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Tips & Tricks
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We’re all in this together – let me know if you have a tip or trick that you think I should share!
Fodor's Travel Photography
Fodor's, a trusted name
in travel guide books since 1936, has an extensive travel photography
section on their website. You'll find great general photography tips as
well as help on capturing terrific travel photos.
Kodak has been a trusted name in photography for decades; here are their tips for getting better vacation photos. After you have all of that soaked up, look around this fabulous resource for terrific tips about all things to do with photography.
There are many fairly simple things you can do to get better portraits.
Getting sharper shots.
There are several issues involved with traveling with a digital camera, mostly to do with image storage and batteries.
Many people like to print their own photos, a good solution if you need a photo in a hurry. But it's actually more cost effective, and often you get better quality, by having them printed elsewhere.
There are many things to consider in buying a digital camera. Follow these suggestions to become clear about your needs, and to understand better what camera will have you happily snapping away.
We all love the Google search engine for its elegant, efficient functionality. Well, their FREE image editing software, Picasa is just as wonderful. Picasa makes it easy to manage the digital photographer’s basic image management tasks: importing, organizing, editing and sharing.
You need lots of pixels to get good prints, but need many fewer pixels (and a correspondingly low file size) for viewing and sharing images electronically. How to resolve this conflict?
How do I transfer my pictures from my camera to my computer? How do I attach a picture to an email? I have 4 copies of all of my pictures! I can’t find my pictures! These are the problems I hear about again and again, and the solutions always boil down to file management.
One of the main reasons to use a digital camera is the ability to share the images with others by attaching them to emails. This comes with its challenges however.
Here's an outline of the ideas to get more meaningful, creative holiday memories
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Invaluable Support
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I have known Rebecca since 2000. I did not know anything about computers and needed help in understanding how they worked and gaining the confidence to use our new Dell. Rebecca spent many hours sitting beside me patiently explaining the basics and encouraging me to do different things. She has always responded promptly to calls for help.
Both my husband and I take a lot of photographs. When we changed over to digital cameras, Rebecca suggested the photo software that I use so that I am using a program that is challenging enough, but not too sophisticated for my needs. I rely on her to provide advice on photos when necessary.
Rebecca has been an invaluable support to me in dealing with computers and I consider her a true friend.
Rachel Cornforth
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About Pixelegacy by Rebecca Forbes
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 I am passionate about a lot of things. People. Technology. Being of service. Laughing a lot. Photography. Empowering others to do what they want. Bringing out the best in others. Having fun. Learning. Leaving a legacy.
Hence, Pixelegacy - a merging of all of these passions that enables me to bring a joy to my work – a joy that shows in the results, and the relationships I’m thrilled to have built with hundreds of clients over the years. I’d love to create a wonderful portrait or project for you, or show you how to do it yourself. Just give me a call.
For a glimpse of my life-altering photo-journalism project in Ghana, click here.
Thanks for checking me out, I hope to hear from you.
Rebecca
A few frequently asked questionsWhat forms of payment do you accept?
I accept cash, checks and major credit cards.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
Please let me know at least 24 hours before your scheduled time.
What about gift certificates?
Yes! Great idea. Available for specific services, or for a dollar amount.
If I sign up for your newsletter, will you use my email address for anything else, or give it to anyone else?
No. Never. |
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Baby ~ Kid ~ Teen ~ Pet Portraits
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I love kids and pets. I’m the one at family reunions and parties walking around holding other people's babies on my hip, talking with 4 year olds about dinosaurs, or scritching some dog's ears.
I get great joy from capturing the perfect shot of a baby’s yawn, sneeze, or toes. Please let me come and play with your little one. Or your not so little one (I still speak fluent Teen…). Or your Maltese. Or all of them together!
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How it works:
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Before the shoot, I give you some pointers about what your child should wear, how to get them in the mood for the shoot, etc.
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I show up at your place (or another mutually agreeable location in the Greater Portland area) with Betsy (my magical Canon EOS 30D Digital SLR), and my trusty laptop.
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We talk about what we’re trying to accomplish, get your youngster(s) relaxed and ready to go (if they’re little ones, we’ll go for the magical post-nap-post-feeding time).
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We’ll spend about an hour taking about 50 - 75 shots. After the shooting is done, we’ll go through what we’ve taken, and get down to 20 – 30 that you think have potential.
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I’ll go back to my cave and work with the good shots – do some minor editing, cropping, retouching, changing to black/white, etc.
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I’ll upload the images to Printroom, a top quality photo printing service. You (and your friends and family!) be able to order top quality prints from there if you please. | |
All for $149.
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Better Portraits
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There are many fairly simple things you can do to get better portraits.
Zoom all the way in on a 3x - 5x optical zoom (about midway on 8x - 10x), hold the camera vertically, and move to where your subject fills the viewfinder or LCD screen.
Ask your subject to look just slightly away from the camera's lens.
If taking a child's portrait, kneel down to their level.
This may not seem to make sense to you, but if you are outdoors, use the flash to fill in the shadows. To turn on the Fill-in flash, look for the symbol next to the button on your camera that looks like a lightening bolt and press it until you see the symbol on your LCD screen that represents the flash being on. Your camera will automatically compensate by setting the correct exposure if you are in an automatic mode. If you don't believe me, try taking the same shot with and without the Fill-in flash - you'll be surprised!
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Buying a Digital Camera
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There are many things to consider in buying a digital camera. Follow these suggestions to become clear about your needs, and to understand better what camera will have you happily snapping away.
First of all, really think about, and make a list of your personal needs and preferences regarding this camera before you shop. This list will drive decisions about camera size, resolution and features.
Some things to consider:
- Would you want to carry the camera in your pocket? Or would you rather have something bigger with controls that are easier to find and use?
- Will you be using it outdoors? Need something waterproof?
- How’s your eyesight? A larger monitor on the back may be important for you, and/or maybe a control on the viewfinder that adjusts for eyesight.
- Do you like to read manuals? Are you an advanced user? Or would a point and shoot be best for you?
- Only taking pictures of items to sell on e-bay, put on a website or send via email (no printing)? You’ll only need a low mega pixel model.
- Want large scale prints? You’ll need high resolution.
- Already have an SLR? The lenses you have may fit a digital SLR.
- Do you like a monitor that swivels so you can hold the camera over your head for shots?
- Will more than one person be using this camera? What is the lowest level of competency?
- Do you have media from another camera that you’ll want to use in this camera?
- Do you want to be able to take short movies? With sound?
After making your needs and preferences list, make a commitment to how much money you can spend on the camera considering the ‘Total Cost of Ownership’. What ‘extras’ will you need to buy as part of the original purchase, and what will be the costs down the road?
In addition to the camera, at the very least you need to factor in additional cost ($75 - $150) for a backup rechargeable battery, and media card(s) (the cards that come with the camera only hold a few shots).
Things that may or may not be optional for you include:
a) Camera bag
b) Accessory lenses (required for a digital SLR)
c) Tripod for stabilization
d) Computer upgrades such as memory, operating systems, CD burner to manage your digital image files
Be cautious with ‘Package Deals’ – it’s not a good deal if the price of the pieces add up to more than the actual sum of the parts, or, if you really don’t need all the things that come with the package!
Watch for older models that could meet your needs that may have dropped in price with the release of a newer model.
A few other things to consider:
- Optical vs. Digital Zoom - pay attention to OPTICAL zoom only – DIGITAL zoom is a manipulation of the picture by the camera software that likely will not give you as sharp an image as you’d like.
- How much zoom? If primarily shooting friends and family – 2x or 3x whould be plenty. Just be sure to get up close. If you want to shoot outdoor scenery, architectural elements etc – go for 5x+, and for wildlife/sporting events, consider 7x+ in addition to a high megapixel count that will enable you to crop and still get good prints.
- Battery – It’s really nice if the camera can use standard size batteries (AA), in which case you can throw in regular batteries in a pinch (special ‘Ultra’ types really do work better). Lithium batteries last the longest, but NiMH are also good.
- Resolution – More is usually better (unless you are only shooting for the web). Prints require a minimum of 200 pixels per inch to get a decent print – in context, you can get a great 16” X 20” from a 6 megapixel image. However, remember that if you crop a 6 megapixel image, you no longer have that many pixels (because you cut them off)… This is why the best combination is a high megapixel count, as well as a good zoom distance.
- Features you may want – movies with sound, panorama, manual control over shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, preset modes to help in difficult lighting situations, macro mode for close ups, burst mode (rapidly takes a series of shots), acceptance of specialty lenses and external flash units, microphone that enables you to record notes about your images as you take them which stay with the image.
- Shutter lag – there can be a delay while the camera focuses and adjusts for lighting. You will get what you pay for here – less expensive cameras as a general rule have longer lag.
- Ease of use vs. advanced features – Simple point and shoots take great shots, but consider a more feature rich camera if you like the control of a more sophisticated camera or want to ‘grow’ in your photography.
- Size – Small cameras are terrific for slipping into your pocket and having with you wherever you go, and small cameras don’t necessarily mean underpowered! Do consider however, that the features may be more difficult to find and use, and they can easily be dropped. The obvious trade off on a larger camera is that it’s, well, larger. And heavier.
- Zoom in capability on playback – this is a nice feature that enables you to look closely at the images you have taken to make sure you have gotten a sharp image, and that everyone’s eyes are open!
Comparative Shopping Search Engines
Looking for the absolute best prices for digital cameras or digital camera accessories? Search many online vendors at once by using a comparative shopping search engine which will give you prices from several vendors.
Be sure to consider:
- Shipping price – some actually have free shipping
- Does the vendor list the item "in stock" (you may still want to check the vendor's website just in case)
- Does the vendor charge sales tax
- A "rating" of the vendor by the shopping engine's users - whether or not they deliver as promised
Remember that listed prices may not reflect the actual prices on each vendor's website (they may be higher OR lower). Be sure to read other peoples' opinions and be careful when purchasing items from a vendor you have never heard of before. Plus, be careful with prices that seem too low to believe - some vendors may aggressively try to sell "package deals" that may or not be a good deal for you.
Here is a list of just a few comparative shopping search engines, provided for informational purposes only:
Camera Reviews
These sites do a great job with giving you all the specs about a camera, a professional’s opinion about it, and usually a picture of the camera.
My final word of advice is, after your purchase, DO NOT look at ads or shop anymore for whatever you bought! Doubtless, in no time, you find it cheaper somewhere!
If you still feel a need for more guidance, feel free to give me a call – I love to talk about cameras, would be happy to go shopping with you! Call 503.789.0968 or email rebecca@pixelegacy.com.
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Contact Info
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Pixelegacy by Rebecca Forbes
Portland Oregon
503.789.0968
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Couple ~ Family ~ Friends ~ Pets Portraits
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It’s not my intention with Couples to take pictures of the people involved, but rather to catch ‘the look’ that says ‘You still make me laugh after all these years’ or ‘I believe you’ll still make me laugh when we’re 64’. We'll bring up these expressions with a conversation that brings out expressions of mutual respect, pride, delight, shared history, thoughtfulness, wisdom, maturity, joy, love… that will bring out the best of how you connect to each other for the world to see.
Family ~ Friends ~ Pets shots involve conversations that are designed to bring out the rich connections you have with each other, connections honed by the good times, the bad times, and all the mundane times that hold you all together.
How it works:
-
Before the shoot, I give you some pointers about what to wear, how to get in the mood for the shoot etc.
-
I show up at your place (or another mutually agreeable location in the Greater Portland area) with Betsy (my magical Canon EOS 30D Digital SLR) and my trusty laptop.
-
We talk about what we’re trying to accomplish, get everybody relaxed and ready to go.
-
We shoot for an hour or so, taking 50 - 75 shots. We’ll look at the shots periodically on my laptop to make sure we’re on the right path, and by the end of the session, get down to 20 – 30 that you think have potential.
-
I’ll go back to my cave and work with the good shots – do some minor editing, cropping, retouching, changing to black/white etc.
-
I’ll upload the images to Printroom, a top quality photo printing service. You (and your friends and family!) be able to order top quality prints from there if you please. | |
All for $149.
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DIGITAL CAMERA 101 Table of Contents
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GENERAL CARE AND FEEDING OF YOUR DIGITAL CAMERA
Lens Cleaning
Misc Good-to-Knows
Accessories
Places to buy
Tripods and/or monopods
Cases
POWER SOURCES
Batteries
Types
Care and feeding
AC Adapters
IMAGE STORAGE DEVICES
Memory Cards
Portable Digital Storage Devices
‘Thumb’ or ‘Jump’ Drives
MENUS AND ‘NAVIGATION CONTROLS’
BEFORE YOU TAKE THE SHOT
Body position and grip to get sharpest shots
Viewfinder vs. LCD
Zoom and/or move closer to avoid the need to crop
Select resolution/compression settings/file format
Flash
Camera Modes - Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Self-Timer etc.
Framing to get the most pleasing, interesting result
Prefocus to help with shutter delay
REPLAY
Delete images in Playback mode
Protect images
Format the card
Connect and display with a TV
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