Intermediate Photo Tips

A rainbow is sunlight spread out into its spectrum of colors and diverted to the eye of the observer by the water droplets in rain. Any source of bright light being refracted by water droplets will create a rainbow as well. Light is projected from behind the observer and hits the water droplet. The light is bent and dispersed, then reflected off the back of the water droplet, and refracted again when the light exits the droplet. The difference in angles accounts for the spectrum of colors you see.

Being at the right place at the right time has everything to do with good rainbow photography. Rainbows appear best when rain is falling from the sky and direct sunlight is projected onto the raindrops as they are still falling.

Have your camera ready and be in a place where the foreground is uncluttered and no power wires are visible. Usually the auto mode of the camera will be able to produce the exposure you need for a great rainbow photograph.

Ten Great tips to great pictures

Use the sun to your advantage: Put the sun behind you when you can. When photographing people out doors watch you subjects. People will squint in bright sunlight and distort their faces. Baseball caps will cause harsh shadows, and when the sun is high, eye sockets will be shadowed and look deep. Use your fill flash outdoors to fill in shadows. When possible have people stand in a shaded area to relax their faces and use your flash to even out the exposure.

Think horizontal or vertical: Remember to turn your camera when shooting tall objects. This allows you to fill the frame more with the subject and eliminate unwanted background clutter.

Keep the background simple: When photographing people, look at the background and foreground for things that will clutter the photo. Watch for plants or other objects that look as if they are growing out of your subject???s heads. When using flash indoors, watch for things that will cause shadows. A chandelier hanging low will cause shadows on the subject or the background. Glare can be avoided by shooting glass-covered pictures at an angle. Watch for glass doors or windows that are in a straight path to the flash; these will cause glare.

Fill the frame with the subject: When photographing people, get close, fill the frame and use your flash outdoors to fill in shadows and put highlights in their eyes. When photographing objects, fill the frame as much as possible to eliminate background. More detail can be achieved when this technique is used.

Hold the camera steady: Shaking while taking the photo will cause the picture to be blurry. Deliberately hold the camera still before, and during the picture taking process. It is best to relax and hold the camera in a natural way. Be careful not to cover the flash with your finger while firing the shutter. Be aware that the camera strap hanging in front of the lens, or flash. The strap will show up as a shadow or obstruction in your picture.

Understand the limitations of your equipment: Most point and shoot cameras are unable to focus closer than three to four feet. Getting closer than the focus limitation of the camera will produce blurry unacceptable pictures. Most flash units on point and shoot cameras are limited to about eight to twelve feet when using 400 ISO film. Using a flash at a sporting event will not produce the results you want. Use 800 ISO film, turn off your flash and hope for the best.

Keep your eye on the horizon and other lines of reference: When looking through your viewfinder, keep all visual lines straight. If the horizon in your picture is out of balance, your subjects will look like they are leaning to one side. This makes it more difficult to enlarge because in order to straighten the photo a portion of it will be cropped off to correct for the crooked lines. With vertical pictures, watch for vertical lines that correspond with the subject. Keep these lines parallel with the edge of the frame.

The rule of thirds: This is a popular rule that photographers and artists use to strategically place points of interest. Divide your viewfinder into thirds horizontally and vertically. This creates a grid of nine boxes. Try placing important elements of your photo where these lines intersect. Please remember, that while this is a rule that can and should be broken. Using this rule will help you become more creative with your photography and improve your composition.

Try new angles with the same subject: When photographing a subject, walk around, shoot different angles, change your lighting, turn your flash on, then turn it off. By moving around and firing off several shots, you will be amazed how your pictures will improve.

Show off your best pictures: When sharing pictures with friends and family, show them only your best. Eliminate the photos that don???t show your best work.

Creating the WOW! Shot

Photography is the most accessible art form available to the general public. The art of photography is the ability to tell a story, convey an emotion, or create a lasting impression. The ability to take a great shot comes with practice of putting yourself in situations that will provide the opportunity, and practicing patience. Have a camera with you all the time. When those great situations occur, you will be ready to take the picture. Have you ever heard anyone say, ???Wow I wish I had my camera with me!??? Fortunately, taking great pictures has very little to do with how expensive the equipment is. It is, the ability to take the picture when the situation arises.

Take your camera with you everywhere you go. Take some extra time to stop and get the shot. If you make this a habit, you will produce the one great picture you wanted to capture. Digital cameras are great for this purpose; keep one in your car, with extra batteries on hand.

The Truth about Film Brands

The world has many film brands that are available to consumers. This is a short list of just a few:

Kodak, Fuji, Agfa, Mitsubishi, Konica, Imation, Small no name Asian manufactures

Each film has very specific characteristics for printing. We optimize our printing equipment to adjust for each films specific balance to produce the best possible print.

The best rule of thumb is to find a film that suits your needs and use it exclusively. If shooting multiple rolls of the same event or vacation, do not mix film manufactures unless absolutely necessary. Slight differences in contrast and color reproduction are noticeable when mixing films. We recommend using any of the major brands of film and to avoid generic films when possible.

Create a Memory Album

Scrap booking: This has become the new national pastime for parents and grandparents who understand the importance of preserving the past in an artistic, fun way. The most wonderful part of scrap booking is how it expresses the personality of the artist and preserves the photographs using archival materials. They make wonderful gifts and will be cherished for generations.

Photo Albums: We carry a wide variety of photo albums. Our albums are manufactured with archival materials that insure your photographs will last for generations. Special order photo albums are available upon request.

Photo Albums on your computer: Ask us how we can provide a digital photo album of your favorite pictures. We have technology available to scan any type of image to a CD that provides the viewing software imbedded in the media. Multiple copies make great gifts to friends and family. There are many other software packages available in the market. We can help you choose which package best fits your needs.

Upload to the Internet and share your pictures with the world: We have secure web sites that are specifically set up to upload your pictures to. Our web site provides you with a user ID and a password that you simply email to whoever you want. This will give them access to your pictures and secure your privacy at the same time.