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



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

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Great Travel Photography

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.

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?
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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)
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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...
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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

Know Your Camera and Take Better Photos

Review of "Photo Nuts and Bolts"

Improve my camera skills ...what for?

Learn to know your camera and take better photos.

Photo Nuts and Bolts is a how-to guide for the novice to intermediary photographer who would like to learn more about taking better photographs. Written by Neil Creek, this book is essentially a series of lessons to teach the basic fundamentals of photography and take the guesswork out of getting great shots. The author is passionate about digital photography and also loves to teach others. He has written a photography blog for over four years and is also a staff writer for Digital Photography School, and he currently is teaching a series of portrait photography classes.

This book grew out of Neil’s photography blog and writing for the Digital Photography School, where he ran a series of articles titled “Photo 101” which taught people how to use their cameras to best advantage, and venture away from the automatic settings to get truly great pictures.

Neil Creek offers a series of simple lessons that explain the how and why certain things are with respect to photography, and also explains why it’s relevant and important to the photos that you take. Each short chapter also gives you a series of resources to check out for further information, as well as some “homework” so that you get some hands-on experience with the theories and fundamentals he is introducing you to. Each chapter explains in detail, but in laymen’s terms for easy understanding, a different aspect of photography and how it can help you to take better photographs.

In ten relatively short lessons, the author begins by explaining light and how simple things like pinholes and bending light can make a great difference on the pictures you take. He moves on to more advanced things that many of us think are truly complicated- like lenses and F stops, and explains them so simply that anyone can understand.

The book gets into more complicated territory further on- like lessons on aperture, ISO, and shutter speeds, but if you start at the beginning and read all of it as well as doing the hands-on homework assignments, you will be well prepared to delve into those complex areas. By the time the author discusses light meters and explains how to get great shots of difficult images- like fireworks or shots with little natural light, you completely understand why you’re doing each thing and how to go about getting a great shot.

There is also a lot of information about white balance and metering modes that will help your shots to be perfectly exposed. The appendices offer a glossary of photography terms in easy to understand language, as well as a section about reading diagrams that helps to understand a lot of the concepts of physics and optics from the earlier chapters with charts and illustrations.

The book is very clearly written, in language that is easy to understand even for those who are photography novices. The author definitely lays out the information in a format that helps those who are new to the “non-automatic” world of photography to understand why it’s important for them to learn these things and how much better their good pictures can be by using these techniques.

Having once been one of the “novices” I referred to above, who only knew how to point and shoot my camera and hope for the best, I really enjoyed Neil Creek’s book, and his detailed explanations. I also like the way he presents a subject, offers additional reading resources, and then gives you some “homework” to help you learn in a more hands-on way. Though it might be a little basic for those with highly advanced photography experience, it is a “must-read” for those who wish they could do so much more with their existing digital camera.

Do yourself a favour and check this out. You know I wouldn’t go to this much trouble unless I thought this guide was pretty cool.

Review written by Roy Barker

Studying Photography just became so much easier

Ever thought that studying photography is hard work?

Many think that about learning photographic techniques or studying photography.

But ... you will surprised how easy it can actually be! Here's the link for the Online Photography Course that makes everything childs play. Even if you think you're above this, make sure you see the subject matter this covers. It's impressive and I wouldn't suggest this to you if it didn't impress me.

Check this - Online Photography Course

...make sure you are well equipped and ready for whatever happens in the future. Improve your skills, be creative and stay healthy.

...keep your mind focussed,

Krister

How to Succeed with Boudoir Photography

Boudoir photography

Where does the term boudoir photography come from and why is it becoming more popular? The meaning of the french word boudoir is bedroom and is seen as having a romantic sensual feel about it more than most words with the same meaning. So too should the photographs. The demand for boudoir photography is growing rapidly for reasons I can’t explain because it’s not new yet its popularity is growing by the day. Do not confuse glamour photography or boudoir photography. Glamour photography is more general while boudoir photography is dedicated to a romantic bedroom theme.

It can be lots of fun because it’s so diverse. Meaning, attire can be altered to suit taste ie. a negligee, a man’s shirt, or perhaps something more elegant. The objective is to highlight the woman’s (models) elegant lines and female sensuality. Various types of lighting can be experimented to great lengths.

1. Nudity – This is a decision the client will make. However, in general, nude shoots in this category are subtle and implied rather than anything blatant. Remember, this is an extremely artful style of photography and can be difficult if not researched carefully. It is a form of fine art photography and your skill (or lack of) will be apparent. More information on successful nude shoots.

2. Don’t overlook the setting. Your set must be highly appropriate and so must the lighting. You will need to invest in bed covers and drapes in most instances if you want to take on this mode of photography.

3. Lighting – The lighting needs to highlight the finer, elegant points on the model and reduce attention to others. Soft lighting is more often used.

Make up and boudoir photography

4. Make up preparation. Don’t muck around with this. A professional is needed to ensure success with photography makeup. I did try to apply my mode of make-up once and I failed so badly, my subject looked like Spock – I was embarrassed. Since then I’ve learned from other photographers to use a specialist make-up professional.

5. Posing skills. Remember that your client is unlikely to have read or learned any posing techniques. This can be frustrating if you haven’t prepared your self and added extra time to help pose your subject.

It is poor professional behaviour to have an audience in the room during the shoot. In some cases the subject or client may want their husband or partner present. If so, sit them down comfortably somewhere with a glass of water and something to read.

Lastly, it’s important to make this fun for the client. They will in most cases be hesitant and a little nervous about themselves.

In general, use soft lighting with an open aperture. Muted colours are best with some mother earth type tones. You’re allowed to experiment too but not so much that your bore your client and extend the shoot into an exhausting episode. If you think some help might come from nude photography research, try this eBook on nude photography here. I was particularly impressed with the content it covers on the subject. You’ll see the list it covers when you scroll down the page.

People Skills for Portrait Photography

Taking great portraits is as much about people skills as it is about technical ability, or using the latest and greatest photographic equipment. Unless you can first see through your subject's eyes, and understand her as a unique individual, and then build rapport with her so you can unveil and accentuate her finest qualities, your portraits will remain mediocre at best. Some lessons learned along my journey as a photographer may help those who choose to follow.


Software Cinema DVD-Rom: Training: Portrait Photography For Everyone




1. If using a tripod, compose your portrait and then take one step just to the side and forward from the camera. Do not look through the viewfinder as you capture your subject's image. This allows you to make eye contact initially with your subject, and then direct her in mood, expression, position, and the angle of gaze you are aiming for. When your subject interacts with your camera, the result can be a cold or lifeless rendering, but when you engage your subject through eye contact, expression, gestures and words, the result can be a warm and candid reflection, charged with mood or emotion.

2. If you are not using a tripod, you really should redouble your effort to maintain constant interaction with your subject. Many photographers tend to keep their eyes in the viewfinder of the camera, but this leads to your subject interacting more with the front glass in your lens than with you. Again, you do not want the sterile and lifeless rendering that most often comes when the camera serves to isolate you the photographer from your subject. Interaction with an inanimate object (your camera) can never be a substitute for interaction with another human being (you), when your goal is to capture the essence of your subject, and reflect the attitude and emotion she was feeling at that moment in time.

3. Allow your subject to be herself. A little girl dressed up in fairy wings for a special picture is very cute, and I suppose there is a place in this world for cute. But, contrast this with the little girl who just loves to dance. You put her in her everyday clothes, stand her in front of a plain backdrop, put on her favorite music and say to her, "can you show me how to dance to this song?" You should have no difficulty in capturing timeless expressions there. Now imagine a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy whose true passion in all of life is sailing. You dress him up in a tailored suit; formally pose him in front of a low key backdrop, seated in a Chippendale chair, and use classic loop lighting. What would be said of this portrait years later? "Who was this guy, an executive?" But just suppose, you photographed this same guy in his favorite t-shirt and blue jeans, at the helm of his beloved sail boat, on a beautiful late afternoon, just as the boat was coming about? What would be said of this portrait years later? "This was Charlie, doing what he loved most! That was such a glorious day." The point is, "keep it honest". Fantasy can be cute, but your subject being herself, years later this will be much more meaningful.

4. Allow your subject's expression to be honest. A frown or a grimace that is genuinely felt can be more interesting than a smile that is forced. I try to never just pose my subject and then say, "Okay, now smile for me." If you want your subject to smile then tell a joke, put on a face, or perhaps merely smile at her and she will smile back at you. People generally tend to reflect in their face what they see in yours, but in my experience this is not always so. Nevertheless, interaction with your subject is the key. That being said, the next time you have a difficult subject ask him to tell you a joke, to bring out a smile, if that's the expression you are after. If you are a professional, you know that smiles sell, but if you're an amateur, you are under no pressure to sell, so make your portraits interesting. Not everything in the world is to smile about.

5. Direct your portraits. Take control of the composition of your portraits! Do not be afraid to tell or show your subject what you want. Sometimes showing is best. I often find that actually demonstrating a pose I have in mind, works better than trying to direct my subject through words alone. If you are photographing a group, your life will be easier, if you arrange and pose the adults first. Then, work your way from oldest (or more mature and settled) to youngest of the children. The point to remember is, as the photographer, you should take charge of the shot. The success or failure of the portrait will be your responsibility, so take charge.




Engage your subject to establish and build rapport with her, to take your photos to a higher level. Make your portraits more meaningful by keeping them honest, and natural. We all know a fantasy photo can be cute, and a formally posed portrait can be graceful and dignified, if that is your subject's personality. But, a portrait that is true to the subject is always more meaningful. Allow your subject to be herself, and never force an expression. Learn to take charge and direct your portraits and you will move far ahead in your journey as a photographer. Practice your people skills with each portrait you take. People skills are the prerequisite to all else, if you want to take great portraits. Good day and happy clicking!