Things to Consider Regarding Location When Choosing Boston Wedding Photographers

Boston wedding photographers have a very important job; much more so than many other types of photographers in this area. Whether you are having your wedding at the Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge or the Science Museum located right in Boston, you want to have a photographer who can not only make the most of the location but also take pictures that are going to please you for years to come. When you live in a city like Boston, you have thousands of choices of wedding photographers. Here we will talk about things you should do in order to find the best one.

Ideally, you will find someone who has experience photographing couples in the location of your choosing. Some Boston wedding photographers are going to specialize in locations like the Science Museum because they are familiar with all of the greatest places to take shots. Others are going to be more specialized in areas like the Endicott Estate located in Dedham, Massachusetts because it has a rural setting and lots of potential for outdoor shots. Make sure that you find someone who has worked in your location before or someone who is willing to spend some time there in order to figure out the best shots.

The next thing you should do is get used to the idea of asking for portfolios. Boston wedding photographers are always going to have a collection of the work that they have done in the past for people. Wedding photographers know that it is extremely important to have this portfolio because it shows the world the work they have done. Boston wedding photographers should ideally have pictures from places like the Endicott Estate as well as the Science Museum or other urban areas. This will help you see the variety of shots that they are capable of taking; since using urban backgrounds is very different from using natural ones. You should look at as many pictures as you can and try to get an idea of whether or not you are a big fan of the style that each of the Boston wedding photographers uses for their photos.

The most important thing is that you get along with the Boston wedding photographers that you choose. You need them to be able to understand and cater to your desires and needs, regardless of your location. You may want specific types of pictures, and they need to be available to give them to you. You should also remain open to hiring people who do not have that much experience if they are very enthusiastic. Sometimes a Boston wedding photographer's first year of experience is filled with many successful ventures. They might be going to the Andover Country Club in Andover, Massachusetts for the first time and find that they can create many wonderful shots with no experience in that location at all. The bottom line is that you make sure the person is willing to work with you to make the most of your location.

The most important thing is that you get along with the Boston Wedding Photographers that you choose. You need them to be able to understand and cater to your desires and needs. You may want specific types of pictures, and they need to be available to give them to you. You may also want to make sure that they have had more than a few years of experience. However, sometimes a Boston Wedding Photographer has a first year of experience that is filled with many successful ventures.

http://EzineArticles.com/6504023

Digital Photography - What Are the Different Types of Special Effects?

There are different types of special effects that you can achieve in digital photography. Some of these can be done using the digital camera while for the others; you need to make use of specialized digital software editing tools. Let us take a sneak peek at some of the interesting special effects that can enhance your digital pictures and images.

Most of the new age digital cameras come with settings for sepia tones and also for black and white photos. These can be used to achieve this effect but will not always produce the best quality images So if you are looking to get this effect for some great shots, then the best thing to do would be to shoot in color and then use the digital editor tool to make it sepia or black and white. You can also use software editing tools to remove unwanted objects from your digital photo. For example; if there is an awkward looking tree or building behind your image, then this can be wiped out using digital tools. The task is easy if the unwanted object has a mono-colored background behind it; all you need to do is spray paint over the object after sampling the background color.

But if the background is uneven, then removing the object which is unwanted can tend to get a little trickier. One easy thing you could do is to superimpose the image of the obscured object over the image that you want to remove. A second option would be to alter the photograph by removing the image pixel by pixel; this is quite tedious and you also need to be an expert to carry out this trick. Another common special effect that is used in digital photography is removal of red eyes and also correcting closed eyes. Now most amateur photographers end up getting red eyes and hence this special effect is probably the most commonly used one in digital shots. Most image editing tools come with red-eye reduction which actually means inserting natural colors in the place of the glowing red to get normal looking eyes.

You could also correct a person's closed eyes using tools but this one is quite difficult to achieve and requires an expert hand. What essentially needs to be done is to crop the person's open eyes from another image and then superimpose these on the closed ones. It might sound easy but getting the perfect fit is always a problem if you have just started using the tool. Another regularly employed special effect is changing the background of a picture and replacing it with any other of your choice. This way, you could take a photograph of you in your home and then digitally enhance it to look as if you are standing next to the Eiffel Tower.

Digital photography and software editing tools has bought with it a whole new approach to clicking pictures even for the amateur photographer.

Looking for great photos?

Visit the Hotel Photographer website and look through a range of great photos.

There are lots of great Photography Websites out there so have a good browse and find some inspiration today.

http://EzineArticles.com/6510797

Photography Basics - How to Click Interesting Pictures of Children

Children are probably the most preferred subject for both professional and amateur photographers. And if you are the parent of one, then you know how much you enjoy clicking away memorable photographs of your tiny tot. There are so many precious moments that you can capture which become priceless memories for a lifetime. But child photography is not as easy as they tend to be the worst posers. By the time you take out your equipment, the child has either lost interest or the moment has passed. So here are a few tips that can help you shoot some pretty kid pictures with relative ease;

The most important thing before you start shooting pictures of children is to take time and interact with them. This is easy if you are clicking your child's images but if you are a photographer or covering any event like a birthday party where there are many children, then the best thing would be to spend five to ten minutes with them. Try and understand their likes, dislikes, preferences etc. This will greatly help you to communicate with the child during shooting and get some great pictures.

It is also important to note how the child responds to the camera. Is she shy or does she make eye contact? Some children are natural posers and would love to make gimmicks in front of the lens while some tend to be very shy and has to be coaxed to open up. If you are shooting a group picture at an event, then keep your camera ready and stand aside observing the group. When the children are playful or up to something cute, then go ahead and capture the moment. Child photography is all about impulse and spontaneity; if you want to take a lot of memorable images of your child, then always keep the camera ready at home so that you can shoot at your whim and fancy.

Try to be as unobtrusive as possible while taking photos of kids. Use a telephoto lens and capture the tiny tots at their best. Whether it is playing with a toy or making faces or even throwing a tantrum; capturing the emotion and expression is the key to getting a great photograph. Using a telephoto lens gives you the advantage of being at a considerable distance away from the child; this makes the kid less shy and you can click pictures of him running and playing around.

Look beyond the ordinary always even when you are taking pictures of your own kid. Try to capture as many moods as possible like playing, studying, eating etc. Some of the best photographs are of children sleeping; the peace and serenity on a child's face while asleep is simply beyond words. Try black and white photography; it helps to add drama and dimension to the picture and also take zoomed images of the kid without too much interference from background images especially when you are trying to shoot an expression.

Looking for some photographic inspiration?

Visit the http://hotelphotographer.org/ website and check out the great range of photos.

There are lots of great niches including Outdoor, Hotel and Travel Photography

http://EzineArticles.com/6510799

Can You Fake Your Own Product Photography Studio In House?

Do you really need a product photography studio, or can you get away with photographing your products in house? If you look at the average sort of price charged by a commercial advertising photographer you'll almost certainly be tempted to consider avoiding having to rely on a fully equipped product photography studio, instead using lower grade equipment, and hoping that a few key techniques will get you by.

It's understandable since at the moment almost all small and medium sized businesses are looking to make cuts wherever possible. Sadly many photographic studios seem unwilling to help smaller businesses keep up with the big businesses, pricing themselves out of the market in many cases. It should be noted though that this isn't always the case, and if you're prepared to look about there are a few photography studios offering lower priced deals for small and medium sized businesses.

But is even that expensive fully justified, if it really is possible instead to take your product photographs in house? Certainly it's relatively easy these days to pick up a pretty decent digital camera in any high street store. With even mobile phones now able to take the same sort of quality image of a decent digital camera a few years ago, the quality of the image is likely to be very good if you're prepared to spend over £300 at least. But you shouldn't just be budgeting for the camera, because there are many other camera equipment items besides the camera itself which will be necessary.

Thinking small and simple to begin with, you'll certainly need a tripod in order to make sure the camera is stable and lined up correctly. But if you hook a camera to a tripod, no matter how careful you are there is often a slight bit of movement once you press the shutter button. This is why it's often a good idea to have a remote shutter button on a lead, so that you can trigger the camera without nudging it, even slightly.

Then of course there's the lighting. Don't think for one moment that the built in flash on even a good camera will be good enough. In fact you needn't even consider the flash as usable on most digital cameras. You'll need to look at an external flash or lighting system, and this will of course need to be hooked in to the remote trigger. Different products will require different lighting solutions. A fully equipped product photography studio will have a whole range of lighting solutions, including soft lighting, hard lighting, coloured lighting and even LED lighting.

But then again, lighting is not just about lights, because sometimes it will be necessary to diffuse the light, or even have it reflect in different ways for a clearer result. This is where reflector boards, panels and umbrellas will be helpful, creating the sort of diffused lighting which allows products to be seen clearly, as they would in optimum daylight, without lights creating or exacerbating shadows and contrast. Another issue you'll find with taking product photographs in house is that you'll be unable to remove the backgrounds very easily. You can tell at a glance when a product photograph has been taken in house, 'on the cheap', because you can see the background - often just a sheet hung over something.

A professional product photography studio will usually have what is called an infinity cove, which is a specially designed room or space which has no corners or edges, and therefore nothing to suggest that there is any background at all. Products can be photographed in front of this, and will stand out clearly, and can even be cut out from the backgrounds and superimposed on alternative backgrounds. This is just the starting point for creating decent photographic images, although there's a great deal more besides these first few tips. If you're looking to save money, you really are best off looking for a product photography studio which specialises in offering service which are affordable for small and medium sized businesses.

If you're looking for a professional product photography studio which offers affordable services with a professional commercial advertising photographer then visit The Packshot People.

http://EzineArticles.com/6506618

Baby Photography Tips for Beginners

It's such an exciting time getting ready to photograph your newborn so with some good baby photography tips you can get some great shots. Firstly create a list of shots you want to take before you reach for your camera. When taking photos of your newborn your a very limited to time as there are many confounding variables that come into play. Be sure to get a good grip of your safe shots first and once you are confident with theses, start greeting creative with new angles and ideas.

The best lens to use for this kind of photograph would be a fast 50/85mm prime lens. shooting at wide apertures and F-stop numbers between 5.6 and 4 will allow you to work in darker environments and capture the focal point on your subject with a blurred backdrop to remove distractions.

When taking the photographs set your camera to Aperture priority and opt for the wide f4 - f5.6 F-stop. Focus on your newborns face and allow a bit of the backdrop in the frame. Interesting or colorful backdrops are really good to use in these situations as they make the scene and image more dramatic. Another perspective you could consider would be to aim your focal point at your child's feet throwing the rest of his or her frame into a creative blur, best position for this is to stand at the end of your child, in a fairly low position.

Attaching a zoom to your camera to vary the composition of your shots is a great idea to consider. You can get really cute pictures of feet, hands, ears, and nose. Try to span the image out wide to reveal the entire length of your child's body.

When taking any kind of portraiture photography you need to consider an even light distribution. Don't ever consider using your flash, it disrupts the calm atmosphere your creating, and it will rob your image of tone and texture. Position your child, cot or basket, in a room with big windows and white walls, or near a window using a white sheet or curtain to diffuse if it is a very bright, sunny day out.

make sure there are not distracting items like bottles, nappies, toys in the foreground or background of your shot. Incorporate soft blankets for interesting colors, tones, and textures. Consider using props for size emphasis, and objects to keep to a theme. Make sure though not to have too much clutter in your shot. Keeping it simple is the key.

Consider shooting in black and white or editing to black and white for some of your shots. Black and white imagery always carries our more emotion than colorful shots. When editing your shots play around with the curves, or presets in the software you are using to control your contrast and brightness of your shadows, mid tones and highlights.

As your newborn grows up at such a dramatic speed, it is a good idea to shoot at a well thought out periodical interval to chart the change and growth of your child. A collection of these images can printed in a photo book and make for a great gift or a great visual memory of your child.

It is always a good thing to try an emphasis the petite proportions of your newborn. This is best done with the parent. Babies hand on mums and dads hand, or your child's feet in between the fathers.

To get the best images of your newborn, make sure you take the photographs after a good feed and a quick nap when your child is waking.

Melbourne Baby Photographer, Ellie Williams, is an award winning fine art photographer, specializing in newborn, baby, children and family portraits and is based in Inner Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

http://www.melbournebabyphotographer.com.au/

http://www.pitterpatterportraits.com.au/site/#/home/

http://EzineArticles.com/6491954

Learning Photography - The Basics on How to Take Good Photos

Many people dread picking up the family camera to grab that perfect moment. Much of this is said to come from their misunderstand of the equipment. It can also be because people misuse the best camera of all, their own eyes. To become a great photograph 'taker' you need to have an appreciation of what goes into making a great photograph. Being a professional photographer I often see this king of image produced by beginners.

Seeing a wonderful Peak District scene is something that we all enjoy but often we do not realise that the camera does not see the way that we do. Human beings look about; our eyes constantly rove a scene picking out interesting elements which either appeal to some hidden primaeval emotion or an interest we currently have. Put these elements together an you have a wonderful scene to photograph.

For example in the Derbyshire Peak District you will find some great landscapes (primeval emotion), we will also see wonderful properties (current themes and aspirational). Often people will reach for a camera to record this image because it presses a few pleasure centres for us. We might even think that the image will look terrific on our lounge wall. The bad news it that we didn't see the quarry and Peak District limestone processing factory in the middle distance. The result is that when we review the image back home there is an amount of disappointment.

The point being that before you pick up a camera you really need to survey a scene. Look for the things in the prospective image that will cause problems when you take your photograph. quarry's (unless that is the subject) might be one to look out for. Equally there are lamp posts which have an unnerving habit of sticking out of people heads. If you are taking a portrait this is even more important, as it is so easy to have a branch of a tree poking out from the side of some person's head.

Equipment is another consideration. These days cameras can produce clear sharp results in a range of locations and conditions. It really isn't that important to invest a small fortune to get the right results. Many high street store will a mass of cameras; when you are starting out get a modestly priced model. many professional photographers use high end equipment because they are designed for constant use and will produce images able to be enlarged to poster size. Most people really don't need this functionality and simple 'point and shoot' camera will do. Some basic tips would be to look at your scene, don't try to fit everything in; pixels are cheap so just take more photographs. Bring the camera up to your eye whilst looking at the scene, not at the camera. This will ensure you don't have to search around with the camera to find the shot you wanted in the first place. Relax your arms and most importantly of all, squeeze the shutter button don't stab at it, this will cause camera shake and your picture stand a chance of coming out blurred.

Enjoy your photography and remember to enjoy it. Photography is an art that requires practice and with the era of digital photography upon us the art has never been so ap to have a go at.

David John King a photographer working and living in the Derbyshire Peak District, United kingdom http://www.davidjohnking.co.uk/

http://EzineArticles.com/6490771

Make Your Party Fun With A Photo Booth!

The latest mantra of a successful party - a photo booth. See your guests have unbeatable fun at getting themselves photographed in the funniest of ways. That is the magic that spins behind the curtains and makes people let go off their inhibitions and what comes out in print is a moment of pure joy!

What is the latest trend floating around to liven up your party? It's a photo booth! The idea of getting this booth to your event is probably the best one you have had in years. If you think that these Booths are of a bygone era, then let us bring you to the front page here. To begin with, it's a misconception that these booths were dead. No, they were not. They just moved ahead with time. They became compact and now use the latest equipment for photography. Digital cameras are now used in this booth so that you get digital quality photographs. Also, no more worries on the number of photographs, as you can get hundreds of pictures clicked with friends, making fun poses.

This unadulterated fun of being naughty and completely yourselves in a photo booth is what makes them so much fun. If you put a photo booth in your party/ wedding/ Bar Mitzvah or any other gathering that you are organizing, rest assured that you guests will love it. Inside this booth, while facing the mirror, they will make faces, or hold expressions that will characterize their true spirit and life. Everyone wants to be a little naughty sometimes. And with a photo booth, people get the chance to do just that. Bring out that fun side- or in some cases, the wild side. There is no issue here, a photo booth will capture the spirit of an occasion with no stones unturned!

It's time you got to know the hidden truth, that was always there to see! these Booths hold special and nostalgic memory for all. Throwing your Dad's 60th Birthday Party? Get a Photo Booth installed, and see how much fun he and his buddies will have. They will remember the times they spent having fun at the this booth in malls and fairs. Earlier, a this booth was one of the reasons that people looked forward to the fairs or trips to the beach. For a quarter, people could capture a beautiful or fun moment with their loved ones. With time, things have changed, and now, you don't need to go to the fair with friends to get photographed in a photo booth- you can get one right in your house, in your party! So in the new millennium, you don't go to the booth, the booth comes to you.

So, you also want a photo booth for your weddings, class reunions, corporate events, Bar Mitzvah, school dances and private parties? The best way is buying one. Internet is a great source to look for a photo booth for sale. Another option to get a digital booth is to rent it. Make a note of this, do a little research on the latest technology these booths available and make the right choice. The result will be evident in the happy pictures your guests will get clicked!

The writer is a photography consultant with AAAPhotoBooth, the best choice when you have to buy a photo booth online.

http://EzineArticles.com/6502810

Ways to Share Your Holiday Photos With Friends and Family

The advent of digital cameras has been liberating for amateur photographers and those who love capturing moments to keep. We're now liberated from expensive film and basic manual cameras, meaning we can take thousands of photos at a time, with great results every time and no costs of buying and processing film. However when we get back from holiday with camera packed full of images, it becomes hard to free those images from their digital realm.

The first problem comes from the sheer volume of photos. This is where you have to take time to go through the photos and try to be generous with the delete button. If you're taken several photos of the same thing, try to pick the best one or two and delete the rest. Often images that looked fantastic to the eye can be very dull in a photo, so remove these ones as well.

When you're purged the superfluous images you can think about sharing them with the world.

The first steps are to share them digitally. You might have thought about emailing them across to your friends, but photographs are large files and not many can be emailed across at a time. The best way to share photos with friends online is to find a photo hosting service. There are many online photo hosting services, from Facebook.com where you can share photos with friends in your social group, to site like Flickr, Picasa, and PhotoBucket which allow you to upload your photos into online galleries. You can then email your friends the link to a gallery and they can access all the photos via the web.

The final step for your favourite holiday snaps - to help give them a real value and enjoy them at their best, is to bring those photos out of the digital, and into the physical world.

There are many options for this. A very common option is to get prints of your photos in the traditional size that you may have received prints when developing them from camera film. Online photo hosting services often allow you to order prints in this way, and there are also other sites which specialise in this service like SnapFish and PhotoBox. Traditional images prints are one thing but in this digital age there are other exciting options. You can create a photo book, where photographs are printed on the pages in a book, which you can customise by changing the cover, image positions and text. It's a very fun way to browse photos and can make a great gift or simply a great photo book to place on your shelf to store all your holiday memories.

If you have one image you particularly love, you can have it enlarged a printed as a poster, on a canvas or even on a t-shirt. The digital photography world has really made capturing memories easier and more fun than ever. Make sure you give it a go next time you go away.

Sean Thompson - A lover of travel and tech.

http://EzineArticles.com/6480620

Sony Cybershot Digital Camera A Contender for the Best Digital Camera Under 200 Dollars

Pocket size Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V is the best digital camera under 200 dollars. But don't be fooled by the light weight, pocket-sized digital camera as it offers fast shooting performance. Integrated backside-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor, BIONZ image processor and a Sony G lens with powerful (10x optical zoom, 25-250 mm range) wide-angel mega-zoom (30 mm) facilitate in taking stunning shots even in low-light conditions. The videos are recorded as brilliant AVCHD video with amazing clarity and enhanced detail.

The rounded grip molded into the right side helps in holding the camera and taking steady shots. The spectacular metal body comes in three stylish colors: black, silver and classic gold. The DSC-HX5V has a 10.2 megapixel resolution. It can also be used in vertical format to get a 3424 x 1920 ultra wide-angle images. The 3 inch big and bright LCD displays the crisp and clear images.

The camera can shoot up to 310 images during battery life. Other exciting features include the built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, a digital compass, Transfer-Jet support, cropping, face detection, blur warning, smile and blink detection, PRINT image Matching and the Sweep Panorama function. Direct printing feature enables you to print your favorite shot by simply connecting your digital camera with the printing machine, sparing you the hassle of connecting it to the PC first. The internal memory has the capacity of 45MB however, the memory can be extended with the help of SD/SDHC memory cards and Sony's proprietary Memory Stick Pro Duo cards.

Specifications:

• 10.2 megapixel resolution
• 4.1 x 1.1 x 2.3 inches in dimensions
• Weighs 0.375 lbs ( 170 g)
• ISO (80 - 3200)
• 2x Digital zoom
• Automatic focus adjustment
• TTL contrast detection
• BIONZ processor
• Frame movie mode 25mm equivalent wide-angle 10x high-zoom G Lens
• 11 shooting programs
• auto hdr Mode
• ( iSCN ) Intelligent Scene Recognition
• Powered by Sony NP-BG1
• 310 shots or 155 minutes
• Optical Image Stabilization
• Max. Shutter speed 1/1600 sec.
• Min. shutter speed 30 sec
• Continuous shooting speed 10 frames per second
• Face detection
• White balance mode
• Video captured AVCHD - 1920 x 1080
• Internal memory 45 MB
• Compatible with SD, SDHC, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo.
• Built-in flash
• 5 flash modes
• Self-timer (2 sec- 10 sec)
• Digital Image rotation
• USB 2.0 compatibility
• Direct Print
• PictBridge support

Although the camera does support RAW, it has the option to adjust aperture settings manually. A bunch of cons that this camera has to its name include lack of boost light sensitivity results in lower resolution, soft photos and Geo-tagging which requires software on a Window PC. In short, this digital camera is suitable for casual photographers who like cool-factor extras backed by impressive performance. Price ranges from $189.00. The digital camera delivers good quality shots and videos making it the best digital camera under 200 dollars.

William L Odom is a passionate photographer who enjoys both writing and photography. He writes articles on anything from a review of a digital camera under 100 dollars, to finding out the best digital camera under 200 dollars.

William also looks at digital cameras best buys outside this price range, and reports on those too.

William writes reviews for online photo press. He highlights the camera's features and gives his honest opinion of them, enabling the user to make a better qualified decision on their digital camera purchase.

http://EzineArticles.com/6497036

Commercial Product Photography - Turning Passport Photos Into The Mona Lisa

Believe it or not, commercial product photography is actually a good deal more complex than simply propping a product up against a sheet, pointing a camera and pressing a button. In fact, product photography is both an art and a science, requiring ingenuity and imagination, scientific know how and cutting edge technology.

Of course, that's not to say that you can't just prop a product up against a sheet or stand it on your desk, point a camera at it and press the button. Obviously both approaches will result in you having a photograph of your product. But don't mistake a photograph of a product with product photography. They may sound the same, but they have about as much in common with each other as your most recent passport photo and the Mona Lisa. The difference between those two is likely to be that your passport photo is a reasonably accurate, albeit unflattering image of what you actually look like, with no help whatsoever. The Mona Lisa is an artistic interpretation full of imagination, creativity and interest. Which is likely to attract more attention when hung in a gallery? If both images were available as postcards, which would sell better?

If you're still thinking that your passport photo has a pretty good shot, then either you are the reincarnation of Ms Lisa herself, or your ego is so big you can't see past it to the delusions beyond! No doubt you can start to see the difference between merely taking a fairly honest but unflattering photograph of a product, and using commercial product photography experts to create an image which is likely to catch people's attention, and encourage them to buy the product, or at least to find out more.

There are many techniques used by advertising photography studios, and of course a good deal of state of the art equipment too. Naturally it helps if you have access to a huge studio, infinity cove and an abundance of lights and lighting rigs, as well as cutting edge digital cameras and powerful photo editing software. But this alone won't convert your product photograph into the Mona Lisa. After all, you can sit inside a Formula 1 racing car, with some of the world's leading racing car technology at your fingertips, but that won't necessarily mean you'll win, or even come close, or even finish at all!

Technology is one part of the equation, but it's not the most important part. That lies in the heads of commercial product photographers, who know not only how to use that technology to best effect, but also how to create an image which sells. Sometimes it can seem that a product really is just a product. But you have to make people stop, take a look at the item, instantly see themselves holding it, or using it, and wanting to find out more.

If you can get people to imagine using the product, or even just holding it, then you've achieved a huge step, because once we have that virtual kinaesthetic experience of holding or using the product, it not only becomes more real, but our ownership of it becomes more real in our minds, greatly increasing the likelihood of us being prepared to take the next step and make the ownership real.

If you're running a small or medium size business and you're looking at creating some product photographs, then don't imagine that publishing their passport photographs will get people running in your direction. Sometimes it pays to get the job done properly, and in the case of commercial product photography it's more of an investment than an expense, and much more of a certainty than a gamble.

If you'd like to find out more about how commercial product photography can help your business, talk to The Packshot People, who can offer very affordable advertising photography services for small and medium sized businesses.

http://EzineArticles.com/6504270

How to Make Dynamic Canvas Prints

Believe in yourself!

The vast majority of people have a camera nowadays, and the vast majority of those have taken some truly amazing pictures on their holidays, with their families, or just out and about on the streets where they live. The most important thing to remember when making dynamic canvas prints is to always believe in yourself. Somewhere, hidden deep in the realms of Facebook, Twitter, or on your computer's hard drive, there will be some breathtaking photos of you and your loved ones just screaming to be let out! We have a tendency to brush over our own images and think that someone else's are always better - but this is simply not the case! Even if you are not a professional photographer and even if you have had no training in the art, you are sure to have taken some stunning snaps. So why not liberate them and create astonishing canvas prints?

Give your Photos a Unique Twist

Choose a photo taken with a high resolution and with lots of colour and energy, and then simply witness the incredible transformation! A great gift for your friends or family or a fantastic way of adding some creative art to your home décor, canvas prints are flexible and affordable as well as very high quality. You could add a personal message to your wall art to give it an energetic, lively feel, or even use a special technique such as Banksy, Warhol or revolutionary Pop Art Che for an awesome distinctive edge! We can also cartoonify the people or the pets in your images if you choose to give them the canvas treatment. Printed on excellent anti-warping materials for added durability, canvas prints are a timeless and lifelong gift, and if you choose animated, vivid pictures you are sure to create dynamic photos on canvas.

Dramatic Transformation with Canvas Prints

If you are stuck for a present for your friends or family, canvas prints with vivacity and enthusiasm are sure to bring a smile to their faces! So long as you have a happy, bright and colourful image (which we all do no matter how bad we might think we are at taking photos!), your pictures will look absolutely stunning on first-rate canvas, so why not seize the opportunity to create something truly special and give a unique gift today? You really do have some breathtaking snaps, so why not unearth them from wherever they are hiding and give them pride of place in your home? The difference to your home interior and to the atmosphere of the room will be truly unbelievable.

If you are interested in photography and modern gift ideas visit Photo-Canvas for stunning canvas prints designed for all occasions and people in your life. Gorgeous panoramic canvas and photo collage to treasure forever.

http://EzineArticles.com/6505974

Why Digital Photography?

Technology has changed so many things over the years, and part of this revolution is the invention of digital photography. Some photographers, whether hobbyists or professionals, claim that film photography is still the best way to capture stunning images. They may be right to an extent, digital photography advocates assert that digital cameras can also produce equally beautiful photographs with the right technical know-how. Let's look into the top five reasons why computers can also be a photographer's best friend:

1. Fast

Photos captured with a digital camera can be viewed on a computer screen and printed as soon as they are taken. This is actually one of the best advantages of digital technology - photos are instantly available. Professional photographers can also save a lot of time for each project, considering all they have to do is load their photos on their computer for editing. Wedding albums, in particular, can now be finished half as fast as photos taken with with old-fashioned film. This means more time, more projects and even more income.

2. Manipulable

With digital photography, pictures can be easily manipulated according to preference. Everything usually starts out as colored images, but lighting and color tone can be easily changed with the use of editing software. Flaws in photographs, such as unwanted marks on the subject's face, accidentally captured objects or unflattering shadows can be easily removed. Effects can also be applied to enhance the drama of images, or to create a particular mood. Manipulating comes fast and easy as long as one knows how to use a photo editing program.

3. Cost-efficient

Digital photos do not require film and are simply stored in a memory card, thus, translating to significant savings. No matter how many pictures are taken, everything will be accommodated as long as the technical capacity of the equipment allows. When showing off photos to relatives of friends, one also need not spend money as photos can be easily sent online through email or chat, and can even be posted on an online album. There is no need to spend for each batch of recopied pictures because everything can be reprinted using a photo printer. For those who are less meticulous, even common multi-purpose printers will be enough to print photos at need.

4. Forever

Photos taken using traditional methods often deteriorate in quality over time, no matter where or how they are kept, while digital photo quality can be preserved forever as long as the memory disk is kept safe.

5. Convenient

Some people love to show their photos to friends and relatives but can't always be bringing their albums around. With digital photography, these photos can be stored in a laptop or even a tiny memory card to be inserted into any computer. In simple terms, it simply makes things way easier.

While there may seem to be that classic, unspoken charm known to old traditional film photos, nothing cannot be rendered in modern form with the power of digital technology.

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Documentary and Interpretive Portraiture

PORTRAITURE: INTERPRETIVE AND DOCUMENTARY

There are several mediums available in which portraits may be created. Most common among these are Photography, Painting, and Sculpture. By far the most popular is Photographic Portraiture. Since Portrait Photography is my particular area of expertise, this article will apply primarily to photographic application.

In Photographic Portraiture there are two primary genres: Interpretive and Documentary. Within these genres there are many types and styles. Types include what I call design parameters such as: Headshots, Full Length, Couples, Baby, high school Seniors, Engagement, Family, Maternity, and so forth.

Styles are really an individual distinction defined by the artists creating the portraits. Black and white and "colorized" black and white can be considered styles, and certainly when an artist works exclusively in one or both of those categories it would be considered their 'style'. However more often, a portrait artist's style is defined by their use of lighting and composition such that when a person views a work they will identify it with the artist by it's distinctive look or style.

By far the most dominant genre of photographic portraiture is that of Documentary. Documentary portraits are in the most elementary way described as portraits where the subjects are looking directly at the camera and smiling. It is the simplest and easiest, (except in the case of two-year-olds), kind of portrait to create.

Pretty much every type of portrait may be made as a Documentary portrait. That is, from family portraits to professional 'headshot' portraits, to Senior portraits, to Maternity, to Baby portraits, all may be created in a Documentary way with the subject looking at the camera and smiling.

Documentary type portraits, while not terrifically creative, are very useful for many applications. Business portraits for example are typically Documentary. It is the type of portraiture all the "Big Box" and "Mall" studios specialize in. And when a parent takes their children to have portraits made two or three times a year, the "Mall" studios are convenient and economical.

Interpretive Portraits, while posed to a certain degree have a much more candid appearance. As indicated by the classification "Interpretive", this type of portrait has the ability to display and reveal the personality and interests of the subject to a much greater degree than Documentary portraits. Often the subject will be engaged in some activity rather than looking into the camera lens and smiling. That is not to say that an Interpretive Portrait precludes the subject from looking at the camera and smiling. However that is just much less likely in an Interpretive portrait.

Many of the paintings of famous artists such as Titian, Renoir, Degas, Lautrec, even da Vinci and Rembrandt and many others were actually Interpretive Portraits. While those paintings are generally viewed as slices of contemporary life, there really is no limitation to the creative possibilities with Interpretive Portraiture.

The creative possibilities are limitless, but creating a successful Interpretive Portrait places a great deal of additional responsibility on the artist. As with all commissioned art, the patron or client must be satisfied with the portrait, so the interpretation rendered by the artist must meet their criteria. To that end the artist must have at least some acquaintance with the subject and their personality.

The desired mood portrayed by the portrait will require forethought and planning. What poses will best display the personality and mood? What props and activity will best suit the subject, their personality and interests? Then the location and the lighting must be considered.

As with all great art, portraits both of the Documentary and the Interpretive types should appear natural and effortless. That is to say the work that goes into planning, preparing and finishing a photograph into a portrait should not be evident. They should be enjoyed as personal, family art treasures.

About the author: Stan P. Cox II runs a Portrait and Commercial photography studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has been a professional Hawaii photographer specializing in portraiture for over 30 years. His web address is: http://www.paramountphotography.com/ This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

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Better Cameras For Beginners - Budget Is An Issue

Photography is becoming more popular every day. The simplicity of the modern camera and the technology improvement over the last few years has raised the bar for beginning photographers. So many are excited over the newest models, that they are putting aside their point and shoot cameras in favor of more advanced models. Still, rather than investing thousands of dollars, many would rather purchase a cheap digital SLR camera. In fact, sales of cheap DSLR cameras have skyrocketed over the past couple of years. There are actually several reasons for being able to spend less and get much more value for your buck.

One of the reasons the new photographer can spend less is simply because the advancement in technology has raised the quality of the less expensive models. To illustrate, just take a look at three models produced by the Canon Corp. The rebel T3 I, 60 D, and 7D vary in price by a total of about $1000, yet they all have the same image sensor. This means that the quality of the pictures taken will be pretty much identical, depending on the skill of the photographer. Of course, there are other things that make a difference in the costs of the cameras, but these days, less money is getting much better quality.

Another reason beginners are opting for cameras at the lower end of the professional spectrum is the quality of video that less expensive cameras are producing. More and more people are using, not video cameras, but they're still camera for recording video simply because the quality is excellent. HD video at 1080p and 30 frames per second is becoming standard even at the beginners level. If you were to read the reviews at the online stores, you would see that this video capability is one of the top reasons for buying certain models.

Another compelling reason for buying a better camera than a point-and-shoot model is that the learning curve is not what it used to be. One of the reasons for this is that the settings are much more user-friendly, including the fact that some models have a feature guide on the rear LCD panel that explains exactly what each setting will accomplish when selected. Most models also feature a "quick set" button for the obvious reason of finding the most popular and widely used camera settings.

While the new settings of most inexpensive cameras are fairly user-friendly, a new owner can still use the auto setting to take excellent photos. Again, camera technology has advanced to the point that newer models usually get the settings for light and color just about perfect every time. The cameras are getting so good at this that they have the mode setting called "intelligent auto", and when set on this they are indeed intelligent.

Finally, these new cameras are simply better than point-and-shoot cameras when it comes to performance. This may seem obvious, but it needs to be pointed out. One of the things that most point-and-shoot camera owners experience is something called shutter lag. This is the time between when the user presses the shutter button to record the picture and when the picture is actually taken by the camera. It is also very apparent when using the camera's flash. When using a higher grade camera, even if it is achieved digital SLR, shutter lag is practically nonexistent, even when taking flash pictures.

There are many reasons for buying a new camera, but over the last few years, improved technology and lower prices have catapulted many amateur photographers into the ranks of digital SLR owners.

Wayne Rasku is an owner of a cheap digital SLR camera. The features and settings of thhis camera are on par with many of the more expensive cameras on the market. Discover the benefits of moving up from a point-and-shoot model at http://digital-photographic-resources.com/.

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How to Create HDR Images

The software I will be demonstrating for making HDR images is Photomatix Pro. There are other pieces of software out there, but I have found Photomatix to be the easiest to use.

Step 1

Take bracketed photos of your subject. You can find the bracketing option in your camera settings. On a Canon it is called 'AEB' (Auto Exposure Bracketing), on a Nikon I think it is called 'Multiple Exposures'. Canon cameras take 3 bracketed photos, but only a minimum of 2 are needed. Although not strictly necessary a tripod is recommended for best results.

Step 2

Load up Photomatix and click the 'Load Bracketed Photos' button (hold down Ctrl to select multiple files). Only two bracketed photos are required as a minimum, but three are better. Click OK.

Step 3

On the 'Preprocessing Options' dialogue window make sure the 'align source images' and the 'crop aligned images boxes are checked. I generally find the align by 'matching features' to be the best option, but if you find the final image is not aligned try by 'horizontal and vertical shift'. (If you have used a tripod there should be no alignment issues).

Step 4

This stage of the process is difficult to teach. I would recommend choosing a result from the preset pictures at the bottom that looks close to your desired and then tweak it from there. I usually find that the colours are a little over saturated so I decrease the saturation and luminosity by a small amount.

Make sure you have the 'preview' box checked so any adjustments that you make can be seen (if your computer is slow you may wish to keep this unchecked, checking it only as needed). The best way to learn about what the individual settings do is just to play around with them and get a feeling for how they affect the picture.

Step 5

When you are happy click the 'process' button. (Again this stage can take a few minutes on slower computers).

The final result is a blend of the original pictures with the foreground, subject and background all correctly exposed.

It is worth noting that if anything moves within the frame while you are taking the bracketed photo there will be some blur in that spot in the final result. For example if you are taking a picture with some trees in the frame and the leaves/branches are moving in the wind, the leaves will be blurred.

Photomatix can be downloaded here: http://www.hdrsoft.com/

To learn more about other options available for making HDR images, or tips and tricks for Canon EOS DSLR cameras (including how to take bracketed photos) please visit my website: http://www.usemycanon.com/

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Choose the Right Digital Backdrops for Photography

Previously with the analogue pictures you had to go through a long process to change the background but now with digital photography things have become easier. Today you can easily put your favorite background in your picture with the help of the computer and software programs.

You might be well aware of the popularity of Photoshop which is widely used to edit the photographs. But the question is how do you get the backdrops for photography? You need not worry because there are various websites which can offer you series of backdrops for your photographs.

You can choose the backdrops according to your choice and requirement. You can order for a single series or multiple series to use in your photography. Some of the popular series available are flower, Christmas, Halloween, birthday, wedding, winter, studio as well as classic series.

Each of the series consists of 20 backdrops for photography of size 6000-4800-300 dpi. These backdrops are usually available in jpeg image file or tiff image file. You just need to search for the right website which can offer the best backdrops for your pictures.

Even if you take photography as a hobby you can use the editing software and the backdrops to make your pictures more interesting and beautiful. You might have an idea about the fact that you can sell unique pictures on the internet which can help you earn some dollars.

This is one of the best ways to make your picture unique. The samples of backdrops for photography are always available to you and you can order them just with a click. But before you choose a website you need to make sure the website is authentic.

This should be done specially before making the payments. If the payments are processed through click bank or pay pal then you have nothing to worry. Check out whether the website offers a money back guarantee if the customer is not satisfied with the product.

While choosing the program on the internet you need to consider certain things. First of all, you need to make sure that the website offers best features. Check out the main features offered and then compare it to the other websites.

Other than comparing the features you should also compare the prices quotes by the other programs on the internet. Search for the programs which offer a variety of backdrops. There are some programs which might concentrate on a particular type of template, it is better not to choose such programs.

The more the variety the better the chances are to make your photographs look brilliant. While choosing the program you should also make sure that it is user-friendly. If the program is difficult then changing backdrop would be time-consuming.

Use backdrops for photography and transform ordinary looking photograph into amazing, studio-quality masterpiece. You can use these backdrops easily even if you have zero graphic design skill.

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Two Tricks Of The Trade Used By Product Photographers

Experienced professional product photographers have a whole range of tips and tricks they use every day to achieve the sort of end results which not only look incredibly simple to reproduce, but which actually get the job done of making people want to buy the product. Often it's those photographs which look straightforward and relatively simple which require the most amount of work, planning and preparation. It's only when you try to recreate those sorts of images yourself that you start to realise that there really is much more to professional product photography than meets the eye, or even the lens.

For example, you may have a product which you want to display standing up, such as an iPhone for example. Having it flat on the table makes it look less real, and so you think, almost certainly correctly, that by having the product standing up it looks more three dimensional, more real and therefore more tangible and appealing.

But if you have ever tried standing an iPhone or other thin, curved item up you'll have noticed that it's very hard. You might try something like Blu-Tac or plastecine, but you can't really get it to stand up straight unless you wedge the product in a ball of it, but then of course this is then very obvious.

In some cases you'll find that the product can't even be supported from behind very well because it's either transparent, meshed or very intricate. The answer in many cases is actually to use fishing line or the cotton thread that's being sold as 'colour matching' because it's actually transparent. By attaching one end of this to the back of the iPhone with BluTak, or tying it around a part of the product, you can have the product standing up, or even leaning at angle. Of course, you'll also have the thread visible, which is where clever post production work comes in. Using sophisticated photo editing techniques it is possible to completely remove the line, even from fairly complicated and busy backgrounds, making it look as though the product is standing up all by itself, seemingly defying gravity.

But this is only one problem that needs to be overcome, and there are plenty more. For example, you may assume that a bottle of shampoo is fairly easy to photograph, until you realise that the bottle is made from a black plastic material and the cap is made from a shiny chrome material. How do you light the product up so that the black bottle is not so dark that it looks flat and unappealing, without making the chrome top shine so brightly it's barely visible at all? If you try photographing such a product it seems that you either have to accept that the bottle will be too dark or the cap too light, but not both at the same time.

Some professional product photographers may be able to create a lighting rig that's finely detailed enough to be able to focus the light or diffuse the light in the right way to overcome this problem but there's another solution that can be achieved even more quickly in post production. By taking at least two photographs of the product, one overexposed so that the black bottle comes out clearly and one underexposed so that the cap looks detailed, it is possible to then blend these twp images together, transferring the cap from the slightly darker image to the over exposed one, creating a photograph which ensures that every part of the product is correctly lit, detailed and appealing.

An iPhone and a bottle of shampoo are hardly unusual products, which gives you just a flavour of the many thousands of tips and tricks which product photographers are using everyday to fool us into seeing the impossible.

If your business could do with the help of professional product photographers then visit The Packshot People for affordable advertising photographers offering low priced photography services to small and medium businesses.

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Why Does So Much Product Photography Fail?

There are countless small and even medium sized businesses struggling to make their mark largely because their advertising photography is simply not achieving much. In some cases it may be achieving nothing at all, and in plenty of cases it is clear to see that the company's product photography is actually having a negative effect on sales.

It's easy to see the product photograph as simply being an added extra, attached to an advert, flyer, web page or other marketing material simply to add a little colour and appeal. But the truth is that the overwhelming majority of people take one look at the photograph before reading any of the text, and then make a snap judgement not just about the product, but about the company itself, based on the quality of the product photograph. That's not the product they're judging - just the photograph.

Because often it is the quality of the picture which gives people the best clue as to the amount of care and attention the company gives to everything else. We've all got good quality digital cameras at home. Photography isn't the privilege of the few - high quality photographic imaging is in everyone's hands, and as a result we've become even better at making judgements very quickly about images used in advertising. A photograph that's little better than the sort of quality we might be expected to achieve on a family holiday is not going to achieve much in the eyes of most people.

In fact on many cases the product photograph isn't even looked at, because sub consciously we've already evaluated it out of the corner of our eye and made a judgement about it that it's either not good quality, or not meant for us. It's crucial therefore to think about how to make sure that product photography is able to achieve several key things. Firstly it must jump out at people and make it itself noticed. This doesn't just mean using bright colours, lurid backgrounds, supersized images or other gimmicks. Often quality will stand out all by itself, without recourse to gimmicks and tasteless trickery.

The second thing it should achieve it to make itself appear relevant to the consumer. For example, if you have two mobile phones, one of which is full of social networking tools, games, video camera and tools and features ideal for teenagers, and you have another phone with a built in 'Qwerty' keyboard, video conferencing facilities, management software and easy PC integration ideal for business people, it makes sense that the advertising photography needs to take these two different audiences into consideration. For teenagers the photograph is likely to include images or graphics which suggest movement, connectivity, excitement, fun and energy, whereas the product photograph of the other phone may offer a crisper, cleaner, more organised impression.

Once you've grabbed people's attention and made it clear that the product photograph is relevant it's then also important to achieve three more things. Firstly you need to be able to provide an unequivocally good quality image. This means that the quality of the product is clear enough that it will easily be recognised if seen in real life, and that people can see clearly aspects of the product which will be of interest and relevance. The next thing it will need to achieve is to communicate to the customer that the product and the company is about quality, and about standing out, being unique and being better than alternatives.

Finally product photography needs to engage the consumer by creating an emotive bond. The image should excite, enthuse, intrigue or otherwise actively engage the consumer so that they start to already imagine using it, having it and being seen with it, without really thinking consciously about it. That's a lot to ask from a photograph, but if you don't ask it, you won't get it and if you don't get it you won't get the sales you deserve either.

For very affordable, high quality product photography contact The Packshot People, experts in advertising photography that sells.

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12 Photo Posing Tips You Need To Know

Picture taking is inevitable. Almost everybody takes pictures about anyone or anything especially when there are important events in their lives.

Most people are conscious about how they look in the photograph. Some will immediately ask the photographer to let them have a look at the photograph after the shot. Sounds funny but it's true. You see, the old saying is always true, that pictures can paint a thousand words. So, we have to look nice in the pictures for people to say good about us.

It would really help if we know the basics of photo posing even though we are not really professional models or photographers.

So here is the list I have gathered to help you and me pose like professionals:

· Act natural. This is the most basic and most important thing to do. Just act natural and everything will be fine.

· Turn slightly to the side when standing. This will help you to look thinner and slimmer especially when you are alone in the photo.

· Cross your arms to draw attention away from stomach. No offense to those who have gifted stomachs out there but this can greatly help you. It will appear that your stomach is flat.

· Don't cross your legs when standing. It will appear like you want to go to the bathroom. This is not a beauty pageant.

· Turn your body slightly to the side when sitting. This will help you look thinner and slimmer in the photo.

· Pull head forward slightly. This can help the body to appear smaller than the head. I mean it. In photos, this can look great.

· Hold arms slightly away from body. This will help your body to appear bigger.

· Chest forward and stomach in. This can imply your personality in the picture. Imagine if your chest is not leaned forward and your stomach is out, it can mean that you are lousy.

· Look away from the camera. You can try this technique to make a "stolen" shot effect. This can help you to be less conscious.

· What is closest looks biggest. Just inculcate this principle in your heads. You know what body parts you are proud of so you can use this technique.

· In group picture, avoid standing at the end, the person always looks bigger. I do not really know but for some reason, the last person in either left or right in the photo appears much bigger than the rest. Try to look at your old photos and see the difference.

· Cross your legs when sitting. This is especially true if its portrait or when you are alone in the photo. It can help you look professional and confident.

Those are just some of the many photo posing tips out there. I'm pretty sure that with a little practice applying those techniques or tips, you can look like a professional model in your photos. Enjoy posing!

These photo posing tips were taken from a caliber trick photography eBook. If you want to learn more, just click here.

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Tips for Getting Great Images Using A Compact

Compact digital cameras today come with advanced technology. So don't ever think that just because you only have a compact, you won't be able to achieve quality images similar to the DSLRs. In fact, some of the best photos you may have seen were captured using a simple compact camera.

On the internet today, you have a wealth of information available on photography tips. There are websites and blogs some with videos that provide tips and strategies on getting the best shots possible.

In using a compact, the manner of holding the camera is very important. Avoid holding it at arm's length as it is likely to cause the device to shake. To ensure stability, what you can do is bend your arms such that your elbows are braced against your body. It's also a good idea to hold the camera with two hands.

There are other ways you can avoid the common shake issue when using compact digital cameras. One effective method is to lean against a wall or a doorway when shooting. In situations when light is low and your shutter speed slows, you can place your camera on something steady to keep it stable.

Another tip is to use the self-timer so that you avoid shaking the camera when pressing the shutter. And for best results, you can invest in a durable and sturdy small tripod or monopod that you can fit in your camera bag. This way, you can have it handy when you want to take photos on certain occasions whether indoor or outdoor.

Putting your compact camera on automatic mode may not always give you the best results. There are compacts with manual controls allowing you to have more control on the quality of your images. If you don't go for the manual mode, though, there are scene modes available these days in compact cameras such as the focus mode, white balance, colour, sharpening and other settings. These scene modes normally adjust the parameters for the subject you're capturing to achieve the result you desire.

If you're after quality images, one good tip you need to remember is to use the biggest image size. Know that a small resolution may give you more shots but in terms of quality, it's not ideal particularly if you're planning to have your photos printed. What you should do then is bring extra memory cards whenever possible to allow you to capture more great images.

Using the flash is another great way to capture amazing photos. It's a misconception that the flash should only be used when light is low such as when shooting indoors. Keep in mind, however, that you can always use the flash even when shooting outdoors in bright light. This will help you avoid a silhouette in your images. But if you use the flash, it will balance the subject with the background.

Lastly, you can use the macro mode of your compact camera if you wish to get close-up photos. If you're capturing a flower, for instance, it will help you get close by one to two centimeters from your subject.

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

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What Makes a Great Photograph?

I'm sure this article will be controversial. I mean, after all, how do you objectively characterise what makes a good photograph? It's not like marking a mathematics paper, where there is always a right or wrong answer. Photography, much like any other art form, is very subjective. That said, I do believe that there are certain elements that all great photographs share in common. Here's my (subjective) attempt at defining them:

1. Great use of Light- I've placed this in position 1, because photography is essentially all about light. As has been said many a time, photography literally means 'painting with light', and to become a true master of this discipline requires that you can read and understand light in the same way that you read and understand language- Metaphorically, it is one of the linguistic building blocks of photography. When taking a picture, great photographers will consider the direction as well as the quality of light. Is the subject side lit, or back lit? Is the light source hard or soft? Will I set up the picture so that it is low-key or high key? Depending on the answers to these questions the overall emotional feel and aesthetic of the image will change radically, thereby changing its meaning. To give you an example, look at some classic pictures taken of jazz clubs in low light. Typically these are low key in nature and they create a very definite 'noir' aesthetic. Play around with light so that it supports the meaning you are trying to convey in the image.

2. Great Composition- As in great art, great photographs generally have a sense of compositional form and balance that is pleasing to the eye. As a starting point it's a great idea to understand the basic rules of composition, such as using the rules of thirds. Once you have learned them though, don't be afraid to play around with them and break the rules. It's a way of establishing your own unique style, and who wants to be limited by rules anyway?

3. A Sense of Timing- Take a look at the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, the undisputed master of street photography, and you will notice that, as well as having complete mastery of composition, he was also a master of timing. He knew how and when to anticipate what he called 'The Decisive Moment'; that point in time when all of the elements of the image fall into place and when the emotional 'pitch' of the story is at its peak. Great timing is essential in photography. Practise being patient, and remember to try to anticipate the best moment at which to engage the shutter button.

4. A Clear Subject- Great photographs generally have a very clear idea of what the core subject of the photograph is. If you find that when you frame an image the subject is unclear then try taking out any unnecessary elements. Sometimes simplifying the image is the best way to improve it.

Try experimenting with these different elements to see what works for you. Don't forget you only get better with plenty of practise. Good luck!

Matt Foden Photography is a wedding and portrait photographer based in Croydon in London. You can see more of his work at:

http://www.mattfoden.co.uk/

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Guidelines to Help Any Amateur Photographer When Photographing at a Friend's Wedding

As a photographer there are two common questions asked at a wedding. The first question is invariably how much did that camera cost? My reply is always honest and is usually met with a sharp intake of breath by the individual who have passed question. The second most common question that is asked is "what advice do you have for anyone wishing to become a wedding photographer?" This is a difficult question to answer as the individuals usually thinks that being a photographer is simply owning a camera. It is important that anyone who wishes to become a professional photographer understands that they have a certain responsibilities when it comes to taking photographs of an event that is both as special and as unique as a wedding. Nevertheless, there are certain guidelines that can help any amateur photographer achieve a good results when photographing at a friend's wedding. It must be stressed however that these guidelines cannot and will not make any one into a professional photographer.

Every photographer has his or her own style that is developed over time; therefore don't expect to have a style of photography without the experience to develop your own personal style. It would therefore be incorrect of me to try and pretend that there are any shortcuts to experience. This being so I will not endeavour to explain the technical side of photography but assume that you will be using your digital SLR camera in the fully automatic mode, and will be recording your images as JPEG files. If however you feel more confident and wish to use either aperture priority, shutter priority, or for the Manual modes on your camera and even shoot in raw, then I would ask that you ensure you are fully proficient as a photographer be free for endeavouring to take control of these settings on your camera.

Wedding Photography Guidelines

One: it is important that a couple getting married think about and discussed with the photographer the type of images they are expecting. The bride and groom need to be happy that the finished results will match the expectations, moreover, exceed them. Ask the question; one style of photography do you require? The answer may be traditional, where every one of stands shoulder to shoulder, or reportage where the photographer documents today through the images and hopefully, days both the story and the emotion of the wedding. The couple may also ask for a more contemporary style where the images are both candid and perhaps a little more quirky than would otherwise be expected. Moreover the couple may decide that they would like a selection of styles to match different criteria, for example the traditional style to keep parents and grandparents happy, reportage, to create a wedding album that will tell the story of the day and the contemporary style of photographs to capture the amusement for friends and family.

Having established the style of images required by the bride and groom it is important to convey the necessity of producing a list of important photographs that must be captured. There is nothing worse than discovering 'great Aunt Bertha' was missed out of the official photographs, as great Aunt Bertha will think that this was deliberate and that you never liked her in the first place! This can and does happen but by asking the bride and groom to look at their guest list and compile a list of photographs will help alleviate the possibility of embarrassment.

I always find it advantageous to ask the bride and groom if they can nominate a friend or family member who can act as a co-ordinator for the photographs. The bride and groom will not have time to round up friends and family and as a photographer I generally have no idea who the individuals listed are. Enlisting a co-ordinator to assist has a number of benefits, firstly this person should have an idea to all the individuals are at all know if they are not available. Second because this person can be getting one group together for a photograph while the preceding group as their photograph taken this speeds up the process considerably preventing people from getting bored and disappearing. The third benefit is that because the official wedding photographs are taken in a shorter time than would otherwise be possible, both photographer and the bride and groom will be less fatigued by the process.

Choose Your Location

I believe it is important that as a wedding photographer you understand the wedding venue. This may require visiting the venue on a date before the wedding or if this is not possible arriving before the wedding party in order to look around and find the best places for the photographs. I usually try to meet the bride and groom at the venue before the wedding day in order to take some pre-wedding photographs.

Understanding your location will also help in the event of bad weather. For many people weather he's the one thing that they feel will ruin their wedding photographs. However if we understand our environment then we are able to ensure that even in bad weather we are able to produce remarkable images by using our imagination and our environment to greatest effect.

Don't forget that the couple have often gone to great lengths to choose a wedding venue that is beautiful and often expect to have photographs that reflect this beauty. Try to capture the detail of the day both in the architecture and the grounds of the wedding venue. It is also important to capture the decoration, those details chosen by the bride that make her wedding different from every other. This is another reason why a arriving before the wedding party may be useful as it may give you time to take those photographs that may otherwise be forgotten.

Consider Your Equipment

If you are photographing a friend's wedding it would be very unfortunate if that friendship was spoiled because you lost the images, or indeed whenever able to take them in the first place. My advice would be to ensure that you have two cameras available to you. Perhaps you can borrow one as a spare or perhaps it would be better to hire a camera, but it is important that you do have a backup in case there is a problem. Ensure you have a memory card that will not be filled up in the first 20 minutes. So often I have seen people with expensive cameras running out of space on their memory card and so not able to continue taking photographs.

When using a flash it is important to use a flash diffuser. Most churches and registry offices have quite low light levels. It is very rare that you are allowed to use flash during a ceremony. Therefore it is advisable to use a tripod or mono pod and a fast lens with engage stabilisation. If you are allowed to use flash can consider balancing the flash off the ceiling or walls, but remember if the ceiling or walls are a colored surface then you will add a colour cast to the picture.

When shooting outside after the ceremony or during the formal photography you may require your flash to fill in the shade. It can be useful even when you are shooting in daylight particularly in an area that is back lit or when the sun is causing harsh shadows. The remember to reduce the power of the flash in order to prevent the highlights from being blown out.

Expect The Unexpected

It is good to remember that even in the best planned weddings things can go wrong. Always be ready to capture the amusement and tenderness of those moments. They can make the day unique. It may be the weather, it may be that the people hired to decorate the reception venue ran out of balloons, the best man mislaid the rings or the flower girl decides she wants her daddy, always be ready to capture those moments.

As the photographer you are the eyes of the bride and groom, but your eyes see what they fail to see and capture those moments for ever.

Wedding photography is about having fun; we are celebrating the beginning of the two people's new lives together as they are joined together in matrimony. When we ask people to smile and a smile because they are told to very quickly they get tired and their faces begin to make with the effort. I believe that as a photographer I should engage with the bride and groom in such a way that they have fun and smile naturally because they are enjoying themselves. When this is achieved there are no aching faces because we are designed to have fun and will be reflected in the photographs that will form the final wedding album.

William Johnston wedding photographers Bristol is a professional wedding photography service providing wedding photography and portrait photography throughout Bristol, Bath and Somerset, the South West, Birmingham and the West Midlands, Leicester and Leicestershire, London and the Home Counties

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Tips for Graphic Designing Depend on Clients Briefing

Graphic designing is the ability to interact effectively with text and 3-d visuals. It involves software programs that aid in creativity to produce spectacular results. Successful branding tips for graphic design can help customers to ask for specific logo designs, brochures and fliers to communicate with their potential clients.

Would you like to know the secret to develop successful branding tips for graphics design? It is simple yet so difficult to acknowledge at times. To begin with, get the basics right to develop a flair for appropriate branding. There is the key to the secret code for tips for graphics design. Most clients do not know what they are looking for in the design. If they recognize the needs of their clients the brief can be easier to comprehend. Often the competitive market will establish the kind of branding and positioning of the service/product being offered. Successful branding tips for graphics design then become clear. The graphics can depict the values and services that the company stands for. It is the text and the visuals that will eventually speak for themselves and the company's brand. Once the research it done then the designer can be approached for the artwork.

For the designer, tips for graphics design are based on the brief. He will create a message and an effective visual to establish the brand. This is where creatively comes into play. It will be necessary for him to study the rival brands before attempting an original design. Once the client has done the homework, the designer takes over. His research and innovative designs can then be the real winner for the client. Often clients prefer freelance designers as they are affordable and reasonable in their pricing-Which is fine, if they are able to produce the results. A good freelancer will never try to undersell his services. This is an important tip for graphics designers who wish to be independent and rely on solitary creativity. Exploring unlimited ideas is easier on an independent platform rather than a studio. One of the biggest tips for graphics design is the ability of the professional to go that extra mile. Most clients appreciate this quality in independent designers. Being independent is easy, but remaining professional is difficult. Hence it is in the interest of the business for both-there should be clear terms and conditions. This is another important key to success.

When it comes to actual designing, what works is some free samples. This gives an idea to the client if the brief has been understood. It is this sample that will be a precursor of the actual work. The most valuable successful branding tips for graphics design includes time management and delivery schedules. Meeting the deadline makes the designer a professional in the eyes of the client. This is essential for future jobs also. Sometimes the work is excellent but faulty time management ruins the opportunities at a later stage.

When a designer is able to communicate with the client, it will be equally easy for him to put across the ideas for the ultimate audience successfully.

Atiqur Sumon Chief Executive, DTP & SEO Expert at Outsource Experts Ltd. Clipping Path | Graphic Design

http://EzineArticles.com/6491950

The Best Tricks for Taking Pictures of Animals and Pets

Whether you are looking to snap some pictures of man's best friend or your desire is to photograph your favorite animals on your next trip to the local zoo, taking photos of animals and pets can be a lot of fun. If your personal pet is like a child to you, then it may be that your goal is to take some good pictures to present in picture frames on your desk at work. There is a true art to taking good animal photos, and this article will take a look at what you must do to get top notch shots that you'll treasure forever.

Practice Tolerance When You Take Pictures of Animals

Pets are able to become tired during a photo session just like human children can. Photography sessions should be kept quick and sweet. Use a quiet voice. Also exercise patience. Consider experimenting with taking some pictures while the pet does the standard everyday things it usually does instead of making a big deal with the camera and attempting to pose the animal, as this could make your pet feel nervous.

Get the Animal's Attention with Props.

Props can be very beneficial when taking photos of pets. Many pets are simply not "into" posing for a camera, however with the right props, you can catch even the shyest pet's attention. Use a play thing, a multi-colored flower, a noisy squeaking chew, or even a small and rewarding snack to encourage your pet to look your way.

Go Down on the Pet's Level

If you get down to the pet's level the same way you do when taking pictures of a child, this will enable you to capture some great pet photos. Bringing yourself down to the same level as the pet will set you up for great eye contact shots that will preserve great memories. The most intimate and warm pet pictures (the shots that you just can't wait to exhibit in picture frames throughout your home or office) are the ones taken at the pet's eye level, not looking down on the pet from above it.

Zoom in for Great Close-Up Pictures

It is good to get nice and near to your pet, whether it is by stepping up close or making use of the zoom. Make sure the whole display screen or viewfinder is filled with your pet. If you do this it will emphasize the most truly important thing in the photo. If you are not sure on the focusing distance for your camera, read your owner's manual.

Concluding Tips

Animals normally love to play and run around, so it is only natural to take pictures of them doing whatever they really do best! Take some action pictures of your pet while it is enjoying things like running, leaping, begging, and bounding happily around. And be sure to take a lot of different shots to increase the odds of finishing up with the ideal pet photos. The fantastic thing about digital cameras is that you can shoot to your heart's content then look at them all later to decide which is best. Consider exhibiting your favorite photographs in picture frames that have a pet theme, which will increase the beauty of your pictures.

If you accomplish some planning ahead, it's not hard to capture some wonderful pet photos that will really bring out the best qualities in your pet.

Shop online and see our huge selection of antique metal picture frames in a wide variety of sizes and styles. Visit our website to browse through our unique picture frames now or give us a call at 800-780-0699.

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An Unforgettable Treasure Is a Canvas Print

Photo canvas prints

It is often asked in the world of art why paintings such as watercolours are not as valuable as oil paintings on canvas. For some reason people often think that it's the difference between watercolour paints and oil paints that sets the wide gap in values but in fact it is the canvas. Works of art in watercolours were and still are painted on parchment / paper and although there is a consummate skill required, watercolour paintings do not offer the same visceral effect as oils brushed into textured canvas.

Photos on canvas are created with the use of an ink jet printer and it's the combination of old and new technologies that creates the startling results. Most people have never seen how good a photo on canvas can be when compared to the same photo printed on flat photographic paper. The effect of photos on canvas is so good that people really do regard photos on canvas prints as works of art especially when grouped together on a wall.

People always are the most important aspect of any photo. If a photographer is shooting a magnificent view, he or she always likes to position a person to give the photo a focal point. When Constable painted in oils on canvas, he always included people in his scenes. Beautiful photos that are uploaded to websites that have templates for creating canvas prints such as Albelli. can turn a lovely photograph into a work of art. The combination of the canvas and the inks seems to imbue photo canvas prints with a vibrancy that is simply not apparent when the same photo is printed on photographic paper.

If you fill your house or office with canvas photo prints you will turn what is a cheap process into something that is truly priceless. Some people may have a painting by a renowned artist such as Hockney but no one will have canvas prints that lie flush to the wall with an image that you have personally created appearing to emerge from the wall in 3D. Photo on canvas of children work particularly well as they bear close inspection as do canvas prints of pets and other animals. But, whatever work of art you wish to create including black and white abstract images, when you see your photo on canvas you will display your canvas print with pride.

Most people store their digital images on their computer so uploading favourite images to websites hosted by Albelli for canvas photo prints couldn't be easier with results that could not be more satisfying. Your canvas photo prints really will be unforgettable treasures to be admired, now and for years to come.

Capture a master piece a work of art on photo canvas prints or photo albums online that Albelli offers.

http://EzineArticles.com/6502741

Guys Night Out? Rent A Limo!

Nearly everybody knows that one of the most looked forward to events in a man's vocabulary is the term "bachelor party!" There are multiple reasons for this, and most men's eyes instantly glaze over with visions of "The Hangover" playing in their head as they pack their best suit and prepare the best alibis on the way to the airport to catch the first flight to Las Vegas out of town! Not only is the soon to be married man excited about his final send off with his closest buddies, but the men are all excited about the chance to get away for a night of "guy Fun."

Probably the best idea when planning a bachelor party for the lucky guy is renting a limousine or car service to provide the night's transportation. The many different scenarios that could play out make it obvious why hiring a limo service is such a good idea for a bachelor party, but for the purposes of this article, let's take a closer look at some of the not so famous scenarios as to why limo service is perfect...

1. Automatic designated driver. This almost goes without saying, but it's worth putting at the top of the list because the alternative is just not acceptable. Typically, copious amounts of adult beverages are consumed during these celebrations of youth, and while it's ok to act young and dumb, especially right before you get married, it's NOT ok to act stupid. Allowing a party like this to get started without having somebody as the designated driver is flat out irresponsible and dangerous. Don't be stupid.

2. Without having to say a single word or even pop your collar, you will look super cool when you pull right to the front door of the dance club. It may seem cliche, but it's a simple fact of life that when you and a group of your best friends slowly emerge from a long black luxury car, you'll all feel that surge of confidence you get when you know you look good. The new-haircut feeling. The "slow motion walking down the street with a group of friends while wearing sunglasses" type feeling. More than half of the war is simply acting sure of yourself. Trying to act like you are GQ is much easier to accomplish when you look GQ. And people will notice. The doorman will treat you differently. So will the ladies.

3. Hanging out of the sunroof and screaming obnoxious things at girls on the street is actually pretty fun.

4. By having a couple of complimentary drinks in the limousine before the big game will allow you to save a bit of cash and get in the mood so it's usually pretty cool. Provided your chauffeur service and state laws are ok with this, it's probably one of the best reasons to rent a limousine or hire a chauffeur service.

5. Your slim chances of actually convincing a couple of women to ride along with you greatly increases if you are cruising in a limo. This has almost zero chance of happening in your Honda Accord or Chevy Van, but is a distinct possibility when you rent a limo.

6. Your driver may end up knowing about some totally awesome places that you and your dork buddies have never heard of. Be cool to the driver. Truth be told, most limousine chauffeurs have a pretty extensive knowledge of the city's nightlife venues and are usually your passport to a wild time.

7. When the lightweight in the group is getting out of hand because he's had 3 appletinis, you can dump him in the back of the limo and continue your adventure.

8. When the married guy has to call and check in with his wife while the rest of you are trying way too hard to talk to a pretty (in the dark) bartender named Destiny, he can retreat to the safety and quiet of the limo to place this call. (Random Fact: Nearly every single bar in the entire world has at least one bartender who claims to be named Destiny. It's an immutable law of nature)

9. Cruising up to a drive thru window at 3:17 in the morning is so much more stylish in a stretch limousine. However, please don't forget to see if the driver is hungry, driving for 6 hours often does that and it is just a kind thing to do.

10. You'll make it home, safe. For obvious reasons, we should make it clear that the list above is nowhere near being comprehensive. Suffice to say that when planning a bachelor party or vacation trip, renting a limousine is one of the best things you can do to enhance your party experience. Trust me. Obviously, never forget to show your gratitude in the form of a tip..

We hope these tips about limo services will lead you in the right direction and that you will have a blast planning your event!

Delivering world class limousince and airport transportation services is what we do best.  We do hope that if you are in need of ground transportation, that you give us a call!
SFO Limo
San Francisco Car Service

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A Serious Look Under The Hood of The Pentax K5 DSLR Camera

You will notice a lot about the Pentax K5 DSLR camera that reflects the constant efforts to achieve higher design capabilities. The ability to do more with less has been the trend with technology for decades. Even if you are very new to photography, you can learn how to use a camera like the K5. The learning curve is well within the reach of the average camera enthusiast, and you will be quickly on your way. Users reports the Pentax K5 provides tremendous options that can be quickly deployed and put to work.

What you will find with the Pentax K5 is a whole new level of processing ability not found in other models. A lot of time you will read about CMOS technology which is not new, at all, however it has been refined over the years and still continues to be. Another way to think of CMOS is they are IC's, or integrated circuits. What you will find in this camera is an enhanced range for digital image sensing.

But that is not all because as we said, you will enjoy a higher rate of data integration and display. The end-result is an extremely high resolution digital image with superior gradient processing. What that means is an effective resolution of just over 16 megapixels. One thing that may be slightly deceptive about the K5 is its size. One of the first things you will notice is how quite small it is. You will also be surprised when you pick-up and hold this little camera. The fact that it is a little heavier than it look means there is a lot inside. The camera's metal frame chassis is manufactured from stainless steel. A magnesium alloy was chosen for the body because that metal is tough yet is not as heavy as a non-alloy. Stainless steel for the body plus the structural frame would produce a camera that is too heavy. The Pentax K5 is impervious to dust, and that is made possible by the extensive use of high performance seals inside.

How about a digital SLR that includes 14 f stops for your photo taking ability? That only allows you to do even more, and that is what it is all about. But we do have to remember that there is a very wide range of experience in the market, obviously. It actually would be difficult, we think to not be able to find something to like about the K5. Those images shot at a reduced ISO have been favorably reviewed by some users. You can shoot JPEG images, and there are modes that support it. On the other hand, there is much more you can do with this SLR, and you really should check them out. What you will see with the Pentax K5 DSLR is extensive design enhancements in key areas plus many smaller changes. The K5 comes with what seems like the usual features found for video capability with any SLR. There is no internal microphone with the K5, either, although external hook-up is available. The K5 is not meant to be a video camera, so of course it will not have features normally found on that kind of camera. There are far more very positive points with the K5 than negatives.

Professional contributor Savoy doors have kindly supplied this article for publication. They have a wide range of DIY products available for the UK market such as worktops.

http://goarticles.com/article/A-Serious-Look-Under-The-Hood-of-The-Pentax-K5-DSLR-Camera/5181175/