photo credit: megabliss 

In any decent auction on Ebay, you will find a photograph of the item. Now as a buyer, upon seeing the item you will sub-consciously start making judgments. “This guys house is a mess, can the item really be in good condition?” So as a seller, you need to capitalize on that and start making sure that your photographs look professional.

I’m going to teach you some basics. It’s not all to do with techy stuff - a lot of it is common sense. If you’re trying to sell something and claim it’s in good condition, don’t take a photo of it lying in the toilet. Common Sense. Firstly, the camera. You don’t have to get a top quality camera, A second-hand 1 or 2 mega pixel camera will do just fine.

Firstly, you need to be aware of the point of having a photo .

- Buyers want to see what they’re buying

- Prove it’s in good condition.

- And, to sell the item.

So, the basics. Firstly, concentrate on the item. Not your pet, not your table, or your carpet, or your neighbour, the item. How many auctions have you seen with a scruffy carpet underneath and a pair of boxers to the side of the item? And when you see those, do you instantly say : “Hey wow, that PSP is in great condition!”? No-one wants to know about your dog if you’re selling your TV, sorry. So put a piece of paper under the item, and zoom in. Get closer. It’s a good idea to try and crop the item in some sort of program on your computer - Photo Editing Software. Now your buyer can see what you’re selling in full, with information and condition visible.

If it’s a large item, photograph it against a clean wall, or wood of some sort. Just something that won’t attract attention and looks clean. Experiment a little. While you’ve got the camera out, try some other shots - for more information for the buyer, and to prove it’s got all round good condition. Try take the photographs during the day - as even using flash in the night can not work. Reflections and such will make you move around in order to get a clean shot - so just do it in the daylight, believe me. Check each picture as you take them. Re-take any blurry or out of focus pictures so the buyer can see all the information. Keep asking yourself, would I be happy with this? That’s the genius of a digital Camera. Don’t waste that awesome preview feature.

If the item is used, you can take it out the box and once again, show it’s good condition. If you’re selling it ‘brand new and sealed’ then that’s not a good idea, is it. Another shot will only take a few seconds, but could earn you a bit of cash. You can put something in with the item - like a key - so that people know the scale of the item. It can be hard to tell from photos.

And after that, it’s really all just common sense. You’ve taken some shots, crop ‘em on your computer and post the best ones up!

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Portraits are photographs, sculptures, paintings or any artistic representation in which the person’s expression and face is predominant. Portraits display the intensity of the personality, likeness and the current mood of the person. A self-portrait is achieved when the artist creates or captures a portrait of her or himself. Some unidentified samples were believed to be during the middle Ages.

Portraits are photographs, sculptures, paintings or any artistic representation in which the person’s expression and face is predominant. Portraits display the intensity of the personality, likeness and the current mood of the person. Photography is not generally a snapshot. Rather, it is a composed image of someone in stillness or in a kind of still position.

Portraits almost, if not always, show the person that is looking directly at the photographer or painter. The reason why the subjects are often looking at the direction of the artists is to be able to engage the person or the so-called subject to the viewer or the audience successfully.

The earliest portraits recorded in history were “funeral portraits” and not the self-portraits of emperors and kings. The paintings came from Egypt and were the only paintings that survived from the Roman period aside from the frescos. The art of creating a portrait flourished during the time when the Romans started sculpting.

The sitters demanded for realistic portraits and even unflattering sculptures. In the 14th century, portraits had a draw back in favor of the idolized symbol of what the person would look like. True portraits with the superficial appearance of individual persons made a come back during the middle Ages in Europe, particularly in France and Burgundy.

One of the most famous and the best-known portrait in the world is the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci. The Mona Lisa is a painting or a portrait of an unknown woman. The man thing that brought intrigue to her portrait, is the way she smiles, grins or if she’s smiling at all. Studies show that she is a pregnant woman at that time. This is due to the wardrobe she’s wearing, which is indicated as a type of maternity dress before. Thus, these are still speculations that are yet to be proven.

Moreover, a local named Gerard Jourdy found the oldest known self-portrait in the year 2006. The portrait was found along Vilhonneur grotto near the Angoulene. The portrait is thought to be around 27 thousand years old.

Self-Portraits

A self-portrait is achieved when the artist creates or captures a portrait of her or himself. Some unidentified samples were believed to be during the middle Ages.

The portrait photography is a famous worldwide commercial industry. Many people are happy to have “professionally-made” family portraits in order to hang them inside their homes. This kind of photography is also intended for special occasions such as weddings, graduations and other certain events.

Hence, people had already created portraits even before photography was ever invented. In fact, the so-called “daguerrerotype” was popular during the 19th century because of the large demand for cheap portraiture. Several studios opened throughout the world in order to cater to the growing population and demand for such portraits and photographs. Thus, photographic techniques eventually developed throughout the passing years.

Portrait Painting

A portrait painting is a variety in painting. The painting’s intensity is to depict the appearance of a subject that can be a person or a thing. The inner essence of a subject is released when the artist executed the portrait very well. Thus, this is only about the physical likeness.

The Principles of Painting Portraits

Portraits are being painted for many various reasons. Most of the reasons are listed below.

• Painted portraits were created in order to preserve the individuality of somebody for the upcoming generations, particularly before the beginning of cinematography or photography.

• Portraits were created so as to recreate, in a modern setting, the customs of conventional portraiture.

• In order to extend or develop the essential painting skills.

• The artists create a faithful remembrance of somebody now absent or dead, as a type of souvenir.

• Portrait painting is done in order to make a written record of the artist’s reply to the living existence of the person.

• Portrait painting is done in order to achieve a resemblance of the sitter’s facial appearance.

• Painted portraits are made in order to represent the necessary nobility or dignity of the subject.

• Portrait painting is done so as to explore the character or innermost qualities of the sitter and for psychological purposes.

• Portrait painting is done in order to establish a community image. This is by highlighting the sitter’s condition, stylish looks, or individual behavior.

For more information on Portraits please visit our website.

photo credit: alessandro isnotaurelio 

If you’ve been taking photos for a while now and are thinking of turning professional, trying to turn your hobby into a part time business, or just want to make a little extra cash to pay for the new lens you’ve been drooling over, there are many options for sales outlets. This article takes a look at just some of the possibilities.

Stock Photography Agencies

Stock agencies are libraries of images where someone who needs to use an image for a purpose such as a newspaper or magazine article can purchase a license to use the image. These days almost all stock agencies have online collections, where people can search the library, pay and download the image immediately.

The advantage of stock agencies is that they market your images for you. This can be a big plus in the online world, as you are able to show your photos through an established website without having to build one. Associating yourself with a reputable agency will also add to your credibility as a professional.

The downside of selling stock photography is that it is a numbers game. You will need a large collection of images to be able to earn an income. You will also pay commission to the agency for each image sold. This can range from 20% to 50%. Agencies also expect regular submissions to keep their libraries current. So you need to think of an agency as a business partner.

Your own website

Having your own website has the advantage over a stock agency website of being all about you. A website devoted to your own images rather than sharing with competing photographers has huge potential for gaining exposure and sales because of the size of the web. The downside of having your own website is that you need to put a lot of work into designing a website that shows off your work and can bring customers. This can be expensive and time consuming, and is better thought of as a long term strategy.

Offline

With the internet boom it is easy to forget old fashioned methods. Art fairs or markets are a great way to show your work to potential buyers. You also have the huge advantage of meeting customers face to face and being able to talk about your photos and answer questions. You also have the chance to sell yourself and gain peoples trust, which is half the battle of selling anything.

The downside of exhibiting your work this way is that it can be expensive to display. The costs of framing your prints, setting up a display and paying stall fees all add up. You also need to keep in mind that your potential customer base is much smaller than the global reach of the internet

So which method is best? The truth is there is no right or wrong answer to this as different methods will work for different photographers depending on where you live, the type of photography you do and the number of images you have. The best option would be to combine all of the above and get your work out there to as wide an audience as possible.

Mark Eden is a freelance travel photographer and owner of Expanse Photography, a photographic services company You can see Mark’s, travel photography and contact Mark through the Expanse Photography website http://www.expansephotography.com.

Remember when we shared photos of our summer vacation by loading up a slide tray — or pulling out a bunch of photo print envelopes? Now we simply E-mail a photo slide show to a friend in an instant.

Photo sharing via computer is all the rage. And that’s because nothing is faster, easier or more convenient. All you have to do is upload your photos. You get the pick of the litter and you get to send only those you’re most proud of.

photo credit: *PaysImaginaire*

But what happens when you have thousands of photos? That just happened to a friend of mine who came back from her honeymoon. The last thing she wanted was to leave all these precious memories on her computer. What would happen if it crashed?

Well, I told her about these fantastic photo sharing sites. So we checked out a few and chose one that had a mass uploader. Talk about quick! All her photos were uploaded in a matter of minutes. It was incredible! But, best of all, she now knew that they were all safe and secure, and she and her husband would have those precious memories to share for a lifetime.

I can understand my friend’s concern. When I send my photos to family and friends, there are some that I want to share with only a select group of people – not the whole world.

But then I started thinking, what about easy photo printing. Capturing a special moment with a digital camera is fairly easy. Transferring the photo to your computer is a snap. But what if you’re looking for easy photo printing?

When I was a kid, I remember how excited I was when I picked up the photos from the store. It was a real thrill to open the envelope and, there in big, bold colors was a picture of me and my brothers at he ballpark or the zoo, or on vacation with my parents. The only problem was I had to wait a full week to get to see them. And sometimes, well, I’d feel a twinge of disappointment when my favorites came out a little blurry.

The new online photo sharing sites deliver prints right to you, so you don’t have to hassle with going to drug store to pick them up. And you can choose whatever size prints you like. And, of course, the quality is first-rate, as good or better than you’d get anywhere else. As for price, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised. All the sites are very competitive and very reasonable.

When you come right down to it, with easy photo printing you get the best of everything, with none of the drawbacks. You don’t even have to be tech savvy; I’m certainly not. The easy photo sharing and printing sites walk you through it step-by-step.

I have six brothers and sisters and now we email each other all the time. Easy photo sharing keeps us close and keeps us connected, and keeps us laughing.

CJ Carroll writes for a variety of clients, including Hoorray, a photo sharing website that offers a free online photo album to new members and is the easiest place to create a digital photo album, calendar, and more.

photo credit: Dolarz

It’s true that old-fashioned film photography is an art form. In fact, in this day and age, that’s about all it is, which is somewhat ironic. After all, film photography started off in 1837 as something very few could enjoy or do. As it is turning out, people who enjoy film photography are again becoming part of an exclusive club.

The artistic expression available through film is astounding. If you’ve never taken a film photography class, you should. It will ultimately make you a better photographer as you will have a full understanding of the art form in general.

However, unless you plan on investing in a darkroom (water, light, equipment), or if you plan on spending quite a bit of money at photo processing labs, you might concentrate most of your efforts on digital photography. In the long term, it’s generally less expensive than film, since you print only the photos you want. Also, it provides quite a bit of artistic expression of its own.

Digital photography has often been looked at by film buffs as not being artistic. That simply isn’t the case any longer. With the advancement in software programs such as Adobe Photoshop, the digital photographer can take their art as far as their knowledge of the software will take them.

The creativity involved with digitally manipulating an image isn’t reserved to expensive programs like Photoshop (though the price of software will be far less than the cost of setting up a darkroom).

In fact, many digital cameras designed for kids and young adults now come with features that allow changes to be made to the digital photo while it’s still stored in the camera. The picture can then be uploaded to a computer, in some cases wirelessly.

There are easy photo sharing websites that allow the photographer to manipulate the photo after it’s been uploaded to the site. These usually allow for straightforward changes, such as adjusting contrast, taking out the dreaded red eye, cropping, rotating, etc.

Also, digital photographers have the whole world wide web at their fingertips. This isn’t to say film buffs can’t scan one of their photos in and get it out on the Internet. But let’s face it, showing your work to the world is a whole lot easier if the image is already digital.

Once the image is on the Internet and has been enhanced, it’s easy to share it with whoever you want. This is another advantage digital creativity has. In the blink of a camera’s shutter, you can send your artwork around the world to friends, relatives, potential buyers.

Of course, such ease has its pitfalls as well. Unscrupulous types can copy your image, unless you take precautionary steps such as digital or visual watermarking.

Creativity is a very personal thing, and each person must express his or her self in their own particular way. However, given our busy world, and given the relaxation and contentment that creative expression provides, it’s not a bad idea to pick an art form such as digital photography, one that allows you to express yourself quickly and easily.

Matt Smolsky writes for a variety of clients, including Hoorray, a photo sharing website that offers a free online photo album to new members and is the easiest place to create a digital photo album, calendar, and more.

There have only been a few digital SLR camera problems reported in the last few years. The major problem is hot and cold temperatures. Each digital camera has its own recommendations for what type of temperatures the camera should be used in and not.  Digital photos.

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photo credit: the other Martin Taylor   

The Rule Of Thirds is an excellent starting point for photographers struggling with composition. But can you live without it? Well… yes, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t understand it.

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photo credit: yoondo  

  photo credit: Vagamundos 

Many people ask themselves, which digital camera is best for me? They wonder about the size, functions and technology. For someone that has used film cameras all their lives, a digital camera is going to be a treat

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If you’re like most of us you actually have to answer yes. Those special photos that bring back such wonderful memories. Just to think of them would bring such beautiful smiles to our faces. Where are they now?

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photo credit: William Hook

The best compact digital cameras on the market these days are incredibly popular with consumers. With such a wide array of models and designs available compact cameras have become very affordable for many households.

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