Author Archives: Chuck Burke

What About Video

So far, I have concentrated on still photography. And to be sure, there will be more discussion of still photography as time goes by, but there is another type of “photography” that people are interested in. Video That’s right, for that hidden Cecile B. Demille or George Lucas, the lure of the video camera is strong. I see it every week, some teenager who wants to make the next indie film, and the father who wants to record all his children’s sports and school events. I’ve been there myself. So, what’s out there for the budding movie maker? Chances are, … Continue reading →

Okay, I Took A Picture: Now What?

If you are going to the trouble of purchasing a camera, learning how to use it, and actually taking the camera out to take some pictures, it’s probably safe to assume you will want to see those pictures, right? If you are using a film camera, of course, your options are limited. Finish the roll, take it to the drug store, the camera store, the department store, or anyplace else that lets you drop off film for developing. Three days and seven dollars later, you’ll have your pictures. The only thing I can add to this is, go ahead and … Continue reading →

How To Push A Button

(no, really!) We talked before about how to hold your camera. The next big step is, how to push the shutter button. Seriously. When selling digital cameras, one of the biggest complaints I hear is that digital cameras are slow. People who have used both film and digital cameras often comment that they miss pictures because digital cameras don’t take the picture fast enough. I have found there are two tips that can help with this problem. The first one involves red-eye prevention. For those who don’t know about it, red-eye is used to describe the bright red color of … Continue reading →

Taking Close-up Pictures

So, what kind of pictures are you taking? The holidays are done, and if you got a new camera, I hope you’re using it. I’ll take pictures of just about anything, but some folks just want to take pictures of their family; others only get the camera out for special events; others just like taking shots of objects. I know during the past two months, I’ve sold several cameras to people who wanted to know how to take close ups of small objects, in order to post them on E-Bay. It hadn’t occurred to me before, but E-Bay and the … Continue reading →

Taking Pictures: How To Hold Your Camera

Sounds like a silly topic, doesn’t it? You hold you camera with your hands, don’t you? What’s so hard about that? Not so fast, my friends. Most people I see picking up cameras in the store hold them the same way: The right hand is wrapped around the end of the camera, which usually has a grip on that side. Right index finger is curled up over the top of the camera, ready to press the shutter button. The left hand has a firm grip on the opposite side of the camera. The thumb is placed up along the rear … Continue reading →

Choosing A Digital Camera (3 of 3)

What To Look For In A Digital Camera (part 3) Everybody talks about megapixels! But what is a megapixel? Megapixels refers to the number of dots that make up the photograph. In digital photography, the picture is made up of dots, each of a different color. These dots are called pixels. Like bytes in computer memory, the nerds have chosen to use kilo- and mega- to describe large numbers of them. And thanks to the mysteries of computer technology, a kilopixel is not 1,000 pixels, but actually 1,024. And a megapixel is not 1,000 kilopixels, but 1,024 kilopixels, or 1,024 … Continue reading →

Choosing A Digital Camera (2 of 3)

What about the optical zoom? Lots of cheaper cameras come with digital zoom, and we’re buying a digital camera, so that should be good, right? No, some things are still better done the old-fashioned way. Optical zoom uses multiple lenses to magnify the image before it is converted into electronic data. Optical zoom takes a picture of a smaller area, then stretches it. If you have ever looked through a telescope or a pair of binoculars, you have seen an optical zoom system in action. Two or more lenses are positioned in a cylinder, and the distance between the lenses … Continue reading →

What to Look For In A Digital Camera (1 of 3)

Quick, it’s the week before Christmas, and your son or daughter says they want a digital camera for Christmas! How do you know which one to buy? First question: What kind of photography will they be doing? (Sound familiar? If not, read my last article) For the purposes of this article, let’s assume that young Joe or Jane is just looking for something to take pictures of friends, occasionally a party or group event. They aren’t into serious, artistic photography, at least not yet. There are a couple of features that I recommend looking at in cameras, which help to … Continue reading →

Buying a Camera

Salesman: So you want to buy a camera? You: Yes I do. Salesman: Here let me show you…. RED ALERT! What’s wrong with this picture? Did you catch it? The salesman is all set to show you a camera, and he has no idea what you want, except for that one word: camera. Chances are, you are going to walk out of that store empty-handed, or with something for which you paid too much money and that isn’t going to do what you want. One of the first things a salesman should ask you, once you’ve told them you are … Continue reading →

Welcome to the families.com Photography Blog

Hello. My name is Chuck, and I’m a photographer. {Hi Chuck} Welcome to the families.com Photography Weblog, or Blog. If you are reading this, you probably already know that families.com is starting a series of Blogs on various subjects that we hope are of interest to you, the family reader. I hope you will let us know about that interest through comments, as I love two-way communication. So, who am I, you ask? Given that this is a Photography Blog, one assumes I am a photographer, right? I have been an avid amateur photographer for about thirty years. I did … Continue reading →