Printing 101: Introduction to Photography Printing Guide at 25% Off

Printing 101: Introduction to Photography Printing Guide at 25% Off
Photography Basics: Qualities of Natural Light
Perspectives of Fashion Photographers in “The Pit” (Video)

Posted: 18 Jul 2013 04:38 PM PDT

Like many disgruntled ink jet printer users, Pro photographer Ron Martinsen had almost given up on getting good quality prints. He found himself averaging about $50 per 4×6 print when you account for all of the clogged print heads, discarded printers, wasted paper, and ink costs. But through much research and in collaboration with Canon, Epson & HP he was finally able to develop a dependable printing workflow with great results. This eBook is a result of his efforts and we were able to negotiate a 25% discount for our readers for the next few days, simply use the discount code pictureprint at checkout. Found here: Printing 101

Printing 101 (Click to Learn More)

This book is the aggregation of 6 months and roughly 400 hours of an intense deep dive the author personally performed to get his head around complexities of the world of printing and color management. This research was supported by Canon, Epson and many other fine companies in the printing industry. He received assistance from both of these printer companies and other key companies in the industry as well as 10 professional photographers for whom printing is the most important part of their digital work flow. Printing is the realization of their artistic intent exactly as they intended it – without all of the limitations of poorly calibrated displays and inaccurate prints on cheap paper.

Some of the Many Topics Covered (100 Pages):

Choosing a Printer
Workspace Considerations
Image Preparation
Display Calibration
Color Management
Paper & Ink
Costs of Ownership
Getting Great Prints
Paper Profiles
Media Configurations
Black and White
Techniques from 10 Amazing Photographers and Print Masters
Software Recommendations & Tutorials
From Print to Sale Preparations
Setting a Price for your Printing Services
Conclusion

Pages from Printing 101 (Click to See More)

"The best photographers are always the best printers. But the best printers are not necessarily the best photographers." – Vincent Versace

How to Get a Discounted Copy This Week:

Our readers can receive 25% off until Monday, July 22 by using the discount code PICTUREPRINT at checkout. The guide comes in PDF format that can be read on computers, phones and most tablet computers (works great as a mobile reference out in the field). Also includes a full guarantee so there is no risk in trying it.

It can be found here: Printing 101 – Introduction to Photography Printing

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Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Photography Basics: Qualities of Natural Light

Posted: 18 Jul 2013 01:51 PM PDT

We all know that we need light to take pictures. If you’re planning to take pictures outdoors during the daytime, you might believe that light is the least of your concerns. While that might be somewhat true, many people don't realize that natural outdoor lighting has an effect on the overall look of their pictures. Natural light has different qualities. It may have warm tones or cool tones. Natural light can also be soft or hard. The quality of the light that shows in your images will depend on outdoor conditions (weather) as well as the time of day you are taking pictures.

Shadows are part of shooting in natural light, but you can use them to add interest and depth to your photographs. “Mesa Verde Colorado” captured by Federico Flores Moy. (Click image to see more from Federico Flores Moy.)

Something else to consider is the fact that sunlight creates shadows. Shadows are a part of nature, but depending on your subject, those shadows could enhance or detract from your picture. Another reason to “see the light” when you are taking pictures outdoors is the fact that the available light influences camera exposure settings that will produce a properly exposed picture. You can’t change the natural lighting outdoors, but paying attention to light will help you make better decisions about how and when you might want to take your pictures.

Cloudy Days and Sunny Days

Direct, bright sunlight on a clear day is considered to be hard light. Depending on the angle and intensity of that light, sharp edged shadows may be cast on your subject. Those shadows work well for some subjects, such as landscape scenes, but a portrait that shows one part of the subject’s face in shadows is usually not very flattering. Bright light and shadows also create more contrast in an image. Pictures with higher contrast will bring out more details in a subject or scene. The light on a cloudy, overcast day is not as bright or as hard as the light on a sunny day. Pictures taken on cloudy days have much less contrast than those taken on bright, sunny days. Pictures taken on cloudy days have very soft shadows, if there are any at all. The overall light on a cloudy/overcast day is pretty even, making it ideal for portraits. Take note that pictures taken in shaded areas on clear days will have pretty much the same light qualities as those taken under very cloudy conditions.

Color Tone and Time of Day

Many people don’t think about the color tone that will be in their pictures while they are taking the shots. Yet, as previously mentioned, the color tone in the atmosphere can have a distinct effect on the overall look of your pictures. The color tone on a very cloudy or overcast day is considered to be cool. The overall tone on a cloudy day is slightly bluish and gray. The natural colors of a scene or subject taken on a cloudy day will still show in your images. However, they won’t appear to be as bright or vivid as the same subject taken on a clear day. The colors will appear to be more subdued or cool.

The color tone of natural light varies throughout the day. “Đưa em đến trường” captured by Trandinhkhiem. (Click image to see more from Trandinhkhiem.)

On a clear day, during the hour or two after sunrise, the early morning light has a warm, yellowish color tone. The same is true for the hour or two before sunset. The hour or so after sunrise and before sunset is known as the golden hour(s). Many photographers love taking pictures at these times because of the warm tones, but also because the light is not as hard or harsh as it might be around midday. Since the sun is still near the horizon during these hours, it produces long shadows. However, these shadows are not quite as sharp and hard as shadows produced by midday sunlight. As the sun continues to rise, the warm tones gradually fade during the hours from mid-morning to midday.

The light at midday is considered to be neutral or colorless (as far as color tone). However, the midday light is the hardest light of the day and produces hard, sharp edged shadows. This type of light may work well for some subjects, but it is probably the least desirable type of lighting for portraits. After midday, the tone of the light in the atmosphere gradually begins to become warmer as we head into late afternoon. We then head toward another golden hour before sunset. All cameras have a white balance feature, which is designed to make sure that anything white in a scene shows as white in the picture. However, depending on your camera settings, it might cause the warm glow to be eliminated from your picture. On the other hand, your camera also has settings that can enhance the warmth or coolness of your images. Check your camera’s manual to see which white balance setting will work best for the effect you want.

“Boston Common” captured by Portraits by Louis. (Click image to see more from Portraits by Louis.)

Once again, you can’t change outdoor conditions when you’re taking pictures. But you should get to know how natural light affects your photos. There may be times when you have something specific in mind as far as what type of natural light would work best for a particular scene or subject. Now, since you know the main qualities of natural light, you will be able to make good decisions as to how and when you take those pictures.

About the Author:
Keith Jones writes for http://easybasicphotography.com. A site geared towards beginners through serious amateurs who want to learn a little more about basic digital photography.

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Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Perspectives of Fashion Photographers in “The Pit” (Video)

Posted: 18 Jul 2013 12:56 PM PDT

Ever wonder what it’s like to be one of those photographers at a fashion show sitting in the pit with their big telephoto lens snapping photos as fast as they can? They seem portrayed as paparazzi-esque, always over eager to get the next shot. But there’s a lot more to being a pit photographer than the surface shows. In this video, several fashion photographers, including Bruno Rinaldi, are interviewed about their experiences and opinions on shooting from the pit:

Gianna Pucci, freelance pit photographer for 25 years, says one of the biggest challenges in the industry is finding the right spot in the limited amount of time you’re given. If you ever find yourself in one of these time-crunch situations, here’s a list of things to do immediately:

Look for the Light - Obviously this is one of the biggest issues. If you have bad lighting, you have bad photos. So look around and take some test shots to see where the best lighting is and how you can position yourself to take advantage of it.

Avoid Potential Obstructions - If you’re early to an event, you may not realize that you’re setting up your camera behind where all of the guests will be sitting, or where the DJ will set up. Whatever your event may be, take a moment to think about what other people and things may block you from getting your shot.

Optimize Your White Balance - You want to do this early on so you’re not fumbling with your settings later. White balance can sometimes be tricky, especially if their is mixed lighting or the lighting changes over time.

Think About Action and Flow - Where will the most action be at this event? Will the flow change over time? Will your subjects migrate back and forth across a wide area, or generally stay within one small space? Place yourself appropriately according to these factors.

These tips are only for if you have to arrive last minute. If you have the time and accessibility, always scout a location beforehand so you can get an idea of the layout and lighting.