In the old days I would have used Ansel Adams zone system technique. Yes, most if not all of Ansel Adams’ famous B&Ws where not straight from the camera to print, but in fact where the result of a system whereby dynamic range of lighting of a scene was either compressed or stretched with a combination of negative exposure and development times.

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The photo above is the result of several exposures combined to preserve the details in both the low light and high light areas. The shots below show the dilemma one faces when trying to capture details in either the low light or high light sections with a single exposure. Unlike that wonderful combination of the human eye and brain, the camera cannot capture detail on one end of the luminosity without loosing it on the other end. No photo processing software can do anything about empty or overflowing photon buckets.

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Like a brush is to a painter an essential skill in the field of graphic design is Photoshop. The software offers increased productivity as well as flexibility. The features include aspects like file browser, vanishing point tool, smart sharpen filter, noise reduction filter, smart objects, as well as camera workflow enhancements. Photoshop offers professional photo editing features, digital imaging, as well as non destructive editing.

There are so many hidden features and insights to software, that it is often impossible to know them all.

1. There is a hidden option using which you can simulate bold and italic formatting styles for fonts that do not have these options. Click the button on the type tool option to bring up the character palette. Then select text and click the arrow in the upper right hand corner of the palette menu where faux bold and italics are present. However you will not be able to warp type when formatting has been applied.

2. One can quickly flip through blend modes while trying out effects by using the keys “shift+ to change to next mode and shift- to go to the previous mode.” When a painting tool is active this shortcut will change the blend mode of the painting tool. However, if anything is highlighted then the shortcut will not work. You will have press esc and then use the shortcut keys again.

3. The photomerge feature can be used to seamlessly combine multiple images to create a panorama. This feature can be accessed from the Automate menu. You can even refine the composition using tools like rotate, zoom, pan, and set vanishing point.

4. When re-sampling images one can use either Bicubic Smoother or Bicubic Sharper. You can use Bicubic smoother for up sampling and Bicubic sharper for down sampling. You can actually specify which interpolation method is to be used by going to general preferences and setting a default.

5. There are two features for printing. You can use contact sheet II or picture package. Use contact sheet when you want all images in the same size and you want to print the name below the image. Use printer package when you want different image sizes on the same page, or multiple copies of the same image, or a text overlay.

6. If you want to remove a glare on the eyeglasses of an image you should use a part of the lens that does not have a glare and use it to layer the lens with a glare. Use tools like rotate and skew and soft-tip eraser to soften the edges. Ensure the glare does not show through from below. Or, do some careful work using the clone tool.

7. The online services enable you to connect to online photo printing and sharing sites.

8. The Web Photo gallery can generate hyperlink pages that can be uploaded to a server.

9. The Picture Package option will help you prepare photos in layout with multiple size prints on one page.

10. You will never forget how you achieved a certain result because the History Log will detail every step taken by you as well as time-tracking, and a legal record. There are three choices wherein, you can create a sessions only record where, it will record only when Photoshop is opened or closed; or a concise record which will record each action including the text that appears in the history palette; or the complete editing history including the text that appears in the actions palette.

Adobe Photoshop is a dream tool for every designer and one can over time master every subtlety of the tool and crop, rotate, resize, create shapes, add layers, change text, and play with colors. It is a hands on software where the more you use it the more you will learn.

Author Bio
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888SoftwareDownloads.com, the premier website to find Free Software Downloads including free anti-virus software, free spyware detection software, free toolbars, free chat software and more. He also freelances for Free Online Games site www.1888FreeOnlineGames.com

Focus, Focus, Focus - Auto focus does not work very well with fireworks, at least on the cameras I have used. So I’ve always used manual focus, carefully set up before the fireworks start. The biggest danger is that you must not inadvertently bump or touch the focus ring of the lens if you’re zooming in or out. This happened to me a once, and I ended up with nearly all the pictures out of focus, big time! I’m almost thinking of using a small piece of masking tape to the hold the focusing ring into position. Set your focus on something a few hundred feet away. That with the proper f-stop will put everything in focus to infinity. Handy online calculator can be found at here.

ISO Setting - Use the lowest ISO setting, normally 100

F-stop - Somewhere between F/8 or F/11. If your f-stop is to open, you will end up blowing out large sections of the picture in the center of the firework burst.

Shutter speed - Anywhere from 1 to 4 seconds. Shorter exposures are better for star type bursts, longer ones to get the willow tree effect. Typically one would use what historically was called the ‘bulb’ setting along with a cable release. Digital cameras have the electronic version of that.  A store specializing in camera accessories will likely have one for your camera.  If your camera does not have a bulb setting you can use the remote (if it has one) with a preset shutter speed of a couple of seconds. Unfortunately changing shutter speeds for different effects will be a bit of a pain. Last resorts would be to use a built in timer, set to minimum, or actually (very gently) pushing shutter button as if taking a regular picture. Obviously you’ll also need a tripod.

Other Considerations - After taking a few shots you might want to review what you’ve got. Inspect a picture or two very carefully by zooming in and scrolling around, and making adjustments to your settings as needed. Fat trails mean either out of focus, or over exposure (close down f-stop). Also look at other objects in the picture, such as distant street lights to confirm focus. Also be sure to turn off review, or you will have to wait for the review screen to disappear before you can take the next picture.

Happy shooting.

Gimp is an open source photo processing package with features rivaling advanced commercial packages, yet it doesn’t cost a penny and doesn’t have any strings nor nagware attached. Really, absolutely, no kidding! Hard to believe? Welcome to the world of open source, the engine of the internet and many other things.

Start by visiting the official gimp website. Familiarize yourself with what gimp is all about. Installing gimp is pretty straightforward. Download the latest version here. Don’t forget any plugins you may want, installed after you install gimp. Snoop around and see if there are any you may want. Note that you don’t need any plugins to use gimp, as it will pretty much be able to manipulate any non-proprietary file format such as jpeg, png, bmp, tiff, etc. just with the basic install. If you want to work directly with raw files such as Canon cr2, you will need to install the UFraw converter plugin. Install gimp first and then the plugin. During the install I wouldn’t allow UFraw to take over the file associations (uncheck them all).

After you install gimp and UFraw, open gimp, then open your file form the file menu. UFrwaw will then open the file for you. At this point you can do some manipulations (UFraw is a essentially a standalone processing package by itself), but I wouldn’t. Instead just click on the ‘OK’ in the lower right corner, and you’ll be taken to the gimp program.

You might want to use gimp without UFraw first to learn a bit about gimp (without the raw converter) by right clicking on a graphics file (jpeg for example) and then ‘open with’ gimp. For detailed help on using gimp, google is your friend.

Happy processing.

Whether you’re embarking on a family vacation or your family reunion, it’s going to be a special time. When we think of trips we’ve taken, we tend to remember them best with photographs. Here’s some ideas to enhance your vacation as well as your memories of them.

Location Preparation

1. Since you know where you’re going (that’s a minimum requirement), doesn’t it make sense to check out the location before you get there? Create a list of attractions, accommodations, special points of interest, amusement areas, shopping, etc. A good source to help you do this is: the Places and Travel section of msn.com ( http://groups.msn.com/Browse?CatId=179)

2. Figure out the photo opportunities for each appropriate venue. Anyone can take a “that’s nice” picture of the kids at an amusement park. Wouldn’t you rather capture a “WOW” photo that could be hung over the mantle?

3. Depending on the location you’re traveling to, you can see what books are written about them that highlight the best photo opportunities for the entire area

4. If you’re cyber-savvy, start at www.google.com and search using different combinations of: your destination, best photography locations, for images of the location, scenic spots, etc. The options are endless.

5. If you’re off to a non-big city area, scout out the national parks in the area. The great thing about national parks is that the scenery is usually so breathtaking, that a so-so shot looks outstanding, just because of the subject. Once in www.nps.gov, do a search on photos and you will be presented with terrific shots of all the parks

Photography Preparation

OK, you’re either traveling through or you’re at a wonderful location full of photo opportunities. You began this leg of your trip at the crack of dawn and as you’re pulling into the most scenic overlook for 400 miles, the sun is just starting to crack the horizon.

You instinctively pull the car over, grab your camera and your tripod, and look for the best spot to set up. Just one tiny little problem… YOU FORGOT YOUR TRIPOD! Rather than smack yourself on the forehead then, why not plan these things now, before you leave?

Your list should include AT LEAST the following consideration…

1. Do I need to repeat – BRING YOUR TRIPOD? It doesn’t take up much room, and as explained at www.best-family-photography-tips.com/tripod-photography.html, tripods allow you to capture entirely new categories of photographs that won’t be possible without one

2. Memory. Of course, bring all the memory you have, but also pack your portable storage device (explained at http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/digital-photography-tutorial.html)

3. If your camera has a hot shoe, bring your external flash, and any additional equipment that can be used to help with bounce flash

4. Remember your external shutter release cable for those long exposures. How else are you going to get that “angel-hair” look of the waterfalls?

5. Don’t forget the basics like: batteries, battery charger, camera bag, and additional lenses and filters (if applicable on your camera)

6. And just in case you need it, bring the manuals for your equipment.

Finally, don’t get so wrapped up in taking perfect shots that you don’t enjoy the trip. Remember to use the tripod so that you’ll be in at least some of the photos.

Article courtesy of www.best-family-photography-tips.com, where you can see some sample pictures including more photography tips. Copyright 2005 Robert Bezman. All rights reserved.

About The Author

Robert Bezman is a professional photographer and owner of Custom Photographic Expressions. Robert has created www.best-family-photography-tips.com to help the digital photography users create better photographs. Robert has a blog at www.best-family-photography-tips.com.

robert@best-family-photography-tips.com

What gets you all excited about your favourite sport? … the thrill of the chase in horse racing or maybe the atmosphere and tension of a ball game, maybe your favourite player? … Well if you were to capture some of these scenes how would you do it best? For some digital photography tips, let’s take a look at a few ideas right now to capture that realism …

Get Familiar

It’s worth getting familiar with the sport before you start shooting, for example, how points are scored, what causes penalties etc, as this will give you an advantage over others … you will learn to expect where the best action is likely to be, and you can then capture those glorious moments.

Another great tip, as well as aiming to catch the action, capture the ‘emotion’ too. Be ready to shoot players’ faces on triumph of a goal, or any other emotive action in the game and you will bring your photos alive!

Be Prepared

Cold and bad weather conditions can quickly rob the life of your digital camera’s battery, so it’s important to always carry an extra charged battery especially for outdoor sports.

Action Techniques

Stop Action … you’ll very quickly be able to shoot an action shot and ‘freeze’ your subject practically in mid air. Imagine the wheels of a drag car on a dirt road, bouncing off the many bumps … for those few seconds while the car is in mid air, snap away to capture the action.

Lighting is not too much of an issue if you’re outside on a sunny or partially sunny day say at a car race, dog track, or horse race etc, but you’ll maybe need to make adjustments if you’re inside a gymnasium shooting a basketball game, for example. If the lighting is bright, then you’ll probably be okay, but depending on the type of lighting, you may need to activate your fill flash if you shoot players in action and you find your photo colorisation shifting to ‘yellow’.

Also bear in mind the distance, as your flash will not carry too far … it might be worth sitting near the basket hoop to catch the action!

Blurred Action … a couple of ideas behind blurred action is, firstly … if you look back at your photos you have taken using Stop Action, you may find one or two shots that did not freeze the action, which means your camera did not catch the action at the right moment … so you end up with an interestingly blurry effect to your subject.

Secondly, if you’re shooting a ball game, for example, you may get blurring if your player moves just as you click your shutter. If you did not intend for this to happen, you might be pleasantly surprised with the effect!

Panned Action … the most difficult to accomplish, but probably the most effective shooting technique, once mastered. The advantage using your digital camera is that you can delete unwanted frames and start again, so here’s how panning basically works…

Using your digital camera in automatic mode press the shutter half way down to focus on your subject, moving your camera sideways following the action, then pressing the shutter fully while still moving your camera. The effect created is the front of your subject should remain in fairly strong focus, while the back of your subject should start to blur, and as it blurs a long trail should appear, giving a feeling of movement like no other effect could possibly achieve.

Experiment

By knowing what your digital camera can do, experiment with different methods to get the best shots. You could try shooting in continuous mode, then try panning the camera along with your subject, whilst he/she or it is in motion.

I hope these digital photography tips are helpful. If you can get to grips with panning, as I have described above, you’re on a winner!

About The Author

Yvonne Grubb owns http://www.www.digital-photo-tutorial.com which offers people information on digital photography tips

Photography blends science with art. The photographer is the artist who engraves his creation with light and shade. Science has gifted the artist a technically advanced digital camera for him to captivate life with it. But he must know to decipher the codes of light

And, Let There Be Light…

Natural light sources like the sun and the moon are considered the best light sources. These lights often invade indoors and make natural shots come alive. Men have created artificial lights like the ordinary bulb, the tungsten halogen lamp or the bright photoflood.

There are various types of lighting, the photographer can employ. The most common is the Directional lighting provided by flash, tungsten or several sources and can be used from the front, back or side.

Front lighting is the most in vogue but it reveals every detail. The light is at the back of the photographer beaming at the face of the subject highlighting every detail. This often results in an unexciting and flat look of your subjects. Another technique is to mystify your subject by lighting up from side. The main illumination from side adds interest and vigor with presence of dark shadows.

In Back lighting the source light remains in the rear of the subject shining in the face of the camera. So, you must be very careful while using this mode otherwise the subject will appear like a silhouette. The main advantage here is, you will be able to capture the natural expressions of your subject in an outdoor shoot, as he will not squint facing bright light.

You can employ Cross lighting where strong directional light comes from both sides. But this method is only suitable for studios with bright flash or tungsten lights.

Lighting For Digital Photography

Digital cameras may offer a wide range of easy lighting modes but there are challenges for the artist in his path to perfection. You must adopt the trial and error method and acquire the knowledge of lighting.

Most digital cameras have preset digital photography lighting modes or ’scenes’ for different lighting situation. There is the indoor mode to click without flash, which is particularly useful in art galleries or museums, the night and portrait mode allows you to take pictures of your subject with a gleaming backdrop at night using a slower shutter speed.

The digital cameras provide an automatic setting for white balancing .You can determine the baseline white in your image against which, other colors will be rendered. Your camera may have a histogram to evaluate exposure in different digital photography conditions. Most cameras have various options like daylight, cloudy, tungsten and more.

What Is Auxillary Lighting?

If you want to create art using light and shadow, the Flash unit alone is not enough. Here, auxiliary lighting comes in. If you decide to shoot portraits or product shots in a studio then auxiliary lighting is not optional but necessary.

For great results use head and kicker lights. Flashlights do not generate heat like floods and spots, so are more suited for portraits. Make sure the flash suits your digital camera. If you want to shoot still shots or product shots, continuous tungsten light is the cheapest and best. A range of wattage bulbs and reflectors will help you control the intensity and direction of light too.

If you don’t have money you can rent lights. Top studios have various assortments of flash units, flood and spotlights.

How to use light

Light is made up of all colors. If seen through a prism it bursts into different colors. You are free to experiment with the rainbow. Artificial lights have their own characteristics. The photographer can utilize different light sources. You can alter white setting for a different effect. Most digital cameras have color setting modes to achieve accuracy of the colors.

Direction of light is important in digital photography. People look best in diffused sidelights and backlight produces a halo effect while overhead lighting produces sharp contrast of light and shadows. Strength of light is also an essential factor. You can have placid effect from diffused lighting and sharpness from strong light.

Indoor lighting gives you ample scope to shoot nice pictures. You can assemble light as per your choice and can even harness sunlight when it enters your house to soften your image.

Outdoor shots are more challenging. It leaves you at the mercy of Mother Nature. While landscape looks good in soft light, the wildlife is captivating with fine details in bright light. So photographers try to capture wildlife just before dusk or before dawn.

In digital cameras, you do not need to worry about ISO film speed. Most digital cameras have preset ISO setting. However, experimentation is the perfect way to curb imperfection. So inflame your imagination and hone your skill. You are ready to enter the luminous empire of photography.

About The Author

Connie Fillmore is a successful writer and publisher of photography related issues, for more informative articles go to http://www.digitalphotographyguy.com.

Finding an affordable wedding photography package isn’t easy. Every bride wants the best for her wedding, but the reality is that not every bride can afford the best. Many couples have limited budgets with which to work and all too often, they find themselves having to cut corners to avoid over-spending. The first aspect of a wedding that is slashed for costs is the professional wedding photographer.

The reason for this is that wedding photography prices are anything but standardized. Depending on the photographer you select, the format and style of photography and the length of the celebration, the base rate can fluctuate wildly. Added to this is the fact that there are almost limitless options in the wedding photography package. The more extras you add, the higher the price.

Many who are seeking budget wedding photography decide to spend their money on hiring a better photographer to do less work. Rather than selecting a lower priced photographer and ordering a huge photo package, they go with the photographer that they most trust and order a smaller package. Some couples even forgo the traditional wedding photography package altogether and simply buy the negatives or original digital images from the photographer. These couples then use their own technological savvy to create personalized albums and reprints that are meaningful to them.

Some professional wedding photographers maintain a traditionalist view. They feel that as the expert, the wedding photographer is the only one truly suited to put together the wedding album. This argument does have some merit. The photographer is the only one who knows what he or she was trying to convey in each shot. Additionally, the photographer works closely with trusted contacts at the developing lab and is able to judge when photos return with imperfections. He or she is familiar with color balance and stylistic concerns and is therefore quite adept at placing the photos within the album to create a pleasing whole.

On the other hand, scrap booking and other DIY projects have become extremely common option to a traditional wedding photography package. Today’s couples are generally quite adept at working with photos, doing retouches and fixing color problems on their home computers. For these couples, their wedding album is just another fun home project.

Many couples opt for the best of both worlds. These couples purchase a basic wedding photography package that includes a small album and a few reprints. They also purchase the original media and create a personalized album as well. They may do reprints and reorders themselves, or they may order these items from their photographer, depending on how much time and money they have. This way, the couple receives a classic wedding album to show their children and grandchildren, as well as the ability to personalize and scrapbook to their hearts’ content.

Whatever your feelings on wedding photography packages, you are certain to find a photographer who will meet your needs. The wedding photography market is changing rapidly and photographers are adapting to the times. Perhaps you want a traditional large wedding photography package that includes an album full of traditional posed photos. Maybe you want to purchase nothing but the photographer’s time and the raw media. Or perhaps you want something in between, a small photo package that also includes the original media. The choice is yours. It is your wedding and you deserve a photographer that will work with the choices that you make.

About The Author

Ellen writes for for http://GreatHawaiiWeddings.com which offers information to Maui wedding and honeymoon packages together with resources to beach front Maui vacation rentals ideal for your wedding party and honeymoon.

You’ve been snapping away with your nifty little point and shoot camera for a while now and you’ve discovered you really like taking pictures and want to get more creative and have more control over your photos. Naturally the next step is to upgrade to an SLR camera. But which one? There is a ridiculous number of products out there with all sorts of buttons and dials that do this or that. This article attempts to give a brief overview of the things that are actually important when considering which camera to buy.

Firstly, let’s dispel one of the most common myths associated with upgrading equipment. Buying a new camera will not make you a better photographer. Repeat: it will NOT make you a better photographer. Not instantly, not in 2 years time, not in 10 years. What will make you a better photographer is you. Your willingness to learn and develop your skills. Sure a high end camera will give you more control over your image making, but that’s just it; its you controlling the camera, and therefore the end image. Ok, now that we’re on the same track, a few things to think about.

How many megapixels do I need?

We are going to assume that you are looking at digital cameras here, although I should point out that there are some excellent film cameras around at much less expense. So don’t discount film altogether (it’s not dead just yet!). But to answer the question, we first need to answer another: What do you want to do with your photos? If you only want to post your photos on the web, e-mail them or make small prints to put in a photo album, the resolution you need for this is quite low. To give you an idea, a camera with 2 megapixels will create an image that can make a good quality 6 x 4 print (standard photo album size). Most entry level SLR cameras start at around 6 megapixels. Therefore if this is all you want to do with your images, the amount of megapixels does not need to be a major concern. If, however, you want to make large sized prints, you may need a higher resolution camera. While entry level SLR’s often produce very good quality prints up to a certain size, more pixels gives you the freedom of being able to enlarge even further. While image software programs can increase the size of your photos they will lose some quality. Starting with a larger image means that fewer pixels are added by the program and less quality is lost.

Is brand important?

Not as important as some would have you think. While photographers will continue to debate the Nikon vs Canon issue, my belief is that it is a moot point. Both companies produce some excellent products and some pretty ordinary ones. What should be foremost in your mind is build quality. How many plastic parts does the camera have versus metal ones? Metal parts can be replaced, while plastic parts are usually set into a mould and cannot be. Potentially this could mean the difference between having to buy a new part or a new camera a few years down the track. Check how the camera feels in your hand. If it feels solid and sturdy, it probably is. Quality between brands doesn’t differ greatly until you get into the higher end cameras. This is where Nikon and Canon come to the fore and other brands that don’t target this market drop off. However if you decide you don’t need a higher end camera, don’t discount other brands.

What about features?

Cameras come with all sorts of different modes and features. Some of them seem to be included for no other reason than to be a selling point for that particular model. It takes a little research to discern which are actually going to be useful. There are, however, some that you should factor into your considerations. Firstly, what mode settings does the camera have? Many entry level SLR’s have similar settings to point and shoot cameras. I.e. Portrait, landscape, low light etc. While these make things easy, the point of moving up to an SLR camera is to gain more control over your photos. You will never gain the control you want without learning how to use a camera in full manual mode.

Other features, such as a built if flash or cable release socket, may be important to you depending on the type of photography you want to do. If you like to shoot portraits, a built in flash can be a huge help in lighting shadows. If you are interested in landscape photography, you will at some point want to set you camera up on a tripod to capture a low light scene. Using a cable release allows you to press the shutter without actually touching the camera, removing the camera shake that blurs a picture.

One final consideration.

This is possibly the most important of all. Make sure the camera you choose is comfortable and easy to use. Check that you can reach all the buttons easily while shooting and that the dial and menu configurations are logical. This allows you to learn your gear easily so that you can concentrate on the most important thing: taking pictures.

About The Author

Mark Eden is a freelance travel photographer and writer, and the founder and director of Expanse Photography, a photographic services company offering fine art, limited edition prints as well as stock and assignment photography and publishing services. Mark can be contacted through the Expanse Photography website http://www.expansephotography.com.

History of Photo Sizes - Going back in time recall the widespread 35mm format film used in almost every camera. The actual size of the negative was 36mm wide x 24mm tall, resulting in an aspect ratio of 1.5 (36/24). Next you took your film to be developed and have photos printed, most likely 6 inch x 4 inch in size. Since 6/4=1.5 is the same ratio as the negative, the image on the negative would be enlarged untill it filled the size of the photo paper. Perfect match. If you had your photos printed at 7 inch x 5 inch (aspect ratio of 7/5=1.4), a bit of cropping would be done either manually or automatically, amounting to less than 1/4 inch on each side. You probably never noticed.

Digital Camera Aspect Ratio - Fast forward to digital cameras. Initially manufacturers assumed photos taken with digital cameras would be primarily used for display on computer monitors. Many monitors have resolutions of 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 960, and so on. The common factor among all these is the aspect ratio of around 1.3 (800/600 for example). Looking at resolutions for typical consumer digital cameras such as Nikon Coolpix or Canon Powershot, you’ll find that these cameras have resolutions similar to the ones listed above. This means that they’re a good match for displaying your digital photos on computer monitors, but not so good for printing, in which case they should have an aspect ratio of 1.5 to transfer the complete image to a 6 x 4 photos. Note that DSLRs (digital single lens reflex, i.e. cameras with the flip up mirror) don’t suffer from this problem. Being essentially digital versions of the SLRs, their image sensors have the same ratio as 35 mm cameras.

Digital Image vs Printed Photo Proportions - This image shows an 800 x 600 digital image frame overlayed on a 6 x 4 print. As you can see a portion of the original image needs to be trimmed to match the size of the underlying 6 x 4 paper size. It may be equal amounts on the top and the bottom, or less on the top and more on the bottom, as long as the total pixel rows trimmed add up to 140. Automated processing will trim equal amounts from top and bottom of photo. If a human is assisting this process they may ‘move’ the photo up or down so as to capture what they believe are the important portions of the picture, but there is no guarantee. Most photo processing places now have the option of 6 x 4-1/2 prints, in which case the image and the paper are a near perfect match. The cost per print however is about double of a ’standard’ sized photo.

Composing Your Photo - So what to do? When you compose your pictures in the viewfinder or preview screen, be sure to leave a little extra space above and below the subject of interest, such as a person’s head. That way you won’t end up with the top of the photo annoyingly close to the head.