digital photo printing

How many pixels make a good print?

One of the more common dilemmas for people is choosing the paper size for printing their photos. Everybody knows that if your digital camera does not produce enough pixels (or actually megapixels) printing its photos on a large paper size will yield poor quality and you will be able to see the actual pixels (also known as pixelation)

Read the complete article on: How many pixels make a good print?

Turn your old paper prints into digital format albums

Although digital cameras have been around for a few years and are becoming more and more popular many of us still have a large number of older film camera paper prints, slides and negatives. Most people keep their paper prints and negatives at their homes and only use digital formats for new photos they shoot with their new digital cameras. In this article we will discuss converting your old paper prints into digital format.

Read the complete article on: Turn your old paper prints into digital format albums

Understanding paper sizes or what is 4XD?

When printing digital photos on traditional paper sizes photos are either cropped or areas on the paper are left blank. Many printing services offer new digital compatible paper sizes such as the 4XD paper size. We will try to explain what 4XD is and why new paper sizes are needed for those digital camera photos.

Read the complete article on: Understanding paper sizes or what is 4XD?

Turning your photos to cash – your photos can make money

If you are an amateur or a semi professional photographer then chances are that you can make some money out of your photos. In this article you will get tips on how to turn your photos to cash. This article is for you only if you’re looking to turn your photos into some extra cash on top of your main income source. This is not for you if you are looking to live off your photos this is not for you.

Read the complete article on: Turning your photos to cash – your photos can make money

Effective use of Flash Photography

Did you ever put your flash unit in manual mode? Did you ever manually turn on the flash when taking a day time outdoor photo? For many the answer to both questions is “no”. For most amateur photographers flash is just a solution for taking photos when there is not enough natural light. Although a legitimate use of flash photography there is much more ways to efficiently use flash. In this article we will cover the various types of flash units available, the different scenarios under which they can be used, the advantages of using flash to achieve better photos and the common mistakes people do when using flash photography.

Read the complete article on: Effective use of Flash Photography

Blurry background and understanding Depth of field

We have all seen beautiful photos where the object is perfectly focused while the background is blurred. Such a photo can be very dramatic and might seem to be hard to shoot. In this article we will give you a few tips on how to shoot blurry background photos that will impress your friends and family. You will also understand what Depth of Field is and how to control it.

Read the complete article on: Blurry background and understanding Depth of field

Avoiding pitfalls when taking high quality digital photos

With today’s sophisticated digital cameras it is relatively easy to take good digital photos. This is especially true if you are using s point and shoot digital pocket camera. However even with such a camera you can follow some tips that will result in better higher quality digital photos. These tips become much more important when using high end SLR cameras in manual mode.

Read the complete article on: Avoiding pitfalls when taking high quality digital photos

Seven common mistakes when taking digital photos

You have probably taken photos before just to find out later that they did not come out as expected. Although digital cameras are getting smarter there are still a lot of decisions that the photographer has to make. There are also many mistakes that the photographer can make. Here are seven common ones.

Read the complete article on: Seven common mistakes when taking digital photos

Tips for taking great lightning photos

Lightning photos are very dramatic. The contrast between the night darkness and the lightning brightness results in very powerful photos. In this article we will provide you with a few tips and guidelines for successfully taking lightning photos.

Read the complete article on: Tips for taking great lightning photos

Compressed digital photo file formats – storing digital photos

Digital photos are stored as files on memory cards and computer hard disks. They can be stored in different file formats (each format has a unique file extension). Most of the formats are compressed to save space and each has its own pros and cons.

Read the complete article on: Compressed digital photo file formats – storing digital photos

Get more money on eBay by taking good photos of your item

A picture is worth a thousand words. When selling items online on auction sites such as eBay this saying becomes more relevant. A picture is worth money and a lot of money. A good set of pictures can make the difference between an item that is sold and an item that is not sold. It can also make a big difference in the highest bid price received for an item. This article provides a few rules to follow in order to take better photos of such items.

Read the complete article on: Get more money on eBay by taking good photos of your item

Exposure value (EV) and exposure compensation

Exposure is defined as how much light hits the camera’s sensor. It depends on the camera settings mainly aperture and shutter speed. Exposure value (known as EV) is a number that represents the exposure setting of the camera. We will explain what the number means and how it is used for exposure compensation.

Read the complete article on: Exposure value (EV) and exposure compensation

Understanding Shutter Delay in Digital Cameras

When using a digital camera to take action photos you will notice that there is a delay between the time you press the shutter button to the time the camera actually takes the photo. In most cases this delay is small enough and not noticeable but when taking action photos, when trying to capture an event that just happened or when trying to capture a moving object this delay can result in a photo that just missed the action. In this article you will better understand what causes the shutter delay and how you can overcome it.

Read the complete article on: Understanding Shutter Delay in Digital Cameras

Creating a digital photo inventory of your house or office

There are many reasons to keep an updated and complete inventory of your home or office. One reason is for easier insurance claims in cases of disaster, burglary, lost or other damages. This article will give you some tips for effectively creating and keeping such inventory.

Read the complete article on: Creating a digital photo inventory of your house or office

Digital cameras responsiveness and photo shooting delays

Digital cameras have many advantages but they also have some disadvantages and response time is one of them. There are three response times that you should care about: the delay between pressing down the shutter button and shooting a photo, the delay between turning on the camera and shooting a photo and the delay between shooting a photo and shooting a subsequent one. This article explains the causes for these delays and suggests ways to overcome them.

Read the complete article on: Digital cameras responsiveness and photo shooting delays

Understanding pixelization in digital photos and photo prints

Pixelization is defined as noticeable square pixels that can be seen in photos that are displayed on a computer screen or printed on paper. Without pixelization when you look at a photo you see continuous areas of different colors and intensities. Here is why it happens.

Read the complete article on: Understanding pixelization in digital photos and photo prints

Taking great digital photos of your home

There are many reasons why you would like to photograph your home. No matter what the reason is there are a few simple tips you can follow in order to get better quality home photos that look like photos taken by professional photographers. This article lists few such tips.

Read the complete article on: Taking great digital photos of your home

Photo printing made easier with DPOF

There are many ways to print photos. For example you could download the photos to your computer choose the ones you like burn them on a CD and take them to a printing service. DPOF makes such photo printing easier – here is how.

Read the complete article on: Photo printing made easier with DPOF

How to shoot sharp digital photos without a tripod

Tripods are used when you need a steady platform to take a digital photo. In some scenarios not using a tripod will result in a blurry digital photo with its objects either blurred or simply out of focus. However there are times when you will find yourself in a situation that a tripod is needed but you do not have one with you to use. Here are some alternatives to using a tripod when one is not available.

Read the complete article on: How to shoot sharp digital photos without a tripod

Digital photo frames and what to look for when buying one

Digital photo frames are new products that replace old paper photo frames in displaying your photos on a desk, on a shelf or on a wall. This article explains what digital frames are, how you can use them and what you should look for when buying one.

Read the complete article on: Digital photo frames and what to look for when buying one

Getting more battery time from your digital camera battery

Like other portable consumer electronic devices digital cameras use batteries as their power source. All batteries have one major drawback: they only last for a limited time. In this article we will explain what camera features consume the most energy and how you can squeeze more life time out of your digital camera battery.

Read the complete article on: Getting more battery time from your digital camera battery

Picking up a digital camera gift

So you have decided to buy a digital camera for someone. Digital cameras are hot gift items. They are also high tech devices with many features and options. This article will try to help you pick up the right digital camera by understanding the considerations when buying one.

Read the complete article on: Picking up a digital camera gift

Digital camera modes – shutter aperture priority and more

Digital cameras can be put in different photo shooting modes. The most used mode is automatic – the only thing you need to do is point and shoot. However understanding and using the other options will allow you to get better photos in certain scenarios. Here is how.

Read the complete article on: Digital camera modes – shutter aperture priority and more

Pixel color depth or bits per pixel in digital photos

Digital photos are built of many pixels. Each pixel has a unique value which represents its color. When you are looking at a digital photo your eyes and brain merge these pixels into one continuous digital photo. Each pixel has a color value that is one out of a finite number of possible colors – this number is known as color depth.

Read the complete article on: Pixel color depth or bits per pixel in digital photos

Orientation sensors in digital cameras

Cameras can be held in two positions: horizontal or vertical (also knows as landscape and portrait). Photos taken in the vertical position are later on rotated 90 degrees (either clockwise or counter clockwise). Rotating the photos can be automated if your camera sports an orientation sensor.

Read the complete article on: Orientation sensors in digital cameras

Digital photo pixel color formats RGB CMYK and HSV

Digital photos are built of pixels. When you look at a digital photo on a computer screen or on a printed version of the photo you are really looking at millions of pixels each with a unique color and intensity. When put together all these pixels form the photo that you see. There are a few formats used to represent a pixel color – here are the common ones.

Read the complete article on: Digital photo pixel color formats RGB CMYK and HSV

The difference between DPI and PPI

Most people heard the term DPI. In most cases the term is used in the wrong context to express the number of pixels in a photo, the number of dots in a print or the maximum dots per inch a printer can output. A relatively new term PPI was introduced in order to resolve this wrong usage of the term DPI. In this article we will try to explain in simple words what is DPI and what is PPI and should each be used.

Read the complete article on: The difference between DPI and PPI

How to take better portrait photos

Portrait photos are very impressive. A good portrait can project so much emotions and feelings and captivate the viewer. Taking high quality portrait photos is an art that takes time to master. This article will give you a few guidelines that can help you achieve high quality portrait photos in a short time and without being a professional photographer.

Read the complete article on: How to take better portrait photos

Travel tips – taking your camera on a vacation with you

Don’t you like going through your vacations photos? We all take pictures when we go on a vacation. It is a great way to perpetuate the experience and remember it for years to come. However sometimes taking pictures is not smooth. Unexpected problems pop up such as running out of film, running out of battery or just forgetting the camera in the hotel. In this article we will provide a few easy to follow tips that will help you in carrying your camera and taking pictures.

Read the complete article on: Travel tips – taking your camera on a vacation with you

How does auto focus work and why does it fail?

All of us use it every time we click on the shutter button. Practically all modern cameras include some sort of an auto focus system. Thanks to the auto focus system we can enjoy an easier photography experience and can concentrate on composing the right photo and capturing the moment rather than on manually setting the focus.

Read the complete article on: How does auto focus work and why does it fail?

Photos that capture moving objects motion

Still photography freezes a scene. A photo is still in nature but sometimes you would like to convey a feeling of motion to the viewer. For example when taking a photo of a moving car or a runner. There are techniques that can help you achieve that – here is how.

Read the complete article on: Photos that capture moving objects motion

The difference between film and digital photography

The debate “film vs. digital” is going on while digital cameras become more and more pervasive. Everybody has an opinion and usually a passionate one. Though there is no one definitive right answer there are differences between film and digital that can be better understood and there is also a practical fact – digital is taking over. More and more cameras sold today are digital cameras and more and more photos taken are on digital media. This article will provide a few facts about the differences between the two.

Read the complete article on: The difference between film and digital photography

The EXIF format in a nutshell

You might have heard the acronym EXIF in conjunction with digital cameras. EXIF allows for additional information such as shutter speed, aperture and resolution to be associated with a photo file. EXIF ensures that cameras can document such information while other software can read and use it. Here is how.

Read the complete article on: The EXIF format in a nutshell

Understanding Red-Eye in photos and how it can be prevented

It happens to you all the time you take photos of family or friends just to find out later on that the eyes in the photos have a dominant redness to them. You are not alone red-eye photos are taken everyday by all of us. In this article we will try to understand why red-eye happens and how it can be prevented.

Read the complete article on: Understanding Red-Eye in photos and how it can be prevented

Shooting photos in Aperture priority mode

Digital cameras support many photo shooting modes - from automatic point and shoot to manual where the camera does nothing for you. One of those modes is Aperture Priority. Aperture priority is useful in many situations and deserves a short explanation of what it is and how to use it.

Read the complete article on: Shooting photos in Aperture priority mode

Focusing your digital camera on moving objects

Focusing is an important part of shooting a good photo alongside with composition and lighting. Focusing on static objects is relatively easy either by manually focusing or by using the camera auto focus feature. Focusing is much harder when the objects are constantly moving.

Read the complete article on: Focusing your digital camera on moving objects

Optical or Digital zoom? The choice is clear.

Many of us do not know the difference between optical and digital zoom. We will try to explain the difference as using the right zoom feature is important for achieving the best photo quality. Optical vs. Digital zoom becomes more confusing as manufacturers are sometimes not clear when advertising their camera zoon figures.

Read the complete article on: Optical or Digital zoom? The choice is clear.

Digital noise – what is it? What causes it? And how can I get rid of it?

Digital noise appears as random pixels on the photo that do not seem to belong. Although digital noise is not a problem for most photographers and is mostly evident in extreme scenarios such as night photography it is beneficial for every photographer to understand what digital noise is and how it can be avoided and removed should it appear on one of his or her photos.

Read the complete article on: Digital noise – what is it? What causes it? And how can I get rid of it?

Tripods - how to avoid blurry photos

The most common way to take a photo is with the camera held in your hand. In some scenes this method can result in poor photos. One reason is that our hand is unstable and tends to move. For photos taken in high shutter speeds this is not a problem. Photos taken in low shutter speeds however can look blurred due to this movement. In this article you will learn how to avoid such poor photos by using a tripod.

Read the complete article on: Tripods - how to avoid blurry photos

Are your photos safe?

Are you backing up your precious photos? our computers and removable storage media are full with experiences and precious moments. However electronic media is not safe. Hard disks crash and removable media fails. Although disaster does happen we all tend to ignore it. Most people do not back up their photos or other important files. Read our short article of how to keep your photos safe.

Read the complete article on: Are your photos safe?

Pros and cons of battery technologies used in cameras

Like other portable consumer electronic devices digital cameras use batteries as their power source. In this article we will describe different battery technologies and their cons and pros. Armed with this knowledge you will be able to take into consideration the battery used when purchasing your next camera.

Read the complete article on: Pros and cons of battery technologies used in cameras

How much does a camera really cost?

Digital cameras are not different than other consumer electronic products. The cost of ownership is not limited to the sum paid to purchase the camera. In most cases consumers find themselves spending more money on accessories and other additional products. Failing to budget for those extra expenses can result in buying a camera just to find out it is not operable without spending more.

Read the complete article on: How much does a camera really cost?

Understanding what the anti dust feature is in digital SLR cameras

Digital cameras use a sensor known as CCD in order to convert light energy to pixels. Dust that accumulates on the CCD can result in black pixels or imperfections in the photo as it blocks light energy from hitting parts of the CCD. We will go over a few solutions for eliminating dust on the CCD.

Read the complete article on: Understanding what the anti dust feature is in digital SLR cameras

Do more with digital photos than just digital photo printing

When digital cameras were first introduced they were used mostly as digital replacement to film cameras. Users would shoot photos, print them and archive them in photo albums. As users became more sophisticated new ways to use digital photos were found. Here are a few.

Read the complete article on: Do more with digital photos than just digital photo printing

What is DPI – Dots Per Inch?

You have probably heard this term many times before especially in the context of printing your digital photos. DPI is sometimes used as a measurement of digital photo printing quality while the truth is that DPI is an indicator of the printer quality.

Read the complete article on: What is DPI – Dots Per Inch?

What is PPI – Pixels Per Inch?

The term PPI is not used much. Many people confuse PPI with DPI or have never heard the term PPI. PPI is a measurement of the quality of a print and understanding this term and what the number means can help you determine the right sizes and resolutions for your next digital photo print.

Read the complete article on: What is PPI – Pixels Per Inch?

Tips for saving money on your online photo prints

Taking photos with your digital camera and viewing them on your computer screen is fun. Sometimes you’d like to make hardcopies of your photos. One of the easiest ways to print your photos is by using an online photo printing service. In this article we will give you some tips for saving money when using such services.

Read the complete article on: Tips for saving money on your online photo prints

Lossless and lossy digital photo file compression

Digital photos are stored as digital files on electronic media. Digital photos are comprised of pixels each one with a unique color and intensity. While digital photos do not have to be compressed in most cases they are. Compression serves one goal make files smaller and save storage space.

Read the complete article on: Lossless and lossy digital photo file compression

The biggest power consumers in digital cameras

Like other portable electronic devices digital cameras rely on batteries to power up their electronics and mechanical elements. Although battery technologies have improved a lot in the last few years they are still very limited in their energy capacity.

Read the complete article on: The biggest power consumers in digital cameras

Continuous focus mode for shooting digital photos of moving objects

It is harder to shoot good digital photos of moving objects than of still objects. When objects are still you have all the time that you need to focus on the object and set the other camera parameters like shutter speed and aperture. This time shortens as the objects in the frame move faster and faster.

Read the complete article on: Continuous focus mode for shooting digital photos of moving objects

Auto and manual focus modes in digital cameras

One of the important phases of shooting a good photo is focusing on the photo’s objects. Photos that are out of focus look bad and blurry. Sometimes shooting out of focus objects is done on purpose as an artistic effect but in most cases a sharp focused object is the photographer goal.

Read the complete article on: Auto and manual focus modes in digital cameras

Methods for photo backups

So you have finally decided to backup those precious photos? There are a few ways to backup photos. In this article we will explain how you can backup your photos either yourself at home or by using an online backup service.

Read the complete article on: Methods for photo backups

Tips for buying your digital camera

So you have decided to get a new digital camera? or maybe it is your first one? Like many other consumer electronic devices digital cameras change all the time. For the same amount of money you can get more and more features: mega pixels, storage space, zoom and more. In this article we will give you a few practical tips for what to look for and how to best pick your camera.

Read the complete article on: Tips for buying your digital camera

Scanning paper prints to digital photos on your hard disk

Sometimes you find yourself in a situation when you have to scan paper prints, negatives or slides and store them as digital photos on your computer. Although the reason for doing that can vary there are some common considerations to scanning paper prints. In this article we will go over some of them and try to make your scanning experience easier.

Read the complete article on: Scanning paper prints to digital photos on your hard disk

Understanding and using auto bracketing

When you shoot a photo you need to set the camera to the values that would result in the photo you want to get. However sometimes it is hard to find those settings or there is just not enough time to figure out what they are – auto bracketing can help – here is how.

Read the complete article on: Understanding and using auto bracketing

Still digital camera image stabilizers - keep your images sharp

Taking stable and sharp photos is hard in some situations. For example when taking a photo using high zoom lenses even the tiniest camera movement will result in a blurry photo. The reason for that blurriness is that while the shutter is open and the photo is being captured the camera moves and the image on the sensor also moves losing its sharpness. Image stabilizers help in solving the problem, here is how.

Read the complete article on: Still digital camera image stabilizers - keep your images sharp

How to choose a camera with the right number of Mega Pixels?

The race for mega pixels has started and there is no way to stop it. Every few months cameras with more pixels hit the market. The manufacturers want you to dump your old camera and buy the newest and greatest one after all aren’t 10 mega pixels better than just 8? Apparently the answer is not that simple.

Read the complete article on: How to choose a camera with the right number of Mega Pixels?

Sharing your photos – using sharing sites and email

The photos we take are all about experiences - photos from our last trip, photos of friends and family and of places we visited. We also want to share those photos with our family and close friends and by that to share our experiences. In this article we will go over a few options for doing just that.

Read the complete article on: Sharing your photos – using sharing sites and email

Tips for scanning paper photo prints

Scanning paper photo prints is rare but sometimes you will need to do just that. Scanning is a process in which paper photo prints are converted to digital photo files. There are a few things to know and a few tips to follow when scanning such paper photo prints. This article lists the important ones.

Read the complete article on: Tips for scanning paper photo prints

What is a digital photo JPEG file?

Digital photos are stored as files on memory cards and computer hard disks. They can be stored in different file formats (each format has a unique file extension). Digital photo files can be compressed to save storage space and can use a standard or a proprietary format.

Read the complete article on: What is a digital photo JPEG file?

Selling products online with the help of digital photos

The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” was never more true. In the digital photography era photos can be used in more types of media than they could have before. Not limited to paper prints they can be used on web sites, in emails, in cellular phones, projected in presentations and more. When selling products online photos are a powerful tool that you must use. Here is how.

Read the complete article on: Selling products online with the help of digital photos

Printing your photos at home – useful tips and hints for best quality

Digital photography revolutionized the way in which we take, view and share photos and also the way in which we print them. Many digital photos never get printed but there are still many of us who prefer tangible paper prints. Photos can be printed using a professional service (in-store or online) or at home. In this article we will give you tips for getting quality prints at home.

Read the complete article on: Printing your photos at home – useful tips and hints for best quality