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Sunday, October 10, 2010

The Ultimate in Photography Tips - The Best Photography Tips Also Happen to Be the Simplest!


When we hunt for photography tips, we tend to look for something revolutionary. But often you don't need a revolution -- just a few small, simple changes in how you approach the craft of photography. Perhaps the easiest tip to remember -- although not always the easiest to practice -- is to consider your photograph as a photograph, and not just a subject.

This is not a pipe

You've probably heard people discuss what they take photographs of. They'll say things like, "This is a picture of my new baby." Notice that their vocabulary is giving them away: they're interested in the photograph for its subject, not for the photograph as a whole.

Many people are familiar with Margritte's famous painting of a pipe. Underneath the picture it says, "This is not a pipe." And it isn't. It's a painting. But our instincts scream at us to look at it in terms of its subject -- the pipe -- and not what it is. That's why no amount of photography tips can help us until we learn to view photographs as whole compositions, not isolated subjects.

Considering how it blends together

When you start to consider photographs in terms of a whole, instead of as a picture of something, then all of a sudden far more factors come into play. It's no longer only important how the light strikes your subject, but how it filters into the background. You're no longer concerned solely with the expression on your subject's face, but with how the trees bend behind them.

The simplest sounding photography tips often turn out to be difficult in practice, but there's no real trick to viewing a photograph as a composition instead of a subject. All it really takes is attention to detail and the ability to train your eye.

The Marvels of Modern Technology

Fortunately, if you're using a digital camera -- and at this time, most people are -- you have a built in cheat to help you consider your photograph as a whole. It's called an LCD screen, and it lets you step back and look at the image just like you would an actual photograph. You can move it around, mess with colors, lighting, and exposure, an all the while get the full effect of the eventual shot.

The key to remember? That you're not just looking at your subject but at your shot. Instead of asking yourself if the subject looks good, ask yourself if you like the photograph as a whole. Once you take that step, you won't need photography tips to help you create the perfect shot.








Want to take your photographs to the next level? Learn from the pros the tips and tricks they use to take amazing photographs and how YOU can use them to take photos that will make you say WOW in this fantastic mini-course Secrets of the Master Photographers.


Saturday, October 9, 2010

4 Family Photography Tips!


This is a modern world, and we are modern...families! No matter who the members of your family are, chances are you love capturing their smiles, laughs and happy times with our age's newest and latest technology. Cameras and photography have come a long way since they were first invented, so don't feel bad if you're not quite caught up with all the techniques out there.

While the "traditional" family portrait may cut it sometimes, we think your gorgeous family needs some modern shots to preserve precious moments. If you've been looking for fast, easy and fun techniques to help you catch all of your modern family's great memories, we've got a treat for you today!

Sarah Sloboda is a lifestyle photographer from New York City who is committed to inspiring people by showing them how beautiful their lives really look—with great-looking photos! Award-winning, trained in filmmaking and documentary-style photography and with a passion that's clearly evident, Sarah doesn't keep all her talent to herself; in fact, she shares photography tips online to help families take the most beautiful photos of their own members on her crazy-useful blog the University of

We've gathered our top four favorite family photography tips:

-Don't be shy

Sarah suggests getting down low to your baby and kids' level by getting right down on the ground with them to capture their great smiles and expressive faces. Also get in as close as your camera will allow: you'll capture all those precious emotions better. 

-Act normal

Don't resort to funny faces or waving stuffed animals to get your kids to "perform" on camera. Just take photos as usual and let them eventually grow used to having a camera around. You might not always get a smile, but you will always get genuine reactions from your kids!

-Find a rhythm

Sarah's brilliant idea of putting on some music for your kids for a casual photo shoot in your home is right on target, and she suggests bringing out costumes and just letting your kids having fun dancing and moving.

-Turn off the flash

Our personal favorite tip of Sarah's (and one we can't underscore enough) is to turn off the flash!

You'll see the photograph in natural light and get to experiment with the composition, producing beautiful, natural and flash-free photos! What are your favorite tips when photographing your family? What's the best photo you've ever taken of a loved one, and the story behind it? Share with us your own great family photography ideas!








Jennifer Gruskoff is a screenwriter who lives in Los Angeles. Earlier this year she launched a company called Goodkin http://www.WeAreGoodkin.com a website that focuses on the lifestyle and trends of non-traditional families, where she is currently Editor In-Chief.

http://wearegoodkin.com/article/4-family-photography-tips


Photography Tips For Newbies


This article explains a few things about photography, and if you're interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don't know, especially when you want to join some of forums and discussions about this topics, then this article will be useful for you more or less, in order for you to get some of new ideas from the discussions you have joined.

As there are so many photography novices are very concerns about their techniques to get good quality photographs. As we all know that there is no one who can be called the photograph expert, who could come to us and give some tips and techniques for novices like us, unless you pay a bit of money to join photograph school. What we are doing when we take photo graph is to find the best quality camera, and believe that that magic functions of the camera (as advertised) will help us to get good quality pictures without having other specific technique of photography.

In fact, this is quite true but just some part of the whole truth. We take photograph by ourselves only when it is informal occasions, such as when you are traveling to other places with your friends or take photographs during family part. However, in our life time, there are still so many occasions that need formal picture and may need a photograph professional to take care of this stuff, the example of there occasions are weeding ceremony or wedding reception, graduation ceremony etc. That is precisely why at most important occasions people hire the services of a professional photographer.

Therefore, we may need a professional for these occasions but in the mean time, the cost for hiring a professional photographer is very high and very difficult for someone who has very limited budget. So for many photograph newbies, then try to find photography tips in order to help them to get good quality pictures without paying fortune for professional. Here is some tips for you, which I have gather some of them for professionals that I have known recently.

Firstly, try to get everyone into the picture frame. It is the fact that sometimes when novice taking photograph, they did not ask everyone who want to take a picture included in the picture frame, then when the film is developed there is someone is not included in the picture and this is really ashamed. For you, as a beginner this mistake is usually happened, Therefore you have to make sure that you guide everyone to include themselves in the frame before taking a shot because they will never know until the photographer tell them.

Secondly, when you shooting outdoor, many of beginners have trouble with sunlight direction which really effect to the quality of picture. You have to make sure that you will not shooting directly with the sunlight, which will create the dark shade on the picture. You can see that there's practical value in learning more about photography. Can you think of ways to apply what's been covered so far.








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Digital Photography Tips


Digital photography can be a lot of fun and it can be frustrating. There will times where your camera won't focus fast enough, images are blurry, or eyes will come out red. Each digital photography tip below will help you to cure these and other common frustrations.



Shoot Lots of Pictures


One of the best things about digital photography is that there is no cost associated with taking a picture. With traditional film photography you had to buy film and pay for development. Take advantage of this digital photography tip by taking multiple shots of the same scene. You can always delete the bad ones later.




Learn Your Cameras Settings


Chances are you shoot most of your pictures utilizing your camera's "automatic" mode. This will get you average results. If you are striving for great shots, you'll need to learn about other modes too. Take the time to read your camera's manual to understand when to use each shooting mode.



Pre-Focus For Instant Shots


Ever try to capture a momentary expression of a child? The time it takes the camera to focus is often too long. Next time you are trying to catch a momentary event try this digital photography tip...pre-focus the camera. Aim the camera at your intended subject (or something the same distance away) and depress the button half-way until you get a focus lock. Hold the button there until you are ready to take your picture, then depress the button fully and the camera will take the shot instantly. It may take a little practice, but this tip is well worth it.




Learn Basic Post-Processing


Pictures don't always turn out the way we want: sometimes people have red eyes, sometimes unintended objects come into the background. Here's a digital photography tip to use after you've taken the picture. Many things can be cleaned up by doing some post-processing. Many tools are available that allow you to edit your photos. Each tool is different, but correcting red-eye is usually pretty straight forward. More advanced techniques (creating depth of field by blurring the background, removing unwanted items from the picture, etc.) also come in handy.


There are many other resources for digital photography tips [http://www.mydigitalphotoclasses.com/digital-photography-tips.html] and tricks to make your experience more enjoyable and to improve your picture quality.








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Darren Rivers is an avid digital photography hobbyist. When he's not out shooting pictures he spends his time maintaing a digital photography website that teaches others about digital photography equipment [http://www.mydigitalphotoclasses.com/digital-photography-equipment.html], how to find and evaluate digital photo classes, and much more.


Wedding Photography Tips - Taking Advice on Techniques


Wedding photography tips are as varied as weddings themselves. You can now seek tips and advice from numerous sources on the internet.

However please be careful who you take advice from.

Some points to look for before taking advice.

Check that the person giving the advice has practical experience of successful wedding photography and hasn't just read about it or been commissioned to shoot just a few weddings.

Look through photographer's websites, in particular look at their wedding galleries. Do you like the shots? Go by your own gut feeling. In wedding photography it's important that you are comfortable taking the types of shots that you will be marketing.

Having done this you should decide on your preferred style and only then proceed to look for tips and advice.

The main skills and abilities that you need to look for tips and advice on are: -

1. Posing

2. Controlling groups of people

3. Marketing your photography

4. Presenting your photography

5. Camera technique

Camera technique, however, is not something that you should be lacking in to start! When I say look for advice on techniques, I mean advanced technique. Before you even consider shooting a wedding you must be very comfortable with all basic technique, from exposure, flash, lighting, posing and getting on with people. Only once you have these basic skills should you seek further advice from more advanced photographers.

Some of the forums on the web are ok for advice, however once again check the amount of experience that the person giving it has, and the style they follow.

Take advice and tips from others but don't ever believe it until you've tried it yourself! Often people give advice and it is not until you have tried it you realise that you either misinterpreted what they said, or their advice was bad in the first place!

So, before trying any new tips at a wedding make sure you practice first until you are comfortable with the tip and perhaps even adapted it a bit to suit your own style of photography.








Do you want to learn more about how I do it? 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.


Digital Photography Tips For Beginners 101


So, you've finally bought your first digital camera? Congratulations! You're probably excited and you're wondering where you could find some digital photography tips to help you great photo results. A good advice, however, to digital photography beginners is that you need to practice. You need to get out there and get those pictures! The earlier you make mistakes, the earlier you'd learn how to really take great pictures.

What are the mistakes that photography beginners make?

Mistakes on digital photography are natural. Beginners would make mistakes that would waste a lot of shots. So, it is wise to read some digital photography tips that would help you avoid the mistakes that beginners typically make. But what are these mistakes?

The first mistake that beginners usually make is putting too much images in one picture. The whole picture becomes one messy unfocused picture. You'd find different subjects in one photograph. This is not fun to look at. It's confusing so people would not really want to look at it.

Another mistake that beginners usually make is not bothering to create more artistic and focused photos. The picture need not be center-oriented. The goal is to create photos that are good regardless of what angle you look at it and regardless of what side of the picture you stared at.

The last mistake of a digital photography beginner is taking pictures without really knowing how to handle the camera properly. They end up with pictures that are overexposed, underexposes or blurry.

Digital Photography Tips

If you are new to digital photography, here are some digital photography tips that would serve you well as you are learning the craft and developing the skills of creating great pictures:

1. Familiarize yourself with your camera. This may seem dreary to you but this is important. If you want to know what your camera is capable of doing, what its limitations are and how you can maximize its use will help you create great pictures.

2. Practice taking pictures. The art of photography is also a skill. You'll get better at it as you practice more.

3. Take as many pictures as you can and want. Most digital cameras have memory cards that would allow you to take as many pictures as you want. You can also get an extra memory card so you can take more pictures.

4. Use your camera's features and maximize its capabilities.

5. Learn how to frame your shots. This is often the mistakes of beginners. They do not know how frame their photos properly. So, they could place the photo's subject dead center. They could end up cutting the face or placing the subject too far right. Good framing would mean a lot of difference on the outcome of the picture.

6. Learn various compositional techniques. Again, you could avoid the second biggest mistake of most beginners by shifting the subject of center to either the left or right. Avoid placing your subject on the middle of the photograph. This has been overused before and has become quite boring.

7. Take more close-ups. They are more striking and interesting.

8. Be conscious of picture's lightning. Bad lightning can ruin what should have been a good shot.

9. Don't be afraid to explore and to try out new shots.

10. Never forget to take photos as memories. These types of photos have more heart.








David Cross is a Photographer and Photography enthusiast who runs the site Hobby Photography, where he also posts regularly about Kirlian Photography among other things.


Learning With Landscape Photography Tips


Photography interest is wide, but having the ability to capitalize on the photos you take by finding financial gain is rare. The photographer's inability to market photos to clients or quite often their inexperience are the leading causes for this rare occurrence. A great way to capitalize on the photographer's life is to seek the advice of experience and search for landscape photography tips online. Landscape photography is one of the most sought after types of photography currently affecting the photo market and finding landscape photography tips can help turn your mediocre skills into the skills of an expert.

When researching landscape photography tips to pursue the photographer's life one of the top tips is to find a new perspective to an old photo. Photographs often in high demand include images of national treasures and monuments where companies are seeking a new angle or perspective of the aged image.

Visiting these popular hot spots can help you capitalize financially as you discover the new angles or perspectives that purchasing companies are seeking. In many cases a new angle can capture shadowing or a background that is relevant to the original image, strengthening the imagery of the photograph. When pursuing the photographer's life remember to take a great deal of photographs at a variety of angles since you never know which photo will appeal directly to your potential client.

It is important to identify the various patterns of tip familiarity when searching for landscape photography tips due to their great abundance on the internet. Remember when trying to find the character of a photo that a great deal of importance should be placed upon the play of light and shadow. The time of day plays a tremendous role in the imagery that can be found in a photo. Never find satisfaction with the first photo you take when deciding on a area to photograph. Photographing various shadows, play of clouds and revealed location images can on occasion take the length of a day and play a large role in the photographer's life. Patience in photography can help in capitalizing on discovered landscape photography tips to maximize your photography earnings.

Nature is unpredictable in regards to the conditions that are available to the photographer. One of the top landscape photography tips is to find new perspectives when nature thwarts your original effort. Close a single eye to assist in finding the new scene you hope to capture. This method will help you see how the flat image of the photo will develop as closing an eye reduce the depth that dual vision provides. If you hope to take a photo of majestic mountains but the shadowing is wrong then use that background to capture the beauty of a new feature. On many occasions the beauty of a single flower stands out the most with bleak surroundings. Maximize your experiences in the photographer's life by seeking new perspectives and never to accept photographic failure.








The photographer's life can be an adventurous experience to the entrepreneur. To learn tips visit http://www.photographycashcow.com and discover how you can profit from your photographs and market those photos to desired clients.


7 Simple Digital Photography Tips For 2010


It doesn't matter if you are a seasoned photographer or if your new camera appeared under the Christmas Tree this year. New Year's Eve tends to make people reflect over the past year and look forward to new possibilities in the coming year.

Tradition has it that we should make some sort of list to try and motivate us to achieving greater success in different areas of our lives. It is no different for the professional photographer or the budding photographer. Making a list of New Year's Resolutions can be positive and encouraging. Here are 7 simple photography tips for 2010 that will help you all year long.

Tip #1: Read Your Camera Manual.

It doesn't matter if you've never read it or perhaps read it several years ago. It's always good to refresh your memory and perhaps find a hidden nugget you've either never knew or forgot that you had. You can pick up new tips from your photography bible.

Tip #2: Take a Photography Class.

If you're new to photography or if you're seasoned but find yourself a little stale, look for a course that will broaden your horizons. There are numerous courses offered online from beginner to advanced. It is always a good experience to find a local school or experienced photographer that offers hands-on training. It might take a little digging but having 'real' people to talk to and learn from is worth the time and expense.

Tip #3: Join a Camera Cub.

Joining the local camera or photography club can help you network with local photographers. Meeting regularly with them can provide you with educational resources, motivation and offer you encouragement.

Tip #4: Learn to Use Your Lenses.

Chances are you have at least a couple of lenses in your bag. Sometimes we are tempted to buy a new lens when we can't quite get the image we want with the lenses we have. Spend time this year learning how to use the lenses you have to their fullest potential. You might amaze yourself at what can be achieved by making more effective use of what you have.

Tip #5: Use Your Tripod.

I am sure most camera owners have a tripod of some sort laying in a closet or drawer somewhere. Learn to use your tripod and then make use of it regularly. It can increase the sharpness of your image by controlling camera shake and enables you to compose your shots more effectively.

Tip #6: Getting Off the Green Mode.

The auto (green) mode on your digital camera can do a wonderful job of taking snapshots. Take the time to learn about using your manual settings (this can be a scary thing to do) and you will find a whole new world of camera control opens up to you. Search the internet; there are plenty of books and tutorials that can help you learn about exposure, shutter speed and ISO settings.

Tip #7: Take More Photographs.

In photography, as in anything else, practice, practice, practice. In the digital world, there is no reason to limit your picture taking. It does not cost you to develop rolls of film, you simply hit the delete button and start over again. Make a commitment to take at least one photo every day. If you take more, pick out your best shot and save it in a '365 Day' folder. At the end of the year pick out your favorite image for each month, arrange them in a collage then print it. You will be amazed at your progress and have something permanent to remember your year in pictures.

These are just some suggestions, so feel free to add your own.








Scott Voelker is the creator of NewPortraitBiz. He has taught 1,000's of students how to start a photography business. To receive his Free video lessons visit http://newportraitbiz.com
Visit Scott's Blog at http://newportraitbiz.com/blog for even more up to date Free lessons.


Friday, October 8, 2010

Digital Photography Tips That Are Easy and Effective


Perhaps you are just getting started in digital photography, or maybe you have been at it for some time now. Regardless of how much experience you might have, we all enjoy learning more and all appreciate getting more digital photography tips. You will discover similarities and differences between taking photos with film and using digital photography as a means to capture images. With the technology available today, the final result will look very similar, if not exactly the same, using film or digital technology.

Editing software is something that everyone who owns a digital camera should consider. The prices range from free software that is included with the camera, to professional editing programs than cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. By using editing software, you can vastly improve the look of your photos. Some programs offer push button type corrections that will adjust many issues at one time. More professional software will allow you do make all of your corrections manually. Whether you choose to make photo corrections using editing software is up to you, and will depend on your level of experience and interest. Regardless of which software you choose, you will find a wealth of digital photography tips online to support your program.

When using your digital camera, it is most advisable to use the highest resolution that the camera offers. Resolution will determine how well the photo will look when you enlarge it. If you are skimping to save space on your memory card, you might find yourself later with a great shot that you would like to make a huge enlargement of. If your camera was set to a low resolution, the quality of the enlargement will be reduced.

Memories cards are a requirement for most digital cameras. All types of deals exist on the market today, but buying a good quality memory card is a must. Cheaper, off brand, memory cards can create problems that you will regret. The cheaper cards are often slow, and the recording time will lag, at times causing you to miss the shot of a lifetime. As with choosing the best resolution, you should also be careful what ISO setting you use.

The ISO setting determines the speed of the digital media. Setting the ISO on the highest setting will produce more noise or grain in the photograph, and the end result will not be as pleasing. There will be times when a higher setting is necessary, but the general rule is to use the lowest setting possible under the circumstances. As with any technology, the best thing you can do is get to know your camera. Read the instruction manual from front to back, and be sure to follow any digital photography tips the manual has to offer.








Matt Sumerstone is a writer who has been online for nearly eight years. You can visit his latest web site where he discusses buying black bar stools, white bar stools, Trica bar stools, and Amisca bar stools.


Fashion Photography Tips For Success


We see them all over the place; in television advertisements, in magazines, and on the runway. They are the beautiful men and women who strut their stuff while showing off the latest styles from the hottest fashion designers. These are the fashion models of today and tomorrow, and the subject of high fashion photography. It is through photography that these models and fashionable clothing are brought to the public. Therefore, these photographs must be taken with a certain level of precision and a special attention to color, style, and lighting composition. Learning a few key fashion photography tips will help to make this possible.

High fashion photographers such as Mario Testino and Eva Mueller may not be as famous as the models they shoot, but they are actually sought out more than their model counterparts by fashion magazines and designers. While the dream of huge paychecks and hobnobbing with the rich and famous might appeal to the aspiring fashion photographer, it is not easy to become successful in fashion and model photography. For every one talented young photographer who makes it big, there are hundreds are left dreaming about the moment their photo will be chosen.

Here are a few fashion photography tips for anyone interested in getting started in the field of fashion photography. The first thing you must do is study your subject. As with any field, you can never learn enough. Read as many fashion magazines you can possibly get your hands on. There are a number of fantastic books on the subjects of fashion and model photography available. They can be purchased cheaply online at sites like Amazon.com or even cheaper if you get them used on eBay. You will also need a good camera, a tripod, and a lighting system. One of the more often overlooked fashion photography tips, is to ensure that you always have plenty of film and extra batteries available.

One of the most important fashion photography tips to focus on is having a portfolio. You need to start assembling a portfolio of your work and you need to keep this portfolio handy at all times. You never know when you will have the opportunity to show your work off to someone in the fashion world. Sharp, vibrant images on a 4 x 5" transparency will best show off your work, so focus on them when putting your fashion photography portfolio together. If any of your work has already been published regardless of whether it was a local magazine, newspaper or contest, add a tear sheet (literally a sheet you torn out of the magazine) is a great addition to a portfolio. You should have a minimum of 20 photographs in your portfolio and showcasing different styles.

In this day of the internet, it is wise to display your fashion photography talent online as well. Setup a simple website displaying your work and submit your digital photos to online contests. Also, submit them to online fashion gallery websites. This will help tremendously with getting your work seen and showcasing your talent around the world. Probably the most important of all the fashion photography tips is to get your photographs seen by as many people as possible. There is no better way of doing this than by putting them online.

Remember that most fashion magazine editors are looking for your personality in the photographs that you take. Each fashion photographer will captures the essence of a fashion design and model differently. Most importantly, if this is your dream, do not give up, ever! Keep learning the latest high fashion photography tips and keep working to get your photographs on the cover of my next hot fashion magazine.








Charlotte Plante is an avid photographer who runs a successful photography website dedicated to the fields of fashion photography, wedding photography, and more. For great digital photography tips, discount offers, and more, visit Charlotte's website at http://digitalphotographyarticles.com

Online Digital Photography Course


Digital Photography Tips - How To Photograph People And Places


Nothing defines a place as much as the people who live there work there or visit. It is fascinating to observe them and their culture. They can also provide a rich source of photographic potential too.

Not everybody is comfortable taking candid shots when visiting a particular city or location.

It takes a certain amount of confidence, quick reactions and a real eye for a picture, but with a little courage and practice, candid photography can add a human touch to your pictures of places that you visit.

A few simple rules

Here are a few simple rules when taking candid shots of people that you don't know, often without their permission. As taking their picture has the potential to be fraught with difficulties, follow these simple rules to ensure that you won't offend or upset the people that you photograph and you won't have any problems:

Have respect for the people you are photographing and for any cultural differences that there may be when visiting far flung destinations. If you have any doubt, please do some research before you leave. It is very important that you don't insult or offend the people whose country you are visiting.

A lot of people are very camera shy so if somebody spots you and indicates that they are not happy being photographed, please respect their feelings. Be sure to let them know that you understand. You won't usually be breaking any laws by photographing people in public places but that does not give you the right to upset anyone.

If you have any doubt about whether or not they would be offended about having their photograph taken (such as if they are working on a market stall etc), ask! Most people in general will be more than happy to be photographed as long as you talk to them first. This takes some practice at first, especially if you are shy or don't speak their language, but it is just good manners to do so.

Taking photographs of children is especially sensitive. Please be very careful to get their parent's permission, and explain what you are doing, if you are taking candid shots of children. Depending on where you are, anxiety about your motives might be so strong that it simple might be best to avoid photographing children.

Don't be surprised if street performers, artisans, street sellers or beggars ask for payment for a picture. Never just take a snap and run.

When taking a photograph, try and take a picture of them doing something, such as laughing, talking or working. This will produce more interesting and more 'human' images.

Finally, never hesitate. If a shot doesn't work, simply delete it. Don't waste a few vital seconds deciding whether or not to take the picture. If you do the moment will be gone forever. Also, don't worry about technical excellence and waste time trying to get your camera settings right. A little blurring or noise can add atmosphere to candid shots. Just concentrate on composing and taking the photograph.

As with any kind of photography, the more you do it, the better you will become at spotting and capturing those fleeting moments in time that say something meaningful and interesting about your subject.








Digital Photography Tips
FREE Digital Photography Report Download
www.LearnDigitalPhotographyNow.com


Learn Digital Photography - 6 Macro Photography Tips


Macro photography or the art of taking photos close-up can be an expensive hobby especially if have a digital slr. Macro lenses are high quality and very expensive. Once you have your lens it's not always as easy as it looks. Here are some tips for both compact cameras and slrs with macro lenses.

Now macro shots with a compact will not compare with a digital slr quality but you will still be able to take remarkable photos. It's all in the technique. Make sure that you now how to use your macro feature on your camera or slr lens. You need to know how to use it before you can try these techniques. Read the manual!

1. Use a tripod

This is the most fundamental key to getting a good macro photo. When shooting so close up even the slightest movement is magnified. Your focus is critical and you need to limit any camera shake. Don't let it worry you that you are only shooting with a compact. Use the tripod. Of course with a compact being light you don't have to go for a very heavy one.

2. Aperture

Most compact cameras have a setting on the dial represented by a little flower. This is your macro mode. Most cameras won't allow you to change your settings once in this mode as it will automatically select the largest aperture for you. This will blur out the background and focus on the subject. Focus is critical here so be careful. With an slr you need to choose your widest aperture to get the same effect while shooting on AV mode.

3. Focusing

Focusing, as I said in the previous point, is critical when shooting macro. You want complete control over the image. If you have a compact that allows you switch off the autofocus feature, do it. With macro lenses on slrs switch off the autofocus on the lens. You want to be able to choose the exact point of focus on the subject you're shooting and not let the camera choose for you.

4. Composition

Remember that composition is very important even though you are close up. Don't forget the rule of thirds. You still need to place your subject in the best place in the image. Exclude any clutter or distracting elements and watch your backgrounds. You especially don't want other objects or subjects competing for attention in a macro image.

5. Flash

Because an on camera flash can be harsh as it is so close it's an idea to try diffusing the flash by using a piece of tissue paper or tracing paper taped over the flash. But, rather choose the time of day when there is plenty of natural light. Reflectors are a good idea for macro shooting. A simple piece of plain white card or even the back of your camera manual will reflect light and fill in the shadow.

6. Self-timers or shutter cable release

When your shot is set up and you press the shutter button, you introduce camera shake just because you are touching the camera. Some compacts allow you to use a shutter cable release but most don't so use your self-timer. The self-timer allows you to press the shutter and after a ten second delay the shutter is released. This allows camera movement and vibrations to subside before the shutter is released.

We use the term macro photography loosely here. It's actually close up photography. Macro photography is when you capture the image in life size or bigger with a 1:1 ratio. But most photographers refer to macro when doing close up work. By applying these simple techniques you will increase your chances of getting a great macro shot dramatically. The key is to experiment and practise as much as possible. Happy shooting!








Do you want to learn more about photography in a digital world? I've just completed a brand new e-course delivered by e-mail. Download it here for free: http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/ To learn how you can take your photography from ordinary to outstanding visit http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/21steps.htm

Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography.


Beginning Photography Tips - Shooting Out of the Box Like a Pro


Most people assume that beautiful pictures are taken by great photographers with very good, very expensive photography equipment. While that may be true most of the time, it is not true all of the time. Beautiful pictures can be turned out by nearly anyone with a camera, expensive or not, with a little forethought. In fact, thinking before you snap might be the main key to creating that master piece to hang on the wall.

Here are some things to remember when taking pictures:

1. Move in Closer - Once you see the shot, before you hit the shutter, move in closer. Cut out the background distractions. In other words, if you're looking at a sleeping puppy, for instance, fill your viewfinder with the puppy. Cut out what's behind it or next to it. Move in until the sleeping puppy fills your view from side to side.

2. Be Quick - This may take some practice, but learn to be quick, in case your subject moves or flies away or gets tired waiting for you to snap the shutter. Take the picture. Don't worry about shooting too many shots. In this digital age, wasting film has become a thing of the past. Remember... see it... compose it... shoot it...

3. Composition is Important - A well composed picture is much more pleasing to the eye, so take a little time to balance your shot. Keep the horizon of the shot level. Crop out the extra stuff in the viewfinder. Move the subject around the frame. In other words, just because the vase is in the middle, doesn't mean it has to be there in your photo. Move it off center for a more interesting shot.

4. Be Selective in Subject Matter - In order to take interesting and arresting shots it will be necessary to determine what really tickles your fancy. This will require shooting all kinds of subject matter until you figure this out about yourself. Once you find your passion, your art will follow. Finding ways to document the different aspects of your passion will take a lifetime. You will never run out of sunsets or cars, or people or landscapes, if that is what you are passionate about. Again, fill your viewfinder with your passion and leave the rest out.

5. Focus on Your Subject - Pay attention to your subject matter. Learn to blot out or to blur the background. You want to move the subject forward so that it dominates attention of those looking at the picture. Just like some artists paint the same subject over and over, it will be necessary to shoot the same subject over and over with different, shutter speeds, through different apertures or in different light. The subject might look better centered in the frame, or it might look better to one side or the other. Play around until you're satisfied.

6. Playing Around with Shutter Speed - One of the greatest opportunities with photography, which is sometimes left out of beginning photography tips, is experimenting with shutter speed. Shutter speed allows you t speed up time or to slow down time. Using the shutter speed effectively is what controls the freeze frame moment. Using a slow shutter speed and a tripod can capture a time lapse event. While using a fast shutter can capture that split second event that the eye might miss. The important thing is to experiment and or play around. This is the way to learn what can happen.

7. Pay Attention to the Light - Now don't go looking at the sun, but do look at how the light is playing around your subject. Is it an overcast day or is it blindingly bright. How to the shadows fall over your subject or are there any shadows at all? Is your subject squinting? Can you see your subject; meaning is the sun in front of or behind? Harsh light can bring out bold colors, while indirect light can make your focus soft. Paying attention to your light source is probably the number one for success when passing on beginning photography tips.

8. Watch the Weather - The sky can affect how your pictures come out. An overcast sky will mute your picture tones and wash out your sky and background. Sometimes black and white photography works better on an overcast day. If it's sunny outside, then the sky is the limit. If your camera allows you to shoot through filters, then get a polarizer lens. This is the lens that pops out fluffy white clouds against deep blue skies.

9. Keep Settings Simple - In the beginning, it is best to stay with simple camera settings. Don't just leave it in automatic and shoot. That can be sometimes frustrating while attempting to achieve a certain effect. Put your camera is semi automatic to allow for some adjustment and after you get better, put it in manual program to allow you total freedom over your settings. So start slow and grow, learning as you go along.

10. Go for It, Be Bold - Don't worry about whether or not you've got the camera set on the correct settings. Take the shot and keep taking the shot until you're satisfied with the picture. Don't be afraid, timid or paralyzed by indecision. There is no such thing as politically incorrect in taking pictures.

I hope you have enjoyed my beginning photography tips.








Jonnie Blaylock is a hobbyist photographer that helps new photographers learn the fundamentals of with his Beginning Photography Tips and more.


Wildlife Photography Tips For the Nature Lover in You


If you are a nature lover with a passion for photography, then wildlife photography may just be the perfect hobby for you. But, do not let your excitement get the better of you. Before picking up your camera and going out into the wild to take some shots, you will need to keep some tips in mind. Wildlife photography, after all, isn't as easy as a walk in the park. You will have to unlearn certain behaviors and internalize new ones. But, be assured that once you have assimilated these behaviors and mastered the basics of wildlife photography, the results will definitely captivate you.

First of all, you will need to learn the art of tracking. Wildlife photography often involves tracking an animal through miles of forestland, so you will have to learn how to follow paw marks, feces, and other animal identifiers. This means that you will have to have a great deal of patience. Remember that you are entering their territory, so you will have to work on their terms and bide your time. And speaking of time, remember that timing is very crucial in wildlife photography. Once the picture-perfect moment passes, you can recapture it. After all, you can't ask a wild animal to kindly pose for a picture, can you?

You should also take extra care in choosing your clothes when going on a wildlife photography trip. Loud colors can distract the animals and scare them away, so it is best to wear clothing in warm earthen tones. Movement is also one thing that wild animals are very sensitive to. Sharp and sudden movements are sure to drive animals away, especially the nervous types such as deer. You will have to learn how to approach your subject the way predators stalk their prey. For safety purposes, both yours and the animal's, you should be careful not to get too close. Remember that even mild-mannered animals can become dangerous when they feel threatened. And never, ever try to get eye contact with wild animals.

Considering the above precautions, it is therefore best to use a camera with a telephoto lens when photographing wildlife. Your camera should also allow you to manually set the aperture and shutter speed, and contain both auto-focus and manual focus options. Better yet, choose a camera that allows a manual override of all automatic functions. Your lenses should include a telephoto zoom that can reach up to 300mm, and a wide angle lens that can go up to 105mm. You will also need a few accessories like UV filter, polarizing filter, warming filter and lens hood. As soon as you have your equipment in place and the appropriate skills mastered, you should be ready to go on your "shooting" adventure.








Nicholas has a wide range of interests, from photography to spy gadgets, to video games, and more. He enjoys sharing his views on his hobbies through writing. His latest articles take an in-depth look at photo lighting equipment and the photo light tent.


Under Water Photography Tips and Techniques


The general purpose of under water photography is to bring sea life to the surface. Most people are curious about what lives underwater and what actually goes on beneath the ocean surface. Underwater photographers make it their mission to capture this hidden world on camera and bring to those people who will never get a chance to see it firsthand. The under water world requires a specific skills and techniques that are different from general photography skills.

The underwater world needs to be captured up close unlike wildlife photography for example. Since the water refracts and distorts images, the closer you are to your photography subject, the less distortion you will have. A great deal of patience is required for under water photography. You may be trying to take a photo a fish or dolphin, but than they suddenly swim away before you get a chance to. Also, water contains many particles like plankton that can cause the image to lose contrast and sharpness.

Using an underwater flash, or strobe, will help provide the proper lighting necessary for taking a great picture. Therefore, it is essential to use an underwater camera with a flash. This will help to bring in other colors and contrast them with the colors of the subject. A medium sized strobe is all that is necessary as a large strobe can end up getting in the way.

Composition is extremely important. The same basic rules apply as in regular photography, but you should shoot at an upward angle towards the subject. Because of the camouflage technique of most sea life, they tend to blend into their habitats. Since they do not stand out like this, they do not make good photographs. The key is to always try to get a clear shot whenever the subject blends into the ocean background.

If you are looking to improve your under water photography skills, you will first need to work on your photography on land. When you get to the point where you are taking great photos on land, than you can move into the more advanced world of underwater photography, where taking great pictures takes more patience and skill. Photography under water brings sea life to the surface which gives us more information about the mysterious marine world. If you are just beginning to have an interest in under water photography you should consider taking an underwater photography course to learn proper technique.








Charlotte Plante is an avid photographer and runs a photography website dedicated to underwater photography, wildlife photography, and more. For great digital photography tips, discount offers, and more, visit Charlotte's website at http://digitalphotographyarticles.com

Fashion Photography Tips


Wedding Photography Tips To Become A Good Wedding Photographer


We all love taking pictures of people and places around us. It is not that hard, one just have to look at the camera and take a picture of what our eyes see. What the eyes see is what the picture will look like. If you can make extra money from it, that will be great. Everybody loves wedding and if you think you have what it takes to become a good wedding photographer. Here are some tips to start a wedding photography business.

Read and Learn

If you want to be a good photographer learn everything about your digital camera. They are not complicated, exposure, f-stop, shutter speed and iso speed. Learn the basics of photography by reading books. You can Google on the Internet for wedding photography forums, join and learn from wedding photography experts. Attend a wedding photography workshop.

Get yourself a cheap DSLR, something like a Canon 40D which sells for less than 500 dollars and a cheap 50mm lens. Don't bother getting the most expensive DSLR equipment, as soon as you earn from your wedding photography business you can buy yourself a pro DSLR like a Canon Mark II. A cheap Canon 40d or any cheap DSLR will do for now especially if you are just trying to learn the basic photography. Whatever DSLR you decide to buy you can still use it later as your second DSLR camera unit.

Shoot and Practice

Now that you have your digital camera and a lens, start shooting. Start taking photos of anything and anybody. The more you shoot the more you learn about your digital camera. The more mistakes you make the better. The idea is to make them now. Ask people you know if they can pose for you. That way you would learn how to properly pose subjects which is important if you want to be a good wedding photographer.

Advertise

Set up your website. Use it to advertise your wedding photography. Place some of your best work and if you have already taken wedding pictures of friends and family create wedding albums on your website. Follow it up by advertising on Craigslist by offering your professional wedding photography services for free. Try to do at least two free weddings and tell the couple that you are doing this to get experience. Be honest. Tell them you are doing it for free to build a portfolio and they get free wedding pictures which works out well for everybody. Couples looking for a wedding photographer would always ask for sample of work and if you don't have something to show nobody will hire you as their wedding photographer.

Another way of getting yourself started into the wedding photography business is to become a second shooter for an established photographer.This will help you learn everything you need to know to become a wedding photographer. After a few free weddings, you get yourself a good looking portfolio and that is the time to start advertising. You can start advertising your wedding photography services on your social network like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also buy Google AdWords, advertise on Craigslist and in your local newspaper.

Good luck.








Nap Beltran is an Online Media and PR Consultant.?He is presently doing free press releases for companies who want to succeed in online marketing. He is into photography and has attended several photography workshops.


Point and Shoot Camera Photography Tips


I was recently asked if I can write an article for point-and-shoot (or more specifically, fixed lens camera) users. I think it's a great idea to do so. With the prices of entry-level digital SLRs dropping to insane levels, it is easy for a beginner to think that a professional-looking DSLR will create better pictures outright, which is totally untrue.

Before we begin, you'll see me using the term "point-and-shoot" or "P&S" quite often in this article. Technically speaking, it's not that accurate as any camera that has a program mode (that includes the highest-end DSLR's in the market with their "Program" modes) can be considered as point-and-shoot. Anytime the camera's electronics determine the exposure for you, it's considered a point-and-shoot. For most people, however, the term P&S is tied up to any camera that doesn't have interchangeable lenses. I don't want to pursue this trend, and I'll call those cameras as fixed-lens cameras (FLC's) instead. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel, but if the term is inaccurate, why use it?

This photo was taken by a 2002 Canon PowerShot S40 with 4 megapixels. Lighting came from an opaque fiberglass roof from above. Model is my son.

While I do use a digital SLR most of the time, I'm a big, big fan of using portable FLC point-and-shoots, digital or film. The simpler the camera, the easier it is for me to operate, the more creative you have to be - not to mention you always have the excuse of "hey! I was using a cheap, automated camera!" (partial joke here).

Seriously, though, a DSLR will surely make your photography better, no doubt. From the higher resolution of the sensors, much faster response times, better auto-focus, considerably better lens, and all the accessories you can add on to create higher quality output, there isn't a doubt that a DSLR is better suited than a fixed-lens digital camera.

Let us point out some limitations with digital FLC's first, and there are a few that you have to consider.


Smaller sensors - A sensor is like a film surface, that's where all the captured light gets transferred onto a chip that collates all the info to form a photograph image file. The larger the sensor, the more efficient the sensor can capture light. A small FLC will have a much smaller sensor compared to even the smallest of DSLR's. That physical difference compromises image quality, noise handling, response times, among others. Fuji cameras are well known to have larger-than-average sensors, but recently, their superior sensors can't compete with the marketing prowess of megapixel count. Quite unfortunate. With the upcoming Canon PowerShot G10 digital camera, however, there seem to be a new direction on sensor development for FLC's, so it's a good sign that we're moving away from the megapixel hype.
Response times - From shutter lag (time difference between the moment you press the shutter to the actual moment a photo is captured) to auto-focus response, FLC's suffer a more sluggish performance than their SLR counterparts. Part of the reason would be the amount of features that engineers need to cram into a tiny housing, the smaller the camera, the smaller the sensors and chips that process the information needed to create a picture. In high stress environments, a bigger camera usually can do things much faster than a smaller camera.
Lens quality - Again, with size being the main issue, the smaller the lens, the harder it is to capture great amount of detail in photographs. This is especially true with lenses that can cover a wide range of focal length. Even with dedicated SLR lenses, the greater the focal length coverage, the lower the inherent image quality, this problem is multiplied on smaller cameras.
Accessories limitation - Most FLC's are sized differently from each other, that aspect alone will force manufacturers to design proprietary accessories like batteries specific only to a particular model. The cost of buying proprietary batteries are higher and less convenient than using standard AA batteries. While there are still a few AA-ready FLC's around, the smaller sized are more marketable and this trend will probably continue in the near future.

There are a lot of benefits from an FLC compared to its larger cousins, though:


FLC's are compact. There are countless of scenarios when it is impossible, illogical, unsafe, impractical to whip out a full-sized SLR for image capture.
Features that are standard to FLC's for quite sometime are just starting to migrate into DSLR bodies. Impromptu videos, tiltable LCD's, instant macro, live-view framing, face detection auto focus, to name a few.
Less conspicuous. A lot of times, when photographing strangers or public places, using a small camera attracts a lot less attention and is less intimidating for your subjects compared to wielding a large camera.

So let's get started - how to take better photos with a FLC.

I have one tip to get you started, and this tip applies to whatever camera you choose to have. If you don't heed this advice, the rest of the article will not work for you.

TIP #1 - KNOW YOUR CAMERA BY HEART

It seems obvious, but I can assure you that majority of camera owners (SLR or FLC) are not familiar with what their camera is capable of achieving.

There can be many reasons for this. From changing cameras too often (often blaming the camera for not being able to capture something), not reading and understanding the manual, not asking the right person, to not practicing at all. Reasons that inevitably point to one source, the user's decision to not know his camera.

You have to be familiar with what all the settings and buttons of your camera. I'm not just saying knowing what the button does, but to know HOW each setting affects your photograph or technique. There's no point bragging about "I know this button is for exposure compensation!" but have no idea how an exposure is calculated in the first place.

You also have to know how to operate your camera with little fuss. Know how to turn on, adjust exposure, lock focus, change white balance, etc. like it's second nature. If you spend your time fiddling on menus and buttons, you'll miss whatever chance you have to capture what's in front of you.

In addition, by knowing your camera's strengths, you'll also know its limitations. You'll instinctively know how to pre-focus to get an action shot, what settings to use to keep noise to your acceptable limit, how near is your lens' minimum focusing distance, how far your flash can reach, and so forth.

So know your camera well. Sit at home, reset your camera to its factory default, follow the user's manual and test every setting to see how it affects your images. That's the only way for you to know what your camera can do. If you "try" settings out during the time of the shoot, not only are you playing a game of roulette, you also won't learn anything.

TIP # 2 - STICK TO THE FOUNDATIONS

Photography is about how light is captured on a subject or scene. It's not about what camera you used or what brand of lens you prefer. If you have decent foundations in photography, the camera you hold has less importance the your photographic vision. The limitations or potential of the camera your holding will become creative inspiration instead of a hindrance to your final photograph.


Composition - Learn basics such as where to place subject, watching out for distracting backgrounds, making use of strong leading lines, looking for a different angle are basic things to keep in mind that can become second nature as your photographic skills grow.
See the light - Learn how and why a certain light is falling on a subject or scene a certain way. Always keep an eye on shadows and how you can manipulate light to create shapes, definition, and depth in your photographs. Experiment by simply asking your subjects (move them if they can't, in case of still life) slightly and see how the light is changing the shape of the shadows.

Those two simple tips will get you ahead of most other casual photo snappers in the real world. Yes, there are a lot of other things that you can and must learn, but as a starting point, those simple, non-technical pointers will enable your photographs to instantly look more presentable than casual snap shots.

TIP # 3 - DON'T BE LAZY!

Photography requires effort.

You need to think creatively, you need to move around and find good angles before you press the shutter button. You can't get good angles by standing straight up and shooting at eye level 99% of the time. That will never happen.

Interesting photographs are a result of captured images you don't often see with your own eyes. Most people are between 5 to 6 feet in height. The 1 to 2 feet vantage point difference isn't a lot and if you keep shooting at those positions, people will not see anything special even if you captured a pig flying.

You have access to three dimensions when you're shooting, use it!

Aim your camera upwards, downwards, kneel down, lie prone, lie on your back, do anything BUT shoot from eye level as much as possible.

Walk up to your subject and fill the frame. Climb up a flight of stairs or stand on a stool. Just be different.

How many times have you joined a group tour and as soon as you arrive on site, every single tourist will stand on the same spot and shoot EXACTLY the same image. What's the point? Just buy a postcard!

Put some effort into it and your photo will stand out from the rest of the pack.

TIP # 4 -DON'T BE A PART OF A HERD

Like my last point, if everyone is shooting the same scene, it'll be difficult to get anything special. Try shooting when everyone else is too wimpy to take their cameras out.

Shoot in the rain, shoot when you're just walking around town, shoot when you're inside a bus, photograph your neighborhood grouch - whatever other people are too LAZY to shoot! Your experience will be very personal and enlightening, to say the least.

TIP # 5 - GET OUT AND SHOOT!

You can read all the books, articles, blogs, forums you want, even attend workshops, but until you actually go out and try out what you've learned again and again, you'll never improve beyond a single instance as your newfound skills are not ingrained in your mind.

Always keep in mind that a camera cannot take a photo by itself, unless you keep shooting, appreciate what you've done, and learn from what went right or what went wrong with your photos, your photos will never improve beyond the amount of effort you've put in.

(Originally posted with images can be viewed from David's Simple Photography )








? David Lee Tong
Learn Simple Photography!
http://reviews.davidleetong.com


3 Digital Photography Tips You Must Know If You Want to Produce Truly Professional Photographs!


It's digital photography tricks and tips like the 3 below that will have you taking pictures like a professional.

Since I started using a digital camera, one reoccurring issue that I seemed to constantly have problems with was lighting. Now I have annoyed myself on numerous occasions with dark photographs, blurry night images and overly bright pictures. Hopefully the 3 digital photography tricks and tips that you read below will help you in some way with lighting issues that you may encounter.

1. Lighting:

Whether its film photography or digital photography, one very important thing to remember is that photography is all about capturing light. By knowing and remembering that different light will affect your pictures, you can change the way in which photographs turn out. The best source of light for any photographer is natural light while outdoors or strong fixed light from indoor lights. Having these proper sources of light will cut down on all the problems associated with using a flash.

2. Indoor Lighting:

Indoors you are not going to have the same amount of natural light than you get outdoors, unless you are in a well glassed open area. No ordinary interior wall light or ceiling light will give as good a light source as natural light. At this point, most photographers will use a flash of some sort or another. Some flashes can be detachable from the camera others will be built in, but all will add more light to the picture being taken. All I will say on the flash is that some times it can be very distracting for the subjects in the shot. If you're trying to take a natural picture then take the shot a few times so that you can avoid the shocked face effect in the final picture. Also remember that most ordinary built in flash cameras can only light up areas at close range.

For these reasons professional photographers will most often use stronger external light sources or flashes.

3. Controlling light:

As you get more comfortable with the concept of light and the use light for your pictures you can start to play with light. By setting up subjects for photo shoots and concentrating light on them from various directions and angles you can change the characteristics and contrast of your subjects.

By setting up lighting sources and directing them to hit your subject in a certain way you can add shadows, darken one side of the subject or make the subject appear completely different.

As with all photography the fun is in the practice and the trying out of new digital photography tricks and tips that you pick up along your way. You might surprise yourself with some of your results, but if nothing else practice makes perfect.








For more excellent digital photography tips you need to check out http://www.digital-photography-tips-and-tricks.com right now!


Digital Photography Tips - The Big Five Of Digital Photography


Digital Photography Tip One - Busting The Dust:

Digital SLRs with removable lenses are prone to dust landing on the sensor. Static electricity around the sensor can possibly contribute to attracting dust particles, or other elements to this sensitive area of your camera.

To get rid of the dust you can use a camera blower brush, and tilt the camera down while blowing. Take care not to get any of the hairs snagged inside!

Digital Photography Tip Two - Shedding Light On The Night:

For night photography using only a flash can leave you with a well exposed - but isolated - subject against a dark background. Most digital cameras nowadays have a slow-sync flash feature, which combines the short flash exposure with a proper exposure for the rest of the background. On a camera such as the Olympus SP500, this feature is a preset mode called "Night Portrait".

To ensure expert nighttime shooting, a good digital photography tip is to look for a digital camera with the following features: shutter speed of up to 30 seconds; shutter priority mode; manual ISO settings at least to 400; slow-sync shutter mode.

Digital Photography Tip Three - Nit-Picking About Pixels:

When buying a digital camera you will be confronted with a vast choice of various megapixel specifications. It is worth knowing that not all pixels are created equal!

Some cameras have more pixels crammed onto the same sensor size as another model. More pixels in this case means smaller, and therefore less effective pixels. In this situation the camera with fewer pixels on a similar-sized sensor, might actually produce better images all round.

Digital Photography Tip Four - Spice Up Your Space:

With digital photography you will find yourself taking more pictures - and chances - than ever before, without the worry of the cost of failure. However, that means you will need a lot of digital storage space, especially if you are diligent about making backup copies of your best work.

If you're doing out-of-town nature photography, a digital photography tip to keep in mind is to make sure you take along enough storage devices, such as a laptop, DVD's, and external hard drives. RAW images can quickly get you into storage problems!

Digital Photography Tip Five - Remember To Flash:

For great outdoor portraits, make sure you use your digital camera's fill flash, or flash on mode. Don't wait for the camera to decide whether or not the flash is necessary. It might decide that there is generally enough outdoor light.

The fill flash mode will ensure proper exposure for the background and enough flash to expose the subject in the foreground, leaving you with a professional looking portrait.

Lastly, remember that, if someone offers expert advice, they may expect a generous digital photography tip!

For more information visit Best-Digital-Photography.com








Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.


5 Photography Tips For Printing Photos


The progress made in recent years by the printer manufactures allows professional photographers and amateur photographers alike to print high quality photos. Other than the savings to be made by printing your own photos, perhaps the biggest attraction is the endless possibilities to tweak and try different photo reproduction methods from black and white prints to advance superimposing, all from the comfort of your own home and all at your pace. Heavy weight professional photo paper such as A3 would of course cost more than your normal run-of-the-mill printer paper, therefore to get the best out of the paper follow out tips below.

5 Photography Tips For Printing Photos:

1. Profile Match - Quality paper should be offered with a settings profile file to match your specific printer model. Normally the profile file could be downloaded from the photo paper vendor website or from the retailer who sold you the paper. In rare cases where a profile isn't available set your printer to the highest image quality settings.

2. Paper Match - Other than ensuring that the paper type such as Inkjet or Laser is the right paper, look the paper weight to ensure it will match your preferred reproduction work. Paper weight of 300gsm and above will normally be used for artistic prints and portraits, while the less heavy 250gsm to 300gsm paper will be used for enhancing image definition for photo prints. The paper should be compatible with your ink type be it UltraChrome, K1,DuraBrite, Lyson inks or any other pigment or dye based inks.

3. Page Setup - Before clicking 'Print' and sending your work down the printer on the professional paper, take the time to setup the page. In particular look to setup the page properties in terms of paper orientation and paper size. Once completed, head to 'page preview' option to see a visual representation of the image prior to printing.

4. Photo Handling - If the type of paper bought will not instantly dry, meaning the paper cannot instantly absorb the ink, safely place it aside to dry before storing the photo. When an image has been printed remove it from the printer's tray so the next photo won't stack on-top of it. Let the paper dry for a period of up to 24hrs before storing it. Of course if the paper you bought instantly dries up, you can skip this tip.

5. Photo Limits - Printing your own professionally looking photos must also be practical. If you will require a large amount of photo reproduction prints consider using a photo-kiosk or an online service. Start by naming your files, optimizing their size and finally saving the new files in another folder. Until you get the prints back, save the originals just in case.

Enjoy your project.








Joseph is the founder of Photo Paper Direct, an inkjet consumables store selling photo paper and Inkjet Ink Cartridges.


5 Photography Tips to Help You Build a Strong Foundation


So you have just picked up your first SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera. You've read the manual and surfed the web, and now you are ready to start taking some Pulitzer- grade photography. Right? Sure! But before you take off with camera in hand, take a moment to read over these five tips so you can help your images go from great to fabulous.

1. Dump the Flash

While it is true that professional photographers often do use a flash or complicated light rigs, you shouldn't need a flash in most lighting conditions. Subjects taken in natural light often look more natural and have more detail and depth than pictures taken with a flash. Additionally, ditching the flash for the first week or so will make you intimately familiar with how your camera works with light - an invaluable skill for the beginning photographer.

2. Turn Off Auto Focus

There's no arguing that a camera that auto-focuses is infinitely handy and easy to use. However, focusing on the fly is an important tool in any photographer's toolbox. Since cameras don't understand your intent, it's up to you to make sure you're focused on the right thing at the right moment. It's amazing how interesting an image can be when you let the focus be out of the direct center of the frame, so don't forget to set your camera to manual from time to time.

3. Take a Photo Class

You can buy all the books in the world and browse the internet for days, but the absolute best way to learn about photography is in a hands on environment. Find a class at a local college or adult school and see how understanding the basics will improve your photos for the better. As a bonus, your teacher will likely give you assignments based on individual elements of photography you may have never considered.

4. Say Farewell to Color

Before you dive into color, buy a few rolls of T-Max 400 (great B&W film) and see if taking it back to the basics changes your interpretation of the world around you. You will know it's time to upgrade to color when you can shoot and print a black and white image that has pure black, pure white, and every shade in between. Taking photos in black and white will force your mind to think less about the "image" and more about the importance of how light interacts with the objects in the frame.

5. Shoot, Shoot, Shoot

This may seem obvious, but if you're interested in becoming a "great" photographer, you'll need to shoot lots and lots of photos. The more pictures you take, the better you will get. Photography is often as much about timing and luck as it is skill and equipment. Even "great" photographers only average 3-4 good photos at a time, so don't worry about taking a lot of images. It's far worse to miss a shot than take too many!

There is no great secret to being an amazing photographer. The more you challenge yourself, the better you will become. If you start with a strong understanding of how your camera works and what it takes to take a good photo, the rest will come with practice. Your camera will never change- only your ability to manipulate it. So keep your camera close and extra film (or a memory card) on-hand. Never be afraid to experiment with new ideas! And remember, the best picture you'll ever take is the one you're about to take.








Autumn Lockwood is a writer for Your Picture Frames.com and loves photography. Your Picture Frames makes it easy for you to find just the perfect frame for a special photo or a special event. See our online selection of beautiful anniversary and wedding photo frames on our picture frame website or call us toll free at 1-800-780-0699.


Digital Photography Tip - Which One To Follow


Itching to churn out photographic masterpieces? Then a digital camera is a handy and inexpensive aide to your photography cruises. Digital cameras combine a range of features to ensure that you capture the scenes and moments of life in all their stunning reality. But to expound a popular myth, a frightfully expensive digital camera is not a guarantee to skillful digital photography. Remember the phrase about the sloppy workman who always blamed his tools! Let the tips on digital photography come to your rescue.

Tempting Tips to Dazzling Digital Photography

Seasoned digital photographers are unanimous on one thing: they honed their photography skills mostly by tinkering with the camera and taking a whole lot of trash shots in the beginning. Thus after you have acquired your camera, fiddle with it to your heart's content and snap at anything and everything under the sun. Tips to increase your digital photography proficiency levels include the following:

- Flip through the instructor's manual and know your camera by heart. In particular, be aware of its potentials and limitations. For instance, most digital cameras come equipped with different scene modes to complement varying settings. A thorough knowledge about them will help you to come up with the optimum results.

- Pack in a sizeable memory card into your camera. This will enable you to shoot at the camera's highest resolution and come up with top-notch pictures. Also think of the logic, if you have paid through your nose to get a 8-megapixel camera why on earth should you be stingy about making it go all the way only for want of a voluminous memory card.

- Most tenderfoots with the digital camera have a hard time with keeping the camera still while shooting. The result is pictures where the Leaning Tower of Pisa looks upright while all other towers look inclined and about to topple over. This is especially true when these amateur photographers are using their LCD for composing the photos. The best way to counter this is to take multiple shots with varying angles of a single scene. One is bound to turn out right. Practice will make you perfect.

- For acquainting yourself with the basics of lightning, you do not need to attend workshops and seminars. Just remember that if the sun is behind the subject, the photograph will turn out to be a silhouette and if you intend to capture the shot with the subject facing the sun, be prepared for narrowed eyes and a little bit unnatural looking photograph. An interesting variation would be rim lighting, wherein you can have the sun light up the hair of the subject from a side.

- Let not your flash shots be only flashes in the pan! Make it a habit to take good and discernible photographs in the flash mode and for this you need to stand a bit close to your subject when using the fill flash outdoors (most in-built flashes have a range of 10-feet or less). This way you can ensure an even exposure all the elements in the scene.

- Explore the Macro Mode and add a new, exhilarating dimension to your photographs. But as you maneuver this mode, it is important to remember that you are dealing with very shallow field depths. So focus on the part of the object that you deem most significant and let the remaining parts go soft. Sit back and marvel at the result!

- Be an actual part of the picture you are taking. And for this you need to use the self-timer on the camera, which just happens to be the most slightly used feature of a digital camera. A self-timer is also a great way of ensuring that there is no jerking of the camera while you zero in on the correct exposure parameter.

- Don't always go by the settings that come with the camera. You will be missing out on a lot of exciting and visually appealing openings. For instance, the white balance setting is usually "auto", but try adjusting it to "cloudy" when taking shots out in the sun. You will be amazed by the results, more precisely, the warm tones of the image. This is because the "auto" white balance mode leans on the "cool" side.

The road to National Geographic status photography is not easy. But these tips on digital photography will just give the impression that you have arrived on the scene.








Summary of Author: Connie Fillmore is a successful writer and publisher of photography related issues, for more informative articles go to http://www.digitalphotographyguy.com.


Live Music and Rock Photography Tips


Why Live Music Photography is different:

Three songs, no flash, low light, other photographers jostling for position, security guards like Rottwiellers, adoring screaming fans.... and a picky editor the next morning... a lot to deal with.

Stage photography is by nature different because you're capturing a performance where practically anything can happen if you haven't seen the show before. And the performers are going to be as dynamic as they ever get.

Its in a class of documentary photography. What happens may only happen once and it is therefore both difficult and fun. What follows is my take on how I feel about it.

I will cover preparation, being ready, passes shooting modes and in particular manual mode.

Gigs are also difficult because of low light and this will in turn dictate your equipment, along with the fact that it's a gig, what you can take with you is heavily dictated.

Photo Passes The difference between taking photographs and having to take photographs

The ratio between my shooting with or without a pass is about 50 50. If it's without one then the band will be made aware of my presence beforehand and this is enough in small venues.

If you don't have experience of shooting artists on a bigger stage then there is little point in trying to get a pass to do so.

Larger stages are different in that there is more scope but you need to work MUCH faster and be practically invisible to artist security and fan and you still need to keep composed enough to be creative. Its great fun and you should get as much of this experience as possible.

However, you need to be able to deliver so get local experience first and for years to come you should not refuse any opportunity to get more experience and a good one is local music publications (both print and online) This is because freelancers not connected to a publication are not considered a priority if at all.

Music Photography Equipment Gear for shooting live events in low light

Rock Photography is always better if you are shooting on a pass. If you get one or if you're meant to be there for the band then great. The equipment list is going to be one thing and the places you'll be able to get to will b superb.

However, if you're not meant to be taking gig photos there then you're physical position may be poor and the and the equipment you can take in will be limited to a little compact or some such.

Fortunately security don't bother taking these off people because everyone has a camera on their phone anyway but don't expect as good a set of shots. If that's a problem then decide if you're going to take a camera at all.... After all, you will have paid to see this band, presumably you like them so do you really want to spend the gig struggling for shots.... why not just enjoy yourself?

If you're using one of a number of Digital SLR cameras then, and this is just an opinion, don't bother opting for anything outside of the well trodden ranges of either Canon EOS Digital SLR which offer a huge range of available lenses for practically every type of photography or the excellent offering from Nikon

I am currently producing another lens which discusses equipment in full. probably two in fact.

Preparing to shoot a gig. Tips for getting ready for Rock Photography

I hate arriving unprepared. Might as well not bother. Rock Photography is no different and I'd like to share what I've learn't. Some of it is just ideas and maybe you wont care. your call.

First, for the love of god charge your batteries. Obvious yes but I've seen photographers batteries die on them. I also take a spare battery.

Next is Memory Cards. Use mid sized ones so you don't have all your shots on one card, bring spares and make sure whatever was on there before is safely stored in your systems and the cards are empty. This is good discipline and it forces you to ingest shots between gigs and get them into workflow. It means I am at a gig with a full set of cards to use.

Take with you all the contact details of everyone involved. You will need then about 50% of the time and security will if in doubt not let you in, and they also won't try to communicate with your contact if they are busy, or maybe even if they are not.

Wear black. The stage crews and roadies wear black, security wear black. this is so they aren't seen and distract from the performance. you should extend the same courtesy.

Auto Focus in Servo Mode shooting music with a DSLR

I tether the auto focus point to the metering point and I then shoot with AI Servo Mode, being prepared to mode the AF point.

The reason I do this is that frontmen/women move very fast, in and out of the plane of focus. If you shoot in other modes (such as half pressing the shutter then re-composing) this leaves you always running the risk of getting the point of interest (usually the eyes) out of focus.

This method works only if there is enough light to use the non-central auto focus points. If there isn't I go fully manual. What helps is to shoot with as wider aperture as possible. this doubly emphasizes the need to use autofocus on servo mode, because your depth of field is likely to leave you with very little space to play with.

Using spot metering for live music Choose your subject and allow the background

Live music lighting varies enormously making it impossible for in camera AI to determine the correct lighting because they are programmed for a very thin range of types of photography.

A bright light behind a performer may be what you want but your camera, set to evaluative metering will take it upon itself to over expose the background giving you a silhouette you may not want.

This is why I only shoot in manual mode, expecting under exposed shots (according tot he meter) because of the darker nature of a live music performance.

Shoot gigs in 'manual' mode. The camera cannot make decisions for you

OK so there are things to be said for shooting Live Rock Photography in aperture or shutter priority modes.

I once tried to shoot a gig in AV mode. I had spent money on f/2.8 lenses and I wanted to ensure I used it. This wasn't successful..

I then tried TV but hated it mainly because i ended up asking for aperture which was unobtainable.

Ultimately both these modes make the camera evaluate light and then adjust something to 'correctly' expose based on your exposure compensation settings.

But on those incredibly dark gigs or where the light is dynamic I found that I really needed control over ISO as well. This plus a belief that to shoot in manual mode all the time is good practice for a learning photographer makes me shoot manually all the time and I over time get a sense of things








Hi, my name is Keith Trigwell. I'm a live music photographer and I also have a passionate interest in most other types of photography, particularly portraiture and Fine Art. My live music shots can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/bigmojo

To pass the time I also write a few articles on photography and technical photographic matters.


Digital Photography Tips - Digital Imaging Photography Darkroom


What's in a darkroom? How does a darkroom present quality images and photos? Well, first darkrooms are basically replaced now by scanners, printers; computers, and software programs, however, darkrooms have equipment. Some of the equipment includes chemicals, safelights, easels, paper trays, enlargers, thermometers, tongs, focus magnifiers, measuring cylinders, timers, and the like.

Darkrooms regardless of digital technology can still deliver quality pictures if the developer knows what he/she is doing. Most darkrooms are around 6 feet in square inches and in a corner of the room is a table that holds merely everything a developer will need to publish a photo.

Most darkrooms demand the least amount of light, and running water, therefore many photographers will employ a home restroom to conduct their developing. The chemical trays are often prearranged in the darkroom so that the photographer or developer can move around the area with little hassle. To achieve the mission, the developer will employ the listed items that are found in photography darkrooms, using them in order, which is not provided in this article. Let's review:

Easels

No, I didn't say weasels. Easels are employed during exposure, which the tools hold the prints in place, flat on a surface.

Safelights

Safelights often have orange or red light bulbs and produce the least amount of light. Rather the safelights conform to the level of light the paper and print require. This protects the sensitivity of the photos in the making.

Timers

Timers are like oven timers. The photos demand a specific time to start and finish the copies; therefore, the timer watch is set accordingly.

Enlargers

Enlargers are a lamp in a box. The lamp beams sufficient light onto the film, and then to a base are by using a lens. You can get enlargers in color or in black and white. The colorful enlargers are the better choice.

Paper Trays

Is what the developer will use to add chemicals for producing photos? The photos are dipped into the chemicals and wham you are on your way to creating a quality image.

Thermometers

Thermometers keep the chemicals in check, since if the temperature is not according to developing demands, the pictures will not take properly.

Focus Magnifiers

Of course, these tools zoom in on the picture to make sure everything is in working order while the picture is held down flatly on the surface by the easels. This is like the Zoom features on your computers or in software programs.

Tongs

This pick up the pictures, since if you get too much of the chemicals on your skin, you may get fried like bacon.

Measuring Cylinders

This tool measures the chemicals dilution levels.

Chemicals

You have three times of chemicals in a darkroom, which includes crystal silver, stop-bath, and fixer. Each area has its own purpose, yet you must use all three chemicals respectively, otherwise your pictures will meet the day of doom. This is sort of like ink in a printer, if the inks dot more than sufficiency for printing, the photos will appear with low quality.

You also want to consider the types of developers on the market, since these will help you to accomplish a higher quality in photos.

Before you open up a darkroom, make sure you understand all that is required to make pictures work. You can find valuable information at your local library or over the Internet. Having it together before getting started is ideal for any one thing you will ever do in life. Remember however, as you start you are growing and learning, so take each mistake in stride.








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Photography Tips - Journalism Or Artwork? What Are You Taking Photos For?


Photography has so many different uses, but in this article I wanted to write about one use that is commonly overlooked, photography as a creative art. Photography as a creative art is not new. In fact, while not common knowledge (perhaps intentionally) many of the old masters of painting used photography when it was new and people had to hold poses for a long time yet they used photography for their creative art process from paintings of dancers to self portraits, many painters used photos that they took and those taken by others to help them create works of art.

Since then photography has gone to color and the quality has increased dramatically. Instead of only using photography as a reference for painting or drawing, it can also be used today for art. Lenses can be added on pro cameras, and even your consumer digital cameras of today are many times better than what was available just five years ago. I bet many old master painters would also have also done photography if our technology had existed then.

The general public normally thinks of photography as a way to document life's events and happenings (In fact, I know of quite a few painters who feel that way too). It is great to take photos of birthdays, Christmas parties, weddings, baptisms, public celebrations, and family vacations. Yes, you were there because we see you in front of that monument, but what about the beauty of the monument as it is? Those who say photography cannot be an art make me wonder. I will just have to say that they probably have not tried very hard. There of course is nothing wrong with using photography as a way to document events both important and daily, but there is no reason to make that the only and exclusive use for a photo.

Creating art with photographs involves a different perspective and to get the most benefit you should decide before you take a photo what your goal is. If your purpose of the photo shoot is to document then ask yourself who, what, when, where, why, and how as in normal reporting. Try to get the photo to reflect those concepts of the event. In artistic photography you need to check the focus, lighting, feeling, colors, etc. Artistic photography does not need to imitate nature. It is not cheating.

Just as a painter can ignore parts of what he sees when painting so can you as an artistic photographer edit out or modify what you want. Why should you give yourself less freedom to use the tools at your disposal? A painter paints with a brush or palette knife and paint, a photographer artist creates art with light and a lens!








Christopher Johnson is a visual artist who works in photography, photo-manipulation, computer generated art, oil painting, acrylic painting, portraits, etc. He has been selling fine art online since 2007 and is available for art commissions and licensing. His favorite subject is flower and nature art and he enjoys creating digital portraits.

Visit his Painting Lessons and Photography Lessons on his art website or go to the homepage to see his new artwork posts.