Where can I find good camera reviews?

My favorite place is dpreview. While they don't hit every model, the cameras they do review are covered in a thorough and objective manner, and they offer a clear statement of the strengths and weaknesses of each model.

You should keep in mind that the camera market changes rapidly, and that a camera that was "highly recommended" in 2007 may not be a super performer by today's standards.

Another good place for reviews is the Digital Camera Resource Site
On Imaging Resource see Dave's Picks...I love his recommendations.
Here are some of my Camera Recommemdations :

1. Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera
2. Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera
3. Sony Cyber-shot DSCH50 9.1 MP Digital Camera
   
   

Macro Photography and some neat tips !

Macro photography is close-up photography. In recent years, the term macro has been used in marketing material to mean being able to focus on a subject close enough so that when a regular 6×4 inch (15×10 cm) print is made, the image is life-size or larger. This requires a magnification ratio of only approximately 1:4, more easily attainable by lens makers.

Macro photography is achievd by using a Macro lens. It is a longer lens used to zoom into the subject. 

Some macro lenses, like the Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens, can achieve even better magnification – up to 5:1 macro, bringing the structure of small insect eyes, snowflakes, and other minuscule but detailed objects into striking focus. However, it is more common for a photographer to use a "standard" (1:1) macro lens. There are different categories of macro lenses, depending on the focal length:

50–60mm range typically used for product photography and small objects

90–105mm range the standard focal range used for insects, flowers, small objects

150–200mm range gives more working distance — typically used for insects and small animals

The article "Macro Photography Tips for Point and Shoot Digital Cameras" by Darren Rowse is great for newbies to understand in a jiffy how to shoot Macro Style ! 

Improve Your Photography: Make Portraits Instead of Snapshots

Whether or not you are a professional photographer, you can get professional results from your camera. With planning, you can make your snapshots look more like portraits. The main differences between portraits and snapshots have to do with background, posing and lighting.

Backgrounds in snapshots have distracting elements, don't complement the subject and generally appear unplanned. When composing your shot, watch for bright spots of light behind your subject and anything that will draw your eye away from the main focus. Take a step to one side, zoom in or get closer or even move your subject before taking the picture. A good general rule is that the background should have the same lighting or be slightly darker than the person you are shooting. Busy patterned backgrounds and colors that don't compliment their clothing will also take away from the overall image. If you shoot with an SLR camera step back as far as you can and zoom in on your subject or use a large aperture opening to blur the background. This will make the person in the image pop and will yield very professional results. If color is a problem after the image is taken try turning it into a black and white image. You may end up with some great results.

Posing is not complex. It just requires being mindful of how your subject will appear on a flat photograph. Picking up a basic book on posing isn't a bad idea. Although studio posing and outdoor posing are slightly different the rules will be the same. Make sure your subject looks relaxed. Even the best posing is spoiled if someone appears stiff and awkward. Generally people will pose in a way they feel comfortable and all that is needed are minor refinements. Take a look at hands and remember they usually appear better in a photograph shot from the side rather than straight on. Heads look better slightly tilted. In a seated pose have your subject sit on the edge of the seat and lean forward slightly. In a standing pose turn them to a 45 degree angle. Bodies look better this way than shot straight on. If they have pockets it sometimes help to have them put their hands in them, this creates dynamic angles with the arms and eliminates awkward dangling hands.

Lighting can be the trickiest part. However, good lighting separates snapshots from portraits. The easiest lighting to work with is open shade. Areas of shade that is still getting plenty of light make great portraits. If necessary use a little fill flash on your camera to get light in the eyes if they are dark. Make sure that when shooting in open shade you avoid getting bright spots that are not in the shade in the background. Also watch mottled shade. When the sun comes through the leaves of trees it is pretty lighting to the eye, but in a flat photograph the lighting will appear uneven on skin and clothing and look strange. If possible shoot in the late evening or early morning hours when the light is softer. Evening light will produce nice warm results on the skin. The blue tones that morning light and open shade cause can be corrected with computer software designed for digital photographs, like Photoshop. Avoid shooting in harsh sunlight when possible.

Some last tips are to make sure your subject is at ease and try and get natural expressions. A snapshot can easily turn into a portrait that belongs on the wall if you just take the time to perfect it.

Written by Susie Lee. She is a Wedding and portrait photographer in Utah.
Article from Associated Content
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/72128/susie_lee.html

The classic look of Black & White Pictures !

Black and white photographs inspire me ! They bring in a new dimension to the photograph. You start seeing and noticing things in a black and white picture that you dont necessarity notice in a colored picture. In a colored picture we notice the vibrant/sublte colors. The colors take away the attention from the subject or background.

See the difference

Above the yellow color distracts from the main subject...but below the face and eyes are highlighted !

Any picture is just a two-dimensional representation of reality. If the colors in the scene are turned into shades of gray, from pitch black to brilliant white. The other aspects of your photograph—shape, lighting, contrast, texture, tone—become the dominant elements. Black and white pictures have a classic timeless look !

How many megapixels should my camera have?

The more megapixels (MP) you have, the higher the resolution of your photos. Higher resolution is important for enlarging photos, or cropping and enlarging portions of them. This chart shows how large a photo you can print in relation to your camera's megapixels.

A 6 to 8 MP camera will equal that for most purposes. On a pocket style camera, ignore all digital zoom claims. look for a good optical zoom. 3X is okay, higher is better for long shots. In pocket cameras look for one that uses AA batteries rather than proprietary ones that require cables and charges.

In an article by by Marty Rubenski Digital Cameras: How Many Pixels Do I Need?

He says :

Higher megapixel cameras do have some drawbacks. The first, and most obvious, is price. A basic 5.0 megapixel camera currently runs between $200 and $300. A 1.2 megapixel camera can be had for less than $50.

Storage for those large pictures will also cost you more. A 32 MByte memory card will hold around a hundred 1.2 megapixel pictures. This drops right down to around 60 pictures for 2.0 megapixels and to around 40 pictures for a 3.0 megapixel model. One other consideration, not often mentioned, is that a higher megapixel camera has to do more work to compress and store images, leading to longer waits between picture shots and viewing.

Before you rush off and spend $300 for a camera, consider what you will be doing with the pictures. Are you viewing them just on your computer? Sending them as email attachments? Printing them on an existing inkjet printer? Having them professionally printed?

Rename your digital photos automatically in Windows XP

By Derrick Story, Author of Photography Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools

Unless you really have a lot of time on your hands, I doubt you want to go through the massive folder that contains your European vacation photos and rename them Europe_1.jpg, Europe_2.jpg, and so on down the line. If you're running Windows XP on your computer, you don't have to do this. Simply apply this hack to quickly apply a meaningful label to every picture in the folder.

First, open the folder and select View > Thumbnails.

Click the last picture in the folder you want to rename, hold down the Shift key, and click the first picture; this will select them all.

Right-click the first photo, and select Rename from the drop-down menu.

Windows XP will highlight the filename for the first photo, enabling you to give it a descriptive name. After you type in the name, click the white space outside of the photo and watch as Windows applies the name with a sequential number to each picture in the folder.

Source : Rename your digital photos automatically in Windows XP

8 Tips for Taking Mouth-watering Food Pictures

I am writing my cookbooks and I take my own food pictures. Over the years I have learnt a lot about taking food pictures. them. Here are 8 great tips for taking Fabulous mouth watering food pictures.

1. Pre- Planning : Planning is the key. I have seen that the dish looks best when it is photographed right away after coking. Therefore I always plan where and how I am going to take the picture.


2. Natural Sunlight : I usually try and take pictures with natural sunlight as I have seen that the pictures come out clean looking and natural.


3. Get Up Close and Personal : Get as close to the dish as you can. I like to set my camera, which is a Nikon D70S Digital SLR (which is awesome) with my Macro lens which enables real close up shots of the food.


4. ISO or Camera speed : I like to set the ISO setting to 400. This helps avoid 'camera shake' when you're not using the flash during close ups. I don't like to use the flash, but hate using the tripod so this really helps a lot


5. Angle of the Shot : If you see my pictures the angle I like best is about a 45 degree angle. This way you get a view of the food as if you were eating it.


6. Plating the food : Keep the plate white or monochromatic. Also like the picture above of the "Pohe, as you see I have contrasted it with a green plate as the food itself is yellow. After plating the food set it up to make it look appealing. Take the picture from its best side.


7. Background : Keep it simple. In fact use a white photo paper or a simple table settling. Avoid busy patterns for table cloths. You are highlighting the food not the background.


8. Accessories : For an Indian meal I like to use some Indian artifacts. For a western salad I would use a nice tall glass or tumbler. This sets the mood for the picture.