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Nature Photography: Five Tips For Great Sunset Photos

Sunsets and sunrises are an inpirational subject for any photographer. In fact, a good sunset photo is often the reason many people become interested in nature photography. You don't need to have a great camera or professional training; almost anyone with a camera can take great sunset photos.

The great news is, good sunset photos are surprisingly easy to take. In my gallery, I don't actually display many sunset photographs. You see, they are hard to sell, because almost everybody has a few great sunsets they have photographed themselves. Rather than buy mine, they are more likely to grab their camera and show me the picture they took the night before!

As a result, I am often asked to evaluate sunset photos by amateur photographers (occupational hazard for a nature photographer!), and I have learned to quickly identify where most people go wrong. It is not hard to expose a sunset photo; in many cases you can leave your camera on auto and it will do the work for you. The trouble people have is in making an interesting composition. It is not good enough just to photograph a good sky. The real challenge lies in turning a spectacular sky into a compelling photograph.

Here are my five tips for taking great sunset (and sunrise) photos.

Sunset Photography Tip #1. Learn to predict a good sunset before it happens. Have you ever seen a perfect sky, only to realise you didn't have your camera handy? In the five minutes it takes to get your camera and set up for the photo, the moment has passed. As brilliant as a sunset can be, the effect may last for only a few minutes, so you need to be able to choose your location, set up your camera, and be waiting for the show to start.

Sunset Photography Tip #2. Be patient to get the best colours. The few minutes as the sun is crossing the horizon can be spectacular, but it is not the whole story of a sunset. As the sinking sun lights the clouds from below, often the richest colours can appear up to half an hour later. By this time it will be getting quite dark, so be prepared with your tripod. You may be shooting exposures of half a second or more to bring out the best in your sunset photograph.

Sunset Photography Tip #3. Find a good foreground subject. This may be the most important tip of all. Time after time people show me their sunset photos, and all I can think is "Great sky...pity you didn't make a better photo out of it." We have all seen and photographed spectacular skies, so that alone is not enough to create your work of art. Try to identify some object that stands well above the horizon (trees, windmills, buildings, power-lines) and has a shape that will create a good silhouette. It doesn't have to fill up your picture. In fact, it may only take up a small area - that will only make the sky seem even more impressive. The important thing is to give your picture a focal point, so that your viewer has something more interesting to look at than just a great sky.

Think back to my tip #1. To get a great photo you need to be prepared in advance, so scout your location for a good foreground well before the razzle-dazzle gets underway.

Sunset Photography Tip #4. Fill your photo with colour. You have probably heard of the 'rule of thirds' in landscape photography. In simple terms this rule suggests your horizon should be a third of the way from the top, or from the bottom, of your photo to create a balanced composition. The trouble is, when you are photographing into the sunset, everything in the foreground will be in silhouette. This means if you follow the rule of thirds, a big part of your composition will be totally black. This is one situation where you can ignore the rule of thirds. By allowing your sky to dominate the composition, you fill your picture with colour and draw even more attention to the richness of the sunset.

Sunset Photography Tip #5. If near water, use it to enhance the effect. People often see a sunset at the beach, or by a river, and stand a long way back to get their shot. This approach fails to take advantage of the reflections on the water, so instead of a rich foreground there will be too much empty black space.

Get right down to the water's edge or to the wet sand on the beach. By capturing the reflections, your foreground will echo the colour of the sky. Not only will your photo be more colourful, but you will start to spot opportunities for much more interesting compositions.

So there you have my simple tips on sunset photography. Notice that I have concentrated on creativity, not technology. As I said at the beginning, exposing a good sunset photo is not difficult; the challenge is to make your photo stand out from the rest. Like all good nature photography, your sensitivity to nature is far more important than technical expertise. Allow nature to inspire you, think creatively, and great results are sure to follow. Good luck!

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Selling Your Photography: Choosing A Stock Agency

For photographers wanting to get into the stock photography business, it is important to look closely at any agency that you are thinking of submitting work to. Choosing the agency that is right for you could be the difference between success and failure.

The market

It is important to look at the type of work an agency has in its library. Make sure the subject matter matches the type of work you do. Particularly if it is a specialist library. A little research and you should also be able to find out the type of clients they supply. One way of doing this is to make a list of various publications where you would like to see your photos and check the credits for agency names. Then working backwards, research the agency from there. Many agencies have strong relationships with particular clients and because of this this clients will automatically return to this agency automatically every time they need to license an image. Establishing yourself with the right agency for your marketplace could mean that your work becomes seen regularly where you want it to be seen.

Style

As well as looking closely at the subject matter held by agencies, look at the style of images and the image of the library itself. Is the stock bold and colorful? Modern and experimental? Editorial or commercial? Or do the images have a more classic feel. Stock agencies can be picky about who they work with. If your work differs too much from what an agency has in their library and what they know they can sell, it isn't likely they will want to work with you. This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your work, you just haven't found the right business partner yet. Fortunately there are hundreds of agencies, and one to suit all styles.

The contract

Once you find an agency you want to work with, make sure you read the contract carefully. Know exactly what you're getting into. Some key points to look at are the commission structure. What percentage of each sale do you get compared with the agency? Also check the submission requirements. Some agencies require a certain number of submissions per year, others have no restrictions. Make sure you can keep up with your end of the bargain before you sign a contract. It is also a good idea to find out if and how you can terminate a contract if things don't work out. Because despite all our best efforts, some things just don't go to plan.

Reputation

If you do enough research on the stock photography industry, you will come to learn which agencies are known for professionalism in customer service and looking after their contributors and which aren't. Choosing an agency is choosing a business partner. To build a successful partnership, both parties need to be looking out for each other. Don't get stuck with an agency that promises and demands much but delivers very little.

The stock photography industry is a difficult and competitive one. Like all careers, your success or failure depends on the decisions you make. Choosing the right agency is a giant step forward in being successful in selling stock photography

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Digital Photography Basics

What are the basics of digital photography? I grabbed my digital camera ($200 bought at Best Buy) and my laptop to figure it out. First, I did a little research online. I read several pages of information. Most pages talked about shutter speed, aperture, digital sensors and such. I thought to myself ‘wow, this is going to be complicated’. So I pulled my camera out of its case to see where in the world all these settings are located at. Guess what? I have no settings like that on my camera. So I figure since I am probably an average user like most of you out there reading this article, your camera is probably similar to mine. So I am not going to bore you with technical mumbo jumbo. We are going to keep it simple here.

I am sure you know to put batteries in the camera, power it on and then point and click to take your picture. I would definitely recommend before you take any pictures to look over your user manual and check out the features you have on your camera. For example, I have a night, landscape, sport, and portrait setting for taking pictures. If I want to take a picture of my cute dogs snuggling together on the couch, I put it on the portrait setting and snap away. If I want to take an action shot of my son skate boarding down the road, I put it on the sport setting. You also need to set the quality of the shots on your camera. The higher quality the picture, the more memory it takes, so less pictures can be stored in your camera. And of course vice versa, the lower the quality more can be stored. I personally don’t see a problem with high quality shots. If you download them regularly to your pc, you won’t have a storage problem.

Don’t forget about holding the camera correctly and making sure the optics are clean. Digital cameras are getting smaller by the day. You don’t want to take shots of your cousins wedding and then realize you have several pictures of your finger. Make sure you keep your fingers away from the lens with your index finger on the shutter button and your thumb on the back to hold the camera steady. Also, it is really easy to get finger prints on your camera lens. This makes your pictures come out fuzzy. Make sure you clean your lens regularly with the correct cloth and solution.

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Selling Your Photography: Choosing A Stock Agency

For photographers wanting to get into the stock photography business, it is important to look closely at any agency that you are thinking of submitting work to. Choosing the agency that is right for you could be the difference between success and failure.

The market

It is important to look at the type of work an agency has in its library. Make sure the subject matter matches the type of work you do. Particularly if it is a specialist library. A little research and you should also be able to find out the type of clients they supply. One way of doing this is to make a list of various publications where you would like to see your photos and check the credits for agency names. Then working backwards, research the agency from there. Many agencies have strong relationships with particular clients and because of this this clients will automatically return to this agency automatically every time they need to license an image. Establishing yourself with the right agency for your marketplace could mean that your work becomes seen regularly where you want it to be seen.

Style

As well as looking closely at the subject matter held by agencies, look at the style of images and the image of the library itself. Is the stock bold and colorful? Modern and experimental? Editorial or commercial? Or do the images have a more classic feel. Stock agencies can be picky about who they work with. If your work differs too much from what an agency has in their library and what they know they can sell, it isn't likely they will want to work with you. This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your work, you just haven't found the right business partner yet. Fortunately there are hundreds of agencies, and one to suit all styles.

The contract

Once you find an agency you want to work with, make sure you read the contract carefully. Know exactly what you're getting into. Some key points to look at are the commission structure. What percentage of each sale do you get compared with the agency? Also check the submission requirements. Some agencies require a certain number of submissions per year, others have no restrictions. Make sure you can keep up with your end of the bargain before you sign a contract. It is also a good idea to find out if and how you can terminate a contract if things don't work out. Because despite all our best efforts, some things just don't go to plan.

Reputation

If you do enough research on the stock photography industry, you will come to learn which agencies are known for professionalism in customer service and looking after their contributors and which aren't. Choosing an agency is choosing a business partner. To build a successful partnership, both parties need to be looking out for each other. Don't get stuck with an agency that promises and demands much but delivers very little.

The stock photography industry is a difficult and competitive one. Like all careers, your success or failure depends on the decisions you make. Choosing the right agency is a giant step forward in being successful in selling stock photography

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Digital Photography Basics

What are the basics of digital photography? I grabbed my digital camera ($200 bought at Best Buy) and my laptop to figure it out. First, I did a little research online. I read several pages of information. Most pages talked about shutter speed, aperture, digital sensors and such. I thought to myself ‘wow, this is going to be complicated’. So I pulled my camera out of its case to see where in the world all these settings are located at. Guess what? I have no settings like that on my camera. So I figure since I am probably an average user like most of you out there reading this article, your camera is probably similar to mine. So I am not going to bore you with technical mumbo jumbo. We are going to keep it simple here.

I am sure you know to put batteries in the camera, power it on and then point and click to take your picture. I would definitely recommend before you take any pictures to look over your user manual and check out the features you have on your camera. For example, I have a night, landscape, sport, and portrait setting for taking pictures. If I want to take a picture of my cute dogs snuggling together on the couch, I put it on the portrait setting and snap away. If I want to take an action shot of my son skate boarding down the road, I put it on the sport setting. You also need to set the quality of the shots on your camera. The higher quality the picture, the more memory it takes, so less pictures can be stored in your camera. And of course vice versa, the lower the quality more can be stored. I personally don’t see a problem with high quality shots. If you download them regularly to your pc, you won’t have a storage problem.

Don’t forget about holding the camera correctly and making sure the optics are clean. Digital cameras are getting smaller by the day. You don’t want to take shots of your cousins wedding and then realize you have several pictures of your finger. Make sure you keep your fingers away from the lens with your index finger on the shutter button and your thumb on the back to hold the camera steady. Also, it is really easy to get finger prints on your camera lens. This makes your pictures come out fuzzy. Make sure you clean your lens regularly with the correct cloth and solution.

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Archival Storage Boxes for photography

While there are pundits that think the advent of digital photography has made traditional methods obsolete, the fact is that prints taken from even the best digital sources require the use of archival storage boxes if they are to be preserved in non-digital form. Proper photo storage techniques are even more important when it comes to photographic images produced using traditional methods; light, humidity, temperature and low pH levels can all wreak havoc on traditional photographic prints. By using the right archival storage boxes and paying attention to other factors that can damage your prints, you’ll be able to archive your images and preserve them almost indefinitely.

The Basics

A good Photo Storage box is made from acid-free materials, is water tight, secure and compact. Ideally, such archival storage boxes are also treated with special “buffering agents” that neutralize any acids that may be present in the environment of the photo storage area. Such acid-free storage boxes represent the most effective archival photo storage solution for prints that must be stored for extended periods of time.

In addition to the proper kind of photo prints storage box, you’ll want to place each print in individual clear bags in much the same way as collectors of vintage comic books store their issues �" for much the same reason. It is another layer of protection, ensuring that your photographic prints remain dry and contaminant-free.

Protection From The Elements

Once you have securely stored your prints in clear bags and acid free storage boxes, you’ll need to protect them from light and temperature extremes.

The former issue may seem confusing at first, since light is what makes traditional photography possible in the first place. Once printed and mounted however, light can make short work of an image’s quality. This may not be an issue if photo storage boxes are sealed and placed in a dry, cool, dark space, however.

What is more of a threat is temperature. Heat causes materials to expand, while cold causes them to contract; needless to say, this can cause substantial damage to stored photographic prints, particularly if such prints have been mounted. Ideally, your photo storage location is temperature controlled, or remains at a constant temperature. If this is not practical, there are other steps you can take to safeguard your mounted images from temperature-related damage, including the use of photo corners and special mat boards that allow the image to “breathe” and expand without damage to the print itself.

Good archival storage boxes are not expensive, but are nonetheless an important investment in the protection of your priceless photographic prints. In addition to clear bags and the right mounting materials (if applicable), use of proper archival storage boxes are vital in the preservation of photographs.

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Learn the history of Photography

Being able to take photos is somesthing we take for granted as of today. But have you ever wondered how photography and cameras were invented. The technique of taking photos is going back as long as to the 1820's. Nowadays digital photos and storage has become the standard.

Jacques Mandé Daguerre and Nicephore Niepce (1765-1833) were the first inventors of modern photography. They successfully experimented with a chemical component from silver and chalk, which , when exposed to light, darkens. This type of technology used a glass negative to cement the picture.

Maybe you have seen in some old cowboy/western movies the earliest types of cameras available at that time, and the next step was to move to manual cameras with film. This film or negative worked by capture the picture on a roll to be developed in a dark room which is to prevent over exposure. These manual cameras used a theory of setting up shots. In short they were really hard to handle. You had to understand aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and metering to obtain the best possible picture. As you can understand this meant you spent a lot of time setting up the shot and probably had to be a professional.

Now, to furher explain, aperture is the amount of light the lens will let in. Depth and focusing of field are also important when setting the aperture on your camera. The photographer has bascially to know what numbers will allow more light to enter the lens and of course as well the converse - to avoid blurriness and over exposure. Shutter speed can be explained as the amount of time a lens is open for the picture. When taking pictures in a darkened room without flash you may have found that your camera takes a while to actually imprint the picture on the negative. This is simply because the light is dim and the shutter in turn must correct for the lack of light.

came the the automatic ones. The camera became physically lighter. Another improvement was that the aperture and shutter speed could be programmed into the camera by the settings. Now also ISO became important. ISO is the actual film speed. Instead of taking many minutes to set up a shot you now just had to pick the correct setting and then hold the button down to focus.

As said in the beginning, digital cameras are the new era in photography. The technique lets us view the picture we take without the use of negatives and films. And as you know we can send the pictures to people we know and quickly enough use our computer printers at home to create prints. Photography has surely enough evolved from being just a profession to a technique letting everyone take pictures. Goes without saying the profession will remain. There is still a need for quality in taking professional grade photographs. However, the fact that all of us nowadays ,thanks to the technology, are able to take good quality pictures is of course fantastic.

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Digital Photography - Tips On Choosing the Best Digital Cameras

Because people no longer have to wait for film to be processed and returned, the digital camera market continues to grow. Not having to use film means that the cameras can actually be considerably smaller with only the batteries dictating the actual size. A great advantage over the older film system is how easily the images can be stored using a computer or other mass storage device. Although the image looks exactly the same as that of a normal photograph, they are stored as pixels.



Strangely, both types of camera focus light onto a surface that captures an image using a set of lenses. The only difference between a digital camera and film cameras is how they capture this light inside the camera itself. If you are using a more expensive type, the system used there is a CCD sensor. Images captured in what are considered to be the low-end cameras are using a CMOS device which competes directly with the CCD of the high-end variants.

In order to bring digital photography to the masses, the price had to come down; an expensive part of the system is the capture device, so by replacing the CCD with the CMOS device it enabled the price to be reduced. It would take an experienced digital camera enthusiast to see the difference between an images captured with a CMOS against the superior CCD system. If you find yourself in the market for one of these marvelous cameras then some useful information is detailed in this article. Look for models with over 6 megapixels and you won't go far wrong as they will provide decent images; if you are lucky you may find a model that is discounted because a new version is about to be introduced.

Unless your budget just won't stretch that far, don't buy a digital camera with only a digital zoom or you will find pictures that aren't very clear when you print them; optical zooms can produce some interesting effects. Don't waste your money on standard disposable batteries as rechargeable ones these days are very affordable and long lasting which could save you hundreds of dollars on standard ones. Many people are just happy to point and shoot but if you want to do a little more then try to buy one with more functions; examples are listed below:



*Special night time shots *Multiple exposures (on a single image) *Mosaic effect shots



High resolution cameras require more space to store images so you will probably need an additional storage card. Digital storage has come down in price so buying gigabyte card will no longer require a loan but you shouldn't think of having anything less than this.

For photographers who will keep the camera with them at all time you may want to consider one of the more compact types that can be carried in a shirt pocket. These smaller models are very discreet and don't make you feel as if you are on a photographic safari but you can still take professional looking pictures. I hope these few tips will help you choose a camera you enjoy using for a long time. With all its technology, versatility and portability, the digital camera is the future of photography.

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Nature Photography: Technology Or Art?

Nature photography has been around since cameras were invented, but in the past 20 years it has achieved new-found credibility as an art form. Before that, it had been largely relegated to the tourist industry, where second-rate nature photography was mass marketed on postcards and calendars. You certainly would not expect to find nature photography featured in galleries and on the walls of the well-heeled and tasteful.

Over the years, postcards and calendars began to improve in quality as nature photographers with real talent entered the industry. High quality posters of whales, wolves, elephants and spectacular landscapes from around the world were suddenly worthy of framing. Finally nature photography galleries began to appear and, more importantly, turn a profit.

When I opened my gallery in 1993, many people still felt that you could not make a living selling photography; that people would only buy paintings to hang on their walls. These days, new galleries are opening everywhere; some good, some not so good, and a few that have really hit the big time.

All this activity in the world of nature photography has inspired new generations of photographers to look at nature photography as a hobby or possible profession. These new nature photographers grew up in a very different world than the one I come from. Technology that was unimagined back then is now commonplace, and new photographers have more power in their hands than ever before. But what implications does all this technology have for nature photography?

Nature photographers must now decide how much they will allow their photography to be influenced by technology. In earlier days, good nature photography required a very simple approach; find a great subject, in the best possible light, and use your skill with a camera to capture what you saw. Today it is quite a different story. A nature photographer can (if they choose) find a decent subject, photograph it in whatever lighting conditions they happen to find, then go home and completely alter the colours, the contrast, and even the detail of the picture. The result can be an image that owes more to the marvels of technology than to the wonders of nature.

Each to his own. It is not for me to judge the creative decisions of another photographer. But the question that is in the back of your mind right now deserves to be asked; is this nature photography?

Every photographer is entitled to pursue their craft any way they choose. Nobody could argue that skills with a computer are any less creative than traditional nature photography skills. However, the person who views a photograph deserves to know what they are looking at, especially if that person is a customer prepared to part with their hard-earned money.

I know many photographers get quite defensive on this subject. Camera clubs around the world continue to wrestle with the issue of judging natural photos alongside manipulated photos. Some clubs have tried to divide competition into separate categories, only to find people sneaking their digitally altered photos into the unaltered category for equal recognition. Understandably, 'software photographers' want their talents to be recognised on the same level as the 'in-camera photographers'. And so they should, but not in a way that ignores the difference between the two disciplines.

This is not an attempt to denigrate the skills of the software photographers. It just seems to me that the viewer, and in particular the paying customer, deserves to know.

Increasingly the public is becoming suspicious of good photography. Anything that is outstanding or unusual is now assumed to have been altered or manipulated using computer software. In many cases, it probably has. Unfortunately, this suspicion gives little credit to the traditional photographer (and there are still plenty of us out there) who prefer to do the creative work in the field, before they press the shutter, and reproduce what was captured on the day.

You can't imagine, unless it has happened to you, how frustrating it is to proudly display your best nature photography, only to hear people say 'These days it's all done with computers.'

For the record, my photography is as traditional as it can be in the digital age. Software is becoming essential to my work, as I go throught the process of scanning thousands of slides from my years of travel. Not to alter a photo, but to balance the colour and contrast to make sure the printed photograph matches the original slide. It is also an enormous benefit to finally be able to restore images that have been scratched or otherwise damaged by age.

I recognise that the trend towards using software to enhance and alter photos is not only inevitable, but just as legitimate as old fashioned nature photography. However, I continue to encourage people to learn true camera skills as well, so that the use of software to manipulate images is a creative choice, not a remedy for lack of ability. Thankfully, the demand for my ebooks suggests that there are plenty of people out there who feel the same way.

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Aerial Photography For Real Estate - 5 Keys To Success

Using an aerial photography company for real estate can be a great asset. Learn the 5 keys to success when deciding on an aerial photographer or aerial photography company to do the job.

Aerial photography can be used for many different uses such as surveying, advertising, landscaping, planning and commercial use. Aerial photography is also commonly used for real estate to show the entirety of a property that is for sale. This is a great way to help real estate agents sell homes fast. But how does a real estate agent choose an aerial photographer or aerial photography company to do the job right and affordable? Below you will find the 5 keys to success on choosing the best aerial photography service for real estate needs.

1. Consider pricing - Photographers come in many different shapes and sizes... and many different pay scales. Remember, you are in the business to make money not to shell out a fortune. Consider aerial photographers that can work within your budget.

2. Consider the neighborhood - When choosing an aerial photography company, make sure they are low-impact in the area you are working in. If you are shooting in a quiet neighborhood, kite, balloon and Radio Controlled Aerial Photography are great ways of staying quiet. Standard helicopter aerial photography can be expensive and very loud, not to mention disruptive to the grounds.

3. Is the company willing to work with your needs as a business professional? Its always best to choose an aerial photographer that is willing to do what you, the client, needs. Aerial photography is an art, but more importantly it is a service provided for you. Make sure you go through an aerial photography company that is willing to do exactly what you want them to do and discuss the terms and conditions before hand. Remember, this is a service you are paying for.

4. Go with a reputable company or photographer. Companies well known on the web are usually a safe bet in consideration that they don't have horror story after horror story posted all over the place. Finding a company with a great reputation can guarantee you quality work at an affordable price.

5. As a real estate agent, think of what you are really selling. Is it the property? Is it the home? What makes what you sell unique? Write this down and keep it on-hand. Share this information with your aerial photographer. When you make sure you and your aerial photography company are on the same page, then you know they are working for the same goals you are. This way you get consistent output and better return on investment... which is what real estate is all about. When you photograph the benefits, you capture its value.

Aerial Photography for Real Estate can be a great investment if done properly. Use common sense, plan ahead, and share your vision and you won't be let down and you will have made a better investment for your business needs

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Wedding Photography in Orange County - The Top 10 Places for Engagement and Wedding Photography

Many plans go into creating the perfect day for a bride's wedding. But when all is said and done, the wedding and engagement photographs will tell the tale of "Our Wedding Day." Capture your perfect moments with pictures at the ideal location that will remind you of how enchanting, romantic, and personal your wedding day really was. Here are top ten wedding engagement and wedding photography session locations in Orange County:

1. The number one location for wedding and engagement photography sessions in Orange County is... the DISNEYLAND theme park. Let the child in you have fun at the Happiest Place on Earth. Bring the enchanting fairy tale of your engagement or wedding to life in your photographs using the enchanted castle as your backdrop. Or for more playful shots, take some "mad" photos in the teacups, explosive shots at Big Thunder Mountain or wacky cracks in ToonTown.

2. Looking for the classic beach shot for your e-session? The beach at the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach is the best location in Orange County. With its panoramic Pacific Ocean views you'll have a classic romantic paradise to illuminate your romantic moments.

3. Downtown San Juan Capistrano is home to one of the oldest train stations in Orange County. Centered in an antique mission town, the train station offers a beautiful and unique backdrop of colorful train cars and a rustic country town. You can even get amazing shots aboard some old trains.

4. For animal lovers the best photography location in Orange County is the Zoomars Petting Zoo in San Juan Capistrano. With this rare collection of exotic and endangered species as a backdrop, you have a distinctive way to exhibit your personality in your engagement or wedding photos.

5. Downtown Laguna Beach provides a great location for engagement or wedding photography sessions. With its quaint beach city, charming boardwalk and protected tide pools, your photos can have the unique blend of cityscape and casual beach lifestyle that defines Southern California.

6. Just outside Orange County, you can feel like you're on the other side of the world in the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Gardens located at California State University in Long Beach. This beautiful and quaint garden is a hidden gem for engagement and wedding photos. Lush with green trees and a peaceful creek, the grace of this garden will capture your precious moment.

7. Looking for an ocean view backdrop? Not excited about the sand? Check out Little Corona Beach in Corona Del Mar. The top of the cliff offers stunning views of the Newport Beach jetties and bay at Inspiration Point Park. A very romantic spot to photograph your engagement or wedding.

8. Casper's Wilderness Park (the former Starr Ranch) in San Juan Capistrano is a beautiful location showcasing Orange County's scenic landscapes. Sandstone canyons, river terraces, and magnificent stands of California sycamore trees will give a truly Californian look for your wedding or engagement photos!

9. Nature not your style? Have a metro e-session with an urban shoot in downtown Santa Ana Art District. This hip art district lined with art galleries, coffee shops, and museums, gives the perfect backdrop for the en vogue couple looking for an edgy engagement photography location in Orange County.

10. Rancho Las Lomas in Lawrence Canyon of Silverado has spectacular facilities surrounded by beautiful zoological and botanical gardens. For a unique touch, have your engagement photos done under ancient Oaks and magnificent giant Sycamores. Rancho Las Lomas also features a gorgeous rose garden.

Every bride looks for the perfect dress, the perfect cake, the perfect location for her wedding. But what must not be forgotten are the best locations for engagement and wedding photography sessions. Capture your most memorable moments with the location that best reflects your personality.

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Digital Cameras - The "in" Thing For Photography

Digital cameras have captured the photographic marketplace because you no longer need to use film. Digital cameras can also be considerably smaller as they do not need a film chamber. You no longer have to send photos to a developing lab to have the pictures blown up or adjusted as long as you have a home computer. Whilst the image storage may be digital, the end result looks no different from a picture printed from photographic film.



Focusing light through a lens onto a suitable receptive surface is still common to both types of camera. However, it is how the digital camera captures the light that makes all the difference because it achieves this by using a special sensor as opposed to film. A charge couple device is the light capturing device in the quality models that is used to convert light into electrical signals and as far as the user is concerned, an image is saved just like an ordinary device. Less expensive cameras us a complementary metal oxide semi-conductor or CMS device which does the same work of capturing an image and although some believe it could replace the CCD, this is not likely.

In order to bring digital photography to the masses, the price had to come down; an expensive part of the system is the capture device, so by replacing the CCD with the CMOS device it enabled the price to be reduced. The CCD and CMOS devices used in digital cameras capture light like tiny solar collectors both achieving the same effect but just by differing methods. Information to help you choose a suitable model of camera is mention in this review. Image quality is important or it will be waste of time taking them so look for the highest megapixel model within your price range; they can also provide prints that are larger without any degradation.

Better photos will be taken with a digital camera that has an optical zoom and not just a digital zoom; even a camera with a three times optical zoom is worth having. One way in which you can save money is to use batteries that can be recharges over and over saving you hundreds of dollars over their lifetime. If you want to do more than just take snap shots, look for a model that is high on functionality to create stunning photos you can be proud of; functions like those listed here for instance:



*Sepia shots *B/W image conversion *Mosaic effect shots



Most models these days can accept a storage card to accept more images because high megapixel models use up a great deal of memory. Although larger storage cards have plummeted in price, a 1GB card should be enough for most peoples needs; some cameras won't accept very high capacity cards anyway.

If your camera is going accompany you wherever you go, then you will need to consider its size. These smaller models are very discreet and don't make you feel as if you are on a photographic safari but you can still take professional looking pictures. There has only been room for a few basic hints and tips here but they should help with your choice of camera. With their range of features and ease of use, digital cameras are the future of still image photography.

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How Can I Make Money With Digital Photography?

Digital photography is an extremely popular hobby today and certainly a wonder of modern technology. Unlike years ago, today it only takes the push of a button and a minute or two later you have your prints. The days of having to purchase film, take the entire roll in for developing, and pay before seeing the results is long gone. With a digital camera, memory card, batteries, accessories and practice, you are prepared to capture beautiful images and moments. Many people with an entrepreneurial spirit and a love of photography have learned the art of capturing eye-catching scenery, subjects or unforgettable moments and discovered ways to turn digital photography into a money making business.

You do not have to be a professional photographer to make money but you must be able to produce excellent quality pictures that are clear and that people will pay for. Whether someone chooses to do this full time or part time, they will be prepared to capture a money-making photo by having the camera close by at all times. The flexibility and quality of digital photographs and the internet has given people many opportunities to make money with their services and pictures. One creative way to make money with digital photography is finding places where people would pay to have memorable pictures taken, such as tourist attractions, parades, concerts, and competitions. Take your business cards along to these hot markets, take pictures and then post them on a file sharing service or website that allows people to browse and buy your pictures. Selling your digital pictures online as stock photos offers digital photographers another excellent way to earn money. There are stock photography agencies or companies on the internet where you can use their database to upload your pictures and then they pay you when somebody buys any of your pictures. Most have certain terms, such as quality of pictures, content, resolution and pixels of the digital photographs. Usually if your work is made up of lower resolution pictures, many digital photo stock agencies pay less for it. There is a demand by graphic designers, magazines, website publishers and others that require backdrops and photographs of people, weather, birds, animals and nature, which are always in great demand.

Contact local real estate agents, car dealerships, insurance companies, hair salons and other agencies and businesses in your area that often require freelance photographers to take pictures of houses, vehicles, hair styles, property for refinancing or sale and insurance pictures, just to name a few. Make money by selling your services to capture special occasion moments such as graduations, birthdays, weddings, family reunions, new babies and other important events. There are many ways to make money with digital photography but it takes skill, credibility and dedication. To take exceptional, awesome photographs requires an individual to always keep learning and perfecting their abilities. The ways to make money using your digital camera are almost endless and it just takes a creative mind and lots of imagination to find your niche. Come up with a business and marketing plan and soon your digital photography hobby will produce a steady income.

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Photography Printing

Printing images has long being a passion for a lot of photographers, but with the cost of inks and paper plus the length of time it takes, is it best to print at home or leave it to the professionals? The following article will explain all about photography printing and the pros and cons of printing at home.

Once your images are taken the next and most important factor is the quality of the print. If you are thinking about doing the printing at home, you need to be able to create quality prints and you also need to know the best quality paper and ink to buy. Before you decide whether to print at home or use a professional service, you need to weigh up the pros and cons of doing it yourself.

With a good printer it is possible to print great images in your office or at home. One of the biggest cons of printing at home is the time it takes; if you have a great deal of images to print I would advise that you get a professional service to do it for you. You will not save any money by doing your own printing but it is extremely handy to be able to do it your self, especially if you need the prints in a hurry.

If you have decided that you are going to do your own printing you need to know and understand how to do so. Your prints need to be perfect.

Printing images takes time and most affordable printers are slow. Your printer needs to be able to print at a minimum of 300 dpi. If possible get a printer that will print up to 600 dpi. This will give you a sharper and better quality image. You also need to know what paper will suit your printer. Your printer should have a minimum of four ink cartridges.

Always buy inks from the manufacturer of the printer. As a rule, I would only use ink and paper made by the same manufacturer of the printer. This has been tried and tested by many photographers and should become your standard for your photography printing. Papers that are not designed for your printer may cause jams or even repel ink.

I find that Epson is very good. But I would never put any other manufacturers ink into my Epson printer. Cheap inks will give you poor colours, resulting in poor prints.

There are many different types of paper to choose from with different textures. Glossy paper will produce rich colours but should be handled with care. Matte paper may be a better choice for an image which is going to be handled a lot. Always remember that whiter paper produces sharper more vibrant colours.

Many of us have digital cameras that tell us the mega pixel quality. As a standard a 2-mega-pixel camera will print a 4 x 6 inch print. A 3-mega-pixel camera will print a 5 x 7 inch print. A 6-mega-pixel camera will print a 10 x 8 inch print. An 8-mega-pixel camera will print a 12 x 8 inch print.

The final thing that you need to understand is how to calibrate your monitor so that when you view your image on a computer screen the colours will be as close as possible when you print. Your computer manual should have a section on this and it should be redone every time your computer is moved.

I hope this article was be helpful and that you are ready to create your digital darkroom. Photography printing at home will give you a better concept of colour along with the convenience of being able to print when you need.

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Digital Photography: Practical Tips For Beginners.

Is digital photography getting you down? Did you stretch your budget to buy the best camera you could, then realise you were in over your head? One look at that inch-thick manual, and many new photographers just switch their new camera to 'auto' and that's where it stays.

Does this sound like you? Don't worry, you are not alone. Camera manuals reflect the technical power of modern cameras, but they are intimidating to any beginner who just wants to take a decent photo.

Digital cameras are like most computer programs; you may find you can get by with about ten percent of the available functions. So don't get tied up in knots trying to understand everything. Just learn what you need to know, and learn it well, and you will be well on the way to being a better photographer.

Here are a few tips that may just take the complexity out of photography for you.

Tip #1. Stick with the basics. In the days of film, good photographers used SLR cameras with two main settings; aperture and shutter speed. These were the ingredients of all great photography. Today, cameras come with hundreds of features, but guess which ones you really need to understand? That's right, aperture and shutter speed.

If you can understand these two settings, you are halfway to becoming a better photographer. Your manual (I never said you could throw it away) will tell you which buttons to press on your camera. However, to really understand what these settings are all about, don't rely on the manual. There is plenty of information out there; workshops, websites, books and ebooks can help.

Practice has never been easier than it is today. Most cameras have semi-automatic settings, called 'aperture priority' and 'shutter priority,' that allow you to operate one setting while the camera takes care of the other. This is a great way to practice a skill without fear of getting too many failed exposures.

Tip #2. Learn from your mistakes. If you just delete every photo you are not happy with, you are missing a golden opportunity to learn from your own experience. Photos you consider 'rejects' actually contain useful information - you really can learn from your mistakes!

Let's say you are experimenting with aperture. Try photographing a scene three times, with three different aperture settings, for three slightly different results. Instead of keeping your favourite and deleting the others immediately, you could transfer them to your computer and take the time to examine them properly. You can see how each setting changed the look of the picture, and which setting worked best for that subject. Now you can learn from your own results, not from some theory in a book.

Did you know that if you right-click your mouse over a photograph on your computer and select 'properties' you will find a lot of information embedded in the file? You don't have to keep a note of the aperture/shutter speed information; your photo does it for you!

Of course in the long term you don't want to keep every single photo you take, but you might want to keep a folder of 'learning photos' to refer to later, with maybe two versions of each subject you experiment with. To make it even easier, rename the pictures with relevant titles, for example: Wildflowers/Small Aperture, Wildflowers/Wide Aperture; Waterfall/Fast Shutter, Waterfall/Slow Shutter.

Tip #3. Learn The Art As Well As The Technique. Every problem in photography cannot be solved by the camera. Experienced photographers know that good lighting and creative composition is often more important than up-market technology. In fact, most photos fail not because of bad technique, but because they were taken at the wrong time of day, or the photographer did not put enough thought into the composition. Yet daily I meet people who think that all their problems would be solved by a better camera, or some mysterious technique they are yet to learn.

Remember what I said in Tip #1; aperture and shutter speed are the fundamental skills, and with a little practice, they are not hard to learn. Master them and you are halfway there. The key to becoming a really good photographer is a balance of technical knowledge and artistic skill. Practice both, and soon your friends will be coming to you for photography tips!

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Creating an Online Photography Portfolio Easily

Creating your own photography portfolio you get your photos displayed. Right? Yes and No. Yes, because your photos really get displayed and more people can see them. No, because it takes more than just displaying photos to create a personal photography portfolio.

Let us begin from the very beginning. A personal photography web site starts with the selection of photos. While doing this you have to take several things into consideration. First of all, the theme of your photos plays a great a role. If your photos are theme-based, it means that to showcase this theme you need to present a complete set of pictures. Then your theme may have an opening, development and finish. The urge for completeness will draw the attention of the viewers to watch it till the end.

Second, the number of pictures displayed is also important. You do not have to cram all your pictures into a portfolio. If it is a good portfolio, it contains only the best pictures of yours. If it is an excellent portfolio, the number of photos in it is limited just to cover its theme.

So, you have your theme-based set of pictures. The next step is placing all the photos on the web site. Quickly and cost-effectively this can be done by means of a web or flash template. Flash web templates would make your site lively, animated and very interactive. But, beware that the template should correspond to your theme and your photos should very smoothly fit into the future web site. Some web template companies among their templates have even distinguished a category of Photography templates. If you prefer to hire a web designer to develop a web site from scratch, be prepared to pay a hundred times more.

However, this is not all. You also need space on a disk (hosting) and a domain name. Some web template companies offer free web hosting. You buy a web site template and you do not have to pay additionally for the space on a disk. Then the only thing you have to buy is a domain name. You can choose another hosting company, pay for hosting and get a free domain. So, you always have something to choose from.

Digital Photography Techniques-Selection of Camera that Meet your Requirements

In order to get involved in professional digital photography, you need to know the basics. The very first thing you should know is the Digital Camera. Many people go crazy, surf websites, read reviews and at last, buy an expensive digital camera. You might have to buy an expensive digital camera but WAIT! Let’s figure out what you need first.

First you have to know that quality of camera doesn’t put a direct effect over the photograph. It gives you control over the image, and thus, it delivers more quality to your photograph. This is how a better camera will make the photographs better, but if you do not know the basics, you can not shoot good photographs even with the best camera.

One type of cameras which are widely used is Disposable Cameras. These cameras are basically designed for one time usage and if they are controlled perfectly, provide optimum results. Fujifilm Quicksnap Outdoor Camera is one good example of disposable cameras.

If you are looking for a pocket size camera for snapshots, Compact Cameras are good choice. They provide a wide angle (as much as 28mm) so that you can capture landscape photographs also. You also get the flash to work in dim light and a cool paranormal mode also.

Now we will take a professional look over cameras. The next category includes SLRs. Single Lens reflex Cameras provide the facility to interchange lenses and hence increasing your control over the photograph. If you are a traveler and want to get involved in professional digital photography, this is the best choice.

One more category which lies between compact cameras and SLRs is APS. Advanced Photo System provides the reduced size of the camera and smaller film size. This camera is the first choice of travelers.

The next range in SLRs includes Medium and Large format which provides high resolution to your photographs. These cameras are basically used for high resolution photographs. Due to their bulky size, they are not easy to carry while traveling.

The best thing you can do is decide the purpose for which you are going to buy a camera. Even if you are going to adopt digital photography as your profession, you should try some cameras which have basic features. Don’t go for expensive cameras at first. Try your hands on other cameras and then go for expensive ones.