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.

View the original article here

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

View the original article here

Things to Do With Your Personal Photos and Special Pictures

I want to share some extremely unique information with you, especially those that love to take photographs. I have 1000's of pictures and until the past couple of years they have sat in boxes in storage and of course, on my computer's hard drive. Pictures can say so much, even without a word being written. They can express passion or sorrow in a way that most normal folks could never express. If a person takes the time to express positive feeling at the start of his or her day, every day, altitudes, feeling, thoughts and every other aspect of a person's life will be altered. Once this process develops into a habit, the view of life that person will obtain will give them the feels that nothing is impossible for them. There are greeting type card programs on the internet that can do this for the sender of a card. That sent card will also impact the receiver in ways you will not be able to imagine. This is a proven fact. With that in mind and the fact that a picture is worth a 1000 words and has an enormous effect on people that view them, wouldn't you want to be that person that would supply this experience of exuberance to others? Have this feeling, everyday, that you can make a difference in your life and the lives of the people you chose to touch with a card and a picture, will always be remembered by the sender and receiver of those cards? Here is what's available that I'm sure you are unaware of.

• Your photos can now be placed on the front of any type of greeting card, thank you card or whatever you want to call it type of card.

• You can also place groups of pictures inside of cards. On a post card, 2 or 3 fold cards.

• Enter a caption on the photos to explain what they are or just to say you're having a great time.

• Place saying, poems, love notes, thank you inside of the card in many different types of fonts.

• This is cool. Create a font for the cards in your own personal hand writing.

• Send a single card to someone or send 500 to everyone in just the time it takes you to create one card, that only take minutes in the first place.

• Some of the sites on the internet also give you a website to keep track of what you have sent.

• Some give you an address book so that all of your contact addresses are handy to find. You can even back them up to an excel file for safety on a few of the sites.

• Several card creation sites also offer you the ability to send gifts with the cards.

• Here are a couple of time saving features, no trip to the store, standing in lines at the cashier, being tied up in traffic, finding or picking up stamps, going to the post office in some cases.

• Most card creation sites let you stamp and mail the card right on line. They also help you keep track of birthdays and anniversaries or any other date you might want to save.

• Best of all, the cost is less than one dollar per card.

I hope that this has been of benefit to you since it has been of great benefit to me in my life and the lives others that have received these cards. It's kind of a good will toward men program if it is used. That is my purpose for sharing it. I do hope you will try this out at one of the sites? It is amazing of how these simple acts will make you feel on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis.

Wish you the Best,
Gordon Riffe
443-982-6224

Here are a couple of sample sites if you are interested:

http://www.inter-host.com/easywork-greatpay.htm

http://www.inter-host.com/soc_cp.htm

Contact me if I can help.
Gordon Riffe
443-982-6224

View the original article here

Photographing Waterfalls - Ten Tips For Better Waterfall Photos

The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela, South America. It measures 3.212 ft (979 meters). Getting a good photo of Angel Falls could be a challenge simply because it is so high. You have to get the right lens, probably a wide angle lens, and you must find the right position from which to shoot. This waterfall is nearly a kilometer in height.

Not everyone wants to travel to Venezuela to capture the world's highest falls, but photographing waterfalls is fun and rewarding when you see the results of your efforts in print.

Here are ten tips that will help you get the best photos from your efforts.

Height adds drama. Even if a trip to South America is out of the question, you can find waterfalls that are dramatic because of how tall they are. (If you live near Norway, you are in luck. Seven of the top twenty highest falls are in Norway.)
Check the Weather. Of course, you don't want to be out in weather that is not conducive to getting good photos, but more importantly, make sure the place your will be traveling to has had enough precipitation. Periods of low rain or snow could lead to a disappointing flow of water.
Plan your trip. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the best time of day for your photo adventure. Even though early morning and late afternoon are usually the best times for lighting, they may not be optimal for the waterfall you have chosen. Find out what the lighting conditions are where you will be shooting to get the best results.
Change your perspective. Normal waterfall photographs take in the whole waterfall, but being creative with your position can get you some stunning results. Try getting above or underneath. You will want to protect your gear if you are in the spray area, but it may be worth the effort. Sometimes there are boats to take you right up to the bottom of the falls, and in other places there are falls that you can go behind.
Composition Changes Photos. Try different focal lengths and positions to add interest. Include scenic objects such as tress and rocks to increase interest as well. Your camera and lens choice can be a major factor in your photo shoot. Again, change lenses to see what the difference is.
Use a filter. Waterfalls offer some very wide ranges of color and lighting. A neutral-density filter may be just the thing for adding depth of color range to your shots. Polarizing filters may also be helpful.
Check your shutter speed. Some of the most dramatic shots are made with either a very slow shutter speed or a very fast shutter speed. Slow gives a nice, silky look. Fast will stop water drops in mid-air to add drama. Try both.
Take a tripod. Steady is good, especially when slowing down the shutter speed. You want smooth and silky, not blurry. Also try using a delayed shutter release or remote release switch when using slow shutter speeds.
Check your white balance. You can make use of camera presets such as cloudy or sunlight, but using a filter can change how the camera perceives the correct white balance. One way to overcome this problem is to shoot in RAW mode. Then you can set the white balance in your post processing using Photoshop or some other editing software.
Use bracketing. Most camera have the ability to bracket exposures up to 3 stops. This will help get all the light ranges into the shot. You will need to combine the bracketed exposures in post processing, or some cameras now have HDR capability built right into the camera software.

No matter which waterfall you choose to photograph, take lots of shots, change lenses, and try different camera settings. The most disappointing experiences are when you get back to your computer and discover you could have made a few minor adjustments and gotten much better results.

Perhaps you need to learn more about your camera? You can find excellent learning resources and photography classes at http://photographyclassesatlanta.org/.
Find a great line-up of Canon lenses at http://canoneoslenses.org/.

View the original article here

Stunning Photos Using Digital Photography Basics

As technology progresses, getting into various hobbies has become much easier for most of us and one of which is photography. With the recent release of digital cameras, photographers from around the globe have seen how much photography has evolved. We can see in the market how digital cameras are very easy to us as some are light-weight and most of them have automatic settings. It may be true that everyone can take photos but not everyone has the gift of taking beautiful pictures.

Because of the easy to use digital cameras, people tend to think that with just a click, you instantly become an expert. The truth is, just like in any hobby, knowing the basics is very important to come up with excellent quality shots. To be a good photographer, it is not necessary to get into schooling. But you need to know key points that you should keep in mind when you take pictures.

You always have to remember that focus is a very important part of photography. For point and shoot digital camera owners, they may think that the camera already has an automatic focus so there's no need to give attention to this but if you leave it all to the camera, you will only end up with fuzzy or blurred photos. In order to avoid this, take this tip. Press the capture button half way and keep the camera still so that you give the camera the hint that you want to place your focus on this particular object. When you feel that you have capture it completely press down and take note of how beautifully it will end up. Consider other factors as well such as the light and the distance of the subject.

You don't need to over-think things too much when you want to take beautiful photos. Of course, people would always want to try on new and unique ways when taking shots but always keep it simple. You will be able to observe that the most beautiful photos are those that have simple concepts yet surprisingly turn out to be interesting. Try practicing on taking candid shots of people, beautiful scenery and nature. More than the subject, the emotion is what's mostly noticed by people who look at the photo.

Another basic in digital photography is keeping off the flash. For those who are just starting digital photography, this is a very important reminder. The reason for this is because as a photographer, you may want to make use of natural lighting instead of relying on the flash not unless you will be taking photos in the dark. Set your camera on manual mode and learn to use natural light on the subject.

Last basic tip is to avoid using the zoom feature. Although zoom is specifically built to be used in a camera, you may want to refrain from using it if you want great quality photos. When you zoom on a certain subject, it lessens the clarity of the photo. If you happen to have a subject that's quite far from you, try to look for ways to get closer to it.

In photography and like everything else, the only way to be good at it is practice. You can also study the works of professional photographers and a research of your own so you can sharpen your skills.

Learn more about Digital Photography Basics and with lots of practice you will surely enjoy taking good shots. You can very much become an artist in Digital Photography.

View the original article here

Make Fun Photos With Free Photo Editing

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I say that fun photos are worth a million smiles. After all, who doesn't love to laugh at a funny photo, get lost in a photo montage, or pose the question "How'd they do that?" about an image with cool photo effects?

Often times, I find myself browsing through hundreds of my friends' photos on Facebook or other various sites that offer free online photo storage. (Sidenote... my personal favorite is Snapfish due mostly to its low costs and vast array of products and services.) Occasionally, I discover a photo that strikes a chord and resonates with me. If I'm being totally honest, a hint of jealousy typically comes into play whenever I feel others have "cooler" pictures than me. I can't help but think "How'd they make a picture like that?" The feeling is strangely familiar however as it reminds me of my nearly two-year old daughter's go-to phrase.... "I want that!." (Sadly, the only difference is that I'm thinking it in silence and my daughter is screaming it in her most shrill voice... "MOMMY, I WANT 'DAT!"... generally while in the middle of a department or grocery store.

Getting back to the story, I'm not one to be outdone (not that anyone was out to get me). In any event, I decided that I would actively seek websites that provide free photo editing and are specifically designed to make fun photos. In doing so, I was in fact able to upload several of my personal pictures and use the websites' picture creator software to create similar images to the ones I had previously envied.

Although each of the websites I discovered had their limitations, most of the sites provided products and/or services that would easily impress any amateur photographer. If you're only looking for some fun photo editing resources, I would recommend that you check out the following sites.

However, if you would like to learn to truly customize photos, and impress the masses, I would stray away from popular sites that may eventually phase away. Personally, I believe no amount of money can replace one's education. My personal opinion is that knowledge always comes before achievement. So, if you want to impress others and make photofunia type images, I recommend that you learn as much as you can about trick photography and special effects. I promise, if I can do it, anyone can.

Success with creating fun photos require a working knowledge of photography tips and tricks. Learn to Make Photofunia without the need of any online picture creator.

Additional online training to help you with Trick Photography is available with Tanya Krome.

View the original article here

Wedding Photography Tips on Organizing the Photos

So, if you are the groom or bride reading this, you'll be able to create some great wedding photos if you can organize it properly. If you have friends or guests with cameras, that's even better. If not, that's no problem, as long as you have a camera and tripod you've got everything you need.

Your Options

1. Ask someone who you know who's a keen photographer to take some photos for you. I wouldn't suggest you go and ask him/her to take your wedding photos as this can be quite a responsibility to ask of someone and (s)he may just say no. I would explain to him/her first that you are going to do your own wedding photos and album and would like him/her to simply take some photos for you. This is easier if you have a guest who's into photography as (s)he will be there anyway, and as a keen photographer, (s)he'll probably be bringing his/her camera, as a wedding is a great opportunity to get some photos. I've done it like this myself for friends and family as a guest and photographer.

2. Approach your local college and contact the photography class or evening class and ask them if they would be interested in using your wedding as a "photo shoot" and you would grant them permission to edit, print, and use your photos in connection with the work they are doing in return for giving you a copy of all the photos on disk. If you don't want to call them and ask, send them an email.

3. Ask the guests! Let them know that you're doing your own photos, either because of budget or you just don't like the wedding albums you've looked at, or because you want complete control over the photos and want to be able to put them on Facebook or as a slide show on YouTube to show friends and family around the world, and you want to make your own album with our own photos taken by your guests.

Doing it this way, I believe, would make it more special as the photos have been taken by the guests, often the people who are closest to you. To have photos captured by guests is a great idea! If they are worried about taking wedding photos, explain that you have a great guide with some fantastic professional tips that you will show them to help them in getting some great wedding photos.

If no one has a camera, you'll need to get one, or at least borrow one. If you're going to get one, take a look in the members' area for the latest recommendations.

4. If there is absolutely no one you can get to help, you have no friends coming to your wedding, or no guests will be at your wedding, then, at the very least, you'll need a camera and a tripod.

5. If, however, you are the person actually doing the photos, you just need to organize yourself and your camera!

If you're getting a friend or guest to do the photos, you don't just need to get one person to do them. If you like, you could get 2, 3, 4, or more people to do the photos. In fact, if you let all your guests know what you're doing and that you would like to create an album from their photos, you can then get them all involved. It's probably best to choose 1 or 2 people to do the main group shots, though, if you do, in fact, want group shots. Then, you'll need to discuss what key photos you want them to get...arriving at the venue, walking down the aisle, cutting the cake. They will probably all benefit from reading this guide and going through the photo list with you. When you've downloaded the list, discussed it, and edited the photos you want, you can print off a copy for everyone to keep with them on the wedding day. Once you've discussed the photos you want and don't want, the style you want, and the location or locations, go through the list together and discus any other photos you want. http://www.wedding-photo-guide.com

After 13 years in the photography business and running a portrait studio, Geoff has now moved into photography writing and sharing tip's ideas and techniques. you can see more here at http://www.wedding-photo-guide.com/

View the original article here

How to Preserve Photos and Why It's So Important

This article will provide you with tips to help you preserve any photos you have from Facebook photos to any other personal photos that you print. It will also give you instructions for how to store photos for preservation.

Let me first begin with some brief advice on how to help preserve your photos even before you print them. Believe it or not there are steps you can take before you print your photos that are just as important as the ones you take after.

First, make sure that you are printing your photos from a professional photo printer. The chemicals and paper that are used are meant to have longevity and maintain the quality of the print. Photos printed on real photo paper using real photo paper processing can last up to 100 years when exposed to light and 200 years when stored in the dark. Second, print two copies of every photo, one to display/enjoy and one to preserve. This allows you to store a second copy of the photo to protect it from damage and preserve it for future generations.

The first thing to remember is you want to store photos in a cool, dark, dry place with low humidity. The temperature at which you keep your house should be fine. Never store your photos in an attic, basement, or other area where the temperature isn't regulated. Extreme hot and cold can damage photos. Also, these areas are more likely to have bugs, mice, and other critters that could get to your photos and damage them.

Because these are photos you are going to store, be careful not to expose them to the oil on your fingers by touching them. You also want to store them as soon as possible after they are printed to prevent the accumulation of dust or any other debris.

Storing Photos

As stated above, you want to make sure that you are choosing the proper environment to store your photos. Next, choose a storage box that is acid and lignin free. This helps with preservation.

If you want to label or identify the back of your photos then make sure you use the proper pen. Do not use pencils or ballpoint pens. Use a felt tip marker to carefully write on the back of your prints. Place each photo between a piece of acid free paper made for storing photos. Don't forget to place paper over the top photo before closing the box.

Reasons to Store Copies of Photos

I know that it may seem tedious and redundant to store an extra copy of your photos, and it's understandable if you don't want to do this for every photo you print. However, any photo that you want to keep as a memory for yourself or future generations needs to be stored and preserved properly.

PLEASE, do not assume that your photos will be stored digitally! Computers crash, people deactivate their Facebook accounts, and technology is always changing. You're better off to preserve them yourself. You can even store them in a safe deposit box at your bank or fireproof safe at your home.

Finally, you may think that storing photos in an album or a frame is preserving them, but that isn't the case. Photo albums are often made of harsh glues and chemicals that will damage your photos over time. Photos can also stick to the glass of frames and plastic coverings of albums.

Lauren Skidmore
Founder, Photo Stasher, LLC
704-426-3522
Twitter Handle: @PhotoStasher

PhotoStasher is a professional photo printing company that specializes in printing Facebook photos. For more information or to get a FREE Facebook Print please visit http://www.photostasher.com/

View the original article here

Creative Ways to Display Photos From Facebook

It's important to print Facebook photos for many reasons. You never know when you may no longer be able to access certain pictures on Facebook, and having a copy of cherished photos ensures that they will never be lost. Photos are also enjoyed more fully when you have a physical copy of them on professional photo paper. While you may agree that it is important to print Facebook pictures, the idea of just printing photos to keep may not be very appealing. Even if you like to print photos, you may want to consider other ways to enjoy them. This article will give you some suggestions for other ways to display Facebook photos in addition to printing 4x6's or 5x7's.

Photo Mousepads with Changeable 5x7- Mousepads are a great way to display a picture from Facebook. If you buy a mousepad that allows you to change the photo, then you can order multiple prints and alternate the photo in your mousepad. Make your mousepad look even better by printing them on Metallic Photo Paper. Mousepads with a non-glare top make it easier to see the image.

Photo Calendars & Dry Erase Boards- Calendars and dry erase boards are creative ways to display Facebook photos, especially if you have multiple photos that you want to enjoy together. Dry erase boards and calendars come in a variety of designs and allow you to place several photos in different areas including on the background. Another great option is a monthly calendar. Choose a photo for each month of the year and print your calendar on Metallic Paper to give it even more character.

Stainless Steel Photo Travel Mugs - What's a better way to appreciate Facebook photo(s) than while you're having your morning coffee at work? You can put one or three photos on a travel mug and choose from different backgrounds. Stainless steel travel mugs come with or without a handle and are insulated for cold or hot beverages.

Photo Jewlery- Jewelry is a great way to appreciate cherished Facebook photos. It also makes great gifts for mothers, grandmothers, and graduates. Choose a Memory Photo Bracelet, Live, Laugh, Love Portrait Charm Bracelet, 3 Tone Toggle Portrait Charm Bracelet, or Beaded Bracelet to be reminded of a special memory throughout the day. Forget-me-knot Photo Bandz are also great ways to display photos and are like the popular silly bandz. Portrait Pendant Necklaces and Four Frame Watches are other pieces of jewelry that can display photos from Facebook.

I hope that these suggestions will help inspire you to display your Facebook photos in different ways, but I still want to encourage you to keep prints of photos from Facebook that are important to you as well.

Can you think of any other ways to appreciate pictures from Facebook? I would love to hear from you!

Lauren Skidmore
Founder, Photo Stasher, LLC
704-426-3522
Twitter Handle: @PhotoStasher

PhotoStasher is a professional photo printing company that specializes in printing Facebook photos. For more information or to get a FREE Facebook Print please visit http://www.photostasher.com/

View the original article here

Landscape Photography - How to Get Those Great Photos

Almost everyone who takes photos, takes some landscape and scenic photos. It's just that the landscape photos you took didn't capture what you remember. You might be asking your self, what happened? Why didn't the photos come out like I remember? How can I get my landscape photos to be memorable? There are a few things I can do to make my landscape photos look more professional.

The first thing first, you must get to know your equipment. Take the time to read your manuals, understand how everything works, what it does and practice using your equipment at home, not on a scenic tour. Practice until everything thing becomes second nature.

Second, is to get everything organized for your photo shoot. Have your camera and all your accessories clean and in their proper place, have enough empty memory cards and all the batteries charged. It would be devastating to get out there and find your memory cards are full and your batteries are dead.

Good landscape and scenic photography takes time and planning. You can't just go out there and start snapping great photos. Of course you may get a good one every now and then, but you won't consistently get great photos. Take your time, plan your shots, and try several different angles and different positions. Don't always put your subject in the center of the photo. You may want to try several shots with your subject in different locations. But, while you are moving around to get that perfect shot, remember where you are, no shot is worth tripping over something and getting hurt. Take your time and stay safe.

If you want to get that crisp, clear, detailed landscape photo, you may want to use a tripod and a shutter cable to eliminate any camera movement. If you don't have a tripod, you may try leaning against something, pulling both elbows back into your ribs and holding your breath as you squeeze the shutter button, never snap it.

Something else to consider is the time of day for taking great pictures. Early morning and late afternoon or early evening is what is called the "Golden Hour." Just when the sun is coming up or going down, this is when the shadows are at their best; this will also add depth, texture and life to your photos. During midday, the sun will wash out the color and make your photos look flat and lifeless.

A few years ago, when I was in Death Valley, California, it was overcast (which is very unusual in desert country) while I was taking a few photos of what is called "Painters Pallet." The side of the cliff had vivid reds, greens, blues and yellows in the rock. There were deposits of iron, copper, magnesium and sulfur in the rocks that had oxidized. The colors in these photos stood out very nicely. The next day, it was bright and sunny, when I stopped in at the same place to take a few more photos, I couldn't even see the colors in the rocks with my naked eye. The full sun had totally washed out the beautiful colors I had seen the day before.

When taking distant landscape pictures, you may want to move where there is something in the foreground, like a tree, a bush, the edge of a log cabin... this will give your photo depth, contrast and frame the scene you want to capture. You may also want to give your distant landscape photos the greatest depth of field possible by using a small aperture setting. This may be done by setting your F stop at around f/22. Something to remember, the greater depth of field you need, the larger the F stop number should be, which will provide a smaller aperture setting.

One other thought, when composing your photo shot, take note of the horizon, you want your camera and the photo to be square with the horizon. It was terrible to have a great photo and the horizon was so off that it ruined the shot. There was a time when I was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and I was taking a picture of the antler arch, at the town entrance, with the Grand Teton in the background. The picture was great, but the horizon was at such a bad angle that it totally destroyed the picture. I don't know about you, but that made me sick.

I hope these tips and suggestions will help you capture those wonderful landscape and scenic photos you have always dreamed of.

Have a great photo experience.

Thank you

View the original article here

Wedding Photography - Ideas For Taking Outdoor Wedding Photos

You only get one shot at this. Outdoor wedding photography requires a specific know how. Your photographer must be able to see the potentials and drawbacks to a specific photography venue. Here are some simple steps to ensure that your day goes great.

1. Preplan - Your wedding day will be hectic. You will not have the time to creatively structure a full photoshoot. You need to look at some ideas beforehand, and make sure that they suit your particular style. Visit the location and see what obstacles you will face. If you go in with a good idea of your surroundings, you can previsualize the shots you want

2. Timing - Most photographers know lighting is best in the ween hours of the day. Around 4-7 depending on the time of year. Problem is, a lot of brides think that the sunnier the day, the better. The truth is, bright sunlight creates harsh lighting conditions for good portraits photography. Plan the groupshots for later in the day if possible.

3. Punctuality - A wedding is go, go, go. If your bride has family members that are habitually late, then tell them to be there 30 minutes earlier than the shoot will actually start. This ensures that everyone is ready to go at the right time.

4. Use the sun as a backlight - If you have a flash, you can use the sun to create a nice rimlight for your subjects, without silhouetting their faces.

5. Study - Use photographers that you admire for inspiration. You can always use other photographers in order to inspire your own style. I always like to study photographers who have shot in similar locations in order to get an idea of what could be possible. By doing this you are allowing yourself creative flexibility. Just make sure to keep your work original.

6. Bring the proper equipment - Lenses and a camera are a must, but you should also invest in proper lighting equipment. I have found that good off camera flash equipment has helped my photography immensely. A wide angle lens can also help to capture your surroundings.

7. Stay with the trends - You always have to evolve your style to suit the needs of the current industry. Photojournalistic weddings have been popular for the last 5 years, however the industry is moving to a more fashion oriented wedding photography style.

8. Schedule a portrait shoot on a different day! - One great tip that I have found helpful is to schedule a shoot with the bride and groom, in their wedding attire, on a separate day. This will give you the opportunity to set up a great portrait session without the pressure of wedding deadlines!

Michael Anthony Photography is a Santa Clarita, CA Photographer.

View the original article here

Printing Photos With Digital Backdrops

Digital photographs in themselves are never final products. Of course, everyone would want to either upload them in a digital photo viewer or, for the more conventional ones, have all those digital shots printed and placed in an album.

But then, having photos printed is definitely not the same as having regular documents printed. In printing photographs one does not only think of the quality of the photo paper as well as the capabilities of one's personal printer. More than that, one has to think of how the picture would look like when printed.

It is in this aspect of printing photographs where the picture resolutions to be considered, where inevitably digital backdrops are considered as well. If a picture has a low resolution, then most likely the picture will come out either jagged and pixelated.

This means that the photos, as they appear on the computer are not the same as their printed versions. Despite having the latest printer at one's disposal, if photographs have low resolutions, they would appear like those old video games as they appear on television, replacing one's face and scenery with little squares.

That is why one has to always check the photo resolution. The resolution of photographs depends on the quality of the camera used to take it, and good resolution photographs are at least 3 or 4 megapixels. However, if one would put low resolution digital backdrops on high resolution pictures, then the printed photo would have a very clear subject in a very blurry or jagged background.

Fortunately, there are backdrops available online that are in themselves high resolution, which can be used in any photograph. The biggest size you can get in each one is 6000-4800 and 300dpi in size. This just means that when you use backdrops on photographs that are taken by high-resolution DSLRs or pocket cameras, they will not look blurry and jagged. The background itself will be as clear (or even clearer) than the subject of the original photograph. In this way, the edited photograph will look very real, without any hint of poor editing and printing.

Overall, high resolution backdrops are so fantastic for printing. The way they look beautiful in the computer would be the same as the way they would look in print. With this, one would never have to worry about the possibility that a printed photo would appear in one's album as a blur. Just remember to always check the resolutions of photos and digital backdrops before editing and then deciding to print the material, for it will decide how clear (or how blurry) it would be as it comes out.

Get your hands on over 400 digital backdrops at http://www.premiumdigitalbackdrops.com/

View the original article here

Tips How To Take Your Own Pregnancy Newborn and Family Photos - Shoot Your Own Damn Baby!

Having a baby is a wonderful and happy time for every woman and it's definitely worth capturing it for long memory of you and your off-springs. But should you really pay for the pregnancy and newborn photos or perhaps your friend/cousin or hubby could do it with a few tricks and a camera from Best Buy?? Here are a few of things you'll need:

Your artistic expectationYour patienceYour determination to read till the end of this article

This is obvious but you should decide on what kind of pictures you would like to have as some are pretty easy to pull off and some take quite a bit of skill, special lighting and equipment. I would suggest to Google things like "artistic pregnancy photos" or "best newborn photographers" and check out the photos you find to be most appealing. Some things you could easily copy with your own point and shoot camera! Here are the tips on how to take good pregnancy photos on a budget:

JUST SHOOT IT. If shooting at home try to use a camera on a Portrait mode (or Manual if you are more technically inclined and your camera allows it) and without on-camera flash. Just play with available table lamps or window lights. You may drape a black or any other solid fabric in the back to focus more on you then your interior. Ask your friend or husband to take close up shots of you, your belly. Play with props, such as memorabilia that will belong to your kid, cute items, flowers - be creative!
LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. Go out - beach, park or an interesting dramatic location does half the job of creating an image,
LIGHT. Take pictures at sunset time - that's when the lights are best of all.
LOOSE THE CLOTHES. If weather and your self confidence permit, try to loose the clothes - use fabric wraps and simple button up shirts or light dresses to accentuate your belly (and perhaps hide some unwanted spots:)).
PHOTOSHOP IT. When you are all done and happy with the results, I would recommend to do some editing on a few of your favorite pictures. But BE CAREFUL not to overdo it - a little bit of Photoshop is great to remove unwanted things, like: blemishes, stretch marks, dark circles under your eyes, and convert photos into nice black and whites. However, a lot of "airbrushing" and over-processing can ruin any image by making it look look "soapy" and fake. Most malls have inexpensive photo-editing services that would do basic editing for around $15 a photo. I would recommend to shop around and find people who do very natural looking photo editing with examples of the look that you'd want to go for. This step is critical, as nowadays good Photoshop work separates snap-shots from professional looking photos.
PRINT IT FOR LONG YEARS TO COME. Try to print your photos on the best possible papers and inks. Although this can get expensive it will pay off in a long run by staying vibrant for many decades (some claim that certain types of canvas images can keep their colors for centuries) - that's handy if you want to keep your photos for the rest of your life and then give them to your kids and grand-kids. I would recommend searching for "archival printing" labs. It used to be available mostly to professional photographers and artists but is getting more popular among individuals wishing to preserve their photos. With this said, archival framing is also recommended to finish up your work of art.

SO WHAT ABOUT BABY PHOTOS?!

Not to worry, you can do it, too. Of course professional photographers who specialize in newborn and baby photos are always the first choice in this case, because they have all the props, best photography gear and lenses that create that soft looking background which makes all the difference in the world and also because they simply know what they are doing. But it's not always the case with inexperienced photographers and the pros are always more expensive. Thus, in some cases you can take just as good of pictures with your own camera at home then taking it to another "cheesy" photographer.

Things you'll need:

A BABY;) AND PLENTY OF PATIENCE. Babies are best to be photographed on the first week of their life because they sleep a lot and are easy to pose without waking them up. The 6th day of life is considered to be perfect but the first 2-3 weeks will work as well. After that it's gonna get harder and harder to keep them asleep - but on the other hand it's YOUR baby, you'll have all the time to take pictures of it.
MAKE IT SIMPLE. Take that diaper OFF!!! Some people like to put a lot of props and distracting elements into baby photos. I say keep it about the baby. Unless you are the next Anne Geddes I doubt you can pull off a good photo of your baby hanging off a tree branch looking serene (that's difficult and dangerous too!!!). Use fabrics and earthy tones. Experiment with locations, put the baby into baskets and cute things. Take that ugly diaper off!!! Use the props and poses to shoot implied nudes of your little one - they always look more artsy.
MAKE IT SAFE!!! You are not Anne Geddes... It's THE most important part of the process. You should make sure that whatever you do your most precious possession doesn't get harmed in the process. Crank up the heat, make sure the baby is comfy and laying on surfaces that won't scratch or get into eyes, nose etc. Don't put babies on edges or try to duplicate those cool shots where they are handing off things - that's Photoshop. No photographer in the right mind would put their clients' baby in jeopardy so most of the images are composites (where the baby is laying in the stork and then Photoshopped into another stork hanging off a branch or whatnot otherwise the Photographer is either taking every precaution or taking a risk). If you do try to shoot stork images I suggest to practice common sense and have people helping you.
SHOOT UP CLOSE. Come and take images from different angles other then side images of your laying on a side baby - although it may look adorable to you, in all reality that's boring. Experiment, try to be creative. Shoot those little toes and fingers, hair line and butt. Also you may put a baby on your husband's shoulder and take a photo from the back, or put the baby's head into his hands and capture how small the baby is in comparison with large adult hands. I'm sure you get the point.
PHOTOSHOP. PRINT. HANG. POST. I have the same exact suggestions as the aforementioned editing and printing methods. I could also advise you to invest into a slide-show making software - a nice slide-show with music will make your photos look great. Go to download.com and search for some, you may even find them for free. You could then proudly show if off on YouTube or any other social media.

OK, even if you decide to skip all the pain of doing things yourself and looking for editing services or worse yet trying to conquer Photoshop yourself (!) I still hope you will find these tips useful for your everyday photography. For some samples of what you could try doing please see my photography work at www.littlebabee.com

Best wishes,

Diana Konrad

Diana Konrad Photography. I'm a San Diego based photographer specializing in creative photos of children, artistic pregnancy and family portraits. My studio is located in Carlsbad 92011. For more information about my work please visit http://www.littlebabee.com/

View the original article here

Newborn Photography - 4 Tips on How To Take Baby Photos

There are few photos more precious to parents than those of their newborn. These will be the pictures that they and their child will look back on while reminiscing about those early years. However, to capture these moments is not easy. Newborns, unlike toddlers and other "older" babies, are not as accessible to coaching. If you're hired by parents to take pictures of their new addition, here are four tips to keep in mind:

Wait 10-12 days
It's great to have photos of the child right after the birth, but this doesn't work in a professional environment. Encourage the parents to wait until their son or daughter turns 10-12 days old, as the baby is less stressed and more likely to remain still during the shoot.

Snap while they're asleep
The best time to get photos of a newborn? When they're asleep, which is what they mostly do during these early days. When a parent requests your services, ask them for a rough estimate of when their child will be napping. They might not know exact times, but a good guess will help in scheduling the shoot. Inform the parents you'll be shooting during those sleepy times.

Another way to ensure baby stays asleep is to shoot in a warm environment. If you're doing the session in your studio, let it warm up an hour or so before the scheduled session time, and have on hand a few extra heaters in case it's still too cold for the young one, who will most likely be bare skinned.

One last tip for getting them to sleep: ask the mother and father if they use music or toys, like a mobile, to help expedite the child to sleep. The shoot will go much easier when you do all you can to recreate the child's natural sleeping environment.

Adhere to their schedule
A newborn has its own timetable, and when it's hungry, it'll make it known. Don't try to interrupt the parents and baby when they need time. If they need a break to change or feed their little one, let them have it. You'll avoid a fussy baby, and angry parents who might be upset about their fussy child. However, snapping a few photos during these times might make for some great shots.

In order to avoid interruptions, however, encourage the parents to feed the baby right before the sessions. This will not only make the child happy, but will keep them asleep, pleasant and not crying.

Pose them
Since the subject is going to be asleep for most of the shoot, you're going to have to do the posing. Make sure your hands are warm when putting the child in the position you want. Don't put them in a stance that could cause them to wake up, or alert them to the fact they're being moved.

For additional information on the topic of newborn photography, a great website to visit is http://www.jillyansawyerphotography.com/.

Thom Casey independently author's articles for WebDrafter.com, Inc. ( http://www.webdrafter.com/ ) for SEM clients. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author, and not of any other person, company, or organization. No guarantee or warranty, express or implied, is made regarding the accuracy, fitness, or use of the content herein.

View the original article here

Scanning Photos = The Safer Photo Restoration Method

When it comes to Photo restoration, there are a few ways of getting your photo to your photo restoration specialist. The easiest one to think of is by post, and not to discount the postal service, this isn't the safest route. We always recommend sending your old photos by special delivery as these can be tracked (if something ever did go wrong, which is thankfully rare!). But the safest and most efficient way to do photo restoration is dealing in scanned photos, or scanned negatives and slides.

If you are asking for a quote, then it's best to scan in your photo as your photo restoration specialist can see the photo for themselves and give you an accurate estimate; and also provide a small preview of the photo restoration works free of charge so you can see how the photo repair is going to 'pan out'. This is much safer than using postal methods as your photo doesn't have to be shipped over the country, which is a godsend if the photo is the only one in existence, which is most commonly the case with old photos in need of repair!

When you are scanning your old photos, be sure to look out for a quality or resolution setting (the setting will be measured in 'DPI'), be sure to set the value to the maximum possible as this re-creates your old photo on your computer in a huge format. This is great for us, as this gives us a huge canvas to work with. A scan with a smaller 'DPI' setting isn't ideal for any photo restoration work as the digitally created photo doesn't contain enough information to re-construct damages or for colourising the photo. Skin tones, for example wouldn't be as vibrant and realistic looking on a small, scanned image.

The only downside to scanning, is if you are not familiar with computers, but software programs these days are extremely user friendly, anyone can do it. There really is no downside to scanning your old photos. It's a much safer alternative to using postal methods, and is instant, thanks to high speed internet.

Don't risk losing your beloved photographs in the post. If you do not have a scanner, it would be wise to invest in one as they are worth the cost, not only financially, but of sentimental value too. You can get a good scanner for cheap as the technology is fairly common now. Although 'all in one' scanners/printers are not the best, they certainly do the job. If the resolution is high enough, then there's nothing the photo restoration specialist cannot fix up on their end.

View the original article here

Scanning Photos? The Best Scanner Settings

Everyone has a photo scanner these days. Most of us will slap an old photo or document on the glass from time to time - and then kind of just hope for the best. Finally, here are the settings - simply explained - for getting what you need from your scanner.

So, you've fired up the machine, you have laid down your image on the scanner glass - what now?

Umm, can you back up just a sec? The glass. I don't know about you, but the glass on my scanner gets all kinds of dust and smears on it. So best to give it a bit of a wipe with a cloth and maybe Windex. If you have a can of air - blow the dust off the glass too. Check the photo for dust too while you are at it (but don't spray it with anything whatever you do!)

OK. The photo is back on the glass and you're thinking that this is a bigger job than you imagined. Calm down - it will all be over in a jiffy. Because, there is really only one setting that you need to worry about and that's resolution - or dots per inch (or "dpi"). This is important because dpi (or ppi - "pixels per inch") sets both the quality and size of your image (I am going to use "dpi, but read "dpi or ppi").

Scanner resolution: 96 dpi or 300 dpi
Your scanner should have a setting for "resolution" and it should give you some choices either in dpi ("dots per inch") or ppi ("pixels per inch') - for all practical purposes they are the same thing. Your choice - depending on your scanner - will be something between 50 and 10,000 dpi. That narrows it down eh?

The choice you make will depend on whether you intend to use your pictures on computer screens and monitors; or if you will want to print them. Your average PC has a default resolution of 96 dpi, and print requires 300 dpi. So use these settings for those uses. If you are going to email or post the images, scan at 96 dpi. If you will want to print, scan at 300 dpi.

(Why 96 dpi for screens but 300 dpi for print? Because of the way computer screens are back-lit and normal viewing distances for computer work, you can get away with less dots. In short, the greater the viewing distance, the less dots you need. Normal viewing distance for reading is pretty close and there is no back light; so you need 300 dpi for print.)

Picture size: moving off 96 and 300
Scanning at 96 or 300 works great for most situations. But not all.

For example, what if your picture is really small? Let's say you have an old passport photo - sized 1" x 1.5". And let's say you want to email it to a cousin, but you may want to print it later. You scan at 300 just like the article said. You will have plenty of resolution to print it. But will be the same size as the original - really small.

If you want to boost the size of your image, increase the dpi setting on your scanner. Just do some simple math to work out what the setting should be. If you would like that old passport photo to be 4" x 6" when printed, then scan at 1200 dpi.

(Get it? Multiply every inch of your original photo by the scanner resolution to get the final size.)

Scanning images for video
A lot of TV and video media use 72 dpi. But I would ignore that fact when scanning photos for a video project. If you are editing photos into a video editing timeline (as I often do in my life story videos) then the program will take care of any necessary resolution adjustments. Just make sure that you keep in mind that the standard definition video picture frame is 720 pixels wide, and that HD video is 1920 pixels wide. Any image you use for standard definition video or HD should at least be as wide as the picture frame - and wider if you plan to zoom in.

Resolution for scanning negatives
Calculate your scanner resolution settings in the same way you would a photograph. If it is a 35mm negative (around 1" x 1.5") then you will want to scan at a minimum 1200 (makes a print 4" x 6") - and 2400 is better (and 4000 is even better - but your file size is getting pretty big at this point). The larger the negative, the lower you can go - just ask yourself will it be used on the computer or printed - then do the math.

All those other settings

Your scanner will probably have all kinds of other widgets and what-nots. If you have an editing program, then you are probably better off leaving them all unchecked and doing your fixing in your editing program.

If you are not going to edit in a photo program, then there is little harm in checking the "unsharp" box (it actually makes the photo sharper - go figure).

A word about old photos
Most old photos have a lot more information than you can see. In a lot of cases, the old photo was printed in a sandwich with the original negative. There is often a ton of information in them and they will repay a scan at a high resolution.

If you involved in a genealogy or a family history project then you will be handling a lot of old photos. And you will probably notice that many of the older images - those that were taken and processed before the color revolution - are really pretty good. I do a lot of photo restoration associated with family history and life story video projects and am constantly surprised by how early - and how well - the black and white photo technology was perfected. And I am often shocked - when the image is carefully scanned and restored - how much fresh detail is revealed. Sometimes you discover new people in the shot! So really crank up the resolution on those old images and see who you can discover in the detail.

View the original article here

Underwater Camera's Two Little Secrets - What to Buy and How to Take Beautiful Photos

You are ready for your desired holiday at the Maldives and want to capture every breathtaking moment. The first thing you should get is a waterproof camera. However, which model is the best option? Well, as in nearly every situation, the best solution boils down to your budget. You will find the ideal camera for a budget of $600 and an acceptable one for $200. So, first and foremost, decide how much you are prepared to spend for an underwater camera. In case you have little money left over after having paid for your vacation you might be pleased to realize that there are still incredibly cheap single use underwater cameras available. Nevertheless, keep in mind that these particular cameras still employ classic film, and when you shoot your photos don't expect to look in a LCD display, you'll have to use the classic viewfinder, which is not particularly comfortable when you put on a mask.

Instead, If you have more than a few bucks to invest, I highly recommend that you buy a digital underwater camera. These are generally strong devices, and many models can also take videos. Simply make a few searches through the web, and you'll be surprised how easy you can find very good models at reasonable prices.

Once you know how to choose your camera, perhaps you would like to know how to shoot some great photographs to show to friends and family back home. Well, I cannot really explain to you all the principles concerning photo composition, like the rule of the thirds, because this is not the scope of this article. And, to be honest, you can get plenty of articles very well written about this topic, and I would add nothing new. Nevertheless, there's something you should know about when taking photos underwater that you are less likely to find easily. As you probably know, colors below the water tend to turn blue and green. The reason for this is water absorbs long wavelength colors such as red and orange.

There are basically two factors influencing the colors of your subject; depth and distance. With regard to depth, the deeper you are and the more the subject turns blue and green. If you wish to avoid this problem, you need to stay where you see all the colors, because your waterproof camera will see them as well. Regarding the distance of the subject, the problem is the same as with depth. A rule of thumb used by professional people in this case is usually to be not more than 3 ft/1 m distant from the subject. My last tip; avoid utilizing the zoom as much as you can. If you follow the rule of the maximum distance you will not need it, and in any case a wide angle objective can catch more light and your photos will be stunning and vibrant.

View the original article here

Picture This - Tips to Improve Your Photos

Right now that you have gotten that digicam you have always desired, you really want to take those photos you would be proud to show your friends and family. Taking great pictures is not that hard as soon as you learn some guidelines on how to do it. The only thing you can do is employ them. Allow me to share some easy digital photography ideas you could utilize to enhance your digital pictures. These tips are essential especially if you are starting to become familiar with your love and interest in photography.

* Try to know your own digital camera. This might appear clear, but you have to know your digital camera quickly after buying it. This implies that you must study the handbook which is included in your camera box. Be sure you understand the settings properly and ways to utilize your digital camera to obtain the results you need. You need to be able to place your digital camera into the suitable mode for the conditions without needing to refer back to the handbook. It's also advisable to understand all the options your digital camera features. Being able to understand what precisely your digital camera could do can help you take superior photos.

* Make use of the principle of thirds. The principle of thirds refers to a fundamental principle of composition which is utilized by professional photographers. In your head, break down your photograph into thirds vertically and horizontally. You will be imaging 9 containers of equivalent dimension in the picture. Putting your subject matter in a location where the traces from these types of containers intersect offers your photograph more visible interest. A simpler approach to consider is to take focus on your subject matter off-center.

* Load the picture frame. Get near to your subject matter. In most cases, viewing the main points of the element you are shooting is much more essential compared to the background. Those particulars help make the photograph fascinating. Take note that adding an excessive amount of background in your photograph could make it visually complicated. Your photograph must have a clear visual target. That target becomes even clearer to the audience once you load the frame using your subject matter.

* Make use of fill flash. Do you use your camera flash during a sunny time? The tough light of the sun could cast harsh dark areas on your subject matter. Making use of your flash could fill the dark areas on your subject matter with lights providing you with a far more comprehensive picture.

* Take plenty of photos. The ideal approach to enhance your pictures is training by shooting numerous photographs. Many of them will be horrible, but several of them will be excellent. Every time you take a photograph you like observe what components you want about it. Keep in mind the way you took it. By doing this, you will be able to become familiar with using the options on your digital camera. It can also assist you in your efforts to know what you want and do not like about photographs.

Richard Mckeown enjoys writing for Greatpictureframes.com which sells picture frame and vintage picture frame as well as a host of additional products.

View the original article here