Camera Tripod Reviews

East Africa region  has the most beautiful geographical features,wild animals,birds,snakes and insect that you would love to see.

East Africa is comprised of  Kenya ,Tanzania,Uganda they  have both tented camps,lodges ,camping sites with 5 star,4 star,3 star hotels for accomodation in the National Parks and major cities respectively.

When visiting these countries you will be able to do scenic safaris, Sightseeing & Aerial Photography safaris,Mountain Climbing,Camel Riding, Boat Riding,Fishing Safaris,Golfing Safaris,Sporting Safaris among other activities and hence the need to famiralize yourselve probaly with your camera,Video to avoid dissappointment when on holiday.In Tanzania you will be able to sightsee Mt kilimanjaro and Mt Meru situated in Moshi as you fly in,then visit national parks as Serengeti,Ngorongoro Crater,Lake Manyara, Sasakwa,Maji Moto, Pemba Island, Mafia Island,Mahale,Kogatende,Lobo,Grumeti(Kirawira),Fort Ikoma,Ndutu,Seronera,among others.In Kenya you will visit  ,Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Shaba, Joys Camp, Wamba,Loisaba, Desert Rose, Solio, Lake Naivasha, Tsavo West, Tsavo East, Diani (Ukunda), Malindi, Lamu Island, Kiwayu,Chyulu Hills, Rusinga Island, Mfangano Island,Mt Kenya,Lake Nakuru, Lake Bogoria, Lake Rudolf,Wasini Island and Funzi Island at South Coast, Fort Jesus in North Coast,Kitich among others.In uganda you will visit the Murchisson Falls, Kabalega Falls,Karuma falls, Fort Portal,Lake Albert and there is the home of “Gorillas”.There are  scheduled flights especially to Masai Mara,Samburu, Amboseli, Tsavo East/West,Diani,Mombasa, Malindi,Serengeti,Grumeti,Lake Manyara,Ndutu,Lobo,Sasakwa,Kilimanjaro,Mafia Islandi,Entebbe,Kampala but the rest which we have not mentioned you have the option of private charters ranging from 1 to 37 seater and this will depend on your need.

Did you know there are photographic Techniques to enable you take quality photos for your archives which you will show to your grand and great grandchildren.

PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES

For the most part,the secret to successful photography lies in the photographers ability to master and contral several major factors-those of exposure,lightining depth of field,defination and composition.If all these factors are successfully mastered you will be producing many pleasing pictures.

EXPOSURE

The vast majority of modern cameras have built-in metering systems, which works to a high standard and greatly reduce the possibility of picture failure as a result of incorrect exposure.However , there are many occassions when an automatic metering system may let you down, for example when photographing white birds,or light coloured animals, against a dark background or, alternatively , dark birds or animals against a light sky or background.Under such lighting conditions knowledge in the use of +/- compensation is required. In the case of white/light subjects against dark backgrounds, the metering system may well be influenced to a great extend by the dark areas, thereby over exposing your main subject.This will require you to under  expose or retain  detail in the important white/light subject areas.Conversely in the case of dark subjects against light skies or backgrounds, the light areas may well over influence the metering, resulting in a silhoutte of the main subject. This problem will require you to over expose in order to obtain detail in the shadow or dark areas  of your subject.Many present day cameras have a +/- compensation facility to aid the pohotographer with these  awkward exposure situations.Alternatively the same result can be obtained by changing the ISO rating of the film being used ,although with the advent of DX coding this may not always be possible .Whichever way you choose to compensate , do remember to cancel any over or under exposure settings before moving on the next situation.

In cases where determining the correct exposure is in doubt , it is advisable to “bracket ” your exposures. If your metering system inddicates an exposure of 1/60th at f8, for example , teke one picture at this setting, then two further exposures either side of it,  so 1/60th at f5.6 and 1/60th at f11. One of the resulting exposures should produce what you require,but experience with your own equipment under these difficult conditions is the only real answer.

It should also be remembered that the exposure tolerance of transparency film is far,lower than that of negattive film.The LCD monitor on digital cameras will give an instant indication of what your pictures look like and badly exposed results can be deleted and retaken.

LIGHTING

During the course of a single day in East Africa , the lightining conditions experienced can vary tremendously . The conditions experienced in the early morning are often the most pleasing,the low angle of the sun producing wonderful saft lighting,with excellent modelling of the subject.These lightining conditions are often repeated in late afternoon with the addition of a warm glow towards sunset.From late morning to mid afternoon lighting conditions  can be very challenging, with the sunlight often directly overhead, resulting in rather flat lightining effects.

In most cases, standard portraits of East Africa birds and mammals are taken with the sunlight behind the photographer, thereby fully lighting the subject.It is always worth experimenting with other lighting arrangements, particularly side or back lighting.These lighting conditions often produce spectacular and usual pictures of even the most common bird and mammal species.

DEPTH OF FIELD.

The range of “f” stops available on each individual lens determines depth of field.In most landscape pictures, taken with wide-angle or standard lens, there is a neccessity for maximum depth of field, to render as much of the foreground, middle and far distance as sharp as possible.To achieve this results , it is necessary to select a small aperture (’f”stop) of f16 or f22. This will consequently result in a slow shutter speed, so ensure you use a tripod or some other means of support to reduce the risk of picture failure as a result of camera shake.

For individual images of birds or mammals, using longer lenses,it is often better  too select a large aperture of f5.6 or f4. This will result in  the background being thrown well out of focus, which in turn will help to isolate your main centre of interest be it bird or mammal. The use of a large aperture in these circumstances will also help to eliminate background distractions by rendering them out of focus.

Dont forget that you can check the depth of field created by any given “f” stop by using the depth of field button on your camera body.This button allows you to preview the finished image and to adjust it to your  own satisfaction prior to making any exposure.

DEFINITION

The success or fauilure of any photograph is dependent to a great extend of defination. On the whole, modern lenses are produced to a high standard and give excellent defination: any unsharp results are usually attributable to other causes.The most frequent cause is, doubtedly , due to camera shake during exposure . Another cause can be movement of the subject during exposure: this can be lessened to a great extend by the use of a fast shutter speed.

It is, however, worth remembering that in some instances movement of the subject during exposure can often result in a pleasing pictorial image, such as animals running or flocks of birds flying.

COMPOSITION

Unlike many elements of a photograph which are automatically undertaken by the camera itself , composition demands an active input from the photographer. It is therefore in your own interest to be fully conversant with the factors relating  to good composition.

Many newcomers to photography tend to produce all  of their images in a horizontal format .Cameras work equally well when turned through 90 degrees !Do remember to fully utilise the possibilities of   a vertical format.

Also remember to consider changing your viewpoint on occasions. Dont always photograph from a standing position, and explore the possibilities of photographing a subject by kneeeling or even lying on the ground. Dont always photograph from the open roof of the vechicle on game drives. Use the windows occassionally , as it can often add impact and provide better scale to the resulting pictures.

In the case of bird or mammal portraits , having decided on your format and viewpoint,you need to concentrate on the size and placement of your subject within the picture area.Generally speaking most subjects need room to move or look into the picture space, so avoid cropping your image too tightly ,unless of course it is your intention to show a close-up of the subjects head.

Try to avoid placing your subject in the centre of the picture space, instead consiously divide the space into “thirds” , both vertically and horizontally nd place your main point of interest where the lines cross.Do pay attention to the line of the horizon, particularly in landscapes.Keep it along the “thirds ” and, at all costs, keep it level.

When it comes to precise framing, zoom lenses are very usefully, allowing control over subject size and perspective. In some cases the size of the main subject can be quite small within the picture space,provided that the inclussion of more sorrounding adds information or pictorial interest of the finished image.

By utilising a range of lenses it is often possible to secure an interesting sequence of images of a bird or mammal,i.e 50mm showing the creature in its habitat, 200mm or 300mm producing portraits and 500mm to 600mm depicting the head only.  Sequences like these can often add variety to subsequent slide shows or print albums.

THE MOMENT OF EXPOSURE

Having located your subject and decided on the elements of exposure , lighting and composition, when do you press the shutter? This , of course , is very subjective , but any animal or bird potrait will be greatly improved and have a “sparkle of life” if you can make your exposure when a “highlight” is visible in the eye of your chosen subject.This is particularly important if the eye of the subject being photographed is dark and sorrounded by black fur or feather.

You should always attempt to maintain concentration when photographing any subject, remaining alert to the possibility of a yawn, scratch or wing-stretch , which may provive you with only a fleeting moment in which to capture the action.

MOVING SUBJECTS

Animals or birds ” on the move” present the photographer with some interesting problems.Supporting the camera is a major concern as the use of a tripod of monopod is usually too restricting for this type of work.Other than hand-holding the camera , a rifle stock or shoulder pod is probably the only option available . Either way you should endeavour to use the fastest shutter speed available,to minimise the risk of camera shake. Capturing any moving bird or mammal is best accomplished by “panning”.Thisn technique involves moving the camera in the same direction and at the same speed as the subject and taking the picture while the camera is still moving.Any resulting pictures will have a feeling of movement, showing the subject in sharp focus with  the background blurred due to the motion of the panning camera.

GETTING CLOSE TO BIRDS AND MAMMALS

whilst  on safari the vast majority of your photography will be undertaken from a vechicle during game drives. Many opportunities also exist for wildlife photography on foot, within the grounds of safari lodges and at specially designated areas wthin the National  Parks and Reserves.

At  many of the lodges getting close to birds is often quite easy,due to the tame nature of many species . Others, however, require some knowledge of basic ” stalking ” procedures to gain a close enough approach for worthwhile image size in the finished pictures.  A void walking straight towards your intended subject, as this is likely to cause it to fly away, whereas a slow angled approach is more likely to succed. Watch your subject during your approach and should it appear , the less likely you are to frighten your intended subject. It is also a good idea to make use of any natural cover that terrain may offer.

Many of the safari lodges in East Africa provide food and water for the local bird population and these feeding areas can offer good photographic opportunities. Even if the bird tables themselves are non-photogenic you can attempt to photograph  birds on natural perches as they make their way to and from the feeding areas.

You should ercise considerable caution when “stalking” mammal species , always keeping in mind that they are wild animals and can be extremely dangerous.Never try to atempt monkeys or baboons to come closer with food items -this is a sure way to get badly bitten.

CODE OF CONDUCT

The National Parks and Reserves of East Africa operate a strict  Code of Conduct for both drivers and visitors.A short, simple lists of dos and donts have been implemented to minimise disturbances to the birds and mammals, to lessen the impact of tourism on the enviroment and to ensure that all visitors experience safe and enjoyable safaris.You are advised to let the driver follow the Park and Reserves regulation other than pressurizing him which may result into jeopardizing his/her job and run the risk of being expelled from the Park.Also noise shouldd be at minimum, particularly when close to animals and never leave the vechicle , sit or stand on the roof, or hang precariously from the windows.Dont ddiscard any form of litter, apart from being unsightly it can cause serious injury or even kill animals if ingested.Cigarettes are best avoided during game drives, the careless or accident discarding of a match or cigarette stub can lead to uncontrollable fires, resulting in the deaths of many leaving creatures.

It is adviseable when visiting East Africa whenever you are ,please seek permission before you take the local people a photograph and be prepared for the possibility of paying for privilege.Dont even attempt to photograph Military Installations or personal it is prohibited.

With these Photographic Techinques are will be able to know how to get quality phots for both standing and moving subjects.You are also aware of the regulations for both photography when on foot, in the vechicle and what you need to do and not assume may be the Tour Quide is being unfriendly.

A private charter will give you the opportunity of scenic safaris, sightseeing & aerial photography,Helicopter Safaris of many of the East Africa geographical features as you head to your destination.There are aircrafts ranging from single engine and twin engine piston 1 to 8 seater,turbo prop 10 to 37 seater twin engine and the Citation Bravo Jet 7 seater which are availble and quotations are given instantly on request.

If you want Boat Riding Safaris, Camel Riding Safaris, Sporting Safaris , Filming Safaris,Birding Safaris, Golfing Safaris and Fishing Safaris it can be done depending with your requirements, what a deal?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you planning  for asafari?Do you know what are the problems you will face while on your safari?Then if not  hear we have A Travellers Quide  To Safari  Photography for you,

Preparing  For  A Departure.

When preparing you need to put to consideration very many aspects but we will only touch on the photography Tips as we dont want you to be dissappointed after spending alot of money on asafari and you are unable to get the right results.It is always unwise to commence a holiday with new untested equipment.With digital cameras,take some pictures on each of your memory cards and check that they download correctly onto your computer.For adigital multimedia storage device,check that your memory cards copy successfully and that you can then transfer the files onto your home computer.It is adviceable at least to put one roll of film through a new camera and carry out a full test on any newly purchased lenses.Before deaparture ,make yourself familiar with all the commonly used camera and lens fuctions.Ensure you understand all the functions of any digital storage systems you will be using.Researching might seem to be invaluable and having established the flora and fauna you are likely to encounter,will aid you in selecting the most appropriate equipment to satisfy your own photographic needs.Also ensure and it is for your own good and advantage to insure all your equipments incase of damage,theft in all the countries you will be visiting.It is paramount you keep a checklist of the cameras and lens serial numbers as this will be useful in an event you need to lodge aclaim.Should equipment be stolen,it is important you record a statement with the local police of that country andd get a document with rubber stamp as the insurance will only process compensation when they have this document.

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU.

Cameras

These days there is avariety of cameras to choose from.For really successfully safari photographers a top brand  Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera,either digital or film,with an interchargeable lens facility is ideal.Almost all of the top models have an auto facility which is  a great asset to the wilddlife photographer.This systems can save a valuable seconds and consequently secure pictures that may have been missed with manual focus equipment.Due to the rigours and stresses that any safari places on equipment ,it is strongly adviceable you take at least two camera bodies -there will be little or no chance of getting any camera repairs undertaken outside major cities.Obviously it is beneficial to have two identical camera bodies,but if this is not feasible you should ensure that your “back up” camera accepts the same range of lenses and accessories as your principle camera body.

Compact cameras have either a fixed or zoom lens,are quick andd easy to operate and prove ideal for those visitors wanting just a photographic record.When visiting coastal area it is possible to obtain underwater compacts.This is a relatively cheap way of getting started in underwater photography.Since most of these underwater compacts are  unpressurised they are only operational to depths of just over ametre.

Most of the compact digital cameras are similar to their film equipment in size and operation but have the added advantage of instant replay,either through a small built in monitor or computer link.Images are recorded on a memory card,so pictures can be quickly sorted,saved or deleted,to make space for more photography.An increasing number of digital videos records have a stills option, and these have the added advantage of being able to record hours of action. As most digital cameras are powered by rechargeable batteries dont forget to pack chargers,leads,and plug adaptors and also a spare rechargeable battery and memory card are paramount.

Lenses

If your choice is the SLR option you will need to think about what interchangeable lenses to take with you.The wide variety of photographic opportunities that are presented to the nature photographer whilst on safari demand an equally wide range of lenses.These can be found  with the manufacturer of your camera system in an excellent range of lenses to choose from.In supplement,independent lens manufacturer will be able to offer competitive prices and maybe different focal lengths.Amedium zoom lens of between 70 and 300mm and a short zoom lens of around 28 to 135mm will cover most photographic opportunities.For the more wary mammals and the vast majority of the bird species ,longer telephoto lenses are required.These lenses are usually 400mm,500mm or 600mm and although often heavy and rather large,are essential for the more serious nature photographer and some camera manufactureres even offer image stabilizer lenses.These use a vibration gyro which detects shaking and then counter balances the movement with  amagnate and coil driven optical compensation system.These particular lenses are useful for handholding situations such as from boat or vechicle.This technology really comes into its own when using longer telephoto lenses where camera shake is greatly magnified,it makes using 500mm and 600mm lenses with teleconvertors a far more successful  option.Many of the new lenses will have auto-focus and this will offer three options.Firstly,by switching ift off,you can manually focus,secondly,using  single shot auto-focus the camera will lock on to whatever you are pointingat,but will need activating again should the subject move.Thirdly,servo-focus can be selected where the auto-focus will be constantly updating the focus point:this is ideal for moving subjects.

Macro Lenses

The inclussion of a macro lens in your equipment bag is essential if your photographic interests are in  recording close-ups of insects and flowers.The most useful macro lenses have a focal length of between 90mm and 180mm : these allow a reasonable working distance from most subjects.With experience macro lenses of around 50 mm have too short  a working distance, which can disturb some  subjects.This short working distance can also often cause lighting difficulties ,particularly when using flash.The macro facility offered by some zoom lenses can be useful, but it is rather restricted and in no way matches the quality of a true macro  lens.

Cheaper  alternatives to amacro lens include the use of extension tubes,placed between any lens andd the camera body,thereby reducing the minimum focusing distance,the use of reversing rings and the use of close-up lenses attached to the front of an existing lens.

Lens Accessories

Tele-converters increase th lens magnification by a factor of either 1.4x or 2x and some zoom lenses are designed specifically to work with them.Extension tubes and close-up filter attachments are another way of increasing magnification for macro photography.A UV or skylight filter on each lens offers  extra protection from accidental damage to the front lens element. a polarising filter is well worth taking, as it will help contral reflection and increase colour saturation. Many enhancements  that filters achieve on film can be added later to digital images through computer  programs such as photoshop.

Digital Storage

Many of the digital cameras use some form of removable storage memory cardd,such as XD, Smart Media (SD) or compact Flash (CF) .Storage capacity is measured in megabits (mb) or Gigabits (GB) .The higher the “mb” or “GB” the more images can be stored between downloads. Its a good idea to use a digital storage device to dowenload your memory cards each night.These are palm size hard  drives that vary in capacity from 20 to 100+ gigabits. Some have small colour screens for viewing.Travelling with  a laptop is another alternative where images can be viewed,stored,or even burnt onto CD or DVD .Small battery power CD and DVD writers are also available and offer probably the most secure form of backup.

RAW or JPEGy

Most digital cameras offer the option to shoot in RAW or Jpeg and this is the format that records your image, the digital equivalent of film.Jpeg is  a file format that stores digitsl photographs in a very  space efficient way.It uses compression to reduce file sizes at the expense of fine image details to do this.The level of the compression ( and thus the loss of quality) can be varied. Raw files contain all the data collected by the sensor,not  a sub-sample as is the case with Jpeg files.Raw  gives the most flexibility for post correction of the exposure and  colour and is the preffered shooting format of most professional photographers.

Noise and ISO

As in film photography,the noise level increases with higher ISO settings and shows itself in the form of pixels of the wrong colour appearing at random in dark areas. At ISO settings up to 400 very little noise is noticeable, so keep the ISO below 400 and save the higher ISO settings for when there is no alternative.

Film

There is avariety raging from negatives for prints or transparencies for projection,there is avast array of films to choose from.The speed or sensitivity to light is gauged by an ISO rating.The higher the ISO ,the more sensitive to light the film will be.However,the results will look more grainy.As light levels in East Africa are general very good,it should be possible to take advantage of the finer quality of the lower ISO films.The quality of film you require may be difficult to calculate.Try and work out a daily requirement and then double it! X-ray security checks at airports are standard procedure.However , those used for hand luggage checks should not cause any problems for film or digital. Hold luggage is aften checked with more powerful X-rays,so always take your film as hand luggage.

Camera Bags

For the protection of your camera equipment from damage,dust and rain is essential hence the need to buy a good quality camera bag.There are many  well-designed camera bags on the market  nowdays,with several more recent designs taking the form of rucksacks- these are excellent particularly if you expect to have to carry  your equipment any great distance.In selecting a suitable bag,resist the temptation to purchase one that is  too big- you will only feel obliged to fill it! with ever-tightening controls and  restrictions being imposed by airlines on the size  and weight of the cabin  baggage, the smaller the better.Waist – mounted camera and the lens pouches can help to spread the load.Stuff bags,sold in  most camping shops in varying sizes, offer an additional form of protection from dust and rain.

Camera Supports

The commonest cause of picture failure is undoubtedly lack of defination as aresult of camera shake.Ovecoming thi problem will increase your success rate enormously with the help of camera instructions manuals which give details of “How to hold your camera” and it is well worth developing a good technique in this area,with elbows locked tightly into the body.

Whenever possible we would recommend the use of a tripod. There are many lights, yet sturdy models on the market which will fit confortably into the average suitcase or roll bag.Monopods are also a good means of steadying the camera, but they do require a little practise. On most photographic safaris to East Africa the vast majority of filming will be undertaken from  a vechicle  during game drives, in most cases this precludes the use of  a tripod or monopod.The best alternative for photographing from a vechicle is to employ the use of a beabag, a very simple, but extremely effective method of camera support.Although beanbags are commercially available they are not difficult to make and all you need is  a section of cloth or canvas sewn to form a zippered bag of around 300mm by 150mm.This can be packed in your  luggage ,on arrival at your chosen destination,be filled with rice,beans or peas and then place it on the roof of the safari vechicle it quickly moulds around your camera and lens, forming a very efficient support.

Rifle stock and pistol grip supports allow freedom of movement when attempting to photograph moving subjects such as animals running or birds  in flight.if you have no option other than to hand hold your camera while shooting ,you should always ensure that your shutter speed is as great or greater than the focal lenghth of the lens in use, so for 500mm-1/60th:100mm-1?125th:200mm-1/250th:500mm-1/500th and so forth.

Once you have all as mentioned below you are set for your safari and ready for any evcentualities and are assured though we do have technical problems but you already know and have the backup.

Scenic Safari,sightseeing & aerial photography will only be enjoyable andd memorable when you get quality pictures orelse it is all awaste and hence the importance of giving you tips on what to do when perparing for a safari to avoid last minute dissappointments.

 

 

 

First: Read the camera manual. It is possible to take pictures just by pressing the shutter button. The camera technology will generally produce a photo that is acceptable, quite unlike the days of film when you could get those black prints back from the lab and wonder what it was you were trying to photograph. However, if you read the manual, you will not just get acceptable photos, you will get great photos.

Second: Use a tripod. Low light means that the shutter must stay open longer to let in enough light to properly expose the image. The longer the shutter remains open, the more chance there is for movement, resulting in blurry photos. Using a tripod will keep your camera steady for those long exposures. You can even consider using the timer so you can be part of the photo.

Third: Raise the ISO sensitivity value. A normal ISO value is 100. You can raise that value in order to let in order to increase the shutter speed, thus having less chance of images blurring.

Fourth: Adjust the White Balance. Have you ever noticed that indoor photos do not look as “normal” like outdoor photos? That is because the lighting is different. Most cameras are left on Auto White Balance. Some of them do a better job of getting the color correct, but if you, the photographer, set the white balance, you take the guesswork out of the process. You can set the white balance to tungsten (incandescent) or florescent to get a more pleasing color output.

Fifth: Set the Scene Mode. Many newer digital cameras have numerous scene modes. If you are in a unique lighting situation, there may be a scene mode for it. For instance, the Panasonic ZS3 has scene mode settings for “party” and “candle light” among others. Using these will get much more agreeable color output.

I don’t know if you realized it as you read, but numbers 3, 4, and 5 will require you to Read the Manual (the First tip)!

Learning to take better pictures takes practice. Cameras are getting more intuitive all the time, but if you don’t know what you want before you press the shutter, that is exactly what you will get… a surprise. Sometimes it is a good surprise, but if you decide to take control of the setup, you will get consistently better output.

Continue to study and learn about how to take good pictures, and you will reap the benefits. There are more digital photography tips all over the Internet. One really good way to learn about photography is to join a photography club in your area. For more tips and hints about taking better pictures visit http://www.betterphotos123.com.

Digital cameras are the need of this modern era. They are one of the greatest inventions of today’s world. We are really lucky to  have them with us,in order to click our various memorable moments and beautiful scenes,but we shouldn’t take them for granted at all.

Whichever of the camera you have or are planning to own,you should have a well rounded information of digital photography. I hope the following tips for taking digital wedding photography will prove to be useful for you.

1. You need to understand your camera first of all. Just stop being lazy and read about the different parts of your camera. Go through your instruction manual carefully and calmly.

2. When shooting sunny outdoor shots,try adjusting your white balance setting from auto to cloudy. The auto setting will make your shots look too cold. When you change it to cloudy,it will increase the warmth of your pictures.

3. If you are desiring for best image quality,the quality to use a variety of lenses and print large high quality snaps,then consider a Digital SLR Camera.

4. If possible then do use your flash outside also. On a sunny day you require flash when the sun is directly upon your head or behind the subject. This causes dark shadows to appear on the face of the subject. The flash will help you to reduce this.

5. Sometimes if you simply turn your camera and take vertical shots,it’ll make a world of difference. So you should always experiment with vertical picture taking.

6. You need not to put your subject directly in the center of your shot. Move your subject a bit off center,it will give your photos a real and lively look.

7. You should join online photography communities. Forget about being lazy and be active to ask questions.

8. You should not copy the work of others at all. Just try to create your own unique style.

9. You should post your photographs in online forums and always be ready to take criticism.

10. Just go and invest a tripod for yourself. Many people have a problem of shaky hands,using a tripod will make a whale of difference.

After pointers on portraits, I believe most photographers need and want landscape photography tips. Where to place the horizon is so crucial to landscape photography, yet looking at most images, photographers don’t apply basic rules.

The 1/3rd 2/3rds Landscape Rule – Not everyone photographs people only.

So, how to compose a beautiful landscape that will make the viewers want to go there or at least admire your photograph?

Place your horizon line in either the lower or upper horizontal third of the frame. This rule accentuates either the sky or the land and gives a pleasing weight to either. Most photographers make the mistake of bisecting the horizon exactly in the middle, which is so boring to the eye that all of the energy of the scene is lost and the viewer loses interest and moves on.

The 7/8  1/8 Landscape Rule for greater impact –

Whenever you want to emphasize your land or sky to a greater degree, try this landscape photography tip, place the horizon either very low in the frame, say about an 1/8 of the way down which leaves a massive amount of sky in the frame.

For example, a day when you have beautiful white puffy clouds sailing across the sky. You don’t need to show the ground, or much of it. So, show mostly clouds and you have a professional looking and composed image of spectacular clouds!

This works for buildings or mountains, too! – Does your image consist mostly of buildings? Try this rule on them, too. Make the buildings 2/3rds of the frame and the sky 1/3rd. This gives a nice composition that can accentuate exactly what you want and makes it pleasing to the eyes. Mountains and trees follow this rule, too.

Lastly, consider your depth of field when photographing a landscape.

For most landscapes photos a large depth of field is required and desired to keep all of the elements as sharply in focus as possible. So, one way to achieve this with a point-and-shoot camera is to adjust your ISO, thus requiring less light and increasing the f stop which increases the depth of field.

Or on a DSLR just adjusting the f-stop to a larger number will increase the depth of field, too. Do you get the shakes? Try a tripod or bracing yourself against a rock or tree to ensure rock steady photos that have no blur or camera shake in them. Try these landscape photography tips to create photographs that will impress your closest friends and relatives.

Panoramic tours are the new wonders of photography. The result may be one breath taking photo, but it takes more than that to make it. Panoramic photography is all about patience and choosing the right angle for more than one photo. But it sure pays off, for photographers and other people that use it alike. Panoramic tours look great, especially on realtors’ web sites or on photographers’ ones. Inexperienced photographers wish to be able to do that, while the rest of us wonder how they are made.

Truth be told, panoramic photography does not take that much. In the most basic terms, you only need a camera loaded with film, or a digital camera, a tripod that you can use to swivel 360degree (rotation) and to somehow stitch it. However, if you are looking for a more advanced explanation, you need to know the nodal point of your lens (the hole of which the light enters the lens and reflected upside down to your camera) and mount the center of the nodal point using special built camera mount. As well as that you should know there are some cameras that can capture a180degree or perhaps more angle in 1 single shutter click.

But how does panoramic photography work and what are the camera and film requirements? The things you have to do in order to make a panoramic tour are:

• First you need to put the camera on a tripod. This way you make sure it is steady and at the same height throughout the process. Next, you manually set the exposure; you have to average it out for the whole panorama but keep it fixed as you pan. If you are using a zoom lens, select a focal length with the least distortion (usually mid-way).

• Then, take a shot. Rotate the camera a few degrees, and repeat the process until you are all the way around. You have to leave a good margin of overlap on all your shots so you have wiggle room when you stitch them together with software.

But there used to be an easier way of making a panoramic tour – there used to be a 35mm camera that took panoramic 360 photos. It was attached to a tripod, had a slit lens and turned 360 degrees while advancing the film to give a panoramic picture. Although it has not been made lately used ones are still around. You could try and find it by using an Internet search. Another easier option is to use a digital camera in video mode; however, if you chose to do so it would have to be hand held.

There are several ways of stitching the photographs, most of them involving specialized software like adobe photoshop or picasa. These are just a couple out of dozens of programs that do the stitching in panoramic photography. Some of these soft wares can be downloaded for free; others come with your digital camera while others cost a lot of money. The software that a photographer chooses to use mainly depends on the budget and on how good a job he is supposed to do.

Panoramic photography poses one question: how can you print such photos? Some panoramic tour photos are about 60×20 cm, others more like 60×15. None of the standard shops usually does these types of formats. In such cases, photographers and realtors alike opt for specialized sites that print big or unusual sized photos. However, if you are looking for a commercial quality photo (rather than professional), try contacting your local photo processor lab, and if they do not do it, they will definitely know a local source to use.

If you like photographing your kids, it can be both rewarding and profitable. Taking pictures of your kids is no easy task and if it\’s something you don\’t love doing, the child (or your kids) you are photographing will know, making it that much more difficult to get the shot you want.

Some of the most common techniques used in photography will not necessarily work when taking pictures of your kids. Telling a child to \”freeze or \”hold it will not make much sense to them. Children will often do as they please so it is the job of the photographer to anticipate what a child is about to do and be ready to capture it.

YOU can turn this into your advantage: Since your kids don\’t always do what you want them to do, or what you expect them to do (actually they rarely do!). A solution often is: don\’t expect them to become a cooperative little adult merely because you want to take their picture. Trick them – expect them to act like your kids. Don\’t expect anything in particular. DO this and you can enter the fun and profitable field of child photography.

Know your stuff – Before you start booking sessions with your kids you must know exactly what you are capable of doing – what your camera is capable of doing – what all your equipment is capable of doing. Operating your camera and equipment must be second nature. Have your style of photography down pat, so when you start a session your mind is on the your kids). This takes your complete focus. This is not the time to be fiddling with you camera, or trying to figure out your light setup. Children take 100% of your concentration. For some your kids the entire shoot may only last 10 minutes – though you feel you have just run a marathon – so you have to be able to get in position , get the most cooperation from the child, get great shots. At times, this has to be done very quickly, BUT you cannot make the child feel they are being rushed.

When photographing your kids, expect anything and everything to happen. If you have a better understanding of the various behaviours of your kids at certain ages, it will go a long way to being able to capture the images you want thus increasing your financial gain. In addition, knowing what you can expect from a child at age two versus one at age five, will help in keeping your clients satisfied.

During a session photographing your kids you can get a variety of poses, expressions and antics. In no other field of photography are you liable to get such variety. The more you learn about little ones the better child photographer you will be. Children are not just your kids until they become adults -they come in all sizes. Between four months and four years you can place them into quite a few categories: 4-6 mos, 6-12 mos, 12-18 mos, 18-24 mos, and then you can lengthen out the age span. Awareness of these ages are needed to help you – the photographer – be aware of the limitations your kids (especially little ones) have.

Keep in mind that parents can play a key role when photographing your kids. They will be able to tell you certain things about their child that can go a long way to helping you through the picture session ultimately ensuring you obtain the best possible shots. Given most your kids have difficulty sitting through a photography session, you will not have time to win them over; knowing their likes and dislikes, their fears, their favorite things, to name a few, can be extremely helpful.

Above all else, get your camera ready to go – second chances to capture an impromptu moment don\’t come around very often (if at all) when photographing your kids.

In most areas of photography a tripod is great for sharp photos. However with child photography you do not always have such a luxury. Once they reach the moving around stage, a tripod limits your ability to capture expressions and poses. Be mindful of your camera settings – keep that shutter speed fast enough to prevent blurring – and be ready to move quickly!

There is no limit to what you can capture in a shot when photographing your kids; it can be anything from climbing on or out of something, to taking their shoes and socks off. The more experience you gain photographing your kids, the more you will know what works for different age groups.

There is no question that photographing your kids is a challenge. And just when you might start to feel comfortable doing it, along comes a new challenge – multiple subjects. Dealing with twins, triplets, etc. will really test your skills as child photographer! But don\’t worry, this is part of the job and over time you will learn tricks to keeping all your subjects engaged.

When capturing a child or your kids on film, get creative when trying to get their attention; use different techniques and use them quickly as you won\’t have the time to try again. Using a digital camera can help in this regard as there are no limits to the amount of exposures you can take and luckily, you can look at the pictures very quickly as you go.

Brothers and sisters can also play a vital role in your photography session with your kids. Siblings may actually be more successful than parents in getting their brother or sister to laugh, cry, smile, or make a funny face. Use the comfort level a child feels with their sibling to your best advantage and get the pictures you want. Another bonus to having sibling present, is that the parents may decide that they too should be photographed- all this means a bigger photo package for the client and more money for you!

Take your act on the road – You can do child photography at the park – on the beach – in the backyard, just as easily as in a studio or home – maybe more so – and nature will take care of the lighting for you, as long as you select open shade.

Items to have on hand: Depending on the ages and whether you are shooting indoors or outdoors you need a supply of items to catch and keep their interest and that look great in a photo: rattles feather dusters soft toys dolls hats mirrors a telephone (the bigger the better) a big whistle duplicate toys (for twins & overly competitive little ones) treats & snacks.

Just visit www.LearnDigitalPhotographyNow.com to get your FREE Digital Photography Report now!!! – Best Digital Photography tips guaranteed

Wondering what I really mean to say! I am talking about some serious photography – Street Photography. Capturing the true human emotions in unguarded moments strewn on the streets, parks, wedding halls, concerts and bus or train stations is Street Photography.

If you are an amateur at photography so what? Street Photography is not about technicalities of photography, but about encapsulating life through the technical device. What a canvas does to a painter’s vision, the camera holds for a Street Photographer’s roving eye. Street Photographers do not have a daily schema to work on. They are driven by the enthusiasm of discovering everyday something new on the streets which are paraded up and down by thousands regularly. They are eternal travelers whose camera can form a scrap book of the myriad human sentiments. It is just the photographer and the camera at work connected together like conjoined twins creating magic with every other click. There is no need for any other external source between the two. Tripods, lenses, filters, lights prove useless in Street Photography. With “chin up, look in the camera” instructions only a pose can be captured, but not the life in it. It is that fleeting moment which if arrested dot-on-time matters and not the light or its source. The human expression changes with every passing second and with that human activity. All of it can be grabbed by the camera only if the photographer is invisible to its natural surroundings and good with its reflexes.

Street Photography thrives on slices from human lives. Therefore a street photographer has to make careful selection of the elements to include and those to exclude from his selection which are mere overwhelming obsessions. It is this factor which brings life to the otherwise still photographs. In the absence of props, lighting and time to change filters, a photographer has to react extempore before the precious moment gets lost forever. Not just the moment, but at times the photographer himself senses ‘loss of self’ with an emotionally involving act of others. A Street Photographer needs to be highly empathetic towards its subject matter, but at the same time maintaining a safe distance so as not to get carried away by the reactions. Many Street Photographers engross their photography with incidents that generate instant emotional responses like humour. A string of street photographs may portray a mad world with surreal occurrences. To unleash the world you need not run to war-torn, famished or terrorized places. The most fascinating photographs can be taken in the most real and happening places of everyday life, that is, on the streets.

It stimulates the mind to think beyond the most evident. It is a personal rendition of a plethora of unnoticed flashes documented by the photographer for the ages to come. Are you assuming serendipity a synonym for Street Photography? It is not chance alone, but a keen eye with an emotional brain and deft hands holding the camera which create the street magic on paper. If you choose Street Photography, you are bound to get addicted by the candidness of it.

As a beginning photographer, it is easy to get discouraged when your pictures come out too dark or constantly blurry. It’s easy for the beginning photographer to quickly become overwhelmed; especially when professionals are spouting off terms like shutter speed and aperture. However, with a little more understanding, and a little practice applying those terms, the beginning photographer can quickly and easily be on their way to capturing that perfect picture. Here are the most common photography terms and some helpful hints for applying them in your photography.

Shutter Speed refers to the amount of time that the shutter is open and light strikes the CCD (Charge Coupled Devices). This device converts the light entering through the lens into electric signals and creates the digital image. Shutter speed can be adjusted along with the aperture to more effectively capture the subject image. Slower shutter speeds means that the shutter is open longer and more light is getting in. Try shooting a few pictures of water like waterfalls, rivers, and fountains using a slow shutter speed. This effect can enhance water images. Faster shutter speeds means less light is getting in. This can create a freezing effect on fast moving objects. Try shooting some action shots at your favorite sporting event with a faster shutter speed.

The Aperture works in correlation with the shutter speed. Often referred to as the aperture value (AV) it increases or reduces the thickness of the light beam passing through the lens to the CCD. Opening the aperture reduces the AV and closing the aperture increases the AV. The best place to experiment with AV is in the garden. Open the aperture and focus on a flower. The objects around the flower (closer and farther than the focused subject) will be more out of focus, emphasizing only the flower. Now close the aperture while focusing on the same flower. The range of your focus expands forward and backward allowing for the objects around the flower to remain in focus.

A common enemy to the beginning photographer is Camera Shake (Blur). This is pretty self explanatory. It is when the camera moves while the shutter is open creating a blurred image. Often times adjusting to a higher shutter speed from a low one will solve this problem.. If that doesn’t work, try raising the aperture as well and be sure to use a flash. If your images are still blurry you may need a tripod to capture a clear image. Most of the newer digital and DSLR cameras on the market come equipped with anti-shake features to help combat this problem, but it’s good to know what causes it and how to fix things if you have an older model camera.

As one beginning photographer to another, don’t let the terminology scare you. By just doing a little bit of reading and some experimenting with different settings on your camera, most obstacles can soon be overcome. It is a bit of a trial and error process, but when you capture a picture of your daughter mid-air, hair standing up, grinning from ear to ear, as she jumps rope, it all becomes worth it.

If you like photographing children, it can be both rewarding and profitable. Taking pictures of children is no easy task and if it\’s something you don\’t love doing, the child (or children) you are photographing will know, making it that much more difficult to get the shot you want.

Some of the most common techniques used in basic digital photography will not necessarily work when taking pictures of children. Telling a child to “freeze” or “hold it” will not make much sense to them. Children will often do as they please so it is the job of the photographer to anticipate what a child is about to do and be ready to capture it.

Photographing children takes a special skill, as most children (depending on age) will not always do what you ask of them. As a photographer, you need to know and understand that children will not always be cooperative just because they are going to have their picture taken. Photographing children may require a great deal of imagination on your part to get them to do what you need in order to capture a great picture. Sometimes, you may have to trick them into doing what you want them to do. Use whatever means necessary to get the shots you need.

Before booking basic digital photography sessions with children, you need to know both your camera equipment inside and out and what your own capabilities are in being able to get the best possible pictures. When photographing children, 100% of your focus is needed; there is no time to figure out the best lighting or what your camera can and can\’t do. Children\’s level of focus in a basic digital photography session can be limited at best thus you need to take complete advantage of the time you have to get their undivided attention to get the pictures you need. Rushing a child into what you want is also not the best approach. Getting their cooperation is key and that is best achieved when all attention is directed towards them.

When photographing children, expect anything and everything to happen. If you have a better understanding of the various behaviors of children at certain ages, it will go a long way to being able to capture the images you want thus increasing your financial gain. In addition, knowing what you can expect from a child at age two versus one at age five, will help in keeping your clients satisfied.

Unlike most other fields in basic digital photography, when taking pictures of children, you can expect to obtain a wide variety of poses, expressions, and behavior during the session. Be aware of different age groups: a 4-month-old baby will act differently that a 14-month-old one will. Learn how children of different ages respond. The more equipped you are to handle children of varying ages, the better pictures you will get.

Keep in mind that parents can play a key role when photographing children. They will be able to tell you certain things about their child that can go a long way to helping you through the picture session ultimately ensuring you obtain the best possible shots. Given most children have difficulty sitting through a basic digital photography session, you will not have time to win them over; knowing their likes and dislikes, their fears, their favorite things, to name a few, can be extremely helpful.

Make sure your camera is at the ready at all times- with children, you likely won\’t get a second chance to capture something they did unexpectedly.

While tripods are very effective in getting sharp shots, you may not have the luxury of using one when photographing children. Given children have difficulty sitting still, a tripod will only impede your ability to capture all that\’s going on at the same time. Your camera needs to be on a fast shutter speed (to prevent blurring) and ready to go at the blink of an eye.

There is no limit to what you can capture in a shot when photographing children; it can be anything from climbing on or out of something, to taking their shoes and socks off. The more experience you gain photographing children, the more you will know what works for different age groups.

There is no question that photographing children is a challenge. And just when you might start to feel comfortable doing it, along comes a new challenge – multiple subjects. Dealing with twins, triplets, etc. will really test your skills as child photographer! But don\’t worry, this is part of the job and over time you will learn tricks to keeping all your subjects engaged.

When capturing a child or children on film, get creative when trying to get their attention; use different techniques and use them quickly as you won\’t have the time to try again. Using a digital camera can help in this regard as there are no limits to the amount of exposures you can take and luckily, you can look at the pictures very quickly as you go.

Parents and older brothers and sisters can be of great assistance in a photo session with children. Children more often than not feel more comfortable when a parent and/or sibling is nearby. Siblings can often entice a child to laugh or make a face, enabling you to capture a better picture. In addition, parents may decide they want to include the sibling (or siblings) in the pictures ultimately allowing you to increase the photo package for the client. Tips for capturing children on film:

The more advanced you become as a child photographer, you will need to include both a lighting set-up and backdrop in the pictures. Typically, a three-light set-up (consisting of a main light and back light) are the best way to go. If you are still a novice photographer, you can still take quality photos with less. You can experiment as you go, trying out what works best to eliminate certain things such as shadows [if using a backdrop].

Be creative when photographing children: go to the beach, the park, or the backyard. There is no rule that says you are required to stay in the studio. Taking photographs outside eliminates the need for lighting; as long as you choose open shade, nature will do the work for you. Finally, keep a variety of items on hand to further capture the interest of the child or children you are photographing. Depending on the age of the child, toys, stuffed animals, snacks, hats, mirrors and dolls are just a few of the items that can a go a very long way in keeping the child\’s interest. Use your imagination, the possibilities are endless.