Tripods and Reducing Camera Shake

One of the most frustrating things in photography is camera shake. Camera shake occurs when a camera moves while the photographer is taking a shot. This is usually the result of hand holding a camera instead of placing it on a tripod or other stable object. Modern cameras can be quite heavy and difficult to hold steady while taking shots, resulting in movement that can find its way onto the finished picture.

Camera shake usually doesn't occur when the photographer is using a fast enough shutter speed. If the shutter is only open for a fraction of a second - say 1/640th of a second or faster - then it is almost impossible for any movement to affect the shot. However often photographers cannot use fast shutter speeds because of low light, so they need to find a way to reduce camera shake. When a shutter is open for a long period of time - anything from 1/20th of a second or longer is considered a long time for shutters - camera shake will ruin the shot if a method for keeping the camera steady is not utilised.

One of the most popular methods for keeping cameras steady is to use a tripod. Sports photographers, and any other photographers who don't have time to set up a tripod for each shot, might use a monopod instead.

A tripod is a three legged device specifically designed to keep a camera steady when shooting. The legs can usually be extended or retracted and work independently of each other. The legs might also be partially covered in rubber to keep the photographer's hands warm when adjusting the legs in cold weather, and for protection of the legs from bumps and scratches. Good tripods will also have rubber feet that can grip any surface, even if it's wet.

Depending on the type of tripod being used, the neck and head type will vary. Some necks can be lifted up and down to allow for height adjustments, similar to the legs. A few types of tripods have necks that can be positioned sideways when lifted up and out. This provides for side-on, or portrait shooting. Other tripods only allow for switching between landscape and portrait shooting from the head.

Traditionally, tripod heads contained several parts that can be screwed and unscrewed. When unscrewed, the tripod head can swivel from side to side, shift up and down, and tilt sideways. These days, ball heads are becoming more popular as they allow a full range of movements by only unscrewing one lock. They can also be more stable than traditional heads, but they are also more expensive to buy.

Photographers who need to move quickly between shots often use monopods instead of tripods. Monopods have only one leg and must be hand held. They offer almost as much stability as tripods, but some camera shake can still occur. They are easier to move around and set up so they are preferred by sports photographers. They are also widely used by photographers who need to move quickly between shots, such as fashion photographers shooting on location.

As you can see, tripods and monopods are handy devices for reducing camera shake. If you're serious about your photography you should consider investing in a tripod today.

Check out the Best Tripods on the web at affordable prices at http://www.besttripods.net/ today.

Original article

Sony NEX - A Revolution in the Camera Segment

Preserving the laughs, the good moments, the not so good moments and many inexpressible moments; the usages of a camera are simply never ending. No matter whether you go on a vacation with your friends or visit your paternal house in the countryside, being able to capture what you experience is almost of great importance. As a matter of fact, the rage of photography has aggravated manifolds ever since people got the opportunity to share their photos on social networking websites such as Facebook, Orkut, Google Plus, and the likes. Due to the rise in the number of people pursuing photography as a hobby, the market saw the introductions of numerous compact digital cameras in every possible budget. However, none of the previous entrants of the camera segment deliver what is promised by the latest from the electronic industry heavyweight Sony.

Sony NEX range of compact digital cameras comes with an interchangeable Sony NEX lens, making them the first of their kind. Even since the introduction of DSLRs, many of us wished to own a top of the line DSLR camera to capture the life around us in the most impeccable fashion. However, due to their high prices, being able to afford a DSLR camera is not in everyone's financial realm. Thanks to Sony, now you can have the flexibility and performance of a high tech DSLR at a much lower price. Some of the key features of Sony NEX range of cameras are:

• Interchangeable Sony NEX lens
• 14.2 effective megapixels
• HD video recording at 1920 x 1080, 17Mbps
• 3D sweep panorama
• Contrast autofocus system
• Anti-motion blur and night mode
• ISO 200-1800
• APS HD CMOS sensor
• AVCHD or MP4 video recording
• Creative Style system
• White balancing

Currently, Sony is offering two variants in this range, NEX-3 and NEX-5. Although both the models share same basic specs, the latter comes with a few extras. Apart from the standard features NEX-5 also promises an infrared remote receiver and AVCHD movie recording mode. Another notable difference between the two models is the body casing. While NEX-3 has a soft cornered body which is relatively larger in size than its superior, NEX-5 comes in a very stylish, slim, and edgy outlook.

If you are planning of buying a Sony NEX camera, it is recommended that you buy a Think Tank photo bag as well. This is because stock camera bags don't offer the security a camera such as Sony NEX deserves.

The author is an experienced Content writer and publisher on the topics related to Sony NEX lens and Think Tank photo.

Original article

How Can I Sell Photos Online? - Make Extra Money Selling Your Photos Online

Making money working for yourself has become a very accessible task nowadays. With all the new business opportunities the Internet provides, it is almost hard not to find a business model that suits you. One of these opportunities is selling digital photos on the Internet. You might be wondering: How can I sell Photos online? I am not a professional photographer, nor do I have an expensive digital camera.

Well, as a matter of fact, these are not crucial requirements anymore! Anyone (and I really mean anyone) can earn money from photography; there are no special skills required. You will need a digital camera that takes nice photos and a will to succeed. I myself use a 8 MP camera from BenQ, nothing fancy, and see great results day after day! And I am not an expert photographer or anything.

As a matter of fact, I stumbled upon this opportunity after a trip to Thailand during which I took about 4000 photos, with the purpose of selling them afterwards. I was already familiar with the concept, earning a few dollars now and then, selling photos taken around my city. But the photos taken in Thailand brought me a little more than $10,000 in just a couple of months!

But enough about me already! How can you sell photos online? Where can you start from?

The truth is that there is a whole bunch of opportunities to sell your photos online, but you will have to do a little filtering yourself and choose the ones that work best for you. Probably the best known way to make money from photography is selling your work on specialized stock photo websites. Here, you will basically upload the photos you have taken, set your prices, depending on the size and quality of the photo, and wait for buyers. This method is actually responsible for the biggest part of my income.

A different approach that works well is advertising your photos to people that are in need of fresh content, such as bloggers, website designers or magazine writers. Just by performing a Google search, you will be able to find lots of forums that gather together a significant number of such people. Make an account, participate in discussions and make your offer to people who might be interested (Do not to spam!). The best part of this approach is that a good percentage of buyers coming from forums will eventually come back to you after a while, willing to buy more photos.

One more way to earn some cash from your photos is printing them out as posters and selling them on websites like EBay. I myself don't use this method since it is more demanding, but it can be a great little earner if used correctly.

There is no reason why you shouldn't give this a try. I didn't have any experience at all when I started, but still managed to make it in this industry. All you need to do is try and not give up!

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

Send A Greeting Card Which Really Gets The Message Across

Choosing a greeting card can often be quite tricky. You want something which looks appealing and will chime with the personality of the person receiving it whilst also perhaps being amusing, or conveying an apt message. Every card shop on the high street offers a huge selection, with cards catering for virtually every occasion imaginable but it can still be incredibly difficult to find something which fits the bill perfectly.

That's why making your own card is such an attractive option, since it allows you to be in complete control of every single aspect of the finished product, as well as ensuring that the card in question will be absolutely unique. In times gone by this was an option only really open to a few people - namely those blessed with the artistic skill and equipment required to produce an individual work of art.

The onward march of technology, however, has changed all of this, with digital photography meaning that it's now possible for absolutely anybody to produce bespoke photo cards using the image of their choice. Personalised cards like this are absolutely perfect for a wide range of special occasions, since the image can be made to match the circumstances exactly. When sending thank you cards, for example, the best that are usually available are bland and dull looking cards with the words 'Thank You' printed on the front and not much else.

Whilst they'll get the basic message across, that's just about all they do, without offering any kind of personal touch or individuality. How much more heartfelt would that thank you seem if it was accompanied with a specially chosen photograph? Thanking somebody for a christening gift, for example, would mean so much more if the card featured a beautiful picture of the baby or young child in question. The online technology available means that producing photo cards of this type is as easy as buying mass produced cards, with a finished product which, in terms of quality, leaves almost anything you can buy in the shops trailing in its' wake.

The only 'work' involved for the customer lies in choosing the photograph they wish to use. If you're sending a card for a friend's 40th birthday, for instance, what could me more amusing, affectionate and apt than printing one of them using a picture taken when they were a mere babe in arms? Just imagine how much a card like this would stand out amidst the ranks of shop bought cards, and how much it would say about the amount of thought you've put into sending it. Too often, sending cards can seem to be something of a chore, something which people do because they feel they have to.

Making and sending your own cards in this manner couldn't be further away from this approach, making it clear in the strongest possible terms that you've thought long and hard about the person, how much they mean to you and the occasion you're marking. Sending a card like this is a way of sending a little bit of yourself and receiving it will make someone's day in a very special way.

The next time you need to send a greeting card, don't put up with whatever the nearest stationer is willing to provide. Making your own photo cards allows you to send exactly the card you wish to send, right down to the shape, size and any text you wish to include. Once you've done it, you'll never want to go back to shop bought.

Original article

Wedding Photography: How to Make Sure Everything Goes As Planned

If you're in the profession of wedding photography, you know that weddings are a disaster waiting to happen. Many people are unaware that it takes a lot of planning as a wedding photographer to get everything just right. For those that are just starting out, here are some techniques that can help you when you are about to photograph a wedding.

Look over the venue:

The couple selected their wedding location for their own specific reasons. That being said, they deserve, and expect excellent pictures from their photographer because they are paying to get one of their most precious moments captured. As a wedding photographer, you should always do a reconnaissance of the location, so you can make sure you find it. By doing so, you can have a visual in your mind about how the wedding is going to be set up, and that way it will make it easier on you to produce high quality shots.

Always be aware of the Bride:

Make sure to always follow the bride because essentially you want to be wherever she is. This isn't to say that the groom isn't as important. You do want to get him in as many shots as possible, but in all reality all eyes are focused on the bride. The guests want to see her in her makeup, and her dress, and see how stunning she is. She is the center of attention because it is her wedding day, and you want to take pictures that reflect that.

Always have a backup:

Unfortunately, technology isn't fail proof, and you never know when your camera will fail on you. No matter how reliable your camera is, it is bound to have problems some day. For this reason, always bring at least one spare camera. I recommend bringing both a wide angle lens' camera as well as a longer lens' camera. You can capture most of the wedding with the wider lens' camera, and get the most intimate moments with the longer lens' camera.

Make a shot list:

You will be on your feet going at full speed all day of the wedding, and it can be quite easy to forget to take some important shots. To avoid this create a shot list. This shot list should include shots that the couple has set out for you to take as well as shots that you think you want to take. This is the easiest way to always remember what shots need to be taken.

Making sure everything is set for a wedding is a difficult task. You have to be meticulous in everything you do as the photographer because you have people counting on you to capture one of the most precious moments in their lives. If you follow these tips, preparing for the wedding day should be a little easier for you.

In Savannah wedding photography can be an excellent career. If you would like to know more tips on wedding photography visit: http://www.mikeforce.com/

Original article

Finding Beautiful Light for Fine Art Wedding Photography in the San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco is a truly amazing city. The city just oozes amazing people with such beautiful backdrops. It is truly a photographers dream. What more could a wedding photographer ask for? Well for me, often times the only thing missing is the warm golden light! To really capture wedding photography in a fine art matter that will make the bride and groom look like characters from a love story it takes more than just a love and a camera. You NEED light! Light is everything. The warm caress of light reaching around a backlit couple can take an image that is nice and cute to something that is so much more, something that will evoke emotions of deep connection and an undeniable romance. "The Fog" often keeps these special moments from ever being captured. But don't worry, follow this Engagement Session and Wedding Photography guide and you will not have to compromise the light.

Plan your wedding in October: October wedding offer the most predictable weather. The fob is usually kept far enough off the coast while the weather is still warm. And the rainy season hasn't quite started yet. If you must have your wedding withing the city limits, and want to take all your wedding photos in the city, this is definitely the best time to plan your wedding. The Indian Summers of October is not big secret so planning your wedding during this time maybe harder than other months. You may have to plan 2 years in advance, but your wedding photographs will thank you.

So you couldn't book an October wedding, now what? Have no fear, all you need is time. My next suggestion is to take your wedding images outside the city limits. There is no denying that San Francisco is a truly beautiful city. But so are the surrounding areas. To the north there is Sausalito, and one of my favorite places on earth, Mt. Tam. To the east there is Berkeley and Walnut Creek, and to the south there is San Mateo and Sunnyvale, All the places I mentioned are within an hour from the city, and have much better weather than San Francisco. You can easily either opt for a first look and take your Bride and Groom photos before the ceremony. If you are more traditional and seeing each other before the wedding is a "no-no" then you can opt to have an early ceremony, with a long break before the reception. This will also give you plenty of time to get out to nicer weather and find that beautiful light. These are also great places to have your engagement sessions. Engagement sessions are a way to familiarize yourself with your photographer, and how she or he works. They also will give you extra images that are associated with your wedding. If you have great engagement images with amazing light, maybe you can forgo needing Wedding Portraits with similar light.

Finally, you can decide to not have your wedding in the city at all. There are plenty of amazing picturesque areas around the San Francisco. Everyone knows that Napa is very close by, which is an amazing place to have your wedding. The light is just so beautiful there, and the backdrop of the vineyards will really make your wedding stand out. There are also many vineyards near Livermore east of the city. Another great unique idea would be to have your wedding on one of the rolling golden hills around East Bay. Find a lone tree, get permission and you are in for an amazing photo opportunity. Try to have your wedding around sunset when the light is just right. Then you can take all the bride and groom images around the fields and hills.

Now you have plenty of choices to get amazing wedding photography around San Francisco.

Original article

Best 6 Tips You Need To Know To Take Good Pictures

A lot of us really don't have the expertise we would like to for taking photos which are worth exhibiting in picture frames on our office desktops. Newer generation digital cameras really have come a long way, however, making it quite possible for just about everyone to capture excellent pictures. Since as you might know, the majority of the digital cameras people use now are the point-and-shoot style which do just about everything for you, from recognizing faces to finding out if a flash or no flash might be better, saving you a great deal of work. However, becoming a better photographer is doable when you have a bit of experience with your camera to speak of, and a sense of know-how. Grab your digital camera and have a peek at these tips that will make your photos even better than they used to be:

Make eye contact with your subject to get a more interesting photo. You will discover that having your camera at the very same level as your subject's eyes will create a picture that is far more unforgettable. When you take pictures of animals and children, be sure to get down to the same level as them. This is much more attractive than shots taken that look down on your subject. Additionally, when a picture is taken at eye level it is much more personal and welcoming, and will draw in the viewer.
Accentuate your main focus in the picture by keeping distractions outside of the background. A flagpole which seems to spear your subject through their head will draw attention away from the real subject of the picture. Ensure that you take into account the things surrounding the subject when taking pictures. A common or undecorated setting with virtually no distracting activity would be the most ideal.
Find out when you ought to utilize the camera's flash. Dazzling sunlight can work to create deep shadows in the face. You can get rid of these shadows by using the flash on the camera, even when there is a lot of light outside. This is particularly true if the day is really sunny. If you have a choice between full flash or fill flash, the general rule is to use the fill flash for subjects five feet or closer, and the full flash for the subjects that are farther away than five feet.
Know when you should move in closer. When your subject is of smaller size than a vehicle of standard size, move a handful of steps closer to the subject before taking the picture. Or better yet, zoom in. Your objective in doing this is to clearly show little details, like a great set of pearly whites or a grouping of adorable freckles.
Understand when you are too close. While getting close makes for a much better shot most of the time, you should also avoid coming too close. If you are too close, your pictures will end up blurry. The closest focus distance on the standard digital camera is about a yard, which is roughly one step beyond the lens of your camera. If you move any nearer than this you may not get the nice clear pictures you desire.
Put your subject in the middle, but only when it appears best that way. The beauty of the digital camera is that you are able to shoot, shoot, and re-shoot until the shot you are capturing turns out like you want it. Many times, the middle is an ideal position for the subject, but this is not always true. Take a number of shots and compare them to each other to determine what position is best suited for your subject.

With a little care and forethought, you can take pictures that are worthy of placing in picture frames around your home and workplace.

Shop online and see our huge selection of 4x6 black picture frames in a wide variety of shapes and styles. Visit our website to look at our beautiful picture frames now or call 800-780-0699.

Original article

Produce Your Own Art By Putting A Photo On Canvas

A photo canvas can solve this problem by bringing together digital photography and canvas printing in a way which produces an object of great beauty and style.

The excellent quality offered by state of the art digital camera equipment makes it possible for photographers of virtually any ability to produce vibrant, rich and often stunning images. If you take a second to think of the pictures which you've taken, the chances are that there will be at least one of which you are particularly proud. It could be that it's a particularly touching picture of your children - something like a candid snap of them at play or a portrait which captures their personalities in a way seldom seen in studio based, professionally produced shots.

Alternatively, you may have taken an impressive picture of a favourite beauty spot, a beach at sunset or a forest in full bloom. In the past, the best that you could do with a favourite photo such as this was to have it enlarged and perhaps mounted in a frame, but even making it slightly larger would have a negative effect on the quality of the image and the finished result would fail to do justice to the power of the photograph. Putting pictures on canvas, on the other hand, is a method which allows you to show off your photography in all its glory as well as, at the same time, producing a bespoke work of art which will grace the walls of absolutely any home.

The quality of the materials used for canvas printing, in terms of the canvas itself, the sturdy wooden frame and the technology behind the actual printing, means that the resulting canvas prints are of a standard most normally associated with artworks hanging in galleries or for sale in expensive art shops. Even cheap canvas prints are made using the 'wrap around' technique, which means that the image is printed to the very edge of the canvas, which is then stretched around the frame, resulting in a totally professional look. The software used to put photos on canvas has been specifically designed to make the entire process quick and simple.

The hardest part of the whole procedure will probably be choosing just one image to turn into a work of art, but once you've done this you can upload it and set about turning it into a canvas print. The options available to you begin with the size and shape of the print, ranging from small square prints suitable for intimate personal photographs to large, imposing portrait or landscape style prints of a type which will dominate the largest of rooms. Canvas printing doesn't only allow you to show off a favourite image to the best possible effect, it's also a means of producing stunning gifts which absolutely anyone would be happy to receive. After all, it's not many people who can afford to give a one-off artwork as a Christmas or birthday present, but putting a photo on canvas will allow you to do exactly that and the image concerned, what's more, will be one that's handpicked to suit the tastes and personality of the recipient.

Whether you're a professional photographer wanting to showcase your work, a gifted amateur keen to make the most of your gifts or just someone who'd like to own a unique and personal work of art, a photo on canvas will tick every single box. Canvas printing takes art out of the hands of an elite few and puts it within easy reach of anybody.

Original article

Photography Made Easy With Digital Photo Prints

Digital photo prints have changed all of this, using simple and cheap technology to enable anyone to turn multiple images into as many prints as they like. Often, technological innovations can promise much more than they actually deliver. It's not so long since we were told that the advance of computer technology meant that people would soon be working less and enjoying much more leisure time, and that those who were working would be doing so in 'paperless offices'. Both of these claims turned out to be somewhat optimistic, as is so often the case. After all, back in the 1950's film makers freely assumed that by now we'd all be driving hover cars and travelling to the Moon and back on a regular basis. Occasionally, however, the march of technology can bring obvious advantages to ordinary people and digital photography is a very good example of this phenomenon.

The digitisation of the process has meant that many hundreds, even thousands of photographs can now be stored in the smallest imaginable space and that digital photo prints are as quick, easy and cheap as the old, physically printed pictures were time consuming, difficult and expensive. The chief advantage of digital photography, namely that anyone is free to take as many photographs as they like, means that on many occasions people don't actually take the time to print photos, preferring to access them via devices such as their computer or other electronic means. Sometimes, however, especially with the most treasured photographs, it's better to actually have a hard copy - a picture you can actually hold in your hand, taking you back to the memory it captures in a way which nothing else can quite manage.

Photo developing in the past meant that this was the only option available, and that if anything happened to damage the print another copy would have to be made, provided the delicate negatives were still in a good enough condition. Digital photo printing, on the other hand, is both simple and quick, with only seconds being needed to log online, choose the prints you want to have printed and then have them in your hand without any frustrating wait. Alongside this simplicity comes a degree of flexibility which simply wasn't available in the past. Your images can be altered and tweaked to exactly suit your needs, making alterations of aspects such as the cropping, the colour balance and the size of the final print. For example, you may have taken a fantastic photo of your children which is ruined by the accidental presence of a total stranger on the edge of the frame.

Using the technology available this could be edited out of the picture in a matter of seconds. Online photo printing puts you in charge of everything which happens to your images which, when bearing in mind the fact that they are valuable records of precious memories, is surely the way things ought to be. Once you've taken your pictures you can produce copies to send to friends and family, meaning that people like grandparents can now have their own picture of their grandchildren rather than having to wait to visit until they get to see one, and that friends get to see your best holiday snapshots in the comfort of their own homes.

Photo prints used to be expensive and frustratingly time consuming, calling for a visit to a specialist shop or a roll of film entrusted to the postal service. digital photo prints are entirely different, bringing together convenience, flexibility and value for money.

Original article

Easy Rain Photography Tips

Do you love the sound and sight of rain? If you do, then you can consider this as a great opportunity to take beautiful photos. Unaware to many of you, the scenes after the rain and even during the rain provide a golden opportunity to use your creativity and take some of your best shots. It can be tricky but with patience and a creative mind, you can be sure to achieve your goal.

One of the reasons why rain photography can be exciting to pursue is because of the shapes, colors and shadows you can capture whether you're an aspiring photographer or already an experienced one. Consider these - raindrops falling, raindrops hitting a surface such as an umbrella, the soil or a concrete floor, droplets on grasses and flowers, different colors and shadows on the reflection of all things wet with rain. If you can just let your imagination run wild, you will have the best time taking beautiful images.

For those who are still starting on their photography hobby, you can choose to click away when the rain has stopped. By then, the scene is clear and cleaner. Remember to focus on your subjects and decide on the angle and digital camera mode you'll be using.

But you can always try shooting when it's raining if you want to find out how you fare. Normally, photos of falling rain can come out blurred so you have to know the tricks to take clearer photos. An important point to remember is to control your digital camera's shutter speed to amplify the image and prevent it from becoming blurry.

Also consider using the aperture priority mode. This will help you capture photos with more depth and light. A wider camera aperture is ideal for taking shots of rain drops.

Using the macro mode is also an interesting way of capturing lovely photos particularly after the rain. This will help you greatly if you wish to take close-up shots of a petal or grass with tiny water droplets in sharp colors. Keep in mind, though, to make your background blurry so that the focus of your image remains on your subject and its details.

Photographing reflections is also a good idea during wet weather. After the rain, you can see reflections and shadows everywhere so why not use your imagination and capture unique subjects. Just make sure that your own reflection is not visible when you're clicking away. You may be even lucky if a rainbow appears and that would be a sign for you to take those shots of it including its reflection in whatever surface you find interesting.

Don't forget to protect your digital camera and its accessories from water. A few drops would be okay to fall on your photographic device but it's still best to use a cover for the camera. A camera housing that is waterproof is perfect but a zip lock can help as well. Just make a hole for your camera lens and you're ready to snap away.

Otherwise, you can shoot under an umbrella or from inside your vehicle. Another option is to shoot from your home's window.

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

Original article

How You Can Improve Your Portrait Photography

We all love to sit back and relive a moment in our lives. These are moments in our past when we were innocent and carefree. Without the worries of life that so many of us take for granted these days. These moments for most of us are captured through pictures. From the moment we are born most of us have a camera pointed directly at us. This is the way we preserve our visual memory. There are two methods in which we preserve these visual memories. Candid shots are those where the subjects are unaware, unplanned, and without posing. Portraits are shots where the subjects are posed and aware that a picture is being taken. With each style there are ways to capture the perfect shot if you follow a few simple rules. First on the list should be to pick the location you want to use for you portrait session.

You'll find that studios aren't the greatest locations for you portrait photography. Sure it's easier in a studio to capture a pretty good posed picture. However, to get a great shot you need to expand beyond the studio. The best way to do this is by going to a park or somewhere as simple as in your own backyard. You can even follow your subject on their way to work or while the stroll down the street.

Showing the subject in their natural surroundings allows them to be more relaxed. If they feel a bit awkward then it will reflect in your shots. This will also allow you to get a natural shot instead of your subject giving a staged appearance. Your going to get a better picture a child playing at a playground. Rather than if you try and take them to a studio and ask them to sit still for a hour. It just doesn't work and again this will reflect in your shots. The next step would be getting the proper lighting.

There are many different ways you can use light in portraits. Most studios use off camera lighting due to the limited natural lighting at their disposal. You can however use a window as a great way to get soft and diffused lighting. Make sure you place your subject at an angle and not looking forward straight out the window. This is probably the best way to get some natural lighting in your studio setting.

Natural lighting is best achieved outdoors. An overcast day offers the best lighting. Sunny days are great for a picnic, but they can cause your pictures to be over exposed. If you have a sunny day and you aren't able to shade the subject under a tree or building. Then make sure you don't position them facing the sun. Most photographers think this sun will reduce shadows. Actually, by pointing them directly at the sun it creates more shadows. These can be touched up in post processing, but if you have 700 shots to process. It can be extremely time consuming to fix an issue you shouldn't have too if it was done correctly during the shoot. Finally, there are a few other tips that you can use to improve your portrait photography.

Go back and look at your shots that don't turn out that good. Study the shot and figure out why the shot isn't that good. Determine if it's because of lighting or the settings on your camera. Always try and improve and learn from your mistakes.

Take the time to learn a little about your subject. You can get a pretty good idea of what they will and what they won't like. You don't have to get to know their life story. It also helps to make your subject comfortable as well.

Whether your shooting a candid or posed shot. Shooting portrait photography is a skill that you should always strive to improve on. Capturing a special event or moment in a person's life and being able to tell their story through your pictures. In the end that's what portrait photography's ultimate goal is.

Chi Photography is one of the top Charleston Wedding Photographer located in Charleston, South Carolina.

Charleston Photographer

Original article

Digital Wedding Photo Album Software Free Download - Photographer's Top Secrets Revealed

If you're looking for digital wedding photo album software that is free to download and that allows you to make high-quality, professional photo albums then this article is a must-read for you. Not only is this program very easy to use even for people who have never created a single photo book before, but it produces amazing photo books printed on top-quality award-winning photo paper, professionally bounded with numerous cover options. Cover options for your photo book choices range from a very budget-friendly linen hardcover to luxurious handcrafted genuine leather. These photo books are meticulously finished and crafted to last for years and years.

If you think that you have to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get that expensive, one-of-a-kind look for your photography book, think again! Despite the fact that many professional photographers are charging top dollar for handcrafted photo albums, you can achieve the same results for a bargain price, if you know where to order your photo books and what digital photo album software (free is always a plus) to use. In fact, many professional photographers are using this exact program and would hate to share this information with you.

This digital wedding photo album software (free to download and use) is packed with great features that no other software program offers on the market today. You can fully customize your album pages, add personalized captions, make custom cover pages with your own photos and text. The software program has powerful photo editing tools, if you need to spruce up your pictures before putting them in the photography book.

But it doesn't stop there! You can also share your digital photo books online with anybody who has an e-mail address for free. Once your friends receive an e-mail with a link to your photo album, all what they have to do is just click the link in your e-mail, and the smiles begin. Your friends can view your photo book without downloading those bulky attachments. Your digital photo album will look like an online magazine, so your friends will be able to turn the pages, zoom in and out, etc.

If you would like to send a printed photo book as a gift to your friends, you can do so with just a click of your mouse. In fact, your friends can order as many prints of your photo books as they like themselves without downloading this digital photo album software.

You can customize your photo album for each recipient by adding a separate cover page and cover title to make a truly unique and personalized gift for any occasion. Who doesn't love receiving gifts with a nice personal touch? Now you can make yours! And no, these gifts won't come with a huge price tag. You will be shocked how inexpensive they are!

Here is a great bonus for you. To help you save even more money, I have posted step-by-step instructions on how to receive a 50% off your first order in case you decide to buy a photo book (you don't have to if you just want to make a free photo book online and share it with your friends via email or Facebook for free). Take a look at the examples of photo books, watch a program video tour and see for yourself how stunning these photo albums are! They look exactly like the ones you might purchase from a professional photographer for hundreds of dollars. Click here to get your wedding photo album software for free for Windows or Mac.

Original article

Digital Photography For Beginners - Get Up Close And Personal For Better Portraits!

It's nice to see your subject in clear detail, don't you think? Just about any portrait can become much more powerful if you move a few paces nearer to your subject. Filling the frame makes a tremendous difference and, when accomplished perfectly, looks considerably more professional. This Digital Photography Guide 'focuses' on the benefits of moving up close and personal towards your subject!

You don't even have to take steps toward your subject. Instead of literally moving nearer, try utilizing your camera's zoom to obtain a close up shot. Portraits actually look superior when they are totally zoomed in. That's simply because the longer lens has a tendency to flatten facial elements, reducing unsightly elements, such as large noses, for example.

When taking pictures of friends (or family) many beginner photographers insist on including the subject's complete body (or head as well as arms) in the shot. Instead, why not fill the frame by having your subject's face only, especially if they are caught in a moment of reflection. Why move in closer? Well, by having less clutter, there is simply less to draw the eye away from your main interest. If there's anything in the picture that distracts from your main subject, your eye will certainly be drawn to it, and the resulting image can look somewhat dull and uninteresting. Truly, close up human faces are simply something we gain great pleasure from studying.

If you can't get near enough when you 're taking the shot, you can easily zoom in later utilizing Photoshop, or similar application. Crop out all except the subject's face and see the difference it makes - a much more powerful image. The good thing about today's digital cameras is simply that they have numerous megapixels. Even if you crop out an enormous part of the image, you should still be able to produce a decent quality portrait.

If using a compact camera, a word of caution. Since the viewfinder is not at an equivalent position with the lens, centering the topic in the viewfinder might possibly result in an ultimately off-centre picture. You can easily counter this by way of using the LCD screen rather than the viewfinder. Some point-and-shoots actually have a workaround built into the viewfinder. If, in your viewfinder, you see what looks like a dashed box, that's simply the same section that the lens sees. You can then utilize the viewfinder as long as you use the dashed box to frame your shot.

To read more digital photography guides, and find out how you can easily move your skills from digital photography beginner to professional looking images, in 14 days or less, check out http://www.digitalphotographyreview.info/.

Original article

Buy Camera Products Online for Exemplary Convenience and Discounted Prices

The incorporation of the World Wide Web in our daily lives has touched every hemisphere of our lives. With internet services, the way we used to communicate changed, the way we managed our finances changed and so did the way we used to fetch information on any possible topic. Following the trend, the way we used to buy consumer products also witnessed a major makeover. With the emergence of retail websites, a world of options has been brought to the buyers' doorsteps, eliminating all the hassles involved in the traditional route. These days, you can easily find everything under the sun being sold on the virtual market with camera equipment being no exceptions.

When you choose to go the virtual way, first of all you don't need to worry about the availability of the required equipment. With a simply inexhaustible range of camera equipment available online; no matter whether you need a top of the line compact camera by Nikon or a Canon lens for your DSLR, you can easily find numerous web based stores and sellers offering a vast variety of camera equipment. In a nutshell, it's safe to say that by buying the required camera equipment from an online camera shop, you eradicate the need for you to visit different outlets to check out options by different brands. On the contrary, you can use inbuilt website tools offered by leading online sellers to compare the features of viable camera equipment and make the final pick.

In addition to the aforesaid, by buying the required camera equipment from an online camera shop, you are sure to experience a remarkable cost edge as well. As the maintenance demands of online retail stores are quite low, their owners release greater profit margins than their physical competitors, giving them the option to price their products lower than their rivals. Furthermore, in order to handle the stringent competition in the virtual market, many stores come out with promotional schemes from time to time. These schemes not only attract more visitors to these websites, they also give you a great opportunity to get remarkable discount on premium quality camera equipment.

In order to find a trustworthy online camera shop, you can commence your hunt by using a web search engine to discover the stores offering camera equipment. Once you have a list of the leading stores, you can simply refer to the testimonials the stores have received to make the pick of the best seller.

The author is an experienced Content writer and publisher on the topics related to canon lens and camera shop.

Original article

Photo Booths - Making Memories At Your Wedding Reception

In recent years, hiring a photo booth for wedding receptions to capture the most amazing shots has become a trend and you can also rent and get your guests to have fun while posing for the camera.

Planning the most memorable day of your life takes a toll on you as you put in many efforts to make your wedding reception fun and entertaining for your guests. From the decoration and the food to the band, everything is planned with perfection. But if you think of the weddings you have attended, you would notice not all the guests get to pose for the camera. The newly weds are so busy attending people that they don't get the time to pose with every guest. Plus, it's impossible to keep track of whose picture has been captured or whose isn't.

Only when you go through the pictures after weeks, you notice how many of your guests aren't in a single photo. To have all your guests appear in your wedding photo album, you should place a photo booth in the reception hall. If you are thinking that would make the reception look like a shopping mall, then you have got it all wrong. They are the latest rage in the weddings, corporate parties, birthdays and other events where couples and groups flock to these booths to get their pictures taken.

These not only entertain guests but give you great shots for your wedding album and keepsake for your guests. These are easily available on rent and theirs prices vary from one rental service to another and are charged on the basis of hours or day/night, type of photo booths, additional props and others. Some of them rentals provide props for free whereas others charge money for each piece. Since it's a wedding reception, make sure the photo booth is decorated to match the wedding theme.

When you rent a photo booth, it usually comes with an attendant who assists people in operating the system and makes sure it works fine. In case your photo booth doesn't have an attendant, print the instructions and place them in the booth for your guests. Available in two different types, classic arcade and open booths, these booths offer a great time to your guests. Classic boxed-in booths are a little cozy and fit in 2-4 people at a time whereas open booths can accommodate up to 10 guests.

If there are space concerns, you should definitely get the enclosed arcade style booths. Since lighting plays the key role in photography, you have to ensure that it's appropriate. With arcade booths, there isn't any problem regarding additional lights as these are enclosed but is the main concern when you are using open booths.

Make your photo booth even more fun. Get props like funny hats, funky glasses, wigs, masks, fake mustaches, etc. See how your guests pose in front of the camera with these props. You can even have the photo booth frame customized to suit the wedding theme. Add the photo booth pictures to your wedding photo album or compile them into a scrapbook. Several booths can now save the pictures which are later copied to a disc. The new age photo booths come with video recording option as well. Guests can say a few words in honor of the happy couple after having some snaps shot.

If you are being charged per hour for the booth, the best time to set it up is during the drinks. At this time guests can be kept busy with the photo booth while you have your couple pictures taken by a professional photographer.

This article has been written by an expert associated with A A A Photo Booth, a leading company that rents out portable booths for various events at affordable rates.

Original article

Guide to High Speed Photography

Have you ever wandered how photographers were able to capture a water splash, bursting balloon, a bullet hitting a fruit?

The goal of the high speed photography is capturing objects in motion. You can photograph events that follow a predictable sequence. In all cases you want to be able to detect a trigger, wait for an event and take a picture.

For example, in order to capture a falling drop hitting the surface of water, first you need to detect the time when the drop starts falling. Next, you create a delay between the trigger and the event. Finally you take the picture.

There are two methods for performing high speed photography with the timer. The first method uses a shutter of a camera. The second method uses an electronic flash.

Shutter Method

The main advantage of the shutter method is that it can be used outdoors. The subject and the background can be fully illuminated. Since the shutter is used to freeze the motion of the subject, it offers a limited speed. Maximum speed of a shutter could range from 1/4000sec to 1/8000sec, in some cases it may not be fast enough (fast moving objects will become blurred).

Moreover, in cameras that have a focal plane shutter, a small slit moves across the photographic plane at much slower speeds (1/250), thus exposing different parts of the photographic plane at slightly different times.

Finally, there is a delay between the shutter release and the actual exposure. It could be as much 100ms or more (depending on camera). In addition there could be a small variation in timing, each time the camera takes a picture. Therefore this method should not be used when high timing accuracy is required.

Flash Method

The second method of high speed photography is the flash method. The picture is taken by opening the shutter of the camera, activating the flash and closing the shutter. The picture needs to be taken in a dark room. Because the room is dark, the long exposure time will not have any effect on the final output. The flash light duration now becomes the actual exposure time.

The main advantage of the flash method is the exposure speed and better timing consistency. Electronic flashes are capable of light strobes with durations of 1/10,000 or faster (lower the power setting of the flash, the shorter the flash duration).

The lag between the trigger and the flash strobe is insignificant. The disadvantage of this method is that the picture needs to be taken in a dark room to avoid the over exposure. Also since the flash is used to make the exposure, it may be more difficult to provide a uniform lighting or to illuminate the background.

Equipment

You will require three basic components for high speed photography:
1. Camera.
2. Flash.
3. Photographic timer with sensors.

Universal Photo Timer is one of the general purpose photographic timers. Universal Photo Timer can activate camera shutter or flash in response to a trigger with a set delay. The timer interfaces to a number of optical and sound sensors making high speed photography ever more popular.

Vito is an amateur photographer with particular interest in high speed photography.

Following products were described:
Universal Photo Timer

Original article

Turn One Of Your Memories Into A Timeless Photo Gift

Personalised photo gifts are a fantastic way of marking occasions such as birthdays, Christmas and anniversaries, since they're so much more meaningful and individual than anything you could simply buy off the shelf of a shop.In the past, photo gifts were precisely that - photos given as gifts. You might get an extra print of a family portrait to give to an absent grandparent, for example, or reproduce multiple copies of a new baby snap to distribute amongst the doting relatives. With the technology now available via digital photography, however, the range of personalised photo gifts that can be produced has broadened dramatically, meaning that whoever you want to buy a gift for there's bound to be a photo gift which fits the bill perfectly.

If you want to give a gift to a child which will be treasured above all others, for example, then what could be better than a jigsaw puzzle which, when they solve it, rewards them with a beautiful picture of themselves? And the same child would also surely love a school lunch box with their picture on it, or a rucksack featuring the same.

The key advantage of gifts like these is the flexibility which they allow anyone to enjoy. Literally any image you have available to you is an option and the actual process of designing and ordering your gift has been kept as simple as it possibly can be. Photo gift ideas range from small fun items such as key rings and fridge magnets, up to luxury photo books or large-scale canvas prints which take your memories and turn them into bespoke, stunning works of art.

If you still don't believe that virtually anything can be turned into a gift of this type then take a second to consider the idea of glass coasters made using an image of your own choice. You might have a landscape shot of a favourite beauty spot which you've treasured for years and would like to be able to see on a regular basis. By turning this shot into a coaster you'll be reminded of the happy memories it encapsulates each and every time you use them. It doesn't have to be a landscape shot, of course, since the choice is entirely yours. You might opt to turn a favourite picture of your kids into a set of coaters to be given as a gift to a favourite uncle or much-loved godparent.

There's no getting away from the fact that gifts such as these will touch the heart of those receiving them in a way which something that has been merely purchased isn't capable of doing. That's because they demonstrate the amount of thought you've put into them. By giving them an image of your own, you're giving them a part of you in the form of a gift which will remind them of you each and every time they look at it.

Every cup of tea or coffee, every cold drink which is rested on glass or acrylic coasters will be an occasion upon which they'll think of you and remember how much they mean to you. The process of making them will take only moments, but the finished product will carry on bringing pleasure for years to come, and surely that's the very definition of a thoughtful gift?

Giving photo gifts will delight and move the person to whom you give them, because personalised photo gifts show just how much you care and how much you want to show them you care.

Original article

Where to Sell Photos on the Internet - Can You Make Money Selling Photos Online?

Being alive at this very moment is the greatest opportunity anyone has ever had. The expansion of the Internet offers a lot of possibilities to make money online, one of which consists of selling your own photography. Some of the most common questions tackle the issue of where to sell photos on the Internet and why anyone would spend money on photography, when using a digital camera is extremely simple.

Let's start with the first issue. Where to sell photos on the Internet? You might be surprised to find out how many people are actually looking to buy photos online. Bloggers, freelancers, magazine writers, they all prefer to just pay regular people for their photos, instead of doing the work themselves.

Probably the best known way to make money selling photos online is through specialized stock photos websites. This is actually how I first started in this business. I was earning a few dollars here and there selling stock photos, but after a trip to Thailand, during which I took about 4000 photos with the sole purpose of selling them, I truly discovered the real potential of this. By selling those photos, I managed to earn a little more than $10,000 during the next two months!

You can find this kind of websites by performing a simple Google search for "stock photos", but you will have to do a little research yourself in order to find the ones with the best payout. All you have to do is upload your photos (which can be taken with a simple digital camera), set your prices, depending on the quality of the photos and wait for buyers to show up.

Another way to go when trying to sell photos online is advertising your work on your own. You can post messages in forums, contact bloggers and website owners and introduce them to your work. Some will say no, some will actually be excited. Contacting people you don't know might seem hard at first, but no actual harm can come from doing this. Just go out there and get those buyers!

You cannot accomplish anything by just sitting on a sofa and watching TV, can you? Selling photos on the Internet is a little time consuming and takes some trial and error to really get the hang of it, but the reward is amazing, especially if you don't make thousands of dollars per month from your day job.

By doing some math, we can calculate how much money selling photos on the Internet could earn you, depending on the amount of time spent taking photos. After having been making a living selling pictures for more than two years now, I can say I get about $2.5 per photo I sell. Now, how much time would you be willing to invest, knowing that you will make this kind of money? Let's say you chose to spend 2 hours a week taking photos. Could you take 100 photos during 120 minutes? Absolutely! That means 400 photos per month, which can bring you $1000.

It took me some time to get to this stage, but the journey was totally worth it. And if I was able to do it, so can you!

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

Easy Photo Tips for Parents On Catching the Moment With Child Birthday Photography

It's your child's birthday. It's a special day for everyone. You're watching this little one grow and grow, and you want to have snapshots of their life passing by to hang onto in the later years.

You might think that it's very difficult to produce impressive kids' birthday party photos, but it doesn't have to be. As long as you have a decent camera and simple understanding on lighting, as well as the patience to anticipate moments, you'll be fine.

Getting those perfect shots can be tricky and nerve-wracking. So here are some simple and handy tips to be sure that you'll catch those perfect moments.

To begin, have the camera ready at all times. One of the greatest benefits of digital photography is that you can simply rattle off loads of shots without consequence. And this factor will be greatly to your benefit, not just in cost, but probability to get good photos.

Take loads of photos. That's really the key. Get ready for the moments, and keep rattling off shots like nobody's business.

Since you probably don't have the experience and expertise in photography yet, taking more shots equate to insurance shots that will just increase the odds of you getting that perfect photo.

Later on you'll be able to take the time to sit down at your computer and weed out the plethora of bad shots that you'll certainly have gotten.

This is how the bulk of professional photographers end up with so many amazing photos. It's not that they can always simply nail that perfect shot, it's that they're always ready and firing away to be sure that they catch that special shot.

Professionals have the experience and knowledge to take higher odds of good shots, but they still take insurance shots nonetheless.

To get those moments with your child, you'll need to be ready, or have someone ready with the camera the whole time. Keep them close by, and have extra memory cards available if needed. It'd be a tragedy to run out of room just as the party is getting going.

Take note ahead of time of moments that you'll especially want to get caught on film. Write these things down and be sure to communicate with whoever will be taking the photos to watch for these specific events.

Most of all, have fun with this. Don't feel like you're taking too many shots. Again, you can always delete more later. That's the joy of the digital era.

Lastly, don't ever forget to be part of the fun! Have someone take photos of you and your child from time to time as well.

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

David is a freelance photographer, blogger, and writer providing quality and free photography-related tutorials, camera reviews, and Adobe Photoshop tips through his blog and workshops.

Original article

24 Things You Should Be Concerned About When Choosing A Wedding Photographer And Why

Here's an article for soon to-be-married couples. The list will below will give you an idea if your prospective wedding photographer will be the right wedding photographer for your wedding day.
Portfolio. Ask the wedding photographer to provide you with a url of his or her website and meet him or her in person to see actual prints and/or albums. Better yet, ask him or her to show a complete portfolio of a single wedding.
Scope of coverage. Will the coverage start from your preparation up to the end of reception? Or just the ceremony or reception? Again, your choice, as this may impact on the cost.
Coverage Style. Ask the photographer what's his style. Photojournalistic, traditional, or mixed?
Will the photographer personally shoot your wedding. Because some photographers sometimes assign the work to others. Ask him or her to put it in writing, together with alternatives if he or she can't really personally shoot your wedding.
Unique and personal photos.What's the photographer's plan or M.O. or S.O.P. with regards to making your wedding photographs unique and personal to you?
Prenup and postnup photography. Does the wedding photographer offer an engagement photo session or prenup? How about postnup? Ask him or her how much, and if there's a discount for any of these services.
Photographer's experience. Ask your prospective wedding photographer how long has he or she been in business?
Costs. These are the different packages. Does the wedding photographer have different wedding packages to choose from. Most wedding photographers will spell out the things included in a particular package.
Overtime fee. Will there be an overtime fee? Ask beforehand and request that it be put in the contract if the wedding photographer has one.
Travel Fees. It's customary for photographers to charge travel fees for out-of-town weddings. Negotiate if you can.
Discounts. Will he or she give you a discount for duplicate prints, albums, enlargements, thank you cards, signature frames, etc.?
Proofs for the album. These may be in the form of contact sheets, CD /DVD, online gallery, or 3R prints. From theses proofs, you will select the pictures that will go into the album. It's seldom now that photographers provide contact prints and 3R prints. Wedding photographers and couples today prefer a CD/DVD or an online gallery because of convenience. The photographer may likewise opt to send you the pictures thru email (slow and laborious) or send the photos to a cloud storage service (easy to use and fast), like Dropbox, which I currently use.
How long will the wedding photographer give you the pictures for selection after the wedding. 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month?
How much time will the photographer allow you for picture selection. I usually give my clients all the time they need to choose. But, as a rule, you should make the selection within 2 weeks, at the most, because after a month or two, your wedding photographer may be busy with other shoots.
Picture selection. Will the photographer help you in selecting, like give you a short list of his own choices to make the process easy for you? In the Philippines, most couples like to choose themselves from the thousands of pictures I give them. Your choice, really. There are pros and cons to both.
Prints/Reprints Orders. Would the prospective wedding photographer have a system that will make it easy for your friends and relatives to order reprints for themselves?
Picture quality. How long will the printed pictures and album last, in terms of fading.
Viewpoint or attitude towards photographing weddings. For instance, is it just a job for him/her? More often than not, the answer to this question will tip the scale for or against your decision in hiring the photographer.
Assistant. Will he/she have an assistant or assistants?
Backup equipment. Another basic and yet very important so that your photographer can continue shooting even if his or her main camera or other equipment decided to take a rest in the middle of your celebration.
Film or digital. Again, there are pros and cons to both.
Payment policy. This is another item you and your photographer should be able to agree on beforehand, preferably in writing.
Availability. Is the wedding photographer available on your wedding date?
Guarantees. This is important as you are paying with your hard-earned money. Ask him or her if the service comes with some form of guarantees.

If you feel that the wedding photographer is right for you, you can now relax and make the commitment with the confidence that you've made a well-formed, smart decision.

Tony Oquias is a professional photographer and writer based in the Philippines. You can visit his website at http://tonystill.com/ or read his blog with more photography articles and tips at http://tonystill.com/blog.

Original article