1. Capture The Natural Morning Light

A good picture definitely needs the best lighting and there is nothing better than natural light. Ask any renowned photographer and the one piece of advice you’ll get is to use as much natural light as you can in your photography. Morning light i.e an hour after the sunrise, is considered to be the best light to capture most types of subjects.

2. Do Thorough Research On Your Subject

This is most appropriately applicable to those who are willing to capture the beauty of nature by travelling to different destinations. You must be aware of the place and its significance before you begin clicking it. Knowing the subject well will help you take some of the amazing and intelligent clicks.

3. Get Familiar With Your Tool

This is undoubtedly the first and the foremost thing you should so before packing your gears. Learn about each and every aspect of your camera. Get familiar with different functions and how they can be helpful in delivering unique photographs. Make sure you do your homework well before setting out on the spree.

4. Pick The Right Place To Stay

Most photographers die to get a room with beautiful views. This not just help them to wake up with fresh ideas, but also give a lot of opportunities to capture the view from different perspective without having to do any hard labor. You just need to be ready with your camera and capture the view at different points of time in a day and night.

5. Learn To Greet

Subjects are everywhere. You just need to have an eye for them. A person reading daily newspaper on the bench on the bank of a river can also be a great click if you know how to seek permission well. Just learn to greet people in several different local languages and it will get you on the right path.

6. Get Inspired, Get Innovated!

There’s nothing wrong with seeking guidance and inspiration from the portfolios of great personalities of your field. Knowledge gathered from practical observation is much more reliable and useful, than any theoretical technicalities.

7. Discover The Place

A good photography is not just about clicking some beautiful landscapes of the place. You need to feel the place from within to be able to capture the best things that others may not even able to think of.

8. Find A Good Company

So, you are new to a place and don’t to know from where to start? Well, a local can help you find all the good places where you can get some of the great photo opportunities. Just talk to some locales and pick a person that can take you around places too.

9. Travel As Light As You Can

The key to better photography is to avoid stuffing everything you have in your bag. Just focus on essential things like a pair of zoom and prime lens, battery charger and some daily essentials. Travelling light will help you explore more places, than you would ever do with heavy baggage.

10. Come Out With a New Point Of View

Yes, we all know Thailand has some beautiful beaches and that India is famous for some beautiful temples. It’s time you come up with some fresh ideas. Everything has been discovered and published, it’s time to be innovative and creative.

11. Keep It Slow

It’s not at all a good idea to stuff everything at one place. Try to come out of your comfort zone, forget about the time constraint and prepare yourself well before clicking the red button. Things need to be organized and well understood before they get captured in your small handy device.

12. Travel With Locals

Pulling up a private taxi will not help. Take a tour of local buses or city metro to get into interactions with the locals. This will help you find the best photography opportunities, that you may not bother t explore on your own.

13. Enjoy Your Vacation Too

Don’t just get too involved with your camera and lenses. Even your brain needs to relax a bit. Take a ride around the city or town without photography in your mind or hand. Enjoy your time staying at a new place and explore it like any other tourists would.

14. Believe In Being Natural

It’s always advised to go for natural lighting as much as you can. There are many renowned photographers like Henri Cartier Bresson, who have never used flash light in their photography. This not juts saves you on heavy expenses, but also help you give best quality pictures ever.

15. Get On To Vantage Point

Every good travel photographer will always have a bird view image in his collection. Find yourself a higher point from where you can look down and see the entire city or town of the place.

16. Leave The Excuses Behind

“I don’t have a good camera”, “My lens is not of good quality”, “I didn’t have much time”. Well, all these excuses won’t get you anywhere if you don’t start accepting what you have and get the best out of it. Remember, camera is a tool and whoever learns to use it in the best way, will have the trophy in the end!

17. Find A Guide

As mentioned earlier, practical guidance is more beneficial than theoretical knowledge. Try to find a photographer who is ready to make you his assistant. You can learn a lot just be observing his moves in terms of lighting, choosing places, communicating with locals and so on.

18. Look Around For “Exotic” Picks

As much over exaggerated as it sounds, it is not at all difficult to find “Exotic” places to shoot. If you’ll run deep into your imagination, you’; realize that the place you are standing on right on can be given an exotic makeover with just few simple fantastic clicks. As it says, be creative with what you have and you can achieve the heights!

19. Don’t Get Stagnant

A travel photographer should always be exploring and clicking. Keep your portfolio alive and fresh with new collections. There’s no need to travel to far off places. Just a round trip to nearest hill stations will also bring in new opportunities every time you step into a new town.

20. Be Careful With Your Subjects

Try to be courteous and decent while you are shooting around. Respect your subjects and treat them with dignity. Don’t shoot the ones who don’t want to. If you’ve promised them to send their pictures, please do so. These small things will keep your subjects happy and give you some of the best shots.

Follow these simple rules of photography and you’ll see a remarkable difference in your collection then and now. These tips will help bring out the best skills in you, giving you an altogether new perspective of the art of photography.

Rachel is a passionate blogger about travel and photography and works for Sarre Photography.

Americaâ€s East Coast is home to some of the countryâ€s most photographed locations, from New York, where every street corner is like a still from a film, to the immense political architecture of Washington D.C. If youâ€re thinking of taking a trip down this side of the country and youâ€re looking for the best locations for collecting memorable images of your trip, then here are some photographic hot spots to look out for.

Boston is without doubt one of the highlights of Americaâ€s East coast, with its numerous historic buildings, pretty parks and coastal vistas. The Boston Tea Party ships are moored at a reconstructed version of Griffins Wharf and offer insight into a turning point in the city (and the countryâ€s) history in one single shot, particularly when populated by re-enactors in period costume. The Old City Hall, Copps Hill Burial Ground and the numerous historic churches across the city are also bathed in interesting events in Americaâ€s timeline and distinct architectural styles.

Just outside the city is the gorgeous Walden Pond, more than 250,000 square miles of mirror like water reflecting the sky, or to capture another very well known part of Americaâ€s history head to nearby Salem and the ghoulish Witch House.

New York is one of those places that is simply a photographerâ€s dream, with even a simple yellow taxicab causing cameras to be whipped out. The Empire State Building, The Statue of Liberty, Central Park (and Central Perk…!), 5th Avenue, Times Square, and the Rockefeller Center are just some of the buildings that will have you reaching for your camera. And then there are the other city landmarks that we all want to capture for posterity – Carrie Bradshawâ€s Brownstone, Ghostbusters HQ, The Seinfeld diner, the Breakfast at Tiffanyâ€s apartment building and the Fame Music High School are just a few of the very famous locations in the city.

Washington D.C. is the political capital of America and as such there are some pretty recognisable sights here that make perfect photo fodder. The White House, the Washington Monument, Union Station and Rock Creek Park are some of the cityâ€s most famous and most photographed sights. Those with a particularly keen interest in law and politics might also be interested in seeing the Supreme Court, Capitol Hill and the Ellipse. To take home some images of a different side of Washington, head for the C&O Canal on the north bank of the Potomac River, one of the most impressive surviving examples of the American canal building era.

If youâ€re looking for swathes of natural sea swept beauty and wide-open spaces for your photo album then Maine on the northeast coast is the state in which to find it. The Arcadia National Park is located in this part of America, a fascinating series of islands off the eastern Atlantic coast populated with all sorts of wildlife, such as moose, beaver, bobcats and black bears. Maine also has four of the USâ€s National Scenic Byways or All-American Roads, of which there are only 120 in the country, and the name should be a clue as to how many scenic shots there are to snap here. Then there are the famous Maine lighthouses – you canâ€t truly photograph the East Coast without capturing one of these.

If youâ€re travelling to the East Coast of America then these photographic hot spots are a must see. Whether you want to capture the wilds of Maine or Americaâ€s political jungle, you wonâ€t be short of subjects for your pictures.

Attached Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source
•  License: Creative Commons image source

Amy Sawyer is a freelance travel feature writer working with Alamo USA.

Here are some tips for taking amazing pictures with your iPhone.

1.Hold The Phone Like A Camera

Donâ€t use the one handed snap approach with your iPhone. Instead, position the phone just as you would a standard camera. Use the screen to position your picture so itâ€s positioned the way you want to final picture to look.

2.Use Your Feet To Zoom In

The iPhone has some amazing features, including the ability to zoom in. Maintain the quality of your photos by walking closer to your object when possible to zoom in. After youâ€re as close to your object as possible, you can use the zoom feature and maintain the integrity of the photo.

3.Take The Shot A Few Times

Digital photography is quite forgiving. If the first shot doesnâ€t look right, then you can take it again. The speed of the iPhoneâ€s camera makes it possible to retake a shot within seconds if you messed up the first one. Just to be certain you get the second or third, donâ€t stop to look at the picture. Assume that the first shot is not what you wanted and take subsequent shots immediately after the first. Some of the shots will be better than others, but at least youâ€ll have a few options to choose from.

4.Light

Lighting is important when it comes to camera phones. Youâ€ll have grainy, poor quality pictures in lower lighting. Keep the light behind you can make sure that your subject is well lit. That doesnâ€t mean that you cannot shoot great images at night. Play around with light and you phone settings and see how you can improve upon the resulting pictures.

5.Keep The Phone Still

Calm your shaky nerves and keep the phone as still as you can when youâ€re taking pictures. A shaky hand will result in blurred images, so keep your jitters in check. Keep your hands still by resting your arm or the phone on something stable while you take the shot.

6. Clean The Lens

This obvious tip is not so obvious when it comes to smartphones. We easily remember to clean our camera lens on traditional cameras but overlook the lens on our smartphone. Your phone can pick up dust lying around in your handbag or on your desk. Not to mention the fingerprints and food from grubby fingers. Clean the lens to improve the quality of your resulting picture.

7.Edit

Use the camera app on the iPhone, or download another app from the iTunes store to edit all your pictures before you share them. From tweaking the contract to adding borders, there are hundreds of edits you can do to make your pictures look better.

Crystal has written this article for Michael Ward Stout, lawyer who administers Mapplethorpe’s estate.

Though your photographer may issue you with some session prints for you to keep, which you will no doubt share with your friends on Facebook and other social networking sites, these prints are only a taste, a sample of what the finished product is going to be. The end product that the photographer is aiming for could be anything from a bespoke album to a canvas print or a true to life acrylic. So whether you are the photographer or the client the end product should never be far from your minds.

Planning the Session

Once you know what the end product is going to be, the photography session can be better planned to ensure that not only does the photographer have a clear plan of how the shoot is going to go, but the client too is in the right frame of mind to get the best results. For example if the client is looking for a piece of photographic artwork to proudly display over the fireplace, then the photographer should take the time to appreciate the décor of the room and advise the client on the best wardrobe and color scheme that will complement the décor of the room in which it is going to be displayed. The finished piece, the end product is not only a creative venture between photographer and client, it should perfectly match the personalities of the people in the picture.

An Unsure Client

It can be difficult to plan a shoot effectively if the client is unsure about what exactly they want to achieve with their images. So it is worthwhile for the photographer to have a portfolio of work with them whenever they meet a new client.  This allows the client to see a range of finishes, products, and styles that tell the photographer what appeals to them to enable the shoot to be planned effectively. The more relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera a client is, the better the end result is going to be, whether itâ€s a family shoot in the clientâ€s home or a special day that is photographed so that it can be remembered forever.  A good session can allow personalities to shine and inner beauty to surface and be shown on the finished product.

About the author: Claire is a blog writer that appreciates the creativity expressed by artists such as Raleigh Wedding Photographers. She understands that a good picture can express far more than any other creative genre and provide tangible memories that can be kept forever whether they be in albums or printed artworks displayed for all to see.

Morning after shoots are exactly as youâ€d imagine on a tin – a bedroom snapped shoot the morning after the night before. Itâ€s a document of the nuptial excesses of the night previous taken by a photographer in the sultry surroundings of a bedroom or hotel suite.

Like a lot of photography and wedding trends, the morning after photo shoot originated in the United States of America – and where else would it. America is renowned for its excess, celeb culture and contemporary efforts.

Celebs

It seems that the whole process has been taken on by both couples of the celeb persuasion and also those of a less notable standing. The photography sessions take place in varying degrees of sultriness, from full on shower scenes, to turned and tossed bed images, to breakfast fully clad with croissants and slippers and Radio 4. Though it may not all be garters and whips, itâ€s all a morning after wedding shoot.

The surge towards this new wedding are seen as part and parcel of the advertisements we witness regularly, with celebs images between white sheets are part and parcel of many a billboard. The recent literary hit 50 Shade of Grey may also have played a part.

Of course, itâ€s understandable to an extent; both groom and bride have lost weight, put work into their bodies and look great. Brides are wearing beautiful lingerie and there is a natural attraction between the couple that can be easily seen on film. So, why not document the clear intimacy between the couple?

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

The argument for taste is obviously the main reason people would oppose such a photo shoot. Many feel that the morning after shoot is part and parcel of the cult of celebrity and showcases how it is creeping into society and the need of the Facebook generation to document everything. However, others would argue itâ€s a positive and something to look back on when marriages go through trialling times.

Saying that, one more bizarre trend is to have the images taken weeks after the morning, in a purely staged session. Many people feel that this is disingenuous and doesnâ€t portray any of the positives a true morning after shoot would. Of course, conversely, if it makes people happy, why care – itâ€s not doing anyone else damage.

Photographer

If deciding on a photographer for a morning after shoot, couples should definitely take time to choose. The wedding photographer may not always be the best option and you may require an alternative with expertise in the area. However, whether you are looking for wedding photography in Surrey or Sweden there are plenty of top quality people out there to fulfil your visions.

Morning after photography is a growing trend and one that will see many jumping aboard the bandwagon with little expertise. So, always ask for references, previous work and get an idea of quality.

You will also need to research what you want and what options there are and what may suit your needs. You want to be comfortable, happy and be able to pose securely. Also, remember you may have only had a few hourâ€s sleep and also may have had a few the night before. However, once youâ€re aware of all of this you know what youâ€re deciding on and what to expect and can concentrate on looking great. Finally, just have fun – itâ€s your big day!

Cormac Reynolds writes for a number of creative areas and has worked on a number of photography blogs in the past. He writes this article for Carl Glancey Photography.

First of all, make sure you take photos in RAW if using a DSLR. It allows you to tweak the image much easier in post production than if you take images in JPEG. JPEG can lose some color information, so RAW shows you the image exactly as you took it.

These will also be the largest photos you can take; this means you can offer more sizes of the images you’ve taken, making more money for you in the long run.

Next, be sure you’re using a lens that is appropriate for what you’re going. Some people might say, take along a zoom lens. I would agree if you’re taking images of birds, skittish animals, or animals in a zoo setting. If you’re taking insect images, however, a macro lens is going to suit your needs more appropriately. If you are taking images through glass or water, make sure you have the appropriate filter, called a polarizer, on your lens. This will help cut down the glare and make it possible to get a rich, clear image.

Make sure your images are sharp and easy to see. A fast shutter speed is often needed for animals, so if you’re shooting at night, make sure your camera is capable of producing images using a high ISO, so you can keep your shutter speed quick.

Animals come out at peculiar times, so you’ll want to carry your camera on you whenever you can. The best image is often not planned, but it will pop up at you when you least expect it to. Be sure to take plenty of images; some of the shots you thought were clear may be blurry when transfered to the computer. Likewise, some images you think are too dark or too bright may be perfect for post production.

You’ll likely have to adjust the images in the computer to make them ready for sale, so brush up on your Lightroom or Photoshop skills. You’ll want to adjust the histogram settings, sharpness, color balance, and contrast at the very least. A finished image is often saved according to the stock website’s instructions, and you may need to crop your photo to make it more appropriate for the client base you want to have buying your images.

Mainly, you’ll want to save your image in a large file, adjust it for appropriate sizing, color, and sharpness, and then be sure to tag it well to get it noticed on the site.

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•  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-red-panda-image28642284
•  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-three-funny-alpacas-image28638485

This post was brought to you buy the experts in stock photos, images, and illustrations, Dreamstime.com; bringing together a vast community of talented photographers and designers to make the web and world a more beautiful place since 2000.

Grizedale, Lake District

This location is where autumn is at its finest. Visitors in this area can witness a great display of colours between Windermere and Coniston Water. It is the called the wooded gem of the United Kingdom. It comes with lush green pines and woodland that can give a unique backdrop of rustic oak and larch.

Bedgebury, Kent

You can visit the Bedgebury’s National Pinetum with its largest conifers which come in about 400 varieties. This location has the largest conifers on earth. It is a 350-acre site that has an abundance of native trees.

Alice Holt Forest, Surrey

You can enjoy sightseeing through the richness of autumn colours while you wander through this woodland. It has walking trails that you can set foot on and explore.

Box Hill, Surrey

This area provides copper and red tones during autumn that paint the entire landscape. It comes with striking oaks and beeches that make the entire scenery something special to see. You can enjoy the views while walking to the South Downs.

Hyde Park, London

This is one of the most prestigious parks in the central area of London. It is also a famous royal park which became prominent for its Speakerâ€s Corner. It is the park that was used during the Great Exhibition of 1851. This park has become a location for many demonstrations. You can also enjoy scenic strolls in this park. A visitor can view magnificent, golden shades while taking a riverside jaunt. It also has an unprecedented city glow during autumn.

Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire

The color shades in this location are astounding in autumn starting from late September through November. It can provide you some of the best views in the world with its massive collection of 18,000 trees. It also displays a great collection of maple trees that provide more life and colour during autumn.

Hever Castle, Kent

You can stroll around this 38-acre site which is home to the best shades of red, gold, and green. This area will present you with a wide collection of evergreen trees which make it more famous among visitors.

There you have some of the best destinations to watch autumn in the UK. You can enjoy your time better if explore these places since they are ready to show you what real autumn colour is all about. You can feel the romance in the air as you celebrate the season of love with a parade of beautiful color shades that you will find truly spectacular.

The author writes about travel in the UK and other destinations around the world.

Using printing services itâ€s possible to have all kinds of custom gifts made for your friends and loved ones and to come up with something thatâ€s entirely unique and more creative and sentimental than anything youâ€d buy in a shop. At the same time, if you use printing services you can of course make things for yourself that will equally be sentimental and nice little reminders of time gone by.

One of the most creative things you can make though this way is a photo book – which is essentially a photo album but where the images are printed onto the page rather than just fed into plastic sleeves. This gives you much more creative freedom than you would have with a photo album as you arenâ€t restricted to the rigid grid structure, and at the same time it allows you to incorporate other images and writing which will mean you can include annotations and notes. Of course itâ€s also very handy for those of us who have lots of digital photos and donâ€t want to have to print them out.

While photo books have these many advantages however, many of us unfortunately still think of them in terms of the way they used to be – and find it hard to think outside the confines of a photo album. Here you have an opportunity to do something much more creative should you want to, and this means that you can make a much nicer gift or trinket. Here are some ideas to make your photo books more interesting.

Telling Stories

For most of us a photo album is a memory of a specific point in time – somewhere to put the pictures from an event such as a wedding or a holiday. However with photo books you are freer to use photos from throughout time and this means you can use them to tell a story – and what better story than one of your life? A great birthday gift for someone is a photo book that tells the story of their life, starting with pictures of them as a baby in the cot, progressing through childhood and then moving on to adulthood. This way you can show all the highlights of their time on this Earth and it can be a great way for them to reminisce.

Of course there are other similar stories you can tell in this manner too. Why not for instance make a story of your relationship with someone starting with images from the day you met, and moving through all the nice things youâ€ve probably done together? This is a great romantic gift for a partner. Likewise a great leaving gift for someone who is leaving work, Uni or town, and this way you can give them a selection of pictures of your times together to remember you by.

Finally, why not make up a story? Using images you source from various places, captions that youâ€ve added, and a bit of imagination, you can make a funny gift that will make them smile and that will have shown a lot of creativity and thought.

Lisa Robinson is an avid photographer who suggests you to checkout personalised calendars 2013 from www.vistaprint.co.uk

Wildlife photography

Thekkady offers plenty of opportunities for photographing wildlife. Periyar Tiger Reserve, the fascinating wildlife sanctuary, is just a half an hour drive from Thekkady. Teeming with a rich variety of wildlife, Thekkady will present you with a great opportunity to capture some of the rare species which are not seen anywhere else in the country. Thekkady is home to endangered species like sambar, tigers, gaur, lion-tailed Macaques and Nilgiri Langurs. While on a photography tour here, you should be watchful all the time as you cannot predict when you spot one of these marvelous creatures. Always be ready and donâ€t miss the chance to make some fascinating wildlife images.

 

The stunning background of the lush green landscape and serene Periyar lake will add to the splendor of your images. Elephants coming in herds to drink water and play in the lake are a great sight to watch. Every tourist who visit Thekkday will take back home the images of these playful giants. If you crave for more wildlife, go on a jungle safari in the Muthanga sanctuary that has been declared a Project and Elephant site and click away.

Marvels of Kochi

Kochi packs a series of exciting experiences and destinations that will interest any photographer.  A walk through the alleys & lanes of kochi is truly a trip down the history lane. Kochi, the ancient port city with a stunning natural harbour, has attracted invaders from far and wide. The Arabds, the Chinese, the Jews, the Dutch, the Portuguese have all contributed to make Kochi a cultural melting pot.

Architectural marvels like the Portuguese Churches, Jewish Synagogue and Dutch Cemetery still carry an old world charm and take you back in time. An ideal place for heritage photography, your camera will tire of clicking images that will tell you the story of Kochiâ€s colonial past. A snap of the Chinese fishing nets on the coastline of Fort Kochi as the sun set in to the Arabian Sea will be a classic in landscape photography.

Festivals

To catch the real spirit and vibrancy of the people in Kerala, go to the heart of festivals in Godâ€s own country. With numerous temples and other places of worships, Keralaâ€s festival calendar is full with colorful and vibrant festivals celebrated across the state.  Thrissur Pooram, known as the festival of festivals, will be an excellent opportunity for you to capture the true essence of a temple festival in Kerala. Magnificent spectacle of fireworks, kudamattam (exchange of colorful umbrellas), elephant procession all are sure to offer your camera enough stuff to create some spectacular festival pictures. Arattupuzha Pooram, Uthralikavu Pooram, &  Adoor gajamela are some other colorful festivals that will give fodder for your SLR.

The charm of Kerala is endless. Stunning shoreline, sprawling plantations, sparkling backwaters, sun kissed beaches and more. Destinations are waiting to be captured in perfect frames.

This article is authored by Nick Ram, who is one of the authors of the blog Home of Ayurveda.

1. Head to the lake- If you donâ€t have any other large bodies of water nearby then you should consider heading to the lake to take your family photos. One of the best spots at the lake to take your pictures is at the dock. This should provide a great setting and give your photographer a lot to work with.
2. Fancy staircase- Using a beautiful staircase is a really great option for providing some  memorable photos. Staircases work really well if you have a large family and want to get everyone to fit in the picture without having to back really far up.
3. Go to the beach- One of the most classic locations that you can take your family pictures at is the beach. Not only will you have one of the most beautiful landscapes at your disposal but you get to enjoy the beach once you are done taking pictures. The beach should provide plenty of fantastic lighting and wonderfully warm pictures.
4. Hit the vineyard- Another great place to take your photos as a family is at a vineyard. Vineyards are fantastic before they are the perfect mixture of natural beauty and manmade structure. Vineyards provide a really great backdrop for taking pictures and could make for a fantastic photo shoot.
5. Downtown- One of the best places that you can go to take your family photos is in a downtown setting. Try and find a bunch of diverse textures that you can have in the background to help your pictures seem more interesting. Even in smaller cities you should be able to find some really great structures and locations to do your family shoot at.

No matter where you end up deciding to take your pictures, with the right photographer you should have no problem whatsoever getting some great pictures. If you have a hard time deciding on a location you could always split up your photo shoot over several different venues. That way you will be able to get the best of multiple venues and wonâ€t have to compromise with your family photos.

Micah is a freelance writer for attorney Benjamin Skinner. For more information on business tips and inexpensive family activities, follow Benjamin on Twitter.