Archiving (Backing Up) Your Images

I often interact with folks about archiving image files. Should you back yours up? Absolutely! This article will cover some of the different options to back up your image files. If you feel you would benefit with more specifics on exactly “how”, drop me a line and I’ll consider what to include in an article on a basic “how-to do it”.







Why Archive?
This is a really easy question to answer. I know people who have had the misfortune of having their hard drive crash. They lost everything, including their photos. It’s not really all that uncommon. Archiving (backing up) your files means you have a second copy someplace else. Should something happen to your computer system where you keep them, you have a back-up copy of the file. This is a good idea for ALL your files, not just your images. A short list of reasons why folks back-up their images:

• Protect themselves from accidental deletion.
• Protect themselves from system failure or damage.
• Protect themselves from a hard drive crash (more on this later, you may still be able to get your files back).
• Make moving to a new system easier.

How To Photograph Fireworks

Is your city putting on a massive display of fireworks this weekend? Or maybe just your neighbor Chip? Wherever the show is, here’s a few tips to capture those loud sparklies in all their glory.

2 Easy Ways to Help You Position Your Subject

When you think of placing a subject in your camera frame, what goes through your mind? Or do you just point and click, hoping you get a nice shot?

This article will discuss two basic guidelines to get you thinking about where you are placing your subject. More can certainly be said, but I want to keep it short and sweet. Then encourage you to practice seeing and applying these ideas. Once you start to understand some basic guidelines, you will start seeing the impact subject placement has on your final image.

Moody Blue

Want to add dramatic mood to your shots? This is a fun project I learned from “Workshop at the Ranch” by famous photographer Dave Black. Using this formula creates a dramatic blue background, while the subject is bathed in warm light.

Horizon Positioning

Image by photomek

When photographing landscapes, it’s important to consider where you place the horizon in your shot. A common mistake is to place the horizon in the middle, cutting your image into two equal halves. There are times where that looks good, but for the most part, placing the horizon off center will usually look best. Also watch that you keep your horizon level.

Recommended Photography Books

Every week in photography forums I read posts where people are asking for recommendations on photography books. There are many books out there to choose from, which one should you get? These books are the ones that have helped me most. I learned about them after reading post after post where they were being recommended to others.

The recommended books in this list lead to Amazon.as affiliate links. For more information read the disclaimer here. Basically, I use affiliate links to help fund this site so it can grow. If you end up buying a book from the link the price is the same low Amazon price, and this site gets a small referral amount from Amazon.

Which Should I Get First?
Before you grab the most interesting sounding book first, I'm actually going to recommend you read them in a certain order. Some of the information in the books, are better understood with some previous knowledge of photography. I'm also going to suggest you don't rush through them all. You can get overwhelmed and feel frustrated, maybe even feel like you’re just not getting it. So take your time and practice what you are learning. I recognize that just because this order worked for me, doesn't mean it will work best for you. This order is a suggestion to help you to learn basic concepts for creating good exposures, then moving on to setting up the shot creatively.

Give Your Camera Some Love and Attention

Like most delicate electronic devices, camera equipment needs proper care and maintenance.
Here are a few tips to help you maintain your equipment and hopefully get more life and enjoyment out of it.

Cleaning
A few general guidelines to follow when cleaning your camera. A list of cleaning supplies I use and recommend are at the end of this article.

Point and Shoot or DSLR
Camera Body
When cleaning my camera body, I typically use a blower to gently blow off dust and particles. If necessary, I follow with a soft, dry, microfiber cloth to wipe down the camera body. If dirt or smudges remain, a lightly dampened microfiber cloth dampened with water to gently wipe away the dirt, followed with a dry cloth is usually sufficient.