Color Vs. BlackWhite

Color or Black and White photography?

Color or black and white? The debate regarding the use of color or black and white for photographs has been going on for decades. Many traditionalists still prefer the formal appearance of black and white photographs. However, these days there seem to be only a few traditionalists left as more and more photographs are being developed in color.

Many people are opting for color pictures simply because they are simpler and cheaper to produce. This was not always the case, as it took sometime before the required technology for color photographs could surpass the quality of black and white photos.

Before color, black and whites were the standard print used for on film. Many historical materials that may contain pictures are often in black or white. During the early days of photography, black and white processing and printing was more inexpensive than color. At the same time, black and white photographs had better quality than color.

At the start, color photographs were to expensive to process and print compared to black and white. Plus, the outcome of color photographs was not as crisp or sharp as black and white. It was only until after the eighties when the quality of color photographs surpassed black and white.

Color in Today’s Photographs

Unfortunately the entrance of color printing into the main photography scene meant the decline of black and whites. As a result, the supply of black and white film dwindled as well as the facilities that could process and print them. In just a short time, black and white photographs became the exemption in photography while color became the rule.

In today’s world almost everything is in color. Photographers, amateur and even professionals prefer using color in order to better express the details of the pictures that they take. In addition, photographs processed and printed in color are cheaper than black and whites. In fact these days it is easier to get photographs printed in color than black and whites.

The technology used in photography these days is able to produce photographs that capture each and every vivid detail in color. Furthermore, the advances in photography have also made it possible for people to convert their existing black and white photographs into color. The results are astounding as the photograph is vibrantly reprinted in color without leaving any detail out.

The Resurgence of Black and White

Following the current trend in revivals, black and white photographs are experiencing a comeback as photographers are rediscovering the power of black and white imagery. Many people now view black and white photos as an innovative take on the usual colored pictures. At the same time, black and white photos impart a sense of reality that can be lost in colored pictures.

Print advertising was the first industry to revive the interest in black and white pictures. Gigantic billboards across the country featured ads done entirely in black and white. Since then, black and white photographs became requested all over the place.

Black and whites became popular with brides who wanted to add a historical and classic touch to their wedding pictures. Photography classes have also used black and white photographs as a great way to teach students on how light affects film. However the resurgence of black and white was inevitable because it's simply beautiful.

What goes with what?

In the early days, people had no choice but to use black and white since it was the only medium available to them. But today, people can choose what they want for their photographs. In most cases, the choice of using color or black and white is a matter of personal preference.

Keep in mind that most subjects can be taken in black and white. However there are times when using color can help bring out the true beauty of the subject. You may want to pass up a black and white motif for subjects that are known for color like an autumn settings, flowers and colorful butterflies.

Use a black and white theme for subjects where color may become a distraction to the viewer. Scenes of war or an accident are more compelling and less violent to look out minus the color of blood. In this way, black and white photographs relay more emotion without being too disturbing.

CAMERA ACCESSORIES:

Knowing the Photographer's Best Friend

One hobby that will never go out of date is photography. It's simply because it captures moments that the human mind can't store vividly for long. It immortalizes scenes that are otherwise easily forgotten.

If one wishes to indulge himself in this kind of past time or even as a profession, it will be indispensable to acknowledge the help of not only the technical know-hows of photography but also the elements and accessories of the device that makes things happen -- the camera.

There three elements in a camera:

1. the optical element or the lens

2. the chemical element or the film

3. the mechanical element or the body of the camera

It is the calibration of these elements that makes the recording of the images possible.

From the analog cameras, technology brought about its modern counterparts the digicams or digital cameras. With more advance features and a wide array of accessories, they make the hobby more accessible even to the most novice.

The difference between a digital camera and an analog one is that with the latter, the images are stored in digital format. With that format, the image can be previewed before it gets developed. Printing pictures from a digital camera is a lot more convenient too.

What are the current hot camera accessories? These include the following:

Electronic flashes

Flashes are for the vivid exposure of an image onto a film strip. Through the emission of a good amount of light with the release of the shutter, the film is exposed enough with the adequate amount of illumination. These accessories are particularly used for indoor photography or when one has to take pictures after dark.

Storage devices

Storage devices back were not able to be removed. Nowadays, digicams are endowed with flash memory devices, i.e., memory sticks, smartmedia cards, and compact flash cars.

Batteries

Digital cameras are now equipped with either rechargeable batteries or disposable ones. The non-rechargeable batteries include the lithium and alkaline types, while the rechargeable batteries are known to be in the form of lead-acid and NiCd batteries.

Other accessories include a camera bag or case, tripod, and straps.

It is not enough to know the accessories and elements of a camera. One must also learn how to use them properly and how to maintain them for their longest use for the enjoyment of this popular hobby known as photography.

Black and White Photography

As with television and the movies, black and white pictures were first developed long before colored pictures were born.

The history of the modern photograph is much printed in monochromatic pictures, which are basically black and white pictures. The photograph back then was rendered in dark and light patches which were used to create black and white effects. The dark portions would sometimes be rendered as gray or brown-ish.

Fall of Black and White

When the colored picture came into the scene during the 1975 era, black and white pictures came falling down, and they fell hard. There were many reasons behind this plummeting. The different manufacturers were developing better-than-ever color films and they were creating these films at low prices. The number of good developers of black and white films was also declining. The attention of the public was turned into the more elaborate and exciting colored pictures.

Because of the different factors that were affecting the photography market, the use of black and white film went further down to rock bottom. People started to see the use of black and white film as a difficult thing to do and they wanted to shift to the use of colored film as soon as they could. So, in those periods, people who studied photography or took photography classes were deprived of the beauty of the black and white picture. The market and the conditions around the photographers were shaped so as to repress the black and white scene in general.

Rise of Black and White

The black and white photographs are back in town. People are now seeing the inherent beauty that these photographs capture. They are back in print advertising. The modern print advertising materials are so cluttered by so many colors and pictures and when the black and white materials are put side by side with them, the black and white pictures gives the beholder a sense of reality which the colored ones can't give.

As the cliché goes, “black is beautiful.” And black wouldn’t be black if there wasn't white, therefore, “black and white” is beautiful. The black and white picture was never really gone away especially from the point of view of the professional photographers. The art scene was never detached from using black and white pictures, so as the newspaper industry, where many newspaper would want their photographers to get their pictures in the black and white format.

With the advent of digital photography, you can instantly convert your colored photos into black and white ones, the black and white pictures are definitely making a strong comeback. This time around, the black and white scene is here to stay.

Better Photography

Photography Tips that Will Help Anyone Take Pictures Like A Pro

Photography has come along way since the days of the daguerreotypes, which was the early type of device used to take photographs.

Nowadays, with the advent of technology photography has become much easier and extremely accessible. Plus the quality of the pictures that can be produced have also increased significantly.

Practically anyone can purchase a camera and start taking pictures by framing a subject and clicking away at the button; especially with the use of a digital camera which offers an array of functions that allow you to perform various tasks. This includes taking instantaneous pictures. Digital cameras can also store images which you can later put into your computer, which then you may print, distribute to your friends via email, or upload on your website.

But to those who take photography seriously and view photography as more of an art form; taking photographs is not just a matter of clicking at a button to take pictures. To them this task requires more planning and effort.

Here is a list of tips for taking better pictures

1. When shooting outdoors during bright, sunny, days it would be best to use a flash. This will get rid of the shadows that sometimes appear on the faces of subjects on photographs.

2. Choose a pleasing backdrop, preferably something that suits the atmosphere you want to create. For more serious photographs, a subtle backdrop that is not too distracting is best.

3. When taking outdoor photographs you have to make sure you pay attention to what's happening around you. This way strangers don't mysteriously appear in group shots!

4. Give directions when taking photographs. There is nothing wrong with giving out directions when taking award winning shots! Especially for those group shots for special occasions, such as a wedding pictorial. You want to make sure you have a lasting souvenir of this event that everyone can look back on fondly. Instruct people to smile, ask them to fix their hair if it's unruly, etc.

5. When taking outdoors shots photographers should avoid going head to head with the sun. This makes the people in the picture appear as if they are enshrouded in shadows!

6. Take candid shots! This is a more exciting alternative to dull, boring, posed shots. During parties try to take pictures of friends and family while they are at ease and just having a great time.

Anyone can take great pictures, with just a little bit of patience and a lot of practice. You can make those precious fleeting moments of everyday life lasts a lifetime.

Amateur Photography

Whether you just have a simple point-and-shoot camera or the more expensive digital SLRs, you can definitely take quality pictures like the pros do. It’s not the type of camera that takes great shots, it’s the photographer. If you don't know how to correctly take a shot, you can take a really bad picture from an SLR camera.

As long as you know how to correctly take pictures and are willing to make some adjustments, taking great photos will be easy for you. Here are some tips to help you shoot like professionals even with your simple digital camera.

1. Would you like your shots to have a warmer feel? Most shots taken from a digital camera without any adjustments look cool and clammy. This is because the white balance setting is set to “auto” as default which is fine for snapshots.
   
   
   If you want a warmer effect, though, with sharp colors, you may want to set the white balance to “cloudy” setting instead of auto. This is like adding a mild warming filter to the lens of your camera. Cloudy setting increases the yellow and red colors adding a richer and warmer effect to your shots.

2. Polarizing filters can be one of the most important investments you can add to your digital camera. These filters reduce the glare and unwanted reflections on your shots. This is great when you frequently take landscape and outdoor shots. Pictures taken with a polarizer have richer and more saturated colors.
   
   
   If your camera won't allow filters, like a simple point-and-shoot camera, don’t fret! You can still have a polarizing effect on your shots by placing a good quality pair of sunglasses in front of the lens. It gives an effect similar to a polarizer. Just make sure that you place it to the lens as close as possible and the rims are not seen.

3. For an outdoor shot with shine, use your camera’s “flash on” or “fill flash” feature. This lets you control when you want the flash to go off, instead of it deciding when it wants to. This mode exposes first the background then adding enough flash to illuminate your subject.
   
   
   For great results, place your subject where the sun illuminates the hair from the side or back. Alternatively, to let your subject be comfortable and not be annoyed by the sun’s heat, place your model in the shade then use the flash to illuminate the subject.
   
   
   However, built-in flashes only have a maximum range of 10 feet. Thus, it would be better not to go too far from your subject.

4. Taking detailed shots of objects like flowers or small insects is easy with your digital camera. Most digital cameras have a feature called “close up” or “macro mode” usually indicated by a flower sign. With this mode turned on, you can take shots of objects as close as possible. However, you only get a shallow field-depth when taking close up pictures so it is better to focus on the most important part of the subject then allow the other parts of the image go soft.

5. Leveling the image may be difficult for amateurs as well as some pros. One way to get a level or an even shot, especially of a nature shot, is to look for some horizontal lines as guide. If you have a view of the horizon, where the sky meets the ocean, you can use that as your leveling guide.
   
   
   If it still is difficult for you, you can try to take several shots at different angles so you’ll know which one would give you the best shot. After some time it will become natural for you to take even shots.
   
   
   These are just some of the tricks you can do to take wonderful shots on your digital camera, be it a simple point-and shoot kind or the more professional SLR type. Photography is really an enjoyable and fulfilling hobby, especially when a lot of people also appreciate your shots. And it is not that difficult to have shots that most people will like. Just explore, read different books, and take advice from pros and you’ll surely be one of them in a matter of time.

Aerial Photography

Viewing photographs which are taken from a good, unique point of view is one of the most fascinating things in the world of photography. This is what we refer to as aerial photography.

Origins

Aerial photography is formally defined as photograph taking from an overhead viewpoint by using cameras that are mounted on an airborne tool such as a balloon, an aircraft, a kite, a skydiver and other similar tools. The art of aerial photography was first developed by Nadar, a French airman back in 1858. During the Second World War, aerial photography found a niche in military operations. Aerial photographs were used in spying and in the assessment of the battle ground. These photographs provided updated and realistic impressions of the topography and current situation in a certain area.

Uses of Aerial Photographs

There are many conceived and actual uses for pictures which are taken from above. Aerial photographs are actually used in the construction of topographic maps, in cartography, planning land use, archeology, production of movies, espionage, environmental studies, commercial advertising and in other fields.

The use of technology has also crawled into the field of aerial photography. Advances in radio technology has allowed for the use of aircraft models which are controlled by radio in the conduct of low-altitude photography. This is mainly used in advertising for the real estate business. This is because manned aircrafts are not allowed to fly low altitudes in populated locations. This task can be done by these radio-controlled aircraft models and they do the job very well.

Public Domain

Aerial photographs are considered public domain, because the pictures are taken from aerial views which are considered public places.

There are many ways to view aerial photographs on-line. One of the most popular ones is the Google Earth by Google. Google Earth provides satellite imagery as well as aerial photos of the planet. You can actually use the service to be able to search for different places in a certain area such as parks, restaurants, schools and hotels. It can also be used to be able to track down the best routes for reaching a certain location. You can also view the aerial photographs in different angles by tilting and rotating them.

These are some basic things about aerial photography. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, you can browse through some basic materials at the local library or use the Internet to get more information about it.