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We all want to make the most of our wedding photos and a new service from totalPIX makes it very easy with their beautifully bound photobooks.

Like all the best ideas, the idea of a photobook is very simple. Until now if you wanted to compile your own wedding album you first needed to get your photos printed. Unless you have a very expensive photo-quality printer, this meant getting them printed professionally either online or at a local photography outlet. Then they had to be put in the album and any captions you wanted either hand written or printed out and then added to the pages.

With a totalPIX photobook, you simply download the totalPIX software which includes several wedding templates, drag and drop your photos onto the template, add your captions and then upload everything to totalPIX.

A couple of days later, so long as you are in the UK, your photobook will arrive through the post, carefully packaged in perfect condition.

As commercial litho and digital printers, totalPIX have the latest Kodak digital presses so that every single photo, however small, is printed as though it were part of a half million run mail order catalogue. In fact the look and quality of the internal pages of a photobook is quite similar to the best catalogues although of course the binding is attractive and durable as befits a wedding book that will last a lifetime.

Very often we have different types of wedding photos, there are the formal ones, with everyone demur and poised at the church or registry office and these make a wonderful souvenir of the day. But often there are more informal images we want to keep, perhaps of the party afterwards or just simply wonderful photos that capture a special moment or expression. With totalPIX photobooks, there’s no problem. Create a formal photobook of the day for that special momento and another more informal one that perhaps gives more of the atmosphere of the occasion. And what about a record of the stag and hen nights, or perhaps not!

The ability to add captions makes a photobook very personal. Add the names of guests, the date and venue, whatever is important to you.

Photobooks can be ordered in any quantity from one upwards, and once you have the finished photobook on your computer, so long as you do not delete it, you can re-send it to totalPIX at any time for extra copies for friends and relations.

A major feature of the totalPIX photobook service is its ease of use. If you can use a digital camera, you will find creating a photobook a doddle. The software includes a basic image cropping and manipulation tool if you do not have one already installed. As a precaution against a poor outcome, the software will only accept photos that have the quality and resolution to print well, after all the best press in the world cannot create an award winning image from a poor quality one.

For full details of totalPIX wedding photobooks, please visit us at www.totalpix.co.uk

Sally Kavanagh is a keen digital photographer and is an advisor to totalPIX

Purchasing any gift item for your child is a mind-numbing task. You can never be sure whether they will like what you buy for them or not. So, when you want to buy a digital camera for your little kids, then there are lots of things, which you must know, which will help you (hopefully!) to get the right camera for your child.

One of the most important things for children is that the digital camera should be one of the latest available in the market. If it has been heavily advertised and people are talking about it, then it is even better. This gives children a sense of pride and also allows them to ’show-off’ their possession to their friends.

Another factor, which is critical for children, is that the camera must look good. This is very, very important to them. It does not matter whether it has a big screen or small screen, whether it is 2 mega pixel or 1.5 mega pixel - the camera should have a smart shape, come in flashy colors or it can also look cute or funky. But, the camera should not look ‘boring’ or very ’serious’ in nature. However good the functions might be, if the camera does not look good, it is most likely that your choice will get rejected.

The size is also important. Most children will definitely prefer a digital camera that is small and compact in size. The weight and size should be such that they are able to easily put the camera in their pocket or hang it by a string. Large and bulky models, even if they have better features are not advisable for children.

It is also necessary to remember that even though you might gift your child a digital camera to click photographs for school projects, they will be using it to take pictures of their friends. So, look for some ‘fun’ features in the digital camera. These can include colorful background images or sound effects, photographic effects that they can use to enhance the images taken by them.

One more thing is ease of use. It is important that the camera has a simple system through which children can easily take pictures quickly. However, you really do not need to worry about this aspect a lot because today’s children have been born in the digital era. They are able to pick up things much faster than you or me, so as long as the camera is good in all other aspects, even if its ‘click ability’ is a little confusing, it does not really matter. They are fast learners these days!

Last but not the least, is the price. While buying a digital camera for your child, it is understandable that you really do not want to spend a lot of money. There are lots of choices available in the market today. The price range starts from as low as $30 and can go up to $300. So, it really depends on how much you would like to spend on the camera. Start simple and upgrade if they grow out of the digital camera that you buy for them. Hey share them with the whole family!

Kevin Rockwell worked as a network TV cameraman for 20 years shooting news and sports. Now a devoted fan of digital photography and video he works to gather information, tips and news for digital camera users. Oh and he loves to shoot pictures of his kids playing sports.
http://www.great-digital-cameras.com/gdcj.html

For the truly commutative business people out there, the capacity to get online and employ the gadgets back at the office is a considerable help. Now found in an increasing proportion of Nokia handsets available now are Business Phones. These capable bits of high-technology allow you to receive your data through browsers & e mail any of your clients and partners. In truth your handset performs in a similar way to a notebook does, the difference is it is smaller than half the volume.

Nokia, as they say, is all about connecting people. Nokia also consider that transportability makes companies healthier. Mobility gives people the ability to team up and transact business externally to the everyday work places and times. Nokia provides a wide range of business devices. Each and every one of these is targeted at different sorts of customer.

From their business range Nokia supply four contrasting makes of business hand set. These are communicators, smart phones, messaging handsets and mobile phones. Nokia business hand sets provide solutions like Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email. Nokia have done some research & was uncovered that employees utilizing wireless email accomplished an average of an extra 55 minutes of work per day. This is expected to stretch to about eighty mins extra per day Christmas 2007. Another advantage of using a Nokia Business sets is that they might save you money for your company or even for you individually as you will not require 2 particular devices - people can have all they need in just one handset.

Their sets are outstanding for businesses & for pros. All handsets come with stylish designs, they’re all powerfully compatible and not forgetting child’s play to use, once played around with. The email abilities are great with support from Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Office 97, 2000, 2003 & XP and don’t forget it’s compatible with the zip manager and Adobe Reader. Users may send & receive e-mails along with conversing on the phone plus they may access the up to date calendar and the contact details. The email function can also function in the offline mode which means people are able to read & write e mails while the internet is unobtainable. Nokia have a great range of business phones on their website.

Although the business handsets supplied by Nokia aren’t all outstandingly petite, what you have to remember is they are good dimensions when you think what they are able to do. Most of them are sold with a full keyboard with back-light, a large landscape display unit plus an easy one press feature which accesses email function.

A business set might not suite everyone but for the conveniences it offers users who will make use of all the facilities, its assuredly going to make their lives much more simple.

So, you’re ready to buy a digital camera, huh? Maybe it’s your first, maybe it’s your fourth. It can still be an overwhelming and confusing venture. With so many digital cameras on the market today ranging in price from under $100 to over $7,000, it may feel like there are TOO MANY CHOICES!

Many people begin the buying process by investigating all the features and functions of 10 - 20 cameras in “their price range,” however that is determined. Some people find that process too frustrating and buy the first digital camera that “looks” right.

Personally, I’m an analyzer. As a professional photographer, when I start analyzing digital cameras, it’s like unleashing a sumo wrestler at an all-you-can-eat buffet… there’s no stopping me.

But, for the typical consumer, knowing the digital camera’s features and functions alone just doesn’t cut it. People want to know WHAT THE FEATURE DOES FOR ME!


Whether you go the feature/function route or not, there are 7 insider tips that can help save you money and avoid buying the wrong digital camera for your purposes.

Tip #1: How to Get the Best Prices on Digital Cameras

Wherever you are in the investigation/buying process, eventually you get to this step. If you want to buy a digital camera, the best prices are on the internet. Whether you’ve purchased anything on the internet or not, there are certain INTERNET BUYING STRATEGIES that will save you money, time, and aggravation.

• When purchasing ANYTHING through the internet, only consider the ENTIRE cost of the “digital camera + tax + shipping,” NOT just the price of the digital camera. This is the only way to compare “apples to apples.”
  
• Once you find the best ENTIRE cost, do not immediately buy it from that vendor! There are key INTERNET questions to answer:
  
• Is the digital camera in stock? There is often a mysterious correlation between the cheapest digital camera prices and cameras being OUT OF STOCK. You don’t want to order your digital camera and then have it sit on backorder for 3 months, do you?
  
• Does your Nikon (Minolta, Canon, etc.) come with a USA warranty or is it what’s called “grey goods?” You want to verify it’s a USA warranty, unless you don’t mind having to service it internationally. If it’s grey goods, you WILL NOT be able to service it in the US.
  
• When ordering your digital baby, beware of costly add-on accessories that may be needed eventually, but are suggested during this “special order promotion time” at 200% of the normal price.

Tip #2: Professional or Prosumer… Which is Right For You?

Let’s begin by clarifying our terms. A professional digital camera is a digital SLR, while a prosumer is basically everything else. In that context, as of the end of 2005, digital SLRs could be purchased for $600 - $8,000 (Canon and Nikon, at least). The key points to consider are:

1. If you plan on shooting night photos or other pictures in low-light situations, many prosumer digital cameras take good quality photographs at ISO 100 or 200. However, to take good pictures in lower light at ISO 400 or 800 will typically require a digital SLR. Otherwise, digital “noise” will probably have too large an impact on picture quality.
   
2. If you plan on taking flash photographs at distances greater than 10-12 feet from your subject, an external flash unit needs to be used. And the only way an external flash unit can be used with your digital camera is to attach it to your camera’s hot shoe. Every professional digital camera has a hot shoe. Many prosumers also do, but NOT ALL OF THEM.
   
3. Salespeople often try to sway consumers away from professional digital cameras into prosumer models, saying that the digital SLRs have so many complicated features that they are difficult to use. That is only half correct. Digital SLRs are typically designed to allow consumers to take pictures easily using the more automatic settings OR to use the advanced features when they are comfortable doing so.

“Affordable” digital cameras have a tendency of making your budget happy, but disappointing the photographer in you.

1. Don’t overlook the ergonomics of the camera. Are the controls easy? Comfortable? How many buttons or levers need to be simultaneously set before getting the result you want?
   
2. If you’re upgrading from a less expensive digital camera, don’t assume that spending more or having more features will automatically make you happy. Always test out the camera. An affordable digital camera isn’t affordable if you wind up not using it!
   
3. The new digital camera is more than likely to operate differently than your older model. Does the new camera have controls that are counter-intuitive? Things like that can frustrate a person enough to not use their digital camera. Better to find out details like these before rather than after the purchase.

Here’s the bottom line: Optical Zoom is the only thing that’s important. Although some salespeople might argue with this, when buying a digital camera, my suggestion is to COMPLETELY IGNORE ALL DIGITAL ZOOM FIGURES. Digital zoom has absolutely no impact on being able to take a photograph of a distant subject by zooming in on it.


The main reason salespeople like to include optical zoom in the equation is because advertising loves to give you the digital camera’s “zoom factor.” Multiply a 3X Digital Zoom by a 5X Optical Zoom, and you have a 15X Zoom factor… a completely worthless and MISLEADING number!!


Tip #5: Is the Discount Digital Camera a Good or Bad Idea?

The most important consideration when considering a discount digital camera (or any other electronic device, for that matter) is to ask yourself: “WHAT IS MY GOAL?”
Many consumers start by first falling in love with a digital camera and then become pleased or disappointed with its capabilities (usually after they buy it).

I’m proposing something outlandishly radical… go through the process the OPPOSITE WAY. First, ask yourself some basic questions:

1. What do I plan to do with the digital camera (and don’t say “take pictures”)? What are you most interested in - the occasional family snapshot, landscapes, macro work, heavy flash use, all of the above?
   
2. How much use will it get? (Twice a year, or once a week?)
   
3. What is most important to me: picture quality, camera size, camera weight, durability, telephotos/wide angle lens, etc.?

Based on your responses to these questions, a discount digital camera can be your best choice or a complete waste of money.

A “no-name” discount digital camera can be a logical choice, based on what your photographic goals are. But don’t think a $49.95 Brand X camera is going to cost you $49.95! You also have to add in the cost for at least some accessories, such as memory, batteries, bag, and lens protector.


Tip #6: When are Small Digital Cameras the Perfect Choice?

Despite impressions to the contrary, small digital cameras (also referred to as compact digital cameras) are quite popular. They’re easy to carry, usually loaded with features, and take respectable photographs.

We need to remember that SMALL DOESN’T MEAN UNDERPOWERED. Some advantages of going tiny are: less bulky, easier to transport, less conspicuous (less likely to “walk off”), and they often compare favorably with larger cameras in the feature and price categories.

Some of the pitfalls of going small include: possible trouble physically operating some of the camera’s controls, less likely to support an external flash, and the physical size can limit some of the available features, such as image manipulation.


Tip #7: Megapixels - What’s Fact; What’s Fiction?

Megapixels is one of the most talked about (and misunderstood) terms in the world of digital cameras. Let’s sort through some facts and misperceptions, so you can make a more informed buying decision.


Taking better digital photography involves more than just having a camera with a bunch of megapixels, although you wouldn’t know that listening to digital camera salespeople.

Megapixels is just one factor in creating better digital photography. And, you can’t look at it alone. You should consider other digital camera features.


How fast or slow the camera’s shutter speed can be set is key. Using a tripod, being able to manually set the white-balance control, and having pre-programmed modes to aid in tricky lighting situations are all important factors in achieving better digital photography.


Don’t get the idea that megapixels are bad, or irrelevant. This is NOT TRUE. There is one specific area where more megapixels will create better digital photography results. If everything else is the same, more megapixels will provide GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO CROP A PHOTOGRAPH and still wind up with a sharp clear photo. And, cropping photographs can make a world of difference. Cropping is the eraser on your digital pencil.


Conclusion

People can make buying a digital camera a snap decision or a life-long project. Because there are so many models, brands, and features; it can get pretty confusing. You will never know ALL THE FACTS to make the “best decision.” But, by using these 7 tips, you will know what really matters to YOU.

For the unabridged tips, go to http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/digital-cameras.html.

Robert Bezman is a professional photographer and owner of Custom Photographic Expressions. Robert has created http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com to help the digital photography users create better photographs. Robert has a blog at
http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/family-photography-news.html

If you have hopes of becoming a professional photographer, or even just of trying to get your work published in a public forum, you will need to create a photography portfolio. So what’s so important about a photography portfolio anyway?

There are many reasons why having a portfolio of your work available for others to view. If you are seeking employment as a photographer, then the need for a portfolio is obvious. If you are not seeking a photography job, there are still good reasons to have a portfolio. For one, you love photography and you take a lot a pride in your work. They are important to you. Most likely, some of them are very good. Why not create a portfolio that showcases your best work so you can show it to others (even if it’s just friends or family that comes over for a visit)?

- Building a Photography Portfolio

Before we get into what goes into your portfolio, let’s discuss the portfolio itself. What should it be made of? How big should it be? You may have seen portfolios with covers made of all types of materials such as plastic, leather and even stainless steel. These fancy covers are usually much more expensive and may not be practical for a beginner. If you are competing for high-price jobs and want to stand out from the crowd, these expensive covers may be a nice touch. But for most people, a regular black plastic cover will work just fine. It’s what’s inside the portfolio that is most important, right?

So, you are probably best to stick with a plain black plastic cover and work hard on beefing up what’s inside. Don’t decorate your portfolio with cutesy stickers and such; this will look amateurish and unprofessional. It’s not a scrapbook; it’s supposed to represent your high-quality work.

Now, as for size, this is going to depend on the size of your largest pictures. An 8 X 10 is probably going to be your largest. If your pictures are not this big, you don’t need a portfolio this big. Your biggest will most likely be an 11 X 14 and it could be as small as a 4 X 7.

The most important thing for you to remember is convenience – both for you and for the person who will be looking at your portfolio. You want to keep it professional and easy to hold, carry and look over.

- Using a Photography Portfolio

So now that you know what a portfolio is and what type to get, how do you actually use it? Well, we mentioned you are going to fill it with your best work. This means you want a portfolio that can easily be changed. You may want to pull out old ones and add in new ones. You don’t want to go for a job carrying along every picture you’ve ever taken. You’re going to want to have 15-20 of your best work. You are also going to want to be sure your pictures are relevant to the job. If you are trying out for different types of assignments, you may want to create portfolios that work for each of the types of work you are doing.

Of course, you only want to show your best work but you want to give the impression that you can handle any type of assignment given to you ad not that you are “stuck” in only one type of photography.

You want to showcase your best work; this is best technically as well. You may have a photo that is really important to you because of the image it represents or the memory it brings but if it is not technically perfect, it doesn’t belong in a business portfolio. Save that one for your coffee table.

Looking for information about Photography?
Go to: http://www.asaphotography.com.

‘ASA Photography’ is published by Colin Hartness - An excellent resource for Photography! Check out more Photography articles at: http://www.asaphotography.com/archive.

A digital camera accessory you should purchase is a spare memory card. Most cameras are sold with a ’starter’ memory card that is usually a low capacity card that’s enough to take a few sample photos on, but not enough for day-to-day use.

What is a memory card?

A memory card is the little removable piece of plastic that your camera uses to store your photos. Memory cards come in different sizes and names such as Compact Flash (CF), Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick (MS), Smart Media (SM) and xD.

Running out of memory on your card is a little like running out of film in a traditional camera. Rather than purchasing a new film to take more shots though, you move your images to your computer or a CD and re-use the same memory card.

Purchasing extra memory cards is a good idea is you’re on a vacation and want to ensure you can store all your photos. Fortunately, prices of memory cards have come down dramatically in recent times.

Purchasing - what do I need to know?

There are two pieces of information you need to know when purchasing a new memory card. What type of card your camera takes, and how large a memory card you wish to buy.

What memory card type does my camera use?

The simplest way to find out the type of memory card your camera uses, is to take your existing card out of the camera and look on it for one of the types listed above. If you’re still not sure, take your existing card into the camera store and ask the staff for a new card with the same type as what you have.

The size of memory card you purchase will depend on your photography needs as well as your budget. Memory cards come in sizes between 16 Megabytes (and will fit between 4 and 32 images depending on your camera capabilities and image quality) and 4 Gigabytes (4,000 megabytes - store thousands of images on one of these cards).

My advice is to purchase the largest sized card you can afford. This will allow you to take as many pictures as possible before needing to transfer to a computer or CD. On my last holiday, I took along 1 Gigabyte of memory card storage allowing me to take about 500 images without needing to take my computer along with me to download the images to.

Memory Card Speed

Another feature to keep in the back of your mind when purchasing a new memory card is the card’s speed. The faster your memory card speed, the faster your camera can write it’s image to the card, and the quicker you can take another photo. The actual speed will be the LOWEST of either your camera’s fastest transfer speed (see your camera’s manual) and the memory card’s speed. If your camera can transfer at 40X speed, but your memory card can only handle 12X, 12X will be the actual transfer speed. Note that some cameras ignore the card’s speed and write as fast as possible all the time.

How many memory cards do I need?

I recommend you have at least two memory cards for your camera. The professionals usually carry 4-6 memory cards and when they run out of memory on one they swap to the next, but unless you’re taking LOTS of photos, that’s overkill. With two cards, you can normally work with one but you have a spare just in case you run out of the first, or you go on a long vacation and need to store more images than you normally would.

Microdrives

A recent invention that’s gaining a lot of popularity is the Microdrive. These are for the Type II Compact Flash cards, and instead of memory inside the card, there’s a tiny hard drive. Their advantage is they can store an enormous amount of data (over 6 Gigabytes), but the problem is they are a little more expensive than a traditional memory card, and can take longer to save your image. They also aren’t as shock resistant as standard cards.

Care of cards

Memory cards, although they seem to be small and flimsy, can be quite robust. I’ve dropped one of my cards in a glass of coke and it has survived - although I don’t recommend you do this! It will also depend on the brand of card you purchase. More expensive cards tend to withstand more pounding. Most memory cards will withstand a small amount of misuse, but like any electronic components, take good care of them and they will serve you well.

Other Memory Card Tips

- If you transfer lots of images to your computer, purchase a card reader. These will allow you to transfer the images to your computer at a much faster rate than using your camera’s connection.

- Contrary to popular opinion, airport x-ray machines will not damage your camera’s memory cards. If you’re really worried, remove them from your bag and ask the screeners to inspect manually.

- Turn off your camera when inserting or removing memory cards. Taking the memory card out while the camera is writing to the card could wreck both your card and camera.

David Peterson has a great love of photography and has created a series of free tips at http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/ to help digital photography users everywhere take better photos.

Preface

In order to understand color management, it is important to get your hands around some of the workflow. It is also important to understand a little bit about the ICC itself. The ICC or “International Color Consortium” was created in 1993 by a number major corporations with the goal of assisting end users in creating consistent color throughout the entire reproduction process. ICC profiles are a means by which one device can translate the same color information to another. This process is applied in graphics programs like Adobe Photoshop, and created in color management systems like X-rite’s Pulse or ColorVision’s Spyder software.

How is a profile created?

In order to have a fully color controlled environment you must have all devices displaying or printing color, profiled. How is this accomplished? Color management software (CMS) takes readings from your specific devices and compares their color with reference files of what color “should be” as defined by the ICC. For example, to profile a scanner you would scan in what is called an IT8 target. This scan is then compared with a reference file by the CMS. The differences between what the reference file says the color should be, and what the color your device actually output is meat of the profile. Basically, a profile says what’s not perfect about your particular device. If your scanner always seems to scan things in a little green, or your printer always seems to print things with a magenta cast-these are the things that are taken into account when color profiling your devices. To complicate matters a little further, this process also takes into account the differences in color between various paper and ink combinations.

Understanding Your Environment.

Color Model: When you hear the term color model we are referring to the method from which we define or classify the color we are to work with. Examples of such are RGB, LAB, CMYK, etc.
Color Space: A color space is simply a variation of your color model. For instance, within your RGB framework some common variations are, sRGB, Adobe RGB, and so on. Some of these spaces are better for display e.g. sRGB and Wide Gamut RGB while other color spaces are more suited to printing e.g. ColorMatch RGB and Adobe RGB.

Now, it is important to note that every device in our workflow utilizes it’s own unique color space. Meaning, while your monitor, scanner, and printer will base their color spaces basically on what we can see their actual gamut (range of colors) will differ. This is where we lose our consistency across devices. This is the problem we must attend to.

Color Management Using Adobe Photoshop: Step-by-Step

Okay, so now we’re ready for the whole process-it’s a big one, so keep with me. In this section I will describe how color management works with entry-level CMS’s like Monaco EZ Color or ColorVision’s Spyder2-programs like these >b>utilize actual hardware colorimeters for monitor calibration and a reflective target for scanner calibration. Scanning the printed target with your home scanner creates the printer profile. Entry-level programs like these generally retail between $150 and $500.

Step One: The Monitor

This step is quite easy and is generally conducted entirely in the CMS program of your choice. The CMS will guide you through the process of adjusting you monitor brightness and contrast to its proper settings and then, with the hardware colorimeter, take readings of the colors your monitor can produce. Your CMS should also set this profile as your default profile for your operating system. Take note if your CMS doesn’t already explain it, you should remove Adobe Gamma Loader.exe from your Startup folder after creating a new monitor profile. AGL is a very minimal monitor correction tool and will conflict with your newly created profile.

Step Two: The Scanner

For the scanner profile you will be using an IT8 target. This is a printed color reference of approx. 250 color patches. These targets are manufactured under strict controls and are measured by ICC approved methods to produce accurate reference files. Kodak, Coloraid, and Fuji are the major manufacturers of IT8 targets and should be included with your CMS package but may be a required separate purchase. There are two forms of IT8 targets: reflective and transparent. Reflective targets create a generally consistent profile for scanning reflective images. Transparent IT8 targets are printed on to the specific film to be profiled and therefore cannot be used as globally as reflective targets.

Profiling of the scanner involves scanning the IT8 target under the same conditions that will be used to scan originals. This has to be taken to the nth degree, as every setting in your scanner software needs to be exactly the same for scanning the target as it is for every other original that you will scan. Turning all hue/saturation/brightness/contrast controls off in your scanner software generates the most effective profile. Any auto correction adjustments need to be turned off so the same conditions the profile gets generated under will apply to each consecutive scan.

At this point you will scan in the IT8 target, most likely at 200 dpi, and save the file. Some CMS’s will have you scan the IT8 target out of their own interface, but I would recommend scanning the target with the same application that you will be using in the future-if possible. When scanning into an application like Photoshop, remember to save the image without any profile attached (in Photoshop when saving you will see a checkbox under Save Options>Color that is labeled ICC Profile-make sure this is not checked). Now load this image into your CMS, it will take this image and calculate the differences between what your scanner sees compared to what the colors of the IT8 “really” are.

Step Three: The Printer

Now, the last piece to the puzzle, printer targets. Like transparent IT8 targets, printer targets are more complex. Similar to film, different papers or media can produce incredibly different color results. This has to be taken into account in the profiling stage. When creating a printer profile, you are essentially creating a description of the differences between what is ideal color and what is the result of the specific paper/ink/quality setting you choose. A profile created for a professional glossy photo paper will generally not produce good results if used to print on a matte heavy weight paper. The same holds true for differences in ink or quality/speed settings.

In your CMS you should be given the option to save your printer target for printing within your chosen graphic app. If asked choose not to apply a profile when opening. In Photoshop choose File>Print with Preview. Change the Output dropdown to Color Management. Under Source Space choose Document. Under Print Space choose Profile: Same as Source. You are now set up in Photoshop to print your profile target. You aren’t done yet! Now go into your printer driver software and set any color options to none, or zero, or whatever shuts off any color changes by the driver. Now print your target.

This is where professional level CMS’s and entry level ones differ. At this point with the entry level you will scan in the printed target and the CMS will actually use the before generated scanner profile to correct the scan, so it can the correct your printed target. A professional level CMS will have a separate hardware device designed specifically for reading printed media targets.

Step Four: Utilizing the Profiles

Okay, now that we’ve created all of the profiles, time to implement them. You monitor profile should be getting applied upon startup by your operating system, so let’s move on to your scanner. Scan in an image-once again using the exact same settings that were used to create the profile (other than resolution). In Photoshop choose Image Menu>Assign Profile. Then choose Profile: Your Scanner Profile. Having done all of the previous steps in Photoshop correctly, you should now be amazed at how your image colors changes to appear incredibly like the original that you’ve just scanned in.

From here go to Image Menu>Convert to Profile and choose working RGB from the profile selections. This will convert your document to the native RGB working space of Photoshop. When printing you will apply the printer profile by once again choosing File>Print with Preview, select Document as your Source Space (which this time should be your Working RGB space) and in your Print Space choose Profile: Your Printer Profile. Remember once again to disable any color options in your printer driver. Finally, Print!

Other Notes on Profiling

I would recommend using Relative Colorimetric as your Rendering Intent when doing the Convert to Profile step and when printing with Print with Preview out of Photoshop. Rendering intents control how the profile is applied to either the scanner or printed image. Relative Colorimetric has proven to be the best in my testing. Read the documentation that came with your CMS in order to learn more about the other available rendering intents.

Profiles are only as accurate as the CMS that generates them and the size of the targets that are used to generate them. Packages in the $150-$500 price range generally have around 75-250 patches, while $2000 and up gets you 729 patches or more. Also, the more expensive packages rely on physical hardware devices to generate printer profiles, while the less expensive packages use your scanner as the print colorimeter. In addition, the more expensive packages have numerous options for the edition of the profiles you create.

Sources cited in this column are:

Adobe®
xrite/monoco®
Colorvision®
Shawn Tolle, Technical Consultant.

Nigel is the E-Commerce Project Manager for Ultimatech Creative Consultancy located in Carbondale, Colorado. Ultimatech provides website design for photographers, artists, and art galleries along with Fine-Art Reproduction and SEO Services.

Without doubt there is something awe inspiring and wholesome in the big view. Every year there are vast arrays of calendars all full of pretty landscape pictures adorning our high street shops. Many we can relate to and one day would like to see for ourselves. Indeed, we are fortunate in this country to be blessed with such wonderfully diverse scenery. From the wide open spaces of the fens to the rugged mountains of Cumbria, Wales and Scotland. From rolling meadows to dramatic coastlines they all have an important part to play. However, sometimes with such a grand vista it is difficult to fully appreciate its beauty simply because there is nowhere for the eye to settle, no point on which to concentrate. There is just too much to take in. It is just so overwhelming.

However, if we can take a fresh approach and look hard for a moment at just part of this scene we begin to see and appreciate the finer features of the individual pieces of the landscape. Look at how they combine, fitting together like the pieces of a large jigsaw to make the complete picture. But let us now break it down into its basic components and take time to contemplate the colours, shapes and textures. We can then take this notion even further and that distant bright yellow patch becomes, on closer inspection, a rich and riotous stand of Broom. If we move closer still to the broom we see clearly the perfection and intricate detail in each flower and seedpod. Look even closer at the seedpod with its gossamer covering of fine hairs, each one an individual but reliant on its close neighbours and we can begin to understand how things fit together. Whilst this may not be a scientific approach it provides a raw and basic understanding, offers enlightenment and makes us feel an integral part of nature. So by isolating and concentrating on a small part of the whole we have simplified the subject. Made it more memorable, more basic and more powerful.

We have now entered the close up world of nature, a world that lies just beyond the familiar that is so full of rich detail and striking beauty. With an open mind, a little imagination and an almost childlike curiosity there are many more subjects for us to consider. There is certainly no need to go far. Indeed it should be seen as more of a soul searching journey, a journey of inner vision and contemplation rather than a journey to some far off place. Furthermore, the deeper we delve the more fascinating and rewarding they become. They reveal their hidden treasures without hesitation allowing us time to reflect and admire their majesty.

With this attention to detail it becomes easier to understand that the whole is clearly made up of many individual parts that are all unique. All these parts inter-relate with each other and no doubt they all have a vital role to play. Indeed, it is only by appreciating the importance of the smallest parts of our planet that I believe we can start to make any sense of nature as a whole. There is also emotion and drama to be found in these little cameos that we so often overlook, it may be something as simple as a single delicate flower growing in a boulder crevice. Hanging on and defiant, its tenuous grip on life is totally dependent on the sustenance that it draws from the debris residing in the crevice. Yet it lives on year after year, testimony indeed to its determination and resilience. It is this interrelationship that is so enduring, fundamental and compelling.

As a natural history photographer getting close to nature is a very important part of my life. It allows a far greater appreciation of the beauty and a clearer understanding of the natural world in which we live. Take for example a clear cold winters day with crispness so sharp it is breathtaking. When we start to look for details in these conditions we are immediately drawn to magical patterns in the snow, frosted ivy leaves and shimmering icicles. Ice patterns are one of my favourite winter subjects as they offer such diversity and literally capture a moment frozen in time. Some offer gracefully smooth curves whilst others display harsh jagged lines depending on the prevailing weather conditions. So even something as simple as a puddle icing over is heavily influenced by its immediate surroundings.

Light quality will also play a significant part in our appreciation of these finer details, if it is too harsh then the increase in contrast will actually block out the very detail we are trying to see. It is far better to have the diffused light that occurs with high thin cloud cover. This provides a much softer light allowing all the detail, texture and nuances to be so clearly seen. Subject colour will also influence our interpretation of the subject, for example vibrant colours like reds and yellows suggest dominance and power, whereas muted shades like grey and browns portray more tranquil, earthy and basic feelings.

Early morning is often a fine time to appreciate a wide range of subjects and a stroll in the garden will pay dividends. Flowers and grasses, for example when covered with dew or fine rain make fascinating studies, the fine hairs hold onto droplets of water so that they almost defy gravity. If the conditions are right there may be insects that have become encrusted with minute droplets of water following a night’s inactivity. Butterflies in particular look stunning covered in dew as it makes them sparkle as though covered with a myriad of jewels.

So, with renewed vision and childlike wonder the natural world is without doubt a beautiful place that only requires a little time and an inquisitive mind to fully appreciate. Satisfaction and contentment can be provided by the simplest of things and with this comes harmony and hopefully inner peace.

Phil McDermott based on the Isle of Mull in the west of Scotland specialising in natural history and environmental photography.

“My priority is to uphold a genuine care and respect for the environment and subjects and the following pages unfold to reflect this approach. Through photography I hope to raise awareness and encourage a greater appreciation of the splendour of the natural world”.

Working almost exclusively in Scotland, with its magnificent scenery, diverse flora and fauna and remarkable quality of light all combining to provide a continual source of opportunity and inspiration.

There are some disadvantages of putting your photos online but I believe the
benefits out way the disadvantages.

1. Your photos can be used as an inspiration for others to learn and try out the
technics that you have implemented or executed on a photo. You can serve as the
online guru and the viewers your students. People always admire good photos and
will go out of their way to let you know if you have done well and at times will ask
for advice on how to capture and achieve the same effect.

2. You give people a opportunity to experience and see what you have shot even if
there are miles or maybe continents away. The story you paint in your photo can tell
a thousand words. The visual impact gives the viewer a first hand experience into
your photo whether it be travel, food or even a wedding photo. Your photo tells
them a story, how you tell the story is up to you.

3. Your online gallery can be used as your very own online a stock photo bank.
There are always people or agencies looking for photos online and maybe you can
use your gallery to show of your diverse collection of photos. Good Travel Photos
are always in demand.

4. You can use your gallery to share your photos to friends and family and keep up
to date about each others events. You can send photos of your birthday parties and
other personal events to give others a chance to see your joyous moments even if
your family or relatives are half a world away.

5. Lastly, you are given a venue to express your own creativity without limits. Not
everyone is blessed with a chance to share their gift of photography with others so
use your online gallery and share what you can and show the world and how you see
it through your photos.

Anton Sheker is a professional photographer based
in Philippines. Owns and operates Philippine Online Photo Gallery
http://www.photo.net.ph and founder member of
http://www.worldphotodirectory.com - a free professional photographer
resource guide and directory

For more photography articles visit his site
online at http://www.photo.net.ph/blogalicious

In this age of digital photography, there are almost limitless opportunities for taking great photographs. Despite the seemingly bewildering array of cameras and gadgets, it remains a fact that sales of digital cameras have rocketed in recent years as people discard film in favour of electronic imagery.

The world is going digital!

And this is great news. The mysteries of photography are being uncovered and being shown for what they are – a mockery! There are NO mysteries. There are NO hidden talents. There are NO barriers.

Sure, to be great you have to work at it. But people who used to restrict themselves to mere snapshots are now experiencing the wonderful world of digital where the opportunities are limitless.

Consider the basic compact digital camera. Not only does it take programmable shots, it can also be set for aperture priority, shutter priority or manual. It can zoom and autofocus. It has a flash inbuilt and can take, in most cases, additional lens attachments.

This is great if you occasionally wish to delve into more select areas of your hobby.

But there’s more!

When you take your shots it doesn’t matter if they are not as you would like. It costs nothing to retake the shot with digital and, moreover, you can manipulate the image in a photo editing program at home. The great shots you do take can also be manipulated and enhanced.

What does this mean? It means the man-in-the-street can, at last, forget the complexities of film photography, can discard the reasons to hold back on taking photographs and can share his newfound freedom with others.

This is great for him but it is also great for photography as a whole.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com