Archive for November, 2009

Digital Photography Courses – Where to start?

Do you want to be a professional photographer and don’t know where to start? Not sure what digital photography courses are out there? Not sure what’s good and what’s not? Have a budget and not sure what they cost and what you should be spending?

Yes, there are a lot of questions about online photography courses; especially if you are a novice and unsure of where to begin. There’s a massive amount of product and courses in the photography education market. Thousands of books and hundreds of courses on offer. Have a look at our Online Photography Courses category and see what’s on offer. Want to make a start and don’t want to commit funds until your are sure? Have a look at our Free Online Photography Courses category.

Want to start now with some introductory information and look at a course later? Have a look at the top selling resource below.

Click here to learn how to get started in Professional Photography

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November 26, 2009 Post Under Digital Photography Course - Read More

Want to be a Wedding Photographer?

Don’t know where to start? Many novice photographers don’t. The problem with this area of photography though is that you don’t get a second chance. Don’t do this if you don’t have some basic skills. You can’t put on the wedding again (not quite true, it has been done before).

Wedding photography can be very rewarding and it’s an area that does pay well for those that can be creative with this sometimes difficult area. There are the standard shots that you need to absolutely achieve, such as entrance, service, the vows, cutting the cake, the bridal party, bride and groom individual portraits etc. But if you can be creative and provide a little more than just a documentary piece of work, then you will make advances in this field.

The single most difficult issue with this area of photography is that you can’t practice on your clients if you are a novice. Some people practice on friends and relatives but this is a good way to loose friendships if you flop.

This is an area I would definitely recommend advice. Do a course so your practical skills are at a professional level before attempting this area of photography on real clients. When you believe you have the skills, have a practice run using friends in a mock service. You must have skills and be confident on the day. You must have a checklist of what you need and how you are going to proceed; you will be directing people. They will be looking to you for direction. You are in control of this day regarding a successful capture of beautiful photographs that should last a lifetime.

Below is a link to the popular Expert Wedding Photographer Course. The Expert Wedding Photographer Course has everything that is needed to take you to a professional level. Check it out now…

online photography courses Want to be a Wedding Photographer?

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November 25, 2009 Post Under Wedding Photography - Read More

Want to take great photos? Don’t know where to start?

This is the hardest question that most people face answering. Photography is such as massive area. You can spend the rest of your life learning photography and never finish. It is such a diverse and engaging arena

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However, most people have an area of interest and this is the best place to start along side your choice of camera. So there it is: what do you like photographing the most? People, architecture, flowers, nature in general, racing cars, sports, scientific photography (infra red, high speed, ultra violet, high magnification, telescopic, etc.) macro, landscape, abstract, fine art, figure, fashion, wildlife, studio, environmental; it goes on and on.

Ok, you have your area of interest, now you need to focus on your camera in relation to this area. Now it’s time to get to know your camera inside out. Doesn’t matter what the camera is. You may upgrade at some later time. But you need to know the camera you have now, and know how to use it manually. No, you can’t leave it on automatic! On this setting the camera controls you; you have no say in the matter of taking photographs! The camera decides. Set it on manual and take back control. Sounds easy doesn’t it? Not so easy or difficult really, but you need to learn about your camera functions to have control. So this is about learning such stuff as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, depth-of-field, focus and other camera functions.

Again these are skills that anyone can acquire and there are many beginner courses out there to get you going. There are also free courses on the internet and I’ve listed them here on this site if wish to check out this option. But when it comes down to quality courses you will find the fee paying courses offer more. Having said that, they are very cheap these days.

For a good beginners introduction to photography, have a look at the following introductory resource. It is the number 1 selling product in the market of Photography for Beginners . It’s selling well for a reason, it’ got the information a beginner requires. Just so you’re not confused, this product page offers you a 60 odd page ebook for just looking.

online photography courses Want to take great photos? Dont know where to start?

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November 25, 2009 Post Under Photography for Beginners - Read More

Like portrait photography? You need to know make up techniques!

If you are involved in portrait or fashion photography, you will come a time when you realize you need to either: 1) employ a make up artist (very expensive) or 2) do it yourself (you need a make up course).

Doesn’t matter if you are photographing guys you say. Not true, a good application of make up will assist your photography with both male and female clients. If you photography a lot of females, this is essential. If you are photographing models or shooting composites or folios for prospective models or actors, you simply can’t ignore make-up. Your photographs will suffer and it will be recognized by your clients immediately. You won’t be getting any return work, that much is sure. Some models can apply their own make up, but you can’t rely on this. You simply have to get involved.

For guys, this can be a somewhat daunting area, but this is a skill that can be learned and anyone can do it. If you want to be great with professional portraiture (studio or environmental) you absolutely need this skill!

Click here to learn how to apply make up with your portrait photography!

online photography courses Like portrait photography? You need to know make up techniques!

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November 25, 2009 Post Under Glamour Photography Course, Make up Courses - Read More

I’m a photographer – I don’t need a writing course?

Many photographers don’t consider writing to be of any benefit to them. But they are oh so wrong. If you want your photographs to be seen, published in a magazine, exhibited, posted on the internet, or become seen by the eyes of the public, good writing skills will rocket you there.

An example: you send some photographs you took on your last trip to Tahiti to a travel magazine. You caption them, number them, date them, etc. and send them off. They may land on the editor’s desk if you’re lucky. They will probably be filtered out of the system by a sub editor, journo or someone else. The reason being that someone has also sent them some photographs of Tahiti. They are not as good as yours but there is a captivating story with photographs. An entire package, the editor does not need to do anything but publish. Your photographs however, have no story, the captions are dodgy, and she will have to pay an editor to write a story and re-do the captions. Too much trouble and way too expensive.

If you send a magazine a package, and it’s good, you will get the work. A publisher loves a photographer that can write; this will save them a lot of trouble. They will want your work. They will ask for work they require; they will pass work your way in favor of the photographers that can’t write. You are in demand and ahead of the others.

Creative writing is a skill that can be acquired or learned. Again most people don’t realize this. Anyone can be taught how, it’s a skill that can be learned like anything else.

Have a look at the following short creative writing course. It shows you what the editor wants. You need to know this if you want to write about your photography.

online photography courses Im a photographer   I dont need a writing course?

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November 25, 2009 Post Under Creative Writing Courses - Read More

The Basic Photography Course

The Basic Photography Course for Digital and Film Cameras

This is the complete course for learning basic photography. Designed to give you the necessary information and help needed to become confident with your digital or film camera. When you learn basic photography with School of Photography.com you are following a proven photo course that will soon have you proficient with your film or digital camera. All aspects of basic photography are covered including technical and compositional know-how and skills.

Learn photography today, the photography course includes…

* Modern Digital cameras.
* Digital sensors and film sensitivity.
* Exposure:Shutter speed techniques for exposure and effect.
* learn about the aperture.
* Light meters and how to use them effectively.
* Using your flashgun with creative flash techniques.
* Composition, how-to achieve balance in an image.

With over 35000 words, 300 images and illustrations plus YOUR OWN TUTOR online to critique your project work! This course is suitable for the absolute beginner in photography.

Just imagine being able to capture those images you have always wanted to take. Wouldn’t it be great if you could get the best out of your camera and enjoy your photographic hobby to the full.

Just look at some of the features below, you can master all of these and much more with School of Photography.com. Start today and you will be on your way to become a successful photographer in no time at all.

* What is Depth of Field ?
* How do I use Zone focusing ?
* Lenses, What are they for? Which ones do I really need ?
* Flash guns, what is a Guide Number ? Avoiding Red-eyes…
* What is Bounced Flash ? How do I use Fill-in Flash?
* Exposure Modes, which ones are necessary…
* Gadgets and Accessories…
* And much much more…

The Basic Photography course assumes that you have little or no knowledge of photography, but have a great desire to learn how to take brilliant pictures. We teach you EVERYTHING you need to know and give you a graded certificate upon your successful completion.

If, after reading each Basic Photography Course lesson, you would like additional information on the lesson’s content, just ask! Unlike a book, magazine or online tutorials, your School of Photography course is tutor assisted.

 online photography courses The Basic Photography Course

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A Sample Manuscript

Have a look at this Squidoo Lens. It is a sample of a total package (photos and story) that was sent to Australian Photography magazine, and was accepted immediately and subsequently published. This was my first submission of photos and words, but I made sure that all my following submissions had a story for the photos; they were always published.

Click here to view lens

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November 28, 2009 Post Under Creative Writing Courses - Read More

Want to be a portrait photographer?

Want to be a great portrait photography and earn a living at the same time? This specialist area of photography is huge, but also hugely competitive. You really need to learn what is required to make great portraits. The good news is that this is a skill anyone can acquire and there will always be mountains of work available.

One of most difficult areas of portrait photography is posing. What do I get my client to do? I found this one of the most difficult skills to grasp and so do many novice photographers. But, as I have mentioned in other posts, this is a skill like many other areas in photography and can be easily learned.

With posing, you need to be able to relate to your client, their features, flattering lighting, clothing and poses. A great way to start is to get some posing ideas together, as many as you can, and practice on friends. Discover what works and what doesn’t. Identify what different features demand in terms of poses, file these away for future reference. keep a folder of poses that you like and know work. Bring this out when you have a paying client; put in somewhere so you can constantly refer to it, change poses to suit or modify ones that show promise. When you have done this hundreds of times you will probably end up not requiring the use of your pose file. But still maintain it, you will always find it useful as there is an infinite variety of poses.

To get you started on posing techniques, have a look at the following course on posing secrets. Sure, they’re not really secrets but you need resources from somewhere to get started.

Click here to learn how to pose your models

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online photography courses Want to be a portrait photographer?
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November 25, 2009 Post Under Portrait Photography - Read More

Photography Course Basics – Your Camera Functions

This little photography course will get you started with your camera. Obviously the first item you need to understand well before exploring other specialized areas and techniques.

The technical side of photography is not difficult to grasp; anyone who wants to learn can do so. For a basic understanding of the camera and photography there are only four areas that you must understand to move forward. These are:

1. ISO
2. Shutter Speed
3. Aperture
4. Lighting

Click here to continue article

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November 19, 2009 Post Under Free Online Photography Courses - Read More

Digital Photography Website – Photography Jobs

Digital Photography Website – Photography Jobs – Looking for work? Search for photographer jobs in the USA, Canada and the UK. Compare HotJobs, Monster, Indeed CareerJet etc. for the best online employment service for you.

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November 18, 2009 Post Under General - Read More

HELP SPREAD THE WORD PLEASE

If you like what we do, then please help us to spread the word by adding a link to www.onlinephotographycoursesblog.com from your Facebook, myspace, your website or mention us in your social groups such as Twitter, Flickr or any forums you belong to. Thank you in advance.

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KELP – RYE BACKBEACH 2009

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November 17, 2009 Post Under Photographic Competitions - Read More

Manipulate Digital Photographs – Using Photoshop

The results you can achieve today with editing software are beyond what professional photographers years ago thought possible. Now is a time when there are no limitations on editing images- everything is possible and creativity is the only requirement to make outstanding pictures. There are thousands of programs that help us improve the photographs we take, but none have the respect of the professional and amateur community as Adobe Photoshop. The software is so closely linked with altering images that the term ‘to Photoshop’ has come to mean ‘to enhance pictures’.

It is possible to ‘Photoshop’ images to give fantasy the illusion of reality. You can alter images so that figures and objects appear in the image that could never be seen together. Whether it’s a party with past presidents, Frankenstein and the Easter Bunny, or a photo of you and a celebrity you’ve never met, you can make anything appear completely realistic.

One thing that Photoshop is closely associated with is isolating aspects of the image you don’t want and removing them. This can be used to improve physical features, such as smoothing out damaged skin or covering up body piercings, and can even be used to remove whole objects from the image that detract from the photograph like a distracting person in the background. With Photoshop it is unlikely that you will be able to tell that any alteration has been performed to the picture, as the software is so complex.

Photoshop is the software of choice for anyone serious about editing photography. It is popular for a reason, and due to its reputation you may feel like you should familiarize yourself with it. There are many resources to help you learn how to use Photoshop, and if you still feel lost, you can always ask a college or high school student to help you out. Learning Photoshop is useful for so many different applications that it makes sense to invest your energy in learning about it.

The birth of Photoshop was in 1989 by the Knoll brothers. The software was being developed for their own use at the time, but the sophistication of the software made it clear that there was a market for Photoshop. They soon founded Adobe and began selling the program in 1990.

Adobe is a wonderful success story of the internet. Adobe’s presence dominates the internet, and there are few computers that do not have some form of Adobe software for example. The free Adobe Reader is as common as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. Everyone is aware of these programs, and the PDF reader is yet another instance in which Adobe has taken over a section of the online industry.

To gain experience with Photoshop you should find a copy you can experiment with. Perhaps a friend or relative has one. Go over and explore the program , browsing all the features and adding effects to images. Once you get a feel for how the software operates, ask your friend to show you the more advanced features. Then you’ll see why Photoshop has its first-rate reputation. Within no time, you will be addicted to Photoshop.

Downloading a copy for your own use will make it easier to practice using Photoshop. You can get a free trial version, but it will have limited features. The best thing to do is to buy a full version then you don’t have to worry anymore and can concentrate on learning how to use the product. Photoshop is used so much, that it makes sense buying a copy. Once you own a copy, you may find that you spend hours experimenting and exploring the features. While this is a good way to get used to the features, specific learning in a Photoshop class can improve your learning curve and make you understand Photoshop faster.

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November 6, 2009 Post Under General - Read More

Easy Digital Camera Photo Editing

Easy Photo Editing Tips

When you buy digital camera, it is nice to know how to use it. Here are some easy photo editing tips

When it comes to editing images, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. Most digital cameras now come with some sort of basic software which can easily help you to make corrections and minor edits. Even the most basic digital camera software will guide you in a step-by-step fashion. The editing process usually consists of cropping, color adjustments, and corrections such as red-eye removal.

A good rule of thumb is to make a backup copy of your pictures before you start making changes. This provides you with another option, just in case you decide you aren’t happy with the changes you’ve made. When at all possible, these copies are best kept on a secondary hard drive, preferably on an external backup disk. Once you have completed all of your editing, be sure to backup all your images again in case something happens to your main hard drive.

You might want to consider having a card reader to transfer your images over to your computer, making the process faster, and easier. This prevents you from having to install additional software and drivers for your camera. If you do choose to plug the camera in your computer, it’s important to transfer all images beforehand, never working on or editing the images directly from the camera.

Cropping consists of cutting the edges that you don’t want to keep as part of the image for printing. Always leave space around your main subject, since the shape of your image may not match a standard printing shape (as in a 4×6 sized printed picture), depending on your printing. When cropping your image it can take on a whole different perspective, depending on the area that you select.

To adjust your colors, you should always aim for a natural look. Adding too much brightness, contrast, or color saturation can make your image look strange. This is especially true when printing. What you see on your screen might not look the same when printed. The great thing about digital photography is that with proper software, you can learn how to adjust the image in many ways, sometimes finding details that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

Certain available software programs allow you play with your image, adding effects to give your image different looks. Think about how your image would look in the style of old newspaper or old photographs. It’s even possible to create your own postcards, birthday cards, calendars, etc.

Most graphic/photo editing software now come with a red-eye correction feature which can be fully automated, or at the very least, requires you to pinpoint the eyes and let you fine tune the correction.

You do have to consider however that some common mistakes can’t be remedied with software. These would be lack of proper lighting, which results in artifacts (grainy texture in the dark areas), the focus being off or the subject being photographed moving quickly and causing blurriness.

As you become more familiar with both your camera and the software that you use for editing, you can find a whole different approach to your image taking. You may find yourself wanting to experiment more with what you can do with many types of images.

Hope those tips were useful. When you need a new camera, software or accessories, take a look at these offered at discounted prices: digital cameras on sale

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November 6, 2009 Post Under General - Read More

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