Professional Photographers During Your Pregnancy

Babies grow fast. Pregnancy may seem to last a lifetime, but before you know it...it will be over. Your baby bump is going to continuously change all through the duration of your pregnancy. These are the moments in your and your child's life that you are going to want to record.

You can get pictures of your pregnancy to record your journey the whole way through. Before signs, at first signs and at full blown ready-to-pop stages can be recorded and put into an album for you. You will have documentation of the stages of your growing child before you even met them.

You will be able to show your friends, family and even your child the memories of your pregnancy for the rest of your years. Having photographs of your pregnancy is a blessing because you can send the pictures on baby shower cards, hang them in your house, put them in a scrap book or photo album or even make Christmas cards with them.

Having a professional photographer behind you during your pregnancy will really improve your experience. Just knowing your situation will be permanently recorded has been known to make people that much more excited for the new little family member to arrive. Professional photographers know what they are doing and work hard to get the best shots of you that they can to enhance the excitement and beauty. They can direct creativity for you unless you have something in mind that you would like them to help you perfect.

An idea would to have you in a profile position with strong lighting. Being nude and having your little pot highlighted in just the right way to accentuate your bundle of joy is going to really look superior and create the high-profile image.

Another idea would be to have a silhouette on the beach during the sunset. Your baby will be in the spotlight while you're in paradise. Just imagine the waves behind you. The sun is glistening behind the water as the light fades down behind the horizon. It sounds just like a dream. Just the experience of taking the pictures is enough to want to be involved in it. Anywhere in the great outdoors is going to look beautiful and make your pictures come out the best that they can.

So many maternity sessions are photographed in the studio. Take a step back and think of how you could be original and exuberant rather than safe with your photos. Do you want the same photos that everyone else has? Or do you want something original and breath-taking for your special little one? Just something about being in the outdoors makes a sound gesture and just works in harmony with a pregnant belly.

Of course, photographs at home are amazing too. Having photos taken in the comfort of your own home will show an appealing relaxed vibe of you in your natural surroundings. It will really create natural memories of you with your child in real circumstances.

There are so many things that you can do when capturing those once-in-a-lifetime moments with your special child.

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Professional Studio Photographer Services

Are you planning a wedding? How about a baby shower? Do you need a new modeling portfolio? A professional studio photographer can provide you with shots of your most special moments showing them in the best light possible.

A photography studio has a list of many different services that will ensure you satisfactory in the sense that you will get what you came for. There are many packages available and different levels of photo shoots available.

On-site photography is when a photographer will come to your house and photograph you in your natural setting. You can have a full shoot done complete with set shots that are lit and make you look the best of your abilities. You will be lit professionally, helped with posing, wardrobe and hair and make-up. They will take a series of shots and decide with you which ones you would like retouched and added to the shots in your package.

Location shooting is a way to get shots with a lot of movement. Location shooting means that you and the photographer go to places like the beach, a park, the woods, a lake and more places like that. They are either naturally lit with the sun and light bounce screen, or a photographer will bring studio lighting along and flashes accompanied by different lenses and digital camera settings.

In-studio shots are shot with a backdrop where you will be given a set or a plain color backdrop. There you will be lit to perfection and helped with posing. You will be able to see all the shots on a digital screen, computer or the photographer will give them to you for looking over and choosing which ones you would like their company to edit and print for you.

Photographers' purpose is to make you look and feel great. They provide a product that you can't get on your own. Of course, you CAN get your own digital camera but the quality won't be as great. Photographers take time to edit their photos with editing programs and bring out the best qualities with their skills. They also have beautiful lighting equipment and camera lenses to use. They know how to light you just right to bring out the best.

With professional photographers you will be gaining the ability to look and feel great. Having a good photo shoot might be what you need to boost your self esteem. Find a photographer in your area and check out their portfolio.

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Save Time and Money With Do It Yourself Product Photography

So you've got a product that you're wanting to sell. You need some good photos and you need them done right or at least better than most of your competitors, right?

Some individuals and companies will spend thousands on photographing products and that's fine if you have the budget. This can be truly unreasonable or unfeasible for the small business or person trying to get their products off of the ground and to potential customer's eyes.

So here are a few tips for capturing some great shots of the products you want to sell without spending a fortune.

Clean your products

Nothing's worse than having a dusty product full of fingerprint smudges in product catalogs. Clean it up before shooting!

Analyze the setting and scene

First, let's start with the setting. Take the time to make a great environment for the product to be displayed in. You're going to want to block out background 'noise', meaning other items and things around that would distract from the attention of the item itself.

Sometimes this can be as easy as draping a blanket, sheet or other type of linen as a background and base for the product to sit on.

Background

Consider the colors. If your item is black, don't use a black backdrop. If it's white, don't use a white backdrop. Make your item stand out. Consider using your yard for an outdoors type product. You get the idea.

Lighting

Next, take a look at your lighting.

You're not going to want to use the built-in flash of your $100 camera.

That flash will create glare and flat lighting, obvious signs of amateur feel to the photos. So grab some lamps and put around some ambient lighting, that won't be shining directly on the item, but all over. Either put the light at an angle or put a piece of diffusing cloth (like a piece of thin, white cloth. This will create a clear shot from most angles.

If you have lamps that are fairly direct, aim them high toward the ceiling. This will soften the feel of the light. Keeping adding or taking away light as needed.

Do some test shots to check it before you really go at it. Once these things are in place, have fun taking shots from each and every angle that you, as a customer would want to see of the product.

These simple ideas should get you started to better product photography for your items.

Here's a surefire and free way to get better in photography within the next 30 days -

The lessons are so simple and straight-forward that you'll be able to start taking better pictures almost immediately after reading the tutorials.

By learning these fundamental and techniques in digital photography and flash photography, you'll be confident to take any kind of photographs in any situation with any camera you currently have. I strongly urge you to discover these free and useful lessons on the next page - Simple Photography Tips Every Week

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Canon EF 70-200mm F/2.8 L IS II USM Lens

In the Spotlight... Canon EF 70-200mm F/2.8 L IS II USM Lens

Technical Details
Large f/2.8 aperture allowing for excellent low light performance and shallow depth of fieldPart of Canon's acclaimed L series lenses4 stop Image StabilizerFluorite and UD elements minimise Chromatic AberrationRugged construction for greater durability

It took a lot of courage for me to spend so much money on this lens and I was in two minds for a while, but the more I read about this beauty and the more samples I saw the more I wanted it.

I did a few searches on 'best lens for wedding photography' and this lens came up time after time. All the photos which were taken with this lens were simply amazing and most of the bloggers claimed this lens coupled with the 5D MK 2 is probably the best combo when it comes to Wedding photography.

I tried hard to find bad reviews for this lens and told myself there's probably no bad reviews because people would be ashamed to admit they had spent a couple of grand on a poor lens but this simply wasn't true.

I have a few L quality lenses in my camera bag, but I've never used anything remotely this good before.

One thing to be aware of is this lens WILL draw attention as it isn't the most discreet lens in the world. This could either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what sort of person you are and where you're shooting. If your taking photographs in a civilised setting then you will be the envy of all the photographers at the event you're attending.

This is also a very heavy lens, something to consider if you plan on carrying it around all day in a wedding type scenario.

The lens comes with a solid lens hood, a tripod mount which is easily removable and a luxurious carry case which I have never used but it's nice to get something free off Canon once in a while.

Now, am not going to go in to any technical details for this lens since there's a million sites out there with all the information you need.

If you're on the fence and looking for someone to nudge you to buy this lens then consider this a big push.

So the final verdict...

I am totally addicted to the look of the images produced with this lens (most of the images on the main site have been taken with this lens) and I now take it everywhere. £1800 (current selling price) is a lot of money to spend on a single lens but once you've taken the plunge you will not regret it. This lens lives up to all the hype which surrounds it and I highly recommend it.

Read the article on the site

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Photography - Taking Better Zoo Pictures

Here are a few tips on how to take good pictures at the zoo. Everyone wants to take pictures when they go to the zoo. Here are a few points on how to make those pictures better.

Don't try to lug around a lot of equipment. Remember, you are at the zoo and probably around a lot of children and you are going to do a lot of walking!

· Don't bring a tripod. Chances are that it will get tripped over by a child. Most SLR digital cameras have a built in stabilizer to reduce camera shake. When you get ready to take the picture, take a breath and hold it, then snap your shot.

· Don't try to carry around a big camera bag. An SLR digital camera or even a good point and shoot digital camera with a small zoom capability will be just fine. The animals are put as close to you as safely possible by the zoo. If you have a gradient lens for your SLR camera, that will help reduce the glare from the glass and not wash out the sky.

· Do bring an extra camera battery. To catch that great shot, you are probably going to take several shots of the same animal and you are probably going to be there most of the day. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

· Do bring an extra flash card. It's rare that one goes bad, but again I would be on the safe side.

· Do bring some type of glass cleaner wipes. Windex has small packages of window cleaner wipes. Children and going to have put their little hands and probably noses, against the glass and you need to clean the glass to get a good, clear shot. (A small bottle of hand sanitizer wouldn't be a bad idea either, just because!)

· Do wear comfortable shoes!!! Remember you going to be doing a lot of walking!

The best times to take pictures at the zoo.

Try to time your trip during school hours. It will be a lot less crowded and you don't have to worry so much about tripping over little children while you are trying to take that perfect shot.

Go as early of a morning as you can. First thing of a morning the animals are being fed and are more likely to be outside their "dens" waiting for their food. It is also cooler earlier in the day and will be more likely to be out walking around. In the heat of the day, they are going to be resting either inside their "dens" or lying around in the shade.

If possible, try to go on a day that is going to be overcast. Hopefully you can choose a day that it doesn't rain, but the overcast skies will really help. You won't have to fight the light and shadows issue and your colors will be more subdued.

A few more tips...

Set your camera on multi-shot if you can. As the animals are walking around, you may get that great shot you weren't really expecting.

"Rattle their cage." You can call the animals, talk to them and make all the little noises you want to, to try to get them to either turn around or come towards you. It's not going to work. They hear that all the time and have learned to just ignore it. What they do pay attention to is either the sound of the cage being opened or the sound of keys. When I say, "rattle their cage", I don't mean to get aggressive with it, just try to make it sound like you are opening it. Jiggle your car keys. All these gates and enclosures have locks on them. They are used to hearing keys rattle when their food is coming in.

When taking pictures through glass, a gradient lens will really help adjust your pictures. Either with or without the lens, you want to put your camera lightly against the glass at about a 25% angle and shoot the picture. (Remember to have wiped the glass clean first.)

Don't worry about using your flash. The animals are very used to flashes and if it not allowed somewhere within the zoo, it will be clearly posted.

When taking pictures through fences or caging, get as close to the fence as possible. (Of course, stay within the safe boundaries set by the zoo.) You want your subject to be rather far away from the fence. This will let you zoom in on the subject and blur out the fence.

Well there are a few thing I hope will make your picture- taking trip to the zoo a little better! Remember, above all, make it fun. Oh! Watch the monkeys closely, because they like to throw poo! Have a great trip!

Sheila Brown is a professional photographer who writes articles on nature photography and equipment. To view some of Sheila's nature pictures, go to http://www.shopbeautifulnaturepictures.com/

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On Location Photography: Finding Interesting Places to Hold Your Photo Session

When I first started photography shooting strictly on location, a couple years back, finding a location for photo-sessions seemed to be such an obstacle for me. Where can I shoot that's really interesting and eye-catching? I asked myself. A few years later and much more knowledgeable, I can definitely say the background is not as important as you may think. It's all about drawing the eye to the subject/subjects with minimal distractions (usually). Now I don't mean to take some of the fun out of it, finding a suitable location and adding a personal touch is really a great thing. Aside from the obvious (parks, clients' home, etc.) here are some really great places to shoot that I have had luck with:

• Downtown: Live near a city or a trendy spot people like to hang out in? Just take a walk downtown sometime and find the many cool places you can capture in one 30 min-1 hr long session! (Parking garages, brick buildings, funky doorways/window frames, benches, capture your subject walking down the sidewalk...the list goes on!

• Want to add a bit of grit or contrast to your image? Visit your local junkyard and ask for permission to use the location for a shoot (make sure they sign a release!) This can add contrast if you had a female wearing a formal cocktail dress or a bathing suit and really adds a bit of grit to your images no matter what your subject may be wearing.

• Forget about the parks, they are so overpopulated and well, expected! Surprise your client and take them on a short hike through a nature trail. Nature trails are so great because you will usually stumble by a lot of interesting parts of nature to play with in your photos. You may see a riverbed, maybe a lake, a beautiful part of the forest (if you are shooting a couple, have them carve their names in the tree and take a personalized portrait). Maybe you will find a fallen tree and use it as a bench, steer away from the norm you usually find at parks and surprise your client.

• Again it's all about your client: the less distractions the better. One of my favorite places to go is this field nearby with tall grass(in the autumn everything is golden and adds a nice warm touch) and wide open space with not much around to distract the eye. Now you can step it up a notch and play with this a little or a lot. By placing a couch, chair or trunk in the photo, you will find it easily adds a rustic elegance and provides your client with a prop to sit/lean on, trust me they will absolutely LOVE it!

These are just a few places I have had success with and definitely a great starting point for on location photography. (For an example of an urban engagement shoot, take a look at my latest Colorado engagement photo session ) After shooting more sessions you will feel comfortable with exploring on your own and finding other favorite places to take your clients and impress them with your photography skills!

Amanda Glisson is known as one of the best wedding photographers in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her unique photojournalistic style has been applauded by her clients, who praise her ability to capture real moments and bring them to life.

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The Nikon Coolpix AW100: My New Outdoor Companion

The Nikon Coolpix AW100 really complements my active outdoor lifestyle and my love of photography. I live on an island in the tropics and have so much opportunity to pursue active outdoor pursuits all year round but I need a camera that can withstand the knocks and abuse of my activities to accompany me and record my adventures.

The Nikon AW100 can be described as a rugged digital camera, a waterproof digital camera or even an all weather (AW) camera. However it is described, one thing is for sure, it is a go anywhere tough camera that can cope with being underwater, being dropped and being covered in mud and sand. These are the conditions that my camera copes with each and every week when it accompanies me on my snorkeling, sailing and biking pursuits.

I've had a rugged, waterproof Canon camera for a couple of years now and it has proven to be reliable and everything that I wanted for the price that I paid for it. Several new rugged digital cameras have hit the market this year and after reviewing them I decided the time was right for a new camera. I've had the Nikon AW100 for a month now and it has proven to be a great replacement for my trusty Canon Powershot D10.

The camera is waterproof to 33 feet, which is good for shallow scuba diving but gives me confidence in its water tightness for my snorkeling down to a few feet. It can withstand drops onto a hard surface from five feet which is an indication that it can withstand being handled by young children who always manage to drop things. It is also dust proof, ideal for the beach and can operate in temperatures down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, ideal for any skiers or mountain climbers but not necessary for me in the tropics.

The camera comes with a 5x glass Nikor zoom lens for pulling in more distant objects and at the same time had focus on insects and plants from as close as one centimeter in macro mood in case you are into nature photography. It also has a very secure lock on the battery, card and connections compartment which pushes in and screws in for extra security to avoid opening at any time, especially the wrong time when you are in the water.

A 16 megapixel CMOS sensor is fitted, this sounds good but not entirely necessary in this standard of camera. Nikons VR (vibration reduction) technology is fitted to ensure sharp images especially if you are holding the camera with cold shaking hands on a ski slope or in a boat in choppy water.

The camera records full HD (1080p) movies with stereo sound so you can record and relive those down hill snowboarding runs and snorkeling adventures. This is one of the reasons that I am upgrading as my old camera only records video at H264 and I find that I am now recording video more than before.

There are several autofocus modes including face priority and subject tracking and nineteen scene modes including underwater. The scene modes preset your camera with the optimum settings whether your are underwater, taking sunsets or at an indoors party. As with most point and shoot cameras this camera does not allow you to adjust the settings manually for different conditions, that is why it has a good range of scene modes.

The AW100 also features an Action control which allows one hand control over assigned functions, even when wearing gloves. Another feature, and new to me, is a built-in GPS and an ecompass. Your position at the time of each photo is recorded as are your movements even when the camera is turned off. By uploading your pics and data to a computer with ViewNX2 software you will be able to retrace your route.

In the short time that I have owned this camera I have put it through its paces, not directly but as a consequence of being with me when I am out having fun. The camera has been underwater, dropped in the sand, covered in mud and banged around on downhill mountain bike rides but still looks and works as brand new. The Nikon Coolpix AW100 is my new and trusted outdoors companion and should serve me well for the adventures ahead.

Phil Walken is a Nikon Coolpix AW100 user and outdoor adventurer. Visit WaterproofCamerahq for more information and reviews of waterproof and rugged cameras.

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Best Sites to Sell Photos - Where Can I Sell Photos Online?

You have probably heard of people earning extra money by selling photos online, or even making a living from this. Whether you tried doing this yourself or not, you might be wondering what the best sites to sell photos are, so you can maximize your profit.

But first, let's spend some time discussing why anyone would pay for photos taken by regular people with their digital camera.

Considering the constant expansion of the Internet, just like the Universe itself, it can be clear to anyone that new content is always in demand. And "new content" does not only refer to written content, like most people would assume, but photos, too. Thousands of new websites appear each day and a good part of them need original content. This is why website designers, bloggers, business owners and even online magazines need fresh photos. And you would be surprised to find out how many of them are actually willing to pay good dollars for suitable photos, instead of taking them themselves.

Now back to the main point: what are the best sites to sell photos?

In order to give an answer to this question, we must make it clear that there are different types of websites that can earn you money this way. There are blogs, forums and specialized stock photos sites.

In order to sell your photos to blogs, you will usually have to contact the owner of the blog yourself. I like to find blogs that are updated frequently and post a lot of pictures. Most of these have a contact form or an email address, so all you have to do is send a polite email to the owner asking about any potential needs they may have regarding photos. I like to include a link to a website of mine, where most of the photos are available.

Some bloggers will not respond at all, some will politely refuse and some will be interested. If 3 out of 10 emails bring you costumers, you are already earning some good money!

Another way to go is to advertise your work in forums. There are not a lot of buying/selling photos online forums out there (and the existing ones will usually bring you little to no money at all, since everyone there is looking for a bargain), buy you can go another way. Who might be in desperate need of photos? People who need to design a website and are working on a schedule, with a deadline approaching, right? And where can you find these people? On forums about web designing, of course!

A quick Google search will find dozens of such forums, all filled with people willing to pay for a nice looking photo. Be polite, do not spam, and buyers will come.

The last type of websites you can use to sell your photos is stock photos websites. These are actually responsible for the biggest part of my monthly income and are a delight to work with. Shutterstock.com, istockphoto.com and fotolia.com are just a few of the websites I use to sell my photography.

Every photo earns me, on average, $2.5. Knowing that you could make this king of money, how many photos would you be willing to take during a month? One hundred? Five hundred? Do the math yourself and figure out how much money could that bring you! And you don't need to be a professional photographer or anything! I make a good living selling photos online and I didn't take any photography lessons ever and I was a complete beginner when I started.

When it comes to complete beginners trying to make money selling photos online, I can mention my friend Jessica and her quest to making $3000 per month. She started a few months ago and already managed to make a little more than $2000 a month, so her journey is coming to an end. At How to How to Sell Your Photos, you can find a report of her progress and learn a lot from her experience. Make sure you check it out!

Gilbert Robinson is a professional photographer making a living out of his passion.

Original article

Tips for Perfect Wedding Photographs

Cooperation on a location.

If you are getting married and want to get really good wedding photographs, you should cooperate with your wedding photographer.

You have to reserve enough time for a location of your choice. How much time do you need to reserve depend on how many good photos for printing you would like to get.

If you single out 2 hours for a location between a ceremony and a reception, for example.

2 hours is enough for good wedding photos, but you can meet one or a few of the following problems.

Situation 1

The bride finishes her dressing up and last preparations much later (often from 1 hour to 2 hours later).

Situation 2

The groom comes to a bride's house (place of last preparations) very late.

Situation 3

You spent significantly more time near the church after a ceremony just talking to bridal party or relatives.

Finally you and your wedding photographer have only 20-30 minutes for a location, which is not enough even for standard group portraits.

Situation 4

You are worried about the day and checking up all details, deciding last small problems/ questions, giving a call to anyone all the time.

Situation 5

You get phone calls all the time or your guests congratulate you.

Situation 6

You are emotionally exhausted, tired and very worried about being late on a reception, because of guests who wait you to join them.

Formally a photographer have enough time, but can't do his or her job completely. In this case a photographer can make only reportage photos, but people talking on the phone make a lot of different grimaces, facial expressions, gestures, often not very attractive, and absolutely don't pay attention to the wedding photographer.

In conclusion

It doesn't matter how many hours you reserve for locations, please add 2 hours. Please start this important for you day 2 hours earlier. By the end of the day you will understand why.

If you suddenly have a 30 minutes break - it's break for check the bride's makeup, catch a deep breath and just enjoy the day and think how happy you are.

Cooperation on the reception.

There is a paragraph about a cooperation in the photography contract, please read it and say to the bridal party and all relatives and guests who is going to be with you on the big day.

Guests don't read and sign a photography contract, so they don't understand that their behaviour can make any influence to photographer's work and your photographs. It's not a photographer's job to explain guests that they disturb plans and interfere in photography process. It's your responsibility to make your big day perfect.

What you should say to all your guests. Tips for guests.

Guests should give necessary access for a wedding photographer to the couple all the time.

Guests must not pass any plates, cameras, glasses or shaking hands just in front of the photographer's camera, especially in the most important moments, like cutting the bridal cake and the bridal dance, because we can't replay these moments.

If there is a special booster light for the couple, guests must not overlay this light, because it's very important for wedding photographs.

Guest should not ask the photographer to take a portrait of them, especially when he or she is busy with a couple. The photographer will do it in due time, if it's coordinated with the couple.

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