Below are the 3 most recent journal entries recorded in sonnyweber215's InsaneJournal:

Saturday, April 30th, 2011
7:21 pm	Photography Tips For the Photo Doldrums - Icy Streams & Rain, Icicles & Snowflakes If you said the camera, the computer or even the product then you're fairly far from the right track. Of course, the single most effective factor in the equation is the photographer himself or herself, but since it's clearly not possible within the confines of a single article to provide you with 20 or 30 years' worth of professional experience and creativity, let's look at the second most important factor in packshot photography - lighting. Light is pretty important, because let's face it, without it we'd all be in the dark. Literally and metaphorically. If products aren't lit correctly then customers aren't going to be able to see them properly, but it isn't just a case of adding more and more light to make the image brighter. Lighting is not just measured in watts, but in fact requires a whole array of different techniques and tricks of the trade in order to get it just right. The first thing to appreciate is that the product you're selling needs to be photographed in a way which makes it look believable, realistic and accessible. This means that if you're selling a product such as a garden gnome, lighting it up using basic studio lighting may well not give it the same visual appeal as it would if it was positioned outside in daylight. Natural sunlight is quite different from the sort of artificial light we use indoors, and whether you realise it or not, our eyes, brains and sub consciences can tell. So sometimes it will be necessary to light up products for packshot photography using a special combination of lights, gels and shades which give a natural, realistic impression of natural sunlight and daylight. Of course this is doubly important if you intend to use the packshot image and replace the background or superimpose the image on top of an alternative background. Perhaps you're photographing a beach ball - if you light it correctly to look like bright, warm daylight then the product will look much more natural when superimposed over a bright, warm, sunny beach picture. Bland studio lighting would make the ball look a lot less appealing. And when it comes to making things less appealing nothing is easier to undersell than jewellery - especially jewellery which includes diamonds and similar expensive jewels. Because studio lighting, no matter how hard you might try, almost never achieves the same multicoloured sparkly effect you see with your eye in real life. The trouble is that we look at things stereoscopically, with two eyes slightly apart we see twice the number of sparkles and glints that a single camera lens would see. Not only that but studio lighting doesn't refract and split into a spectrum of colours quite as easily as you'd imagine. In such cases packshot photography incorporates a light box, which is a white lined box with no internal features, corners or edges, and which includes coloured LED lighting in an arch over the top or around the sides. By suspending an item of jewellery such as diamond earrings in the middle of the box, the ring of multicoloured LED lights when combined with white LED Lighting creates the kind of packshot image you would expect to see. photography ideas, photography tips, photography tips, (Comment on this)
Friday, April 29th, 2011
11:41 pm	Basic Photography Tips - How to Improve Your Photo Shoot With Your Compact Digital Camera - A. Take your digital camera. Make sure you have plenty of space on the memory card and a fresh battery. - B. Make sure you print your photographs because they won't last on the internet forever. 1. Read your camera's manual. I know its boring and tedious, but you will be glad you did if you don't totally understand how to use the camera. I've read my manual twice all the way through (and it's a big manual), and I refer to it now and then when I need a refresher. 2. If you are using a point and shoot camera, you probably won't be able to make any adjustments on the settings. But, you can use Landscape mode to keep the entire area in focus, or you can use Portrait Mode to make the main subject in focus, but the background will be blurry. 3. On a DSLR or other camera where you can adjust the settings, make sure you know how to use them. The aperture (f-stop) controls the amount of your image that is in focus. A f-stop of 2.8 will have very little in focus, just the main subject you have focused on. A f-stop of 16 will have everything in focus. The shutter speed controls subjects that are in motion. If you are photographing a kid moving around, you need a shutter speed of at least 1/125. The ISO controls the amount of light allowed into the image. An ISO of 200 won't allow as much light as ISO 400 or 800. In daylight, ISO 200 is usually sufficient. The aperture and shutter speed also have impact on the amount of light entering your camera's sensor. For instance f/2.8 will allow a lot of light onto the sensor, whereas f/16 allows very little. A shutter speed of 1/25 allows a lot of light, whereas 1/250 allows much less. Practice, Practice, Practice! Make different adjustments on these 3 settings to see what happens. 4. The composition of a photograph is very important. Putting the subject dead center is usually pretty boring. The rule of thirds is a guideline - you picture a tic-tac-toe over your image viewer and place your subject at one of the intersections. If you do not have much memory to play with, it is advisable to obtain a bigger memory card as photos with higher resolutions tend to be bigger in terms of image size 4) Be constantly on the go, and ensure that you carry your camera everywhere you go! Many people tend to miss good memorable shots because they tend to stay indoors a lot, and many forget to bring their cameras when they are out traveling. 5) Avoid red-eye distraction if possible, this can be accomplished by switching on your red-eye reduction feature (most digital cameras come with this options nowadays) 6) Use a tripod whenever you can, as it would reduce the chances of your picture blurring due to shaking hands or other distractions - if possible, get yourself a carbon-made tripod 7) And remember, practice makes perfect, thus work on your photography skills whenever you are able to! Once you fully understand all these basic tips, you would be able to take high-quality photographs, regardless of whether they are family photographs, portrait photographs, or even scenery shots! Packshot Photography Tips - Let There Be Light!, Vacation and Travel Photography Tips, Vacation and Travel Photography Tips, (Comment on this)
10:44 pm	Photography Posing Tips - Photos Lacking A Little Something? 5 Tips To Improve Your Posing! But, you can use Landscape mode to keep the entire area in focus, or you can use Portrait Mode to make the main subject in focus, but the background will be blurry. 3. On a DSLR or other camera where you can adjust the settings, make sure you know how to use them. The aperture (f-stop) controls the amount of your image that is in focus. A f-stop of 2.8 will have very little in focus, just the main subject you have focused on. A f-stop of 16 will have everything in focus. The shutter speed controls subjects that are in motion. If you are photographing a kid moving around, you need a shutter speed of at least 1/125. The ISO controls the amount of light allowed into the image. An ISO of 200 won't allow as much light as ISO 400 or 800. In daylight, ISO 200 is usually sufficient. The aperture and shutter speed also have impact on the amount of light entering your camera's sensor. For instance f/2.8 will allow a lot of light onto the sensor, whereas f/16 allows very little. A shutter speed of 1/25 allows a lot of light, whereas 1/250 allows much less. Practice, Practice, Practice! Make different adjustments on these 3 settings to see what happens. 4. The composition of a photograph is very important. Putting the subject dead center is usually pretty boring. The rule of thirds is a guideline - you picture a tic-tac-toe over your image viewer and place your subject at one of the intersections. It's also usually better to pick one part of the landscape and photograph that instead of trying to get everything into the picture. Five mountain peaks will look very small and far away, as opposed to picking one of the peaks and including something in the foreground, like flowers, will look much better. When photographing people in your landscapes, make sure they don't have trees growing out of their heads and place the person off center to include some of the background so you can show where you are at. Focus your camera on the person, hold the shutter button half way down and then move your camera to include everything you want, then push the shutter all the way. This will keep the person completely in focus. If you're going somewhere exotic, make sure to include some of the local people, items they may be selling at a bazaar, and architecture. If you are looking to look more photogenic and always get wonderful portraits, you need to know the posing photography tips that top professionals use. Here are the basic ideas on how to look beautiful in portraits, whether taken at a studio or spontaneously. Stand up tall Practice standing tall and confidently, with the shoulders back, and the overall effect will be that you will look slimmer in the photograph. Work on looking and feeling more confident not just for better photos but for better lifestyle habits that make you a better person in general. This poise will definitely show in the portraits you will have taken and you will feel comfortable in front of the camera more every time. Always be well groomed photo tips, photography tips, photography ideas, (Comment on this)