Taking Sweeping Shots

Panoramic photography allows you to take sweeping shots of scenes and place them together in one beautiful photo. If you prefer to shoot with a traditional 35mm film camera you will likely have to spend thousands of dollars investing in an upgraded model that features special lenses to document panoramic images. However, you can get the same results with the traditional film or digital camera you already own by either cropping a 35mm frame into a panoramic format or taking multiple images and then molding them together on your computer. If you shoot exclusively with a digital camera consider the … Continue reading

Snapping Spectacular Sunset Shots

If there is any time of the year to snap a spectacular shot of a sunset it’s now. Summertime means frequent trips to the beach and whether you are spending time at the shore on the East Coast, a coastal retreat out west or camping in the heartland you are bound to witness an awe-inspiring sunset at some point. The trick is doing justice to its beauty with your camera. The following are tips to consider before pointing and shooting at the horizon this summer: PLAN AHEAD Think about your composition. Do you want a simple shot of the sun … Continue reading

A Time to Put Down the Camera

My parents didn’t take a lot of photos while I was a kid. I don’t think I realized this until I started dabbling in scrapbooking as a teenager, and there just weren’t a lot of choices for photos. I asked my mom about it one day after my aunt had sent over a scrapbook page with photos of my brothers, and her answer has stuck with me all these years. I believe the conversation went something like this: Me: This page is really cute. Aunt Becky sure knows how to take a good picture. She got all those little boys … Continue reading

My First Camera–An Introduction

I remember my first camera—it was a kid camera using the micro 110mm film format. It was a miniature little camera with no settings and with the “curly” kind of film. My family was going on vacation to San Diego, and my sister and I each got one of these little cameras to take pictures with. I think of the whole roll of film, only one or two photos actually had a distinguishable image on them, and even then the photos were filled with bars and other items other than the magnificent animals at the San Diego Zoo. How I … Continue reading

Digitize Your Directions

I absolutely love having a GPS in the car. For me, it is a necessary tool, since I am very prone to getting lost…very prone. I could go on and on about how I was headed in one place and ended up somewhere else, even in a different state. But for those times when I don’t have the GPS or when the newest roads aren’t available on it, I have found a little trick that really helps. Sure I could look the directions up online and then print them out, but about 50 percent of the time, the online directions … Continue reading

More Basic Photo Tips for Digital Camera Owners

Now that you know a bit more on how to focus your shots correctly and you know how to add some action to your photos, it’s time to discuss other ways to spice up your pictures. CURVES S-curves (or any type of curve) can make a photo much more appealing. Just remember that a curve should start at the photo’s edge and lead to your subject. That way when a person is viewing your shot his or her eyes will be naturally drawn to the focal point of your image. FLASH Be careful when using your flash. While the added … Continue reading

Photography Week in Review for June 22-29, 2008

With temperatures on the rise there’s no question that summer snapshots are being taken by the boatload. Have you taken your camera to the beach yet? Or have you spent the summer capturing hot pics with your camera phone? Either way you might benefit from this Week in Review. Here’s a brief look at what you missed in the last few days: June 23rd—Drawbacks of Digital Photo Frames. If you are in the market for a digital photo frame you don’t want to miss this blog that details the flip side of owning one of these ultra-popular photo-sharing devices. June … Continue reading

Taking Your Camera to the Beach… and Using It

Summer is here… a time when millions of families head to the sun, sand, and surf. And along with the sunscreen, water and towels most will tote along their cameras to capture the sun-filled memories of children splashing in waves or building monster sand castles. Only not every shutterbug readily whips out his or her camera in the heat of the moment for fear that the elements (water, sand, etc.) will damage their expensive digital devices. Meanwhile, others simply forget that their cameras are sitting in their beach bags waiting to be used. As you head out on your family … Continue reading

Trends in Camera Phones

Industry experts predict that by the end of 2008 more than 300 million people worldwide will own a digital camera phone. Three hundred million! That is a staggering amount of people who will have a photo device at their fingertips at all hours of the day. And these days many cellphones that feature built-in cameras also have the ability to record several minutes of video, which can be saved and played back later. (And in most cases uploaded on YouTube for the world to see.) Interestingly, experts say many shoppers who are in the market for a cellphone are not … Continue reading

Black and White Photography—What’s Old is New Again

Black and white photos have long been popular with couples planning a wedding and first time parents trying to capture the emotion of a particular moment. But these days you see more and more amateur photographers shooting in black and white to add a different perspective to their shots. If you are thinking of going black and white consider these tips to ensure your photos are as frameworthy as possible: BACKGROUND When shooting in black and white it’s critical that the background does not distract from your subject. In most cases you can eliminate distractions by moving your subject a … Continue reading