Photography For Beginners

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How To Be Professional Photographer

If you are naïve, passionate, and want to do something exclusive, If you'd like to consider photography as something more than just a creative outlet or a hobby you may be on your way to discovering a new career path, the one that would lead you the success and top profiles.

This is not to say that becoming a photographer is easy, nor is it to say that all the people who want to become professional photographers will attain their goal. The photography industry is cutthroat and competitive. There are more people who want to become world renowned photographers than there are spaces to fill. The result is that, those who want to fill those spots, or even just become successful at photography on a local level are going to need to have immense creativity and business acumen like no other.

First of all becoming a working professional photographer has to do with one main element; Becoming recognized in the field. People don't only buy your art; they also buy your credentials. In a sense, their buying what you represent. Often those things you represent will be of intrinsic value to your customers. Such as with whom you've worked in the past, where you've been published, how long have you been a photographer, where have you traveled to do work and so on?

Secondly you will also want to get as much education under your belt as possible. Throughout your education as a photographer you should also be taking as many photographs as possible to help build your portfolio. You will need to ensure your photography portfolio stands above the rest by paying extra special attending to detail. Look at the book itself, the paper it's printed on, the font of descriptions, your borders, your themes, picture sizes, colors, layout and so on. Do not simply fill a scrap book or photo album with photographs. Once finished, you should be able to walk away from your portfolio and be impressed with your own work, which is not easy task for many photographers, as most of them are their own worst critics.

Further you should also start looking around for assistant or internship work. Often this work doesn't pay well but still it will help you learn more about the industry and art. You should try and work under the most respected photographers you can find. By doing this you are adding to your credentials without knowing it. You only want to surround yourself with the best and present your best side all the times.

Moreover you will also need to have a strong sense of business acumen. If you are planning on being like the 50% of other photographers who are self employed, you'll need to make sure you have a good sense of networking skills, pricing, public relations knowledge and on top of that have a strong sense of creativity and imagination. Being an artist and a business person will be no small feat. It will have you on your toes at all times.

Lastly, you'll want to narrow your professional interest to one or two main fields. For example you may want to work with press and other media, or you may be interested in photojournalism. Others may be interested in scientific or sports photography. Whatever your interest is, make sure you find the best people in that particular industry and study them. Model your success after theirs.

Remember, nothing worth while comes easy. There will be times when you think "what am I doing?". Stick with it and there will be a payoff at the end of the tunnel. There will be a ray of light in the end of the day. Most importantly, enjoy your whole journey. The success at the end wouldn't be as welcome if there wasn't the struggle at the beginning.
With best wishes from www.microglobe.co.uk

Amin Khan

Microglobe Photographic Eqquipments Retailer In London UK.

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Basics of Photography (By Christopher Haslego)

Understanding light is one of the very basic principles of learning to be a photographer. When you have a group of people in front of you with smiling faces ready for you to say ‘cheese’ or if you are taking a shot of a scenic area, the most important consideration is the light factor. Light controls the type of exposure and therefore the quality of the photo is dependent on the quality of the light on your subject and the amount of light that impacts on the film or digital sensor when you click. Controlling the amount of light is a good pre-occupation in the mind of a photographer keen to get a good shot. It should be one of the key considerations.

The word ‘exposure’ is a very important word in the lexicon of both amateur and professional photographers and is based on the understanding of light in creating good photographs.

--If there is too much light, the photo will look overly bright and over exposed.

--A happy group of people will not look as vibrant if there was inadequate light when you took the picture.

--Bright sunlight can create shadows under the eyes.

--Poor lighting may not bring out the colors in the scene to maximum effect

There are a few basics that you can apply to circumvent poor picture quality due to unfavorable light conditions:

--Change the position from which you take the shot

--Change the light if clicking indoors

--Use the flash

The use of the flash can be a boon when you operate in different light conditions. If you have an overcast sky, the flash in your camera will serve the purpose of letting some light into the image that you are trying to capture and brightening it up. The flash also works to your advantage when your subject is not too close but slightly away from you. But you have to check the ‘flash range’ of your camera in your manual. The flash works best when your subject is within a recommended range that is usually at least 4 ft and generally not more than 10 ft.

Most simple cameras have an automatic flash. Slightly better models will have settings for fill-flash. The concept of fill flash revolves around filling light in areas of a picture that may turn out dark or shadowed. Fill-flash has the ability to balance the amount of light on different parts of a subject to ensure that the exposure is adequately bright. For instance, a portion of a person’s face may appear shadowed and the fill-flash setting can help iron out this problem.

The angle of light is another important consideration. You have to pay attention to the direction from which light falls on your subject and there are several approaches in manipulating the angle of light to improve the visual appeal of a picture.

Sideways lighting: Light from the side is used to creates depth in the picture and is considered one of the best ways to use light if you are taking a portrait photograph.

Light from the top: This is a method used to brighten up most of the scene but does not work as well when you take a photograph of a person. It tends to create shadows on the lower half of the face when the lighting is high.

Light from behind your subject: This strategy is sometimes used by photographers to amplify the impact of the picture. It can create a halo like effect; it can add artistic shadows and can also create a striking contrast between the subject and the background if used effectively. When you use a ‘back light’ it is recommended that the fill-flash settings on your camera are also adjusted in order to avoid shadows in your photograph.

The second issue in photography is the aesthetics of the picture. Aesthetics is the creativity and attention to detail that you bring to your photograph. It is the most interesting part of photography since it is almost like a visual equivalent of composing a poem or writing a story. Aesthetics requires the use of visual skills to compose and deliver a pleasing, eye-catching and captivating image. It is a type of vision that you have for your photograph in terms of look and appeal.

Aesthetics requires a good eye for detail. The following factors have to borne in mind in creating an aesthetically appealing photograph:

Background

--Periphery

--Distance from subject

--Changing the direction of your camera based on picture dimensions

--Objects impinging on the picture

--Avoiding too many elements

Each of these factors that go into aesthetics are described and explained below-

-->Background

The background in a photograph requires much consideration. It influences the manner in which your subject is portrayed in the photograph. Depending on your choice of background, your subject will be shown to effect or may be overshadowed. The background also makes the difference between a boring and an interesting photograph. The colors, the type of background and the context add to the vibrancy of the photo.

-->Perphery

A common problem among beginners in photography is not paying attention to whether the image is being captured fully. When you view your subject through the viewfinder, you may think you have clicked a person from head to shoulder or from head to toe in a full shot. But when the actual photograph is processed, the top of your subject’s head or part of the hair may be missing! Or, if you did not center your subject when you composed the shot through your viewfinder, a part of the shoulder or hand may be lost into the edges of the photo. You need to concentrate when you view your subject through your camera before you click, in order to get the picture exactly the way you want it.

-->Distance from Subject

The distance from a subject is another critical aspect in getting a good picture. You want to see facial expression, not a mass of faces when you take a photograph. To do this, you have to be at a suitable close distance from your subject. On the other hand, when you click pictures of a campus, the distance that you click from can give you a wide view and take in a lot more of the scene. To take close up pictures of flowers or crystal or any decorative item, you have to move into close range and use suitable lenses to achieve the right magnification.

-->Changing the Direction of Your Camera Based on the Picture

Many a time you may not be able to capture the subject in it’s entirety in the conventional horizontal position in which the camera is usually held. You can easily change the direction. Hold the camera vertically and then view your subject. You will be able to capture more of a longish subject like a tall monument, a full-length picture of a child, and so on.

-->Objects Impinging on the Picture

At times there are certain objects in a scene that seem to almost invade into the picture. For instance, if you take a picture of a group of your friends on a street, chances are that a street sign may gain prominence in the photograph unbidden and may seem to sprout out of the head of one of your friends in the photograph. Or the light fixtures in your living room may find a place in the picture and appear in the form an unseemly blob in your photo. And the tough part is, when you take the shot you may not be aware of this because the eye is focused on the people in the picture.

-->Avoiding Too Many Elements

A picture cluttered with too many objects may detract from the actual subject. For instance, a wide view of a room in which your subject is sitting may create a photo in which too many objects vie for attention. If the person in the picture is your main target then narrow down and concentrate mostly on clicking the subject. While a good background adds value to a picture, too much paraphernalia could take the attention away from the main subject. Your picture may be focused and the lighting may be good but there is so much going on in the picture that it becomes aesthetically lacking and maybe even a little jarring.

Besides Light and Aesthetics, the third issue in photography basics refers to ‘focusing’ the picture. Getting the right focus is the difference between a blurred image and a sharp image. If you have an auto focus camera, the camera will do the job for you. This is available in most basic models. You can also achieve focus manually in other cameras using the mechanism to adjust the focus and to lock the focus on the subject before you click.

To achieve the right focus, it is important to decide on the artistic elements of the final picture. There are areas of a scene that you may want sharper and clearer. For instance, when you photograph a famous monument, you may want the building as well as the blue sky against which it is silhouetted to be crystal clear. If you are photographing a camel in a desert, you might want the camel to be clear and a slightly hazy/blurred effect of the surrounding sand. If you are taking a shot of a room containing a priceless vase, when you look through your viewfinder, you want the finer details of the intricate patterns on the vase to be clearer than other objects in its vicinity. So, it’s also a question of the portion or key part of your picture your focus is really on.

This area that you identify for your focus is referred to as the ‘depth of field’. You can lock the focus on the depth of field that you choose. You can control the focus and depth of field depending on your objectives for different shots.

The basics of photography are better applied when you put into perspective the capabilities of the camera model that you use or plan to purchase. Simple point and shoot cameras require minimal knowledge in operating them. They are easy to use and have the bare minimum controls. The user has to just compose and aim the shot on the subject and presses the shutter button. ‘Click’ and the job is done. The camera handles its functions automatically.

For those of you who want to work with a slightly more sophisticated camera, you have the option of a Single Lens Reflex camera popularly called the SLR system. This type of camera is available in both 35mm film format as well as digital format. Digital cameras have no film but the image is captured on an image sensor and stored in photo memory. Digital cameras in general provide superior picture quality. The internal system of the SLR camera is made up of angled prisms and mirrors that actually work like a lens when you click. But you have a few things to learn about this camera system before you can achieve better light exposure, sharpness and good focus. While it is imperative that you study the instruction manual of your SLR camera system thoroughly to understand the features and functioning, given here are some of the features and a brief explanation on how these features can help you in achieving the right exposure.

-->Additional Lenses for Close Up Shots

An additional feature in an SLR camera that makes it far superior to a simple ‘point and shoot’ camera is the ability to use add-on lenses. When you attempt to take a close up shot of objects in nature like a flower or a butterfly, you might want a very high level of clarity. You can add power to your camera by attaching an additional lens onto your camera lens for greater magnification of your subject. These supplementary lenses are available at reasonable prices in different powers like +2, +3 and so on.

You can also look for a model with an optical zoom lens that gives you the flexibility of variable focal length and a range of lens options within a single zoom lens.

-->Shutter Speed

The shutter in your camera lets light in during a shot and keeps light out at other times. When the shutter opens for an exposure, light is allowed to impact on the film or image sensor. If you set a slow shutter speed, more light impacts on the sensor and affects the type of exposure. When you use a faster shutter speeds your picture is sharper and clearer. There is a maximum shutter speed that is available to you in your camera system. The shutter speed is set at a fraction of a second- for instance, 1/1000th of a second. It could also be 1/2000th or even the much-preferred higher speed of 1/4000th of a second that is available in certain models. Professional use models boast of even higher shutter speed of 1/6000th or 1/8000th of a second. If you want to freeze action such as in sports, you require fast shutter speeds.

There are many more features that when used effectively can add value to the impact of your photographs. Most 35mm SLR cameras have a TTL viewfinder. TTL stands for ‘through the lens’ metering system. This device has the ability to measure (on a scale) the amount of light impacting the film. Using this device is the key to control the exposure and get the right amount of light in order to capture a proper image. You can also use a tripod with your SLR camera. A tripod is your answer to achieving the right exposure in a close up shot and in low light conditions. It holds the camera steady, helps in focusing and ensures a sharper picture even when shutter speed is slow.

The guidelines discussed here on the basics of photography and the additional features of the SLR system, will not only get you started but also help you avoid the common mistakes that many budding photographers make. Study your manual thoroughly for insights and ideas. Learning photography requires patience and the ability to constantly experiment and teach yourself through a process of trial and error.

The author, Chris Haslego, is founder of http://www.cameramanualstore.com, the internet's foremost source of camera manuals. With over 4000+ camera manuals available from all major manufacturers.

The Arizona Desert Museum (By Carolyn Wright)

The vast beauty and richness of the desert can be easily seen in one place in Tucson, Arizona. Known as the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum [“Desert Museum”], this gorgeous and convenient site is host to a cornucopia of plants, birds and animals native to the desert. Home to more than 300 animal species and 1200 plants in natural settings, it is a photographer's paradise.

Located in the Tucson Mountain Park just a few miles outside of Tucson, the Desert Museum was founded in 1952. The private, nonprofit organization, dedicated to the conservation of the Sonoran Desert, offers a zoological park, a botanical garden, an art gallery and a geology museum.
The Desert Museum is a 15 minute drive from the heart of Tucson and is open every day of the year. Hours are from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. from October through February, and 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. from March through September. The entrance fee is $9 for adults.

While this is in fact a “museum,” don't be confused by the name. The facility is out in the open and feels more like a zoo or a park. It includes almost two miles of paved and dirt paths through 21 acres of desert.

WHAT YOU CAN PHOTOGRAPH THERE

The hardest thing about this location is deciding what to photograph. Should you spend your time shooting in the cactus garden or the hummingbird aviary? Do you first go through the pollination garden filled with bees, butterflies and moths, or visit the several exhibits of mammals, including black bears, mountain lions, bighorn sheep, wolves, bob cat, fox and coyote? It will take several visits to take in all of this.

Docents - trained volunteers - wear white shirts and are available throughout the Museum to answer your questions and to give demonstrations. One docent enthusiastically shared his Mexican Boa snake with me, while another held a screech owl and explained the differences between the many species of owls.
While there is much to photograph, don't become so enamored with the various subjects that you forget about making your best images. Backgrounds and people will be your biggest challenges. Tripods are allowed everywhere, but signs advise photographers to be mindful of the other visitors. Put your lens right up to the birdcages so that the cages are so out of focus they can't be seen in your final photo. Avoid photographing the animals in dappled or spotty light (where parts of the animal are in shade and other parts in light). Like many zoos, the animals often are sleeping around corners where they are difficult to photograph so talk with trainers, docents and museum staff to see when they feed the animals. This is when they will be most active.

TIPS FOR SHOOTING THERE

You also have to practice your technique. For example, the hummingbirds move fast as lightening, so it's impossible to follow them to shoot. Instead, look where they roost or feed, set up your shot for the best background, and then patiently wait for the hummingbirds to return - they will. While the light is best both morning and afternoon, the animals are more active early in the day. Be careful to avoid the bright background where the mountain lion likes to perch. Note that the Desert Loop Trail, home to the javelina and coyote, is a relatively steep and hot trail.

You'll want a long telephoto lens in the range of 300-400 mm to frame the wildlife. An extension tube or telephoto/macro will allow for close focusing of the hummingbirds. For the full compliment of images, add a wide-angle lens for the few landscape shots and a macro lens for the cactus garden.
In addition to the birds and mammals, the Desert Museum has excellent reptile, invertebrates and underwater exhibits, as well as a mineral display. The light in these areas is inadequate for photography, however.

The heat of the desert makes it a difficult visit to the Desert Museum in summer. In October during my visit, the noonday heat was tolerable with a hat and sunglasses, but the temperatures were more comfortable during the early morning and late afternoon. One docent advised that April is the best time to visit for desert flowers, but she tells her friends to visit in March when it's cooler.

DIRECTIONS

For more information, check the website at www.desertmuseum.org, or call 520-883-1380. The address is 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ. To get there, take I-10 to the Speedway Boulevard exit and go west for about 10 miles. Note that Speedway Boulevard turns into Gates Pass Road along the way, and be sure to stop at the two scenic view turnouts there. Turn right at the dead end onto Kinney Road, and drive for three miles. The Desert Museum will be on your left. If you arrive via the Tucson airport, signs will direct you to the Desert Museum by way of Highway 86. I found this to be the longer and less efficient approach, but you see more of the beautiful Tucson Mountain Park this way. Also use this route if you are carrying a trailer, because the Gates Pass Road is steep and winding as it travels over a mountain pass.
The Desert Museum provides a tremendous abundance of wonderful photographic and educational opportunities in one place, and is worth many visits.

MISCELLANEOUS

Food: There are four food facilities on the Desert Museum property, ranging from a snack bar to casual fine-dining. No picnicking is allowed inside the property due to the presence of animals, but a small picnic area is available just outside the entrance. Additional large picnic areas are located throughout the Tucson Mountain Park, including the San Juan Carlos picnic area adjacent to the Desert Museum on Kinney Road.

Lodging: Since the Desert Museum is close to downtown Tucson, there are lots of places to rent a hotel room. Convenient hotels include the Four Points Sheraton Hotel (800-843-8052), the Marriott University Park Hotel (520-792-4100), and the Red Roof Inn (520-744-8199). The Gilbert Ray Campground (RV friendly) is located on Kinney Road about two miles southeast from the Desert Museum (take a right turn when leaving the Museum).

Other Necessities: Restrooms, shaded rest areas and water fountains are scattered conveniently throughout the Museum, including on the relatively long, hot Desert Loop Trail. The Museum has two gift shops stocked with a supply of batteries, film and other necessities. Bring a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen and comfortable, sturdy shoes. Pants will keep the cactus needles at bay, especially if you venture into the desert for that sunset shot. The closest gas station and convenience mart are located four miles southeast (a right turn from the Desert Museum exit) on Kinney Road.

Caution: The sun can be harsh and the air is dry. Drink lots of fluids. Also note that pets are not allowed in the park because of the wildlife, but do not leave them unattended in your car. Wildlife, including snakes, lizards and coyotes, can roam throughout the Museum's grounds.

Other Local Areas of Interest: The Saguaro National Park (http://www.nps.gov/sagu/), another significant member of the Sonora Desert, borders the Tucson Mountain Park. Famous for its giant saguaro cacti that sometime reach heights of 50 feet, the Park offers several hiking trails and scenic drives that provide access to great photo opportunities. The Old Tucson Studio, where many cowboy movies have been shot, is just southwest of the intersection of Gates Pass Road and Kinney Road. On your way to the Desert Museum via Speedway Boulevard, you will pass The Wildlife Museum, full of stuffed animals from around the world. A couple of visitors to the Desert Museum told me that the Colossal Cave located in Vail, Arizona (about an hour drive from Tucson), which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is a must see. www.colossalcave.com

--- ABOUT THE AUTHOR ---

Carolyn Wright is a professional photographer with an active portrait, event and nature photography business. Shooting for 25 years, her award-winning images have been used in books and corporate marketing materials. Her wildlife photos will be included in the upcoming book, "Captivating Wildlife - Images from the Top Ten Emerging Wildlife Photographers" by Scott Bourne and David Middleton. She also is working with Scott Bourne on "Wolfscapes," a photo book documenting the beauty and strength of wolves. Her wildlife images can be viewed at http://www.vividwildlife.com..On the faculty of Olympic Mountain School of Photography, Carolyn’s passion is enhanced when teaching photography. She enjoys writing and speaking on the subject, as well, and is a regular columnist for PhotoFocus, an online magazine for serious photographers.

Photography Has No Gender (By Carolyn Wright)

Women photographers are fortunate. Unlike other titles, photographer has no gender. Women photographers don’t have to force stilted language like “flight attendant” instead of “stewardess,” or “letter carrier” instead of “mailman.” “Photographer” doesn’t have the historical male/female titles such as “author” and “authoress,” or “actor” vs. “actress.” Women photographers may not even have to battle the associated gender that “doctors” or “nurses” do. Did you know that bank tellers always were men up until WWII because it was thought that women couldn’t handle money?

So when you visualize a photographer, is it a man or woman? It probably depends on your most recent contact with one. But when you look at a photograph, can you tell whether it was taken by a man or a woman? Probably not. So, at least on one side of the lens, it doesn’t make a difference that the photographer is a woman.

So why is it important to talk about women and photography? Because, according to a recent study conducted at the University of California at Irvine, women’s brains are different than men’s.

The study found that women have more “white matter” than men. White matter handles the connections of the brain’s processing centers. Men, on the other hand, have more “gray matter” than women. Gray matter controls the information processing centers in the brain. According to Rex Jung, a neuropsychologist and co-author of the study, “this may help to explain why men tend to excel in tasks requiring more local processing (like mathematics), while women tend to excel at integrating and assimilating information from distributed gray-matter regions in the brain, such as required for language facility.” Although different, the study found that both types of brain designs are “capable of producing equivalent intellectual performance.” http://today.uci.edu/news/release_detail.asp?key=1261

It therefore makes sense that when women think and learn about photography, and even when they take photos, their approach is different than men’s. What should women photographers do, then, with this information?

First, women should acknowledge and celebrate their differences. There is no right way to approach photography, as long as it works for you. Don’t try to imitate male photographers, and certainly don’t be uncomfortable with how you shoot. Second, study the work of women photographers who were pioneers, such as Imogen Cunningham and Dorothea Lange, as well as current women photographers such as Linde Waidhofer, Lisl Dennis and Joyce Tenneson. They may have created easier paths for you to follow.

Most important, you should look for support as a woman photographer. There are organizations that specifically serve the needs of women photographers. A primary example is “Women in Photography International.” Its mission is to promote the visibility of women photographers and their work through a variety of programs, exhibitions, juried competitions and publications.

Seek programs like that provided by the Professional Photographers of America (“P.P.A.”). It held its 2nd annual “Women in Photography Retreat” this past August. The purpose of the event was to “embark on an exciting journey of self-discovery . . . to forge new friendships, cultivate your strengths, and shape strategies for your personal, professional and creative development in a relaxing, stress free resort.”
You also should evaluate your situation. Does your local camera club involve you as a woman photographer? Do you get the support you need from your friends and family? You may have to make some careful choices about your associates if they don’t encourage your art.

Likewise, you should examine whether you are getting the photography instruction that you need. It doesn’t have to come from a woman for it to help you. Choose photography workshops that offer the opportunity to share the passion and inspiration with all photographic artists in a welcoming environment.
Finally, you should use your female advantage in photography. There are the obvious areas. You can be in the bride’s dressing room and you can make a connection with the crying baby. There are the less obvious items, too. You can “communicate” with the person who speaks a different language, connect with the wild animal or see the unique lines of the landscapes. Let your vision expand to its fullest, female state.

This is not to suggest that you become a ranting feminist photographer. The art of photography is to be cherished and appreciated, regardless of whether it is done by a woman or a man. The point is that photography has no gender. As a photographer, you should create superb images of enduring quality. The viewer won’t care who it came from. Don’t let any artificial designations get in your way. But you also should acknowledge, celebrate, explore and nourish your difference. You may be pleased with what you discover.

--- ABOUT THE AUTHOR ---

On the faculty of Olympic Mountain School of Photography, Carolyn’s passion is enhanced when teaching photography. She enjoys writing and speaking on the subject, as well, and is a regular columnist for PhotoFocus, an online magazine for serious photographers.

9 Tips For Taking Great Digital Photos (By Christopher Thomas)

Introduction

Modern cameras are highly automatic in operation. They have auto focus and auto exposure. The camera will focus on the subject - often identified by a small circle or square at the centre of the viewfinder - and calculate an appropriate exposure by detecting the level of reflected light - usually from the same spot. A slight pressure on the shutter release will activate those two functions, without taking a picture. Further pressure on the shutter release will result in a photo being taken.

1 Take care to Focus and Expose on the Subject of the Image

Imagine you are taking a picture of your girl friend against the background of an interesting harbour. Your girl friend is six feet away while the harbour is around 50 feet away. You position your girl friend carefully - she is important to you - at one side of the picture with an interesting view of the harbour in the distance. Now do you want to focus on the harbour - or your girl friend? Position the square or circle at the centre of the viewfinder over the spot that you want to focus on and correctly expose - take a slight pressure on the shutter release - and keep that pressure while you move the camera to frame the image you want to take - then, and only then, push the shutter release fully down and take the photo. If you want to have everything in focus - then see 7 Depth of Field.

2 Carefully Compose Your Shot

Before taking the picture take a careful last look through the viewfinder. Check the composition, and particularly that heads nd feet are included, and that all faces are visible in anything other the smallest of groups. With the camera taking care of focus and exposure - you have the time to concentrate on getting the composition perfect. Photographic amputation of limbs is unforgivable!

3 Set the Colour Balance Correctly on the Camera

Digital cameras have controls that allow the operator to set the nature of the lighting illuminating the subject. In general they will default to daylight, since shots are likely to be taken outdoors. On this setting, pictures taken indoors under artificial tungsten lighting will look yellow - they will have a yellow cast. Pictures taken under strip lighting will look green. Setting the camera appropriately will produce consistent balanced photographs. Look in the camera manual to see how to set the control - it is very easy. Flash guns produce a light, which is very similar in colour 'temperature' to that of daylight.

4 Don't Expect Too Much from the On Camera Flash

The on camera flash is designed for convenience when shooting a small group of people. It will not illuminate a hall. When
watching public events on the television it is somewhat surprising to see members of the audience in the Albert hall take a pocket camera out and shoot a picture with their flash. This is unlikely to be successful. Better to turn the sensitivity of the camera up - say to 800ASA - the 'film speed', or sensitivity. This might produce a better result. Do not confuse sensitivity of the camera with shutter speed. They are different. An on camera flash will illuminate only a short distance - as a guide pick up your cat firmly with two hands by the tail and swing it around at arms length - that is the sort of distance the flash will illuminate!

5 A Tripod is Essential for Long Distance Shots

Most modern digital cameras come with a zoom lens that can take both wide angle and telephoto shots. This is extremely useful. However remember that when the camera is on its furthest telephoto setting, camera shake will become a problem. If you are taking a telephoto shot and the camera chooses a slow to medium shutter speed, the result might be blurred due to the movement of your hands while taking the exposure. Use a tripod - all wildlife photographers use them. They are a pain to carry but improve quality by orders of magnitude.

6 Fast Moving Subject Require a Fast Shutter Speed

The shutter is that part of the camera which opens briefly to allow light to strike the sensitive surface of the detector to
produce an image. Fast moving object require extremely short shutter speeds in order to capture a crisp sharp image. Slower
shutter speeds will produce a blur as the object moves.
In general outdoor photography a shutter speed of 1/60th or 1/125th second will be acceptable. In contrast, shooting a formula one car in motion will require shutter speed of say 1/1000th of a second.

7 A little About Depth of Field

In days past, a photographer would measure the level of light at a location with a light meter and then calculate the best
combination of shutter speed and aperture to correctly expose the film. This is now done automatically by the camera. Aperture is the measure of how much light is passing through the lens. The lens has an iris, which can be 'stopped down' to reduce the amount of light passing through the lens. A fully open lens will pass the greatest amount of light - full aperture - but this also reduces the 'depth of field'. The depth of field is the band of distance over which the subject is in focus. In 1 above, with full aperture either your girl friend or the harbour is in
focus - but not both. By 'stopping down' the lens - reducing the aperture - both can be brought into focus. But as a consequence the amount of light passing through the lens is reduced. The length of time which the shutter is open will have to be increased to compensate.

8 When taking Landscapes Avoid Putting the Horizon Across the Centre of the Image

Drawing the picture horizon in the middle of the image simply looks naff. It divides the picture in to two and fails to engage the viewer. Best to concentrate on the sky or the foreground. Photograph a setting sun with red sky, or a rainbow with the horizon low in the picture. Or concentrate on the landscape and place the horizon high in the picture.

9 Be Aware of the Effects of Back Lighting

Let us go back to the example given in Hint 1. Imagine that in the picture of your girl friend in front of the harbour, the sun is setting, casting its golden rays across the sea and reflecting on the masts and other metal objects of the harbour
with white clouds illuminated red in the dying rays of the sun. An evocative and romantic shot. Taking the shot with the camera will result in a beautiful background but a black shadow of a girl friend! Now that might be appropriate should you have had a particularly bad day with her and it might correctly reflect the mood. However using the on camera flash to fill in the darkness - to illuminate her face and show her features might be more appropriate on a better day!

Christopher Thomas is both keen photographer and company director of Viewlink Ltd based in Amersham, Uk. The company focusses on digital photo developing for both amateur and commercial photographers. For more articles by Christopher Thomas please visit the company website at http://www.view-link.com

A New Way to Use Old Snapshots (By LeAnn R. Ralph)

If you're like me, you have hundreds of photographs sitting in envelopes. Pictures from birthday parties, weddings, family gatherings, anniversaries, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas. You have already put the best snapshots into albums and these are leftovers. You don't want to throw them away, but you also don't know what to do with them.

Instead of letting your snapshots take up space and contribute to the clutter in your home, use them to make collages (at a cost of less than $10 each) that you can give as Christmas gifts to family and friends. Here's how:

Assess your collection of pictures. Do you have several dozen of your spouse or significant other? Your parents? Your children? Grandparents? A friend? A beloved pet? Decide which person would like to receive these pictures and divide them into groups accordingly.
Buy a picture frame with glass (either 5x7 or 8x10) for each collage you are going to make. Department stores sometimes have sales on picture frames, and you can often purchase a suitable frame for $5 or less.
Cut a sheet of paper (use cardstock, 24# paper or light cardboard) to match the size of the opening on the picture frame.
Cut out the background of the pictures, leaving just the people (or pets). Cut out enough pictures to cover the sheet of paper.
Arrange the cut-out pictures on the paper. Mix and match and experiment. Try placing the pictures at different angles.
After you have an idea of how you would like to arrange the pictures, glue them to the paper. (Check the label to make sure that you can use the glue with photographs.) Cover the entire sheet of paper with pictures.
When the glue is dry, insert the paper into the frame.

Collages are not only a good way to use your old snapshots, but the recipients also will cherish them for years to come as a special and thoughtful gift.

About The Author

LeAnn R. Ralph is a freelance writer in Wisconsin, is the editor of the Wisconsin Regional Writer (the quarterly publication of the Wisconsin Regional Writers' Assoc.) and is the author of the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm) (August 2003; trade paperback) http://ruralroute2.com

bigpines@ruralroute2.com

How to Take Great Photos of Your Child (By Kelly Paal)

Children are naturally photogenic. Ive worked in studios and children are so easy to photograph. What I hear from parents is that they dont think that their kids are that easy to photograph. Thats only because they dont know some basic tips.

1. Young children especially infants take beautiful photos while they are asleep. Keep the light natural avoid flash if at all possible. Keep the image tight on the child and crop out distractions. For infants when theyre awake youre better off having another person in image, it gives the child someone to interact with and you can crop the shot to keep the other person out of the image or you can keep the adult and child in the photo.

2. Toddlers look best when they dont know that youre taking their photo. Candid shots are the way to go for this age group. Keep your camera handy and when they start doing something cute snap the photo quick. Remember your child doesnt have to be looking directly into the camera to take a great photo. Dont ever say to the toddler, Oh how cute, now look here. It wont happen.

3. Children ages 4 plus are really good at sitting for photos. But if youre going to dress them up make sure that they are comfortable and dont put them in some outfit they hate, it will show in the image. Crop tight on your subject, keep the light natural, and if youre using a toy to get their attention make sure that it makes them laugh and doesnt scare them. (I learned that lesson the hard way.)

4. Older children are really good at dressing up for photos. The hardest thing will be getting a natural smile from them. Say, cheese is a sure fire way to get a fake smile. Most of us learned young to smile automatically at that cue. Here you have to get silly. One time I was working with a young boy and his older sister. She was a natural smiler and loved being dressed up. He was not happy and kept pulling at his tie. His mother straightened it for the tenth time. I posed them and addressed the young boy I said, Now on the count of three I want you to say, I hate this tie! His sister smiled surprised at what I said, and he grinned. I took the photo. He then screamed, I hate this tie! Again both smiled wide and I took a second photo. The images turned out beautiful.

I hope these tips help you to take better photos of your child. With a little practice and a few tips youll see better family photos immediately.

If you have some specific questions please visit my Photography Forum at: http://kellypaalphotography.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/index.php and post your question there.