Festival Mediarte
Photography Tips, Art, and Music
Green Screen Photography
May 22nd
When you see the weatherman standing in front of a weather map many of you know that he is really standing in front of a green screen. The image is inspected by software that detects the green in the image and replaces it with the weather map. This is known as ChromaKey or Green Screen technology.
With the dramatic increase in digital cameras, green screen photography is one of the most rapidly growing effects for today’s photographer. This technology can let you place a person in any setting you would like; even a San Diego family can pretend to be on a ski vacation.
Why use Green Screen Software?
You can have fun!
You will be hooked the first time your child smiles when they see a picture of themselves in a field of butterflies or on the moon. Green Screen Software frees your creativity in a way that no other photographic process does. You can place people or things anywhere in the world. Want to be a princess in a castle? No problem. Want your family at the beach or in the woods or at some event? It is easy. Your child’s first communion photo can have a stained glass angel behind it or your daughter’s wedding portrait can be in front of the bridge at Magnolia Gardens in South Carolina.
You can make money!
With the advent of high-quality digital cameras, it is easy for anyone to take great photos! Professional photographers today need to offer something more. Green Screen Wizard provides them a way to stand out from the rest of the pack. Headshots, Model Portfolios, Bridal Portraits, Family Portraits and even Pet Portraits are all enhanced with ChromaKey effects. Old time photos and fantasy photos are a natural for Green Screen techniques.
Photography puts more demands on Green Screen Software
With video the subject is moving and many small errors go unnoticed. The very high resolution of modern digital photography makes even the tiniest flaw noticeable. It sounds simple, “Just find the green and replace it” but the reality is that the green backgrounds are not perfect and your hair and other transparent objects distort the green. Remove too much green and you th will cut off hair. If you do not remove enough green you have green fringes showing in the image. The correct answer is to remove the correct amount of green and then change the
What do I need to do Green Screen Photography?
First you need a green screen and a subject.
Then you need to get that image into the computer and use Green Screen Software like Green Screen Wizard. Use the scale feature to make sure only the subject and green are showing. Then pick any background you like. If you do not like that background perhaps it would be more fun to be at the beach. Just select a new background.
Programs like Green Screen Wizard offer a lot of adjustments to color, scaling and Green Screen Removal settings. Unlike other programs,Green Screen Wizard offers a set of easy options to make the green screen process effortless.
There are other effects that you can do with Green Screen technology. Not only can you add a background to your image, you can add a foreground as well. This can be used to make people seam like they are inserted in the background. It also makes for realistic magazine covers.
Another fun thing you can do with Green Screen Photography is to create silhouettes.
To learn more about Green Screen Photography please visit http://www.greenscreenwizard.com
Ken Colby Author of Green Screen Wizard
What is Event Photography?
May 20th
Event-photography is an extremely lucrative business and one that has been steadily growing over the past number of years. There are numerous photographers who specialise in events photography, and the aim of this article is to provide you with information on event photographers itself and how to become an events photographer.
What Is Event-Photography?
Event-photography is exactly what it sounds like; it is where a photographer photographs events. These can be anything from their best friend’s wedding to photographing a child’s birthday party. It is extremely popular, and more and more people are choosing to hire event photographer(s) for their functions.
Event(s) photography can also include sporting events such as equestrian sports, horse shows, show jumping, motor sports, martial arts, football, water sports, cricket games, rugby games, and much more. Other events can include student events such as graduations and balls, and corporate events such as black tie dinners, seminars, conferences, and Christmas parties. Social events such as wedding receptions, school reunions, and engagement parties can also be covered under event(s) photographyer(s).
What-Do-Event-Photographers-Offer?
E-photography has become very popular, and many companies offer great products for you to choose from. One such product is called Greenscreen. This is where you can have yourself and your guests photographed and then superimposed onto various different themed backgrounds. So whether you want to see yourself on a yacht on the open sea, or standing in front of a famous statue or building, Greenscreen can do this for you.
Event photos can also make you a little extra money too especially if you are receiving a commission for every photograph that is sold. This is great for parties, reunions, etc.
Event photo’s has really progressed over the last number of years, and all event photographers now use up to the minute equipment that allows them to print off your photographs during your event. Many event photographers will also attend your function free of charge, which means that all you and your guests have to pay for is the photographs that they want.
Top-Tips-For-Event-Photography
If you enjoy taking photographs and would like to get into eventphotography, here are some great tips to ensure that you successfully cover an event each and every time. When deciding on a camera to use for the event, you should consider purchasing a camera that allows for continuous shooting. This will allow you to capture all the great moments of any event especially sporting events. Most new cameras will have this feature, so you won’t have to purchase a really expensive camera when starting out.
Make sure that you know all the features on your camera and how to use each one of them before photographing any event. Practice taking different types of photographs well before the event. If you are serious about event photography, then knowing everything about your camera is essential.
When doing event photography at Christmas parties or other celebrations, make sure that you change the focus of your photographs as you go along. Try to take some photographs from different angles to get a different look. In event photography, just like any other photography, different lighting will require a different approach. Al lot of event photography takes place at night time, so make sure that you practice taking pictures and familiarising yourself with the different light settings on your camera. You should try to avoid using the flash all the time.
Sports events can be quite tricky to cover, and the top tip here for event photography is to push the shutter on your camera nearly all the way down just before you plan to take your photograph. This can help overcome shutter lag, which can be quite common on digital cameras. You should try to become as familiar as you can with the sport, so you know when the action is going to take place. If you are at a private event or in a public building, make sure that you get permission before taking any photographs. Most companies will have rules and regulations in relation to photographs, so be sure to check these out first.
If you have been booked for event photography, you should always try to familiarise yourself with the layout of the venue beforehand. Try to visit the venue if you can, as this will give you the chance to get the feel of the place and see where the best spots are for getting the best pictures. The last thing to say about event photography is, relax and enjoy yourself. Even if you are the official photographer for the event, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy yourself too. The more you relax and enjoy yourself, the more it will show in your photographs.
Finding A Wedding Videographer
Prices of production studios vary by region. Metro rates are often higher than suburban rates. Prices also change depending on the complexity of the job, the amount of equipment and personnel needed, and the studio time spent to edit and finish the video.
The biggest factor in pricing among videographers is their experience. Not all videographers can claim they have enough experience in creating wedding videos. They may be great in producing videos of other genres, but they may not have the savvy needed to get the wedding video done according to your requirements. You also have to remember that bigger video production companies are not necessarily better than smaller studios. In fact, smaller studios can give you a better client experience by allowing you to be more involved with the project.
Consider your wedding video as an investment. Once you get old and mellow, you can go back and watch a great product, because you spent more time, effort, and money on it. Memories are all that we have in the long run; that is why it is a must to preserve them through videos.
The Creative Art of Portrait Photography
May 18th
A portrait is all about the right balance between the mood and lighting effects for that perfect picture. Portrait photography is a creative form of art and needs patience, knowledge of lighting and other technical skills to make your good photograph for good memories. Portraits have become a passion among the rich and famous who mount their portraits in ornate frames to give a distinguished look to the living rooms, bedrooms, stairways and hallways.
If you want to have you portrait done, who has a good rapport and knows how understand and capture the true personality of their subject. A professional portrait photographer should be aware of getting the right balance between all the elements and possibly provide the subject with the natural settings as the most positive character trait of a subject shows through in a comfortable setting. Portraits can be best taken using natural light especially if the photographer is not too adept with creating the perfect studio effect/artificial lighting as it needs to be evenly distributed to prevent shadows around the face.
It is also advisable to use light backgrounds to emphasize the subject as these are believed to lend more character to the subject, especially if a serious pose is required and if the subject is wearing a dark garment, which will show up best against a light backdrop. The wrong choice of a background can give off a very undesirable effect to an otherwise attractive person in a portrait photograph and thus, photographers must beware of indiscriminately using just any old background or even a cluttered one.
To successfully run-through a portrait photo-shoot, the photographer must pay close attention to all things he or she may require for the event: e.g equipment, conversation starters, light beverage or snacks, music to help the subject relax etc. and treat the occasion with a professional but friendly approach to establish a natural trust and confidence in the subject for best results.
Planning Fun Activities for Kids
May 17th
When you are planning fun activities for kids you have to maintain a balance between fun and instruction while maintaining your sanity. That can be a feat, but it is doable.
With a little forethought, preparation and tenacity, you can come up with some fantastic activities that will have your kids scrambling back to their parents recounting the events of the day with excitement and joy.
What can be better for a teacher to hear than for a student to exclaim, “Guess what I learned in school today!”
1. Make it Interactive. Kids like things that are interactive. They like activities that
“talk back” to them. This is an important point to keep in mind when you are planning
activities for your classroom.
If you are just standing in front of the class lecturing your heart out, you may not be
making the impact you would like, at least not the impact you could make.
Engage your students. Ask questions, encourage discussion and debate, get them involved in the process and you will see a whole new world of learning opening up.
2. Keep it Hands On. If they can touch it, taste it, smell it and hear it, they are much more likely to learn it. Plan hands on activities that allow children to experience the lessons first hand.
Activities that engage their senses, get them moving and get them involved, will keep
them occupied longer and help them remember the lessons more readily.
3. Be Age Appropriate. Teenagers are probably not going to be interested in climbing all over a fire truck, but they might enjoy visiting a museum where they can handle fossils. Think about the age of the children you are teaching and plan activities that are appropriate for that age group.
Coloring seems to appeal to kids of all ages, so there are some activities that are
universal. When in doubt, talk with your kids and really listen to what they like, what
excites them and what they find intellectually stimulating.
4.Stay Within Your Means. If you have a room full of preschoolers and you are thinking
of going to a museum, you are going to need help! Know what you can and cannot do.
If you are planning an activity that will have your kids moving around, you may have
trouble controlling the situation if you try to go it alone. When in doubt, get some
help.
Ask parents to volunteer. But if you go beyond your means, you will be stressed out and no one is likely to have much fun and there certainly won’t be much learning going on!
5. Have Fun! This is the main thing to remember when you are planning fun activities for kids. Kids like to have fun! Plan activities that they will enjoy, that are interesting and creative.
If you are just standing there yammering away, you won’t make as much of an impact as you would if you created an activity that engaged their senses, involved them interactively and was fun.
Learning can be fun and when you put effort into planning activities for kids in the
classroom, you can teach, have fun and maybe even learn a few things yourself. After
all, even algebra can be fun when you are playing math baseball!