5 Top Tips - To Get the Most From Your First Model Photoshoot

As the saying goes, there's a first time for everything...Working with a professional model is no different. It might be intimidating at first but well worth the effort.

Up to now you've probably been shooting family members and friends, possibly whilst on vacation or at special events. These are all great learning opportunities as it lets you hone your skills and make mistakes in a non-critical environment.

But now you're itching to take things further and want to try your hand at a modeling shoot in a studio set-up. So you've seen videos of the pros at work, snapping gorgeous models with windswept hair striking pose after pose, while assistants and MUAs run around ensuring every eyelash and crease is in the right place...

Well just stop right there...

That is not going to happen, at least not for your first shoot or unless you have a big budget at your disposal. Most likely you will be photographer, assistant and casting agent all rolled into one and with the rise in popularity of microstock photography, a lot of photographers are starting to work this way.

Just to say, this is not a tutorial on studio photography techniques or makeup tips. There is plenty of information out there already. So lets get started with my 5 tips for a successful first model shoot.
Where to find models - So you've exhausted your contact list and its time to find new talent to work with. One option is asking model agencies if they have any new faces that need test shoots. As a first timer, its unlikely they'll give you the opportunity so that means looking elsewhere. The internet has lots of websites like model mayhem and one model place where new and established models register their profiles. Another option is somewhere like craigslist. Often you'll find some who are willing to work on a Time For Print (TFP) basis. i.e they provide the time free but expect copies or digital files of the shoot in return. I personally prefer to at least pay travel costs, as there'll be less chance of a no show if there's a financial incentive. I would also at this stage look for models who do their own makeup as it's one less thing to coordinate. Booking a Studio - Again the internet is your friend, just Google for studios in your local area. The rates are usually on an hourly or halfday/day basis. Ask if you can drop by, as the studio images on their website (most will have one) are often taken with wide angle lenses and look bigger than they are. Check if lighting equipment is included. Some of the expensive studios will be geared towards pros and will typically be well specced in terms of facilities like high ceilings, model changing areas, showers, client area etc but these will be overkill for what you require for now.Bringing it together - Now you have the model and studio selected, its time to pick a few dates and check availability with both parties. Once a suitable date is found you can book the studio. They will most likely ask for a deposit, which is standard practice.Communication is key - Let the model know what you will be looking to do i.e. the style and look of what you're trying to achieve. For your first time, I recommend something simple like a white backdrop shoot as this will let you concentrate on trying different model poses and learning to give instructions. Having some idea of poses to try is invaluable as this cuts down on the model standing around wasting studio time (You'll also look more professional).Email him/her clearly with the time, date, what to wear and location (A map will help). I often ask them to arrive a little late so I have time to set-up. Call the studio and model a couple of days before the shoot to reconfirm.On the day - You can ask a reliable friend to come along who can act as assistant for the day. Bring some refreshment like water or soft drinks, your model will appreciate the gesture. Make sure you are professional and respectful at all times. At the end of the shoot thank the model, let them know you'll be in touch and when they can expect to receive their prints/files (if it's a TFP shoot).

Note: If the model is a no show then you'll just have to take it on the chin. Most photographers say this goes with the territory. The reconfirm in point 4 is to give you a heads up just in case. You may be able to make alternative arrangements.

Happy Shooting!

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Article Submitted On: October 08, 2010

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How To Make More Money From Digital Photography Online

This is a question that all photography lovers will ask themselves at some time or another. Even professional digital photographers will at some point need to have a think about where their photography businesses is going. So the question that needs to be addressed is just how can we make more money from digital photography online.

It doesn't really matter whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur, you only have to spend your time doing what you love most in order to make money from digital photography online, and these following tips will help you make the most out of your photography business.

What you are about to learn will help your business to flourish whether you are selling digital photography online through stock photography sites, or even to your local market place, so let's discover just what you are actually able to do to sell more of your photography work.

1) Do more online marketing.
All of us fail here at some stage or another, so you need to sit down and take a look at where you are at and what you should do to market your photography more effectively. Use a mind map so you can clearly see how your business is currently making money, and focus your marketing efforts on those elements that produce most income. Build a web site around the work that sells most, and then market your web site to a wider market. You may need help from a professional Internet marketer, but you will soon see your photography business grow 10 fold in a very short time.

2) Write an online photography guide.
So you're a great photographer, and have picked up a lot of tricks and useful knowledge along the way, so this could be your chance to put pencil to paper and produce your very own photography online guide. There are so many people out there who are just yearning to learn your photography skills, and the best way to market that guide would be to include it on your brand new web site. Your newly attained marketing skills will also help you to promote the photography guide to a world wide audience, so you can market it for just a couple of bucks. Include a monthly update subscription too, which will allow your income to grow even more.

3) How about giving photography online courses.
Now, have you ever thought about being a teacher? It doesn't sound very glamorous, but apart from just teaching locally you can also get out there on the Internet once again, and offer a step by step digital photography online course. Once again you are able to turn your photography knowledge into something you can share with a very wide audience, and you would be amazed at just how many people are turning to online courses today. You could offer courses from beginners to advanced, and don't forget to include a few lessons about how to make money from digital photography online.

Now as you can see, there is a whole new market out there who not only want to buy your photography work, but also want to learn from you. So just follow my advice, and you will soon have a really thriving photography business.

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Choosing a PR Photographer - Pick a Peach Not a Lemon

PR PHOTOGRAPHY- Choosing a Photographer from London to Inverness

Firstly, why bother with a professional photographer? With modern digital cameras and Photoshop, surely anyone can get decent pictures? NO! Most professional photographers will tell you that the equipment doesn't do it all for you, no matter how much money you spend. Knowing exactly what all those buttons and gizmos do is secondary to an understanding of the rules of composition, years of experience in putting together setups that work, knowledge of relevant lighting techniques, and above all knowing when to just stand back and not fiddle too much. The gap between 'fine art' photography and commercial photography is a wider gulf than most amateurs assume. The skill of a good photographer is their creativity, speed, and consistent good quality. Aside from the technical and creative aspects of the work a good photographer should be presentable, approachable and easy to work with. Maybe the best way to think of a photographer is as someone representing not only you but also your client/customers. Will Uncle Jeff's friend who happens to have a digital camera be happy gently cajoling your blue-chip's CEO into standing just the right way while making them smile, and quite equally when faced with a group shot will they be assertive enough to get the shot just right without being too bossy?
It's not just about the photography.....it's the whole package.

It doesn't matter if you're a small company looking for a photographer to take pictures to accompany the latest press release, or an established public relations and branding outfit looking for fresh ideas - choosing the right photographer is key to put the right message across in the right way.

In the following article I intend to outline some of the things that I consider important when selecting a photographer. As a disclaimer - I will say that as a photographer myself I am in no way saying that I tick all these boxes as to be honest, certain photographers will inevitably suit certain clients better than others. But PR professionals may appreciate the view from the other side of the fence.

Where to look:

Referrals and contacts.

As with most staff and consultancy sourcing, referrals are a very useful way to scout the talent you're after. If you want to commission a photographer to work in an area where you have no existing contacts, why not call someone who does? It's often seen as poaching people's staff, but bearing in mind that most photographers are freelance then why not speak to another PR professional in that area and get the information you need. It is worth keeping in mind however, that just because someone has been using a photographer for twenty years, doesn't mean that they are necessarily the best choice for you. Avoid the inevitable referrals from friends and family unless you're sure they have a proven track record.

The 'local paper' technique.

I have known many PR companies that have contacted the local paper to query if there are any photographers in that area who they can recommend. Press photographers tend to work with a minimum amount of equipment and this is provided by the newspaper they work for. Due to the woeful lack of investment in newspapers and their staff, this means they may not be willing or able to use creative light set-ups and may have quite dated and worn equipment. It's for this reason that the local paper strategy can be successful if you're only after a photographer to cover a simple job such as an event or a cheque presentation. The chances are that one of the staff photographers on the newspaper will do the job efficiently and cheaply. It's worth bearing in mind that, in my experience at least, press photographers are generally of a high standard and used to working to deadlines, but often have their own ideas about how a brief should be covered so clear communication is needed. If you require something a bit more special, then maybe this is not the right approach.

The internet.

Use Google for what you want (PR photographer [your area]) and have a look at the websites on offer. You'll probably have lots of sites coming up for wedding photographers and such so look out for relevant keywords in the listing such as 'commercial', 'advertising', 'PR', 'public relations' or 'editorial'. If you struggle to find anything, then 'freelance' is quite a good catch-all search term.

Ideally you want to see a nice website with lots of info about the person/people. Some kind of info showing a proven track record, such as a client list or blog is great. Most importantly there should be an online portfolio that displays the kind of work that you would happily put on your website and present to your client/customers. Having a photo of the photographer on the website is useful. I'm not saying they have to be Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie but they should look presentable and in some way vaguely human.

Enquiries

Ideally you should now have a short list of photographers to choose from. If you are struggling to find a few in your particular target area then try a wider geographical search. I've worked from South London to Inverness in the last year so it just goes to show that if the photographer can do you a good deal on travel expenses you can choose someone from a little further afield.

Email enquiries are the easy way but there is no substitute for a phone call. Don't dismiss photographers who don't pick up - would you want a photographer talking to other clients when he's meant to be working for you? Do leave a message and number though, and the conscientious will call back. Speaking to someone will straight away give you an impression of the person and give you an opportunity to ask all the questions you need.

FAQ:

What is your availability on the relevant date?

What are your rates, per hour, or part of day? (Don't confuse price with value!)

How far do you travel and what do you charge per mile/flat fee?

What is your policy on copyright?

How quickly can we get the pictures?

How do you deliver the pictures?

How do you accept payment?

These are all pretty obvious but the best questions are often the ones that put the photographer on the spot. These could be something like: 'We want some portraits of the Managing Director of a logistics company in a city centre location....what would your ideas for that shoot be?'

A good photographer would say: 'We could have them stationary with blurred crowds of people rushing around them, or have them on a traffic island with traffic zooming around them or sat in a nice coffee shop reading the FT......etc'.

What I'm trying to say is that a photographer should be able to add to the brief as well as fulfill it. As a photographer I know only too well that a client can come up with an idea for a photograph which they think is wonderful, which in reality may be difficult or impractical to achieve. It's worth getting the photographer involved at the concept stage for a shoot and bouncing ideas around.

Make sure you get an agreed quote in writing. If it's agreed over the phone then send a confirmation email too. This is for you and the photographer and it saves any misunderstanding later.

The Brief: What to include?

The brief is an essential part of any given job. It sets down in writing what you expect from that person. Even if you're with the photographer on the day it's still really good to work together from the same brief so everyone's expectations are met.

+ Job Information: What, where, when, who..... info and relevant telephone numbers. The usual pitfall is getting to reception and being told that there are twelve Bobs in the factory. Full names and job titles are always useful, along with any relevant schedule or timing details. Be specific about how you expect the photographer to be dressed. Is it smart casual or suited and booted?

+ Must Have: Have a specific shot list of 'must have' things that you definitely need to have recorded as they happen and/or set-up.

+ Additional: Have an extra list of 'bonus' photographs you would like if possible allowing for time, conditions etc.

+ Style: Detail the overall look and feel of the image in terms of style. Do you want newsy pictures for the papers or more of a features brochure style?

+ Deliverables: Explain how you would the pictures sent or emailed.

+ Additional info: This may detail photography consent or parking.

+ Press Release: This may not always be possible, but if relevant do try and show a planned press release to a photographer so that they can work to take relevant accompanying photographs.

+ Plan B: Always try and make provision for poor weather or the person being photographed not to turn up because they've forgotten it's happening!. You can't plan for all eventualities, but having a plan B for the obvious ones may be wise.

This is just the bare bones. I was sent a brilliant 4000 word, 19 page brief recently from one of my regular clients. It was detailing the visit of a celebrity to the region to promote the 2010 Olympics. It contained concise instructions, all the places they would be visiting that day, exactly what was hoped to be achieved in each area and a preliminary press release that will be sent with the images. It contained a lot of background information that will be very useful on the day.

Feedback and organic growth.
All regular business relationships are about constructive communication. Although some jobs will occasionally be one-off type arrangements, it's always nice to know that once you have found someone you trust, you could use them again. If for some reason you are unhappy with a photographer's work, it's important to be clear why and give them the opportunity to receive that feedback and comment on it. We're not talking about an 'eBay' system of starred reviews, but do say what you liked most and least about commissioned work.

Hopefully once you've found a PR photographer you enjoy working with it will become a mutually beneficial relationship. Some small companies like to deal with one photographer all the time, whereas some rotate the work amongst several, ensuring availability at short notice. Some businesses pay a premium and go through an agency to get the equivalent (or worse, in my opinion) service they would get from an individual.

Apologies if this seems obvious to those who know.....

Feel free to add to the discussion.

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Great Photography Is More Than Equipment

The photography industry has been very successful in generating an absolute hysterical interest in the latest technological innovation to the point of changing the perception of the general public into believing that great photography is simply a matter of having the right equipment. Many times I have heard from someone, "Well, I could do that good if I had a camera like yours." Statements like these totally discount my 35 year study of photography and over 10 year study of Photoshop. My normal retort is to encourage them to get a better camera. The problem with that is my statement is an affirmation of their core belief. Is there something we can do as serious photographers to help change this perception? I would like to think that we can by following a few simple steps.

First we need to be more open about what went into our high quality photographs to educate the public as to what goes into a great shot. For example, I go to Zion National Park a minimum of twice a year and each visit gets me more familiar with the area including mental notes of areas I want to photograph at particular times of year, time of day, and weather conditions. One shot has eluded me since I have started going there. I have a lot of work into that shot and not one capture. But one of these days the weather will be somewhat I like I imagined and I will get it then. But as of now, I have five years into a picture that hasn't been realized. Simply stated, there is a lot more to it than going there, snapping a picture, and leaving.

Second, when I first started in photography, I would just shoot away at anything that piqued my interest without the slightest consideration to composition what so ever. Fortunately, I befriended an artist whose medium was photography. This was the key to my growth because not only did my friend understand composition, he had the keen ability to explain it. I began studying art composition and this has been the difference in my abilities. So we need to talk exhaustively about composition not only in our own photography but about others as this will emphasize the attention to detail and planning that a great photograph requires.

Thirdly we must strive to be original. Granted this requires time and effort on our part but I think you will find every minute worth it in the end. Ever since Peter Lik created his masterpiece "Ghost" art festivals have been full of photographers selling their version of a southwest slot canyon with a ray of light peeking through to the point of clich?. We are not exercising our compositional imagination when we do this and it degrades the market and our value. We may earn a few dollars by doing this but at what cost?

The master photographer deserves their due. That thought runs contrary to a manufactures concern that they sell more and more units. Clearly there is more money in selling cameras than there is in selling photographs. And the manufactures have utilized their marketing dollars to make a very compelling argument that the camera makes the photograph. We need to start screaming from the top of the highest mountain that, "The camera is the tool the Photographer uses to create the photograph!"

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Choose Perfect Camera Lens for Night Photography

Night Photography can be very intriguing. You cannot just think of clicking photographs in the night under normal circumstances. A lot of factors come into play and influence the photographs. During nights the most important aspects of photography are focus, weight, image quality and the price of the lens. The lens that offers all these qualities automatically qualifies as the ideal choice for night photography. The Nikon Telephoto Lens and the Canon Wide Angle Lens do the needful to qualify.

The reason why both the Nikon Telephoto Lens and the Canon Wide Angle Lens qualify is because of the variety available. The AF-SDX 35mm f/1.8G, AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D Autofocus and the 2180 AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G are three fine examples from Nikon. All these have been categorized under the Nikon Telephoto Lens and have shown their capacity to produce visually appealing images during the nights. The ambience might be dark and the light dim, but these lenses get to work quickly and show why they are top preference. They have a good focal length, curvature, and aperture and produce good snaps.

If Nikon has these to boast of, then Canon too is not far behind. The 24-105mm f/4L IS USM EF, EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM UD Wide Angle Zoom and the EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM are Canon masterpieces that have been made for night photography. During nights, whether artificial light is available or not, these lenses show competence in taking clear photographs. They are the finest Canon Wide Angle Lenses that have been produced so far with a proven track record of doing well during nights.

These are the perfect examples of the lenses used during nights for photography. The photographs taken through these are neither blurred nor distorted. They are as apparent as they can ever be. Once the photographer puts them inside his camera and starts using them, issues such as picture quality and image stability which are otherwise very important seem very petty.

The nights do not have the good fortune of broad daylight. Hence, the lenses in the camera have to be so strong that absence of light gets compensated for. Distorted lenses lack clarity. The images come blurred, and the darkness sets it up for a double whammy. This can really become frustrating for the photographer, for he has to put in twice the effort during nights. These lenses do not let that happen, and give the photographer a reason to cheer for.

Laying focus during nights is not that easy. Same goes for establishing stability and ensuring texture. All these things only fall into place when the lens itself has something special to offer. The features that have been talked about above have to be there in the lenses to get good pictures. Their absence is bad news and will leave the photographer in dismay. These are the most ideal lenses that fit the bill for good night photography. There are plenty of artists vouching for their efficiency, reason enough for usage.

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Purchase a Used Sony Z1u From a Reputable Reseller

Even when you are buying a used piece of equipment, a high quality camcorder can still be a costly purchase for a student or someone just starting out as a professional in the field of video recording. If you are a student at a school that specializes in video production, you probably use a camcorder every day for various assignment given to you by your professor. Owning a Sony Z1u probably seems like a fantasy while you are still in school because of how expensive they are when you check the price at your local electronics store. Camcorders are not a cheap piece of equipment, and the Sony Z1u is no exception. This is the main reason why you are always told to be very careful when renting out or borrowing someone else's camera; however, if you know you are going to be using a camcorder for years to come, it may be time to put the money up to get your own equipment.

The prices of video cameras have come down a bit over the years, but they still aren't a spur the moment purchase that most people can make without putting much thought into them. In fact, with many online trading and selling markets now available to everyone, many people are offered low prices for used camcorders everyday from all over different parts of the world. If you need a new digital camcorder for work or school, a used, less expensive camcorder would be ideal for you, especially if you are just getting started with your professional career. Used camcorders are widely available on the Internet these days, but if you are looking for an expensive model, such as a used Sony Z1u, consider finding a professional reseller, as this is the most secure way to purchase.

Purchasing a used Sony Z1u does not have to spell disaster, as long as you make smart, sensible decisions when picking out where to buy from. Choose a reputable website with some positive feedback and reviews, so you know that you are getting what you paid for and won't be scammed by an individual selling a broken camcorder. Auction websites like eBay are notorious for ripoffs and scams, so you will want to be extra diligent when making a purchase.

For example, there have been numerous stories of someone purchasing an expensive electronic device and then being very frustrated when the package arrives at the house and it is just the box for the product they thought they purchased. This happened plenty of times when the Microsoft Xbox 360 was first released because people were not reading the fine print on the auctions which they bid on. To avoid horrible stories like these, you are much better buying any used gear and equipment from an established dealer.

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Making the Jump Into Studio Photography

You've been taking pictures on vacation and at family events but you feel its time to take things further and try your hand at studio photography.

So what is the 'advantage' of shooting in a studio to shooting outside? Well I like to think it's not better but just different. In a studio you will have full control of lighting and style. This is a great learning experience as you'll get to experiment to your heart's content. You'll learn how light behaves as you'll have full freedom to place them where you like.

So what's your motivation? Is it the challenge of interacting and directing models or the satisfaction of creating images and not just capturing them?

Whatever the reason, it requires a different kind of workflow than you may be used to. It may take you longer to prepare a shot than to actually take it.

You'll need to get familiar with the lighting equipment, and all the light modifiers that come with them. It's a good idea to get up to speed handling off camera flash before you take the plunge into full studio strobes. Next you need to know the kind of backdrops that works best with your subject. If the colour is too similar they'll blend into the background.

If you're working with a model, the wardrobe and make-up can make or break the shoot, so this has to be selected carefully. This could mean working with stylist and hairdressers to craft the right look.

While shooting, you'll need to have an idea of which model poses to use and how to communicate them to your subject... And that, as they say, is another subject...

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Online Photo Proofing Is a Must for the Modern Photographer

In this digital age of iPads, a laptop on every lap, and the expectation of instant gratification, professional photographers need to keep up with the expectations of their clients and provide quick and easy online photo proofing. Online photography galleries are the easiest way for professional photographers to expand their client base immediately. By posting event photos online, you can share with your clients, who in turn can pass their proofs along to family members and friends who are likely to place orders of your photos. This is an easy way for people to share you work, giving you more exposure, and more potential orders.

There are a few factors to consider when choosing an online proofing service. The costs can vary drastically across the industry. Some photo proofing services charge a commission on any sales you make, capping your potential. If you plan to sell a good amount of photos, you are likely better off paying a low monthly or annual fee in order to have one fixed cost for your photography proofing. This opens up the potential for your income to climb as you increase your sales.

Another factor in choosing an online photo proofing service is to look at the ease of navigation by both you and your clients. Not every client will be as technically savvy as you may be, so it is important to ensure that they will be successful at viewing and purchasing their photos online; any problems doing so will adversely affect your sales.

In this digital age, online photo proofing is a must. Clients expect to be able to access their proofs online and in a timely manner. As a professional photographer, an online photo proofing service is the number one thing you can do to increase your sales and make your business a success!

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Crystal Cove State Park Family Holiday Portraits

Crystal Cove is a terrific place to take Family Holiday portraits. The park is in a convenient location and has a diverse number of settings which are ideal for getting the perfect portrait for holiday cards.

Convenient Location

The park provides for a convenient Orange County location Family Christmas/Holiday portraits. The park is located off Pacific Coast Highway between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach. The Latitude/Longitude is: 33.5701 / -117.8756. The parking is on the opposite side of the freeway as the beach. However there is a path that goes down to the beach and structures.

The Beach

The beach is a favorite location for family portraits. Many people come to crystal cove during the summer, rent one of the beach houses and have their holiday portraits taken while on Vacation at the beach. Crystal Cove is a large beach which provides for a number of beautiful backgrounds. Some locations include large cliffs in the background, others include the wide ocean and still others have classic beach houses as the frame.

The Wooden Structures

There are at Crystal Cove a number of wooden which are have a very heartland country feel to the structures. They are painted blue and red and almost look like Kansas farm houses. Many families find these backgrounds attractive for the holiday look they wish to portray. The structures are found between the beach and the path down from the parking.

The Path Down to the Structures

The path down to the beach from the parking structure has brush and trees on both sides of the path. This path is a terrific for shooting families holding hands together down the allegorical path of life. The path also includes a tunnel. A photographer can put his subjects on one side of the tunnel and himself at the other end. This creates a beautiful silhouette shot. Great for unique Holiday Cards!

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Top 5 Most Common Digital Photography Mistakes

There are many challenges these days. Some things are easier than others to cope with. One challenge that numerous people must face daily is making mistakes when taking digital photos. Tens of thousands of individuals struggle with that challenge, with mixed results. How does one make sure to get great results?

The correct answer is knowledge. Doing just about anything looks easy for individuals that know the way. And to get good results with taking digital pictures you only need to understand more about what works and what does not. Read on to improve your own understanding.

Here then are the top 5 most common digital photography mistakes:

1. Not getting to know your digital camera. Why would this make a difference? If you never get to reading your digital camera's manual and learn all of it's features. Exactly what happens when/if you follow these tips? You will be able to handle the camera and ready to take that perfect photo.

2. Not investing and using a tripod. That is important because Tripods will allow you to take the best and sharpest pictures. And because holding it in your hands is shaky and unsteady you should use one whenever possible.

3. Not giving the camera enough time to focus. The reason behind that is most digital cameras need time to correctly focus and get the right exposure. It is also really helpful because your pictures will be clear and focused.

4. Depending too much on the zoom lens feature. Can you tell me why is this a good idea? Using your digital camera's zoom feature can make the picture grainy. Are there more significant reasons? No, just try to get as close as possible to what you are taking the picture of.

5. Taking pictures up against bright light. And this is important because of what? This can make the subject appear too dark. What other significant reasons will there be? Your background can appear too bright.

Stick to the 5 tips above and you'll get great results with taking great digital photographs. You may expect good results and every one of the huge benefits, joys and good things these great results will bring with them. If you should ignore these 5 tips, prepare for much worse results and concurrently lower benefits.

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Photography Blunders: Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid

When it comes to learning more about photography, sometimes it's best to learn from your mistakes through practice. However, some of the top biggest beginner photography mistakes are those that actively waste time and can actually ruin your photos if you're not careful. Here are a few examples of such mistakes and how you can avoid them.

1. Be Aware of Your Flash: When you're using a camera for the first time, particularly a digital camera, be sure to turn the automatic flash feature off. There are some rooms and settings where the flash isn't needed, and if it goes off despite of this, you may end up with washed out, distorted photos. This is a good tip to consider when buying your camera as well. It's good to make sure your flash isn't too weak or too powerful. If you use a LED light, for example, you may end up with pictures that are grainy and shadowy, whereas if you pick a Xenon flash, your pictures may look unnaturally exposed as it overpowers any natural light sources.

2. Be Aware of Your Features: As tempting as it may be to take your camera out of the box and start snapping away immediately, do take some time to read the manual. Otherwise you may be missing out on countless opportunities to enhance and expand your techniques. A few useful ones include the image stabilizer, which helps enormously in preventing blurriness caused by small movements, or the Smile Shot, which only takes the picture after the subject has flashed a grin. The macro feature is one that allows you to capture impossibly small details, such as the scales of a butterfly's wing or the unique textures of a soap bubble. By learning about these firsthand, you will be able to take advantage of them right away.

3. Don't Limit Yourself to Just One Camera: One of the top biggest beginner photography mistakes would have to be believing that you can content yourself with just one camera. While some cameras do come with a wealth of different features, you are missing out if you only carry one, especially when it comes to more complicated shots, such as capturing a moving subject. You'll find that professional photographers have a wide selection of cameras and lenses at their disposal, allowing them to capture virtually any type of shot. While having a collection of cameras may seem like a pricey endeavor, they're more than worth their cost, especially if you pursue photography professionally.

Take actions to prevent these common mishaps, starting today. The more you practice, the more you will learn which features and settings suit you. This will leave you free to focus more on honing your reflexes and intuition.

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101 Reasons to Hire a Professional Photographer

"That's a great picture, you must have a really nice camera!" Such is the perception of most who don't really know anything about a photography. It's about the same logic as saying "that was a wonderful meal, you must have a nice stove!"

After having been a photographer for many years (and even selling photography equipment for a while) I've heard this statement many times. When I was selling, customers would consistently come up to me and say similar statements. The one I probably heard the most was "My friend Tom has a [insert camera name here] camera and he gets great pictures so I want to buy the same one. Almost without fail the same said customer would come back a few weeks later complaining because "something must be wrong with the camera you sold me because the pictures aren't as good as Tom's." I would always reply with "may I see your camera?" and would then ask if they minded if I took a few pictures. I would put the camera in either aperture priority mode or manual, adjust the settings according to the photograph that I wanted to create, press the shutter button, and then show the customer the picture. They would always follow up with something like "Wow, that looks great, how come my pictures don't look that good?" To which I would begin the long conversation about how I use a camera as a tool to create the look I want instead of being dependent on a camera to do all of the thinking for me. Because of peoples, often erroneous, beliefs about photography I've decided to create a list of 101 reasons that people need to hire a professional photographer instead of depending on their "friend with a nice camera." This list - in no particular order - is mainly focused on wedding photography but can include any type of photography.

A Professional Photographer

1. creates photographs, he doesn't take a picture and "hope it comes out."

2. has spent years studying every aspect of making a photographs.

3. knows which lens to use in which situation.

4. knows how to set the camera for a consistent look regardless of location (ceremony, reception, outdoors, etc.)

5. knows how to properly use a flash for soft, even lighting.

6. knows when to use multiple flashes to create a beautiful scene.

7. knows how to make a scene look "natural" and not like he was using a flash at all.

8. knows what aperture to set his lens to for the look that will make you look the best.

9. knows what shutter speed to set to capture the ambient light, create the feeling of movement, or freeze an object in place.

10. will sometimes spend several hours retouching one photograph to make sure it is perfect.

11. knows when to use off camera lighting (strobes) to create a certain look or evenly light a group of people or a room.

12. owns professional equipment.

13. has spent about the same amount or more for *each* lens that he owns than he did for his camera body.

14. owns multiple camera bodies in case of equipment failure.

15. knows to back up his photographs to multiple locations to avoid computer crash problems.

16. has spent far more on accessories Backdrops , Light Stands , Remote Controls for Flash , Storage Cases , Umbrellas , Tripods , Tripod Heads
, etc.) than he did on his camera(s).

17. spends a great deal of time and money creating a website, advertising, and marketing.

18. will gladly spend multiple hours meeting with you, answering questions, emailing, going through every detail of the wedding, scouting out the location(s), etc. to make sure that everything is done the way you want it.

19. will discuss a "shot list" with you so that nothing, or nobody gets left out. (You know that you've got an uncle Joe, but your photographer doesn't unless you tell him.)

20. will be professional about taking photographs of the bride and bridesmaids while they are getting ready.

21. knows how to direct groups of people to be photographed so that everybody looks great (no closed eyes, yawns, people hidden behind other people, etc.)

22. won't be drinking at the reception like uncle Joe.

23. knows how to capture the moment. (not when you're pulling away from the first kiss but right as your lips touch)

24. knows how to put together a wedding album so that it not only shows great pictures, but tells a great story.

25. knows how to match the color of his flash lighting to the color of the ambient light (tungsten, florescent, outdoors in the shade, etc.)

26. keeps up with the latest trends in photography styles so that he is able to offer anything that a client might want. (think red wine glasses with a black and white background )

27. keeps up with the latest digital editing tools in order to create unique and custom artwork for you to enjoy.

28. can shoot film.

29. has done this before. He's not at your wedding to "practice his photography"

30. will let your guest be a guest. Uncle Joe will actually be able to enjoy the wedding instead of being stressed out about making sure that he gets all of the pictures that he thinks you should have.

31. will typically spend around 5 hours BEFORE the wedding in preparation, and between 40 and 60 hours AFTER the wedding editing pictures, making prints, framing, creating slideshows, creating wedding albums, confirming orders, talking to the lab, etc. Did you really think you were paying several thousand dollars just for 8 hours on the wedding day?

32. knows that the average cost of an entire wedding is around $20,000 and that the only thing that you will keep (other than the dress) is the photography.

33. knows that the average price spent on catered food service is around $3000.

34. knows that the average price spent on flowers(which will end up in the trash is about $2000

35. will be happy to let guests take pictures throughout the wedding.

36. will comply with all rules regarding flash photography during your ceremony. Most places of worship will not allow flash photography during the ceremony. How do you get good pictures in a dark church without a flash...? Hire a professional!

37. knows how to make great photographs while being discreet and unobtrusive.

38. knows that it is much smarter to save money by skimping on the flowers, food, music, location, etc. rather than to skimp on the only thing that you will have to keep from your special day (your photos).

39. knows what it's like to have a bride (who didn't hire him because her uncle Joe had a nice camera)call him in tears asking if there is any way he can "fix" uncle Joe's pictures.

40. has learned the importance of not keeping his clients waiting on their pictures for months at a time.

41. will concentrate on capturing great memories rather than talking to his friends at the wedding (eh hmm...uncle Joe...)

42. knows how to pose the bride and groom (as well as bridesmaids, groomsmen, family, etc.) so that you look your absolute best.

43. knows what angles to shoot so that your pictures are the most flattering.

44. knows that the price of the camera has nothing to do with the artistic quality of the photographer.

45. will "see the shot" long before he raises the camera to his eye.

46. will prepare for the moment in advance so that he is ready when it happens (the kiss, the cake getting smeared in your new hubby's face, etc.)

47. has seen the wedding process many times and will gladly work with you (or your coordinator) so that everything goes as smooth as possible.

48. will be full of great ideas to help out with your wedding above and beyond just taking the photographs.

49. can shoot objectively and won't be as emotional as a family member or friend.

50. can capture the emotions of everyone else at the wedding.

51. knows how to coordinate and work with other professionals at the event (band, DJ, wedding coordinator, minister, etc.)

52. has a vested interest in making you look your best. Not only have you paid him for his services but he also knows that if you like what he does then you will be recommending him to all of your friends. There's an old saying among photographers that goes "if you mess up a portrait you have to apologize, if you mess up a wedding you have to leave town"

53. knows that you will never regret having hired a professional and getting professional results, but you will regret, from now on, trying to "save money" and having your friend be the photographer.

54. doesn't use the "auto" setting on the camera. Ever.

55. knows that word of mouth is the best advertising and will make sure that you are taken care of so that you will spread a good word.

56. can put people at ease who aren't use to being in front of the camera.

57. has a "bag of tricks" up his sleeves to create the most magical experience possible for you and your wedding party.

58. makes it fun. This isn't a job for him, it's a passion!

59. won't just give you a CD or DVD of images straight out of the camera, but will painstakingly go through each and every image to professionally enhance them using the latest digital software.

60. knows about time management and will shoot in such a way as to keep your wedding day flowing smoothly.

61. knows that he is not the star, you are. Though during certain times of the wedding day he may need to direct people where to go, sit, stand, etc. He does all of this so that you and your wedding party will look your absolute best. He knows that this is your day and you are the focus.

62. will have a way that you can view, and order your prints online. No more waiting for "proofs" to come back from the lab. As soon as your pictures have been touched up they will be uploaded to a custom gallery just for you and your friends and family.

63. will keep copies backed up of your photographs for many years after your wedding day. This insures that should something unforeseen happen and you lose your photographs, you can always order more.

64. will be at ease in what, for you anyway, may be a stressful situation.

65. will dress appropriately.

66. knows that this is not a fashion shoot, it's a ceremony and he will treat it as such. Your wedding ceremony will unite you two in Holy Matrimony. This is not the time to be distracting.

67. will capture the little details of your wedding day. A flower girl tying her shoe, a tear on your mothers cheek, a rose on the floor of the isle. These are all just examples of great photographs that will help tell your story.

68. will meet with you beforehand and discuss....well...anything that you think might be important. It is your wedding day. He might give you some suggestions or ideas but ultimately he knows that you've probably been planning your dream wedding since you were 8.

69. has a unique style and lots of creativity, not only in editing your photos, but also in capturing them.

70. has a contract that details exactly what you are paying for.

71. has photo packages that include: several print sizes, photo books, etc.

72. will put you at ease so that you are free to enjoy your wedding without concerning yourself over the quality of your photographs.

73. won't just make you smile, but will make you laugh.

74. can refer other professional services (cakes designers, DJ's, etc.)

75. has a relationship with a high end (professionals only) print lab. No, this isn't Costco, or Wal-Mart, or even Wolf Camera.

76. will pre-scout both the location of the ceremony and the reception to find the best places for photographs.

77. can optionally bring along a second photographer for multiple angles.

78. continues to educate himself by reading books and blogs, hanging out with other professional photographers, and joining professional photography associations.

79. will do just about anything for to capture the best photograph possible. Need me to climb a tree? I'm there. stand out in the river? Yup. Get on the roof and shoot down. Done!

80. knows that you're not paying for a picture, or a set of pictures. You are paying for quality and a guaranteed level of service. I heard a high end ($25,000 to book) wedding photographer speaking in an interview where he was asked "Why would anyone pay you $25,000 to photograph their wedding, are your pictures that good?" He thought for a moment and responded "at the level I shoot at, my clients aren't paying for pictures, they are paying for a guarantee."

81. will talk to your minister and key people at each location to find out if there are any special requirements for photographers during the ceremony.

82. knows that a great image will have a great background.

83. brings extra batteries. Lots of them.

84. knows hot to make people look like they are actually dancing at the reception, not just frozen in a weird pose.

85. doesn't shoot at the same angles as everybody else.

86. has access to custom framing that is not made available to the general public.

87. will focus on creating memories not just snapping pictures.

88. has multiple memory cards so that he never runs out of "film"

89. will let you password protect your online photo gallery so that only you and your friends and family can see it.

90. won't miss the cake cutting because he is catching up with an old friend like uncle Joe.

91. knows that photography is all about lighting (literally "painting with light") and knows how to manipulate the lighting and camera settings for soft, even lighting with no harsh shadows.

92. knows that you'll want to put your pictures on Facebook and will give you a CD or DVD with photographs that are optimized for the web.

93. has an expert eye and knows how to frame a subject in the camera.

94. doesn't just think he is a photographer just because he got a nice camera or took a photo class.

95. knows that capturing your memories is of the utmost importance and is highly skilled at doing so.

96. has very expensive lenses that are great at capturing pristine images in dark churches where you aren't allowed to use a flash.

97. knows how to get energetic or upset children to smile for the group pictures.

98. will include a print release when you get a DVD of your high definition photos so that you can print them anywhere.

99. will custom format your pictures to display on an optional iPad or iPod touch.

100. can print "save the date" photo cards for you to send out to your guests.

101. is service oriented and will focus his time on not only meeting, but exceeding your expectations.

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Everything About Landscapes

Landscapes usually represent a photographer's starting point, being included in a series of steps which help with defining their personal style. Although photos seem very easy to take, they are not. There re a lot of things which determine a successfully taken landscape, elements such as the composition, the light, the framing and so on.

Most of the times, the paintings describing different landscapes are highly appreciated and they can be found in very many places. A photographer has to be careful all the time when taking the photo of a certain landscape. It is very important that you find the best angle when photographing a landscape and that you try to emphasize its beauty. You can get some excellent results if you keep playing with the diaphragm and the colour temperature.

First of all, you have to take all the technical settings into consideration when you opt for such a photo. The exposure time, the ISO sensitivity and so on are very important and they need to be combined in such a way that you get a pleasant and accurate frame from a technical point of view. The exposure time can help you very much with your photo, so you should set it manually in order to have a better light in the entire frame. The sky is usually a problematic landscape for most of the photographers because either sun is in the frame or the light in the sky is too strong, the pictures not being very good. Therefore, you should always avoid such situations. For instance, you can take a HDR photo, but such a photo requires you to take about three, five or more shots.

This article has been viewed 10 time(s).
Article Submitted On: October 17, 2010

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Make a Fake Magazine and Be the Star of the Day

If you have ever wanted to be on the cover of a magazine but you don't know how you can get there, there is a way. Think of creating a fake magazine cover with your very own photograph on the cover. It is easy to do online nowadays!

You can create your own magazine cover using websites that specialize in creating these masterpieces. It usually requires creating a membership and most of the time the membership is at no cost to the customer. Once you are a member, log in to your account and follow the simple directions. You will need a digital photo to upload so be sure one is handy. There will be a menu or perhaps a series of menus that will guide you through the process to create your fake magazine cover. After all the options are chosen and text filled in, the payment takes place and the job is sent on its way to a fake magazine cover specialist who completes the graphic work. When the cover is ready, you can download it from your account and from then on it's all yours to share and have fun with family and friends.

These are fun to make and can make anyone an instant star. They make unique gifts for family and friends and they are the gifts that end up in the "keep forever because it is way cool" file. A fake magazine cover can help celebrate a special someone in your life or a special occasion or significant milestone.

They also can serve other purposes such as becoming a cover for a book of family recipes or photographs. If mom and dad are so inclined to save juniors school papers, it will come in handy to identify the collection. It can also be a special calling card, an invitation to a special event or an announcement of a special event or achievement.

No matter which method is used to produce a fake magazine cover, it will leave a lasting impression on those that see it. You can share your cover with your friends via Facebook, Twitter and any of the social networking services that today everybody uses. So imagine posting your very own on your Facebook profile and becoming the social star of the day! Sounds fun, doesn't it?

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Lighting and Contrasts in Photography

Choosing the right lighting and creating contrasts in your picture is a great way to add the effect of great depth to it. That is why I would like to share with you a number of different ways to control the lighting of your photo and add the right amount of contrasts to it.

For instance you could want to show your viewer the impressive contrast between an area of a street that lies in the shadows and another part of it that reflects the bright sunlight. In this case you can shoot (indirectly) against the sun to capture the most intense reflections of sunlight on the street possible. You can also try to underexpose your picture to have the sunlit parts of the street appear in distinct colors and make the shadows look exceptionally dark. If you rather want to point out the overwhelming brightness of the sunlit parts of the street, I would recommend you to overexpose the photo. The brighter parts will then look highly luminescent, but might not appear distinct anymore, whereas the overshadowed areas will look relatively natural.

Whenever I take photos of motifs with extreme contrasts, I try three different versions: one that allows the darker parts to appear natural, one that displays the brighter parts naturally, and one that represents a compromise of both effects. Having tried these different ways, I might choose to focus on one version and do several shots with this exposure setting. In order to decide which version to focus on, I ask myself: What part of the image seems most important to me? This is usually the area I want to be exposed properly. Instead of a particular area you can also choose the effect of excessive brightness (or darkness) as your actual motif and base your exposure setting on that decision. If you are not focusing on displaying an extreme lighting situation, a slight underexposure helps to add strong contrasts and more vivid colors to your photo.

Generally speaking, the angle you choose to take your photo from determines the relative position of your main light source.

If you shoot directly against the light (e. g. if the sun is visible in your picture), the resulting extreme contrasts will likely tend to divide your image into very bright areas of light falling in directly and extremely dark areas that represent the mostly unlit sides of the objects on your photo. This can be impressive, but does not allow you to capture many details and colors.

If you shoot partly against the light, you can profit from the resulting reflections and highlights that add more contrasts and interesting light effects to your photo without destroying all the details and colors -- think of the reflection of the sun on the water during a sunset. This type of reflection is only possible if you are shooting against the light -- in this case, even directly against the main source of light (the sun). But since the light of the sun is usually much brighter than it is during a sunset, I recommend shooting partly against the light rather than doing it directly.

While shooting against the light usually causes extreme contrasts, having the main light source in your back tends to do the opposite: It makes all shadows vanish and therefore reduces the visible contrasts to a minimum. A similar effect, combined with a bad light quality, is produced by the use of a flash. Since flashes are usually built-in and therefore illuminate all areas visible in the photo frontally (and brutally), photos that are taken using flash usually lack the true 'wow effect' which is mostly produced by special lighting.

Focusing on contrasts, there is one more thing to pay attention to. Especially if your scenery covers a lot of physical depth, you can choose an angle that makes your main objects appear in front of a background of a particularly different color or brightness -- in most cases I would recommend to choose a background that is less expressive and has less 'identity' than the object(s) you want the viewer to focus on. In order to create an impression of clarity and simplicity, I recommend to choose a bright, even background. If your object itself is bright, it will stand out better from a darker background and create an impression of purity in contrast to the mysterious background.

While contrasts mostly make photos appear more vivid and deep, hard shadows produced by too strong direct light can be a harm to an otherwise balanced picture. The most simple solution to this problem has been used in the film industry from the early years to this day: Direct light can easily be diffused by any kind of semi-transparent material. I found that even the shadows of trees (unless their foliage is too dense) can provide the perfect diffuse light for many purposes such as portraits.

Dealing with poor lighting, you have to be careful. Even if your camera allows you to choose a high sensitivity (e. g. ISO 400 and higher), this does not mean that it is really capable of taking decent photos at this setting. Most of the cheaper compact cameras produce a fairly high amount of grain when they are used at little light. Combining a low ISO value (the abbreviation refers to the International Organization for Standardization) with a high shutter speed will result in very dark photos on cloudy days -- shooting at twilight or indoors will be mostly impossible this way. For most situations you will have to choose either a high light sensitivity (which increases the grain in your pictures), or lower the shutter speed and put up with some blur. If your camera has an OIS feature (Optical Stabilization System), you should definitely make use of that. I found it to be very powerful!

(c) Dino Schachten 2010. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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Buy a Digital SLR Camera

When you are purchasing a digital SLR camera, there are several things to keep in mind. First, you will need to consider the brands that you would like to buy. Second, take a look at the models that are available. And third, decide where you would like to purchase the camera.

1. Digital SLR camera brands
There aren't many SLR camera that are available on the market today. Some of the big brands include: Nikon and Canon. All of these companies have been around for a long time, so you know that you will be in good hands. Going with a big name brand will give you the reassurance that you are purchasing a high quality product.

2. Consider the models available
All camera brands have several camera models that are available for purchase. You will want to consider any that you have before deciding on the camera model that you would like to purchase. Determining the type of file that will be needed if necessary before selecting the camera megapixel size. Also consider the features that are available with each model and compare them what you will need to do.

3. Shop around
Digital SLR cameras are available in a variety of stores and online websites. Take some time to research your options at local electronics stores, and then compare the prices with online stores to determine the best deal that is out there. Many times, you can find a deal that includes some type of accessory or gift certificate to get the maximum bang for your buck.

Once you have your brand new camera, you will love the freedom that comes with owning a digital SLR camera! You will be able to take high-quality pictures whenever you would like, and you will be amazed at the quality of pictures that the equipment provides!

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Photography - How to Take Black and White Photographs

Black and white photographs have a striking elegance that makes them stand out. You can often see these crisp images in art exhibits and in magazines. Taking beautiful black and white pictures is a skill that you can learn. Knowing some simple photography tips will help you take lovely pictures that you can share.

First let's talk about how to take these pictures with your digital camera. Most digital cameras have a black and white mode. If you don't know how to switch your camera to black and white mode check your camera manual.

If you own a photo editing program you can easily convert your color pictures to black and white on your computer. Free editing software programs like Picasa, GIMP and Paint.net will allow you to convert your photos on your computer. It is better to use this method than using the setting on your camera because it gives you more control over how the image will look. You also have more options. You may decide that you prefer the picture in color.

Now that you've decided how you'll go about converting your photo let's look at some elements that lend themselves to black and white photography.

Dreary days look great in these pictures. When it's overcast outside and you feel like the grayness of the day will make a terrible photograph get your camera out anyway. You don't have to take color pictures. You can take a variety of pictures with the intention of converting them to black and white pictures later.

Look for contrast in your photographs. Dark colors and light colors together make contrast that adds drama and depth to photographs. If everything in your picture is basically the same color you'll end up with a picture that is mostly one shade of gray when you convert it.

Show texture in your images. When you strip the color away from a photograph it helps the viewers' eyes focus on other elements in the pictures that they may not have noticed before. The various textures and shapes in the picture become even more important to the viewer.

As with all photography follow rules of composition to make your image interesting to the viewer. Place horizon lines in the lower or upper third of the photo. Place your subject to one side of the photo instead of in the center to provide visual tension. Pay attention to background and foreground.

Keep your ISO setting as low as possible. The higher your ISO is set the more noise or grain will appear in your picture. You may like this grainy look in your pictures. Some people do. If you're a person who likes grain in your photographs it's best to add it using editing software after the picture is taken. Setting your camera to an ISO setting that is too high will add distortion to your picture that will detract from the image.

Practice these tips and in time your photography will improve.

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Magazine Covers to Bring You Into the Spotlight

A magazine cover is the calling card of the news stand. They announce to the world the latest gossip, news, world events and who is in first place. It is the reading platform of someone who just needs to know a watered down, un-detailed account of what is going on in the world or neighborhoods around them. Sometimes just reading one has all the pertinent information that someone needs to know about their particular interest. Sometimes just reading one will hold all the information the reader will remember a month or perhaps a week or even a day after reading all the articles contained under that one magazine cover. To make a long story short, they are very powerful. It can make the consumer buy an entire magazine just for what's on the cover.

An interesting school project report could be uniquely presented in the form of a magazine. An entrepreneur in today's world may want to market their product or themselves with a magazine cover. They are easy to get using online services available today. It looks real but can double as a flyer to be handed out, tacked on bulletin boards, or left on door steps. They can announce a yard sale from "Yard Sale Monthly" or solicit yard help from "Lawns Are Us".

There are websites dedicated to the creation of customized magazine covers. The web sites contain a range of templates that you can use. All that is needed to get your own cover is a photo because most have at least one photo. It is up to the creator to fill in the blanks and customize the cover. If there are blanks not filled in, they will be filled in automatically with default text. Once you write instructions for the retouchers and pay for the service, the job will be sent to the team of artists. When your cover is ready you will be able to download it and share it with friends and family.

So next time you have an important announcement to make, consider getting a magazine cover to share the great news with your friends and family.

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Determining The Right Photographer For Your Wedding

You've spent months and months of planning the perfect wedding. You've got the best location in your area picked out and booked without a hitch. The best caterer is has been booked as well. There's one crucial thing that most people leave until the last minute that can make or break your wedding. Yes, it's the wedding photographer and probably the most important decision you'll make.

How do you decide on which wedding photographer is right for you. First you need to decide on what style you prefer. Every photographer has their own unique perspective in how they look through the lens and the way they choose to tell the story. Are you looking for an Artistic, Photojournalistic approach, or Traditional style. Once you've decided your style. Make sure your photographer is cable of shooting images in your preferred style. There are many "professionals" in the photography industry, but as important as it is to hire someone with knowledge and experience, it is also important to hire someone who loves what they do.

References are a must and you should request two or three at minimum. If a photographer won't give you references then stay clear and go with your next choice. Ask the photographer how many years of experience they have in the business. Trusting your memories with a photographer that has never shot a wedding to try and save money is not worth the risk.

Next determine what price range you are looking at. Although, the last thing you want to do is shop by price, is this person within your budget? If not, are they worth the price difference? Make sure you understand what everything costs, including reprints and albums. At this point, deciding on what package you want. Whether it's an a la carte or package, make sure you know exactly what you are getting. Check to see if it's possible to make changes and if so how much will it cost. Just remember that once the cake has been cut and all the guest have gone home and you are back from your honeymoon. Your photographs are the one thing you will have to look back on your special day.

Finding the right professional wedding photographer makes all the difference in preserving your wedding memories.

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Make Someone a Star With Personalized Magazine Covers

Personalized magazine covers can turn anyone into a media star, or at least an overnight neighborhood sensation. They are fun to create, fun to give as well as receive. Anyone looking for their 15 minutes of fame can find it in personalized magazine covers. There are many websites that offer such a service as well as a number of programs that can be purchased or downloaded for no cost on the Internet. All that is necessary to create personalized magazine covers is a computer, an Internet connection and an electronic photograph. If a software program is used rather than a web site, some skill at downloading and setting up a program will be helpful.

To use a web site based cover generator to create personalized magazine covers may require a membership. Most sites do not require a fee to join. The membership sign up is usually simple and requires a few minutes of time. Check the privacy policy before clicking on the dotted line to be sure the web site does not give your information to third parties for marketing purposes. If they do, ask if they will allow a member to opt out of third-party contact. If they do not allow an opt out, the customer may want to rethink signing on as a member. The spam received, as a result, will cause such indigestion.

Once a membership has been created, the customer will be required to log in to create personalized magazine covers. Most web sites have any number of cover templates to choose from as well as tools and special effects. Creating personalized magazine covers is easy and usually menu driven. The customer chooses the template, uploads a picture, adds or revises text, adds any special effects and the project is sent to a magazine cover specialist for completion or personalized magazine covers are generated immediately. If a fee to create the cover is involved, there will be a payment option before the cover is sent off for completion or generated for printing. Payment is usually by credit card or PayPal.

The customer may receive a file suitable for printing on photo paper or the cover will be ready for printing immediately after generating. If the cover isn't quite right or a revision for some other reason is necessary, most of the time it is easy to go back and perform a do over. Most sites will allow a do over at no cost, if a cost is involved, if they made an error. Sometimes one or two revisions are allowed for any reason. If the cover is generated and ready for printing immediately, the customer can usually redo the cover as many times as they want until it is right.

Web sites usually keep technology up to date, so the customer is always using the latest and greatest personalized magazine cover generating allows. If the purpose of the web site is personalized magazine covers, new and improved options are usually added as applicable. The web site wants to stay on the cutting edge of this type of service, allowing them to attract new customers and keep existing customers returning to their site.

Programs designed to generate personalized magazine covers that are purchased for individual use, may or may not be updated to include new and improved templates, tools and special effects. If the user doesn't expect to generate a lot of covers, updates may not matter but if the covers are going to be a regular thing, check to see if the program is ever updated. If it isn't, consider finding one that is.

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Digital Photography - More Control Over Aperture and Shutter Settings Using a Full Auto Digital Cam

Do you own a fully auto digital camera? I'm talking about those that allow you to shoot in ONLY full auto mode. Here are some tips on how to gain more control over your auto digital cam.

Usually, most photographers want to have more control because they want to be able to influence the final result of the shot - e.g. exposure, depth of field, point of focus, etc. Here are some tips on how to exercise control with your current digital camera.

Tip 1: Control the flash light manually. Your digital cam should allow you to switch your light to on or off. You can't really adjust the brightness. But a primitive way to exercise some form of control is to partially cover your flash lights to get the desired result.

Tip 2: Switch between portrait and landscape mode. If you want the photo to be more sharply focused, choose the landscape mode. This mode usually triggers a smaller aperture, which produces images with sharper focus (both foreground and background).

Tip 3: Play with the different modes available. Although your digital cam is a full auto device, it usually comes with several modes - e.g. sports, night, etc. Try out these modes to see if the device changes shutter speed. For instance, in sports mode, you can expect to be able to capture moving images. Of course, this is still a far cry from being able to adjust shutter speeds manually.

So if you can't get the precise result you are looking for after following the above tips, you are left with one final option - upgrade to a DSLR digital camera.

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Photography - Focus and Motion Blur

Besides the use of light, another way to produce contrasts between different areas of your photo is the focus. If you set the focus of your camera on the central object of your scene, everything that is closer to the camera or further away from it appears blurry and unfocused in the photo. The more significant the differences in distance are, the greater the contrasts in sharpness will be. The object(s) in focus tend to appear very intense and detailed compared to a blurry background. Your actual motif becomes much clearer to the viewer because the key elements of your picture appear clearly distinguished from those that belong to the background or surroundings. Depending on what you want to draw the viewer's attention to, you can choose very different focuses for the same scenery. I would recommend to play around with different settings -- even if you believe you know what elements of your picture you want to make stand out.

Because the effect of sharpness results from the relative differences in distance of objects to the lens system of your camera, shooting from a very short distance increases the contrasts in sharpness between foreground and background objects.

The greater the distance between your camera and the scenery is, the greater the differences between the individual distances of the objects to the camera have to be in order to achieve significant differences in sharpness.

When you are taking photos of moving objects, there are a number of other things to consider, too. Firstly, you have to decide whether you want any visible motion blur in your photo at all.

If not, you have to choose a very high shutter speed (e. g. 1/200 second) which requires good lighting of your scene or a camera with a high light sensitivity. But you have to be careful: Although most cameras enable you to select a high light sensitivity (e. g. ISO 400 and higher), this does not mean that they are capable of taking decent photos at these settings. The problem that usually occurs with cheaper cameras is a pretty high amount of grain in photos taken at poor lighting. If you use a low ISO value (the abbreviation refers to the International Organization for Standardization) with a high shutter speed, your photos taken on cloudy days will appear very dark -- taking pictures at twilight or indoors will hardly be possible this way. For these difficult lighting situations you will either have to put up with the relatively high amount of grain that comes with a high light sensitivity value, or choose a lower shutter speed and accept the resulting motion blur.

If you decide to deliberately include motion blur in your photo, you can again combine a relatively slow shutter speed with a low light sensitivity. To have driving cars or running people appear blurry, a shutter speed of 1/5 second should suffice. If you are using zoom at 1/10 second or slower shutter speeds, I recommend to use a tripod or some object in the vicinity of the scene to rest your camera on. If your camera uses OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), you might not necessarily need a tripod at these shutter speed settings.

You can record the same motion in different ways. You can either keep your camera still to emphasize the movement of the objects in your scenery, or you can follow one of the moving objects in the scene to let it stand out clearly visible and have the surroundings appear blurred. Especially in the latter case OIS can be very helpful since it smoothens the movement of the camera, balancing most of the shaky nuances of it.

The use of a slow shutter speed allows you to capture the movement of several fractions of a second (or even several seconds) in one still picture. In my opinion, displaying visible movement using this technique is a very effective way to add one more dimension to your photos: time.

(c) Dino Schachten 2010. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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How to Photograph Interiors - A Beginner's Guide

As most amateur and professional photographers take a percentage of their pictures indoors, you'd think we'd all be experts at shooting interiors. But if there is one encompassing fact about photography that I have learnt over the years it's this - the more I know about photography, the more I realise how clever the human eye is!

The skill of interior photography is most often perfected by those who trade as interior and architectural photographers. Most budding amateur photographers never give much thought to making a room the subject of a photograph, even though it could teach them valuable lessons about photography. As I said above, it's amazing how difficult it is to just get the camera to capture an image that represents what's seen by the human eye.

So it's to those people who are keen enough to do it as an exercise that I will target this blog post, and hopefully you'll see that with a bit of thought and patience it's not too difficult to get some good results.

Choosing a room.

Be careful to select the most interesting portion of the room to photograph, since it's virtually impossible to include an entire room in a single shot. Also be aware of any interesting features in that room that may be of use to the picture. These may be elements that add interest in terms of colour or structure, even a contrast in tone.

Equipment.

Obviously you should be shooting on a wide angle lens, but not a fish-eye. Anything from 12mm or greater on smaller sensor sized D-SLR'S and 14mm on full frame sensors is fine but the wider the lens the greater the barrel distortion. If you're shooting on a compact just use the widest angle possible. A tripod is often essential and if you really want to do it right you will also need some light/flashes and coloured gels.

Overall Views and Detail Shots.

In your initial photographs, try and avoid having a bright window in the frame, as this can cause problems with exposure and white-balance. When taking wide shots to show large parts of the room, it's useful to turn on as many lights as possible. If you have a flash that has an adjustable directional head, then try bouncing the flash off the ceiling which will create a diffused and more even light.

Once you have done some general shots of the room why not move in and get some detail views that show interesting architectural or furnishing features in isolation.

Don't forget the details.

Angles and Height

As you look through the viewfinder and tilt the camera up and down from the ceiling to the floor, watch what happens to the vertical elements of the picture. You will notice when looking into the lower corner of a room the perspective in the verticals becomes convergent. This means they get wider as they get further away. The opposite convergent verticals can be seen if you look up to the ceiling through the viewfinder. Both these convergent or divergent verticals should be avoided. To ensure that the verticals stay vertical, try and keep the camera completely horizontal. If your eye is 150cm off the floor and your camera is at the height of your eye then you should be pointing your camera at a point on the wall at the same height of 150cm. This ensures the proper vertical perspective. It's easier to try it than to explain it!

Don't be afraid to shoot portraits as well as landscapes - just because most rooms are landscape in proportion, doesn't mean the photographer can only shoot that way. Often portrait photographs are more interesting.

Resist the temptation to stand on a chair in the corner of a room unless you want the image to look like footage from a security camera. Most interior photographers shoot around head height or just above ground level which can give a different feel to an image. De-clutter

If the room is looking very busy you could always tidy up. Often if the room actually looks like someone lives there, then it's definitely too cluttered - meaning the image may turn out messy and unstructured. Move the pillows off the sofa, and move/hide one or two ornaments. Hide the telephone, calendar and magazines.....you get the idea! Often tungsten and low energy bulbs give a very orange light so unless you turn your flash off you get a horrible mix of white bits that are close to the flash, and darker areas that are orange. To avoid this, it's best to turn the flash off completely to begin with. This doesn't get rid of the white-balance issue all together, as not only do different interior light exhibit different white-balance characteristics, but once natural light from a window is introduced then you can have three different light sources with three different white-balance values. If you manage to eliminate at least one of those then you at least have a fighting chance.

This is why it is initially maybe easier to shoot the room with no electric light, just using natural light if it has a suitably-sized window. Alternatively to negate the issue of daylight and conflicting white-balance coming through the window, you may want to shoot at dusk or night time.

I find the best way to light a space is to try and replicate how the human eye sees it. This often means using coloured gels on three or four remotely-triggered flashes that give even illumination to match the white-balance of the interior lighting scheme.

If you're shooting on a compact camera with flash, then I recommend you switch the flash off and use a tripod with the camera's self timer. If you have a D-SLR and a decent flash (sorry but the pop-up jobs don't count), then you can try bouncing flash off the ceiling and even using a radio trigger to trigger the flash remotely. Bearing in mind that most interior lighting is a horrible orange in white-balance terms you may find that if you gel you flash with a ? CTO (colour temperature orange) gel then your flash matches the white-balance of the lighting. This means that the overall white-balance is the same, so the camera can easily correct for it and ultimately you get a better picture in which the whites are white.

Often the window in your images will be overexposed and blow out. This is because there is more light coming through the window than the lights in the room can provide. If you have a decent flash or set of lights, you can try to balance the window light to give a more realistic feel. Failing that, you could wait for a duller day, or for the sun to dip down over the horizon.

Styles:

As with food and fashion photography, styles are changing all the time - the current trend being towards natural looking interiors. Keep up to date with styles by looking at interior design magazines and architecture journals. Even the Sunday newspapers and magazines can give you a fair idea of what is currently fashionable.

These are just a few tips and basically only scratch the surface, but if you plough your way through the above details it will improve your overall understanding of photography, both indoor and out.

Learning how to get good interior shots of a room is a great encapsulation of the technical skills required to be a professional photographer. You must understand exposure, lighting, white-balance, composition, contrast, colour, texture and above all discipline.Thank for reading.... Please leave a comment and for further examples of my work please visit.

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The Stories Behind Picture Frames

The invention of the camera probably is one of the most celebrated events especially in the field of arts such as in the film-making industry. Photography is simply defined as the process by which images are captured by an image-forming device through the use of especially-designed sensing medium. There are several types of still cameras such as digital, disposable, instant, field cameras and among others but their purpose is similar to each other, that is, to capture images and record events for future generations to see and to last a lifetime.

The power that still images have over us is astonishingly undeniable. Images of personalities, sceneries and even abstract art pieces have the ability to influence our opinions, principles, perspectives in life, judgment and even long-held cultural and family values.

Photographs serve as touchstones to connect and reconnect families and remind us of people dear to us. How wonderful it is to see the first generation of your clan and see who looks like whom. How funny it is to see how your grandfather used to look like with hair on his head and your grandmother used to be so young and slim. How heart-warming to see a departed loved-one's framed picture on the corner vanity table, you terribly miss. Thus, our photographs live on, longer than our existence in this world to remind the future generation of their genetics, pride, legacy and sometimes shame.

Our photographs also remind us of specific events such as birthdays, graduations, travels and even ordinary daily activities. Most mothers have a compilation of pictures of their babies' milestones, from the first nail clipping to the first step ever made. Seeing old pictures definitely brings us back to the period where when the picture was exactly taken such that it bring so much laughter as stories are, again, narrated and recreated. Indeed, memories fade but photographs do not. Photographs have so much to tell long after we are gone.

Pictures promote tourism. It is unusual not to see portraits of dignitaries who stayed in whose hotels, dined in whose restaurants and among others. Their portraits are often seen hanging on hotel lobbies' walls, strategically located for everyone to see. Picture frames of the city or country's top tourist destinations are also featured either on the lobby walls or corner coffee tables.

Photographs record historical personalities and historical events for writers and historians to write about. Book pages become more exciting for readers because of the colorful pictures.

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Are You Looking for the SDT750 3D Camcorder on Sale?

Are you looking for the SDT750 3D Camcorder on sale? If so, you are definitely not the only one. People everywhere are looking for great prices on this camcorder and that is why I wrote this short article about getting really good deals.

Why Is This Camcorder So Popular
Simply because it is the very first 3D Camcorder that has been made available for home use. The Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D Camcorder is a world first! It will allow us to see full 3D images on our TV's just like in the cinema.

Although 3D camcorders have been around for some time this is the first time that they have become affordable and with the arrival of 3D TV somewhat more practical. Three-dimensional imagery is now within anyone's reach! The SDT750 is converted to 3D mode by attaching the supplied conversion lens which allows both left and right images to be filmed and watched back as stunning 3D images.

Just imagine filming all the family at Christmas in 3D and watching it back on one of the new 3D TV sets. This will bring a whole new dimension to home movies and make the viewing experience so much more lifelike.

I just can not wait for the release of the Panasonic SDT750 3D Camcorder due to go on sale in the USA in mid October.

So how do you find the SDT750 Camcorder On Sale?
There are several stores that will be selling this item. Some of them run discounts and coupons and some of them simply have low prices. A few offer free shipping, and if you need to return the item - return shipping is free too.

So you need to know how to find these stores among the large number of sites that will be selling this camcorder. And you need to know how to pick the one that will give you the best deal. Your best bet is find somebody who knows all about finding coupons and savings and see what they have found. Or visit the website below.

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The Basics of Buying Memory Sticks For Digital Cameras

Buying memory sticks for your digital camera could be crucial, it looks like an easy things to do until you realize the various number of choices you have to make. There are around 20 different formats, at least 10 levels of storage capacity, multiple write speeds and other variables on top of Secure digital storage card for your digital camera. You'll need to find out which the most compatible memory cards with your camera before buying it.

Here is the tips on getting the best memory sticks digital camera for your money.

1. Choose the Right Storage Capacity by Determining the capacity-to-price ratio of the card. if you like take a lot of pictures then you must have larger the memory capacity on the card. Therefore the higher the storage capacity, the higher the price will be.

2. Find out which format is compatible with your camera. you should read the manual that came with your camera to ensure which card your digital camera takes. Some common types of memory cards for digital cameras include CompactFlash, Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick, Microdrive, and xDPicture Cards.

3. Knowing the speed of the memory card. Write speed indicates the amount of time a card takes to store an image. The slower the write speed, the longer you'll have to wait between shots. Therefore, a faster storage card speed is better.

4. Go Shopping by considering the different storage card manufacturers. In order to avoid fakes market imports, it's better to buy memory cards from a well-known online retailer. It's always a good idea to take note of a company's warranty before you purchase a storage card other than noticeable distinction when it comes to speed, performance, reliability, and longevity.

Depending on your camera and the kind of photography you plan to do, you may not see much benefit from a high speed card. What are the different types of memory devices available in the market? Click here to find out some storage cards just have added features that may suit your needs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erwin_Rooshartono

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Portrait Photography - 8 Indoor Portrait Photography Tips

Here are some indoor portrait photography tips that does not require you to have access to expensive studio lightings, but will still be able to produce professional indoor portraits.

What say you if there are ways you can conduct indoor portrait photography, at the comfort of your own home? Although with only one light source, you can still take photographs that look stunning. All you'll need is an angle-poise lamp.

8 Indoor Portrait Photography Tips

Tip #1 - Background

To begin, position your subject to be sited in front of a light absorbing black velvet. The velvet creates a black background for your photo shoot. As to support the velvet, you can use about anything to hold it up. A bookcase for instance, is good enough.

Tip #2 - Lighting Tips

After your model is comfortably sited, adjust the lamp so that it is positioned just slightly above his/ her head. Also, have the lamp positioned towards the right side of your model. This light setting will create a classic and stunning portrait photography result.

There are many other lighting effects you can try out. So go wild with creativity and don't limit yourself.

Tip #3 - Fast Shutter Speed

Set your shutter speed to be relatively fast. I normally set my camera to 1/160 sec at f/2.8, ISO500. Also, it is advisable that you use a tripod to complement your photography.

Tip #4 - Use A Tripod

The tripod will get rid of camera shake, hence refrains from ruined indoor portrait photographs. The indoor portrait photos produced will be sharp when you use a tripod.

Tip #5 - Longer Focal Length

I normally use the 80-200mm f/2.8 lens and set it to 145mm. This is because longer focal lengths will result in a much more stunning indoor portrait photograph.

Tip #6 - Take a Few Shots

Another thing you can do is to take a few shots just to test the exposure and general set-up. If you're satisfied with the settings for the photo shoot, you can start your indoor photography session. It will be great if you can discuss with your model beforehand about the various poses and expressions he/she can do.

Tip #7 - Experiment The Various Lighting Conditions

Different lighting angles will result in a different indoor portrait photography effect. All you have to here is to try the different lighting positions and see which one works well for you. Such lighting angles include the right side, above, the left side, below and from behind your subject.

Tip #8 - Use A Reflector

Whenever the light is too harsh, it creates unwanted shadow that ruins your indoor portrait photography attempts. What you can do here is to use a reflector on the opposite side of the light source. The reflector bounces the light onto your subject, thus creating a much softer light illumination.

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