Archive for the ‘Photography’ Category

The Art of Digital Photography

Computers and cellular phones, mobility and microchips – these are the trademarks of the world today. We live in a world continually changed by technology. Even the arts have continually changed due to technology. Think of it: from charcoal drawings to painting to photography to digital photography, we have come a long way in the visual arts. We have used various methods in capturing life and freezing time. New technology is continually being developed to make art easier and more fun. However, you should know that the art of digital photography is not as simple as aim and shoot.

The art of digital photography needs skill in order to pull off properly. Although some people may reason out that digital photography art can always be edited, many people do not really know how much work editing can be. Oh sure, we can say that technology has reached a level wherein a person needs to do practically nothing in order to achieve a great photograph, but of course, you need to know how to use the tools properly in order to do that.

The art of digital photography, in order to be truly mastered, needs three T’s: Time, talent and tactical placement of equipment. No, that’s not right. You need time, talent and treasure. Just what does this mean?

1) Time – one cannot be an instant expert in digital photography. You need to take the time to learn all about it. Even though you are some sort of protégé who has the talents of a genius, you actually need training to hone that talent. Remember that for all its power, a steamroller cannot be used to do the work of a hammer. There is wisdom in harnessing power properly.

Taking the time to train your self in the art of digital photography is something akin to sharpening a knife using a grindstone or forging a fine katana (that’s the Japanese samurai sword) by heating it and folding it over a thousand times –it may be painful, but it is necessary to produce the best.

2) Talent – of course, you need a bit of inherent talent in order to be truly great at the art of digital photography. You need to have an eye for the subjects that would make a great photograph. Otherwise, you will only end up being mediocre in a field that requires greatness.

Of course, the proper training can actually enhance your inherent talent and help you sharpen your skills in the art of digital photography.

3) Treasure – as said before, you will need the proper tools in order to be successful in the art of digital photography. This means that you will need to invest a lot of cash. Although there are a lot of digital art photography equipment that can be bought at inexpensive prices, the best equipment needs some serious pocket digging. This, of course, tests your courage because there’s nothing scarier to a man than having to pull out his wallet in the name of an untested interest.

Once you have invested money in the art of digital photography, there’s no turning back.

The art of digital photography may seem like it requires a lot. However, in order to be truly successful in something you need love and love always requires sacrifice. You should keep that in mind.

Web Video Filming Tips

Unless you are a professional videographer, you probably don’t have any credientials to fall back on when you’re making a web video.  The fact is, most people that make web videos have little to no experience in filming, and the techniques that come with it.  If you are not a professional filmmaker, than it is easy to make blatant mistakes that will cost you viewers and credibility, however, there is hope.  Making a web video is not nearly as complex as making a major motion picture, and actually most people can make a very attractive web video once they learn several basic techniques.

When you’re making a web video, you must remember several things in order to ensure a beautiful outcome.  Like most things in life, how you present something is how the viewer will respond.  Basically, the delivery of your web video accounts for the success of the video itself.  It doesn’t matter if you have the answer to world hunger, if you do not divulge this information correctly, most viewers won’t watch the video past five seconds.  When you are shooting your web video, remember, everything that is viewed online is much smaller than it would actually be.

If you have filmed a non-web video before, than you may have a difficult task in front of you.  You must learn how to create larger-than-life illustrations to your message.  Remember, video on the Internet is usually only 320 x 240 pixels, which is very small.  You must provide your information to where it is easily seen, even on a small scale.

As you’re preparing to film, make sure that you do not use certain types of camera movements, as well as various types of colors and patterns.  Always stay away from detailed clothing patters, such as stripes and other types of lines.  These will usually come across as a pixilated mess when it is streamed over the Internet.  Also, avoid moving the camera around frequently.

The reason why this is not a good idea is because if a viewer as a slower internet connection, than they will most likely have a video that skips, and if the camera is moving around frequently they will have a very unpleasing viewing experience.  In the same manner, make sure that what you are filming does not move a lot.  If you’re filming a person, make sure they don’t sway side-to-side or move around.

In order to keep the look of your web video as professional as possible, make sure that you stay away from high-contrast lighting and spots of very bright light.  This will usually come across as blurs of light when viewed over the Internet, and will ruin the quality of your web video.  Also, it is a great idea to invest in a tripod.  When you use a tripod you are able to capture perfectly still shots, and if you have to move, you can make the movement extremely smooth and lucid.  And most importantly, keep the camera in focus.

While many people rely on the auto focus feature on their digital camcorder, this is not always a good idea.  Although, there are many camera’s that do not allow you to manually focus, try to find a camera that does allow you to do this.  You will have better control over the quality of the video, and you won’t have to worry about the picture going out of focus because a car drove past the lens.

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