Digital Photography And Accessories

Canon Powershot S95 Review

2010-10-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

by Barrie Smith

At first the Canon PowerShot S95 seems to be just another point-and-shooter: compact, all black and stylish. Then a quick glance over the specs and external controls leads you to think otherwise.

Canon Powershot S95 Features

The CCD has 10.0 megapixels; the lens is a fast f2 zoom that has a range from 28-105mm as a 35 SLR equivalent.

In exposure, it has access to Program AE as well as shutter and aperture priority plus manual.
Using a hybrid IS system the camera offers a more advanced image stabilisation, reducing camera shake by the equivalent of four f stops.

The camera has a High Dynamic Range mode accomplished by simultaneously capturing three images with different exposures, then combining them into a single image using in-camera software.

Maximum image size is 3648×2736 pixels, enabling a 31×23 cm print to be made at 300 dpi. Movies: 1280×720 pixels at 30 fps.

And the good news keeps coming: you can shoot pictures in RAW and JEPG as well as simultaneous RAW+JPEG files saved to the card.

The less than good news is the maximum continuous speed is only 1.9 images/second with focus and exposure set before shooting; if you want continuous focus, the capture rate is only seven frames in 10 seconds. The camera will continue shooting as long as you hold down the shutter button.

Canon Powershot S95 ISO Tests

At ISO 80, superb of course.

At ISO 400, nearly as good but with a very slight rise in noise.

At ISO 800, nearly the same as ISO 400.

At ISO 1600, not much noisier than ISO 800. Still useable.

At ISO 3200, noise is noticeable and definition lower. Useable at a pinch.

Startup Time

It took less than two seconds from power on to first shot. Follow-ons about a second apart.

Distortion

There was no sign of any distortion with the zoom lens set at wide and tele. A good performance.

Comment

There’s not much to whinge about… except the all black finish naturally leads to the top controls — power and shutter are in black —being hard to see. Maybe it’s me.

I found the S95 a delight to use, very pro and quick. Quality: pin sharp pics, excellent tonal range.

Why you would buy the S95: you would prefer a vari-angle LCD screen; you need RAW capture.
Why you wouldn’t: the camera does not shoot Full HD 1920×1080 pixels; it does not offer Adobe RGB colour space.

However, this is a very special camera.

Canon Powershot S95 Specifications

Image Sensor: 10.0 million effective pixels.
Metering: Evaluative, centre-weighted average, spot.
Sensor Size: 14.9mm CCD.
Lens: Canon f2.0-4.9/6.0-22.5mm (28-105mm as 35 SLR equivalent).
Shutter Speed: 15 to 1/1600 second.
Continuous Shooting: 0.8 to 1.9 images/second.
Memory: SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC, MMCplus, HC MMC plus cards.
Image Sizes (pixels): 3648×2736 to 640×360. Movies: 1280×720, 640×480, 320×240 at 30 fps.
LCD Screen: 7.6cm LCD (461,000 pixels).
File Formats: RAW, JPEG, RAW+JPEG, Motion JPEG.
ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 80 to 3200.
Interface: USB 2.0, HDMI mini, AV.
Power: Rechargeable lithium ion battery, DC input.
Dimensions: 99.8×58.4×29.5 WHDmm.
Weight: Approx. 193 g (inc battery and card).
Price: Get a price on the Canon PowerShot S95 at Amazon.

Post from: Digital Photography School

Click here for more info on the Canon PowerShot S95

5 Essential Digital Photography Accessories You Can Make Yourself

2010-10-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

by Tim Brookes

Photography certainly isn’t the cheapest of hobbies to take up. If you’re serious about it then you’re going to need a good digital SLR, a selection of lenses and a decent set of extras to keep you snap-happy.

There’s a startling array of accessories out there for the amateur enthusiast, and though many are cheap there’s plenty that aren’t. Luckily, you’ll be pleased to hear that many of those costly bits of plastic and card are simply that – plastic and card, which can be built for a fraction of the cost.

Those of you who don’t have the cash to flash and enjoy a little challenge will find some of the do-it-yourself projects in this list satisfying, especially when you’re saving money (probably to buy more lenses, if you’re anything like me).

The DIY Softbox

If you’ve ever taken an interest in macro photography then pay attention. A softbox is essentially a light tent, designed to soften harsh light and shadows to provide a nice even exposure and near-perfect lighting.

Pretty much every “product shot” of any gadget you own will have been shot in one of these, and you can quite easily customise it to suit your own demands. A nice shiny floor tile from your local DIY store is all it takes to sex one these up!

To make one you’re going to need an old cardboard box, some black and white card and a source of light. If you don’t have a flash unit, you can fire remotely (either wirelessly or with a hot-shoe cord) then you could use a desk lamp or even bright torch, just remember your white balance.

The String Tripod

The least-conventional tripod ever, this string tripod attaches to your camera’s usual tripod mount point so that a length of string is left hanging from your camera. Your foot is then used to hold the string tight in the position you would like to shoot, and adjusted accordingly.

The tripod works by using the tension in the string to keep the camera steady. It won’t keep your camera amazingly still but should work enough to facilitate shooting in lower light conditions. The tripod is designed purely to get a couple of extra stops of light into your camera without the blur.

To make it, you’ll need an existing tripod plate (plastic’s probably best, as you’ll need to drill a hole) and some sort of string or chain. There’s nothing to say you can’t modify this design, as long as it’ll fit in a tripod mount point then it’ll work. Retaining screws for US license plates apparently work well, if you’re that side of the pond.

The Poor Man’s Ring Flash

A proper ring flash can often end up costing more than what your camera is worth, so if you’re still new and not made of money then you might as well try and MacGyver yourself something instead. This guide will show you how to make a basic yet functional ring flash to bring out the best in your portraiture.

A ring flash is designed to light the subject from your lens’ point of view, minimising shadows in the wrong place and providing a vivid, well lit exposure. The DIY ring flash won’t perform as well as a professional bit of kit, but the results aren’t bad.

Depending on the flash you are using (this should work with both the internal flash and any flash guns you might have) cut the milk carton to size, cut a hole big enough to slide your lens through and shoot away. If you’re reading this and you’ve got a point and shoot camera, don’t worry you can join in too.

The Flash Bounce Card

The simplest trick of all can transform your harsh sub-par built-in flash into a glorious bounce flash for a whopping $0. As long as you’ve got a piece of white card (a business card works well) and some elastic or rubber bands, you’re laughing.

Position the card in front of the flash so no light can leak directly into your shot, so that when your flash fires the light is projected upwards and bounces back down into your scene. It’s no replacement for a full-on bounce flash, but you’ll be surprised at how well the shots will come out considering you never spent a penny.

This will also work to help diffuse or even tint harsh light coming from flashguns, much like the picture above.

The Flash Gun Diffuser / Light Sphere

This one works in a similar way to the bounce card, but is aimed at those who have already coughed up the money for a fancy flash gun. There’s no right or wrong way to do this, as there are so many different versions floating about online.

This particular design suggests using bubble wrap to create a hollow tunnel that sits on top of the flash unit, to diffuse light directly at the subject. I myself prefer the tried and tested sick bag and rubber band diffuser, as the airlines tend to keep me stocked up for free.

You’ll be amazed at how well it works, especially considering an official Gary Fong Lightsphere (which is just plastic after all) can set you back about $50.

Conclusion

Hopefully this list will at least give you an idea of what you can achieve with effort as opposed to money. These DIY accessories are often intended to deliver a sample of what the real thing can do without laying down the cash. If you find that you’re especially fond of one of your creations, then maybe it’s time to start saving for the real thing. If it’s good enough, why bother?

What are your favourite DIY photo accessories? Got anything in your closet that you’re especially proud of? Dropped too much money on a diffuser recently? Let us know in the comments!

Images: Shutterstock, DIY Softbox, String Tripod, Eye, Bounce Card, Light Sphere

Shooting Landscapes with Longer Focal Lengths

2010-10-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

by Darren Rowse

One of the simpler tips that I would suggest for those wanting to add a little variety to their landscape photography is to shoot with longer focal lengths.

400mm - Image by Tambako the Jagua

While the majority of landscape photography is done with wide angle lenses (and rightly so – it’s a great way to capture to dramatic wide vistas) it can be very effective to take a lens with a longer focal length with you next time you set out to capture a scene.

Longer focal lengths can be particularly effective in those over-photographed locations where images can end up looking a little cliched. They’re also great for capturing patterns and layers on the horizon that often go unnoticed in landscapes shot with a wide lens.

300mm - Image by kwerfeldein

A quick tip for those shooting landscapes with longer focal lengths – make sure you use a tripod. With longer focal lengths, any camera shake or movement will be amplified. The longer the lens the more noticeable it will become. So secure your camera and consider using a remote shutter release of some kind.

300mm - Image by mugley

300mm - Image by rachel_thecat

Post from: Digital Photography School

Setting Up Your Digital Camera For HDR Shooting

2010-10-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Today we begin a 3 part series – a Beginners Guide to HDR Photography by looking at how to set your digital camera up for shooting HDR images. This series is written by James Brandon.

Introduction

You’ve probably heard of High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography, it’s made quite an entrance into the world of digital photography.

If you haven’t, the HDR process is accomplished by taking multiple exposures of a high contrast scene (usually a landscape or cityscape), at different levels of brightness, and then combining the best light from each exposure into one image.

The end result is a stunning image that very closely resembles how the human eye views a scene. This process of digital manipulation has caused a bit of controversy and debate in the world of photography, especially with images that are “over-cooked.” One thing is for sure though, HDR is here to stay. When done right, this unique and in depth processing technique can produce beautiful works of art that mimic the way we view and remember a landscape or scene.

The above image is an example of what HDR processing can produce. This image, taken from the Big Island of Hawaii, would not be possible without HDR processing. It was taken around noon, the harshest light of the day. The first image is the best image my camera could produce given the situation. While still beautiful, there are obvious problems. Get ready, this article is going to show you how to take your digital camera and turn it into an HDR shooting machine!

Step 1: Locate Your Camera Manual

I know, we all hate manuals. But if you want to become the best photographer you can be, you need to become best friends with your cameras manual. Spend time with it, take it with you on trips, read it in the airplane, memorize every setting on your camera so you know it inside and out, make your significant other jealous of it. And for this lesson, have it handy as a decoder in case you have a different camera model. If you don’t have your manual, simply do a Google search for: (your camera model) manual. You should be able to easily find a pdf version to download.

Step 2: Discover Auto Exposure Bracketing

Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) is the main component in creating an HDR image. Bracketing is the term used to describe taking multiple exposures of a scene, the key element to capturing all of that wonderful light in a scene.

Why is this necessary? Well, take for example your typical post card from Hawaii, with a silhouetted palm tree hanging in from the side of the frame, and a beautiful sunrise as a backdrop. While beautiful, the silhouette is actually caused by the failure of the camera to produce the full dynamic range of light in that scene. The sunrise is simply too bright and there is too much of a contrast between the sky and tree. Therefore, the tree is reduced to pure black.

Your cameras AEB setting will take an exposure for the sky in the background, an average exposure of the entire scene, and finally an exposure for the palm tree in the foreground. Or in technical terms, a bracketed sequence of exposures listed like this: -2, 0, +2. This sequence simply means one exposure that is two stops of light underexposed, a proper exposure according to the cameras light meter, and one exposure that is two stops over exposed. Depending on your camera model, you may only be able to do 3 exposures in AEB at the most. Others will allow 5, 7, 9 and up. The more exposures you can get, the better, because the potential for capturing all the light in the scene increases. A bracketed sequence of 7 exposures would look like this: -3,-2,-1,0,+1,+2,+3.

Go into your cameras menu settings and find the option for AEB. On a Canon 5D Mark II for example, AEB is located under the second menu screen, and is labeled “Expo.comp./AEB.” To change from one exposure to three, highlight the menu setting, click the SET button, then turn the dial on top of the camera to the right.

Step 3: Set Your Camera to Av Mode and Determine an Aperture

Aperture Value (Av) Mode is really the only setting that will work for HDR shooting. This setting lets you determine the aperture of the exposure, and the camera determines the shutter speed. When shooting multiple exposures, you have to consider what needs to stay the same during the brackets.

If you set the camera to Time Value, the camera will make sure the shutter speed stays the same through all the exposures. Therefore, in order to create dark to light images, the camera will adjust the aperture, and that is no bueno. The aperture controls depth of field, or how much of your scene will be in focus. If that value is different in every frame, combining them later just won’t work.

While using the Manual setting will work, using the Av setting is the easiest and most convenient setting to start with. If you already fully understand shooting in Manual, by all means go for it. But make sure that you never change your aperture during your bracketed exposures! If you don’t fully understand Manual mode, start with Av and work your way up to it. Av mode simply saves time over having to dial in the exposures manually, and saving time is always a plus.

Once you are in Av mode, it’s now time to determine what aperture you want to shoot at. Again, aperture controls depth of field. So for a landscape, you will most likely want the entire image to be in focus, with no blur in the background. When determining your aperture, remember this: The higher the aperture, the greater the depth of field. Want to know a little trick you can use to determine aperture (although it isn’t 100% accurate)? Imagine you have 20 people in a line, and the line is going away from your camera.

The people are staggered so that you can see each of them, but each person is further and further away. If you want just the first person in the line to be in focus and all the rest to be blury, set your aperture to 1. If you want the first 10 people in focus, set your aperture to 10. If you want all 20 people in focus, set your aperture to 20. Pretty simple concept right? With that said, just about any aperture value above 11 will have your entire frame in focus (most of the time). Start at f/11, and experiment your way up and down from there.

Step 4: Determine Your Metering Mode

Metering is one of the more complicated settings on your camera, and one that I get a lot of questions on from new photographers. In a nutshell, your metering mode is simply how your camera samples light to determine the proper exposure for the image. The camera has to see the scene before it, analyze the light in the scene, and determine what your camera settings should be.

If you are new to photography, you should know that in most cases, Evaluative Metering will work just fine. But don’t take that bit of knowledge and forget about metering. There is also partial, spot, and center weighted metering. Each of which have their time and place where using them will drastically improve your image. Make sure you take the time to understand each setting, but for now, set your metering to Evaluative.

Step 5: Set your white balance

Again, this is a topic that confuses some people. It’s also a topic that some photographers get lazy with. White balance is incredibly important to your images color balance. If your white balance is off, your entire image will be off. Auto White Balance (just like Evaluative Metering) will work most of the time. Cameras are smarter and smarter these days, and the automatic settings work more often than not. But just like the metering modes, you need to know the different white balance settings.

If your camera fails to capture the colors in the scene like you see them, it’s time to change the setting. The quickest and easiest way to correct white balance is using Custom White Balance. Simply find something in the scene that is pure white (a white wall, a piece of paper, a white shirt, etc) and take a close up picture of it so that the color white completely fills the frame.

On a Canon 5D Mark II, go to your menu, scroll to the second list of settings, select Custom WB, and follow the prompts to select the last image taken on the card. Your camera will then take that image and use it to create a color balance where that image is pure white. Your next picture of that object should look as white as snow. Remember, white is your foundation in color balance. Get white set, and the other colors will fall into place.

Step 6: Determine your ISO Setting

Your ISO setting is simply your cameras sensitivity to light. The higher the number, the more sensitive it becomes. The best way I know to figure out ISO is to imagine them as worker bees. Therefore, at ISO 100, you have 100 worker bees that go out and gather light for you when you take a picture. At a shutter speed of 1/100th of a second, you have 100 worker bees to go gather as much light as possible in 1/100th of a second.

So what if those little bees can’t get enough light in that amount of time? Just send more bees! At ISO 200 you will have twice as many bees to gather light for you, at ISO 400 the number doubles again, and so on.

The downside to ISO is that the higher the number, the lower the quality of your image. High ISO values produce what’s called noise, and unfortunately, the process of combining exposures in HDR will already bring in lots of it. Because of this problem, you need to set your ISO as low as possible. ISO 100 is usually your best bet, unless you absolutely can’t take all your brackets at this number. Some cameras will even go down to ISO 50, but there is debate as to whether or not this makes the image less sharp.

Step 7: Get a Tripod!

With a high aperture and a low ISO setting, your shutter speeds are going to become slower and slower. This is going to make it very hard to hand hold your camera. When shooting with HDR in mind, you want there to be as little movement as possible during the multiple exposures. Anything you can do to eliminate the possibility of movement is worth it.

Switching from hand held to a tripod is a sure fire way to keep your camera still during multiple exposures. The type of tripod you need will simply depend on you and your shooting style. If you don’t do a lot of traveling, and simply drive to a location and set up, you may want to invest in a strong, heavy, aluminum set of tripod legs. If you love to travel, hike, and really get out there, you will need something that isn’t going to bog you down on your journey.

For those people, I would suggest a smaller, more compact set of carbon fiber tripod legs, or even a light weight version of aluminum legs. Your tripod head is just as important. You need something that will support the weight of your camera easily. Ball heads are all the rage right now, and for good reason. They allow smooth, easy movements of your camera, without the use of long rods that stick out everywhere.

Step 8: Use Your Cameras Self-Timer

Another way to take movement out of the equation is to use a self timer. This gets rid of the possible movement from holding down the shutter with your finger. On most cameras, there is a setting where you can start a timer when the shutter release is pressed. If you don’t have this setting, you will need to purchase a shutter release cord.

My preference is to use the 2 second timer in camera, not having to use a shutter release cord is just one less thing to carry around, and the 10 second option just takes too long. With the self timer setting, you simply press the shutter release down and then step away from the camera. Two seconds later, your camera fires off all 3, 5, 7, or 9 exposures in sequence. Hearing the sound of all these exposures may cause a sudden feeling of satisfaction and anticipation to come over you, but don’t be alarmed.

Step 9: Choose the right lens for the shot

HDR photography can be used for any image with a high level of contrast, but most often it is used for landscapes and cityscapes. These subjects are often large and overwhelming, and having the right equipment can make all the difference in the world. For most situations, the best option is going to be a wide angle lens.

That is, any lens that can zoom out to about 28mm or wider. The 24-70mm lens is my absolute favorite lens for shooting landscapes, and I highly recommend it. Anything under the 28mm range is going to start getting pretty wide, so get a lens that you can afford that falls into this category. Now, one of the downsides to using wide angle lenses is distortion, but that is for another article!

Step 10: Switch to Manual Focus

Now that you have your lens ready to go, it’s time to get used to the world of manual focus. Auto focus is an amazing bit of technology, but it isn’t so great for landscapes. If you really want to get everything in your frame in focus, you have to go manual. Auto focus will pick a certain spot in the frame, usually the center, and make sure it is as sharp as possible. With manual focus, you will want to set your focus point to infinity (the little sideways figure 8 on your lens) and forget about it. The infinity setting will average out the entire frame and bring it all into focus.

This isn’t always the best thing to do though. Sometimes there is a subject that has supreme importance over the rest of the frame, but I would still suggest manual focus. When this is the case, switch your camera over to the live view setting if you have it. This is where the screen on the back reflects what you would normally see by looking through the view finder. With this selected, you should be able to zoom in on your subject. After zooming in on the screen (not with the lens), you can begin to turn the focus knob on your lens, getting the focus to that perfect sweet spot. This will ensure that your subject is tack sharp, but don’t be surprised if other parts are slightly softer.

Step 11: Purchase a Bubble Level

Having a level frame is so important! If you simply go out and eyeball your frame for straightness, you will almost always be off. That means that in post, you will have to straighten the image, losing sometimes valuable and crucial pixels in the process. Purchasing a cube level for your cameras hot shoe is the easiest, and cheapest way to ensure straight images. Try and get used to the mindset of getting as much done in camera as possible. Don’t rely on post processing to correct laziness in the field.

Conclusion:

There you go! Your camera should be all ready to go. Now get out there and shoot some brackets! In the next installment of this three part series, we will go over a step by step guide for shooting in the field.

Composition, what to look for in your images, the wonderful world of histograms and more. In closing, here is a large version of the image you saw at the beginning. If you’d like to see it full size, click the image to be redirected to flickr. There you can click full size and scroll around in it. Happy shooting!

Stay tuned for two more posts in this series – ‘Beginners Guide to HDR Photography’. The next post will be on shooting in the field and getting the images back to the computer. The final post will cover post processing techniques.

See more from James Brandon at James Brandon Photography and follow him on Twitter at @jamesdbrandon.

Note: post updated for accuracy.

Post from: Digital Photography School

Methods to Make Your Photos Exceptional With Simple Photo Editing Techniques

2010-10-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

An image can capture that special moment of yours which you will always cherish. How well it had been captured and edited will sweeten your memory all the more. But if the image wasn't captured well maybe edited later. Here comes the essential role of photo editing. These days photo editing is an essential part of photography itself. A lot of emphasis is put on it.

The way in which a photograph is edited can make a lot of difference. If some simple editing methods are kept in mind and followed they will result in getting exceptional photos. These techniques might look simple and easy but they do make a huge difference to the overall result. For this reason, we will be discussing some very simple and basic editing techniques which would be beneficial for you.

The first and foremost tip you need to remember before starting the editing is that, to get superior and great photos you will need to try to make use of the techniques mentioned below

1. Brightness/Contrast: this is the most simple and most widely used technique. This is to be used if the image was too dark or was clicked in a too bright environment.

2. Hue and saturation: these are used basically to control the color content of a photograph.
Hue balances the color while Saturation alters the strength of the color.

3. Removing red eye: most of the imagee editing software programs have red eye removal facility. Just select the red eye removal icon and choose the area around the eyes. The red eye will be removed.

4. Sharpen the image: by sharpening a picture the photo will give a much better look and would be less grainy. It will give a crisp image.

5. Sizing: the size of a photo also determines the quality you are getting.

6. Noise: this is used to add a film of grain over the photo. It will give you a classic look.

7. Adjusting color levels : the color levels may be adjusted in order to give a more balanced use of all colors as well as remove different color imbalances.

These are a few of the very basic editing techniques that have been discussed. These might seem to you quite simple or few in number but they will certainly help you to achieve outstanding photos.

12 Ways To Never Miss A Photo Opportunity

2010-10-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

from Digital Photography School by Jim Goldstein

The following post on 12 Ways To Never Miss A Photo Opportunity is by San Francisco based photographer Jim M. Goldstein. Learn more about him at the end of this post.

Nothing is more frustrating than seeing a great moment to photograph, but missing the opportunity to do so. I’ve missed my fair share of great moments either due to timing or worse lack of preparedness. Either way it’s no fun to miss a photo whatever the circumstances. The Art Of Being Prepared is just that, an art. So what can you do to minimize the chance you’ll miss that next great photo? Here are 12 ways to never miss a photo…

1. Have a camera bag that enables you to easily and quickly access your camera

If you’re stuck with an overly complicated bag that takes too long to open or is organized in such a way that other gear is in the way of you getting to your camera quickly you’re guaranteed to miss that next great spontaneous photo. Look for bags that have quick access flaps and aren’t cumbersome to secure.

note from the editor: lately we’ve been using a Lowepro SlingShot 100 (pictured left) which enables you to quickly get your DSLR off your back by flipping it around.

2. Be sure to have not just (1) one fully charged battery but (2) two

It’s easy to loose track of how long you’ve been using one battery and if your battery status is 1/4 full what does that really mean? Is a 1/4 battery going to last 30 minutes or 20 photos? It’s tough to tell and you might not know it, but battery life is dependent on how cold it is. Yup that’s right cold batteries don’t last as long, but there is a way around that as I discuss in a recent photo outing “Los Angeles City Lights & Maximizing Your Battery Life“. The trick… warm up your battery to squeeze out a few extra photos. Certainly a good tip to know if you’re in a squeeze, but why play with fire when you can just plan ahead. Carry that second battery with you and never make an excuse to leave it behind. You won’t regret it.

3. Be sure to clean the front and rear elements of your lens to minimize spots (optionally cleaning your camera sensor)

Spots in your photos are first and foremost lost data. Data you can fill with a cloning or healing brush, but lost data none the less. Why miss out on the original when you can get it right the first time with a little forethought. Properly preparing your lenses and camera will enable you to get the photo right the first time reduce the time you spend post-processing and dealing with spotting your images.

4. Before heading out make sure you have CF cards in your camera that are empty or have lots of free space

Being conscious both of your available storage capacity and having easy access to more cards can make or break a photo outing. Getting in to the habit of downloading and clearing your cards after each outing will help ensure that you always have the maximum space available.

5. Pre-set your camera settings for the type of subject you’re aiming to photograph

You don’t have to be psychic, but over time you should know the camera settings that you feel most comfortable with or will need before a given photo shoot. Your settings don’t have to be exact but making sure you’re in the general range of what you’ll need so you can quickly adjust to the right ISO, shutter speed, aperture, etc. settings is key. Nothing is worse than realizing that you’re shooting at ISO 1600 in bright daylight introducing more digital noise than would be preferred or having too low of an ISO set in low light conditions resulting in too long of an exposure blurring your subject. One thing I’ve learned to get into the habit of doing is putting my camera away at the end of the day with the same camera settings. This repetition has enabled me to routinely adjust from a common baseline for every photo outing. As a result of doing this I’ve since trained myself to think about my settings before and after heading out with my gear.

6. If you have a camera with image stabilization or vibration reduction set your lens appropriately for the subject

For those that have the luxury of using a lens with IS or VR be sure you have this function set appropriately for your subject. If you’re doing a lot of hand holding while photographing your subject or working in low light be sure this feature is on. If you’re using a longer focal length and have your camera mounted to a tripod be sure this feature is disabled. The end result in both of these situations will be sharper photos.

7. Have needed filters on your lens or take filters off your lens as necessary before heading out.

If you’re fumbling for filters when you should be focusing on your subject you’ll increase the likelihood of missing photo opportunities. Know your subject and know what you’ll need beforehand. If you’re in the mood to experiment preload filters on your lens and remove them as need be. It’s almost always faster to remove a filter than to fumble clumsily putting one on.

8. It may sound obvious but take off your lens cap.

I’m man enough to admit I’ve left my lens cap on more than once while trying to capture a fleeting moment. The habit I’ve developed to avoid this is to take off my lens cap as soon as my camera comes out of my camera bag. If I’m concerned about the safety of my lens I’ll keep it on, but with my hand cupped on the cap attached to the front element of the lens. As soon as I decide to use my camera my hand comes off the lens with the lens cap in hand.

9. Head out with a notion of what you’d like to photograph and how, but always keep your eyes open for new subjects and the unexpected

Priming your minds eye to what you want to photograph is often helpful, but it can also be a distraction. If you lock on to a preconceived notion of what you want to photograph too intensely you’re apt to miss other great opportunities that are right under your nose. Have a notion of what you’d like to photograph, but keep your eyes and mind open.

10. Have your camera on and your hand on your camera bag

Keeping your camera on ensures that you won’t have to wait those extra seconds for your camera to start up when a photographic opportunity arises. If you’re in need of protection and have your camera in a camera bag keep your hand on your camera or near it so you can retrieve it at a moments notice. Those seconds add up and can make the difference between getting the photo you want and missing it.

11. Stay focused

Whether you’re out looking for the spontaneous or waiting out an inevitable moment worthy of capturing keep focused. Murphy’s Law would have it that the moment you take your eye off of your subject, is the moment your subject does exactly what you wanted to photograph. In my book this is by far one of the most frustrating things to experience.

12. Don’t Chimp

Chimping is when a photographer “Oohs” and “Aaah” while looking at images on their LCD screen. If you’re photographing something don’t get caught up in the self-gratification of reviewing your photos. Check to make sure your settings are ok, but keep your eye on your subject and remember #11.

There’s no guarantee by following these recommendations that you’ll capture every fast moving photo opportunity, but it will likely increase your odds of doing so.

This post was written by Jim M. Goldstein. Jim’s landscape, nature, travel and photojournalism photography is featured on his web site JMG-Galleries.com, and blog. In addition Jim’s podcast “EXIF and Beyond” features photographer interviews and chronicles the creation of some of his images.

Post from: Digital Photography School

Books Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set

2010-10-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

The Digital Photography Boxed Set by Scott Kelby contains the following books:

The Digital Photography Book
The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2
The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3

Scott Kelby, the man who changed the "digital darkroom" forever with his groundbreaking, #1 bestselling, award-winning book The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, shows which button to push, which setting to use, when to use them, and hundreds of the most closely guarded photographic "tricks of the trade" to get budding photographers shooting dramatically better-looking, sharper, more colorful, more professional-looking photos with their digital camera every time they press the shutter button.

Scott tackles the most important side of digital photography--how to take pro-quality shots using the same tricks today's top digital pros use (and it's easier than you'd think). Each chapter is packed with plain English tips on using flash, shooting close up photography, travel photography, shooting people, and even how to build a studio from scratch, where he demystifies the process so anyone can start taking pro-quality portraits today! Plus, he's got full chapters on his most requested topics, including loads of tips for landscape photographers, wedding photographers, and there's an entire chapter devoted to sharing some of the pro's secrets for making your photos look more professional, no matter what you're shooting.

Get more information here

Some Additional Digital Photography Accessories

2010-10-16T03:10:00.000-07:00

Using Digital photography accessories increases the versatility of your digital cameras and your hobby or professional practice.

While some accessories, such as batteries and flash memory cards is important and other digital camera accessories, such as special lenses, tripods and docking stations, mainly aimed at professional photographers, But can the amateur hobbyist also find value investing in them.

Additional Digital Camera accessories:

The camera's lens

Specialized lenses can improve a photographer shoots; While some lenses are used primarily by professionals, is zoom lens, a type which amateurs can enjoy without much training. Zoom lenses, also known as Telephoto lenses, is used when a photographer cannot get close to his subject; for example, try to take a character who shot an insect or an action shot at a sporting event; A telephoto lens enhances the quality of these types of images.

In addition to the telephoto lens, the pros consider using a macro lens, a fisheye lens, or a wide angle lens. While the macro lens enlarges small subjects in images (such as a fly eyes), both the fisheye and wide-angle lenses to absorb substances has a wide scope, such as overviews of the cities or landscape shots.

Memory card

Memory card will vary depending on the digital camera model. A card that fits a camera does not necessarily fit into another; Before they buy a camera, determine what type of memory card it requires.

Digital cameras come with a certain amount of built-in memory.Higher end cameras have not only more onboard memory than less expensive card, but they can also take photos of higher pixilation. the higher the pixilation, the more memory the photo file, however, requires.

Some people may find the built-in memory that comes with digital cameras woefully inadequate. Special occasions, such as vacation or weddings are both situations as a photographer should have sufficient camera with memory; Therefore consider most photographers additional

memory an essential.

Tripod

A tripod is essential accessories only for the professional photographer.An amateur photographer with shaky hands can find tripod useful for preventing blurriness.

Macro (or near) photography, tripods are wonderful digital accessories; the more you zoom in on an object, the more sensitive digital cameras become mobility. Also steadiest photographer can therefore avoid destroying a photo using a tripod.

Flash-annexes

Pros may need a special flash attached, as the more advanced cameras they use cannot come with a built-in Flash; Photographers can also use the various types of films, not just the switch between color and black and white, but they can also use the films of different speeds, While slower film speed is best used in poorly lit scenes using only ambient lighting, faster speeds are more suitable for your action shots, such as cars faster.

Batteries

You should always have extra batteries with you.This is particularly true with digital cameras tend to have shorter battery life; With a digital camera, you usually think of approximately two hours of power or approx. 150 shots before you need a battery products freshly caught, but this can vary depending

If the settings are applied to it.

Battery charger

This is another popular items for digital camera owners, if you are on a long trip, you may be able to charge the batteries every night you continue to shoot the next day.

Camera bag

Another important piece of equipment have is a camera bag; often overlooked as a photographic tools, camera bags not only implement your extra memory cards, batteries, and extra lenses, but they also protect the camera between uses.

Photo printers

While the computer images photos are comfortably, you want to print, and frame your photos; A good quality photo printer saves money in the long term for the printing of digital images at photography shops can be expensive; Photo printers come in all shapes and sizes, depending on your printing needs.

Software programs

Digital cameras that come with the software editors who are often quite basic. Photographers who invest time in the Edit and modify images should consider more advanced photo editing software which has far more features and options for editing.

These are just a few digital photography accessories which you might want to invest in, regardless of whether you are a hobbyist, amateur or professional photographer; some are necessary, others do not, is to take quality pictures or manipulate digital images.

Why backgrounds are important

2010-10-15T03:01:00.000-07:00

Digital photography is more than just point and shoot photos with a digital camera. Digital photography is a art form. There are many things to consider before you take a photo. Probably none more important than a good background for your photo.

With digital images, a good background always improves the overall look of the image. When you select a topic, it is equally important to choose a good background; the reason for this is that light can make or break your photo.

It is very easy to lose the subject of the image in the background; most people just point and shot a camera and don't stop to think about what the image will eventually turn out like before shooting a picture, stop and look at the background and your photos will turn out much better.

Let us take a look at some suggestions that will help you to create an image, which makes good use of backgrounds.

Competition

There should be no competition between the background and the subject. when viewing a picture, you should immediately be able to identify the subject i.e. the focal point.

Contrast

The eye must be able to identify the subject from the background. A subject must be contrasted with the background, this is absolutely essential for every photo.

Complement

The background should not over-power the picture. The background should always complement the subject, help focus and displays the subject.

Colour

Colour is linked to complement and crucial for each photo. The background colour should always complement the colour of the subject. Some colours will bleed on the subject, so check out each picture before taking the next picture.

Just focus on the subject and then selecting a good background.

When an artist begins a new painting on a blank canvas, the background will be important. A good background actually supports the subject and makes it a success.

This may sound like a lot to consider before taking a picture, but it is certainly not, but it does require a lot of practice; The more you practice, the better the images you will shoot.

So decide carefully what's in the background, how it relates to your topic and whether the supports the subject. for example, you might want to approach the subject to cut down on the amount of light you have in your photo.

If you thing of digital photography as an art form, your digital pictures will be better for it.

SP500 Platinum Photo Studio In a Box by Square Perfect

2010-10-14T06:25:00.000-07:00

Our tent's light weight and easy to set up table top design, the soft light box utilizes a specially woven, heat resistant, 100% velour fabric, which delivers uniform illumination while eliminating harsh shadows and reflective glare. Folds up for convenient storage and travel. Our tents are of the highest quality and we guarantee your satisfaction. We have included a 30 x 30 x 30 size and 12 x 12" x 12" with large front openings which makes taking multiple studio shots a snap.Also included are extra front coverings with a lens/camera slit for completely surrounding your subject. We've decided to supply you with 3 extra large colored sheets for internal modeling (Red, Blue, Black and white) at no extra charge. The velcro fastening system and spring-like frame enables the unit to be folded down and stored in the included zip case for very easy transport and storage.
Price: $349.95
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Digital Photography Tips - Using Exposure Compensation To Improve Your Digital Photos

2010-10-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

The automatic exposure feature on today's inexpensive digital cameras is often better than the auto exposure was on expensive film cameras 10 years ago. Advances in computers allow a very sophisticated auto exposure brain to be packed into a tiny space in today's digital cameras.

But even the most sophisticated auto exposure features can sometimes simply make an error or read the scene wrong and set the wrong exposure. The exposure compensation feature of your digital camera enables you to compensate for these mis-readings by making your photos lighter or darker than you would get using auto exposure alone. Here are some tips for improving your digital photos by using the exposure compensation feature of your digital camera.

1. Take a photo and check the exposure - After you take your photo, review it in your camera's LCD screen. One of the joys of digital photography is that you can always lighten or darken a digital photo later using Photoshop or another kind of digital photo editing software. However, while you're still on the scene, why not use the exposure compensation feature to make the correction in the original. Photoshop can darken a picture after the fact, but it can't bring back details that were lost in an overly bright section of your original photo. If they got washed out when the picture was taken, they are simply not there to bring back.

2. Choose the camera program settings - You can always use exposure compensation with the fully automatic mode, but there is a better way. If you want to maximize the depth of field, switch to aperture priority and keep the camera aperture small. Of course this will decrease the shutter speed to allow more light to come in to the camera. Be sure the resulting exposure will not be at a shutter speed of less than 1/125th unless you are using a tripod.

If you are shooting a moving object, you'll have to switch to shutter priority and set the shutter speed fast enough to eliminate blurring - usually at least 1/400th. Just keep in mind that, when you do this, the depth of field will suffer, so focus carefully on your main subject.

After you've selected aperture or shutter priority, take another photo and check the results. If the depth of field and sharpness are acceptable, now it's time to use exposure compensation.

Most digital cameras allow you to increase or decrease the auto exposure setting by 2 stops in 1/3 stop increments. You'll have to check your digital camera's manual to see just how to do it. It varies by camera. Start by adjusting the exposure compensation + 2/3 or - 2/3, depending on whether your auto exposure photos was too light or too dark. Take another photo and check the results. If it's still not right, make an additional adjustment to the exposure compensation and try again.

Exposure compensation gives you much more control over the exposure setting so your digital camera. Just remember, once you go to your next photo taking session, to be sure to return the + 2/3 or - 2/3 or whatever to -0-. Otherwise you'll get exposure compensation on your next photos without wanting it.

Dave Hunt has shot landscape and scenic photos in almost all states of the US and in most countries in Europe. He is the author of numerous articles on photography, travel and recreation. You can find more articles, tips and how-to's, along with and the latest news and information on digital photography at: http://www.digitalphotographygeek.com For tips on travel and vacation ideasl, visit: http://www.deskatravel.com and http://www.bahamasbeat.com

Canon PowerShot SX120IS 10MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Images Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD

2010-10-12T17:16:00.000-07:00

- 10.0 Megapixels- 10x optical zoom with optical image stabilizer-3.0 LCD- DIGIC(R) 4 image processor-Smart auto intelligently selects the proper setting for the camera based on 22 predefined shooting situations-Easy mode takes the guess work out of the equation by determining the right shooting mode for the situation- Requires AA batteries

Click here to find out more from Amazon

Digital Photo Retouching

2010-10-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

When digital cameras came on the market, shutterbugs were at first skeptical about the quality of photos that they could expect. As digital photography began to replace traditional film cameras, the quality of the photos proved superior in many ways. No longer did people have to wait for their photos in order to see how they turned out! Bad shots could be deleted immediately, usually in time to replace them with better shots. But some problems still remained and digital photo retouching was sometimes impossible without expensive software.

No camera is perfect and the digital camera is no exception. Although digital cameras now have a plethora of features designed to improve picture quality, they are only as good as the photographer that takes the picture. Lighting conditions are often less than perfect, images can blur because of unexpected movement and your perfect picture can be marred by a bird or other unexpected object entering the frame just as you take the photo. Digital photo retouching can solve those problems and more.

Using professional software, digital photo retouching can make a mediocre photo into a work of art. Lighting conditions can be altered, dispelling shadows or softening glare. Red eye disappears, blurred areas can be sharpened and that errant splotch of ice cream on her lovely white lawn dress is like it never happened at all. The dog that loped into the picture or a bird flying through can be removed without compromising the background.

Digital photo retouching can even whiten your teeth or sculpt a body to appear more muscular or thinner than it actually is. They say the camera adds ten pounds but with digital photo retouching you can look your best in every picture. You can even "age" a photo and convert it to black and white or sepia for an authentic old time appearance.

There is so much you can do with digital photo retouching! However, the software is quite costly and unless you are a professional photographer you probably don't want to make such a big investment. Luckily, digital photo retouching is a skill that professionals have enthusiastically embraced; you can find a professional willing to retouch your photos for reasonable and affordable prices.

Retouching can also be used for enlarging a favorite photograph and sharpen images that would normally appear blurred by the enlarging process. Is your photo perfect except for that stray hair that was blown into a face at the last second? No problem, a professional can fix that! Perhaps your background overwhelms your subject; a digital photo retouching service can crop your photo, retaining the size you want and even adjust the lighting so that it's perfect.

Cameras are only as good as the photographers using them but now, with digital photo retouching, your creativity has no limits except your own imagination.

6 Fantastic Ideas On What to Do with Your Digital Photos

2010-10-11T20:40:00.000-07:00

Digital cameras were originally designed to replace film cameras, and since people were used to putting their prints into photo albums, they did the same with digital prints. Well, there's a lot more that you can do with digital photos than print them and put them in a photo album. Here are some ideas.

1) Wallpaper. Set your favorite digital photo to use as wallpaper on your computer's desktop. You will be able to see it every time you use your computer. There are even software programs available that let you choose your favorite photos and rotate using each of them as your desktop wallpaper.

2) Screen Savers. You can program your computer to show a specific photo as your screen saver, or you can set it to rotate through all of the photos in a selected folder in an electronic slide show presentation.

3) Digital Photo Frames. These are a new version of picture frame that can store and display a number of digital photos. These picture frames can be loaded with your favorite photos and set to either display one picture, go through the photos in a set order, or display the photos randomly.

4) Put in On Your Cell Phone. Camera phones are becoming extremely popular. Not only can you take pictures with them, but if you have a picture you really like on your computer you can download it to your phone and use it as your cell phone's wallpaper.

5) Icons. When you use messenger programs, blogs, forums and other communication services, you are often able to set up an icon to represent yourself to other users. You can use your digital photos to create an icon.

6) Blogs and Social Networks. You can post pictures on your blog for everyone to see or upload them to the photo area of your MySpace or other networking page.

These are just a few things that you can do with your digital photos. There are many more possibilities, though. Just use your imagination and have fun!

For more great info on digital cameras visit www.bestdigitalphotoguide.com a website offering tips, advice and resources on topics such as learning how a digital camera works, digital vs classic photography and even using a digital camera buying guide plus so much more.

Digital Photography Tips - 3 Proven Ways to Improve Your Digital Photos

2010-10-10T23:03:00.000-07:00

Want to make your next set of vacation photos really stand out? It's easy if you follow a few simple guidelines to improve the composition of your photos.

Composition is an artistic term for how the various elements visible in your digital photos are arranged. Digital photography gives us all kinds of flexibility and control over the photos we take. Then through the use of digital photo editing software like PhotoShop, we can easily improve how our digital photos look. Still our basic decisions about composition are made when we take a digital photo. Here are some tips to improve your decisions which will then improve your photos.

1. Rule of thirds - This is the most common rule for composing photos, and it can be very effective. Just imagine what you see through the viewfinder of your digital camera as divided by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal stripes into 9 sections or a 3 x 3 grid. You can use the rule of thirds by placing the focal point (most important object) in your photos right on one of those lines, instead of in the center of the photo. For example, if you're taking a photo of a landscape with a building in the scene, place the building in the top 1/3 of the frame, and fill the bottom 2/3's with the foreground. Or if you're taking a photo of a sunset on the ocean, shoot the scene so that the sky fills the top 2/3's of the frame.

2. Don't be afraid of a close-up - Sometimes you can create a very dramatic photo simply by filling the frame with part of an object. For example, if you are attending an antique car show, go ahead and photograph all the cars. But try for some dramatic photos by taking a full-frame shot of just a hood ornament. Or if you're photographing a historic building, try capturing a tight shot of a unique architectural detail.

3. Try different vantage points - Most of our photos show the world from about 5 1/2 to 6 feet off the ground. For a more dramatic effort, try a different angle. Try photographing that antique car from the ground looking up - sort of a dog's eye view. If you can find something to stand on, try shooting down for a bird's eye view.

Changing your shooting angle can make a big difference in how the same scene looks. If you're photographing a sunset over a lake, try taking a shot from almost water level. The waves will stand out clearly against the water.

Digital photo editing software like Photoshop allows you to reframe your photos. You can crop your existing pictures to make their impact stronger by applying the rule of thirds after the fact. You can also select a small detail in your larger photos to crop so that it fills the entire frame. However, digital photo editing software cannot help you much when it comes to camera angle. So when you take your next set of photos, remember the dog and the bird. Let your imagination run free, and you can separate your photos from the ordinary.

Dave Hunt has shot landscape and scenic photos in almost all states of the US and in most countries in Europe. He is the author of numerous articles on photography, travel and recreation. You can find more articles, tips and how-to's, along with and the latest news and information on digital photography at: http://www.digitalphotographygeek.com For tips on travel and vacation ideas, visit: http://www.deskatravel.com and http://www.bahamasbeat.com

Digital Foci Photo Book 8-Inch Portable Digital Photo Album (PBK-080)

2010-10-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

Digital Foci Photo Book is a portable digital photo album with an 8-inch 800 x 600 pixel LCD screen supported by LED backlight and 4GB internal flash memory. Featuring a slim design encased in a soft leather-like case for a convenient, elegant photo presentation, Photo Book is a great way to carry collections of digital photos for enjoying and sharing in a variety of settings. Photo Book has a battery life of over 2.5 hours. It’s an ideal family brag book and presentation tool. To use, simply load photos to Photo Book’s internal memory directly from a memory card or USB flash drive. Supported cards include CF, SD, SDHC, MMC, xD, Memory Stick, and MSPRO. You can also transfer photos, videos, and music from the computer via USB connection.Photo Book lets you organize photos into different albums and choose a specific album to view. “Photo Album View” displays each folder as a separate album, showing its folder name and a preview image of the first photo in the album. “Photo Thumbnail View” lets you browse through the thumbnails of the photos in a selected album. In addition to running a full screen photo slideshow with adjustable time intervals, you can also run a slideshow with an elegant page-turning effect, just as if you were flipping through an actual photo album. Music can also be added to play in the background along with your slideshow.Perfect for professional photographers to display photos in an elegant portfolio, Photo Book supports RAW images from a wide selection of DSLRs.Photo Book users can organize photos into different collections, and choose a specific collection to show depending on their audience. Photos are automatically rotated to their correct orientation based on the EXIF data captured by the camera, and can also be zoomed, panned, and rotated. Photo Book comes with soft leather-like case, AC power adapter, Standard USB cable (to computer), USB OTG cable (to USB flash drive), and Quick Start Guide.

Price: $169.00

Click here for more info from Amazon

Learn How To Share Your Photos Easily With Free Digital Photo Albums

2010-10-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

Digital photo albums are a great way of sharing your photos with friends and family, whatever country they live in.
What makes digital photo albums so special?
Unlike the old days of film, if you take photos using a digital camera it is now much easier to share these images across the world, using photo albums hosted on a website.
Instead of arranging for extra copies of photos to be made, all you need to do is to open a free account at websites like the Kodak Easyshare Gallery or Photobucket and start uploading your photos. You then decide which style of album you wish to display your photos in and then invite people to view them. You will find that most photo albums sites allow you to comment on your photos. Not only that but you can also allow visitors to add comments too. This takes sharing photos to a new level and of course you can upload from anywhere in the world. You just need access to an internet connection.
So, if you are travelling, your friends and family can see where you are and really get into the experience of your adventures.
What are the benefits of digital photo albums?
The main benefit is the avoidance of hassle when you want to share your photos. Uploading them to a website is a once only operation. You avoid the need for sending large attachments with emails. In my experience you are never sure whether they will reach their destination anyway.
You can request printed photos directly from the photo albums site if you need copies but in particular, friends and family can do this too. A major saving in your time on what is usually a laborious task.
What are the downsides?
You will find that you have to sign up for a free account which grants you access to the main photo albums creation area. However, be aware that you usually have to make a purchase, at least one a year, to keep your account active. This purchase may take the form of a few hard copies of pictures from your digital photo albums or perhaps your images printed on mugs, keyrings or posters etc.
You need to read the terms and conditions carefully as digital photo albums suppliers usually reserve the right to delete your digital photos or videos should you not make the required purchase. But don't worry, some only require the purchase of a few of your digital photos printed and it is not very expensive.

Trevor Sadowski has been taking photos for more than 30 years and loves to help people improve their photos.
For more information and reviews of the main photo albums sites visit Trevor?s website for some solid recommendations.

Epson Perfection V700 Photo Color Scanner

2010-10-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

Get professional quality results from virtually any photographic original with the Epson Perfection V700 photo scanner. With groundbreaking 6400 DPI resolution, the powerful scanner consistantly delivers precision color and detail, whether scanning slides, negatives, or medium-format film. With a 4.0 DMax, it offers exceptional image quality, excellent detail in shadow areas and remarkable tonal range.

Price: $619.00

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ViewSonic VFM1530-11 15-Inch 256 MB High Resolution Multimedia Digital Photo Frame (Ebony)

2010-10-08T21:51:00.000-07:00

The 15-Inch ViewSonic VFM1530-11 brings consumers the perfect digital image viewing experience. The ultra fine resolution of 1,024x768 and high quality digital LCD panel deliver the most vivid color and sharp detail performance to display your most precious memories. The 4:3 aspect ratio ensures no image distortion or data loss. The multimedia capabilities support full audio and video functions, which make the VFM1530 a versatile device to showcase your life style in the most fun and creative format. The elegantly designed and detailed finish of the wooden frame compliments any décor at home or in the office. A perfect combination of excellent décor and high-tech gadget, the VFM1530 is the gift for any occasion or to just frame your most favorite memories.

Price: $269.00

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Macro Photos of Insects

2010-10-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

Below are some great examples of macro photography for taking picture of insects.

Canon PowerShot SD1200IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Dark Gray)

2010-10-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

Brighter, lighter and more loaded than ever before. Canon's 10.0-megapixel ELPH is the complete package, featuring all the innovative know-how to help you start composing incredibly vibrant and lifelike photos right out of the box. One-year warranty. Model SD1200IS.
Price: $179.00

Click here for more info from Amazon

Nikon Coolpix L22 12.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Optical Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Red-primary)

2010-10-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

12.0 Megapixels for stunning prints as large as 16 x 20 inches
3.6x Zoom-NIKKOR Glass Lens has a versatile zoom range from 37mm to 134mm telephoto coverage that gets you close to the action while capturing expansive landscapes
Big, Bright 3.0-inch LCD makes it easy to compose and share your pictures with a wide-viewing angle and anti-glare coating
Easy Auto Mode with Scene Auto Selector simplifies your picture-taking experience by letting the camera automatically select the best setting to get great picture
High Quality TV Movies with Sound records 640x480 at 30fps movies for easy in camera playback or on your computer
3-way VR Image Stabilization System
1. Electronic VR Image Stabilization minimizes the effect of camera shake
2. Motion Detection automatically detects moving subjects and adjusts shutter speed and ISO setting to compensate for cameras hake and subject movement
3. Nikon’s original Best Shot Selector (BSS) automatically takes up to 10 shots while the shutter is pressed and saves the sharpest image
ISO up to 1600 capability helps give you sharper results when shooting in low light or capturing fast-moving subjects.
Smart Portrait System includes:
1. Smart Portrait Mode makes sure you’ll always catch the decisive moment when your subject smiles.
2. Blink Warning, when activated alerts you that the subject may have blinked and allows you to retake the photo.
3. In-Camera Red-Eye Fix™ automatically fixes, while shooting, most instances of red-eye in the camera. You may never see red-eye again
4. Face-Priority AF Nikon’s face-finding technology that automatically focuses on up to 3 faces
AA Batteries for ease of mind with long battery life plus easy, anywhere replacement
16 Scene Modes
Macro shooting as close as 2”
5 Color Options for special filter effects. Choose from: standard color, vivid color, black-and-white, sepia and cyanotype
EXPEED Image Processing ensures
Price:

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21 Steps to Perfect Photos

2010-10-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

21 Steps to Perfect Photos helps you learn photography in a digital world teaching you how to take great photos using any camera. This book focuses on teaching through practical assignments resulting in immediate photography success.

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Get Paid For Your Photos

2010-10-06T00:34:00.000-07:00

Your just a few clicks away from your photos paying you! For non photographer and pro alike. Top Dollar For Your Pics.

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Photo Techniques Program

2010-10-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

Take Better Photos following an easy photography course that will improve your photos in no time.

Check it out!