How to Make the Most of your Summer

A Guest Post by Annie Tao

Photographically-speaking, there are some things you can do to make the most of your Summer. Here are some things to think about:

1. Magic can happen Anywhere

Bring your camera not just to the big events, but to the small innocuous ones too. You never know when a beautiful scene or magical moment will occur. A rainbow in the sky during sunset, your baby messily eating his first ice cream cone, your partner’s impromptu dancing to music on the street.

Sometimes they are the “small” events in life that are the most magical. You’ll want to be ready with your camera.

2. Be Kind to your Camera

It’s strange how we get seduced by Summer because so many of us protect our cameras in thickly padded, weather-proof cases, but once Summer rolls around, we set our cameras on wobbly glass tables next to the pool or wear them around our necks while sipping overflowing margaritas. No wonder Summer is a common time people damage their gear!

I admit, there was a time camera storage during my backpacking travels was a mere sarong that tripled as a bikini cover and blanket! Never again. It’s like with anything in life: If you love it, take care of it!

Here are some suggestions:

  • Consider investing in a smaller camera bag to take on vacation or small trips, so you can save on space while still protecting your gear.
  • Keep your camera away from water.
  • Protect it from the sand when at the beach. Sand can scratch lenses and cause focus problems and other less than perfect things.

3. You’re on Vacation, not Moving

Don’t bring every piece of equipment you own. Select a few key pieces of gear that you think you’ll use most often and stick to it.

Of course, how much you bring is up to what you’re comfortable with, where you’re going, how much space you have, and what you intend to do with your photos!

I just know that keeping things simple is always a good rule.

4. Don’t forget the Little Guys: Batteries and Memory Cards

It may not be easy or affordable to buy photography accessories when you’re out, so don’t forget your battery charger and charge your camera on a regular basis. Don’t wait until the display sends out a low battery alert or you may end up missing some great shots.

You may also want to buy a larger memory card or extra memory cards, so you can take all the photos your heart desires without worrying about space. If you choose to bring a laptop, you can upload your images to your computer instead.

5. Shoot like it’s Hunting Season

In this digital age, you’ll never regret taking too many photos while on vacation. You’ll only regret if you didn’t get a shot of something or you forgot to bring your camera somewhere.

If you’ve prepared for your trip (see point #4), then you should be able to shoot freely.

6. Pass on the Cheese

When you are taking photos of people, try to avoid asking them to say “Cheese!” or any other cheese-y word.

There is nothing wrong with preferring to have photos of people who are looking directly at you. Just try a different approach. Engage your subjects instead.

Here are a few things I like to do: Ask a question that will make them look at you — preferably a fun question that leads to a smile. Give them a task, so you can get an action shot. If it’s a group, ask a question that will make them look at each other or an object in your frame that is interesting. You will get a much different result in your images!

7. Share the Experience

Even if everyone had a camera, my bet is that everyone took different photos! So share them with each other. Email them, post them onto Facebook, add them to your preferred online photo viewing site. The choice is yours.

Have a great Summer, happy shooting, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Annie Tao is a lifestyle, commercial and event photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can get more tips or inspiration at annietaophotography.com and stay connected with Annie at Facebook.

Read more from our Other Photography Tips Category

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Travel Photography Inspiration Project: United Kingdom

With the world turning its interest to the UK as the Summer Olympics approach, let’s get a jump and see what DPS readers think of the country. We’ll see enough of the pomp and circumstance in a month, but for now, travelers and residents alike let us peer through their lens.

This is the eleventh country we are covering in the reader fueled DPS Travel Photography Inspiration Project.

If you would like to be involved in the next country’s post, drop me a line here.

final

The London Eye and the County Hall at night by Dev Wijewardane

Tip – The buildings along the Thames are lit pretty well and an evening walk with the camera is worth it.

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Exit Via the Gift Shop by Kelly Irving

OK, the title’s appropriated from Banksy… however, the vacant gift shop is in one of London’s premier tourist attractions: The British Museum. How can you shop when there’s nothing on display? I’m a fan of, and vigilant for, signage and its incongruities.

lambs

Lambs by Linda Olson

We had stayed on an old manor farm so were surrounded by horses, lambs, sheep and cows. As we went around to the aged barn with no roof, we startled the sheep who scurried away. Afterwards, I tinted this shot to be a bit more artistic.

Come With Me

“Come With Me” by Luke A. Bunker

This photo was taken on the Wobbly (Millennium) Bridge in London as a mother tried to get her son to come with her (presumably) to get out of the rain.  There have been days when going to the beach or out in the rain when I stow my camera away, but certain days present themselves well for taking a risk…  I did a bit of selective coloring on this shot to bring out the blues and yellows of the umbrella and child’s jacket.

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London’s Icons by Arturo Lavin Gonzalez

This picture was made after the rain passed away. You should always be prepared to protect your photography equipment from the rain while in London. I used my tripod to be able to use a long exposure making this photograph and avoid any shake in the picture.

ysp chrome men2

chrome men by Brian Kinsella

Huge steel sculptures in the Yorkshire sculpture park which I took loads of photos of from different angles. I had very little to do here as the sun was shining and the sky was perfect.

Petworth House by Richard Keeling

The Wyndham family home and now a National Trust museum (the family live in the south wing). This enormously expansive estate, grounds designed by ‘Capability’ Brown, was the subject for many landscapes by J. M. W. Turner. In this shot, the miniature figure in the center is my mother. Seeing how such an important figure in my life can be swallowed up by such a scene only reinforces a strange of isolation and loneliness in the midst of such grandeur.

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Detail above the entrance to Westminster Abbey by Dev Wijewardane

Tip – Look out for intricate details in churches and palaces.

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Carousel by Kelly Irving

London is packed with scenes that could be from another age. This carousel must be 100 years old. Once again I took many exposures, playing with the speed settings. I like that the riders are blurred but the relief portrait on the centre spindle is frozen, looking towards the riders.

Pub at night

Pub at night by Linda Olsen

This is the little restaurant we had our first dinner in at the Cotswolds. I loved the evening light. I did not haul my tripod on this trip so had to hand-hold the evening shots. I would recommend a lightweight tripod.

Outside My Window

“Outside My Window” by Luke A. Bunker

When traveling to a another place, most “travel snobs” balk at people taking pictures outside their plane window.  I, however, feel that there is no better way to start your trip album than with a photo of your destination from above, as in this shot of the UK countryside while on approach to London Gatwick.

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Westminster Road Sign by Arturo Lavin Gonzalez

I loved this road sign when I saw it. I added a Black and White treatment in post-production because I didn’t like the colors of the overcast day. I also used a small aperture to subtle the busy background and have all the attention in the road signs.

ysp man above

man above by Brian Kinsella

I nearly missed this guy when visiting the yorkshire sculpture park in march, about 20ft in the air on top of a tree. I had very little to do here as the sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The link to the sculpture park is http://www.ysp.co.uk – very cool place and a great site too.

Windmill at Cley Next the Sea, Norfolk by Richard Keeling

What do you have to do to get this shot? Book a room in the Cley Windmill hotel in the windmill itself, awake at sunrise, walk out onto the balcony and look upwards.

StPauls3

St Pauls across the Thames by Dev Wijewardane

Tip – Do your research before you go and identify potential locations to shoot from. Google maps is helpful!

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London Grows by Kelly Irving

London has been expanding for a couple of thousand years and shows no signs of slowing down. The building cranes are ubiquitous but here they seem to emerge from the forest and the only visible structure is a futuristic looking tower. I used the foliage of Regents Park to hide the city buildings and took the photo late in the afternoon to maximize the colours and shadows.

Horse trials

Horse Trials by Linda Olson

While walking through a little town of Broadway, we decided to go to a little market, buy food for a picnic and then see where the day would take us. We came across a country dog show where the townspeople all came out for a little fun. Then we continued to walk up the countryside hills and saw in the distance some activity. It turned out to be a horse Trials competition. We then enjoyed the event before walking all the way back to our BB. I shot numerous competitors jumping and prancing.

Olympic Rings at St. Pancras

“Olympic Rings at St. Pancras” by Luke A. Bunker

This photo was taken at London’s St. Pancras International.  A long delay after missing our train to Paris allowed for several hours to roam the station and explore its many works or art; it turns out this delay was a blessing in disguise and is a great example of taking inevitable delays in stride.  In this piece, I contrasted the statue of John Betjeman with the Olympic Rings in the background (as London is preparing for its Olympic Games for later this year), trying to frame the photo to where he was looking at those rings.

Lunch

Lunch by Linda Olson

Taking photographs of various meals made our memories of the trip even more vivid. I can just remember the crusty crunch of the bread with the lovely herbs in the pea soup. Glorious!

our guide

Our guide by Linda Olson

One day, we were walking up the hills on some roman roads and a friendly pup, traveled with us for a bit. He guided us for a while up to a path that led us to some cool old church and cottages. We tried to let our journey be a bit more fluid and discovered some fantastic experiences. We went on a road less traveled.

Read more from our Travel Photography Category

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DigitalPhotographySchool/~3/NLz_c7PcE9M/travel-photography-inspiration-project-united-kingdom

Speed: Weekly Photography Challenge

This week your photographic challenge is to take and share an image on the theme of ‘Speed’.

Gumball 3000

Feel free to interpret the theme in any way that you wish.

Once you’ve taken and selected the ‘Speed’ image that you’d like to share – upload it to your favourite photo sharing site or blog and either share a link to it or – embed them in the comments using the our new tool to do so.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites with Tagging tag them as #DPSSPEED to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

Also – don’t forget to check out some of the great shots posted in last weeks challenge – Best Friend challenge where there were some great shots submitted.

Read more from our Reader Questions Category

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DigitalPhotographySchool/~3/HPTEXk-wiMY/speed-weekly-photography-challenge

Pentax K-01 REVIEW

The Australian press presentation of this design landmark was a glamorous affair, embedded in the annual fashion week and held in Sydney’s Overseas passenger terminal at dusk, overlooking the Sydney Opera House.

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As the drinks flowed and the canapés consumed, examples of the new camera, resplendent in its signal yellow and black livery, were handed around to the eager journalists. Along with most other people at the event, I was startled at the new piece of technology. Not so much at the colour scheme, but at the physical aspects of the new interchangeable lens snapper … but more of that later.

Pentax describes the camera as being “designed in collaboration with world-renowned designer Marc Newson.” Newson is an interesting cat: Australian-born, London-based, he moves around the globe on various design projects covering the transportation, fashion and luxury goods sectors. Recently, he was included in Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He is best known for his iconic Lockheed Lounge chair, dating from 1986.

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The review camera arrived and surprised me for being impressively styled in a matte black finish — the alternative colour. The lens supplied with it was the impressively flattened Pentax-DA f2.8/40mm pancake lens; to call it a pancake lens is a misnomer … it more accurately resembles a beer coaster! At 9.2mm in depth, it’s the world’s thinnest interchangeable lens.

But back to the original yellow and black beasty. I was, I have to admit, initially taken aback by its fairly heavy weight and chunky appearance, possibly due to the use of the venerable K-mount, which of course leads to its ability to take an enormous range of heritage lenses.

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The K-01 is an interchangeable lens, mirrorless camera and is possibly the largest of its type on the market. Some may niggle at the control layout, with oversize buttons, especially those on the K-01′s top surface but the benefit is visibility.

It may be that the use of the K-mount and its generous gift of lens adaptability initially led to Pentax’s engagement of Newson to visually downscale the somewhat obese look of the camera to appeal to potential buyers. IMHO this has worked but it does lead you to think the camera has uncanny and unnerving style similarities with the cheap and cheerful placcy cameras from the LOMO range! There, now I’ve got that off my chest!

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The whole lens story includes compatibility with K-, KA- KAF, KAF2, and KAF3- mount lenses, while screw-mount lenses, 645-system lenses and 67-system lenses can be used with an adapter. However, some functions may not be available on certain lenses.

Pentax K-01 Features

The camera is built around an aluminium chassis, wrapped in a ribbed, black rubber skin; the top deck has patches and buttons of aluminium, with most centred around the onboard flash cell. Patches of this skin lift to reveal access ports and the memory card slot. On occasions, these flaps don’t sit flush and my guess is that, with wear, they may not behave as intended!

There are 13 external control points, with most of these at the rear, with a placement and configuration familiar to most digicam users. Colour coding is evident: there are two key buttons for instant recognition: red for video recording and a green function button. Stabilising is via an image shift device.

There are 16.28 million effective pixels on its CMOS image sensor, which measures 23.7×15.7 mm. Maximum image size is 4928×3264 pixels, enabling a 42×28 cm print to be output. Movies at Full HD size of 1920×1080 pixels can be recorded.

Speaking of which … you can’t use the shutter button to alter focus mid-shoot; one way is to preset focus before rolling or set the lens to manual focus and pull focus during the recording. Camera operation during a video recording is also recorded; you can use an external microphone. I also found the stabiliser in movie mode to be less than effective.

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Directly accessible from the mode dial is HDR shooting, using three exposures, with varying exposure increments; an extra ‘goodie’ is an automatic position adjustment function which assures precise alignment of three images even when they are taken with a handheld K-01.

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Yet another effects range is available via the scene modes: here you can access settings such as night portrait, macro, night scene HDR etc.

There’s also a Custom Image function that gives access to such effects as Bleach Bypass, Cross Processing, a reversal film look, mono etc as well as 19 digital filters like Miniature.

Not seen as regularly these days is an intervalometer, with access to settings in seconds, minutes and hours.

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You can also capture multiple exposures on the run, from a selectable run of two to nine shots. The composite picture is displayed as you progress and unwanted shots discarded as you go. I can see many skilled photographers lap up this feature.

Startup Time

It took the K-01 about three seconds to get ready for the first shot, then each shot took about a second and a bit to be captured. Far from fast!

Pentax K-01 ISO Tests

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Pentax K-01 ISO 800.JPG

Pentax K-01 ISO 1600.JPG

Pentax K-01 ISO 3200.JPG

Pentax K-01 ISO 6400.JPG

Pentax K-01 ISO 12800.JPG

OK until we hit ISO 3200 at which point noise is becoming slightly noticeable. ISO 6400 I figure to be useable but when ISO 12,800 is reached the show is over! Noise is well up, sharpness down.

Pentax K-01 Review Verdict

Quality: excellent.

Why you’d buy the Pentax: stylising, access to K-mount lenses.

Why you wouldn’t: clunky and noisy AF correction; heavy weight; bulky shape; poor high ISO performance.

Nice try! But not for me!

Pentax K-01 Specifications

Image Sensor: 16.3 million effective pixels.
Metering: Multi zone, centre-weighted, spot.
Lens Mount: Pentax KAF2.
Exposure Modes: Program AE, shutter and aperture priority, manual.
Effective Sensor Size: 23.7×15.7mm CMOS.
35 SLR Lens Factor: 1.5x.
Shutter Speed: 30 to 1/4000 second.
Continuous Shooting: 6 fps.
Memory: SD/SDHC/SDXC.
Image Sizes (pixels): Stills: 4928×3264 to 1728×1728.
Movies: 1920×1080, 1280×720, 640×480.
Viewfinder: 7.6cm LCD screen (921,000).
File Formats: JPEG, RAW (DNG), JPEG+RAW (DNG), MPEG4.
Colour Space: sRGB, Adobe RGB.
ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 100 to 25,600.
Interface: USB 2.0, HDMI mini.
Power: Rechargeable lithium ion battery, DC input.
Dimensions: 122x79x58 WHDmm.
Weight: 561 g (inc battery).
Price: Get a price on the Pentax K-01 – Body Only or Pentax K-01 with 40mm Lens at Amazon.

Read more from our Cameras and Equipment Category

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Using Participatory Photography for Social Change

“I want to die in Bhutan” from Children’s Forum. Photography by young Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. © Bishnu Maya / Children’s Forum / PhotoVoice

In 1998, Anna Blackman, a photography and anthropology student at Edinburgh University, took time from her studies to travel to Southeast Asia. Staying in Vietnam, she was moved by the plight of the country’s street children. She teamed up with Ho Chi Minh Child Welfare Foundation and established Street Vision, a photography course for homeless youth. Participants were taught photography, given an opportunity to expand their academic knowledge and received vocational skills that would allow them to be creative and generate their own income. Over the next ten years around 200 young people passed through the course, receiving skills, camera equipment and work placement in Ho Chi Minh city and beyond.

At the same time that Blackman was setting up her program in Vietnam, Tiffany Fairey, another Edinburgh University photography student, was doing much the same thing in Nepal’s Bhutanese refugee camps. Her Children’s Forum project provided training in photography for young refugees, a creative outlet and a way to make an informal income through wedding and event photography. When the two travelers returned, they met, compared notes, saw the value of participatory photography in helping marginalized communities, and founded PhotoVoice, an NGO dedicated to using photography to help disadvantaged groups around the world.

PhotoVoice has now run more than 50 projects in 23 different countries. Since 2006, it’s been able to employ full-time staff, and is currently running projects in Albania, Ethiopia and in Russia and Bosnia Herzegovina among others.

“We find ways for photography to work.”

Some projects begin at PhotoVoice as a response to an issue or situation which the group decides participatory photography can help. They look for a local partner with links in the community and raise funds through grants, trusts and events.

We are not issue-specific,” explains Matt Daw, PhotoVoice’s Projects Manager, “but rather are experts in finding ways for participatory photography to work practically in any context to provide a group that is in some way marginalized with a way to represent themselves and speak out through photography.”

At other times though, an organisation already working on a specific issue brings PhotoVoice in as consultants. PhotoVoice designs the project but again, the group works with a partner organisation that understands the issues and has local knowledge.

All projects use participatory photography techniques. Members of a community affected by an issue are given training in digital photography, in understanding how images communicate and in ethical representation that touches on consent, political risk and child protection. They’re given skills and equipment, and taught how to use captions to explain to different audiences the contents of the images.

“Our participants are not encouraged to tell their own stories – although if they wish to we support that process and advise them on risks and implications,” says Matt Daw. “The aim of projects is to give them an opportunity to explore issues that affect them and to create work that conveys their thoughts and perspectives.”

Participants retain copyright of all the images they produce but choose photos and captions that may be exhibited and which PhotoVoice and the local partner can also use for publicity. Participants also get to keep the equipment, and local systems are set up so that the new photographers can continue to enjoy support and get their work seen.

Each project is unique and each throws up special challenges. A project intended to bring together Israeli and Palestinian teenagers, all of whom had lost family members as a result of the conflict, ran into some difficult bureaucracy even if the result was productive. Working with a landless indigenous tribe in Paraguay last year threw up some different problems. With no electricity, solar panels had to be used to charge the cameras, and the traditional hierarchy dictated that all decisions were made by the community rather than by individuals, a process that ran all the way from initial project approval to choosing the captions.

That a foreign organization has to teach communities how to use cameras at a time when even the simplest mobile phone has a lens, and shared images have powered revolutions across the world might seem a little strange. But Daw points out that there’s a difference between having a camera and knowing how to use it to safely convey messages and stories so that there’s no negative backlash from subjects or audiences.

“A perfect example of how understanding is as important as ability is the prevalence of young girls sharing nude or suggestive photos of themselves and then being the subject of stigma, mockery or exploitation,” says Daw.

Nor does everyone have access to even the lens on a phone. About 40 percent of the world’s population have no mobile phones let alone the handsets and structure to share images, says Daw, raising the risk of what he calls “double marginalization.” While those with cameras and Internet access are able to communicate their views and issues through images, those without cameras become easier to forget and ignore.

Do it for them, not for you.

For marginalized communities, participatory photography provides an opportunity to communicate a complex message quickly, directly and by themselves. It’s empowering, increases understanding and can even provide employment opportunities. For photographers though, it’s also a way to use their skills to give back to the community. PhotoVoice runs a three-day workshop in London four times a year through which some 170 individuals have passed, including some photographers. The group does receive interest from photographers interested in working on their projects and provides a form to receive applications. Usually, however, they require applicants to have undertaken the organization’s training course or to have voluntary experience before being considered for paid work in such a specialized field.

But neither Anna Blackman nor Tiffany Fairey had experience or training when they set up their first projects. Nor did they have the advantage of the experience of other trailblazers who had already used participatory photography to help disadvantaged groups and provide a path for others to follow. If you are planning on setting up your own project, you will, however, need to do it carefully.

“It is more damaging to attempt a participatory process unprepared or claim that a project is participatory when it is not, than to avoid participation at all!” warns Daw. “Don’t underestimate the task, take advantage of PhotoVoice’s many free online resources, and make sure you are doing it for the participants, not for yourself.”

Related posts:

  1. Turning Subjects Into Photographers
  2. The Photography Social Media Marketing Debate
  3. What’s Wrong with Image Copyrights on Social Media Sites

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PhotopreneurBlog/~3/Rr_x_vaCVXQ/using-participatory-photography-for-social-change

Using Participatory Photography for Social Change

“I want to die in Bhutan” from Children’s Forum. Photography by young Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. © Bishnu Maya / Children’s Forum / PhotoVoice

In 1998, Anna Blackman, a photography and anthropology student at Edinburgh University, took time from her studies to travel to Southeast Asia. Staying in Vietnam, she was moved by the plight of the country’s street children. She teamed up with Ho Chi Minh Child Welfare Foundation and established Street Vision, a photography course for homeless youth. Participants were taught photography, given an opportunity to expand their academic knowledge and received vocational skills that would allow them to be creative and generate their own income. Over the next ten years around 200 young people passed through the course, receiving skills, camera equipment and work placement in Ho Chi Minh city and beyond.

At the same time that Blackman was setting up her program in Vietnam, Tiffany Fairey, another Edinburgh University photography student, was doing much the same thing in Nepal’s Bhutanese refugee camps. Her Children’s Forum project provided training in photography for young refugees, a creative outlet and a way to make an informal income through wedding and event photography. When the two travelers returned, they met, compared notes, saw the value of participatory photography in helping marginalized communities, and founded PhotoVoice, an NGO dedicated to using photography to help disadvantaged groups around the world.

PhotoVoice has now run more than 50 projects in 23 different countries. Since 2006, it’s been able to employ full-time staff, and is currently running projects in Albania, Ethiopia and in Russia and Bosnia Herzegovina among others.

“We find ways for photography to work.”

Some projects begin at PhotoVoice as a response to an issue or situation which the group decides participatory photography can help. They look for a local partner with links in the community and raise funds through grants, trusts and events.

We are not issue-specific,” explains Matt Daw, PhotoVoice’s Projects Manager, “but rather are experts in finding ways for participatory photography to work practically in any context to provide a group that is in some way marginalized with a way to represent themselves and speak out through photography.”

At other times though, an organisation already working on a specific issue brings PhotoVoice in as consultants. PhotoVoice designs the project but again, the group works with a partner organisation that understands the issues and has local knowledge.

All projects use participatory photography techniques. Members of a community affected by an issue are given training in digital photography, in understanding how images communicate and in ethical representation that touches on consent, political risk and child protection. They’re given skills and equipment, and taught how to use captions to explain to different audiences the contents of the images.

“Our participants are not encouraged to tell their own stories – although if they wish to we support that process and advise them on risks and implications,” says Matt Daw. “The aim of projects is to give them an opportunity to explore issues that affect them and to create work that conveys their thoughts and perspectives.”

Participants retain copyright of all the images they produce but choose photos and captions that may be exhibited and which PhotoVoice and the local partner can also use for publicity. Participants also get to keep the equipment, and local systems are set up so that the new photographers can continue to enjoy support and get their work seen.

Each project is unique and each throws up special challenges. A project intended to bring together Israeli and Palestinian teenagers, all of whom had lost family members as a result of the conflict, ran into some difficult bureaucracy even if the result was productive. Working with a landless indigenous tribe in Paraguay last year threw up some different problems. With no electricity, solar panels had to be used to charge the cameras, and the traditional hierarchy dictated that all decisions were made by the community rather than by individuals, a process that ran all the way from initial project approval to choosing the captions.

That a foreign organization has to teach communities how to use cameras at a time when even the simplest mobile phone has a lens, and shared images have powered revolutions across the world might seem a little strange. But Daw points out that there’s a difference between having a camera and knowing how to use it to safely convey messages and stories so that there’s no negative backlash from subjects or audiences.

“A perfect example of how understanding is as important as ability is the prevalence of young girls sharing nude or suggestive photos of themselves and then being the subject of stigma, mockery or exploitation,” says Daw.

Nor does everyone have access to even the lens on a phone. About 40 percent of the world’s population have no mobile phones let alone the handsets and structure to share images, says Daw, raising the risk of what he calls “double marginalization.” While those with cameras and Internet access are able to communicate their views and issues through images, those without cameras become easier to forget and ignore.

Do it for them, not for you.

For marginalized communities, participatory photography provides an opportunity to communicate a complex message quickly, directly and by themselves. It’s empowering, increases understanding and can even provide employment opportunities. For photographers though, it’s also a way to use their skills to give back to the community. PhotoVoice runs a three-day workshop in London four times a year through which some 170 individuals have passed, including some photographers. The group does receive interest from photographers interested in working on their projects and provides a form to receive applications. Usually, however, they require applicants to have undertaken the organization’s training course or to have voluntary experience before being considered for paid work in such a specialized field.

But neither Anna Blackman nor Tiffany Fairey had experience or training when they set up their first projects. Nor did they have the advantage of the experience of other trailblazers who had already used participatory photography to help disadvantaged groups and provide a path for others to follow. If you are planning on setting up your own project, you will, however, need to do it carefully.

“It is more damaging to attempt a participatory process unprepared or claim that a project is participatory when it is not, than to avoid participation at all!” warns Daw. “Don’t underestimate the task, take advantage of PhotoVoice’s many free online resources, and make sure you are doing it for the participants, not for yourself.”

Related posts:

  1. Turning Subjects Into Photographers
  2. The Photography Social Media Marketing Debate
  3. What’s Wrong with Image Copyrights on Social Media Sites

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PhotopreneurBlog/~3/Rr_x_vaCVXQ/using-participatory-photography-for-social-change

The 10 Most Popular DSLRs Among dPS Readers

Every few months we take some time to analyse the cameras that dPS readers are buying over on Amazon. What follows is the most popular DSLRs purchased in the last 3 months on Amazon*.

1. Canon EOS Rebel T3i

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2. Nikon D5100

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3. Nikon D800

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4. Canon EOS 5D Mark III

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5. Nikon D3200

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6. Nikon D7000

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7. Nikon D3100

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8. Canon EOS Rebel T3

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9. Canon EOS 5D Mark II

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10. Canon EOS 60D

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*Note: these lists were compiled from reports supplied to us from Amazon.com where we are affiliates. One of the ways dPS is able to cover its costs and be a sustainable business is that we earn a small commission when readers make a purchase from Amazon after clicking on our links (including those above). While no personal details are passed on we do get an overall report from Amazon about what was bought and are able to create this list.

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Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Weddings

Previously in this posing guide series we took a look to posing women, posing men, posing children, posing couples and posing groups of people. In this article let’s address a popular photographic event – wedding.

I would like to state from the very beginning, that weddings in general are a major commercial industry to many professional photographers. Shooting wedding photography professionally is a much, much bigger topic than just 21 sample poses. The aim of this article is only to provide you with some initial guidance and ideas to take some nice bride and groom pictures.

1. The wedding veil is a superb accessory for a bride’s close-up portrait. You may want to use manual zoom to focus on the eyes, otherwise the auto mode will focus on the veil’s texture.

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2. A very good opportunity for a great picture is photographing the bride or both newlyweds in the wedding car.

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3. The romantic and passionate kiss is another must-have shot from the event. Definitely try to capture both faces including the eyes. Without that you will probably produce a dull shot.

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4. Very easy and kind pose. The newlyweds simply and naturally embrace while bringing their cheeks together. Take care that the bridal bouquet is nicely placed and turned towards the camera.

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5. Another beautiful pose with the groom embracing the bride from the back. The newlyweds may look romantically at each other or straight to the camera. Or they might kiss for an even more affectionate pose.

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6. Just a slight variation of the previous ones, keep the newlyweds close together, but find a way to get a shot from an elevated angle.

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7. In weddings you can’t really go wrong by asking the newly weds to kiss for a shot whenever there is an appropriate moment. They won’t complain anyway!

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8. If possible, arrange an outdoor shot, take some pictures of the couple from a distance and use some open space in a background.

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9. Absolutely easy and a bit more formal pose, creates a calm and intimate mood.

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10. The groom holding the bride in arms, easy to pose, however be careful choosing the right shooting angle – both faces should be visible.

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11. A pose with the groom holding the bride works not only from a distance, but makes a very nice pose for a close-up as well.

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12. Certainly a staged pose – the bride falling into the groom’s hands. But if the newly weds are responsive, poses like that could work out extremely well.

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13. Weddings don’t need to be and sometimes really aren’t at all that serious. Don’t be afraid to make some fun, ask the newly weds to loose their shoes and just run around a bit and snap some frames.

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14. Never forget that there often are good opportunities shooting from the back.

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15. A fun pose with the newlyweds kissing passionately. Pay attention to the wedding dress: It shall look free-falling and natural, as opposed to stuck and creased under the groom’s leg.

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16. A gorgeous pose for a bride’s portrait. The bride should sit on the ground (or a very low stool) with the wedding dress nicely arranged around her. Shoot from above with the bride looking slightly upwards.

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17. Fun and simple pose, the newlyweds clinking champagne glasses. For a more creative shot you could get real close and focus on the glasses, leaving the portraits blurred.

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18. Another creative way to play with a shallow depth of field. Use the widest possible aperture and keep the groom in a distance from the bride. Focus on the bride, leaving him slightly out of focus.

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19. The newlyweds dancing is just another must-have shot. Take pictures with the bride and groom facing towards the camera, making both faces clearly visible. They may look to the camera or at each other.

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20. For some creative results, don’t concentrate only on bride and groom. There are many interesting corresponding objects to shoot, and these photos especially will make the event’s photo album far more engaging. Thus, take separate shots with single objects. Examples are the wedding bouquet, jewelery, clothing details, champagne glasses, wedding rings, wedding car elements etc.

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21. The final point isn’t about posing proper, rather just an idea for a post production. Most probably you will have a bunch of photos from the event, so use them to make a small collage (or several ones). Pick only some objects or crops from other pictures and combine them into a balanced composition. Use some unified filter effects or simply convert them to black-and-white in order to achieve outstanding results. Such collages indeed are pure pleasure to an eye!

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And furthermore take a look also at the other articles in posing series, particularly posing couples. Many of those couple poses can be used perfectly for bride and groom. And, of course, take a look to articles on posing female subjects and posing men. You may find there some appropriate poses for individual portraits.

Check out our Other Posing Guides in this Series

Kaspars Grinvalds is a photographer working and living in Riga, Latvia. He is the author of Posing App where more poses and tips about people photography are available.

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Incredibly Simple 2-Step Program for Better Photos

Figuring It Out!!!See more from Bill Pevlor at Pops Digital Photography

I’ll be the first to concede, I am not a great photographer. The eternal optimist in me likes to think all things are possible. The pragmatist in me realizes I have a long way to go on my personal journey to photographic greatness. It may be a long way to go, but I’m on my way and serious about improving. I subscribe to photography magazines, glean articles and tutorials online and follow the work of some truly great photographers. All of that is valuable, but I’ve stumbled upon something that has dramatically improved my images more than everything else, combined.

I use an incredibly simple, two-step program. I revisit the plan every now and then and always gain something new. I believe it is essential for beginners, will advance the intermediate and can even boost top professionals a notch or two. As powerful as I believe this program is, it comes with a natural deterrent – its simplicity.

This program is so simple I’m afraid many will dismiss it without giving it a try. So, before I lay it out, take a moment to relax, inhale deeply, find your happy place and open your mind to a novel concept. Resist the urge to roll your eyes and scoff when you realize how simple it is. I guarantee, if you put it to the test and follow each step fully, your photos will immediately improve. (I’m already upgrading my account to handle all the flood of “Thank You” emails.)

Alright, enough of the sales pitch – let’s move on to my incredibly simple, two-step program for better photos. (Remember, no scoffing.)

Step One: Read the Manual

I’m talking about the operator’s manual for the camera you use. The most difficult part of this incredibly simple program may be locating your camera’s manual. Make the effort. Maybe, it’s a printed booklet, maybe is on CD, maybe you’ll have to go on line and download one.

If you’re like most people, when you first got your camera you couldn’t wait to flip the switch and start snapping. Today’s cameras are so easy to use, that’s about all you have to do – turn it on, push the shiny button and…voilà. That’s what I did. That’s what we all do. And maybe later you got around to reading the manual – at least certain parts.

Today’s digital cameras are easy to use but also very advanced. Even the least expensive point-and-shoot models are packed with incredible features. I’ll bet a majority of camera owners don’t know half of what their cameras are capable of. It’s a shame to let all those bells and whistles go to waste.

So, the first step is to read your camera’s manual, cover to cover. In fact, I suggest you do it with your camera in hand, experimenting with each setting; even the things you’re sure you’d never use. It’s funny how those obscure settings come in handy when you know they exist. You’ll soon be ready to move on to step two.

While you’re waiting, keep your camera busy. If you’ve faithfully performed step one, you’re already realizing the benefits. You are more aware of your camera’s abilities, you’re confidently moving through layers of menu items with ease, able to switch settings without ever taking your eyes of your subject. Your images will steadily improve as the relationship with your camera matures.

After approximately six months of this maturing process, you should be ready for my incredibly simple second step – where the greatest improvement is made.

Step Two: Read the Manual – Again. (Remember not to scoff.)

Yes, dig out that manual again and reread it. You can skim over the areas you’re familiar with, but take time to look, again, at the other settings and features that you’re not using on a regular basis. With the past six months of maturing under your belt you’ll begin to uncover possible solutions to situations you’ve experienced.

When I moved to step two, I discovered several settings I hadn’t used that would resolve problems I’ve been trying to overcome or had given up on. For example, I learned a default setting (D-Range) in certain situations could be causing some noise problems I occasionally have trouble with. Just last week, I took a nice photo of a bird. It was a rather bland cowbird but the setting and lighting was superb. I thought I had a real keeper until I looked closer and found the level of digital noise to be unacceptable.

Keep in mind, I had completely read the manual before. The D-Range setting issue didn’t register then. Today it’s an issue I’m dealing with and it practically jumped off the page at me. I’ve experienced the same kind of epiphany with auto-focus settings, flash intensity adjustments, histogram views, and countless others. Each discovery has helped improve my images.

Try my two-step program. Read your camera’s manual and let all that technical info ferment for about six months while you ply your craft. Then go back and read the manual again and discover all you overlooked or didn’t remember from the first time; the back room stuff that has suddenly moved to center stage. I know it’s incredibly simple, but it’s been incredibly productive for me.

See more from Bill Pevlor at Pops Digital Photography. Also connect with him on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook

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Snettisham Spectacular by Charles Fennell

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© Charles Fennell

It’s 6 am on a very cold October morning in North Norfolk and a hundred people are walking in single file along a narrow path between the beachfront holiday homes and a large pond. Some are experienced birders or photographers, carrying long lenses and expensive binoculars. Others are tourists enjoying a holiday before the winter. Volunteer wardens from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are on hand to steer people towards the best places when they finally arrive at the beach, and they are unusually excited.

This is Snettisham, a small village on the edge of The Wash, a vast flat estuary on the east coast of England made up of shifting sand and mud banks, where in 1216 King John lost England’s crown jewels when he and his knights were cut off by the tide and had to abandon their baggage.

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© Charles Fennell

The estuary is now home to huge colonies of wading birds, such as the oystercatcher and the knot. At the very highest tides of the year, all of the banks on which they roost offshore are submerged. It’s the “Snettisham Spectacular”, when 50,000 or more circle above the sands as the tide covers them.

It’s a perfect location for wildlife photographers at any level of experience and with any sort of equipment. The kit lens that comes with the cheapest DSLR is enough to capture the shape of the birds in the air; a long lens can pick out individuals.

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© Charles Fennell

At first, nothing happens. The sea is at least a mile away, and as the deep channels fill up , there is only a lone egret looking for something to eat. The people watching are starting to make conversation. Many of them have never seen oystercatchers before. Then the display starts, slowly at first, but then for fifteen or twenty minutes there is the unique sound of thousands of small birds flying together, creating a vast shifting airborne shape.

Then it’s over as quickly as it started: almost in unison the last few thousand fly over the heads of the spectators and disappear. It’s 9 am, the sun is up, and the spectators wander back to the carpark, knowing that they’ve seen something quite unique.

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Charles Fennell is a wildlife and landscape photographer in Yorkshire

Article source: http://dslrblog.com/snettisham-spectacular-by-charles-fennell/