Quick Portrait Photography Techniques

Portrait photography is one of the most rewarding fields of photography. It can be rewarding and helpful to learn new tips and tricks in taking photos of loved ones, families and friends. There are basic tips that can enhance a portrait photography experience. Below is a quick rundown of the tips applicable for portrait photography.

Lighting as an advantage – A good portrait shot includes lighting and uses it to enhance the portrait. The first hard and fast rule of portrait photography is to never take back-lit shots. Direct spotlights are not flattering either. Direct lighting creates flat surfaces and does not show the character of the person being shot. Side or diffused lighting is best but when outdoors, day lighting will suffice.

Background as background only – Backgrounds in portrait photography can be included but it mustn’t be the focus. The focus should always be the person. This is the reason why backgrounds included in portraits are always unobtrusive or blurred. When they are not blurred, they are used to frame the portrait only. When the background does merit inclusion in the photograph, it is not advisable to include a large area of it as the person’s face will be too small. Focus only on one or two elements as a foreground or middle ground and blur the rest in the background.

Focus on a distinctive element – A portrait is a graphic representation of a person’s face. Certain study and proximity are needed in order to take an accurate representation. Generally, it’s best to highlight an outstanding facial feature or a characteristic gesture. All these portray more of the person in the photograph.

Printing is key – After taking photographs, they are best seen and displayed as prints. A shot may look superb on the viewfinder or monitor but post production needs to be done to ensure superb printing. Several factors have to be considered in post production. These include sizing, resolution, color, paper size and paper type. For best results, it’s advisable to acquire professional printing services. Printing photos today can be done fast and conveniently online. Online printers such as UPrinting enable customers to upload and print their photos easily along with free digital proofing and expert layout services for a minimal fee.

November 13, 2009
By Nikki Sabato
Nikki Sabato is a writer with a background in landscape architecture and design. She currently works in the field of marketing and design communication.

Photography Techniques

Photography Techniques to Enhance Your Work

Although the age of digital cameras has made it easier than ever to get good photos, you still need good photographic techniques to get the best results. It is alright to just point, shoot, and hope for the best. You will often get some great shots this way. But you will get even better results with your digital SLR camera if you understand some photography techniques. This will help you go from getting just good shots to getting amazing shots. The added benefit is you are in control of the situation and can reproduce the results over and over again. With a digital SLR camera you can afford to experiment. If you don't like the result, you can just delete it and start again.

Photography Lighting Techniques

Lighting can be either your best friend or worst enemy. Lighting techniques in photography are varied and can be easy or they can be difficult, it's upt to you. It will depend on what you are shooting. Maybe you want to take photos of cityscapes at night or photos in full sunlight - for good results you will need to understand good photography lighting techniques. Once you understand the basics of photography lighting techniques you will transform your photos into works of art.

Indoor Lighting Photography Techniques

There are different types of lighting you can use for indoor shots. Try using natural lighting that comes from windows, ceiling lights, candles, log fires, and any other indoor lighting. Many photographers use this to give a natural feel to their work. Often, though, there may not be enough natural light indoors. If this is the case, take a tip from portrait photography lighting techniques. Portrait photographers use big lights to flood their subject for the best results. The good thing is you can experiment with the light you have indoors.

Try taking a photo of your subject in different parts of the room using different types of lighting. This will give you an idea of what works. Experiment with the early morning sun streaming through the window then try backlighting the same subject and see the different effects. Indoor lighting subjects include a whole host of techniques and methods. It will become a natural instinct the more you play around with different effects.

Black and White Photography Techniques

Black and white photography techniques can produce some really nice results. If you are using a digital SLR camera, you will most likely have the option to capture your photos in black and white mode. Don't use this mode. Use full colour so you get the full depth of light and shade. Use a photo manipulation program like Adobe Photoshop to transform your image into black and white. This gives you the flexibility to manipulate the output which you would not have if you took the photo in black and white.

If you really want to experiment with your camera in black and white mode, try using side lighting. Side lighting will create shadows on ordinary objects and give them a different perspective. This is an effective black and white photography technique that has great results on objects that are highly textured. Experiment by changing the camera angle and different lighting techniques. Use side lighting to enhance your black and white landscapes, people and buildings.

Street Photography Techniques

Street photography can produce some amazing results. They are shots of day to day occurrences; outdoor shots taken as a snapshot in time. Standing still or squatting while you watch and listen is a good technique; focus on what is happening around you. See the world differently. There is nothing more interesting than a candid shot of a moment in time. Here are some street photography techniques that may help you when out on the street:

- Tune into your surroundings. Learn to sense moments of climax such as laughter or loud voices.

- Be relaxed and enjoy your surroundings.

- Use crowded places you can walk in and out of to get your candid street shots.

- Don't be invasive of people's personal space, try using a zoom lens. This will not always work and you can lose some of the emotion you are trying to capture.

- Learn to take photos without bringing the camera to your eye. Practice taking photos from any position.

There is so much to learn about photography and, the more you learn the more addictive photography becomes.



September 1, 2009
By Billy Baker
Billy Baker has provided this site which he commonly refers to for tips on photography techniques.

A Few Quick Hints For Photography Techniques

Just aim and shoot, right? Anyone that's interested in photography knows better than to think that taking pictures is just that simple. Sure, pointing your camera at something and taking a picture will certainly record an event, but if you really want photographs that are worth looking at year after year, you may be interested in some more advanced photography techniques. Well, whether you're just taking pictures on vacation and of your friends when they come over, or if you are looking to actually start making money from your photos, we have some great but simple photography techniques you can try.

The Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is one of those basic photography that is typically applied to shots like landscapes or nature scenes, where it's easy to have a picture of just one element. If you've ever looked at that photo of a beautiful lake or sunset and thought that is just didn't quite capture the beauty of the scene the way you remember it, you may want to consider the Rule of Thirds. This is where there are three distinct layers or parts of your photo. For example, suppose you want to take a shot of that beautiful lake where you're staying on vacation. The blue water against the blue sky is going to make everything blend in. Applying professional photography techniques to this type of shot means waiting until sunset when the setting sun breaks up the lake against the sky. This is the Rule of Thirds - you have the sky, the sun, and the lake; three distinct parts.

This is also good for photographing something like autumn foliage. A jumble of color is not going to have much interest. Try to apply these photography techniques by adjusting your shot so that you have the sky above those trees and perhaps a field or hill below them. The Rule of Thirds gives you those three distinct parts, and makes those beautiful autumn leaves that much more outstanding.

Angles

Trying different angles is one of the most used photography techniques by professionals. Again, if you just point and shoot at your subject, then you have a photo of them that has not much interest or depth. You may document what you're shooting, but that's about it.

Applying photography techniques for angles means moving yourself and your camera around for unique and interesting shots. If you want to shoot a beautiful flower garden, try getting right down on the ground so they're in front of you, rather than just standing above them. To take a picture of your new motorcycle, try getting down on the ground and aiming above you so that it really captures the majesty of the bike. Play around a bit with angles when it comes to pictures of people as well; by being experimental and creative, you can come up with your own special photography techniques that are perfect for you, your subjects, and your photos.



September 16, 2009
By Tom Dugan
"Want to take your knack for casual photography to the Next Level and develop the expert eye and photo-shooting skills of a professional photographer? If so, then you'll want to check this out: http://www.photography-report.com

Learning About Digital Camera Photography

There are so many great benefits that are offered by digital camera photography. Especially if you are planning to get into photography as a career, of course you are always going to have to make sure that you are keeping up with the times and that means using the most advanced forms of photography that you can.

The digital cameras are by far more technologically advanced than their standard film counterparts. The digital cameras just offer you so much more. With a regular camera you just have to take all your pictures and then see how they turned out. You don’t even get to see an idea of what the picture is going to look like, and so you were never really able to make sure that you got that perfect shot.

With the digital cameras that are available now however, you have a lot more variety and versatility. With digital camera photography you are able to capture a picture and then see it right away, so you can decide whether you want to keep it or take another. Digital camera photography has completely changed the way that we look at photography in general and the beauty of pictures that we are able to take.

How it Works

Digital camera photography is great because while the technology involved is much more advanced, at the same time taking the pictures is just as easy before, if not more so. Now you are able to see on the display screen what you are capturing, and because you are able to see your pictures after taking them, you will be able to realize right away what changes you need to make to get that perfect picture.

Digital camera photography is used for a variety of careers all around the world, and it has forever changed the world that we live in today. Even kids can get the hang of digital camera photography and can take great pictures because it is easier to do than ever before.

There is so much to learn about digital camera photography, and whether you want to get a digital camera photo printer or any other accessories, these are definitely investments that you are going to be able to use for the rest of your life and which will help you to capture those precious moments in life and keep them on your computer, or even on CD or DVD to give out to people you love.



August 26, 2009
By Vance Kardasian
For more information, please visit by my Underwater Digital Camera website for the latest reviews and digital camera resources.
Source: http://www.bharatbhasha.com/technology.php/153689