Finding the right child photographer can be a real uphill struggle. On the surface, most child portrait photographers seem to do about the same thing. They have your child pose in front of a conventional backdrop, have him or her say cheese, and snap a picture. In reality, however, there is much more going on. There is an amazing difference between good child photographers and bad ones.
You can always tell a bad child photographer by one distinct feature of all of their work: soft focus. Child photographers who have no talent love the soft focus. Basically, soft focus is a way for photographers to make something or someone look good by removing most of the details of the image. You still get that smile, but it is blurred to give the whole picture that stoned and beatific look that is so popular among portrait takers. Basically, unless it is a very light touch, soft focus is awful. A good child photographer will use this technique as little as possible unless instructed by the parents to overdo it.
One of the most important qualifications for anyone who is going to take pictures of your child or family is that they know how to work with people. Being a child photographer is not just about proficiency in film technique. It is about much more. A lot of the trick with child photography is just getting the child to smile. Getting the right smile, and knowing when the smile is right, is what a good portrait photographer needs. Almost any child photographer can set up the lights correctly, get the child say cheese, and snap a picture. It takes a good one to snap the picture at just the right moment, and to get the child to loosen up. If the child feels loose, relaxed, and comfortable with the photographer, he or she will give you a much better smiled.
If you want to become a child photographer, there is very little that you need besides equipment. Learning basic film techniques is pretty easy – you could probably do it in about six months. The real problem is that you have to hustle to be a child photographer. There are so many people, after all, that can do it. Usually they make their living by staking out a particular community. Until you have the contact base built up, it will be a difficult way to make a living.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Fashion Photography
I first got interesting in taking pictures when I was about 10 years old. Back then, I thought I would be an Ansel Adams photographer. I loved his landscapes, as almost all young kids do, and it got me dreaming about the great adventures I could have, taking beautiful pictures all over the country. Through the years, my dream has changed somewhat a couple of times. I used to want to be an artistic photographer in high school, and that fascination lasted for quite a few years. I knew that I would have to take some time as a wedding photographer or something like that to make ends meet, but I never expected it to be a career. It seemed like just a step on my path.
I never expected to be a fashion photographer until I found myself suddenly answering to that job description. Fashion photography was just a lucrative side project. The only problem was that it was too lucrative. If you can break into the field, taking fashion photographs can make you a lot of money. Most famous fashion photographers make thousands of dollars every single day just from snapping a few pictures. Although I am not that caliber of fashion photographer, it pays much better than anything else I could do. The problem is that it pays too well.
When I took up fashion photography, it didn't pay very well at all. I had no idea how to become a fashion photographer, and as a result my business suffered. I couldn't make the contacts I needed, and my models were mostly nobodies who could only afford to pay me a little bit. Then I hooked up with a high-profile fashion photographer, I finally was taught the tricks of the trade. I realized that I could make a lot of money as a fashion photographer, and I decided to put off art school for another year or two while I worked at it. It was meant to be a temporary step, but somehow 10 years have passed and I'm still at it. Maybe one day I will get into serious art photography, but for the time being this is where I'll stay.
Besides the money, there are a lot of good things about being a fashion photographer. You get to meet a lot of interesting people including fashion models, fashion designers, and celebrities of all sorts. It definitely isn't a bad life, but it isn't the life I dreamed of originally. I guess things could have turned out worse!
I never expected to be a fashion photographer until I found myself suddenly answering to that job description. Fashion photography was just a lucrative side project. The only problem was that it was too lucrative. If you can break into the field, taking fashion photographs can make you a lot of money. Most famous fashion photographers make thousands of dollars every single day just from snapping a few pictures. Although I am not that caliber of fashion photographer, it pays much better than anything else I could do. The problem is that it pays too well.
When I took up fashion photography, it didn't pay very well at all. I had no idea how to become a fashion photographer, and as a result my business suffered. I couldn't make the contacts I needed, and my models were mostly nobodies who could only afford to pay me a little bit. Then I hooked up with a high-profile fashion photographer, I finally was taught the tricks of the trade. I realized that I could make a lot of money as a fashion photographer, and I decided to put off art school for another year or two while I worked at it. It was meant to be a temporary step, but somehow 10 years have passed and I'm still at it. Maybe one day I will get into serious art photography, but for the time being this is where I'll stay.
Besides the money, there are a lot of good things about being a fashion photographer. You get to meet a lot of interesting people including fashion models, fashion designers, and celebrities of all sorts. It definitely isn't a bad life, but it isn't the life I dreamed of originally. I guess things could have turned out worse!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Basic Photography Technique For Beginners
Don't go crazy buying an expensive camera, but you'd better take a little time to find out what camera you'd like. Here are some basic photography technique of a camera.
Basically, all cameras are the same and, given identical film and settings, a cheap camera will take the same photograph as an expensive camera. More money doesn't directly buy your more quality but more control over the image.
A camera is a box with a hole in it. You can make one out of a shoe box with a window of transparent paper on one side and a small hole in the opposite side. Physics teachers call this a 'pinhole camera.' Adding more controls, mainly to do with the lens, produces different types of cameras.
1. Disposable Camera.
These one-time use cameras are easy to carry and take surprisingly good shots. They are great for people shots at parties.
2. Compact Camera.
Perfect for snapshots. I like a small, pocket-sized camera with a flash (for people's faces), a self-timer, a wide-angle lens (28mm for impact), and a panoramic mode (looks cool!). The downside to not having a zoom is that you're limited to the lens provided.
3. SLR.
The choice of amateur and professional travel photographers. The Single Lens Reflex feature which allows the viewfinder to look through the main lens instead of its own fixed lens allows you to remove and replace the lens. Interchangeable lenses give you more creative control of your shot. You can make a super-wide shot with a 'short' lens, or enlarge a very distant object with a 'long' lens. You can also control the aperture (the size of the hole) which allows you to decide what is, and what is not, in focus. The downside to the SLR is that you now have more equipment to buy and carry.
4. Medium- and Large-Format.
These are bigger versions of the SLR camera which allow you to use larger (and thus higher resolution) film. Mainly used by stock photographers, the equipment is large and heavy and, therefore, inconvenient for basic travel purposes.
5. APS.
The Advanced Photo System (called Advantix by Kodak) uses a smaller film - 24mm instead of 36mm - which means the cameras are smaller and lighter. This is good for travelers. However, because the APS is new, there is currently a smaller range of equipment suppliers and film developers available.
Look for a camera with the simplest layout of the features you need and, as with the stock market, only invest in what you understand.
Basically, all cameras are the same and, given identical film and settings, a cheap camera will take the same photograph as an expensive camera. More money doesn't directly buy your more quality but more control over the image.
A camera is a box with a hole in it. You can make one out of a shoe box with a window of transparent paper on one side and a small hole in the opposite side. Physics teachers call this a 'pinhole camera.' Adding more controls, mainly to do with the lens, produces different types of cameras.
1. Disposable Camera.
These one-time use cameras are easy to carry and take surprisingly good shots. They are great for people shots at parties.
2. Compact Camera.
Perfect for snapshots. I like a small, pocket-sized camera with a flash (for people's faces), a self-timer, a wide-angle lens (28mm for impact), and a panoramic mode (looks cool!). The downside to not having a zoom is that you're limited to the lens provided.
3. SLR.
The choice of amateur and professional travel photographers. The Single Lens Reflex feature which allows the viewfinder to look through the main lens instead of its own fixed lens allows you to remove and replace the lens. Interchangeable lenses give you more creative control of your shot. You can make a super-wide shot with a 'short' lens, or enlarge a very distant object with a 'long' lens. You can also control the aperture (the size of the hole) which allows you to decide what is, and what is not, in focus. The downside to the SLR is that you now have more equipment to buy and carry.
4. Medium- and Large-Format.
These are bigger versions of the SLR camera which allow you to use larger (and thus higher resolution) film. Mainly used by stock photographers, the equipment is large and heavy and, therefore, inconvenient for basic travel purposes.
5. APS.
The Advanced Photo System (called Advantix by Kodak) uses a smaller film - 24mm instead of 36mm - which means the cameras are smaller and lighter. This is good for travelers. However, because the APS is new, there is currently a smaller range of equipment suppliers and film developers available.
Look for a camera with the simplest layout of the features you need and, as with the stock market, only invest in what you understand.
Learning All About Digital Photography
To get the absolute most out of the material, you should have a digital SLR or a high-end digital camera that presents you a wide group of control over shutter speeds and aperture settings. Digital photography has many advantages far more than traditional film photography. You can be astonished which the greatest digital camera is, and if you are conscious of digital photography basics you may make the decision effortlessly.
Digital cameras are principally characterized by their picture resolution or mega-pixel capacities; from low-resolution (less than 1 mega-pixel) to high-resolution (greater than 1 mega-pixel) to advanced high-resolution (4 mega-pixels or more). Digital photography uses electronic instruments to seize a snapshot of a particular thing and translate the portrait into binary record, which is readable by a computer. ISO ranges from 100-3200, and it is extremely low-noise across the whole collection. When you're altering the settings on a camera, you're trying to observe the correct exposure for the subject and lighting conditions. How to set shutterspeed, aperture, and exposure depending on the type of condition and much more. 5 megapixels are sufficient for most situations.
If everything you are worried about is knowing how to be able to have a digital camera to obtain your Myspace pictures hence you don't have to be concerned about developing and scanning everything, you should perhaps just get a small lesson from our digital camera and check the handbook or owner's instruction manual to deal with any troubles you can undergo.
What is great about the digital camera is the fact that you can have a continual amount of pictures. If you are barely planning to use the pictures online or with a computer, you would have a lower resolution setting. Have the ISO set for the surroundings you’re in hence you don’t lose valuable moment. Digital photography for beginners could be mastered by anybody. You will notice that it is easy to go off from digital photography for beginners to the subsequent level of photography, for you find more comfortable with your digital camera.
What Are The Advantages Of Digital Photography Training?
You will be taken through the steps of loading your camera and getting the most out of your camera' s storage space for images. The advantages are many if you are willing to take them. Not only will you learn new techniques and new ways to take photos, you will also meet like minded people who can share stories of their own skills and weak points. It is being able to share information in this way that makes digital photography classes so appealing to many people.
Digital photography classes are also often designed to appeal to people at different stages of learning. For example, a beginner' s class will be aimed at people who have never previously used a digital camera, and want to learn how to take competent photos with one.
The aim of an intermediate class will be to develop the beginner' s knowledge and introduce more techniques and skills to make their photography more enjoyable and interesting.
Finally, for the more advanced student there will be a number of classes that go into greater depth in a wide range of areas. You may be able to take a class which teaches you how to produce excellent photos with night photography, for example.
Digital cameras are principally characterized by their picture resolution or mega-pixel capacities; from low-resolution (less than 1 mega-pixel) to high-resolution (greater than 1 mega-pixel) to advanced high-resolution (4 mega-pixels or more). Digital photography uses electronic instruments to seize a snapshot of a particular thing and translate the portrait into binary record, which is readable by a computer. ISO ranges from 100-3200, and it is extremely low-noise across the whole collection. When you're altering the settings on a camera, you're trying to observe the correct exposure for the subject and lighting conditions. How to set shutterspeed, aperture, and exposure depending on the type of condition and much more. 5 megapixels are sufficient for most situations.
If everything you are worried about is knowing how to be able to have a digital camera to obtain your Myspace pictures hence you don't have to be concerned about developing and scanning everything, you should perhaps just get a small lesson from our digital camera and check the handbook or owner's instruction manual to deal with any troubles you can undergo.
What is great about the digital camera is the fact that you can have a continual amount of pictures. If you are barely planning to use the pictures online or with a computer, you would have a lower resolution setting. Have the ISO set for the surroundings you’re in hence you don’t lose valuable moment. Digital photography for beginners could be mastered by anybody. You will notice that it is easy to go off from digital photography for beginners to the subsequent level of photography, for you find more comfortable with your digital camera.
What Are The Advantages Of Digital Photography Training?
You will be taken through the steps of loading your camera and getting the most out of your camera' s storage space for images. The advantages are many if you are willing to take them. Not only will you learn new techniques and new ways to take photos, you will also meet like minded people who can share stories of their own skills and weak points. It is being able to share information in this way that makes digital photography classes so appealing to many people.
Digital photography classes are also often designed to appeal to people at different stages of learning. For example, a beginner' s class will be aimed at people who have never previously used a digital camera, and want to learn how to take competent photos with one.
The aim of an intermediate class will be to develop the beginner' s knowledge and introduce more techniques and skills to make their photography more enjoyable and interesting.
Finally, for the more advanced student there will be a number of classes that go into greater depth in a wide range of areas. You may be able to take a class which teaches you how to produce excellent photos with night photography, for example.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Digital Cameras - Latest In Todays Photography Technology
With the advent of digital cameras, the cost of photography has plummeted considerably, with the result that there has been a surge of interest in the field. Greenhorns in this area however, need not fret. Sharpening up on your digital photography skills is easy, provided you have the basics at the tip of your tongues, or is it, at the tip of your lenses!
Mastering the basics of digital photography, first and foremost involves knowing all about pixels and resolutions. These are the parameters that have a direct bearing, and quite a lion's share on the quality of the images being generated. The more the pixel count, the better the resolution or clarity of the picture and the better it turns out when enlarged. So it is obvious that the fastidious photographers prefer robust pixel values. However, with the market flooded with digital cameras of various makes, you can hope for a good bargain. Let us discuss a few basics of digital photography.
Zoom And Tele Lenses
Going digital has also meant that you can click away merrily at anything and everything under the sun. This will only help you get well up on the nitty-gritty of the zoom modes. The Optical Zoom of a camera is worth tinkering with. The "Telephoto" mode makes your subject appear larger while the "Wide Angle" mode is all about cramming a lot of a scene into your picture and hence the elements of the picture appear smaller.
Focusing
Toying with the controls of your digital camera is a good way of getting a hang about the different picture modes and hence be able to put them to good use. For instance, instead of relying on the instruction manual, see for yourself that the Portrait Mode actually sharpens your subject and de-focuses the background. For those who are not yet comfortable with the exposure, focus and flash parameters can take the help of the Auto Mode in the awkward initial stages.
Lighting
There is no such thing as a photography gene. Good photographers weave magic with their cameras, but this magic is all about getting the lighting and flash issues straightened in their photographs. Shooting in the early morning light is advisable if you want to avoid the harsh glare of the midday sun and in case of night photography, filming during the twilight hours or just as the moon is rising gives you the best results. You should not shoot with the sun directly in front of the lens.
Using the Flash
The flash is quite a lure for the novice photographer but results are not always satisfactory. This is because improper use of the flash function leads to the marring of good photos. In fact, the flash really leads to underexposure, and thus ungainly shadows in night photography. While you are using this feature, inch closer to your subject and thus make sure that all the areas of the picture are equally lighted up.
Shutter Speed
The shutter speed is one area that many newcomers to digital photography is quite oblivious to. But you will be amazed at the dramatic results that mere varying the speeds can bring about. The rule of thumb: fast shutter speeds "freeze" the action, while slow values will result in a blur. Slow shutter speed also let more light enter into the camera, so this is an option worth considering when you need to shoot in low light conditions.
The basics of digital photography are not hard to master. And being well versed in them will help you capture reality in all its essence.
Basic Photography Required For Happy Wedding Moments
The wedding is considered to be one of the happiest moments in the life of two lovers. Though this can happen again should one of the spouses die or decide to have a divorce, there is nothing compared to the first time.
Since the wedding may last less than an hour while the reception may go on longer, the best way to preserve this memory in time is through pictures taken by a talented photographer.
People who want to start a career here should first take classes on the basics of photography. Some think it is just a matter of looking at a lens and pushing on the button but there is more to it than that. There are factors such as lighting, color and timing has to be considered to be able to get the right picture especially for the candid ones.
When the person has learned this, it is time to get that camera. More people are using digital cameras these days that can hold more than 200 images or more depending on the size of the memory card.
This makes developing faster than the conventional one, which is taking out the film from the camera and working on the pictures inside the dark room.
Some people who want to become digital wedding photographers do it because of the money. The individual must realize that it is only through devotion that the quality of the shots taken is consistent.
It takes awhile to be a good wedding photographer. It may be months or even years so during this time, the photographer will be able to develop a certain style or technique that will surely be remembered by the client years after the wedding took place.
Some of the lessons in digital wedding photography can be self-taught. Since there are other ways to shoot pictures, it is best to talk with other artists or to attend seminars.
Another way to excel in this art will be to enter in competitions. The individual may not win but there are valuable lessons that can be learned which can be incorporated into the style used in taking those photographs.
Research has shown a good wedding photographer can make $24,000 annually or more. This means serving one client well will open the doors to others such as the friends and relatives of the couple who will also be getting married in a few months or years.
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