Posted March 28th, 2009
by Dan Eitreim
by Dan Eitreim
Terrific photographs can be ruined by distracting shadows.
Unfortunately, shadows are a constant challenge for photographers. Fortunately, there are quite a few easy but effective fixes.
First, what causes the shadow? Well, obviously it is caused by the light hitting your subject and not hitting the background behind them.
So, if you’ve got a problem with shadows falling on the background, one way to remove the shadow is to remove the background. Obviously, if there is nothing for the shadow to fall on, voila! No shadow.
So, the first fix in our shadow removal arsenal is to remove the backdrop – if possible.
When your photo shoot is being done outside, all you have to do is move your model so that there is no backdrop behind them. Pretty simple.
If your photo session is being done indoors, you obviously can’t take down or remove the walls, so move your model into the center of the room. They’ll be posing far enough away from the walls so that the shadows will magically disappear. Usually makes for a more unique and better shot too!
The second way to approach the problem is to position a light to illuminate the background.
If you are using a “studio” lighting setup, once you get your subject lit the way you want them, add an additional light that strikes only the background and not the subject.
Adding the extra light can be more than just a shadow remover. By adding in scrims, cookies and colored gels to modify the light, it becomes a part of the design of the photo. The modifiers will throw colors, patterns and shapes on your backdrop.
Think of light like a ball on a billiards table. It will hit the subject at a certain angle and reflect off at that same angle – like the billiards ball striking the cushion and bouncing off. (This is important to remember when trying to eliminate glare from eyeglasses.)
The shadow on the other hand, is ALWAYS directly in line with the light. So, you can minimize the shadow problem by changing the angle of the lights so that the shadow falls into an area that won’t show in the final photo.
Indoors, with a studio light setup, just move the lights around until you find the optimal angle. Outside, you have to move your model around until the light is coming from the right direction. Reflectors can help too! you can change the angle of light when using an on camera flash by bouncing it off a wall or the ceiling. Just be sure the wall or ceiling are not painted a color that will throw an odd color cast on your model.
The size and strength of the light source – as related to your model – is what will control the harshness and intensity of your shadows.
If you lower the intensity of the light, that will also lower the intensity of the associated shadow. It will still be there, but you may be able to minimize its’ distracting effect.
Moving the light further from the model or reducing the lights’ power are two simple ways to lower the intensity of light hitting your subject.
You can wrap light around a model – and minimize the shadows – by making the light bigger. This is done with reflectors, softboxes and umbrellas.
These modifiers can be thought of as being like a cloud. A cloud that moves between your model and the sun is nothing more than a giant diffuser. It makes the entire cloud a light source (bigger) instead of just the sun (smaller). This wraps the light around your model minimizing shadow intensity. Go outside and check out the difference in shadows when the light is coming from the sun and from a cloud. You’ll notice some astounding differences.
There are entire books written about this subject and this message is by no means an exhaustive solution, but it should give you something to consider.
Happy shooting.
About the Author:
Getting a full or part time income from your camera is really easy and there’s room for all skill levels.
“Photographer Jobs” can make you more money – a whole lot faster – than you’d ever suspect. To get started creating your own freelance
“Photography Job”, and experiencing a lifestyle others only dream of, click the link right now!
Tags: camera, Digital Photography, freelance photography, make money, photo, photo jobs, photo marketing, photo studio, photographer, photographers, Photography, photos, professional photography Posted in Photography
Posted March 26th, 2009
by Pete Fontaine
by Pete Fontaine
Everyone has that big box of photos in the back of the closet that’s worth a million and at the same time next to nothing. If you can’t share your photos easily then what good are they? You’ll be surprised to find out that it’s simple and inexpensive to turn your deteriorating images into an enjoyable work of art. There are photo scanning services that can digitize your photos for as little as a nickel apiece. And don’t try this yourself! Photo scanning at home is heart stoppingly boring!
You can build your own slideshow by purchasing software. My favorite is Pro Show Gold by Photodex. This software is relatively simple to use and has lots of features that make the project fun. You just add your photos to the program, then drag them into the order you want. With Pro Show Gold you can edit your photos and color correct, add your own music and then synchronize it to the photos. You can add text to the photo in the location you choose and use the “Ken Burns” effect to zoom from place to place on your images. With Pro Show Gold you can play your slideshow on TV. You’ll be amazed at how good your 4×6 photos look on a 50″ TV.
Free slideshow software is everywhere on the web. A quick search will yield tons of opportunities to create slideshows to share with friends, or to upload to your social networking site. Take a little time to investigate the features, and always download from a trusted site. Though most free software will not allow you to show the end product on a TV, they often include the ability to include music and do limited photo editing. Check out Google’s Picassa 3, Extra Photo Slideshow Free, and Wildbit software.
You may want to think about placing your slideshow in a digital picture frame. Prices have come down on digital picture frames with some 14″ frames selling for as little as $99. Some of the smaller frames now go for under $25. We expect this trend to continue. With memory card prices also hitting new lows you can afford to put your entire digital photo library on them. Lots of digital frames come with slideshow software installed, and some will play audio. So when your friends come over you can crawl into the back of that closet to dig out the box of gradually fading photos, or you can flip on that beautiful digital picture frame.
You can have your slideshows hosted online at Picturetrail or Iwebphoto. You can then send your friends and family a link to your slideshows. This can simplify matters somewhat. If you have a lot of photos it can save everyone from downloading the files. And you can add remove or edit the slideshows at any time. Don’t forget to add a text description to your slideshow to let everyone know what the photos are about. And go ahead and jazz up your photos with special effects or make a few black and white. Have Fun!
Make sure you choose a photo scanning service that scans at 300 dpi, and don’t pay for more. See if you can find a service that includes automatic photo enhancement at a reasonable price. This can do wonders for some if not all of your images. And be sure to insist on a complete copy of the original scans that have not been rotated, enhanced, or manipulated in any way. Then always make a copy of your master scans to use for anything. Shop around, scanning costs can vary greatly.
There are additional benefits to scanning your photos for a slideshow. By digitizing your photographs you can permanently protect them from damage and destruction and stop their everyday deterioration from age, mold, and moisture. You can also make complete copies of your scans and put them in two or three places. This not only protects them from loss or damage, you can then send copies to family and friends. Your precious memories are permanently secure.
Tags: Arts And Crafts, Digital Photography, digital scanning, entertainment, family, genealogy, hobbies, photo scanner, photo scanning, Photography, scan photos, scanning services, slideshow Posted in Photography
Posted March 25th, 2009
by Dan Feildman
by Dan Feildman
Digital binoculars include the latest digital technology advances in the digital photography sector. We have edged closer to the perfection in digital cameras that are capable of producing high quality photos from a long distance.
Binoculars and digital cameras is indeed a wonderful combination. No matter if you are an amateur photographer or a professional one, the binocular digital camera can be very useful to you in giving all the desired photo results.
The best thing about owning a pair of digital binoculars is that you will also be able to use them just like normal binoculars. Just imagine being on a wildlife safari and how you could photograph wild animals in their natural surroundings, as digital binoculars will allow you to produce some truly amazing pictures. At sporting events, weddings and even while on vacation, you will be able to catch images that you could only have dreamed about before.
An 8 x 32 Premium binocular camera can capture the very best and high quality photographs and video clips. You can also get this camera in an excitingly new concept which is with pocket size sports optics. Now you can observe and record the action at the same time.
Binoculars with a digital camera posses a binocular design in the form of a compact roof prism. It has a 32mm lens, giving you the option of having 2.1 mega pixel still photos or 0.35 mega pixel video clips or 15fps for 30 seconds. Binoculars with a digital camera also come with an AVI movie capability, plus a USB cable connection and built in software. It runs on two AA batteries, that are not included with the camera, and make sure you buy the rechargeable version. The carrying case makes life a lot easier as well as an adjustable neck strap.
A binoculars digital camera is also adaptable to a Tripod. It helps in keeping the camera stable while taking the photos and shooting the movies.
You will soon see that there are a variety of binoculars with a digital cameras on the market, which we are going to look at in closer detail. This really will be a great guide to help you chose exactly which binoculars with a digital camera most suits your own personal needs.
Tags: canon digital photography, digital binoculars, Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, digital photography courses, digital photography forums, digital photography tips, digital photography tutorial Posted in Digital Cameras
Posted March 22nd, 2009
by Fred Gagnon
by Fred Gagnon
Nikon D300 digital SLR camera, giving great performance and world class images, has all the features professional photographers ask for. This 12.3 megapixel camera uses a DX format image sensor with Nikons exclusive and advanced features. Its a sturdy camera that offers excellent image quality and high ISO performance. And on top of that, it was named Camera of the Year 2007 by Popular Photography.
Nikon D300 Digital SLR Camera uses a rechargeable EN-EL3e Lithium-ion battery. It can shoot up to 6 frames per second with this battery. It is also capable of shooting 8 frames per second with the optional MB-D10 battery grip. The MB-D10 offers additional features such as additional shutter release, autofocus buttons, command dials and focus point selection control.
It has 3-inch 920,000-dot 640 x 480 VGA color display that offers 170 degree wide angle viewing. This high resolution LCD monitor has tempered glass protection. It has zoom in/out buttons that can assist you to find focus easily.
With the Active D-lighting image enhancement, it can provide real time highlight and shadow correction. It can also produce broad tone reproduction. Active D-lighting can correct scenes in bad lighting conditions automatically. Also, it has 4 preset options including standard, neutral, vivid and monochrome.
Nikon D300 digital SLR camera features image sensitivity ranging from 200 to 3200. It has high signal-to-noise ratio for exceptionally clean image files. It has expanded range of options including the Lo-1 and Hi-1options. Lo-1 is equivalent to ISO 100, while Hi-1 is equivalent to ISO 6400.
Nikon D300 Digital SLR Camera features a Multi-CAM 3500DX autofocus module and 51 sensors in normal mode. It also allows 3D tracking and automatic focus point switching. This AF module uses color and light information to accurately track the subject.
There is also the selectable 12-bit or 14-bit A/D conversion or the different bit-depths which are available for you to choose from. You can choose smaller image files that are faster to process. If you want larger files, the operating speed will be slower but your files will have smooth tonal gradations. So, either way, youll have good quality images.
This camera also allows you to choose from the two Live View shooting modes, handheld or tripod. It will assist you when shooting indoors or outdoors. It also features the dust reduction system, which uses ultrasonic sensor. This system prevents dusts and tiny particles from accumulating inside your camera.
Get high performance and agility from Nikon D300 digital SLR camera. This powerful camera not only has advanced features but it also offers durability and great image quality. It has magnesium alloy weather sealed body and a durable shutter mechanism. With this camera, you can use any Nikon F-mount lenses.
About the Author:
About the author: Fred Gagnon has been a digital camera enthusiast for a long time and maintains a website about
Nikon D60 Digital SLR Camera. You can also read his blogs about
Nikon D60 for additional information.
Tags: A, art;entertainment, d, digital camera, Digital Photography, digital slr camera, digital technology, e, h, hobbies, i, l, n, nikon camera, nikon d300, nikon d300 digital slr camera, p, Photography, r, s, slr camera, t, technology Posted in Photography
Posted March 11th, 2009
by DeeDee Dobson
by DeeDee Dobson
It’s not always easy to come up with new, creative ideas for your photos. Sometimes you need to give yourself an assignment to snap out of the old way of doing things. Submitting your photos to contests not only gives you a specific goal to work towards, you also get feedback on your work from the pros. And if you’re lucky, a prize or two to boot.
These yearly contests will give you plenty of inspiration:
Leica’s Newcomer Award For the past 30 years, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (for pro photographers only) has honored outstanding photographers from all over the world as the winners of this prestigious contest. This year, they decided to add a new category, the ” Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award”, open to “prospective professional photographers” under the age of 26. To enter, submit a series of max 12 photos depicting “the interaction between man and the environment” on or before March 1. There is no entry fee, and the Newcomer Award is $2,500 Euros, and your work exhibited in Leica’s online gallery.
International Photography Awards You’re sure to find a category that suits your tastes in this contest: there are 8 main and 51 subcategories for amateurs, and 9 main and 63 subcategories for pros. The deadline is March 27, and the cost to enter is $25 for a single image, $50 for a series and $15 for each image after that (for amateurs). A jury picks 21 category winners, and prizes include cash ($10,000 and $5,000), exhibits of your work, Lucie statues, and the winner awarded the “Photographer of the Year” prize will also be featured in (and shoot part of) a Pilsner Urquell documercial in the Czech Republic!
Underwater Photo and Video Competition This competition is open to amateurs only, and if you enjoy diving and snorkeling, it’s definitely one to put on your “submit list”. There are 5 photo categories: Conservation, Majestic, Togetherness, Macro, and Wide Angle, and they are obviously looking for photos taken underwater. And check out the prizes: diving trips to the Solomon Islands, the Cayman Islands, Bonaire, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Honduras, hotel stays and dive packages in several different (exotic) locations, equipment, gift cards and much more. The entry fee is $10/image, and you can enter as many as you like. The Underwater Images competition is a non-profit corporation and all proceeds from this competition go to marine conservation, education, and scholarships, so this is money well spent. The deadline is April 1, but for an additional $5/image, you can enter as late as April 10.
2009 National Wildlife Contest This is the 39th annual photo contest held by National Wildlife Magazine, and they welcome pros, amateurs and youths (13-17). The categories are: Mammals, Birds, Other Wildlife, Backyard Habitats, Connecting People and Nature, Landscapes and Plant Life, and, new for 2009, Global Warming and Wildlife. It’s $15 to enter, and you may submit up to 20 photos before the July 20 deadline. The fee also includes a one-year membership to National Wildlife Federation AND six issues of the magazine, so it’s quite a bargain! Prizes include cash ($1,000 and $5,000), field guides, calendars, and your photo(s) online and in print.
World In Focus National Geographic’s annual competition welcomes both amateurs and professionals, and you can enter your photos (as many as you want) in the following categories: Travel Portraits, Outdoor Scenes, Sense of Place, Spontaneous Moments, and Photo Essay. The deadline is usually in August or September (the date has not been announced for 2009 yet), and the cost to enter is $12/photo for amateurs. Past prizes have included trips to Antarctica and Chile, a cruise aboard the Maine Windjammer, photo workshops in Mexico, cameras and gear. You also get your images displayed on the National Geographic website and a gallery exhibit. I have to admit that competition here is always really stiff, but don’t let that scare you – if you don’t enter, you can’t win!
Islands Magazine’s Annual Photo Contest For those who love to travel, entering this competition, where the best island photo wins, is a must. Not only will you have a great excuse to travel so you can get the shots you need to enter (unless you’re lucky enough to live in an island paradise already), the winners are awarded trips to fabulous locations. We just missed the deadline for 2009 (it was January 31), but that gives you almost a year to work on your submission for 2010. Keep an eye on their website for updates.
Tags: annual, art, award, competition, craft, Digital Photography, international, Photo contest, Photography, underwater, underwater photography, visual arts, wildlife, wildlife photography Posted in Photography
Posted February 27th, 2009
by Dan Feildman
by Dan Feildman
Pentax has launched the Optio E70 digital camera. This cracking 10 megapixel digital camera has a simple to use interface with large visible size buttons. Discover it’s simplicity highlighted by – the ‘Green’ shooting mode, which permits the digital camera to have the control over the key shooting settings.
Despite the fact that the digital camera is packed with simplicity, it is also full of features like Super-Fast Face Detection, 7 shooting modes and the triple anti-shake protection.
The Pentax Optio E70 runs on normal AA alkaline batteries but always think rechargeable batteries if you use your camera a lot. This digital camera also has a really flush face and with nothing protruding from the lens, making this a pretty neat little digital camera.
They key elements that make the Optio E70 digital compact camera such an ideal camera for digital photographers include bigger icons in the LCD monitor, the effortlessness to set the required modes and functions and it also views operational status at a glance. You really will be overwhelmed with the ease that you find everything in general as the Optio E70 digital compact camera has been tipped to become the new explosive camera that finally newbie digital photographers will be able to use.
So what makes this digital camera so user friendly? So many functions but the Pixel Track SR mode, which assists the taking of still images is a real added bonus. It corrects shaky blurred sorts of digital photos thanks to the way these images are processed through the Pentax new exclusive software.
What about poor lighting conditions? This digital camera comes fully complete with a high-Sensitivity SR mode to improve still photography, as this digital camera can automatically increase its sensitivity up to an incredible ISO 6400, setting a higher shutter speed.
The quality of an Optimum image is assured thanks to the Optio E70 digital camera’s 10 outstanding megapixels and has entered into new digital camera technology territory. Combined with an image engine that has an amazing processing capacity. I must also mention the advanced high-performance Pentax lens, guaranteeing high quality digital photos with a sharpness not seen before.
When it comes to digital photography reviews, the Optio E70 digital camera is all the talk on internet Photography forums, as well as on the photography social bookmarking sites.
Tags: canon digital photography, Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, digital photography courses, digital photography forums, digital photography tips, digital photography tutorial Posted in Digital Cameras
Posted February 23rd, 2009
by Jake Sanders
by Jake Sanders
People make mistakes and most Camera Buying is a living testament to that statement. Most people thought that if they knew about Megapixel and Zoom stuff then they dont have to worry the other features- which proved to be a terrible mistake. So before you purchase that Digital Camera in your head, here are the four mistakes in buying Digital Camera that you might want to avoid encountering.
1. Purchasing the Camera without using it first
Reviews, Specs, Features, and Comparisons are some of the basis in buying Digital Camera today and people seem to be easily caught up with this presentation. You need to like the camera first. Even if you order it online, the best advice I could give you is to hit your local camera store first and handle the camera model you have set eyes upon. The cameras online are presented with extra-emphasis littered with flowery word to seduce you but meeting that camera model beforehand will make that big difference. Try to do specific tasks, and see how hard the camera controls are to navigate.
2. Buying the Most Expensive Model
It is said that prices comes with corresponding quality based on how expensive the purchase is. Sure, who wouldnt choose the coolest, slickest, and sophisticated-looking cameras if you can afford it? But make sure it fits you. For example, if you’re new to photography you sure you can maneuver those advanced digital SLR boasting lots of manual controls? I dont think so. It’s better to look within your budget, but focus on finding the best camera for your specific needs.
3. Megapixels Exclusivity
A 10.2 Megapixel camera will prove attractive beside a 7.2 Digital Camera Model. It is only natural because we want the best to meet our expectations but also remember that Megapixel shouldnt be the only consideration. You can find 10.2 megapixel cameras that have only 3x zoom while some 7.2 models have four. And 10.2 megapixel pictures consume more space than that of 7.2s in your computer. Think beyond megapixels, because another feature (such as zoom) could be much more important for you.
5. Unsure of What You Want in a Digital Camera
Before purchasing that digital camera, you should know and why do you want that specific model. Because if you only buy camera for the sake of having a camera then thats worst than ordering food for the sake of having food. You need to know what uses or features you want the most reflecting your lifestyle. Consider making a list of your three most important features, and then rank them. That way, you can work on finding a camera that meets those needs first, and worry about extra features later.
Tags: Buying Digital Camera Tips, camera, Cameras, Digital Photography, Discount Digital Camera Posted in Cameras
