This is also so true in the world of photography, if we do not take time to stop and smile the roses along the way, wonder what great photos we are missing: .something to think about...
Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later:
the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
6 Black and White Photography Tips
Photographing in black in white is one of the best ways to create timeless, classy, artistic, and interesting photos. But it's not as simple as taking a photo in color and converting it to monochrome! Follow the tips below to ensure the best results possible.
1. Photograph in RAW - Not everyone owns a camera with the ability to shoot in RAW. And a lot of people who have the ability don't know how to do it. But shooing in RAW gives you more control when you're editing the photo later. You can still shoot great photographs in JPEG, but if you have the ability you should definitely try RAW.
2. Photograph in Color - If you don't have the ability to shoot in RAW, or just don't want to, at least shoot in color. Although it may sound counterproductive to shoot in color when you want black and white photos, that isn't the case. Having color in your photo gives your software more information to work with when you're editing it later. Most digital cameras have a "black and white" mode, but it doesn't give the best results.
3. It's All About Contrast - When you look at a photograph, you usually see the contrast and color. If you remove color from the equation, your eye notices contrast even more. You must use the different shades of gray, and how they contrast with each other, to get the best looking black and white photos. You can use software like Photoshop to adjust the levels and curves to change the contrast.
4. Timing is Everything - Choosing when to photograph is always important, whether you want to shoot in color or black and white. Most photographers complain about dark and cloudy days because of the lighting, but that's the perfect time to take some black and white photos. The low contrast actually makes your outdoor photos more interesting. So next time the weather seems bad, remember it's the perfect time for black and white photography!
5. Lowest ISO - Photograph with the lowest ISO you can. You probably already do this when you're taking color shots, but it's even more vital when you're talking about black and white. The noise caused by ISO can be even more noticeable when in black and white. Even if your ultimate goal is for a "grainy look", you can add that later using Photoshop.
6. Practice Makes Perfect! - The best way to master anything is to practice as much as possible. Eventually you'll start to see the world with monochrome eyes. You will notice the textures, shapes, and composition that lead to great black and white photos!
Photographing in black in white is one of the best ways to create timeless, classy, artistic, and interesting photos. But it's not as simple as taking a photo in color and converting it to monochrome! Follow the tips below to ensure the best results possible.
1. Photograph in RAW - Not everyone owns a camera with the ability to shoot in RAW. And a lot of people who have the ability don't know how to do it. But shooing in RAW gives you more control when you're editing the photo later. You can still shoot great photographs in JPEG, but if you have the ability you should definitely try RAW.
2. Photograph in Color - If you don't have the ability to shoot in RAW, or just don't want to, at least shoot in color. Although it may sound counterproductive to shoot in color when you want black and white photos, that isn't the case. Having color in your photo gives your software more information to work with when you're editing it later. Most digital cameras have a "black and white" mode, but it doesn't give the best results.
3. It's All About Contrast - When you look at a photograph, you usually see the contrast and color. If you remove color from the equation, your eye notices contrast even more. You must use the different shades of gray, and how they contrast with each other, to get the best looking black and white photos. You can use software like Photoshop to adjust the levels and curves to change the contrast.
4. Timing is Everything - Choosing when to photograph is always important, whether you want to shoot in color or black and white. Most photographers complain about dark and cloudy days because of the lighting, but that's the perfect time to take some black and white photos. The low contrast actually makes your outdoor photos more interesting. So next time the weather seems bad, remember it's the perfect time for black and white photography!
5. Lowest ISO - Photograph with the lowest ISO you can. You probably already do this when you're taking color shots, but it's even more vital when you're talking about black and white. The noise caused by ISO can be even more noticeable when in black and white. Even if your ultimate goal is for a "grainy look", you can add that later using Photoshop.
6. Practice Makes Perfect! - The best way to master anything is to practice as much as possible. Eventually you'll start to see the world with monochrome eyes. You will notice the textures, shapes, and composition that lead to great black and white photos!
11 Quick Lessons to Improve Your Photography
Here are some interesting and fun things to try out with your digital camera. Have a look at this and play around - it will be fun, but you will also learn valuable lessons about taking pictures that will be useful for improving your photograph taking skills.
Underexpose -This is great for highlighting eyes and close up facial features. The effect is that it creates a darker mood.
Overexpose - The opposite to underexpose is to overexpose. Try your hand at this and see the effect it creates, of a light feeling that makes the details disappear and the image smooth.
Get someone to pose - Find a friend who isn't camera shy and get them to pose in different positions around different pieces. Get creative as to where and how the pose is composed.
Using the sun - face the camera towards the sun but place the object you are taking shots of between the camera and the sun. Get it right and you will see a silhouette emerge.
Mirror images - really hard to spot but they make excellent photographs! To look for reflections and mirror images keep an eye out for windows, mirrors, shiny surfaces and even water.
Shadows - have you ever tried shaping your hands in front of a lamp making a shadow that looks like a bird on the wall. Take a snap of it from a low angle and see the shadow grow.
Up close and personal - pay attention to detail. Try capturing the arrangement of freckles or dimples on someone's face. Or a close up of your pets nose!
Black 'n White - give something that classic and smooth feel with a black and white photograph. Most digital cameras these days offer this option.
Props - see what is around you and use it to add to your scene.
Traveling? - make sure you capture the expression, color and atmosphere. When back home boast about the interesting people you met.
And there's always photo editing that allows one to adjust color, sharpness, lighting, correct compositional errors, etc. Photo editing software has many features that are only understood by experts, but by playing around with it you can pick up quite a bit. Remember to keep the original copies of the photos you are playing with, in case the results are not what you planned!
Here are some interesting and fun things to try out with your digital camera. Have a look at this and play around - it will be fun, but you will also learn valuable lessons about taking pictures that will be useful for improving your photograph taking skills.
Underexpose -This is great for highlighting eyes and close up facial features. The effect is that it creates a darker mood.
Overexpose - The opposite to underexpose is to overexpose. Try your hand at this and see the effect it creates, of a light feeling that makes the details disappear and the image smooth.
Get someone to pose - Find a friend who isn't camera shy and get them to pose in different positions around different pieces. Get creative as to where and how the pose is composed.
Using the sun - face the camera towards the sun but place the object you are taking shots of between the camera and the sun. Get it right and you will see a silhouette emerge.
Mirror images - really hard to spot but they make excellent photographs! To look for reflections and mirror images keep an eye out for windows, mirrors, shiny surfaces and even water.
Shadows - have you ever tried shaping your hands in front of a lamp making a shadow that looks like a bird on the wall. Take a snap of it from a low angle and see the shadow grow.
Up close and personal - pay attention to detail. Try capturing the arrangement of freckles or dimples on someone's face. Or a close up of your pets nose!
Black 'n White - give something that classic and smooth feel with a black and white photograph. Most digital cameras these days offer this option.
Props - see what is around you and use it to add to your scene.
Traveling? - make sure you capture the expression, color and atmosphere. When back home boast about the interesting people you met.
And there's always photo editing that allows one to adjust color, sharpness, lighting, correct compositional errors, etc. Photo editing software has many features that are only understood by experts, but by playing around with it you can pick up quite a bit. Remember to keep the original copies of the photos you are playing with, in case the results are not what you planned!
Digital Photography
In an earnest effort to get your hard earned money, camera manufacturers try to outdo each other by coming up with nifty new features that promise to make your life easier, more fun, and more rewarding. Whether you need all those bells and whistles really depends on how you want to put your camera to use which is why camera manufacturers know how to appeal to your impulse-buying tendencies.
In order for you to get a better understanding about which options are a must-have and which ones are not, let's take a look at the most common features being offered by some of the most popular cameras on the market today.
For starters, there are two basic design types in the world of digital cameras - the point-and-shoot model and the digital SLR model. Digital SLR models are often referred to as dSLRs, which is an acronym that stands for digital single-lens reflex. Essentially, SLR cameras allow you to switch and swap out different lenses while the point-and-shoot model does not offer this option.
Also, both camera models carry with them their own advantages and disadvantages:
Point-and-shoot Advantages:
* Convenience / ease of use
* Autofocus
* Multiple auto features
* Less expensive
Point-and-shoot Disadvantages: Size is not as compact as the dSLR, they won't fit in your shirt pocket.
dSLR Advantages:
* Interchangeable lenses
* Larger image sensors
* Work well with external flashes
* Can connect to external lighting systems
* Can shoot upto 10 frames per second
dSLR Disadvantages:
* Expensive
* Cannot use the monitor as a viewfinder
* Difficult for beginners to use
In an earnest effort to get your hard earned money, camera manufacturers try to outdo each other by coming up with nifty new features that promise to make your life easier, more fun, and more rewarding. Whether you need all those bells and whistles really depends on how you want to put your camera to use which is why camera manufacturers know how to appeal to your impulse-buying tendencies.
In order for you to get a better understanding about which options are a must-have and which ones are not, let's take a look at the most common features being offered by some of the most popular cameras on the market today.
For starters, there are two basic design types in the world of digital cameras - the point-and-shoot model and the digital SLR model. Digital SLR models are often referred to as dSLRs, which is an acronym that stands for digital single-lens reflex. Essentially, SLR cameras allow you to switch and swap out different lenses while the point-and-shoot model does not offer this option.
Also, both camera models carry with them their own advantages and disadvantages:
Point-and-shoot Advantages:
* Convenience / ease of use
* Autofocus
* Multiple auto features
* Less expensive
Point-and-shoot Disadvantages: Size is not as compact as the dSLR, they won't fit in your shirt pocket.
dSLR Advantages:
* Interchangeable lenses
* Larger image sensors
* Work well with external flashes
* Can connect to external lighting systems
* Can shoot upto 10 frames per second
dSLR Disadvantages:
* Expensive
* Cannot use the monitor as a viewfinder
* Difficult for beginners to use
Sunday, January 17, 2010
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