Digital Photography at National Parks

National parks are one of the most popular destinations for digital photographers at any level of expertise. Not only are there stunning scenery and natural features, national parks also allows you to view wildlife in their natural habitat. This opens up a wide variety of digital photography opportunities.

by Rajendra Varma

The landscapes and animals at America's national parks provides a multitude of digital photography subjects simply because national parks in fact were set up to preserve the beauty of these areas in their original state. Therefore, national parks are as close to nature as most of us will get to. The following techniques will help you produce stunning digital photographs of America's natural wonders at these national parks.

National Parks Digital Photography

There are many national parks across America, each with its own distinctive beauty and uniqueness that were deemed worthy of preservation. For digital photographers, this opens up a variety of options. The many national parks offer stunning views of mountains, canyons, geysers, glaciers, valleys, lakes and vistas. They also contain within hundreds of different types of wildlife in the natural setting, giving you the opportunity to get up close with some of these animals.

Planning for Digital Photography

Planning ahead can be very helpful when you are going to shoot digital photography at national parks. Go through park websites and user comments about the parks you are interested in for information on good shooting locations and ideas for your digital photos. You can also search for photos of the parks on digital photo sharing websites like Flickr to get ideas for your own digital photography. Park visitor centers will also often have information on unique shooting locations. Most importantly, however, walk around on your own when you get to a shooting location to find the best angles and lighting conditions to create stunning, unique digital photographs.

Best Time for Digital Photography

The best time to shoot scenery is right after sunrise and just before sunset when the lighting is best. Animals will also be most active during these times, allowing for amazing wildlife photographs. Therefore, plan to be at your shooting location while its still dark before the sun rises or to stay there after the sun sets.

Lighting Conditions

Lighting is the key to high-quality digital photography. It is important to always think about how the lighting will affect your photography, and for outdoor photography, lighting could not be more important. Think creatively about how you can use the lighting conditions to properly reflect the sense of the place, and then plan to shoot when lighting is optimal. Cloudy days are perfect for photography in forests or of waterfalls, while sunny days are optimal for sweeping landscapes.

Composing Photographs at National Parks

Composing your pictures properly can mean the difference between a good digital photograph and an average one. Try to fill the frame with your subject and bakcground or foreground elements. Simplify the composition to focus attention on the subject by eliminating any element that does not add constructively to the digital photograph. Think about the shot and how you compose the digital photograph before shooting.

Also try to shoot unique shots of well-known features like the Grand Canyon or the geysers at Yellowstone. Try to give your digital photographs you personal touch by exploring different angles and digital camera settings.

Stitch Photos

A panorama is a series of photos 'stitched' together digitally to form one wide digital photograph. A lot of medium-range and higher-end digital cameras nowadays offer in-camera stitching feature for shooting panoramic shots of vistas and mountain ranges.

Always experiment with different angles and shooting techniques when taking digital photographs at national parks. It will help you grow as a photographer in addition to producing unique digital photographs of America's natural treasures.

How to Shoot Absolutely Stunning Sunsets

Sunsets are truly amazing expressions of beauty and colors that can be captured in a digital photograph with the right equipment and techniques.

by David Glassanos

Whether it’s the warm tones that attract people, or the fact that every sunset is unique, people love looking at sunsets. Here’s a checklist for those of you who are interested in capturing these great natural wonders with a digital camera.

Know when the sun is going to set. This is the number one thing to remember when shooting sunsets. I guarantee you will not get a good picture if you show up once the sun is below the horizon. Keep in mind any landscapes that will affect the time of the sunset. If the sun is going to be setting behind a mountain range then anticipate the sun to drop below the horizon a few minutes before the sun actually sets.

Set the exposure and compose the picture in your digital camera well before the sun actually sets. Give yourself at least half an hour before the time the sun will set to get your digital camera and tripod ready. Play around with the composition and try different angles while the sun is still in the sky. Look for objects, buildings, or landmarks that will create interesting silhouettes with the sun behind them. Exposure is a little harder. You will not know the exact exposure until the sun has actually set but you can have an idea of the exposure values that will look best. Play around with the exposure on your digital camera until you get something you like.

Take as many shots as you can. A sunset is a dynamic scene and is always changing. I recommend taking a couple pictures every minute on your digital camera. Each picture will be different from the one before.

Use a tripod. Sure, you can still digital photograph a sunset while holding your digital camera but using a tripod will allow you to take longer exposures while eliminating camera shake. A sunset is considered a landscape so stop down your aperture as much as you can. Try something like f/22 or higher. This will increase the depth of field, putting the whole scene in focus. The smaller aperture will increase the shutter length, giving you richer and warmer colors.

Try to include clouds in your composition. Someone once told me that amazing sunset photos almost always include clouds. Take a look for yourself. Almost every beautiful digital photo of a sunset you see will have clouds in the frame. This is because clouds are dramatic. They invoke emotion. If you want great sunsets, look for clouds.

Make sure the sky is the most dominant part of the digital photo. Sounds obvious, but what good is a photo of a sunset where two-thirds of the photo is the ground and only one-third is the sky. The sky is the main subject of the picture so emphasize it.

Work fast. The sunset will be over before you know it. Your timeframe will be about 10 minutes or less so it is good to know how your digital camera works before you get to the scene. The more sunsets you photograph the quicker you will become so if you have free time during the evening go take some pictures!

Wear sunglasses! Always remember not to look directly into the sun. You can cause severe eye damage by looking directly into the sun whether it’s with your naked eye or through the viewfinder. You have an LCD for a reason…use it.

Well there you have it, some tips for taking great sunset photographs. Just remember, the more you go out and practice the better your shots will become.


About the Author: David Glassanos runs the photography magazine at PhotographedBy.us

Photography 101: Basic Composition

Basic information about the rules of composition in digital photography. Composition turns digital photography into an art.

by Kelly Paal

Now that you are beginning to understand how your camera works you can begin to understand basic composition in digital photography. I know that many people that I’ve talked to think that digital photography is just pointing your camera and taking a photo but it’s more than that. After you understand how your equipment works you can begin to get into the real art of digital photography and that art is called composition.

Basic Principles

1. Use all of your available space. Fill the image with the image. If the reason that your taking the photo is your daughter’s beautiful face then get closer. If you’re taking an image of the breathtaking valley before you. Fill the frame with the valley. Keep distractions out of the frame. They’re called distractions for a reason.


2. Look at the forms in your image. You almost have to look at the people or the landscape before you in their simplistic geographic forms. A good way to learn form is to practice taking photos of still life objects, that you can arrange into pleasing forms. A good digital photograph is always a beautiful arrangement of form. Whether it’s the beauty of a woman’s face, her features being forms, or a wonderful landscape, trees, rocks, and hills being forms.


3. Line or direction, motion. The direction of the forms in your photos is very important. Never have action or motion moving outside of your digital photograph. It will direct the eye away from your image. Diagonal motion lines are good, curves and “s” curves are better. The last two is probably way landscape photography is so popular nature is full of curves. Also never put a horizon line in the center of your frame.


4. Contrast, the difference between black and white. Now it is possible to have a beautiful photo with little contrast if that is your intention, this works best with color. But a lot of shots, some really beautiful shots have a nice balance of black, white, and grays. This can be manipulated for artistic purpose of course, but in the beginning you want to focus on trying to take digital photographs with equal amounts of black, white, and shades of gray.
   


5. Color, you may have to familiarize yourself with the color wheel. Whether you’re shooting nature or setting up your own shots in a studio you need to know what colors go together and why. Many of us have an instinct as to what looks good. When in doubt follow your instincts. Start out by taking shots of things that you think have pretty or beautiful colors. Show the photos to others and see if they agree. Digital photographers learn not only what they think is beautiful but what is universally beautiful as well.

Now the hard part practice all these principles at the same time. It’s not easy! Now you really know why digital photographers take years to really learn their craft.


About the Author: Kelly Paal is a freelance nature and landscape photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography. She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

Photography - Rules of Composition

by Richard Schneider

Composition is defined as the combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole. In photography that definition is very important in taking quality pictures. The following rules of composition should be learned and considered but not necessarily used in every photo. Once you have learned these rules you will be more observant of the possible photo opportunities that surround you. But keep in mind that the really famous photographers usually find a creative way to stretch or break the rules of composition.

Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds has been used through the centuries and is probably the most recognized rule. The rule of thirds directs that the frame can be divided into three vertical sections and three horizontal sections. Wherever the separating lines connect is an ideal spot for a subject or point of interest. By positioning your main subject at any of the four intersection points, you are giving your subject more emphasis than if it is right in the middle of the photo. The intersection points can also work if there is more than one main subject in a photo. Most famous photographs and paintings have the rule of thirds applied to them in some way or another.

Simplicity
The simplicity rule directs that you should keep the items in your photo relatively simple. If your main subject is close to the lens, then your background should be very simple in order to avoid distractions. Another good idea is to avoid objects or lines that lead the eye away from your main subject.

Contrast
The contrast rule directs that light subjects should be placed against dark backgrounds and vice versa.

Framing
The framing rule directs that using natural surroundings mindfully can add more meaning and focus to your subject. The surroundings could be anything such as bushes, windows, trees or even a doorway. When using this rule be sure to focus on the main subject and not on the surroundings that are framing it. It is also a good idea to use a narrow aperture (high f/stop) when using this rule in order to create a high depth-of-field.

Texture
The texture rule can add a great amount of interest to most photos. When people see texture in a photo it can spark their imagination and make the photo more real to life. Texture would be a good idea when taking photos of rocks, walls, surfaces, hands or even leaves. In order to create texture try to compose your photo so the light is coming from the side and therefore casting shadows in key places.

Diagonals
The diagonal rule directs that diagonal elements or lines can make a photo more dynamic. Diagonal elements could be fence posts, roads or even tree branches.

Leading Lines
The leading lines rule can be used to direct the eye deeper into a photo and commonly to the main subject. Leading lines can lure the eye to a subject by leading to it from any side or depth of the photo. Leading lines could be roads, rivers, tree branches or even bridges.

Color
The color rule is what adds interest and emotion to your pictures. Different color configurations can inspire and amaze viewers. Colors can also be used to accent certain parts of a photo.

It might not be a bad idea to keep these key terms with you when you practice taking photos. The best way to learn and improve your composition is just to use them often and to experiment.

Composition In Digital Photography

by Jason Cox

The art of composition, or putting a digital picture together in the viewfinder can make the difference between a good picture and a bad one! It is a visual process of organizing the elements and individual details of a scene into a balanced and pleasing arrangement. Because what one person finds pleasing is not pleasing to another, digital picture composition is largely a matter of personal taste.

There is no right or wrong composition in digital photography. A composition that conveys a photographers intended meaning is an effective one. A composition that does not or that confuses the viewer is not.

There are certain rules of composition that most photographers agree will make the best digital pictures. However, the word rules is used loosely here as they are intended to simply be guidelines to take great digital pictures.

They are based on recreating similarities in the make-up of many different digital images that many people have found to be esthetically-pleasing. A rule of composition or a design concept should not be taken as a hard and fast rule that must be observed.

In fact, some renowned digital photographs violate all the rules of composition and are still excellent digital pictures. This does not mean that the rules are without value. They are tremendously valuable. They are time-proven, and provide great guidelines for photographers at any level.

These rules are great guidelines to start out with. But if you feel you want to break one of these rules, by all means go right ahead. Photography is not about perfection. Its about capturing digital images that will be pleasing to you and those you want to share the pictures with.

Here are some of those rules:

1. Choose a primary point of interest before taking the digital picture. Determine which area is of the most importance to you and compose the picture around that area.

2. Be sure that only the things you want the viewer to see appear in the digital picture. If there are numerous objects cluttering up the background, your message will be lost. If you can not find an angle or framing to isolate your subject, consider using depth of field control on your camera, if it has one, to keep the background out of focus.

3. Give your digital picture contrast. A light subject will have more impact if placed against a dark background and vice versa. Contrasting colors may be used for emphasis, but can become distracting if not considered carefully.

4. Consider the balance of what you are shooting. Generally, asymmetric or informal balance is considered more pleasing in a digital picture than symmetric (formal) balance. In other words, placing the main subject off-center and balancing the weight with other objects (smaller or lower impact) will be more effective than placing the subject in the center.

5. Frame your picture. A frame in a digital picture is something in the foreground that leads you into the picture or gives you a sense of where the viewer is. For example, a branch and some leaves framing a shot of rolling hills and a valley, or the edge of an imposing rock face leading into a shot of a canyon. Framing can usually improve a digital picture. The frame does not need to be sharply focused. In fact if it is too sharply detailed, it could be a distraction.

6. Be sure the viewpoint is pleasing. You can often change a digital picture dramatically by moving the camera up or down or, stepping to one side. One of the best ways to come up with a prize-winning photograph is to find an unusual point of view.

7. When the subject is capable of movement, such as an animal or person, it is best to leave space in front of the subject so it appears to be moving into, rather than out of, the digital picture.

8. Linear elements such as roads, waterways, and fences placed diagonally are generally perceived as more dynamic than horizontals in a digital picture.

9. Use the rule of thirds. This is a principle taught in graphic design and photography and is based on the theory that the eye goes naturally to a point about two-thirds up the page. Also, by visually dividing the image into thirds (either vertically or horizontally) you achieve the informal or asymmetric balance mentioned above.

Although there are many ways a digital picture can be composed effectively by basing it on the use of thirds, the most common example is the placement of the horizon line in landscape photography. If the area of interest is land or water, the horizon line will usually be two-thirds up from the bottom. On the other hand, if the sky is the area of emphasis, the horizon line may be one-third up from the bottom, leaving the sky to occupy the top two-thirds.

About the Author: For several years now, Jason has been reviewing hundreds of online products and services. Many consider his reviews to be very insightful and reliable. Visit his website Best Camera Bargains.

Article Source: Art Symmetry

Great Landscape Photography

By: Mark A. Fenwick

Be at One with the Land.

Buyers and collectors have accepted photography as art for some time, but only if it's of significant artistic merit. Great landscape photography sells because the buyer is searching for escapism and the need to dream. As a species we have always been linked to and drawn to the landscape. Do you have a love for the countryside and an understanding of the landscape?

When you're out in the great outdoors, away from the bustle, what do you see

• sunlight filtering through trees and dancing on the landscape?
  
• snow on the mountains and a gushing river in full flow?
  
• coastal cliffs with the shimmering sea lapping onto the shore?
  
• a brooding sky casting a spell over the windswept moors?
  
• the warm glow of the sun setting at the close of day?
  
• or mists and changing patterns of wind, clouds and magical light?
  

Do you see the beauty and feel the connection?
To produce a great photo landscape you need to understand the countryside and how light affects it. You need to have a passion for the land and experience an intimate connection with nature. The best way of doing this is to explore an area on foot and become part of the landscape before taking any photos.

On your walk look for:

• Light (shadows and highlights)
  
• Shapes (round and angular)
  
• Color (harmony and discord)
  
• Texture (rough and smooth)
  
• Composition (strong and weak)
  
• Tones (light and dark)
  
• Patterns (even and odd)
  
• Mystery ( ? and ? )
  

So the next time you're out with your camera looking for that open vista of rolling hills and mountains, also observe the intimate details in the landscape and maybe just photograph a small section of the bigger picture.

Where do you go to find the perfect or most interesting images? Do you have a favourite place or do you simply like to travel and see what you find?

The world is full of wonderful locations and the image creator is blessed with so much choice. Some of you will specialize in a particular area capturing the wildlife silhouetted against golden sunsets in Africa; the architecture of ancient civilisation in Egypt; the vast skies and tumbleweed of Nevada or the diverse, often moody landscape of the British Isles. Whatever gives you the most joy and satisfaction, go there and get creative!

If you only have a vague idea of the landscape work you would like to do, the best idea is to just go out there and explore. Start locally. It's surprising what you'll find literally on your back door and this will give you a chance to experiment and see what locations you are drawn to.

Your personality and your vision must come through in every photo you take; it's up to you to capture the essence of the landscape in front of you. If your photograph works, the person viewing your image will feel they can step into your picture and experience the emotion of being there. A great landscape photograph is a great escape.

Author: Mark A. Fenwick is a Fine Art Photographer. For tips and tricks of professional photography, and photography jobs and opportunities, visit Photography Update

Article source: Articlecat.com