JPW Photography - Photography Information and Advice

Publish Photos on the Internet - Jalbum, Flickr and Fotopic

2007-09-16T23:39:00.000+01:00

The rise in the popularity of digital photography has resulted in a sharing of photographic work on a scale never seen before. Before the internet, photography was really just limited to the sharing family albums with close friends and family, and mainstream media photography as seen in the press. Photography as art was not something that was readily available to the average person, not without searching for galleries dedicated to photography, or joining a local camera club.

Now there are a plethora of ways to share your photography online, whether you are sharing pictures with family, or showcasing your finest amateur photography, or selling your work online as a professional photographer.

Few people realise how easy it is to share their photos online today. I have used several different online photo sharing tools / sites, but the three that I have found most impressive are Jalbum, Flickr and Fotopic. Each of these has advantages over the others. They are all very good ways of sharing photos online.

Flickr is now possibly the largest photo sharing site on the internet. It is run by Yahoo, and is currently undergoing further change and growth as Yahoo are encouraging its Yahoo Photos account holders to transfer over to Flickr. Flickr has two membership levels - a standard free membership that allows you to have three albums / sets of photos, and a Pro membership that allows more albums, and has additional features. One of the main strengths of Flickr is that you can set up photo blogs, and comment on photos. There are also many groups, so that you can share your photos with like-minded photographers - whether it be a macro photography group, or a group for people that enjoy photographing trains! There is something for everyone on Flickr. Flickr is a great way to learn from other photographers, to share knowledge and ideas. As Flickr is also aimed at making photo sharing easier, you can add other photographers to your "friends" lists, and then be updated when they update their albums. Flickr is a great photographers community. An example of a Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonwade/

The first site that I used was Fotopic. When I was first looking for a place to share my photos, I looked at Flickr but was not impressed as the upload facilities seemed a little poor at the time, and it also seemed hard to organise photos easily. Much has changed since then, however at the time (a couple of years ago) I opted for Fotopic. Fotopic is again free, and gives 250MB storage, your own web address. The upload process is easy, as you can upload entire directories of photos if you wish.

Fotopic allows you to set up many collections, so makes sharing a family and friends album much easier than with Flickr. Whereas Flickr is the tool for amateur photographers, and photo bloggers, Fotopic is the tool for sharing holiday snaps and parties as albums.

With Fotopic you can make the page more your own, as you can add site headers and footers, with HTML code, and add links to other websites, plus a site desciption and narrative. Fotopic also allows users to leave comments, but there is less of a community feel to Fotopic than with Flickr. For someone that just wishes to load up a new set of photos for friends and family to view, then Fotopic is probably still the better choice of Flickr. Both allow people to order prints, although only Flickr provides HTML code to allow viewers to show the photos on their own blogs. An example of a Fotopic account: http://jonwade220.fotopic.net/

Finally, there is Jalbum (I am only familiar with version 7.1. ). Jalbum is different, in that rather than being a website, it is a piece of free software that allows users to generate albums to be uploaded onto the internet. In fact, you can use Jalbum to build albums to be shown just on your pc if you wish, but the real purpose is for online publishing. For this users have to have their own domain and web host, and their web host details are entered into the publishing section of Jalbum. Jalbum is a far superior way of showing off photo collections online. For a start, the site is your own, so there is no advertising. There are also a large selection of "skins", which means that you can chose one of many album styles to suit your photographs. For example there are wedding album skins, plus prefessional photographer skins. Also, each skin, or template, can be edited, so that you can design your album exactly as you please. With each photograph you can show the camera settings, so with each photograph are all the details of how it was taken, i.e. Camera model, Resolution, ISO settings, shutter speed, aperture, date and time, focal length, flash and exposure mode. Jalbum does now have a comments field (you need to be able to change the permissions for this on the web server, i.e. chmod 777, to allow comments to be saved. I failed to et this working myself, admittedly I did not try very hard though).

Some people may be put off by Jalbum as they require their own domain, but some domains are very cheap. Uk domains (.co.uk) are typically GBP3.00 per year, and .com's are usually around GBP10.00 per year. This is a small price to pay for your own website. Cheap web hosting can be found, Jalbum does not require an expensive hosting platform to run. For example, you can host up to 20 websites with hosting providers such as Jumpline.com for less than GBP10.00 per month. This means that if you team up with other family members, friends, or photo clubs members, you can share the hosting costs, and it becomes very cheap to have your own albums online. Example of a Jalbum generated album: http://www.jpwphotography.co.uk/photos/index.html

Really there is no reason not to share your photos online. With Flickr and Fotopic, sharing is free and can also be educational in the process. With Jalbum you can make a professional looking album and take more control over the look and style of the website. All three options are very low cost. Flickr and Fotopic generate their revenue through advertising and photo printing. With Jalbum, you can build a site with your own adverts, or start to sell photos online, and generate your own revenue from your photography. Whether you are looking for a simple way to share photos with friends, to learn by joining photographer groups, or set up a small online business, there is an online album tool for you.

Glamour And Nude Photography

2007-09-16T11:39:00.000+01:00

Creating nude portraits has long been an element of art - instead of capturing these portraits with the brush on canvas; today they are captured with the pixel.

Since the invention of photography the naked human body has been a natural subject for photographers and there has always been a large audience there for it.

What is glamour photography? Glamour photography covers a wide range - from the partial nude body, which you may see an a billboard advertising ladies underwear to the erotic images or the full nude body you may see on Page 3 of some papers or adult magazines.

There are no special elements to photographing glamour; all the standard photography techniques remain the same. Care should be taken when photographing models, nude or partially nude because some may find a sexual element attached to it.

Finding a market: Glamour photography remains one of the most lucrative areas of freelance photography. For a student trying to break into the glamour photography market, he would be well advised to use a film camera over digital. Film will give you warmer skin tones and give you a greater chance of being published.

When trying to find suitable markets for your glamour photography, the same principles apply as in any other photography field. You must study “Glamour Photography Publications” to find out what sort of material they use.

Where to shoot: If you don’t have your own studio, don’t worry. Most of the great glamour images are shot on location. Shooting in the natural environment will be rewarding - use the early morning light to give extra warmth to the skin. Try different places - your neighbours hay barn can make an effective setting for a glamour image or if you have an attractive garden - perfect.

Choosing a model: One of the basic elements of glamour photography is a willing model. If you are having trouble finding one try your local art classes. People with an ambition to be a model may let you do test work. But if you are serious about being a glamour photographer you should work with a professional model.

Glamour images don’t always need to be sharp. Many of the great glamour photographers defuse their image with a filter to add mood to their nude portraits. The best way to get good is plenty of practise and sharpen your eye by looking at glamour publications.

There should be greater emphasis on controlling light contrast to ensure that the human body isn’t lost in heavy shadows or bright highlights. Controlling exposure is very important to get the perfect body tones.

While many may find this type of photography offensive, the glamour photographer is an artist and should be respected as one. It’s not for me to comment on whether the use of glamour material is good or bad, but to explain the art of this competitive and lucrative market.

About the Author:

TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer. He frequently writes for the photography directory http://www.goldprints.com and the shopping directory http://www.shop-4us.com To view or buy some of his images visit his on line gallery @ http://www.goldenirishlight.com

Take Better Baby Photos

2007-09-16T11:35:00.000+01:00

Here are some simple tips for photographing babies.

Babies can be the most challenging and rewarding portraits to take, but can also be the most frustrating. Babies tend to sleep, eat and cry a lot and won’t pose in front of the camera but don’t let that put you off photographing them. Creating the perfect baby portrait, when done right, will certainly be rewarding.

One of the most important factors in photographing babies is patience and the way you apply child psychology when relating to the baby. Babies over six months may be shy and won’t react well to a complete stranger. This is where child psychology comes in - you must try to play with the baby, or even become a child yourself while taking the photograph. The keys of your car can be very effective. But remember, your job is to take a baby portrait; you must be able to react quickly when the infant responds to your entertainment.

Shooting a portrait of a newborn baby can be difficult. At this age the baby will not be active, so it’s better to focus on close-up headshots. Try using natural light from a bedroom window to add mood to the portrait.

Babies over a few months of age will be more alert and will have a lot more movement in them. Shooting fast is a necessity, the infant will tire quickly. Babies seven months or older can be very tricky to shoot. The baby will bore quickly and will not want to stay in the same position.

If you are serious about baby photography and you tend to shoot from your own studio make sure you have a lot of toys to amuse the infants. A light colour background will work best and shoot the portraits in colour and black and white.

Parents may be worried about the affect of studio lights on their baby. Point out that strobe lights have no effect on kids. Try to point this out before the parent asks. Don’t ever handle a baby without the parents consent. Most parents will be very protective and won’t react well to a stranger lifting the infant.

Watch out for the fingers - fingers in the mouth can be attractive but on most occasions they will obscure the face.

If you plan to resell the baby photograph to an agency make sure you get a release form signed from the parents. There is a large market out there for baby pictures but agencies or magazines won’t touch them without the parents consent. For baby portraits to be sellable they must be technically perfect, but the picture must illustrate the baby being active or some form of child care.

About the Author:

TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer. He frequently writes for the shopping directory http://www.shop-4us.com and the photography directory http://www.goldprints.com To view or buy some of his images visit his on line gallery @ http://www.goldenirishlight.com

Underwater Photography: The Wonders Under The Sea

2007-02-16T22:09:00.000Z

The world of photography is an amazing one. It’s been with us for quite a while now but it is constantly changing. Cameras are changing and improving. Methods of developing are changing and improving as well. We have digital cameras that allow people to take a view of their pictures immediately without traditional developing. Another change in the world of photography is underwater photography.

What do you think brings us those great shots of saltwater fish and movies that film in the ocean and under the sea? What about shots taken in swimming pools? You see those in the movies a lot but may not have thought about how they take those pictures and videos.

You probably never thought about it because for a long time underwater photography was not really an option for everyday people. But now it is not just an option, it’s really easy to achieve.

What is Underwater Photography?

Underwater photography is as the name implies photos that are taken under water. This is pretty interesting since early cameras could not function if wet. But as people started discovering the wonders under the sea, they wanted to be able to share that with others or even just to prove what they actuallysaw. So we began creating cameras that could work under water.

It is no surprise that underwater photography is a favorite pastime for scuba divers. The idea could have come from those few people that were able to experience the joys and beauty of underwater life and a desire to share that beauty with others.

There are many different occasions where people use underwater photography. As we mentioned earlier, underwater photography is used in Hollywood for movies. You have probably also seen it used on documentaries and national geographic type programs about underwater life.

But it is still most commonly used by divers. There are many websites dedicated to all the ins and outs of underwater photography; which cameras and lenses are best, which film to use, and much more can be found on these sites.

How to Take Underwater Photography

Equipment is an important factor in taking great underwater photography. Of course you will need an underwater camera but there is more than just that.

You can take some amazing pictures using underwater photography. There are now even disposable use underwater cameras and you can take them on vacation with you and get that great underwater look. Even an amateur can do it. Disposable underwater cameras can typically be developed at your local Wal-Mart or other film developing center. You can also purchase underwater cameras for more of a price but they last whenever you need one. Some people find this more economical than disposables, especially if they want to take these pictures often.

Just like other venues of photography, you will probably start off with a cheaper and less advanced camera and work your way up if you continue underwater photography for a long time. There are two basics kinds of cameras; the underwater or waterproof camera and the encased camera which is inside a housing that protects it.

When taking pictures, you are going to need to be familiar with:

Your camera
Your lens
Your film
Your flash

There are different things in your environment that will affect the quality of your underwater photography.

Such as:

Depth of water and transparency of water
Light
The angle of the sunlight on the top of the water
The backscatter
Water has a magnifying effect

These are some things to help you get started in the world of underwater photography. If you are lucky enough to be swimming in the sea, you should get some proof to share with others.

About the Author:
Looking for information about Photography? Go to: http://www.asaphotography.com 'ASA Photography' is published by Colin Hartness - An excellent resource for Photography! Check out more Photography articles at: http://www.asaphotography.com/archive

Canon Powershot Digital Camera

2006-12-30T01:42:00.000Z

By Dora Wysocki

A Top Competitor

The Canon PowerShot Digital Camera series offers 23 different cameras with features ranging from professional SLR quality to one of the easiest to use point-and-shoot cameras available. The PowerShot digital camera series last year helped push Canon into second place, behind Kodak and ahead of Sony, in the US digital camera market. (It is estimated that over 90 million digital cameras were sold worldwide in 2005.)

Canon cameras were first introduced in Japan in 1936. The name reportedly means "standard for judgment," a goal the company constantly strives to achieve. In 2004, the Canon PowerShot digital camera series was named "America's Choice" by sources within the industry.

Why a PowerShot?

The PowerShot digital camera line starts with the "flagship" model, PowerShot Pro 1, and continues through to the very affordable PowerShot A410. In between, are digital cameras designed to fit the needs of all photographers - both professional and amateur. Canon PowerShot digital cameras are used in a wide array of applications, everywhere from forensic labs to baby showers. PowerShot users include famous news photographers and six year old, first timers.

Of Canon's many available PowerShot models, these five best describe the versatility of the line:

PowerShot Pro 1: This Canon PowerShot digital camera is the leader in its class with 8 megapixel images, a standard 7x zoom lens and dozens of other professional level capabilities.
PowerShot S70: High performance, ease of use, lightweight, built-in wide angle lens. One of the most popular in the line of Canon's PowerShot digital cameras.
PowerShot SD500: 7.1 megapixel digital ELPH with 3x optical zoom; "My Colors" feature; curved, metallic body.
PowerShot SD30: Comes in four different body colors to assure a "fashion statement. With 5.0 megapixels and a 2.4 optical zoom, the PowerShot SD30 delivers high quality photos.
PowerShot A410: Affordable, compact, 14 shooting modes using 3.2 megapixels and a 3.2 optical lens.

For more information please go to:http://cannondigitalcamerainfosite.com/

About the Author:
Dora Wysocki, living and working in USA

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesBase.com

The Best Camera Lens to Take On your Safari

2006-12-30T01:40:00.000Z

By Bruce Whittaker

So you've booked your once in a lifetime safari trip to Africa and now your thoughts turn towards photographing all the wildlife you are going to encounter on your adventure.

It would be a great shame to come across your first African pride of lions and not have some decent pictures of the memorable event to show your friends and family back home.

Unfortunately many people who go on safari don't realize that the camera lens you take with you will be the deciding factor between getting wildlife photos where the subject is an unrecognizable blob in a sea of vegetation compared to a crisp, tightly framed image of that black maned leader of the lion pride.

I've been practicing wildlife photography on safari for over twenty years now and I've learnt which are the best lenses to arm yourself with when you go into the African bush to capture lasting, quality images you will be proud to display to anyone.

My recommendations here are for the occasional wildlife photographer such as someone going on an African safari and not for professional wildlife photographers as they have different needs when it comes to camera lenses because they take photographs for a living.

To help you choose a lens to take with you on safari, here is a list of the factors you need to take into account before putting your money down...

1. Size Of The Lens

Anything less than a 300mm lens for the big game you will encounter on safari like lion, rhino, elephant etc will be too small. A 400mm lens will allow you to get good pictures of the smaller animals like bushbuck, vervet monkey and the like. If you are aiming for bird photographs then a 600 mm lens will do the trick.

2. Your Budget

It's very easy to find lenses that cost thousands of dollars but if you are primarily going to be using it for your safari trip and maybe a smattering of wildlife photography after that, you shouldn't be spending more than a few hundred dollars. It is possible to get a lens of high enough quality for your purpose in that price range.

3. Image Stabilization

It's not imperative but if you can get a lens with an image stabilizer it's a huge advantage on a safari because you can handhold the lens without too much fear of blurring in good light which is especially useful if you are not next to a window in the safari vehicle or don't have enough space to position your beanbag or tripod.

4. Zoom Ability

On safari one lens is better than two because of the nature of your subject. When you come across a leopard you won't have time to switch lenses on your camera body because they tend not to stick around for too long so one lens with a good zoom is a big advantage to capture the very shy wildlife you will encounter. Another reason not to change lenses is that dust that is prevalent on an African safari can cause the camera mechanisms to clog up.

So keep these four factors in mind before you make your purchase and if you can find a lens that conforms to all the above requirements than you have a winner.

About the Author:
How to choose the best wildlife camera for your safari and which specific cameras come out tops in the compact and SLR categories. These are the four best African photo safari National Parks and Game reserves.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesBase.com

Photographic lenses

2006-12-30T01:07:00.000Z

A photographic lens (also known as objective lens or photographic objective) is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.

While in principle a simple convex lens will suffice, in practice a compound lens made up of a number of optical lens elements is required to correct the many optical aberrations that arise.

There is no difference in principle between a lens used for a camera, a telescope, a microscope, or other apparatus, but the detailed design and construction are different.

A lens may be permanently fixed to a camera, or it may be interchangeable with lenses of different focal lengths and other properties.

Aperture and focal length

The maximum usable aperture of a lens is usually specified as the focal ratio or f-number, which is equal to the focal length divided by the effective aperture (or entrance pupil) diameter in the same units. The lower the number, the more light per unit area is delivered to the focal plane. Practical lens assemblies may also contain mechanisms to deal with measuring light, to hold the aperture open until the instant of exposure to allow SLR cameras to focus with a bright image, etc.

The two main optical parameters of a photographic lens are the focal length and the maximum aperture. The focal length determines the angle of view, and the size of the image relative to that of the object; the maximum aperture limits the brightness of the image and the fastest shutter speed usable.

Focal lengths are usually specifed in millimetres (mm), but older lenses marked in centimetres (cm) and inches are still to be found. For a given film or sensor size, specifed by the length of the diagonal, a lens may be classified as

* Normal lens: angle of view of the diagonal about 50°: a focal length approximately equal to the diagonal produces this angle.
* Wide-angle lens: focal length shorter than normal, and angle of view wider.
* Long-focus or telephoto lens: focal length longer than normal, and angle of view narrower. A distinction is sometimes made between a long-focus lens and a true telephoto lens: the telephoto lens uses a telephoto group to be physically shorter than its focal length.

The 35mm film format is so prevalent that a 90mm lens, for example, is sometimes assumed to be a moderate telephoto; but for the 7×5cm format it is normal, while on the large 5×4 inch format it is a wide-angle.

A side effect of using lenses of different focal lengths is the different distances from which a subject can be framed, resulting in a different perspective. Photographs can be taken of a person stretching out a hand with a wideangle, a normal lens, and a telephoto, which contain exactly the same image size by changing the distance from the subject. But the perspective will be different. With the wideangle, the hands will be exaggeratedly large relative to the head. As the focal length increases, the emphasis on the outstretched hand decreases. However, if pictures are taken from the same distance, and enlarged and cropped to contain the same view, the pictures will have identical perspective. A moderate long-focus (telephoto) lens is often recommended for portraiture because the flatter perspective corresponding to the longer shooting distance is considered to look more flattering.

Number of elements

The complexity of a lens—the number of elements and their degree of asphericity—depends upon the angle of view and the maximum aperture, among other things. An extreme wideangle lens of large aperture must be of very complex construction to correct for optical aberrations, which are worse at the edge of the field and when the edge of a large lens is used for image-forming. A long-focus lens of small aperture can be of very simple construction to attain comparable image quality; a doublet (with two elements) will often suffice. Some older cameras were fitted with "convertible" lenses of normal focal length; the front element could be unscrewed, leaving a lens of twice the focal length and angle of view, and half the aperture. The simpler half-lens was of adequate quality for the narrow angle of view and small relative aperture. Obviously the bellows had to extend to twice the normal length.

Good-quality lenses with maximum aperture no greater than f/2.8 and fixed, normal, focal length need three (triplet) or four elements (the trade name "Tessar" derives from the Greek tessera, meaning "four"). The widest-range zooms often have fifteen or more. The reflection of light at each of the many interfaces between different optical media (air, glass, plastic) seriously degraded the contrast and color saturation of early lenses, zoom lenses in particular, especially where the lens was directly illuminated by a light source. The introduction many years ago of optical coatings, and advances in coating technology over the years, have resulted in major improvements, and modern high-quality zoom lenses give images of quite acceptable contrast.

Zoom lenses

Some lenses, called zoom lenses, have a focal length that varies as internal elements are moved, typically by rotating the barrel or pressing a button which activates an electric motor. Commonly, the lens may zoom from moderate wide-angle, through normal, to moderate telephoto; or from normal to extreme telephoto. The zoom range is limited by manufacturing constraints; the ideal of a lens of large maximum aperture which will zoom from extreme wideangle to extreme telephoto is not attainable. Zoom lenses are widely used for small-format cameras of all types: still and cine cameras with fixed or interchangeable lenses. Bulk and price limit their use for larger film sizes.

Lens mounts

Most Single-lens reflex cameras, and some rangefinder cameras have detachable lenses. The lenses attach to the camera using a lens mount, which often also contains mechanical or electrical linkages between the lens and camera body. The lens mount is an important issue for compatibility between cameras and lenses; each major camera manufacturer generally has their own lens mount which is incompatible with others.

Special-purpose photographic lenses

* Macro lenses are designed for good performance at close distances, e.g., for images of the same size as the object.

The world's first perspective correction lens for 35mm cameras, Nikon's 35mm f/3/5 PC-Nikkor
The world's first perspective correction lens for 35mm cameras, Nikon's 35mm f/3/5 PC-Nikkor

* Apochromat (APO) lenses have extreme correction for chromatic aberration.
* Process lenses have extreme correction for aberrations of geometry (pincushion distortion, barrel distortion).

Process and apochromat lenses are normally of small aperture, and are used for extremely accurate photographs of static objects.

* Enlarger lenses are made to be used with photographic enlargers (specialised projectors), rather than cameras.
* Lenses for aerial photography
* Fisheye lenses: extreme wide-angle lenses with an angle of view of up to 180 degrees or more, with very noticeable distortion.
* Stereoscopic lenses, to produce pairs of photographs which give a 3-dimensional effect when viewed with an appropriate viewer.
* Soft-focus lenses which give a soft, but not out-of-focus, image and have an imperfection-removing effect popular among portrait and fashion photographers.
* Infrared lenses
* Ultraviolet lenses
* Perspective correction lenses (also called "tilt and shift lenses"), mainly used in architectural photography to mitigate the effects of perspective

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Photographic lens".

Cropping For Perfect Composition In Photoshop

2006-12-29T22:23:00.000Z

By David Peters

There are many things that make a great photograph but one of the most important elements of a good photo is composition. Composition has to do with the placement of the subject and objects in a photograph and how these various elements interact together.

Good composition is really what sets apart really good photographers from mediocre ones. Now while there are many aspects of good composition, framing or cropping of an image is an important part.

Photoshop makes it easy to improve the composition of a photograph if you become familiar with the cropping tool. You can quickly and easily cut out parts of the photo that you don’t want or that distract from the main subject. Photoshop makes cropping as precise as you need it to be by allowing you to measure areas to be cut.

The best part about cropping using Photoshop’s cropping tool is that if you don’t like how your photo looks after it has been cropped you can simply go back to where you started and try again. You can essentially experiment with an unlimited number of possibilities.

The following are some tips for better cropping.

Consider the Rule of Thirds

If you spend much time looking at the work of professional photographers you will notice that they rarely center the subject in the picture yet amateurs almost always center their subject. By moving your subject off center you can create a much more profession and eye pleasing image. Imagine lines across your image breaking it up it thirds and then consider cropping your picture so that the subject is in one of the outer thirds. Don’t be afraid to experiment but before you do make sure you make a copy of the original image and save it in a separate folder.

Crop to Traditional Print Sizes

When cropping your pictures check the sizing to make sure they will print in a standard size such as 4x6. If they do not correspond to these sizes try cutting a little more off. Otherwise when you take them into print at the local lab the photo lab may have to crop them even more to make them print the right size.

Photoshop makes it so easy to crop your photos that you really won’t have to worry about the framing when you take the picture on your camera because you can just fix it later on your computer. Regardless of whether you use Photoshop Elements or the more advanced version, Photoshop CS, the technical aspects of using the cropping tool are essentially the same.

About the Author:
Master The Basics Of Adobe Photoshop In Under 2 Hours With Easy To Follow Instantly Accessible Online Video Tutorials. Full Details Here: http://www.learnphotoshopnow.com/ Photoshop Tutorials.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Transform You Old, Worn Out Photos In Minutes With Adobe Photoshop

2006-12-29T22:09:00.000Z

By: David Peters

Do you have old photographs that are faded, worn out, crinkled or even torn? Of course you do, everyone does. Many of these photos are likely very old family photographs that are simply irreplaceable should something happen to them. In the past it was very expensive and time consuming to have old damaged photographed restored. It usually required a photo restoration expert and sometimes the results were not really that great. +

Digital imaging, and more specifically Adobe Photoshop, has revolutionized the process of renewing and restoring old photographs. It is amazing the results you can achieve with Photoshop. Old and damaged, even torn, photographs can be restored and renewed to their original colors and vitality using the tools available in Photoshop.

Adobe’s Photoshop is the number one choice digital photo editing software application among today’s professional photographers, graphic artists and web designers. It is not only the best but easier to work with than you might think. Many shy away from Photoshop because there are intimidated by the complexity. With the help of a good Photoshop tutorial you can begin to learn Photoshop within minutes and be on your way to restoring those old photographs and preserving your family’s memories for year to come.

There are less expensive digital editing applications but the problem is that they often have very limited capabilities when it comes to doing high quality digital photo restoration. Those cheaper digital photo software packages often utilize a one size fits all approach to photo restoration and they just don’t have the functions to deal with all of the types of damage you may encounter in renewing your old photos.

The other benefit of using Photoshop to fix your old photographs it that you can work in layers. The layers function ensures that you won’t waste an hours work with one little mistake. As you work your photograph you can save each new change as a new layer. If you mess up simply delete that layer and try again. Photo restoration requires patience and attention to detail. Only Adobe Photoshop has the tools to do a quality job restoring your old photographs. Learn Photoshop now and start bringing those old photographs to new life.

About the Author:
David Peters, Your Adobe Photoshop Coach. Master The Basics Of Adobe Photoshop In Under 2 Hours With Easy To Follow Instantly Accessible Online Video Tutorials. Full Details Here: http://www.learnphotoshopnow.com/ Photoshop Tutorials.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Photoshop Files And Formats

2006-12-29T20:27:00.000Z

By: Shaun Pearce

People often ask me: What image file formats will Photoshop open or save in? What are the advantages/disadvantages?

Photoshop has the capability to open and save many different graphic files. Here are some of the most popular ones.

Note: When you open an image file other than a Photoshop one, that image will default to the background layer.

.psd, .pdd, .eps
Photoshop File. This format preserves the information in all the layers. If you're going to continue working with a picture, this is the best format to use. File size can be quite large, however. Note: It is advisable to save your work in the most up to date Photoshop format available. For example: if you have Photoshop CS and are sent a Photoshop 7 file, you should save it as a Photoshop CS file to preserve any elements that may not be supported by Photoshop 7.

.jpg, .jpeg .jpe
This format compresses the images, so that information (details and colour subtleties) are lost. You can choose how much you want to compress the image. Good format for use on the web. Small file sizes. Millions of colours.

tif, .tiff
Common in use with early scanners. Will produce high quality images, but very large files. Not for use on the web.

.gif
Pronounced both "Gif" and "Jif", this file is one of the most popular for web graphics as it loads quickly. 8 bit format (256 colours max.). It has possibilities for transparent colour and animation.

.png
New format for use on the web that is intended to replace both gif and jpeg. Compressed, millions of colours, transparencies. It compress in a different way than jpeg, and has advanced possibilities, such as alpha channel (opaque or partly transparent colours). The only trouble is: Internet Explorer doesn't support these! In 8 bit (256 colours) mode it compresses better than gif.

.bmp
Windows bitmapped image. Used by Microsoft Windows applications. Good quality, large file size. Not for use on the web.

.wmf
Windows MetaFile. Useful for clipart, and can be used to make large area, small sized background files.

.pcx
Older general purpose format. Practically obsolete now. Not for use on the web.

.psp
Internal format for Paint Shop Pro, useful if you want to swap files between these two applications.

.pcd
Kodak PhotoCD format, used with Photo Developing - although most photo processors will save your photos as jpegs if you ask them to.

.pdf
Portable Document File. Adobe's file system that allows electronic cross platform sharing of documents.

So what's the best format for web graphics: gif or jpeg?

The general rule of thumb is to use gifs for diagrams, line drawings, illustrations, and images that contain large areas of flat colour, and jpegs for photographs and images with continuous colour tones. The jpeg format has a very good compression rate, but compression reduces the quality of the image, so it's best to experiment with the tools in Image Ready until you have the optimal quality/file size. The gif format, on the other hand, has a smaller file size - but a limited range of colours.

About the Author:
Shaun Pearce is a writer and video maker. His latest production "Photoshop Master" is an interactive video tutorial. It shows you how to get the most from Photoshop, and can be downloaded from http://www.learnphotoshopfast.com?=art03i.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Review: Real world Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS

2006-12-11T17:07:00.001Z

by: Maricon Williams

Photoshop CS is no doubt the most momentous Photoshop progress which complements digital photographers. Real world Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS discusses exciting new features for general users, web designers, video editors and digital photographers. This book is authored by Bruce Fraser.

Bruce Fraser is a noted author having co-authored the penultimate Photoshop resource book Real World Photoshop from Peachpit Press. He is also a contributing editor for Mac World plus a regular contributor for CreativePro where he wrote his “Out of Gamut” articles. Fraser is also a co-author of Real World Color Management from Peachpit Press. He has also made a study of human vision and how it relates to reproducible color in photography and photomechanical reproduction. Bruce is a regular speaker and presenter at notable trade shows and conferences as well as Seybold and Thunder Lizard’s Photoshop Conferences. He has also consulted for an extensive series of major photographic and digital imaging companies.

Adobe Photoshop CS is the new version (Version 8) of Adobe Photoshop. It is a part of the newly announced Adobe Creative Suite which combines new versions of Adobe Photoshop CS with ImageReady CS, Adobe illustrator CS, Adobe InDesign CS, Adobe GoLive CS, Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Professional, and the new "Version Cue" file version manager, which lets you track integrations quickly and locate files easily.

Camera RAW part of Photoshop 7 Adobe Photoshop Camera RAW & JPEG 2000 Plug-in Bundle is now an integrated part of Photoshop CS. This has added substantial power to Photoshop CS. JPEG 2000 delivers superior quality for the same compression ratios. Conversely, since no camera support JPEG 2000, support is available through a separate plug-in that ships with the software.

Depending on the camera brand, Raw may come in different flavors. Adobe Photoshop CS covers most RAW formats available today. However, RAW data may not be always read accurately. For example, the white balance of Nikon Coolpix 5000 images may have unnatural result which is not a case with Nikon Capture 3.5. To fix the white balance, click in a non-specular white area followed by a minor tint adjustment. Supplementary adjustments can be made through the advanced “Calibration” tab. The “Adjust” tab controls exposure, shadow, brightness and contrast sliders. Albeit Photoshop CS features now a new Histogram Palette, the RAW dialog box also features live histograms.

Noise reduction is not a problem with Photoshop CS. It has the color noise reduction and luminance smoothing sliders which allow you to reduce colors and luminance noise. Luminance noise should be use with caution because it can lead to an artificial “water paint” effect. The noise reduction performs very well and preserves the image detail and sharpness.

To remove chromatic aberrations, apply a local desaturation in the corresponding color channels. The Lens tab of the Raw dialog box provides effective ways of eliminating these aberrations.

To have additional knowledge of Camera raw with Adobe Photoshop CS, purchase a copy of this book. It will sure enlighten the dark areas of the subject matter.

About The Author
Maricon Williams
I love reading. Give me a book and I'll finish it in one sitting. Reading is the chance to be transported to a different world and so is writing. I'm more enthusiastic about writing however, since you can relay your ideas to someone else. I can only imagine that feeling when I hear a complete stranger talking about my ideas which read on an article somewhere. To relay my message to as many people is the same as touching people with music. Only mine's less harmonic. I try to make up for it with the color I bring with words. And most of the time, it’s more than enough.
For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.ucreative.com

Nikon D50 Review

2006-12-11T17:05:00.000Z

by: Bo Cakmak

The Nikon D50 is a surprisingly affordable, top-notch entry level digital camera. Some of its attributes include a 6 mega pixel APS-format sensor, 2.5 frames-per-second burst mode, vibrant color representation, and excellent noise performance. The Nikon D50’s price tag is attainable for most amateur photographers. MSRP is $899.95, but with a little bit of internet research, users can find prices around $700 or lower.

The Nikon D50 enters into the ever competitive digital SLR realm, but can hold its own. It supplies a 2-inch, 130,000 pixel LCD and a strong auto focus system. The D50 is smaller than its sister model, the D70 and has a very deep feature set and a mass of manual controls that will help any first time digital SLR user develop their knowledge and fine tune their skills. It’s light weight makes it comfortable to hold and all buttons and dials are labeled clearly, and logically. A quick review of its instructions will enable even the most apprehensive user, a full-fledge photographer.

The Nikon D50 is also an extremely fast camera. It has a fast shutter speed with a range from 30 to 1/4,000 seconds, allowing full creative control. It has rapid flash sync shutter speeds up to 1/500 seconds, which gives its user the ability for great fill-effects under brighter light and difficult back-lighted conditions. The Nikon D50 also powers up immediately and responds almost instantly to a touch of the shutter button. This feature makes it easy for capturing models on the move and quick changing scenery.

Its tech specs include a Dynamic buffer (temporary data storage bank) and a super fast LSI processor which allows the camera to take at minimum ten full-resolution JPEG shots in a single burst at 2.5 fps. The USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed) interface allows for speedy data transfer. It also contains a seven automated Digital Vari-Program selections, including a new "Child" mode for the ability to capture unforgettable photos of children with ease. Its 3D Color Matrix Metering II ensures accurate exposure control and white balance.

The spirit of this camera is its ease of use and outstanding end product. There is no better value for an entry level camera in today’s market – yet. So click away, knowing you’ve scored value and performance, all in one.

You can compare prices and reviews for cameras at http://www.1audio-equipment.com.

About The Author:
Bo Cakmak - New author trying to contribute to the information world.
bo@pyramiddesignsllc.com

For more information on Nikon cameras visit the official website - Nikon UK

Scrapbooking with Digital Photography

2006-12-11T17:04:00.001Z

by: Jane Karwoski

If you are thinking of purchasing a digital camera in the near future, there are a few things you should keep in mind. If you also enjoy scrapbooking and are planning a project using digital photos, the quality of your images is especially important.

Getting the right digital camera is vital for that professional looking scrapbook. For crisp and clean photos, purchase a camera with a minimum of 3 to 4 megapixels. A megapixel is one million pixels, which are the small dots that make up an image. The more megapixels a camera has, the more detail your photo will have.

When looking for the right camera, pay attention to the optical zoom. A 3x optical zoom is the minimum you need for framing shots. Optical zoom is not the same as digital zoom, which will magnify only a portion of the captured image. The photo quality of the image will be poor, leaving close-up shots blurry.

Macro mode is also an important feature to look for. Macro mode is used for extreme close-ups. Other extras that are great are red-eye reduction and direct printing. (This bypasses the use of the computer)

Photo editing software is another “must have” when preparing photos for your scrapbooking project. Features for photo editing will allow you to crop, colorize, resize, rotate and fix red-eye effects. Most good digital cameras provide a program of their own which can sort, view and fix certain elements in your images.

To print your digital images many home and small office color printers will do a good job of printing photos. But, if you want a top-notch printer or need to print a lot of photos, consider purchasing a printer designed specifically for photo printing. Always use coated paper designed for photo printing and finishes like matte and high gloss for the best quality printed images.

There are many things to consider when planning a scrapbook project, especially when it comes to using digital photos. But, the time spent in searching for the right products and some creative planning will surely improve the outcome of your scrapbooking endeavor.

About The Author
Jane Karwoski is publisher of the e-book, "Scrapbooking Made Easy"
For the "Tip of the Month" and a free newsletter, visit http://www.scrapbooking-made-easy.com

Digital SLR Photography - How To Take Stunning, Lively And Ravishing Pictures

2006-12-11T17:03:00.001Z

by: Connie Fillmore

Photography is digital SLR photography, at least to any self-respecting photographer. Suggest otherwise, and he is sure to give you a piece of his mind and proceed to praise the virtues of digital SLR photography.

Digital SLR photography uses a digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera that uses a movable mirror placed between the lens and the film to project the image on to a focusing screen.

Digital SLR photography churns out the most amazingly realistic photographs, in fact much better than the ones turned out by the conventional fixed lens cameras. But its prime appeal to photographers, both amateur and professional, is in the fact that he can work out a large amount of control over how his pictures end up as.

Digital SLR photography is all about customized photographs that are stunning to look at, to say the least. This is because the cameras come with extremely good lenses. This is why the discerning photographers are not miserly about getting a lens, frightfully expensive they may be.

However, digital SLR photography enthusiasts should never think that a swanky Nikon or a Canon is the passport to great photography. The apparatus notwithstanding, good photography depends a lot on the skills of the person brandishing the camera. The basics of digital SLR photography are not hard to pick up.

The first and foremost tip about digital SLR photography is to equip yourself with the nitty-gritty of lighting. If you are shooting outdoors during the day it is best to have the sun directly behind you. It is also essential that your subject also does not have to face the sun so that he has to squint. You should know that the best time to film landscapes, buildings and outdoor portraits is either dawn or the twilight hours.

If you want to impart the warmth of the rising or setting sun to your midday photo shoot, then a skylight or a warm filter is your key.

Tips to great digital SLR photography insist on maintaining control over the camera's flash property. To be precise, don't have your camera have the last word about where the flash should come on. Take the reins yourself and ensure that your photograph subjects are not lost in a maze of bright light.

Good photography, digital or analog, SLR or otherwise, is all about being able to use the filters right. You never know when that polarizer or the gradual filter or the skylight/UV filter might come to your rescue at times when the light situations are tricky.

The Macro Mode atop the camera just happens to be the most underrated and under-used feature. But unknown to many, this mode is great for taking enchanting close-ups of tiny objects.

Realistic and stunning digital photography is actually the norm with plethora of controls that come with modern day digital SLR cameras. And photography tips harp on tinkering with the controls to get a hang of the controls and the outcomes they produce.

Experimenting for instance, with really slow (30 seconds) extremely fast (1000th-8000th/second) shutter speeds can produce dramatic results. The ISO setting is another area for experimentation. In fact, high ISO values come in quite handy when you cannot use a flash in low light situations.

Get well up on your digital SLR photography tips and tricks and shoot at sight willingly.

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

Digital Photography Class - Cracking the Photography Code

2006-12-11T17:02:00.002Z

by: Connie Fillmore

Don't roll up your eyes and groan at the mere mention of "class". Not all classes are as bad as those in your school and college were. In fact, a digital photography class promises bounties of fun and it is guaranteed that it will be one class of your lifetime, which you would not want to skip at any cost.

The soaring popularity of digital photography has seen digital photography schools springing up in almost every nook and cranny of your locality. So, which one to enroll to ensure your money's worth?

Any good digital photography school worth it's salt will offer intensive training and impart comprehensive knowledge in almost all the aspects of digital photography. And this also includes enlightening you on the internal mechanism of a digital camera. You can expect there will be no shortcuts either.

Your digital photography class will start out with an introductory session that will give you an overview of the camera setup and what digital photography is all about. You will be trained on the functions and settings of your camera so that after the completion of the course you will know your camera like the palm of your hand and will be better able to appreciate the scope of digital photography.

Being well versed in the parts and workings of a digital camera ensures that when you go to buy one for yourself, you can make the right choice.

Digital photography classes, as a principle, concentrate on teaching you the manual mode of photography. This is because the hallmark of a great photographer is definitely his skills in wielding control over how his photographs turn out. And wielding control entails that you do not let the camera decide when the flash should be used or being spot on with the focus and exposure settings without the intervention of the camera's in-built scene modes.

There are many digital photography classes that arrange field trips for its students. And you will surely agree that a hands-on experience in outdoor shooting is actually far more beneficial than a theory class. Besides, a few bouts of outdoor filming will also ensure that your lighting issues are sorted out. Thus, the nitty-gritty of lighting like using filters to tone down the tints of a photo taken in the harsh midday sun or the details of night photography are best appreciated when tried first hand.

A stint at a digital photography class will hone your photographic skills manifold times with in-depth training in composition and blending the rules of traditional photography with the digital photography mode. The fine points of filming in different settings and churning out optimum results should also be a part of the curriculum.

Digital photography classes are particular about details. Therefore, you will not be stopping at filming lessons only. You will be taken through the editing and processing of digital photographs too. You will be taught the ways and means of accessing the images stored in the camera's memory cards and the PC editing tweaks that will transform even the drabbest image into an enchanting piece of art. Besides, you will also be educated on how to compress the digital image files and have them uploaded on the Net.

There are hundred and one things that you can do with your digital images. Printing is definitely one of them. And you can be sure that your digital photography class instructor will teach you the fundamentals of getting digital prints.

A digital photography class is an excellent way of acquainting yourself with the 'ins' and 'outs' of digital photography. Attend one and flaunt your skills with the lens and the shutter.

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

Black And White Photography In The Digital Age

2006-12-11T17:02:00.001Z

by: Low Jeremy

The world is celebrating color in full spectrum, not just in the environment but also in the computer. In the 60's, people are happy to see their photographs in black and white copies and it extended for quite some time until technology can already reproduce and provide people with colored digital photography.

Why still use black and white? If you have watched the controversial movie "Schindler's List" (1993) by Steven Spielberg, it has been presented in the screens in black and white color. Critics were expressing dissatisfaction, and to some degree, one could think it is such a waste denying the audience of more than 1 million colors reduced to nothing but grayscale monochromatic theme.

Nowadays, black and white photography is directly proportional to vanity, because everyone desires colored output. In case of "Schindler's List," it was released on purpose as black and white, to give way to a dramatic impact for the setting of 1945 Nazi occupation. The effect of black and white reel, has added spice to the thematic goal of the director. The essence of using black and white is important for character shots.

The world is ironic and ridiculous at times, but we cannot simply take away black and white especially in the era of digital photography. We know all Graphic Arts editing applications, scanners, digital cameras, and other photography gadgets have grayscale options.

To start with your own black and white digital photography shots, you will not need extra effort and complications other than shooting as is. Take the shot in color then you can switch the setting of the digital image in an editor, using array of choices. If you are using Photoshop or Fireworks, you can change the whole image into black and white by editing "Hue and Saturation" or simply switching it to "grayscale" format.

Old photographs from developed films can be converted into digital images by scanning them. If you want a black and white portrait out of it, set your scanner into grayscale. The result is black and white photo.

Setting your digital camera into "evening shot" mode automatically converts the image as monochromatic. You can remove saturation to convert it to black and white. Digital camera works efficiently with a computer. You can do everything about it in full control---that is if you are adept with the manipulation of the technical side of it. It will be quite expensive but worth the effort.

Technology is getting better and better, if you choose conventional effects, as long as you have the 360-degree options to enhance possibilities, then black and white digital photography is very simple to produce.

About The Author
Low Jeremy maintains http://Digital-Photography.ArticlesForReprint.com. This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

Starting A Photography Business from Home

2006-12-11T17:01:00.001Z

by: Roy Barker

You can search for hours and still not get the information you're seeking when you want to do something as important as starting a photography business. Keep in mind that some of the photography businesses that you can specialize in, may have varying requirements and you would do well to remember this once you have read this article and want to learn a little more on each of the photographic areas. With this in mind, I have supplied a free report which you can access from my site later.

Almost anyone with the right camera equipment, and the necessary skills can set up a home business, marketing photography. You need only to convert a room of your house into an office, and then you can work immediately.

Because you have modern technology in the form of SLR digital cameras, you do not even need the room for a dark room. You need only to have a personal computer and a photo-editing program. The standard is Adobe Photoshop.

Don't clutter yourself with equipment you do not need. You can hire equipment on and when you need it basis. You have the freedom to work part time for a while until you can devote yourself full time to photography. All you need to be is a serious photographer. There are two types of photographers that makes their living from photography, the serious photographer and the very serious photographer. You can always bookmark this link and then you can quickly access just about all you'll ever need from here.

Whilst the technical skills needed to make a successful photographer have never been easier, other aspects have changed the business. The market for photographs of virtually every type has widened, the world seems to have an insatiable appetite for photographs. However the price has fallen as the marketing net has broadened. Photographers are needed in many more fields. For instance many people use car web sites, they simply did not exist ten years ago, and they sell their products as a result of photography. Cameras used by scuba diver’s are now an excellent quality, and whilst they are initially expensive, they have forged a new market. People celebrate special occasions more with photography, than they did years ago. The travel and advertising markets have a greater need for landscape, travel and nature shots.

It is now easier than ever to turn your dream into reality and create a worthwhile business out of an engrossing hobby. However in today’s modern world there is more to it than simply pointing a camera, and shooting a picture. You need to be aware of marketing techniques, and here marketing simply means transferring ownership of a product, in this case an image from a buyer to seller. You also need to be aware of any local gaps in the market in your local area. You should also try to be on top of your competitor’s prices, to undercut an existing photographer is one choice, but to neglect to value your skills and not charge enough to cover your overheads is another matter entirely. Remember this, its an important point.

Use your skills to the best advantage of the business and define what you want from it. Writing a business plan helps to keep you focused on the areas you specifically want to exploit. A business plan helps you to define your goals and strategies, it will be changed and updated, but it will help you, to keep things in perspective. You can then refer back to it when things become confusing or complicated. Everyone’s business plan will be different, as every objective will be different, but there are certain common factors that make up a good business plan which will help your business grow. It allows you to develop a professional attitude to your business, which not only helps you to increase your earnings, but also help you to finance your business.

For the photographer it should include, your business name, or your own, with full details of the proposed location of the business, a copy of your logo, as well as details of your copyright notices. What is the form of your proposed business (sole ownership, partnership, Limited Liability Company or Corporation). This should be followed by a table of contents, which focuses on a logical order. There are resources that will give you further details on such as http://profitable-photography.com

Included after this should be the type of business you intend to pursue, in a fair amount of detail, and it should contain the services you intend to offer. This section should include any future gaols or avenues you would like to explore, stating your clear objectives. This is so you can check at a later date whether your objectives are on course, or if you have got sidetracked.

If you envisage at any time you may need financial help, then you should include your personal business history.

You should also state a clear and concise marketing plan that should demonstrate how your business will differentiate from the businesses of your competitors. You should be able to establish whom your customers will be, as well as where your market will be, as in wholesale or retail or a combination of both. You should also be able to determine how long this type of market will be available to yourself.

The next section should clearly define your opposition, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. This should include the ways you may be able to exploit any gaps in the market in the specific area where you live. A section should follow this on how you intend to market and promote your individual services.

A financial segment should be included as to how you intend to manage the day-to-day bills of the business. How you intend to price your services, and what factors influence this pricing structure, which includes a section on your competitor’s financial structures. This means a fair amount of detective work as well as homework. Get your friends to ask from quotes from the local competition. Or try an even more direct approach, tell your competitor’s that you intend to start a new business, and that you do not want to undercut them, as this reduces the cake for everyone. They may well offer to help you construct a pricing structure that ensures everyone’s livelihood. It is in their interests to help. Not everyone will be cooperative, but it may mean you can get a truer picture of the market factors that govern your area.

Make a list of all the equipment you will need in your first year, as well as how and where you intend to purchase. Note any difficulties that may arise in obtaining your supplies. Note whether the prices of your supplies have a seasonal fluctuation, that may help you influence you when to buy. You should make a note of any local licenses that will be necessary, as well as any zoning restrictions, that may restrict the growth of your business. Your neighbours may not be thrilled at a procession of customer’s to your door, check whether they can restrict your services. Make a study of all your business insurance requirements.

The final segment should be devoted to how you intend to finance the growth of your business, as well as isolating what your financial needs will be. This should include a projection on your future earnings, as well as an accurate assessment of your outgoings’. This should be assessed on a monthly basis for the first year, and on an annual basis for the following three years. An important aspect of the financial statement is an assessment of the break-even point of your business, in other words the minimum you will have to take to pay your expenses.

The purpose of this documentation is to allow you to enunciate what the core elements of your business will be, in doing this it should help you to be able to quickly evaluate the success of your business objectives. If you are not clear on your objectives then you cannot possibly make a plan to bring about the success of those objectives.

About The Author
Roy Barker often writes and works closely with Start A Photography Business. This site is dedicated to coaching you in starting your own photography business but places a strong emphasis on profitability issues & guidelines. You can access photography resources (some free) from Digital Photography If you seek further guides, tips, articles and news, you can go to http://www.photography-business-tips.com which has a Photographers Forum for an exchange of views with other photographers.

Career Information about Photography; Is It Worth Persuing?

2006-12-11T17:00:00.000Z

by: Roy Barker

Before we say anything too hastily, we should first understand what I actually mean by this statement. Often people simply pick up a camera and take a snap, see the result and think – hey that was easy and fun. I think I’d like to do this for a living. It might sound a little bazaar, but that often happens. Most come to a rude awakening fairly quickly, however, some of these people succeed as well. Let’s look a little closer at career information about photography.

Career information about photography is important to access and focus on initially because it is a competitive market where the work is often attractive to many people. The photographer must have “a good eye”, imagination, and some creativity to do well in this field. That's not all. Photographers love going into their own business. Accordingly, they must be able to maintain a business and to take advantage of opportunities provided by rapidly changing technologies. While seeking career information about photography you should first speak to one of your local photographers for information. You can ask questions about the job market in your area and how much training was involved before he/she considered themselves ready. You’ll find your local photographer will offer you insight that will be helpful in most cases.

What as a photographer do you plan on achieving? Most would agree, the photographer is an artist, historian, and news event person. Perhaps you had already planned on your career and how you wish to achieve it. Career information about photography will prepare you for specific jobs but you should be aware of other elements related to the work. A photographer produces and preserves images that paint a picture, tell a story, or record an event. The successful photographer is required to have the ability to present a subject to achieve a particular effect while also selecting the appropriate equipment. A good photographer may enhance the subject’s appearance with natural or artificial light, shoot the subject from an interesting angle, draw attention to a particular aspect of the subject by blurring the background, or perhaps using different lenses to produce desired levels of detail at various distances.

This is just an example of some of the requirements that a good photographer should possess. Career information about photography will vary according to what type of photography interests you. Underwater photography is becoming an exciting field of unexplored areas. Other photographers specialize in areas such as portrait, commercial and industrial, scientific, news, or fine arts photography.

Portrait Photographers: The one’s we see most often who usually come with those special family events. They normally take individual pictures, group pictures and often work in their own studios. A lot of photographers specialize in taking wedding pictures, religious ceremonies, or school pictures.

Commercial and Industrial: Career information about photography includes professionals who specialize in commercial and industrial photography. These photographers take pictures of various subjects, such as buildings, models, merchandise, artifacts, and landscapes. Why would a photographer go around taking these pictures? This is a specialized field wherein a lot of money can be made. The pictures are used in a variety of media, including books, reports, advertisements, and catalogs. The industrial photographer is usually hired in advance and knows what his assignment will be. He does not take pictures and try to find a buyer. The industrial photographer takes pictures of machinery, products, workers, and company officials. The pictures taken are usually for a specific purpose. In the future these pictures help engineer’s analysis projects, publicity, or records of equipment development or deployment, such as placement of an offshore oil rig.

Field of Science: Career information about photography is common in the field of science. The recording of scientific data and procedures is often done by a photographer. The field of unusual phenomena or sometimes called ghost hunting uses special type of equipment and is necessary to help prove the existence of perhaps a haunting. Many things evolve when you work in the scientific field that is why a photographer must have knowledge in one or more areas of engineering, medicine, biology, or chemistry.

Photojournalism: Photojournalists are people who take pictures of newsworthy people, places, and sporting events. They are news photographers who often cover political and community events for newspapers, journals, magazines, or television.

Career information about photography would not be complete unless I reminded you of working conditions. The working conditions vary considerably from one type of a job to another. For instance, photographers who work for the government and advertising studios usually work a 5-day, 40 hour week. News photographers often work long, irregular hours and must be available on short notice. Some photographers work part time or on variable schedules.

One last thing - Career information about photography should include the fact that a lot of photographers spend a small amount of time actually taking pictures because they spend a lot of time editing photographs on a computer and trying to find new business especially when they are self-employed.

About The Author
Roy Barker often writes and works closely with Start A Photography Business. This site is dedicated to coaching you in starting your own photography business but places a strong emphasis on profitability issues & guidelines. You can access photography resources (some free) from Digital Photography If you seek further guides, tips, articles and news, you can go to http://www.photography-business-tips.com which has a Photographers Forum for an exchange of views with other photographers.

Photography Techniques and lens types

2006-10-24T13:20:00.000+01:00

Photography Techniques
By: TJ Tierney

Get to know your lens.

For most photographers the most important factor in their photography is the sharp quality of their images. To get the very best quality we need to know which lenses to use and the best time to use they. There are several lenses on the market today that should become part of our every day tool.

Standard lenses: are the most common use on today market. A standard lens has a focal length between 40 mm and 60 mm, which can be used for all types of photography. It’s the most flexible of all the lenses and should remain on the camera body at all times.

Telephoto zoom lens: for any one interested in wildlife photography a telephoto lens should become your standard lens. With a focal length of between 60 mm and 300 mm, this is also a perfect lens for the sport enthusiast. The telephoto lens allows you to capture the far away object and can also be used for landscape images

You can use this lens for close-ups, but be careful with your composition. Large areas of the image will become blank and could destroy your picture.

When using a telephoto lens always make sure that you have the camera supported with a tripod. If you cant use a tripod try using a beanbag - rest the lens on the bag when taking your images.

Wide-angle lens: is the choice of most landscape photographers. They allow you to include as much of the scene as possible when you look in your viewfinder with a wide focal length of 17 mm to 40mm. The wider the lens you use, the closer you need to be to an object of foreground interest, to add impact to your photography. Ultra wide-angle lenses have a focal length of 8 mm to 28 mm.

Macro lens: is perfect for ultra close-ups shots with an average focal length of 100 mm. If you are looking to take images of small objects, such as: flowers or insects, a macro lens should become part of your camera bag. A macro lens will also allow you to take unique abstract images. By using a wide aperture with a macro lens on natural shapes can create the perfect abstract image.

Be careful with focusing when using a macro lens, it is tough on a good day and can be impossible if the weather is windy.

About the Author:
TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer. If you are looking for some photo tips visit the photography directory he frequently writes for: http://www.goldprints.com To view some of his images visit his on line gallery @ http://www.goldenirishlight.comArticle Source: www.iSnare.com

How To Build A Pinhole Camera?

2006-10-24T13:18:00.000+01:00

How To Build A Pinhole Camera?
By: Dan Crane

Do You Want to Build Your Own Pinhole Camera? Read On…

As you probably know, these days, there are all kinds of cameras designed for different purposes. From digital and photo cameras to hidden or tiny spy cameras. There’s one more type of cameras that has gained popularity over the long years. It is called – a pinhole camera.

What is a Pinhole Camera?

A pinhole cam is a simple camera without lens. It’s a small box or can with a tiny (usually 0.5mm or smaller) hole inside one end and a piece of photographic paper in the other. The image is build by light passing through the hole. Although in the early days, pinhole cams did not have very clear image quality, these days there are pinhole cameras come with micro lens and provide very good image quality.

The first pinhole camera was built in the 19th century. It gained some popularity and that time. Although cameras have advanced in size and quality, the principles still remain the same.

Therefore, nowadays there are many enthusiasts who still prefer to build a pinhole camera themselves. This might be fun for amateurish purposes, however, for more serious tasks such as secret surveillance, an already built pinhole cam is much better choice.

How to Build a Pinhole Camera?

If you still prefer to build a camera yourself, then here are the basic steps you should look at. First, you’ll need a cardboard with a tape hinge , which can be used as a shutter. Second, you’ll need to make a pinhole. Simply take a needle (small in diameter, about 0.5mm) and punch through a piece of tinfoil. Then tape that piece to the inside of the box through a larger hole.

If you’d like to change the angle of the view, you might want to create a moving box. You can simply take a sliding film holder so that the distance between the film and the pinhole can be changed.

If you’ll move a film closer to the pinhole, you’ll get a wider angle of view, but shorter exposure time. Moving a film further from the pinhole will result in longer exposure time, but the angle of view will be narrow.

More Serious Use of Pinhole Cameras

Actually, pinhole cameras may be used not only for taking photographs. They may be used for video recording too. However, making such pinhole video camera yourself would be very difficult if you don’t know the technical side involved.

However, you may order small pinhole cameras for surveillance at very reasonable prices these days. You may order it online for less that $100 as a matter of fact.

Such pinhole cameras can be used to track nannies or your spouse for instance. You never know, what these people are doing in your house. If you trust them, then you (probably) have nothing to worry about. But if you’re suspicious, then there’s nothing better than buying a wireless pinhole camera and putting it inside some fluffy bunny or behind some books on a book shelve.

About the Author:
Dan Crane specializes in spy camera industry and provides information and guides to consumers about spy cameras and surveillance equipment. If you'd like to learn more about color bullet cameras or wireless pinhole cameras, then browse Vedosoft website for more information at: http://www.vedosoft.com

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Camera Tripod Variations & Uses

2006-10-24T13:17:00.000+01:00

Camera Tripod Variations & Uses
By: Angel Estrella

In simple form, a camera tripod is best explained as a three-legged stand used to stabilize and elevate a camera. A camera tripod can be used in either still or motion imagery. Most commonly used by professional photographers in a studio, a camera tripod is designed to capture the perfect image every time.

A camera tripod is available in several variations, including floor model or tabletop. The least expensive begins at $50.00 and goes up, depending on the size and features. A basic camera tripod is designed for consumers and is best used for amateur photography or filming. An expensive camera tripod features feet suitable for rough ground and the head of the unit is designed move smoothly for improved video recording. The most expensive, which are used is studios and professional filming, are made of wood.

A full-size camera tripod is much better equipped to handle heavier equipment, whereas a tabletop model can accommodate up to 50lbs. These portable units are ideal for traveling and where compact equipment is needed.

There are several ways that a camera tripod can be used, including a family portrait where you want to be included in the photo. Simply set the camera up on a tripod and position it so that everyone is in perfect view, set the timer on your camera, push the button to take a photo and get into place with the family. Other uses may include an instance where your hands are shaky and you want to stabilize the camera for a quality image or if you are responsible for taking school pictures. Do you remember the days of middle school when the photographer would come into the gymnasium, set up his/her background sheet and tripod? All he/she had to do was to situate the child, convince him/her to smile and snap the picture. A camera tripod makes it easy to take multiple photos, in which the subjects are in the same location, without having to worry about placement every single time. With a tripod, placement is always perfect so long as the subject is where he/she should be.

When shopping for a camera tripod, first consider the uses that you will need it for. The weight of your camera, the needed features and swivel capabilities, the locations that the tripod will be placed and the needed height. In addition, a realistic budget that you can afford will be best considered early before shopping for a camera tripod. Most photography supply stores, both online and local, may offer camera tripods. Before purchasing, be sure to check out the dealer’s reputation with the Better Business Bureau and also learn about their return policy.

About the Author:
To get more facts about camera phone, check out our website at www.top-camera-phone-guide.info for lots of free camera phone information and reviews.

Read more articles by: Angel Estrella

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Some Basic Tips On Using Your Camera

2006-10-24T13:15:00.000+01:00

Some Basic Tips On Using Your Camera
By: Yvonne Volante

It's true that taking photos is as simple as running out and grabbing a cheap five dollar camera. But taking good, quality photos has never been easier. So lets explore some quick ideas that can help you take photos that you will be happy to share with friends and family.

Photography as an art has never been more exciting or enjoyable. Todays photography enthusiast has many styles, topics, and tools open to them. Plus, the blending of digital with print makes the craft of taking photos very versatile.

Here are four tips to help.

1. Get a little closer, don't be shy. One of the biggest mistakes most beginning photographers make is shooting from so far away. They leave too much distance between themselves and their subjects. Instead, get up close and personal. Fill up as much of the camera frame, with your subject, as you can. You can always reshape, trim, and resize a good quality shot. But you can't continue to blow up a distant subject and hope that it will come into focus. It just won't happen.

2. This tip springs directly from #1(above)... focus your shot on only one subject. Determine what the main subject of the photo will be, and catch that image. Try and find the one key subject, person, or event that accurately portrays the feeling you are trying to capture.

3. In addition to getting one subject, in your photos, you will want to make the background of the photo as simple as possible. Busy, distracting backgrounds pull the attention away from the central theme of your photo. The subject of your photo is absolutely the most important element, and anything that detracts from the subject can ruin your shot.

4. Finally, you want to take your subject out of the exact center of the frame. You do this by using the rule of thirds. Imagine having a camera lens split into 9 equal sized boxes, 3 across and 3 down (like having a tic-tac-toe game printed right on your camera lens). Where those "tic-tac-toe" lines cross, should become the focusing point of your subject, when you are arranging to take your photo.

Based on this tip, every time you compose a shot, the main subject of your photo should be located primarily on one of these "third" lines.

These are just four very basic tips and strategies to help improve your photos. As you know, photography skills can always be improved. In fact, most professional photographers exhibit a life long passion for learning new techniques, photography angles, and photo inspirations.

About the Author:
Yvonne Volante is an author, webmistress and camera junkie. She has a site at http://www.ylcamera.com which is a great source for camera information.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Canon EOS, The Makings Of A Great Camera

2006-10-24T13:13:00.000+01:00

Canon EOS, The Makings Of A Great Camera
By: Ben Shar

Looking for a great camera? Considering the Canon EOS? For those who are looking to purchase a new camera, whether in the professional line or the personal line, the Canon EOS is a great choice. The company that makes these has been around for years. They are known for quality equipment that is also quite reliable. It is also known for its innovativeness. Developing the latest technology is what keeps companies in the game, after all. In this particular line, you will find exceptional quality. They have just what you need in a great camera.

The Canon EOS is available as a professional quality camera or it is available in the Canon EOS Rebel line which is for everyday use. There are a total of ten cameras in this line and each offers exceptional quality and durability. These cameras produce a fine picture with details and clarity like none other. The Digital Rebel is a digital camera in this line.

In the digital line, you will find a wide range of choice. Five cameras are in this family of the Canon EOS. They range from good quality to excellent. Their pixel range is from 16.7 million pixel CMOS to 6.3 million CMOS. One camera in this line is the EOS 20Da which is a digital camera designed for night sky photos.

The Canon EOS line also has a range of 35mm cameras that are something to be looked forward to. You will enjoy the quality that these offer as well.

When you are ready to purchase your next camera, consider these Canon EOS models as well as the others within this line. The cameras are made in Taiwan and offer a full line of professional and everyday uses. You will find them available at your favorite online merchants. Want to find the best price on them? Simply check out your options online right now! You’ll be happy you did!

About the Author:
Find more information and tips about Canon EOS by visiting http://www.canoneosnews.info
Article Source: www.iSnare.com

For more information on Canon camera's visit their website - Canon UK

Thinking Of Changing To Digital Photography?

2006-10-24T13:11:00.000+01:00

Thinking Of Changing To Digital Photography?
By: Gerri Stone

Digital photography strips the pain out of photography in several ways: No film means no mess and less expense. No lenses equals no clutter, and once you get used to using a digital camera, digital photography can even help you take better photos. . Took a photograph you didn’t like? A digital camera lets you review the shot on an LCD screen on the back of the camera right after you snapped it, and delete it.

Are you looking for a fun little camera to take pictures of family celebrations and get togethers? Or, are you more interested in developing your photography skills and becoming proficient at photo shooting and editing? No matter what your photography goal, you want good, clear pictures and a camera that is easy to use.

The four basic styles of digital camera are:

1) Ultra-compact- about the size of a credit card, and fits easily into the front pocket of your jeans.

2) Sub-compact- will fit easily into a shirt pocket.

3) Point and Shoot-normal size camera with more features, and needs a camera bag.

4) Single Lens Reflex (SLR) – high quality camera. It has the look and feel of a 35 mm, with a detachable lens.

Digital cameras give you photos that are extremely portable. You can download your shots to a computer to email or edit with programs like Adobe’s PhotoShop, print them out, or create slideshows – all without having to drop off film and pay for developing it. Some digital cameras even let you shoot quick videos.

Nowadays, even PDAs, cell phones and watches have entered the world of digital photography. Below we’ll talk about the fundamentals of how digital photography works. This will be important when choosing a camera.

Pixels

A digital image, or photo, is made up of millions of tiny dots. The number of pixels determines the quality – also called the resolution – of the image. With digital photography, when you click the camera’s button, a computer chip called the “charge couple device” (CCD) inside the camera instantly records the location, color, and brightness of each pixel. Put all those pixels together and you have the photograph!

Resolution is an important factor when buying a camera. Higher resolutions cost more, but also result in images that can be enlarged digitally without losing quality. When shopping for a ‘point and shoot’ digital camera to use for fun look for cameras with a resolution between three to five mega pixels will let you print nice quality 4” x 6” up to 8” x 10” prints.

Batteries

The decision about what type of battery your camera takes is an important one. Alkaline AA batteries don’t hold a charge as long as lithium batteries do, particularly if you are using your flash. However, the ability to purchase AA batteries anywhere can be important, especially if you travel.

Lithium batteries last a long time, but they are expensive to replace. Nickel Cadmium batteries are rechargeable. You must fully discharge them prior to recharging, or you will get very poor performance. Another type of rechargeable battery is the Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH). They come in all standard sizes, and last about 400 charges. These are probably your best buy. Lion (Lithium Ion) batteries last about twice as long as the others do, and are usually purchased as an ‘extra’. They are newer, not available in all sizes, and not as widely available as the others are.

Memory

Another important consideration for digital photography is the size of the memory card in the camera. The memory card is what stores your photo inside the camera – think of it as the camera’s hard drive. Digital images of high quality take up a lot of space. You can fit more low-resolution than high-resolution shots on to a single card.

You can carry multiple memory cards, but who wants to line up that perfect shot and realize the camera has suddenly run out of room? If your camera shoots between three to five mega pixels, a memory card with 128 MB to 512 MB should keep you shooting until your fingers get tired.

Some other great features to consider before deciding on your new camera include size and weight. A heavier camera is easier to hold steady, a lighter camera is easier to store and carry. Some cameras offer a multiple exposure option that will let you take a preset number of exposures when you press the button. A self-timer will allow you to automatically shoot a picture after a preset period. The remote control option will let you operate the camera from a distance. Other options include date and time indicators that stamp the image, and display the information when viewing the picture through the camera or software, and sound recording, which lets you add captions to your photos.

Most cameras come bundled with software that allows you to edit your photos. The type of software varies with each camera, and it should be a consideration when buying the camera.

There is no such thing as the ultimate camera. You have to consider your photography goals, your budget and your experience level to determine what camera options will be the best for you.

About the Author:
Gerri Stone publishes information about all types of photography at Discover Photography
Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Tips To Successful Amateur Photography

2006-10-24T13:10:00.000+01:00

Tips To Successful Amateur Photography
By: Mohamed Rabea

Whether you just have a simple point-and-shoot camera or the more expensive digital SLRs, you can definitely take quality pictures like the pros do. It’s not the type of camera that takes great shots, it’s the photographer. If you don't know how to correctly take a shot, you can take a really bad picture from an SLR camera.

As long as you know how to correctly take pictures and are willing to make some adjustments, taking great photos will be easy for you. Here are some tips to help you shoot like professionals even with your simple digital camera.

1. Would you like your shots to have a warmer feel? Most shots taken from a digital camera without any adjustments look cool and clammy. This is because the white balance setting is set to “auto” as default which is fine for snapshots.

If you want a warmer effect, though, with sharp colors, you may want to set the white balance to “cloudy” setting instead of auto. This is like adding a mild warming filter to the lens of your camera. Cloudy setting increases the yellow and red colors adding a richer and warmer effect to your shots.

2. Polarizing filters can be one of the most important investments you can add to your digital camera. These filters reduce the glare and unwanted reflections on your shots. This is great when you frequently take landscape and outdoor shots. Pictures taken with a polarizer have richer and more saturated colors.

If your camera won't allow filters, like a simple point-and-shoot camera, don’t fret! You can still have a polarizing effect on your shots by placing a good quality pair of sunglasses in front of the lens. It gives an effect similar to a polarizer. Just make sure that you place it to the lens as close as possible and the rims are not seen.

3. For an outdoor shot with shine, use your camera’s “flash on” or “fill flash” feature. This lets you control when you want the flash to go off, instead of it deciding when it wants to. This mode exposes first the background then adding enough flash to illuminate your subject.

For great results, place your subject where the sun illuminates the hair from the side or back. Alternatively, to let your subject be comfortable and not be annoyed by the sun’s heat, place your model in the shade then use the flash to illuminate the subject.

However, built-in flashes only have a maximum range of 10 feet. Thus, it would be better not to go too far from your subject.

4. Taking detailed shots of objects like flowers or small insects is easy with your digital camera. Most digital cameras have a feature called “close up” or “macro mode” usually indicated by a flower sign. With this mode turned on, you can take shots of objects as close as possible. However, you only get a shallow field-depth when taking close up pictures so it is better to focus on the most important part of the subject then allow the other parts of the image go soft.

5. Leveling the image may be difficult for amateurs as well as some pros. One way to get a level or an even shot, especially of a nature shot, is to look for some horizontal lines as guide. If you have a view of the horizon, where the sky meets the ocean, you can use that as your leveling guide.

If it still is difficult for you, you can try to take several shots at different angles so you’ll know which one would give you the best shot. After some time it will become natural for you to take even shots.

These are just some of the tricks you can do to take wonderful shots on your digital camera, be it a simple point-and shoot kind or the more professional SLR type. Photography is really an enjoyable and fulfilling hobby, especially when a lot of people also appreciate your shots. And it is not that difficult to have shots that most people will like. Just explore, read different books, and take advice from pros and you’ll surely be one of them in a matter of time.

About the Author:
Mohamed Rabea http://www.orlando-photographer-now.info

Article Source: www.iSnare.com