Proud Photography Blog

Photography is a wonderful hobby that is enjoyed by millions of people around the world. Although you don’t need to be wealthy to enjoy photography, it certainly helps when it comes time to purchase equipment. Let’s face it, photography can be quite expensive. So how does a person with limited means acquire new equipment? The answer is simple; sell your photographs! Not only is photography a great hobby, but it can also make you money. Chances are you won’t become rich through photography, but if you are enterprising and patient, you can make enough to support your hobby. Here are a few suggestions to help you turn a profit through photography. Read the rest of this entry »

It is amazing how attached we become to our photographs. It doesn’t matter if you are a professional photographer or a hobbyist, cutting elements from a composition can often be a difficult task. Call it photographer’s pride, or perhaps just a bit cautious, but removing elements from an images takes a keen eye and decisiveness. It is time to set aside your fears of shredding your photographs. With digital media, cropping does not need to be permanent. You can try different variations to include and remove distracting elements, or bring more focus to the intended subject rather than the fragments that were cut off during the initial composition. In some applications, such as Photoshop, you can use the crop tool to actually increase the usable space and add a border to your photograph. Read the rest of this entry »

Creating interesting photographs does not need to be difficult. Oftentimes, the difference between an interesting shot and a boring one is a matter of perspective. There are many times when a straight-on head and shoulders shot is appropriate and well-deserving for your intention. However, straight-on shots are not very exciting. Straight shots tend to become quite mundane and your viewers will quickly find excuses to escape from the drudgery of seeing Uncle Harold from the same angle over and over again. Sometimes, all it takes is a little change in altitude to make your shots more interesting. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are looking for a variation to photography that is interesting and fun to publish, try photographing small objects, such as toy cars and action figures. This niche has become quite popular over the past years, especially amongst young adults. The concept is simple; make something small appear full-sized. The photograph in this article is one example where a scale model of a Mini Cooper was shot at a low angle. There is usually no need to purchase specialized equipment, such as macro lenses or light rings. Oftentimes, a quality point and shoot camera is all you need to create interesting and creative shots. There are a few methods to employ when shooting small objects that will help create the appearance of making the objects appear full-scale. Read the rest of this entry »

It can be said that photographers are, in a sense, historical recorders. After all, photography is the art of capturing a very discrete moment in time and preserving that moment for as long as the photograph exists. Once the photograph has been destroyed, the moment can no longer be recreated. Take a moment to consider the photographs of historical significance we have seen at one point or another. Oftentimes, these photographs show scenes where people dress a certain way, or have a certain appearance that is no longer common in today’s society. Other photographs may show antique cars that were shiny and new in their common era, running on the streets that are common to us today. Other times, photographs like those of the Old West show daily business being conducted on the main street of a pioneering town. Unfortunately, there are very few photographs of how life was in the past, but there are still evidence of our history around us today. Read the rest of this entry »

Perhaps one of the most challenging photography assignments to take on is photographing children. Overall, children can be quite difficult to work with, and who can blame them? After all, these little people are often dressed in outfits that although may be adorable in the eyes of the parent, the clothes may not be comfortable for the child to wear. There are the other factors as well, such as hot, bright lights, a strange environment, and strange people who make strange noises and point scary objects at them. Although some children seem to enjoy the experience, many find the experience unnerving. However, there are some preparation steps that you can take that may minimize the negative experience for the child and, in turn, produce more favorable results. Read the rest of this entry »

While traveling through Virginia a couple years ago, my wife and I decided to take a side trip and visit Luray Caverns. My wife, who is not known to voluntarily enter closed-in spaces, reluctantly agreed to walk through the underground cavern. Being a self-proclaimed camera-nerd, I could not resist the temptation of taking along my Canon PowerShot A710, and was I glad I did. Upon entering the caverns, we were led along a concrete stairway that brought us deeper into the Earth than I ever had before. My wife was beginning to lag behind a little and I could see that she was having second thoughts about the idea of entering a cave. She later confessed that thoughts of bats and other cave-dwellers nesting in her hair had understandably made her uneasy. I assured her that her anxiety was completely unfounded, but I think she caught me looking up, just in case. Read the rest of this entry »

Creative photographers are unique within the photography world. This is not to say they are difficult to locate; they are all around us. They do not come from certain identifiable backgrounds, or have genetic qualities that make them different from others. In stead, they are unique in a manner that they have developed an ability to see patterns, colors, and light in a manner that is often unappreciated in daily life. While most walk past the ordinary, creative photographers see a special, intrinsic quality in the ordinary. Be it true that some people tend to have developed a knack to develop their creativity more easily than others, anyone who chooses to develop their skills as a creative photographer can become more creative with a little bit of practice and guidance. Following the following steps will help you to develop your creative skills. Read the rest of this entry »

Modern camera systems have come far in recent years. Most SLR camera systems on the market now, be it digital or film-based, automate many of the processes that were strictly manual just a few years ago, such as automatic metering. In the not so distant past, metering was an essential process involving a variety of gray cards and meters…even some calculations were in order to ensure the correct exposure was selected. This is not to say these steps are no longer important. To the contrary, understanding metering is just as important today as it was in years past. The difference between now and then are the systems that are available to the photographer. As with all things that are designed to automate a process, there is a risk of experiencing some skill loss caused by automated dependency. This article will cover metering and how metering has an effect on the quality of your photographs. Read the rest of this entry »

In the olden days of film photography, depth of field was discussed quite extensively amongst photographers. Somehow, up and coming digital photographers seem to have lost their focus (sorry, I couldn’t resist) on the importance of understanding how certain camera settings greatly effect depth of field. I believe that in days past, a significant division existed between those who were SLR photographers and those who were not. Back then, auto focus was unheard of on a SLR camera. After all, where is the skill in letting the camera do all the work? Instead, the photographer had to set focus by aligning a split horizon and depth of field was determined by simulating the effects by pressing a DOF button, which was quite a nice feature that was available on some systems. So, to pay due tribute to those who long for their old SLR systems, let’s take a look at some of the principles relating to depth of field. Read the rest of this entry »