first attempt a photo altering....

[dmaricle]

ok i am far from a photographer but i know that nice pictures help with sales and web site stuff. ok these two pics were my very first trys. be honest with me tear these apart i need help. lol thanks.

[tina_t]

well, its a start! a couple suggestions would be--

1) find a surface that enhances the snake, not hides it... so for that one, i'd go with a white or blue background, not brown...

2) i think you are holding your camera too close to the snake, hence the blurring (the camera is focusing on the background, and not on the snake) if its a point-and-shoot, try stepping back and using the zoom, and don't forget you can always crop it in a photo editing program after

3) you need more light!! if you can do photos outdoors on a warm day, that always results in great lighting -- since its natural! or check out the 'how to build a photography light tent thread' that's been stickied. i think whiter light would really help here!

keep trying!! practice makes perfect right???

very cute little spider by the way!!!

[Kysenia]

Find a way to steady the camera, although you may not notice your hand is moving a lot, using a tripod or resting the camera on a beanbag in your hand helps cut down on focus issues from movement you are providing during the shot

[rabernet]

Also try using your camera's macro setting (looks like a flower on most cameras) and bring your camera in close (don't zoom) and give that a try as well.

[dmaricle]

thanks once they all shed im going to try again. thanks again.

[JAMills]

What kind of camera are you using?

Backgrounds: use something that is not glossy or reflective. White or Blue are good colors like Tina stated... I actually use Black Velvet or Navy Velvet, and sometimes the non glossy side of white poster board.

For Example my Avatar to the left is on Black Velvet and the Image below my signature is on Navy Velvet

Lighting: natural daylight is always great... If you are trying to get off cheap and need to do it indoors get a florescent Shop light and put in the True Daylight Bulbs...They give off a bright but soft blue light that makes colors stand out nicely

Focus: Use a Tripod or something for stabilization. Work with your focus settings until you can get a nice clean shot of the subject and not the background.