Great Photos are easy and we have made a list of things to do that will improve your photos immediately. 1. Use as plain a background as you can find for your photographs. Clutter ruins pictures. If the subject of your pictures is a light color, then the background should be dark and the reverse is true also. 2. The camera should be eye level with your subject, get down on your knees if necessary. 3. Don't put your subject directly in the center of the picture. If your subject is a little off to one side it will make a big difference. 4. Use a tripod, or set the camera on a flat object. You can use a jacket or a purse to position the camera. 5. Reduce the number of colors in the picture. If you are photographying people, try to have everyone wearing similiar and subdued colors. 6. Wait until an hour before sunset to take your picture, the sun will be very low in the sky, the light will be a warm color, the shadows will be very soft and very interesting. You can have soft light directly on the subject or produce a glow around and behind the subject. Now read this one again, it is extremely important. The lighting will make or break your picture! 7. Many of our photos were taken before or after sunset when the light is particularly warm and soft. These photos are often silhouettes standing against a very colorful sky. Low light conditions often produce some exciting visual photographic effects like artistic blurs illustrating the motion of the subject or a halo. 8. In low light conditions the shadows are longer and softer, and the contrast between light and shadow are reduced. The subjects often reflect very warm sunlight tones - between pink and deep orange giving them a romantic glow. Details are not as obvious because shadows are reduced and color becomes the subject of the photograph. It takes experience at looking at photos to learn the difference, but you will find that any photos you take within a half hour of sunset will almost always be more attractive than photos you took during other times of the day. This is often true of sunrise photos also, but the light is usually not as pink or orange. 9. Learn to see the color of light. It's called "magic light" among other things, and it usually occurs in the evening because of the higher concentration of dust particles in the air, allowing only reddish light to cover the landscape. Even when you are not taking pictures, you should go outside just prior to sunset and observe the sunlight on the trees. You will most often see the trees turn orange or red orange along the tree trunks. It will help you to become aware of the color of light and how it affects your photographs. 10. Filters. All photographers find that just changing the hours of the day they photograph is the single greatest factor in improving their photographs. And you don't stop because the sun went down, keep going for another hour. The sky will often put on a show that can be captured beautifully on film. You will not have details in the landscape unless you use some strong graduated neutral density filters that reduce light in half of the picture (get the square ones, not the rounds ones - the square ones can be adjusted). 11. Define a mood. The pictures taken in low light conditions intentionally appear moody (low key) and darker than daylight pictures (high key). This effect is produced by spot metering the subject (such as the sky) and slightly reducing the amount of exposure to insure the colors are properly reproduced on photographic slide film. 11. Tripods are necessary. Low light conditions require the use of a tripod or other support, such as a stiff camera bag or bulky jacket bunched up. The use of such support will improve most photographs at other times of day. Even when there is plenty of light, a tripod will allow adjusting the camera to increase depth of field which will often improve landscape shots. 12. Use a meter. Low light landscape photography: With the sun behind you, meter the sky on the horizon in front of you and it will almost always produce a beautifully exposed photograph. A little practice may be necessary to allow for the quirks of your meter. 13. Everybody likes to eat. Successful pictures of wildlife will increase in proportion to the amount of food you provide. They will come in for food bait and hang around longer so that photo opportunities increase. The second best option is to find a natural food source and sit in a blind. If the animals are used to seeing cars they will ignore a person sitting in a car, effectively making it into a blind. If the animals are particularly wary, you can cover the windows of the car with camouflage cloth and take pictures with the lens sticking out of the cloth. If you are hidden the animals and birds will approach your location if you just sit still long enough. 14. The eyes are the most important. Getting the camera at the eye level of your subject will increase the apparent attractiveness of the photograph. It increases the intimacy of the moment with your subject and makes the eyes dominate the picture. Looking into their eyes creates a momentary relationship, a sense of "knowing" the subject by reading its expression. However, the safety of both the subject and the photographer are of primary importance. You will never make enough money off of a photograph to begin to justify injury to the subject or yourself. An irresponsible photograph will be rejected by any responsible publication and earn you a bad reputation. Nobody wants to be accused of contributing to the harm of any wildlife subjects, either directly or indirectly. 15. Capturing motion requires more light. To capture sharp pictures of moving animals and flying birds you will have to extend your photography to the hours when the sun is higher in the sky and light increases sufficiently to use a fast shutter speed. At those times it is almost impractical to attempt to use a tripod. If you sit in a car and use a stiff camera bag resting on the window ledge it will give sufficent support to allow you to shoot with a long lens and track moving animals and birds. It will also take some of the stress off of your arms. 16. Autofocus. At these times nothing can beat having autofocus on your camera. This photographer has many pictures of flying birds that would have been impossible without autofocus. It is hard enough just to keep a long lens steady and keep the bird in the viewfinder - without having to focus too. The automatic exposure combined with autofocus will capture a perfect picture even if the photographer knows nothing about photography. Cameras are so sophisticated now that impossible shots are becoming common. 17. Exposure: For animals, use the fastest shutter speed the light will allow. Shallow depth of field will make the subject snap out from its background in a photograph. 18. Warming Filters: A warming filter almost always increases the perceived attractiveness of a photograph. 19. Use a spot-meter if your camera has one. 20. Bracket exposures (vary the amount of light). Some of the most artistic shots and best shots are taken when the exposure is "way off" average. 21. Learn how to clean up distracting elements and correct the exposure in your computer with an inexpensive photo editing software program. Catch a Falling Star... Falling-Star.com, over 1,000 Free Cards, Calendars and Stationery. Free samples of beautiful Fine Art Photographic Prints, handcrafted originals. For your convenience, an order form is available at the end of each page. Free Calendar Subscriptions, Flowers, Teddy Bears, Pandas, Greeting Cards for everyone and every occasion. Pictures for the whole family. For your convenience, an order form is available at the end of each page. Double left click to open and right click to save. Save to your "C drive" in "My Documents-My Pictures". Free for personal use. Need Help? Downloading and sending the photos - see the Help page on the main menu. All the greeting cards are fun cards and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. Be remembered. FREE CARDS Say "I love you" in many different ways. Anniversary Attitude Babies Best Buds Better World Birthday Can't Wait Till You Return Congratulations Courage Creativity Cutie Pies - for Kids Dreams Come True Farewell Feel Better Fish Tales Flowers for You Forget Me Not Hackers' Advice Have a Nice Day High Achievers Humor Integrity I've Got the Blues Kids Corner Leadership Let There Be Light - Hubble Letting Go Lucky Day Making Up Miss You Overcoming Abuse Pandas Perfect in Every Way Perserverance Personal Self-Acceptance Rainbow Succeed Sorry Teamwork Teddy Bears Thank You The Way Un-valentine Weddings Welcome Wisecracks Wish You Were Here Wishing Wells You're the Best Your Point CARDS Angels Free Flowers Friendship King of Kings Rude Awakenings - for the friend who "KNOWS" everything and never listens. Free Pro Color E-Book What do your colors say about you? Show-Stoppers Color Design Newsletter - fabulous color pallettes and much more! SHOW-STOPPERS! Get the color right. Designer Color Pallettes and Schemes. Design Books on CDs. High quality photographs (Jpeg). Enhanced usage with any computer Color Picker (not included). View on any computer. Copyright 2004-2007. WHY YOU NEED SHOW-STOPPERS New Insight into Color Psychology Enhance success with color choices. A breakthrough in color design. Save hundreds of design hours. Brainstorm hundreds of designer color possibilities with your fingertips. Revelation - see the difference between color relationships. Discover the potential of color. Understand the impact of color. Experience the sensation of color. Perceive the difference between hard and soft colors. Discern harmonies and conflicts. Master color for visual communication. Illustrate your message with superior skill. Communicate "quality" with timeless, classic Nature pallettes. Innovate with brilliant "out of the box" color combinations. Enhance success with color choices. Skillfully hear and interpret the voice of color. Speak masterfully with color. Share your vision with color. Be remembered with color. Edify eloquently with color. Copyright 1999 - 2007. Get the color right. Color changes everything. Color Design rules apply to color decorating, business color design, graphics, web design, websafe colors and color media. Here is why you want Show-Stoppers! Color Designer Pallettes. Enhance success with color choices. A breakthrough in color design. Save hundreds of design hours. Brainstorm hundreds of designer color possibilities with your fingertips. Revelation - see the difference between color relationships. Discover the potential of color. Understand the impact of color. Experience the sensation of color. Perceive the difference between hard and soft colors. Discern harmonies and conflicts. Master color for visual communication. Illustrate your message with superior skill. Communicate "quality" with timeless, classic Nature pallettes. Innovate with brilliant "out of the box" color combinations. Enhance success with color choices. Skillfully hear and interpret the voice of color. Speak masterfully with color. Share your vision with color. Be remembered with color. Edify eloquently with color. Advanced Color Design - like the Pros! Decorate - Color Schemes Show-Stoppers! Color Design System Color Wheel and Color Pallettes Graphics Color Design Website Color Design Advanced Color Design Blending and Creating Color Pro Color Design Pallettes Color Wheels Color Theory Color Psychology Monochromatic Color Schemes Complements, Triads, Tetrads Decorating with Color Home, Office, Gardens Copyright 1999 - 2008 Get the colors right. Contact us for Color Design Consultation. The smallest changes make a dramatic difference. Color consultation available - 50 years experience in the study of color design. Falling-Star.com is your home for color design. Falling-Star.com 1,500 Photos you can't forget Over 1,500 pages. Over 1.75 million hits. Contact us to order, send payment or request design consultation. Custom Orders Only Phone: 301-233-3831 Our website address is: www.falling-star.com Our e-mail address is: DAD.photo@att.net Print this page. Decorate your home and office with Flags, Scenics and Nature prints - free sample prints can be downloaded of our "Country Heartland" decorations. Decorating tips for colors, accessories and furniture for office, home and garden. A day in the country is worth a year in the city. If you can't see the creek, the lake, the ocean, the woods or the countryside from your office or home, we have the solution. Nature is pure art, beauty, and a refuge for the soul. Nature will give you a new perspective and a new attitude. Get outside... from your living room or office to a 5 minute vacation... a retreat to the beauty of nature. Be there, feel your feet in the sand and the breezes on your face. You can almost hear the songbirds singing their country music hit songs and the crickets harmonizing their back-up melodies. In a moment you are at the "Sea of tranquility". Visit the Chesapeake Bay or the wild and wonderful Potomac River. Drift away, refocus, soar on eagle's wings, see the big picture. Take flight with the Great Egret and the American Bald Eagle, reach high, find brilliant sparks of innovation. Get off the beaten path, sets your sights on inspiration and innovation. Leave a trail for others to follow. PHOTOGRAPHY Traditional Country and Cottage Accessories Photographs speak more than a thousand words Family Photos on display speak of - Tradition, Roots, Affection, Enduring Love, Eternal Values, Eternal Life, Honesty, Integrity, Nurturing, Peace, Purity, Safety, Sharing, Teamwork, Teaching, Togetherness, Tenderness, Trust, Unconditional Love, Values, Wisdom Country Scenics, Farms, Fields, Crops, Flowers, Barns, Back Roads - Photographs on your walls speak of - Abundance, America the Beautiful, Environment, Freedom, Good Life, Hard Work, Independence, New Beginnings, Safety, Sharing, Simplicity, Sowing and Reaping Success, Trust, Wealth, Wisdom Wild Birds Photographs on your walls speak of - Confidence, Cooperation, Ecology, Eternal, Faith, Freedom, God, Independence, Leadership, Optimism, Peace, Safety, Success, Victory, Winning, Wisdom Geese Photographs on your walls - Teamwork, Success, Victory Eagle and/or Flag Photographs - Achievement, Action, American Dream, Confidence, Eternal, Faith, Freedom, God, Independence, Leadership, Liberty, Power, Pride, Safety, Strength, Success, Winning, Wisdom Wildlife Photographs - Adaptable, Cleverness, Cooperation, Ecology, Eternal, Faith, Freedom, Good Life, Independence, Nurturing, Peace, Power, Safety, Teaching, Simplicity Wildflowers and Fruit Trees Photographs - in the backyard, in a field, along the road, or along a natural wood fence - Abundance, America the Beautiful, Family Life, Freedom, Ecology, Eternity, Good Life, Liberty, Life, Nature's Beauty, New Beginnings, Optimism, Peace, Permanence, Safety, Seeds, Sowing and Reaping, Stability, Simplicity, Tradition, USA, Values, Victory Written permission required for nonpersonal use. All photographs and content copyrighted. All rights reserved. Create some buzz. Be remembered. Design. Image. Brand. Logo. Imaging. Photography. Advertising. Marketing. Promotion. Website. Hire a Color Design Consultant. Privacy Policy - We do not give out names or information to anyone. Falling-Star.com Catch a Falling Star and Make a Wish. Copyright 1999 - 2008 Falling-Star.com Order Form __________________________________Name __________________________________Address __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________Phone __________________________________E-mail * * * PURCHASE HAND CRAFTED FINE ART PRINTS Signed and numbered by the photographer. Falling-Star.com Original. Fine Art Print selected: ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________4x6 Standard $89 ____________6x8 Standard $99 ____________8x10 Standard $97 (Reg. $129) ____________11x14 Standard $199 ____________Custom order larger sizes. ____________Free Fedex shipping ($15 value). * * * PURCHASE SHOW STOPPERS PRO COLOR DESIGN 97% of all purchases are affected by color. Color attracts your attention. Show-Stoppers We get the colors right... for the Designer in you. SHOW-STOPPERS Sampler $49 for 10 Designer Color Wheels and Pallettes. Special Offer #190. Graphic Jpeg files on CD. Falling-Star.com Original. ________ $49.00 SHOW-STOPPERS! Half Price Sale $249.00 Half Price $499.00 - Regular Price 500 Designer Color Wheels and Palletes Graphic Jpeg files on CD, 5 digital books Falling-Star.com Original. Special Offer #191 ________ $249.00 Total Price_____________ Custom Orders Only Phone: 301-233-3831 Website: www.Falling-Star.com E-mail: DAD.photo@att.net * * * Prayer for Victory, "Oh God, We worship You and give You glory. Oh God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, Give us Victory Give us Wisdom Give us Strength Give our enemies into our hands."