Using Wi-Fi to Streamline your Workflow

Imagine this: It is a beautiful sunny morning and you are in the countryside doing a landscape shoot. The warm morning light is illuminating the fields in a stunning golden hue and you are already on your second memory card. You want to review some of the pictures you have just taken but rather than transferring the images to your bulky laptop you just pull out your tablet and everything is waiting for you.

You get home and immediately put your editing hat on. Time to take these beautiful images to the next level; but wait, now you have the laborious process of getting everything onto your editing machine. Or you would if everything wasn't already waiting for you, organised and backed up thanks to the power of Wi-Fi.

Digital photographers tend to get frustrated by processes that slow them down. While all photographers love the shoot and most love editing, very few enjoy the process of image management or laboriously transferring files from camera to PC.

While Wi-Fi is not a new technology it has taken its time to work its way into the photography field. There have been a few compact cameras which have dipped their toes into the world of Wi-Fi transfer. Meanwhile SLR owners were confined to expensive accessories such as Canon's Wireless File Transmitter costing upwards of £500.

Fortunately, manufacturers are getting up to speed and future generations of SLRs should show signs of Wi-Fi connectivity. There are already a few on the market such as the Canon EOS 6D. For those who are not lucky enough to own a Wi-Fi enabled camera, there are still options.

Wi-Fi enabled SD cards are now commonplace and are by far the cheapest way to start leveraging Wi-Fi to your advantage.

These nifty little devices create their own Wi-Fi network which your tablet or smartphone can join. Download the manufacturer's application and images will be wirelessly transferred from your camera to your device. This is great for checking images on the fly when your camera's preview screen does not cut it.

Getting images from your camera to your smart device is one thing but what about to your editing machine. This is where the power of the cloud can come in handy.

For users of Apple devices, there is iCloud which will synchronise your photos to all your Apple devices. iCloud comes with 5 GB of free cloud storage which won't get photographers very far; however, Apple does offer additional storage at a charge.

Android Users

For Android users, or Apple users not content with iCloud, there are third party applications which carry out the same functions. Dropbox and SugarSync both offer photo upload functions. Dropbox comes with 2GB free and SugarSync offers 5GB although additional amounts can be bought for each.

Once your application is installed, you need to set it to auto upload your images. From here on out, any pictures you take will be uploaded to the cloud, which in itself offers peace of mind as an additional backup solution.

Both applications offer a desktop client which will automatically pull down images from the cloud, meaning that you now have a fully automatic workflow. It's time to say goodbye to wires once and for all.

*It is worth bearing in mind that these a large files so you will want to set the application to only sync across Wi-Fi as opposed to the mobile network. Not switching this off could result in a very nasty bill from your mobile service provider.

Keeping Photography Relevant in the Digital Age

We live in an age when photography is more accessible than it has ever been.

Not so long ago, portraits were a rarity, an hours-long event that a person might experience just once or twice in his life.

Within the span of a century, technology has changed this so dramatically that powerful photography equipment can be carried in your pocket, and it's possible to take a photograph of anything from your reflection in the mirror to what you've had for dinner and share it instantaneously with the world.

It's a landscape that photographers a few generations ago could have never imagined, and it's a little dizzying to behold.

Aside from the accessibility of cameras themselves, a budding photographer also has access to myriad photo editing programs and apps. Mashing a few buttons or swiping between screens can now accomplish what once required hours of exacting work in a dark room. When taking, storing, editing and sharing photographs is so simple, is there any room left for professionals? Is there still value in taking photography courses, such as the ones on offer here? The short answer is yes; if anything, there are many new opportunities for creative professionals today than ever.

Technology Can't Replace Skill

Every professional knows that the best technology is worth nothing in the hands of someone who doesn't know how to use it. Photography is no different. Although a layperson might think taking a photo is as simple as pointing, auto-focusing, and snapping the picture, professionals know that more goes into every shot. Photography courses can teach things like composition and color theory, the skills that make up the backbone of visual arts, and a natural eye for the perfect visual can be cultivated into a valuable skill.

The demand for high-quality, interesting visuals is higher than ever. Images are the backbone of viral news sites, and designers creating book covers, websites, advertisements and more seek them after. More than that, truly great photography stands out in the crowd. With so any amateur snapshots crowding the Internet, people have a better appreciation for the magic a professional can work with a camera. Weddings, pets, children; People hire photographers to capture these images because they cannot do justice to the subject themselves, no matter how many apps they download.

When you look at it this way, it becomes clear that the modern photographer doesn't just record moments in time. He's an artist, and his most valuable and marketable skill is his unique artistic vision and ability to communicate through captured images. While snapshots might be cheap and numerous, excellent photography is every bit as valuable as it's ever been.

Every artist will need to find his own path to success, but here are a few ideas to get you thinking:

1. Hone your craft. Even if you're already professionally taught, you might benefit from a few photography courses or workshops to help you discover more about your craft and master techniques that you hadn’t even considered dabbling with previously. If you're self-taught, this might be the perfect time to pursue a more formal education that can help you understand what it takes to stand out from the other hobbyists and amateurs.

2. Don't be afraid to go niche. It's no surprise that stock photography is a big business on the web, but most stock photos are soulless and dull. If you're willing to create something new and different and offer it to other creative professionals, like cover design artists, you're bound to hit on a niche that hasn't yet been exploited. Communicate with designers and others who frequently need photography to see what they're looking for, and find a way to provide it.

3. Market yourself as an artist. Too often, commercial photography is treated as a technical skill. While it certainly requires technical prowess, it's every bit as much of an artistic endeavor as painting. Create a unique visual style for yourself and use it as a signature. Display your work proudly and sell prints that people would be happy to have on their wall.

4. Don't undervalue your work. Artists willing to work for free or at reduced prices quickly devalue their own work. Set reasonable prices and stay firm. Deliver a quality product. If your work is high enough quality, the price will be a secondary consideration: Buyers will find the money to pay for something they need if they're confident it's the best they can get.

Whether you're a new student taking his first photography courses or a veteran trying to find a path through the ever-changing landscape of new technology, there's no reason to despair about the future of photography. Things may be different these days, but those changes might be exactly what you need to breathe fresh life into your career and photography in general.

A Beginner’s Guide to Photographing Children

1. Shooting at Home

Taking pictures at home, rather than in a professional studio, has become popular in recent years. Your home is a much more natural environment for children, as it instantly puts them at ease.

Start by moving the couch out of the living room to create an area big enough for the shoot.

If possible setup a grey seamless paper roll on a stand to create a neutral background, or failing that use an uncluttered wall for more environmental portraits.

Window lighting provides beautiful natural, directional light that you can utilise during the shoot.

White ceiling and walls are perfect for bounce flash - if they're a different colour, use a white sheet.

Most importantly, make people feel comfortable at home. Don't make too many changes to their natural environment.

2. Kids are Impatient

Make sure that you perfect the setup first before bringing in the kids - they'll quickly lose patience with you if you're not ready.

Use faster, longer lenses to defocus the background - a fast 85mm lens is great for portraits, but the long end of the standard zoom that came with your interchangeable lens camera is also good.

Position your subjects at least 6 feet in front of the background, in order to defocus background and to drop shadows behind them.

3. Using Flash

Use a flashgun to help freeze children's movements.

Bounce the flash off the ceiling to increase the lighting sweet spot - setting the shutter speed to 1/25th sec and the aperture to f/4 is a good starting point.

Invest in a flashgun that can be tilted towards both walls and ceilings.

4. Over Here !

Try and attract the attention of kids in a natural way - talking doesn't always work!

Try lighting a match (never fails), or use a cellphone ringtone to make them look in your direction.

Failing that, draft in Mum and Dad to help, or their favourite toys.

Limit distractions - don't have too many assistants! Shoot kids on your own if you can, or with a maximum of one parent. Too many people in the room will be a hindrance rather than a help.

Remember, you don't always need to get children to look directly into the camera to get a great portrait shot.

5. Get Down and Dirty

Always try shooting at the kid's eye-level, not yours - get down on your stomach if you have to - it will create much more natural-looking pictures.

Let the camera do the focusing, not you. Most modern cameras can keep up with fast-moving children.

Fill in the shadows using an inexpensive piece of 4x4-inch foam-core on the floor, rather than using a second light. Position the subject on the white flooring to create a more evenly lit picture.

Finally, go wild and let the children run free - chaos can be good and often results in the best pictures!