Fifteen Tips For Better Photography

Keep an eye on the weather
Weather conditions can play a big part in setting the mood of your shot. Rather than waiting for the bright light of the midday sun, a misty morning in a forest can be the perfect time of day for that mood-shot.

Take your time to choose the subject
Take your time to choose the subject, then spend time walking around the subject looking for the best angle and lighting.

Take your time to set up the shot
Don't be afraid to take your time to set up your shot. Although it can get a bit frustrating if you have your loved ones tagging along and they're sitting and waiting impatiently for 20 minutes for you to take a single shot of a piece of driftwood on the beach!

Don't always choose brightly-colored subjects
Subjects with muted colors can sometimes produce excellent results. A field of wheat of similar yellow-brown color can produce striking results when accompanied by a low-sun and long shadows.

Movement diffusion
If you have a camera that allows you to shoot with a manual shutter speed - try slowing the speed and increasing the F-stop. Then move your camera when taking the shot. Some very effective arty-type images can be produced with blur effects.

Overexpose your subject
Not too good to do all the time, but experiment with results by over-exposing the subject.

Try macro photography
Grab a magnifying glass and see if you can focus your camera through the glass onto a small subject. It just may work! And may open up a whole new range of subjects for you!

Shoot through wet glass
Try spraying water onto a window, then take a shot through the window to a subject outside. (wet the outside of the window - not the inside of your home!)

Colour balance
Try balancing colour by having subject and the surrounding detail in similar colours.

Silhouettes
Silhouettes usually have a small range of colours, but can produce some of the most beautiful images. Shooting a silhouette involves having the background brighter then the subject in the foreground.

Experiment with patterns
We've all seen those amazing images of the red and orange leaves of maple trees in the fall/autumn. Thousands of leaves - all of a similar shape and colour - but very awe-inspiring and beautiful.

Compliment colours
Two strikingly-different colours can be beautiful too. Picture an image of your girlfriend or wife in a red dress sitting on a field of green grass. Or your boyfriend or husband in a red shirt walking through a field of waist-high wheat stalks. Complimentary colours that will bring more attention to the subject.

Use a colour filter
If your camera can be fitted with coloured filters - try your hand. Although this effect can be made quite easily these days with photo and image-editing software.

Sunrise is better than sunset
Wake up before sunrise one day and go on a photography expedition. If you've not done it before you'll be pleasantly-surprised by the contrasting light and shadows. But remember you'll only have a very short window of time in which to shoot (usually less than an hour) before the sun rises too high and you lose the light.

Use a flash in daylight
Use your flash during the daytime to fill a close subject with light. This will produce better results where the background is brighter than your subject and the automatic shutter speed on your camera shoots too fast to effectively show the detail of your subject.

Stock Photo Sites That Pay For Your Photos

       Arctic Fox Stock 03 by Malleni-Stock


Because of the Internet, it’s now easier than ever for photographers to make money from their photographs. And you don’t even have to be an experienced professional. Some stock photo sites will accept your photos even if you’re an amateur or hobby photographer.

Below is a list of online stock photo sites where you can sell photos.

123RF - http://www.123rf.com/login.php?redirect=/myaccount.php
Big Stock Photo - http://www.bigstockphoto.com/forphotographer.html
Crestock - http://www.crestock.com/quick-tour/sell-stock-photos.htm
Cutcaster - https://www.cutcaster.com/register
Dreamstime - http://www.dreamstime.com/sell
Fotolia - http://www.fotolia.com/Info/Contributors
FreeDigitalPhotos - https://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/sell-photos-online.php
FreeFoto - http://www.freefoto.com/browse/99-14-0?ffid=99-14-0
ImageVortex - https://www.imagevortex.com/members/register.htm?occupation=photographer
iStockPhoto - http://www.istockphoto.com/sell-stock-photos.php
PhotoStockPlus - http://www.photostockplus.com/register.php
Shutterpoint - http://www.shutterpoint.com/Sell-Photos.cfm
Shutterstock - http://submit.shutterstock.com/
Stockxpert - http://www.stockxpert.com/support/help/1
Zymmetrical - https://www.zymmetrical.com/account/profile/

This is only a partial list of the most popular stock photo sites that help you sell your photos. Each site has its own submission guidelines and policies about how much your photos will be sold for, and what percentage of each sale you will receive.

You can visit each site on this list, or better yet, sign up for the free report, “How To Make Money With Digital Photography”.

It’s got tips on how to get started with selling your photos to stock photo sites, which pictures are hot sellers, and even how to take better pictures. You could be making money with the photos you already have NOW. Here’s the link again: Click Here

Get The Perfect Exposure… Every Time!

Did you ever get back a fresh batch of film, only to be disappointed in finding out that you got back wash-out boring images.

The problem is that you didn’t expose your film properly. 

Whether we use a digital or film camera, we need to be able to calculate exposure properly. But first, we need to understand how the aperture and the shutter work together. We also need to know how film handles light, and the relationship between film light sensitivity and f/stops.

Lets take a quick look at the main elements.

Aperture and f/stops: the aperture is an opening in the center of the lens through which light passes. The amount of light which passes through an aperture is indicated by f/stops. The lower the f/stop the more light that passes through the aperture. Opening up one full f/stop doubles the amount of light entering the camera.  F/4 admits twice the light of f5.6. 

Shutter: the shutter is a mechanical device that controls the length of time that light is allowed to act on the film. Each time you open the shutter by one, we double the light, when we close down the light by one we half the light.  Opening the shutter at 1 second allows twice the light as that of a ½ second.

ISO (ASA): stands for International Standards Organization. The initials are used for film speed which  rates light sensitivity.  A film with an ISO number 100  is twice as light sensitive as a film with an ISO of 50. The faster the film, the more sensitive it is to light.

Most digital SLR have ISO settings built in to them. If you are taking a low light image with a digital camera use a slow ISO rating of 200 or upwards.

Getting the perfect exposure isn’t easy, but there are several different ways of making it easier.


Using a light meter: there are two types of light meters,

1.  Reflected-light meter (the same that is built into your camera) works by pointing the meter at your subject.

2.  Incident-light meter: instead of pointing the meter at your subject, you stand beside the subject and point the meter at the camera. The light that falls on your subject will also fall on your meter.

The most common way is to use the meter built into your camera. All modern day cameras have a reflected-light meter built in to them. But don’t point the camera directly at your subject from 10 meters. This will more than likely underexpose your image. Take the exposure reading up-close, then return to the starting position and take your image.

It doesn’t matter which metering system we use, if we don’t point them in the right direction our images will return too dark or too bright. The key is to know where to point the meter.

When I take a landscape image I normally take five or six different readings. I take an incident-light reading with my light meter to record the foreground and a reflected-light reading of the sky.

If you are unsure take three or four images at different exposure settings.  Don’t let a perfect picture moment pass by without recording it flawlessly.

Camera Tripod Variations and Uses

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

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

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

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

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

Click Here For Best Camera Tripods Sellers On Amazon !

 

A Picture Perfect Wedding

Weddings are definitely one of the happiest moments in a person’s life. But, this momentous occasion does not always come as blissful as the event itself. Days and even months before the big day, couples usually cram up with the littlest details.

The process of listing down and cutting down everything into specific details—the wedding date, the venue, the reception, the caterer, the designer of the gown and suit, all the way down to the wedding coverage—are the areas where stress usually ushers in.

Due to hectic schedules, most couples usually do not pay much attention to one of the crucial things in any wedding—the wedding coverage. Despite the overwhelming tension and excitement, couples do not have to be nonchalant when choosing their wedding photographers if they want their fun times and precious memories recorded very well.

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PREFERENCES

To avoid making this slight neglect that usually leads disastrous results, couples have to decide first what kind of wedding photography they would want to have.

Most wedding photographers today categorize the types of wedding photography into two: the traditional or classic style and the wedding photojournalistic style.

The most common style used by wedding photographers today, the traditional or classic wedding photography is considered as a “timeless” and the “safest” style because you normally see in countless wedding albums. Characterized by classic poses of subjects aware of the camera, this style involves so much control from the photographer because he is in-charge in arranging individual and group shots before, during, and even after the wedding.

Having excellent portraiture skills, expect the photographer to focus more on the quality of the photograph by making the subject look great from the littlest details. Expect typical wedding photos like pre-ceremony pictures, formal shots of the bride and groom posing with brides maids and ushers, cake cutting, garter and bouquet toss, and the like when you choose a classic wedding photography. This style is ideal if the couple would want to keep portraits of family members for their wedding album.

If the couple is adventurous and unconventional, then you might want to consider the wedding photojournalistic style of photography on your big day. An increasingly popular style today, wedding photojournalism offers fresh and new style of taking photos in the occasion. Characterized by candid shots of the subjects unaware of the moving camera, the photojournalism style lets the attendees act freely to capture their pure and true emotion.

Sourcing style from his experience in journalism, the “photojournalist” pays more attention to minute details and candid shots rather than arranged ones. He’s more into eyeing interesting moments and capturing those in his lens to produce a narrative collection of images that tell a story.

Although some traditional poses will be present, expect photos that show actual emotions of the bride and groom and of other participants throughout the duration of the wedding when you choose the photojournalism style.

In order to avoid ruining the documentation of your wedding, here are some tips in making your wedding a picture perfect one:

1. Weddings are one of the most exciting chapters of one’s life. Make sure that you choose a wedding photographer that can meet all your standards. Meet with the photographer before hand the so you could discuss the details you want.

2. Inform the important participants about the schedule of photo sessions and make sure everyone attends the rehearsal to cut down the stress.

3. Have a reception area so guests can be informed about the itinerary. This will set the occasion in order.

If You Want To Earn More Than a Living as A Wedding Photographer, But You Don’t Know from Where to Begin, Then This May Be The Most Important Letter You’ll Ever Read! Click Here

Are You Ready to Start Making Money With Your Camera?

You may have seen countless adverts and promotions telling you how easy it is to make money with your camera. Let me tell you that for one it is not easy...it is simple in its concept and execution, totally available and possible for anyone to do but not easy as it requires a certain amount of dedication from yourself.

Also, when you see the sales pages for these products, how many times do you get to see who the actual author is? How many of them show their own personal images? How many of them show actual image sales with their sales value as proof of sales?

How can you trust someone that does NOT show you this information?
            
I recently came across a new product from Nick Stubbs, a professional, full time photographer and online photography teacher with over 30 years experience, that shows you the exact blueprint, a step by step guide on how to create a monthly, residual income using just your DSLR and lens...you need nothing more to start with.
            
He doesn't dazzle you with crazy, untrue statements about ridiculously high earnings (there is no need because do this right and you will succeed in making as much extra cash, in proportion to the work you put in, as you like).
            
There is no leaving of any stones unturned as the eBook is jam packed with solid, useful information in a step by step guide that leads you through the exact processes to making money taking pictures in your own time and at your own pace. There is no filler or fluff to bore you!
            
There are no claims of "giving away the secrets" that are meant to entice you to buy the product because there are no "secrets", just facts and Nick covers them all using his 6 years of successful selling experience as a benchmark for your own business.
            
Head on over to his website to see for yourself, this industry is huge and still growing so jump in and grab your piece of the pie!

See How To Sell Stock Photos

Improving Your Landscape Images…Part 2

We use filters in photography to bring back an image to the way our eyes have perceived the original scene. Some times it’s 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 you’ll 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 don’t 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.

People Skills for Portrait Photography

Taking great portraits is as much about people skills as it is about technical ability, or using the latest and greatest photographic equipment.  Sure, refining your technical skills and knowledge may expand the extent of your capabilities, and using superior equipment may indeed boost your edge.  But, unless you can first see through your subject's eyes, and understand her as a unique individual, and then build rapport with her so you can unveil and accentuate her finest qualities, your portraits will remain mediocre at best.  Some lessons learned along my journey as a photographer may help those who choose to follow.

1. If using a tripod, compose your portrait and then take one step just to the side and forward from the camera.  Do not look through the viewfinder as you capture your subject's image.  This allows you to make eye contact initially with your subject, and then direct her in mood, expression, position, and the angle of gaze you are aiming for.  When your subject interacts with your camera, the result can be a cold or lifeless rendering, but when you engage your subject through eye contact, expression, gestures and words, the result can be a warm and candid reflection, charged with mood or emotion.

2. If you are not using a tripod, you really should redouble your effort to maintain constant interaction with your subject.  Many photographers tend to keep their eyes in the viewfinder of the camera, but this leads to your subject interacting more with the front glass in your lens than with you.  Again, you do not want the sterile and lifeless rendering that most often comes when the camera serves to isolate you the photographer from your subject.  Interaction with an inanimate object (your camera) can never be a substitute for interaction with another human being (you), when your goal is to capture the essence of your subject, and reflect the attitude and emotion she was feeling at that moment in time.

3. Allow your subject to be herself.  A little girl dressed up in fairy wings for a special picture is very cute, and I suppose there is a place in this world for cute.  But, contrast this with the little girl who just loves to dance.  You put her in her everyday clothes, stand her in front of a plain backdrop, put on her favorite music and say to her, "can you show me how to dance to this song?"  You should have no difficulty in capturing timeless expressions there.  Now imagine a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy whose true passion in all of life is sailing.  You dress him up in a tailored suit; formally pose him in front of a low key backdrop, seated in a Chippendale chair, and use classic loop lighting.  What would be said of this portrait years later?  "Who was this guy, an executive?"  But just suppose, you photographed this same guy in his favorite t-shirt and blue jeans, at the helm of his beloved sail boat, on a beautiful late afternoon, just as the boat was coming about?  What would be said of this portrait years later?  "This was Charlie, doing what he loved most!  That was such a glorious day."  The point is, "keep it honest".  Fantasy can be cute, but your subject being herself, years later this will be much more meaningful. 

4. Allow your subject's expression to be honest.  A frown or a grimace that is genuinely felt can be more interesting than a smile that is forced.  I try to never just pose my subject and then say, "Okay, now smile for me."  If you want your subject to smile then tell a joke, put on a face, or perhaps merely smile at her and she will smile back at you.  People generally tend to reflect in their face what they see in yours, but in my experience this is not always so.  Nevertheless, interaction with your subject is the key.  That being said, the next time you have a difficult subject ask him to tell you a joke, to bring out a smile, if that's the expression you are after.  If you are a professional, you know that smiles sell, but if you're an amateur, you are under no pressure to sell, so make your portraits interesting.  Not everything in the world is to smile about.

5. Direct your portraits.  Take control of the composition of your portraits!  Do not be afraid to tell or show your subject what you want.  Sometimes showing is best.  I often find that actually demonstrating a pose I have in mind, works better than trying to direct my subject through words alone.  If you are photographing a group, your life will be easier, if you arrange and pose the adults first.  Then, work your way from oldest (or more mature and settled) to youngest of the children.  The point to remember is, as the photographer, you should take charge of the shot.  The success or failure of the portrait will be your responsibility, so take charge.

Engage your subject to establish and build rapport with her, to take your photos to a higher level.  Make your portraits more meaningful by keeping them honest, and natural.  We all know a fantasy photo can be cute, and a formally posed portrait can be graceful and dignified, if that is your subject's personality.  But, a portrait that is true to the subject is always more meaningful.  Allow your subject to be herself, and never force an expression.  Learn to take charge and direct your portraits and you will move far ahead in your journey as a photographer.  Practice your people skills with each portrait you take.  People skills are the prerequisite to all else, if you want to take great portraits.  Good day and happy clicking!

Improving Our Landscape Images - Part 1

 All the world’s cameras, films and other photographic equipment are no more than tools for making landscape pictures.  Cameras don’t think for themselves.  Whether we use digital or film camera, the same photographic principles apply.

We don’t have to stick to many rules to produce great landscape images, but knowing what they are will make your pictures more successful. There are two salient points in landscape photography: how to compose your image, and how to use available natural light in any given situation.

Lets start off with light: There are three basic qualities of light: intensity, direction and colour.

Intensity: refers to the strength of light. If the sun is high in the sky, light can be harsh and too strong. Cloudy days bring soft and defused light.

Direction: this refers to light placement. There are three categories of light placement: front, back and side-lighting. Side lighting produces more texture between light and shade.

Colour: the colour of sunlight varies depending upon conditions and time of day. If the sun shines at the beginning or the end of the day, the colour of the light will be much warmer, and will lead to a much more dramatic scene.

Understanding natural light will develop your ability to see. You will start to see the beauty of light in a different and exciting way.

In landscape photography it is very important to take care with composition. A normal scene can be transformed by paying close attention to detail. Composition is all about how you arrange the elements in front of you.

Here are a few ideas in which you may find useful.

Lead with lines: To lead with lines into the main part of the scene will draw your viewer into your image. These lines don’t have to be straight. Lines, such as tracks, riverbanks or fences, may work successfully.

Foreground interest: Simple foreground objects can give your landscape a greater sense of depth. Use a small aperture (f/22) to keep the entire scene in focus.

Natural frames: Frame your scene with the elements all around you. This will focus attention on the main part of the picture. Trees make great natural frames.

These are just a few essential guidelines, and combined with a good eye, you have all you need to get the best out of photography - especially landscape photography.  These are just a few rules to get you started, but like all rules, they are there to be broken.

How To Take The Most Clear, Breathtaking, Majestic  

and Powerful Landscape Photos….. Click Here

Wedding Photography Secrets: Tips For Taking The Best Wedding Day Photos Possible

It’s your wedding…one of the most beautiful days in your life. How else can you make the perfect occasion last? Capture the momentous event with great wedding photographs. Read this guide to make sure you choose the right wedding photography service for your big day.

The first thing to do is to give the most opportunities for the photographer when scheduling activities during the wedding day. When planning the time of the wedding ceremony and of the reception, couples should incorporate the time that the photographer requires to capture all of the couple’s special moments. There should be a gap between the end of the ceremony and beginning of the reception, to allow for more photographs for the bride, groom and wedding entourage, especially if they are in two different locations. The photographers and subjects will have a more relaxed shoot and will enjoy all the parts of the wedding if the events are well spaced out.

Next, think of important factors when selecting a wedding photographer. The photographer should be able to show more than one complete set of wedding photos. Couples should not accept someone who shows only selected prints of their best photographs from different weddings. Ideally, all photographs from 3 to 4 complete wedding sets that are at least satisfactory should be a criterion of a professional wedding photographer.

It is also good to have a photographer that gives a package with unlimited coverage for the whole day. Again, this way, photography will not be rushed.

Next, try to be aware of photography companies or individuals that contract out jobs to a pool of wedding photographers or even freelancers. Salespersons often pose as actual photographers and try to woo customers. Make sure companies deal openly, and ask them to show 3 to 4 complete weddings from each of the photographers they offer you, so you can choose. Make sure the one chosen is the one that will cover your wedding. Otherwise, it is better to find a photographer that personally shoots weddings. A two-person team is an even better package because two points of view of the wedding can be taken.

Some photographers only offer the traditional wedding photography style, or strictly a photo-journalistic style. It is best to find a versatile photographer that can do both.

Lastly, couples should take note of some important questions to ask a prospective wedding photographer:

· Are colored and black and whites included, or would he charge extra for B/W? Dramatic effects can be made with black and white photographs, so ask if this is a premium.

· Are hand and digital coloring or digital color separation included in the package or would he charge extra for these? Better pictures are developed when the photograph colors are separated first, improved, and then printed.

· What kinds of cameras does he use? Does he use medium format equipment and have a back up? Does have a "leaf" shutter or "focal plane"?

· What lenses does he use? Does he use only one, or will he change lenses? Make him show you photo effects that he is able to achieve with different lenses and choose the ones which you like to appear with your photographs.

· Is he willing to customize a package that is within your budget?

Asking intelligent questions will encourage photographers to deal openly with customers. Remember, it’s your special day, and you should make sure that the wedding photography is something that will help you and your loved ones relive those wonderful memories.

How to Increase Your Chances of Winning a Photography Contest

These days, with the advancements in technology, more and more people are buying cameras. It's very easy to own one because of the improvements in ease of use and maintenance. We don't have to buy rolls of film just to use a camera. It's also easier to take great pictures, because we can preview the image that's going to be taken and if it's not up to standard, it can be deleted in just a press of a button. No film is wasted, and the photos come out as we want them.

It's normal practice to bring a camera everyday, especially those that are compact and lightweight. This is so that every important moment is captured and thus, preserved throughout time. With this in mind, more and more people are getting interested in photography and enjoying it. Even non-professional photographers can take very good pictures, and there shouldn't be any surprise if there are more people who join photography contests, whether it's for the prize, the recognition, or just for fun.

If you're one of the many people who enjoy photography, and someday you hope to enter and win a contest, here are some photography contest tips and advice:

Follow All the Rules Of the Contest
There is always a different set of rules for every contest, and you should be aware of them first and foremost. Familiarize yourself with them and follow them to the letter. You might not understand why some rules are there, but don't assume you can just disregard them. They are there for a reason. It's better to follow the rules rather than have your work returned to you because you did not follow the rules.

Research on Past Entries
Researching on past winning entries will help you learn more about the contest that you want to join and its standards. If you know more about the standards and the judges' basis for a good photograph, you'll have a better edge against the other contestants. You also might get inspired from studying the past entries.

Study the Categories
There are different categories in every contest, and you must consider the requirements of each category before submitting an entry under the category that you've chosen. Your photograph should be focused on the category's topic. Many entries get disqualified for not following the requirements, and it's sad because the photographer may be talented, but the entry is not even seen by the judges because of a technicality. For example, there are categories that might require your picture to have a few items at the background of the photograph's main focus. One missing item may hurt your chances in the contest.

Consider Your Work With a Critical Eye
You might have a photograph that you're really fond of. You might even consider it as your best, because of its meaning to you. Remember, your contest entry will be judged by many different people who are strangers to you. They don't know the story and circumstances behind your favorite work, and they don't care. They are also given a set of guidelines in choosing entries, and each of them has unique standards. If you want a good chance of winning, better submit photographs that are good on all technical factors. For your entry to stand out, your subject should be doing some actions. A subject that is doing something is more noticeable and has more depth compared to a subject that is on a pose.

Send Only Your Best Work
There are contests that allow multiple entries, and if you plan on submitting more than one entry per category, it's better to submit just a few of your best work, rather than submit a lot of entries that include a few decent, but lackluster, photographs. This is to protect how the judges think of your best photograph. If you include a few second-rate photographs, chances are the judges' opinion on those photographs might dampen their opinion on your best entry. Instead of your best photograph standing out, it might get buried under the mediocre ones.

It's easier now to take pictures, and it's even easier to prepare for a contest if you only study how. Apply these photography contest tips and advice, and improve your chances of winning a photography contest.

The Hidden Art of Digital Photography

Computers and cellular phones, mobility and microchips – these are the trademarks of the world today. We live in a world continually changed by technology. Even the arts have continually changed due to technology. Think of it: from charcoal drawings to painting to photography to digital photography, we have come a long way in the visual arts. We have used various methods in capturing life and freezing time. New technology is continually being developed to make art easier and more fun. However, you should know that the art of digital photography is not as simple as aim and shoot.

The art of digital photography needs skill in order to pull off properly. Although some people may reason out that digital photography art can always be edited, many people do not really know how much work editing can be. Oh sure, we can say that technology has reached a level wherein a person needs to do practically nothing in order to achieve a great photograph, but of course, you need to know how to use the tools properly in order to do that.

The art of digital photography, in order to be truly mastered, needs three T's: Time, talent and tactical placement of equipment. No, that's not right. You need time, talent and treasure. Just what does this mean?

1) Time – one cannot be an instant expert in digital photography. You need to take the time to learn all about it. Even though you are some sort of protege who has the talents of a genius, you actually need training to hone that talent. Remember that for all its power, a steamroller cannot be used to do the work of a hammer. There is wisdom in harnessing power properly.

Taking the time to train your self in the art of digital photography is something akin to sharpening a knife using a grindstone or forging a fine katana (that's the Japanese samurai sword) by heating it and folding it over a thousand times –it may be painful, but it is necessary to produce the best.

2) Talent – of course, you need a bit of inherent talent in order to be truly great at the art of digital photography. You need to have an eye for the subjects that would make a great photograph. Otherwise, you will only end up being mediocre in a field that requires greatness.

Of course, the proper training can actually enhance your inherent talent and help you sharpen your skills in the art of digital photography.

3) Treasure – as said before, you will need the proper tools in order to be successful in the art of digital photography. This means that you will need to invest a lot of cash. Although there are a lot of digital art photography equipment that can be bought at inexpensive prices, the best equipment needs some serious pocket digging. This, of course, tests your courage because there's nothing scarier to a man than having to pull out his wallet in the name of an untested interest.

Once you have invested money in the art of digital photography, there's no turning back.

The art of digital photography may seem like it requires a lot. However, in order to be truly successful in something you need love and love always requires sacrifice. You should keep that in mind.

Tripods - How to Avoid Blurry Photos

All of us had the experience of shooting photos just to find out they look blurry or too soft. In almost all cases the reason for that is camera movement. When the camera moves while the shutter is open the result is a soft or blurry photo. Usually camera movements are small and for that reason in high shutter speeds the camera does not have an opportunity to move enough. However in some scenarios such as slow shutter speeds or high zoom values even the tiniest movement will result in a blurry photo.

 
Most photos are taken when the camera is held in your hand. The hand is an unstable platform and tends to move quite a bit. Moreover new digital cameras are smaller and lighter than ever before and are much harder to keep stable. Another cause for camera movement is aggressively pushing the shutter button which in return moves the camera. It is always better to squeeze the shutter button very slowly to prevent the camera from moving. Choosing the right camera for weight, grip and shutter button sensitivity is a recommended way to minimize camera movements in the future.

As a general rule photos that are taken with slow shutter speeds or high zoom values should be taken using a more stable platform than your hand. A stable platform can be anything that is stable: a table, a shelf, a chair or a newsstand in the street. However the platform that is considered the most stable and professional is the tripod.

There are many types of tripods and they vary in size, weight, price and other features. The most important criteria when choosing a tripod is to pick one that will be easy to use. For example if you are traveling consider a tripod that is easy to carry and lightweight otherwise you will end up leaving the tripod in the hotel room while missing great photo opportunities. On the other hand if you take photos in a studio consider a heavier professional tripod.

Another important feature to consider is the tripod’s height. Many tripods can be locked at any height up to a maximum. Ideally you would want a tripod that extends to your height allowing photos to be taken from the same angle as your eyes as if they were taken by hand. Many portable tripods extend to a waist height or less. In these situations the tripod will be put on a raised platform or the photos can be taken from a low angle.

In cases where a tripod is not available but a stable platform is needed you can improvise by using many other available platforms around you. For example you can place the camera on a table when taking a photo or if you’re outdoors you can use a newsstand, a tree to lean on, a fence or anything else that is stable enough.

Get Involved With Digital Photography!

The continuing advances in digital photography make it possible for everyone to capture moments of their lives with more detail and accuracy than ever. Improvements in photo resolution and shutter speed make it easy for both professional photographers and beginners to take great pictures. And even if a photo is not perfect when it is taken, sophisticated editing software can transform it into a work of art.

Experienced photographers say that timing is the most important factor for getting a good picture. There is only a small, limited opportunity to capture a great shot. Whether you are trying to get the perfect sunset photo or get a picture of the winners as they cross the finish line, you must have a good sense of timing and the intuition that lets you know exactly when to press that shutter button. It is this factor that makes photography an art form.

Most people never quite realize the dream of getting a perfect shot. Maybe your picture is framed well, but the lighting is not quite right. Maybe you’ve got the lighting just right, but you forget to use the flash or red-eye reduction option. In cases like these, digital photography offers an excellent way to get just the look you want in a photo.

Any picture you take with a digital camera can be edited to reach its full potential. Digital photos can be automatically enhanced to improve their color; they can be zoomed or cropped to their optimal size. And, of course, the red-eye reduction capability can improve any portrait. These editing options can all be completed within minutes, giving you the chance to have the most wonderful photos you’ve ever taken.

With a good digital camera and photo editing software, you can accomplish great things. The capabilities built into your camera represent only the beginning of the editing potential. Software programs really help you make the most of the photos you have. You can use editing software to change the images in any way you desire.

Local or online retailers can provide you with the equipment, software, and information you need to take great digital photos. When selecting a digital camera, you should be sure you buy one that has the features you need and want. You should look for a model that gives great pictures and that also has simple docking methods for downloading the photos from the camera to the printer or computer. Good photo editing software that will let you alter your digital pictures includes products like Kodak Picture, and Corel Photo Album.

How to be a Great Photographer

Take one camera (digital or analog) and film as needed. Put film into camera (if necessary). Snap shutter. Before snapping shutter, point camera at a subject that will give the viewer a meaningful aesthetic experience.

For someone who has no idea of what a camera is, learning how to carry out the first part of the prescription should take anywhere from a week to a month. However, the second part will take from a few years to forever. It's this part that I want to discuss.

There are several approaches to developing as a photographer.

1. Do nothing

A lot of people use their camera to record family celebrations and vacations and are content with the outcome.

2. Study web pages that have tips for better photographs

These will often help to tighten up your pictures. If you want to get a few ideas in a few minutes, this is the place to look.

3. Get your photographs critiqued at an appropriate website

This is a good way to learn how others respond to your pictures. But be careful. Not all criticism is equal. Some of your evaluators may be experienced professionals and others beginners. If you are going to rely on this method, it is important that you learn enough to evaluate the evaluators (see point 4).

4. Study the work of acknowledged great artists

By taking this route you can learn what elements contribute to a fine photograph. This takes time and study. Don't simply look at a few photos but read art criticism to find out what professional educators think and why.

One drawback here is that you won't be able to see how your work measures up. If you plan to take this route and also join a critique website (see point 3), you will be in a position to know which criticism to ignore and which to pay attention to.

5. Join a photography club

Clubs often have lectures, workshops, and juried shows. This can be a good hands-on learning experience.

6. Take a class (online or in person)

There are all sorts of classes. If you choose one that has assignments and feedback, you can be guided through the fundamentals by an experienced photographer. You can check the DSLR MASTER COURSE .

7. Get a coach

At this point I have to say a few words about the difference between a competent photographer and a person who uses photography as an art form. The competent photographer will be able to produce pleasing postcard- or calendar-quality pictures that look like postcard and calendar pictures. The artist will be able to take photographs that represent his or her vision of the world. If you are after the former and not the latter, you should choose among methods 1 through 6. A good coach should help you develop your unique way of seeing.

8. Go to an art school

This, for people who have the time and the money, is by far the best. I studied at the San Francisco Art Institute. Here's how it worked. I went to a photography class two or three times a week. At every class meeting each student pinned 20-30 photographs to the wall and, under the supervision of an accomplished professional, we criticized our own and one another's work. We also took photography history classes as well as courses in other fields of art. Mine were film, drawing, sculpture, and printmaking. There were frequent guest lecturers. We never learned any rules. In fact, rules were never mentioned. But through a combination of years of exposure to all types of art, classical through contemporary, and having to produce 50-60 new photographs every week, we eventually learned what art was about.

There are many ways to improve your photography. Before you make your choice you should decide on your goal. If you have little time and just want to tidy up your pictures a bit, read the tips pages. On the other extreme, if your goal is to be an artist, there is nothing close to attending art school. Most people fall between these extremes.

Baby Photography - Tips !

Babies can be the most challenging and rewarding portraits to take, but can also be the most frustrating.

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

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

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

Babies over a few months of age will be more alert and will have a lot more movement in them. Shooting fast is a necessity, the infant will tire quickly.

Babies seven months or older can be very tricky to shoot. The baby will bore quickly and will not want to stay in the same position.

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

Parents may be worried about the affect of studio lights on their baby. Point out that strobe lights have no effect on kids. Try to point this out before the parent asks.

Don’t ever handle a baby without the parents consent. Most parents will be very protective and won’t react well to a stranger lifting the infant.

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

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

Black And White Digital Photography

There are several ways to achieve black and white digital photography. With black and white digital photography, you are bringing the end user back into a period of time when life seemed a lot simpler. Many digital cameras come equipped with a function to take these types of photos. If your digital camera does not support this function, you can still change your photographs into black and white with software programs.

You’ll want your black and white digital photography to look its best when you are finished. A technique that can help you get the best image out of your digital photograph is through image manipulation. You may find it better to convert your eight-bit color images (which are usually JPEGs) into 16-bit colors first. This is important because an 8-bit RGB can be the same as a 10-bit gray-scale.

You can find information all over on the Internet to help you with your black and white digital photography. These resources can be found in everything from websites to magazines. Colored pictures can look truly beautiful as a black and white display. You will usually have to convert your graphics, because although there are options with digital cameras, there are no true black and white digital cameras.

 

Correct the Color-casts

An important part of black and white digital photography is correcting the color-casts. These are caused by bad lighting, but you can use software such as Photo Shop Elements to make the relevant changes by using their editing applications. The Imaging Factory is also software that can help you to easily convert and fix lighting areas in your graphics to get the best look with your black and white digital photography. If you want to turn your graphics into black and white digital photography, you can step into a completely new dimension in photography. You can do an endless array of projects right from your own computer.

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Abstract Photography - Has Photography Come of Age

“Never have I found the limits of the photographic potential. Every horizon, upon being reached, reveals another beckoning in the distance. Always, I am on the threshold.” -W. Eugene Smith

 
The invention of the camera liberated painting from its reportage role. Gone was the need to produce a likeness, detail the events of the story, painting was free to express emotions. True what had gone before contained an emotional content but now painting could experiment and through imaginative interpretation allow the emotional content to predominate. Freed from this constraint the painter was able to create a new language and explore the motivations of their art.

As the 19th century evolved and throughout the 20th century painters from the impressionists through the cubists and expressionists to the minimalists could to use colour, line and form to go straight to the emotional content of their work.  The representational aspect of the work become coincidental and was pushed to the point that it became akin to lying on the grass making shapes out of clouds. Enjoyable as it may be it is secondary to the nature of clouds.

The introduction of the digital darkroom has given this freedom to photographers. The range of tools to fix and enhance the camera’s capture when pushed to its extremes produces a range of fascinating effects. When added to the filters built into the better software, images can be produced that any comparison to the original photograph is purely coincidental. As photographers explore these tools and incorporate them into their photographs so their visual language will grow. The revolution of the medium with the development from black and white into color is taking its next step. Now with the digital darkroom’s ever growing range of tools the only limitation is the photographer’s imagination.

With the use of these tools, the skilled photographic artist can take the pop song and create, in visual terms, the lyric beauty of a baroque symphony or the down town jive of a jazz variation without a tree or a high rise in sight. Just the light captured by the camera and fine tuned into something completely different, something new that comes from the photographer.

The photographer has been liberated like the painter before them by technology. Now photographs can explore the full range of human experience including those they have no words to express. Large statements will be accessible by the photographer not only in physical terms. Although like their painter counterparts, through an additional feature of the technology, the large canvas is becoming the order of the day. That this canvas can express feelings rather than just illustrate them denotes that the photography has become an adult in the arts.

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10 Tips In Better Photography

Taking a good photo isn’t as hard as you may think. You don’t need the most expensive camera or years of experience, just 10 simple tips.

Enjoy !

Tip 1 - Use All Your Available Space

Don't be afraid to use all the space in your photo. If you want to take a picture of something, it's ok for it to take up the whole shot with no or very little background showing. Keep distractions out of your shot

Tip 2 - Study Forms

This is a vital aspect to photography. Understanding forms in your photos. Don't see an object, she its shape and its form and find the best angle to photograph it from. Form is all around us and I highly suggest you read as many books on it as possible.

Tip 3 - Motion In Your Photos

Never have motion in your photos if you are photographing a still object. If there is something moving while you are trying to photograph a stationery object, your photo won't turn out anywhere near as well. Also never put a horizon line in the center of your frame.

Tip 4 - Learn To Use Contrasts Between Colors

Some of the best photos have shades of white, gray and black. You can take great shots with just one color on your subject, but the contrasts between colors in a shot is what makes you a great photographer.

Tip 5 - Get Closer To Your Subject

This is one of the biggest mistakes most photographers make, not getting close enough to their subject. Get up and personal and close the distance gap. You can always reshape and re-size a good shot but you can't continue to blowup a distant object.

Tip 6 - Shutter Lag

Shooting action shots with digital camera's can be tricky due to shutter lags. What this means is, when you press the button to take the photo, it can take up to a second for the shutter to take a photo, by that time what you were photographing would have moved or changed somehow.  This means you have to compensate for shutter lag by predicting what your subject is going to do and taking the photo just before it takes the action you want. More expensive digital cameras don't have this problem.

Tip 7 - Pan

If you are taking an action shot and your shutter speed is slow, pan with the object. Follow through with the subject, from start to finish and one of those shots will be a winner. You have more chance of getting a good shot if you take more then one photo.

Tip 8 - Continuous Shots

To pan like I suggested above you will need a camera that does continuous shots and doesn’t need to stop and process after every shot.

Tip 9 - How To Take Fantastic Night Time Shots

Night time shots can be spectacular, almost magical.... if done right! If not they can look horrible. Really horrible. Without adequate lighting, even good camera's can turn out crappy photos if the photographer doesn't know what he or she is doing.

Tip 10 - Study Your Manual

If your digital camera has a special night time mode, read the manual and follow their instructions on how to use it properly.


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5 Tips For Shooting Winter Landscapes

Winter brings out the toughest elements in our climate, with many people putting away their camera bags ‘till early spring. But, if you do put away your camera you are missing out on the raw beauty that this magical season brings.

Here are a few tips to make the trip more enjoyable.



1. Wear the Right clothes: It’s very important to wrap up warm when out shooting winter images. The winter season brings the toughest elements, so if you are planning to spend a few days out and about always be well prepared.

2. Watch the weather: It’s very important to know what the weather is going to be like. You don’t want to travel for a couple of hours and then hear a weather report that tells you that: the weather is wet for the next few days.  During the winter months the weather can dramatically change in a matter of hours.

It’s always advisable to let someone know where you are going and which route you’re planning to take. If you do get injured or ever caught in a storm someone may be able to help.

3. Carry only What you Need: Carry only the essentials. You don’t need to upload your camera bag with every piece of equipment you own. If you are going to be out taking pictures all day you are much better off going as light as possible.  Carrying a light load will also help preserve energy.  You could be climbing icy rocks or crossing snow filled hills; a warm flask would serve you a lot better than a third camera.

4. Look for detail: Snow, ice and frost bring out texture and atmosphere in most subjects.  The early frosty morning is an ideal time for close-up photography. The frosty morning also brings out patterns in our landscapes. 

Take care where you place your camera: if you are taking pictures early in the morning try placing it at oblique angles to the sun - this will give your images strong shadows. This will also add mood to your landscape images.  Once you have found the perfect spot pay extra attention to foreground interest as this will  add depth to your image.

5. Expose carefully: Snow and ice are extremely difficult to expose properly. Snow usually confuses your cameras metering system or your hand held light meter. When you take a light reading from snow you will automatically get an underexposed image. The meter will record the snow as grey.

Now is the time to start bracketing your shots.   If you bracket your shots add 1 - 2 stops of light to compensate for your light meter reading. Using an 18% grey card, which I described in a previous article, should also give you a perfect light reading.