Any good suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

i am going to Kauai this summer, but i want a “professional” camera to take vivid pictures of wildlife… its sort of a hobby, but that’s the least expensive one and i don’t want to get anything over 200 dollars. if this isn’t as good as another one in my budget, let me know. finding any other reviews not in camera language would help a lot…

A camera I spotted at Amazon. Canon PowerShot SX20IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle
Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch Articulating LCD

i’ve been looking at cameras that are fairly simple but still good for an almost professional style outcome. would this camera be good, could you suggest something else? my price range is from $150 to $250 before taxes

http://www.online-camera-shop.co.uk/catalog/images/CANON%20POWERSHOT%20SX110%20IS.jpg

Its a green point and shoot. I forgot to megapixel but its a good quality camera. Im just wondering if it would be suitable for digital photography. Also, I have a MAC and thinking of getting aperture 2, any good?

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Photography is a hobby that many not only enjoy, but have adopted as a profession earning money from some of the great photographs produced using acquired photography skills. Becoming a great photographer requires at least three essentials: practice, technical know-how, and an artistic eye.
Below are a few simple guidelines to assist beginners to move in that direction.
1. Choose the right camera
For a photographer, the camera is a significant part of life and separation from it can leave a photographer feeling almost as if physically disabled. Choosing the right camera is critical for taking great pictures. There are a wide variety of cameras available on the market, all within various price ranges. As with just about anything in life, a good quality camera will be more expensive.
The common types of cameras follow:
I. Disposable camera
II. Compact camera
III. Digital camera
IV. Single Lens Reflex camera (SLR)
It is advisable that beginners not spend too much initially on a camera. That advice is because the higher priced ones typically include features that are only useful for experts already familiar with their benefits. Try using a camera like Pentax, Canon, or Minolta. These types of cameras take pictures with almost as good quality as the expensive ones.
2. Select a suitable lens
There are two types of lenses that will meet the needs of a person just beginning in photography. They include 28mm to 80mm and 80mm to 270mm. Within those two broad categories are macro, zoom, and wide-angle lenses.
3. Film types
The type of film selected is also very important. You will want a good quality film both for the beauty of the picture and also for longer-term storage. Of course, you can select between color film or black and white.
4. Consider film speed
Generally, faster films are the ones with the higher ISO number. Typically fast ISO films are used to capture quick movements, such as birds or sports players in action. It is also used to take pictures when the preferred amount of light is not available. If plenty of light is available, then a 100 or 200 ISO film will work great.
5. Color balance
Always consider the type of light under which you plan to shoot. Film is very sensitive to light colors. If the film doesn’t match with the light, then unfortunately the colors in the pictures after development will be a mess.
Photography as a hobby is not limited by age groups. Whether young or old, anyone can find enjoyment in it. To become a great photographer, take the time to learn proper techniques and develop your skills. The guidelines above will assist you to begin producing pictures that over time may amaze even you!
6. Photographing People
The job of a good photographer is to capture their subject’s best moments, such as when they are truly at ease and not actually trying hard to “act natural” in front of a camera – usually a prescription for capturing a horrible pose.
A photographer should also make sure the people in the pictures look as natural as possible. A great picture will bring out the innate personality and beauty of the subject – rather than serving as an attempt to create what isn’t really there.

Always do ample amount of research before you open your studio so that you know all the advantages and disadvantages. In photography studio at which level do you want to begin with? This is the first and most important thing which is being asked to a photographer. It is really important for a person who is interested in photography to know that,which type of business does he wants to indulge in. So that the relevant requirements and finance can be worked up.

Once you have decided with everything that you want and then study the most basic part of it,which is your camera whether it is digital or film. You have to assure a location for your newly established photography business style. The main priority as a photographer is to compile a nice portfolio. In this profession work speaks louder than words. Never ever keep all the photographs that you have in your possession. Select a few snaps only to attach in your folder. Don’t make yourself feel embarrassed. If possible then showcase your best pictures. People are always keen to see the fine arts. Just try to go with make up and photography together. The involvement of make up in photography moves it to the route of trick photography, it changes the whole personality of an individual. Compatibility is one thing that you need to check between some cameras and computers. Remember to constantly upgrade and maintain your website so that whenever someone visit your website, they’ll find something new and good.

How to Photograph Firewoks Displays? These are most questions that i had received from readers and most had a feeling that its really hard to capture. I could understand that as capturing a fireworks display always involve the elements of both darkness and brightness. The darkness of the sky or the surroundings and the brightness of the fireworks or sometimes the foreground.

My simple adviced to all is “grab you camera equipments and give it a try” whenever theres a fireworks displays in and around your area.

Below are some useful tips to help you get started.

Planning

Planning is the most important when photograhing Fireworks Displays and this is what most people tend to ignore. Always get to the location early. Be sure of where the fireworks are being setup and what part of the sky will it be lighting up. Try asking the organisors if possible of what they are planning. Look around the location and take note of the lightings and surroundings. You might want to decide now on what lenses and the focal lengths to use. Remember the first and most important thing in fireworks photography is planning and anticipation.

Framing and Focusing

Where to aim your camera? This is one of the most difficult part in photographing fireworks dislays. You normally need to aim your camera before the fireworks goes off. I normally spend most of my time looking in the sky rather then looking at my view finder so that i could see whats happening around me and also anticipate the moment or the right time to shot.

Always manually focus your camera or put it on infinity. Its quite impossible to use auto focus mode in low light and you may end up missing a lot of shots. So set your focusing in advanced and fix your focal lengths but remember to ajust your focusing if you happen to change your focal lengths.

Shutter Speed

Its not necessary to set your shutter speed to a very low setting. The temptation to keep your shutter open too long is because its dark and you need to do that. The problem is that fireworks itself are bright and you might over expose them and you may end up not having a clean and nice shot. What you may get is too much of the smoke in you photograph.

Aperture

What aperture to use in Photographing Fireworks Dispalys? Many people thinks that they need to open up the aperture in order to capture them right. But remember, the lights that fireworks emit is quite bright. I normally set my aperture between mid to smaller f stop and i find it tend to work well. And again it will also depends on what shutter speed you have selected.

ISO

Shot using the lowest ISO possible.

Capturing the Mood and Surroundings

When photographing Fireworks Displays many people tend to just capture the Fireworks and forgetting the foreground or the background. Remember Fireworks Displays are often relates to celebrations and occasions and I personally feels your picture must relates to the occasions and it must tell you where, what and when. Dont forget to include other elements such as people, landmarks or other perspectives to make your photograph more meaningful and the Fireworks Display looking more spectacular.

Take as Many Shots as Possible and Track Results

Keep taking as many shots as possible and do a quick check occasionally. But remember….. dont check after every shot or you may end up missing the action!!! You might not have enough time. If you are using Digital Camera take advantage of it and keep on taking.

For more photography techniques and tips visit my photography blog: Langkawi Photographer Blog 

To view my photography portfolio visit: AFFENDY.COM

Photographing food is probably one of the most challenging kinds of photography out there. It is considered difficult by most professional food photographers because there is a time constraint in the whole photo shoot.
And since the marketability of the food itself depends primarily on how it is seen in print, food photographers should be well trained and skilled in order to come up with satisfying results.
TIPS IN TASTEFUL FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
1. Know your camera well. It is a must that you familiarize yourself with all its features and functions especially the basic operations like focus/auto focus, exposure compensation, white balance, image resolution and size, and flash modes operation. Know when to use these features in order to highlight the best angles of your subject.
2. Familiarize yourself with other equipment. Knowing the proper use of a tripod or stabilizer will help you focus on your subject better and will also avoid camera shake that usually causes blurring.
3. Fill the gap and the distance. If space and time permit, get close to your subject as close as possible. It is recommended that you fill the entire frame of with your subject to create a satisfying image. Distance will give a full view of the food’s texture and ingredients.
4.Carefully calculated focus and depth-of-field (DOF). The use of depth-of-field never fails to create wonders in food photo shoots. With careful adjustment of focus and depth of field, you can bring to life any dish that is your subject. (TIP: Use wider or more open for a shallow DOF and a smaller or more closed one for a deeper shots.)
5. Identify the standout ingredient. Before taking any shot, assess the scene closely and look for something that can grab people’s attention right away. You can use this main feature of the food as the subject of your subject.
6. It’s all in the lighting. Like in any photography styles, lighting or available light can make or unmake any photograph. Since food is the major subject in food photography, it is better that the setting is bright and the lights are soft so as to make the food more appetizing. In digital cameras, turning on the White Balance feature of the equipment can solve dark settings in an instant.
7. Pay attention to your set-up. It is a must to take the time off to setup your food photo shoot. If there are distracting elements in the background, remove them. If you think there’s something missing in the set up, then think of something else that would fill the empty space or gap. Prepare the garnish, the props, and other materials you might need for the shoot.

Beginners in digital photography around the world are eager to learn to take better photos with their digital cameras. Are the courses, workshops and ebooks on offer teaching what they need to know?

A few years ago, I wrote an ebook to teach beginners the basics of good photography. You know, aperture, shutter speed, depth of field, lighting, composition; the kind of things that are the stock-in-trade of any experienced phogographer. In recent times, I have been amazed at the increasing number of people eager to get their hands on this type of information.

With the internet seemingly taking over the world, and the explosion in availability of books, ebooks and courses on just about every subject, why is it so hard for a new photographer to find out how to use their camera? It’s a mystery for the modern age, but I think I may have found the answer.

If a person has a bad experience, especially if that experience cost them hard-earned dollars, they will tell others. And what they are telling me is that they are NOT HAPPY with most of the photography courses and guides on offer.

Many courses and workshops advertising ‘digital photography’ have little or nothing to do with actual photography. That’s right, you can sign up to learn the skills of better photography and not learn one thing about taking better photos.

Instead, what you get is a workshop on digital imaging, or photo editing. How to fix up your bad photos, how to superimpose rainbows and birds into your landscapes and how to remove freckles and pimples from your portraits. How to use software which, in many cases, the customer doesn’t have, doesn’t want and possibly can’t afford.

Are these useful skills? Of course they are, but they are not photography. At best, they are secondary skills that enhance the creative possibilities of photography, for people who choose to go down that path. This does not include everybody.

The result could be a generation of ‘photographers’ who know more about fixing up their mistakes on a computer than about taking good photos in the first place.

If a customer pays you to teach them photography, they have a right to expect that they will learn how to use a camera. If they want to learn about computer software, they will buy a different ebook, or sign up to a different course. If you take their money, then sit them in front of a computer for three days, you have not given them what they paid for. If your customer asks for their money back – so they should.

I could take a pessimistic view, and think that some photographers have become so lazy, so unskilled, that they really believe digital manipulation is more important to photography than skill with a camera. I prefer to think that the customers I have spoken to have just been the victims of misunderstandings and poorly worded advertising.

Whichever is the case, customers beware! Before you hand over your money, find out exactly what you are signing up for. If you want to learn to be a better photographer, make sure the course, workshop, or ebook is about using your camera, not just a computer. If software is a component of the course, terrific – you are getting a well rounded look at the world of photography. If it is the only component, shop around; there are still people out there who want to teach what you want to learn.