, and you can have a lot of fun putting them together.
If you're a little stuck as to how to organize your free online photo album, many people find it helpful to start with a specific event, such as a child's birthday party. For example, you could include actual pictures that were taken at the event, coupled with photos of the child when they were younger, and other important milestones. Put all of these together to form the "story" of the event.
When you look at a free online photo album as a way to tell a story with your pictures, it opens up a whole new avenue of creativity. While it's certainly fine to just group your photos together randomly, you can make it more interesting by adding different elements, such as clip art, or different pictures that are related to specific events. Take your time when you're putting everything together and see just how many great combinations you can come up with.
No matter what you'd like to do with your photos, a free online photo album makes it easier to keep everything together and safe. Try using one today and see just how much fun you can have when you're creating your virtual scrapbook. Involve your children for some great quality time and let them make their own little sections in the book, or even give them their own photo albums that they can customize to their heart's content.
A free online photo album is more than just a place to put your pictures. It enables you to tell a story, commemorate an important event and keep your photo memories safe.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest online photo sharing.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Protecting Your Photos Online
By MJ Johnston
A photo album is a great way to protect your photos and keep them safe from harm. There are numerous reasons to consider converting your current collection of photos, particularly if you do not have them stored properly. Let's take a look at why so many people are now using albums to protect their photographic collections.
1. Degradation of print photos. This is very common, and it can happen to almost any photograph. Over time, as photos are exposed to air, humidity and dust, they can begin to fade or warp. In fact, in many cases, the paper they are printed on can begin to decompose. While some photos are printed on high quality paper, this is not a guarantee that they will not degrade over time. The safest solution if you are concerned about losing your precious collection is uploading photos and setting up a digital photo album.
2. Flooding and other natural disasters. It is all too common to lose your photographs due to water damage, or even storms. When photographs are exposed to water, the ink that is used to print them will run, and in many cases, you may end up with a toxic mess. In fact, David Pogue, a writer for the New York Times and frequent commentator on many news programs, recently discussed a tragic event that destroyed his wife's photo collection. Water from the basement got into the tub where her photos were stored and all that was left was blank paper and a nasty soup of chemicals and ink. Using a digital photo album can protect your photos from this fate.
3. Misplacement or total loss. Whether you have your photos organized, or they are all over the house, it is all too easy to end up losing them. If you have trouble keeping your collection all together, you may want to consider uploading photos and setting up a photo album. Then, you will be able to safely put all of your photographs in one place, and the effort to get them organized is minimal. There is nothing worse than spending hours looking for a specific photograph, only to find that it has been lost for good.
4. Protection from theft. You don't want your precious memories stolen and thousands of people every year find that after a burglary, their picture collection is also missing. You can be assured that you'll always have a copy of your photos when you have them safely stored away in your digital photo album.
These are just a few examples of how beneficial a photo album can be when it comes to protecting your pictures. There are many others, and overall, the majority of consumers have found that these albums provide not only a place to keep photos safe, but also a great deal of peace of mind.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a free online photo album.
A photo album is a great way to protect your photos and keep them safe from harm. There are numerous reasons to consider converting your current collection of photos, particularly if you do not have them stored properly. Let's take a look at why so many people are now using albums to protect their photographic collections.
1. Degradation of print photos. This is very common, and it can happen to almost any photograph. Over time, as photos are exposed to air, humidity and dust, they can begin to fade or warp. In fact, in many cases, the paper they are printed on can begin to decompose. While some photos are printed on high quality paper, this is not a guarantee that they will not degrade over time. The safest solution if you are concerned about losing your precious collection is uploading photos and setting up a digital photo album.
2. Flooding and other natural disasters. It is all too common to lose your photographs due to water damage, or even storms. When photographs are exposed to water, the ink that is used to print them will run, and in many cases, you may end up with a toxic mess. In fact, David Pogue, a writer for the New York Times and frequent commentator on many news programs, recently discussed a tragic event that destroyed his wife's photo collection. Water from the basement got into the tub where her photos were stored and all that was left was blank paper and a nasty soup of chemicals and ink. Using a digital photo album can protect your photos from this fate.
3. Misplacement or total loss. Whether you have your photos organized, or they are all over the house, it is all too easy to end up losing them. If you have trouble keeping your collection all together, you may want to consider uploading photos and setting up a photo album. Then, you will be able to safely put all of your photographs in one place, and the effort to get them organized is minimal. There is nothing worse than spending hours looking for a specific photograph, only to find that it has been lost for good.
4. Protection from theft. You don't want your precious memories stolen and thousands of people every year find that after a burglary, their picture collection is also missing. You can be assured that you'll always have a copy of your photos when you have them safely stored away in your digital photo album.
These are just a few examples of how beneficial a photo album can be when it comes to protecting your pictures. There are many others, and overall, the majority of consumers have found that these albums provide not only a place to keep photos safe, but also a great deal of peace of mind.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a free online photo album.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Aerial Photography Tips
By R Huey
Aerial photography is a valuable commercial skill that can greatly increase the income of many working photographers. The field of aerial photography can cover many different types of work, including real estate photography, government projects to document construction or environmental issues, paparazzi coverage, court case evidence, in addition to general artistic images taken from aloft.
Getting started in aerial photography. To get started in aerial photography, it is not as difficult as it may initially seem. In most cases, having access to an aircraft of some sort is required. However, there are literally thousands of pilots that are willing to charter a flight for you to accomplish your work. Check with your regional or local airport about chartering a flight for photography. Let them know what and where you are interested in photographing, and they should be able point you in the right direction. Based on my experience, be prepared to pay $100-$300 per hour chartering a fixed wing aircraft, depending on your area and the type of aircraft available. For helicopter rentals, look to pay about 30% more.
Best time of day to take aerial photographs. As with most types of outdoor photography, early morning and late afternoon time frames will yield the most pleasing photographs. It is at this time that the sun's rays produce warmer colors and longer shadows which produce more brilliant colors and beautiful shadows. The longer shadows associated with this time frame add depth to your photographs, by better defining the contours of land or structures.
However, selecting a time of day is also dependent on the type of photography you are trying to capture. During the middle of the day, the lighting is flat which may be better suited to your specific needs, i.e., documenting a construction project, or commercial real estate. Understanding the goals of your photographic mission will greatly impact when you elect to charter a flight.
Best equipment for aerial photography. Selecting the appropriate equipment for aerial photography is a major consideration. Before making any photographic equipment decisions, you must first define how the photos will be used. In most cases, aerial photos will be used for larger prints. Even if you are only shooting images for newspaper or tabloid reproduction, you will want to capture the images in as large a file size or negative size as possible. If you are shooting film, I would suggest no format under 2 1/4″ x 2 1/4″. If you want to shoot film and don't have a larger format camera, borrow or lease one before you schedule the flight. For digital photographers, I would recommend using the largest file size available with your model camera. By not capturing the images in the highest resolution possible, you have greatly diminished the ability for additional uses of these photographs.
Determining the optimal focal length to use, will be influenced with the type of aircraft you select, the subject matter you are documenting, and how close you are able to get to your subject. From personal experience, I most often use the equivalent of a 35mm-50mm lens for the 35mm camera format. You will want to be cautious using a telephoto lens due to the vibration of the aircraft.
Best exposure for aerial photography. In general, I recommend using a shutter speed of 1/500 -1/1000. This shutter speed range is sufficient to stop most action from a moving aircraft and to minimize aircraft vibration. While photographing from 1000 feet or higher, the subject will not be moving as quickly as you think. Choosing the maximum shutter speed, such as 1/2000 or higher, basically robs you of depth of field since you need to open up the lens more to compensate for the higher speed. On the subject of aperture setting, you will want to be in the f/5.6-f/11 range for most subjects. For those familiar with hyperfocal distances, since the closest subject in your photograph will be greater than 1000 feet, depth of field is not a main concern. Keep in mind the middle of your aperture range for a particular lens produces the sharpest images.
Conclusion. Aerial photography produces a view of the world that very few can experience. Whether you are taking aerial photographs as a career or just as a hobbie, the joys of aerial photography are countless!
Rick Huey - publisher of http://www.ILovePhotoblogs.com
Aerial photography is a valuable commercial skill that can greatly increase the income of many working photographers. The field of aerial photography can cover many different types of work, including real estate photography, government projects to document construction or environmental issues, paparazzi coverage, court case evidence, in addition to general artistic images taken from aloft.
Getting started in aerial photography. To get started in aerial photography, it is not as difficult as it may initially seem. In most cases, having access to an aircraft of some sort is required. However, there are literally thousands of pilots that are willing to charter a flight for you to accomplish your work. Check with your regional or local airport about chartering a flight for photography. Let them know what and where you are interested in photographing, and they should be able point you in the right direction. Based on my experience, be prepared to pay $100-$300 per hour chartering a fixed wing aircraft, depending on your area and the type of aircraft available. For helicopter rentals, look to pay about 30% more.
Best time of day to take aerial photographs. As with most types of outdoor photography, early morning and late afternoon time frames will yield the most pleasing photographs. It is at this time that the sun's rays produce warmer colors and longer shadows which produce more brilliant colors and beautiful shadows. The longer shadows associated with this time frame add depth to your photographs, by better defining the contours of land or structures.
However, selecting a time of day is also dependent on the type of photography you are trying to capture. During the middle of the day, the lighting is flat which may be better suited to your specific needs, i.e., documenting a construction project, or commercial real estate. Understanding the goals of your photographic mission will greatly impact when you elect to charter a flight.
Best equipment for aerial photography. Selecting the appropriate equipment for aerial photography is a major consideration. Before making any photographic equipment decisions, you must first define how the photos will be used. In most cases, aerial photos will be used for larger prints. Even if you are only shooting images for newspaper or tabloid reproduction, you will want to capture the images in as large a file size or negative size as possible. If you are shooting film, I would suggest no format under 2 1/4″ x 2 1/4″. If you want to shoot film and don't have a larger format camera, borrow or lease one before you schedule the flight. For digital photographers, I would recommend using the largest file size available with your model camera. By not capturing the images in the highest resolution possible, you have greatly diminished the ability for additional uses of these photographs.
Determining the optimal focal length to use, will be influenced with the type of aircraft you select, the subject matter you are documenting, and how close you are able to get to your subject. From personal experience, I most often use the equivalent of a 35mm-50mm lens for the 35mm camera format. You will want to be cautious using a telephoto lens due to the vibration of the aircraft.
Best exposure for aerial photography. In general, I recommend using a shutter speed of 1/500 -1/1000. This shutter speed range is sufficient to stop most action from a moving aircraft and to minimize aircraft vibration. While photographing from 1000 feet or higher, the subject will not be moving as quickly as you think. Choosing the maximum shutter speed, such as 1/2000 or higher, basically robs you of depth of field since you need to open up the lens more to compensate for the higher speed. On the subject of aperture setting, you will want to be in the f/5.6-f/11 range for most subjects. For those familiar with hyperfocal distances, since the closest subject in your photograph will be greater than 1000 feet, depth of field is not a main concern. Keep in mind the middle of your aperture range for a particular lens produces the sharpest images.
Conclusion. Aerial photography produces a view of the world that very few can experience. Whether you are taking aerial photographs as a career or just as a hobbie, the joys of aerial photography are countless!
Rick Huey - publisher of http://www.ILovePhotoblogs.com
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The Passion in Black and White Photography
By Myna Rho
The Passion in Black and White Photography An impassioned artist always strives to create something uniquely different within his genre. He is ultimately compelled to create a difference in his medium that conveys his unique perspective. When photography is done in black and white, an artful touch emerges from the subject matter. Passion coupled with style gives a distinctive edge to this genre, captivating a viewer's attention. It is its innate magical quality which simply enthralls the onlooker.
The unique photographic style of Gary E. Karcz is bold, yet at the same time exceptionally sensitive. This unusual blend of qualities makes his photographs extremely appealing. Gary maintains that black and white photography can effectively express the diverse moods of nature. The emotional content is strikingly evident, as this form of photography has enjoyed a long and respected history. An appreciation of this genre can actually nurture an acute sense of perception, which is a key element in photography. Some may view it as outdated; however, black and white photographs can have a more sophisticated and alluring appearance while being more story-filled.
Digital cameras now feature gray-scale settings which enable photographers to capture pictures only in black and white. During picture post-processing, you can use the latest photographic software to add expressive effects with surprisingly wonderful results. The classic look of black and white photography is something that you cannot effectively replicate in color photographs. A stray flower on a hill or a lonely cloud in the sky are both superb subjects for this kind of expressive photography.
Take time to experiment with black and white photography, since the intricate beauty of nature will assume an entirely different dimension through this rich genre. It is depthful and can eloquently represent the visual and poetic harmony of nature. Your subjects may include landscapes, mountains, water, trees, clouds and sacred sites. Somehow, the soul of the object in your photographs will capture the minds and hearts of your viewers. You can find some of the best work in black and white photography at www.whispersontheside.com where you will see the latest works of photographer Gary E. Karcz. He specializes in fine art black and white photography and is known for his unique creations.
Myna Rho is author of this article on fine art photography.
Find more information about Gary E. Karcz here.
The Passion in Black and White Photography An impassioned artist always strives to create something uniquely different within his genre. He is ultimately compelled to create a difference in his medium that conveys his unique perspective. When photography is done in black and white, an artful touch emerges from the subject matter. Passion coupled with style gives a distinctive edge to this genre, captivating a viewer's attention. It is its innate magical quality which simply enthralls the onlooker.
The unique photographic style of Gary E. Karcz is bold, yet at the same time exceptionally sensitive. This unusual blend of qualities makes his photographs extremely appealing. Gary maintains that black and white photography can effectively express the diverse moods of nature. The emotional content is strikingly evident, as this form of photography has enjoyed a long and respected history. An appreciation of this genre can actually nurture an acute sense of perception, which is a key element in photography. Some may view it as outdated; however, black and white photographs can have a more sophisticated and alluring appearance while being more story-filled.
Digital cameras now feature gray-scale settings which enable photographers to capture pictures only in black and white. During picture post-processing, you can use the latest photographic software to add expressive effects with surprisingly wonderful results. The classic look of black and white photography is something that you cannot effectively replicate in color photographs. A stray flower on a hill or a lonely cloud in the sky are both superb subjects for this kind of expressive photography.
Take time to experiment with black and white photography, since the intricate beauty of nature will assume an entirely different dimension through this rich genre. It is depthful and can eloquently represent the visual and poetic harmony of nature. Your subjects may include landscapes, mountains, water, trees, clouds and sacred sites. Somehow, the soul of the object in your photographs will capture the minds and hearts of your viewers. You can find some of the best work in black and white photography at www.whispersontheside.com where you will see the latest works of photographer Gary E. Karcz. He specializes in fine art black and white photography and is known for his unique creations.
Myna Rho is author of this article on fine art photography.
Find more information about Gary E. Karcz here.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Top 5 Digital Photography Tips
By Steven Boudreau
With the advancements that have been made over the years to digital cameras one would think that it's a given that the better your camera the better the pictures automatically and all you have to do is press the button for great pictures. Then we woke up, it would be great if the pictures took themselves and didn't require anything extra from us, for now we need to learn how to take great pictures.
You are able to take some great photos with a simple point and click camera, and at the same time it is possible to take some dreadful pictures with a top of the line digital SLR as well. The camera alone doesn't make the beautiful photos, it's the photographer. By tweaking a few things here and there it is possible to get some amazing photos out of an affordable $100 digital camera. To help you with those tweaks, here's a few digital photography tips that will guide you to take photos like a professional.
1. Warm Tones
Do you ever notice sometimes your shots come out having a cool, clammy feel to them? Don't worry you're not alone. Most cameras default white balance setting is set to "auto", which for most pictures is completely fine. If you're shooting outdoor sunny landscapes, change your white bal setting to "cloudy". You may be wondering why change it to cloudy if your taking a sunny picture, cloudy setting is like putting a warming filter on your camera. The red and yellow tones are increased, resulting in richer warmer pictures.
2. Polarized Filter
A polarized filter is a filter that every photographer should carry in their arsenal, for shooting landscapes and all around general outdoor shooting. The polarized lens will reduce glare and unwanted reflections, resulting in richer shots. The problem here is that not all cameras have the ability to add additional attachments on to them. Well a little ingenuity goes a long way here. If you have a pair of quality sunglasses, simply hold them as close to your camera lens as possible. Use your LCD viewfinder to ensure you don't have a sunglass border showing around your shot.
3. Outdoor Portraits That Shine
Controlling your flash so that it works when you want it to not when your camera thinks that it needs it is a secret to taking great outdoor photos. If you keep your flash on, the camera exposes the background first, then adds enough flash to illuminate your portrait subject.
4. Macro Mode
Macro mode, or close up mode, is a fascinating option on the camera that allows you to explore the world in finer detail. It's like when you were a kid and you'd get down on your hands and knees and stare into the lawn. Everything looked completely different and more intricate down there. A simple flower from a distance, looks completely different up close. Try it out, you'll be amazed at some of the images that you'll capture.
5. Horizontal Line
LCD's have made picture taking alot more convenient, but at the same time they have reaked havoc on some great portraits. How you may be asking, well what happens is that your camera's optics allow distortion in when trying to render broad panoramas on a tiny two inch screen. What happens is you'll be looking at your subject with your naked eye, but when you look at it on your screen everything appears to be bowing inward. There is not a magic secret that will fix this problem for you, the best advice that I can give to you would be to take a few shots at slightly different angles, also use your view finder instead of the LCD screen. By taking a few different shots at different angles, when you get home surely you'll have at least one image that comes out straight.
With the advancements in the past few years in digital camera technology, even most consumer point and click models, have the capabilities to take some gorgeous masterpieces. By being creative and having a little know how you can can take some great shots.
It's not the camera that's responsible for those great photos, it's the photographer. Do you know how to take great shots? Want to learn how. Digital Photography Secrets will teach you how. Click Here
With the advancements that have been made over the years to digital cameras one would think that it's a given that the better your camera the better the pictures automatically and all you have to do is press the button for great pictures. Then we woke up, it would be great if the pictures took themselves and didn't require anything extra from us, for now we need to learn how to take great pictures.
You are able to take some great photos with a simple point and click camera, and at the same time it is possible to take some dreadful pictures with a top of the line digital SLR as well. The camera alone doesn't make the beautiful photos, it's the photographer. By tweaking a few things here and there it is possible to get some amazing photos out of an affordable $100 digital camera. To help you with those tweaks, here's a few digital photography tips that will guide you to take photos like a professional.
1. Warm Tones
Do you ever notice sometimes your shots come out having a cool, clammy feel to them? Don't worry you're not alone. Most cameras default white balance setting is set to "auto", which for most pictures is completely fine. If you're shooting outdoor sunny landscapes, change your white bal setting to "cloudy". You may be wondering why change it to cloudy if your taking a sunny picture, cloudy setting is like putting a warming filter on your camera. The red and yellow tones are increased, resulting in richer warmer pictures.
2. Polarized Filter
A polarized filter is a filter that every photographer should carry in their arsenal, for shooting landscapes and all around general outdoor shooting. The polarized lens will reduce glare and unwanted reflections, resulting in richer shots. The problem here is that not all cameras have the ability to add additional attachments on to them. Well a little ingenuity goes a long way here. If you have a pair of quality sunglasses, simply hold them as close to your camera lens as possible. Use your LCD viewfinder to ensure you don't have a sunglass border showing around your shot.
3. Outdoor Portraits That Shine
Controlling your flash so that it works when you want it to not when your camera thinks that it needs it is a secret to taking great outdoor photos. If you keep your flash on, the camera exposes the background first, then adds enough flash to illuminate your portrait subject.
4. Macro Mode
Macro mode, or close up mode, is a fascinating option on the camera that allows you to explore the world in finer detail. It's like when you were a kid and you'd get down on your hands and knees and stare into the lawn. Everything looked completely different and more intricate down there. A simple flower from a distance, looks completely different up close. Try it out, you'll be amazed at some of the images that you'll capture.
5. Horizontal Line
LCD's have made picture taking alot more convenient, but at the same time they have reaked havoc on some great portraits. How you may be asking, well what happens is that your camera's optics allow distortion in when trying to render broad panoramas on a tiny two inch screen. What happens is you'll be looking at your subject with your naked eye, but when you look at it on your screen everything appears to be bowing inward. There is not a magic secret that will fix this problem for you, the best advice that I can give to you would be to take a few shots at slightly different angles, also use your view finder instead of the LCD screen. By taking a few different shots at different angles, when you get home surely you'll have at least one image that comes out straight.
With the advancements in the past few years in digital camera technology, even most consumer point and click models, have the capabilities to take some gorgeous masterpieces. By being creative and having a little know how you can can take some great shots.
It's not the camera that's responsible for those great photos, it's the photographer. Do you know how to take great shots? Want to learn how. Digital Photography Secrets will teach you how. Click Here
Thursday, October 2, 2008
How to Make a Free Online Photo Album As a Gift
By MJ Johnston
When you need a gift that will be appreciated and make a lasting impression, a free online photo album is one of the best ways to accomplish this. If you've been trying to think of a gift for someone that has everything, or if you are trying to find a gift for a family member, this is a great option and you'll be able to customize it completely. Here are some great ideas to get you started.
First, you'll need to decide how you want to put your free online photo album together. Do you want to add certain images from a special event or do you want to memorialize someone special from your family? Find out what you hope to accomplish with your gift and this will help you put together a very special present. It is a good idea to take a little time in this pre-planning phase to see what your options are and to write down what you plan to accomplish with your gift.
By writing down a little information about your project, it will be easier to stay on track and see just how much you have left to do. If you are already familiar with how free online photo albums work, this step should be very easy. If not, you can just go through the features that are available to quickly come up with some great ideas for your gift.
After you have the project planned out, you can start getting your pictures together. If you don't have them all stored in one place, you may want to gather all of your pictures together in one place. This will make it easier to sort through them and pull out the pictures you want to use. One of the best features about a free online photo album is the ability to add numerous photos, and decide which exact ones you want to use.
Once you have everything organized, you can start the process of putting your free online photo album together. This is an easy process that anyone can do. Refer back to your list if necessary to make sure that you've included the right photos. Get everything together in one place in your album. Then, you can start organizing the pictures in whatever what you see fit. This is a very fun process and allows you to really get in there to make a gift.
For many, this is the most important reason to create a free online photo album. You're not only giving a great gift that will offer the recipient countless hours of enjoyment, but you are also able to create specific gifts for special people, or big books that can be shared by the whole family.
When your free online photo album has been completed, it's a good idea to look over it a few times to make sure that everything is ready to go before you give it away. That will help you make sure that your free online photo album is as complete as possible.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers free online photo album.
When you need a gift that will be appreciated and make a lasting impression, a free online photo album is one of the best ways to accomplish this. If you've been trying to think of a gift for someone that has everything, or if you are trying to find a gift for a family member, this is a great option and you'll be able to customize it completely. Here are some great ideas to get you started.
First, you'll need to decide how you want to put your free online photo album together. Do you want to add certain images from a special event or do you want to memorialize someone special from your family? Find out what you hope to accomplish with your gift and this will help you put together a very special present. It is a good idea to take a little time in this pre-planning phase to see what your options are and to write down what you plan to accomplish with your gift.
By writing down a little information about your project, it will be easier to stay on track and see just how much you have left to do. If you are already familiar with how free online photo albums work, this step should be very easy. If not, you can just go through the features that are available to quickly come up with some great ideas for your gift.
After you have the project planned out, you can start getting your pictures together. If you don't have them all stored in one place, you may want to gather all of your pictures together in one place. This will make it easier to sort through them and pull out the pictures you want to use. One of the best features about a free online photo album is the ability to add numerous photos, and decide which exact ones you want to use.
Once you have everything organized, you can start the process of putting your free online photo album together. This is an easy process that anyone can do. Refer back to your list if necessary to make sure that you've included the right photos. Get everything together in one place in your album. Then, you can start organizing the pictures in whatever what you see fit. This is a very fun process and allows you to really get in there to make a gift.
For many, this is the most important reason to create a free online photo album. You're not only giving a great gift that will offer the recipient countless hours of enjoyment, but you are also able to create specific gifts for special people, or big books that can be shared by the whole family.
When your free online photo album has been completed, it's a good idea to look over it a few times to make sure that everything is ready to go before you give it away. That will help you make sure that your free online photo album is as complete as possible.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers free online photo album.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
How to Create a Free Online Photo Album
By MJ Johnston
People like to share photos of their friends and loved ones with others. There is a way that you can get your photos together for your family and friends to see without having to run here and there with a book. You can create an free online photo album. Free online photo albums are easy to create and they are also time savers.
Here are the steps you can to take to create one:
• Get your photos together. Whatever photos you want to include, whether they're from a vacation, wedding or any other event, place them in a folder on your computer. Make sure that you have the photos you want to use.
• Use a photo sharing service to upload the photos. There are some that can allow uploads of several hundred photos at the same time. When you upload your photos, they will be placed on a server and kept secure out of harm's way.
• If you have photos you would like to use that have aged or a just older in years, you will want to scan those.
• When you're looking for an album, choose one that suits your tastes. There are plenty of free online photo albums to choose from. You have to decide on how many photos you want on each page and what size you want them to be when deciding on an album.
• You will need to choose colors, the layout of your pages and a theme. There are plenty of selections to choose from and it's up to you what you want.
• Move your photos to the album pages by dragging them with the mouse. If you need edit some of all of them, do that prior to putting them in the pages.
• If you're looking to tell a story, you can add text. It can be sentences, quotes or captions. This way, other people will know the meaning behind the photos.
• When you're finished, you can deliver the free online photo album to whoever you choose. This can be done electronically. Once they see it, their eyes will light up, especially if they are in some of the shots.
Creating a free online photo album is not only fun, it's also a great way of keeping those memories alive for many years to come.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to build a free online photo album.
People like to share photos of their friends and loved ones with others. There is a way that you can get your photos together for your family and friends to see without having to run here and there with a book. You can create an free online photo album. Free online photo albums are easy to create and they are also time savers.
Here are the steps you can to take to create one:
• Get your photos together. Whatever photos you want to include, whether they're from a vacation, wedding or any other event, place them in a folder on your computer. Make sure that you have the photos you want to use.
• Use a photo sharing service to upload the photos. There are some that can allow uploads of several hundred photos at the same time. When you upload your photos, they will be placed on a server and kept secure out of harm's way.
• If you have photos you would like to use that have aged or a just older in years, you will want to scan those.
• When you're looking for an album, choose one that suits your tastes. There are plenty of free online photo albums to choose from. You have to decide on how many photos you want on each page and what size you want them to be when deciding on an album.
• You will need to choose colors, the layout of your pages and a theme. There are plenty of selections to choose from and it's up to you what you want.
• Move your photos to the album pages by dragging them with the mouse. If you need edit some of all of them, do that prior to putting them in the pages.
• If you're looking to tell a story, you can add text. It can be sentences, quotes or captions. This way, other people will know the meaning behind the photos.
• When you're finished, you can deliver the free online photo album to whoever you choose. This can be done electronically. Once they see it, their eyes will light up, especially if they are in some of the shots.
Creating a free online photo album is not only fun, it's also a great way of keeping those memories alive for many years to come.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to build a free online photo album.
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