Although babies are the cutest and most precious beings in the universe, why is there such a huge discrepancy between a really cute BABY and a truly mediocre baby PICTURE?

If you want to take baby photos that capture THE TRUE ESSENCE OF YOUR BABY, remember these critical points…

Your Baby’s First 3 Months

Think of this period in your baby’s photographic life as the MOLDING STAGE. Like Gumby, you can pretty much place the baby in any position you want. And if someone else is posing the baby while you are already in position to shoot, so much the better.

This is the time to capture those adorable little baby bits. You can read about additional tips for photographing babies and view sample baby pics here.

At this age, the “baby bits” (feet, hands, eyes, noses, etc.) ALONE can make a wonderful photograph. Either use your camera’s macro setting and/or carefully crop a non-macro picture.

Black and White images can also create quite an impression. Check your camera for any black and white selection. Or, most of the photo-editing software has ways to make the transition from color to black and white fairly simple.

When you add a parent’s hand(s) or face to the picture, an entirely different effect is created.

Play With Perspective

One approach is to get at eye-level with a sleeping baby, but position yourself at their feet. Believe it or not, you could easily take 50 photographs of a sleeping baby, and never take 2 that are identical.

An outstanding photographic exercise would be to snap off 50 images, each one from a different angle and perspective; using different focus points and aperture settings (for depth of field). Don’t worry; you won’t run out of ideas!

Once you begin to think about taking baby photos differently, all sorts of new posing ideas will emerge. One example is to use the camera’s macro setting when taking baby photos.

With the use of a tripod, focus solely on the baby’s eye, thus pushing the nose and everything else OUT OF FOCUS. Although more challenging with babies, it is possible (and very dramatic) to catch the reflection of an object in the baby’s eye. For that type of image, an extreme crop would be optimal.

Want to see more ideas for taking better baby photos? We’ll show you how to create stunning baby photos for every stage of your baby’s first 18 months.

Portrait photographers have very special skills for they capture the essence of their Become A Model subjects if they are good. Portrait photographers take pictures of tiny babies and their grandmothers that the family will keep for many years. Portrait photography requires special skills. Surely those that specialize in portrait photography must have a keen knowledge of cameras and films. They must have knowledge of lighting, and they must be able to apply this knowledge. Those that practice portrait photography must select the appropriate papers for printing their work. Portrait photographers must select a tone for their images.

On the walls of many museums and in the pages of history books, there are many examples of portrait photography. The images of kings and queens from many years ago are available because of the skills of portrait photographers. These kings and queens look majestic in most of these portraits because this stance was important to their station in life. Great historical figures from Napoleon to Winston Churchill gaze down from the walls of museums because of the skill of portrait photographers. Their images document the important deeds of these figures. Skilled portrait photographers have preserved the images of Roosevelt as he led the nation during World War II.

Portrait Photography Documents Important Family Memories

Skilled portrait photographers follow a bride around on her wedding day to make sure that they capture each moment of this important event. During the course of the day, the photographers use their skills to capture candid photos of the bride, the groom and their families. Some time during the day, they will probably take time to capture a special portrait of the bride and groom that will be preserved for many years so their grandchildren can one day learn about this special day many years before their births.

Portrait photography of Model Talent is important to capture the images of people at different times of their lives. A portrait of a first grader will probably be very cheerful and hopeful. The portrait of the same girl on her wedding day will show her maturity on an important day. The portrait of a grandmother will be handed down from generation to generation so the family members will know something about their ancestors. The skilled portrait photographer will capture more than just the appearance of this woman. Hopefully, this portrait will provide some insight into the hopes, dreams and thoughts of this woman and Female Model for her descendants.

One of the most common oversights in group photography is not optimally framing the picture that they want to make an enlargement so their MASTERPIECE can find a place of honor on the wall.

Here’s the paradox…

Have you ever enlarged one of your WOW group images only to realize that you need to cut off a part of one subject, in order to achieve the desired size of the enlargement?

If you’ve ever used a 5 x 7 crop on an image having a 2:3 or 3:4 aspect ratio (which most digital cameras use), you know the problem.

Photographers often experience this discouraging result without knowing what caused it; thus leaving them doomed to repeat it. Consider this ideal scenario…

It’s a beautiful day, the sun is shining, and your composition is good (i.e., you “framed” the picture so that your camera’s viewfinder forms a close crop around all of your subjects).

Everyone is smiling, and the background has been nicely blurred. After downloading the image, you realize you just took a masterpiece.

So what do you do (after jumping up and down)? Let’s say the family wants to hang a nice 14 x 11 portrait on their wall. (Refer to these Group Portraits examples since photos are not allowed to be included here.)

If you take a group picture and then superimpose a 14 x 11 (or, whatever the desired enlargement size is) rectangular on it, you can tell how the final 14 x 11 cropped image would look.

Here is the Money-Saver

If at all possible, always use STANDARD print sizes when enlarging, mating, and/or framing an image. Why? Because framing an 11 x 14 photo will cost 25% to 80% less than a non-standard size (11 x 12, for example) will cost.

What To Do BEFORE THE PHOTOGRAPH Is Taken

Compose each picture as though it will turn out to be a masterpiece! So what does that mean? Remember that the final image will probably need to be cropped. Therefore, BEFORE you take the photo, allow enough non-critical space around your subjects, so if you do need to crop it off, your subjects will remain intact.

How much space is required? Adding approximately 20% to both the horizontal and vertical sides of your composition should do it. Then, once you decide how big an enlargement you want for your masterpiece, there will be enough excess to achieve your goal without doing a hatchet-job on any of your subjects or spending a fortune on custom framing.

To bring your photographic skill to the next level, here are dozens of Group Portraits tips.

One of the best benefits of digital photo printing is that you have the ability to change your photographs any way you would like before having them printed. If you are interested in taking advantage of free online photo album sites, but you’re not sure where to start, here is an easy guide to help you edit your pictures.

Step One: Download a photo editing application. There are numerous freeware versions of photo editing software, or if you need extra control, you can purchase a more comprehensive suite. Photoshop is a very popular tool for advanced users, while Paint Shop Pro is enjoyed by many entry level users. It is a good idea to take advantage of free trials on paid photo editing applications so that you can make sure you like the software before actually buying it.

Step Two: Once you have your photo editing software installed, you will need to either transfer your photos from your digital camera or scan existing prints in. Most digital cameras will come with a flash memory card that can either be directly read by a computer, or they will have a cable that will transfer the data over to your computer. Flat bed scanners are widely available as well and they make it simple to send old photographs to your computer.

Step Three: Now that you have the original image saved on your computer, it’s time to open up your digital photo software and start editing the image. You’ll have many different options, depending on the type of application you are using. Some of the more popular uses include cropping photos to remove unwanted areas, fixing problems with colors, getting rid of certain effects, or even adding special effects of your own.

You can add special borders, integrate clipart, or even make the photo look like an oil painting, depending on the software you are using. It’s a good idea to make sure that you save the file under a new name so that you can preserve the original. Once you’re done editing the picture, it’s time to move on to the final step for digital photo printing.

Step Four: Picking the right size. If you keep the photo the same size that your camera produced, it will be a little easier to get them printed with the digital photo printing service. If it is smaller, try to pick image sizes that will correspond to prints. For example, 4×6, 5×7 and 8×5 are popular image sizes. You can use your photo editing software to resize your image, but please note that the quality may be lessened if you try to change the overall size too much.

Step Five: Upload your pictures for digital photo printing. After you have followed the above steps, it’s time to upload your photos to the digital photo printing website and order your prints. This process is very similar to traditional photo processing, but the results will be much better.

That’s all there is to it! Go out and take some pictures, load your pictures to a free online photo album site, and see just how easy it is to use digital photo printing services.

CJ Thomas writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to build a free online photo album, as well as free online photo storage.

Image via WikipediaPortrait photography does not rely so much on the most advanced photographic equipment as much as it does on basic techniques that capture the physical appearance and internal character of a human being. If you are meeting a subject for portrait photography for the first time, then you may need to take some time to get that person to warm up and be comfortable with you.

You can try talking to that person in the course of the portraits session, allowing some of their personality to shine through. Although most portrait photography styles involve the subject in a pose, you can also take pictures during their unguarded moments, which are often more revealing.

In terms of lighting, soft and off-camera works best for indoor portraits, while overcast skies bring about more flattering photos when outdoors. A reflector can be your best friend when taking portrait photographs in bright sunlight, since you do not want to cast attention on the shadows underneath a subject’s eyes. If you want to draw attention to certain features, then lighting should come from the top or the side of the face of the subject.

In portraits, you also do not want to emphasize someone’s nose, which means that you will need to take the photos from a distance, as much as ten to fifteen feet away. In this case, you will need to have a telephoto lens to compensate for the distance. When taking group photos, it is a general rule to have everyone move as close to each other as possible to convey warmth and camaraderie.

There are different kinds of shots under portraits with close-up photos being the most common. Usually, close-ups include the subject’s face taken from the neck up. Upper body shots allow more of the background to be seen in the photo and let the subject relax a bit.

Portrait photography also includes environmental portraits, which show the surroundings or activities that the subject usually engages in. Photojournalists prefer this type of portrait photography best since you get an interesting peek into the life of a person.

When you’re out taking pictures, and a problem crops up, it isn’t always easy to solve it. There’s a better way of doing things however! As football fans are fond of saying, “The best defense is a good offense.” And the best offense here is to avoid problems with your digital camera in the first place.

That’s not to say things aren’t going to happen that are unexpected and unavoidable. However, many of the common problems photographers have when out shooting pictures are easily remedied with just a little prior planning.

Dead Batteries

There’s nothing worse than missing that great picture because the battery in your digital camera died. The easy solution is to always, ALWAYS, have extra batteries in your camera case. It doesn’t matter if you use rechargeable or regular batteries, you need at least one spare set of battieries.

Also, bear in mind that if you’re outside shooting in cold weather, your batteries will die a lot quicker. Digital camera batteries just don’t last as long when they get cold, so in the case of lower temperatures, or out cavorting in the snow to take pictures, it might be better to have a couple of extra batteries.

Yes, it’s true batteries can be expensive, but it’s worth spending a little extra money to keep from beating your head against the wall because a dead battery made you miss that once in a lifetime shot. Spare batteries are a must!

When Cards Go Bad

A while back I went on vacation and took all my pictures on one card. I thought I’d have some fantastic shots. I was sure I’d filled that card with lots and lots of memorable photos.

The scenery was indeed breathtaking, but what really took my breath away was when I tried to load the pictures onto my computer and got one of those dreaded “ERROR” messages. The card was bad and most of the files were corrupted. There was no way to access them, so all those wonderful pictures were gone, gone, gone.

While it doesn’t happen often, cards can and do go bad. That’s why it’s better to buy two smaller cards for your digital camera than one humongous card. For instance, if you’re looking at buying a 2-GB card, get a couple of 1-GB cards instead.

Yes, it’s cheaper to buy a huge bunch of gigabytes on one card. But if that one card goes bad, there goes ALL your pictures. Don’t make that mistake. Buy smaller cards. It’s better to have part of your pictures than none of your pictures.

The moral of the story? Two cards are better than one.

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

The weather isn’t cooperating, or maybe you just like pictures of rain. Or you’re on a boat or at the seashore, and there’s a lot of moisture in the air. Whereever you are, if there’s a lot of moisture in the air, it can be a problem. You want to take pictures but you don’t want to ruin your camera. What to do?

Well, you can buy protective gear to keep in your camera case for such times. Places like B & H Photo or Calumet Photographic stores carry waterproof cases. However, if it’s just an occasional thing, you might not want to spend money for such equipment.

For a make-do solution, carry a clear plastic bag in your camera case to keep water off your camera. If you’re traveling and don’t have a plastic bag in your camera case, grab one of those clear disposable shower caps and use it.

Planning Ahead Saves Your Sanity

If planning ahead doesn’t save your sanity, it will at least improve your chances for good pictures. Having charged-up batteries and extra memory cards plus a dry camera will at least give you the opportunity to take lots of pictures.

And getting those great pictures is why you bought a digital camera in the first place!

Digital Photography Secrets has information on easy digital photography, digital cameras and accessories, and more at http://www.thephotographylearningcenter.com/ You don’t have to be a pro to take good pictures!

Digital photography classes have expanded dramatically in recent years and for really good reason. It simply does not matter if you are just an incredible enthusiast or an aspiring professional photographer; a digital photography course can be one of the most rewarding experiences in your life and could be an experience which you will never regret.

Before you decide to take any type of photography class, ensure that the class and the tutor are accredited, normally you would expect accredited classes to be held in official locations such as schools or well known buildings and you would also expect the classes/tutors to be forthcoming with their qualifications, knowledge and experience. This point may of course be very obvious to you; however you will be very surprised at the amount of classes which are run by people in their basements. These people who put these advertisements may well be experienced and may well be able to teach you many techniques etc; however some of these people may also be dangerous, so just be careful.

A digital photography course will also require you to bring in your own digital camera. And it does not matter if you have a $50 digital camera or whether you have a $2000 digital camera, we all have to start somewhere and do not feel swayed to dismiss a course because you may fear your digital camera is the worst in the class. Remember at a digital photography class, people are more usually intellectual and have an extreme passion for photography therefore do not fear getting mocked etc. It is actually during your classes where you will start to learn a lot more about your digital camera, your tutor may well show you how to take off/add items onto your camera, and your tutor will definitely show you how to get the best pictures possible.

So, taking a digital photography course can be a fun and great experience, and will no doubt enable you to take better pictures, so if you desire to be a budding professional photographer or simply wish to take better quality pictures, a course of this nature should be a consideration for you.

Last thought, remember to do your research in the field of digital cameras, this applies to photography classes and actually buying digital cameras too. It does not take any time at all to research tutor names on the internet and to get feedback from other people, likewise it takes no time to do research on digital cameras advanced features and the specification such as mega pixels etc.

Adam Westrop has a passion for delivering key information and showing the best prices on the Canon elph digital camera range