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Top 6 Pros to Make Your own Glamour Images Blog

In this century, all ambitious glamour artists have to promote themselves well on the Internet. The Glamourous Photography niche is exactly alike –there are so many blogs, forums, websites, portfolios and much more.

What urges both professional and dummies to set up their online havens? There is a number of good reasons for that:

  • It is extremly popular to go onlin right now – every day the pressure to be online increases, as it is a perfect field to build up one’s credibility, market oneself and gain recognition. Promoting oneself in the real world can cost a lot and is arguable in terms of efficiency – Internet self-marketing, on the other hand, can prove more rewarding. Using this modern publishing mechanisms it is relatively easy to become an established authority in very little time;
  • Glamour photographers need to network, present their work, find customers, discuss techniques – just like any other professionals. The online world makes all of it doable with little expense from photographer’s side;
  • With Glamour Images actively exploiting digital format, it has become much easier to host them in electronic format, skipping the stage of actual printing. With film left behind in a company of its dedicated fans, glamour photography embraces digital format – the one which is so easy to store and show off in web galleries and portfolios.

Considering this trend, you might as well want to establish your little online haven to market your expertise, trade your skills, share your knowledge and boast your proficiency. However, prior to creating a real website, I would strongly advise to start a blog and see for yourself, how much potential this format has. To motivate you, let us look at these six “why should I’s”.

To begin with, there’s nothing simpler on the Web than blogs – to use them effectively, you don’t have to be a pro of HTML, CSS and suchlike specialized stuff. Without any technical complications, everything you require would be a domain name, fine web hosting and a user-friendly blogging service. Blogs are extremely flexible – you can make them unique in full accordance with your own desires and requirements, even if you are not a guru of web design. Blogs are easy to update and maintain, which is invaluable for most users who don’t feel comfortable dealing with technical issues.

Secondly, do you know why photographers and marketers often tend to stick to blogs rather than sites? It’s just because they are more responsive. Blogging is a conversation, where the reader can comment, ask questions, evaluate and feel themselves involved in the whole process. If you manage to show great interest in other people’s opinions and ideas, you will be able to do anything.

Thirdly, there’s a growing demand for blogging. The ever-increasing number of Internet users grasp the idea of blogging and become a part of this tidal wave. It’s a good idea to contribute to this community through unique content, ideas, experiences and self-marketing. It will help to differentiate yourself among others, acquire renown and affirm your online presence.

In addition, blogs are quite a multi-purpose tool you can use in many diverse ways. Your blog may become an article storage, a service of tips and great advice. Blog is also easy to set up and run as a gallery of glamour images to display the finest highlights of your creativity; you may turn it into a storage of your own products on glamour photography, citadel of your home-business and much, much more. The functions of your blog are only limited by your creativity and imagination.

Another point is – a blog can bring money to your pocket. It is more than possible for an accomplished artist to make money from mere blogging – by advertising, marketing their expertise and goods, selling their works, providing training programs and a dozen of other original ways. Blogging is highly adjustable and has great earning potential.

Finally, your blog is your identity distilled and poured online. You can’t possibly promote yourself more effectively than through your very own glamour blog. Even considering strong competition in the world of glamour images, you still possess everything required to find and occupy your well-deserved place in it.

Some people don’t give any serious thought to the fact that we now live in the world where information dominates. Being altogether a matter of commerce, a tool and a resource, information is a powerful factor in modern world. The Web is a true goldmine for any aspiring photographer, waiting to be explored and exploited. Reaching the world through blogs is just one of the strategies to secure income and acquire credibility. Fine arts are going digital; the Web opens up a whole universe of prospects – don’t be a slow-poke and jump on the wagon.

More On Glamour Photography

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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Photography Basics: All About F Stops

Shooting with a camera and adjusting the settings manually can be an intimidating task to the new photographer. Most veteran photographers will no doubt remember the first roll of film they ruined by reading the light wrong or the photos they missed by having a closed lens cap. A photographer’s job is to be the conductor of a symphony of moving parts, influencing each element to make sure the end result is more than just the sum of the parts.

Without understanding each element of photography, it’s impossible to know how they relate as a whole. So let’s start our trip into the inner workings of photography with one of the most unfamiliar topics: aperture.

Defining Aperture
Aperture is simply what controls the amount of light exposed on the film or your digital camera’s sensor. It can be opened and closed using the camera’s f-stop, which is usually a ring located around the lens between the focus ring and the body of the camera. If you’ve ever looked into someone’s eye as light was shone into it and watched the pupil get smaller, this is how the aperture works too.

Most cameras have an F-Stop range of 1.7 or 2.0 to 22 or so; the range of values usually increases with the quality and cost of the camera. You can see your camera’s range by looking at the numbers around your lens. Lower F-Stops are more open and expose the film to more light, while high F-Stops close the aperture and shut the light out.

How Aperture Impacts Images
Using your F-Stop to purposefully manipulate the aperture of your camera will allow you to change the depth of field shown in your photographs. If you’re unfamiliar with the term “depth of field,” it describes how much of your photograph is blurry, and how much is sharp. Aperture directly affects the amount of time a frame is exposed; the more time the film has to absorb information, the more clarity and depth will come through in the final product.

For instance, if you were to take a photograph of a line of vintage picture frames on a table from one end using a low F-Stop number (an open aperture), you would probably see one or two frames clearly and the background ones as blurry. Open apertures create a shallow depth of field. If you were to then take the same photograph with a high F-Stop (a closed aperture), you would see many more antique picture frames clearly down the line and get a much greater sense of how far away they might be.

Fun Aperture Experiments
Playing with the aperture on your camera can be great fun once you have a bearing on what it does.  Here’s a couple of ideas to try the next time you’re out shooting and you want to test it out:

  • Take every photograph twice – once at a high F-Stop, and once at a low F-Stop.
  • Challenge yourself to shoot an entire roll at one F-Stop, then switch it up.
  • Put your camera on full manual and adjust the F-Stop on the fly to adjust for light

Don’t forget to adjust the shutter speed of your camera to allow for more or less light (faster speeds for more light, slower speeds for less), or you may end up with overexposed or underexposed images. Many digital cameras have a fantastic option called “aperture priority mode” which lets you choose an F Stop and will then adjust the shutter speed automatically. It’s worth noting that the best types of lighting for experimenting with aperture are cloudy or overcast days. When faced with bright or low light, your options for F-Stop values will become limited.

Of course, the best way to improve your images is to take a lot of photos. So, get out there and find those photographs that you’ll be proud to hang on your picture frame wall!

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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Purchasing the Perfect Digital Camera

Regardless of whether you’re searching for your own point and shoot camera or buying one as a gift to your loved one, here are a few great points to keep in mind when choosing the perfect digital camera for your needs.

Establish the reason of the camera. Will you be using the digital camera for everyday use, for particular occasions, or do you plan to practice photography? The answer to these questions will help you determine the cost as well as model for the gadget that you are planning to buy. You will find hundreds of designs available in stores; and answering the questions could also assist narrow down the options.

Remember to look around and check out digital camera designs. Should you know a person who is into photography or has knowledge about cameras, it would be very useful to bring him along to assist you with the features of the gadget. Asking your friend is much better than relying on the sales assistant as salespeople usually attempt to reach quotas and could try to sell something that is not often the right choice for you. At least, with a friend, you can never make a mistake since you trust that person too.

Anther point to think about is the camera’s guarantee. Before making the purchase, read the details about the guarantee and take note of how long the camera can be exchanged before signing the form. It’s also a helpful idea to know which components and services are covered since you will be using the camera for a long time.

Choose the megapixels. The latest digital camera models boast of having the most megapixels which is related to the resolution. Having the highest megapixel isn’t always the right choice, as this is only helpful for making prints with your point and shoot. Other factors which are far more important are the light settings, adjustments in the lens, and the shutter speed.

Set a budget and make sure to follow it. This will help you remove a lot of high- end models and focus on the one that you need. Speaking of budget, never sacrifice quality for the price. Make sure the price is reasonable but at the same time, the quality of the photographs are fine.

Save room for accessories to protect the gadget. Cameras usually come with portable bags or leather cases, but other accessories are lens cleaners, and waterproof cases. Again, the purpose of the digital camera will decide the type of the accessory you should buy.

Read comments and reviews. Know the pros and cons of the models that you are eyeing because these usually discuss all the needed factors like the zoom, and include tips which might prove of use once you’ve already bought the digital camera. Other features of the camera which you should take note of are battery life, how much memory you need, as well as the LCD screen. Be sure to read the reviews on all the different factors which are all important for the final selection of the camera to be purchased.

Visit us for more details about quality digital cameras and camera memory cards.

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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Glamour Photography Is Dominated By Women

Glamour photography is dominated by women. This kind of photography is commercial and artistic at the same time, as it portrays the subjects in a sexually attractive or romantic postures. In blunt terms we could call glamour photography is also considered a form of softcore pornography. Professional models, film stars or celebrities in the music industry regularly pose for glamour photography. The photos are then published in men’s magazines, pinups, calendars and lots of other publications.

The early forms of glamour photography appeared in France at the beginning of the 20th century. Scantily dressed women with a playful attitude best described these postcards sold by street vendors. Betty Grable and Marlyn Monroe have remained in the ‘hall of fame’ of glamour photography. In many countries, modeling for such photos is considered very advantageous from the financial perspective. And magazines now rely on glamour photography to actually sell their issues.

Besides FHM and Playboy, there are other magazines like Maxim, health publications and tabloids that rely on glamour photography extensively. The nudity part falls on the second place, after glamour, in most such cases. It is almost a cliché to see topless pictures with women holding their hands like a handbra to cover the breasts. Have a look at the newsagents stand, and you will see that glamour photography is everywhere.

There is something artistic in glamour photography and here we do not refer only to the beauty of nudity, but to the special effects that are used to enhance it. Cosmetic conditioning and brushing are usually performed on the photos before publication, but the quality of the pics is generally very high. Moreover, no tiny imperfections remain after this brushing up stage. As for accessories and make up, glamour photography, could not be possible without them.

A model will therefore need the help of an entire team for professional shooting sessions. Besides photographers, there will be hair stylists, designers and makeup artists. Lots of photos are taken and only the best are then chosen for publication. Photo selection then becomes the next stage before publication. It is for the editor of a certain publication to decide how and where to use glamour photography, but there will be a place for it without any doubt.

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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Come To Fine Art Photography As A Opposition With Commercial Photography

All the photos meant to express and fulfill an artist’s creative vision are referred to as fine art photography. Fine art photography is the exact opposite of photojournalism and commercial photography. With commercial pics the objective is very clear: to sell a service or product. Then, photojournalism is essential for any type of magazine that uses documentaries. Fine art photography is not involved in any of these kinds of services, it just makes the artistic part of the occupation.

There are several genres that define fine art photography and they include natural landscapes, portraits and nudes. The last two decades have seen an increase in the number of fine art photography exhibitions around the world. It is now considered very trendy to use prints and frames for fine art photography too. There are even fine art photography boards without glass for display in major art galleries. The size of prints differs depending on the purpose and the subject of the photo. We certainly can’t deny the beauty of fine art photography.

The photographer’s vision is often completed by lighting and staging the photos in unique artistic presentations. Moreover, things have changed a lot with the introduction of full spectrum photography thanks to digital technologies and highly advanced cameras. The artist can now achieve so many effects simply by filtering ultraviolet light as well as visible light and infrared. Just as the photo-shooting technologies improve, so does printing, offering so many options to artistic photographers.

Fine art photography sells in auction rooms every year, and the prices are considerable. The thriving collectors market takes most of the photos available for sale, because the general public still does not purchase fine art photography as they purchase prints of paintings. Moreover, we can now view some of the most famous photos of the 20th century in art galleries. This is what happens at trades, fashion shows and so many other multiple art events.

Last but not least, fine art photography owes a lot to commercial photography and photojournalism even if it opposes them in general lines. On occasions, the separation lines between the various models can hardly been identified. This happens with most photos that you view in magazines.

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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Go For Training Before Applying Jobs With Figure Photography

Expression is everything for figure photography, and photographers know and insist on this aspect a lot. When applying for a job in figure photography , you should have a presentation map or portfolio. The essence of this type of photography is the capturing of the human face and body expression in different conditions. You can practice by using models, or by taking spontaneous shots. Physical specificity also matters a lot in figure photography.

Hair cut, skin color, age, tattoos, jewels, all play an important role in the shooting process. The emotion, the attitude and the model’s feedback to the photographer further influence the results of figure photography. New effects can be added by changing hair style, clothes, makeup and accessories. The collaboration between models and photographer is essential for great figure photography, and real works of art can come out of this creative effort.

Figure photography thus includes numerous applications in printed form. And photographers are most concerned to get work with publications. Wherever there is glamor, there is money, and money is like honey for bees. Yet, you need to have great skills in order to land great jobs. Good positions require complex contracts, great professional and financial advantages and prestige. Some people manage to climb to the top of the pyramid while others stay at the hobby or amateur level.

Figure photography could be just a hobby or a start up for your career. There are photography clubs, associations and even schools. Good training or a degree in figure photography are essential to make a living out of this profession. In case you are in search of a model, it should not be that difficult to find one. There are spontaneous photos that you can take and they have better chances of being artistic than any other. Photography exhibitions will show you plenty of these.

Learn how to work with the models, and read online tips and suggestions to improve figure photography. Read about the dos and don’ts of shooting sessions and make the step from amateurish to professional figure photography. Even if you have just completed your training and you are eager to put everything you know into practice, it will take a while before you land a contract. Make your presentation map in the meanwhile and constantly improve your skills!

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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Action Photography Tips for Taking Better Action Pictures

When it comes to taking great action photos, one of the most important digital photography basics is understanding shutter lag.

Also called “processor lag” this is the time that it takes between the time you press the shutter release and the time the camera actually takes the shot. Press the shutter too early and you’ll end up with a picture that’s completely different than what you were expecting.

Despite all of their advantages, compact digital cameras are slower than traditional film cameras. This article provides some tips for working with shutter lag, as well as some tips for how you can take great action photos.

1) Be Ready – Always try to anticipate the movement before it happens. Even professional sports photographers with fast cameras have to still anticipate actions so they can be in the right spot at the right time.

By having a better understanding of what you’re photographing, you’ll be better able to anticipate the actions and get better shots. In other words, if you plan to photograph your child’s soccer game, learn the rules of the game. If your child’s performing in the Nutcracker, watch a rehearsal or two.

2) Before you get a new compact digital camera investigate what you really want. Unfortunately, there isn’t just one camera spec that will tell you how fast the camera will capture the picture from the time you press the button. Other factors can slow down the processing too, like the quality of the sensor and in dim lighting, the ISO setting. So investigate what other people are saying in photography forums and read all of the manufacturer’s specs online.

3) Get a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) if You Can. They’re more expensive than compacts, but they’re FAST. These cameras do not have shutter-lag issues, and if you’re shooting action indoors, you can ramp up the ISO without your photos being marred by the digital noise that you’ll get when doing the same with a compact.

Digital Photography Basics to Use with any Type of Camera

Whether you have a DSLR, compact or an automatic film camera, try these photo tricks of the trade.

Zoom in on Faces – Don’t always focus on the action. Capture those expressions of determination, triumph and even defeat (especially if it’s an opponent!).

Tell a Story – Look for shots that tell a story of the event. For instance, take a picture of a team huddle or a group of runners stretching before the big race.

Freeze! – To freeze the action, set your camera to sports mode or set your Shutter Speed Priority to a high setting. For an example of the difference in settings: freezing action in a soccer game requires a shutter speed in the range of 1/250 to 1/500, while freezing the tiny movements of a pet that appears to be sitting still, requires 1/125.

Blur the Background – Take a cue from the sports photographers, and blur the background by decreasing the camera’s depth of field. If using a camera that has Aperture Priority, you can do this by simply decreasing the f-stop number. The lower the f-stop, the more background blur.

Pan – This is a good alternative for digital compact users where dim light underexposes photos taken with sports mode/fast shutter speed. Panning works with automatic focus but it only works well when the subject is moving in a fairly straight line. Here is how to pan the camera:

Set your Camera to Autofocus. With your feet firmly planted on the ground, rotate your upper body and follow the subject with your camera. Just before the anticipated action that you want to capture occurs, start pressing the shutter release button and continue following the subject until you’ve pressed the button all the way down and the camera gets the shot.

Is the autofocus on your camera too slow? Focus on an area with a lot of contrast like a number on a uniform. Autofocus works better with more contrast.

Play around with panning and see what kinds of different effects you can get. If you want to put more emphasis on the movement, you may want to consider blurring the movement to make it look like it’s moving faster.

And once you get an action shot you love, don’t forget to share it with others by putting it in a photo frame. Most action pictures go best in simple metal picture frames but wood photo frames with simple wood moldings also look good as they both don’t distract from the action photo.

Whether of a sporting event or your dog, action shots are really fun to take once you get the hang of it. And once you master the digital photography basics (like compensating for shutter lag) it makes it all the more fun.

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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Flower Photography Tips – How to Take Good Photos

In order to take great flower pictures, you don’t need any fancy camera gear but you do need to have an eye for detail. If you want to take beautiful flower pictures, like the ones in magazines, this article will help show you how you can do that with a digital compact camera. 

Many of us have taken a picture of a flower and thought it was perfect – that is until we saw it enlarged or on a computer screen.

Another problem many new flower photographer enthusiasts find is that their pictures come out blurry and out of focus.   

Blurry or poorly composed pictures are all things that are easy to avoid if you know what to do.

You should first always plan to take flower pictures when the lighting is good and the air is still (no wind). Even a gentle breeze can cause the flower to move enough to blur your picture. Usually dawn is the best time of day when the wind is the calmest. This is also a time when you’ll often find the best lighting.

But if you’re not an early bird, you can still catch that perfect flower shot. You can also get good lighting the hour before sunset and anytime when there is bright overcast light. These times provide soft light without the harsh shadows. The times just after dawn and before sunset add a warm glow. And if it’s a little windy, you’ll need to set up a blind or a temporary windbreak.

The other big reason for out of focus flower pictures is from using improper camera settings. Depending on how close of a shot you want, set your camera to Portrait or Macro. The latter allows you to shoot from within one inch to a foot (check the camera’s manual). If using manual settings, choose a wide aperture (small F-stop number). All of the settings just discussed will make the flower more sharply focused but will make the background more fuzzy.

Let’s look now at turning that pretty flower into the perfect subject for your photo.

  • Look for a flower with pristine undamaged petals. Or if you find a flower that’s almost perfect, except for a ragged petal or two, simply remove them. If doing so will leave a noticeable space, look for another flower.
  • Look for tiny bugs and loose particles like dust, and then remove with them with a soft, makeup or artist’s brush.
  • For a dewy look, gently sprinkle or spay the petals with a few drops of water.

Now it’s time to compose your photograph.

  • Look at the flower from different positions to see what angle looks best in your viewfinder or preview LCD. Make sure to look for shadows and other things in the background that may not look good in your picture. Look at how the light looks from different angles. Also look at the flower from various vantage points. Try standing directly above the flower and then try lying on the ground to see which angle looks best.
  • Make sure that if you’re leaning over the flower you don’t cast a shadow on it. If the flower is backlit, you can avoid lens flare by wearing a broad brim hat or by using a lens shade to block light from entering the lens.
  • You also want to look at the background tones. Contrasting tones will add depth and make your flower stand out.

Whenever you see an image you want to capture, fill the frame with the flower or use a classic composition method such as the “rule of thirds” where maybe the flower is two thirds of the image and the sky is one third.

Then focus on the part of the image you want to be the sharpest – this could be the stamen, a ladybug, etc. Then holding very steady, press the shutter.

As you can see, flower photography is all about detail. And how you display your beautiful flower images also matters so make sure to display it in a picture frame that nicely offsets the flower. When framing your flower picture, avoid highly decorative frames like flower picture frames or bright colors like pink picture frames that will overpower your flower photo. Instead, choose a frame that subtly accents the flower and you’ll be sure to have a framed flower picture that everyone will admire.

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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Intro to Macro Photography

At a certain point, there will be a time when you have taken pictures of just about everything in what seems like every possible angle. You might even run out of ideas or lose interest because you think there is nothing more to take. One of the best solutions is to get a new piece of photo equipment. There are lots of different accessories to choose from that can improve and challenge your skills, but the best place to start is with a new lens. One of the most useful and fun lenses to focus is the macro lens.

All 35mm camera lenses have some kind of ratio that represent the size of an object in the picture compared to its real life size. A typical lens presents objects much smaller than their actual size, while macro lenses will get a ratio much closer to reality. Have you ever seen a close-up picture of a bug’s eye or the tip of a nail? Chances are those photographs were shot with a macro lens.

There are several different types of macro lenses available. The most common ratio found on consumer-level equipment is roughly 1:2, meaning that subjects in the image on film will be ½ their actual size. This may not seem like much, but remember that you’re going to blow the image up when it’s printed and framed to an 8×10 or 5×7, the final version will be much larger than real life. Super high grade equipment can go up to a ratio of 5:1 which is powerful enough to look at a snowflake or explore the rough surface of a sponge. Depending upon your budget and the type of results you want, you can get a simple attachment for your normal lens or a full lens that attaches directly to your camera.

Macro Experiments
Once you have a macro lens and have got a bearing on how it works, go out into the world and start seeing things like you’ve never seen them before. Even the most familiar of subjects or environments can become dramatically new and exciting when viewed from a different perspective, and a macro lens will certainly provide that to you.  Here’s some fun things to do with your new macro lens:

  • Explore your house and get a bugs-eye view of your furniture, carpet, and surfaces.
  • See how the lens expands your creativity by shooting common items in your neighborhood or house
  • Set up a small space and see if you can duplicate “catalog” type images of small products like shooting an image of an ornate picture frame.

Macro lenses can have a great impact on how you see the world and provide you with a versatile alternative to shooting with a regular lens. You never know when it may come in handy to get a picture of something really small. It’s also fun to take pictures of common objects at super-close range and see if your friends and family can figure out what the item is. Macro lenses can turn grass into green bladed mountains or ants into scary creatures that make your imagination run wild.

While the cost of a dedicated (separate lens) macro can run you $200-400, you’ll find that the options it gives you and the inspiration it can provide are well worth the cost. Making mountains out of molehills may not work out for us in our jobs or personal relationships, but in photography it can be great fun. Besides, they always say it’s the little things that matter.

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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Best 5 Reasons to Switch From Film to Digital Photography

One discovery I have made is that DSLRs are perfect for portrait photographers and wedding photographers. Why is it then that they are slower to switch to digital SLR cameras? It seems that commercial photographers learned about and started using digital cameras long before the average portrait photographer.

My thought is that possibly they are afraid? Afraid of the learning curve and afraid that the quality just isn’t there unless they spend an ungodly amount of hard earned cash on some scary looking gigantic array of confusing and awkward, let alone “how am I going to learn how to use this stuff” equipment.

The truth of the matter is all you really need is a 5MP digital camera. Digital SLR’s have the quality needed and I’ve seen many photographers with amazing results. Yes, even if you have only a 5 or 6 MP camera.

There are many reasons, here are 5 good ones.

1- Service

These days a real camera repair shop is very hard to fine and service for film cameras is evaporating even more rapidly. Most shops that say they will repair your camera will instead send it to the manufacturer and charge you for something that you could do yourself for less. yourself. If you look online you can still find a real digital camera repair shop including ones that specialize in digital SLR camera repair and charge much less than the $250-300 flat rate repairs that the manufacturers offer.

Many digital repair parts are replaceable by the consumer such as battery doors, memory card doors and other body parts like zoom switches. There are plenty of people who want to repair their own camera and replace the LCD screen or lens, but many prefer to leave the repair to a professional service instead.

The real problem with finding good Canon digital camera repair for example is lack of knowledge. Most any store you go to and ask about repair will tell you to throw the camera in the garbage and buy a new one. A retail store has no idea that there are actual affordable camera repair options available, including parts for the do it yourselfer! A couple simple searches on Google will go a long way to help you find a reputable repair shop for your Sony digital camera repair.

2- Quality

The quality of images captured with a high quality lens, properly exposed and well posed is more than enough, even if you shoot JPEGS. Yes, JPEGS. Over 90% of the more than 30-40,000 exposures I put through my camera every year is shot in JPEG mode. Why would anyone in their right mind shoot in such a “low quality” mode? The reason is simply because it works.

Portrait photographers do not need to create the very sharpest, highest resolution images available. If they have in the past, they’ve always degraded the image through retouching and other means. It’s ironic if you think about it? You can still shoot in RAW mode if you wish, but it isn’t really needed.

3- Control

People want their photos fast. We live in a drive-through world and minutes count. In our studio we create a slide presentation for our sessions and we show them to the clients within 20 minutes of every shoot. Customers love it. Customers get the results instantly. If the customer is there waiting to view the shots from the shoot is already planning on spending money then sales will go up. Their is ample evidence that when you show the images sooner, and you create large projected images, which is a cinch with digital, sales go up. Using a DSLR it gives portrait photographers greater control over the sales flow and this means and increase in profits.

4- Retouching

Let’s face it, people want to look good. What used to take hours and whole lot of aggravation with spray booths, smelly and dangerous lacquers, is now possible with absolute ease. Farming out all retouching took weeks and sometimes months to get back and we incurred huge retouching bills.

Not to mention the loss of control I had over the retouching aspects. It was up to the subjective interpretation of the retouching artist to enhance the images the way I wanted them retouched. Now, with a few basic skills, and all those years of retouching experience all transferred over to the new darkroom, my computer, I can easily retouch to any degree I like. In mere minutes. With fantastic results. This ultimately translates to satisfying a basic need that needs to satisfied in our clients, their vanity. Customers want to look good and they want to see the results right away.

5- Innovation

I could go on for days when it comes to what new products, ideas, services, sales processes, packages, etc, etc. . . I have created due to using a digital camera instead of film.

I am once again excited about photography and the new possibilities. When you apply the power of digital, and get a handle on it in your workflow, you can create new and exciting products like never before.
I’ve seen it and experience it every week in our busy little small-city studio. The proof boils down to the quality of the product, which is shown by your net profits?

After all, we are in business first, and creative artists second, right? We are in business to make money and survive. We need new and exciting angles, ways to stay afloat, so we can pay our bills, keep the bankers happy and provide for our families. No one can predict how digital photography will ultimately evolve, but my bet is with it all the way.

Anyone remember when color film and paper was introduced as a mainstream commodity? I don’t, I was just a wee lad, but I heard stories about the many studio owners closing their doors and packing it in because they didn’t want to keep up with the demand and latest craze that color film and color paper had created.

I have always been a fan of photography and shot many rolls of film over the years. I never thought I would switch to digital, but once I gave it a try I was sold and haven’t looked back.

Filed under Amateur Photographer, Photography by JamesJ

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