Digital Photography Tips - Capturing the Spider's Web

A favorite photography subject of many people is a spider web. They possess such an intricate beauty but also strength that far exceeds their outward appearance. A web, which has been photographed in a thoughtful & considerate manner, will produce a beautiful image. Here's some tips to help you get the money shot when it comes time to head into the yard looking for our eight-legged friends.

1. Always be an environmentally conscious photographer. When we go out in the field, you're number one goal should be to leave as little evidence of your presence as possible. We have a great gift that is not to be squandered for our own purposes. Just keep that in mind when you're out & about please!

2. No motion. Because spider webs are so delicate, even the slightest breeze can result in your shots being out of focus. Sometimes reflectors can also be used to deflect gentle breezes. But you're best to wait for natural calm. For this reason also, you will want to have your camera mounted on a tripod. Use a cable shutter-release or the timer function to help eliminate movement on the camera.

3. Depth of field and background. Open your aperture as much as possible to avoid distraction & clutter in the background. You want the subject to be the web. If you have problems with getting proper exposure, even with highest shutter speeds & slowest ISO settings, you may have to use a neutral density filter to reduce light levels. Another way to help with light levels is to look for dark backgrounds. This will also help accentuate the web.

4. Shoot all around. Be sure to get shots from both sides and looking directly at the web. With a shallow depth of field, you may find a particular web to b more interesting when only a portion is in clear focus. Likewise, you might find a "perfect" web front view that will need to be completely within your focal distance. Don't forget to simplify and highlight your subject by filling the frame. You'll be amazed with your results.

5. Do the dew. Not that I'm trying to rip-off anything from the famous soft drink, but water on a web will give you a truly classic image. This moisture is best found in the early morning before the temperature starts drying everything out. You can also try going out after a light rain. Some professional photographers will carry a a misting sprayer with them to help with composition. Just remember our number one rule if you decide to start messing with things too much.

6. Don't forget the flash. Under most circumstances, the natural light you're using will be sufficient for obtaining a proper level of exposure. However, there may be times when you need a little more. Many species of spiders are actually more active at dusk & dawn because of their feeding habits. In these situations, you may want to deploy a strobe to help provide additional illumination. I don't recommend the use of a constant source due to the attraction of unwanted insects. But my guess is that your subject won't mind the added company in this case.

Now you know the secrets to capturing an awesome image next time you find the spiders' web. Good luck with your attempts. You never know what you'll get unless you get out there & try.

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Fashion Photography, Some History

Magazines such as Allure, Vogue and Vanity Fair are known to display some of the best fashion photography that you will ever come across. Photography is a way of showcasing models wearing the trends in clothes, jewelry, sunglasses, hairstyles, necklaces, shoes and other items. The first known record of fashion photography was the portfolio of the Countess de Castiglione, Virginia Oldoini in 1856. The world's first fashion photographer was Adolphe Braun, as he was the one responsible for shooting the first fashion model. Spark and color were added to fashion magazines once halftone printing was introduced to the fashion photography industry. The first magazines to make use of fashion photography were the French magazines Les Mode and La Mode Practique.

At first, fashion photography consisted of staging the shoots in natural environments using natural poses. Baron Adolf de Meyer was the person who first developed and adopted this practice. In the first part of the 20the century, the magazines that were the leaders were Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. The moguls of the industry still pay tribute to the likes of Yva, Edward Steichen and Cecil Beaton, and George Hoyningen Huene. These were the individuals who help to establish fashion photography in Europe. Irving Penn, Richard Avedon and Martin Munkacsi made significant contributions after World War II.

A majority of the artists of earlier times deserted their adopted forms, and took on a more independent and natural style. 1936 was the year that models were first photographed at the beach in different poses, by Martin Munkacsi. After World War II, fashion photography became quite popular among young men who loved to hold a camera in their hands, and among young women who had the ideal body type of a fashion model. Today, fashion photography has evolved into a life of its own. Models and photographers are now seen as international celebrities, and enjoy the lifestyle of the rich and glamorous. But make no mistake this it is no easier for the photographer then it is the models, only a small percentage of those trying to make it actually succeed.

Fashion can be showcased in various avenues. Some of these well appreciated and well paid avenues include celebrity portraiture, art photography and fashion advertising. Fashion moguls such as agent Gloria Cappelletti and photo editor Clio McNicholl both agree that the fashion photography industry is quickly evolving.

For anyone wanting to become a fashion photographer it is important to keep up on trends and aesthetics of the industry. Study the images in the top fashion publications and try to understand the images and what attracts editors to them. Its interesting to look back at some of the really great photographers from a few decades ago. Interesting that some of the fashion photographers appear to have disappeared. The ones still shooting are the ones that accept change and reinvent their style all the time, fashion photography can become dated almost as quickly as the fashions they showcase.

As a professional photographer, apart from your camera, the most important tool that you can own is your portfolio. Your portfolio is actually your gateway to the industry. There are certain guidelines that you must follow when submitting your portfolio to a fashion editor. Once you are able to follow these guidelines correctly, you will on your way to becoming one of the world's renowned fashion photographers.

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Photography Community Study

This article is a case study of the popular photo.net photography community. Communities are created to help inform and gather knowledge for a specific purpose such as a hobby or profession. Many photographers will land on this community when they are hobbiest and will turn their hobby into a business by following the articles and forums provided by the community. The community also seems like a great way to promote small photography business and create new contacts.

(a) Their mission statement
Photo.net's mission statement is "To serve busy readers who want clear answers to questions." This is very well accomplished with many articles about photography and equipment.

(b) Tagline
Their tagline is "For photographers to help each other become better." This accentuates the fact that photo.net has been built into a very strong community where the photographers help other photographers.

(c) Back story
Photo.net started out in 1993 as Philip Greenspun's home page at MIT. They have now expanded to over 100,000 photographers to work with each other to help them become better. This gives a great example how photo.net has grown into a large community and it communicates its values clearly.

(d) Storytelling
Photo.net started off as a hobby/personal site where the author indicates his views, shows his photos, and where he wants the website to go. Now that it is a much larger website it showcases many different photographers work and showcases some of the best talent in the world.

(e)Brand personality
The photo.net is a visually appealing site with thumbnails to photos all throughout the website. On the index page of the site you are automatically introduced to some of the top photos that are on the website. It is a very nicely laid out site and you can find exactly what you are looking for in seconds. It follows all of the same colour schemes through out and is a very consistent looking website. All of the tools available are all presented on the top. It is all staffed and managed by top photographers that moderate and choose topics wisely (for example photo of the week).

Photo dot net has now turned into a community that has a pay service where you can have unlimited images in your portfolio, access to surveys and contests as well as access to their forums that help many photographers increase their photography skills.

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Why Use Digital Photography Software

For any photographer, graphic designer or visual artist, digital photography software is a crucial element whether you are an amateur or you work in today's visual media industry. Those who are not experienced with the programs and their capabilities might discredit the software that is available as being limited to getting rid of red eyes in family Christmas shots; this is hardly the case. The digital photography software on the market today gives you the ability to manipulate photos and images in almost any way; it even allows you to create designs from scratch that couldn't be replicated with any other tools.

Basic applications for photograph editing are available. Simple functions like cropping and rotating become immediately accessible and easy to perform. Resizing functions that don't leave pixelated images are useful for any photographer looking to strip parts of a photo away while still maintaining the image's size.

If you are the family photographer who ends up with the camera at functions, Christmases and birthdays, other tools that become available with image editing software can help clean up any shots that didn't come out right, or those messy mistakes that we all make. Red eye tools really do fix those common photography errors that come out at the worst of times. Not being able to fix a problem that is such a small part of an otherwise great photo can be really frustrating. Digital photography software eliminates those frustrations.

Image adjustments you can make to hue, saturation and contrast immediately allow you to fix otherwise intrusive lighting and colour issues in your photos. Being able to run a bit of post-production over any shot can really bring out the best parts of your images. Fixing colours to look more vibrant, sharpening up tones and bringing important parts of foreground into better focus is all possible with the right software.

If you want to get more advanced, you can use these programs to create new works of digital art. Editing images with different options and effects, adding surreal elements or combining your own photos with fictitious imagery has become a new form of expression for millions. The possibilities with digital photography editing are endless.

If you are an avid photographer, amateur or looking to create something profitable with your images, digital editing software is a must have tool. Even if you are just taking photos of family members for the family album, an editing suite can help to ensure that every shot is a perfect one.

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A Successful Photography Business - Define Your Vision and Create Your Positioning Statement

What is your visual positioning?

In today's market you must be aware that there is very little work for the visual generalist. Sadly I still find that very few photographers have actively worked to define their visual approach to their chosen subject?

Now more than ever, Vision, is where you must begin. To be successful you must initiate the process of defining the visual approach you will offer clients and the first step is to write your positioning statement.

Your positioning statement is your description of your vision. It is what you shoot and more important how you do it? It defines your style, your vision, and your way of seeing your chosen topic?

You can create your positioning statement by pretending you are the client and looking at your portfolio and pretending that you are a new contact seeing it for the first time.

What is the message that you get? Do the images individually and collectively tell you what type of assignment you would hire this photographer for? Is the photographer's message clear? Is it deep and can you see application? Can you define and articulate the photographer's visual approach? What type of client would hire this photographer? What might that client's branding message be?

Or are you finding that the work of the photographer (you) is all over the map? There is no consistency in the type of work shown or in the visual approach?

The answers to these questions will help you to know if you have a vision present that can be defined or if you need to begin and start to develop a new vision.

If you need to develop a vision try this exercise. Go through magazines, annual reports, web sites, award journals, and source books. Tear out images that represent photography that you would have killed to create.

This is not about selecting work that you like, rather it is about identifying the style of visual that you not only like, but would work your butt off to receive as an assignment. Clearly this is a deeper edit.

When you have about 1-7 examples start to analyze them. Use words to describe what each photo is about. Then choose words to describe the "visual feel"of each image. Look at the tools used (focus styling, graphic composition etc). Put the words on post it notes and go onto the next. When you have completed the defining process, spread the images out, read the post it notes and start to look for similarities in your descriptions.

Which descriptive words do you use repeatedly? Look at how color is used, how selective focus is used. Are the images you chose about people? How are they photographed? Are they props? Or are they relating to the camera? Are we peeking in on their world or are they very present, connecting to the photographer?

Now, do the same thing with your portfolio.

What are the consistent words you use on your post it notes to describe your imagery? What are the messages you are giving to clients? Do the descriptive words on the notes from your chosen tears match that from your current portfolio? Are the messages from the images you loved congruent with the messages from the images in your portfolio?

If so, begin to form your positioning statement making sure to state I shoot blank (your subject focus) and my visual approach is blank. The words on your post it notes fill in the blanks.

You now have a positioning statement!

Once you have developed and articulated your positioning statement you can use it as your main marketing message. Later that statement can be used as an editing tool for all portfolio images and it will also be useful for the descriptions for your portfolio images and on any visual mailers that are sent to contacts. It can be used on your web site and in source books as well.

Defining your Vision is a task that should be taken on with an open heart and lots of enthusiasm. Start today by asking yourself:

What is it that I truly want to shoot? How is it that I create?

You may be pleasantly surprised by the answers you will find!

? 2011 Selina Maitreya

Would you like more information about how to build a thriving professional photography business in 2011? Join 7 photography industry experts for the Clarion Call II - The Professional Photography Telesummit. Clarion Calls I & II were created by Selina Maitreya, a 30-year plus photography mentor and portfolio consultant. Selina teaches commercial and professional photographers of all levels how to build a profitable business that will thrive. Visit Clarion Call 2 for more details.
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How to Find Landscape Photography Opportunities Where You Live

If you are a keen landscape photographer one of your main challenges will be how to locate places that will provide excellent opportunities to create stand out photographs. Your first port of call will probably be the work of other photographers in your area. You can see their work at exhibitions or at photography clubs or via their personal websites or blogs. Another way to view photographer's work of your area is to browse social networking sites such as Flickr. Flickr gives you the ability to search for photographs across the millions that are stored in its database. If you search by town name or county you will end up with a filtered list of photographs that have been taken in your area. Flickr encourages tagging of photographs with keywords, so as long as the contributor has tagged their photograph with the relevant place name it will appear in the search results. Flickr also allows you to search by groups that have been set up by contributors. There are many groups that are dedicated to a geographical area encouraging Flickr members to submit relevant photos to the group's bank of images. These groups provide an excellent source of ideas and inspiration.

You are not looking to copy other people's works but equally there is no such thing as a completely original idea - what you are looking for is inspiration. Even if you don't think much of a contributor's image of a local scene you might get some ideas about how you could do a better job.

Another way of searching for locations is to use Google Earth. Google Earth will give you a satellite image of your county or town. You may spot features that look like they might make interesting subject matter for a landscape photograph. I have found this especially useful for coastal photography as I can view stretches of coastline picking out interesting features which is much quicker than physically walking the same areas.

To really be successful with your landscape photography you need to think a little bit deeper than just location. The time of day is a big factor: sunrise and sunset provide the best lighting in most cases as direct sunlight often bleaches colours and provides little mood or ambience. Check the weather also - if you are after a misty Autumn morning they don't come every morning so it's important to check the weather forecast to see whether mist is likely. If you intend to take coastal shots check the tide - if the tide is all the way out are you going to get the shot you are after?

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Wedding Photography Tips - How to Take Great Table Shots

One of a photographer's least favorite types of pictures to take at a wedding is the table shot, the pictures of the guests at each table at a wedding reception. This is because it is hard to get everyone from a table organized, and it does not have the artistry of other photos at a wedding. But this does not mean they aren't important or you don't have to put much effort into them. On the contrary, these table shots are popular with wedding couples because they are a testament of who attended their special day. Moreover, for many guests who are on the fringe, that is who are not family or close friends of the wedding couple; this may be the only shot of them from the entire wedding. As I said above, chances are these are not going to be your most artistic shots of the night. The important thing in these pictures is that everyone is present, visible, in focus, and looks all right. In this article I am going to give you a few tips on how to make these shots turn out as nice as possible.

One of the most important things to taking table shots is having a strategy. Normally you will not be able to just go around the reception hall and get every table in order and at the same time. People will be walking around, or there will be servers coming by, so you will need to find a time to shoot each table. The first thing you need to do is keep track of which tables you shoot since you probably won't be able to get all the shots at once. Likewise, only shoot a table if everyone at the table is available for the picture. It doesn't make sense to set everyone up, do the shot, then have to come back and do the exact same shot later in the night. Therefore, as you are walking around taking other shots, you need to be looking around for tables where everyone is present. If you have an assistant, put him or her in charge of this.

The most common method to taking a table shot is to have everyone set up behind the table. Obviously make sure everyone is set up so the heights look pleasing to the eye, that is, not all the tall people on one side of the shot for example. Again, if you have an assistant, put him or her in charge of setting up the guests. Have people place their hands on the back the chair if it is just hanging there in the air. Make sure you get enough shots to account for the chance that someone blinks. With more people, there is more of a chance that at least one of them is blinking. Don't be afraid to make the guests wait a few seconds more to get some extra shots. You already took the time to make sure everyone from the table is present, and to set them up so they look nice. It would be a shame to have a blink ruin the shot.

Another tip is to make sure the table is neat. This does not mean taking all the plates off the table. You can crop the table so that only a small part of it is in the frame, but you still need to make sure that there is nothing distracting in the shot. After all, you never know if this is the picture they decide to frame and put on the wall.

One more thing to keep in mind is your F-stop. Try to use a larger F-stop if there is going to be a lot of people in the photo. Remember the saying eight is great. So set your F-stop to 8 if there is enough light (ambient or strobe). Likewise, try to set up the guests so they are all in the same depth of focus plane. Depending on your camera lens, you may not want to crop so tight in camera. Some cheaper lenses are very soft around the edges, so it would be better to do your cropping post-production. Having people's faces out of focus due to soft edges will kill a table shot.

Try these tips the next time you do table shots at a wedding. Thanks for reading!

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Outdoor Photography and Natural Lighting

Photography has always been a popular hobby. The desire and ability to capture a feeling or to affect an emotion for the viewer is the anticipated goal. Since SLRs have joined to digital field, the options for creative photography has increased. The ability to instantly see what a photo will look like is what makes digital SLRs so popular and effective.

Lighting is the most important element of photography. It can make or break a good photograph more than any other facet. To exact the most effective results in any good photograph, it is imperative that forethought to lighting be considered

Surely, spontaneous images can be extremely compelling, but only when the image portrays something that reflects a captured moment in time that couldn't be rehearsed or planned. A hummingbird's fluttering wings, an explosion or bolt of lightning are typical of a 'moment in time' experience. The element of a dramatic instance always produces a pleasing or compelling image, but even then, lighting can affect the image, particularly with outdoor photography.

When shooting outdoors, lighting will obviously be reliant upon the weather. If the sky is clear and sunny, shadows cast must be considered. The subject, optimally, should be photographed with the light shining on the surface you are facing, unless your objective is to get a silhouette type of image where the background and surroundings are as important as the subject. The usage of natural lighting will produce better, clearer, more natural colors than a supplemental light source.

The sun should be behind the photographer so the light is not 'confusing' the depth of field with refractive or distracting light rays or streaks. Shadows cast in between the lens and the subject could distract from the subject, causing the eye to roam off the point of interest. The only times that rule may not apply are during the 'magic hours' of dusk and dawn when shadows might be an integral part of the desired 'mood' of the image.

With the sun overhead, or positioned in the sky between you and the subject, it may not be possible to get the sunlight behind you; it may be necessary to shade the lens to prevent lighting errors. Sometimes a cupped hand poised above the lens can alleviate the problem. Alternatively, some camera lenses can be affixed with a rubber blinder attachment that completely encircles the lens and extends out for 2 or 3 inches to effectively shade out the sun.

Be wary of reflected light from other sources too. Cars, water, glass or other shiny reflective materials that project reflected light rays can easily ruin a great photo. The vigilant photographer is always aware of the existing lighting and how it could potentially impact the subject and final image.

Whenever possible, even in overcast situations, natural lighting should be the primary light source when shooting outdoors. Supplemental lighting should only be utilized when the existing natural lighting doesn't create the results your subject and image requires to convey the desired effect.

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How to Create a Successful Photography Business - The 7 Steps to Success

Photographers have asked me for years for the magic formula for success in the photography business. I used to say there was no formula but I have now decided I was wrong. When I look closely at the steps taken by photographers who have achieved successes, I see different variations of the same process; I call this process The 7 Steps to Success.

First of all, let me be clear, the successful photographers I am talking about are not the Annie Leibovitz's, of the world. I am talking about photographers you may never hear of, or read about in PDN. They may sit next to you at an APA and ASMP meetings. You might have seen their post on a photoeditor.com but most likely you'll never even know they exist.

However, they are successful, as each one at different times in their career has reached their creative and financial goals. They have achieved their success, by employing not one or two steps but all 7 steps to success and by putting all of the essential parts needed into place. That's the key.

Here are the 7 Steps:

Step 1- A talent based body of work ready to sell, (this means a defined visual approach around a specific subject with enough samples to build trust with potential clients.)

Step 2- A deep database of appropriate contacts (and a smaller more researched group of contacts for in person visits)

Step 3- Several different marketing/sales channels (at least 4 or 5 is best)

Step 4- Marketing materials that are visually branded to move the visual message forward

Step 5- Perseverance

Step 6- Faith in your ability

Step 7- Patience...than means allowing for a 2-4 year timeline before seeing consistent results.

Notice that I wrote that those who were successful worked ALL of the steps above not just one or two of them.

Over the years I have met photographers who get one or two steps of the program but don't jump in completely. Maybe they get the vision piece but do very little marketing. Some photographers may now understand that they need to market using different channels but most have not yet embraced the concept of incorporating the other elements of the mix. The biggest mistake that photographers make, is that most never give the program the time it truly takes for their efforts to manifest.

The successful photographer is the person that understands and incorporates all The 7 Steps to Success consistently and congruently and gives their effort time to evolve into a successful business.

? 2010 Selina Maitreya

Would you like more information about how to build a thriving photography business in 2011? Join 7 photography industry experts for the Clarion Call II - The Professional Photography Telesummit. Clarion Calls I & II were created by Selina Maitreya, a 30-year plus photography mentor and portfolio consultant. Selina teaches commercial and professional photographers of all levels how to build a profitable business that will thrive. Clarion Call II is June 10, 2011 Register Today

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Nature Photography: Walking in the Wilderness for Photographic Reward

It is such an obvious statement that it almost redundant to say it, but if you want to photograph landscapes, wilderness, mountain sunsets and so on, then you are going to have to pack your gear and walk for hours or days, just to get into location -- i.e., composition, exposure settings and camera gear are your second most important task!

The reason I mention this obvious sounding statement is to emphasise that wilderness and landscape pictures do not take themselves. Obviously some beautiful landscapes have become extremely well serviced tourist attractions, and some magnificent scenery can be appreciated in relative comfort, not far from a car park (Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake for example), or with only a minor walk to a lookout (Russell Falls or Wineglass Bay for example). The real reward will come though the minute you make the decision to fill up a backpack, strap on your tripod (yes, it's an extra 2+ kilograms, but you cannot shoot at night without it!), and carry in your gear to somewhere even just a little further than most people go.

A great option is in fact simply doing walks that are described as day walks, as overnight walks. I have found fantastic rewards from Tasmanian walking tracks such as Cape Raoul and Mt Rufus, which are easily done as return day walks if you have a small pack with nothing but your lunch and a sun hat, but infinitely more rewarding if done as an overnight walk.

Planning:

Obviously an overnight stay in the mountains requires a lot more planning than a short stroll or day walk. Your own personal fitness and determination levels will also be tested. If you have the luxury of being very flexible about the dates you are going to walk, then regular visits to weather websites are essential. In this case you can choose your dates to suit weather conditions. Obviously when camping in elevated or exposed locations, a calm night in terms of wind and relatively high minimum temperatures will make your stay more comfortable, but cold weather if the forecast is fine will have its own rewards if the terrain freezes overnight. Also, camping out in snow, rain or deep cloud cover has a new set of risks that only the fairly experienced should undertake. Cloudy conditions although limiting your long view of the landscape, can nevertheless provide beautiful atmosphere to your immediate location.

Of course maps and as much reading of what to expect is essential. It is good to set mental goals in your mind before leaving. Dividing the walk up into stages is a good example of setting mental goals. A 1km vertical climb looks like a mighty task (and it is!) but if you make yourself aware of the physical challenge that awaits, it will serve as a great checklist while you are walking. For example knowing that a long flat section is a reward that awaits after a particularly steep climb will keep you focused on reaching that flat ground!

Essential Items:

Without doubt this will depend on your destination, but there are a few clear must haves:

A good, lightweight tent and down sleeping gear. Clothing will always depend on location and time of year, but it's always better to carry something and not need it than to leave something which could be vitally important in an unforeseen situation at home just to save a few hundred grams in pack weight.

Camera gear: Here you must ask yourself a very important question. Are you serious or not? Tripods are heavy. Lenses are heavy. Filters, spare batteries and the camera bag take up space. Do you bring it all or do you reduce your weight? Ie - are you serious or not? I always carry my tripod (approx 2.5kg), strapped to the outside of my pack. I take 3 lenses (including a wide angle and 100mm macro), as well as ND grads, polarizer, spare battery, memory cards and so on. It is no doubt an extra 5-6 kilograms on top of the fully loaded pack, but I wouldn't want to be in location without any of those items, and so the only solution is to carry it all in. But if your goal is to capture images that stand out from the flood of images that the digital revolution has produced, then very simply, all you've got to do -- is do it!

Luke O'Brien is a professional photographer specializing in nature photos and is based in Hobart in Tasmania, Australia.

Be sure to follow Luke's photographic travels on his landscape photography blog which also features a stunning portfolio of his best work and prints are available for purchase online or from his Hobart photo gallery.

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Photography Techniques for Beginners

Everybody likes to have their journey or travel documented. Especially if you are headed somewhere with different sights and nature, your photographs may be an inspiration to others who have never been there. You do not have to be a professional photographer to take good pictures. In fact, all professionals started as amateurs. Here are some photography tips for beginners.

- Learn about the types of lighting and its effects. Start by familiarizing yourself with the dramatic effects of the morning light, late afternoon and the dazzling romantic evening light. Avoid mid-day light as it tends to be too bright and results in overexposed pictures.

- When taking a close up of an object such as a flower, avoid placing the object on the center of the frame. Instead, place it a little bit to the right or the left of the frame to make it look more interesting. On the other hand, when taking photographs of landscapes, you should give them a feeling of closeness.

- Always bring a tripod where ever you go. This important tool is essential to both amateurs and professionals alike. It is used to help you capture objects at a perfect distance; the right shot at the right time.

- There are some moments in nature or natural occurrences that happen only at certain times. For example, the exodus of butterflies in one area happens only in certain hours in the morning, even in certain season. Find out when these occurrences usually happen and plan your journey well, so you will not miss the opportunity to take the photo of a lifetime.

- Take lots of photographs of the same object. Rather than having one photograph that you find the best, you should take as many as you want. Experiment with exposure settings and angles. Compare the results when you are done. From there you will learn which setting or angle is best for an object.

- Make a note of the exact time and the location where each of your photographs was taken, and also the type of lens used for each photo. It is the small steps you take that will lead into becoming a professional photographer in the end.

- Practice is the key to taking good photographs. You should not limit yourself to only some objects of nature. Sometimes, you need to go outside of your comfort zone and try taking pictures of objects you have never taken before, or experiment with techniques you have never tried before.

- Take a moment to take a closer look at your shots and realize the differences between them, even if they are pictures of the same object. Take a closer look on the details of each photograph, as well as the photograph as a whole. By doing this you will fully understand where improvements need to be made.

- Broaden your horizon. Do not hesitate to ask professionals about their experiences. Take part in amateur programs or exhibitions. Let people admire your way of viewing your surroundings and be an inspiration. After all, photography is all about points of view.

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Common Photography Terms Explained

Photography as an art is filled with terms the less informed cannot understand. So when you buy a digital camera, it is common for you to be overwhelmed with the many things you need to know about it. As tiny and easy to use it may seem it sure does pack in quite a few features. But you don't need to worry, because these features once understood, can be quite easy to work with. Here we inform you about the most common terms you may hear or read, and what they mean.

Aperture: This is a small, circular opening in the camera lens, which controls how much light enters the camera, to the sensor. So, if you were to say that the aperture is large, that means that the lens is allowing more light to enter. The aperture is usually calibrated in f-numbers, which is inversely proportional to it, meaning if the f-number is large, the aperture is small and vice-versa.

Shutter-speed: This refers to how fast the shutter of the camera opens and closes, when a picture is taken. Say, for instance, the shutter speed is 1/250 or 250 in simpler terms; that means that the shutter was open for 1/250th of a second. Like the aperture, the shutter speed also deals with the amount of light that enters the camera.

ISO speed: In digital photography, this refers to the sensitivity of the camera's imaging sensor. It gives an idea of how fast the sensor responds to the light that it receives.

Exposure: As you may have guessed, this deals with the amount of light that is allowed to enter the camera to fall on the sensor.

Megapixel: A pixel is a building block for a digital photo. Just like an atom is to us, a pixel is the smallest element of a photograph, combining million times over to create a photograph. A megapixel is equal to one million of such pixels.

Image Resolution: This is a common term depicting the amount of pixels in a digital photograph.

Depth of Field: A lens can usually focus on only one object or area at a time. In this case, the focused part is sharp and clear, and the rest of the photograph may appear blurred, depending on the composition. The distance up to which the lens can focus clearly corresponds to the depth of field. It usually increases by decreasing the aperture.

Autofocus: This feature, prevalent in most cameras, allows it to automatically focus on objects in a photograph. The camera is given the decision of choosing the object it wants to have clearer than the rest in the composition.

Saturation: This term is used to describe how rich the colours are in a photograph.

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The Power of Fashion Photography

In 1856 Adolphe Braun published photographs of Countess di Castiglione, an Italian courtesan known to be a mistress of Emperor Napoleon III. The Countess commissioned photographs of herself in various signature poses, often fully garbed in court attire. The photographs are widely viewed as the first examples of fashion photography with Countess di Castiglione as the first fashion model. At this point in history photography was emerging as an exciting new way to document events. More creative minds saw the artistic potential.

The Countess saw an opportunity to feed her narcissistic needs by showing, sharing and loving her apparent rare beauty. She used her feminine instinct for flattering dress and sensual movements as a tool in creating groundbreaking images for Adolphe Braun (and others) to photograph. The rush of adrenaline the Countess must have felt upon viewing the photos must have been intoxicating, as she spent her entire personal fortune on the pursuit of re-creating moments in her life.

The story of the Countess di Castiglione is very indicative of the power of photography and its effects on the subject to be photographed. Narcissistic or not, it is quite an experience to see oneself from a different point of view and in a flattering manner. Our self-esteem is heightened, our ego becomes even slightly inflated and perhaps we find ourselves walking a little taller. Let us turn to the photographer. The person behind the camera is as necessary as the subject. He or she knows how to manipulate the subject, either physically or emotionally in order to achieve that one single moment of perfection and capture it on film.

Even with technology, there is a great amount of skill involved. Beyond lighting, location and coloring, there are the rare and hidden skills of making your subjects feel at ease, bringing out the best in them and finding their inner spark. Then to be able to bring it all together in a breathtaking series of photographs is truly an art. Like any artist, there is an intensely powerful appreciation for one's work. He or she has taken a person, some clothing and a setting, and transformed it into an image that speaks a thousand words in a thousand different languages to millions of people - without making a sound. That is a powerful talent.

Now let us look at the influence of fashion photography on the world. In 1856, the photos of Countess di Castiglione created a sensation because they were risqu? for the era and they presented a look into court life that most people would never see. It is likely that some women of means began to imitate the fashion and manner of the Countess after seeing the photos - much like today. However it wasn't until the early 1900's that technology allowed fashion photographs to be widely published in magazines. At first they were published as a means of selling clothing, and presented the items as one dimensional objects.

In 1911 a photographer by the name of Edward Steichen was dared by a magazine publisher to attempt promoting fashion as an art. Steichen took up the challenge and created a collection of shots that presented the garments in a manner that gave the viewer a feeling for their quality and construction. Models posed in natural environments and relaxed poses. The impact of this new art form was widespread. European, British and American fashion photographers began using this new artsy form of photographing clothing - much to the delight of garment manufacturers. As World Wars came and went, styles changed, materials and fabrics became scarce, but photography as it was applied to fashion became more creative. Political interests began to enter fashion photography as a way to reach to different age groups and spread propaganda.

Today, fashion photography is not only a platform for sales and political agendas, it is also for empowering gender groups. Children and teens who view fashion as their way to express themselves take example from fashion photography. The photos on a billboard or in a magazine are a part of the norms and ideals these young minds build. Plus, because acceptance of their inner selves is as much a part of life as reading and writing, the images they see need to help foster that acceptance. Therefore fashion photography has an incredible responsibility not only to industry, but to generational ideals.

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Commercial Photography

A popular and common commercial photography assignment undertaken by professional photographers is wedding photography. Generally, this involves covering not just the wedding day events but other important rituals and functions preceding the wedding day.

In the pre-digital days, it was a daunting task to undertake a photography assignment. The limitations of film camera equipment, heavy lenses and the fact that there was no room for error, led only the professional photographers doing most of the jobs. With advent of digital photography, the dynamics of the entire commercial photography underwent a paradigm shift.

The entire lineage of old studios with dark rooms, chemicals and staff were replaced with the digital darkroom editing software like Adobe Photo Shop, Apple Aperture etc. While these two remain the most popular editing software, there are plethora of free editing software available that many of the amateurs prefer to use due to the daunting costs of commercial editing software and flexibility to experiment as well as learn with minimum / least cost.

A commercial photographer today is equipped with: digital camera typically above 18 Mega Pixels, a dedicated external strobe flash, light weight tripod, memory cards and sometime external flood lights. The most expensive set of equipment is generally not the camera, but the lenses required to cover an event or complete commercial assignments that require a wide range of subjects to be covered. The best example being, the industrial photography assignments in which the photographer is expected to capture the top-management photo-shoots as well as the industrial processes which may involve the making of parts, melting of steel, foundry photography, manufacturing, assembly lines etc.

Commercial photography although challenging, does not give good financial returns, as some clients fail to understand the efforts involved in the photo-shoot followed by hours of post-production and editing done on the images to make them appealing to the target audience. The most common usage of the commercial images are magazines, brochures, product manuals and the client's web site and presentations.

For each of the final platforms on which the photograph is going to be delivered, the editing and post-processing requirements change. For example, if the final output platform is going to be a website there is no need of working on the print quality images, resized images will suffice.

Commercial photography offers many practical and logistical challenges to the photographer. The industrial photographers are required to know the location, time and have to study the various angles at which the photograph can be captured. Sometimes, on location photography may be done at night, when there is lot of external artificial lighting setup for giving the optimum effect.

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Types of Panoramic Photography

I think the Panoramic Photography can be classified into 3 types: the cylindrical, spherical and planar Panoramic Photography. And the cylindrical panorama includes inner-cylinder and outer-cylinder panorama. The shooting technique of the cylindrical-panorama involves 3 methods: horizontal method, vertical method and oblique method. And the spherical panorama includes inner-sphere and outer-sphere panorama.

Inner-cylinder panorama: The setting of the camera keep fixed while shooting, and the image is formed through the post processing of the photos taken by turning the camera or rotating 360? of the conventional camera. This method is known as the inner-cylinder panorama. Since the images for display must be placed inwards from end to end to form a cylinder, the viewers standing in to appreciate the images, so this technique is called the inner-cylinder panorama.

Outer-cylinder panorama: When you take this type of photos, keep the subject fixed and take photos of the whole circle of the subject. When the images are for display, they are also placed from end to end to form a cylinder but they should be outwards, and the viewers stand outside of the cylinder to appreciate them. So we call this kind of technique Outer-cylinder panorama.

Inner-sphere panorama: At present there are two methods to shoot this kind of panorama. One is: shoot the images of the subject's front, back, left, right, up, and down side with the splicing form by conventional medium format cameras the scenes all around are included. For display, the images should be put together to become a hollow ball, with the images inwards. And the viewers stand inside of the ball to watch them. The other is: use the fish-eye lens or a conventional lens to shoot many pieces photos, and then put them together for composition by special software. The panoramic display of this form can only be demonstrated through the computer. The above two methods are known as Inner- sphere panorama.

Outer-sphere panorama: The subject must be a sphere or close to a sphere. While shooting, you should rotate at equidistant around the subject to make the multi-dimensional rotation shooting, until the whole scenes of the sphere are completed. Then the images should be pieced together to form a sphere, with the images outwards. This technique is called outer-sphere panorama. Now, we can see the whole Earth satellite photo map online, which is shot by this very technique.

Planar-panorama: This kind of technique is generally used for the images that cannot be completed in one time, such as streets or building groups. The camera is translated at equidistant along the subject, until the whole subject is completed. Then the pieces are synthesized to be a panoramic photo, which is called Planar-panorama.

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