The Vibrant World of Black And White Digital Photography

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Classics are classics because they never go out of fashion. This explains why black and white photographs are deemed classics. They still hold good against the influx of color all around them. But for many, black and white digital photography is a less-trodden, little-appreciated and much underestimated domain of photography.

But thankfully, patrons and connoisseurs apart, black and white photography has recently acquired quite a fan following courtesy the digital cameras and their Black and White mode. People have suddenly discovered the "magic" of black and white photography. The timeless appeal of black and white photographs has caught on and people have come to appreciate its stark but shipshape appearance that exudes polish and sophistication.

So if you want to join the legion of black and white photograph fans and try your hand at some serious, thought-provoking and beautiful black and white digital photography, it is worth remembering a few handy tips.

- Those who were looking for an easy way out should remember that minor alterations in the color profile of the color editor doesn't translate into a breathtaking black and white digital photograph. The black and white setting of the camera is also by no means a one-touch means to a striking black and white snapshot. Be prepared to tinker with a few controls on your digital camera.

- Understand that a black and white photograph is actually an amalgamation of gray tones. This realization will in turn help you to grasp the basics of filters, known to bring in startling results in your black and white digital photograph.

- In your wanderings through your digital camera setup you must have come across a number of filters. Unknown to many a digital photographer, these filters can be used to produce dramatic black and white snaps. For instance, you can experiment with various filters to see how they affect a particular color in the context of a black and white setting. A red filter over the lens will make the red shades in the picture appear as light gray tones and you will end up with skies that look ominously cloudy.

- The scope of black and white digital photography is not only about portraits and landscapes. There are thousand and one things that you can express with black and white photographs. So the next time you have the digital camera in hand, focus on abstract shoots. Treat black and white digital photography, as a mode to portray the world in a different light and you will never be short on potential photography subjects.

- If you still haven't got the hang of how to produce realistic and spectacular black and white digital photography with only the camera as your aide, you have numerous image-editing software packages to give the finishing touches. Your crude photographs will get the most amazing makeover.

Step into the wondrous world of black and white digital photography and discover the vivid colors, emotions and moods that these two colors can portray.

Connie Fillmore is a successful writer and publisher of photography related issues, for more informative articles go to www.digitalphotographyguy.com

Stock Photography - Who wants to know how to sell online? Learn the business of stock photography.

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Stock photography is a huge industry, one that generates steady incomes for those photographers with the willingness to succeed. As with any worth while undertaking nothing comes easy and nothing comes for free. To succeed in this game you need to be able to; a) take saleable photographs, b) be organized enough to get them to the market. c) be patient and keep adding more images to your library In the past getting into Stock photography was a huge undertaking. You either had to set up your own mini Agency or sign on with one of the big agencies. If you set up your own agency you were required to do all the leg work of sorting, filing and marketing your images. If you signed on with a big agency you were required to have at least 1,000 images before they would even talk to you. With the advent of the Internet and the growth of high-speed broadband connections these barriers have been eliminated. Today anyone with a quality digital camera can enter the stock photography market place and make money selling their images online. There are literally hundreds of agencies online offering photographers a place to sell their images. In addition photographers have the opportunity to set up their own online mini agency or add a Stock Page to their portfolio site. The big agencies have also moved online, but their requirements for acceptance have also become more difficult. Getting your images in Gettys or Corbis is very difficult and for the most part the domain of well established professional photographers. However you chose to sell your images online, one thing is for sure you will have to adhere to the three basic principles of the successful stock photographer - Quality, Quality, Quality. Oh and lets not forget Quantity.

What photos will sell? The first step in selling your images on-line is understanding what images sell, and which sit and collect cyber dust. Truth be told there is very little restriction on what sells and what does not sell. The key here is to understand which type of images sell the most and in the case of Licensed images the most often. As you sell your images on line you will need to understand that just about any image can sell as long as it meets the technical requirements of the agency and you can find a buyer. A search for "Stock Photography" on Google returns 15,400,000 sites. The biggest agencies like Corbis and Getty are of course listed first. These agencies are still the domain of professional photographers with huge libraries, and will not entertain enquires from amateur photographers. They have huge libraries of images from professional shooters and even hire their own photographers to shoot stock on assignment for the agency, which the agency then owns. All the regular photos that you would think are really great and will sell have been done and are sitting in these agencies files. These are what are generally know as commercial stock photos and your chance of selling these is not so good. What you will be able to sell are EDITORIAL stock. Editorial stock does not sell for as high a price as Commercial Stock, but you will sell more images more often than when trying to sell Commercial Stock. The images you will be able to sell are the ones that no one else has or that no one else has access to such subject matter. What you need is a niche. Pictures of regular people doing regular things, shot in a professional and appealing manner are what you will be able to sell online. Photos that sell are the ones that tell a story or as stock photographers like to call them; photo illustrations. A photo illustration is a photo that has something going on in it. We have all heard the term "A picture is worth a thousand words" well when you hear this, think Photo Illustration. These are the stock photos that sell well.

Also is is important to enjoy your photography so go out and shoot things that interest you; your trip to the fair, grandma doing her needle point, dad cooking burgers on a backyard BBQ & your brother mowing the lawn. If you work in a factory or mill and can get permission from your managers or boss to take pictures, these type of images have great potential. Industry, commerce and business are areas of high value in Stock Photography. Always try to include a person doing something. A picture of a tractor in the field is good, but a picture of a tractor with the farmer sitting on it, is much better. (Image Farmer in the Field). If you insist on taking scenic pictures and expect to be able to sell them, if you include a person actively doing something, your chances of a sale are greatly increased. For instance, a shot of a beach sunset in great, but remember there are hundreds of just such images already in circulation, take the same shot and add a silhouette of a boy chasing a football and you have a much more saleable shot. Also when you are taking pictures try to imagine a theme or mood. By this we mean try imagine a feeling you want to convey with your photos. Some are happy shiny people holding hands, while others will be more somber or moody. A photo that has a clear mood or theme will sell well. You can use colour, shapes and texture to illustrate different moods and themes. Images that convey feelings have high resale value. Images that are stereotypical have less. By stereotypical we mean the stuff we have all seen a thousand times in a thousand magazines and other places. While you may think that the silhouette of lovers kissing against a backdrop of a gorgeous sunset is a good marketable picture, it has been done to death and if we searched any of the major stock libraries we would find many examples of this exact picture. What might be better would be to show the couple doing something a little less typical, maybe one taking the picture of the other???

Also remember the rules of composition. The law of thirds works well and so do tightly cropped images. The old rule of "keep it simple" applies. This is not a book about how to shoot good images, there are thousands of such references available, what we are teaching you here is how to sell them online. Just remember, the images that sell are the attractive appealing ones with good composition and good exposure. One thing to remember though is that as most of the agencies websites display the images on thumbnail pages, having images that are attractive as thumbnails increases your chance of a sale, this follows from the rules of compostition and cropping already discussed.

Selling images online is the next big thing, something that every keen hobbyist is looking to get into. The principles of photography apply, but you must temper them with some business sense, knowing which photos sell is the best start.

Sean David Baylis is a photographer living and working in Hong Kong. Stock Photography - Who wants to know how to sell online? Learn the business of stock photography.

Modernizing Your Decor and Your Photography with Shadow Boxes

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Most of us enjoy having beautiful photography displayed on our walls. It serves many purposes, but its main purpose is to of course decorate and improve the appearance of our homes. We try to always find that perfect frame which blends well into your interior decor, and at the same time emphasizes the detail, and the information, which the photograph conveys. There are many, many different styles of frames out there. Yet, most of us have very similar frames throughout our homes. While it may be a good idea to match the style of the frames in one area, we typically have several regions in our houses where we display photography, or other pieces of decor. As such, I want to offer you a more modern, and interesting alternative to your typical wooden, or metal frame. A shadow box is a type of a picture frame, with your photograph recessed into the box.

First of all, why a shadow box instead of a more traditional frame? Well, the answer is simple, if you live in a neighborhood where every house has an identical architectural design, how do you identify your house from the rest of the identical buildings. You make it stand out in some fashion. Whether you plant trees, repaint the house, add a deck, a patio, whatever. The point is, you are trying to make it look different from the rest of the houses on your block. Same idea applies here. A shadow box is an excellent product to make your photographs really stand out from the rest of the environment. A nice thing about a shadow box is its versatility. Most shadow boxes are fairly small. In other words, you will not find one sized to fit a large 20x30" photograph. However, you can always have one custom made for you, if you are really like the idea of a shadow box, and have a fairly large area to fill. Shadow boxes seem to fit very well in smaller spaces, where a picture frame with a fair sized photograph may appear over-sized. Some shadow boxes are sold in pairs or threes, and are perfect if you like stacking, or creating a stair effect on your walls.

Besides using shadow boxes to display your photography, they can just as well be used to show off other pieces of decor, such as small sculptures, crafts, wood carvings, you name it. It is important to be creative with them, and the possibilities are endless. Here's are some ideas which you may want to consider. If you have any photographs of the sea, the beach, something nautical, consider placing empty shells, some petrified sealife, or other small pieces such as sand and small pebbles inside the shadow box. Most shadow boxes are fairly deep, and will allow quite a bit of stuff to be placed inside. It is a great idea to complement real 3-D elements with your photography, as these pieces create depth, and demand your eyes' attention. Likewise, you may have photos of autumn leaves, which would be coupled very well with perhaps some tree shells, miniature pine or elm cones, dried leaves, and other gifts of nature. Again, be creative, and consider the possibilities. Even if you are not using the interior of the shadow box for anything other than a photograph, you can always use it as a miniature shelf, and place small figurines, little carvings, small plants, and other pieces of decor.

As always, quality is important, and in today's world of mostly low quality high volume products you will certainly encounter many shadow boxes which do not pass your quality standards. Do not be discouraged, and consider visiting specialty home stores. These stores are typically more selective about their products, and you will be more likely to find a good product there. Aim for a box with a glass, because you want your photographs protected. If you are going to have a custom box made, make sure to have glass installed either right away, or request that the craftsman building the box routes a grove inside, so you could have glass cut and installed later.

Written by Professional Photographer, and an owner of a Photography Selling Service. To learn more about this, and many other general, as well as more specific photography related subjects, or to explore a Fine Art Photography gallery, please consider visiting WorldonPaper.com Contemporary Fine Art Gallery

Wall-Mounting Matted and Framed Photography

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The final step to displaying great photography involves mounting it on your walls. While this sounds very simple, it may seem intimidating to people new to photography, and those who do not consider themselves do-it-yourself-ers. Actually, the process is fairly simple with a few tools. While there are many, many different ways to creatively display photography we will focus on the more basic approach of using single row of photos across a wall. Because this is a basic introduction to mounting, I will try to make all explanations as simple as possible. While different people use different methods, which eventually bring them all to the same point, I prefer to start from the middle of every wall, and work outwards. This article assumes that your photography will not be offset, and will indeed be mounted with equal margins at either end of the wall.

First, let's talk tools. Most of the time you can get away with a tape measure, a hammer, a few small nails and a screw driver. My personal recommendation is to acquire a leveling tool, as well as a long metal ruler. You will need a tape measure in order to measure distances between your photographs and of course to assure that spacing is proportional. A hammer will of course be necessary to drive the nails into the drywall. A screwdriver may be necessary, if your frames do not have mounting hardware already attached. In many cases, store bought frames will include a little comb looking hanger, which will require a small Phillips screwdriver to attach to the frame. As I mentioned a minute ago, it is a good idea to acquire a level, if you expect to hang photography more than once. A laser lever is a great tool for a home owner, as it will produce visible straight lines across your walls, which will make a snap for you to measure to mount frames. If you begin shopping for one, make sure that it has some sort of a wall mount, which will not damage the walls, but will attach securely. There are many different models out there, and with a little research and brand comparison, you will find a good tool, which will make you thank me for suggesting it.

Let's get started. First of all, determine how many photographs you are going to mount and whether or not the wall is long enough to accommodate all of them. Obviously, if the total width of your framed photographs is more than the length of the wall end to end, you will have to reconsider the number of photographs to be mounted. Measure your wall, end to end, in order to get the total length, and divide that length into half. This will give you the middle of the wall. Now place a mark wherever that middle happens to be. Place a mark with a pencil at approximately your eye-level. Do not worry, pencil erases easily. Now figure out how many photographs will be to the left and to the right of this mark. Remember, you may choose to use this mark for one of your photographs, or you may choose to leave it empty.

Hopefully, all of your frames are the same size. This makes things much easier. Determine home much space you want to leave between your photographs and add ? the length of the frame to that number. Try to keep the numbers whole, as it makes things much easier. You want to use a few pieces of cardboard, cut out to the same size as the frames, to figure out what looks good on your wall. It is easy to tack these templates to the wall with a few pieces of tasking tape.

Now figure out how high you want your photographs. Try to keep them at eye-level. Measure from top of the ceiling to where the top of the picture frame will be. Now, measure from the top of the frame to the wall mount on that frame. Add the first number to this and you will have the height at which you will be driving in your small nails. Record this number.

Now that you know how high the photographs will be mounted, and the intervals between them, it is time to mark all points which will receive a nail. If you have a laser level, you are in luck. Just place it at either end of the wall at the same height as you recorded earlier. The laser level will project a straight line to the other end of the wall, and you will have a reference line. Now from the middle of the wall move in either direction and put a mark where the nails will go. This distance was determined earlier. This distance will be equal from one mark to the next. All marks will be done on the reference line from your laser level. Once all points are marked, hammer a small nail, on a downward angle to create a simple hook at every mark.

That's it. While it may seem daunting at first, just use this guide, and it will make things quite a bit easier. This article does not discuss vertical alignment, where different types and sizes of frames are used. This will be discussed in future articles.

Written by Professional Photographer, and an owner of a Photography Selling Service. To learn more about this, and many other general, as well as more specific photography related subjects, or to explore a Fine Art Photography gallery, please consider visiting WorldonPaper.com Contemporary Fine Art Gallery

Strengthening The Overall Theme With Photography

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There is a very common misconception about photography. People think that photography is not a strong enough decoration medium. Historically, paintings, drawings, and relief decorations have been used to decorate our homes. If you think far enough into the past, people have been doing this for thousands of years. Think about the lavish, and beautiful palaces, cathedrals, churches, and other historic buildings, decorated with beautiful frescoes, paintings, reliefs, carved statues, etc. While photography is an excellent journalistic medium, many still feel that it is not as well suited to decorating our walls. There are many ways to introduce photography into your home decor, and couple it harmoniously with your existing paintings, sculptures, and drawings.

Photography is a New Medium

We should all keep in mind that photography is a fairly new medium. While we, the people, have been sketching, drawing painting, and sculpting for thousands of years, photography dates back just over a century. It is very new, and perhaps more exotic than paintings, sculptures, and others more traditional mediums. Because there are so many different genres of photography, and different styles, there is, without a doubt one that will appeal to your senses. There are few rules to decorating with photography, but here are a few suggestions to keep in mind. These will help you get the most out of decorating adventures.

Complementing your D?cor

Consider complementing your current pieces of d?cor with similarly themed photography. For example, if your paintings communicate open spaces, such as the sky, massive bodies, of water, or other distinct environments, try to match your photography to this theme. A photo depicting sail boats, or perhaps a dock would certainly complement paintings with bodies of water. This is but one example. Be creative and draw patterns in your mind. Possibilities are indeed endless.

Remember, it is OK to mix your paintings and photography. But, consider keeping the two opposite each other, instead of sharing the same space. Keep logical organization on your walls, and our eyes will appreciate it. Remember, our brain likes patterns. Our eyes will expect to see certain patterns, and if they are seeing something which they cannot draw any patterns from, you will feel like something is lacking, or just does not fit. It may be a good idea to match your medium to a room. For example, consider decorating your living room with paintings, and sculpture, while decorating your home office, your bedrooms, and hallways with photography. Again, this is just a suggestion. Photography will fit equally well in any room of your house.

The most important thing to keep in mind is to be creative. Don't be afraid to experiment. Remember, photographs are hung from a single hook, and they are easy to move, and reposition. Just keep a bunch of dry wall filler around.

Written by Professional Photographer, and an owner of a Photography Selling Service. To learn more about this, and many other general, as well as more specific photography related subjects, or to explore a Fine Art Photography gallery, please consider visiting http://www.worldonpaper.com/

Learn More About Digital Photography Through Books

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There has been a tremendous increase in the number of books on digital photography in recent years, including books on specialized aspects. You can find excellent books on such specialized topics as digital black and white photography, digital night photography and digital infrared photography. And nothing beats the pleasure of reading a book at your ease and convenience.

?Complete Digital Photography? by Ben Long is one of the best books on digital photography. It provides basic as well as specialized information. It even gives a lot of useful tips for shopping your new camera. It?s the perfect book for people who are just venturing into digital photography

The book explains most technical aspects of digital photography. By the time you?ve finished it, you?ll be able to shoot properly and edit the photos. The entire process of digital photography from the moment the image is captured to printing the final image is explained in simple language.

?Complete Digital Photography? is divided into four sections. Part 1 covers the basics.

Part 2 tells what features you might want to look for in your new camera.

Part 3 talks about setting up your shot, choosing the correct exposure, using a flash and using a histogram.

Part 4 tells you how to edit and otherwise ?fix? your photos. It ends with instructions on printing them.

In addition to printed books, you can buy many good e-books on digital photography, if you are looking for economic and easily accessible information right now.

Good luck!

There has been a tremendous increase in the number of books on digital photography in recent years, including books on specialized aspects. You can find excellent books on such specialized topics as digital black and white photography, digital night photography and digital infrared photography. And nothing beats the pleasure of reading a book at your ease and convenience.

?Complete Digital Photography? by Ben Long is one of the best books on digital photography. It provides basic as well as specialized information. It even gives a lot of useful tips for shopping your new camera. It?s the perfect book for people who are just venturing into digital photography

The book explains most technical aspects of digital photography. By the time you?ve finished it, you?ll be able to shoot properly and edit the photos. The entire process of digital photography from the moment the image is captured to printing the final image is explained in simple language.

?Complete Digital Photography? is divided into four sections. Part 1 covers the basics.

Part 2 tells what features you might want to look for in your new camera.

Part 3 talks about setting up your shot, choosing the correct exposure, using a flash and using a histogram.

Part 4 tells you how to edit and otherwise ?fix? your photos. It ends with instructions on printing them.

In addition to printed books, you can buy many good e-books on digital photography, if you are looking for economic and easily accessible information right now.

Good luck!
http://www.travel-outdoor-tips.com http://www.recreation-news-magazine.com

Photography Photojournalism

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Tips for photojournalism photography.

Did you every pick up a newspaper or a magazine where a single image is used to tell a story. This is known as photojournalism. Photojournalism can fall under all subjects of photography but the image needs to be news worthy to end up being published.

There are two types of photojournalism.

The first type is where an image is used to illustrate a story. Many feature journalists work closely with photographers and commission them to produce images that will be published with their articles. There is no limit to how many images can be used. This is usually the photo editors decision.

The second is where an image is used to tell a story without any words. One single image may be used or as many as ten images are often used in magazines. If you can write - do so; it will be an advantage when you submit some images.

One of the most important qualities of a photojournalist is his ability to react quickly when he comes along a scene that may be news worthy.

Other than the obvious, here is a list of items which may be news worthy.

Impact pictures. Pictures of the Environment People. New buildings.

If you are serious about photojournalism build a collection of images from your area. Many of these pictures will not be immediately news worthy but may be down the road. Take pictures of all the factories and buildings in the area. Some day a factory may close and you may not be able to get to the scene. Also have plenty of pictures of local businessmen and politicians.

Some photojournalists are lucky enough to get assignments from newspapers or magazines, most have to follow or find the news to make a living.

The world of digital photography has made the work of the photojournalist a lot easier. Being able to view, scan and e-mail images to a publisher instantly is a massive advantage.

The work of a photojournalist can be extremely harsh - taking pictures in all kinds of extreme conditions and in very dangerous situations. Many photojournalists die each year in war zones and at different natural disasters around the world.

We live in a world, where today's news is forgotten tomorrow and the need to get the images quickly to the publisher is so important. If you have images that are news worthy don't delay sending them to a news agency or publisher. They won't stay in the news very long.

TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer. He frequently writes for the photography directory http://www.goldprints.com and the shopping directory http://www.shop-4us.com To view or buy some of his images visit his on line gallery @ http://www.goldenirishlight.com

Holiday Photography

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What do you want to take from your holiday? Good photos or anger! By Rob Clement The majority of us mainly use our cameras on holiday and for family occasions. The rest of the year we put them away and do not give them a thought. At least a month before your next holiday dust the camera down, and look at the pictures you took of the last holiday. Are you happy with the quality? Is it time to put new batteries in your camera? Should you be putting a new camera on your list of wants for Christmas or birthday? You may have already decided to go the whole hog and buy a new camera. Many of our articles concentrate on digital cameras which are now available, but if you do not own or have access to a computer, leave the digitals alone and stick to the film camera. As one of the articles will tell you - you cannot justify a digital camera by savings on film. There are many good film cameras on the market and film is still widely available. PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! Do not buy a new camera and assume it is like the one with the same name that you bought 20 years ago. Any new piece of equipment can be faulty. So try out your new camera before you set out on your holiday. If you are going to a warm climate from a cold one you may need to think about a UV filter to get the best color from your prints. Take at least one roll of film or about 30 shots from a digital camera or about 10x3 minute clips from a video camera (please remember that most video cameras have the option of taking stills as well). If you are not happy then at least you can go somewhere and ask for advice rather than miss the memories from a holiday of a lifetime. Photography is all about memories and it is always good to be able to remember people, especially children, as they were. Take lots of photographs and keep them. Time will tell if they are the best ones. There will be photos covering all of the emotions from good times to disasters. Do not be tempted to throw away a photo or a digital image until you have looked at it carefully. Many images can be cut and resized to bring out what you want to see. We also have some articles about video cameras and they will give you a lot of the basics but please remember that there are video cameras that will put the scenes directly to DVD discs (some are mini discs but that are still readable) and I have not found any articles about them yet. When you have finished your holiday, remember that it is possible to put your 35mm film onto CD when your films are being processed. You can create from both 35mm and digital cameras a CD showing the highlights of your holiday that can be shown on your TV using a DVD player as well as on your computer. It will save your photos getting little finger marks on them while you are showing them around. Have fun and make memories for those winter nights. To recap Rob's checklist Check your camera * Dust it down * Replace batteries New Camera * Take about 30 shots * Does it need a UV filter * Does it need a tripod Buy yourself plenty of film or flash memory cards

Rob Clement is the web master at http://www.silkroadconsultants.com. A web site full of interesting and helpful travel tips.

If you use this article please link back to http://www.silkroadconsultants.com

Rob is the web master at http://www.silkroadconsultants.com. A web site full of interesting and helpful travel tips.

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.

American Photography

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What is Macro Photography?

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One of the most satisfying forms of photography, and one of the easiest to master is macro photography.

A practical way for defining macro photography is by the strength of the lens, or how nearby it can focus. For true macro photography, you'll want to have a lens that focuses down to a 1:1 range. For example,for 35mm film,your camera has to have the ability to focus on an area at least as small as 24?36mm ,because this is the size of the image on the film.After having the film developed,the picture of the subject on the negative or slide will be exactly the same size as the subject photographed.

What makes macro photography seductive is the level of detail that you see, sometimes for the first time - familiar objects become unusual and abstract and unusual objects become even more interesting.

There are many applications for macro photography: flowers,plants,butterflies, minerals,snowflakes... Your own backyard, a local garden,beach or forest can provide you with hours of fun with macro photography.

Of course macro photography isn't always centred on the natural world. Collectors use macro photography to record coins,stamps and other collectibles that are very small.Some people use macro photography for documenting their possessions for insurance purposes or to illustrate their auction listings online.

Working with macro photography can be a whole new visual event for even the most advanced photographers.Every day can yield another subject and an endless supply of captivating images.The possibilities of macro photography are limited only by your imagination.

If you are interested in macro photography, then by all means consider purchasing a dedicated macro lens.SLR digital cameras with interchangeable lenses are ideal for macro photography.If you're primarily interested in outdoor photography, consider a 180mm or 200mm macro lens.

Alternatively you can use extension tubes,reversing rings, or close-up diopter lens.

An extension tube is placed between the camera body and the lens.There is no glass in the tube - its purpose is to move the lens farther from the film (or digital sensor) so that magnification can be bigger.

Reversing ring is attached on the front of a lens and makes it possible to attach the lens in reverse.

Close-up diopter lens are placed in front of the camera's main lens. These screw-in or slip-on attachments provide close focusing at very low cost.However,the quality of the pictures is variable.

Felix Zhucha owns http://www.postersphotosartwork.com . Come and find popular art photographs and posters.

Hawaii Photographers Disscuss Pros And Cons Of Digital Photography - Part One

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

As a professional photographer for the past 31 years, I am acutely aware of the magnitude of the effect that the digital revolution has had on my profession. The vast majority of professional photographers who have kept up with the technology will agree that ?digital? is fantastic.

Of course, there are many professionals, while agreeing that digital is great, will moan that ?digital has caused the loss of much business!? We?ll get back to that in Part Two, but first I?d like to say that the advent and development of computers and programs like Photoshop, in my humble opinion, is cause enough for celebration!

I probably should admit at this point that I am in no way a computer ?Geek?, and that to me, Photoshop is magic! It amazes me every time I use it. I can?t praise the makers of Photoshop enough. But I digress?

I have used film in my business for a long time. And I used medium format film which gave me beautiful, crisp images I could enlarge to 30x40 very nicely. I was in no hurry to ?go digital? until I saw with my own eyes, and my own images that digital could produce the same quality I had been used to. I had never seen a ?digital? print that could fool me into thinking it was from film.

That day came in 2002. I saw what was being done with 6-mega pixel capture, and Epson Stylus Pro printers and I became a ?believer?.

ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

The obvious advantages, just about everybody knows: No film cost, no processing and proof costs, no prints you don?t want, instant view-ability. Well, instant gratification and saving money. What?s not to love? For a pro, the savings in film, processing and proofs is substantial. Also as a pro, instant view-ability has a marked positive influence on sales.

Deeper advantages include having complete control of your images with imaging software. (It?s a given that you need to have a good computer and good imaging software..) With those tools you can correct color, add special effects, re-touch, crop, burn & dodge, sandwich images, all kinds of things! It?s as good or better than having a chemical darkroom.

We?ll take a look at the disadvantages in Part Two, and revisit the ?loss of business? issue.
Stan P. Cox II runs a Portrait and Commercial photography studio in Honolulu, Hawaii,and has been a professional Hawaii photographer for 31 years. His web site is: http://www.ParamountPhotography.com. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

HAWAII PHOTOGRAPHERS DISSCUSS PROS AND CONS OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY Part One

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

As a professional photographer for the past 31 years, I am acutely aware of the magnitude of the effect that the digital revolution has had on my profession. The vast majority of professional photographers who have kept up with the technology will agree that 'digital' is fantastic.

Of course, there are many professionals, while agreeing that digital is great, will moan that "digital has caused the loss of much business!" We'll get back to that in Part Two, but first I'd like to say that the advent and development of computers and programs like Photoshop, in my humble opinion, is cause enough for celebration!

I probably should admit at this point that I am in no way a computer "Geek", and that to me, Photoshop is magic! It amazes me every time I use it. I can't praise the makers of Photoshop enough. But I digress...

I have used film in my business for a long time. And I used medium format film which gave me beautiful, crisp images I could enlarge to 30x40 very nicely. I was in no hurry to "go digital" until I saw with my own eyes, and my own images that digital could produce the same quality I had been used to. I had never seen a 'digital' print that could fool me into thinking it was from film.

That day came in 2002. I saw what was being done with 6-mega pixel capture, and Epson Stylus Pro printers and I became a "believer".

ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

The obvious advantages, just about everybody knows: No film cost, no processing and proof costs, no prints you don't want, instant view-ability. Well, instant gratification and saving money. What's not to love? For a pro, the savings in film, processing and proofs is substantial. Also as a pro, instant view-ability has a marked positive influence on sales.

Deeper advantages include having complete control of your images with imaging software. (It's a given that you need to have a good computer and good imaging software..) With those tools you can correct color, add special effects, re-touch, crop, burn & dodge, sandwich images, all kinds of things! It's as good or better than having a chemical darkroom.

We'll take a look at the disadvantages in Part Two, and revisit the "loss of business" issue.

P. Cox II runs a Portrait and Commercial photography studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has been a professional Hawaii photographer for 31 years. His web address is: http://www.ParamountPhotography.com. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

Stan P. Cox II runs a Portrait and Commercial photography studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has been a professional Hawaii photographer for 31 years. His web address is: http://www.ParamountPhotography.com.

Types Of Photography

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sepia photography paris photography types of photography unique photography nude women photography tattoo in photography people closeups nude erotic photography photography of children photography websites what is photography ansel adams photography framing photography photography galleries elevated photography table top photography large format photography clip art photography fun photos signs images free photography portfolios vogue photography architectural photography photography articles mermaid photography vagina photography camera photography photography major ghost photography photography business cards goth photography jock sturges photography photography lessons photography software fantasy photography winter photography digital photography review jobs in photography photography for beginners prom photography category photography pin up photography black and white photography of models love in photography abstract surreal beginning photography in photography people boost popular lactating breasts photography royalty free stock photography

Masters Of Photography

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Couples photography animal photography photography of female nudes in the public domain sensual photography music photography forensic photography dynamic photography dance photography advertising photography photography portfolio photography techniques war photography outdoor photography engagement photography food photography photography ideas professional baby photography nudist child photography retro photography michaels photography photography logo romantic photography lifetouch photography photography love contemporary photography non nude photography prestige photography female form photography photo photography photographer pinup photography the erotic male in photography black white photography of young men photography black white of men photography book photography history glamor photography learn photography david hamilton photography photography children kids photography amazing photography naturist photography ap photography high fashion photography photography sites satellite photography modeling photography cool photography

Terms Used the in the Stock Photography Business

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Terms Used the in the Stock Photography Business

So you are a small business person or web designer and you want to purchase some stock photography for your website. Great. Photography is a wonderful way to improve the emotional impact of your site. But there are a few terms unique to the stock photography business that you should know.

Royalty Free - youll see this term often. What it means is that you pay a one time fee for an image and you can use it for as many times as you want for as long as you wish. It is a great way to get inexpensive photos. Now if you are concerned that your competitor would or could use the same image as you, photographers and agencies can continue to sell the image after you purchase it, then you need:

Rights Managed - this one is next term youll see. This means that you pay a fee for the image based on how, where, how long, and how many people will see the image. This one will cost you a lot more in most cases. This is worth it if you do not want your competitor using the same image for the same purpose. Usually the stock agency or photographer also agree not to sell the image to others in your field for the time that you are using the image. So you can see why this option protects your use of the image but youll also pay much more for this protection. Remember too that, at some point, you decided to discontinue using/paying for the image the agency or photographer can then sell the image to someone else, even someone in your field.

Flat Rate - this term isnt quite at common but it is similar to royalty free. Usually this means that you pay a one time fee for an image, but it can only be used for one purpose by one person. Pricing will be higher than royalty free but less than rights managed.

Copyright - even with royalty free you are still only purchasing the right to use an image not the image itself. All images are property of the agency or photographer who owns them. How do you know who owns them, there is usually a symbol with date and name of the person or agency who owns the image. No matter what you paid for the image you are NOT the owner of the image. This means you cannot remove the copyright information, alter the photo, use it as part of a logo that you own a copyright, or resale the image as your own.

These terms will get you started but remember there can be differences in these definitions from agency to agency and photographer to photographer. Every agency and photographer selling stock images should have a legal or license page to explain these terms and any others that they use, if they dont you may want to move onto another site. Be aware, read all the information, and know what you are buying.

Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

Photography 101 Part 1

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Photography 101 Part 1

Equipment: camera, meter, flash, tripod

This article is a simplified photography course directed at new photographers out there who want to know where to start.

If you really want to learn photography the first thing you need is a good affordable and reliable camera. It must, and I repeat must, be able to shoot in fully manual and fully auto focus modes. (This leaves out any digital cameras on the market right now, sorry.) To really learn photography you must understand the equipment. Youll need to learn how manipulating the shutter speed, aperture, and focus will have a dramatic effect on your photos. Meters, if you have a camera that can work in a fully manual mode it should have an internal meter suitable for what you will be doing. Tripod, youre going to need one whether its portrait work or landscapes youll need one eventually. Luckily you dont have to spend a lot here. Just something lightweight and durable. Flash, you can buy a separate camera mounted flash, which is great if you can afford it. Consider what kind of photography that you will be doing though. If youre going to do mostly nature and landscape, you may only need the fill flash that comes with most cameras today. If you plan on doing portraiture alone you will want to consider a camera mounted flash that has an adjustable angle.

Film, film speed to be exact. Slower speeds (25 to 400) are intended for portraiture and landscape photography. Faster speeds (600 and above) are intended for actions shots and photojournalism. So first you need to know what you going out to photograph and make sure that you have the appropriate film for the job.

Now that you have the camera loaded with film consider shutter speed. Do you want to blur motion, or freeze it? If there is no motion at all what shutter speed do you need to expose the scene with natural light. From 1/60th and down to the bulb setting will blur most motion. For example if you want to blur the water in a waterfall, a setting of 1/30th should work. (Youll need a tripod though.) 1/125th is a normal setting for most shots. On many cameras the 125th setting is marked in a different color to make it obvious. If you want to freeze action youll need to start with 1/500th and work up from there. The faster the motion the faster the shutter speed needed to stop motion. Many cameras go up to 1/2000th of a second. If youre trying to use natural light alone in a scene you will want to determine the aperture first and then see what shutter speed you need to properly expose the scene for available light. (Keep in mind sometimes there isnt enough light.)

Aperture, these are the set of numbers on your lens closest to the body of the camera. They can go from 1.8 to 22, and they are referred to as F-stops. These numbers determine how much light reaches the film inside of your camera. Most internal meters will blink on the appropriate aperture for the shutter speed that youve set, or the speed youve set will blink if your F-stop is correct for the speed. Both the F-stop and shutter speed can be changed to expose the scene correctly. Consider that the faster the shutter speed the more light will be needed to expose the scene correctly. This makes logical sense if you think about it. If the shutter isnt open as long, fast shutter speed, then there is less light able to make it to the film and so the scene must be brighter to expose correctly. To learn, bracket your shots. Take the first shot at the aperture suggested by your meter, move one stop up, take a photo, one down, take another photo.

Flash, I personally like shooting with natural light whenever possible and at most I use a fill flash. But if youre going to do portrait work then most of the time you may be indoors and you will need a flash sometimes. For the amateur the fill flash units that are on the top of most of todays cameras are wonderful for basic work. You will have to read your manual on your particular flash unit to learn what it can and cant do. This is where the camera that is fully manual and fully auto is great for the amateur. You can usually set it so that the camera will meter and set the flash output accordingly and then you still can control the shutter speed and aperture.

This weeks assignment: Have several rolls of 400 speed film, find a subject that you can work with preferably something that wont move, and shoot one roll of film. Shoot some of the roll in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Bracket every shot, take notes on time of day and light conditions, and what your settings (aperture) were for each frame, keep the film speed the same for the entire roll. Have the film developed and examine the photos. You should be able to see a difference in each frame. Youll need to repeat this procedure until you feel that you understand the relationship between shutter speed and aperture, and every camera and meter has its own quirks and differences, youre camera will act differently than someone elses. This way you will learn you own particular camera as well. Once you have a sense of how aperture works you wont need to bracket every shot you take, you may only need to do it in cases where you want to be extra safe on exposing the subject correctly.

If you have some specific questions please visit my Photography Forum at: http://kellypaalphotography.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/index.php

Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

kellypaa@kellypaalphotography.com

Macro Photography Inspirations, Tips and Tricks

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

You wont have to look hr to find close-up ideas even everyday household objets can make fantastic subjects Once Youve trained your eye to look for macro photo opportunities, youll find them almost anywhere, even in objects such as stamps, coins, paper clips, drawing pins and so on. The fact that youre capturing them from an unusual viewpoint makes shot of found objects interesting in themselves.

Macro tips

If your camera focuses poorly at close range, use the telephoto setting to increase magnification. However, remember that this will further reduce depth of field.

Attach a close up lens that screws onto the cameras filter thread (assuming your camera has one). Available in +1, +2, +3, +4 and +10 magnification, many camera can be adapted with push on systems that enable a close up lens to be fitted

Use a small or white silver reflector to fill in shadow caused by overhead lighting or the camera itself

Boost the ISO setting to enable you to use faster shutter speeds or smaller apertures. Shots will be noisier, but images will be sharper with a larger depth of field

Use a tripod and cable release whenever possible to maximize depth of field and eliminate camera shake and ensure accurate focusing.

When using compact-style camera with an optical viewfinder, beware of problems with parallax an effect caused when the viewfinder is offset from the lens. Although you may have composed your shot perfectly in the viewfinder, the fact that the lens is in a slightly different position means that the composition of the finished image will be altered. The closer you get to the subject, the more inaccurate the view through viewfinder will be.

Paul Smith has been a proffesional photograper for the last 10 years. His works are mainly published as Postcards and Calendars in Australia.
More News, Reviews, Photography Techniques, Tips and Photoshop tutorials are available in his website: Digital Photography Journal

Travel Photography

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

To many people the idea of being paid to take photographs of exotic places is the ideal job. It may takes years of effort to be paid by magazines such as the National Geographic, but are there better ways to become a travel photographer. As most people have more leisure time, more holiday time, and more disposable income, the demand for travel photographs has increased dramatically. Not only are they in demand for travel brochures, but they also are used extensively in other advertising copy.
Images necessary for sale and publication require rather more skill than those applied to standard holiday snaps. "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." Was a quote by the French novelist Marcel Proust, and it appears to be of particular use to the travel photographer.
Investigate the possibilities of becoming a contracted photographer at Lonely Planet Images. Lonely Planet Images is a digital library of travel photography. They have submission guidelines available for download at their website. They are a subsidiary of what used to known as the Lonely Planet Guide, and currently have 400 photographers on contract.
You can also increase your chances of breaking into the very lucrative travel market, by entering competitions such as the Travel photographer of the Year . There closing date for submissions is September 5th 2005.
A camera is merely a box, that captures light, and in a studio, it is very easy to manipulate light. The reality of location photography is that it is generally expensive; you have the expenses of air tickets, hotels and meals on top of normal expenses. At the end of the day you are at the mercy of weather, no one wants to see their ideal location subject to rain clouds.
When we talk of light in terms of travel photography we are talking about intensity, as most travel shots are taken outdoors, In general there is harsh direct sunlight and diffuse soft light. Harsh light is when the sun is directional, and it is great for capturing deep contrasts between light and shadows. With this type of shot, it is difficult to judge the exposure. If you direct your exposure towards the light, that will leave your shadows without any depth or definition. Conversely if you use the correct exposure for shadow, then the light areas will be without detail, giving a vaguely sinister result to the image.
Unfortunately your drawback here is film, the human eye is capable of registering contrast to a ratio of 800:1, slide film is capable of only 30:1, which is slightly improved, by going digital at a ratio of 40:1. Professional photographs have all passionate views on their favourite brand name of film in this situation, but they are all in accord that you need a slower speed films, as they record better contrast and grain. ISO/ASA rating of a hundred is about the fastest film to use. It is important that you use a good photovoltaic cell (either a separate light meter or one inbuilt into the camera. Once the light meter has registered the light, the camera is capable of indicating the aperture opening required, and the shutter speed. The speed of the film is also taken into this equation. You need to measure the darkest and the lightest areas.
Your immediate decision is whether to correctly expose the dark and emphasize the shadow and leave the light areas washed out or to correctly expose the light and leave the shadows without definition.
Using light correctly greatly enhances your colors, the diffused lighting just after and dawn and just before sunset is helpful here. The technical reasons for this are simple when the sun is nearest to the horizon; the light has a greater distance to travel through pollution, ozone, water vapour and dust. This means that wavelengths at the violet end of the spectrum are more scattered, than the colours at the red end. This allows the blues to absorb more colour than at the red end, so the sunlight appears more golden. To study the more technical aspects of lighting you may like to take an online course.
An inexpensive, but invaluable tool for the outdoor photographer is a polarizer, as they improve the ambient lighting. They will always emphasise the blue of the sky, whilst minimalizing glare. This will allow you to capture the colors you want to make a saleable photograph. More importantly it reduces the contrast in a photograph by creating a more even tone, it restricts the very much lighter and darker tones, in the image. Mike Johnston gives an excellent technical explanation of this in his excellent online course. He has also written an excellent tutorial on color theory, which explains the use of color to improve the quality of your outdoor images. Photographers who use digital imaging will also find this article tremendously helpful in enplaning how to improve the final image with regard to colour.
Research is a great tool for the travel photographer, and the Internet is a great help, but dont forget to use local knowledge, ask local taxi drivers, as well as the tourist boards for inside information on a location. City photography is also included in the aspect of travel photography and here taxi drivers knowledge can be invaluable. You can also try and coincide a trip with local festivals. If you can oversee a vantage point you can use a zoom lens to great effect without the embarrassment of having to foist a camera into someones face. Also local festivals give opportunities to capture a part of the local culture.

Income from Photography - a downloadable ebook guide on how to start up and market a Profitable Photography business. It can be viewed at http://www.profitable-photography.comOther related and reviewed services & research sources can be found at http://www.profitable-photography.com/html/117/

Home Run Baseball Photography Tips

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Strike one! Strike two! Strike three!

Baseball! America's Pastime, and a sport growing in popularity throughout the world, where the Boys of Summer slug it out. A baseball game is the perfect way to spend a lazy summer afternoon, plus it provides opportunities to take photos that last a lifetime.

While many claim the sport of baseball is a slow-paced affair, when action does occur, it can happen very swiftly, almost too fast for an unskilled photographer to shoot the photos they desire. Baseballs fly quickly when hit or thrown, and timing the action for when to take a digital photograph requires split-second reflexes. Thus, before you plan on taking photos at a baseball game, you may wish to read the following advice:

1) First, make sure you are allowed to bring your digital camera to the baseball game. Some ballparks have no restrictions, others on the zoom length, some on using flash, and some may not allow you into the baseball game at all with your camera!

2) Change your camera settings to take the quickest photographs possible while still providing plenty of light for the photograph. You'll need to read your camera's manual on how to change these settings; for example, consider saving photos as JPG instead of RAW to take photos faster.

Just remember that the quicker the shutter speed, the less light enters the camera to take the picture. Thus, you'll need to compromise picture speed and the amount of light to take great photos. That is why baseball games work well with photography - many games are played on sunny days or in well-lit domes or stadiums that allow you to take crisp, high-action photos.

3) Before going to a big league ballpark, make sure you know the rules and nuances of the game. Practice taking photos at a minor-league, college, or high school baseball game. The stakes aren't quite as high if you miss a shot, and taking your camera to a game will give you more insight into when action occurs and when players just stand around.

4) Have extra batteries and digital camera memory handy and practice switching both out quickly before the game! A three and a half hour game can put a tremendous strain on even the most power-miserly camera, and more often than not you will have to switch out power or memory in the middle of an inning.

5) Don't worry if you miss a shot! Unless you have tons of digital camera memory, you may not be able to continuously shoot photograph after photograph. If you miss a key pitch, the swing of a bat, or a forced out, don't get angry! More often than not, new opportunities will arise for great photographs.

6) Study the lineup first. Know who are the key players and those who barely know how to swing a bat. Likewise, learn who has loose hands in the outfield and who is likely to win a Gold Glove. Focus your attention on the stars as they most likely will make the best photographs, but don't be so drawn to celebrity that you miss a role player making a crucial steal or diving catch that wins the game for their team!

7) When the opening lineup starts, look at the dugout. If you're rooting for the home team, the beginning of the game is a great time to get player photographs as they are running out onto the field. If not, take photographs during the middle of the inning. If you don't get the perfect photo, delete bad photographs during lull times and try later during the game.

8) To take a picture of a swinging batter that will last a lifetime, do the following:

*) Preparation is the key. First, before the game, know how to operate your digital camera. Practice focusing the camera and quickly deleting unused photos - sometimes you can delete an unwanted photo before it is completely saved to the camera's memory.

*) Before the pitch, focus your viewfinder on the batter's box and try not to cut out any of the batter's body. Zoom in as appropriate, but remember the more you zoom in, the slower the potential shutter speed needed to take a clear photo.

*) Anticipate shutter lag. Lock your focus before the pitch; this usually is done by pressing the shutter button down half-way.

*) Time it... time it... then as soon as the ball is about to hit the bat, press down fully on the shutter button.

*) If the pitch is a strike or the swing is not one to be remembered, cancel the save so your picture is not written to memory. This way, you can save room for other photos.

9) Look around for photo opportunities not directly related to the action. Take a photograph of the grounds crew cleaning the bases and raking the dirt between innings. Get a few shots of the crowd. Take a picture of the scoreboard. Look at the surrounding area. If you want to remember the full experience of a baseball game years from now, you should take advantage of one of the best features of a digital camera - the ability to take lots and lots of photographs - and shoot photographs showcasing the FULL baseball experience.

10) Take a break during the game! You came to the baseball game to enjoy the spectacle, not just to take pictures, right? Designate a few innings as photo-free time where you just sit back, munch on a hot dog, drink a soda, and soak in the environment.

Remember to study your digital camera manual first and practice, practice, practice! Follow these ten tips and you'll be on your way to taking "home run" baseball photographs in no time.

Andrew Malek is the owner of the MalekTips computer and technology help site at http://malektips.com/. Want more great tips on buying and using digital cameras? Visit http://malektips.com/camera/for more free digital photography advice.