by Bob Dale
Our fascination with capturing images started thousands of years ago. Prior to the invention of the camera, early man tried to capture images through paintings and drawings. The images, of course, weren’t exact mirrors of the subjects; they were mostly a reflection of the skills of the painter and his interpretation of his subject. Minneapolis photographer Bob Dale says “With the introduction of the camera, though, we can now capture our subjects in their exact likeness through photographs.”
Photos (or photographs) are images created when light falls on photographic film or electronic imager (e.g., CCD or CMOS chip). To create a photo, you would need a camera. Photography is the process of creating photographs.
Photos are either non-digital or digital. Film cameras produce non-digital photos. Non-digital photos are printed by way of processing the film or negative in a dark room.
Digital cameras, on the other hand, produce digital photos. Instead of using film, digital cameras use a memory card or other storage device to save pictures. TIFF, JPEG and RAW are just some digital photo formats. Some digital cameras can be connected directly to a printer for printing photos, while some allow you to connect the camera directly to the computer, transfer the photos and print them straight from the computer.
As digital cameras became more advanced and more affordable, more and more people have found themselves being able to realize their dream of becoming a photographer. The digital cameras today are extremely easy to use and allow for taking hundreds of photos without the need for film.
Digital cameras have also become affordable. In fact, there are digital cameras that can be had for under $100. And as digital technology advances, more powerful digital cameras are being introduced in the market. “Even our cell phone like the Apple Ipod have become our cameras AND our display device” says professional digital photographer Bob Dale.
It’s a good idea to learn some of the basic methods and techniques of photo composition. But even if you’re the point-and-click type of photographer, a quality digital camera can help you create some great looking shots.
Canon, Nikon and Fuji are three of the top names in the digital camera market. If you want to be able to take great photos, you can accomplish just that by using any of these digital cameras: Canon EOS series (e.g., Canon EOS 5D, Canon EOS 30D and Canon EOS 40D), Nikon D80 and Fuji S5.
Look no further than Canon if you’re in the market for a quality digital camera. Canon sets the standard for digital photography with the digital cameras in the Canon EOS series. Whether you’re an amateur or professional photographer, the cameras in the Canon EOS series are some of the best digital SLRs in the market.
The digital cameras in the Canon EOS series are professional grade cameras capable of taking impressive digital photos. These cameras use Canon’s 10.1 megapixel CMOS technology. If you’re looking for a high-end digital camera, start with these digital cameras.
The Nikon D80 digital SLR camera one of the top rated digital cameras today, capable of taking professional quality photographs. It has a 10.2 megapixel CCD imaging sensor, a large LCD screen (2.5 inches) and a host of features that lets you do some in-camera editing. Carrying a mid-range price tag of $700 to $900, the Nikon D80 is ideal for photo enthusiasts who don’t have a big budget to spend on a camera, as well as for those who are new to using SLR cameras.
If you’re thinking of becoming a professional photographer, the Nikon D300 is a very good investment. With a price tag that starts from $1,700, the Nikon D300 is a top of the line digital SLR camera that supports live viewing, which allows you to preview shots on the LCD screen; you won’t need to look through the viewfinder.
There are several Fuji S5 digital camera models, but if you’re struggling with your photography skills, the Fuji S5 Pro digital camera is ideal because it has auto correcting features. Other features include 12.3 megapixels CCD SR Pro technology, three new film simulation modes that help improve the reproduction of natural skin tones, and facial detection technology, which enables you to zoom in on facial details quickly and easily. This digital camera costs about $1,500.
With digital cameras, it’s extremely easy to print and share photos with others. You can seamlessly transfer your photos from your digital camera to your computer, e-mail those photos to people in your address book, and even upload them on FaceBook, Flickr, MySpace and other photo sharing websites that give you web space for your own online photo gallery.
There are some inexpensive software that will let you create slide shows from your digital photos and save them in CDs to mail out to friends and families. You can even edit your photos before sharing them. There are photo editing software packages that will let you combine stock photography with your pictures to create effects that are uniquely yours.
With a digital camera, photo editing software, a few stock photos and a little bit of creativity, you’ll discover that you don’t have a limit for your photographic expressions. Some digital cameras allow for minor editing (e.g., correcting red eye, lighting and flesh tones), and there are small portable printers that allow for printing photos straight from the camera. Most of these photo printers have special photo effects like borders built in.
You can shoot and print your photos quickly and easily with digital photography. You don’t need to mess with film or know how to process the photos yourself.
by Louise Servage
Sometimes it seems as though surprise parties are impossible these days with Blackberries, email and text messaging all posing as a spoiler. The perfect surprise party is possible though. If you wish to throw a surprise Bridal shower there are a few things to keep in mind and which will help to make it the best surprise shower possible.
The First Step
The first thing you are going to need to do is make up the guest list. You really cannot go any further before you do this because you are going to need to find out who is willing to come, what days are good for everyone, how far they are going to be able to travel and so on.
Write up the guest list not forgetting to include the bride-to-be’s best friends and family members, the number of people that you invite is really up to you and how big a party you think the bride would feel comfortable with.
Choose the Date
The phase in planning the surprise shower is to actually set the date. This can be somewhat tricky, because more than anything you are going to have to make sure that the bride herself is able to make it on that date, but without letting her know what you are up to.
Speaking to the fianc to see if you can gain his assistance in the setting of the day, and if possible try to get a hold of her day planer/date book, without being overly nosy, you can check to see what dates she has free.
Keeping The Bride In The Dark
For the duration of the planning and preparing stages of the surprise Bridal shower you are going to need to make sure that the soon to be bride is kept blissfully in the dark and busy.
Without making it too obvious that you are trying to get her out of the way, you should by now have her busily occupied with other tasks (preferably elsewhere) while you and the other girls are busy working away to make sure that her bridal shower is just right.
Keeping Everyone Quite
Bridal showers can be very exciting, especially a Bridal shower surprise, but you have to make sure that everyone keeps quiet.
The more people each person tells about the surprise party the more likely that it is going to leak out and the guest of honor will find out about the surprise, so make sure that all of the invited guests are tight lipped and keep it on a need to know basis.
