Camera Day – Happy Snapping

here is no better day than Camera Day to snap some photos during your lunch hour, on your commute to work, or whenever a moment of inspiration strikes.

History of the Camera

The first cameras were the “camera obscura” device dating back thousands of years to the Greeks and even the ancient Chinese. The device was much like a pinhole camera and often used to project an image which would be traced on paper. The first actual photograph was taken around 1814 when Nicephore Niepce used a paper coated with silver chloride and was able to record an exposure to light, but the photo wasn’t permanent. In 1827, he used a wooden camera made by Charles and Vincent Chevalier to make a more permanent photograph.Louis Deguerre worked with Joseph Nicephore Niepce to create the first real photographic camera and technique (Nicephore Niepce died before the invention was completed). In1836, the first true photograph was produced using a copper plate with silver and coated with iodine vapor. Later, other inventors began to perfect this technique and created more efficient and practical cameras using dry and wet plates, twin reflex lenses with faster shutters which shortened exposure times, and smaller, more portable cameras.

The first film cameras were introduced in 1885 by George Eastman and his newly formed Kodak company. At first, the film was a chemically coated paper, but in 1889, they began to use celluloid. Kodak also helped produce smaller, more affordable cameras. In 1900, they began to mass produce the “Brownie Box” camera which was very popular all the way up to the 1960s. The first 35mm camera was created around 1913, but wasn’t perfected and put into production until 1925. In the 1935, Kodak produced the first commercially viable color film. Since then, the 35mm camera has been changed and perfected with single reflex dominating over twin-reflex and cameras becoming easier and more compact to use. Many of the 35mm film cameras still used today haven’t changed much since the mid-1960s.

Though the elements of digital photography began in the late 60s/early 70s, it wasn’t perfected enough for mass use until late 80s/early 90s. Most of these cameras were low-resolution until after the mid-2000s when resolutions and digital lens technology began reach and succeed the level of quality similar to the 35mm camera.

Photo: 18th century Camera Obscura from Wikimedia Commons.

History article from: http://www.squidoo.com

DIY – Photo Backdrop

Over the passed few months i have been looking at all the options for photography Portrait backdrops. Like most things there are lots of options and range in price.

As i like to try things out before spending an arm and a leg on kit, i searched for tips and ideas of DIY backdrops. i found a brief note on a forum about using a roller blind as a backdrop, this was a good idea as you can pick up a wide roller blind for about £20. Also most are wipe clean and the blackout type are thick and provide a good base and all can be wall mounted if required.

 

The disadvantage of a  standard shop roller blind is the length is only around 160cm, this is fine for Baby,Toddler and small child as you can have them sitting up standing up.

 

Here are some very quick image i took while setting up, (i did not have my camera to hand so used a Iphone). as you can see you will need to find the correct height and position where you do not get the blind starting to fold.

This is a good and cheap thing to try out if you are starting out in Portrait Photography.

DIY Softbox – Lamp Shades

Here is how i made my Lamp Shade Softboxes,

 

I started off with 2 cheap lamp shades which i got from Wilkinsons (house and Diy Store). these cost £4 each and where the biggest size and cheapest ones. These are a nice size with the large part measuring at 360mm.

The items i used where:

Lampshades x2

double sided tape

kitchen Foil

Frosted Plastic Sheet (thin white card would work also)

Cable Ties

 

I started by drawing the circle ends, for the large end i have done 2 for each shade, one having a cut out so i can take it in and out and add paper between to soften the  light more if needed.

Attach the small circles to the small end with Cable ties by making small holes in the plastic and the shade.

Draw round the flash head and cut out hole with a sharp knife.

 

next stick double sided tape in the inside of the shade, making sure that the tape goes close to the end to hold the foil in place.

Use the kitchen foil to line the inside of the shade. This makes the light bounce off all angles and gives a wider lighting area.

 

trim the extra foil with a knife, leave the metal rim free of foil as your plastic with clip in to this ring which will keep it in place.

 

i have used cable ties to keep the flash guns in place but something you can undo would work better allowing you to take the flash gun in and out of the softbox.

Add a wireless trigger system (these can be got for £10-£15 off Ebay or Amazon) and these work well, so if you want to have a go at studio photography put don’t want to spend lots at the start. Try this simple idea with some cheap SLR Flash Guns. You can then get a feel and also work out how best to use them.

 

 

 

Photo -A-Day – MARCH

A tribute…

As of this year is is 100 years since that start of World War 1 (The Great War). In the UK there is a lot of programmes being shown about the War from all different angles. the last one i have seen was on War Time Photography on the BBC Click Here to watch (please note this link will only work for a while and only in the UK).

On the programme they touch on one of the cameras the soldiers used while on the front line, the Vest Pocket Kodak camera. here is a bit about the Camera

The Vest Pocket Autographic Kodak was a version advertised as “Soldier’s camera” during WWI. It was manufactured from 1915 to 1926, sold 1,750,000 times. It was of the compact strut folding type and had the meniscus lens or a U.S.-speed 8 Rapid Rectilinear. Its camera back had an area through which notes could be written onto the paper backing of the 127 film, the “autographic” feature – invented by Henry J. Gaisman. Vest Pocket Autographic Special models were equipped with selected f/6.9 and f/7.7 lenses of Kodak, Bausch & Lomb, Zeiss, Ross, Berthiot or Cooke, mainly with the Kodak Anastigmat f/7.7 lens.

This Camera was small light and easy to use, you can still get your hands on one today but they are not cheap. my favorite part about the camera is the “Autographic” part allowing notes to be made about the photo. check out Ebay as you may find a gem!

DIY: Photostrips

Photo strips are a simple and creative way to show your photos off.

I first pick out which photos you are going to use. You can try to make each strip have a “theme,” but I think that random ones would look just as good too.

In Photoshop, I made a “template” for the Photostrip.  I made the file 1.5 inches by 6 inches.  Because not every Instagram used the same filter (and subsequently frame), I also went ahead and made skinny strips of white for the borders.

Can you see the white borders?  I created a square and duplicated the shape so it maintained the same width.

Once I had the template for the border, I just placed four of the photos onto the file.  I arranged each so it was under the border and in an interesting order.

I repeated that process for the other strips and kept re-saving them.  I would just delete the pictures from before, add the new ones, and then click Save As.  Once all three strips were created, I made a new file.  This time, I made it 4.5 inches by 6.  I added all the other files into this one to I could be more efficient in the printing.  (You can definitely fit a lot more than three strips per page… Print landscape and add as many as you wish!)

The next step is to cut them in to separate the strips.

And there you go!  Fun photostrips!

What can you do with the photostrips?

Give away at parties

Use as bookmarks

Hang on the wall

Write notes on the back

Make for presents

Article Sourced from www.thecollegeprepster.com

A month in pictures

Photo-a-day February

Photo a Day Challenge (365)

I like to search the internet for helpful tips, money saving tips and things do do with your camera.

I have taken up the 365 challenge. If you don’t know what this is, its a challenge to take a photo each day of the year (365 of them). to make it easier and more challenging i have found month lists of topics/words that the photos need to include.

Its never to late to start this, i find it fun and it gets you thinking of how to make your image different. I have been using my Iphone to take them and  Instagram to post my photos as i always have it and instagram is quick and easy and give you effects which can help enhance the image.

The rule of thirds

I like to search the internet for helpful tips, money saving tips and things do do with your camera.

This month i have found this great tip and how to.

What on earth is this ‘rule of thirds’ you speak of?
The rule of thirds is a technique used by photographers to create balance in photos. By using the rule of thirds it’s quite pleasing on the eye and makes the composition more interesting.

Let me simplify it for you. Imagine your photo is broken up into nine little squares {see the image below}. Ideally you want to try to avoid cutting a photo in two by putting the object right in the middle. If I’d moved the building up to sit right smack-bang in the middle of the photo, it wouldn’t be as effective. For the composition to work it’s magic it is best if the focus of the photo {in this case the building} sits at the bottom third {as it does} or at the top third.

Confused? Don’t be. Here’s another example {below}. See how I’ve put the focus of the photo {in this case Lacey on her scooter} in the very right third of the photo. If I’d put her in the centre it just wouldn’t look as great composition-wise.

Take these two photos I took of the sunset over the weekend. I wanted to show how if I’d put the horizontal line in the photo, which is the skyline, in the middle it wouldn’t be as interesting visually. In the right-hand photo I’ve moved the skyline down into the bottom third and ta-dah, it’s much more pleasing. It works better, don’t you think?

It can be hard to imagine that grid in your photos when you’re taking them, especially when you’ve got a moving subject {ie little people!}. If you’re using an iPhone {and it’s upgraded to iOS 5} then you’ll see the grid on your screen as you take your photos. You can try and put the rule into action as you take your photos. Start by taking pics of things that don’t move – food, skylines, buildings etc for practice.

On a final note, this is just a guide. Taking photos and breaking this rule doesn’t mean you’ll end up with a bad photo! Experiment, use this rule sometimes, and sometimes break it.

Article Sourced from “fatmumslim.com.au”

Photography Quote