No matter what you are taking a picture of, there are tips and hints to guide you into improving it. Most people take photographs of their families, friends, pets, gardens and family celebrations. We like to record our lives for ourselves and for future generations. The days in which we had just one photo of grandpa sitting on a chair and grandma standing next to him – both wearing the most solemn expression – have gone, thank goodness! Let’s get into color, light, and happy smiles. Let’s catch granny cuddling the kids and grandad with a blob of birthday cake on his chin! Let’s leave a legacy for our great-grandchildren to enjoy. But let it be the best kind of photo that we can manage.

When taking photographs of animals or children, remember that they are a lot lower than where you are holding the camera, so get down to their level, otherwise their photo will look bigheaded. Kneeling to take a photo of a pet will bring its face into focus more sharply. Of course kneeling in front of your pet may also make him take a flying leap into your arms, but that’s a risk a photographer has to take.

You’ve seen those photographs of people sitting on something (the sofa, a rock, the ground) and their legs look huge? They are the ones everybody screams at. So what is the cause of this? It’s because when you take the photograph, the legs are in front, closer to the camera. You have unwittingly focused the camera on the legs instead of the faces. You may not have had the camera high enough.

Watch that sun! When taking photographs outdoors, the sun will cast a nasty, dark shady over a face. Use the flash, or stand the subject in the shade. If your subject is in the sun, it often makes them squint their eyes because the light is too bright. But if they wear a cap or hat, the shadow thrown by it will screen the face. That’s why it’s necessary to use a flash.

When taking photographs of that gorgeous rose in the garden, come up close to it. Digital cameras are wonderful for taking close-ups. You can be just a few centimetres away. Use the macro feature to achieve a sharp, clear photograph of flowers. For animals that you can’t get close enough to, use your zoom feature. Also lock the focus by half depressing the button and re-focusing on the animal. This will save you getting a sharp background and a blurry animal.

Take time to pose your subject. A group standing straight up and looking at the camera is a bit boring. Get some fun into it. Maybe they can all wear pink sunnies and sling their arms around each other. Perhaps they could group around an interesting tree – one or two could be up in the tree. Whatever picture you decide to take, work on it just that bit more to upgrade from ordinary to spectacular.

Did this article clarify ideas about choosing your subject for pictures? We hope it was helpful.

Visit our site at http://photography.howto-you.com where you can learn even more about photography and purchase our audio/pdf ebook “Photography – How to Take Great Photos.”

Thank You, again!

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Many shutterbugs rush around with their point and click camera and photograph everything in sight – then they seem to be disappointed with the result. How much better would their photographs be if they took a little time to compose? Sure, we can’t always pose candid shots, but there are plenty of times that we can. Even taking time to notice what is in the background can be helpful. At the very least, it could save someone being forever remembered with a pole or tree branch growing out of the top of their head.

So the first rule is look, really look to see what is in the background. Make sure it is visually appealing without detracting from the central focus or subject. The foreground is important too. That headless teddy or the bone from Fido’s last meal doesn’t really need to be there. Nor do we want the foot of the person who happened to be sitting next to our subject, to intrude into a corner.

Background is such an important part of the shot – the background that is meant to be there, that is. The trunk of a tree, a fountain, a lake or mountains; all are part of the background. You can go to a bit more trouble to pose your subject near a really unusual – but still appropriate – background or you can settle for a bit of old wall, it’s up to you.

Simple props can give your photograph special appeal. A feathery scarf or a big, floppy flower pinned to hat or shoulder, or just held in the hand can elevate a shot from ordinary and a little boring to just great. Remember too, to fill up the screen with your subject. Most candid shots of people are simply taken from too far away. This means that you can hardly tell who is in the snap, or whether it is meant to be a landscape instead.

Remember to pay attention to lighting. Too dim or too light and you will lose details that should be there. Don’t have the sunlight shining into your subject’s face and protect your lens from it too. Watch for inappropriate shadows, too, both on the ground and on your subject’s face.

Smiling is important. If you become annoyed while posing your subjects, they will look tense rather than happy. Even if they smile, you will be able to see by their eyes that they are not happy. Smile, laugh, tell a joke or play music; anything to set the mood to one of happiness and joy – or at least, relaxation.

We hope this article on composing beautiful pictures has helped you. In Episode 30, we will discuss what your are taking pictures of.

Meanwhile visit our site at http://photography.howto-you.com where you can learn even more about photography and purchase our audio/pdf ebook “Photography – How to Take Great Photos.”

Thank You, again!

http://photography.howto-you.com

Most people have embraced digital photography with enthusiasm. The lower cost of printing and storage is a big factor in the popularity of digital photography, especially for amateurs. With digital photography you don’t have to pay for the printing of a snapshot that has turned out awful. You can view the shot as soon as you’ve taken it and if it’s not up to scratch, delete it from the memory card with a simple click. If you want to wait and look at it on your computer or on the printout machine in the store, you can do that too.

The low cost of taking a photo means that you can practice more and hone your skills without spending lots of money. The LCD window is there for checking the quality. You can take lots of photos before your memory card is full too. No counting to thirty or so photos and then having to change the film. What if you forgot to buy an extra one? You can easily miss that great snapshot just because your camera ran out of film. With a traditional film camera, you have to take the shot without knowing just how it will turn out. You send the film away to be developed and have to wait a week to get it back, depending on where you live. You have to pay for the whole film, no matter whether you’ve cut Uncle Joe’s head off, or one of the kids decided to poke out their tongue just as you clicked.

The storage capacity of your computer is almost unlimited. You don’t have to have a cupboard full of photo albums (or cardboard boxes full of old photos) that you never get around to updating. It can all go on the computer, and then be copied to a CD-R to back it up or take it with you. With a digital photo, you can crop out that stranger’s head or the rusty drum you didn’t notice. You can change the color from cold to warm and do all sorts of other fancy stuff to improve that snapshot you want to keep but is not perfect.

Another great thing about digital photography is the position. You can hold the camera at almost any angle to take a shot. With a traditional camera, you might have to lie on the ground to get the right focus for some difficult shots. And what happens if you’ve bought film suited for bright sun and it rains nearly all the time on your holiday? Wasted film equals wasted money. You can get distant shots and close up shots, shots on dull days or bright sunny days without changing the film or the setting if you use the auto feature.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that there is now no use for the traditional film. Many professional photographers need to keep using their expensive film cameras for the types of shots they need to take. But technology will soon catch up to them, too. Digital cameras don’t last as long as traditional ones do, but they are a lot of fun for the amateur.

We hope this article about film or digital options has helped you. In Episode 29, we will discuss how to compose beautiful pictures of your subjects.

Meanwhile visit our site at http://photography.howto-you.com where you can learn even more about photography and purchase our audio/pdf ebook “Photography – How to Take Great Photos.”

Thank You, again!

http://photography.howto-you.com

Sometimes we are thrilled to have taken a great photograph, but when we see it, either on the computer or printed out, there could be any number of things wrong with it and we feel disappointed. Most of these problems can be prevented or fixed if we just know what’s causing them in the first place. Here are five of the most basic mistakes photographers make.

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1. One of the most common mistakes in taking a photograph is that it turns out too dark. What makes this happen? Basically, not enough light is the cause – it’s called under-exposure. This happens when a photo has been taken indoors when the artificial light is just too dim and no flash has been used. To prevent this, bring in some extra lamps or position the subject closer to a window. Outside, lack of light could be caused by it being too late in the evening, or the shutter speed was too fast for the light conditions. In this case, manually adjust the shutter speed if possible. In both cases, flash may be used for extra light. Most photo software allows you to adjust the lighting of your photos.

1. Red-eye is a common problem. The flash reflecting on the enlarged iris causes this. When we are in dimmer light than normal, our irises enlarge to let in more light. When the flash goes off, it refects on the iris and red-eye is the result. Either don’t use a flash or take two pictures with flash one after the other quickly. The first flash will cause the iris to contract; the second flash will get you a picture with no red-eye. Be careful you don’t get your subject when they are blinking. Most cameras have a red-eye removal feature. Photo software features include red-eye removal with just a few clicks.

1. Blurred photos are another cause of disappointment. Three main reasons that photos come out blurry are (a) camera shakes, (b) subject movement due to shutter lag, and (c) lack of light. To prevent your camera from shaking either use a tripod or steady yourself against something solid to take the picture. It helps to gently squeeze the button rather than depressing it quickly. If subject movement is the problem, focus the camera, then depress the button to half-way down. Wait for that moment of stillness before fully depressing the button. If you want your subject to be moving for the shot, use the action mode on your camera. If lack of light is the problem either slow down the shutter speed or use the automatic night scenery mode – and a tripod with both.

1. Subject is too far away – use the zoom feature or get closer to the subject. After the event, use the crop and enlarge features of your software.

1. Photos look too light with details washed out. This is caused by over-exposure. Usually it is a bright and sunny day that causes deep shadows. The camera tries to ‘fix’ the shadows at the expense of the light. Take photos in bright shade or use a flash, which will cast a more even light. Use software to darken it afterwards.

We hope you learned something new about your camera in this article.  Come back for episode 28 for our discussion about the difference between digital and film cameras and which you might prefer for your photography projects.

Meanwhile, visit our site at http://photography.howto-you.com where you can learn eve more about photography and consider purchasing our audio and text ebook about photography.

Thank You, again!

http://photography.howto-you.com

Many of today’s digital cameras are multi-function; they do many things that were once not even dreamed of with traditional cameras. Even the cheapest, most basic digital camera can take both still pictures and moving ones, so if your kids are having a great game of soccer you should be able to shoot that winning goal for posterity. If you are not experienced with cameras, it’s important to find out just what your camera can do.

When you go into a shop to buy a camera, make sure the salesman gives you a good demonstration of all the features in it. They are trained in camera usage – or should be – for this very purpose, and there is nothing like having an expert show you the ropes. Even if you buy from a generic store, the person behind the counter usually knows something about the products.

Many digital cameras can capture a video clip right to the capacity of your memory card, while others only go for thirty seconds. Some capture the sound as well, while others do not, so if you want sound be sure to pay attention to what you are buying. Some allow voice recording and also playback, which is a good feature if you want to record notes to go with your photographs. The camera will need to have a built in microphone to play back recordings.

Some cameras can play MP3 or other audio files; they also have earphones, which are great for music-lovers, but the quality of the photos is often poor. So if you are more shutterbug than music-lover, watch out for this. You will be able to resize, crop or copy images, or edit video clips before you download them to your computer with some cameras.

Digital camera makers have copied cell-phone technology to give us alarm clocks and international time display, a very handy feature if you go overseas for business or holidays. Even if you want to ring an overseas friend, this feature will enable you to find out what time it is over there. Your friend may not appreciate being woken at 2am.

If you are not sure what features your new camera has, you could take it to a specialty shop and ask. The salesman will no doubt hope to sell you a better one – and he may even succeed, but at least you’ll know what you’ve got. Some regions host short courses for digital photography and it could be worthwhile to attend one of these. Otherwise, you’ll be down to reading the book that came with it and experimenting on your own. At least the photos won’t cost you an arm and a leg!

We hope you learned something new about your camera in this article.  Come back for episode 27 to learn five common photography mistakes and how to correct them.

Meanwhile, visit our site at http://photography.howto-you.com where you can learn eve more about photography and consider purchasing our audio and text ebook about photography.

Thank You, again!

http://photography.howto-you.com

As the weather turns colder and much of your garden shuts down, there are some chores that can be carried out over this quieter gardening time.

1. Ensure all your spring bulbs are in the ground before it freezes over. You should have most of them in the ground by November.
2. There may be some plants that require late winter pruning, so ensure this is carried out. For fruit trees this is imperative if you are to encourage a good crop in the warmer months.
3. After pruning you can carry out insect-control on dormant trees and shrubs. Applying insect-repellant oil at this time of year will suffocate the insect eggs, killing off the problem before it hatches.
4. Collect dead material from plants (make sure it’s not diseased) and put on your compost. Cut off dead branches and other plant material and add to the pile for recycling. Keep the compost covered during winter to hold the nutrients in. Remember to turn your compost periodically throughout winter.
5. Keep watering until the ground freezes, especially evergreens. Once it starts to freeze over, disconnect your water hoses to eliminate the problem of burst water hoses and faucets.
6. Try and keep snow piles away from evergreens. Carefully brush it off the bough of the tree but don’t shake branches as they may snap.
7. Cover your roses with rose cones but if there is a sudden warm spell during winter, to stop heat from building up around your roses, you will need to ventilate the cone.
8. Bring all clay pots in out of the weather after you have cleaned them. The cold can cause them to crack.
9. If you have a garden that attracts birds, don’t forget them over winter. Keep you birdfeeders full.
10. When shoveling snow, try not to dump any salted snow on your plants.
11. Clean, sharpen and store your gardening tools over winter. Carry out any maintenance on electric and gas tools as required.
12. Store any wooden furniture over winter. Keeping your wooden garden furniture out of the rain and snow will ensure its longevity.
13. Get your Christmas lights up before the weather turns nasty.
14. If you have a living Christmas tree, get the hole dug before the ground freezes over.
15. Make sure your seed orders are in before the end of January.
16. Plant trees and shrubs in late winter.
17. Keep firewood outside, to ensure you don’t bring any unwanted insects into the house.

We hope you enjoyed this fifth and final episode dealing with Sucessful Gardening All Year Long, and that it provided you with ideas you hadn’t thought of for your year-round gardening.

For much more information about Successful Gardening All Year, please visit our site at:

http://gardening.howto-you.com , where you will find an additional email list of ideas, as well as our book ‘Guide to Successfull Gardening All Year’

Thanx for being here!  See you in our next episode!

As with most things in your garden, it depends what you are going to plant and what zone you live in!

Spring through to fall seems to be the best time to plant most things, but as always you will need to read the information regarding the plant you wish to grow. Let’s have a look at some categories of plants and see when planting is advised.

Flowers – Spring, summer and fall are all good times to plant flowers, depending on the species. If you are keen on a garden filled with bulbs such as tulips, narcissus and irises then you need to be planting in the fall. Once the first frost has been, you can plant your flowering bulbs. These plants need the chill for best flowering results in the following spring. Peonies are another flowering plant that should be planted in the fall. This is the time they go dormant. Throughout the winter they will put down their roots allowing for dynamic blooms in the spring.
Annual flowers, such as marigolds, zinnias and begonias however, need to be planted in late spring or early summer. Enjoy the flowers over the summer months remembering that annuals only last one season, unless they are of the self-sowing variety.

Herbs and Vegetables – Early summer is the best time to plant your herb garden. Most herb gardens require at least eight hours of direct sun a day so plant your herb garden in a position to get enough sunlight. When planting your vegetables you will need to take note of the ideal temperature for each particular crop. There are cool season crops such as peas, which need to be planted when air temperatures are lower than for those plants that are warm season crops. Plants such as tomatoes like the heat and therefore must be planted in summer when all risk of frost has passed. When planting your vegetable seeds take note of the average last-season frost and plant after that. Ensure the soil temperature is not too cool and not too damp for the vegetables you wish to grow.

Trees and Shrubs – Trees can be planted in spring and fall. For successful tree growth, plenty of rain and cooler temperatures are advised. Some people prefer to plant their trees in the fall because this will give them more time to establish their root system and have more vigorous growth by the time spring comes around. And don’t forget to prune your trees at the end of winter! For shrubs, fall is the best time to plant. The cooler air with the still-warm soil makes for excellent growth conditions for most shrubbery and trees in pots.

Planting, therefore, can be done throughout a large part of the year. Some people even garden by the moon and invest in calendars telling them what to plant and not to plant on every day of the year. Whatever you decide to do, follow the directions and be aware of your temperate zone for successful planting of anything in your garden.

We hope you enjoyed this 4th of 5 episodes dealing with Sucessful Gardening All Year Long, and that it provided you with ideas you hadn’t thought of for your gardening all year round.

For much more information about Successful Gardening All Year, please visit our site at:

http://gardening.howto-you.com , where you will find an additional email list of ideas, as well as our book ‘Guide to Successfull Gardening All Year’

Thanx for being here!  See you in our next episode!

In the United States, two types of zones are most commonly used when determining the right plant for the right area. Up until fairly recently, the Plant Hardiness Zone Map was the most referred to tool for plant selection.

The Plant Hardiness Zones were developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and have been in use since 1960. These zone maps provide information on minimum temperatures across the country in various geographical regions. Basically the zones indicate which plants grow well in which area of the country. There are eleven zones and their categorization is determined by whether they are ten degrees Fahrenheit warmer or colder that the adjoining zone. If your area has a low Zone number it is a colder climate than those areas with a higher Zone number. These temperatures are determined by measuring climate in an average winter period for each area.

So how does the information from the Hardiness Zone Map help you? Well, when selecting a plant you want to survive for a significant period, you will need to investigate what the annual temperatures are for your area. The Zone map can be found on most seed packets so knowing your Hardiness Zone will help determine if the plant you have chosen is suited to where you live and the expected climate of that area.

However, the Hardiness Zone has been found to have some short-comings, especially for states in the west. Growing climates differ significantly in same numbered zones so more information was needed to correctly determine the type of plants that will grow in specific areas, therefore the Heat-Zone map was developed.

Across the country, from 1974 to 1995, weather stations recorded their maximum daily temperatures. Each participating weather station had to provide information for a twelve year period at least, to be included in the data. The American Horticultural Society (AHS) then used this information to develop the Heat-Zone Map which was released in 1997. There are twelve zones in this map and they are categorized by the number of days that area is subjected to temperatures above 86 degrees Fahrenheit, (also known as ‘heat days’). This temperature was chosen because 86 degrees is when plants begin to experience damage from heat. The lower the Zone number, the lower the amount of heat days experienced. For example, Alaska falls in Zone 1 which means it has less than one heat day per year. Zone 12 experiences a significant period of the year in heat days – more than 210 of them!

So now plants are coded for their ability to withstand heat and their hardiness. Each coded plant will have four numbers which relate to their heat and hardiness zone relativity. These numbers will give you a good indication if the plant you want is suitable for the area you live in. Always remember that the coding is reliant on the plant getting sufficient water. If the plant is affected by dry conditions they may not thrive as well as expected. You will also need to ensure your plants have adequate oxygen, light and air movement. Again, their tolerance to heat may not be as expected if these are not managed sufficiently. And don’t forget your soil pH! If you want your plants to thrive as suggested by the heat and hardiness zone maps, you must take care of these variables.

So now you need to find out what zone, for heat and hardiness, you live in. Once you know this information you can begin to select the right plants for your garden.

We hope you enjoyed this third of 5 episodes dealing with Sucessful Gardening All Year Long, and that it provided you with ideas you hadn’t thought of for your gardening all year round.

For much more information about Successful Gardening All Year, please visit our site at:

http://gardening.howto-you.com , where you will find an additional email list of ideas, as well as our book ‘Guide to Successfull Gardening All Year’

Thanx for being here!  See you in our next episode!

The main difference between annuals and perennials is their life span. Choosing what is right for your garden will depend on how much time you have to devote to gardening and the look of each particular species.

Annuals – as the name suggests, are a yearly plant. The life cycle of an annual from seed to flower takes place over one year. Every part of the plant dies at the end of the growing season. Seeds from these plants begin each subsequent generation. Some self-sow but others will need to be replaced by a new plant for the next season.

Perennials – are perpetual plants that keep growing over many years. These plants die back during winter and re-grow in spring. A number of perennials don’t lose their leaves, therefore retaining their attractiveness while other plants die off. Perennials can take a few seasons to establish.

Biennials – these plants take two years to complete their life cycle. The second season of growth is generally more abundant.

It seems that perennials would be easiest to plant, as they offer reward year after year to the gardener. Annuals have to be planted every year so why bother with them? The main reason would be that annuals are easily available and come in a large selection of colors and types. When they are ready to be bought they are usually in bloom so you can see what they will look like in your garden. A number of annuals will flower throughout a season if they are dead-headed regularly. New buds will form after dead blooms are removed, giving continuous color until the end of the spring or summer. Annuals are also inexpensive to purchase and will easily fill an empty spot in the flowerbed. Annuals are easy to grow and perform quickly, rather than waiting for an extended period of time for results.

Perennials are easier, in that you only have to plant them once, but have short-comings in other areas. Perennial flowers are not as brightly-colored as annuals. They tend to come in pinks, lilacs and white variations, which is fine if this is the color theme you want for your garden. Some perennials have a shorter blooming time period compared to annuals. However they provide a greater variance in height than annuals do.

When planning your garden, you may want to stick to one or the other, but most gardens have a combination of both. Annuals are wonderful placed at the front of the garden bed where their vivid colors are shown off to best effect. Using the height variations of perennial flowers and shrubs, you can make sure there is always something on show in your garden. Replacing annuals year after year will keep your garden interesting and fresh.

This was the second of 5 episodes dealing with Sucessful Gardening All Year Long.  We hope you enjoyed it and that it provided you with ideas you hadn’t thought of for your gardening all year round.

For much more information about Successful Gardening All Year, please visit our site at:

http://gardening.howto-you.com , where you will find an additional email list of ideas, as well as our book ‘Guide to Successfull Gardening All Year’

Thanx for being here!  See you in our next episode!

Often gardening in autumn is focused on what should be planted for the spring garden but it can still be a time to enjoy many things in the garden. The vivid hues from the falling leaves are contrasted with the delicate beauty of many autumn blooms as well as the late splash of summer color.

Late summer flowers – The dahlia is well known for its late summer blooms, leading in to the fall season. Dahlias are many and varied and can suit any garden. Asters are a good inclusion as they will cope with an early frost where the dahlias won’t. Asters and sedums will bring wonderful color to the autumn garden, along with other types of daisies. Fuchsias can be seen in many summer and autumn gardens either in hanging baskets or in the ground. A number of summer flowers will give a second flush of blooms if dead-headed quickly.

Autumn color – Prairie flowers are great in the garden during autumn. There are also the bulbs which lie dormant during summer and come to life as the weather turns. Nerines and gladiolus are examples of the autumn bulb. Chrysanthemums and pansies are favorite annuals for providing color in autumn months.

Shrubs – As with the summer garden, shrubs provide a background. Many have bright leaves, while others have flowers. Azaleas have wonderful blooms in autumn and rhododendrons provide beautiful foliage in the fall and flower in the winter. The tall growing shrub known as the strawberry tree provides flowers and fruit in autumn. You might like the bright colors of the chokeberry shrub or the wonderful purple berries from the beautyberry bush. Other shrubs with vivid autumn-colored leaves include the oriental photinia and Virginia sweetspire.

Trees – Nothing beats the sight of those beautifully colored autumn leaves falling. Maple trees are gorgeous with their red, orange and yellow colors. Dogwoods are also popular for autumn color. You might also like to consider a conifer for your autumn garden. Conifers come in a variety of colors, not only green. You can plant gold, bronze, yellow, purple, blue or green conifers and their color lasts year-round. Foliage can change color through the seasons making this tree one worth considering for your autumn garden.

Vegetables – The autumn vegetable patch will deliver cool season crops. In the fall you can reap lettuces, spinach, kale and turnips. Late summer pumpkins will be available from your garden along with cabbage and green onions.

If you are a lover of the falling leaves of autumn and the different textures of green in your garden, you will enjoy your autumn garden for its variety of color and the freshness the cooler weather brings.

This was the first of 5 episodes dealing with gardening in the Fall.  We hope you enjoyed it and that it provided you with ideas you hadn’t thought of for your gardening all year round.

For much more information about Successful Gardening All Year, please visit our site at:

http://gardening.howto-you.com , where you will find an additional email list of ideas, as well as our book ‘Guide to Successfull Gardening All Year’

Thanx for being here!  See you in our next episode!