Rose Photography
....show off your roses!

Several years ago, the local Rose Show committee introduced a new category. Rose Photography was open for competition. The same basic rules used for other categories applied: the rose (or roses) should be grown outdoors by the entrant and could be photographed in any of the various forms. But what seemed like an obvious choice for a new and popular category, "Rose Photography", was not a success.

The local Rosarians needed to be shown how to photograph roses and be convinced that rose photography could be a very rewarding activity.

Other clubs have had great success producing beautiful pictures for display: rose photography flourishes and you can do it with minimal instruction.

We have a couple of pages of tips to help you produce quality pictures of your roses: photographs that you can be proud of.

Professional photographers will no doubt tell you that a rose is one of the easiest subjects if you merely want a pleasing picture, but one of the most difficult if you want a faithful color reproduction.

Camera or scanner, setting the scene, adjusting for color and form, and having a selection of display options are all part of the Rose-Works tool kit.

5 Photo Tips to Help You Learn Photography.

By Autumn Lockwood

While you can't of course learn everything in one article about photography, this article provides 5 tips on the basics. Whether you have a point-and-shoot camera and rely on preset modes or you are now the proud, albeit confused, owner of a professional SLR camera, there are certain basics that once understood will send you on your way towards taking extraordinary pictures. Here are five important and easy to use tips that you can put to use right away.

1) Resolve to Have Enough Resolution:

Yes, a low resolution setting saves space on your memory card, but it doesn't make for suitable prints. You can easily re-size for a smaller picture, even in free programs like Picasa ("re-size" is hidden there under "export"), but making a picture larger usually brings awful results. When you enlarge the photo, the pixels that make up the picture are spread thinner.

If you plan to print your pictures, choose medium or high resolution. Depending on your camera, 3 megapixels should give you high quality 4x6 images and sometimes even a very nice 8x10. For excellent quality 11x14's go for 6 megapixels.

2) Let There be Light (but Make it the Right Kind):

Natural lighting is almost always best so don't worry if you don't have a flash or any fancy equipment. If your only flash is the built-in one, that's all the more reason to opt for natural light. Built in flashes can make a subject look flat. That's why the pros use an external flash and bounce light off the umbrellas. There are tricks you can use like wearing a white shirt or taping foil to the camera to bounce the light off the ceiling, but if you want an easy way to get professional quality photos without the equipment, go outdoors.

When taking pictures outdoors, consider the position of the sun. With the exception of sunrise and dawn, the lower the sun is in the sky the better. Noon brings the harshest shadows. Unless the sky is an important part of your picture, bright overcast produces the best light.

3) Compose a Perfect Picture:

Getting a fast snapshot of something without any thought mostly depends upon luck. But by first learning how to compose a photo, you will end up with more pictures that look good and are suitable for framing. The pictures you take will look more like what you had in mind when you clicked the shutter release.

There's enough to the Photography 101 subject of composition to fill several articles, but for starters, here's the number one rule. Fill the frame of the viewfinder. First, decide on what is the most important subject in your photo and then move close enough (or zoom-optical zoom is best) to fill the viewfinder with the subject. For example, if the subject is your mother watering her roses then she is the subject not her entire rose garden. Many people make the mistake of losing their subjects in the background.

4) Steady Now:

It doesn't take much camera shake to create blur, in fact it takes so little that you will likely not even notice the movement. For sharp pictures, keep your elbows down, feet apart and firmly planted and hold the camera steady while pressing (not punching) the shutter release.

Continue holding still until the camera's light has indicated it is done taking the photo. When you are taking a photo that needs a slower than usual shutter speed, like a fireworks display, use a tripod to steady the camera. You can even use a bunched up coat on a wall with a remote shutter release. A good rule of thumb: use a camera support for shutter speeds slower than 1/60.

5) Share Your Creations:

If your photos are digital, use a photo editor to bring copies (save originals) of your photos down to the appropriate size for your website, email, photo album or picture frame. You should use photo paper that is compatible with your printer model for best results. If you're using a film camera but want photos for email or a website, use a quality scanner or when dropping off film to be developed, request a CD.

Frame your best photographs for hanging on your walls or displaying on a table. A framed photograph also makes a very welcome gift, especially when the subject is a portrait. Remember a portrait can be of one person, family, two friends, a beloved pet... the list is endless, and again, these make lovely gifts, especially when framed nicely.

By using these 5 tips you'll help to expand your photography knowledge so you can continue to take even better looking photographs.

Autumn Lockwood is a writer for Your Picture Frames.com and loves taking pictures. Your Picture Frames makes it easy for you to find just the perfect frame for your photo or artwork. Shop online and see our large selection of frames in all shapes and sizes like our popular square picture frames. Check us out at:

http://www.yourpictureframes.com

...our picture frame website our call us at 1-800-780-0699.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Tips and ideas for photographing your roses are also available here, check down below for the pages with the Rose Photography details.[...blue links!]
Rose-Works.com, helping you get the most from your roses and/or photographs of your roses!

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