If you're like the vast majority of digital camera owners I talk to, you're one of the many that has a camera with features they don't use, or have forgotten how to use.
Nearly all of you (that I speak of) shoot in AUTO mode. You get decent photos most of the time, but sometimes you just know the shots could be better if only you had set this or that on your camera.
I'm not going to talk about all the bells and whitles your camera has here and when to use them. It is better to get to know them one at a time. You will remember what they do that way. What I do want you to do starting today is STOP USING AUTO.
That's right. Say good-bye to the AUTO setting and never use it again. Never you say? NEVER. There is a much better setting on your camera called PROGRAM.
PROGRAM is like AUTO on steroids. PROGRAM still does many of the things AUTO does, it just lets you do MORE! I want you to try putting your camera on PROGRAM and walk around the house taking a few shots. Notice anything? Probably not, unless it is dark indoors. We'll talk about that in one second.
That's the thing. PROGRAM still does auto metering, auto focusing, auto everything pretty much. What is didn't do was turn on the flash automatically. You now have that control. You decide when or when not to use flash, and flash is one of those tools that can make a huge difference to photos, but AUTO mode is not intelligent enough to know when to utilize flash best. You are.
Take outdoor shots for instance. I'll bet you have tons of photos of friends or family in a grouping with the sun shining down on their faces. There's nothing wrong with the shot but that darned sun can cause less than flattering shadows on peoples faces. If instead YOU "knew" that flash would fill in those shadows and create a fantastic shot and YOU decide to turn on the flash yourself. Wow! Perfect shot!
So, now that you have gone PROGRAM mode instead of AUTO, you have more control over a simple decision like the flash. You know best when to use flash, not the camera.
There's another great benefit of using PROGRAM mode and I'll soon write another article about that. In the meantime, give PROGRAM mode a try. You will be amazed by the results. If you aren't, you just haven't got the knack of it yet.
Learn and expand your photography skills, one by one.
Sabtu, 27 Mei 2006
Rabu, 24 Mei 2006
A Quick Review of SmugMug
By Richard McMillan
SmugMug, the online photo sharing service, has several outstanding features that have resulted in a faithful following; indeed it can be counted as among the best photo sharing services in the world.
SmugMug, the online photo sharing service, has several outstanding features that have resulted in a faithful following; indeed it can be counted as among the best photo sharing services in the world.
Users can upload an unlimited number of photos, there are no ads to distract while browsing the site, sharing and uploading is quick and efficient, and the site offers unlimited storage. The site does not offer a free membership upon furnishing credit card details. All the same, the website, www.smugmug.com offers a 7-day free trial that allows users to get a feel of its services.
One can avail the services of SmugMug via three account types – Standard, Power User, and Professional. A Standard account costs $ 39.95 and comes packed with a host of benefits that allow adding and sharing of photos with just a click, a URL for the individual, and photo enhancement tools among other facilities. A Power User account costs $ 59.95 per annum; it offers all the benefits of the standard account plus the facility of replacing the SmugMug header and footer with the customer’s own. A Professional account costs $ 149.95 per annum and allows users to trade in photos and make money.
One can upload photographs in more than one way with SmugMug. Windows users can drag and drop photos, photos can also be uploaded in batches for Windows and Mac users as well as by those who use Netscape and Linux. Video clips of up to 8 MB per clip can be uploaded and played in the gallery. Photos saved on SmugMug can be printed on a home printer; high quality gloss, matte, and luster prints in 26 different sizes can be ordered from SmugMug. Visitors to a user’s home page on SmugMug can browse the photos without having to provide their email address or create their own account.
SmugMug is particular about maintaining decorum as would befit a family site. Uploading and display of content displaying explicit nudity is prohibited. SmugMug has an efficient customer support system that includes a detailed Help page covering several topics, a user forum, and problem resolving via email.
Richard McMillan recommends you check out the SmugMug review.
Senin, 22 Mei 2006
Digital Camera Reviews To Help You Pick The Right Camera
"Planning to buy a new digital camera? Be sure that you are not misguided by the salesman in the electronics store you visit. A number of times people get misguided by the inevitable qualities described by the sales persons. So, you must be aware of certain things while buying the digital cameras. The best source to get informed on the essential features of digital cameras is reading the digital camera reviews.
The digital camera reviews inform you about the pros and cons of each and every make of these digital cameras. You can find the minutest details about each and every part of the digital camera via the reviews. It is advisable to read the reviews because they are unbiased. You will get to know the positive as well as negative points of the particular digital camera, if you go well through these reviews. It is obvious that no company would mark out the flaws in their products."
Wise words from a post over at the Tools and Gadgets.
The writer goes on to say-
"The internet is the best source to find out the most suitable camera according to your needs. You will find detailed reviews by eminent photographers there. These photographers are offered the camera for use to write a review. Also the editors of some most famous technology magazines put up their reviews after undergoing the trial of these cameras."
Minggu, 21 Mei 2006
Portrait Photography Tips
By Kenneth Hoffman
Portraits are not born, they are made. They are created in the mind of the artist from portions of the subject, experiences, lighting and composition. Some general parameters should be set early on.
A somber, serious mood is enhanced by dark background tones, contemplative expressions, loose low-toned clothing, and deep, but open shadows. A happy, carefree atmosphere is set more convincingly with light, airy background tones, piquant expressions, pastel casual clothing and soft, ubiquitous lighting.
Props should be kept to a minimum. Allowable is anything which will support the mood and which will not detract from the main subject. A high key portrait can be enhanced with a white wicker chair, a loose white flower arrangement out of focus in the background or a high-keyed landscape judiciously placed off center, blending with the other background tones. A large, dark sculptured bowl of red apples, a black poodle, or a dark-toned piece of furniture in the background would contrast too sharply with the generally light toned subject and background. Attention diverted to these items due to their strong intrusion in the composition is lost to the main subject and detracts from the ambiance.
Attention should be paid to the lines created by the subject and other components in the composition. Lines leading strongly out of the picture should be avoided. Rather use curves to bring the eye back to the main subject. Moveable items in the composition can be place to complete gap in a leading line so as to facilitate the eye in its movement around the work. Invisible paths of light can be created with the use of similar colors, a repeated pattern or item, or the play of light and shadow along an edge. Where possible choose components with care, preferring meaningful items which play a part in the life of the subject, rather than an object chosen solely for its shape and color. For instance, if the subject is a potter, choose an attractive urn instead of, say, an antique doll which has no place in the subject's interests.
The light that falls on the subject can be used to support the mood. Natural window light suggests an old master genre and the sharp golden rays of a small source of light created the highlights necessary for a mood with a positive spin. Any available light can create a beautiful portrait if the direction and ration of light to dark is controlled. Reflectors add light to a dark, shadowed area, scrims or shades can tone down a too-strong source. The direction or the main source of light should enhance the features by sending light into the eyes, outlining the jaw and cheek, and finding the proper areas to highlight. Additional highlights are supplied with back or side-back rays of light, as long as their effect does not invent unwanted facial highlights or block up needed detail. Pure rim lighting is fairly safe if used with care.
Forward planning a portrait gives the artist an important edge toward making a successful portrait. Proper clothing, location, time of day, weather and needed props go a long way in helping the artist concentrate on the critical tools present in the mind of the artist.
I search every face for strong and weak points.
Portraits are not born, they are made. They are created in the mind of the artist from portions of the subject, experiences, lighting and composition. Some general parameters should be set early on.
A somber, serious mood is enhanced by dark background tones, contemplative expressions, loose low-toned clothing, and deep, but open shadows. A happy, carefree atmosphere is set more convincingly with light, airy background tones, piquant expressions, pastel casual clothing and soft, ubiquitous lighting.
Props should be kept to a minimum. Allowable is anything which will support the mood and which will not detract from the main subject. A high key portrait can be enhanced with a white wicker chair, a loose white flower arrangement out of focus in the background or a high-keyed landscape judiciously placed off center, blending with the other background tones. A large, dark sculptured bowl of red apples, a black poodle, or a dark-toned piece of furniture in the background would contrast too sharply with the generally light toned subject and background. Attention diverted to these items due to their strong intrusion in the composition is lost to the main subject and detracts from the ambiance.
Attention should be paid to the lines created by the subject and other components in the composition. Lines leading strongly out of the picture should be avoided. Rather use curves to bring the eye back to the main subject. Moveable items in the composition can be place to complete gap in a leading line so as to facilitate the eye in its movement around the work. Invisible paths of light can be created with the use of similar colors, a repeated pattern or item, or the play of light and shadow along an edge. Where possible choose components with care, preferring meaningful items which play a part in the life of the subject, rather than an object chosen solely for its shape and color. For instance, if the subject is a potter, choose an attractive urn instead of, say, an antique doll which has no place in the subject's interests.
The light that falls on the subject can be used to support the mood. Natural window light suggests an old master genre and the sharp golden rays of a small source of light created the highlights necessary for a mood with a positive spin. Any available light can create a beautiful portrait if the direction and ration of light to dark is controlled. Reflectors add light to a dark, shadowed area, scrims or shades can tone down a too-strong source. The direction or the main source of light should enhance the features by sending light into the eyes, outlining the jaw and cheek, and finding the proper areas to highlight. Additional highlights are supplied with back or side-back rays of light, as long as their effect does not invent unwanted facial highlights or block up needed detail. Pure rim lighting is fairly safe if used with care.
Forward planning a portrait gives the artist an important edge toward making a successful portrait. Proper clothing, location, time of day, weather and needed props go a long way in helping the artist concentrate on the critical tools present in the mind of the artist.
I search every face for strong and weak points.
Things You Should Know Before Buying Discount Cameras
by Nicky Pilkington
Taking photographs has always been considered an enjoyable pastime. Photography is one of the best ways to capture a moment in time. It seems now the world has become obsessed with taking pictures. Everywhere you look there are advertisements for cameras. Probably one of the most significant innovations in the Digital Age has been the digital camera. At one time these cameras had one thing in common with their non-digital counterparts--an expensive price tag. In recent years the cost of digital cameras has dropped considerably; so much so that you can easily purchase a digital camera for less than $200. To find the best deal you will need to do some comparison-shopping. By arming yourself with some information about digital cameras, you will better prepare yourself for buying discount cameras.
As most of the innovations in digital technology, digital cameras are considered more complex than they really are. When you shop for discount cameras, price should not be your only guide. It is a good idea to understand some of the basic features of digital cameras so that you can effectively compare the various models available on the market.
If you're interested in buying discount cameras, you undoubtedly are familiar with at least one buzzword associated with digital cameras: megapixel. Megapixel, which refers to the number of pixels per one million or how fine an image's resolution is, is important to consider when buying discount cameras because megapixel directly relates to the image quality you are able to obtain. When you shop for discount cameras you will notice that there are a wide range of megapixels. At one time, a digital camera with 1.3 megapixel was standard and a camera with 5.0 megapixels was considered top-shelf. With the recent introduction of digital cameras with 9.0 megapixels, the standard in megapixels is changing.
Buying a digital camera with the highest number of megapixels is not necessarily the best method of selecting a digital camera. Since megapixels relate to an image's resolution, you should first determine your plans for the digital camera. If you want simply to take images for personal use, a median number of megapixels such as 3.5 may be sufficient. If on the other hand you intend to enlarge and crop images, you may want to shop for digital cameras with a higher number of megapixels.
The number of megapixels that a camera uses is the primary selling point for digital cameras. However, it is the additional features that will have the greatest effect on price. Optional features that you may want to consider include video recording capabilities, an optical zoom lens, and a histogram. Most cameras include a zoom lens, but it is usually a digital zoom lens. This type of lens only appears to enlarge the image. An optical zoom lens is an ideal option if you will use your digital camera to shoot distant objects. Creating a digital movie is another popular option. If you want a digital camera with this feature, be sure to note the maximum recording time. A handy feature that is not used often, but is very handy if you are serious about digital photography is histogram. Once you snap an image you can use the histogram option to analyze the exposure. If an image is too bright or too dark you can reshoot the image.
You should be aware of the five distinct types of digital cameras available:
* Compacts. Simple to use and inexpensive (around $150 to $300), these are best for everyday shooting situations. As a consequence of their simplicity, however, they may have limited manual controls for exposure and composition. Models from our tests whose combination of low price and high performance qualify them as CR Best Buys are the top-rated Canon PowerShot A510 (3 megapixels; $180), the Kodak EasyShare CX7430 (4 megapixels; $180), and the Olympus D-580 Zoom (4 megapixels; $160). The Canon has manual controls and a 4x zoom lens. The Kodak and Olympus have 3x zooms and longer battery life.
* Subcompacts. Their small size and light weight let you carry these anywhere, although that smallness may make them awkward to operate. Expect to pay from $200 to $350. We like the Canon PowerShot SD300 (4 megapixels; $310), the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-L1 (4 megapixels; $240), and the Nikon Coolpix 7900 (7 megapixels; $350). All have a 3x zoom and all lack manual controls.
* Advanced compacts. These have versatile controls, long zoom ranges, and can store a shot as a "RAW" image -- preserving the original data the sensor captured, eliminating any undesirable effects of the camera's built-in processing. Cost: $300 to $600. The Fujifilm FinePix E550 (6 megapixels; $300) and the bulky Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom (7 pixels; $390) have 4x zoom lenses. The Canon Powershot S60 (5 megapixels; $360) has a 3.6x lens.
* Super zooms. Larger, bulkier, heavier, and -- at $250 to $450 -- costlier than most compact models, these have a very long zoom range with powerful telephoto settings. They're a good choice for travel, nature and sports photography. Our choices are the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 (5 megapixels; $420), the Olympus C-765 Ultra Zoom (4 megapixels; $270), and the Canon PowerShot S1IS (3 megapixels; $270). The Olympus and Canon have 10x zooms; the Panasonic, 12x.
* SLRs. Serious photographers who want more control over their images than most point-and-shoots provide have that option in single-lens-reflex (SLR) digital cameras. These accept interchangeable lenses, and lack or minimize some of the shortcomings of point-and-shoots. (For example: Shutter lag, the delay between the time you trip the shutter and when the camera takes the picture, is almost nonexistent in SLRs. In other digital cameras, the lag is about 1 second.) Expect to pay $900 to $1,500 for these big, heavy models. We like the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT (8 megapixels; $1,000) for its near-professional power and controls. It comes with an 18mm-55mm zoom lens, and at 27 ounces is the lightest of the SLRs we tested.
Taking photographs has always been considered an enjoyable pastime. Photography is one of the best ways to capture a moment in time. It seems now the world has become obsessed with taking pictures. Everywhere you look there are advertisements for cameras. Probably one of the most significant innovations in the Digital Age has been the digital camera. At one time these cameras had one thing in common with their non-digital counterparts--an expensive price tag. In recent years the cost of digital cameras has dropped considerably; so much so that you can easily purchase a digital camera for less than $200. To find the best deal you will need to do some comparison-shopping. By arming yourself with some information about digital cameras, you will better prepare yourself for buying discount cameras.
As most of the innovations in digital technology, digital cameras are considered more complex than they really are. When you shop for discount cameras, price should not be your only guide. It is a good idea to understand some of the basic features of digital cameras so that you can effectively compare the various models available on the market.
If you're interested in buying discount cameras, you undoubtedly are familiar with at least one buzzword associated with digital cameras: megapixel. Megapixel, which refers to the number of pixels per one million or how fine an image's resolution is, is important to consider when buying discount cameras because megapixel directly relates to the image quality you are able to obtain. When you shop for discount cameras you will notice that there are a wide range of megapixels. At one time, a digital camera with 1.3 megapixel was standard and a camera with 5.0 megapixels was considered top-shelf. With the recent introduction of digital cameras with 9.0 megapixels, the standard in megapixels is changing.
Buying a digital camera with the highest number of megapixels is not necessarily the best method of selecting a digital camera. Since megapixels relate to an image's resolution, you should first determine your plans for the digital camera. If you want simply to take images for personal use, a median number of megapixels such as 3.5 may be sufficient. If on the other hand you intend to enlarge and crop images, you may want to shop for digital cameras with a higher number of megapixels.
The number of megapixels that a camera uses is the primary selling point for digital cameras. However, it is the additional features that will have the greatest effect on price. Optional features that you may want to consider include video recording capabilities, an optical zoom lens, and a histogram. Most cameras include a zoom lens, but it is usually a digital zoom lens. This type of lens only appears to enlarge the image. An optical zoom lens is an ideal option if you will use your digital camera to shoot distant objects. Creating a digital movie is another popular option. If you want a digital camera with this feature, be sure to note the maximum recording time. A handy feature that is not used often, but is very handy if you are serious about digital photography is histogram. Once you snap an image you can use the histogram option to analyze the exposure. If an image is too bright or too dark you can reshoot the image.
You should be aware of the five distinct types of digital cameras available:
* Compacts. Simple to use and inexpensive (around $150 to $300), these are best for everyday shooting situations. As a consequence of their simplicity, however, they may have limited manual controls for exposure and composition. Models from our tests whose combination of low price and high performance qualify them as CR Best Buys are the top-rated Canon PowerShot A510 (3 megapixels; $180), the Kodak EasyShare CX7430 (4 megapixels; $180), and the Olympus D-580 Zoom (4 megapixels; $160). The Canon has manual controls and a 4x zoom lens. The Kodak and Olympus have 3x zooms and longer battery life.
* Subcompacts. Their small size and light weight let you carry these anywhere, although that smallness may make them awkward to operate. Expect to pay from $200 to $350. We like the Canon PowerShot SD300 (4 megapixels; $310), the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-L1 (4 megapixels; $240), and the Nikon Coolpix 7900 (7 megapixels; $350). All have a 3x zoom and all lack manual controls.
* Advanced compacts. These have versatile controls, long zoom ranges, and can store a shot as a "RAW" image -- preserving the original data the sensor captured, eliminating any undesirable effects of the camera's built-in processing. Cost: $300 to $600. The Fujifilm FinePix E550 (6 megapixels; $300) and the bulky Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom (7 pixels; $390) have 4x zoom lenses. The Canon Powershot S60 (5 megapixels; $360) has a 3.6x lens.
* Super zooms. Larger, bulkier, heavier, and -- at $250 to $450 -- costlier than most compact models, these have a very long zoom range with powerful telephoto settings. They're a good choice for travel, nature and sports photography. Our choices are the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 (5 megapixels; $420), the Olympus C-765 Ultra Zoom (4 megapixels; $270), and the Canon PowerShot S1IS (3 megapixels; $270). The Olympus and Canon have 10x zooms; the Panasonic, 12x.
* SLRs. Serious photographers who want more control over their images than most point-and-shoots provide have that option in single-lens-reflex (SLR) digital cameras. These accept interchangeable lenses, and lack or minimize some of the shortcomings of point-and-shoots. (For example: Shutter lag, the delay between the time you trip the shutter and when the camera takes the picture, is almost nonexistent in SLRs. In other digital cameras, the lag is about 1 second.) Expect to pay $900 to $1,500 for these big, heavy models. We like the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT (8 megapixels; $1,000) for its near-professional power and controls. It comes with an 18mm-55mm zoom lens, and at 27 ounces is the lightest of the SLRs we tested.
Black and White Photographs
I love old black and white movies. Films like Casablanca or Citizen Kane just wouldn't be the same had they been made in colour. These films were black and white because that was the level of technology of those times. But when you stand back and look at these films you can see that because the colour is stripped away they have in a sense become timeless and when viewed there is always something a bit special and different about them.
The same is true of a black and white photograph. A black and white photograph of an old wrinkly woman sitting by her doorstep is timeless, powerful and extremely though provoking. A picture of an old building or a city view in black and white has the same affect. Without colour you tend to look more closely at the subject and see a level of detail and arguably emotion that you may never spot with full colour. As mentioned before depending on the subject a black and white piece of art is essentially timeless.
Nostalgia is time and again the word expressed when these images are viewed. This is why so many people opt for black and white photographs within the home.
Sabtu, 20 Mei 2006
Set yourself an artistic assignment by photographing nature
By Kenneth Hoffman
Repetition is a warm, comfortable feeling that catches the eye and when interrupted, serves as a foil to bring attention to your main subject. When you are out looking for good pictures to take, let you eye roam the field, and to search out patterns that can be used to highlight your main subject of interest. On your left two children climb on the monkey bars, on your right is a wall covered with climbing ivy. A judicious move to the other side of the monkey bars brings the ivy behind the action and a telephoto lens fills your view finder with happy faces against a waterfall of green leaves. Get the picture?
City environments supply the photographer with many choice patterns. A board construction wall, shadow stripes on the sidewalk, ripples in a puddle, or evenly spaced clouds marching across the sky are possible backgrounds for a myriad of subjects. All it takes is a receptive mind, a stick-to-it attitude, and careful cropping in the camera.
Patterns themselves, when juxtaposed interestingly, make good compositions, vying for a place in the modern art world. Some repetitions are recognized only with a macro lens. In nature, petals, leaves, bark and corrugated sand shapes show beautiful designs when viewed at a distance of a few inches. Interrupting features could be insect, a cocoon, an odd pebble or a reflection in a drop of water. If an interesting pattern pops up on your travels, don’t be afraid to record it for a future combination with other images. The digital age is here and you can be part of it. Happy shooting!
I am now preparing for my third art exhibit.
Repetition is a warm, comfortable feeling that catches the eye and when interrupted, serves as a foil to bring attention to your main subject. When you are out looking for good pictures to take, let you eye roam the field, and to search out patterns that can be used to highlight your main subject of interest. On your left two children climb on the monkey bars, on your right is a wall covered with climbing ivy. A judicious move to the other side of the monkey bars brings the ivy behind the action and a telephoto lens fills your view finder with happy faces against a waterfall of green leaves. Get the picture?
City environments supply the photographer with many choice patterns. A board construction wall, shadow stripes on the sidewalk, ripples in a puddle, or evenly spaced clouds marching across the sky are possible backgrounds for a myriad of subjects. All it takes is a receptive mind, a stick-to-it attitude, and careful cropping in the camera.
Patterns themselves, when juxtaposed interestingly, make good compositions, vying for a place in the modern art world. Some repetitions are recognized only with a macro lens. In nature, petals, leaves, bark and corrugated sand shapes show beautiful designs when viewed at a distance of a few inches. Interrupting features could be insect, a cocoon, an odd pebble or a reflection in a drop of water. If an interesting pattern pops up on your travels, don’t be afraid to record it for a future combination with other images. The digital age is here and you can be part of it. Happy shooting!
I am now preparing for my third art exhibit.
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