Archive for July, 2008

stock your kit with digital camera accessories

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

Stock Your Kit with Digital Camera Accessories

Writen by Kevin Rockwell

There are a large number of digital camera accessories available in the market today. Even though you might have invested a few hundred dollars in your digital camera (although they are getting cheaper by the day), you should buy yourself a few accessories as well so that you can enhance the photo quality of your pictures and be able to capture anything that comes along in your daily digital life.

Software that can help you to organize your images properly is one of the essential digital camera accessories that you need. Remember the time when you returned from a vacation with your friends and you had over 100 images to organize? This is when you realize the value of such software.

There are a large number of such software apps available today. These include image-editing programs such as Photoshop Element 3 by Adobe. This program is an improved version of the older Photoshop Album and consists of some great image organizing tools. Then, we also have the Digital Image Suite 10 by Microsoft that has some cool features that allow you to very easily arrange your images in a particular order.

In addition to image enhancing capabilities, another problem that one faces is that normally digital cameras come with a limited data storage capacity. And when you are out vacationing, it is not always possible to keep on loading your pics onto your laptop (especially if you are trekking up Mt. Everest). So, one of the most handy of digital camera accessories is a Memory Card or a Secure Digital Card. These are extremely cheap, i.e. the price starts from a mere $30 and increases according to the memory capacity that you need. They are available in all stores that sell office or computer related items. Stock up your kit with several extra memory cards and you will never run out of room to store your images.

Now that you have purchased a memory card, the next step is to go buy yourself a memory card reader. This will help you to get rid of your USB cable and can be used to read the memory card when you want to transfer photographs to your computer. These are extremely handy and can easily be carried around in your laptop bag while traveling. But ensure that you are picking up one that is USB 2.0 compatible, since the transfer speed is much faster than the regular USB 1.1. This new standard is awesome. Now you can achieve transfer rates via USB that rival fast drives.

Once you have started collecting digital camera accessories, you will realize that there are many, many items that you can purchase. These include lenses that can add an extra zing to your images, an extra flash to help you during times of crisis, filters for creative work, a tripod (I recommend a large version and a small lightweight plastic version that can be taken anywhere), a nice camera bag to hold it all in – and loads more. So, get going and start your collection. Protect that investment!

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

rule number eight

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

Rule Number Eight

Writen by Steve Barnes

Starting school can be a magical time in the life of a child. There are curious new sights and sounds, a complete and abrupt change in the familiar routine, and many unknown faces, some of whom may eventually grow to be their closest friends. And then there’s the teacher … a new authority figure … for many children, the first substitute for Mom. I remember the day my little Emma started to kindergarten. Her mom and I had to come to grips with some very mixed emotions that day. We shed some tears. For the past five years, she had been our little baby girl, and Mommies’ best friend. Although, we appreciated and shared in the fact that this day was a very exciting one in little Emma’s life, we were simultaneously saddened. See, Emma is our youngest of five children. We felt like our little baby girl was all in one instant grown up, and a beautiful and familiar chapter was closing in our lives.

When Emma burst into the room that first day after school, her mind was racing faster than her mouth could translate. Of course Mommy and Daddy listened intently as their little girl described all the details of her rich new world. “So Emma; how is your teacher? Is she nice? Do you like her?” “Yes Mommy, she’s very nice! I think I like her.” “So what did you learn at school today, Emma? Did you practice your ABC’s? Did you paint me a picture?” “Uh … no Daddy … we learned about the rules.” “The rules in your classroom? Can you remember them? Can you tell us?” Emma gazed up and to her left as if she was recounting the events of her first day in kindergarten, and then quickly she glanced back at us, eyes widening, and in her precious little girl’s voice, she said, “Well Daddy… rule number eight is … All boogies, are best left inside your nose!”

Emma’s mom and I just looked at each other, and then we both burst out laughing … Laughing under our breath of course, because we knew from the look in Emma’s face that the new teacher, the new rules, and especially rule number eight, had made a huge impact on our young daughter. This was serious. This would not be soon forgotten. This was Emma’s first day in kindergarten.

When we were first introduced to the world of portrait photography, we soon found that here too, there is a rule number eight. A rule that is so important, so serious, we absolutely must never forget it. Rule number eight applies always in the world of portrait photography, to be sure. But at no other time does it apply with the same importance as it does before a photo shoot. When we first began in portrait photography, I think we must have been somewhat aware of rule number eight, but we failed to fully appreciate the importance of remembering it always. We were in for a hard lesson.

It was a typically hot July day in Houston, when my wife took the call. “Who was that, Honey?” “A lady was calling to schedule a photo shoot for her family … her, her husband, her mom and dad, and her four children. She wants to come in at 7:00 Wednesday evening.” “Oh, that’s cool! Does she want a portrait of her whole family together?” “I think she does.” “Do you think we will have enough space to fit them all in our little studio?” “Well, we’ll just have to do our best.”

At a quarter till six that Wednesday evening panic struck hard in our little studio. We had one fully charged battery, and our battery charger was no where to be found. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Steve. How are you folks this evening? Please make yourselves comfortable and we’ll be right with you.” “Honey, you weren’t able to find the charger?” “No I couldn’t, we’ll just have to make do.” “Okay folks, sorry for the wait. Let’s go and do some outdoor shots in the garden first, while the light is good, and then we’ll come inside for the formal studio portraits you want. Did you want the whole family as a group portrait?” “Yes, we would like to get a formal group portrait of the whole family.”

The garden shots went really well that evening, despite our anxiety over having just one fully charged battery, and no battery charger. We finished up just before sundown, and then headed inside to start the formal studio shots. “This is our change room, if you would like to change now for your formal poses.”

“Hey Honey, this flash card is about 80% full, do you think I should download it before we start the formal shots?” “Yeah, it’s probably a good idea. You know, we really do need to get another card or two, so we won’t have this problem.” “Yeah I know. Can you just go out and talk to them while I download this? I’ll only be a few minutes.” Forty five minutes later, our clients were becoming impatient, and I was becoming very anxious. “I’m so sorry for the wait folks. We are trying to download your garden images, and our computer is running super slow this evening. It should only be a few more minutes though. Would anyone like a glass of iced tea?” Ten minutes later… “Okay folks, again I’m so sorry for the delay, but I think we’re ready to get started now.”

After a couple of test shots, tweaking the lights, and adjusting the overall exposure, we seated the first grouping. Mother and daughter … all went well… then… mother, daughter, and grandmother … everything was going fine… “Okay, now I think we’re ready for the whole family. Let me get the other guys back in here, and then we’ll seat you.” I spent the next five to ten minutes getting everyone seated and arranged just right. I explained and demonstrated masculine and feminine head tilt, proper poster , and hand posing for the most elegant effect. “Okay, everybody looks great. Give me a nice smile. On three… One…Two…Three … just a second … did that flash? Well, let’s try it again… nice smile everybody… One… Two… Three… Uh … still no flash? Uh, I’m so sorry. I don’t understand … we’ve never had a problem with this… Everyone just relax. Please, give me just a minute. I’m sure I can get it going.” This strobe set was practically new, and was in great working order. What happened that evening was that our one and only sync cord somehow failed. After 10 minutes of working frantically, accompanied by many unexpected flashes in our clients’ eyes (”Hey, it’s lightning in here! Could somebody please tell us what’s going on?”) as they sat their waiting on me, I finally admitted failure and gave up. The rest of the photo shoot had to be cancelled. What an embarrassment! What a blow to the reputation of our business! What a blow to our self esteem!

We did however learn a very valuable lesson that evening. The lesson is: whatever you do, never forget rule number eight, and especially before a photo shoot. Rule number eight for the portrait photographer is: Whatever you do, make sure you’re prepared. In portrait photography, being prepared for a photo shoot means, knowing in advance what the expected outcomes are. You should know who your subject is, what they are like, what their personal style is, and how best to reflect this in the portraits you create for them. You should know exactly what they have in mind as far as groupings, indoor or outdoor, and formal or casual. You should also be familiar with the setting you will be shooting in (e.g. what the obstacles are, what the lighting is like, what are the time constraints if any, availability of working power outlets, etc.). But probably, the most critical part of being prepared for a photo shoot is making sure you have backups for all your equipment. This means you should have a minimum of two camera bodies. You should have extra batteries for all cameras, flash units, light meters, etc. You should certainly have extra film, or if you shoot digital, you should have several flash cards ready to use. In the studio, you should keep on hand spare modeling lamps and strobe flash tubes, and you should definitely have a back up for your sync cord or radio slave system. It’s also a good idea to have an extra light stand, strobe unit, and power pack for your strobes. Whatever you do as a portrait photographer, never forget to remember rule number eight: make sure you’re prepared. May you have a very good day, and happy clicking.

> Steve Barnes is a professional portrait photographer, free lance writer, and co-owner of Hayley Barnes Photography, in League City, Texas. Please visit his website at: Hayley Barnes Photography. Elegant portrait photographer. Children, Families, High School Seniors, and Quincea

d2x digital slrcoolpix 8800 actually refers to two nikon cameras

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

D2X Digital SLRCoolpix 8800 Actually Refers to Two Nikon Cameras

Writen by W R Kirk

Addressing a D2X Digital SLRCoolpix 8800 search, this article provides a quick comparison of the Nikon D2X digital SLR and Coolpix 8800 cameras.

Nikon D2X Professional Digital SLR

Check out a Nikon D2X review or two and quickly realize this is a world class professional digital SLR. Instantaneous response and fast 37ms shutter lag allow the photographer to compose and take the photo instead of waiting for camera start-up, shutter or processing time.

The D2X sports a 12.4 megapixel DX format CMOS sensor capable of 5 FPS. Continuous mode can be increased to 8 FPS with a cropped field of view using 6.8 megapixels. The D2X SLR’s 4-channel color readout and advanced image processing algorithms deliver truer color and higher processing speeds.

Additional features such as i-TTL Speedlight technology, sYCC color profiling, and Advanced 3D-Color Matrix Metering II make the D2X digital SLR a professional photographer’s dream.

Nikon Coolpix 8800 Long-Zoom Digital Camera

An 8800 camera digital Nikon review search reveals a surprisingly compact mid-sized digital camera. With 8.0 effective megapixels and 10X optical zoom, this camera ranks at the top of Nikon’s Coolpix line. Vibration Reduction circuitry compensates for camera movement, allowing shutter speeds up to 3 stops slower without image blur.

The 8800 offers a choice of built-in flash or external hot-shoe. Nikon’s i-TTL flash technology delivers full flash zoom control with the SB-600 and SB-800 Speedlight units. In addition to fisheye, wide angle and telephoto converters, and other adaptors, Nikon 8800 filter options include neutral color, neutral density and polarizing filters.

Other Coolpix 8800 features include: 15 automated scene modes, 5 movie modes, and continuous shot modes up to 30 FPS. For the serious digital photography enthusiast the 8800 offers quality and features comparable to, but at a lower cost than digital SLR’s.

How Do These Cameras Compare?

Unlike many digital camera comparisons, comparing the D2X and Coolpix 8800 is not a true “apples-to-apples” comparison. Both models have a rugged but lightweight magnesium alloy body and high quality Nikkor lenses. And both feature i-TTL flash technology, multiple AF, scene, shot and exposure metering modes, plus aperture and shutter-priority settings.

The Coolpix 8800’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery will take up to 240 shots per charge, while the D2X’s (also lithium-ion) will take up to 2,000 photos on a single charge. DX Nikkor lenses for the D2X offer wide-angle views up to 180

digital camera information

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Digital Camera Information

Writen by Len Cecchetto

Digital Camera Software

A combination of a digital camera, a color scanner and image manipulation software is highly recommended. The software digital camera software that is included also provides professional level workflow solutions for seamless use.

Most of the software is designed for digital camera users, compatible with most current digital camera models.

photo editing software & photo printing software that’s renown for its ease of use. At last there’s easy-to-use digital camera software for both home and business users.

Image

The image sensor employed by most digital cameras is a charge coupled device (CCD). Some current digital camera models store combinations of video (MPEG or AVI movies), image sequences or sound. Although Canon’s images are slightly better, the Casio is an ultra-thin, sleek digital camera that doesn’t sacrifice overall image quality.

Easy-to-understand information about digital cameras, accessories, image editing and more. Image quality depends on the resolution of the digital camera. To make image files smaller almost every digital camera uses some form of compression. This EasyShare digital camera%u2019s resolution of 5 megapixels, 3x optical zoom and an all-glass lens combine for amazing image detail and clarity.

With an image stabilizer, this digital camera produces clear, even images even in shaky conditions. Resolution is the most talked about digital camera characteristic and is often used to describe image quality.

If you have the option, choose optical rather than digital image stabilization in your camera. It is probably the best digital camera made and produces image quality that rivals medium format film (e.g., 6×6cm Hasselblad).

Image processing for single-sensor digital camera: a mathematical challenge This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. A typical slave unit will fire on the pre-flash it senses while the digital camera captures the image on the last flash. The image quality available from digital cameras is astonishingly good.

Film

In fact, a digital camera is better quality than a film camera in many important respects! The digital cameras enjoy the advantage of a built-in digital signal processor that your roll of film doesn’t have.

Add an external or speed light flash to your digital camera or film camera. Many digital cameras are comparable to a 35 mm camera in price without the extra added cost of buying or developing film. Back to top Printing pictures Unlike with film cameras, you can print digital photos at home.

Is considering laying off the development of new film cameras as it focuses resources on its digital camera business. Though digital cameras don’t use film, they have adopted the same rating system for describing the sensitivity of the camera’s imaging sensor. So far, very few digital cameras have been produced with a receptor using the full size of 35mm film.

Whether you’re using film or a digital camera, bring a sturdy tripod. Shooting with a digital camera is somewhat like shooting slide film. A couple years ago, I got into the digital camera thing to the point that I pretty much parked my roll film cameras. The digital camera scenario is similar in that mega pixels are similar to film size. To design and build a high performance digital cine camera with the quality of 35mm film and convenience of a camcorder.

Quality

The quality of your pictures can be enhanced by the digital camera accessory you choose. You’ll find quality brands of digital cameras, 35mm cameras, lenses, video cameras, memory cards and camera accessories at great prices. An easy to use quality digital camera purchase will be fully used by staff and students. However, not all digital cameras can produce prints of the same quality. I wanted a go-anywhere high quality digital camera that’s user-friendly with both auto & manual controls. At the cheaper end of the digital camera scale, the quality can be remarkable for the price.

Buy

It is better to buy a digital camera with a 100% glass lens for the best pictures. Many retailers advertise their best buy digital camera as one with a plastic lens. You should also look for the best buy digital camera packages with the most RAM that you can afford. A lot of unscrupulous retailers will advertise a price for a best buy digital camera but then charge high shipping costs.

Finally, ensure that you have accounted for any shipping costs before you make your final decision over which best buy digital camera you purchase. There%u2019s never been a better time to buy a digital camera. Having to buy re-chargeable batteries and a charger will typically add from $20 to $100 to the cost of your digital camera.

As a person constantly taking photos I made this page as a lot of people keep asking me what digital camera they should buy. Find discount computers, cheap digital camera, buy digital cameras. Try before you buy – I’ve always been a firm believer that you should handle a digital camera before you buy it.

Size

Experienced digital camera users know pixel size isn’t everything. The small size and versatility allow easy integration of digital cameras into all parts of the curriculum. If you care more about price and features than compact size, choose a standard size digital camera.

There are three basic “sizes” of digital cameras, and knowing what size camera suits your needs will make your search much simpler. For digital SLR cameras with interchangeable lenses it’s more difficult as different cameras have different size sensors. This is why I am currently looking for an extra digital camera featuring a minimal size combined with a maximum amount of useful features.

These are about the size of a matchbook and used in digital cameras made by Nikon, Canon, Kodak and many others. When choosing a digital camera you have to think about the resolution of the pictures, size and memory. A larger inner diameter makes the L-Ring 3200 perfect no matter the lens size of your digital camera. This has nothing to do with your camera being digital it is entirely a result of smaller frame size.

Video

Webcams are digital cameras attached to computers, used for video conferencing or other purposes. However, modern digital photography cameras have a video function, and a growing number of camcorders have a still photography function. Modern compact digital cameras are typically multifunctional, with some devices capable of taking photographs, video, and/or sound.

Classification Digital cameras can be classified into several groups: Video cameras Professional video cameras such as those used in television and movie production. Some digital cameras have direct video out….. Another alternative, although not directly a digital one, would be to purchase one of the analog peephole video cameras.

Lens

The super multi layer lens coating reduces flare and ghost, a common problem with digital cameras. The vast majority of digital cameras are “point-and-shoot” models with a single, non-interchangeable lens. Because auto focusing in most digital cameras is done through the lens, the focus shift is automatically taken care of. Focus and Exposure: Fixed-focus digital cameras have a lens that is preset to focus at a certain range. These depend on the actual (as opposed to relative) diameter of the lens aperture, which makes them especially painful for digital cameras.

Memory

You can find a memory card reader or extra battery to keep your digital camera powered up for any circumstance. Some professional digital cameras and memory card readers connect to the computer over FireWire. SD is now the most popular type of digital camera memory. Many types of memory cards are available for use with your digital camera. Files deleted from PC, digital camera or memory stick can be restored with high speed and reliability. When using your digital camera to make movies it is also very important to have ample Flash Memory on hand too.

Battery

All digital cameras can run on rechargeable batteries of one of two types: an expensive battery pack or a set of AA batteries. A battery is taped to the inside cover of the box that the Olympus digital camera came in. Take a few moments to look around, keep your camcorder, digital camera or laptop computer working like new with a fresh battery today! The Digital Camera Battery can power two devices at the same time and has adjustable outputs that match each device automatically.

Photography

BytePhoto.com – Digital camera reviews, digital photography tips, forums and free photo sharing for digital photography enthusiasts. Jen Roesner from Germany has a whole site dedicated to digital infrared photography, including a comparison table of various cameras’ IR sensitivity. Not really necessary in digital photography as the camera’s white balance system adjusts for the color temperature of the scene. Back to school – Whether you are a novice or a professional, there are numerous free online courses in digital cameras and photography.

Looking

If you’re looking to upgrade, you can sell your old digital camera and use the funds to purchase that latest spiffy digital camera. Whether you’re looking for your first camera or you’re an experienced pro Digital Camera has what you need.

Len Cecchetto is an avid photographer who first had a box brownie. He aims to bring the best Digital Photography information

http://digitalphotography.ozmarketing.info/

help my old colour photo has turned pink 5 minute digital fix

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

Help! My Old Colour Photo has Turned Pink – 5 Minute Digital Fix

Writen by Gary Wilkinson

Almost all of us will have seen this particular photographic problem, namely, your old colour photographs appear to have taken on an overall pink or blue tint.

This is primarily due to the chemicals within the various layers of the photographic paper starting to breakdown, often due to age, and the way that the photographs have been stored.

In many cases it is due to reactants in the environment (remember acid rain?) causing a chemical reaction which results in the fading of certain colour pigments in the photo.

Pink and blue colour shifts are commonplace.

Luckily, these colour shifts can be easily corrected, using your favourite image manipulation software, in such a way as to be able to produce an acceptable corrected image.

In the example image on our web-site the “before” image of the house clearly shows a colour shift to pink.

Before we start using any of the image manipulation software tools we first need to access the photograph in question and determine the steps we need to take.

What do you know about the photograph in question?

Well … it’s a house with a front lawn of grass, a few bushes and flowers, what appears to be a blue rubbish or compost bin, and some (right now) pink edged clouds.

What else … ?

If you know the actual house, as I do (it is my sister’s), I can tell you the window frames are painted white/cream and the front lawn is always in good condition, lush and a deep green. The bricks are a sandstone colour and because this house is in the North of England it is fair to say that the colour of the sky when the photo was taken would most probably have been a bit grey/white and overcast.

The point of this exercise is to use “your mind’s eye” to try establish what the original photograph would have looked like and the end result you want to match as closely as possible.

Basic Correction Method

The Basic Correction method described here can restore colour faded or tinted photos and eliminate almost all of a particular colour cast.

The simplicity of the Basic correction method is that it only uses one command from Adobe Photoshop CS, namely the Levels command.

The “After” image on our web-site does still have a slight pink edge to the clouds, but the final image is more than acceptable for printing.

The source of the your problematic image may have come from a scanned negative, scanned print or digital camera image all converted to an image format (most probably .JPG pronounced “jaypeg”) that can be opened in your image manipulation software.

I will be using Adobe Photoshop CS, but almost all other image manipulation software packages have similar tools so the method described should be repeatable with your own software package.

Step – 1

Select the Levels command in Photoshop using Image->Adjustments->Levels.

A pop-up window will appear showing what appears to be a “mountain range” which is correctly called a histogram.

Below the histogram you will notice small black, grey and white arrow sliders.

What does the Levels Histogram tell us about the photo?

Well … the black arrow to the left hand side is well away from the “mountain range” telling us that the photo contains no (or very little) pure blacks.

Similarly, the white arrow on the far right tells us there is no (or very little) pure whites in the photo.

We already know this because the white areas of the photo as we perceived the original to be (i.e. the clouds and window frames) have the pink cast to them.

Also notice in the bottom right hand corner of the pop-up Levels window there are three “eye-dropper” buttons, one filled with black, one with grey and one with white.

These can be used to “sample” your photo and pick out where it is perceived the original black, grey and white areas of the photo are. These eye-droppers are what we will use in the basic correction of the photo.

Which one to use I hear you ask? Well it depends on the photo. I tend to favour using the grey eye-dropper first since I can usually evaluate a photo and find a mid grey part to sample from.

If your photo has a definite area of pure black or pure white then try the corresponding eye-droppers.

Remember one of the best tools to be using here will still be your eyes.

In our example image on our web-site I am going to use the grey eye-dropper and sample the cloud just above and to the left of the house roof-line because I think in the original this would have been a mid grey in colour.

Step – 2

Click on the middle eye-dropper button and then moving the mouse cursor to the photo, left click on the bottom side of the cloud.

What happened?

The histogram shape changed and you will notice that most of the pink colour cast has disappeared.

The clouds still have a tinge of pink to them, but on the whole the photo is starting to look like I think it should.

Overall though, the photo now looks a little flat.

Step – 3

Let’s have another look at the histogram.

Notice the black and white arrows still tend to be at the far left and right of the “mountain range“.

Left Click and hold on the black arrow and drag towards the start of the “mountain range” and watch the photo.

Repeat this for the white arrow on the right hand side.

The resulting photo has now been given a bit of a boost in contrast and more closely resembles what I think the original photo would have looked like.

In many cases, the technique of using just the Levels histogram and eye-droppers can produce an acceptable corrected image.

There is still a slight amount of pink in the bottom of the clouds of our example image, but the aim of the exercise was for a basic correction method using just one tool from Photoshop CS.

Less than five minutes of digital image manipulation to produce an acceptable corrected image.

If you find the steps being taken are a little hard to understand in this text based article, you can click on the link at the end of this article to see the same method explained on our website with the aid of example graphical images.

© Gary Wilkinson 2005 – All Rights Reserved

You can see this correction method complete with example images at Correction of Colour Faded or Tinted Photos

Feel free to re-print this article provided that all hyperlinks and author biography are retained as-is.

Gary Wilkinson is a photographer, photographic restorer and the owner of a photographic retail business. He is also the publisher of the http://www.restoring-photos-made-easy.com website, where other methods of correcting common photographic restoration problems are discussed.

pros and cons of battery technologies used in cameras choose the right one for you

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

Pros and Cons of Battery Technologies Used in Cameras – Choose the Right One for You

Writen by Ziv Haparnas

Like other portable consumer electronic devices digital cameras use batteries as their power source. In this article we will describe different battery technologies and their cons and pros. Armed with this knowledge you will be able to take into consideration the battery used when purchasing your next camera.

A camera usually supports just one type of battery either a disposable battery or a rechargeable one. The exception is cameras that are powered by standard AA, AAA or similar batteries. In most of these cases disposable and rechargeable batteries can be used interchangeably.

There are two battery types:

  • disposable batteries: can only be used once. They usually have a standard size and shape such as AA, AAA and so on. You can buy these batteries at most stores and once they are empty you simply dispose them (please help keep the environment safe and clean by disposing batteries only to special battery disposal containers).
  • rechargeable batteries: can be used multiple times. Some rechargeable batteries have a standard size and shape such as AA, AAA and so on. Such standard size batteries can be used anywhere that a disposable battery can. More often than not however rechargeable batteries have a proprietary shape and are compatible with just a few specific cameras. Once a rechargeable battery is empty you can place it in a special charger that will recharge it. The time it takes to recharge a battery, the number of times it can be charged and the life time of the battery are dependant on the technology used to build the battery.
  • There are pros and cons to using disposable or rechargeable batteries. The main advantage to using a disposable battery is that you can always buy a few to have with you to replace the ones that are empty and you can always get one in a store close-by in case you are stuck with empty batteries. The disadvantages to using disposable batteries are the cost of buying new batteries every times your batteries are empty, the capacity (in most cases a disposable battery will not last as long as a good rechargeable battery). On the other hand rechargeable batteries require only one purchase. When the battery is empty you can simply place it in its charger and after an hour or so you will have a fully recharged battery. The disadvantage is that if you run out of batteries during a photo shooting session or somewhere away from home or a power supply you can not just buy another battery. The solution to that problem is to buy one extra battery and to always carry it with you fully charged.

    If your camera uses standard size batteries such as AA or AAA you can have the advantages of both disposable and rechargeable batteries. You can always use disposable AA or AAA batteries with the camera but you can also get a rechargeable AA or AAA battery and use it when convenient.

    Rechargeable batteries technologies:

    Different technologies are used in building rechargeable batteries. Look at the battery itself to find out what technology was used in most cases it will be written on a small sticker on the battery or somewhere on its packaging. The following are the most common technologies and some of their pros and cons:

  • nickel cadium: one of the oldest technologies. These batteries are inexpensive, they can be recharged fast and many times before they lose their capacity. On the downside they have a low capacity and have a “memory effect” – a “memory effect” means that the battery can not be recharged to its full capacity unless it is first fully discharged. This can be problem since in most cases you will want to make sure your battery regardless of its current state is fully charged before going on a photo shooting session. Some charges solve this problem by first discharging the battery and only then recharging it to its full capacity.
  • nickel metal hybrid: this technology is an improvement of nickel cadium. These batteries capacity is much higher up to 50% more. Although it still has a “memory effect” it is less noticeable than in nickel cadium batteries. On the downside these batteries can be charged less times before losing their capacity and they also discharge faster when not in use.
  • lithium ion: A new technology that solves many of the nickel technology problems. Lithium ion batteries have a higher capacity than even nickel metal. They have no “memory effect” at all (and thus regardless of their current state they can always be recharged to their fullest capacity). The downside is that they are more expensive than nickel batteries.
  • lithium polymer: the latest technology. These batteries have all the advantages of lithium ion and more. They have an even higher capacity and can also be easily manufactured in any shape or form. This allows for much smaller and lighter high capacity batteries and for batteries shaped to better fit the camera design.
  • In conclusion when choosing a camera and considering what batteries it uses you should first make a choice between disposable and rechargeable batteries. If you choose to get a camera that uses rechargeable batteries you should try to choose a battery that uses the latest technologies like polymer or lithium unless you have some special considerations.

    Ziv Haparnas is a technology veteran and writes about practical technology and science issues. This article can be reprinted and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. You can find more information about photo album printing and photography in general on http://www.printrates.com – a site dedicated to digital photo printing.

    keys to portrait lighting

    Monday, July 28th, 2008

    Keys to Portrait Lighting

    Writen by Kenneth C. Hoffman

    Every face can show a multitude of personality and individual characteristics. It is up to the portrait photographer to bring out the subjects best features with interesting conversation and good lighting.

    The photographer’s first task is to evaluate the facial features and decide which ones to emphasize and which ones to minimize. Long noses look best from a low angle for instance, and double chins respond well to a high camera angle, but this article will be aimed at the effects of lighting on the human face.

    It is easier to guage the proper lighting by watching for key points. A flattering main light produces a definite shadow that extends from the crest of the nose to the cheek and includes all of the unphotogenic area next to the nose. The height of the main light is determined by the angle of the shelf under the eyebrow. Cavernous eyes are well served by a low main light and protruding eyes can benefit from a high main light. A second consideration is the appearance of a noticeable catch light on the eye since a too high main light will not show a catch light. The lower edge of the nose shadow should not touch or obscure the upper lip line. A proper shadow is the key to a flattering ‘loop’ light. This lighting shows most faces to good advantage, appearing both three dimensional and youthful.

    If a face seems round or heavy, side or split lighting is called for. While a three to one lighting ratio is good for loop lighting, a softer two to one ratio is best for split lighting. Bring the light source close to the face at a

    ninety degree angle from the camera. The short side of the face will show a shadow line that travels from the bridge of the nose down to the center of the chin, dividing the face into a well lit half and a shadowed half. The Fill light should be placed close to the lens and slightly above it in order to produce a clearly defined chin line and to minimize unsightly wrinkles. The key to watch for is the proper exposure in the highlights and enough light in the shadow areas to give a good skin tone.

    Hair and shoulder lighting is important and sets the mood of the picture. All hair absorbs light disproportionately and must be adjusted in strength according to the tone of the hair. Black hair may require three times the amount of light that blonde or gray hair requires. Be careful not to allow the hair light to spill over on the nose for obvious reasons. A broad source is to be preferred over a spot source because the latter emphasizes the reflective qualities of the hair rather than the true color and tone.

    If an edge light is used for a character portrait, make sure that the light is Well goboed and placed as close to being in the picture as possible without showing. Some photographers place their fill lights well above the lens for reasons of safety and convenience. But this placement produces undesireable neck lines, eye pouches and glaring foreheads. The fill light or lights work best at eye level or just below, filling in neck lines and almost eliminating pouches under the eyes.

    So called Rembrandt lighting shadows the eyes completely, highlighting the upper cheeks with a triangular shape. Special care must be taken so as not to darken the eyes too much. While some studio photographers work with wrap around general lighting with a one to one and one half lighting ratio, no model- ing is present to enhance the features. The only benefit is that the studio will never get complaints of too dark shadows.

    Background lights when set at the same power as the main light will produce a background color and density the same as it appears to the naked eye. The purpose of the background is to supply a pleasing distant contrast that does not compete with the subject, but enhances and separates the subject from the distance. A darkening of edges is a time-honored way of keeping the eye on the center of interest.

    Lighting and its many variations is the most important tool in helping the portrait photographer reveal people at their best.

    I am a retired portrait photographer of thirty years.

    howto select mats and frames

    Monday, July 28th, 2008

    How-to Select Mats and Frames

    Writen by Sam Zaydel

    Whether you have priceless Fine Art photography, Giclee, or photos which you printed yourself, matting and framing them is an essential part of the display process. If you are planning on framing your photographs, you will need to get them matted first. It is important to keep in mind that many finished frames are sold with a mat, which was cut to fit that particular frame. There are a couple of potential problems which you should consider before settling on the supplied mat. First and foremost, unless you are shopping for some very high end frames, you will receive a mat which is not of archival quality. If the photography which you intend on displaying is valuable, and you expect it to last for many years, mats made out or Acid-free, or even Preservation quality materials should be used.

    Know what you are getting The biggest problem with most reasonably priced frames on the market is that they do not state whether or not the supplied mat is naturally acid-free, buffered PH, to control acid, or preservation quality, which is the top of the line. You will find more details and description of different types of mats in the Selecting a Mat for Your Photographs Article. Most people are on a budget when they shop for framing and matting materials, so simply tossing away a perfectly good mat may seem like a wrong thing to do. As always, there is a solution to every problem, and this one is no exception.

    Consider your Local Art Supplies Dealer

    Consider purchasing your frames, and your mats for that matter from a reputable Art supplies dealer, instead of going to a typical housewares store, or a mega store, like Wal-Mart, Target, or Ikea. More often than not, Art supplies stores carry products that are much higher in quality, and the expert advise is often very helpful. In some cases larger Art supplies dealers carry products under their own brand. While most people think of these store branded mats and frames as bargain bin products, you will often find that you are getting quite a bit more for your money, in terms of quality and performance of the product when compared to products from some of the larger national brands. As an added bonus, the staff typically will have much more information about products branded under the company’s name. Do not be afraid of asking questions. Find out all that you can about the line of frames or mats, which you are considering to purchase. Ask the employees some basic questions about framing and matting, and if their answers are poor, or simply wrong, avoid purchasing from that store, unless you are already familiar with their product lines.

    Getting your Photography Custom Framed

    Ok, you cannot find any good quality frames around, and you do not want to purchase a complete frame and then discard the mat, so what should you do? Consider custom framing your works. While it may be a little more expensive than purchasing a ready-made frame, with a mat, it may still be worth it. Check with your local Art supplies store, and you may find that they also custom frame paintings, and photography. It is more likely that you will find specials and sales on custom framing, than on finished products. This is because there is much more profit in custom framing, since the framer is only purchasing unfinished and uncut lengths of material. It is much cheaper for the framer to cut and build the frame, and there are no packaging or shipping expenses. Shop around. Of course, with custom framing, you can mat your own photographs, and bring them matted. This way, you are controlling the quality of the protective mat, and the backing yourself. Shop around, you never know, you may find that custom framing is actually cheaper in your area, than finished frames.

    Written by Professional Photographer, and an owner of a Photography Selling Service. To learn more about this, and many other general, as well as more specific photography related subjects, or to explore a Fine Art Photography gallery, please consider visiting WorldonPaper.com Contemporary Fine Art Gallery.

    underwater cameras taking you to new depths

    Sunday, July 27th, 2008

    Underwater Cameras – Taking You to New Depths

    Writen by Lucy Bartlett

    Do you know that Nikon and Rolleimarin are the pioneers who designed the ideal underwater cameras and their high quality housing which was tested on site by explorer and photographer Hans Hass. They laid the foundation for an ideal underwater camera.

    Are you ready for underwater photography? Decide the type of photographs you will be shooting. This is an essential point prior to selecting a suitable underwater camera. Different categories need different camera configuration, lens and flash. The underwater camera should be cost effective, reliable, and easy to use and need very low maintenance. Select a camera which is tough enough to withstand the inevitable knocks underwater. The depth of the site to be photographed also plays a role in the result you get.

    If you are an enthusiastic diver interested in underwater photography then opt for a camera which can give a good result up to a depth of 164 feet and not need a large number of batteries and also should use regular 35 MM film. The most important features needed in an underwater camera are the wide angle lens, sports viewfinder, a large lever to operate the shutter and auto winding. Check the availability of other special features such as film advance, automatic & manual flash activation, pressure sensor, rubber armored grip design. For more info visit www.underwaterfun.info

    In this age of computers and digital media, one wonders why the underwater camera took such a long time to move ahead from their basic models. Present day digital cameras come with excellent resolutions and colour sensitivity. They nicely balance and filter colors along with many special features. However digital cameras with their small housings do not meet the basic requirements for underwater use.

    Another option is the multi purpose digital underwater camera, which can be used underwater and on land. This type of dual purpose digital camera gives clear and vivid images underwater and on land.

    Check whether the underwater camera has special features to capture fast moving creatures such as fish. The camera should also have feature to overcome the low light conditions prevailing under the sea. The problem with digital camera is once you fill your memory stick then you have to download the captured digital images to a computer and erase the images from the stick for reuse. It is better to carry additional memory sticks for underwater photography.

    When it comes to the question of servicing the underwater cameras it should be noted that there are very few service centres and many of the underwater camera manufacturers insists on preventive maintenance to keep alive the warranty for their products.

    Lucy Bartlett is a proud contributing author. Find more articles here. For more info visit Underwater Cameras or Disposable U/W Cameras

    how to sharpen your digital photography images

    Sunday, July 27th, 2008

    How To Sharpen Your Digital Photography Images

    Writen by Amy Renfrey

    Let’s start this digital photography lesson by looking at the digital camera. All digital cameras photograph images which have a normal pattern of pixels that make up this image. In some digital photography images a moir