Understanding the Value of Wide Angle Lenses

Wide angle lenses are, in my opinion, the most overlooked "next step" for amateur photographers. Everyone has the "kit" lens that was packaged with their camera and then they go buy the 75-300mm zoom and then they are done. I knew I wanted the 18-200mm when I purchased my camera, but was on a waiting list, so the first lens I bought was the 10-20mm Sigma wide-angle. Wow. It gave me the opportunity to see the awesome potential of wide angle lenses (and their limitations).

Why Do I Need One?
If you are trying to capture landscape shots or just the "size" of a scene, then wide angle lenses will help you. Think of the angle of how light enters the camera lens. As this widens, it allows more detail to be focused on the film/sensor.

Ask yourself this. Have you ever been in a room taking a group photo or photo of something in the room, but you could not zoom out enough and you could not back up enough without leaving the room? This is where wide angle lenses come in. They will distort the image slightly, but it still lets you take a photo that is otherwise impossible.

One of the neat features is composing a picture with a subject close up with a wide swath of detail in the background. When you first look through these lenses, everything seems far away though. The trick is getting your main subject as close as possible to the camera (sometimes you can be inches away from it) and the rest of the background will fill the frame.

The main article has some photo examples.I created them myself. For one, I pointed my camera in the mirror. I zoomed in at 20mm first. I then zoomed out to 10mm, but I made sure the camera lens still maintained the same size in each photo. Look at how much more background was included because of the angle light was allowed in at. Also notice how much farther away even my head looks, though I am looking through the viewfinder just as I was in the first photo. My hands are also distorted in a cool way.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/understanding-the-value-of-wide-angle-lenses-147378.html

Digital Camera Buyers Guide - Do you Really Need One

Like most people you probably take pictures. We all use cameras for all sorts of things; we take pictures of special events, trips and many more. We immortalize those moments in pictures for us to see them time and time again. Of course we can use a variety of cameras to do that not all of us are professional photographs. But if you are looking to buy a good quality camera these days it helps to look at a digital camera buyer’s guide.

You will soon find out that there is a wide range of digital camera buyer’s guide. But the important factor to keep in mind is that they serve all the same purpose. To help you find the best digital camera for your needs. Most of theses digital camera buyer’s guide are inexpensive but you should go to the nearest camera dealer there is a good chance you can get one for free with a photography magazine.

Just make sure you look a t the cover of the digital camera buyer’s guide as they will show what are the camera models reviewed inside and if they can be of any use for your photographic needs.

Here is some of the buying information you can expect to get out of a good digital camera buyer’s guide:

- Digital camera comparisons
- Lenses
- Various accessories
- What hot and what’s not

One good thing about these guides is that sometimes you will get valuable buying information about the latest digital camera models. Some of these articles will cover in-depth the multiple features and the overall performance of the camera. They very often point you in the right direction telling you what are considered the best digital or compact camera on the market for your money.

With the information you will gather from your digital camera buyer’s guide about the prices, lenses and even the newest camera printers there is a good chance you will be able to know what is considered a good deal when you see one.

All things considered these are just a few of the products and services you can find when looking at a digital camera buyers guide. If you are looking to buy a new digital camera, these guides can help you greatly to make an informed decision. They are jam-packed with a great quantity of information that will help you buy the camera you want.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/digital-camera-buyers-guide-do-you-really-need-one-146626.

The Camera Canon Digital Xt - for Superior Performance

If you are looking for a superior performance camera then you should consider looking at the canon cameras they are well known to be amongst the best digital cameras. The Canon brand camera Canon Digital XT is a very good example. These cameras are built to be user friendly and the great range of features integrated will allow you to fulfill all your photographic needs.

The latest version of the camera Canon Digital XT as you may know is the successor of the Canon Rebel. Of course this camera still has a lot of the features of its predecessor but there are also very interesting improvements on the features and on the design.

Some of the modifications done to the camera canon digital XT include a new 8 megapixel CMOS with a pixel count of 3,456 x 2,304. As a result you gain a much better image resolution and a much greater manual control. On top of that the new camera canon digital XT has an interchangeable lens compatible with the other canon digital XT series lens.

That’s not all, you get a completely new custom function menu so you can customize you camera even more. Here are some of the other features available with the camera canon digital XT:

- adjustable EV step size
- metering modes
- flash exposure compensation

All those features makes the camera canon digital XT a very good choice for the experience photographer as well as the novice.

Some other features that probably worth mentioning with the camera canon digital XT are the low noise output and the precision optics.

Of course when you buy a camera you first look at all the features and the capability to take great pictures. The camera Canon Digital XT offers all those characteristics, but on top of that you get to have a pleasing ergonomic shape. The camera has a lightweight body which is very easy to grip.

As you can see with all the new improved features the camera canon digital XT is built to be amongst the superior quality cameras. If you are still wondering if this would be a good camera to buy just make a list of all the features and benefits you will experience with this camera, this alone should be more than enough to convince you. Whether you are buying it for fun or for professional reasons this camera should be a good choice for your photographic needs.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/the-camera-canon-digital-xt-for-superior-performance-14402

Give a Personal Touch to your Photo Gallery

Digital camera has made it very easy for anyone to maintain an online photo gallery. Most cell phones that are available in the market today are equipped with camera of high resolution. That is not all, the size of digital camera is getting smaller, the camera is available readily and the price is reasonable as well. You just have to take a look around and find out will instantly realize the number of people who are equipped with a camera and see how easy maintaining a Photo Gallery has become through the use of this. Sharing pictures of any special occasion or simple personal photographs with family and friends are a great way of staying in touch without too much of a hassle. Well if you are one of those who are still lagging behind and do not have an online photo gallery, you must set about doing this right now.

Having a photo gallery online is a very simple task; you just need to know the right way of doing this. There are plenty of online sites that provide people with a platform where they can make their personal photo gallery and share those moments with all their loved ones. Most people these days own a digital camera and if not that, a cell phone with a camera can be easily purchased. Just click the pictures and upload this in your pc. You will have to get register to a photo sharing online site where you can create your personal photo gallery. The best part about having an online photo gallery is that you can actually choose who will see your personal pictures and who will not.

So now all you need to stay connected with family and friends is a digital camera. These days it is very common to find people staying away from family due to studies, work or other things. However this in no way diminishes the value of family and given a chance we would all love to get them involved as much as we can with all that is happening in our life. I stay away from my middle aged parents due to work, so I always upload my vacation pictures and other personal pictures on a photo sharing site. My parents are easily able to see this with just the click of a mouse. This is an amazing technology and the best aspect of this is despite the distance neither me nor my parents for one moment feel that we are staying so far apart from each other.

Making an online photo gallery is not the only thing which you can accomplish at these sites. One can give personalized photo gifts to family and friends. For this you just need to choose a picture and this picture can be easily customized on mugs, T shirts, photo frames and other stuff as well. The best aspect of using these services is you can actually choose from many pictures which you have uploaded and in case you are not satisfied with the picture quality, you can easily get this altered through the professionals who work for this. Making your own photo gallery is so simple if you do this in the correct way.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/give-a-personal-touch-to-your-photo-gallery-143476.html

Festival Cards Make a Festival All the More Memorable

Festival cards are a great way of expressing your emotions and feelings associated with certain festivals to family and friends. Saying it with a card makes it all the memorable and precious to the person who receives this. Each festival has its own special festival cards and this can be easily obtained too. Have you ever considered giving personalized festival cards to your family and friends? Well if your answer is no, then you must start thinking of this alternative as well and start putting up your own personal touch to the Festival Cards. Buying festival cards from the nearest gift shop is something which almost everyone does and sending cards via the internet is also something which is not very likes by some people. So sending festival cards is one option which people can choose from.

Sending festival cards is very easy and one just needs to make sure that they are dealing with the right people to get the work done. There are a number of online sites that provide visitors with the chance to shore their pictures, get the pictures printed in different types of merchandise like cup, T shirt and others and make customized festival cards. Sharing pictures online is a great source to stay connected with family and friends who stay with you. Giving someone a gift which contains a personal message is something that they like to receive at anytime. So you now need to focus on how you can give personalized festival cards to all your near and dear ones. After all festivals are that time of the year when you remember all those people who are close to you.

First you need to decide on which festival you want to send the festival cards to your family or friends. There are plenty of festivals but it will be better to choose a festival that your family or friend actually celebrates. Well it will be of no use to send a Christmas card if that person does not celebrate Christmas at all. So you have to be careful in choosing festivals and avoid mistakes. You can place an order to make the festival cards by choosing a picture that depicts a message communicated by the festival. That is not all you can also put a picture which you have taken with your personal camera for the card. You can also choose one picture from the collection available with the site. You just need to make a good choice for this.

After choosing the picture, you can put personalized message on the card. This is the perfect medium where you can give a free rein to your creativity as well. You can incorporate various colors and designs to give the card your own personal and distinct touch. After incorporating all messages, colors and pictures that you want to incorporate in the card, you can get this printed. The card is ready now ready, all you need to do now is send that to people who are special in your life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/festival-cards-make-a-festival-all-the-more-memorable-13978

Digital Concepts Tr-62n: a Pro Quality Tripod at a Bargain Price

With summer upon us, it’s a great time to be taking pictures. Whether you prefer color or black & white, there’s no better subject than Mother Nature’s beautiful exploding greenery.

To capture the best possible stills, I have been employing a tripod this year, the first time in my five year photography craze. And I love it. Not knowing what to expect, I decided to purchase a fairly inexpensive tripod from Amazon.com (http://catalog.amazon.com/abis/detailPage.amzn?asin=B000N4X6AO). The Digital Concepts TR-62N cost me about $25, and it has so far been a great investment.

Upon opening the box, I found the tripod contained in a compact black vinyl case measuring about 23 inches long. The vinyl case had a handy adjustable strap, and can easily be carried over your shoulder. The entire unit weighs less than 3 pounds.

The Digital Concepts TR-62N is an attractively styled tripod, with aluminum telescopic legs capped with swiveled rubber feet. Each leg has two telescoping segments, easily locked and unlocked by flipping a lever. Action is smooth and easy.

The tripod head is composed mostly of black plastic, except for the rubber foam grips at the top of the legs.

A really neat feature which I was surprised to find on a tripod of this price, are two leveling bubble indicators. The first bubble indicator is located at the top of one of the legs, while the second level indicator is located at the base of the camera mount.

The legs extend to a length of 60 inches, and the unit is very stable at maximum height. I used the tripod with my trusty old Canon Digital Rebel, and they worked together splendidly.

For about $25, the Digital Concepts TR-62N is a professional quality tripod all novice and intermediate photographers should consider.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/digital-concepts-tr62n-a-pro-quality-tripod-at-a-bargain-price

Landscape Photography Guide to Anglesey, North Wales - Beaumaris to Benllech

Beaumaris is one of the most attractive towns on Anglesey, its location and castle ensuring its appeal to the landscape photographer. It’s situated directly across the Menai straits from Snowdonia National Park, whose impressive mountains provide a stunning backdrop. It’s also an excellent location for sunrise photographs as the sun rises directly behind the Snowdonia Mountains and creates stunning reflections in the Menai Straits. Beaumaris pier itself provides a good vantage point from which to capture these stunning scenes. In the Menai Straits themselves yachts and boats are frequently moored and can provide a good subject or alternatively some added foreground interest. Alongside the pier is a natural harbour, the main area for the numerous yachts and boats that visit Beaumaris, it’s another interesting possibility for the landscape photographer. Within the town itself is an impressive and particularly photogenic 13th century castle. A visit inside the castle can provide good views across the Menai Straits and towards the Snowdonia mountains, also a short distance along the coastal path behind the town is a small hill which provides the ideal vantage point for a wide angle photograph of the town, the castle and the surrounding landscape.

From Beaumaris to Penmon point the coastal path is flat all the way, running directly alongside the Menai Straits - be aware that at high tide much of the path is actually underwater. This section of the path provides a constant view of the Menai Straits, the Snowdonia Mountains and at a distance, the imposing Great Orme. Here though the beaches are not particularly photogenic, being mainly flat and indistinct. Personally, if I was to choose one particular photography location along this section of the coastal path I would go directly to Penmon point, easily accessible by car from Beaumaris. Here options for the landscape photographer include Penmon priory, Penmon point lighthouse and excellent views towards Puffin Island, the distant Great Orme and the ever-present Snowdonia mountains. Interesting rock formations can also be found a short distance along the shoreline from the lighthouse, offering the possibility for some imaginative macro shots.

Heading from Penmon point towards Red Wharf Bay the coastal path starts to climb above the coastline, providing the photographer with a new viewpoint of the lighthouse, Puffin Island and the Great Orme. Along this section of the path though the best location for a good landscape photograph has to be Red Wharf Bay, again accessible by car. It is a large open bay, appearing much like an estuary, which during low tide is a mass of golden sand – the of which character changes dramatically with the incoming tide. Personally, I think the best time for photography here is at low tide. The small village itself is directly alongside the bay and has some character. In particular the small harbour, with its usual collection of yachts, provides the landscape photographer with excellent opportunities. Continuing along the coastal path towards Benllech now involves a walk along the beach, tide permitting. The beach between Red Wharf Bay and Benllech has golden sand and again provides opportunities, although it lacks any particularly strong features. Benllech itself is a large town, mainly located slightly away from the coastline, which although pleasant, doesn’t have any special interest for the photographer.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/landscape-photography-guide-to-anglesey-north-wales-beau

What to Photograph in Las Vegas

Las Vegas might be known worldwide as a gambling and entertainment city but there is definitely more you can do there. The city is full of attractions that you might need a whole week to explore it.

For hobby photographers, this article will guide you what to look and capture in the city of sins.

The City's Panorama

There is one place perfect to get a good overview of the city and that is the Stratosphere Tower. You will have to pay to get to the top but it's definitely worth it. The sweeping view of the city from the top is overwhelming, and getting even more impressive during the night. You'll have a great photo opportunity too of the famous Las Vegas Strip, having a bird's eye view of the strip hotels. Alternatively, you can climb up the Eiffel Tower at Paris Hotel for a great panorama too.

The Hotels

Hotels in Las Vegas are known for their size, extravagant style and luxurious interiors. It is a great idea to take some shots of these hotels from Wynn, The Venetian, Caesar's Palace, Paris Hotel to the Bellagio. If you're impressed with the exterior then hold your breath for the inside.

GARDENS OF VEGAS

Roman Garden - This beautiful roman-themed garden in front of the Caesar's Palace is a great subject for photography. With its statues and magnificent fountains, the place is worth capturing.

Botanical Garden - Looking for exotic flowers and plants in Las Vegas? Bellagio Hotel has a conservatory and botanical gardens which display an array of plants and flowers that highlight every season.

Secret Garden - Siegfried and Roy's secret garden at the Mirage is a home to some rare animals like the white tigers and lions.

THE ATTRACTIONS

Make your cameras ready for these following attractions...

The Venetian Grand Canal - At the hotel's front yard is a copy of the original Grand Canal of Venice where interested visitors can ride a gondola.

The Forum Shops - The building's entrance is inspired by the ancient gates of the Roman Forum. As you turn right from the entrance, you'll find a copy of the Trevi Fountain. The interior is gorgeous too, it has a fountain just as you enter inside and a beautiful painted ceiling with ornate pillars everywhere.

The Bellagio Fountains - Probably the most famous attraction in Las vegas. These giant fountains dance choreographically with the music being played.

The Eifel Tower - Just like in Paris, the tower attracts a lot of visitors. It has a restaurant on top and offers a great view of the city. If planning to get a good shot of the Bellagio fountains, the tower is one good place.

Treasure Island - An exotic island is being integrated in the hotel's facade with palms, cabanas, sailing ship, ship wreck and a seaport all in one place.

Mandalay Bay's Artificial Beach - Yes they have a beach and what is most interesting about it is that it can simulate waves up to 6 feet high. You can even go surfing here.

New York New York's Facade - It is where you can see all of New York's attractions in one place. You've got the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Manhattan's skyscrapers.

The Fremont Street Experience - This is a light and sound show at the famous Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.

Downtown Las Vegas - You might be enjoying yourself already with the so many attractions on the strip but visiting the original would complete your visit.

These all in all could make a great Las Vegas photo collection. Enjoy yourself!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/what-to-photograph-in-las-vegas-96771.html

Enter Photo Competitions

A great morale booster is to win or even place in a highly regarded competition. Many professional photographers today have competitions to thank for getting them started on the road to a successful career.

Entering and winning photographic competitions can be a highly lucrative business if you take it seriously. Every year photography magazines alone give away many thousands of pounds/dollars worth of prizes. If you add that to the prizes offered by other magazines and organizations the figure is well into six figures, and someone has to win.

Secrets to success:

* Read the rules! There is no point putting lots of effort into shooting an entry if it doesn't fit the brief.

* Come up with something original, so it stands out, and only enter your best work.

* You may ignore your first ideas, though, because they're probably too obvious, and wait until you feel you have something really original.

* Only enter competitions that appeal to you, so you have a passion for the subject.

* Shoot pictures specifically for a competition and start working on ideas as far in advance as possible.

* Use impact. Here are a few simple forms of impact that work well at catching the eye - colour, shape, expression and humour.

* Your images should be well exposed, composed and in focus.

With some of the photography magazines you can enter competitions that are spread over several months, so if you flop in one category you have the chance to catch up in subsequent months and still clinch the overall prize.

You may stand a better chance of victory if you enter photo competitions run by non-photographic magazines, simply because the standard of entry tends to be lower. So always keep an eye out for them.

Rules to watch out for!

Most competitions are honourable. That is they seek to improve the standard of photography by giving prizes and/or recognition to photographers. For that reason, rules often contain a clause regarding the use of the winning photographs, such as displaying the winning pictures without further payment to the photographer. Please note the part that says winning pictures. Winning photographers are usually awarded a material prize as payment-in-kind for the use of the picture in a limited fashion. This should not affect copyright which should always remain with the photographer.

Avoid competitions where you may lose copyright of your images. Fortunately these are few and far between but mistakes have been made in the past. The use of pictures submitted to competitions can lead to exploitation of photographers by some organisers. This is because all too often competitions may have rules that include phrases like '... we reserve the right to use ALL images submitted...' If an image isn't good enough to win a prize but is good enough to be used to promote the competition or any other use by the competition organisers then the photographer should be paid for use of the image! This may only be a token amount but it should be paid and copyright of the image acknowledged to the photographer.

Enter some competitions and you stand a good chance of making a name for yourself and winning some great prizes. Good luck!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/enter-photo-competitions-92459.html

The Best Photo Business Opportunity

Where can you find the best photo business opportunity? Would you be surprised if I were to tell you that you don't have to look far ... that all you need to do is search inside yourself?

There are lots of photo opportunities, some of them don't work and even the opportunities that do work, will only work for some people.

Some people are happy taking wedding photos, or shooting sport. Others like to be out in the great outdoors capturing the magic light of dawn, or taking stock images for picture libraries. Some people are born to sell; others are terrified of trying to sell their work directly to say a gallery, or cold calling prospective clients. What's right for one person can be totally wrong for someone else.

Here are a few pointers that are worth bearing in mind:

1. Find something you're comfortable with and passionate about.

2. Match the business to your own strengths.

3. Look for multiple streams of income - have more than one source of income.

4. Carry on learning - the day you stop learning is the day you start to die. Take advice from successful people; you'll find most of them are happy to help.

One thing you must remember: it's not finding the best photo opportunity that's the really important thing; it's making it work. The successful business person is the one who makes a choice, sets some goals and then gets on with it; working at it until they are successful. You can do the same!

Some keys to making money are:

1. Give your business a professional image. Put yourself on a level footing with the big boys, even if you're only a one-person company.

2. Put the customer first. Take time and effort to look after your customers. You must be proud of your business and be happy to serve your clients.

3. Be market driven. Find out what the market wants.

4. Be ready for change and be prepared, for nothing is certain in business. Keep your eyes open and watch out for new trends and markets.

5. Learn not to waste money. Negotiate everything and run a tight ship, even when things are going well. At the same time realise that money invested wisely to improve the business, is money well spent.

6. Don't quit, believe in yourself and give everything your very best effort. Problems, new challenges, frustration, letdowns and mistakes are part of everyday business life. You must bounce back, learn from your mistakes and keep charging forward.

7. Realise that marketing is the key. Good marketing makes or breaks you.

Good luck with your photography business. Get out there ... and just do it!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/the-best-photo-business-opportunity-92454.html

How Fast Should My Lens Be?

If you are still using a point and shoot film or digital camera, your choice of lens speed is limited to the camera. However for those of you who decided that it is time to move on and upgrade to an interchangeable lens camera, whether it happens to be film, or digital, you are no doubt have been looking at the many lens options available. Large majority of people switch from a point and shoot to a Single Lens Reflex camera. While overwhelming percentage of people move to a Digital SLR, Film SLRs are still popular, and function essentially the same. So, for the purpose of this article, the two types will be treated as one. Lenses are available in so many different combinations, and varieties, that discussing them all is far beyond the scope of this article. However, they all have one thing in common. They are all broken down into two groups: slow, and fast. If you are still struggling with choosing your first lens, or just trying to make the right decision, while faced with many choices, this article should help.

First of all, the speed of the lens is determined by the size of the opening, known as the aperture. The larger the opening the faster the lens is considered to be. Typically, lenses marked with F4, F3.5, F2.8, and smaller are considered fast, while lenses marked with a bigger number are slower. I know this may sound odd, but the smaller the number the faster the lens. If you are new to shooting with an SLR camera, you are most likely looking at “zoom” lenses. Most zooms today have a variable aperture. This simply means that at the shortest end, the lens is faster than at the long end. For example, a typical lens a 28-80mm. This lens zooms from 28mm to 80mm, and it is a very good starter lens. This type of a lens will typically have a F3.5 aperture at 28mm (short end), while at 80mm (long end) it will be F4.5, or F5.6, which is considerably slower than the short end. Typically, the faster the lens, the more it will cost, and the heavier it will be. Most casual shooters look for very versatile lenses, and faster lenses certainly offer more flexibility in certain situations.

Now that we briefly discussed the concept of speed, lets figure out whether you really need a fast lens. The first thing that you have to think about is your shooting habits. Everyone is different, and very much unique. Some shoot landscapes, some only people, others night scenes, some shoot under water, and so forth. Typical casual shooter will likely shoot during daytime, and will likely be shooting portraits, landscapes, city scenes (during a vacation perhaps), and other fairly undemanding environments. If you shoot a lot of photos in dim light, like night clubs, restaurants, museums, outdoors after dark, and other dim light situations, a faster lens is definitely a boon. However, you should always keep in mind that most zoom lenses, while faster at the short end, will be slower at the long end. This is very important, because if are going to be shooting at the longer end of the lens, when shopping for a lens, keep this in mind, and you will save yourself some money. Let me explain. Take two lenses, one is a 28-80mm f2.8(short end) / f5.6(long end), and another lens, 28-80mm f3.5 / f 5.6. These two have an identical range, however the first is faster at the short end. This larger aperture does not come free. You may end up paying 2 times as much as the second lens. If you are going to be mostly zooming to the long end of the range, compare and price your lens at that end.

If you are going to be shooting mostly portraits and other static scenery and plan to use flash, or a tripod most of the time, you will not need a very fast lens, because the added speed will likely be of little benefit to you. As such, you will do just fine with a F4.0 or slower. Action shooters often benefit from faster lenses, and if you are planning to capture sports, animals, and other moving subjects, a faster lens may help at times. The single biggest benefit of a faster lens is the freedom it gives you, when the light is limited. If you are an action shooter, and capture a lot of action in dim light, the extra speed will be very helpful, and allow you more hand-held shooting. Always evaluate how much you are going to be shooting in different environments. Action and low light shooters will most benefit from lenses with apertures of F4.0, and larger. If you think low light, and action will be very infrequent, and you are comparing two similar lenses, choose the budget one, which will likely be just a bit slower. Often, a price of a zoom lens with just a slightly smaller aperture at the long end will be hundreds or dollars less than a similarly sized zoom with a slightly larger aperture.

Most modern Digital SLRs can really offset the need for a fast lens through higher ISO settings, something that Film cameras do by using a faster film. With Film cameras, you would need to switch a roll of film to change the ISO speed. If you use a Digital SLR, switching an ISO is easy, and could be done at any time. This is a huge benefit, and reduces a need for the faster lenses. Unless you are planning to make money with your camera gear, fastest lenses will not be cost effective.

Consider borrowing, or renting a fast lens, in the range which will meet your shooting needs, and test it in the different environments in which you will be shooting. If you are not pushing the limits of the lens, chances are, you will be OK with a slower, more budget friendly alternative. Make sure that you know your budget, and how actively you will be involved in photography. If you plan to trade-up your equipment in a few years, keep in mind that technology only gets better, and making a big investment will make more sense if you are going to get a lot of use out of it.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/how-fast-should-my-lens-be-89582.html

Shutterfly Brought to you by Prepaidwirelessservice

Shutterfly, brought to you by www.prepaidwirelessservice.net is a leading Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service that enables consumers to share, print and preserve their memories by leveraging technology-based platform and manufacturing processes. Today, their primary focus is on helping consumers manage their memories through the powerful medium of photos.

They provide a full range of products and services that make it easy, convenient and fun for consumers to upload, edit, enhance, organize, find, share, create, print and preserve their digital photos in a creative and thoughtful manner.

Consumers use their products and services to stay connected to their friends and family, to organize their memories in a single location, to tell stories and to preserve their memories for themselves and their children. Their vision is to make the world a better place by helping people share life’s joy. Their mission is to build an unrivaled service that enables deeper, more personal relationships between our customers and those who matter most in their lives.

They believe that people have an intrinsic desire for social expression, as they wish to

capture and share their experiences and pass them on to future generations. Since the beginning of humankind, people have shared detailed stories of their lives through visual expression. Today with the evolution of digital cameras and technology, millions of people around the world are capturing their memories and communicating in deeper, more meaningful ways.

Creating value for their customers is the basis for Shutterflys’ success. They offer customers easy, convenient and fun ways to:

* share and preserve memories for family, friends and themselves;

* organize all of their photos in a single, safe and easily accessible location;

* maintain emotional connections to friends and family, despite being time-constrained, through thoughtful and personal photo-based communications and gifts; and

* achieve satisfaction and self-expression through creativity and telling stories with

photos.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/shutterfly-brought-to-you-by-prepaidwirelessservice-88558.

How to Take Perfect Christmas Pictures Like a Pro?

Looking for the best tips that help you take perfect Christmas pictures and snap the most unforgettable holiday moment?

Christmas is such a great time of the year when families and friends gather together and get into the festive spirit. It truly is a time to cherish when the children open their presents, eat dinner and listening to "Old Uncle Bernie" telling a few jokes.

What makes it even more special, however, is taking that perfect Christmas photo so that, when you look back on that Christmas, can really help you to relive the memories of that truly magical Christmas.

However, the truth is, although many people have expensive cameras, they may not know how to use them correctly.

A lot of people think "how hard could it possibly be?" and they just go ahead and take the photo without even looking at the instructions. What they do not realize is that it can be extremely hard to take decent Christmas pictures when you do not know how to use the camera properly.

Most of people just get the camera out, nap a picture and, when they get it back, the picture is either missing someone's head or it hasn't come out properly at all.

So, as well as knowing how to work the camera, it is a good idea to feel confident in how to take that perfect Christmas photo. There are a few tips that you can use to make things easier.

First, arrange the scenery and the people exactly how you require them to be and make sure that there are not any unwanted objects in the way. It can be extremely annoying when you take a photo and realize that some stranger making faces right in the view of your camera has ruined it.

You can use the red eye feature on some cameras that can help when the Christmas pictures have been developed. If this feature is not on your camera, you can ask the person to turn slightly to the left, which should stop the problem.

A great tip for taking a Christmas photo when there is a group of three or more people is to take more than one picture. The reason behind this is that it is almost guaranteed that one person will have their eyes shut or be looking the wrong way. So take precautions and do not pin all of your hopes on one photo, otherwise, you may be disappointed!

So, make sure you capture that perfect Christmas holidays' moment by following some of these basic tips. However, remember that it is all about having fun so be sure to enjoy yourself at the same time!

As well as having that perfect photo for your family album, how about entering your best photos in a contest for a prize? This could be a really big incentive to snap those perfect Christmas pictures, as well as a sense of pride and joy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/how-to-take-perfect-christmas-pictures-like-a-pro-80439.htm

Depth-of-field in Photography

Depth-of-Field in Photography

by Robert Meeks

One subject which can definitely engender any number of opinions in trying to present an appropriate definition is certainly depth-of-field. Whether defined as a zone where objects are in focus or a zone before objects fall out of focus, other than for the sake of argument, these variances in opinion do nothing to change the phenomenon itself. The objective of this article is to offer an understanding of depth-of-field, but certainly not the definitive, and to offer ways to take advantage of it to effect creativity within our photos.

When we focus a lens on an object, any point of light (any part of the object which is visible), which is at that point of focus is brought into focus as a point of light on the film plane (or digital sensor). Any object which is not within that point of focus forms as a point of light before or after (would theoretically form) the film plane. When the latter happens, a corresponding but larger point of light is formed on the film plane. These points of light are called circles of confusion (and what an appropriate name).

The circles of confusion are conversely out-of-focus and larger than the points of light which are in-focus. If, however, we reduce the size of the circles of confusion, the resultant image appears to be sharper. In order to reduce the size, we need to reduce the diameter of the light reaching the film. This is done by reducing the aperture (the diameter of the lens opening) which causes the circles of confusion to effectively shrink in size, thus making them sharper. As we reduce our aperture, we can improve the sharpness of these circles further from our point of focus.

Although it would appear as though the more we close down the aperture, the sharper the pictures will be, this is not the case as we reach a point when we close down the aperture that light begins to deflect off the blades themselves. When this happens, the light which deflects is formed as more circles of confusion on the film plane reducing sharpness at all ranges. Even though we still effectively have our depth of field, sharpness has been noticeably reduced throughout the image.

We have an interesting effect at the other end of the aperture range. As we open the aperture, a larger diameter, the circles of confusion become larger and lose even more sharpness. This has the effect of isolating the image which is in-focus by throwing any objects outside of the focus range further out-of-focus. This also causes an interesting play on contrast as the contrast in the in-focus area is maintained but in the out-of-focus area contrast is reduced as well color saturation. This adds to the effect of isolating an image and using it to its advantage is called selective focus.

The opposite of selective focus is the hyperfocal distance. This is the setting on a lens when we want most everything in a scene, from close to far, to be acceptably sharp. If we set the lens to focus at infinity the objects closer to the lens will be out of focus and vice versa if we focus on objects close to the lens. We can accomplish getting everything (most everything) near and far acceptably sharp by using the hyperfocal distance.

If our lens has DOF marks on the barrel, it is relatively easy to determine hyperfocal distance. Set infinity at the aperture at which we are shooting. If we are shooting at an f/11, set infinity at the f/11 on the DOF scale of our lens. The opposite side of the DOF scale will now show the closest focusing distance at the f/11 mark. The actual hyperfocal distance will be at the focus mark on our lens.

If there is no such scale on the lens, then we can resort to a standard rule of thumb (which is a lot better than the algebra required to calculate this). Since our depth of field will fall 1/3 before our point of focus and 2/3 behind it, we want to set our focus to twice the range of our closest subject while using a small aperture like f/16. If our closest subject is 15ft, then we want to set the focus at 30ft which will put everything within the depth of field from 15ft to infinity. This is working with a lens which is 50mm or shorter (for 35mm film) and a subject no closer than 7ft with which this rule of thumb mostly works.

This has been a short introduction to some of the basics of depth-of-field. There is a lot more which can be studied about depth-of-field and which I could have written. Being, however, that I do not care for algebraic equations when I am using my camera, rules of thumb work for me just fine.

-Bob

This article is copyrighted 2005 by Robert Meeks. All rights reserved. Webmasters are allowed to use this article on their site so long as the content and copyright information stays intact and a link is provided, on the same page as the article, to Zhorkow's CargoShip.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/depthoffield-in-photography-75126.html

Five Tips on Promoting and Marketing your Portrait Photography Website

The portrait photography business is a competitive industry filled with a wide variety of portrait photographers with skill levels of all ranges. Unfortunately, being a quality portrait photographer doesn’t always mean that your business will be booming. There are hundreds if not thousands of talented professional portrait photographers in the United States who are not getting the results they want or the business they need to meet their financial goals.

Please consider the following marketing and promotional tips for your portrait photography website. The fact of the matter is that marketing is the most important aspect of having a successful portrait photography business. If you want to make succeed as a portrait photographer, the following tips should be very helpful.

Tip #1: Website!

Since the dawn of the Internet age, websites have become the most powerful and effective strategy for photographers to showcase their respective portfolios. If you don’t have a website by now then you might as well forget about increasing your business. Even for the photographers who have been in business for 30 plus years, a website is an essential thing to have. Not having one is akin to not having a telephone number: it’s that important!

Tip #2: Your website must be impressive!

Your website is you. That is, your website is a virtual you. When potential clients visit your website, they are looking at something that is an extension of who you are. It is imperative that they are impressed with the look and feel of your website as well as the presentation of your images and content. It never ceases to amaze me at how many portrait photographers have websites that look sloppy, unprofessional and downright ugly! If you want to gain business as a result of your presence on the Internet, you absolutely must have a professionally designed, easily navigable and aesthetically pleasing website. If your website is missing any of these elements, I would advise you to remove it from the Internet. It’s better to leave no impression at all rather than a poor impression!

Tip #3: Finding a qualified web designer

Be sure to do your homework before plunking down thousands of dollars for your new website. Be sure to carefully review your prospective web designer’s portfolio. Find out whether the website they will build for you is a custom, one of a kind website or a template website. Although custom websites cost more, they are usually worth the money as they will set you apart from the competition. It’s never a good thing for a photographer to have an identical website as another photographer in the industry.

Be sure to find out exactly what is included in the price they quote you for the new website and review the contract carefully to ensure there are no surprises.

Tip #4: Marketing your website

Just having a good looking website isn’t enough these days. Getting found on the search engines for high value keywords is one of the most effective ways in increasing your portrait inquiries. A well-known portrait photographer in Denver, Colorado – Julie Harris—estimates that 80 – 90% of her portrait inquiries can be directly attributed to her high search engine rankings on Google, Yahoo and MSN. “Without the traffic to my website, I don’t know where my business would be,” says Ms. Harris.

The effectiveness Search Engine Optimization and Search Marketing cannot be overstated. The Internet is full of free articles that will help you figure out how to go about implementing a successful website marketing and promotion campaign. You may also want to consider hiring a professional SEO consultant to help you with your website marketing strategies.

Tip #5: Maintaining and updating your website

Keeping your website up do date and fresh is extremely important. Try to get into the habit of uploading new work to your portfolio on a monthly or bimonthly basis. If you have a great portrait session, replace some of your older stuff with the new images. This will ensure that you’re always showing off your best work and it will encourage people to keep visiting your website to see your new work.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/five-tips-on-promoting-and-marketing-your-portrait-photography

Photographing Lightning

Photographing Lightning

by Robert Meeks

Lightning can be both a beautiful and yet frightening part of nature. Many of us find awe in watching the momentary bolts of lightning and have seen photographs which seem to have captured more bolts of lightning than are possible in a split second.

When dealing with lightning, as with any unpredictable subject, the ability to capture that one fleeting moment is something we do not have the luxury of doing. Yet, what we can capture is quite impressive when we use the proper techniques. With lightning, the key is to let it do its show for us, and not to attempt to capture a momentary bolt.

As lightning is a split second event, and often lightning bolts come in groups, we can use the lightning for our source of light. We do this by using a slow speed film (a low ISO on digital cameras), a small aperture, and a long exposure time at a point when the lightning's activity has increased. This exposure can be from 1 second to many seconds depending on the amount of lightning activity, and if we are taking the shot during the day or night. Even if we are taking the exposure during the day, often lighting conditions are very reduced during a storm; by as much as 7 stops or more from sunny conditions.

The idea is for us to pick our spot from which we are going to shoot during the storm; such as a cityscape, farm, church, or any other area we feel would make a good background (or subject) for the lightning. We can select areas from which we would like to shoot during a non-storm period and go to those locations when a storm is brewing.

If we are to set up the camera in an outside location, we need a sturdy tripod with some additional weight to hold it down during potentially high winds, and some waterproof cover for the camera. The use of a cable release is a must, for the sake of safety, and the best type to use is an air-bulb release as it does not use metal in the tube; not giving a source of continuity back to us in case the camera is struck by lightning. We need to set the camera to the bulb (B) setting for shutter speed, and probably an f/16 with the lens set to infinity, or a pre-determined hyperfocal distance. We then need to get to our safe place from where we are to trip the shutter.

An alternative to setting up the camera in an outdoor location is to use a windowpod we can attach to our car windows and attach the camera to it. The window should be rolled up as much as possible and the camera still needs to have a cover for protection. For those of us lucky enough to have a good view from our home, we can position the camera at a window, either opening the window or pushing the lens up against the window glass, making certain that any interior lights for the room we are using are turned off.

Taking pictures is a matter of holding the shutter open for a few seconds so we can capture one or more bolts of lightning. For the best results, we need to do this several times as we cannot pre-measure the exposure value of the lightning. We should plan to kill of a full roll of film (here, digital cameras have an advantage) doing this for different exposure times and various lightning effects. The end result will be several successful exposures with some really neat lightning effects.

A lesson on taking pictures of lightning cannot be closed without mentioning the potential danger in doing such. Lightning is electricity with an equivalency of thousands of volts of potential delivering enough joules to make the electric company salivate. Capital punishment by electrocution uses less power than what a lightning bolt can potentially deliver.

Safety during a lightning storm involves keeping yourself in a protected place such as a shelter where you are not exposed to an opening or a vehicle which is well protected from lightning due to it not being grounded, as lightning is attracted to portions of the earth which have an imbalance in their electrical state. Being separated from the ground breaks the continuity and prevents you from becoming an attractor for the lightning.

If you find yourself outside during a lightning storm and you feel the hair on the back of your neck and limbs stand up, quickly get away from the area as this is a precursor of a lightning strike. Wearing protective clothing such as a rubber raincoat and boots with rubber galoshes over them can add protection, but it is not a cure. Staying away from trees during a lightning storm is advised, not due to making you a better target (as it does not), but if the tree is hit and the ground is moist enough, you can still be struck due to continuity of the electrical charge or the splitting of the bolt; not to mention having a tree fall on you.

The effects on someone from being struck by lightning can range from the loss of fingernails and toenails, loss of hearing, severe burns, loss of sight, loss of all body hair, organ and tissue damage, organ failure, brain damage, fusion of skin, to outright death which is not uncommon from lightning strikes.

I hope my warnings about the dangers of lightning have not fallen on deaf ears. Taking photos of lightning can be quite a rewarding experience. Being alive to share those photos can be an even more rewarding experience. You do not want to end up being the butt of the old photographer joke where their last picture was a beauty.

Bob

This article is copyrighted 2005 by Robert Meeks. All rights reserved. Webmasters are allowed to use this article on their site so long as the content and copyright information stays intact and a link is provided, on the same page as the article, to Zhorkow's CargoShip.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/photographing-lightning-75125.html

Photography Basics: Exposure

Photography Basics: Exposure

by Robert Meeks

I had originally written an article on exposure intended to provide a foundation of the basics for novice photographers. Someone had pointed out that it was perhaps a bit too complex for absolute beginners not familiar with some of the terms used in photography; hence, I wrote this simpler introduction to exposure in photography.

One of the most common terms someone will encounter when getting into photography is the term 'stop'. Aside from jokes about paparazzi being told this several times, a stop is actually referring to exposure.

A stop originally was a reference to the aperture in a lens. In the early days of lens development, even before photography, a lens was often a single or double element (piece of glass) which did not provide a very sharp image due to the center of the lens providing a sharper image than the surrounding portion of the lens. Since the lower sharpness of the outer portion of the lens would reduce the sharpness of the image produced by the lens, someone came up with the idea of blocking or 'stopping' the light which would pass through the outer portion of the lens by placing a metal disk with a hole in it between the lens elements. This metal disk was called a 'stop'. Since a 'stop' also reduces the amount of light which passes through the lens in a given amount of time, it also requires more time to expose film as the size of the stop decreases.

We now use the term 'stop' as a reference for exposure differences.

Exposure differences can be caused by adjusting the amount of time the film is exposed (shutter speed) or by varying the size of the opening in the lens (aperture).

Cameras and lenses use shutter speeds and apertures which have a difference of 2. Either twice as much or half as much. This is also the same value ascribed to a stop.

For shutter speed, we are adjusting the amount of time which the film is exposed to light. If we, for example, are using a shutter speed of 1 second, then we decide to use a shutter speed of 2 seconds, we have increased the exposure by 1 stop; meaning that we doubled the amount of time we were exposing the film. If we were using a shutter speed of 1 second, then we decided to use a shutter speed of 1/2 second, we have decreased the exposure by 1 stop; meaning that we cut the amount of time we were exposing the film in half.

Shutter speeds on a camera which can be selected manually have a difference of one stop between them. You can see this in the amount of time of each shutter speed: 1 second, 1/2 second 1/4 second, 1/8 second, and so on.

Aperture is a little more difficult as the numbers are a relation of the opening in the aperture blades to the focal length of the lens, but the aperture number on each lens means the same thing, regardless of the focal length of the lens; so we can completely forget about focal length when it comes to exposure.

Since the aperture marks on a lens are a difference of one stop of exposure, a larger number meaning less light reaches the film, we can adjust the aperture to control the amount of light which reaches the film. If we are shooting with the lens set at 5.6, then we decide to shoot with the lens set a 8, we are allowing one stop less light to reach the film; meaning half as much. If we are shooting with the lens set at 5.6, then we decide to shoot with the lens set at 4, we are allowing one stop more light to reach the film; meaning twice as much light.

*The numbers representing the aperture on a lens barrel are actually fractions. Hence, a larger number on the barrel is actually a smaller opening in the aperture. An f/8 is smaller than an f/5.6; if the numbers confuse you, just put a '1' in front of the number and it will be easier to remember that 1/5.6 is larger than 1/8. The standard scale of aperture on lenses can range, from largest opening to smallest, as follows: 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, and 32. Each difference in one number position (e.g. from a 4 to a 5.6) is one stop.

We can see that adjusting the shutter speed and aperture can both control the amount of light which reaches the film. We can use these in combination to control the amount of light which reaches the film. By decreasing the aperture from 5.6 to 8, and the shutter speed from 1/125 to 1/60, we have decreased the exposure by a total of two stops; as we dropped the aperture and the shutter speed each by one stop.

Do keep in mind that stops is a measure of how we can manually adjust the exposure we are providing for the film and not a measure of the amount of exposure which is required by the film for a particular lighting condition. We get the amount of exposure required from the built in meter on our camera or an eternal meter which tells us where we can set our shutter speed and aperture.

Knowing that each adjustment in aperture or shutter speed decreases or increases the exposure by the same amount, we can use this to adjust the exposure if necessary. If we have set our camera, according to our meter reading, for an exposure of 1/60 second at f/11 (1/60 second shutter speed, f/11 or 11 aperture) and we decide that we need a faster shutter speed to capture an action shot, we can increase the shutter speed by one stop for each stop we adjust the aperture. Being that we know that each increase in shutter speed reduces the exposure by 1/2 (1 stop) (example: 1/125 second gives us half as much time as 1/60 second), then to compensate, we need the increase the amount of light which passes through the lens by by twice as much (1 stop) (example: an f/4 aperture allows twice as much light through the lens as an f/5.6). For our example above, where we have our camera set at 1/60 second at f/11, we can get the same exposure value by setting the camera at 1/125 second at f/8, 1/250 second at f/5.6, 1/500 second at f/4, 1/1000 second at f/2.8, and 1/2000 second at f/2.

Film speed also has an equivalent difference of one stop between film speeds when there is a difference of 2 in the film speed. a 200 speed film is twice as fast as a 100 speed film; meaning that a 200 speed film would allow us one stop more exposure with which to play. Conversely, a 400 speed film is 4 times faster than a 100 speed film which gives us 2 stops more exposure with which to play. This becomes important when we may need extra exposure capabilities due to the lighting conditions. Say that we are shooting indoors with lighting conditions which would give us an exposure of 1/15 second at f/2 (providing that is the maximum aperture at which we can set the lens) using a 100 speed film, we would be challenged to get a sharp image if we had to handhold the camera. If we used a 400 speed film instead, this would give us 2 stops more exposure allowing us to use a faster shutter speed of 1/60 second (1/15 to 1/30 is one stop, and 1/30 to 1/60 is one more stop. Hence, we have decreased the shutter speed by 2 stops, which is the same amount of increase the film has given us.

I hope this has provided some understanding for you with regard to exposure in photography. It is the basic knowledge upon which we can build. Having an understanding of exposure provides us with a base upon which we can add. You should be able to take these basic steps and adjust them according to the needs of the moment to get a proper exposure. Beyond that, you can even develop your own techniques by playing with the exposure.

Have fun with your photography; and remember that your primary goal is not only for your enjoyment of photography, but also to make certain that everyone involved with your photography can share in your enjoyment.

Bob

This article is copyrighted 2006 by Robert Meeks. All rights reserved. Webmasters are allowed to use this article on their site so long as the content and copyright information stays intact and a link is provided, on the same page as the article, to Zhorkow's CargoShip.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/photography-basics-exposure-74319.html

How to Compose Landscapes

There really are no effective formulas for composing good landscapes. Nonetheless, the general suggestions that follow can probably help you get bet-ter ones.

1. Every landscape should have a focal point. This is the center of interest, the part of the picture your eye is drawn to. It can be a distant moun-tain, the facade of a building, or a clump of trees. Without a focal point, your landscape will likely fall flat.

2. Make sure the subject is big enough. If you use a wide-angle lens, a distant focal point such as a mountain may be too small or the sea may seem to trail off into nothing but water. Your eye seeks a center of interest. If there is none, it will simply wander off to infinity because there is noth-ing in the picture to hold your attention.
A small main subject can express the vastness and grandeur of a scene, but if this isn't your aim, move closer to the main subject and reframe the shot. If the main subject is still too far away or you can't get closer, use a longer lens.

3. Let the subject guide your approach. If the main subject area contains people, experi-ment with placing them nearer or farther from the camera to achieve different-sized images. Some images can be more effective if they look large and overpowering. Small figures emphasize the vastness of a woodland area.

4. Pay attention to subject placement. Impressive or dynamic subjects (for exam-ple, the plant in picture on left) can often be centrally placed. Medium-sized land-scape images are usually more effective when placed off-cen-ter (such as leaves and tree trunks in picture above).

5. Consider framing your subject. Dramatic central sub-jects generally don't require framing, but other landscape subjects are usually improved by framing. Without some framing, the main subject at a distance appears lost in the enlarged print or projection.
The foremost framing device is foliage. An arch, doorway, or natural rock for-mation can also serve as a use-ful frame to lead the viewer's eye.

6. Keep the frame in focus. In landscape photography, it's important that both the frame and the subject be sharp. Visually, an out-of-focus frame is usually disturbing and draws attention away from the main subject. If depth of field is insufficient, shift the focus point or stop the lens down.

7. Create the illusion of depth. Giving the feeling of three-dimensional space enhances landscapes. Placing different subjects or framing elements at different planes helps the picture hold the viewer.

8. Use contrasting colors. A subject wearing a bright red, blue, or yellow jacket that's carefully placed within a land-scape can perk up a dullish scene. Usually, such subjects should be kept at a sufficient distance within the picture frame or they will tend to take over and dominate the entire picture.

9. Keep your camera level. Almost all good landscapes are made with the camera held as level as possible. Don't be tempted to point your lens up too far. If you do, you will cre-ate apparent perspective dis-tortion, and objects will appear to be falling over back-ward. The closer you are to your main subject, the more important this is. Use a shoe-mounted bubble level.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/how-to-compose-landscapes-68294.html

Digital Photography - What's So Great About It?

I admit it - I've been slow to embrace the digital photography phenomenon. As a hobbyist, I have two film cameras, an old manual focus Nikon and a newer autofocus Canon Rebel, and I resisted the temptation to indulge in a digital camera up until recently, even though each of my children had them for years now. But recently my father gave me his mid-priced Olympus (he didn't like the menus), and I've been giving it a try. And, to my surprise, I even like it.
My favorite thing about the camera is pretty obvious - no film. My father gave me two (bless him) substantial memory cards, and I just don't run out of film. I don't pay to develop photos that I don't really want now that I've seen them (I don't pay to develop photos period), and since I can actually see how they look on the spot, I can delete bad shots to save the space for more. Taking lots of shots helps me improve, and improves the chances of a better than average photograph as well, and now it's free. My camera has settings on it that allow me to pretend I have film - I can set film speed and worry about aperture/shutter speed combinations just like with my other cameras, so I can still use what I already know about photography, which I really like. And I love not having to wait to see how the pictures came out.
The other really cool thing about digital photography is photo editing. I haven't invested in Photoshop yet, but I have my eye on the Elements program for next year. I just use Google's free Picasa and sometimes my PhotoDeluxe editor (came free with my scanner), and even then I can do an incredible amount of really exciting things with my pictures. The best is being able to correct poor exposures (I admit, I often don't notice backlighting). With a couple of adjustments, what would have been a throwaway photo can become a keeper! I remove red-eye easily, sharpen focus, adjust contrast, warm up colors, and remove excessive unwanted tint (such as from lamplight). Cropping is my favorite - those lucky few who have their own darkroom crop their photos routinely, but us regular folks used to have to take what we got - no longer! We can pick and choose, and glory in removing unwanted background, excess sky - we can even remove most of the shot and make it a close-up. Resizing is a snap - want some wallets? No sweat. 8x10, 5x7, some oddball size - just a simple selection will do it. And don't forget special effects. Depending on the editor, you can turn your photo into a painting, add glow, filters, neon - your imagination can go wild!
When you have your masterpiece ready to go, you can print it on photo paper at home, or you can send it out for processing. Through Picasa, you can click and send it to a processor via the internet, and get your professionally printed photos in the mail - but only the ones you have decided you want. You can upload your photos to a web page, email them, use them in a blog or on MySpace - they are easy to share.
So, as you can see, I am a digital photography convert. There is so much fun in having this kind of control over your work that it has actually rejuvenated my love of photography. If you haven't already converted too, think about it. It really is a blast.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/digital-photography-whats-so-great-about-it-64737.html

The Best Camera Lens to Take On your Safari

So you've booked your once in a lifetime safari trip to Africa and now your thoughts turn towards photographing all the wildlife you are going to encounter on your adventure.

It would be a great shame to come across your first African pride of lions and not have some decent pictures of the memorable event to show your friends and family back home.

Unfortunately many people who go on safari don't realize that the camera lens you take with you will be the deciding factor between getting wildlife photos where the subject is an unrecognizable blob in a sea of vegetation compared to a crisp, tightly framed image of that black maned leader of the lion pride.

I've been practicing wildlife photography on safari for over twenty years now and I've learnt which are the best lenses to arm yourself with when you go into the African bush to capture lasting, quality images you will be proud to display to anyone.

My recommendations here are for the occasional wildlife photographer such as someone going on an African safari and not for professional wildlife photographers as they have different needs when it comes to camera lenses because they take photographs for a living.

To help you choose a lens to take with you on safari, here is a list of the factors you need to take into account before putting your money down...

1. Size Of The Lens

Anything less than a 300mm lens for the big game you will encounter on safari like lion, rhino, elephant etc will be too small. A 400mm lens will allow you to get good pictures of the smaller animals like bushbuck, vervet monkey and the like. If you are aiming for bird photographs then a 600 mm lens will do the trick.

2. Your Budget

It's very easy to find lenses that cost thousands of dollars but if you are primarily going to be using it for your safari trip and maybe a smattering of wildlife photography after that, you shouldn't be spending more than a few hundred dollars. It is possible to get a lens of high enough quality for your purpose in that price range.

3. Image Stabilization

It's not imperative but if you can get a lens with an image stabilizer it's a huge advantage on a safari because you can handhold the lens without too much fear of blurring in good light which is especially useful if you are not next to a window in the safari vehicle or don't have enough space to position your beanbag or tripod.

4. Zoom Ability

On safari one lens is better than two because of the nature of your subject. When you come across a leopard you won't have time to switch lenses on your camera body because they tend not to stick around for too long so one lens with a good zoom is a big advantage to capture the very shy wildlife you will encounter. Another reason not to change lenses is that dust that is prevalent on an African safari can cause the camera mechanisms to clog up.

So keep these four factors in mind before you make your purchase and if you can find a lens that conforms to all the above requirements than you have a winner.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/the-best-camera-lens-to-take-on-your-safari-62014.html

Share your Unforgettable Experiences Through Photo Sharing

A picture appears to be silent, but in reality says thousands of things. You can find proof for this in your everyday life very easily. Just take out that old album which has pictures that were taken ages ago. You will remember every person in those pictures and all the memories associated with that will come flooding back. This can be an overwhelming experience for you. Technology has made huge changes in our lives and in fact, life has become simpler on many aspects. Photo sharing is one thing which has been enabled by this advancement and today it has become a great means through which you can stay in touch with all your family and friends no matter in where they are living. In fact you can share all you precious moments and personal occasion with them through photo sharing.

Photo sharing as the term itself says is sharing your pictures with others. Photo sharing is very easy, you just need to find a good website and this can be done quite easily. There are many web sites that provide one with the option of collecting, organizing and sharing their photos. In today’s world it is very common to find that members of one family stay in different parts of the world. However this does not mean that they cannot stay connected and share special moments of their lives with their families. In fact sharing photos and being in touch with one another has never been so easy before. Digital camera is one gadget which many people possess these days. So for photo sharing all you need is a digital camera and an access to a computer that is internet enabled. That is all you need for photo sharing with as many people as you wish to.

After taking the pictures, you just have to transfer them to your computer. You can store them like any other files in your computer and send them as attachment with emails. In the photo sharing online sites, the first thing that you need to do is to create a profile. After you create the profile you can upload the photos which you have stored in your computer. You can share this online album with all your friends and family. Remember only those people who you have allowed to view the pictures will have access to the pictures. There are plenty of such sites available on the web, you just have to find out one and get register for doing photo sharing. The whole process of photo sharing is very simple indeed.

Besides photo sharing these online sites provide you with many other options as well. One of the very interesting choices provided is making of photo gifts. For photo gifts you can get a print out of the picture that you choose and customize that picture in a tee shirt, mug or any other piece of clothing. Imagine if you get a mug or something else from your family imprinted with the picture of one of the most memorable occasions of your life. You will surely feel wonderful. Similarly you will love giving such gifts to people who hold a special place in your life. No other gift irrespective of its price can ever surpass the feeling that photo sharing gives.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/share-your-unforgettable-experiences-through-photo-sharing

How to Compare Digital Camera Features

The day you decide that you need to buy a digital camera you will need to consider various facts. By doing this you will be ready to compare the various digital camera features and decide which digital camera you wish to buy. There are of course many features available when we talk about digital cameras so you will need to isolate what features interest you as a photographer before buying.

So you may start by asking what are the features you want are or need that will help you take great looking photographs. One important factor you might want to consider is the amount of pixel that is offered on the various type of digital cameras.

Of course if you want to compare digital camera features like this you might want to have a buyer’s guide that will list all the various features for each camera model. For example you will be able to compare the amount of pixels for each camera model you consider buying. Always keep in mind that the amount of pixels will usually determine what will be the quality of your pictures. The more pixels you have the greater the quality.

Another factor you should consider when you compare digital camera features is: What will you do with your camera. Is the camera you are looking at is for amateur photographer, semi-serious or serious photographers? Determining this will bring you one step further from buying the camera you need.

When you start to compare digital camera features you will soon be submerge by more info that you were actually looking for. They key is to look for the one you want instead of being overwhelmed by features you don’t need. Some of those feature apart form the pixel amount could be your picture options. Do you want your pictures to turn into sepia, black and white or soft pictures with the use of your filter?

One point I strongly suggest you look into when you compare digital camera features is the shooting modes you get with your camera. You should find indications about various features like the focusing or flash capabilities of various digital cameras. Whether it is Canon, Nikon, Olympus or any other brand of digital camera, make sure you don’t overlook this aspect.

Of course the information you will gather to help you compare digital camera features will mostly be of technical nature. Make sure you look at various sources of information. Another great place to look for information is to buy photography magazines. They will help you compare digital camera features that allow you to take picture with special effects.

These special effects could be special zoom capabilities that allow you to take pictures from a totally new angle or focus capabilities enabling you to crop some of the surrounding areas of you subject.

Of course if you want to take great picture (who doesn’t want to) it helps to have many different helpful features in your camera. It is up to you to find what features you want in your camera by gathering the right information and doing research in magazine, internet articles and digital camera buyer’s guide to help you compare digital camera features.
All those information will help you identify what type of camera you need to best suit your needs. You will need as much sources of information as you can to compare digital camera features. This is surely the best way to make sure you buy the one that you need.

This way you can select the best type of digital camera that is suited for your needs. To compare digital camera features you need all of these different sources. This way you have a wide choice of digital cameras to look at.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/how-to-compare-digital-camera-features-131559.html

The Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera - One of the Good Cameras

Amongst all of the Canon digital camera models you can get cameras for all type of photographers. Whether you are an experienced photographer, the semi-serious professional or the amateur canon offers some of the best cameras for your needs. Amongst those cameras you will find the Canon Sure Shot digital Camera.

The Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera is known to be one of the “good” canon cameras. The various features you can find on this camera will make it very easy for you to take great pictures.

The Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera comes with amazing features. Here are just some of the features you get with your digital camera:

- Built-in zoom capability
- Timer system
- Red eye reduction capability

Those features make the Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera fully automatic. You can be sure that you will be able to capture steady images. No more blurred pictures unless that’s what you want.

One good point about the Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera is the duration of the battery. With this type of camera you can expect a long duration and life for your battery. Of course like many cameras out there are also some weak points. With this type of camera you can expect to experience a small delay in-between taking pictures. For some it can be a problem, for others it’s no problem. Either way it’s worth mentioning.

The bad side of this is that you will have to wait a few seconds before you can take the next shot. The time delay you will experience is very short but sometimes this can cost you a great picture by loosing a candid moment.

But to be fair I need to say that there are a lot more advantages to this camera than disadvantages. The flash you get with this camera is powerful enough to turn a dark room into daylight brightness. For me The Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera remains a very good camera to buy.

On top of that the Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera is very good to take great pictures of landscape and portrait photographs.

One of the things you might want to consider when buying your Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera is the accessories that come with the camera. You might also take note of the accessories that you might have to purchase separately to enhance you camera even more.

When you buy the Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera you will also get the strap which is attached to the camera. You will also get the case for transporting the cameras which is usually made of leather with a strong Velcro fastening.

You will find that the Canon Sure Shot Digital Camera is probably on of the best digital camera you can get if you are an amateur photographer.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/the-canon-sure-shot-digital-camera-one-of-the-good-cameras-

Is the Canon Ixus Digital Camera the Right One for You?

Photography is not only a hobby it is often a business matter for many. For those people one of the most important factors is to have the right equipment. This equipment is responsible for taking high quality pictures. Of course the most important part of this equipment is the camera. One of those high quality cameras would be the Canon Ixus Digital Camera models.

There are many different models in the Canon Ixus Digital Camera family. You also have the choice between to types of Ixus camera: The Regular digital cameras or the compact digital cameras. Of course there are many common factors between regular and compact digital cameras but you should look at the differences between the two before you buy a Canon Ixus digital Camera.

If you look at the various Canon Ixus Digital cameras you will soon find that what you get is a stylish camera combined with amazing technology. You could easily qualify them as superior performance digital cameras. The latest camera in the Canon Ixus Digital camera family is the Canon Ixus 800IS. This new camera comes with an integrated Image Stabilizer (IS).

This feature will help you reduce the shake that can occur while you are holding the camera. This will ensure you take high quality pictures even in the worst conditions. Soon you will start to use you Canon Ixus Digital camera in places you would have never though of before.

The entire Canon Ixsus digital camera family comes with amazing features. Here are some of the features you can expect to have on the Canon Ixus 800IS:

- 4x optical zoom ability
- 6 megapixel (amazing image quality)

There is also a recordable media found on this type of camera. The one found on the Canon ixus digital camera 800IS is internal and SD card. The ISO rating for this camera is between 80 and 800. The menu of the camera is very rich in feature and very well organized.

Of course like various camera model you can expect to have a great range of exposure with your Canon Ixus digital camera. Amongst those various exposure options you will find functions such as sports mode, portrait mode you will also find manual functions like aperture priority, shutter priority and many more.

The great thing about Canon Ixus Digital camera is the great range of features you have, on top of that its design is very nice. The fact that the camera is very light you will probably carry it everywhere without any problem.

In conclusion being an owner of a Canon Ixus Digital Camera means that you have everything you need to take those high quality pictures. Can you capture the perfect shot? With this kind of camera there is no reason not to.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/is-the-canon-ixus-digital-camera-the-right-one-for-you-13052

Camera Canon Digital Powershot S2 - a Great Camera for Everyone

If you want to take high quality pictures you will surely need a high quality camera but which one? Today there is a wide range of cameras that you can buy. There are the old fashion cameras, the automatic cameras and of course the digital cameras. One of the best is the digital camera Canon PowerShot s2.

You will find that the digital camera Canon PowerShot s2 is packed with high quality features. The new version of the PowerShot s2 is an amazing improvement compared to its predecessor. The Camera Canon PowerShot s2 is like having a mix of a high quality camcorder and a high quality digital camera.

Here are some of the new features for the canon digital powershot s2:

- 12x optical Zoom Lens
- A large 1.8 inch LCD Display
- A New “Night Display” Feature
- DIGIC II image processor

The new night display is very useful; it will brighten the LCD screen and the EVF when you are in dark environments. Also the New DIGIC II image processor of the canon digital PowerShot s2 will provide you with amazing quality performance ability.

On top of that the brand new canon digital PowerShot s2 comes with a stereo sound recording giving you an excellent sound and pitch. Another important factor to know is that the canon PowerShot s2 has a 5 megapixal CCD.

If you are one of those who like to make home movies the canon digital PowerShot is perfect for you. You will have a wide range of features for movie making. Features like:

- Wind Filter
- Adjustable mic level
- Sound quality level
- and more

That’s not all; this camera canon digital PowerShot s2 brings you great features for adjusting the color quality. You can swap the colors and you can even highlight various parts of the picture! That’s pretty cool in my book.

By now you should agree with me that with so many features buying a digital camera Canon PowerShot s2 is a very good choice on top of that the PowerShot s2 uses many of the features of its predecessors. Features like:

- Optical image stabilization
- USB 2.0 High Speed Support
- Rotating LCD
- Secure Digital memory card (instead of CompactFlash cards)

On top of that the addition of manual controls, an amazing movie mode and support for various lenses makes the camera Canon Digital PowerShot s2 one of the most important part of your arsenal when you go out on holiday or special events.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/camera-canon-digital-powershot-s2-a-great-camera-for-every

Looking for a Digital Photography Software?

Now days digital cameras are used everywhere, for special occasion and more. One thing amazing about digital photography is the ability to modify or fix the pictures taken. But to do that you need to transfer those pictures to your computer and use digital photography software. There is a wide variety of it available on the market.

Very often you will be provided with a copy of you own digital photography software with the digital camera you buy. This digital photography software usually comes with various features. This software is usually very useful to manipulate the pictures taken with your camera.

If you are looking for a digital photography software don’t worry there are plenty that can be found. You can choose from a wide variety of digital photography softwares here are some very good ones:

- ZoomBrowser EX 5.1
- ArcSoft PhotoStudio
- ImageBrowser5.1

Those are only a few of the digital photography software you can use. You will need to make sure that every features of the software you use areworking properly before downloading any of your stored images.

You will also need to take into consideration the different kind of digital photography software you can use for windows and for Mac computers. There a few differences that can be found in the browsers programs. For example the ImageBrowser 5.1 is to be with Mac computers. You will have the ability to view, archive and manage your digital photographs. The same holds true for ZoomBrowser 5.1 for windows.

A very important factor you will need to look into is the drivers you need to install for your digital photography software to work correctly on your computer. Normally these drivers should be provided to you with the software you are going to buy. A good thing would be to look on the company website to see if there are updates for your drivers. This will ensure you have the latest drivers for your digital photography software.

Another thing you need to have beside your digital photography software is a picture transfer protocol or a PTP on your computer. This will make sure you are able to transfer your images on your camera to your computer.

By looking at the different features that those digital photography software’s offers, you will be able to see which one you want to get based on what you need it for. There is a huge amount of software available on the market and they should not be that expensive.

One important point to remember is you will need to make sure that these various programs are compatible with your computer and your digital camera. From those software features you will be able to fix your pictures and even make masterpieces out of them.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/looking-for-a-digital-photography-software-123288.html

How to Take Beautiful Pictures of your Cat?

When you first bring your new pet feline home after purchasing it, there is a mixture of excitement and happiness in the household, especially for the kids. Make sure you have your camera ready in your hand so you can capture some sweet and adorable memories your family and yourself can cherish in the time to come. Don’t just snap rolls and rolls of pictures of your cat on the first day it arrives in your home. Always have some film available, and take the pictures of your cat’s progress over the months. This way, you will be able to see its growth, and how fast it learns.

Here are some tips to help you to take delightful photographs of your cat:

Create pleasant backgrounds. Pictures are best taken when the background is clean and uncluttered. Neutral backgrounds are best, such as plain white walls, or various single-colored backgrounds. Furniture such as bookcases, tables, chairs and such will interfere with the quality of the picture and the beauty of the photograph might be lost.

Put your children in the pictures as well. Children are photogenic, and they do not have the awkwardness as adults do when asking them to pose in a photo. Therefore your children and your cat are able to look natural in photographs, and being able to capture moments of happiness as your child play with the kitten is most heartwarming. Let your children play or tease the kitten with some toy, and take pictures during these times, as candid photographs are the perfect ones.

Take pictures outdoors. Sunlight provides a better lighting for taking prettier pictures. The early morning sun would be the best time to take photographs. Taking pictures in natural light will prevent the annoying ‘red eye’ that occurs sometimes in photographs. With your pet cat being in the outdoors, the pictures will turn out to be more natural, as that is where a cat belongs. Before you open the door to let your cat out, please ensure that the neighborhood is safe and there are no harmful creatures that will pounce on your cat.

Get as many close up shots as possible. Close-up shots of cats are sometimes the most adorable pictures of all. Seeing a kitten’s contented and natural expression on its face up close and personal is beyond words.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/photography-articles/how-to-take-beautiful-pictures-of-your-cat-121340.html