Tips on Point and Shoot Digital Camera

Since I am a SLR user and not a compact and point and shoot camera user I make a research on how to use a point and shoot digital camera proper... While searching on the web I found this and I think it is very helpful to those who have this kind of camera and wanted to get a great picture out of it...

You don't have to have a fancy camera to take great photographs. Are there some limitations as to what a point and shoot camera can do? Sure, but that doesn't mean it can't take great images. You simply have to know your camera's capabilities and apply solid photography techniques. Here are some great tips on how to get the most out of your point and shoot camera.

Point and Shoot cameras will have one of two kinds of viewfinders.

• Through the Camera
  
• Through the Lens

Read more here Article from about.com " Getting the Most of your Point and Shoot Camera"

EYE Test

Can u find the B(there are 2B's)? DON"T skip or ur wish wont come true...


RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Once youve found the b


Find the 1

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1III
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Once you found the 1..............



Find the 6


9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999699999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999


once youve found the 6...

Find the N (it's hard!!)

MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMNMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM

once you've found the N...


Find the Q...
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Burj Dubai - The Tallest Building in the World

The Burj Dubai (Arabic: برج دبي for "Dubai Tower") is a supertall skyscraper currently under construction in the "New Downtown" of Dubai,United Arab Emirates. Projected to be completed and occupied in 2009, the building is part of a huge development located at the "First Interchange" (aka "Defense round-about") along Sheikh Zayed Road at Doha Street. On completion, it will likely be the tallest structure in the world of any kind by a wide margin.

The Burj Dubai under construction


Facts:

A subtle reference to the onion domes of Islamic architecture can be found in the building's silhouette when looking up at the lobes from near the base.

The tower will be situated on a man-made lake which is designed to wrap around the tower and to provide dramatic views of it.

Engineers working on the design considered installing triple-decker elevators, which would have been the first in the world. The realized building will use double-decker elevators.

The top of the building will contain a public observation deck and a private club above that.

Although the building's shape resembles the bundled tube concept of the Sears Tower, it is structurally very different and is technically not a tube structure.

The design by Skidmore Owings & Merrill replaces a plan to reuse the design for Grollo Tower, which was proposed in Melbourne a few years earlier.

Designed by Adrian D. Smith, FAIA, RIBA Design Partner at Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP.

"Burj" is Arabic for "Tower".

Burj Dubai will become the world's tallest building, along with the world's tallest man-made structure when it is completed.

The highest residential floor will be level 109.

An observation deck will occupy the 124th floor.

The building was rotated 120 degrees to allow for less stress from the prevailing winds.

The building sits on a concrete and steel podium with 192 piles descending to a depth of more than 50 metres (164 feet).

A total of 45,000 cubic metres of concrete are used in the foundations with a weight in excess of 110,000 tonnes.

The exterior cladding is of reflective glazing with aluminium and textured stainless steel spandrel panels with vertical tubular fins of stainless steel.

The cladding system is designed to withstand Dubai's extreme summer temperatures.

This is the first world's tallest building since prehistoric times to include residential space.

The official height has not been released, and remains secret. The total height of 808 meters is subject to change.

I WON the 63rd Week of the Filipino Blog of the Week !!!

At last after long battle on the blog sphere I won the 63rd Week of the Filipino Blog of the Week Poll hosted by our dear friend Talksmart The Composed Gentleman...

And here's my Award

63rd Week

To all bloggers who voted me. Thank you very much for all your time... And to OFWlayf thank you once again...

Four Things of dubaibase blogger

As what I expected my friend Zaldy OFW life keep on reminding me about my first 4 in life on the same day he posted his. So, before someone tag me again on this topic, I think it's time to respond to his call, time to convert the 4 things of dubaibase blogger from thought into writing since 4 years now I'm not getting my vacation (hu! hu! hu! hu!!!! I miss the Philippines).

Four jobs I have had

Account Manager
Right after I graduated, I try my luck in Metro Manila the Big City and luckily I've got a job as Account Manager in one of the distributor of Goodyear Tires in Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City.

Territory Specialist
My second job after was in Gulf Oil Internationa Philippines I decided to transfer since this company offers much better salary and good opportunity I resigned for being Account Manager. Time to practice more my degree as Marketing Graduate. Here I travel a lot my first Area was Region 3 (composed of 6 provinces Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bataan, Pampanga and Zambales) after establishing the area I transfer to Region 5 ( composed of 6 provinces Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Marinduque) to replaced the guy who resigned in this Area. Then the political problems come in former Phil Pres. Joseph (Erap) Estrada leadership. The company need to retrench some of its staff ( i'm one of them hu! hu! hu!!!) stop and give up their office in Makati and forced to transfer in their warehouse in Pandacan.

Boss of my self

After that tragedy in the Big City I'm back home and Put up little business to practiced my technical skills (by the way I'm frustrated Engineer (ECE) classmate of Zaldy's brother Oliver) that was a Computer Rentals ( Gaming, Internet etc..) The business was good with the help of Zaldy and his two bothers (Oliver and Jasper) since we have also the same business we are exchanging clients to create good relationship with our best player in Counter Strike and of coursed to established our business. But when that kind of business come out like mushroom that time I plan to go anywhere to find my destiny...

Senior Office Administrator
This was my third and current job here in the Sand land (UAE) I came here in the UAE first in Abu Dhabi then transfer here to Dubai. Hopefully my boss acknowledge my worth in the company before I change my mind and transfer again for my fourth job here in UAE. Not saying I'm excellent in my position or assigned work but I think I deserved more since ??? (in that matters its confidential) till now no one will replaced my position thats why no vacation hu! hu! hu! Huuu wahhhh)...

Four movies I watched over and over
With Honor ( Brandon Frazer you will realized the importance of dignity and honor)
Mouse Hunt (you will laugh till you drop)
Gladiator ( full of courage)
Die Hard (all of them 1,2 & 3)

Four places I have lived
Paombong Bulacan ( placed I was Born, lived there till I was 7 years old)
Sta. Rosa Nueva Ecija (where I grown up)
Abu Dhabi UAE ( my first place outside the Philippines)
Dubai UAE (present)

Four PC Games I love to play
Starcraft
Warcraft
Diablo
Commandos 3

Four places I have been on vacation
Baler Aurora ( my wife's place)
Sta. Rosa Nueva Ecija (my home town)
Paombong Bulacan
Baguio City

Four of my favorite foods
Pochero ni Misis
Nilagang kong OX tail
Bulalo na luto ko
Gising gising sa Cabanatuan City Philippines

Four places I would rather be right now
Philippines
Canada
Singapore
Dubai

Four people who will answer this tag
reflection of timeby Milton Chai
health and wealth by Ed of Saudi Arabia
SELaplana by Sustines E Laplana
and the Last one will be any one from my visitors or YOU who are currently reading this...

Now I think my part was done to do my four things...

OK.. the rule of this game is simple, just give your 1,2,3 4's in life like what I've done above or you may add a description whatever you want. The last category which is the "four people who will answer this tag" as the category implies must create a post and list up their 4's in life and please don't forget to mention anchored by dubaibase blog anywhere in your tag response.

Digital Camera (Pixels and Beyond)

Cells and Pixels

In digital cameras the light-sensitive medium is a silicon chip covered with a regular pattern of very small light sensitive circuits. When a few photons hits one of these it causes a few electrons to flow in a circuit. These electrical signals are then amplified and converted into a digital format.
Each cell in most sensors is covered by a red, green or blue filter (RGB), so that only light of that colour can reach it. The 'raw' image that contains the digital values for these separate RGB sites is then mathematically converted into pixels - values for red green and blue at a particular point.


Technical Quality

Assuming that the camera is used properly, the major factors that affect the technical quality of digital camera images are:

Number of pixels
Size of sensor
Optical quality of lens
Correct design, build and operation of focus, exposure and processing systems.
Pixel count alone gives a very poor idea of a camera's capabilities.

Pixel count

Many images used professionally have been taken on cameras with only 2-3 Megapixels. A greater number of pixels will not improve image quality if they information they provide is less reliable. A 5 or 6Mp cameras should be able to produce decent prints at up to A3 size.

Sensor size

Consumer cameras use small sensors, only a few millimetres in each dimension, making the individual pixels very small. Professional cameras use larger sensors - so that the individual cells are perhaps 5-10 times the area and are also better separated. The larger cells capture more light for the same exposure, giving electrical signals that need less amplification and have less random noise. The better separation also means there is less interference between the signals from neighbouring cells.
For small sensor consumer cameras, the increase from 6Mp to 8Mp or more seems to result in little if any improvement in image quality. With current manufacturing techniques, 6Mp is probably the optimum size for consumer cameras.

With the larger sensors in more professional digital single lens reflex cameras - such as the Nikon D70 and Canon Digital Rebel (EOS 300D) - 6Mp gives noticeably better quality images. With this size sensor, an increase to 8Mp or 11Mp does give an improvement in quality, with sensors around 18x24mm giving 8Mp probably likely to become a standard. The current high-quality 6Mp cameras are as good as 35mm film for most purposes. dSLRs are generally fairly large, bulky and expensive compared to consumer (or prosumer) cameras. You can find more about the different digital camera types in the separate features on them.

Lens quality

Lens quality also has an important influence on the image quality - there is little point in having a high-resolution digital conversion of an unsharp optical image. Lens quality can only really be assessed by practical tests, but the better-known camera and lens makers - Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Konica Minolta, Pentax, Leitz as well as Sigma, Tamron, Tokina and others - can generally be relied on to produce good quality.
Design, Build and Operation
These are qualities that can only be assessed by a combination of detailed camera testing - as carried out for the better reviews on line and in print - and also a long-term user assessment.

Viewfinder

Most consumer digital cameras also have an LCD screen that can be used for taking pictures. Some have a digital viewfinder where you look through an eyepiece at a digital image. Current models are slow to update and have poor resolution. The best viewfinders are those on dSLRs where you see an optically produced image through the lens on a viewing screen.

Storage Type

Most digital cameras use memory cards of one kind or another to store the images you take. These can be taken out of the camera and replaced by other cards. Several different card types are in use and are not interchangeable. You can read more about storage in the feature on Memory Cards.

Image Download

Digital camera images can be downloaded from the camera to a computer or printer using the cable which is supplied with the camera. Older cameras mainly used serial cables, but almost all newer cameras use a USB connection. When plugged into a computer running Windows XP or other recent operating system, the images will appear as files on another hard disk. You can also remove the storage card from the camera and read the images using a card reader. Some printers allow you to print directly from the storage card.

BECOMING A PHOTOGRAPHER - Part 5

Part 5 - More Areas of Photography

EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Editorial photographers provide the pictures for magazines and newspapers other than those in the adverts. The work ranges from portraits, fashion, food and illustrations for feature articles to news photography. Some photographers are employed by the publishers as 'staff' photographers, but increasingly these pictures come from freelance (self-employed) photographers, either direct or through agencies and picture libraries. Some freelances specialise in areas such as portraiture or food. Photography from editorial photographers (and photojournalists) may also be used for some advertisements.
Editorial photography usually involves less organisation than advertising - budgets are generally much lower, and photographers often work on their own or simply with an assistant. Deadlines may often mean working very long hours to finish a job.

PRESS AND PHOTOJOURNALISM

The public image of the photographer is most often that of a 'newspaper photographer' and is still based on the old Hollywood movies featuring 'Weegee' - or characters based on him = rushing onto the scene with 4x5" Speed Graphic and bulb flash. Things have of course changed, and most dramatic news pictures don't come from press photographers but from photojournalists working for the major agencies and similar bodies.
Newspaper photographers do still exist, though they now tote Nikons (possibly digital), use electronic flash and mainly get to photograph set up pictures at local events. Sometimes they also have to write the stories to go with pictures (often little more than extended captions in any case.) It is often a job involving long hours for relatively low pay, but provides a steady salary.
Increasingly papers call on freelance photographers as a lower cost option than employing staff. For the successful, freelance photojournalism can be an exciting and rewarding career, and if you do really well you could even become a member of Magnum, or one of the other leading agencies. Unfortunately for many other photographers it can be risky and financially disastrous. Photographers do get killed and injured in war zones, and others risk their life, bring back good pictures and find that there is no editor interested in publishing them.
Much freelance photojournalism is safer if less exciting, and the major danger facing most freelances is bankruptcy. In a city such as London there are probably at any time around ten times as many people seeking jobs as the market will support, and the day rates paid by some of the larger newspapers are little above the minimum wage. Elsewhere the situation is generally a little better, but photographers generally have to spend some time building up contacts and developing specialisms to make a living.

LIBRARIES AND STOCK

Freelance photographers will often put pictures into picture libraries and stock agencies. If you have sufficient work in them these tend to give a regular income which helps keep going. Some photographers specialise in stock and are able to make a living from it alone. Libraries generally take 50% of any fees for sales that they make of pictures from the library, though usually a smaller percentage on commissioned work they pass on to photographers. Libraries on the web may also work to a smaller percentage of fees, but any that charge more than nominal costs 'up-front' should be avoided.
Selling your work directly is time-consuming but worthwhile if you can build up a number of regular clients. Having work on the web can be one way to make sales, as increasingly picture researchers are looking there.

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY

Fashion photography is another high-profile occupation. Names like David Bailey and Helmut Newton became known around the world. Fashion is again a difficult area to break into, and getting in as an assistant to a fashion photographer even more difficult. At least until you get famous, an interest in fashion and a knowledge of the clothing industry can be needed (although some of the best fashion photographers have never taken clothes seriously).

SCIENTIFIC PHOTOGRAPHY

The largest area of actual employment for photographers is almost certainly in the scientific areas, where most photographers have staff positions with regular hours and regular salaries. It is also the area where there tend to be specifically stated entrance requirements (though not always involving a photo course.). As well as general courses in the photographic sciences and photography as a science, there are also specialist qualifications in some areas.
Examples of areas involving a scientific approach include medical photography, aerial photography, general scientific photography (including high speed photography), police and forensic photography, military photography and museum work. Legal photography is one area where many photographers are freelance, providing evidence mainly for the defence in suitable cases.

Opportunities in these areas - particularly for government work, vary widely from country to country. Much of the work may be relatively routine, for example the copying of documents and recording of artefacts by museum photographers.

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

Traditionally the term fine art photographer meant a photographer who made photographic records of paintings and drawings etc, one of the scientific specialities/ It is now more commonly used to mean a photographer who produces photographic prints as a fine art activity, for exhibition in museums and sales in galleries.

Although sales of photographs have improved over the last thirty years, relatively few photographers make a living entirely in this way. Typical prices of fine art photographs are still below those of other fine art prints, and photographs are much harder to sell. Apart from a few of the 'big names' in photography, most other photographers whose work you see in galleries still rely on other sources of income - particularly teaching - to make a comfortable living.
Becoming a well-known photographer does bring offers of teaching from some photo courses, and some photographers also offer workshop classes, so there is a link between the two activities. Some photographers whose work is more decorative also manage to make a good living by print sales for ordinary people to hang on their walls at home.

EDUCATION

Teaching others to become photographers can be a worthwhile occupation and provide a regular job. For most teaching jobs a degree or higher degree in an appropriate subject is essential. Many photographers in teaching also continue with photography, either as a freelance or as a fine art photographer.

SERVICES TO PHOTOGRAPHY

There are many jobs essential to photography that do not involve taking pictures. Photo laboratory work is essential, though most is not particularly creative, but there are a number of top quality hand-printers who can make a reasonable living printing for some of the best photographers around. Retouching is also a creative skill, whether carried out with brush or computer system.
Picture libraries need people who understand photographs, and many photographers have ended up running libraries and agencies as well as working as picture editors. Others have moved to running hire studios, and providing specialist services such as finding locations or props.
An interest in photography and knowledge of cameras is a great asset in photography retail, and if cameras are really your interest you could consider becoming a camera repairer.

CONCLUSION

There are plenty of interesting careers in photography, some glamorous and well paid, but most photographers are self-employed and many find it difficult to make a living. Even if you end up working in a different job, you can still carry on getting enjoyment out of taking pictures, either as a part-time photographer or simply for its own sake.

BECOMING A PHOTOGRAPHER - Part 4

Part 4: Areas of Work

Many photographers may work in several of these areas, and some only in a very specialised field within one of them.

GENERAL PHOTOGRAPHY

General photographers are those based in a local community with a shop or 'studio' on the street or perhaps working from their home. They deal with the general public, getting custom mainly from personal recommendations, but also from their shop window (if they have one) and from advertisements in local newspapers and other media. Most of their work will be for members of the general public, photographing weddings, taking portraits. Some will also do a considerable amount of photography for companies in the local area, including PR photography, product and architectural photography.

General photographers have to get on with people well to put them at their ease, and to be reliable and well-organised. Most of their work will be in business hours and they will seldom need to travel far.

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Commercial photographers supply photographic services to companies, including PR photography, product photography, architectural photography, Some specialise in one or more of these areas, for example photographing interiors of buildings. Other specialist commercial areas include Catalogue photography, where large numbers of product shots are produced in high quality at a rapid rate. generally using simple sets and formulaic lighting.

ADVERTISING PHOTOGRAPHY

Although a relatively small section of the industry, this has an extremely high profile, partly because the results are clearly visible in magazines and on billboards, but also because of the large amounts of money involved. Some advertising photographers have become celebrities, but others remain unknown to the general public.

Advertising photographers generally have a considerable creative input into their work, interpreting the ideas and rough visuals along the Art Director of the advertising agency. However the main part of the job is a great deal of detailed planning and coordinating the team of people who may be needed for a successful shoot, including set makers and model makers, location scouts, stylists and models, Advertising photography can be a highly stressful occupation - even though most of the actual work is delegated to others - and is very competitive.

Photographers start as 'assistants', who do anything that needs doing, carrying gear, painting walls, sweeping floors, making tea, chasing up deliveries, fetching sandwiches - and they may occasionally touch a camera, if only to load or unload film. As they gain experience they can expect to do more of the actual lighting and photography.

As well as making everything run smoothly, assistants are also learning in a practical manner how the job is done. Permanent assistants are often allowed (if not expected) to make use of the facilities to develop their own skills and build their own portfolios when not working on a job, and eventually may be able to take on small jobs themselves using the studio facilities before they branch out as photographers in their own right.

Assistants are usually poorly paid, the hours are long and unpredictable, and work is generally hard to find. Most hirings are on a short term basis and if you don't fit in and pull your weight you will not get work again. Until you have experience it is hard to get work at all - you may have to start with unpaid 'work experience'. A good 'book' (portfolio of work), a good interview manner and tons of persistence are needed.

BECOMING A PHOTOGRAPHER - Part 3

Part 3: Should you study photography?

If you want to be a photographer you can usually just go out there and do it, though it is often very difficult to find clients for your work. However, for many areas of photography no formal educational qualifications are needed - if your work is good enough and you can promote it you will succeed...

However I would recommend everyone to take an appropriate course, preferably to college graduate level. You don't have to give up the idea of being a photographer until after you finish your course though - get out and start taking pictures now. Some students even find they can earn enough from photography to support them through their course.

As well as giving a thorough grounding in theory and practice, any worthwhile course will also enlarge your horizons generally and give you a valuable perspective on the career you want to pursue. It may well lead you to refine or alter your career plans and should provide you with added confidence.

Some courses will also include opportunities for work experience, trying out your chosen area and seeing how others make a living at it. You can of course arrange this for yourself even if you are not taking a course, and on many courses you will have to make the arrangements yourself in any case. Work experience is a great way to find out more about a career.

Although currently there are many areas of photography for which the only qualification you need is to be able to produce good pictures, you are quite likely to find at some point in your life that the lack of qualifications will bar you progress or prevent you taking a new direction.
For some areas of photography, the most appropriate course may not necessarily be a photography or related course. If you read the biographies of many well-known photojournalists you will find a wide variety of qualifications. Degrees in English, Journalism, Economics, Sociology and other subjects abound.

For mature entrants to photography - those who have already qualified in other fields, there is probably less point in taking a photography course. However some courses prefer mature students and it can be a great advantage to have had experience of life in other occupations.

Which School

There is no right choice of course for everyone - you need to research your choices carefully. Apart from the material factors such as location, cost, length and level of qualification, you need to look carefully at what each school has to offer, as some have quite different aims to others. Some are very much art orientated and others give more attention to professional matters and there are also more scientific courses. You will need to decide which approach is best for you and your intended career.

Most colleges now have some course information on line and you should also get published material from your likely choices. There should be opportunities to see student work, either on the web or in print or in end of course shows and there may be opportunities to visit or Open Days, when you may be able to talk to students, If the student work doesn't interest you then this may not be the course for you.

Larger schools can often offer better equipment and may have better-known staff, but smaller institutions may be easier to get to know people in and offer a more personal treatment. Institutions in large urban areas may have a much greater range of experience to offer in terms of access to museums, exhibitions and photographers studios etc, while those away from the big city may have other advantages, such as more space and interesting local landscape.

Courses will also differ in their entry requirements, and for some these will be more general than photographic. For many courses a good general educational standard, perhaps particularly in English, Mathematics and Science will be needed. For those courses concerned with your creative development, the application or interview process will almost certainly involve some sort of portfolio of your work.

Portfolios for course interviews are usually rather different from those you will use in getting work. The first and most essential thing is to read any advice or instruction given in either the course leaflets or an invitation to interview. If you have any doubts about what you should take, ring up well in advance and ask.

In a course interview, the tutors will be interested to see how you work and develop your ideas rather than just the finished product, so a portfolio might include background research, sketches and proofs as well as final prints. They are looking for potential more than for professional competence - which is what the course should add.

BECOMING A PHOTOGRAPHER - Part 2

Part 2: Assess your abilities

You need to think about why you want to be a photographer and what area of photography you want to work in. There is quite a wide range of opportunities on offer - as you can see on the next page.

A good starting point is to think about the kind of person you are, your strengths and your weaknesses, likes and dislikes. The area of photography which will suit you will depend far more on these than on your current photographic skills or interests.

If you are in school or college you will probably be able to consult careers information provided there both in print and online, and this may include careers questionnaires. These can be very useful, but you will only get the most out of them if you think carefully about what they show about you. Some points you might consider that could be important in thinking about you as a photographer are:

*do you like meeting new people and get on well with them?
*are you inquisitive and good at asking questions?
*do you like travel?
*would you mind work with irregular hours that often meant you were away from home for days or weeks?
*are you good at explaining your ideas to people?
*would you be good at selling your ideas and your work?
*are you cautious or do you like to take risks?
*can you work carefully and reliably?
*do you cope well under pressure without making mistakes?
*are you quick to see new visual ideas and opportunities?
*do you like to work indoors or outdoor?

Fortunately you don't need to excel in every area to become a photographer -there are areas of work for example that don't involve travel or irregular hours, but you do need to think carefully about your capabilities.

You may also need to consider how any specific traits, conditions, beliefs or likes and dislikes might effect you. The fact I hate driving (I saw the ecological light and sold my last car over 30 years ago and have driven little since) rules out certain areas of work for me. A fellow student of mine years ago wanted to go into forensic photography, but only lasted a few days as he couldn't cope with photographing some of the gruesome scenes involved. Similarly, if you faint at the sight of blood you are probably not going to be able to be a medical photographer.

BECOMING A PHOTOGRAPHER - Part I

Part 1: How do you become a photographer?

This is the first in a new occasional series of features on About Photography, BASIC PHOTO. Basic Photo aims to give you the information and show how you can gain the skills you need to be a success as a photographer.

If you are new to photography and want to be a pro - or just a better photographer - then Basic Photo can help if. For those who are already experienced photographers, Basic Photo will help you take you work into new areas or improve on in. The real experts reading these features may like to email me with any corrections or suggestions for 'pro tips' and I'll add the best of these - with an acknowledgement of course.

Being a photographer can mean many different things. Anyone who picks up a camera and clicks the shutter is a photographer of sorts. More seriously, for most of us a photographer is someone who engages a considerable proportion of their life in photography. Most of the time people want to know how they can make a career out of something that at the moment is just an interest.
Many of us dream of becoming rich and famous, of having our work shown in great art galleries, splashed across the leading fashion magazines and in large on the newspaper front pages. While it is always a possibility that photography will make us a celebrity, reality tends to be more mundane.

Photography does however offer many people an interesting and fulfilling way to make a living. Many jobs in photography offer a considerable variety of experiences and the challenge of finding solutions to new problems. Many of those who set out to be photographers, including those who take photo courses, will end up making a living from other skills, but photographers will often continue to photograph and to think of themselves as photographers. Creativity is something we all need, and one way to explore it is through photography.

Photography is of course changing and many photography courses reflect this, both by incorporating such areas as video and digital technologies and also in some cases by a change of title, for example to 'lens-based' imaging. Although these new technologies have become a vital part of almost any photographer's toolkit, the still photograph - however produced - has retained its importance. The still image selects an instant from the flow, giving it an importance that is lost when we see twenty five frames a second. So long as good quality still images are needed, photographers will be needed to produce them.

Like most problems, the best way to start thinking about how to become a photographer is to break this into a number of simpler steps and try to see the answer to them. On the following pages I'll discuss the kinds of abilities you have, photography courses and the different areas of photography that might provide you with a living, .

Camera Parts and Functions ( Manual Camera)

A Short Vocabulary List

When using many of the automatic cameras today, many of the features listed below are obsolete. This list is provided for those students who are enthusiasts of the manual camera.

Lens - It draws the light into the camera and focuses it on the film plane.

Shutter - It open and closes to control the length of time light strikes the film. There are two types of shutters: a leaf shutter, located between or just behind the lens elements, and a focal plane shutter, located in front of the film plane.

Shutter Release - The button that releases or "trips" the shutter mechanism.
Film Advance Lever or Knob - It transports the film from one frame to the next on the roll of film.

Aperture - It dilates and contracts to control the diameter of the hole that the light passes though, to let in more or less light. It is controlled by the f-stop ring. (f/22, f/16, f/13, f/11, f/8, f/5.6, f/4.5, f/3.5, f/2.8, f/1.8 and f/1.4)

Viewfinder - The "window" through which you look to frame your picture.

Film Rewind KnobThis knob rewinds the film back into the film cassette.

Camera Body - The casing of the camera which holds the encloses the camera pats.

Flash Shoe - This is the point at which the flash or flash cube is mounted or attached.

Self-Timer - This mechanism trips the shutter after a short delay - usually 7 to 10 seconds - allowing everyone to be in the photograph.

Shutter Speed Control - This know controls the length of time the shutter remains open. Typical shutter speeds are measured in fractions of a second, such as: 1/30 1/60 1/125 1/250 1/500 and 1/1000 of a second.

(This article was a request of my friends from the Philippines)

Top Ten Beginning Photo Tips

1. Move in Closer.Each time you spot a subject, snap a shot and then move in closer for a better shot. Having your subject almost fill the frame helps your viewer understand and appreciate your photo. Also, details are often more interesting than an overall view Keep moving in closer until you are sure a 4 x 6 photo will successfully represent your subject. At the same time, it is a good idea to keep your distance from wild animals and the like; balance boldness with consideration and wisdom.

2. Be QuickIf it is at all possible that your subject may fly away, stop smiling, bolt, or just get tired of waiting for you to take the picture, shoot once right away. Practice getting quicker and quicker to the draw. Do not worry so much about taking "too many" pictures and do not wait until you're absolutely certain all the knobs and buttons are in their correct position. For a great example of the rewards that can be attained by being able to work quickly, check out how Ansel Adams got "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico."

3. Compose Your Picture with CareEven if you don't plan on selling your photo to the Smithsonian, make an effort to keep it balanced and beautiful; on one level or another, everyone responds better to a picture that has all elements in balance or that leads the eye along an interesting path through the photo. For starters:
Keep the horizon level;
Crop out extra elements that you are not interested in (more on this is the next tip);
Consciously place your subject where you think it most belongs rather than just accepting it wherever it happens to land in the photo;
Play with perspective so that all lines show a pattern or lead the eye to your main subject;
Work with the Rule of Thirds.

4. Be SelectiveDiscern what you are really interested in and center your efforts on getting the best photo of this subject, whether it is an animal, person, mood, culture, etc. Along these lines, be sure to keep anything that would distract out of the picture. You may not want to go as far as Ansel Adams did to remove unwanted elements, but you must be aware of the problem. The easiest way to do this is to watch your borders and recompose if something - such as an unattractive telephone wire, an old soda can, a distracting sign, or your finger - hangs into your picture. It becomes a bit more difficult and frustrating if you want to, say, shoot a San Francisco cable car without a single telephone line in the picture. Even in such a difficult case, though, you have many options.

You can:
Focus in on a close-up that tells the whole story;
Move around until you manage to get the telephone lines (or whatever) to make a neat pattern that leads to the subject; or
Take a panning shot so that, if you're successful, the cable car remains in focus while the background goes blurry.

5. Focus on your Subject Practice shooting with different apertures and monitor the results from the lab to learn how depth-of-field effects your photo. You will find that a smaller depth-of-field (and smaller f-stop #) focuses all the attention upon your subject. This is great for taking a picture of your child, your dog, or your husband; subjects stand out against a blurry background. Likewise, you will find that a greater depth-of-field (bigger f-stop number) will make everything from here to eternity appear in focus. This will help make those landscapes fascinating and lovely to look at.

6. Experiment with Shutter SpeedOne of the most basic, overlooked, and fun aspects of photography is that you have the power to slow time down or catch a split second. One image happens so slowly that we could never see it and the other happens so quickly in real time that we would never notice it. Play with shutter speed! Use a slow shutter speed and a tripod to make a pretty picture of any creek or stream. On the other hand, you can use a fast shutter speed (1/500 and up) to capture an object in motion. Combining a fast shutter speed with a long lens, you sports buffs can get a trophy of your own when you are able to catch the expression on your favorite runningback's face as he slips past the final defense toward a winning touchdown. Remember, catching the moment in fast-paced action photography may take a little more practice so - hang in there.

7. Look at the Light By this, I don't mean look into the sun; that won't do at all. But it is good to see what kind of light you are working with. Which way are the shadows falling? Unless you want a silhouette effect, where your subject is black against an interesting background, it's generally best to shoot with the sun behind you. How is the light affecting your subject? Is the subject squinting? Is the light blazing bright upon your whole subject? This works well if you are in love with the bold colors of your subject. Side lighting, on the other hand, can add drama but can also cause extreme, hard-to-print contrasts. Lastly, indirect light to make your subject glow soft and pretty.

8. Watch the Weather, TooLook outside and decide whether or not you are going to want to have the sky in your picture. If it's overcast, simply keep the sky out of your pictures as much as possible. This is usually the best way to avoid both muted tones in your subject and washed-out skies in your background. You might also find black and white pictures of an overcast day more pleasing than color. When the day is beautiful, go ahead and make the most of it. If your camera allows for the use of filters, purchase a polarizer. This will help you render deep blue skies against bright white clouds, richly contrasting colors, and other wonderful effects with a simple twist of the wrist.

9. Keep Your Camera Setting SimpleWhile you may wish to have "all the bells and whistles" available just in case, you will probably get the best results if you do not try to use them all the time and instead learn a simple set up that works best for you in most situations. This doesn't necessarily mean keeping your camera set on program; while this mode may be perfect in its simplicity, it may be frustrating in its tyrannical control. Instead of relying on a fully automatic program, pick a simple, semi-automatic program such as aperture-priority and master shooting in that mode. Then, you'll be able to control certain basics without letting the other basics control you, and thus keep that 150 page manual where it belongs - in your camera bag. Tip: if you want one accessory, bring a tripod. This one item can solve camera shake issues and help you get beautiful evening shots.

10. Be BoldDo not allow yourself to be paralyzed by fears of using the wrong settings, or an non-politically-correct social policy. If you are afraid of upsetting someone by taking their picture, just go up and ask if it's okay. Ask them to sign a release and offer a print in return. With wildlife, adopt a low-impact method when you go places where few photographers have gone before. In this photo, I put my camera and telephoto in a waterproof bag and kayaked out into the Monterey Bay. (This can be dangerous for you, your camera, and the otters - so be careful.) The telephoto lens allowed me to keep a distance from the otters and still get the image I wanted. Again, be wise... but be bold. There you have it - basic but helpful, I hope. Now go out there, make some great shots, learn from the failures, and have fun.

Ten Reasons to Learn to Take Good Pictures

By Nancy Hill
Everybody has a camera, so why should you bother taking pictures? Let someone else worry about shooting the family reunion, the kids, the sports. You can always ask them for prints. Right?
Maybe not. You could be missing out on a lot if you settle for someone else’s photos instead of learning to take good pictures yourself. Here are 10 reasons why it’s well worth the effort to learn to take good photographs yourself.

1. Photographs are personal. Only you know how you see the world.Everyone views the world differently. Your perspective is unique. Your sister will not capture your family reunion like you would. She will focus on the kids, while you like how many generations are in your family. Your best friend with her fancy camera does sweeping landscapes. You were with her on the shoot. While she was fussing with her tripod, you were fascinated by the kids fishing with their mother. She never even thought to look. Only you can capture the world you live in. Leaving it up to anyone else will mean your vision is lost.

2. Photographs provide an historical record.Maybe all those Little League games you go to seem tedious after a while, but 20 years from now, your kids will love looking at those pictures, recalling their glory moments (and they will remember some), the kids on their teams, and the coach who kept believing in them. Same goes for other things in your life. Taking photos of your house will remind you of what you once valued, and what your tastes were. Cars change, woods give way to roads, property is sub-divided, old homes are torn down. Having photos of how things are now will give you a record when things “ain’t what they used to be.”

3. Taking photographs will kick your brain into a creative mode.Simply by looking through the camera and deciding what part of the scene in front of you belongs in the picture will kick your creative side into action. The more you shoot, the more your creativity will come out. It’s a wonderful part of you. Let it play.

4. Photography is great therapy.This is close to number 3, but it goes beyond creativity. Photography can help you see the world differently. If you’re upset, grab your camera and go out looking for beauty. You’ll find it. If you’re down, spend an hour shooting photographs – of anything – your house, your yard, your city, flowers, animals. Life through a camera lens is full of wonder. Focusing on how the world around you looks can also help break through your negative thoughts.

5. Photography is a great way to make new friends.Photographers - amateurs, hobbyists, and pros alike - love to talk about photography. You’ll never lack for company if you join a photography club. You’ll also learn a lot more about photography by someone who takes good photographs than you’ll ever learn in a book.

6. Photography is a way to share your life with others.Sometimes it’s hard to talk to family members. Just because you share relatives doesn’t mean you have much in common. Sharing your photographs with them is a good way to break through barriers, to show someone what’s important in your life. You can also share travel photographs with groups interested in the area you visited. The photos you took of soil eroded around a river might be just what a environmental group needs to get a grant to save the area. The possibilities are endless.

7. Photography is a gift you can give others.Cards with your photographs on them make great gifts, and a calendar of family photos is a perfect present for your parents who have everything they could possibly want or need. Getting cards and calendars made has never been easier; you can even have it done online. You can also use your photographs on mouse pads, shirts, mugs, and even postage stamps. What could be more personal?

8. Photography will improve your web site and/or blog.Your words alone aren’t likely to keep people on your web site for very long, so you need to include graphics. You can always use someone else’s work, but your own will be easier, more personal, and say a lot about you. Don’t overlook the power of a good photograph. It can take your web site to a new level.

9. Photography brings accolades.Your images might not make you famous, but being known as someone who takes good pictures is a real self-esteem builder. It’s great to hear, “Wow! That’s beautiful! Can I get a copy?” Even a simple, “You take such good photographs. How do you do it?” makes the effort worth while. Praise is good. None of us can get enough of it.

10. Photography can bring in money.Yep, it’s true. Take good photographs, and chances are you can pick up some extra cash. Whether it’s taking your neighbor’s kid’s high school senior pictures, winning a little cash in a photo contest, or selling your cards on a web site, photography can bring in some extra cash. Maybe someone backs into your neighbor’s fence and they need a photo for court. Who knows, maybe you’ll get so good your work will be published in newspapers or magazines some day. You could start small. Lots of magazines, especially women’s magazines, pay $25-50 for cute kid shots. There are lots of possibilities.

The more you learn about photography, the better your photographs will be. The better they are, the more confidence you’ll have – not just in your photographs, but in yourself. Don’t waste another minute — Grab your camera and start shooting!

Kodak wants to put RP in Guinness Book with digital photos

MANILA, Philippines -- Imaging giant Kodak is eyeing to put the Philippines in the Guinness Book of World Records by attempting to make the world's biggest photo album. The Philippine photo album will be eight feet by 5 feet in dimensions and is expected to contain thousands of 4R and 8R size photos.The attempt aims to break the existing a giant photo album record of 7.8 feet by 3.9 feet held by Dubai.As part of the record-breaking attempt, Kodak will bring the empty giant photo album to malls where they have Kodak printing centers.Visitors can have their photos posted in the giant album by printing a minimum of 50 photos to get an entry.Entries will also have a chance to win digital cameras and photo albums from Kodak.In an interview with INQUIRER.NeT, Kodak Philippines Express Channel Marketing and Business Development Manager Timmy Jaime said that the record-breaking event is expected to encourage Filipinos to continue printing photos and placing them in photo albums, instead of storing them in digital format. "Digital storage mediums are convenient but they are not as personal as putting photos in albums. The idea is to encourage people to love their photos," Jaime said. Jaime added that they have already started getting local celebrities to post their photos online.Among those invited to be part of the record-breaking feat are Frances Magalona, Agot Isidro, Tim Yap, Jed Madela, Boy Abunda, Mojofly and Lino Cayetano, among others.