Category Archives: Classes

DIY Photo Tip – How To Take Your Own Family Portrait

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Thanksgiving is almost here and that means the holiday season is upon us again! Time to start planning all those family gatherings and creating new memories. And what is the best way to preserve your memories than with a photograph or video? Whether you hire a professional portrait artist at LarmonStudios.com to create a family heirloom, a family photo enthusiast with a sophisticated DSLR or you with your iPhone or other mobile device, photos and videos are always at the center preserving memories. Family First Before all the parties and gatherings begin, there is the “what to do for this year’s holiday … Continue reading →

Color Theory 101 – Basics to Understanding White Balance

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What is White Balance? White Balance is the single most important setting to master on a digital camera. The color temperature you select that tells a computer/camera what values equal white. Why white?  That is simple.  Do you remember CRT (Cathrode Ray Tube) televisions/monitors? Remember being told not to touch the screen because it would blow up the TV? This was because the TV’s had the 3 tubes, one Red, another Blue and the last Green, that fired electrons that created a static electricity field around the set/monitor while delivering a picture to the screen.  Red, Green and Blue are … Continue reading →

Composition Theory – What is Dynamic Symmetry?

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Photography is its most basic element stems from Algebra, Chemistry and Optical Physics.  With digital photography we have kind of replaced Chemistry with Computer Science. Let’s face it, most of us are not fans of mathematics; and, many are shocked to learn how large a role math plays in photography.  Algebraic elements are at the core root to photography. Reverting to film base we know that there are two types of film that exist – negative and positive.   The same applies to photographic paper.  As a result, we print negatives using negative paper (two negatives equal a positive). Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to … Continue reading →

Exactly what are leading lines Leading lines simply explained are the visual lines that provide direction and guidance to the eye path throughout a visual image. (Example A) Leading lines are lines within an image that leads the eye to another point in the image, or occasionally, out of the image. Anything with a definite line can be a leading line. Fences, bridges, even a shoreline can lead the eye. You can use leading lines with a subject that is placed according to the rule of thirds your image should be very strong (Example B)   How do I create leading lines The … Continue reading →

Tabletop Photography Spring Cleaning

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According to Punxsutawney Phil, Spring is near. This means it’s almost time for everyone’s favorite event, ‘Spring Cleaning’. One might ask how does photography have anything to do with Spring Cleaning? With the likes of Ebay and Craig’s List to sell our unwanted items, having tabletop photography skills may in fact become your best friend.Here are a few tips on how to create images of your old unwanted items so you can make them look awesome for your Ebay and Craig’s List posts (ads) using tabletop photography techniques. Let’s start with the essentials for tabletop photography.  A good digital camera, preferably a DSLR, … Continue reading →

Landscape Photography Tips

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We’ve all experienced let down after we’ve gone on vacation or even for a Sunday drive in the country through a beautiful landscape, you stop at several “Kodak Moment” signs at a scenic overlook to create beautiful images; you get home and anxiously review your images only to be disappointed! You images have no dynamics, they are for lack of other words flat and boring! You think to your self, “how can this happen to me?” Believe it or not but our eyes have been trained to view everything horizontally or in a landscape orientation. We have television, cinema and … Continue reading →

Shooting Stock Photography on the Side: Making Extra Money

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Don’t worry – this isn’t an infomercial for stock photography that is designed to sell you a guaranteed get-rich quick program. If you’re looking to place – or keep – one foot in the photography industry while working full-time, there are a number of ways you can earn additional income (and work credits) without forgoing your current job. Have you ever wondered where professional advertising agencies and marketing companies get many of the images used to support their client’s marketing campaigns?  Yes, many campaigns do call for actual photo shoots, but many images are purchased from 27stock agencies. There is … Continue reading →

Playing All Angles with Basic Composition Theory

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Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr, Pinterest, LinkedIn, or Google+, Social media remains flooded with millions of images. Getting yours to stand out in the crowd will take skill and strategy. One way to help boost your Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr & Tublr posts amidst everyone else’s is to create more dynamic images. Your images will have more visual impact by utilizing composition theory and elements to your advantage.  For instance, by simply adjusting your optics you can take advantage of your camera angle and create stronger, more impactful leading lines. Use roadways, paths, walkways, walls, fences to creating leading lines.  Use them to point/lead … Continue reading →