Saturday, April 20, 2013

Interesting Facts About Stock Photography


Photographers today can earn a secure living by shooting images exclusively for stock collections. In the past, companies or other professionals hired photographers for getting the photos they may need. However, today, photographers can make more and buyers can save a lot by choosing stock photography collections.

Photographers can easily start their collection and post it online. Your sales could start the same day you upload your images. Many websites geared just for photographers to use as display are available for you to choose from. Many of these sites also offer helpful hints for the beginner finding their way around as well.

The kinds of images you might find in these kinds of collections can include any subject. You may see pets, people, landscapes, insects, and many other focal objects. This is a great aspect of this type of work because it gives you the chance to explore your talent while making money doing so. The photographer with time and talent can make great money this way.

Many people use these kinds of images for various reasons. This is especially true online. Think about the photos you may have seen in advertisements or on someones website. These are most likely chosen from a stock collection on the internet. Designers, large companies, and many other kinds of professionals choose these images because they are easy to get and more affordable as well.

You will still own your images. Your customers will have limited rights and those rights depend on the amount of money they pay for them. Photographers rights allows payments of royalties each time a purchase is made for images. The royalties you receive can add up to great money due to the number of people just on the internet using these types of photos.

Photographers interested in this this opportunity might consider taking the time to learn the details surrounding different payment options for their customers. You might prefer a right managed free over another one that grants the customer more usage of an image. Learn more by visiting professional websites. Some suites offer you great advice and tips for becoming a successful photographer by selling your work.

Photography is certainly a unique career and can allow you a perfected form of expression. Making money selling unusual and different images can be fun, challenging, and easier than you might have thought. The internet has made many great opportunities available and being able to sell your stock photos is one of them.

Digital Photo Restoration Can Save Your Old Family Photos From Fading Away


Many of us have antique or old family photos that need repair. They may have faded or the colors have changed; some may have a pink, yellow or blue haze. If photos weren't stored properly, they could also be damaged by mildew. By having your photos digitally restored and retouched you can save them from further deterioration and ensure that special memories are preserved.

What Kind of Photo Damage Can Be Repaired?

A good digital photo retouching and enhancing service can fix almost any B&W and color photo, negative or slide from:

  • Fading

  • Scratches and Dust

  • Stains

  • Tears and folds

  • Water Damage

  • Mildew Damage

  • Fire Damage

How Are Photos Repaired and Restored?

With the use of a computer and photo enhancement software, most damaged photos can be repaired. The original picture, slide or negative is scanned to create a high-resolution digital photo from which to work on. The original image is left unaltered. The idea is to repair and enhance the photos while keeping the original feel and look of the picture.

While it is certainly possible to fix and enhance your old photos at home, it takes a scanner and the appropriate image editing software (Photoshop is the gold standard) and some skill, patience and practice. Restoring photos is painstaking work. A good photo restorer will use cloning and healing tools to repair blemishes and scratches on the digitized image rather than just smoothing them out, which may change the look of the photo or make it look more like a painting.

If your photo is badly faded or the colors have shifted, a digital photo restoration service can make photo enhancements such as adjusting the contrast, color and sharpness. They can also remove dust and scratches and repair tears. If you have severely damaged images, such as photos that have fire, water or mildew damage (mildew is common with slides stored in damp areas such as basements), they can be repaired too. In some instances areas of the original photo are so damaged that important parts are missing. A skilled photo restoration service can use imaging software to re-create the missing sections or to paint them in. Most services will also colorize B&W photos and change or remove backgrounds and objects.

Why Should You Restore Your Old Photos

It only takes a few years for most photos to start to fade and color-shift. Color photos may have a pink or orange cast while B&W photos may yellow. If they are exposed to sunlight, stored in an attic or basement, the deterioration can accelerate. They can even mildew if stored in a damp or humid location. By restoring and repairing your photo collection, you are stopping the cycle of deterioration. Once they are restored you will have digital copies of your photos, which you can print, archive on DVD, CD or an external drive, create a slide show and share them with other family members. Restored old family photos also make great gifts for birthdays, Christmas and other occasions.

By scanning and repairing your old photos, you will be able to archive and preserve your treasured memories for years to come.

Separation of Science and Religion


The expansion of human knowledge took place largely through the interaction of human beings with nature, fellow humans and forces of history. In this process, the existential condition of human beings, their basic needs and methods to satisfy themselves played a crucial role. The human existential nature comprises both natural endowments, the biological and mental peculiarities and cultural styles and achievements.

With the emergence of imperial political organisation, there took place large-scale growth in trade, commerce, technology and industrial production. This is revealed through the history of ancient civilisations like those of India, China, Egypt, Greece and Rome. With few exceptions, now a differentiation between the scientists and religious or priestly classes took place. The knowledge of science and technology had its uses in industry and warfare. These were the foundations of new empires and they were organised in a comprehensive institutional form. At this stage of social development, the magical practices were largely individualised, and the institutional organisation of science and religion was slowly being separated. This separation was often hazy but the specialised roles necessitated functional differentiation.

With the decline of the Graeco-Roman civilisation and the rise of Christianity, the Church had emerged in Europe as the most powerful social and political institution. It was a major setback to the process of differentiation between religious and scientific knowledge. As the religious worldview of medieval Christianity increased its influence through the church, the scope for scientific experiments and success of its humanistic and rational worldview declined. All knowledge was now subject to approval of religious authority represented by the Church. Its Seminaries were the only institutional organisations recognised for generation and communication of knowledge. This pattern continued for several centuries unit it was challenged by forces of renaissance and religious reformation during the 15th and 16th centuries.

The contributions to science by Galileo, Copernicus and Newton and the religious reforms initiated by Luther and Calvin made it possible that humanistic, rational and empirical forms of knowledge could slowly emerge. Luther and Calvin emphasised the role of individual over that of Church for religious salvation. Galileo and Newton offered scientific and experimental evidence instead of theological cosmology and brought the human being back into the natural scheme of universe. Slowly the nature of seminaries which were like theological schools changed. These were taken out of the control of the Church and taken over by the city councils of citizens for administration and cultivation of knowledge. The modern university system on secular basis of organisation, production and communication of knowledge thus came into being. This process of secularisation of knowledge in the European society took several hundred years and was aided by its own social, political, cultural and economic transformation.

How To Make More Money From Digital Photography Online


This is a question that all photography lovers will ask themselves at some time or another. Even professional digital photographers will at some point need to have a think about where their photography businesses is going. So the question that needs to be addressed is just how can we make more money from digital photography online.

It doesn't really matter whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur, you only have to spend your time doing what you love most in order to make money from digital photography online, and these following tips will help you make the most out of your photography business.

What you are about to learn will help your business to flourish whether you are selling digital photography online through stock photography sites, or even to your local market place, so let's discover just what you are actually able to do to sell more of your photography work.

1) Do more online marketing.
All of us fail here at some stage or another, so you need to sit down and take a look at where you are at and what you should do to market your photography more effectively. Use a mind map so you can clearly see how your business is currently making money, and focus your marketing efforts on those elements that produce most income. Build a web site around the work that sells most, and then market your web site to a wider market. You may need help from a professional Internet marketer, but you will soon see your photography business grow 10 fold in a very short time.

2) Write an online photography guide.
So you're a great photographer, and have picked up a lot of tricks and useful knowledge along the way, so this could be your chance to put pencil to paper and produce your very own photography online guide. There are so many people out there who are just yearning to learn your photography skills, and the best way to market that guide would be to include it on your brand new web site. Your newly attained marketing skills will also help you to promote the photography guide to a world wide audience, so you can market it for just a couple of bucks. Include a monthly update subscription too, which will allow your income to grow even more.

3) How about giving photography online courses.
Now, have you ever thought about being a teacher? It doesn't sound very glamorous, but apart from just teaching locally you can also get out there on the Internet once again, and offer a step by step digital photography online course. Once again you are able to turn your photography knowledge into something you can share with a very wide audience, and you would be amazed at just how many people are turning to online courses today. You could offer courses from beginners to advanced, and don't forget to include a few lessons about how to make money from digital photography online.

Now as you can see, there is a whole new market out there who not only want to buy your photography work, but also want to learn from you. So just follow my advice, and you will soon have a really thriving photography business.

Joe Rosenthal and the Flag-Raising on Iwo Jima


Joseph John Rosenthal was born on October 9, 1911 in Washington, D.C. to Russian Jewish immigrants. During the Great Depression Joe took up photography as a hobby while living with his brother in San Francisco, California, but soon became a reporter/photographer for the San Francisco News. Unable to enlist in the Army because of poor vision, he joined the Associated Press and became an embedded journalist involved in Marine Corps campaigns in the Pacific during World War II.

Battle of Iwo Jima: On February 23, 1945, the fifth day of a 36 day battle that would eventually leave 6,621 Americans dead, Joe had heard that an American flag was being raised on Mount Suribachi, so he hurried to reach the top of the small volcano in hopes of capturing a still shot of the flag-raising. Along the way, he had heard that the flag had already been raised but he continued his climb anyway so that he could photograph the flag flying.

After reaching the top of the summit, he noticed a group of Marines preparing to raise a larger flag by attaching it to a long pipe, so he decided that he would concentrate on taking the photo of a second flag-raising. After adjusting his camera's lens setting and its speed to 1/400th second he quickly noticed that the Marines had started raising the flag so he was forced to swing around rather quickly to take the shot but was able to push the shutter just in time.

This much needed photo soon became a symbol for victory back in the United States and was published around the world as early as February 25, 1945. This Pulitzer Prize winning photograph, after making the cover of several magazines and placed on a US postage stamp, would later be used as a model for the Marine Corps War Memorial at Arlington. The Pulitzer Committee described this photo as "a frozen flash of history" and as "depicting one of the war's great moments". It has also been called the greatest photograph ever taken and that it could very well be the most widely reproduced. It stirred the American people in their rally for victory at a very critical time in the war.

After leaving the AP in 1945, Joe became chief photographer and manager of Times Wide World Photos, and then on to becoming a photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle, where he worked for 35 years before retiring in 1981. In 1996 he was named as an honorary Marine by General Charles Krulak. He died on August 20, 2006, at the age of 94, of natural causes in Novato, a suburb of San Francisco. He was found in his bed at 10:45 a.m. in an assisted living center after passing away in his sleep. Joe outlived everyone in his famous photograph.

Rosenthal was portrayed by actor Ned Eisenberg in the movie, "Flags of Our Fathers", in 2006 and posthumously awarded the Distinguished Public Service Medal by the US Marines. Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal said of Rosenthal, "He was as gallant as the men going up that hill". The photo remains the pride of the US Marine Corps in that it represents the fighting spirit of the brave men that both risked and gave their lives on that small island.

Of his experiences in combat situations, it has been said that very few military men have seen as much war-time action as Joe Rosenthal. He was in a North Atlantic convoy of Liberty Ships under attack by German U-boats, in London during the Blitz, in the jungles of New Guinea with General MacArthur's fighting army, on several war-time ships in the South Pacific, in the cockpits with Navy pilots while attacking Japanese controlled territory in the Philippines, in the initial wave of beach landings while under fire in Guam, Peleliu, Angaur, and Iwo Jima.

Of his prize winning photograph, Joe modestly said, "I took the picture, the Marines took Iwo Jima". He also said, "Every once in a while someone teases me that I could have been rich. But I'm alive. A lot of the men who were there are not. And a lot of them were badly wounded. I was not. And so I don't have the feeling someone owes me for this." Joe made very little money from the photo. He was grateful just to be alive. He was very knowledgeable in World War II history because for him it was quite personal. He once said that his proudest possession was his framed certificate which declared him an honorary Marine. It sometimes takes years for a photographer to be in the right place at the right moment. Joe's moment was on Mount Suribachi. Was he born for that moment? Some may think so. I don't know, but I and millions of proud Americans like me are grateful that he was there.

Choose a Wedding Photographer Today - How, Where and Why


With this article you will learn the basics in choosing a real artist as the wedding photographer for your special day. Choosing a wedding photographer can be a real nightmare for many people. It is no easy task by all means. People often think of this as a very casual thing to be done on a weekend between a cold beer and a glass of wine, but reality is very different. Photography is probably no more than a hobby for you and you wonder where to start from. I remember a girl bursting into tears after I had confirmed that her search for a photographer had ended.

Brides to be are often under extreme pressure and some of them feel they have to learn all about photography in order to choose a wedding photographer for their big day. Even though to learn photography would probably help a lot you in choosing a photographer, this is not absolutely necessary. Remember that it's going to be a beautiful day and that you are supposed to have fun and to enjoy the whole process and why not, yes, even the preparations! Don't get too stressed over this.

Photography is like anything else, you have to know how passionate a person is about it. Even butchers need passion to do their job properly: anyone can slice, but few people can do it with passion. How do you see if a person is passionate about what they do? Look at the results and most of all, look at what other people have to say about him or her. Anyone can act passionate, but the only thing that will reveal the truth are the results that everyone can see.

One important thing to look for is Photography Styles. A Professional Photographer can work using several different styles, but there will be one style among them all that he/she will use predominantly, simply because that is what they enjoy using the most. That is the style you want from that particular photographer. If you don't like that style, then you should go to another photographer that will naturally use the style you want. Identify this when you look at wedding photographers, or just ask them what is their favorite style... in most cases they will be more than happy to tell you... most people will go proud of their passion.

Do not ask wedding photographers to do something they don't normally do, just as you wouldn't ask a baker to fix your car. We all know they are professionals and they can do what you want them to do, but is that what he or she wants to do from the bottom of the heart? Will they do it at their best if they are not motivated? This is not something a photographer can consciously control all the time... they are human beings after all and they respond to feelings.

The wedding cost issue is undoubtedly very important for many people. I remember a wedding that I shot in Italy where a casually dressed musician fell asleep during the wedding ceremony and was obviously not ready to start playing again when the time arrived. The bride later told me that this band was selected because it was the cheapest they could find; she realized the disastrous consequences when it was too late. Many people will not forget... was it worth it?

My advice is NOT to select a wedding photographer based on the price. If you do that you are simply following a classic recipe for a wedding disaster. Don't make it your wedding disaster. The thing is that with photography you won't know how good or bad the photographer was until a month after your wedding to say the least.

A proper wedding photographer is an artist first of all and real artists are not cheap. Nowadays anyone can take pictures; digital cameras allow virtually anyone to take technically perfect pictures with their eyes closed or with the camera held behind their backs. You want an artist to create your wedding memories that will stay with you for the rest of your life. You don't want someone that just presses the button to do click. Composition and timing are the two most important elements in wedding photography, not the technical knowledge. Thousands of people are ultra qualified and they can produce technically perfect images; are they all artists? Very likely not.

So, how do you get started? First of all you need to look at photographers' websites; see what emotional responses you have when looking at their images. Once you've found the wedding photographer you like, search for his/her name over the internet and see what comes out. Do separate searches on the three most popular search engines, as they will give you different results. If he/she is an artist, the search result will show that in the form of Art Galleries, Art Exhibitions etc. This is a very good way to find out who you are really dealing with... on some occasions you will be surprised to see what comes out... By the way: if nothing comes out, be alarmed.

One more thing worth doing is to ask what studies has a photographer done. Many wedding photographers have never been to a photography school, let alone a photography college or photography university. Have they been to law school? Or have they been to the Academy of Art? It is a very important thing to find out, yet virtually no one asks. You will be surprised at how many wedding photographers come from plumbing or carpentry... and you let them be in charge of the most important day of your life! By all means I don't mean for you to demand to see a diploma - I would be surprised if you found a photographer willing to go that far to get a job... it would be like asking a lawyer to see his degree before hiring him. Just ask and use your common sense; very often body language speaks for itself. Photographers that have been to an expensive university or to the academy of art, will be proud of it and will be pleased to answer any questions. If someone tries to change topic or not talk about it, then you can clearly sense that something is wrong.

What about copyright issues? This is something many people are very confused about. Copyright issues are at the base of many discussions. An image is copyrighted the very moment it is created, even though there are no text reminders attached to it. Every photograph is Copyright of the author for his lifetime plus 50 to 100 years after his death, depending on the legislating country.

"But it's my face... how can that be Copyright of the photographer?" Yes, it is your face, but it is the Photographer's way of seeing your face, therefore his/her copyright. As such, you will need to pay for the use of that image AND obtain written authorization that will specify the allowed use for that particular image.

I understand that choosing a wedding photographer can seam to be difficult now, but after you will have examined some websites and done a few internet searches, you will have much clearer ideas and most of all, you will have the confidence to choose wisely.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Abstract Art Is Complex To Explain


Abstract art will delight some and mystify others; therefore, it is necessary to define it, so that the viewer may decide for himself what is real and true. Abstract art springs from many sources, from the roots of Art Nouveau with its curlicues and swirls of industrial designer-type art and Cubism, that jagged sense of geometry imposing its will upon the natural world so that few can understand it, though many would discern in the angular line of a cityscape, for instance. But abstract art?

From its beginnings in the breakaway schools of Impressionism and Picasso's beginnings at the turn of the 20th century, abstract art departs from reality. This is strange for artists coming from a traditional school, with its emphasis on being true to reality and using the tools of the lines of perspective and the color wheel. Abstract art uses form and line and color to depict a subject abstractly, that is, its basis and not the uttermost detail of the artist's view. Now and again the term 'abstract' arises in modern day usage and indeed many are the painters of today who call themselves 'abstract artists.

An abstract artist may use digital art via the computer or other methods that do not use canvases and paint, but the enduring lure of a canvas is that it is solid and real, a thing to hold, take down from the wall and over to the window to see what sunlight does to its colors before returning it to the safety of the hanging place. If you should commission an abstract to do a 'lyrical abstract' piece, he or she would hark back to the origin of the term stemming from Aldrich's first use of in circa 1969. Characterized by loose paint handling and intuitive, spontaneous expression, lyrical abstraction used newer technological techniques and led the way away from geometrical art such as that executed by Mondrian.

Acrylic paints are the most common media, however, and the roots mentioned above, that of Art Nouveau, may be seen in the pastel and sepia color schemes and swirls of embellishments in a typical lyrical abstract piece. Post World War II, France searched for a new direction in her artistic wave and used lyrical abstraction, possibly as a gentler, kinder sort of expression far from the jagged edges of geometrical and cubism schools of art. It would be natural for a country to yearn for softer curves after the harshness of a World War.

So we see that abstract art offers a range of techniques and results: the dropped paint techniques of Jackson Pollock, the computerized digital art of so many on the Internet and the geometrical exactitude of a Mondrian all bear the common name, 'abstract.' Many times there is a range within one single painting, a part of the piece seeming almost photorealistic and the rest of the painting delving into the abstract world, giving a mutable effect to one canvas. From these many choices, surely you can discover a style to your taste and enjoy the work of an artist who releases his inner vision upon the world. You will expand your own mind as you do so, and the term 'abstract art' will no longer remain a mystery.

Canvas Prints - Add Class To Your Decor With Sepia Photos On Canvas


Big canvas prints look pretty cool as wall decor, but if you want something a bit more classy, you can go for sepia or black and white pictures on canvas. Sepia prints aren't old faded versions of photographs. They appear sort of brown on purpose to make a stark black and white picture seem warmer and easier on the eyes.

Sepia pictures can add an old world charm to your wall decor and can make your home seem classy and sophisticated. Yes, black and white photographs do look classy too but are also quite common. You will rarely find sepia photos on canvas as large wall decor pieces. Most of them are printed on small photo paper placed in small picture frames.

You can get sepia canvas prints on online art stores that also sell colored or black and white pictures on canvas. Instead of the usual colored prints, why not go for something unique and classy? Just like the colored or black and white versions, you can get sepia photos on canvas in a triptych or as a 3 piece canvas.

These types of prints would go very well with more formal home interiors, restaurants, or even offices. Sometimes colored pictures can look a bit casual. If you want something more classy and sophisticated for your home or business establishment, sepia pictures might be the perfect choice.

They aren't too trendy and are timeless wall decor you won't have to replace after a few years. Color trends also change and if you have to redecorate your home, restaurant or office, a sepia picture would still look suitable against new wall color or upholstery.

If you want canvas wall art that will look good yet never go out of fashion, sepia photos on canvas may be an excellent choice for you.

Street Photography Techniques


When you're getting started the challenge is overcoming the fear of taking pictures of strangers. Since telephoto lenses are not normally used in street photography, how can you stand a few feet from your subject, put the camera to your eye, focus, and click the shutter without getting nervous? A good street photographer is not only fearful in the beginning (this is a good sign of being sensitive) but they also don't want to do anything which will change the how the subject is behaving.

With practice, you can overcome your reluctance to photograph strangers as well as learn techniques which will help you get better candid shots. One word of caution - it can be addictive. After a while the street photographer will choose which seat has the best view in a restaurant, or which side of the street offers the best possibilities.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MORAL ISSUES

The first thing to accept is that you are invading the privacy of your intended subject. You may have the best intentions in the world, but once you decide to point your camera at someone without their permission, you will be invading their personal space. This is what it means to take a candid street shot. Before going into the physical techniques which can make your job easier, it is important to look at your own motives. Most of the time, you see something that you simply want to share with the rest of the world. It might be funny, odd, mysterious, have an interesting design, or any other quality that you think is worth shooting. But you are nervous about taking the photograph. This is normal. When you are just starting out, ask yourself whether you would take the picture if you weren't afraid of your imagined consequences. This may seem drastic, but pretend that this is your last day on earth, and that nothing else matters but getting this shot. Take a deep breath and after learning the various techniques listed below - you should be ready to get at it.

WHICH CAMERA?

A good street camera has the following characteristics: a quiet shutter, interchangeable lenses, fast lenses (F-Stop of F2.0 or lower), no shutter lag, RAW capture mode, the ability to focus well in dark places, usable high ASA, a good viewfinder and lightweight enough to take with you wherever you go. I don't know of any digital Point and Shoot camera that meets all these criteria. A digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) will meet all or most of these properties. The Canon 40D, for example is no heavier than a Leica M, but the fast lenses are larger. The high end Point and Shoot, known as a digicam, has some of these features, but they don't have interchangeable lenses, and the zoom lenses are not usually faster than F2.8 at the wide end.

The current crop of DSLRs have many features of a good street camera.

So, let's get to it. Whatever digital camera you use, turn off any beeping the camera makes. Also turn off the immediate playback on the LCD. Do some tests to find out that highest ASA you can use without getting too much digital noise. Again, this is where DSLRs are best. Cameras like the Canon Mark II can allow you to use an ASA as high as 3200 (maybe more) without creating much digital noise in the image. Most point and shoot digital cameras creating noiseless images at much about 200 ASA.

Most DSLRs depend on a tic-tac-toe matrix of focal points. Keep the center point on, and turn the other focal points off.

For a digital camera with a cropped sensor, a 30mm F1.4 is a good walking around lens. Sigma makes an excellent one though remember, the Sigma f1.4 30mm won't work with a full-frame sensor). If you are using a full-sized sensor, then a 35mm f1.4 lens, in combination with a 50mm f1.4 is an excellent combination. Having a lens that gives you a good quality shot at F1.4 is very important. And just because a lens opens to F1.4 doesn't mean that it's good at that F-Stop, so pick this lens carefully. In the Canon line, the 50mm F1.4 which is for a full sensor, and which works with a cropped-sensor as well, is one of their best lenses and compared to their other F1.4 lenses is cheap.

A DSLR usually has a method for decoupling the exposure from the focal point. It's a good idea to do this. The Canon 40D and in fact almost all Canon SLRs (going back to the film days) have this feature. You set the focus lock to a button on the back of the camera, and a half-press of the shutter locks exposure. I dwell on this idea because many times you are going to use the button on the back to pre-focus your shot, and do framing as the camera comes to your eye. The idea that you want the camera to take it's exposure off the focal point doesn't make much sense. In general, if you are relying on the meter, than it's better to lock focus, and have the meter do a general reading of what's in the frame.

Whether it's a sunny day, or an overcast day - ASA 800 is a good place to start. You almost always want all the shutter speed you can get. If your camera produces very noisy images at ASA 800 than it is not the right camera to use.

Never use a lens cap. Not at any time, for any reason. You should always have a UV filter on the lens, which will protect the lens and make it easy to take a quick shot. You can always tell an amateur if they are using a lens cap.

DRESS THE PART

You'll be headed out to a tourist spot, so dress like a tourist. I'm not kidding. Although you may have lived in your city for 50 years, get yourself a tourist map and dress like you have just arrived from the mid-west on vacation. I'll leave that part for you to figure out.

Visit a crowded tourist attraction where everyone has a camera. Dress and act as just another tourist. Study your tourist map. Gawk at the landmark like everyone else. And keep an eye out for interesting subjects.

DO NOT REMOVE YOUR EYE FROM THE CAMERA AFTER YOUR SHOT

Start off like everyone else. Take pictures of the landmark. Keeping the camera to your eye you can now scan through the crowd for something interesting. As you take pictures, do not remove the camera from your eye even after you have the shot you wanted. Continue to move the camera around pretending to take pictures. Never give away the fact that you've taken someone's picture by removing the camera from your eye after taking the shot.

You may not find anyone worth shooting, but this is an easy way to get started. It shouldn't be very scary, and you will find that even while standing very close to your subjects you can take their pictures without arousing suspicion. You can employ the same techniques at street fairs, or parades. Just about any crowded area which is filled with tourists is a good place to practice.

KEEP BOTH EYES OPEN, TURN OFF THE LCD

Keep your non-shooting eye open. You should be able to look at possible subjects even with the camera to your eye. Most DSLR cameras have an LCD screen for viewing images on the back. This should always be turned off.

You just don't want the LCD coming on while the camera is to your eye. It's annoying and it gives away the fact that you've taken a shot, especially in a dark location. Also, if the LCD is off, and you hold the camera a bit in front of your face, you can see the reflection of what's going on behind you.

Knowing what is happening behind you is useful in a street where people are moving around because you can estimate the distance the potential subject will be when you turn around, and have your camera pre-focused for that shot. Of course you'll need to gauge how fast they're walking towards you, and about where you'll turn around and snap. But again - as you turn keep the camera to your eye as if you are just looking around. You will be surprised at how easy it is to take a picture of the subjects when they are five feet or so from you without them knowing.

SHOOTING FROM THE HIP VS. HAVING THE CAMERA TO YOUR EYE

As a general rule of street photography, if you can get the shot with the camera to your eye, you will get a better shot. I know that there is an entire school of shoot-from-the-hip photography, which you can practice as well, but you will never be able to frame this sort of shot as well as if you put the camera to your eye. (That's my own opinion and of course open to debate.) There will be times when it is simply impossible to shoot with the camera to your eye, and so shooting from the hip is worth learning. But I don't think it's a good way to get started.

You need to make decisions about depth-of-field. A common technique for the street photographer is relying on hyper-focal distance. I don't think this is as necessary with modern auto-focus cameras, but the idea is that with a wide lens, in the 30 - 35mm range, you can set the lens to f8, if you have enough light, and set the focus at ten feet, and know that everything from approximately 6 feet to 15 feet will be in hyperfocal distance.(I'm not looking at a lens as I write this so the exact distance and f-stop may be off, plus most modern autofocus lenses don't include a hyperfocal scale. But for older cameras with a hyperfocal scale on the lens, this is a tried and true technique.) I just haven't found it to be necessary with modern auto-focus cameras.

PRE-FOCUS

For example, with the Canon and Nikon DSLRs you can assign focus lock to a button on the back of the camera and exposure to the shutter button. You anticipate that you are going to shoot a certain subject, and hold the back button down to focus on them, but maybe you aren't ready to take their picture yet and they aren't moving much. You can continue to hold that back button down until you are ready to take the shot, or you can turn the lens to manual focus while holding the button down. Then you can release the button and know that the focus remains the same. Don't forget to turn autofocus on the lens back on when you're finished or all your subsequent shots will be out of focus.

Modern cameras have a matrix of focal points. They are a big selling point. But they are not very useful for street photography. I would recommend turning them all off except for the center focal point, which you'll use to pre-focus with. I don't like the idea of having the camera decide what to focus on.

Suppose you're walking down a New York street and you see a bunch of subjects leaning against the building to your right. You know that you are going to turn and face them at take your picture and then walk on. So the distance between you and any building directly to your right is the same. You focus on a building to your right before you arrive at your subjects and lock that focus. Now as you approach your subjects, you turn to your right and take your shot without the need to focus.

HAVING A FRIEND ALONG

This technique goes back a long way in the history of street photography. Walker Evans would bring a woman friend along with him, and stand on a crowded street pretending to take pictures of her. She was a decoy, and he would move the camera so that she wasn't in frame and take pictures of the people that behind her.

GADGETS

Sneaky camera gadgets have been around for a 100 years. The right-angle attachment on the viewfinder was often used by famous street photographers. It can swivel at various right-angles so that you are looking in a different direction than where the lens is pointed.

A similar device that fits on the end of the lens has a mirror inside. The front of the lens is points straight ahead, but the mirror is pointing to your left or right.

Both gadgets are still made, but they take some getting used to. I haven't found them necessary, although I've experimented with both devices.

TOUGHER LOCATIONS

The subway car is another popular locale for street photographers.

When Walker Evans did his series of subway "portraits," he used a Rollei Twin Lens camera. You look down at the ground glass to focus and compose. Evans used a cable release which he ran up the arm of his coat. He put the camera on his lap, sat directly across from his subject, and kept his right hand in his pocket to operate the cable release.

He knew ahead of time, what the distance was too his subject. If you are shooting on the same subway line, the trains are always the same dimensions. If you don't have a camera with auto-focus, you know the distance between different points.

Evans had one problem with his setup. After taking his shot, it was very obvious that he was advancing the film to the next frame. He would usually get up and settle down in another car with a new frame loaded.

Although the subway is a difficult place to shoot, it has one advantage: it's noisy. There's always enough noise to drown out the click of the shutter. I have taken thousands of pictures on the subway with the camera to my eye without running into any sort of trouble other than the occasional nasty stare. However, before the camera is raised to your eye it should already be focused. This rule is true for most street shots.

You can focus on your subject when they aren't looking, set the camera lens to manual and wait for "the moment" if it ever happens.

Whether on a train, or some other location, the easiest time to shoot is when there is a distraction. For example, when the mariachi band enters the car, everyone will be looking at them. You can shoot other passengers without being noticed.

And even if you are seen, people will understand that you have your camera out if you take a few shots of the mariachi Band as well. This is the same technique as using a landmark as a reason for taking pictures.

Another modern phenomena which makes life easier for the street photographer: everyone, whether on the street or in a subway car, is already distracted by their iPods, cell phones, e-books, and Blackberry devices. One day I was on the train, and noticed that everyone around me had earphones, or were reading their email. Combined with the noise of the train, I was able to take closeup shots of a passenger who was about a foot and a half away from me without being noticed by anyone. I found that amazing. It wasn't like that ten years ago.

SHUTTER SPEED

As a rule for hand-held shooting, your shutter speed should equal the focal length of your lens. If you shoot with a 30mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/30th of a second. If your shoot with a 90mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/90th of a second to prevent blur due to camera shake.

Some photographers can hand-hold a camera at 1/15th of a second with a 30mm lens and some will have trouble holding the camera steady enough even at 1/30th of a second with a 30mm lens. So this is just a guide. Camera shake is also a property of the camera. An SLR camera, with the slap of the returning mirror, vibrates more than a Point and Shoot camera which doesn't have a mirror. Many Digital SLRs now feature "Live Mode" where the mirror slap is no longer a factor. So you will need to experiment to find out the lens / shutter speed combination which will prevent camera shake with your setup.

But remember this, camera shake is not the same thing as motion blur. Even if your camera is set on a tripod, with a mirror lock-up, and a cable release, if the motion of the subject is too fast for your shutter speed, you will have a perfectly blur free background (no camera shake) with a blurred subject.

I call this technique The Stutter Step. The object of the stutter step is to be able to freeze your walk, in mid-step if needed, at the same instant you click the shutter, and then continue on as if nothing has happened. If you do it slowly, someone walking briskly behind you may just about bump into you because you have stopped dead in your tracks for an instant while you put the camera to your eye and took a picture of someone walking towards you. For this sort of shooting, where your subject(s) more directly towards you, it is best to have as fast a shutter speed as you can manage.

Digital SLR cameras usually have the following settings: P (program mode), AV (aperture mode), TV (shutter speed mode) and M (manual mode). They also have a a bunch of icons representing other situations such as Action Mode, or Portrait Mode, or Night Mode. Don't use these. Again, you don't want the camera to make decisions for you.

But it is handy, to set your AV and TV modes so that with the twist of the dial, you are set for aperture or shutter speed priority. In the case where it is a sunny day and you are walking, and expect to be taking pictures of other people who are walking, you can work in TV mode, with your shutter set to 1/1000th of a second. This assumes that you are using a relatively fast lens, and that you can shoot at an ASA of at least 800.

But to return to the stutter step. Your camera is hanging around your neck. You are wearing tourist clothes. You see an interesting situation developing ahead of you. Your camera is set to shutter priority of 1/1000th (more if you can manage it), and you must image what distance you will be when you take the shot. Aim your camera at the sidewalk and focus at the distance that you imagine you'll take your shot and lock that focus in.

Now, just when the situation is right, you halt, sometimes in mid-stride, the camera moves to your eye. You already know whether this is going to be a vertical shot or not, and what the frame will be, and while you are stock still, you take your shot and just as if nothing happened, you continue on your way. Your subjects have passed you. Even if they noticed you, it is unlikely they will turn back to find out why you may have just taken their picture. Maybe you did, and maybe you didn't.

THE BENEFIT OF HIGH ASA

One benefit of modern cameras is the ability to shoot at a high ASA. You may be able to set your walking around shutter speed at 1/4000th of a second, with an ASA of 1600. Some of the newer cameras have usable ASA ratings of 32,000 and higher without causing noise in the RAW image. This opens up a new world to street photographers. With a high ASA you can shoot with a high F-Stop and a fast shutter speed in low light situations like the subway. For example you could use an F11 f-stop with a 1/1000th of a second shutter speed, and still have enough light for a proper exposure on the subway. That is a new development in street shooting.

Previously, street photographers would push their film or use fast film for shooting. They might use an ASA of 1600 or more, but the resulting negatives would be grainy. As I write this, the Canon Mark II can easily shoot at 1600 ASA with results similar or better than 400 ASA black and white film.

DON'T THROW ANYTHING AWAY

No matter how you try, and no matter how good your street technique is, most of your shots will be ordinary. You might come back after a day of shooting with nothing to show for it. You may feel non-productive.

Street photography is like fishing. If you enjoy fishing, the catch is important, but the entire experience of getting up early, and making many fruitless casts from your boat isn't non-productive. You may enjoy the experience whether you return with fish or not. You simply can't cast your rod and expect to catch a fish every time.

Your best street catches make up for all the uninteresting shots. Unlike fishing, you can't always tell immediately if you've caught a great shot. Many street photographers will let their captures sit for a while before looking at them. What this means is: don't throw anything away. Make backups of your images, and even if you think they're not very good - don't toss them. Given the inability to describe what makes a good street shot, you shouldn't throw any away. Even an out-of-focus shot might have something interesting in it when you have enough distance to judge it. Your may find something in a shot that seems boring when you look at it again a few years later. This has happened to me enough times so that I never delete digital images.

THE OBLIVIOUS PEOPLE

Street Photography is easier then it used to be. People in the city walk around with their senses clogged up. More people are oblivious to what is going on around them then ever before. Music is blasting in their ears, or they're talking on their cellphone. If they're not talking on the phone they may walk the streets while reading their email. This makes it easier to photograph a stranger without them noticing you.

Street Photography is harder than it used to be. Since we live in an age of urban terrorism and web postings, people and the police are more suspicious than ever. This suspicion extends to landmarks and property. The subways and the streets are filled with video cameras watching your every move. While you take your photographs, most likely you too are being photographed. In New York all major infrastructure contains signs banning photography.

In New York, although it is legal to take pictures on the subway, there is the possibility that you'll be questioned by the police who think you may be a terrorist. Maybe they don't know the current laws. You are allowed to photograph on the subway, so long as you don't use a flash or tripod. However, it is always a good idea to have valid ID with you in case you are stopped. I have been stopped many times while photographing on the subway and usually I just explain that I'm a fine art photographer, working in black and white, and show some ID and that's enough. If you are going to use a flash, or a tripod, it is still possible to get a permit to photograph in a specific location in the subway.

ASKING PERMISSION

Photographers who are starting out want to know if it's a good idea to ask permission from your subject. It would be nice if you could, but it isn't practical. Once you strike up a conversation with your subject, you are no longer doing street photography. From that point on, the person will strike a pose, and you will be doing what I call street portraits. Should you get a model release? Unless you are doing street portraits, it isn't practical. On any given day, you may take 100 images only to find one good one (if you're lucky). It would be impossible to ask each person you photograph to sign a release Many of your shots are of people that rush by you in a fraction of a second.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE CAUGHT

At some point, you will be caught, and your subject will approach you. Maybe they say, "Did you just take my picture."

Honesty is the best policy. The answer is, "yes." You smile, and try and explain what it was that you found so interesting about them. With a digital camera, you can show the image on the back of the camera. The person may then be annoyed, or they may be flattered. If they are upset, and the picture isn't that great, then you could offer to delete it for them - and don't play any tricks. Delete it while they watch. If it's a great shot and you want to keep it, then you'll have to win them over. If you were using a film camera you could just shrug it off and say "no." But everyone knows that you could just show the picture on the back of the digital camera.

Most of the time the person is flattered and wants to know if you would like to take another shot. At this point they almost always strike a pose, and you take the picture knowing that you won't use it. You aren't a war correspondent. Very few images are worth getting into a big hassle over. In all my years of shooting, the worst that's ever happened is that someone asked if I would please delete their photo. I think this happened twice out of ten thousand shots.

SUMMARY

- Choose an easy locale with lots of tourists when you are first starting out.

- Turn off any beeping your camera does.

- If you photographing individuals in a crowd, don't remove the camera from your eye after you take a shot, but keep scanning the crowd with it.

- Turn off the instant playback on the digital LCD

- Use a wide to normal lens. Don't rely on telephoto lenses

- Make sure that you are focused and know how you are going to frame the image before the camera goes to your eye.

- Only shoot from the hip, or without looking through the viewfinder as a last resort.

- Practice looking for specific literal ideas: irony, juxtaposition, design elements, joy, sadness, emotional moments, things that you find unusual, surprises.

- Be prepared to take a hundred shots for every good one. And try and understand what a good shot means. (This is outside the scope of this article).

- Always have a camera with you. You'll take some of your best pictures during your normal daily routines.

- Know the laws. You don't need to get into a big hassle with the police when they stop you from taking pictures in a place where you know it's legal to take pictures; but it's important to know your rights.

- Do not ask for permission or a model release, unless you are doing "portrait" work on the streets. Do not expect that you're images will be usable for print ads unless the subject is not recognizable (profile, shot from the back etc.)

- If you are afraid to put the camera to your eye - try to imagine that this is your last day on earth, and that the shot you see before you will be great. In other words, you may need to psych yourself into taking the shot. But there is a balance and if it really is too scary - then don't force yourself. Your own fear will come across to the subject. When to shoot, and when not to push it, is something you'll learn with time.

- Never use a lens cap (have an UV filter on the lens instead)

- Remember that no matter how many of these techniques you use, you are still invading someone's privacy. There is no way around that. So you must feel that what you are photographing is worth the effort.

And finally, give yourself time to get used to the experience. Expect to be nervous in the beginning. Also expect that after you've been at it for a few years these techniques will become second nature. I think that being nervous is actually a good sign. Anyone with some degree of empathy will be uncomfortable doing street photography in the beginning. If you are the type of photographer that begins by sticking your camera in the faces of strangers, it is doubtful whether you are sensitive enough to be a good street photographer.

Why You Should Have a Portrait Made


You may think that only people who are important, or famous, or wealthy have portraits made of themselves or their families. You may think that you aren't a good subject for portraiture, or that people will think you are egotistical if you were to have your portrait made. Let me assure you that people of every status in life have and enjoy portraits of themselves and their families. And that every person is a good subject for a portrait! And if someone should think poorly of you because you have a portrait of yourself, well, that's his or her problem! Now, if you have every wall of your home covered with larger-than-life photographs of yourself, well, maybe your ego is a little inflated...That's a subject for a different kind of book. It is true that wealthy, famous and important people have portraits made of themselves and their families. You may not consider yourself to be wealthy or famous, and that's fine. Most of us aren't. But you certainly are important! You are important to your family and friends, and you are most definitely important to you! But let's consider your family, progeny and society in general for a moment. You are important to your family no matter what part you play in the family dynamic. If you are an unmarried child, you are no doubt very dear to your mother and father. If you are a husband or wife, you are very important to your spouse. And if you are a parent, your children depend on you. You are a very important person within your family and circle of friends. For that reason alone you should have a nice portrait made of yourself. I can't help thinking about how valuable a fine family portrait is to children and grandchildren, and further down the line.

Without the existence of any portraits, in time the memory of what you looked like, how you acted and the experiences you shared with your children and grandchildren will fade to nothing. That would be a sad loss. I know for myself that I can now only wish that my parents had the forethought to have a nice family portrait made. It's really a tragedy especially in that photography has been my passion ever since junior high school, and not even I thought to make a portrait of my family. As a young person it is common to be rather self-absorbed and not think about mortality and such eventualities. Even though at a very young age I witnessed my grandfather die of a heart attack, I never thought my dad or mom or brothers or sisters would die. It's just not something that I gave any thought to. Then when my dad did die, I was in my 30s, and that was the first time I realized that there were no portraits of my parents and siblings in existence! And now there could never be any. That was a sad realization, and one that I think about every day. It is actually the reason I decided to specialize in family portraiture. Yes I wish I had a portrait of my family when I was growing up, but not only for myself. You see, my children and grandchildren will never know what my family looked like when my siblings and I lived at home with my parents. There won't even be a memory of my grandparents for my grandchildren. There is no historical connection. So it is important to have at least one nice family portrait created for each and every family. It is especially important for your family's heritage, but it's also important to society in general. How so? It is much the same as in the paintings we all enjoy of times in the past. A good deal of the famous paintings from early history through the renaissance, impressionism, post modern and down to current times have been portraits of the artist's families and friends, and they give us a record of what the times were like. They are a record of human history. So it is with the portraits of today's generations. In the future they will tell of the lifestyle and times that we live in now. Having been in the business of making portraits for a good while, I've noticed that men in general aren't all that keen on having their photograph made. It seems to be thought of as not a "manly" thing to do. Regardless of that notion, it is a thoughtful thing to do, especially as in a family portrait. We've talked about the value to family in an historical sense, but I've learned something from experts in the field of family counseling and psychology about this as well. When a family has a family portrait made, and displays it in their home in a prominent place, it helps the children to cultivate a deep sense of belonging, and self esteem. Young children are often the subjects of discipline, which sometimes includes isolation, as in being sent to their room, or being made to sit in a corner. This is to teach them to be considerate of others, or to not be so loud or speak out of turn and interrupt others. That kind of isolation in discipline can cause some young ones to imagine they aren't wanted. So, having a family portrait prominently displayed in the home counters any negative effects of that type of discipline, and reinforces their sense of belonging and being an integral part of the family. You might say, "My family has never had portraits made, and we're fine. We just aren't picture people!" If that's true, I say to you, Break The Mold! Start a new tradition for your family. It will be appreciated and you'll be glad you did! It's a gift to future generations, and it's a good thing for your family now.

Other than family portraits, there are numerous reasons to have a portrait made of yourself. For example, including a nice portrait along with your resume when applying for a job is an excellent way to make a great first impression. And there's no second chance for making a first impression! I get a lot of people coming to me to create a portrait for their business card, or website, or public relations and press releases. That's a smart thing to do! In many cases your image on a website will be the first impression your customer gets of you, and you definitely want it to be a good one. A good portrait will present you in the most flattering way, and again, first impressions are the most lasting ones. For business cards it's important if you include a photograph of yourself that it be one that will convey to your client or prospect that you are someone they want to do business with. Your business card, or website is your representative in your absence. You want any image of you that your prospective customer sees to be one that is complimentary and gives the impression that you are the kind of person they can trust to work for their best interest. The same is true for any image you use in press releases, public relations, or anything business related. These days social networks like Facebook and others are being used actively for business as well as for keeping in touch with friends. It's always a good idea to put your best face forward, and a good portrait will help in a big way! You might say, "I don't have any family, and in my business I don't have to deal with people in person, and they don't need to know what I look like". I can't really imagine a business that doesn't need to interact with people in some way, but let's say there is some such business. I know that there are some people who really do not have any living relatives, and that's too bad. But what about the future? Is it possible that a person in that situation might some day get married and have children? Of course! And it's just a good, thoughtful thing to do to have a nice portrait made for whoever might be in your future...

School Photography Clubs - Suggested Activities


Here are some suggested activities for School Photography Clubs to consider.

1. Focus on History. Review the development of the photographic process, camera obscura, and the evolution from film to digita. Construct a pinhole camera. Dust off some old 35mm manual bodies and shoot a few rolls of film.

2. Focus on Focus. Talk about how an image is focused. Try to take some images in focus and out. Review depth of focus and the lens opening's role in controlling depth of focus. Take a series of increasing DOF images to illustrate.

3. Focus on Speed. Talk about shutter speed and its impact on exposure. Discuss when slow shutter is best and when fast shutter is best. Conduct some photo experiments with students being photograhed while moving, at a variety of shutter speeds. Try high speed photography with water drops or flying insects or other fast moving items. Try photographing waterfalls at a range of speeds.

4. Focus on Sensitivity. Talk about film sensitivity and digital camera "ISO" settings. Discuss when low and high sensitivity are best applied and the tradeoffs for each. Take a series of images with low and high sensitivity and examine the impact on the images. Try shooting the same image with 100 and 800 speed film if you have film cameras. Discuss grain on film vs. noise in digital imaging. Discuss the artistic merits of film grain and review ways to reproduce digitally.

5. Focus on Exposure. Discuss the parameters that affect exposure - shutter, aperature, sensitivity, lighting. Talk about exposure compensation. Take a series of the same subject varying the parameters and resulting exposure. Discuss manual vs. automatic exposure, and the various exposure modes.

6. Focus on Color. Review the color wheel, saturation. How choice of exposure affects saturation. Edit photos and tweak saturation from overboard to black and white. Talk about which cameras and films have different color characteristics. Review white balance. Experiment with the right and wrong custom white balance settings. Learn about custom white balance setting techniques and tools. Review how to change color settings in post-production.

7. Focus on Black and White. Review historic black and white photography. Review ways to convert - greyscale, channel mixer. Impact of filters on Black and White (grayscale) tones. Review color vs BW images side by side and discuss visual impact. Have each student convert the same image using different methods or blends and review and discuss.

8. Focus on Filters. Review polarizing filter and impact on glare, exposure, color saturation, etc. Samples of with and without. Discuss applicability of neutral density filters. Discuss split neutral density filters. Review and experiment with warming and cooling and temperature adjustment filters. Review and experiment with close-up filters.

9. Focus on Editing. Review darkroom film development technique. Review various photo editing tools. Focus on basic functions in photo editing. Set up a multi-step learning experience around gaining proficiency in image editing. For more in this area, see my article on Top 12 Photo Editing Tips.

10. Focus on Printing. Discuss paper/inkjet vs photographic process and press printing. Consider asking a professional photographer or lab to print samples of the same image on lustre, gloss, metallic photo paper, press print and canvas output. Discuss print profiling and color management.

11. Focus on Appreciation. Discuss what makes a picture "great". Some elements of composition will come through, as will the choice of subject matter, lighting and technical and finishing elements. Have the students bring in magazine or other print examples of photos they think are great, and discuss. Schedule a field trip to a photographic exhibit. REview professional photographers' and students' portfolios and offer positive and negative criticism.

12. Focus on Composition. Review rule of thirds, posing, lighting, camera angle, camera position (macro vs tele), lens choice and other elements of composition. Spend time experimenting with some classic subjects - still life, egg, human subject, and have students work on different aspects of composition and lighting. Consider borrowing some professional lighting equipment for some additional experiments.

13. Focus on Careers. Discuss the many kinds of careers that depend on photography (journalism, child/family, wedding, architectural, sport/event/school, etc.), as well as those that benefit from it: (insurance, real estate, forensics, etc.) Consider bringing guests in these areas to talk with the club, or have each club member conduct an interview and gather samples for a group discussion.

14. Focus on Giving. Have the club brainstorm ideas to share their talents with the community. Volunteering to help at nonprofits or in the school, and creating unique gifts are good ideas here.

15. Focus on Fund-Raising. To keep the club financially healthy, brainstorm ideas to raise money for the club. Some starting suggestions: Photo calendars and fine art sale (from the club's talents), photo buttons or keychains, and regular fund raising (food, coupon books, etc.)

16. Focus on Technology. Discuss technical things that change in camera and editing technology (sensor size, image size, stabilization, speed, live-view, in-camera editing, camera features.) Discuss things that a student would look for in comparing and contrasting cameras. Give them some scenarios and have them do some online shopping to choose the best camera and price. Discuss negotiation, grey market and warranty. Discuss obsolescence and ability to upgrade. Review storefront, mail-order and used or closeout sources (eBay, Craigslist, etc.)

17. Focus on Competing. Review the judging rules and sheets and develop your club's own judging and award processes and criteria. Research and enter outside competitions. Have a club-only contest each month on a specific subject (nature, sports, relatives, pets, architecture, etc.) Top 3-5 of each category go to club finals where outside evaluators choose the winner. Work with labs, stores and local photographers to offer good prizes and professional printing of the final items. Use winning items in your fine art fund raisers. Offer to run outside submitted competitions such as college student only, professional-only and school-wide.

Enjoy your school photography club, and use it to grow, develop and have fun!

4 iPhone Apps to Help You Organize Your Photos


Want to quickly keep all the photos on your iPhone organized, easily accessed and ready to share or store on your computer? Here are four iPhone apps that make that easy: First, try Picture Safe, so popular that it was featured in PC World and made the App Classics Hall of Fame. It easily creates folders for any group of photos and has a password protected feature. Not only do you have ultimate security with this app but can organize them by groups or subjects.

Another app worth checking out is Camera Vault, which features the ability to categorize your photos in a library which also organizes galleries and slideshows. It is cutting edge and among the best of the iPhone photo apps available. Pictures skip the basic photo library and go directly into the Camera Vault library. The advantage here? A much higher level of protection for photos, allowing them to be stored securely and privately. A password allows only the owner of Camera Vault to decide which photos are private and when to share them with others. They aren't automatically accessible to just anyone.

Picposturous allows you to create albums, after first noting a location. Pictures can be arranged by location and even particular events. To use, simply list your city, such as Boston or Indianapolis or Chicago. All photos from that city can be separated into specific albums and when searching for the photos you simply go list a specific location to see all photos associated with that area.

Finally, Darkslide is only for Flickr users (and it is worth becoming one to use this app). It is possible to browse through the Flickr stream of photos and view photos from friends or contacts. You can then organize photos by various categories such as particular friends or groups. For those who haven't been introduced to the advantages of Flickr, give it a try and see if this is a favorite iPhone app for photo organization.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Sony A55 and Think Tank Photo Camera Bag - Total Camera Equipment Solution


Sony has set the bar a notch higher with the launch of its latest SLT Alpha A55 or simply the Sony A55. It is a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera with interchangeable lens. The SLT or 'single lens translucent' technology sets this camera apart from any other DSLR and mirror less interchangeable lens camera, the SLT does have mirrors but the mirrors in this camera let most of the light pass through the sensor. This camera can also capture HD video at 1920 X 1080. Another major plus point in this entry level DSLR is, the built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) which, when activated can geotag your images directly off the camera. This can be used in association with geotagging services likes Eye-fi, Flickr, Google Map, and the likes.

Some of the key specifications of Sony A55 are:

• Total 16.7 MP, 16.2 MP effective
• Fixed semi-translucent mirror
• Max ISO 12,800
• Built in auto pop-up flash
• Memory stick/ SD card slot
• External Microphone socket
• Built in GPS
• Face detection
• 3.0 (7.6cm) 921699 dot TFT display
• MP-FW50 battery
• AC adaptor for external power source
• 124.4 x 92 x 84.77mm (W x H x D )
• Weight 441 grams approx.

Now, in order to keep a state-of-the-art camera like the Sony A55 safe; we need a state of the art storing unit which is light, portable and comfortable but at the same time durable, safe and secure. And nobody can serve this purpose better than 'Think Tank Photo ', these bags keep the camera stable and give it no room to move about. The flexible but thickly cushioned wall of these bags hold the camera, lens or its other accessories in place sturdily. So it doesn't matter if you're taking a stroll in a park or an African safari, your camera will always be safe and sound.

Think tank photo is a group of pro photographers and designers who came together in January 2005, and decided to use their creative knowledge and intricate skills for one common purpose - to design safe and secure camera bags. This helps photographers in taking pictures faster, keeping their gear and accessories safe and secure from dust, water and accidents. They design products like rolling camera bags, camera backpacks, straps and harnesses, camera rain covers, holster camera bags, skin component systems, sling bags, and several other remarkable options to keep your prized possessions safe from any mishap.

Careers in Photography


From exotic locales to magazine covers to newspapers, a career in photography will allow you to unleash your creativity and to choose exactly how you want to pursue it.

What Can Photography Schools Do For You?

These schools essentially help you to develop creative and artistic skills, along with the technical abilities that are necessary for you to become a professional photographer. Students can pursue lucrative and satisfying careers by blending photography and art to fit their specific interests. The courses provided are wide-ranging and technical, and provide training in the use and care of cameras, and in handling the intricacies of film development.

The training includes instructions on conventional cameras and other equipment, digital photos, types of lenses, length of exposures and the various techniques used for developing prints. Several universities and colleges award degrees in photography such as Associate of Arts (AA), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA). In addition, some schools provide graduate level courses for certificates in photography with advanced techniques. Students can select photography as either a major or a minor subject, or they can choose special photography classes simply to pursue their interests.

These schools encourage and develop originality, creativity, resourcefulness, personal expression and individual style through their training programs. The curriculum consists of digital and film techniques, lighting, camera basics, portraiture, fine arts, digital imaging software, and composition and darkroom printing techniques.

Many schools also offer courses in illustration, documentary film making techniques, designing, commercial advertising, presentation skills, business skills, photojournalism, and how to set up a studio for aspiring photographers. Photography school graduates can specialize in sports, marketing, news, portraiture and several other professions within the vast field of photography. Bachelor and Associate Degrees provide entry-level positions as artists, technicians, and assistants in commercial photography.

Careers in Photography If you acquire a comprehensive basic education from any school or college, then here are a few of the fields you can specialize in:

o Digital Photography

o Fashion Photography

o Editorial Photography

o Advertising Photography

o Wedding Photography

o Documentary Style Photography

o Photo Technician

For gifted people who are naturally talented, photography as a career can be very lucrative and bring fame. Indeed, many professional photographers have reached the top of this field, and are highly sought after for their services. Here are a few careers in photography that students can pursue:

o Newspaper and Magazine Photographer - Although freelance photography is more lucrative, photographers who are just getting started can make a name for themselves through newspapers and magazines.

o Advertising Agencies - In advertising agencies, photographers make ads for various campaigns. You can grow in this field and even become an art director or a supervisor for operations.

o Fashion Shooting - Working in fashion shoots involves hard work, but is a stimulating experience. Photographers conceptualize and direct the shoots. Many fashion houses employ photographers.

o Event Photographer - Events like weddings and concerts or debuts require photographers to document the function.

o Freelance Photographer - Freelance photography is a challenging but satisfying and exciting career. There are a number of international organizations like the UNICEF that hire professional photographers to make various documentaries in remote areas.

Photography careers are as artistically rewarding as they are profitable. For all those with a creative bent of mind and an artistic eye, a career in photography can open a wide vista of opportunities.

Trusting God and Knowing He is There Even During Hard Times


As Christians on the earth, representatives of Christ and Ambassadors of God, we will nonetheless endure trials and tribulations. Rough times do not pass us by, although oftentimes we wish they would. During many of the rough times we are being molded for a future that God has been planning all along. As Christians we wish many of our heartaches in life - stress on the job, stress finding employment, marital problems, lack of finances, raising our children, illnesses, etc. - would not come to us. But God never said our lives would be perfect because we've dedicated it to Him. Yet He did say that He would always be with us.

Recently I was at the Lighthouse Church in Charlotte, NC, where I watched an incredible short film. In the film was a man who played God having a discussion with an ordinary Christian man. God explained to him that many of the trials and tribulations He is going through is simply His molding process. In the film God actually had a chisel in his hands with a hammer. He was chiseling on and around the man. God called out a few of the positive things He saw in the man even while He chiseled away the imperfection of lust. At certain times during the molding the man voiced his pain during the process. God explained to him that it might not feel good, but is definitely required for him to become the person He was creating him to be.

Phillippians 1:6 says "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." The Bible says in Romans 5:3 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."

We must remember all that God has told us in His word when we look at each unique situations we go through. If you don't know what God says about your situation, it is imperative that you look it up in His word. Simply put, you cannot stand on the word of God if you don't know what it says about your life. No matter what it is, God will never allow His children to go through it alone. I challenge you today to take a stand against the situation that has you distressed. Look at the enemy and tell him that he is already defeated in Jesus name. Give Him the word that God has given you in your specific situation.

At the time of me writing this article during tough economic times, I am unemployed. In addition, my unemployment is suppose to end soon. I could give up right now in so many ways. However, even during these tough economic times I will "continue" to trust God. I don't know how God is going to work it out, but I "will" stand in faith. Giving up for me is not an option. I have people God is using me to encourage, perhaps it is you. So, I challenge you today to see even the good in the middle of your storm. I challenge you to say aloud to yourself today, "giving up for me is not an option" Say it as many times as needed until you believe what you are confessing out of your mouth.

Our enemies are mighty, and we are without strength, but our Redeemer is almighty, and in the power of HIS might we can overcome!! Spiritual strength and courage are needed for our spiritual warfare and suffering. We must put on the full armor of God. If we want to win, we must come completely prepared to fight. God has given us the tools for the battle, now let's use it!

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" even until the end.

Copyright (c) 2010 by Terri Smalls

In the Job Shadow - Cinematography Careers


Behind the Scenes

Though he just graduated from New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts, New York, NY, this past year, cinematography buff Ryan Richmond has already made a name for himself in the film industry. His secret? Getting a head start. While in high school, this Washington D.C. student scored internships producing promos for the Discovery Channel, editing for CNN, and working for BET. He believes the best time to get started on cinematography careers is when you're a student. "Any company is likely to open doors to high school students for internships," Richmond affirms. "They're more available and easier to get when you're younger." As a film and TV production major with a cinematography concentration at the prestigious Tisch School, Richmond continued to make his presence known. During his summers, he worked as a direct marketing associate for Eastman Kodak Company's Entertainment Imaging Division, New York, NY. He also provided freelance camera work on small budget features and music videos. "Freelancing was an extension of class," he explains. "I practiced what I was learning in school."

Camera Rolling

Probably one of the greatest learning experiences of Richmond's career thus far was working as a camera intern on Spike Lee's recent film 25th Hour. "It was the ultimate classroom," declares Richmond. "I got an unlimited backstage pass in exchange for working for him." Another highlight he cites was directing the short film Money Matters, and earning a 2001 nomination for the Independent Film Project's (IFP) Gordon Parks Award, a grant to showcase and encourage the work of African-Americans in the IFP Market. "It was the first short to be nominated for the award," he boasts. Richmond is currently working as a producer for Faith in the Hood, a documentary of faith-based rehabilitation programs in Washington, D.C. "It's a good experience as far as learning how to produce in a subject matter that is so touching."

And... Action!

Richmond does have one caveat about cinematography careers, though: Filmmaking careers are not for the faint of heart. "Coming out of school, it's a tough industry," he cautions. "Be prepared to build your way up and pay your dues." For this filmmaker, however, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. "I enjoy telling stories and making beautiful imagery," he shares. "It's worth it if you're doing what you want to do." Ultimately, Richmond's advice for future filmmakers is to get educated. "School teaches you the technical aspects of filmmaking careers, which is really beneficial when you're out there in the field," he asserts. "It puts you leagues ahead of the game."

Top 10 Art Schools


The top 10 art schools focus on the visual arts, such as graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, and sculpture according to the author's best research results.

1. The California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture is at the progressive end of Earth Art and Ceramic Architecture technologies today.

2. Creative people require creative careers. The Art Institute of Phoenix leads the way to these opportunities. Programs focus on design- advertising, graphic, interior, and Web design.

3. The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute offers an self-governing research and academic program designed to encourage new approaches to the understanding of issues and objects from an adaptable style of art.

4. The Cranbrook Academy of Art, located in the affluent Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills, MI, is a prominent graduate school of architecture, art and design. Founded in 1932 by philanthropists George Gough Booth and wife Ellen Scripps Booth, it is part of the larger Cranbrook Educational Community, also founded by the couple.

5. The New York Academy of Art or Graduate School of Figurative Art is the only accredited school of its kind in the world. Blending the traditions of the Italian and French Academies, the Academy focuses on the study of the human figure by rigorously studying anatomy, art history, sculpture, painting, and drawing.

6. The New School of Classical Art (NSCA) offers the Atelier Method of art instruction and is based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. It was founded in 2005 by the Master Painter and Classical Realism (arts)Artist Dana Levin.

7. The China Academy of Art has the most complete range of degree offerings and programs of study in fine arts in China. There are eight schools under its jurisdiction offering Ph.D., master's and bachelor's degrees in fine arts, design, architecture, multi-media and film.

8. Iceland Academy of the Arts (Icelandic: Listaháskóli Íslands) is an Icelandic arts school which offers education in arts at university level.

9. The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy was formed to rival the Society of Artists after an unseemly leadership dispute between two leading architects, Sir William Chambers and James Paine. in Piccadilly, London.

10. The Royal Swedish Academy of Arts or Kungl. Akademien för de fria konsterna, founded in 1773 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden. The Academy is an independent organization, which acts to promote painting, sculpting, building and the other visual arts.