Dirija a los Fotografos de los Ninos las Tecnicas

¿Usted se ha preguntado nunca cómo los fotógrafos de los niños hacen que sus retratos parecen tan profesionales?  No importa si haya un niño o cuatro o más, o incluso si una familia entera está en el retrato, miran siempre, “derecho.”  Bien, utilizan algunas reglas básicas, o guías, para crear estas imágenes atractivas. Este artículo va a explicar estas reglas junto con diagramas para ayudarle a alcanzar sus propios retratos que se compongan del mismo modo que como lo hacen los fotógrafos de los niños profesionales.  (more…)

How To Shoot Macro Photography

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Sheep and Border Collie Video – Amazing!

Watch this amazing video and see what a border collie, a sheep herder and some amazing technology can do with a little too much time on their hands! 

Every time I see this video it reminds me of how smart dogs are and that we can have an amazing relationship with them.

Border Collies love to run and they are so good at it.

They are fast and are happiest when you give them a job to do.

This dog works to help his master with the heard.

This sheep and border collie video is amazing and one of my favorites.

Seven Portrait Photography Tips

Below are seven portrait photography tips that will help you take pictures that look more professional.

With a little practice you can master these techniques and amaze yourself and your friends at the quality.

If you don’t have the top of the line equipment, don’t worry, many of these tips can still be applied.

Although it is true, that with a digital SLR camera you can use specific techniques and lenses to create great portraits, a lot of the lower end cameras including point-and-shoot cameras have some flexibility that will help you put these portrait photography tips into use.

1.  Blur the background

If your camera (this principle is for both digital and film cameras) has adjustments, set the f-stop to a low number.  This will give you a wide opening in the lens which in turn gives you a minimal depth-of-field.  That means what you focus on will be in focus, but what is in front and in back of the focus point will be blurry.  If you have a “point-and-shoot” digital camera that offers you setting choices by picture, pick the image of a portrait.  This will accomplish a similar effect.

2.  Lighting is key

Whenever possible I like to use both back light and fill in flash together.  Have you ever noticed portraits where the person looks well lit, but something just looks flat, and you can tell it is not a professional portrait?  That is because the professional portrait photographers set up a light behind the subject.  Often it is just a little light on the floor behind the subject; sometimes the light source is higher, but still is behind the person.


This light source is in addition to the light in front of the person.  What this back light does is set the person off and away from the background.  So, if you don’t have a studio handy, use what you have.  Outside you can use the sun, or another light source.  Set your camera to use a flash even if there is enough available light.  The camera settings should compensate for this light to give you a correct exposure.

3.  Note what is in the background

Try and use a background that is plain, especially if you can’t set your camera to blur it out and don’t have a high end portrait lens to do this for you.

4.  Composition

Where are you placing the subject within the picture frame?  Don’t cut off body parts unless it is intentional!  On the same wavelength – don’t be too far away.  Think, is this going to be a, “face shot” or a little further back such as to the waist, or is it going to include the whole person.  Be careful if this is the case not to cut off their feet! Think of the viewfinder as your picture frame.  Use the, “Rule of thirds.”  IF you are not familiar with that term, it basically means to divide the frame into imaginary thirds, which breaks down into nine equal boxes.  You can do this by visualizing two horizontal and two vertical lines that would make up this grid.  Where the lines meet, or intersect, is where the main subject should be placed.  Try this.  It makes for a more interesting photograph than when the person is smack dab in the middle of the frame.

5.  Tell a story

Put the person in a setting that reflects something about the subject.  For example, if you are taking a portrait of someone who loves the outdoors, don’t take their portrait inside – go outside.  If someone is most at home while in the kitchen cooking, go there to take the photograph.  Get the idea…  I call these, “Life Portraits.”  It is my desire to capture the essence of the person within the image.  Does this photograph sum up that person?  I have a dear aunt who is famous within our family for striking up conversations with strangers along her journeys.  My favorite portrait of her is of her having a conversation with a boat captain.  You just look at that image, and know what she is about.  Another aunt practically lived in her garden, and my favorite portrait of her is one where she is right in the garden.  Now, I don’t mean, standing there and smiling for the camera.  She is actually low to the ground and is gardening.

6.  Stop-look-listen

Take a second or two to think about what you want the photo to “say.”  Look around at the environment.  Is this the best spot and angle to take the shot?  Can you and/or the subject move slightly to crop out a distracting object, or include a better background

7.  Interact

Have fun and make your subject comfortable.  Tell a story or a joke, put them at ease.  Also, people like direction.  You have the camera in your hand, which makes you the boss, the expert, at that moment.  Embrace this position and use it to create better images.  If you see something that is a little off, let the person know, and ask them to adjust the situation.  (For example, if one side of their shirt collar is sticking up, just casually mention it and ask them to fix it.)

If you liked these tips you may enjoy the Digital Photography Lessons – The Frame post.

I hope these portrait photography tips help you to understand what is involved in creating better portrait photos, and inspire you to get out there and just start taking pictures.

Digital Asset Management – Part 6

An Image library should be protected.  Unprotected images are irreplaceable, and re-creating an image database is a daunting thought.  Loss occurs in different ways.  Hardware can fail, be stolen, or be destroyed by fire or other tragedy.  Images can be compromised and even stolen in cyberspace.  The best way to protect your images against this is to be prepared.

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Digital Asset Management – Part 5

Accessing and prioritizing your personal image management needs is essential prior to acquiring a software program because there is no one, “best” program.  Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and fills the needs of different users.  For example, will you be working with the Mac or PC platform?  Are you looking to create Internet albums?  Will it be used for personal or business purposes?  Will there be more than one user on the system?  Does the software support your data type (e.g. RAW files)?

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Digital Asset Management – Part 4

Organizations have been established to standardize, promote, and protect the field of digital photography.  The Stock Artists Alliance (SAA) founded in 2001, is one such organization.  (more…)

Digital Asset Management – Part 3

Digital recording devices such as digital cameras and camcorders have become available and accessible to the general public.  The word, “file” has taken on a new meaning. (more…)

Digital Asset Management – Part 2

The concept and process of image management has been explored for centuries.  It can be traced back to logographic (picture based) writing.  Two categories emerged – pictographic and ideographic writing. (more…)

Digital Asset Management – Part 1

Digital asset management, also known as, “D.A.M.” is a term used to describe how to manage digital media such as photographs, videos, and music.  This is accomplished with a variety of available computer software from the expensive and comprehensive, to the inexpensive or even freeware. (more…)

Guide to Children’s Photographers Techniques

Have you ever wondered how childrens photographers make their portraits look so professional?

It doesn’t matter whether there is one child or four or more, or even if a whole family is in the portrait, they always look, “right.”

Well, they use some basic rules, or guides, to create these attractive images.

This article is going to explain these rules along with diagrams to help you achieve your own portraits that are composed just as well as the professional children’s photographers do.

The basic triangle is the key to a stable image.

Place the subject (child) in the frame (viewfinder of your camera) so that that you can draw an imaginary triangle around them within the frame.  (See the example below.)

Fill the frame.  A good image has the subject taking up most of the frame.  The example below shows a good and a bad example of this.

Another key is to pose the children well.  Below is an example of good posing and bad posing.  Note in the sketch for bad posing the subjects have their heads and limbs cut off.

Frame set-up can make the difference between a professional looking childrens photographs and an amateur’s attempt.

Where the heads of the children are within the picture frame is really important.  You want them to be close, and the eyes of the kids need to be level with the camera.  What I mean by this is it shouldn’t appear like either we (the viewer) are looking down at the kids, nor should it look like the kids are up high and looking down at us.

Finally, below is an example of a well framed and composed picture and an example of a poorly composed and framed image (no triangle, and bad composition.)

I hope these little sketches and these tips help you to become a better photographer and to be able to compose your pictures like the childrens photographers do.

Digital Wedding Photography Tips

At first glance good digital wedding photography may seem to be a subject best left for the pros.

While that may be true, it is also possible for photography enthusiasts, amateurs, and of course, simply wedding guests who want to capture the special day, to take digital wedding photos like the pros.

An advantage to other people taking digital wedding photography is that you can capture the event from the perspective of a by-stander.

The hired photographer has an agenda which usually consists of a list of standard shots such as the bride getting out of the limousine upon her arrival to the ceremony, the groom shaking hands with the best man, or formal portraits in the garden. However, you do not have those restrictions.

With this freedom of not having the responsibility of capturing every specific desired image, you can use the information below to record a unique perspective of the event, which you can then turn into a nice gift, (say for the couple’s first anniversary, for the parents of the bride and groom…)or simply as a special remembrance for yourself.  The digital wedding photography tips below are just some of many different styles and possibilities to capture these special moments in time.


Think of yourself as a storyteller.  First and foremost digital wedding photography is about telling a story.  It can be a form of photojournalism, and it can transcend into fine art.  It’s all about your eye.  How do you see this event?  Think of your “job” as telling a story to someone who was not able to be at the wedding (or any event, for that matter.)  What do you want to convey to the person who did not attend?  You are capturing the event, but you are capturing the small details that when put together make up the moments that what happened.  Your hands hold the tool that will record this event through your perspective.  Think about that.  If ten people followed these tips at the same event, ten different stories will have been told.  Tell yours.

Realistic documentation or fantasy documentation? Decide from the beginning where you want to go with this project of capturing digital wedding photography.  What is your end result going to be?  Are your images going to be for your personal use?  Will they ultimately be a gift?  Do you want generic images for other uses?  (Such as taking images of the bouquets and using them as wall-art.)   Weddings give digital photographers a great opportunity to get creative.  There are a lot of textures at weddings – fabrics in the gowns of the bridal party as well as guests, flowers, food, displays (buffet, cake table…) Even guests dancing give the photographer many opportunities for documenting the event from a fantasy perspective.  By setting your camera to a slow shutter speed and then taking pictures of dancing, you will get streaky images that will have a strong feel of movement.  They may not be in sharp focus, but that’s not what fantasy is about.  Fantasy is about feeling, and telling a story from a different perspective.

Be an observer.  Often times when a main event is unfolding, there is another, more precious event happening.  When the crowd is focusing (no pun intended) on something, say, the bride enters the church – all of the sudden shutters start clicking, flashes start going off, and they are all focused on the subject.  It’s okay to grab that shot, the point of this tip, is to then quickly observe the crowd – just look around, try and blend, don’t be noticed.  What do you see?  You will be surprised at how many great digital photographic opportunities are right around you!  Is there a tear in the father-of-the-groom’s eye?  Is there a little three year old trying to run down the isle and Mom is holding her from the sprint?  These are the types of little digital wedding photography tips that can turn a mundane group of same-as-everyone-else’s photos, into a unique treasure.  So often these are the little noticed events that will become some of the most cherished memories.  After all, what I am telling you to record often becomes the visual record of the stories that get told long after the wedding day is over.

Be different.  When everyone is taking pictures of the cake, try and take a picture of something different – something related to the cake.  This could be a detail of the cake, or the setting where the cake is.  Another good tip for being different would be to take a picture of the guest who is photographing the cake, for example.  Also, you can take a picture of the same subject, but from a different angle.  Looking at a common scene from a different perspective instantly gets your images noticed.  The viewer recognizes the familiar scene, but because you are presenting it from a different angle, or viewpoint, the viewer stops and notices it. 

Listen.  What is being discussed about the wedding by the guests?  If guests are talking about Uncle Elmo who has put the centerpiece flower in his hair, get a shot of that.  You get the point.  Often the subject is handed to you by the other honored guests.  Listen. Act. Shoot. 

Look for sentimental moments. Often people try to hide their emotion.  With this in mind, look for people who suddenly become quiet, or whose body language tells something is going on with them.  Observe their face – is there a tear in their eye?  Are they getting choked up, do they glow of love and pride?  These are the moments that are better captured with a telephoto lens.  Zoom in, take the shot.

Be Complete.  If you take a close-up shot, also take a wide-angle shot.  This puts the event in perspective.  The wider shot gives the close-up a reference point.

Look for funny moments. The spontaneous, mistakes, and comedy that inevitably happens during weddings make for great pictures.  Accidents happen.  Capturing them can be a little bit of like being in the right place at the right time, but you can stack the cards in your favor for capturing these moments by being observant, listening, and anticipating what might happen next.  After observing the crowd as the day goes on, certain individuals may start to emerge as having a greater chance of being the subject of these funny moments.  Keep an eye on them.  You know where I’m going with this…

Don’t discount the formal shots.  If you are in a position to take some formal shots, by all means, go for it.  Here is a list of some of the more common traditional shots that a wedding photographer might take:

Bride alone, bride with her mother, bride with her maid of honor, groom alone, groom with best man, the bride & groom, bride with her attendants – couple with attendants, bride with siblings, groom with siblings, bride & groom with their siblings, bride with her family, groom with his family, bride and groom with each other’s family, bride and groom with both families… the list can go on-and-on.

The Obvious Tips. Charge your camera(s) before the event.  Make sure your digital media cards are empty.  That means download any images that are currently on your camera’s memory card.  Bring extra batteries and digital media cards.  Do maintenance on the camera before the event, such as cleaning the lenses.

I hope these digital wedding photography tips help you to take better images of special events as well as your photography in general.

PS – Share your digital slr camera with a kid.  Kids feel special when you entrust them with a digital slr camera.  And it’s a real, “Bordum Buster” too.  Adults get a kick out of seeing a kid with a, “grown-up” camera and with the camera set to auto, some pretty cool pics can come out of it.  Children understand you are allowing them to use something valuable and they want to “pay you back” by taking care of it and making you proud.  But most important, by sharing your camera with a kid, you are encouraging and connecting with a child – what a great feeling.

Thanks, Andy, for the suggestion. There are always more digital wedding photography tips to be shared.

Olympus Stylus 1030SW

Wow – I love this camera!  The Olympus Stylus 1030SW is an underwater digital camera – really!

It is also shock resistant, although I don’t plan on testing that claim.

If you are looking for a, “Grab-n-go” easy camera to take on vacations, or just to have on hand, this is the one.

Click Here For Latest Model Deals

As the name suggests, you get ten megapixels and a shock and water resistant camera.  Oh, did I mention, it even takes videos.  Can you imagine taking a simple to use camera with you on vacation, deciding to go snorkeling, and just grab the camera and voila, you have images and video of pretty little fishies swimming by.  The beauty of this camera is you don’t have to worry about taking it out in the elements.

Even if you don’t intend to go underwater, I suggest purchasing this camera.  If you are by a pool or beach where water and sand is splashed/blown around, your camera is protected.  If it suddenly rains, or even snows, you’re good.

Whale Video taken with Olympus 1030 SW Digital Camera

Click here to see more whale watching video and photos taken with is great camera.

Update:

Check out the latest Olympus SW model

Camera Reviews

What types of cameras are you interested in reading reviews on?

Photography is a vast subject and there are many varieties of photographic cameras.

Examples of cameras are digital, film, SLR, digital slr, underwater, disposable, etc.  Professional and entry level professional digital slr cameras are popular now for many reasons.  Although there are many “point and shoot” cameras that do a great job of capturing the perfect image also.

There are many things to consider when trying to find out what camera is best for you.  First consider what the purpose for the camera is.  Are you going to take pictures of family gatherings?  Will this piece of equipment be used as part of a new hobby?

Photography is a wonderful hobby.  In fact, many professional photographers started out with photography as a hobby.  They soon realized they had a talent for it, and loved it.  One thing led to another and their hobby became a nice outlet for extra income or even a full time career!  And it all began with that first camera they picked up.

Many people find cameras become more important in their life when big changes happen.  For example, getting married, or having a baby, awakes the desire to capture memories in print (or digitally, of course.)  One of my favorite categories for the need of a camera is vacation.

The needs for a camera to take on vacation are different from other purposes.  A camera that would work well on vacation has features such as:

small size

lightweight

easy to operate

waterproof

shock resistant

photo/video

One of my favorite “vacation” cameras is the olympus stylus 1030sw, although there are newer versions of this model.  This camera, although perfect for vacation, is also a great camera to have handy laying around the house.  It takes video and still photos.  The price point of the Olympus Stylus series makes them a great camera to have as a general purpose item.  Keep it on a shelf, or even in your purse, to capture those unexpected moments that bring joy to our lives.

If you want more control with the creativity aspect of taking photos, then an slr, or single lens reflex, camera may be what you are looking for.  You can still get them in film formats such as 35 mm.  However, the popular models being produced today are digital slr cameras.  It is important to understand how they operate when choosing a brand.  They are not all alike.  Once you choose a brand, the next thing to consider is the lens.  With slr cameras you can buy separate lenses to accommodate your project.  For example, if you are doing portrait photography, you will probably want a fixed length lens, at 85mm.  Brand becomes important when purchasing lenses, because it is all about the quality of glass.

Whatever your needs, there is a model that should be right for you.  Camera reviews are an important step in the buying process in order to get the best fit for your lifestyle.