A small tip for future brides to be.

Before posing at the front of your wedding carriage. Make sure the horse has been fed!


As for the photographer it might be better if it has not.
Bring a little fun into your digital wedding photography. Keep an eye open for that extra shot to make them smile, maybe misty up their eyes or just wow!
Len .

Hi It's Len!
I've been a bit quiet this week just seemed to have a lot on, and it has been half term for the kids and had the grand children around most of the week and seems to stop most things from happining.

Photography for Professionals

Robyn Tellefsen
When French inventor Nicephore Niepce produced the first successful permanent photograph in 1826, he couldn't have known that photography would become such a popular pastime and profession.
These days, with the proliferation of digital cameras, photo editing software, and photo sharing sites, just about anyone can call himself a photographer. But if you aspire to be more than a blogger, you'll need to undergo specialized photography training.
Photography training
At Brooks Institute of Photography, you can prepare for your photography career through the bachelor's degree program in visual journalism. Throughout the course of the program, you'll work in depth on several photojournalism picture stories, emphasizing stories of social relevance that can make a difference in the world. For your documentary projects, you'll travel far and wide to find stories to tell visually. These photography courses will inspire you to discover how you see the world, what stories you need to tell, and what pictures are truly worth a thousand words.
In an interactive, all-digital, real-world photojournalism course, you'll gain the experience of transmitting photo assignments on deadline via FTP, just as you would for any newspaper or magazine today. In a digital video for photojournalists course, you'll build on photographic skills, learn simple storytelling and editing, and gain insight into other issues faced by videojournalists, whether working on a local paper's Web site or shooting for the broadcast world.
Photography certification
Once you've received solid photography training, you may wish to earn the Certified Professional Photographer credential offered by Professional Photographers of America through the Photographic Certification Commission. In order to earn this designation, you'll need to pass a comprehensive written exam measuring your technical expertise, and successfully submit your work to a panel of judges for review and approval.
You must renew this credential every five years to maintain your level of expertise and to continue to develop new skills and techniques. This can be accomplished by participating in continuing education programs and periodically submitting your work for critical evaluation.
Photography careers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, photographers held about 129,000 jobs in 2004. More than half were self-employed, a much higher proportion than for most occupations. And, employment of photographers is expected to increase 9 to 17 percent through 2014.
Median annual earnings of salaried photographers were $26,080 in May 2004, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $54,180.
With specialized photography training, you can be more than a blogger -- you can become a professional photographer. To find college and career schools near you, surf http://www.CollegeSurfing.com.

Hi! It’s Len again,
Well in the UK the last week we have a great opportunity to get a few good snow shots. Did you manage to get any? If you did why not share them with us. Send me an email to ...len@lenhuttonphotos.com

The Best Photo Business Opportunity

by Mark Fenwick
Where can you find the best photo business opportunity? Would you be surprised if I were to tell you that you don't have to look far ... that all you need to do is search inside yourself?
There are lots of photo opportunities, some of them don't work and even the opportunities that do work, will only work for some people.
Some people are happy taking wedding photos, or shooting sport. Others like to be out in the great outdoors capturing the magic light of dawn, or taking stock images for picture libraries. Some people are born to sell; others are terrified of trying to sell their work directly to say a gallery, or cold calling prospective clients. What's right for one person can be totally wrong for someone else.
Here are a few pointers that are worth bearing in mind:
1. Find something you're comfortable with and passionate about.
2. Match the business to your own strengths.
3. Look for multiple streams of income - have more than one source of income.
4. Carry on learning - the day you stop learning is the day you start to die. Take advice from successful people; you'll find most of them are happy to help.
One thing you must remember: it's not finding the best photo opportunity that's the really important thing; it's making it work. The successful business person is the one who makes a choice, sets some goals and then gets on with it; working at it until they are successful. You can do the same!
Some keys to making money are:
1. Give your business a professional image. Put yourself on a level footing with the big boys, even if you're only a one-person company.
2. Put the customer first. Take time and effort to look after your customers. You must be proud of your business and be happy to serve your clients.
3. Be market driven. Find out what the market wants.
4. Be ready for change and be prepared, for nothing is certain in business. Keep your eyes open and watch out for new trends and markets.
5. Learn not to waste money. Negotiate everything and run a tight ship, even when things are going well. At the same time realise that money invested wisely to improve the business, is money well spent.
6. Don't quit, believe in yourself and give everything your very best effort. Problems, new challenges, frustration, letdowns and mistakes are part of everyday business life. You must bounce back, learn from your mistakes and keep charging forward.
7. Realise that marketing is the key. Good marketing makes or breaks you.
Good luck with your photography business. Get out there ... and just do it!

About the Author
Mark Fenwick is a Fine Art Photographer. For photo tips of professional photography, and photography jobs and opportunities, visit http://www.PhotographyUpdate.com

Here are some new great tips worth a look. You Probably know many of these tips, but it’s worth the reminder to refresh yourself of somthing that may have slipped your mind lately

Len

How To Make Your Digital Photographs Stand Out

Ryan Gibson
Photography has become an increasingly popular hobby in recent years. With advances in technology, today's digital cameras make it possible to quickly and easily take good photos. Many people however are stuck in "automatic" mode (or rather their cameras are). Armed with a little knowledge about your digital camera (and some practice) your photos can go from good to outstanding. Following are some tips to help you get started.
White Balance
White balance is what determines the color temperature of your photo. Think in terms of warm and cool. Most photos taken with a digital camera will have a cool feel to them or in other words will have somewhat of a blue tint to them. This is generally the result you get when your white balance setting is set to auto. Photos with a warmer feel however, look more natural and thus are more pleasing to the eye. To achieve this affect locate the white balance adjustment on your digital camera. Most cameras will have several different settings for white balance. You want to choose the "cloudy" setting. This will add more red and yellow hues to your photo and in effect warms the tone of the shot.
Polarizing Filters
A polarizing filter is a great tool for adding a little extra "pop" to your photos. Polarizing filters actually serve two purposes; they reduce glare and unwanted reflections and they brighten up the colors in your photos. A polarizing filter is especially helpful when shooting outdoors. It will enhance landscapes with beautiful vibrant colors. Polarizing filters just screw right on to your cameras lens and you can find them in many sizes to fit most digital cameras. However, if you have a camera which doesn't accept filters (some of the smaller point & shoot ones do not) there is a trick you can use. Sunglasses will create the same basic effect. Just hold a pair of sunglasses as close as possible to the lens (make sure the glasses are not seen in the shot) and snap the photo.
Flash
Flash can add a lot of depth to your photos if used properly. When shooting in "auto" mode your camera will determine when to use flash. If your setting is bright enough, the flash will not be used. This is a great convenience if you're just taking quick snapshots but if you want to add more life to your photos switch your flash to "flash on" or "fill flash". This will allow your camera to use existing light for its exposure and will add flash to fill in dark shadows giving a softer feel to your photos. When shooting outdoors try to use the sun to light your subject from the side (never have your subject face the sun) and use the flash to fill in the shadows on the front of your subject. Check your camera's manual to determine the maximum distance that your flash will operate at.
Macro
Your digital camera probably has a setting called "macro" or "close up". This mode is best used in creative photography to achieve great detail in close up shots. What this mode does in essence is allow you to focus at a much closer distance to your subject than in your camera's normal mode. For example, if your camera in its normal mode has trouble focusing on subjects closer than 2 feet, you can switch to macro mode and you may be able to focus as close as 6 or 8 inches. This can make for a very dramatic shot. Be careful when using macro however because macro mode gives you a very shallow depth of field leaving a lot of your photo out of focus. Just experiment a little and you'll be taking great close up shots in no time.
These are just some basic tips and tricks to spark some creativity in your photography. Always experiment with your camera to find new and creative ways to express yourself. That's the great thing about digital photography you can experiment to no end without shelling out big bucks for film and processing. Happy shooting!
About the Author
Ryan Gibson is a freelance photographer and graphic artist. To learn more tips and techniques to enhance your digital photography visit http://www.digitalphotographyport.com

Hi!
It’s Len here I’ll try to bring you a new tip or idea each week, when ever I can. If you have any questions or points you would like to discuss why not send me an email, and I’ll try to answer it or maybe one of you good people out there may have the answer and can help. Anyway feel free to join in.
len@lenhuttonphotos.com

"7 Proven Tips and Techniques That Will Have You Taking Great Digital Photos That You Can Be Proud Of."

by Teresa Pocock

Taking great digital photos is not as hard as you might think!
In fact, if you are wondering how to take great digital photos, these 7 proven practical tips will tell you just that!
By following these quick tips and techniques you will significantly improve your digital photography to the point where you will be taking impressive photos everyday!
1) *** Take More Photos! *** Get out there and take more photos with your digital camera.
It won't cost you anything!
It will give you practice and skill using your camera so handling it will become second nature; you then have more time to think about the photo itself!
This tip will also increase your chances of getting that great photo - particularly with group shots, where you might find later that someone was blinking etc.
Children and pets are great to practice this tip on as they can be difficult to get that perfect shot of, and you will need to keep taking photos to capture it!
If you don't have a big enough memory card you will need to delete some photos every half hour or so.
A better option is to invest in a larger memory card. That way you can take as many photos as you need (always more than you think), and not worry about deleting those that don't quite make it until later!
2) *** Focus *** Make sure you and your camera are focusing on the same thing!
Check which 'mode' the camera is set at to see whether your camera is 'looking for' a single subject (often in Macro, Portrait and Sports Modes). Or is it trying to 'pull' everything into focus - such as in the Landscape Mode?
Set the camera to the appropriate mode for your subject, or use the auto mode - where the camera will decide for you the best focus and exposure for the subject.
3) *** Move In Closer *** Most people stand too far away from their subject!
Don't be afraid to get in close! Take a few steps closer and see what a difference it makes.
If you cannot get in closer, use your optical zoom (never the digital zoom) to bring the focus closer to you.
You could even kneel or stand on a chair to get in closer and to change the perspective of the photo.
Optical zoom uses the mechanics of your camera; digital zoom is an electronic function. Results from digital zoom often produce poor quality photographs.
4) *** One Key Subject *** Focus on one key subject to make the photo really stand out!
Stop trying to record everything you see!
Pick a focal point that will be the centre of 'attention' which you can concentrate on.
Using portrait or macro mode can help this technique as both have shallow depth of field - which effectively 'blurs' everything in front and behind the focused subject.
Try picking one key subject, such as a single flower, and see what the difference it makes to your digital photos!
There are factors which affect the depth of field, such as how close you stand to your subject, so you will need to experiment as see what works best for you.
5) *** Simple Backgrounds *** Try to find a 'simple' background for your subject.
One that is uncluttered and unobtrusive.
This can be particularly important for portrait and group photographs. You don't want to have a distracting background for a lovely soft portrait, or have the classic light pole 'growing' out of someone's head!
Move the subject/s into a position that will minimize the background.
Remember having the subject further from the background will also lessen its effect.
6) *** Off-Centre the Subject *** That's right! Get the subject out of the middle of the photo!
Use the 'rule-of-thirds' to position the subject in a pleasing location in the image.
The 'rule-of-thirds' is like having an imaginary 'tick-tack-toe' diagram drawn on your focus screen. Where those lines cross is where you place the subject.
This can really make a difference to your photographs.
But don't use it all the time - remember rules are made to be broken!
7) *** Use Flash *** Yes - even in daylight!
This is often called 'fill-flash'. Using it will lessen any harsh shadows, resulting in better light for your photo.
This tip is great if you take photos in the middle of the day when the light is harshest.
It works particularly well for portrait and group photography.
But remember the flash on your camera is only good for about 10 feet - don't stand too far away from your subject!
----------------------
These 7 tips and techniques are proven fundamentals of digital photography.
Start using them today and you will be taking great digital photos that you can be proud of!
Happy Snapping!
About the Author
Teresa Pocock is a successful author and published photographer who can teach you how to take first-class digital photos... even if you've never used a camera before! Ms Pocock is a member of the NAPP: National Association of Photoshop Professionals => http://www.yourdigitalphotosuccess.com

When Pictures Paint A Thousand Words

by Low Jeremy

Portrait photography is probably the best kind of photography that defines human interest. Although it is considered as the easiest area of photography compared to others, portrait photography appeals to many people and photographers alike because it is quite interesting and challenging.
Since it's all about taking people's photos, a portrait photographer should possess a genuine interest in people that would eventually become their subjects. They should care about people and are natural conversationalists to break the ice.
Above all else, portrait photographers should also possess the skill to observe their subjects' characteristic gestures and expressions and can easily identify a person's best side and angle.
GETTING STARTED
If you think you have what it takes to be a portrait photographer, then you should familiarize yourself with the different areas of portraiture. Basically, there are different types of portrait depending on the usage or purpose.
Some of the common categories in which portrait photography falls into include amateur portraits of friends and family, photos of people in a social gathering, editorial portraiture where pictures are taken by photographers for newspapers, magazines and other publications' use, fine art portraiture where photos are taken specifically for display in museums and galleries, formal portraits where subjects pose for the purpose of a photograph and informal portraits or 'action shots' where the subjects do not intentionally pose for the camera.
THINGS TO CONSIDER AND RECONSIDER
Many photographers would agree that the intention of the photographer is what sets a photograph apart from a portrait. If you would want to try portrait photography, here are some of the things you might want to consider:
1. Camera. In portraiture, any 35mm SLR (single-lens-reflex) are fine. If you can afford a Digital SLR, it's better because you can save on film and processing. Never opt for a zoom point and shoot because it can't provide sharp outline and accurate results.
2. Lenses. There will be times that you need to emphasize or de-emphasize a specific feature of your subject at a certain distance. These are what the different kinds of lenses are for--to highlight or conceal any good or bad feature of the subject.
Many professional photographers suggest 300mm or 600mm lenses but for starters, typical portrait lenses that are between 90 and 135 millimeters long for 35mm cameras are okay. Nikon 105/1.8 (MF only), Canon 100/2 USM, and Canon 135/2 USM are some of the recommended portrait lenses available in the market.
3. Film. Since digital cameras no longer require the use of rolls of film, this should not be a big trouble for you. All you need is to look for a good compact flash that has high memory to produce high-resolution photos. But if you have a manual or SLR camera, purchase black and white and color films to provide choices to your clients.
4. Location. An ideal location for any portrait photography shoot is a studio. Aside from providing enough working space to work at, having a photo studio also ensures the safety of your equipment. But if you can't set up a studio yet, it is advisable to find a space that can provide you a working area.
In setting up a studio, consider the rental cost, size, accessibility to target market and the facilities offered. If you take environmental portraits, you wouldn't need a studio that much because your shoots will depend on the surroundings that create great impacts on your subject.
5. Lighting. If you have a portrait studio, consider the sources of light that would flatter your subjects. If your shoot is outdoors, it is advisable to choose an overcast day to avoid shadows in your photos.
About the Author
This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on photography & other useful information, please visit http://photography.articlekeep.com

Portrait Photography Tips

by TJ Tierney

Getting started at becoming a portrait photographer. Photographing people is the most popular form of photography today. Everyone takes shots of family and friends, but the majority of portraits end up poorly exposed, out of focus, and in the trash can..
A successful portrait photograph should capture a person's character and reveal something about their personality. A good portrait must be exposed correctly, with warm skin tone colours. The focal point of a good portrait image should be the eyes. This is the area of the face you must focus on accurately.
The eyes must be one hundred percent sharp to draw the viewer into the image. By choosing an aperture of F/8 or smaller and shooting at least three feet away from the subject you should create a depth-of-field to bring all parts of the face into good focus.
If you have a keen interest in portrait photography the potential to earn some extra cash or even set up your own studio is endless.
The equipment needed to get successful portrait images is basic. A standard 35mm camera is perfect. Cameras that use film are better than digital; portrait film allows you capture warmer skin tones. Digital cameras have their own advantage but the cost of having an up-to-date digital darkroom can be immense.
Once you have chosen your camera the next piece of equipment you need is a lens; lenses should have a focal length of between 85 mm and 135mm. They also permit you to fill the frame from a reasonable distance and help reduce perspective distortion, which I will cover in more detail in part 3.
Here is a list of equipment worth considering:
Exposure meter - this will help in calculating exposure
Cable release - is used to minimise camera movement
Studio lights - one studio light will do, but if you have more the effects can be a lot greater.
Reflector - this will be used to bounce light.
Now that you have your equipment, your next step is dealing with people.
Most people become tense in front of the camera - this is natural and the job of a portrait photographer is to make sure this doesn't affect the final print. A tense subject will lead to a poor dull image that no one will want to buy.
The key to creating a good portrait is having a relaxed subject - this may be achieved by talking to the subject while shooting the portrait. If this doesn't work play some music - people react to different kinds of things. Psychology plays an important part in the work of a portrait photographer and the younger the subject the harder it is to get a result.

TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer. For more tips you can visit his photography site. To view his images visit his on-line gallery of flower pictures or see his travel site.