I spent one day in Central Park. It was a Saturday in June so it was very busy. It is an amazing place with every sort of man, woman and child imaginable doing anything and everything imaginable you could do in a park, and most of it was legal!

It is probably one of the most comfortable places to take candids and portraits of people. Those who generally make a spectacle of themselves (and there are quite a few that do) would nearly expect you to take their photo. The image of the roller skater is a typical example. Those skating where there to put on a show as was the case with this fellow. The more bottles you could balance on your head, the more your life was complete! So for those who are not generally comfortable shooting candids, me included, Central Park is a relaxed place to do it.

The amenities in Central Park include boating, baseball, Crochet, cycling, skating, to name just a few. There are also plenty of buskers and street entertainers there, particularly at the weekends, to keep you entertained.

The gymnastic group pictured here is a typical scene. A group of people who put on a short show usually performing tricks or stunts. Of course the hat is always passed around before the show is over.

There are also plenty of places, both open and hidden away, for a person to sit and relax. All these activities can give plenty of opportunity for candid images.

Central Park is really just one example I am using of places where an opportunity for candid images is great. In most cities and even towns around the world, there are parks that have similar amenities and attractions. Any given weekend you can go for a stroll through your local park and possibly find something worth shooting with your camera.

It is now the Creative Photography Course and like all our recently updated courses, uses the Moodle e-learning management system, which we have found to be very successful. The Course and new system is much more manoeuvrable and we are sure, a much easier learning experience.

When the Basic Photography Course was first rolled out in 2000, film was the main capture media and digital cameras were expensive, poor quality and few people had one. Therefore the course originally only gave mention that digital media existed. Through the years the course had many updates and digital matters increased dramatically with each update. However the framework of the old course still existed and made further changes to the course more and more difficult and time consuming.

Due to the ease of use of the e-learning system we are now using for our systems operators, updates will be much more frequent and ongoing. This is particularly important as the digital media landscape seems to constantly change. This means any new technologies, camera features or standards can be installed almost instantly with little or no upset to the existing course material, which had proved to be a problem with the old system.

The Creative Photography Course is the complete package for learning the art of photography. Our new flagship course is designed for the person who has no prior knowledge in photography. The course starts from scratch. At the end the student will be very competent and confident in the use of a camera and will learn how to take fantastic images.

So learn to Master the Art of Photography Online Today

Our answer is usually in short; no. Adobe Photoshop is a professional program that has a wide range of uses, not just still photography. Therefore it has many features, a good proportion of which the still photographer would never use. This versatility makes the software popular but complicated and expensive.

There are a good number of digital image editing programs that are directed at the still photographer at a fraction of the cost. The difference between the results achieved from the full Photoshop program and others is usually not noticeable (depending on the particular program) in the final result of image editing.

Most features from one program to the next are similar as well. Once the user is familiar with the features within a given program, the exact same results can be achieved, possibly in just a different manner, in another program.

Just one example of an alternative to the full Photoshop software would be from Adobe themselves: Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Photoshop Elements is aimed directly at the still photographer and can even be used on a professional basis for some photographic practices. It may be deemed as a “beginners” image editing software, but this is mainly due to the beginners options that are in the program. In fact the full editing option within the program is very similar to Photoshop. The difference between this program and the full Photoshop program is a lot of options that would not be a concern to the still photographer have been removed. This makes the program more user friendly and competitively priced.

Learn how to use and get the most from your image editing program, in particular Adobe Photoshop Elements with our Digital Imaging Course.

The Manual Mode setting.

Normally when you are about to take a few photos, you have a subject in mind. Therefore you can initially decide whether you need a fast shutter speed or maximum depth of field, etc. For example if it is a few sports photos, most likely there is action involved requiring a fast shutter speed. Simply adjust the Aperture to the smallest f-number, take a meter reading and then adjust the Shutter Speed until the meter reads correctly. If you feel the shutter speed is still not fast enough, then increase the ISO.

Likewise if depth of field is an issue, adjust the shutter speed to a minimum handheld shutter speed or slower if using a tripod. Then adjust the Aperture to higher f-numbers until the meter reads correctly. Again ISO can be adjusted if the Aperture value is insufficient.

Manual Mode is not one to be used all the time as it is slow to use. But it does have its advantages when there is time allowed to take good quality images. Also when used regularly, the photographer, especially beginners, gain a much better understanding of their camera and how a particular camera reacts in certain lighting situations.

So next time your out with the camera, get a bit of fun out of it in just trying to perfect that exposure using your own knowledge and initiative, you will find the reward in bagging a good image even better.

To learn all there is to know about exposure and the Manual Exposure Mode, enroll in our Basic Photography Course.

To create this effect, follow these steps:

1 – USE A TRIPOD! Without some way of keeping the camera rigid you are going to get blur from camera shake at shutter speeds below 1/60 of a second with a standard lens. Also, either use a cable release or the self timer on your camera to trip the shutter, this eliminates camera shake when the shutter button is pressed.

2 – Carefully focus on the area in the image that you want sharp with manual focus. Remember that what will remain sharp is anything that doesn’t move.

3 – Use as slow a shutter speed as light conditions will allow. 1/2 a second or slower will give the best results. The easiest way to determine the exposure necessary is by taking a meter reading using the highest f-number on your lens (usually between f16 and f32). Always use manual exposure mode (M) for this type of work for assured results.

4 – Choose a time of day (early morning or late evening) when light levels are low in order to acheive slow shutter speeds. Use slow ISO rating of 100 or lower. For a good effect don’t use flash, this only helps to freeze movement. Having said this, sometimes using flash and slow shutter speeds creates a nice affect.

A useful aid for getting shutter speeds even slower would be a neutral density filter.

If you would like to know all there is to know about using your camera, enroll in our Basic Photography Course today!

Most auto focus cameras use the central point of the viewfinder as the point of focus. Everything else in the image is ignored. Modern advanced cameras often have multi-zone focusing. Even with these extra focusing areas, unless you change the focusing area the central area of the viewfinder would still be the default area set the cameras. Single point systems are always read from the center of the viewfinder

There are various methods to focusing depending on the type of subject being photographed. With portrait and animal photography, whether it is man or beast, the most important part of the image to capture sharply is the eyes.

If the subject’s eyes aren’t sharp, it is a serious detriment to the image. With most portrait images the viewer will be directed straight to the eyes of the subject, this is a natural occurrence. Therefore the sharper and clearer the subjects eyes, the better the impact of the image.

With single zone cameras for portrait photos you aim the center of the viewfinder at the subject’s eyes when you activate the focusing system. Usually this is performed by half depressing the shutter button. If there is a need to compose the image with the eyes in another part of the frame, the focusing can be locked by holding the shutter button in the halfway position and recomposing before fully depressing the shutter button.

For multi-zone focusing cameras you can select the focus point area nearest the area to be focused upon. For portrait photos for example, you would normally turn the camera vertically, placing the subject’s eyes about a third of the way down the frame. Select the focus zone closest to the eyes, and focus, use the focus lock described earlier then recompose and fire.

Multi-zone focusing is very useful if your subject is not dead center. Simply because you can get the composition correct first, and then select the focusing zone you require for your off-center subject without having to move the camera again.

To learn all about focusing, depth of field and every other aspect of photography, join our Basic Photography Course.

Success as a Freelance Photographer demands good marketing and self promotion. The physical portfolio or book, which was usually deemed as the first introduction of a photographer to a client, is not quite the thing of the past. However these days the Internet is becoming a very popular source for editors and stock buyers in search of a photographer or photographs to fulfill a specific brief. Whether you are a portrait and wedding photographer, stock photographer or shooting for high end advertising, an online portfolio is almost essential and expected and brings you out to the widest possible audience.

Online portfolios can work well but they can be rather static, particularly if they are not updated by the photographer themselves. Once seen by a prospective buyer, if they don’t see exactly what they want, or see little has changed from their last visit, they may move on.

The best option is probably the Weblog or Blog. Blogs are dynamic as they are ever changing journals and probably one of the easiest forms of self promotion. Once regularly updated, it can keep potential clients up to date with the work you are doing. Almost all blogs are user friendly enough for anyone with adequate computer experience to use, meaning there is no need to hire a webpage designer to do the work for you.

Learn everything about how to earn money from your photography whether on a part time or full time basis, take our Freelance Photography Course.

A few simple steps can reduce the chance of your images being used by others without permission.

1. Keep images small.
The bigger the image, the more versatile its uses. For most Internet uses, there is no need to make an image bigger then the size of the average computer screen, but it should be big enough to appreciate. A good size for most display purposes is a maximum of 600 pixels on the longest side of the image. Smaller if it displays well at a smaller size. This will prevent your images from being altered, for example removal of watermark or copyright mark.

2. Disable “Save Picture As”
Right clicking on an image in most web pages allows a person to save an image to their computer. This can be disabled on the webpage your image is displayed and in most cases will issue a copyright notice. However it is easily bypassed by experienced web users so it is only a preventative measure.

3. Double Layering
When dealing with your own website, a transparent box can be placed over your images. Then if someone attempts to save your image by right clicking, they will only save the transparent box.

4. Use the image Metadata to store your ownership information.
In an images Metadata file information can be added such as your name and details about the image including your claim to copyright. This will make the image even more identifiable as your own if it is found on someone elses website. However be sure not to include personal information that you do not want others to see.

5. Put your name visibly on the image (Copyright Mark)
Simply type your name on the image either across one corner. Alternatively it can be put across the whole image partially transparent so it doesn’t take too much from the image. Not the prettiest result but it will deter those who might want to use the image for their own purposes.

None of these options will keep your images 100% secure. Remember once your image is displayed on a public website, it is prone to being copied and used for other purposes. However using at least one of these options will deter unscrupulous web users.

For more detailed information on preparing your images for the Internet please see our Digital Imaging Course.

The courses are:

Wedding Photography, a complete new course for earning YOU money while making the bride and groom a very happy couple. From marketing, the pre-shoot, wedding and after processing and sales. We take you all  the way. Prior knowlege of photography is requried (i.e. our Basic Photography course).

Digital Imaging, this course is designed to show you how to use PhotoShop Elements 7 or similar to enhance and manipulate your digital images on a PC.

Works in progress:

The Basic Photography course,  for both digital and film cameras is being updated and ported to Moodle and should be available in the new year.

The Glamour Photography course, is being updated and with new extra lessons and ported to Moodle also available in the new year.

As you can see, we have been busy behind the scenes to enable all of you to become photographers with School of Photography.com,

So what are you waiting for? enrol today at pre 2010 fees, remember you can start the course any time you wish, and take as long as you need to complete it. For a full course list and fees please visit the main site at http://www.schoolofphotography.com

Enjoy

The course instruction starts from the beginning assuming you know
little or nothing about digital imaging and techniques. Learning at home
or the office in your own time, all you need is the Internet to access
your digital course material.

Just imagine being able to create stunning images on your PC. Delve into
the magic of the digital darkroom with our fully illustrated lessons,
full tutor support throughout the course.

There are 5 modules, accessible from day 1, with both theory and
practical projects for you to complete which will monitor your progress.
All the projects are graded with helpful extensive critiques from your
tutor. It is the perfect foundation to build a hobby or career in the
art of Digital Photography.

This course now uses the Moodle Course Management System used by top
Universities and Colleges worldwide,

Look at some of the features below, you can master all of these with
School of Photography.com.

The digital course includes

Capturing your digital image
Processing your digital image
Using Layers
Filters
Digital Renovation
Digital Image Manipulaton
Printing
Presentation and more…

On successful completion of the digital course you will also receive a
graded School of Photography Certificate in Digital Imaging Photography
to frame.

For further information and course syllabus go to
http://www.schoolofphotography.com/digital_photography_course.html

You can see our reasonable fees and enrol for any of our courses today,
just go to Course Fees