Filters Improve Your Digital Photographs

Filters Improve Your Digital Photographs
by Stan Pontiere
 
If you look around at photographers today, you will notice that almost none of them are using filters. There is an exception to this, however, if you are watching a professional photographer at work, there is rarely a time when he is not using a filter on his camera. Filters are one of the easiest ways to improve your digital photographs.

I am not telling you that you should go out and buy $200 in filters that you will probably never use. But, there are three filters that are really a must have in your gadget bag. They are a UV1, UVA, and a polarizing filter. They are both inexpensive and will add an extra dimension to your digital photographs.

The UV1 filter is primarily used to filter out excess ultraviolet light. It is ultraviolet light that is the primary cause of that bluish cast that you get in your scenic photographs. By adding a UV1 filter to your camera when taking scenic photos, you will eliminate or nearly eliminate that bluish haze that ruins so many photographs.

The second filter that you should carry is a UVA filter. This filter is also used to reduce ultraviolet light but it also has a slight warming effect. In both daylight and flash pictures, you may notice that skin tones often have a slightly bluish cast. As a UVA filter has a slight warming effect, it will very effectively give you much more natural skin tones. You may occasionally want to also use this filter in place of a UV1 filter in your scenic photographs.

The polarizing filter is the real star of these three filters. Many photographers call it their "National Geographic" filter. If you have ever worn polarizing sunglasses, you have probably marveled at how rich the colors are when wearing them. Polarizing filters and sunglasses work by eliminating diffuse reflections thereby allowing the full rich natural colors to come through. If you pick up a old copy of National Geographic, you are almost always amazed at the rich blue skies and bright fluffy clouds in their photographs. That rich blue comes from the use of the polarizing filter. By eliminating the diffuse reflections in the sky, the rich natural blue of the sky creates a dramatic photograph. One note of caution, because of the nature of polarized light, your automatic exposure setting might be incorrect. To overcome this, you might have to use manual exposure settings or EV value correction. The nice thing about a digital camera, is that you will be able to review your shot and make the necessary corrections immediately.

Filters are both inexpensive and take up very little room and the resultant improvement in your digital photos make it well worth the investment. You probably won't find filters at the bit-box stores but, any good camera shop will have a wide selection. By the way, while your at the camera shop, pick up a good lens cleaning kit. Handkerchiefs and tissues paper will ultimately ruin your lens. Each time you use them, it produces minor scratches on your lens and degrades the quality of your image.

Photography: Monochrome With Photoshop

Photography: Monochrome With Photoshop
by David Bigwood

As a freelance I have to capture the images that magazines want and 99 plus% want everything in glorious colour. So, as I no longer have a darkroom, the only way for me to satisfy my craving for black and white is to convert suitable colour images to monochrome using my trusty computer.

Grayscale Mode
The simplest and quickest way was how I started and that was just to change the mode in Photoshop from RGB to Grayscale. I opened the picture, went to 'Image' in the Menu Bar and selected 'Mode' then selected 'Grayscale' from the drop down menu. This brought up a dialogue box asking if I wanted to discard all colour information. I clicked 'OK' and the job was done. I was then able to adjust the monochrome image to my liking. It couldn't get any easier. 'Easy-peasey,' as Jamie Oliver would say.

So, with the image open, go to 'Image>Mode>Grayscale' then 'Discard color information'.

In Photoshop Elements the process is the same.

Desaturate Method
As easy is the use of the 'Desaturate' command. With the original colour picture open, go to 'Image' select 'Adjustments' and 'Desaturate' from the drop down menu. The result is very similar to the Grayscale method and can also be achieved by going to 'Hue/Saturate' and reducing the 'Saturation' slider to -100.

'Image>Adjustments>Desaturate'

In Photoshop Elements, go to 'Enhance>Adjust color>Remove color'.

Channel Mixer Method
Now we come to a slightly more complicated method but one that gives a higher control than the previous two. Once again, with the original colour picture open, go to 'Image' and select 'Adjustments' then select 'Channel Mixer' from the drop down menu. This will bring up the Channel Mixer dialogue box with sliders for the Red, Green and Blue channels. When opened the sliders will be set for 100% red and 0% for the other two channels. Before you do anything, select the Monochrome box at the bottom left of the dialogue box. Then have a look at the image with 100% for each of the other two colours in turn and 0% for the rest. The results will depend upon the majority of colours in the original. You may find that one of the channels suits you perfectly, in which case you can ignore the other two by leaving them at 0 and click on 'OK'.

However, it will probably be the case that you can get a better result by mixing bits of each channel. I start generally by reducing the Red to about 50 or 60 and increasing Green to 20 to 30 and the Blue to whatever makes up 100 - you don't have to end up with 100 but the results are normally better if you do. Once I have made the initial changes, it is a matter of trial and error to come up with the best result.

The Constant slider allows adjustments of the finished image - sliding to the left produces a darker result and to the right, a lighter one. I have found that I rarely adjust this.

There is no equivalent in Photoshop Elements.

LAB Mode
Another method that produces generally good results is to use the LAB Mode. With the colour image open, go to 'Image' and select 'Mode' then choose 'Lab color'. In the Layers Window, select 'Channels' which will give you four channels, LAB, Lightness, A and B. Go to channel A and select it all then delete it. Repeat this for channel B and then go to the Lightness channel. Go to 'Image>Mode>Grayscale' click 'OK' in the dialogue box that asks whether you want to discard the other channels and you have a monochrome image to adjust to your satisfaction.

There is no equivalent in Photoshop Elements.

Any one of the completed operations above will provide me with a useable monochrome image of the particular colour image that I selected to begin with. However, all require additional work to make them into more than just a basic monochrome picture.

As you have seen, and as with so many operations in Photoshop, it is possible to get to an end result in various ways and the ones I have outlined are not the only ones that will provide a conversion to monochrome. Some swear by one method or another but I find that while I have a tendency towards the channel mixer method, there are times when it doesn't produce the result I am after. Then I will try one of the alternative methods and am pleased that I know more than one. And, sometimes, I find an interesting result that I was not expecting and that takes me down a path that I was not anticipating.

5 Tips to Make Your Digital Photography Better

5 Tips to Make Your Digital Photography Better
by John Peters

Think about composition
Always try your best to compose your pictures correctly at the time you take the photo, ensuring you crop tightly and remove unwanted elements from your photo. Many people are tempted not to worry about composition, thinking that they'll simply edit the photo on their computer. However, cropping your image on the computer reduces image detail, and your pictures lose sharpness and overall quality.

Get close to your subject, fill the frame
A common mistake made by beginners is allowing the subject to get lost in the background. If you're taking a photo of someone, get as close to them as possible. You can do this by moving closer to them or by using your optical zoom. Don't be afraid to zoom in to remove distracting backgrounds.

Avoid placing the subject dead centre
One of the easiest ways of ensuring a boring photograph is to the place your subject exactly in the centre of the photo. One way around this is to mentally divide your image into thirds, and place your subjects along these imaginary one-third lines. You'll be surprised at what a difference this can make.

Draw the viewer into the photo
Want to create photos that draw the viewers into photo? One technique is to use leading lines, such as roads or fence lines, natural frames, such as door ways, to lead the viewer's eye to the subject.

Consider lighting when taking a photo
Many beginners overlook that lighting plays an important part in photography. While the professionals can afford the latest lighting equipment, there's a lot that a beginner can also do to make their photographs special. Try taking photographs at different times of day - the early morning in particular offers opportunities for taking dramatic images. When indoors try using window light. Avoid taking photos in harsh, bright conditions, particularly in the middle of the day.

How To Produce A Better Digital Photo

How To Produce A Better Digital Photo
by Ronald Firquain

Digital photographic cameras are so small now that they fit neatly and securely in a shirt pocket. For that reason people tend to take more pictures than people that use old film. And are more popular than film ones. And stores in compressed format. Another myth is with more mega pixels have bigger light sensors also known as CCD. Always compare and look at all the important features that make good pictures not just mega pixels. One of the benefits that is so attractive is the ability to see your results immediately, and delete a photo if you are not happy with it, at zero cost. The benefits are enormous, and advances in software have quickly overcome the weaknesses of early photography. Cameras have changed the world of photography forever. And have become so advanced that almost all now have aperture and shutter speed settings, not to mention amazingly powerful optical zoom lenses. They have revolutionized photography, with a whole generation of new photographers inspired to take up taking pictures. Due to the decrease in usage of ordinary snap shots with the old dark room method which is very much time consuming latest methods of photography they have become more popular. And are so small now that they fit neatly and securely in a shirt pocket.

People tend to take more snap shots than people that use old film. Ask family members and friends if they have cameras and maybe camcorders and if they might bring them along to film the wedding. Most store snap shots in compressed format. Have changed the world of photography forever. And have become so advanced that almost all now have aperture and shutter speed settings, not to mention amazingly powerful optical zoom lenses. They have revolutionized photography, with a whole generation of new photographers inspired to take up taking photos. Most measure subject distance automatically using acoustic or electronic techniques, but it is not customary to say that they have a range finder. Main Concept And Evolution When it becomes common, a question many photographers asked was whether their film could be converted to digital.

SLR cameras are generally larger than the point and shoot, but will have a lot more options, both in settings and accessories like interchangeable lenses and external flashes. Read digital camera ratings on the unit as well as on other units as well, whether those are also under. Before you purchase Canon EOS 400D, make sure that you research and compare it with other models. With cameras, being so affordable these days adding an image to your auction page is easier than ever. However, in the age of digital cameras, these main features are available on nearly all, should the owners take the time to learn how to use them. Bigger CCD sensors are more expensive to manufacture and correspondingly then one that use bigger CCD sensors are more expensive. And are great devices for capturing digital photos though they only work as long as their battery is not empty. The LCD is often hard to view in bright light, so they also may have optical viewfinders that let you see a no electronic version of the frame. You probably can handle several different exposure modes and lets you set exposure yourself. 5 Focus controls Most have an automated system for sharply focusing your images. And can however be set to use lower resolution usually in order to save on disk space since lower resolution photos result in smaller photo files.

For the most part camera are replacements of the old film. Many come with software to help you manage your pictures. With becoming more and more popular photo printing services and providers of free prints too introduced new photo paper sizes. These Digital SLR camera support live feed to the LCD by using one of two techniques. Are getting cheaper; they pack more power with higher memories and higher resolution. The Best ones are easy to use the best one is not only to take great pictures, but they take these pictures easily. Each person who wants to record the family memories on there computer will be happy to know that they can use the best camera and get photos that pros would be proud of for their publications. The best them have improved so much that even the pros are using these great machines. So many memories that will remain treasures for generations. Because, amateurs and professionals have different needs when buying a camera, but there is information for both groups that will help them compare. Fortunately, there are many tools that consumers can use to compare before making any purchase. And are capable of capturing sound bytes and video besides taking stills. The new camera do produce better photos but not just because they have more mega pixels but mainly because they just got better and better over the years.

Take Great Family Photos With Any Camera

Take Great Family Photos With Any Camera
by Carol Knopf

My daughter-in-law showed me the photos she had taken of my grandson. Cute as he is, his face was criss-crossed with shadows, hiding his features. "It's not exactly like yours," she told me, "but you're so great at photography." Actually, I'm not so great but along the years I've picked up a few tricks to make my photos really pop. Here is some of the best advice I've been given.

Get Down Low
Photos of children look a thousand times better when you get down at their level. If your kids are sitting on the floor, sit on the floor with them and take the photo. If you're photographing a baby laying on a bed, changing table, sofa, etc., make certain you're photographing the baby at that level. Much less effective is a photo angle from below or above your subject. Of course there are some artistic shots that can be taken pointing up or down but if you're interested in taking a portrait shot, shoot the picture at their level.

Use Your Flash Indoors and Out
We all know that using flash indoors makes for a better photograph. But use the correct flash or your subject may look washed out. Many cameras, including digital cameras, have settings for indoor photography. These cameras adjust the lighting to account for artificial light given off by lamps. The results are photos with natural looking skin tones and more true to life colors

Outdoors, flash can be equally effective. Remember the shot my daughter-in-law took of my grandson. Those shadows criss-crossing his face could have been removed if his mom had used "fill" flash. By using flash in a shady area, the face is illuminated and you can see those beautiful features that made you want to take the photo in the first place.

A few years ago, a friend of mine was getting married and asked me if I would photograph her wedding. I readily agreed because that was something I could give as a wedding present and since my friend couldn't afford a professional photographer, she and her fiance would really appreciate it.

I asked Inez where and when she was getting married. She informed me they were having the ceremony in the middle of the summer at noon in a park. "It's great", she told me. "There will be plenty of light." Well she was right about that; there's no brighter light than outside at high noon in the middle of summer. I asked if there were any trees near the wedding site and was relieved when Inez told me there were huge leafy trees all over the area.

No one - and I mean absolutely no one - looks good in bright light pouring down on them. The wedding photos were a great success; they were taken in the shadows under the trees, using fill flash. If you're photographing your family outside, find some shade to place your subjects; then use fill flash to keep shadows off their faces. The results will be terrific.

Let Subjects Interact With Each Other
Take a look at most family photos and everyone is lined up, staring at the camera. Not very creative are they? Try photographing your child playing with mom or dad or a sibling. Or if you photograph a child by himself, give him a favorite toy or stuffed animal. Children don't have to be staring at the camera to photograph well, nor do adults. When there's a connection between people, the photograph is more interesting.

Try a "Sports" or "Motion" Setting Outdoors
A friend of mine wanted some photos of her little girl, a ball of nonstop energy. After her mother tried in vain to get the little girl to sit still and pose for pictures, I made a suggestion. We let her run around to her heart's content. The photo session was being done in a public garden. There were some areas where this little ball of energy could run through fields of wildflowers. I set my camera on the "sports" setting; this is the setting that stops motion and gives the freeze-frame look to horse races, baseball, football and other games. The results were incredible. This lovely little girl was caught in stop-motion (perfectly exposed) as she ran through fields of wildflowers and down garden pathways. The flash is disabled in this setting but if there's enough light, the shadows won't mar the photo and the photo is taken so quickly the bright light won't wash out your subject.

Take Lots of Photos
During a trip to Europe many years ago, I met a professional photographer and his wife. This man had sold a great many photos to National Geographic, including a cover photo, so you know he was good at his job. I asked him how many shots he had to take to get the cover photo. "1600", he told me. I was flabbergasted. He then explained that the main difference between an amateur photographer and a professional is the number of photos they take. He took photos of the same subject from many different angles, using different settings, in different light. I took his words to heart and saw an immediate improvement in the quality of my photography. In fact, I started selling some of my work shortly after heeding this advice. I never became a full-time professional but it was a nice sideline and today I have an online store selling clothes and gifts featuring my photography.

Of course, children are not likely to stand still while you take 30 or 40 photos. But that's okay. It's better if they don't just stand there. I spent an afternoon with my grandchildren recently and watched them play. As they were playing, I was snapping away - with a digital camera that cost under $300. The results were amazing; they're as good as any professional.

It may take a little practice but try out some of these tips and see the difference in your photography. You just might find that you no longer need to pay for professionals; you've taken your own photography to new levels and created memories that your family will treasure forever.

How Many Megapixels Do You Need?

Digital Camera: How Many Megapixels Do You Need?
by Andrew Goodall

Digital photography has created a generation of 'experts' who love to talk technology. One of the major buzzwords may just be the most overused term in the language of digital photography. That word: "Megapixel."

Tell anyone you are thinking of buying a new digital camera, and the first question they will probably ask you is "How many megapixels does it have?" In my gallery I often overhear comments like "I would love to take better photos, but my camera doesn't have enough megapixels."

Like computers and the internet, digital photography has bred two types of 'expert.' There are people who know a lot. Then there are the people who know just a little, but think they know everything. Many of these people have been persuaded (most likely by a salesman trying to increase his commission) that the key to good photography is a high megapixel rating. By clinging to this notion, they may well be ignoring more important factors that could help them become better photographers.

The number of pixels in a photo determines how much you can enlarge the picture without losing image quality. The more megapixels, the bigger the print. But how important is this really, for most photographers in today's digital world?

Let's forget about the size of the enlargement for a moment. How many photos these days are ever printed at all, let alone enlarged to poster size? Gone are the days of shooting photos on negative film, and printing them to see the results. These days we see the results immediately in the camera, and can look at them in better detail on the computer screen. In fact, by eliminating the cost of film and developing, more people are taking more photos than ever before.

But back to the question: how many of these photos ever get printed? Most pictures live their lives on a computer screen, where we see a small version of a photo at 72dpi. In fact, if we want to share them in emails or add them to webpages, we have to make them even smaller to travel in cyberspace.

Of course there are people who print a lot of their photos. I encourage everybody to print their best photos, frame them, hang them, give them as gifts...after all, what is the purpose of all these photos if we don't do something with them? But do we need a lot of megapixels to create a good print?

In most cases, the answer is no. The vast majority of printed photos are 6x4 or 5x7 inches, and very occasionally 8x12 inches. Very few non-professional photographers will ever print a very big enlargement from their own photography. They might think they will; but almost certainly, they won't.

So, do we really need all these megapixels? I equate it to buying a car than can travel 200 kilometres per hour in a country where the speed limit is 100. The power is there, and it may give some inward pride to know it is there...but it is wasted power all the same. Apart from bragging rights, in some ways you equally well served by an old hatchback that just gets you from Point A to Point B.

You can produce good, high quality prints up to 8x12 inch (20x30cm), and probably larger, with a five megapixel camera. This is not a compromise; I doubt you would see any improvement in print quality taking the same picture on a ten megapixel camera. Certainly you would see a difference if you enlarged the photo to poster size, but (as we have discussed), very few people reading this article are likely to do that.

Please do not see these comments as negative. I would never suggest that anyone who has bought a more powerful camera has wasted their money. Your upmarket camera probably came with an extra feature or two that adds to the fun you can have with photography. And of course, it is nice to know you could make giant prints from your photos...even though we both know you possibly never will.

Rather, I want to encourage all those people who didn't buy the top-of-the-range camera and wish they did, or are currently agonizing over how much to spend on their next camera. If you want a camera that takes a decent photo, for use online or to produce small and medium sized prints, you don't need to overextend your budget. Buy the camera you can reasonably afford and be happy with it - it will do the job for you.

If there is one important buying tip that is more important than the megapixels, it is to find a camera with a good quality lens. If your photos are not crystal clear and sharp when they are small, they are not going to improve by being blown up to larger sizes. In fact, all you would acheive is to make your blurry photo bigger and blurrier.

Just as importantly, once you have your camera, learn to use it. Most digital cameras come with manual settings that allow you to be truly creative once you know the basic photography techniques. If you look at the results of most photo competitions, you will usually find that the winner did not have the most upmarket camera. Invariably, it is the person with the imagination and skills to get the best out of the camera they have.

Digital Camera Basics

Digital Camera Basics
by Barry Craft

How Many Megapixels?
The first thing you should understand before you buy a camera is megapixels. Why do megapixels matter? Megapixels matter because the number of megapixels determines the resolution and size of the image. The more megapixels, the larger a print of the image can be. Nowadays, 5 megapixels is a good starting point for an entry level digital camera. You can expect excellent prints at 4 x 6 and even as large as 8 x 10.

Should You Get a DSLR?
The next important thing when buying a camera is which type to get. An SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera is expensive, but if you are looking for a high-resolution camera with excellent picture quality, SLR cameras are the way to go. This would be the digital equivalent of a 35 mm film camera.

If you are familiar with 35 mm film cameras, you will find many of the same features and then some. One of the most popular features of a digital SLR is the ability to change lenses.

Point and Shoot Cameras
A point and shoot camera will cost less, still give you excellent image quality, and can be very good at macro photography. Also, point and shoot cameras don't have the loud shutter clack that many SLR cameras have, although the newer SLR cameras are much quieter. Another advantage of point and shoot cameras is they have many automated features and preset programs to give you optimal photographs especially if you are a beginner.

Memory Cards
After you get a camera, you must choose a good memory card for your camera. The most popular types of memory cards for digital cameras are MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick (MS), Smartmedia (SM), Secure Digital (SD), xD-Picture Card (xD), and CompactFlash (CF). Certain cameras require certain memory card types, so make sure you ask an expert which memory card is right for the camera you have.

One of the most important things to consider with memory cards is how many pictures you plan on taking it at one time before downloading them to your computer. Also if you plan to use the higher resolution settings on your camera, you will able to take fewer pictures so you may want to invest in a memory card that has a larger storage capacity.

It is important to know how to transfer pictures from your camera, since you only can send and edit pictures once they are on the computer. Now, your camera probably came with a USB cable. That is one option. Another option is to get a memory card reader. A USB cable is a wire that plugs into your camera at one end and your computer at the other end.

Card Readers
A memory card reader is a piece of hardware that plugs into your computer and then you remove the memory card from your camera and insert it into the card reader. Memory card readers are also usually faster to download your pictures than a USB cable. Using a memory card reader also allows you to save the batteries on your camera because the camera does not have to be on during the transfer.

Downloading Your Pictures
Depending on the type of computer you have, a message will come up saying that you camera is connected. Or, in the case of a Mac computer, you just go into iPhoto, which comes standard on newer Mac computers. Use the help tab at the top of your screen to find out how to download your pictures. After you have downloaded your pictures, you can delete the pictures on your memory card, freeing up lots of space so that you can take more pictures. It is also a very good idea to periodically make a copy of the pictures on your computer and burn them to either a CD or DVD as a backup copy in case your computer's hard drive fails. You probably have spent a lot of time and effort in creating some beautiful pictures and you wouldn't want to lose them.

Tips: How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera

Tips: How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera
by Kevin Rockwell

Getting the most out of your digital video camera can mean being able to create some really cool stuff. You just have to step outside the manual a bit and find the cool things you can do with your digital video camera and your editing software.

We have all seen them in a movie or a TV show, those very cool shots where they speed up time and capture a long segment of time and condense it into a very short amount of video. My very favorite example of this technique was an arty movie of many years ago that was called Koyaanisqatsi. In that movie they had some very interesting segments where they did time lapse effects to show driving on a bridge, flowers growing, clouds flying by and so on. Another example is many of the TV news stations nowadays have a camera that captures the day’s weather and then they process it down to a 20 second clip to show the clouds and weather racing by on screen.

Well this technique is not just a tool in the hands of the movie makers or the big TV stations. You can do this with your digital video camera gear too. I will go into two ways that you can accomplish this effect and get some cool results for your next video project. This one is worth playing around with in order to find the right settings to get the most dramatic effect.

Technique number one is to use the camera itself to do the time lapse recording for you. Almost all digital video cameras have the ability to do an interval recording. What this means in a nutshell is that you tell the camera how long you want to record for and how long in between recordings and it will go on autopilot for you for as long as the battery lasts or the tape runs out. This is what those cameras at the convenience store do, they record a few seconds of motion every 30-60 seconds giving the overall view of the traffic in the store over time.

Now if you want to capture some time lapse in your digital video camera you will need to get into your cameras menu and find Interval Recording (or in my case Int Rec, as I use a Sony PD 150 for my camera) When you select this option you will decide how long of an interval between shots you want and how long to record each time. If you are trying to capture something that takes a long time to occur and in which not much happens quickly you will want to set the interval at around a minute and the record time as short as possible on your camera. An example would be if you wanted to record a day in the life of a flower or the clouds rolling by in the sky. Suppose however that you want to capture an event that has lots of action and occurs over a much shorter time frame. Then you would want to shorten the interval between recordings and increase the time of each recording. So in this case you might record every 15-30 seconds and record up to 2-3 seconds of video each time.

I used this technique to capture an afternoon of work being done by a team of carpenters on my house remodeling project. The result was a flurry of activity as workers raced hither and yon nailing boards, carrying equipment and building walls. I have added it to my photo collection of the project. (Hey I had to live through the project so I might as well have a great record of it for posterity!)

Now suppose you have one of the great software video editing packages on your computer to work with your digital video camera. Now you can do it in post as they say in the business. You can record any length of video you want (subject to the limitations of your tape length) and then import it into your editing program.

Sidebar:
I use Adobe Premiere Pro for my editing jobs, but I have also used Avid DV Express, Final Cut Pro, and others in the non linear editing world. These are all great programs and are very powerful products that can create some very professional looking videos. You don’t have to have these products to create your own videos but if you are serious about digital video editing it might be a good idea to take a look at these options.

I digitize my raw video of the scene I am doing time lapse on into my computer (big hard drive, video eats up GB’s of space) and then import the clip into my time line. From th3e timeline you can then select the clip with a right click. From there you will be given a menu with options depending on the software you use. Select the option that says “duration”, “speed” or something similar. Change the speed of the clip so that time will speed up considerably. If you have an hour of video in the clip and want to shorten it to 2 -5 minutes then you need to increase the speed of the clip to 3 or 4 thousand percent of normal. This will require your software to render the clip at the higher speed and may take some time top process depending on the speed of your computer.

Once you have rendered the video clip at the new speed you will want to play it to see if the movie flows evenly or if you will want to readjust the speed setting to make it better. Sometimes you may want to shorten your raw video and adjust the speed down somewhat in order to get a smooth flow of action. Once you have rendered the clip at the new speed you can now cut and splice it as you see fit with the speeded up action intact. There are some things you will record that might only need a slight speed change, take for instance some digital video of your kids playing sports. Double or triple the speed of the clip and show it to them and you might have them rolling on the floor.

You can also use these techniques to capture the growth of a flower or plant over the course of days or weeks. Simply set you camera in exactly the same place at the same time each day and record an interval that works each day fro however long you want to document. May be you get the seedling just breaking soil and follow it all the way through turning into a full grown plant.

Another interesting idea is to capture the path of the moon across the night sky. Set up your camera on a tripod in a spot that can see the path of the moon for several hours. Set the camera to interval record and put the moon on one side of the frame so that it will pass across the frame as the night passes. This one may require some testing in order to get the exposure and framing right as well as the right interval to record at. Most likely you would want to set the interval as long as you can and the record time as short as you can but do a test run first to see what works.

I can’t stress enough that using your digital video camera can be great fun and you can achieve some cool results. Play around and test. You just might find yourself creating some very creative digital video to share with the rest of the world.

Buying a Digital SLR Camera? Follow These Tips.

Buying a Digital SLR Camera? Follow These Tips!
by Jayda Kaycee

It is incredible to see the features that are available on digital SLR cameras, but it can also be a scary process to try to understand the details and reviews that you find. It is necessary to learn about the feature details and specifications to that you can choose which camera you would like to buy. Although there is a lot to learn, you can easily overcome your lack of knowledge by studying it out to learn what features you want.

As you learn about digital SLR cameras, there are a few points that you need to understand: What are megapixels and why do I need them? I have heard of digital SLR cameras, what are they? Is a digital SLR camera really more superior to a basic digital camera? Which model should I choose when I purchase my digital SLR camera?

Understanding the definition is important as you start on this exciting journey. Megapixel refers to the resolution of a given camera, it specifies how many pixels are in a given space. If you select a camera with higher megapixels, your photographs will be a higher quality and the image will be sharp and clear.

As you select how many megapixels you need, think about what the camera will be used for so that you don't overdo the pixel count. You pictures may look unnatural if you are using a camera with excess pixels, you do not need too many pixels if you will not be enlarging the photos. Find a good balance of pixels within your price range, and the read digital SLR camera reviews and select the model that fits your needs.

"SLR" is the abbreviation for "single lens reflex," a SLR camera has a small mirror located between the camera film and lens. This mirror projects the image to a focusing screen through the lens. This technology is found in all of today's high-end digital cameras which creates more control and image focusing for the photographer.

What is the difference between a digital SLR camera and a basic digital camera? The digital SLR cameras offer features that cannot be found on more basic cameras, including: ISO settings, higher megapixels, the ability to change camera lenses, and many more.

Now that you know a little more about digital SLR camera you will need to decide which model to choose, it is easy to see that digital SLR cameras are superior to basic cameras. Determine which features you would like to have and then compare digital SLR models through the reviews. By following these simple steps, you will soon have your brand new camera ready to use.

Photography: How to Avoid Red-Eye in Flash Photos

Photography: How to Avoid Red-Eye in Flash Photos

What is red-eye, and why does it happen?
We’ve all seen it in snapshots we’ve either taken ourselves, or been shown by others: the pupils of your subject’s eyes are lit up in a devilish bright red color, unlike anything we’re used to seeing in real life. And of course, you never saw it in your camera’s viewfinder when you took the picture.

What is happening is that the pupil of a person’s eye, even though it appears to be black when we view it, is actually clear. Since the inside of the eyeball is normally never illuminated, we see it as a small black circle. But in some flash photos, if the flash is close to the lens of the camera, its illumination sends a burst of light right through to the rear of the inside of the subject’s eyeball. The retina of your subject’s eyes is rich in red blood vessels, and this produces the bright red color we see in the pictures.

If the flash is close enough to the lens, the light not only enters your subject’s inner eye, but can then reflect straight back out and actually be recorded by the camera. With the retina in your subject’s eye now fully illuminated, you get the tell-tale bright red glow that we all now know as "red-eye." So the first thing to know is that for all intents and purposes, red-eye in photos is a flash phenomenon. It’s very unlikely you’ll encounter it using sunlight, or available light only when shooting indoors.

Using the built-in flash:
Cameras like the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT and XTi have a built-in flash, that pops upwards an inch or two for easy and convenient flash photography – at least, as long as your subjects are not too far away. And nearly every compact digital camera has a built-in flash as well. Since many of these cameras are so small in size, the designers are often forced to put the built-in flash nearly right next to the lens. Any time you use a built-in flash that’s close to the lens, you run the risk of occasionally getting red-eye in any pictures with people in the scene.

Obviously, you can’t physically move the built-in flash away from the camera lens. So manufacturers have resorted to another feature: Red-Eye Reduction.

Red-eye Reduction:
The idea of this feature is that by one means or another, the camera sends out light to your subject before the picture is taken. Since the subject’s pupils normally tend to dilate, or get wider, in dim light (and get smaller in bright light conditions), the idea is to reduce the level of red-eye by making the user’s pupils appear smaller before the picture is taken. With smaller pupils, there’s less area to be marred by red-eye, and even if it does show up in your pictures, it’ll tend to be less noticeable.

Some cameras do this by rapidly flashing the flash unit with "pulses" of flash illumination, for a second or two before the picture is taken. The hope is that your subject’s eyes will react to these rapid pops of light and the pupils will become smaller. A moment later, that actual picture is taken, with the flash firing again, but at (usually) greater power.

Canon’s cameras take a different approach, using a small, built-in lamp to shine continous white light directly at your subject for about two seconds, prior to the picture being taken. In fact, a scale appears on EOS digital SLRs with this feature in the viewfinder, to count down the two seconds that this red-eye reduction lamp is active, so that you know when to fully press the shutter button and take the picture. Again, the idea is that this added light before the picture is taken will cause the subject’s pupils to contract, and therefore reduce the level of red-eye if it appears.

It’s important to understand that neither of these approaches to in-camera red-eye control ever claim to completely eliminate the chance of getting visible red-eye. As the feature’s name says, it’s red-eye reduction, not red-eye elimination.

Using accessory speedlites:
Since an accessory flash unit (like Canon’s Speedlite 430EX, or 580EX) is larger and sits on top of the camera, the flash unit itself is raised several inches above the lens. The flash-emitting part of these units is nowhere near as close to the lens as in the case of a built-in flash. This distance between lens and flash means that right from the start, you’re less likely to get red-eye in your pictures. Let’s be clear: we’re not saying you won’t or can’t get red-eye in pictures taken with an accessory flash unit, only that because it starts out being a few inches farther from the lens, you can often avoid the probem in your shots of people.

Distance plays a key role in red-eye:
It’s a fact that the farther you are from a subject, the more likely you are to get red-eye in your flash pictures of people. The farther away you are from a subject, the more the flash illumination tends to be parallel to a straight line entering your camera lens. If flash illumination can go straight into your subject’s pupils, and then reflect straight back out again, you’ll see it as red-eye in your pictures. But if instead it’s at a slight angle relative to the "axis" that the lens is seeing, you’ll usually avoid that direct kick-back of light into the camera, and the subject’s pupils will usually appear the normal black color.

So to avoid red-eye, try to do the following:

1. Where possible, try to step physically closer to your subjects. This doesn’t mean be only inches away, but if you have a choice of taking that birthday party shot from 15 feet away, with your zoom lens at a telephoto setting, or stepping to about 6 feet away with the lens at a wider-angle setting, you’re much less likely to get red-eye from the 6 foot distance.

2. Try to resist using telephoto zoom settings in flash pictures of people. It’s not that telephoto lenses have anything to do directly with red-eye – they don’t – but any tele lens encourages you to stand back at a greater distance from your subject(s). It’s this added distance that increases the chances of red-eye.

Other techniques to avoid red-eye:

1. Bounce flash
If you’re using an accessory speedlite with bounce capability, and if you’re shooting indoors in a room with relatively low, light-colored ceilings, you can tilt your flash head upward so it shines at the ceiling, and then “bounces” back down to your actual subject(s). If done properly, this will totally eliminate any possibility of red-eye appearing in your flash pictures. The reason is that the flash illumination actually striking your subject is now coming downward, from the ceiling.

Remember that your ceiling must be white or near-white (if it’s colored, the returning light hitting your subject will take on that color – it’s no fun to eliminate red-eye, only to have an entirely red subject from that red-painted ceiling). And the other thing is that you need a standard ceiling height – somewhere around 8 to 12 feet. Bounce flash obviously won’t work in the open outdoors, and you can’t expect it to work in a large ballroom, or in a high-school gym. Finally, you’ll need to experiment and practice somewhat to get the hang of how far upward to tilt your flash head, depending upon how far away you are from your subjects (unlike direct flash, with bounce, you’re actually better off taking a step or two away from your subject, to get your light coming down at an angle instead of from directly above).

2. Use a third-party flash bracket
You’ve no doubt seen this one at every wedding you’ve been to: the pro photographer who’s shooting the wedding has his or her flash mounted on a contraption that holds it way, way above the camera. It looks totally awkward, but the pro using it has a point: by moving the flash well above the lens and its optical axis, he or she has much less concern that red-eye will appear in their flash photos. These brackets come in styles that “rotate” or “flip”, as well as completely rigid types. The rotating brackets let you position the flash head above the lens, regardless of whether you’re shooting horizontal or vertical pictures. With the rigid types, your flash may be positioned way off to one side if you turn the camera to take a vertical picture.

Canon doesn’t market these brackets, but many third-party companies do, in a wide variety of styles, degrees of ruggedness, and price points. Well-stocked camera stores usually have them on-hand. And to retain your E-TTL flash, use Canon’s Off Camera Shoe Cord 2, with one end attached to your camera’s hot shoe, and the other attached to your bracket’s flash shoe. Now, the flash will be as automatic as if it was directly on top of the camera.

3. Take the flash off the camera
Using either the Off Camera Shoe Cord 2, or Canon’s wireless E-TTL flash system, remove your flash entirely from the camera and position it elsewhere. By moving it off-camera, you virtually eliminate any possibility of red-eye. Using either the Speedlite 430EX, or the 580EX in their “slave” mode, and triggering them with an optional Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2, it’s easy to get fully automatic flash exposure, with the flash up to 20 feet or more away from the camera. The ST-E2, combined with one of these speedlites, is a great combination for effective bounce flash shooting as well, whether you’re holding a single flash off-camera in one hand, or using multiple flash units to evenly light a room or area.

4. Use available light, and don’t shoot with flash
In some conditions indoors, or at night, you can get beautiful, natural-looking pictures by simply turning off your flash, setting a higher ISO, and using natural light to take pictures. Try this along with flash pictures in different scenes, and you’ll develop a sense of when to revert to this technique. It certainly eliminates any chance of seeing red-eye.

Source: Canon

Digital Camera: Photographing Sunrises & Sunsets

Digital Camera: Photographing Sunrises & Sunsets

Place the horizon off-center
The picture will be more interesting if the horizon is not in the center of the picture. To include a lot of the colorful sky, place the horizon in the lower third of the frame.

Use night flash
Night flash combines a slow shutter speed to capture the background scene with flash that illuminates a nearby subject. It's especially good for taking a picture of a person with the sunset or city lights in the background.

Include a silhouette
Your sunset pictures will be even better when you include a foreground object such as a tree or a person silhouetted against the colorful sky in the background. Use the 'no flash" option on your camera, or it won't be a silhouette.

Keep your lens clean
Dust particles, fingerprints, or other foreign matter can cause considerable lens flare when you include the sun in your pictures.

Digital Camera: Photographing Parties

Digital Camera: Photographing Parties

Holiday gatherings are great opportunities to take pictures your friends and family will enjoy for years to come, so break the camera out early—while everyone’s fresh—and follow these tips to help make the most of your pictures from this special time of year.

Get the Group

It can be difficult to get everyone in one place. While you have the whole gang together, take a group or family portrait! It will probably be a treasured keepsake.

Be Candid

Resist the urge to make every shot a posed photo - jump into the "life of the party" for candid shots that capture the spirit of the people and the occasion. Move around to get different perspectives on any games, hugging, dancing, cooking and eating. If you’re shooting digital, take lots of pictures and then edit later. Don’t forget to use your camera's video mode to capture the fun as well.

Zoom In

Closer to your subject is almost always better. Use your zoom to fill the frame and get more dynamic compositions. Sometimes once a guest sees the camera, they freeze up, so standing back and using the zoom mode can also result in more authentic and unexpected candids.

Set the Mode

Unless you’re going for a specific effect, use the camera’s easiest shooting mode for your situation. If your camera has a “Party” mode setting, use that. If not, use the “Automatic” mode and let the camera figure out the right shutter speed, flash and other settings.

How to (No Kidding) Read Your Camera Manual

How to (No Kidding) Read Your Camera Manual
by Barry Tanenbaum

As a writer and editor in the photo business I find myself from time to time in the office of Lindsay Silverman, senior technical manager at Nikon. Invariably, there'll be a stack of camera manuals on his desk. Nothing unusual there, but what distinguishes Lindsay's collection is the fact that the pages of these manuals bristle with tiny color tags.

One day I asked, "What's with the Post-it flags?"
"That's the way I read manuals," Lindsay said.
"You mean that's the way you mark them for future reference."
"Well, yes and no," he said. "C'mon, I'll buy you a cup of coffee and explain it."

To start with, he said, manuals in general have a bad reputation. "I hear it all the time: 'Who wrote this stupid manual?' 'Why does it have to be so long?' But the problem isn't the manual, it's the way a lot of people read it—or don't read it. They take the camera out of the box and while the battery charges up they'll either ignore the manual and go do something else, or they'll sit down and start to read the manual, intending to go cover to cover."

"It's not a novel," he said. "It's a lot of information, and like a manual for any product that involves a degree of technology, a camera manual can be confusing simply because it's hard to digest in one shot."
"And you suggest…?"
"Here's what I do. I break it down into categories of information: What do I already know? What do I need to know right now? What do I need to know a lot of the time? What do I need to know some of the time?

"Let's say it's a digital SLR, like the D200. I know how to mount a lens, how to put the battery in—I work at Nikon, I gotta know that! I also know how to go into the custom settings menu because I'm familiar with those steps from a previous Nikon model, so I can set some basic functions.

"Next, what do I need to know now? For me that's metering and autofocus choices, the speed of the frame advance and details of the custom settings. I don't sell the custom settings short: they're what makes the camera mine and makes it work for me the way I want it to work. Custom settings aren't something I get to eventually, I go there pretty quickly."

"Okay," I said, "I got the order of things. But the color tabs….?"

"I know, it may sound weird, and my colleagues chide me on this, but we all have our ways of learning and doing things. As I read the sections I'm interested in—and this can be over a period of days—I'll get to things I want to know about, and I mark the sections according to my own code of interests: red for flash info, yellow for the operating modes of the camera and so on. Now I can go right to the information I need when I need it."

"Making it accessible and digestible," I said.

"Right. To me it makes no sense to read any manual front to back. There's no narrative there; there's no story. There's information, facts and suggestions, and I want to go to them as I need them."

"What about the quick setup guides that come with the cameras?

"They come with everything these days," Lindsay said, "and they're the easy way in. But they tell you what you need to get started, not what you need to get into the things that allow you to really control and customize your camera, the things you need to get the most out of the camera."

Well, I didn't go out and buy Post-it flags after talking with Lindsay, but I did take his suggestions to heart: no more cover-to-cover for any manual—camera, DVD recorder, electronic keyboard, anything. I'm going right to what I need to know immediately, and I'll learn the rest as I need to and as I go along. Hey, my cell phone manual has more pages than The Old Man and the Sea, but it's nowhere near as engaging.

Digital Camera: Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures

Digital Camera: Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures

01) Look your subject in the eye
Direct eye contact can be as engaging in a picture as it is in real life. When taking a picture of someone, hold the camera at the person's eye level to unleash the power of those magnetic gazes and mesmerizing smiles. For children, that means stooping to their level. And your subject need not always stare at the camera. All by itself that eye level angle will create a personal and inviting feeling that pulls you into the picture.

02) Use a plain background
A plain background shows off the subject you are photographing. When you look through the camera viewfinder, force yourself to study the area surrounding your subject. Make sure no poles grow from the head of your favorite niece and that no cars seem to dangle from her ears.

03) Use flash outdoors
Bright sun can create unattractive deep facial shadows. Eliminate the shadows by using your flash to lighten the face. When taking people pictures on sunny days, turn your flash on. You may have a choice of fill-flash mode or full-flash mode. If the person is within five feet, use the fill-flash mode; beyond five feet, the full-power mode may be required. With a digital camera, use the picture display panel to review the results.
On cloudy days, use the camera's fill-flash mode if it has one. The flash will brighten up people's faces and make them stand out. Also take a picture without the flash, because the soft light of overcast days sometimes gives quite pleasing results by itself.

04) Move in close
If your subject is smaller than a car, take a step or two closer before taking the picture and zoom in on your subject. Your goal is to fill the picture area with the subject you are photographing. Up close you can reveal telling details, like a sprinkle of freckles or an arched eyebrow.
But don't get too close or your pictures will be blurry. The closest focusing distance for most cameras is about three feet, or about one step away from your camera. If you get closer than the closest focusing distance of your camera (see your manual to be sure), your pictures will be blurry.

05) Move it from the middle
Center-stage is a great place for a performer to be. However, the middle of your picture is not the best place for your subject. Bring your picture to life by simply moving your subject away from the middle of your picture. Start by playing tick-tack-toe with subject position. Imagine a tick-tack-toe grid in your viewfinder. Now place your important subject at one of the intersections of lines.
You'll need to lock the focus if you have an auto-focus camera because most of them focus on whatever is in the center of the viewfinder.

06) Lock the focus
If your subject is not in the center of the picture, you need to lock the focus to create a sharp picture. Most auto-focus cameras focus on whatever is in the center of the picture. But to improve pictures, you will often want to move the subject away from the center of the picture. If you don't want a blurred picture, you'll need to first lock the focus with the subject in the middle and then recompose the picture so the subject is away from the middle.
Usually you can lock the focus in three steps. First, center the subject and press and hold the shutter button halfway down. Second, reposition your camera (while still holding the shutter button) so the subject is away from the center. And third, finish by pressing the shutter button all the way down to take the picture.

07) Know your flash's range
The number one flash mistake is taking pictures beyond the flash's range. Why is this a mistake? Because pictures taken beyond the maximum flash range will be too dark. For many cameras, the maximum flash range is less than fifteen feet—about five steps away.
What is your camera's flash range? Look it up in your camera manual. Can't find it? Then don't take a chance. Position yourself so subjects are no farther than ten feet away.

08) Watch the light
Next to the subject, the most important part of every picture is the light. It affects the appearance of everything you photograph. On a great-grandmother, bright sunlight from the side can enhance wrinkles. But the soft light of a cloudy day can subdue those same wrinkles.
Don't like the light on your subject? Then move yourself or your subject. For landscapes, try to take pictures early or late in the day when the light is orangish and rakes across the land.

09) Take some vertical pictures
Is your camera vertically challenged? It is if you never turn it sideways to take a vertical picture. All sorts of things look better in a vertical picture. From a lighthouse near a cliff to the Eiffel Tower to your four-year-old niece jumping in a puddle. So next time out, make a conscious effort to turn your camera sideways and take some vertical pictures.

10) Be a picture director
Take control of your picture-taking and watch your pictures dramatically improve. Become a picture director, not just a passive picture-taker. A picture director takes charge. A picture director picks the location: "Everybody go outside to the backyard." A picture director adds props: "Girls, put on your pink sunglasses." A picture director arranges people: "Now move in close, and lean toward the camera." 

Take better photos

Take better photos

Arranging the perfect shot: Improve your digital camera photo composition by properly framing your subject, choosing the right backgrounds, and more.

Position your subject
The way you fill your frame can be the difference between a "snapshot" and a truly moving photograph. Whether you're producing fine art, or preserving everyday moments, these guidelines will take your photos to the next level.

• Rule of thirds
  

The perfect way to make photos more interesting is to imagine them divided into three sections horizontally and vertically (like a tic-tac-toe game). Positioning your subject at the intersection of those lines will break up symmetry and result in a more artful and compelling photo.

• Cropping
  

You don't always get that perfect shot to begin with, so keeping the rule of thirds in mind, try cropping your photo after you've shot it-either in your camera, or using photo editing software to achieve the same effect.

Choose the right backgrounds
Simple backgrounds are best for subjects with busy patterns. If you don't have the luxury of the perfect background, you can adjust your depth of field to focus on objects closer to you, while blurring objects far away.
Likewise, simple patterns look best set against a detailed background.
Also, be sure the background of your photo doesn't interfere with your subject and take attention away. Objects such as poles or tree branches can ruin your shot completely.

Imply distance and dimension
A photo of a distant subject can seem static and one-dimensional. Including subjects nearer to you in your photos gives a sense of distance.

Choose an orientation
Your camera produces a rectangular image. This gives you two distinct orientations to work with-vertical or horizontal. Often, your subject will lend itself to one or the other. One sure way to find out is simply to take your photo both ways and decide which is best.

Get close to your subject
Close-up photography adds intimacy to your photos. It brings the viewer in and helps capture all the hidden details and moments you might not ever see.

Use a unique point of view
Break the habit of shooting everything from eye level. Experiment with kneeling down to capture subjects from near the ground, or photographing subjects above you.

Use your surroundings to frame your subject
You can frame your subject in your photo by taking advantage of various naturally occurring physical structures or patterns. Doorways, windows, trees, bushes—almost anything can be used.

Common Digital Terms | Glossary

Common Digital Terms | Glossary

Unclear about megabytes and kilobytes? Can't remember the difference between memory cards and MultiMedia cards? Is confusion about battery types draining you of energy? Then let our glossary of common digital terms help unravel the mysteries and jumpstart your digital education!

Bit

A "bit" is a condensed combination of the two words binary + digit. It is the smallest unit of memory in a computer.

Card reader

A card reader is a dedicated drive into which you can insert your camera’s memory card. A card reader transfers the images from the memory card in your camera to your computer. You can choose from cards that accept Compact Flash readers, Secure Digital (SD) cards, or multi-card readers that accept several different types of cards.

Digital zoom

A digital zoom magnifies just a portion of the image as opposed to an optical zoom that lets you actually change the focal length of your lens and enlarge the whole image. With a digital zoom, the image loses its sharpness as it gets bigger.

Digital SLR (DSLR)

A DSLR camera is a digital camera that allows you to change the lenses. It’s used mostly by professionals and comes with lots of advanced manual and automatic features. SLR “Single-Lens-Reflex” means that you are looking at your image through the lens before you take the picture.

Digitize

To digitize an image refers to converting analog information into digital format so it can be used on a computer. People can digitize old photos by scanning them with a scanner.

Docking station

A docking station is a device that you can attach your camera to facilitate download and sometimes perform rechargeable functions. The docking station is connected to the computer full-time and acts as an intermediary between the camera and the computer.

DPI (Dots Per Inch)

DPI refers to the number of dots a printer or device (like a monitor) can display per linear inch. For example, a laser printer with a resolution of 300 dpi makes prints with 300 dots per square inch. The higher the DPI, the better the resolution.

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File format)

EXIF refers to the information about each picture you take, such as date and time, resolution, orientation, etc., The information is “recorded with” the images when you take the picture.

Flash memory

Flash memory refers to the removable memory cards that record images in a digital camera. When the power is turned off, flash memory retains the images and memory space can be continually erased and used again. Compact Flash, Secure Digital and Memory Stick are the most popular types of flash memory.

Image sensor

The image sensor is the light sensitive chip in your camera that records exposure data when you take the picture.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

JPEG is a standardized file format used to compress and store digital images of natural, real-world scenes (as opposed to illustrations or drawings). This format is also commonly used for images you see on the Web and for images attached to e-mails.

Kilobyte

A kilobyte is equal to 1024 bytes and refers to computer memory, disk space, or document size.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

An LCD is a full-color display screen on a digital camera that lets you preview and review pictures. On many models, it will also allow you to view information, such as menu options and camera settings.

Lithium battery

Lithium batteries are batteries that use lithium in the process of creating power. Lithium batteries are standard disposable batteries while lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable. They are very efficient and powerful batteries and usually perform better than Alkaline or NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries.

Megabyte

A megabyte is an amount of computer memory consisting of about one million bytes. (The actual value is 1,048,576 bytes or 1024 KB.)

Megapixel

A megapixel is equal to 1 million pixels. The more pixels in an image, the higher the pictures fidelity and detail and the greater the print quality will be.

Memory

Memory is what digital cameras need instead of film to store images. Some digital cameras have a certain amount of memory which stores a limited number of images depending on how large the memory capacity is. You can add memory to most digital cameras by using a memory card.

Memory cards

Memory cards are devices that provide extra storage for digital media such as pictures, sound and movie files. They come in a variety of capacities. Typical memory capacities are 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, etc. The higher the capacity the more images can be stored.

MMC (MultiMedia cards)

MultiMedia cards are one type of removable memory card.

NiMH

NiMH stands for Nickel-Metal Hydride and refers to a type of rechargeable batteries used in most digital cameras. NiMH rechargeable batteries do not need to be depleted of power before being recharged.

Photo kiosk

A photo-kiosk is a computer-driven device that allows users to edit and print pictures from negatives, prints, or digital files on a picture card, CD, or disk. Kiosks can usually be found in retail stores.

Pixel

A pixel is a condensed combination of the words PICture ELement. It refers to the smallest element, or dot, that makes up a digitized image. The number of pixels determines the resolution.

PPI (Pixels Per Inch)

PPI refers to the number of pixels per linear inch used to describe image resolution. A higher ppi means your images will have more detail which, in turn, means higher image fidelity.

Resolution

Resolution refers to the number of units in a whole, pixels in an image, dots in a print, etc. A high-resolution image means the image fidelity/detail will be higher. It's expressed as horizontal pixels times vertical pixels, such as 800 x 600, 1600 x 1200, or 2048 x 1536.

SD (Secure Digital) memory card

An SD memory card is an extremely small type of removable memory card used in most of the newer digital cameras.

USB Port (universal serial bus)

A USB port is a connection point on the back of the computer where you plug in your digital camera or card reader or other USB devices. When you connect to the USB port, you can download your photos from your camera to your computer.

Source: Pentax

Selecting a Digital Camera

Selecting a Digital Camera

So you've decided to buy a digital camera. That's great! But with the huge assortment of digital cameras to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? Which features are most important? Where do you begin?

Digital Camera Usage

You've decided to invest in a digital camera. The great times are about to begin! But what should you look for in a camera so it does want you want it to do? Let us help. Our top five points to consider can help you determine your needs. Once you learn everything your camera can do, you'll never want to put it down again!

1. Megapixels and resolution: In clearer terms, what size pictures do you want to print?

There's lots of talk about megapixels and resolution—but what are they and what do they do? Pixels are the dots, or image points, that make up a picture. A megapixel is equal to one million pixels. The more megapixels your camera has, the larger your prints can be and still look good. And that leads us to resolution.

Resolution refers to the total number of pixels and affects the sharpness and definition of your image. High-resolution cameras have two or three megapixels or more and are perfect for making large prints. Low-resolution cameras have one megapixel and are better suited for emailing images or making prints smaller than 4x6 inches. Carefully consider the best print size for your needs and it'll help you solve the megapixel puzzle. The more megapixels in your image, the fewer you can store on your memory card—another one of those trade offs!

2. Lenses: Just focus on the kind of pictures you want to take.

Do you like to take close-up pictures with lots of great details and sharpness? Or do you want to be able to zoom in on the action even if you're far away? Your answers will help you choose a camera with the right lens system suited to your style.

Almost everyone needs a zoom lens. Zoom lenses come in two types, optical and digital. You want an optical zoom. Optical zoom allows you to follow your subject and adjust the lens forward and backward just like with a film camera. Digital zoom, on the other hand, simply enlarges or "blows up" the image and crops in on the part you see on the LCD monitor. This process reduces the quality of the image. Zoom in too close and your prints will lack clarity and sharpness.

If close-ups are your passion, you'll need a camera with a macro setting. Many digital cameras have a macro mode. This mode lets you get very close to objects and greatly enlarge the image, such as a petal on a flower or a ring on a finger. Whether you choose zoom or macro or both, be sure to experiment with your camera's lens system in the store.

3. Memory: Don't forget to buy enough.

Digital cameras don't use film. Instead, they use digital memory such as memory cards or small hard disks to store images. But, just like film, memory cards get full. When this happens, you need to free up space before you can take more pictures.

Digital cameras let you free up space by deleting them or downloading pictures from the camera onto your computer. This system works fine if you're always near a computer, but it's not always practical if you're traveling or carrying your camera with you for long periods of time. In these cases, you'll want a higher capacity memory card with lots of image storage capacity.

When choosing a digital camera, find out how many pictures can be stored on its card when images are taken at default resolution. The most popular cards on the market are very durable and come in a variety of sizes, from 4 megabytes to 1 gigabyte or higher. While higher capacity cards can be somewhat expensive, they'll give you the freedom to take as many pictures as you want.

4. Batteries: A powerful consideration.

Digital cameras go through batteries like kids eat candy. This is because the batteries have to power an image sensor, the LCD panel, and the microprocessor all at once. Add a flash and zoom to the mix and batteries become an important camera feature to consider in your decision-making process.

Batteries come in a variety shapes and sizes. Before buying a digital camera, find out what your options are. One option is alkaline batteries. While they're convenient and relatively cost-effective, they're usually not strong enough to power most cameras for more than a few dozen images. Disposable lithium batteries are a more powerful alternative, but this can be an expensive proposition if you're replacing them on a regular basis.

Another option is rechargeable batteries. In a single charge, rechargeable batteries will power a good camera long enough for you to take about 100 pictures. Many cameras come with chargers; if they do, this is an extra you should definitely consider for its convenience and cost-effectiveness. Whatever battery option you choose, understand that many things affect battery life, such as using the optical viewfinder instead of the LCD monitor to conserve power.

Battery life is worth researching and is often covered in camera reviews or the owner's manual. If you travel or plan on using your camera for long periods of time, consider buying and carrying additional batteries for it. This way you'll always be powered up to capture life's special moments.

5. Size: It should only matter to you

Everything is being made smaller these days—and that goes for digital cameras too. But is smaller better? Should you choose a larger camera over a compact model? The answer is: it depends.

Compact cameras are very popular, but the most important question to ask yourself is: how much camera do I want to carry? Obviously, smaller model weigh less and fit nicely into pockets and purses. But compact models may sacrifice some of the more advanced features you want to accommodate for their miniscule size. For instance, compact models hold smaller batteries that may not power a camera as long as larger batteries do. So if long battery life is on your priority list, a compact style may serve you better.

Full-size models offer the same trade-offs. While they hold larger batteries and are often packed with lots of advanced features, most will not fit in your pocket. A camera bag will do the job while protecting your camera and giving you the option of carrying accessories such as extra batteries or a flash.

Source: Pentax

Protecting Your Digital Photos

Protecting Your Digital Photos

Pictures are more than a visual representation of a moment in time. Pictures create a unique connection between our past and future generations.
To make your memories last more than a lifetime, follow these simple tips to let future generations enjoy your pictures.

Organize Your Photos
With today's digital cameras, it's easy to take a lot of photos. Organize your images in a way that makes it easy to find them in the future. Organize by categories, by date, by subject - use whatever method makes the most sense to you.
Organize each time you save your pictures to keep the task from becoming overwhelming.

Perform Regular Backups
Your images may be saved to your PC, but did you know that the average life span of a computer hard drive is only 5 years? Worse yet, they can fail without warning making you unable to get to your pictures.

To keep your memories safe, create backup copies of your image files on CDs, DVDs, or a second hard drive; or upload them to an online photo service for storage. For your most valued photos, high quality prints and photo books are a foolproof way to ensure your memories will endure despite changing technology.

Keep Current with Storage Technology
Digital storage technologies are constantly improving and evolving, often making older technologies obsolete and unreadable. Formats that were common in the 90's, such as the floppy disk are no longer supported on most PCs. Even current storage technologies such as CDs and DVDs may become unreadable over time due to chemical or physical degradation.
Watch the industry for technology developments and keep your files backed up using the current standards.

Source: Kodak

Tips & Tricks

Tips & Tricks

Are your pictures great but miss that extra little something that would otherwise make them perfect? We can help. Our Tips & Tricks section offers useful suggestions to help you make the most of common photo opportunities. Ideas for adding character to people shots. Drama to landscapes. Excitement to action shots. Even tricks for handling lighting. And be sure to check back regularly—our featured tip changes to keep you up-to-date on the latest tips and tricks.

Action

Action shots can be as fun and exciting to shoot as they are to pose for! But how can you be sure you're really capturing the action and not just a jumble of indistinguishable shapes and colors? How can you freeze a moment in time? Consider these useful tricks:

• Use a fast shutter to stop the action. To freeze movement and clearly capture the background as well, use your camera's shutter-priority setting. Always try to take your picture at the fastest shutter speed available. And don't miss a minute of the action—be sure to set your camera to all the proper settings beforehand so you're ready to shoot.
  
• Use a slow shutter to blur the action. By slowing the shutter speed, your camera will record the movement of your subject with interesting streaks of blurred colors. At a shutter speed of about 1/30 of a second, you can follow your subject with the camera and have the background blur, or hold the camera still as your subject passes by and have them blurred! Either way you'll achieve fun and interesting effects.
  

People

People and portraits are the most popular subjects for photographs. But short of asking someone to smile and say "cheese!" how do you capture the personality and character of your subject? Consider these helpful hints:

• Use sunlight to your advantage. For outdoor pictures, position your subject so the sunlight brightens their left or right side. Don't face them towards the sun—squinting isn't attractive! Then use your flash or "flash fill" mode to fill in any dark shadows and light their face evenly.
  
• Consider different angles. Instead of having your subjects look at you straight on, ask them to turn their bodies to the side but still face you. This slightly over-the-shoulder look can highlight the hair and profile. Finally, zoom in on your subject as close as you can. Close-ups force the viewer focus on the person and not the distracting (and unnecessary) elements in the background.
  

Landscape

When done right, landscape photography draws the viewer in and captures the drama of the scene. Sunrises and sunsets are particularly popular—but can often pose the greatest challenges. Consider these suggestions for making the most of your sun-filled memories.

• It's all about timing. Many people want to capture the sun just as it begins to touch the horizon. That's fine, but some of the brightest colors appear up to 30 minutes before or after the sun sets or rises, especially when clouds are present. Morning and evening sunlight reflecting off the clouds can add a dreamy mood to any picture. Be prepared with extra memory cards or film.
  
• Use the foreground. While a colorful sky is always exciting, consider adding foreground elements to your picture to add depth and texture. Interesting elements could include wisps of dune grass, fragile tree branches, rocky outposts, or an old wooden fence. Adding foreground elements also creates interesting compositions for your pictures.
  

Lighting

You're in the mood to shoot some pictures but it's nighttime. That doesn't have to stop you! Night photography can produce some particularly interesting effects—as long as you know the key tips for making it work.

• Long exposures make the most of the given light. The longer you expose the picture the brighter the lights will be. Use your camera's EV control to extend the automatic exposure and overexpose that by EV+1 or EV+2. And it's hard to under- or overexpose nighttime shots. In general, the longer the exposure, the better your shots will be.
  
• Use a tripod. Whenever you're shooting at exposures longer than 1/60 of a second, you should always use a tripod. Tripods steady the camera and ensure a great picture. Most cameras feature a tripod socket on the bottom of the camera to allow you to attach one quickly and easily.
  

Source: Pentax

Tips: Photographing Babies

Tips: Photographing Babies

Before you know it, your baby will have left the crib for the classroom. Make picture-taking a part of your lifestyle so you can catch all those amazing firsts. We can help you take pictures you'll want to share with friends and relatives and treasure for years to come.

Take pictures frequently
Catch each step of baby's development—the first smile, the first bath, the first tooth, the first step. Babies change so rapidly, make sure you capture all the milestones before they become history. Or show a day in the life of baby. From the morning's waking stretch to the evening's yawns, track your child for one full day. You'll have a series you'll cherish for years to come.

Capture feelings
A smirk, a frown, a wail—capture all the emotions, not just the pretty smiles. Babies are uninhibited and uncensored. Show it in your pictures.

Get close
Fill the camera's viewfinder or LCD display with your subject to create pictures with greater impact. Step in close or use your camera's zoom to emphasize what is important and exclude the rest. Check the manual for your camera's closest focusing distance.

Try different angles
Start by shooting at the baby's eye level. Prop the baby on someone's shoulder. Or line up several wee ones on the sofa. Then try something different—stand on a (sturdy!) chair and shoot down at the baby in the crib.

Include other people in pictures
Capture others with the baby—Big Sister feeding the baby, Grandpa dancing with his baby granddaughter. Or introduce two babies to each other and catch that instant bonding in their eyes.

Use a simple background
An uncluttered background focuses attention on the subject, resulting in a stronger picture. Place your subject against a plain, non-distracting background. Alternatively, sometimes just moving yourself (and the camera) a few feet one way or the other can eliminate distractions from view.

Use natural light
You may be surprised to learn that cloudy, overcast days provide the best lighting for pictures of people. Bright sun makes people squint, and it throws harsh shadows on their faces. On overcast days, the soft light flatters faces. Indoors, try turning off the flash and use the light coming in from a window to give your subject a soft, almost glowing appearance.

Source: Kodak