photos by richard

Digital is awesome!

Photography has taken on new identity with the digital revolution. If you are eager to get your hands on some software that can improve your photos even more, then the Raw file format may be just what you are looking for. Continue Reading »

How many times will I write about this one? Who knows, but if you haven't "got it" yet, please read again.

Rule of Thirds Continue Reading »

Being a professional digital photographer is a dream many people have but most lack the ambition to follow through. Still, you want to take the best digital pictures you can without forking over the cost of a photography degree. So, here are some tips to help you find the best digital photographer in you.

1. Take a class. Yes, we just said you don't want to go to school to learn. But, we aren't talking about a lot of classes, just one or two. This will help you learn about exposures, lighting, horizontal lines, flashes?. You get the idea. Most community colleges offer these types of classes to the public. Continue Reading »

Photography as an art has never been more exciting or enjoyable.
Todays photography enthusiast has many styles, topics, and tools
open to them. Plus, the blending of digital with print makes the
craft of taking photos very versatile.

While it is true that taking photos is as simple as running out
and grabbing a cheap five dollar camera, taking GOOD photos has
never been easy. So lets explore some quick ideas that can help
you take photos that you will be happy to send home.

Here are four tips to help. Continue Reading »

Today, many people are using digital cameras as a means to achieve quality photos. Yet sometimes we have to admit the fact that we really don't get the perfect image that we want. Because of the existence of the digital photography software, we have the ability to modify and edit the photos to get the perfect image we want.

To give you some examples, below is a list of the digital photography software you can use and are made available in the market. AND, they are all free !!! Continue Reading »

You have seen the dreaded demon-eye effect that occurs when the camera flash bounces off the eye of a person or pet. An otherwise wonderful picture can be ruined by this. Technically, this is called red-eye and is caused when the pupil of your subject’s eye is wide open and the light from the camera’s flash reflects off the subject's retina. In people, the color ends up red; in pets, the color is often green.

3 Ways to Deal with Red Eye

Most photo editing programs include a red-eye correction filter, and on newer programs this feature is very easy to use. This option does, however, require some work between the taking of the photo and the printing of it. Continue Reading »

Today’s digital cameras make taking photos a lot easier than cameras of yesterday. This does not distract from some basic composition tips. One great idea is to keep your own journal of tips. Read the journal frequently, and add additional notes about each tip as you get better at implementing the tip. Over time you will apply these tips without thinking. Then you will truly be not only a picture taker, but a photographer.

• Always be aware of the background. You don't want to find trees growing out of people’s heads, or a passing vehicle drawing attention from your subject. Sometimes moving your subject just a couple of steps to either side can make all the difference.
• Use available light. If your digital camera has an option to turn the flash off, and it’s light enough outside to read a book, then use the available light and turn the flash off. In general, camera flashes are too harsh for human skin and make all of us look pale. Indoors, where there isn't enough daylight, place your subject by a window and use your fill flash feature.
• Aim your camera slightly down at the person’s face. Also, don't shoot just face on to the person, try a little to the side, a three quarter view, so that you see more of their face. Remember, camera higher looking down, and a three quarter view, it will slim your subject.
• Remember your focus. We are not talking about focusing your lens. Get closer to your subject. Fill the frame with your subject, and there will be no doubt as to what the picture is saying.
• Never put your subject dead center. Put it/them just slightly off center; not a lot just a little. When you're shooting groups of people, find the imaginary center line of your group and put that line just a bit off center in your view through your lens or screen.

Following these tips won't turn you into an award-winning photographer today, but you will be on your way to better, more powerful photographs that others will comment on for years to come.

I was cleaning up my apartment and came across a business card that had this written on the back of it.

Guidelines

1. know your subject
2. draw attention to the subject
3. simplify

I'll come back to these another day and add some "meat" to each point. In the meantime, think about those 3 short guidelines.

Richard

As a photographer, one of your best friends and worst enemies will be the weather. It is impossible to always have ideal conditions for shooting your subject matter, but it is possible to take what you get and make the most out of it. Whether your day is sunny, overcast, or rainy, you can create beautiful shots of the landscape.

There are two hours in the day known affectionately by photographers as the golden hours. These two hours occur right after sunrise and right before sunset and are generally longer in the summer and shorter in the winter. Why are these two hours generally the best for effective shots? Well, during the early morning and late afternoon, the sun is positioned for dramatic lighting, but will not create harsh shadows or blazes of light, especially when shooting with people.
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One of the most popular kinds of photography is portrait photography. Even the most novice photographer with a one-time-use camera will probably find that many of the pictures on the film are of people. It's simple-we all want to remember the important people in our lives, and pictures are a great way to do that. Portrait photography is also a lucrative business, since everyone from students to brides to families want to get their pictures taken. Portrait photography can be as simple or as advanced as you make it, but with a little practice, the end result can be something fabulous.
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