Entries Tagged 'Photography' ↓

Do more megapixels make better pictures? Some experts say no while camera makers say yes.

I found this great article on c/net about this very debate. You can read about it here and decide for yourself.

I made a big goof last spring when I bought a new digital camera. I didn’t take time to read the manual. I was just replacing my old camera so I figured I already knew how this new camera worked. Anyway, a couple of days after I got the camera, my son was competing in a mutton bustin’ contest. (Side note: Mutton bustin is a rodeo event where a child rides a sheep. Silly, huh?) I packed up my camera, extra batteries, etc. and went to watch my son ride. I took loads of pictures that evening. Tuff Hedeman (World Champion Bull Rider) even stopped to pose for a picture with Landry.

When I got home, I practically ran to the computer to view all the fabulous pictures I took. I was devastated! More than half of the pictures did not turn out because I didn’t have the camera on the right setting.
The moral to this story is KNOW YOUR CAMERA! Pick up your manual and read it. Make sure you have your camera close by when reading the manual so you can make mental notes as you go. Next, practice what you learned. The great thing about digital cameras is you don’t waste film… so snap away. Take the same picture several times using the different options. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Learn what works best. You won’t regret it.

If you don’t have a manual for your camera, look online. Most camera manufacturers publish their manuals online. Some also have some great tutorials, tips, and tricks.

Have you ever gone to one of your child’s recitals (sporting event, play, etc.) and realized that your batteries on your camera were dead? Next time, be prepared. Make sure your camera bag is packed with the following:

• Digital camera
• Camcorder
• Extra batteries for digital camera
• Extra batteries for camcorder
• Power cord for camcorder
• Extra blank tapes for camcorder
• Extra blank media card (memory) for digital camera
• Tripod
• Lens cleaner and cloth
• Owner’s manuals for digital camera and camcorder
• Video cable (in case you want to hook your camcorder up to a TV to show your footage)
• Lenses for camera
• Scene list

When starting a video scrapbook, you might find that you have more than enough photos to include. Therefore, you’ll have to be selective in choosing photos. Here’s some tips that’ll help you select the best photos for your video scrapbook:

• Avoid photos that are out of focus.
• Avoid photos that are too small. When you enlarge them, they will become grainy.
• Select a mix of close up photos and photos taken from a distance.
• Select photos with individuals and some with groups of people.
• Select photos that show important events or stages in one’s life.
• Select photos that are candid and show character.
• Select horizontal photos if possible. TV/computer monitors are wider than they are tall, so horizontal photos fill the screen and look much better. When you use vertical photos, black bars appear on each side of the photo since it doesn’t fill the screen. This is OK occasionally. However, it could be distracting if you have too many vertical photos.
• Remember that each photo will probably display 6-8 seconds. So you might want to count the number of pictures you want to include and multiply that number by 7 seconds to determine how long the video will be.

Have fun! And keep checking my blog for more video scrapbooking tips!