Saturday, December 31, 2011

Capture Precious Moments With Bridal Photography

By Ping Johnson


Do you hear people say that their wedding is one of the most important events in their lives? That may sound corny but does not make it any less true.

Wedding is indeed important but the preparations are tedious. Brides become demanding managers, perfectionist directors, inspired designers, and passionate architects all at once. People are enthusiastic to see that everything comes into place: the ornaments, the flowers, the music, the rings, the weather, the kids, and most of all, the wedding gown as the bride walks down the aisle. For sure, she has imagined and practiced this moment in her mind a many times before. This is her dream wedding day and she needs to be assured that the photographer knows precisely what she want, to captivate her last minutes as a single woman and before she walks down the aisle.

Every bride deserves the best bridal photos that would constantly remind her and her future family of the planning before the ceremony that would alter her life. Bridal photography is probably the most intimate and frantic time of the day the photographer could shoot. The antics of family members, the buzz in the wedding party, and the anticipation in the eyes of the bride in the precious last seconds as she puts on her make-up and gets into her bridal gown could be carefully and successfully captivated by bridal photography. Later on, the following moment she steps out of the dress, it will be all different.

This is her aspiration and her labour; the commencing of a whole different life with the man she has chosen even before the march begins. Nearly all people forget and though often overlooked, the bridal planning is a essential source of raw emotions and moments of love, the bride would not wish to miss.

Bridal Photography is merely a piece of the wider picture. See to it that no memories from the entire occasion comes out blurred. Work with someone who shares the same passion about capturing the day with great artistry and zealous creativity, and sure enough to hold your imaginations from the Pre-Wedding Photography to placing them into signature albums made especially for you.




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Make Your Big Day More Special With Pre-Wedding Photography

By Drew Shaw


A couple's wedding is not just any other occasion. The reason it is called the Big Day is that it involves a great deal of time and effort on the part of the soon to be husband and wife. Apart from attending to the minute details of the wedding day itself, they also need to consider other things in preparation for their wedding.

Among the important parts of wedding preparation is pre-wedding photography. Pre-nuptial photos are not only exciting and interesting. They are useful as well since they can be utilized for other wedding necessities including wedding announcements, invitations and programs.

Pre-nuptial or engagement photographs are taken at scheduled sessions, during which the couple gets some experience of wedding photography before the big event. The photos are usually taken a few days or weeks before the wedding ceremony.

Pre-wedding photography, like any other type of photography, needs planning and selection. The couple must take into account several factors aside from time and cost when doing an engagement photo shoot.

One thing is that couples should have a clear concept or theme for the pre-nuptial photo shoot. They can think of a funny, formal or creative photo shoot. What's important is that the concept is feasible and is able to reflect the personality of the couple.

There are also different types and styles of photography that couples can choose from for their pre-nuptial photographs. One is the traditional style. It is normally done in a studio. Wedding photojournalism, on the other hand, is a style wherein the photographer gives more spontaneous shots. Remember though that the photojournalistic style often lends itself more to actual wedding day photography.

The success of an engagement photo shoot is likewise determined by its location. Irrespective of the photography style used, the couple should choose a location that will enable the photographer to deliver quality and more striking photographs. Indoor pre-nuptial photo sessions typically make use of artificial lighting and photography equipment. On the other hand, pre-wedding photography that is done outdoors uses natural light to deliver dashing and fun-filled pictures.




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Some Great Pre-Bridal Photography Ideas

By Jessy Wong


Weddings are well known to be quite stressful. From when you wake up to when you crash down asleep you would have been on the go all day long.

You should not have a care in the world on your special day. It should be a totally relaxing and special day.

There is so much to do on your actual wedding day that a day in a busy office would be like taking a day off compared to your wedding day. Asking for support from everyone that you can will make your special day more special.

Your wedding day will be full for sure but stress can be avoided as long as you get lots of support and plan well. Remember your bridal professionals are there to take the stress from you and if have planned well a few of your close friends will be there to catch any problems for you and solve them.

Around ten years ago pre-wedding photography came into its own in Singapore as a way to have a more enjoyable actual wedding day. Today it is very popular. With Singapore having a lot of traditional Asian style weddings doing a lot of the main photography before the wedding is often essential. Traditional weddings are involving and detailed and involve usually a large number of people. Getting the main photos done ahead of time is essential.

Switched on wedding photographers started to offer pre-bridal photography packages so that not only could the stress be removed from the actual day, any risk with bad weather was removed and also then an album was available at the reception.

Pre-wedding packages come in all shapes and sizes. Most of the packages offered will include both outdoor shots as well as studio shots. Simply ask your photographer what will be included in your package.

As well as making sure you get a great set of photos for your album, pre-bridal photos mean that you have something special to show at your actual wedding to your guests, which is always nice.

Like all good ideas, pre-wedding photography has caught on around the world. It may not be called pre-bridal photography but the idea still exists. Just ask your professional wedding photographer about including this option when they give you a price.




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Friday, December 30, 2011

Tips On How To Become A Wedding Photographer

By Drew Shaw


For years people will be displaying photos of their wedding, since it is that kind of occasion. Every bride and groom wants someone who is well trained and who will guarantee quality. If you are a photographer you might want to consider photographing weddings because there is a lot of money to be made by doing them. With the money comes the risk which you must manage well.

A disclaimer should be included in a well written up first time contract. If you don't have a disclaimer you could be sued afterwards. For example, you should include that you are not responsible for pictures that might get lost after you send the film away to get developed, or pictures that do not come out clear due to equipment failure. Otherwise you could get sued for breach of contract.

Now with that said you should also include how many pictures are to be taken and how long you will be photographing for and what hourly rate will be. Include how much the cost of development is and the cost of the album. Your client's requirements are important so make sure you talk it over with them. They might want a certain person or family they would like pictures of since they don't get to see them often, so that should be discussed as well if it is an issue.

Make a list of all the pictures that your client's requested. Here are a few common ones, pre-ceremony, wedding ceremony, post-ceremony and reception. Discuss with the clients about which shots they want and who's going to be in the pictures. Pay attention to what your clients are saying because each one will be different.

It is smart to always ask for a booking fee. Without this you could be caught out if something goes wrong. If they have paid nothing then they are less likely to try to solve any problems that may occur. Most people will pay you 50% prior to the wedding and the remaining afterwards. So you don't end up bothering the bride and groom during the reception, arrangements should be made for when the remainder will be paid. They would think you were unprofessional and wish they had hired someone else.

If you are developing your client's pictures yourself, Photoshop is an excellent photo editing program. Flaw removal, montage, and changing the color are a few of the enhancements you can use with Photoshop.

Look for ways to add extra value that you have not told them about. This will always generate good feelings. A special surprise will keep everyone talking and generating more business for you in the future. Think different. Imagine for example if you uploaded all their pictures onto a password protected part of your website so that they and their friends can login and view.

At the end of the day doing bridal photography can be a lot of fun and you can make good money at it. You may have to take your people skills to the next level but the financial returns will be worth it.




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Why Pre-Wedding Photography Is Becoming Irresistible For Soon-To-Be-Wed Couples

By Michal Foster


Every lady dreams of an unforgettable wedding. After all, tying the knot is not just a major happening in one's life but may also be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Some betrothed couples desire a big wedding with many invitees, while others prefer to only be with their closest relatives and friends. Whatever type of wedding gathering you look forward to, one thing you'll have to do is plan or prepare.

The wedding preparations and the wedding day itself can be stressful. This is why wedding planners and supportive family members are helpful to soon-to-be-wed couples. These people help you have your dream wedding. Thus, with their help, there's no need to be stressed on the special day.

Yet, some grooms and brides can't help but feel jittery on their wedding day. This is perfectly normal, but their anxiousness may affect their wedding day photos. This is something many couples anticipate prompting them to have pre-wedding photography aside from the actual wedding day photography.

Pre-wedding photography becomes the ice breaker for the couples and the photographer. It is also the best time to be photographed without being stressed out or nervous. The pre-wedding photo shoot is all about you and your partner looking fresh, posing comfortably, and showing who you really are. These engagement photographs are meant to immortalize the overflowing love you have for each other.

So, days before the wedding, engaged couples wear their wedding gowns and suits and go to their wedding venue for a photo shoot. Nowadays, it's even possible to hold your pre-wedding photography in sites which are meaningful to the both of you. This means photographs of the both of you in the restaurant where you first saw each other or in the beach where you hang out.

Others even have themes and use props for their pre-wedding photography. Instead of being clad in their wedding attires, some wear casual clothes or whatever fits their themes. These themes are based on the couples' interests and the artistic thoughts of the photographer. The pre-wedding photo session gives soon-to-be-wed couples pictures which are fresh, fun, and full of love.

Before, pre-wedding photography was meant to document the love story behind the wedding. Today, it's serving another purpose. It allows couples to be photographed without the nervousness but only the love for each other.




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Reasons Every Couple Look Good On Wedding Photography Singapore

By Cindy Cortney


There's one thing concerning wedding photography that no quantity of lighting and angling can put right - make up. Having no make up entirely is harmless yes, but it really is simply too safe to be inelegant. And chic is what you desire to be in your biggest day.

So what make up applies for wedding photography Singapore young couples go for? First, you have to consider the over-all design of the wedding. Most brides want to look pristine and young on their wedding day, so a clean face with light make up works best. Be positive that the make up will stay, particularly in conditions where it is basically summer time all 365 days of the year. Even if you are in the covered venue where the air-conditioning is fine, but with loads of individuals all-around you nonetheless might end up sweaty. Powder the shine away and bear in mind to use loo breaks in between the wedding ceremonies, where likely.

Gentlemen sure need to put on pressed powder and a lip gloss, at the very slightest. Do not beat your bride into who's acquired the more pink lips and cheeks. However at the same time, do not appear pale. This is your big event, not your funeral.

Have on make up that will harmonize your ornamentation. Also, it will be fine to have members of the entourage wearing make up as well because they will be part of group photographs and so must complement to the elegance of the view, not lessen it.

Though of course, not anything comes nearby to the instinctive glow that puts the color on the cheeks of two individuals delighted for this day of celebrating their union and love. Happiness is the greatest make up artist, with the definitive results being splendor and magic rolled into one.

Make up is optional because nothing can escape the lens of a wedding photography Singapore professional. Go for a first-class register.




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Singapore Wedding Photographers - Why You Need To Choose Personally

By Justine Lee


Weddings are one of the few milestones in one's life. For most women, they have envisioned of walking down the aisle with their beloved ever since they were just girls. Every point counts, from the color of the bridesmaids' dresses to the songs that are going to be played at the reception. For me, they are not so much into laces and flowers, but they likewise desire their wedding to be as memorable as their brides have planned it. To have each memory last, hire Singapore wedding photographers for your important day.

The guest lists, the catering, and the seating arrangements are just few of the matters that soon-to-be wedded pairs need to handle. Every item involves full attention and time. That's why some couples employ wedding organizers to see to everything for them. But even if the employed planner is tasked to get all the items done, the couples still need to get involved with choosing which one from the Singapore wedding photographers available will capture photos of their wedding day.

You can express your color theme, music, and flower preferences to the wedding organizer, and trust that they will take care of the rest, from searching for suppliers to getting everything in place. But in selecting Singapore wedding photographers, it is better if you and your soon-to-be spouse take this matter in your own hands as this involves your personal valuation.

The photographer will be giving you life memories in prints, digital or otherwise, so it's just right that you know whom you are hiring. You and your spouse need to see for yourselves if the photographer has the professional qualities you are looking for.

Because each photographer has their own method and treatment, you need to evaluate their portfolios to determine which one best mirrors your own. Checking technical photography details may not be every customer's forte, but they can determine whether they like the method or not.

Portfolios also reveal the creativeness of the Singapore wedding photographers. You can supply the venues for the pre-wedding shoot and the wedding day, but it is important that the photographer can "unfold" the backdrop in every picture. You can see how skilled they are by looking at their past works. Also, during your first meeting, they should be able to suggest schemes that he plans to work on.

To assure that you are hiring the best from all Singapore wedding photographers available, gauge their past works. It is highly recommended to hire help in preparing your wedding, but it is also ideal to personally pick out the photographer.




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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Tips On How To Choose The Right Bridal Dress For You

By Darwin Bell


At any wedding, there is much focus on how the bride looks, and getting the dress right is extremely critical. There are some important aspects that you need to focus on if you want to select that perfect bridal dress to gather admiration and appreciation during the wedding and to treasure the photographs of the occasion for the days to come.

The entire ceremony can be spoiled if the bridal wear is badly made or is late in arrival from the shop, so a reliable store has to be chosen for ordering the dress. A bridal gown requires numerous and elaborate fitting sessions, so the nearer the shop is from your place, the better it is.

You should wear a wedding gown of a shade that will make you look more beautiful than all the guests. Sampling a few dresses of various colours is always a good idea. However, style and looks should not be overemphasized at the cost of comfort. A cosy yet nice dress will not only enhance your beauty but also keep you in good spirits so that you can enjoy every moment of your wedding day.

You should always select a dress that will make you more camera-friendly. If you are settled in Singapore, you can easily get in touch with a photographer who can suggest you the colours and textures that look good in pictures.

There is no dearth of good Singapore wedding photographers in any commercial centre in the country. It should not be hard to look for them via the internet either. Though many wedding photography Singapore companies have very good track records of performance, yet it is a good idea to consult people who have made use of their services so that you end up selecting the best guys for the job. How able and seasoned the photographer is will greatly determine the end result that he will offer, so if there is any error on your part in choosing the company, you may have to suffer the consequences later on.




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Photos For Cash Business Tips - Earn Easy Money From Your Digital Photos

By Dan Feildman




Did you know that you could be earning an additional few hundred dollars a week? And maybe even up to a few thousand range if you get things right the first time round and begin this business with every tip, trick and warning you need to start earning high rewards with your very first submitted digital photo.

Turning your photos into cash definitely allows you to earn thousands of dollars as a regular monthly income. I know this sounds to good to be true, but the internet has introduced a new interface for selling digital photos and you don't need a photography studio to be a digital photographer any more.

On average, you can earn about $100/ week with 200 photos, so just imagine what you could be earning if you continued to submit 50 new digital photos a week. If you want to work out what you could be earning from your digital photo stockpile, then use $100 per 200 photos as the base for your potential weekly earnings and then decide if you want to discover more about selling digital photos on the internet.

A question that is often asked, and one that might be buzzing around in your brain right now, is "Who will be purchasing my photos?" As I have already mentioned, with the internet we now have a global marketplace and the number of businesses and individuals who are seeking photos is incredible.

A few of the typical purchasers include: web designers, digital product owners, students, illustrators, affiliate marketers, advertisers, scrapbookers, ebay sellers, teachers , business owners, magazine editors, authors, advertisers, administrators, travel agents, graphic artists, retailers and literally loads more.

Basically if you have an interest in digital photography, you have a PC and software to store and edit photos, and you need to make some extra cash, then find out just how easy it is to sell your very own digital photos on the internet.




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Choosing The Right Venue For Your Pre-Wedding Photography

By Shiela Santos


Couples still need to pose in front of the camera for their pre-wedding photography shoot before they swap I Do's before their loved ones. Pre-wedding photographs tell their love story to their family and friends, telling the chapters of their lives with each other that lead to the big day. Not all engaged couples submit to a pre-wedding photography shoot, but, as those who have had it can attest, it is highly recommended that they do so.

The prenuptial shoot, sometimes called the engagement photo shoot makes the photos that are featured in a slideshow or AVP presentation at your wedding. The photographs are also frequently used on the invitation and thank-you cards distributed to the guests. The pre-nuptial shoot readies the bride and groom for their nuptial day by helping them to feel relaxed with being snapped together.

The photographer is presumed to have his own style in seizing the entire memorable event in print, but it is highly urged that the bride and groom transmit their suggestion on what final result they wish their photos to come out.

There are no strict rules on where you should hold your pre-wedding photography session. It can be shot anywhere, from the photographer's studio to a private beach or an amusement park. Anyplace is all right, as long as you acquire permits form the authorities to hold a photo shoot if needed. The significant thing is that you pick a theme and setting that best reflect what you two feel for each other.

Wherever you hold the photo shoot is fine, but keep in mind that you and your partner should feel comfortable and secure. The venue may be too public that you may feel uncomfortable and self-conscious when passersby watch. Or perhaps the setting discourages bringing of expensive camera equipment for fear it may get damaged or stolen.

A beautiful setting helps make the picture whole on your pre-wedding photography shoot, but it is just a background. You can hold the shoot even without it. What counts is that you and your partner are relaxed with each other in front of the camera. The love you feel for each other is what makes the photos worthwhile to look at and to value for life because it is what is reflected on the images.

The wedding day is not the happy ending of the bride and groom's long courtship. It is instead the start of a fresh episode of their lives together. Pre-wedding photography commemorates your love story even before the official beginning of your married life.




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Friday, December 2, 2011

Microstock Photography Guide - Making Money With Your Digital Photos

By Dan Feildman




Do you have a passion for photography? Were you aware that you could turn your passion into an extra income? If you have a digital camera, an internet connection, and access to a photo editing software program you can turn your photography hobby into cash. Interested? All you need to do is read on for some tips on making this happen.

The Internet has brought to your doorstep a global marketplace where people can purchase anything they want, including digital photos. Websites specializing in stock photography provide photos to consumers such as web designers, product marketers, newsletter creators, etc. Each of these consumers are looking for creative, quality photos and it is here where you can earn an incredible income simply by uploading your photos and waiting for them to be purchased. Don't worry if you don't have photos of the Eiffel Tower; what sells most are basic photos of everyday items.

It is significant that you decide on a theme for clicking photographs. For a photograph to sell, it should be appealing to the customer. So your perception should be worthy as an illustration and should benefit the customer. Basically people are looking for crystal ideas or illustrations that cater to their company's image. For example a lady with red lipstick in one hand and a cherry in other will sell more than a baboon jumping trees.

Are you a novice in this field? Clicking photographs as hobby is completely different from clicking it from a professional point of view. Your friends might give you advice on how to shoot photos, but it would be better if you obtain some serious advice. There are several e-books that can guide you and turnyourphotosintocash.com is one of the best. It has clear instructions on how you can actually start getting great results in digital photography by following a few guidelines.

I mentioned that you would want access to photo editing software as you will need to crop and edit your photos. If you are unfamiliar with these programs I recommend you look into learnelementsnow.com. Here there are loads of tutorials and tricks to make the most of your digital photos. The site creator, David Peters, also has an e-book which gives you step-by-step instructions on how to master your skills in Adobe Photoshop Elements in just 2 hours!

Once you have mastered the skill and taken a few photos, you have to follow certain instructions to upload your pictures in the micro stock agency sites. Primarily the picture should be in JPEG format. Ensure that the picture you have uploaded is 100% clear and unambiguous and does not have any granules. Even if it does have, remove all these before submitting. The photo should never include any names of the labels or brands. This will be copyright infringement. Try removing these with the help of Photoshop.

One of the most overlooked steps is naming your photographs. Don't rename your photos until you have uploaded them to the stock photography site; however, when naming your photos you want to include keywords that are appropriate to the photo itself. This is another area where prior research will pay off. Typically customers will use keywords to search for photos that they are looking for and to ensure your photos appear on the first page you want to use appropriate keywords to describe your photo. The best thing to do is look at similar photos and see what keywords they use to describe what they are selling.

Finally, the most important part is your payment. Before joining any stock photography site and submitting your photos you will want to check out the terms and conditions for each site which should give you an idea what the commission rates are. Some stock photography sites will hold back as much as 50% of the selling price as their fee so you will definitely want to find a site that meets your needs.

Uploading to more than one stock photography site is a good idea and there are many to pick from. Getting your photos sold is the key so by submitting them to a variety of agencies increases your chance to earn a higher income.




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Thursday, November 3, 2011

Memphis: A Few Fun Tourist Spots

By Sampson R Johnson


For anyone that thinks there isn't much to do in Memphis -- think again! Memphis, the largest city in Tennessee and the 19th largest in the United States of America, bursts with the vibrant and active bustle and hustle of day to day life. However step back from the Memphis bustle and hustle and you get to stop at many of the city's popular attraction spots.

For all those museum lovers out there who dote on the tranquility of a museum for an educational and fun-filled afternoon of fun, Memphis has sixteen different types of museums to choose from.

The Pink Palace Museum is one of the Memphis city's biggest museums. The Memphis mansion was the home-to-be of Clarence Saunders, one of Memphis' local celebrities who founded the famous Piggy Wiggly stores, before the company was forced to file for bankruptcy.

Some of the other engaging museums are the National Civil Rights Museum, which takes you back through the civil rights struggles of Memphis as a city as well as the nation, enabling you to set foot into the world of yesterday. The Memphis 'Rock n Soul' museum, 'Slave-haven Underground Railroad museum' are just some of the other popular museums there.

Apart from the many museums, there are a few places in Memphis that a tourist of any kind just has to see. The Mississippi River is an example of such a place. It is the second largest river running through the country and acts as Memphis' western property line. There are a lot of places of business at the banks of this river that enable you to sit by it and relax. There are also a number of public parks and some water recreations that people can enjoy there.

Beale Street is one of The City of Memphis' most happening streets with a vibrant exciting pulse that is both refreshing and entertaining at the same time. Restaurants, bars, and coffee houses line the street, enticing tired people with refreshments. It also houses dance clubs and live bands, for those dying to dance or get tantalized with music of all sorts.

The AutoZone Park is The City of Memphis' own baseball stadium and home to the minor league baseball team, the Memphis Redbirds. This is a special place for the people of Memphis, bringing them together to cheer for the team they all support.

One of Memphis' well-known attractions is Graceland. The home of Elvis, his living room and grave can be seen in Graceland. This place is an attraction to all music lovers and Elvis fans and is often quite busy.

The Peabody Ducks is another Memphis tradition since 1932, where five ducks march from their cage on top the roof to the fountain of the famous Peabody hotel to the sound of the King's Cotton March. They return back in the evening.

The sounds and sights that one can see in Memphis are unique in their own way.




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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Not all wedding and wedding anniversary present is boring; let them have letter art

By Lisa Simonetta


When trying to find a present for a loved one for a unique event like a wedding, anniversary or birthday it's tough to find something unique. Most people end up with the exact same traditional gifts that every person obtains, like gift certificates and household items.

Would you like to be distinctive and differentiate yourself from the crowd with your present selection? Are you currently searching on the web for your perfect gift for that special individual or event? Do you like things that are custom made with character?

Great, you can certainly find it. Customized art work may be too costly and beyond the means of a lot of people, but custom word art is both reasonably priced and distinctive. Alphabet digital photography art provides a special gift selection for a sensible cost.

Alphabet Pix supplies word art work which is developed from 100% Real Art text letters identified in nature. These letters are photographed styles that appear as letters in their genuine surroundings. No photo shopped or man made signage is employed to develop any of their word artwork since that would just take from the beauty and value of this made to order artwork.

The items photographed are by no means man produced or contrived. They're merely photographed within their normal condition. This will make them much more unique and appraised as Real Art by men and women across the world.

The customized word artwork is produced by using these genuine appearing letters and merging them into inspired selections. The 4 primary designs are Basic Black color, Vintage Traditional, Frontier and Shoreline.

These themes enable one to style your personal customized word artwork based upon the character and interests of the recipient. As an example, if the individual likes the beach and marine life then you can create the letter artwork from the color shoreline style collection. If they're into country along with the farming then it is possible to makes use of the amber frontier design.

These custom made artwork pieces are further elevated by using good quality mats and picture frames. The photograph words are printed on archival expert grade photo quality paper so that they'll last.

The name word art could be anywhere from 3 to 9 text letters in total, which indicates you are able to produce practically any phrase by means of this method. A few people write an inspirational word or perhaps a family members name although other people use a more special word that means some thing special to the person receiving the image.

The individuality of your customized alphabet artwork photography is just restricted by the person's creativity. This will make it a fantastic present; especially if you need to show somebody how special they are to you personally.




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Saturday, October 22, 2011

Any wall within your house will benefit from word art work

By Lisa Simonetta


You can locate a few of the best art exhibited in houses throughout the globe. To make their own property get a simple but distinctive home decor a lot of individuals hunt for elements that suit their fancy, their own style and their spending budget.

A classy idea many individuals are utilizing is word art work digital photography. This is an approach that takes letter photos of genuine items from the environment that looks like letters and numbers and frame them as a particular phrase.

Once the consumer decides on a word then they choose the name art that they like and build their word. Exhibiting this type of fine art is effortless and can be an excellent discussion piece for any room of your house.

These types of special pictures can be displayed on a wall in a frame or they are able to be displayed as individual letters with out any frames.

Similar to a lot of decorative wall items you can use name art and create different layouts. This could possibly be the name of your kid, loved one or perhaps a favourite grandmother who had been well cherished.

Other styles you may show include a favorite term such as faith, welcome or if you are a sport fan you'll be able to post the name of your sports team or player. Alphabet PIX provides many great ideas for men and women to create amazing real art with letter pictures.

When adding letter art to a wall you are able to work either up and down or horizontally. These types of beautiful custom letters look wonderful by themselves or within a frame.

You will find four frame options including cocoa, black, off white and rose bush that can be set off with a mat background of classic white or raven black color.

If you want vivid color to fill your home, you could wish to use sienna sepia or black and white pictures of letter art. When either of them is added to the house they produce a beauty which will surely be noticed by visitors.

A visible piece like this will definitely get the discussion started quickly.

Within the studio where this fantastic art work is made, they is a large selection of pictures to select from in all alphabetical characters, over 1000. Alpahbet PIX internet website is created to assist each and every consumer with developing their very own letter art design based on their own desires and choices.

Making a cultured photograph array is quite easy. Just about all you will need is imagination and your own personal design taste.

Stationary is also accessible on some of the letter art websites. They combine the letter photos the buyer wants in the layout they've chosen and then print your customized cards with these designs. They easily produce cards to fit your framed word artwork.

This stationary could be utilised in your office, at your residence, and any similar location where you need to distribute unique cards that get noticed.




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Friday, October 21, 2011

Green Screen Wizard - Photo Editing Software package That Rocks

By Mike Vick


Envision getting in a position to wow your family, close friends and neighbors, or, much better yet, your clients, with eye-popping photos from around the world. What about getting able to transform an ordinary image into some thing beyond your wildest imagination? With Green Screen Wizard software, you are in a position to amaze all of the clients, close friends and family members with excellent pictures that they will all fall in adore with.

You no longer have to settle for just any old boring background. By using Green Screen Wizard software, it is possible to add just about any background to your photos. Number and freedom are yours when you can pose your household or models in front of the solid colored backdrop, then pop those images into your personal computer and watch the magic begin as Green Screen Wizard application adds the background of one's choice.

The Green Screen Wizard Application makes it feasible for you to put any image that you just want in the background of one's pictures, (or your videos). The clean image top quality that outcomes from utilizing this software will surely amaze you.

The method is so well designed that whether you're a brand new photographer, unfamiliar with photo editing software, or a seasoned pro, you will be in a position to create professional photos with Green Screen Wizard software.

Adding the capabilities of chroma key photo editing will give you a leg up on your competition or friends, and save you time and money as well.

Green screen technology is not new to photography. They've been close to for years, and have been employed extensively in Television, and particularly on weather broadcasts. While creating the weather forecast, the meteorologist stands in front of a solid green (or blue) surface. Even though it appears as being a weather map behind her, in fact that picture is on the pc somewhere else.

This system has been copied by photo editors for years. Using advanced photo editing software like Photoshop, the editor uses the application tools to extract the model inside photo and place her into a entirely a variety of scene. Editors who are really beneficial at this procedure can do such a great career that it appears how the design was truly on place for the photo shoot. It's a extremely cool effect, and volumes have been written about how to perform it.

Well, now with Green Screen Wizard Software, you have the program offered to you with just several clicks of your mouse.

All you should do is take a shot of the subject against a solid green background. The following step in the transformation is to download your dull green background photo for your pc and use Green Screen Wizard software to magically eat your subject and add her to a beautiful or fascinating background.

But don't stop with individuals. You may also create excellent solution shots. Your limits are only within your unique thoughts and imagination.

Your photography can include adults, babies, kids, pets, dolls, anything. The only requirements are a solid green background and the Green Screen Wizard software. The software program comes inside a stand alone version which requites only a pc to run, but it's also obtainable being a Photoshop plugin.

Green Screen Wizard computer software has taken a technique that was as soon as unavailable towards the average photo editor and made it available to practically any virtual photographer.

There is really a extremely easy learning curve involved, so even a brand new photographer with limited photo editing skills can master it with zero stress. No photo editing experience is necessary. Using the easy instructions, it truly is just a effortless click and drag to eat your photo and transfer it on the background photo.




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Saturday, October 15, 2011

Make Money Tips For Digital Photographers

By Chip Anchor


In today's dismal economy, we all need to find additional avenues for making money. We can no longer rely on one steady employer. After all, who knows when that employer might go out of business? Fortunately, if you own a reasonably priced digital camera, you can make some extra money each month.

You probably do own a digital camera that takes high-quality photos. Thanks to improving technology, most moderately priced digital cameras do take photos of professional-level quality. With this kind of camera, then, you can set up your own digital photography business.

The first step in doing this is to determine exactly what kind of business you'd like to get into with your digital camera. The simplest business might be to snap shots that you yourself like: Maybe you like taking pictures of old buildings. Maybe landscapes are more your strength.

Once you have a portfolio of quality pictures, set up your own Web site. Upload your pictures to the site, place a dollar value on each shot and promote your business on other blogs, forums or through online banner ads.

Next, study a bit on marketing and promotion. Even if you take top-quality photos, you won't make a dime with your digital camera if you don't know how to let others know that you're available for photos. Marketing is a big part of any business, even ones that we label as "creative."

Of course, you can't set up a business like this without doing some research first. You'll have to read up on photography techniques to make sure that your photos are of professional quality. And you should also study marketing techniques. Even if you have some amazing photos, you won't make any sales unless you effectively promote your new digital photography business.

You don't have to spend a fortune on a digital camera, either. Most mid-priced digital cameras today take high-quality pictures.

Don't leave that digital camera sitting at home. Think of the extra money you can make, and start your own digital photography business.




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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Why A Preschool Graduation Requires A Professional Photographer

By Cindy Craig


We usually pay more attention to college graduation photography, but preschoolers do require the service of professional photographers for this once-in-a-lifetime event in their lives. Kids are very photographable, and they generally love to smile, making them picture-perfect. It's crucial to take note though that graduation photography is more than just having fun. It is reaching a milestone in life to commence to greater heights.

So let your child see the beauty of this event by seeking the service of the best graduation photography in Singapore. You can tell that a photographer is a professional when his/her photographs show the following:

1. The photographer highlights the friendships your child has made. Just as they are precious while little, you also will never know who these children would be in the future. So take this chance while they're not so-and-so famous yet to take their pictures. It will make for great reminiscing later.

2. Captures photos of your child's accomplishments. Look for your child's previous school works in arts and his/her test papers too and show them to the photographer. Did she get a stamp on your child's hand for a job well done? A professional graduation photographer knows how to use these things to make an awesome documentation of your child's graduation.

3. Captures photos of your child with the nursery teachers. Teachers serve as the second parent of your child at school. The preschool teacher attends to your child when she says she wants to pee or to poop while at school? The teachers help them. It is only proper to recognize even in this simple way.

4. Takes photographs of the graduation ceremony. Usually this may involve a presentation, talent number and awarding of special recognition. An expert graduation photographer anticipate such things, for there are no repeat performances when it comes to these happenings.

Indeed, only a professional photographer can best handle the graduation photography of your child. For one, it takes away your anxiety so you may look great on pictures and lets you focus on enjoying this moment with your child.




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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

How To Prepare For A Stress-Free Wedding Day

By Kristine Wells


Meticulous planning is important before your wedding so that it turns out just perfect. A wedding day must only carry sweet memories for the couple, so anything that can ruin the day must be handled properly before the event. A wedding has so many possibilities of things going wrong and the couple is always anxious until the celebrations are over. However you can lessen the tension for the final day by going for services like pre wedding photography.

Pre-wedding photography is something that every couple must consider before deciding a photographer for the big day. Taking a chance with photographs of perhaps the most important day in your life is never a wise decision as you are going to invoke your wedding memories through these photographs only. Hence to know if the photographer's talent will live up to your expectations, you must sample his work before the auspicious day by engaging him in a pre-wedding photography session.

What you wear has a direct influence on how you feel on the wedding day; hence, the choice of a well-fitting and classy wedding dress should be top priority. A heavy dress with yards of folded silk can cause much discomfort for the bride during outdoor weddings, and therefore the wedding dress selection must be made as per the location.

Exhaustive pre wedding arrangements along with all the other activities such as pre wedding photography can be quite tiring for the couple, but they must recover quickly for the big day. To ensure this, appropriate nourishment and diet before the wedding day is a must. Taking in lots of liquids will bring a fresh glow on your face on the day.

So if your wedding is in the near future, then in order to make it a truly memorable one, you must adhere to the above guidelines that will make the day one you will fondly remember forever.




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Important Baby Photography Tips

By Anne Gable


Because babies grow up so fast, it is not surprising that more and more parents engage in baby photography services. These photo sessions, when done properly, must capture the happy innocence of an infant or toddler. Refer to the guidelines and hints below to help you look forward to having winning pictures of your beloved child.

Consider the child's routine and schedule whilst arranging for the date and time of the photo session. Be sure that the baby is properly rested because when he or she is irritable, you wouldn't be able to attain your desired shots. So it's best that the shoot takes place after nap or feeding time. Make baby camera ready upon arrival at the studio. Choose clothes which are easy to put on. Costumes are a good idea for that added fanciful touch.

Get a photographer who is familiar with how to handle babies and their temperaments. Patience is of highest importance especially for awkward interruptions such as the need to replace baby's diapers, feeding or simply longing for mommy's presence. Therefore, in order to help appease the baby, it is imperative that mothers be always ready to come into the scene.

Bring with you baby's favorite toys and books to keep him or her busy and entertained in the course of the shoot and in between breaks. You may want to bring new ones to serve as a surprise treat. Do not forget that favorite pillow or blanket that will help you calm baby whenever there are episodes of agitation. Put all of these items in a basket or carrying bag ready for transport on the day of the shoot.

Inform the photographer ahead of time if you have special requirements regarding temperatures in the venue. Like in cases when you plan to show some of baby's skin such as feet, tummy or bottoms, make sure to set the temperature to warm. Having a baby handler during the baby photography session is a good idea. It usually comes with the package that you will avail of. Otherwise, you could ask for referrals from the photographer or the studio.

Baby photography can actually be a challenge at times. However, taking these tips to mind will give you those great shots you can keep and cherish forever.




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How To Capture That Perfect Portrait Photograph

By Justine Collins


People have for long been the cherished subjects of photographers. Portrait photography deals with depicting a person or a group with all their unique characteristics.

A good portrait photograph attains a non-conventional aspect by freezing the subject from an exclusive camera angle and in a mood that is representative of the person. However, portraits of one person or of entire families are also taken by photographers, and these are generally preserved in family albums.

A ideal close up with a sharp focus on the subject's face is what gives portrait images that discernible mark of elegance. This can be attained by tuning camera settings to obscure the subject's background so that his or her face receives the maximum focus. A camera with a wider aperture can strike this ideal balance between the background and the person's face. Whereas, when both the person and the background are equally significant, like a photograph taken with the subject in a scenic landscape, then a normal aperture is advisable.

Photography is all about absorption of light into the photographic medium; thus insufficient light has always been a photographer's cause of worry. But an impressive portrait photograph is easier to take if certain basic rules are adhered to. A facial profile of a individual sitting by a window looks extraordinary and appealing, especially when daylight brightens a side of the face. To make sure that the other side does not appear dim, a reflective medium such as a white sheet can be employed. However, However, portrait photographs shot in studios under regulated lighting often come out better than those shot in natural light.

Another critical factor that determines a good portrait photograph is the comfort level of the subject when he or she presents for the photograph. If the subject doesn't feel at ease while being photographed and doesn't give a natural expression, then even the highest quality camera and lighting methods can not ensure a good portrait.




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Why You Have To Hire Professionals To Take Your Graduation Pictures

By Mavic Cookie


Graduation fever is here once again, and apart from deciding what to put on and where to treat families and friends following the ceremony, one of the most crucial things thought of is who will take the pictures. Hold the global economy to blame; quite a lot of families are resorting to taking the photography task into their own hands without knowing that the price for a lifetime of kept memories is priceless, realistically speaking.

Graduation photo packages come in various prices based on what you commission the studio to do. Despite the price, hiring a studio can still save you a great deal of cash and hassle, because naturally, you want to savor this occasion through the photos.

People photographs have the task to reveal the beauty and magic in all events, including graduation. Graduation photos involve people photographers with substantial years of experience and global acclaim. Pay attention to them and you will get real value for your money.

The secret to getting the best photo package for graduation is in being familiar with what the graduate wants. Apart from the standard close-up shot with the diploma, the actual receiving of the diploma photo, and the photo with the immediate family, there are other shots of countless moments included in the package.

Do you want a photo collection with all your friends, teachers, and classmates? Do you want a photographer for the after-graduation bash? Do you want your pictures in traditional black and white or full color or both? The earlier you can conceptualize these stuff, the better images you will make.

To get the best offers, look online and book the graduation photography of your preference. Inform the studio of your budget, your preferred photos, and they can determine a deal only for you. Furthermore, if you hire a studio early enough, you can still agree on a bargain.

The best value you can get from a graduation photography package is the assurance that your pictures are in expert hands, that you look great on them, even when you are not posing or when you least expect it. You can relish the graduation without worries, and you're certainly in for a pleasant surprise.




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Friday, September 30, 2011

Using the Digital Photo Editor in Scrapbook Factory

By Barbara Thomas


Scrapbook Factory is that computer software which will entice you to create thousand and thousands of cool collages. Probably the most component of this computer software is that even whenever you believe a small bit stuck and don't find a very good Notion you can nonetheless produce unique content by while using projects installed or by combining all some of 75,000 elements.

The user interface is intuitive and will assist anyone regardless of previous knowledge about photo manipulation application to produce extraordinary photo montages. Right after all scrap booking is a type of photo montage. You see this each day performed by professional graphic artists on billboards and teen magazines.

You can produce any kind of scrap booking inside ones that have to look professional towards the ones that need to be funny and relaxing. The learning curve for this software program is incredibly short. You do not have to deal with technical terms including layers, masks, transparency and others applied in professional photo manipulation software.

Step One Fire up Scrapbook Factory

Step Two Pick whether to start from scratch or to use 1 in the templates that were installed as part of your software. Should you pick "design from scratch" you should navigate on the left side towards the scrapbooks category from in which it is possible to choose the desired format.

Step 3 Customize your canvas by inserting any graphic inside the desired files. There's no limit in what you may do utilizing your imagination.

Step 4 Insert the image you desire on your scrapbook page.

Step 5 Use Digital Photo Editor Here you can make the necessary adjustments for the photos just like adjusting color, adjusting the focus and tone, apply some specific final results and even alter the image layout. Probably the most part of this photo editor is that you just can crop your image different shapes for instance heart, cross, star, flower, triangle and the conventional rectangular shape. Do not forget to flip the image vertically or horizontally in case you need this and apply the rotation which will make your scrapbook look realistic.

Step 6 Save your scrapbook. Some people adore to spend several hours per day organizing all loved ones photos in a new and original way. Scrap booking helps individuals save a lot more memories about any event.

Think on the time when you have glued the concert tickets and also the train tickets on the same write-up with the photos taken that day. This will assist you to remember much more about that event, but within the same time will give far more hints to any person who sees the picture. Men and women adore to talk about pleasant memories and events from their life. Sometimes they use one or more photo album to show anybody what they saw and lived in that period. When they open a scrapbook the listener is also captivated by the story and ask several related questions. Elder persons adore to respond to many question. Some events make them speak for hours. Once the 1 who requirements to listen the stories sees the pictures on the scrapbook is also far more assertive.




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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Photo Booth Hire Provides A Pleasurable Way To Capture Your Special Memories

By Graham Mole


When you are hosting a special occasion there is one way that can capture the event for all time. This is by taking photographs. Getting a photographer is the usual way, but it its boring. There is a much better way. Photo booth hire gives the guests a very enjoyable way to create their own memories.

For many years at fairs and carnivals the booths have been very popular with everyone. Now with the availability to hire a photo booth you are able to obtain this facility for any event you like. Have one set up at weddings, birthday parties, reunions of any type and fancy dress events.

When you rent one of these booths, you will have to pay for the time it is used, which is usually two to three hours. There is usually no charge for the setup of the equipment. This will normally be incorporated into the initial cost. There will not be any limit to the number of pictures that you or your guests take.

If you are interested in leasing one of these booths, you can search the internet. There are many sites available. You need to know what type of picture you are looking for. Examples are digital or traditional formats, with the digital being available on CD so that it can be loaded onto your computer for future use.

After deciding on your choice, you have to fill an online form giving them the details of the event and your preferences. The site should normally have all the information you are looking for. The firm will get in touch with you within a reasonable time.

You will be very satisfied that you opted for photo booth hire when the event is over. Your guests will be excited and the CD created may be view after the event whenever you want to relive the memories. This is an outstanding feature to have at any major event.




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Create Extraordinary Memories When You Hire A Photo Booth

By Marcus Hall


If you want to make sure that your party or event generates buzz, then it's time to hire a photo booth. It really gets people animated as they line up for pictures. As a result, your reputation as a wonderful host will hit new heights.

It's no wonder that increasing numbers of folks are itching to hire photo booth for their upcoming events. The purchase price is probably too hefty in most cases. However, a vast majority can afford the cost of rental fees for a few hours of alluring entertainment.

Looking at photographs is a popular pastime. However, lots of people are reluctant to have the camera focused on them. Their fears seem to vanish when it's being done in a party atmosphere among friends.

Another bonus to all this is that you can make the pictures available afterward to your guests without incurring a lot of expense. One option is to send people a CD showcasing the event. You could also post the digital images to a sharing site on the Internet for a very reasonable price. This would enable folks to download and print the images they treasure most.

It's no wonder that photo booths are becoming star attractions at important events. These range from weddings to family reunions to key birthday celebrations. The taking of the photographs not only captures important moments, it also creates them by making things so entertaining.

Even businesses and schools are getting in on the act. Using these booths can be an important part of team-building exercises during company retreats, because of the way they bring people together and encourage them to let loose. It also provides a perfect way for graduates to share their excitement and then have an enduring memento of their important day.




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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Disney Motion Pictures - Ageless Classics For Young and Old

By Eric James


Share Your Childbhood Memories With Your Child - Get Started On A Walt Disney Dvd Collection

I couldn't imagine my childhood without Disney Movies. Disney hasn't stopped producing great movies and there are now many more to choose from.

Each tale is unique and you are certain to find a favorite or two among the many films that have been created over the years. Disney movies offer something for everyone no matter what your age. I still get a kick out of seeing the older movies. The artwork is nothing short of amazing. With advances in technology the newer movies are even more beautiful and captivating.

You feel like you are watching not just a movie but a beautiful painting in motion. I don't want to say that I'm old but I've seen quite a few movies since viewing Snow White at the theatre when it first came out. While I will always love the genuine beauty of the classic cartoon drawings, there is something truly astonishing about the computer generated images found in today's Walt Disney productions.

Children don't care how the movies were created, they just love them anyway. With engaging story lines and original plot lines children of all ages will find something to enjoy in every Disney movie.

With the ability to purchase my old time favorites on DVD I can give my kids the same experiences that I had when I was a child. Indeed, my children watch these movies over and over again. Creating your own collection of Walt Disney films may take a little time and effort but it is worth everything that you put into it. I love that I have many of the classics available any time at all.

Being able to have the collection in your own home is great news for kid. What better way to watch a Disney movie than in the comfort of your own home. Most of these films are not seen on television and are rarely re-released in the cinemas but wtih DVD's you can share your child hood wonder with your kids.

While I do love the amazing new Disney movies, I still get a thrill when my kids want to watch one of the older classics. Every child should watch the classic Disney movies. It's good, clean, wholesome entertainment.

Jodie boasts a substantial collection of Walt disney dvds and hoped to share her passion. She also writes about her other interests on her other internet websites. For many other examples of her appreciation for princesses look at her webpage Disney Princess Playtent




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Sunday, September 11, 2011

Digital Photo Tips And Tricks To Get Started

By Jack Hadrian


You don't want to come home from your vacation only to find that the dozens of photos you snapped during your trip are marred by red eye, glare or a lack of imagination. Fortunately, there are several travel photography tips you can follow to make sure that you return from your trip with praiseworthy vacation photos.

Most vacations offer plenty of stunning scenes to shoot. The first tip in capturing these images is to follow the rule of thirds. This rule basically states that you shouldn't place the subjects of your photos directly in the middle of the frame. By placing them off-center, you create a more visually appealing photo.

Photographers should follow this rule when shooting landscapes, too. There aren't any people to place off-center, but there is the horizon line to worry about. Make sure to place the horizon either closer to the top or the bottom of your photo. This prevents you from simply visually cutting your photo in two.

It's also key to take your travel photos from several different angles. It's easy to take a head-on shot. But the results can be boring. Try instead to shoot while on your knees or lying on your stomach. You might capture a unique image by using this technique.

When shooting, never forget about the position of the sun. Don't line people up so that they end up looking directly into the sun. They'll squint. And that doesn't look good in a photo. Be sure to avoid placing your subjects directly in front of a light source, either. Doing this will leave you with a photo of a silhouette. You might not even recognize your subject when you look at the photo later.

Where should your subjects stand, then? Place them so that sunlight or any other light source falls on their side. Not only will this prevent both silhouettes and squinting, it will create a series of visually interesting shadows.

Today's digital cameras come with plenty of technology. Take advantage of it. This means using your camera's scene mode. This mode automatically sets your camera's settings depending on the time of day you are shooting, the amount of sunlight available and the type of shot - landscape or portrait - you are taking. The scene mode can help you snap some incredibly professional shots.

By following just a few travel photography tips, you can be sure that you'll bring home a photo album's worth of stunning shots of friends, family members, ocean views or mountain scenery. It just takes some practice with your camera, a few new shooting techniques and a willingness to use all the tech tools that come with your photography equipment.




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Friday, September 9, 2011

3 Habits of Successful Photographers. Part Two

By Matt Brading


This is the second installment of our look at the three most important habits I see in the most successful, professional photographers who pass through the GlobalEye Photo Agency each month. We covered Lighting and Patience in the first installment -- if you missed that, you can check our sell stock photos blog -- otherwise we'll dive back in and look at technique.

For all the ease of automatic-everything cameras, I often wish they were somehow available only after the photographers had passed a manual photography course. Unfortunately, it's so easy and so handy, that most photographers who start out on automatic never go back and learn the way to control those settings themselves.

And that means there are a large number of photographers out there capturing photos that are nearly great ... But because they have absolutely no theory and only very basic technical skills, they will never know what's holding them back and more significantly, how easy it could be to correct the issues and make great images.

I see this each week with the membership application submissions. Images that could have been stunning if the photographer had only turned off the center weighted auto focus and gave more attention to their subject. Shots that could have been stunning if they'd turned off the preset exposure mode, and thought about their depth-of-field. Shots that would have been stunning if only they'd thought about the effects of shutter speed ...

The other disappointment is those photographers who do not even bother to read the manual that came with their camera so they would make use of the features available to them. Here are just a few problems .. And the photographer's explanations ... That I've seen just lately ...

1. Great submission of photographs, but they all had a serious colour cast that even I (seriously color-blind) could spot.

"Yes, I saw something about setting white balance, but figured the factory settings would have it covered..."

2. Superb subjects & compositions, but too grainy to ever use ...

"That's probably because I keep the ISO set to 1600 so I haven't got to worry about flash using up my batteries ... "

3. Amazing submission ... Technically spot on & material perfectly suited for stock, except they were shot as medium jpgs ...

"I didn't want to run out of space on my memory stick ... "

The last one might sound totally ludicrous but is a familiar story around here ... The photographer had a $2000 camera and was shooting tons of excellent images each week with real stock potential, if he'd only splurged another $50 on two additional memory devices. (The average point-and- shoot nowadays captures a better quality file than the one this bloke was saving!)

So one last idea here is, if your whole photographic experience is digital-auto, each chance you can, switch off the auto-everything and learn to do it yourself.

Even better, call into the local 2nd hand shop and pick up an old manual film camera ... They're giving them away nowadays ... And put a few rolls of film through it. You will learn more from those 100 shots than a year with your digital auto-everything!

OK, that's just a few general ideas to get you started. Next time around I will cover a couple more specific elements we see in the top selling pictures and a simple trick to be certain you get them right each and every time.

For now, feel free to visit our website and post your own thoughts on what makes a photographer a professional!




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Buyng Stock Photography Online

By Matt Brading


Occasionally too much choice can be a bad thing and stock photography is an excellent example. For years plenty of the household-name stock photo libraries would promote themselves as being the largest and having the biggest collections. If you've been paying attention more recently though, you could have noticed that isn't such a unique selling proposition any more and plenty of the bigger libraries are now busy looking for alternative ways to differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

The truth is, many photography users find giant stock image collections time-intensive and tedious to search, in spite of the improvements in photo search engine technology. The issue is, the scale of these collections has increased at a greater rate than the search technology has improved ... So in many cases, photo research has essentially gotten slower and more difficult. It's no surprise then that more photography-researchers are opting for smaller 'niche' photo libraries, when they need to buy stock photos on the web.

These boutique stock libraries do not even try and compete on volume and most of the time they cannot compete on price either ... But more photo researchers are heading to these image stock sites regardless, with a completely new set of reasons-to-buy.

Private service, contact with the photographers, fresh original pictures, unique styles and subjects. OK, perhaps these are not totally new reasons after all , but they're reasons-to-buy that've been pushed to the back for far to long.

A lot of it comes back to how the photography user values their time, and what kind of price they put on finding the right photograph fast. The good news for photographers is, more are prepared to pay a bit more to avoid the tedium of a mass-distribution library and hone in on quality new pictures faster.

So the next time you need to buy stock pictures, take a pass on the big stock photography super-stores, and check out a few of the boutique collections instead ... You might be surprised.




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Should I Sell My Pictures As Stock Photography

By Brad Stephens


Thinking it time you started selling your photos as stock photography? Stock photography is big these days and everybody appears to be doing it, unfortunately though, most people are going about it the wrong way.

The very first thing you need to do is choose where you would like to end up ...

Do you need a full-time business? Do you dream of throwing in the real job and becoming a full-time photographer? Or do you desire some extra money from your pastime? Maybe you'd be happy to purchase a new lens every year from your profits?

If you want the first option, you are looking at joining a very competitive industry and that is going to take major time, effort and you're going to have to invest real money to make it happen.

For stock photography you want to consider all aspects of your photography the standard of your work, the commercial potential of the subjects you shoot, how many photos you have on file and how often you add to them. Quality, Content & Volume to achieve success in stock photography you need to have each of those aspects well and truly covered.

If you feel you could have work to do in any of those areas, I'd recommend you take some time to work on them first. Take a short course to fine-tune your technique, buy some stock photography books to find more saleable subjects, and then shoot like mad to build up your catalog.

Stock is competitive and sure to suck the joy right out of your photography if you try to start selling your photos before you're prepared.

If you're not out for a major life-change though, you have a few more options.

Plenty of amateur photographers place their images with the cheap royalty free libraries and hope to make a bit of extra change every year but I really believe this is about the worst of your options.

Some of these stock photo sites are selling images for a dollar or less each, royalty free, so the photographers gets a few pennies for the sale, and the purchaser gets free usage of the image, for evermore. This doesn't worry a lot of newbies, but it has a big effect on the industry. If that does not concern you, it probably should.

If circumstances change and you decide one day to sell your pictures seriously, each $1 sale you make is going to make it that much tougher for you to make a living. And to rub salt into the wound, you won't be able to sell and of those pictures to top-end buyers, because you'll have no idea where they've been printed before or where they'd turn up next.

Sometimes you will find a better option for the hobbyist is to use your imagesimages as content instead of product, and publish them on your own simple photography sites promoting affiliate products. For most photographers this will lead directly to better returns without giving your images away for peanuts, and if you one day opt to get serious about selling your photos, they're still totally yours to sell.




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A Simpler Way To Sell Stock Photography

By Matt Brading


Anyone who's been battling to sell photos online for any period of time will know that photographers have been getting a pretty poor deal recently. High competition has meant that most photographers are getting significantly less sales than in years gone by and those sales they do pick up are typically at much lower prices.

To add to the injury, with digital submissions the photographers are typically doing more of the work that the stock agencies used to do. Where before they used to just post off a submission a number of times each year and leave it to the library to do the rest, now they end up formatting & cleaning picture files, adding captions and keywords, plus all of the other photography business mangement chores ...

And the big stock libraries are still taking their hefty commissions out of any stock image sales, although online catalogs and eCommerce checkouts mean their participation is virtually hands-free.

It's no great surprise that plenty of independent photographers are asking what they are really splitting their sales for?

Well a new breed of stock photography library has appeared that deals with these problems and tries to put the photographers back in the drivers seat. They're the direct contact stock photo libraries and more and more photographers and photo buyers see them as the way of the future.

Most operate as photography marketing co-ops, where their photographers work together to promote their work and generate sales while sharing their costs and expenses. The library provides the marketing platform and the photographers take responsibility for their own sales. The photographer is liberated from limiting contracts, agency deductions and they're free to set their own pricing and license conditions.

An added bonus for the photographers is that, for the first time ever, stock photographers can build their own buyer list -- buyers known to use the subjects they shoot -- and they can sell stock photos to them on their terms and their schedule. Instead of waiting around for new photo clients to find them or hoping their existing clients might come back for more, they can take new stock photography and concepts directly to the photo buyers, effectively creating online photo sales on demand.

In the current day's super-competitive stock photography industry many believe this is the only possible way for photographers to grab control and build a viable and sustainable business selling photos online.




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5 Things Every Photographer Should Be Doing On The Internet

By Matt Brading


Often it seems the Web was made solely for photographers. On a social level it lets us share photographs with friends and families, we will get together and talk camera gear and photographic technique, and it helps a lot of us overcome the isolation that commonly goes side by side with a photography career.

On a professional level, it provides the means to showcase our work to Clients, access new markets and conduct the whole stock photography sales process without leaving our desk. It also offers the resources to monitor trends, see what our peers are doing and see what our customers are purchasing.

And for all that, the sad fact is, for many photographers, the pure volume of info and options becomes more of an obstruction than a helping hand. They only have so many hours in a day, and deciding what's worth their attention and what isn't becomes a bore, and as a result they tend to brush over the significant stuff and get way-laid with the trivial.

Well if you ever find yourself in that case, here is a bare-bones list of the 5 essential website types every independent photographer should have bookmarked and will be using constantly.

1. Stock Photo Library

Few serious photographers wouldn't have a stock photo agency catalogue of some type, but lots of photographers still leave it as something to do later when they're better established, or have more photos. Nowadays that is not obligatory and the best way tosell images online is to begin early and add to your stock catalogue regularly over a period of time.

Stock photography is a long term business though, so do take some time and find a photo stock library that is a good fit for your work and your style. Confirm it leaves you in charge of your work and does not need you to give up your rights, or give your work away, solely to access their services.

2. Photo Price Calculator

To this end, ensure you bookmark a good online stock photo price calculator. We all used to manage this with hard-copy books, but things move fast these days and new types of photo-uses emerge every week, so a live stock photo price calculator is essential.. Be warned though, most people are blown away when they first use these... Simply because most photographers seriously under-value their work.

If you have never looked at a Stock Photo Price Calculator before, I'd suggest that you write down a list of 5-10 of your most important markets, and then list a couple of 'average ' usages for each. Then open the calculator and work out a price for each usage. Keep it convenient and you have a ready-reference guide if a Customer ever puts you on the spot, but equally importantly, you will get a whole new insight to the value of your photography.

3. Photography Business News & Info

If you are eager -- and you don't mind sitting at a P. C. all day -- you can subscribe to dozens of different newsletters and blogs to try to start recent with goings on in the photography industry. Or you can find a single Photography/Business site that does it all for you.

There are a few really good websites out there if you go looking. My suggestion is to look them over and follow a couple until you find one that does the job right for you, your field of work, your interests, your location and so on. The best sites will give you all the crucial information in summary then include links for more information if you want it, so you can stay current and get all the info you require without the info overload.

4. Shopping & Auction Sites

It's no secret, photographers are gadget-junkies! We're always searching for that next piece of must-have camera equipment that we simply can't function properly without. The incontrovertible fact we have already worked quite alright for years without it doesn't matter... Once we know it's out there we have to have it. Sound familiar?

The flip side is, quite frequently we have got equally as much gear we should actually get rid of... And once again, if the Net was made for us then I am sure the creators of eBay are either photographers themselves, or they've a few in the family. So bookmark it and use it. If you've a cupboard of old camera gear that's not been utilized in years get it out and sell it, while it still has some value!

5. Online Photography Community

Pro photography is generally a solo career so the facility to have interaction with your peers online should not be taken lightly. We all see dozens of pictures on any given day, but to be in a position to look at new photographs and discuss them with other photographers is priceless. Pre-Internet, it was something that only happened at Camera Clubs or waiting around at the Pro-Lab, but the internet forums and portal sites now give working photographers to capability to engage with their peers, share ideas and info and truly grow as artists. And if you're not making excellent use of them, you're quite possibly stagnating!

Well that is my top 5 must-bookmark website types. The web offers us the chance to 'round-out ' our photography businesses in ways in which we never could before, so make sure you are getting maximum value from the time you spend online... And remember all work and no play, leads to a boring photographer!




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