Blurry Photos – How to avoid them

Blurry photos with blurry subjects are usually never a good look.

Find out how you can avoid blurry images in the following quick video I recorded on the subject.  Share in the comments section below if you have any tips for avoiding blurry images.

Get Creatively unStuck

There comes a time for every photographer when you know the basics, you’re familiar with your camera and you are ready to move to the next step. When this happens you can sometimes get stuck. Stuck not knowing where to go next with your photography. 

Have you reached this point where you need another approach to pursue your visual creative process?

Have you thought about what your usual creative process is? –  Is it intentional or intuitive?

Do you know where your photography aspirations  are leading you?

Have you though which path would you like to take -Portrait or Food Photography, Landscape or Photojournalism?

Or do you just need to get unstuck?

PHOTOGRAPH is a digital quarterly magazine for Creative Photographers from the folks over at Craft and Vision and it will allow you to experience different paths in the magical world of photography. In this issue (number 3), you will be given access to the portfolios of renowned photographers; the likes of Henki Coentjoro and his black and white photography , Dave Delnea’s works from Tunisia and the stunning food photography of commercial photographer Kevin Clark. Also featured in the issue are articles from David Duchemin, John Paul Caponigro, Martin Bailey, Chris Orwig, Younes Bounhar, Jay Goodrich, Piet Van Den Eynde, Nicole S. Young and Al Smith.  This introduction to these amazing artists is sure to inspire even the most stuck and creatively challenged photographer.

When you flip through the beautiful pages filled with amazing images  you will also learn each photographer’s visual sense, style and their influences unfolded in the question and answer section.  You will see that they didn’t start out amazingly creating the images that you see now. Each have their own story to tell but they all have one thing in common- to always bring the camera with them wherever they go.

PHOTOGRAPH will help you reflect on your own visual creative process experience. The featured photographers’ beautiful works will let you see the world from a different perspective. It will inspire and will motivate you to go out and shoot on your own terms and hopefully bring you closer to creating your own style of  photography.

Go out and shoot! See the world in different colors and angles! Capture priceless moments. And most importantly DON’T forget to grab a copy of this issue for only $8. Remember that even though you may have your own creative vision we all need inspiration from others and a subscription to the ad free PHOTOGRAPH will take care of this for you every 3 months.

Right now you can get a one year subscription to PHOTOGRAPH for only $24, saving you $8 and guaranteeing inspiration for the year ahead.

Studying these expert photographers is truly a wonderful way to bring your photography to the next level. don’t miss out!

Aperture Priority Mode – How to make a Blurry Background

Check out the video below about Aperture Priority Mode.  Even if you don’t have a DSLR you most likely have this mode on your Point and Shoot camera.

 

 

Let me know if you use it in the comments below after watching the video!

 

Happy Snapping

 

Learn how to use that DSLR!

My next hands-on workshop is taking place on Saturday  May 11th and is open for registration right now! This is a fun way to learn how to take the photos you want of your family, your travels or anything you want.

If you are the owner of an awesome DSLR camera but are totally overwhelmed by all those buttons and numbers and dials (on my!) then this is the class for you.

This is a hands-on, beginners workshop where I teach a small group of like-minded students the basics of DSLR photography.  No (or as little as possible!) tech talk here!  This a relaxed setting where you will learn:

• What all those camera buttons do, which are the important ones and which ones you can forget.

• How to shoot in low light, bright light and without flash
• Which modes are important and when to use them.
• Lots of other tips and tricks on how to use your camera to the max.

All you need is a DSLR camera, a willingness to learn AND have fun!

By the end of this 3 hour workshop you’ll be confident in using your DSLR and better equipped to begin your photographic journey.

Register below to book your spot – places are extremely limited!

Time-lapse photography made easy

Have you ever had a  moment where you are surrounded by the beauty of nature or the bright city

lights, and you just wished that you could share that feeling of awe of the picturesque view unfolding right before your eyes?

 

So you take a snapshot of that glorious view because your camera is always with you right? But somehow the photo did not translate what you saw right in that very moment. It’s just kind of, well, blegh…You thought you captured all the elements involved in making a beautiful photograph, but it just wasn’t right. So where did you go wrong?

Most likely you didn’t really do anything wrong. It’s just difficult to represent breathtaking events that transcend time such as the movements of the clouds, sunny to cloudy day, beautiful sunrise or sunset, lovely gray city fog to luminous sparkling city lights, accurately in a single image.

TIMELAPSE  an introduction to still photographs in motion by Dave Delnea is an ebook created with all the information, tips and techniques to capture  and shoot a Time-Lapse sequence. Time-lapse photography is simply a record of time unfolding in a well-composed, still frame.   If you want to learn how to do it, this book will guide you in learning both Still and Time-Lapse Photography that can be great ways for communicating tales of travel and adventures to the world. This ebook will also let you take a  peek of Delnea’s beautifully crafted photos over years of travels in which he learned and experimented with  time-lapse photographs.

The author breaks down the Time-lapse photography process into 4 very easy steps.  He clearly outlines the essential equipment that you will need for time lapse photography, most of which are things that you probably already have in your own kit.  He also lists the essential extras needed to capture your very own beautiful time-lapse, but again these are things that you will probably come across everyday. He also adds the not-so-essential extras like the apps that he used in assisting  to capture the images .

Framing, Focus and Exposure considerations tips, Exposure & Mechanical  Flicker, Post- Production Workflow using Adobe Lightroom and Hosting the image sequence in a video file are also outlined in a manner that is easy to understand even for a  beginner photographer.  If you purchase you’ll even get a link to Dave’s Lightroom Time-Lapse Preset which is pretty slick.The screenshots of the menu settings that he used are also shown which will help you walk through the settings suited for each situation to capture a time lapse.

The Advance Techniques Bonus at the end of this ebook provides a little teaser of what’s in store after you have learned the basics.This is a fun ebook demonstrating how we can use our existing technology for a type of photography that we might have thought was beyond our reach. The possibilities available to the aspiring photographer today, even on a tight budget, are infinite. As Dave Delnea himself says ”This is a remarkable period in history to be creative.”

The author’s style is light hearted and free spirited with a dust of occasional humour which makes this ebook not only a fun read, but an educational resource to be kept and referred back to again in the future.

You can purchase TimeLapse by Dave Delnea here from Craft and Vision and use the coupon code TIME4 to get it for only $4 until March 22nd at 11.59pm PST Or if you decide to purchase at least 4 other Craft and Vision ebooks in addition to Timelapse , use the code TIME 20 you’ll get 20% off your entire order.

Ingrid

P.S Watch a Sample of Dave’s TimeLapse photography here.

Demystify your DSLR Camera

If you are lucky enough to own a DLSR camera are you confident in using it to the max?

Would you like to know:

• What all those buttons and dials do?
• The things that will REALLY make a difference to the types of photos that you are getting…
• The reasons why your photos just aren’t as good as you though they should be…

Well here’s your chance!

Next Tuesday evening at 8pm EST I’m holding a live, free training online to help you “Demystify your DSLR.”  Check out the video below for all the details for this basic DSLR training.

Sign up here to reserve your spot: http://getoutofauto.com/webinar/

Look forward to seeing you on the webinar!

Ingrid

P.S: Even you think you can’t make it on Tuesday, sign up anyways and I can send you the recording.

Improve your Photography in 2013

By taking more photos…

Last year I began something I called the CameraShy Take 52 Challenge.  It’s simply taking one photo a week based around a theme with the idea behind it being that the more photos you take the better you get.  I started this challenge as a way to make MY photography better, but it turned into something completely different.  By sharing my themes each each many people joined me and the Take 52 Challenge grew as a Challenge for others.  I am simply a facilitator.

This year we are doing it again.  This time we are using a dedicated Facebook Group – not the CameraShy Facebook page nor Flickr.  I will still send the weekly emails with the themes but the Facebook Group is where all the action is.  And it is certainly alive at the moment – 72 like-minded individuals already sharing their pictures and endeavoring to improve by doing.

If you think you’d like to improve your photography this year, and would like to join us, jump in when you can and sign up below to get access to our Facebook Group and get the weekly themes via email.

 

Sign up for Take 52 challenge

Name:

Email:

Happy New Year!

Ingrid

P.S. The theme for week 1 is “CELEBRATE”

 

 

Top 5 DSLR Bags for Women

Owning a DSLR is a bit like having a baby.  Well not having a baby exactly but being responsible for it.  Like a baby your DSLR usually goes everywhere with you – to the park, the zoo, family functions, Christmas parties etc. etc.  It also is of considerable weight and comes with a variety of accessories lenses, filters, memory cards as opposed to diapers, toys and snacks.  And like a baby you have to be very careful with it.  It must be protected against knocks and falls and all accidental bumps and boo boos.

So if you are a mommy and are already toting around a 1 year old and hate to miss any of those special moments, you also need to take the big DSLR around with you too.  As you might know I have two little girls and I love to take pictures so I do a fair amount of lugging!  So when I recently got a new DSLR even bigger than the last I set out on a mission to find the perfect bag to accomodate my camera and make it easier to take along on more outings.

What I wanted was different to my other camera bags.  I already have the massive camera bag that can hold 2 bodies and 2 lenses, the laptop etc.  This time I was searching for an every day bag which main job is to keep the camera safe and protected but it also  needed to look cute and not necessarily like a “camera bag”.  I did a lot of investigating and got a lot of feedback from you guys and here is a round up of some of the bags that I really liked and my top 5 DSLR bags for women.

Shoot sac – Tote and Shoot

The Tote and Shoot was a very strong contender for my bag of choice.  I love the clean design of these bags and they seem practical without being boring.  They also have a very unique pocket that lets you access your camera without having to go into the main compartment which I really like.  These bags really seem to be in high demand as they have just recently become available again and now come with a messenger strap which I think I would definitely need.  The have pretty colors too that are spunky enough to add a little spice to your wardrobe without being over the top.  You can find out more here on their website.

Epiphanie

When I asked the crowd on Facebook which was their favorite camera bags the Ephanie range seemed to be the favorite.  These bags are totally unlike a traditional camera bag and have been designed with the modern lady in mind looking like a high end designer purse.  They have such a fab range of colors and styles there is bound to be one to suit you.  In fact you might find yourself needing several, depending on what outfit you are wearing!  Epiphanie bags are available through Amazon or on the Epiphanie website

 

Kelly Moore 

The Kelly Moore bags have also been designed to look like fashionable purses but with lots of padding inside.  Kelly is a photographer and was frustrated with the lack of choice out there for woman photographers.  Her camera bags rrange from huge full kit travel bags such as the Libby to the more compact 2 Sues which I personally LOVE.  Kelly Moore are also available on Amazon or check out Kelly’s website for lots of videos demonstrating her products.

Jill-e

These bags have been around for a while and although they are differnt to the traditional camera bags ie black canvas with a lot of velcro, they are more traditional in design than some of the bright colors of the Ephanie and Kelly Moore Bags.  They are also very reasonably priced which would make them an affordable gift.  Free shipping available from Amazon

3Annies

These bags are the winners as far as I’m concerned.  I LOVE  the 3Annnies range of bags which are stylish purses in their own right AND they are made from real leather.  The colors are absolutely stunning and the designs are to die for.  World renowned photographer Sue Bryce is a big fan of these bags and since they are currently a little out of budget for me I’ve asked Santa for one.  You can buy them from the 3Annies Facebook page here

 

So Santa – I promise I’ve been nice and you know a girl can never have enough shoes or handbags!

What kind of bag do you use?  Are you happy with it?  Let me know in the comments below!

Best

Ingrid

Get your free Ebook on Choosing a Digital Camera

At last, I am happy to report that my free guide on “Choosing the Best Digital Camera for You“ is complete.

Hurrah!

I’ve been asked to create this mini eBook for some time now as I am constantly getting asked which digital camera I would recommend.

My aim is to guide you through the process of defining what exactly it is that you are looking for in a camera and how to go about making your choice.

It covers  -

• what features you really need
• where are the best places to buy
• and I also include some of my favorite recommendations.

So if you’re thinking about buying a digital camera this holiday season, either for yourself or as a gift be sure to sign up for this guide!

Click here to sign up for your Free Ebook on

“Choosing the Best Digital Camera for You”

Happy snapping!

P.S. I plan on doing lots more of this type of information ebook so please let me know if there is anything you would specifically like to see!

Awesome Travel Photography Competition for you to enter

Travel Photography is one of my great loves.  Ah…I remember the days before kiddos when I would wander the world in search of my next great adventure, always with camera in hand.  I especially loved shooting city scenes full of life and vibrancy and easily telling a story in a single frame

If YOU love to shoot city scenes of your travels or even your home city you should not miss out on this wonderful competition being sponsored by Millenium & Copthorne Hotels.  There are prizes of restaurant vouchers and weekends away and I am honored to be one of the judges

To take part in this competition, simply:

1. Tweet the URL of your favourite city photographs that you have taken
2. Include #CityView and @MillenniumEU so we can find them

End date: 31^th October 2012

Entries will be judged across five categories and winners will each receive these great prizes:

• Most Shared - Friday and Saturday night dinner, bed and breakfast for 2 people, at any Millennium & Copthorne hotel in the UK Winner chosen by – Millennium & Copthorne Hotels

• Most Dramatic - Friday and Saturday night bed and breakfast for 2 people and a bottle of wine on arrival, at any Millennium & Copthorne hotel in the UK Winner chosen by – David Nightingale (chromasia.com)

• Most Creative - Friday and Saturday night bed and breakfast for 2 people, at any Millennium & Copthorne hotel in the UK Winner chosen by – Ingrid Owens (beginnersphotographyblog.com) aka me!

• Honourable Mentions - £75 restaurant voucher, to be redeemed at any Millennium & Copthorne hotel in the UK Winner chosen by – Jeff Titelius (eurotravelogue.com)

• Honourable Mentions - £50 restaurant voucher, to be redeemed at any Millennium & Copthorne hotel in the UK Winner chosen by – Victoria Brewood (pommietravels.com)

All accepted entries will be featured on the Millennium & Copthorne Hotels blog and your work will be credited. The most highly revered images will be used to create an article entitled “The World’s Greatest City Views” and again, images will be fully credited.

This is a wonderful opportunity to show off some of your work to the world and perhaps win a great prize to boot!  Go on – put your best shot out there…it might be a winner!

Happy snapping