Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Managing a Successful Wedding Photography Business

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Stanley_Matt_Shelton]Stanley Matt Shelton
Managing a successful wedding photography business can be difficult, gratifying and stimulating all at the same time. A wedding photographer should work well under pressure and be accustomed to people's feeling. He must also have impeccable time in order to shoot those precious experiences and also well prepared in all facets of the business.
Wedding photography gives ample possibilities for photographers to develop a good successful profession or merely supplement the images that they passionately pursue but find it hard to fund. Here are easy ways to make you successful in this field:
Collection of brilliant images
Create a powerful collection of wedding images while focusing on creating diverse photos in your portfolio. Take account of images that showcase your technique, unique camera angles, clear backgrounds, a powerful expertise in lighting and knowledge in digital processing and editing. Present your portfolio in an easy and also expert way on your website and in a book or artist's portfolio demonstration for customer meetings.
Experience really count
Have enough experience as a wedding photographer prior to engaging into a wedding photography business. There are lots of ways to shooting a productive wedding and dealing with professional photographer, being an assistant, intern or even second shooter, will give you additional understanding of the business with limited risks.
Wedding photography may be stressful and any error is costly as the day's activities cannot be reshot when mistakes happen.
Advertise the business
Advertising can be a key factor to manage a business that is doing well. Concentrate on an expert presentation in all your marketing and advertising supplies, both in print and on the web. Make use of the same logo, ideally a professionally designed logo, and preserve the same color system throughout your advertising props.
Consistency can strengthen your expert appearance to new clients. Create a web blog regularly of all of the wedding events and any additional projects or even photo shoots that the business generates.
Putting ads through wedding magazines is really a good concept, yet focus on having your work released in specific articles concerning weddings and unique bridal features. Utilize press announcements to contact writers and editors at wedding publications to help get free advertising via editorial exposure of your accomplishments.
Be systematic
Having a well structured studio and digital work flow is important to the daily operations of the photography business. The digital work flow is the actual process of capturing the image file, uploading as well as archiving the file, editing the image, saving and also presenting it to the customer. This must be completed in a planned style and performed in precisely the same way for each wedding.
All images need to be backed up on external hard disks and on the web servers in case some thing occurs to the physical conditions in which the studio is situated. Wedding photos have a monetary worth both to your business and also the client. Keeping it well to preserve the well-being of the images is essential for every wedding photography business.
Stanley Shelton has been serving the South East Michigan community for 35 years with his professional photography. He specializes in [http://www.jandsportraitamerica.com]wedding photography and business events photography. He also covers graduation events, corporate events, portraits photography and sports photography.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Managing-a-Successful-Wedding-Photography-Business&id=6602657] Managing a Successful Wedding Photography Business

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Wedding Photography Before and After

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Rebecca_Dawe]Rebecca Dawe
Ideally, your wedding photos should encompass your special day, capturing all those little details, loving glances and momentous events. But wedding photography isn't all about the actual day. There are plenty of other moments worth capturing over your entire wedding journey. From engagement all the way to your honeymoon, your experiences as a couple are pretty life-changing, and it's fantastic to have professional photos to show for it. Before and after your wedding, you have several big events to go through, and choosing to capture these as well means you can make the magic last that little bit longer!
Before the Wedding
A popular trend at the moment is the engagement shoot. This can be any time before the wedding and is a very relaxed way to enjoy some time together as a couple and start to get excited! The images you take away from an engagement shoot are also pretty much perfect for using in "save-the-date" cards, your invitations and even your wedding decoration.
Then of course there's the hen party and stag do... Perhaps not necessarily something you want photographic proof of, but we can always provide you with a set of 'getting ready' and 'setting off' photos before the real chaos begins!
And for a secret present for your husband-to-be, how about a chic and sexy boudoir portrait photoshoot? Even if you're shy, or nervous, our portrait photographers are experts in making you feel comfortable and will help you to find tasteful and natural poses that will make your fiance's jaw hit the floor!
After the Wedding:
We often attend weddings abroad, and so can double up your   rel=nofollow [http://www.rebeccadawe.com]wedding photography package with a post-wedding honeymoon shoot so you can bring home some stunning professional portrait photos in your idyllic setting.
It's a little bit tragic that beautiful brides only get to wear their wedding dress once... so why not celebrate that fabulous flounce and feel like a princess again by having a "cherish the dress" photoshoot. Choose your location - perhaps on your honeymoon or a place close to your heart - and get posing in your bridalwear! This is a lovely way to have a bit of fun after the wedding and make the most of your special dress. Pose with or without your groom and bridal party, or even be a bit rebellious and have a "trash the dress" shoot instead, getting down and dirty in your wedding gown - jump into a pool, frolic in the sea or recline in crazy positions in the mud! Trash the dress is all about getting a gob-smacking shot!
We are a team of girls working from our Burbage studios... [http://www.rebeccadawe.com]Rebecca Dawe Photography. Our business has grown to be one of the leading cutting edge studios in the area.
Our work is inviting, fresh and creative. We pride ourselves on our diversity and flexibility; we can photograph your wedding, portrait or event in a variety of styles or combinations of them all.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Wedding-Photography-Before-and-After&id=6639191] Wedding Photography Before and After

Friday, November 25, 2011

Tips For Great Photographs

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Chris_Papciak]Chris Papciak
Tip One: Know Your Subject
Although it might be an obvious step, a lot of people don't seem to think about this before taking photos. You should always determine what the subject of the photo is going to be prior to taking it. If you don't, you end up taking pictures of random things and situations, and they don't always look so good. You should also try to make the picture you capture focus on the subject.
Sometimes the picture you capture doesn't express what you saw in the viewfinder. Let's say you took a picture of Billy playing in the front yard. When you get the prints back and get ready for photo scanning, you still see Billy there, but you also see the bumper of your car, half a bush, a trashcan, and the neighbor's broken gate. This is all a part of knowing what your subject is. The viewer of your image should not struggle to figure out exactly what the photo is supposed to be of.
Tip Two: Draw Attention to Your Subject
Now that we have established the subject of the photo, it's time to draw attention to your subject. The easiest way to do this is to fill the frame with your subject. This technique obviously draws attention to your subject, because it's the only one in the photo! The neat thing is that this trick will work with any camera at any time. Just fill up the viewfinder and snap away. So remember to draw attention to your subject whenever you look in the viewfinder. You can even ask yourself: "Does the image I see draw attention to my subject?" and ask, "Do I see anything in the frame that might distract the eye of the viewer from my subject?"
Tip Three: Simplify Your Image
Now that the first two steps have been applied, it's now time for the third, and sometimes most effective tip. You want to keep your images simple, especially if focusing on a single subject. Before taking the photo, look through the viewfinder and look for any objects that might be distracting or might draw attention away from the subject. This mostly applies to objects along the edges of the frame that might lead viewers eyes away from the subject. If you notice something, get rid of it! This can be done by moving the object out of the range of view. If it's not movable, try moving your camera! Create different angles and try different areas to get that beautiful shot. If those two tricks don't work out, then you could always try to move your subject.
Chris Papciak has been working with computers and media for over 15 years. He has extensive knowledge in the field of computer hardware, peripherals and consumer electronics. He has spent countless hours helping families with [http://www.dvdyourmemories.com/services/slide-scanning]Slide Scanning to DVD transfers in order to preserve their families memories for lifetimes. He is also experienced with converting [http://www.dvdyourmemories.com/services/photo-scanning/]Scan Photos to DVD, and image and slide scanning.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-For-Great-Photographs&id=6647136] Tips For Great Photographs

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

How Does A Sedona Photographer Captures Nature Through Their Lens?

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Natile_Freeman]Natile Freeman
'The Red Rock City' title pretty much says it all. Sedona was given this name for good reason. Nowhere else can compare to views of red buttes and monoliths like those found here. People from all around come to capture their beauty. Sedona photography offers the chance to take home a little piece of awe-inspiring nature.
Within such a small area, this town provides so much natural beauty. From Red Rock State Park to Oak Creek Canyon and more, every way a photographer turns there is a picture that can be taken. Whether an amateur or a professional, the area's backdrop provides so much that shooting a breathtaking picture is practically guaranteed.
Red Rock State Park is well know and well visited for a reason. The amazing colors that reflect off these rocks is truly amazing. Take a hike and the photo opportunities just won't stop. Travel down the Javeline Trail and Capture the 3 Sisters formation. Tour around and snap one of the 7 Warriors. Don't miss the well know Cathedral Rock. Take a moonlit hike and shoot the same sights and they will look completely different.
Travel over to Oak Creek Canyon and don't forget that camera. A smaller version of the Grand Canyon, this area offers scenic views of color and amazing rock formations as well as its picturesque waterway. Visit during the fall season and be struck by the beauty of the changing colors against the dazzling backdrop.
Near by is the Munds Mountain Wilderness area. From the canyon floor, capture the magnificence of the red rocks from a totally different view. While getting astounding shots of Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock, the area's most well know formations, feel the energy that many locals and visitors alike attest to being found there.
Don't forget the wildlife. All throughout the area there will be no difficulty in spotting a bird or animal to snap a picture of. With the changing seasons, photographers are given the chance to view black hawks, blue heron, mule deer, beavers, otters, bald eagles, coyote and so many more.
Sedona photography offers and endless supply of magnificent picture opportunities. There is beauty in the area that photographers will find around every corner and every bend. Strap on some hiking boots or hop in a car and travel the many trails and roadways that provide views that can't be matched. Grab that camera and capture mother nature as it was meant to be enjoyed.
Now that you're a little more familiar about [http://www.angelinarosephotography.com/blog/az-weddings/sedona-bridal-shoot-sedona-photographer/]Sedona photography, you can find some of the best photos taken of Sedona at [http://www.angelinarosephotography.com]http://www.angelinarosephotography.com. The Sedona photographer that took the pictures has really been able to capture some great moments.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Does-A-Sedona-Photographer-Captures-Nature-Through-Their-Lens?&id=6635398] How Does A Sedona Photographer Captures Nature Through Their Lens?

Monday, November 21, 2011

Aspiring Professional Photographers

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brandon_S_Mcbride]Brandon S Mcbride
Are you thinking about getting into wedding photography? Are you actually thinking about getting into photography in general? The old saying goes, photographers are a dime a dozen! But what does that mean for you as a start up photographer wanting to break into the industry?
There are a few things you need to know before starting your photography ventures. The first being, are you really going to devote yourself to the necessary learning and practice that it takes to become a professional photographer? Do you even have a creative eye, or are you just entertaining the idea of having a creative eye? The truth is, most people do have ample capacity for creativity, but not everyone's is suited in the same genre of expertise. Some people may have a creative ear, others a creative hand, and some a creative eye. Are you someone who can see with creativity? Don't kid yourself. Be up front and brutal about who you are and if you're even cut out for photography because not everyone is, and yet, it is still highly competitive.
How are you with your composition? Do you get good angles? Do you capture the right moments? Of course, different types of photography require different mindsets. Portrait photography requires more posing and you can take your time, but wedding photography puts the pressure on. Either way, you still have to be able to capture those angles and be able to pose people for the right effect in front of the camera! You can definitely tell how good a photographer is by how beautiful their pictures come out, but don't be totally naive. Photographers do have to have the eye, but some post shoot editing always comes into play. If you're really thinking about getting up there with the big boys you're going to have to get a photo editing software. The most popular is Light Room 3 by Adobe (who else!). But you're best shot is still to get as good as can pre-editing so editing takes less time and it says more about your photography!
The third thing you're going to want to know about is how to differentiate yourself from the rest of the photographers in your area, and so being, in your target market. How are you going to beat the competition? Is it going to be through awesome ability? Talent can get you places, but unfortunately that's for the top 1%. Even if you do have talent, you're going to have to market yourself in way that says "I'm the best", "I'm unique", "I deliver high quality". Like i said before, being talented in this industry just isn't enough to get you noticed. It's going to take marketing, and unless you want to take a long time to get noticed, it's going to take aggressive, creative marketing, as well as fundamental internet marketing. Word of mouth is the most common form of photography marketing and it tends to capture different social circles, leaving no monopoly for any 1 photographer. Get creative! You have to get yourself noticed!
Camarie Photography | LIFE.LOVE.FAMILY
Website: http://camarie-photography.com/
Orange County: http://camarie-photography.com/wedding-photography-pictures-photographer-orange-county-riverside-san-bernadino-southern-california/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Aspiring-Professional-Photographers&id=6642630] Aspiring Professional Photographers

Saturday, November 19, 2011

A Scary Tale of Loss and Tragedy - Backup and Archiving Demystified Part 1 of 3

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Frank_Myers]Frank Myers
Imagine it is late one evening, a cold wind is howling outside your window and you have been chained to your computer, editing all day, feverishly working on customer images to meet a looming deadline. Okay I know this might seem like the scary part of the story, it is not. You have worked on hundreds of images during the day and BAM! your drive fails. Insert scream of terror here, this is the scary part. If you are working on a single drive now the weeping, pounding on the table and wails of despair would begin. Eventually your tears would dry and you would be faced with the cold hard reality that you will need to restore the files from your backup. Which means those long hours spent working were for naught and those beautiful edits will have to be done all over again. So you revert into a catatonic state until morning where, like Bill Murray in groundhog day, you repeat the previous 24 hours.
But wait this doesn't have to be a horror story. If you were working on a RAID array the drive could fail and you might not even notice it! Then you could calmly plug in a new drive and continue working while the array remirrors and you are once again protected from a drive failure.
The most common mistake I see photographers make in their image protection strategy is to use a RAID array for their archival storage and to use a single drive for their working files. This may seem counter-intuitive but the best use of RAID is for maintaining your working image files, not for your archival storage. Let me repeat, RAID is best used for your working files and use regular storage for your long-term archive. Why? It is simple. RAID automatically updates all copies of your files on the drives every time you use them, so your changes are protected at all times.
Which RAID is right for me?
It seems there is more confusion about RAID technology than just about any technology we photographers are faced with. RAID, which stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, is geek speak for technology that maintains copies of your image files on more than one disk so that if a drive fails your images are not lost. That is it plain and simple.
RAID 1
The original RAID is called RAID 1 and is a two-drive array that makes a copy of every file onto both disks. This is commonly called mirroring, because the drives are mirror images. This is the simplest form of RAID but also the most costly, since you have to buy double the storage to support RAID 1.
RAID 5
RAID is the next most common form of RAID where data is striped across a greater number of drives optimally 4 or more. This method is not mirror images but copies of the files are distributed across all of the drives so that if any 1 drive fails the array can be "rebuilt" by the remaining drives. Just stick in a new drive and in an hour (or a few) you have a protected array once again. A four drive array means that you will have 75% of the storage available for you to use instead of the 50% used by RAID 1.
What about RAID 10 and other variants?
There are other variants of RAID, most notably RAID 10, that are emerging but these are generally best used for more specialized applications like relational databases and are likely overkill for the general photography studio.
Which type is right for me?
RAID arrays can be certainly to setup on internal drives in both Mac Pros and most PC tower systems, but that approach can often limit your ability to expand the array. In addition you have to open up the machine and replace the drive if there is a failure, or take it somewhere to be serviced. Most external RAID arrays are designed for "plug and play" operations and the drive replacement is simple enough for even the most non-tech savvy user. This is the easiest and most flexible choice for most photographers. The type of connection is also important especially if you are using the array for working files as I have recommended. A standard USB 2.0 connection is just too slow for most people. In the Mac world the new thunderbolt drives are wicked fast and blow everything else away, but of course that is a new technology and you have to have the latest and greatest machines and drives to use it. The table below shows the major connection type in order of the practical speed they achieve in benchmarks. (The higher the number the better)
Thunderbolt - 177 MB/s
eSata* - 100 MB/s
Firewire800 - 78 MB/s
Firewire400 - 35 MB/s
USB 2.0 - 29 MB/s
*note that most machines will require a card to be installed in the computer for an eSata drive.
Backups who need backups
I am guessing that more than a few of you are thinking, since there is less than a 1% chance that both drives in a RAID 1 array would fail simultaneously, doesn't this mean I don't need to make backups anymore? Now I am getting scared! No there are so many things that can still go wrong that RAID doesn't protect against like file corruption, catastrophic controller failure in addition to the very rare case where more than one drive fails at the same time. Please make regular backups and have an offsite strategy, but wait that is the topic of discussion for part 2 in this tale of loss and tragedy.
Frank Myers
Co-owner of Sweet Life Photography http://www.sweetlifephoto.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Scary-Tale-of-Loss-and-Tragedy---Backup-and-Archiving-Demystified-Part-1-of-3&id=6639655] A Scary Tale of Loss and Tragedy - Backup and Archiving Demystified Part 1 of 3

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Photographic And Video Lighting: The ABC's

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Valentinetti]Joseph Valentinetti
Before we talk about photographic and video lighting let me briefly introduce another concept: f-stops. Around the lens, on a ring, or in the viewfinder of all non point and shoot cameras there is an array of numbers called f-stops that can be selected. F, in this case, stands for focal length. Here is a partial listing of the array and what it looks like:
f 2.8 4 5.6 8 11 16 22
These stops control the aperture or opening of the lens; how much light hits the film or sensors. F4 lets in half the light of f2.8. f5.6 lets in half the light of f4 and so on.
Now to the photographic and video lighting part: A basic, talking head, photographic and video lighting set-up consists of three lights:
The Key or main light
The Fill or supplemental light
and, The Highlighter.
For the sake of discussion let's say all three lights are the same number of watts, the same brightness. From the camera position, facing the subject, the Key light is usually placed to the cameras left about 22 degrees. The fill light is usually placed to the right at about 22 degree. The fill light should be one half the brightness of the Key light. How do you accurately do that if they are both are the same brightness? It's simple, put the fill light further away than the key light. But how much further away should it be? Now it gets really simple. Refer to the list of f-stops above. Now let's think of the F as meaning feet instead of focal length. If your Key light is 4 feet away than placing your fill light at 5.6 feet makes the brightness of it half as bright on the subject as the Key light. This is a 2 to 1 lighting ratio. Want more dramatic effects? Move you Fill Light to eight feet away, or two foot-stops from f4, for a 3 to 1 lighting ratio.
The Highlighter is placed behind and to the right or left of the subject. It may be shined on the hair to give highlights there or on the shoulders to give separation from the background or on the background itself to add depth to the image. Use the Highlighter at less or equal to the distance of the Key light.
If you can remember the simple array of numbers above you can be successful at basic photographic and video lighting techniques without any guess work. Other photographic and video lighting questions include whether to use short or long lighting, butterfly or cameo lighting, high key or low key lighting, but first master the basics. Some people say creativity happens by luck or chance. Creativity comes from knowing the rules and manipulating them. I like what the photographer Ansel Adams said: Chance favors the prepared mind.
Good luck, and, shine on brightly.
Joseph Valentinetti is an author of novels: fiction and fiction based on fact. He writes articles on a variety of subjects, from impressions of travel spots to speculating about the name of the moon, but his focus is on his writing and author interviews. Get better acquainted at [http://www.valentinetti.com]http://www.valentinetti.com. Join his site, pick up his feed and become part of the dialog. Read A Book.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Photographic-And-Video-Lighting:-The-ABCs&id=6643752] Photographic And Video Lighting: The ABC's

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

How to Take Great Pet Portraits

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ronan_Le_Breton]Ronan Le Breton
Pets are the cynosure of our eyes, whether they be canaries, cats, dogs, rabbits or any other animal. They love us in a most complete way, and we love them back the same way. Capturing timeless pet portraits is a great way to treasure your companionship for many years to come. Though we may click away our pet's portraits, there are very few photographs that remain timeless for us. Here are five ways through which you can improve the quality of your pet's portraits.
Face to face
Most pet photographs tend to be taken from a human viewpoint at that height. However, for a change, it may be good to kneel down and take a portrait from the pet's level. This approach helps to better capture your pet's eyes and eliminate the background clutter.
Use lighting to your advantage
Most pet portraits get taken within the comfort of one's home using artificial lighting. We also tend to rely heavily on the flash, the lighting from which not only creates the red eye effect but often also startles/ frightens the pet from giving more photos. Expert photographers thus suggest that you use the natural light available for your advantage. The early morning light and the evening light offer good scope for great portraits. Try to take pictures out of your home, in safe surroundings.
Use camera settings wisely
Most cameras today are equipped with high end features that allow scope for a wide array of adjustments. However, we are often unaware of how these settings can help us take good portraits. For pet portraits, experts advise that you adjust the shutter speed to a higher level. As pets are quick to move and can't sit still for long, this feature can be of great help.
Have patience
One needs to practice extreme patience while taking photos of animals. That is because animals seldom sit still to give the perfect pose. You may need to take many shots, before you find one that is perfect for your requirements. Cranky, irritable or unwell animals may also refuse to pose for photos. Take snaps only when your pet is healthy, active and well fed.
Use effects to your advantage
If you are still unhappy with the kind of effects created by the digital photo, it is time to try out new photo portrait styles. You can consider converting your pet's photograph into a pop art style such as monochromatic, classic Warhol or even a comic Lichtenstein. Ready-made software available off the Internet can help you achieve so too at less costs. However, if you want a professionally done job, you can work with pop art studios to design the required look. These studios will give you the finished portrait, on mediums of your choice, ready to display wherever you require.
Pet portraits are commonly invested in today, as timeless pieces that capture your best moments with the pet. While these can focus just on the pet, you can also take portraits with you and your pet, a great way to show the wonderful bond you share. If you are looking for professional support, do check out questions that you need to ask. Pop arting such portraits looks great, and can create fabulous results from the innumerable styles.
Ronan Le Breton is a Bali based professional pop art artist, who also manages operations of a pop art studio. Various artists work together to create pop art impressions. Works are on display at [http://www.personal-art.me.uk]http://www.personal-art.me.uk.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Take-Great-Pet-Portraits&id=6638239] How to Take Great Pet Portraits

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Landscape Photography Tips and Tricks to Achieve Professional Results!

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ricardo_Manuel_Da_Cunha]Ricardo Manuel Da Cunha
10 Tips and Tricks for the Beginner
1. Shoot close to sunrise and sunset to achieve more balanced exposures. Shooting during the harsh daylight produces very contrasty light and is difficult to capture details in both the shadow and highlight areas. If it's one thing you take away from this guide it should be this!
2. Compose an image to exclude more and include less; remove any element that does not add to the image. Simplicity is often the key!
3. Shoot in RAW format for maximum quality if any post production editing will be performed later. This is really a big deal!
4. Switch to manual focus and focus one-third of the way into a scene and do not use the smallest aperture of the lens (i.e. f/22). Instead use at least 2-3 stops up from the smallest opening in order to achieve sharper images
5. Use a remote cable release or the self timer in addition to a tripod to increase sharpness. This makes such a big different especially when long exposures are required! To increase sharpness even further, engage the camera's mirror lock-up feature if it comes with one
6. Use Live View in conjunction with full magnification to manually focus. Thank god for Live View!
7. Shoot waterfalls under overcast conditions in order to allow the shutter to remain open for longer in order to achieve that nice silky water movement that you see so often and wonder how it is done! Alternatively, shoot in shutter priority mode (Tv) and dial in a shutter speed of at least 1/15 seconds or better still use an ND filter to achieve the same effect!
8. To achieve turquoise blue water, shoot when the sun is directly positioned overhead; i.e. around midday
9. Compose a scene with naturally occurring lead-in lines within the foreground and use them to guide the viewer to the main subject. An interesting but not dominant foreground also give the image depth
10. Shoot at the lowest possible ISO (i.e. 100) to produce the best possible quality images. Using a tripod will be a big advantage!
10 Tips and Tricks for the more Advanced
1. Expose to the right. What does this mean? Using a digital camera's histogram, ensure that the range of tonnes are pushed as far as they can go to the right-hand side of the histogram graph without touching the right-side. Doing this will increase the amount of information recorded in the image and therefore quality!
2. Don't just rely on a single capture to create an image. Taking two or three different exposures and blend them together later in Photoshop by combining the best elements of each. Yep - this is a big secret by the pros!
3. Wherever possible, try to avoid using filters as filters typically soften images and therefore reduce sharpness. As an example, instead of using ND graduated filters capture one image exposed for the foreground and another for the sky and then blend them in Photoshop. If you need to use a filter to achieve an effect (i.e. using an ND filter to achieve a silky water affect) then take a separate image without the filter and another with the filter applied and blend in those areas containing all of the juicy detail that you're after!
4. Always do your homework on a location in preparation for a shoot and if possible ensure that you have visited the location to pre-visualise the optimum composition. Pre-visualise also how the scene would appear under the optimum lighting conditions and then return well in advance of the optimum lighting arriving (i.e. sunset). Use the harsh daylight hours to perform your homework on a location
5. Take multiple captures of water movement until the optimum water movement has been captured. If the water movement is to slow, increase the speed of the ISO and vice versa. Adjusting the ISO only ensures that not only the exposure is left in tact but also the depth of field!
6. Capture panoramic images by stitching multiple image captures together. Ensure that the camera is set to manual shooting mode, manual white balance, manual focus, overlap each image segment by approx 30% and ensure the tripod is perfectly level. Positioning the camera in a portrait orientation will also give you more scope when it comes to cropping!
7. In tricky lighting conditions, experiment using different metering modes rather than always rely on the Evaluative/Matrix metering mode to determine the correct exposure. For example, use the Centre Weighted or Spot metering mode
8. To yield optimum depth of field, use hyperfocal focusing by identifying the hyperfocal distance using both the lens focal length and aperture and then focusing on the hyperfocal distance
9. To further improve depth of field and sharpness and get images appearing tact sharp from the near foreground to the distant background, capture two separate images with the first focused on an element in the foreground and the second on an element in the background. Then blend the two images together later in Photoshop. Photoshop makes this easy by automatically selecting the sharpest sections of both images and combining them!
10. Use The Photographer's Ephemeris to research locations to shoot in advance and easily identify sunrise and sunset times at any time of the year for a specific location. This tool is a must have and best of all it's completely free!
Ricardo Da Cunha - Australian Landscape Photographer http://www.ricardodacunha.com.au
Found this free information useful and want to learn more or expand on any of the tips above? Why not book a short private one-on-one photography tuition session or a course?
-Private tuition and in the field and post production courses available -Completely customised for your needs and skill level -Detailed course booklet provided for your further reference and development -No equipment necessary -Access to all of the knowledge and techniques that I apply in my very own workflow
Learn more at: http://www.ricardodacunha.com.au/landscape-photography-courses/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Landscape-Photography-Tips-and-Tricks-to-Achieve-Professional-Results!&id=6627432] Landscape Photography Tips and Tricks to Achieve Professional Results!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Why Use A Tripod?

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jay_Finks]Jay Finks
In the field of photography, a tripod is a support device utilized to both elevate and stabilize a camera. Flashes and other photographic accessories may also be supported by it. All tripods for photography feature a mounting head and three legs. They are commonly constructed out of plastic, wood, carbon fiber, aluminum or steel. Why use a tripod? There are several different reasons, but here are the 6 main reasons why you should use one:
1. One of the most popular reasons to use a tripod are the benefits it gives to image quality. Photographers using a tripod are able to keep their camera steady. This makes it easier to get a good shot, thus enhancing the image quality. Image quality also benefits from a tripod's leg locks, which lock its legs in place to allow photographers to get a clear shot of their subject.
2. A tripod improves the support and stability while taking a shot with a camera. Lack of support and stability can result in blurry images, as the camera may inadvertently move while a shot is taken. This feature of a tripod is particularly important to photographers who are out in the field, where they have to deal with uneven or rugged terrain.
3. Photographers appreciate the flexibility that a tripod affords them. Flexibility is a quality that makes one's camera easier to use. Taking outdoor shots often requires that photographers have the ability to quickly change the angle of their shot. The tripod allows for this.
4. Sometimes, photographers have to obtain extreme close-ups of their subjects. This is particularly true in outdoor and nature photography, where there subjects may be a ways off. Having a tripod supporting the camera allows one to take extreme close-ups with greater confidence.
5. Successful focusing and framing of the camera constitute another reason for the use of a tripod, particularly in wildlife photography. A tripod allows photographers to pre-focus on a certain, single spot. This is also made possible due to the extra steadiness that a tripod provides.
6. When photographers take panoramic shots, they may want to stitch them together. A tripod enhances the ability of a photographer to do this. It provides the precision that such a process requires.
Using a tripod makes a lot of sense for photographers. It enables them to get stability, flexibility, superior image quality, good focusing, extreme close-ups and even precision panoramic shots. It allows photographers to obtain these things in all sorts of shooting locations and various conditions of light.
Jay Finks is an avid online researcher and loves discovering new and exciting products and industries online. Through his research he stumbled upon the [http://www.vanguardtripods.com]Vanguard tripod series and found these products to be of the highest quality. For those photographers looking to capture the moment, as they see it, learn more about us benefits of using a tripod at [http://www.vanguardtripods.com]http://www.VanguardTripods.com.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Use-A-Tripod?&id=6646459] Why Use A Tripod?

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Benefits of Outsourcing Photo Restoration Services

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Addison_Thomas]Addison Thomas
Digital photo restoration refers to renovation of old photographs by scanning and editing them with the help of scanners and software tools. The task requires advanced software like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and in depth knowledge of handling it. Since photographs restoration requires professional assistance, it is generally outsourced to professional digital photo restoration services providers.
Key benefits pertaining to outsourcing photo restoration services to professional service providers include:
Cost-effectiveness
Cost-effectiveness is one reason why you should consider outsourcing the picture restoration task to third parties. Many a times, companies might not have adequate infrastructure to carry out the digital photo restoration processes in-house. Procuring software and other facilities necessary for picture restoration would increase the firm's operating cost. On the other hand, outsourcing to third parties could reduce the company's cost by up to 50%, by cutting down the cost on labor and infrastructure. India is one of the most sought-after destinations for outsourcing and has several professional digital photo restoration services companies which offer the services at affordable costs.
Time-consuming
Besides being an expensive task, the photo repair service is a time-consuming process, if handled internally. The photographs restoration is a complicated task that requires utmost care and attention to accomplish it successfully. The whole process starts with scanning of the worn images and ends with appropriate editing. Editing is again a complex process, involving removal of scan lines, marks and image retouching, which demands professional skills to achieve the right output. Thus, the digital photo restoration services could be best accomplished when outsourced to specialists.
Professional Service
Today, photo restoration services have become a serious business and the service providers are keen on maintaining professionalism. Thus, to survive in this competitive environment, firms offering photo restoration services deliver highest quality in order to retain its clients. A typical photo restoration services would involve tasks like scanning of physical photos, converting a black & white image into color (if needed), lighting and color enhancement, removal of marks, dust/ blemishes, distortion, background correction and other design aspects. The assistance of professionals is required to make all these modifications effectively within the specified time. Outsourcing the photo repair service would not only reduce your cost but also help you concentrate on your core business.
Avail Free Trial Projects
Take advantage of the free trial projects offered by the outsourcing companies to experience the work quality. Many companies, these days, have started offering trial projects to enhance business opportunities and showcase their capabilities. This would also help you in comparing the kind of quality and prices offered by different companies.
With services industry developing at a rapid pace, the demand for professional service at affordable prices is also increasing at an alarming rate. And the outsourcing companies, these days, are performing the services with maximum care and diligence to have an edge over others. This competitive environment drastically reduces the expenses for client-companies, thereby proving that outsourcing the non-core activities would be a prudent decision for them.
For more details you can visit at [http://www.digitalphotoeditingservices.com/photo-restoration.html]digital photo restoration services, [http://www.digitalphotoeditingservices.com/photo-restoration.html]picture restoration
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Benefits-of-Outsourcing-Photo-Restoration-Services&id=6645715] Benefits of Outsourcing Photo Restoration Services

Monday, November 7, 2011

How to Take Underwater Photographs?

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=YK_Yeo]YK Yeo
The underwater world is breathtaking to say the least. The turquoise blue and stupendous corals do indeed take your breath away. Diving underwater to take a look at sea life can be a defining moment in many lives. It allows for soothing your tensions and anxieties helping you experience complete surrenderfulness.
The beauty of underwater diving compares to none other. Often times we only have a few precious opportunities in our lives to dive underwater to look at a totally different world, especially if you don't live near a sea/ocean that provides underwater diving and exploration. When you are offered a once in a lifetime opportunity then, wouldn't you want to keep memories of this experience with you forever? That is why you need to consider taking underwater photographs. We help you understand what is important when considering taking underwater photographs and how to take them.
Gone are the times of handling complex unwieldy underwater cameras that had an incomprehensible manual that came along with it to undertake underwater photography. When you are in deep sea you don't want to be overwhelmed by what your specifically designed underwater camera can do especially if you have very little time to stay under with heavy equipment.
The most efficient and feasible way to take underwater photographs is by using camera housing equipment. Given that almost everyone today has a digital camera getting a housing equipment for underwater photography is worth the investment and practical as well. That way, you can always use your camera for regular picture taking and then fit it for underwater picture taking when you snorkeling or scuba diving.
When you buy your digital point and shoot cameras, or compact digital cameras with full exposure controls and single lens reflex cameras make sure that they have waterproof housing equipment available. This is because some digital cameras don't come with waterproof casings that you can buy later. Most housing equipment come with depth rating good for scuba diving which means that you can use them when you go rafting, kayaking, during heavy rains and snorkeling.
You can take underwater photographs with the camera you own after making sure they have features and extensions available for underwater photography. The waterproof cases are specifically designed for different cameras and are made of aluminum or special plastic making it feasible for you to take underwater.
Other aspects that you should consider while beginning to learn shooting underwater is have both macro lenses and wide angle lenses to deal with the issue of capturing wide aspects of the water life as well as details.
 A great buy for your cameras is the   rel=nofollow [http://www.dicapac.com.sg]DiCAPac's digital camera waterproof cases. These come in handy for every harsh condition and you get to save memories of those experiences such as suba diving, snorkeling and kayaking. DiCAPac's waterproof cases make for excellent low budget shooting underwater, these soft shells or cases make for best underwater shooting especially if you don't plan to go deeper than 10 meters. A great way to begin underwater shooting is to try out your digital camera with DiCAPac's casing and dive into your swimming pool or the iridescent lakes sites.
YK Yeo, the website founder of [http://www.dicapac.com.sg]http://www.dicapac.com.sg, Owner of GMM Technoworld Pte Ltd, Singapore. DiCAPac waterproof case Exclusive Distributor in Singapore Market since 2007.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Take-Underwater-Photographs?&id=6644634] How to Take Underwater Photographs?

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Three Important Digital Photography Settings for Beginners

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ashwin_J]Ashwin J
This article aims to help beginners understand the correlation of three most important factors in digital photography. Aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings are the three most important factors that make a great shot.
Aperture is the size of the opening of the lens through which light enters to expose the shot
Shutter speed is the amount of time for which light is allowed to enter through the lens for exposure
ISO is the amount of sensitivity towards the light entering into the lens. Higher the ISO setting on your camera, higher the sensitivity will be. Lower the ISO setting on your camera, lower will be the sensitivity. Too much ISO sensitivity causes the photo to be grainy & washed out and lower ISO causes it to be very dark or the colors to look very faded. (ISO stands for 'International Organization for Standardization' which is an organization that standardized a system to measure sensitivity of film rolls. This has been adapted into digital cameras without much change.)
The user needs to find a balance between these three factors in order to get a shot which has perfect brightness and colors. The quantity & intensity of light coupled with the amount of time for which light is allowed to enter make or break a great photograph.
A good analogy that helped me understand how these factors work with each other is that of coffee and milk. Think of light as milk in your morning coffee, aperture as the size of the opening in your milk jug, shutter speed as the time for which you allow milk to flow into your coffee and ISO as the strength of the black coffee in your mug.
The bigger the opening of your milk jug, the more milk flows out of it (aperture). The more time you allow milk to flow, the more milk flows out of it (shutter speed). If you couldn't control the flow of milk and wanted your coffee darker, you'd make your concoction itself stronger (a low ISO sensitivity setting, for fixed amount of light coming through).
Choose an object (or person) as a subject and start experimenting with these settings. Make sure the subject has adequate light falling on it. Once you get a feel of these settings and their resultant photographs, go ahead and try shooting the same subject in different lighting conditions. A step further would be to try capturing moving objects - try a lower ISO and higher shutter speed as a starting point for moving shots.
Most Point and shoot Digital cameras like the Nikon L120 take care of these settings automatically for the user. But they also allow you to adjust these settings manually. It is important for a beginner who is serious about getting into photography to learn the essence of these three factors and begin to experiment by changing these settings. It is recommended to use auto focus while learning this so that the user can concentrate solely on mastering these three settings.
Ashwin J is an amateur photographer who currently owns a Nikon L120. Read more about the [http://www.nikonl120.in]Nikon L120.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Three-Important-Digital-Photography-Settings-for-Beginners&id=6632906] Three Important Digital Photography Settings for Beginners

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Photography in It's Essence

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jamie_P._Johnson]Jamie P. Johnson
Photography is the art of capturing light, I'm sure you have heard that a lot, and now with digital cameras it has become much easier as opposed to the traditional 'film' cameras that were prone to uncertainty and other frustrating mishaps. That's all gone now, and any one with a DSLR can produce amazing results. In addition with the growing photo enhancement software it is merely child's play when it comes to editing your photographs, even normal digital cameras give you the option of in camera editing. However, all this while has given an increased level of creativity; the essence of photography seems to be lost. It's all about taking hundreds of clicks and well, when you do that you're sure to get some fantastic pictures. Whereas in the 'film' age photographers had to check a lot of variables, like the direction of the light, shadows, highlights, reflections and what not. Although the camera did the light exposure adjustments it was necessary to make counter adjustments according to the lighting conditions, whereas nowadays if a picture doesn't come out right you can take it again. With film it wasn't possible until the film was processed to see the final results.
A Look at the Digital World of Photography
The digital age has made photography much easier, and has given birth to new techniques such as HDR and what not. Digital cameras have their advantages, far more than the advantages of film. The learning curve of photography has increased exponentially, young artists have emerged and a lot of people have taken keen interest and taken up photography as a hobby. And that's not it, with so many photography forums, places to share your photography have increased a lot, examples being flicker, deviant art, and loads more. This has in turn made it very easy to share your work with the world and has opened up various ways to earn money. Stock photography has become very popular and has made it possible for hobbyists to earn initiation to giving them recognition and praise for the work they do. Forums and these photo sharing websites have made it possible to get critique from all kinds of people. This makes it a healthy learning experience. Digital cameras have taken the world over by a storm, and all this has made competition very tough, photographers spend a lot to get the best equipment, the best lenses, the best cameras, accessories, and software's to compete on an international level.
Film Photography
All this seems very fascinating, but there are still devotees out there who are still keeping the traditional way of photography alive. Although now termed as a 'dying art' film photography still has its enthusiasts, my self being one of them. Film photography has it own essence, a feel you do not get from digital cameras, using film I believe makes the photographer more aware of the lighting conditions, as in it makes them evaluate each and every photograph in more depth, clicking away is something most film photographers are not fond of, instead they will take their time, the process is more detailed, and the wait is something that heightens your curiosity. It's like a magical moment when your film is developed, that's when you get the full feel of what you have done, and the joy and satisfaction of capturing that particular moment is like no other. Since film works on a chemical reaction on the atomic level, and digital works with pixels it is said that the detail captured by film has no parallel, but yet advancements in technology have enabled the production of 60 mega pixel image sensors and even much higher than that, which produces details that can very well be matched with film and even be better, although those are differences that hardly matter and that is more of a technical debate rather than one which you can see outright.
You can find a lot of debates going on about digital vs. film, in a nut shell both in their own right are justified and both have an aspect that cannot be weighted above the other. Film enthusiasts will continue their love for film, and newer technology will keep improving digital cameras. Digital cameras are still new, due to consistent changes and advancements it can be very well said that digital still has a lot further to go before it matures. Film however, reached its maturity long ago, in a way it reached its epitome and now it's only a matter of time that film goes obsolete, and the art of film photography ultimately comes to an end.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Photography-in-Its-Essence&id=6642355] Photography in It's Essence

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Send a Card That Only You Could Send

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Shane_M_Martin]Shane M Martin
There are many occasions during the course of each and every year when you might wish to send greeting cards to a member of your family or a friend. Birthdays and Christmas are the obvious times, but there are now cards available for virtually every occurrence you can think of. Whether the person in question is moving house, getting married, having a baby, christening that baby, passing an exam, staring a new job, graduating from university, retiring or just not feeling too well, there's bound to be a card out there which deals specifically with the situation.
The difficulty, however, often lies in finding exactly the right card for the person who'll be receiving it. Every card shop is crammed full of cards but all too often they're produced to pander to the lowest common denominator, taking care not to be too striking, individual or different in case this scares away potential customers. Photo cards are an excellent example of this. Finding a card featuring an image which is just right for the person you want to send the card to is often all but impossible, and most people end up compromising on something which is sort of okay but far from ideal. This, however, seems to be a shame. After all, the whole point of sending someone a card is to let them know that you're thinking about them, and the thing that gives a card such an emotional impact is the very effort involved in choosing, writing and sending it. That's why cards still mean so much more than a phone call or a text message - because of the time involved in the process, they're a physical embodiment of the feelings you wish to convey, be they congratulations, commiserations or just that someone's in your thoughts - and they're also something tangible which can be kept and treasured for years afterwards.
Fortunately, modern technology has advanced to the point where it is now possible to send someone a photo card which features exactly the image you want, and which will be a one off, unique design. This is possible thanks to the advent of digital technology and the flexibility which this method of capturing imagery allows. No matter what the occasion, it is now possible to go through your own photographs and choose one which suits it precisely, have that uploaded and then printed onto a card with text of your choice added afterwards. The finished card will be produced to a standard which is at least a match for those you can purchase on the high street, both in terms of the materials used and the quality of the printing and workmanship applied.
The possibilities are as limitless as the imaginations of the people utilising the process - for example, you might wish to mark a good friends 40th birthday with a card which features the birthday boy as a smiling, cherubic baby in their original birthday suit, or maybe somebody's silver wedding anniversary could be celebrated with a card which shows a candid shot of the happy couple strolling along, hand in hand, enjoying each other's company still after all these years.
The possibilities for [http://www.bonusprint.co.uk/pages/photo_cards.htm]photo cards are limited only by the imagination of those choosing and printing them, and that's why they're a means of making and sending [http://www.bonusprint.co.uk/pages/greetings_cards.htm]greeting cards which is utterly perfect no matter who the recipient, and no matter what the occasion.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Send-a-Card-That-Only-You-Could-Send&id=6645756] Send a Card That Only You Could Send