a few photo tips

     Last time I checked in I had taken a series of photos that didn't work out well. This morning I set up my photo stuff again and took some shots. I'm MUCH happier with the way this session went. I opted not to use any lights and set up by my big glass doors. I used props instead of the traditional black background and framed my shots much better so there was a lot less editing needed.
     Because I can't always tell if I have a good shot with correct lighting and clear focus I take A LOT of shots and cull the best out of the batch when I review them on my computer. I bracket my shots, meaning I take shots at different f-stops, to make sure I have the right lighting. If you have a "point-n-shoot" most models come with settings where you can manually change the f-stop. I recommend taking shots where different amounts of light are used for your exposure. Also, check your histogram which will tell you if your reflections are too bright or your whites are blown out. If that happens you lose detail. It's a great tool and you can find out how to access it per photo in your camera's handbook.
      A while back my computer went kaput so I had to take it in and get some work done on it. I lost my Photoshop application so now I've been reduced to using my iPhoto editing options. It's not actually that bad, but it is limited. Photoshop elements is a great option and much less expensive. Having a way to adjust your exposure if things are a little off, or hiding some minor splotches, or even simply cropping your images is extremely helpful. Also, always remember to make sure your screen is at it's brightest level so that you're truly seeing your images. If your screen is dark and you do a bunch of changes they will be off. Probably to bright in the end. And make sure you duplicate your images before you make any changes so you have an original copy of your shots to work from.

   
   Aaah look! A clear and sparkly diamond and no glare on the gold! Yay! The natural light from an overcast day and good exposure really made these shots SO much better than the images I took last night.
     Now I have a few more pieces to finish and shoot then the new collection can be uploaded to my website. Phew! So close!