Digital Photography vs. Film Why Should You Switch?
One discovery I have made is that DSLRs are perfect for portrait photographers and wedding photographers. So why are they the last to jump on the band wagon? For some reason portrait photographers have been slower to switch to digital cameras than the average commercial photographer has.
My guess is that maybe they’re afraid? Afraid of the learning curve and afraid that the quality just isn’t there unless they spend an ungodly amount of hard earned cash on some scary looking gigantic array of confusing and awkward, let alone “how am I going to learn how to use this stuff” equipment.
The truth of the matter is all you really need is a 5MP digital camera. Digital SLR’s have the quality needed and I’ve seen many photographers with amazing results. Yes, even if you have only a 5 or 6 MP camera.
There are many reasons, here are 5 good ones.
1- Service
These days a real camera repair shop is very hard to fine and service for film cameras is evaporating even more rapidly. Most shops that say they will repair your camera will instead send it to the manufacturer and charge you for something that you could do yourself for less. yourself. If you look online you can still find a real camera repair shop including ones that specialize in digital SLR camera repair and charge much less than the $250-300 flat rate repairs that the manufacturers offer.
Many digital repair parts are replaceable by the consumer such as battery doors, memory card doors and other body parts like zoom switches. Some consumers do replace their own broken LCD screens and lenses, but many still leave that to a professional.
The real problem with finding good Canon digital camera repair for example is lack of knowledge. If you take your defective camera to a retailer and ask about repair, they will tell you it’s too expensive and you should just get a new one. A retail store has no idea that there are actual affordable camera repair options available, including parts for the do it yourselfer! A couple simple searches on Google will go a long way to help you find a reputable repair shop for your Canon digital camera repair.
2- Quality
The quality of images captured with a high quality lens, properly exposed and well posed is more than enough, even if you shoot JPEGS. Yes, JPEGS. Over 90% of the more than 30-40,000 exposures I put through my camera every year is shot in JPEG mode. Why would anybody want to use JPEG mode instead of shooting in RAW? The reason is simply because it works.
Most of the time the average portrait photographer doesn’t need an extremely high resolution image to work with. If they have in the past, they’ve always degraded the image through retouching and other means. It’s kind of ironic don’t you think? Yes of course you can shoot in RAW if you prefer, but it’s not always required.
3- Control
People want their photos fast. We are living in a drive-through culture and every minute counts. In our studio we create a slide presentation for our sessions and we show them to the clients within 20 minutes of every shoot. Clients love it. Customers get the results instantly. The client is already in the studio ready to see the images, and ready to spend, so sales go up. Their is ample evidence that when you show the images sooner, and you create large projected images, which is a cinch with digital, sales go up. Using a DSLR it gives portrait photographers greater control over the sales flow and this means and increase in profits.
4- Retouching
Let’s face it, people want to look good. What used to take hours and whole lot of aggravation with spray booths, smelly and dangerous lacquers, is now possible with absolute ease. Farming out all retouching took weeks and sometimes months to get back and we incurred huge retouching bills.
Not to mention the loss of control I had over the retouching aspects. It was up to the subjective interpretation of the retouching artist to enhance the images the way I wanted them retouched. Now, with a few basic skills, and all those years of retouching experience all transferred over to the new darkroom, my computer, I can easily retouch to any degree I like. In mere minutes. With absolute astounding results. This ultimately translates to satisfying a basic need that needs to satisfied in our clients, their vanity. They want to look good, and they want it fast.
5- Innovation
I could go on for days when it comes to what new products, ideas, services, sales processes, packages, etc, etc. . . I have created due to using a digital camera instead of film.
Suffice it to say for now that I am excited and alive again with passion about my photography and about the possibilities. When you apply the power of digital, and get a handle on it in your workflow, you can create new and exciting products like never before.
I’ve seen it and experience it every week in our busy little small-city studio. Your net profits will give you proof that clients like your product?
After all, we are in business first, and creative artists second, right? We are in business to make money and survive. We need new and exciting angles, ways to stay afloat, so we can pay our bills, keep the bankers happy and provide for our families. No one can predict how digital photography will ultimately evolve, but my bet is with it all the way.
Do you remember when color film was first released to consumers? I don’t, I was just a wee lad, but I heard stories about the many studio owners closing their doors and packing it in because they didn’t want to keep up with the demand and latest craze that color film and color paper had created.
I have always been a fan of photography and shot many rolls of film over the years. I never thought I would switch to digital, but once I gave it a try I was sold and haven’t looked back.
February 23, 2010
New Digital Camera Buying Guide
You are set to go buy your new camera. You’ve got your money in hand and you’re ready to start shopping. Before going off to purchase the most gleaming model you can afford, prepare yourself with the following essential buying tips.
1- Know yourself and why you need a camera. Determine your own needs and abilities and how a new camera will fit into the equation. Different models are better suited for different situations. See if you might fit into one of the three photographer-types listed below:
Novice User: Are you new to the world of digital photography? Many low-cost point-and-shoot digital cameras include a range of standard features that are simple to learn and operate, making them an ideal choice for the beginning or casual photographer.
Intermediate Photographer: If you take a wider array of photographs — from quick snapshots to vacation photos to sporting events — you’ll need a versatile, full-featured camera that can handle a range of zoom scenarios, photo subjects, lighting conditions, and so on.
Serious Amateur: You’ve been taking pictures for a long time and are willing to pay more for the advanced features you can only find with a digital SLR camera with changeable lenses?
2- Decide your perfect camera style; point & shoot or DSLR. Make sure you understand the relative strengths and limitations of point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras, and which is best suited for the photos you want to take. Due to ever increasing advanced features being included on “bridge” cameras, the differences between them and digital SLR’s has become less prominant; though each of the two classes have their own distinct advantages.
3- Get a feel for the camera. Get a feel for the camera and take some pictures with it. You will get much more use out of a camera if you feel comfortable holding it and have no problems learning the controls.
4- Look beyond the megapixels. For high-quality photos, consider the size and type of the camera’s image sensor.
5- Check out the zoom and focus features. A high powered zoom lens gets you close to the subject but don’t use digital zoom, compare optical zoom capabiliites only. Having a highly automatic camera that does everything for you is great but having complete control over all the settings allows for more creativity.
6- Help reduce the risks of blurry photos. Image stabilization is important for helping to reduce shaking and blurriness. Electronic image stabilization is a good start, while optical image stabilization is even better.
7- Lower light capability matters. The way a camera perform indoors and other lower lighting situations is as important if not more so than outdoors and bright light settings. Cameras that have high ISO sensitivity (ISO ratings 800 or higher) will be better able to capture properly exposed images with reduced blur in dimly lit situations.
8- Take into consideration the high end features. Think about what additional technology features you want in your camera — such as face detection or in-camera retouching — to help you achieve better results and enhance your overall photography experience.
9- Accessorize in style. Know what accessories you would like to use and what other devices you want to connect to your camera, such as an HDTV to view your photos, in order to make sure it has the right inputs and outputs.
10- Dare to shop and compare. Always compare the camera you’re interested in with the model one step down and one step above. Sometimes you can get amazing features for only a small price difference.
After you have decided which camera is the best one for you, further your education and love of photography by learning more about exposure and other tricks a little beyond the basics, or how to use Adobe Photoshop which will help you enhance your photos greatly with just simple fixes.
If you ever drop your camera or otherwise damage it, make sure you check around for an affordable digital camera repair shop online. The most commonly searched terms are Canon camera repair, Nikon camera repair & Sony camera repair when looking for somewhere to take your camera when it breaks. This is because Canon, Nikon and Sony have most of the market share when it comes to digital cameras, not because there is anything wrong with their products.
February 22, 2010
Honing Your Skills At Glamour Images Photography
A soaring photographer should know the meaning of glamour images well, as its definitions are so infinite they can drive one crazy. Nude and erotic images do not mean glamour images. Glamour Images are sexy and sultry, however, they may or may not be nude, and though glamour images may be erotic, they may not be pornographic. Glamour images comprise a touch of vulgarity and carnal desire wrapped in artistry and aesthetics, adorned with something high, pure and aspiring in order to produce a perfect visual creation. A good glamour artist should not only be aware of capital technical issues e.g. lighting, gear and composition, but have enough charisma, energy and appeal to engage the model into psychological contact and encourage her to feel at ease for a great outcome.
Glamour image equipments include a studio, cameras, lighting, props, etc. Many soaring talents cannot afford such an amount of costly gear, having to rent or borrow it, even being assistants, thus learning to handle everything by direct experience. You must have spotted that many glamour images are shot vertically, as if in opposition to the common horizontal format, in a fruitful attempt to develop some delivering concept. Additionally, should you pay more attention to models on the pictures, you will notice they also have something quite slim and vertical to their faces and shapes.
Background and entourage are other factors influencing the viewer’s perception of your glamour images. Glamour images are focused on the model and not the background so some photographers tend to ignore the background, however, a good photographer should always give extra attention by choosing a background that is in sharp contrast to the model or the attire. There should not be any clutter in the background. Props, even though they do not make the shot, sometimes prove beautiful adornments. For example, if one has to shoot a model on bikini at a beach, a surfboard would be a great prop and would add extra meaning to the overall image.
If we detach from all the technical background that an artist should possess for the sake of being successful in Artistic Glamour Photography, it leaves us with the most important skill of all, which is light manipulation. One cannot imaging photographing at all without light, and when it comes to glamour images, light plays a more important role. Light comes from different sources, natural and artificial, and as a photographer, one has to be perfect in manipulating light, because glamour image is all about creating stunning images with a touch of aesthetics.
Grainy Images? Clear Them Up With Photography Lighting
The photography world enjoys a popularity that is difficult to match, enjoyed by millions either as a hobby or a profession. Some photographers simply enjoy snapping photos of friends and places in there free time for keep sakes or to share. Still others are avid photographers or professionals who create those amazing shots of sports events, glamour shots, and other visually stunning images we see in the media and on the covers of high profile magazines.
For photographers who are wanting better results for there photographic images for there own personal enjoyment or to take great product shots. They can elevate the quality of photographic images with photography lighting equipment. The fastest and easiest way to create higher quality photographs is with the addition of photography lighting equipment accessories such as a light bank, bulbs, and a soft box on a light stand. Proper photography lighting for photographers is the key to consistently capturing images of high quality.
For instance, with strobe flash accessories or photo lights a photographer can use a flash light with either a soft box or a photo umbrella on a stand and be able to capture a crisp and clean portrait or product shot in a much more dynamic way than simply relying on the small flash of there camera alone. External photo lighting and accessories can help to increase high quality image results in the fastest way.
If you have been wondering how professional photographers can capture the images that they do and how they breathe life into them. Now you know that it’s in the lighting photography accessories and equipment that they utilize during photo shoots. With the use of photography lighting and angles, capturing amazing gem shots are much more easily achieved than simply pointing a camera and hoping for the best.
Whether capturing photos of products, friends, or family. The quality of the shots can make all the difference in the world. In product photography for example. If the photos of the Porsche in the information pamphlet were dull and lackluster, you wouldn’t necessarily remember the car. The more stunning and visually vibrant a photo is, the more that it will stay in a consumer’s mind. in visual marketing, this is why great shots are presented to consumers to engage them viscerally and emotionally.You won’t have to worry about forgetting that Porsche, the shot gave you such a great look of it that you can see yourself sitting in it. That’s the power of emotional and visual marketing on display.
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