This weekend your photography challenge is in honor of St Patricks day (next Wednesday). It is to take a photo with the theme of ‘GREEN’ and to share it with our community.
Feel free to take any approach to the theme – it might be photographing something Green, or it could be taking a photo with an ‘environmental’ edge…. or perhaps a picture of someone who is inexperienced in something (feeling Green)…. whatever you like.
I’m expecting lots of apples, frogs, leaves…. but if you need a little inspiration – check out our previous coloured challenges – RED and BLUE.
Once you’ve taken your “GREEN” image, upload it to your favourite photo sharing site and either share a link to it below or embed it in the comments using the our new tool to do so.
If you tag your photo on Flickr, Twitter or other sites with Tagging tag it as #DPSGREEN to help others find it. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.
Image by jek in the box
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
GREEN: Weekend Photography Challenge
Original post by Darren Rowse
Wikipedia defines a headshot as: “A head shot is a photographic technique where the focus of the photograph is a person’s face”.
It would seem to be a simple project for a photographer. After all, you are only worrying about a persons face, and just maybe part of their shoulders. Seriously, how hard can it be?
More than you think.
The headshot is a critical piece of many professionals PR packets. A dynamic headshot for models, actors, and other performance professionals will be the difference between acquiring the gig or not. Your clients can be no more excited than if they get a gig based on the power of their headshot – and of course, this means more jobs for you.
Follow these few tips to achieve the perfect headshot.
1. Focus on the eyes.
The eyes are said to be the window of the soul. Therefore, nothing is more important than achieving sharp, crisp eyes in your shot. Capturing the eyes in a powerful way will draw the viewer into the photo, establishing a strong connection that will speak volumes.
2. Watch your angles.
Remember that for close up shots, angles will affect the outcome look and feel. For women, make the eyes appear larger and the face more delicate by shooting down on them. For men, emphasize strength and achievement by shooting slightly up.
3. Use diffused light.
In close up shots, the skin is a central feature. It’s crucial to show the skin without blemishes. Achieve this by using diffused light to gently wrap around the skin, bringing definition along the lines of the face without highlighting blemishes.
4. Add a hair light
Detail is critical in head-shots and are no more dynamic than when created with a hair-light. A hair-light can be placed above or behind the subject [with a flash or the sun] to add depth to the shot, and pull the top of the head out of the background.
5. Use of Lens
Nothing is more disturbing than a near-dynamic headshot that fails simply because of lens distortion. Generally, avoid mid to wide angle lenses for close headshots. Instead, use a lens that will compress your image and slim your subjects face – typically 90mm and above.
6. Guide expression
The final most important element is an expression to match the purpose of the headshot. It’s your job as photographer to pull out the most natural looks from your subjects. Do so by guiding them through complimenting conversation; i.e. asking serious questions to pull out a thoughtful gaze, or cracking a joke to capture a natural smile.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
How to Take the Perfect Headshot: Six Tips
Original post by Christina N Dickson
CP+ 2010: Ricoh has exhibited prototypes of its A12 and P10 lens modules for the GXR system at the CP+ photographic trade show. According to the show report by Japanese website DC Watch, the company has also shown mock-ups of future modules, where lenses can be detached from the camera body to mount third-party lenses and bellows from manufacturers such as Hasselblad and Leica.
Original post by Andrew Barrow
Perhaps one of the best features of the widespread availability of digital cameras is the ability to capture our vacations and trips across the globe. Never has it been easier to photograph and share with our friends and family the unique cultures, monuments, people and wonders of the world we find on our travels.
And never have as many photographers, both beginners and advanced alike, wanted to know not only how to capture those moments around the world, but sell and professionally present them. Want no more thanks to Nick Onken’s Photo Trekking: A Traveling Photographer’s Guide to Capturing Moments Around the World.
Photo Trekking is one of those books as essential on your next trip as a toothbrush and your boarding pass. Simply put, don’t leave home without it. In it, Onken covers everything from the dedication it takes to be a travel photographer, trip logistics and preparations, planning stock and editorial shoots, recognizing unique images that help tell the story of a location, on location work flow, portfolio presentation, brand and presenting your images of the world, to the world.
Everyone has a photo of the Eiffel Tower when traveling to Paris, but not every photographer thinks to bring home the other photos that really show the character of a location and the ones stock sites and photo buyers are looking for. Be it details like doors and signs, windows and water, or techniques like solar flare and focus, Photo Trekking is packed with tips on making great images. In fact, there are 49 pages of tips and examples that you’ll want to read over and over again.
Throughout Photo Trekking Onken stresses the importance of personal vision. Knowing not just what you want to shoot, but how you shoot it is a key to his personal philosophy and capturing the best possible travel photographs. It comes through on every page. He also inserts “traveler’s journal” sections throughout the book showing great images from his travels and explaining the stories behind them. They’re great behind-the-lens insight.
What other photographers will really appreciate about Photo Trekking are the large visuals. Most photographers are visual thinkers and Onken capitalizes with tons of big, bold photos that not only tell you how to capture a great moment, but show you how.
But even if you never plan to sell a single photo or present them to anyone besides close family and friends, Photo Trekking will show you how to capture the moments and details you’ve always wanted in your travel photography. You can order it on Amazon for a great deal or find other retailers on the book’s launch page. For those of you in the New York area, you can even attend the book launching party on March 19th, 2010. Look here for details.
If you’d like to get more great tips, check out Onken’s blog, follow him on Twitter or fan him on Facebook. Be especially sure to check out his amazing new Web site. But most of all, before leaving for your next trip, make sure a copy of Photo Trekking is in your suitcase.
Author: Nick Onken
Publisher: Random House
Length: 160 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8174-3280-5
Available at: Photo Trekking: A Traveling Photographer’s Guide to Capturing Moments Around the World (Amazon – $16.49)
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Photo Trekking: A Traveling Photographer’s Guide to Capturing Moments Around the World [Book Review]
Original post by Matthew Dutile
