Deciding on Digital Zoom Or Optical Zoom

Most digital cameras allow you the enjoyment of both digital and optical zoom. However, these two often confuse the average camera buyer unless you know exactly what these two are.

Optical zoom works much like the zoom lens on a 35 mm film camera. It changes the length of your camera's lens and draws the subject closer to you. The optical zoom keeps the quality of the picture. Digital zoom works differently. It simply takes the picture and crops it then enlarges the part that is left. It causes the quality of the photo to be reduced, sometimes greatly.

What this means in terms of output is you may have a larger view of an object with the digital zoom, but chances are your image will become unfocused. Details will become lost. It is actually best to turn off the digital zoom feature of your camera if possible. This will prevent you automatically zooming in too close as the digital zoom is often an extension of the optical.

There are a couple of things you can do if you want a closer view of a subject but want the quality of your picture to still be good. Try moving in closer when you take the picture. Often only a foot or two will do the trick. If this isn't possible, you can set your camera to take a picture at its highest file size. This will result in a photo that can be cropped to include only your desired subject, yet allow for an image that is still clear.

Digital zoom has its place. It can be used if the only destiny of your photo is the internet. Photos online can be a much lower quality in the camera and still appear acceptable when sent through e-mail or posted on a web gallery. If your goal is printing, however, seek a camera that has a greater optical zoom and disable the digital zoom. Your pictures will be better in the end, even if they are not up close as you might want.

For information on how you can turn your photographic skills into a money making venture visit: http://www.digicamcash.info

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Digital Photography Classes That Obtain Awesome Results

Standing near a path, hedge, fence or wall which stretches away into the distance will carry the eye from the foreground through to the distance, giving the picture the extra dimension of depth. Rivers and streams, stretching into the distance, can be used to serve the same function with the added advantage of sparkling with light and reflecting a blue sky. Whether the photograph is framed to give a vertical picture (portrait format) or horizontal picture (landscape format) will always be dictated by purely visual considerations. Just what is visually most effective in any particular situation will determine whether we should take a landscape or portrait format photograph. Street scenes are another popular subject in this category. Streets in villages, old market towns or the endless variety of town scenes in other countries provide a continuous source of interest. Looking down a street automatically gives the picture a certain depth. Finding a suitable item for the foreground can help this along. This might be such things as a quaint shop front, a market stall, the wing of a car or a person.

If you're planning on opening up a studio to take children's photos then you're going to need to lease a building. It doesn't have to be anything large but it should be in a visible part of town with a lot of other businesses. Visibility is half the battle won. Finally, you're going to have to take lots of photos, especially if you want to build a reputation for yourself. You'll want to put together a portfolio of your work so that you can bring it around with you. Again, this is going to depend on what field you want to get into, whether it be freelancing for a magazine, setting up your own shop, or working for somebody else, which is usually a good way to break in. The world of photography is wide open. There are many options to each aspiring photographer. So pick a game plan and stick to it. With patience and perseverance, you'll eventually get to where you want to be.

A digital photography camera is a tricky choice for some. Many people are more concerned with price than they are with how much memory the camera will have. The cameras range in price from a hundred dollars all the way to thousands of dollars. Depending on what is needed, the choice can seem overwhelming. One photography site that can help determine just what is right is Short courses. This site helps the consumer decide from the four major types of cameras as to which one fits their lifestyle. Digital photography is a great way to capture the images of an individual that will be seen for generations to come. By using digital photography instead of regular film, those memories will be perfect the first time. The choices of cameras are endless, and with the help of the internet, a person can make sure and choose the right camera that best fits their lifestyle and price range.

Anyone who wants to learn how to be a photographer doesn't have to enroll for many years to get a degree. There are colleges who offer this as one of the subjects which the student may take as an elective. Can you still learn how to be a photographer being out of school for many years? The answer is yes. The only thing needed is your dedication to learn from the proper techniques and a camera to take some shots. Some students don't have to go to campus anymore. There are some institutions that offer distance education. A good example is the New York Institute of Photography. You will learn everything from exposure, lenses, the various techniques used to cover different events, journalism and much more. Being affiliated with the school, you will be entitled to free online magazine articles such as contests and digital imaging.

Some of you may have more options than others depending on where you live. If there are several schools in your area I highly recommend investigating the following; 1) Go over the course outline; by looking over the subject matter in the digital photography course, you will be able to check out which classes are suitable for your skill level. Some classes teach just the basics like how to work your camera. So if you're well passed that, why not take on something a little more challenging? 2) See if there are any interesting aspects to your class. Does the class teach nothing but black and white photography? Will you be out and about in nature trying to photograph birds at six in the morning? Some of this may interest you and it also might give you a headache.

Computer skills: A good photography school needs to have courses regarding the use of computers. The field of photography is a very competitive one and you could really use some knowledge of computers. With the advent of digital photography, the need for computer literacy is more evident than ever. Scholarships It would be best if the photography school is offering some kind of financial assistance for their students. Some of the equipments in photography are not that cheap. These are just some tips on how to choose a photography school. Choosing the right school is as important as having a good view of where you want to go. The right school is the best way to get there.

To keep yourself enthusiastic about your subject, you might want to shoot two or maybe three projects at a time. Spend a Saturday afternoon shooting your local town's attractions and people, and next weekend drive into the nearest city to shoot architecture and calf culture. But how do you choose projects that will assist in creating strong saleable images? Search stock photography agencies, look through travel magazines and newspapers. What you see everyday is what sells. The key is to plan what you are going to shoot. Although we are all guided by weather conditions, it is possible to select the images you want before you arrive at your location. I rarely arrive without at least a few images mapped out in my head, and never without a shoot list. As travel photographers, it goes without saying that we have a passion for travel. It's why we do what we do. But it is an extremely difficult business to get into. The catch 22 is that to produce a portfolio or stock image library you need time and money. To fund your photography you need to work. It will take time and dedication, but by shooting close to home you will gradually improve your photography skills and start to build a portfolio of images to be proud of. It all comes down to the way we view our surrounding.

Looking into digital photography, ever want to start Learning Digital Photography? Find some great tips on how to take digital photographs with This Free Report

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Gig Photography

I've been doing the Highland Ultimate Bands List now since 2003 and played in a band from 2000-2006. Within all the events of organising gigs for HUBL and playing and watching bands I've picked up a few good tips for taking good gig/band photography.

Don't use a flash!

The main mistake people make when taking photos of bands is using a flash. This completely ruins the photo by whiting it out which makes the image lose its colours and vibrancy. It also destroys the "feel" of the gig.

Use a low f-number

The secret is to use a lens with a low f-number... such as f1.8. This allows the lens to take in more of the available light in a shorter amount of time. The only problem with using an f-number as low as this is you need to be spot on with your focusing as the depth of field will be so shallow, especially on a lens capable of less than f1.8 such as f1.4 or f1.2.

Set the shutter speed as fast as you can

This leads me onto the next tip - shutter speed. The faster the shutter speed the sharper the shot should be as it cuts down camera shake and also freezes the action better. If your in a particularly well lit venue with cool lights then 125th of a second should be manageable. This is what you should try to aim for. Try not to go lower than an 80th of a second or your images will start to blur more.

Use spot metering

If your camera has spot metering use it! I use a Canon 30D which has spot metering which makes a difference.

Try not to crank the ISO on your camera up too high, I would say ISO400 tops if you need it but if the aperture and shutter speed allow you to lower the ISO then do it as it will improve the amount of artifacts in your images.

If you're using a low f-number, a slow shutter speed and a high ISO odds on that the venue is too dark for you to take an image... this is when you should pull out your flash if you absolutely have to document the gig. If forced to use the flash try bouncing it off a wall or the ceiling instead of firing it directly at the band.

Conclusion

Shoot on manual mode.
Use a low f-number.
Set the shutter speed as fast as you can.
Use as low an ISO as you can.
Use Spot Metering.

Chris Thornton
http://www.colourjam.com

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How to Shoot Professional Images in Low Light

Low light...it can be a photographer's nightmare. But here are some basic techniques that I use daily to overcome this obstacle. Some of this may sound mundane, but I am surprised constantly by how many photographers do not understand these basic principles.

First, let's talk about lenses.

For those of you who do not already know this, we refer to lenses in terms of how "fast" they are. This is kind of a misnomer, but what it really means is his: how big is the aperture? The larger the aperture, the more speed you can get out of the camera...hence...how fast it is. The absolute minimum aperture for exposing images in low light should be f2.8. If you have a lens that has a smaller aperture opening than this, your ability to capture sharp images will be drastically reduced. Most "kit lenses" are f3.5 to f5.6, and most of them lose aperture as you zoom in (the closer you zoom, the smaller the aperture becomes). This can spell certain doom in low light. So the first, and most important tip is to invest in quality lenses. Invest in lenses that are f2.8 or faster...f1.8 or 1.4 is even more preferred.

Second, let's talk about film speed (ASA) or CCD speed (ISO).

In a nutshell, the larger the ASA or ISO 3, the "faster" that medium is at exposure. This becomes very important in low light situations. The downside is that the higher the speed, the more "noise" one can expect. As a rule of thumb, I typically use ASA/ISO 200 for sunny days outside, ASA/ISO 400 for indoors with good lighting, ASA/ISO 640 for indoors with medium light, and ASA/ISO 800 for indoors with low light conditions. I have found that anything higher than a speed of 800 produces too much noise for what I do.

Third, let's talk about Shutter Speed.

In low light conditions, even with a professional flash mounted, I have found that anything slower than 1/30 produces blurry images. Human movement in that time frame (both the camera operator and the subject) is just enough that the image will be blurry at 1/20, so I try to never step below 1/30. The only exceptions are when I mount the camera on a tripod and I am shooting a stationary object, not humans, unless you are trying deliberately to capture their movement, but that's another discussion.

Fourth, let;s talk about Flash.

Rules of thumb for flash photography in low light conditions. If the ceiling of the room is low and light in color, I set the flash to TTL (through the lens), point the flash head at the ceiling and I use the diffuser. This "bounces" the light around the room and produces a really nice effect for evenly distributed lighting. In rooms where the ceiling is low, and a darker color, I do the same thing, but remove the diffuser. In high ceiling, lightly colored rooms, I set the flash to it's full power manual setting, point the flash head at the ceiling, and use the diffuser. The down side of this is that it will take longer to recharge the flash unit, but the payoff exceeds that I think. In the same room with darker colors, I use the manual flash, point the flash at the subject, and if the subject is close, I use the diffuser...if the subject is more than about 10 feet away, I remove it.

Now let's put that all together.

In low light situations, we want our lens open to it's "fastest" aperture...preferably f2.8 or faster. The reason for this may surprise you, but, the main reason is that so you can expose the background correctly. Did you hear that? It's right...the background. Why do we want to do that you ask? I'll tell you why. Anyone can get a picture of a person in a dark environment with the background completely black. That takes no skill at all. But show me the photographer that can light up the background in a dark room, and expose the subject correctly, and that is the professional. Next, we want to make sure that we are using the right film speed (ASA 800) or CCD speed (ISO 800). Lastly, we want to make sure that our shutter is set to the right speed (1/30). Anything slower will blur. Use the flash as described above, and you will be on your way to taking better images in low light conditions. Of course these tips are not set in stone, but they do offer us a starting point that should help the user make progress. And as always, practice makes perfect!

About the author: Lee Randall Stewart is a professional wedding photographer with offices in Newport Beach, CA and Honolulu, HI. His work has been seen all over the world in numerous wedding photography editorials and magazines, and he remains one of the industry's leading professionals. To see his Newport Beach based website, please visit http://LeeRandallStewart.com and to see his Honolulu based website, please go to http://HawaiiPhotoStudio.com

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Hungry For Information

An instrument for the truth...

We don't often think of a camera as a weapon. However, as society moves forward, it's becoming more apparent that the camera, indeed, is becoming at least a protection device. Photographs and videos, used positively, have brought attention to ills of society, ranging from environmental destruction to political chicanery. The strong reality of still photos and video have served as evidence in court cases; ranging from the Los Angeles police beating of Rodney King a decade ago, to the more recent Madelyne Gorman Toogood beating of her 4-year old daughter in the parking lot of a northern Indiana department store.

It may be that the still photos and film footage the general public was exposed to in a distant land during the Vietnam War contributed to the halting of that war.

The PBS run of Ken Burn's Civil War series has honed our awareness of what happened on our own soil to boys that went off to war and never came back. Mathew Brady's records of tragically strewn bodies did not have television to increase their exposure. But the exposure they did get served as a powerful reminder to both sides that war wasn't the answer to the eras burning issues.

In modern times we have seen reality images not only inform but entertain us. More often than not, they validate us. The success of The Blair Witch Project, the Survival series, CSI, COPS, etc., remind us that as we become more aware of our environment, both urban and natural, we are in a better position to understand where we are and where we are going.

As an editorial photographer, you fit into a society that is hungry for information. Some of it is uplifting - some of it is not always good. There will always be factions in your city, town, or village that will attempt to prevent you from capturing scenes in the course of your experience and observations. It goes with the territory. It's your decision, as it was Mathew Brady's... to do the job.

Note: According to the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington DC < epic.org >, the courts have generally ruled that someone in a public place doesn't have the expectation of privacy.

Rohn Engh is director of PhotoSource International and publisher of PhotoStockNotes. Pine Lake Farm, 1910 35th Road, Osceola, WI 54020 USA. Telephone: 1 800 624 0266 Fax: 1 715 248 7394. Web site: http://www.photosource.com/products

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Freelance Photography - Tips To Begin Your Career

Photography is considered as one of the rare hobbies that you can easily learn, and if you can take good photos you might consider turning your hobby into a business. Although there are numerous jobs in photography one option to make money and enjoy your work is to become a freelance photographer.

What is Freelance Photography?

Freelance photography is an exciting career and it is all about taking good photographs and selling them. This industry is experiencing an exciting period of growth and expansion, and is a very high rewarding career where people working as photographers have very good scope in this field.

Several people are choosing to get into the photography career because of its amazing benefits and all of the incredible experiences it can allow you, and you can make it your entire career or it may start out as something you do in your spare time.

How can one become a freelance photographer?

In freelance digital photography there are a number of ways that you can get started. Selling digital photography to stock photo sites is one of them, and you can get paid up to $50 per photo download. Best of all, you dont' have to be an expert in photography in order to start selling your photos.

Some Tips

1. Avoid eBay: It's not a serious place to sell your photos online. You'll get pennies.

2. Try to build a portfolio: If you don't have it it's ok, but it's a good idea to have one.

3. Avoid Scams: Don't pay subscriptions (selling your photos it's free).

4. Research: There are many interesting tips and tricks to increase your earnings with
this activity and avoid common mistakes.

If you want to get paid for your photos then welcome to the world of freelance photography.

You can learn more tips about Freelance Photography at my Squidoo Lens.

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Digital SLR Camera - Enhance Photographic Skills

Modern day world is full of technologies, which are helpful to users in various contexts. With rapid technological enhancement, many modern sophisticated devices have evolved, which are enriched with latest technologies. One of such modern and extremely advance device is Digital SLR camera, which are compact cameras of high picture quality. Now people are more modern and want better quality camera which can offer them excellent photographs.

The digital single lens reflex camera is comes with more improved and advance technology and provide the image of superior class. With these superb cameras one can capture interesting pictures without missing out any important shot. These are well equipped with excellent quality flash options to enhance the image quality. There comes no problem of light factor with these amazing digital cameras as they are compact highly advance camera of latest techniques. This is the only camera which is able to click images of wonderful quality even without any use of flash facility.

SLR camera is best for those people who want to enhance their photographic skills and love to capture images from different lenses. These effective cameras are able to let users to provide a properly focused image with a dimmed background to get a different look of the picture. This fantastic camera also allows users with a super fast and effective shot to shot time in which a user can capture an excellent multi shots at a same time.

The ability to change lens to a telescoping lens means the user can zoom in on objects that are further away without disturbing the subject by moving closer. This camera consists of different types of lenses which make easy to photographer to see tiny objects through macro lenses of high quality. The Digital SLR Cameras are regarded best for people who want to do digital photography. However, its size is large than other cameras but they are easy handling devices with simple functioning. Their bulkiness has no bad effect on users and picture quality. The SLR cameras are the best available photography equipment which can capture images in the best way. These high qualities of SLR camera have made them extremely popular and superior devices for better photography experience.

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Reduce Your Time At The Computer Fixing Digital Photos

Do you enjoy sitting at the computer on a beautiful sunny day trying to rescue a bad picture, or do you prefer to be outside taking pictures?

Chances are, you're like me and you prefer the latter. You didn't get into photography to be in front of a computer on a beautiful day. So instead of spending a lot of time messing around in photoshop, why not shoot your pictures right to begin with?

Following these 4 simple tips can go along way in reducing your post production work at the computer.

1. Make sure you have the correct white balance selected. This simple tip will save you from having to tweak your images assuming they're all shot in the same scene under the same lighting conditions. Automatic setting or "default" is good but manually setting the white balance to florescent, incandescent, daylight, overcast is even better. Be aware of your light sources.Try not to mix the light sources in a scene. If you're in a room that has a lot of windows, it may not be a bad idea to turn off the lights. Since this is not always possible, learn to perform custom white balance on your camera. The steps to set custom white balance will differ from camera manufacturer to camera manufacturer. Generally it involves taking a picture of anything white like a piece of paper or shirt, filling the frame with the article. Afterwards you tell the camera you want to use that frame with the white article as the basis for setting white. If you move from that scene or change the main light source, you should perform another custom white balance for the new scene.
2. Enable the histogram in the liquid crystal display (lcd) if that feature is available. This is a more reliable check for your "exposure" than just viewing the image in the lcd monitor. LCD monitors on cameras are not reliable indicators since what you see is totally dependent on the lighting conditions where you are viewing the images.Outdoors in bright sunlight, the image may appear underexposed or washed out. At night or in dark surroundings, your images will appear beautiful and correctly exposed. So learn to interpret the histogram and you'll be on your way to exposing better.If after following these 2 tips you find you are still spending a lot of time in photoshop, you may be the type who doesn't want to record what you see as it is. Rather, you prefer to alter reality by making the images more saturated, muted or even black and white. In that instance, you might try my third and final suggestion.
3. Shoot your images in the RAW format. What this means is you tell your camera not to process your images and you want to do it all yourself. The files generated by the camera are huge and your post production workflow will take longer unless you use special high-end software like Apple's Aperture or Adobe's Lightroom. In the RAW format, you have the most flexibility as far as how you want the images to look.
4. Keep your camera's sensor dust-free. This is easier said than done. Believe me, I know this one first hand. I've tried turning off the camera whenever I change lenses and this hasn't eliminated the dust problems. Currently only the latest digital single lens reflex cameras have features that supposedly shake off the dust. I think the answer here is to learn how to clean your camera's sensor and do it often. There is nothing more mind numbing than sitting at the computer cloning out dust in your pictures.

Peter Phun is an adjunct photography instructor at Riverside City College. He is a freelance photographer, web designer and stay-at-home dad. He previously worked as a staff photographer for 18 years at The Press-Enterprise, Southern California's 4th largest daily newspaper. Peter is the webmaster for the Mac user group in the Inland Empire. For more information about this Riverside based photographer, visit http://www.peterphun.com

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Studio Photography and Digital Backgrounds

The article given here was written for Adobe Photoshop 5,6,7,CS, and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 and 3.

Most photographers who are serious about improving their portrait taking skills have realized that a beautiful background can greatly enhance their photographs.

Muslins are a very popular choice among professionals. However, they can get very costly at several hundred dollars each. For the professional who is well established, this may not seem too much, but for the hobbyist, this may be a stretch.

A less costly alternative is a digital background. With a digital background, one can get the look and feel of a professional looking portrait without the additional cost of muslin.

Many Photography websites also sell digital backgrounds on cd. In some casesas low as $15.00 dollars for an assorted collection. As with anything elseyou usually get what you pay for. Some of these pre-made digital backgrounds are not worth the cd theyre printed on, but some of them are very beautifully made. Even so, you may be wondering how YOU can make your very own digital background. That being said, the following information will help guide you along the way.

Okay, lets create a digital backdrop using Adobe Elements 2.0. We will create an 8x10 300dpi (dpi = dots per inch or ppi = pixels per inch) digital backdrop. For printing purposes, 300dpi is strongly recommended for a high quality print. This will also create a large file approximately 20.6megs.

Having a fast processor (Pentium 4 or Athlon XP) and at least 256megs of ram will definitely help. Also having your screen resolution on your monitor set to its highest setting 24 or 32bit will give the best results.

Okay lets begin! If you havent already opened Photoshop Elements, do so now.

1. Click on File < New.
When the window opens up,make sure to set it to 8x10 inches at 300dpi.

2. Make a copy of the background layer you just created by pressing
Control-J on your keyboard. If you look at the bottom right corner of your
monitor, you should see an exact copy of your background layer named layer 1.

3. Select the foreground color for your background by clicking on the foreground square on your toolbar the black one. (Bottom left)

4. The Color Picker window should now be open. Select a light red by clicking on the top right corner of the color palette. Click ok.

5. Now select the background color by clicking on the background square on your toolbar the white one. (Bottom right)

6. The Color Picker window should open again. Select a darker red by clicking halfway below the lighter red you previously chose. Click ok.

7. Now comes the fun part! Lets put some clouds in there. On the top of your screen, click on FilterNow because we are using a 300dpi image, the pattern doesnt really resemble clouds. On a 72 dpi image, it definitely would. We will fix that now.

8. First, make sure that layer 1 is not locked! Look at your layers palette on the bottom right of your screen. Do you see the little black lock icon? Make sure that the little white square to the left is NOT checked!

9. Okay, now press m on your keyboard. At the top left corner of your backdrop, click and drag your mouse to create a 2x3 inch square.
If you do not see the ruler along side your backdrop, press control-r on your keyboard.

10. Press v on your keyboard. Your selection should now have little handles on all sides that you can click on to pull to any size you want. If you do not see any handles, click on Show Bounding Box at the top.

11. Click on the lower right handle in the corner and drag and stretch it to the bottom right corner of your backdrop.

12. Double click anywhere on the red backdrop to apply the resizing. Now press L on your keyboard then control-d.

Okay, now you should have a beautiful looking backdrop ready to use, but wait, there is still more we can do to take it to another level.
You will be simply amazed at the results you will be getting in the next few steps. You may have noticed that many types of muslins on the market have painted on them whats known, as a hot spot.

What is a hot spot? A hot spot is a circular area near the center of the backdrop that is lighter in color. Why is this there? It allows the subject to stand out and creates a vignette at the borders. This will greatly enhance your backdrop. Are you ready? Okay, lets do it!

13.On the top, click on Filter-Render-Lighting Effects. Select Omni for your Light Type and move the slider for your intensity to 25. Now click on the middle handle in the circle and raise the circle just above the halfway point to where the persons head will appear.Click ok.

Now you should have an amazing looking backdrop!

Fabian Barajas is author of several Photoshop ebook tutorials including "How to Create Your Very Own Professional Looking Digital Backdrop!" His website which includes samples of his work is http://www.digital-background.net/

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Buying a Digital Camera? Understand the Basics and Find the Best Equipment For Your Needs

It seems like everyone has a digital camera these days and digital cameras have revived the art of photography as a hobby. As digital camera manufacturers improve equipment in quality and price, more people are embracing the benefits of digital photography and putting their film cameras on the shelf. If youre looking to make the move to a digital understanding the basics of a digital camera can help guide you through understanding how the differences and similarities with film cameras can provide you with a digital camera that fits your needs.

My first digital camera has a 640 by 480 pixel resolution and saved images to floppy disks. It was a little clunky, but it worked well and I was happy with the results. Today, the quality of that camera would barely qualify as a web cam for some people. The technology curve continues to move along for digital cameras but today most digital cameras should be able to provide you with a simple point and click experience and provide enough resolution to print 4 by 6 inch prints that youll be happy to archive in a scrapbook.

The resolution of most digital cameras is measured today in mega pixels. This is a measure of the number of dots which are available to digitally describe the image as a computer file. A digital camera with a 3.1 mega pixel resolution is usually enough to produce pictures that look like a film print on a 4 by 6 print. Moving up to a digital camera with a 5.1 mega pixel resolution will provide a sharper image at the same print size. Can everyone tell the difference? No they cant. When shopping for a camera, dont be mesmerized by claims that you must have the very highest resolution to be happy with your digital pictures. Look at samples and select the camera that meets your price range and quality desires.

Generally, digital cameras with a resolution lower than 1 mega pixel are good for images you plan on emailing to people, or posting on the web, but the resolution is not high enough for quality prints. If you plan on making film-style prints of your pictures, you should make your minimum 3.1 mega pixels.

The next issue with digital cameras is how it gets the electricity it needs to function. Many cameras today use rechargeable batteries but some still use AA size batteries. If you plan on taking lots of pictures, a camera that uses disposable batteries can become a very expensive camera, but if the camera has a rechargeable battery with a short life between charges, you might find yourself without power when a great photo opportunity presents itself or you may be stuck buying an extra, and often expensive, rechargeable battery which is custom designed to only fit that specific camera. When you have made you short list of digital cameras meeting your quality requirements, be sure to compare battery life statistics from the manufacturer.

As with film cameras, most digital cameras have automatic settings that adjust to provide a point and shoot experience. Some cameras also have manual settings which mimic advanced film camera settings such as aperture and exposure. Digital cameras often have additional features which allow for special effects and even picture taking in very low light settings. These features may or may not be important to you in a digital camera. How often did you load black and white film in your film camera? Chances are these nice-to-have features are not a high priority for most digital camera owners.

Most of the digital cameras feature an LCD view screen. This lets you shoot the image perfectly and then to check it. and is probably one of the most appreciated features of a digital camera over a film camera. The LCD does use up electricity though and by turning your camera off when you are not shooting pictures will preserve battery life.

Most digital cameras use a removable memory card on which pictures are stored. If you have a computer with a built-in reader of a memory card, checking to see if the digital camera uses a compatible type of memory card can make it much easier for you to transfer images to your PC and reduce the expensive of a separate memory card reader. If your digital camera comes with a data transfer cable, keep in mind that the memory card readers are usually much faster and provide greater flexibility. Its best to keep the data transfer cable in the box.

Overall, most digital camera manufacturers have done an excellent job in making the transition from film cameras to digital cameras a painless one. By knowing some small details about the minor differences, you should have no problem finding a digital camera that you will enjoy and use frequently.

Dave Saunders is a certified nutritional educator and lifelong technologist. He lives in the Washington, DC area with his wife, Irene and writes about his many passions. While pursuing his own enjoyments in broadly experiencing life, Dave Saunders specializes in creating bridges between technical matters and practical application through his writings and lectures to help others create context and see new discoveries and technologies in more a practical light. You can find out more about digital cameras and digital photography at http://www.aboutdigitalcameras.com

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Dominant Space - Directing a Viewers Attention

Weve all heard about foreground and background. Generally the foreground is
where you find the main subject. The background is, well . . . in the back. Its
just back behind everything else, right? Wrong! The background is just as important
and in some cases even more important than the subject itself. How is that even
possible you ask?

Take for example a picture of a car. If it was shot in a studio, the background could
be entirely blank. That would make the car very important in the shot. If you shot
that same car in the middle of a parking lot while it was full of other cars, your car
becomes almost insignificant. (Unless there was something unique about it, like it
was red and all the other cars were blue.) Now take it one step further, imagine your
car on the racetrack with two or three other cars, but it was clearly in the lead. The
car is again important, but not all by its self. Now it becomes a key element in a
much bigger shot . . . the race.

I define dominant space as the environment that most compliments your subject.
Taking a picture of a young lady in a string bikini sitting on your couch just doesnt
have the same impact as her coming out of the crashing waves with the sun reflecting
off her golden hair and water glistening off her big beautiful . . . well, you get the idea.
Dominant space means that there is no such thing as just a background. While the
image you take may or may not fill the entire viewfinder, whatever is not the subject
must support the subject.

Too often people will snap a shot of a cute baby, or cute puppy, or a cute anything
and totally ignore what is around the subject. Yes, baby may be cute, but do you really
want that dirty diaper sitting in the corner to be noticeable. Now obviously, you are not
going to set up every single shot you ever take, however there are three simple things
you can do that will greatly enhance your every day shots.

The first thing is actually the easiest. As Robert Capa once said If your pictures arent
good enough, youre not close enough. Move in closer to your subject. You can either
do this physically, or with a zoom lens fill the frame even tighter. A good rule of thumb
is: Whatever doesnt add to the shot distracts. Eliminate ALL distractions.

The second creative option is use a very narrow depth of field. What this means is that
you set your camera so it only has a limited amount of every shot in focus, usually from
say 6 to 12 inches. Some people have the mistaken idea that this is limiting what type of
shots you can take. Oh contra ire, my friend. Now when you take a picture of the baby,
the baby is all you notice, because everything else has gone to a blurry soft focus. Even
if baby is really cute right beside the garbage can he or she just knocked over, you can
still get a really nice shot.

The third option that is simpler than staging every single shot is to change your perspective.
By your perspective, I mean you the photographer, not the subject. In most cases you have
at least 360 degrees to choose from. While baby might look cute right beside the garbage can,
thats only if you shoot him from the right. What happens when you take one step to the left?
Now maybe you only see cabinets behind the young tike. Hey it may not be as cool as bright
grassy field, but it still looks a LOT nicer than a pile of garbage in the background.

Being aware of the dominant space means that when you look into that viewfinder; you look
at every detail from edge to edge. Never take a picture of just a car or just a baby, take the
time to put it all together. Watch out for the things that distract sure (obviously you dont want
a telephone line coming out someones ear); but more importantly look for the things actually
support the shot. By looking at the whole picture, visualizing the entire canvas you go from
snapshots to photographs to works of art. The choice is yours.

This Article Written By: Tedric A. Garrison Cedar City, Utah

Tedric Garrison has done photography for over 30 years. In college he was an Art Major, and firmly believes that Creativity can be taught. Today; as a writer and photographer he shares his wealth of knowledge with the world, at: http://www.betterphototips.com.

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Film and Digital Photography - How Much Has Really Changed?

The skills of traditional photography are as important as ever for the digital photographer. You need to be able to work with aperture and shutter speed, understand depth of field and know how to handle moving subjects. A digital photographer requires sensitivity to light and contrast, and must develop a talent for creative composition.

Film and Digital Photography - How Much Has Really Changed?

Digital photographers; don't sneer at your more old-fashioned counterparts. The skills they have grown up with are the ones you really should be learning.

So, to return to my original theme: despite the worldwide migration from film to digital photography, in practical terms not much has really changed. That which is new is largely peripheral. While there are some advantages in terms of cost and convenience, most of the changes won't make you a better photographer.

Digital cameras have adopted the same ISO system. You can adjust the ISO setting on your camera, changing the speed at which your exposure will react to light. As before, this can be a great benefit, especially in low light. But here's the spooky part. When you set a higher ISO rating, your images become 'grainier.' Some people tell me it is pixellation, others tell me it is digital 'noise.' I don't know and don't really care. The point is, here is a whole new technology, recording images in a completely different way - and the outcome is exactly the same!

However, as a gallery owner, photography teacher, writer and club member, I am among digital photographers every day. Having lived and worked through all the years when photography has accelerated into the digital age, I have observed something that will surprise many people; not much has really changed.

Software can be wonderful. It can add a little 'zest' to a slightly flat image, or it can completely trasform a photo to portray colours and details that never existed in the real world.

In teaching and writing about photography, I have been amazed by just how much things have remained the same. In some instances I have been certain that the new technology would create new challenges - only to find that for all practical purposes, nothing has really changed.

Of course there are some major differences. The most obvious, and possibly the most positive change, is the elimination of film and developing costs from your photography budget. Add to that the convenience of being able to delete your mistakes and print your own photos, and your hobby just became a lot more cost-effective.

For the record, I use film. That is not because I don't like what digital photography has to offer. There is a very simple reason why I am sticking with film for now; after 20 years of photography, I have a thousands of images on film that have yet to be put to good use. If I switched to digital now, those photos would probably be neglected for another 20 years and finally be thrown out. That's a lot of memories wasted.

Digital cameras have rapidly changed the face of photography. Photographers can now be divided into two categories. There are traditional photographers who view each advance in technology with suspicion. Then there are the digital photographers who think film photographers are still living in the dark ages.

That, however, has nothing to do with the actual skill of the photographer. Neither does the other revolution in the photography world. That revolution is software. With the aid of computers, people can work digital magic on their photos like never before. This has both positive and negative elements. Positive because the almost universal fascination with computers has seen a whole new generation take a real interest in photography. Negative because people too often rely on the technology to correct their mistakes, instead of learning to take better photos.

So here is my advice to photographers on both sides of the divide. Film photographers; don't be dismissive or suspicious of the new digital world. Embrace it, make the most of its advantages, and you may be surprised just how easy it is to make the switch.

Here is one example that is so similar it's spooky. In the days of film, you could buy film that was rated at different ISO speeds, relating to how quickly the film reacted to light. Faster films were great for allowing quicker shutter speeds in low-light conditions, but there was a sacrifice in quality. Photos taken on fast films had a grainy appearance, making them less suitable for printing big enlargements.

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Edit Your Digital Photos - A Fast Effective Guide

Adobe's Photoshop software is a very powerful image editing program that is by far the market leader for editing image files. I use Photoshop extensively when creating, and editing images for the web sites that I design. Almost all professional photographers and printers also use Photoshop to create all of the wonderful images that appear in magazines, billboards, and even on television. I am not the best artist in the world, but with Photoshop I have enough power to create brilliant images with tools that are built-in to the software. The coolest thing about Photoshop is that even as powerful as it is out of the box, there are many different plug-ins to make Photoshop even more powerful. The Photoshop plug-ins can be grouped into a few major categories which include 3D, color management, digital asset management, photographic, retouching, and special effects.

Edit Your Digital Photos - A Fast Effective Guide

Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) is a specification that spells out how information about a JPEG image is stored in the same file as the image. This information, including a thumbnail image, describes the camera settings at the time the picture was taken, and even the image's location if the camera supports GPS (Global Positioning System). Digital cameras record this information as metadata in an area of the image file called the header. This information isn't just for managing images, it can also be used by some printers to give you better results. Basically, any camera control set to auto at the time the image was taken can be manipulated by the printer or other device to improve results. Those set to one of the camera's manual choices is considered to be a deliberate choice and is not manipulated.

When choosing between JPEG and RAW formats, here are some things to consider about each format. Because you can't easily add pixels and retain image quality, or remove the effects of compression after the fact, it's usually best to use the largest available JPEG size and the least compression available. If you have to reduce either, you can do so later using a photo-editing program. If you shoot the image at a lower quality setting, you can never really improve it much or get a large, sharp print if you want one. The only problem with this approach is that higher quality images have larger file sizes. RAW images are always captured at the largest file size, and any compression used is lossless. Images in this format used to require an extra processing step but since the latest programs such as Aperture and Lightroom were designed from the ground up after RAW formats were introduced they handle them as easily as they handle JPEGs.

Image files are huge compared to many other types of computer files. For example, files captured by a 12 Megapixel camera can range up to 18 Megabytes. As resolutions continue to increase, so will file sizes. To make image files smaller and more manageable, digital cameras use a process called compression. During compression, data that is duplicated or that has little value is eliminated or saved in a shorter form, to reduce a file's size. For example, if large areas of the sky are the same shade of blue, only the value for one pixel needs to be saved along with the locations of the other pixels with the same color.

When an image is saved, the camera assigns it a filename and stores it in the current folder. Filenames have two parts, an 8-character filename and a 3-character extension. Think of them as first and last names. The name is unique to each file, and the extension, separated from the name by a period, identifies the file's format. For example, a JPG extension means it's a JPEG image file, TIF means it's a TIFF image file.

Folders are used to organize files on a drive. Imagine working in a photo stock agency where you're told to find a photo of "Yosemite" only to discover that all of the photos the agency ever acquired are stored in unorganized boxes. You have to pick through everything to gather together what you want. Contrast this with an agency that uses a well-organized file cabinet with labeled hanging folders grouping related images together. For example, there might be a hanging folder labeled California National Parks. If a further breakdown is needed, labeled manila folders are inserted into any of the hanging folders-basically, folders within folders. There might be one labelled Yosemite containing images of the park. With everything labelled and organized, it's easy to locate the images you need. The same is true of your memory cards and drives on your computer system. Both are equivalent to the empty file cabinet-plenty of storage space but no organization. The organization you need to find things on the camera's memory device (which we discuss here) is created by the camera, but on your computer, you have to create it yourself (as you will see later).

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Underwater Photography and the Different Kinds of Underwater Cameras; A Detailed Review

All these cameras are the favorite ones for divers. Automatic winding, large shutter lever, big sports viewfinder, and wide-angle lens are the desirable features of these under water cameras. The specialized Shark Mode helps to shoot moving objects such as waving fans and fish.

If youre new to this field of under water photography, first and foremost thing you should know is the difference between the photography of land and underwater. The main difference is that air is transparent media whereas water is not. As water is denser and contains plankton and sand, the light will get scattered, reflected and absorbed.

Ensure that O-ring of your underwater camera is cleaned and lubricated properly. If you think there is some flaw in the O-ring seal, dont hesitate to throw it out and replace with a new one.

Different kinds of underwater cameras

Underwater camera protecting tips

Congratulations! You got your open water certification. Now youve probably thought of buying a wonderful underwater camera for your photography. However, you might have cracked your head to find a best camera for your underwater photography. Dont worry. Youre not alone- most of the new comers are clueless to choose a beat underwater camera.

An exciting aspect of under water photography is the facility to capture a panoramic view of the ecosystem. Wide-angle photography favors this facet. Wide-angle specific lenses should be used in the under water camera for these type of wide-angle photography.

If you dont have enough confidence with the operation of underwater cameras, it is highly advisable to try out this camera before you acquire it. Even you may undergo demo instruction and gear. Then procure your dream cam and go out and enjoy with your new underwater cam.

Always use only photographic lens cloths and soft lens tissues on the lenses.

Do not wash your camera with hose as the high-pressure water may force the sand and salt crystals into crevices of the camera.

In general under water cameras can be used in all kinds of weather ranging from hot to extreme cold and variety of locations ranging from wet to wild. There are two types of under water cameras are available viz. underwater digital cameras and under water film cameras. It is up to you to select the appropriate camera because both of them are having its own pros and cons.

Though these cameras are manufactured for underwater use, it still requires to be dipped in fresh water after every use.

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Here you can get enough idea about the under water cameras. Before procuring your dream camera you should assess what types of photographs you want to take. This is an important point when choosing your underwater camera film and equipment.

If you ask any scuba diver about the type of camera they prefer. They will want a camera that is: cost effective, reliable, low maintenance, easy to use and compact.

Care should be taken to protect your underwater camera from dirt, sun and salt.

The common varieties of underwater cameras available in the market are:

Do choose the camera systems with gun sight viewers or light beams to capture the moving fish in your camera, which night be a Herculean task. Always try to shoot fishes in the night, as they are inactive during that time.

Do you know salt is the number one enemy for the underwater cameras? Saltwater should never be allowed to dry on the joints of the metal fittings and controls.

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Best Black and White Photos

1. Shape and Form

4. Texture Whenever we look at a photo, we immediately begin to build up a mental picture of the scene in our mind. One of the main ways our brain does this is by using the color information available in the photo. Of course if we shoot in black and white, this color information isn't available, so the brain pays more attention to other elements, such as texture. This makes the texture appear more detailed and engaging.

5. Lighting Lighting affects all of the above elements, and so it is absolutely essential to a good black and white photograph. When framing your scene, think about how the lighting affects the shapes, contrast, patterns and textures in your scene, and try to choose a shooting angle that emphasizes the most important ones. Side lighting usually gives excellent results because it adds depth to your three-dimensional objects with highlights and shadows, and enhances the textures, patterns and surface details within the scene.

3. Pattern In color photography, the colors themselves can often distract attention away from any patterns within a scene. However, by shooting in black and white you can direct the viewer's attention back to the pattern, making it appear much more prominent.

Best Black and White Photos

2. Contrast

Black and white photography is often treated as the inferior alternative to color - after all, why limit yourself to monotone shades when you can use the full spectrum of colors? But this is a very limited way of thinking, because black and white photos can often be even more striking than the color equivalent. Follow these five essential tips to make the most of your black & white photography.

Without differences in color to separate the objects in your scene, contrast becomes even more important, because it will stop objects merging into one another. If you are photographing a light subject, try to frame it on a dark background, and vice versa. Increasing the variety of tones and shades in your scene also helps to add depth.

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Editing And Printing Your Digital Photos

Photoshop Express is however, a web based programme so that all the manipulations you make are sent to a server for action and then sent back to you. Do not get the impression this is a slow laborious process as the response time is fast and pretty well instant with a Broadband connection. Well worth a try.

Of course, the editing programme par excellence is Adobe Photoshop but at several hundred pounds, it could only be recommended for the dedicated editing and digital manipulation enthusiast with deep pockets. If you are tempted however, the programme is awesome.

In some cases, you may get a free copy of editing software with your new camera provided by the manufacturer. If this is not the case then do not despair! There are several completely free digital image editing programmes that you can use including the open source Gimp or Photoplus 6 from Serif.

Always use a good photo quality paper for the best results and do not forget to "tell" your printer what you want it to do. For example, choose" best printing quality and select the type of paper you are printing on.

To see what is available, simply type in "free digital image editing software" in your browser and check out the features that each has to offer.

There are many good software editing programmes available these days that will enable you to rectify many faults like these, sometimes allowing you to alter the image beyond all recognition.

One thing I would recommend is to print out a "contact sheet" of your images first. This is simply an A4 sheet showing a large number of small pictures that you can use to determine what the images will look like when printed so you can select these and perhaps edit them before printing large ones.

Editing And Printing Your Digital Photos

However, if you want a really good, feature packed software editing programme, you will get excellent results from Adobe Photoshop Elements at around 50 ($100) or Paint shop Pro from Jasc at around 60 ($120). Both of these have first-rate features that will allow you straighten, rotate, sharpen and crop your images. Another great feature allows you to optimise the colours and exposure of your images at the touch of a single button. You can even remove unwanted parts of the image or introduce new images into it.

I am a photographer and author who enjoys computing, and both digital and film photography. I like writing about computer and photography topics and passing on hints, tips and wrinkles to others based on my experiences.

In fact, Adobe has just released their new free version of Photoshop Elements called Photoshop Express. Just type this into your browser and get a free copy. This is a watered down version of Photoshop Elements but never the less it is a very useful programme that covers all the basic requirements.

Right, you now have the tools to edit and correct (or manipulate) your images so why not print them and perhaps make a few large prints that you frame and hang on the wall. Equally, you can make a few prints for your friends and relatives. So what do you need?

Some of the editing programmes mentioned above include comprehensive image printing software allowing you to print a wide variety of sizes or groups of images on a single sheet of paper.

Well, a photo quality ink jet colour printer from any of the major manufacturers like Epson, Canon, and Lexmark etc would be ideal. And these days you can buy any of these from about 30 ($60) upwards.

If you are like most people, you will have shots with various problems. The following is a list of the most common problems:

• Sloping horizons
• A partial shot of your thumb in the corner of the frame
• A very dark portrait where your flash failed to fire.
• The dreaded red eye
• Out of focus, fuzzy images
• Colours that do not match the original scene you shot

These are just a few of the types of results we may get from time to time and frequently, people will simply delete them. This is a shame, particularly if these shots were otherwise good ones.

You can also use this print to store in a folder that you can flick through at any time without having to switch your computer on. This way you will have a mini set of prints to view at any time and they do not take up a lot of room.

When printing, bear in mind that there is a limit to the size you will be able to print before the image starts to deteriorate. As a rough guide, a three megapixel camera will give good 6 x 4 inch prints and a four or five megapixel camera will be able to print a good quality A4 size.

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Sports Photography- Learn from the Shoot

When I went to do football, the first thing I realized is that I needed to be closer. A 200mm lens from the bleacher may get you close to a cheerleader, but not much else. Unlike the volleyball, I soon realized that one vantage point was not going to cut it. The game was simply played on much too large an area for me to cover it properly. I divided the game up into shooting sections; 20 minutes on the fifty yard line, 20 minutes from our end zone, 20 minutes from their end zone, etc. I kept my eye on the ball, but each location brought a new perspective.

I only shot sports for a very short period in my photographic career, but I believe I learned a lot from shooting in these different environments.

Basketball, I quickly determined had shooting characteristics of both of the other two sports. Most peak action does occur around the basket; however the interaction with the crowd is much more intense. The fans at a football game are still 30 or 40 feet away from where the action is; in basketball they are often 3 or 4 feet away. When they get up and start cheering, it gets worse. The difference that made was, in reality I was not as free to move around as I had been in either of the other two events. But on the other hand, I was also able to get many more shots with the fans reactions too. It was as if I now had to plan for three teams (ours, theirs, and the fans).

I started with volleyball. In this case, it didnt take me long to figure out that the net was just as important as the ball. I did follow the ball around for a while, but I found out that this can be really frustrating too. Sometimes the action can get going so fast that its really hard to tell what the peak action is, until after youve already missed it. I started positioning myself to be able to shoot right down the length of the net. There I found; when the ball was at the net and someone was trying to spike or block the ball, was a great peak action moment. I was able to simplify the shot because I got the elements I wanted (teams, the ball, the net, peak action); not the elements I didnt want (arms, heads, and legs) in the way, blocking my shots.

Baseball was both the most frustrating and most rewarding for me to learn how to shoot. It was frustrating because my movements were more limited than before. It was not because of the crowds, it was because it was not allowed. I could work around the crowds if I needed, but photographers are not allowed to stand in the middle of the outfield. I could shoot from either dugout or from behind the batters cage. Visually they were all spread out; it seemed impossible, then I remembered thinking: Simply shoot simple. I shot individuals at first and third base. I shot them as they got the ball. I shot them as guys came in for a slide. I shot the batter and pitcher by putting my lens right up against the fence and looking over the batters' shoulder.

At that point in time, I was already aware that clutter in the background was not a good thing. My rule to live by was simply shoot simple. The problem that arose is how do you simplify the shot, if you shoot two teams (us and them) who both have 10 or 20 people, and are running all over the place?

Sports Photography- Learn from the Shoot

We all have a choice in what we decide to shoot, or what we decide to include in our shots. Of course,
what we choose often depends on our perspective. That perspective is what makes each individual
photographer, unique. Our uniqueness is usually acquired from our previous life experiences.

The thing I learned from all of them is that, perspective is everything. If you ever have to shoot something you know little or nothing about, learn to observe. What makes this event or item unique? What you shoot or do not shoot comes down to a matter of choice; but what you choose to shoot is based on your perspective.

C) From basketball, I learned to incorporate obstacles. Fans were blocking my shots, until they became part of the shots. Expressions in the background gave my shots an emotional edge.

D) From baseball, I remembered Simply shoot simple. By being forced to shoot from a certain vantage point, I actually was able to simplify my images more than I had planned.

A) From volleyball, I learned to shoot smart. Dont just wave your camera all over the place and hope you get lucky. Find the key location for peak action.

This Article Written By: Tedric A. Garrison Cedar City, Utah

B) From football, I learned to shoot systematically. If the action happens at several locations dont just wander from place to place. Focus your attention on one perspective at a time, and then move on.

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Digital Camera - Add More Meaning to Your Photography Experience

The days of developing a roll and then getting the pictures ready have become the history now. The immediate pleasure that you get on seeing the newly taken pictures is that the benefit of editing out the loop holes and removing it instantly. It certainly makes digital camera a preference of the new generation.

Digital Camera - Add More Meaning to Your Photography Experience

There have been numerous inventions in the last century that has changed the meaning of human civilisation. While more research and development is still desirable, thousands of people are waiting for a more impeccable equipment to come to make their dreams come true. We have seen the development of mobile phones, internet networks and rocket science but there are many other things which are yet to be seen.

Imagine if you have to take pictures only from a film camera. If it happens, many rolls or frames will be get wasted. The not so good quality of pictures will remain useless. Certainly, you could do nothing about it. You have to bear the price on your own in this case. There is some more risk associated with it like your picture quality can emerge useless and the chance of capturing the favourite scenes can get lost.

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Cheap Wholesale Digital Cameras That Make Your Wallet Sing

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First of all, I am no professional photographer, so I don't need all the capability that top-end digital SLR cameras provide. But on the other hand I'm not going to be happy with a low-end point-and-shoot that isn't smart enough to circumvent the mistakes I'm likely to make when I think I can leave everything to the camera to figure out.

Looking for a cheap digital camera? Me too. But I don't want to sacrifice performance for the cheapest deal. I want a great digital camera at a great price. If you think like I do, you'll probably end up coming to the same conclusions that I have. Let me tell you how I narrowed down my options and came up with a handful of final digital camera models to select from.

There has to be a happy medium in a camera that targets photographers just like me.

I have a virtually pristine Nikon F3 camera sitting in my closet that today seems as dated as the Apollo program technology that put men on the moon. I'm like Rip Van Winkle, waking up after 20 years and discovering the landscape is completely unrecognizable.

Unrecognized, but massively improved. I learned that some point-and-shoot models have more processing power than NASA put into their command modules. Don't short-change yourself when looking for features in your digital camera. Ten years ago red eye reduction might have seemed fancy in a camera. Now the brain of a smart point-and-shoot digital camera can separately track the faces of more than two dozen family members, and even figure out if someone has their eyes shut. In short, face detection is a must have.

Back when I first began treating photography as a serious hobby the idea of commercial digital cameras was just a glimmer in some imaging research scientist's mind. Then I put my camera down one day, and when I picked it up again 20 years later I found the world of photography completely changed.

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Sports Photography Tips Unveiled

Someone said that if you see the action, you missed the action - I'll bet it was a photographer who said it! You need everything ready to go at the time of play. This includes a rough idea of distance, lighting issues and more important, your own personal preparation for taking the shot. Almost a split second before it actually takes place.

You will take better quality sports photos if you familiarise yourself with the sport first. It's important to know when that special moment is about to occur or when it is most likely to occur. Find out what the fans like to see most. Is it first off the block in swimming? Is it shooting a goal while still off the ground in basketball? Always position yourself accordingly. Try to figure out what will be behind the player when you take your shots - this always improves the outcome!

Most of the time, good quality shots are rare. Why? Because not everyone has the time to be at the event on a regular basis to capture the unique action shot that will stand out from the rest. Adding further hardship to capturing good sports shots is the position you are able to get at the event. Lets face it, no one likes a 7ft basketballer bouncing up and down in jubilation on our camera bag while we are distracted with other things. Being too far away is also a problem, there's only so much a lens can do if you want true quality.

If you manage to get close at a big game or indeed be fortunate enough to get a press pass, remember that the other photographers have also worked hard to get there as well. Show some consideration and you'll get some in return. If you are forced to remain in the stands, get as close to the action as possible. It will make a difference believe me!

Sports Photography Tips Unveiled

In sports photography it is more often the photographer not the camera that is important. Remember that! You will need to have good equipment, don't misunderstand me. However, the really good shots are not luck coming your way. You should strongly consider a 85mm lens, a 135mm lens and perhaps a 200-300mm lens for end of court or field shots. With soccer, baseball, surfing, cricket and rugby a 300-400mm is definitely needed.

There's much more emphasis on timing with sports or indeed any kind of action photography. Your response and preparation for that crucial moment is paramount. Yes, the right place is important, so is the timing but execution is equally important. Sure, there are unpredictable moments but you'll become better at preempting them with practice.

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Do I Need an 8MP Digital Camera?

New digital camera models that are put on the market support more and more megapixels. This race for more megapixels is in part driven by manufacturers who want you to buy their newest and greatest digital camera and the easiest way for them to make you compare cameras is by using one simple number megapixels the higher the better or at least this is what they want you to think.

page 20X30 54MP

Do I Need an 8MP Digital Camera?

But reality is different. When it comes to megapixels more is not necessarily better. Since most of us have a limited budget that we are willing to spend on a digital camera spending more money to get more megapixels means spending less on other features or accessories such as storage and lenses. The overall quality of your photography experience is dependent on such extra features.

When considering spending more of your digital camera budget on getting more megapixels you should ask yourself questions like: should I instead get better lenses? Should I instead get an external flash unit? Should I instead get extra storage media?

Dont be a victim of the megapixels race. In many ways the race for more megapixels is similar to the race for more megahertz on personal computers. In early days when computers speeds were slow more megahertz was important. Today though having a 4Ghz or 5Ghz computer does not make a difference and you are better off spending more money on more memory than more megahertz. The same is true with megapixels in early digital cameras days the number of megapixels was low and it was important to get more. Today with most cameras having a high number of megapixels it is probably wiser to get better lenses or more storage than upgrading from 8MP to 10MP.

page 11X14 14MP

When deciding on the number of megapixels that you need you should first consider what your expected usage is. You need more megapixels if you plan to print photos (especially big enlargements) or if you need to zoom in and grab fine details out of big digital photos. On the other hand you do not need much if you plan to watch your digital photos on your computer screen and occasionally print a few 4X6 prints. In fact 2 megapixels are more than enough for such usage. Consider your computer screen resolution which is in most cases 1024X768 - even when viewing your digital photos in full screen mode you are only really watching 1024X768 < 1 megapixels. A 2 megapixels 4X6 photo print has a DPI higher than 300 which is more than enough for a good quality print. If you plan to print enlargements consider the following table for the recommended number of megapixels for different print sizes (based on print quality of about 300 DPI):

page 8X10 7MP

page 5X7 3MP

page 4X6 2MP

page 16X20 28MP

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Using the Space in Your Photos - Digital Photography Tips

Positive space is also important. This is the space that comprises of the subject of interest. You can use lots of this space or a little. Using a photo that is mostly positively spaced will make the subject look much closer and intimate. A shot with little positive space will make the subject look less important and less powerful.

For example, most people take shots and isolate the subject to a blank background. This makes the shot simple and more compositionally sound. However, a blank background does nothing to add more meaning to the photo. It in no way helps define the message and concept of the photo.

Digital photography has lots of different components to it. There are the technical parts and the compositional parts. And in these compositional parts there is another part...the space. Space is something that can make or break a photo when used. You can use it to take much better shots. This article will show you digital photography tips for using space right.

Using the Space in Your Photos - Digital Photography Tips

There is, first off, negative space. This basically is all the space that is around the subject you are taking a picture of. All of your photos have negative space. Many people think of the space around the subject as unimportant but this is wrong. Using the negative properly can make for much more interesting shots.

The space of your photo is very strong. Practice and you will start seeing that this is true.

What are these different types of space?

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Some Photography Basics

Remove Clutter. When shooting a person make sure that no objects are behind or around the subject's head. For example look for anything like a lamp that is behind the subject's head, which will distract from the person.

The Pause. Before pressing the button stop to look through the view finder to make sure you cannot improve on the shot. Check to make sure everything is in the shot you want and there is not too much clutter.

Outdoor portraits and sunny landscapes require that you change the white balance setting from auto to cloudy. That's right, cloudy. Why? This adjustment is like putting a mild warming filter on your camera. It increases the reds and yellows resulting in richer, warmer pictures.

White Balance. The default white balance setting for digital cameras is auto, which is fine for most snapshots, but tends to be a bit on the "cool" side.

Create better pictures with these simple photography basics. Creating that extraordinary picture will become second nature. But remember that every rule has an exception, so if you are wowed by a scene or a subject, don't be afraid to shoot! Enjoy!

Steady the Camera. Time lag is necessary between pressing the shutter release and the exposure, because the camera needs a to adjust for pre-shot calibration and balance colors. Use a tripod.

Manual Focus. If you're going to take a lot of action shots or be shooting through glass override the auto focus. Even if your camera has a buffer, the auto focus may not react fast enough to give you sharp pictures if you shoot too quickly or the light is too low.

Point of View. Shooting from different angles not just straight on can create a unique point of view. Stand on a chair, or even lie on your back. Turn the camera 90 degrees and take a vertical shot. This technique works great with any subject.

Lonnie Kunkel is a photographer and a graphic designer

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Buying a Digital Camera? Understand the Basics and Find the Best Equipment For Your Needs

Buying a Digital Camera? Understand the Basics and Find the Best Equipment For Your Needs

Overall, most digital camera manufacturers have done an excellent job in making the transition from film cameras to digital cameras a painless one. By knowing some small details about the minor differences, you should have no problem finding a digital camera that you will enjoy and use frequently.

Most of the digital cameras feature an LCD view screen. This lets you shoot the image perfectly and then to check it. and is probably one of the most appreciated features of a digital camera over a film camera. The LCD does use up electricity though and by turning your camera off when you are not shooting pictures will preserve battery life.

My first digital camera has a 640 by 480 pixel resolution and saved images to floppy disks. It was a little clunky, but it worked well and I was happy with the results. Today, the quality of that camera would barely qualify as a web cam for some people. The technology curve continues to move along for digital cameras but today most digital cameras should be able to provide you with a simple point and click experience and provide enough resolution to print 4 by 6 inch prints that youll be happy to archive in a scrapbook.

The next issue with digital cameras is how it gets the electricity it needs to function. Many cameras today use rechargeable batteries but some still use AA size batteries. If you plan on taking lots of pictures, a camera that uses disposable batteries can become a very expensive camera, but if the camera has a rechargeable battery with a short life between charges, you might find yourself without power when a great photo opportunity presents itself or you may be stuck buying an extra, and often expensive, rechargeable battery which is custom designed to only fit that specific camera. When you have made you short list of digital cameras meeting your quality requirements, be sure to compare battery life statistics from the manufacturer.

As with film cameras, most digital cameras have automatic settings that adjust to provide a point and shoot experience. Some cameras also have manual settings which mimic advanced film camera settings such as aperture and exposure. Digital cameras often have additional features which allow for special effects and even picture taking in very low light settings. These features may or may not be important to you in a digital camera. How often did you load black and white film in your film camera? Chances are these nice-to-have features are not a high priority for most digital camera owners.

It seems like everyone has a digital camera these days and digital cameras have revived the art of photography as a hobby. As digital camera manufacturers improve equipment in quality and price, more people are embracing the benefits of digital photography and putting their film cameras on the shelf. If youre looking to make the move to a digital understanding the basics of a digital camera can help guide you through understanding how the differences and similarities with film cameras can provide you with a digital camera that fits your needs.

Generally, digital cameras with a resolution lower than 1 mega pixel are good for images you plan on emailing to people, or posting on the web, but the resolution is not high enough for quality prints. If you plan on making film-style prints of your pictures, you should make your minimum 3.1 mega pixels.

The resolution of most digital cameras is measured today in mega pixels. This is a measure of the number of dots which are available to digitally describe the image as a computer file. A digital camera with a 3.1 mega pixel resolution is usually enough to produce pictures that look like a film print on a 4 by 6 print. Moving up to a digital camera with a 5.1 mega pixel resolution will provide a sharper image at the same print size. Can everyone tell the difference? No they cant. When shopping for a camera, dont be mesmerized by claims that you must have the very highest resolution to be happy with your digital pictures. Look at samples and select the camera that meets your price range and quality desires.

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Digital Cameras - How to Shop on the Internet

Now if you're truly looking to create superior pictures with professional quality then you're best bet is to look for an SLR digital camera. What the heck is an SLR you ask?
SLR stands for "Single Lens Reflex" and basically these are the cameras that have the long extended lens, and usually - but not always - have a view finder rather than the LCD screen common to digital cameras now days.

Just make sure that the site that you're buying from is safe, and that they know what they're talking about and you'll be fine.

Not only does price-range play a huge role but so does the camera itself. Are you just a point and shoot type of person who needs only a small compact camera that you can take anywhere simply to take pictures of the family? Or are you an avid digital photographer who absolutely loves the photography craft and plans to take wonderful award winning shots. Either way it's very good to consider this before hand... and know the difference between the many different models of each type.

Digital zoom is a different beast altogether. This type is really more of a cropping than zooming in a sense. It's utilized after the pictures been taken, where you're able to zoom in on an object within the photo. This is much less practical. The tricky part however is when the companies combine the two and state the zoom range using both the optical and the digital in order to make it look much larger and more appealing. It's a marketing tactic more than a technical explanation. Basically the one to look for is the optical zoom.

Digital Cameras - How to Shop on the Internet

Now everybody loves taking photos, and digital cameras are always a hot item and can be found all over online, but many people still aren't exactly sure how to shop for a digital camera on the Internet. You might just be one of them.

Now you also want to know a thing or two about the dynamics of the digital camera. You'll want to know what a megapixel is and what it means to have more or less. Here's a hint: just like most things in life...more is better. Most of the lower end digital cameras today don't go below 6 megapixels. Now of course about 3 or 4 years ago six megapixels on a compact was amazing, but nowadays with compact cameras that go as high as 18 megapixels, six megapixels isn't anything to write home about.

One of the first things that you should know before you attempt to buy a digital camera on the internet is to know what type of camera that you actually want. There are many different types of cameras that are miles apart as far as price. You can get a camera for as low as about a $100 or you can pay up to $3000 or more...and that's not even including many of the accessories that you might get.

Now many people make a large part of their digital camera purchase decision on the zoom range of a camera. This is where things can certainly get confusing due to the way that the camera companies represent the zoom of their lenses in their marketing.

There are essentially two kinds of zoom: optical zoom and digital zoom. So what's the difference? The term optical zoom is the zoom that you would use before you shoot the picture. So basically like the older dinosaur cameras, before the digital days, you had a zoom on your camera where you'd turn the lens and get a closer shot...that's optical zoom.

Now of course the question of how to buy a digital camera on the internet begs the question of where to buy your digital camera. You certainly want to focus on a website that's got a good reputation and has knowledge of the products. Many sites offer reviews and hearty descriptions of the various digital cameras and that's actually a very beneficial luxury...especially when you're not sure.

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Got A Digital Camera? Make Extra Cash Simply By Taking Photos

Have a look around for the sites that accept this, there are quite a few.

• One of the easier methods of making cash online;
• You don't need a whole lot to get yourself going, just a digital camera (which most people already have), and the ability to take photos;
• This can be a lot of fun - most people I know enjoy taking photos;
• If you are particularly good at photography then you can make some good money as all your photos will get rated as premium quality and if you choose a good subject/keyword/key-phrase, your photos can be downloaded many times giving you some good ongoing cash;
• You get to keep ownership of the photos meaning that you can upload the same photos to many sites increasing your chances of getting your photo downloaded thus increasing your trailing or royalty commissions;
• A business you can easily do at home with the occasional trip out to take the photos
• You can claim any holidays or any trips at all on tax if you simply take a few good photos there to make some money on. Its probably a good thing to take photos whilst on holidays, not just for tax reasons, but also because these may prove popular as they may not be as much competition for the photos you can take whilst on holidays

Con's:

There is no stopping any average Australian using this method to make extra income and if you are particularly good at photography then you stand a chance of making some good weekly money. You just need about 20 good photos of popular subjects to be making around $US200 per week just from the one site. Upload it to multiple sites and you could increase this to $US500+ per week which is pretty good extra money. Australians also have access to some of the nicest sceneries around so we have the opportunity to take some very good photos. At this stage I do not know of any Australian websites that offer this sort of payment for photos, but it really doesn't matter. There is no disadvantage to you to use sites in the US/UK. Its even better as you get paid in a stronger currency than ours.

I'd bet you'd be surprised to know that all you need to make some extra money is a digital camera. These days I don't know anyone who doesn't own a digital camera, especially here in Australia.

You don't need any special equipment either, just a decent digital camera, and by decent I just mean one that does at least 3.2Megapixel images. These days you can't really purchase a camera thats less than 5-6Megapixels so you should be fine. You don't need an SLR camera either - any compact digital camera will do the job.

• The potential amount of money you can make is not as large as other forms of online businesses like Affiliate Marketing or eBay selling
• The amount of money you can make is limited by your time to take photos and can also be limited by your skill level in taking photos. Whilst you don't have to be a professional photographer to make money, those that take a better quality photo naturally make more than those that aren't able to.

For Australians:

There's a few secrets to know if you want to make sure you are getting the most reward for your efforts - its not merely a case of just going out & taking whatever photos you like. Sure, you will make money doing this but the amount of trailing commissions could be limited as not as many people may want to use your photos. The key is to find out which photos are the most popular - by this I mean which keywords and key phrases gets searched the most & then go out & take photos related to this. Its also a good idea to see what photos are already loaded at the site to see if you can, at the very least, do similar or better yet find a way to make yours better or different. I have found that some of the most popular topics revolve around business and computers, because people who are creating their company websites want quality photos about business and computers that they can use. I'm sure you will be able to find other niches as well that may be popular.

Got A Digital Camera? Make Extra Cash Simply By Taking Photos

This might not sound like much but if you do some simple math, it does add up. If you have at least 20 good photos that are premium quality and that are popular, you should be averaging about 50 downloads a week. This adds up to $US10 (50 x $0.20) per photo per week. So 20 photos are making you $US200 per week! This can be pretty good especially if you upload more than that. There are some photographers who have uploaded literally hundreds of photos to a site. And, most sites will let you upload the same photos to a number of sites so you could be getting much more than this!

There are many sites out there that will pay you money to submit photos to them. The money ranges from $US0.10 for an "acceptable" quality photo right up to $US2.00 for a premium quality photo. But wait, there's more! Most sites will also pay you a royalty every time someone downloads your photo for their use, so there can be an ongoing trailing commission paid to you for each photo - this is generally about $US0.20. If your photo is a popular one then you can make a reasonable amount of money especially if you have a number of quality photos listed that are being downloaded.

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