How-To – Rocking Your Facebook Profile

This is a funny how-to video on taking better pictures of yourself if you want a cool Facebook profile. Our professional advice: taking pictures of yourself is always a bad idea unless you are using a timer. For better results, ask a friend to take pictures of you. You need an immediate feedback on your attempted cool posing.

Glamor with a Disclaimer

To fight self-esteem problems experienced by girls and women who feel pressure to fit the standards set up by advertisers, British and French lawmakers are pushing for laws that force the Advertising industry to disclose when retouching is used on models. According to the proposals, all ads where retouched images of models have been used should carry a disclaimer stating that changes have been made.

You would think that in our day and age, everyone knows that ad images are artistic interpretations. They are decorative. Let's be honest, you wouldn't want Calvin Klein ads to feature "guys from work".

I personally think "feel-good" movies are more damaging for the psyche of young women. And, if we continue along the disclaimer path, they should run a marquee warning during romantic comedies and Cinderella-plot movies saying this is just wishful thinking and no one should fall for this delusion.

As for photo retouching, it has become a natural part of the process of developing an image for publication. It puts fixes where the photography failed. You always do the bare minimum checklist:

- Improve lighting
- Adjust colors
- Remove flyaway hairs
- Remove glare
- Remove shadows from faces
- Even out skin tone
- Cover up temporary skin imperfections
- Correct smudged make-up
- Fix clothes

These are the basics of photography post-production that have nothing to do with manipulation of the public conscience.

And if you still consider this an illusion than the illusion starts from the production stage. There is a crew of workers besides the photographer at any proper fashion or celebrity shoot. If you have ever watched America's Next Top Model then you should know how a good make-up artist, stylist, and lighting specialists can improve the outcome and make the photo look glamorous, the way you (let's face it) like it.

PhotoHand.com Catches Growing Attention of Professionals and Small Businesses

Fast and affordable online service for image editing and photo design - PhotoHand.com is quickly turning into one of the most valuable online resources for small/SOHO business, entrepreneurs and professionals looking to boost their images.

Traditionally limited by modest marketing budgets and now influenced by the current recession, professionals and small businesses are reconciled with the fact that their promotional images can’t rival those of corporations. PhotoHand.com is changing this perception by bringing Madison-Avenue quality image editing and photo design to Main Street folks.

The strictly online mode of operation might not fit the processes of large companies but it is perfect for Actors, Models, Consultants, Dentists, Indie Designers, Small Manufacturers, Beauty Professionals, Tattoo Artists, E-shop Owners... the list goes on.

Just upload your photos through PhotoHand.com website, supply your directions in plain language (what you want or what you don't like in the photos) and in three business days you have the images that will make you or your business stand out - all without breaking the bank.

PhotoHand's fees start at $3.50 per photo for complete cosmetic retouching. For $11.95 your product photo will be altered into an ad worthy of glossy magazines. Online proofing and changes are free.

Unlike many photographers, PhotoHand works under the "work-for-hire" clause and thus does not claim copyright over retouched photos or photo designs. This means PhotoHand's clients have the full ownership of their images and can take them to any printing company of choice.

PhotoHand.com works with amateur photos as well as with professionally shot images. The company realizes that many business owners or professionals take one shot at a time when they are ready with a new sample and paying $75-150 an hour for one-two photos is excessive. Most of them have long figured out how to use powerful digital cameras and how to set up the lights for a shoot.

Naturally, such DIY photos need some editing help but so do professional shots, as PhotoHand can attest. With a little bit of post-production TLC, PhotoHand makes such photos shine.

After all, it's 60% how you look, 35% what you sound like, and 5% what you say.

Shooting for the Wedding Book

The wedding season hits in June and we at PhotoHand expect a rise in custom photo books design orders. Most of our clients have been in the wedding photography business for a while but there are a lot of talented young beginners who have been asking us to give them some tips on how to be prepared so that they are in the right place at the right moment and shoot enough material for a lively photo story.

We looked at the weddings albums that we have created so far and came up with this cheat sheet. A bride can also use this list when giving directions to her photographer.




A wedding is a celebration of a tradition and traditions by their nature adhere to certain scripts. Below are the points general to any wedding but if the wedding is to include some ethnic traditions or special family customs, that photographer must be notified of all such details beforehand so that he or she is able to capture every key moment.

Behind the Scene
The dress on a hanger
close-ups of any remarkable details on the dress
Accessories: flowers, shoes, jewelry, the rings
The bride getting ready (makeup, hair, jewelry, dress,shoes)
Family and bridesmaids assisting the bride
Others getting ready
Portrait of the bride
The groom getting ready (adjusting the ties tie or cuff links)
Portrait of the groom
Waiting for the Ceremony
The wide-angle view of the location
The groom waiting for the bride
The groom, the best man and the officiator
The ring bearer and flower girl
General view of the seated guests
Arrival of the bride

The Ceremony
The best man and maid of honor coming down the aisle
Each groomsman and bridesmaid coming down the aisle
The bride coming down the aisle
Wide-angle view of the ceremony
The vow and ring exchange
Signing of the marriage license
The kiss
The bride and groom coming down the aisle
Any special musician, singer, speaker, etc.

Formal Photos
Hands with the wedding bands
Formal group photos
Romantic bride and groom photos

The Reception
Details: centerpieces, the cake, decor
The wedding party entering the reception
Toasts
Cutting of the cake
The first dance
Dances with parents
Bouquet toss
Garter removal
Guests at each table
Dancing guests

Final Scene
The newlyweds waiving or walking away
Departing Limo

That's it! Have a great shoot!

Capturing The Holiday Spirit

By Heather Joy Roth

The holidays that bring traditional family get-together are quickly approaching, offering us photographers – professional and otherwise - the opportunity to capture life-long memories of the colorful scenery and loved ones. Here are some tips that can help you take eye-catching portraits of the holiday season.

Take A Family Portrait

It is rare in this busy world for families to make the time to get together. Take advantage of this opportunity by taking a family portrait. It will be a cherished keepsake for everyone.

Capture Children’s Artwork On Camera

With school back in full swing, now is the time to take pictures of your children’s art projects. It is unlikely that you will be able to collect all their artwork for your child to see when they get older, so taking a snapshot — or better yet, having your child photograph their own artwork is not only a great way to remember childhood, but a creative way to get your budding photographer to enjoy the new hobby.

Capture Memories From A Different Point Of View

When photographing symbols of the holidays or loved ones, look for new, interesting ways of capturing them. You can photograph a carved pumpkin off-center or move in for an up close shot, leaving out distracting extras. Get level with the subject you are shooting.

Holidays mean children, and children are at a height level lower than what we usually photograph at. Get down on their level. This will give you the best picture angles you can achieve.

Spontaneous Photography

When it comes to the holidays, the time I most enjoy taking photos is when a family member or friend opens their gift. My motto is to shoot the portrait first, and ask questions later. Don’t waste time lining up a perfect shot, snap the photo and capture their face when they open their presents. Parents easily make the mistake of distracting their children by yelling at them to look at the camera.

This is a huge mistake, as children will either shy away from being photographed or pose wildly at the camera. If the children are not looking directly at the camera, not only will you not blind them with your flash, but you will be able to capture spontaneous moments rather than stiff poses.

These moments only lasts a split-second so if you can manage to shoot the subject in that moment of surprise, you’ll have a memory to last forever. Try getting restless children involved by having them take pictures of each other. This works especially well with digital cameras. You will be surprised at what they come up with. Kids literally have a different perspective on the world and their images may surprise you.

Broaden What Type Of Holiday Picture You Take

Try capturing not only “classic” symbols of the holidays, but abstract points of interest. For example, you could photograph a tree covered in snow and this can convey the feeling of the season even more than a photograph of the Christmas tree itself. Look for pumpkin patches, snowmen, even leaves on the sidewalk for inspiring, innovative photo opportunities.

Create Your Own Holiday Greeting Card

© PhotoHand |custom designed greeting cards

Greeting cards that you buy in the store are cheerful, but nothing says “Happy Holidays” more than a personalized greeting card you snapped yourself. Get creative, whether you take a portrait of yourself, your pets, family or even a landscape shot. I prefer receiving these cards versus commercial greeting cards. It shows that thought and consideration went into the card and always brings a smile to my face. These are the cards I keep.

Take A Lot Of Photos

Any professional photographer will tell you that to get a few amazing shots, they had to snap hundreds of photos. Do not be stingy with what you shoot. Try taking pictures of anything that catches your eye. A simple, spontaneous close-up snapshot of some Christmas lights can be more eye-catching than a well planned shot of the whole tree lit up.

Remember, the holidays are a time for family, friends and memories.

Capture the holiday spirit by taking spontaneous shots, not by ordering your subject to pose this way or that way. These photographs allow the happiness of the season to radiate throughout your photography.

Defining Your Image Size for Quality Printing

This is the question that we, at PhotoHand, get every day – why can’t you blow up my photo into a poster after you have retouched it. The answer is that the size of the photo is too small. To print a small poster – the size of a standard sheet of paper, your photo has to be at least 5 Megapixels in photo terms, which equals 5 Megabytes in computer terms.

A photo image is described by two parameters: “Image Size” and “Image Quality”. The image SIZE is defined by the total number of pixels - a collection of small dots. The number of pixels per square inch defines the QUALITY of the image.

If the number of pixels (the size) of the image can’t be changed after the image has been captured, the image quality is defined AFTER you have taken the photo. Image quality or resolution will be defined when you decide how many pixels (dots) should be per square inch of your photo.

More pixels/dots per square inch mean higher resolution and subsequently higher quality of print. 72 dpi (dots per inch) are perfect for the web but not for printing. Quality printing requires 300 dpi.

So, the more pixels you capture from the start, the bigger photo you will be able to print after these pixels have been squeezed into square inches by 300 in each.

Here is a sample of calculations:

Suppose you want a print sized 4 by 6 inches in photo quality.
(4in x 300dpi) x (6in x 300dpi) = 1,200 pixels x 1,800 pixels
This equals 2,160,000 pixels (roughly 2.2 Megapixels) in total which is approximately 2.2 Megabytes.

To make it easier, we put together this cheat sheet for you.

We hope we were able to help, but if you still have questions please contact us through our website www.PhotoHand.com.