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Image theft illustration

Preventing image theft

First and foremost you can’t really stop image theft. But there are certain steps to make it more difficult. We will also discuss the proper way of dealing with image thefts and abusers. Read more...

Downsizing pictures illustration

Picture downsizing for web

You have to properly downsize pictures to get nice thumbnails for your website. If you just resize full resolution to thumbnail size, the reult is quite bad. This article wil teach you how to downsize pictures for web in Photoshop Elements. The process is quite similar in all other programs. Read more...

Example of histogram

Using histogram

Histogram is a special graph showing distribution of lights and shadows in the image. It is the ultimate tool for both exposure metering and picture editing. Understanding histogram alone will greatly improve your pictures quality. Read more...

Screenshot of Adobe Photoshop CS3

Choosing right image editing software

Just for the start – forget about all that crap distributed with Windows installation. These programs are bad even for simple image presentation. Forget about straight-from-the-camera pictures. You have to properly edit your pictures to get real quality. But don’t worry, its neither too difficult or too expensive. Read more...

Cobaltoan calcite on solid white background

Making solid white background

White background is not very artistic but it works pretty well. And you can easily change it in any decent photo retouching SW later. White background might seem easy but getting solid black background is much easier. Read more...

Mesolite and stilbite on black background

Making solid black background

Black background looks simple but it works just great for most minerals. It doesn’t work very well for dark minerals like dark brown, gray or black. It looks like an easy solution but it is not. There are few common problems with getting really solid black background. Read more...

How to make sharp pictures

Making sharp pictures

Most folks will tell you „get a tripod“. We will get to this later but I prefer shooting handheld. First you need enough light – the more the better. You can use any light source you want but be sure to have as much of light as possible. Read more...

Exposure problems

Basic exposure pitfalls

There are just two things you need to know about proper exposure settings. First and most important is to never trust your camera LCD – it might look ok and later in PC you have completely useless pictures. Use histogram to prevent blown out highlights or underexposed images. Second – always set you exposure meter to spot metering. Especially shooting on bright or dark backgrounds easily fools automatic exposure meter. Read more...

Table top photography setup

Get enough light!

The basic rule for the beginner is: Get as much of light as possible! It really doesn’t matter if it is sunshine or lamp but use the strongest light available. Lack of light is one of the most common problems which causes blurry images. Read more...

DSLR reverse lens macro setup

Choosing camera for mineral photography

First you need to sum up all your needs, there is no „all in one equipment“. Most users shoot minerals from thumbnail size up to large cabinets. There are two ways to solve this. The easier way is to use quality P&S (point and shoot) camera, it is easy to handle, cheap and small. The DSLR (digital single reflex camera) is more expensive and complicated option but it is very versatile and delivers significantly better image quality. Read more...

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