VALENTINE'S DAY PHOTOGRAPH

On Valentine day there are a lot of ways to show your affection:a special gift,a romantic trip,a romantic dinner or...if you don't have much to spent and want to do something great,you can take a romantic portrait of the one that you love.You can take a great portrait of yourself and put it in a great frame.Or you can pay a professional photographer to take a special portrait to you as a gift for your boyfriend/girlfriend but this depends on your budget.
Here we are going to give you some basic tips for portrait photography so you can take photos of your self or your boyfriend,but remember if you want to take some self-portrait you will need a tripod.

• Focus on the subject- you want the focus of attention in your photo to be your subject's face and expression. Suggest dark clothing that will be subdued - avoid checks, stripes and big patterns, unless such outfits are your subject's trademark. The subject's face should stand out, not the clothing!
• Fill the frame- come in close and fill the frame with your subject. Generally, you'll be better off with a "head-and-shoulders" shot in which the hands don't show.
• If the hands do show- give them something to hold - gloves, a small bouquet, a hat - anything that's appropriate.
• Shutter speed-use fast shutter speeds:outdoors ISO 200, indoors ISO 400 or faster.
• Flash-Shoot some pictures with flash, some without.When using flash, keep your subject a few feet from the background to minimize dark wall shadows.
• Continuous shooting mode-Because you will shot yourself or your partner with continuous mode you have the possibility to take a lot of picture where to choose from.
  
• Careful before printing-Examine your photos carefully you still have time to do some adjusts using a post-processing software that you are familiar with ,or use online sites.
• At last-Then take the best photo and have it enlarged so that you can put a 4 x 6, 5 x 7, or 8 x 10 print in a tasteful frame for a great Valentine's Day present!

The previous tips are the basics for shooting a photo of your partner or your self independently if you are a male or female.
Now if you are a girl and want to do something special for your boyfriend here are some other tips,but as we said earlier you will need a good tripod,maybe if you will shoot just face and shoulder you can work without it but if you want to photograph the entire body you will definitely need a good one.

• Make up-Put on makeup as though you are going out for a fancy evening. This is generally heavier than your usual "look", and will usually appear light and natural under the studio lighting. Use a bit more foundation than normal, carefully blending it from your face down to your upper body. If you plan to wear something revealing, you do not want your face to be one color and your upper body another color.
• Avoid overdoing tanning at salons prior to a photo session. You may burn or freckles may become more prominent. Tanning lotions may cause your skin to appear splotchy when makeup is applied. Eye shadow should be a lighter color rather than darker to bring your eyes forward. Blush and lip color should be heavier than usual. Blush should be evenly blended and lip color should be a shade darker than usual avoiding light colors and especially anything that looks frosted. Most importantly, use enough powder for a matte finish. You should have a solid foundation of powder. This matte finish is very important to avoid shiny reflections of the lights, called hotspots. You will have an opportunity to touch it up and make small corrections prior to starting the session.
• Heels-put on the tallest heels that you have in a variety of colors (black, white, and red for example). If you’re not sure what to wear, consider some of the following:
  -An apron & high heels
  -His uniform or favorite shirt
  - Cowboy boots & hat
  - A tux shirt with black studs and black cuff-links
  - A tux bow-tie
  - A body stocking
  - Strings of different colored beads
  - A leather jacket
  - A vest
  - Cutoffs
  - A bath towel with wet hair
  - Wet T-shirt
  - Silk boxer shorts
  - A T-shirt
  - Anything thin, transparent or translucent
  - Halloween costumes
  - Anything fishnet (tops, stockings etc)
  - Artificial flower petals or leaves
  - A mini skirt
  - An off-the-shoulder top
  - A tank top which is either too tight, cut-off too much or both
  - Sunglasses
  - Scarves
  - Lingerie
  - Stockings
  - A fun wig
  - Anything unusual or outfits that you would never wear outside
  
• For boudoir portraits, leg openings in panties and other items should a high cut style, French cut, to make your legs appear longer and more attractive. Be sure to bring matching jewelry, shoes, and accessories for any outfits. As with clothing, bring any props which have special meaning.Examples might include special jewelry received as gifts, sports equipment, or unusual accessories. If these photographs are for somebody special,think about their likes and dislikes and hobbies for ideas on what to bring.
• Depending on your interest, I’d suggest signing up to receive free catalogs from companies such as:Victoria's Secret,purchase magazines like Playboy, Maxim,or King or find books of artistic nudes. Study them and pay particular attention to how the models pose in different style clothing. Look closely at how they hold their hands, arch the backs, legs and feet.
• Black and white photography-Sometimes when your colors aren't so beautiful is better to make your photo in black/white as it gives a more intimate feeling and because the viewer will be more focused on the subject that in the colors
  
• If you have an i-Pod create a play list to get you in the mood for creating great photos.You may like love songs but choose songs that will energize you.
• Get your nails and toes done. Generally, short and neutral (nude polish or a French manicure) is the best way to go.
• 
• Drink plenty of water; avoid salty foods and alcohol prior to a shoot so that you are not puffy on the day of the shoot.
  
• Trim split ends and dye your roots. Studio lights exaggerate both of these! It is not the time to try a new hair color or cut.If you end up hating your hair it will show up in your photos.
• Make sure if you are going to have “special” favors such as hearts that those are photographed.I think color is important and red is the call for the day…well so is pink and white. I would try to incorporate as much of the color as possible in to the photography.

Make sure you get lots of photos because not everything you shoot will be perfect.
We wish you a happy Valentine's day

SHUTTER SPEED

Shutter Priority mode- is a semi-automatic exposure mode.In some cameras you will find it Tv,and in some S on the camera dial.You select the shutter speed and the camera automatically sets the aperture for a proper exposure.For digital cameras without Shutter Priority,you can use use Sports, Kids and Pets or Fast Shutter mode.
Shutter speed is the amount of time the shutter remains open to allow light to reach a digital camera sensor. Shutter speed is measured in seconds, or fractions of seconds.
How an image is exposed is determined by the combination of the lens aperture and shutter speed. A fast shutter speed will use a larger aperture (small F-stop number) to avoid an under-exposed image. A slow shutter speed requires a small aperture (large F-stop number) to avoid over-exposure.
Typical shutter speeds are: 1/2000 second, 1/2000 sec, 1/500 sec, 1/250 sec, 1/125 sec, 1/60 sec, 1/30 sec, 1/15 sec, 1/8 sec, 1/4 sec, 1/2 sec and 1 second. On some digital cameras you can manually set shutter speed a lot slower than a second for very long exposures.But if you want to use a shutter speed slower than 1/60 sec you will need a camera support,so you have to consider a tripod to prevent camera shake.
Slow shutter speeds are often used in low light conditions, extending the time until the shutter closes, and increasing the amount of light gathered. This basic principle of photography, the exposure, is used in film and digital cameras, the image sensor effectively acting like film when exposed by the shutter.
But slow shutter speed can be used to intentionally blur a moving subject for artistic effect.
A slightly slower shutter speed will allow the photographer to introduce an element of blur, either in the subject or if the camera ispanned to follow a moving subject, the background is blurred while the subject remains sharp.This is called motion blur.The exact point at which the background or subject will start to blur depends on the rate at which the object is moving, the distance it is from the camera and the focal length of the lens in relation to the size of the digital sensor or film.When slower shutter speeds, in excess of about half a second, are used on running water, the photo will have a ghostly white appearance reminiscent of fog. This effect can be used in landscape photography.
Zoom burst is a technique which entails the variation of the focal length of a zoom lens during a longer exposure. In the moment that the shutter is opened, the lens is zoomed in, changing the focal length during the exposure. The center of the image remains sharp, while the details away from the center form a radial blur, which causes a strong visual effect, forcing the eye into the center of the image.
Very short shutter speeds are used to freeze fast-moving subjects, for example at sporting events,or sometimes to capture moving objects.Careful excessively fast shutter speeds can cause a moving subject to appear unnaturally frozen. For instance, a running person may be caught with both feet in the air with all indication of movement lost in the frozen moment.

DEPTH OF FIELD (DOF)

The depth of field (DOF)-is the portion of a scene that appears sharp in the image.
The DOF is determined by the subject distance (that is, the distance to the plane that is perfectly in focus), the lens focal length, and the lens f-number (relative aperture). Except at close-up distances, DOF is approximately determined by the subject magnification and the lens f-number. For a given f-number, increasing the magnification, either by moving closer to the subject or using a lens of greater focal length, decreases the DOF; decreasing magnification increases DOF. For a given subject magnification, increasing the f-number (decreasing the aperture diameter) increases the DOF; decreasing f-number decreases DOF.
The advent of digital technology in photography has provided additional means of controlling the extent of image sharpness; some methods allow DOF that would be impossible with traditional techniques, and some allow the DOF to be determined after the image is made.
For some images, such as landscapes, a large DOF may be appropriate, while for others, such as portraits, a small DOF may be more effective.
The image on the right can show you better what does it means.In the first photo you have a large DOF,same as the one used for landscape photography where all the chess pieces are very sharp.In the second photo you have a small DOF like the one used for portrait photography where just the first piece the rook and maybe the second piece are in focus and are sharp background instead appears blurry.

APERTURE PRIORITY

Aperture priority often abbreviated Av (Aperture Value) or A on a camera dial,is a setting on some cameras that allows the user to choose a specific aperture value while the camera selects a shutter speed to match.The purpose of using aperture-priority mode is to control the depth of field.
The camera will ensure proper exposure.Aperture Priority mode is different from manual mode, where the user must decide both values, shutter priority where the user picks a shutter speed with the camera selecting the aperture to match, or program mode where the camera selects both.
It is also useful to suggest how the camera should decide a shutter speed, without risking a poor exposure. In landscape photography a user would select a small aperture when photographing a waterfall, hoping to allow the water to blur through the frame. When shooting a portrait in dim lighting, the photographer might choose to open the lens to its maximum aperture in hopes of getting enough light for a good exposure.
In addition, aperture priority mode allows the photographer to force the camera to operate the lens at its optimum apertures within the limits of maximum/minimum aperture for a given focal length of the lens. Commonly, lenses provide greatest resolving power with a relatively medium-sized aperture.
When would you use Aperture Priority Mode?
Use Aperture Priority Mode when they are attempting to have some control with regards to Depth of Field (DOF).If you want a shallow DOF (for example in the shot to the middle which has the bird in focus but the background nice and blurred) or in portrait photography, where a wide aperture is desired to throw the background out of focus and make it less distracting,you have to select a large aperture (for example f/1.4) and let the camera choose an appropriate shutter speed. If you want an image with everything in focus like in landscape photography, where a narrow aperture is necessary if objects in foreground, middle distance, and background are all to be rendered crisply(for example the image in the bottom) you have to pick a smaller aperture (for example f/22) and let the camera choose an appropriate shutter speed (generally a longer one).
When choosing an Aperture keep in mind that the camera will be choosing faster or longer shutter speeds and that there comes a point where shutter speeds get too long to continue to hand hold your camera (usually around 1/60). Once you get much slower than this level you’ll need to consider using a tripod. Also if you’re photographing a moving subject your shutter speed will impact how it’s captured and a slow shutter speed will mean your subject will be blurred).

HOW TO MAKE PERSONALISED GREETING CARDS FOR HOLIDAYS

Since we are near Christmas holiday aren't you tired of sending the same kind of greeting card every year,every birthday or sending the same party invitation.Here we are going to give you some tips on how to make greeting cards using your own photos.Why do it?
It's Something special-Everyone one loves to see picture of their loved ones,especially members of your family who live far away.This will show that you care enough to create something unique and it's great to make somebody lough even for some minutes.
It's cheap- A box of store-bought cards can cost, on average, about $12 for a box of 10. Customized cards purchased online cost about $6 for the same number. And that includes shipping.
It's easy-Creating your own holiday cards is as easy as a few clicks of your mouse. There's no need to trudge though slush or snow to pick up a box of cards. Just follow our tips below and you'll receive your personalized greetings in days, delivered straight to your door.
It's lovely-There's nothing grandparents love more than a picture of their adorable grandchildren (other than a visit with the real thing, that is). These cards are sure to be plastered on the fridge or carefully placed in a purse for an impromptu show-and-tell.

Now follow these tips and you will do a great job.
1.Decide what kind of card you need-All the work you are going to depends on what kind of card you want to make.For example you want to send greeting card for Christmas,for New Year or every other kind of fest,or you need a invitation card for a party or an event.Having a vision ahead of time can speed up the process even if you'll be using templates straight from the software.
2.Choose the photos you are going to use-Go throw your whole gallery photos or if you don't have nothing suitable start shooting some photos and our previous tips will help you do that.Some quick tip for holiday cards of your kids or family are:

• Keep outfits simple- With babies, less is better. “Newborns look best naked,”For toddlers and bigger kids, think basics and solids; no metallic fabric, writing, logos, characters, stripes, prints, or polka dots. They’re distracting and date the photo. Similarly, have your kids dress for their age in clothes they like. Don’t put a toddler girl in a stiff frilly dress or a toddler boy in a suit or a buttoned-down collared shirt. Besides being uncomfortable, grown-up garb will camouflage your child’s personality, which should shine through in the photo.
• Coordinate the clan-If you’re taking a family photo, have everyone wear different shades of the same color, such as light blue to navy, or pale pink to burgundy. And avoid white if you’re shooting outside; it can be too reflective.
• Don’t worry about the backdrop- If you’ll be taking your own holiday photo, don’t fret about finding a perfect pastoral scene in your neighborhood. People receiving your photo will concentrate on your family, not the scenery.But focus on the children’s faces and do make sure the surroundings aren’t too busy. An adorable expression gets lost when it has to compete with with a jumble of toys, furniture, traffic, and other people in the background
  
• Don’t tell your kids you’re taking holiday-card photos. It’ll make them self-conscious, which will come through in the photo. The less kids are preoccupied by the camera, the better off you are. In lieu of a posed shot, pack your camera on family outings and watch for impromptu card-worthy photo opportunities, or tell your kids to go play while you casually click away.And always take holiday photos hen your kids are happiest.
  
• Take holiday photos when your kids are happiest. That could be right after a meal rather than before or immediately post-naptime.
• Use previous vacation photo. If you got a great summer vacation shot, it’s fair game for your holiday photo card, even though it may be six months old by the time it’s sent. But if you have a baby or a toddler is better to make new photographs as they change so much within a few months.

3.Choose an online site if you want them to print your cards and a lot of other options-Is important to google for a site that will help you make your greeting cards.When you find a site with designs that appeal to you, create an account and upload your photo to the website. Most sites will provide terms of use that you will have to read and accept to proceed. Sites also normally provide editing tools to crop or remove red-eye. Play around with these tools until you’re satisfied with the results.

• Kodak.com offers Best Quality, Best Options, Most Expensive-You'll find different options on here, like making a coloring book out of your favorite photos (cool!!), and Kodak does have an exceptionally high quality printing service. This is definitely one of the best products on the web, but not necessarily best for your money.
• Shutterfly.com offers Good Quality, Good Options, Good Price-I'm a big fan of Shutterfly, because they have options that continually surprise me, and their photo books have a lot of customization without being outrageously expensive. This is the most popular online photo service, with good reason--they are a great intersection of quality, options, and price.
• PhotoWorks.com offers Good Quality, Great Options, OK Price-Generally, I find PhotoWorks a little more expensive than it's worth (especially for photo books) but for their holiday cards they have a surprising amount of really elegant options that I really fell in love with. Still a little expensive, but they have options I haven't seen elsewhere.
• Walmart.com offers Decent Quality, Fair Options, Unbeatable Price-Yes, it's Walmart. Their printing quality is decent and wholly comparable, their options are limited but still solid, and their prices are totally beyond compare. They are definitely the cheapest option in the business, so if you are printing a bulk amount of holiday cards, they would be a good choice to consider.

4.Use appropriate software- If you are already familiar with the operation of PageMaker, InDesign, or other professional desktop publishing software.An extremely useful piece of software that shows you how to turn your digital pictures into charming Christmas photo cards is the MonkeyPhoto Version 3.0, from Monkeymen Software.But we are not going to talk about this in this post,maybe we will do that in another post.
5.Find an appropriate greeting-Based on the occasion choose a message .Depending on the style of card you chose, you'll have between 50 and 500 characters to create a personal message. Folding cards allow much more space as the message goes on the inside. You can often choose your own font as well. Want to make it even more personal? Not only will Shutterfly allow you to develop a separate message for each card, but they'll also address, stamp and mail your cards. (Note: This option is more costly.)
6.Preview your card-View your card complete with photo and personalized greeting. Most sites allow you to change your photo or edit your text. And many also allow you to choose a different design for your card if you're not happy with the original. Note: Once you click “choose another design/card,” Wal-Mart and Snapfish automatically insert your picture into all of their greeting cards, making it much easier to visualize which card will look best.
7.Specify quantity and pay- Choose the number of cards you'd like (they all come with envelopes –Kodak Gallery lets you choose the colour of the envelopes while Shutterfly will add a return address). Then, enter your shipping address. Once you've chosen a method of shipping (expedited – more expensive or regular – cheapest) it's time to approve the overall cost. Then, enter your payment information and wait for your shipment. Note: Wal-Mart is substantially less expensive than the other sites. Cards cost roughly $0.33 each and shipping is cheap (or free if you pick the cards up from a nearby store). I ordered 20 cards and only paid $9.10 with shipping, while mailing me 10 cards from KodakGallery cost $15.81.