10 Tips for Great Flower Photography

Written by Ken Henderson


10 Tips for Great Flower Photography

Flower photography is not only a great way to spend your time learning different photography techniques it is also a great way to add to your home decor! Flowers are a fantastic subject, not just because of their beauty, but also because of their availability. If you don’t have any flowers in your own yard to photograph you don’t have to go far to find some. You can easily photograph flowers at your local park,repparttar Mall, a restaurant, a friends garden, a community garden, just about every where you go there are flowers.

If you don’t want to photograph flowers in their natural setting you can purchase flowers in most grocery stores or at a local flower shop to take home and photograph in a studio setting. In fact, it’s hard to find a legitimate reason for not photographing flowers.

Let’s get down to business. Here is a list of 10 tips that will help you create some amazing flower photography.

1. One ofrepparttar 134935 first things you need to do with digital photography is to make sure you are usingrepparttar 134936 correct white balance settings. If your camera hasrepparttar 134937 option, I recommend that you userepparttar 134938 manual white balance function. If not, then use whatever setting is appropriate forrepparttar 134939 lighting you are shooting with. The equivalent to white balance if you are shooting film is color balance. If you are shooting outside be sure you are using daylight balanced film. I also suggest that with daylight balanced film outdoors that you use a slight warming filter. Most ofrepparttar 134940 flower photography that you may do will either be in shade or on an overcast day creating a much bluer light thenrepparttar 134941 film is balanced for. Onrepparttar 134942 flip side, if shooting indoors with incandescent lighting or normal house lights you should be using tungsten balanced film. Ifrepparttar 134943 indoor lighting is being supplied by florescent light, then use a florescent filter with daylight balanced film. This is just a starting point. Experiment, mix it up. You can get some fantastic special effects that way.

2. Get a polarizer filter. The great thing about a polarizer is that it will eliminate or reduce image degrading reflections. This helps to improve color saturation and contrast. Atrepparttar 134944 proper angle it will also dramatically darken a blue sky. This effect is adjusted by rotatingrepparttar 134945 filter untilrepparttar 134946 desired effect is achieved. There are 2 types of polarizer’s available, circular and linear. Most ofrepparttar 134947 advanced metering systems today that are built into your camera will not function properly with a linear polarizer. So I suggest you get a circular polarizer to play it safe. I have also seen warming polarizer’s. While I have not tried one you may want to experiment with them.

3. Always use a tripod. Let me repeat that, “Always use a tripod”. Not only will a tripod steady your camera and help you achieve a much sharper image, but it will also force you to think about your composition. You will have to placerepparttar 134948 flowers in your photographic image much more deliberately instead of just pointing your camera and shooting away.

4. Don’t just take a snapshot of a flower that interests you and then move on. Set up your first shot to includerepparttar 134949 whole flower then concentrate onrepparttar 134950 details ofrepparttar 134951 flower that attract your eye. Focus onrepparttar 134952 color or small details ofrepparttar 134953 flower.



9 Steps to Soapmaking Success

Written by Lisa Maliga


Melt and Pour soap is glycerin soap which is made from vegetable oils and is safer for your skin than most commercial brands found in your drug store or supermarket. You can obtain melt and pour soap overrepparttar Internet. Keywords are: ‘melt and pour soap making’ or ‘glycerin soap’. You’ll pay around $3 - $5 per pound. Translucent glycerin and opaque arerepparttar 116362 most common types sold. Opaque glycerin is white as it is colored withrepparttar 116363 mineral titanium dioxide. Also, you will be able to buy soap making kits that contain allrepparttar 116364 needed ingredients.

Once you’ve made your first batch, you can get more creative when choosing colors, scents, and additives such as dried flowers, herbs or soothing oils. You’ll discoverrepparttar 116365 ideal way to make useful gifts for family, friends and co-workers. Your newfound hobby may even turn into a new work-at-home business! Soap Supplies: Glycerin melt & pour soap -- 2 pounds [32 ounces] Coloring—cosmetic grade color nuggets Fragrances – [cosmetic grade only] Molds: These will come in various sizes and shapes but plastic is recommended. You can order soap molds online or find them at a crafts shop or candle supply store. You can use microwavable containers, food containers, candle molds or even drawer organizers. At many discount stores you can findrepparttar 116366 perfect mold, and for less than $2 in many cases. Using plastic means that you can reuse it and that it will make gettingrepparttar 116367 soap out so much easier than a glass mold. Warning: Don’t use aluminum or metal. Step 1: Onrepparttar 116368 cutting board you’ll slice uprepparttar 116369 soap into cubes, approximately one to two inches. You’ll then put these into a plastic container, first weighingrepparttar 116370 container and notingrepparttar 116371 weight, and puttingrepparttar 116372 filled container ontorepparttar 116373 scale. Step 2: Using your double boiler, fillrepparttar 116374 bottom part with water a few inches deep. For microwave users only—when you meltrepparttar 116375 soap, don’t userepparttar 116376 highest heat, watchrepparttar 116377 soap carefully and don’t melt it allrepparttar 116378 way, allow a few chunks to remain. They’ll melt quickly.

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