Saturday 30 November 2013

Review Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Digital Photo Frames 11-30-2013

Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Digital Photo Frames
The bestselling new & future releases in Digital Photo Frames Note: Product prices and availability were accurate at the time this feed was generated but are subject to change. 
Creating iOS Games: Beginner Course

Marin Todorov teaches you how to create an iPhone game easily and simply using Cocos2d in this $99 online course.
From our sponsors
#4: Micca M703 7-Inch 800x600 High Resolution Digital Photo Frame With Auto On/Off Timer (Black)
Nov 30th 2013, 21:08

Micca M703
Micca M703 7-Inch 800x600 High Resolution Digital Photo Frame With Auto On/Off Timer (Black)
by Micca
Date first available at Amazon.com: September 27, 2013

Buy new: $49.95 $39.95

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Digital Photo Frames list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

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Review Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Lenses 11-30-2013

Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Lenses
The bestselling new & future releases in Lenses Note: Product prices and availability were accurate at the time this feed was generated but are subject to change. 
Photoshop - Beauty Retouching

Learn how to improve your photoshop retouching skill and knowledge in 21 easy techniques! Take this course for just $25.
From our sponsors
#8: Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SLD DG Macro Lens for Nikon DSLRs Lens Kit Bundle
Nov 30th 2013, 21:08

Sigma 70300mm
Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SLD DG Macro Lens for Nikon DSLRs Lens Kit Bundle
by Sigma
4.4 out of 5 stars(5)
Date first available at Amazon.com: October 21, 2013

Buy new: $159.00
4 used & new from $132.00

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Lenses list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

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Review Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Digital Photo Frames 11-30-2013

Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Digital Photo Frames
The bestselling new & future releases in Digital Photo Frames Note: Product prices and availability were accurate at the time this feed was generated but are subject to change. 
Mobile Game Development Course

Learn how to create awesome HTML5 games that run on iPhone, iPad, Android and Desktop! Sign up today for this $99 online course.
From our sponsors
#4: Sungale CD802 8-Inch Digital Photo Frame (Black)
Nov 30th 2013, 09:08

Sungale CD802
Sungale CD802 8-Inch Digital Photo Frame (Black)
by Sungale
Date first available at Amazon.com: October 24, 2013

Buy new: $79.99 $45.99
27 used & new from $45.99

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Digital Photo Frames list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

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Review Digital Camera World 11-30-2013

Digital Camera World
 
Many wonderful memories are captured in black and white.

With digital photographs, the art is now in creating black and white images. This course will teach you how to use Photoshop techniques to create beautiful images.
From our sponsors
The business of photography: 22 tips to get you started right
Nov 30th 2013, 00:01, by jmeyer

Are you ready to take the plunge and become a professional photographer? Don’t do it until you’ve read these tips by the photo management and Canon Project1709 experts at Photoventure in their latest guest post.

The business of photography: 22 tips to get you started right

1. Set your rate

It is important that you have a basic rate to refer to so you can assert your value when you get approached by clients. Even if you have to make exceptions and lower it to get commissions in the beginning, it’s better to have a starting point than to leave it to the client alone to set the terms. if you don’t know your worth, nobody else will.

2. Keep track of payments

Have a system for your invoices and keep on top of it. Make sure you can track every invoice with a reference number, and check regularly to see if any payments are missing. If you leave it for too long, there is a greater risk that there will be complications at the other end – the person who commissioned you might have left the company or forgotten about the extra expenses budget you agreed to add to the fee.

3. Get business software

You didn’t get into photography so that you could sit and fiddle with paperwork and admin tasks all day (and even if you like that sort of thing, it takes up valuable hours that could have been spent on paid assignments). Luckily, there are lots of accounting programmes that can systemise your paperwork, remind you of things you need to do, flag up missing payments and create templates for anything including invoices. Some are tailor-made for photographers, such as Light Blue, and some are more general but cheaper, or even free.

4. Avoid tax fines

Whatever you do, don’t submit your tax return late. In the UK, being late by a day will cost you £100 even if you have no tax to pay, and there is a £10 fine for each following day, up to 90 days or a maximum of £900, and further fines after that as well. It can take a few weeks to get set up, receive your passwords and have everything ready for managing your tax returns online, so make sure you’re set up before the 31st of October the year after you’ve started trading.

 

The business of photography: 22 tips to get you started right

5. Try to go viral

OK, so everyone wants to go viral and there is no guaranteed way to do that, but photographers have a leg up over most content creators in that photography is easy to share and most people can appreciate a memorable, unique and well-executed photo series. The key is to have an idea for a concept and executing it in a way that nobody has seen before, like Tim Tadder did when he turned exploding water balloons into wigs on bald models. Creative blogs love unique photography, and once you’re on the blogs, you’ll be seen by national media too. But first, as Tim Tadder himself has advised, you have to “create some work that is worthy of the attention.”

6. Feed your followers

Scott Kelby, who runs a very successful photography workshop business and has millions of followers, has a very simple tip for growing your audience: only post beautiful pictures. Never post something you are ‘still experimenting with’ or not quite sure about, because people will judge you on what they see. If you become known as the person who posts beautiful pictures, people will want to follow you.

7. Get in the mags

Agents read photography magazines so it goes without saying that it will boost your profile to be interviewed by one. But the magazines are inundated with emails from people like you, saying “Hi, this is my work, will you feature it?” To get ahead, make sure you have a story to go with your work. Help the editors imagine how interesting an interview with you would be for the reader, and you are much more likely to get a call back requesting an interview.

8. Have a buffer

Prepare for a time gap between sending off your first invoices and getting paid; many companies have a policy of paying freelancers a month, or even six weeks, after receipt of an invoice, so you need to live off something else for some time after you’ve started freelancing.

9. Ensure you insure

Photographers’ cars and bags are loaded with expensive things, and thieves know that. Insure yourself from day one so your equipment is covered against theft and accidents from the moment you get your first assignment, and make sure your insurance covers your responsibilities if a client trips on one of your cables and suffers an injury. Some insurance companies cater specifically to photographers and have thought of everything you need.

10. Accept rejection

Brace yourself for a lot of rejections in your first year, but don’t let criticism knock your confidence – instead, use it to your advantage. No matter how much you disagree with someone’s opinion of your work, you can derive some useful pointers from their verdicts about how your work comes across to others. Try to ask for feedback when your pitches are rejected, and take every bit of information you get as constructive criticism, regardless of how it was intended.

READ MORE

32 things photographers say… and what they really mean
49 awesome photography tips and time savers
Breaking bad photo habits: 10 classic blunders (and how to fix them)
Scott Kelby photography tips: the secret to growing a loyal legion of followers

Focus modes: what happens when you half-press the shutter button?
Nov 29th 2013, 12:04, by jmeyer

Your digital camera has a range of different focus modes to help you focus on a variety of subjects in all sorts of conditions. To activate your autofocus you simply press your shutter button down half-way. But what actually happens when you do this differs depending on what mode you’re using.

Focus modes: what happens when you half-press the shutter button?

Single-shot mode
This is the best mode for everyday photography. You half-press the shutter button (2) to activate the autofocus, the camera focuses once and then holds this focus until you press the button the rest of the way to take the picture or until you release your finger.

Continuous AF mode
This is the best mode for sports and action photography. As soon as you half-press the shutter button (2) the autofocus is activated, but it stays active all the time until you release the button or take the picture.

Auto mode
Auto mode will automatically switch between single-shot or continuous modes, depending on whether the camera detects subject movement or not. It's a reasonable fall-back for novice users, but it can be unpredictable and it's usually better to choose the mode yourself according to what you're shooting – this is the best way to make sure the camera is going to react in a predictable manner.

AF-On button: 'Back-button focusing'
Pro DSLRs have a button on the back, such as the 'AF-On' button on our Nikon D800. This takes over the AF from the shutter release – it's a technique that sounds odd but makes sense when you try it. You can use it for single-shot AF, but it's more often used for moving subjects in continuous AF mode.

SEE MORE: Back button focus made easy

READ MORE

Best camera focus techniques: 10 surefire ways to get sharp photos
How to focus your camera for any subject or scene: free photography cheat sheet
Autofocus point options: what subjects should each be used with?
Focus modes: how, when and why you need to change your AF settings

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Friday 29 November 2013

Review Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Accessories 11-29-2013

Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Accessories
The bestselling new & future releases in Accessories Note: Product prices and availability were accurate at the time this feed was generated but are subject to change. 
Your Site, LiveDesigned!

Watch as your site is designed in front of your eyes. Try it free!
From our sponsors
#10: GoPro Floaty Backdoor
Nov 29th 2013, 21:04

GoPro Floaty
GoPro Floaty Backdoor
by GoPro
Date first available at Amazon.com: October 1, 2013

Buy new: $19.99 $17.42
3 used & new from $14.00

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Accessories list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#2: Transcend Dual Pack 16GB MicroSDHC Class10 UHS-1 Memory Card with Adapter 45 MB/s (TS16GUSDU1X2E)
Nov 29th 2013, 21:04

Transcend Dual
Transcend Dual Pack 16GB MicroSDHC Class10 UHS-1 Memory Card with Adapter 45 MB/s (TS16GUSDU1X2E)
by Transcend
4.5 out of 5 stars(338)
Date first available at Amazon.com: October 25, 2013

Buy new: $29.99 $21.99

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Accessories list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

#1: Transcend Dual Pack 32GB MicroSDHC Class10 UHS-1 Memory Card with Adapter 45 MB/s (TS32GUSDU1X2E)
Nov 29th 2013, 21:04

Transcend Dual
Transcend Dual Pack 32GB MicroSDHC Class10 UHS-1 Memory Card with Adapter 45 MB/s (TS32GUSDU1X2E)
by Transcend
4.5 out of 5 stars(338)
Date first available at Amazon.com: October 25, 2013

Buy new: $59.99 $37.99

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Accessories list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

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Review Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Digital SLRs 11-29-2013

Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Digital SLRs
The bestselling new & future releases in Digital SLRs Note: Product prices and availability were accurate at the time this feed was generated but are subject to change. 
Many wonderful memories are captured in black and white.

With digital photographs, the art is now in creating black and white images. This course will teach you how to use Photoshop techniques to create beautiful images.
From our sponsors
#9: Pentax K-3 lens kit w/ 18-135mm WR 24MP SLR Camera with 3.2-Inch TFT LCD and 18-135mm WR f 3.5-5.6 (Black)
Nov 29th 2013, 20:48

Pentax K3
Pentax K-3 lens kit w/ 18-135mm WR 24MP SLR Camera with 3.2-Inch TFT LCD and 18-135mm WR f 3.5-5.6 (Black)
by Pentax
5.0 out of 5 stars(1)
Date first available at Amazon.com: October 7, 2013

Buy new: $1,649.95 $1,486.29
7 used & new from $1,486.29

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Digital SLRs list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

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Review Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Binoculars, Telescopes & Optics 11-29-2013

Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Binoculars, Telescopes & Optics
The bestselling new & future releases in Binoculars, Telescopes & Optics Note: Product prices and availability were accurate at the time this feed was generated but are subject to change. 
Creating iOS Games: Beginner Course

Marin Todorov teaches you how to create an iPhone game easily and simply using Cocos2d in this $99 online course.
From our sponsors
#6: Guide Gear Fleece CPO Shirt Plaid
Nov 29th 2013, 09:15

Guide Gear
Guide Gear Fleece CPO Shirt Plaid
Guide Gear

Buy new: $19.99 - $24.99

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Binoculars, Telescopes & Optics list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

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Review Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Digital Photo Frames 11-29-2013

Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Digital Photo Frames
The bestselling new & future releases in Digital Photo Frames Note: Product prices and availability were accurate at the time this feed was generated but are subject to change. 
Creating iOS Games: Beginner Course

Marin Todorov teaches you how to create an iPhone game easily and simply using Cocos2d in this $99 online course.
From our sponsors
#3: GPX 9-inch Digital Photo Frame PF903CW (Walnut)
Nov 29th 2013, 09:11

GPX 9inch
GPX 9-inch Digital Photo Frame PF903CW (Walnut)
by GPX
Date first available at Amazon.com: November 6, 2013



(Visit the Hot New Releases in Digital Photo Frames list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

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Review Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Point-and-Shoot Digital Cameras 11-29-2013

Amazon.com: Hot New Releases in Camera & Photo > Point-and-Shoot Digital Cameras
The bestselling new & future releases in Point-and-Shoot Digital Cameras Note: Product prices and availability were accurate at the time this feed was generated but are subject to change. 
Learn Adobe Illustrator CS6 Master Techniques from an Adobe Guru!

With over 25 years of experience teaching, Robert Farrell has been a trusted instructor for individuals and companies who want to improve their Adobe skills.
From our sponsors
#8: Nikon COOLPIX 26402B L820 16 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 30x Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080p Video, Black (Refurbished)
Nov 29th 2013, 08:49

Nikon COOLPIX
Nikon COOLPIX 26402B L820 16 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 30x Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080p Video, Black (Refurbished)
by Nikon
4.5 out of 5 stars(346)
Date first available at Amazon.com: November 4, 2013

Buy new: $199.95 $159.00

(Visit the Hot New Releases in Point-and-Shoot Digital Cameras list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

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Review Digital Camera World 11-29-2013

Digital Camera World
 
Ready to move beyond the basics?

Enroll in this advanced DSLR course to explore more creative scenarios, image editing, and videography.
From our sponsors
Lens flare: how to avoid glare when shooting wide-angle scenes
Nov 29th 2013, 00:01, by jmeyer

Is lens flare spoiling some of your favourite photos? Stop wasting pictures and try these 3 fool-proof methods of banishing lens flare from your images when shooting wide-angle scenes.

Lens flare: how to avoid glare when shooting wide-angle scenes

Lens flare is an annoying phenomenon caused by sunlight striking the front of the lens. It usually appears as brightly-coloured streaks or diaphragm shapes across the picture.

Lens flare is a common problem for photographers that occurs when you are shooting towards the sun, even if the sun isn't in the frame, and is most likely when using a wide-angle lens. Some lenses are more prone to lens flare than others, and the effects can also be exaggerated when you have filters fitted.

Often you won't be aware of lens flare until you have viewed the picture afterwards, so it's well worth taking steps to minimise flare at the time of shooting. Here's how to go about it…

The best ways to banish lens flare from your images

The best ways to banish lens flare from your images: step 1

Lens flare method 01: Fit a lens hood
If your wide-angle lens has a lens hood, get into the habit of fitting it. It will cut down on unwanted lens flare when shooting scenes lit by low sun. Alternatively, use a piece of black card or your hand to shield the front of the lens – but check the viewfinder to make sure it isn't creeping into the frame!

 

The best ways to banish lens flare from your images: step 2

Lens flare method 02: Hide the sun
The best way to avoid lens flare when shooting towards the sun is to hide it behind a tree or building, or wait for it to be partly obscured by a cloud. Try composing the photo so that part of the sun is just visible, then shoot at f/16. This will create an interesting starburst effect, but without any distracting flare.

SEE MORE: The 10 Rules of Photo Composition (and why they work)

The best ways to banish lens flare from your images: step 3

Lens flare method 03: Use a blending technique
Another approach to avoid lens flare involves taking two images: the first as normal, then a second frame with the sun obscured using your finger or card (in shot) to prevent flare in the rest of the picture. Later, blend the two photos in Photoshop to produce the final image.

READ MORE

11 common lens errors (and how you can avoid them)
DO or Di? Your lens markings explained
DSLR Lenses: 7 questions photographers must ask about their next piece of glass
Best 50mm lens for your camera: 8 nifty fifty lenses tested and rated

How to compose a photograph in Live View
Nov 28th 2013, 11:00, by jmeyer

Discover how to compose a photograph and fine tune your framing by previewing your image on your camera’s LCD screen.

How to compose a photograph in Live View

Image and words by Mark Hamblin

Live View has been around for a while, and it's a handy tool to learn to use. In basic terms, Live View enables your camera to provide a constantly updating image on its LCD monitor of the scene you're pointing the camera at.

Although Live View is sometimes viewed as a gimmick to help those who have got used to this way of framing before stepping up to an SLR, Live View has a lot of useful plus points.

It enables you to preview the shot so you can check things like exposure and focus before you press the shutter. You can make changes to the aperture, shutter speed or ISO settings and see how these affect the image in real time. On many cameras you can also bring up a histogram over the image, to ensure correct exposure and avoid blown highlights.

Zoom in
Another useful feature of Live View is that the image on the LCD monitor can be magnified up to ten times, which is a great way to check for critical focus – especially when working with a shallow depth of field and for close-up work. Live View also allows for precise framing with most monitors displaying a 100% view – something that most DSLRs don't provide through their optical viewfinder.

SEE MORE: Live View – how to use it on any camera

Step-by-step how to compose in Live View

Step-by-step how to compose in Live View: step 1

01 Use autofocus in Live View
Move the focusing point displayed on the LCD so that it's superimposed over the subject, then press the shutter halfway to acquire focus. Some models have a Quick mode that causes the mirror to flip back down momentarily to allow faster focusing.

 

Step-by-step how to compose in Live View: step 2

02 Use manual focusing
In many cases, manual focusing is better for greater accuracy. Switch the lens to MF, then turn the focusing ring on the lens until the image appears sharp. Use the magnify function to zoom in by a factor of 5x or 10x to focus on a precise part of the subject.

 

Step-by-step how to compose in Live View: step 3

03 Expose more accurately
Set Live View to exposure simulation to see how changes to exposure settings affect the image. Bring up the histogram to see if the image is too dark (graph to the left) or too light (to the right). Apply exposure compensation (+/-) so the graph is central.

READ MORE

Fine-tune image sharpness using Live View
Best camera focus techniques: 10 surefire ways to get sharp images
How to compose a photograph: start seeing images where you never saw them before
10 rules of photo composition (and why they work)

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