http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/become-a-better-photographer-from-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/become-a-better-photographer-from-home.html Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0600
But just think about how successful and professional you would feel if you framed photos that were a little more stylized than most. Or the photos in your scrapbook had that dramatic touch, that little extra that makes others stare in amazement.

Taking photography classes at a local community college or online can help out the beginner photographer, as well as review the basics of the most advanced photographers.

HP Digital Photography offers free online photography classes. These classes are easy to sign up for, and you can take them online on your own schedule. Some classes currently available include:

• Professional Digital Photography Made Simple

• Beginner’s Guide to Saving, Printer and Sharing your Digital Photos

• Telling a Story with Photos

• Creative Holiday Gifts from Photos

With photography classes, you can learn how to get better results from proper use of your digital camera, find out how to work with perspective, angles and light, and also how to share your digital photos with friends and family.

For your New Year’s Resolution this year, learn to take better photos. Create compelling visual stories with the pictures you take, and make your family say “wow!”

Photography classes are available online, or at your local community college.



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Find out more about online photography classes with HP and become a better photographer.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/8-quick-tips-for-printing-better-photos.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/8-quick-tips-for-printing-better-photos.html Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0600 HP photo printer that's right for you.

1) Choose the right resolution for your print
Most digital cameras offer a range of resolution settings. It's a good idea to use a higher-quality setting if you plan on printing larger-than-wallet-sized pictures. Here are some general guidelines:

• The more pixels your photo has the more clarity and detail it will retain as you increase its dimensions.
• Resolution is sometimes expressed by the width and height of the image as well as the total number of pixels it contains.
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2) Select the best format for your image files
Chances are, your digital camera shoots in JPEG. It's the most common file format, and is especially well suited to:

• Use online
• E-mail
• Most printing needs (4" x 6", 5" x 7", panoramic)

Some cameras let you change the format you shoot in to TIFF or RAW. These are best for:
• Large format printing
• Prints made from cropped photos

Tip: These formats have the least amount of compression, meaning the photo will take up considerably more space on your memory card and computer. The advantage of these formats is that you get very clear prints, and in large sizes. Check your camera's manual to see if you can change the format.

3) Edit images for printing
Use a photo-editing program, like free HP Photosmart Essential—to do basic photo editing such as cropping, contrast and color changes for your digital photos.
• Use the auto-fix button in HP Photosmart Essential to adjust contrast and brightness automatically—one click and you're done.


4) Pick the right dpi
Dots per inch (dpi) is a measurement of print resolution that indicates how many individual dots a device can create on a page per square inch of area.

• For crisp, colorful, professional-looking prints, choose a printer with at least 600 x 600 dpi.
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5) Match print quality to the job
You can designate the "quality" of the print, depending on what you're printing. For routine print jobs, such as letters or recipes, "draft" or "fast" is probably sufficient. Reference your printer's manual to learn how to change quality settings.
• Choose "Best quality" for most photos
• Use "Normal" for wallet-sized

6) Adjust paper settings
Paper settings control the amount of ink that's laid down on paper, so using the setting in your printer software that matches your photo paper is essential for quality good prints.

• When you find a setting that works for a particular paper type, make note of it so you'll be able to get the same results when you use the paper again.

7) Match paper and ink
There's a good reason to use genuine HP supplies-they're specifically developed to work with your HP printer. HP's newest generation of inks, HP Vivera inks, deliver optimum color and fade resistance, and they're engineered for the absorption properties of HP photo paper.

• Choose HP Premium Plus photo paper for prints that will last generations.
• Choose HP Advanced photo paper for quick drying and water resistance.

8) Give prints time to dry
Before you frame a photo or add it to a scrapbook, be sure to give it enough time to dry.

• It's best to allow the print to dry for about 24 hours prior to framing or placing it in a photo album.
• If you're printing multiple pictures, remove them from the printer as they emerge and set them aside. This will eliminate accidental smearing or running.


Enjoy your prints for years to come and remember all of your great memories with your photos!


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HP digital photography offers new tips for making your digital photos as professional looking as possible with these photo printing tips

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/take-better-holiday-photos.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/take-better-holiday-photos.html Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0600 Take better Holiday photos using some easy photography tips and an HP digital camera.

1) Using the sun to light your photos
Thinking of enjoying the beautiful outdoors during the holidays? Keep this tip in mind, as the winter sun can be blindingly bright! Natural sunlight provides some of the best lighting for great shots with more detail and vivid colors. Be careful:

• Really bright sunlight casts harsh shadows

• Overhead sunlight can wash out detail in faces

Tip: For best results, avoid taking photos when the sun is directly overhead. This can cause harsh shadows. Also, try to shoot with the sun behind you. This prevents loss of detail caused by bright light.

2) Capture breathtaking evening photos of the twinkling holiday lights
The key to great night photos is turning off your flash! Who would have thought? Just follow these simple guidelines to capture the beautiful holiday lights:

• Set shutter speed slower to let in enough light

• Stay steady, slow shutter speeds blur photos

• Use a tripod or place camera on stationary surface

Tip: Place your camera on a tripod and set its shot timer so there's no risk of your camera moving when you press the trigger.

3) Keep annoying "red-eye" out of your family photos
Nothing can throw off a family photo like a set of red glowing eyes! The flash reflecting off the retina of your subject's eyes is what causes the common problem of red-eye. Reduce red-eye by following these guidelines:

• Move outdoors or into brighter light

• Have your subject avoid looking directly into the lens

Tip: Many HP cameras offer in camera automatic red-eye removal.


4) The right background can make the perfect holiday photo
Backgrounds can play a huge role in how interesting your photo is. Do you have a great tree to show off? How about a festive yard full of snow and lights? Consider these points when choosing a background:

• Watch for clutter and other distracting elements

• Don't use a busy or competing background

• Remove objects that connect to the subject

Tip: Watch out for items in the background that might look odd when photographed, like a lamp post sticking out behind someone's head or antlers from the passing reindeer!




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Learn how to take better photos with these tips and digital photography techniques. HP digital cameras provide in-camera design gallery features that can make any photo exciting and interesting.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/hobbies/the-top-10-uses-for-your-new-digital-camera.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/hobbies/the-top-10-uses-for-your-new-digital-camera.html Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500 Digital Camera Center

Photographs can capture life’s most precious moments. Naturally we want to share these moments with others, so why stop at simply putting them in a frame to be admired?

Here are 10 favorites and new things to do with your digital camera.

1.) Create a professional-looking photo book documenting life’s most memorable experiences. Or create a special personalized fairy tale photo book for your little one.

2.) Plan your wedding with the help of your digital camera. This can mean scouting locations by capturing them in photographs as well as capturing images of the themes and floral arrangements you would like to have on your special day.

3.) Personalize your invitations for any special event. And you can create corresponding Thank You cards as well!

4.) Use your favorite family photos to create personalized playing cards using HP’s King of Cool photo playing card kit

5.) Create a calendar of the year to come with pictures of last year’s best moments

6.) Make a poster of all your friends in silly poses and hang it in your locker or dorm room to boost your mood when school gives you the blues.

7.) HP’s Retail Photo Service allows you to turn your digital photos into votive candle covers and lampshades. This is perfect for a graduation or big birthday celebration.

8.) At the activity center with HP, you can turn your photos into unique gift wrap! Perfect for any occasion!

9.) What better way to ensure sweet dreams, than to make a beautiful quilt of all your family and friends using your digital photos?

10.) Create eye-catching ornaments in brilliant colors that are sure to brighten up any snowy day!


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HP Digital Photography Retail Photo Services Center

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/how-to-take-better-photos-with-your-digital-camera.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/how-to-take-better-photos-with-your-digital-camera.html Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
The perfect way to make photos more interesting is to imagine them divided into three sections horizontally and vertically (like a tic-tac-toe game). Positioning your subject at the intersection of those lines will break up symmetry and result in a more artful and compelling photo.

You don't always get that perfect shot to begin with, so keeping the rule of thirds in mind, try cropping your photo after you've shot it-either in your camera, or using photo editing software.

Simple backgrounds are best for subjects with busy patterns. If you don't have the luxury of the perfect background, you can adjust your depth of field to focus on objects closer to you, while blurring objects far away.

Likewise, simple patterns look best set against a detailed background. Also, be sure the background of your photo doesn't interfere with your subject and take attention away. Objects such as poles or tree branches (a light in this case) can ruin your shot completely.
Don't let background objects ruin a perfectly good photo.

A photo of a distant subject can seem static and one-dimensional. Including subjects nearer to you in your photos gives a sense of distance.Your camera produces a rectangular image. This gives you two distinct orientations to work with-vertical or horizontal. Often, your subject will lend itself to one or the other. One sure way to find out is simply to take your photo both ways and decide which is best. Close-up photography adds intimacy to your photos. It brings the viewer in and helps capture all the hidden details and moments you might not ever see.

Break the habit of shooting everything from eye level. Experiment with kneeling down to capture subjects from near the ground, or photographing subjects above you. You can frame your subject in your photo by taking advantage of various naturally occurring physical structures or patterns. Doorways, windows, trees, bushes—almost anything can be used.



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Working with HP to make sure your digital photos turn out as amazing as they possibly can.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/how-to-take-btter-photos-with-your-digital-camera.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/how-to-take-btter-photos-with-your-digital-camera.html Thu, 26 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
The perfect way to make photos more interesting is to imagine them divided into three sections horizontally and vertically (like a tic-tac-toe game). Positioning your subject at the intersection of those lines will break up symmetry and result in a more artful and compelling photo.

You don't always get that perfect shot to begin with, so keeping the rule of thirds in mind, try cropping your photo after you've shot it-either in your camera, or using photo editing software.

Simple backgrounds are best for subjects with busy patterns. If you don't have the luxury of the perfect background, you can adjust your depth of field to focus on objects closer to you, while blurring objects far away.

Likewise, simple patterns look best set against a detailed background. Also, be sure the background of your photo doesn't interfere with your subject and take attention away. Objects such as poles or tree branches (a light in this case) can ruin your shot completely.
Don't let background objects ruin a perfectly good photo.

A photo of a distant subject can seem static and one-dimensional. Including subjects nearer to you in your photos gives a sense of distance.Your camera produces a rectangular image. This gives you two distinct orientations to work with-vertical or horizontal. Often, your subject will lend itself to one or the other. One sure way to find out is simply to take your photo both ways and decide which is best. Close-up photography adds intimacy to your photos. It brings the viewer in and helps capture all the hidden details and moments you might not ever see.

Break the habit of shooting everything from eye level. Experiment with kneeling down to capture subjects from near the ground, or photographing subjects above you. You can frame your subject in your photo by taking advantage of various naturally occurring physical structures or patterns. Doorways, windows, trees, bushes—almost anything can be used.



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Working with HP to make sure you know how to take better digital photos with your digital camera so your photos look as good as they possible can

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/hp-gives-new-tips-for-pet-digital-photography-dilemmas.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/hp-gives-new-tips-for-pet-digital-photography-dilemmas.html Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
You don’t have to buy special software to get the pictures you want. This feature works in-camera, so before you download, print, or email your photo, it looks great. The feature is available in current HP models including the HP Photosmart R837 digital camera.

HP digital cameras also ensure that you capture the best images of your pet in motion. Capturing your pet during a run at the beach or game of fetch can be difficult. HP’s action shooting mode optimizes shutter speed to freeze the action of your pet’s playfulness.

You can find additional tips on capturing lasting family mementos through digital photography on HP’s Digital Photography Site.


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Working with Melinda to make pet red eye a problem of the past

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/tips-for-pet-digital-photography-dilemmas.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/photography/tips-for-pet-digital-photography-dilemmas.html Mon, 23 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
You don’t have to buy special software to get the pictures you want. This feature works in-camera, so before you download, print, or email your photo, it looks great. The feature is available in current HP models including the HP Photosmart R837 digital camera.

HP digital cameras also ensure that you capture the best images of your pet in motion. Capturing your pet during a run at the beach or game of fetch can be difficult. HP’s action shooting mode optimizes shutter speed to freeze the action of your pet’s playfulness.

You can find additional tips on capturing lasting family mementos through digital photography on HP’s Digital Photography Site.


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Working with Melinda to make pet red eye a problem of the past. http://www.hp.com/united-states/consumer/digital_photography/take_better_photos/index.html

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>