Freelance Photography: Options for the Amateur Photography to Make Money

In a recent television series, commissioned by the BBC, they looked at the top 10 jobs people would really want to do if they could. Basically what would make you jump out of bed first thing in a morning, eager to get to work? Well, the interesting thing is that the top 5 were all 'creative' careers, and at number 3 was 'Photographer'. In particular, Freelance Photography, where you are your own boss.

With the huge rise in sales of Digital cameras, everyone is enjoying the benefits of digital photography; low running costs, the ability to take a virtually unlimited number of photographs at virtually no cost, and the convenience of being able to edit and print them out yourself. The past couple of years has also seen an escalation in the number of digital SLR cameras being sold - in particular, the entry level models such as Nikon D50, Nikon D80, and Canon 350D.

Directly in proportion to this has been the upsurge of photography related sites, forums, galleries - such as Flickr.com for example - where every man and his dog force their photographic efforts upon us with relentless enthusiasm. Some great, some good and, to be frank, some absolutely dire efforts. However, with most people tiring of the daily 9-5 grind of office life, this is a superb creative outlet.

Most people are quite happy to continue with this for pleasure, but for me, I've always strived to find an income stream that can be derived from something which most people would deem a hobby. That's what I call Freelance Photography.

Now I'm not saying that you will become the next Lord Lichfield, David Bailey or Man-Ray, but there is quite reasonable money to be made in freelance photography, and the best thing is you don't have to be an outstanding photographer - just fairly competent and in touch with the basics.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Register with a stock agency site such as www.shutterstock.com or www.dreamstime.com. These in particular are what we call "micro-stock agencies". You upload photographs for approval (by the editorial team) and once approved they are available to download by the agencies customers. With only a small portfolio, this type of Freelance photography won't make you a millionaire overnight, but it will bring in a steady residual income that increases as your portfolio increases.

Set up your own website and sell prints to customers. There are a number of merchants on the internet who handle all the web design and shopping cart technicalities.I have a friend who makes quite a nice second income by selling his landscape photographs of the Peak District in the UK. The best advice here is to find a niche in something you are good at, and focus your efforts within that area.

Sell your photographs to the local newspaper. Seriously, if you've taken any decent pictures of the local football game, or community event, then see if your paper will be interested in using it. This sounds like a long shot, but local papers (in fact, national newspapers) use freelance photographers all the time. They often can't afford to employ more than one or two permanently employed photographers.

So, good luck in your efforts. Even if you don’t quite get to quit the day job, it is very realistic to attain a very decent second income which will pay for all the expensive lenses, filters and accessories that come with having photography as a hobby.

The Shape of Things - What to Leave in, What to Take Out

Shape gives your mind something to relate to. Similar shapes form patterns. Dissimilar shapes draw attention. Imagine if you will a long row of small rubber balls, placed together in a semi circle. The roundness of the ball reinforces the curve of the semi circle. Seeing the roundness causes a familiarity in the image, in other words, it creates a pattern that your eye wants to follow. On the other hand, picture that same long row of balls with a small square block in line about two thirds of the way back. Your eye may still follow the row of balls, but it will stop and look longer at the square. That's not because the square itself is more interesting, but just because it's different.

This process of forcing a viewer to stop and look again is commonly known as creating a “Spot”. A “Spot” does not have to be formed by a different shape. It could be a different color, texture, or size. Most often it's something that is totally different, like a rose in a field full of daises. Being aware of the shapes that make up your photograph is similar to being aware of lines. Shapes can be obvious or not so obvious. They can be real, or implied.

When my wife and I were engaged we had a friend take some pictures of us for the wedding announcement. We went to a local park and found a nice interesting big rock to sit on. When our friend took the shots, she was not aware of the shapes in the background. In the distance there was a street lamp. The way the shot was taken the lamp pole was not in the shot, but the lamp part itself was. To this day, we still have friends that say: "Remember that UFO that was in the background of your announcement pictures?"

Shape adds feeling to the unemotional canvas of a photograph. Edward Weston understood this concept better than most. His study of bell peppers and sea shells lead to some of the most artistic nudes in history. If you want to comprehend shape, study shape, and observe shape in its truest form, look at the pictures of Edward Weston. (1886-1958)

When some photographers seem to take forever to arrange a group of people, what is it they're looking for? More than likely, it has to do with shapes. Three people standing in a straight line is boring. Move one of them up or down and suddenly you've formed a triangle. Take a shot with two couples directly behind each other and visually you have a square. Take a moment to have one person go high and one go low and now the two couple form a diamond. Which one do you think would be more interesting? Take a look at any portrait studio shots and rarely, if ever, will you see people arranged in just a straight line.

Obviously not all shapes have the same impact. Circles and Triangles tend to grab your attention. Squares and Rectangles on the other hand tend to blend in. Combining shapes is often what makes the difference between a great shot and a boring one. Shape often goes hand in hand with texture. The roundness of the female form is usually more pleasing to look at than say the coldness of the long rectangular steel beam. If you are into construction, feel free to disagree with me.

Sometimes shapes are formed by the lack of something; this is often referred to as: “Negative Space”. Positive space is simple. That’s your subject, usually in the foreground. But negative space on the other hand, is what most people are not aware of. Remember the shape of a UFO in the background? Sometimes colors or shapes that are totally opposite of everything in the Positive space, leaves the viewer confused. You might even be saying to yourself, “Something is just not right.” When in doubt, start looking at your negative space. The bright round shape between subjects may actually be pulling your eyes away from the main subject itself. This is a classic example of negative space.

Lastly, don’t forget that where you place the shape also matters. If you are taking a family portrait for example and the father is huge (round or tall) you don’t want to put him right in the middle up front. Why? People will have a hard time looking at anyone else in the shot, if his shape dominates the picture. Place him behind someone else, or have him kneeling so he doesn’t tower over everyone else. Like many elements of design, Shapes can help the images or hurt them. Being aware of shapes can make all the difference in the world.

Digital May Be King - But the Queen is Not Dead

It seems like every few days someone sees photos on my website (or some other place); and asks, is that digital? When I turn in my 35mm film at the photo lab, someone always asks me, "Haven't you gone digital yet?" Most people seem shocked when I state: “I am not 100% digital, nor do I plan to be.”

Don't get me wrong, I do have a digital camera, and there are things I absolutely love about it. But in the real world, there are some good reasons for sticking with 35mm. Let me repeat, this is NOT a "bash digital cameras" story. But here are a few points to consider:

a) My digital camera has a flash that covers about 15 feet. My handle mount flash that I use with my regular 35mm camera is rated with a guide number of 120. That means I could shoot a portrait from across a basketball gym if so I desired. It also means I can shoot family reunions with 50 plus people in them, and not worry about the flash not covering everyone in the shot.

b) My digital camera has a 10x zoom, (which is nice); but it does not except any of the dozen or more filters I have used through out the years. A polarizer filter does great things for clouds and reflections. If I want to get really close, my close-up filter set can make a world of difference. A cross star filter can add that little touch of class that makes the difference between a nice shot and a great shot!

c) Everyone says that digital cameras are so much cheaper than developing regular 35mm film. That depends on your perspective. When I shoot a weddings; for example, I usually shoot 4 or 5 rolls of 24 exposure film. I can get these processed (as jumbo "5x7" size) for about $7.00 per roll. That works out to about .29 cents per print. If I bring in my digital card and want a jumbo "5x7" size print, it cost me (at the same lab): $1.47 each. Let's say I shoot five rolls . . . which would you rather pay $35.00 raw cost, or $176.00 raw cost?

I realize that if I could afford a good 35mm digital camera (about $1,000.00) then many of my complaints would be null and void. But as a working man trying to get by; I can't ignore 5x7 prints for only .29 cents. To me, it’s just not cost effective, yet. I could probably get them for even less if I went on-line or sent them out to a different lab.

Do I own a digital camera? Yes. Do I enjoy it? Yes. But will I ever go totally 100% digital? Not as long as there are still Photo Labs on the planet that allow me to print from negatives. Someone once asked,” But what if you got a color laser printer? Then you could print your own.” Maybe . . . but that's another $1,000.00 I just don't have laying around. Until I get to that point, I will continue to use both and enjoy both for what each can do.

The Power Of Opposition - Make Them Feel What You Felt

Have you ever hiked for two or three hours to get somewhere; took tons of pictures, but when they came back you were disappointed? Somehow you lost the magic; it just didn’t feel the same. How do you know the difference between a waterfall that is 200 feet tall, or an extreme close-up of a creek trickling over some rock 2 inches tall? In some cases you don’t. Now if you are doing that on purpose, that’s cool. It’s called an optical illusion. But . . . if you’re doing it by accident, that’s called lack of planning, or worse yet . . . just plain poor photography .

“For there must needs be, an opposition in all things” refers to the concepts of good and evil, black and white, short and tall. People complain all the time that there is way too much bad in the world today, and that may be true, but . . . how would you define the “good” if you had never experienced the “bad”?

Take for example flowers; they can be smaller than a dime, or bigger than a basketball. If you shot a picture of a flower and a bee hovered over it looking almost twice it’s size, is that flower

big or small? On the other hand; say you shot a picture of a huge sunflower and you had to look twice to notice there was a bee on it, is that flower big or small?

Not every shot needs that type of clarification, but that would also depend on the experiences of your viewer. Believe it or not, not everyone has seen flowers bigger than a human head. If you had to hike in for two to three hours to find a certain waterfall, the odds are that most people you

show the picture to will not know how big it is, unless you show them.

There are times when photographers; myself included, will add something to a shot on purpose. This adding of a new element is not "Faking" the shot or cheating, but rather giving the original subject something to be compared to. This technique is often used in advertising. Why would you want to have that, when you could have this? Usually the item being added is a more dominant one than what was there before, this helps your mind lean toward the "New Product", whatever that may be.

If you have ever seen any of the King Kong movies, there is usually a scene where a man steps into the huge footprint of Kong. It’s a great visual! Even before you see this gigantic gorilla your mind starts to comprehend how big he is. This is also a great example of positive and negative space. Positive space usually refers to the main subject, which is usually in the foreground, but not always. Negative space is usually NOT meant to be the main subject, and is usually in the background, but not always. As far as opposition is concerned, the hunter would be the positive space; the footprint would be the negative space.

Technically most photographs are printed on flat, unemotional paper. Anything that can enhance the experience of a photograph is worth including. The difference between a snap shot and a work of art is an emotional response. Opposition is one of several tools that helps transform a flat boring piece of paper into a dramatic, emotion driven, work of art.

Similar to good and evil, it is hard to have a dominant subject unless there is also a lesser subject. Often opposition is used specifically to call attention to it’s self. The difference becomes a type of "Spot" in your photograph that draws your attention regardless of the size, shape, or texture. If you can catch your viewer’s attention by using opposition, you can usually sell them on your products or ideas.

You’re probably saying to yourself, “But I’m not selling anything.” Not true, my friend.

With well over a million photographers in the United States alone, you are selling your work each and every day. This is one of those principles that starts to separate you from the crowd. You become the master craftsman, the story teller. Even those people who are not visually oriented start to go “Oooo” and “Ahhh” as they look at your work. You lead them into your world and share what you saw in a way that they can also feel what you felt. That’s what opposition can do for your photography.

Child Binoculars - Avoid Cheap Priced Toys

There are many child binoculars being sold that are no more than toys and one should avoid them as much as possible. Good child binoculars should have a wide angle of view and be rugged as well as not cost much. There are quite a few good child binocular manufacturers and, the top three models are Nikon 7 x 35, Bushnell 8 x 42 and the Pen tax 8 x 24. They can also be used by adults and, make for an ideal bargain buy that should suit the budget as well as be useful around the house in the form of a spare pair. On the other hand, there are companies such as Tosco that sell very cheap child binoculars but, these are little more than toys and, would not be suited for birding and similar activities. It is often more advisable to give the child a pair of binoculars that are of good quality and pay the hundred dollars or so for them than to give them toys that will not provide any real utility and, would also suffer from inferior quality. Paying forty to fifty dollars extra for a good pair of child binoculars will ensure one gets better image quality that will help to pay back the added cost.

Look Around To Find the Binoculars for Your Child

Before buying a child binocular, it is also good practice to allow the kids to learn how to use them and, one may roll a couple of toilet paper rolls together and let them pretend that they are seeing through a pair of binoculars. In this way, the child will be able to get attuned to lifting binoculars to their eyes and pretend to look directly at an object, before handing them the real thing.

As with buying binoculars for adults, the child binocular should have adequate magnification though, a very high power is not necessary and it should show objects brightly and bring objects sufficiently close for the child to get pleasure from the viewing experience. Even the aperture need not be too great and, a 35mm aperture would suffice and there isn’t any need for larger apertures that compensate for loss of light as the child will not need to use it in such situations.

For children that use spectacles, the child should test the binocular before it is bought since, spectacles will increase the distance between their eyes and the lens and so, change the eye relief. The child should also get child binoculars that are easy to focus since an out-of-focus binocular can cause dizziness, eyestrain as well as acute eye aches. Taking all these factors into account should ensure that your child gets the best in child

Watch Satellite TV on PC In Minutes!

Watch satellite TV on PC in minutes? That sounds great. Technology is so advanced these days that it is possible to watch satellite TV online with your computer. You no longer need to rely on a TV or satellite dish system at all to watch satellite TV. Either you plug a PCTV card into your computer or install PC satellite TV software, both ways work well to let you watch satellite TV on PC.

There are a few simple benefits to switch to watch satellite TV on PC or online.

1. Watch Hundreds of Satellite TV Channels

You get to watch dozens of TV channels from stations all over the world. Well, you may not have the time to watch every program but still, the huge number of available satellite TV channels offers you many choices. Pick whichever TV channel you like.

2. Convenience to Watch Satellite TV on PC

Most people own a computer. Many are tech-savvy especially the young ones. Since you are surfing the net, why not make your PC double up as a TV as well? You can save the money on buying your kiddo a new TV for his or her room that way.

3. Get Satellite TV for Free

You can get satellite TV for free when you watch satellite TV on PC. Because your computer is receiving Free To Air TV broadcasts, it does not cost you a single cent to watch satellite TV online. Hope you are not so used to paying your monthly bills to the satellite TV vendors that you can ignore this freebie.

4. Satellite TV has Gone Digital

Digital satellite TV used to be a rarity. But now, the conversion is taking place quickly. As more stations switch to digital, the quality of your satellite TV programs would improve. One good thing about digital is that the bandwidth can condense more programs, meaning there would be more repeat broadcasts at different timings. You can watch your favorite TV show and never worry about missing an episode.

5. Fuss-free Installation

Setting up your computer into a PC satellite TV is not difficult. This is especially so if you are using PC satellite TV software to watch satellite TV on PC. If you have installed any CD driver or application, you would understand that installation takes only a few easy points and clicks.

PC satellite TV software generally costs less than $60 while PCTV cards at the stores can fall within the range of $100 to $300. One thing people complain when they watch satellite TV on PC is the size of the monitor screen. This is no fault of PC satellite TV but it can affect the viewing experience. You can always switch to a larger LCD monitor screen but it can cost you quite a fair bit. Another cheap method is to plug a video card with S-Video output that can be connected to your TV for viewing.

Download PC satellite TV software from my TV blog to watch satellite TV on PC today.

Time Travel, Is It Possible?

Time travel- is it possible? Has it been done before?

Since the dawn of history, the mystery of time has been contemplated by the greatest minds of mankind. They have explored this paradoxical force that surrounds all of God’s creations to what end?

What is time? Is time merely a mathematical division of twenty-four hours? Seconds to minutes to hours to days to weeks, months and years….flowing on and on endlessly into the realm of eternity? Seemingly without beginning or end, it flows without cease….void of shape or substance, unable to be harnessed or controlled? Or can it be?

Einstein hypothesized that for man to travel time he would have to surpass light speed. In order to surpass light speed, mass or more simply the physical, would expand exponentially and proportionately, as the threshold of light speed was approached. This would make it both theoretically and dynamically impossible to achieve.

The velocity to push matter to the speed of light would destroy the matter or mass in question. Nothing living in the physical world could survive the transition into hyper dimensional states.

Now to the second question: Has Time travel been done before? The answer is yes.

The most ready example is easily found, but not in the physical state. The Book of Revelation finds the Prophet John being transported into the future. He not only views events but actually takes part in the events themselves.

What theologians thought delusional (the Book of Revelation) technology has now made commonplace. Clearly John was describing modern technology (modern warfare) in terms of what he knew in his day.

God has given man the tool to travel time in spirit, an immortal soul. The knowledge of how-to remains locked inside His instruction manual, the Bible, where it has been for thousands of years!

R. Thomas is the author of Seven-Thunders, the first of a trilogy of fiction books dealing with spiritual warfare and the realization of God's prophesy.

For more articles like this, please visit our blog: http://seven-thunders-blog.blogspot.com

More information about the book can be found at our website, http://www.seven-thunders.com

How to Watch Satellite TV on PC or Computer

Want to watch satellite TV on PC but don’t know how to start? Do not worry as you will learn how in a few moments. Whether you are an existing satellite or cable TV service subscriber or just anyone who wants to watch satellite TV on computer, this article would show you a few methods using PCTV cards, Digital TV cards and PC satellite TV software to get started to watch satellite TV on PC.

To watch satellite TV on PC does not require the set up of a satellite dish system. I can almost imagine the heaving of sighs of relief for those who are not good with fixing hands-on kind of stuff. But you do need a computer with a basic configuration such as Pentium III processor and 256 – 512KB RAM, and internet connection. If you are looking to boost the performance of your satellite TV, pump in a higher speed CPU, more RAM, broadband connection, a solid sound card, PC theatre system and a superb Radeon or GeForce graphics card. This would turn your computer into a satellite TV dynamo. On top of that, you need some cash of course.

If you want to use PCTV cards to watch satellite TV on PC, it is going to take more than $200 for a good card from Pinnacle or Plextor. There are cheaper versions on eBay but I won’t recommend them since you have no idea about the quality of the cards. That said, you can try them at your own risk. External PCTV cards are easier to install and can be connected using a USB cable and port. It is neater than installing it in the PC if you are not confident to do so.

Digital TV cards allow you to watch satellite TV on PC. Such cards are normally sold on online auctions by satellite TV pirates. These cards are built to steal satellite TV feeds from the main satellite TV service providers and cost more than $40 most of the time.

In case you think that it is a cheap way to watch satellite TV on computer, I would advise you to rethink. Digital satellite systems administrators and engineers are coming down hard on satellite TV pirates. They frequently use jamming devices or electronic counter measures to jam the digital TV cards, rendering them useless. In the end, you got to keep going to the satellite TV pirate to either buy a new card or rework the old one. So my advice to you is to avoid wasting your money on this.

One increasingly popular method to watch satellite TV on PC is to use PC satellite TV software. The development costs behind this technology would scare you. It took years of software development and more than hundreds of thousands to create something like this. Fortunately for us, we do not have to sell our cars or homes to own the software as even teens can afford to buy it with their pocket allowance.

You can watch satellite TV on PC and access to thousands of satellite TV stations at any time you wish. There is no time zone to restrict you from watching news at 3:00 am in the morning or your favourite Prison Break 2 at 2:00am. How about seeing you at my TV blog joining many others to watch satellite TV on PC?

Davion is a successful webmaster, author and fan of TV shows. Discover how you can instantly watch satellite TV on PC, tuning into hundreds of LIVE world channels of news, movies, music and kids program at http://Watch-Satellite-TV-On-PC.blogspot.com.

How to Buy Jewelry Photography - Four Crucial Considerations

Are you buying jewelry photography for the first time? This brief guide will help you understand and navigate the process of buying jewelry photography. When buying jewelry photography, there are four key things you must consider. Before contacting a professional jewelry photographer, it is worth taking a little time to prepare to discuss your specific needs and the details of your project. Do your homework by asking yourself the following four questions:

First: How do you plan to utilize the images of your jewelry?

Will the images be used primarily for a web site? Perhaps printed as postcards? Maybe in a catalog or magazine for advertising, or just for inventory record purposes? Perhaps you will utilize the jewelry photography for one purpose now and for a different purpose in the future.

Second: How much of your inventory you need photographed?

If your sample line is vast, will you photograph hundreds of items? This can be expensive. Could you start with photographing just the essence of your collection at the beginning, make some sales with those images, recover some of your initial investment, and get more images later? The technique of PII (progressive inventory imaging) is a practical way to acquire great looking images on a limited budget. Do you plan to advertise your jewelry online? The cost of getting people to an online store is not a negligible amount! The more striking images you display on your site, the greater the chances for customers to come back for more!

Third: Do you want to "own" the images?

The term "buying" jewelry photography is not accurate because one does not buy the photograph, but rather buys a license or the rights to reproduce a certain image of photographed jewelry. Federal copyright laws specify that the images created by the photographer become the creator's intellectual property and thereby belong to the photographer. The photographer owns the images produced of your jewelry, and you, the client, buy the license to use or reproduce those images for your specific needs, for a specified length of time. When dealing with professional jewelry photographer, you will find those usage rights specified on the estimate sheet you should be receiving prior to commencing with the assignment. If you expect to "own" the digital image since you paid for the assignment, no problem, you certainly can, but you would be paying more than you actually need to. If the sole serving purpose of your digital image is to unlock your customers' wallets, displaying a digital reproduction of your jewelry will produce income regardless of image ownership. The question is in what proportion?

Look at it this way, what would you pay and consider fair value for a digital image that represents your diamond ring, which retails for $1200.00 in your online store? Let's say you are comfortable with $15.00. Would you want to pay the same price for that same image if it was going to be used additionally in a national print ad campaign? Of course not, it has a greater value because it will produce more income. How about if it would be also used to create co-op catalogs? Definitely, the image has a greater value yet. A digital reproduction of your jewelry produces income! The cost of your photography is relative to its income producing power; therefore, you compensate the asset-creator accordingly. That is called "usage". Usage saves money. You buy only what you need. Why pay for the above-mentioned three usages if you are going to use it for the online store only? You can re-license the image for any additional usage, when needed, and save the money for inventory!

Here are some examples of image "usage" and average licensing costs in the USA:

Printed Marketing Material or Product/Packaging - An image used in any brochure or other printed material such as direct mail, public relations or sales material distributed to a targeted audience for commercial purposes. Includes use in product packaging. Additional usage, brochure or direct mail, annual report, travel catalogs, packaging. $800 USD

Web and Electronic Broadcast - An image used in any web, electronic broadcast media such as the Internet, email, television or presentation software. Includes use in any motion picture, video or theatrical production. Additional uses, corporate website, web advertisements, TV commercial, entertainment program, infomercial, feature film, music video. $550 USD

Print Ad or Display - An image used in any print advertisement, billboard, tradeshow, or in-store for national advertisement, point of purchase counter display, in-store posters, store wall décor, tradeshow panel or presentation. $1150 USD

All Commercial Uses or "Unlimited Usage" - Use in any medium intended for commercial or promotional purposes.$2250 USD

"Unlimited Usage" would be giving you the greatest asset and the most costly option, but you probably don't really need it all. Plan ahead, be specific, and save money.

Fourth: Who will be assigned to create those striking images?

The other day the phone rang in my studio and the inquisitive stranger on the other side asked: "How much?"

"How much for what?" I asked

"Well" he continued, "for taking pictures of my jewelry of course"

"That depends on the kind of jewelry you would like us to photograph" I said,

to which he hurriedly replied,

"What does it matter, jewelry is jewelry."

This conversation went on for some time, ending with an agreement to photograph a single jewelry item for this potential new client, at no cost, through our Free Digital Capture (FDC) Program. We agreed to continue the dialog after he inspected the digital capture. He felt comfortable knowing that seeing the image of his product would help demystify the unknown.

A seasoned, professional jewelry photographer will want to take the time to understand the specific needs of your unique project. I would recommend discussing a project with more than one candidate. Describe your project as specifically as you can and provide the photographer with a layout or a sample of a style you like. When discussing cost, do not confuse the real purpose of jewelry photography by thinking that the best value is from the cheapest price. Beyond cost, you must make sure to receive great photography that represents your jewelry line at its BEST, for those images will become the most valuable and least expensive Public Relations agent and SALES person your company will ever have.

In Conclusion:

Thinking about the above four considerations ahead of time will help clarify your needs and will enable you to better communicate those needs with the jewelry photographer. Applying what we discussed here will help you achieve a most desired outcome: Obtaining the best jewelry photography suited to both your unique artistic needs and personal budget.

Avi Roth is the founder of Digital Jeweller: Digital Jewelry Photography Solutions. His elegant jewelry photography can be seen in Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Martha Stewart Weddings, and other prominent publications. Roth has received numerous awards recognizing his professional virtuosity, but he feels most rewarded by sharing his knowledge with others who share his passion for photography. For more jewelry photography tips and information, including information about the Free Digital Capture (FDC) Program, please visit

Staying Ahead With Wedding Shots

Wedding photography has a lot in common with driving a car. You can easily get into a traffic jam if you don’t think ahead. It is not enough just to be aware of occurring events, but you must plan as much as possible in order to avoid possible delays and loss of important shots.

Having photographed a few weddings in the past, you are probably familiar with the general progression of events. A gentle hint or reminder to the key person involved in the next event timed to do the most good will expedite matters greatly. Knowing when the next photo event will take place and where they should be at the time is key to providing a comfortable and easy flow to the task.

You, as the photographer, with your special knowledge of future events, can place yourself ahead of time in the most advantageous position with the proper needed tools for the job. At the bride’s house during preparation photos, you can gather the bridal bouquet, an invitation and a few accessories for a cover shot while the bride is dressing. A word to the brother and parents that they will be in the next shot in a few minutes in the living room will give them a chance to get last minute things done. When the time comes for them to be in the picture with the bride, they will be ready. The alternative means a time delay while needed members of the family disappear looking for a missing member.

At the ceremony, you can place yourself in the best pew (about halfway down the aisle) for good shots of the procession and the immediately following give away. Instead of just standing around waiting for something to happen, you can position yourself near a doorway on the side of the aisle or up in the choir loft for telephoto shots of the ceremony. Always anticipate the next photo opportunity and prepare yourself as if it were happening now. You’d be surprised at the must have items that come to your mind before you can execute the shot.

Difficult shots require much patience and steadfast concentration to make sure you are ready with your finger on the release button. People shots require good expressions, open eyes, open faces and a good field of view. Don’t be distracted or bored with the waiting if the shot is important. Some shots require some setting up to be successful. Make a mental list of the people you want in the shot and spend some time in advance to make them aware of the planned photograph and where you would like them to be.

Periodically check with the bride’s parents for special photos they may wish to have in their album. Photograph anyone who may be expected to leave early due to physical condition or an earlier commitment. Photograph the young children and their families early on in the evening since they tend to get wild and or sleepy later on. Like location is king in real estate, with wedding photography, it’s anticipate, anticipate, anticipate.

Remove Backgrounds From Photos For Best Results

Background Removal refers to the removal of the background or the backdrop of the picture wherein the object/objects are placed. While removing the background, the entire background or merely parts of the background we desire can be removed.

Previously, before the arrival of digital photography and the current accompanying technology, background removal was performed in a more laborious process.

It was performed in a darkroom with the necessary ambient conditions including proper room temperature. The film was submerged in working solution and was monitored constantly. Overexposure of the film to the solution could result in an increase in background blur and decrease in resolution.

Now, background removal is done with any digital photo editing software like GNU Image Manipulation Program, or GIMP. GIMP is a special type of graphics editing application that is able to support some types of object-oriented (or vector) graphics.

It is not necessary that the digital photo editing software used for background removal be able to support all types of object-oriented graphics.The advantage in using GIMP of course, is that it enables easy vector to raster conversion.

Other popularly used raster graphics editors and digital photo editors will also work just fine. Most digital photo editors have a number of plug-ins which can modify the background in different ways. Plug-ins are computer programs with highly specific purposes. Most sophisticated photo editing programs use special purpose plug-ins and will perform background editing and removal based on different criteria.

Objects without backgrounds can be used in several different ways. They can be placed in a new backdrop and in different situational contexts. For eg.: a couch in furniture showroom could have the furniture showroom replaced with an office. The object can be moved around any which way and it’s alignment w.r.t the new background can also be changed.

The interesting thing about an object without a background is that it retains all its properties like shape and size, but makes itself more flexible to individual usage.

The Art of Framing - Before You Make the Print

In the children's story Charlotte's Web; Charlotte concludes that people believe what they see in print. Likewise, people believe if something is framed it must be important. Therefore framing demands respect for your work. People tend to look longer and deeper at photographs that use the concept of framing.

When you graduate High School and you get your graduation diploma, what do you do? You usually go home and frame it! When you get your first award winning photograph, what do you do? You Frame it! Sure, sure you could just throw your photos into an album; or stick them in a drawer, but when something is important what do you do? You Frame it!

Why do you frame the important stuff? You've already done or accomplished whatever it is you're framing . . . so why bother? When you go into a doctor or dentist office, often you find numerous certificates framed on the wall. Why? It draws your attention and says: "Hey, look what I've done!" and "These things are important to me."

Have you ever been in a photo or art gallery, where all the work was either thrown in a box sitting on a table or stuck in a drawer and you were expected to thumb through it? I don't think so. Why not? Because they want you to see their work, they want to impress you. Often the framed version of the same exact image may be four to five times the price of just the image alone. There is a certain perception there on display. This perception; be it right or wrong, implies, that this image must be of great worth or why else would we bother to frame it? Is it

any wonder that you're 10 times more likely to buy a framed photo than just a print?

Knowing the information above, how can you make people take your work more seriously? How do you let a total stranger know that what you have shot is important? Well, there's only one thing that can possibly draw your attention better than a good frame. That's two frames. If your photo is naturally framed; and then you add a frame and hang it on your wall, it's no longer a photo, it's now a work of Art. If you believe in your work enough to frame it, others will take notice too. They may not admit it out loud, they may not even know why they will want to look at your work again and again, but they will.

In most cases, framing consist of something in the foreground (usually slightly out of focus) that helps set off something in the background. One of the reasons this is such a powerful tool, is that this is exactly how the human eye sees things. Think about it: A flower at the edge of a canyon, you can either focus on the flower or the canyon, but not both. Your camera, can make both in focus at the same time (depth of field), but that's not really how you saw it. One of the key goals of any good photographer is to make his or her viewer have an emotional response. The art of framing helps to breathe new life into an ordinary shot. It can make the difference between a good shot and a great shot!

Framing helps create a sense of depth by creating opposition. It can, but doesn't always add

strength by duplicating a similar shape already in the photograph, that’s known as repetition. If you add a frame on a shot that already has framing being used it creates repetition in another way. The bottom line is, if you don't think your photographs are worth a second glance, why should anyone else? Using framing gives your pictures more depth and radiates a feeling of confidence. Give your viewers a reason to want to look again. Use framing.

Lines - Your Best Friend or Your Worse Nightmare

In music; if you had to start at the very beginning, you would start with “Doe, Ray, Me” or so the song goes. In art it would be “Line, Texture, and Light.” Keep in mind that if you want to be a good photographer, you also want to be a good Artist. Anybody can go out and buy a cheap camera, and push the button. That does not make them a great photographer. But the great ones like: Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, and Edward Weston all had one thing in common. These men and women knew art and the elements of design.

Lines can be seen or not seen. They can be solid objects or merely implied. Lines can be straight, curved, or jagged. They can lead your eyes into your photograph, or distract you and force you to look elsewhere. A line may be continuous and unbroken; or it may consist of isolated points that are visually connected by the human eye on some deep subconscious level. In short, they can be your best friend or your worse nightmare.

Vertical Lines represent vitality and strength.

Horizontal Lines represent tranquility and being at peace.

Straight Lines represent tenseness and precision. These lines are often used to make a

positive statement.

Slightly Curved lines are loose and flexible. These lines are often thought of as sexy.

Vigorously Curved lines change direction more rapidly. These types of lines are considered more active and forceful.

The Arc of a Circle is very consistent in change of direction. These lines used carefully can demand attention, however . . . used casually it can also be the most boring.

Diagonal Lines lead the eyes. If you are aware of that fact, it can be good, if you are not,

it could be a disaster for your image. They can lead towards your subject or away from it.

The Jagged Line with its sudden, abrupt change of direction suggests energy, activity,

or conflict. If you want an emotional response, be aware of these lines.

So who cares about all these different types of lines? You should, if you want your work to look its best. If you shoot a tall powerful waterfall; do you hold your camera in a vertical position or a horizontal one? If you want to shoot a calm peaceful lake with a mountain reflecting off the surface, which direction should you shoot then? When your picture says one thing, and you shoot in the opposite direction, you've lost all credibility as a great photographer. Even if the scene is beautiful, if the format doesn't fit the image, you just got lucky.

When I was in High School, I took pictures of everything. I won several awards. Everybody knew me as a photographer and life was good. When I went to college, a teacher reviewed my portfolio. This man studied every picture, then calmly said,

“Do you know what you’re problem is?”

A little nervous I replied, “No. What’s my problem?”

“Your problem is . . . you were told you were good.” He answered.

I was only 18, so in a cocky voice I asked, “And why is that a problem?”

He grinned like he expected my reaction.

“You’ve been told you were good, by people who have no idea what good really is.

Now, you're going to be good, according to those who know what good really is.”

To say that day was a changing point in my life, would be a major understatement. It was like this gigantic light bulb suddenly turned on and lit my way for how I would view things for the rest of my life. Being aware of lines, both seen and unseen is one of the first steps in becoming great. Don’t just rely on plain luck. When you know what good is and why it is good, you can produce good over and over again. Don’t just shoot what your friends and family like. If you want to become the best, study the best. Find out what you like, and then find out WHY you like it.

3-What MUST Know To Get The Right Digital Camera

Here's Lesson 3 of "What You MUST Know To Get The
Right Digital Camera!" Today we'll be covering:

The Three Important Factors To Digital Camera Memory

When it comes to digital camera memory, the first thing most
people want to know is, "How many pictures can I put on a
memory card?"

Although it would seem like there should be a direct answer to
how many pictures you can put on a memory card, it's really a
little more involved. The answer to digital camera memory
depends upon these three factors:

1. The amount of space your memory card has
2. How many pictures you take... at what resolution...
and in what mode
3. The degree of compression you use

Capacity of the Card

The first thing to consider
about digital camera memory is the amount of space the memory card holds. Naturally,
a larger-capacity card will hold more. A 1-gigabyte memory card has enough space for thousands of pictures. But the 8MB memory card that comes in the box with your camera can only hold about 8 to 10 pictures. What a huge difference!

Those small-capacity memory cards that come packaged with
cameras are only meant to get you started. You'll need to
purchase additional digital camera memory if you want to
seriously take some pictures.

Compression/Resolution Confusion

The most confusing thing about digital camera memory is the
difference between high resolution and high compression. The
resolution and compression you use is very important to your
results and the amount of digital camera memory you use.

But it's easy to confuse the terms when you're new to digital
photography. They don't mean the same thing at all. High
compression is the opposite of high resolution.

Think of it this way, high compression results in low
resolution because the more you compress a picture, the less
pixels you have. Here's an example: imagine crushing a milk
carton wearing a heavy boot. The carton will go from big to
small in no time, and so will the picture on the back of that
carton!

It would be fair to say the picture won't be the same quality
anymore. You might say the high compression of the boot
instantly lowers the picture quality (resolution).

In this case, the boot smashes the "pixels" and reduces the
pixel count. In the case of a digital camera, the pixels
don't even get recorded - so there are less pixels in the
image. Think of it this way, how much milk can you put into a
smashed milk carton? Not much.

So in a digital camera, the lower the pixel count, the lower
the resolution (because you're crunching the storage space).
And the less digital camera memory you need.

A low resolution picture has limitations — it can't be
enlarged and doesn't look good printed. I don't recommend
taking all your pictures at a high compression (i.e. low
resolution) unless you're sure you won't ever want to print
them or are running out of digital camera memory. Low
compression and high resolution give you a higher quality
picture.

However, higher resolution takes up more digital camera memory
space. And that means that the higher the resolution you use,
the faster you'll use up the space on your memory card. And
vice versa — the lower the resolution of your pictures, the
less space they'll take on your memory card.

But don't take pictures based on storage space. Low-resolution
pictures may not suit your needs and you might end up
regretting it for years. Only use a low resolution if you're
sure all you're going to do with that picture is email it or
put it on a webpage. If you might decide to print it in the
future, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Just make sure you have sufficient digital camera memory. If
you tend to take pictures at only the highest resolution at
all time, you will need more memory on your card. As a general
rule, have at least 128MB of storage for a 3 or 3.2 megapixel
digital camera, preferably more. If you have 4 or 5-megapixel
digital camera, get at least 256MB of storage.

Personally, I prefer to have plenty of digital camera
memory/storage space and take high-resolution pictures most of
the time. That way I can print 8x10s if I want or crop a smaller
section out of the big photo and still get a good picture. I
burn my photos onto CDs for permanent storage so they don't
fill up my hard drive and label them so I can find them when I
need them.

It's always better to have more storage than less. You never
know when you might need it. Nor do you want to run out of
storage if you're taking your digital camera on a long trip.

If you use TIFF or RAW capture modes, keep in mind is that
they take up more space than JPEG. TIFF and RAW are only
available on higher-end cameras, so you won't have to worry
about them if you have a basic point-and-shoot.

When purchasing digital camera memory, do make sure you get
the right memory card for your camera. And that it can support
the digital camera memory card size you're considering (not
all cameras support 4-GB memory cards).

But that's not all you need to know about digital camera
memory. To find out what really matters when it comes to
memory cards -- what size you need and what type is best.

Reminder: Be sure to put this email into your folder as
soon as you're finished reading it.

Rufina James
http://hop.clickbank.net/?photograph/dazzlepics
support@masteryourdigitalcamera.com

P.S. Did you know you can sign up for our Digicam Newsletter,
where we'll send you news, reviews, tips and the latest
developments in digital photography absolutely free! Just
send a blank email to: digicamnews@masteryourdigitalcamera.com

2-What MUST Know To Get The Right Digital Camera

Here's your 2nd lesson of "What You MUST Know To Get The Right Digital Camera!" It comes from the "Master Your
Digital Camera" website:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?photograph/dazzlepics

Because these tips are critical to your getting the right
digital camera, I want you to keep every one of these lessons
in a safe place.

So, no matter which email program you use - Outlook, Eudora,
Netscape, Pegasus, Hotmail, Mozilla or any other - why not create
a new email folder right now.

Here's how to title this new email folder:

"!Digital Camera Info"

Then, every time you get a tip, put it into that folder after
you read it. It should be at the top of your "Email Folders."
That way, you don't have to worry about missing any of these
useful tips.

Now, let's get started with lesson 2:

Digital Camera Comparison

When deciding which digital camera to buy, it's important to
first do a thorough digital camera comparison. You need to
know what types of digital cameras there are, their
features... and how much they cost before you purchase. Then
there are practical considerations such as whether the digital
camera you're considering is really as easy to use as it
seems. We'll be talking about all those things in these lessons.
Let's start with ease of use...

How Easy Is A Digital Camera To Use?

That depends on the camera.
In any digital camera comparison, the camera model makes a big difference. A point and shoot is very easy to use. But if you buy a more complicated camera, such as a Prosumer (nearly professional) or Pro SLR (single lens reflex) model, there's definitely a steep learning curve.

Luckily, there are many types of digital cameras on the market
today. You can get anything from a entry-level, all-automatic,
point-and-shoot models — to totally manual, very complex
professional-level cameras (SLR), and just about anything in
between.

Point-and-shoot digital cameras don't require adjusting any
settings or white balance. It's taken care of automatically.
All you have to do is pick up the camera, point it at your
subject and press the button. Done.

However, that limits how much you can do with the camera,
since point-and-shoot cameras are very basic. For more
interesting pictures, you need more features. While it does
take a little time to learn how and when to use each added
feature, it's well worth it. It's not necessarily hard, it
just takes a little time because it's different than a film
camera.

One of the biggest questions on people's minds when they begin
comparing digital cameras is, "What type of digital camera do
I need and how much will it cost?"

There's a tremendous selection of digital cameras on the
market today. It's easy to find one (or several) that have all
the features you want. Let's take a look at what is available:

A basic point-and-shoot model runs about $100 to $200 and is
equivalent to a simple film camera. It usually has 1 to 2-
megapixels, built-in flash, some type of removable storage
like a flash memory card, and either a fixed focal length
(which means you can't take pictures too close or too far) or
maybe a little bit of zoom.

The other extreme is a Pro SLR, which can have 6 to 14-
megapixals and all kinds of features, settings, lenses, and
attachments. These cost from one to several thousand... and
require a few photography courses to learn to use! But the
really tough part with most Pro SLR cameras is that you must
adjust ALL the settings. That means you have to set the white
balance, exposure, aperture, shutter speed, focus, ISO,
metering and many other things (depending on the camera) — all
manually before every shot. Most Pro cameras don't have
automatic options.

Obviously, you really have to know what you're doing to get
good results. If just one setting is off, the picture is
likely to be ruined!

But don't worry, there are hundreds of models to choose from
in between — cameras that have the features most people want,
like higher resolutions and longer zoom lenses, but are still
easy to use. These cameras have a wide price range, and many
are very affordable:

Digital Camera Comparison — Types of Cameras:

There have been so many new innovations and new types of
digital cameras introduced lately that there are no clear
lines delineating types of digital cameras anymore. Roughly,
digital cameras fall into three main categories:

- Amateur: This is the most popular group of digital cameras.
They are considered the consumer models. They range from easy-
to-use, point-and-shoot cameras to more sophisticated models
that have larger zoom ranges and some advanced controls. Some
have multiple scene modes and manual controls. Resolution is
generally 3 to 5 megapixels. Some in this range come with
"docks" that recharge batteries and download pictures
automatically. Prices for these mid-range cameras fall between
the $300 to $500 range.

- Pro-Am (professional-amateur): This group of advanced
consumer models provide more features, more megapixels and
more extras than point-and-shoot models — such as add-on
accessories, customizable settings, more zoom, optional
exposure modes, etc. They come in many shapes and sizes (tiny
pocket models to standard size) and range from $400 to $600.

Some are Prosumer models — just a notch below totally
professional cameras. In many ways, they're the best of both
worlds — you get most (or all) of the fancy features, the
higher resolution and the higher quality of pro models, but
you can get them automatically (like you can with a point-and-
shoot), or choose manual settings. They're around $700 and up.

The most popular are the 8 megapixel advanced compact consumer cameras from Canon, Konica, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus and Sony. These cameras fit more into their sensors than their
predecessors, they use ED glass (formerly reserved for high-
end telephoto lenses), have virtually no lag time, longer
battery life, faster and better autofocus, wide-angle lenses,
noise reduction, image stabilization and much more. They are
essentially lightweight versions of professional digital SLR
cameras.

- Digital SLR. These models are for professional photographers
who don't mind spending one to several thousand dollars. They
offer durability, speed, manual controls, and tremendous
optical flexibility (you can get a lens to fit any shooting
need). Resolutions are generally 6 megapixels and up, with
advanced features like image histograms and the latest lenses,
sensors and image-processing technology.

An important consideration in any digital camera comparison is
your current level of expertise and whether you have the time
and inclination to learn more. If you're a pro or an advanced
amateur photographer, adjusting the settings manually is
exactly what you want to do because you can get some great
effects and unusual shots. Even though Pro or Prosumer cameras
are more complicated than point-and-shoot models, once you
know what you're doing, it can actually turn out to be easy.

If you're an intermediate, having some of the same features
advanced models have, but with automatic options gives you
more to work with than a simple point-and-shoot. If you want
to step into digital photography via the easiest route
possible, a basic point-and-shoot is for you.

You may find that once you get used to digital cameras, you're
going to want some of the special features and extra options
the Intermediate or Advanced consumer models have. You'll see
that digital photography is so much fun when you can be more
creative. The question boils down to whether or not you're
willing to learn how to operate a more complicated camera.

The features and settings on most Intermediate, Advanced
consumer and Prosumer models and what they do are more fully
explained and discussed in my ebook, "Master Your Digital
Camera in Four Easy Steps:"
http://hop.clickbank.net/?photograph/dazzlepics

But the type of camera isn't the only thing to consider in a
digital camera comparison. The different ways of recording and
storing pictures also need to be considered.

Digital cameras don't use film like conventional cameras.
They use flash memory cards — a form of "digital film."
Knowing how large a memory card you need and how many pictures
you can put on a memory card requires understanding three
important factors about digital camera memory. Stay tuned for
lesson 3...

In the meantime, be sure to sign up for the Digicam
Newsletter. You'll get news about new cameras and
accessories on the market, reviews, and tips, without
charge. Just send a blank email to:
digicamnews@masteryourdigitalcamera.com

Rufina James
http://hop.clickbank.net/?photograph/dazzlepics
support@masteryourdigitalcamera.com

1. How Many Megapixels Should I Get?

The answer depends on what you're going to do with
your pictures. Let me explain what I mean by that.
The first thing to understand is that a megapixel simply
refers to a million pixels.

That naturally leads to the question -- "What is a pixel?"

Pixels are very small dots of color that make up the
images in your digital photographs. They're the most
basic (and smallest) elements of digital pictures.

"Pixel" stands for "picture element." Using the
abbreviation Pix for picture and El for element, the
two are put together like this :
Pix + Element = Pixel.

It takes a lot of pixels to make a picture. Remember, it
takes a million pixels to make one megapixel.

Pixels also make up what is called the resolution.
The more pixels in the image, the higher the resolution.

That simply means more information can be captured in a
larger data file. It's kind of like a big, fat file folder
stuffed full of papers and documents vs. a skinny little
file with only a few papers. Obviously the fat file contains
more information and details.

It's the same with resolution. You get more information
anddetails in a higher resolution image than a lower
resolution--and it results in better colors, more definition,
clarity and smoother color gradations. That's why higher resolution usually means a better-looking picture. Of
course, the quality of the lens and sensor also influence the image quite a bit.

But generally, when you have more megapixels, not only can you get more details, but you can also print bigger pictures or make enlargements.

For example:

- 6 megapixels and up will look great from a thumbnail all the way up to a 16x20 poster.

- 5 megapixels will look great from a thumbnail all the
way up to 11x17 inches.

- 4 megapixels will print up nicely as an 8x10 and will still
look pretty good up to 11x17 inches.

- 2 megapixels will just barely print an 8x10 - but will do
a better job with smaller pictures like 5x7's or 4x6's.

- 1 megapixel - Don't even try printing an 8x10 with 1
megapixel. Stick with a 4X6 or smaller or email the picture.

Putting up a picture online or sending it by email doesn't
require a lot of megapixels. In fact, you're better off
with less. If you have too many, you might crash your
email or have a webpage that takes forever to load.

So, you see, the way you plan to use your pictures
determines how many megapixels you should get.

If all you want to do is email your pictures to friends and
family, one MG (or even less) is enough. But that's NOT
enough if you want to print out 5x7 or 8x10 prints.

However... storing pictures with higher megapixels takes a
lot more space. You have to have lots of storage in your
hard drive and lots of RAM. Or you'll need to put your
pictures onto some sort of permanent storage like CDs to
make sure you don't use up all of your computer's hard drive.

For most people (and most families) 3.2 megapixels is
perfect. It gives you nice detail without taking too much
space on your computer. And you can print out nice
looking 5x7s and 8x10s.

Next: In a couple of days, we'll talk about how easy it is
to use a digital camera, the types of digital cameras there are and how much they cost.

See you then!

In the meantime, be sure to sign up for the Digicam
Newsletter. You'll get news about new cameras and
accessories on the market, reviews, and tips, without
charge. Just send a blank email to:
digicamnews@masteryourdigitalcamera.com

Rufina James

http://hop.clickbank.net/?photograph/dazzlepics
support@masteryourdigitalcamera.com

New! Tips to picture perfect digital photos this holiday season.

I am here gonna publish you all the FAQ's about Digital cameras if you wish to buy a new one....

Hope when ever you got a doubt refer back to the solution listed....But all these FAQ's would be posted using a number of threads on a day by day fashion

firstly for this day

Digital cameras are so popular today because they are so
much fun to use and so versatile. Just pick up the camera,
point and shoot - and in a matter of seconds you have a
high-quality photo you can print out, email to a friend or
relative, post on a website, or copy.

But being a new technology, many people have questions that
deserve to be answered. So let's start with the first
question...

Here are some things you may want to know when buying a digital camera. When considering getting a digital camera, here's the top
question in most people's minds:

New! Tips to picture perfect digital photos this holiday season.

I am here gonna publish you all the FAQ's about Digital cameras if you wish to buy a new one....

Hope when ever you got a doubt refer back to the solution listed....But all these FAQ's would be posted using a number of threads on a day by day fashion

firstly for this day

Digital cameras are so popular today because they are so
much fun to use and so versatile. Just pick up the camera,
point and shoot - and in a matter of seconds you have a
high-quality photo you can print out, email to a friend or
relative, post on a website, or copy.

But being a new technology, many people have questions that
deserve to be answered. So let's start with the first
question...

Here are some things you may want to know when buying a digital camera. When considering getting a digital camera, here's the top
question in most people's minds:

Ten Tips for Better Flower Photographs

1. BE SELECTIVE. At a flower show , there is an enormous number of beautiful flowers. Don’t rush to photograph the first blossom you see. Find a plant with the best combination of form, color, lighting and background.
   
2. ISOLATION. For impact, isolate your subject. Find a camera angle that minimizes distracting elements, such as other flowers or spectators. Take the time to try low angles, high angles, or moving to the right or left. A wide lens aperture ( a lower-numbered f-stop on and SLR camera) will enhance this effect by softening the background.
   
3. COMPOSITION. Pay attention to the position of your subject in the viewfinder. Putting the subject in the dead-center of the picture is often the first instinct, but is not always the most aesthetic composition. Concentrate on what you see in the viewfinder, and recompose the picture until it looks the best to you. And don’t forget to try vertical framing, as well as horizontal.
   
4. TRIPOD. Because the light in parts of the Conventions Center (or building) is varied, you may be forced to use slow shutter speeds. In this situation, hand-holding your camera might result in vibrations and unsharp pictures. Use a tripod to steady your camera if it has a tripod screw-socket. If you don’t ( or can’t) use a tripod, try to steady your camera in other ways- nestle it on a bean bag or your coat; brace the camera against a wall; or at the very least, take a firm stance while shooting, with your legs slightly apart and your elbows braced. When using and SLR camera on a tripod, cable a release can significantly reduce unwanted vibrations.
5. PATIENCE. When photographing flowers outdoors, be aware of small breezes that might set the flowers in motion. Likewise, breezes can be caused indoors by the opening of a door or the brisk movement of people. For sharp picture, you must be prepared to wait for all movement to cease before releasing the shutter.
   
6. ENVIRONMENT. Wonderful photographs can be created by showing the relationship of you subject to its environment. A simple way to achieve this is with a wide- angle lens on a SLR camera, or the wide mode on a dual-lens or zoom lens point-&-shoot camera. Position your subject as close as possible in the foreground.
   
7. EXTREME CLOSE-UPS. Flowers take on an entirely different look when viewed in extreme close-up. Use your viewfinder indicators to move in as close as possible, while still maintaining sharp focus. If you are using a 35mm SLR camera, your macro (close-up) capabilities can be extended with accessories such as a macro lens, a macro teleconverter, or even screw-on supplementary close-up lenses or extension tubes for your present lenses.
   
8. THE WHOLE PICTURE. Consider the whole plant when you photograph, and not just the colorful bloom. Examine the fascinating textures and geometries of leaves, seed pods and fallen petals.
   
9. EXPERIMENT! Don’t be afraid to shoot a few extra pictures. Try different angles and different lighting. Also depict your subject from several different viewpoints.
   
10. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES. If your picture don’t convey what you saw in your mind’s eye, ask yourself: “What went wrong?” If you study your mistakes, you will be rewarded wit a greater number successful photographs on your next outing.

Cell phones boost digital photography's image.

Digital cameras are getting an image boost from an unlikely source: cell phone cameras.

Interest in digital cameras is going up in direct relation to the growth in sales of cell phones that also take pictures, a new survey by technology market analyst IDC shows.

The Mobile Imaging Survey, made public this week, shows that well over a quarter of camera phone users were inclined to buy a digital camera because their experience with the camera phone made them less intimidated by digital photography.

The findings refute earlier speculation among market and industry analysts that camera phones eventually would replace digital cameras. Since the first camera phone appeared in late 2000, the image quality has improved, approaching that of some digital cameras.

Camera phone users like to snap pictures anywhere, anytime and send them immediately by e-mail.

Still, users prefer a digital camera for "keepsake" pictures, such as family portraits and vacation snapshots, IDC discovered.

Those keepsake images also are the pictures that camera phone users are most likely to save and print at home, the survey found. Consequently, fewer camera phone images are being printed, dropping to an average of one every three months now from one a month last year.

IDC's research appears to match, in part, studies cited earlier this year by Eastman Kodak Co. on camera phone habits. The company discovered that more than 70 percent of camera phone users rarely move images into a computer for archiving or printing later.

Camera phones outsell digital cameras about four to one, but they aren't the source of most digital images. About 7.5 billion images will be taken with camera phones this year, compared with an estimated 40 billion from digital cameras, IDC said.

The survey analyzed responses from 150 people nationwide, mostly 25- to 44-year-olds; it was weighted to reflect the nation as a whole.

Reporter David Sheets
E-mail: dsheets@post-dispatch.com
Phone: 314-340-8389
Online: www.stltoday.com/techtalk

TIPS TO PICTURE PERFECT DIGITAL PHOTOS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

This holiday season, you’ll have only one chance to capture each magic moment. It’s impossible to re-play the scene if you’re disappointed with your picture. That’s why it pays to be prepared and ready. Here are several tips from expert Rufina James to help you make sure your digital pictures turn out memorable:

Get The Lighting And White Balance Right. Lighting is much more important to digital cameras than to film cameras. If your digital camera has settings for different lighting conditions, such as daylight, cloudy, fluorescent, incandescent, make sure you use them—it can make or break your pictures. Never aim a digital camera at a light source (unless it’s a sunset or candles). Make sure that bright lamps, sunshine, glare, etc. are out of the frame.
Use a flash for indoor shots and dim outdoor lighting. If the flash is too bright, lower the intensity a couple of f-stops, or use a homemade diffuser by placing a one-ply tissue over the flash.

Be Sure To Get Close Enough. One of the biggest reasons digital pictures look bad is because they were taken from too far away. Avoid vast expanses of boring “dead” space (like the walls, ceiling, grass, pavement). Move in and get close to your subject. Fill the frame with the scene, the people, or the faces you want and leave the background out.

Reduce Red-Eye. It’s almost impossible to completely eliminate red eye with a pocket or compact digital camera. But it can be reduced by using the “Portrait” setting, turning up the house lights, and having the subject face the light while turning slightly away from the flash. If all else fails, use image-editing software to remove red-eye.

Compose Your Pictures. Before pressing the shutter, take a quick, objective look at the composition and background. If there’s clutter, distraction or a confusing subject, make changes before taking the picture.

Steady The Camera. Prevent “camera shake,” by using a wall, table or tripod to hold the camera steady, especially at night. And be sure to wait until the camera completes the shot before you put the camera down. It can take 5 seconds or longer if the light is low.

Be Prepared For Shutter Lag. Digital cameras are really small computers—they require time to capture the scene. Plan ahead when shooting people and especially children or your two-year-old’s smile could be a scowl by the time the shutter snaps. Anticipate the perfect moment and press the shutter just before it happens. It’s tough to do, but with practice, you get better at it.

Use High Resolution. High resolution and low compression produce smoother and more detailed images. For best results, get 3.2 MP or higher and use the highest resolution for important pictures you plan to print.

Have Battery Backups And Extra Storage On Hand. Running out of batteries or room on your storage card puts a quick end to your photo fun. Be prepared with spare batteries and another memory card so nothing puts a damper on your holiday memories.

Rufina James is the author of “Master Your Digital Camera In Four Easy Steps”— This ebook demystifies digital cameras and makes it easy to take pictures like a Pro. To get a free report titled, "What You MUST Know Before You Buy A Digital Camera." Send a blank email to: mustknow@masteryourdigitalcamera.com

How to Get Shallow Depth of Field in Your Digital Photos

I’ve been taking a lot of portrait shots of our kids lately with my husband’s DSLR (Canon EOS 20D) and I’ve noticed that on some shots that I take the backgrounds is all soft and out of focus while in others it is completely clear. I’d like the soft background more but as I’ve been shooting in Auto mode I don’t know how the camera did it before. Can you give any suggestions? - submitted by DPS reader Sandra

Thanks for the question Sandra. You’re right about the soft blurry backgrounds in portraits - in most cases they are a great way to highlight your main subject and get rid of any distractions in the background.

There are a number of things you might like to try. I’ll start with the easy ones:

Positioning of Subject

One of the easiest things you can do is position the subject you’re wanting to photograph as far away from any objects behind them as possible. If they are standing right in front of a wall you’ll probably end up with it in focus no matter what else you do - but if they’re standing 100 meters in front of that same wall it’s going to be a lot more blurry. Of course this will only get you so far - you’ll need to do some of what’s coming next as well.

Portrait Mode

The Canon EOS 20D has a little wheel on top of it (on the left) with lots of little icons on it. One of those icons is a little head. This icon is the symbol for portrait mode and if you’re not confident with changing apertures (we’ll discuss this below) it’s a good mode to switch to as it will do some of the work for you. Portrait mode chooses a large aperture (a small ‘f’ number) which will make the depth of field (the amount of your shot in focus) smaller.

Aperture Priority Mode

Aperture Priority Mode is a great way to control depth of field as it will ensure your images are well exposed.

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous switch the wheel to ‘A’ which is Aperture Priority Mode (go on, you can do it). I’ve written on this mode before but to recap - this mode lets you choose the Aperture (the size of the hole in your lens) and tells the camera to choose all the other settings. This semi-auto mode is a great way to control depth of field as it will ensure your images are well exposed. For shallow depth of field and nice blurry
backgrounds choose a large Aperture (the smaller the number
the larger the aperture). Try taking a few shots at different
apertures and see how it affects the background of your shots - this is the best way to learn how to get more creative control in your shots.

Zoom Lenses

I’m not sure what lens you have on your 20D but if you’re like most people these days it will be a zoom lens with different focal lengths. Many zooms will have different maximum apertures at different points along the focal length spectrum. For example if it’s an 18-55mm kit lens it will have a maximum aperture of f3.5 at 18mm and a maximum aperture of f5.6 at 55mm. Many see the bigger aperture at the 18mm end of the range and think that that would be the best focal length for blurry backgrounds. The problem with this is that 18mm is a very wide angle and for portraits it can mean you need to get in really close to your subject and it could distort their facial features (not really desirable).

Instead I find that shooting at the 55mm end of the lens is best. This means you can stand further back (making your subject more at ease and pushing your background even further away from your camera). You’ll probably still get nice blurry backgrounds if you use the fastest aperture available.

The other good thing about zooms is that they enable you to really fill up your frame with your subject which can give it more prominence and your background less.

Get a New Lens

This is an ‘easy’ solution in some ways, but hard if you don’t have the budget. Different lenses have different maximum apertures. Those with larger ones are called ‘faster’ and one of the impacts of having a fast lens is that you can make your depth of field smaller (another is that you can shoot in lower light situations without needing the flash). A good option for Canon DSLRs is the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens. It’s very fast, it’s a good focal length for portraits and it is one of the most affordable lenses Canon make.

How to Get Shallow Depth of Field in Your Digital Photos

I’ve been taking a lot of portrait shots of our kids lately with my husband’s DSLR (Canon EOS 20D) and I’ve noticed that on some shots that I take the backgrounds is all soft and out of focus while in others it is completely clear. I’d like the soft background more but as I’ve been shooting in Auto mode I don’t know how the camera did it before. Can you give any suggestions? - submitted by DPS reader Sandra

Thanks for the question Sandra. You’re right about the soft blurry backgrounds in portraits - in most cases they are a great way to highlight your main subject and get rid of any distractions in the background.

There are a number of things you might like to try. I’ll start with the easy ones:

Positioning of Subject

One of the easiest things you can do is position the subject you’re wanting to photograph as far away from any objects behind them as possible. If they are standing right in front of a wall you’ll probably end up with it in focus no matter what else you do - but if they’re standing 100 meters in front of that same wall it’s going to be a lot more blurry. Of course this will only get you so far - you’ll need to do some of what’s coming next as well.

Portrait Mode

The Canon EOS 20D has a little wheel on top of it (on the left) with lots of little icons on it. One of those icons is a little head. This icon is the symbol for portrait mode and if you’re not confident with changing apertures (we’ll discuss this below) it’s a good mode to switch to as it will do some of the work for you. Portrait mode chooses a large aperture (a small ‘f’ number) which will make the depth of field (the amount of your shot in focus) smaller.

Aperture Priority Mode

Aperture Priority Mode is a great way to control depth of field as it will ensure your images are well exposed.

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous switch the wheel to ‘A’ which is Aperture Priority Mode (go on, you can do it). I’ve written on this mode before but to recap - this mode lets you choose the Aperture (the size of the hole in your lens) and tells the camera to choose all the other settings. This semi-auto mode is a great way to control depth of field as it will ensure your images are well exposed. For shallow depth of field and nice blurry
backgrounds choose a large Aperture (the smaller the number
the larger the aperture). Try taking a few shots at different
apertures and see how it affects the background of your shots - this is the best way to learn how to get more creative control in your shots.