Digital Photography Tips and Tricks Part 4 - Baby Photography

02:44 |


Baby photography is tough but Prettiest one. To shoot a nice photo on a baby you have to be careful and Conscious as babies are the most uncertain creatures. By following some tips you can shoot good photos on babies.

Now, one area where you really need some digital photography tips and tricks is baby photography. Baby photography is a challenge for any photographer. Babies are the most uncertain creatures, who tend to sleep, eat and cry a lot and will not pose in front of the camera easily. All these behaviors of a baby may put you off photographing them. But the higher the rewarding feeling, when you do get that perfect baby portrait. Here follow some easy as well as effective tips for baby photography.

If you want success in baby photography, you have to patient as well as understand the child psychology. It is commonly found that babies over six months are shy and do not react well to a complete stranger. What you need to do in such situations is to play with the baby, or even become a child yourself while taking the photograph. Play with them with some colorful toys and try to react quickly when the infant responds to your entertainment. This way you can get portraits of children at any age. And it may even work for some adults too...!

Taking pictures of a newborn baby can be difficult. The baby will not be active at this stage. Therefore, it is better to focus on close-up head shots. You should also try to use the natural light from a bedroom window to add atmosphere. 

Babies over a few months old will be more alert and will have a lot more movement in them. You have to take photos fast as the infant will tire quickly. Babies become bored quickly and can prove tricky to shoot! If you are a professional baby photographer and want to shoot from your own studio, make sure you have a lot of toys to amuse the infants. A light color background will work best and use both color and black & white. 

Parents may be worried about studio lights as they may believe that the lights have an effect on their baby. Make sure you have got some documentation about your studio lights so that they can review that if they wish or some written guarantee that explains that strobe lights are harmless to babies and children. When you take photos of somebody else's baby, you should take consent from the parents, as most parents will be very protective and will not react well to a stranger lifting the infant.  

Fingers and hands of babies can be attractive objects to photographers. You can get some cute photos when the little ones put their fingers in their mouth. But it is hard to direct that, so you will have to capture it in the moment and then hope that the face is not obscured by the fingers!

If you are a professional photographer, you may want to resell the photographs to an agency or site. But be sure you get permission from the parents beforehand, and get it signed by them. The market of baby photography is large and varied, but all will ask you to show parents' consent.

So, if you want success as a baby photographer, you should keep these tips in mind. Make sure you play with the baby and show patience. Get some stimulating toys together and get the parents to consent to whatever use you aim to have for the photos. Last, but not least, improvise and do not try to direct too much as this is usually futile with babies.

Baby photography is pretty tough, but when you apply the digital photography tips and tricks aboveArticle Submission, you will have a very good success rate with even the most difficult babies and kids.
Article Tags: Digital Photography Tips, Digital Photography, Photography Tips, Baby Photography, Make Sure
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Want more digital photography tips and tricks? Then go to Your-Digital-Photography.com for more information and to subscribe to the Digital Tips 'N' Tricks Newsletter.

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Night Photography: Low Light Tips and Techniques

02:07 |

Photography at night can be used to create mysterious and amazing photos.  When I say photography at night I mean the hours from around sunset until when the stars are clearly visible.  The long exposures associated with low light can create unique effects and unusually sharp photos.

And when I say long exposures I mean exposures lasting from half a second up to even 30 seconds.  An exposure that long would seem impossible to prevent shaking, so my technique that I use very often is to compose the photo like I would normally and then to set the self-timer so the camera takes the picture on its own and I don’t even have to touch it.

Equipment Options

For low light photos, a tripod (or some kind of substitute) is very necessary.  I almost always keep a tripod in the trunk of my car or carry a miniature tripod around on trips.  A miniature tripod can be very handy because it is typically small enough to fit in a pants pocket so it can be taken anywhere.  Some photographers carry around a bean bag or something like it so that can set their camera down and tilt it in any way they like.  Some of my best pictures I have taken simply by setting my camera down on a newspaper stand and setting the self-timer. 
Many photographers are convinced that they need a cable release to take long exposures but the self-timer release option on just about all cameras works just as well.  All you have to do is set the camera up, configure the self-timer, press the shutter button, and wait the specified amount of time (usually 10 seconds) and the camera will take the photo automatically.  And you don’t have to touch the camera so the photo won’t be blurred from hand shaking.

Night Photo Opportunities

Landscape Photos - My favorite kind of night photo usually includes a landscape with some kind of foreground element, some sort of framing element, and lots of lights throughout the scene.  Adding some kind of foreground item to the frame helps to create a greater depth of field, this technique works for any kind of photo but I have found that it makes night landscape photos much better.  Another tip you should keep in mind is that the main subject of a night photo should probably be the most well lit.  Lots of light is good for a night exposure but there should still be some focus applied to the major objects in a scene.
Capturing Motion – A very popular kind of night photography includes a steady camera with some sort of fast moving object streaming through the frame.  When cars are photographed at night with a long shutter speed, the headlights make a bright pathway of light and in most cases the car can’t even be seen.  Another option would be to set up your camera next to a lighted area with lots of people moving like a night club or an illuminated street.  Just about any kind of motion captured with the camera steady produces a very interesting photo.

Balancing Aperture and Shutter Speed

When taking photos at night you should keep aperture in mind as well as shutter speed.  It is without question that you will need a long shutter speed, but the aperture that you choose will provide the depth of field.  When I take night photos I usually have a very long shutter speed (5-15 seconds) and a very narrow aperture (high f-stop).  This combination creates a huge depth of field and makes everything very crisp and in focus.  Of course sometimes you will not desire a great depth of field and in those situations you should widen the aperture (small f-stop).

Calculating the Exposure

Figuring out what exact shutter speed and aperture you should use can be very challenging in Manual Mode.  I would recommend that you just try many different combinations for each scene and eventually you will refine the settings that you prefer.  Another technique I use is Bracketing, if you bracket all your photos so the camera takes multiple exposures at different settings, you are more likely to end up with a photo that has a satisfactory brightness.

Conclusion

There is no exact science to night photography; I hope some of these tips will guide you in the right direction.  But the best night photographers are usually the people who experiment a lot when they are taking low light exposures and eventually they figure out the best scenes and best exposure settings to match.  Just remember that you need a very long shutter speed settingHealth Fitness Articles, and that you need to keep the camera very steady.
Article Tags: Some Kind, Long Shutter, Shutter Speed
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Richard Schneider is a digital photography enthusiast and founder ofhttp://www.picturecorrect.com/ which offers tips and news about digital photography, digital camera reviews, and photoshop tutorials. Please also visithttp://www.picturecorrect.com/freewallpaper.htm where you can find many examples of the techniques described in this article to use as your desktop wallpaper.

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Learn Digital Photography - Top Seven Tips for Beginners

05:20 |


When I discovered digital photography after years as a film photographer I wanted to get the best possible camera and other equipment. But, equipment was really the last thing that should have been on my list besides a camera of reasonable quality. What I really needed was to learn the fundamentals of photography. Good photographers take good pictures not cameras.

The first thing that any budding photographer needs to learn are the fundamentals of photography starting with the basics. Get these under your belt quickly and you have already won half the battle. So, what needs to happen to get you going as a beginner with your first digital camera? Let’s take a look at my top seven.

1. Equipment:

It’s not all about equipment. Don’t go rushing out to buy expensive equipment without knowing what you need. A keen sales person will sell you as far as your wallet or credit card will take you. Wait until you know what you need and what you like and match these desires with the right equipment.

2. Decide on the type of shots you’d like to shoot:

A good idea is to browse the internet photo galleries, look in magazines or visit your local library to get an idea of what type of photo you really like. Try it out with your camera and see if you are able to, or, want to persevere until you can. Once you’ve made a list plan to go out and shoot on a regular basis. It’s practice that makes perfect. Stick to it until you master your genre. Only then start looking for the equipment to match your area of interest.

3. Decide on a structured learning plan:

Find out what you’d like to learn and what you need to learn in order to shoot the type of photos that interest you. For example, macro and nature photography is a more specialized art form and there are a number of techniques and skills to learn, as well as equipment you’ll need to buy. Research it on the internet, read books and if possible take a course on macro or close up photography. 

4. Take photos often:

If you are not regularly shooting images you are not going to grow in your skills and abilities. Set yourself assignments based on what you are studying. Of course, in a structured course you will be given assignments. A photo a day keeps the creativity flowing and helps you to keep motivated. I did an assignment once taking a 100 photos of the same subject from a host of different angles. It gave my photography an unexpected boost.

5. Learn your camera’s settings:

Getting to know your camera is paramount if you want to learn to take great photos and the best way to do this is by reading your manual. Like I should be telling you this. I am the last one who reads a manual. But, if you do it in a structured way you’ll be amazed at how quickly you get to know your camera. The way I did it was to go through the manual highlighting everything I already knew about it. Then I went back through the manual reading up on each section I didn’t know, practicing as I went along. Once I got to know it I was amazed at how much more I could do with my camera. The key is to experiment.

6. Keep your camera with you:

Take every opportunity to get a great shot. Whenever you see something that would make a great photo, shoot it. I have often wished that I had taken my camera with me and got an amazing shot. If you don’t have it with you, you won’t get the shot.

7. Buy a tripod:

Besides my camera, my tripod is the most important piece of kit in my equipment bag. There are shots you can only get if your camera is steady. The sharpness of your shots will improve dramatically. If the pros use them then why not the amateurs? 
As you begin your photography journeyBusiness Management Articles, work at learning in a structured way so that the fundamentals of photography become second nature. Photography should be fun but your learning process needs to be serious. Happy shooting!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

- Do you want to learn more about photography in a digital world? I've just completed a brand new e-course delivered by e-mail. Download it here for free: CLICK HERE. You can also learn to take perfect photos in 21 steps by taking a look at my new eBook 21 Steps 2 Perfect Photos.

- Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography.

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Portrait Photography Tips and Tricks

21:45 |


Improve your portrait photography by following these tips and tricks. To take breathtaking portraits you need more than just technical skills....

Would you like to improve your portrait photography? Knowing how to set up your camera and lighting to take quality pictures is just one of many steps. You also have to pose your subject while helping them feel relaxed and comfortable. Having great technical skills is a good start, but personal skills will also go a long way when photographing people. Let's look at some things you'll have to consider to take good portraits. 

If you're taking your portraits in a studio be sure to set up everything before your subject arrives. Making your subject wait can make them feel anxious and even annoyed. These negative feelings will show up in the photographs. Get the lighting right. Have some props. Props can be used to make your subject feel more comfortable. Many people will relax more quickly if they're given something to do with their hands. If you're using a backdrop have it in place before the person arrives. If you're shooting outside of your studio, try to familiarize yourself with the location before the shoot. Walk around the area and get ideas for pictures.

You should plan a general look and feel for the portraits before the photo shoot. When your subject arrives discuss those ideas with them and get feedback. These original ideas often change, but they're good to set you in a direction for the photography session.


Don't be afraid to give your subject directions. Most people need to be posed for photographs. Many, if left to their own devices, will appear slouchy in pictures. Having your subject lean slightly forward will help stop them from slouching. While you're taking the pictures talk to our subject about their interests. Getting to know them better will help them feel more comfortable. Eventually, they may forget about the camera all together. If someone is uncomfortable having their portrait taken it really shows up in the picture. It's important that you go out of your way to help them relax. 


Be creative. Creative portraits that break the rules can be very effective. Try different camera angels. Change the lighting. Use filters. See what works best for the mood your trying to capture. Some portraits may just include the person's hands. In some portraits the face fills the whole picture. Photography is a creative art. Once you know the rules don't be afraid to break them. As you make changesHealth Fitness Articles, be confident without being bossy. This will help your subject trust your decisions and be more willing to follow your instructions. 


Combining these skills with the technical skills you already have will help make you the most popular portrait photographer in town. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lovelyn loves photography and want to share her knowledge with you. Check out her website for more portrait photography tips. You can find plenty of other free tutorials there too.

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Digital Photography Tips and Tricks Part 3 - Digital Photography Pre-Shoot Checklist

01:04 |

If you looking for digital photography tips and tricks, you have come to the right place. Here I will present some practical tips to you that will help get the most out of your digital camera. Go through the article below to learn more about how to use the digital camera and take the great shots.


Looking for some digital photography tips and tricks? In this series I present some practical tips to you that help get the most out of your digital camera.If you are using a digital SLR camera for your photography, you may know well that it is a highly sophisticated piece of equipment, capable of producing fantastic results. But you need to know how to handle it and you need to prepare well before using it. That's why I have created a Digital Photography Pre-Shoot Checklist. Follow the checklist and it will help you get the best out of your digital SLR camera and you will also avoid having great shots ruined by incorrect settings or poor camera set-up!Digital Photography Pre-Shoot Checklist.

#1: Check the Battery First of all, you should check if the battery of your camera is charged. Digital SLR cameras are fully battery power dependent. Suppose you have gone out with your camera and suddenly find that your battery is low or dead, you will find yourself heading home earlier than expected! So, charge your battery after each time you use your camera. Make it a habit and you will always find your battery ready. It is also great to have a spare battery in your camera bag. But be sure this one is also charged fully.Digital Photography Pre-Shoot Checklist.

#2: Format Your Memory CardIf you do not have a memory card with a huge capacity, you should format your card every time before going out to shoot pictures. Formatting wipes clean a memory card. If you format, it will remove all old images and you will have as much storage space as possible. But be sure you have safely transferred or printed all the important images before formatting or you'll lose everything on the card. So, before you go out, make sure that your memory card has sufficient capacity.Digital Photography Pre-Shoot Checklist.

#3: Check the ISO Setting The ISO speed, which plays a vital role in digital photography, will allow you to take pictures of moving subjects, or take pictures in low light conditions, by altering the sensitivity of the cameras sensor. However, it does have a bad effect, the higher the ISO, the more 'noise' is visible on the final image. This is a grainy effect seen on the picture. So, it is best to use as low as ISO setting as possible, although higher ISO's are needed to do some action type photography such as sports for example. Make sure you know where you will be going, what the weather will be like and consider what this means for your ISO setting.Digital Photography Pre-Shoot Checklist.

#4: Select the Correct File typeIn digital SLR cameras you will be able to select different file types for saving your images. JPEG is the most popular setting for many amateurs and professionals. Most digital cameras also give you a second setting option for the size of the image. This is normally small (S), medium (M), and large (L). This primarily affects the size at which the image can be printed at, whilst retaining its quality. Be aware that larger images take up more memory space on your card. Again, it's all about being conscious of these things so that you do not get nasty surprises afterwards due to incorrect settings.Digital Photography Pre-Shoot Checklist.

#5: Choose the right White BalanceThe white balance and its artistic effects are a great issue and cause of much debate between photographing enthusiasts. A lot of this comes down to individual taste and artistic effect you want to get. For now just be sure to select a white balance that isn't completely inappropriate for your subject. It is a good idea (and often reliable) to let the camera select the white balance, using the Auto WB setting. Then use that as a base, take a few pictures at this setting, then start playing with the white balance. Then do not look at your photos again for a few days, come back to them and consider what you think has worked and what hasn't. That's it. Five simple digital photography tips and tricks that help you get to the right outcomes. Of course, you could make this list a bit more comprehensive and include additional checklist items like which bag, tripod and lenses to take. But I deliberately did not want to over complicate it. The tips above are all about becoming conscious about your photography. You will find, as with much in life, that when you do things with a purposeComputer Technology Articles, you will achieve better outcomes. So let this digital photography pre-shoot checklist be a start of your own checklist to which you can add as you wish!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dominique Vangheel is a devoted fan of digital photography. He works to gather information, tips and news for digital camera users. Visit his digital photography tips and tricks and learn more about digital photography.

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20 Beginner Tips For Taking Digital Photography

02:46 |

I hope the following 20 tips for taking digital photography will prove to be useful in your quest for taking better photographs...

Digital cameras are one of the greatest inventions of modern times. We are so fortunate to have this modern convenience called Digital Photography. To be able to capture a precious moment or beautiful scene at the click of a button, is something we should not take for granted.

Many beginners find digital photography rather challenging and rightly so. Today, more and more digital cameras are being created and it seems like the more digital cameras they make, the more difficult they become to use.

I own a Canon Powershot S3 IS. I purchased this digital camera about a year ago and I still haven't utilized all of the awesome little features this camera has to offer. Now you may not want or even need a camera with tons of features. It really depends on the type of pictures you plan on taking.
Regardless of the camera you own or are planning to own, you should have a well rounded knowledge of digital photography. I hope the following 20 tips for taking digital photography will prove to be useful in your quest for taking better photographs.

1. Know your camera. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not taking time to learn about the features of your camera. Don't be lazy. Read your instruction manual.

2 - When shooting sunny outdoor shots, try adjusting your white balance setting from auto to cloudy. The auto setting will make your shots appear too cold. When you change it to cloudy, it will increase the warmth of your pictures.

3 - If you are looking for superior image quality, the ability to use a variety of lenses and print large high quality photos, then considering a Digital SLR Camera.

4 - Use your flash outdoors. Sometimes, even on a sunny day outdoors, there is still a need for a flash. If the sun is directly over head or behind your subject, this can cause dark shadows to appear on the face. The flash will help lighten the subjects face.

5- Sometimes simply turning your camera and taking vertical shots can make a world of difference. Experiment more with vertical picture taking.

6 - Do not put your subjects directly in the center of your shot. Move your subject off center to inject more life into your photos.

7 - Learn how to hold your digital camera. One of the most common problems beginners face is the shaking of the camera because they are not holding it properly. Of course, the best way to avoid shaking the camera is to use a tripod. If you don't have a tripod, then you should be holding your camera with two hands. Put one hand on the right hand side of your camera where you actually snap the photo and the other hand will support the weight of your camera. Depending on the camera, your left hand will either be positioned on the bottom or around your lens.

8 - Learn about the "Rule of Thirds". This is a well known principle of photographic composition that every beginner should become familiar with. Do a search online and you will find many tutorials on this subject.
9 - Look at other photographers work. Just spending time studying the work of other photographers can provide loads of inspiration.

10 - Join online photography communities. Get active and ask questions.

11 - Do not compare your photography to anyone else.

12 - Do not copy the work of other photographers. Try and develop your own unique style.

13 - Do not leave your batteries in your camera if you don't plan on using your camera for long periods of time. Some batteries run the risk of leaking and this can damage your camera.

14 - Subscribe to a good photography magazine. Read books on photography.

15 - Find experienced photographers to go out on shoots with.

16 - Post your photographs in online forums. Learn to accept criticism.

17 - Try taking your pictures in RAW format. RAW is a powerful option available in today's digital cameras where no in-camera processing takes place. This allows you to do all processing using your favorite image editing software.

18 - Don't buy the most expensive photography equipment right away. Practice and learn about photography using cheaper equipment first. After you have been taking pictures for a while, you will then know what kind of equipment you will need.

19 - Invest in a tripod. Some of us have very shaky hands. If you can't stop the shakes, then get a tripod. It will make a world of difference.

20 - If you are not able to carry your equipment with you everywhere, make sure you have a note pad handy. This way if you find a nice shotBusiness Management Articles, you can write it down and visit that location at a later date.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ralph Serpe is Webmaster for http://www.creativespotlite.com/, a free arts and photography community for beginners. Click here for more free beginner digital photography tips and tutorials from CreativeSpotlite.Com. Be sure to also check out our Squidoo Lens for more freeDigital Photography Tips & Tutorials.

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