After I started printing my photos, I noticed a decrease in the quality of photos the more I printed/downloaded them. It got to the point where they were getting fuzzier and fuzzier and no amount of sharpening helped. That's when I found out that any photo you want to keep in high quality, must be saved as a "tiff" or tagged information file folder. (If you don't do this, every time to download the photo or view it, it will lose a bit of it's image quality.) In essence, it takes a photo, puts a "fence" around it, and doesn't allow any of the photo to escape during a download. It also uses a lot of memory since it will take a photo and double or triple the amount of memory used in the original JPEG (if that's what you downloaded it as). So the next time you "adjust" your photo, save it as a "tiff", and you'll have that "original" photo for a long time with NO loss of image quality.
Printing photos has become one of my favorite things to do, but you have to do it right. If I print a photo and the colors don't look right, it is headed for the trash. (Usually a clog on the printhead). Sometimes I'll have to print a photo five or six times to ensure the quality is up to my high standards. I've actually had friends get upset with me for destroying what I thought was an "inferior" quality print, but one they thought looked "great". One thing I've learned, is that when you do things right the FIRST time, you save yourself a lot of time and headaches in the future. Nothing like having someone notice a "spot" on your photo that you missed because you were in a hurry. When you keep high standards for your photos, you wont be disappointed, and your work will be appreciated by everyone who sees it. Don't take shortcuts when printing your photos, or you'll only be disappointed in the end result. Blemishes, banding (stripes on the photo caused by the printhead), discolorations, etc., are all reasons to trash a print. No one likes "mediocre" work, so keep your standards high, do it right the first time, examine your prints THOROUGHLY, and enjoy the compliments when they come your way!!
One of the favorite things about my Nikon 8800 is it's ability to "freeze" motion. If I go to the scene selection function, it allows me all types of programs to work with, literally making the camera a piece of cake for the novice. But because of it's 8.0 megapixel ability, enlarging photos (I've taken them up to 17x22 INCHES with incredible clarity) with the "freeze" speed produces GREAT airplane shots. Many of my airplane beach shots in SXM almost look fake because of their clarity and the ability of the camera to "stop" the motion. Taking the shots is easy, but getting the timing right is the hard part. Digital cameras have a lot of lag between pushing the shutter button and the picture being taken. With LOTS of practice, you can determine when and how fast to push the shutter button. I've captured wonderful sunsets, waves, and airplanes by practicing, practicing and practicing some more.
Check out my shots at http://www.photosbykarl.net/
I often carry two cameras with me. Why? Because sometimes one camera will capture the "moment" better than the other. Oftentimes I'll shoot the same picture with both cameras several times and select the best image. It's not always just luck that a wonderful photo emerges, but persistance. I continue to take photos of the same thing trying to improve that "great" shot. Digital photography makes this so much easier, and a whole lot cheaper too! Taking 10 photos of the same thing may seem a bit overboard, but believe me when I tell you that a small difference in position or camera settings can make a world of difference in the end product. For now, all I can tell you is to practice, practice, practice. Good shots will follow, but not without persistance and determination! Get the picture???
http://www.photosbykarl.net/
Today I'll talk a bit about how I take what I feel are some of my better "people" shots. Whenever I ask someone to smile for a photo, they inevitably give the "fake" or '"forced" smile. Look at any of the photos you take when you ask someone to smile and you'll recognize it immediately. For some reason, many people do not like their photo taken, so it's natural for them to "goof up the shot". How do I overcome this? Easy......I act like I'm NOT taking the photo and they IMMEDIATELY loosen up. First off, when you ask them to smile, you'll notice the "force" and tension on their faces as they try to determine when you'll take the shot. At this point, I get a focus on them. I HOLD the focus (usually you do this on a digital camera by pushing the photo taking button HALF WAY DOWN, signaling the camera to focus, which will NOT take the picture......... most digitals work this way). I then look as if I'm not taking the photo even though I'm holding the camera EXACTLY where I would if I was taking the photo, in other words, I just move my head to the side and say something like, "okay, can we get a REAL smile?". The person being photographed will loosen up immediately since they think you're NOT taking the photo, you push the button the rest of the way down, and a great NATURAL photo should occur. I've been doing this for years and it always seems to get the best shot. Try this technique and see if it doesn't work for you. I think you'll be amazed at how well this works.
