Portrait Photography

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Almost anyone that can point a camera and take a picture can take a portrait picture. There are a few things to learn about when it comes to this type of photography that will help you understand the basics of what makes a good portrait. In reality, you do not need a studio or some special equipment and technical resources to take an outstanding portrait photograph.

A portrait is taken to define the likeness of a person or people and even more so, it is a picture of someone?s face. However, in general the word has a deeper meaning when it is shown in a photo. Portrait photography is understood to be of good quality and not only does it capture a person?s physical look on film, but will also show a characteristic in the manner that is pleasant to the eye, attractive and a unique mannerism of the subject. A very well done portrait will at least contain one element that reveals what the subject?s personality and attitude or any other traits or features that is natural to the person.

One of the benefits of doing portrait photography is the conversation that will take place. It takes an understanding and skill of human nature to be able to take a good portrait. It will require engaging in a conversation with the subject you are working with, find a suitable topic that will spark and interest and a reaction. Common ground is a great way to start when building a rapport with the person, the more you know about the person you photograph, the easier it will be to take a great quality shot. It is important for the subject to be at ease with you so their natural characteristics will show through and appear natural on film.

Albreht Moy has fine art reproductions on his site.

How Photography has Changed

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Technology is a wonderful thing. There have been a great number of technological advances made, especially as it pertains to photography. I remember my first experience with a camera was my grandmothers Kodak Instamatic 110 sometime in the 70's. It had a little square flash bulb that had to be replaced way too often. After taking all the pictures, you removed the 110 cartridge and dropped it off at the drug store and picked up your pictures 7 days later.

next one I remember clearly is the Polaroid Instant Camera. This was pretty cool for a pre-teenager. You just bought (what I thought back then) some overpriced film for it, snapped your picture and a few minutes later (and a lot of shaking) your picture sprang to life in front of you. The downsides were that it was bulky, and there wasn't a way to make copies of the pictures easily.

They had the right idea back then. To let the customer take a photo and be instantly gratified with a print of it. But it wasn't efficient and didn't have advanced technology resources such as the internet, computers, printers, and digital cameras.

My next lesson in life was photography school. I didn't end up graduating, but spent my first (and only) year learning basic 35 MM photo skills and darkroom skills. It was a lesson in color as well as black and white photography. I learned a lot while I was there, and my Pentax camera was a trusted friend that captured my images. We learned how to develop and process our own film and photos in the darkrooms. Doing this process could take several hours, depending on how many rolls of film you had to develop and how many prints you needed to copy. It was nothing to go through 100 sheets of photo paper and have an entire afternoon spent in the darkroom.

Now it's the year 2006. The Digital Age. My new d camera is a Sony Cybershot DSC-W7. This little camera makes the barrier to entry into photography much smaller. For only a few hundred dollars, you can pick up this or a similiar digital camera. This camera is loaded with 32 MB of internal memory for taking pictures, however I recommend picking up a memory stick to maximize your photo taking capabilities. A 1 Gig memory sticks run about $70.00, but I've never run into a problem taking up to 200 pictures at a time. This is a wonderful way not to have to ever buy traditional film again. This camera also doubles as a video camera. In standard recording mode, the DSC-W7 equipped with a 1 Gig memory stick is about 44 minutes of recording time. In Fine Mode, it would be around 12 minutes. Using your computer equipped with their printing software, you can burn these to DVD's or hook right into your Television for replay. This same software gives tools to retouch and perfect photos before you print them, too.

Printing your photos has made revolutionary changes since the days in the darkroom. You have many more options for making your own prints. You can bring your memory stick to a place like Wal-Mart or the grocery store, and use a machine to make copies of your pictures. You can order prints online, or you can develop them yourself with a printer. I happen to own two printers that are compatible with my camera. I have a Hewlett Packard 6200 that I use to make 8 by 10 prints. For smaller prints (4 X 6) I like using my Epson Picture Mate Personal Photo Lab. If I remember correctly, this cost about 150.00 but has paid itself off in charges not incurred by getting them processed elsewhere. Photo paper and replacement ink cartridges are sold off in a 100 pack and cost around 30.00 at Best Buy. You just insert the memory stick into the Epson or connect it with the pictobridge cable and press a few buttons, and your prints will be done in front of your eyes.

Just like in the days of the Polaroid cameras.I told you they had the right idea!

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Photography: From Hobby To Your Very Own Business

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That's right. Who could say that there's no chance that your hobby could also be the foundation of your first business venture? There are a lot of people out there who are in need of a good photographer to capture images of their son's wedding, their daughter's graduation or their very own wedding. Why couldn't you be the one to supply your photography services to their needs?

For the transition of photography from hobby to your very own business, there are several tasks that you have to accomplish first.

Market Your Photography Skills - Sell yourself, in other words! Let people know about what you can do in the field of photography, why they need your skills and why they should hire you. Make sure, however, that you charge them reasonable rates since you're still more or less an amateur in the field of photography.

To effectively market your photography skills, don't be afraid of spending a little money on posting ads in the classified sections. Don't stop there but post about your photography business in as many places as you can.

Join Interest Groups - This could be the local photography club in your community or the association of young photographers in your school. It could also be a Yahoo Group that you could easily join.

Usually, these groups are able to hold regular or annual exhibits of their works and it wouldn't hurt to expose to the world the beauty of your works in photography.

Join Photo Competitions - Two things that you could enjoy when joining photography competitions: fame and fortune. Both are equally important. Fame would do wonders to your career in photography because it would let the world know about your skills and winning a photography competition may also offer the prize of having an apprenticeship under a world famous photographer. And when it comes to wealth - well, when did extra money ever hurt?

Offer Your Skills For Free to Government Projects - The government is always on the lookout for professionals who are willing to work for free and you should take advantage of this. Offer your photography skills for free because this would give you the opportunity to show them what you got.

Offer Samples of Your Work to Newspapers and Magazines - This is just like joining a photography competition. When you offer samples of your work to newspapers and magazines, you're improving the chances that you'll get noticed by the people who matters.

Although we can't say that the road to victory is easy, never give up, never stop taking pictures and you're sure to go far!

Michael Colucci is a technical writer for Photography Tips and Digital Camera Reviews - Free sites that offer photography tips and camera reviews.

Girls Timeless

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DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - GRADUATED FILTER EFFECT - LANDSCAPE PHOTOS

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ENHANCE YOUR LANDSCAPE PHOTOS

If you see a landscape photograph taken by a professional photographer, you will usually notice that the sky is quite dramatic. This is an effect that's easy to reproduce in a digital image.

Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0. Time: 10 minutes. Suitable for: any landscape photo with a band of uninterrupted sky.

Open the image. Click Enhance>Auto Levels. This removes the dullness from the photo. Now click Enhance>Adjust Colour>Hue & Saturation and move the Saturation slider up to +15, to brighten the colour slightly, if required (this will depend upon your original photo).

CREATE AN ADJUSTMENT LAYER

First make sure that the Layers palette is visible on screen. If it isn't, click Window>Layers. Now click on the circular Create an Adjustment Layer button in the Layers palette. Click Levels. The Levels dialogue box will open, showing Input and Output levels. It's the Input Levels that you'll be adjusting in this case. If you look at the sliders under the Input Levels histogram, you'll see there are three sliders, the one on the left adjusts the dark areas of the image, the one in the middle the midtones, and the one on the right the bright areas. Move the middle slider to the right until the sky is considerably darker (ignore what the change does to the rest of the photo). Click OK.

Adjust the image so that only the sky is darker Click on the Gradient Tool in the toolbox on the left of the screen. In the Tool Settings bar near the top of the screen, an example of the gradient will appear. It should be graduated from white to black. If it isn't, click on the tiny drop-down arrow next to the example and choose the gradient in the top left-hand corner. If you look at the Levels adjustment layer that you created in the layers palette, you will see a Layer Mask (the all-white rectangle). Click on the Layer Mask, then put your mouse back over the picture. Click at the very top of the picture, hold down the mouse button and drag vertically from the top to the bottom of the sky. The Layer Mask should now be black with a small white area at the top. This will reveal the darkened sky, but the rest of the photo will now be unaffected by the change in Levels. If you're not entirely happy with the result, you can double click on the Layer Thumbnail in the adjustment layer and readjust the sliders until you achieve the desired effect.

Jan uses Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter for image editing and digital, see Jan's portraits website for more details.. She has been running popular digital photography training courses for four years. See Jan's digital photography website.

Web Cam Astrophotography Basics

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Web cams have changed amateur astrophotography profoundly. You can now have a CCD for a fraction of the cost. Web cams can take awesome planetary and lunar astrophotos right out of the box. You can use the capture software that comes with the cam for capturing your shots and then use freeware to process the results. Can't get much cheaper than that. Of course for better results it is you should use specialized software, but that is available on the cheap as well.

And if you are a do-it-yourselfer, web cams can also be adapted to take long exposure astrophotos, pretty cool right? Plus there are ready to go, web cam based planetary imagers now available from Celestron, Meade and, Orion. Meade and Orion also have imagers for long exposure, deep-sky imaging. All these include software. They are however more expensive.

If you already have a web cam great, you only need some software which can be downloaded for free, and an adaptor to connect the web cam to your telescope. If you don't own one the following cams have proven to be good for astrophotography and good deals can be found on eBay for example.

-ToUcam Pro by Philips PCVC740K or PCVC840K ToUcam PRO II. I have both of these. I am leaving the new one as a dedicated planetary imager and adapting the PCV740K for long exposure astrophotography.

-Vesta pro also by Philips. I haven't personally used this web cam but others have with great success. It can also be adapted for long exposures.

-Quickcam pro by Logitech. I used to have one of these, but I prefer the ToUcam. It does a good job though and can also be modified for long exposures.

-There are other web cams which are good for astrophotography but these three are the only ones I have experience with.

Now for the adaptor to connect the web cam to your telescope. I use a Mogg adaptor, made by, surprise Mr. Steve Mogg. More information and purchasing can be found at: http://webcaddy.com.au/astro/adapter.htm For either ToUcam you will want the UWAT-F, for the Vesta Pro the UWAS-F, and for the Quickcam Pro the UWAL-F. He has adaptors for other astrophotography web cams as well.

Next you will need some software to make this all work. Good news it won't cost you a single penny. First you will need some capture software. K3CCDTools version 1 is absolutely free. It works very well to capture astrophotos with web cams. I use version 3 which costs $45.00 because I use some of the other features it offers but you won't need that for basic planetary work (yet). You can download it at: http://www.pk3.org/Astro/index.htm?k3ccdtools_download.htm.

To get really nice detail in your shots you will need to combine(stack) multiple images. A really nice piece of software is called RegiStax. It is also freeware. You can download a copy at: http://registax.astronomy.net/html/download.html.

The next article in this series will be on setting up your web cam and software, capturing your first image during daylight, then getting your first astrophoto (the moon).

Carl Gilbertson has been involved in amatuer astronomy for over 30 years and astrophotography for over twenty-five years. Learn more at his site: http://webcamastrophotography.blogspot.com

Black and White Photography: No Color is Good

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The world of black and white photography is considered a Fine Art form and it is done to induce an emotion of timelessness and freeze a moment at any given time.

It goes without saying that a few great photographers like Ansel Adams and Steigletz have made black and white photography what it is to today and even long after their deaths keep it strong and alive. This type of a picture is a true classic form of art and extremely breathe taking. There can never be enough said about black and white photography, but the pictures themselves will speak volumes for all that are looking at them.

Black and white film comes in a few different classes. The tabular black and white film is a new and thinner emulsion film that has more of a surface area and it gives off less depth with high sharpness. Conventional film is the standard type that gives off a superior detail to highlight and was used before the tabular film was introduced in 1988. Orthochromatic film is the best for shots of people and landscapes and gives off a tone that stands above all other film types. Chromogenic film uses dyes and not the silver particles that are used by the other film types. There is no control over the development process and it is more difficult to work with.

There really is no other special equipment or camera that is needed for black and white photography, only the film. When you bring in your roll of film to a store to be developed just let the person behind the counter know what it is. Some places specialize in the development of black and white and it is best to use their services to gain the true feelings you desired to achieve and portray with the photos. Other places develop this type of film, but in return you may not get the true color, or lack of color you desired.

Felix Zhucha has popular black and white pictures on his site.

Improving your Wildlife Photography

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I often wish I had some of the wildlife photography experience I have now, all those years ago, when I was still a struggling amateur wildlife photographer. I now know exactly what it takes to get a good wildlife photo, and I have also learned what to do to achieve what it takes...

1. Get up early in the mornings and stay out late in the afternoons

The main thing that makes a wildlife photograph excellent is the lighting. In the early mornings and late afternoons when the sun is low, the light is very warm and makes for excellent wildlife photography. You have to be in the field when this is going on... So, drop the excuses, get up earlier and go get that shot.

For more on good light, see the Wildlife Photography section of my website: http://www.africa-nature-photography.com/wildlife-photography.html.

2. Use proper camera support

Sharpness is a must for any wildlife photograph that is going to be admired or published. If your pictures are not sharp, forget it. They won't cut it. Trust me, I learned this the hard way...

Always use proper support for your camera. In Africa, this would have to be inside your vehicle, as you can not leave your vehicle to use a tripod while photographing dangerous animals. I use a door bracket or beanbags.

3. Get that prime lens

I have worked with both zoom and prime lenses over time and I am a really big fan of prime lenses now. The are sharper, faster and smaller than zoom lenses (except those f/2.8 or f/4 monsters).

I know they are expensive, but there is nothing that would improve your photography more than using the best equipment. I know, as I had to figure this out the hard way. I wish I got the best gear sooner, as I would have been able to use all my old photos now that I am professional.

4. Spend time in the right places for wildlife photography

Go there where it is still really wild. Nothing beats the photographs you get when you go into the real wilderness.

Stop wasting time at your zoo, and organize a trip to Africa! I give information on visiting Africa on my Africa Safaris page at http://www.africa-nature-photography.com/africa-safaris.html and it would be a good idea to read what I say there before planning your visit.

When you have taken pictures in the Okavango Delta, you will never photograph in your back garden again.

5. Get some action into those photos

Frankly, the world has seen more than enough pictures of wildlife doing nothing. Enough already. Get that action shot!

My results improved considerably when I realized this and started taking photographs of animals doing something. Start trying to capture that special moment where the Impala is flying through the air while fleeing something, or the lion is chasing the warthog, or even just a pretty water bird catching a frog.

Conclusion

If you start applying the principles outlined here, you will see big improvement in your wildlife photography results. Who knows, maybe shortly you will also be among the prizes in that famed wildlife photography competition.

Dries Cronje is a professional freelance wildlife photographer and web designer. He has a passion for teaching and has dedicated one website completely to helping his fellow wildlife and nature photographers.

For wildlife photography, see http://www.africa-nature-photography.com/wildlife-photography.html.

For landscape photography, see http://www.africa-nature-photography.com/landscape-photography.html.

American Photography

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A Great Photo, but do you need a photography course?

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Photos can look great. An astonishing landscape can transport the viewer to another time and place. Maybe it is just for a fraction of a second. A great photograph of a person can look into the person's soul, and let you share their smiles or tears. A great photo communicates to the viewer. There is an enormous market out there for photographs. Publishers know that the people who buy their materials want photographs that reach out to them. Visual communication is something that we all can relate to. Subjects out there to take photos of are never ending. The only limitations are within your mind.

But what is it that makes a photograph successful? A photography course can definitely help you, but the answer is fairly simple, and you can improve your photography today, if you just learn a few very basic rules.

However, rules are meant to be broken. Some of my favorite photographs very purposely break a lot of the basic rules. But to break the rules in a way that enhance a photograph and effectively turns it into a great photo, you first have to know the rules and second you must have a reason for breaking them.

Number one: Get in close, really close, much closer than you think.
The first, and most essential, rule: Simplify. The more you simplify a photograph, the more attention you draw towards your subject. And the more attention you draw towards your subject, the more successful you will be in communicating your message to the viewer. There are approximately a million ways to do this, so I will keep it simple and stick to my preferred technique here, and that is to get in as close as possible. When you do that, you eliminate anything in the background that may distract from your subject.

Number two: The photographic composition
Most strong photographs position their main elements in certain specific places of the frame. When you think about where you want to put your subject in the photo, you are composing your picture. When a painter starts out with a blank canvas, he or she has full control to decide where to put that river, those mountains, the trees, clouds and whatever thing that needs to be included. Creating a photograph, you ought to go through the same process.

Number Three: Is there a better way to do it?
The last thing we will talk about is point of view. The photographers' point of view more exact. How often have you seen something worth taking a photo of - perhaps a barn, a tree, or your dog - and picked up your camera to take a picture right then and there? If this is the way you go about taking photos, you can noticeably improve your technique with one simple process. Just walk around the subject. Notice how the background changes as you move 360 degrees around your subject. Try to lie down on the ground and point the camera up at your subject. Climb up a ladder and look down, trying the same thing. Tilt the camera vertically, even diagonally. Take a whole roll of film or fill a whole memory card if you use a digital camera, of the same subject from different points of view and compare the results. You will surprise yourself. You will certainly surprise the viewer by trying something different and that will add power to your photo.

So, should you take a photography course? I think so. It does not have to be a long tedious one with a lot of technical stuff and hour after hour with boring behind the desk lecture. No, go out and play with you camera - I will see you out there!

Huge amount of information on Photography Course - check out for your self.

Wedding Photography: How to Become a Successful Wedding Photographer

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Once in while I receive e-mails or phone calls from aspiring or beginner wedding photographers asking me for advise on how to become successful in the wedding field. My first question is always what their motivation is to become a wedding photographer. Some will reply that they heard from somebody that it is easy money, or that they got a cool camera that takes great photos or that they would like to make some money on the side etc. While it is true that wedding photography can be a very profitable business achieving success in the wedding industry is not just a matter of getting a camera and start shooting. Wedding photography involves artistic talent, human sense, complete mastery of photographic techniques, business knowledge, and a strong desire to learn and deliver the best to the wedding couple.

Here I have summarized some points that I believe will guide beginner wedding photographers:

1. Learn photography before anything else. A wedding photographer is expected to be a master of the craft. You will be in charge of capturing people's most precious life moments. The wedding day is not the place to learn photography.

2. Just because you got a brand new camera it does not automatically make you an effective and reliable photographer. Photography goes beyond cool toys and gadgets. Learn composition and develop a unique artistic vision. Some of the great photographs of all time were taken with manual cameras.

3. Master the digital workflow, including color management, digital image processing, file management and image correction and enhancement.

4. Learn to love photography more than anything else. Don't come to the wedding photography field with just dreams of making money. It is true that there are many successful wedding photographers that make a lot of money. However according to the Professional Photographers of America the average photographer in America makes about $24,000 a year.

5. Focus on delivering quality more than quantity. Seek with all your heart to capture unique photographs.

6. Develop a style that is recognizable and unique. Don't try to be like somebody else. Clients look for unique photographers, with a unique vision.

7. Give wedding photography all your heart and effort. Long when you are gone your photographs will last forever. It is a great way to be remembered.

8. Open your heart and your mind and great photos will happen. Concentrate on the human aspect of weddings, the details, and emotions and be ready to capture them. Let the camera become an extension of you.

9. Share your technical knowledge and make connections with other wedding photographers.

10. Participate in wedding photography image competitions. It will give you the opportunity to have your work evaluated by peers and the motivation to improve your work quality.

11. Learn something new everyday. Take advantage of professional photography organizations such as Professional Photographers of America (PPA), WPPI, etc. Attend their seminars, workshops. Participate in Internet wedding photography forums and learn and share tips, tools and techniques.

12. Don't neglect the business aspect of wedding photography. Learn to manage your business effectively. Take business courses and seminars.Juan Carlos Torres is a very respected and awarded wedding photographer in Oregon. He has a Masters Degree in Remote Sensing with a strong background in digital image processing and photography. For a sample of his works please visit Portland Oregon Wedding Photographer and Salem Oregon Wedding Photographer

Digital Or Film Photography

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The popularity of digital cameras may have enjoyed amazing increase but film has still an important part to play in photography and will continue to be important for some time, a few years at the least. Film has many advantages that photographers continue to recognize. Major players in the production of film like Kodak is still putting into it millions though experts all agree that digital film will reign supreme in the near future. These are the reasons though why some photographers prefer film over digital:

1) Facilities and Investment

Ordinary people, not only photographers, have invested considerably in photographic equipments that use film. Cameras and lenses still have capabilities that digital photography cannot match. Compared with a high-end professional 35mm camera, a digital camera still lacks facilities that only the traditional camera can provide. A photographer who decides to switch to digital may find himself spending big especially if his lenses, flashes and other accessories are not compatible with a new digital system.

2) Wide Angle

The absence of extreme wide-angle lenses and a slow start-up time are two of the most disadvantages of even the best digital cameras. 35mm cameras modifies to digital bodies usually employ a CCD image sensor that is smaller, usually around 245mm x 16mm) as opposed to the 36mm x 24mm x 35mm film that results to a narrow angle. Photographers who are fans of wide angles may find the traditional 35mm more of their liking.

3) Action

Film cameras also offer an advantage during fast-changing and unpredictable photography scenarios. Unlike digital camera that uses batteries than can ran out in the most unexpected time, a 35mm camera can be easily switched on and ready for use whenever you need take a shot. Moreover, digital cameras usually take several seconds before you can use it which obviously is a disadvantage for photographers who wants to capture actions which can't be repeated anymore.

4) Tough Conditions

Film cameras are also sturdier equipments than their digital counterparts and can withstand harsh conditions that photography may demand in the line of work. Count on film to be more reliable than digital especially when your are working in a not-so-good weather conditions.

5) Comparing Costs

When it comes to cost, film and digital advantages and disadvantages vary considerably depending on the usage. A photographer with a film budget amounting to thousands of dollars in one year may find digital camera more practical. But if you are not a busy photographer, your income may not defray the cost of going digital

Michael Colucci is a technical writer for Photography Tips and Digital Camera Reviews - Free sites that offer photography tips and camera reviews.

Web Cam Astrophotography

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

Web cams have changed amateur astrophotography profoundly. You can now have a CCD for a fraction of the cost. Web cams can take awesome planetary and lunar astrophotos right out of the box. You can use the capture software that comes with the cam for capturing your shots and then use freeware to process the results. Can't get much cheaper than that. Of course for better results it is you should use specialized software, but that is available on the cheap as well.

And if you are a do-it-yourselfer, web cams can also be adapted to take long exposure astrophotos, pretty cool right? Plus there are ready to go, web cam based planetary imagers now available from Celestron, Meade and, Orion. Meade and Orion also have imagers for long exposure, deep-sky imaging. All these include software. They are however more expensive. If you already have a web cam great, you only need some software which can be downloaded for free, and an adaptor to connect the web cam to your telescope. If you don't own one the following cams have proven to be good for astrophotography and good deals can be found on eBay for example.

-ToUcam Pro by Philips PCVC740K or PCVC840K ToUcam PRO II. I have both of these. I am leaving the new one as a dedicated planetary imager and adapting the PCV740K for long exposure astrophotography.

-Vesta pro also by Philips. I haven't personally used this web cam but others have with great success. It can also be adapted for long exposures.

-Quickcam pro by Logitech. I used to have one of these, but I prefer the ToUcam. It does a good job though and can also be modified for long exposures.

-There are other web cams which are good for astrophotography but these three are the only ones I have experience with.

Now for the adaptor to connect the web cam to your telescope. I use a Mogg adaptor, made by, surprise Mr. Steve Mogg. More information and purchasing can be found at: Mogg web cam adaptors For either ToUcam you will want the UWAT-F, for the Vesta Pro the UWAS-F, and for the Quickcam Pro the UWAL-F. He has adaptors for other astrophotography web cams as well.

Next you will need some software to make this all work. Good news it won't cost you a single penny. First you will need some capture software. K3CCDTools version 1 is absolutely free. It works very well to capture astrophotos with web cams. I use version 3 which costs $45.00 because I use some of the other features it offers but you won't need that for basic planetary work (yet). You can download it at: K3CCDTools web cam astrophotography capture software.

To get really nice detail in your shots you will need to combine (stack) multiple images. A really nice piece of software is called RegiStax. It is also freeware. You can download a copy at: RegiStax.

The next article in this series will be on setting up your web cam and software, capturing your first image during daylight, then getting your first astrophoto (the moon).

Carl Gilbertson has been involved in amatuer astronomy for over 30 years and astrophotography for over twenty-five years. Learn more at his site: Web Cam Astrophotography

Photography Job

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Digital Photography Is Art

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

Well we used to all go out and shoot images on our film cameras, run the film to the corner store or kiosk to get it developed and then once the prints were hand we tended to stick them away without much more than a few minutes notice. Those days are no more as digital photography has grabbed hold of the consumer marketplace. Now we have tons of images in our cameras, on our hard disks and the options of what to do with them are growing and growing every year.

Digital photography has now found its way into more than half of the homes in America. However most people still order out to get their images printed. Maybe it is not the corner film kiosk of the old days but there is still a very strong market for image printing. Nowadays you can take your images to Costco, the nearby photo store where they might have a digital printing kiosk in the store, or you can upload them to the various internet sites devoted to printing your images such as Shutterfly, Ofoto, and Snapfish to name a few.

Since the year 2000 the number of images converted into conventional prints has been steadily sliding down and could go 5% further this year. However due to the interesting rise of alternative ways to print your images the industry predicts that revenues will rise overall this year. Now why would that be?

Well it turns out that there are some very lucrative ways for companies to make money in the digital age including printing reproductions from digital photographs onto posters, stamps, postcards, T-shirts, chairs, wallpaper, and bronze plaques. Even ceramic tile is being used as a medium for digital printing as designers are using images to decorate them for spas, restaurants, and fireplace mantels.

We have now entered the era of functional art versus just decorative art. Now you can touch it and get a more personal feeling from your digital photography. In addition you can put these digital images on wood, stone, plastic, and metal as well as conventional paper of every type. Either through software on your own computer or through vendors consumers can print their images on birthday cards, calendars, and storytelling photo books that actually get used instead of being tucked away in a drawer like most of our albums of old.

The camera makers have done a fine job of selling digital cameras to the population, but now that they are so infused to the marketplace it will take some creativity to for them to make money off of these sales going forward beyond just getting us to upgrade our digital cameras every year or two.

That will require some new methods for organizing digital photos, new methods of displaying images (perhaps along the lines of the wireless digital display frames that have shown some promise of late) and the ability to print our own custom books using our own digital photographs. That is something that would stay out on display in my home!

Did you know that in the past ten years digital cameras have managed to be sold into over half the homes in the US? The prediction is that number could go as high as seventy per cent by the yearn 2009. Old line film companies like Kodak have had to scramble to move into the digital camera game, with a fair amount of success as they applied old film lessons to their line of digital cameras such as consumer simplicity first, but even they are still leaning on the sales of inks used to print images on computers to hold the profit line.

They have over 75,000 in store kiosks installed throughout the country and are planning for new ones that can handle 900 prints per hour! Retail is strong for getting your digital prints as the big stores such as Wal-Mart and Costco battle it out for your business and in the on line market the field has been whittled down to the strongest. That means that the price per print that was once in the high twenties has now dropped to around 17 cents per print on line and 21 cents per print in store.

So where do you go for these art versions of your digital images? Be prepared to spend more for the experience but get a nice artistic version of your digital photography. Some of the spots to check out are Zazzle.com, Photopetgifts.com, and Matthewsbronze.com. For custom digital photo books you should check out Shutterfly. Imagine the look on your kids face when you give them storybook and it features images of them in the story!

Kevin Rockwell worked in network TV for 20 years shooting news and sports. Now a devoted fan of digital photography he works to gather tips and news for digital camera users. http://www.great-digital-cameras.com/gdcj.html

The Big C's to Success in Photography

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

The Big C's to Success in Photography By Chuck Groot www.Chuckgroot.com www.Successfulphotography.com

In his book Small Business Management, Michael Ames gives the following reasons for small business failure:

1:Lack of experience

2:Insufficient capital (money)

3:Poor location

4:Poor inventory management

5:Over-investment in fixed assets

6:Poor credit arrangements

7:Personal use of business funds

8:Unexpected growth

Gustav Berle adds two more reasons in The Do It Yourself Business Book:

9:Competition

10:Low sales What is the common thread - Poor Planning! Let's look at the words starting with "C", insufficient CAPITAL, poor CREDIT arrangements, and COMPETITION.

Unfortunately, too often we underestimate our competition (the competition is not necessarily other photographers), causing us to get a poor credit rating, and we die because there is insufficient capital to get us over the start up phase of opening a new business.

One area that is sadly overlooked when starting a business is start-up capital. Start-up capital is the amount that you need to have before you open your doors. This is the money set aside in the bank that will carry you through the lean months so that you can pay your fixed expenses, variable costs, and your salary.

We start by trying to get a good handle on our fixed expenses. These are the expenses that will occur regardless if we make any money what so ever. A list of these would be: rent, telephone, hydro, advertising (I believe that advertising is a necessity, therefore qualifying as a fixed expense. You have to advertise when you first open up to let everyone know that you are in business), auto insurance, office supplies, and utilities.

Oh yes, I almost forgot (just kidding), your salary. Most photographers I know pay themselves if and when there is any money left over at the end of the month. This is not acceptable! Be proud of what you do. Be positive about what you do. Most important - pay yourself. If, and I say this in only the most hypothetical of situations, if you go broke do you think anyone is going to take pity on you and give you any money back. Hell no! So pay yourself and make sure that this is a habit that you continue. It provides a huge psychological boost each and every month, one that pays dividends in the end. (No pun intended.)

From there you try to figure out how many photo sessions you will be taking. Break it down into specific numbers, how many sessions a day? After that, determine what your costs are per session. How much film and processing? How many prints or paper will you use? These are called your variable expenses, expenses that are incurred only when you do something. Then figure that if you work 20 days that month what your costs will be on a monthly basis.

We now add the third dimension - hard costs. If you are starting a studio or office location, you will need furniture, fixtures, and equipment. Equipment can be cameras, computers, desks, and file cabinets etc. Go through catalogs and find out how much you will need to spend on these items.

After this is all done we add them together, six months of fixed expenses, six months of variable costs, and your hard costs, to come up with what your start up capital will be. Then make sure that you have that covered. This can be done with a combination of your cash, bank loans, line of credit, or investors. Just make sure that you have six months worth of start up capital.

Any money you earn by taking pictures will be gravy. Hopefully it will be enough to cover all of your fixed and variable expenses, but if it doesn't you have your back up plan. It is better to spend a lot of time planning and being prepared as the old saying goes, "Failing to Plan, is Planning to Fail!"

Generally it takes three to five years to get your feet firmly planted on the ground and your roots dug deeply into it. If you use my proven system you should be up and running within a year, check into my personal coaching program to ensure your success.

? Chuck Groot writer, teacher, lecturer, photographer, consultant. Email chuckgroot@shaw.ca www.chuckgroot.com, www.successfulphotography.com

Chuck Groot's credentials as a professional photographer, teacher and entrepreneur are noteworthy. His work demonstrates both artistic composition and rapport with people.

Chuck guarantees the help needed to access individual potential so that students will appreciably increase their understandi

How To Overcome A Yeast Infection Using Candida Cookbooks

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One of the best ways a person can combat the effects of Candida is by following a strict Candida diet. Unfortunately with this diet there are a number of foods that you will need to eliminate from your diet. Luckily for you there are plenty of Candida cookbooks now available which can help you to produce great meals despite having to omit many of the ingredients that you would normally include.

To combat the symptoms of candida and regain balance, you need to omit foods which contain yeast, sugar, fungi and generally avoid processed foods. You will also find that you need to omit such foods such as cheese, marmite, vinegar based products, fruit (both fresh and dried) as well as smoked and fermented foods. This is because all of these contain elements, which the Candida bacteria feeds on and which will only help them grow more rapidly in the body.

However, as previously mentioned, there are many cookbooks now available which have been specifically produced for helping a person suffering from Candida. They can provide useful information about what you eat when either going out or planning a meal at home.

Many of the better cookbooks written for candida sufferers contain ingredients that are readily available at your local supermarket, greengrocers or butchers. With many of the ingredients being a combination of meats and vegetables (both of which do not promote candida growth).

As a candida overgrowth can effect the body?s ability to absorb essential nutrients, then it is important that the meals that are eaten are rich in the essential vitamins and minerals and nutritional elements required by the body, so that you do not become malnourished.

In my opinion when looking for a good candida cookbook you should ensure it includes the following:

1. A list of the foods that should be restricted from the diet, including sugar, yeast, diary and fungi based foods

2. A comprehensive list of the foods that are excellent for combating candida, like garlic, onions and fresh vegetables

3. A list of the foods that are nutritionally rich and can be eaten without increasing candida overgrowth.

4. Exciting ways to combine these foods into nutritious and tasty meals that cover snacks, breakfast, lunch, evening meal and supper, as well as cooking for larger groups and children.

5. What to eat when eating out at a restaurant or at a friend?s house.

A cookbook containing the above will help you manage the symptoms of candida and also give suggestions to help alleviate the sugar cravings, drowsiness and ?mind fog? that can sometimes be linked to a candida albincans infection.

If you want to find out more abut how to manage candida naturally and about the candida cookbooks that we recommend, then sign up for our free newsletter below.
Grab your free copy of Jane Symms' brand new Candida & Yeast Infection Newsletter - Discover more aboutcombating canida with diet and candida cookbooks

Is Photography becoming too technical?

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

Having started my "career" in photography at the tender age of 13, way back in 1980, I remember thinking that things seemed so complicated to start with.

F-Stops, shutter speeds, ASA (ISO) ratings, double exposures, depth of field and the "wet" darkroom all took a little getting used to, although it was still great fun.

Nowadays, as a full time professional photographer, I spend quite a bit of time online and in photography forums researching digital cameras, lenses, software and new techniques and I am constantly bewildered by the amount of sometimes unnecessary technical jargon.

I feel for any newbies to digital photography as there seems to be added pressure to be able to manipulate your images beyond recognition before they are deemed as "quality".

Books and websites are now packed out with technical data, facts and figures that are really not so important when starting out. It is all too easy to become confused and put off by thinking that you need to know all this...you don't, not for now at least!

It all started when digital technology hit the mainstream buying public and even more so when Digital SLR's became more affordable to the masses.

Everywhere I go now I see arguments and discussions for;

* The amount of mega-pixels necessary to get a good shot.
* Noise (or grain) issues from digital sensors.
* Dynamic range is a favourite, probably because using the term sounds like you know your onions!
* Purple fringing or chromatic aberrations.
* The "crop factor" of a camera's sensor.
* Menu layout, buffer and start up times, image stabilisation...the list goes on.

What many people need to realise is that all of the above is simply irrelevant when beginning as a photographer. It is still mostly irrelevant as you progress too, and you only really need to fully understand these things if you intend to sell your images or services.

The point of my ramblings is to let people know that all you need to do is this;

* Understand the basic principles of photography. Exposure, composition and lighting.
* Know how to upload and "develop" your images digitally using even basic software, to the point where they resemble how it would have looked if your old film lab had done the job.
* Print, show online via a website or email to friends, family or clients.
* And simply enjoy yourself.

If you can put a camera to your eye, see a good picture and know how to capture it as you see it, you are half way there.

As testimony to much the above, most of the large professional stock libraries in the world only accept original, unsharpened, un-manipulated images...no fancy stuff.

(Smaller designer-based stock agencies including Microstock companies are partial to both original photographic files right up to heavily manipulated digital images).

All you need to do is take your Digital SLR camera, lenses and accessories and go out and have fun. Enjoy getting "back to basics" and learning the true art of photography and worry about the rest later.

The following may be of use to those who have just bought or about to buy a new DSLR (Digital SLR). IT will hold you by the hand and walk you through all the need to know areas of digital photography at grass roots level.

http://www.all-things-photography.com/advanced-photography-books-for-beginners-and-amateur-photographers.html

All the best and good luck with this fantastic hobby!

Nick Stubbs
www.panphotography.com

Nick is a professional, qualified photographer for more than 24 years specialising in stock, wedding, people and commercial photography. He was recently awarded the title of "Commercial Photographer of the Year 2005" by the S.W.P.P & B.P.P.A. (Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers and British Professional Photographers Association)

Art Photography

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Filters For Landscape Photography.

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

It's time to spice up your landscape photography with filters.

Filters are used in photography to bring back an image to the way our eyes have perceived the original scene. Some times it's not possible for our cameras to record an exact scene - so we have to rely on the manufacturers of camera products.

Filters also help us to create mood in our images and bring out the best in a scene. A small selection of filters is well worth packing when heading off for a trip. They don't take up too much space and will definitely add a bit of spice to your images.

Filters work by being placed in front of your camera lens. You can also place several filters in front of your camera at any given time.

Lets take a look at the most important ones to use.

Neutral Density Filters (ND): Neutral Density filters will certainly help you with tough exposures. These filters work by cutting down the light that reaches your lens. These filters come in a variety of strengths with the most popular being 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 - these filters will help with exposure without affecting colour.

One half of these filters is dark and the other is completely clear. They basically work by reducing brightness. The different numbers stand for the amount of brightness they reduce - 0.3 ND reduces light by one stop - 0.6 reduces light by 2 stops - 0.9 reduces light by three stops.

Lets say you arrive at a high contrast scene, - you take a light reading of the sky and get an exposure reading of F/22 at 1/8 second; you take a reading from the ground in front of you and get a reading of F/22 at 1 second. This is a difference of three stops of light. You need to reduce the brightness of the sky. By using the 0.9 ND you will reduce the light in the sky by three stops without affecting the light hitting the ground in front of you.

Polarizing Filters: A polarizing filter should be top of the list - a polarizing filter can be used with colour or black and white and is probably the most important filter on the market today. The polarizing filter will also darken the blue sky to give it a strong rich colour. It will make mist stand out and can be also used to give fast flowing water a misty effect. This filter is most effective with side lighting.

Warm-up filters: In overcast conditions, don't put your camera away. This is an ideal time for you to switch your attention to landscape detail. On an overcast day images often appear cold and dull. Try using a warm-up filter. These filters will remove the dull effect that you get shooting without the sun.

The 81-series are the best choice and will give your images an extra bit of life. An 81A warm-up filter is ideal to use in adding extra warmth to low light images.

Filters for B/W photography: Just because you use black and white film it doesn't mean that you can't use filters - there are several filters for B/W photography. The polarizing filter is one of the few filters that work for B/W and colour photography. It will help to darken shades of grey in your final print.

The red filter is one of the most popular. This filter will darken the sky giving your image more impact. The most common red filter is the number 25. Filters for B/W work by transmitting light of its own colour, and holds back light of the other colours.

There's a large amount of filters available; these are the most important filters for landscape photography. There are also several filters on the market today that will do very little for your photography. Colour graduated filters should be left at home or placed in the bin - colour graduated filters work by creating un-natural colours, destroying your final print.

TJ Tierney. Award winning Irish Landscape photographer. If you are looking for more photo tips visit http://www.goldenirishlight.com/photographytips.html To view some of his images visit his on line gallery @ http://www.goldenirishlight.com

Absorption in Photography and Digital Imaging

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

 

by Chuck Groot www.ChuckGroot.com www.SuccessfulPhotography.com

Absorption means the taking up of one thing by another; photographers employ the concept in both the chemical and the optical sense.

Certain chemicals like Calcium chloride and magnesium perchlorate absorb and retain atmospheric moisture. The sensitive emulsions of plates and films can absorb small amounts of dyestuffs that allow us to colour them as in the old-fashioned way of hand colouring. Hint - save those little packages that come with medications and other items that are used to absorb moisture, because they have the above-mentioned chemicals in them and these packets can be put in your camera cases and with your batteries to keep them from being ruined by moisture.

However, the term "absorption" is most often used in an optical sense. Partial or total elimination of light rays can occur when they pass through a medium. For example, when we put a red filter on our background flash, it will absorb all of the other colours except the red ones. I often use a variety of plastic report covers and cut small patterns in them and place them on my background flash to create a variety of unique effects. This method is a very inexpensive and fast way to change the look of an image.

On the other hand, an article, which absorbs all of the light rays that fall upon it, appears black, since it reflects no light at all. This is a very important principal to understand. So often I have been asked by photographers why they have colour shifts, colour casts, or colour cross-overs in their pictures? I tell them that 90% of the time the reason is that their darkroom, studio space, computer room, or display area have heavy colour saturation which competes with the colours in their images.

For example, if you are working in your computer room and it has a slight pink tone to the walls and you print an image or have your lab print your image, often you will be disappointed with it. Chances are that you were correcting for the pink cast being reflected on your screen and the resulting hue your print will show will be a bit greenish. Likewise, if your studio has blue walls, these will be reflected on your subject and the lab will automatically try to correct for the cast, but you will get a cross over-effect and end up with greenish prints. It is amazing how sensitive computer screens are.

The best way to combat this problem is to have the walls in your darkroom, computer room, and studio painted 18% grey. This way you will have no colour casts on your images and low reflection to affect your light readings. This may seem over the top, but with today's highly sensitive films and digital cameras, reducing the amount of variables is the best way to go.

? Chuck Groot writer, teacher, lecturer, photographer, consultant. Email chuckgroot@shaw.ca www.chuckgroot.com, www.successfulphotography.com

Chuck Groot's credentials as a professional photographer, teacher and entrepreneur are noteworthy. His work demonstrates both artistic composition and rapport with people.

Chuck guarantees the help needed to access individual potential so that students will appreciably increase their understandi