When good color goes bad…

Even with the popularity of digital technology, and the availability of equipment and software associated with it, many printing firms are still slow to make the changes needed to upgrade their business. More so when it comes to digital photography.

More often than not, most typical printing outfits are no set up to process digital files that bad results do happen. Mistakes are often made such as conversions of files to CMYK doing irreparable damage to the images, and the operator trying to rectify his mistakes by fixing it with a series of layers, selections, masks and adjustments. These further aggravates the already damaged file by introducing new problems like banding, and colors that look muddy, desaturated, neutralized, and unappealing.

But this situation can be avoided and great results can be achieved. If you feel that you are not getting the best output for your digital camera images, here are a few key tips for you:

Tip 1: PROFILES

It's a must to ask your chosen printer whether they honor embedded RGB profiles. This would mean that they have the capacity to handle RGB color separation work. If they don't want to get your RGB file, or they seem like they don't care or understand what you're saying, then it's time for you to go to another printer.

Tip 2: CALIBRATED

Remember to use shops and facilities that regularly calibrate their displays. This can be done with a hardware calibration system.

Tip 3: INK JET PRINTS

To avoid second-guessing where the mistakes rest, it is better to just provide your printer with prints, especially to alert operators to potential problems.

Tip 4: SHARPNESS

Although well-sharpened images look a bit intimidating when viewed in Photoshop, especially at 1:1, your image will print well. Great sharpness is required when you're dealing with coarser screens and uncoated stocks.

Tip 5: FOR POSITION ONLY

Layouts showing FPO images cropped and scaled will help printers provide optimum and sharpened result to your image.

Tip 6: COLOR CHECKER

With each new set up for color reference, one printer suggests that you ask your photographer to do a shot of his Gretag MacBeth "Color Checker" target.

Tip 7: RAW FILES

Ask your photographer if he or she can provide you with digital camera raw files. These raw files will provide you with the greatest latitude and quality in the hands of skilled operators.

The best way to go about this problem is to simply deal with printing companies whose prepress staffs understand the basics of color management. People who know and are experts on the advantages of digital raw camera files, and explain them to you when asked.

If not, then it's better for you to change now.

About the Author

Granny's Mettle is a 30-something, professional web content writer. She has created various web content on a diverse range of topics, which includes digital printing topics, medical news, as well as legal issues. Her articles are composed of reviews, suggestions, tips and more for the printing and designing industry. Her thoughts on writing: "Writing gives me pleasure… pleasure and excitement that you have created something to share with others. And with the wide world of the Internet, it gives me great satisfaction that my articles reach more people in the quickest time you could imagine." On her spare time, she loves to stay at home, reading books on just about any topic she fancies, cooking a great meal, and taking care of her husband and kids. For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.losangelesprintingservice.com

Photography - Things to Consider Before Buying a Camera

Before you are able to take the kind of photos you want to take, it is important to think about the equipment you would like to start out with. Probably the most important decision you will have to make is what kind of camera to buy. There are so many options and brands now that the whole process can seem quite overwhelming.

Shopping for Cameras:

If you are planning to become a serious photographer you should probably buy an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera. The term single lens reflex comes from the fact that the camera has a view of the subject through a single lens and that view is reflected to the viewfinder so the photographer can see exactly what is going to be in the picture. The Digital SLR's are getting so advanced that it's very hard to choose a film camera over a digital. The main advantage of an SLR camera over a point-and-shoot digital camera is the fact that you can change lenses and filters whenever you want to, although new point-and-shoot cameras have increasing optical zoom and similar capabilities. Point-and-shoot cameras are also a great idea if you just want something simple and small that is convenient to carry wherever you go.

What to Look for in Lenses:

Lenses are what your camera uses to focus on the world. All lenses are defined by their focal length and aperture. The focal length tells you what the angle of view is and how far it magnifies. The aperture is the amount of light that the camera is letting into the sensor. Any lens lower than 50 mm focal length is considered wide-angle. Any at 50 mm is considered normal. And any lens above 50 mm is considered a telephoto. But there are also zoom lenses that have a variable focal length. With a zoom lens you can cover a wide range such as 28 mm to 105 mm or 80 mm to 210 mm.

Lenses can be very expensive and very cheap and it is usually the faster lenses or the ones with the wider apertures that are the highest priced. The faster lenses are more appealing primarily because they can produce better pictures in dim light without a tripod. But it is quite possible to find great lenses at low prices. Probably the first lens you buy should be broad range zoom lens such as a 28 mm to 105 mm. The slight drawback of zoom lenses is that they are slower and they don't quite match the sharpness and contrast of a fixed focal length lens.

Do You Need any Filters?

Another very important item that you should definitely acquire is an ultra-violet filter (UV filter). It is a simple piece of glass that screws on to the end of your lens and protects it from scratches, dust, dirt, moisture and fingerprints while reducing unwanted ultra-violet light.

But when you buy a UV filter you might as well get a polarizer filter as well. A polarizer filter is most commonly used for darkening the sky by cutting through atmospheric haze. This affect can also dramatically improve the results of black and white photography. Polarizer filters are also good for removing reflections from glass or water.

Get a Tripod:

We would also strongly recommend that you buy a tripod of some kind which is vital when there is not enough light to handhold a picture. Some of the best pictures you've seen at dusk, night, or just when it’s cloudy have almost certainly been taken using a tripod. Tripods allow you to use your camera's full range of shutter speed and aperture combinations which can sometimes creating amazing unexpected results.

You should pick a tripod that is plenty sturdy but also convenient enough to carry wherever you might want it. You also might want it tall enough so you can look through your camera at eye level.

Some Memory Card Details:

Memory cards are extremely convenient with digital cameras but you need to make sure you have all the space on them that you want. It is always a good feeling to know that you can take all the pictures that you want when you think you have a good opportunity. Most SLR's take Compact Flash memory cards, smaller cameras usually either take Secure Digital memory cards or Sony memory sticks.

It is convenient to have only one format of memory card if you have multiple cameras because then you can interchange them even between a big SLR and a small point and shoot camera. The smaller cameras usually use secure digital cards and Sony memory sticks but some very nice ones use compact flash cards. One thing you must always do is remember to format the card after you unload pictures and put it back into the camera or else you won't have the full capacity of the card.

If you are looking to buy a new digital camera you should consider these things or you might have regrets later.

About the Author

Richard Schneider is a digital photography enthusiast and founder of http://www.picturecorrect.com/which offers tips and news about digital photography, digital camera reviews, photoshop tutorials and computer wallpaper

Expert Tips for Professional-Quality Photographs

by Mike Churchill © 2006, All Rights Reserved

It would be safe to guess that almost every home in America has at least one camera. Whether digital, 35mm or video, the vast majority of the population has taken photos or videos on a casual basis. If casual photography isn't your style, here are some expert tips for taking photographs as good as the pros.

Get Creative With Poses

For years we've all heard that posed photos are a bad thing: that we should aim for the spontaneous shots. That's simply not true. What was bad was the type of posing people chose! Think creatively. Photography school instructors encourage students to place people in familiar surroundings doing unusual things. For instance, rather than having your three children sitting at the end of a bed shoulder-to-shoulder, pose them lying on the bed with their chins in their hands.

Rather than an ordinary side-by-side mom-and-daughter shot, pose mom and daughter nose-to-nose. Photography school graduates will tell you that a talent for creative posing is one of the most sought-after attributes any professional can have.

Know Your Equipment

Those who hold a photography degree are quick to point out how vital it is to know your equipment. Whether you choose to take pictures with a video, 35mm or digital camera, you must have a good understanding of the settings, features and abilities of that camera.

While many may cringe at the thought, it's always a great idea to read your user's manual. You may be missing valuable information on how to use special features that could make a big difference in the quality of your pictures.

Use Digital Cameras Only With Still Shots

Most home-use digital cameras have a one- or two-second delay before shooting. That's perfectly fine when taking a picture of your new car or the vineyards in the wine country of California. Photography school instructors warn, however, that digital cameras are not always great for shooting moving objects such as pets, wildlife, children in action or sporting events. If you have to be sure you get the shot at an exact moment, a film camera will work best.

Use Flash Outdoors

While flash is traditionally thought of as an indoor-only feature, it also has many applications outside. The sun can create shadows over faces and images. Pros know that using flash outdoors can counteract the effects of the sun on your photos.

Get Close

It's a common mistake in amateur photography to take pictures of people from a far distance. The normal result is a picture with people so small they aren't identifiable. For better pictures, get up close, so you can see the person's face well. This way you can clearly see the person or people in the picture.

Photography is a combination of creative art and science. The more creative you become, the more interest you'll find in your pictures. The more you know about the science of photography, the more control you'll have over the outcome. Read articles, buy books or even earn your photography degree. Soon, you'll be taking expert-quality photos just like the pros!

About the Author

Mike Churchill provides online marketing support for Brooks Institute of Photography, a California photography school for those who aspire to become professional photographers, graphic designers or filmmakers. Courses are taught by dedicated professionals who believe in the philosophy of "learning by doing." Get your photography degree at http://www.brooks.edu.

Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch

The best advantage of a Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch is its size, or lack of it! . Earlier, people used CRT monitors, which were big and occupied lots of space. But now with new advancements in technology, Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch is widely used. All the work in a Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch is done behind its thin screen by liquid crystals and millions of transistors. So, the Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch doesn't need a long case.

If you are looking for more table space, the Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch is handy for you. Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch with a built-in USB port is even more handy, if your touch screen monitor has all four USB ports in the back of the machine. No longer you are needed to pull the computer out from behind the desk, to simply download pictures from your digital camera. You just plug the camera into one of the Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch's USB ports, and you're good to go.

Another nice thing about Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch is its level of brightness. Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch displays are also usually crisper. Graphics and Text have sharper edges on the Panel Touch Screen Monitors. CRT Monitors use an analog signal, i.e., it is carried on a wave. Flat Panel Monitors can be either analog, or digital. Many flat Monitor Screen Touch Panels have connections for both.

Using a Digital Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch depends on your video card. This is a circuit board inside your computer. Its output points stick out of the back of your Flat Panel Monitor Screen Touch. If your Flat Monitor Panel Screen Touch is relatively new, you may have both digital and analog outputs on your video card.

About the Author

Online entrepreneur Sara Jenkins, is dedicated to helping others and their needs to succeed in life by offering free tips everyday. To learn more about her free tips program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE bonus how-to books and resources, visit www.TipsEveryDay.com

Getting the right digital camera for me

There are really great advantages in digital photography:

You can shoot till you drop
Taking digital images on your camera has no implication other then you have captured the image. Then you can review each image on the small screen on the back of your camera. You can shoot as many pictures of the same scene as you like – store them in memory – delete the ones that you do not like and print the one(s) you like.
Each image is a winner

Alternatively you can put an image up on a computer screen or email it to all you friends – can black mail be this easy?
Print at home or in a lab

You can print your image at home on a photo printer – turn your image into a greeting card, calendar, or a whole other list of photo memorabilia. Or hand over the job to the professionals.
So what digital camera should I buy?

A question we are often asked is ’what sort of camera should I buy’? There are literally hundreds of different models available from a large number of well known manufacturers.

This is a difficult question, which might be answered in a complex way. Rather, here we have tried to emphasise the salient points and assist you in your decision.

Key components of the camera, which will influence your buying decision will include:
What do I want to use the camera for? How big an image can I print? Does the camera have a zoom? What size and weight is the camera?
How big an image can I print?

If your objective is to take a camera on holiday, take it onto the beach and up a mountain and to print memorable images of your time on 6 x 4 inch prints, then do not spend a lot of money on your camera. A small compact camera with an image resolution of 2 or 3 Mega Pixels will be adequate for your needs and should you drop the camera or get sand in its workings then you will be pleased that you did not spend too much money.
More serious photographers will want to make bigger pints or selectively enlarge. They will want a higher image resolution and will benefit from a zoom lens.
So – what is this MegaPixel thing? Well it is the image size – quality – taken by the camera. The higher the number – the better the quality and the larger the prints which can be made.
Does the camera have a zoom?

In past times zoom lenses were regarded as second best because of their distortion and fogging. This is no longer the case – zoom lenses are truly brilliant. 3 x zooms are common and 6 x zooms feature on the more expensive cameras. So you can have a single lens which covers both wide angle views and provides a short telephoto. All very usefully packaged in a lightweight camera.

Beware of Digital Zoom. This is a technique, which zooms in on a portion of the image by processing the picture and interpolating the image between pixels – a technique which always produces inferior results.
What is the size and weight of the camera?

Digital cameras do not have to be bulky or heavy. Indeed there are some very small models available, which will fit inside a handbag. However the more sophisticated gear tends to be bulkier – and heavier. Professional models with interchangeable lenses and external flash guns will require their own hold all.
Making the Right Selection

There is a fantastic range of digital cameras available on the market. Nonetheless manufacturers focus on their customers and target specific models at certain sectors of the market. The table below summarises the information, which we have discussed.
Basic camera

A fixed lens camera priced at less than £50 [Or $90 USD] which takes digital images of up to 1 MegaPixel - will be adequate for computer or television screen display.
Party Camera

A compact design camera with a fixed lens – cost up to £150 [Or $280 USD] - taking images of up to 2 MegaPixel - will generate good quality images suitable for printing up to 4 x 5 inches
Holiday Camera

Another compact design but with a 2 – 1 zoom lens and costing between £200 and £400 [$350 - $800 USD] taking images or between 3 and 5 MegaPixel which will be suitable for printing up to 10 x 8 inches
Serious Camera

A SLR style camera with a 5 – 1 zoom lens costing between £600 and £1000 [$1000 - $2000 USD] and producing images of up to 6 MegaPixel which will produce prints of up to 12 x 16 inches
Professional Camera

An SLR camera with interchangeable lenses and costing upwards of £1,500 [Or around $3000 USD], which will take images of up to 8 MegaPixel, which will print to poster size.

SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. These are cameras, which do not have a separate viewfinder. Rather the operator looks through the lens of the camera. Momentarily before the shutter is opened a mirror flicks up and the light passing through the lens is allowed to hit the sensitive surface of the camera. In many cases the lens at the front of the camera can be changed for another type. A variation on this presents the image as seen by the camera in a digital liquid crystal display either on the back of the camera or through a viewfinder.

Flash. Many of the inexpensive cameras will have on board flash – remember that these will only work up to about 10 feet, and they might produce red eye. More expensive cameras will expect the user to use an independent external flashgun.
Camera Accessories

Most digital cameras come with interface cables and PC software bundled. So if you have a PC at home or work you can ‘download’ images from your camera to your PC, do basic editing such as removing red eye and delete the images you do not want! Your valued images you can store for future generations on CD Rom or another recording medium.
Digital Memory Media

Sometimes known as Smart Card, Compact Flash, Multi Media Card, Memory Stick. These are the memory chips on which your images are stored – some people refer to them as digital film. The larger the capacity of the media, the more images it can store. So buy one larger then you need – for now. Images can be deleted from the media – but back them up on a CD Rom or DVD before you erase the card.
Final Hint – Keep lots of batteries handy. Digital cameras use a lot of power!

About the Author

Christopher Thomas is a keen photographer and company director of Viewlink Ltd based in Amersham, Uk. The company provides digital photo developing for both amateur and commercial photographers. For more articles by Christopher Thomas please visit the company website at http://www.view-link.com/guides.html