Thursday, December 17, 2009

Composition Lesson: The rule of thirds

There are a few things about composing a photograph that can make an image more appealing. The rule of thirds is one that I enjoy using in my photos. When looking through the viewfinder of your camera, use your imagination to divide the frame into three both vertically and horizontally.

Now if you have a point of interest in your photo such as a red apple, you should compose the image so that the apple is placed not in the exact center, but at one of the points where the lines intersect.

So here is an example of how I shot an image of several green apples with one red apple placed among them. This is a pleasant photo because of the color, texture and contrast but if the photo had been composed with the red apple in the middle it would lose some of the impact. Take a look. So the next time you are snapping images with your favorite camera, try composing the photo with the rule of thirds in mind.


Thursday, December 10, 2009

How to Improve Your Photos of Children






Capturing great photos of children can be challenging. Here are some tips that can help improve your results.
Get Down. The first thing is get down on their level. Adults are taller than kids and many mediocre pictures could have been great if the person with the camera had just taken a lower vantage point. So if you sit, kneel, squat or bend down this simple act can make you photographs of children better.
Get Ready. Children have a lot of energy and those little hands and feet are constantly in motion. Even their heads are turning and their expressions change in an instant so be ready. If you are photographing children you have to be ready to click. Also, it helps to set your camera to a fast shutter speed to freeze the action. When you are indoors using a flash, the camera’s recycling time can be a limitation. Lower end cameras especially can take a long time for the flash to recycle. For that matter those same cameras can cause a problem with slow focusing and taking a long time to write to the memory card. So this is a situation where a better camera can be an advantage.
Be patient. Even though kids move fast a photographer who wants to capture amazing images of kids has to be patient. So you may have to wait a while to get the perfect shot, but that is okay. Enjoy the experience.
Shoot, shoot, shoot. Back in the days of film taking more pictures meant spending more money. With digital cameras that is no longer true. So you can shoot and shoot while the opportunity is there. Later delete the ones that were no good.
Get Closer. One easy thing that will improve the pictures of most hobby photographers is simply to step a bit closer. That applies not just to children but 90 percent of the subject matter. So get close and fill the viewfinder.
Applying these simple points can help you capture great images of your precious little ones. Now go get your camera bag and get busy.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Camera Buying Tips - Don't Forget the Accessories

If you are going to be purchasing a camera here are a few tips concerning accessories. The advertised price of the digital camera you are yearning for may be amazing low, but don’t forget to leave room in your budget for the extras.
Back in the days of point and shoot film cameras all you really needed was film and batteries. But now it is different. Photography and computers are now interlinked so you should consider peripherals such as photo editing software, LCD screen shades, card readers, cables, printers and paper.
Batteries come in all shapes and sizes. Most digital cameras do not use the AA or AAA batteries. Instead a special rechargeable battery pack is required because a digital camera is a complicated device demanding plenty of power, especially if you are using the flash. To avoid missing a great photo opportunity because of a dead battery it is a good idea to purchase an extra battery. That way, you can shoot lots of pictures of Jimmy blowing out the candles on his birthday cake and opening his presents. Then when your battery power gets low you just replace it with your spare battery and keep shooting as the birthday boy continues with his cute antics. Meanwhile the first battery is placed in the charger and will be ready to go by the time you see the low battery warning again.
Film has now been replaced by memory cards but just as people used to run out of film, they now run out of memory. So when purchasing a new camera, make sure you get enough memory. The camera manufacturers often include a starter memory card which holds only a small volume. The day you leave the camera store you don’t necessarily need to have a stack of memory cards, but you should plan to have at least one memory card in addition to the one that ships with the camera. Perhaps in the coming months you may need to buy more memory cards. Memory is one rare item that despite recent economic downturns continues to drop in price.
You may or may not need to buy a memory card reader. Recently some laptops have a built-in card reader so if you have one of those you are all set. If your desktop computer or laptop doesn’t have a built-in card reader, you should purchase a memory card reader. The most convenient type are the ones that connect with a USB cable. Many of them can accept more than one type of card. Just be sure that the unit you end up choosing accepts the card that your camera uses.
Digital cameras are very sensitive to dust. So you should buy a camera case to protect your camera equipment not just when you are out shooting but also when it is stored away at home. Many people go for weeks or months without using their camera so don’t let a camera sit there and collect dust. A cleaning kit may be worth considering, too. A soft bristled brush or air blower can keep your lens free of dust and debris. There are lots of sensor cleaning products, too.
This time of year the stores are selling plenty of cameras and if you are going to be one of the many shoppers keep these tips in mind.