photos by richard

I was looking at an ad for a photoshoot training session. A chance to get some hands on training on how to shoot beauty shots. Like the ones you see in magazines, said the ad.

Then, near the bottom of the ad, was this disclaimer.

DSLR Sony Owners: please advise if you shoot with a Sony DSLR. These great camera’s use a proprietary hot shoe for the trigger system, which the studio currently does not have in stock.

I think that Sony has had some awesome equipment in the last few years. But always, ALWAYS, a flaw. They always seem to have some proprietary way of doing something that EVERY OTHER MANUFACTURER has a common practice for.

It used to be a proprietary memory card. Notice that they have finally caved on that one? Most new Sony photo/video equipment allows SD as well.

Now it is a proprietary (what a horrid word to make sure I spell correctly!) hot shoe. So the studio does not bother having a Sony version of the radio controller for their studio lights. I do not blame the studio. I blame Sony. I mean, come on, doesn't every one else's hot shoe work the same? Except Sony's??

What a pain. Way to ruin great stuff Sony.

Welcome to the wonderful and challenging world of photography! As you know, it is a large world filled with all types of tips and tricks. Because photography is personal to people, it can be hard to find techniques that will get across what you are trying to accomplish. Read on for some advice.

Experiment with different shutter speeds to see what works best for different scenarios. You can capture moments that happen in a blip or blur larger time periods together. To freeze moving objects, try out a fast shutter speed. A slower shutter speed will help to capture calm, natural scenes.

Pack your equipment for a trip carefully. Take the lenses you anticipate using, and don't forget to bring along additional batteries and cleaning equipment. Don't take more with you than you absolutely need.

Get as close to your subject as possible. Terribly far away shots prevent the viewer from seeing clear colors and details. The result of a close shot will be a vivid picture that you will enjoy more.

You can use several digital techniques to make photographs resemble watercolor or oil paintings as well as pencil sketches, drawings and more. Adobe Photoshop is the best-recognized software package for doing this, although there are other options available from other manufacturers. Often, turning a photo into a work of art is easy; simply apply a filter in the medium of your choice.

White is a terrible color to be wearing when being photographed. Modern cameras are equipped with auto-focus. When the camera tries to auto-focus it looks at all the different shades of color in the field. Auto-focusing mechanisms aren't good at distinguishing white, so it gets washed out in the final product.

There is no shortage of techniques and tricks that you can use to create a more exciting photograph. Experiment with different methods and come up with your own ideas to make photography a personal and artistic activity. The tips and tactics in this article can help you improve your shots.