Photography Articles

Test Message

2008-04-30T04:30:00.001-07:00

This is a test message. PLease ignore...

2005-09-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to start a dedicated photoblog for a long time. Finally with help of Jim Norton I have been able to put up a PixelPost PhotoBlog. PLease visit http://armoks.com Let me know how you find it...

Fujifilm FinePix S9000 is out !!!!!!!!!!!

2005-09-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

Photo freaks have a reason now to uncork the bubbly. Fujifilm FinePix S9500 digital camera, called Fujifilm FinePix S9000, is out at last.
Aimed at the enthusiastic lensmen and eager amateurs, this brand new model has a Super CCD image sensor on board. This in-house developed image sensor, Super CCD HR, is already the 5th generation Fujifilm is using. Fujifilm introduced the first 9 Megapixel image sensor in the world for compact digital cameras.

One has the option to use an xD-Picture Card or a CompactFlash type I or II or a Microdrive. What�s new from the Japanese digital imaging giant is the integration of a tilting LCD screen. It offers greater freedom and functions that are usually associated with compact digital cameras. The monitor provides a resolution of 118,000 pixels.

Besides auto exposure, one can notice P Programmed Auto on the Fujifilm S9500. This is an automatic mode to specify the settings except for the shutter speed and aperture setting. A simple way to take pictures and also applies to the Shutter-priority Auto and Aperture-priority Auto modes (Program shift). When the FinePix S9500 is in camera mode it enables one to use the F button on the back of the camera. The F function gives access to a menus with specific photo functions like Quality mode (number of recorder pixels), ISO sensitivity and FinePix Color.

The Quality mode offers seven settings. A high resolution of 3488x2616 pixels in FINE compression to 640x480 pixels, normal compression; used for e-mail, etc. ISO settings are available from Auto to 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 and FinePix Color gives access to color settings like black and white, chrome (slight) and sepia. Voice memos of up to 30 seconds can also be tacked on to your digital photos.

Courtesy: MobileMag.com

2005-08-27T23:36:00.000-07:00

A very good magazine for all photographers...amatuers...serious and even pros...very nice articles....You can subscribe to the magazine or read the articles online...

A great Photography site !!!

2005-08-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

A very nice site to discuss wide variety of subjects...one of the main being photography...It is a small yet growing and vibrant community of photographers...I really enjoy this forum...check it out...
Also, another interesting feature of this site is Photo album...you can upload your photographs and recieve comments and feedback from forum members...

2005-08-02T11:30:00.001-07:00

Kodak has announced a new class of 'advanced digital cameras' today with the introduction of the P series, which it hopes, will provide an alternative to the DSLRs. The flagship of the range is the 24 mm wide angle lens EasyShare P880, which offers 8 megapixels, manual zoom ring and full manual control. The second camera in the range is the EasyShare P850, which has an image stabilized 12x zoom Schneider-Kreuznach lens, 36-432mm (35mm equiv). Both cameras can record RAW files and include a hot shoe. The EasyShare P880 wil be available beginning this September priced $599, while the EasyShare P850 is available at the beginning of this month, priced $499.
Source; dpreview

2005-08-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

source: dpreview

2005-07-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

This is a great site for tutorials on Digital Photography Manipulation....and very informative especially if you are using GIMP....

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 Preview: Digital Photography Review

2005-07-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 Preview: Digital Photography Review: "It's July so it must be time for a new flagship double-digit FZ camera from Panasonic, a year on from the FZ20 and here it is, the all new eight megapixel FZ30. Much of what made the FZ20 such a popular camera remains, however there are quite a few changes. The FZ30 has a new twelve times optical zoom lens which features a mechanically linked zoom ring, manual focus ring (electronic), full internal zoom and focus (non-extending) and image stabilization. The FZ30's CCD is also very slightly larger than that of the FZ20, approximately 1.75 mm larger diagonally. The FZ30 also now provides a RAW capture option which promises more flexibility in image processing for the more advanced photographer.
Similar in design to the FZ20 the FZ30's lens barrel is shifted over slightly and the hand grip has been made larger, there are also more controls available on the camera body. Other changes include a higher resolution flip-down LCD monitor and control dials front and rear. Full detail of changes are shown below. "

Click here to got to the comparison sheet.
Courtesy DPREVIEW

New Photographs of FZ30 (including Silver ones...)

2005-07-18T00:16:00.000-07:00

I came across some new photographs of FZ30 (silver ones) posted by Hiroshi at Steves Forums at http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=63111&forum_id= 23. click on the image for the bigger version

Long awaited Panasonic FZ30 has arrived

2005-07-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Panasonic UK Download Centre for Manuals, Software, Drivers and Technical Documents

Click the above link and enter "DMCFZ30PP" in the "Enter Model Number" box. You will get the complete manual in pdf format for panasonic FZ30.
This is one of the most awaited cameras in Prosumer superzoom DigiCam. Check out the specs...
Improvements over FZ20 are:

- 8 Mp, 1/1,8" CCD

- 35-420mm , F2,8 - 3,7 max. apert. (was 36-432 on FZ20): considering the more mp, this is fine. 33mm would have been better, but it would have been far more distorted at wide.

- Aperture: F2,8 - F11 (on most compact min. aperture is F8!)

- Shutter speed 1/2000 - 8 sec. + 15, 30 or 60 seconds in "Starry Sky" mode

- RAW mode (15-20 Mb size): I hope this is somewhat more useful than Tiff

- Twistable LCD

- Still 2'', but 235.000 pixel res LCD (and VF): 100.000 pixels more than on FZ20 !!! Great resolution.

- Manual focus ring but also ZOOM ring !!!

- 640x480, 30fps movie mode (up to 22 min on 2Gb fast SD cards)

- 2 Manual WB presets

- favourite settings preset

- 2 dials for adjusting Aperture and Shutter speed

- central (nodal point?) tripod thread, detached from the battery & Mem compart.

- external button for OIS

- 300 pics with 1 charge (was 240-270 on FZ20)

- some new things in software/menus/zoom assist modes/extended area 668mm=19x zoom at 3MP/ 3:2 and 16:9 output size aside the common 4:3/ Focus zones selections, 55mm lens thread

COMPLAINTS:

- TELE MAcro remains at 2m (will be a few less) and NORMAL macro to 5cm (will be 2cm is same as other FZ models which declare 5cm). 1 m Tele Macro as in FZ5 would have been great.

- no hardware selector for metering and focus (must go in the menus)

- other colors fine WB adjustments would have been great

- no new Flash options

- no focus bracketing

(posted by narmer on Steves Forums)

How to Build a Complete Photo Studio for Less Than $100

2005-07-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

A wonderful Tutorial by JMBaggs...a must read for a non-professional yet serious amatuer with less money :)

Equipment to buy: (I used Home Depot, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and Photo Market (may be local only))

Links go to photos of items. They may help as I didn't know the names of some of the items I purchased and thus made up names for them.

Plumbing section

Two ½” x 24” steel pipes (pre threaded for all pipes) $7.96

One ½” x 30” steel pipe $4.98

Two ½” x 10” steel pipes $3.78

Two ½” x 2” steel pipes $1.68

Three T joints $2.76

Two 90º joints $1.44

Two 45º joints $1.78

One ½” copper ring mounts with threaded hole (look at the picture) $1.39

One ¾” copper ring mount with threaded hole (like above only larger) $1.09

One large (the six foot was the cheapest!) threaded rod (3/8 inch). I found it also in the plumbing section (not with the other threaded rods). Be sure to get the big one you will need all of it. $1.39

One bag of mounting brackets $1.79

Nuts and Bolts

One 1" long 1/4" wide bolt

Two 1/4" washers

Two 1 1/2" washers with 3/8" holes

Two 1/4" nuts

Total price: less then a dollar

Worth1000.com | Photoshop Contests | Are you Worthy� | tutorial

2005-07-12T16:04:00.000-07:00

Check out this new site...Lots of photo showcase space(2GB)absolutely FREE FREE FREE...not only that...tons of lovely feature...also direct post to your blog....check out
Zoto :: Where you take your photos.

A Tedious Explanation of the f/stop

2005-06-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

A Tedious Explanation of the f/stop

"Photographers set their exposure using a combination of shutter speeds and f/stops to get the correct amount of light on the film. The shutter speed regulates how long the film is exposed to light coming through the lens. The f/stop regulates how much light is allowed through the lens by varying the area of the hole the light comes through. For any given film speed and lighting combination there is one correct amount of light to properly expose the film. This amount of light can be achieved with many different combinations of f/stops and shutter speeds. This page goes over the f/stop and especially its initially-confusing numbering at some length.
The f/stop is a source of confusion and mystery to many photographers, even to some who use it all the time. I find it interesting that in the local camera shop they have pictures under glass on the counter showing a scene using a range of focal lengths (for a good example of this, see my friend Dave Dahms' Lens Focal Length Chart), a bunch of photos showing the same scene printed at different sizes and a set of photos showing an action scene shot at different shutter speeds. All that is assumed to be of interest and comprehension to the customers. What they don't have is a set of photos showing depth of field, or a scene shot at a range of exposure combinations where the f/stop's effects are shown. Maybe it just takes too much explanation. Well, too much explanation is what this page is all about. " Click here for complete tutorial.

Tutorials - The RAW File Format

2005-06-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Tutorials - The RAW File Format: "The RAW file format is digital photography's equivalent of a negative in film photography: it contains untouched, 'raw' pixel information straight from the digital camera's sensor. The RAW file format has yet to undergo demosaicking, and so it contains just one red, green, or blue value at each pixel location. Digital cameras normally 'develop' this RAW file by converting it into a full color JPEG or TIFF image file, and then store the RAW file in your memory card. Digital cameras have to make several interpretive decisions when they develop a RAW file, and so the RAW file format offers you more control over how the final JPEG or TIFF image is generated. This section aims to illustrate the technical advantages of RAW files, and makes suggestions about when to use the RAW file format." Read the complete tutorial here

Tutorials - Image Noise: Concept and Types of Noise

2005-06-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

Tutorials - Image Noise: Concept and Types of Noise: "Image noise' is the digital equivalent of film grain for analogue cameras. Alternatively, one can think of it as analogous to the subtle background hiss you may hear from your audio system at full volume. For digital images, this noise appears as random speckles on an otherwise smooth surface and can significantly degrade image quality. Although noise often detracts from an image, it is sometimes desirable since it can add an old-fashioned, grainy look to an image which is reminiscent of of early film. Some noise can also increase the apparent sharpness of an image. Noise increases with the sensitivity setting in the camera, length of the exposure, temperature, and even varies amongst different camera models." Click here for complete tutorial

Understanding... Exposure Compensation - Digital Photography Tutorial - Photoxels

2005-06-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

Understanding... Exposure Compensation - Digital Photography Tutorial - Photoxels: "Understanding... Exposure Compensation
Most digital cameras provide exposure compensation. What is exposure compensation -- and how do we use it to obtain better exposed pictures? This OnePager� tutorial makes it all clear.
The Short Description
Exposure Compensation is a feature of a camera that allows you to adjust the exposure measured by its light meter. Usually, the range of adjustment goes from +2 to -2 EV in 1/3 steps.
The Long Description
If you look at the QuickFact� Sheet for a digital camera on this site, you'll notice this entry:
Exposure Compensation+/- 2 EV in 1/3 EV steps

This means that you can adjust the exposure measured by the light meter by telling the camera to allow more light in (positive exposure compensation) or to allow less light in (negative exposure compensation).
Technically, you could take note of the exposure measured by the light meter, and then switch to Manual mode and adjust it manually yourself.
Depending on how your digital camera deals with exposure compensation (and the shooting mode used), it may adjust the aperture while maintaining the shutter speed constant, it may adjust the shutter speed while maintaining the aperture constant, or it may adjust both the aperture and shutter speed. On the digital camera I am using for this tutorial, the camera first adjusts the aperture while maintaining the shutter speed constant; when it can't adjust the aperture anymore, it then adjusts the shutter speed."

What Is... ISO - Digital Photography Tutorial - Photoxels

2005-06-02T23:28:00.000-07:00

http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial_iso.html

What is... ISO - Digital Photography Tutorial - Photoxels:
ISO sensitivity expresses the speed of photographic negative materials (formerly expressed as ASA).
Since digital cameras do not use film but use image sensors instead, the ISO equivalent is usually given.
What ISO denotes is how sensitive the image sensor is to the amount of light present. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive the image sensor and therefore the possibility to take pictures in low-light situations.
And, where you would have needed to physically change to a different roll of film if you wanted a different ISO speed, digital technology allows you to simply dial one in. In this way, you can record images taken at different ISO speeds on the same memory card.
ISO Speed & Exposure
ISO speed affects the shutter speed / aperture combinations you can use to obtain correct exposure.
Suppose your digital camera's light meter warns you there is not enough light to correctly expose a scene. You could use the on-board flash, but let's suppose again it's not allowed (like in a concert or indoors recital).
You would then need to use a higher ISO. Set on 'ISO Auto' mode, your digital camera will automatically select a higher ISO. Otherwise, you can manually select the next higher ISO and see if the increased sensitivity allows you to obtain a correctly exposed picture. If it does, you can now take a correctly exposed picture.
Similarly, if you find the camera is using a shutter speed that is too slow (1/60 sec. and slower) to handhold the camera steady and shake-free (thus resulting in blurred pictures), and you cannot open up the aperture anymore, and you do not have a tripod or other means to hold the camera steady, and you want to capture the action, etc. etc. -- then you might select the next higher ISO which will then allow you to select a faster shutter

Samsung Pro815 officially announced: Digital Photography Review

2005-06-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

Samsung Pro815 officially announced: Digital Photography Review

Samsung has officially announced its first SLR-styled digital camera, the Pro815, an 8 megapixel 15x zoom model. It's targeted at enthusiasts and boasts a lot of 'world firsts' including the largest LCD on a digital camera at 3.5 inches, world's longest zoom on a high end camera and world's largest capacity lithium ion battery. The fully manual Pro815 sports a Schneider-Kreuznach lens and boasts a color data LCD screen for waist-level shooting, 2.5fps continuous mode and ISO 800. High speed mode allows steady shooting at the long end of the zoom. It's due to ship in August and will cost approximately £600. Complete story...read here

Manuals for all Digital cameras under one roof!!!

2005-06-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

I came across this wonderful site where manuals for all the digital cameras are available. You can view all the files in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Following are the list of Digtal Cameras for which the manuals are available

For Canon Click Here

Canon EOS 20D Digital SLR Canon EOS Digital Rebel (300D) Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT Canon EOS-10D Canon EOS-1D Digital SLR Canon EOS-1D Mark II Canon EOS-1Ds Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II Canon EOS-D30 Canon EOS-D60 Canon Powershot A300 Canon Powershot A310 Canon Powershot A400 Canon Powershot A510 Canon Powershot A520 Canon Powershot A60 Canon Powershot A75 Canon Powershot A85 Canon Powershot A95 Canon Powershot G3 Canon Powershot G5 Canon Powershot G6 Canon Powershot Pro 1 Canon Powershot S1 IS Canon Powershot S330 Canon Powershot S400 Canon Powershot S410 Canon Powershot S45 Canon Powershot S50 Canon Powershot S500 Canon Powershot S60 Canon Powershot S70 Canon Powershot SD10 Canon Powershot SD110 Canon Powershot SD300 Canon Powershot SD500 (IXUS 700)

For Casio Click Here
Casio EXILIM EX-M1 Casio EXILIM EX-M2 Casio EXILIM EX-M20 Casio EXILIM EX-M20U Casio EXILIM EX-S1 Casio EXILIM EX-S100 Casio EXILIM EX-S2 Casio EXILIM EX-S20 Casio EXILIM EX-S20U Casio EXILIM EX-S3 Casio EXILIM EX-Z3 Casio EXILIM EX-Z30 Casio EXILIM EX-Z4 Casio EXILIM EX-Z40 Casio EXILIM EX-Z4U Casio EXILIM EX-Z50 Casio EXILIM EX-Z55 Casio EXILIM PRO EX-P600 Casio EXILIM PRO EX-P700 Casio EXILIM QV-R3 Casio EXILIM QV-R4 Casio EXILIM QV-R40 Casio EXILIM QV-R41 Casio EXILIM QV-R51 Casio GV-10 Casio GV-20 Casio QV-10 Casio QV-100 Casio QV-120 Casio QV-200 Casio QV-2000UX Casio QV-2300UX Casio QV-2400UX Casio QV-2800UX Casio QV-2900UX Casio QV-30 Casio QV-300 Casio QV-3000EX Casio QV-3000LR Casio QV-3500EX Casio QV-3EX Casio QV-4000 Casio QV-5500SX Casio QV-5700 Casio QV-70 Casio QV-700 Casio QV-7000SX Casio QV-770 Casio QV-8000SX

For Panasonic Click Here
Panasonic DMC-F1 Panasonic DMC-F7PPS Panasonic DMC-FX5 Panasonic DMC-FX7 Panasonic DMC-FZ1 Panasonic DMC-FZ10 Panasonic DMC-FZ10S Panasonic DMC-FZ15 Panasonic DMC-FZ20 (Black) Panasonic DMC-FZ20 (Silver) Panasonic DMC-FZ3 Panasonic DMC-FZ5 Panasonic DMC-LC1 Panasonic DMC-LC20 Panasonic DMC-LC33 Panasonic DMC-LC40 Panasonic DMC-LC43 Panasonic DMC-LC50 Panasonic DMC-LC70 Panasonic DMC-LC80 Panasonic DMC-LZ1 Panasonic DMC-LZ2

For Nikon Click Here
Nikon Coolipx 8400 Nikon Coolpix 2100 Nikon Coolpix 2200 Nikon Coolpix 2500 Nikon Coolpix 3100 Nikon Coolpix 3200 Nikon Coolpix 3700 Nikon Coolpix 4200 Nikon Coolpix 4300 Nikon Coolpix 4500 Nikon Coolpix 5200 Nikon Coolpix 5400 Nikon Coolpix 5700 Nikon Coolpix 775 Nikon Coolpix 8700 Nikon Coolpix 8800 Nikon Coolpix 885 Nikon Coolpix 995 Nikon Coolpix SQ Nikon D70 Digital SLR

For Konica Minolta Click Here
Konica Minolta DiMAGE 5 Konica Minolta DiMAGE 7 Konica Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi Konica Minolta DiMAGE 7i Konica Minolta DiMAGE A1 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 Konica Minolta DiMAGE E323 Konica Minolta DiMAGE G400 Konica Minolta DiMAGE G500 Konica Minolta DiMAGE G600 Konica Minolta DiMAGE X20 Konica Minolta DiMAGE X31 Konica Minolta DiMAGE X50 Konica Minolta DiMAGE Xt Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z1 Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2 Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z3 Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D

For Kodak Click Here
Kodak DCS Pro SLR/c Kodak EasyShare CX4210 Kodak EasyShare CX4230 Kodak EasyShare CX4300 Kodak EasyShare CX4310 Kodak EasyShare CX6200 Kodak EasyShare CX6230 Kodak EasyShare CX6330 Kodak EasyShare CX6445 Kodak EasyShare CX7220 Kodak EasyShare CX7300 Kodak EasyShare CX7310 Kodak EasyShare CX7330 Kodak EasyShare CX7430 Kodak EasyShare CX7525 Kodak EasyShare CX7530 Kodak EasyShare DX3215 Kodak EasyShare DX3500 Kodak EasyShare DX3600 Kodak EasyShare DX3700 Kodak EasyShare DX3900 Kodak EasyShare DX4330 Kodak EasyShare DX4530 Kodak EasyShare DX4900 Kodak EasyShare DX6340 Kodak EasyShare DX6440 Kodak EasyShare DX6490 Kodak EasyShare DX7440 Kodak EasyShare DX7590 Kodak EasyShare DX7630 Kodak EasyShare LS443 Kodak EasyShare LS633 Kodak EasyShare LS743 Kodak EasyShare LS753 Kodak EasyShare Z760

For FujiFilm Click Here
Fuji Film FinePix 3100 / 3500 Fuji Film Finepix A205 Fuji Film Finepix A210 Fuji Film Finepix A210 Fuji Film Finepix A330 Fuji Film Finepix A340 Fuji Film FinePix A345 Fuji Film FinePix A350 Fuji Film FinePix E500 Fuji Film FinePix E510 Fuji Film FinePix E550 Fuji Film FinePix F10 Fuji Film FinePix F410 Fuji Film FInePix F420 Fuji Film FInePix F440 Fuji Film FinePix F450 Fuji Film FinePix F610 Fuji Film Finepix F700 Fuji Film FinePix F710 Fuji Film FinePix F810 Fuji Film Finepix S3000 Fuji Film Finepix S5000 Fuji Film Finepix S7000 Fuji FinePix F610

For Sony Click Here
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F717 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F828 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F88 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P10 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P100 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P150 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P2 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P41 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P50 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P7 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P72 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P73 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P8 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P9 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P92 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P93 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S50 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-U40 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-U50 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-U60 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-V1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-V3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W5 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W5/7 Sony DPP-EX50 Digital Photo Printer Sony DPP-EX7 Digital Photo Printer Sony DPP-MP1 Digital Photo Printer Sony Mavica MVC-CD200 Sony Mavica MVC-CD250 Sony Mavica MVC-CD300 Sony Mavica MVC-CD350 Sony Mavica MVC-CD400 Sony Mavica MVC-CD500 Sony Mavica MVC-FD-200 Sony Mavica MVC-FD200

For Olympus Click Here
Olympus C-4000 Zoom Olympus C-4040 Zoom Olympus C-50 Zoom Olympus C-5000 Zoom Olympus C-5050 Zoom Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom Olympus C-60 Olympus C-700 Ultra Zoom Olympus C-7000 Zoom Olympus C-720 Ultra Zoom Olympus C-730 Ultra Zoom Olympus C-740 Ultra Zoom Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom Olympus C-765 Ultra Zoom Olympus C-770 Ultra Zoom Olympus C-8080 Olympus D-535 Zoom Olympus D-590 Zoom Olympus Stylus 300 Olympus Stylus Verve

Serif Photoplus 6 and The GIMP - Powerful free image editors- Better than most high priced ones

2005-06-02T00:25:00.000-07:00

Have any of the users used Serif PhotoPlus 6 and The GIMP for photo editing. I have been in search of an inexpensive photo editing tool for quite some time. I have downloaded a lot of free photo editors and tried them. However, I have found that most of them are very..very restrictive in their features. I have used Photoshop and Photo Elements 2 too earlier. But these 2 softwares are unmatched for price they offer..THEY ARE FREE AND they do MOST OF THE MANIPULATIONS you require in an image.My choice for sure is The GIMP ...it is open source and has tons of features. Photoplus has less features...but surely worth a look and easier to understand.I may sound as sales person for these softwares, but I am not. Just helping out cash crunched people like me who do not want to spend on expensive softwares.These software might have a longer learning curve for novices...But the documentation is available and spending some time in reading the tutorials is not a bad investment.Check out these softwares and let me know what you think of it. If it helps you...let me know for sure.Click Serif PhotoPlus 6 and The GIMP to go to the sites. You can download it immediately.

PCWorld.com - Digital Focus: How to Shoot Small Objects Up Close

2005-06-02T00:22:00.000-07:00

PCWorld.com - Digital Focus: How to Shoot Small Objects Up Close: "Feature: Up Close and Personal
Ever since I saw Raquel Welch battling white corpuscles in the classic 1966 sci-fi film Fantastic Voyage, I've been hooked on the photography of tiny things--something called macrophotography. Macrophotography, or close-up photography, is all about shooting pictures of small objects. It doesn't matter if you're taking pictures of your coin collection or bugs in the backyard; if you're trying to fill the frame with something really tiny, it's a macro shot."

Custom Depth of Field Chart-

2005-06-02T00:20:00.000-07:00

Custom Depth of Field Chart

Yahoo! Mindset - Mind blowing searches on the web

2005-06-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

Although not related to Photography...there is a big news and here it is..
Yahoo has launched a new beta testing of their Mindset...Intent driven search..
I think Yahoo Mindset is answer to google and a much stronger answer...I bet this will be the future of searching the web.
To be honest I had given up on Yahoo as far as search was concerned...but they are back and back with a ban.

Check out for yourself and judge how it rates in your books...Leave comments and let me know...

Yahoo! Mindset: "A Yahoo! Research Labs demo that applies a new twist on search that uses machine learning technology to give you a choice: View Yahoo! Search results sorted according to whether they are more commercial or more informational (i.e., from academic, non-commercial, or research-oriented sources). "

Choosing Subjects for Black-and-White

2005-06-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.cameratown.com/guides/new.cfm?id=292&mo=May%2C%202005: "Summary
Beginning photographers are the most pliable when it comes to outside influences. They are typically still searching for a style, honing their skills, and unsure of their abilities. For that reason beginning photographers are more easily taught than those with some experience. Unfortunately, neophytes are more likely to copy or follow influences they don't understand - sometimes without questioning or looking for their own paths. Make no mistake, there is nothing wrong with learning from others, whether through discussion or viewing their work. It only becomes a problem when the advice is followed blindly.

For these reasons and others, many photographers have a difficult time choosing appropriate subjects for their photography. When I taught photography, it was not unusual for students to show me a photograph in which they could not tell me the subject. ....Read Story"

PHOTOgraphic Magazine Online: 6 Tips For Great Composition

2005-06-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

PHOTOgraphic Magazine Online: 6 Tips For Great Composition: "6 Tips For Great Composition

Text and Photos by Judith Pishnery, June, 2005

Judith Pishnery's fine-art images have been shown and collected internationally. She is also a successful commercial photographer, working with corporate, editorial and advertising clients.

To make engaging images, a photographer must go beyond the fascination with cameras, lenses and accessories, to consider the order, construction and design of a photograph; i.e. the composition. The subject of the photograph is a key element, and how the subject, background and other elements are arranged adds to the lasting impressions that the image will make. By making a conscious choice about where to position your subject, you are working with composition.

Does the photo emphasize what interested you? Has the best viewpoint been chosen? Would the image be better with more or less in the frame? Has the visual clutter been eliminated? Does the image feel balanced? Is the composition alluring? These are a few of the questions to think about to make captivating images.
"

Opanda IExif - Professional EXIF Viewer & Editor in Windows / IE / Firefox

2005-05-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

Opanda IExif - Professional EXIF Viewer & Editor in Windows / IE / Firefox: "Opanda IExif is a professional Exif viewer in Windows / IE / Firefox, From a photographer's eye, It displays the image taken from digital camera and every item of EXIF data in the image from beginning to end. The user can learn about how and where to take the photo, what the camera's model is, the detail of photographer and more in IExif. You can know more information and some unbeknown story. It is not only the good assistant to study photography, but also the best choice to view EXIF for photographer, shutterbug, photo editor and so on...
Now digital camera is very popular, more and more people begin to use dc taking photo. It's an important thing that reviewing and learning about the photographic technology via EXIF data in digital image. Opanda IExif is just a professional software browsing Exif / GPS / IPTC data in digital image. It's powerful and easy-use, and it's one of the best tool for every shutterbug and photographer. "