Category Archives: Photography

Underwater Wedding Photography Ideas

Posted on by

Underwater wedding photography ideas sometimes cross the mind of the bride when looking over fantastic pictures online. The imagery is astounding and the brides look like underwater fairies that take nymphs to a higher level.

Achieving the same effects in a real wedding would be harder though and as a photographer it is best to put the realities of the shoot into their proper perspective before the bride and the groom makes a commitment and get the shock of their lives.

Simply going underwater with the P.A.D.I. certified pastor or photographer will not produce the nymph like pictures that could be seen in the samples. The reality of blurry pictures and untidy looks is all too real with underwater weddings.

A photographer experienced in underwater wedding photography should be contacted and a good discussion of what happens should be done. Usually, the professionals cost a whole lot more, but if money is not an object, then the pictures take would be worth every penny paid.

For one thing, these professionals would not just take the pictures off hand underwater during the wedding; they would instead insist that separate pictures be taken before. They would have to discuss and show the bride how to be dressed and made up for an underwater shoot and they would have to spend a lot of time underwater for that perfect shot.

The photographer would probably have a fibreglass clear tank from where the bride could go in and pose in front of the camera that is outside the tank. All the while there would be adjustments made and as this could take a lot of time, it could sometimes take hours getting wet before the final wrap up.

Another to consider would be the willingness of the groom to do exactly the same thing. As men in general may find this idea appalling, most of the great underwater photographs would just be of the bride. But at least, the resulting portraits would be fantastic enough to display in full in the foyer or in the living room where it could be a focus for discussion in the near future.

Think carefully before embarking on this endeavour and choose the right photographer who has experience with these types of wedding photography.

Top 7 Photography Books

Posted on by

If you love a photographer, then you’ll want to print a copy of this list. These are the most wished for books on Amazon. This means there is probably a book or two on this list your photographer would love. Save yourself some time by using this list as a shopping list. Your photographer will love you for it.

1. National Geographic Image Collection by National Geographic, Michelle Anne Delaney, Maura Mulvihill (5.0 out of 5 stars)

Behind National Geographic’s worldwide reputation as a powerhouse of photography lies one of the finest, most extensive, and most unique graphic resources on Earth: the National Geographic Image Collection. For the first time ever, readers will plumb the fascinating depths of this immense archive from the earliest photographs collected in the late 19th century to the cutting-edge work of today.

2. The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 by Scott Kelby (4.3 out of 5 stars)

This book truly has a brilliant premise, and here’s how Scott describes it: “If you and I were out on a shoot and you asked me, ‘Hey Scott, I want the light for this portrait to look really soft and flattering. How far back should I put this softbox?’ I wouldn’t give you a lecture about lighting ratios, or flash modifiers. In real life, I’d just turn to you and say, ‘Move it in as close to your subject as you possibly can, without it actually showing up in the shot.’

3. VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography by David duChemin (4.9 out of 5 stars)

A book for any photographer who’s ever felt compelled to combine their craft with the world of commerce and make the transition to becoming a vocational photographer. More like a sketchbook of ideas and wisdom than it is a system to get rich quick on photography, VisionMongers takes a look at the changing landscape of professional photography and the various journeys that can be taken to get there.

4. Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision by David duChemin (4.8 out of 5 stars)

A book about finding and expressing your photographic vision, specifically where people, places, and cultures are concerned. A personal book full of real-world wisdom and incredible images, author David duChemin (of pixelatedimage.com) shows you both the how and the why of finding, chasing, and expressing your vision with a camera to your eye.

5. The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman (4.6 out of 5 stars)

Design is the single most important factor in creating a successful photograph. The ability to see the potential for a strong picture and then organize the graphic elements into an effective, compelling composition has always been one of the key skills in making photographs.

6. The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2 by Scott Kelby (4.6 out of 5 stars)

In Volume 2, Scott adds entirely new chapters 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.

7. The Moment It Clicks: Photography Secrets From One of the World’s Top Shooters by Joe McNally (4.2 out of 5 stars)

Joe McNally, one of the world’s top pro digital photographers, breaks new ground by doing something no photography book has ever done-blending the rich, stunning images and elegant layout of a coffee-table book with the invaluable training, no-nonsense insights, and photography secrets usually found only in those rare, best-of-breed educational books.

You don’t want to miss out on the rest of the list. Check out 10 Best Photography Books. I’m sure you’ll find something your photographer will love. And guess who gets the credit….you.

“I just love it. How did you know?”

The Rules Of Photography Knowing When To Break Them.

Posted on by

Creative photography is a mix of many ingredients; art and technology, skill and patience, cold mechanical knowhow and individual flair.

For a beginner learning the basics, it would be nice if there was a simple set of rules to follow to make the whole thing easier. Surely someone could just tell you what aperture to use in a given situation, or how to structure a composition to get the best results every time?

Photography is a lot like learning to drive. With a car, you need to know the road rules, and you need to know the basic skills of steering, accellerating and braking. These can be learned easily with a bit of practice. But even when you have mastered the essentials, you still need to get to know your car, because each car is a little different. Then you need experience with night driving, wet-weather driving, off-road driving…

What you must understand is that following the rules will only take you so far. In photography, you will find that rules help you in the beginning, and some rules will stay with you throughout your career. The trick is to understand when the rules don’t apply, or when you should choose to ignore them. This is the type of knowledge that can’t easily be taught. It comes with experience, and is what gives you indiduality as a photographer.

Below are just a few of the rules that, for an experienced photographer, are just made to be broken.

Photography Rule #1. Outdoor Photos Should Be Taken In The Early Morning Or Late Afternoon. This is one of the first principles of landscape photography, and can be applied to almost any outdoor photography. The softness and warm colour of the sunlight at these times adds beauty and character to almost any scene. It also creates much lower contrast, allowing you to avoid harsh shadows and over-exposure of the highlights in your photos.

When can you break this rule? I can think of two situations immediately.

Black and white photography is defined by contrast rather than by subtle colour, so you often want stronger shadows to create the best image. For this reason, black and white photos are often best taken closer to the middle of the day when the light is stronger.

Rainforest photography is also best in the middle of the day, but this time you don’t want bright sunlight; you want cloudy weather to create an nice even light throughout the forest. Otherwise the patches of light coming through the canopy will create ‘hot spots’ all over your image.

Photography Rule #2.The Rule Of Thirds. The rule of thirds is an excellent guide for a beginner learning about composition. In simple terms, it divides your photo into three parts, vertically and horizontally. The dividing lines are the best places to position long objects in a photo (like trees and horizon lines). The points where the lines intersect are the most effective places to position smaller objects for most impact.

Photos that are taken according to the Rule Of Thirds appear balanced. They satisfy our natural sense of visual order and simply look ‘right.’ Unfortunately, the world is not so easily organised as the rule, so it is impossible in nature to take every photo this way. Moreover, sometimes you may decide to ignore the rule, giving more impact to the photo by shaking up the normal balance of the composition.

When can you break this rule? Here is one obvious example, but I am sure you can think of many more.

Sunset photos feature colourful skies, and silhoettes in the foreground. If you have a truly spectacular sky, it doesn’t make sense to fill a third of the picture with empty blackness. You may choose to tilt the camera up to make a feature of the sky, and reduce the area filled by the foreground.

Rule #3. Your Lightmeter Is Always Right. Most of the time you can trust your lightmeter. If it indicates your photo is well exposed, it probably will be…but not always.

When can you break this rule? When there is a big difference in the level of light between the subject and the surroundings.

You may be photographing a person, an animal, a flower etc. in full sunlight, but the background is shady. This is a very effective way of making your subject stand out from the surroundings. In this situation, the different levels of light are bound to trick the lightmeter. In fact, if you take your photo on auto, your subject will most likely be overexposed. The best approach is to switch your camera to manual, and adjust your aperture or shutter speed until the photo is underexposed by one or two stops. This will darken your background and bring the subject into perfect exposure.

Can you see a pattern developing here? Rules are there for a reason, and your skills will improve in leaps and bounds if you learn them and practice them. But having done that, you are ready to take the next step. Start experimenting outside the rules and see where it takes you. Knowing and following the rules will make you a good photographer. Choosing how and when to break them will make you even better.

All about Extreme Bikini Pics

Posted on by

Nude photography is one of the most popular types of photography nowadays especially over the internet. Men and women are hooked in this kind of activity these days probably because of the types of cameras available in the market. It doesnt have to be summer to take extreme bikini pics of you. When taking photos in bikini, there are lots of considerations to make before you start. You need to have great self-confidence and convincing power if you dont possess a sexy and curved body. Insecurities have no room for people who want to take pictures in their bikinis. To create affective nude photos, you may need the help of a professional or amateur photographer.

Aside from choosing the right model or photographer, there are several things you have to consider when taking extreme bikini pics. Here are some of those considerations you have to bear in mind:

Bikini photos are definitely about wearing sexy bikinis. In this case, you have to find an appropriate bikini for your body type. There are diverse types of body shapes such as hour glass, pear shape body and the petite ones. You are very lucky if you have hour glass body shape, because this is the most perfect body for women. Hour glass body shape can fit into any kind of bikini. Pear glass body shape which emphases on the hips, should wear bikinis with wider strap. String is not advisable if you have this kind of body shape. Petite shape can be very sexy, if they can find the right colors and cut for their bikini.

If you decide to wear bikinis for your photos, you need to ensure that you have good body and skin. You should be extra careful about visible hairs. It can really distract from your bikini photos if you don’t. There are lots of ways on how you can eliminate those unwanted hairs. You can use plucking, but it is one of the most painful methods of eliminating hairs. You may also try to use special creams that can remove hair easily without damaging the skin. These creams do not leave redness on the skin, unlike waxing and plucking.

Extreme bikini pics require some motivation. Actually, those people who are into nude photos are the ones who are not too shy. This attitude can serve as one of their motivations to act alluring and seductive during a bikini nude pictorial. You can locate lots of nude bikini photos over the internet. You can take a look at those photos to gain some idea for your own bikini photos.

Seeing women in bikinis are not tiring in the eyes of those who will see them provided they have the perfect curve they are looking for. Eroticphotolounge.com is a great place for showing your extreme bikini pics.

What Makes Gold So Special

Posted on by

Over the centuries, gold has played a unique cultural role in societies across the world. Something about the metal gives it a transcendant symbolic value: from the legendary treasuries of the Aztec and Mayan empires to the Golden Calf of the Book of Exodus, gold is implicated in the most dramatic tales of ancient human history. Even today, gold retains its cultural signficance. For an Olympic athlete, a single gold medal represents the zenith of achievement. The Palme dOr, or Golden Palm, is a symbol of supreme attainment in the film industry. Only a handful of British monarchs have managed to stick it out for half a century and earn their Golden Jubilee. And clearly there is a reason why credit card companies designate their high-end offerings as “Gold Cards”. But what is it about real gold that captures our attention? What gives this yellow metal such value?

Like anything of real value, gold is rare. Only 3 particles per billion in the Earths crust are gold. Although the worlds oceans hold vast amounts of gold, it is so dilute that attempts to recover it from the salt water have never been successful. If all the gold ever refined were formed into a ball, it would be less than 25 metres across. However, some gold does exist naturally in a relatively pure state (as opposed to in an ore), enabling humans to gather it in small quantities without the need for chemical extraction. And once harvested, gold is one of the most versatile metals on earth. It has been crafted and shaped ever since the ‘caltholithic’, or ‘copper’ age, as early as 4000 BC, making it one of the very first metals to be used by humans. The ancient peoples of Egypt and the Middle East used gold for religious rites, as well as for ornamentation. The first recorded use of gold coins was during the reign of King Croesus of Lydia around 600 BC. Gold is also more malleable and ductile than any other metal. A single gram of gold can be beaten into a sheet one metre square. It is one of the heaviest elements; heavier, even, than lead. Ten teaspoons of gold would weigh as much as seventeen teaspoons of lead.

It has been customary throughout history to test the purity of gold by biting on it. Since pure gold is soft enough to show teeth-marks, and cheaper alloying metals are usually harder, this method does give some indication. More reliable tests, however, involve the use of nitric acid. The content of gold in alloys is measured in karats (k). Pure gold is 24 karat, with the number of karats decreasing proportionally as other metal is added.

Although too soft for ordinary use in its pure state, gold can be extremely hard and durable when alloyed with other metals. Alloying also has other advantages besides increasing its hardness. The distinctive yellow colour of gold is recognised throughout the world. However, a fascinating spectrum of other colours can be created by combining small quantities of other metals with the gold. Alloyed with copper, it has a rosy colour, with nickel, silver, or palladium it is white, with iron, blue, and with aluminium, a purple hue. Pure silver gives the alloy a greenish tint, and rhodium or ruthenium produce black. Gold in such forms is most commonly used in jewellery. Colloidal gold is micro-particles of gold suspended in water, producing an intense red colour. Colloidal gold is used in stained glass, and in certain applications for medical and scientific research.

In former years gold played an important role as a medium of exchange, mostly in the form of valuable coins. Currencies were also backed by gold, but this is no longer the case. Reserves of gold are still held by some nations as gold bullion coins, for example the Australian Gold Nugget, or the British Britannia. The value of these coins is measured by their weight, rather than by their face value, which, when it exists, is always significantly less than its true value. The world’s biggest gold coin was minted by the Canadian Royal Mint in Spring 2007. It is half a metre across, 3 cm thick, weighs 100 kg, and is worth nearly 3 million dollars, with a face value of $1,000,000.

These days, most gold is used in jewellery, but it is also widely used by other industries. Dentists use gold alloys in crowns and bridges, and certain types of toners in the photography industry contain gold. Even the food industry uses gold flakes or dust to enhance the appearance of exotic sweets and drinks. Gold can be made into thread for embroidery, and beaten into micro-thin sheets called ‘gold leaf’. More durable than any paint, the real gold never fades or loses its lustre. In fact, there are examples of gilding done by the Romans and Ancient Egyptians which still retain their brilliance today, thousands of years on.

Far from being outdated, real gold remains superior to this day, adding a touch of brilliance to many quality products today.