1. Read your manual

This is where everyone fails. The reason you have a camera manual is so that you have a basic understanding of how it works. If you know how to use the creative modes of your camera you will create better images. I am a classic non-manual reader to my own detriment so I speak from experience.

2. Plan your shoots

Take time to think about where and when you are going to take photos. Planning ahead will give you the time and not hurry your shots. As with any activity, if you do it on the spur of the moment you aren’t going to experience much success. Make a date with yourself and put some time aside for your photography.

3. Think before your shoot

I have coined the phrase “the disease of digital” because of this problem, the lack of thought. When we shot on film in the old days, there were 36 exposures on a roll of film and each one cost money and we were forced to think before a shot, or waste money. But, the results were better images. A thoughtful image is often a better image, although not always. Take time to think when composing a shot.

4. Improve your knowledge

Take some time out to read a magazine, a book or articles online. Find out what gaps there are in your photography knowledge and find a way to fill them. It may be a short course or just an article in a magazine. Whatever it is, find a way to fill that knowledge gap. My own philosophy is that the world is my university and every day is a day to learn something new.

5. Practise, practise, practise

When I teach photography my mantra is practise, practise, practise. If you aren’t taking photos you cannot improve no matter how many books you read or courses you do. It’s all about taking photos. There is a view that if you want to become an expert in any field, you need to practise your craft for 10 000 hours. I am not saying practise this much but spend time and you will take better images.

Don’t be scared by the words ‘new year’s resolution’ but take them to heart and determine to take your photo to the next level. Happy shooting!

In order to protect your precious images it essential that you follow a protocol or process after every photo shoot. Keep it simple in order to ensure that your images are protected for ever and are never lost. Here are some simple steps to follow in order to be sure that keep your images forever.

1. Backup your memory cards after a shoot

Even if you are a point and shoot photographer it is essential that you back up the cards you are currently using after every shoot or picture taking opportunity. This means that at all times you have your photos stored in two places. One set of images on the card you are currently using and the other on a computer hard drive or field backup device that allows you to copy from a memory card.

2. Create a set of backups

Once you delete the images from your memory card make sure that at the same time you make a copy or backup of the images on the hard drive or backup device. Again the rule is there must always be two sets of photos available at all times. This might mean that you copy your laptop hard drive to an external hard drive or write them to a DVD or CD. Backup does NOT mean copying to another device and then deleting from the original location. It means you have a source and a copy of that source at ALL times.

3. Use an online storage service as an offsite backup

It’s great that you have everything on your laptop and then copies on CD, flash drive or external hard drive, BUT, if they are all at the same location then disaster can still strike. If your home were to burn down or get flooded you are still in trouble. If you are able to, store the copies at your office or if you are backing up your office files, store them at home. The ultimate solution is to use an online storage company where you can upload everything of importance. Google and many other online companies offer huge amounts of storage at low or no cost. USE THEM!

4. Repeat and rinse

Once you have backed up there is a false sense of security. This can lead to future disasters. Get into a rhythm of doing this regularly. Set a time on a weekly basis to do your backups and repeat this. There’s nothing worse than thinking you have it under control and then realise your last backup was 6 months ago. As long as you keep this process going on a regular basis, then you are safe.

5. Check your backups

Make sure that you check your backs on a regular basis to see if the CDs, DVDs or hard drives are in good condition. There is nothing worse than trying to restore after a crisis and finding that your backups are damaged, corrupt or inaccessible. Not all CDs last a lifetime so back archival CDS and DVDs for backup. And, there will come a time when your backup hard drive comes to the end of its life and needs replacing. Find this out before you need to use it in a restore crisis.

All of us will at some stage have a hard drive go bad on us. Don’t let the disaster of losing irreplaceable images and documents befall you. Make sure that you have some plan in place to prevent tragedy. Lost memories are irreplaceable so make sure today that you are protected by regularly backing up.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6201378

So, how can people take better images for posting to Facebook and other social media sites. Follow these simple steps for immediate improvement to your photo taking abilities.

1. Think about the lighting

When taking an image have a look at your lighting. Firstly, make sure that there is enough light to take a photo. I know sometimes this is not possible but consider it carefully before you shoot. Secondly, look where the light is coming from. Unless you are trying for a specific effect never place the light behind your subject. The camera will always focus and meter off the brightest area of a scene so your subject will be dark and indistinct. Rather shoot with the light coming from behind the camera over the shoulder of the photographer. Good images need good lighting to get a good exposure.

2. Use your feet

Sometimes it’s more important to use your feet before your head. Use them to get in closer. Most of the time photos are being taken with cellphones or point n shoots with either no optical zoom or very little. So the subjects are little blips in the photo. Get close to your subject and fill the frame so your see more of the person or object. Don’t use digital zoom as it degrades the image. Try it out and see which image you prefer. I like to see more of the memory I am making rather than all the clutter around scene.

3. Change your angle

Ninety percent of images are shot from in front of the subject approximately 5 feet (1.5m) above the ground. They all look the same, just different people. Change your angle so that you shoot from either low down or high up. Move around from your left to your right so that you aren’t directly in front of your subjects. Turn your camera at a forty five degree angle or hold it high above your head or at your waist. Digital photography allows you to review quickly and see if it works.

4. Think outside the box

Try to come up with a composition that is out of the ordinary. Be creative and take time to think about what you are going to shoot before pressing the shutter button. Look at the scene and ask yourself if you have seen a picture like this before. If you have then try another composition or angle. The key is to experiment.

5. Review your images

Before uploading to Facebook, review the images you’ve taken. Look through them and delete or remove the ones that you aren’t totally happy. Rather upload 10 good images than 50 average or bad ones. A little time taken to ask yourself whether you are proud of the image will ensure that your photo gallery stands out from the rest.

The bottom line is to learn digital photography and apply it so that you become a photographer and not just a picture taker. A little bit of thought and putting into practise some basic photographic principles will help you create images that you can be proud of. Facebook is there to showcase your images so try to upload only your best ones. Just because people aren’t making funny comments about them doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking them.

So what is there to shoot?

Focus on what is unique about the season. Is it the dry branches of the trees or the buds and flowers of spring and summer. Maybe it’s the leaves as autumn ends and winter begins. There is just so much to photograph as the seasons change. Here are a few tips to help you shoot the seasons.

1. Summer

Focus on the vibrant colours and luscious greens. Get in close to the flowers and look for detail. Or, get back and shoot the rolling fields of colourful flowers and trees. Shoot landscapes of green with skies of azure blue. The world is at your mercy so shoot till you cannot any more.

2. Autumn

Autumn is a favourite season for many with the colourful leaves of  trees and vines. There are so many shades of brown and red in the carpets of leaves strewn across woods and forest. Look closely for pine cones and acorns and their patterns across woodland floor.

3. Winter

Winter is a time of texture and patterns as trees stand starkly contrasted against pale grey skies. If you’re fortunate to have snow there is opportunity to shoot beautiful snow clothed subjects. The colours are cool and neutral across landscapes of crisp whites.

4. Spring

Spring is the time time to go wild. There is just so much to shoot as the world rises from the dead of winter and new life blossoms across the countryside. Colours are vibrant and the wildlife is active and ready to face the abundance that creation provides. So get in close and see what new life offers your creative genius.

Now is the time to learn photography and develop the photo techniques that will help you create those magnificent images.

A buffalo racing through sprays of mud and the concerted efforts of two ants carrying a leaf in a close-up image of incredible skill as well as the pose of a chic model with the backdrop of a chic city street, are some of the amazing amateur images going on display side by side with the pros. The Sony World Photography Awards 2011 images will be exhibited at Somerset House in London from April 26 to May 22.

For a full gallery of all the winners CLICK HERE

Here are some tried and tested ways that will guarantee you an income if you are committed, work hard at it and persevere even when things get tough.

1. Sell your framed images

If you are able to shoot really great photos then think about getting a few framed and offering them to local stores. If they are good enough and framed appropriately they will sell. Go have a look at what other images are on sale. Check out the quality of the frame and the composition and see if you can match them. Match them I said, not copy.

2. Cafe art

Ask the owners of local cafe’s to decorate their walls with your images. They get free art to cover empty walls and you get to showcase your images and make a name for yourself locally. It’s a win/win situation and you have nothing to lose. If they don’t sell take them down and replace them with others until you find some that do.

3. Sell your photos on eBay.com

In the same way you sell them on the walls of cafes, sell them on eBay. Set up an eBay store, choose you best images and advertise them at reasonable prices. You can do this framed or unframed. It’s up to you how.

4. Submit to microstock sites

This is a relatively easy way to sell your images electronically if they are of a high quality. Don’t try to sell just anything. There is strong competition and you have to have a quality portfolio. This is a great passive income if you consistently shoot and submit on a regular basis.

5. Enter competitions

In our digital age there are just so many online competitions that are not geographically specific so you can enter from anywhere in the world. Don’t forget about your local competitions. Many offer cash prizes and if they don’t and you win there is always the boost it gives to your reputation.

6. Turn them into wallpaper

All of us at some stage have put quality images on PC desktops. Some of us have even bought images. There is quite a market on the internet for good quality desktop images so test the market and sell on eBay, Craigslist and Gumtree.

7. Open a Flickr account

There is just so much business being done on Flickr. Many photo buyers are leaving the microstock sites and approaching buyers directly on Flickr and paying really good prices for exclusive rights to specific images. So create a Flickr account and start a portfolio.

8. Social photography

Weddings, events, portrait and children’s photography make up social photography. It’s basically people photography and a bit of pets. Start shooting for friends and family and gradually you’ll start getting offered commissions to do specific events.

9. Create a photography book

There are just so many companies offering to publish your images in a great coffee table book. So when you shoot an event like a golden wedding anniversary or a child’s birthday, think about offering the final photos in the form of a professionally printed photo book. They are reasonably priced and a great final product.

10. Product photography

Approach local businesses and offer to shoot for their product catalogues, menus and real estate brochures. Some companies with limited budgets are looking for well priced alternatives to the commercial photographers so there is always a possibility if you can create great product images.

These are just some of the ideas that if you are prepared to spend some time and take some effort you will be able to make cash from your camera. Try one or few together and you might find that you are on your way to making a livelihood from your photos. Happy shooting!