Steps to Improving Your Landscape Photography

How many times have you been driving and wanted to stop and take a shot of that breathtaking landscape. You then stop, look around and the shot even looks better. Your heart even skips a beat. You go for it and return to the car with a huge smile.

When you get back home you download your pictures, process them and then you find out that what you shot was not what you placed your eyes on. What went wrong? Well its simple your lens and the sensor of your camera do not work like your eyes and your brain does. You select different parts of the scene and produce beauty out of them, your sensor doesn't.

So what do you now? For landscape photography you need time and a couple of tips, follow them, practice and your shots will improve.

The general rule for landscape photography is to keep as much of the scene in focus as possible. This means that you have to maximize the Depth of Field or DOF. In other words you have to choose a small aperture setting (remember small in this case means a large number) to obtain a greater Depth of Field. The greater the DOF is the more focus you will achieve. This also means that your shutter will stay open more than it would normally be.

Since you are now using a longer shutter speed to maximize your Depth of Field you need to ensure that your camera is stable and not shaking. The best thing to do is to use a tripod and a cable or wireless shutter release mechanism. Doing so your camera will not shake and your photo will be not blur.

Decide what your central point will be, what is your subject, where is it, what size is it, does it have enough contrast with the rest of the picture and how does its shape compare to the rest of the composition. Your central point, know as Focal Point, is what will make your shot stand out and not allow the eyes of the viewer to wonder. The Focal Point in landscape photography can take the shape of many different things, a building, a tree, a rock, a person, etc. The placement of your subject is very important, use the rules of composition for this purpose.

Your horizon is the next step to consider and an important one. Make sure your horizon is straight and in the lower third or the top third of the photo. The rule of thirds applies very well to landscape photography.

Now look for lines in your shot. Lines are a way to guide the eye. It gives your image a sense of direction. Lines should direct the viewer towards your subject. A line can be road, a river, shoreline, mountain edges, etc.

Another element of your landscape composition that can create an amazing landscape shot is a foreground object, this creates depth in your shot and prevents it from being flat. The foreground will help you balance your image.

When possible convey and transmit the movement that you see, wind, water, moving clouds, a bird. A static image is less dramatic than one that showcases movement, it ads drama, mood and creates a point of interest.

Shoot landscapes either early morning or at dusk, light is the best at this point and colors, textures, patterns will pop out and impact your image.

Take your time before taking the final shot. Try different points of view. The same image will look completely different if you go lower or if you go higher. So walk around, climb a little, get on your knees or in a ditch. You will be surprise at what you see.

Each 'Photography Project' is a new challenge for The Duenitas Digital World, which is met with great motivation and enthusiasm! The Duenitas Digital World team is technically proficient under any conditions and work in an unobtrusive respectful way. The Duenitas Digital World is flexible and reacts well to unplanned happenings; capturing the perfect image as they go.

The Duenitas Digital World is based in Miami, Florida and covers South Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. They specialize in the following Photography Topics: Weddings, Resort, Real Estate, Product, Family & Event and Commercial Photography.

The Duenitas Digital World is also proficient in Graphic Design, Web Design and Social Media.

Website: http://www.theduenitas.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheDuenitasDigitalWorld

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The Art of Taking Candid Portraits

Location: Where the photography is going to take place? Is it indoors or outdoors? If it is indoors, is it a residential setup or a corporate office? How much light is available and what types of lights are these, tungsten, fluorescent or combination of both?

Also, keep in mind that when you are required to travel outside city, carrying additional equipment will be cumbersome and you may have to incur additional costs in transporting it.

Outdoor location photo-shoots are more challenging as the local weather conditions may throw some new surprise elements. What time of the day you will shoot depends on the subject or model's comfort level, attire and your own expertise in handling the situations. Most of the professional photographs, shoot on locations that are popular like beaches and in front of famous monuments like Taj Mahal, Leaning Tower of Pisa etc. In order, to avoid excessive glare of the sun, many professionals shoot in the 'golden hours'. The hour after sunrise and before sunset are considered good, as there are no hard shadows and the temperature also more soothing.

During noon time, with the sun blazing overhead, you can experiment with large diffusers available commercially or you can get them custom-made as per your requirements and specifications.

Light: Photography is all about light. Whether you are shooting indoors or outdoors, the light will play a crucial role in the final results. There is a limitation to the amount of post production manipulation that you can undertake in editing software like Adobe Photo Shop. One of the best sources is the natural light: Sun. The best of the portrait photographs can be taken in natural light with couple of reflectors and maybe diffusers. How the reflectors and the diffusers are used, depends entirely on your creativity and the results expected from the photo-shoot.

Artificial lights can be tungsten or fluorescent. You will have to transport the lights and may require assistance from your friend or hired helping hands.

Another, manner in which portraits are shot is using a dedicated external flash unit, either mounted on the hot-shoe of the camera or off the camera using a trigger. The direction of the light will make lot of impact on the final result. In most of the cases, you can bounce the light from the white ceiling or in some cases, from a white sheet of plastic or board.

Subject: A lot depends on the subject who will be photographed. Are you clicking formal photographs or informal ones? Are you shooting a man, woman or a child? What mood are you trying to capture? There are many points and issues that have to be addressed, before you can embark on portrait photography.

Capturing the mood is the key to good portrait photography. One of the key points is to communicate openly with the model or person who is going to be photographed. There are entire books written on this subject and investing in some of them will be a good move.

Portrait photography is rewarding monetarily as well as creatively. You can explore, the various styles of other renowned photographers and develop your own unique style to create visually arresting images, that are cherished by your subjects as well as you feel proud to add to your portfolio.

Corporate Photography page Corporate Photographer website.

Visit: Industrial Photographer for many commercial photographs

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Photographing Trees - Tips And Ideas For Tree Photos

Nature photography is a favorite genre of photography, and within nature photography, trees are one of the most common subjects. Trees are widespread, tremendously diverse, and can make both beautiful and majestic subjects of a photo. In some respects, trees are also easy to photograph: they are widely visible, and unlike animals, they sit still, allowing you to carefully compose exactly the photo you wish to capture. The best way to get better at photographing trees is to get out there in the world, look at trees, and take lots of photos of trees. However, there are a few tips and tricks that you may not have thought of, that can help you to take beautiful photos of trees.

Tip #1: Experiment:

The best way to get better at photographing trees is to take photographs of trees. However, getting creative with your composition, angle, and the aspect of the tree that you wish to focus on can help you to discover new ways to produce artistic or powerful photographs of trees. Pick a tree, any tree, and try photographing it in as many ways and from as many angles as possible. Focus on the leaves, the bark, the stems, the roots if they are visible, the fruit or flowers, or the bare branches, depending on season. Compare the bark on the trunk to the bark on smaller branches, or the leaves low on the tree to the leaves higher to the top (if you have a way of getting close enough to photograph them). Try taking photos of the tree from a distance, as well as photos taken from within the tree, looking outward. Photograph the ground under the tree; look up through the tree to the sky. Photograph the miniature ecosystem created by the tree, the moss or lichens growing on the trunk or roots, the animals or other plants that make this tree its home, and the soil or ground in which the tree lives.

Tip #2: Return to each tree at different times of the day and year:

Trees are remarkably dynamic. The color and appearance of deciduous trees changes sharply in the different seasons, as they sprout fresh leaves, as their leaves mature and turn darker green, and then as the leaves turn colors and drop in the fall. Evergreen trees have more subtle changes throughout the year, but are dynamic as well.

Trees also look radically different at different times of day and in different lighting. Trees are light capturing machines, and accordingly, the visual effects as the sun shines on them from different angles throughout the day can be surprisingly complex and interesting.

In some cases you may wish to photograph sunlight filtering through branches or interesting shadows cast by the sun, whereas at other times you may find that an overcast or even rainy day brings out color contrasts that were not evident on a clear day. Inclement weather such as floods, droughts, snow, and ice storms often produce new and beautiful scenes with trees that can be captured in photographs. Although a tree may stand in the same place for years, sometimes you may only have one opportunity to capture a unique occurrence in a photograph.

Tip #3: Know your trees:

Botanical knowledge is not necessary for being a good nature photographer, but it certainly cannot hurt. Some people look at a tree and see just a tree; others might see an oak, or further, specific species like a pin oak, northern red oak, or swamp white oak. Each different species has a particular appearance and growth habit. Knowing more about the biology and ecology of trees can guide and enrich your experience as a photographer in a number of ways.

As you get to know the various species of tree, you will know where to return to later to find beautiful fall colors, spring flowers, or interesting shapes of bare branches in winter, even when you visit at a different time of year when the scene may look more mundane. Knowledge of a tree's ecology and biology, and your own skill at photographing that type of tree often go hand-in-hand. You will find that as you learn more about a tree, you become better capturing interesting aspects of it in pictures, and you will also find that the more you photograph a tree, the more curious you become about the tree itself and its relationships to other living beings.

In summary:

Reading about how to photograph trees can only get you so far. Turn off your computer, get outside, and take some pictures. You do not need to do anything fancy; start with the first tree you find!

Alex Zorach takes photographs of trees both to capture their natural beauty, and to illustrate ecological concepts and environmental issues. He publishes photos as well as writings on politics, religion, and a variety of other subjects on Cazort.net, his personal and opinion website. If you are interested in tree photograph, you are likely to enjoy his collection of pictures of trees, as well as his photographs of a wide variety of other subjects.

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Digital Photography - Optical Image Stabilization

In this article, we are discussing the world of digital camera optical image stabilization. This technology has been around since first introduced in 1995, however, it just recently made its way into the amateur photographer market of lenses and cameras.

Lens Stabilization - Lens stabilization is a technology used in some camera manufacturer's lenses where the recorded image is stabilized by varying the optical path to the sensor. Right now, the two major companies having used lens stabilization the longest are Canon and Nikon. Canon calls their technology Internal Stabilization (IS) whereas Nikon calls theirs Vibration Reduction (VR).

Lens stabilization was never meant to prevent motion blur of the subject - just the minute shaking from the photographer hand-holding a lens, however, some lenses now include a secondary panning or active mode to compensate for those conditions.

A general rule-of-thumb with lens stabilization, you can expect to gain at least a two-stop improvement over a non-stabilized lens. For example, if you are using a 100 mm lens, you would not normally try to use a shutter speed of less than the reciprocal of the lens or 1/125th second.

By using lens stabilization, you could expect to handhold up to two-stops less or at 1/30th second. While the stabilized lenses of the big two are common in many respects, they are different.

Comparison - In a comparison test between a Nikon and a Canon stabilized lens, the Canon lens ended up being quicker and quieter, while the Nikon lens was smaller and lighter in weight. Both had the same maximum aperture, roughly the same focal length and basically, the same price. But it didn't stop there.

Canon's IS lenses have two modes, Mode 1 and Mode 2. Mode 1 is for general photography where the lens elements float thereby compensating for camera shake along both the vertical and horizontal axis. Mode 2 is used for panned shots and when used, it deactivates image stabilization in the horizontal direction. The mode switch is a small ribbed slider switch located on the lens barrel.

On the other hand, Nikon's Vibration Reduction system detects smooth movement on the horizontal axis, interprets it as panning, and engages its compensatory motors accordingly. It does not need or use a switch to select a mode, so the Nikon lens is smarter in that respect.

How It Works - Both Canon and Nikon use the same basic technology. Both use two shake-detecting sensors to detect lens movement - one for yaw and one for pitch. The two sensors detect both angle and speed of the movement and sends information to a high-speed processor in the lens.

The processor interprets the detection signals, converts these signals to drive signals telling the lens group which way to move to counteract the shake, therefore creating a stable image.

Camera Stabilization - Some companies, such as Konica-Minolta, Pentax and Olympus build stabilization into the camera body itself instead of the lens.This works by moving the image sensor to counteract for the movement. While this method works well with shorter focal lengths, it does not work well with longer ones as the sensor can not move enough to counteract all the detected movement.

What The Future Holds - The big two in this field, Nikon and Canon are working on making optical stabilization both more responsive and available on a wider range of lenses. In the past, optical stabilization, whether built into a lens or camera body, did not function well at slow shutter speeds. Recently, some new developments in technology resulted in lenses working much better at slower speeds. As the technology gets less expensive to manufacture, both companies are working on building optical stabilization into their less-expensive lenses and I imagine one day in the not-too-distant future, it will be as common as auto-focus is now.

Summary - There are several advantages to using optical stabilization:

That is an important feature when trying to photograph inside certain buildings that do not allow tripods or flash photography.

- One is a photographer can be more responsive by not having to set a camera on a tripod to photograph at moderately slow shutter speeds.

- Two, the photographer in many cases no longer needs to lug around a tripod thereby lightning up the load.

- Three, it is easier now than ever before to get crisp sharp images hand-holding a camera system that employs some type of optical stabilization.

The last feature is important when trying to photograph inside certain buildings that do not allow tripods or flash photography.

If you are considering an equipment purchase or upgrade, look into purchasing either a lens or camera equipped with optical stabilization. Your slow shutter speed photos will improve by using this new technology.

If you liked this article, visit our website at http://www.sunlightmedia.net/sunlightmediatravelwritingandphotography/ for more tips and techniques.

Ron

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Kids And Animals

There are two words in professional photography that can strike fear into even the most seasoned photographer are the words "kids" and "animals."

Unlike a job where you know you'll be able to spend an hour with the subject and come away with at least a few winner shots, while kids and animals have the capacity to make you crazy. They'll give you the best looks when you're changing lenses and getting setup, but when it's time to shoot, they become uncooperative. Animals can be frightened by the camera, children become fascinated by it.

Kids

Spending some time up front with kids can go a long way to putting them at ease. Talk to them for a few minutes in the company of their parents, get down to their level and explain what you want to do. Even very young kids seem to respond well if you spend just a few minutes explaining what's going on and how they can help.

A trick that works for very young children and babies is putting a mirror near by or ask a parent to stand next to you and hold it. Infants are fascinated by their reflection so be ready to shoot when the mirror comes out and make sure your camera and flash units are set for continuous shooting.

For older children talk to the parents before the shoot and encourage them to bring along some of their favorite books and toys. Sometimes the presence of a coveted toy can put a child at ease and add to the picture.

You'll also discover kids are easier to work with individually than in groups, where the temptation to act out in front of siblings can be difficult to manage.

Animals

Nothing can challenge your photographic skill quite as much as animal pictures. Outdoors you're at the mercy of distractions and the elements, inside the distractions of a new environment can make even normally cooperative animals difficult to control.

One device that used to help when photographing horses is wrapping a trash bag around the top of a buggy whip or crop. Have an assistant raise the bag and rattle it briefly and gently when you're ready to shoot. It's a rare horse that won't lift up its head and put its ears up when the bag rattles.

The operative word for the bag trick is "briefly". Rattle it too loud or too long and you're likely to scare a horse and, since most times you'll be shooting with the animal in a show halter, scaring them can put them and you at considerable risk.

Cats and dogs are normally easier to manage, but also present unique challenges. Cats are notoriously aloof and uncooperative. The fish pole type toys where you can dangle a toy just out of reach can sometimes get cats attention. A laser pointer can also be a useful distraction. Be prepared to shoot the second you turn off the laser pointer as cats will almost always look up right at that moment.

Another trick with cats is to hiss at them. It's instinctual for them to face a potential threat and almost every cat will turn quickly toward that noise.

With dogs it's just a matter of patience. Dogs will be excited at the new surroundings and you'll be the most interesting thing in their world.

It often helps to have the owner bring a portable kennel if they have one. Dogs go into "den mode" once they've been in their kennel for a while and you'll sometimes have a few minutes of relative calm when you first bring them out. It also helps to walk them first and let them sniff out their new surroundings.

Mainly, with any animal, you'll want to allot plenty of time and be pleasantly surprised if it goes faster.

You'll learn even more with Proud Photography - one of the best online photography schools available today at http://www.proudphotography.com/

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Best Nikon Camera For Beginners: Don't Buy That New SLR Camera - Not Until You Have Read This!

So you have embraced the world of digital photography and now searching for the best Nikon camera for beginners. This could be one of the best moves you have ever made especially if you want to get serious in creating stunning shots, after all using a digital SLR camera has lots of perks; they are designed for versatility, speed and excellent quality images even in poor lighting conditions.

Well, I would say that choosing Nikon among other camera brands out there is not surprising at all; this giant has a track record of amazing digital photography innovations for decades.

But then, this fact could be both a pro and a con when buying your first SLR digital camera...the pros are pretty obvious of course....the cons - if you get to choose between lots of high quality cameras with great features and specs, it could be really confusing, not to mention, intimidating particularly for first time users.

So how would you choose among the Nikon digital SLR camera models that are available in the market nowadays? How could you keep yourself from wasting huge amount of cash (these cameras doesn't come cheap!), just to realize in the end that you have made a bad choice?!

Important Facts That You Should Know Before Getting A New Nikon Camera

While any Nikon digital SLR is reasonably priced, they don't come cheap. So it is best to look into DSLRs that's according to your experience level. Since you're a beginner in digital photography and I assume in using a SLR camera, then it will be wise to look into entry level cameras that Nikon has to offer.

Entry level cameras allow you to enjoy digital photography without any hint of intimidation....very minimal if there's any. Just like your point and shoot camera, DSLRs are intuitive. You can still find lots of auto modes; they are user friendly and lightweight.

Nikon D3100 and D5100 are both great choices for beginners like you...but if you compare their prices and features, you'll see that with just a few more bucks, you'll have a better deal with the Nikon D5100, that's why it has recently become one of the top choices.

It also comes with a vari-angle swivel LCD, which is not just great for capturing hard to shoot subjects, but is also great for effortless video shooting. You'll never miss your point and shoot camera since D5100 includes cool image effects that you've come to love on your compact camera.

So what's the best Nikon camera for beginners?

The best thing about Nikon digital SLR camera models is that you are given great choices...just like the two models that I have mentioned above....but in the end it all goes down to your photography needs, the price you're willing to pay for a high quality SLR camera and how serious you intend to be in digital photography.

Deciding on which best Nikon camera for beginners to get can be a bit overwhelming especially if you don't have much idea about SLR digital cameras. Go to Click here if you want to have a closer look at Nikon D5100 and great tips on digital photography.

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Inside Product Photography Advice: Photographing Camera Equipment

An overlooked area within the field of product photography is the camera itself. Camera equipment and photography equipment poses a unique challenge to the product photographer, which is yet another reason why it's safer not to attempt your catalogue photography in house, relying on the services of a professional photography studio instead.

So what is it that makes cameras and camera equipment so challenging when it comes to photography? There are three main issues which need to be considered. The first issue is that the people who are likely to be looking at your photographs of cameras are likely to be camera enthusiasts, and therefore enthusiastic about quality photography. If the images you're using are of poor quality then this doesn't look inspiring, and is unlikely to appeal to image conscious consumers.

Having high quality photographic images is always important no matter what you're selling and no matter to whom you're marketing it. But cameras and studio equipment from lights to lens needs that edge in order to appeal to people who are likely to be that bit more critical when it comes to image quality.

The second issue that needs to be considered when thinking about camera product photography is that most items of equipment tend to be both dark and detailed. If you look at most medium to high end digital and SLR cameras they tend to be black almost all over. Not only this but there tends to be quite a few buttons, and many of these are black too. This poses a problem, because it can be very difficult to take a photograph of a dark, detailed object and manage to both capture the detail, and make the product look three dimensional. Too many amateur photographs of cameras and similar products either lose the detail, or make the camera seem flat, cheap and uninteresting.

The third area of concern relates to reflections, because there are one or two areas of the camera which are likely to reflect light or to reflect what's in the room or studio. The two most obvious examples here include the lens, and any digital preview screen on the reverse of the camera. The lens doesn't tend to pose a problem as far as reflecting the studio is concerned, because what will generally be seen are simply light circles. But these are important, and by using coloured lights, appropriately angled lighting and the right exposure it's possible to really make the lens stand out. This is important because often the lens is the only real element of colour, and by having a glowing lens with light circles it helps to add a great deal of depth to the image as well as providing a focal point.

The screen at the back poses a different problem though. By switching this off you lose a potential area of colour and interest, and you also pose the risk of having the photographer and studio reflected in the screen, which doesn't look very professional. Switching the camera on though and having an image on the screen doesn't always work, as the quality will appear greatly reduced. It's generally best to use post production editing to superimpose an image onto the area where the screen is on the camera, although this has to be done very carefully indeed in order to make it look natural. Again, any keen camera enthusiast will certainly spot a doctored image, and this will beg many questions as far as the authenticity and honesty of the rest of the image is concerned.

So when it comes to product photography for cameras and photographic equipment it really is far better to make use of a professional photographer and studio, otherwise you could find your business very underexposed.

For low cost, professional product photography solutions visit The Packshot People Ltd.

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Moving Away From Common Photography Rules

Photography is one field that rewards people for breaking the rules. Are you a visual rebel? Like to push boundaries? Pick up a camera. But before you break the basic rules of photography, you have to learn them. There's a time to follow the rules and a time to throw out the rule book; experience that will help you choose between the two.

The Rule of Thirds

One of the most basic rules of composition calls for the subject to align along the lines that would be used to divide the photo into nine equal pieces. The Rule of Thirds also says strong lines, like the horizon, should be aligned along the same grid markers, depending on where you want the viewer's attention focused.

The times to consider breaking the rule of thirds are times when you have a natural frame that highlights a central subject or strong lines and other picture elements that lead the eye to a strong central point of interest.

It's sometimes a good idea to consider shooting a subject both ways. Some of your shots aligned with the Rule of Thirds and one or two deliberately outside the guidelines. Then you can decide in the comfort of your own work space which composition works better. Every photographer in the business has had the experience of pushing the button and chiding themselves over what they think is a poor shot, only to have that picture stand out for them and the client when looking at the shots later.

Shoot first, pay attention to the rules. Then throw out the composition rule book and shoot some more.

Focus

Learning to control your camera's focus is one of those seemingly obvious skills that will surprisingly separate experienced shooters from novice operators.

The main reason it separates shooters of varying skill levels is because it's difficult to get fine control of focus with your camera's automatic settings engaged. In auto shooting modes, your camera is going to do everything in its internal computer's power to make sure as much of the photo as possible is in focus, whether you like it or not.

To get shots where you're deliberately throwing some elements of a picture out of focus, you'll need to turn off the automatic settings, including autofocus. You'll have to experiment with your camera's Aperture Priority mode, usually abbreviated A or Av on the selector dial. Av mode allows you to select an aperture best suited to control depth of field and let the camera select the shutter mode to match.

Shoot From Behind Subject

Many photographers get forward-focused in their photography. They get in close, and take the majority of their photos to include the subject's face. That is what the textbook says you should do, but don't overlook the potential to get amazing shots by turning the scene around 180 degrees and shooting from behind your subject.

This can be a particularly good choice for any subject that performs in front of an audience. Then you can put the subject in a less prominent part of the photo and make the audience reaction the focus of the shot.

It's always good practice to shoot your front-facing shots, but once you have those, start walking around looking for different angles. Go around to the back, see if you can get up to a higher elevation, look for a different perspective.

It may sometimes seem counter-intuitive, but there are times the best shots are when you're making up your own rule book.

You'll learn even more with Proud Photography - one of the best online photography schools available today at http://www.proudphotography.com/

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Nothing Close to Legendary Machu Picchu

Looking at the photographs exhibited to celebrate the centenary of the discovery of Machu Picchu one can't help but conclude that a centennial celebration definitely deserves to be better. 100 Years of Machu Picchu organized by the Embassy of Peru along with the Instituto Cervantes of New Delhi falls grossly short of capturing the beauty and the spirit of the sacred Inca City which was elevated to the status of a wonder of the world.

Discovered by the American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911 Machu Picchu is often citied as of the most extraordinary feats of architecture and engineering achievements ever. Bad prints marred by harsh direct lighting and woefully displayed in the lobby of the Instituto Cervantes suggest that little or no planning went into executing this exhibition. While the images cover all the bases in their bid to highlight the marvels of the ancient city such as temples, solar clocks, fountains, living quarters, urban sectors, curved agricultural terraces yet somewhere they don't move you.

Some images like a view of Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu in the background make you stop and look long enough to soak in the beauty of the hallowed Inca city but this is short-lived. What irks is the realization that a simple Internet search would throw up better images of Machu Picchu's history and discovery! Additionally the images have no credits or extra information besides stating the obvious which in any case is visible. Besides the lobby a separate room displays a handful of reprints that try to trace Bingham's journey. There are maps dating from early 19th century, photos of Bingham and his team a hundred years ago as they unearthed what was considered to be lost for centuries, which in a stark contrast to the ones in the lobby, manage to redeem the exhibition to some extent.

The room has soothing music from the Andes playing in tandem with an audio-visual that even features images from Robot / Enthiran with Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan prancing around in a song that was shot amidst the ruins of Machu Picchu!

The few photos in the enclosure surely stand out and the exhibition would have been better if the journey of discovery was traced rather than putting together postcard images. The displays include a few pages from travel magazines and encyclopedias that show Machu Picchu along with a book with Rajini 'Robot / Enthiran' kant on it minus the fabled landscape... Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words but maybe the people behind 100 Years of Machu Picchu believe that seeing is believing...or what else could explain the shoddy effort.

100 Years of Machu Picchu is on display at Instituto Cervantes, Hanuman Road, Connaught Place (CP), New Delhi - 110001

I am a Delhi-based author who writes for Buzzintown.com. To know about paintings exhibitions Mumbai or to Contemporary Art Chennai please visit Buzzintown.com

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Advantages of Low Angle Photography

One of the most popular angles to shoot is from the photographer's standing point of view. While is fine with landscape and other general purpose photography, it does not create high impact visually arresting images.

Most of the professional photographers, who have mastered the art of photography by experimenting and self learning, produce stunning and engaging photographs that have been taken from low angle. In landscape photography, the foreground can be captured in detail when the photographer is really low and almost lying on the ground. You can always experiment with this style of photography by going low on the floor and take more engaging photographs.

The bottom angle allows the viewer a fresh and different perspective of the same scene or situation. In many cases, this provides a vantage view of the location and allows the viewers to explore new perspective of the monument, landscape and sometimes events.

In most of the digital point and shoot as well as D-SLR cameras it is difficult to get a different perspective as the photographer can not view the scene through viewfinder or LCD screen. However in the recent past, some mid-range and D-SLR cameras like Canon 600D and Nikon 5100D are equipped with tilt or swirl LCD screens. These LCD screens allow the photographer to view the scene by twisting / turning the LCD screen and keeping the camera almost or touching the ground/floor. In case, the floor or ground in not clean or dirt free, the photographer can keep a protective cloth or plastic sheet below the camera and shoot.

A useful accessory, in low angle photography is a small sturdy table top tripod of about 6" (15 cm) in height. This provides more versatility and allows the photographer to capture steady shot in low light conditions like sun sets, twilight etc.

Another important accessory that can be used is a remote control or time release controller to take photographs. Once the camera is mounted on the small table top tripod, the composition is finalized and actual shooting can be done from a comfortable distance by using a remote control device. Most of the modern Digital SLRs are compatible with either third-party remote controllers or from their respective manufacturers.

Low angle photography can also be used in events and parties that are organized at various occasions. One more advantage, of low angle photography is to capture motion blur of the dancers and performers on the stage. The low angle perspective gives a fresh view-point to the audience and adds to the overall excitement of the event.

Capturing children at play from their eye level or lower is yet another advantage of the low angle photography. Photographing children from standing position results in awkward angles and gives a 'head-on' perspective. The facial expressions and the innocence can be captured very well when the photographer explorers, experiments and implements low angle photography. When you are clicking photographs of children during any event or function, be sure to go down to their eye level and capture the moments. This will create high impact images, that will have a lasting impression.

In some cases it may not been possible to shoot at low angles, like crowded markets, street photography or travel photography, it is always worth the time and efforts in exploring this type of photography to gain new perspective and take the photography to the next level of expertise.

Home page Corporate Films website.

Visit: Industrial Photographer for many commercial photographs

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Innovative Ways to Display Your Photograph

Custom decorative picture frames and canvas gallery wraps are some of the common photo display methods. You can also put up photo prints on a photo board. Frameless picture frames are great options to create photo wall and photo clock.

Got lots of photographs that you would love to display? Get creative and use novel methods to showcase your pictures to the world. The common options for photo display include custom frames, photo calendars, and canvas gallery wrap prints. These options are a great way to protect your prints and add a touch of style to your picture. Here are some innovative ways to display your pictures:

Photo Wall:

Use an entire wall to display your pictures. Frame your pictures with custom frames that are available in a plethora of designs and models. Then mount the decorative picture frames on the wall in an interesting design. Don't want to damage the wall? Then tie strings from one end to another. Stick your photo prints on a strong cardboard or chart sheet, and clip them to the string. If you've got a large gallery wrap, use it as a center piece on the wall and arrange other framed photo prints around it.

Photo Board:

Another interesting method of displaying your photo prints is using a photo board. You could make a photo board with cork or cardboard, and use pins or glue to attach your photographs to the board. Arrange the photographs in the shape of a butterfly or an abstract design to capture attention of visitors.

Photo Clock:

Create an attractive photo clock with your pictures. Have your photos framed in frameless picture frames and arrange them in a circle on the wall to depict each number on the clock face. You can also get a wall clock and remove the glass/plastic cover. Place one photo at the center of the clock - you can also cut it into diamond, star, or other shapes. Stick other cropped photographs in their place round the clock. Affix the cover back on the clock and hang it on the wall.

You can also go for a huge photo print of your photograph and cover an entire wall with that picture. Another fascinating way to display your photograph is to have them printed on transparent digital paper. You can then use the print as a lantern cover. Other photo display methods involve having them printed on mugs, plates, and other stuff.

These are just a few ways you can use to display your photographs. Rack your brains and find out more appealing ways of showcasing your priced pictures.

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Top 3 Factors Needed to Succeed in Selling Photos Through Microstock Agencies and Make Money Online

I am sure, many amateur or seasoned photographers have come across an advert or an article promoting the potentials of microstock photographic online business. But, is this type of business right for you? Have you got the characteristics needed to excel in this type of enterprise? Today, I would like to analyse with you those few characteristics needed, in order to succeed in selling photos online.

Time

If you are reading this, I understand that you simply like the idea of turning your photos into money. However, have you got the time to do it? Are you ready to free some time to dedicate yourself to this online venture? It is important to comprehend, that while the thought of selling photos online seems quite straight forward, in reality there is work to be done.

Let us be practical. You need to plan your shooting, do the actual shooting, edit your images, tag your photos and then finally submitting them, hoping that the microstock house accepts your photos. By pointing out this, I am in no way discouraging you, on the contrary, I am laying the cards on the table so that you know what to expect.

I admit that when I started out I had many of my work rejected. Though my photos were photographically great, they did not reflect the market needs. In coming up with good marketable ideas you simply need time.

Research and Updates

You might have found a niche that is working out for you. Your photos are being accepted by the microstock house and downloads are raving up. If so, I must congratulate you as you have grasped the whole idea behind the concept in selling photos online. Do you relax back and keep on recycling the same ideas? No way. It is important that you keep being creative and inventive.

Research is a vital key in this business. Keep yourself updated at all times, in order to keep abreast and be aware of all the things that are going on, in your particular field. Browse around and observe what is working for other photographers. On the other hand, the free sections can give you an idea of what type of work is being reject. Most of the time, these are brilliant photos of which the microstock house has more than enough in its library, since they are repeated ideas and themes.

Determination

As with most jobs and activities in life, two crucial virtues that you need to master are perseverance and determination. Likewise, the same principals apply to excel in this online business. Starting out is always a challenge. By submitting work regularly you will beef up your portfolio and improve your reputation as a microstock photographer. The higher is your ranking, the more you will be noticed by potential buyers.

Believe in your capabilities and your work, and I can guarantee that you will achieve your goals and dreams.

Do you want to acquire a handful of posing secrets in order to manage to move from one style to another with ease? If yes, I invite you to visit http://michaelabela.weebly.com/ so that you too can master the art of posing and directing a model.

Besides, you will find ideas and tips on how to start you online photographic business in order to make the most of your photographic work.

The author is a member of the Malta Photographic Society (MPS), a public speaker and an article writer for various entities.

Author: Michael Abela

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Improving Audio In Video-Capable DSLRs

Digital cameras are so advanced these days most even have the ability to take videos. For people who are not contented with just capturing still images, videos are also a great of making memories last for a lifetime. It's a different experience with videos because you get to watch people as they move and you somehow feel the excitement and other emotions as the event happens right at that moment.

When taking videos, however, the audio aspect should not be taken for granted. This part plays a significant role as well in creating a great video clip apart from the visual aspect. Isn't it that when you hear the sound clearly and not muffled, it makes the experience of watching the videos more fun?

For photo enthusiasts using a DSLR camera, you have every opportunity to use your equipment to take videos with good audio quality. You just need an additional accessory to achieve great sound and this is through the use of a microphone. Some of you may not be fully aware of this but you can actually connect a mic to your DSLR through the mini-jack or 3.5 mm stereo input that is built in to most advanced digital cameras such as the video-capable DSLRs.

You may have to consider using an external microphone as the built-in mics on HD DSLRs do not have the full capability of capturing top quality sound. In addition, the internal mic can pick up other sounds of the camera itself such the lens and its inner workings.

But with an external mic, a camera owner can control the incoming sound volume. Some new models of microphones even have an automatic gain feature that will let you override some audio or noise picked up in certain situations. What makes this camera accessory very beneficial then is the cleaner audio it provides to your videos. You are assured of top quality audio free from noise caused by camera itself.

There are various types of external mics available today on the market. But before you decide to buy this accessory, double check that your DSLR has a stereo input.

Camera owners looking for a compact and lightweight mic can choose the Azden SMX-10 model. It measures 7 inches in length and weighs below 2 ounces. The mic is powered by only one triple A battery and already features a mount and windscreen.

Another type is the PRO 24-CM which can be attached to the camera's hot shoe. It's lightweight at 3.9 ounces and also features a removable windscreen.

The shotgun mic is another option that attaches to the hot-shoe of your camera. It has a foam windshield, a filter for reducing noise, a level control and shock mount. It is powered by a 9V battery.

There are basically three types of mics you can choose from. These are the shotgun which can pick up audio from different directions, the cardioids which captures sound directly in front of the microphone and the lavalier or more popularly known as the lapel mic which is the smallest and can be attached to the clothes of a person.

So the next time you plan to take videos of a very important event, do consider using an external mic to ensure top sound quality.

For information about camera batteries, visit 42photo.com, New York's legendary camera store in business for over 40 years.

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How to Select a Digital SLR Camera

A digital SLR camera is not a cheap purchase so you need to put some thought into buying one, but what information do you need to make an informed decision? Here are some tips on how to select a digital SLR camera.

First of all, check out some of the major brands and make a list of all their features. If you don't understand the terminology, you can look it up on the internet but here are a few common terms:

SLR - single lens reflex. This means that the camera has a mirror behind the lens which directs the light in such a way that the lens has different focal lengths.

Megapixels - the number of light pixels within a given space. A higher number of megapixels equals sharper focused images.

Sensor - the bigger the better in terms of quality images as the sensor uses light to create a digital image format.

Decide which of these features you actually need; this may depend on the type of photography you're going to do. Some cameras will be better suited to landscape photography and others to portraits or close-ups. Consider whether you use flash a lot or other artificial light sources. If you take action shots you'll need a camera with a fast continuous drive. This means that the photo will be taken the minute you put your finger on the shutter and continue until you remove your finger.

Compare prices but ultimately, you may want to sacrifice price for features. That will depend on your budget and reasons for wanting to know how to select a digital SLR camera. If you've set your heart on a specific camera, shop around - there are deals to be found.

Visit Amazon, the online store. They carry a wide range of digital cameras and they publish customer reviews. These are really useful because anyone who can be bothered to write a review obviously has strong feelings on the subject. Very often the reviews go into great detail about the camera and will tell you more than just reading the publicity.

I checked out the first camera that came up when I put digital SLR cameras into the search box. There were 240 customer reviews and while I only read the first couple, they discussed individual highlights of the camera and pinpointed disadvantages as well as expressing an opinion as to value for money.

If you want to know how to select a digital SLR camera, then look no further than Amazon for great information and feedback.

Jim Barton is an experienced photographer who wants to share what he knows about digital photography. For more on how to select a digital SLR camera, visit Jim's Digital Photography website.

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Tips On Low Light Photography

Shooting in low light situations can be a challenge to any photographer. Every camera reacts differently to situations where the internal light meter is telling the camera there isn't enough light. In most such situations the camera will default to the only option it has for adding more light, the built-in flash unit.

In the majority of snapshot scenarios the internal flash can manage just fine. You and your mates out a local pub or gathered around the dinner table, are all within the design parameters of most point-and-shoot cameras. Even high end professional cameras like the Canon 5D and Canon 7D have pop-up flash units built into the camera for just such situations.

Move outside that relatively narrow window covered by the camera's internal flash and low light photography becomes a technical challenge that will require either a much larger external flash unit, or some manual intervention by you.

With professional grade cameras it's possible to purchase external flash units that are powerful enough to, literally, light the world. At least the world 290 feet in front of the lens, which is an amazing amount of light power.

Sometimes you don't have one of those fabulously expensive flash units along, sometimes you don't want one.

Often the appeal of a low light situation are the shadows and dark areas contrasting with areas of light or color. When it comes to these type of lighting situations, the Mark 1 human optical device, otherwise known as your eyeball, has no equal. Your camera simply can't compete with the limited number of options at its disposal.

If the scene is too big for the internal flash, all the camera can do is raise the ISO or open the aperture and use a longer exposure. More often it will simply fire the internal flash in a vain attempt to light the scene and deliver the dark picture. At this point you have to step in and tell the camera what to do instead of asking.

An easy adjustment most cameras have in their menus somewhere is turning the flash off. Then you can focus on the lighter part of the picture and press the shutter button half-way down. All cameras are different, but most of the time that will lock the exposure while you re-frame with more dark areas and shadows and take the picture. The lighter parts of the picture will be properly exposed and the dark areas will be silhouettes.

Some more complicated adjustments might include locking the camera's ISO setting. If the camera is free to choose the ISO, it will run the sensitivity up as high as possible. At higher ISOs shadows and dark areas can start showing a lot of noise as the camera software tries vainly to see the detail in areas of shadow. A better option, for cameras that have the adjustment, is to lock the ISO at a lower setting and preserve the shadows.

You'll also want to brace your camera somehow. Carrying a tripod is not always convenient, but a monopod is very easy to pack along and works in all but the darkest times. You can always brace your camera on a bean bag or other stable surface and use the self-timer to avoid button shake.

You'll learn even more with Proud Photography - one of the best online photography schools available today at http://www.proudphotography.com/

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Photography In A Pinch

Good photographers try to be prepared for almost any contingency. Unfortunately, if you tried to carry everything you'd need to meet every contingency in the field, you'd have to pack like a Bedouin trader.

Many times that simply isn't possible and other times it's not desirable. So the seasoned photographer learns to be resourceful. Here are a few miscellaneous tips that can save your back, particularly on short trips near home.

A Monopod

In all but the most extreme lighting situations a monopod can substitute nicely for a tripod and is a lot easier to carry. With practice you'll be able to hold a monopod nearly as stable as a tripod, for a short time anyway.

Another trick for stabilizing a monopod is to wrap the camera strap around your upper arm and push on the monopod while exerting gentle backward pressure on the strap. Similarly, you can place a large clamp on your monopod and use it as a shoulder brace, almost like a gun mount. It might look a little funny but it works surprisingly well.

Working In Sand

For those times you have to drag a tripod to the beach or sandy area, grab three tennis balls on the way out the door. Cut a hole big enough for your tripod leg and fit a tennis ball over each end.

The tennis balls won't sink in the sand, will keep most of the grit out of the end of your tripod leg and you can throw them away when you're finished.

Another great thing about working at the beach is you don't need to carry sand bags, just bring bags. There's usually plenty of sand already on the beach. Those are priceless for weighting reflectors, which tend to act like a sail in ocean breezes.

Bring A Cooler

But leave the ice packs at home. A cooler has several advantages over an equipment case in many situations. They're solid, many have a handle and wheels, and you can sit or stand on them in a pinch. If you lose or break it, you're only out about $40.

You can still carry drinks with the camera gear, but carefully. Get those drink cozies you put in the freezer. Those will keep your drinks cold without bringing down the temp too much in the cooler. The last thing you want to do is bring cold optics or a camera out into warm, muggy atmosphere. Expect instant condensation if you do.

Carry a Bag of Rubber Bands

They're just so handy for so many things and so easy to carry. You can use them for emergency repairs and to keep papers from flying away.

A fat rubber band is handy for dislodging a stuck filter. Wrap the rubber band around the edge of the filter and that should give you enough grip to get it loose.

And, if you're stuck waiting outside a courthouse waiting for a photo op, they're also endlessly entertaining for taunting your fellow photographers.

Incident Light Meter

Many photographers still carry a light meter, even in the days of high end digital SLRs. If you're packing light you can use a styrofoam cup over the end of your lens and use your camera's light meter, hold it in place with one of your rubber bands.

Note that cups do come in different thicknesses, so you may want to calibrate yours using the Sunny 16 rule before you leave.

Record the exposure at the subject, then walk back to shoot the picture.

You'll learn even more with Proud Photography - one of the best online photography schools available today at http://www.proudphotography.com/

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Photo Booth Rentals For Conventions And Trade Shows

The same type of photo booths you've seen at the mall can be used at trade shows and conventions. Many party rental companies rent photo booths for use at weddings and other social events. But a master marketer should realize that putting a free photo booth in your exhibit space is an excellent way to increase your foot traffic, spark conversation with prospects, and generate general warm fuzzy feelings about your brand. Further, if you know what to look for, a photo booth rental can actually give you much more than that. Modern photo booths take advantage of technology to spread your brand or message, and collect information from prospects. Some will even collect video testimonials about your product.

Make sure any photo booth rental is capable of putting your message on the photo strips. Better photo booths will even allow you to design a postcard with your branding all over it. In my opinion, this is the way to go. People loose the swag given out at shows. Free pens get used up or lost. T-shirts fade. But people generally keep photos forever. Imagine your message pinned to your prospect's refrigerators for 10 years. Be sure to ask if the rental company charges extra for the design work.

Some photo booths will allow users to email themselves their photos. They simply enter their email address and the booth sends them an email with your custom message along with the images attached. Booths that do this are capable of storing the user's email addresses to use for your marketing purposes later. It's great way to fill your lead list. Since you're giving them something for free, there's no ill will about collecting the email address and using it. Just make sure you use a professional email service like Constant Contact to allow users to un-subscribe if they wish.

The most advanced booths allow users post their photos to their Facebook accounts right from the booth. If you are advertising at a trade show, imagine having your message show up in the Facebook news feeds of professionals in your industry. People almost always have colleagues from their same industry in their Facebook friends list. If they are doing something goofy in the picture, the picture will spread even further as people hit the "Like" button.

If people at the convention have already used your product, why not collect some video testimonials about it? A video capable booth will do this for you, as long as you have someone there to coach the users through it. I recommend using specific questions to make it easier on them. For example "when was the last time you used my product?" Or "how has my product changed the way you do business?" Post the best videos to a YouTube channel, and embed them on your site. As an added bonus, having a YouTube channel associated with your brand and web site will help your search engine rankings. Google, in particular, loves a site with rich content like videos.

Make the most of your photo booth rental by having a strategy. People will be laughing and having a great time in your exhibit space. Capitalize on the jovial atmosphere created by the booth. Engage prospects in small talk as you usher them in and out of the booth, and let that lead into your sales pitch. Most of all, have fun! If you're having fun with it, your prospects will loosen up too.

Tim English operates a San Diego photo booth rental company with photo booths that do all of the things in this article. Please visit http://www.starlightphotobooth.com/ for pictures and more information.

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Be A Fine Art Photographer

How do you proceed to grow and develop as a Fine Art Photographer? Basically, regular use of your camera with deliberate intent, while paying attention to the following, is what brings it about.

1. PURSUE THE GOAL: to make images that stir the viewer's thinking and emotions.

2. DEVELOPE YOUR 'SEEING' SKILLS: its the first and most important skill that you need to learn.

'Seeing' exercises: Set aside 45 minutes from time to time around your home, with your camera and a subject that has your sustained interest. Relax for a few minutes then start taking pictures. Study part of your subject for a moment or two, then re-focus on another part of your subject and study it for a while. Become aware of colors and shapes. See how many details you can find. Then note the following:

* Personal responses : You're 'tuning in' to your feelings/thoughts to locate the subject matter, or portion of it, with most personal interest for you.

* Impression : look at your chosen subject matter, or any part of it, and see it simply as a geometric shape or an arrangement of geometric shapes. Note the position where things look most graphically appealing.

* Expression : What does the subject matter seem to express in the way of:

- Sensation; rough/smooth? hot/cold? sharp/dull? hard/soft? moving/still? Etc.

- Emotion & Mood: love/hate? joy/sadness? anger/delight? peace/turmoil? Tranquility/disturbance? Respond with your perceptions of sensation and emotion.

* Meaning : What ideas does the subject matter seem to suggest? Respond with your intellect.

*Subject Theme: In view of your personal responses, the graphic impression, what is expressed and seems to be said, decide upon a subject theme, the main idea/feeling you wish to convey to the picture-viewer.

3. DEVELOPE NEW FRESH WAYS OF 'SEEING': You can get into a visual rut of looking for the same old subject matter and then photographing it in the same old way, producing yet again the same old kind of pictures, etc. You become bored, and find yourself in the doldrums. When this happens, or better yet, before it happens, you need to know what to do about it.

A good way to break habitual 'seeing' rules that gain unwanted control over your picture-making is to, first of all, write them down. Next, with list in hand, make about 40 pictures while deliberately contradicting your visual 'habit' rules.

When you examine the resulting images keep an open mind. Remember, you're looking for new ideas so look for either images you strongly like or dislike. Then take some time to figure out in each case what makes you feel that way, and how you might go about making more similar-but-improved pictures. Bear in mind, you want to be sensitive, and open, to chance.

Finally, be sure to apply the new things you learn as soon as possible. And remember that the exercise above, for thinking and 'seeing' in new ways, can be done almost any time and anywhere, not just when you're taking pictures. Performing this exercise from time to time will keep you out of a rut in your fine art photography and also help you find new ways of 'seeing' and making fine art photographs.

4. DEVELOPE YOUR IMAGINATION: making fine art photographs involves the use of free imagination; Enrich your imagination by going to art galleries and studying art in various media, and noting your Personal Responses, the Graphic Impression, Expression and Meaning. Practice pre-visualizing before going out to take pictures; imagine yourself taking pictures, see the resulting pictures, fantasize photo-adventures, etc. Start a train of photo thought just before going to sleep and then 'sleep on it'. In these ways you can develop your imagination.

5. PRACTICE ISOLATING AND CHOOSING: making fine art photographs also involves:

Isolating - separating the various parts of the subject matter from the whole; looking at a subject and noting: 1) what evokes your 'personal responses' 2) what constitutes the elements of 'impression', 'expression', and 'meaning'. You can, and should, try to improve in your abilities to isolate by means of practice, and you can practice almost anywhere, anytime.

Choosing - picking out the essential subject matter elements from everything else, in order to bring about the most effective arrangement within the picture, through camera position, focal length, depth of field, shutter speed, over/right-on/under-exposure, etc

6. INCORPORATE 'EXPRESSION' AND 'MEANING':

With regard to your subject matter's inherent 'expression' and 'meaning', it comes about through symbolism. You need to become acutely aware of the symbolism(s) inherent in any subject matter. Such are called 'symbols of content. 'You also need to become aware of those symbolisms that can arise within your picture because of the way you choose to photograph the subject matter, 'symbols of style'. The symbols of 'content' and 'style' have to work together. An analogy; the words of a marriage proposal (content) and the tone/inflection of voice used (style) must go well together, being ear-pleasing ('impression'), having appropriate feeling ('expression'), and clearly expressed thoughts ('meaning'), for effective communication of a main, central idea - 'will you marry me?' ('subject theme').

Expression: Bear in mind that people in general respond with different sensations/emotions to different shapes, textures, lines, tones, colours, patterns, etc on the basis of qualities they perceive in them. Thus, a picture of snow can express the sensation of cold or the emotion of sadness. There is something inherent in the snow's shapes or color that evokes a sense of coldness, or sadness. Through color and shape, etc we recognize the expression of sensations and feelings or moods. Whenever something draws your interest, try to notice first the inherent expression. Respond to your subject matter with your perception of sensations, emotions and moods.

Meaning : Not only do people respond with perception of different sensations/emotions to the visual elements in subject matter, but they also respond with perception of different ideas about them. Thus, a picture of a mountain may suggest ideas such as majesty, permanence or isolation. So, try to notice inherent meaning in your chosen subject matter. Respond mainly with your intellect to this aspect of the subject matter.

7. EXERCISE CONTROL BY AWARENESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY'S UNIQUE PROPERTIES: There are a number of fundamental characteristics of photography that distinguish it from other visual media, and you need to be aware of them when making pictures:

a. An existing object always in front of the camera.

b. Ability to precisely render detail.

c. Choice of the moment of picture taking.

d. The speed of exposure.

e. Can take advantage of fortuitous events.

f. Complete dependance on light

g. Camera sees some objects differently from the human eye, because we mentally correct distortions while the camera does not.

h. Different camera lenses see space in different ways.

As a fine art photographer you must examine the picture carefully through the viewfinder in order to preview what the camera will record and be sensitive to any elements that will not be recorded as the eye perceives them. Then you can consider whether or not they need to be corrected and, if they do, how to go about doing it.

8. EMPLOY THE BASICS OF GOOD COMPOSITION: The fine art photographer's thinking and efforts to visually arrange a picture's various elements within the camera's view-finder, according to the principles of visual design to effectively communicate what he sees, feels, and thinks, in connection with the subject matter, doing so simply, freshly, and to as many as possible.

Elements: The graphic components, basic visual things, that make up a picture. Keep in mind that each of these elements not only contributes to the 'impression' of a picture but also to the 'expression' and 'meaning' as well. The components are:

Lines, Shapes, Tones, Colors, Mass, Space, Texture, Perspective

Principles: The basic guidelines that need to be applied in making a fine picture:

Subject Theme: The paramount principle. At the very outset of making fine art photographs the selection of an appropriate 'subject theme' is essential. It is a thematic idea which can readily underlie the subject matter, and is developed or elaborated upon in a picture of the subject matter. Making an extended,detailed, and specific word description of things is the quickest, most helpful, and practical means of deriving an appropriate subject theme.

Order: Organization of the picture to bring about simplicity and clarity to the overall impression,expression, meaning and subject theme.

Dynamics : contrasts of any sort produce tension, and bring dynamics into a picture; a sense of force,vitality, life, etc; much of it is already present in the the subject matter with all of it's inherent contrasts (inlines, shapes, tones, colours, etc) - the challenge is simply to control, direct and organize them.

Dominance: some aspect of the composition influences it more strongly than all other aspects. The dominant part of a photograph is often called the centre of interest.

Balance: there are two kinds of balance; symmetrical(formal) - conveys regimented formality, stiffness, staticness, etc, and asymmetrical(informal) - is more dynamic, with tension between objects of different size, colour, shape, etc. Balance may be achieved either through the 'impression' of objects in the picture,or through their 'expression' and 'meaning' in the picture.

Proportion : has to do with the relative size of objects in the picture space. The proportion of space allocated to a major object in relation to that given a minor one

Pattern/Rhythm: are closely related. A pattern is a specific configuration of visual elements - a design. Rhythm involves repetitions of a pattern, at regular intervals. It brings both order and a sense of the dynamic to a picture

Deformation : the deforming (altering the overall shape) of visual elements which makes them unstable,creating tension. It can also create perspective (the impression of depth) in the picture or subject matter.Both camera position and lens choice affect deformation strongly.

9. USE VARIOUS APPROACHES, TYPES AND AVOID THE PITFALL OF FORMULAS

Picture Approaches: there are three basic approaches to composing fine art photographs:

- The Introspective approach: in which primarily your personal feelings and ideas for the subject matter determine the picture's design and composition.

- The Extrospective approach: in which, regardless of your natural response to the subject matter, you're guided solely by the subject matter's inherent visual characteristics in determining picture composition.

- The Ambispective Approach: an approach which is some combination of the two foregoing approaches. It is the best approach and the one to use most often.

Picture Types: A fine art photograph may be one of the following types as determined by the artist:

- Documentary; the picture's emphasis is on simply portraying the subject matter, transmitting visual information about it as accurately as possible.

- Interpretive; the picture's emphasis is on conveying the artist's feelings and thoughts about the subject matter, which can result in a very impressionistic image.

- A Combination; picture emphasis is some combination of interpretive and documentary

Picture Formulas: Do not turn your fine art photography into a set of technique formulas. It will stifle intuition, and emotional input, and put technique ahead of 'expression' and 'meaning'.

10. WATCH FOR THE INTERESTING AND PRACTICE COMPOSITION: Always watch for things that excite your interest. When something does so, examine it closely and begin verbalizing, 'What is it that attracted me?' Visually explore the subject matter and give thought to the subject matter's impression, expression, and meaning, etc, all the while verbalizing to yourself as you do so. Decide on a picture-making approach and a particular picture-type.

With the ambispective approach you will proceed by crystallizing and condensing:

1) your personal thoughts and feelings about the subject matter;
2) what is the most graphically appealing aspect of the subject matter;
3) what the subject matter inherently expresses; and
4) what the subject matter inherently says, into a concisely worded subject theme, while seeing in your mind's eye a final picture which nicely and effectively conveys it. Your chosen subject theme serves as your primary guidance for all of the compositional efforts that follow.

11. CONTINUALLY MAKE PICTURES: The most important thing you can do with your camera is use it. By shooting a few minutes every day, you'll develop your skills and abilities as a fine art photographer, and soon have an extensive collection of fine art photographs. Otherwise, you will lose your skills and ability. To have the joy of doing good work, and growing as a fine art photographer, you have to continually make pictures!

John Maxymuik authored this article for those photographers who want to transition into fine art photography.

This article is the condensed version of a much more detailed one found on John's website at: http://ambienceimages.net/id83.html

To see examples of John's art photography go to his art photography website at: http://ambienceimages.net/

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How to Become a Photographer - Picture Taking Made Easy

Photography can be a wonderful and rewarding hobby. The question is how to become a photographer, and where to start this process. We will discuss things like equipment, portfolios, patterns, skills that may be necessary to learn, and where to find good material for your photos. By examining these points we will discover how to become a photographer.

The first thing you want to look at is the equipment that you will be using. There are hundreds of different cameras out there ranging from disposable to complicated monorail cameras. For the person just starting out you will want to look at digital cameras. They come in a variety from point and shoot (no focusing or exposure setting necessary) to more complicated DSLR (digital single lens reflex) models. I recommend the DSLR camera as it allows changing of the lenses for different focal lengths, such as wide angle, or telephoto lenses.

Once you have acquired your camera it is time to go out and start taking pictures. Your camera should have a memory card, if not go get one. It allows you to take and save hundreds of pictures. In order to learn how to become a photographer you have to take pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.

Digital photography allows for a great deal of experimentation, so don't be afraid to try weird and wonderful things. Yes you will make mistakes, but that is one of the joys of digital photography; you can delete those mistakes. Just remember what you did, and don't do it again. Conversely you will also get some wonderful images. Try to remember what you did and be sure to try it again. This is how you can learn the skills and the art of picture taking.

When you go out to take pictures you must learn to slow down and take a look at the world around you. These days people are in too much of a hurry and tend to miss the beauty of their surroundings. Keep your eyes open for patterns in nature.By seeing what is right in front of you some stunning images are possible.

By going out and photographing the world around you, an understanding of what kind of photographer you will want to become will begin to assert itself. You may decide that you wish to try some studio photos as well... go ahead. Again, it never hurts to experiment. In the studio you have more control over the lighting of your subject material and other aspects of more advanced photo techniques.

Your next step will be to compile a portfolio. This is a collection of the best shots that you have taken in as many different areas of photography as you like. If you decide for instance that you would like to be a portrait photographer, there should be an abundance of portraits in your portfolio. However, it is a good idea to include pictures of other genres of the photographic arts in your portfolio.

I hope that examining these points have helped to point you in the right direction of how to become a photographer. Just remember to keep on clicking that shutter.

Author bio:

Dave Grierson is an avid photography buff and blogger. To learn more about digital photography click on the following link: http://learndigitalphotographynow-daveg3.blogspot.com/

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Ways To Make Money With Photography

In this horrible economy, it is often necessary to try to supplement your income. Instead of getting a low paying second job, try to think of other fun ways to earn extra money. There are many ways to make money with photography. My wife has helped out our financial situation by specializing in senior portraits.

Take pictures of high school seniors. If you have a knack for taking portraits, this is a great way to earn money without having to invest much. Getting business is usually not too difficult. You probably know of someone who is graduating from high school soon. You can offer to do the pictures with no sitting fee and only charge for the prints. If you do a great job you WILL get referrals. A studio is not necessary. You can find a scenic spot at a park or lake. If it is winter, sometimes a local community center will have areas for taking photos. You may have to rent a spot, so try to get this money back in the sitting fee or the up charge of the prints.

As as add on, you can offer to put together graduation announcement cards. Offer to take photos at the graduation and at the grad party.

Real estate photos. This could mean residential listings or even listings for hotels and businesses. Agents and business owners don't always have time or the ability to take high quality photos of their properties. You should be able to find the agents that do the most business in your area just by seeing their yard signs. Contact some commercial real estate companies to see if they could use your services.

Weddings. If you are thinking about getting into wedding photography, I would think twice before doing this on the side. Weddings are very time consuming and you are going to need more equipment than just a camera. My wife doesn't normally do weddings but she did accept a job for a wedding that was casual and outdoors. We knew that this person wasn't going to be high maintenance and the job turned out well. Even though I don't have much experience, I became the backup photographer, and I did manage to get some good shots that my wife didn't.

Stock photography. Taking pictures of cars, people, flowers, mountains, just about anything you can think of. There are websites you can join, such as Shutterstock, where you are able to upload your pictures for a chance to earn royalties on them. Think of someone with a website. They quickly need to find an image of a car for their auto parts site. They will look to download one off the internet instead of taking the time to take the picture themselves. Plus, they will probably find a much higher quality picture than what they could have taken.

Special events. Anniversary parties, birthdays, graduation parties are just a few examples of places where someone might want professional photos taken so they can remember the special day. You can make money by charging for your time and then by the mark up on the prints they purchase.

These are all great ways to make money with photography. If you need extra money, or you lost your job this could be a fun career to get started in.

My wife supplements our income by taking senior pictures and family portraits. She is able to bring in extra money even while taking care of our small children due to the flexibility of this business.

If you have a passion for photography and have some skills, this might be a great business opportunity.

Even in a tough economy, quality photographs are important to people. To get started earning money doing something you love CHECK THIS OUT for information on starting a photography business!

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