Dreaming Winter Photography

The sight of early morning snow, the shimmering frost in the trees, your sister falling off in your snow filled front yard and your stunning snow angel, don’t you ever wish you could just capture that moment right away and place them in your computer desktop? Right, sounds easy but for an amateur photographer this may sound too challenging and laborious. But thanks to the dawn of digital photography and winter photography need not be exclusive to the professional anymore.

Almannberget in Oppdal, Norway during winter; Photography by Leif Knutsen 

You have to remember a few pointers though. Winter shooting can be tricky as majority of the landscape is white and the background is bright. When shooting a snow filled area, the brightness of the snow may often cause your digital camera to somewhat underexpose the scene, thus making the snow to look gray. To correct this, you might have to increase your exposure compensation so the whiteness of the snow can be appropriately captured. The time of the day you took the picture can also have an effect in your image. So if you want cooler shots shoot closer to midday but if you want warmer shoots, shoot early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

'Star Wars' or 'Lord of the Rings'?

Although traditional photography belief tells us that using flash outdoor is not necessary but if you are shooting a winter photograph, using a flash can bring out details and highlights that might not be captured without it. However, if you are shooting close shots avoid using flash as much as possible as the reflection can greatly reduce any detail in your photo.

Ashbridge's Bay, looking out over Lake Ontario. Toronto, Canada

With the flexibility of processing available with digital cameras, you have better choices when in comes to choosing the finished format of your photograph. There is really nothing to lose to trying winter photography. You might even be surprised with the images that you captured. Once you have become accustomed to winter photography and have been familiar with the different techniques, you will find that winter is one of the best times of the year to go out there, take photos and make use of your digital camera. You will be surprised to see that the final results are worth the hassle.

About The Author Viojieley Gurrobat loves readings books in her spare time. She writes stories and poems about anything under the sun. For comments and suggestions kindly visithttp://www.digitalroom.com/Digital-Printing.html.

5 Industries Revolutionized by Digital Photography

The invention of digital photography has impacted our lives in ways that are hard to imagine. Yes, we can take, share, and protect pictures of family and friends far more easily than ever before. But, it is amazing to stop and consider the other ways that our personal lives have changed by the advent of digital photography. Here are just a few of the industries that have been changed and improved by the digital photography revolution.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

Here are five industries revolutionized by digital photography and its technology:
Medicine
The field of medicine has benefited greatly from the development of digital imagery. Thanks to the ease of transferring digital images, patient data can now be stored with relevant photographs and sent to any hospital in the world. No longer needing to wait for the development of film allows instant results for reference photographs and X-rays, and those photographs can now be placed on a hard drive instead of taking up storage room space. Many endoscopic procedures available today would not be possible without the technology of digital.
Cyber-Space
During the last ten years, the internet has become a new way to socialize. Although once only thought of as a place for computer nerds, the internet has now become perhaps the most important communication tool in the world. A big part of this communication is the ability to share, upload and download images. The social networking site Facebookhas more than 10 billion photographs, all of which owe their presence to the technology of digital cameras. Whether it's sharing pictures of a wedding or taking photos during a crisis, digital photography has completely changed how people share their story.
Outer Space
Space exploration is thought to be one of humanity's most significant achievements. The new and advancedtechnology has allowed space scientists to explore and view areas that they have never seen before, such as the images captured and sent back to earth from the digital cameras mounted on the Mars Exploration Rovers. Without the ability to process images as data and transmit that data across unimaginable distances, our view of space would still largely be limited to what we can see from Earth.
Sports Photography
While it may seem obvious that the development of digital has changed the way in which we document sporting events, it's hard to understand how great a difference it has created without looking in more detail. Since digital photography is not limited by film, there is really no cost difference between taking a thousand photographs or taking one. With this added freedom, sports journalists are free to take thousands of photographs at every event they cover, increasing their chances of scoring one of those "one in a million" shots and opening the profession up to those who may have been afraid to risk the film.
How We Learn
As with education, digital photography has helped make learning more accessible, more interactive and perhaps even more rewarding. The low cost of digital makes it a great choice for student projects, and the abundance ofdigital photos and editing tools have provided countless students with resources for presentations and research. The use of digital video, which uses the same technology as digital photos, has enabled us to do such things as communicate worldwide in real time and take classes on the internet.
It can be easy to take digital photography for granted, especially in our daily lives. However, once we are aware of the many things that digital cameras has made possible, it is exciting to realize the impact that they have made on our daily lives. From advanced medical procedures to a clearer view of the stars, digital has opened many doors that without it would have remained closed - possibly forever.

About the Author

Autumn Lockwood is a writer for Your Picture Frames. Shop online anytime and see our collection of distressed picture frames in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Visit our website and see our stylish distressed picture frames or call 1-800-780-0699.

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Photography Marketing Success Secret #4 - Look Successful To Drive People To You

I've spent over 40 years discovering what I call "PhotographyMarketing Success Secrets" - those secrets which will cause you to earn the greatest amount of money in photography with the least amount of time and work. It's not that you or I are lazy. It's that you want to create the finest photography possible, with the least amount of work, and earn the greatest amount of profit for your efforts.

Photography marketing involves much more than just "getting the phone to ring" or getting emails to come in asking how much you cost. It also involves getting those people to HIRE you and pay you for what you do. Only then does the photography makreting really pay off.

You've probably heard the saying, "Nothing Succeeds Like Success." Well, this is absolutely true, and vitally important to your success in photography marketing!

What this means is that you have to look successful, BEFORE you can actually become successful! So even if you aren't as successful as you want to be yet, by taking advantage of the secrets I'm going to discuss here, you will become successful more quickly.

This is exactly what my wife, Cheri and I did when we were first getting going with our studio, and had nothing. Even though we were broke, we did everything we could to make the studio look like we were incredibly successful. And what we did had to be either free, or really inexpensive (because we had almost no money.)

People are watching you and judging you by how you look, speak, act, and dress. That's how people form their opinions of you.

And people want to work with and be associated with people who are successful. Most successful people with money do not want to be associated with those who are not successful themselves. Therefore, by carefully paying attention to the items we are going to talk about here, you will be able to "leap-frog" years ahead of where you are now - and do it very quickly!

It's a proven fact: you must look successful to become successful.

Now, we need to be really careful here. I am NOT saying to go out and buy a new car if money is tight. I am NOT saying to buy designer clothing. I am NOT saying to buy expensive furniture, etc. for your studio.

What I am saying is this: In order to be successful, you FIRST must look AS IF you are already successful. It's a shame we don't learn this in school!

So how do you do that, if you are short on money?

**First, you make your studio look really nice - not with expensive furniture or wall coverings - that's not nearly as important as you might think - but just make it look nice. By "nice" I mean only show wall portraits. Don't show any smaller images than a 24x30. Everything is framed. You sell what you show, so show framed wall portraits.

**And keep your studio really clean and attractive. No equipment anywhere that a client can see. No photographs laying around anywhere. No photographs sitting on the floor, leaning up against the wall. No "computer work stations" anywhere where a client can see them.

**In my opinion, it's very smart to make your studio look like a home - NOT like a gallery. As I said above, when Cheri and I first started out, we were completely broke. We had moved the studio out of our home, and into an office building. We had no money, and the only furniture we had was in our home. So we took the furniture out of our home, and put it in the studio, so the studio would look like a home setting. This worked like magic!

**Have lots of plants, flowers and small trees in your studio - just as a nice home would be decorated. This adds a wonderful "warmth" to your studio, and women will love it. (And women are our target market!)

**The key here is to do your very best to make your studio look like you are already successful and doing great. It must be clean, neat, professional, and just look like you obviously are already successful. You will be amazed at how well this works!

By making sure you "look" successful, you will attract other successful people, who will invest in your services, and help you become more and more successful. Cool, huh?!

In my next article, I will share another HUGE secret to becoming successful in photography.

All the best,

Charles J. Lewis, M. Photog., Cr.

About the Author

Charles Lewis has created the ultimate guide - "The TOP 33 Photography Marketing Secrets" free E-Book reveals the secrets for getting hundreds of new customers - FAST - regardless of the economy, your town, or whether you work on main street or out of your home. Go here now: Photography Marketing Secrets

Photography Marketing Tip: 8 Steps To Getting Free Exhibits Of Your Photography

How's your photography business doing? Is the telephone ringing as much as you want it to?

Most Photographers Don't Understand That The Backbone To The Photography Business, The "Engine" If You Will, That Drives The Photo Business, Is Getting Lots And Lots Of Qualified People To Know You Exist, And To Call You Now.

And the single, most effective way to market your photography business is through EXHIBITS of your photography throughout the community where your target market lives, shops, eats, has her hair done, etc.

You see, the "job" of your photo marketing is not to get the phone to ring a lot. It's to get the phone to ring with QUALIFIED, EDUCATED prospects who like your work and honestly feel they just might want to work with you. It makes your sales work on the telephone much easier! And it saves you a lot of time on the telephone, talking with people who end up not being qualified at all.

Here's 8 steps to getting FREE exhibits of your photography all over town:
Step #1. Order the least expensive 16x20's of your best work. I recommend you order two or three of each image, as the duplicates are less costly. Many times I use the same portrait in several of my exhibits around town. No problem. (Start with 16x20's. You can go up in size later as cash flow allows.)
Step #2. Travel around town and make a list of at least 20-25 places where you would LIKE to have an exhibit. I recommend you not waste your time, at least not to start, with franchises. Look for locally owned and operated businesses.
Here's the most effective places I have found work the best:
Malls, Movie Theaters, Restaurants, Hair Salons, Office Buildings with high traffic, Children's clothing stores, Bridal Stores, Banks, Performance Halls, Book stores,
Step #3. Next, begin by picking the top 5 places on your list where you really want an exhibit, and put on your calendar what day you are going out to talk with them within the next week. It must be in your schedule, or you won't do it.
Step #4. Suggestion: Don't call ahead. Just walk in, unannounced, carrying two 16x20 framed portraits under your arms. One of a child, and one of a bride. I never call ahead of time. Just walk in and ask for the owner.
Step #5. Talk in terms of how they can benefit. You are NOT asking for a favor. Not at all. What you are doing is presenting a "Joint Venture" marketing plan for both of you. And be ENTHUSIASTIC about this! (More on exactly how to do this in an upcoming article!)
Step #6. When they say yes, let them know you will be back in a few days to put the exhibit up. You are going to custom make it for them, to go with their decor, etc.
Step #7. Put the exhibit up either on the walls, or on easels. If you use easels, use different heights, some high, and some low, and be sure to use several rather large baskets of silk flowers mixed in with the easels, to add to the beautify of it, and to help hide some of the legs of the taller easels.
Step #8. On the day you put the exhibit up, be sure to take some high quality ambient light photos of the exhibit, so you can add them to your portfolio of displays, and show them to everyone else you talk to about getting exhibits. (More on this in my next article, too.)
Your key to success lies within the actions you take. You need to do the right things - those things that are PROVEN to work - but you DO HAVE TO TAKE ACTION!
All the best,
Charles J. Lewis

About the Author

Why are some photographers getting rich and having all the customers and clients they could ever want, while others are struggling? Charles Lewis has created the ultimate guide - "The TOP 33 Photography Marketing Secrets" free E-Book reveals the secrets for getting hundreds of new customers - FAST - regardless of the economy, your town, or whether you work on main street or out of your home studio. Click Here: Photo Marketing Secrets

If Only I Had A Better Camera...

"I would love to be a better photographer...if only I had a better camera." This is a comment I hear every day in my gallery. What many people don't understand is that the type of camera you use is not the key to improving your photography.

Pride makes it hard to admit that we are just not very good at something. Photography is no exception: of course it is much easier to blame the camera. The trouble is, if we want to take better photos, will buying a better camera make that happen?

Of course not.

The truth is, you can take better photos no matter what sort of camera you have. Digital cameras have become so advanced that almost all cameras now have aperture and shutter speed settings, not to mention amazingly powerful optical zoom lenses. These are features that, until very recently, were only available on SLR cameras. So if you want to take better photos, the features are right there in front of you. All you have to do is take the time to learn how to use them.

To take better photos, start with the manual that came with your camera. It will tell you how to operate the major settings, although it may not be so good at explaining what they are for. Then find the information you need to understand how those settings will help you take better photos. There are courses, workshops, books and ebooks that will tell you what you need to know.

If you do pay good money for a course or ebook, make sure it is about taking better photos. These days, a lot of the information out there is about fixing your photos on a computer, and not about taking better photos.

A lot of what you can learn has nothing to do with the camera. That's right; you can improve your photography without changing one thing about your camera. My experience in nature photography has taught me that the way you use the light to capture your subject makes a huge difference. The weather and the time of day can affect the light, so your timing and patience can be the difference between a snapshot and a great photo.

Developing an eye for composition is an essential skill that actually has nothing to do with the price tag on your camera. You can go a long way towards better photography by learning to think like an artist, not like a tourist. A good guide to photography should teach you this important element of photography as well.

Here are a few simple examples. If you are photographing a waterfall, try looking at the scene creatively. Perhaps you can stand back and take a photo that follows the flow of water upstream, with the waterfall in the background. Or you could try looking through the branches of a tree, to frame the subject, rather than just snapping the first and most obvious angle.

When photographing people and animals, think about the best way to position them to make a stronger composition. Instead of putting them in the middle of the photo looking straight at the camera, try positioning them to one side, looking in towards the centre of the picture.

These are just a couple of simple ideas to get you thinking. The point is this: you can take great strides to becoming a better photographer by concentrating on the artistic aspects of the craft, rather than just the technical.

Of course, many things you can do with a compact camera, you can do even better if you have an SLR camera. However, buying a better camera is not going to help you take better photos if you just switch it to automatic and keep taking snapshots. So here's my tip. Don't overspend; just buy the camera you can afford, then really learn how to use it. It's as simple as that. No matter which camera you have, you can take better photos with a bit of knowledge, and a bit of practice. If you decide to upgrade later, so be it, but learning the basics of good photography will get you a lot further than succumbing to the "If only I had a better camera" mindset.

Now, if only I had better golf clubs...

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrew Goodall's ebooks "Photography in Plain English" and "Every Picture Tells A Story" are a great starting point on the road to better photography. See Andrew's images athttp://www.naturesimage.com.au and check out the ebooks athttp://www.naturesimage.com.au/page/25/default.asp

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