Shooting Interesting Portraits

    "You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved." - Ansel Adams

Everyone who can afford to buy a digital camera seems to call themselves a photographer these days. Some have the skills to justify the claim but purists would still fight you tooth and nail at using that title. After all, they went through a lot of training to be called photographers and loosely using the term can understandably be offensive.

Shooting portraits takes a keen eye and a great set of skills. Post-photography effects with Photoshop and other software can make these images look a lot better but the art of creating an interesting portrait starts with your vision as the photographer.

If you are an aspiring photographer, you should know that the learning process will always be an ongoing chain. You learn as you should more and more portraits and as you start playing with different elements. As with all the great photographers, START WITH FILM. This is the foundation of your skills. Digital photography is not the same as shooting with a good 'ol roll of film.

Know where to stand.The greatest photographers always know where to stand (sit or lie back) to shoot their subject. It's all about your unique perspective. Photography has a lot to do with perspective and knowing which angle to shoot from is the best start of any interesting portrait.

Shapes, lines, and curves. These are also basic elements of design and like everything visual, the eye will be attracted to patterns and structures. Choosing a subject that uses one, or all of these elements, make a good portrait composition.

Movement. One of the reasons why painting and photography were conceived was to capture a fraction of a moment worth remembering. Creating a portrait that encapsulates a millisecond of something in motion will give character to a composition.

Lights and shadows. These extreme ends have always played a valuable role in photography. It will take a few tests and a lot of shots to perfect the art of capturing light on film but once you've gained a good understanding of light and shadows, you'll be well on your way to being a good photographer.

Out of the box elements.Seeing a bride with her long trail and gown, playing on a tire swing over a calm lake mixes a lot of elements that don't usually go together. But, in a portrait, it draws you in and tells a visual story of the unfamiliar-people are often interested in the unfamiliar. Remember, playing with things that don't mix can create beautiful images you never thought you'd be able to see in one frame.

Messerli Photography
http://www.messerliphotography.com/
4406 Gentrice Dr
Valrico, FL 33596 -8469
813.662.2248

Photography Tips: A Digital Photography Tutorial On Picking The Right Digital Camera

Picking the right digital camera depends on three main points:

1. Understand the words.

There are many great cameras on the market. There are also many not-so-great cameras on the market. So it is important that you understand the limitations and terms of the camera.

Not to worry, I will be defining many of these terms and qualities in this course.

2. Speed.

I find it very frustrating when I try and take a picture with my phone and there is a delay and I lose the great smile my baby girl just had on her face and capture a blurry image of a hand coming at the camera.

How many shots can the camera take a second? I like cameras that can take many shots fast, so if I get a blurry image - say in a wedding - one of the succeeding photographs (at three shots a second) will get the clear shot in that ever so crucial moment.

Speed is one of the most important points of buying a camera. How fast does the camera click once you press that button.

3. Ask the Pro's.

There are a lot of customer reviews out there. And reviews can be tainted.

I recommend you trace it backwards - find an image or photograph that you really like and find out what photographer or camera took the picture. Try and ask a pro. Cameras can get expensive.

If you are looking for a low-cost camera, choose a company that specializes in making cameras - not just electrical parts. Two of my favorites are Nikon and Cannon. Try not to go with cheapest model, usually, I like some in-between models. Again, understand the limitations of the lens, the memory, the speed and the over-all quality.

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Copyright 2010. This article was written by Charles Verhoeff November 11 2010

Digital Photography Accessories and Cameras Tutorial

Digital photography is a fast growing industry. Today, technology is making it possible to do nearly anything you want with photos, by using software, quality cameras, accessories and more. Starting with accessories, we will consider a few items that may help you along your journey in photography. Personally, I employ journey often while writing about photography, since it all respects photography is a journey, adventure, experience, creation and more rolled into one goal.

Few of the accessories available to photographers or potentials are the lens attachments. You can purchase a converter attachment to give you a wider look at the picture in consideration. Some attachments work like a telescope and are designed to fit the telescopic lens. Cradles are dock stations. Similar to a ship at a dock, the passengers either board or get off board the ship, the dock station for cameras enable you to load your photos onto the dock reducing the stress of transferring while charging the battery life at the same time. What a valuable accessory.

Direct printing is preferred, i.e. some cameras now will enable you to attach the camera directly to the printer and print the images stored on the device. What a handy gadget.

Battery choice is also important while considering life. If you don't purchase the right battery accessories, your photography career may blunder. Lithium-ion batteries are often the choice batteries employed today.

Well now, we consider a few accessories; let's move on to cameras since both accessories and cameras combine. We spoke earlier in different articles regarding flashguns; however, I will bring this up once more. Come cameras have hot-shoes which enable the user to connect to a flashgun which will enhance photo take.

Cameras to Consider, including Low and Mid-Range, Premium, etc
While considering cameras you want to think budget, premium, low-end, and mid-range. If you are dressing up web pages, you may want to consider the low cost one mega-pixel Sport models. These digital cameras have all you need to get those web pages dressed for action. Remember, keep the resolution at around 72dpi (dots per inch) while loading, and keep the format at JPEG or GIFF, preferably JPEG. Furthermore, keep your images to a limit per page to attract more visitors. Try to use hyperlinks via text links to avoid automatic downloading, since this will only discourage visitors.

The low-end cameras sometimes have a couple of mega-pixels, yet they are often convenient for en-printed photos. Some cameras have fixed lens while others may have wide-angle lens. The wide-angle is more preferred for long distance shots.

Premium cameras give you a higher resolution, since you get around four or five mega-pixels. This camera is ideal for photographers, since it incorporates features that are often integrated into the more sophisticated cameras.

Mid-range cameras have a three, to four mega-pixels with high resolution. The formal and latter cameras are not ideal for web page creation.

Well now, we have SLR cameras, which the 35mm digitals and AF models are commonly employed by photographers, as well as the film and digital compacts. Other types of cameras are available, yet what camera is right for you again depends on your budget, your purpose and so forth.

Tips for web creation:
If you are considering images and photos for your web pages, not only keeping them a low resolution will enhance your web pages ranking and notability it will make downloads go a lot smoother. Also, you want to add keyword dense and text links to your site, since visitors often enjoy these search engine-optimizing strategies over full-impact web pages with scores of images and photos.

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Digital Photography Tutorial to Find Best Digital Cameras Online

The new buzzword in today's economy is "Digital". Everything from TV to music to cars ignitions has gone digital.

However, there is one item that has gained an incredible boost from the digital revolution, cameras.

Digital cameras have revolutionized how we take photos and the camera industry and the camera market have taken advantage of this opportunity by developing digital cameras. Since we don't have to deal with film and the ensuing film processing we are addicted to instant photo gratification and more and more people are finding themselves in the market to purchase a digital camera from themselves.

Because of the increasing demand and the plethora of choices on the market consumers are finding that there are incredible discounts available. This means you can get more bang for your buck when purchasing a digital camera.

If you are in the market to purchase a new digital camera you will find that there are some incredible bargains on great cameras. Yet, you may be asking yourself, where do you find the discounted digital cameras? This digital photography tutorial is designed to point you in the right direction so you can find exactly what you are looking for at a price that will make you smile.

The Internet is one of the best ways to find discounts on the digital cameras you are looking for. There is no faster and comprehensive medium like Internet. With research you can easily find discounts on all sorts of cameras, undoubtedly including the one you are looking for. Moreover there are thousands of sites which deal with digital cameras and offer discounts. If you know what you are looking for you will undoubtedly find it at one of the many online stores and online retailers at an incredible discount.

Knowing what you are looking for will help when comparing the discounted rates which are offered by different online retailers. For example you want a 3.0 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom and a 2 inch LCD monitor and an aperture range from f/2.0-f/8.0. There are a variety of manufacturers who make cameras that meet these specifications and who offer them at different prices. Comparing prices and possible discounts will give you the best bang for your buck.

Along with finding discounts you will also want to check out online reviews of the different cameras and manufacturers.

These are important so you purchase the camera that will best meet your needs and last long enough for you to get your money's worth.

This digital photography tutorial also recommends that you look for web sites that will ask for exactly what you are looking for and then take you to a page that has only those cameras along with the price. They might ask for your required megapixel range, zoom range, flash, memory, exposure and size. After you finish filling these details, the web sites would display the results of the cameras including these features, along with the discount offers.

If you don't have access to the Internet you will need to rely on the local phonebook. This is a bit more difficult as you will need to find discount dealers and then contact each one. I recommend that you check out the stores yourself, to compare the rates and then go back to a certain shop which offers you the best discounts. Obviously this method requires a lot of time, money and patience. Moreover the discount that you would get won't be much of a difference to the market price.

While you may be apprehensive about purchasing items over the Internet it is undoubtedly the best way to get a digital camera at incredible discounted prices. With a bit of research you will be able to get more an incredible bang for your buck.

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Digital Photography Tutorials - Filters?

For those of you interested in digital photography, tutorials are going to be a great way to get yourself familiarized with the tricks of the trade. Let's start off by learning some things about digital cameras.

Filters were once an essential part of photography but are they still required in digital photography?

Filters are basically made from plastic or glass and are placed in front of the lens to prevent some light waves from reaching the sensor. And although a majority of the filters are manufactured for DSLR cameras, generic filters can also be purchased to be used with digital cameras.

The first most common type of filter being used is the UV filter. Often a UV filter is placed on the lens to not only filter UV rays but also to protect the surface of the lens. Far better to scratch the replaceable filter than your lens itself!

The next is the ND Grad, or Neutral Density Graduation filter. This filter is separated into two sections, with one region being significantly darker than the other. The ND filter is used for landscape photography when there is too much contrast in a scene to hold both hilites and shadows i.e Sky and the land. What is does is to darken the sky and balance the exposure stops between the two, i.e. sky and land. The brightness range problem is also significantly solved with this filter. Another must have recommended in all digital photography tutorials. However this is one case where I personally very rarely use Grads as I prefer to take several exposures and combine them in Photoshop.

Another filter worthy of a mention is a polarizer which cannot be completely replaced by digital post production techniques. A polarizer allows you to adjust specific light rays that should pass through the lens onto the sensor. This filter is best used to compensate for the excessive reflections from a surface like a lake or similar surfaces but also can help saturate colours.

As you can see from just mentioning these few filters above some are no longer a must have in your camera bag while others still a place.

My advice is if you need to use filters in your photography and you can afford it buy the better quality glass filters as you'd be surprised how much cheaper filters can spoil the quality of your images.

John Hussain is a renowned digital photographer. He has travelled across 3 continents on photography assignments, and is currently a prominent authority on digital photography. For More Information Visit digital photography tutorials.

Photography Tutorial: A Guide on How to Take HDR Photographs

Many people find that when they take photographs, it is either under-exposed or over-exposed. However, more often than that you will see that certain parts of your photo are under-exposed however other parts are far too over-exposed. HDR photography is combining three different photographs and forming one image. The reason people use this is because the three different exposures combine together to give you the optimum look for your photo. For example, when you take a photo the sky is often overblown whilst the ground is too dark. Using HDR the ground will be nice and light and the sky's colour will be more blue than white! HDR also gives your photos a unique feel as well as great versatility when it comes to post-processing. Here's how to take a HDR photograph:

    You will firstly need a DSLR camera. Any will do. A lot of point shoot cameras now have the option to take HDR photos, even the iPhone does as well!

    With your DSLR, head over to the exposure settings. You are now going to set a bracket, which means, your camera will take three separate photos of the different exposures which you set. Using "-2", "0", and "+2" is usually the ideal.

    You will now need to set your camera to take the three photos. If you are using a canon camera then you will need to set the camera into continuous shooting mode (the camera keeps taking photos until you let go of the shutter). If you are using the 550d it is usually the right button on the 4 way selector which takes you into the mode.

    Go ahead and take your photos! This is the part where you do the actual photography. All you have to do is hold down the shutter and then your camera will take the three pictures (you can take more if you want).

Tip: make sure you are using the fastest shutter speed possible. If you don't then your photo will look very odd when you combine them all together. This is because some parts will have moved in your picture, which will result and all three of the photos looking different.

    Once you have your three photos, you are going to need and editing software. Majority of people use photoshop, however, if you are looking for something more automated, then using something like "luminance" will be a far easier option. With luminance, you will need to upload your photos and tell the software which exposure settings you used for each one. It will then generate the final HDR image.

    Before exporting the image, you will need to edit it slightly so the colours look more accurate, or just more how you were intending them to be. For example making your photo have a "cooler" look makes all of the blues stand out more without affecting the rest of your parts. Using a warmer tone will make the reds and oranges stand out more.

When you are using HDR, the most important thing it to just have fun experimenting with your images. There is no ideal settings as it just greatly depends on the situation.

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Product Photography Techniques Tutorial

Product photography involves photographing a single product by itself with a plain background to remove any distractions and focus the viewer's attention on the product. While practicing product photography can be fun in of itself, it is particularly important if you want to sell items on eBay or through your own website. A good product image can make your listings more effective and increase your sales.

To set up an area for product photography, you can use a table pushed against a wall. Use a piece of large white card and attach one end to the wall and one end to the table. Be careful to ensure the card has a curved bend where it goes from the wall (vertical) to the table (horizontal) as you want to avoid any creases in the card. This will create a white seamless background for your product photography.

Next set up a couple of lights or flashes to light your product and the background. A two light setup can result in much better photos than relying on natural light. The ability to control the power, shape, size, and position of lighting gives you much greater control over how the photos will look.

Always-on hot lamps, small speedlights, and full size flash strobes will all work well for lighting, so long as you have some way of controlling their power output. Use light stands to hold your lights in place, this will keep the lighting consistent between shots. Your lighting needs to be diffused otherwise you will end up with harsh shadows that distract from the product.

To diffuse the lighting, there are a large of accessories available. Some common diffusion techniques are using a softbox, reflector, shoot through umbrella, or reflective umbrella. These attach to your lights or the light stands. Diffusing the light will help bring out texture and detail in the product without causing harsh shadows and clipped highlights.

If using flash units for lighting (as opposed to always-on hot lamps), you will need some way of triggering the flashes. You can use flash sync cords that connect the flash units to the camera, or radio trigger units. Some speedlights can also be triggered by an infra-red signal from your camera's pop-up flash.

Position your product on your backdrop, and set up your camera on a tripod. For product photography a focal length of 35mm - 100mm will work well, giving you a reasonable working distance between the camera and the product. Take some test shots, adjust the brightness of your lights as necessary, and position the lights to give pleasing lighting. Two lights pointing down at the product 45° to either side from the front works well in most cases.

If you would like a reflection underneath your product, place the product on a piece of perspex plastic. Shoot down at a slight angle to include the reflection from the perspex in the image.

Take a variety of shots of your product, at different angles, and some detail shots. Once you have your lighting set up correctly, taking extra photos should be just a case of changing the position of the product, and possibly adjusting your camera position slightly.

Depending on the size of your product, a macro lens may be needed for taking detail shots. Macro lenses are specially designed to be able to focus at close distances, and maintain their sharpness, where with other lenses image quality may degrade at short distances.

While it may cost a bit to purchase light stands, speedlights or strobes, and diffusers, it can make a big difference to your product photos. And if you are a business, good product photos can make a big difference to your sales. If you are a budding photographer, remember that these accessories are also useful for other types of photography, such as portrait photography, and will likely be a good investment towards improving your photography.

Product photography can easily be carried out at home or in the office, and you don't need a lot of expensive equipment (though some basic equipment such as lights will make it easier). For more advice on product photography, see product photography tips. As well as photographing products for use on a website or eBay, photographing your latest purchase just to show off to friends on Facebook or Flickr can be fun. And if you follow these product photography tips, your friends will marvel at your photos.