I just became a member of NPD Research. I think its pretty interesting. NPD Research is not like those cheap survey companies that give you a dollar to take a survey. NPD Research is a lot more then that. After you join NPD Research you are sent surveys. upon completing each survey you receive points that can later be used to enter raffles. If you win you get a prize. They have everything listed from vacations to video game consoles to large sums of money. But if you loose you still win! Regardless if you walk away with a prize or not, your survey data(not your personal information) will be sold to big companies that produce food, clothes, video games etc. Those companies will see your data or opinions and try to change their products or services to make their customers happy. Its pretty cool, You win both ways. The best part is theres always new surveys coming out to accurately represent the market trends.
After bumping into NPD Research on Twitter I decided to give them a shot. about 15 minutes later I was registered, completed my first survey, played a mini flash game and entered two contests. If I win or not I'm excited and will continue to do more surveys in the future. Its like the lotto except the the odds of winning are much better and it doesn't cost you anything.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Early Xmas Shopping
The holidays are right around the corner, its never to early to start preparing. My friend who works for kmart said they just started getting their xmas decorations in, and the store should be fully decorated by the end of the month. Last year I started my xmas shopping a week before xmas, that was a mistake. This year I hope to find a happy median. Ive already started taking money out of every paycheck and will continue saving for the next couple of weeks before I make any kind of decisions upon what I'll be getting for xmas. Since my family is small I'll be able to spend more on each member of my family.
My mother has been talking about joining a gym for the longest time. I don't know if this is a good idea but I'm thinking about getting her a membership to Lucille Roberts. Lucille Roberts is a womens gym that has she can take classes all day. Maybe she'll make a friend, that would be nice.
My Father likes to read so I figure I'll get him some books or movies hes been eying. It's really hard say which books or movies to buy because between now and xmas I'm sure he'll buy a handful of the books or movies hes been talking about. I know hes interested in Peter Schiff's book Crashproof 2.0 and Wolverine . A watch might be nice but I feel like a watch is a typical "i don't know what to get you gift". Id rather get him something he needs or wants.
Since my older brother became engaged this summer I figured I'll do what I did last year for mothers and fathers day. Ill grab all the pictures I have of him and his fiance then piece them together in a photo book from Smilebooks.com. It will take awhile to find all of the photos, but if the photo book comes out as good as my mothers then I know they will love it.
As you can tell by my other posts I'm the photo nut of the family and my little brother is starting to take interest in photography. Im thinking about getting him the Canon Powershot SX10 IS. The Canon Powershot SX10 IS is a 10 megapixel camera which is stuck in the middle of point and shoot and DSLR. For his first digital camera it should be enough to learn and have fun with. If he is serious about photography then next year maybe he'll get his first DSLR.
What are some other good xmas gift ideas?
My mother has been talking about joining a gym for the longest time. I don't know if this is a good idea but I'm thinking about getting her a membership to Lucille Roberts. Lucille Roberts is a womens gym that has she can take classes all day. Maybe she'll make a friend, that would be nice.
My Father likes to read so I figure I'll get him some books or movies hes been eying. It's really hard say which books or movies to buy because between now and xmas I'm sure he'll buy a handful of the books or movies hes been talking about. I know hes interested in Peter Schiff's book Crashproof 2.0 and Wolverine . A watch might be nice but I feel like a watch is a typical "i don't know what to get you gift". Id rather get him something he needs or wants.
Since my older brother became engaged this summer I figured I'll do what I did last year for mothers and fathers day. Ill grab all the pictures I have of him and his fiance then piece them together in a photo book from Smilebooks.com. It will take awhile to find all of the photos, but if the photo book comes out as good as my mothers then I know they will love it.
As you can tell by my other posts I'm the photo nut of the family and my little brother is starting to take interest in photography. Im thinking about getting him the Canon Powershot SX10 IS. The Canon Powershot SX10 IS is a 10 megapixel camera which is stuck in the middle of point and shoot and DSLR. For his first digital camera it should be enough to learn and have fun with. If he is serious about photography then next year maybe he'll get his first DSLR.
What are some other good xmas gift ideas?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Bending and Breaking the Rules of Traditional Portrait Photography to Produce Stunning Images
If you are looking to create a real WOW factor in your portraits, it certainly helps to learn the rules. However, in the field of portrait photography, it is equally important to understand that just like any other rule in life, some rules for portrait photography can be bent, and others can be broken.
Rule to Break: Shooting at Eye Level - The first rule you should learn to break is always sticking to the traditional “eye level” angle. Many photographers believe that shooting a subject at eye level is the best way to capture a stunning portrait, which may be true in some cases, but do not be afraid to alter your perspective.
Changing the angle of your shot and breaking the eye level rule can give your portrait a truly tremendous WOW factor. Two great ways to achieve this are by getting high above your subject and shooting down on them or getting as close to the ground as you can while shooting up. Either way, you are bound to create some added interest in your portrait.
Rule to Break: The Rule of Thirds - One of the first of many “golden rules” a photographer will learn is the Rule of Thirds. According to this rule, a photographer must intentionally place points of interest within the constraints of a 9-part grid in order to create sense of balance in the portrait. As beneficial as this rule may be to portrait photography, it can prove highly effective to break it. Subjects placed in the dead center of a portrait or along the very edge of the frame can produce some truly stunning portraits. Experiment with this concept and practice it often until you get the hang of breaking the Rule of Thirds.
Rule to Break: Crystal- Clear Clarity - If you asked a portrait photographer about the importance of focus in a shot, they may tell you that it is imperative. What they may not tell you is that crystal-clear, sharp focus is not the only way to capture mood, emotion and beauty. Try focusing on one element in front of or behind your subject to blur your main point of interest. You can also try blurring the entire image by manually focusing well in front or behind your main point of interest. Unfocused images can create some truly powerful, dreamy and mysterious portraits.
Rule to Break: Looking Down the Lens- Another rule many portrait photographers tend to live by is always having their subject looking down the lens of the camera. It may be true that having a pair of eyes staring right at the viewer is a great way to create a sense of beauty, but you should not rule out the alternative. When the eyes of a subject are fixated on something outside of the portrait, it can create powerful feelings of candidness, intrigue and interest. Leaving your viewer open to their own interpretation, you can keep them wondering what the subject is looking at and why it made them smile, laugh or show some other type of emotion. Furthermore, it may also prove beneficial to shoot a portrait with your subject focusing on something within the frame such as a basketball, a dish of food or even another person. This technique creates both a point of interest and a relationship between the object and the primary subject, helping to create a “story” within the shot.
Rule to Break: Perfect Horizons - Portrait photographers put a lot of effort and time into shooting at flawlessly horizontal or vertical angles, keeping their subject perfectly in line with the frame. Holding your camera at an angle and purposely making the lines of the shot crooked can add a tremendous sense of fun and energy in your portrait. Do not be afraid to break the rule of perfect horizons.
Rule to Break: Small Focal Lengths - Many photographers also associate portrait photography with small angles and small focal lengths. However, shooting with a wide angle attached to your lens can create some powerful shots with some interesting distortion. Wide angles generally enlarge the points of interest towards the edge of the frame more than what is in the center, creating a huge impact on your subject, especially when placed in an impressive setting.
Rule to Break: Comfort Zones - This next piece of advice is less of a rule and more like a preference among the subjects and photographers of a portrait photo. Generally, subjects prefer to remain in their comfort zone, posing for pictures at their office desk or leaning up against a classic Corvette to send out a message of interest. Sometimes in portrait photography, however, it is more interesting to see a subject outside of their comfort zone, doing things that a normal subject would not do. Examples of this concept are subjects jumping up and down on their beds, jumping into pools or performing any other type of spontaneous action. When the subject’s action becomes the new point of interest, the result can be some very powerful portraits. An additional method of taking your subject out of their comfort zone is zooming in on their face so that it is the only image in the portrait. Few people are comfortable with a close-up of this magnitude but when a subject’s face is the only thing in an image, the viewer does not have anywhere else to look. This is a great way to grab the attention of your viewer and keep them focused on your subject.
Rule to Break: Details…Details…Details - Some photographers live by the rule of including as much detail as possible in a portrait to create beauty and interest. Try keeping your portrait simple and do not be afraid to leave certain things out of your portrait. By focusing on one body part, as opposed to person’s entire body, you can leave the remainder of the subject open to the interpretation of the viewer and stir up their imagination and interest. On the other hand, you can leave very little to the imagination of the viewer by obscuring parts of the subject’s face or body with clothing or objects, or by framing part of the subject out of the image. Using this method, you can easily focus the attention of your viewer on the part of the subject you want them to focus on, creating stunning portrait images.
Rule to Break: Never Talk to Strangers - Far too many photographers limit their subjects to friends and family members when the truth is that the most interesting subjects can be complete strangers. You should not be afraid to walk up to a person on the street and ask them if they would mind having their picture taken. Simply tell the person that you find them interesting and with their permission, snap some shots. Eventually, you can develop an entire portfolio of portraits based on a series of incredibly interesting strangers.
Realistically, it would be a difficult task to embrace many of these techniques without a decent camera lens. I recommend using the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Autofocus Lens because it has a large aperture to help you bring your subject closer and creates excellent background blur when needed. Furthermore, the Canon EF 50mm lens affords a faster shutter speed ideal for freezing the action, has a natural angle of view and perspective and allows for the varying of distance, aperture and angle.
Rule to Break: Shooting at Eye Level - The first rule you should learn to break is always sticking to the traditional “eye level” angle. Many photographers believe that shooting a subject at eye level is the best way to capture a stunning portrait, which may be true in some cases, but do not be afraid to alter your perspective.
Changing the angle of your shot and breaking the eye level rule can give your portrait a truly tremendous WOW factor. Two great ways to achieve this are by getting high above your subject and shooting down on them or getting as close to the ground as you can while shooting up. Either way, you are bound to create some added interest in your portrait.
Rule to Break: The Rule of Thirds - One of the first of many “golden rules” a photographer will learn is the Rule of Thirds. According to this rule, a photographer must intentionally place points of interest within the constraints of a 9-part grid in order to create sense of balance in the portrait. As beneficial as this rule may be to portrait photography, it can prove highly effective to break it. Subjects placed in the dead center of a portrait or along the very edge of the frame can produce some truly stunning portraits. Experiment with this concept and practice it often until you get the hang of breaking the Rule of Thirds.
Rule to Break: Crystal- Clear Clarity - If you asked a portrait photographer about the importance of focus in a shot, they may tell you that it is imperative. What they may not tell you is that crystal-clear, sharp focus is not the only way to capture mood, emotion and beauty. Try focusing on one element in front of or behind your subject to blur your main point of interest. You can also try blurring the entire image by manually focusing well in front or behind your main point of interest. Unfocused images can create some truly powerful, dreamy and mysterious portraits.
Rule to Break: Looking Down the Lens- Another rule many portrait photographers tend to live by is always having their subject looking down the lens of the camera. It may be true that having a pair of eyes staring right at the viewer is a great way to create a sense of beauty, but you should not rule out the alternative. When the eyes of a subject are fixated on something outside of the portrait, it can create powerful feelings of candidness, intrigue and interest. Leaving your viewer open to their own interpretation, you can keep them wondering what the subject is looking at and why it made them smile, laugh or show some other type of emotion. Furthermore, it may also prove beneficial to shoot a portrait with your subject focusing on something within the frame such as a basketball, a dish of food or even another person. This technique creates both a point of interest and a relationship between the object and the primary subject, helping to create a “story” within the shot.
Rule to Break: Perfect Horizons - Portrait photographers put a lot of effort and time into shooting at flawlessly horizontal or vertical angles, keeping their subject perfectly in line with the frame. Holding your camera at an angle and purposely making the lines of the shot crooked can add a tremendous sense of fun and energy in your portrait. Do not be afraid to break the rule of perfect horizons.
Rule to Break: Small Focal Lengths - Many photographers also associate portrait photography with small angles and small focal lengths. However, shooting with a wide angle attached to your lens can create some powerful shots with some interesting distortion. Wide angles generally enlarge the points of interest towards the edge of the frame more than what is in the center, creating a huge impact on your subject, especially when placed in an impressive setting.
Rule to Break: Comfort Zones - This next piece of advice is less of a rule and more like a preference among the subjects and photographers of a portrait photo. Generally, subjects prefer to remain in their comfort zone, posing for pictures at their office desk or leaning up against a classic Corvette to send out a message of interest. Sometimes in portrait photography, however, it is more interesting to see a subject outside of their comfort zone, doing things that a normal subject would not do. Examples of this concept are subjects jumping up and down on their beds, jumping into pools or performing any other type of spontaneous action. When the subject’s action becomes the new point of interest, the result can be some very powerful portraits. An additional method of taking your subject out of their comfort zone is zooming in on their face so that it is the only image in the portrait. Few people are comfortable with a close-up of this magnitude but when a subject’s face is the only thing in an image, the viewer does not have anywhere else to look. This is a great way to grab the attention of your viewer and keep them focused on your subject.
Rule to Break: Details…Details…Details - Some photographers live by the rule of including as much detail as possible in a portrait to create beauty and interest. Try keeping your portrait simple and do not be afraid to leave certain things out of your portrait. By focusing on one body part, as opposed to person’s entire body, you can leave the remainder of the subject open to the interpretation of the viewer and stir up their imagination and interest. On the other hand, you can leave very little to the imagination of the viewer by obscuring parts of the subject’s face or body with clothing or objects, or by framing part of the subject out of the image. Using this method, you can easily focus the attention of your viewer on the part of the subject you want them to focus on, creating stunning portrait images.
Rule to Break: Never Talk to Strangers - Far too many photographers limit their subjects to friends and family members when the truth is that the most interesting subjects can be complete strangers. You should not be afraid to walk up to a person on the street and ask them if they would mind having their picture taken. Simply tell the person that you find them interesting and with their permission, snap some shots. Eventually, you can develop an entire portfolio of portraits based on a series of incredibly interesting strangers.
Realistically, it would be a difficult task to embrace many of these techniques without a decent camera lens. I recommend using the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Autofocus Lens because it has a large aperture to help you bring your subject closer and creates excellent background blur when needed. Furthermore, the Canon EF 50mm lens affords a faster shutter speed ideal for freezing the action, has a natural angle of view and perspective and allows for the varying of distance, aperture and angle.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Night Photography – Tips and Techniques on Capturing Exquisite Night Photos
If you are a beginner or intermediate photographer, you have probably experimented with night photos, only to stumble upon a number of problems. Despite producing some of the most dramatic images, night photography can be one of the most difficult types of photography to learn and master.
Part of the reason is that many digital cameras fail to perform well in the absence of light, especially natural sources of light. Another struggle most photographers face with this type of photography is learning how to work with elements such as sunrise, sunset, weather conditions and cloud coverage to optimize their shots.
However, with a few key adjustments, such as using longer exposures, playing with apertures and taking control shots, and with a few simple tips on timing, you can successfully capture vivid and beautiful details and capture an exquisite night photo.
1. Be Prepared - It is always best to be as prepared as possible for a shoot, especially a night shot. Knowing where you are going in advance as well as planning your parking and driving time accordingly is often half the battle. You never want to miss a once in a lifetime shot due to traffic on the highway!
If you plan to include either the sun or moon in your shot, knowing the sunset and moon rise times is essential. In addition, if you plan to spend some time on a night shoot, check weather reports and prepare with the appropriate clothing.
As far as supplies go, it is better to be safe than sorry. Bring along water to drink, a bubble level to prevent unbalanced photos, a flashlight to navigate the darkness, bug spray in the warmer months, a cell phone in case of an emergency, a tripod and any necessary light metering equipment. Purchase a camera bag or backpack to carry all of your items safely and comfortably.
Once you have reached your night shot destination and the desired time to shoot has arrived, the following tips and techniques will help you produce excellent night photos.
2. Use Long Exposures - A long exposure is the number one, cardinal rule in capturing powerful night photos. One reason for this is that longer exposures allow more light into the camera, thus revealing the exquisite details of a true night photo. In addition, long exposures allow you to capture motion, such as a trail of car taillights and headlamps zipping by on the highway late at night.
If you are not looking to capture motion in your night portrait, try using a larger aperture with a shorter exposure. On the other hand, choose a small aperture to complement a long exposure if you need to correct an overexposure of any stationary lights.
The problem with using long exposures is that it will reveal camera shake. Even the steadiest hands on the planet cannot hold a camera perfectly still. As a solution to this problem, the use of a tripod is highly recommended. A shutter-release cable will also improve the stillness of your shot, practically to perfection when combined with a tripod. Use a self-timer if your camera is not equipped with cable release.
As far as tripods go, you should have one that is lightweight, durable and portable enough to take with you everywhere you go. The Tiffen Vista Attaras is a versatile, solid aluminum digital photo tripod equipped with 3-position leg locks that allow for leg openings of independent angles. This feature provides for maximum stability regardless of terrain, while a 2-section center column allows for an 11” minimum operating height from ground level. The Attaras will support a load of up to 9 lbs and weighs in at an impressive 4.6 lbs.
3. Use an External Flash Unit– It is a golden rule in night photography to avoid using a flash when taking a shot. There are some exceptions to this rule, however. A perfect example would be a photographer trying to capture a subject in the foreground while elements that reveal motion trails are present in the background. In a case like this, set a long exposure and shine an external flash unit on your subject, having your subject hold still until you snap the photo.
4. Take Control Shots – It is near impossible to capture a night photo without some bad pixels on the image sensor when using a digital camera. Although these defects are hardly detectable in day shots, they can become obvious in a night shot. One way to correct this problem is by using a combination of hot pixels found in control shots and an image-editing program.
A control shot, as you may have learned, is a shot taken with the lens cap on. Therefore, what you will need to do is capture a shot of Scene A as you normally would and then take a picture of the exact scene with the lens cap on. While in an editing program, paste the control shot on top of the original scene as a new layer and change the Blend Mode to “Difference.” This technique should reveal a detailed night photo with the hot spots removed.
5. Take Photos at Dusk and Dawn – Although any photo taken at night can reveal marvelous details, dusk and dawn may be the two best times to shoot. Colors and details are usually easier to capture at the break of dusk and crack of dawn. It may take some experimenting and a little bit of trial and error to find the perfect time to shoot, but the end result is well worth the trouble.
6. Take Multiple Shots – Even if you have taken a large amount of time to set up a shot with complex calculations, taking only one shot is never the best option. Multiple shots increase your chances of capturing a night shot exactly as you have envisioned it in your mind and reduce the chances of being stuck with blurry or dull images. Remember, if you are using a digital camera you can always delete the photos you do not plan to use.
7. Use Nighttime Mode – If your camera has a nighttime mode, usually designated by a graphic of a half-moon, experiment with this setting. Refer to your owner’s manual and learn everything you can about this nighttime setting for optimal results.
8. Increase Your ISO Setting and Reduce Noise – Longer shutter speeds tend to work best in night photography, but often require you to increase your ISO setting to compensate for them. Unfortunately, an increase in ISO will result in more noise in your shots. Digital cameras with a built-in noise-reduction mode may help you take RAW or JPG photos at night and can eliminate the need for removing noise in post-processing.
Part of the reason is that many digital cameras fail to perform well in the absence of light, especially natural sources of light. Another struggle most photographers face with this type of photography is learning how to work with elements such as sunrise, sunset, weather conditions and cloud coverage to optimize their shots.
However, with a few key adjustments, such as using longer exposures, playing with apertures and taking control shots, and with a few simple tips on timing, you can successfully capture vivid and beautiful details and capture an exquisite night photo.
1. Be Prepared - It is always best to be as prepared as possible for a shoot, especially a night shot. Knowing where you are going in advance as well as planning your parking and driving time accordingly is often half the battle. You never want to miss a once in a lifetime shot due to traffic on the highway!
If you plan to include either the sun or moon in your shot, knowing the sunset and moon rise times is essential. In addition, if you plan to spend some time on a night shoot, check weather reports and prepare with the appropriate clothing.
As far as supplies go, it is better to be safe than sorry. Bring along water to drink, a bubble level to prevent unbalanced photos, a flashlight to navigate the darkness, bug spray in the warmer months, a cell phone in case of an emergency, a tripod and any necessary light metering equipment. Purchase a camera bag or backpack to carry all of your items safely and comfortably.
Once you have reached your night shot destination and the desired time to shoot has arrived, the following tips and techniques will help you produce excellent night photos.
2. Use Long Exposures - A long exposure is the number one, cardinal rule in capturing powerful night photos. One reason for this is that longer exposures allow more light into the camera, thus revealing the exquisite details of a true night photo. In addition, long exposures allow you to capture motion, such as a trail of car taillights and headlamps zipping by on the highway late at night.
If you are not looking to capture motion in your night portrait, try using a larger aperture with a shorter exposure. On the other hand, choose a small aperture to complement a long exposure if you need to correct an overexposure of any stationary lights.
The problem with using long exposures is that it will reveal camera shake. Even the steadiest hands on the planet cannot hold a camera perfectly still. As a solution to this problem, the use of a tripod is highly recommended. A shutter-release cable will also improve the stillness of your shot, practically to perfection when combined with a tripod. Use a self-timer if your camera is not equipped with cable release.
As far as tripods go, you should have one that is lightweight, durable and portable enough to take with you everywhere you go. The Tiffen Vista Attaras is a versatile, solid aluminum digital photo tripod equipped with 3-position leg locks that allow for leg openings of independent angles. This feature provides for maximum stability regardless of terrain, while a 2-section center column allows for an 11” minimum operating height from ground level. The Attaras will support a load of up to 9 lbs and weighs in at an impressive 4.6 lbs.
3. Use an External Flash Unit– It is a golden rule in night photography to avoid using a flash when taking a shot. There are some exceptions to this rule, however. A perfect example would be a photographer trying to capture a subject in the foreground while elements that reveal motion trails are present in the background. In a case like this, set a long exposure and shine an external flash unit on your subject, having your subject hold still until you snap the photo.
4. Take Control Shots – It is near impossible to capture a night photo without some bad pixels on the image sensor when using a digital camera. Although these defects are hardly detectable in day shots, they can become obvious in a night shot. One way to correct this problem is by using a combination of hot pixels found in control shots and an image-editing program.
A control shot, as you may have learned, is a shot taken with the lens cap on. Therefore, what you will need to do is capture a shot of Scene A as you normally would and then take a picture of the exact scene with the lens cap on. While in an editing program, paste the control shot on top of the original scene as a new layer and change the Blend Mode to “Difference.” This technique should reveal a detailed night photo with the hot spots removed.
5. Take Photos at Dusk and Dawn – Although any photo taken at night can reveal marvelous details, dusk and dawn may be the two best times to shoot. Colors and details are usually easier to capture at the break of dusk and crack of dawn. It may take some experimenting and a little bit of trial and error to find the perfect time to shoot, but the end result is well worth the trouble.
6. Take Multiple Shots – Even if you have taken a large amount of time to set up a shot with complex calculations, taking only one shot is never the best option. Multiple shots increase your chances of capturing a night shot exactly as you have envisioned it in your mind and reduce the chances of being stuck with blurry or dull images. Remember, if you are using a digital camera you can always delete the photos you do not plan to use.
7. Use Nighttime Mode – If your camera has a nighttime mode, usually designated by a graphic of a half-moon, experiment with this setting. Refer to your owner’s manual and learn everything you can about this nighttime setting for optimal results.
8. Increase Your ISO Setting and Reduce Noise – Longer shutter speeds tend to work best in night photography, but often require you to increase your ISO setting to compensate for them. Unfortunately, an increase in ISO will result in more noise in your shots. Digital cameras with a built-in noise-reduction mode may help you take RAW or JPG photos at night and can eliminate the need for removing noise in post-processing.
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