Been Awhile

Well, it's been awhile since I've been on here, to be honest kind of forgot that this even existed. I just started making a web page about vacations and that is what reminded me that this was here. I will try to post a worthwhile post this weekend until then.

Catching the sport

Knowing the sport that you are photographing is a key component. Read, study, and learn about the sport that you want to photograph. By knowing what you are trying to capture it will help you be in the right place to get important shots at the correct time. Knowing the rules and actions of the sport will help you be in better positions to get better photographs. By understanding the action you will be able to anticipate the next great play and position yourself there to get it. By researching the postilions of the players on the team you know who should be doing what and when. Knowing the reputation and attitude of certain players will allow you to anticipate there actions before they do them. When certain players are to be in certain positions and that player has a tendency to make exciting move you can think in advance and be focused and ready for the shot.

Having the proper gear on the job is mandatory to getting great shots. Digital SLR's are definitely a necessity for sports action shots. You need to take lots of fast shots to get a couple of great pics using film would get very costly in this instance. Using a digital point and shoot does not have the flexibility and options needed to get great shots here. Don't get me wrong you can get good shots, but not the great ones. Depending on the sport will vary on which lens is needed. Some sports let you get closer in on the action than others. If you can get up front and personal then you wont need quite the zoom that is needed for something like football. To get the action shot at the precise moment you have to have a fast shutter speed. Using a lens that is "fast" will increase your chances of getting crisp and clear action shots. Some type of vibration control or a tripod will also help get great focus for these pictures. Using aperture priority (AW) mode on your dslr and setting the aperture to its widest setting like a f 2.8, the lower the f stop the wider the aperture. By doing this more light can get through the lens allowing for a higher shutter speed to stop the action. Setting your ISO to its highest setting that will allow for low noise shots decreases the need for light allowing faster shutter speeds. Getting low and shooting low increases the drama for the shot. Low angle shots will give the athletes a larger than life look making them look extra important. Pay attention of anything distracting in the background of your shot and if needed just pan a little farther forward. Using these tips will increase the quality of your photographs to improve photos of your children and there friends or the next sporting event for that new photo for your wall.

Catch up

I have been working a lot lately and have a long weekend right now. Hopefully on this weekend I can update something worth reading, sorry haven't been on lately.

Sky Line Photography

This has to be one of the best sky line photographs I have ever seen. To get a shot like this we need lots of practice and patience. This was taken at what we call Twilight, on a tripod with excellent atmospheric conditions. Notice how the sky is a nice deep blue almost black but still has some color to it. The lights to all of the building are all on, and look at the crispness of the edges. I am not sure of the author of this image but if you click it you will be taken to the site I have found it on. HDR was used in processing this image, but if a proper photograph was not taken in the first place you would not get such a quality shot.

Wedding photography is one of the most stressful photographic market I have found. If you prepare yourself in advance it will take a lot of the stress out. Learn to Photograph weddings if you click this link there are some tips on starting out in shooting weddings. Remember this is a very important day for the couple and there family, and it can only be shot once. Make sure to get the perfect shot the first time and pick a reputable print lab to supply the highest quality photographs for there special day.

009475l_01.jpg (JPEG Image, 804x536 pixels)

I need to get me one of these I don't know about you

Art for a Dollar This is some very unique art I think it is very truely worth checking out. I need to pick me up some of this I don't know about you. Keep me informed on any art or photographs you may find.