Here is a useful technique on soft blur or focus. This technique is done in Photoshop which makes this so simple. In film days we used to do this with multiple exposure. Take a sharp image first then expose a blurred image of the same subject on top.

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Here is a very good video on depth-of-field. If you are not sure what DoF is all about, have a look.

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Here’s a great video video tutorial, which shows you how to fix underexposed photos – this is a very valuable and useful tip to know.

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With digital cameras at their most affordable, anybody can be a photographer these days. Problem is, it takes more than a camera to take good pictures.

It takes a certain eye, a way of seeing things, to take pictures that make people go “Wow!”. Fortunately, it can be learned. And the more you practice, the better you’ll get.

If you’re interested in becoming a good digital photographer, I recommend the “Shoot Digital Pics Like the Pros,” a free report.

Start by taking a look at these most common mistakes people make when taking digital pictures:

1. Not knowing your camera
If you never read your digital camera’s manual and learn its features and how to use them, you won’t be able to make the most of it.
2. Not using a tripod
Tripods allow you to take the sharpest pictures even in low light. Use one as often as possible.
3. Not giving the camera time to focus
Digital cameras need time to properly focus and get the right exposure. It can take a fraction of a second or a couple of seconds. Account for this when taking pictures.
4. Relying too much on zoom
Using the camera’s zoom feature makes the picture grainier. Get as close to the subject as possible.
5. Taking pictures against the light
This makes the subject dark and the background too bright.
6. Relying too much on the flash
Natural light gives the best pictures, so use it as much as possible. Flash tends to make images look harsh.
7. Not taking enough pictures
It’s almost impossible to take the perfect shot at one try, so take many pictures. With digital photography, this doesn’t cost you extra. Try different angles and compositions.
8. Always putting the subject dead center
Learn the rule of thirds in composition, and you’ll have more interesting pictures.

9. Forgetting to check the horizon
When taking pictures with the horizon showing, make sure it’s level.
10. Selecting a low-resolution setting
Your camera will allow you to select different resolutions. Don’t be tempted to choose a low resolution just to save on memory space. Instead, buy additional memory for your camera and always take your pictures in high resolution.
11. Trying to take too much
Don’t try to include too many things in one picture, such as people and scenery. A picture is more effective when it’s focused on a single subject.
12. Not using the camera
You’ll never know when a good photo op will come up, so have your camera with you at all times.

It may seem like a lot to think about, but with practice, these things will become second nature.

For those who want to learn even more digital photography techniques, check out the free report, “Shoot Digital Pics Like the Pros.” It’s a short but info-filled guide that will have you shooting digital pictures like a pro in no time.

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Basic tips for better photography and contest entries

1. Choose subjects that are especially interesting or appealing. “Less is more”, experiment by keeping
your photo very plain except for the subject.
2. Look for repetitive patterns to add interest to a photo.
3. Try photographing reactions to events rather then the event itself.
4. To increase the impact of your photos, try photographing a special expression, create exceptional
placement of the subject or find a beautiful location.
5. Anticipate and plan photo opportunities before a “great” shot might happen. 6. View and learn from other photographer’s work and change the technique to create your own
unique style.
7. Create a photograph from someone else’s perspective. For example, a baby’s view out of his crib or
the view a dog would have looking out of a doghouse.
8. To increase creativity try new angles, different times of daylight, filters, subjects or colored lighting
to create different effects.
9. Use lighting to your advantage to create a mood for the photograph. Late evening sunlight creates
a wonderful atmosphere for subjects, or use backlighting to create a different effect.
10. Color photographs can be made to exhibit a warm (red or orange colors) or cool (blue colors) feeling
depending on lighting.
11. To best compliment your subject, try to place your center of interest anywhere but the center of the
image. By offsetting your subject, your photographs will appear more interesting and compositionally
pleasing.
12. Look for visually interesting textures or subjects that others may overlook, such as a close-up of a
horse’s eye rather than the traditional photo of the entire head, or a lighted pattern on the waves
rather then a traditional seascape.
13. Lighting may be improved by using silver, gold or white reflectors, or bounce your flash off the
ceiling. Direct flash often creates “red eye” and harsh shadows.
14. A photograph is of light bouncing off a subject. Keeping this in mind, experiment with as many
light sources as possible to create the best lighting for your subject and to create the desired
mood.
15. Study photography books, magazines, websites and product catalogs to keep current on the newest
trends and equipment available and to learn new ideas and techniques.
16. Set aside time for your photography. In a busy world, photography can be an enjoyable hobby.
Invest in yourself and schedule times in your appointment book for your interests and hobbies.
17. Try to bring out the personality that makes up any and every subject
18. With digital photography, don’t be afraid to take many shots of just one subject. A special photo
usually takes many shots to create, and with digital, the ability to erase the mundane ones is a
great advantage.

19. Use a tripod or a monopod to increase the details and lessen the blur in your photos. Professionals
are rarely without one.
20. Try using foreground objects to “frame” landscapes or seascapes.
21. Keep your backgrounds simple to help push the viewer to focus in on your subject.
22. Crop out as much background as possible to help direct the viewer to your subject in the photo,
unless the background has compelling information important to your composition such as a scenic
sky or other important element. Close-ups may provide the most visual impact, as the subject matter
is taking up most of the composition.
23. Your photograph should provide a compelling reason for the viewer to look at it. When selecting
photos for competition, only pick the ones that “jump out” at you from the bunch. They will offer
the most visual interest for the viewer.
24. A change in aperture is a great technique for creating depth of field.
25. The photograph should have an interesting or thought provoking title.
26. Try to keep your expectations realistic when entering competitions. It is better to win and to have
not expected it, then to not place after hoping for a big win.
27. Set goals and a timeline for your photography career. Entering competitions is a great way to encourage
and challenge you to create new quality photographs.
28. Winning in competitions gives your professional resume and photography added credibility and
valuable recognition.
29. You can’t win if you don’t enter. Enter as many competitions as you can, but be certain that you
are able to retain the copyright of your photographs.
30. Enter competitions in numerous categories to help stretch your creative abilities.
31. Judging in photo competitions is somewhat subjective, so a print that didn’t win in one competition
may win in the next. If you don’t win, and you feel your print is great, try a different competition
and the next judges may agree with you.
32. Try to avoid the last minute massive rush of entries at the competition deadline. Procrastination
may mean a missed deadline and a missed opportunity.
33. When you win in a contest, be sure to notify your local newspapers (with a press release), they are
often looking for “good news” stories and the free news coverage will only increase your credibility
as a photographer and you will gain valuable recognition.
34. Learn from viewing winning images in competitions to understand why the judge may have selected
them. You are likely to find many positive qualities, try to incorporate these qualities into
your work.
35. Choose subjects that clearly fit the competition’s themes.
36. In competitions ornate borders can actually distract the judges’ attention away from your subject
and lower your print score.
37. When entering series of photographs, be sure that all the images are equally appealing. One weak
image in a series can pull the score down on the entire set.

Important things to look for in a winning entry
1. Impact
•  An extraordinary photograph with strong visual impact.
•  The image should “grab” the viewer and demand attention.
2. Creativity
• A unique way of looking at a subject or object.
• Fresh and imaginative approach to the subject.
3. Style
• The photograph should be original in style.
• Does the image stand out from the others?
4.  Composition
• Placement of subject well executed.
• Posing of subject interesting.
5.  Print Presentation
• Print presentation should be flawless.
• A well-presented print will score better than one that is sloppy, bent or dirty.
6.  Color Harmony
•  The photograph should follow an interesting color palette, such as complimentary, analogous or primary
colors, or other interesting combinations.
7.  Center of Interest
•  A photograph’s center of interest should be presented in such a way as to complement and draw
attention the intended subject.
8.  Lighting
•  Photograph should exhibit good control of lighting with detail throughout the image, even in highlights
and shadows.
•  The photograph should have nice contrast, with a quality white and true black.
9.  Subject Matter
•  The subject should have a special quality that will interest the viewer.
•  The photograph must have the appropriate content for the category that has been entered.
10. Technical Excellence/Print Quality
• The photograph should be printed in the highest quality possible. The better the quality, the more
likely the photograph will catch the judges admiration and increase the score.
• Proper exposure to convey a mood.
11. Technique
•  Photograph should have quality technical execution.
•  Correct exposure for the subject matter or mood of photo.
•  Excellent composition, contrast and clarity.
12.  Story Telling Ability
•  The photograph should give enough interesting visual information for the viewer to take interest, then
be able to tell a story either complete, to make the viewer want more, ask questions or simply create a
starting point.

Copyright the National Photo Awards, Inc. TM 2007, all rights reserved

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Some useful tips to get the novice going in the popular area of portrait photography.

Portrait photography is perhaps the most popular form of photography today. It also can be very lucrative if you acquire the skills to make a professional image. Further information can be acquired with an online photography course, but in the meantime here are some tips.

Most people who know how to point and operate a camera are able to make a portrait photograph. However, there are of course differences in the amateur and professional portrait. Professional portrait photographers have certain abilities and techniques that let them get the best out of their subjects.

Like to know how to pose your model?: Click Here!

Click here for your portrait photography tips…

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by PJ Francis

It’s easier than you may think to make money as a digital photographer. There are many different ways to make money doing digital photography and here are 15 to get you started.

How to Start a Profitable Photography Business

“If you enjoy taking photos, then starting a photography business will be easy and achievable for you; learn how to earn up to $720 part time, per week … guaranteed!” Have a look here!

Method #1 – Selling Stock Photography: Selling stock photography is easier than you may think. Just take some of your best photos and submit them to stock photography sites. They will be reviewed and if it’s a good photo, it will hopefully be accepted. You’ll get paid about $1-2 every time someone uses your photo.

Method #2 – Screensavers: There’s a lot more money in screensavers than people realize. Take a series of photographs along a theme and make your own screensaver. If the photos are good, they’ll do great on screensaver sites or on eBay.

Method #3 – Help eBay Sellers: eBay sellers often have very poorly taken photos of their items. For higher end eBay sellers, this could be losing them thousands of dollars every month! You can offer your services to these sellers, offering to take photos of their items for them for a fee.

Method #4 – Wedding Photographer: Wedding photography is one of the most popular, profitable and competitive photography fields out there. To get jobs in this area, it’s important to have a very impressive portfolio.

Tips, tricks and techniques for creating breath taking wedding photographs: Click Here!

Method #5 – Restaurant Photography: Have you ever noticed how pretty food plate images are in restaurants? You can bet the owner didn’t take those pictures themselves. Helping restaurants get good photos for their menus or marketing is a great way to position yourself as a photographer.

Method #6 – Real Estate Agents: Real estate agents need listing photographs of new homes they’re listing. Get yourself a few real estate agents you work with regularly and you could quickly be booked with work.

Method #7 – Take Insurance Photos: When someone gets insurance, they usually need to have their belongings photographed. For higher end clients, the process of going through their home item by item taking photos just isn’t a good use of their time. Instead, you can do it for them. For a premium, of course.

Method #8 – Take Online Dating Photos: Your online dating photograph is often the #1 most important thing in your dating profile. As a photographer, you can help both men and women find love, while making a good living at the same time!

Method #9 – Consignment Art: Places like Cafes and restaurants would often love to showcase your artwork. It gives them art on their walls for free. In exchange, you get exposure and potential buyers for your art.

Method #10 – Sporting Events: Local sporting events such as little league games or high school soccer games would often love to have photographers photograph their games.

Interested in Sports Photography? Quickly take advantage of this Market! Click Here!

Method #11 – Church Directories: A church directory is a booklet with photographs of all their members along with names and phone numbers. You can create these booklets for churches for a nice profit.

Method #12 – Make T Shirts: Original T shirts are big sellers on websites on eBay. By taking good photos and putting them on T Shirts, you can make a very good profit.

Method #13 – Craigslist: Craigslist is a great way to find clients. As the biggest classifieds website on the internet, Craigslist is the first place many people look when they need to hire a photographer.

Method #14 – Portrait Photographer: The portrait business is a big business. You can work with a studio or set up your own practice for doing portraits.

Like to know how to pose your model?: Click Here!

Method #15 – Photo Blogging: People love looking at images. If you continue to take images people like to look at and publish them, you can quickly build up a following.

You now have 15 great ideas to get you started as a professional photographer. Just one of these ideas can keep you busy for months. Pick the one that resonates with you and run with it!

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Here are some tips transcribed from ‘Digital Photographer’ magazine. The article addressed a good Top 20 list of tips for those wanting to get into Street Photography.

Here is the list:

1. Off the Beaten Track – don’t just go to all the touristy shots – try to get ‘behind the scenes’ and ‘real life’ scenes.

2. Stolen Moments – anticipate moments between people before they happen.

3. True Colors – black and white is often where it’s at with street photography but at times colorful situations arise and can really make a shot – be on the look out for these.

4. In the Background – what’s going on behind your subject can actually ‘make’ the shot. Billboards, signs, graffiti and other visual elements can really make a statement in a shot.

5. Dare to Go Diagonal – don’t just hold your camera horizontally – experiment with angles. Street photography is a less formal medium – make the most of it.

6. Opposites Attract – shots which challenge the ‘norm’ in terms of composition and story/subject matter can be powerful. Look out for ’surprising’ subject matter and composition.

7. What a Performance – street performers, parades and other street entertainment can be great subject matter on the street.

8. Off the Streets – other places where people gather in number can lead to great shots in this genre – zoos, fairs, shows, parks, sporting events etc all can be worth trying.

9. New Angle – find ways to get up high or down low – these new perspectives on subjects that are familiar can lead to eye catching shots.

10. Fortune Favors the Brave – sometimes the best thing you can do is to get close to your subject – this can be a little confronting but will produce powerful images

11. Fun in the Sun – often we try to avoid shooting into the sun and the shadows that direct sunlight can produce – in street photography breaking these ‘rules’ can lead to great shots.

12. Ready to Pounce – have your camera out and ready to shoot at all times. Things can move quickly on the street so if you’re not ready you’ll miss lots of opportunities.

13. Revise the Revisit – street photography is not all about spontaneity – if you see a scene with potential don’t be afraid to keep coming back to it until you get the shot.

14. Frozen Motion – the street is a place of movement – to capture it and still get sharp shots make sure your shutter speed is fast enough. 1/125 or more with an ISO of 400 is what this article recommended as a base. I also think it can be fun to experiment with slower shutter speeds on the street – capture the movement as blur.

15. Street Wallpaper – blend in with the scene – shoot unobtrusively and unnoticed.

16. Life Through a Lens – ‘exaggerating perspective will help set your subject in context and provide a more forgiving ‘depth of field’ – a wide angle lens is useful here.

17. Expect the Expected – people can be suspicious of street photographers so shoot in places where people expect to see people doing photography. Smile, be polite and be willing to delete images if people protest.

18. Location, Location, Location – really this is what it is all about. Choose places where people interact with one another and times when they are present.

19. Less is More – don’t take too much equipment and travel light. It’ll make you less obtrusive and you will be able to move around for the best shot quickly.

20. Practice makes Perfect – over time and with practice your photography will improve. You’ll not only get better at technique but also spotting the things to focus upon on the street.

And to add one of my own:

Be invisible: a wide angle lens can do this for you. At 28 or 35mm you can be including people in your frame, but if they look at you, your camera appears to be pointing elsewhere!

What would you add or remove from this list of Street Photography Tips?

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Be an individual…

Deviate from the normal with your photography

1. Use your camera On Manual

This is the very first tip you need to abide by. Leave your camera an automatic and the camera has control over your photographs. Switch to manual and you have given yourself control. Until you do this you cannot move on to step 2, 3, 4, 5%u2026

2. Slow down that Shutter Speed

Slowing down the shutter speed is a simple way to create more dramatic photographs. For movement to be captured or seen by the camera, you will need to stop down to about 1/15 of a second. From here to 1 second and beyond will give you some excellent results in capturing movement. Some ideas to explore are nighttime shots of cars, lights, people, daytime shots of waterfalls, the ocean, cars again and anything else that moves. Find your composition first, put your tripod on your camera and fire away.

3. Move your subject to the Edge of the Frame

Don’t compose in the center of your frame, be bold and move sideways, up, down, wherever. There is a tendency to center the subject because that’s what your camera is suggesting you do, particularly with exposure and focus controls locking your eye in the center of the frame.

4. Terrible Weather, take some photos

Yes, I know it can be a problem with rain, wind and other aspects of bad weather. But a storm can give your photographs some drama. In addition to this, there is generally some excellent light provided by a storm. Have a look next time at the saturation of the light offered. Everything looks different to that of a fine day. Worried about getting your camera wet, use a plastic bag, cut a hole for the lens, buy a glass filter and screw the bag on with the filter.

5. Throw away that Tripod!

Used to using a tripod to stabilize your camera slow shutter speed, for a close-up or for a long lens? Leave it at home and introduce some camera shake. Swing you camera round with its straps; jump up and down while you release the shutter, turn in circles, take a photo out of the car window while moving (not you driving of course). Think of some more crazy stuff to do, your list is endless.

6. Move in Real Close

Think you are close to your subject? Move closer until you can’t move any closer. Drop your camera into macro if you need to. Be extreme; see what designs you can find inside of the normal frame you were originally intending. Move around the frame with your eye glue to the viewer or LCD.

7. Focus! Why Focus?

Hopefully you are comfortable with auto zero by now, so you can play with focus. Try shooting slightly out-of-focus. Try totally out-of-focus, you will find some very interesting backgrounds emerging with some practice, especially in color. Remember there still needs to be a hook of some sort to keep the viewer interested. Forget I just said that, if you want to be abstract, break all the rules.

8. Slither on your stomach

Get down and dirty; you will find a lot of interesting stuff at this level. Switch to maco if you need to. A cheap way to get into a decent macro level is to buy and Extension Tube for your camera (must have removable lens though). This will give you great magnification and open up an entirely new world. A tripod is difficult at this level but you can usually find something to stabilize with; a stick, stone etc. See my lens on macro for more info.

9. Look outside the Rectangle

Why shoot the frame the camera provides us by default. Your camera provides you with a rectangle to you for composition. Try deviating from this. Unfortunately the camera you have will probably not provide you with a tool to change this, so you will have to change the way you see. Try looking for compositions that are square, panoramic, vertical strips or even round. You can always edit your rectangle in your photo editor to whatever you want. Digital makes anything possible here.

10. Shoot in Black and White

There’s just something about Black and White photography isn’t there? It yields something that color cannot. Again, digital gives us access to a field only a pro or enthusiast with a darkroom could get involved with. It’s there for you to investigate. Explore what is has to offer.

a Squidoo Lens - same information but with photos...

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Black and white photography is obsolete. It is antiquated, and exists for no reason at all, save our desire to see the world as we can’t see it. Shoot more black and white…

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One of the most basic, overlooked, and fun aspects of photography is that you have the power to slow time down or catch a split second. This is one of two basic camera controls (shutter speed and aperture) that I first learned about when I did my photography course.

One image happens so slowly that we could never see it and the other happens so quickly in real time that we would never notice it. Play with shutter speed!

Use a slow shutter speed and a tripod to make a pretty picture of any creek or the sea.

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Wait for some bad weather to roll in to give some interest and drama with your lighting.

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Practice with extremes in your composition. Break away from the habit of centering your subject. Try placing your subject at the edge of the frame.

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The best and most flexible tripod I have used for studio portraits is a bean bag. You can lie in it, stabilize your camera at very low angles for shots with a difference. Not much use for conventional portraits though.

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One that I have been using for years now is to diffuse the flash lighting from a cheapo camera. A tissue and some tape or rubber band and you have an excellent diffuser. You loose about one stop of light, but the result is worth it. Often been caught with a bottom of the range pocket camera and this tip works well.

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Tips and techniques is sometimes something you don’t get extensively in a formal photography course. Most people can find something other photographers are not aware of. You can help other like minded people getting into photography by sharing your tips. What is your tip that you find valuable to the quality of your photography?

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