Digital Camera on the Web » portrait photography

The Downside of HDR Software

Erin Jackson — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:43:14 +0000

As you can probably tell, we\'re pretty big proponents of HDR photography and HDR software. The ability to create amazingly realistic photos can\'t be matched by traditional photographic techniques. That said, for all of the fantastic advantages of HDR, there are certainly some drawbacks.

While HDR opponents will argue that the whole craft is one big drawback, here are a few things that jump out at me.

Increased Image Noise. As you get into 7 and 9 bracket compilations, the noise level of the final result is going to increase as well. There are some excellent, albeit fairly pricy noise reduction plugins out there, but without a significant investment, this could definitely turn some people off to the craft. Especially if they like to shoot in high iso\'s which will make the problem even worse.

Way Too Much Over-saturation. Let\'s face it most HDR beginners love over saturated surreal photos. Is that what makes good HDR? Most often the answer is no. But when people are learning, this is usually the route they take. By the time they get good enough to know better they\'ve probably given up on learning the art of HDR and moved on to something else. In the end this leads to an over abundance of ugly photos.

Easy to Learn, Difficult to Master. Anyone can throw a few photos into some software, but there are a lot of components that go into a good HDR photograph - many more than with traditional photography. Afterall you need at least three photos, not just one.

Just like with anything else, there are going to be upsides and downsides to HDR. I imagine this will be an ongoing debate as technology advances and it gets easier for people to get into HDR. Despite any potential downsides however, I will remain a big proponent of the technique and look forward to seeing it expand in the coming months and years.

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Improve Your Portrait Photography

John Lampard — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 11:33:27 +0000

Compact cameras have improved to such a degree that it is now possible to to produce portrait photographs that look as though they have been taken by a professonal photographer using far more expensive cameras.

The success of a good portrait photo is ultimately judged by the subject who wants to be portrayed in the best possible light and in a way that they see themselves. Taking a professional approach to this will pay dividends and help you to achieve the best possible results.

Setting up the background of the shot before taking it will help to draw your attention to the subject if you are not fortunate enough to have a studio to work in. That may sound obvious but look at your collection and see how many photos are spoiled by the background. You may have some beautiful shots of your children smiling and looking happy, but how many of them would be improved if the background was less cluttered?

Consider the comfort of the person posing and ensure that they are relaxed and happy with their surroundings. A good portrait can be of any size and does not have to be just another head and shoulders shot of a person staring into the camera. How many people would be tempted to display their passport photos? Not many. If you are taking a picture of a child, let them play with their favourite toy and position yourself to achieve the best shot. It is easier to move yourself than the sitter.

Once your subject is relaxed take a few shots from several angles to create different effects. You can create vastly different shots by shooting from above or below the subject. Focus on the subject and reduce the depth of field to concentrate on the subject and fade the background out. Select the portrait mode if you are uncomfortable changing settings on your camera.

One of the most important factors in portrait photography is lighting. Wherever possible, natural light sources will provide the best results but nature often needs a helping hand. If you do not have access to professional lighting equipment it is possible to experiment with ready to hand equipment which can be cheaply adapted to deflect the light just by using cardbord etc. The built-in flash on a compact camera can sometimes give harsh results and should be avoided if possible.

The main thing is to keep experimenting. You can shoot the background before involving your model to get a better idea of how you want the image to look, without the subject becoming bored. The beauty of digital photography is being able to review your results instantly and make adjustments as you go.

If you want a new compact camera, especially for portraits, try the Samsung ES75 for a camera that will give professional results at an affordable price

All About Lighting For Digital Photography

Jim Howser — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:44:46 +0000

Photography is art. Individuals will spend hours in museums and galleries analyzing a person's photographs for the meaning. Like painting photographs have a message, sometimes it will evoke sadness, happiness, a carefree attitude, and thought. There are many techniques a budding photographer will learn to evoke the emotions they desire.

Experts in digital photography have come to realize that the digital camera is only one of the things you need to have great pictures. There are also other factors to consider so that you will not be disappointed by the result. One of them is the digital photography lighting. The secret to getting that perfect picture is to do it right the first time. By doing it right, it simply means that you need to think about how well or bad the lighting is in the process of taking the photo.

After sunrise and before sunset - It is during these times that photography is at its peak. Meaning, photos turn out great when they are shoot after sunrise and before sunset. Why is this so? This is because the orange color that appears in the sky during these times adds to the colors that your digital camera is capable. Most of the time, some photos appear dull and unrealistic when they are printed because of the representation of the colors when it is printed. The color of the environment can add a sort of brightness to your photos.

When shooting faces or other objects you usually want a three dimensional contrast. You will need to search for the planes and contours of the subject, especially in portrait photography. The planes and contours will help you determine the angle you will shoot the subject from. The shadows will often provide the three dimensional contrast if you find the correct planes and angle to shoot from. This helps with pictures that you want to stand-alone.

Landscape photography uses nature to provide the light and shadows. This is why you need to understand the light scale and temperature. Time is the most important aspect of using sunlight. To understand natural lighting you need to understand the affects the sun will have at certain times of the day. Photography is an art that requires techniques and practice. Lighting is a major part of photography, especially when you are using natural light.

There are many things to take into account when choosing a digital camera. But an informed decision is a wise decision. From my own personal experience I can tell you the D3100 From my own Nikon is the best. To learn more about the D3100 click on one of those links.

Photography Business Has 7 Top Feilds

digitalcamerashopping — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:40:54 +0000

The photographers playing field is enormous. The players range from occasional part-timers freelancing for the local weekly with barebones equipment to the handful of superstars who command fee's of $10,000 per day. In such a vast field there has to be a niche for every hard-working and competent Brisbane portrait photographer . The question is where? To begin to get an answer, it is very helpful to briefly review the possibilities. At the basic levels professional Brisbane corporate photography falls into two categories; assignment photography and stock photography. Assignment Photography: assignment photography is any photography that are commissioned by a client. It can be thought of as custom photography, done to meet the client's unique needs. Most photographer's may spend their entire career shooting on assignment. A very attractive aspect of assignment photography is that the photographer is not required to incur any significant risk up front. Stock Photography; Stock photography is photography shot on speculation, in advance of being sold. Stock photography got it's start as an outlet for hundreds of even thousands of photographs taken on assignment. Photo marketers formed stock agencies to market a wide selection of those generic photographs. These photos can be used in many different ways. The uses may be for articles, advertising, travel brochures and the list goes on Best of all stock photographs give the photographer the chance to earn from photo's that otherwise would stay in a drawer forever. Today many photographer's spend part of their time shooting specifically for stock, but the big risk of shooting stock exclusively is significant up front expenses with no guarantee of any sales. Markets; Perhaps the most useful way to look at Brisbane portrait photography is in markets. You will be selling to specific markets, and to be successful you need to understand their specific needs and characteristics. It is customary to distinguish between four major markets which are; advertising, corporate, editorial, and retail.

Essential Considerations For Choosing The Right Family Portrait Photographer

Barron Collins — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:20:19 +0000

Family portrait photographs are shot on numerous occasions such as anniversaries, birthdays, new born celebrations and annual family get-together. Portrait photography is the most appropriate medium to capture the joyous moments of such events. However, the photographs must come out in the best quality possible, because poor quality photographs leave a sour taste in the minds of people and the entire objective of the portrait photography session is thus defeated. Hence, it is crucial to cautiously select a good family portrait photographer and a few key considerations will contribute significantly towards making the portrait photography sessions an excellent success.

The first thing you must be certain of is that the photographer's style and your requirements match perfectly. This means that you need to first decide what type of family portraits you are looking to. Do you want relaxed photos, or carefully planned picture sessions? Are you a lover of black and white medium, or the colourful one? These style factors must be thought over, and then you should visit a good family portrait photographer and go through his portfolio to see some samples of his work and evaluate his ability in handling the particular style you have selected for the event.

The next consideration should be the setting in which the photographs will be shot, as this selection will not only decide how well the photos come out, but also the photography equipment that your family portrait photographer will have to use. The ambience of indoor and outdoor venues is completely different and only a seasoned photographer would be able to make the correct selection of the camera and supporting equipment.

The quality of output of the photographer's company must also be checked along with the expertise and level of expertise of the photographer. The darkroom tasks of film developing and printing should be carried out well to get superior quality photos. A good photography services company should have a collection of attractive picture frames and well-designed albums for you, so that you can keep your photographs in the way you like best. Hence, it is a wise move to check for these before appointing the family portrait photographer for your occasion or purpose.

Moreover, if the appointed photographer's firm can offer you additional free services and facilities like sending your photographs for free at your home or paying a visit to the venue of photography to evaluate the special needs for the day, then you know that you have made the perfect choice. It is quite natural for you to expect that the firm should provide you with these additional services, keeping in mind the fact that yu are going to spend a good amount of you hard-earned money on hiring the photographer.

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Useful Advice On Portrait Photography

Kyle Stevens — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:54:16 +0000

People have always been the cherished subjects of photographers. Portrait photography prioritizes on not just the characters but on their qualities as well, thereby bringing the captured frames alive.

A well clicked portrait photograph doesn't follow convention, and displays the subject in a state of mind that makes the picture unique. However, more conventional family or single person portraits are also done and they are fit for family albums.

A ideal close up with a sharp focus on the person's face is what gives portrait images that discernible mark of elegance. This is achieved by an old camera trick of making the background a little bit obscure and unclear so that the subject's face gets the best possible focus. This task of focussing the face becomes simpler with a camera having a wide aperture. One the other hand, it is advisable to shoot with a normal aperture if focus on the background is as important as on the subject, which is mostly true in outdoor photography.

Photography is all about falling of light into the photographic medium; hence insufficient light has always been a photographer's cause of worry. However, some important photography guidelines if seriously followed can yield that ideal portrait photograph. One of the tricks is to make the individual sit close to the window such that the light entering from it falls on only part of the face. A reflective surface can be employed to highlight the other side of the person's face. However, However, portrait photographs taken in studios under regulated lighting mostly come out higher quality than those clicked in natural light.

Another important factor that affects a portrait photograph is the comfort level of the subject when he or she presents for the photograph. Technical sophistication in photography will yield results only when the subject is comfortable and relaxed, and projects his or her natural self before the camera.

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