Students Of Success

When I bought my first digital camera, complete with its little viewing screen, people would invariably ask, “Can I see the picture?” Children would ask me to take their picture, and then run over and ask to see it, then go back and ask me to take another!

It’s great to have all that excitement, but were my pictures actually the best they could be?

Here are 7 tips that I have learned that have improved the quality of my photos.

1. Use the high resolution setting. At the start, I had the resolution set to medium. That way I was able to take about 100 pictures before having to download the memory card to my computer’s hard disk. That was fine for viewing on screen, but then one day I wanted to do an 8×10 paper version, and the results were disappointing. Now I always use the highest resolution my cameras can provide. I have had to spend some money on more memory cards, but it was worth it.

2. Use a Tripod. Even the slightest movement of the camera can create a blurry image. Invest in a tripod. I have also found that when taking group shots, I am better able to judge when to “click” if I am looking directly at the group, rather than through the view finder.

3. Buy a Good Photo-Editing Program. Perhaps your camera came with Photoshop Elements, or similar. If not, go to your computer retailer and buy one. Not only can you fix blemishes (maybe Susan was having a bad zit day), but you can do more creative things as well. Recently I combined a photo of my grand-daughter with one of Dora-the-Explorer. Jasmine loved it.

4. Watch the Compression. As you use that fancy photo editing program, be careful of your compression setting. Most programs default to “jpeg” format, which saves space by selectively removing pixels, and recreating them the next time you view the photo. If you open, edit, and save a photo multiple times, the over-all quality decreases. Try to do all your editing in one pass, using the lowest compression, or use a format like “tiff”, which does not compress.

5. Get in Close. Don’t waste pixels on excess background. Get in closer, either physically or with an optical zoom setting.

6. Good Things Come in Threes (or more!). Considering the incremental costs of taking a photo with a digital camera (close to nil!), you should take lots of shots. If the shot is available for more than a few seconds, take more that one exposure. I always tell the subjects of my photos that I will be taking at least 2 or 3 shots of them. A blink at the wrong time ruins the potential.

7. Read the Manual In fact, read it more than once. As if I have to explain this one!

Here’s an equation for you.

(LOTS of photos with your digital camera) + (the above tips) = (a day coming soon when you’ll be proud to show off your creations)

Richard Killey is an amateur photographer who shares the love of his hobby with readers of his website. Visit http://www.photosbyrichard.ca to read other articles of interest.

In the 1990’s, the photography industry went through a revolution. Now it’s common to discuss imagery in terms of pixels per inch, jpegs, and tiffs. No longer do we discuss photography just in terms of film specifications. Digital images—both custom and stock photography—and software such as Adobe® Photoshop® are commonly used. As a result, we all need to be careful. As consumers, there are many options and legal implications to be aware of when buying and using graphic images.

Rights to photos: custom and stock

A question to ask early on in a project is, “Who has the rights?” Copyright law protects images as property of the photographer, with specific rights as defined by contract. These usually relate to time frame, types of use, and use in photographer’s promotional materials.

“For example, if you’re shooting an ad campaign, you may want to purchase rights for a year. If you extend the campaign, however, you need to renegotiate your purchase agreement with the photographer,” notes Kim Cobb, team leader at The AVS Group. “Any models, professional or not, used in pictures, should also sign releases, and you should be aware of any time or usage restriction that may be included in the release.”

“At AVS, you have rights to use images we shoot for you for as long as you want, in any type of media. There is no additional charge for these rights,” says Cobb. On the other hand, rights for stock images vary depending on the purchase agreement. Usually stock image firms allow the user free use of an image to present a concept or rough. If the user wants to use the image in a project, though, the image must be purchased.

Purchased images generally come in two types: traditional and royalty-free. The traditional license purchase is based on a full gamut of contract specifics and should be carefully reviewed. The second type, royalty free, typically allows the buyer to use the image with very few restrictions. Usually they are purchased for a one-time flat fee and altered to create new, unique works by the graphic designer.

What rights do consumers have for stock images?

“We’re often asked to provide the stock images that have been used in the creative execution of client’s project, but that is usually expressly prohibited in the license,” says Cobb.

As a rule, licenses state that the images may not be sublicensed, resold, or otherwise redistributed. Nor can they be detached from a product or Web page. Clients can receive the digital media as part of the product, but not separately.

Can consumers use their own images?

Yes. Having a disk of useable imagery at your fingertips is convenient, plus you can always add more.

“You might want to consider having commonly used images of your products or services compiled on a CD in formats you can use,” notes Cobb.

Some variables to consider would include how you plan to use the images (PowerPoint® presentations, Web use, printing, etc.) and color format (CMYK for print and RGB for electronic delivery).

Always read the fine print!

It is important to understand that the information in this article is intended to highlight general issues and is not legal advice or a solution to individual problems. If you do have further questions or problems, seek competent legal counsel before relying on this or any information. It is your responsibility to ensure that you comply with all laws regarding your use of an image. The penalties can be severe.

The AVS Group is a marketing, training, and communications company. AVS is in La Crosse, Wisconsin. AVS helps clients communicate and market effectively. AVS can be found online at http://www.avsgroup.com

A splash of scarlet poppies among lush green fields in the foreground, a medieval hill town in Tuscany, the red brick warm and glowing, in the background – the photograph travel brochures dream of. People will flock to see fields of poppies. Finding the perfect combination to photograph together in real life, even in Tuscany, isn’t always easy. (See my article Poppies in Tuscany – the Digital Photography Alternative if you’re tempted to try to create the shot digitally).

Everywhere you drive among the Tuscan hills in late May, early June the fields of poppies cut a swathe of picturesque colour and strike a chord of nostalgia in those from countries where agriculture is now dominated by herbicides and pesticides. So the poppies are everywhere, medieval towns are scattered liberally over the countryside, but to find the two strategically placed at the right angle to each other, with the right light, to get the ultimate shot, involves a lot of driving down tracks and dirt roads.

Drive south from Siena, towards Montalcino, San Quirico d’Orcia and Pienza and you will find endless vistas of rolling hills, cypress trees, small towns on hills with Monte Amiata gently curving on the horizon. Here and there splashes of red lure you into finding a strada bianca (dirt road) to get closer – could this be your shot? After bumping miles down tracks only to find that the promising poppy field has no view of the town beyond you are ready to consider alternatives. Perhaps a background of a lone Romanesque church with a couple of sentinel cypress trees or a tumble-down farm-house.

It is very much a matter of luck and perseverance to find the right components of the shot - the skill lies in choice of lens (telephoto or wide-angle), angle (lying low down amid the flowers or standing up to gain the panoramic view), depth of field, time of day (morning or evening light).

Look at the shot through wide-angle lens first for greatest depth of field, make sure the background town doesn’t dwindle to nothing, fill the foreground with a sea of poppies. The telephoto gives more prominence to the town or church allowing a bright smudge of colour from the poppies in the foreground. Choose early morning or evening light – once you have found the right place to take the shot, you will have to calculate which is better and wait it out – midday sun will bleach out all colour and atmosphere.

Once the light is right shoot every possible combination of lenses, angles, apertures and framing (vertical and horizontal) that you can think of. By next week the poppies may be over or harvested and next year a different crop may have taken its place. So your shot will be unique, the definitive Poppies in Tuscany photograph of the year.

Kit Heathcock copyright 2006

Kit Heathcock - worked and travelled in Italy for many years, is passionate about food and loves being a fulltime mother. Co-creator of A Flower Gallery home of original flower pictures and Food and Family!

Who can deny the usefulness of cameras? As we all know, cameras are meant to capture our most precious memories on film. Some of those moments, however, happen to take place in less than ideal environments. Hence the camera of choice is required to be more sturdy and versatile then your average or standard camera. As you undoubtedly know, digital cameras have now all but replaced the conventional film cameras we’ve all grown up with. Since digital cameras rely on sophisticated computer boards and microprocessors that are more prone to damage by the elements such as water, the demand for waterproof digital cameras is very strong indeed.

Many occasions such as weddings, parties, and nightclubs where we want to take pictures are full of events that may endanger your precious camera. Among the more common dangers include spilled drinks, watery foods, swimming pools, toilet bowls, and sinks. These are events where a waterproof camera would be an ideal choice.

Fortunately, most if not all the manufacturers offer a waterproof version of thier most popular cameras for sale. In the event that one is not available, all is not lost. There are many protective cases and coverings, some even custom made for your camera, that you could use to protect your camera.

Of course there is the issue of the cost being higher for a waterproof camera, however, when you compare the small difference in cost, it is really not that large considering the benefits you will receive.

Given the choice between a standard digital camera and it’s waterproof counterpart, and assuming all other features are similar, it would seem that the waterproof camera would be a wiser choice. This would insure that your investment is secure and your camera will carry with it, the added peace of mind of knowing that you need not worry about the inevitable perils of water damage.

As always, be sure to check out the many resources available online to assist you in making the right buying decision.

Hanif Khaki is the acclaimed author of numerous technology related articles and the founder of the popular digital camera resource site www.digital-cameras.inform-about.com

Most magazines now accept digital images. The question is will they accept mine!

I won’t answer that question I’ll leave that to you to answer once you have finished reading this article.

It’s only just recently that magazines have decided to accept digital images this is due to the image quality of early digital camera were not man enough for the job i.e. did not produce images with enough resolution and level of detail to reproduce well in magazines. Most Picture Editors on magazines prefer either slides or prints as this is mainly at present habit but is currently changing due to more professional photographers using digital cameras. A good reason your images may not be accepted is if you supply your images already printed, it’s OK to do this for your Granny, family or friends it’s a no no when submitting to a publication. Why, have a close look at your printed image the picture is made up of tiny dots and lines. When scanned by the repro department they have to blur your image to try to get rid of these dots and lines otherwise your image has a moiré effect so you end up with an image that looks bad. Your best option is to supply your images to the magazine on CD-ROMs again don’t use cheap ones they go wrong! You can get approx. 31 images onto a CD of 700mbs if each image is 22mbs in size.

Increase the resolution.

Digital photography and getting your pictures into print is supplying an image to the correct pixel size and resolution in a format that can be easily opened by another computers operating systems. What does that mean, well not everyone uses Microsoft Windows many publishers use Apple Macs some even use Linux if your image can’t be viewed IT WILL NOT BE USED!
Many magazines now included brief information on submitting digital photographs in the content section. Have a look at http://www.photographymonthly.com/reqs_details.cfm. To see how to submit images to Photography Monthly. If in doubt, ask. Did you notice they want your image resolution at 300dpi, your camera only takes a picture at 72dpi, how do I know what size my image needs to be at 300dpi. Help is at hand here’s a link to a little tool, which will help with image sizes, pixels, colour depth and file size.

http://www.searchhuts.co.uk/portal/version/cpi.asp it free. Its called Commercial Printing Information, there does not seem to be anything thing like this software anywhere else on the internet! Using this software to see what size your image can go to and then you can resize your image accordingly in your normal photo editing software.

Size matters!

The pictures pixel dimensions can be read with the above tool so dimensions of say 3200×2400pixels we would be looking for a file size of about 21mbs this would be OK for a full page. The above program can help you decide what size your image will be OK up to.

Why JPG?

Another problem magazine picture editors come up against is images supplied in a unusual format. To save problems later ALWAYS save images in JPG format. JPG format is optimised for compressing full-colour or grey-scale photographic-type digital images. The reason for using this format is that any computer system can open JPG images. Remember, not everybody uses Microsoft’s Windows, many magazine publishers’ use Apple Macs and some people are using Linux systems. Regardless of the system used all will read JPEG files.

Submitting work.

When submitting work remember to include your name & address with a brief synopsis of what is on the CD together with a high quality printout of your images and the file names of the images, this can be easily done in PhotoShop by going to File > Automate > contact sheet. Find the folder your images are in pick your paper size and number of images on each sheet of paper. Please remember someone has to look at these images so small images get a thumbs down as does too many. Don’t forget to stick a DO NOT BEND label on the envelope as CDs don’t like being bent.

New words we have learnt

Moiré effect – A moiré pattern is the combination of two or more patterns viewed at the same time.

DPI stands for dots per inch and is used with resolution
JPG or JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group is the name of the committee that designed the photographic image-compression standard.

Do’s and Don’ts of submitting your Digital Pictures

Do’s
Do Make sure your images are to the correct pixel size and resolution.
Do Make sure you send a contact sheet of the images on the CD together with file names.
Do save in JPG format.
Do clearly name image files on CD-ROM.
Do use high quality ink and photo paper for contact sheets.
Do turn off time/date stamp, as it’s difficult to remove and takes time.
Do enclose return postage if you require your bits back
Do e-mail if you are unsure of what is required or how files should be submitted

Don’t
Don’t e-mail huge unsolicited images
Don’t over sharpen images
Don’t send hundreds of images – be selective, send only pictures to do with that publication (*see below).
Don’t send pictures of different subject matter unless requested
Don’t use cheap blank CD-ROM’s, paper or ink.
Don’t send expensive storage media i.e. the card from your camera
Don’t use long file names remember, not everybody uses Microsoft’s Windows.
Don’t use 3rd party software on your CD’s to try to display your images when viewed.
*If the magazine is say an aircraft magazine don’t send irrelevant images of an say landscapes, animals etc… Stick to the magazine subject.

John Hutchison has been a professional photographer on and off since 1981, he gained an LBIPP in 1990 from the British Institute of Professional Photographers so he has first hand experience! He worked for a newspaper for over 12 years dealing with flat copy and digital images till the begining of this year.

Sadly, not many of us will catch a glimpse of Santa Claus at Christmas. Of course, there will be plenty of people disguised to look like him visiting shopping precincts and local schools. But capturing the real Santa is pretty tricky.

It’s not much use waiting at the bottom of the chimney. Most people don’t have an open fire these days. And, if he did come in that way, there would be soot everywhere and, quite frankly, it makes an awful mess.

So, the front entrance is your best bet. And don’t think he will be early - he will have to wait until all the kids are tucked up in bed and fast asleep. This means that you’ll have to set up your gear and be prepared at about 4am.

Flash is best as Santa moves pretty darn quickly - he has to, there are hundreds of visits to make. Red material looks great lit by flash - beware of the highlights from the sweat on Santa’s face.

Santa is fat, let’s not pretend otherwise. You would think differently wouldn’t you, considering all the rushing about he does each year. I guess, he sits around and eats at most other times. And “fat” means wideangle lenses are best - get out your 28mm just to be sure.

Don’t expect any pleasantries. Santa is a busy man and works hard and fast, at least, certainly on Christmas Eve. Requesting actions such as “face slightly to the left” and “could you tidy the beard a bit” will offend. Just snap away.

If you are lucky, you might get a quick picture of a reindeer or two. Although be careful as they sometimes bite and the climb up to the roof can be treacherous for the uninitiated photographer. It’s mighty cold too - especially at 4am.

Have fun and …. be at the ready

Eric Hartwell is an enthusiastic photographer. He owns and runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums http://www.theshutter.co.uk/forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com Anyone interested in getting involved contact him at shutter@theshutter.co.uk

Nude photography is the genre of art photography, whose subject is the representation of the naked (full nude) or partially naked (half nude) human body.

The aesthetic value of nude photography and its boundary to erotic photography can only be determined with difficulty and inter-subjectively and is also affected by its numerous overlaps with pornography. In consequence, nude photography and erotic photography always find themselves branded in multiple ways, and labelled as works of artistic freedom, aesthetics, kitsch, junk or provocation. The boundaries of nude photography, erotic photography and pornography are so undefined and continuously changing that they are always determined and defined by the subjective moral view of the individual and the generally accepted cultural confines of “customs and tradition”.

Whether the picture itself is art or junk always lies in the eye of the beholder. One (subjective) definition of the worth of a nude photograph is: “A nude photo is then good, when the Model shows it around at the coffee table at her grandmother’s birthday party and receives positive feedback.” (Günter Rinnhofer) Other definitions have been by far more controversial. For Horst Werner this art form has always been about provocation and evoking of emotions. He prefers disgust, shock and aversion (as evoked for example by his photographs of nudes at a cemetery or of disabled people) to indifference, which in his opinion, is often the only reaction generated by other, more conventional art styles. Additionally, it is nowadays no longer such a taboo to depict the primary sex features of a human being. However, in contrast to pornography, nude photography does not actively pursue to excite the audience, although this does not exclude that it is consumed with this intention and effect.

Tasteful nude photography is often regarded as high skilled photography as besides technical knowledge and the ability to manipulate light the nude photographer also needs strong communication skills and the ability to build a positive relationship with his model. A modelling contract between photographer and model often includes additional remuneration to the model besides payment and publication rights.

Subgenres and Subjets

“Feminine nudity must be given to men by the teaspoonful, not with a scoop.” (Coco Chanel)

Nude photography divides into three basic forms: the “classic” full nude with a simple background, full nude model where model is completely naked; the detailed nude depicting certain details of the body, abstracting and making them anonymous, and emphasising the forms and structures of the nude; and finally the half nude, where the model is partially clothed or partially wrapped with accessories.

History and development

The nude is a classic subject in art. Already the early high cultures (Egypt, Crete, India among others) knew nude representations. Its development into other representation forms can be pursued from Greek clay to the art of the middle ages and on to the European art of the modern age. Since the renaissance, the study of the nude human body is an intrinsic part of art education at art academies.

Since around 1847 the nude has also become the object of photography, the first nude photographers including Philippe Debussy, E. Delacroix, Eugene Durieu and B. Braquehais. Models were both professionals and prostitutes and photographs were both artistic and “spicy”, which often invited the aversion of moral and law enforcement officers.

Important Nude Photographers

•	Bettina Rheims 					     David Bailey
•	Eric Kroll 						Helmut Newton
•	Hans-Peter Muff
•	Jan Saudek Meister der Koloriertechnik (kolorieren)
•	Jeanloup Sieff 						Man Ray
•	Paul Outerbridge 					Petter Hegre
•	Richard Kern 						Roy Stuart
•	Robert Mapplethorpe 					Sam Haskins
•	Uwe Ommer 						Günter Blum 

This article was first published by Maria A. Novatschkova, art critic at Poster-art-gallery.com > nude photography

At a Photo Club meeting I attended recently, the President made a comment on another meeting he had attended, where someone in the audience asked the presenter where to find good subjects to photograph. The presenter in question started giving specifics instead of identifying the core issues in question, Attitude and Perspective.

Clients often ask me the same question about ideas, “Where or how does one come up with a good idea for a business or service, for a new product to develop or a theme for an ad?” Oddly enough, the answer is the same; it depends on your attitude and perspective because inspiration is everywhere. Everywhere around you, there are clues to great ideas but you have to be receptive to see or hear them. Once you are open to really listening and observing, you tend to notice things you weren’t aware of in the past. It’s sometimes uncomfortable to look at the world around you and respond to it differently than others do, but it can be very rewarding.

Is the world around you a place of abundance and opportunity or a difficult barren place? Do you think of life as a constant struggle or an adventure?

Take a look at www.MixZup.com. This retail concept is an idea that originated in a three-year-old’s mind. The important point is that Julia’s mother Lynne was someone who did not patronize her daughter by saying, “Isn’t that cute.” and then telling her to put on socks that match. She really listened to her daughter, considered the factors that prompted Julia to express her individualism by wearing socks that do not match and recognized it as an opportunity. Children, with their ability to think outside of the limitations most of us have developed and placed on ourselves as adults, are great at coming up with innovative, unconventional ideas.

To get back to the example of the photographer; often businesses tell me they need photos and their son, daughter, or spouse has an expensive camera…that’s great, but it’s not about the equipment. It’s about the eye behind the camera and the ability to be open to recognising a great shot.

It doesn’t matter how much business training or ability you have if you use it as an excuse to stop listening and observing. If you close your eyes and ears to the opportunities around you, you are limiting your life, not just your business opportunites.

How many successful businesses would never have gotten off the ground if the owner considered the fact that they had no business experience or no money?

Today, make a decision to think of business as a series of adventures and ideas waiting to be implemented.

“First Ponder, Then Dare”

Nancy Fraser is the President of Nota Bene Consulting. Her business experience encompasses over 20 years in media sales and management, ownership of a retail store and involvement in the real estate industry. Free marketing information and tools are available in Notable News http://www.notable-marketing.com

Digital noise in photos taken with digital cameras is random pixels scattered all over the photo. It is a similar effect as “grain” in film photography and it degrades the photo quality.

Digital noise usually occurs when you take low light photos (such as night photos or indoor dark scenes) or you use very slow shutter speeds or very high sensitivity modes.

When taking pictures with a digital camera an electronic sensor (also known as a CCD) built from many tiny pixels is used to measure the light for each pixel. The result is a matrix of pixels that represent the photo.

As with any other electronic sensor the CCD is not perfect and includes some noise (also know as white noise to hint on its randomness attribute). In most lighting the light is significantly stronger than the noise. However in extreme scenes where the light is very low or when a high amplification is needed noise levels can become significant and result in pixels in the photos that include more noise data than real photo light data. Those pixels usually appear as random dots or stains on the photo (for example white dots scattered randomly on the photo).

Understanding digital noise in various scenes:

low light (night photos or dark scenes): when the scene is dark the amount of light measured by each pixel of the CCD is low. When the light intensity is very low it can become too close to the level of noise naturally found in the CCD. In such cases some pixels can appear as noise because the noise level measured for them is significantly close or higher than the actual light intensity.

slow shutter speeds: when the shutter is kept open for a long time more noise will be introduced to the photo. A slow shutter speed translates to the CCD integrating more light per pixel. The effect can be easily understood as the CCD “accumulating” light in each pixel and measuring the total light over the shutter period of time. However at the same time the CCD is also “accumulating” noise. For that reason in slow shutter speed photos some pixels will appear as noise because for these pixels the amount of noise integrated is significantly close to or higher than the actual light measured.

high sensitivity modes: high sensitivity in digital photography is implemented by mechanisms that result in amplification. The CCD amplifies the measurements it takes. However there is no way to just amplify the actual photo light that falls on the CCD pixels instead the noise and the actual light are both amplified. The result is that the CCD becomes sensitive not only to light but also to its own noise. When too much amplification is applied some pixels will appear as noise.

While it is impossible to completely prevent digital noise there are a few options that allow you to significantly decrease it. When taking photos in low light scenarios such as night photos there are two main parameters to play with: sensitivity and shutter speed. Raising sensitivity creates more internal noise in the CCD while slowing down the shutter allows for more noise to integrate on the CCD. The amount of noise generated by both parameters is different. It is recommended that you set your camera to manual mode and play with a few different sensitivity/shutter speed pairs to find out the one that generates the least noise.

Some cameras include a built-in feature called “noise reduction”. Noise reduction is implemented by sophisticated software that can identify the noise pixels and remove them. For example the software can identify the noise pixels based on their randomness and usually extreme intensity gap between them and their neighboring pixels. Removing the noise can be implemented by interpolating a replacement pixel value based on its neighboring pixels.

If you do not have a built-in noise reduction feature or it does not work properly you can use a PC based software that removes digital noise. Many photo processing software include a combination of automatic and manual digital noise removal. Some software packages can also use a few photos of the same object to “average” them and thus remove the noise (relying on the fact that digital noise is random and the noise pixels will be different in each photo taken).

To conclude digital noise should be understood by any amateur or professional photographer. However for most photographers digital noise is not a practical problem even in low light scenarios usually digital noise is minimal and can be significantly reduced by simply turning on your camera’s noise reduction feature. For professional photographers who shoot in more extreme conditions digital noise can present a real problem and can be dealt with using a combination of optimizing the camera settings and removing noise with professional software.

Ziv Haparnas is a technology veteran and writes about practical technology and science issues. This article can be reprinted and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. You can find more information about photo album printing and photography in general on http://www.printrates.com - a site dedicated to photo printing.

Most people don’t want to mess with their digital camera’s settings. The rest of us may not understand what they are for and what they can do. Camera manufacturers realize this and are making it easier to take great photos. It is done through a feature called scene modes. Scene modes are mini-programs designed to automatically adjust your camera’s settings that are best suited for the situation. By merely twisting a knob or pushing a button a few times, you are able to quickly and easily adjust your camera to get a great shot nearly every time.

Here are some of the more common scene modes and what they do:

Backlight - eliminates dark shadows when light is coming from behind the subject or when the subject is in the shade.

Beach/Snow - this mode is used when photographing beach, snow and sunlight water scenes. Exposure times and white balance are set to help prevent the scene from becoming washed out looking.

Fireworks - shutter speed and exposure are set for shooting fireworks: pre-focusing and the use of a tripod is highly recommended.

Landscape - this mode is used to take photos of wide scenes. The camera automatically focuses on a distant object.

Macro - is used to take close-up shots of small objects, such as coin, flowers or insects. The lens can be moved closer to the object than in other modes. The use of a tripod is highly recommended.

Night Scene - is used when photographing night scenes - what else? Slow shutter speeds are used. You’ll need that tripod again.

Panning or Action - this mode will “freeze” the action of the subject while blurring the background to give the feel of motion or speed.

Panorama - is used to take a series of shots from one point and “stitch” them together with software to make a wide angle scene.

Party Mode - is used to take photos in a dim lit room. Exposure and shutter speeds are adjusted for room brightness. The camera must be held very steady in this mode.

Portrait - this mode automatically focuses on the subject and puts the background slightly out of focus.

Sports - is similar to action modes. Fast shutter speeds “freeze” the action. Best shots will result when taken in bright lighting conditions and when you are pre-focused on an area.

Sunset - is used to take photos of sunsets and sunrises. This mode helps keep the deep hues in the scene.

Some cameras have as many as 20 different scene modes. Some modes will automatically adjust the size of your photo for on-line auction. Some are supposed to take 10 pounds off the subject. Regardless of how many scense your camera has, always read the instruction manual. Each manufacturer has their own terminology. By understanding and using scene modes, you will get a great shot every time.