Making Photos; Part I – Making Photographs Rather Than Taking Photographs

Writen by Henry Bateman

The plethora of modern digital cameras has made the taking of photographs so much easier, but the making of a photograph is still as time consuming and as difficult an exercise as it has always been albeit a very rewarding one. At that point in time when you press the shutter a snap shot is taken what happens before and especially after that action is what makes for the breath taking photograph. The camera takes the snap shot the photographer makes the photograph.

A photograph like a work of art has 2 essential characteristics, it has to have something to say and it should demand attention. The more it has to say and the more profound the statements it has to make are what will push it into the realms of great art. It will engage its viewer in a conversation. How the abstract elements of line, space, form and colour are arranged will give it its wow factor, will make it stand out from the crowd. When these characteristics are both present working together with equal weight then a master piece is born.

So much of the advice on photography is concerned with the nuts and bolts of the craft. It centers around the operation of the camera, the taking of the photograph. Although handy this advice is often film centric with a manual mode of operation in mind and a pleasing snapshot as the desired end result. Today with the digital darkroom at our finger tips, the camera is just the recording device. A large number of inaccuracies recorded in the camera can be corrected with any half way decent editing software. Consequently, the mechanical operations of the camera are often best left to the machine. A photograph can be made with a fully automatic point and shoot with the judicious use of an editing program as long as the photographer’s aesthetic sensibilities turned on.

The most important thing that a photographer or an aspiring photographer can do is become visually literate. Look at the great works of art, if you’re lucky enough in the flesh if not in books or on the net and discover what makes them so great. Why is Picasso’s Weeping Woman, Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, or Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles considered such a great work of art. Look at the work of Irving Penn, William Eggleston or Helmut Newton and see how they communicated their ideas, how they use abstract elements in that communication.

Watch TV with the sound off, how well do the pictures tell the story? Listen to radio drama, what images can you imagine to fit with the dialogue? Look at pictures in magazines, is the explanatory text needed? As you become an active viewer of the visual stimuli that surrounds you so your visual literacy will grow. It will reach a point that your subconscious will throw up the visually interesting aspects of the scenes that surround you. If you can capture them with your camera, you are well on the way to making photographs.

In the second essay on Making Photos I will offer some tips and tricks that hopefully will enhance your ability to make photographs.

Henry Bateman is an artist/photographer, his work can be seen at http://www.pissedpoet.com

Move Up to the World of the Digital SLR Camera

Writen by Kevin Rockwell

A digital SLR camera or a single lens reflex (SLR) camera is one of the most popular cameras amongst photographers today. These cameras not only provide high quality images but the photographer can also largely control how he wants the final product to look like. Hence, people who are extremely fond of clicking pictures have a great time while using a SLR camera. If you have a creative spark in you then you will want to consider one of these at some point. I am using a Canon Rebel right now but the Nikon F6 is next on my horizon of my purchases. These are moving into the 8 mp and up range now so the quality is quite good.

The SLR is not cheap at all. The price historically started at about $5,000 – which is very steep. So, only those who are either professionals or wannabes purchased an SLR for themselves. Nowadays however, in order to make the SLR available to a larger number of photographers, companies such as Canon and Nikon have come up with SLRs falling in the price range of around $1000 without extra lenses.

What is it that attracts people to an SLR ? One of the main reasons is that an SLR produces pictures which are of much higher quality than point-and-shoot cameras. The contrast and color are extremely good since the lenses used in an SLR are of very good quality. It is an old maxim in the photography world that much of the quality in your images comes from the glass you put in front of the camera. The better the glass the better the photo, it worked in the film days and it still works in the digital age. The camera is important but don’t skimp on the lens.

The photographer can change the lenses in an SLR, depending upon the shot that he/she plans to take. For example, a wide angle lens is used to take pictures of landscapes such as animals in the wild while telephoto lenses help to take extremely detailed pictures of small objects. Thus, one can pick and choose according to the environmental needs. Today some of the manufacturers have started building in image stabilization to their lenses. This really helps when taking long focal length images. While it uses additional power it can be extremely useful.

In addition to the above, the creative opportunity available to the photographer is much more in a SLR than a regular camera. This is because of the fact that a SLR has a lower contrast and image sharpening features. Hence, the photographer can do a lot of editing on his own to get the kind of effect that he desires. This can be viewed as a disadvantage as well by those who are not truly photo enthusiasts. So, for you guys, a point-and-shoot camera is the best option as not only is it cheaper but also adjusts things automatically.

Since a SLR is comparitvely more expensive than other digital cameras, it is very important that you get yourself a proper insurance for the camera. Especially if you plan to travel a lot with your SLR, insurance is extremely important. And also make sure that damage protection does form a part of the insurance deal as some insurance policies do not provide it. So, read the fine print before signing on the dotted line!

Kevin Rockwell worked as a network TV cameraman for 20 years shooting news and sports. Now a devoted fan of digital photography and video he works to gather information, tips and news for digital camera users. Oh and he loves to shoot pictures of his kids playing sports.

http://www.great-digital-cameras.com/gdcj.html

Love Digital Photography? Then Choose Your Camera Carefully

Writen by Amy Renfrey

If You Love digital photography, then you will find that one of the first questions that pop into your head will be “which digital camera is right for me?”

No matter where you go and whom you ask in the digital photography world, you will not find a single answer. You see in digital photography choosing a camera is about as personal and individual as choosing a car, or a career. And just like a car or career, a digital camera should give you satisfaction and great results with minimal headaches.

To get started on working out which digital camera is right for you here’s a good start:

1. How much can you afford to spend?

Hey, we all want the latest canon Eos 5D, but lets face it not all of us have that money to spend our digital photography passion. Some of us have only $500, or $1000 or less. Cost is a huge factor in digital photography because you’ll find, like anything the higher up you go, the better lens and functionality of the digital camera. That doesn’t mean to say the $500 is rubbish compared to the $1000 digital camera. It just means there will be less things it can do.

2. What do you want to do in digital photography?

Its great, in digital photography, to have the latest “whizz-bang” lens with all the bells and whistles, but if you just want to take family photos at home, you will probably find that the lens on most semi-pro digital cameras are pretty good for basic digital photography techniques. However, on the other hand if you want your digital photography to be complete with telephoto capabilities, macro functions and everything in between, the semi-pro digital camera’s lens won’t be enough. Sure it’ll have a basic optical zoom and a “close up” setting but to get professional digital photographs, you’ll need attachable lenses. And you can only attach external lenses onto a digital slr, in other words a professional digital camera.

3. How durable do you need the digital camera to be?

If you want your digital photography experience to be complete with long life battery capabilities, a sturdy body and light weight for easy handling then this needs to be assessed accordingly. Its not good having a digital camera that’s sensitive to a lot of handling if you want to use it at football games, for traveling and for anything else. Choose a body that’s pretty sturdy and where you can easily and safely store it out of harms way.

4. Match and Challenge

Its no good in digital photography, if you buy a digital camera that has settings and buttons you have no idea what they mean. An associate of mine bought a Nikon D70 about 3 years ago and his photos were terrible. He only bought it because it had just come out at the time. But he spend top dollar just to have the image of a good camera. Digital cameras have many functions and settings, so make sure that if you are going to get a professional digital slr camera, that you know how to use it. Or else aim for something smaller and easier to understand. If you intend to “upgrade” your digital photography knowledge, then great, go for the complex camera, but if not, don’t get something you really don’t need; match your knowledge to the digital camera.

5. Read Digital Camera reviews

The first thing I did when I decided to upgrade (I upgraded as my photographic skills and understanding increased) was head straight to reviews of digital cameras. In a nutshell I wanted to know others peoples experience with certain cameras. I made an assessment that I wanted the top lenses in a camera- that was very, very important to me. So I looked at the Canon D series. You see the people in the shop will never tell you anything else but how that camera is THE one that will solve all your photographic challenges. But don’t fall for it; they’re not photographers, they’re retail people. They are still valuable but they are not an expert in what you are looking for.

Okay so that’s a good start with your digital photography. Just remember to asses what your digital photography needs are and work from there. Don’t be swayed by opinion, be confident in your own abilities.

Camera – Tips About Going Digital

Writen by Elisabeth Haywarden

After seeing all the hype about digital cameras on television and watching all your friends endlessly taking hundreds of shots of their children in just moments, you’ve decided to go digital. If you’ve begun looking around the web or in nearby stores, you’ve surely realized that there is no end to the variety of digital cameras.

How do you know that the sales clerk isn’t trying selling you the highest priced camera in the building? How do you know if you’re really getting great quality at a fabulous price?

Before you begin shopping, determine your needs. Are you planning to use your camera to start taking photography classes, so you want a camera that will last and grow with you? Are you looking for a camera with a lot of capabilities for vacations and your child’s big events that will be easy to carry? Are you looking for something small and easy to carry for nights out with your friends?

For each of these situations, you would want to choose a different camera. You can spend your money wisely if you get a camera that has only what you will really need that’s practical for you to use.

You’ve probably heard hundreds of different terms dealing with digital cameras; here are some of the most important.

First, there is the famous megapixel, which describes the resolution, or the capability to produce larger, higher-quality prints. The higher the megapixel, the better the resolution.

If you’re only interested in printing 4 x 6 or 5 x 7 pictures, a 2-megapixel camera will be fine for you; however, if you’re planning to print larger 8 x 10 prints, you will need at least a 3-megapixel camera.

Another important aspect of your new digital camera will be its battery life. Digital cameras use batteries up quickly, and you will want to be certain your camera lasts through important events.

Buying a camera in which batteries will last for between 200 and 400 pictures is highly recommended by most experts. Although this may seem like a lot of pictures, one of the greatest qualities of a digital camera are its ability to capture many moments quickly and easily.

Other important capabilities that you should consider when purchasing your new camera are its zoom potential and storage capacity.

The zoom is especially important when you’re at major events, such as a basketball game or your child’s play. You want to get the closest, clearest pictures possible. Optical zoom produces clearer pictures, on average, than digital zoom.

As with battery life, the storage capacity of your camera can greatly affect the number of pictures you are able to take at a time. The recommended storage capacity for the average digital camera owner is between 32MB and 128MB.

Now that you have some ideas about what to look for in a digital camera, head out to the store or the Internet to find the perfect camera for you and your family. Many websites will actually allow you to compare different cameras and their features.

By doing a bit of Internet research, you may be able to cut down some of your time in the store by having an idea of what you’re looking for. This capability to get a general idea of the quality and price you are looking for will save you time and money.

Elisabeth Haywarden’s articles on topics related to cameras and photography are published at For Camera, and FYN Photography.

Is your Digital Camera Compatible With Your Computer?

Writen by Douglas Rogers

So you recently bought a digital camera or perhaps your thinking about it. And perhaps you may be wondering how many pictures will your computer hold? First you need to answer a few questions to come to an accurate conclusion. First, how big is your hard drive and how much free space does it currently have? You can find the answer to that question by first left-clicking on “My Computer:” Right-click on “C drive.” A menu should appear. Left-click on “Properties.” A pie chart should be displayed that will show you the size of the hard drive and how much of the disk drive is free. Your next step is too know how many mega pixels does your camera have? A pixel is a light sensing cell on the image pickup device.

The higher number of pixels, the higher the resolution or picture quality of the camera. A higher pixel number will also require more storage space in your camera and computer for a picture. How much storage does each picture need? If you have a 2M pixel camera, a high resolution picture will require storage in the range of 500kb. Two 500 kb pictures would occupy 1 MB. If that one picture requires 500kB of storage, you should be able to store 2000 pictures of that size in 1 gigabyte of disk space. I usually store my pictures in one folder in my computer called “Camera Pics” and then create sub-folders within that folder with different names depending on the occasion the pictures were taken at for easy reference later on.

Most camera manufacturers will provide software to allow you to transfer and edit pictures from your camera. But some of that software is not the easiest to install and operate. There are a few ways to do the transfer without the camera software. If your camera has a memory card, you can buy a memory card reader and use it to read the pictures from your camera. The memory card reader plugs into a free USB connector on your computer. When you plug a memory card into the memory reader, you should notice a new hard drive on “My Computer.”

Your computer will consider the memory device to be a hard drive and will allow you to manage pictures as if they were files on a hard drive. Many new cameras are directly supported by Microsoft XP If you plug a USB cable into the camera and a USB slot on the computer, you might discover that your computer knows how to read the pictures off the camera. Digital cameras offer an economical way to get into photography. After you pay for the camera, it doesn’t cost anything to take pictures. You just need a computer to allow you to view and save your pictures. After you have saved a bunch of pictures in your computer, I suggest you to transfer them to a CD or DVD. If you do not, someday you may lose all your pictures if your computer ever crashes.

One other thing you need to be aware of is that older computers will have a hard time working the large megapixel cameras that are being produced today. If you have an older computer and go out and buy yourself a 8 or 10 megapixel camera, you may suddenly find you that you may have to buy a new computer too, or at least upgrade the one you have. The hefty picture files that are created by these large megapixel cameras use a tremendous amount of computer memory and can cause an incompatible computer a lot of problems.

The average needs of most people really do not require a large megapixel digital camera unless you plan on printing large photos. So it is best to keep this general rule in mind when considering a digital camera. A typical 2-megapixel camera will produce a very good 4 x 6 inch image using a typical desktop color inkjet printer. With a 4 -megapixel camera, you can turn out a very good 8 x 10 print, which is the largest print anyone who is not a professional is likely to need.

Doug Rogers has worked as a freelance photographer for the past 25 years in various fields of photography. In the past two years he has become an avid and devoted fan of digital and video photography and a life long lover of new technology. For tips on better digital photography and the latest reviews on the newest digital equipment that hits the market, Subscribe to his monthly Newsletter “The View Finder” at http://www.best-digital-cameas-review.com

Photography: 10 Obvious but Overlooked Tips

Writen by Jill Tabatabaei

1. Use both hands and hold the camera STILL.

There you are next to one of the Pyramids in Egypta perfect picture opportunity. You hand your camera to another tourist passing by hoping to get a fantastic shot. When you view the picture on your digital camera (after the person has gone) or you get your photos developed, all you see is a big blur! Now you are left with a completely useless picture that could have been something amazing.

Let us say that your photo turned out only slightly blurred and you try to enlarge your photo when you get home from your trip. When you go to pick up the blown up version it looks pretty bad. Even photos that are slightly blurred will never make quality enlarged prints!

The question you may be asking is “should I tell a perfect stranger to make sure he/she holds the camera still?” YES! Do not hesitateespecially when it is a once in a lifetime photo opportunity. Others will understand because they have probably been in a similar situation.

Sometimes it can be difficult to remain steady with a smaller camera because you think you have a better handle on it. Take the time to make sure you are holding it as still as possible.

One more tip for quality enlarged printsmake sure you have enough light on your subject if you want the best color quality. This topic will be expanded in tips 4 & 5.

2. Watch out for too much ceiling!

My family was visiting New York several years ago and wanted to see the statue of Liberty. While there, I handed my camera to someone to get a picture of us(back in the day when I did not have a digital camera) and when I got the pictures developed I had to laugh.

The five of us were cut off at the neck, but there was PLENTY of sky above us. Do not get too much sky unless that is your intention.

3. To check focus, hold the shoot button halfway down.

This goes along with tip 1; make every effort to have a clear photo and you will be much happier with your prints.

4. Make sure light source is behind you, not your subject.

What will happen if you do not follow this advice? In extreme cases, the subjects in your photos will look like dark silhouettes. Take the time to stop and think about where your light source isyou want it to be behind youALWAYS.

This tip will also prevent weird-looking shadows on people’s faces. To avoid squinting subjects, count to three before you take the picturethis allows others to close their eyes until just before the photo is taken.

5. Use a fill flash even when it is not automatic.

REMEMBER: Your flash will NOT come on if there is light in the backgroundlearn how to set the flash on your camera and learn how to turn it off. The colors in your photos will be much better if you use a flash and the subjects will also be clearer.

Watch out for too much lightthis can make your subjects look washed out.

6. Remember that a flash only carries 7-9 feet

This is a good tip to remember at the next concert or big event you attend. It always makes me laugh when I see a bunch of flashes going off throughout an entire dark performancethose pictures turn out terribly.

7. Shoot your subject at a closer distance

Far away pictures of people are rarely interesting. Do not be afraid to get close-up shots; these are the ones that people typically frame and enjoy looking at the most.

8. Avoid red eye by not shooting in low light.

If you are in low light, use your red-eye reduction if you have one. HOWEVER, if you can avoid this altogether that would be best.

9. Enhance your photo with touches of COLOR

On one particular day when I lived in British Columbia, I wanted to get some photos of the ocean and the sky, but it was kind of a grey day and everything looked the same color. I decided to have my daughter stand in the picture because she had a red coat on and it made such a difference! Adding color to your photos will make them much more interesting.

10. Be prepared to “seize the moment!”

If you come across something spectacular, snap away. The more pictures you take, the more likely it is that one of them will turn out the way you want it too. My children sometimes give me a hard time for this, but I almost always end up with a photo that I am very satisfied with.

Jill Tabatabaei is the founder of thecoloredstone.com where professional nature photography and cards are sold. She received these tips from artistic photographer Anne Stewart, who has been taking pictures professionally for the last 40 years. To see some of Anne’s work, visit: http://www.thecoloredstone.com/naturepictures.html

Your Many Options In Digital Imaging

Writen by Jonathan G. Michel

If you don’t know what to do with the many digital photos that you have stored on your hard drive, do what my daughter did. Using Windows Movie Maker, for father’s day, she chose the best pics and added descriptions with some some of my favorite music, and put it in a movie. She then saved it to a CD and gift wrapped it. Wow! It was wonderful seeing flashbacks of our family life in that fashion.

If you’re not happy with the outcome of some of your digital photos, but would still like to use them, why not use many of the free utilities or software available to put some finishing touches to them. They are not that complicated to use and are cheap – actually free. There are quite a few of them, but here we’ll focus on the most popular choices and user friendly. With these softwares, you’ll be able to store and organize, edit and share, all of your favorite little treasures.

There’s a software called Picasa (picasa.google.com), probably named after Picasso. Picasa from what I’ve gathered is a full-featured application, very sophisticated, giving high-end results, and extremely ‘user friendly”.

With it’s easy to use buttons, sliders, and fade-out transitions, its got to be one of the easiest software in digital imaging to use. It does all the basics such as sorting, organizing, viewing slide shows, resizing for emails, and CD photos, but does much more and with such ease.

You can also add keywords or keyword phrases, captions, create collage, back up your work. You can crop, do fill lighting, highlighting, colour temperature, and yes soft focus. It’s a very impressive image editor for the price – free.

Digital imaging can be lots of fun and with the ability to create slide shows on cd’s, it also makes for great gifts. In addition, aside from arranging a number of photos or images in a sequence, you can ‘pan’ across a still image giving the illusion of motion. You can also vary the time that the images stay onscreen using a timeline, and add audio, whether it be some voice track for narration or your favorite music track.

You want to keep in mind when creating a presentation such as my daughter did, that less is better. Pick a few well-chosen images that will make an impact. What she did was choose images of all of my kids growing up in family situations and fun. It may me realize how time had flew by and how quickly they grow up. It actually brought a tear to my eyes. It told a story of our family life and brought a lump to my throat. I didn’t realize it then, but there was a message in that presentation. I couldn’t have received a better gift!

Corrective Portraiture

Writen by Kenneth C. Hoffman

Why do you like some portraits of yourself and not others? The answer lies in the way the portrait was taken and how close your portrait comes to the accepted idea. People like to think that if a portrait of themselves is needed, they might as well look their best. A portrait photographer must evaluate the overall look of a person and devise a plan to show the person in their best light.

Every characteristic of the face can be emphasized or minimized with the proper use of lighting, angle, lenses and view point. A broad light source ‘wraps around’ rough or pitted skin, making it appear smoother. Conversely, a small source of light increases the effect of texture and brings out the surface corrugations of the skin. a soft filter blurs the edges of detail, further smoothing the skin while having a minimal effect on more substantial features, like eyes and ears. So if the subject benefits from a smoother look, use all the methods above in addition to a good makeover.

A high camera angle is an important tool for the portrait photographer. When a subject looks up into the lens, neck wrinkles disappear and the eyes appear larger. Excellent for a person with bangs, a high camera angle emphasizes a broad forehead and diminishes a too strong chin. A low camera angle on the other hand strengthens a weak chin (good for men), increases the drama in a strongly lit pose, and fosters a feeling of candidness in the picture.

A normal lens (50mm on a 35mm camera) shows a view of 46 degrees and comes closest to portraying the human face and body (down to the waist) in a normal perspective. The foreshortening neither helps or hinders the perspective of the facial features. A two X telephoto lens (100mm) reduces the foreshortening by fifty per cent, flattening the perspective in a flattering manner. Large noses are rendered shorter, the differences in the right and left sides of the face are noticeably minimized, and a turned body has more equal proportions when compared to each other. Photographers call this focal length a ‘Portrait Lens’. If even less foreshortening is required, a 150mm or 200mm lens could be used. Wide angle lenses should be judiciously used: never within six feet of a face and never tilted up or down more than one degree. Outside these perimeters will give up distortions of the unflattering kind, undesirable unless an extreme effect is needed for a specific purpose or an ‘outr

10 Top Tips to Getting Great Holiday Photos

Writen by Sean McCarthy

Do you ever get back from a fantastic holiday disappointed with the photos you’ve taken? Do your holiday snaps fail to live up to the exotic locations you visited? Blurred objects, wonky horizons, subjects with parts cropped off to mention but a few of the commonest ailments.

Well don’t worry. With a little help and advice we can all take pictures of which we can be justifiably proud. It does not matter how basic your camera is, it is the person that takes great photos not the camera. Good results can be achieved even with the camera in a mobile phone if some basic guidelines are followed.

Over the last couple of years I have really come to appreciate the photos I take when I am on holiday. They bring back so many memories of the good times with friends and family and also of the places, people and things we have seen. If a photo captures the atmosphere of the time and location it can be wonderfully evocative of some of our happiest times.

This article is about taking better holiday photos but there are a couple of things I should mention first with regard to travelling with a camera. I’ll be brief so here they are.

Make sure you have adequate insurance both for yourself and your belongings especially if you have an expensive camera, even basic digital models can be fairly pricey. Cameras are not affected by X-ray machines so you can pack them in hand luggage without worry. Make sure they are adequately protected if packed in your main luggage such as wrapping in towels and being placed in the centre of your suitcase, although if it is here it will not be available for photo opportunities en route.

Also, if you are travelling with a digital camera be sure to take enough memory for storing the photographs you take. A spare memory card and battery are a good idea in case of failures. Keep your camera clean and in good order by getting a carrying case and taking a camera lens cleaning cloth or glasses cleaning cloth.

So you have arrived and you have a clean, working camera with plenty of power and memory. Here are my top tips for great holiday photos.

Get sharp pictures by avoiding camera shake. Frame your shot, control your breathing – I find gently exhaling as I take the photo helps – and gently squeeze the shutter button. Steady yourself by leaning or resting on any available solid objects such as tables, doorways, walls, trees, fences etc. If there is nothing available stand with your legs a little way apart and tuck your elbows into your body as this will help stabilise the camera as much as possible.

Frame the shot carefully. How many times have we seen trees or lampposts growing out of people’s heads or with the tops of their heads cut off by the frame of the photo? Keep objects, including fingers away from the lens of the camera. Easily done if you have a camera with a view finder where you do not see through the actual lens of the camera.

Compose your photos for added interest. Use strong lines within the composition to lead the viewers’ eye into the shot, such as a path or road, to a focal point. Try to find something to add foreground interest in wider scenic views such as a plant or rock. Pretty much anything will do. Try turning the camera on its side for portrait format pictures or tilting it to add drama to your photos.

Look for details in objects and locations for example the texture in rippled sand or the patterns in local fabrics. Closer shots of objects that are common to the area you are staying in such as pottery, local plants or architectural details can often say as much about the place as panoramic postcard type shots.

Take photos in the early morning light or wait for the hour before sunset. The light at this time of day is much warmer than the harsh blue light of midday and will be much more atmospheric. Strong side lighting from a sun low in the sky can also produce interesting shadows within the landscape.

Get up early – I can hear you groaning – and capture the deserted beach or local town. Usually full of tourists, holiday destinations change character when empty of people and you may be able to take home some different photos of a well known location.

Move in closer to your subject. Really fill the frame with the object your are photographing. Many times I have ended up with a photo that does not capture the essence of the subject as it is lost within other distracting elements. So move in close and then closer still and photograph from different angles to get the most powerful image.

Take photographs of the local inhabitants but ask permission first. It can be quite daunting but it will avoid causing offence on personal, cultural or religious grounds. Most people are happy to oblige and interacting with the locals will enrich your holiday experience as well as provide you with great photos.

If the weather is bad get out and take photos. On many occasions I have seen beautiful atmospheric shots taken in dull rainy weather. It changes the character of a place and provides a different view than the normal one. If you are at the coast and the weather turns stormy you are in luck. Crashing waves and dramatic skies make for awesome images.

Use a frame within a frame. What I mean is use some thing like a doorway or a window to create a frame around your subject. Other ways could be to use trees or plants, the entrance to a street or opening to a square to frame a shot. These pictures can be very effective as they allow the viewer to place themselves within the photo and be part of the scene as you saw it.

Make a statement with your photos. Photograph the old and new next to each other. The modern and the traditional, decay and vitality, rubbish in a tidy place, poverty in the midst of riches. This sort of picture can tell the story behind the location and some are easily worth a thousand words.

Look for strong graphic images such as silhouettes at sunset or sunrise, dramatic combinations of colours, patterns of line and form. This sort of picture may end up being completely abstract but very interesting and satisfying all the same.

Use the sky. Very often the sky can be as interesting as the landscape beneath. Think sunsets and sunrises, storm clouds, fluffy summer clouds, single clouds, unusual shaped clouds etc. Balance the sky with what is in the landscape. It there is not much interest on the ground place the horizon low in the frame and include more sky and visa versa.

If you have a digital camera then you can check the shot that you have just taken and correct any mistakes as you go. Use this facility to edit your photos and delete those that you don’t like to save storage space on the memory.

My final words are experiment, get involved, have fun. Don’t be too stiff, relax and get into it. With digital cameras you can take as many photos as you want and just keep the good ones.

Beautiful Photographs and Meaningful Portraits On Location in Southern California

Writen by Scott Campbell

Tired of the same old studio portrait photographs with the same lighting, same background, same, same, same? Find a photographer that will go on-location, get out, go play, make it a day of fun somewhere that you love!

Taking pictures on-location isn’t a new concept. However professional, on-location still photography is usually reserved for fashion or magazine lifestyle pictures. Why is that?

Well for one, it’s much easier for the photographer to stay in the studio and spend an hour or so with each client. Take their pictures and move to the next customer. Also, it’s much easier for clients to just go into a studio for their annual family pictures and then head out on their daily routine. Yet pictures of this nature typically only capture a well lit, relatively uninteresting and dispassionate image of the customer.

Imagine however if you were to be able to go to your favorite spot, someplace you have a passion for and have your portraits taken? Wouldn’t you be more likely to enjoy the experience? Wouldn’t the photographs show you and others who you were at this time in your life? This type of photography is called On-Location Portraiture.

On-Location Portraiture is the Art of taking beautiful, meaningful, unique photographic images of people, families, friends, lovers, in a visually unique & personally meaningful setting. This style of photography is really a fun family friendly experience. Additionally people find it to be very spiritual, intimate and romantic. The resulting images and memories are unique because each location and each trip is a unique adventure. Generally you will find that you will receive:

- Images as art that tell a story about them.

- An exciting and fun experience to remember.

- Photographic memories that have real meaning beyond simply a beautiful picture.

Does this sound fun or what? So how do you get started?

The first thing to do is find a photographer that offers this kind of service, such as Scott Campbell, a Palm Springs Photographer. Once you’ve found someone willing to do this type of photography, interview them. You are going to spend a good part of a day with them so you better make sure you like them. Additionally, your pictures are guaranteed to turn out better if you like the photographer.

Another key aspect about your photographer is their ability to use natural light in their photographs. Natural light is perhaps the hardest and yet most rewarding lighting a photographer can work with. Used correctly, and the photographs will inspire emotions and feelings in the viewer that are nearly impossible to recreate with a studio lit photograph. Or used incorrectly and you will end up with a snapshot. Ask the photographer to see their portfolio or gallery of On-Location Photographs.

The next thing to do is choose a place, weather, time or all three. This may be a bit trickier. Everyone has their personal favorite place that holds deep meaning for them. Often these places are beaches, mountains, the desert or even a time of year or a type of weather. Usually these places bring out a passion and a certain beauty in a person that is unique to their experience in that location. There in lies the magic of On-Location Portrait Photography.

To find such a place you may need to spend some time thinking about what inspires you as a person, family, couple etc. Do you love to go beach combing together? Does riding a horse make you feel free? Does the city inspire you? Or maybe the deep blue sky at 7000 feet is your inspiration. These are the things you need to think about before choosing a location. If a place eludes you, yet you know the feeling you want to capture, use your photographer’s knowledge of their location surroundings. For example, Southern California and the Palm Springs area specifically contain some of the most stunning natural areas in the world. Ranging from the surreal windmills along I-10, the 8000 foot peaks surrounding the desert, the majesty of Joshua Tree and Santa Rosa National Monuments, the dunes of Kelso, the Pacific Beaches to the desolation of the Salton Sea, Southern California has plenty to choose from.

Once you have your photographer and your location, plan the date. If you would like to have your make-up done professionally, schedule an early morning appointment at a make-up counter or a salon. If the location requires permits now is the time to get them, not the day before. Got maps? Don’t get lost.

The time of day is absolutely critical to the quality of light available to you at your location. Typically the best light is either early morning or late afternoon/evening. Make sure your photographer knows the location you have chosen and knows the light at different times of day. Work with them to plan the timing to capture the best light time possible.

The day before your photography session eat well and get good sleep. Being tired and hungry on a long hike definitely shows up in pictures.

On the day of make sure you and your photographer are well prepared for the elements of your location. Bring water, some extra food, extra clothing and any portable beauty items you may need.

Make it a great fun day and you’ll come back with some amazing pictures to mark this time in your life.

For more information about On-Location Portraiture in Southern California contact the author, Scott Campbell http://www.scottcampbellphotography.com

Scott Campbell is a published, exhibited, award winning, professional photographer based in the Palm Springs area. He has a fine arts degree, 15 years creative experience and specializes in digital wedding photography, fashion, location portraits and fine art photography.