ProPhotoSource Photography Resources

Photography and Bad Weather Conditions

2009-03-31T08:59:00.001-07:00

When dark clouds roll into the sky most photographers run for shelter, but the ones who stay out and brave the weather can sometimes capture the most amazing photos. Bad weather can give photographers a chance to capture rain photos, snow photos, or even lightning photos. In the world of photography the rarer and harder to capture photos tend to sell for a higher price; so there is a potentially large market for bad weather conditions if you are a photographer.

Rain Photography

When it rains outside the moisture tends to create a shiny surface on most materials. In the cities the rain causes the streets to shine and the buildings to look gloomy. In the countryside the grass can shine with the right amount of light and droplets of water hanging from branches and leaves often sparkle. The clouds that accompany the rain also diffuse the available sunlight spreading it equally and removing shadows. I have found that rain can create amazing landscape, wildlife, and even portrait photos. Animals tend to curl up or tuck their heads into their fur in order to keep dry and warm offering some amazing nature photo opportunities. Portrait photos in the rain can also be very compelling because the light reflected off of people's faces can often dominate the frame because the rain dampens the light reflected off of surroundings.

When it rains you will probably have to use either a longer shutter speed or a wider aperture because the clouds tend to also block out direct sunlight. In order to be prepared for rain you should have a waterproof bag for your camera as well as an umbrella or something else that you can use to shield the top of the lens so water doesn't reach the front of the lens and leave water droplets. I also always carry a tripod in the rain so I can make sure that I can do a long enough exposure without having the results blurry from cold shaky hands.

Lightning

Many photographers spend hours trying to capture a bolt of lightning lighting up the scene in their photos. Lightning is definitely one of the hardest things to capture in a photograph. It definitely requires a tripod and often requires a very long shutter speed. Most photographers try to capture lightning by using the "bulb" option of shutter speed where the photographer simply just manually holds the shutter open as long as necessary until a bolt of lightning streaks through the sky and then the photographer closes the shutter right after the lightning passes so it is as bright as possible in the frame.

Snow Photography

Snow can change a landscape photo into a winter wonderland photo. The whiteness of the snow tends to add a nice contrast to the normal colors of a scene which makes for very effective photos. Snow photos can also make for unique nature photos and can often sell for a higher price because they are so appealing. Unfortunately some snowy locations where the very rare animals live such as penguins and polar bears are very hard to reach and require a great deal of risk and effort.

Bright and white snow can be trickier to capture effectively then most photographers think. The light readers on cameras tend to see snow as very bright so it sets the exposure for the brightness of the snow leaving the background and other objects almost as dark as a silhouette. Most experienced photographers overexpose the snow photos they take leaving the snow as bright as it is in real life and the rest of the frame well-exposed as it should be. Snow can also disrupt the camera's automatic white balance sensor so you should also make sure that you either adjust the white balance to suit the snow or switch the auto white balance mode to the snow white balance mode.

Storm Chasing

There are many serious and adventurous photographers that have devoted their careers to getting the best photos of hurricanes and tornadoes that Mother Nature has to offer. This type of photography is very dangerous but can also provide some high priced photos that are demanded by magazines and news conglomerates all over the country. Extreme storm photos are one of the only types of photos that can bring fear to the viewers who have the privilege of seeing them. They can also inspire wonder in viewers at the destructive power and forces of nature.

Storm photography requires some durable equipment and different techniques then other more normal types of photography. Some photographers stay relatively far away from the storm and just have to deal with rain and high winds. These photographers usually have covers and lens cleaners that they can use to clear the lens of water droplets quickly before they are ready to take a photo. Other photographers commonly leave cameras set up on tripods in the paths of a storm that they can operate by remote control from a safe location. These cameras are put in protective cases and have special tripods that can be drilled into the ground.

Conclusion

Bad weather should be looked at as an opportunity by photographers instead of as a nuisance that is avoided. Some of the best photos that I have taken have been in situations where there was rain, snow, or wind. I recommend that all serious photographers should carry a tripod and some kind of covering that can be used shield the camera from wind and moisture if they are going on a long trip with unpredictable weather. The successful photographers are the ones that are ready and willing to deal with difficult circumstances that other photographers would normally avoid.

Richard Schneider is a digital photography enthusiast and founder of http://www.picturecorrect.com/ which offers tips and news about digital photography, digital camera reviews, and photoshop tutorials. Please also visit http://www.picturecorrect.com/freewallpaper.htm where there is free high resolution desktop wallpaper available.

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Photography Business - What Happens When You Shorten Your to Do List and Lengthen Your to Be List

2009-03-24T18:17:00.001-07:00

Rodney Washington

Let's face it, many of us are slaves to our to-do lists the things that we feel we and we alone must do. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself "why am I doing this?" You see with all the demands of entrepreneurship it's so easy to become caught up in busy work that we sometimes forget who we are and why became photographers in the first place.

If you find yourself feeling stuck or experiencing low energy levels that could be good indicator that you're dealing with some form of overwhelm which will eventually lead to frustration and potential burnout. ((

Typically this happens when our time is too scattered and our mind are so solely focused on putting out fires that we miss the big picture.

The following exercise and questions below will not only help you uncover the places and areas that is most likely zapping your energy but will help you to realign your focus and goals.

The first step: Write a current to do list (do this for a several days up to a full week)

Don't leave anything out, everything from doing the laundry to chauffeuring your kids to and from soccer practice to picking up prints for a client from the photo lab. The key to making this exercise work is to leave nothing out. ((

The longer you do this exercise the better because when we move on to the next step you will have a clear picture of what you're currently doing and why you can't seem to "find the time" to get anything done for your business or yourself.

Next step: Take out at least four sheets of paper and on the top of each page write the following on the top of each page (one item per page)

Let Somebody Else Do It
Put Off Till Later
Forget About It
"Fun and Should Be Doing More Often"

Final step: Run each the items on your 'to do' list through the following four questions:

1. Can someone else do this task, instead of me? And If so whom?( - Write these tasks on your "let somebody else do it" page.

2. Can this task get done later? Not urgent and doesn't require your immediate attention(- Write these on your "put off till later" page. One word of caution: the key to making the most of this list is that you eventually move it to one of the other three lists or you could run the risk of dealing feelings of guilt because it "never" seems to actually get done.

3. Is this task worth being bothered with? Many of the things that we think are so important when facing the cold light of day can actually be squashed. (- Write these on your 'forget about it" page. I would also highly suggest that you physically toss or burn this page. Doing this exercise will actually help you experience a feeling of release.)

4. Is this task a priority for you? Will it bring you more income and let you have more fun in life?(- Write these tasks on your " fun and should be doing it more often page. The next step is too immediately schedule these items on this list and get busy making them happen. The sooner the better.

Clarity is the key to having a successful business and life. Often the only way to become clear about where you're going is to become clear about what you're doing.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your free access to my audio course and 61 page special report 5 Secrets To Running A Successful Photography Business That Didn't Teach You In School. You'll get them as a bonus when you subscribe to the Photo Marketing Minute, a free weekly ecourse on the business of photography and photographic marketing you can get it all at http://www.photo-marketing-mentor.com

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How Do You Save and Store Your Digital Photos?

2009-03-01T13:42:00.001-08:00

Jim McDade

One thing's for certain: We sure do take a lot more pictures now that we have a digital camera. Right?

The problem is ... what to do with all this files once we have them?

Here are my suggestions:

1. Get them out of the camera and off the memory card they're stored on.

2. Use the software that came with your camera to view, evaluate and sort them.

3. With most software programs you can separate the good ones you might want to print or share from the not-so-good ones that'll end up in the Trash or Recycle Bin sooner or later. Create a new - separate - folder for the good ones so you won't get confused later. (For image editing pointers, check out the "Photoshop Tips" page on my website. (See Link below)

4. Once you're sure your files are safely downloaded, use the camera's (NOT your Computer's) "Erase All" or "Reformat" option to clean these files off the card so the camera is ready to use next time ... and you don't get confused wondering which files are which.

"Let's see ... Were these the pictures I took last Christmas ... or was it Easter, 2006?"

5. Of course, you can leave all your photo files on your hard drive and forget about it ... until you start running out of space. Then you'll have to decide whether to keep stuff that you'll probably never look at again or store it elsewhere.

Assuming you want to keep these files, here are the two best ways to do it:

- Buy an external hard drive and drag everything there. (This is also a good backup and safety measure for protecting your files - photo and otherwise - because someday your computer's hard drive IS going to crash. They all do sooner or later.)

- Copy photo files to either a CD or DVD. Label them appropriately and store them in a box somewhere. CDs hold about 700 megabytes of data, DVDs hold 4 gigabytes or more. I suggest that you use only "R," not "RW," CD disks. They're more stable and can't be accidentally erased or overwritten.

I prefer to use the external/internal hard drive approach these days. I have a HUGE external USB drive that's connected through my router to all three of the computers in my house and studio. That's where just about everything gets stored. I also own two 80 gig external Firewire drives, another 120 gig external (just for my laptop), and a second internal 120 gig drive that automatically backs up my main hard drive three times a week.

Obviously, unless you're a complete photo-nut like me, you probably don't need THIS much storage. But you DO NEED something.

So decide what it will be. Choose your system - disks or hard drives - and develop the habit of using your system consistently.

Remember ... these are YOUR pictures. These are the images you've created to record the important people, places and events of your life!

Jim McDade is a professional photographer and a Digital Photography and Photoshop teacher. For more great Digital Photo tips visit http://www.jimsdigitaldiary.com

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Have a Priceless Picture of Your Pet? Put it to Work in One of These 6 Photo Contests

2009-02-21T16:17:00.001-08:00

Cattie Coyle

If you have a pet or spend time around animals, chances are you have a lot of photos of them (I have thousands of my dog, I'm not kidding). Why not share your photos with the world and get a chance to win a prize at the same time? Here are six photo contests (ordered by deadline date) where you and your pet can gain fame and recognition, and in several cases help support great causes.

Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest
Not overly glamorous-sounding, this annual event held by the Humane Society of the United States does support a great cause: raising funds for spaying and neutering. The contest is open to everyone, and there are two categories: Judged and Fundraisers. Prizes in the Judged category include your photo featured in print and online, and gift certificates to Humane Domain, HSUS' online store. In the Fundraisers category, 500 winners are picked, and prizes here include a studio session with renowned pet photographer Amanda Jones, custom paintings of your pet, books, and gift cards to Humane Domain. The contest is free to enter, and you may submit as many photos as you like. Deadline for 2009 is February 27.

Faces
Photo District News' "Faces" contest is not strictly an animal photo competition, but one of the four categories is "Animal Portraits". It's open to pros and amateurs, and you may enter as many photos as you want, either as single entries or a series (max 6 photos that make up a story). The cost to enter (for amateurs) is $35/image and $50/series and prizes include digital cameras, online portfolio, and your photo in print and online. The deadline is March 16, 2009, but you may enter as late as March 30 for an additional $10/entry.

Equine Ideal: Spring 2009 Photo Contest
Open to both pros and amateurs, this contest, sponsored by the Equine Photographers Network, is obviously all about horses. There are 14 categories (7 pro and 7 amateur), and the cost to enter is $15/image. Prizes include photo equipment, membership in the Equine Photographers Network, canvas photo prints, and more. Entry deadline is March 20, and winners will be announced on May 11. This is an annual event, so if you miss it this year, keep your eyes open for the 2010 contest.

Pets & Pals Photo Contest
American Humane's annual competition is usually held in the summer, and this year, they will open up the contest somewhere between June 15 and July 31 (check their website for updates). There will be six categories: Dogs, Cats, People&Pets, Petpourri, Down on the Farm, and Shelter Life. Prizes have not been announced yet, but last year's winners received generous cash prizes. Open to pros and amateurs.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
ASPCA's annual photo contest always centers around a theme. In 2008, their 9th contest, the theme was "About Face", and the winning photo, an adorable picture of a cat peeking through a hole, ended up on the cover of their Animal Watch magazine. The proceeds from the contest go to a fund for health care for abused and injured animals, so enter as many photos as you can afford! No information is available for the 2009 contest yet, but keep checking their website.

Club Equestrian
Club Equestrian, an online community for horse lovers, holds monthly photo contests with great prizes for those who spend time with horses (the January prize was a pair of Ariat boots). The contest is open to all US residents, and it's free to enter (you just need to sign up for a free membership). Each month has a different theme, and the winning photo is selected based on the number of votes it gets from other CE members. Deadline is the 19th of each month, and voting begins on the 20th.

Cattie writes about pink digital cameras and helps you choose the right camera for you

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How Snow Can Enhance Your Wildlife Photography

2009-02-10T16:30:00.001-08:00

Andrew Beebe

Folks either endure or enjoy a heavy snowfall. I choose the latter, at least as it affects my wildlife photography prospects. Snow transforms a landscape into fleeting majestic wonder. Its effect on wildlife behavior can be profound. So too, its impact on the ability of the wildlife photographer to locate and capture phenomenal scenes can be profound.

Illinois recently received a winter blast with about eight inches of snow here in O'Fallon. Our landscapes transformed overnight. Snow has a way of emphasizing subtleties and producing signs of wildlife that wouldn't have otherwise been present. I live in a suburban neighborhood and found cottontail rabbit tracks in the snow through my front yard. While I've spotted rabbits routinely in neighbors' gardens, I certainly would have never known one traversed my yard had it not been for the firm snow capturing the prints and preserving them until the next thaw.

By carrying to the wild this potential to suddenly see what was subtle or never existed without the snow, a wildlife photographer is provided tools not previously realized. In my wildlife photography, I attempt to leverage every advantage to place me and my wild subject as close as possible and leave as little to chance as possible. While someone on a stroll through the woods may happen upon a golden wildlife photographic opportunity, deliberate tracking, scouting, and positioning greatly increases the odds of encountering a priceless subject in an equally priceless setting.

First, and perhaps most notably, snow provides a suitable substrate nearly everywhere. Typically, tracks are encountered along water banks, in mud, in loose dirt, and elsewhere sporadically. Snow on the other hand, suddenly reveals every incursion of its surface and becomes very telling when being analyzed for animal behavior. A story of rare or nocturnal animal travel is soon told in fresh snow.

Next, snow tracks and sign are visible from extremely great distances. I recently stood at the edge of a field of hundreds of acres and could clearly see the track a fox had taken and the point at which it entered the woods on the far side of the field several hundred yards away. I was able to track deer through heavy woods, see the path they took, and position myself for the most likely opportunity to see them before they saw me. Their scat was clearly visible in stark contrast to the freshly fallen snow, and its freshness easily discernible based on when the last flakes had fallen.

Another great advantage snow brings is that it covers many food sources for animals and drives numerous species to fewer, more predictable locations. By locating those limited sources and properly concealing yourself, your odds of encountering multiple subjects is compounded.

Animals go to great lengths to expend as little energy as possible. As such, because of the difficulty traversing snow, many animals will begin sharing travel routes. They do so anyway, but this concept is exponential in snow. Deer will concentrate their routes into fewer paths and disperse again after snow melts. With proper concealment, a photographer can be in position along these concentrated routes to discover a wider variety and a greater concentration of subjects.

Finally, snow provides unequalled photographic composition. A candid shot of a wild animal in its natural habitat is magical. But in snow, it takes on an entirely different dimension. Just make sure to adjust your camera's ISO setting down to around 100 and the exposure 1.5 to 2.0 stops. If your camera is equipped, consider bracketing the shots to allow multiple images of the same subject with varying exposures.

So the next time you have a snow day, charge the batteries, don the layers, and experience just how much your familiar stomping ground takes on new dimension with the presence of a fresh, crisp snowfall. You won't be disappointed!

Andrew Beebe is a wildlife photographer and proprietor of ShutterSplash Photography. He teaches animal tracking, sign, and behavior to help photographers locate wild animals and get as close to their subjects as possible. Classroom and field sessions are offered to groups or individuals interested in locating animals for once in a lifetime photo opportunities. His website is http://www.shuttersplash.com.

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Digital Photography - Shiver and Shoot

2009-02-03T17:38:00.001-08:00

Ronald Kness

Winter photography doesn't have to be an unpleasant experience as the title suggests. As a matter-of-fact, winter provides an excellent time to get out of the house and do some digital photography. The first step, of course, is convincing yourself to go outside. The second step is finding your subjects. The final step is keeping yourself and your equipment comfortable.

First Step - Be prepared. If you don't already have the clothing discussed later in this article, go out now and purchase them. You may also need to purchase extra batteries for your camera or look at buying a remote battery pack you can carry next to your body. Connect it to your camera with a dedicated cable and you are set for a day of shooting.

Second Step - Winter hosts a wealth of subject matter. Many of the same places you visit in the other three seasons are also appealing in the winter. Shooting a sunrise with a frosty mist in the air or a sunset during a light snowfall create dramatic photos. Some ideas are try shooting evergreens branches bending under the weight of snow, a red barn surrounded with snow or hoarfrost gathered on bare tree limbs. If your area has waterfalls, try shooting a frozen waterfall. Another nice shot is frost-laden red berries hanging on a branch framed against a blue sky. For side-lit subjects, look for early morning or late day shadows from a split rail fence or a wind-sculpted snowdrift. Because of the white snow, you run the risk of underexposing images. Prevent this by adding 1.5 to 2 stops of light to your TTL (Through The Lens) metered exposure.

If you shoot multiple pictures in the same light on an automatic exposure mode, add 1.5 to 2 stops of light by using your digital camera's exposure compensation feature. If you shoot in manual mode, add light by either using a slower shutter speed or a smaller f-stop number. Another way to properly expose pictures is by metering off of a gray card positioned in the same light as your subject. With the gray card filling your viewfinder, take your exposure reading and set your shutter speed and/or aperture to these values. Plan your shots. Look for bold bright colors to offset the monotone white of snow. Use a slow sensor speed, such as ISO 100, thereby maintaining fine grain detail and color saturation. If you shoot under cloudy conditions, use a white balance setting of cloudy and offset the bluish cast caused by the high color temperature of the light.

Third Step - You won't enjoy your digital photography outing if you are uncomfortable. Because at times you stationary and at other times trudging through the snow, you have to dress in layers. Layering allows you to take off clothes when you start to get warm and put them back on as you cool off. Wick away moisture from your skin by dress in polypropylene undergarments. You still have the mobility and will retain body heat, but you lessen the clammy feeling from sweat. As far as the outer layers, dress in a breathable fabric that also stops the wind from penetrating, such as Gore-Tex, Polartec or Thermax. Wear two layers of socks on your feet. The pair touching your feet should be polypropylene and your footwear should be of a type having removable felt liners. Wear a stocking cap or a warm hat with earflaps under your parka hood so you don't lose body heat through your head. Hand ware is always a problem when shooting in the winter.

Solve this problem by wearing a light set of gloves under your heavy mitts. This way when you take off your mitts to adjust your camera controls or to take a picture, your hands will not freeze. If you're using a metal tripod, cover the legs with foam pipe insulation available from your home improvement store. Today's cameras and lenses should operate down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit and colder if you keep them moderately warm. Keep your camera under your parka when not shooting. Dry snow usually isn't a problem, but the heavy wet stuff can be. Place your digital camera in a large freezer bag.

Cut a hole for the front of your lens to stick out and secure with a rubber band. Add a lens hood to keep the snow off of the front element of your lens. When finished shooting for the day, place your camera in your camera bag, zip it tight and let it warm up slowly so that condensation will not form. Moisture is the death of your digital camera if moisture collected inside and you turn it on. Carry spare batteries. We all know that digital cameras are power hogs anyway and the cold takes power out of your batteries. Have enough batteries with you so you can rotate them when they get low. Keep spare batteries close to your warm body and they will revive so you can keep using them.

Closing - Snow shots provide some stunning nature and landscape opportunities. If you dress properly and keep your self and digital photography equipment warm, winter photography can be enjoyable. So while other photographers have stowed their equipment until spring, get out and shoot. You will not be disappointed. Happy shooting!

If you liked this article, visit our website at Sunlight Media for more tips and techniques.

Ron

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Why Winter Photography is So Hard to Master

2009-01-27T08:05:00.001-08:00

Peter Gitundu

Winter photography is probably one of the hardest photography you can master. This is usually caused by the fact that we set our cameras on automatic as a way of ensuring the camera does its own tricks. However the camera apparently does not like the snow because white is always too bright unless it is at night.

You have probably tried taking photos during winter time, which probably gives some of the best scenes you would ever wish to get on camera. Like people skiing, snow fights and many more. Well I bet you have tried to capture all this beautiful scenery but when you look at your photographs they are either overexposed or underexposed.

Well, I have winter photography story that came to me luckily. I was in my backyard taking a family photo of the twins as they played on the snow. I got lucky as they were tired of snow fighting and were practically covered in snow, I told them to stand together so I would take a shot, after, I moved them to the backyard door where there was little or no snow and by one snap of my finger I got a great shot. You could still see the snow on them but the one on the ground I made sure I removed it. So I guess you could say take less of the snow and more higher shots this way even if it reflects it won't affect. I forgot to say that I was in semi manual at the time and had set the aperture settings for less light.

Peter Gitundu Researches And Reports On Photography. For More Information On Winter Photography, Visit His Site At WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY You Can Also Post Your Views About Winter Photography On My Blog Here WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY

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Winter Photography

2009-01-18T16:52:00.001-08:00

Terry Girard

Introduction

Winter photography is trickier than you may think. This is the most difficult season to capture in photographs. The brightness of the snow can fool the cameras meter. The snow will be a bright white however the cameras meter may see it as a neutral gray and underexpose the shot. When this happens your snowy scene will be dull. Make use of the following tips and your winter photography will improve. The trickiest part is to get the snow a nice clean white. Protect yourself and your equipment.

Be sure to dress warmly in layers. You can always remove a layer if the day starts to warm up. Keep your head and ears well covered and be sure you know the symptoms of hypothermia. Get a good pair of gloves that are thin enough to allow you to make adjustments while still supplying warmth for your hands.

Also take a friend with you for extra safety. You cannot be over cautious when venturing out into the cold for winter photography. Be sure to check out the weather forecast before leaving and do not forget the hot chocolate. Keep your camera in a plastic zip lock bag to protect it from the elements. Cut a hole in the bag for the lens to stick through and secure the bag with an elastic band. Allow your equipment to acclimatize to the conditions. This applies to going from indoors to outside as well as going back into the house. It will take a little while for your equipment to adjust to the difference in temperature. If your lenses fog up in the cold do not blow on them or wipe them. The moisture in your breath will condense on the lens and then freeze. If you wipe the lens it could cause a smudge that will interfere with the shot. The fog will disappear in a few minuets.

To remove snow flakes from your camera use a brush.

Of course winter photography means cold weather so make sure you put extra batteries in an inside pocket to keep them nice and warm. The cold can have a huge effect on the batteries and you may need to change cold ones for warm ones several times, just warm up the cold ones in your pocket and they will recover. Never use a heat source to warm up the batteries, as that would be extremely dangerous.

Settings

Set the white balance manually. Many photographers use the snow itself to set the white balance. Adjust the camera to spot metering and then use a bright patch of snow to make the setting. Bracket your shots and keep notes on what you are doing. You can then match your notes to the photos later on to see what worked best.

Use the manual setting instead of the auto or semi auto positions. By doing this you can make adjustments to the exposure more easily. Meter the shot off of the snow and start with setting a +1 stop. I get the best results by setting the exposure to between +1 and +2.5.

Using the fill flash can help to bring out the details in some scenes. A good example of this would be to eliminate deep shadows on a persons face.

Freshly fallen snow is pure white and lacks features and texture. Increase exposure by +2 stops as a starting point. If you can see some features or textures in the snow when the light strikes it at an angle then it is not pure white. If this is the case do not overexpose too much or you will lose the details. Try a setting of +1 to +1 ½ stops. This should maintain a nice white for the snow and keep the detail as well. On an overcast day increase by +2 to +2 ½ stops.

Getting the shot

When metering for winter photography set the camera on spot metering and meter off of the snow. For best results use an area of snow that will be included in the scene. Walk around and see the scene from all the different angles; take your time to get just the right view.

Be on the lookout for contrasts. There may be areas that are not covered with snow, such as rock formations or exposed areas of fields. These can make for some great photos. Consider early morning and late afternoon for shooting. At these times the light is at an angle and can produce some fantastic colours and reflections.

Make use of a polarizing filter. This will help to deepen the blue of the sky and eliminate any unwanted reflection off of the surface of the snow or ice.

Keep an eye open for elements that will enhance the photo. For example straight lines and sharp angles such as fences and power lines can add an element of drama, while curved lines such as pathways or rivers can soften the mood. Always be looking for patterns in the scene. After a brisk wind you may see some fantastic patterns in the snow. Ice formations can also produce some great patterns. Do not be afraid to look real close at surfaces and use a close up shot if necessary.

Summary

When doing winter photography be sure to protect yourself and your equipment. Prepare properly before venturing out and you will have an enjoyable session. Meter off of the snow and make your adjustments from there. Bracket your shots and experiment with the settings. Take a lot of shots and keep notes on what you are doing but most important of all, have a great time.

For more great articles and photography information, including tips and techniques see my web site.

http://www.ultimate-photography-tips.com

This is a must visit on your photography adventure.

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Digital Photography Tips - How to Take Winter Photos

2009-01-06T06:45:00.001-08:00

Decio Fernandes

Many people that have just started taking photographs have no knowledge that, when taking pictures of snow, the properties in their cameras are set to counterbalance the abundance in light that is reflected in the snow. Because of that, snow is captured as gray or blue instead of white. Fortunately, there are two solutions for this simple problem that frequently happen in the winter. You can change the setting to "beach" or "snow" mode and the camera will self-adapt to the bright light and fix the issue. The other solution is to manually manipulate the camera to recognize the snow as it should, while observing the effects through the LCD screen.

At the same time it is not easy photographing snow because of all the bright light, once you realize what you can do to overcome that problem, you are instantly blessed with breathtaking and exclusive images that you cannot obtain in any other season. There is usually such a striking difference in colors that make winter pictures unique and extremely attractive.

Whenever taking photos outside, photographers are usually confronted by some difficulties. One of them is when the picture ends up being too dark because the camera tries to compensate for the intensity of light. In this case, most people use the flash to help with the lighting. You can also choose the "action" mode to make sure that any moving subject is captured precisely.

There is such a wide variety of photographs that can be seen in winter photography. All the contrast and textures of nature are simply infinite.

Take your photos to the next level! To learn more tips visit Digital Photography Tips

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Tips For Winter Photography

2009-01-04T19:39:00.001-08:00

David L Whittle

Don't put your camera away at the end of fall. Winter time is an opportunity to use your camera in lots of different ways. We should start by covering a few points to consider when using your camera in winter .

Number 1 is dress for the weather! There is nothing worse than being cold, wet and miserable.
Take a warm drink?

Secondly, you need to take a few basic precautions, or just a little care and protection, with your camera.

If it is cold when you take your camera out of the bag, car, house or whatever, you will be moving it from a warmer environment to a cold one. You will notice that the camera, lens and viewfinder will mist up

This is condensation. Do not rub the lens to clear it. This will completely obscure your nice, clean lens.

Wait for a while until it clears - that is when the camera cools down to the surrounding temperature.
A handy "tool" to carry is a microfiber towel for wiping any moisture off the body. These towels can be found in most outdoor/camping stores.
Do not put a wet camera back in the bag.

If it is wet or raining keep the camera in a plastic bag, one of those you can buy from any grocery store, and make a hole for the lens. You can use the controls through the bag. Cameras, especially digital cameras do not like to get wet. Water and electronics do not go together.

Batteries do not like the cold either and the charge will not last as long during cold weather. The solution is to take spare batteries and keep them somewhere warm, like your inside pockets.

Now we are ready to take photographs why go to all this trouble?

Winter is a time to take dramatic shots of frost, snow and ice, stark landscapes, mysterious mist and fog, and is also ideal for black and white photography.

The light in winter is less so increase exposure and use a tripod or similar to steady the camera.
If using a compact camera try using "night" mode.

However, if there is snow on the ground there will be a lot of reflected light so exposure needs to be reduced.
If you do not have a DSLR camera use the "bright sunlight" mode.

Alternatively, focus on the darker areas of your scene, apply focus lock by pressing the the shutter release halfway, then swing back and set your scene and shoot!

Wet streets, artificial lighting, reflections in wet streets, low winter sun - the list is endless and only limited by your imagination.

In all instances, if your camera is capable, bracket all your shots. You can set to auto or manual bracketing. Check how to set up for your camera in your manual.

With a little practice you will be able to get a least that one great shot out of the bracketed shots.

Remember that with digital cameras you can get an instant replay, adjust and take again until it is right, and also that most digital imaging software on your computer can enhance your shots further.

Good luck with your photography!

David Whittle has written articles on digital photography aimed at beginners and novices, with the minimum of technical details. http://www.simpledigitalphototips.com

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Learn the Secrets From Photography Schools

2008-12-29T08:07:00.001-08:00

Maria Theresa Garchitorena

With the advent of digital cameras, the Internet is now bombarded of countless digital photographs and amateur photographers. Perhaps, you have your own photo blog and you have joined a couple of photo sharing sites. But does this make you a photographer? Can you truly say, "I'm a great photographer," if you have received a couple of comments saying, "Nice photo!"

Learning fro Photography Schools

However, your passion for photography is certainly a key ingredient to becoming a good or great photographer. If you have the passion for capturing that perfect moment then you might just have a chance of becoming an artist and perhaps earn money from your skill. To learn faster and to learn the basics of photography, you should definitely consider taking classes. Fortunately, there are many photography schools online. Of course, you can always go to your local photography school. But if you want to save money on gas, why not go online and make use of that Internet bandwidth.

By going to a photography school, you'd soon turn your hobby into a profession. Perhaps, you can make a living out of your acquired-photography skills. Along the way, you'd learn more about your passion. You'd learn what kinds of photography interest you. Before you reach this point though, you need to learn from the expert and the service of experts is what photography schools offer.

Looking for Photography Schools

Perhaps, you can now open your favorite search engine and key in the words, "photography schools," you'd be amazed by how many schools there are online. You definitely would not have a tough time looking for a photography school. It doesn't matter if you're 18 or you're 80, you can enroll and learn photography. Just make sure, however, that you can trust the school you pick. It is a great idea to check on the expertise of the instructors. Check their portfolios. Are these anyway impressive to you? You should also check feedbacks on the school and its instructors. What do their students say about them? Make sure that you're confident with the abilities of the instructor before you enroll.

What You Will Learn

There are a lot of things that you can learn from photography schools. Here are some of the things that you'd learn from photography schools:

• You'd be taught to use your camera properly. You'd soon learn to distinguish between a regular camera and an SLR camera.

• You'd learn what lenses to use in particular shots so you'd be able to capture the image and give the subject justice.

• You'd also learn the various photography techniques.

• You'd understand what composition is.

• You'd know how to apply creative photography techniques.

• You'd learn various color use concepts. You'd learn how to use and play with various colors. You'd learn when to use black and white or when to apply color negative.

• You'd also learn how to control your camera and how to pre-visualize the outcome before you actually take the picture.

Of course, these are just some of the things you'd learn. So, if you love photography, why not enroll in a photography school now?

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Photography - A Memory Preserver

2008-12-25T18:26:00.001-08:00

William Cristopher

Photography is used by amateurs to preserve memories of favorite times, to capture special moments, to tell stories, to send messages, and as a source of entertainment. Many mobile phones now contain cameras to facilitate such use. Photography is all about light, and as photographers, we're constantly thinking about the light as we photograph a scene. Light dominates our thoughts during the photographic process, and light continues to be a defining element when converting your RAW captures to "real" digitalimages. Photography is an art and those of us who choose to practice the great art of street photographyought not be targeted by bullies like Blint. Many of the great artists, artists being shown in the SF MOMA itself were practitioners of street photography.

Photography is a language; it has syntax and structure like English. As with a language, there are many ways to understand how to use the language. Photography is also increasingly asserting itself on the auctionblock as an important investment. And its prices in the galleries and at the major fairs reflect its serious status.Photography is one of the most basic, quintessential prototypes for how a "small business" works. It's the single-celled creature of the business world, making it the easiest to analyze, experimentwith, test, and retest.

Photography is a type of art. With the skillful use of the artist's hands, photography can bring out the subject's "personality" and create almost magical moments which might not ordinarily be achieved through other means of self-expression. Photography is a creative endeavor, if you removethe pressure to capture every angle and view of a location, you free yourself up to be more creative and your results will be much better. Photography is not art any more than oil paint is art. Some photographers used it to create art.

Photography is the confluence of chance, observation and memory. Photography and Art tap into the very life force that drives us. Photography is an emotional and intuitive process for me. Scenes, objects, and the subtleties of light and colour are like emotional bookmarks. Photography is an art that is capable of ?

Photography is so much a part of our culture now that we hardly even notice all the places that it exists. When you watch television, look at a magazine or even view a billboard on the highway, this is all because of photography. Photography is no different than cave painting, we all want to tell our story, some want to record that story for others who missed out. Did you see the anguish in her face, did you notice the mother's reaction?". Photography is the dream, the interval, which we take to be the real. And yet secret tears flow behind these portraits.

Photography is an entire hobby in itself, and a thorough exploration of it is beyond the scope of this article. If you are interested in Professional RC aerial photography, or just want to know more, get a book from the library on photography and read it. Photography is a life-long hobby for many people. But for many thousands more it is a vocation. People who gain ability in photography can put their knowledge to work by making their living in it. Photography is also just plain fun, and it's a wonderful foundation for community-based projects. If you introduce photography properly, it helps you look much more carefully at the world around you.

Photography is finally escaping any dependence on what is in front of a lens, but it comes at the price of its special claim on a viewer's attention as "evidence" rooted in reality. As gallery material, photographs are now essentially no different from paintings concocted entirely from an artist's imagination, except that they lack painting's manual touch and surface variation. Photography is HOT in the international art market. People in the know buy photos by hot artists from hot dealers, the way some savvy businessmen buy blue-chip stocks. Photography is probably the most accessible form of art in the world. Granted, a box of crayons is cheaper than a disposable camera, but in theory you do not need any technical skills to use the camera.

Photography is an art form that should not be squelched. Transportation is a huge part of our lives, and documenting this whether it be subway photos, or pictures of trains and airplanes, has a long history and tradition in this country Photography is also a large part of our modern news media and journalism. Photography is an expansive art form that includes more than just portraiture, landscape or glamor photography. Both professional and amateur photographers may favor specific types of photography over others.

Cameras also provide histograms to help you determine if a photo has been properly exposed. Histograms will be a subject for a future article. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or triggered automatically. Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, balloons, blimps and dirigibles, rockets, kites, poles and parachutes. Cameras are changing and improving. Methods of developing are changing and improving as well.

Cameras in the nineteenth century were large, took photographic plates and required a long time for exposure. Subjects in portraits would have to sit for minutes, and some photographers would use restraints or posture holding devices to reduce movement. Cameras do not focus infrared light the same way they do visible light, which is one reason infrared photographs tend to be a little blurry. Cameras with a pentaprism (as opposed to pentamirror) ensure that little light is lost before it hits your eye, however these often increase the cost of the camera significantly. Larger format sensors also produce a brighter viewfinder image (such as full frame 35 mm, compared to 1.5-1.6X or smaller crop factors).

Stock photos are professional photographs of all different subjects that are sold individually or as a set, usually on a CD or on the Internet. Clip art is line art such as drawings and illustrations rather than photographs. Stock photography websites contain thousands of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. Legally, you cannot use a photo you find on the web without the photographer's permission.

Practice your photography skills and improve your class projects. Practice this at home in a dimly lit room and without a flash change the shutter speed settings on your camera. The manual you got with the camera should explain this more in detail.

Subject movement is also an important factor to consider. Macro photography magnifies the subject, leaving more room for blur. Subjects in all lower case tend to escape notice in a busy group like RPD, and those in ALL CAPS tend to get actively ignored?probably because many experienced Internet users take all caps as SHOUTING.

Phantom of the market

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Using Canon Lenses For Christmas Portraits

2008-12-23T05:07:00.001-08:00

Arianna Kimberly

It's Christmas time once again and what gear would be perfect for our Christmas portraits and candid shots during all the festivities? If you know the basics of photography more or less you will be able to identify what your really need. But first of all, I can honestly say that for portraiture you will need an external flash. Something that may be equally helpful is a bounce card or a stofen to difuse and/or enhance the lighting that you want. If your camera has a built in flash, remember that built in flashes cannot be compared to external flashes. Bear in mind that with taking portraits, built in flashes can be limiting.

What lens should you go for? Always think about the range that you want and your budget as well. For prime lenses, the budget friendly Canon 50mm f/1.8 is an ok choice.

This is a good choice for beginners. The opening is wide enough (you'll have a shallower depth of field thus resulting in a more blurred background) and it's pretty fast considering its cost. But if you have the budget you can go for the Canon 85mm f/1.8 USM. Another wonderful (though a bit expensive) prime lens is the Canon 35mm f/1.4L. The problem with prime lenses is that your range is limited for obvious reasons and always consider the range that you want.

For zoom lenses, you can opt for the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L . In my personal opinion, this is a good range for portraits. You can also go with the 70-200mm f/4.0L IS or the 70-200mm f/2.8L for a longer range (if you have room, this can be great for candids). For low light and indoor use, a wide opening such as the f/2.8 or wider will be perfect.

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Photography: Songs and a Poem at Christmas

2008-12-22T04:51:00.001-08:00

Dr. Mark Clayson

Some songs for the festive season

The twelve days of Christmas

(… or "Don't keep buying me photographic stuff")

On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love sent to me …

Twelve filters filtering

Eleven tripods holding

Ten flashes flashing

Nine models posing

Eight grips a-gripping
Seven hoods a-shielding Six weddings booking Five D-SLRs Four camera bags Three photo mags Two shutter lags And a winner in every photo comp

Jingle Bells (… or "I don't want to be doing this")

Dashing through the snow Along a muddy track O'er the fields I go Camera on my back

Rain and cold and ice Will never stop desire My friends – that's very nice - Are sitting by the fire

Oh, snap, snap, sneeze Snap, snap, sneeze Coughing all the way Oh what fun that I could have If I was snug like they

Twas the night before Christmas

(… or "If anything can go wrong, it will")

Twas the night before Christmas And all through the place A photographer wandered To catch Santa's face

He'd set up his tripod And cocked up his shutter When he heard in the chimney A cough and a splutter

He steadied his camera And charged up his gun For the best of all candids In life he had done

With a soot cloud of blackness Down Santa he came The photographer pounced A great image his game

But the lens he discovered, As he saw Santa's foot, Had poor optic properties - it was covered in soot

Eric Hartwell oversees the worlds best home page a user-led resource - do you wish to contribute your opinions?

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Types and Features of Digital Cameras

2008-12-19T14:47:00.001-08:00

Fredrick Joy

Everyone is behind some sort of entertainment and there will be a variation only in their interest. Some have a special interest in photography and in order to satisfy their interest there are well featured digital cameras are available in the market from all leading brands. Earlier, people were using SLR cameras and now the trend has changed where they have now switched over to digital camera. A great difference lies in capturing the images from the normal SLR camera with the digital camera.

The quality in capturing images through digital camera is far better which gives a natural look for the images that are captured. Resolution, sensor, brightness and colour of the images differ from that of the other model cameras. In the conventional type of camera, film is used to capture the images, but in the digital camera it does not require any film to capture the image because they are stored electronically both in audio and video format. When compared with the conventional cameras, the storage capacity in the digital camera is high.

Digital cameras are used to store images in the digital format whereas in the conventional type camera the images are stored in analog format. Cameras are available in two different types meant for amateur and professional users. For those who like to learn photography, the conventional SLR cameras help the most. Because in these type of cameras, the settings has to be done manually which paves way for the amateur users to learn more about the technical features involved in it.

Video camcorders, digital cameras and webcams are the different type of cameras used. The digital camera technology has attained great heights with the help of CCD digital technology. The shutter speed, digital zoom, video motion detention and menu driven programmability are some of them to mention. The other advantages of the digital camera are the automatic light control, aperture and shutter speed. Apart from the camera, few other factors that help for better quality output are the tripod, zooming lens are some of the accessories to mention.

So, taking these advantages into consideration, the photography lovers are more convenient using the digital camera because they are light weighted and has user-friendly options putting the users at ease in using the digital camera. Also there are online guides are available for the beginners who are planning to buy a new digital camera. The new users can surf through the net for valuable tips and guidance for handling the digital camera.

Read unbiased reviews on best selling digital camera brands including Panasonic, Canon, Casio, HP, Kodak, Minolta Digital Camera Reviews and10MP, 5MP and 8MP Digital Cameras at digital camera reviews site.

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Cheap Photography Backdrops

2008-12-05T18:40:00.001-08:00

Wendy Pan

The backdrops are the real tools which provide the depth of the attraction. It is the place where in people can make the photographs look more attractive as well as more beautiful and eye catching. There are numerous photographers who have tuned to digital photography with varied reason. However, this majority of photographers changing their usage of traditional cameras to digital cameras are mainly because of some great benefits for the photographer. In this modernized period of time it has became possible for the photographers to make a variety of changes to their digital cameras. So, it is seen that there are majority of people who have adopted digital cameras with the changing technology. The reason that are generally in inclusion are cost, clarity, convenience and many other things for the liking of digital cameras.

Finding the perfect backdrop becomes quite an easy job. You can make cheap photography backdrops with your digital cameras. However, there are people who also make cheap photography backdrops for traditional cameras. There are people who find also old cameras more convenient than the new digital cameras. It all depends on your point of view.

In general there are two types of photographers, namely amateur and professional photographers. These amateur and professional photographers are provided with several different back drops. Digital backdrops would be excellent for and individual to give it an extraordinary blazing image of the photograph. Digital backdrop is never the cheaper option available, as there are quality photographs which have the resemblance of the modern professional photography. Few backdrops are treated for the family back drops, and friend's backdrops.

These backdrops are one of the easiest things to use when it is laid with comparison between other all software's. The blue and the black, both the dark colors tend to be the best in transferring the color and the style which makes the photograph attractive. The backdrop can be transparent on which you can paste the image using certain tools such as photo editing.

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about photography backdrops, please visit Best Photography Resourse for current articles and discussions.

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Photography and Fall Weddings - Color Your Memories With Autumnal Hues

2008-11-20T14:33:00.001-08:00

Jacqueline Z

As the leaves begin to change, Halloween decorations start appearing on doorsteps, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner, the world transforms itself into the perfect setting for a wedding. A time of the year rife with American tradition and characterized by crisp, cool weather, it's a great season to celebrate a union without carrying the cliche of a June date, or having to compete with more major holidays like Christmas.

Fall holidays and traditions bring a heightened sense of home, family and fun, taking a wedding from simply romantic to memorable and inclusive. The colors of the season provide a warm and welcoming color palette to work within, and the natural influences of autumn give you a great reason for a rustic setting. Traditional reception locations can be replaced with settings like an old inn or schoolhouse, a refurbished barn, or a historical home.

For a more formal or indoor setting, the accoutrements of fall can bring the outdoors in-sheaths of wheat, berries and bright foliage can compliment flower arrangements in a tasteful way. In addition to the warm, autumnal jewel colors, metallics like gold and bronze can highlight dresses, cakes and décor for a sparkling evening-the ambience can be equally inspired by the season with the natural lighting of a fireplace or candle luminaries.

With warm colors and natural, golden lighting, a photographer's job is made is easy. The beautiful setting that autumn offers to a bride and groom translates into classic pictures, reflecting the love of the couple and the tradition of the season.

Brad Baskin is a Chicago wedding photographer who has over 20 years in shooting weddings and fashion photography.

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It's Holiday Photo Time

2008-11-17T18:53:00.001-08:00

Suzanne Vandegrift

Once we start decorating for fall, we fast move into Halloween, move quickly over Thanksgiving, which shares the stage with the Christmas decorations. But all of these holidays are great opportunities for making photographic memories. The fall season gives us spectacular colors we can enjoy outdoors and inside our homes. We can enjoy these beautiful, vibrant colors in floral arrangements, candles, and garlands. We can also take to the road, with a packed camera bag, and take fantastic photos of nature's beautiful colors.

Thanksgiving is a holiday that sometimes gets skimmed over or squeezed into just one day, the fourth Thursday of November. Then we move right on to the mad rush of Christmas shopping and Santa Claus the day after. But Thanksgiving is meant to be a warm, family holiday. One that deserves to be captured on film and memorialized. Our family has a long-standing Thanksgiving Day tradition. Every child in the family, small enough to fit on the family turkey platter, has their picture taken in it, before the turkey takes its place of honor. I cherish these photographs and the memories they recall. So this year, take your camera bag with you to Grandma's house and make some memories of Turkey Day.

That brings us to the holiday season of parties, lights, school programs, and church events. Make sure you're prepared. If you don't have enough memory cards, get what you need. If you have enough, but you also have a lot of pictures on the majority of them, now is the time to sort through them, transferring the ones you want to keep onto your computer and deleting the others. Check your batteries. If you use disposables, make sure you have an adequate supply. If you use rechargeables, make sure they're charged. Know your camera. Have the battery supply, either disposable or rechargeable, to see you through whatever function or outing you plan.

If you are planning a large family holiday gathering that you really want to have photographic treasures of at the end of the day, handle it similar to the way you would a wedding. No, I don't mean you have to hire a pricey photographer and pay hundreds of dollars for a photo album. But, consider designating one, or two if it's really a large function, to take all the photographs. With a large family, you'll probably have people jump at the opportunity. Ask the volunteer to bring their camera case early, so you can discuss the must-have photos. It will also give you a chance to get photographs of the decorations, food table, and anything else you'd like before it's enjoyed by your guests.

And, then we move on to one of the most enchanting aspects of the holiday season, beginning with Halloween, clear through Christmas. The lights. There are ghosts, pumpkins and witch lights; turkey and harvest lights; leading up to the height of the season with sparkle and glitter everywhere. There are lights inside and outside our homes, in the stores, in the streets. Almost everywhere you go there is a display of holiday lights of some magnitude. Getting good photographs of these wonderful displays can sometimes be difficult.

As with many things, timing is key. Many people wait until it's completely dark before they take their camera bags out and set up to take those treasured annual pictures. And, when they get to see the results, they're often disappointed, but not sure how to get a better shot. The answer is to photograph those outdoor holiday displays before it becomes dark.

The time of day to get the best quality photograph of holiday lights is just before it gets completely dark. If you start taking your shots when the sun is just starting to set and continue taking pictures until it is almost totally dark, you will get some amazing photographs. Nearly every community has at least one neighborhood that goes all out decorating with thousands of lights during the holiday season. If they don't already, talk to the homeowners and ask them to turn their lights on before dark just one day during the season, to allow you, and perhaps others, to come and photograph their displays. Offer to provide them with a print of their lights in appreciation.

Once you've set the date with the homeowners, pack your camera bag with your camera, lenses, memory cards, and batteries. Take a tripod, since you need the camera to be as steady as possible, and using a tripod would be the best way to accomplish that. You'll want to take as many shots as you can, since you have a short period of time to work in. You'll be amazed at the wonderful results you'll see in these images by using this simple technique.

Suzanne VanDeGrift has developed this article for M-ROCK.COM, manufacturer of quality camera bags.

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Fall Foliage - Tips For Creating Great Fall Photos

2008-11-12T16:54:00.001-08:00

John Huegel

Here are some tips for creating great fall images.

1. Use Indirect Light. Try to avoid bright sunny exposures, which tend to increase the contrast and brightness of the colors. Instead, try for partial or full shade. Shooting on overcast or rainy days can emphasize the earth tones and the depth of color of fall trees and leaves. Raindrops on fresh fallen leaves can deepen the colors and create great patterns of light.

2. See Close and Far. While you may be spellbound by a mountain covered in colored leaves, your camera may not capture the full detail. Try to get some detail of individual leaves or trees in the foreground.

3. Compose for Impact. Foliage is usually an emphasis on color, but you can also capture shapes, lines and patterns through close-ups of leaves and other items. To keep the image dynamic, consider the "rule of thirds," where your object of interest is not in the center, but placed at an intersection of imaginary vertical and horizontal lines which split the viewfinder into thirds in both directions.

4. Control the Focus. A wide open f-stop (low number) will sharpen the item in focus but will blur much of the background. This is good for close-up shots of leaves and people. Point-and-shoot camera users can choose the "portrait" setting to achieve this effect. A small f-stop (large number) will put more of the background in focus, but will also lower the shutter speed and be more susceptible to blur from camera shake or object movement. Often the "landscape" setting on a point-and-shoot will set these preferences.

5. Balance the Brightness. If you have people in your image, you may need a touch of fill flash to lessen the "raccoon eyes" and give them a bit of brightness compared to the background. Try to balance the brightness of their faces and the background foliage so that you don't have one underexposed and the other too bright. If you place your subjects just at the edge of a wooded area, their faces will be lit more than the trees behind them, creating a focal point of interest.

6. Know the White Balance. If you can't set a custom white balance, you may want to try the "shade" setting. Often cameras will get confused with all of that color, and you may end up with skin tones that are strange.

7. Stabilize the Camera. If your camera settings result in a shutter speed less than 1/100 sec, you may want to stabilize your camera. This can be as simple as setting it on a rigid surface such as a rock or fence post, or bring a monopod or tripod. Monopods make great hiking poles! Don't hold your point-and-shoot out at arm's length and expect to get a crisp shot.

8. High Quality. Normally I recommend higher ISO (sensitivity) for shady or darker scenes, but in this case I recommend to keep the ISO low to capture all of the detail of the colors and leaves. Higher ISO often brings with it noise, and you want to limit that. So try for ISO100-200 if you can.

9. Don't Forget the Fruit. This is a great time to get some shots of the fall fruit stands. Baskets of apples, squash and grapes are great studies. So are pumpkins, haystacks and corn. Take some time to appreciate the color and fall bounty. Mums and other fall flowers are in full bloom as well. These images make great icons of the season.

10. Finish Creatively. Even though there's lots of color, try finishing some photos in black and white and/or sepia to emphasize lines and shape. Play around with brightness, contrast and saturation to provide more depth and interest. Consider printing and framing some images, or making up some note cards to give as gifts.

To Summarize: High quality, stable shot, good lighting and composition, creative framing and good exposure control. Use your eyes and creative talents, and capture some great fall images!

John Huegel is a photographer in the Erie, Pennsylvania area who specializes in Seniors, Dance Studio, Families and other groups. He is active in many charitable and volunteer activities in the Erie area. His work can be seen at http://jhphotomusic.com

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Photography Lessons - Basics - The Rule of Thirds

2008-10-19T17:24:00.001-07:00

Prince Vasquez

I am an absolute photography enthusiast. My eyes have always been fascinated by the art of photography. In this "Photography Lessons - Basic - Rule of Thirds" article, I will share with you a basic yet a very popular and helpful technique that will surely enhance your the way you take photos.

Perhaps the most well know principle of photographic composition is the "Rule of Thirds". It's one of the first things that budding digital photographers learn about in classes on photography and rightly so as it is the basis for well balanced and interesting shots.

What are the basics in using "The Rule of Thirds"?

The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts. Mentally divide your viewfinder or LCD screen into thirds, using two vertical and two horizontal lines to create nine smaller rectangles and four points where the lines intersect. It has been repeatedly shown that by placing objects over these intersections, a pleasing and balanced arrangement often results, whether the composition is horizontal or vertical.

Too often, photographs have their subject placed smack in the middle, making the image look dull and uninteresting. A simple shift in composition can change all that. The Rule of Thirds is probably one of the cardinal rules of composition. When an image's center of interest is placed at one of these intersections, balance in the picture can often be achieved by placing a secondary object (known as a "counterpoint") at the opposing intersection.

How does this help improve my shots?

Using the Rule of Thirds helps produce nicely balanced easy on the eye pictures. Also, as you have to position things relative to the edges of the frame it helps get rid of ' tiny subject surrounded by vast empty space' syndrome. The Rule of Thirds is fairly structured but there are a great many methods you can employ which rely on your ability to "see" things and incorporate them into your composition.

Conclusion

The Rule of Thirds may be a great way on having great and well balanced images. But as they say rules are meant to be broken. One last thing about the Rule of Thirds for the time being, once you have got the hang of the Rule of Thirds you will very quickly want to break it ! Its ok.. It's how you interpret your subject. Always remember, photography is an art where anyone or everyone can tell their story.

Prince Vasquez
Photography Enthusiast
http://photographylessons.site90.com/

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5 Tips for a Children's Fall Photo Shoot

2008-10-02T20:07:00.001-07:00

Barbara Ryan

Here are 5 tips to get you started in taking some great pictures of your children outside this fall, perfect for that custom holiday card.

The Fall is a perfect time of year for outdoor photography. The colors are spectacular and make a wonderful natural backdrop. It's much easier to get a good picture outside in the natural light that it is inside.

1. Get down low.

Get down to their level, sit on the ground and just watch. Try to capture a moment. Getting young children to pose is next to impossible to don't even try. Capture a natural, active moment, the laughter and giggles. If they are old enough to pose, by all means, give it a try. Any picture taken outside in a natural setting will look natural even if the subjects are posing.

2. Check your background.

Make sure all you see is landscaping. Try not to have a car, or house or any other object that would detract from the picture in the background. Use nature, hedges, a large bush, a fence, or near trees.

3. Be Prepared.

Hold your finger on the button, press slight to focus and be ready especially if you have a digital camera because all digitals have a little delay from when you press the button to when they take the picture, but you can reduce it to almost nothing if you half press the shutter button and are ready.

4. Take lots of pictures.

This is especially easy with digital since you can always delete all the ones that aren't the "money shot." Snap away and you will surely get a few fabulous pictures.

5. Use the Season.

Fall is a great time of year for outdoor shots and perfect for getting that personalized holiday card. Rake up a pile of leaves and let the kids jump around. Add the pumpkin to it, a small bale of hay. Have the children hold an apple. Or take the pictures at the pumpkin patch, or on an apple picking excursion, both perfect natural settings. A trip to a park can also be a great location. Or a simple colorful pile of leaves in the backyard is a perfect backdrop.

Happy snapping!

Barbara Ryan operates, Cherish Collages – Custom Photo Collage Design a business dedicated to creating unique personal keepsakes and gifts from photographs. Visit us for more information on Custom Holiday Cards.

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Resolution and Print Size

2008-09-01T15:05:00.001-07:00

Peter Martin Jones

All digital images are made from grids of tiny squares (pixels) with most cameras using anything from 2 to 12 million (or 2 to 12 Megapixels). When you print your images, the most important thing is that the pixels must be so small that they are invisible to the naked eye. This prevents the print looking like a pattern of tiny squares giving the dreaded "fuzzy" or "pixellated" appearance but just how small do the pixels need to be?

Print resolution is measured using pixels or points per inch (ppi). The higher the ppi, the smaller the individual pixels in the image and the less likely you are to see them and the sharper the print will be.

A 100 ppi print has 10,000 pixels per square inch, which means that there are 100 ppi horizontally, and 100 ppi vertically. The consensus is that for true photographic quality you need to be printing at around 200 ppi, which corresponds to 200 x 200 = 40,000 pixels per square inch. This guide is based on viewing the prints from a distance of around 18 inches - the average viewing distance. If you are going to hang a print on the wall however, you can get away with much lower resolutions as you will be viewing it from a greater distance.

Images taken with a digital camera have a fixed, maximum number of pixels dependent on the CCD sensor chip of the camera. If your camera has a 5MP (5 million pixels) model you can easily work out the maximum print size by using the relationship:

Print size = number of pixels divided by the print resolution

So for a 5 million-pixel image at 200ppi (40,000 pixels per square inch) the maximum print area is:

5 Mp = 5,000,000 divided by 40,000 = 125 square inches, or roughly 10 x12 inches.

Similarly, we can calculate other sizes

3Mp = 3,000,000 divided by 40,000 = 75 square inches or roughly 10 x 8 inches

4 Mp = 4,000,000 divided by 40,000 = 100 square inches or roughly 10 x 10 inches.

6 Mp = 6,000,000 divided by 40,000 = 150 square inches or roughly 10 x 15 inches

8 Mp =8,000,000 divided by 40,000 = 200 square inches or roughly 12 x 16 inches.

If you have Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements or a similar program you can see all this worked out for you. Click on "Image" from the main menu and then on "resize image" and make sure the 'resample image' option is not ticked (click on it if it is ticked) and you will be shown the maximum print size that corresponds to your image.

Many people wonder why everyone quotes a recommended print resolution of 150-300 ppi when their inkjet printer has a maximum resolution of 2880 dpi or even higher. The reason is a simple one. Inkjet printers use tiny dots of ink in three, four, six or more colours to reproduce all the colours necessary to achieve a vast range of colours using complex 'dithering' patterns.

These dots are incredibly small. For example at 2880 dpi, there are over eight million dots in each square inch of the print. However, more than one dot is required to represent a single pixel, which is why printer resolution is dots per inch and print resolution is pixels per inch.

Now that you know how it all works, you will know how to determine the maximum print size you can achieve without running the risk of producing "fuzzy" prints.

If you like being able to make very large prints, it will also help you to decide the Megapixel value of your next camera. So if you like to regularly produce 12 x 16 inch prints that look fabulous, you may decide to purchase an 8 Megapixel model.

My name is Peter Martin Jones and I enjoy computing and photography in both film and digital formats.

If you would like to look at a completely free book on digital photography and other freebies, then you may like to visit my web site at;

http://www.picturememory.co.uk

The book covers everything from choosing a camera through editing your images to scanning your old film negatives and slides and uploading your image files to the internet. Everything you need to know for successful digital photography.

The book is based on my experience as a photographer and the many questions I have been asked by people who find some aspects of digital photography confusing or who simply want more information.

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Photography - One Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

2008-08-23T13:27:00.001-07:00

Gabriele Utz

Commercial Photography - what is it? It is probably best defined as any photography to which money exchanges hands. In this light money could be paid for the subject of the photograph or the photograph itself. Wholesale, retail, and professional uses of photography would fall under this definition. Commercial Photography can be split into different categories:

Advertising Photography: Photographs are taken for the purpose to illustrate and/or sell a service or product. If you are an advertising agency, design firm or in-house corporate design team you do best if you have a good selection of professional photographers to choose from.

Fashion and Glamour Photography: This type of photography usually incorporates models. Fashion photography emphasizes the clothes or product, glamour emphasizes the model. Glamour photography is popular in advertising and in men's magazines. Models in glamour photography may be nude, but this is not always the case.

Food Photography: Used for editorial, packaging or advertising. Food photography is similar to still life photography, but requires special skills as high quality cameras and lenses, different filters, certain computer software and so on.

Photojournalism: Photographs made in this context are accepted as a documentation of a news story. We see them every day in the magazines and newspapers. Have you ever asked yourself what it needs to take apicture like you see them in a glossy fashion magazine?

Portrait and Wedding Photography: It is a major commercial endeavor that supports the bulk of the efforts for many photography studios or independent photographers. You definitely don't want that these photographs are not looking good! It's on of your most important day! Portraits are also a popular item and it takes a pretty good photographer to catch this certain smile, the glance, the typical look on the face. It's not the photographer in a mall who takes the best shots. Professional photographers take up to 150 different pictures in color, black and white or sepia and out of this amount they take the 20 best which will be presented to you.

Fine Art Photography: Artistic Photographs which are taken to fulfill a vision, and will be reproduced to be sold directly to the customer. Fine Art Photography can be found at exhibitions, at a museum or in our directory.

Landscape Photography: Photographs of different locations made to be sold as postcards, for calendars, as posters and for touristic purposes.
Wildlife Photography: It is capturing all kinds of interesting animals in action, such as in eating, fighting, or in flight. The techniques of wildlife photography differ greatly from those used in landscape photography. In wildlife photography wide apertures are used to achieve a fast shutter speed, freeze the subject's motion, and blur the backgrounds, while landscape photographers prefer small apertures. Wildlife is also usually shot with long telephoto lenses from a great distance; the use of such telephoto lenses frequently necessitates the use of a tripod (since the longer the lens, the harder it is to handhold). Many wildlife photographers use blinds or camouflage.

This was a small summary of some photography styles which are supposed to be the most important ones. The market for photographic services is very big and not everyone who owns an expensive camera can call himself a professional photographer. If you need photographs for self-fulfillment or for commercial purposes you deserve the best professional photographer. And it is possible.

Discover our US-Nationwide directory for professional photographers and hire your favorite photographer for FREE.

- Go here: http://www.FindPhotographers.us

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How to Photograph Groups - Tips on Photographing Groups

2008-08-10T17:49:00.001-07:00

Bobby Jonnes

How do you photograph a group and make it look good. This is a question I am often asked.

First thing to remember when photographing groups is that they need to be controlled. You as the photographer need to take charge and tell them exactly what you want them to do.

There will be occasions where you have plenty of time to set the group up, and there will be events, for example weddings, where you don't have much time.

Settings are important too, I'll talk a bit more about that later in this article.

There are a number of aspects to keep in mind when photographing groups. The first is to consider the size of the group. If it is no more than say twelve or so, you can get away with composing it in a single smooth and flowing composition. If it's a much bigger group you should consider a number of smaller tighter compositions within the bigger group.

Secondly is it a formal or informal group? By this I mean you would choose your composition depending on both the size and expected formalities of the group.

So a group family portrait will usually be less formal than say a group of church elders.

With the church elder group which normally numbers around twelve, you could pose four at the front sitting on chairs, four standing behind them, positioned so that you can see them in between the seated row, and four standing on a step at the back. You would turn each pair of two on the left of center to face slightly inward and each pair on right of center to face slightly inward.

You would check that they all look similar, for example all to have jackets either buttoned or unbuttoned, not a messy mixture of both!

You would check that you position all of their hands in a similar fashion, i.e. all at their sides or all behind. Never pose men with their hands clasped in front of them, it doesn't look right!

Settings for photographing groups are important too, be aware that the presence of steps will enable you to separate the group into tiers, whilst flat ground will present you with the challenge of arranging the group so that all can be seen!

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have written a comprehensive guide on wedding and group photography.

Visit my site for more information Wedding and Group Photography Guide

Bobby is a photographer and author. He has been commissioned to shoot thousands of group events, including weddings.

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Cheap Digital Camera Lessons You Can Take to the Bank

2008-08-03T15:15:00.001-07:00

Matthew Chang

Doesn't it drive you nuts when you see the pictures that someone just took and they look amazing! For some, it just seems like everyone else is taking great pictures except you. Taking good pictures of people can be hard, but don't despair. An average digital camera can take great portraits if you keep a few simple guidelines in mind. Here are some solid fool proof methods that can help you snap great pics with that digital camera you have and get those great stills you've always wanted.

Choose the right camera settings. You did buy a camera with features right? So why not use them? Most digital cameras have a "portrait mode" built in. You can activate it by turning dial on your camera to the icon of the head. What this does is affect the depth of field, allowing you to get a sharp picture of the image in front, the person, and blurring out the stuff farther in back.

To get an even sharper image, blur the background even more. What you want to do is zoom the camera lens all the way in. This makes the background blur even more, throwing your subject into even sharper relief. Turn off digital zoom on your camera. Use optical zoom, which is the real zoom on your digital.

Next, make the flash go off. Do not just let the camera flash if it needs to, because it will only flash in dark situations, and you want to have the camera flash even in daylight. What the flash will do is soften the foreground, and put a gleam in your subjects' eyes. There is a setting on your camera that will allow you to set the flash. Check your manufacturers settings to learn how.

Great pictures are taken outside if you don't have serious studio lights. You want the natural light to help. Even if you are in a less than sunny day.

Once you're outside, place your subject such that the sun is behind and to one side of them. Make sure they are not directly facing the sun or they will squint. Placing the subject with the sun directly behind them will put the sun in directly in your camera lens and you will get odd effects.

If possible take your picture in the early morning or the late afternoon. The light at these times makes for the best photography. This is when the sun is at a farther angle to you and the subjects, making for more indirect and nicer lighting.

composing and shooting: Frame your shot so you get just the subject's head and maybe their shoulders. When you get in closer, you can get cleaner pictures, and tighter shots are usually neater.

Remember to zoom all the way in and then compose your shot. Again, zooming in first and then adjusting yourself will get you the best option in depth of field.

At this point, you are going to take the picture. Hold the trigger button down half way to allow the camera to auto focus and adjust. Let your subject relax, and smile naturally. Take the picture almost when the subject is not aware, so they are more natural.

Conclusion: Here is where the real secret lies. Take several pictures. Remember you have a digital camera and you are not using film? Even professional photographers take several snaps. You really never know which is the one you will want. You can always delete what you don't like.

Matt loves looking for a cheap digital camera online. Cheapdigitalcamerashop.com has the best digital camera deals on the net.

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