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NEW WAYS TO USE YOUR DIGITAL CAMERA FOR FUN AND PROFIT
by Valerie Goettsch
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If
you’re only using your digital camera for vacation and family photos,
you’ve just scratched the surface of your camera’s uses. Digital
photography has opened a new world of possibilities. Here are some
fun, practical, and maybe even profitable, ways to use your digital
camera.
Enhance your photo before uploading to an online dating service
As online dating services become more and more popular, you may
be considering this option to meet Mr. or Ms. Right. You’ll want
to look your best to capture the attention of your potential mate,
so how about brighter eyes and whiter teeth? It’s pretty easy to
enhance your digital photo using inexpensive photo editing software
such as Foto Finish or Jasc Paint Shop Pro. You can adjust the overall
brightness and contrast to generally brighten the image. Zoom in
on your eyes and using the software’s polygon or magic wand tool,
select just the whites of your eyes. Then use the ‘adjust color’
or ‘adjust exposure’ tool to make your eyes brighter and less red.
Similarly, you can zoom in and select your teeth, then adjust the
color and exposure. And voila! A fresher, more alert and attractive-looking
you.
Selling goods on eBay
Research shows that merchandise with attractive photos sell at better
prices. People are naturally drawn to appealing images. To show
your items at best advantage, you can rig an inexpensive tabletop
“studio” using a sheet of non-glare white plastic and a PVC pipe
for support. The important points to remember are having a uniform
background behind and below the object and even lighting, either
with shop lights or natural sunlight (through a window—it’s best
to shoot indoors). You may need to adjust the white balance on your
digital camera, which is easy to do on most new cameras. Then you
can watch the auction bids rise on that antique clock you’re trying
to sell.
Archive photos of your personal possessions in case of fire or theft
Using your digital camera, you can quickly and easily take photos
of your personal possessions such as TVs, DVD players, stereo equipment,
furniture, computers and other expensive items so you have a record
of them for insurance purposes. Be sure to log serial numbers and
keep a record of purchase prices too. For safekeeping, transfer
the images to a CD and keep it in a safe deposit box, or upload
the images to an online photo storage service that offers unlimited
storage, such as Pixagogo.
Digital Scrapbook
Digital scrap booking, or computer scrap booking, is the newest
way to preserve your family memories. Using inexpensive, easy-to-use
scrapbook software, you can create entire scrapbook layouts and
add fun fonts and graphics to take your scrapbook project to a new
creative level. Computer scrap booking has really taken off in the
last year because people are finding it is less expensive, fast
and takes up less space (no more taking over the family dining table)
to make a computer generated scrapbook versus traditional scrap
booking techniques. Most people already have a computer and digital
camera, and once you have a scrap booking graphics software package
and perhaps invested in a scanner for older photos, you're ready
to go. You can easily color correct images, lighten dark photos,
crop out old boyfriends, and even erase scratches from old photos.
Most software programs come with special effects so you can enhance
your photos and pages with antique sepia tones, torn or burnt edges,
crinkles, soften or fade the edges, add digital picture frames,
and much more.
Have fun with your camera and let your imagination explore the boundaries.
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| About
the Author |
Valerie
Goettsch publishes the digital photography website http://www.digitalphotos101.com
featuring reviews of photo editing and album software and digital
photo printing services.
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