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Dear Photo Experts,I travel quite a bit, and love to take pictures of landmarks and other landscapes. I have a good digital camera with 6 MP, but my pictures never come out looking anything like the postcards of the same landmarks. They just look flat, or something.

What can I do to make better landscape pictures?Picture CrazyAloha Picture Crazy!You say you have a good camera, and 6 MP is plenty enough resolution of capture to make really beautiful photographs of anything! But the size of capture isn’t the only criteria to determining the quality of cameras.

If your camera is an SLR, which means you view through the actual picture-taking lens to frame your shot, that’s better. And if you have the option of shooting on ‘Manual’, where you control the shutter speed and aperture, even better yet!Even if your camera is an all automatic, point-and-shoot, there are still things you can do to improve your landscape pictures.

One of the easiest and more dramatic improvements you can make is to add a Polarizing Filter to the camera lens. These filters greatly reduce UV rays and increase the contrast and color saturation of your images.

Especially in the sky and water.Another huge improvement can be effected with the addition of a sturdy tripod to hold your camera. A good tripod is invaluable, particularly when shooting in the very early morning, or late afternoon, and especially if you add a Polarizing Filter, which in addition to adding contrast and saturation, blocks some light. In lower light situations your camera will need a longer shutter speed, and without a tripod to hold your camera very still, you can tend to get a blurred photograph.

Which brings us to the time of day that is best to photograph landscapes. What time of day is that? That depends on a number of factors. From where you want to take a picture, what is the path of the sun? What time is the sun at the point in the sky where the landscape is illuminated, but there are also shadows which add definition and contrast to the scene?

That is the best time to make a landscape photograph. So, as in many things, timing is crucial in making a great photograph.Three things you can do to improve your landscape photographs are 1) Use a Polarizing Filter, 2) Put your camera on a sturdy tripod, and 3) Time your picture taking so the sun is illuminating the landscape well, but also creating shadows that add depth and contrast.About the author: Stan P.

Cox II runs a Portrait and Commercial photography studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has been a professional Hawaii photographer for 31 years. His web address is: http://www.ParamountPhotography.com This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

When did you first hear the phrase “acting for the camera?” And if that’s hard to bring up, how about what you changed because of those four words?Acting for the camera is a misleading statement for some actors.

Misleading because you can’t affect, impress or cause any effect on a camera so why act for it?
If you want to affect a camera, take the batteries out or smear the lens.How about acting for yourself? Many actors engage in this fruitless activity onstage.

This is like laughing at your own joke. My question is why? If you want to impress yourself with your acting, stay home and work with the mirror, as you are your audience. And there is the key ingredient in all acting– audience.Actors act to affect an audience. Yet, as an actor you can begin to think you are to act for the camera or yourself and not the audience.

As a result, acting for the camera makes actors too aware of the camera, and acting for yourself makes you
only aware of you. Both of these can cause such an actor to fear the camera or an audience who isn’t being cooperative. This apprehension affects an actor’s performance.

Creating an effect on a person or many people is an entirely different matter. People can be affected, made to feel or think something. This is the real actors job – creating a strong impression on an audience of any number.I remind actors that their job is to tell a character story to and for the audience.
As for the camera, it records this character story for an audience to be affected. You also record what is going on as you gain experience. The camera or your ego are not the targets, the audience is.

Do you ever hear about acting for a theater audience as opposed to a casting audience? Both audiences must be affected.So the correct phrase should be, not "acting for the camera", but "acting for your audience, whether or not a camera or a full house is there".

That may be a bit wordy but you get the idea. Get your ego and anything else out of the way that comes
between you and the best performance you can dish up. Simply realize that acting is for, and only for, an audience. People can be touched, moved or affected if your character story is strong.Bill Howey whose latest book The Actor's Menu serves up tasty suggestions on how to create unforgettable characters with the gredients you already possess. Check out the book at http://www.actorsmenu.com

Good Camera Bags are crucial to the amateur and professional photographers alike. You’ve just spent time deciding on which digital camera to buy, now all you need to do is to find a suitable bag to protect your camera and your equipment.Next to your Camera, a camera bag could well be the most important piece of kit you purchase. You certainly want to protect the camera you just spent your hard earned money on, and it also needs to be a safe and sturdy carrying case.

It’s very important that your bag allows you to access your equipment easily and helps you organize your photographic equipment into compartments where possible.There are many different bags available, from Crumpler and Sony to Lowerpro and Domke, all in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and functions. Which bag is most suitable to you largely depends on the type and intensity of photography you undertake.

For example a Landscape photographer will often find him or herself shooting in damp or wet environments, so a durable, waterproof bag is appropriate. However, a weekend photographer shooting family day outs would simply need a soft, padded bag, normally carried over one shoulder for ease.A cam-bag should make carrying your camera easier, not more of a hassle.

So make sure that you find a bag that fits your camera well and preferably has wide, padded straps for comfort. If you are just starting out, you may only need a simple basic camera bag that will just hold just your camera.However, if you’re more experienced, or carry more kit than usual, such as lenses, filters etc, you will obviously need a larger bag capable of taking more weight. Ideally, you’re going to want one that can hold all of the accessories you use most.

Normally a camera body, spare lens, cleaning cloth and memory card holder. Remember though, if your camera bag is going to be used to carry more than just a camera, you definitely want dividers in it. These make it easier to keep your accessories separate. Try to find a bag with an inner zip pocket which can be ideal for your car keys or money, when traveling on foot.A very important factor often overlooked when choosing a camera bag is the ‘Zip’. Look for Bags with big tooth zips.

These type are less likely to jam or stick if they get damp or dirty. Some of which are available with rain closures which protect the zipper from rain. There are also double closure Zips which open and fasten from both ends, great for shooting pictures on the move.

Although the color isn’t crucial, it is worth thinking about subtle colors, these will undoubtedly draw less attention from potential thieves and also mid toned bags will not absorb heat as quickly as other colors in hot environments, which could cause possible problems with digital equipment.Gary Bunn (Editor)
Good Camera Bags are crucial to the amateur and professional photographers alike. You’ve just spent time deciding on which digital camera to buy, now all you need to do is to find a suitable bag to protect your camera and your equipment.Next to your Camera, a camera bag could well be the most important piece of kit you purchase. You certainly want to protect the camera you just spent your hard earned money on, and it also needs to be a safe and sturdy carrying case.

It’s very important that your bag allows you to access your equipment easily and helps you organize your photographic equipment into compartments where possible.There are many different bags available, from Crumpler and Sony to Lowerpro and Domke, all in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and functions. Which bag is most suitable to you largely depends on the type and intensity of photography you undertake.

For example a Landscape photographer will often find him or herself shooting in damp or wet environments, so a durable, waterproof bag is appropriate. However, a weekend photographer shooting family day outs would simply need a soft, padded bag, normally carried over one shoulder for ease.A cam-bag should make carrying your camera easier, not more of a hassle.

So make sure that you find a bag that fits your camera well and preferably has wide, padded straps for comfort. If you are just starting out, you may only need a simple basic camera bag that will just hold just your camera.However, if you’re more experienced, or carry more kit than usual, such as lenses, filters etc, you will obviously need a larger bag capable of taking more weight. Ideally, you’re going to want one that can hold all of the accessories you use most. Normally a camera body, spare lens, cleaning cloth and memory card holder.

Remember though, if your camera bag is going to be used to carry more than just a camera, you definitely want dividers in it. These make it easier to keep your accessories separate. Try to find a bag with an inner zip pocket which can be ideal for your car keys or money, when traveling on foot.A very important factor often overlooked when choosing a camera bag is the ‘Zip’.

Look for Bags with big tooth zips. These type are less likely to jam or stick if they get damp or dirty. Some of which are available with rain closures which protect the zipper from rain. There are also double closure Zips which open and fasten from both ends, great for shooting pictures on the move. Although the color isn’t crucial, it is worth thinking about subtle colors, these will undoubtedly draw less attention from potential thieves and also mid toned bags will not absorb heat as quickly as other colors in hot environments, which could cause possible problems with digital equipment.Gary Bunn (Editor)
http://www.Your-Digital-Photography.com

Taking a good photo isn’t as hard as you may think. You don’t need the most expensive camera or years of experience, just 10 simple tips.Enjoy!

Tip 1 - Use All Your Available SpaceDon't be afraid to use all the space in your photo. If you want to take a picture of something, it's ok for it to take up the whole shot with no or very little background showing. Keep distractions out of your shot

Tip 2 - Study FormsThis is a vital aspect to photography. Understanding forms in your photos. Don't see an object, she its shape and its form and find the best angle to photograph it from. Form is all around us and I highly suggest you read as many books on it as possible.

Tip 3 - Motion In Your PhotosNever have motion in your photos if you are photographing a still object. If there is something moving while you are trying to photograph a stationery object, your photo won't turn out anywhere near as well. Also never put a horizon line in the center of your frame.

Tip 4 - Learn To Use Contrasts Between Colors.Some of the best photos have shades of white, gray and black. You can take great shots with just one color on your subject, but the contrasts between colors in a shot is what makes you a great photographer.

Tip 5 - Get Closer To Your SubjectThis is one of the biggest mistakes most photographers make, not getting close enough to their subject. Get up and personal and close the distance gap. You can always reshape and resize a good shot but you can't continue to blowup a distant object.

Tip 6 - Shutter LagShooting action shots with digital camera's can be tricky due to shutter lags. What this means is, when you press the button to take the photo, it can take up to a second for the shutter to take a photo, by that time what you were photographing would have moved or changed somehow. This means you have to compensate for shutter lag by predicting what your subject is going to do and taking the photo just before it takes the action you want. More expensive digital cameras don't have this problem.

Tip 7 - PanIf you are taking an action shot and your shutter speed is slow, pan with the object. Follow through with the subject, from start to finish and one of those shots will be a winner. You have more chance of getting a good shot if you take more then one photo.

Tip 8 - Continuous ShotsTo pan like I suggested above you will need a camera that does continuous shots and doesn’t need to stop and process after every shot.

Tip 9 - How To Take Fantastic Night Time ShotsNight time shots can be spectacular, almost magical.... if done right! If not they can look horrible. Really horrible. Without adequate lighting, even good camera's can turn out crappy photos if the photographer doesn't know what he or she is doing.

Tip 10 - Study Your ManualIf your digital camera has a special night time mode, read the manual and follow their instructions on how to use it properly.Michael Colucci is a technical writer for Photography Tips - A free site that offers the latest tips on photography.

IntroductionModern cameras are highly automatic in operation. They have auto focus and auto exposure. The camera will focus on the subject - often identified by a small circle or square at the centre of the viewfinder - and calculate an appropriate exposure by detecting the level of reflected light - usually from the same spot.

A slight pressure on the shutter release will activate those two functions, without taking a picture. Further pressure on the shutter release will result in a photo being taken.1 Take care to Focus and Expose on the Subject of the ImageImagine you are taking a picture of your girl friend against the background of an interesting harbour.

Your girl friend is six feet away while the harbour is around 50 feet away. You position your girl friend carefully - she is important to you - at one side of the picture with an interesting view of the harbour in the distance. Now do you want to focus on the harbour - or your girl friend? Position the square or circle at the centre of the viewfinder over the spot that you want to focus on and correctly expose - take a slight pressure on the shutter release - and keep that pressure while you move the camera to frame the image you want to take - then, and only then, push the shutter release fully down and take the photo.

If you want to have everything in focus - then see 7 Depth of Field.2 Carefully Compose Your ShotBefore taking the picture take a careful last look through the viewfinder. Check the composition, and particularly that heads nd feet are included, and that all faces are visible in anything other the smallest of groups. With the camera taking care of focus and exposure - you have the time to concentrate on getting the composition perfect. Photographic amputation of limbs is unforgivable!3 Set the Colour Balance Correctly on the CameraDigital cameras have controls that allow the operator to set the nature of the lighting illuminating the subject. In general they will default to daylight, since shots are likely to be taken outdoors.

On this setting, pictures taken indoors under artificial tungsten lighting will look yellow - they will have a yellow cast. Pictures taken under strip lighting will look green. Setting the camera appropriately will produce consistent balanced photographs. Look in the camera manual to see how to set the control - it is very easy. Flash guns produce a light, which is very similar in colour 'temperature' to that of daylight.4 Don't Expect Too Much from the On Camera FlashThe on camera flash is designed for convenience when shooting a small group of people. It will not illuminate a hall.

When watching public events on the television it is somewhat surprising to see members of the audience in the Albert hall take a pocket camera out and shoot a picture with their flash. This is unlikely to be successful. Better to turn the sensitivity of the camera up - say to 800ASA - the 'film speed', or sensitivity. This might produce a better result. Do not confuse sensitivity of the camera with shutter speed.

They are different. An on camera flash will illuminate only a short distance - as a guide pick up your cat firmly with two hands by the tail and swing it around at arms length - that is the sort of distance the flash will illuminate!5 A Tripod is Essential for Long Distance ShotsMost modern digital cameras come with a zoom lens that can take both wide angle and telephoto shots. This is extremely useful. However remember that when the camera is on its furthest telephoto setting, camera shake will become a problem.

If you are taking a telephoto shot and the camera chooses a slow to medium shutter speed, the result might be blurred due to the movement of your hands while taking the exposure. Use a tripod - all wildlife photographers use them. They are a pain to carry but improve quality by orders of magnitude.6 Fast Moving Subject Require a Fast Shutter SpeedThe shutter is that part of the camera which opens briefly to allow light to strike the sensitive surface of the detector to produce an image. Fast moving object require extremely short shutter speeds in order to capture a crisp sharp image.

Slower shutter speeds will produce a blur as the object moves.
In general outdoor photography a shutter speed of 1/60th or 1/125th second will be acceptable. In contrast, shooting a formula one car in motion will require shutter speed of say 1/1000th of a second.7 A little About Depth of FieldIn days past, a photographer would measure the level of light at a location with a light meter and then calculate the best combination of shutter speed and aperture to correctly expose the film. This is now done automatically by the camera. Aperture is the measure of how much light is passing through the lens. The lens has an iris, which can be 'stopped down' to reduce the amount of light passing through the lens.

A fully open lens will pass the greatest amount of light - full aperture - but this also reduces the 'depth of field'. The depth of field is the band of distance over which the subject is in focus. In 1 above, with full aperture either your girl friend or the harbour is in focus - but not both. By 'stopping down' the lens - reducing the aperture - both can be brought into focus. But as a consequence the amount of light passing through the lens is reduced. The length of time which the shutter is open will have to be increased to compensate.8 When taking Landscapes Avoid Putting the Horizon Across the Centre of the ImageDrawing the picture horizon in the middle of the image simply looks naff.

It divides the picture in to two and fails to engage the viewer. Best to concentrate on the sky or the foreground. Photograph a setting sun with red sky, or a rainbow with the horizon low in the picture. Or concentrate on the landscape and place the horizon high in the picture.9 Be Aware of the Effects of Back LightingLet us go back to the example given in Hint 1. Imagine that in the picture of your girl friend in front of the harbour, the sun is setting, casting its golden rays across the sea and reflecting on the masts and other metal objects of the harbour
with white clouds illuminated red in the dying rays of the sun. An evocative and romantic shot.

Taking the shot with the camera will result in a beautiful background but a black shadow of a girl friend! Now that might be appropriate should you have had a particularly bad day with her and it might correctly reflect the mood. However using the on camera flash to fill in the darkness - to illuminate her face and show her features might be more appropriate on a better day!Christopher Thomas is both keen photographer and company director of Viewlink Ltd based in Amersham, Uk.

The company focusses on digital photo developing for both amateur and commercial photographers. For more articles by Christopher Thomas please visit the company website at http://www.view-link.com