Digital Photography - 10 Ways to Improve Your Photographs

1. Aperture - The aperture is a controllable hole in the lens diaphragm. A large aperture lets a lot of light into the camera through the lens. This also makes the depth of field (the area of the frame that is in sharp focus) smaller. A small aperture allows less light into the camera through the lens and makes the depth of field larger. Aperture is measured in f/numbers.

2. Depth of Field - The depth of field relates to the area of the frame that is in sharp focus. Use a small depth of field to isolate your subject and blur the background. To do this focus on your subject and allow the background to drift out of focus. Use a larger depth of field to keep the entire frame sharp. To do this you will need to use a tripod because a slow shutter speed is required to avoid camera shake.

3. Shutter Speed - The shutter is a device that opens and closes when you press the shutter button to take a photograph. A fast shutter speed lets a small amount of light into the camera. A slow shutter speed allows more light into the camera. Shutter speed is measured in fractions of seconds.

4. Camera Shake - At slow shutter speed camera shake will make your photography blurred. To prevent camera shake use a faster shutter speed or use a tripod to support the camera. Landscape and Macro photography often requires the use of small apertures. Use a remote switch to prevent the camera moving when you operate the shutter.

5. ISO - The ISO setting on a digital camera is used to alter the sensitivity of the sensor. This allows the camera to work with faster shutter speeds without changing the aperture or using the flash. This can be very useful when you are in a situation where flash photography is not allowed. Using a high ISO will add noise (small speckles) to the image.

6. Exposure - To get the correct exposure you will need to use a combination of shutter speed and aperture appropriate for the conditions. If there is not much light available use a slower shutter speed and/or a large aperture, deploy the flash or increase the ISO. A dedicated flash gun will help to get consistently realistic exposure. Use the cameras histogram feature to check the exposure if available. This is more reliable than using the LCD screen on the back of the camera.

7. Composition - Look through the cameras view finder or use the LCD preview screen to see the composition of your subject. If you subject is moving allow some room in the frame for it to move into. Make use of lines to lead the eye towards your subject. Eliminate clutter and unwanted objects from the frame by adjusting the composition. Take the photograph from several angles and heights to give different perspectives of the subject.

8. Sunlight - Avoid taking photographs directly into sunlight. This leads to the dreaded silhouette effect that will cast your subject into a dark shadow. In most situations It is better to have the sunlight falling over your left shoulder. If you are uncertain experiment by taking the photograph from various different positions to get the best out of the light source.

9. Collections - A lonely subject does not always have much impact. A collection of similar subjects all shown as a group adds much more interest. Imagine a solitary photograph of a steam iron! A little bit bland on its own. In a collection of photographs of other steam irons going back in time through each decade would make the image more interesting. A collection of similar subjects put together in a group is a great way to display your photographs.

10. Lighting - Photography is essentially about manipulating light. Learn to understand how different lighting will affect your photography. Think about different ways of incorporating reflections into your photographs. Consider using ambient light, artificial light, and shadows in your photography.

Child Photography at Its Best! Use Your Imagination

Most times, the average mom or dad opts for professional photographers when it comes to taking pictures. And these are good options. But for really extra-interesting photos, ones that take more than one "sitting", candid photos are best.

One of the best and most important things that you will ever learn about child photography is this: Let the child get dirty. We have all seen the photos of those spotless children who look like paid actors. Now, let your light shine and let those eyes shine. Let the kids get dirty. No one has to be perfect and no one has to be spotless.

Some of the best child-photography you will see are those pictures where the children are just being children.

This means, you take pictures of the child when they are happy, sad, when they are simply living life in their own way. Take pictures going to the doctor's office. Take more pictures inside the waiting room and in the second waiting room. Take pictures on the way to parades, at parades and in between the parades, in and out of costume, day and night. Just take pictures. The more pictures that you take the better chance you have of getting a winner. A winner is one picture that you just look at and go, ahhhh, what a beautiful picture. And that does not mean that the subject is perfect or fixed. But the beauty that I am speaking of is the beauty of something natural. And natural can be a child eating a peanut-butter sandwich and getting peanut butter and jelly all over their face, their hands and their clothing. Now that is a beautiful, natural picture, yet not many photo albums have that winner in there.

Everyone is so caught up in having everything perfect that they forget that natural is the most perfect that you can be or get. Be natural and let everyone else be natural. As I look through photo albums and see everyone dressed nice and behaving perfectly for the camera, the one picture that I prize the most is one of three children in a photo, one child has the watermelon, and the other two looking on, as all three got splashed with the watermelon juice as one child smashed his hand, accidentally into the big, juicy melon. Splattt! All the watermelon went up in the air and splashed everyone around. That is sheer perfection of being natural. And the look on everyone's face-joy, humor, fun, laughter.

So, get out the ice cream, and the watermelon; bring the cookies out and the little birds and insects, and everything else that is naturally joyful. And take the camera along. Take pictures at the picnics, and take pictures everywhere else that you never thought you should take pictures at.

So, let's get those kids dirty. Put those wash clothes away and start snapping pictures of what children really do look like.

How to Start Your Own Wedding Photography Business

Wedding Photography is one the hardest areas of photography, if not the hardest of all. If you are already a photographer, understand about composition, light, Photoshop, and you own enough equipment to start adventuring into shooting Weddings, here are some tips to how you could start your own Wedding Photography Business.

1- The Right Equipment

First, let's check a list of equipment that you need for the job;

- Digital SLR Camera
- Zoom Lens
- Memory Card
- Shoe Mount Flash
- Battery for the Camera
- Battery for the Flash
- Tripod
- Computer
- Photoshop

All these equipment are very basic and you should consider having a backup for each one of them. It is very common, in digital photography, when something goes wrong with the equipment. You could also invest in some little more advanced equipment like; Top of the line cameras, lenses, strobes, Radio Slave Transmitters, Radio Slave Receivers and etc.

2- The Right Start

You probably want to go out and start shooting weddings and make a lot of money as soon as possible. Most of the beginners want to do that, but first you will need to learn the basics of this specific business.

Wedding Photography could be a good way to make some money, but as everything else, you should be a Wedding Photographer because you love to help people to preserve the memory of the most important day of their lives, and not just because you want their money.

As I mentioned before in one of my other articles, Wedding Photography is not just to have your camera and start shooting the wedding. Wedding Photography is an art and you should learn this art from someone that can teach and inspire you to be a better photographer.

Here are some places to start;

- Wedding Photography Conventions
- Wedding Photography Seminars
- Wedding Photography Workshops
- Wedding Photography Coaches
- Photography Associations

One of the best places to start with your Wedding Photography Business is offering yourself to help some experienced Wedding Photographer as his/her assistant. This would give you the experience that you need, and you wouldn't have the responsibility or the stress of shooting the wedding by yourself. This is so important that I would recommend you to go out and find a Photographer that you like his/her style and offer yourself to be his/her assistant, even if there is no money involved.

After a while helping few different photographers, you would be shooting few weddings as the photographer's "Second Shooter". When you get confidence and experience enough you would be ready to start your own Wedding Photography Business, and who knows, somebody else would be asking you to be your assistant.

Learn SLR Photography and Dump That Point and Shoot

Learn SLR photography and dump that digital point and shoot camera. Why? Because SLR and DSLR (digital SLRs) cameras gives you a much more powerful creative tool then those silly digital point and shoot cameras. SLR stands for single lens reflex and it was the most popular camera viewing system until the arrival of the digital camera in the 1990s. The SLR's preview system has been overshadowed by the live LCD preview screen on point and shoot digital cameras. However, SLR is still the most popular camera with professional photographers because the clarity and shadow detail is much better than that of the LCD preview screen. And because it gives you total artistic and technical freedom that you just can't get with a digital point and shoot.

People who want to become professional photographers learn SLR photography because it gives them much greater control over shooting then digital point-and-shoot cameras. SLRs are far superior in their ability to focus in low light, and there is no lag time between clicking the shoot button and the image capture, something that many people find frustrating with point and shoots. And then there is the wait time between taking the photo and being able to take the next one. As a professional photographer who uses a point and shoot once in awhile, I am always irritated about losing great moments because I had to wait for the camera to recharge.

Yes, digital point and shoot cameras are convenient and compact, but nothing beats an SLR camera in its ability to take beautiful, professional looking photos. You can use a wide variety of lenses on an SLR camera. A macro lens will let you shoot close ups of flowers, insects, jewelry and so forth. While using a wide angle lens will capture funny photos of your pets (those cute and funny photographs of big nosed, small bodies animals are done with wide angle lenses). And a long lens is great for portraits and sports shooting.

When you learn SLR photography you are learning a skill that you can use to create gorgeous professional looking photos of family and friends, and even start a career with. Yes, point and shoot cameras are convenient, but SLR cameras are very easy to use once you understand how they work. And the rewards of creating professional quality, beautiful images far outweigh the benefits of those silly point and shoot cameras.

If you decide to learn SLR photography and upgrade to an SLR camera, the Nikon D3000 DSLR Digital SLR Camera is the one to choose. It is smart enough to help you get professional looking photos and teach you how to become a better photographer. This smart camera can ask you what kind of photo you want and then adjust its settings to capture it. Users don't need to know anything about photography to get professional photographs.

The Nikon D3000 DSLR Digital SLR Camera is Nikon's newest entry level camera for people who want to upgrade from their point and shoot cameras. Its in-camera Guide Mode it actually teaches users about aperture, shutter speed, infinity and all that other technical stuff.

You will be thrilled with what this camera can teach you, and it will repay you for many years to come with professional quality photos of your family and friends. Truly the best starter camera on the market today. To learn more about the Nikon D3000 DSLR Digital SLR Camera and how it can help you learn SLR photography click here now.

H mart Weekly Ad Great Discount and Shopping in H mart

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He constructed a primary H mart department shop.  This department store sells broad assortment of merchandise.  A number of them are electronic equipment, accessories, bedding, furniture, and clothes.  These products are provided in discount on vacations and dates.  If you store the product you may get around 70 percent off discount.  To find out reduction and promotion, H mart Revenue Advertisement This Month must be viewed by you.

As a wise shopper, assessing that advertisement is essential.  Regarding H mart pricing, you can find out a lot of things with this ad.  Consequently, you'll have the ability to decide on the best product to purchase to be able to find the best bargain.  Checking this out advertisement will also allow you to compare H mart cost with another dept. shop.  You have to visit its store when you discovered the best price in H mart advertisement.  You'll have to find in case it occurs.  

Better Photographer Education - How to Put Pizzazz Into Your Photos!

Anyone can take a photograph! But, not everyone can produce a photo anyone wants to look at! If you fall into this latter category, here is where you will want to start your photographer education and learn to put some pizzazz into your photos.

The first major hurdle in getting top notch photography is the camera!

I hate to say it, but you'll need to dig through your junk drawers and find your camera's manual. Then, read it...with camera in hand and make sure you understand everything in it!

Bear Bryant, the famous American football coach achieved the status as being one of the winningest coaches of all time by starting each seasons first practice by holding up a football and saying "This is a football."

In other words, even though he was coaching some of the most brilliant players in the world, he started every season by going back to the basics.

If you truly want to master your camera, start with the basics and read the manual...from cover to cover, until you totally understand it. Then re-read it at least once every year.

Yes, I know it is written by people whose first language is geek...yes I know it's dry and boring...yes it's worth the effort. I've been a professional photographer for 19 years and I re-read my camera manual every January 1st. I wouldn't even consider not doing it.

Next, keep in mind that photography is all about light. Study it.

Get yourself two flashlights and 2 willing helpers. Leave your camera in the bag, this is just a study of light.

Have one helper/model sitting on a chair in a darkened room. Give one of the flashlights to the other assistant. You stay at the imaginary camera location.

Have your helper turn on the flashlight and hold it at the models eye level, at the camera location. Observe the light. And, just as importantly, observe the shadows.

Have your helper raise the light higher, and drop it down lower. Observe what changes there are on the models face.

Then have your helper move about 45 degrees left and right of camera position. Have them raise and lower the light.

Have them move behind the subject and do the same thing. What changed? These experiments are all an exercise in seeing what happens when you use a one light setup.

Now, turn on the second flashlight and you hold it at camera position while your helper goes through the same series of tests - now you have a two light setup. What changes?

Seems odd...but these two simple little bits of photographer education will immediately improve your technical savvy as well as your photo "eye" and will show immediate results in your photography!

Warning! It is easy to dismiss these steps and not do them...that would be a huge mistake and will set you back on the learning curve to amazing photography.

Warning! It is easy to dismiss these steps and not do them...that would be a huge mistake and will set you back on the learning curve to amazing photography.

Starting a Wedding Photography Business

Anyone who wants to make money from photography would do well to consider a wedding photography business. Unlike many businesses that you can start, a wedding photography business requires a minimum of preparation. It does require, of course, photography skills and the right equipment.

Preparing for your Business

Although a low budget camera costing around $50 is adequate for some photography tasks, it will not fit the bill for wedding photography. Your best choice would be a digital SLR camera. SLR stands for single-reflux- lens. A digital SLR camera, according to Wikipedia, is a digital camera that uses a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the camera's back. Many professionals prefer SLR cameras for good reason: these cameras have the ability to work with an array of special lenses, plus they provide an reliable preview of framing close to the time you snap the shutter.

While an SLR camera is the ideal, you might get by initially with a good quality camera costing about $200 (in the US). In all likelihood, you will recover this expenditure after you have worked at a couple of weddings. Since the camera is a necessary investment in your business, you can no doubt claim it as a tax credit come income tax time. Discuss this with your accountant to be sure you are claiming everything possible.

Once you acquire your camera, it goes without saying that you will need to learn to use it well. Many excellent books and guide are available. You would also be wise to seek out a guide that stresses how to take photographs of people in different situations and in different lighting.

Marketing Your Wedding Photography Business

Like any business, having the equipment and the skills is only the beginning. The next step is marketing yourself so people know you are setting up shop and they are interested in using your services. It is helpful if you have a portfolio. To this end, you might want to volunteer your photography services at the wedding of a friend or family member, if possible. Another idea is to locate a professional wedding photographer and inquire about work as an assistant. You will gain valuable experience this way and will gain an understanding of the intricacies of photographing a wedding.

When you are ready to work independently, begin promoting yourself by word of mouth. Tell your network of people what you are planning and ask them to pass your name out. Get some business cards printed and pass these out the people you know. If money is scarce, you can order 250 free business cards online from Vistaprint.

Promote your business online as well. Remember to use social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. This is a fast, easy and free way to get the word out.

If you have the cash, consider placing an advertisement in a local newspaper. You might consider using Google AdWords advertising service to focus specifically on keyword searches in your community. You may have heard that Google AdWords is ridiculously expensive, and yes, it can be. However, you can instruct AdWords to serve your ads only when the searcher is from your home town and is using a specific keyword, such as "wedding photographer". This narrows the field considerably while targeting your traffic. You are likely to spend a minimal amount if you target appropriately.

Become Skilled at Posing Shots

With wedding photography, many of the pictures you take will be ones in which the subjects are posed. While all pictures you take at a wedding are important, perhaps the most valued ones are those that are taken after the ceremony. At this time, the wedding party and family members pose for the pictures that will be framed and treasured for years to come. These pictures are critical. You must ensure that you have an excellent understanding of lighting and how to photograph in different kinds of light. Otherwise, you risk having a disappointed and angry client.

When you are photographing the wedding reception, expect to be rushed off your feet. You must remember to photograph the complete dance floor and take multiple photographs of all guests and of the wedding party.

The Secret to Taking Candid Shots

Candid shots are an excellent addition to a catalogue of posed shots. These shots are particularly valuable because they capture the event's overall atmosphere and tone. However, the secret to taking candid shots is to photograph from a distance. Some people become annoyed if photographed up close and personal without giving permission. Annoying the guests is not something you want to do, so be sure to stay back. If necessary, you can use the telephoto lens or telephoto feature on your camera.

Understanding Prints

You will be charging a standard fee for photographing the wedding. Find out what is considered appropriate in your community and base your fee accordingly. However, you can also make extra revenue by selling prints with cardboard frames. There are various ways to approach this, but one popular method is to provide wedding guests with your business card containing your web site address. Within a day or two of the wedding, you upload the photos to your web site. The wedding guests will visit your site to view the photos. Provide an order form so people can order prints, which many will do on an impulse. Be sure to upload pictures with low resolution and with smaller sizes. Do this to discourage people from printing the images out directly.

Remembering Your People Skills

Remember that weddings and wedding planning are high stress occasions for the bridal party and the family. Expect nerves to be on edge and people to be emotional and perhaps even unreasonable. Part of your role as wedding photographer is knowing how to deal diplomatically with these situations when they arise.

Keep these issues in mind and you will be on the way to starting a good wedding photography business.

Digital Photography Basics - What is Aliasing?

If there's one thing that digital photography has no shortage of, it's confusing vocabulary words. Aliasing, which is a common word in the world of digital everything (video games, CGI, photography), is one of those words that everyone has heard, but may not quite understand. And the anti-aliasing feature found on many digital cameras doesn't do much to explain why you should use it. Not to worry though, for anti-aliasing is no where near as complicated as it may sound.

The Basics About Pixels

Most digital images are made up of square units known as pixels. If you take any of your digital photographs and zoom in a few times, you will notice that the closer you get, the more blocky the image appears. This blocky appearance is the result of the individual pixels becoming more pronounced as the digital image is increased in size.

Your camera's resolution is directly related to the number of individual pixels it can capture in a given frame as is often referred to as the mega pixel value. The higher the resolution, the more pixels you get. The more pixels you have, the smoother the lines in your image. For example, think of a staircase where it looks blocky up close but as you move further away it looks more like a diagonal line. This is how pixels work to create shapes in an image.

The Basics About Aliasing

When you look at your image and see the pixels that make up the edges of round or diagonal lines this is aliasing. When you see this pixels drawn rigidly and in only one color, the lines will look more noticeable and jagged. This may not be immediately visible if the pixel is surrounded by others of a similar color, but as the colors increase in contrast, the pixel will increase in visibility.

Aliasing is not usually obvious unless an image has been taken at a very low resolution. Most modern digital cameras shoot at resolutions that make aliasing nearly unnoticeable to the naked eye, however it is easy to spot once these images have been blown up from their original size. Unfortunately, no matter how good the camera is, all digital cameras have some degree of aliasing.

So What is Anti-Aliasing?

Anti-aliasing allows the colors at the edge of pixels to bleed into one another, creating a sort of blurred effect. It may sound counterintuitive, but blurring the edges of each individual pixel will result in sharper images with smoother lines and more natural color differentiation.

As an experiment, try taking one of your digital photographs and dramatically reducing it in size. This will cause the lines of objects in the pictures to look smoother as the size of the picture decreases in size. As the pixels in the image shrink, they become less visible to the naked eye. This is a similar effect to anti-aliasing - slightly blurring each pixel makes it stand out less and blend more smoothly into the image.

Most good digital cameras will come with a built in anti-aliasing feature so your pictures won't have the "blocky" look. Anti-aliasing will make your photographs look more natural and will help to offset any loss of quality caused by a lower resolution camera or setting. Although it is always good idea to shoot at the highest resolution possible, anti-aliasing will help to make sure your images look great.

Although you may not have realized how important anti-aliasing was before, once you understand the impact on your pictures you won't want to shoot without it. Jagged lines are one of the major downfalls to digital imagery, and anti-aliasing helps to bridge the gap between ultra-high-resolution cameras and equipment that falls more in the price range of the average hobbyist. If your camera has an anti-aliasing function, make sure to always have it on and your pictures will certainly thank you.