(1) Monthly Photography
Challenge
Take
a Picture of Cars
Top
Three Pictures Win an iPod!
Ever wonder why
nobody was smiling in the old black and white portraits? In the early 1800s,
while photography was just being invented, exposures would take minutes and
sometimes even hours. The long shutter speeds made the photographers take
creative measures to allow for sharp portrait photography. Professionals would
place people in chairs and head braces to keep them still for many minutes. Not
exactly the best way to capture a smile, right?
With the last decade of advances in digital
photography, the technical aspects are now much easier and affordable. This
freedom gives you more time to work on posing of your subjects and mastering
the expression of a person. Do not forget to keep an eye out for your lighting
situation either. The article links below will help give you an advantage for
this month’s challenge. All of us in the photo community enthusiastically anticipate
your photographic piece of art.
Taking this challenge will make you a
better photographer as you compete with photographer friends from around the
world. We are looking for unique images that still bear the basic
essentials of composition and technical excellence. If your photograph is in
the top three, you win a free iPod.
RULES:
- Resize your image to 800 pixels
at the largest dimension.
- Save your image as a JPEG. Be
sure to save at a high quality setting.
- Write a short summary of the
photograph and your techniques behind the photograph.
- You must be the photographer
who took the picture.
- Only one image submission per
challenge is allowed per membership.
- Winners will be announced on March
1st.
Watch how to
compress your picture properly in Adobe Photoshop CS5
Watch how to
compress your picture properly in Microsoft Office Picture Manager
Failure
to follow the above rules could result in disqualification. We recommend you
open your photograph in a photo viewer program to preview your resized
photograph. We look forward to seeing your image so get out there and start taking
pictures. Hopefully the Photo Challenge will take your photographic
skills to the next level.
2) January 2012 Seasonal
Changes Photo Enhancement
See how John Warton suggests to improve a handful of pictures from last month’s
challenge.
January 2012
Seasonal Changes Photo Enhancement
3) Tips
for Photographing Portraits
Scouting
the right location and posing for your portraits is sometimes easier said than
done. There are several tips that the pros use for taking fresh, creative
portraits. Studying good portrait photography will help make you a better
photographer. Be willing to try new techniques in your photography. How does a
catchlight add to a portrait? How can red-eye problems be reduced or avoided? Read the articles below to become prepared,
not scared, with the camera.
Photographing People
Natural Looking Portraits
Introduction to Catchlights
10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits
