Posts filed under 'The Photographer's Way'
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.
November 2nd, 2009
Often having a pastel or chalky or simply just a photographic brown or black and white appearance in the early 1900’s, the large family portrait hanging over the mantle was an expensive and difficult project to undertake. Hometown photographers throughout the world simply were not able to produce the large “portraits” easily and resorted to mail order services. These mail order studios were generally located in large cities and could provide, what history has proven, a truly lasting and fine product by using photographic equipment capable of oversized printing, the use of talented hand-tinters (artists) and excellent photo mounting facilities - not to mention a very efficient mail shipping room.
Over the years I have studied and usually repaired more than 3000 of these pieces and have noted their constitution. May of these prints are convex, oval and hand colored. Others look like flat black and white or brown tone prints. Some look like drawings where as others look just like a large photograph. All of these large convex and flat photos are mounted on rag-board. Over the years, sunlight, heat and moisture have given the prints an “aged” look usually accented by a large exquisite frame. What matters most about them is that they are someone’s ancestors. The family traits, eyes, noses and mouths are important, but what matters most is they are family from the past, our heritage.
Can they be refurbished if there is damage from years of storage and neglect? The answer is nearly almost “yes” though sometime the task is made considerably more difficult if the photographs are actually broken. The process that was used in their initial manufacture is the key to the remarkable ability to bring these prints back to a nearly new condition without sacrificing the established aged look.
When a restoration or refurbishing is undertaken, special attention must be paid to the brittle nature of the pieces and the highly acidic nature of the photographic paper in which the silver image is embedded. Careless use of the wrong retouching materials and lacquers may severely damage any effort to rescue an otherwise fine image. Insect manifestation and water lines must receive special attention. The fine touches of color must be made with ground up oil-based pastels.
The technical beauty of these photographs lies in their inherent archival qualities. When properly taken care of, these objects will grace the walls of any home for decades without any significant deterioration of the image content unlike its contemporary counterpart, the natural color photograph which begins a slow, but steady decomposition from the time it is purchased.
William Heroy - Owner of Old Photo Specialists - Founded in 1973
If you would like more information:
Visit Our Website
http://www.oldphotospecialists.com OR email us at oldphotospecialists@triad.rr.com
Old Photo Specialists is a highly specialized restoration studio. We provide a variety of services including original restoration, digital restoration, archival black and white and sepia tone printing, hand oil tinting, oils on canvas and a large variety of photography services. We educate our clients on how to take care of, preserve, and archive their precious family photos.
Write to Our Studio
Old Photo Specialist
909 N. Elm St.
Greensboro, NC 27401
(336) 271-6960
March 16th, 2009
The Canon 20D - a semi-pro camera. Much reviewed, much used and much admired. With such expectation, I bought it but within minutes, horror of horrors, I hated it with a vengeance. In womanly terms, it was a hag on a broomstick.
But wait no longer - what is this, that’s yonder coming, fair of cheek and sleek of hair, with a smile to die for and a body worth caressing? Why, it’s the 20D (again) with a renewed brisk turn of step and a glint in its eye and an owner who’s profusing undying love and eternal wonderment. So, what changed…?
Well, of course, it’s no good taking a camera straight out of the box and snapping away, with all that diffused backlighting. Noooooooooooo, sir. One must get used to the controls, handle the machine with care and (very important, this) READ the flipping manual! Otherwise, random knob-twiddling results in random pictures. Most of which are as poor as …… well, you get the idea.
So, dear readers, I read the manual and found the PARTIAL metering switch, and - hallelujah - it’s made all the difference. I recommend reading the blurb. One day, all cameras will have lovers - it’s just that sometimes they play hard to get. Enjoy.
Eric Hartwell is an experienced photographer and owner of the photography resource website ephotocentral.
January 13th, 2009
One of the best digital photography books for you would be the book that answers the specific questions YOU have about digital photography!
The incredible explosion over the last couple of years in the field of digital photography, combined with the affordability of excellent digital cameras, has resulted in the publication of some of the best digital photography books seen yet.
The best digital photography books include books giving a detailed overview of the field, as well as the more specialized ones. This category is coming to the fore as digital photography is applied to an increasing number of the traditional fields of photography.
Among the best digital photography books, you will therefore encounter a bewildering array of titles.
The specialized topics covered in the best digital photography books include digital night photography, digital black and white photography, digital portrait photography, digital infra-red photography, digital photography lighting, and even setting up digital photography studios.
If you’re just starting out on the digital photography road, one of the best digital photography books to read is probably Ben Long’s revised and highly acclaimed ‘Complete Digital Photography’.
For someone who wants to buy a first digital camera, or upgrade to a better model, this book includes some very useful information on what to take into consideration when shopping around.
Judged one of the best digital photography books available, it is neither too basic, nor too specialized, and is excellent at bridging the gap between the film and digital worlds. It explains the technical aspects of digital photography with clarity, and can serve as a thorough guide for shooting, and editing your photos in Photoshop.
The best digital photography books give a novice a good grasp of the subject. Ben Long’s book certainly does this, by explaining everything from how the image is captured on the sensor, right through to printing and presenting the final image.
He spends a good part on digital ‘darkroom’ techniques, and introduces his readers to a variety of useful concepts for achieving the desired effects.
Ben Long, who is highly regarded as author of some of the best digital photography books, divides ‘Complete Digital Photography’ into four sections. The first part provides basic technical information to assist you when reading the rest of the book.
Most of the best digital photography books devote a section to giving you the necessary information upon which to make a buying decision. Even though many new cameras have appeared on the shelves since publication, the second part of this volume gives you an insight into which features you should be aware of when buying your digital camera.
In the third part of ‘Complete Digital Photography’, Ben Long gets down to actual shooting and shows you how to choose exposure, how to use a histogram, when and how to use a flash, and much more. All the techniques the best digital photography books usually illustrate, are detailed here.
Lastly, the book deals with digital editing and correction techniques, and also shows you how to go about printing your images. The CD that comes with the book, has what you need to complete the tutorials in the book, as well as many full-color images from the book.
As one of the best digital photography books, ‘Complete Digital Photography’ offers a truly comprehensive course that will bring out the best in you and your camera.
Another book by Ben Long, ‘Getting Started with Camera Raw: How to Make Better Pictures Using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements’, also deserves a place among the best digital photography books. This is one of the more specialized titles. Everything about RAW is detailed, from explaining what RAW is, why and how it is used, the image editing processes involved, to useful tips.
Apart from being the author of more than one of the best digital photography books, Long is also known for excellent series of articles. In ‘Framed and Exposed’ he explores how to give your prints an edge, how to shoot at night, how to buy photo printers, how to control digital camera image noise, and how to use Adobe Photoshop.
With his wealth of experience and knowledge, it is no wonder that he has written what is considered to be some of the best digital photography books!
For more information visit Best-Digital-Photography.com
Rika Susan of http://www.Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.
December 31st, 2008
There are two areas of photography that are especially void in America. The subjects of sans-macho male nudity and the realities of war are considered taboo for most photographic artists. Before the invention of photography, painters recorder and interpreted life through art. Photography is just another medium for recording and sharing non-verbal concepts. War and male nudity are very different subjects, but they share the same resulting suppression of truth.
With war, there is a blatant and intentional governing force that keeps the raw realities of individual death (of allied soldiers) out of the media. - It’s just bad for the business of war if people really knew what happens on the battlefield. If all were witness to the harshness and finality of war, it would sway popular opinion and quash the machines of war. Conversely, women are photographically so overly objectified in contrast to men that it makes one wonder if any progress in equality of the sexes has been made. Gallery after gallery display women in every possible suggestive position and camera angle (sans clothes of course). The graphic exposure of women’s genitalia is so common place now that someone visiting from another planet would get the impression that women solely existed for the pleasure of men.
Almost everyone who has first hand experience in the horrors of war, never wants it repeated. Finding that the heavily marketed glory of the freedom fight turns out to be nothing but a ruse, veterans of previous wars are often the most outspoken critics against war. - They know the truth first hand. Photographers are legally sequestered in the US from showing war in an unfavorable light. - This is media-supported propaganda. Society obliviously accepts the non-truth about war because the image-makers don’t reveal it.
Through contrived societal conditioning (consumer marketing), the sexes have become very polarized. Girly girls and manly men adorn the halls of galleries and modern art exhibits. In reality, the sexes are not as different as depicted in modern photography. Real life women can be tough and strong while men can be effeminate and soft. Both sexes have similar desires and visual fantasies about the other. Yet, women have largely become subservient to the desires of men without retribution in the art field. This lopsided view of reality is becoming as serious as the issue of negligence in the truth about war. Whenever society beliefs are artificially altered for the benefit of a one group, the resulting tension eventually explodes into war. The whole women are from Venus and men from Mars thing is largely just marketing. - We are all really from earth and have very similar tendencies and desires when left uninfluenced.
What you don’t see in almost any mainstream art display that shows nude women are nude men in similar context. Why not? Why are the visual desires of women suppressed? Maybe there is an underlying fear in the art world that by showing provocative nudes of the male figure will make men subservient to women? After all, most artists and photographers are men. For many women, it would be primordialy more interesting to see those high-contrast artsy black and whites of men posed openly, suggestively, or even submissively. The fact that showing softly posed images of the nude male form with an erection is taboo, while close up photos of breasts with erect nipples and sexually poised female genitalia is common art. Today’s body of modern photography subscribes to a de facto double standard and worse, skews the truth about human sexuality in art for both sexes. As a man, my primordial instinct drives me to prefer to view women in art than other men. But, I can assume the opposite must be true for most women. Although, through centuries of male domination, I would suspect that the women’s outward desires to view the male body form in the same light that men desire to view women is a bit suppressed.
In summary, if you want to be an honest war photographer, capture both the glory and misery of war. Someday, your work may be the fundamental imagery that prevents war. If you specialize in capturing images of human sexuality, then present an accurate representation of your subject so that it captures the essence of the sexes but doesn’t loose site of the unilateral desires of each.
Why is it important? Most artists are just followers of great masters who are the influential spirits that sculpt creativity and expression for society. Regrettably for all, the masters have failed to lead in conscience. The building of barriers and differences between people leads to disparity. One side always ends up wanting what the other side has. Inequality is the basis for all conflict. Imagery artisans (especially photographers) have the ability to convey both truth and lies in the body of their works. Society has largely and superficially accepted men to be the dominant sex over women. Men have what women want - governing power. But, women have what men want - influential power. Separation of how we portray the sexes creates societal tension. If both sexes enjoyed governing power and influential power together, perhaps the world would be a more peaceful place.
Jay Dezelic is a fashion designer for http://www.jdez.com - a manufacturer of unique and comfortable informal wear for men and women. Jay is also fashion writer for http://www.justchange.net - an ezine focused on helping people make positive changes in their lives. Additionally, Jay is a freelance fashion model who’s unique portfolio could be seen at http://www.jdez.com/models/jaydezelic.
December 30th, 2008
Photo printers are in big demand these days as so many people are discovering the advantages of digital photography. High quality photo printers are easy to find too. There are several printer manufacturers that are turning out very good products to allow even the least technically able among us to print out great digital photos in no time all from the convenience of their home instead of a photo lab. So what should you look for when you want to buy a digital photo printer?
First you should decide how you plan on using your photo printer and what kind of prints you intend to make. If you like to just make regular snapshots at 4 X 6 size and rarely make any enlargements, you may want to consider one of the small specialized snapshot printers that are on the market these days. They could be a very good choice if you like to keep things as simple as possible too and maybe feel intimidated by the more advanced printers. With these simple printers you just hook up your camera and print. It doesn’t get much easier than that. Just don’t expect this kind of printer to make anything other than snapshots. The output quality is also usually very good as well.
If you buy a full size inkjet printer look for one that has the PictBridge feature that lets you hook up your digital camera directly to the printer or can accept your camera memory card, bypassing the computer altogether, and print out your photos direct from the camera itself. It’s a very convenient option that lots of people find useful at times.
And if you like to print directly from the camera itself, having a LCD screen to preview your shots before printing can be a very useful option too. The LCD screen can also help you navigate the printing options that your printer has more easily as well.
But perhaps the best advice to prospective photo printer buyers is to do your research on the total photo costs associated with each brand of printer before you buy it. The initial cost of most inkjet digital photo printers is not all that much these days since the printer companies prefer to make their money on the back end with paper and ink cartridge replacements instead. So check on how long an ink cartridge is expected to last for the printer you are interested in, and also how much it costs when you buy a replacement. Then factor these costs into your overall photo printer budget and make your choice from there. By the way, some printers are known for gulping down ink as they print while others conserve ink much better.
If you follow the suggestions given in this article on selecting and choosing a digital photo printer to buy, you should be able to narrow down your choices quickly and make the best and most cost effective purchase possible.
Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including digital photography. You can find the best photo printer and photo printer reviews by visiting our Digital Photography website.
December 28th, 2008
The earliest snapshot cameras had very simple lenses. They were designed for taking photographs in bright conditions. Anything other than bright sunlight or very light overcast conditions would make acceptable images unobtainable without flash or some other form of artificial lighting.
This was all very well, but what if you wanted less light in the camera? What if it was too bright? Letting too much light in would overexpose the film. One solution would be to put a neutral density filter over the lens each time but this is cumbersome, inconvenient and unwieldy.
Luckily, the precursors to modern cameras were developed with an addition built into the lens - the diaphragm. This is a device to give a variable sized hole, or aperture, in the centre and therefore allow more or less light in. In this way, the aperture controls the amount of light coming into the camera and can be altered according to the light levels in the scene selected.
From that moment it was extremely easy to consider producing images from scenes as diverse at midday sunshine and gloomy interiors. And all this without the need for either artificial light or some external way of blocking excessive illumination. Developers carefully assigned numerical values to apertures sizes which became the “f-stop” notation the larger the f-number the smaller the aperture.
Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com
December 28th, 2008
Good timing is one of the most important instincts a photographer should have. A good sense of timing for photographers is as important as saying the right word at the right time. By good timing, I’m not necessarily referring to the time of day; but more importantly, it is when the flower is at its peak and the full-bloom is fresh void of any wilting. Sometimes, buds make good photographs; but usually the full-bloom is considered to be the *peak* time to capture a flower’s beauty and visual essence. In photography, premium quality photography occurs when the *peak* moment is captured and frozen in time.
If you have the software, Photoshop or other equivalent software, don’t be overly concerned about flawed petals or tiny bugs or specks on the flower especially if you know how to clone them out. If you are not sure about taking this approach, then inspect the flower for imperfections and remove the damaged petals and small insects just prior to taking your picture. If you have a bottle to mist the flower, use it! Water droplets look awesome on flowers! Drops of dew and water drops are delightful and visually refreshing.
From experience, I have learned to take not-so-tight pictures of flowers, because the closer I get to them (with my camera anyway), the odds of experiencing distortions and blurred pictures increases. My best advice is to take six or more images of each flower (from different angles). Try some with the flash on and others with it off. Make sure to watch your background.
As far as getting close-up to the flower, if you have software to crop the image at homeso much better! If not, try to get as close as you can to the flower head. One more suggestion: try to leave a natural green frame around the flower. The greenery sets off the color just perfectly! Next time you see a beautiful flower, don’t procrastinate! Lost moments, photographically speaking, are a dime a dozen! (revised 2/15/2006)
Debbie Jensen, Photographer, Graphic Designer, Web Designer
http://www.debjensendesigns.com
December 13th, 2008
We’re speeding into the 21st century with technology like high def. TV screens and it seems everyone wants to get in on the excitement. It’s no different for digital photo frames: simple motherboards which display .JPEG digital images onto an LCD screen, but before we buy any new technology we want to know that we’re buying into good quality, usability and something which is guaranteed not to break. This is usually assured by brand names.
Kodak is one of the first names that we think of when considering home photography and customers have been pleased to find out that they have brought out their own range of digital photo frames. They’re stylish as well as incorporating top quality technology and some of them are even wireless.
The Kodak Easyshare W1020 wireless digital photo frame is the frame that has it all. Not only is it wireless, but it’s possible to access the news, weather and sports directly using the touch screen frame. In fact, you don’t touch the screen but the border just underneath to navigate through the on screen menus so as not to smudge the screen displaying the pictures.
These frames are further customizable with the different colored faceplates that are available too. So if you buy just one frame but decide to change the décor of the room you want to keep it in then just buy a new faceplate for just £5 to £15.
It seems that Kodak have thought of everything with frames like their W1020 and there’s no denying that it’s companies like this that are bringing picture viewing and home decoration well up to date and propelling them into the future.
October 24th, 2008
In this age of digital photography, there are almost limitless opportunities for taking great photographs. Despite the seemingly bewildering array of cameras and gadgets, it remains a fact that sales of digital cameras have rocketed in recent years as people discard film in favour of electronic imagery.
The world is going digital!
And this is great news. The mysteries of photography are being uncovered and being shown for what they are - a mockery! There are NO mysteries. There are NO hidden talents. There are NO barriers.
Sure, to be great you have to work at it. But people who used to restrict themselves to mere snapshots are now experiencing the wonderful world of digital where the opportunities are limitless.
Consider the basic compact digital camera. Not only does it take programmable shots, it can also be set for aperture priority, shutter priority or manual. It can zoom and autofocus. It has a flash inbuilt and can take, in most cases, additional lens attachments.
This is great if you occasionally wish to delve into more select areas of your hobby.
But there’s more!
When you take your shots it doesn’t matter if they are not as you would like. It costs nothing to retake the shot with digital and, moreover, you can manipulate the image in a photo editing program at home. The great shots you do take can also be manipulated and enhanced.
What does this mean? It means the man-in-the-street can, at last, forget the complexities of film photography, can discard the reasons to hold back on taking photographs and can share his newfound freedom with others.
This is great for him but it is also great for photography as a whole.
Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com
October 18th, 2008
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