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Your Wedding Photographs

Graham Langsworth

One of the biggest variables in the preparations for your
wedding day will involve the photographic services that you
employ.  Unless the photographer is a professional who
offers high-quality results and the flexibility that you'll
need to customize your wedding package, you may well be
wasting your hard-earned dollars on a product that will
leave you feeling angry and dissatisfied.  These cherished
images will most likely be your only visual keepsake of one
of the most special days of your life.  Even if you're
planning to videotape the ceremony, nothing can replace a
wedding album that can be shared with others throughout the
years.

When interviewing photographers, be sure to find out how
much experience they have with weddings and ask to see some
samples of the end result.  Of course, you'll want to look
at the quality of the photos, but it's also important to
be alert to creativity, originality and whether or not
there are any private pictures of the wedding party after
the ceremony, as well as those that have been taken of the
wedding itself.  If you don't see any snaps that appear to
be natural, in other words, the photographer took shots
from an inconspicuous location, in order to capture
pictures that weren't specifically choreographed, then you
may want to consider using someone else.

Everyone likes to see a few photos in their wedding album
that have obviously been set up by the photographer, such
as shots of the wedding party or simply the newlyweds on
their own.  The style of the photograph isn't the only
important aspect of taking a good picture, however.  When
you look at shots of this nature, you should be able to see
specific, and natural, emotions in the faces of those
who are being photographed.  Stiff, serious, emotionless
faces aren't what one would expect to see when viewing
someone's wedding album, and it would be a shame for you to
be left with such a flawed keepsake.  If the photographer
doesn't display talent in the area of capturing emotions,
go elsewhere.

Meet directly with the photographer who is going to be
photographing your wedding and speak with him or her
directly. Make it a point!  Do not make the assumption that
the person at the studio who's showing you the samples of
their work will be the one who's going to do your wedding.
Meet with your photographer to review any questions,
concerns or to give specific instructions.  Since style of
photography can vary, look at the samples of the specific
photographer who will cover your wedding, and discuss
workmanship, type and quality of the photographs, pricing,
special effects, retouching and charges for proofs. All
this should be done before the wedding.

In addition to working out a payment plan, be sure to ask
about whether or not you can order online or, at least,
view the proofs online.  If so, you'll need to obtain the
specific web address that will allow you to do so, and
don't forget to inquire about whether or not family members
and friends will be allowed to see the photos that are
posted on the site, as well.  If ordering online is an
option, then be sure that the package that will be made
available to you is clearly defined, including the prices,
in addition to the option of having them design the photo
album for you, if you prefer.

Nothing is more exciting than your wedding day. It is your
day and yours alone.  Make the photographic record of it as
memorable as possible. There are a lot of things to take
care of in terms of your wedding day, but few will offer
such lasting satisfaction as the photos if they are well
done, so don't skimp on the time it takes to make sure you
will have a truly beautiful record of this experience.

Graham Langsworth operates the website and is a writer for Frey Wedding which is a site dedicated to researching Wedding related topics and contains all the very latest Wedding news and views. Please visit http://www.freywedding.com if you have any questions or comments concerning this article

Pay Only for the Digital Camera Features You Need

Gareth Lenzy  

Before shopping for a digital camera, be sure you know
enough about the key features so you buy only what you need
Although friends, family members and reviews are good
sources of information to consider before shopping, here
are the basics to start with.

The term megapixel is used often with digital cameras,
because of the direct relationship with the quality of the
photo. A digital image is made up of dots called pixels,
with one million pixels equalling a megapixel.  Most
consumer models range between two and five megapixels.
Generally, the more megapixels the sharper the image, but
enlargement is the critical issue. Up to an 8x10 photo, you
will be fine with three megapixels, but you'll want more
for larger photos. You do get what you pay for in this
regard, but don't spend the extra money if you won't be
enlarging the photos or if you will use them only online.

Think about what kind of lens you want on your digital
camera.  Less expensive models usually have fixed lenses.
You won't be able to zoom in on your subject when taking
pictures.  If you aren't close enough, the images in your
pictures will appear too small or far away.   Zoom lenses
are a little more expensive, but worth the added cost. If
you want to shoot wildlife, a 10x zoom will be handy, while
a 3x is fine for general photos. An optical zoom, rather
than a digital one, is much preferred. Digital zooms
enlarge pixels and reduce picture quality.

Professional cameras have interchangeable lenses.  These
are expensive, but produce great effects, including wide
angle and telephoto capabilities.

Be clear on how you want to use the camera. Is it mostly
for still photos, or do you want to take a fair bit of
video? With some models, you can do both. But the less
expensive cameras take only brief video clips. If you like
video, consider a combination model with more powerful
video capability.

Size is a key factor. Will you want to carry around the
camera if it is large? Or will you make better use of a
compact model that fits easily into a pocket? While image
quality is typically better in the larger models, the
smaller cameras do very well and likely get more use.

Memory sticks or cards are used with almost all digital
models to store images. Because most cameras come with
limited memory, you will need to purchase more to hold
fifty to one hundred images. Ensure that additional memory
is available at reasonable cost for your model.

Heavy use of batteries is typical of digital cameras,
especially when the LED screen is turned on. Some major
manufacturers use a proprietary battery that's expensive to
replace. Most useful is a battery that's widely available
and easy to recharge.

You will be given software with your purchase to download
images onto your home computer.  This software allows you
to store pictures on your computer, email them to family or
edit pictures for a variety of projects.

For more professional projects or to correct problems with
your images, such as red eye you may want to purchase
additional software, such as Photoshop.  Make sure your
computer will support the software included with your
camera.

Gareth Lenzy writes for YO Camera

Sign up for the Camera ezine at http://www.yocamera.com .

Photography Tips

Laura Hedgegate

A photo can tell a funny or a poignant story. It can break
down barriers and encourage conversations between people
who would never have thought of conversing before. A
humorous photo in particular can give you hundreds of hours
of smiles in the future. These can either be contrived
(which can be equally amusing in the setting up process) or
can be snapped when the chance arises (this involves you
reacting with lightning speed!).

It's not necessarily expensive to be able to produce
photos of a professional quality but it does need some
research. Before you go to the camera shop, it's worth
analysing what you want to use the camera for and look in
magazines to find out how much you can expect to pay. Shops
will always want to sell you more than necessary and,
whilst a carrying bag and a tripod are useful, do you need
them in the first place? There are also lots of gadgets
that you could buy and find years later on a shelf, never
having been used. The key is to buy the best possible
equipment for the budget that you've allocated yourself.

Most people now are moving away from the traditional
cameras and on to digital ones that offer just as good
photos with a versatility that never previously existed. A
digital camera uses a card to capture the image rather than
the film that was previously used. The number of
photographs that such a card can hold will depend on the
make and quality. With each year (or even month) new models
are coming out that have a greater capacity and clarity of
photograph. Some cards also offer the opportunity to
develop black and white and sepia photos in addition to the
usual colour ones.

When the memory card is full it needs to be taken out and
downloaded onto a computer's hard drive and saved. The
memory card will be wiped clean and you can start again;
very like putting in a new film into a traditional camera.
By storing the photos onto your hard disk you can use the
viewfinder to glance through your photos and you can delete
those that you don't want.

With very low priced software it's possible to enhance the
photos significantly. You can crop the parts that aren't
important and enhance those that you want to stand out.
You can even put parts or figures from
one photo into another and change backgrounds.
In fact, almost anything that can be done in the most
sophisticated magazines and newspapers you can now
achieve at your kitchen table. You can experiment
with different densities of colour, with black and white
or with sepia finishes. In fact, your only limitation
is your imagination!


Laura Hedgegate is the author and proprietor of Photo Views.
A premier Photography information site on the Internet. For more information following this article please click.

Shopping for Printers

Neal Hall

There are a multitude of printers available in the
marketplace, however what is important is that you buy a
printer that meets your needs and budget. So, before you go
shopping for a printer you need to evaluate some of the
different kinds of their qualities in order to make a
decision before you shop. That way, you will be able to
inform the salesperson what you are looking to buy rather
than just a printer. This will not only save you money, but
will also help you get the printer you really need. Some of
the more popular printer options are the dye diffusion,
inkjet and bubble jet, laser, and dot matrix printers. These
are all in use today and one of these will meet your printer
needs.

The dye diffusion or thermal dye sublimation printer uses a
process that is for color printers. The way this printer
works is a crayon or other type of wax that is colored with
pigment is transferred onto the page when it is heated as it
is moved over the page. The page generally has to go through
the printer various times in order for all of the colors to
be deposited onto the page. People with this type of printer
might not have any idea how the printer works or how their
copies are created in color, but this information will help
clear things up.

The inkjet or bubble jet printer are types of printers that
have become very popular because of there quality and
affordability. The quality of these printers is average and
good for students and small businesses. The one downfall of
these printers is that the ink needs to dry before touching
the page or it might smear. Other than this, the inkjet
printer provides great quality for its below average price.

However, if average quality is not what you are looking for
then you should consider buying a laser printer. These are
the best of the best printers and will ensure your documents
are printed in the best possible manner. Although you will
receive superior quality with the laser printer, it is
rather expensive so you should really need this type of
quality or simply have money to spend in order to buy this
printer. If not, and quality is not a problem, then an
inkjet printer offers good quality at a very affordable
price.

Finally, the dot-matrix printer is a good, solid printer
that not only offers decent printed material, but is also
solid and affordable. Because of this, many companies still
use the outdated dot-matrix printer to print invoices,
receipts and the like. The dot-matrix printer works by a
cluster of pins pressing onto the paper, through an ink
ribbon, in the form designated by the computer. These
printers are fabulous because of there durability and price,
so if quality is not what you are looking for consider a
dot-matrix printer.

There are many types of printers for you to choose from, but
what you should do is evaluate your need for quality and
speed from a printer and compare it to your budget. Then,
you will have the information you need to shop for a
printer.


Neal Hall is the CEO of Dymo Printers Inc
For more Printers resource links and articles visit. http://www.dymoprinters.com/

The Basics of Digital Photography
Deborah Kilgaron

If you have access to a computer, you can take
advantage of the latest wave in photographic
technology, the digital camera. Even if you don't
have a computer you can use a digital camera, but
a computer definitely helps. The essential piece of
equipment is the camera itself. They are available
in a variety of styles, so pick the one that appeals
to you.

Keep in mind that you'll be paying more for a high-
quality digital camera. Cheaper versions are like cheap
traditional cameras--they're all right for quick snapshots,
but you shouldn't use them for important pictures. Mid-
priced cameras can yield terrific results, especially
if you want to use them to post your pics on the internet.
As a rule of thumb, go for a high number of pixels. For
a beginning, 3 megapixels is plenty. But the quality of
the lens must also be high, or else the pixels won't
matter.

Generally speaking the well known brands make good digital
cameras, but the market changes so fast you need to look at
a few online reviews.

There is no doubt that digital photography is big. People
who tried traditional photography and gave up are finding
digital photography really rewarding. There are a few
reasons for this, the main ones being cost, creativity and
freedom

1) Digital photography is actually cheaper in the long-
term than traditional photography. After you pay for
the camera itself (as well as any ink and paper you may
need to print out photographs), the cost is minimal.
Traditional prints are incredibly expensive, and we've
all learned that most rolls of film include at least a
few pictures we wish we hadn't taken. But with digital
cameras you can just delete bad pictures and focus on
the ones that are good. Also, most people generally
don't even print out digital pics--they beam them around
the globe via email or by posting them on the web.

2) Creativity. This is a main selling point for many
people. With traditional cameras, you had to shell out more
money to get your prints blown up, cropped, or fixed. It
was almost never worth it. But with digital cameras you
have the ability to go in and become an artist, cropping
out whatever looks ugly, creating a better color
saturation, and so on. It's easy, even for those who are
new to digital photography.

3) Digital photography frees us from the constraints of
traditional photography because we aren't using up rolls
of film. Instead of having to change the roll every 24
or 36 shots, we can shoot away with abandon, and without
worrying about the cost to develop all these shots. And
we don't have to wait until the film is developed to see
if we got good pictures. We can simply look at the screen!

With these things in mind, here are a two tips:

Experiment. Once you have invested in your equipment you
will not have to spend more money on having bad pictures
developed, so go crazy. Try different angles, different
times of day. Take pictures of details. If you are on
holiday, take pictures of things you might not normally
bother with - the food you are served, the inside of
shops... Some of these pictures can turn out to be the most
memorable when you return home, really evoking your time
away.

It's not just the camera you'll need to experiment with,
however. Learn how to utilize the accompanying software,
too. Reading through the manual or taking the computerized
tutorial is well worth it--you'll see an improvement in
your pictures as well as an increase in your ability to
fix them after the fact. The people you show your snaps
to will certainly be impressed!

Deborah Kilgaron is a professional photographer helping
other people follow in her footsteps through Raising Profile Photography

Visit the Raising Profile Photography online community at
http://www.rpphotography.com to sample Deborah's methods.

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