Tips For Getting The Best Nature Photos

Taking great nature photographs is not only rewarding, but it is challenging as well. You need some special skills with your camera, and, of course, a good camera helps. A digital SLR is just about required, but the equipment that goes with it, namely the lens, is also very important. Many photographers argue about which DSLR is the best for nature photography. There are proponents of both Canon and Nikon who all claim their camera is best. Either way, a Canon telephoto lens or the Nikon counterpart is a key element for taking award winning nature shots.

There are some ways to prepare for the day when you will be shooting your best photos of wild animals and birds. First and foremost, know your camera. Practice taking shots at the settings you will use in the field. If you can't afford a proper telephoto lens, borrow or rent one. The kit lens that comes with most DSLR cameras just will not get the job done.

Another piece of equipment that is very helpful is a tripod with a good ball head. Some nature photographers specialize in hand-held shooting, but it takes lots of practice to be good at it. A tripod is your best bet to hold your camera steady with that big gun of a telephoto lens on it. The longer the lens, the more likelihood of camera shake, ending up with an unacceptably blurred photo.

6 Wedding Photography Tips

Wedding photography has changed a lot in the last ten years everything from the poses chosen to the books, albums, and slide shows that capture the moments of the day to be cherished forever. Here are some words of advice that you may have heard already, and if not, you can use them for the next wedding that you shoot.
1. Get to know the couple before the wedding. Every minute you spend getting to know the couple in advance of the wedding pays off in wedding images that can reflect their unique personalities and their hopes and dreams for the life they are beginning together. By the time of the wedding day, the couple should know you well enough to think of you as a new or old friend whom they welcome.
2. Call the wedding planner before the wedding. If there is one, call the wedding planner and introduce yourself as the photographer. Wedding planners can make or break your day and their contribution to your shooting workflow can be immensely helpful. Get on their good side and stay upbeat and flexible.

The Beauty of Fine Art Nature Photography

Fine art nature photography is a very affordable way to build a high quality art collection, one likely to build in value over the years. Photography and art collectors can't help being drawn to digital photos of nature, wild animals and outside scenes. Why? Because digital photos have taken collectible photography to a whole new level, resulting in high-resolution images that can last for up to 100 years, with no loss of color.
Digital photos also reflect a photographer's creativity in capturing a special landscape or wild creature that looks real enough to touch, right down to the minutest features.The proof? Simply look at a nature photo, one photographed digitally, and marvel at how it captures the tiniest details drawn from real life - from the thin antennae and stunning colors of a butterfly's wings to the beauty, tones and subtle shading of majestic landscapes. Compare that to other, older photos which weren't taken digitally. Odds are, colors haven't held up well or have faded within a relatively short amount of time.
Unlike photos of old, fine art nature photography can be both a wise investment and a delight to view, year after year, never losing its beauty. Some digital images are highly realistic while others are similar to abstract paintings. Each captures nature's beauty, a unique testimony to the photographer's skill.
Digital photos are a special collaboration between photographer and nature itself. The result? A unique artistic creation - captured in time, in a split second, yet as stunning - or more so - than the finest painting.

Essential Equipment for the Wedding Photographer

One of the first questions a photographer that is entering the wedding field will have is what equipment is needed in order to cover the day in full. That is a very good question and an arbitrary one at that. I am going to do my best to name some of the equipment that I find to be most useful. I will also try and name some equipment that is helpful, but not a necessity. Let's get started!

The first item that you need is obviously a camera. And not only one camera, but two cameras. Murphy is walking around and looking for his next victim and you do not want to have to explain to your clients why you cannot continue to cover their "once-in-a-lifetime" event. If you do not have two cameras, no problem. You can rent good quality cameras online for a very reasonable price. There is no reason that you should not have a backup camera. My suggestion is to get a camera exactly like the one you have and set all of the settings the same so that you will be able to work seamlessly. Another advantage to having an extra camera is that you will be able to equip it with another lens and have it handy for fast shooting.

Basic Things to Know about Your First SLR Camera!

You just bought your first SLR camera and can't wait to start taking some awesome pictures with it. But the manual for your camera is huge, and you're not quite ready to trudge through it.
So what are the basic things you need to know to be able to use your new SLR camera correctly? Here are some great pointers to help you take better pictures and possibly start a photography career down the road.
Shutter
The shutter speed refers to how fast your shutter is opening. The longer it's open, the more light you're letting in. If you have a slower shutter, you can capture motion blur; with a faster shutter, you'll freeze the motion.
Aperture
Aperture, or f-stop refers to how wide the opening of your lens is. The wider it's open, the more light you're letting in. With a wide aperture, you're lens blurs the background; with a small aperture, your background is more in focus.
ISO
ISO refers to how sensitive your sensor is to the light that's coming in. The higher your ISO, the brighter your image. With higher ISO, you'll see more grain or "noise" in an image than you do with lower ISOs.
So you've got to decide which settings you'll be using to make your picture brighter or darker. When you let in more light with one, you have to let in less light with the other to get the same exposure.