Following right along the huge popularity of digital cameras came a host of new photo editing software programs.  Though photo editing software actually predates most modern digital photography.  Photos would be scanned into a computer to be digitally manipulated, it was digital photography that really allowed photo editing software to take off.

The best thing about photo editing software is that, combined with digital photography, it allows the consumer to do at home what used to be impossible without a full darkroom or professional photography studio.  Everybody can now digitally remaster their photos at home to make them much better than they were to begin with.

One of the most useful features of almost all photo editing software is that the software allows you to quickly and easily crop and re-size your photos.  Remember the feeling of getting a roll of 35mm photos back from the lab and finding that your thumb screwed up a great photo of the Leaning Tower of Pisa or Notre Dame?  Now, with a few clicks you can crop out your thumb, leaving an excellent, thumbless photo.

Another handy feature of nearly all photo editing software suites is that they allow you to alter the brightness and contrast of your photo with a few clicks of your mouse.  Aside from poor composition, which can usually be corrected with a little cropping, one of the most common causes of bad photos is that they’re either too light or too dark.  By adjusting the contrast and brightness sliders in your photo editing software you can’t save every photo, but you can save a lot of them and what’s even better, you can make your already good photos great.

Photo editing software varies from here quite a bit, depending on the manufacturer.  Some photo editing software, especially software which comes bundled with digital cameras, usually only has features for cropping, resizing, and adjusting brightness and contrast.  Other, more advanced programs like Adobe Photoshop will allow you to alter the brightness and contrast of each color in the photo relative to the rest of the colors, to work in adjustment levels and to add other visual filters to your photo.  You can even blend photos together or take a person from one photo and drop him or her into another.  This is helpful if your uncle keeps missing the family reunions.  Regardless of what software you use, all photo editing software can help you make your photos a lot better.

It is one of those days that most school aged children hate, picture day. Parents see this day as a day of monumental importance, it is after all the way many parents record their children’s school career. School photos are a way to preserve your child just the way he is at that stage of their life.  How does a parent ensure that the pictures taken of their child turn out looking like something they want to put on the wall and send to family members? There are some simple steps to take to ensure that your child’s school photos turn out ok.

First it is important to understand that background can make or break any photograph. These days parents get a choice of backgrounds. In the 70s and 80s it was a blue background for everyone and that was it, but these days there is usually a choice between several different colors. The key to making sure that your school photos have a good foundation is to decide which color best suits your child and what your child will allow you to dress them in!  Everyone has a set of colors that they prefer, as well as a sense of fashion.

Your child’s school photos will reflect their personal preferences. They are colors that you would look well in if you were wearing them. To decide which color is right for the background for your child’s school photos that about what color he looks best in, as well as the background color, if you can get a heads up on that.  Once you have decided on the background color then consider what your child will be wearing. You don’t want him or her to fade into the background because the color they are wearing blends into the background. It is important that your child’s clothes accent the background so that the child is the most noticeable thing in the school photos.

Hair is usually the reason most images do not turn out. It happens time and time again, a parent sends their child off to school dressed nicely and looking presentable, but then somewhere between their leaving the house and the picture taking moment a huge wind storm comes along and they look like Albert Einstein in their final photo.  The way a parent can combat this is to send a comb to school with their child. Depending on the age of your child you may have to call ahead to the school and ask that they help, but if you give older school children a comb and instructions there is at least a chance their hair may get combed before the school photos.

Finally, talk to your child and tell them what your expectations are. Usually, if you share with them your desire to get school photos that they can be proud to share with the family, they will try and do their best to make you smile when you see them.

I recently had the good fortune to be invited to an exclusive photography exhibition. Being an amateur shutterbug myself, I was thrilled at the prospect of seeing the work of a world renowned photographer. Especially so, as I’d heard that his latest subject was aerial photos. Sure, I’d seen aerial photos in the past. And what’s more, begun to appreciate them as an art form! But I didn’t have a clue what this particular exhibition of aerial photos had in store for me. And boy was I swept off my feet!

Called ‘Earth From Above’ this was an exhibition of a French photographer who specialized in taking aerial photos of different parts of the globe. There seemed to be no country that he hadn’t covered as a subject of his aerial photos. I was envious as I counted over 82 countries on the list that was handed out to the attendees. But then, you should have been there to see those excellent aerial photos. At first glimpse, you could barely make out what some of them were all about. I mean, for most of us, being used to seeing the world from a position where our feet are planted firmly on the ground, subjects of photography have come to symbolize and even signify a certain closeness. But when it comes to aerial photos, the perspective changes altogether. What seemed like millions of dots on a blue background actually turned out to be flamingos, gathered near a lake shore. And what appeared to be a marble painting of sorts, turned out to be the Great barrier reef from above, with swirling sands, shades of water and even a little boat placed in the frame to give us an idea of the enormity of the landscape.

Come to think of it, I really never wondered how aerial photos, which began as a science or defense project, came to become an art form capable of such excellent quality. Archives in most public libraries will reveal that aerial photos have existed ever since flight became a reality. But in their initial days, aerial photos were restricted to spy planes snooping over enemy areas of meteorological expeditions, intent on tracking the weather and other related phenomena. While those kinds of aerial photos served a purpose, and were often clinical imaging of subjects for study, the exhibition I had the opportunity to witness extended a certain class and élan to aerial photos.

Truth be told, beginners like me will never be able to undertake aerial photography. Even professionals, unless they are well funded professional photographers, will scarcely be able to afford the prohibitive costs of specialized cameras, logistics and the hiring costs of planes that are required in order to take aerial photos. Aerial photos and aerial photography demand a lot more than mere interest. They demand cold, hard cash which most of us can never afford. But then, thanks to a minority breed of well funded aerial photographers, the rest of us can enjoy aerial photos and see this fascinating world of ours from a few hundred to several thousand feet above. And believe me, unless you’ve seen the earth from above exhibition, you will never truly understand or even comprehend the beauty that lies in aerial photos.

Remember when computer graphics and photo images were just for the professionals?  Certainly not anymore.  Everyone now days that can punch the buttons on a keyboard can be very creative.  One special way of adding creativity to your projects is using images.  To make it very special, photo images give the best enhancement.  The problem is, where can you get the variety of photographs you need to give release to your creativity?

Over the years, computer databases have made available stock images to everyone.  It used to be that large data services would keep millions of stock images on file for use in newspapers and magazines.  Say a magazine wanted to do a story on whales.  Instead of sending a photographer to take pictures, they would buy stock images from a supplier.  The stock images would enhance the written word.  The same thing applies to your own creations.

You are doing a party invitation for your child.  Now through the use of stock images, you can include a picture of their favorite cartoon character or whatever comes to mind.  There are many, many companies that specialize in stock images of all imaginable kinds.  These stock image services even specialize in particular types of images.  Many of the stock images are not simply photographs say of famous landmarks, but very artistic works.

The best thing about using these stock images is that many of these services are free.  Others charge only a very small amount for the use of their stock images.  Once you begin surfing through their websites looking at these stock images, your creative juices will really begin to flow.  You will get so many new ideas because most people have not been exposed to what is available from these stock images companies.

Maybe your daughter or son is a horse fanatic and you want include such a picture for their computer generated birthday invitation.  Can you imagine choosing from literally thousands of examples?  That is exactly what you will find through searching through the stock images available.  Your child is working on a school project about a historical figure.  Now they can cut and paste several stock images of that person for their report.

The quality of the new computer printers for photographs too is greatly improved.  You can download these stock images and reproduce the picture of your choice to hang on the wall or put on your desk.  You see, the possibilities are almost unlimited in using stock images and it is all at your fingertips through your computer.

When you visit Manhattan one thing that you’ll want to do is take some time to see the sites from the air.  Although you might get a glimpse of the New York skyline as you fly in, it cannot compare to what awaits you if you take a New York helicopter ride.  Unlike most cities, New York offers its visitors the chance to take a short helicopter ride around the island.  For someone who has always wanted to see all that New York City has to offer this is truly the best way.

You can research which companies offer New York helicopter tours before you even leave the comfort of your home.  Many companies now have websites that detail their unique New York helicopter tours.  It might seem as though a New York helicopter tour would be very expensive and your vacation budget might not be able to accommodate it.  Most companies that offer a helicopter tour of Manhattan do so at a very affordable rate.  A New York helicopter tours last less than fifteen minutes which helps aid to the low cost.

Manhattan is an island and once you are up in the air you’ll be able to see its brilliance all at once.  Depending on which company you purchase a flight with the pilot might also serve as a guide pointing out some of the famous landmarks including the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty.  If you have a fear of flying and getting into a helicopter makes you apprehensive you can be assured that the operators of the New York helicopter tours are licensed pilots.  They have thousands of hours of flying time under their belts and take the safety of their passengers very seriously.

If you haven’t considered the idea of a New York helicopter tour before you arrived, you can still purchase tickets once you are in the city.  The concierge of your hotel will be able to assist you with that.  You can also call one of the companies yourself and inquire about any openings for flights for the day you are planning on taking the tour.  Even if you are considering taking in a Broadway show or visiting one of the many museums in the city, a New York helicopter tour can afford you a once in a lifetime breathtaking view of one of the world’s most famous cities.  Whether you are in Manhattan for a family vacation, a honeymoon or just a weekend getaway, a New York helicopter tour will make it a trip filled with unique memories.

Recently one of my aunts passed away. At the funeral service were several arrangements of family photos to look through. The children had done a nice job of arranging the photographs for display. There were always several people around the display area talking about the pictures and pointing how people have changed through the years. It was apparent that people were enjoying looking at the photographs.

During my drive home from the funeral service I was reflecting about how family photos interest us so. I find that when I am in other people’s homes I like to study the family photos that are displayed. I may notice a painting or other wall hangings, but it is photographs of family that draw my attention and often involve conversations. I have a few family photos displayed in our living room, but the majority of my pictures are in photo albums and boxes that are tucked away. I decided that I need to make more of an effort to display the photographs and have the albums more accessible to look through.

I know this will be an on going project but I wanted to make some small step towards getting the project underway. I have the formal family photographs that were taken by photographers through the years, but I wanted to display pictures of family members having fun together. The formal pictures have few memories attached to them, but candid family photos are filled with memories of events and travels. To start my project I went to a department store and purchased a large wall hanging. The wall hanging is of eight photo frames that are attached to each other. Some are arranged lengthwise and others are arranged widthwise. It is a new version of the collage. The frames are made of wood and each has a separate opening on the back. This will allow me to easily exchange family photos if I choose to.

My husband liked the frame. He has been taking many pictures of fishing trips that we have taken with both his family and mine. He thought it would be fun to get several of the frames to place around the house and have each one center around a different theme. This first frame would feature family photos involving fishing. I thought this was a good idea. We have several family photos of different holiday celebrations so we could do frames around them.  I look forward to having family photos displayed in our home. I think it will be fun for guests to look at and will help us to recall fun times when we look at the pictures.

Digital photography is very popular but buying a quality digital can be a very expensive endeavor. My first digital was very cheap and it didn’t work well at all. It was good for taking snapshots outside in the bright sunlight but that was about it. I took it to a concert once and never bothered to take it again. The pictures were horrible. I now have a better camera, but it did cost me a lot of money. If you want something that works well but you don’t have a lot of cash to spare, you might consider getting a used digital camera.

You can find a good used digital camera if you look on e-Bay. There are tons of them there and you are likely to find the model that you are looking for. You may have to sit through a few auctions before you get the used digital camera that you want at the price you want. You may be outbid, but you will eventually find one that stays below a price that you can live with. Patience is the key and there are so many to be had, that the right one at the right price will come along.

Check up on any used digital camera that you want to bid on. Read every single thing the seller has listed with the camera so you know what you are getting. Though some of them seem to be so cheap it’s a huge bargain, you should know there is probably a reason for that. If you read through the description of the used digital camera, you may find that there is something wrong with it. It might be ok if you know you can get it fixed, but you don’t want to buy something defective if you don’t want the added expense of getting it fixed.

It is in your best interest to pay for any used digital camera you may find on e-Bay through Paypal or with a credit card. That way you can get your money back if the item is not as described or has more problems than the seller alerted you to before you bid. As long as you do your research, you should be able to find a quality used digital camera that is perfect for you. Just take your time and don’t get too excited or you may spend more than you wanted to.

With all the advances in digital technology, aesthetics have not changed very much. Sure, some people are fascinated by the most advanced high-tech designs. They love abstraction, and anything geometrical and out of this world really does it for them. For most of us, however, we would rather have background photos. Most people would rather see scenic views of things that they can actually go to in this world. We long for the great outdoors, for far off places and different times. Background photography does this for us. It helps us to imagine that we are somewhere better when times get hard.

I am a photographer, so I use background pictures a lot. Of course I use scenic backdrops all the time in my photography. Some people think that this is a little bit cheesy, and I understand where they’re coming from. No one will really believe that you are in a Victorian mansion just because your background photos look like it. The right background photo, however, really can set the tone for the picture. If you are willing to use something that is not too over the top, it will come across as believable. Even if people know that the background photos are just that, it doesn’t matter. They can still get into the image of the picture as a whole.

It is not just my work that uses background photos. They are a big part of my life as well. Just because I work with photographic equipment all day, it does not mean that I don’t want to see it at night. On the contrary, my walls are covered with background photos. I even use background photography as desktop wallpaper. I don’t know what it is, but the more images that you have, the better things look. It is almost as if your room becomes a portal to any place you could imagine. There are background photos of all the great sites lining my walls. I can almost imagine that I could step in to any one of them at any given point.

A lot of art snobs look down on background photos, but for me it is all about creating an ambiance. If you can create an image that is beautiful and add it to your living space, it will make your day to day life happier. After all, isn’t that what art is all about?

Baby photos are a nice way to keep track of all the momentous steps they make in growth and development along the way. The first ultrasound makes a great baby photo that excited expectant parents can show off to friends and family even before the baby is born. These ultrasound photos are a unique addition to the baby book as baby’s first photo. Expectant parents can also visit the internet to see baby photos of the fetus in different stages of development, so that they know what is happening during each stage of the pregnancy. This couldn’t be any more exciting for an expectant mother and father. A very special glimpse at how babies kick and move about in the warm amniotic fluid filled sack. It’s hard to believe until you actually see it for yourself.

The more traditional baby photos that most of us think of are the first pictures from the hospital, with the baby wrapped like a burrito in a blanket with a cute hand knit hat on. Some babies are even dressed in cute little outfits that are usually two sizes too big and they are either cooing for the camera or are not cooperative at all. These first baby photos are the most precious and can be included on the birth announcements so that everyone will get a copy to keep. This is just the beginning of the large collection of baby photos that will soon be accumulating -  every movement, sleeping poses and smile or coo is a reason to take a picture. Baby photos taken by professional photographers are also a nice way to celebrate the birth of a new baby. Parents can pose together or individually with the baby in either color or black and white for a stunning portrait. You can also submit pictures to baby photo contests and maybe your baby will be chosen the winner!

If you don’t have a new baby of your own and need to collect baby photos for a special project or just because you want to check them out, visit a number of online sites that have nothing but creative, cute, and adorable baby photos. Some of the most popular baby photos are the ones taken by Anne Geddes, which can be seen in a number of formats, such as calendars, wall portraits, cups, greeting cards and on other items too. Those cute pictures with the babies dressed as flowers or bumble bees, posed so perfectly in watering cans, copper tubs, and claw foot bathtubs really make a nice gift item or you can buy one for yourself just because they’re so darn cute! Baby photos reflect the innocence that was in all of us at one time, when we didn’t have a care in the world!

Adobe Photo Shop is one of the most commonly used graphics editing programs out there today, and by no coincidence it is also the best one.  This is probably because Adobe Photo Shop is the pretty much the only graphics editing program out there.  While there probably are alternatives, I’ve never heard of anyone using them.  This is something of a shame too, because I can’t stand Adobe Photo Shop, and I’d love for someone to come out with a decent alternative.

Don’t get me wrong, Adobe Photo Shop is an extremely powerful tool, and if you know how to use it well, you can do amazing things with graphics and digital photography.  The problem is figuring out how to use the darn thing.  There are entire series of classes devoted to using Adobe Photo Shop.  You can take several of these and still only have a very basic idea of what you can do with the program.  This is partly a testament to the sheer vastness of the program, but is more an example of how it is extremely hard to figure out.  They weren’t thinking about user friendliness when they put together Adobe Photo Shop, that much is certain.

I can’t stand Adobe, personally.  Who are these people, and how do they keep coming up with software that dominates the market when it is such a pain in the ass to use?  We’ve all been using their annoying PDF software for years and now they’re somehow ruling the digital photography software world as well.  Every time I fire up my computer, it seems like I spend a good 10 minutes getting “updates” from Adobe.  Maybe its just their name that irritates me.  It’s somehow fitting that their named after a kind of dried mud.

Probably the most annoying thing of all is the huge price tag on Adobe Photo Shop.  I don’t mind dropping 300 dollars or more for a program that is really well made, well thought out and useful, but unfortunately I feel like Adobe Photo Shop is only really the latter.  Then they come out with these “new versions” which are only just slightly different from the older ones and still just as hard to use.  Just when you are finally beginning to get the hang of one version, you have a “newer” version to contend with and another price tag to negotiate.

When all is said and done, Adobe Photo Shop is a very powerful tool to know how to use.  Having even a basic understanding of the program is something you can put on a resume, and know the program inside and out would make you a hot commodity in a lot of job markets.