The Art Of Child Photography

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Child Photography is one of the most exciting opportunities to capture expressions, attitudes and individual uniqueness. The secret of child photography is to understand children and what children do, how they act and behave. Children are fun and exciting to work. They give us the most amazing looks and expressions naturally. All the photographer has to do is to allow the child to be, understand and capture the moments at the appropriate time and in the most appropriate light an settings. An experienced photographer will understand child photography. Children are very popular to photograph, they can often be challenging subjects. It's important that the photographer allows children to be children and have fun, remain uninhibited, playful and natural - after all, it's all about capturing your children's nature and uniqueness. Their successful approach is to let children be, so that their true essence can be captured with minimal direction and posing. Child Photography should be spontaneous and relaxed allowing for natural composition to evolve. To create the best results the child photographer should take many images so that the best moments are captured.

It's very important that your photographer provides a relaxed environment where your children are encouraged to relax and be themselves. This way, the photographer can capture the very best of them. Shooting candidly and spontaneously is part of the experience that you and your children will enjoy. This promotes confidence and individual expression.

Another thing to keep an eye out for when it comes to choosing a child photographer is to see what kind of equipment are they using. Is it the latest technology? You want to make sure the photographer is using high quality digital equipment, which ensures high definition images. Also make sure the photographer is fully trained to ensure a high quality of excellence in imagery. A good photography studio will provide an environment that is fresh, clean and welcoming. Also ambience and refreshments are always a nice touch.

Making your children feel comfortable and relaxed is the most important element and is important in creating timeless imagery. Ideally, your photographer should focus all their attention on your experience so that they can create the right mood and atmosphere that promotes outstanding photography.

Child Photography requires special props and clothing. Many photographers encourage individual family members to be dressed in the most appropriate clothing that represents their individuality and uniqueness. Their clothes tell us a lot about them. So it is important to dress them in a way that is matched and meaningful. Remember these images will be with you and your children for a long time so it is important to dress accordingly as some clothes can date.

Sometimes the minimalist approach offers the greatest opportunity for uniqueness. Props are kept to a minimum.

An expert in Child Photography will endeavour to capture any unique features of your children. From smiles, attitudes, expressions, emotions, laughter and togetherness and anything that is characteristic of your children is included.

Posing, placing and positioning for Child Photography is very important as is image design and style. Some photographers are well trained to allow this type of posing to occur naturally and capture these important attributes in a spontaneous and uninhibited way. It's important to take many images when it comes to Child Photography so that they can create and design some wonderful pieces of timeless art for your pleasure and enjoyment.

It's good also to find photographers who are experts at framing and composing images. You want their choices of settings and backgrounds to benefit and highlight your children's personality and uniqueness. Many have a range of studio backgrounds, but some often prefer working with simple backgrounds such as basic white or black. When photographing outdoors it is important not to make the backgrounds distract from the main focus, your children, but use the background to enhance your characteristics and individuality. Sometimes they use scenic character buildings, parks or seascapes to add to the composition.

Lighting is essential when it comes to child photography. The correct lighting can emphasis features and brings out the best in your children. Studio lighting is totally controllable so as to highlight or neutralize areas as required to ensure superb creative imagery.

Spontaneity, mood and feelings is what child photography is all about. Your photographer should create the mood and bring out the feelings that will become timeless memories forever. They should also encourage spontaneity at all times and make the photos unique, by capturing that special moment. This is the essence of Child Photography.

It is also essential that the photographer's professionalism is guaranteed. A professional will understand how important it is to maintain their client's confidentiality and privacy. They should also know how much your images mean and value them, you and all their clients very highly. Security and privacy is should be guaranteed.

Ideally, while the images are being created the portrait photographer is visualizing the effect of the photography in colour, monotone or sepia tone. The images taken can also undergo digital enhancements and retouching to make sure that every detail is as perfect as you would like it. Blemishes or slight imperfections can be removed so as to enhance the end result.

Many photographers offer an extensive range of album presentations and framing to enhance your Child photography. The end result will then be tailor made and presented in beautiful albums and frames. The packaging and presentation of your images is designed to enhance the expression of the timeless moments created, guaranteeing value and longevity.

It is important to remember your children and their personal journey in a way that can be treasured forever. Sibling relationships are also captured and become powerful and very valuable as we age. Images are timeless, powerful and beautiful.

Child photographer Vittorio Natoli is the award-winning owner of Viva! photography franchises, specialists in child photography.

Basic Skills In Digital Photography

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Basically, there is not much difference between using a digital camera and a manual camera. In fact, most experts believe that using a digital camera actually spoils the photographer, making everything so easy for him. Still, there are many who remain daunted by the prospects of using a digital camera especially when their training comes mainly from manual photography.

There are a number of skills that one needs to learn before switching to the digital format. Read through and find out some of the things that you need to develop.

Computer skills

Digital photography involves dealing with computers. In fact, operating the digital camera is like operating a small computer. There are functions that are actually similar to the computer like formatting and delete and a whole lot of other things. You need to be familiar with the functions in order to be able to maximize the digital camera.

In addition, you also need to be really familiar with computer when storing your picture files and adjusting your photos. With this, you need to be able to perform computer tasks such as cutting, pasting, copying, renaming and opening and closing of files and folders.

There are a number of good books that provide tutorials that will enhance computer skills as well as teach you some of the basics in using the computer with regards to photography. Some books in photography, digital photography will for sure contain sections that deal with computers.

Knowledge in graphic programs

One can actually adjust photos and create a whole lot of effects with the use of graphic programs such as Photoshop. One can actually change the size of the photo, alter the pixels and even change the format into different file types. One good thing with digital cameras is the fact that one can actually alter the pictures taken before printing it.

With the use of these programs, one can erase flaws, sharpen some features of the photo, blur the background and even transfer one photo with another. If one is really good, you can even create one new photo by cutting different elements in various photos and put them all together.

Working knowledge with the various functions of the camera

As mentioned before, working with a digital camera is similar to working with a small computer. In order to maximize the digital camera, you need to master the functions including adjusting the various levels such as the shutter speed, the brightness, the contrast. There are even digital cameras that you can actually use as a manual camera; you just need to learn to adjust the functions.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on photography & other useful information, please visit http://photography.articlekeep.com

Essentials Of A Photography Lab

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When people take a picture, this has to be brought to the shop so it can be developed. When a professional photographer takes shots, some of these individuals have a photography lab inside where this can be done.

But the photography lab is better known as the dark room. This term is given because the film can only be extracted under dim conditions rather than opening this and having the film exposed.

But how does the process from shooting a picture become an image? For this, the dark room must have the proper equipment in order for it to be developed.

Upon taking this out of the camera, the film, which is called a negative, is placed on a holder. Once in place, this can now be made bigger using an enlarger. Most models come with a timer to be able to regulate the amount of light on the image.

Photographic paper is what people receive when the shots have been developed. This is held using an easel and the light from the enlarger will make this image appear on paper. To avoid making any mistakes, a n image magnifier is used to double-check the settings before proceeding to the next stage of the process.

After a few minutes, the finishing touch will be putting this on a developing tray that has some chemicals in it that will make the picture clearer. This is hung to dry and when completed, can be shown to people.

People will usually get two things from the developer. The first are the pictures which may come in 3? x 5?, 5? x 7? or larger. The second are the negatives, which must be brought again to the shop so this can be redeveloped.

The practice of developing film hasn?t changed that much through the years. The only difference is perhaps the age of digital photography that has allowed individuals to develop this using a printer. This has given hobbyists and others the option of having the developing done in dark room or done at home.

The dark room doesn?t occupy that much space in the studio. It should just be enough to set the equipment and hang the pictures to complete the entire process. Those who find this too difficult can just have this done somewhere else.

The person shouldn?t feel bad asking others for help because some of the well known photographers in the field have been doing this more frequently due to time constraints and other projects.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on photography & other useful information, please visit http://photography.articlekeep.com

Basics Of Macro Photography

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Ever wondered how a photographer is able to get blown up pictures of a frog that is less than an inch long? What about a close up picture of living tissue or a postage stamp?

There is no magic to how this is done. An ordinary 35mm. camera can do this but if the hobbyist wants to get down on things, using something that is 100mm. or higher is better. This art is known as called macro photography or ?photomacrography.?

Macro photography is nothing new. Before digital cameras were invented, people would shoot using a regular model then enlarge this according to the actual size of the object after it is developed.

This takes time and the new versions out in the market are better because images taken can be viewed on screen and deleted if this does not satisfy the photographer. This saves time and effort on the part of the individual who will have to have to this again if the picture isn?t that great.

The trick to getting these pictures is to shoot as close to the object as possible. Some people might say why not zoom in with the camera but the images are just satisfactory because the background just gets in the way. Photomacrography allows the user to shoot and have a larger image.

Even if people now use digital cameras, the rules for taking pictures are still the same.

1. The aperture must be adjusted to achieve the right frame during each shot.

2. The lighting must be balanced to bring out the true color of the image. If the lamps or the sun are not enough, perhaps having reflectors in the background can make this happen.

3. The use of flashes may at times be the only to get the right shot. The person can use a flash meter and test firing the camera a couple of times to be sure it is precise.

4. The object is usually taken in many angles to get the perfect shot. Those who don?t have steady hands then should use a tripod.

5. Equipment must be stored and cleaned properly to enable the photographer to use this again in the future.

There are books and seminars for those who want to learn more about photomacrography. It will be a good idea for the hobbyist to read and participant in such functions to be able to interact with professional photographers and excel better in this art.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on photography & other useful information, please visit http://photography.articlekeep.com

The Top Five Reasons To Switch To Digital Photography Now

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Consumers are clearly switching over to Digital photography from film photography in droves. All you have to do is take a look at the number of ads for digital cameras and compare them to those that you find for film cameras these days. It becomes very obvious then that digital photography is the wave of the future. What if you're still using film to take your snapshots and photos though? Well here are the top five reasons that you should start seriously considering switching over to digital photography in the near future.

1. Perhaps one of the most outstanding features of digital photography that makes it so much easier and more convenient for the average person is that you can actually see the photo or snapshot that you just took in the viewfinder of your digital camera. This is an invaluable aid to help you make sure that you get the shot that you want. With film cameras, you have to wait until the film is processed and developed to know whether it actually got the shot that you intended. And by then, its usually too late to do anything about it. But a digital camera gives you immediate feedback and lets you see exactly the photo that you just took. If it didn't turn out the way you want, just delete it and try again until you get it right. Now isn't that easy?

2. A second big advantage of digital photography is the ability to print out your photos almost immediately. With film cameras, you have to take the film to be developed, and then go back to pick them up. Even with a one-hour photo store, it still takes longer than with digital photos. In fact, if you have a digital photo printer, all you have to do in many cases is just connect your camera to the printer and press a button.

3. Another huge benefit of digital photography is the ability to edit and change your photos and snapshots in any way that you desire. Because the photos are in digital files, they can be opened in photo editing software programs that let you adjust the image in lots of ways to make it better. For instance, you could crop out sections of the photos that you don't particularly care for, or you could adjust the brightness or contrast of the snapshot to your heart's content. There's lots more that can be done with a good photo editing software package. And all of this gives you far more creative control over the finished product than you could ever get with film cameras.

4. There are lots of products on the market today that let you unleash your creative side too, and turn your digital photos into coffee mugs, T-shirts, greeting cards and so much more. You can make calendars out of your family photos if you wish, and all of this creativity is due to the fact that the files are in digital format allowing you to use them in a variety of ways other than just printing them on photo paper.

5. Finally, one of the great advantages of digital photography is the fact that you can quickly and easily share your photos and snapshots with friends and family no matter where they are around the world by e-mail. Try doing that with your film camera. Of course, you can have your film photos converted into digital format but that is an added expense that is just not necessary for digital photographers.

As you can see digital photography has opened up a whole new horizon for the average person, making photography easier, and letting then take much higher quality photographs at the same time. We hope you will agree that there is no better time than now to make the switch to digital photography.You can find out how to buy digital camera online and about digital camera technology by visiting our Digital Photography website.

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 http://www.photography-tips.org and http://www.digitalcamera-reviews.net - Free sites that offer photography tips and camera reviews.

Improving your Wildlife Photography

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

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

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

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

2. Use proper camera support

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

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

3. Get that prime lens

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

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

4. Spend time in the right places for wildlife photography

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

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

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

5. Get some action into those photos

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

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

Guide to Good Wedding Photography

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You should be able to find several indispensable facts about Wedding Photography in the following paragraphs. If there's at least one fact you didn't know before, imagine the difference it might make.

It's your wedding...one of the most beautiful days in your life. How else can you make the perfect occasion last? Capture the momentous event with great wedding photographs. Read this guide to make sure you choose the right wedding photography service for your big day.

The first thing to do is to give the most opportunities for the photographer when scheduling activities during the wedding day. When planning the time of the wedding ceremony and of the reception, couples should incorporate the time that the photographer requires to capture all of the couple's special moments. There should be a gap between the end of the ceremony and beginning of the reception, to allow for more photographs for the bride, groom and wedding entourage, especially if they are in two different locations. The photographers and subjects will have a more relaxed shoot and will enjoy all the parts of the wedding if the events are well spaced out.

Next, think of important factors when selecting a wedding photographer. The photographer should be able to show more than one complete set of wedding photos. Couples should not accept someone who shows only selected prints of their best photographs from different weddings. Ideally, all photographs from 3 to 4 complete wedding sets that are at least satisfactory should be a criterion of a professional wedding photographer.

It is also good to have a photographer that gives a package with unlimited coverage for the whole day. Again, this way, photography will not be rushed.

Next, try to be aware of photography companies or individuals that contract out jobs to a pool of wedding photographers or even freelancers. Salespersons often pose as actual photographers and try to smoosh customers. Make sure companies deal openly, and ask them to show 3 to 4 complete weddings from each of the photographers they offer you, so you can choose. Make sure the one chosen is the one that will cover your wedding. Otherwise, it is better to find a photographer that personally shoots weddings. A two-person team is an even better package because two points of view of the wedding can be taken. This is a huge plus if your budget will allow.

Some photographers only offer the traditional wedding photography style, or strictly a photojournalistic style. It is best to find a versatile photographer that can do both.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and Wedding Photography experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to Wedding Photography.

Lastly, couples should take note of some important questions to ask a prospective wedding photographer:

1. Are colored and black and whites included, or would he charge extra for B/W? Dramatic effects can be made with black and white photographs, so ask if this is a premium.

2. Are hand and digital coloring or digital color separation included in the package or would he charge extra for these? Better pictures are developed when the photograph colors are separated first, improved, and then printed.

3. What kinds of cameras does he use? Does he use medium format equipment and have a back up? Does have a "leaf" shutter or "focal plane"?

4. What lenses does he use? Does he use only one, or will he change lenses? Make him show you photo effects that he is able to achieve with different lenses and choose the ones which you like to appear with your photographs.

5. Is he willing to customize a package that is within your budget?

Asking intelligent questions will encourage photographers to deal openly with customers. Remember, it's your special day, and you should make sure that the wedding photography is something that will help you and your loved ones relive those wonderful memories.

Of course, it's impossible to put everything about Wedding Photography into just one article. But you can't deny that you've just added to your understanding about Wedding Photography, and that's time well spent.

Hi, my name is George and have been online for aproximately three years and have reasearched several subjects to find areas where I have a vested interest. One is Photography. I hope you enjoy all the (FREE) information available on my website: http://www.wedding-planning-discounts.com/ If later on you need info about:http://babygiftshowers.com/Iether way I hope you enjoy. Thank you and Godbless.

Photography Tips - Lighting your Subject

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Lighting your subject is, obviously, very important for the successful capture of the 'perfect' image. The type and intensity of the light can dramatically change the mood of the photograph. Sometimes the effect is not obvious until the picture is developed. Even with the digital camera, although you can see an image immediately, the size of the view screen makes it difficult to notice some of the differences.

The best way to learn how light affects the final image is to experiment - ah the joy of the digital camera - you don't have to wait to get the film developed to see the results! Try taking pictures with and without the flash. Try using alternate sources of light. Try using settings other than the camera default settings.

1. Taking pictures with/without a flash Many cameras have an automatic flash setting that I find most people used 99% of the time. This may not always get you the result you want. For example, on a very bright day your flash will not fire as your camera senses enough light. However, you may find that the shadows cast are very strong and detract from the photo. Most digital cameras today have a setting called 'fill flash'. You can use this setting to 'fill' in the shadows created by the strong sunlight.

The opposite of this is to not use the flash when the camera wants to use it. Each year at Halloween I love to carve pumpkins. I try to create a new design every year and take photos of them. I take them out to the front step (in the dark), light the candles and position my self so that the flame is hidden behind the design but the light comes shining through. If I were to use a flash, all I would see would be an orange pumpkin with stuff carved out - not what I want. If I turn off the flash, I can then take a great photo that shows the design as glowing against the dark pumpkin.

2. Alternate source of additional light (other than your flash)

Instead of using the flash to illuminate your subject, try reflected light. Aluminum foil is a great reflector of light and is cheap, lightweight and easy to carry. During a walk in the woods, I found a small group of delicate pink flowers growing on a moss-covered stump. There was no direct light on the flowers and a flash would have completely washed out the colour. I used my trusty piece of aluminum foil to reflect the light falling to the ground a few feet away towards the flowers. You can adjust the amount of light by moving or crumpling the foil.

3. Different settings

The default settings are not always the best. If you are taking a photo of people with dark skin (not a portrait but a photo including most if not all the body) and you use the automatic settings, you may find that there is little detail in their faces. Opening the shutter by one f-stop (maybe more if they are really dark) should give you the light you need to show their faces. On the other hand, let's say you have a scene where you have some brightly colored leaves against a dark background. If there is a fair amount of the dark background showing, using the automatic settings will most likely overexpose the leaves, losing the vibrancy of the colour. In this instance, closing the shutter by one f-stop (or so) will bring capture the bright colours. Remember that your light meter sets your camera to give you a 'mid-gray' exposure. If your subject and background are quite different in value, then the default settings are probably not going to give you the best results.

For your experiments to have lasting value, record them. I carry a small coil notebook that I can use to note anything different I do. Some of the things I note include:

Identify your photos - In addition to numbering them, for the first photo of a group of experiments, I describe it so I will know which one it is when I get around to looking at them. For me, this is the most reliable way to know to which photos my notes belong as the camera date is usually set off and I may take photos for days before downloading.

Note the ambient light conditions - indicate the type of light (direct sunlight, full shade, light overcast, 60 watt bulb etc) and the direction of the light in relation to your subject (from right to left, front to back, etc). If you have an SLR camera, note any variations in f-stop or shutter speed you make from those derived from using your light meter.

When you have developed your photos (or downloaded them) look at the results and draw your conclusions about what worked and did not, what effects you liked and what you did not. Think about what you were trying to capture in the photo and whether the lighting you used enhanced or detracted from it.

Use your imagination and try these techniques - you have nothing to loose and you may just have more fun with your camera!

B.L Hill has been taking photographs for over forty years using a variety of equipment and media. For more articles and some great ebooks visit the Photography Tips website.

Digital Photography: Choosing Your Camera

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This information is http://www.santaclausca.com and Loring Windblad. References for this article include the author's personal knowledge and experience. Additional information references with first article. This article may be freely copied and used on other web sites only if it is copied complete with all links and text, including this header, intact and unchanged except for minor improvements such as misspellings and typos.

OK, you have read my article Digital Photography: The Basics, and checked out all the references above and their good information, and you are ready to decide on your new camera. The final pieces of choosing your digital camera are determining just what you are going to use the camera for and how much money you have available to invest in your camera. Your considerations should be 1) your purpose for using the camera, 2) quality of product (particularly the lens), 3) megapixel rating of the camera and 4) buy the best camera you can afford.

Are you really ready to buy just yet? Well, maybe, then again, maybe not? Your overriding consideration for this purchase must be quality of image. Almost equally of importance is your intended use. Are you going into photography as a professional? As an amateur? To make video records? Still image records? A combination of still and video? How much local processing will you be doing on your pictures - i.e., color corrections, readying them for internet use, putting them into just libraries or creating presentations with them? How many pictures will you be taking at a time; i.e., how much memory will you need for your camera before you dump the pictures onto your computer?

Do you need a video camera which will provide JPG stills? Do you need a video camera which will provide both JPG stills and MPG video as well as regular video? Do you need a still camera (JPG) which will provide you AVI or MPG video clips? Or do you need a professional quality SLR which will provide JPG still images only?

Simply saying "I'm going to get the best, most expensive, digital SLR I can find" doe not mean this camera will meet your photographic needs. What if you want, or need, both digital stills and digital video? Check both of my video presentations at http://www.santaclausca.com. Note the sound problems in the first one which has partially been corrected in the second one.

First, I am no longer involved in professional photography except coincidentally. So I guess that means "Yes, I am involved in professional photography" - at least as far as the above link goes, with my Santa Claus work. We started with my wanting a good quality 35mm SLR when we got married. And I replaced it with a better one a few years later. Then we decided we wanted to add video, and got a high-end JVC VHS camcorder, one of the new smaller ones. A few years into that and we decided to go with digital video. We went with a Sony TRV 140. It gives us Digital Video on Digital 8 tape; it also provides us with JPG still images in the 640x480 range at about 125 kb each and 15-second video MPG, both on the "memory stick". However, the "quality" of the still images is the equal of a 2 to 4 megapixel still camera which produces images in the .6 to 1.2 megabyte range.

This was such a great improvement over the VHS camcorder that I purchased a second Sony TRV 150 a year later, which is even better in some respects. Image quality is very high. We can make a video and take still images without interrupting the video at all. We can make 1-minute long video MPG directly on the memory stick with the JPG images. And with our new computers we can take the video output directly off the camera and onto our computers in a digital video format.

I added a cheap Mercury 3.1 mp digital camera and it was nice but overall very unsatisfactory, and very slow recovering from taking a picture and getting ready for the next picture. I found a discontinued Minolta 2 mp digital camera for a reasonable price that actually took better pictures, had a 3X optical zoom lens (the equivalent of 35mm to 135mm lens on a 35mm SLR) and was not so slow on recovery and readying as the Mercury. It was also less susceptible to blurring if you did not hold it perfectly still - a better shutter action.

Later I found on an eBay auction a Fuji 2.2 mp digital camera which I accidentally won high bid on? Hah! That'll teach me to play around with bidding on my account before I know what I'm doing. It could have been a financial disaster but I knew the price of the camera retail ($299) and the price I bid ($150) and I actually got a pretty good deal. Particularly when there were 9 others of the same Fuji model and none of them went for under $220 each.

I have learned some differences between my Minolta and Fuji. These include 4 AA batteries for the Fuji and 2 AA batteries for the Minolta. This boils down to a brighter flash and better flash results from the Fuji over the Minolta. It also makes for slightly less lag time moving from one function to the next and a faster shutter time (less delay) when you take a picture. The resultant pictures are about 865 mb compared to 675 mb from the Minolta. But if I need audio on the AVI video clips the Fuji does not provide it. I have to use the Minolta for audio tracks on the video clips.

I'm actually very satisfied with both cameras, and with the two Sony digital video cameras as well. And while the digital still image quality from the Sony jpg's is very high, the 125 kb size does not allow printing of anything larger than 4"x6" while I can print very satisfactory 8"x10" pictures from both the Fuji and Minolta cameras. I have two 256 MB SD memory sticks for the Fuji and Minolta digital cameras, each of which provides about 285 pictures. Nice for trips somewhere. And I have a 128 MB and 64 MB chip as well.

As to the Sony video cameras, they do come in handy. We do most of our picture taking with the Memory Stick and JPG/MPG pictures and video clips. This is a lot of fun and makes for nice memories. A few times, however, I have been called upon to take videos of presentations, 1-2-3 hours long. The Sony video cameras come in very handy for those, too. But on trips or traveling around, my sweetie usually carries the Sony while I carry the digital and film still cameras.

We actually chose the Hi8 digital format when we purchased our Sony cameras a few years ago; were we to make the same decisions today we would simply go with the straight digital format instead of Hi8. For the Sony's, we have two 64 MB memory sticks for the TRV-140 and we have two 256 MB memory sticks for the TRV-150. If we did no video clips at all the 256 MB memory stick would give us almost 2000 jpg images and make a standard 1-hour-per-tape home movie at the same time. Three hours of video plus 2000 still pictures would cover a very long trip.

However, when I really need versatility and the highest quality possible, I continue to use my 35mm Minolta film camera. It takes about 20 mp of digital picture to equal the quality of the 35mm film results - and we aren't there yet. The last I checked we were at about 12 mp for digital quality. So I still shoot a lot of film; I just process it anymore by having it put right to CD in digital format, with no prints. I usually start out any trip we take with 10 rolls of 35mm film of the finest grain I can get by with - ASA 100.

So lets take one final look at the "image quality" question. 125 kb from the Sony, as high quality as the lenses are, simply does not compare to 675 or 865 kb from the Minolta and Fuji still cameras. Nor do they compare even remotely to the 925 kb pictures I get from the film. And that's a bone of contention for me because 2 years ago my film pictures came back at about 1.5 mb each; then all of a sudden a couple of years ago they started coming back at 1.1-1.2 mb and for the last year plus they are in the 900 kb range? The quality is still good, but we're dealing with pixels here rather than film grain.

If you have any kind of angled surface - i.e., any angle not either vertical or horizontal - you will have a low-resolution result. The reason is that pixels are squares. When my film (dots of color) is converted to digital (squares of color) I lose the higher resolution capability of dots to produce angled and curved lines.

OK, you say, I've got 8 megapixels. That gives me much better resolution than your 2.2 megapixels? Well, yes it does but not near as good as my film camera provides! Nor good enough to make 18X24 or 24X30 prints. 12 megapixels still only gives us high quality at 11X14 or perhaps 16X20. The reason is that as the little squares of color become visible they tend to blur the edges of angled and rounded objects whereas the dots from a film negative tend to keep those same lines sharp. So even though the film gives me higher resolution, the conversion to digital format costs me some resolution.

There's one more important factor that goes into this matter before you decide on your particular camera needs. This is the difference between optical zoom and digital zoom. Let's say that you get a camera with 3X optical and 4X digital zoom and they "sell you" on this model because it is "effectively 12X zoom"! And well, yes, it is "effectively 12X zoom"! But just what does that mean? Not all that much.

The optical zoom part is the only important factor. Typically a 3X optical zoom on a digital camera would give you a lens that corresponded to 35mm x 135 mm focal length on a 35mm camera - i.e., wide angle to short telephoto (actually what used to be known as a "portrait" lens). What the digital feature actually does is not enlarge your image but enlarge your pixels. This actually reduces the quality of the resultant picture because it is reducing the total number of pixels per square inch in your final product. The other downside of digital zoom is that you must put your camera on a tripod and make sure you don't jiggle it when you snap the shutter - otherwise you will definitely get blurred pictures.

As you can see, choosing your camera or cameras to fit your needs is not all that quick and easy and may actually involve owning more than one camera. Maybe several cameras. But for your still image work you should choose a camera that has at least 6X to 10X optical zoom (totally disregarding any claims for digital zoom) and 4-5 megapixels or larger image. Also, make sure that the camera has a mike pickup for digital video sequences. You don't need to use this capability but you can't use it if you don't have it.

So now you have your cameras and you need to know what to do with the pictures? Well, see my next article, Digital Photography: Using Windows XP (to manage your digital pictures).

Loring Windblad worked as a freelance photographer for more than 20 years. He and his wife presently own and regularly use 1 VHS camcorder, 2 digital 8 camcorders and two digital still cameras. His latest business endeavor is at: http://www.santaclausca.com

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How to Easily Select the Important Photography Category for Your Home Based Business

         >>  Digital Photography Secrets Revealed <<

 

You may have already started to make money from your photography, but if you are still a gifted amateur, then there are effective methods you can use to kick start your chances of making a profit. At the present time there has never been more opportunities for the photographer. New technologies in the form of digital cameras are changing the face of the industry. However that has always been the case for photographers, and it is no reason to get discouraged.

It has never been easier for the amateurs to take their own photographs. However there are certain circumstances where it is harder than others. An example here is pet photography. There are plenty of people living alone, who have pets, and whilst they can photograph their pets it is far harder to get a photograph of them with their pets. Advertise locally to take pet photos, or take a walk in your nearest park and ask people. If you use a digital camera, you can advertise to people that not only can they have a copy of their pets, as a photograph, but they can have it on their desktop as wallpaper. Digital online printing services will also print the photo on postcards. Get some done and then post them to friends or relations overseas. mugs and serve them in your house to pet owners and see how long it is before someone else wants one.

There are other possibilities, with the tee shirts and mugs, some people will want their own photographs on a tee shirt with perhaps their own caption, advertise these services locally through the means of small ads.

Have some business cards printed, and go and cover local sporting events and contests, there is always someone without a camera, especially if they win, they will want a photograph. Or you may like to consider joining a local society, and advertising yourself as a photographer, there is nothing as effective as word of mouth advertising, all the money paid for advertisements cannot beat it!

Be aware of local activities that take place in your area that you can capitalise on. Graduations are an occasion when people wish to have a more formal record. The cost of graduating itself is so high that what is the cost of a formal portrait in comparison. Especially if you have a digital camera and have no film, you can almost use it in a speculative manner. In other words there are a lot of people together who constitute a market. If you photograph them all then the chances are that you will sell about 40% of your work. There is always someone who has a jammed camera, or in the wrong place, or even proud grandparents who do not possess a camera.

Not everyone lives down the Road from the Taj Mahal, or Gracelands, but many of you will live near a landmark that attracts photographers. Many people will have their cameras but they will not necessarily be digital. If you have a digital camera you should be able to show people a photograph they want in front of something. These photographs, though time consuming to start with, are a start on the photographic market ladder.

Join a photographic club, and talk to other photographers who are making money now. Not only will you make contacts, but you will have the opportunity to refine your techniques. Even in this digital age, it is vital that you keep abreast with technology, and you will be able to compare the value of equipment, that is being used now.

If you have a digital camera, take it in your local nightclub, there is always one in any time, which are new and trendy, take photographs of the range of cocktails on offer. Attractive looking drink will sell better with a photograph, see if you can sell the photographs, or better still negotiate a price for new printed menus. Speak with other local businessmen and see if they can improve their marketing techniques with the use of photographs. A second hand car dealer can increase his business potential with the use of photographs.

Remember when you are starting to make money from photography that you may feel as though you will attract more market share if you sell your work cheaply. Before you take this strategy though, think about some of the implications. It will have a short-term increase that is for sure, but in the long term how many businesses and families want to hire the cheapest photographer in town. People know that they rarely get good quality for super cheap prices and photos,...well, they're special items to most people. Don't be too expensive but don't be cheap either!

Your technical ability is sufficient to represent your clients marketing in a visual statement, that requires more than point and shoot. Do not sell these skills short. You have to be aware of the hidden costs of doing business; all to often it is easy to absorb a little loss of profit, because it is only small. These costs can add up to a sizeable amount. Ask other local photographers price their market, this may seem a strange technique, but they have a vested interest in not letting a new comer under price their market.

Take into account your realistic overheads, that is the depreciation of your equipment, your insurances, legal fees, accountancy fees, repairs, travel time and costs, subscriptions, and possible rent, both of equipment and studio space. Educate your client explain to them what the higher technology costs, but also what it can offer them. All businesses have to be made more profitable, and it is difficult but not impossible to find a balance between the price you need to charge, and the price the customer will pay, the more the client understands new technology, the less likely they are to balk at paying for it. After all it is cheaper to ride a bike to work than invest in a new car, but who realistically wants to do it.

It is a good idea to sit down and write a business plan to define where you want to go and define your target audience. This is a good marketing strategy; it stops you wasting time effort and money, targeting areas that will provide you with little or no return.

Publisher & author: Roy Barker. A 40 page guide to many more important & exciting categories of potential photography businesses are revealed at http://photography-business.blogspot.com Roy is the author of the popular ebook, Income from Photography - a downloadable ebook which guides the reader on how to easily start up and market your profitable photography business. It can be found at www.profitable-photography.com.

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