Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Why Is Composition So Important in Photography?

In simple terms, composition refers to the systematic arrangement of objects for a particular purpose or to achieve a specific result. This aspect is important in the field of photography and in essence it refers to the arrangement to object within the view finder with the aim of emphasizing certain aspects. This composition process may be done to bring out an object(s), the foreground or background. For instance sometimes you may view a picture that has a blurred background or slightly obscured main object and this may have been done intentionally so as to bring out a particular effect or highlight another object.

Composing a picture is usually done at the discretion of the person taking a picture and most compositions are simple and only highlight the main object captured. In some cases the composition may be a bit abstract or asymmetric in nature which may be done by the photographer for a specific reason.

Composition basically adds value to captured images by highlighting the main objects in a manner that makes pictures esthetically appealing. You may have the best camera equipment that money can buy but if you cannot arrange captured objects accordingly through the viewfinder, the results will be less than favorable.

Once you are able to compose a photograph well, the resulting images will turn out as intended on most occasions; while for those who are still unable to compose well will need to several pictures before achieving the desired result.

Composition of a picture also involves proper use of light and color. In the day time when outdoors, positioning yourself well and using the sunlight and ambient colors well can make the difference between an ordinary picture and an excellent one. Colors, sunlight, texture and shadows can enhance object well and even add a great 3D effect.

The right picture composition can be achieved by using a basic rule of thumb which involves the division of any image (as seen on the viewfinder) into three equal horizontal portions (sometimes referred to as the thirds rule). This will give any object a sense of balance and this will help you capture the right proportions of the subject. With a little practice it is possible to significantly improve your picture composition skills by using the 'thirds rule' as well as locating the main subject and deciding which angle and viewpoint will best bring it out best.

For more information, kindly visit http://www.photographyxfactor.com

How to Improve Your Photography Skills Without Spending Unnecessarily

Once you have managed to gain insight into the basics of composing pictures and shooting, it would be advisable to go a notch higher and improve photography skills. By doing this you can turn it into a serious hobby or better yet, make a career out of it and get paid to take pictures. The first thing that you should ensure that you do is master all the basics such as camera handling framing, composition, and lighting. Once you are sure that these are all these aspects are at your fingertips, then you are ready to move on to the next level.


Readiness

In many cases, the best way to get a perfect shot is to be in the right place in order to get the right shot. Ensure that you have your camera with you at all times and use it as much as possible in order to give yourself more confidence as well as the getting used to spontaneous shooting which in many cases produces the best pictures.


Equipment

There is nothing wrong with basic or entry level equipment; however, if you want to step your game up as far as photography is concerned it is advisable for you to invest in professional equipment. This will help you significantlyimprove photography skills and though it may cost you quite some money, you are bound to notice a significant improvement of photographic content.

Stop looking and start seeing

By this I mean that you should move away from the notion that only conventional objects can be photographed. Don't just look at an object as it is but also focus on how the object relates and interacts with the surroundings. Begin to notice the interaction of lines, textures, patterns and colors in different spaces. You will be surprised at how much there is to capture with your lens.


Emotion

If you are taking photographs of people, one of the most distinctive characteristics of great images is the emotion that is captured. Expressions, gestures and feelings can be spectacularly captured especially when photos are taken spontaneously.


Subject matter

A good photograph often consists of something that captures the eye of the viewer. In order to improve photography skills it important to know how to look out for interesting objects, people, expressions and scenarios that are captivating enough to capture the attention of viewers and evoke some kind reaction.


For more information, kindly visit http://www.photographyxfactor.com

Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Photography X-Factor E-book Review

The X-Factor Photography e-book is a brand new e-book which teaches

the most advanced techniques for taking only the highest quality of top quality photos.

Photography is a very respected profession nowadays, but if you struggle with photography

even if you love it so much, then you won't see yourself being respected and taking on many

photography jobs. The program goes into every aspect and detail about taking the most beautiful

photos possible. The overall concept is to teach you how to take pictures for you to do whatever

you want in the photography business, whether that means becoming a wedding photographer,

celebrity photographer, and a photographer who sells stock photos online.

What's inside of the e-book?

Inside, you'll discover some pretty nifty techniques for getting that perfect photo.

Most people spend years just to learn how to take that perfect picture, and so did the author himself,

but he teaches it in this guide exactly how this business works and how to succeed at taking pictures.

It isn't a difficult task like the way most people think, and he makes the entire process easy

even for those who have a hard time. The e-book is titled The Photography X-Factor because it

teaches you exactly what you need to do in order for your photos to have that X-Factor.

The e-book itself is nice because Gerald teaches so many methods for successful photography,

and he goes into different aspects like what equipment you need, whether or not you should

take a certain photo at this angle, and how to actually make money from your photos as soon as today.

Most guides similar to the X-Factor only teach and go into one thing like making money from your

pictures, but the author goes into all of them because of how hard he knows this business is.

He used to be a struggling photographer who had no talent at all with photography.

He dreamt of becoming a good photographer, but it just wasn't possible at certain tines.

Until several events started to take place and he finally discovered everything to get the

perfect picture and gain the X-Factor in whatever object he took a photo of. His story is

truly magnificent, and you can read it in his guide how much he wants to help ordinary

photographers learn how to find that special something in their pictures.

The guide has 70+ pages of pure Gold. It's outstanding information is brought out with

crystal clear images, strong words, and an easy to read format. The e-book has every

information very well compiled together, so everything he's ever learned from photography is put

into the e-book. There usually is more pages than normal in other ebooks, but it's only 72 pages

long because the tips and techniques are all too simple to understand, and it doesn't have to

take weeks or months before you finally become a great photographer.

You can visit the official website at http://www.photographyxfactor.blogspot.com, and you can learn more about his revolutionary new training program for achieving the X-Factor in your photography.

Lighting Photography Techniques

Lighting techniques determine the overall result of your image and plays a critical role in revealing the texture and form of the subject. Understanding where the source come from is critical in photography. For photographers, natural and artificial (studio) light are two available sources.
In outdoor photography, light changes constantly. Always consider the angle and intensity of the source as well as its distance to the subject. A thorough understanding of natural light will help you control the brightness in your images. Moreover, understanding this important element in photography helps to create and recreate many different effects in a studio environment.
Most photographers are interested in portrait lighting but do not understand how to do it. Same concepts can be used with flash unites, however you will not be able to see the effect until after shooting it. In order for you to control the harshness of the light, you need to practice. Wrong technique will result in narrow or round face. There are four main styles of lighting namely, broad, short, butterfly and Rembrandtlighting.
The Importance of Temperature In Photography
A photographer must also understand the sun's color scale (color temperature) which is the actual colors that human eye can see. Color temperature defines visible light. It is measured in Kelvin (K) degrees. Yellow to red are called warm colors, blue to white are called cool colors (see Color temperature).
If you observe carefully, the sun evokes hues in the morning and neutral colors during the afternoon. These neutral colors occupy a part of the definition you'd like to include in your photographs. Afternoon offers warmer tones with reds and yellows.
The Importance of Angle
The sun is the source of all daylight. The angle or its direction can bring plenty of shadows or remove them. The day light changes throughout the day creating two main light effects: hard and soft light. These two sources are also used in studio photography.
Hard Light
Simply means director bright sunlight. It is equivalent to the brightest time during the day when the sky is clear. It is harsh and could be used for amazing effects. This method is used for contrast as it results in more definition and shadow. The angle of this technique determines the overall effects.
Above are just a brief explanation about lighting photography techniques. Whats more important is constant practice as well as basic understanding of how it works.

How Do Shutter Speed and Aperture Affect Your Photography Shots?

Photography today has been overrun with automation so much so that words such as shutter, aperture and the like have virtually become extinct. A lot of the equipment on the market hardly needs any expertise to use. For those who want to understand photography well, it is important to know how the major parts of the SLR based cameras work.
Professional photographers will not let cameras determine the exposure of photographs and instead they will adjust the shutter speed, aperture and lighting accordingly in order to determine the final exposure. Without making these adjustments, the camera usually just uses default settings that produce medium tone.
Shutter speed
The shutter is a sort of flap that is positioned within the body of the camera and which opens up, allowing light to reach either the film (analog cameras) or light sensors (digital cameras) from the lens. Shutter speed is hence the amount of time that the shutter takes to open and close. The time is usually measured in fractions of seconds; hence the values may appear as 1/500 or 500 to represent 500th of a second. Shutter speed has a great effect on the sharpness of the image and usually the higher the shutter speed, the sharper the image. To get a good final picture, the right amount of light has to reach the sensors or film and this is why a fast shutter speed will just allow the right amount of light to capture a moving object clearly. Shutter speed can also be used to create and effect on the final image for instance if you want to emphasize motion on a moving object you can set a lower shutter speed which will create a sort of blur that signifies movement.
Aperture
Aperture and light are all related and they can be synchronized accordingly to achieve the desired outcome. The aperture refers to a diaphragm-like opening within the photographic lens and determines how much light will be sent through the shutter when a shot is taken. It opens up in a circular manner and the aperture size refers to the measurement of this opening when shooting. It greatly determines the outcome of a picture by determining the depth of field and the quality of the final exposure. The aperture works much like the pupil of the human eye which regulates the initial amount of light that gets into the eyeball by either increasing or decreasing in diameter. This ultimately influences the quality of image that the viewer sees.
The key to a good photograph is how much light is passes through the camera and once you learn how to adjust the shutter speed, aperture and flash, you will be sure to capture great photographs.