photography from hobby to your very own business

Photography: From Hobby To Your Very Own BusinessWriten by Michael Colucci

Thats right. Who could say that theres no chance that your hobby could also be the foundation of your first business venture? There are a lot of people out there who are in need of a good photographer to capture images of their sons wedding, their daughters graduation or their very own wedding. Why couldnt you be the one to supply your photography services to their needs?

For the transition of photography from hobby to your very own business, there are several tasks that you have to accomplish first.

Market Your Photography Skills Sell yourself, in other words! Let people know about what you can do in the field of photography, why they need your skills and why they should hire you. Make sure, however, that you charge them reasonable rates since youre still more or less an amateur in the field of photography.

To effectively market your photography skills, dont be afraid of spending a little money on posting ads in the classified sections. Dont stop there but post about your photography business in as many places as you can.

Join Interest Groups This could be the local photography club in your community or the association of young photographers in your school. It could also be a Yahoo Group that you could easily join.

Usually, these groups are able to hold regular or annual exhibits of their works and it wouldnt hurt to expose to the world the beauty of your works in photography.

Join Photo Competitions Two things that you could enjoy when joining photography competitions: fame and fortune. Both are equally important. Fame would do wonders to your career in photography because it would let the world know about your skills and winning a photography competition may also offer the prize of having an apprenticeship under a world famous photographer. And when it comes to wealth well, when did extra money ever hurt?

Offer Your Skills For Free to Government Projects The government is always on the lookout for professionals who are willing to work for free and you should take advantage of this. Offer your photography skills for free because this would give you the opportunity to show them what you got.

Offer Samples of Your Work to Newspapers and Magazines This is just like joining a photography competition. When you offer samples of your work to newspapers and magazines, youre improving the chances that youll get noticed by the people who matters.

Although we cant say that the road to victory is easy, never give up, never stop taking pictures and youre sure to go far!

Michael Colucci is a technical writer for Photography Tips and Digital Camera Reviews - Free sites that offer photography tips and camera reviews.

is photography an art

Is Photography an Art?Writen by Edward Ginsberg

On August 19, 1839, Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre's photographic process was officially announced at a joint public meeting of the French Academies of Science and Fine Arts. Shortly after that meeting, Susse Freres published a brochure, The History and Description of the Technique of Daguerreotypy, which went into 26 editions in five months. Would-be photographers bought or made equipment and began taking pictures of their chimneys and counting the bricks.

About the time they were becoming tired of brick-counting, someone said, Chimney pictures are interesting, but is photography really art? Some people are still asking the question.

Well, that's not exactly fair. Most people made up their mind pretty quickly. A camera was, to them, a machine that was to be used to record information, and photographers were machine operators. Early photography shows reinforced this belief. The exhibitions were associated with industry and not art, and photographs were judged on their technical, not their artistic, merits. The daguerreotype competition at the world's fair of 1851 was won by M. M. Lawrence. His pictures were judged emarkable for clear definition and general excellence of execution. ... Notwithstanding their large size, they are, throughout, perfectly in focus, and are beautifully finished in all details.

Most photographers were content to see themselves as technicians. But there are always a few people who don't get the word. To this minority, photography was definitely an art form, and they set out to convince the general public of this fact. But how?

A few pioneers reasoned that if photography was to be accepted as an art form, it had to look like other accepted art forms. In short, it had to look like painting. And, unfortunately for these well-intentioned pioneers, the prevalent type of painting - the one they had to imitate - was Romanticism. So photographs had to become emotionally intense, mystical, melodramatic, brooding, somber, and exotic. It would also help if they were theatrical.

As far as technique, Romanticism was just the opposite of photography. Photographs showed great detail. They allowed people to count the bricks. But Romantics believed that so much detail didn't allow viewers to fantasize. Photographs left no room for imagination. In Romantic works, on the other hand, boundaries between shapes were blurred. Detail was avoided. Forms were only suggested. Brush strokes were evident.

In other words, for photography to be accepted as an art form, it had to stop looking like photography. So photographers found ways to destroy what was photographic about their photography in the hope that their altered pictures would pass for some form of art. And these are some of the things they did.

They found that they could manipulate a picture either mechanically, when it was being made, or chemically, when it was being developed or printed.

Mechanically they could:

* change the focus during exposure (exposure times were very long), thereby changing the depth of field

* soften the picture by use of a special lens

* use a pinhole instead of a lens

* suspend a weighted rope from the center of the tripod and create vibrations by running a violin bow over the rope

* place a flame below the lens so that heat rising from the flame would cause visible waves

In the darkroom, the photographer could:

* scrape, paint, or draw directly onto the negative

* place a special sheet of glass between the negative and printing paper to diffuse the light

* use either glossy or rough printing paper

* coat the printing paper, or selected parts of the printing paper, with layers of gum-based, toned emulsions, producing painterly effects

* use gum bichromate to rinse away details or even entire sections of a print. This process allowed the artist to create deep, textured shadows and a grainy moodiness. As the outcome of the gum-bichromate treatment differed with each print, the photographer could claim that each print was unique.

This attempt to make photos look like paintings was termed Pictorialism. The debate and the style continued into the early 20th century.

Edward Ginsberg is currently writing a book to help the beginning photographer find true happiness as he embarks on the road to creativity. Ed's photos can be seen on his website, http://www.line17.com, where he also offers a free tutorial.

how hd camaras can benefit you more

How HD Camaras Can Benefit You MoreWriten by Roberto Pina

If you own a camera, as millions of us around the world
do, you're probably aware of the fact that there are
many to choose from. The cameras of the past were
black and white, enabling you to take a black and
white photograph that printed out from the camera
right in front of your eyes.

From then, cameras evolved. Digital cameras came
out later on, which the ability to put them on your
computer or even take your camera card to a local
store and have the photos printed out on professional
paper. Over the years, cameras have evolved in so
many ways that it isn't even funny.

These days, high definition video cameras are
dominating the market. They are relatively new and
quickly catching on, giving you so much you can do
with your camera. Unlike the past, cameras are
now capable of capturing full videos as well, proving
that they are indeed capable of capturing any
memory you can possibly imagine.

High definition video cameras also offer you 20X
zoom lens or more, meaning that you can zoom in
quite a distance on things that you want to capture
up close and personal. For the most part, you can
do things with these cameras that you may have
never before thought possible.

When you capture a picture or video with high
definition cameras, you'll be very amazed at what
you see. Just like HDTV, the pictures of the
camera are very lifelike. If you have a newborn
baby, a high definition video camera may be just
what you need to capture each and every precious
moment. For this reason and many more, you
shouldn't hesitate to get a high definition video
camera - that is if you don't own one already.

Roberto Pina is an accomplished auther on many subjects. Contact him at valentineprod@hotmail.com

thousand of treasured images are lost every day

Thousand Of Treasured Images Are Lost Every DayWriten by Kesh Morjaria

Each day we take thousands of photographs either digitally or on film, unfortunately many of those images are never developed for future generations to enjoy. Imagine if our grandparents had never developed their photographs how would you get to see and experience your family history.

Downloading images from your digital camera or mobile phone to your computer is not the secure option that you may think, and may prove difficult or even impossible later to retrieve. Electronic devices are constantly being outdated, lost or stolen. Your computer can also crash or become beyond repair. Formats change at an alarming rate (whatever happened to floppy disks?) and become defunct or your online photography company could even go bust taking all of your precious images with it.

Nothing beats having your photographs developed and accessible to your fingertips, which is where Arrowfile System comes in. It allows you to store varying size images from different format cameras in one single binder album. The non-pvc re-changeable pocket refills will protect your photographs from toxics that destroy those precious memories for years to come and allow your photographs to last longer.

The traditional way of storing photographs in albums has severe shortcomings because most albums use sleeves made with PVC, a plastic that has very poor storage qualities, accelerates deterioration of your photographs and contains harmful glues that tend to destroy photos over a very short time.

Arrowfile's photography albums use non-PVC acid free polypropylene, so no more fading photographs or sticking to the plastic giving archival quality long term storage.

The Arrowfile system is unique because you have unlimited flexibility. It enables you to expand, organise and display your collection to your changing requirements by simply adding refill pocket pages and using the comprehensive indexing accessories

This is ideal for reorganising old photographs, other family documents, memorabilia and collectables that have been previously filed away that are not saved in an Arrowfile System. It is also beneficial as it saves time and money when moving old photographs to an existing album by saving on the cost of purchasing a bigger album; simply insert a new page and the job is done.

For more information on how to protect and organise your precious photographs please visit www.arrowfile.co.uk.

Kesh Morjaria - invloved in photography since a child and passionate about not only protecting but also organising in a meaningful way.

lets get digital digital

Let's Get Digital, Digital!Writen by Roger Lewis

Lets get physical, physical... you know the opening line to that song...

Well it's a good way to add a new statement on Digital Photography...

The Pro Fashion Photographers of to day, while shooting with medium format cameras fitted with a digital back, now has it down to a fine art by keeping the model in the same position and checking the image on screen immediately and making adjustments to the pose on the spot.

In a way, this has helped the Fashion Photographer to eliminate the failure factor, or to put it more bluntly, (the cock-up factor), as the client can direct the image he requires by watching a series of images on screen for his selection.

Where does that leave you, well yes you can see the images immediately on your digital cameras LCD screen, but I don't know about you, the image is so small and unless you have the eyesight of Superman your not going to get the picture.

Of course if your a Pro working in the studio, your going to have a 21 inch. flat screen along site your camera to view and select your images immediately and this is where the Pro Ad/Fashion Photographer is definitely going to score over you.

Now where is all this going and have you noticed how the new technology always seem to favour the Pro Photographer, or does it...

Consider the other advantages for the non professional photographer and how he can benefit from the new technology, apart from the obvious advantage of not using and processing a film.

By simply carrying your laptop as part of your standard kit and although the screen of your laptop may not be as big as the studio based Pro Photographer giant flat screen, in some cases this can work as well for you to have an equal advantage as the Pro photographer.

If your hell bent on creating a well composed creative image and viewing it as you progress, then with the use of your laptop it will work wonders for your photography.

For example the controlled situation of landscape photography, or your own home studio, or shooting at other locations, such as children's portrait and other part time photo sessions. The possibilities are enormous and even if you just use it to confirm that you have the shot you want, that in itself is a great advance in your way of working.

It was just over a decade ago that the pro and armature photographer alike could only shoot enough images and wait for the processing to be carried out by the lab to see if the results justified what the photographer wanted to achieve.

More than half a century ago, I can still remember the thrill of being in the darkroom and watching as the print developed in the tray and the first time I saw this I was only 13 years old and the thrill of those moments will never fade.

I was totally gob smacked be the magic unfolding before my eyes and what we all take for granted to day just doesn't turn me on in the same way as those bygone years.

If you ever get a chance to set up and work in a Black and White darkroom, I'll guarantee that you'll be spell bound. Sometimes going back to basics can really get you to see it all from a place fare above where we are right now...

I remember shooting weddings in Black and White on a medium format camera and after we shot the cutting of the cake, rushing off to process the films and returning about two or three hours later with 'Whole Plate size enlargements (8 and a half x 6 and a half inch), PROOF prints, still dripping wet and it never cease to amaze the guests at the reception, how quick the pictures were back and I still recall how they would be throwing their money at me to order prints.

Now you go to some weddings and at the reception while your eating, you can sometimes watch the shots on a huge plasma screen and think nothing of it, apart from the entertainment aspect of it all.

Lets all brake into a chorus of Those were the days my friend...

Roger and out...

To learn more about Digital Photography go here: Digital Photography

To learn more about Black and White Portrait Photography go here:Black and White Portrait Photography

Roger started his career in the early sixties at the tender age of 15 as an apprentice in a large London Ad/Fashion Studio. A few years late he became one of London's youngest most successful Ad/Fashion photographers.

In the seventies he became freelance and took most of his clients with him. He retired recently but still carries out selective assignments. He also runs several websites, one of them is: Pro SECRETS of Money Making PHOTOGRAPHY

Roger also teaches and helps photographers and beginners with advice from his vast experiences in Ad/Fashion photography.

what digital slrs cant do

What Digital SLRs Can't DoWriten by Chris Roberts

With all of the hype, it's easy to lose track of something.

Digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras don't have all of the same features as compact cameras.

While a digital SLR is the ideal camera for the photographer who wants more control, they aren't for everyone.

Before you rush out to buy one, you should know what a digital SLR can't do.

No Photo Preview

If you own a compact digital camera, do you ever hold the camera up to your face to take a photo?

I doubt it.

With a compact camera, it's much easier to use the LCD on the back of the camera to set up your shot.

You won't be able to do this with a digital SLR.

The majority of digital SLR cameras don't have this live LCD preview mode. While you can use the LCD to adjust camera features and playback photos, you can't see the photo you're about to take.

As of April 2006 there is only one SLR with a live preview mode - the Olympus E330 - which helps narrow your options if this is a feature you really want.

No Movie Mode

Digital SLR cameras don't moonlight as video cameras.

They exist to take still photos, and that is all that they do.

If you want your camera to take short video clips along with your photos, you'll have to consider either a compact digital camera or SLR-like compact camera.

The SLR-like camera will have many features of a digital SLR, but will still include the movie mode that a digital SLR lacks.

No Electronic Zoom

If you own a compact digital or have done some research, you know that these cameras have electronic zooms.

There is a lever on the camera somewhere that lets you zoom the lens in and out.

This lever is convenient, because you can zoom right in on your subject with only one hand on the camera.

With a digital SLR, you'll need two hands.

None of the digital SLR zoom lenses are electronic, which means that you have to hold the camera with one hand and zoom the lens with the other.

In Summary

Are there advantages of owning a digital SLR camera? Absolutely.

But that's material for another article. For now, just realize that digital SLR cameras can't do everything that compact and SLR-like cameras can.

If you take the plunge and get one, at least you'll know ahead of time what features you'll be missing.

Chris Roberts dispenses practical plain-English advice and information about digital SLR cameras at the Digital SLR Guide. His 5-week ecourse in digital SLR technique helps beginners get the most out of their digital SLR cameras.

getting up close in nature photography

Getting up Close in Nature PhotographyWriten by Phil McDermott

Without doubt there is something awe inspiring and wholesome in the big view. Every year there are vast arrays of calendars all full of pretty landscape pictures adorning our high street shops. Many we can relate to and one day would like to see for ourselves. Indeed, we are fortunate in this country to be blessed with such wonderfully diverse scenery. From the wide open spaces of the fens to the rugged mountains of Cumbria, Wales and Scotland. From rolling meadows to dramatic coastlines they all have an important part to play. However, sometimes with such a grand vista it is difficult to fully appreciate its beauty simply because there is nowhere for the eye to settle, no point on which to concentrate. There is just too much to take in. It is just so overwhelming.

However, if we can take a fresh approach and look hard for a moment at just part of this scene we begin to see and appreciate the finer features of the individual pieces of the landscape. Look at how they combine, fitting together like the pieces of a large jigsaw to make the complete picture. But let us now break it down into its basic components and take time to contemplate the colours, shapes and textures. We can then take this notion even further and that distant bright yellow patch becomes, on closer inspection, a rich and riotous stand of Broom. If we move closer still to the broom we see clearly the perfection and intricate detail in each flower and seedpod. Look even closer at the seedpod with its gossamer covering of fine hairs, each one an individual but reliant on its close neighbours and we can begin to understand how things fit together. Whilst this may not be a scientific approach it provides a raw and basic understanding, offers enlightenment and makes us feel an integral part of nature. So by isolating and concentrating on a small part of the whole we have simplified the subject. Made it more memorable, more basic and more powerful.

We have now entered the close up world of nature, a world that lies just beyond the familiar that is so full of rich detail and striking beauty. With an open mind, a little imagination and an almost childlike curiosity there are many more subjects for us to consider. There is certainly no need to go far. Indeed it should be seen as more of a soul searching journey, a journey of inner vision and contemplation rather than a journey to some far off place. Furthermore, the deeper we delve the more fascinating and rewarding they become. They reveal their hidden treasures without hesitation allowing us time to reflect and admire their majesty.

With this attention to detail it becomes easier to understand that the whole is clearly made up of many individual parts that are all unique. All these parts inter-relate with each other and no doubt they all have a vital role to play. Indeed, it is only by appreciating the importance of the smallest parts of our planet that I believe we can start to make any sense of nature as a whole. There is also emotion and drama to be found in these little cameos that we so often overlook, it may be something as simple as a single delicate flower growing in a boulder crevice. Hanging on and defiant, its tenuous grip on life is totally dependent on the sustenance that it draws from the debris residing in the crevice. Yet it lives on year after year, testimony indeed to its determination and resilience. It is this interrelationship that is so enduring, fundamental and compelling.

As a natural history photographer getting close to nature is a very important part of my life. It allows a far greater appreciation of the beauty and a clearer understanding of the natural world in which we live. Take for example a clear cold winters day with crispness so sharp it is breathtaking. When we start to look for details in these conditions we are immediately drawn to magical patterns in the snow, frosted ivy leaves and shimmering icicles. Ice patterns are one of my favourite winter subjects as they offer such diversity and literally capture a moment frozen in time. Some offer gracefully smooth curves whilst others display harsh jagged lines depending on the prevailing weather conditions. So even something as simple as a puddle icing over is heavily influenced by its immediate surroundings.

Light quality will also play a significant part in our appreciation of these finer details, if it is too harsh then the increase in contrast will actually block out the very detail we are trying to see. It is far better to have the diffused light that occurs with high thin cloud cover. This provides a much softer light allowing all the detail, texture and nuances to be so clearly seen. Subject colour will also influence our interpretation of the subject, for example vibrant colours like reds and yellows suggest dominance and power, whereas muted shades like grey and browns portray more tranquil, earthy and basic feelings.

Early morning is often a fine time to appreciate a wide range of subjects and a stroll in the garden will pay dividends. Flowers and grasses, for example when covered with dew or fine rain make fascinating studies, the fine hairs hold onto droplets of water so that they almost defy gravity. If the conditions are right there may be insects that have become encrusted with minute droplets of water following a night's inactivity. Butterflies in particular look stunning covered in dew as it makes them sparkle as though covered with a myriad of jewels.

So, with renewed vision and childlike wonder the natural world is without doubt a beautiful place that only requires a little time and an inquisitive mind to fully appreciate. Satisfaction and contentment can be provided by the simplest of things and with this comes harmony and hopefully inner peace.

Phil McDermott
Redstart Photography

Phil McDermott based on the Isle of Mull in the west of Scotland specialising in natural history and environmental photography. Visit Redstart Photography for further details and image galleries.

My priority is to uphold a genuine care and respect for the environment and subjects and the following pages unfold to reflect this approach. Through photography I hope to raise awareness and encourage a greater appreciation of the splendour of the natural world.

improving your landscape images part 2

Improving Your Landscape Images; Part 2Writen by TJ Tierney

We use filters in photography to bring back an image to the way our eyes have perceived the original scene. Some times its not possible for our cameras to record an exact scene - so we have to rely on the manufacturers of camera products.

If you are only going to buy one filter for your landscape photography a polarizing filter is the one youll use most. A polarizing filter can be used with colour or black and white and is probably the most important filter on the market today.

Lets take a quick look at the science behind it. A polarizing filter is made up of two pieces of glass which when rotated cut out all glare on non-metallic surfaces. Light travels in waves - these waves travel in all directions and at different rates and speeds. The polarizing filter works by limiting the amount of waves that enter your lens. You decide how many waves pass through your lens by rotating the filter.

The polarizing filter is most effective with side lighting.

For example: if you are taking a picture of a scenic lake area and there is a messy reflection of the clouds in the lake; it will be too much of a distraction in the final picture. This can be simply removed by rotating the polarizing filter til the clouds disappear. You can view the filter working in the viewfinder of your camera.

The polarizing filter will also darken the blue sky to give it a strong rich colour. It will make mist stand out and can be also used to give fast flowing water a misty effect.

You dont have to rotate the filter the full amount to get the maximum affect you need, sometimes you will only have to rotate it a small amount. You can decide best for yourself by viewing through your viewfinder while you rotate the polarizing filter.

This filter is not just for a landscape photographer.

There are many different uses for a polarizing filter, which make it so important for all photographers. Property photographers would find this filter extremely handy - when taking an image of a shop front, the polarizing filter will remove glare that reflects off the glass.

Take extreme care when calculating exposure. Remember that you will have to add two stops of light when using the polarizing.

TJ Tierney. Award winning Irish Landscape Photographer. If you are looking for more tips visit Photo tips. To view some of his images visit his on-line gallery: Pictures of Ireland.

http://www.goldenirishlight.com

absorption in photography and digital imaging

Absorption in Photography and Digital ImagingWriten by Chuck Groot

Absorption means the taking up of one thing by another; photographers employ the concept in both the chemical and the optical sense.

Certain chemicals like Calcium chloride and magnesium perchlorate absorb and retain atmospheric moisture. The sensitive emulsions of plates and films can absorb small amounts of dyestuffs that allow us to colour them as in the old-fashioned way of hand colouring. Hint save those little packages that come with medications and other items that are used to absorb moisture, because they have the above-mentioned chemicals in them and these packets can be put in your camera cases and with your batteries to keep them from being ruined by moisture.

However, the term absorption is most often used in an optical sense. Partial or total elimination of light rays can occur when they pass through a medium. For example, when we put a red filter on our background flash, it will absorb all of the other colours except the red ones. I often use a variety of plastic report covers and cut small patterns in them and place them on my background flash to create a variety of unique effects. This method is a very inexpensive and fast way to change the look of an image.

On the other hand, an article, which absorbs all of the light rays that fall upon it, appears black, since it reflects no light at all. This is a very important principal to understand. So often I have been asked by photographers why they have colour shifts, colour casts, or colour cross-overs in their pictures? I tell them that 90% of the time the reason is that their darkroom, studio space, computer room, or display area have heavy colour saturation which competes with the colours in their images.

For example, if you are working in your computer room and it has a slight pink tone to the walls and you print an image or have your lab print your image, often you will be disappointed with it. Chances are that you were correcting for the pink cast being reflected on your screen and the resulting hue your print will show will be a bit greenish. Likewise, if your studio has blue walls, these will be reflected on your subject and the lab will automatically try to correct for the cast, but you will get a cross over-effect and end up with greenish prints. It is amazing how sensitive computer screens are.

The best way to combat this problem is to have the walls in your darkroom, computer room, and studio painted 18% grey. This way you will have no colour casts on your images and low reflection to affect your light readings. This may seem over the top, but with todays highly sensitive films and digital cameras, reducing the amount of variables is the best way to go.

Chuck Groot writer, teacher, lecturer, photographer, consultant.
Email chuckgroot@shaw.ca http://www.chuckgroot.com, http://www.successfulphotography.com

Chuck Groots credentials as a professional photographer, teacher and entrepreneur are noteworthy. His work demonstrates both artistic composition and rapport with people.

Chuck guarantees the help needed to access individual potential so that students will appreciably increase their understanding of the profession and their own businesses. As an entrepreneur, his enthusiasm and innovative approach have garnered him both professional success and the recognition of his peers.
Chucks greatest delight is being able to share these skills with others.

professional styles and techniques during wedding using art digital photography

Professional Styles and Techniques During Wedding Using Art Digital PhotographyWriten by Low Jeremy

When photographers are hired to do a wedding, these professionals know what it takes to get the right shot. These people may not always tell the client to strike a pose and shoot but wait patiently to be able to catch that memorable shot.

There are a lot of great shots that can be taken during a wedding. Here are a few basic styles and techniques for those who also want to capture the event using a digital camera.

1. The individual should take these pictures with a good background or in a not so crowded place so the attention will focus on the newly weds or those who are the intended targets in the shot.

2. If there is a nice background in the back and it is hard to get both, the photographer should shoot the couple from shoulder up. Everyone will be happy and pleased when the pictures come out.

3. If some of the guests are wearing classes, these people can be advised to stand sideways or tilt the head down a little to avoid the reflection that usually occurs when the flash is used.

4. The individual should zoom in or out if there are only two or a group of people in the picture. This will also catch everyone in the shot instead of only getting half of persons body when the print comes out. This will be embarrassing so the image has to be reviewed at once and deleted so another one can be taken.

5. Proper lighting must be observed at all times. The person must not shoot the couple or the gusts against the light because only a dark image will appear after the picture has been taken.

6. The photographer should also get some stolen moment shots. This should be done when the husband or wife is doing something else or is not looking. This is the trademark of many professionals that is done during the ceremony or the reception.

People will enjoy shots such as the cutting of the cake, the toast and the first kiss or dance. The pictures taken cant be done again so the individual must be alert and present to get these images on camera.

Photography is truly an art. The person must practice the basics and learn from others to be able to do well in a wedding.

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.

what would you do if asked by complete strangers to take a photograph of them

What Would You Do If Asked By Complete Strangers To Take A Photograph Of ThemWriten by Roger Lewis

This is a great time of the year to get out and get those photos.

In most parts of the world, Spring is in full swing. Spring Flowers and spectacular weather providing sunny spells often between the rain and storms.

But what happens when somebody asks you to take a picture of them.

And for those of you in Sunny climeswill find that Young fashion in also in full swing with sexy young and not so young people expressing their fashion taste or lack of it, where low cleavage almost meats up with tattooed belly or butt. And I'm not just talking about the men!

I was in Tel-Aviv the other day, as one sometimes is, when I met up with two young ladies heading off to the beach, they were wearing their pants so low, it seemed to me a waste of time bothering to ware them at all...

Now I'm not one to complainwhen it comes to seeing more of a young lady than your use to, but I always seem to think, they didn't make them like that when I was that age and sad to think that I would have to read the instruction manual to know what to do about it if asked...

The conversation went something like this, So your a photographer, do you work for CNN, (they must had noticed my camera bag and tripod) No, I replied, they usually employ somebody less than half my age. You must be nearly 40 years old then, At least that I replied and counting...

Do you want to come to the beach with us and take some photos, OK I'll walk with you I said, after all my appointment was only ten minutes from where they were headed.

We arrived just five minutes or so after getting off the number 47 Bus in Alanby St, opposite the Carmal Market.

Will you take our photo please, and before I could make some excuse that I didn't have any film in my camera, one of them produced from her cleavage a Canon digital, point and shoot type camera and handed it to me. I thought to myself, lucky Canon.

Come on they said, We've never had our picture taken by a pro British Photographer visiting from London. Which made me realise how much my mouth must have been abbling as I had seem to have told them most of my life story in ten minutes.

I said to myself, serves you right for labbing, now I will have to compose the picture correctly, consider the angle of light, remember to turn flash on to eliminate shadows under the eyes, not to mention the shadows under the cleavage, (concentrate Rog on the task in hand), and some exposure control.

By the way this is how you should treat every picture taking experience, carefully composing your image in the frame, for example placing your subject off center in the frame and including foreground interest and making sure that you don't have a lamp post growing out of the top of somebody's head.

The thing about using a Canon camera is that it's all laid out so logically and weather you are using the top of the range pro digital or film camera or the simple point and shoot digital camera, the images are always grate.

They striped down to their bikinis, which seem to me to get briefer year by year, or was it me getting older year by year! Then my previous fashion experience kicked in and I found myself directing a 'mini' fashion shoot without all the personal I use to have in tow while on assignments in the past, including showing my two models how to pose for the camera. Well I must say they were delighted and we had even managed to attract a crowed of people, much to their delight as well.

One guy who was watching asked me how much I would charge to shoot pictures of his teenage daughter on his camera and hearing his American accent, I told him $100.00. He agreed and ten minutes later I picked up a hundred bucks before I heading off for my appointment, only arriving ten minutes late which in Israel is considered the correct time for an appointment.

The girls were taking pictures of me working while I was shooting this guys daughter and they contacted me a few days later when they had been to the lab to have their memory card downloaded to make prints of their photo shoot. They couldn't thank me enough and I had only detoured out of my way some twenty minutes and picked up 100 bucks in the bargain. I'm sure there is a moral to this story somewhere and if I think of one I'll let you know, unless you come up with one first!

Are you getting your shooting experience? You know one of the most important things in becoming a good photographer, like a pilot, is getting you flying hours. Practice makes perfect and without practice there would be no population!

Roger started his career in the early sixties at the tender age of 15 as an apprentice in a large London Ad/Fashion Studio.
A few years late he became one of London's youngest most successful Ad/Fashion photographers, with many clients asking for his services.
In the seventies he became freelance and took most of his clients with him. He retired recently but still carries out selective assignments. He also runs several websites, one of them is: PhotoRog.com

Roger also teaches and helps photographers and beginners with advice from his vast experiences in Ad/Fashion photography.
To learn more about your photography go here: Pro SECRETS of Money Making PHOTOGRAPHY

how much money do photographers make

How Much Money do Photographers Make?Writen by John S

Interested in knowing the average salary of a photographer? Well the answer to such a questions is always a little more complex and therefore requires a little thought before a solid number is able to be given. First of all, it should be noted that there is a wide discrepancy between the earnings of photographers. Some make very little money, others spend more money than they make, while still others make decent livings, some of whom even make upwards of $100,000 a year. However, according to statistics the average photographer makes between $14,000 and $54,748 with the median falling somewhere in between those two numbers.

If you want to be a photographer who makes more money than average youll need to be very strategic with how you approach your career. Below are some tips to ensure that you earn as much as possible during your tenure as a photographer.

1) Get as much photography education is possible. This industry is very status oriented. The more education you get the better chance you have of finding someone will want to employ your services. Photographers with more photography and artistic education will earn more than those without.

2) Another equally important, if not more important element to a successful and profitable photography career is to shoot as many great shots as possible of high profile events or people. Being able to name drop, or event drop in this industry will ensure you can charge the best rates in the industry. Try your hardest to get a couple high profile people, places or things under your belt. To the average person or business your credibility will automatically shoot up. Imagine youre looking to get some family portraits done and you have the option of choosing two different photographers. One of the photographers has photographed a couple of celebrities while the other hasnt. You will probably be more likely to want the higher profile photographer. Buying photography is very emotional just like all other buying. While the photographer who photographs celebrities isnt necessarily better than the other photographer, but the public will see it that way. Plus, when they tell their friends who their photographer is they will enjoy saying they are the same photographer that photographed (insert high profile name or event here).

3) Get as much experience as possible and build a breathtaking portfolio. In this industry you can greatly improve your earning potential by having a strong eye for detail. Look at other photographers portfolios and incorporate all of the most eye catching elements into your own portfolio. Always present yourself in a professional manner and make sure you get to show people your work and talk about your accomplishments.

4) A photography career requires a wide degree of creativity. Youll need to be able to change with the times and quickly change to meet someone elses photographic expectations. Working as a photographer means youll be working in a very competitive environment. This is because many creative and entrepreneurial people feel passionate about this industry. Youll need to ensure you separate yourself from the pact with your own unique style and good sense of creativity. Buy various style magazines and photography journals. Watch creative movies and learn as much about fashion as possible. The better your understanding of style the more employable youll be.

The above will hold true whether you are like half of the photographers out there today and self employed or if you are employed by a company or other institution. Being able to tell a story visually can be a very exciting thing. Now you just have to find a way to be able to do it and get paid for it!

Stare Photography School
http://www.starephotography.com

taking portrait photos with blurry background and understanding depth of field

Taking Portrait Photos with Blurry Background and Understanding Depth of FieldWriten by Ziv Haparnas

We have all seen beautiful photos where the object is perfectly focused while the background is blurred. Such a photo can be very dramatic and might seem to be hard to shoot. In this article we will give you a few tips on how to shoot blurry background photos that will impress your friends and family. You will also understand what Depth of Field is and how to control it.

Depth of field (also known as DOF for short) is the most important thing to understand before shooting a blurry background photo. Depth of field is defined as the range in which the photo is in focus. For example an infinite depth of field means that the photo will be in focus from a certain distance from the camera and up to infinity. When taking a blurry photo the goal is to set the depth of field just around the object. In this way the object is in focus while the background behind it is not.

How do you control the depth of field? After all there is no depth of field menu in the camera (wouldnt that be nice). Depth of field is an optical figure that is influenced by a few factors:

The distance of the object from the camera: This is obvious to understand when taken to the extreme. Shooting an object 10 feet from the camera will result in a smaller depth of field than shooting an object 100 feet from the camera. Obviously shooting an object which for all practical purpose is infinite distance from the camera will result in the camera focused on infinity and the depth of field being infinite too..

The aperture: The wider the aperture (f number decreases) the smaller the depth of field and vice versa: the narrower the aperture (f number increases) the greater the depth of field. Just remember that the depth of field changes along with the f number: when the f number increases and depth of field increases and vice versa. Unfortunately you can not just change the aperture as you wish. Changing the aperture results in a need to change the shutter speed (either manually or the camera can most likely do that for you automatically). The wider the aperture the more light that penetrates the lens and the faster the shutter speed needs to be so there is a limit to how wide you can set the aperture to.

The focal length of the lens: The shorter the focal length the greater the depth of field and vice versa the longer the focal length the smaller the depth of field. For example if you use normal lenses at somewhere around 50mm your depth of field will be much greater than if you use zoom lenses at 200mm. With long focal length the depth of field can be extremely small. For that reason zoom lenses are a good choice in order to shoot a good blurry photo that is practically focused only on the object.

After understanding the theory it is best to go to the field an experiment. You will get a sense of how your photo will look like and how blurry the background will be after playing with different lenses, different apertures and different distances from your object. If you own zoom lenses start with taking photos of a relatively close object while using your zoom lenses. You will find out that it is extremely easy to get a blurry background photo using this method even without setting the aperture. Once you feel comfortable with that setup start changing the aperture and also change to your normal 18mm-55mm or similar lenses.

Most cameras allow to manually change the aperture by putting the camera in A mode while you are changing the aperture the camera will automatically set the shutter speed accordingly. Some cameras allow you to manually set both aperture and shutter speed.

In conclusion shooting dramatic blurry background photos is easy with some minimal understanding of depth of field and some experimenting.

Ziv Haparnas is a technology veteran and writes about practical technology and science issues. This article can be reprinted and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. You can find more information about photo album printing and photography in general on http://www.printrates.com - a site dedicated to digital photo printing.

tips for portrait photography

Tips for Portrait PhotographyWriten by Michael Russell

Photographing a portrait is both very easy and very difficult. Anybody can shoot a portrait. The photographs we take of our children, friends, parents, teachers are all portraits. But, we are also aware that some are better than the others. Let us analyze the factors that make a portrait better than the others.

A successful portrait has always the quality of making an impression on the viewer. The impression left may be because of some physical aspect of the photographs subject, or it may be of some subtle characteristic getting underscored. The portrait makes a dramatic statement about the subject. It is very individual. A simple photograph of a person that does not leave any imprint on our mind cannot be called a portrait. The portrait always reveals something about the person. It may be some mood, some attitude or some mannerism which constitutes the personality of the person.

A photographer who is able to bring out these features in his portraits is a successful photographer. Now, how does one do that? It depends mostly on the personality of the photographer, but it can also be learned.

The photographer should always be in command of the situation. He is the 'boss' of the moment. He should be able to strike a rapport with his subjects. This can be achieved by starting a small conversation with the person. It can be small talk about the currently popular topics, or the photographer can try and find a subject which strikes a chord in the person being photographed. This will put the subject at ease; make him animated and more alive, bringing out some interesting aspects of the personality of the person.

But this is not a rule. Many great photographers used to remain very serious and focused on their work, but still took great portraits. It is all in the personality of the photographer. Something in the photographer must evoke respect in the subject, so that he or she cooperates and does what the photographer wants. A good portrait photographer should have a real interest in people. He should be a keen observer of the human nature. He should be quickly able to make out the outstanding traits or habits of the person and make them appear in the portraits.

The photographer can take his photograph in the natural surroundings of the subject. This definitely is advantageous, since it puts the other person at ease. However, this is not always possible, in which case the photographer can make use of his studio. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. In natural surroundings of the subject the lighting may not be proper and even, or surroundings not so appealing for a good photograph. In studio, everything can be controlled, while the natural ease of the other setting will be missing.

The natural light is always better but in many cases this light is uneven and is not good for photography. In that case, one has to think of taking pictures indoors. The surroundings can be used to emphasize certain aspects of the personality of the subject. The background can be made to reflect or enhance certain attitude or mannerism of the person. For this, certain props can be used. It can be a hat, a cigar, a fan or a toy in the case of toddlers. Sometimes, photographer also uses a completely black or white background. In these cases, the focus is entirely on the subject of the photograph. Some very beautiful portraits can be seen with such stark backgrounds.

In the end, it is mainly the personality and maturity of the photographer that plays a major role in bringing out a good portrait. No rules can be defined for taking a great shot. One has to experiment and use one's own imagination and sensitivity to find one's unique individual style.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Photography

three steps to overcome photography block

Three Steps to Overcome Photography BlockWriten by Chris Roberts

Photographers and writers share a lot in common.

Both practice to perfect their technique, both convey story and emotion through their craft and both benefit from deep wells of creativity.

Unfortunately, they also share something negative in common: block.

Just as a writer can feel stuck trying to find the right word or form a sentence, a photographer can't find anything to photograph. The trained eye that can find fascinating subjects in mundane surroundings stops working.

Once photography becomes a constant in your life, at some point you'll come up against a bad case of photographer's block.

The good news is that there are three steps that you can take to get your creative juices flowing again.

Take Out Your Camera

This probably sounds like the dumbest advice of all time. Of course you have to take out your camera!

But let me take this advice a step further: make sure your camera is in your hand.

It's not enough to have the camera in a bag on your shoulder, and it's not enough to have it dangling from a strap around your neck. When you're feeling blocked, you pass up photo opportunities due to a lame excuse: it's too much effort to get the camera ready.

But when the camera's in your hand, it's always ready. You don't have any excuse not to take the shot.

Once you take one, your right brain engages and you start seeing great photo subjects all around you.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Many photographers usually settle on a subject they like: flowers, people, buildings, food, pets or children. Let's say that flowers are your passion. Once you've taken 1,000 flower photos you feel pretty comfortable with your subject.

When you're feeling blocked, spend an entire day photographing something totally different: children, for example. Unlike flowers, they never stay still and aren't willing to wait for you to adjust you camera settings.

It's almost guaranteed that a lot of the shots that you take won't turn out. This is to be expected - you are out of your comfort zone, shooting something brand new.

The benefit of this exercise is that it takes your mind away from your favorite subject long enough to see it differently when you get back to it.

Start With Your Shoes

This technique has worked well for me in the past when I'm just not thinking (and seeing) creatively.

I take pictures of my shoes.

I point the camera straight down, and try to find something interesting about the pattern, texture or color of my shoes to bring out in a photo.

Once you spend about 5 minutes trying to make your shoe look interesting, look up. You'll suddenly see a wide variety of subjects far more interesting than your shoe.

If you approach those subjects with the same eye that you applied to your simple shoe, you're bound to take some engaging photographs.

Chris Roberts dispenses practical plain-English advice and information about digital SLR cameras at the Digital SLR Guide. His 5-week ecourse in digital SLR technique helps beginners get the most out of their digital SLR cameras.

more digital photography tips

More Digital Photography TipsWriten by Anne Clarke

How many of us once dreamed of becoming professional photographers for National Geographic, only to find out that we did not even know how to get the lens cap off of our cameras? And now that digital cameras are becoming more and more common, it seems that we will have to learn all over again how to take a photograph, this time with a digital camera.

Do not worry realize that this time, you have technology on your side. You may not end up with photographs worthy of National Geographic status, but you will be able to get some that will look beautiful on your wall and in your photo album.

Here are some tips for taking better photographs with digital cameras:

Get to know your camera. It may seem tedious, but be sure to read through your owners manual. Spending just an hour or two acquainting yourself with your camera will save you a lot of stress down the line.

When you first get your digital camera, practice taking photos. Make sure that you know how to use it before you take it on your vacation or to your daughters graduation! You do not want to miss great photo opportunities because you are too busy trying to turn your camera on!

Do not be shy take as many photographs as want. Most digital cameras come with memory cards that hold a multitude of photographs if yours does not, get an extra memory card. If you take a hundred photographs of one thing, at least one of them will turn out!

Use the features on your camera! Most digital cameras have different modes for different types of photographs night mode, landscape, portrait, macro, etc. Understand these modes, and know when to use each one.

Use the LCD screen if your digital camera has a good LCD screen, you will be able to tell almost immediately whether or not you took a good photo if your daughters eyes were closed, be sure to take another one!

Remember: close-ups are often more interesting than shots from a distance. You do not have to have everyones feet in every photo! Consider taking a photo that includes everyone from just the shoulders up. Also, if you are taking a photo of your family at the Epcot Center, for instance, realize that you do not have to fit the entire Epcot globe into your photo. If you do that, your family will look like ants in the photo and there is no reason for them to have stood in the frame in the first place. Instead, get a close-up of your family with just a small aspect of the globe in the background. Or get a photo of your family by the sign, instead. You can always use the landscape feature of your digital camera to take a photo of the entire globe, later.

The subject of your photograph does not always have to be the center of your photograph! Try taking photographs with your subject slightly to the side of the frame, for instance.

Be aware of lighting. Without learning too much about how lighting affects a photograph, you can still be aware of certain aspects. For instance, if the sun is setting behind your subject, your subject may turn out as a silhouette. Of course, if you try take a photo of your friend with the sunlight hitting him from the front, be aware that he will probably have to squint his eyes.

If it is extremely bright out (like if you are in bright sunlight or in the snow), hold up something of a neutral color (like a dark tan bag or light gray sweatshirt) to the camera as you focus (most digital cameras focus when you push the button halfway down), then remove it before you take the photograph of your actual subject.

Try new things. Do not be afraid to get down on the ground to take a photo of an object or a person from a different angle. You do not have to take all of your photos head-on. Take a photo of a sign from an angle, take a photo of the Eiffel Tower from the bottoms looking up, etc.

If you are on vacation, do not get stuck taking photos of your fellow travelers standing in front of one famous, forgettable building after another. Yes, you can still take these photographs, but consider taking a photograph of your friend in front of the sign, too, so that you at least know which building it is! Also, be sure to take photographs of not just places, but of memories. For instance, be sure to get a picture of your friends feet as she stumbles around with a broken high heel. Take a photo of the menu from your favorite restaurant. Take photos of not just the beautiful fronts of buildings, but the graffiti-ed, trashy alleys, too. Take photographs of things that you will not see on the postcards, of things that are unique to your own personal experience!

You do not need to set up every single shot. Take photos of people when they are unaware that you even have your camera out. Go ahead and take some photos of strangers, as well.

One of the benefits of taking digital photographs is the fact that you can touch them up on your computer at home. Be sure to make use of this great feature. You do not need to spend your time touching up all of your photos, but definitely go through and fix up your favorites you can straighten them, remove red eyes, brighten or darken them, and do many other things, as well.

If you are unsure as to whether or not you think you would like using a digital camera, try out a disposable digital camera, first. Disposable digital cameras are also excellent for if you are going somewhere where there is the potential of breaking or losing your camera.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, art, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on digital photography and cameras, please visit Disposable Digital Cameras.

digital noise reduction made easy

Digital Noise Reduction Made EasyWriten by Aliaksandr Murauski

Almost every one of us, who have digital photo camera, saw grainy photos at least once. Thats thanking to colored pixels (so-called grains, speckles) that are present on photos, but do not exist in the reality.

There are several causes why the noise happens to digital photos: long exposure times, heating of the camera sensor, high ISO settings, matrix defects, small pixel size etc. The effect is very frequent to the consumer digital cameras that are built on CCD or CMOS sensors.

Digital noise is very unpleasant artefact that spoils really good shots sometimes. Every shot corresponds to a unique moment which will never happen again, and the only thing we have to do with a cool, but noisy photo is to retouch it slightly to make it perfect.

Does such a post-processing software exist? Yes it does. There are several noise reduction photoshop plugins (for both windows and macOS) specially designed to remove noise grains from digital photographs:

http://www.digital-photography-software.com/archives/27

The utilities allow reduction of (together and separately): luminance noise and color (chroma) noise. Additional options include fading, blurring and sharpening edges.

So, removing of the most unpleasant picture imperfection - the digital noise - is possible and much more easier than one can imagine. Due to modern image processing algorithms, the plugins can work almost automatically, so noise reduction does not require any advanced computer skills from a photographer.

Noise reduction is made easy nowadays.

Aliaksandr Murauski is an owner of Digital Photography Software blog (http://www.digital-photography-software.com) where he publishes real life, problem-based, digital photography related articles and software reviews.

how to create sensational pictures of people

How To Create Sensational Pictures Of PeopleWriten by Amy Renfrey

Want to know one of the secrets to successful shots of people? That's easy. It's them. What I mean by that is that the art to capturing a great shot of someone is simply finding a way to let their good self shine through.

You see, when someone feels good it shows in their eyes, their facial expression and their body language. And this means that the more relaxed someone is the better chance you have to capturing that great shot of them.

So how do we get someone relaxed enough to get a good shot of them?

Composition wise, medium to close creates good angle for people. There's nothing worse than a picture being too far away. Whats the point of that if you want to really see who someone is in a photo? In good pictures you can see the person's whole face clearly without any sense of trying to get a better look. The eyes are the thing that the composition falls around so make sure the persons eyes are the main feature, not the nose or mouth.

If you want to get creative then try taking shots of them from a front/side angle and in sepia or black and white. Changing the colour of the pic adds a new definition and depth to emotion of the person. Just remember that colour is just one thing you can do. If your camera has only one setting, then you can ask a photo lab that specialises in digital prints to do you two prints of the same picture; one in black and white and one in sepia. (My lab charges me 64c for a 6x4 print. Very good value.)

With lighting, you need a fairly good amount, such as a flash at a medium distance away, such as under 3 meters, good focus, and the colour of the digital image is important. Its ideal to get the lighting right around the whole person such as reflective, soft light coming from a window for example. Window light is actually a great place to start if your person is indoors.

For outdoor light and people photography with digital, try to take the picture when it's not direct sunlight, as this hard light may cast unnecessary shadows. There's nothing worse than a great shot of a person with a huge shadow of their nose that you can't take your eyes off. It's not very flattering.

Getting your person to feel comfortable around you is another issue too. If they want a good picture taken of them selves then make sure it's not a posed pictures, as relaxed ones will bring out the fun, happy side of them.

And have fun. There is no reason you can't enjoy yourself or be relaxed yourself when taking someone's picture. Once you have all the components right and they feel comfortable then you will have a great picture.

To learn how to take excellent digital shots of people you don't know everything is revealed in Digital Photography Success which can be found at: www.digitalphotographysuccess.com

use a body stocking instead of a thong

Use a Body Stocking Instead of a ThongWriten by Bob Pardue

You may find yourself one day doing a catalog or fashion photo shoot with a very tight fitting outfit. How do you get rid of those bulging lines under your clothes?

Many models simply wear no bra and a thong to get rid of lines. This works fine in most cases but an interesting alternative is wearing a body stocking instead. The body stocking accomplishes the same effect without the problem of going bra-less, especially if you are a little timid.

The body stocking is an article of lingerie that is often neglected by female models when doing a photo session. This wonderful accessory is a must for any adult model's wardrobe and will come in handy during the photo session. This garment is similar to a leotard in that it fits snugly against the skin. Some people equate the body stocking to a kind-of cat suit because it is so skintight.

The benefit of a body stocking for model photos is that it can be discreetly worn beneath just about any outfit and fashion models make good use of this body stocking secret as well as those doing a catalog photo session.

A body stocking is usually made out of material that is similar to tights or pantyhose. Some come in a sexy fishnet design which has a very sexy presence during a glamour or lingerie photo session. The fishnet designs are usually reserved for the daring enthusiasts.

Most women prefer the sleek look and clean lines found in the sheer material of a body stocking. The sheer fabric is appealing to models who want to model tight clothing to keep from panties and bras buldging from under their wardrobe.

Hiding lines is not the only benefit of wearing a body stocking in model pictures. The sexy lingerie is also quite efficient as well. The body stocking can give you an extra layer under your clothing without creating ugly bulges.

This is especially important during fashion photo shoots where you want to show your best assets. Even your most clingy garments will rest easily on top of the thin, sheer material of the body stocking. The lingerie can also help give your figure a subtle boost and your model photos will definitely show a slimmer you.

You can order a body stocking with or without sleeves. Short sleeves are also available in some styles. The legs are usually covered by the garment simply because it is designed to cover most of the body.

The sheer unobtrusive fabric is a delight so it really doesnt matter if it covers you from head to toe. It is still quite comfortable to wear. You can wear the body stocking as is or as an undergarment in your model photos depending upon the photographic effect you're looking to achieve.

Plus-size ladies also benefit from using a body stocking in fashion and catalog photos to enhance their curves. The lingerie offers coverage from head to toe but still keeps things interesting through its sheer sexiness. Ladies of all shapes and sizes do themselves a service by adding a body stocking when preparing a wardrobe for a model photo session.

By the use of the body stocking technique you should look and feel your best and keep the photo advisor happy.

Bob Pardue is a professional stock and female photographer located in the Southeastern USA. Get a freemodeling mini-course by subscribing today...
http://www.bobpardue.com/model/model-report/

photography blogs

Photography BlogsWriten by John Threlfall

Have you got down with the latest craze sweeping the Internet? Blogging.
Everyones doing it, everywhere you look. Such a simple concept but with amazing
capabilities. The power to spread news, gossip, and of courseimages.

Getting more to the point, lets talk about photography blogs. What a great
opportunity to share your images with the rest of the world. You can post your
images daily if your keen enough, people can write comments about your images,
and at the same time you build up an online journal of your photography. All that is
needed is a bit of time and dedication.

Blogs are useful in a number of ways. Not only will they be useful in showing off
your images, they will have a positive effect on traffic to your website. Search
engines love them, there easy to pick up and before long you will have people
coming onto your blog directed from search engines.

So how do you go about setting up a blog? There are plenty of places you can go to
set up a blog, I personally use Movable Type. Once set up you can start talking to
the world. There are a few things to remember to make your blog more effective.
First off, update regularly. This will keep a fresh supply of information on your blog
and show it is used and updated regularly. Make your submitted information /
images appropriate to the type of blog you have. In doing these simple steps your
blog is more likely to attract repeat visits.

A good idea for photography blogs is to try and match the images you show to the
time of year. For example, in December show images containing snow and ice.
Around Halloween show eerie looking images. The point I am trying to make is, be
imaginative but at the same time relate your images to the context of time. This
makes the blog more appealing, interesting and appropriate.

I have jumped on the bandwagon of blogging myself. I have been trying to put the above into practice. I
use the blog to show my photography. The image is displayed followed by a short
insight into the image, the location and my personal insight into the photograph.
Rather than just having my photography website, I wanted something a bit more
personal which could reach people on a different level. Blogging was the perfect
solution.

Try it yourself and join the blogging craze!

John Threlfall is a self-taught photographer with a deep passion for nature
photography. With an upbringing in the countryside, John strives to capture his
feelings and emotions within his images. John has a Masters Degree in 'Creative
Imaging'. His work can be viewed at http://www.capturednature.com The images
capture the pure
simplistic, yet breathtaking beauty that is hidden away in rural Britain.

the difference between dpi and ppi

The Difference Between DPI and PPIWriten by Ziv Haparnas

Most people heard the term DPI. In most cases the term is used in the wrong context to express the number of pixels in a photo, the number of dots in a print or the maximum dots per inch a printer can output. A relatively new term PPI was introduced in order to resolve this wrong usage of the term DPI. In this article we will try to explain in simple words what is DPI and what is PPI and should each be used.

PPI: stands for Pixels per Inch. PPI describes the number of pixels per inch in a photo. PPI is a function of the number of pixels the cameras sensor supports (also known as megapixels) and the size of the photo. To calculate a photos PPI simply multiply the page length by its width in inches. The result is the number of square inches on the page. Now divide the number of pixels the sensor supports by the number of square inches. The result is the number of pixels per square inch. All that is left to do is to find the square root of this number. Following is a table that shows the PPI for various page sizes for a 5 megapixel camera.

page size 4X6 - 456 PPI

page size 5X7 - 377 PPI

page size 8X10 - 250 PPI

page size 11X14 - 180 PPI

page size 16X20 - 125 PPI

page size 20X30 - 91 PPI

DPI: stands for Dots per Inch. DPI is really a physical characteristic of a printer. Every printer prints dots that when put next to each other comprise a photo. Each dot has a physical size. DPI is also known as the maximum resolution that a printer is capable of. Low-end printers have lower DPI while high-end printers have higher DPI. DPI is defined as the number of dots a printer can print per inch. For example if a printer supports 1200 DPI it means that the printer can print 1200 dots per inch (on both X or Y axis). When printing it is important to make sure that the DPI is higher or equal to the PPI. If the DPI is lower than the PPI the printer will not be able to fully display the high resolution of the photo. When printing a photo that has a lower PPI than DPI the printer will use multiple dots to represent one pixel. As opposed to PPI, DPI is not relative to the page size. DPI is a fixed number for a given printer.

Ziv Haparnas is a technology veteran and writes about practical technology and science issues. This article can be reprinted and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. You can find more information about photo album printing and photography in general on http://www.printrates.com - a site dedicated to digital photo printing.

how can you improve your photography

How Can You Improve Your Photography?Writen by Eric Hartwell

Many photographers reach a stage in their hobby where they feel that they are unable to progress further without a bit of help. How can you improve yourself?

There are many ways in which you can gain extra valuable experience, help and advice. The choice will depend on what sort of person you are and the time and effort you are prepared to invest.

-join a camera club

there is bound to be a photography club near you here you will find groups of enthusiasts, events, demonstrations and lectures: a camera club is a great source of help and advice and represents excellent value for money.

-read magazines

there are a multitude of camera magazines available catering for all tastes all of them provide examples of great work, helpful guides, advice and problem pages and often competitions and instructional CDs or DVDs

-take a course

by embarking on a course you are committing yourself to regular assignments for which you can receive valuable feedback and advice this can spur you on to actually taking the plunge to improve your photography

-join an online community

there are many online photographic discussion forums such as the one at The Shutter all of them provide a platform for people to share views, provide helpful advice and even upload images for discussion and viewing

-access relevant websites

there are a multitude of fantastic website on photography and all of them are crammed full of help, advice and other learning resources

There is never a reason to lack inspiration, enthusiasm and progress yin your photography.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com.

photographing children in nature

Photographing Children In NatureWriten by Melissa Mannon

There is nothing like introducing a child to nature and getting photographs of that child's discoveries. The natural joy of a young one when he examines bugs, smells flowers, climbs trees, and rolls down hills makes great pictures and memories. Dress up or dress down and wait for the smiles.

When the weather first warmed this spring, I took my daughter out to play hide-and-go seek behind the tall bushes at a local park. We picked the dried wildflowers left over from last season. We rolled down the tall hills and lied on our backs staring at the blue sky. I like to play while I take photographs. It makes the child with me comfortable and willing to cooperate more than she normally might for a formally posed shot.

In one photo shoot last year, I photographed an extremely cute brother and sister. The children were dressed up, but that did not stop us from climbing trees and having fun. The little girl wore a beautiful hat that provided a focal point for many of my shots of her. The hat provided a frame for her gorgeous smile and long lashes. We were photographing at a well-known local park with a remarkable tree that served as a focal point. It gave us a place to interact with nature and to show kids just being kids.
The local duck pond is another great location for photographing children interacting with nature. Children feeding ducks, finding branches on the ground in the green fields, and running among apple blossoms make for bright colorful images. Children don't necessarily need to be in formal dress for beautiful pictures. A pair of overalls among the farms hills is quite appropriate, beautiful, and memorable.

Children give us the best photo opportunities when they are relaxed. Places for new discovery are wonderful. However, some children are most comfortable with what they know. With young children especially, it may be best to stick to your own backyard or the local park. This way, you don't need to be concerned with feeding and nap times. The wonderful thing about children is that what is old hat to us old folks is likely new to them in some way. One of my favorite tricks is to hand a young child a bouquet of flowers and let him go to town. Some of my very best images come from little kids picking flower petals or trying to eat them!

I never go into a session knowing how I will pose a child. An hour long session gives me time to learn about a child's behavior and to create a series of photographs that reflects that particular individual's personality. Whether in play clothes or formal wear, at home or in a brand new location, we always get smiles and special memories when we just relax and enjoy the process.

Award winning photographer Melissa Mannon specializes in garden and nature photography. Melissa's photographs show a special sensitivity for her subjects. She aims to portray the beauty, innocence, and power of nature standing alone or with human interaction. The strong bond between humans and the environment is the focus of her portrait work. Her childhood portraits capture the playfulness, innocence, and thoughtfulness of children interacting with their surroundings with a gentle and humorous style.

appreciate your photographic assistant

Appreciate Your Photographic AssistantWriten by Eric Hartwell

Most things can be done alone in photography. Sure, it would be nice to have someone lug all the equipment around and do little things like set up the tripod, get filters out of their containers and even simply pass you your camera when you need it.

A servant to make coffee when needed would be an asset too.

But we dont have the luxury of such slavery. And we are, most of the time, on our own. When help is needed then it should be asked for and subsequently appreciated.

I have an assistant in the form of my lovely wife. She lets me get on with most things and her interest in photography is minimal. But she knows that she is the first person I call on in the studio when I need someone to hold the reflector.

She is always poised and ready. The inevitable instructions range from up a bit to for goodness sake, can you at least do this properly if you are going to do it at all.

Despite all this she remains calm and level-headed.

She is unappreciated, I feel. A studio session can last anything from half an hour to two hours. During that time she has to deal with abject boredom, aching arms and incessant happy speak between photographer and model. There are better things she could be doing, such as watching TV, playing with the kids or simply sipping red wine in front of a roaring log fire.

And I am sure she would measure a poke in the eye with a sharp stick to be preferable to the studio task she has to do.

Ill get round to thanking her... One day.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com

how to chose stock photography for your web site

How to Chose Stock Photography for your Web SiteWriten by Kelly Paal

So you've decided to take the plunge. You know that stock photography is an effective tool for your web business, but where do you start and how do you choose the stock photo that's right for you. Here are some tips to get you started so that you are happy with your choice.

1. Decide where you want to purchase your stock photography. There are large agencies and small independent photographers. While the agencies will have more to chose from and sometimes lower prices an independent photographer will offer more personalized service and opportunities for you to have custom work done, if that is what you need.

2. Don't go in expecting to find an exact image that is in your head, a large agency or an independent photographer will not have the man in a blue suit, holding a cell phone, next to the white blinds nor will they have the beach landscape with the green and white striped chair. You need to have a clear idea in your head of the message that you want to convey and search for an image that creates the message that you want. (If you want something specific you'll have to pay for a photographer to shoot to your specifications.)

3. Make use of a free comp image to try out the image and make sure that it fits with your project or web design. Most stock agencies offer some sort of free comp image for position only so that you can make sure that you like what you're going to buy. Please use this option, if available, and make sure that the image is going to convey the message that you want it to.

4. Pay for what you need. Don't pay for a 300 dpi image for a web design, and don't buy a 72 dpi image for something you intend to print. Make sure that the agency or independent photographer offers at least a printable and a web version of every photo. Buy only the size image that you need for your job.

5. How much do you want to pay and for how long to you want to use the image? This comes down to royalty free or rights managed. If you don't want the chance of your competitor using the same image or you plan to use the image on or for a product you may want to look at rights managed. This will cost you more but it will lessen the chance of your competitor using the same image. Keep in mind that if you're using the image for an extended period of time you will have to pay for the use of the image every year or so. If you don't feel that your competitor using the same image is a threat or you dont have the money for rights managed photos look into royalty free photography. This product is also great if you're planning to use the images for an extended period of time.

I hope these tips help to get you started in choosing stock photography for your web site, business, or product. Remember to shop around and look for what you need. Also if an agency or photographer doesn't have what you need ask, you may be surprised how helpful they can be even for specific requests. If you have some specific questions please visit my Photography Forum at: http://kellypaalphotography.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/index.php and post your question there.

About The Author

Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal

Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

how exif data can improve your photography

How EXIF Data Can Improve Your PhotographyWriten by Chris Roberts

Every digital image has a secret identity.

The big difference between your digital photos and a CIA operative is that it's pretty easy to discover the secret identity of a digital photo.

This not-so-secret information is called EXIF data, and it's encoded in every photo that you take with your digital camera.

Think of it like a barcode on a package: in the same way that the barcode uniquely identifies the product, EXIF data uniquely identifies an image.

But how can EXIF data improve your photography? Let's find out.

Common Camera Settings

There are two principal actors in the photos that you take: aperture and shutter speed.

Aperture is a measure of how wide your lens opens, and shutter speed is how long your camera's shutter stays open to expose the digital sensor to light.

All digital SLR cameras and some compacts let you manually control aperture and shutter speed.

The best way to learn what impact these two features have on your photos is to tweak the settings and see the effects.

With film, there is no way to tell what the aperture and shutter speed are set to for any given image. If you want to keep track, you have to write down the numbers on a notepad for every shot you take.

Not exactly convenient.

On a digital camera, the EXIF data takes care of this for you.

Permanent Setting Storage

Every time you take a photo with a digital camera, the camera automatically saves the aperture, shutter speed, and a variety of other settings.

This EXIF data is permanently attached to the photo, so even when you transfer it from camera to computer the data is not lost.

Once you open the photo in your image editor of choice, you can choose to view this EXIF data any time you want (even a year later).

Here's why this is such a powerful learning tool: you can easily review all of your camera settings for every photo you take.

Learning From EXIF

Example one: you take what you think is a great photo of your daughter playing in the living room. You check the photo on the computer and the entire shot is blurry.

Why? Check the EXIF data and note the shutter speed. It was probably too slow to get a clear shot of your daughter in motion.

Example two: you take a photo of your friend in front of a fountain. It looks like the water is spouting from the top of his head.

The EXIF data shows that your aperture was set to f/11. This aperture ensures that both the friend and the fountain are in clear focus. A different aperture setting would have kept your friend in focus but blurred the background.

While you can learn a lot from mistakes like these, pay special attention to photos that are successful.

Check the EXIF data often for photos that you love, and you might find some camera settings in common.

In the future, you can manually set your camera to your favorite settings and capture more photos that are keepers.

There you have it.

EXIF data just helped to improve your photography.

Chris Roberts dispenses practical plain-English advice and information about digital SLR cameras at the Digital SLR Guide. His 5-week ecourse in digital SLR technique helps beginners get the most out of their digital SLR cameras.

an honest ritzpix review

An Honest RitzPix ReviewWriten by Richard McMillan

RitzPix is primarily a photo printing service; the website www.ritzpix.com allows users to upload their photos online. The photos, a maximum of 100, are stored online free of cost for 90 days. One can also have the film uploaded at any Ritz Camera center. The photos are available only in a glossy finish; the option of a matte finish is not available at present. The size option too is limited and covers photos from wallet size to 8 x 10.

The photo editing tools are standard offerings and allow for red-eye removal, cropping, adjusting contrast, borders, and auto-enhancing. Other services include photos on gift items such as T-Shirts, posters, mugs, puzzles, and greeting cards. RitzPix has earned a reputation for sharp picture quality. It is a dependable online photo developer that brings out the textures and details in photos that it develops. However, the company may not always be able to stick to the promised turnaround time. RitzPix supports only JPEG and TIFF images and unlike other photo sharing sites, it does not allow full-resolution downloads from its site. This is a bit of a negative in an otherwise satisfactory viewing and sharing experience. The photos can be arranged online for convenient viewing and can be shared through emails and customized albums. The site offers a decent upload speed; a 400KB image can be uploaded in less than a minute with a cable internet connection.

The delivery times, price per print, and shipping costs vary with the various deals and number of print units ordered. The best prices are to be had with the prepaid deals; however, these may not necessarily be the best option for everybody. The value-for-money proposition does improve if one takes up any of the membership plans offered by RitzPix. RitzPix levies no shipping and handling charges on orders that it produces in-store. While purchasing prints, it is advisable to double check the shopping cart and bill amount to make sure that unasked for extra prints have not been included. RitzPix does not offer any special features such as simultaneous text messaging and integrated tools for photoblogging.

Richard McMillan recommends you check out the RitzPix review at http://www.digitalphotoservices.org/2006/05/ritzpixreview.html.

five best tools for image editing

Five Best Tools for Image EditingWriten by Kenneth C. Hoffman

Amateur digital photographers these days like to tweak their photos in an image editing software. They all use similar tools to change the images to match how we want the image to look. While some tools are considered as being for advanced use, others are so effective that it serves the amateur well if they learned how to use them.

The cropping tool can eliminate unwanted areas, emphasize the main interest and arrange the centers of interest in a more pleasing location. Most photos are taken too far away to show good impact so the cropping tool can help save these images from being mundane and less effective.

The image adjustment tools of contrast and brightness can correct over or underexposure, skin density, true black levels (when needed) and bright but detailed highlights. Unless you hit the correct exposure right on the head, these tools will be necessary to make a pleasing print. Most software feature a screen of boxes with various changes in brightness and contrast in your image from which to choose. These visual selections are a good start towards what is needed to make the picture right. Several tries may be necessary to find the right level of adjustment.

A similar set of boxes contain samples of color changes. Not all light is perfectly balanced in the camera. Faces can look bluish in cloudy weather, your white tablecloth can come out yellow and a reflection from a colored surface can do weird things to the real color in your picture. Generally, only slight changes will be needed since most digital cameras automatically adjust for color balance to some degree.

When one of your pictures would be a great shot if werent for one item in the picture that ruins the whole thing and cropping cant solve the problem, then bring out the cloning tool. Sometimes called a rubber stamp, this tool can copy one area of the image to another area of the same picture very easily. To become adept using this tool requires a little practice, but the amazing and wonderful results are worth the extra trouble. The many uses of the clone tool include: extending a background for better centering of the main interest, removing an unwanted item from the image, raising or lowering an item or person in the picture, retouching skin blemishes and cleaning up dusty areas.

Solving unusual problems in a picture is when the paint bucket tool comes to the rescue. An otherwise perfect scenic that lacks a blue sky can easily be fixed with the paint bucket tool. Just mask the sky with the magic mask, choose the lightest and darkest blue you would like your sky to be, and click on the blend paint tool for a perfect blue sky. Solid colors are even easier to replace with this tool. Even patterns can be painted on masked items in any color. Every tool I have mentioned in this article can be adjusted as to power and transparency. I recommend starting with a medium or low power with a feathered brush while you gain proficiency with these tools. Youd be surprised at the professional looking results. Youd better go out and buy the frame now, just to be ready.

Retired portrait photographer likes to photograph flowers.

the basics of digital wedding photography

The Basics of Digital Wedding PhotographyWriten by Low Jeremy

The wedding is considered to be one of the happiest moments in the life of two lovers. Though this can happen again should one of the spouses die or decide to have a divorce, there is nothing compared to the first time.

Since the wedding may last less than an hour while the reception may go on longer, the best way to preserve this memory in time is through pictures taken by a talented photographer.

People who want to start a career here should first take classes on the basics of photography. Some think it is just a matter of looking at a lens and pushing on the button but there is more to it than that. There are factors such as lighting, color and timing has to be considered to be able to get the right picture especially for the candid ones.

When the person has learned this, it is time to get that camera. More people are using digital cameras these days that can hold more than 200 images or more depending on the size of the memory card.

This makes developing faster than the conventional one, which is taking out the film from the camera and working on the pictures inside the dark room.

Some people who want to become digital wedding photographers do it because of the money. The individual must realize that it is only through devotion that the quality of the shots taken is consistent.

It takes awhile to be a good wedding photographer. It may be months or even years so during this time, the photographer will be able to develop a certain style or technique that will surely be remembered by the client years after the wedding took place.

Some of the lessons in digital wedding photography can be self-taught. Since there are other ways to shoot pictures, it is best to talk with other artists or to attend seminars.

Another way to excel in this art will be to enter in competitions. The individual may not win but there are valuable lessons that can be learned which can be incorporated into the style used in taking those photographs.

Research has shown a good wedding photographer can make $24,000 annually or more. This means serving one client well will open the doors to others such as the friends and relatives of the couple who will also be getting married in a few months or years.

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.

digital sports photography topscoring shots with expert coaching

Digital Sports Photography - Top-Scoring Shots With Expert CoachingWriten by Rika Susan

A digital sports photography article would have been fairly brief as recently as a couple of years ago. In essence, it would have stated that digital cameras have unacceptable shutter lag, and cannot yet achieve the frame rates of their film cousins. End of story.

Well, that particular story has in fact ended. These days the focus is on digital cameras finally reaching the level of film cameras, and being widely used with great effect in digital sports photography. The aim nowadays is to point out the clear benefits offered by the digital route.

In fact, a number of excellent books have appeared on digital sports photography, confirming that this type of photography has finally become an acceptable mainstream digital activity.

In 'Digital Sports Photography', G. Newman Lowrance offers a wealth of information on the techniques and equipment you will need for successful digital sports photography - either as an aspiring professional, or taking shots at the local basketball game.

Lowrance has many years' experience of digital sports photography, and his pictures have been widely published in Official Super Bowl and Pro Bowl game magazines, NFL videos and calendars, NFL Insider Magazine, and elsewhere.

He doesn't hold back, and gives you a lot of information from some excellent sports photographers and editors. Issues such as color management, camera setup, and equipment options are covered. You will discover all the ins and outs of the unique techniques applied to shooting for baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer, and tennis.

Lowrance also uses his own experiences in digital sports photography, and gives true, autobiographical examples of how to get started and how to succeed as a professional.

His book features many eye-catching sports action photographs that will generate excitement and inspiration. The informative content will motivate you to become familiar with new aspects of the technology, stimulating a keen interest and involvement in this aspect of photography.

In short, 'Digital Sports Photography' will give you the help and guidance you need to make your photos stand out from the crowd!

Another book that illustrates how far digital sports photography has come, is 'Digital Sports Photography: Take Winning Shots Every Time', by Serge Timacheff and David Karlins.

This book helps you to take great shots by overcoming obstacles like rain and crowds, bad lighting, fast-moving athletes, flash limitations, and other challenges.

The authors give advice on how to shoot a wide range of sports: extreme, outdoor, indoor, competitive, recreational, and more. The book provides many full-color examples illustrating professional tips and techniques, and shows how to tackle skilled digital sports photography with any kind of digital camera, from point-and-shoot to SLR.

And the bottom line for many aspiring digital sports photographers is that this book will also teach you how to actually sell your images!

One of the advantages of digital sports photography highlighted, is that once you have the equipment, including enough batteries and memory cards, it doesn't cost anything to snap away at that baseball game...

For more information visit Best-Digital-Photography.com

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