Stock Photos

Monday 22 March 2010

Photographing People and Foreign Cultures - Travel Photography


By Mark Eden

As a travel photographer, one of the most interesting and rewarding
subjects to capture is the many different cultures and people the
world has to offer. Photographing people also brings its share of
challenges. This article looks at some of things to consider when
looking capturing a culture in an image.



Photography Outdoors: A Field Guide for Travel and Adventure Photograp


Photography Outdoors: A Field Guide for Travel and Adventure Photograp

Do your homework

Before starting out, ask yourself this question. Do I know anything
about the people I want to photograph? If the answer is no, or not
really, then do some research. A little homework and you can gain
some helpful insights into how to approach your subject.

For example, some cultures might take offence to having their picture
taken, some will expect to be paid, while others will rush you
begging for you to take their photo. Having some idea of what to
expect gives you an advantage in considering how to approach
people. Research can also give you insight into the culture of the
people. You may discover a piece of clothing native to that part of
the world and look for people wearing that piece of clothing.

These small pieces of knowledge can make the images you come away with
more authentic and real by being able to gain people's trust and
cooperation.

Model releases

If you intend to sell your images, you may need a model release.
This can present some difficulty in language barriers and people
being willing to give their permission for their image to be sold.
It can be daunting to ask a stranger to sign a piece of paper
allowing you to make money from their image.

The best advice I can give is make it easy for them. Have your model releases
easily accessible and make them easy to read and understand. Be patient
and answer any questions they might have. Most importantly, be
honest. Don't hide your reasons for wanting permission. Most times,
if people see you are being upfront with them, they are more likely
to cooperate.

There will however always be times when people will
be unwilling to sign a release, or maybe even unable to sign
because of illiteracy or language barrier. In these cases simply
accept their decision with a smile. Arguing with them will not
change their mind.

Be considerate, give something back

It is important to remember that wherever you are, you are a guest
in someone else's country, and to behave accordingly. To take great
images of people, you need to get them to let their guard down, to
relax and open up to you. You will never achieve this with a grab
and run approach. Slow down. Stop and talk to people. Give
something back rather than making your photography only an act of
taking. This may be as simple as engaging in conversation with
someone before asking to take their photo, or you might carry
around small gifts to give people.

Whatever your approach, you (and for that matter your subjects) will gain
so much more from the procedure.

A little sensitivity can go a long way in photographing other
cultures. It is a practice that will allow you to come away with
more than great images. It will also allow you to gain an
education. Which, at the end of the day, could prove much more
valuable.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Eden is a freelance travel photographer and writer, and the
founder and director of Expanse Photography, a photographic
services company offering fine art, limited edition prints as well
as stock and assignment photography and publishing services. Mark
can be contacted through the Expanse Photography website
http://www.expansephotography.com



5371 Travel Pack 71 Backpack - 11.5 x 9 x 7.25 - Polytek - Red


5371 Travel Pack 71 Backpack - 11.5 x 9 x 7.25 - Polytek - Red



Great Travel Photography


Great Travel Photography

Friday 5 March 2010

How to Find and Generate Freelance Photography Opportunities

By Kelly Gammon

If you ask most freelance photographers how they get work, you will
likely hear some variation on the same three answers: word of
mouth, referrals, and networking. Most freelancers in any field
will tell you that they typically spend as much time marketing
their services as they do providing service. But what other options
are there? This article will look at 5 ways to find and generate
more freelance photography opportunities. Let's begin.


1. Get a copy of the current year's Photographer's Market.
Photographer's Market is an outstanding resource. It is published
every year and lists approximately 1500 active buyers in a number
of different categories. In addition to providing full contact
information and valuable details about various markets, it will
definitely expose you to possibilities that you never knew existed.
Get Photographer's Market, gather a list of a few dozen potential
clients and start sending queries.

2. Set up a portfolio website, keep it up-to-date and market it
well. Include your website address in all of your correspondence,
both print and electronic. If you participate in online forums that
allow for signature files, put your portfolio website address in
your signature. If you follow other photographers' blogs, there is
usually an option, if you leave a comment on the blog, to include a
web address that can be associated with your name.

When you leave an insightful comment on posts you find especially interesting or
informative, an active link to your website will remain with your
comment, allowing others to find their way to you. They key is to
create an online portfolio and then spread the word to get people
there. Think of it as your business card for the twenty-first
century.

3. Write articles. Pick topics about which you are comfortable
writing and offer advice and guidance. How-to articles are an
excellent starting point for articles. They are simple to organize
and easy to compose from experience. Starting out you can submit
your articles to online article directories and hopefully get some
feedback.

As you grow more confident in your writing abilities,
branch out to your local newspaper, regional magazines and other
online avenues. Once you have built up a portfolio of articles,
query national magazines with article ideas. The key here is to
establish yourself as an expert and get a byline.

4. Do interviews. Once you have established yourself as an expert
in a certain area of photography, look for opportunities to do
interviews. Look for opportunities both online and offline.

Also, as you check out various job boards for photography work, be sure
to keep an eye out for individuals looking for industry experts to
interview. Once again, you are looking for ways to establish
yourself as an authority and get our name and contact information
in front of more people.

5. Teach an adult education class in photography. These are usually
non-credit classes and workshops offered through community groups
or colleges and universities. Depending on the interest level of
the participants you might even expand this is into a series of
classes covering different topics.

Teaching adult education is another way to establish some credentials for yourself while making
contacts in the community and getting your name better known. The
great thing about adult education is that the people who
participate in the classes have a strong desire to learn and are
very receptive and appreciative.

Bonus Tip: If you have a local public radio station in your town,
offer to do a 5-minute segment once a week geared toward amateur
photographers. Most public radio stations welcome programming ideas
and are often looking for new and interesting spots to attract
local listeners.

Tuesday 2 March 2010

My favorite photos are always...‏

Hya

I don't know about you, but without doubt my favorite
photos are always those from my vacations!

Not because they are better quality, many times they are
not, but simply because they remind me of the fun and great
experiences I had travelling and vacationing with friends
and family.

And at the end of the day isn't that the real purpose of
photos for most of us, to capture treasured moments?

If you're anything like me, and you love travelling and
taking vacations, and taking lots of photos, then you'll
love what I am about to share with you...

--------------------------------------------------------
Do you love traveling too?
--------------------------------------------------------

I do, but the big problem with traveling (or just plain
taking an extra vacation) though is the cost.

Unless you know how to budget-travel "like a pro" then it
can cost you an arm and a leg to go discovering the world
(or just take your family away for a break!)

Until now that is...

--------------------------------------------------------
Let me introduce you to Brad Alexzander
(the budget travel expert)
--------------------------------------------------------

Brad is a genuine *budget travel* pro.

In fact I have never met anyone who knows how to travel
quite like Brad. For years he has been showing people how to
get great deals (sometimes unbelievable deals) on flights,
hotels, cruises etc etc...

--------------------------------------------------------
Learn 15 Budget Travel Tips Right Now...
--------------------------------------------------------

Right now you can grab a free copy of 15 of Brad's top
budget travel tips (taken directly from his awesome "Budget
Travel Guide") from this link:
http://www.globecheap.com

These 15 powerful Budget Travel tips can easily save you
anywhere from 50% to over 80% off your flights!

They are extremely easy to apply, and are guaranteed to save
you money. Here's what you'll learn:

- the best days and times to book flights so you can save
big on airfare (pages 5-6)

- which website alerts you when the price of your ticket
drops (page 6)

- how to save on children's airfare (page 7)

- how small changes in your itinerary can make big cuts on
your costs (page 7)

- who can get discounted airline tickets - it could be you!
(page 8)

...and much more!

Go ahead and claim your copy of these tips right now:
http://www.globecheap.com

With Brad's budget travel information you may well be doing
more travel than you thought this year, and spending MUCH
less!

Enjoy!

Krister Laitinen

PS: Don't forget to take loads of photos! Here's the link
again for your free 15 budget travel tips:
http://www.globecheap.com