Photography Techniques Blog

My Photography Techniques Blog is where I share ideas, tips and techniques on photography plus it's a kind of journal of photos and thoughts drawn from my day-to-day life here in France and other places I visit. From time to time, I also make the odd photo montage and I post about those too. You may also find occasional blog posts on the following:

• notification of new Web pages uploaded to AnneDarlingPhotography.com, keeping you up to date with all the latest articles
• comments on what's happening in the wonderful world of photography such as exhibitions, competitions and so on
• info on new photography-related products that might interest you
• links to great new photography sites
• anything else related to photography that I think is interesting and might interest you too!

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I love helping other people to improve their photographs, so iIf there is a particular photography technique you would like me to blog about just contact me and I will share my thoughts with you and other visitors through this blog.

Herman Krieger, Oregon-based Documentary Photographer : an Interview with Anne Darling

Herman Krieger:

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Free Photo Editor Downloads | Best Free Photo Editors inc. Photoshop Express

The free photo editor downloads listed here include Photoshop and Corel which are 30-day trials. The other two (GIMP and Paint.net are freeware). Below this list you will find another list of free photo editors which can be used online. Some ask you to register, some don't, and some have certain features which only unlock if you create an account so check first.

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African Photography Safari

An African photography safari may seem like a world of possibilities away but if you are a nature photographer of any kind, and if you love photographing animals or birds, then a wildlife safari must surely be on your wish list at least, and to go to Africa on safari one day and photograph the animals in a natural habitat would be a hugely rewarding experience - if you get the shots right!

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Black and White Conversion in Photoshop | Monochrome Pictures Using Channel Mixers

Black and white conversion of colour photographs is best done with a Channel Mixer Adjustment Layer. This method works well with photos that aren't too dependent on colour from the point of view of composition such as a field of yellow sunflowers or sunsets with vibrant colours in the sky. Strong shapes and lines, and bold compositions are best.

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Work from Home Business Ideas | Work Online from Home

Looking for work from home business ideas? I built this site with SBI and now enjoy working online from home on a full-time basis. The reason I love building and working on this website is because not only does it bring in passive income from affiliate programs, advertising and so, but it let's me share my love of photography with like-minded people AND I can choose to make the kind of photographs that I like. Freedom like that is priceless.

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Online Photography Courses | How to Find the Right Digital Photography Course for You!

Online photography courses are becoming more and more popular due to the convenience they offer so I have researched what is currently available and put together this page so you can see at a glance which ones are most suitable for you.

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Photography Competitions - How to Enter, How to Win!

Interested in photography competitions and how to win them? Read this exclusive interview with a 15-years old amateur photographer who has won first prize in 17 competitions!

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How to Use Adobe Photoshop E-Book | Photoshop Tutorials for Beginners to Advanced

Learn how to use Adobe Photoshop with this E-book guide to Photoshop techniques - suitable for everyone whether you are looking for photoshop tutorial for beginners, intermediate or more advanced techniques, in an easy-to-follow, clear and comprehensive style.

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Kindle Reader Photography Books in Color!

Kindle Reader photography books are now available for the new Kindle Fire. At last we photography lovers can enjoy the wonders of Kindle in full color - yay! Amazon claims that it is now selling more electronic copies of ebooks than paper copies, a trend that is set to continue. And more and more, photography books are being produced which are suitable for viewing on the Kindle screen - particularly books on learning how to do photography and improving your craft. I love this whole new way of reading and learning on the move, wherever and whenever you feel like it.

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Photography Composition 4 | The Rule of Thirds

In photography composition, the Rule of Thirds is a guideline you can use to help you create photographs with greater visual impact. It is a compositional device which is also used by painters and other visual artists. All you have to do is imagine that the camera's viewfinder is divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. Position your subject at the intersection of those lines and it will be placed one third of the way from the sides, both top and bottom. This is illustrated in the image below of an old abandoned windmill in France:

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Montage Art | Photo Montage Ideas in Photoshop

More montage art pictures! Hope you enjoy them! The first of these photo montages is called Lake: Evening. It was made after I went for a walk on a chalky path near where I live. The path rises gently through woodland where deer, red squirrels and polecats can be seen (if you're wide awake and on the ball!). At the top of the hill is an area where many of the trees are bowed over and the day I went walking, the sky was particularly interesting, with clouds racing along over the horizon.

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Aerial Kite Photography Part 2

With aerial kite photography you will find that you have to be selective about where you choose to launch your kit. You have to work with the weather, people, buildings and other obstacles. For example, launching your kite downwind of trees can be unpredictable as there may be a lot of air turbulence. The same goes for buildings and hills. So avoid any large obstacles because even though you can't see wind turbulence it is better to assume it is there and to choose a wide open area to fly your kite.

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Aerial Kite Photography

The fun of aerial kite photography is accesible to so many people today thanks to light-weight, affordable cameras and kits that enable beginners to get started without a large financial outlay. Using a kite to make photographs from the the sky gives such unique shots - this article will show you how to get started.

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Sony Cyber Shot Digital Camera Series

The first Sony Cyber Shot digital camera was made in 1996 using Carl Zeiss lenses. Carl Zeiss is a German optics manufacturer with a deservedly high reputation, founded in 1846, and one of the oldest optics manufacturing companies in the world. However, Zeiss allows third parties to make optics using Zeiss technology under special licence which means that companies such as Hasselblad, Rollei and of course Sony, are making lenses to a very high specification. So when you buy a Sony Cyber shot digital camera you know you are buying the best in terms of optics.

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Compact Digital Cameras

Compact digital cameras are the best-selling type of camera there is, and are designed for simplicity of use. Most of them have either focus-free lenses or built-in autofocus plus an automatic system of calculating the exposure. They nearly always have a built-in flash unit for use in low-level light.

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Nikon Coolpix Digital Camera Series

The Nikon Coolpix digital camera series is the range of point-and-shoot cameras developed by Nikon. This series is changing quite rapidly as Nikon adds cameras and discontinues others. As of 2011, there are four series currently available:

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Kodak Compact Digital Cameras

Kodak compact digital cameras are called EasyShare, signifying that they are compatible with 'docks' which Kodak manufacture and which make it easy for the camera user to upload images to a computer for editing, sharing or printing. There have been many models available and it can get confusing when you look at the model numbers as many of them have now been discontinued. To keep it simple for you, I've summarised the series which are currently available (as of September 2011) as follows...

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Fuji Compact Digital Cameras

Fuji compact digital cameras can be divided into five categories: the A series are entry level point-and-shoot cameras designed for ease of use, first introduced in 2001; the F series are very good for shooting in low light environments as they have relatively little image noise and natural colors even at high ISO settings; the J series are low-cost, entry-level compact cameras first released in 2008 and have now partially replaced the A series range; the Z series are ultra compact and very stylish, lightweight point-and-shoot digital cameras - some models are waterproof - all have non-protruding folded optics and sliding lens cover apart from the Z33WP which has no lens cover; the Real 3D cameras can take three-dimensional pictures using two lenses, and display them to the naked eye in 3D

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Canon Compact Digital Cameras | Canon Powershot Cameras

Canon compact digital cameras are known as PowerShot cameras. The A-Series PowerShot are the easiest to use and are designed to keep it as simple as possible so you can just point and shoot without any complications; the ELPH PowerShot cameras are also easy to use but additionally boast an array of helpful shooting modes, creative features and advanced functions

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Casio Compact Digital Cameras

Casio compact digital cameras are renowned for being ultra thin and you can literally pop one in your pocket so you will never miss another shot. They come in three main types: the Exilim Card cameras are the thinnest - around 9-16mm thick; Exilim Zoom cameras include an optical zoom as well as digital zoom; Exilim Professional cameras have higher quality optics and a more powerful zoom.

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Camera Lens Cleaning | A Guide to Best Practice

Good camera lens cleaning practice is essential if you want to look after your equipment and get crystal-clear images but first a plea. Do not overclean your lens as photographic lenses have an optical coating which helps to reduce unwanted reflection. Reflective light loss reduces light transmission and the reflected light can cause lens flare so it's very important to clean gently - do not press too hard and do not over do it. Note that finger prints can be particularly harmful to the optic coating and should be removed as soon as possible.

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Camera Lens Filters for Digital & Film Photographers

Camera lens filters such as Ultra Violet (UV) filters are an important part of every photographer's kit, even those who shoot digital. UV light is a problem with film and alters the colors but digital cameras do not detect UV rays. However, a UV filter (also known as a skylight filter) is important for every photographer who wants to protect their lenses. It is worthwhile fitting a UV filter to each and every lens in your kit. (Note that although digital cameras are not sensitive to UV light they are sensitive to infra red which is one reason why low-level night shots come out well with digital.)

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Best Camera Lens for Digital SLRs

The best camera lens for your camera depends on the photographic effect you wish to achieve. The lens you choose can have a dramatic impact on the final image so it's important to make an informed choice. This article will help you choose which one is best for any situation and enable you to get the maximum potential from your SLR camera.

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Best Digital Photography Books

My choice of the best digital photography books to inspire you to take better pictures, and to reduce the learning curve to a gentle slope.

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Photography Composition 3: Find a Natural Frame

A great photography composition tip is to frame your subject. Use trees, rocks, hills or anything inanimate that you can find. This is a kind of psychological trick which keeps the eye contained within the image as the eyes by their very nature wander around a scene looking for the next interesting thing. By framing your shot, you keep the eyes where you want them - on the subject of your photo.

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Photography Composition 2: Line, Shape, Pattern, Texture & Color

Photography Composition 2 looks at the use of line, shape, pattern, texture and color. These are the five main elements in any composition, whether a photograph or a painting. How they are combined, balanced and blended will decide if the picture is artistically successful or not. In a successful image, all the elements will have a place and a function - no one element will appear to be superfluous, it will feel as if nothing has been left out and the picture will have a simplified unity. It will feel complete. And when successful, the underlying emotional content, or message of the picture, will be all the more powerful.

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Photography Composition 1: How to Use Rhythm

Rhythm in photography composition is an important concept. Rhythm is innate to us all, our heart beat is the single most obvious example, and since the dawn of time humans have had a kind of sympathy and love of rhythm which we express through music, poetry and art. In visual art it creates a sense of underlying harmony and structure to the composition.

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Artistic Photography 1: Negative Space

Artistic Photography 1: A great photography technique that can improve your pictures hugely, is the use of negative space. This is a compositional technique found in art in general and once you have grasped it you will begin to wonder how you managed to miss it before

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Flaming Pear Plugins: Flood Filter

Flaming Pear do some amazing plugins for Photoshop. Among my favourites is the Flood Filter which gives the effect of a submerged world. It costs about 22 Euros (whatever that is in dollars!) but you can give it a try with their free download which I believe lasts 30 days - and you can do a lot in 30 days!

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Older Posts

In days of old, I had a blog which was hosted by Wordpress.com. If you would like to read some of the posts from my previous blog, follow the links below.

Rainbow Photographs

Into the Desert: Ganesha & the Donkey

Photo Montage: The Queen of Hearts

Photo Montage: The Holy Grail

Photo Montage: Which Way Shall I Go?

Photo Montage: East of Eden

Photo Montage: Entering Eden

Photo Montage: Katie's Magic Mandala

Photo Montage: Listening to the Sea

Photo Montage: At the Gates of Eden