Create Photo Calendars That Are Far From Everyday

Purchasing a gift for somebody else is a hugely meaningful act. It's a way of showing them precisely how much you care about them, that you're thinking of them, and that they mean a lot to you. That's why it's so important to ensure that you choose exactly the right gift. Get it right and you'll have got the perfect message across and made an impact which could last for many years. Get it wrong, on the other hand, and you'll leave the recipient with the impression that you either don't know them very well or don't particularly care about them.

Of all the gifts you might wish to purchase throughout the year, from birthday presents through Christmas gifts and anniversary tokens, the ones which are perhaps the most fraught in this manner are Valentine's Day gifts. When you give someone a gift on Valentine's Day you may well be taking a fairly courageous step. If it's someone who doesn't yet know how you feel for them, then you're putting your heart on your sleeve and making your feelings public, and even if you're in a firmly established relationship then making a gesture on what is meant to be the most romantic day of the year is something which you want to get just right.

Choosing Valentines gifts for her/him is all about finding something which both matches their personality and, at the same time, expresses what you feel for them. It's for this reason that personalized Valentine's Day gift ideas make for such wonderful tokens. No matter what kind of budget you're working to, you're bound to be able to find something which exactly fits the bill, and the fact that it is based upon images from your own collection will mean that it's unique and personal in a way which shop bought gifts couldn't hope to match. A personalized photo calendar, for example, may not strike most people as being amongst the most traditional valentine gift ideas, but the fact that it is a little bit different will merely make it all the more touching.

The technology used to make these calendars means that putting them together is incredibly simple. Imagine a calendar made up of images of your first year together as a couple, for example, or of photographs taken from the whole of your relationship together. No sooner have you imagined it, than you can upload the images in question and then utilize the software to design the layout of each individual page. The flexibility of the process means that every detail is open to interpretation, from the highlighting of particular dates - the day of your first date, or the night upon which you got engaged, for example - to the actual month upon which the calendar starts, meaning that the finished product will be utterly unique and totally particular to your relationship.

The key selling point of personalized photo gifts is the bespoke, tailor made nature of the finished product. Whilst put together to standards as high as anything available in the shops, photo calendars based around photographs of your own special moments will get the job they've been designed for done, whilst also saying 'I Love You' each and every time they're accessed.

Preserve your golden memories of life by engraving those precious photo calendars and photo books through Albelli.


Original article

3 Keys to Success With Microstock Photography

Advancements in technology have indelibly changed our lives. TVs are flat (and some have 3d) stuff that used to be small is large, things that use to be huge are now tiny. These changes coupled with a recession have caused businesses to cut cost and people are willing to do more to earn an extra income.

Multiple types of sites that accept submissions of stock photos, however the particular category that we are going to focus on is micro stock. There are higher paying forms of stock photography such as macro stock or rights managed but microstock is usually the easiest to submit to for newbie photographers.

Lots of Quality Photos
Take lots of photos and focus on quality. Always look for different angles, consider lighting and study new techniques. Bear in mind that you may have lots of "bads" at first but that's alright. Bear in mind that stock photo agencies have very high standards so you always want to be improving.

A large amount of photos is what is going to earn an income. One seasoned photography told me that he an average earned $1.00 per year for every photo that he submitted. Bear in mind that most of the photos that he submitted didn't sell (and that was with Royalty Free.) The point is, you can earn an income but you are going to have to work hard for it.

Multiple Agencies
Just about every stock agency is going to give you the offer of being exclusive. This usually means that you don't sell photos to other agencies and can mean that you can't sell them on your own site. They will usually offer you priority listings on their site, banner advertisements and possibly some other benefits. If you are a veteran photographer with years of experience then I'd recommend that you do this. However in your case I would submit the same photos to as many sites as possible. Different sites attract various demographics of clientele who have diverse interest. This means that a photo that doesn't sell well on one site may perform better on another.

Keywords
Keywords are the way you talk with both the stock photography search engines as well as sites like yahoo and Google. Look for successful photos that are similar to yours and use the same keywords that they are using.

Hang in there as you learn this business, no one is an overnight success but with a lot of patience you can be successful.

For more information about stock photography as well as a list of sites check out my hub at: http://photojoe21.hubpages.com/hub/sell-photography-online

If you'd like to improve your photography skills then read my squidoo lens. It's a quick guide that will quickly have you taking amazing photos:
http://www.squidoo.com/portrait-photo-studio


Original article

How to Get the Best Digital Exposure

The aperture of a lens controls the amount of light that strikes the camera's sensor. Shutter Speed controls how long the camera shutter is open for. Aperture and Shutter Speed work hand in hand to determine the amount of exposure the image gets. A slow shutter speed of ¼ of a second requires a smaller aperture to give the same amount of exposure as a fast shutter speed of 1/125 of a second.

Aperture

This controls the depth of field (DoF) which is the area in front of and behind the subject that is in focus. For a portrait you want a narrow DoF which serves to emphasise the subject. Conversely a much greater DoF in needed for a landscape shot.

Shutter Speed

This control is used creatively to give a sense of movement or speed to a shot. A fast running stream shot using a slow shutter speed (1/4 of a second) will cause the water to become a white blur so imparting a sense of movement to a still image. A technique known as panning is used to create a sense of speed. This involves holding a fast moving subject in the viewfinder and following it by swing the body. It keeps the subject clear and blurs the background so creating the sense of speed.

How do you know that you have got the best exposure?

OK. Pin your ears back, fasten your safety belt and get ready for some thought shifting stuff. You need to find the Histogram setting for your viewfinder, turn it on and keep it on! The best digital negative does not necessarily look excellent on your LCD screen. It is certainly not the one that you get using the spot metering. The best digital negative is the one that contains the most digital data. The more data captured the more that a final print can be produced that is of greater quality, exhibits less noise, and has more impact. This is what the histogram shows you.

So what is the Histogram? It's a very simple graph. It shows the light value in the scene you've just captured at the exposure values you've captured it at. The far left shows shadows plunged totally into darkness. The far right shows the highlights that have no details, which are totally burned out to white. Between these extremes are all the tonal values from black to white.

How do you determine the best digital negative? The right half of the histogram is able to store more data in it than the left half, a lot more data. And the right quarter of the histogram, much, much more than the other three combined. There isn't much information at all in the dark areas. So you want a histogram that is weighted to the right but which shows information trailing off to the left.

Charles Demain

For your free copy of "The Comprehensive Introduction to Mastering Digital Photography" come on over now to http://www.creativeslrphotography.com/


Original article

Tips on How to Take Better Pictures of Your Kids

"Kids can do the darndest things!" Everyone likes to take pictures of their children? Have you taken pictures of your kids when they are doing something really cute, and the pictures just didn't come out like you expected them to? Anyone who has children has taken tons of photos of them. You want to catch all of those cute little things they do. Taking really good pictures of little children is no easy task. Here are a few tips on how to take better pictures of your kids.

· Keep Your Camera Ready - Keep you camera in a handy location. You never know when you are going to see that first smile, their first steps or just anything adorable! You don't want to miss that special moment because you can't find your camera, or your battery is dead. Be sure that you keep your battery charged up and have plenty of room on your memory card or plenty of film on hand.

· Candid Shots - Little children usually don't like to sit still and pose for pictures. If you try to make them, they are not going to be wearing their "happy face" when you do get ready to take the picture. You want your kids to be happy and smiling when you take their picture. The best shots are usually candid shots. Give them something they like to play with. Their favorite toy or stuffed animal usually works great. Bubbles are great for kids of almost any age! If you have a family pet, let them sit with them in the picture. Now they are happy and are smiling!

· Vary Your Shots - Move around and get shots from different angles. Get down on their level. Position yourself so you can get eye to eye with them. Then try lying down on the floor and take some pictures shooting up at them. Remember to take your vertical shots as your full body shots and your close-up shots should be horizontal. How many times have you taken a picture of your child and said, "Look at mommy." Some of your better shots are going to be those where they are not looking directly at you. Take your pictures while they are looking at something other than the camera. See if you can get somewhere between full face and profile. Of course, you can't resist when they do look at you, and I'm not saying those would not be good pictures. Just don't take them all that style.

· Get In Close - I think not getting in close enough, is one of the most common errors people make when taking pictures of their children. You don't want a picture of a room full of kids, you want a picture of your child! If you have zoom capabilities on your camera, don't forget to use it! Zoom lenses are great for taking pictures you're your kids. With a zoom lens, you don't have to be up in their face or so close that you are "in their way". Stand back a little and use your zoom, focus on their eyes and facial expressions.

· Edit With Your View-Finder - Really look through the view- finder before you snap that picture. Look at the background. Does is compliment you picture? You don't want a lot of, what I call, the "junk" in the picture, it will take away from your subject. Try to have a "clean" background. Here is another good use for your zoom lens. By zooming in close, you will also be able to blur out most of the background, which will make your subject stand out. Look at the lighting in your picture also. If there is a really bright light in the background, like a window, the foreground will probably be too dark. Rather than have to adjust the camera settings, move around so the window is not in the background. Try to keep the lighting in the picture fairly even.

· Simple Props - You don't need to run out and buy a lot of "stuff" to use as props. Keep it simple. Big bright bows for the girls, or maybe you have a frilly hat or scarf. Maybe they have a big stuffed animal they can be sitting beside. For the boys, try one of daddy's caps or hats. Little boys are always adorable in an over sized cowboy hat or maybe something from their Halloween costume! The family pet also makes for a great prop.

· Take Lots of Pictures - If you are using a digital camera, it doesn't matter how many pictures you take, you can just delete the ones you don't like. Just keep taking those pictures! The more pictures you take the better the chance of you getting those "wow" photos that you are going to want to show off.

Now go have some fun with your kids! Taking pictures can be a great time to inter-act with your children and spend some quality time together! I hope you have given you some good information with my tips on how to take better pictures of your kids. Happy shooting!

Sheila Brown is an experienced nature photographer who enjoys writing articles to help the amateur photographer improve their photography experience. See her nature photo gallery at http://www.shopbeautifulnaturepictures.com/.


Original article

Nikon D5100 - Capture Your Wonderful Memories In Your Life

Nikon D5100 is made for perfect photography shootings. This camera has hit the market and has been a success. It is the perfect mix of expertise within budget. As far as the price is concerned, its price is less than D700 but more than D3100 which is the beginner's favourite. With all the features that come with it, this camera has attracted countless loyal fans. It is the perfect camera to capture the most cherished memories of your life. It is a perfect companion in your remarkable days. Nikon d5100 professional camera has been a hit since its launch for its functionality and cool looks.

It is very similar to its sister cameras in this range but scores better for its good looks. It has become a pet of the experts too and with its price tag, it is a hit among beginners and amateurs. If you wish to buy Nikon D5100 camera then you will not have to do much research for that. Chances are that you will be very satisfied with Nikon D5100 quality and it will match your expectations precisely. So many features are packed into this camera to cater to your photography needs. Let us take a look at the professional quality of this camera in detail to get a rough idea about the device.

Nikon D5100 With Professional Quality

The underlying quality of image in this camera is much the same as that of Nikon D7000. It has a "16.2 MP" CMOS censor which is similar to that of D7000 again. It has a single control dial and pentamirror viewfinder like its counterparts. The LCD that comes in this camera is 920,000 dot and fully articulated. It also has 1080p video capability to go along with it. This camera is good looking too. In terms of looks this camera scores a perfect ten for its elegant looks unlike its counterparts. It has the ISO settings which is the same as that of D3100. It has "14 bit Raw shooting". This is the factor that makes this camera dynamic. This feature is not generally seen in this price range. You are more likely to find this feature in cameras that are more expensive than Nikon D5100. It is a blessing to see this feature in Nikon D5100. You also have in camera filters in this. These filters help in shooting pictures in still as well as in video mode.

Learn the secrets of the perfect photo shoot Nikon D5100 and complete picture of the recording of your event a whole new way, look here http://www.cheapnikoncamerasonline.com/


Original article

Good Photography Techniques for Beginners

Good photography techniques are important as they enable you to learn how to set up the perfect environment, and what rules to follow in order to shoot the perfect photo. Below are some of the key digital and film photography techniques you should consider.

1. High Speed Photography

High speed photography involves capturing super fast movements even with an ordinary camera. These images are typically of high-speed events such as breaking glass, popping balloons, as well as splashing liquids which reveal interesting structures that are not visible to the naked eye.

2. Tilt-Shift Photography

Tilt-Shift photography involves using camera movements on small and medium format cameras, through the employment of special lenses. This type of photography comprises of 2 types of movements. The first is the tilt which involves the rotation of the lens relative to the image plane. The second is the shift which refers to the movement of the lens parallel to the image plane.

3. Black and White Photography

Black and white photography begins even before you take your shot. To do this well, you will need to practice and focus on the texture and contrast. There are certain settings you will need to have on your camera in order to achieve the best black and white photographs. In addition, you will also need to know which color filters are ideal for taking your black and white images.

4. Motion Blur Photography

With motion blur photography, you are able to display a sense of speed. This can be artificially achieved in a normal setting, by using a camera with a slow shutter speed. This type of photography is common amongst photographers who capture movement in images while shooting sports and other fast-moving events.

5. Infrared Photography

With digital photography, you can take photos whenever you please, mix them up with normal images, view the results immediately and play around with the settings until the image comes out just right. If you want to shoot near-infrared images straight out of your camera, you will need to do a lot of post-processing to enhance your photographs and get them looking as dramatic and beautiful as images captured normally.

6. Smoke Photography

Smoke photography involves photographing different types of smoke such as outdoor smoke, incense and liquid nitrogen. For the perfect smoke image, you will need to learn how to get the smoke right, set up your exposure and lightning perfectly and thereafter learn how to manipulate images digitally.

For more information on photography, please visit: http://www.photography-tips-and-resources.com/.

Joan One is a freelance journalist and creative writer who immensely enjoys writing and researching into any topic under the Sun. She specializes in writing "green" eco-friendly topics aimed at enabling environmentally conscious readers to find simple ways to reduce their carbon footprint and help save our planet.


Original article

With The Right Tools Anyone Can Be A Photographer

I have been involved in photography a long-time. My first camera, well, if it was on eBay, would be classified an antique by now (Kodak Brownie Hawkeye) that used real film (a rare and expensive commodity today) and I moved on from there. I have been through several revolutions in photographic technology from film to digital and I have to admit that the satisfaction of seeing my images immediately and uploading them to my PC for editing outweighs the satisfaction I once derived from my motorized color SLR bodies (I actually shot with three camera bodies at the time, two automatic and motorized for color work and one standard film-advance equipped with black-and-white film for backup or for the particular publication I was taking photos for.

Today, though, the camera technology available is far more satisfying as it allows you to not only see your image immediately after you have taken it on an LCD screen on the rear, but, you can also upload it to your laptop or desktop for instant editing.

You don't have to spend a huge amount for a digital camera today. I have seen and used "point-and-shoot" (standard consumer) cameras that have viewfinders that you can use to frame your image and shoot. These cameras have also allowed me to "edit on the fly" framing the exact image I want as most of them also offer both mechanical and optical zoom features that make closeup photography a snap. The key to this is the image stabilization ability of the camera system, such as Canon's autostablizer. I have used it in Canon "point-and-shoot" models, as well as in expensive EOS systems with 300mm zoom lenses. It takes the shake out of an image, leaving it rock solid and, in most cases, eliminates the need for a tripod.

Yes, I still carry a tripod - just in case - because long photo sessions can get tiring on an aging back that has seen its share of abuse. But, there is now even a solution for that with Canon's SX. It is a 24mm wide angle system with an incredible 34X optical zoom. At that focal length a tiny shake shows up as a major blur, but not with autostabilization. It takes lots of drudgery out of photography and let's you concentrate on the image.

To me, it doesn't matter whether I am shooting with a US $2,000 Pentax or Canon or Nikon dSLR system - don't get me wrong I love dSLRs, they're just overkill right now for me - or with a $199 or $299 Canon or Sony "point-and-shoot." What matters is that I am now the real master of the image; the camera doesn't control me, nor does the film or even the lighting as editing software on a laptop can clean up and bright many images, if the original image is there. If it seems like I am still excited by photography even after a lifetime of photo work, you're right, I am and today's tools are just incredible.

Roberto Sedycias works as an IT consultant for ecommUS


Original article

Professional Photography Pricing Considerations

Pricing... you can't work as a professional photographer for very long without becoming caught up in the subject of pricing your work (well, you could, perhaps, but you would never make any money). Then there's the question of, not only what prices to charge, but also how to educate your clients about your price list without them bailing out or thinking you're trying to pressurize them.

In the time that I've been running my studio as a professional photographer, I've explored different methods of presenting my prices to clients and potential clients, with various degrees of success. These include the usual suspects...

* Printed price menus
* Combined price list and brochure
* Web site price page
* By sending out price lists by email

But, the issue I had with these methods was that sales just didn't seem to be where I wanted them to be. I would hand out price lists to prospects who requested them, count the accesses to my price list website page, or email my list to anyone who asked for it - yet the clients disappeared as quickly as they came, like ghosts. This was a complete puzzle to me, and it doesn't take too much of that to imagine that, "my prices must be too high."

Looking at my price list, and considering the lack of returning customers, I really did start to think that my prices were too high - so I made the awful mistake of lowering them. Yes, you guessed it - I got just the same result. The moral is that we can get tangled up in a vicious cycle of always fiddling with the fees.

Is any of this familiar? Are you stuck in that wasteland of trying to second-guess your prospects to find out what you think they would easily pay, rather than what you believe they should pay?

You aren't alone - just about every professional photographer I know has encountered this painful process. But, there is a solution...

Don't Tell - Show

The answer to this problem really requires three distinct things. First, you should decide what your products and services are going to be (i.e. what it is that you're actually selling). Secondly, you should decide on your fees, based on your production costs, level of competition and income requirements. Lastly, produce one price list that is yours, and yours alone.

That's correct, just ONE - no one sees your complete price list unless you personally give it to them - complete with a full sales presentation and in-depth explanation of everything you offer.

I can hear you exclaiming, "that's the dumbest thing I've heard!" but stick with me here for just a moment.

There is a perfectly good explanation why the other methods don't work effectively. When a customer looks at a web site and finds a price list, they can see how much a portrait or a wedding package costs. But how are they going to compare that with what they've seen elsewhere, except by the price?

All of a sudden, your prospect has been turned into a price comparison shopper! In the mind of most clients, all 8x10s are printed equal - but we know that couldn't be more wrong. It's what is printed on the paper that's critical, not the print itself. But how can we clarify this to the prospect when they are a web browser or someone sitting at home reading a price list?

Wedding photography packages are an even better example. Displaying a price for a collection on a web site or in a pamphlet they can take home is only going to make the prospect think, "I get such and such for this price, but that other photographer down the street will give me the same or more for a lower price." You and I both know that the "other" photographer won't put as much time into the wedding day as you will, doesn't have the level of experience you do, won't deliver as fast, or simply isn't as professional. But the prospect is only looking at prices.

The same thing goes when the prospect calls you on the phone. The first question is, "how much?" If you answer that question straight away, they're gone, and we never hear from them after that. Instead, we have to divert our chat away from the price (at least at the beginning of the call) and on to the less logical reasons for the photography they're looking for. Once we've had a chance to educate them about what makes us unique, then we can gently mention pricing, after which we arrange to meet with them personally for a more detailed consultation if the price is within their expectations.

By the time the prospect meets with you for a consultation, they already understand that your prices are affordable.

The Personal Touch

As you might expect, I meet with every prospect before I allow them to book a portrait session or a wedding. This is an opportunity to give my complete sales presentation before showing them my price list. As a salesperson, it is my job to ensure I understand as much about their wants as possible before selling them anything - they won't care what I know until they know I care about them. If making money is the only motivator to you as a professional photographer then you are in the wrong business.

There is one copy of my price list, and I keep it in a leather binder, printed on fine paper. To the prospect, it looks like an official copy, which it is, and nobody has ever asked to take it home.

When I'm meeting with a customer to discuss a wedding or portrait session it can take 45 minutes to an hour before we ever get to the topic of price. The price list is there in front of them, I'm sure they know what it is, but I don't open it until I'm ready. If they ask about the price list, and I don't feel ready for them to see it, I simply say, "I'm so happy you brought that up, and I'll be glad to go over it shortly. But first..." and then I ask them more questions about the wedding or portrait.

By the time we do get to the price list, we've talked about the wedding day, how the couple met, what they like to do together, what's important to them and their family about the wedding, how many bridesmaids & groomsmen they have, the color scheme etc. At that point, they understand that I really care about them, and now the topic of price is no longer the main driving force. Obviously, they will have a plan in mind, and there should be a collection that falls within that range, but they are no longer just comparing our prices to everyone else's. They are making a comparison - but it's to do with things like service, quality, attention to detail, personality etc.

"Selling" - Start At The Top!

When I go through the price list I start with the most expensive choice, even if they've already indicated their budget. Doing it like this, I only have to sell down and not up. Selling up is as hard as climbing a mountain - it's usually much simpler going down than up.

Don't make the awful mistake of confusing this method for pressure sales, because it isn't. The reason for selling down is to help them become involved with a package that's right appropriate for them, even if it does happen to be the cheapest one you offer.

The client doesn't understand as much about creative professional photography as us, so they may not truly understand which considerations they ought to be most concerned about. Instead, they get stuck on the only thing they can relate to, which happens to be the price. At the end of the day, it's our job to get them off the price, and re-connect them with the real elements of what we do.

Summary

I just want to make sure that I do underline this point:

I have only one printed price list to show to prospective clients - there are no prices listed on my web site, no prices emailed out to those who ask for them, no detailed prices given over the telephone and no brochure with a few photographs and my prices for them to take away.

I am not hiding anything from my customers or trying to deceive them - that's not the way to run a solid photography business. But, it does demonstrate to my prospects that I value them above the prices for my photography. It also helps to screen out the types of prospects I don't want to work with - the ones to whom price is the main important factor and to whom family, relationships, memories and emotions are not as valued.

So far, no one has complained about this procedure. My customers now treat my prices with respect and they understand the context in which they're given. This encourages better sales and, in my opinion, an overall better experience for the prospect.

About The Author

Nigel Merrick is a professional photographer, blogger and business coach for other working photographers. Nigel's blog ( Photography Business and Marketing ) helps professional photographers find peace in their business, love from their clients, and happiness in their personal lives by clarifying their focus on business and marketing.


Original article

How To Take Photos Of Food

If you want to take food photos, it's most certainly a skill that needs to be learned over time. If you look at food magazines and cook books, you may think it's very easy to grab shots of your food by simply pointing and shooting. That's not the case.

These are very gentle shots that need to be handled with extreme care. When taking food photos, take into consideration the lighting, the camera angle as well as the composition and other things that may cause the quality of your images to suffer.

Check out these tips if you're thinking of taking food images.

Get the lighting right- Be sure your lighting is correct as it relates to the kitchen or the area in which you'll be taking your photos. Be sure to get a feel for the lighting in advance that way when you start your session, you will not have to take time away from taking shots by making adjustments to the lighting. If your area is too dark, try to use portable fluorescent lights to brighten the room up.

Your tripods- When taking pictures of food, every photo is a close up shot. Shots taken up close are extremely sensitive to any sort of movements. Movements while doing an up close shot can cause the shot to turn out in poor quality. The use of a tripod makes focusing on the subject much easier because of their stability.

Presentation is everything- If you want the picture perfect look similar to the cookbooks, be sure to cut the food using geometric shapes. Be sure the food is well positioned that way you can show off the details of the food. Adding garnishing always adds to the presentation of the food.

From boring to vibrant- if you want to liven up boring food images, be sure to adjust the field of depth of your camera. This will enhance any dull photo. If you don't have a manual focus feature you can depress the shutter halfway to lock the focus at a specific depth. If your camera is automatic, you'll most likely not have depth of field.

There are many filters and other tricks that one can apply when trying to take great images of food. This, like every photography medium takes time and practice to master. The best way to master anything is to do it over and over. Anytime you get to take a photo of your food, shoot. This will help you to develop your technique for taking great photos.

About The Author

Keith S. Black has many different photography methods. He is a successful photographer and makes a full time living as a photographer. To find out about one of the best cameras to use for your photography you can visit: http://reviewdslrcameras.com/nikon-reviews/ to read one of Keith's Nikon Reviews and get more information.


Original article

Fun Picture Ideas Such As Nude Photography

Have you ever seen a photo of your great-great grandparents? Great portrait photography is everlasting and becomes a family heirloom. When should you hire a professional and when should you do it yourself? It depends on the subject or if there is an occasion.

Wedding Pictures

You definitely hire professionals for a big event such as a wedding. Your photographer can take pre-wedding pictures, too! Negotiate a package that includes this service. Excellent venues are parks andthe beach. National parks are fantastic especially if they have ponds with boats and, if possible, a waterfall! Look out for man-made structures such as a gazebo. If you get lucky there may be great specialty items such as bed boats with a canopy.

Pre-wedding photos are great because you can include these in a wedding book. The wedding book will have these pictures and of the wedding itself. Make sure there are pictures with parents, bridesmaids, the entourage and friends. On the day of the wedding be sure to plan for a picture-taking time before, during and after the wedding.

An example of taking pictures before the wedding is if the venue is by a beach. The bridesmaids and entourage and the couple can wear their formal attires and head to the beach. Wedding venues such as hotels and resorts usually have areas that make great backgrounds. Try to take a picture of the couple and print it wallet sized. Then include this as part of the wedding favors, which can be a picture holder.

Family Picture

Portrait photography is usually done by an expert. You can do this more than once. The first, when the kids are still small and then when they are all grown up. It's up to you to decide on the attire but formal is a safe route. Decide on the venue - outdoors or indoors, but keep it simple. Remember that this may be passed down through generations so get it both in color and black and white.

Nude photography is becoming popular but have a professional handle this. It looks great colored and neutral. Do it with your partner and in singles. Bring a transparent shawl that reflects your favorite color. Red is popular. Make sure that when you hire a photographer that you also have your hair styled at the salon. Avoid too much makeup. Try to hit the gym and go on a diet a week before taking the shots.

Pregnancy shots are special so hire an expert. Take the picture when you are 6 months pregnant or when the stomach is obviously large enough to indicate pregnancy. Pictures can be done nude or semi-nude. Take pictures with and without your partner, and have black and white and colored versions.

DIY

Invest in a good camera such as a Nikon, Canon or other well-known brands. Choose an SLR but also have a small point-and-shoot. The small digital camera should be in your bag at all times for those unexpected occasions. They are especially useful when hiking in national parks. Make sure you have good lighting in your house and 1 or 2 reflectors. Also buy a camera stand.

The SLR is great for taking pictures of your baby each month. Make sure you have a baby toy that is in each month's picture. It's great watching how babies and children develop. Plus the pictures are cute! There will be days when the baby will cooperate and days when he/she won't. You can use themes such as costumes or even pots in the picture.

Agata Bennett is an experienced photographer knowledgeable on the principles of nude photography and portrait photography.


Original article

Facts About Modern Photography - Learn More Here

Once the birth of the camera arrived and the popularity of photography exploded, the only thing that could follow was mass production of cameras as well as the wide distribution of pictures. As a result of photography, it has changed history, art, memories and the in which we view the world.

This also affected well known public figures and this caused their privacy to vanish. They were constantly being photographed. Having a photograph with clear evidence that a certain event has taken place would cause things to go unchallenged.

The Art Form-
It was not accepted in the early years. The art form was criticized and challenged by many of those that opposed it being considered an art form. Photography was considered a hobby or craft and was looked at as an insult when one considered it an art.

Photography is finally accepted-
Once art schools and galleries as well as museums finally started to come around and embrace it as an art, the impact grew wildly and the end result is what we have today in the world of photography.

During the mid 1960's photography was accepted as a visual art and photographers started creating mediums of interest that were different from the more traditional norms that were first used within the art form.

Photography has been combined with other forms of expression such as multi-media and other forms of imaging.

Practical Photography-
Photography has been used for many practical situations. Photography is often time used in medicine, real estate development, military planning as well as business and media.

One area that has benefited from photography the most is science. If you think in terms of aerial maps, meteorology and geology, you'll notice they all use photography to advance the research and fact finding process.

Digital Photography-
With the invention of digital photography and the use of software, images can be changed and appear to be more or less than what they are.

As a result of digital photography being created, this caused a change in the way in which many photography techniques are used.

Photography is more than 100 years old and this is one art form continues to innovate and create new and improved technology and methods. You'd think we were on the tail end of the art form but the art continues to grow and develop and it does not appear to being slowing down anytime soon.

If you'd like to keep up with the latest developments in photography, I'd suggest you subscribe to a few of the leading magazines as well as follow a few of the cutting edge blogs.

About The Author

Keith S. Black has many different photography methods. He is a successful photographer and makes a full time living as a photographer. To find out about one of the best cameras to use for your photography you can visit: http://reviewdslrcameras.com/nikon-reviews/ to read one of Keith's Nikon Reviews and get more information.


Original article

Considering Photography School? Here's How To Choose The Best School

Lots of people have a strong desire to make photography a long term career instead of just a hobby. The first step is to get a solid photography education.

Photography school is no different from other schools. You'll want to ensure that you select the best school for your needs and one that has met all of your requirements as it relates to getting a great education.

Below, I will provide a few good tips that you can use to help you select the best school for your needs.

Have a broad view.
In order to have a broad view, you must be able to have a very open mind. This entails thinking long term and asking yourself what are your ultimate career goals? The beauty of photography is, you can take multiple paths to lead a fulfilling career.

Two tracks to consider are: The artistic side and the business side. If you're going for the artistic side of the art, you can find various different paths and subjects that will assist you with getting on this track.

If you're interested in the business side of the art, you can look for schools that offer great photography business courses with the focus being on creating a for profit business, sales and marketing of your services.

In the minds of many, photography is only point and shot. When you're enrolling in school don't assume that just because you're studying photography, that you can avoid taking the difficult courses like math. You'll be surprised to find out those courses are skills you'll need to develop and have a good grasp of, especially as it relates to the business side of photography.

Not to mention, business courses like finance, accounting and marketing for small businesses are courses that you should take as well.

Smaller class sizes are better.
If you have large classes, that can actually hinder you're learning process. Large classes make it difficult to ask questions and spend time getting the one on one attention that is needed from your instructor.

Technology.
The best schools will have cutting edge courses as it relates to the use of computers in photography. Entering the filed of photography as a career is massively competitive and having a very strong background in the use of computers is nothing less than mandatory This is even more important because digital photography is driven by technology.

Financial Aid.
If you can find a great school that offers some sort of financial assistance this will be much better than taking out lots of student loans and strapping yourself with debt for years to come. Also, if that means going to school part-time while working full-time to avoid student loans, I would suggest this to be the path to take.

In addition to the above, the equipment that is needed for attending photography school is very expensive and having a nice savings account with extra cash is going to make your career choice much easier.

Choosing a great school is not hard if you have first considered what you want out of your career. Once you've figured out the hard part than selecting the school is the easy part.

These are just a few of my tips for selecting a good school. If you follow my tips and do your research, you'll find the school that will meet your needs.

About The Author

Keith S. Black has many different photography methods. He is a successful photographer and makes a full time living as a photographer. To find out about one of the best cameras to use for your photography you can visit: http://reviewdslrcameras.com/nikon-reviews/ to read one of Keith's Nikon Reviews and get more information.


Original article

Trends in Photography Web Sites

Being an artistic industry, photography is subject to trends and fads, just like any other business related to the arts. Those trends can be in picture styles, post-processing techniques, lighting techniques and print options.

With the rise of the web-based portfolio, there are trends starting to appear online as well. Some of these are positive developments, some of them we could all live without.

More HTML5, Less Flash

This would be one of the positive developments. Flash has several problems related to use on the web. It's not search engine friendly and Flash has a reputation of being slow, inefficient, a resource hog and a security problem.

With the rise of mobile devices, Flash has become an even bigger issue. Many of them simply don't support it. With the rise in technologies like HTML5, JavaScript and CSS3 the need for Flash in photography sites is becoming less of an issue. Most effects commonly used on photography sites no longer require Flash.

Less Music

Another positive trend is photographers are finally getting the hint to turn off the music on web sites. There's nothing like music suddenly blasting out of their speakers to really annoy users. Unless you're trying to leave viewers with the impression that you're an annoying dolt, in which case, go right ahead.

If you want to add music to a slide show, that's fine. Just make sure the music is off by default and that the link to the show is clearly marked "with music". Giving users the option for music will be much better received than trying to force it on them.

The End of Big Text

Nothing shrieks "amateur" quite as loudly as massive block text blasted all over a web site.
The text on your web site should be an aid to navigation and convey information as cleanly and elegantly as possible. After that your photography should be doing the talking, not block text floated over your work.

The same theory applies to watermarks. Your watermark should be large enough to read the name with the unaided eye but not so big it takes away from the pictures. Many photographers attempt to deliberately spoil a photo with the watermark to discourage copying.

In these days of search engines like TinyEye.com, it's possible to search across the internet to find sites or people improperly displaying your work. There's no need for the self-promoting monster watermarks.

More Text

Another positive development is photographers adding more text to their sites. Photos still are not search engine friendly and the text, particularly on your landing page, will help search engines steer users your way.

Another benefit is people searching to hire photographers many times want to know what you have to say.

The concept has sometimes been referred to as the Semantic Web and smart photographers have picked up on the trend. Although photography is a visual art, there is always a desire to learn more about the artist, beyond the mere facts of their personal history.

You'll learn even more with Proud Photography - one of the best online photography schools available today at Classes on photography


Original article

Casual Photography

Taking pictures got easier and easier as time went by. Today, almost any electronic device you buy comes with a camera and it becomes unlikely that you ever find yourself missing one.

Of course in front of a great opportunity you may sometimes feel that you do not have the proper tools.

If you just have your cell phone, you may wish you had your DSLR or any better camera. Still, you have something with you and can take that shot.

Is there really any proper tool anyway?

Some great photographers in the past used cameras that were much worse than what your bad cell phone camera can provide you with. Did they take bad pictures? On the contrary, their pictures survived until today.

If you have a smartphone, as many do today, you have probably noticed many photography application popped up every day. Some are good, other useless. The trend seems to be the possibility to add a vintage look to your pictures. For some it will do the trick. If you are serious about photography you may feel limited though. Yet creativity is all about how you can do something different within a frame of rules and limits. Why not limit yourself sometimes to see what you can do?

Instead of focusing on the limiting aspects, consider the advantages:
• Always available
• Easy to share
• No backache at the end of the day
• Enable you to practice

If you want to do the same things you do with better, heavier, more expensive gears, you will be disappointed.

If however you find a new way to play within the limits of the device, then you go out of your comfort zone and get creative.

If you own whatever device with an apple on it, you may want to give a look to applications such as Instagram.

In case you would use another kind of cell phone there are most likely equivalents. And if it's not a cell phone but a gaming device, a social camera or whatever, what does matter is that it has a camera, does not it?

Considering Instagram, it is indeed limiting, only has pre-sets for processing and only enables you to take square pictures.

If you want to see further, consider how much stronger the impact of symmetry is when using the square format. Learn the rule of thirds and break it. The Square format is quite demanding about composition, but if you want to learn, this is only for the better.

Recently I have been using an iPod touch to take a few pictures. At first I felt it was very bad, the camera has a definition of 0.7Mpx and terrible dynamic range. Yet I always have it with me and it made it really easy to take pictures everywhere.

I may not shoot a fashion shot with it (though some people have had fashion shots or music clips with an iPhone).

But I can get around the bad definition with panoramas, or focus on patterns, contrasts, and subjects that do not require what I cannot get. In the end it is all about expressing things, only the means are different.

Thibaut Fantian is a landscape & portrait photographer currently based in Kyoto, Japan. His work and services are available online at http://www.frameaway.com/.

Frame Away aims at providing pure photographs for your vision.

Email contact@frameaway.com today for further details.


Original article

Top Rated Digital Cameras Aren't All About Megapixels

Finding a top rated digital camera is not merely about picking one with the most megapixels. Because of the way digital cameras are advertised, consumers often believe that only a camera with the highest MP will take crisp photos. Don't be fooled by the hype because this is just not the case. The megapixel count is not the only basis for understanding picture quality, in fact it is only a minor one. All around performance and image quality under various lighting conditions is key.

Digital cameras having the highest megapixels may not provide the highest quality shots. Naturally, if you have perfect circumstances the higher megapixel camera will probably produce a better shot, but how often are you in that situation? Most likely you won't require an extra-large megapixel camera except if you regularly do lots of cropping or print big enlargements.

A top quality lens is key to producing a high quality photo. Among the top rated digital cameras with a built-in lens, models usually have a lens with an aperture setting of f/2 or f/1.8. Actually, one may find several 10MP cameras ranking just as highly as 14/16MP cameras because those 10MP cameras have quality lenses and deliver sharp, well-exposed photos in various light situations.

Don't forget that the images taken at higher megapixels will require additional storage space on your memory stick and the difference in quality for all that bloat is very little.

In general the top rated digital cameras will typically offer a minimum of 3-inch LCD with top notch display quality. Nowadays, apart from a few exclusions, the majority of compact and point-and-shoot cameras no longer sport viewfinders, thus you must depend on the display.

In more and more instances the best rated digital cameras have a bigger optical zoom lens while keeping the camera's size compact. Some larger models have superzooms that will give you up to 35x, which is, in terms of 35mm, 24-849mm. Historically, the image quality from super zoom cameras was somewhat mediocre because of the sacrifice made between higher zoom versus sharp images, however technology advancements have pretty much fixed this issue. These days one may see a good selection of super zoom cameras ranked as top rated digital cameras and they produce very good images. To get the very best image quality and the most features you will need to advance to a D-SLR an appreciably higher price.

When ranking top rated digital cameras, some of the considerations reviewers look at are weight, size and feel of the camera in the hand, battery life, ease of use -- are the buttons convenient, is the menu easy to figure out, optical zoom, display and image quality, the quality of flash photos and images taken in low light, wide-angle capability, does it have an optical or electronic viewfinder, response time, the camera's versatility, does it have HD video, video quality, among other criteria.

So, the bottom line is when you look at a list of top rated digital cameras, don't be surprised to see that some of the best ranked cameras may be mid-level megapixel models.

Valerie Goettsch is webmaster of http://www.digitalphotos101.com/, a website dedicated to reviews of digital photo companies, photo editing software and digital cameras. Click here to see her list of top rated digital cameras from point-and-shoot to SLR.


Original article

Do You Have A Desire To Learn Photography? Here's How

Do you have a strong desire to learn photography? If you've answered yes, than keep reading to learn about the many aspects to consider while you're on our journey.

Your Camera-
Don't make the mistake of thinking that the camera is king. The camera is important but it's not the end all be all to the final look of your image. There are other variables that determine the final look of your image other than the kind or name brand camera that you buy.

Quality-
Will the image be enlarged before it is viewed? Is the subject that is being considered be the entire focus of the shot? What is the amount of time that is given to take the shot? Cameras work at different speeds and this should be kept in mind.

The speed is an important variable to consider due in part to the selected subject you'll be shooting. If you're taking photo of children at play, it's best to use an automatic camera to avoid the confusion of having to make adjustments to the lighting and focus.

On the other hand if you're taking a shot of a landscape, the time that it takes to get the shot is a lot more flexible and therefore you have plenty of time to use your manual camera.

Lighting-
If you desire to take portrait shots, if may be somewhat of an issue if you want to do it using sunlight. The sunlight is considered a hard light and as a result of taking the shot in the sun, you'll see dark shadows in the shot.

If you insist on using the sun for your lighting, move the subject to a shaded area. Doing this will block out a lot of the sun and you'll be able to get a skylight more so than sunlight. Another suggestion would be to take your shot right before sunset or right after.

The sun is softer during those times. If you have a diffuser or a reflector, use them as they will do a good job of helping add life to the shot. Also, avoid using your flash during the 2 suggested times. You'll get that cold look and feel in your photos.

What About Exposure-
There is not a right or wrong exposure. You can select whatever exposure that you'd like. You're the photographer so you have the final determination in the outcome of your images. You could lose a lot of your details on the image.

Your environment will have many different colors that you will not be able to capture on film, keep this in mind as you determine what exposure to use.

I've only given you a few things to consider as it relates to learning photography and what to consider when you're taking pictures. Follow these tips and others along the way and in doing so, your skills will become sharper and in the process you'll start to use more of your creative thought process to capture better looking images.

About The Author

Keith S. Black has many different photography methods. He is a successful photographer and makes a full time living as a photographer. To find out about one of the best cameras to use for your photography you can visit: http://reviewdslrcameras.com/nikon-reviews/ to read one of Keith's Nikon Reviews and get more information.


Original article

Simplify Your Movie Making Experience With The Proaim Gold Pan Tilt Head

The proaim packages of camera equipments that are used in the production of movies are made in an excellent manner. There are many people who have been using these equipment with great success. This is one of the best equipments because of the complete control that you have when you use them. The pan tilt head and also the gold pan tilt heads are different in some aspects. They have almost the same features, but their effectiveness is different. The pan tilt head is able to provide a smaller radius of coverage, whereas the gold pan tilt head is able to provide you with a greater versatility.

The equipment is very effective in your film making because you are able to create shots with great smoothness. You will be able to manipulate the camera and the shots by standing in a remote area. All you have to do is to make the camera move and pan or tilt from the remote place. The joystick is connected to the heads and the movement of the controls on the joystick controls the position of the camera. The power is provided from the car battery that is attached to it.

You will be able to move the cameras to create different shots. Panning the camera and also tilting it for particular shots are easy because of this equipment. The panning and the tilting can be even up to about 360 degrees. This gives a great degree of freedom to the person who is creating the movie. The length of the cable from the controls is about 23 feet. So, you will be able to create a unique experience without directly handling the equipment. Since the jib arm can help to add the height, you will be able to mount the cameras on the head tripod.

Tripod head is generally a part of tripod system attached with supported device to tripod legs. A tripod head offers the orientation of device. Tripod heads like modular or stand alone allows the user to choose according to the suitability. Heads are directly built with tripod legs in order to reduce the cost of tripod system. There are distinct types of tripod heads available to offer providing different control mechanisms. You may find some occurring to move in single axis but various others offers robotic movement to increase the precision of movement during shots. Physical designs and the use of materials may be distinct may be different according to the purpose of the usage.

Cine Ultima is a Cine equipment store run for film-makers by film-makers. Cineultima offers a range of film production equipments like proaim, pan tilt head, gold pan tilt head and much more to make shots easily.


Original article

Introduction to Black and White Photography

Black and white photography is just like a history lesson that brings you back to the very basics of the art of photography, when pictures were first taken without color information.

These pictures were taken with films which soon became a 'specialist' genre with the introduction of colour film and processing these black and white negatives became more and more costly and unprofitable for local businesses.

Currently the popularisation of digital editing of pictures using sophisticated software such as Photoshop made it possible to reproduce the effects of a monochrome photo by deriving it from an actual full-colour digital camera rather than for a specified camera that is dedicated to taking such images.

The advantage is you can tweak and alter your color original to any mixture of "developing" style that you want without additional cost, and still have the original full colour image available!

Currently, the monochrome function in most cameras still exist, but the more popular way to render such images is still to take a picture in colour, and to convert it into black and white using photo editing software, the more popular among photographers being Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom.

Black and white photography concentrates on the contrast that is in the picture which is thus the main focus of the picture in the absence on colours and focus on contrast and textures.

In monochrome photography, it does not mean the photo contains only black and white hues, but also the millions of shades of grey between solid pure black and pure white. As such the grey in the picture would present a totally different feel to the picture than in colour.

An effective B&W photo with a wide range of midtones and greys allow the showcasing of contrast and textures between different objects in the picture, and thus injects a large dose of realism into your picture as it could have more feel than with a picture without as much contrast in the picture - commonly known as a 'flat' photo.

Developing the eye to 'see' mono in a coloured world is critical as the scene loses colour information and replaced by grey hues, you must be able to identify which color shade will provide the best contrast when converted into a black and white photo.

Shadows plays an important part in the picture as it defines shape, structure, and feel of the photograph all by itself. Learning how to read shadows is critical for effective black and white photos.

Remember the coloured filter used during the film days? Photographers before use coloured filters to add contrast and alter the intensity of certain color spectrum on a film negative.

For example, yellow filter would render certain scenes a bit lighter while more solid colours such as navy blue or brown would result in a more solid grey or even black. In digital black and white, the same effect can be adjusted using the individual color channels available when converting a colored photo to a black and white photo.

To know more on how to use digital photography to your craft and business, David's Simple Photography offers you simple lessons that 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.

Gregory co-writes on David's Simple Photography on digital image manipulation.


Original article

Lighting Accessories You Might Need

The use of proper lighting in taking photos is very important. This will enable you to take clearer images that you can be proud of, particularly in an environment where light is low.

But to be able to achieve your goal, you need the right accessories for your digital camera. The very basic one is the hotshoe flash. A flash light can be the built-in type or a stand alone. The compact point and shoot camera normally has a built-in flash but for those serious in photography, using a stand alone flash is essential.

Flash units vary today. There are now the lightweight and portable types capable of providing speed light. There are also units that can be controlled remotely. Regardless, one thing that you need to make sure is you get one that's compatible with your digital camera.

If you use a flash unit, you will also need a hotshoe adapter. This connects to the sync cord of the flash to your digital camera.

An innovative lighting accessory you can also use is the camerabright lights. This product can be connected to the tripod mount of any brand of camera or even a camcorder. What it does is get rid of the red eye effect thereby achieving better photo composition and well lit images.

There's also the reflector diffuser ideally used in the studio. This tool works by serving as a fill light substitute for portrait photography.

Another thing you might want to consider is the softbox. This is normally lightweight with a wire frame and diffusion fabric and can be set up in a few minutes. It should come with a flash mounting bracket that can accommodate speed lights. You can also get the softbox kits if you wish.

Did you know that you can use an umbrella as well in photography? Experienced photographers particularly the old-timers depended on the silver umbrella to achieve softer light while shooting. You can get the same effect by using white translucent umbrellas. The idea is to bounce off light from your subject.

Keep in mind that there are different types of light. There's the hard and soft light and then there are also the hot, warm and cold light.

Hard light comes from a small light from a distance and creates strong shadows. Examples are the sun and the bare bulb. Soft light, on one hand, comes from a large diffuse light and does not create shadows.

The hot light, meanwhile, refers to the tungsten light that burns continuously and can be used with movie, videos and scanning digital cameras. The warm light is produced by a flourescent or strobe light and is ideal for fast action scenes.

Finally, the cold light refers to the electronic flash. For studio use, there are the monolights and the powerpack/head systems. They basically have a flash tube that surrounds an incandescent bulb.

So depending on the kind of photography you're engaged in, there are different lighting accessories you can use to improve your images.

For information about camera stores, visit 42photo.com, New York's legendary camera store in business for over 40 years.


Original article

How To Avoid The Top 6 Mistakes In The Professional Photography Business

As something of an interesting experiment, I asked my Twitter followers to answer the question: "What are the top business errors by 'rookie' photographers?" Within just a few minutes I had several great responses, and thought they would make a great article.

It's one thing to be a great photographer, but very much another to be the owner of a successful photography business. In fact, I've seen far too many technically talented photographers suffer through difficult times, while observing others who seem less qualified sail right on by.

The main difference in these two outcomes lies in the photographer's understanding of the importance of business knowledge.

You're A Photography Business Owner - Not A Photographer

As I've said on plenty of previous occasions, it's not the most talented photographer who wins, but the best marketer and business-minded photographer.

What, then, are the 6 most common mistakes, at least according to my Twitter followers?

Here they are, in no particular order:

#1: Undercharging For Their Time And Talent

This is a huge mistake that many newbies make, usually because they join the industry as a serious amateur who's found the potential for earning money practicing what they already like to do. Not that there is anything wrong with amateurs turning professional - far from it.

The trouble is, most of them fail to realize that the moment they charge for their work, they've moved from amateur to professional. That shift also requires a change in thinking, especially when it comes to how they view the value of their photography.

If photographers would just stop at this point to examine the situation, and fully understand the implications of being a professional, I think the industry would have a lot less problems.

All it needs is a simple change in perspective - from amateur photographer to serious studio owner.

As a business owner, one of the 1st responsibilities is to fully realize the cost of keeping the business open, and what it costs just to pick up the camera for a job.

With these factors in mind, together with a realistic valuation of the photographer's time, added to the actual cost of sales of products sold, the photographer can calculate healthy prices that correctly value their work and time.

#2: Mistakes With Paid Advertising

I made the very same mistake when I started in business, much to my disappointment (and an empty bank account)! The advertising in question was the "Yellow Pages", and I believe I watched almost $3,600 disappear into thin air as a result. At the time, I didn't know any better, and thought I needed to be in the Yellow Pages just because that's what was expected. Besides, there were lots of other photographers in there, so it must be the proper thing to do, right?

Nope.

Other mistakes I made with paid advertising included certain internet directories and paid listings, none of which provided any leads, let alone clients.

If you're a recently new photographer, and you're considering paid advertising, then it pays to really take into account the target market of the advertising, how effective the reach is, the experiences of other photographers who have taken part in it etc. If you're in any doubt, don't do it!

#3: Setting Prices Without Knowing Their COGS

This was alluded to in #1, but it's worth mentioning again here. Knowing your COGS (cost of goods sold) is absolutely critical to producing a price list that will sustain a healthy business. COGS includes all the direct costs necessary for making a sale, but not fixed costs such as internet, telephone, rent etc.

The one thing a lot of photographers omit from their COGS is their time, which is a huge mistake. Your time is your second most valuable asset (your attitude being number one), and you need to charge for it, even if it's only a small hourly rate.

Having determined the COGS for any given service, it's good practice to mark that up at least 3 times to produce a final retail price.

This is the point at which so many photographers get scared, and descend into the vicious cycle of constantly tinkering with their price list - especially if they're having a hard time with sales.

#4: Not Following A Business Plan

To begin with rookie photographers don't often spend much time to create a business plan and then work the plan.

Do YOU have a business plan? An actual written plan providing a frame of reference for your studio, defines your goals, and acts as a roadmap for success?

I'm willing to wager that the vast majority of photographers don't possess such a document. Often, this is because they don't like the job, don't know how to write one, are too busy, or lack clearly defined ideas about their goals.

Whatever the reason, if your business was an airplane, it would not have much chance of reaching its destination without a flight plan, would it?

A business plan need not be complicated! It's only for you, to keep you on track, so it doesn't have to be produced as though you're a major corporation.

Simplicity means clarity - and the greater the chance you'll adhere to it!

#5: Working For Free

This is an interesting one, and encompasses a subject I see quite often in the many online photography groups: The idea of photographing for free (or almost free) in the hopes of gaining exposure.

You can't be in the photography business for very long without someone asking you to photograph something (often an event of some kind) for a very low rate on the promise it will give you great exposure or the prospect of more, higher-paid, work down the line.

This is an insult to the photographer, and does a lot of damage to the photography industry. The promised "exposure" more often than not turns out to be non-existent, and further work usually entails poor compensation at best.

Consider the concepts presented in items #1 and #3 when making your decision about these types of jobs, and you can't go too far wrong.

My advice to new photographers is to not fall into the trap of imagining that just because you're not experienced in the business that you can't ask for what you and your photography are worth.

#6: Imagining That It's Easy

I expect that most photographers working today will probably admit that they thought it would be easier than it turned out to be! Myself included!

The truth is, running a professional photography studio is not easy. Running any business is difficult, I don't care what it is. There certainly are no "get rich fast" business plans for photographers!

Perhaps the "easy" idea comes more from the photography side of things. After all, that part is a lot of fun, and we can be technically very good at it - it's what we are here to do, right?

Unfortunately, the clicking of the shutter only takes up 20% of our business efforts, and that's being generous! The other 80% is taken up by marketing, selling, social media, accounting, planning, studying, marketing (so exciting it's worth mentioning twice!)... etc.

Those business-related jobs are probably those we became photographers in order to avoid, but get out of them we can't! They are all essential and vital to our success, so we may as well get used to them.

What Would Be Your #7 Top Mistake?

Thank you to the Twitter followers who contributed to this research, and I do plan to try this experiment again sometime.

This is only 6 of the errors that many of us fall into, and I'm quite sure there are many more!

What other blunders would you add to the list? What would be your #7 mistake to warn rookie professional photographers about?

About The Author

Nigel Merrick is a professional photographer, blogger and business coach for other working photographers. Nigel's blog ( http://www.zenologue.com/ ) helps professional photographers find peace in their business, love from their clients, and happiness in their personal lives by clarifying their focus on business and marketing.


Original article