All The Untold Secrets Of Digital Photography!

It's amazing how far digital photography has come in the last decade! When the technology first came out many photographers were very skeptical and they believed that it was going to destroy the world of photography forever and they were scared that everyone was going to be able to become a photographer and remove any kind of professionalism associated with this art form. We all know this isn't the case and in fact digital photography has done more for the world of photography than anything else in history.

What we've come to realize is that digital photography and print photography have been split into two different categories and that neither of the two are better than each other. Going back to that belief that many photographers had about digital photography ruining any form of professionalism, this is of course not the case. There are many professional digital photographers who do amazing work and use this piece of technology to its fullest extent.

So How Do I Get Involved In Digital Photography?

Well it's so simple, all you have to do is go out and buy a digital camera and start shooting! No but seriously though, there are some things you have to know first but they are pretty basic. First of all you are going to need to get a camera with a decent lens. Fortunately most professional cameras come digitally nowadays so you shouldn't have any problem finding one. The benefit of having a camera with a great lens is that you will have the ability to focus on different things in your shots. This is the real art of photography, being able to show something that stands out and has meaning. That meaning you will of course have to find and explain yourself through your pictures.

Benefits of Digital Photography

There are many benefits of digital photography but perhaps the most obvious is that you will have the ability to see what you have taken and choose whether or not it is worth keeping or discarding. The second benefit is that you can also upload your pictures onto your computer so you can edit and change them around. There are lots of different pieces of photo editing software out there that allow you to do amazing things.

If you are just deciding to start digital photography now, then you have started at the right time as we will only start to see more and more advancements in this form of technology in the future which of course we will have the privilege of first trying and testing.

Source: Free Articles

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How to Achieve Lab Quality Print Results For Less

Do you print your own digital photos? In this article I expose the most common myths of digital printing, showing how you can achieve outstanding lab-quality print results, without the high cost.

5 myths of digital photo printing

1. You need an expensive heavily-featured printer. Not true. Printer manufacturers will want you to believe that you need a top-of-the range inkjet photo printer. You don't. It is possible to achieve lab-quality prints using standard low-cost colour inkjet printers.

Choose a printer that will deliver the size of prints you need, and at the speed you need. If you don't need a fast printer or the added features, why pay the extra.

2. You need a high megapixel camera. Yes, it is true that high megapixel camera produces better print results. However, you don't need a high megapixel camera for everyday use and printing. Only if you want to print large-scale: A4, A3 and larger. If you only ever need 6"x4" or A5 prints - you don't need any more than a 3 megapixel camera.

Choose a camera for the output you require. Opt for a high megapixel camera if you want large, very high quality prints. Opt for a lower megapixel camera if you want small prints or want to upload images to the web.

3. You need to use original printer manufacturer's ink. Not true. Inkjet printer ink isn't cheap. However, there are cheaper compatible printer inks and refilled ink cartridges that will do the job just as well as the printer manufacturer - or original ink cartridges. There are also suppliers of genuine brand-name printer inks that retail at a fraction of the price. They're cheaper because either the box is damaged, incorrectly packaged, or not branded.

Shop around for cheaper ink options, including refilled cartridges, compatible printer ink, or suppliers of damaged, re-branded, or re-packaged original printer manufacturer's ink.

4. You can use automated printer settings. Not true. Don't simply accept the automated printer settings. Make sure the printer is set to deliver the results you want. "Maximum DPI" is not a default print option - however your images and photos will look better if you set the quality setting to maximum rather than best. Before you print - adjust your printer settings to get the results you're looking for. If you don't need high quality prints, you can adjust the quality of the print accordingly - saving ink.

5. All photo paper delivers the same results. Not true. It is the paper that makes the real difference. However, there are major differences between premium photo papers. You would think that if you bought premium paper, you would get a quality print. That's not always the case. Most brand name photo papers are only suitable for printing at 1440 and 2880 Dots Per Inch - or DPI. Professional photographers find they achieve far better results by using premium German-manufactured photo paper that delivers over 5000 DPI. Ironically, this better quality paper is often equivalent in price to branded premium photographic papers.

Look out for the highest quality photo paper that enables you to print at 5000 DPI and more. Premium German-manufactured paper has the best reputation in the market for delivering outstanding 5000-plus DPI print results. It is therefore possible to achieve lab-quality photographic prints without expensive cameras, printers, ink, by using premium quality German-manufactured inkjet photo paper.

There are a number of good online suppliers of quality inks and photo paper. I buy my premium German inkjet photo paper, delivering an impressive 5760 DPI, from ink2paper in the UK.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Tips to Make Money From Food Photography

This is quite a difficult field to get into and possibly one of the most challenging and demanding areas of commercial photography. It is quite similar to fashion photography where you have a team of people involved in the shoot, from the chef to a food stylist and an art director. So the pressure is on to deliver. Here's how to start.

You need to be able to get along with people and take direction. The client is the one who will give you the brief and expect you to create an image that is only in their mind. The ability to keep cool is essential and the ability to bite your tongue a great asset. Here's how to shoot great food images.

1. Know the trends and styles

This is where you need to do your research and keep up to date using the latest books and magazines. Many mags have a food section and this will give you a good idea of what the trends are. Get to know the lighting set ups so that you can duplicate this.

2. Detail is king

When photographing food you are trying to get a good representation of how the food looks and in the case of restaurants, what will be delivered to the person's table. Because you are shooting so close to the subject and often using close-up lenses you will see all the imperfections such as dust, hairs and fingerprints. So you need to make sure that everything is clean and free of any imperfections. With digital it is essential to review your images in high resolution while on set to check all the details.

3. Create a portfolio

Every food photographer has a portfolio of their work but what do you do if you don't? Create one. It's as simple as that. By studying magazines and books you will know the trends so setup dishes in you own kitchen of if you have a friend crazy about cooking do it in theirs. Copying the lighting, back grounds and techniques of top food photographers will give you practise and help create a portfolio of what you can deliver.

4. Do a workshop

We have a local photography school that offers a weekend workshop in food photography. This is the perfect way to hone your skills and refine your techniques. Most times they are offered by experienced food photographers from the industry and you will learn helpful tips and ways to get a foothold in the industry.

5. Market yourself

It's very difficult to market yourself if you don't have a track record so start small and approach local restaurants and non-chain fast food outlets and offer your services. Often they don't have big budgets and are looking for people to photograph their products. Offer your services to local cookery or chef schools where students are looking to create their own portfolios.

As I said, this is a demanding industry and you need to stay focused and work hard while looking for opportunities. Perseverance is key and the ability to endure rejection is essential. If you can stick it out and overcome the pitfalls you'll find your niche and achieve great success. Happy shooting!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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