Top tips for landscape photography...




1. Harmonious thirds

The rule of thirds is a well-known method of framing images. Where the horizontal and vertical lines a third of the way through the image frame intersect are the most 'powerful' points in the composition.

2. Using reflections

Unlike the rule of thirds, reflections benefit from symmetry. However, a standard 4:3 frame may need to be cropped into to provide the optimum composition - something to consider when out shooting.

3. Looking high or low

Rarely is the best viewpoint from eyelevel. Try lowering your camera to get closer to the ground or, better still, find a high vantage point to produce truly stunning images of even the most usual of subjects.

The Art of Organic Photography

This article is all about Organic photography.

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Photography is a hobby for many but a passion for a few. In our day to day lives, most of us simply enjoy taking pictures, uploading them to the web, sharing them and preserving them for generations to come.

Photos are our way of looking back and cherishing those special moments in our lives - those special moments captured never to return. Being successful in taking pictures and making them seem real is an art on its own - a separate art from the typical point-and-shoot snapshots - and it is only certain people who can capture the moment and make the picture speak more than a thousand words.

It is not only children who like to have their photographs taken but also adults, as it gives them a chance to capture a moment and treasure it forever.

Looking at soft, warm pictures, full of emotions, always melts one’s heart and it is a feeling which can forever be preserved and treasured whether offline or online in galleries such as flickr or photobucket. In and around San Francisco Bay Area, in places like Palo Alto, Berkeley and Oakland are homes to many families from very diverse ethnicities and cultures, who enjoy having their portraits taken - both adults and children alike.




Talking about renowned photographers, we must make a mention of Anat Reisman Kedem (also known as Anat Kedem), who is one such lady for whom photography is a passion and a way of life. She lives in Foster City, near San Mateo, San Carlos, Belmont and Burlingame in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA - and specializes in taking pictures of babies, toddlers, children (kids), pregnancy, maternity and families.

Anat Reisman Kedem has been recognized many times for her skills - and has a track record of shooting quality pictures, unique photos in natural lighting and surroundings in places such as Menlo Park and Sunnyvale, home to Silicon Valley companies, such as Intel, Cisco, SanDisk and Adobe - as well as the Great America park and the Round Table Pizza chain of restaurants.

Hillsborough, Atherton, Los Altos are beautiful small towns and home to generations of families living together. Natural settings as such can really make photos stand out - whether everyday photos or holiday season photos for Christmas, Hanukkah and other holidays where family pictures are a joy to share.

Anat Reisman Kedem summarizes it best when she says:

"I believe in taking pictures in a soft, natural ambiance and lighting, creating an atmosphere which adds depth and dimension to my photos. To that end, I generally try to photograph either in the late hours of the afternoon or in the early morning hours when the sunlight romances the lens. While photographing, I will seek the alternative angle, that special look, an honest expression, or a captivating smile. Pre-orchestrated or directed poses are practically out of the question. I simply don’t believe in doing things this way."

Located at the tip of the Bay Area is Los Gatos, which borders with San Jose, San Carlos and Santa Clara. This town has many small and large families, with a setting that serves as a real time, amazing backdrop and opportunity for taking photographs which showcase the town and its lovely residents. The suburban town of San Mateo is part of the Bay Area and has many country style houses which form the perfect setting for that cozy photograph. Known for the Coyote Point Park, its golf courses and beach - as well as its proximity to the San Francisco Airport (SFO), the ideal Mediterranean climate here paves the way for a calm and comfortable life. Sausalito and Tiburon in Marin Country, as well as Redwood Shores, Foster City, Alameda and Santa Cruz also provide waterfront scenic backdrops like nowhere else - a perfect setting for perfect photos.

A person can not only enjoy the visuals but also learn more about a person through photographs. And in this way Anat has gone to prove that it is not necessary to have studio lighting, layers of makeup, or a designer dress for a person to look great and resonate warmth - be yourself and let your personality and natural aura shine through the photos, taken in a natural setting with no "artificial preservatives" of any kind. In a sense, it's organic photography. And it's a talent only a few photographers possess.






Encyclopedia Of Twentieth-century Photography

More Photography Quotes

Here are some more quotes from more or less famous photographers revealing what they think of the art of photography. Enjoy!

"Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter." ~ Ansel Adams

"When you photograph people in colour you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in B&W, you photograph their souls!" ~ Ted Grant

"The world just does not fit conveniently into the format of a 35mm camera." ~ W. Eugene Smith

"A good snapshot stops a moment from running away." ~ Eudora Welty

"Every time someone tells me how sharp my photos are, I assume that it isn't a very interesting photograph. If it were, they would have more to say." ~ Author Unknown

"My portraits are more about me than they are about the people I photograph." ~Richard Avedon

"There will be times when you will be in the field without a camera. And, you will see the most glorious sunset or the most beautiful scene that you have ever witnessed. Don't be bitter because you can't record it. Sit down, drink it in, and enjoy it for what it is!" ~ DeGriff

"You don't take a photograph, you make it." ~ Ansel Adams

"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving.

What you have caught on film is captured forever... 
it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything." ~ Aaron Siskind

Photography Quotes You Should Know

“The important thing is not the camera but the eye.” - Alfred Eisenstaedt


"There are two people in every photograph: the photographer and the viewer” - Ansel Adams

“If your photographs aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” - Robert Cappa

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” - Ansel Adams

“You cannot depend on your eyes if your imagination is out of focus” - Mark Twain

BNDL: ACP MASTERING DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY



The Photography of Gustave Le Gray















PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY-E.RESOURCE

Eye-Fi now makes cameras wireless(!) in the UK

Say goodbye to cables – with Eye-Fi, memories go directly from the camera to the computer and the web

Eye-Fi Inc, maker of the world’s first wireless memory card for digital cameras, today announces that it will launch its much anticipated Eye-Fi wireless memory cards in the UK on October 19th 2009. Eye-Fi cards make saving and sharing memories effortless by allowing users to wirelessly upload photos and videos to their computer and the web. Eye-Fi cards allow users to take photos and videos anywhere (like their existing memory card) and automatically upload their photos and videos as soon as the camera is within range of the user’s Wi-Fi network.

Jef Holove, CEO of Eye-Fi, comments: “Because Eye-Fi eliminates the time and hassle, more than half of our users upload their photos and videos within 24 hours of capturing them. So, those memories are backed up, organized and shared with friends and family while they are still fresh.”

Three Eye-Fi cards will be available in the UK with a range of features: the Eye-Fi Home Video, the Eye-Fi Share Video and the Eye-Fi Pro, offering easy uploads and feature sets for every photo lover, from the simple snapper to the photography enthusiast.

Eye-Fi Home Video – automatic photo and video backups to the computer

Don’t wait months to backup photos and videos to the computer. The Eye-Fi Home Video card saves users time by wirelessly uploading JPEG photos and videos from their camera to their PC or Mac. Being organized with memories is made easy, as Eye-Fi will upload to any folder on their computer and arrange photos by date ¬Mac users can even upload directly to iPhoto. Flaunting 4GB of memory, the Eye-Fi Home Video stores up to 2,000 photos or 90mm of video and provides automatic backup to the computer thanks to its wireless capabilities.

Eye-Fi Share Video – wireless saving & sharing on the Web

Get family and friends updated automatically. The Eye-Fi Share Video card makes saving and sharing effortless by automatically and wirelessly uploading photos and videos to the user’s computer and to the web. Users can pick where their memories go, and can choose from popular websites like Flickr, Facebook, Picasa, MobileMe or YouTube – no need for the computer to be turned on for memories to be shared online. Don’t want to share it all with everyone? The Selective Transfer option, available for all Eye-Fi cards, enables users to control which media will be wirelessly uploaded.

Eye-Fi Pro – streamlining the workflow

Photo enthusiasts and professional photographers can now streamline their workflow. The Eye-Fi Pro card wirelessly uploads JPEG, RAW and video files to any folder on a computer (PC or Mac) and to the Web. Photographers on-the-go can also take advantage of its direct to computer (ad hoc) connectivity capabilities for direct uploads from camera to the computer without the need for a router. Organizing is made easy through lifetime, automatic geotagging (using Wi-Fi Positioning System or WPS), which enables users to view, search and share photos on maps and take advantage of a seamless integration with iPhoto ‘09.

Breakdown of Benefits:

Eye-Fi’s complete line-up of wireless SDHC memory cards range in price from £49.99-£119.00 and are available at Amazon, Apple, Computer Warehouse and Dabs.

Eye-Fi 4GB Wi-Fi Pro

Report highlights the growing assault on citizen photography

Growing problems with citizen photography - A new report just out brings the problems photographers face back into the spotlight.

"There is no overarching ban on photography, but there has been a creeping restriction of everyday photography," the report says.

The report highlights there are 'no-go' areas and 'touchy subjects' that are restricting citizen photographers.

The report says: "As a result, many children are growing up with gaps in the family photo album – no sports day or first swim photos - and as a society we have big gaps in our archives."

The study was compiled and written by Pauline Hadaway, director of Belfast Exposed gallery, and published by the Manifesto Club who 'campaigns against the hyperregulation of everyday life'.

The report highlights the 'terrorist threat' hysteria that currently surrounds photography and the growing concerns about photographing children. The reasons given for these photography restrictions are rather vague and according to the group, legally questionable.

The report said how several citizens were told they must have written permission to film in an airport or train station, a member of the public was told that he needed a 'licence' for his camera and parents were told that photos of their children's nativity play could end-up on a child pornography website.

After several more examples, the author finishes the report by saying: "Much of the contemporary paranoia around photography appears to be driven more by vague suspicion than by any real and present danger...it is time to stand up for citizen photography against the antidemocratic impulse to police the public gaze."

Photography: From Hobby To Your Very Own Business

For the transition of photography from hobby to your very own business, there are several tasks that you have to accomplish.





That’s right. Who could say that there’s no chance that your hobby could also be the foundation of your first business venture? There are a lot of people out there who are in need of a good photographer to capture images of their son’s wedding, their daughter’s graduation or their very own wedding. Why couldn’t you be the one to supply your photography services to their needs?

For the transition of photography from hobby to your very own business, there are several tasks that you have to accomplish first.

Market Your Photography Skills – Sell yourself, in other words! Let people know about what you can do in the field of photography, why they need your skills and why they should hire you. Make sure, however, that you charge them reasonable rates since you’re still more or less an amateur in the field of photography.

To effectively market your photography skills, don’t be afraid of spending a little money on posting ads in the classified sections. Don’t stop there but post about your photography business in as many places as you can.

Join Interest Groups – This could be the local photography club in your community or the association of young photographers in your school. It could also be a Yahoo Group that you could easily join.

Usually, these groups are able to hold regular or annual exhibits of their works and it wouldn’t hurt to expose to the world the beauty of your works in photography.

Join Photo Competitions – Two things that you could enjoy when joining photography competitions: fame and fortune. Both are equally important. Fame would do wonders to your career in photography because it would let the world know about your skills and winning a photography competition may also offer the prize of having an apprenticeship under a world famous photographer. And when it comes to wealth – well, when did extra money ever hurt?

Offer Your Skills For Free to Government Projects – The government is always on the lookout for professionals who are willing to work for free and you should take advantage of this. Offer your photography skills for free because this would give you the opportunity to show them what you got.

Offer Samples of Your Work to Newspapers and Magazines – This is just like joining a photography competition. When you offer samples of your work to newspapers and magazines, you’re improving the chances that you’ll get noticed by the people who matters.

Although we can’t say that the road to victory is easy, never give up, never stop taking pictures and you’re sure to go far!

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