Friday, March 8, 2013

Lost in the Dark? - Tips for Brilliant Night-time Photos

Breathtaking skylines, spectacular fireworks, dazzling light displays - there are so many magical moments to capture after dark. Of course, taking good photos in low light and night-time conditions can be tricky. Luckily, many digital cameras have special night and/or low light modes which make the process easier. Here are also some helpful hints to further improve your night-time photography skills.

Get a tripod � Night-time photography is all about long exposures to capture distant light so the camera shutter can be open for many seconds. Keep your camera steady to minimise shaking and blurry images by using a tripod. Alternatively, you can rest the camera on a steady surface.

Use the self timer - the camera will shake a little when you push down on the shutter release. Using the self timer and delaying the opening of the shutter will give you steadier pictures.

Timing is everything - for professional night photographers, the best images are captured just an hour or two after dark. Good timing means you get the best balance of artificial and natural light - so your images will be richly detailed with vibrant colours.

Capture movement - some of the most brilliant night-time images capture the movement of light, such as vehicles travelling along a street. Look for these opportunities when composing your night-time shots.

Make your subjects stand out - people lit by ambient light make for great images. If you're photographing people at night, have your subjects fill the frame by getting in close. Many digital cameras, including the Canon EOS or IXUS ranges, include a Night Snapshot mode to automatically adjust the camera's settings to illuminate the foreground with flash while optimising lighting conditions for the background.

Whether you're an aspiring photographer or just keen to capture those special moments on your holiday, mastering night-time photography will open up a whole new world of picture perfect opportunities for you and your camera - don't get lost in the dark.

About The Author

This article is brought to you by Canon New Zealand - Headshot Tips. For more great Canon products your favourite EOS cameras and camera accessories, visit their website.

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.canon.co.nz

www.mydigitalzoom.blogspot.com

How To Take A Great Headshot

by: Canon New Zealand

A good headshot for a budding actor or model could be the deciding factor that lands you the audition. Meanwhile, many corporate professionals use headshots to help build their personal profile and establish their expertise in the sector. Remember that a headshot can really affect that critical first impression, so make sure yours reflects the "real you".

Headshot Tips

If you want a great headshot, a professional photographer that specialises in this area will help you capture the image you need. Meanwhile, many aspiring photography enthusiasts with great SLR digital cameras may choose to experiment with headshots. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Find a good location - a plain background, such as a blank wall, will work best for headshots. Meanwhile, some people will feel more comfortable doing their shots in the outdoors - just ensure the background is plain and simple.

2. Prep your subject - instruct the model to wear clothes that fit the impression that they want to make. Clothes should be relatively plain and not draw attention away from the face. This usually means a collared shirt and suit jacket for corporate headshots while a more relaxed and casual look will work for modelling and acting portfolios.

3. Pay attention to lighting - ensure you're shooting in a well-lit location, using diffused lighting when shooting indoors. Consider a hair light above your subject's head for more depth of field.

4. Get the equipment - a sharp focus is critical for a headshot so make sure you've mastered the settings on your camera. Wide and mid-angle lenses tend to distort the subject so stick with a 90mm lens or higher for your SLR digital camera.

5. Focus on the eyes - as the photographer, it'll be your job to get the most natural expression from your subject. Be sure the facial expression reflects the person the headshot represents - a comic actor shouldn't be scowling (unless that's how they're funny).

Tip: For actors looking to land that dream audition, consider including a video sample along with your headshot. High definition cameras make it easy to include a video clip, so you can give a living example of your abilities.

Headshot requirements

There are a number of entertainment industry standards and guidelines that you should be aware of:

" Black and white - the industry standard for most headshots is for a black and white 8 x 10 inch photo while some modelling agencies may ask for a colour shot as well.

" Plain background - unlike portrait photography that captures the subject interacting with the environment, headshots should have a plain and simple background that will not detract from the face which needs to be the only focus of the image.

" Extreme close-up - a headshot is an extreme close-up of the subject's face, with just the tops of the shoulders visible and the background should hardly register at all. The person should be looking straight into the camera or just off to the side.

About The Author

Your First Digital SLR - What You Should Know

by: Canon Australia

If you're thinking about getting serious about photography, whether as a hobby or maybe even as a line of work, one of the first investments you'll be looking to make is in a good digital SLR (DSLR) camera. There are a number of different makes and models out there and you'll need to make some careful considerations when deciding on the best DSLR camera for your needs.

What is a DSLR camera and how is it different to other digital cameras?

SLR stands for single lens reflex and describes the way these types of cameras behave. Light passes through the camera lens to a mirror that then reflects the light upward to a pentaprism or pentamirror - which corrects the mirroring of the image - before being reflected to the viewfinder. When the shutter is released, the initial mirror flips up to allow the light to pass through the shutter and capture the image.

SLR cameras allow for more accurate composition and colour balance in your shot, as what you see through the viewfinder is what you get in your final picture. They also have faster response times and allow for more control which means you can get more creative with your shots, such as focusing on different elements of the composition. Meanwhile, digital SLR cameras allow for digital capture so that you can review your images instantly.

Choosing your first DSLR - what to consider

Many makes and models of DSLR cameras behave in similar ways - but there are lots of variations between the types. Choosing the best DSLR camera for your needs depends on how you intend to use the machine - and the amount you're willing to spend. Here are some points to keep in mind:

Megapixels - these days, most DSLR cameras will offer substantial megapixels, starting at about 8 MP up to 24 MP or more. Having more megapixels generally means better resolution for large prints or when you're enlarging small sections of a shot. However, having more megapixels isn't the be all and end all for getting quality pictures. In poor lighting conditions, for example, your camera sensor can sometimes record the wrong colour tone for a particular pixel, creating "noise" in your photographs resulting in a speckled appearance. Professional photographers may prefer a higher megapixel count if their photos will be used in large prints, such as billboards, or if they plan on significantly cropping the image. Consider how you'll be using the camera and how big you'll be printing photos when deciding on how many megapixels you'll need.

Cost - Your budget will determine the type of DSLR camera you purchase. Remember that in addition to buying the camera body, you might want a couple of camera lenses as well. A good zoom lens, for example, will bring you up close to your subject while a wide angle lens will broaden your angle view and give you a unique perspective. You may also want to invest in camera accessories, including filters, a camera bag or even an extra battery to make the most out of your machine.

Speed - one of the most noticeable benefits of switching to a DSLR camera is the speed. A typical digital camera involves a bit of shutter lag (the delay between pushing the button and actually capturing the image). DSLR cameras are much quicker in their response time. If you'll be shooting lots of action photographs, such as at sporting events, then a faster model is a must.

Choosing the right DSLR camera requires some good old fashioned research. Ask for advice from friends and family who own DSLR cameras, or maybe borrow one for a weekend. Investing in a quality DSLR camera will really add a whole new dimension to your photography experience - so make sure you get it right!

About The Author

This article is brought to you by Canon Australia - Your first digital SLR - what you should know. For more ideas on capturing that perfect moment with digital cameras, visit the Canon website.

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.canon.com.au

www.mydigitalzoom.blogspot.com

Thinking of buying your next digital camera?

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Thinking of buying your next digital camera? Don't buy without considering these 5 factors. This list of hints can save you time and frustration when making your next digital camera selection.

There is no limit to the number of choices you have when you decide to purchase consumer electronic products. Desktop computers, laptops, cell phones, printers, and especially digital cameras offer tons and tons of different models with options enough to confuse anyone who is not up on the product offerings.

That's why, when buying a digital camera, it is important to consider a few basic factors before you slap down your cash or enter you credit card number at an online store.

Here are some of the things to consider before ordering.

Digital Camera Cost

It has not been very long since digital cameras were very expensive and produced very poor quality images. Those days are gone. Today, $139 will buy you a 12-megapixel camera with enough features to satisfy the nerdiest of photographers. And $699 will even buy you an excellent digital SLR camera with a starter lens.

More important than the cost of the digital camera its quality and performance. Don't make the mistake of buying for price only. Check the user Star Ratings at the online stores. Those ratings are usually very accurate. They reflect what photographers with a similar budget to yours think of the camera that they bought.

Are Megapixels Still Important

Again, thinking back a few years, a three-megapixel camera was the dream of many folks. It was top of the line, and it was very expensive.

Now, the average sensor size is about 10-megapixels, with many going up to the 15-18 megapixel range.

With that in mind, the answer is, yes, the number of megapixels is still important. However, the quality of those pixels is equally important. You must understand that designers are stuffing more and more pixels into a sensor that is the same size as before. If the quality of those pixels is not upgraded along with the amount, the picture quality will suffer.

Getting a good 10-megapixel camera will give better photos than a 15-megapixel camera with poor picture quality.

LCD Screen and Display

Quality of the LCD screens is also improving. Along with that, many of the optical view finders have disappeared, especially in the compact digital cameras. That's why getting a large LCD screen with a display that is visible in all situations, including sunlight, is important. Look for LCD screens that are at least 2.7 inches in size and get the highest resolution your budget can afford.

Shooting Modes

Some people just want to "point and shoot." Of course, most cameras will provide that option. There is a "goof-proof" setting on every camera that will let the camera make every setting for you.

However, if you want a good camera that you can have some personal input into the settings if you want, there are lots of choices for that too. What you need to look for are the basic shooting modes, like portrait, macro, sunny, cloudy, and night settings. In addition to that, make sure you can set the camera to manual modes, such as Aperture priority and Shutter Speed priority just in case you get more adventurous with your camera and want to take control.

One more choice that you may want to make is the ability to set the camera for sports photos. If you have a son or daughter that is into soccer, dance, or cheerleading, you will want good quality photos of those events. And, quite honestly, the shutter lag on many cameras will disappoint you when it comes to getting a picture at the right time.

There are surely other things that you may think should be on this list of things to consider before buying digital cameras. For instance, video is now pretty much standard on digital cameras, but there is a large difference in the quality of the video output from camera to camera.

The Post Purchase Syndrome

Many of us study and study before making the final decision, then, when it comes down to the wire, we make the wrong choice. Buyer's remorse sets in.

Reasons for buyer's remorse are many, but a couple of the major ones are:

1. Paid too much for the budget.

2. The camera does not meet your expectations.

The idea of budget is something you need to think about BEFORE you buy. Enough said about that. But the second issue is critical. Don't just throw up your hands and accept inferior quality in a digital camera. Take it back, or send it back. You can get one of the other cameras on your list

, and it may be just the right one for you.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With all this information, you are ready for a list of the Top 5 Point and Shoot cameras. You can find that list at http://www.squidoo.com/top-5-point-and-shoot-cameras. This list of cameras is pretty much guaranteed to avoid problem #2. We can't help you with problem #1.

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