Maximizing the power of your camera’s flash is difficult enough in a studio set-up, but outdoors literally presents a whole new world of challenges. John Gerlach and Barbara Eddy have taken the most asked about subject from their renowned photography workshops and turned it into this guidebook that is sure to inspire your next outdoor shoot, while also saving you time and frustration. Outdoor Flash Photography covers a range of practices from portrait to landscape, including unique strategies that the authors have pioneered through 40 years in the field. Mastering the use of multiple flashes to freeze action is shown through one of most challenging subjects in nature, hummingbirds in flight. This book will benefit photographers of all experience levels who are eager to evolve their outdoor photography and get the most out of their equipment.

Presents detailed advice and color photo examples for advanced amateur and professional photographers, covering such aspects as light, lenses, composition, shutter speeds, interpretive rendition, films and filters, wildlife, and closeups, as well as travel, underwater, and scenic photography.

Light and lighting are essential for a well taken photograph. This may sound simple, but it’s what the true art of photography is all about. A photographer’s skill in handling the light and getting stunning results is especially important when it comes to people and portrait photography. Portrait photographer Friedrun Reinhold helps you to find the perfect lighting for your motif. From the basics of light to various aspects of flash and continuous light, this book provides an excellent overview of everything you need to know.

Contained within is all the advice I wish I had back in 1980 when I started. This book is jam packed with science and advice, with examples, and with techniques that will yield outstanding photos and consistent quality that will elevate your photography to the next level. While at some levels, it can't help but be eye candy, the goal of this book is to help you erase everything from your glamour that you don't like. There are even extensive Photoshop Paintshop Pro and Gimp tutorials within.Hand your clients stacks and stacks of photos that amaze and please, and most of all, get them to come back for more.

There are many aspects to professional photography: composition, camera angles, exposure, color balance, posing, and lighting— just to name a few. However, while each of these aspects of photography is important in the creation of a professional portrait, lighting presents a special challenge that is part art and part science. When the two come together effectively, the results are stunning; when any one aspect of the recipe falls short, the result is a poor exposure or a downright unflattering look. On the artistic side of the scale, lighting is one of the primary tools for setting the mood of the portrait. It can communicate a sense of bright, airy ease or sharp, dramatic tension—or anything in between. Determining what look is right for the client (and for their intended use of the resulting portraits) is a key decision. From there, the photographer can begin to use light to sculpt the subject’s features, minimizing problem areas or accentuating the subject’s best features through the selection of light modifiers and the positioning of the lights themselves. Moving to the technical side, outdoor lighting present particular challenges—but also some significant advantages. Outdoors, photographers shoot at least partially with natural light. While this is (most of the day) an abundant light source, it is largely out of the control of the photographer. The light can change from moment to moment as clouds pass between the earth and sun. It also changes continually throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky. Since he can’t completely control the light, the photographer must be prepared to adapt his subject’s pose and position to create flattering results with the light as-is. Alternately, the photographer can “tweak” the lighting by augmenting the sunlight with flash or reflectors—or even softening it, using scrim or other diffusers. (Of course, this leaves another major concern: the background. Even if the light on the subject can be perfected, rarely can the photographer also control the light on an area as large as the background—making it a major concern in the process of posing and lighting.) So, given all this, why would any photographer choose to make portraits outside? One advantage is that the lighting and scenes are free—making outdoor photography a great starting point for those entering the field. Even established studios, however, have found that clients simply like the natural, timeless look of outdoor portraits. This makes them strong sellers. Additionally, most portrait subjects are more at ease in natural light than when seated in front of bright, noisy studio-flash units—and relaxed subjects translate into better expressions, and better overall portraits. In this book, Smith takes you through the process or lighting outdoor portraits from start to finish, covering both the artistic and technical aspects of achieving success. Short one- or two-page lessons are amply illustrated to guide the reader through each phase. In many cases, before and after images—or image sequences showing variations and alternative approaches—are presented to facilitate learning. Readers are encouraged to have this book with them during practice sessions and work on replicating or refining the provided examples, creating a self-study course in the art of lighting for outdoor portrait photography.

"A must-read for those who want to enhance their digital photography experience." —George Schaub, Editorial Director, Shutterbug and eDigitalPhoto magazines With a three or more megapixel digital camera or a good scanner, affordable image-editing software, and a photo-realistic printer, you have all the tools you need to create absolutely stunning images. But understanding all your options and getting the best possible results can be daunting. What features should you look for in a digital camera? What accessories do you need? How do you capture the best possible images with your digital equipment--and make corrections when you don't? What are the advantages of RAW capture? How can you get consistently great prints? Peter K. Burian, coauthor of the best-selling National Geographic Photography Field Guide, has taken the digital plunge and lived to write about it. The result is a practical, accessible guide that demystifies the world of digital photography and imaging--a must-read whether you're a photography enthusiast making the leap to digital, a gadget lover looking for the latest technology, a novice photographer, or anybody who regularly works with images. Inside you'll find: A buyer's guide to the essential equipment and software: learn the pros and cons of compact digicams versus digital SLR cameras; choose a suitable scanner; find the right imaging program for your needs; select the perfect photo printer Focusing, composition, and lighting tips for making snapshots that you'll be proud of Pro tips and techniques for using all your camera's advanced features Techniques for getting scans of exceptional quality, whether you're scanning prints, slides, or negatives Recommendations on upgrading your computer and peripherals for digital imaging Professional methods for fine-tuning your images in the digital darkroom Techniques for creating color or black-and-white prints of exhibition quality Tips on optimizing your images for use in e-mail, online albums, and web pages

Your personal photographs have a worth that can’t be measured in dollars and cents. They’re likely the one thing you would grab on the way out of a burning house – an irreplaceable record of the life you lead, of friends and family, and of the occasions with which you mark passing years. The funny thing is, most people aren’t entirely happy with their photographs. And that's where Photography For Dummies comes in. You don't need a fancy camera with multiple, removable lenses to get good pictures. The problem is, nearly every book on photography assumes that you're using one. But this book assumes that you're using a point-and-shoot camera for all your pictures. In fact, this may be the most complete guide available for taking pictures with a modern point-and-shoot camera. This revised edition of Photography For Dummies helps you choose film (much simpler than you’d think), load film into the camera (no big sweat), and understand how to hold the camera (yes, there are right and wrong ways). You'll also discover tips about dealing with your photofinisher – a far more important factor in getting good results than most people realize, especially in the digital age. What's more, you'll gain insight into Working with your camera, and how different settings make your camera do different things Understanding the importance of light in a photograph, and applying design strategies that make your subjects stand out Getting shots that both flatter people and capture their personalities Shooting landscapes, and the special considerations of travel photography Taking pictures filmlessly, and the pleasures and pitfalls of digital photography Troubleshooting your camera, and discovering what do try if it won't shoot Today’s point-and-shoot cameras are remarkably reliable devices. So why aren’t your pictures better? The main secret to better photographs is knowing what to shoot, when to shoot it, and how to shoot it. You need Photography For Dummies, because it lets you in on this secret.

Shooting with any kind of flash - whether it's a simple light on your camera, a remotely-triggered unit, or a complete studio setup - completely changes the photographic experience. No longer do you simply need to be aware of light; now you need to know how to shape it to your own ends. The Flash Photography Field Guide, small enough to be taken on the most arduous shoot, will show you exactly how to do this, whether you're shooting models in a studio, live sports events, or something as personal and special as your friend's wedding. This book covers the details of setting up and using modern TTL flash systems, and the creative and technical choices you'll come across, from syncing the flash with the camera to modifying the quality of the light.

Digital photography is sweeping the country, and it's easy to see why. You can take pictures of anything, do it quickly, see instantly what you got (or didn't get), save only the stuff you like, and share your pictures as prints, on the Web, as a slideshow, or even on things like mugs and mousepads. A digital camera and the appropriate software let you Take wide-angle or closeup shots, indoors or out Know immediately whether you got what you wanted Delete shots you don't like and retake them Improve your images on your computer Combine images into a montage Customize your pictures by adding special visual effects Digital photography is fun, but whether you're an old hand at taking digital pictures or still picking out your first camera, there are plenty of times when you know what you want to do and just want to figure out how to do it, right now. That's exactly what Digital Photography Just the Steps For Dummies helps you do. It's designed so you can quickly find the task you want to perform and follow step-by-step instructions to get the job done, right now. Loaded with full-color photos to show you what you can do, Digital Photography Just the Steps For Dummies helps you Choose the camera, lenses, and flash equipment that are best for the type of photography you want to do Compose good pictures regardless of your subject Scan and digitize existing photos so you can enhance or repair them Change the size or format of an image Adjust color, brightness, contrast, sharpness, and other attributes of a digital image Repair tears, creases, or scratches in a scanned photo, remove red-eye, and restore a faded image Use layers to alter an image, add text, or change the background Photograph items you want to sell online to show them at their best Sort and organize photos on your computer Print picture albums, make photo T-shirts, create a slideshow, or burn a video CD When you're looking for a clear set of instructions so you can get results right away, you want a Just the Steps For Dummies book. With Digital Photography Just the Steps For Dummies, you'll find everything quickly comes into focus!