Tips on Oil Paintings - The Qualities of Color

Any color in existence has three qualities that completely determine the color:

1) Hue

2) Value

3) Intensity

We will now precisely explain what each quality means.

Hue - The hue of a color is simply the name of the color. For example, yellow, red, green-yellow, etc.

Artists often talk about the temperature of a color or a painting. Temperature is really an element of hue. The warms colors are the yellows and the reds while the cool colors are the greens and the blues.

However, temperature is a relative term. For example although two different blues are both cool colors, one blue can be warmer than another blue.

For example French Ultramarine Blue leans towards the violet while Phthalo Blue leans towards green. Therefore French Ultramarine Blue is a warmer blue than Phthalo Blue although both blues are cool.

Value - Value refers to the lightness or darkness of the color. If you squint you will see that, for example, that yellow is lighter than blue.

Intensity - Intensity of a color refers to its brightness or dullness. The more saturated or the purer a color is the more intense it is. A color coming straight out of the tube is in its most intense state. Any mixture will dull the tube color and therefore make it less intense. It is however possible to make most mixtures more intense by adding a touch of one color or another.

Now, if you can nail down the hue, the value, and the intensity of a color you will have reproduced that color. Based on this observation we can outline a mental procedure to guide us with the mixing of colors.

Observe - First you observe the color. For example, is it a certain blue or is it red?

Select - Then you select the color on your palette that resembles the observed color the best.

Analyze - Of course, as you would expect, the pure tube color on your palette will rarely match the color you observed. Therefore, we now must identify how the two colors differ from each other. In this, we need to concentrate on three things: hue, value, and intensity. Does the color need to be adjusted in terms of hue? For example, does the observed blue lean more towards the violet or towards the green? Does the value need to be adjusted? For example, does this blue need to be darkened or lightened?

Finally, does the intensity of the color need to be adjusted? For example, does the blue need to be brighter or duller? One, two, or all three of these qualities may need adjustment.

In the beginning you will make many mistakes and the going will be slow. It is generally hard to judge the three qualities of a color and it takes practice. This is particularly the case with judging values and intensities. Nevertheless, you need to practice this procedure every day and over and over again. However, one day it will become second nature just like riding a bicycle. Also, in the beginning don’t be too fussy but try over time to become better and better at it.

Read more about the neighbor topic of pencil drawing. Plus, get extra tips on the tattoo art - upper back tattoos info.

When the term boudoir photography and Model Posing comes up a few may believe it involves photographs of a bedroom for interior decorating purposes. For most, however it involves tasteful, artistic images of people, the majority of whom are female, in various stages of boudoir attire and include glamour pictures, nudes and semi-nude photography. You will never find any relationship to pornography in quality boudoir photography.

While most boudoir photography does take place in a bedroom, or boudoir, setting it is rapidly moving into other arenas such as the outdoors, off-site locations as well as in obvious studio settings. The professionalism of those working in boudoir photography is unsurpassed as they recognize the importance of maintaining the poise and dignity of their subjects.

While some models may have an idea of what they are looking for in the way of boudoir photography others reply on the experience of the photographer to provide quality images they can keep forever, or give as a gift to their special significant other. Some use boudoir photography to help build a portfolio for professional modeling or acting careers.

Education, Experience Key To Quality

Numerous individuals are involved in boudoir photography and Leg Posing and each has their own style for lighting, composition and their own idea of tasteful. The important thing in choosing a photographer for boudoir photography is trust in their work and trust in their ethics and in knowing that none of your pictures are going to appear somewhere you do not want them to appear.

Opinions may vary on what is proper boudoir photography and what sensual photography is and what are glamour pictures and how they compare to, yet are completely different from plain nude pictures. The majority of photographers will agree that tastefulness is a requirement for nude photography to remain considered an art form.

Many boudoir photography studios also offer painting services and once the picture is approved a professional artist can create an oil painting of the image. Specific props are also used in the pictures and later the oil painting, selected either by the subject or by the photographer, often related to the theme of the environment.

Additionally, interest is also increasing for boudoir photography of Female Model during pregnancy with several studios offering the service, with some willing to document the entire gestation period from the beginning to end, documenting the entire process for the mother. Still relatively new to the genre, photos of pregnant females, nude and semi-nude is an expanding business.

One of the most popular types of film-taking is portrait photography. Many people use a point and shoot camera to take still pictures of others, but what differentiates a hobby from professional photography is generally not as much the equipment or training, but the quality of the photographer him or herself.

A good portrait photographer has the ability to not only capture the best of his subject’s face but also to bring out the personality of that individual.

If you would like to learn and excel at portrait photography, then the five points below will help guide you in that direction.

Rapport

Get involved with your subject while preparing for the picture. Engage the person in a friendly conversation so that there is comfort not only with you, but also for a naturalness in front of camera. Success at the “pre-snap” phase will help you to capture the natural expression of your subject and display it on film.

Personality

One of your main objectives should be to bring out the personality of your subject through your pictures. This can more easily be achieved if the person is relaxed. Since capturing personality is best done when an individual is least expecting a shot, be ready for those natural opportunities.

Lighting

Natural lighting is preferred by most photographers; however, an artificial light source can at times be more helpful to acquire the image you truly want to portray on film. Before using artificial light, take care for the amount of light and the angle at which it shines so that it provides an enhancing - rather than distracting - effect on film.

Background

The background color of a picture should compliment the subject’s color. For this purpose, light backgrounds are generally preferable to help with emphasis on the subject. If the background color is not given due consideration, it could distort the attention away from your picture’s primary target - the person.

Plan

You should always make a checklist of all the equipment you need prior to a photo shoot. Besides the necessary equipment, also come prepared with an interesting topic to discuss with your subject for a friendly and relaxed conversation.

Think through the job seriously before actually doing it and whether you currently have the skill set to handle it. If not, solicit the assistance of someone you trust and who has greater experience. Of course, if this is a hobby, then practice away.

Portrait photography can be enjoyed as a hobby or, with skill and knowledge development, adapted over time as a career. Either way, you will have many great opportunities to “stop time” with the push of a button!

Portrait photography does not rely so much on the most advanced photographic equipment as much as it does on basic techniques that capture the physical appearance and internal character of a human being. If you are meeting a subject for professional portrait photography for the first time, then you may need to take some time to get that person to warm up and be comfortable with you.

You can try talking to that person in the course of the portrait photography session, allowing some of their personality to shine through. Although most portrait photography styles involve the subject in a pose, you can also take pictures during their unguarded moments, which are often more revealing.

In terms of lighting, soft and off-camera works best for indoor portrait photography, while overcast skies bring about more flattering photos when outdoors. A reflector can be your best friend when taking portrait photographs in bright sunlight, since you do not want to cast attention on the shadows underneath a subject’s eyes. If you want to draw attention to certain features, then lighting should come from the top or the side of the face of the subject.

In portrait photography, you also do not want to emphasize someone’s nose, which means that you will need to take the photographs from a distance, as much as ten to fifteen feet away. In this case, you will need to have a telephoto lens to compensate for the distance. When taking group photos, it is a general rule to have everyone move as close to each other as possible to convey warmth and camaraderie.

There are different kinds of shots under portrait photography with close-up photos being the most common. Usually, close-ups include the subject’s face taken from the neck up. Upper body shots allow more of the background to be seen in the photo and let the subject relax a bit.

Portrait photography also includes environmental portraits, which show the surroundings or activities that the subject usually engages in. Photojournalists prefer this type of portrait photography best since you get an interesting peek into the life of a person.

Your memories of the most beautiful day of your life are dependent on the quality of the professional wedding day photography. You want to choose a photographer who is able to capture you and your spouse as well as your families and guests at your best moments and most flattering angles.

When deciding on professional wedding day photography, you should determine how many hours the photographer will work. Some couples ask the photographer to take photos of the couple and their immediate families while preparing on the wedding day itself. Other couples may choose to have a wedding photographer during the ceremony and the reception only.

You may want to see samples of professional wedding day photography from several photographers and decide which kind of photography style suits you best. Most wedding photography is traditional with soft, muted lighting and formal poses from the entourage. Other photographers opt for a more photo-journalistic style wherein small, unnoticed moments are captured by their lens, like the expression on a ring bearer’s face or the exquisite backside of a bridesmaid’s dress. There may also be a need for digital manipulation in the photographer’s studio to adjust lighting and reduce imperfections.

Once you have decided on a photographer, you can also ask if he or she will be working with assistants on the day of your wedding. You need to decide on the overall cost of the professional wedding day photography package, how soon you can see the proofs from the wedding, whether you get to keep the proofs or not and how many prints will be included in the package.

You may also have the option of choosing photographs in color or black and white to commemorate this special day. You can also negotiate for a trial shoot, usually during the engagement party which most photographers throw in for free. This is an excellent chance for you to experience working with the photographer so there are fewer surprises in this aspect on your wedding day.

Wedding photography is dependent on the skill and experience of the photographer you are working with and working with someone who has an idea of the couple’s personality can churn out breathtaking results.

Though digital photography is cheap and available to all, there are times and occasions when everyone needs to pay to have a picture done right. One such time is to capture the portrait of someone or a group dear to you. Yes, it will cost more than taking a picture with your point and shoot and then asking a drug store to enlarge it for you. But it will be an investment in the future by recording a reminder of the past. How does one go about choosing a good portrait photographer? Here are eight principles that can help with this decision.

1) Location: Is the studio close enough to your home to be convenient? Remember that you will probably have to go there at least three times, to get the picture made, to make a choice, and to pick up the final product. Too, is it accessible or do you have to cross a heavy traffic area?

2) Facility: One family got up early on a Saturday morning to meet their appointment for a family portrait only to find the studio was too small to get everyone in the picture. Is the studio large enough to accommodate the group you want photographed?

3) Punctuality: You will want to be on time for an appointment. Are they? Are you allowed all the time promised to get the picture right? Are the proofs and final prints available when they say they will be? It might be good to check with others about the reputation of the firm in these matters.

4) Personality: Do the employees look sharp? Is the receptionist and/or photographer friendly? Do they treat you with respect? Are they personable? Are they patient with small children and babies? Are they willing to accommodate special needs people? Usually portrait time means the whole group has been under stress to get clean and dressed and there on time. That means smaller children may show it by refusing to smile. The photographer should be able, under most circumstances, to overcome these everyday occurrences.

5) Skill: Is the lighting professional? After all, that is usually one thing you can’t imitate so it should be right. Is the photographer skilled at arranging the scene so it is balanced, key people are highlighted, and everyone can be seen? Their job is to get a picture worth framing if you so desire. They should know how to do that with one scan of the group.

6) Choice: A good photographer will take enough pictures so that you have ample choices from which to pick your favorites. How long do you have to wait before the proofs are available? Some companies will allow you to select your favorites while you are there. Are their recommendations motivated by money or what is best for you? Are they able to present the options without making you feel under pressure?

7) Integrity: Is the firm honest? If they promised you one free 8 X 10, will they keep that promise? Are the pictures ready when they said they would be? When you leave, would you say it was a good overall experience?

Price: photographs may seem expensive but when you remember that they must pay for quality cameras, staff, and facilities, it is worth the extra expense. Yet, the price should be competitive. Call around to see what the average costs are for the picture you want.

From our experience, getting a good family portrait can be a stressful time, but is worth the investment. If you follow these principles in selecting a photographer, you will likely be glad you had it done professionally.

Del Haven Studio is the location of a proven Virginia Beach Portrait Photographer who is experienced in expertly capturing professional protraits. Click the links to visit the site today and see slideshows of her work as a Virginia Beach Photographer, in corporate settings, and beautiful weddings.

Underwater photography is growing every year, those who go diving wish to bring the diving world visible to those who do not dive. We have always been fascinated with the oceans and bays of the world as an unknown world. Bringing vacation pictures home to your friends or selling them as professionals has been a time honored tradition and now we can bring the underwater world home through the use of digital photography.

Underwater World Captured With Photography
There are many types of underwater cameras. You have the highly expensive professional cameras and the one time slightly effective versions. Knowing which camera will work for you is very important. Part of finding the right camera may lie with in the housing you wish to purchase. Underwater photography requires you to protect your camera from the harmful affects of water so you will have to purchase housing with seals to eliminate the water. The housing you find may fit the camera you have. In fact, most companies will sell the housing for the cameras you have. If you find you, need a better camera for the underwater world you will need to look at packages. These packages will include the housing.

Photography Tips
Let us look at the 35mm cameras. Most of these cameras are just point and shoot. If they were meant for underwater chances are they have at least a mild filter to correct for the lack of color underwater. These cameras will not filter out the particles you find floating along in the water on a poor visible day. Usually they are limited to less than 100 feet. I would not use this type for anything below 80 feet. You would not want to loose pictures because the housing failed under pressure. While this is not common, it is a concern for most photographers.

Photography Resources
The more professional cameras are larger with a huge lens to let light in as well as have filters to help bring clarity to any photograph. Typically, these cameras require you to have a deep-set hobby in underwater photography, as the expense is high. Digital cameras are the best way to take underwater photographs because you can make sure you have the desired affects before leaving the seen. Of course, most underwater life will not hang around for a second shot, but coral reefs and the animals that inhabit them may remain.

Most underwater cameras will also have a flash. It is best to take an underwater photography course before delving to far in your hobby. Sometimes the flash will help you with the photographs, but other times it will wash the subject out and ruin the print. You can also use underwater cameras when you are snorkeling. Some flashes are built in to the camera while others are external. The external flashes can be a stick with a little light bulb on top.

The best known of all the Russian souvenirs are the Russian Nesting Dolls or Nesting Dolls. The russian dolls were first created in the late 19th century in Russia by Sergei Maliutin who was inspired by Japanese design. In the Russian language the word for wooden dolls is matryoshka. A set of nesting dolls has become very popular to everyone of all ages. They have become very trendy and best known Russian toy that will become a great collectible item for many years. Nesting dolls are small wooden figures that have a similar egg shape. The dolls design when pulled apart will have a smaller but similar design inside. There will usually be five or more dolls inside, all being smaller than the last. There are several different themes and interests to choose from. It can be anything from polical figures to current themes.

As 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Games came to a close. I was watching the beauty of the opening and closing ceremony, I got the idea about how it would be nice to see the thousands of the host country volunteers be remembered as nesting dolls. The Summer Olympic’s ceremony will be remembered as one of the biggest and best ever. It would be hard to single out only a few of the performers to create the nesting dolls, but the performers I will remember would make a great nesting doll set. The largest doll would be for all of the very talented dancers eloquence. The next should be the drummers for all of their rythmic flair and ability. Another one should represent all of the acrobats who created an illusion of flying thru the air.

If you were going to make a set of nesting dolls for a team sport you can look no further than the highly anticipated men’s basketball redeem team being great representatives of the games. It would be easy to make the centers and power forwards the larger nesting dolls and the point and shooting guards as the smaller dolls. With the team having an average height of 6’7’ it would hard to pick which one would be the smaller dolls.

The major highlight that everyone will be talking about for years would have to be 8 time gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps. No other athlete won more gold medals at a single Olympics. He also won with class and style. A different nesting doll could represent each of the different gold medal races, each showing the events and times on the back of doll. A different idea could be a doll that represents each of the state of art new suits that the USA team wore.

The last group that I would like to see as dolls nesting would be the announcers of the Olympic Games. We could easily imagine play by play host like swimming Dan Hicks or track and field host Tom Hammond would make great dolls. Another group would be the studio hosts Cris Collinsworth, Jim Lamply, or Mary Carillo. We would want to remember to make the main studio host Bob Costas the smallest of the nesting dolls. With his 5’7” frame he would easily be the smallest doll.

Many schools and colleges offer photography training to students as an elective subject. However, there is no requirement to gain admission to an educational institution for a degree if you have studied photography for several years on your own or even taken some helpful classes on a non-formal basis.

Certainly you can learn the skills of a photographer even if you have not taken photography classes in school. But excellence in this field does require dedication, and more formal class training can be a great help.

Remote Training

Some institutions offer “long distance education.” You can enroll in such institutions and - unlike typical college majors - do not need to reside on campus or sit in a classroom environment to learn photography. An example of such institution is New York Institute of Photography.

If you become part of a school like this, you will learn everything from camera equipment to a variety of photographic techniques. You can even study photography during journalism classes. While developing your skills, you also receive magazines and articles related to digital imaging, contests, and a number of other photography-related knowledge and events.

The photography program at the New York Institute is built around 30 lectures on wide array of topics. Initially you are given a brief introduction to the material to allow you to choose your specialized field of interest.

Benefits of Long Distance Training

A significant advantage of non-campus training is that you can perform your regular job and learn photography simultaneously. And there is no time limit for learning photography; whenever you are free, you can learn and practice.

During the training, you will not only sit under the tutelage of a professor, but will also be provided sample pictures allowing you to study great photography to compare and apply your knowledge on a practical level.

There are No Limits

A common belief among those interested in this field is that to become a photographer, you must have your own dark room to develop photos. You will be happy to know that this isn’t the case anymore. Some of the most well known photographers in this business don’t do their own development anymore, paying others instead to do so for them. This affords more time to focus on learning to take great shots.

Another great benefit of photography training is that there is no age limit. Knowledge is a path open to anyone of any age who possesses sufficient interest and motivation. And the rewards you gain from learning photography are incalculable. You have the opportunity to earn good pay through professional photography or simply engage in this activity as a hobby or “labor of love.”

Photography educational institutions not only provide students an environment in which to learn, but also assign specific camera work activities to help their students assess just how much they have gained from the training. And it is all quite fun once you get started!

Photography is known as the art of replicating pictures of people, objects or places in their exact likeness. These images can be transferred onto any photosensitive material.

The source of photography is unquestionably the camera - the instrument or device that works on the principle of optics. Since the time the first camera was made, photography techniques have undergone extraordinary changes. The first models did not contain the film, but instead, consisted of a small light-shield box with lens and translucent screen on either side. The image that traveled through the lens was stored on the screen known as ‘camera obscura’. The beginning of photogram came about when scientists discovered the quality of silver nitrate that changes its color when exposed to light. This would become a method to store images more permanently.

This gave a start to placing objects on the paper dipped in silver nitrate and expose it to the sunlight. After a while the area covered under the object stayed white while the rest of the space turned black. The outcome of this meant that the image formed was temporary.

As time went by, the principles, methods and the material used in photography went through several changes. After some experimenting with various methods like Daguerre and calotype, they decided on collodion.

Modern day photography has made it possible to capture and preserve special moments, like birthday parties and weddings, to name but a few. History became more authentic with pictures, and photographs served as evidence in many cases. With the unbelievable technological advances in the art of photography, it is no more just fun and frolic but has taken on the dimensions of a full-time profession.

There are many types of photography:

Aerial photography is the advanced type of photography by taking photo’s out of the air from a moving aircraft.

Art photography is the profession/hobby of taking photo’s for the sake of beauty.

Studio photography is the part of photography that is dedicated to the making of advertisements.

Photojournalism is what you see on the news and current affairs everyday, journalists travel all over the country to cover events that will be broadcasted on TV.

Outdoor photography mostly focuses on taking pictures of nature and landscapes.

Sports photography is dedicated to the sports arenas of the world and this helps to stay updated with results and forthcoming attractions.

Macro and scientific, also known as close-ups are restricted to specific fields and are not widely known. The process of taking pictures should be just as the satisfying as having the end result which is developed and printed on photo paper, especially when we find ourselves browsing through our photo albums.

Beach vacation photos aren’t a specific type, but almost everybody has tried to make some at least once. And if you failed to make a good photo, perhaps you have not used the tips shared in the quoted publication.