Digital Photography

You know, I’ve never done a camera review before. But I thought I’d give it a try. To start with I thought I’d post this article about Ricoh and they new digital camera. What do you think?

Would you like to see more about digital cameras? Let me know via email.

Cheers, Amy.

Ricoh has released the new Ricoh Caplio RR770, a sleek entry level digital compact camera that adds exciting and useful features to its popular Caplio RR750 predecessor.

The Caplio RR770 comes equipped with a 7.16-inch megapixel CC and new crystal-clear 3.0-inch color TFT-LCD monitor that offers easier viewing while capturing images and playback. It also features a 3x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, for a combined 12x zoom and has the ability to tackle almost any photographic situation with ease. It can also capture videos (320×240 pixels resolution at 30 frames/second).

The Caplio RR770 comes with 32 MB of internal memory giving it the capacity to take many beautiful pictures right out of the box. If additional storage space becomes necessary the Caplio RR770 can be added with an SD Card, a widely used and easily available storage medium.

Having an elegant black body, RR770 works on AA batteries. The digital camera can be hooked up to a computer through a USB cable to transfer photos. It also comes with a software to improve the images and create panoramic images.

This compact camera has been developed for beginners and has all the point-and-shoot freedom. The six scene modes ensure many exciting options for adding a touch of creativity to the digital imagery. In addition, in the mode dial settings of Auto, Program, Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night Scene as well as Movie mode, you get a wide range of choices and high level of usability.

The Caplio RR770 is the most recent addition to Ricoh’s popular, award-winning range of digital cameras, whose outstanding performance, value for money and stylish designs has won favor with photographers throughout the world.

Bundled with an AV cable, a camera pouch and hand strap, the price and availability of the Ricoh Caplio RR770 digital camera is not yet clear.

http://www.sda-india.com/sda_india/psecom,id,22,site_layout,sdaindia,news,22712,p,0.html

Picture courtesy of digitalcameras.techfresh.net.

Dear Amy,
I would like to thank you for the many tips you send. They are quite helpful. I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. You and many other professional photographers speak of filling up the frame or view finder by moving in on the subject. That is fine for a fixed focal length lens, but what if you are using a zoom like an 18-200mm. Should I set it to a fixed focal length and work as if it were a 90 or a 105mm lens and then move in?
(Name withheld).

Dear (name withheld)

Thank you for your email. Just clarify; I recommend filling the frame for certain subjects, not filling the viewfinder. I say this because depending on what camera you have the frame and the viewfinder are different. To fill one might not be the same as filling the other.

It not really about what lens you have, it’s about filling the frame to create an intimate perspective. If you have a zoom lens then you may not have to move in at all. The answer is that it depends on what you are shooting whether you should fix your focal length and work it like a different lens.

It really depends on what you are photographing.
For example for macro shots I find that a fixed focal length works really well. But if I am at water fall and want to get closer in to a flower on the ledge, then the zoom is ideal and I’ll use the zoom to do the work for me. (I am often in places where moving physically is a big limitation.)

Sorry I can’t give you a black and white answer on this one!

Amy Renfrey
Teaching Digital Photography Enthusiasts All Over The World How To Take
Photos With Superb Clarity And Detail

If you have ever been interested in taking peoples portraits then listen up, because I’ve got some handy tips and advice to share with you. In my five years of photography experience I have learnt one thing about taking someone’s portrait. I’ve learnt that successful portrait photography hinges on your ability as the photography to bring out the absolute best in someone. We’ll go into lighting and the “gear” in just a minute, but I want to draw your attention to the fact that portrait photography depends on the interaction you have with the person.

It takes a lot of concentration and skill to be able to work successfully with people in photography. Landscape or nature photography affords you the luxury of time. People don’t. Whether they get fidgety and bored easily or they don’t want to sit there all day and roll with your creative urge, portraits require relationship skills as well as technical skills.

One of the first aims in portrait photography is to capture the best side of people. The aim is to take them reflecting a positive and happy demeanor. Now this doesn’t mean laughing and kidding around (although it can), it can mean capturing someone when they are concentrating on something they really love doing. A thoughtful and meditative manner is always an interesting photo. This can work well for people who play a musical instrument or partake in a creative hobby. 

There is another important aspect of portrait photography that I wish to share with you. That is your outdoor background when you don’t have a studio. Your person and the props you use in the photo are considered your foreground but your outdoor background will enhance or completely kill a portrait photo. I’ll give you an example. Think of the location in which you take the photo. You may have someone standing under a tree on a sunny day. Sounds nice right? Yes but you may not have noticed the dog taking a leak on the tree in the background…not a very nice example I know. I only say this because it happens. Its life and it can happen to any of us. So unless you are using a completely blurred background, or intend to adjust the background in Photoshop, be very careful.

A great way to combat this (as much as you can), is to make a list of locations that make for a beautiful background. Here are a couple of ideas:

·        Secluded beach

·        Field of green

·        Mountain range

·        Church

·        Old buildings

·        Sky

Keep your background simple. That’s what I was aiming for with the above list. It’s fine to have a busy background if you are not going to have it in focus. To make this work I suggest making a detailed list of places that you can go to that are easy to get to and will make great backgrounds for your portrait. Keeping in mind this is if you do not have a studio. Also think about the light at the time of day, the weather and local regulations about photography.

You can work out what gear you need as soon as you have worked out your location. This will determine your technical needs and a creative plan usually manifests from there.

You can choose whether to use soft lighting, a flash with a soft filter, hard sunlight, etc. It’s a very creative exercise and a lot of fun. You’ll be amazed at what you come up with.

If you have any questions about portrait photography, please drop me a line. But for now, good luck and happy shooting!

Amy Renfrey

Are you a Queenslander and want to enter a photo competition? Then read on…

October 25, 2007: The Queensland Department of Environment and Multiculturalism is seeking entries for the 2007/08 Premier’s Multicultural Photographic Awards, which are open to school students, amateur and professional photographers.

This year’s theme is “New Beginnings” and photographers are urged to focus on challenges that migrants and refugees face when starting a new life as well as on the rich cultural benefits brought by diversity. All photographs submitted must:
- respond directly to the theme “New Beginnings’;
- reflect of be inspired by multiculturalism in Queensland;
- be one single moment in time and not digitally manipulated unless specifically entered in this category;
- be taken in Queensland.

Awards will be offered in three categories: Open, which is open to all photographers can has a winner’s prize of $12,000; School Student, which has two sub-categories catering for primary and secondary school students, each with prizes of $1,000 and the Premier’s Professional Award, which is exclusive to professional photographers and carries prize money of $3,000. A new category , the Minister’s Award for Digital Image Manipulation has been added this year with a prize of photographic equipment to the value of $2,000. There will also be a People’s Choice Award, which is decided by vote and has a prize of photographic equipment to the value of $1,000.

Entries close at 5 pm on Wednesday 14 November, 2007. For full details and entry forms, visit www.multicultural.qld.gov.au.

There have been many instances I’ve heard of where someone has got back from their holiday only to find their photographs have turned out quite different than expected. This can often be because they have not been there at a time when the light was at its best (i.e. best in the morning at 8am) or arrived just after a festival or a week too late.

Even though you can’t have entire control over weather, lighting, festivals or events (sometimes things are cancelled due to bad weather, in which case you can’t control that) you can be prepared in other ways so you get the best shot for your trip.

A really good way to get the absolute best from your travel photos is to read the Lonely Planet’s Guide to that area if that’s possible. If that’s not possible then you can ask a travel agent about how to find some more local knowledge of the area before you go. I suggest asking them about a month or a couple of weeks at least, before you go, so you can prepare yourself as much as possible. One example of good preparation might be that if you are going somewhere in summer you might want to stock up on extra polarizing filters, or buy an extra lense hood to keep the sun out of your lens to reduce flare.

If you are just in the thinking stages of a trip and combining your love of photography, then check with a travel agent first about what time of year is best to go to that area. They will have access to more local information; very handy especially if you’ve never been before. They might be able to recommend website for you to look at to get an idea of weather, what things are best to photograph at night, where to get the best shot for a famous mountain or countries icon, what exotic animals are around to get beautiful photos for wildlife photography, etc. You get the idea.

Another great idea for your travel photography is finding out what customs the place has. For example there might be a religious festival that has certain restrictions on photographers being there. Don’t ask me to quote exactly when and where, but I do know that this does exist.

Another way to get fantastic photos is to look at professional pictures taken of that city or place. You can emulate the composition as much as possible. For example if you are planning to go to New Zealand then look at pictures of postcards on the net of the places in New Zealand you want to visit and make a list of all the things that impress you about that picture. If you can’t find any pictures you like, go to your trusted travel agent again and ask for brochures on the area and look at the pictures on the covers and inside.

Bad weather doesn’t mean bad photos. You may have planned your trip to a lovely tropical location in the summertime. In summer in the tropics there can be flash flooding and storms. But instead of cursing, you could try getting out there (as long as you are safe of course) and taking some beautiful black and white rain-on-a-city-street type of photos. You can also take advantage of rain by taking some beautiful macro shoots of rain landing upon different species of leaves and plants. Or perhaps you want might want to photo that storm coming in over the city or sea. You can adjust your aperture to a smaller number to get a greater depth of field if it’s a long distance shot.

Much of your success overseas or traveling in your own country comes from getting local knowledge first. Local knowledge is important from not only a cultural aspect but from a environmental and physical aspect too.

By Amy Renfrey

Article by Pete Barnes

Leaves are a very popular subject when it comes to autumnal photography due to their great variation in colour at this time of year. If you are creative these subjects can offer great photographic potential. Here are 5 quick tips to make sure you make the most of the autumn weather

1. Ice – As the temperature drops outside leaves invariably become frozen in puddles, these can produce great photos. You can always pour cold water on the ice to remove the crystals and give it a really clear look, conversely you can scratch the surface to add some interest. If you can’t wait for the temperature to drop you can always stick some leaves in a water filled plastic container and freeze it overnight, just remember to fill your frame when you take the shot.

2. Falling leaves – As the leaves start to fall a rich carpet of yellows and reds starts to form. To get a sense of leaves falling without having to wait for a strong gust just ask an assistant to drop some whilst you snap away. Aim for a wide aperture to blur the background and go for shutter speeds of between ½ sec and 1/30 to get a sense of motion, you may need an overcast day or a neutral density filter as with the aperture wide open at this speed you may over expose during the day.

3. Soft focus – A quick, cheap way of adding a soft focus filter to your lens is adding a clear piece of plastic to the front of the lens (Cling film) and breathing on it, or on your UV filter if you have one. This will add a soft ethereal feel to your shots, just remember if you are breathing on your filters to give them a good clean after.

4. Back lighting – A great way to capture the vivid autumn colours is use the sun to back light them. This works great if you can shoot with a dark, shaded background. Remember if the back ground is dark the leaves may over expose so dial in a -1 stop to compensate and keep the darks dark and correctly expose the leaves. If the background is very bright you’ll have to add +1 stop to stop the leaves under exposing.

5. Get low, go wide – To really emphasise the coloured carpets so abundant in Autumn, fit a wide angle lens and get low down, focusing on a close leaf and fill the frame with the leaves going away into the distance, open spaces such as parks are great for this.

I am a photographer based in the north of England, Check out my website at www.petebarnesphotography.co.uk or my blog at www.petebarnesphotography.co.uk/blog.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pete_Barnes