Better Photographs Blog
"Summary of What's New"
This is where to find my most recently added pages, along with other news and information that will help you to produce better photographs.
If you have not come across Blogs and RSS before, they have many advantages. They enable you to control what you receive, ensure that you never miss the news that you want and you don't have to keep revisiting your favourite websites to keep up to date on the latest information - click here to find out more.
Watching You Watching Me
"Pongo pygmaeus"
February's wallpaper is a little early as I leave for a trip to South Africa on Monday.
Last year saw another milestone for Better Photographs - our 200,000th reader. Thank you to you all for your support and please keep those questions and comments coming in. It's the only way I can be sure of adding the things that you want to see on the site.
Cheerio until next month when I hope to return with some new images for the landscape gallery and material for my own paintography collection.
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "Watching You Watching Me"
The Sky at Night
"Stargazing"
If you watched the latest series with Professor Brian Cox and Dara O Briain then you might be considering a telescope or spotting scope. Here's a review of the scope i used to photograph this image -
If you missed this fantastic series, it's on iPlayer at - http://stargazing.betterphotographs.co.uk
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Sky at Night"
Time for another Competition ...
"Wildlife Photographer of the Year"
The search is now on for the Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2012.
As ever, this popular and prestigious competition looks for outstanding wildlife photography from both talented amateurs and established professionals, young and old. Images must faithfully represent the natural world while showing technical and artistic creativity over the 18 categories.
This year there are a few category award changes - so look out for these before you enter the competition.
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "Time for another Competition ..."
Best of Both Shots ...
"Digital Photo Blending"
Digital photo blending, or exposure blending as it is also known, is a very effective way of combining two or more photos of the same scene for special effect - movement and sharpness for example.
Ricardo Da Cunha reveals more tips & tricks to help you achieve professional results.
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "Best of Both Shots ..."
First Things First
"Holding the Camera"
The one thing in your photography technique that you should pay extra special attention to -
 | I cannot remember how many times friends have shown me their photos and one or two of them have been blurred. They usually tell me that it was because the subject moved or that they did not have a very good camera.
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Almost always, this was not the case. It was usually because the camera was not steady!
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "First Things First"
Using a New Camera
"Preparing your Thoughts"
Having chosen your new camera you are possibly about to experience one of photography's more frustrating times; having to wait before you can use it - well until it's delivered or you receive it, maybe as a Christmas gift, anyway. NOW is the best time to prepare for getting the most out of it ...
 | There it sits, one of the first gifts under the tree, all gift wrapped and tempting - camera, instructions and all.
Enter the internet. Most manufacturers publish the instructions for their cameras on their websites these days, so there is an opportunity to prepare for your new camera before opening the box.
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Every camera I have used in the last few years has included functions that I didn't even know about.
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "Using a New Camera"
A New Camera?
"Christmas is Coming"
Because of the popularity and reputation of Better-Photographs.com, I am thrilled to report that I have been asked to contribute a regular weekly Blog for the Great British Life website.
This is blatant trumpet blowing BUT I fully acknowledge that any success has only been achieved because of your support - either as a reader or as a contributor by sharing your articles and photographs. THANK YOU ONE AND ALL.
The Great British Life site has over 200,000 hits per week so hopefully the free help available on Better Photographs will benefit an even wider community.
Given the time of year, the first article to be published is "A New Camera". Although you are probably past the point where you need the ideas I have written, I have added the article to Better Photographs for any newcomers.
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "A New Camera?"
Discover how to achieve professional results.
"Digital Landscape Photography"
20 Tips & Tricks to Achieve Professional Results by Ricardo Da Cunha.
Learn from an outstanding photographer who believes that our existence has a purpose.
He reveals 10 beginner tips and tricks to steer your landscape photography in the right direction and another 10 advanced tips and tricks to build on the first and get you achieving professional looking results with your DSLR in no time!
"I believe our only true obligation in life is to listen to our heart and discover what it is that we’re here for. My reason for being is to help protect and conserve what little we have left by inspiring people to see and experience the scenes that I’ve witnessed. By doing so I hope to raise our awareness of the importance of conservation and to ultimately influence changes in our attitudes and behaviour." - Ricardo Da Cunha |
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "Discover how to achieve professional results."
Paintography - bringing out the painter in you.
"Overflow"
December's Free Downloadable Photographis taken in Kennall Vale - Tucked away in a wooded valley near the village of Ponsanooth, the old Gunpowder Works were in operation from the 1800s until the early 20th Century, when they were forced to close due to the invention of dynamite.
Today, the remains stand in a nature reserve maintained by The Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Original Photo Capture - RAW f/16.0 6.4 sec ISO 100 (Matrix Metering)
Paintographic Image produced using Digital Brush Techniques
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "Paintography - bringing out the painter in you."
How To Dance With A Panda
"The Google Waltz"
This post contains very important information if you have, or are considering a website.
If not, help any of your friends who do by forwarding this to them.
Google have a tool known as Panda which, like it or not, is of major significance when it comes to determining the rankings of your website and therefore your "traffic".
The latest version of Panda is Panda 2.5.2 which was implemented last month. It has changes in its algorithm which have had a major impact on website rankings - a survey suggests that 66% of sites are already affected very significantly.
For some, this was good news in that their rankings improved; others were not so fortunate!
All search engines have such algorithms and it is therefore very difficult to keep up to date with them and to maintain our websites so as to "appeal" to them and be rewarded with high rankings. "Above the fold" on the first page of Google is, of course, the holy grail we seek.
Better-Photographs.com has been ranked number 1 (occasionally slipping to number 2) for many of its pages for over 3 years and has attracted 200,000+ readers this year. It has done so without requiring me to be an internet wizard (perish the thought) and keep pace with the search engines' tunes and tempos.
The "About this Site" page explains how this success was achieved but the bottom line is that I use a service which provides all that is needed to own a website that works - SBI!.
The folk at SBI! keep pace with the Panda (and all the other Algorithmic Animals) and ensure that my websites' success is maintained.
Best wishes,
John Curgenven
Editor
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Photo Ideas - Things to do with your Images.
Here are some photo ideas that you might like to try out with your better photographs.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Photo Ideas - Things to do with your Images."
The Colour Wheel
"An Indispensable Therapy"
Colour has a fundamental psychological effect on us. Imagine how depressing it would to live in a world drained of colour. Colour inspires and motivates, and even helps us make sense of the world (red for stop, green for go, yellow and black for danger).
As photographers, we need to be sensitive to colour, and understand how we can use it - and sometimes manipulate it - to make great images.
If photography is about recording and celebrating the world around us, colour is a crucial part of that world.
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Colour Wheel"
Holding the Camera - Fundamental to Better Photographs
Holding the Camera - Getting this right is one of the basics for your better photographs.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Holding the Camera - Fundamental to Better Photographs"
Dropbox - File sharing made easy ...
Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere. This means that any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, phones and even the Dropbox website. Dropbox also makes it super easy to share with others, whether you're a student or professional, parent or grandparent. Even if you accidentally spill a latte on your laptop, have no fear! You can relax knowing that Dropbox always has you covered, and none of your stuff will ever be lost.
Click for more info
More Superb Photographs
Timothy Smith
Timothy creates Fine Art Landscape images using the subtleties of natural light. His standard for work is that each picture must be artistically and technically excellent.
He adheres to the principle that the image be created in camera and he works hard to achieve this essential objective.
"Ultimately I hope to draw the viewer in to an image and make them feel as if they were there at the time of capture."
Timothy exhibits from time-to-time but his main outlet is from a number of quality Art & Craft Fairs in Essex and adjoining counties.
His locally based workshops have been chosen by a number of photographers keen to improve their landscape skills.
Timothy's website - www.timothysmithphotography.co.uk
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "More Superb Photographs"
Ghoulies and Ghosties ...
Ghosts in the Night
Something a little different for this month's Free Downloadable Photograph showing the spirit of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Race which will be in Australasian waters during November.
This month's "Book of the Month" by Tony Worobiec is all about Night and Low-Light photography.
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "Ghoulies and Ghosties ..."
Digital Photography Workflow
Workflow to avoid Overflow
A disciplined photography workflow is essential if you want to spend more time behind the camera than in front of the computer.
Here's a summary of mine which has been refined during my 50 years of photography, transitioning from film to digital during the last 10 years (most of my film equipment is now in a museum). My career included work with process and project management systems and relational databases. This experience has been useful in evolving a photography workflow method which works well for me.
I hope that this provides at least a foundation for you to adapt to the way in which you prefer to work.
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Permalink -- click for full blog post "Digital Photography Workflow"
Did you forget to turn IS on? ...
Blurred Photos
With this around the corner you might ask "How good is my camera's Image Stabilization?" ...
This may take a while to load as demand to view it is very high.
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Inspiration from David Cowling
Gallery of Better Photographs
Superb new landscape photographs by David Cowling to inspire you in the gallery.
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Click for more info
Photography News.
Global-Source Photography News from Bing & Google.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Photography News."
New! Comments
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