Some photographers, especially amateurs, may not really intend to win.  But if you join a photography competition, why not try to have a really stunning photo that can win the contest?  If you join a free contest, you have nothing to lose but you have a lot to gain.  Aside from winning, this is an opportunity to expose your photography skills, learn new ideas and techniques, and most of all, gain experience.

As a beginner, there are simple things that you should not forget nor ignore:

1. It is important to take note of the rules and criteria of the photo contest you’re joining.  You don’t want to mess up this opportunity to win by getting disqualified in the contest.

2. Think outside the box.  To make your photo stand out, have a unique shot.  Put some emotion, originality, or impact in your photo.  Do not take a photo that is too cliche.  Make sure that you capture an emotion in your picture or perhaps the personality of your subject.

3. Know the rules and principles in photography.  Some photographers would break these rules but being completely ignorant makes a huge difference.  It will be too apparent and these kinds of photos never win in any photo contest.  For aspiring photographers, knowing and understanding the fundamentals of framing and composition will be very helpful for them.

4. In joining a photography competition, put in more than one entry since judging always involve subjectivity .  Even professional photographers submit more than one entry.

5. Do not submit your entry at the last minute.  Judges can give more time looking at the entries that were submitted early.  Most photographers submit at the last minute so the judges won’t have the luxury of time to look into those submissions.  Even if you are joining in a free contest, make it a habit to submit your entry early.

As a beginner, start out by doing your best even in a free contest. Their judges can be professional photographers as well so expect to receive negative feedbacks about your work and make it a tool for improvement.  Do not be intimidated by the work of the professionals.  Enjoy your craft and keep improving.  Photography is an art and each one of us has different perspective.

There are many kinds of photography: baby, pet, landscape, macro, wildlife, portrait, aerial, and a lot more.  Photography contests may make these types of photography as a theme.  But it is usually in a photo challenge that you can see them.

Perhaps one of the most interesting and useful kind of photography could be aerial.  It is the kind of photography wherein you take the photograph at a different and unique     point of view.  In aerial photography, photos are taken from an elevated position.

Aerial photography though can be quite expensive.  Platforms that can be used in this kind of photography are fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, balloons, parachutes, poles, kites, etc.  You may not often see this type of photography in a photo challenge or photo competitions but its fascinating.

Aerial photography may not be a practical hobby for most photographers but it is very useful for many, especially for organizations.  It is used in planning land use, cartography, movies, commercial advertising, archeology, and many others.  Aerial photography was even used in World War II.  It was used by military for spying and assessment of the battle ground.

Many amateur and professional photographers may be interested with aerial photography but do not have the resources needed to do so.  Kite aerial photography has made it possible for some photographers to take aerial photographs and make it a hobby.  A kite is used to lift a camera and is triggered remotely or automatically to take aerial photos.

Aerial photographs are amazing as not everyone can always see things from the above or from the top view.  Aerial photographs may also have an advantage in photography contests because only few can submit such photo. So if your photo entry is an aerial photograph it may be something unique or different among the photo entries in the contest.  Though there are also specific themes in photo competitions or in a photo challenge that aerial photography can be applied like a challenge about taking a photograph of a certain place, building, or landmark.

This discussion about aerial photography might have triggered your curiosity and interest regarding the topic. If you are planning to try aerial photography, search for information and browse through different aerial photographs to give you more ideas about it.  There can be a lot to learn about aerial photography that includes techniques and other means of taking an aerial photograph. Be creative and enjoy taking pictures from the sky.

How will you become a good photographer?

Imagination – In my own perspective, a good photographer knows how to conceptualize his imagination. If you have the gift of finding a unique way to interpret or present a particular subject, then you are mostly bound to become a great artist. Photo competitions for instance, display a vast window of imaginations. Given a specific theme or subject, participants would first go through a series of imaginative strategies and finally picture out a composition from it. Next, they will use anything in the environment to become elements of the composition and make a good harmony by carefully setting the subject and other subordinates in the whole portrait.

Trust your instincts – Confidence is a must. If you know what you’re doing, your instincts will automatically set in, especially in photo competitions where you have to take difficult shots like motion photos and wildlife. If you believe that is a good shot, then its a good shot. No question.

Be a Techie – Since you will be dealing with cameras, good knowledge about these gadgets is a plus factor in any way. The camera has many features, settings and other technical stuff even I don’t know. Invest time to learn and use the different settings of the camera for your benefit. Reading the manual is the perfect way to start it. Aside from the camera, photo competition also requires photographers to know some software to help them edit photos in the computer. You need to know how to use these things if you are really serious about photography.

Stick to the basics – There will be times when photographers get confused on whether they are using the right technique for particular shot. A solid foundation about the basics of photography will come handy in these critical moments. Like the rule of thirds, which is constantly being applied in whatever picture contest here and there. The depth of the field, centering the subject, lightings and color and other basic elements of photography.

Learn from others – Picture contests are good teachers, however, you should learn from others and ignore nonconstructive criticism. There will come a time when people will make bad comments on your photo in picture contest. Of course you will get bad feedback since you can’t satisfy everyone all the time. Instead of feeling down, learn from your mistakes and don’t take those comments personally.

Lastly, develop a personal learning journey for you and your camera. Traveling is a good option, some people suggest that that going to a new place or taking a vacation while bringing your camera along is a better exercise than staying home and doing the same routine.

Amateur photographers may be hesitant to join photography contests because of the pros. But these photo competitions can actually help them become a pro.  For amateur photographers, it is most advisable for them to join a free contest so that they will have nothing to lose but their time and effort which are all worthy in developing their skills.

There has been many kinds of photography that emerged in the past years and digital photography is what most people use in today’s generation.  Since its what most people use today, let us delve into the basics of digital photography.

Once you have your digital camera with you, don’t get too excited to capture winning photos yet.  Read the handbook that comes with it.  We usually just ignore it but quite honestly, we can learn some worthy information from it. Digital cameras today has various tools and settings that gives great effects to our photos.  So reading the handbook will be a great help to learn how to use your camera’s special features.  This is another advantage of professional photographers from the amateur ones – they know how to use their camera and do some tricks.

A DSLR camera will give you better shots than the compact digital camera.  Though compact digital cameras today already has advanced features.  As a beginner, you may use your compact digital camera while learning more about photography.  If you want to become a professional photographer, then you should consider buying a DSLR camera later on.

If you want to become a professional photographer or would like to win in photo competitions, you have to develop your photography skills. Know more about photography – its rules, elements, and the likes. There are also photography books and magazines that can give you ideas and updates.  Lastly, practice makes perfect, so to say.  Take many photos as you can.  You can always delete those photos that aren’t too good, and that’s the amazing thing about digital cameras.

To practice your skills, do join in photography contests.  By doing so, you may get professional feedbacks about your work that will help you improve with your shots.  As a beginner, its not wise to join in big photo competitions.  Find a free contest instead so that you will have nothing to lose but time. Even if you are just an amateur photographer, you should also aim to win.  A free contest also have prizes but it may not be too big like the prestigious photo competitions have.

To be more familiar with the features of your camera, experiment with it.
As well as with different styles and techniques in photography.  You might be amazed with the outcome of your photo. Be more creative and most importantly, have fun!

Switching from automatic to the TV setting of your camera is a bit troublesome if you are not used to it. TV stands for “time value” that sets the shutter speed and which is also the opposite of AV or the aperture value of the camera. I strongly encourage to practice the TV settings first before using it in an actual photographic project or during photo contests.

In photo competitions, shutter speed is the amount of time the shutter remains open upon pressing the shutter button. It is often measured in fractions of a second. Basically, the higher the value the shorter the shutter speed becomes e.g. 1/250th, 1/100th or even as low as 1/30th of a second.

Using different setting for the shutter speed needs appropriate tools. If you’re taking photos with TV lower than 1/60th of a second you will probably need a something to support the camera. A tripod is very important to avoid unwanted blurs due to shakes specially for photo shoots or photo competitions where you will have to utilize slow shutter speeds. Aside from tripods, other support like leaning against a wall or post or a bean bag on top of something is a good alternative.

In case you will be confused on the shutter speed selection during photo competitions, you could use the camera’s lens as a guide. If you are currently working with a 100mm lens or the 100mm end of a zoom lens, a shutter speed of 1/100th of a second would be you slowest speed you could use.

For picture contests where movement should be freezed, setting a rapid shutter speed from 1/250th, 1/500th or even 1/1000th of a second is enough to capture crisp and clear photos of fast moving subjects such as cars, athletes and animals. However, sometimes you will want to deliberately blur an image to convey the movement of the subject. In picture contests, this technique is opposite to freezing the movement and you will make use of shutter speeds below 1/60th of a second. This basically allows the subject to travel across your image while the shutter is open. Faster subjects will create more blur.Experiment is the key to fully apply this type of photography on actual photo shoots and picture contests to get the hang of it.

Every picture contest has its own rules to follow. Its is very important to understand every single condition the contest demands. Many magnificent portraits fail to get ranked because it was unable to follow the rules. Some picture contests have themes and entries are assessed in accordance with the themes. In order to win any picture contest you must try to connect with the judges.

If you could observe, photo contests are often hosted by big companies. This is simply because these companies are seeking for images to perfectly represent their business. So the first step is to do a background check on the company holding the competition by looking for published materials that the organisers are using. Know the rules down the final detail to avoid submitting wrong images.

Second, be sure that your photo contest entry is perfectly exposed and with vibrant colors. In other words, your portrait should be technically sound to catch the eye of the judges. If your entry by any means lack color and is poorly expose, it will never get placed.

Third, photo contests also looking for photos that are beautifully composed. Make sure that your subject is the focus of the whole image without any distraction in the foreground or anywhere in the portrait.

Forth, make your entry unique by thinking of something that is out of the box. picture contests is a competition where uniqueness and creativity are great factors to consider. Take a look at previous images that won the same competition as see where you can add an extra bit of something and plan your own approach in which the company could benefit and be proud of the photo that represents its business.

Photo competitions are everywhere,  in the news, papers and in the internet. You can find many sources and its very easy to join. But you should also take consideration what type of photo contests suits you and your interests. Don’t be stressed but rather enjoy the event, its not all about winning the prize but also learning and enjoying.

Macro photographs can be seen in photography contests especially in a photo challenge. Though macro photographs can best be taken by an SLR camera, compact cameras today have special features for taking a macro photograph which allows you to take a good quality close-up photo.

Macro photographs are winning pieces in photography contests. They can bring out the beauty of an ordinary object.  Flies, bees, worms, ants, flowers, and other tiny objects that you have not appreciated until you saw them up close.  You may need some good equipments to achieve a very detailed photo like macro lenses for SLR cameras.

A specialist macro lens for SLR cameras can give you a very detailed photograph.  Though you can also take a macro photograph without it.  You just have to be more creative and resourceful.  Find the right subject, the right angle, and the right lighting.

Have a vision of what you want to achieve in your macro photograph.  Get as close as possible to your subject.  If you have a zoom facility, use it.  Zoom lenses may create some minor distortion but it won’t affect too much of your shot.

If you want to enhance your skills in macro photography, joining in photography contests can help you practice and develop your skills.  Look for a free contest to join in and learn more ideas, gain experience, and most especially practice your skills.  Since they are a free contest, you having nothing to lose except time and effort but they’re all worthy of the result.  It would be more helpful if you join a free contest that is focused on macro photography.  There are some photography contests that has a daily, weekly, or monthly photo challenge.  Look for a photo challenge with macro photography as a theme, read the rules, and give it a go.

You may easily take a photo of your pet but if you really want to win in a pet photo contest, or a photo challenge with pet photography as the theme, then you have to do some technical tricks:

1. The most commonly used in pet photography is the 85-120mm length portrait. This will give you a good working distance.  A tripod or a monopod is also advisable to avoid blurring.  A longer telephoto length may also be used.

2. Most beginners in photography get confused with the aperture to use that is why they miss the best shots.
Since you cannot control your pet’s actions, you have to use the smallest aperture as much as possible to get a better depth.  You can have a better chance of capturing a good shot when your pet moves.

3. You can set a slower shutter speed only if you are capturing your pet in his cute sleeping position.  But if your pet is in action, it would be best to use a shutter speed at a minimum of 1/125th to get the best shot.

4. As much as possible, use natural light. Have your photo shoot outdoors or in a room with enough light coming from the windows.

Technical tricks are not enough to win in a photography competition or a photo challenge about pet photography. You have to use  your own creativity to achieve a better shot.  Have a unique idea about the kind of outcome that you want.  Like capturing a shot of your pet while on air when he jumps or have a cool background.

Some photo challenge may require a specific background, theme, and the likes, so you really have to check their rules.  Part of their rule might be a shot of your pet in a specific scene; a shot of your pet’s emotions; or just your pet in his playful mode.

After setting up your camera and location, the best trick to achieve a good pet photo is to have you and your camera ready.  You can have someone entertain your pet while you capture his best moments.  You may also give him his favorite toy to play with.

Its not that hard to join a pet photo contest but winning can be.  Though joining in a photography competition isn’t all about winning.  Its all about learning, practicing your skills, discovering ideas, and most of all, having fun.

Joining a baby picture contest is not only for pro photographers.  Amateurs, especially mums are free to join unless they don’t meet some qualifications in the contest.  Photo contests are not about winning but also learning and having fun.  As an amateur photographer, you may not expect to win but you can have a perfect baby picture that can gain recognition.

Lighting is very important in any kind of photography.  Having a good lighting can help you achieve a perfect photo that can give you an award in a baby photo contest.  Natural light is most advisable so you can take a photo of your baby outdoors or in a room that has enough light from the windows.

Using some props like toys can be creative.  But make sure not to put too much of it because your photo may be too cluttered or messy.  It may also be distracting in the photo.  Remember to focus on your main subject which is your baby.

Bringing out your baby’s personality in the photo is very effective.  Capture his or her innocence, playfulness, bubbliness, or anything that your baby would love to do.  You can ask someone to entertain the baby while you take pictures so that you can capture the scene.

Experiment.  Take a photo of your baby in different angles.  You can go down on the floor beside your baby and capture his or her eyes.  A focus on the eyes of your baby can show more emotions.

If you are using a digital camera, take a hundred or more shots.  Just continue taking photos and just delve with the results later.  Cute baby moments don’t last too long so you have to be ready with it.

Follow those simple guides and you can have a perfect baby photo to enter in a photography competition.  You do not necessarily have to find a baby picture contest, there are also general photo contests wherein you can enter your baby’s photo.  Some photography competition also have photo challenge wherein they assign a specific theme for a certain period of time. Baby photos are a common theme for these photo challenges.

The most important thing here is to enjoy and have fun in your photo shoot with your baby whether you join a photography competition or not.

Today, I will discuss some tips on how to express motion in a daily photo shoot and also for photo competitions if you are planning to join in the future. But first, you must always consider your subject whether its appropriate to add motion or not. There are several reasons why it is best to represent photo competition entries as motion photos. In most photography contests, motion is captured to simply convey that the subject is moving. Some uses it to show the mood, like the rushing down of a waterfall suggest concentration,  the calm sea in the beach suggests serenity while a busy street in the city implies a rush hour. In motion photo competitions, blur is another element used to eliminate distraction the surrounds the subject. This process is an excellent way to make the viewers focus more on the subject.

Shutter Speed and Blur

In motion picture contests, the camera’s shutter speed plays an important role on introducing movement in your portraits. Always keep in mind that a fast shutter speed will result to a sharper focus on the subject while a slow shutter speed will blur moving objects. There are three types of blur that are usually used in motion picture contests.

Background Focus

By blurring the subject, the focus of the camera will be directed to the background. This approach is usually used for speeding objects with a magnificent background. A high speed sports car along the coastal high road with the crystal sea at back is a perfect example. For picture contests, you can do this by setting a slow shutter speed and to use a tripod to keep the camera fixed.

Subject Focus

This process is quite tricky since you will have to do your best to take a crisp and clear photo of a fast moving subject. In photo contests, what experts do is they pan the camera along the directional path of the subject. Just like the first approach, you will have to use slow shutter speed but now you have to practice panning. Panning requires practice and a good sense of timing since you have to predict the motion and direction of the subject. This could be difficult so you need to invest some time to practice with fast moving subject like athletes. Try to capture their facial expressions while blurring everything in the background.

Blur All

This type of blur is not utilized in motion photo competitions, however, this approach is an perfect for purely artistic purposes. Blurring everything could produce stunning portraits when your shooting with bright, contrasting hues or with different shades on the gray scale.