How To Use Colour Effectively To Enhance Your Digital Photography

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

Digital photography has a lot of fantastic opportunities. When I say ?opportunities? I mean artistic opportunities. You see succeeding in digital photography goes way beyond just knowing how to take a digital photograph in the technical sense. You see need artistic ability and knowledge too. Digital Photography, if applied artistically, can open up the doors of creativity for many, many years to come.

The first thing I recommend to start with if you are a serious digital photography enthusiast is to understand how colour works. When you understand how colour works in digital photography you can then use different colours to create very different feelings and emotions in the photo itself.

Colours such as blues, greens, mauves, etc are introverted colours and can often give your photo different feel to reds and yellows. For example think of a field of green with a tree that has purple flowers. It tends to represent, and even induce, feelings of tranquillity and calm. These, in digital photography, are regarded as introverted colours.

Colour such as yellows, red, oranges and pinks can often instil an energetic feeling. For example think of fruit such as red berries, oranges or cantaloupe. These are simple examples, but think of the feelings that these colours create in your digital photography.

This is another reason why not all things look as good in black and white, and why some things in fact do look better in black and white. (More about that another time. For now lets focus on creating colour that enhances your digital photography. )

In a very simple sense if you want to create a sense of stillness and calm in your digital photography then aim for subjects that have these colours. And the same goes the other way too. If you want to have a bright energetic feeling, then go for colours that are warm.

Contrasting colours in digital photography work very well too. Primary colours together such as blue and yellow seem to look great side by side, or one as a back ground and the other as a main subject. For example I took a photo on a beach with a bright yellow sign against a blue sky and a blue ocean. It gave the feeling of energy as well as having the calmness of the blue. Being a contrasting primary colour the yellow was not absorbed by the blue, it was the opposite. The yellow sat nicely against the blue as the focal subject.

When doing digital photography, think about the colours you are creating in your photo. Try to aim for digital photos that have colours that look good together, and do not clash like hot pink and bright red next to each other for example. If you want extrovert bold colour in your digital photo, don?t overcrowd the viewer with too many bold colours. In digital photography it works best if you have the main subject having the bold colour, rather than multiple points of bold colour in the background for example.

Choose good digital photography subjects with simple composition that have colours that work well to compliment each other. And remember digital photography is all about creating a feeling. And working your colours together well will enhance your digital photography images ten fold.

Best wishes,

Amy Renfrey

If you want to learn more about working with colour effective in digital photography, just go to www.digitalphotographysuccess.com

 

How To Master Digital Photography Basics

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

With the advent of digital cameras, the cost of photography has plummeted considerably, with the result that there has been a surge of interest in the field. Greenhorns in this area however, need not fret. Sharpening up on your digital photography skills is easy, provided you have the basics at the tip of your tongues, or is it, at the tip of your lenses!

Mastering the basics of digital photography, first and foremost involves knowing all about pixels and resolutions. These are the parameters that have a direct bearing, and quite a lion's share on the quality of the images being generated. The more the pixel count, the better the resolution or clarity of the picture and the better it turns out when enlarged. So it is obvious that the fastidious photographers prefer robust pixel values. However, with the market flooded with digital cameras of various makes, you can hope for a good bargain. Let us discuss a few basics of digital photography.

Zoom And Tele Lenses

Going digital has also meant that you can click away merrily at anything and everything under the sun. This will only help you get well up on the nitty-gritty of the zoom modes. The Optical Zoom of a camera is worth tinkering with. The "Telephoto" mode makes your subject appear larger while the "Wide Angle" mode is all about cramming a lot of a scene into your picture and hence the elements of the picture appear smaller.

Focusing

Toying with the controls of your digital camera is a good way of getting a hang about the different picture modes and hence be able to put them to good use. For instance, instead of relying on the instruction manual, see for yourself that the Portrait Mode actually sharpens your subject and de-focuses the background. For those who are not yet comfortable with the exposure, focus and flash parameters can take the help of the Auto Mode in the awkward initial stages.

Lighting

There is no such thing as a photography gene. Good photographers weave magic with their cameras, but this magic is all about getting the lighting and flash issues straightened in their photographs. Shooting in the early morning light is advisable if you want to avoid the harsh glare of the midday sun and in case of night photography, filming during the twilight hours or just as the moon is rising gives you the best results. You should not shoot with the sun directly in front of the lens.

Using the Flash

The flash is quite a lure for the novice photographer but results are not always satisfactory. This is because improper use of the flash function leads to the marring of good photos. In fact, the flash really leads to underexposure, and thus ungainly shadows in night photography. While you are using this feature, inch closer to your subject and thus make sure that all the areas of the picture are equally lighted up.

Shutter Speed

The shutter speed is one area that many newcomers to digital photography is quite oblivious to. But you will be amazed at the dramatic results that mere varying the speeds can bring about. The rule of thumb: fast shutter speeds "freeze" the action, while slow values will result in a blur. Slow shutter speed also let more light enter into the camera, so this is an option worth considering when you need to shoot in low light conditions.

The basics of digital photography are not hard to master. And being well versed in them will help you capture reality in all its essence.

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

Stock Photography - Who Wants To Know How To Sell Online? Learn The Business Of Stock Photography

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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. Sign up now for the second lesson, also free...

Perfect Digital Photography Secrets: How To Use Your Camera's Flash

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

I hope you will like and benefit from these flash tips for the perfect digital photography!

You have to take full control of your digital camera's flash. Why? Because digital cameras and their build-in software are pre-programmed and make a few assumptions..

For example:

There are sensors inside your camera that measure the percentage of illumination in the scene at which your camera points. If the sensors measure low illumination then your flash will fire. That is because your camera is pre-programmed with the assumption that flash will improve the photograph in a low-illumination environment. On the other hand in a high-illumination environment the flash will not fire because the camera will assume it's not necessary. After all it's dark out there!

The issue with these assumptions is that there are certain situations when you want an opposite result..

For example there are times when you want to shoot the perfect digital photography in a low-illumination environemt without using the flash.. e.g. when you are in a dark room with a candle burning and no other light sources.. If that's the case you need to be really steady for the photograph to be sharp. You may want to use a tripod to achieve better results. If you do it right you will have a perfect digital photography with beautiful warm orange/red colours.

Remember that the straight light coming from the flash gives a cold commercial look to your photographs. That could be ok in some cases but not in all cases.. You should decide whether to use flash, not your camera.

But what happens when working in Bright Light, high-illumination environments?

Then, the flash will not fire! Of course that saves battery-power but what are the results of your perfect digital photography? You definitely don't want to lose in quality right?

Imagine when you want to take the perfect digital photography of a person wearing a hat and the sun is overhead in the sky shining.. Then you will notice that the person's face will be in dark shadow because of the hat! But even if there's no hat, you will usually see shadows under the chin or under the person's eyes.. So what you should do is fill those small shadows with light using your camera's flash!

Again, YOU should decide whether to use flash or not, and not your camera.. YOU should take control of your camera's flash..

Today's digital cameras have five basic flash settings:

- Setting #1:

Automatic Flash: This is where your camera is pre-programmed to make assumptions depending on the level of the environment illumination and use the flash accordingly.

- Setting#2:

Automatic Flash with Eye Reduction: Again, the camera uses its software to determine when the flash will fire but there's also some type of red eye filters to reduce the red eye effect.

You camera will probably automatically select, by default, one of the above two settings. I recommend to never use the above settings if you're aiming for the perfect digital photography.. And why is that you may ask..

As I said before YOU should be the one who decides whether to use flash or not.. And furthermore the eye reduction filters will not always do a good work and will confuse your subjects in most cases..

I recommend to make use of the following settings depending on the scene and the subject you're trying to shoot..

- Setting #3:

Flash Always: With this setting enabled your flash will fire in all cases. You may want to choose this setting when you want to fill small shadowed areas with light.

- Setting #4:

Flash Disabled: Your flash will not fire no matter how illuminated the environment or the scene is.. Make use of this setting when you want to shoot in a low-illuminated environment e.g. a dark room with a candle burning..

Just remember that in a low-illumination environment you have to be really steady in order to shoot the perfect digital photography..

- Setting #5:

Slow Shutter Flash: This is a very underestimated setting and the least used.. If you choose this setting your flash will fire ocassionally but the shutter will remain open for a longer time than usual. This will allow you to capture the subject illuminated by the flash, but it will also allow other lighting sources (like a candle's light) to record themselves.

This setting is perfect if there is high illumination on the background while infront of the subject there's certain darkness. For example when you want to shoot a person in front of a casino at night.

So.. If you're aiming for the perfect digital photography you should be able to switch between those five flash settings found in almost all digital cameras these days. Have a look at the camera's manual for more information on these settings. They are really importand.

How would you like to use your camera's flash like professional digital photographer? There are tons of information and digital photography secrets and guides out there. You may want to have a look at this Perfect Digital Photography Secrets Manual.

Photography and the Art of Speaking Our Peace

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Long before I started photographing, I was moved by images that captured my attention and enlightened my awareness of the world at large. On many a rainy afternoon, lost as a child in the photo essays of Life Magazine and National Geographic, I entered the lives of people around the world, pondering the contrasts between my life and theirs.

In my teenage years, there was an abundance of images that sank into my heart, cut short my innocence. Images from the March on Selma, the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, from the Vietnam War and the Kent State shootings, all showing a level of violence and intolerance I was not prepared for. I was impressionable then, as I am now?moved by what I see, changed by what I experience, led to action by what I believe.

Most of us, at some point, have a desire to make a difference in the world. We want our lives to matter, our words to be of use. And for those of us who traffic in images, we want them to speak eloquently of that which matters to us, to be the metaphor for who we are, what we believe in and stand for.

Dorothea Lange was invested in creating images that would alter the public?s attitude about migrant workers. Walker Evans was committed to making photographs of tenant farmers that would inform and inspire people to action. Lewis Hine, in his crusade against child labor, created images that did what dry statistics and lengthy speeches never could do. Robert Capa, who despised war, photographed five of them in an attempt to record its horror and monstrous stupidity, believing that ?the truth is the best picture, the best propaganda.?

Having seen their work and read of the national response and reforms their pictures generated, I understood the power that photographs could have on a level beyond the personal, saw how images could help shape a national consciousness, create an awareness that could lead to enlightenment, action, change.

Buoyed with this knowledge and faith, in the mid-80s, during the massive global buildup of nuclear weapons, I embarked on a peace pilgrimage around the world. Armed with 200 rolls of film and a slideshow of the U.S. peace movement, I was determined to use my photographs in the service of the people, to share with as many folks as I could these images of activism, of commitment to harmony and a safe home for all the world?s children.

In order to create a culture of peace, a culture that reflects our reverence for life, we need stories and symbols that heal and guide, that help us remember we are part of a whole. It?s hard, in a society bent on power and profit, to remember what life is really for. Harder still to connect with one another when most things serve to keep us separate. But stories help. Pictures help. And every contact with a lover of life brings us one step closer to loving our own. My journey was a search for those images and stories, an attempt to discover and reveal our oneness around the globe.

In Japan, I was invited to speak to a group of A-bomb survivors at the Nagasaki Association for the Promotion of Peace and to present my slideshow, Focus on Peace. Before that we would watch the premiere of a Japanese film, one which included recently released American military footage of the Nagasaki bombing.

I sat in the back of the room with Mr. Matsunaga, director of the organization, who served as my translator. The lights went out and the film began with a slow pan of the Nagasaki Peace Park. Paper cranes and colorful flowers filled the frame until a jump cut took us to the cockpit of a U.S. plane on August 9, 1945.

We watched the bomb drop. Watched the deadly cloud devour the city. And then from the ground we watched what followed. Mr. Matsunaga, his calm voice silenced, collapsed into tears by my side. The survivors in front of us sat still as sculptures. Frozen in time, they stared ahead, some gasping as they saw themselves on the silver screen, stumbling through the rubble of charred corpses. Dazed and burned, they were calling for families they would never find. Quiet sobs filled the room while we witnessed the re-run of a nuclear holocaust.

When it was over, no one moved. No one turned on a light. We sat there in the dark amidst sobs and tears, trying to recover. When the lights came on and I was introduced, I stood there before them and started to cry, and it was only at their urging I could carry on.

I spoke slowly about the slides we were going to see, with Mr. Matsunaga at my side translating my words and my hopes in whatever way he could. Then the lights went out again, the music started, and images of millions of people working for peace began to dissolve into each other.

There were no words being spoken. Just the pictures and voices from the International Children?s Choir singing Let There Be Peace on Earth. These images of colorful, festive, life-affirming demonstrations had more power that day than any I remember. Symbols of a solemn commitment to peace washed over and comforted us. They delivered us, if only momentarily, from the fear of such a holocaust happening again, for how could these millions not make a difference, their passion so clearly exposed and revealed?

After the slideshow, the survivors came to the microphone and one by one spoke of the profound impact these photographs had on them. ?I did not know so many people cared about what happened to us...we thought we were all alone in our struggle to prevent this from happening again...seeing all those Americans caring about peace encourages me in my struggle...how can we fail if there are so many of us??

I had been so immersed in the peace movement during those years of nuclear frenzy that, until that day, it had not occurred to me that others weren?t aware of it, had no idea of its magnitude. These survivors did not even know there was a U.S. peace movement doggedly resisting the production and proliferation of nuclear warfare. And it made a difference to them to find out, to see all those pictures, to witness others in solidarity with them, working as hard as they were for the same cause.

One photograph could not have done it, but those eighty images, one after another, blended with that music?it had an impact, told a story that bolstered their courage, honored their experience. What had happened to them did matter after all, and these photographs were evidence of how much.

Nothing in the world could heal their physical wounds, their irradiated organs, their burned and disfigured faces and limbs, but a healing occurred in their spirits that day, passed on through these portraits of comrades in action.

We can and do inspire each other in this life, and if a photograph does nothing more than inspire one person to feel that, somehow, his life mattered, her pain served a purpose, then that one photograph ought not go unseen. We can never know the reach of our work, never know when we share a photograph to whom and why it might make a difference, never know how our small images contribute to the global picture as a whole.

But what we do know, from our own experience and the experience of history, is that photographs can change the course of the things, turn one?s head, alter one?s thoughts, enlighten one?s darkness. To shoot with that awareness, to know our images, made of light, can contribute light?that is the true joy of photography. The End

Jan Phillips is an award-winning writer, speaker, and multi-media artist. She is the author of The Art of Original Thinking-The Making of a Thought Leader, Divining the Body, God Is at Eye Level - Photography as a Healing Art, Marry Your Muse, Making Peace and A Waist is a Terrible Thing to Mind. She has taught in over 23 countries and conducts workshops nationally in creativity, consciousness, and spirituality. You may subscribe to her free monthly Museletter at www.janphillips.com

 

Black and White Photography

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

With today?s digital technology, transforming colour images into black and white photographic prints is pretty straightforward but don?t throw away your rolls of black and white film.

Black and white photography is still regarded as a favourite with many photographers - dull landscape scenes become more dramatic with black and white photography.

Most subjects that are shot in colour can be taken with black and white film. Portraits are still widely taken by professional photographers all over the world.

One of the most popular uses of black and white photography is with wedding photographs. More couples are now opting for a combined wedding album of black and white images that really capture the mood and emotions of the special moment.

Black and white landscape photography is becoming popular again and is more suitable for taking images when the day is dull or too bright. If a scene does not have an entire spectrum of different colours, consider viewing it as a black and white photograph.

Do we need to learn black and white photography tips in a world of colour? You must choose the answer to this yourself - but here are a few pointers that will help you to make your decision.

1 Black and white photography is becoming more popular with the general public, and for that reason alone? new opportunities will open up for you.

2. In some situations, black and white photography has the tendency to make photos look more like works of art - fine art images will sell better in galleries.

3. Landscape images often lack a multitude of colours, using black and white film when shooting daytime photos will add impact to your photography.

4. There is also the value of using your own darkroom - the thrill of developing your own film and processing your images.

The same principles for colour photography apply to black and white photography. If you have mastered the art of photography, taking images with a roll of black and white film should be easy.

Filters are just as important with black and white photography. There are fewer filters available for black and white photography, but one that you should use is the polarizing filter. This filter is very effective for both black and white photography and colour photography. The polarizing filter makes the sky stand out to give your landscape images serious impact. It also helps to reduce glare from the sun?s rays - which is very handy for urban or architectural photography.

Exposure with black and white photography is a small bit easier. Black and white film handles light more easily than colour film can - which gives you greater room for error. Most black and white film allows you to capture detail when you underexpose at two stops. With overexposure the range is greater - between five and seven stops are allowed. This is known as film latitude. With colour film you are limited to a latitude of one stop each way.

This does not mean that you can become lethargic when taking black and white images. It means that if you do make a mistake the results may be acceptable.

TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer. For more tips you can visit his photography site. To view his images visit his on-line gallery of pictures of Ireland or see his travel site.

Travel Photography For Beginners: Choosing A Camera And Getting Started

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Travel photography can be as much fun for non-professionals as it can be for professionals. So what do you need to take up travel photography as a hobby and what else do you need to know? If you are a professional photographer this article will definitely be too basic for you. If you are a beginner then please read on.

Most of us travel these days anyway, so it is not a case of needing to travel anymore than what we already do, to start enjoying travel photography. Travel need not even be far, with the other side of your city still worthy of being called travel. The idea behind travel photography is that you are capturing images of culture, scenic views ie the essence of a place no matter what its location or size.

The more expensive the camera then generally you can of course expect better quality images, i.e. higher pixilation and more available optical zoom. Personally I find pocket cameras excellent because it is not realistic to carry a bulky camera everywhere, unless you are a real hard-core photographer (perhaps one who also carries a tripod everywhere, as though it were the car keys). I have found myself that I have some of my best photos from opportunistic moments and I have only managed to get these photos because I had a pocket camera ready on hand. If you are looking for a pocket camera so that you can begin snapping away wherever you are and whenever you want, then I personally think the Sony series of pocket camera's such as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70 Digital Camera (with 7.2 Million pixels & 3x Optical Zoom and affordable) is a worthy buy.

Hard-core photographers will say that using a manual camera is better. The fact is though, that unless you are a series paid photographer, then digital camera's are fast closing the gap on manual camera's and many digital camera's now also have add on manual lenses and also manual features.

Many beginners to photography get confused also about zoom and the meaning of optical zoom, when buying a camera. Optical zoom refers to the zoom that you get which does not affect the quality. You zoom in on an object for example and the quality is not affected. Normal zoom is when you zoom in closer but the closer you zoom is, the less focus you get. Optical zoom is the zoom that matters. Buying a camera with optical zoom of 3 or 6 is usually sufficient. If you really want to zoom in from a distance then you might possibly need a camera with 8-10 optical zoom.

Others may disagree with me but I think that the way best to start off is buying yourself a pocket camera and just to start snapping away. Get a feel for what works, what comes out well, what doesn't. Do not be afraid to experiment with the features on the camera. Try night shots for example, and try shots of different subjects i.e. sunsets, objects, landscapes and people. From experience and experimenting you can move out of the beginners level.

Travel photos - stock free images
home sauna and jacuzzi

The Art of Nude Photography

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Nude photography is the ultimate expression of you as an individual and your connection to the world. Nude photography simply gets to the essence of the person. There is little to hide but a lot can be said or represented about a person, their beliefs, beauty, individuality, togetherness and expressions. A professional photographer will help you express sensuality, sensitivity, compassion and excitement, desires, innocence, appreciation of skin and celebration of self.

These days, expert nude photographers can make the experience very rewarding, and in some cases, quite spiritual even. Nude photography sessions are exciting, sensitive, intimate, personal and totally individual and unique. Every person is treated individually to produce the type of imagery that they like or envisage for themselves. Images can be artistic, sensual, sexy, stylish, natural, highlighting your best features and downplaying any less flattering attributes. Photographs are normally taken in artistic black and white tones. The session should be enjoyable and fun. The idea is to have fun and express yourself and be surprised at the extraordinary results that can be achieved. In nude photography it is important to be made to feel at ease and relaxed. The session is not about the photographer, but about the individual or the individuals concerned.

It?s important that the studio of your choice is fully equipped with the latest technology. High quality digital equipment will ensure high definition images. Also, make sure the studio environments are fresh, clean and welcoming. There?s no reason you shouldn?t be made to feel welcome and be treated to a special experience by friendly staff.

A professional nude photographer will make you feel relaxed and comfortable with yourself and your session. Making you feel comfortable and relaxed is the most important element and is important in creating timeless imagery. They should focus all their attention on your experience so that they can create the right mood and atmosphere that promotes outstanding photography.

Nude photography can also be enhanced with special props and accessories; something that can represent your individuality and uniqueness. As nude photography can already be very flattering, props should only be added if they do something to enhance your body, attitude or style. Sometimes the minimalist approach offers the greatest opportunity for uniqueness.

Along the same lines as props, your photographer (or you) may choose to capture your unique features such as skin art, tattoos, piercings - all which accentuate and adorn a person?s skin. It?s important that your photographer understands and appreciates your preferences and use all your unique feature?s to create a most individual work of art.

Posing, placing and positioning for nude photography is very important as is image design and style. It?s essential that your choice of photographer is well trained to allow this type of posing to occur naturally and capture these important attributes in a spontaneous and uninhibited way. Nude photography should end in wonderful pieces of timeless art for your pleasure and enjoyment.

Framing and composing images is also very important. The choice of settings and backgrounds should benefit and highlight your personality and uniqueness. Many photographers have a range of studio backgrounds, however often the simple backgrounds such as basic black or white are most popular.

Lighting is also essential when it comes to nude photography. The correct lighting can emphasize features and bring out the best in you. Studio lighting is totally controllable to highlight or neutralize areas as required to ensure superb creative imagery.

Spontaneity, mood and feelings are what nude photography is all about. Make sure you find a photographer that creates the mood and brings out the feelings that will become timeless memories forever.

Vittorio Natoli is the owner of Viva! Life Photography located in Fremantle, Western Australia. Award-winning Perth photographer and businessman, Mr Natoli has spent the past four years refining the systems that have made Viva Life Photography one of the most successful portrait and female and male nude photography studios in Australia. Visit Viva's website www.vivaphotography.com for more information on Vittorio, Viva! photography franchise opportunities or Nude Photography

Photography as a Fine Art

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Compared to most art forms, photography is a relative newcomer. Having been around for less than 200 years its place in the art world is still being established. Interestingly, there have been many arguments against photography being considered art, one of which is that the camera is a ?machine?. However, one must ask if a camera is any more a machine than a musician?s instrument, a sculptor?s chisel or a painter?s brush?

Another argument is that because of the nature of photography, endless prints can be made from the one negative. While true, it is for this reason that many photographers will produce their work as limited editions just as screen-printers, etchers and wood-block artists will. Some photographers have even been known to destroy their negatives after they have completed printing the edition. However, the ability to produce numerous prints is usually considered part of photography?s uniqueness.

Historically, many photographers themselves once considered photography a lesser art form. Called ?Pictorialists? these photographers produced work using soft focus, and often, poor quality, lenses hoping their work would look like Imressionist paintings. Although the Pictorialists won a small battle in having photography recognised and given wall space, they certainly didn?t help win the war of photography being recognised purely on its own artistic merits.

There is a great quote that states: ?There is no art, only artists.? Very true words, as there are many great artists who use photography as their chosen medium. It would be very hard for people to argue that the landscape and nature work of Ansel Adams; the natural world, nudes and still life?s of Edward Weston; the abstract forms and textures of Brett Weston and the compositions of Paul Strand are not art.

Because of the passion and extremely high quality work produced by these and other American photography pioneers, the American public and those within art circles could no longer deny that photography was a valuable and expressive art form. Oddly, Europe never seemed to have any trouble accepting photography as art. The work of Henri Cartier-Bressen, Brassai, Latrigue and others has always been held in the highest esteem.

The modern-day ease of photography has also led to a lot of very poor photographic work being passed off as art. Automated cameras have also lent considerable weight to the argument that it?s the camera doing the work, not the so-called artist. It is little wonder that many gallery owners are reluctant to give wall space to photographs. It must be remembered that the camera doesn?t make a good photographer any more than a piano makes a good pianist or a brush makes a good painter. An artist is an artist no matter what the medium.

Where Photography Becomes Art

What constitutes a fine art photograph would be quality: quality in composition, quality in the negative and quality in the print. Edward Weston once said that, ?composition is the best way of seeing.? Like other mediums, how the image is composed is of vital importance regarding how the print will be viewed. The photographer then needs to be able to put onto film what he or she is seeing and ?visualising? for the final print. Lens choice, film choice, aperture and shutter speed relationships, what to exposure for and which filters to use (especially for black and white film) all play a vital part in what the final print will look like. Finally, the photographer needs to bring that ?feeling? and expression out in the ?fine? print using a very demanding darkroom technique.

How a Fine Art Photographer Prints

Ansel Adams was fond of saying that the negative is like a musician?s score and the print is like their performance. Good photographers will know how to do both very well: photograph to produce good negatives and then make an expressive print that conveys what they saw and felt at the time of exposure.

A photographer will go through a few stages before arriving at the fine print. This begins with making a ?proof print? of the negative and evaluating it to determine how best to properly print from it. The photographer then moves through a series of ?work prints? as he or she fine-tunes the print exposure, cropping and contrast. More often than not, certain areas of a print will require more or less exposure than other areas. Giving more exposure to specific parts of the print, ?burning?, will darken those areas. Holding back exposure on specific areas or ?dodging? will lighten them. When the photographer believes that the print is as expressive as possible, they will make a ?fine print? using their (often) extensive notes regarding dodging, burning and contrast.

Most fine art black and white photographers will use fibre-based paper for their fine prints. Fibre-based paper tends to have the edge over its cheaper cousin resin-coated paper. Fibre-based paper also has more archival permanence, however, modern resin-coated papers claim to be the same. Fibre-based paper is harder to print on successfully, however, generally looks better, is preferred or demanded by museums and galleries and is also somewhat demanded by photographic tradition. Good photographers will have no qualms about this and would feel as though they were cheating if they produced their work on resin-coated paper.

There are myriad other variables in fine art photography that include: choice of film developer, choice of paper brand, choice of paper developer and whether to tone the print. All affect the look of the final print and it is the experience of the photographer to know how best to pull all these together to produce a print worthy of being called ?art?.

Matthew Smeal is a fine art black and white photographer and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. His work can be viewed on his website at http://www.matthewsmeal.com

Best Digital Photography Wedding

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

The wedding is one of the most memorable occasions between two lovers. The years may go by since that day but people will be able to remember as long as pictures were taken.

More people are investing in digital cameras. This is because the images can be stored in the computer or in a compact disc that will not be damaged through time when the pictures are placed in an album.

The images captured can be edited on the digital camera instead of wasting the paper used in developing a bad picture.

Another thing, which makes digital photographer better, is that the person can take a lot of shots without having to reload and change the roll of film. The time it takes to replace it may make the individual miss the right shot that can never be done again.

Here are some tips for those who want to use a digital camera during the wedding.

1. The individual should pay attention to the background before taking the shot. There is no question the couple will look good but this can all change if the area where it is taken is not.

Things that should be avoided when taking the lovers or any of the guests is a cluttered area. This will make it easier for the viewer to see who is the picture focused on when these are ready after the wedding.

2. Some of the guests may be wearing glasses. This might cause bright flashes to come out when the pictures come out so this can also be avoided by making some changes. The people in the photograph can tilt the head down or to the side so this will not happen.

3. The best way to get a great shot will be to know when it is appropriate to take. This doesn?t only happen when people are looking at the camera but also in those candid moments.

4. The person will probably shoot more than a hundred shots during the wedding. After each shot, it is best to review the image on the LCD screen so this can be edited if it isn?t good and another one can be taken.

Photography has come a long way from the conventional form that was done for so many years. It has given people the opportunity to become an amateur photographer that could be just as good as a professional one.

Those who want to save on getting an expert should invest then in a digital camera so that a family member or a relative will be able to get the best shot.

Low Jeremy maintains http://digital-photography.articlesforreprint.com. This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

Digital Photography and Its Advantages

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

Gone are the days when one has to buy films, put up with bad or exposed shots and waste money having them developed. The creation of digital cameras has changed the landscape of photography not only for enthusiasts but also for beginners.

In fact, with the features of digital cameras, beginners can already make professional-looking shots and even put effects that are only reserved before to those who have done photography for a long time or those who have actually studied the techniques. Below is a rundown of some of the advantages of digital camera.

Zooming in

One advantage that digital cameras present is its zooming lens, that provide clarity even when shooting far away objects. Point and shoot cameras that are often used by beginners do not have this feature. Additional lens will have to be placed on the camera. But now, digital cameras have special lens that can zoom up to 8 megapixels.

No mistakes

Digital cameras allow users to erase shots that they feel are not good enough. This is perhaps one of the greatest features of digital technology. Now, people are able to choose not only the shots that they will develop but also those that they will keep. This is a huge savings not only on the film but also with developing.

No more films

With digital technology, one does not need films anymore. Picture files may be stored in memory sticks and in the camera?s internal memory. What is more, one can store digital files of the pictures. And unlike films, which may easily be destroyed, digital files are not as easily lost when stored properly.

Effects

Digital technology in cameras allow for the use of several techniques in photography that one will not be able to do if one is using a standard camera with film. One can shoot in black and white and sepia with just a click of the mode buttons. There is no need to develop them in the dark room in a special way. Digital cameras also allow photographers to shoot in macro settings, something that ordinary cameras would not have done.

No more developing

With digital cameras, you don?t have to develop the pictures anymore or use a dark room. You can actually print the pictures at your own home with the use of a colored printer. No need to go to the developing center.

Low Jeremy maintains digital-photography.articlesforreprint.com .This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

How To Sharpen Your Digital Photography Images

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

Let?s start this digital photography lesson by looking at the digital camera. All digital cameras photograph images which have a normal pattern of pixels that make up this image. In some digital photography images a moir? effect is created. To avoid this, modern slr digital cameras come with an in built filter that givens a softer effect to the image.

When you are faced with having to sharpen a noisy digital photography image you?ll find that some photos are easier to sharpen than others. This might be caused from having a too higher ISO. The usual way of adding sharpness to a digital image has it problems too; it can actually increase the noise in your image quite a bit. To clarify this point, what is actually happening is the noise isn?t being increased as such, it?s being enhanced.

There is a way to sharpen noisy digital photo images without going into the noise itself. To begin with its important to understand colour modes in Photoshop. The easiest way we remember colour modes is when we think of RGB mode. This is a ?channel? of colours which are Red, Green and Blue. As I was taught by my good friend Lyndie Jeffry, there are more colour modes where your digital photo can be altered, adjusted and sharpened.

When I was first learning about digital photography Lyndie taught me that you can involve the CMYK mode which uses four colour channels. This stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. (Yes I know ?Black doesn?t start with a ?K?.)

Lyndie explained to me that the best one to use for this purpose is the L-A-B mode. LAB mode really just related to the 3 channels it uses. In a nutshell Lab stands for the individual channels. The ?L? really means ?luminance?, "A" the green-red aspect "B" the blue-yellow aspect. When working in LAB mode you can modify the brightness of your digital photo and keep the saturating and colours the same. The way this is possible is because practically no image information is depleted or lost when you convert to Lab mode. It also stays good when you convert back again, which is extremely handy. (Especially with highly valuable photos such as other peoples wedding photos.) Not everyone uses this, but it?s a neat trick with some digital images.

In some digital photography images you can simply choose to sharpen the L channel in LAB mode. By doing this much of the noise in the image is in the other channels that are usually not affected by this sharpening effect.

Now this may not work for every single noisy digital photography image you have. But in some situations it works very well. I suggest you try it to see the effect you give. I?ve used it a few times and it?s saved my ?you-know-what?. So if you?re in a tight spot with a noisy image, give this a go, you might be surprised with the results!

By Amy Renfrey

If you want to know how to get suberb clarity and detail in your digital photography just go to http://www.digitalphotographysuccess.com

Dodging and Burning in Digital Photography

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

'Dodging and Burning' are essential techniques to finish off any black and white image, especially useful for atmospheric or moody images. This is a fantastic method of producing black and white Landscapes in particular. It's a fairly simple technique that requires an image editing program like Photoshop, but most good editing programs have a 'Dodging & Burning' tool, which aren't too difficult to use. In simple terms, dodging and burning is a process of improving the light (dodging) or dark (burning) areas of a black and white image (mono). You can apply this technique to pictures digital images taken in black and white, or to those taken in colour and converted to mono later. It's great for improving contrasts and producing striking areas within the picture, however it's important to remember that although dodging and burning can be used to improve an image, it cannot work miracles, so your original image must be of a decent quality to begin with. We always suggest taking time to get the shot right when you take the snap. It'll make any editing easier and ultimately produce a better final image.

So how do we use the 'Dodging & Burning' technique? Firstly open your picture in a digital editing program and find the Dodging & Burning Tool. You might like to use the programs 'auto contrast' or 'one click fix' button first. This may just improve your image slightly before you start the dodging and burning. Its normally a good idea to let the program balance your image first in this way.

If you are able, it will be useful be to print a copy of your image first and mark the areas you want to enhance. A paper copy is easier to work with than the on screen version. Mark the areas of the printed version that are highlights and shadow. When Dodging & Burning you are trying to increase the contrasts in the picture, so having lots of grey areas isn't the desired effect. Also do not overkill the area selections. Choose a few areas you think could be improved, but be selective. Dodging & Burning should be very subtle so use no more than 6% opacity on the brush, and be sure to use lots of sweeping strokes to keep the effect even and blended. Using large brushes helps too, around 400 to 500 diameter soft brushes are best. The opacity and brush settings are variable in all editing programs that allow dodging and burning, so don't worry if your not sure what this means. You'll spot them when you select the dodge and burn tool. Most importantly, remember to only ever 'dodge' highlights and only ever 'burn' mid-tones and shadows. If you try to burn highlights you'll end up with a horrible dirty grey result, and dodging shadows and mid-tones only creates noise in the image, neither of which looks good.

Using the subtle settings mentioned above, apply the Dodging & Burning tool to the image ONLY on the areas you previously chose on the paper copy. Please don't get carried away with this as the final result will look harsh and artificial! Stick to the areas you chose and then once your done, print the image! Photo-paper and high quality printer settings will display your hard work best.

You may not notice too much difference..until you place your final print next to the original print. You'll be amazed at the improvement! Finally, this is a guide to standard 'Dodging & Burning' but as with every aspect of digital photography, experiment for your self! Try different images, try different opacities and try different brush types! The more you experiment and practice, the better you'll become, and the better you'll be at identifying areas of images that would benefit most from a little Dodging & Burning!

Are you interested in Digital Photography? Check out http://www.Your-Digital-Photography.com for a comprehensive site full of tips, tricks, tutorials, news and the latest reviews of digital photography cameras and equipment! Visit Your-Digital-Photography.com today!

Outdoor Photography

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If you are interested in beginning an interesting and exciting hobby while taking advantage of the outdoor opportunities of your city, it is time to consider buying a camera and photograph nature, people, sights, sports , landmarks, the sky, the sun and the landscape. The possibilities are endless and your intuition can lead you anywhere you believe you are going to take your next amazing photograph.

Being an amateur photographer, less than a year ago I decided to invest in buying a digital camera and a couple of extra lenses. Since then, I have taken more than 2,000 pictures of places and people trying to focus on what I wanted to portray and tell a story through the selected imagery. Although my photographic illustrations have not always been really great, I am extremely happy I decided to take this hobby as I have been walking the city streets since then looking with a different eye the things I have been crossing indifferently in the past.

Outdoor photography has evolved since the creation of the first photographic camera to an activity anyone can do as it offers tremendous possibilities and gives people the initiative to explore the unknown or known world with the eyes of a conscious observer.

During the summer, I usually go out looking for interesting spots to shoot my photographs and every digital album I create has a summer theme. The same I plan to do during the fall and winter times and in a year from now, who known, perhaps I will be able to show my photographic collection to friends, family and strangers in my first personal expedition.

Consider taking photography as a hobby as you can enjoy the fulfillment you will feel every time you press your camera's button. Moreover, your kids, friends or partner can act as the models of your frames and you will always save in your memory the times you will spend watching your children laugh while playing. Through the look of your camera you will become more conscious of your surroundings and you will remember how it feels to look at a tree or the sky and be content that you are alive and able to admire nature's miracles or humans' amazing constructions.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Outdoors, Recreation, and Fitness

Advertisement Photography

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

Tips for the advertisement photography market.

Advertisement photography is by far one of the most competitive forms of photography. This is mainly due to the fact that you can earn far more money than in any other aspect of photographic industry.

Every day companies pay millions of dollars on advertisement; with one goal - to sell their product. Companies want to tell the reader that their product is best - so you must be able to match this.

The photographers work must be to the highest technical quality and he/she must have the ability to create a masterpiece from something simple. Close enough is just not good enough. Close enough will not sell a product.

To become an advertisement photographer one must first understand the market and understand what the client is looking for. The best way of understanding this is pick up a magazine and look at the ads. Study each image. Study the images you see on billboards or images that are used to advertise movies.

Most parts of advertisement photography can be classed as still life photography. So if you are interested in taking images for the advertisement market your first job is to set up your own home studio. This can be a great place to practice.

Every thing in your home can be photographed. Start off with a few glasses. But remember you are not trying to make the glasses look nice - you are trying to sell them.

The second thing you need is a large format camera. Buy a range of the best lenses. Slide film is your best choice for advertisement photography. The client may want to blow up the images to a billboard size.

The most important thing when starting off is creating a portfolio of your work. This can be sent to advertising agencies or can be shown directly to a company. Always have a few copies on standby. Also set up a web page. On-line advertising is growing at a spectacular rate. Your portfolio should also consist of a different range of images.

If you are thinking of using an advertisement agency, get their guidelines from them. These should be very helpful to you in understanding the market. Dealing with a well established agency should be very profitable for you if your photography is to par.

Advertisement can be seen everywhere - and about eighty percent of all ads use photography. Most advertisement these days consists of a few words and a stunning picture that should attract the viewer's attention.TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer. He frequently writes for the shopping directory http://www.shop-4us.com and the photography directory http://www.goldprints.com To view or buy some of his images visit his on line gallery @ http://www.goldenirishlight.com

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

Underwater Photography: The Wonders Under the Sea

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

Underwater Photography: The Wonders Under the Sea
by Colin Hartness
http://www.asaphotography.com

The world of photography is an amazing one. Its been with us for quite a while now but it is constantly changing. Cameras are changing and improving. Methods of developing are changing and improving as well. We have digital cameras that allow people to take a view of their pictures immediately without traditional developing. Another change in the world of photography is underwater photography.

What do you think brings us those great shots of saltwater fish and movies that film in the ocean and under the sea? What about shots taken in swimming pools? You see those in the movies a lot but may not have thought about how they take those pictures and videos.

You probably never thought about it because for a long time underwater photography was not really an option for everyday people. But now it is not just an option, its really easy to achieve.

What is Underwater Photography?

Underwater photography is as the name implies photos that are taken under water. This is pretty interesting since early cameras could not function if wet. But as people started discovering the wonders under the sea, they wanted to be able to share that with others or even just to prove what they actually saw. So we began creating cameras that could work under water.

It is no surprise that underwater photography is a favorite pastime for scuba divers. The idea could have come from those few people that were able to experience the joys and beauty of underwater life and a desire to share that beauty with others.

There are many different occasions where people use underwater photography. As we mentioned earlier, underwater photography is used in Hollywood for movies. You have probably also seen it used on documentaries and national geographic type programs about underwater life.

But it is still most commonly used by divers. There are many websites dedicated to all the ins and outs of underwater photography; which cameras and lenses are best, which film to use, and much more can be found on these sites.

How to Take Underwater Photography

Equipment is an important factor in taking great underwater photography. Of course you will need an underwater camera but there is more than just that.

You can take some amazing pictures using underwater photography. There are now even disposable use underwater cameras and you can take them on vacation with you and get that great underwater look. Even an amateur can do it. Disposable underwater cameras can typically be developed at your local Wal-Mart or other film developing center. You can also purchase underwater cameras for more of a price but they last whenever you need one. Some people find this more economical than disposables, especially if they want to take these pictures often.

Just like other venues of photography, you will probably start off with a cheaper and less advanced camera and work your way up if you continue underwater photography for a long time. There are two basics kinds of cameras; the underwater or waterproof camera and the encased camera which is inside a housing that protects it.

When taking pictures, you are going to need to be familiar with:

Your camera
Your lens
Your film
Your flash
There are different things in your environment that will affect the quality of your underwater photography. Such as:

- Depth of water and transparency of water
- Light
- The angle of the sunlight on the top of the water
- The backscatter
- Water has a magnifying effect

These are some things to help you get started in the world of underwater photography. If you are lucky enough to be swimming in the sea, you should get some proof to share with others.
by Colin Hartness
http://www.asaphotography.com

The world of photography is an amazing one. Its been with us for quite a while now but it is constantly changing. Cameras are changing and improving. Methods of developing are changing and improving as well. We have digital cameras that allow people to take a view of their pictures immediately without traditional developing. Another change in the world of photography is underwater photography.

What do you think brings us those great shots of saltwater fish and movies that film in the ocean and under the sea? What about shots taken in swimming pools? You see those in the movies a lot but may not have thought about how they take those pictures and videos.

You probably never thought about it because for a long time underwater photography was not really an option for everyday people. But now it is not just an option, its really easy to achieve.

What is Underwater Photography?

Underwater photography is as the name implies photos that are taken under water. This is pretty interesting since early cameras could not function if wet. But as people started discovering the wonders under the sea, they wanted to be able to share that with others or even just to prove what they actually saw. So we began creating cameras that could work under water.

It is no surprise that underwater photography is a favorite pastime for scuba divers. The idea could have come from those few people that were able to experience the joys and beauty of underwater life and a desire to share that beauty with others.

There are many different occasions where people use underwater photography. As we mentioned earlier, underwater photography is used in Hollywood for movies. You have probably also seen it used on documentaries and national geographic type programs about underwater life.

But it is still most commonly used by divers. There are many websites dedicated to all the ins and outs of underwater photography; which cameras and lenses are best, which film to use, and much more can be found on these sites.

How to Take Underwater Photography

Equipment is an important factor in taking great underwater photography. Of course you will need an underwater camera but there is more than just that.

You can take some amazing pictures using underwater photography. There are now even disposable use underwater cameras and you can take them on vacation with you and get that great underwater look. Even an amateur can do it. Disposable underwater cameras can typically be developed at your local Wal-Mart or other film developing center. You can also purchase underwater cameras for more of a price but they last whenever you need one. Some people find this more economical than disposables, especially if they want to take these pictures often.

Just like other venues of photography, you will probably start off with a cheaper and less advanced camera and work your way up if you continue underwater photography for a long time. There are two basics kinds of cameras; the underwater or waterproof camera and the encased camera which is inside a housing that protects it.

When taking pictures, you are going to need to be familiar with:

Your camera
Your lens
Your film
Your flash
There are different things in your environment that will affect the quality of your underwater photography. Such as:

- Depth of water and transparency of water
- Light
- The angle of the sunlight on the top of the water
- The backscatter
- Water has a magnifying effect

These are some things to help you get started in the world of underwater photography. If you are lucky enough to be swimming in the sea, you should get some proof to share with others.

Looking for information about Photography?
Go to: http://www.asaphotography.com
'ASA Photography' is published by Colin Hartness -
An excellent resource for Photography!
Check out more Photography articles at: http://www.asaphotography.com/archive

 

Digital Photography

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

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