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Beautiful Examples of Seascape Photography

Radwa — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:13:58 +0000

Seascape photography refers to photographs that are taken of the sea and shots of beaches. Sea scenes have a special impact on many of us, the wide space of water and blue colors give us a beautiful feeling. This explains why many people like to run away from their busy life to go to the sea and beaches.

Sea scenes around the world vary based on their location and the nature surrounding them. Seascape photographers record gorgeous places in their shots from all around the globe. In the following seascape photographs you can see different shots of sea scene photos that I hope you will enjoy.

Wonderful seascape photos

Paradies by Radwa Samir

Dicky Days by Ѕam

La Palma Seascapes by Eugen Munzinger

approach of the apocalypse by wildpianist

Seascapes #2 by Andrew Pechersky

Inverness Beach Sunset by EvaMcDermott

Sunset Pier by Ѕam

CLXIV “house of light” by Caese

When everyone is against you by Christolakis

glory moments by Caese

Transcendence by wildpianist

pacific morning by paul (dex)

Manhattan Beach Pier Sunset by Szeke

Seascape Initiation by Bala

Beacons of the Night by Stephen Emerson

The distant city lights by Saverio Savio

LIFE AFTER DEATH by Edwin Martinez

Passageway by Patrick Smith

LUNARSCAPE by Edwin Martinez

Boats by Radwa Samir

SINGULARITY by Edwin Martinez

Boat by Radwa Samir

Beautiful Examples of Seascape Photography
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How to Add Emotion to Photographs

Shannon Joe — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:23:58 +0000

The thing that separates a snapshot from an artistic photograph is the images ability to generate an emotional response in the viewers. To convey feeling a photographer must go beyond the basic laws of composition and develop something more free flowing and emotive. There are several ways a photographer can alter their photography style to capture a greater level of emotion.

Smile to Universe by Harry Sulistio

Take shots candidly

Sure, posed shots get a good look at everyone’s face, and give you something nice to share with relatives, but they don’t really tell a story. Candid shots capture a unique moment. The emotion of that moment is typically visible in the faces, and eyes of those involved. The easiest way to bring emotion into a picture is through the facial expressions of others.

Isolate

Often, what goes wrong in photographs is that the emotion is overcome by the motion in the image. For example, the excitement of a football game can often be lost in photographs in the movement of the team and the activity of the crowd. Isolate a single face, or a small group of faces in the crowd and allow the rest of the scene to be slightly out of focus.

Visualize and wait

Photographers often shoot in rapid shot mode believing it will increase their chances of taking a shot that is worth printing. There is no skill or artistic design in photos taken using this rapid fire method. When trying to convey emotion in a photograph, look at the scene and visualize exactly the emotion you want to capture, and what that emotion would look like in the given setting. Then frame the shot and wait for the moment when the exact shot you want is in the frame and click. You may only get one chance at catching a tear on someone’s cheek, or a sparkling grin that reaches their eyes. When photographing nature, those emotive moments are even harder to capture. So make sure you get exactly the shot you envisioned.

Be aware of your own emotion

Unfortunately, some days are not good. That does not mean that you cannot capture amazing and emotional images those days, but it is important that you acknowledge your mood and stay aware of how it is effecting the images you capture. It is harder to recognize excitement and glee in someone else when you are feeling dour and down. Try to approach the image you are capturing analytically when this happens, so that your mood does not transfer into the image.

Break the rules

The rules of composition, including the law of thirds and others, sometimes cannot capture emotive moments well. If you need to break the rules to get the shot you want most, do it! Emotive images have to have a certain level of spontaneity in them, so let go of the lines of the composition, risk cutting off the top of someone’s head or setting at a slight angle, and focus more on the tone of the picture.

Edit with care

Often editing can be used to heighten the final feeling of a composition. Adjust the color of the picture to include a cooler or warmer overall tone, crop the image, and make other alterations that enhance the emotion of the shot and help the reader find that focus.

How to Add Emotion to Photographs
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Valentine’s Day Photo Ideas

Radwa — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:30:11 +0000

Valentine’s Day is coming and it is a great time to get creative with photos!. Here are a collection of 17 excellent valentine’s day photo ideas to inspire you.

Beautiful valentine’s day photos

Tulip Heart by Harri Väyrynen

Happy Valentine`s Day! by Elena Stepanova

Valentine’s Day by Marie Sturges

Love by Fabrizio Ciacchi

Simply love+ by Marty

The roots of our love by Escaped emotions

Valentine’s day – Lightpainting by Alexandre Bordereau

Love is by Onixa

Lovers by fproject – Przemyslaw Kruk

Happy San Valentine’s Day by lucamicheli

only both of us by Nooh Essa

ODE TO LOVE by Magda indigo

Happy Valentine`s Day! by Elena Stepanova

A cup full of love by XMelissa

The sweetness of Love by Sweetcaffeine

Valentine’s day by Pichurri

Be My Valentine by Eibo-Jeddah

Valentine’s Day Photo Ideas
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Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens

Lisa Bank — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:51:19 +0000

The Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens is a very high quality lens that is sold for a competitive price, making it one of Canon’s best-selling “L” series lenses. When used on a full frame DSLR camera, the 17-40 f/4L acts as an ultra wide-angle lens, which makes it ideal for shooting vast landscapes or large groups of people. Overall build quality is superb. The zoom and focus rings feel solid and turn smoothly. The 17-40 f/4L is the smallest and lightest “L” lens currently produced. This allows the user to store it in a very small case if the lens hood is removed. It is also weather sealed when a filter is installed, allowing it to be used in adverse weather conditions without worry. The lens focuses very accurately and quickly, using Canon’s Ultrasonic Motor technology.

Flare is also well controlled, even when the lens is stopped down. This is very important for a wide-angle lens since the large field of view often means there is a bright light source (normally the sun) close to or even in the image. Color and contrast are both good overall. Vignetting is a slight issue on full frame cameras, but stopping down to f/5.6 clears nearly all of it up. You also may like this affect when using the lens wide open, but post processing software can eliminate the vignetting if you do not care for it. Using a standard size filter does not add any more vignetting, which is good news for circular polarizing filter users as these filters really bring out the blues in a sky and the greens in plants.

Center sharpness is very good and gets even better when stopped down to f/8 or f/11 for landscape work. In fact, if your most used apertures are smaller, the 17-40 f/4L is a better buy than the far more expensive 16-35 f/2.8L, especially if you do not shoot in low light conditions very often. If you have never used an ultra wide-angle lens before, you will be amazed at the breathtaking field of view that you see through the viewfinder. If you want to shoot landscapes on your full frame camera without breaking the bank, this is the lens for you.

Specifications:

Focal Length & Maximum Aperture   17 – 40mm; 1:4
Diagonal Angle of View   104° – 57° 30′
Focus Adjustment   Inner focusing system with USM
Closest Focusing Distance   0.28m / 0.9 ft.
Zoom System   Rotating type
Filter Size   77mm
Max. Diameter x Length, Weight   3.3″ x 3.8″, 1.1 lb. / 83.5 x 96.8mm, 500g

Price:

Get a price on the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens at amazon.

Examples:

Below are some shots taken with the Canon EF 17-40mm Lens.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens
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Reasons to Turn off Your Autofocus

Shannon Joe — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:12:35 +0000

Autofocus is not always a reliable option when shooting certain photographs. There are certain situations that give reasons to turn off your autofocus:

Contrast levels

The camera’s autofocus finds it difficult to focus on plain surfaces and fine textures. This especially applies for cameras that use passive autofocus sytems, which look for contrast or light areas. Even with digital cameras that have active autofocus systems, which use an infra-red beam, you are not guaranteed to get the focus you want when there is not enough contrast.

Light intensity

Charing Cross at night by DarkestIvy

In low light, contrast is also low. Cameras that use passive autofocus find it difficult to focus with low light as it relies on contrast and light. You may use the AF assist lamp to solve the problem. If this fails, your best option will be to manually focus the lens on your subject.

High Dynamic Range photography

In HDR photography, you intend to take three identical shots of one scene, but at different exposures; overexposed, underexposed and normal exposure. These three shots are then blended using a computer to provide details in highlights, midtones, and shadows. In order to successfully blend the shots, you need to have an identical focus in each shot. If your AF is on, it may produce a different focus for each shot.

Rule of thirds photography

Cameras that have fewer focus points usually fix the autofocus spot in the central area of the viewfinder. This means that if you are shooting using a tripod stand, any subject that falls out of the central area will not be picked up in that shot. In such a case, it is easier to use manual focus to get all your subjects in the shot.

Landscape shooting

When taking landscape shots, you want to achieve hyperfocal distance, which captures foreground to infinity subjects. To do so, you need to shut down the aperture in order to increase depth of field. Once you have focused on the right spot, switch off the autofocus. Failure to do so will cause the camera to re-focus when you press the shutter.

Shooting through glass

Where possible, avoid shooting through glass. Still if you must, for example if shooting fish in an aquarium, you need to turn off your AF as it may capture objects that are closest to the focus such as reflections and any marks on the glass.

Wildlife photography

Most animals and birds have excellent hearing. This is the reason why you should turn off your AF as any slight noise from your lenses may spook them causing them to run for cover. To capture great wildlife shots, you need to manually focus your lenses to avoid such unwanted noises.

Panning

On The Fly by Gilad

When shooting a fast moving subject, the zone options of a camera’s AF may fail to keep the object in focus. Manually pre-focus your camera at the point where your subject will pass. You may also switch to manual mode in order to produce pin-sharp photos.

Portraiture

In portraiture, focus is on the subject’s eyes. AF can accidentally focus on other facial features of the subject such as their eyebrows. This problem can be eliminated with manual focusing, which gives an added advantage of a wide aperture that keeps the background out of focus.

Macro lenses

Lasius Flavius by Leon Baas

Macro lenses are used when shooting fast-moving insects. Such shooting is done on a close range, which makes it almost impossible to use autofocus as the depth of field is too tiny.

Reasons to Turn off Your Autofocus
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Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye Lens

Lisa Bank — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:40:20 +0000

The Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX Fisheye Nikkor Lens gives a stunning 180 degree field of view on APS-C DSLR cameras. This is better than the traditional 15mm fisheye, which gives only a 120 degree field of view on the crop sensor. This lens is small enough to fit in a pocket and light enough that you will hardly notice you are carrying it. Build quality and finish is excellent, giving the lens a very solid feel. While the lens lacks an auto focus motor, it does feature the screw drive auto focus mechanism for bodies with built-in auto focus. When the lens focuses, the front element moves in and out slightly, but it is nothing that interferes with normal use. Of course, like all fisheye lenses, it is not possible to use a front filter. However, a gelatin filter can be used in the rear of the lens.

This lens has excellent sharpness in the center to the corners throughout the aperture range, leading to some stunning images. Color and contrast are also above average for a lens in this price range. While some purple colored fringing is present, it quickly disappears as the lens is stopped down somewhat. Some minor chromatic aberrations are also present, however these can be removed in post processing with minimal effort and no effect on the final image quality. If the correct post processing is used, it is also possible for the Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens to be used as an ultra wide-angle lens as well. This reduces the detail on the corners of the image, but it is minor.

Using a fisheye lens can be a totally new experience and can be used in many situations. One of the most dramatic uses of a fisheye lens is in underwater photography. It gives the image a unique perspective and can give you that “wow” moment when you view the photos. The Nikon 10.5mm fisheye is also great for a unique take on city photography, especially architecture. The distorted look gives the photo a powerful effect if it is composed properly. Finally, aerial photography is another great use of a fisheye lens and can deliver a stunning perspective of a vast landscape.

Specifications:

Lens Type    Prime lens
Focal length   10.5mm
Picture angle 180°
Weight     Approximately 305 g/10.8 oz.
Diameter    63 mm (2.48″)
Minimum focus(closest focusing distance)   0.14 m (5.51″)
Image stabilisation    No
Maximum aperture    F2.8
Minimum aperture    F22.0

Price:

Get a price on the Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX fisheye lens at amazon.

Examples:

Below are some shots taken with the Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens.

Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye Lens
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How to Train your Photographic Eye to See Creatively

Shannon Joe — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:08:38 +0000

There are photographs that even to the untrained eye are mesmerizing. It does not take a genius or a photographic aficionado to discern that there is something appealing and deeply truthful contained in the image. The untrained eye may not instantly be able to quantify what makes a photograph great, but they can see that the picture shows something more than that which is merely obvious.

Photo by Mikebaird

The photographer should study the composition of the photographs they like. This is good general advice for learning basically any kind of art form. The student must first understand what they like about their favorite examples of their chosen art.

Layers and Photographic Composition

Look at the layers. On the face of it, the subject is literal. A beach is simply a beach, the face of a child is simply that, and this is how most people take pictures. They simply point their camera at a subject and click. Sometimes the pictures work, but mostly they are just flat pictures showing the subject, with no particular thought given to composition. One of the more difficult things for the photographer to learn is to find the perspective that lies beyond what is immediately obvious. If a subject has layers, then it is the photographer’s job to find and reveal them to the viewer. In some cases, the photographer may not want to capture the entirety of the subject, but only one single aspect of many possible ones.

Finding the Beauty

For the most part, people like looking at pretty pictures. A pretty flower, for instance, will have people admiring it and many photographers go out of their way to cater to this. In many cases they may even believe that a part of their job is to exaggerate the beauty of an object in the editing process after the picture has been taken. Having a keen photographic eye, however, means being able to find the beauty in unconventional subjects and capture it in a picture.

Aspect Ratio

Learn to see things as the camera sees them, or as they may be displayed in a photograph. The photographer will be composing the photograph within a frame with the 4:3 format commonly used by the average digital camera. Capturing the subject within this space is the goal of the photographer. The keen, well-trained photographic eye is able to fit the subject within that space.

Planning and Intent

The trained photographic eye will have to be able, in some circumstances, to be able to capture fast-moving events as they occur. This means that not only will they have to be in the right place ahead of time for the perfect shot, they will also have to be able to anticipate the good picture. This element of photographic composition takes practice. This also means that they will need the knowledge and experience necessary to assess a location, and to be able to control the circumstances under which the shot is taken.

Developing the keen photographic eye is a talent, and like any talent, it can be learned if the photographer has the desire to acquire the necessary perceptive skills and to practice.

How to Train your Photographic Eye to See Creatively
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20 Gorgeous Butterfly Pictures

Radwa — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:15:29 +0000

Butterflies are very beautiful creations with their beautiful and colorful wings which make them excellent subjects for photography. Although it is said that butterflies are usually hard to photograph, I think it’s all about being in the right place at the right time – which is why the following selection of butterfly pictures is so great!

In this post, we are sharing a collection of 20 remarkable butterfly pictures that I am sure you will like.

Beautiful butterfly pictures

Butterfly by Shay Habba

The baker’s butterfly by Kolomija

The challenger by Roarmagne

Patience by jimmy hoffman

blue and green by Yvan Barbier

88 Butterfly by Boris Godfroid

The emergence by Jimmy hoffman

Apollo by Yvan Barbier

Butterfly and shadow by Angus McIntyre

August by Janini

Butterfly on hand by Igotyoursoul

The saints are coming by Fabien BRAVIN

Geometer moth by jimmy hoffman

Simply Love BY Brizadly Arifin

by Roarmagne

Butterflies by Trevor Dennis

Blue morpho butterfly by Armando Maynez

Symmetry by Jimmy hoffman

Incidental Tourist BY Mandy Schoch

In the morning by Yoshiaki Oikawa

20 Gorgeous Butterfly Pictures
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How To Plan And Shoot A Long Term Photography Project

Shannon Joe — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:11:16 +0000

Choosing to undertake a long-term photography project is a clear indication of advanced photography skills and passion. This personal photography task not only calls for interest, but dedication as well. Long-term photography projects can take as long as five, fifteen, to even thirty years. Without dedication, such a project is doomed to fail. When considering engaging in a long-term photography project, there are certain important tips to put in place as you start off:

Photo by Nickb_Rock

Choose your photography idea(s)

There are infinite ideas of what to focus on for your long-term photography project. Examples include animals, clocks, bridges, and automobiles. The easiest way to go about selecting a subject is to choose one that is of natural interest to you. This way, you will enjoy working on the project throughout its entire period. Avoid topics that other people suggest that are not necessarily your passion, as you may become weary of the subject before the end of the project.

Also, since this is a long-term project that you will constantly be working on, select a photography topic that is found in your location. For example, if you have an eye for religious structures and they are found in your location, you can easily capture them in different seasons, times, activities, and other interesting happening that take place around your subject.

You may also select a topic that is found in different locations. This way, when you travel to other places, you can take photos of your subject, to give you varying angles and views.

Plan

As simple as this may sound, it is very critical to the success of your long-term photography project. Since you have chosen a photography subject, you need to follow it up with how and when you will work on it. One way to plan is to map out your photography topic. In the case of religious structures, map out their location and come up with different shooting angles and times to work on the project.

However, you still need to remain open-minded in your plan. If you travel and happen to come across your subject, you should be ready to take pictures of it as valuable additions to your collection.

Start off the project

Get your equipment together and start off the project according to your plan. You need to have a special place in which you store your work. Create a folder in your computer with the name of your long-term photography subject. If you have chosen numerous subjects, create a folder for each topic and name them accordingly in order to avoid mixing different subjects together. You can also tag other details to the IPTC data of your photos such as when you took the photo, its climate condition, or how you came about your subject.

Expand your project

There are numerous ideas you can generate just by involving other advanced photographers in your work. You can also share your work with your friends through social media sites, and let them give you ideas of other places where your long-term photography subject is found. By letting your work be recognized by others, you will get fresh ideas and motivation to expand your project.

With all these tips in place, you are ready to begin your long-term photography project. With your advanced photography skills, you can expect to come up with a project that will make a name for yourself and you will be proud of.

How To Plan And Shoot A Long Term Photography Project
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