Artistic Photography-Photographers

Selecting a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you have to make as you complete the preparations for your wedding. This is because it is the role of the wedding photographer to capture the joy and excitement of the day. Once the cake has been eaten, the guests have gone home and the honeymoon is over it is the album of wedding photographs that will always be there to help the happy memories come flooding back.

One problem is there are so many wedding photographers to choose from. All offer a slightly different service and most charge quite different prices too. To try and help you make the right choice for your big day I have put together a selection of tips to point you in the right direction.

1. Insist on meeting the photographer who will be photographing your wedding. Some companies will send a salesman or senior photographer. When making an appointment double check and make sure you will be meeting the photographer who is going to shoot your wedding. After all what will happen if you find out on the day that you don’t like him or her!

2. Ask to see complete wedding albums. If someone has been photographing weddings for even a year or two the chances are that they can scrape together enough shots to produce a good portfolio. Insist on seeing complete albums from recent weddings.

3. Find out exactly what is included in the price. If they tell you that you will get a particular album make sure they show you the album itself. Do not let them show you the best album they have and tell you your one will be similar. Make sure you are satisfied with the one you will be given.

4. Make sure the price they quote includes everything. You do not want to find out later that prints costs more money, you have to pay travel expenses, VAT or other taxes were not included, a CD of images costs more or even that you have to pay the postage. Get a full quotation in writing.

5. Check that they can shoot the style of wedding photographs you want. If you would like a modern reportage style, do not take it for granted that the photographer can do this just because they take good traditional style shots and vice versa.

6. If you have ideas of your own then discuss them with the photographer well ahead of committing yourself to them. This helps you to avoid disappointment later. A good photographer will always be able to incorporate your own ideas into the day.

7. Ask for referrals and check them out. A photographer with a string of happy clients will be only too happy to let other people confirm their abilities.

8. Discuss the back up equipment they use. For example if they do not carry a spare camera and the one they are using breaks down then there will be no pictures!

9. Check to see if they have covered a wedding at the venue before. If they have not, find out if they will visit the venue beforehand. If they do then this should get them a tick in the box as being someone prepared to go the extra mile.

10. Make time to see more than one photographer. Choosing the right wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you make. Choose the wrong one and you cannot rerun the day and try again!

This article was provided by Andy Needham of http://www.photographers.co.uk. Photographers.co.uk has a directory of photographers, galleries, forum, market place, tips and Wedding Service.

If you are getting married in the U.K. and would like some help to find your wedding photographer why not try the Photographers.co.uk Wedding Service. By requesting quotes you can receive details and sample images from photographers in your area.

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]

Web cams have changed amateur astrophotography profoundly. You can now have a CCD for a fraction of the cost. Web cams can take awesome planetary and lunar astrophotos right out of the box. You can use the capture software that comes with the cam for capturing your shots and then use freeware to process the results. Can’t get much cheaper than that. Of course for better results it is you should use specialized software, but that is available on the cheap as well.

And if you are a do-it-yourselfer, web cams can also be adapted to take long exposure astrophotos, pretty cool right? Plus there are ready to go, web cam based planetary imagers now available from Celestron, Meade and, Orion. Meade and Orion also have imagers for long exposure, deep-sky imaging. All these include software. They are however more expensive.

If you already have a web cam great, you only need some software which can be downloaded for free, and an adaptor to connect the web cam to your telescope. If you don’t own one the following cams have proven to be good for astrophotography and good deals can be found on eBay for example.

-ToUcam Pro by Philips PCVC740K or PCVC840K ToUcam PRO II. I have both of these. I am leaving the new one as a dedicated planetary imager and adapting the PCV740K for long exposure astrophotography.

-Vesta pro also by Philips. I haven’t personally used this web cam but others have with great success. It can also be adapted for long exposures.

-Quickcam pro by Logitech. I used to have one of these, but I prefer the ToUcam. It does a good job though and can also be modified for long exposures.

-There are other web cams which are good for astrophotography but these three are the only ones I have experience with.

Now for the adaptor to connect the web cam to your telescope. I use a Mogg adaptor, made by, surprise Mr. Steve Mogg. More information and purchasing can be found at: http://webcaddy.com.au/astro/adapter.htm For either ToUcam you will want the UWAT-F, for the Vesta Pro the UWAS-F, and for the Quickcam Pro the UWAL-F. He has adaptors for other astrophotography web cams as well.

Next you will need some software to make this all work. Good news it won’t cost you a single penny. First you will need some capture software. K3CCDTools version 1 is absolutely free. It works very well to capture astrophotos with web cams. I use version 3 which costs $45.00 because I use some of the other features it offers but you won’t need that for basic planetary work (yet). You can download it at: http://www.pk3.org/Astro/index.htm?k3ccdtools_download.htm.

To get really nice detail in your shots you will need to combine(stack) multiple images. A really nice piece of software is called RegiStax. It is also freeware. You can download a copy at: http://registax.astronomy.net/html/download.html.

The next article in this series will be on setting up your web cam and software, capturing your first image during daylight, then getting your first astrophoto (the moon).

Carl Gilbertson has been involved in amatuer astronomy for over 30 years and astrophotography for over twenty-five years. Learn more at his site: Web Cam Astrophotography

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]

After you have booked the facility it is time to get down to the serious business of finding the right wedding photographer for your wedding celebration. This can be tricky because 1) you need to find a wedding photographer whose style agrees with your taste; 2) you need a wedding photographer whose body of work is up to your standards; and 3) you need a wedding photographer whose personality clicks with both of you.

This last trait is quite possibly the most important of the three, although you don t want to sacrifice any of them if you can help it, in choosing a wedding photographer. Why? Because it is the wedding photographer s job to set everyone, and you especially, at ease so that the wedding pictures you get reflect the people you love and not some sick caricature of them. And this is best achieved by using a wedding photographer that you feel at ease with. True, there is no guarantee that everyone will feel at ease with the wedding photographer that you choose which is why it is so important for you to choose one that at least you will be comfortable with.

Before we move on, however, be aware that some of the bigger photography studios have a small number of representatives for you to meet with and sell you their wedding photography packages. The problem is that once your wedding party is booked they will give the assignment to someone else, even a freelance wedding photographer that you have never met before. Protect yourself by either using an individual wedding photographer, or a wedding photography company that will guarantee the particular individual that will photograph your wedding. If you can t get a written guarantee that the individual that you have become so comfortable with will actually be the one providing your wedding photography, keep looking.

Likewise, be sure when choosing your wedding photographer that you see several entire weddings worth of wedding photography that he (or she) personally shot. Anyone can shoot hundreds of pictures and have a few that have turned out great, especially in particularly photogenic situations like weddings tend to be. It takes a real skilled individual though to turn out an entire wedding worth of great wedding photography. Isn t that exactly what you are hoping to get when you hire your wedding photographer?

Finally, regardless of how sharp and how much of a people person the wedding photographer is there is no way that they are going to know who your great uncle Charlie is or where to look for him if he disappears. So save your wedding photographer (and yourself) time and grief by choosing someone within your wedding party (someone with a strong personality) who knows everyone involved to be the wedding photographer s contact person.

Remember, any given wedding photographer is only one person (or, in some cases, one team). This means that they can only be in one place at a time. Since most weddings happen on Saturdays they are most busy on Saturdays, meaning that they will often charge a higher price to do a Saturday wedding than they would a Friday or Sunday wedding. It also means that the wedding photographer may well be coming from another wedding before yours, or be heading to another wedding after yours, if you do have a Saturday wedding so your cooperation with the wedding photographer will go a long way toward getting great wedding photography.

Jeanette Shinn is the founder, operator, and edible design artist behind Layer By Layer, http://www.frostingonthecake.com, a special order bakery serving weddings and other special occasion needs of the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. Jeanette is also the co-owner of Your Wedding Cake and Favors http://www.wedding-cakes-portal.com a website dedicated to helping brides realize their wedding day dreams with advice and resources for the entire wedding experience.

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]

Hiring the right photographer is among the most important tasks you have while planning your wedding. Many photographers specialize in weddings. Of course, you may end up with a photographer that has no wedding experience, but has a much more affordable price. It is essential that you view the photographer s previous work. Ask to see all the photos from a few recent weddings.

It is important to view most photographs from a wedding to get a feel for what kind of photographs to expect. It is easy to show you a few very nice photos, but it doesn t tell you what the majority of the pictures will look like. Always ask for references and be sure to actually check the references. If the photographer is hesitant to provide you with references, it is time to walk.

If your photographer is unfamiliar with your wedding ceremony and reception location, make sure he familiarizes himself with the place. You want him to be ready with great ideas about the best possible shots of the place. You want your wedding album to be filled with pictures that make you proud of your wedding day. Therefore, it is imperative that you find a photographer you feel comfortable with.

Don t settle on hiring the first photographer you interview. Plan on speaking with several of them before you make a decision. Take recommendations from friends and family, but don t automatically hire a photographer simply because someone recommended him to you. Bridal fairs, professional wedding professional associations, wedding planners are great resources for finding photographers.

Wedding photography is one of the most expensive service professional you ll hire for your wedding. Make sure you set enough time to take pictures, so he is not rushed.

The majority of wedding photographers get much of their business by brides recommending them and the ones that don’t get word of mouth referrals are soon out of business.

About the Author :

Wedding Favors Wedding favors, personalized wedding favors and bridal shower gifts. Source: www.isnare.com

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]

Selecting a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you have to make as you complete the preparations for your wedding. This is because it is the role of the wedding photographer to capture the joy and excitement of the day. Once the cake has been eaten, the guests have gone home and the honeymoon is over it is the album of wedding photographs that will always be there to help the happy memories come flooding back.

One problem is there are so many wedding photographers to choose from. All offer a slightly different service and most charge quite different prices too. To try and help you make the right choice for your big day I have put together a selection of tips to point you in the right direction.

1. Insist on meeting the photographer who will be photographing your wedding. Some companies will send a salesman or senior photographer. When making an appointment double check and make sure you will be meeting the photographer who is going to shoot your wedding. After all what will happen if you find out on the day that you don’t like him or her!

2. Ask to see complete wedding albums. If someone has been photographing weddings for even a year or two the chances are that they can scrape together enough shots to produce a good portfolio. Insist on seeing complete albums from recent weddings.

3. Find out exactly what is included in the price. If they tell you that you will get a particular album make sure they show you the album itself. Do not let them show you the best album they have and tell you your one will be similar. Make sure you are satisfied with the one you will be given.

4. Make sure the price they quote includes everything. You do not want to find out later that prints costs more money, you have to pay travel expenses, VAT or other taxes were not included, a CD of images costs more or even that you have to pay the postage. Get a full quotation in writing.

5. Check that they can shoot the style of wedding photographs you want. If you would like a modern reportage style, do not take it for granted that the photographer can do this just because they take good traditional style shots and vice versa.

6. If you have ideas of your own then discuss them with the photographer well ahead of committing yourself to them. This helps you to avoid disappointment later. A good photographer will always be able to incorporate your own ideas into the day.

7. Ask for referrals and check them out. A photographer with a string of happy clients will be only too happy to let other people confirm their abilities.

8. Discuss the back up equipment they use. For example if they do not carry a spare camera and the one they are using breaks down then there will be no pictures!

9. Check to see if they have covered a wedding at the venue before. If they have not, find out if they will visit the venue beforehand. If they do then this should get them a tick in the box as being someone prepared to go the extra mile.

10. Make time to see more than one photographer. Choosing the right wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you make. Choose the wrong one and you cannot rerun the day and try again!

This article was provided by Andy Needham of http://www.photographers.co.uk. Photographers.co.uk has a directory of photographers, galleries, forum, market place, tips and Wedding Service.

If you are getting married in the U.K. and would like some help to find your wedding photographer why not try the Photographers.co.uk Wedding Service. By requesting quotes you can receive details and sample images from photographers in your area.

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]

United
Independent Photographers from around the world unite to form an affordable
Royalty Free and Rights Managed Stock
Photography Library .

I and the library don’t take a penny or any commission from sales. The payments
go directly to the photographer, I get a larger viewership as there’s more to
see and hopefully broaden my chances of actually selling some of my own photos!

I was sick
of paying $200 for an image from stock photo libraries and then as I went through
the online form and entering where the image was to be used and how many issues
were to be printed, the price soar to $1,500 or more!

20-40 images (40% discount): $46.00 / £24.00 / €35.00 pi

The majority
of stock photos are taken using slide / positive film but where digital cameras
have been used, only the highest quality digital images have been accepted.

which is higher than the industry standard requirement of 300dpi but means that
these images are crystal clear if used as a front cover of a glossy magazine.

There’s
also a second option for web designers or for those with low budgets so low
they can’t even afford our low rates, subscibing to our service for a low monthly
or annual rate and downloading almost an indefinite number of medium res’ photos
high enough res’ to be used on printed material if reduced in physical size
but easily high enough res’ to be used for in-house posters or on web pages.

I set out
to provide excellent quality stock photography at a very low and affordable
price that would enable graphic designers, web site designers, art directors,
picture desks and anybody else, to stretch their budgets further and not choke
every time they ordered a photograph from an stock photography library…. I
hope I have accomplished this in some small way.

Anybody
wishing to purchase our images can visit us at the websites above and any keen
photographers with quality work wishing to submit
their work can also find a submissions page with further information on
our website also.

About the Author
Neil J Bradford studied Fine Art, Graphic Design and Photography at St Albans College of Art and Design, Watford College of Art and Design and Watford Technical College between 1979 and 1984.

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! You’ve probably dreamed of this day for years but how will you remember it when it’s over? Hiring just any photographer could be one of the worst mistakes you’ll ever make. Not all photographers are created equal, some have more experience than others, some have better equipment than others and some have more training than others. Interviewing and selecting the best one for you is difficult but we’ve created the “4C’s of Choosing Your Wedding Photographer” to help guide you through this process.

The first “C” is clarity. When looking through portfolios and albums, check to see how clear the expressions are. Are you able to see details in the photograph? Can you clearly see what emotion the image conveys? Only professional grade lenses will capture the highest clarity for your precious wedding images.

The second “C” is composition. A well-trained eye can capture images that are beautifully composed. Look for signs that the photographer is capable of composing your story in the way in which you’ve envisioned. Are there feet & arms cut off in the sample books? Too much floor or ceiling space in the samples? Many times what you see in the books is what you get in your album so make sure you’re certain this person can compose not only beautiful photographs but also interesting angles, points of emphasis and soft lighting techniques to provide you with the best possible photographs.

The third “C” is creativity. Are the images creative and different from the traditional posed images seen in your parents and grandparents albums? Do they show an element of art and design like magazine ads? Are there options to add bordered prints, sepia prints or hand-coloring into your package? Look for someone who is fun and creative to capture your day in a way that will stand apart from all of your friends albums.

The last “C” is caring. Is your photographer friendly and considerate of you and your fianc s wishes to not see each other before the wedding? Will he or she get along with your friends and family on the wedding day? You’ll want to make sure you build rapport with your photographer because many times, the photographer is the one wedding professional you’ll spend your entire day with. During your wedding, he or she will be present at your most private moments. In addition to having experience and knowing what to expect, a caring professional will seek to guide you through your special occasion without running your entire day.
About the Author
Erin Hession owns and operates a national wedding photography company, www.ErinHessionPhotography.com and she is the owner of the National Association of Better Bridal Businesses. (www.nabbb.com) She enjoys traveling and photographing weddings and events all over the world. Check out her site to see if she is available for your upcoming wedding or event!

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]

So you want to be a photographer. Well, you’ve got a long road ahead of you. Photography is one of the most competitive fields in the world. It doesn’t matter where you live or what language you speak. Anyone with a camera can be a photographer, which makes the competition fierce. So if photography is something you have your heart set on doing, then there are a few things you’re going to need to know. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it will give you a start.

The first thing you absolutely must do is decide what field of photography you want to get into. There is fashion photography, sports photography, glamour photography, studio photography, outdoor photography, children’s photography and the list goes on and on. The market for each of these and many other types is wide open. And with those wide open markets also comes a lot of competition. Deciding on which field you want to get into should not be based on the path of least resistance. There is no such thing. Pursue the path that you have the most passion for.

The next thing you have to do is get all the equipment that you’re going to need. This is going to vary depending on what kind of field you want to get into. For example, if you’re planning to become a photographer who specializes in stock car racing, then you are going to need a lot of equipment for taking high speed photos. The good news is that you’re not going to have to spend a lot of money on lighting since these photos will be taken outdoors. Conversely, if you’re planning to photograph fashion models, lighting is going to be critical to your photos and your lighting equipment expense is going to be quite high.

The next thing you’re going to need to do is advertise. You’ll have to print out business cards, take out ads in magazines and newspapers and more or less get the word out that you exist. If you’re hoping to break into the field taking photos for a magazine like Playboy, then you’re going to have to first get some private work photographing models in order to submit these photos to the magazine itself. Before you do that though, you’re going to have to write to the magazine for permission to send photos. Most publications do not accept unsolicited material.

If you’re planning on opening up a studio to take children’s photos then you’re going to need to lease a building. It doesn’t have to be anything large but it should be in a visible part of town with a lot of other businesses. Visibility is half the battle won.

Finally, you’re going to have to take lots of photos, especially if you want to build a reputation for yourself. You’ll want to put together a portfolio of your work so that you can bring it around with you. Again, this is going to depend on what field you want to get into, whether it be freelancing for a magazine, setting up your own shop, or working for somebody else, which is usually a good way to break in.

The world of photography is wide open. There are many options to each aspiring photographer. So pick a game plan and stick to it. With patience and perseverance, you’ll eventually get to where you want to be.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Photography

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]

Photographing food is probably one of the most challenging kinds of photography out there. It is considered difficult by most professional food photographers because there is a time constraint in the whole photo shoot.

And since the marketability of the food itself depends primarily on how it is seen in print, food photographers should be well trained and skilled in order to come up with satisfying results.

TIPS IN TASTEFUL FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Know your camera well. It is a must that you familiarize yourself with all its features and functions especially the basic operations like focus/auto focus, exposure compensation, white balance, image resolution and size, and flash modes operation. Know when to use these features in order to highlight the best angles of your subject.

2. Familiarize yourself with other equipment. Knowing the proper use of a tripod or stabilizer will help you focus on your subject better and will also avoid camera shake that usually causes blurring.

3. Fill the gap and the distance. If space and time permit, get close to your subject as close as possible. It is recommended that you fill the entire frame of with your subject to create a satisfying image. Distance will give a full view of the food s texture and ingredients.

4.Carefully calculated focus and depth-of-field (DOF). The use of depth-of-field never fails to create wonders in food photo shoots. With careful adjustment of focus and depth of field, you can bring to life any dish that is your subject. (TIP: Use wider or more open for a shallow DOF and a smaller or more closed one for a deeper shots.)

5. Identify the standout ingredient. Before taking any shot, assess the scene closely and look for something that can grab people s attention right away. You can use this main feature of the food as the subject of your subject.

6. It s all in the lighting. Like in any photography styles, lighting or available light can make or unmake any photograph. Since food is the major subject in food photography, it is better that the setting is bright and the lights are soft so as to make the food more appetizing. In digital cameras, turning on the White Balance feature of the equipment can solve dark settings in an instant.

7. Pay attention to your set-up. It is a must to take the time off to setup your food photo shoot. If there are distracting elements in the background, remove them. If you think there s something missing in the set up, then think of something else that would fill the empty space or gap. Prepare the garnish, the props, and other materials you might need for the shoot.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy and may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more info on Photography, please visit http://photography.articlekeep.com

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]

As a working photographer and part time Photoshop teacher I have found that there is a lot of difference in how much a photographer and a graphic artist needs to know about Photoshop.

Its true a graphic artist needs to know about 75% of the program to get by, but a photographer only needs to know about 25%.

Lets face it, we photographers just used to take photos, our day was concerned with did that film turn out or did I get the lighting right?

Now that we have digital cameras we are forced to look at the images on a computer screen and the net thing we say to ourselves is I wonder if I could up the lighting or get rid of that colour cast, etc.

The up-to-date photographer is not only now taking digital images but also involved with manipulating them as well. So just how much manipulation should a photographer be expected to do?

As a wedding, glamour and portrait photographer you would be adjusting;

1) Lighting

2) Eliminating any colour casts

3) Fixing minor facial problems such as acne

4) Sharpening a photo

For a Commercial product photographer;

1) Lighting

2) Eliminating colour casts

3) Fixing focus issues

4) Blending layers together with type

For the Fashion photographer;

1) Lighting

2) Eliminating colour casts

3) Fixing focus issues

4) Blending layers

5) Using filters

In each case the photographer has a range of tools available to them and not only that, they also have a number of different ways of reaching the same outcome.

I find as a teacher of Photoshop to photographers, many have picked up a few tricks along the way and have not properly studied how to repair images the right way making their photos look inferior to others and even damaging their files as they go.

Sydney Pix is a professional photographer who has designed a comprehensive 3 DVD course in Photoshop just for photographers which shows you step by step how to get a great result every time.

If you prefer to be shown how to do things rather than given a thick manual when you learn something new, then this is the course for you. For more information visit http://www.profotocourse.com/learn-photoshop.html

[techtags: Family Photography, Senior Photographers, Studio Portraits, Portrait Photography]