How to be a Great Photographer

Take one camera (digital or analog) and film as needed. Put film into camera (if necessary). Snap shutter. Before snapping shutter, point camera at a subject that will give the viewer a meaningful aesthetic experience.

For someone who has no idea of what a camera is, learning how to carry out the first part of the prescription should take anywhere from a week to a month. However, the second part will take from a few years to forever. It's this part that I want to discuss.

There are several approaches to developing as a photographer.

1. Do nothing

A lot of people use their camera to record family celebrations and vacations and are content with the outcome.

2. Study web pages that have tips for better photographs

These will often help to tighten up your pictures. If you want to get a few ideas in a few minutes, this is the place to look.

3. Get your photographs critiqued at an appropriate website

This is a good way to learn how others respond to your pictures. But be careful. Not all criticism is equal. Some of your evaluators may be experienced professionals and others beginners. If you are going to rely on this method, it is important that you learn enough to evaluate the evaluators (see point 4).

4. Study the work of acknowledged great artists

By taking this route you can learn what elements contribute to a fine photograph. This takes time and study. Don't simply look at a few photos but read art criticism to find out what professional educators think and why.

One drawback here is that you won't be able to see how your work measures up. If you plan to take this route and also join a critique website (see point 3), you will be in a position to know which criticism to ignore and which to pay attention to.

5. Join a photography club

Clubs often have lectures, workshops, and juried shows. This can be a good hands-on learning experience.

6. Take a class (online or in person)

There are all sorts of classes. If you choose one that has assignments and feedback, you can be guided through the fundamentals by an experienced photographer.

7. Get a coach

At this point I have to say a few words about the difference between a competent photographer and a person who uses photography as an art form. The competent photographer will be able to produce pleasing postcard- or calendar-quality pictures that look like postcard and calendar pictures. The artist will be able to take photographs that represent his or her vision of the world. If you are after the former and not the latter, you should choose among methods 1 through 6. A good coach should help you develop your unique way of seeing.

8. Go to an art school

This, for people who have the time and the money, is by far the best. I studied at the San Francisco Art Institute. Here's how it worked. I went to a photography class two or three times a week. At every class meeting each student pinned 20-30 photographs to the wall and, under the supervision of an accomplished professional, we criticized our own and one another's work. We also took photography history classes as well as courses in other fields of art. Mine were film, drawing, sculpture, and printmaking. There were frequent guest lecturers. We never learned any rules. In fact, rules were never mentioned. But through a combination of years of exposure to all types of art, classical through contemporary, and having to produce 50-60 new photographs every week, we eventually learned what art was about.

There are many ways to improve your photography. Before you make your choice you should decide on your goal. If you have little time and just want to tidy up your pictures a bit, read the tips pages. On the other extreme, if your goal is to be an artist, there is nothing close to attending art school. Most people fall between these extremes.

Picturing New Ways To Take Great Family Photos

As a professional photographer who has shot for everyone from National Geographic Adventure to Modern Bride, I take the same care and planning in photographing personal trips as I do work assignments. It could be my South Pacific honeymoon in a bungalow at the Orient Express Bora Bora Lagoon Resort or a weekend car escape with the family in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park.

Whatever your travel plans, here are a few pro tips to help you capture memories of a lifetime.

Pack Smart

When I hit the road, I take both my professional digital camera and my smaller digital point-and-shoot (perfect when I want to be less obtrusive, like in Scottish pubs). Make full use of your lenses-wide-angle lenses are ideal for photographing family picnics and museums, wherever you want to include as much foreground as possible. Telephoto lenses aren't only for photographing wildlife and sports-they also make the best portrait lenses, too.

Power Up

Bypass alkaline batteries in the field and stick with long-lasting Energizer e2 Lithium AA batteries for your digital camera. You'll not only save money with lithium batteries (they last up to seven times longer) but weight as well (they're a third lighter). It might not be critical at the family reunion, but it made a difference for me when I covered the recent Explorers Club Expedition up Africa's highest peak-Mount Kilimanjaro. Since they also perform well in extreme temperatures, I didn't have to worry about environmental failure. Energizer e2 Lithium batteries have another plus-they were specifically engineered to meet the energy demands of high-tech devices from MP3 players to wireless headsets.

Likewise, shop smart for memory cards, and always have a few extra. If all your vacation is stored on a single memory card or stick and it fails (which it will sometimes), you've lost everything. Spread the risk across several cards and invest in high-quality 512MG and 1G cards by a reputable company such as SanDisk.

Click Away

If you want your pictures to improve dramatically, the easiest way is to get closer, much closer. Put on the wide-angle or zoom all the way out and then move into the scene. Kids roughhousing on the lawn? If you're not getting bumped, you're not close enough. Gorgeous columbines in a mountain meadow? If you can't smell them...

Another easy way to get memorable images is to use new angles. How about climbing on top of your pickup to get that photo of the family barbecue? What about taking a photo while you're on that roller coaster? Sure it will be blurry, but isn't that the point?

Be creative. Photography is one of the few artistic outlets open to everyone, and in the age of digital cameras and lithium batteries, if you can imagine it, you can shoot it. On a typical assignment, I'll shoot over 1,000 photographs in a day. On a typical family trip, I take the same amount. Why? Because it doesn't cost me a penny more, and the more photos you take, the better photographer you'll become. So go ahead, click away.

A Custom Photo Purse: A Great Gift for New Moms

When a woman becomes a mother, whether it be for the first time or not, life changes at that very moment in time. When a mother has a child there is pride that is associated with that child. The pride associated with having a healthy baby boy or girl is amazing, but it is hard to put into words. As much as a mother would love to spend every minute with their child there are many who are unable to. When life starts calling there are many parents who are required to place their infants into childcare. Leaving a child behind, even only for a little while, can be heartbreaking, but what if there was a way to reduce that heartbreak even just a little bit?

When a mother returns to work for the first time after having a child it is likely that she will take a number of photographs with her. Photographs are a great way for mothers to always keep their child in their thoughts, but there is a newer more modern way. A custom photo purse is one of the newest ways to bring photographs alive and they can literally be carried everywhere you go.

A custom photo purse is created by using a special purse that is able to have a photograph constructed on a portion of it. The purses used to create a custom photo purse often come in a wide variety of different styles and sizes. It is possible for color or black and white photos to be constructed on a purse. There are only a small number of limitations; therefore, creating a custom photo purse is great way to help brighten up any mother’s day.

If you are a new mother yourself or know a new mother you are encourage to consider purchasing them a custom photo purse. For a reasonable price it is possible to turn a baby photo or a family photo into a custom photo purse. There are a wide number of companies or individuals who specialize in making custom photo purses. This means that different individuals may have different purse styles or design options. While it may not always occur, it is often possible to select not only the style of the purse, but the interior and exterior border colors as well. This feature truly makes a photo purse a custom photo purse.

Going back to work after having a child is one of the hardest and most painful things for a mother to do. Almost always the child is being cared for and it is the mother that is suffering the most. With a custom photo purse you can help a friend or family member cope with their return to work.

Getting Great Photo Prints From Your Digital Camera

The first step to getting great digital photo prints, is to make sure you use a good quality digital camera.

Digital photos are gaining popularity over traditional film photos because of the features and convenience associated with the newer technology. In some cases it's even more cost effective to print your own photos at home instead of taking them to a developer or sending them in.

Here are some words of wisdom for making great digital photo prints at home.

There are really 4 key components to a great printed photo: Image, Printer, Ink, Paper. Each is part interrelated therefore equally important for success.

The image is the starting point for a good photo. There are many different camera models out there, but in general, you will need at least 3.2 megapixel picture taking ability. Some snazzy digital SLR cameras have 8 megapixels or more. The camera should always be set to the highest resolution while taking the shots just in case you want to make enlargements later on.

Image transfer is crucial! Do not just throw the highest pixel image at some paper, you may not be happy with the results.

Sometimes, too high of a pixel count will create unsightly jagged color transitions in your photo and waste a lot of your ink and time. Too few pixels and the photos will turn out very "grainy". It's usually best to stay within the 200-300 pixels per inch range.

This chart may help you determine your appropriate photo sizes.


Print Size : Good Results (200 ppi) : Excellent Results (300 ppi)
========================================================
4x6 inch ... 800 by 1200 px (~1 mpx) ..... 1200 by 1800 px (~2 mpx)
5x7 inch ... 1000 by 1400 px (~1.5 mpx) .. 1500 by 2100 px (~3 mpx)
8x10 inch .. 1600 by 2000 px (~3 mpx) .... 2400 by 3000 px (~7 mpx)
11x14 inch . 2200 by 2800 px (~6 mpx) .... 3300 by 4200 px (~14 mpx)
16x20 inch . 3200 by 4000 px (~13 mpx) ... 4800 by 6000 px (~29 mpx)

Legend
========
px = Pixels
mpx = Megapixels
ppi = Pixels per inch


(data compiled from PC World.com)


For example, if you had a picture taken with a 1.5 Megapixel digital camera, a 5x7 inch print is probably the largest size print that would work. Anything larger than a 5x7, may not look good.

However, if you had a picture taken with a 14 Megapixel camera, you should be able to print out a 11x14 inch print with excellent results (300ppi), or a "good" looking 16x20 inch print at 200 ppi.

In addition to the digital camera image, there are a few other components that go into making good quality digital photos you'll want to be aware of: Your printer, the ink cartridges you use, and the quality of the photo paper you use. Each component factors into your end result.

Custom Photo Purse: A Great Graduation Present

When you think back to your high school graduation do you remember how you felt? It is safe to assume that you were excited, but sad at the same time. For graduating seniors it is exciting to know that their life is just beginning, but that new life may also mean leaving old friends behind. There are many friendships that stand the test of time, but others are not as lucky. If you are parent or another high school graduate who is looking for a personalized gift for a friend or daughter you may want to look into purchasing a custom photo purse.

A custom photo purse is a normal purse that has a photograph constructed onto it. There are a wide variety of different photo purse styles; therefore it is likely that at least one of them will appeal to your daughter or your friend. After a large, small, or medium sized photo purse has been selected you will next have to select the picture you want displayed on the purse. If a custom photo purse is being given as a graduation present you may want consider making sure the purse is centered on friendship. A friend who is purchasing the custom photo purse for another friend is encouraged to select a photo of them together. Parents have the option of selecting a custom photo purse that is centered on friendship or family.

The amount of time it will take for a custom photo purse to be made will all depend on who will be making the purse. There are a number of different companies and individuals who make custom photo purses and other photo products for a profit. By visiting an online website you should be able to determine upfront how much a custom photo purse will cost and how long it will take for the purse to be finished. If a custom photo purse is intended for a graduation present it may be a good idea to order the purse in advance to ensure that it will arrive on time.

There are a number of reasons why a custom photo purse would be a good graduation present for your friend or daughter. Perhaps the greatest reason is because it is a personalized gift. Too many of the gifts being given today are generic. A custom photo purse makes the receiver feel as if you went out of your way to purchase them a personalized gift. A custom purse is also a great gift idea because it will be used. Women, especially young adults, live for their purses. It is not uncommon for a woman to take their purse wherever they go; therefore, it is almost certain that a custom photo purse would be used.

If you are interested in giving a custom photo purse as a graduation gift you are encouraged to get started today. High school students love their photographs; therefore, it is likely that you will have a large number of photographs to sort through.

Great Portraits in the Great Outdoors

If you have ever photographed your weekend outing, family reunion, or a special vacation getaway with your friends or family, you know that outdoor photography can present some very special challenges. This is true even for the most seasoned photographer. Direct sunlight can be harsh. Unwanted objects can interfere with your composition. Proper color rendering can be problematic. And many times, good old Mother Nature is just not feeling cooperative. Perhaps, there’s not much that can be done about Mother Nature, but with some practice and patience you can overcome many of the other challenges you face as an outdoor portrait photographer. Along my journey as a photographer I’ve learned some outdoor techniques that may benefit those who choose to follow:
1. Keep it simple. The subtle pattern and color of an adobe wall, the simple repeating pattern and muted tones of planks on a fishing pier, or the uniform color of a patch of blue bonnets, snapdragons, or yellow primrose can serve as wonderful backdrops for your outdoor portraits. When you are composing your portrait, you want your subject to be the focal point that all eyes are drawn to. Busy patterns, large areas of excessively vibrant colors (especially a mixture of different colors), or over imposing forms in your foreground or background that are not treated properly, can really distract from her if you are not careful.

2. Control the depth of field (the range of distances from your camera that are in focus). The edge of a forest, or mountains in the distance may render beautifully as a backdrop for your subject with proper control over the depth of field. If you have an SLR camera, you can adjust your depth of field to bring the background more or less out of focus relative to your subject. This serves as eye control for the observer of your portrait. The eye is naturally drawn to what is brightest and most sharply focused. If your subject is sharply focused relative to the background, she will be accentuated as the focal point of your portrait. Controlling the depth of field is accomplished by adjusting your aperture setting (the size of your lens opening, expressed in f-stops). The smaller the f-stop the larger the opening of your lens, and the smaller the depth of field will be. For instance, when you see a photograph in a nature magazine of a beautiful butterfly in a patch of flowers, and the butterfly is in razor sharp focus but the flowers are gently blurred; this was accomplished by the photographer using a narrow depth of field (small f-stop setting). For bright light situations this may be difficult to achieve. For any given intensity of light, as you open up the aperture (lower the f-stop) you must increase the shutter speed (thereby decreasing exposure time) to avoid over exposure. Increasing the shutter speed generally reduces resolution in the image. Experiment to find the combination of aperture setting and shutter speed that gives the result you desire.

3. Be mindful of distracting objects behind your subject. What is plainly a bush, a mailbox, or a birdhouse to your eye, can appear like an extra appendage growing out of the top of your subject’s head in your two dimensional portrait. You may get some interesting effects this way, but generally they will not make a good impression on your subject. Take the time to find an interesting angle that eliminates distracting objects from the background.

4. Control the light. “Down light” (e.g. harsh midday light) is generally undesirable. Due to the shadow patterns it creates, it can bring out the worst in your subject … can anyone say, “Raccoon eyes”? “Lateral light” (e.g. early morning and late afternoon light) is much more desirable. Lateral light can be controlled and directed to create beautiful shadow patterns across the face of your subject. There is a saying with many photographers who shoot outdoors, “the first tree in the forest is best” for a background. The reason is, the canopy of the first tree controls the harsh down light, but being on the edge of the forest, you still have lateral light to work with. The same idea holds true for porches or the edge of any other type of overhang. Professional photographers sometimes use shade cloth and reflectors to block down light while directing available lateral light to enhance their subject and achieve their desired effect.

5. Correct the color. Before the digital age, corrective filters or special films were mostly used for color correction in outdoor portraits. With digital cameras, the color can be corrected using your white balance setting (expressed as color temperature in degrees Kelvin). Most digital cameras today do a pretty good job of automatically adjusting the white balance for outdoor exposures. If you would like to experiment with your manual white balance setting use the table below as a guide. For a more detailed understanding of the meaning of color temperature correction, see the article at: http://www.sizes.com/units/color_temperature.htm

Temperature Typical Sources
1000K....... Candles; oil lamps
2400K....... Early morning sunrise
3200K....... Tungsten light bulbs
4000K....... Fluorescent
5200K....... Typical daylight; electronic flash
6000K....... Cloudy Day
7000K....... Shade


Keeping your composition simple, controlling the depth of field, and eliminating objects that may distract from your subject, all help to accentuate your subject as the focal point of your portrait. Controlling the available natural light and correcting the white balance of your photographs can reveal and enhance the true beauty of your subject. Beyond this, make it your aim each day to unleash your creativity that you may see the world around you in fresh and unique ways. Never be content with seeing the ordinary as ordinary. Just stop and think for a moment, everything there is, is ordinary to someone. Art is created by those with the ability to see beyond the ordinary, to interpret their world in an exceptional way, and to reflect their interpretation for others to see. So, experiment and don’t be afraid to try something new. The world is abundant in forms, textures, colors, and patterns of light ... all the handy-work of God. Grand landscapes and magnificent manmade structures are not required for great photos in the great outdoors. May Mother Nature always cooperate with you. Good day and happy clicking!