Photography Blog

The worst possible (and most frustrating) amateur photography scenario goes lika so:

-  You see the most beautiful/wonderful/emotional shot.

-  You press the shutter button and take the shot.

-  You look in the viewer and mutter an expletive.

If the photo opportunity has vanished and you’re stuck with a crappy picture, FIX IT!  Use these tips for taking digital photos to turn your blunders into almost-perfect pictures.

What You Need To Fix A Photo

Long story short, you need a PC with photo-editing software that will perform a few simple functions such as crop, lighten, and adjust colors.

Sound complicated? It’s not. Actually, you can download easy and free photo-editing software that will edit, organize, and share photos. The best-rated free software is Google Picasa.

The camera might have come with editing software. Load this software and see if it has the features to fix your photo.

Windows 7 comes with Micosoft Picture Editor that performs the basic editing functions.

Common Photo-Taking Mistakes

The following details three mistakes you can fix easily with simple editing software:

The photo you want is part of the original
Let’s say you took a picture of the members of a band during a concert, but you want a photo of the lead singer. Crop the piece of the picture you want and save the result. As long as your crop is fairly large, the new photo resolution will be okay for sending or printing.

Your photo is dark
As long as the photo isn’t too dark, you can lighten the photo with your editing software “brightness” setting. Save the brightened picture.

The photo colors are not true
For example, sometimes photos taken in bright sunlight are too blue. Editing software will allow you to change the bluetones back to their true colors. The editing feature will be named something like “color adjustment” – usually there’s a slider to test the colors. You may be able to see the color change as you move the slider.

Once you adjust a few photos, you’ll discover it’s simple to do. And you have fixed your mistakes! Make sure you save the adjusted photos.

More Tips For Taking Digital Photos

Shoot a lot of pet (or kid) photos? Consider these 5 Tips For Taking Digital Photos of Puppies and Dogs – Lighting, Focus, Angle of Shot, Fill the Frame, Fix Your Mistakes.

 http://www.squidoo.com/tips-for-taking-digital-photos

Whether you are planning to build an online product catalog or a printed version including rich digital photos will enhance it and will increase potential sales. When building a catalog photos are a powerful tool that you must use. Here are a few tips for taking digital photos that will bring justice to your products and will help increasing sales.

Product catalogs that do not include photos are boring. For example imagine that you are looking to buy a new digital photo printer. You just found a new online catalog or got a catalog via regular mail. The catalog has plenty of digital photo printers and also a lot of information about them such specifications, capabilities descriptions and more but it does not have any photos of the printer. You are most likely going to dump that catalog and search for the printer in another place.

This behavior is common to most consumers especially in this era of immediate gratification and impatience. Consumers do not want to spend time reading and figuring out what the product can do. They want to see a photo and get a short snippet of what the main features of the product are and what the price is.

Just taking photos and adding them to your catalog is not enough. Good photos can add a lot to a product image but at the same time bad photos can really damage that image. Here are some tips and concepts that can help taking good photos that in turn help selling products online:

Variation: Take more than one photo. Show the product from many angles: zoomed in and zoomed out and in different positions for example if the product is a clamshell-phone you should show it both in the opened and closed positions.

Quality: The photo quality must be as high as possible. Don’t confuse quality with file size or resolution we refer here to photographic quality: Follow the rules of good photography, use a tripod when long exposure is needed make sure the photo is not overexposed or underexposed and that it is not blurry.

Background: It is very important to shoot with the appropriate background. Usually you would stage a background that is in contrast with the product and that has no details or distracting objects that can catch the viewer’s attention. Make sure that the background is matte color and that it does not reflect light. For example when taking a photo of a black digital photo printer use a white or light gray background.

Show details: Emphasize the product details. Every product has unique features or important details that you would like to draw the viewer’s attention to. The best way to do that is to take close-up photos of those details. You are not limited to physical details for example when selling an digital photo printer that has long battery life take a close-up photo of the digital photo printer’s LCD screen displaying how much battery is left. Such a photo conveys credibility and is much more powerful than the product battery life specifications text.

Support the product description: Take photos that support the textual description of the product. For example if the text claims that the digital photo printer comes in three colors: black, silver and red show three photos of the printer in those colors.

Convey physical attributes: If your product has unique physical attributes that you would like to emphasize take photos that convey them. For example if the product size is important use a known size object in order to help the viewer visualize the size take a photo of the digital photo printer next to a quarter coin to show how small the printer is. It is much easier for viewers to visualize and understand measurements if they are put in reference with objects they know very well. This is much more powerful than specifying inches and ounces in a textual specification.

Keep file sizes small: This is relevant for online catalog only. Keep the photo file size small. When viewing a photo on a computer screen low resolution photos are more than enough. In most cases a VGA (640X480) picture is all that is needed and such a photo file size can be 50Kbytes or less. It is important to keep this in mind and not be tempted to put high resolution big photos files. Such big files load slowly on the viewer’s computer and in most cases the viewer will get frustrated from the slow response and would just skip to the next site.

When it comes to taking great action photos, one of the most important digital photography basics is understanding shutter lag.

Also called “processor lag” this is the time that it takes between the time you press the shutter release and the time the camera actually takes the shot. Press the shutter too early and you’ll end up with a picture that’s completely different than what you were expecting.

Despite all of their advantages, compact digital cameras are slower than traditional film cameras. This article provides some tips for dealing with this lag, as well as tips for how to take more exciting and memorable action pictures.

1) Be Ready to Shoot While you can’t know if your child is going to make that soccer goal, try to anticipate when things are most apt to happen. Even professional sports photographers with speed-of-lightning cameras try to anticipate the action, just so they can be in the right spot and point the camera in the right direction.

By having a better understanding of what you’re photographing, you’ll be better able to anticipate the actions and get better shots. So, if you plan to take pictures of your child’s soccer match, learn the rules of the game so you’ll know what to expect. If your child’s performing in the Nutcracker, watch a rehearsal or two.

2) Shop Around before purchasing a new compact digital. Unfortunately, there isn’t just one camera spec that will tell you how fast the camera will capture the picture from the time you press the button. Others things like the quality of the sensor and the ISO setting (if in dim light) can also slow down the processing time. So investigate what other people are saying in photography forums and read all of the manufacturer’s specs online.

3) Spring for a DSLR (Digital Single-Lens-Reflex). They’re more expensive than compacts, but they’re FAST. DSLRs don’t have shutter lag problems, so if you’re taking photos outside, you can increase the ISO without your photos having digital noise like you would with a compact camera.

Digital Photography Basics to Use with any Type of Camera

Whether you have a compact, DSLR, point-and-shoot film camera or camera phone, try these professional tricks.

Zoom in on Faces Don’t always focus on the action. Capture those expressions of determination, triumph and even defeat (especially if it’s an opponent!).

Tell a Story Look for shots that tell a story of the event. For example, begin with a shot of the team’s huddle or your fellow paddlers launching their rafts.

Freeze! To freeze the action, set your camera to sports mode or set your Shutter Speed Priority to a high setting. As an example of different settings, freezing action in a soccer tournament requires a shutter speed between 1/250 to 1/500 while taking photos of your pet sitting still requires 1/125.

Blur the Background Take a cue from the sports photographers, and blur the background by decreasing the camera’s depth of field. If you’re using a camera with Aperture Priority, you can do this simply by decreasing the F Stop number. The lower the F Stop number, the more blurry your background.

Pan – This is a good alternative for digital compact users where dim light underexposes photos taken with sports mode/fast shutter speed. Panning works with automatic focus, but it only works when the action is moving in a fairly straight line. Here is how to pan the camera:

Set your Camera to Auto focus. With feet planted firmly on the ground, move the upper half of your body while following the subject with your camera. Just before you think the action will occur, start pressing the shutter release button half way down and continue following the subject until you’ve pressed the button completely down to get the shot.

Is the auto focus on your camera too slow? Focus on an area of contrast, such as the number on a uniform. Auto focus works faster with contrast.

Play around with panning and see what kinds of different effects you can get. You might want to show some blur in the action to emphasize the speed of movement, such as with a race car.

Whether you are shooting a sporting event or taking photos of your dog playing frisbee, action photos are really a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. And once you understand the digital photography basics like shutter lag, you’ll take better pictures and have even more fun.

Family photography is all about the family getting together and capturing memories. It showcases how families grow, get stronger, and the love that families share. They are pretty much the most valuable memories that all families have. Simply owning a digital camera won”t result in great photographs.

Where most families try they fail in taking acceptable wall portraits of their clan. For this reason there will always be family photographers.

There are generally two categories of suggestions which apply to family photography. They are: Planning Advice and Location Advice.

Whether you”re using a digital camera to take a family photo, baby picture, portrait of your pets, group pictures, or even a dramatic but planned photo, or have a huge large format film camera these are some of the key things to know.

Planning Advice for Photography

Prepare for the event by pre-thinking about every picture you want to take and what kind of poses you would like to capture. Know who, where, how, and the type of environment that the family get together is going to be in. Knowing all of this in advance gives you the advantage to produce better results and have unforgettable memories.

Take a variety of shots of each pose so that you have several shots to choose from. Remember that people will blink, you can not avoid that. Don’t let the LCD screen determine the best shots, so if you’re not satisfied with the review, don’t eliminate the pictures until you have a chance to load them into the computer for a closer look. I think that’s a great tip. I think we delete too much actually. I’ve done surveys and shown clients the photos I would have deleted and I have proven now that people will by pictures of any quality, omg (not so funny but its true).

Dont expect your photos to be perfect. Remember you are taking family portraits and families are not perfect, everyone feels feelings, and everyone may not be getting along at their best sometimes this show up in the photos. It can be a good thing to capture imperfection in your family photos. Little Johnny won’t stop looking at his baby brother. You can’t get him to look into the lens and say cheese because he’s enamored by the cuteness of his itty bitty sibling. That’s imperfection at its best. You may have to explain it to the MOM and DAD so they’ll see the sweetness in Joey not looking at the nice photographer but I think eventually they’ll understand.

Just make the best of the moment. Maybe in the future when that picture is brought back out it will be the laugh of the party. Within the picture still lies love and fun times. Last but not least, have humorous sayings or phrases that you can blurt out before you snap each shot so that the pictures look as natural as possible. Who doesn’t prefer authentic laughter over a fake smile?

Location Advice for Photography

There’s a difference in taking pictures indoors and outdoors. You generally won’t use a flash for the photos because you are using natural outdoor lighting, and you’d want to use a wide-angle lens in order to fit everyone into the photos. Outside photography, you will have more motion-based photos when taking family photos because of wind and temperature elements. Also try to omit sun and shadows within the pictures. There will also be some uncooperative subjects that are not as interested in taking pictures as you are. Don’t forget to utilize the Rule of Thirds in order to get the best out of your photo imaging.

Indoors, make sure you have the right kind of flash. Some cameras don’t even come with flash. In this case, go into a more, well lit area and focus the camera so that you can get great photos. Being outside of the Flash area will make some pictures dark and unattractive. If you do have camera without built-in flash, you may want to see if the camera is capable of getting an outside flash mechanism attached to it. You can also increase your ISO settings. Consider the background in inside photography as well. You don’t want to have everyone in great position and have a horrible background. This in itself can make the finished product a delete. Also with indoor photos, stay away from mirrors, glass reflections. These items may reflect some bad flash effect, not to mention being hard on the eyes.

Whether indoors or outdoors, preplanning your photo environment is key. You’ll know how to set up your props, backdrops, position the subject(s) with the best possible backgrounds so that you can catalog your family photos as ones to remember for a lifetime.

Reference:  http://www.newbrightapples.com

Photographing groups of any size can be challenging, but using the correct posing and lighting approaches can produce a winning image. The more people you have in the photo, the smaller they appear, and the harder it is to see the individual faces. Ideally, you want to fill the camera frame with people both vertically and horizontally, and this is achieved with thoughtful positioning of the subjects. By doing this you can get closer to them and they appear larger and easier to see in the photos.

The first thing in any group is to have people stand at a 45-degree angle to the lens, rather than shoulder-to-shoulder facing the camera. This does several things. It allows you to get your subjects closer together, they appear slimmer, and it’s more professional-looking. And don’t have them all facing the same way unless they’re a ’60s Motown group. Better to have them turned toward center on both sides.

Small groups of three to eight can be taken standing together to produce a pleasing picture. They will fill the camera frame from top to bottom and side to side nicely.

Left to pose for a picture without direction from the photographer, a large group of subjects will usually stand shoulder to shoulder in a long line. This produces a photo with small people and excess space at the top and bottom of the frame.

Any group larger than eight or so should be positioned in levels, either by having some people in front sitting on chairs, or in back standing on steps. I like to have somewhere around 35-40% of the group in chairs and the rest standing behind, as this fills the frame better than an equal number of seated and standing subjects. Alternatively, you can have the first row standing in front and the second row on a step behind. Try to keep your rows close together, and try to position them so the people in the back row are standing between the two people in front of them, not directly behind them and hidden from camera view. A good way to check this is to ask each subject in back to make sure that they can see the camera with both eyes, thus ensuring that you’re not photographing just part of their head.

For a group of around 25, a good posing scheme would be some people on chairs, some standing behind, and some seated on the ground in front. Alternatively, you can have a second row standing on a step a level above those standing behind the chairs. The point is to fill the picture both side to side AND top to bottom.

The larger the group becomes, the more imperative it is that you find stairs to put your subjects on. Estimate how many rows you have to make in order to fill the frame top to bottom and side to side. The best approach is to have the subjects line up according to height. Start the bottom row with the shorter people, and end the top row with the tallest. This keeps a taller person from blocking a shorter one behind them. Subjects seated in bleachers or stadium-style seating is also very popular in schools and sporting venues, and can produce good results. You can follow the same principle as positioning on stairs.

If stairs or bleachers are not available, you have another option: setting the camera at an elevation above the crowd and shooting from above. This can be accomplished by using a ladder to get slightly above a small group, or a rooftop or balcony for a large group. Everyone can just look up, but you may still have to position people so taller subjects are to the rear of the shot.

Having someone to assist the photographer in positioning larger groups is extremely valuable. Only from dead-on camera position, that is, looking through the viewfinder, can you judge whether a face in the crowd will be fully visible or partly or totally blocked. Having an assistant position subjects while the photographer looks through the camera saves a lot of time and footwork.

The easy way to light is to just have everyone looking toward the sun, but the results can be disappointing. Your subjects will be squinting, they will have shadows under their eyes, and if it is hot they will be uncomfortable. The preferred method is to have the subjects’ backs to the sun, and to use flash to illuminate them. For a small single-row group, you can use your camera mounted flash. Multiple row groups will need a flash mounted on a camera bracket or light stand. This is to prevent shadows being thrown onto the people standing in the back rows. Large groups will need multiple flash units on tall stands. You can trigger them with remote receivers from your camera-mounted transmitter. Three flash units work well, one on the left, one on the right, and one next to the camera. And make sure they are high enough so they don’t produce shadows on the faces in the back rows.

You’ll also need a good lens hood to block the sunlight from hitting the lens and producing a flare. If the sun is low or you’re shooting directly into the sun, you may also need to position something above the camera to block the sunlight, and throw a shadow on the camera lens. This can be done with something as simple as a piece of cardboard or a magazine, or even an umbrella. There are also professional devices you can buy.

A good example of all the above guidelines being applied to a group portrait can be seen here: www.ambiencephoto.com

Finally, make sure you have everyone’s attention when you’re about to take the photos. Remind them to make sure they can see you with both eyes, and to Smile!

Digital cameras are one of the greatest inventions of modern times. We are so fortunate to have this modern convenience called Digital Photography. To be able to capture a precious moment or beautiful scene at the click of a button, is something we should not take for granted.

Many beginners find digital photography rather challenging and rightly so. Today, more and more digital cameras are being created and it seems like the more digital cameras they make, the more difficult they become to use.

I own a Canon Powershot S3 IS. I purchased this digital camera about a year ago and I still haven’t utilized all of the awesome little features this camera has to offer. Now you may not want or even need a camera with tons of features. It really depends on the type of pictures you plan on taking.

Regardless of the camera you own or are planning to own, you should have a well rounded knowledge of digital photography. I hope the following 20 tips for taking digital photography will prove to be useful in your quest for taking better photographs.

1. Know your camera. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not taking time to learn about the features of your camera. Don’t be lazy. Read your instruction manual.

2 – When shooting sunny outdoor shots, try adjusting your white balance setting from auto to cloudy. The auto setting will make your shots appear too cold. When you change it to cloudy, it will increase the warmth of your pictures.

3 – If you are looking for superior image quality, the ability to use a variety of lenses and print large high quality photos, then considering a Digital SLR Camera.

4 – Use your flash outdoors. Sometimes, even on a sunny day outdoors, there is still a need for a flash. If the sun is directly over head or behind your subject, this can cause dark shadows to appear on the face. The flash will help lighten the subjects face.

5- Sometimes simply turning your camera and taking vertical shots can make a world of difference. Experiment more with vertical picture taking.

6 – Do not put your subjects directly in the center of your shot. Move your subject off center to inject more life into your photos.

7 – Learn how to hold your digital camera. One of the most common problems beginners face is the shaking of the camera because they are not holding it properly. Of course, the best way to avoid shaking the camera is to use a tripod. If you don’t have a tripod, then you should be holding your camera with two hands. Put one hand on the right hand side of your camera where you actually snap the photo and the other hand will support the weight of your camera. Depending on the camera, your left hand will either be positioned on the bottom or around your lens.

8 – Learn about the “Rule of Thirds”. This is a well known principle of photographic composition that every beginner should become familiar with. Do a search online and you will find many tutorials on this subject.

9 – Look at other photographers work. Just spending time studying the work of other photographers can provide loads of inspiration.

10 – Join online photography communities. Get active and ask questions.

11 – Do not compare your photography to anyone else.

12 – Do not copy the work of other photographers. Try and develop your own unique style.

13 – Do not leave your batteries in your camera if you don’t plan on using your camera for long periods of time. Some batteries run the risk of leaking and this can damage your camera.

14 – Subscribe to a good photography magazine. Read books on photography.

15 – Find experienced photographers to go out on shoots with.

16 – Post your photographs in online forums. Learn to accept criticism.

17 – Try taking your pictures in RAW format. RAW is a powerful option available in today’s digital cameras where no in-camera processing takes place. This allows you to do all processing using your favorite image editing software.

18 – Don’t buy the most expensive photography equipment right away. Practice and learn about photography using cheaper equipment first. After you have been taking pictures for a while, you will then know what kind of equipment you will need.

19 – Invest in a tripod. Some of us have very shaky hands. If you can’t stop the shakes, then get a tripod. It will make a world of difference.

20 – If you are not able to carry your equipment with you everywhere, make sure you have a note pad handy. This way if you find a nice shot, you can write it down and visit that location at a later date.

One of the great joys of having a pet is the laughter that they bring to us.  Whether we are laughing at them or with them they never hold a grudge.  It seems they are almost always trying to entertain us.  What pet owner doesn’t have a picture of their beloved friend in some crazy situation or pose, stuck on their refrigerator door?  And what better way to save those precious moments than with a great photo?

I photograph pets professionally, intentionally trying to create humorous images…but often it is the in-between moments that end up with those priceless expressions. Those un-expected antics…that bring an involuntary smile to me and have me showing everyone around the back of my camera saying “Hey!  Check this one out…what a crack-up!”.

Right now I live with two cats…one of them just can’t resist any box.  Put a box down and a moment later, out of nowhere…Pitsy is in the box!  It doesn’t matter what size box either…I have seen her in boxes that she can barely fit in…that she can’t even get all of her paws down in…but hey…if it’s a box then she’s going to claim it!

Our other cat, Plucky, has his favorite place to be…on the lap of any one using a computer (luckily I am writing this at work or it would be much slower going and by the end I would be covered in cat fur)!  No computer…he isn’t interested…but sit down in front of a computer anywhere in the house…and you instantly have one very large feline purring contentedly between you and that keyboard.  Every pet is an endless source of amusement, fun and laughter!

A few tips for good Pet Photography:

1.      Get down on their level…it makes your picture feel much more intimate and brings up the level of interest by using a perspective that we are not used to having.

2.      Avoid direct sunlight.  Direct sunlight is harsh and may “blow out” the details and leave the shadows too dark with no detail.  Open shade is good…if indoors try shooting them next to a large window that has indirect light coming in.

3.      Make sure your pet’s eyes are in focus.  If their eyes are sharp in most cases

we can forgive a shallow depth of field the results in out of focus extremities.

4.      Get close…and pay attention to the rest of the frame.  We too often tend to our pet’s face in the center of the frame and have a lot of wasted space above him or her.  Take a moment to look around the viewfinder and place your pet in an interesting composition…without distractions in the background.

5.      Patience!  The number one ingredient for great pet photography is patience. A little patience, combined with perseverance is a great combination for success in getting those great shots of your best friend

Capturing those awesome shots of your pet, and sharing them with your friends…and yes…putting them into that refrigerator gallery…what could be better?

My first tip for taking digital photography for anyone whether they are beginning, or have some degree of experience is “don’t be frightened of your camera”. Get used to handling your camera so that you feel comfortable with it. Make sure you know where all the controls are, and familiarise yourself with their functions. This is one of the basic beginning photography tips that often gets overlooked as it is such an obvious one.

Once you are comfortable handling your digital camera and have learnt how to use all the controls and functions, my next tip for taking digital photography is to take lots and lots of pictures. The beauty of digital photography is that you do not need to keep every picture that you take. You are not paying for a long processing sequence like you would be if you were using a camera that uses rolls of film, so you can be a lot more extravagant when it comes to taking pictures. Plus you may just take a prize winning photo purely by chance, and any photos you don’t want you can simply delete.

Another of the basic beginning photography tips that people often forget is to hold the camera steady. Again this may sound pretty obvious but it’s surprising just how many of us forget this simple little tip when we rush to get a good photo. It is important to actually practice holding the camera so that you automatically steady it for every picture that you take. How often have you seen the chance of a great picture only to rush it and ruin the shot? It’s far better to get one or two great pictures than dozens of blurred or poor quality ones.

My next tip is to always make sure that you have enough memory capacity on your digital camera. There is nothing worse than coming across something that would make a great picture only to find that you have no more room on your camera. Get into the habit of going through the photos stored on your camera on a regular basis, and deleting the ones you don’t want, and downloading and storing the ones you do want onto your computer, or have them printed off. Also buy a second card for your camera so that you always have a spare one with you just in case you need it.

Once you have got this far you should have loads of photos that you have taken, now is the time to study these and see if there is room for improvement. Maybe some of them are still coming out slightly blurred, so you will need to pay attention to your focusing. Remember that a digital camera has a tendency to take a little longer to focus when compared to a camera that uses roll film.

Maybe you are not happy with the lighting on some of your pictures, so try practising using the flash. The flash on a camera is not only designed to be used when taking photos indoors, it is also great for getting good sharp pictures outside as well, especially if the subject is in shade or if the natural light is low, like in the late evening.

I suppose that one of the most important beginning photography tips that I can give you is to “get out there and have some fun with your camera”. Take loads of photos and practice as you go. Use your camera as often and as much as you can. My last little tip would to be to get hold of a good book on digital photography, this way you will get all the tips for taking digital photography and learn all the usual mistakes to avoid right from the start.

The term macro photography is a situation whereby you get up close and personal with your subject. True macro photography is working on approximately 1:1 ratios or closer. This produces an image that is true to the size or much larger than the subject being photographed. It is easy to get confused with this type of photography in terms of what is considered really macro. Normally macro photography ranges from life size 1:1 up to ten times enlargement 10:1, which is believed to be the exact definition of macro photography.
To take great macro photography, you will need to invest in the appropriate equipment. To just buy a lens and focus on close hoping for a good shot is not the way to do it. You will need to have a good camera, like a Canon or Nikon, and a good macro lens with a good zoom factor. A good camera to use is a Canon 1DS Mark III with a 110mm macro lens
Choosing a subject can be quite tricky. It can sometimes be difficult to get a good depth of field with macro photography, especially if you are shooting a part of an object in an abstract sense.For example: if you are shooting part of a candlestick that is ornate, it’s important to get the lighting right as well as having the vision to begin with. Often this can work out quite well whereby DOF is lacking allowing for high magnification and originality.
However, when shooting insects and such alike, magnification is important. Therefore, DOF is also reduced but makes up an integral part of the image.
Without being too technical, to increase your DOF you will need to set your camera on a higher F number-the F-stop. The highest is F8.0. When increased, the aperture of the lens becomes smaller prohibiting the amount of light that reaches the light sensor. To compensate for lighting, you must either use a flash; extend your shutter times or other sources of light. For still subjects, extended shutter times normally suffice, however, if your subject is on the move you will need to use a flash to prevent the image from blurring.
Using a tripod can also help, especially if you are waiting for you’re subject to appear or you are shooting still. This will prevent movement, which can be detrimental when working in macro photography. You will also need a release on your tripod. This will also allow you to move your camera around while securely attached.
Macro photography can be a real art form if executed properly. Subjects/objects are explored that are normally difficult to see with the naked eye and your vision for what makes a good image is heightened. There is an abundance of subjects and objects to choose from, whether it’s in your home or garden.
Firstly, you will need to think about what would make the subject/object interesting. Consider the texture, colour and shapes as well as a particular feature that would make a great shot. There are many ways to take a good macro image, and experimenting with angles that encompasses varied lighting can produce outstanding images. You can also build your own mini macro-studio in a simple box that is open at the top and at the front. You can drape it in any colour you like, for example; using black would marry well with objects of colour.
For your lighting you can simply clamp to reading lamps on the side, but make sure you use GE Reveal bulbs, these are not as harsh as normal light bulbs.
Macro photography is all about trial and error. You will bin most of your images until you get the hang of it. However, the results can be greatly rewarding, an art form that will allow you to explore your creative side that will be unique to you and you only.Happy shooting.

Digital cameras are one of the greatest inventions of modern times. We are so fortunate to have this modern convenience called Digital Photography. To be able to capture a precious moment or beautiful scene at the click of a button, is something we should not take for granted.

Many beginners find digital photography rather challenging and rightly so. Today, more and more digital cameras are being created and it seems like the more digital cameras they make, the more difficult they become to use.

I own a Canon Powershot S3 IS. I purchased this digital camera about a year ago and I still haven’t utilized all of the awesome little features this camera has to offer. Now you may not want or even need a camera with tons of features. It really depends on the type of pictures you plan on taking.

Regardless of the camera you own or are planning to own, you should have a well rounded knowledge of digital photography. I hope the following 20 tips for taking digital photography will prove to be useful in your quest for taking better photographs.

1. Know your camera. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not taking time to learn about the features of your camera. Don’t be lazy. Read your instruction manual.

2 – When shooting sunny outdoor shots, try adjusting your white balance setting from auto to cloudy. The auto setting will make your shots appear too cold. When you change it to cloudy, it will increase the warmth of your pictures.

3 – If you are looking for superior image quality, the ability to use a variety of lenses and print large high quality photos, then considering a Digital SLR Camera.

4 – Use your flash outdoors. Sometimes, even on a sunny day outdoors, there is still a need for a flash. If the sun is directly over head or behind your subject, this can cause dark shadows to appear on the face. The flash will help lighten the subjects face.

5- Sometimes simply turning your camera and taking vertical shots can make a world of difference. Experiment more with vertical picture taking.

6 – Do not put your subjects directly in the center of your shot. Move your subject off center to inject more life into your photos.

7 – Learn how to hold your digital camera. One of the most common problems beginners face is the shaking of the camera because they are not holding it properly. Of course, the best way to avoid shaking the camera is to use a tripod. If you don’t have a tripod, then you should be holding your camera with two hands. Put one hand on the right hand side of your camera where you actually snap the photo and the other hand will support the weight of your camera. Depending on the camera, your left hand will either be positioned on the bottom or around your lens.

8 – Learn about the “Rule of Thirds”. This is a well known principle of photographic composition that every beginner should become familiar with. Do a search online and you will find many tutorials on this subject.

9 – Look at other photographers work. Just spending time studying the work of other photographers can provide loads of inspiration.

10 – Join online photography communities. Get active and ask questions.

11 – Do not compare your photography to anyone else.

12 – Do not copy the work of other photographers. Try and develop your own unique style.

13 – Do not leave your batteries in your camera if you don’t plan on using your camera for long periods of time. Some batteries run the risk of leaking and this can damage your camera.

14 – Subscribe to a good photography magazine. Read books on photography.

15 – Find experienced photographers to go out on shoots with.

16 – Post your photographs in online forums. Learn to accept criticism.

17 – Try taking your pictures in RAW format. RAW is a powerful option available in today’s digital cameras where no in-camera processing takes place. This allows you to do all processing using your favorite image editing software.

18 – Don’t buy the most expensive photography equipment right away. Practice and learn about photography using cheaper equipment first. After you have been taking pictures for a while, you will then know what kind of equipment you will need.

19 – Invest in a tripod. Some of us have very shaky hands. If you can’t stop the shakes, then get a tripod. It will make a world of difference.

20 – If you are not able to carry your equipment with you everywhere, make sure you have a note pad handy. This way if you find a nice shot, you can write it down and visit that location at a later date.