How to Capture Stunning Black and White Photos

A lot of people believe that good photos are those that display a wide array of beautiful colors. However, let me tell you that this is completely untrue. There are some forms of photography that are devoid of any striking colors but still come up as stunning as those that have them. Consider monochromatic, infrared and black and white photography and you’ll know what I mean.

Black and white photography is a very special form of photography. Black and white images are often described as classic, elegant and romantic in their own special way.
Shooting Black and White photos can be quite a challenge since you have to look at the world in black and white before you shoot. Needless to say, coming up with good quality B&W photos can be a challenging task since you need to thoroughly understand your subject and the effect of lighting on your subject before you can even begin to plan how you would want to compose your final image. Sounds tricky enough for you? Well, if you are serious in mastering the art of taking B&W photos, here are some tips that you should always keep in mind:
Pay special attention to your viewpoint. Always remember that your viewpoint is one of the most important considerations in shooting good quality black and white images. As such, you should already have an idea of what you want to photograph, how you would like to present it to your viewers and the angles that will bring the best results before you even click your shutter release button.
Use lighting to your advantage. Light plays a very important role in black and white photography. Since your images will be devoid of any colors, you should make sure that there is sufficient light to allow your viewers to clearly distinguish the details of your images.
You should try to understand the quality and direction of the light you are using. Keep in mind that using direct light will lend your images some sharp dark shadows while using a softer light will produce softer tones of gray.
The direction of light can also help you get the effect you want since it will affect both the depth and dimension of your images. Using front lights to illuminate your subject will emphasize texture and depth while using rear lighting will help in reducing details. Using side lights, on the other hand, will give your images a larger dimension and may add more drama to your photos.
Pay special attention to lines, shapes and textures. Without colors to draw your viewers’ attention to your images, you will have to rely on the shape, lines, patterns and textures of your subject. Using lines and shapes effectively can help draw your viewers’ eyes to your images and give your images a sense of movement and dynamism while capturing the unique textures in your subject can lend it a sense of realism.
Explore the power of patterns. Capturing images of patterns in black and white can produce some compelling images that are totally ignored when the same shot is done in color. Let’s face it – color can sometimes take your attention away from the intended subject. As such, taking colors away from your images can help your viewers focus on the more important aspects of your photos.
Use contrast to make your subject pop out. Learn how to use contrasting shades of black and white in highlighting and adding depth to your images.
Shoot during overcast days. While those who prefer to shoot in color may be dismayed at days like these, shooting in black and white under low contrast conditions will definitely give you the best results you can ever imagine.
Use the right camera settings. You can capture the best black and white images by using the lowest ISO setting in your camera. This will reduce the ‘noise’ that is usually much more noticeable in B&W photos.
Do you think you can start mastering the technique of taking great black and white photos after reading these tips? Well, there is no reason why you shouldn’t. Have a look at what I’ve provided for you here – this will change your knowledge and skills of available photography techniques very quickly and regularly too.

So, take your camera out and start exploring the wonderful world of black and white photography. You will love it!

Have fun shooting in black and white,
Roy Barker
PS. It's one thing to learn a few tips from these articles I provide you for free but this link takes you to where you will learn how to get 'paying customers' to your photography business. Hey, but if you don't need customers, skip it!

Understanding Abstract Photography

 

 

Source: layoutsparks.com

Do you really understand what abstract photography is? Do

you know what makes it different from all other forms of

photography? Why should you consider capturing abstract

images on camera when you can devote your time and

skills on some other form of photography instead? If you

want to learn more about abstract photography and what

makes it click, then please read the rest of the article.

What is Abstract Photography?

While there is no exact definition for this form of

photography, let us establish that abstract photography is a

technique that puts primary importance to form, color, line

and texture over everything else. With abstract

photography, content and composition may be immaterial.

What’s important is that the image expresses the

photographer’s creativity and captures the viewers’ eyes.

Interpretation can very well come later.

Abstract photography requires you to see things in a

different light. It requires you to get out of your comfort

zone and jump out of the box. However, photographing

abstract images, when done right, can help you come up

with some very powerful images – images that appeal to

our most basic instincts. And that is one great reason why

you should consider doing it.

While it basically works on a no holds barred and

everything goes principle, there are three essential

elements that play a significant role in abstract photography

– form, color and curves. Let us see how each of these

elements affects the quality of your abstract photos, shall

we?

Form. In abstract photography, form (or shape) serves as

the structure of an image. It can very well be considered as

the heart of an image. As such, you should always choose

subjects with interesting, pleasing and dynamic forms. So,

how do you know that you have a form that is worth

photographing? Well, if you see something and you get

really excited about it, then you can be sure you have

something special.

Color. While form serves as the heart of an abstract image,

color provides an added depth and dimension to your

images. It can help draw and hold your viewers’ attention

and stimulate their senses as well. In general, using

saturated and contrasting colors in this type of photography

can best serve your purpose.

Curves. You can use curves to help spice up your images. It

can help point your viewers’ eyes to the image’s center of

interest and keep it there.

Shooting Abstract Photography – Some Tips in Doing It

Right

Trust your instincts. In shooting abstract photos, the most

important thing you need to remember is to keep your eyes

open for interesting subject matters. Let your instincts

guide you in choosing your subject.

Look at things on a completely different angle. Abstract

photography requires you to look at things a little bit

differently. It requires you to take something familiar and

photograph it in such a way that it would be taken out of its

original context. So, look through things more carefully.

 Don’t be afraid to break the rules. Abstract photography doesn’t require you to follow any rules. As I said before, just trust your instincts and you’ll have a great chance of capturing some very interesting abstract images.

Consider going macro. Another popular technique used by most abstract photographers to capture amazing abstract photos is working in the macro mode.

Bring out the artist in you. Always remember that abstract photography is a manifestation of your personal expression and creativity so don’t expect people to see things as you do. So what if you and your viewers don’t have the same perception of an image? Wouldn’t it be a lot more interesting that way? You bet it is!

Abstract photography is an ideal way to create some very powerful images so if you are really up for the challenge, why don’t you take your camera out with you and start seeing things on a totally different light? Go on and surprise yourself! …but first see this helpful photography source of tips to make your shoot even better.
I hope this has been of some value to you.

Roy Barker
 
PS. It's one thing to learn a few tips from these articles I provide you for free but this link takes you to where you will learn how to get 'paying customers' to yourphotography business. Hey, but if you don't need customers, skip it!
http://www.start-a-photography-business.com/

Heh everybody, I have a great Photography tip for you if you like creating abstracts with your camera and having some fun, Ed Verosky sent me this tip and how to do it. Ed is a great photographer and if you like this and would like to purchase some of his books there are links at the bottom of this blog.

 Smoke Photography Tutorial

I recently tried my hand at creating some intriguing photographic abstract art; incense smoke photography. Several of my friends at the About-Photography Group posted some of their own smoke images, so I thought I’d give it a try and came up with the images shown here.

The following is a short tutorial on how it can be done:

There is more than one way to do this, and some of this is optional. You’ll need to work in an area that is free from moving air. A little is ok, but you don’t want a fan or open window nearby, or anything that will prevent the smoke rising up from the incense to be blown away before it gets a chance to rise vertically for the pictures.

MATERIALS

Here is a list of things I gathered to create my smoke images:

    Incense
    Match (or lighter)
    Small table and incense holder
    Camera, normal or telephoto lens, and external flash *Tripod
    Dark background material (black seamless, poster board, cloth)

NOTE: Take precautions when working with matches, lighters, and burning incense so that you don’t start a fire. You don’t want to work with these items around flammable materials. As soon as you’re finished, make sure you douse the incense in water. Don’t leave it out or throw it in the trash.

SETUP & SHOOT

    Setup the table or other support for the incense. You can use a dark material in the background to help visually isolate the smoke in the shot. Make sure there will be enough distance between the incense and the background so that the background fades to black in the exposures. For my setup, a black cloth was used and positioned about 4 feet behind the incense.

    Setup a camera on a tripod. You’ll want this positioned in line with the smoke as it rises off the incense. I shot the images shown here with a 50mm lens about 3 feet from the incense. My camera settings were ISO 100, f/stop 16, and shutter speed at 1/250 (flash sync).

    Setup the external flash (off-camera). I positioned my flash about 2 feet to the left of the incense and slightly behind it. I did this so that it pointed slightly away from the background. You don’t want to illuminate the background with spill off light from the flash, so you can also modify it with a flag or snoot. I used mine without any modifiers. You can trigger the flash any way you like (PC cord, TTL, radio trigger, etc.). How you setup and use the flash isn’t as important as simply getting it to illuminate the smoke.

    Focus for the smoke. If your camera is configured to autofocus whenever you press the shutter button, you’ll have to set it up for manual focus, or use an alternate focus button. It can be hard to focus on the smoke each time you take a shot. Hold an object just above the incense stick, where the smoke will be, and focus on that. Leave the focus there for your actual shots.

    Take some shots. Light the incense and wait for some interesting smoke to rise into the frame. Experiment by disturbing the air around the smoke with your hand or your breath. The idea is to create interesting smoke patterns and get some shots to work with. When you’ve gotten several shots, preview them on your camera’s LCD. If you’re happy with them, import them into your computer.

POST-PROCESSING

There are several things you can do to enhance the smoke patterns including mirroring and colorizing. Here’s what you can do to create the effects shown in these images:

    Open an image in Photoshop and adjust contrast by using Curves or Levels in order to make sure the background is very dark or black and the smoke has the look you want.

    Create a Duplicate Layer of the image. Then flip the duplicate layer with Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal.

    Change the blending type of that layer to Lighten or Screen.

    Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer above the other layers. Check the Colorize box and adjust the color of the smoke.

    Slide the top smoke layer, left or right, over the original layer until you see a pattern you like. Crop to your taste and save the image.

Again, this is only one way to approach this type of project. For example, you might use natural light coming in from a window on one side of the setup. If the background is dark enough, you should be able to isolate the smoke in the image. Also, post-processing can involve different coloring methods (you can use multiple colors and blending types). I’ve seen some beautiful inverted images, where the background can be turned white. And you can mirror the original image with vertical flips and other variations. Some original smoke patterns are so beautiful that they don’t need to be mirrored or colored at all.

Starting a Photography Business

First I want to inform you that I make know claim or guarantee that you will succeed in being successful in business from reading my blog, that depends on each individuals dedication and perseverance to find the tools to succeed.
I've been shooting photography for 35 years and also reading different books on improving my trade and how to market my work and I'm still learning. You never stop learning and what I'm discovering I'm happy to pass it on.
There are several books on photography and marketing and I have read quite a few of them and purchased many. I have given links on my blog to the books I find the most educational and easy to understand. These books are not expensive and are very informative guides to helping you achieve your goals in photography.

Here are some ideas for marketing your photography:
· Tiny Classified ads in print-newspapers
· Online Newspaper Ads
· Tiny Classified ads in the back of magazines
· Imprinted pens, key tags and coffee mugs
· Magnetic signs on the side of your car
· Advertising space on restaurant menus
· Advertising space on Matchbook covers
· Fliers on Laundry-Room bulletin boards
· Direct Mail
· Advertising Card Decks
· Business cards
· Banner Exchange Share Groups
· Welcome Wagon Ads
· Billboards
. Stock Photography Web Sites

I've also provided a new photography tip at the bottom of this blog.

CameraMill: I have noticed on some photography forums, photogr...

CameraMill: I have noticed on some photography forums, photogr...: I have noticed on some photography forums, photographers asking the question, how do I get my photos noticed? There is know easy way to suc...

I have noticed on some photography forums, photographers asking the question, how do I get my photos noticed? There is know easy way to success, it must be earned. You have to pay your dues and by this I mean, going to school and getting your education and then using your knowledge your inspiration and your vision to capture that moment in time that is just going to rock the world. The question is how do I get that photo out there for the world to see. Contests is an excellent start, right away your photo is being noticed and judged, it might even get published and if you win the doors may open and if they do life will get more interesting. Another way is to send your photos to magazines or a local newspaper, but make sure that the photo meets with the magazines or newspapers standards for example sports, fashion, news of the day etc.Start a blog, something I just learned. A website is an excellent way to show your stuff but you must also get search engine optimization to help you get it out there. If your interested in starting a business and selling your photos then follow this blog as I'm going to share information with you on how to do this.

" The Most Gut Wrenching Decision You Will Ever Make
In Your Photography
by Dan Eitreim
http://www.PartTimePhotography.com
http://www.FreelancePromo.com
As "artists" most of us have problems with self doubt.
Does my work measure up? Could I have done better? Did I use the right
combination of shutter speed/f-stop? Will anyone like these shots? Was that the
best pose? Angle? Is this ART or just a grab shot?
We constantly compare ourselves to the best in the field and - in our minds - we
frequently fall short. This low self esteem state of mind causes us to endlessly
agonize over the biggest decision we will ever need to make in our careers...
To sell our photography or simply remain a frustrated amateur.
Photography as a hobby is incredibly expensive. We have to buy cameras,
tripods, lenses, film or -if digital - computers, printers and software. Lights,
stands, backdrops and etc., are all just the tip of the iceberg.
At some point, pretty much ALL intermediate and advanced amateurs wonder if
they could sell their work.
If nothing else, it would help pay for the equipment.
Then, the self doubt starts to creep in. We start looking through our books and
magazines and comparing our work to those we see. We check out websites and
study contest winners.
The lump in the pit of our stomach starts getting larger and larger.
But on the other hand, all our friends and relatives say our work is gorgeous.
Everyone says we could become photographers but, that doesn't do much to
relieve the cold sweats in the middle of the night. Does it?
What to do...?
First, stop comparing yourself to the magazine photographers. Odds are, several
thousand dollars in retouching fees were expended to get that perfect cover
"look". Same with contest winners and the window display at the local photo
studio. (Not to mention that those are the best photos they have available. Why
display a bad one?)
Then you need to stop comparing yourself to all the other photographers you
see published. Even if they are all tremendous shooters, it doesn't matter! If you
start selling your work, you aren't trying to please them! You are trying to please
your customers.
Every photographer has an individual way of seeing things and YOUR customers
may like what YOU do BETTER!
That's all that matters. Is the customer happy?
Here is a well kept secret that all professional portrait photographers know - the
average person doesn't judge photo contests. They don't know what makes one
portrait a contest winner and another one a loser.
AND they don't care!
All they want is a good, competent job, showing an attractive pose and nice
expression.
There IS a way to be sure you never have an unhappy customer - don't charge a
session fee. Work on speculation. That way, they are only obligated to buy the
photos they want!
The bottom line is, you don't have to be brilliant, just treat your customers well
and take care to do the best job you can on every session. You'll be surprised.
I hope this will help you with one of the hardest decisions we are forced to
make. Make the choice to start selling your portraits, and don't look back - you'll
be glad you did.
If you are interested in getting started in a part time photo business (don't start
off full time) check out the website listed in my bio. It's the easiest, least
expensive and fastest way I know to get started!

Dan Eitreim has been a professional photographer in southern California for over
16 years. His data base exceeds 6000 past clients, and he says that selling YOUR
photography is easy - if you know a couple tried and true marketing strategies.
He's created a multimedia presentation that can teach ANYONE how to sell their
own photography and generate freelance income in as little as two weeks. To
learn more and enroll in a FREE photo marketing course, go to:
http://www.PartTimePhotography.com or http://www.FreelancePromo.com