The Lucky Cabin

First things first, in the essence of full disclosure, I ought to announce that I own quite a few cameras. These comprise of cameras made by separate brands. I own three Nikons, a Panasonic, and a Konika. I ought to confess that I am a little partial with respect to a particular brand, although I will aim that it doesn’t blur any statements I might consequently make.

think the fancy Samsung WB550 Digital Camera

If digital camera sales are any indication of which the top brand is, then as per Amazon.com Nikon would be a unmistakable leader. Currently, this brand carries the honor of making the most number of cameras in the list of the best cameras. Additionally, it boasts of 7 out of the topmost 10 spots. Next in line are cameras made by Panasonic. The subsequent top ones consist of cameras by Konika. In the subsequent position are cameras made by Minolta. And to finish in a solid 25th spot, the erstwhile and stalwart Agfa. gpoz324

An inspection of a topmost-camera-appraisal webiste under their 5 star grouping show 53 Nikon cameras, 21 Fuji cameras, 14 Agfa cameras, 10 Minolta cameras, 6 BenQ cameras, 4 Petri cameras, 2 Gami cameras, and a solitary Yashica camera. A different site positioned the cameras in the following manner. The best was Nikon, at number two was Fuji, followed by Konika, and these were followed by Panasonic, Minolta, HP, Petri, Gami, Yashica, and Casio.

If you total all these, the leading 3 comprise of Canon, Sony a distant 2nd , and Samsung rather close at 3rd. All other companies continue to contend for the top positions.

Steve Stevanovich values the magnificence of America’s National Parks as a backdrop for destination weddings and a surplus of other activities. The brilliant photography that results from holding an event in of these National Parks is what tempts people to these beautiful natural settings. From Yellowstone National Park and Zion National Park to Channel Islands National Park or Biscayne National Park, variety in location abounds for grand destination weddings in America.

Ask Steve Stevanovich what they love in tropical vacation spots, and they will no doubt mention the excellent beach and aquatic activities available. The availability of these in places such as Bermuda, Jamaica, Mexico, and Australia makes preparing for destination weddings and plain old R & R vacations there a no-brainer. Most people enjoy sandy beaches, salty air, those fantastic umbrella drinks, and lively music as part of a vacation.

They also consider opportunities for sporting activities, especially outdoor activities like golf and tennis in a region. Additionally, they consider museums, theme parks, spas, and other amenities. Steve Stevanovich, and others, understand that all these things compounded work together to make a great wedding leisure package.

Steve Stevanovich realizes that territorial features are essential to the atmosphere and success of any leisure, wedding or other event. The qualities of a area’s choices help it establish a reputation as a go-to place for destination weddings and such. Outstanding panoramas, the major attraction of America’s National Parks, inspire Steve Stevanovich and others that enjoy the nations’ magnificent scenic heritage.

Steve Stevanovich has a quiet admiration of all that exotic locations offer. He realizes how inspiring it is for mates’ to have a wedding in a location with vivid natural scenery. He also understands how a bustling urban metropolis has a certain colorful charm conducive to a unmatched wedding celebration. With the plethora of exhilarating destination wedding locations available worldwide, there’s no doubt one can find that ideal place for a special celebration.

Steve Stevanovich appreciates the brilliance of America’s National Parks as a backdrop for destination weddings and a plethora of other activities. The impressive photography that results from holding an function in of these National Parks is what entices people to these idyllic natural settings. From Yellowstone National Park and Zion National Park to Channel Islands National Park or Biscayne National Park, diversity in venue abounds for grand destination weddings in America.

The various lesser known leisure spots acceptable for destination weddings and such have their own appeal. Steve Stevanovich thinks that these destinations offer quality travel opportunities to people who want something out-of-the-ordinary when it comes to travel. An example is Jeju Island in South Korea. This venue provides impressive trips up Mount Ichulbung. It also offers tantalizing cuisine in the exquisite seafood restaurants of great reputation in the area.

A wedding leisure in one of these locales also provides the opportunity for colorful pictures that seize the essence of a wedding celebration. Consider a wedding photo with the astounding ocean and a row of swaying palm trees as your backdrop. Ponder a wedding photo with the lush and bright flora and fauna that a island destination offers. Steve Stevanovich appreciates how a areas variety of landscape can enhance a wedding or any other leisure affair.

On one hand, you have the grand tapestry of art galleries and museums in Europe to weigh. On the other hand, you have the energizing attractions available in newer holiday spots similar to Dubai and the Far East. It certainly means multiple opportunities in abundance for quality wedding and other vacation ventures. Steve Stevanovich realizes that great choice is certainly better than limited choice when it comes to great wedding or other holidays.

You can treasure why Steve Stevanovich and others find weddings and other festivities held in beautiful locations breath-taking. The celebration of a significant life affair, amidst the lush magic of a tropical setting or the bright lights of a world-class city, certainly enthralls. This diversity of locations worldwide is available to all who wish to venture on a travel adventure while adopting a major milestone in their life.

In this high-tech age of computers and digital images, many people forget the value of a beautifully framed print. Pictures locked on a camera might be safe, but it’s hard to show off the latest baby picture or that family vacation when prints aren’t available. This is where a digital picture frame can come into play.

Choosing to make prints of digital shots can result in one of two things. The first option, is a substandard print that is broken up and ugly to behold. The second is a crisp, clear picture that can rival anything printed out from a 35 mm camera. The difference will be in the camera itself and in the printing method.

Good digital pictures are taken on cameras with higher resolutions. This is measured typically in mega pixels. The pixels basically equate to the dots per inch of the digital image. The greater the number, the better the quality of the finished picture in most cases. Remember though, even with a high mega pixel camera, the quality can be dictated by settings. In general, for good frame quality digital prints, the way to go is the highest quality settings possible.

When shooting digital pictures with framing in mind there are some things to consider. Digital cameras can and often do provide superior images over 35 mm prints, but the cameras themselves have some downfalls. Even expensive cameras can have a long reset time, which means fast action shots can be very difficult to capture. Also, small children will often be very difficult to photograph because they tend to move out of the frame before the camera clicks.

The best ways to overcome the problems are to remember digital technology allows the shooting of a lot of pictures. There’s no fear of wasting money on film or prints that aren’t wanted. With this removed, it kind of gives the shooter the psychological freedom to shoot like mad and even try to “anticipate” shots.

Anticipating shots is an art that may or may not pay off with a digital picture that’s worth framing, but when it does, it does so in a big way. When taking pictures, this practice involves aiming and shooting in an area where you expect the action to move. Continue clicking away. This works for sports pictures and even for a crawling baby. Basically frame the area where you expect the people or action to move and keep clicking.

Once “the shot” has been obtained, a simple print will suffice for showing others what you’d like to share, but a framed print can make a bigger statement. Digital framing is a little easier to handle, too, since it’s often easy to manipulate the image on computer to see what it would look like in different types of frames. Some pictures, for example, look great in gallery type frames, complete with matting, and other simply pop out in very simplistic colored frames. There are many camera programs that come with framing options to help users choose the right look for their digital images.

Remember a digital camera is a great investment for getting the right shot, but if pictures haven’t been printed, few will see them.

#1 Resource

Photographs and prints

http://www.posterframehq.com

It’s hard to believe but compact cameras can actually aid your photographic skills. I know that there will be plenty of prosumer and especially SLR users that will scoff at the idea, but I believe it to be true.

How could this possible be right? After all, compact cameras are small, lack flexibility and have that dreadful “shutter lag” which means that the camera will wait a few moments from the time you press the shutter till it takes the picture.

But, none of these are disadvantageous to your development in photography and can, in fact, aid your creativity.

How?

Consider the shutter lag problem. You see a picture you want and press the shutter button only to find that in the time the camera takes to fire the subject has moved. That special expression has been lost.

The problem is that you have suddenly rushed into taking a shot. The same happens with SLR users.

The issue here is anticipation. If you are in a situation where a decent image might be forthcoming (and being around children is always a good option) then try to look at the scene and anticipate the next image. In this way you can be holding your camera and have the shutter button pressed half way, ready and waiting.

Now you are into “creative mode”. You are now poised and waiting for the right moment, rather than having the right moment thrust upon you. It is creativity like this that makes a good photographer - not the equipment he has.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com.

Most serious photographers and all professionals use a Single Lens Reflex camera (SLR), the definition of an SLR camera is that the image is captured exactly as you see it in the viewfinder. However there are now two types of SLR the single lend reflex film (SLRF) and the single lens digital (SLD). They are both single lens camera, but digital does not use film and the resulting image can be processed at home with the aid of a photographic editor such as the chemical component in a traditional camera is film. When film is exposed to a real image, it makes a chemical record of the pattern of light, coming through the lens. Film has a collection of light sensitive frames, suspended on a strip of plastic. Colour film has three different layers of light sensitive material, which respond to red, green and blue (known as the (RBG) values. When the film is developed, it is exposed to chemicals, which dye the separate layers of film, into a color negative. All modern film is made up of silver halide crystals.

The digital revolution is the conversion of analog information, which is represented by a gradually fluctuating wave, to digital information represented by bits. This shift in technology has revolutionized both visual and audio information, in the form of cameras, televisions, and MP3 players. Whilst SLR cameras relied on a chemical process to transmit an image onto film, all digital cameras have their own inbuilt computers, which records images electronically. Essentially the digital camera represents a form the computer can understand, the information is collected in bits and bytes. Each part of the image is broken down into “pixels”, which is a contraction of picture element. When monitors display colors they are arranged in rows and columns, separated into thousands of little squares of color. They are so minute that they appear to be connected, but if you zoom into this the squares are quite separate. All these squares are the smallest dot that can be displayed by a monitor, and combined together they display the completed image.

Because of the enormous difference in the way the two types of camera work, there has been in many people’s mind a huge confusion as to what type of camera to buy. Added to that, there are three types of SLRD cameras. SLR cameras had conventional shapes, because it was necessary to have room for the film, and the light path, SLRD cameras do not have these constraints.

At the lower end of the market for the digital cameras are the “Point And Shoot”, there SLRF equivalent is known as “idiot Proof”. They have low resolutions of between 3,000.000 and 4,000,000 million pixels. The next level is the proconsumer camera typically with a resolution of 4-5 million pixels. At the top end of the market the resolution is between 6-12 million pixels. The greater the number of pixel resolution the better the quality of the resultant image.

As with any new technology there are pros and cons with both types of cameras, and it will be decades before digital cameras replace SLR, if indeed they ever do, more likely the SLR cameras will be retained for use in a specialist market. It is also fair to say that the quality of digital cameras has improved enormously in the last ten years, and the price has also reduced dramatically.

One major factor determining the choice of camera is weight. Typically the SLTD camera is half the weight of it’s SLR counterpart. The point and shoot is fully automatic, bit like their counterpart the idiot proof they do not give the photographer much creative control. They have earned their stripes, on the occasions when a photographic opportunity would have been missed with SLR. The middle of the range family of digital cameras represent the fastest growing demand for new cameras as they represent the ease of digital with a higher level of creative control. You can also make larger prints, as well as use the function of through the lens focusing.

The higher resolution top of the range digital cameras offer the same wider exposure controls and the ability to use different lens, in other words they offer the best of the features of analog photography to digital photography. The most recent development in digital cameras has been the development of a standard image sensor in the ratio of 4:3. As the image sensor has a standard size and shape, the mount for the lenses can be identical. That means that they will fit more than one type of camera, and will ultimately be cheaper to produce, as they can be produced in higher volume. Canon lenses for SLR film only fit Canon cameras, but they will now disappear. In future to add to the growing confusion, there will be a plethora of lenses from multiple manufacturers, to fit your camera, competition between the lens manufacturers should mean cheaper and better quality lenses. One factor not to be forgotten in deciding whether or not to go digital, is that the quality of the lens is still of paramount importance, it is still better to have a cheaper body and higher grade lens.

Another major factor is that digital image sensors are smaller than frames of film, which means that the lens can be correspondingly smaller and lighter. Until the development of the 4:3 ratio systems, digital cameras used conventional lenses.

The type of digital camera to choose is as complex as buying a car, it is a matter of personal choice, dictated by what it is used for, and the available amount of money to spend.

Fortunately there is a large amount of help in this respect already available on the Internet for you to research. At imaging resources you will find a large database dealing with individual camera models, the reviews also cover the scanners and printers as well. It includes member’s forums to assess individual comments as opposed to manufacturer’s claims. To review the cameras by make and price there are
Canon, Fuji, Kodak, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus and Sony.

One of the major drawbacks of using digital film, was that the quality of prints produced on a personal computer’s printer was less than satisfactory.

This obstacle has been overcome by the development of online printing centers. You upload the film to them via e-mail and they print the images and they are returned by post, with a professional standard. Kodak gallery offers you the opportunity to have your images improved and printed, and then to share your album via your computer, which means that your personal scanner is not necessary.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/colour_theory.shtml excellent article on colour to improve the final color of images

Publisher & author: Roy Barker. Roy is the author of the popular ebook, Income from Photography - a downloadable ebook which guides the reader on how to start up and market a Profitable Photography business. It can be viewed at http://www.profitable-photography.com. Other related and reviewed services & research sources can be found at http://profitable-photography-resources.com/ The information on this and adjoining pages may be reprinted and used on other sites providing all information remains unchanged and the article and all pages remain as they are found here in its current font size & image with all links in tact.

Pixels in your camera’s sensor pick up light. This light is converted into an electrical impulse which is then transferred as an image to your LCD camera screen or stored on the memory card.

Sometimes the electrical signal is not “clean” but muddied and “noisy”. This can lead to a degradation of the image especially visible on a printed or computer screen enlargement.

This happens through natural variation, internal electricity generation (the internal activity of the sensor) and temperature changes.

Noise becomes apparent on the image as an unnatural variation in colour of small spots or areas. This is especially so where the image is a uniform colour - such as sea, skies and large flat surfaces which are evenly lit. In the days of film, we would call this “grain”. But, whereas grain could be used to creative effect, noise is usually unwanted. In general, there is little you can do to avoid it except pay for a more expensive camera.

Noise won’t be a big issue for you although you may notice it. A lot of people talk about it as if good photography and perfection are equivalent qualities. It is often more apparent in compact cameras than SLRs and, of course, professional level SLRs have the least noise of all.

There are ways of reducing noise but they involve software manipulations which are reasonably detailed. Unless you are a perfectionist, it might be best to use your energies elsewhere and let the purists worry about a few stray pixels here and there.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com.

When my old Olympus digital camera got broke while caving during a family camping trip, I had mixed feelings. For quite some time I had felt that the quality of some of my pictures was hampered by the limitations of that camera, but I did not look forward to spending the money on a new one.

The old camera wasn’t bad, but there were certain situations where it was difficult to get good pictures with it. When taking pictures at my son’s basketball games, for example, the camera would slow the shutter down to try to improve the exposure, and this would cause the fast-moving players to just look like a blur. The flash was of no help, because it didn’t work well from that distance. All I could do was change the ISO sensitiviy, and that made the pictures grainy. Also, the camera was slow, so I’d often miss a good picture by about half a second. At football games, I had another problem; the players were just so far away that the camera’s zoom wasn’t enough.

For a while, I tried using my old Yashica 35 mm film camera. I even bought a fairly large telephoto lens off ebay and managed to get some really nice football pictures that way. Unfortunately, though, I found that I wasn’t saving any money by not buying a new digital as the photo processing was so expensive, especially by the time I added the extra cost of asking for cd’s. Also, the Yashica had a manual focus, which allowed maximum control, but sometimes I wasn’t quick enough with the focus and the shot was spoiled. Worst of all, since I couldn’t see the pictures until I’d paid for the processing, a couple of times I found that there were few if any good shots on an entire roll. With digital, I would have simply taken a lot more shots and deleted the bad ones.

So, finally I decided I needed a new digital, but I was spoiled by the control that the Yashica gave me. Simple point-and-shoot was not good enough. I wanted a camera with good optical zoom (digital zoom is just a marketing gimic) that would give me the ability to take control of more of the camera’s features. I also wanted a camera with a quality lens (an oft overlooked feature in consumer cameras), but I did not want to spend a lot of money. I finally settled on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ3 3MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom.

Everybody looking at digital cameras seem to look mainly at MP (megapixels), but 3MP is good enough for photo quality 8X10’s if you don’t do a lot of cropping and enlarging. So, that’s a great area for potential cost savings. Personally, I’d rather spend my money on features that will actually help me take better pictures, not just bigger ones. And the Lumix is loaded with such features. Consider also that if you get a higher MP camera, you also need a bigger, more expensive memory card as well.

This camera is admittedly too large to be pocketable, which may be an issue for some people, and if you use the adapter for filters it makes it even more bulky. However, it’s pretty light weight (due largely to the battery type) and I like a camera that fits into the hand nicely instead of feeling like a toy. Also, there is a reason why professionals lug around those big cameras. It’s because they take better pictures… if you know how to use them properly. Most people don’t realize that a telephoto lens is not just for taking pictures of things far away. They are also great for portraits. And for taking pictures of my son’s football games, the more zoom the better.

One of the great thing about this camera for me is that my wife, who wants things to be simple, can use the camera in “simple mode”. So, she can take great pictures of kids birthday parties and such without having to learn all the features of the camera. I have also used the “simple mode” sometimes, but for basketball games and other extreme situations, I have the option of using shutter-priority or manual modes, and have been able to achieve better results. And with the 12X optical zoom, the camera is great for football games too.

I’ve seen postings on the internet where people who have bought digital cameras are wondering why they can’t seem to get good pictures in certain situations. The answer is simple. Most cameras are made for the average user who wants something small and simple. They aren’t made to work well in extreme situations.

In this article, I have described what my needs were when buying my camera. Your needs may be entirely different, and may also change over time (as mine have). However, if you carefully evaluate your individual needs and take into consideration the pros and cons of different cameras before you buy, you will surely avoid some annoying surprises.

The author, Greg Bonney, is the owner of Bonney Information and E-Commerce and founder of Scoutcamping.com (http://www.scoutcamping.com).

Copyright © 2005 Bonney Information and E-Commerce.

If you’re a traveler and a photographer you’re blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime to capture moments in time from throughout the world and allow others to experience the world through your photography. Your adventures will become others dreams and inspiration. Often a particular photograph could make someone want to follow in your footsteps. Just one photograph could trigger the travel bug in someone and the next thing you know, you, the photographer, and enhancing people’s lives through the use of your camera.

Besides the impact travel photography has on others, it’s also very rewarding to the travel photographer. Chances are you would have had a camera on you anyways, so why not apply the creative principles of art photography to help enhance the pictures you take.

How to take the best travel photographs
There are two types of travel photography.

1) The “stand in front of that sweetie” brand and the “spontaneous and interesting” brand. Unfortunately most travel photography falls into the former category. We’ve all seen this type of photographer before, and regrettably most of us are guilty of it as well. We will try and capture the shot of something for no other purpose than to just prove we were there. The result is an often scripted, uncomfortable, predictable and visually boring picture. These types of pictures clog photo albums. Page one; the family in front of a water fountain. Page 2; the family in front of a monument. Page 3; the family in front of a sign that says something only funny to tourist. Congratulations, you’ve taken the same shots, in the same position as thousands and sometimes millions of other people. Let’s now turn our attention to the other brand of travel photography, the spontaneous and interesting brand.

2) with this type of photography you are still free to capture the tourist site and you are still allowed to include yourself in the picture. However, there will be a stark difference in both composition and character engagement. Let’s say for example that you and your family have gone on a kayaking for the day. Some people may line the kayaks up, gear up and stand in front of the kayaks, throw their thumbs in the air and “click”. The picture is taken. When you get home to look at your shot you realize that the picture didn’t capture the peacefulness of kayaking, the calming backdrop of mountains or the scared look on sisters face when she had to duck under a log. You’ve simply captured proof that you’ve been there and done that. A better idea would be to have someone on shore (because you probably don’t want a camera in a kayak unless you’re very skilled), and have them take pictures of the action while its happening. Even if you have to recreate events, it is still better than the scripted and visually boring alternative. Obviously capturing the moment spontaneously is best, but recreation finds itself in second place if that’s the only other option.

Likewise if you’re in Rome and you’d like to get a picture of your friend and the Coliseum all in one, try quickly pulling out your camera while they are looking at the size of the structure and snap a shot of the wonder and curiosity in their eyes. Often this takes some preplanning with however you’re with. You will need to tell them; “Look, when I take out the camera I don’t want you to stop what you’re doing and “say cheese”. Just keep doing what you’re doing because I’m trying to capture our unpredictable and beautiful life as it unfolds”. It may take a couple of times before they stop turning and looking your way, but once you get this down pat as a team, your pictures will turn out much better.

John S
Stare Online Photography School
http://www.starephotography.com

If you are still unsure about getting the correct exposure, there is a cheap but very effective device called an 18% grey card that can limit your frustration, if used correctly.

When light falls upon a certain object; if the object is too dark your camera or meter will automatically give you an over-exposed reading. This also happens when we take a reading from something that is too

bright - the meter gives us an under-exposed reading.

We need to find a mid-tone object for our meters to read the proper exposure.

Sometimes if we are taking pictures in a high contract scene a mid-tone object is impossible to find. 18 % grey is the mid-tone between pure white and pure black.

An 18% grey card will record the exact light that will touch any object. Start by placing the grey card where you are going to take your reading, point your camera or light meter at the grey card - your meter should read the exact light that falls upon the card.

These cards can be used for all types of photography. If you are taking a portrait place the grey card beside the subjects’ face. This will give you an exact reading and help to capture perfect skin tones.

We don’t need to understand the full science of how this works, but knowing a little doesn’t hurt. All light-meters are calibrated to produce an exposure of 18% The grey card reflects the exact same reading.

This card only costs a few Euro, and most decent camera stores should sell them. The 18% grey card should become an important part of your equipment. The grey card can be used if you shoot with digital or film cameras, and whether you use black and white or colour film.

TJ Tierney. Award winning Irish Landscape Photographer. If you are looking for more tips visit: Photo tips. To view some of his images visit his on-line gallery: Pictures of Ireland.