Help With Styles of Wedding Photography

Confused when it comes to styles of Wedding Photography?

You may have heard the terms Reportage, Photo Journalism, Traditional and Candid wedding photography styles, however you may be puzzled as to what the differences are between each style.

When it comes to Wedding Photography it's always good to understand the differences so you know what to expect from the different photographers out there. Some photographers will often offer a mixture of these styles and capture different elements of your wedding day in different ways. Other photographers will capture your day in a certain style of their own. Always discuss wedding photography styles with your chosen photographer to establish the style of photographs that you would like your special day to be captured in.

What are the differences between these Photography Styles?

If you're looking to book a Wedding Photographer it's very important to know what style of photography to expect because your Wedding Album and your photographs will be one of a kind and they will be your own personal keepsakes of your special day.

Reportage Photography
They key behind this style of photography is that the Photographer will capture the day as it unfolds. The photographer needs to be a professional in order to capture the moments with precision as they happen. The photography generally stays in the background and simply captures your day without intruding.

The photographs captured in this matter tend to reflect the natural happenings of the day. Natural smiles and unique moments are captured with this style of Photography. The unique moments of the day are what makes each wedding special and to capture these moments the photographer has to be extremely aware of what is happening and where the next shot is going to be. Take a look at previous sample images of your chosen photographer and check for yourself if these special moments have been captured.

Photo-Journalistic Photography
This particular style is becoming more and more popular and goes hand in hand with the contemporary storybook albums. Photo journalistic photography is about capturing the story of your day. As you view the photographs back they should showcase the story of your day from beginning to end showing all the major events and fine details of your day such as your wedding dress hanging up in the morning preparations or the detailed sequins on your bridal shoes. Storybook albums fit perfectly with this style of photography as the final wedding album will unfold your wedding day page by page and moment by moment.

Traditional Posed Photography
Traditional posed photography is a little more formal photography style. It's a great way to capture your wedding guests in posed group photographs and these always look great in a wedding album. Other than capturing photographs of the wedding guests it's also a great way to capture a selection of personal portrait shots of the bride and groom. Taken away for a selection of posed shots around the wedding venue is a popular way to capture some beautiful photographs of the bride and groom. These look fantastic in the modern Storybook albums as well as the Traditional albums.

These styles are some of the most popular photography styles used by today's wedding photographers. It's important to know the differences so you can get an insight into the photography style for your own wedding day. If your choosing a photographer look at sample images to find out what style to expect. Most photographers will use a mixture of the above styles for different situations during a wedding so best to view lots of sample images to get an overall feel for the style of photography and make your decisions when you are comfortable with what you find.

For more information on all things wedding photography related visit http://www.chrishickey.co.uk

Photography - Forensic Photography

You're probably not going to find a lot of information on forensic photography. The truth is, this is an area of photography that your typical photographer does not get into. You're dealing with taking photos of people who have been brutally murdered and an assortment of other crimes. Forensic photography is not for the weak stomach. But just what is involved in becoming a forensic photographer? The course outline may not rival going to medical school, but it's quite a handful.

As with all other types of photography, a forensic photographer first has to learn the basics of the equipment that is used such as cameras, lenses, filters, flash, tripods, types of film and a number of other items that are considered basic equipment for forensic photography. The list is as long as King Kong's right arm.

The next thing that needs to be learned and understood is that forensic photography is technical photography. Photos must be correctly exposed, must have a maximum depth of field so that the photos are sharp and in focus and must be free from distortion. In other words, the photo must be as close to what the human eye sees as possible and still uncover things that can't be easily seen by the human eye. Not an easy task.

The photographer must learn about flash and night photography. Many crimes happen at night and the photos have to be taken at the time of the finding. This includes learning everything about dedicated, automatic and electronic flash, including what problems you can expect to run into with each. Troubleshooting is critical in forensic photography.

Then there is a whole course on the purpose of forensic photography so the photographer knows why he is taking the photos he is taking. This includes recording the original crime scene, recording all evidence, providing a permanent visual record and understanding the admissibility of photographic evidence.

Then there is a course on what they call general crime scene photography. This course covers the basics of crimes regardless of the kind. These are procedures that need to be followed regardless of what has happened whether it be a robbery or a murder.

After this course there is a more in depth course, or series of courses, on specific crimes such as homicides, suicides, burglaries, assaults, traffic accidents and injuries. Each one of these incidents requires certain procedures that are specific only to that particular crime.

For example, with homicides color film must be used. Photographs must be taken of the exterior and interior of the building. The photographer must also take photos of the body itself from as many as five different angles, the room the body was found in, the adjoining rooms, close up of body wounds, any weapons found, any trace of evidence such as blood, any signs of a struggle, any signs of prior activity to the homicide, such as drink glasses on a table (maybe they knew each other) and all views that witnesses had if there were any.

And then if that isn't enough, there is a whole course on how to photograph evidence from fingerprints to footprints and anything else that may be found at a crime scene. A forensic photographer must have eyes like a hawk to know what to look for.

If you're thinking that this is something you'd like to do, now at least you know what's in store for you.

Why Photo Books Are Going to Be Bigger Than Elvis

Are photo books going to be as big as Elvis? Well, one thing is for sure, photo books hold amazing potential. Keen photographers can use the whole photo book concept to make a photo business that blows everything else out of the water. Or, potentially at least. So lets find out why.

The first thing to realize is that books rock! You know when you sit down in someone's home and they have these wonderful coffee table photography books lying around. The first thing you do is pick one up and start browsing through it... Well, photo books are similar - just more of a low cost variety (albeit still great photos enclosed!)

And with custom photo books (design the book yourself, or drop your photos into a ready made template), you get these great benefits:

o Add your own unique photos to a professionally bound, high quality paper book.
o Create a photo book fast and often within days of a photo shoot (such as a wedding shoot).
o Personalize your photo book with different backgrounds and layouts, and personalized covers.
o Use photo books to present and market your business (such as a portfolio for a graphic designer, wedding photographer or interior designer).
o Use a hard cover, padded photo cover, or a fabric or leather photo cover.

Good photography has a lot to do with 'how' you present your photography. And once you have a series of great photos, why leave them online? This forces folks to go to a website to see your work - but what if they don't have Internet access? This is where the custom photo book looks even more promising.

Not only are you preserving (and sharing) your digital photo memories, you can create photo book gifts for special occasions. Just been traveling? Why not add your best travel images to a book and share it with family and friends? Think of the potential - wedding photo albums, children's memories, a day (or week or year) in your families life.

And if you're thinking the cost is prohibitive, then what about offering your photo book for sale too? Add titles, some poetry and words, and you have a completely unique book that's one-of-a-kind, and 'home made' too!

Best Books to Learn Photography

I have been a photographer for many years and in that time I have read an inordinate amount of books about the subject. Some of those books have been about the specific cameras that I own. Other books have been about the technical aspects of photography, and there have been books I have read that were about a particular type of photography. Here is my selection of what I consider to be the best books to learn about photography.

Tom Ang was a senior lecturer on photographic practice for over 10 years at the University of Westminster. He also travelled extensively in Central Asia as a photographer and is the author of over 20 books about photography. Two of his books that I have read from cover to cover several times over are "Digital Photography Step by Step" and "How to Photograph Absolutely Everything". The first of these books is a practical guide for the beginner on camera basics including setting up useful information about photo techniques for the beginner and the more experienced photographer alike. It includes a section on mastering photo subjects and another on enhancing and manipulating images. The second of the books mentioned assists you on being able to perfect photos on any subject you may encounter. It shows you the finished result in each case and provides you with the settings used, the camera mode, lens settings, ISO, flash, and provides hints and tips to achieving great results for yourself.

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Petersen is a must for those unsure what exposure is all about. It can be a confusing subject made worse by the many and varied digital controls available on modern digital DSLR cameras. Bryan cuts though the technical jargon and provides simple explanations and apt photographs to illustrate how to take perfect exposures every time. You will read this book and like a light bulb switching on, it will make you suddenly become aware that exposure is no longer a mystery.

Just about any book written by Ansel Adams is a have to have for your photographic library. He was one of the masters and forerunner of knowledge about the Zone System as a way of determining proper exposure.

The book "Photographic Composition" by Grill and Scanlon, explains in detail about one of the most important aspects of photography: composition.

There are many specialist area photography books on the market, far too many to detail here. However, because I enjoy taking pet portraits, one book that I refer to a great deal is "Pet Photography Now!" by Paul Walker. The content's fresh approach looks not only at the essentials of pet photography but also looks at pets in detail. There are sections on dogs and puppies, cats and kittens, horses and ponies, birds and even a small furry friend section. If you are into portraits and candid photography, the workshop book of the same name by Erin Manning provides understanding about the technology and basics for developing an artistic eye for photographing people.

If you need specific information about the camera body you use but find the user guide that came with it is too technical and confusing, I recommend the Magic Lantern Guide series from Barns & Noble publishers for information on just about any major camera model. Each guide provides in depth instructions on how to get the best out of your camera by explaining in reasonably simple terms about the camera controls.

Don't forget that the many photographic forums and websites online are a very informative source about anything you wish to know about photography. Often they provide details about eBooks on specialist subjects, many of which are low priced or even free.

How to Create the Perfect Book Cover

As an up and coming author you are, to be truthful, surrounded by competitors. So as your book sits on a virtual website or real store bookshelf, how do you get it to stand out amongst the competitors? A great book cover design can attract the attention of potential readers. When choosing to create your own book cover design you should consider the following stages.

Topic

Scene

Technique

Topic

When creating a book cover design you should take the time to think about the topic of your book and the general atmosphere you are creating in your writing.

For example, if your book is a work of horror fiction, then you are creating a dark atmosphere and this should be reflected in your book cover.

If you are creating a non fiction book such as an informational guide on perhaps finance, then your cover should reflect the topic by using images related to money and other economic matters.

Obviously the book you have written will have a title that reflects its theme and will also be located in its relevant section with regards to its genre. The cover illustrations will give the reader an extra insight into the content of your book.

As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words"

Two books in the social media section will share shelf space, virtual or not, but a book on the real world success of social media will need a cover completely different to a book that discusses the dangers of social media addiction.

Scene

Once you have decided on the type of topic you are trying to convey in your book cover design, you should then decide upon a scene that would achieve your aim.

Using the above example of a horror book, you could have a scene from the book where the main character is trapped by the main monster or villain. You would then refer to the chapter in the book to note small details of the surroundings you may have mentioned. You may have the main character trapped in a cellar with their back up against an old wooden door as part of your book.

This could be used as a perfect book cover design idea because you will give the reader a visual account of what your character looks like and also an image of an important scene.

Referring to the example about the success of social media I mentioned above you could have a picture of a group of happy looking business people celebrating their latest social media campaign.

The scenes available to you are only limited by your chosen topic, book content, and imagination.

Technique

Your next choice is the technique by which you intend to actually bring your book cover design ideas into reality.

You can of course hire someone to create a cover for you, which is not as expensive as you may think.

There are plenty of budding artists and photographers that are trying to establish a reputation. Most of them will charge a fairly low price in return for the publicity your book will bring to them via a book cover design credit that lists them as the creator.

If you have followed the steps above and have a good idea of what you are trying to achieve in your book cover then you will be able to give the artist a framework to refer to.

You can also use stock artwork or photographs from various websites around the internet.

These sites usually allow people to use the pictures on their site for a small fee and with a set of terms with regards to licensing.

When using this method you will have a vast selection of pictures available to you, but be sure to check the licensing terms before using a picture for your cover. If in doubt it is a good idea to contact the customer service department of the website to clarify any questions you may have.

The next technique is to actually create the cover yourself from scratch.

This may sound daunting but it actually is not as hard as you may think.

There are some fantastic art software programs available that can be used to create book covers.

If you are good at art you can use these programs to create any image you could be using normal methods such as paint and canvas. There may be a learning curve, but the results can be amazing.

If you are not so great at art you can always use stock pictures, or even go out with a camera and take your own photographs, then use the art program to create your cover.

Using art software is usually the most cost effective way of designing a book cover and is also far less constricting in as far as licensing terms are concerned.

If you wish to learn more information and tips then read my page on book cover design

Why Buy a Real Leather Wedding Album?

When buying your wedding album, you will have to make the choice whether to go for real leather or faux leather (leatherette). The price difference can be substantial and you might ask yourself: "Is it worth it?" This article tries to give the answer.

The feeling

While faux leather optically looks very similar to leather, the main difference can be found in the feeling of the album when you hold it in your hands. A leather album has simply a better feeling to it. Leather is a natural material and your hands appreciate that. This is not to say that a faux leather album does not feel nice, a leather album simply feels nicer.

The smell

Believe it or not, a real leather album smells better. Faux leather is fairly neutral regarding the smell, so when you give your album a good sniff, you will notice the smell of glue and paper. A leather album has a slightly more interesting whiff of animal skin. This adds to the slightly more special appeal of a real leather wedding album.

The weight

Real leather is heavier than leatherette. Your wedding album will be more heavy if bound in real leather. The weight is important, since a heavy album seems more precious and valuable as an object than a light if not to say flimsy wedding album. The weight of your album however can be increased by other means, for example the page strength.

The looks

As I wrote before, leatherette looks almost the same as real leather. Almost, but not quite! A leather wedding album still looks just a tiny little bit nicer and more elegant.

In conclusion

At the end, it depends where your priorities are regarding your wedding album. If you want to have the best wedding album you can possibly get, then go for real leather. If you want a nice album on a limited budget, faux leather is good enough. If you think that thick pages are more important than the cover, go for a faux leather album with heavy pages. In general, I would say that the extra money for leather is worth it. Still, a faux leather album can perfectly suit your needs.

Buy a Photo Booth For a Fun Side Business

Just about everyone at one time or another has sat in a photo booth and had their picture taken. Now you can buy a photobooth of your very own to rent out for parties or weddings. Photo booths are a great party activity that everyone enjoys participating in.

Buy a photo booth versus renting one

Obviously if you are thinking of going into the picture booth rental business, you will need to buy a booth eventually. You could rent one to try it out for a while to see if it's something you may want to do. One thing you may want to look into is going with a photobooth franchise. This can save you a lot of hassle in finding a photo booth, plus the parent company will help you get started with publicity and operation.

What would I need to buy?

If you are going into the photo booth business, you would need to start with the booth itself. You probably would want to look for a portable unit so you can take it from location to location. Booths come equipped with either a digital or classic camera. The digital gives you quite a bit more flexibility in terms of what you can do with a picture once it's been taken. Digital photos can be edited on the spot, and printed out on a variety of papers.

Is a photobooth expensive?

A quick internet search turns up photo booths ranging in price from about $2000 and up. Many companies offer financing. Keep in mind that a booth is a great money maker.

Almost everyone loves to have their picture taken. A photobooth is a novel and fun way to remember the guests that were at a wedding or party. The current wave of nostalgia makes this the perfect time to buy a photo booth.