Urban photography is both documentary and creative in purpose and is used to record both the growth of urban communities and the decay. The urban photographer has the freedom to show urban landscapes in ways they are seldom seen. When shooting urban landscapes, it is best to forget your camera has an auto mode and concentrate on exploring the many creative abilities the camera offers. A camera’s manual settings offer artistic and imaginative ways to create amazing urban works of art.
The new art of phoneography is contributing to personal, business, and community life in ways we never dreamed of just a few years ago. Every day photos and video caught on smartphone cameras is seen on television news. Videos of criminals caught in the act are assisting law officers with identification and apprehension. When the weather is bad, people are capturing images of snow, lightening, tornadoes, and hurricanes. The weather related images are sent to weather channels and uploaded to social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.
Technology is the power behind change, and mobile technology has increased dramatically in the last few years. The improvement in phone cameras is one striking example of technology improving the photography experience for owners of smart phones. More people are taking an interest in photography than ever before. Taking photos is fun, creative, and exciting when matched with the amazing accessories the latest technology is providing. With the number of smartphone purchases increasing daily, few people will ever be without a camera for that special moment.
The “camera in a phone” concept began in June of 2000 when Samsung produced the SCH-V200 phone containing a separate camera housed in the same case with the phone. You couldn’t send the pictures to anyone, but it was a beginning. Soon after, in November of 2000, Sharp released the J-SH04, and this phone allowed the owner to electronically send photos to other owners of the J-SH04. From that day until now, every cell phone manufacturer has added cameras that improve with each new model. Image quality, resolution, and special effects technologies are advancing. People, who previously thought cameras were too complicated and left the “picture-taking” to others, are now snapping away with their smart phone cameras.
All images taken by Phoneography expert and Exposure Show 2014 keynote speaker Stephanie Calabrese.
Macro lenses open up a tiny world of overlooked beauty and bring it to our attention. Nature comes to life in the details of the tiniest insects, the secret inner workings of flowers, and in your own reflection in a crystal clear drop of dew. The tiny world of macro photography is an exciting adventure into the seldom-noticed “little worlds” that surround us every day. Macro camera lenses make these amazing images of the world’s tiny pieces possible. Once you enter the world of macro photography, every flower petal becomes your backdrop and every insect is a personal challenge. Looking for tiny “things” to photograph will find on your hands and knees crawling around in the most unlikely places, but that is the beauty of macro photography. A raindrop becomes a canvas and an icicle can mirror a forest in the world of macro photography.
“How can I shoot the moon and the stars at night with my SLR?”
“I enjoy doing sports photography that has a lot of action – what are my options for capturing fast action and stop action? I enjoy shooting both indoors and outdoors? Does this mean I should change lenses? Is there one lens or should I be looking at some choices? Are there options for filters that I should also consider?”
The Pistols for Pixels gun amnesty program comes to Ottawa!
Keeping Toronto Safe. One Gun at a Time.