Give Your Kids a Photo Boost

Here's a unique photo tip that just might benefit the entire family. If you're tired of seeing your kids dragging themselves through school and hating every moment of it, trying giving them a "photo boost." It makes a fun weekend project, and your children just may learn that studying-with the right approach-can actually be fun. Ask your children to contribute to a list outlining the major problems in the world today-from overpopulation and air pollution to poverty, race relations, divorce, and drugs. Have each child select two major problem areas of special concern. Then have each make a photographic record of the problems (the neighborhood smokestack spouting soot, bumper-to-bumper cars lining the expressway, homeless dogs wandering the street). Next, have each child "picture" possible solutions to the problems. A photo of a family riding their bicycles illustrates one way to cut down on air pollution from cars. A farmer tilling his fields illustrates one way to generate more food to help reduce world hunger. When the photos come back from processing, have each child write a short caption for each of them, including what the problem is, and what some solutions might be. This exercise helps to develop social awareness, logical thinking, creativity, and reading-and writing skills in children. It can be a one-time event or a monthly challenge. The rewards for your children will be escalating school grades and a marked sense of self-worth.

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E-Photos Are E-asy

E-Update: Join MyPhotoHome.com (it's Free) and get your own PhotoWebSpace (also Free)! Join Here.
Then you can post your photos (and any other information and text you want to include) online so your friends & family anywhere in the world can access and share them with you!

Would you like to be able to share your photographs with others? Friends, family members, business associates, or whomever? Between the Internet and today's photographic advancements, doing so is easier than ever. You can add your photos as attachments to your e-mail with the click of a button. The computer will download the attachment file (your photos) to ship along with your letter. When the recipient goes to his e-mail and clicks on the attachment symbol, your photos will pop up on the screen. You can also send your images as free-standing files from one computer to another-a convenient way to share large quantities of visual information fast. There are several ways to load your photographs into your computer. The easiest is to use a digital camera. The results take you straight from shooting to viewing via a simple cable hookup. If you don't own a digital camera or want to load pre-existing images (either slides or prints), you can have your photo dealer process your images directly onto a photo CD-ROM or a 3-1/2" disk. Not only will you be able to send your photos hurdling through Cyber Space, you'll have an easier-than-ever storage system with several ways to cross-reference the images for quick retrieval. That sure beats filing everything in a shoebox! Using the Photo Disk software that comes along with your disk will even allow you to "tweak" the images until you obtain just the results you're looking for.

Digital Imaging Made Easy

It used to be that digital imaging was not for the faint of heart. Today, everyone is doing it! by D. J. Herda djwriter@cyberhighway.net

There was a time--back in the pre-Internet days, of course--when sending photographic images from one computer to another wasn't merely difficult; it was impossible. Even so short a period as ten years ago, capturing images from the Internet, saving them to a file, pulling them out of storage, and attaching them to an e-document was tedious and imprecise work. Today, things are different. Capturing images from the Internet is as easy as could be. In fact, creating images for Internet distribution is now a piece of cake. You do need the right equipment, of course, or access to a service with the right equipment-both the proper hardware and software--to send your images hurdling through cyberspace. But once you have acquired that and learn a few tricks of the trade, you'll wonder why you never did it before.

Creating your own images This is the fun part. If you already own a digital camera (or a camera of any type, for that matter), you're practically home free. Check it out. With a digital camera, you can point and shoot and see the results within seconds on the camera's self-contained LCD screen. There you will see, in living color, the shot you just took. If you like what you see, turn off the camera and head for the computer. If not, just take the shot again ... and again ... and again, until you're satisfied that you have the best image possible. If you don't own a digital camera, relax. You can still go digital. Just use your conventional camera to take the shots you want to send out over the Internet. Then, take the exposed film to your local photo dealer for processing. Instruct him to process the film into conventional prints, as well as to convert the images to digital images, stored on either a 3.5-inch disk or a CD.

Downloading images from a disk Once your disk or CD comes back from processing, slip it into your computer's drive. The media contains its own basic photo viewing and manipulation software that allows you to download the images into a holding file for computer manipulation and, eventually, permanent storage. Basic software (let's call it generic, or Brand-X) usually allows you to rotate an image left or right, reverse the image (called a "mirror" image, ideal for transferring an image onto fabric and other surfaces), and perform minor color corrections. It may also allow you to sharpen or blur the image (depending upon your mood and the quality of the original image), to crop the image, and to increase or decrease its size. While generic software has creative limitations, it is generally suited well enough for sending decent quality digital snapshots to loved ones or for sending digital images of cars, houses, etc., to prospective buyers. For additional photo manipulation or enhancement possibilities, you will need to invest in a digital imaging software package that offers greater manipulation and correction options. Adobe, Corel, and other manufacturers make very reliable, comprehensive image-enhancing products suited to either home (that is, creative) or business use. Some of this software contains creative projects and various things to do with your images, such as image-viewing enhancements (like adding a digital picture frame to your images), blanks to use to create picture postcards or calendars, and templates for creating picture stationery, banners, posters, place cards, etc.

Downloading images from a scanner If you have a pre-existing print or slide that you would like to digitalize for distribution via the Internet, you can do that, as well. Simply take the print, slide, or negative to your nearest photo dealer and ask to have it scanned onto a disk or CD. It will cost you a few dollars per scan, but that is a small price to pay to meet your burgeoning electronic-imaging needs. Of course, if you have a flatbed scanner, you can do the work yourself and pocket the savings. Just position a conventional print on the bed of the scanner, hit the "scan" button, and wait for the message screen to pop up on your computer's monitor. Tell the computer where you would like the scanned image to be stored--a good collect-all for your images is a file folder you create and entitle "My Photos," or something to that effect. After the image has been scanned and downloaded onto your computer, simply call it up onto your monitor and utilize your image-enhancing software to resize it, correct color, add special effects, etc.

Downloading images from a digital camera The easiest and least costly way (after your initial investment) of downloading an image into your computer is to use a digital camera. The camera comes with its own image-enhancing software, usually quite a bit more flexible and comprehensive than generic software. It also comes with a standard RS-232C serial cable for connecting the camera to your computer's 9-pin COM 1 or COM 2 serial port. The instruction booklet that accompanies the camera will guide you step-by-step through the downloading process, which is relatively simple and takes only a few seconds per image. Once downloaded, you can call up the images on your monitor and manipulate them to your heart's content, just as with any downloaded images.

Sending digital images by e-mail When you are ready to share your images with someone over the Internet, it's as simple as sending an e-mail. Just click on your e-mail host server, click on "new mail" or "compose message," and write whatever message you wish. Before sending it, click on the "attach" symbol. That will bring up a dialogue box, listing all of your computer files. Find the file marked "My Photos" (or whichever file to which you saved your digital images), double click on the particular image or images you want to attach to your e-mail, and then hit "ok." Before sending the e-mail with digital image attachment, double click on the symbol in the e-mail "attachment" box to bring the digital image up for review. Make sure it's the one you want to send and the way you want to send it. (Remember, there's no "unsending" a digital image once it's on its way.) If the image is too large or too small, go back to your image-enhancing software, call up the image, and make whatever size adjustments are necessary. Don't forget to save the image in its new size. Repeat the process above to attach the newly sized image or images to your outgoing e-mail. Then just click on "send," sit back, and wait, confident in the fact that your images are flying successfully through cyberspace.

Photo Software Adds Spark to Your Pix

You don't have to be a genius to work Merlin-like magic with your photographic images. If you have a computer, even a basic knowledge of computer hacking can net you some fantastic digital results. Here's how. Just slip a photo CD-ROM into your computer's player and call up your favorite photographic image. Then click on the edit menu and examine your options. The free software included with your photo CD ROM is powerful enough to allow you to crop your photos-cutting out those "dead" areas of the scene you hadn't wanted to include in the first place. It will also allow you to touch-up red-eye (that annoying problem that comes from shooting people with electronic flash), lighten or darken the overall photo, change or intensify colors, and even sharpen overall focus! Then, once your photos are exactly the way you want them, make them even better by adding appropriate captions, dates, and comments. You can even incorporate cute graphics and borders-whatever you choose--from the software's library. Finally, feel free to "play" with your imaging. The software will allow you to bend and stretch your images, make multiple images (called photomontages), and even turn your images into classic-looking sepia-like creations. For more advanced editing options, check out Adobe's PhotoDeluxe or Corel's Photo-Paint 8. And remember: it's as easy as checking a box on your next photo order when you take your film to your local photo processor. With just a little practice, you'll soon be the creative photographer you always knew you were.

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Taking Better Pictures - Part 1
"Two, Two, Two Prints in One!"

It's true. People can be greedy And that can be good, especially when it comes to photoprocessing. A little greed there can help you take advantage of specials offering two prints from a single negative at a really good price. Why two? "People are discovering it saves time and money to have two prints made at the same time," according to Roy S. Pung, executive director of Photo Marketing Association International. "And if you've ever seen two sets of grandparents squabbling over the same photo, you already know the value of getting double prints." Another reason for ordering two prints at once is economic. The cost of double printing is usually lower than ordering single prints at once-a savings that can be passed along to the consumer. Double printing is also an effective way of providing prints for both people in a photograph. Fine jewelry representative Pam Schwinn of Minnetonka, Minn., goes so far as to have a print made for each person in every photograph. "I've ordered as many as 12 prints of group shots just to be sure everyone gets one," says Schwinn. "People really appreciate the little extra effort, and the extra cost is negligible." Multiple prints also make excellent thank you notes for guests at a party. You can personalize them by adding a few comments on the back with a felt-tipped pen. As a bonus, multiple printing allows you to put one print in the family album and still have one left for framing. No matter how you slice it, double prints make for double fun. And that makes lots of happy people-at a savings that will add up to plenty over the years!

Taking Better Pictures - Part 2 Special Treatment for Special Photos

Are you a "closet" photographer? Someone who takes beautiful photographs of friends and family and promptly stacks them in a shoe box on the top shelf of the front hall closet? Instead of burying your work in the family time capsule and waiting for the year 2001 to rediscover it, why not put the best of it out for others to enjoy? You can purchase several inexpensive photo albums and fill them with family treasures. Albums make interesting conversation pieces and are a nice alternative to coffee-table books. Everyone enjoys rummaging through other people's lives--all it the voyeur in us all. And what better opportunity to show off your photography? For greatest effect, organize your prints into chrono-logical order. Attach self-sticking labels to the backs of prints for captions like "Yosemite, 1972, Janie, Paul, and John" and mount the prints chronologically into the albums. Label each album with a number and the dates of the photos inside. If you're really ambitious, tape an index of each photo to the inside of the album cover. In that way, you'll be able to retrieve prints more quickly. Personal computers make indexing simple and easy, and printouts can be created to accommodate albums of various sizes. You can also have your favorite prints or slides made into enlargements-from 5 x 7 inches to poster size-for framing. Start out with acid-free archival mat board, available at framing shops and many photo stores, to highlight each print. Mat board comes in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and finishes. Next, have a sheet of glass cut to size. You can use either inexpensive window glass available at hardware stores and home centers or specially made non-glare photographic-quality glass available at framing shops. The choice is a matter of personal taste and budget. Finally, finish the job by choosing a frame that complements the matted print. Frames come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes from oval and round to pentagonal and everything in between. If you find your-self overwhelmed by the options available, ask for advice. Although framing costs vary widely depending upon style, size, and material, a typical 11 x 14-inch frame with matting and glass may cost anywhere from $3 "off the rack" to more than $40 for a custom job. As a viable alternative to high-priced custom framing, you can go to a do-it-yourself framing shop. Although the materials will cost about the same as at a custom frame shop, you'll save approximately 1/2 the total framing cost on labor. The clerk will instruct you on how to use the equipment. For a more creative framing job, you might consider combining several photos into a single photomontage "matted or not, as you desire. It's an especially creative an inexpensive way to display several photos in a single frame. Whichever way you decide to proceed, just remember that framing is a once-in-a-lifetime proposition. Once the job is done, it's done for good. When it's time to hang your photos, take a few moments to organize them into groups. It helps to lay Out the framed photos on a large table or on the floor. Move them around, interchanging one with another until you find the arrangement you like best. In that way, you'll get a preview of how the prints look in various combinations-without pounding unnecessary holes in the wall. Then sketch the arrangement on a piece of paper so you don't forget what prints go where and start hanging. You photographic displays need not be confined to conventional forms. One creative way of displaying your favorite images is to make a mobile out of them. Apply non-staining photo cement to the back of one print and press the end of a two-foot length of lightweight monofilament fishing line against the glue. Then take a second print of the same size and glue it back-to-back with the first. One the cement dries, you'll have a two-sided photographic "sandwich" with a line extending from the top. Repeat the process with other prints of varying sizes and attach the lines to a wooden dowel, a piece of driftwood, or a wire hoop suspended from the ceiling. The result: a beautiful and creative free-hanging photographic mobile. Still another fun way of displaying photos is the use them to cover various objects such as boxes, jars, and tin cans. The result: instant receptacles for such possessions as paper clips, pens, pencils, and assorted knickknacks. For a personalized paperweight, cover a pint-sized cream carton with photos, fill with sand or pebbles, and seal. For a special family treasure, cover a plastic flower pot with photos, spray with water-resistant photo varnish, and fill with soil and a plant. Remember, there are thousands of ways to display your photographs around the house and in the office. And every single one of them beats hiding them away in a shoe box!

Taking Better Pictures - Part 3 Photographing Pets Poses Few Problems

They are, according to writer George Eliot, "Agreeable friends. They ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." More than that, they're quiet, unassuming, and obedient. They're often members of the family. And they make excellent photographic subjects-both entertaining and cooperative. What more could one ask for in a subject than pet! One of the nicest things about photographing pets is that you don't need a lot of costly equipment to do the job. Even an inexpensive cam ill work. In fact, some of the least expensive cameras have taken some of the best pet pictures around. And with today's easy-to-use, point-and-shoot, auto-everything models, you can take top-notch photos of your pets and have them hanging on the wall within days. The key to photographing pets is patience. It you have a rnanually focusing camera, pre-focus on a particular area. Then coax your pet into that area with a toy or a treat. For cats, try pre-focusing your camera on a spool of thread or a ball of yarn. When your cat comes over for a closer look, just snap the shutter. A loud noise is one of the best ways to attract a dog's attention. Just make sure you've pre-focused on him. Then, when he snaps to attention, take the shot. And don't forget to include the kids in some of your photos. For the most natural looking results, sneak up on a child playing with his pet and snap away. Sound simple? Most definitely. But there are a few more things you can do to get consistently good results. ( Get down! A pet's-eye view is much more interesting than the same shot taken from adult's-eye level. Don't be afraid to kneel down to get just the shot you're after. ( Get close! That's the best way to fill the frame with the subject. Just like people, pets have distinct facial expressions that only a close-up shot can capture. When photographing really small pets such as birds or fish, use a macro lens to get within inches of the subject. ( Get plenty! Really great pet shots don't come along every day. For best results, use plenty of film. Most professional photographers agree that there's a direct relationship between the number of pictures you take and the number of good shots you get. So don't be stingy!

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Taking Better Pictures - Part 4 ISO-Choosing the Right Film

With several hundred different types of film on the market, which is the right one for you. Actually, that depends on why-and where-you'll be using it. While film varies from brand to brand and type to type, one of the greatest misunderstandings about selecting the right film involves its ISO (formerly ASA)-a rating of a particular film's sensitivity to light. The higher the rating, the greater the film's sensitivity. Why worry about it? For one thing, taking good photographs in low light without flash requires more sensitive film. Taking photographs in bright light requires less sensitive film. Also, the lower a film's ISO rating, the less "grainy" (or fuzzy) it generally appears, especially in enlargements. The higher a film's ISO rating, the more grainy it appears. As a good rule of thumb, use the lowest ISO rating suitable to your particular need. For example:

ISO 25-100. A good film for highly reflective bright-light situations such as at the beach, on a ski hill, or near water. Shooting a film with too high an ISO rating in exceptionally bright light (like 400 ISO or higher) may cause your shots to be overexposed.

ISO 200. A good general-purpose film for outdoors under relatively bright light, like in the back yard or at a ball game. If you're restricted to carrying only one type of film for a wide range of daylight photo situations, this is it.

ISO 400-1600. A good film for low-light indoor situations, outdoors at dawn or dusk, or anywhere in deep shadows. Also excellent from freezing fast action-from joggers to baseball players and from race cars to gymnasts.

So for the best photographic results you can get, start by using the right film for the job. The means selecting a film with the right ISO rating. The rest will be as easy as "Ready, aim, fire!"

Taking Better Pictures - Part 5 Cameras Capture Kids on Film

If you're a parent or grandparent, you already know it. If you're a godparent, friend, or neighbor, you already know it. Even if you're a hermit, you already know it. But knowing it a getting the results you want aren't necessarily one and the same thing. Kids make great photographic subjects, it's true. They're warm and bubbly, always active, and cute as can be. Whether they're toddlers taking their first steps or teens off to the dance, children are naturals when it comes to photography. But capturing a child's "best" side isn't always easy-at least not without knowing the best way to go about it. You can have the patience of Job and still not get the results you want if you're not comfortable with your camera. And nothing will send a child hightailing it for the woods faster than that old familiar refrain, "Hold it for a minute while I figure this thing out." To be sure that doesn't happen, double check your camera's battery. If it seems weak (or if it's been in the camera for a year or more), replace it. Then check to see that there's plenty of film in the camera. Some point-and-shoot models won't fire if the camera is empty. Here are a few more tips for getting really great kid shots. Get close. Nobody likes looking at a photograph of three ants on a football field. Instead, get in nice and close (or use a zoom or a telephoto lens to accomplish the same effect) to fill the frame with the subject. Filling the frame also means you won't have to compete with those annoying, distracting backgrounds. And you'll end up with some nice close-ups of your children's expressions instead of a distant shot of three purple jump suits against a sea of green grass. Get down. That's especially important when photographing infants and toddlers. Getting down to their eye level will add interest and drama to your photos and help establish a person-to-person rapport between the viewer and the subject. Get help. Everybody needs a helping hand now and again. Or, in the case of photographing children, a helping thing. A toy or a key chain, for example, makes an ideal center of attention for a young child, giving you the time you need to focus, compose, and get exactly the shot you want. But even older children can benefit from props such as baseballs, basketballs, croquet mallets, and Frisbees. Props give kids something to concentrate on besides the camera. That means you'll end up with more interesting, more natural-looking photos. And where photographing children is concerned, that's the name of the game.

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