Portrait Photography : One of the Greatest Arts

Before doing any portrait photography there are some very important questions that any photographer should ask himself. What kind of light source it’s going to be used? From what angle the light will fall on the subject? What film, camera and lens are best to use?

If you manage to answer all this questions before taking the photo then you will probably make quite a good portrait photography. But i know that you don’t want a good portrait photography, you want a perfect one. So the best way to achieve this performance is to talk with the client trying to know him, his past, his desires. This way you can create distinctive portraits. If you want a real great portrait then you have to add a bit of the client’s personality in the photo. This works very well especially when you make female portrait photography. You shouldn’t look for a face that is over painted by a makeup artist. Try to surprise something that really represents the subject.

If you are wondering what to talk about with your clients then the answer is anything that will show you something distinctive for that person. Try to look for different face expressions and eye or mouth movement. When you see something beautiful keep it in mind and later capture it in your portraits. Belive me that studying the subject before making the portrait photography is the biggest secret in this art.

Meeting with the client, building rapport, knowing the client, and planning the session are essential elements. So don’t do the final session at the first meeting. After you are sure that you know everything you need to know to make a perfect portrait photography choose the best location and time of day and take the session.

I advice you to always use natural light if it’s possible. Choosing the background it’s also very important too. If the picture is to close then the background looses any meaning, if it’s to far then the background will overwhelm the subject. So try not to merge the subject with the background in an indistinguishable shape.

From my point of view making portrait photography is the greatest art. I belive this because it’s very different from making landscape photography or nature photography. When you make a photo you can make the subject to react to your wills and you really can control the picture.

So, in conclusion when it comes to portrait photography it all depends on how much you want the photo to be perfect and how dedicated you are to the art and the feeling of seeing that your client is really pleased.

For great information on Portrait Photography, Digital Photography and any other photography related subjects visit us at the best photography site.

Infrared Photography and the Car Thief - Successful Digital Imaging

Infrared photography is sometimes placed on the outside edge of the mainstream photographic world. To the uninitiated observer infrared photography conjures up television images of car thieves speeding away from police helicopters during the dark hours of the night, only to be caught hiding beneath bushes beside a darkened home as their hot bodies light up the camera monitor in the police chopper like Bedouin camel herders atop a Sahara sand dune.

In recent times professional photographers have made use of infrared film predominantly for black and white portraits. However infrared photography is now not out of the realm of possibility for the average amateur photographer. Digital cameras are now providing the clever photographer with the opportunity to create beautiful infrared images at a fraction of the cost when compared to film.

Not all (or more accurately – not many) digital cameras are set up to be able to shoot infrared images.

So how do you know if your digital camera can shoot infrared images?

This is a simple one to answer!

Point your digital camera at a television remote control and take a photograph of the infrared sensor that’s located at one end of the remote while pressing buttons on the control to send out an infrared beam. If your camera can shoot an image of the infrared light being emitted from the LED of the TV remote control then you are on your way to producing an infrared image!

It’s not enough to simply have any old digital camera for shooting infrared images. The type of digital camera that you’ve purchased will determine whether infrared images will be successful. Your camera should be at least a semi-professional digital or digital SLR-type with screw fittings to be able to connect filters to the lens.

The lenses of the cheaper and smaller digital cameras don’t usually support fittings for filters so may not be appropriate for digital infrared imaging. Check your camera’s documentation to see if it will accommodate filters.

Next you will require an infrared filter. The Hoya R70 infrared filter is one of the best and cheapest to buy, however at around US$40 or more it can be out of the price range for most would-be infrared amateurs – especially since you still don’t know if the end-product image will be what you want to achieve! If you’ve got the money to spare (or to blow!) then give it a go.

After purchasing an infrared filter, attach it to your camera, set up a tripod outdoors on a sunny day and shoot away! The first thing you’ll notice is that you can either see nothing or very little through the camera eyepiece.

Your camera will be recording images in the infrared spectrum – not visible light – so you would expect to see very little light through the filter with your own eyes.

Be aware that adding an infrared filter may have serious effects on your camera’s electronics or lens. Consult your camera’s operations manual or manufacturer before fitting any infrared filter to your camera, and never look through an infrared or any other type of filter with your own eyes.

Photo Shop Australia http://www.PhotoShopAustralia.com/ has a large array of infrared example images captured using combinations of shutter speeds, aperture and light sources.

Phill Petrovic is the owner of Photo Shop Australia at: http://www.PhotoShopAustralia.com/

Photo Shop Australia provides unique and amazing Australian nature photography including macro, infrared and landscape images of Australia. Photo Shop Australia also has a page of totally royalty free images available for free download for businesses and personal users.

How To Make Money With Your Digital Camera

Not so long ago, taking photographs was a tedious process that included purchasing film, snapping a few photos and waiting a week for them to be developed. It was often disappointing to wait for a week just to learn that you missed that perfect photo by a few inches or forgot to turn the flash on.

However, modern technology stepped in and changed all of that. With the invention of the digital camera, photos became instantly viewable and there was no longer an excuse for missing that perfect picture. If the first photo didn’t take properly, it was easy enough to simply try again. This resulted in a lot less money spent on wasted film and developing. Photos could still be developed from a digital camera, but many chose to store them on a computer or CD-Rom instead.

These changes eventually paved the way for better income opportunities for both amateur and professional photographers. With no film being wasted and instantly being able to preview photos, it was much easier to snap that perfect picture. Whether it’s a glistening waterfall, a national landmark or a deer trotting through an unspoiled trail, art enthusiasts are eager to own a unique portrait that has it’s own individual story to share.

Using a digital camera, many professional photographers have updated their studios with instant previews and immediate printing direct from a photo quality printer. Amateur photographers are finding that their work is highly sought after on the internet, by magazine editors and newspaper publishers around the world. The internet opens a whole new world to freelancers and this includes the work of photographers. These days, if you want to sell a photograph, you had better be prepared to e-mail it. Many editors are looking for a fast turnaround and snail mail may not cut it, which is where a digital camera comes in handy. Their ability to quickly upload photos to a computer, a disk or as e-mail attachments has kept the digital camera in the spotlight. In addition to dealing with editors directly, many photos are successfully sold at online auctions.

When selecting a digital camera, it is important to consider the manufacturer’s warranty, a quality zoom feature and storage memory. Most photographers also find that a view screen is very important in allowing them to review all photos stored in the camera card’s memory. Another important aspect of any digital camera is the megapixel count. The greater the megapixel number, the better quality each photo will be.

To find out which digital camera is right for you, visit our website at http://www.1-clik-shutter.com . It contains tons of free digital photography articles, resources and tips.

What You Need To Buy A Digital Camera Wholesale

Digital cameras are available in several price ranges today. They can be purchased wholesale as well as retail. Whether your budget is a mere $30 or $300, you are sure to find a camera within the given price range. However, you might have to compromise on some of the features that you will get in the deal.

So, what do you do if you want the best at the cheapest price? The answer to this question lies within the World Wide Web. You do not have to make telephone calls to sales persons or go camera hunting in many shops…simply sit at home and click away !

There are cameras which are available at wholesale prices. However, the trick here is that these are not so easily available because you need to take a pre-requisite number of cameras before you can get them at such a bargain. Or there might be older models which companies are trying to sell off at wholesale prices. Hence, it is possible to get a bargain but you really need to shop hard before you strike gold.

What you can do however, is to access the Internet for services known as ‘price comparison engines’. These are basically web sites which search the Net for the best prices available on digital cameras from different suppliers. So instead of visiting hundred different sites consisting of different suppliers, you can choose to visit ten price comparison engines and get a good estimate for the digital camera that you need.

But this is only possible if you have a basic idea of what you are looking for in a digital camera. You should at least know the make, if not the model, so that the research can be done properly. This will help you to narrow down your search drastically and thus save you a lot of time and effort.

Some of the well-known web sites which sell wholesale digital cameras include Ebay.com and Amazon.com. Both these sites have a huge collection of digital cameras, and you are sure to find what you are looking for at a cheap price. These sites also deal in digital camera accessories; hence you can probably find that extra memory card on Amazon or Ebay and get yourself a good packaged deal.

It is very important that you keep in mind the fact that the wholesaler from whom you purchase your camera is authentic and can be relied upon. Thus, do not get lured by attractive deals at wholesale prices before checking this out.

Kevin Rockwell worked as a network TV cameraman for 20 years shooting news and sports. Now a devoted fan of digital photography and video he works to gather information, tips and news for digital camera users. Oh and he loves to shoot pictures of his kids playing sports. http://www.great-digital-cameras.com/gdcj.html

Comparing Digital Camera Features

More people are able to afford digital cameras because their prices are falling but the number of characteristics is rising so it is important to be able to compare digital camera features.

The first step in being able to compare digital camera features is to decide what you want to get out of your camera. If you compare digital camera prices you will see that for shooting family snapshots you can get a good basic digital camera for under $400, while a professional model is over $2,000. When you compare digital camera features you need to know the extent of the use you are going to get out of it.

It is essential when you compare digital camera options to understand the issues of image resolution, which is measured in megapixels. Basically, the more megapixels, the higher the resolutions of the final image but you definitely need to compare digital camera images with your actual requirements. This is best done if you compare digital camera resolution with the size of the images that you want to print and you will find that a 1-mg camera can create a 3-by-5-inch (7.5 by 13 cm) photo-quality print; a 2-mg camera will make a 5-by-7-inch (13 by 18 cm) print; a 3-mg camera will make an 8-by-10-inch (20 by 25 cm) print, and a 6-mg camera will make a 9-by-13-inch (23 by 33 cm) print.

One of the other points to consider when you compare digital camera prices is to look at the complete package that is offered. Some included extras to look for when you compare digital camera packages are if the camera includes a cable for your computer and if it comes with image-editing software that works with your computer. If these are not included it is still possible for you to buy them separately but you need to allow for this when you compare digital camera prices. Another important point to consider when you compare digital camera options is to choose a camera with removable memory in addition to built-in memory.

All of the cameras that you are considering when you compare digital camera features should have an LCD screen for viewing pictures, a built-in flash, a timer, and a time/date stamp on even the most basic camera. You should also look to compare digital camera packages that have optical zoom, not digital, if you need a zoom capability and most midrange cameras should have high-quality optical zoom lenses but it is still worth checking to make sure.

Steve Gargin is the administrator of digital-camera-reviews.helper-guru.com/casio-slim-digital-camera/index.html which is a great website dedicated to giving free advice on Digital Cameras.

Always Carry Your Camera

I was walking to the local store the other day. It was cold, wet and overcast and I felt pretty miserable I can tell you. I was on a mission to buy something from the store and to get home as quickly as possible. Nothing else was on my mind.

Then, I passed a construction site. There was a flurry of activity – diggers and cranes on the move. Nothing special and I didn’t take too much notice. But, then I caught sight of a couple of workmen – they were wearing bright yellow jackets and red hard hats – moving some rubble by hand. They looked cold, wet and engrossed in their work. The backdrop to all this was a large and partially constructed building.

I was impressed by the colours of the workmen’s attire and the contrast with the damp weather and the greyness of the partly built structure. It would have made an interesting photograph. It would only have taken me a few seconds to capture it and the light was reasonably good so I would not have needed either a tripod or flashgun.

But, I didn’t have my camera with me and I lost the shot.

I have a number of cameras, one of which is a Canon A60 – a camera that is small and fits neatly into my pocket. I remember telling someone that they should always carry a camera, even on short errands. I failed to do so and lost an opportunity.

Eric Hartwell is an experienced photographer and owner of the photography resource website ephotocentral.

Where to buy a Used Digital Camera

As digital cameras are becoming more and more reliable and the memory the latest lines of new cameras has increases to levels that are becoming more than an average user needs, one has to ask if buying a new digital camera is really the smart move.

Much like a car, a digital camera loses around 30% of its value as soon as it leaves the shop so with Christmas coming up and the fact that soon many people will be trying to get rid of their unwanted gifts, it will shortly be boom time in the used digital camera market.

Finding a used digital camera

Classifieds

Digital camera bargains can be found here if you have the time to dig through the local papers and specialist sales papers such as loot. The main problem with this method is that most of the time you don’t get to see the camera until is arrives in the post and you have to be prepared to make a lot of phone calls. Also if can be hard to find out who you are dealing with.

Ebay
Ebay can be a great place to find a used digital camera. The main reasons for checking out ebay are that the main payment system ‘PayPal’ covers you against loss or damage up to a very reasonable £1000 and the feedback system which allows buyers to leave remarks about sellers means it is in the sellers interest to make sure that the sale completes as smoothly as possible. Most cameras sold on ebay have a photograph with the listing, which allow you to see what you are buying.

Specialist camera shops

Most camera shops have a line of used cameras, which they have taken in as part exchange for a new camera or bought of some poor chap down on his luck.
Buying a camera here is the most expensive way to buy a used digital camera, as the cameras that are on sale in these types of shop are always quite expensive for used cameras but the up side is that you will more than likely get a 3 to 6 month guarantee with your camera.

Elisabeth Kirsch owner of Cheap Digital Camera UK. A resource centre for information on how to get the most enjoyment from your digital camera.

For more information on used digital cameras check out the used digital camera section of my website Cheap Digital Camera UK.

Restoring Old Photographs

Restoring old family photographs can easily be done from our own personal computers. Years back, prior to home software, old black-and-white images were restored in photo labs by lab technicians. In the past, the process of restoring old memoirs was much of a mystery; but today, children can do it. Photoshop CS is amazing software—it has so many capabilities and special effects. Each family can become their own master photographer and lab technician now. With Photoshop CS, you can crop, clone, rotate, enhance, and change tones and values, just to name a few of the features!

As time passes and our photographs age, oxidize, and scratch, we have the ability to personally reformat all of our old, priceless family keepsake photographs. After restoring your images in Photoshop CS and reprinting them, it is best to store them in acid-free albums. Since the deterioration process is ongoing, the photographs will continue to deteriorate beyond repair. Without intervention, the photographs will fade away right along with the memories of our beloved ancestors.

I not only have some of my ancestor’s wedding photographs, I have some of their cameras too! Call me sentimental, but I think some of these old-dated items create great home accents and can complement a warm family atmosphere. Restored family photographs are fun to work with too. Depending on the paper used to print them, old family photographs can be decoupaged to a chest or keepsake box or wall papered onto end tables or table tops.

Actually, restoration looks good, but aging photographs looks good too. When using old photographs for art projects, take the original photographs that were scanned into your computer and age them digitally in Photoshop CS. Collages made from photographs make great wrapping paper, wall paper, and scrapbook material. As Saul Bellow once wrote, “Everybody needs his memories. They keep the wolf of insignificance from the door.” (revised 2/15/2006)

Debbie Jensen, Graphic Designer and Photographer http://www.debjensendesigns.com.

Wildlife Scouting Cameras

For years I wondered how big the bucks were that were roaming our property in the dark of night. After all, I knew that monster bucks had to be eluding me during the daylight hours only to roam the woods at night. In an attempt to reveal these mysterious nocturnal monsters I purchased a scouting camera in 1996.

After a couple of years of using the camera I was very disappointed. The camera worked fine and we had many pictures of deer, but they were the same does and spike bucks that I was seeing during the day. Something must be wrong; I knew that there had to be big bucks stalking the hillsides at night. After all, everyone always said “you know there is a big one in there somewhere”.

After many rolls of film and an equal number of anxious trips to retrieve developed pictures, I came to realize that there simply were not any mystical trophy bucks roaming our property.

This scouting camera was the proof that I needed to convince myself that the problem was not nocturnal deer but it was actually a deer management problem.

In the eight years since that initial camera purchase I have gotten pictures of bucks that I had not seen, but this wasn’t until after I had implemented a quality deer management plan on our property. One thing is certain, if mature bucks are not on your property you will not get a picture of them and you will definitely not see them.

You can use your scouting camera pictures to get approximate buck to doe ratios simply by observing the ratios that are in the pictures. Also it is easier to estimate the quality of the bucks on your property once you have a picture that you can study. You will also get pictures of the other wildlife that make their homes on your property.

With a scouting camera you can practically perform 24 hour scouting, especially with the new digital scouting cameras. For those of us who work it is difficult to spend a lot of time scouting, but the camera can be your eyes.

A scouting camera cannot find bucks that are not there but they do a real good job of letting you know what is.

Camera Placement

Where do you put your scouting camera? This is one of the fun parts of having a scouting camera. Deciding where to put the camera is just like deciding where to hunt.

The easiest way to get pictures of whitetail deer is to have something that attracts them. If you do this, a camera can take a lot of pictures in a short period of time. Be careful of your delay settings on your camera or you could get a lot of pictures of the same deer.

It is interesting to put the camera up at various places such as: well used trails, scrapes, rubs, food plots and minerals licks. I’m sure that you can think of a few places where you would like to know how much deer activity takes place.

Most scouting cameras have the ability to place the date and time on the photograph. This can be very helpful in determining the time of day the deer show up at your particular hotspot. I use it to let me know what time I have to be in the woods in the mornings so that I don’t have to get out of bed any earlier than I have to.

Set Up Tips

There are a few things that will help ensure that you will not be disappointed with your scouting camera.

Try not to place the camera where it is facing into either the rising or setting sun.

Clear weeds away from the front of the camera so that you do not get pictures of weeds swaying in the breeze.

Do not set your camera up too close or far away from where you expect the deer to travel. A camera set up on a tree within 3 feet of the trail is too close whereas most flashes cannot reach much beyond 30 feet or less.

Fresh batteries! It is very disappointing to find out that you didn’t get many pictures because your batteries have died. Rechargeable batteries are gaining popularity lately; I’m having good success using them with my digital scouting camera.

I advise buying a scouting camera that has a locking device. It would be too easy for someone to walk away with your camera if it is not locked.

I am using a digital scouting camera for the first time this year and highly recommend them. There are many advantages to the digital camera, in particular the capability of viewing your pictures right away.

The exciting part is seeing a picture of a nice buck that you didn’t know was on your property. These pictures help you get out of bed on those cold mornings and make you stay in your stand longer when you get bored. Get yourself a scouting camera and have fun with it.

About The Author

I have been deer hunting in West Virginia for close to 30 years. Now I am teaching my children to hunt and enjoy it more each year.

You can read more about our experienced with scouting cameras and our latest digital adventures at www.whitetaildeer-management-and-hunting.com.

Seven Ways to Increase Portrait Sales

A good portrait photographer can do his or her best but still be plagued with no shows, minimum orders, and low profits. Here are seven tips to help you succeed.

A pre-session consultation is a good idea. It serves to answer any fears your clients may have about having their portrait taken. It also gives them an opportunity to get your opinion about what is best to wear. Tips on makeup and hair can be helpful. A brief description of their available wardrobe will give you an idea of what to suggest for the session. Of course, plaids and wild designs are to be avoided. Naturally, you must compliment them on their chosen outfit.

Secondly, confirm your appointments the day before. A gentle reminder while ‘touching base’ with your client is usually sufficient to ensure their arrival at the studio the next day. Any last minute changes in clothing can be discussed and a reminder that the parents may be included in some of the pictures of their children is wise. If something comes up that will prevent their making the appointment, it is best that you know ahead of time so that you can rearrange your schedule.

The samples on your studio walls should reflect the finest you can produce and instill in your clients a desire to own a similar portrait of themselves or of their family. Display only a variety of large sizes on your walls. A minimum size of sixteen by twenty and a maximum of thirty by forty inches will give the right impression. Eleven by fourteens and eight by tens look much too small on a wall. The profit margin is much greater in proportion to the increasing size of the portrait. A small area near the selling desk can be put aside for samples of these small sizes. I recommend that four by sixes be made unavailable and wallets not be displayed at all. Make sure that the eight by ten and five by seven samples are of a group portrait so that the head sizes are small in the photograph. The larger wall sizes look best when depicting five to seven people. Fewer heads will appear too large and more figures than seven in the sample portrait will seem lost and hard to see.

One key to larger orders is to present a variety of poses to the client. A normal set of head shots is not conducive to large orders. On the other hand, when each pose shows a different side of the sitter’s personality, the parent can not resist ordering at least one of the different poses. First, ensure the regular poses by photographing the sitter from different sides and using different expressions. Since ninety percent of pose decisions are made on facial expression, it is important to get all the different smiles and pleasant looks that you can. When you are satisfied with the head and shoulder portraits, design a seated pose for more interest. A book may be held or a favorite pet in their lap. These middle shots are a natural for larger portrait sizes. Teens and young children often can strike cute full length poses showing off their new Gap togs. Sport equipment, games or accessory clothing give hands something to do. A few super close ups in serious expressions will add spice to the poses and are great for wallet sales.

Word of mouth is traditionally the best form of advertising, but every avenue of spreading the word is to be taken advantage of. Wallet size photos with your name and telephone on the back make great reminders to future clients. It also makes it convenient for relatives to reorder additional and larger sizes. Most digital orders can be placed on the day of the session, but there are many interested family members at home who would order their own preferences if they could see all the poses. An inkjet printer can make a copy of the parent’s favorite poses in a few minutes for them to take home. The draft copy is fine for choosing their favorite expressions but too poor to be copied on a home scanner. I believe normal retouching should be included as a free service with the session fee but extensive time consuming retouching be charged by the hour.

The summer doldrums can be somewhat alleviated with a beautiful child contest. Other variations are the model search or a pet and child contest . A free session for each child is quite attractive to the parents. A requisite that the parents come in with the children ensures that you are afforded the opportunity to photograph the whole family. Grandchildren group portraits are popular as gifts, but are poor profit makers by themselves. You must insist that the studio be able to photograph each individual family while they are in the studio with the grandchildren. This may involve four or five families, so be sure to allot enough time to accommodate everyone. Since orders from this type of portrait session can run very high, it may be wise to waive the session fees for the individual families.

Finally, a word about break downs is in order. When photographing a family, you can suggest some fun pictures with different combinations of family members. Grandma would love to have a picture of herself with the grandchildren, Dad would be interested in a shot of he and his two boys. Mom and her little girl helper make a cherished portrait and a picture of just the two boys and a separate shot of the three girls is an irresistible photograph. Any resistance can usually be jollied along with a request for the Grandma to “Help me out a little”. A little coaxing and good natured joshing will get them over their shyness. Don’t forget to photograph the grandparents together and individually. These portraits may become very valuable in the future. The family pet make a wonderful action portrait with the family as well as with the children. Even a pet portrait can boost your orders.

Retired portrait photographer. Comments welcome, please.