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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.



Holiday Time



Just to let you know that we are off to the beautiful waterways of Kerala in southern India for a well earned rest. Well a complete rest for my wife Sally because I shall be putting the Olympus E-P2 through its paces - it's a tough job but someone's got to do it! I'll be publishing my findings in the Product Reviews section when we return in March.

During my last trip to India, I grabbed a few shots in the Golden Triangle area - Delhi ... Agra ... Jaipur - and wrote an article for the Photography Tutor section.. Here's a slideshow, so turn up your sound system and sit back - I hope you share my passion for Rock Guitar!!

Enjoy your photography ...


Permalink -- click for full blog post "Holiday Time"


From Slides to Digital - A New Booklet

Dr John McCormack ARPS - author of our Super Macro Photography Masterclass - has just published a new booklet -

"From Slides to Digital" is aimed at folk who make presentations at meetings but contains information that will be useful to all photographers - whether you are already into digital photography, thinking about it or just have a large collection of slides.
The booklet has the following sections:
  1. Projectors and projection
  2. Screens
  3. Digital photographs - picture images
  4. Setting up for a lecture
  5. Converting film-slide photographs to digital picture image files
  6. Adjusting the picture images
  7. Making up the lecture
  8. The presentation process
  9. More picture image preparation
  10. Adding text/titles to picture images
  11. Maps and photographs
  12. Lists and scripts
  13. Highlighting parts of picture images
  14. Projection programmes
  15. Projecting single images in that ‘questions to answer’ section
  16. The lecture - finally...
"From Slides to Digital" was written for the Hardy Plant Society so has a few botanical references and illustrations, but it is eminently suitable for any society, group or individual  who is now concerned to upgrade to a digital system.

It can be downloaded to any computer in PDF format to print A4 size, and there is also a further File for A5 double sided (duplex) printing with printing instructions. The files are free when downloaded from the HPS website provided the Society's name and logo are not altered or erased.

Click for more info


Swarovski Spotting Scope - An Outstanding Alternative for Photographers.

Swarovski Spotting Scope Review - Why this scope is a viable long lens alternative for wildlife photographers.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Swarovski Spotting Scope - An Outstanding Alternative for Photographers."


Photography Composition - Understanding the basics can revolutionise your shots.

It’s a truism that, however good your camera is, your shots will stand or fall by your understanding of good photography composition.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Photography Composition - Understanding the basics can revolutionise your shots."


Want something different for Valentine's Day?

Better Photographs Slideshows
If you are looking for something a bit different to send to your loved one this year, take a look at what the Guys at Animoto have come up with.

Click for more info


Digital Photography Masterclass - Tom Ang

It's easy to see why digital photography has overtaken analog in popularity-it's affordable, convenient, versatile, and, above all, it makes photography more fun than ever before. Tom Ang's latest book is an in-depth, inspirational, and uniquely practical guide to every aspect of digital photography.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Digital Photography Masterclass - Tom Ang"


Free downloadable photographs, free help and now you can help as well.

At Better Photographs you can get free help from fellow photographers, receive free downloadable photographs and give your help as well.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Free downloadable photographs, free help and now you can help as well."


Combining Two Great Pastimes

Our first Masterclass for 2010 is about Underwater Photography.

This fascinating pastime is no longer just for professionals with loads of expensive equipment.

We are seeing more and more everyday compact cameras capable of taking superb photos underwater.
Paul Shepherd is a very experienced diving instructor and an accomplished photographer who has been recording the sights he sees almost every day in the seas off Zanzibar's coastline.
In this masterclass he shares some of the key lessons he has learned in perfecting his photographic skills and provides us with an insight as to what it is like to take a photographic adventure with him at the Rising Sun Dive Centre in Zanzibar.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Combining Two Great Pastimes"


Mastering Speedlight Photography - The secrets of stunning portraits.

Speedlight photography becomes straightforward thanks to Damien Lovegrove's comprehensive DVD.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Mastering Speedlight Photography - The secrets of stunning portraits."


How much Infra-red for a Model?

Last October we invited your vote on the use of infra-red equipment in wildlife photography competitions. We did this in the light of the image of a wolf which won the prestigious "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" competition. Without exception, you voted that images triggered by the animal itself should be in a separate category in wildlife competitions.

Following a recent investigation by the owners of the WPOY, it appears likely that the winning image was of an animal model.

A statement has been issued - "It saddens us to confirm that after a careful and thorough investigation into the image, the storybook wolf, the co-owners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, the Natural History Museum and BBC Worldwide have disqualified the winning entry of the photographer Jose Luis Rodriguez."

A full statement is available on the Natural History Museum website.

We believe that the "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" will continue to be a highly respected competition of complete integrity. However, if it is to maintain its appeal to honest photographers, we feel that clear lines need to be drawn. Shameful cheating aside, we maintain that the use of technology has its place but needs to be set apart in the case of infra-red. We believe that the photographer should actually depress the shutter at the instant of capturing the image, albeit directly or by wireless control. Infra-red can assist the creation of superb images but such images should be categorised separately in wildlife competitions.

Click here and let us know what you think.

Your anonymous collective vote will be presented to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year organisers and to the Royal Photographic Society.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "How much Infra-red for a Model?"


A Photographer's Dream

Hello from the Hampshire Snowdrifts. We've been snowed in for a week or so; even when we have managed to walk to the local shops the cupboard is bare because deliveries by lorry are not possible. Like the rest of Britain, what has been a nightmare for most folk, has been a dream for photographers. Snow Falls On Tisted

I'm no exception so a couple of days ago I wrapped up warm, set up the camera - (remembering to dial in over-exposure to render the snow as white. Actually +0.7 compensation with the shutter set to 3 bracketed exposures of 1 stop. Not just as a safeguard, but because I prefer to use HDR techniques when necessary. Few of the scenes I shoot have straight enough horizons for graduated filters.) - and set off in search of some "great" images.

Three hours later I returned home with 250 shots and cold wet feet - my boots had sprung a leak. Unperturbed, I reviewed my images on the PC. Were they all "great"? Of course not. One or two that I might exhibit perhaps but a lot more that, even though they are just average, tell the story of the first time in a generation or so that snow did fall in Hampshire.

What to do? Leave them on the hard drive to rot? Post them to Facebook or elsewhere to be forgotten?

OR

Put together a slideshow set to music, with a difference. Take a look at "Snow Falls On Tisted". Perhaps you might produce something similar? If you do, let me know so other readers can share in it.

Snow Falls On Tisted Finally, one image is very different. It was inspired by my friend Damien Lovegrove. Whilst he specialises in Portrait Photography, with particular attention to lighting, I had a go at applying one of his ideas to this image - simple use of a reflective surface and an off-camera flashgun. Which reminds me of my next project - to watch Damien's latest instructional video - "Speedlight Mastery". I'll let you know what I think of it in a day or so.

Bring on the thaw - the golf course is calling!!

Permalink -- click for full blog post "A Photographer's Dream"


Great Wildlife Pictures - How to take that Special Photo.

Wish you had taken those great wildlife pictures? Well here's how you can.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Great Wildlife Pictures - How to take that Special Photo."


The Tenties or the Teenies?!?

HAPPY NEW YEAR

We begin 2010 with your free downloadable photograph - "Until Tomorrow".

The sun sets on an idyllic island in The Maldives bringing peace to an area where, just five years ago, debris from the violent tsunami across the Indian Ocean was washed up on its beaches.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Tenties or the Teenies?!?"


Merry Christmas

Hi,

Just taking a break from hanging the holly and stuffing the turkey to wish all Better Photographs readers a very Merry Christmas.

Thank you for your support throughout the year and I look forward to hearing more from you in 2010.

John


Learn Landscape Photography

Learn Landscape Photography This masterclass assumes you have read what John Perriment covered in Better Landscape Photography about the importance of light, particularly around dawn and sunrise, and takes it further..

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Learn Landscape Photography"


Olympus Cameras - The Pen

Photography Review Pen Thinking I had enough camera equipment and that I would be very unlikely to change to a different system (yet again), I let all the Micro Four Thirds hype pass me by.

But then I was asked to try an Olympus Pen.

Bother. I'm liking it and I'll be doing a review of the Olympus E-P1 in the New Year. I mention this now because you might like to take a look behind the scenes at the filming of the new TV ads featuring Kevin Spacey and enter the prize draw.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Olympus Cameras - The Pen"


Macro Photography Courses for 2010

New Macro Photography Courses by John Bebbington are announced.

John specialises in close-up photography of flowers and insects and has been leading photography courses in the UK and abroad since 1979. He also lectures to Photographic and Natural History societies.

In 1991 he was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society for a panel of slides on the theme of - Protective Colouration in European Lepidoptera.




Over 2,000 of our readers have benefited from John's  masterclass -

Close Up Photography

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Macro Photography Courses for 2010"


Modeling Tips - Advice from a Successful Model.

If you want to get the most out of your photography session, these modeling tips from successful model and actor, Steven Hooper are valuable to you whether you are a photographer or a model.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Modeling Tips - Advice from a Successful Model."


Portrait and Wedding Photography Books - A Selection of Good Buys

A selection of Portrait and Wedding Photography Books which have helped our visitors take Better Photographs.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Portrait and Wedding Photography Books - A Selection of Good Buys"


Your Vote is Needed

In October, the results of the "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" were announced and the overall winning image was an outstanding photograph of an Iberian Wolf.

Like last year's winning image of a Snow Leopard, the wolf triggered the photograph itself as it cut an infra-red beam.

Whereas the winning photographer set up the necessary equipment to take the photograph, he did not fire the shutter himself.

This posed a question - should photographs triggered remotely by the animal itself and not the human photographer be in a separate category in wildlife competitions?

Since we asked this question, the BBC Wildlife Magazine has published readers' letters which also beg this question. In view of this, I intend writing to the magazine with the results of our survey. We have some but we need more votes to have a more realistic sample.

Please share your view by voting here.

By the way, there is currently a special Christmas offer available on the BBC Wildlife magazine.

Click for more info


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