Jetev Weblog

Point and click. The new life of digital cameras gives us all the opportunity to capture images as we go. Whether you simply hit the shutter button to take pictures of your friends and family or if you want to have your camera with you at all times in order to capture the beauty of life wherever you find it, getting the most out of your digital camera can be easy.

Let’s imagine ourselves with the perfect set up of digital camera and a few accessories to make things just right. My personal and professional recommendation is that we start with memory. Get more today. If you only have one memory card for your camera it is time to add to the collection. If you have more than one then good job! The more memory you have for your digital camera the less likely it will be that you get stuck wanting to take more pictures and have no more room on the storage. Memory is relatively cheap, takes up no space in your kit and gives you total control over creativity.

Your camera comes with a variety of quality settings to work with when taking images. Don’t use TIFF, leave it on one of the medium quality level settings and your camera will take fine images for you and not eat up all your memory. If you use the highest setting you will get very few images onto your card. They will for the most part be of very high quality but you would only want to shoot at that level of quality if you are intending to make high quality large format prints of your images.

Now if that child of yours is just so incredibly cute and your wall is aching for a portrait of his or her shining face then by all means do it on the highest quality. The key will be to use good software to process the image and then a printer that can make a large format, high quality print of your image. They exist and for not unreasonable prices I might add.

I was stunned at a recent art show in my neighborhood to be looking at a photographer’s exhibit of large size prints (18×24 and up in size) to find out that he shoots exclusively in digital now. He was a former film photographer who switched over in recent years and now makes stunning prints from his digital images. His landscape images were simply amazing and to find out that he shot them on a good digital camera made me very curious about the process, but that is fodder for another article.

Juice is the answer to your next question. Always have more juice. I spent 20 years in the TV news business and my mantra was always have extra batteries ready to go and an extra tape under the back seat in case of emergency. For TV cameras the batteries were always big and heavy rechargeable NiCads. Lithium batteries are the rage nowadays as they are lighter in weight, have no memory problems, and run longer. Digital still cameras can take advantage of Lithium batteries but the cost is often slightly prohibitive for most of us. Some camera systems use proprietary battery systems. I would recommend not buying into that sort of system. Try to buy a camera that uses universal types of batteries such as AA’s. I use a camera that takes AA’s and I have three sets of rechargeable batteries so I can rotate through them and never be caught short. Total cost for three sets of batteries is about $30, and they will last you several years if you treat them right. If you just buy regular AA batteries and shoot a lot of images your battery cost might triple that over a like period of time.

Edison did it and now we consider him a genius. Experimentation is the name of the game. Digital images cost you nothing but time and a little battery life. Play around and take lots of shots of things, people, events, you name it. Look at magazines, newspapers and notice what images look cool to you. Try to take shots like that yourself so you can see how it is done. This will get you thinking about how to make your everyday shots better. Look for new and different ways to frame things, take both a vertical and a horizontal shot of the same thing and see how it changes perspective. Get closer to your subject, or get farther away to see which looks better. Find something unique about your subject and look for a way to exploit that for a better image. Here is and example, say for instance you have a great looking car you want a picture of, well don’t stand across the street from it and zoom in on the car, get right up close with the sun behind you so the car is sparkling shiny and fills the whole frame of the image. Find it’s best feature and center that in the shot say the awesome lines of front of the car or snazzy wheels.

Print something from your camera every week to remind you of the beauty of everyday things. Take shots all the time, pick one and print it out and then put it in front of you for a day or a week. Live life as though you want beauty around you all the time. If you are madly in love then surround yourself with pictures of that love. If you live in a beautiful place then take pictures of it all the time to make sure you never forget how special it is to be there in your life. Don’t let those images hide away and not be seen. Wallpaper on your computer can be another place to put your weekly image, change it regularly with images from your family, work, life, hobby and you will get more smiles and more joy out of your camera than you know what to do with. My current wallpaper takes me back to a wonderful day on a mountain lake this past summer paddling kayaks in the afternoon breeze. What about yours?

Kevin Rockwell is a life long photographer and digital camera convert. He has spent his whole adult life taking pictures and now spends his time shooting sports images, training soccer players, and writing about digital cameras.

Great Digital Cameras

Photography is the art of reproducing pictures of people, objects or places in their exact likeness. These images can be transferred on any photosensitive material. Photography includes taking and printing pictures.

The backbone of photography is the camera, the instrument or device that works on the principle of optics. The camera and photographic techniques have undergone phenomenal changes since the time the first camera was made. The earlier model did not contain the film; instead, it had a small light-shield box with lens and translucent screen on either side. The image that traveled through the lens was stored on the screen. Known as ‘camera obscura,’ it was no more than a sketching device for artists.

Then the scientists discovered the quality of silver nitrate that changes its color when exposed to light. This was the beginning of photogram, a method of making permanent images.

They would place objects on the paper dipped in silver nitrate and expose it to the sunlight. After sometime the area covered under the object stayed white while the rest of the space turned black. However, the image formed was temporary, so the method did not last long.

Over the centuries, the principles, the method and the material used in photography went through many changes. After experimenting with various methods like Daguerre and calotype process, finally collodion, or the wet plate technique was universally accepted.

Modern photography has given a totally new meaning to the entire perception of life and privacy. Photography has made it possible to capture and preserve special moments, in private and in public life. History became more authentic with pictures, and photographs served as evidence in many cases. People made their family tree in their albums. Suddenly life was so much more fun and meaningful.

With the tremendous technological advances in the art of photography, it is no more just fun and frolic but has acquired the dimensions of a full-fledged profession. Photography has many branches and types, such as:

- Aerial photography is the art of taking photographs from the air.

- Art photography is devoted to beautiful pictures for the sake of beauty only.

- Studio or advertising photography is dedicated to promotion of products and institutions.

- Photojournalism takes pictures of events to support the news story and to create awareness among the people.

- Outdoor and travel photography is focused on taking pictures of landscapes and natural places.

- Sports photography records images of the sporting events and games that take place in the world.

- Some types of photography like the macro and scientific and macro or close up photography are restricted to specific fields and are not widely known.

The charm of photography lies as much in the end product as in the process of taking pictures. Looking at an album is like taking a trip down memory lane; it makes us feel highly nostalgic and emotional.

Sintilia Miecevole, the photography expert on photographyi.com has the most extensive resource of information for your photography inquiries. Be sure to click on to www.photographyi.com for everything from cameras, filming, galleries, all types of photography and exposures to jobs, equipment, supplies and much more.

How to Buy Digital Camera Equipment

There are so many digital cameras that it can be confusing trying to buy digital camera equipment. Here are some tips to help you decide which the best choice is for you and buy digital camera equipment that you will get the best results with:

• The first step before you buy digital camera equipment is to set a basic budget on how much money you want to spend. You do need to be realistic about the fact you won’t be able to get the best of every feature, as you may have to make tradeoffs when you actually buy digital camera equipment.

• Your experience level has to have a big influence in your decision to buy digital camera equipment. There is no point in buying too much buy digital camera equipment than you can actually use. For a novice you should buy digital camera equipment that is point and shoot so that you don’t have to worry about manually changing any settings. Digital zoom is not as important a part in the process of choosing to buy digital camera equipment as you may first think. Basically it just means that the camera crops the picture and gives you the center piece of it. You do not need to buy digital camera equipment that does this as you can do it better yourself after you take the picture. You can usually move closer to the subject anyway and to buy digital camera equipment that includes an optical zoom can add a lot of unnecessary cost and weight to the camera. Of course, expert photographers will want to buy digital camera equipment that gives them more manual control over the exposure process.

• Next you need to consider what you will use your camera to capture before you set out to buy digital camera equipment. A fast shutter speed is necessary for moving subjects. You can also buy digital camera equipment that has special features to enable you to take multiple pictures in quick succession for high-action pictures.

• There are a number of helpful websites that give reviews on photographic products to help you decide on the best camera for your needs before you buy digital camera equipment. Of course, you can also ask friends and family about their digital camera choices. Price comparison websites are also essential to help you to buy digital camera equipment at the best possible prices. Remember that when you buy digital camera equipment there are often a list of extras that you may want to purchase, including batteries and memory cards.

Don’t be tempted to go for a trendy-looking, colorful camera if you really want to buy a less cool looking one that does more of what you want. Make sure that you have got as many of the features that you wanted to have in the first place and haven’t compromised too much on them for the sake of a few extra dollars. It is important to ensure that you buy digital camera equipment that you are happy with and enables you to take the photographs that you want.

Steve Gargin is the administrator of digital-camera-reviews.helper-guru.com/camera-card-digital-memory-review/index.html which is a great website dedicated to giving free advice on Digital Cameras.

The term “digital photographs” means photographs that can be viewed on a computer screen, mobile phones and Palmtops. Digital photographs have changed the way stock photographs are sold and distributed. Digital photographs are captured using a digital camera that is synchronized to a computer. Varieties of special effects are applied to digitally the formatted image. These photographs can be copied to CD’s, printed on paper, sent by e-mail or downloaded from a web site. Photographers submit these images to stock photo agencies or represent themselves by launching their own website. Digital Stock Photographs can be obtained directly from websites, stock photo agencies or directly from stock photographers. Digital stock photographs are widely used by advertisers, television commercials, web designers, calendars and greeting cards companies.

Digital stock photography is filed under different categories, so that photographs can be searched easily according to different categories. Digital stock photographs are most often of nature scenes, celebrities or wildlife, but the categories are virtually endless and the list is growing all the time. A customer can receive photographs by electronic delivery, thus reducing the delivery cost and time.

Some stock photography is free of copyrights, which means nobody owns the rights. Therefore, this kind of stock photography can be utilized for free by anyone for any purpose. They are not as in demand, though, as copyrighted works. Digital stock photography added new dimensions to stock photographs in the way that they are captured, displayed, marketed sold and distributed. The demand for digital photography is great and the future is bright.

Why do you like some portraits of yourself and not others? The answer lies in the way the portrait was taken and how close your portrait comes to the accepted idea. People like to think that if a portrait of themselves is needed, they might as well look their best. A portrait photographer must evaluate the overall look of a person and devise a plan to show the person in their best light.

Every characteristic of the face can be emphasized or minimized with the proper use of lighting, angle, lenses and view point. A broad light source ‘wraps around’ rough or pitted skin, making it appear smoother. Conversely, a small source of light increases the effect of texture and brings out the surface corrugations of the skin. a soft filter blurs the edges of detail, further smoothing the skin while having a minimal effect on more substantial features, like eyes and ears. So if the subject benefits from a smoother look, use all the methods above in addition to a good makeover.

A high camera angle is an important tool for the portrait photographer. When a subject looks up into the lens, neck wrinkles disappear and the eyes appear larger. Excellent for a person with bangs, a high camera angle emphasizes a broad forehead and diminishes a too strong chin. A low camera angle on the other hand strengthens a weak chin (good for men), increases the drama in a strongly lit pose, and fosters a feeling of candidness in the picture.

A normal lens (50mm on a 35mm camera) shows a view of 46 degrees and comes closest to portraying the human face and body (down to the waist) in a normal perspective. The foreshortening neither helps or hinders the perspective of the facial features. A two X telephoto lens (100mm) reduces the foreshortening by fifty per cent, flattening the perspective in a flattering manner. Large noses are rendered shorter, the differences in the right and left sides of the face are noticeably minimized, and a turned body has more equal proportions when compared to each other. Photographers call this focal length a ‘Portrait Lens’. If even less foreshortening is required, a 150mm or 200mm lens could be used. Wide angle lenses should be judiciously used: never within six feet of a face and never tilted up or down more than one degree. Outside these perimeters will give up distortions of the unflattering kind, undesirable unless an extreme effect is needed for a specific purpose or an ‘outré’ look.

A flattering camera view point shows the facial features to their best advantage. Long noses photograph best straight on the camera. High cheekbones are benefited from a slight turn and a high main light. Ears that stick out look best when the far ear just disappears behind the cheek, the near ear placed in a shadow. Profiles are interesting and artistic but are seldom beautiful. A profile portrait highlights the shape of the head, the curve of the neck and the character of the nose and lips. Handsome and regular features are needed for this treatment. Crooked smiles often look better from a slight turn of the head, either to the left or right. Both view points should be considered, photographed and compared. If one such view point seems more even, concentrate on that angle. We live in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people. While the person inside is the one that counts, the person outside is the one we have to look at. Let’s make them look great!

Retired portrait photographer. 71 and still going.

You’ve just taken the photo of a lifetime with your digital camera.

It has perfect light, a great composition, and the photography muse was clearly smiling upon you when you took the shot.

You send it off to the printers, and what you get back is terribly disappointing.

A quarter of your image is gone!

The brilliant composition that you so carefully crafted when you took the photo doesn’t have the same impact as the image you see on your computer.

What in the world happened?

Aspect Ratio

Welcome to the world of aspect ratio.

It sounds mathematical, but it is easy to understand once the following four points makes sense:

• A standard 4×6 print has an aspect ratio of 2:3 (4×6 divided by 2)
• A single film negative also has an aspect ratio of 2:3
• Some digital camera sensors do not have an aspect ratio of 2:3
• Aspect ratios are usually written with the long side first (3:2)

Remember when you used to get your film photos developed into 4×6 prints?

The photo that you took was the photo you got in the print. Since the aspect ratio of film is the same as a 4×6 print, no cropping takes place.

But the aspect ratio of your digital camera might be 4:3 (a common alternative to the 3:2 ratio).

Here’s the key point: every photo that you take with a 4:3 digital camera will get cropped when you make a standard 4×6 print. Since the aspect ratios aren’t equivalent, some of your image is lost.

Larger Print Sizes

People who own digital cameras with 3:2 sensors might be feeling pretty smug right about now. But even you are not immune to the effects of aspect ratio.

Let’s say that you take your 3:2 image and make a 5×7 or 8×10 inch print. Do you think you see the problem here? 3:2 is not equivalent to 7:5, nor is it equivalent to 5:4 (8×10 divided by 2).

Every 3:2 photo that you print at 5×7 or 8×10 will get cropped - you’re now in the same boat as all of those 4:3 people trying to make 4×6 prints.

True, this problem is not the same as the previous one. You’re far more likely to make 4×6 prints than 5×7 or 8×10. If the 4×6 prints remain intact and only the larger sizes get cropped then 90% of the prints you make will turn out fine.

Your Options

If you are buying a new digital camera, find out beforehand what the aspect ratio of the sensor is.

• If you want to make a lot of 4×6 prints, get a camera with a 3:2 sensor
• If you enjoy making larger size prints, it won’t matter what the sensor’s aspect ratio is - both 3:2 and 4:3 will get cropped in some way
• If you never want to print your photos, then the 4:3 ratio is actually more convenient since 4:3 is the same aspect ratio as your monitor - this makes it easy to use your photos for desktop backgrounds

If you already own a digital camera, there’s not too much you can do about print cropping - it will happen one way or another.

The only way to control it is to do the cropping yourself. In every photo that you take, leave additional space around the borders of the image.

Use your favorite image editing program and set your cropping tool to the aspect ratio of the print that you want to make (3:2 for 4×6, 7:5 for 5×7 and 5:4 for 8×10). When you crop the photo for the appropriate print size, you are in control of the parts of the image that get lost.

This way you won’t get any nasty surprises when you get the prints back from your most recent tropical vacation.

If you ask the experts, they’ll tell you that there are ten things you can do to make sure that your photos are as good a they can be. These are by no means the only things that will give you better photos but most of the pros agree that these are at the top of the list.

Surprisingly, the first thing they tell you to do, when photographing another person, is to look your subject in the eye. This technique engages the subject and gets the best possible expression out of the subject. Take the photo at eye level. If the subject is a child then stoop down to their level. This is called getting a bird’s eye view and is very effective.

The next tip is to use a plain background. You don’t want to take attention away from the subject. By using a plain background the attention is squarely on the subject. Make sure there are no objects of any kind sticking out from the sides of the photo area. Your subject is going to look pretty silly having a car sticking out of her right ear.

Third on the list is to use flash outdoors. While this is actually not necessary, the pros say that this will actually improve the quality of the photo. By using a flash this lightens the facial area and eliminates shadows that can be caused by the sun. It’s a subtle difference, but a difference just the same.

Number four is to move in close to your subject. This will make the photo as sharp as possible. Plus, you want to fill the photo area with the subject itself and not the things around the subject. Don’t get too close or the photo can turn out blurry.

The fifth tip is to move the subject from the middle. This may sound wrong by instinct but what this does is bring your subject to life by moving him from the middle. Try playing tic tac toe with the subject to get the most interesting effect.

Sixth on the list is to lock the focus. Many cameras have auto focus options. Use them. Unless you are a seasoned pro, the camera will do a better job of focusing in on the subject than you can.

The seventh thing to do is to know the range of your flash. Not every flash travels at the same distance. If you are too far away from your subject for your flash to reach you are going to end up with a very dark photo.

Coming in at number eight is to watch light coming from other sources. A bright flash of sun on your grandmother’s face can bring wrinkles more to view. This is not something you want. You want the light to be even throughout the photo. This may involve moving your subject a number of times.

At number nine, the pros suggest to take some vertical photos. In other words, turn your camera on it’s side. For whatever reason, vertical photos just look good and can make a new photographer’s photos look that much better.

At the bottom of the list at number ten is to be a photo director. Don’t just passively take your photos. Move your subjects around. Try to create a composition with your photos. Let them tell a story.

The above tips should get you on your way to being a much better photographer.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Photography

The reason I chose this as a topic, was I always see people that are eager to learn photography but don’t have the venue and to learn photography.

Here are some basic reasons, I would suggest you join a club.

1. Improve your photography.

Joining your a club will surely improve your photography. Seeing how others shoot
and studying their different shooting styles give you an insight to their
photography. You will be able to compare different styles and effects that
photographers do and choose the one that you are comfortable with.

The contest “themes” will give you a window to the photographers mind and how he
thinks the interpretation and execution will always be different because these are
expressions of their own creative styles.

2. Meet new friends that share the same passion.

When joining a club, you will meet new people that share the same passion of
photography and can keep this passion alive. It is hard to shoot by yourself and
share your work if no one is interested.In joining a club, you have an audience, a
friend and a teacher all rolled up into one.

3. Increase your confidence.

Showing of your photos and learning from each contest will give you the confidence
to be able to present your style and photographic work to others. As you build your
confidence you will also build up your own style and in turn build up your
photographic identity to others.

4. Explore the world together.

Sometimes you are given the opportunity to go travel as a group and explore
different places and share these places thru your photography. At times you are
invited to On-the-spot shooting contests which are usually done out of town. These
are some of the things that put your creative juices to the test. Showing the world
thru your eyes is always a reward in itself.

5. Humility.

In a club you will learn humility. Not everyone will like your style and the expensive
cameras are at par with any digital or film camera. The Photographers eye is what
counts. It is the theme execution that counts. You will always be judged and will not
always be on top. This is what drives you to perform better and want to outdo the
others.

6. Learn for Free

The club is where you can go and learn for free by asking question on how the
photos were taken presented or how it was shot. you can learn from other members
that specialize in different fields like portraiture, wildlife, fashion, interior, wedding
or food. You can share tips and tricks that you have learned and understand how
others do their work.

7. Stock Photos

We have monthly meetings in our club and during those monthly meetings we have
our contest with different Theme each month. Thru the years you will be able to
compile Photos from different topics and from different Places and eventually have
your own mini “stock photo library”.

About the author: Anton Sheker is a photographer based
in Philippines. For more home and garden articles visit his site
online at http://www.photo.net.ph/blogalicious

Anton Sheker is founder and member of the World Photo Directory
http://www.worldphotodirectory.com

It seems like everyone has a digital camera these days and digital cameras have revived the art of photography as a hobby. As digital camera manufacturers improve equipment in quality and price, more people are embracing the benefits of digital photography and putting their film cameras on the shelf. If you’re looking to make the move to a digital understanding the basics of a digital camera can help guide you through understanding how the differences and similarities with film cameras can provide you with a digital camera that fits your needs.

My first digital camera has a 640 by 480 pixel resolution and saved images to floppy disks. It was a little clunky, but it worked well and I was happy with the results. Today, the quality of that camera would barely qualify as a web cam for some people. The technology curve continues to move along for digital cameras but today most digital cameras should be able to provide you with a simple “point and click” experience and provide enough resolution to print 4 by 6 inch prints that you’ll be happy to archive in a scrapbook.

The resolution of most digital cameras is measured today in “mega pixels.” This is a measure of the number of dots which are available to digitally describe the image as a computer file. A digital camera with a 3.1 mega pixel resolution is usually enough to produce pictures that look like a film print on a 4 by 6 print. Moving up to a digital camera with a 5.1 mega pixel resolution will provide a sharper image at the same print size. Can everyone tell the difference? No they can’t. When shopping for a camera, don’t be mesmerized by claims that you must have the very highest resolution to be happy with your digital pictures. Look at samples and select the camera that meets your price range and quality desires.

Generally, digital cameras with a resolution lower than 1 mega pixel are good for images you plan on emailing to people, or posting on the web, but the resolution is not high enough for quality prints. If you plan on making film-style prints of your pictures, you should make your minimum 3.1 mega pixels.

The next issue with digital cameras is how it gets the electricity it needs to function. Many cameras today use rechargeable batteries but some still use AA size batteries. If you plan on taking lots of pictures, a camera that uses disposable batteries can become a very expensive camera, but if the camera has a rechargeable battery with a short life between charges, you might find yourself without power when a great photo opportunity presents itself or you may be stuck buying an extra, and often expensive, rechargeable battery which is custom designed to only fit that specific camera. When you have made you short list of digital cameras meeting your quality requirements, be sure to compare battery life statistics from the manufacturer.

As with film cameras, most digital cameras have automatic settings that adjust to provide a “point and shoot” experience. Some cameras also have manual settings which mimic advanced film camera settings such as aperture and exposure. Digital cameras often have additional features which allow for special effects and even picture taking in very low light settings. These features may or may not be important to you in a digital camera. How often did you load black and white film in your film camera? Chances are these nice-to-have features are not a high priority for most digital camera owners.

Most of the digital cameras feature an LCD view screen. This lets you shoot the image perfectly and then to check it. and is probably one of the most appreciated features of a digital camera over a film camera. The LCD does use up electricity though and by turning your camera off when you are not shooting pictures will preserve battery life.

Most digital cameras use a removable memory card on which pictures are stored. If you have a computer with a built-in reader of a memory card, checking to see if the digital camera uses a compatible type of memory card can make it much easier for you to transfer images to your PC and reduce the expensive of a separate memory card reader. If your digital camera comes with a data transfer cable, keep in mind that the memory card readers are usually much faster and provide greater flexibility. It’s best to keep the data transfer cable in the box.

Overall, most digital camera manufacturers have done an excellent job in making the transition from film cameras to digital cameras a painless one. By knowing some small details about the minor differences, you should have no problem finding a digital camera that you will enjoy and use frequently.

Dave Saunders is a certified nutritional educator and lifelong technologist. He lives in the Washington, DC area with his wife, Irene and writes about his many passions. While pursuing his own enjoyments in broadly experiencing life, Dave Saunders specializes in creating bridges between technical matters and practical application through his writings and lectures to help others create context and see new discoveries and technologies in more a practical light. You can find out more about digital cameras and digital photography at http://www.aboutdigitalcameras.com

Anyone with the right camera equipment, and the necessary skills can set up a home business, marketing photography. You need only to convert a room of your house into an office, and then you can work immediately.

With modern technology in the form of SLR digital cameras, you do not even need the room for a dark room. You need only to have a personal computer and a photo-editing program. The standard is Adobe Photoshop.

It is not necessary to clutter yourself with equipment you do not need. You can hire equipment on and when you need it basis. You have the freedom to work part time for a while until you can devote yourself full time to photography. All you need to be is a serious photographer. There are two types of photographers that makes their living from photography, the serious photographer and the very serious photographer. You can always bookmark this link and then you can quickly access just about all you’ll ever need from here.

Whilst the technical skills needed to make a successful photographer have never been easier, other aspects have changed the business. The market for photographs of virtually every type has widened, the world seems to have an insatiable appetite for photographs. However the price has fallen as the marketing net has broadened. Photographers are needed in many more fields. For instance many people use car web sites, they simply did not exist ten years ago, and they sell their products as a result of photography. Cameras used by scuba diver’s are now an excellent quality, and whilst they are initially expensive, they have forged a new market. People celebrate special occasions more with photography, than they did years ago. The travel and advertising markets have a greater need for landscape, travel and nature shots.

It is now easier than ever to turn your dream into reality and create a worthwhile business out of an engrossing hobby. However in today’s modern world there is more to it than simply pointing a camera, and shooting a picture. You need to be aware of marketing techniques, and here marketing simply means transferring ownership of a product, in this case an image from a buyer to seller. You also need to be aware of any local gaps in the market in your local area. You should also try to be on top of your competitor’s prices, to undercut an existing photographer is one choice, but to neglect to value your skills and not charge enough to cover your overheads is another matter entirely. Remember this, its an important point.

Use your skills to the best advantage of the business and define what you want from it. Writing a business plan helps to keep you focused on the areas you specifically want to exploit. A business plan helps you to define your goals and strategies, it will be changed and updated, but it will help you, to keep things in perspective. You can then refer back to it when things become confusing or complicated. Everyone’s business plan will be different, as every objective will be different, but there are certain common factors that make up a good business plan which will help your business grow. It allows you to develop a professional attitude to your business, which not only helps you to increase your earnings, but also help you to finance your business.

For the photographer it should include, your business name, or your own, with full details of the proposed location of the business, a copy of your logo, as well as details of your copyright notices. What is the form of your proposed business (sole ownership, partnership, Limited Liability Company or Corporation). This should be followed by a table of contents, which focuses on a logical order. There are resources that will give you further details on such as profitable-photography.com

Included after this should be the type of business you intend to pursue, in a fair amount of detail, and it should contain the services you intend to offer. This section should include any future gaols or avenues you would like to explore, stating your clear objectives. This is so you can check at a later date whether your objectives are on course, or if you have got sidetracked.

If you envisage at any time you may need financial help, then you should include your personal business history.

You should also state a clear and concise marketing plan that should demonstrate how your business will differentiate from the businesses of your competitors. You should be able to establish whom your customers will be, as well as where your market will be, as in wholesale or retail or a combination of both. You should also be able to determine how long this type of market will be available to yourself.

The next section should clearly define your opposition, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. This should include the ways you may be able to exploit any gaps in the market in the specific area where you live. A section should follow this on how you intend to market and promote your individual services.

A financial segment should be included as to how you intend to manage the day-to-day bills of the business. How you intend to price your services, and what factors influence this pricing structure, which includes a section on your competitor’s financial structures. This means a fair amount of detective work as well as homework. Get your friends to ask from quotes from the local competition. Or try an even more direct approach, tell your competitor’s that you intend to start a new business, and that you do not want to undercut them, as this reduces the cake for everyone. They may well offer to help you construct a pricing structure that ensures everyone’s livelihood. It is in their interests to help. Not everyone will be cooperative, but it may mean you can get a truer picture of the market factors that govern your area.

Make a list of all the equipment you will need in your first year, as well as how and where you intend to purchase. Note any difficulties that may arise in obtaining your supplies. Note whether the prices of your supplies have a seasonal fluctuation, that may help you influence you when to buy. You should make a note of any local licenses that will be necessary, as well as any zoning restrictions, that may restrict the growth of your business. Your neighbours may not be thrilled at a procession of customer’s to your door, check whether they can restrict your services. Make a study of all your business insurance requirements.

The final segment should be devoted to how you intend to finance the growth of your business, as well as isolating what your financial needs will be. This should include a projection on your future earnings, as well as an accurate assessment of your outgoings’. This should be assessed on a monthly basis for the first year, and on an annual basis for the following three years. An important aspect of the financial statement is an assessment of the break-even point of your business, in other words the minimum you will have to take to pay your expenses.

The purpose of this documentation is to allow you to enunciate what the core elements of your business will be, in doing this it should help you to be able to quickly evaluate the success of your business objectives. If you are not clear on your objectives then you cannot possibly make a plan to bring about the success of those objectives.

Publisher & author: Roy Barker. Roy is the author of the popular ebook, Income from Photography - a downloadable ebook which guides the reader on how to start up and market a Profitable Photography business. It can be viewed at http://www.profitable-photography.com. Other related and reviewed services & research sources can be found at http://www.profitable-photography.com/html/117/ The information on this and adjoining pages may be reprinted and used on other sites providing all information remains unchanged and the article and all pages remain as they are found here in its current font size & image with all links in tact.

Publisher & Author: Roy Barker. Roy is the author of the popular ebook, Income from Photography - a downloadable ebook which guides the reader on how to start up and market a Profitable Photography business. It can be viewed at http://www.profitable-photography.com Other related and reviewed services & research sources can be found at http://profitable-photography-resources.com//