Archive for January 13th, 2007

How to take amazing digital photos of your friends and family

Children and a Camera – probably the most difficult, but creatively satisfying way of archiving your lifes wonderful moments. \n

Shooting pictures of children can be more difficult than getting a shot of that awesome dunk or the spectacular home-run hit, because a sports moment is probably more predictable than the expression of a child. Its almost like trying to hit a moving target, except you dont know when your target will show up, and which way it will move! \n

But rest simple – astounding advancements in digital photography, both in terms of technology and lower prices, have made it possible for your special moments to be captured with far superior accuracy and detail than ever before. Newer cameras with improved photo resolution and shutter speed, with the help of spectacular low-cost lenses, help to make it easier for both professional and novice photographers to take excellent pictures. When these features alone can\’t help take the picture you want, fancy software that comes for free with the digital cameras lets your modify the photos to do full justice to the moments they capture. \n

Many believe that great cameras take great photos. Well, theres both good and bad news for you – the good news is that you dont need a $2000 camera and a $3000 lens in order to take an astounding picture; the bad news is that you – the photographer – are the one who can single-handedly make or break an extraordinary pic – all by yourself, just with your \’eye\’ for photography (or the lack of it). \n

Any photographer worth her salt will tell you that when it comes to taking good pics, timing is everything. There is a very small window of opportunity to capture a truly great shot, and whether youre after that exhilarating sunset, or trying to capture that all fleeting expression on your childs face, your fingers must have precision, timing and an intuitive sense of when to click. It is tougher than it looks, and thats why photography is an art. \n

Similar to the famous saying, beautiful pictures lie in the eye of the photographer, and not in the camera. \n

Famous photographers charge thousands of dollars to take a picture. It isn\’t because they\’ve superior cameras or high-priced lenses (even though that does matter, but not as much as you probably think), but because they know what to focus on, and when to click. \n

Most of us only come close to getting the best shot, never fully realizing it in the end. More often than not, our pictures have most of the elements, but fall short in a few key areas: Perhaps you frame your subject well, but the lighting is just a tiny bit off; or perhaps the lighting is good but you forgot to include a flash or use red-eye reduction. \n

This is where modern digital photography becomes a necessary component in taking the perfect pic. Within minutes, just about any picture can be edited to reach its full potential when it is created with a digital camera. Automatic color enhancement, red-eye reduction, and zoom and crop features that go along with taking digital photos are just a few of the many awesome features that digital photos have to offer. With these tools in simple reach, taking beautiful pictures has become easier than ever. \n

It is then a no-brainer that you should be buying a digital camera, and not a film-based camera, for obvious reasons: you can shoot as many pictures as you want, repeatedly, till you get that perfect picture, without having to worry about burning through tens if not hundreds of dollars worth of film rolls, development and printing costs. Plus when shot using popular formats like RAW, the things you can do to your photos before you print or publish them, are mind boggling. \n

All you need is to find the right camera. You want a camera that offers great photos as well as simple options for downloading to your printer or personal. You can edit your photos as you like with commercial programs like Photoshop or Corel, or with software that comes with the camera, like Canons EasyBrowser. \n

Technology has advanced so much and there is so much competition amongst camera makers, that the prices are now so attractive which makes it very hard to mention money as an excuse. \n

The hardest choice then becomes what type of camera to buy: – a Point-and-click (that has a built-in, permanent lense), or – a SLR (Single Lens Reflex – whose lenses can be removed and changed). \n

Point-and-click cameras are meant for the average person, who doesnt want to be bothered with too many options or choices – someone who wants to just point at the target, and click, and be done with it. The average auto-focus camera comes with an in-built zoom lens, has a tiny flash bulb, has a little screen behind the camera where you can see the full frame of what you are about to shoot, as well as a preview of the pic after youve shot it. \n

They take great photos, no doubt. But they have the ability to, in no way, be compared to the pictures taken by the slightly more expensive SLR cameras. \n

An SLR camera comes with the capability to switch lenses, so that you can choose the right lens for that super-close up picture of that bee pollinating a flower, or the perfect wide-angle lens to capture the entire view of the Grand Canyon from where you stand. \n

Other features that make a SLR a much better choice for taking great pictures that last a lifetime, are: \n

* Built for speed – Super fast start-up speed so that you never have to miss that perfect moment because it took your camera 20 seconds to get to ready-to-shoot say. * Accurate \’what you see is what you get\’ picture when you compose your shots through the view finder instead of the LCD display. In fact, the LCD display on an SLR won\’t show you a preview of your current composition, but will only show you the photo after youve shot it. * A wide choices of lenses: Youre not stuck with just one lens like you would with a point-and-click camera. You have the option of buying and using a variety of lenses to match just what you\’re about to shoot. * Better photos in low light – Due to the ability to vary aperture, a SLR lens can open the aperture long enough to let in more light in low-light situations, or click faster in a very-bright situation (like a bright overhead sun). \n

When you\’re ready to buy your digital camera, you need to take the price into consideration, but it is more important to consider the features of the camera that you buy. It is the features that\’ll help you to make the most of your pictures. You will not need an feature filled camera if you\’re only using it for recreational purposes. However if you plan to do a lot with your photos, you\’ll want a camera that offers the right features for you. \n

Although I own a Canon Rebel XTi myself and cannot suggest it highly enough, here are some digital SLR cameras to consider: \n

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi: http://amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000I1ZWRW/nosim-20 This is what I own – a 10.1 MP (Mega-pixel) camera that takes phenomenal picutures, and offers a great combination of performance, ease-of-use and value. It comes with a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, a integrated cleaning system featuring a self-cleaning sensor that vibrates the sensor to shake-off dust, all of this in a very light, ergonomic body. \n

Nikon D80: http://amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000HGIWN4/nosim-20 This is a 10.2 Megapixel camera with instant 0.18 sec. start-up, and fast 80ms shutter response. Grants continuous shooting at up to 3 frames per second and up to 100 consecutive JPEG images. Takes about 2,700 images per battery charge as per Nikon. Has a similar 2.5\’ LCD color monitor with 170-degree, wide-angle viewing. A tiny more expensive than the Canon Rebel XTi. \n

Sony A100: http://amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000DZH60O/nosim-20 A 10 Megapixel CCD, that has quite similar features to the Canon and Nikon, like Anti-Dust system, 2.5\’ LCD amd 9-point autofocus. The distinguishing feature of the Sony A100 is the Super SteadyShot® image stabilization feature that moves the CCD to compensate for camera shake. This will come in handy especially when shooting in low-light situations, where the aperture opens more to let in more light, which means it could take a lot longer for the \’click\’ than in normal-light conditions, and both the photographer (you) and the targets (your kids, friends or family) have a greater tendency to not stay still for that few precious seconds. \n

Canon and Nikon overcome this by incorporating image stabilization features into the lens, instead of into the camera itself like Sony does. This leads to slightly more high-priced lenses, but some believe that lenses do a superior job of handling \’shake\’ rather than the cameras themselves. So, this is one more thing for you to take into account while making the choice between say, a Canon and a Sony. \n

Finally, the bottomline is cameras can only enhance a great picture – they can\’t create it from scratch. You are the one who has the ability to elevate an ordinary shot into an amazing one with your sense of timing, angle, and composition. So, depending on your own internal \’brand\’ preference, any of the above cameras would make a great choice. \n

To see how others have shot pictures of their little ones, check out the worlds cutest baby pictures at http://www.BabyNamesIndia.com/pictures.html . Afer that, head over to Amazon.com, read the reviews, do your research, and take your time in deciding which digital SLR is right for you. \n

If you are thinking that deciding which camera to buy is a difficult task, wait till you have that beautiful camera in your hand, and you wait for your little one to come up with that same expression that he\’d on his/her face last week, when you missed taking a photo because you had a slow and tedious point-and-shoot camera in hand! \n

Take astonishing photos that last a life time. Get a digital SLR.
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Get the best deal on a digitial camera!

Digital Camera Prices – How to REALLY Get the Ideal Deal \n

When dealing with digital camera prices, avoid your natural tendency of \’buy low, sell high.\’ What do we mean? \n

Lets say youre interested in purchasing a Canon digital SLR. Once youre sure you have identified your best camera, you search the internet and photography magazines for the best price. In this example, the \’retail\’ price for the Canon body is $700 (remember – SLRs are only the camera body, which can be mated to a variety of individually bought lenses). \n

After checking a variety of sources for discounted digital camera prices, you determine the best prices for this specific Canon digital SLR runs between $570-$590. What do you do? \n

I buy it from the place selling it for $570, of course! \n

Not so fast. If you have only purchased from traditional retail outlets, you need to familiarize yourself with some on-line buying strategies… \n

* Shipping prices vary significantly depending upon who you purchase it from. \n

* Tax may or might not be charged. \n

* Therefore, when purchasing ANYTHING on the web (i.e., from a non-retail outlet), only consider the entire cost of digital camera + tax + shipping. \n

* So, lets reevaluate the first point again. The Canon digital SLR body alone may range between $570-$590, but when figuring out true digital camera prices, use the formula above. \n

Now, we discover that the real total cost for your Canon (Nikon, Fuji, or whatever) ranges between $587 – $629. Now, were getting somewhere. \n

* Do you run out and order from the $587 place? If you say \’yes,\’ youve made a rookie internet purchasing mistake. \n

I know, I know. Youre chomping at the bit. You know what you want, you found the \’best\’ price (you think), you\’ve your credit card in hand… why shouldnt you buy now? Because youre using \’retail store\’ mentality to buy on the web. \n

When looking for the best digital camera prices on the internet, there are new considerations that only experience (or, http://best-family-photography-tips.com/) can teach you. Here are the most important points: \n

* Is the Canon in stock? There\’s often a mysterious correlation between the cheapest prices and product unavailability. You dont want to order your digital camera and then have it sit on backorder for 6 weeks, do you? \n

* Does your Nikon come with a USA warranty or is it whats called \’grey goods?\’ You want to verify its a USA warranty, unless you dont mind having to service it internationally. \n

* What is the customer service level of the seller? You can find out by checking up on them before you buy at http://www.pricegrabber.com/rating_summary.php/form_keyword=/sort=1/form_keyword2=/. Personally, I wont buy from anyone who doesnt have at least a 4 out of 5 star rating AND plenty of history. \n

* The last \’test\’ I use before purchasing at the best total digital camera prices is my gut. I\’ve walked away from deals after speaking with certain order entry people. Lets face it, if youre older than 25, you start to develop of sense of who NOT TO BELIEVE when they say \’trust me.\’ \n

* Finally, always order with a credit card because if something goes wrong, the credit card company can be your greatest friend. \n

OK. Youve done it! Youre about to congratulate yourself on uncovering the best digital camera prices, from the ideal vendor, with great delivery, etc. Theres just one more thing to be aware of… \n

The Insidious \’Package Deal\’ Sales Technique \n

Heres how this approach goes. Using the same example figures above for our wonderful Canon digital SLR, you found a vendor who is willing to sell you the Canon body + tax + shipping for the fantastic price of $515 (remember, the true range you had previously determined was $587 – $629). \n

In the land of ideal digital camera prices, this is known as \’winning the lotto.\’ So, what do you do? You jump on it of course! But, heres how the end of this telephone order typically goes… \n

(Seller) Congratulations. You just got a great deal. And, would you believe that we have a super-saver package on this Canon which includes the EF 28-200mm lens for an unbelievable package price of $1,000. (That puts the cost of this lens at $485, when you can buy it anywhere for $360, but you dont know that. Maybe thats what they meant by \’unbelievable.\’) \n

(You) Well, I already have 6 lenses, so I dont need anymore. \n

(Seller) No problem. You do know how these new digital SLRs eat up memory. We\’ve a 2GB memory card that we currently have a promotion on. Its normally $460 (really $220) that theyre allowing us to sell for only $375 with the purchase of a camera. \n

(You) [Since you do know youll need memory, and havent had time yet to see what a good price for accessories of digital camera prices are, you might agree. Instead, however, you let the seller know that youre holding off on memory right now.] \n

(Seller) [Knowing its his last chance...] Ok, then. Lets just pick out a solid camera bag so at least your camera will be secure. (His point is valid, but what hes going to try to sell you is a $120 camera bag that you can buy anywhere for $49.95.) \n

(You) I already have 3 bags, so Ill pass. How soon can I anticipate delivery on my Canon? \n

(Seller) Let me check the computer. Oh, I cant believe this… while we were on the phone, the last 3 Canons were sold, so we dont have any more. But, Ill be happy to take your order and ship yours as soon as it comes in (read as \’never\’). \n

Of course, the actual phone conversation may be slightly different, substituting extended warranties and batteries for camera bag and memory, but you get the picture. \n

Bottom line, when looking for the best digital camera prices, consider all the costs and buy from someone you can trust. \n

Article courtesy of http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com, where you can learn numerous additional photography tips. \n

Copyright 2005 Robert Bezman. All rights reserved.
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He went digital and still shoots film. Should you?

There has always been a debate about what is better. Traditional cameras using film, or the so called new technology, storing pictures in digital form on memory cards, in personal or on CD-ROM.
As being a photographer for more than half of my life, I stuck with traditional film for very long. About 7 years ago I started to supplement my work with photos taken the digital way. A point and shoot camera with just 640�480 pixel resolution was the most attractive gadget I had these days. Its lens was even capable of doing close-up work, using a macro switch. That Fujifilm DX-7 was upgraded with a larger Memory-Card and the camera served me well for several years. Anyway, over time, I was still more satisfied with the possibilities my collection of Pentax SLR cameras gave me. It started with using the best lenses for each picture or just using a Zoom (which offers a range from wide angle to telephoto), changing the shutter speed to either stop or blur the motion of objects in the picture, use external flashlights, change the aperture openings to adjust the range of sharpness and lots more. Not forgetting the superior picture quality I could get from a 35mm negative or slide. I was happy to use my heavy, solid metal camera. \n

The world changed for me when camera makers like Nikon and Canon introduced their Digital SLR Cameras. I went to my local camera shop every week and debated with the salesman about advantages and disadvantages of the models they\’d on sale. Also I checked with lots of users in online services to get first hand feedback on how these cameras performed. Finally, when Pentax introduced their Digital SLRs, I couldnt wait much longer. I needed to have one of those. With the Pentax 1st DS have a whole list of advantages over smaller Digital Cameras: \n

I can use the same lenses that fit my traditional camera
Have full control over speed and aperture
I have the ability to see the picture immediately after it is taken
I can shoot a series of pictures and select the ideal (at no extra cost for film or paper)
A good resolution of 6 Megapixel which allows quite massive prints
It weights more than a compact digital camera, so you can hold it steady more easily
Make use of all the filters, flashlights, lenses and accessories I have collected over the years.
Storing the photos on the Computer via a fast USB connection
Up to 1 GB storage on a SD Memory Card (about 380 jpg photos)
Selecting only the best photos for printing
\n

With all these advantages of digital SLR Cameras, you may wonder why I still keep my old 35mm film cameras with me. First, it is emotional, and second, photographing the old fashioned way keeps me calm. You just need more time to produce an excellent, satisfying photograph (because you cannot see the result right after the shot).
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