Photography Blog

Juan C Ruiz asked:




What is probably the most popular American past time today? If you think taking pictures then you’re right. Millions of people today are buying and using digital cameras take shots of almost any occasion be it birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, Christmas, New Year’s eve, parties and countless vacation trips. And when they get home they will have to save those images into their computers or have them printed. But to many, printing those pictures are not enough so they look for a good hosting site where they can place all of their photos.

What is image hosting? It is all about digital images that are uploaded to a website or hosting service. Those images are then saved in the servers of that hosting service for as long as the client wants. Now there are a few things that are standards with these services.

1. Image file format

The most popular image format today for the common digital cameras to save pictures on are the jpeg files. This format is perfect for taking every day photos with the right blend of the colors, saturation and hues can be saved in relatively small file sizes without greatly affecting the quality of the images. Of course there are other file formats like bmp, png and tiff. There are also proprietary formats that are only used by the digital camera manufacturers who invented that format and therefore not as popular as the other formats.

2. Disk space

What is image hosting without the alloted disk space?  There are free image hosting sites that offer a certain amount of disk space for you to upload your photos. Often this is already enough for most people. However there are those who are called power users who will require bigger spaces because either they have more photos to store or their images have bigger file sizes. Most image hosting sites offer paid subscriptions which come with larger disk spaces, perfect for all the photos of all of your trips and other special moments.

3. Digital image manipulation

While you probably already have a software that you can use to fix some minor things about your photos, most image hosting sites also do offer such a free service although usually in a much limited set of functions. The common features are present like cropping tools, frames, patterns, you can also change the hues, and other neat features. Usually these free image manipulation or correction services are enough for most people. Either way you can simply buy a more expensive photo software so you can do more with your photographs.

An image hosting site is a great service to all those people who love to take pictures. While the memory cards available for the digital cameras might be limited, you can just transfer your photos to these image hosting sites and store your pictures there for as long as you want. No need to worry about losing the original files or misplacing the prints. It’s the perfect online tool for those who love the art of photography.

John M. Lund asked:




When I was young I constantly doodled.  I doodled a lot of things…but mainly I doodled dragons.  Fast forward a number of years…well…a whole lot of years…and my twin brother is showing me pictures of his pet iguana…pretty cool looking creature….  Then it occurs to me…what a perfect dragon the iguana would make…and now I had the ultimate doodle tool…Photoshop!

With PhotoSshop pictures of an iguana become a photograph of a fire breathing dragon!

Photoshop is an incredibly powerful tool of alchemy…given the right raw materials any new photographic reality can be created.  Without those raw materials Photoshop can be an exercise in frustration and a road to mediocrity. To make sure that I have the raw materials to create my photographic visions it helps to begin with a sketch.  Once I have the sketch I can systematically photograph those raw materials, comparing them with the sketch, until I know I have the parts to complete my stock image.

My brother brought in his iguana to my studio and we did the necessary photography.  I also had a pile of cobblestones that had been dug up form the street in my San Francisco studio (I have since re-located to Sausalito).  I used those to create a “perch” or “roost” for my dragon.  For the background I went through my own stock files and found an image of the Teton mountain range shot near Jackson Hole, Wyoming while on a family vacation.  For a final detail I found an image of a castle I shot in Spain to put in the distant background.

With all the raw materials shot and scanned (this project was before digital capture had reached it’s now exalted state) I set to work.

To create the long neck of the dragon the tail can be manipulated by creating a clipping path around it, converting the clipping path to a selection, creating a new layer from that selection, and then using the warp tool and the liquefy brush to reshape it.  Free Transform can be used to position and size the new “neck”.   The same tools can be used to stretch the jaws of the iguana into a more “dragonesque” look. 

Once again those tools can be used to convert the spines of the iguanas back into dagger-like teeth and fangs.  The flap of skin under the iguana’s jaw can be selected (again with a clipping path…I believe the most important selection tool in Photoshop), turned into a new layer, and then reshaped to become the dragon’s wings. 

Each element, be it a leg, claw, tail or whatever, can be selected with an appropriately hard edge (usually a 1-pixel feather when converting the clipping path to a selection) and then “faded” into it’s new adjoining part by using large soft brushes and a layer mask.

I find it truly increases the effectiveness of an image by using adjustment layers and their accompanying masks to add shadow and lightness to enhance the dimensionality of a given part.  I mostly use “curves” (usually again with an adjustment layer) to adjust the density of a part in order to match the part with its new neighboring parts and environment.

An adjustment layer using Color Balance can help with fine-tuning color variations…and sometimes Hue/Saturation for major color changes. Of course, throughout the project I use the clone tool as necessary.  A wonderful new feature of PhotoShop CS4 is the “preview” that is shown through the brush as it is moved over the area to be cloned.  That alone might be worth the upgrade!

Once the image is looking complete I “Merge Visible Layers” with the option (Mac) key held down thereby creating a new layer that is a composite of all the visible layers.  This gives me a final image in one layer facilitating dust-spotting and other touch up work without losing the ability to go back and revisit the underlying layers if need be.

The final result is a realistic photograph of a dragon breathing fire, a professional grade high-quality stock photo. You’d swear it was real.

Recherche Photography asked:


Recherche Photography

Rare, Refined, Romantic. Not your everyday Wedding Photography.

Open the door…to a lifetime’s worth of memory and meaning. As rare, refined and romantic as its discriminating clientele, Recherche Photography is no ordinary photography studio. Born from ideals of beauty and balance, it is a business that revolves around the unique beauty of its treasured clients. It is a Bohemian boutique that invites you to relax, dream, and escape from the daily grind. And it is a one-of-a-kind experience that will transform your landmark celebration into lasting, heirloom-quality memories fit for generations to come.

The staff of Recherche Photography have come together to create a personalized, intimate environment that is truly a feast for the senses. From your initial consultation to the arrival of your impeccably-packaged photographs, you will be treated with care and consummate professionalism every step of the way. It’s a standard that shows in every frame.

From one-of-a-kind keepsakes in its boutique to unforgettable mementos of life’s passages, Recherche Photography is your uniquely sophisticated urban retreat. Your life contains moments of exquisite beauty and extraordinary meaning and your engagement and wedding are just the beginning of a life-long love affair.

Fall in love with Recherche Photography…why entrust your precious memories to just any photographer?

A Wedding vendor should realize that your wedding is not a cookie-cutter process. They should custom tailor all packages to each client. However Recherche Photography notices that most brides fit fairly well into one of four categories. No matter if you get married in Denver Colorado, to Europe or Nationally as a Destination wedding, Recherche Photography has a wedding package for you. Which one are you?

1) The Minimalist

You’re The Minimalist. Simplicity is your middle name – from the sleek lines of an iPod to the pleasures of a perfectly cut white shirt, your personal style is easy and unadorned. Detail-oriented and down-to-earth, you bring order to all around you. The sounding board for friends and the go-to-girl at work, you’re capable, rational, and precise. But don’t sell yourself short – you radiate true beauty through straightforward communication and a soothing demeanor. There’s nothing pared-down about your passion for detail or your love of real honest living.

Crave: A class in Zen flower arrangement, a stack of plain silver bracelets, an iPhone

Avoid: Oversized baubles, multi-course meals, vanity plates

2)The Sensualist

You’re The Sensualist! **** and seductive, you’re governed by the five senses, which you shamelessly indulge with extravagant sights, luscious textures, and romantic meals. You’re at your peak when indulging in a decadent meal, sharing a passionate embrace, or blessing out in a tub spiked with exotic oils. More champagne and truffles than tea and scones, you bring a sense of luxury and passion to everything you do. From your fabulously overdone signature to your penchant for drama, you don’t believe in half measures.

Crave: A Mediterranean wine cruise, a full-body massage, a seductive flacon of hand-mixed perfume

Avoid: Stainless steel, low-fat anything, torturous Spin classes

3)The Organic

You’re The Organic! Your home is the true center of your life, and you decorate it with a flea-market sensibility and sustainable style. Obsessed with comfort and ease, you’re more likely to opt for a midnight hike than a crowded bar. You’re the person who brings incredible homemade cookies to a friend in distress and serves the perfect cup of tea in a fabulous vintage mug. From your eclectic personal style to your open, giving nature, you’re the personification of honest ease.

Crave: Fair-trade dark chocolate, a weekend in the mountains, a treasure-finding trip to your favorite vintage boutique

Avoid: Stinky subways, traffic, uncomfortable high heels

4)The Sophisticate

You’re The Sophisticate! Fashion is your middle name, and urbane luxury is your game. A world traveler, you can hold your own in a boardroom or a boutique. Your fresh, fun approach to life means that you infuse some oomph in everything you pursue. From updating a classic cashmere sweater with a hyper-modern piece of jewelry to surprising a friend with a perfectly-arranged bouquet of her favorite flower, you’re classy and sassy.

Crave: Plane tickets to New York or Berlin, season passes to your city’s most cutting-edge museum, a box of over-the-top cupcakes

Avoid: Boring take-out dinners, sports bars, people who don’t write thank-you notes

Try the quiz online to see what you are:

MiNeeds asked:

Author: James Jackson

Article Source: MiNeeds.com, where consumers get competitive bids from Photographers. Read reviews, compare offers & save. It’s free!

Article Link: http://www.mineeds.com/Philadelphia/James-Jackson-Fashion-Photographer/Articles/How-to-successfully-post-a-photography-need

Tags: need posting , customer advice , how to

Welcome MiNeeds customers! I hope as one of the many qualified service providers on this web site to be able to help you with your needs. Recently there have been several needs posted without the requisite details to successfully recieve a bid, and while many providers will still bid on these needs, their quotes will vary wildly and your need may or may not be addressed by them because of the way your need was posted.

In the photography business there are several things we need to know to properly bid your projects.

1. What you need photographed

2. What you are planing on using the photographs for

3. How long will the project take

4. What style you need the photography in

5. What your estimated budget is

These questions can often be answered in a single sentence. For example:

“I have 50 items of jewerly that I need photographed for my web site shoping cart images, and I have a really low budget.”

This tells the photographers on the site that:

1. You need product photographs

2. You plan on using them on your website

3. This project will take as long as it takes me to shoot 50 items

4. You will need the products simply displayed… probably on a white seamless background

5. You have a low budget, so more experienced photographers need not apply.

If you’d like to go in to details on any particular, the more detailed you get the more accurate your bids will be, but this is the minimum amount of information that we need to properly bid your project.

Thanks, and I hope to have the opportunity to work with you soon!

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How To Successfully Post A Photography Need…

John Parks asked:




When starting an online business, one of the most powerful means of success is through using an advertising network, but there are many important factors to take under consideration before you embark on your marketing journey. With careful research and proper implementation, advertising networks are essential tools in helping you promote your business, create attractive banners for your website, use cost-effective marketing techniques and guide you in marketing strategies for your success.

First, it’s important to understand what an advertising network is. Advertising networks are companies that connect websites that host advertisements with advertisers who want to run advertisements. They generally pay money to software developers and websites to allow their ads to be shown when people visit their sites or use their software. The forms of online advertising inventory can be found on websites as RSS feeds, banner ads, rich media, and text links, on blogs, emails, instant messaging applications, adware and other sources. In most cases, such networks deliver their content through a central ad server.

There are two types of advertising networks. First tier advertising networks have high quality traffic that serve ads and traffic to second-tier networks, and they have a large number of their own advertisers and publishers. Popular search engines such as Google and Yahoo are examples of first-tier advertising networks. While second-tier advertising networks may also have some of their own publishers and advertisers, their main revenue source usually comes from other networks’ syndicated ads.

An advertiser buys a run or category of network packages within the network, and the advertising network serves advertisements from its ad server that then responds to a site once a page is called. While larger publishers often sell only their leftover inventory through advertising networks, small publishers usually use those networks to sell their entire inventory. Blind networks are a type of advertising network that is very economical and offer low pricing to direct marketers, but the advertisers do not know where their ads are going to be placed.

Some advertising networks provide free promotions to websites by providing them with banners and links and actively promote other businesses. But the search for authenticated information about an advertising network is essential before signing on. Use a referral system and don’t place your business with a network that is not well known or established. Choose an advertising network that imposes only a nominal financial burden on your website’s advertising campaign. Make sure that the advertising network’s terms and conditions clearly state what the relationship between your business and the network entails as well as a break down of charges per service. Make sure that the network you choose is run by an experienced and dedicated work group that will be able to carefully analyze your business, target the right audience and successfully market your products.

For more information on advertising, visit http://www.advertisementnetwork.eu and http://www.advertisementnetwork.org.

Trudi ALTENBURG asked:


Check Out Urvashi Dhanorkar Photos

It appears that small time Indian actor, Ms. Urvashi Dhanorkar was taken into custody on Saturday (22nd August 2009) by Mumbai police after being charged with badly treating her 10 year old household servant.

Check Out Urvashi Dhanorkar Photos

Urvashi Dhanoarkar was taken in under the Child Labour Act of 1986 as well as the Juvenile Justice act of 2000 and is being held at a Mumbai polic station awaiting a court hearing.

She was taken in after medical reports confirmed that her 10 year old child domestic servant was repeatedly physically abused and assaulted. She is likely to appear in court today (Saturday, 22nd August 2009).

It was discovered that the 10 year old girl had been punished in a variety of ways including; being hit in her eye, being whiped or beaten on her back and her arm being burnt. Her parents are due to arrive from Amravati soon, where the 10 year old was taken from by Urvashi Dhanorkar after promising her parents that she’d live a better life and get an education.

The girl let lose what had happened to the police after she managed to escape from Urvashi’s house where she was being locked up. Neighbour’s of Urvashi found the girl beaten cruelly with burn marks and reported the situation to the police.

This isn’t the first time a case like this has happened. Girls are often taken from their homes unwillingly in certain parts of India and trafficked to the capital for a whole variety of abuse including physical labour or sex work.

Check Out Urvashi Dhanorkar Photos

Adam Caitlin asked:

Samsung Mobile have been at the forefront of mobile communications for the past five years due in no small part to the fact that the manufacturer consistantly delivers new and exciting features and technology to the mobile phone market place.

Gone are the days when you would have to squint at your small mobile phone screen to make out a picture before capturing it using a small VGA camera, these days Samsung consumers have the luxury of large full colour screens and multi megapixel cameras making for close to professional photography.

Samsungs newest edition offers these features but with their very latest technology – a five megapixel camera. There are only two other mobile phones currently offering this high quality camera, the LG KG920 Leo and the Nokia N95. The new Samsung G600 may sound like it already has competition but on closer examination it is easy to see why consumers will opt for this phone over its rivals. Firstly their is the sleek design, the outer casing is finished in a matt black paint and features Samsung’s trademark smooth slide. The exterior buttons almost fall into the central multikey allowing for easy navigation of the menu system.

The display screen is a large 2.2 inch QVGA offering sixteen million colours which compliments the high quality pictures when viewed on-screen. The most surprising thing about the new G600 is that it is a mere 14mm thick, this is astonishing when compared to its competitors like the LG KG920 at 18mm and the Nokia N95 at 21mm proving that Samsung have really thought about the overall design and how they could squeeze this amount of technology into a phone without bulking out the dimensions.

The camera also offers autofocus, digital zoom and photolight (flash), as well as one of the best video recording resolutions available with 352 x 288 pixels at 30 frames per second.

The Samsung G600 also offers an MP3 player for uploading new music either direct from a PC or via the internet and creating playlists with your favourite music tracks and artists, and with 1GB of onbaord memory there is no need to take a second standalone music player with you, there is even a built-in FM Radio for tuning into local and national radio station whilst out and about.

Other important features in the Samsung G600 include Bluetooth technology for wireless conenction to compatible devices for file transfer and safe hands-free driving, internet and email access for browsing, downloading and keeping in touch whilst out of the office and built-in hands-free speakerphone for either talking hands-free or sharing your music and sound recordings with friends. Overall, the O2 Samsung G600 is a stylish, spohisticated, if not a little masculine photographic masterpiece that outshines it closest rivals with its array of new technology and features.

Brooke Hayles asked:

A home business opportunity gives you the freedom to be your own boss. Are you thinking of joining the many thousands working from home?

Do you have an idea of your very own home business opportunity? How do you ensure that you make a good start? Here are some questions worth asking:

Even though I think I have a good product, is there a market for it? And if there is, is it big enough to support the investment of time and finances? Do I have sufficient skills to run this home business opportunity or do I need to upgrade my education /skills through further education? Would this business benefit if I partnered with someone else who would supplement my skills? How much money is this business going to need to get started and do I have it available? If not, am I going to find a way to earn the extra money or will I borrow from somewhere/someone? (a business plan is a helpful tool in deciding what finances may be needed.) What is going to make my business different to my competitors? How am I going to market my product to future customers? Will I market online and if so, what products will I need? eg website, domain name. Will I be able to keep up with demand if this home business opportunity takes off? If you are a mom with children still at home, how are you going to fit in the hours of work necessary? It can be done, but it will need planning.

These are only the beginning of questions to ask. Although a home business opportunity is a great way to earn money from home, you want to be assured that you are well prepared and protected from making unwise decisions. There are many sites that have a wealth of information for those thinking about a home business opportunity.

What can you do for a home business opportunity? Here are a few suggestions:

Pets: If you love animals, there are quite a few different home based opportunity ideas worth considering ranging from picking up poop (yes, it is a successful business for those who can do it!), making cute pet accessories, pet photography, pet-sitting, pet walking, pet day care (usually dogs) and making delicious pet gourmet treats and meals. There are even more; if this are appeals to you check out some more pet home business opportunity ideas online.

Jewelry Making: You don’t have to be silversmith these days to have a jewelry home business. Today’s fashion of custom made necklaces and bracelets from beads, papier mache, and even baked dough means you just need creative talent and patience. Find some boutique craft stores, markets and fetes where you can sell your wares, or promote through friends and at-home parties.

Teaching Skills: Even if you’re not a registered teacher you may have a skill that others want to learn from you such as computer skills, how to play an instrument, art and craft skills. If you’re thinking of working with children you must find out what legal requirements are needed before you embark on this home based opportunity.

Personal Trainer: If you’re someone with physical fitness expertise then you can join the many personal trainers running their own businesses from home. You’ll need the equipment, of course, and the knowledge to ensure clients’ health and safety but this home business opportunity provides individual or group tuition for those who prefer not to join a gym.

These are just a few on the home business opportunity list. Add to these; picture framing, painting artwork, pottery, T-shirt art designs, records search, and you’ll get a glimpse of the variety of opportunities available.

Ensure that you do your homework thoroughly before you start so that you’re well prepared and you should be on your way to a new lifestyle working from home!

Summary:

There are many home business opportunities for those willing to take the plunge and take control for their earnings. Out of the many available, what would suit you and how do you know if you’re ready to start?

Tedric Garrison asked:




 

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, “a picture is worth a thousand words”? If you have Dyslexia or are close to someone who does; you realize that this is a much more accurate statement than many people give it credit for. It is said that a verbal thinker may have 2 to 5 thoughts per second. A dyslexic person is considered a picture thinker and would have 32 thoughts per second. Picture thinking is estimated to be, overall, 400 to 2,000 times faster than verbal thinking. This information comes from: “The Gift of Dyslexia” by Ronald D. Davis.

When a verbal thinker learns the word “CAT” for example; he has basically 4 thoughts, each letter and what they sound like together. The picture thinker on the other hand; will see the letters in the word “CAT” in at least 40 different ways, before even thinking of sounds. From an outside perspective; it seems that the picture thinker is handicapped because he or she is so much slower, but in reality they are putting MUCH more effort into the process.

Having worked for a large nation wide portrait chain before, I remember being limited to 7 shots per portrait sitting. Even if I was only shooting one subject that still came across as verbal thinking, (very limited). If I was shooting pictures of a family that gave me even fewer options. A picture thinker on the other hand; could easily shoot 30 to 40 photos of the same subject and not think anything of it. If they wanted to push themselves; a picture thinker might do 50 or 60 photos of the same subject.

Some people will argue that when you take that many photos of the same subject, of course you will get “lucky” with a few shots. In my opinion, luck has nothing to do with it. When you explore all the possibilities (not just left, right, up or down); something magical starts to happen, you start to tap into that section of the mind that too few of us dare to venture into. You start to find your creative edge in photography.

Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Leonardo de Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, John F. Kennedy, Steven Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Cher, and Henry Winkler were all successful NOT in spite of having dyslexia; but largely in part because of having it. Because they were picture thinkers they had greater vision (no pun intended). You too can share in that vision by releasing yourself from your own limitations.

Of course you will have more failures; because you have made more attempts but as Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I know 10,000 ways NOT to invent the light bulb.”

Obviously; if you are a newspaper photographer or a portrait photographer who has people waiting in line at Christmas that would not be the best time to expand your creativity. But on the other hand, if once a week, or even just once a month you took any subject and pushed it beyond your limits . . . I guarantee those limits will start to expand.

When someone has mastered something, they have learned it so well they can do it without thinking about what they are doing. It is human nature that we all learn by doing. I invite you to step outside your comfort zone and shoot more photos than you have ever shot on a single subject in your life. This process will help transform you from a verbal thinker into a picture thinker. Remember, as a man thinketh, so is he.

Once you master how you think, you will discover your gift is no longer a handicap. You will be seeing things without effort that a dozen other photographers at the same event will miss. If you are serious about photography this is how you take your photo work to the next level.