Technology Explained, Practice
Daniela Bowker
Resolution and pixels and image quality! Oh my! ...

When you hear the term 'high-res' thrown about with such abandon when it comes to images for web use, have you ever stopped to think just how big or how high quality and image meant for the web needs to be?

Resolution and pixels and image quality! Oh my! Saving images for the web
Feature Articles, Photography Theory
Haje Jan Kamps
Low-contrast photographs don't have to be boring

There's an assumption that high-contrast images are more dynamic, more compelling, more inviting. Have a go at some low-contrast photography. You might surprise yourself with the results.

Low-contrast photographs don't have to be boring
Feature Articles, Theory
Daniela Bowker
Seeking balance in your photos

Balance doesn't mean symmetry; it means an internal consistency and tension within your photos. And it's a vital element of composition. 

Seeking balance in your photos
Feature Articles, Photography Theory
Haje Jan Kamps
Training your photographic luck

Great photos might be down to a little bit of luck, but most of that 'luck' you make yourself. Don't believe us? Read on...

Training your photographic luck
Feature Articles, Practice
Daniela Bowker
The ups and downs and ins and outs of ...

Photographing buildings doesn't have to mean wide-angle lenses and fretting about correcting for the keystone effect. Any lens, and angle. Don't believe us? Let us show you!

The ups and downs and ins and outs of photographing buildings

26 january

Photography courses from IdeasTap

IdeasTap Logo BLACK

If you’re in or around London and fancy brushing up your skills, the creative arts charity IdeasTap is laying on a series of photography courses starting on 26 January and ending on 21 March. Classes range from the technical to the practical, and cover lighting, post-production, and managing your business, too.

The courses have been organised according to ability, so if you’re a relative beginner, don’t worry, you won’t be sitting next to some dude with a Canon 5D mkII and fifteen years of experience!

The cost of the courses has been subsided and if you’re an IdeasTap member, there’s a 50% discount. Not bad!

If you think that you might be interested, take a look at the IdeasTap website to see precisely what is available and when.

Our January photo competition

Taken with the compact camera in my handbag. Far from top of the range and runs on rechargeable AA batteries.

Seeing as we have just revealed the winner of our December photo competition, it makes it time to announce the details of the January competition. We’ve had a lot of black and white entries over the past few months. It’s hardly surprising, given the themes were disposed to black and white, so this month we thought that we’d go for all out colour. But this is colour with a twist.

We want a picture that is dominated by one shade. It doesn’t matter which particular colour you choose, but the image should be about that colour; a riot of red, a preponderance of purple, a glut of green. (If you’re not quite sure what I mean, the picture illustrating this post should give you an idea.)

You’ve from today (Wednesday 5 January 2011) until Wednesday 26 January 2011 to submit your entries to the Small Aperture Flickr pool. And yes, we’ve a delicious photo book lined up for the talented winner.

For your reference, I’ve reproduced the rules. But go forth, take beautiful photos, and good luck!

The Rules

  • If you decide to enter, you agree to The Rules.
  • You can’t have written for Small Aperture or be related to either me or Haje to enter.
  • One entry per person – so choose your best!
  • Entries need to be submitted to the right place, which is the Small Aperture Flickr group.
  • There’s a closing date for entries, so make sure you’ve submitted before then.
  • You have to own the copyright to your entry and be at liberty to submit it to a competition. Using other people’s photos is most uncool.
  • It probably goes without saying, but entries do need to be photographs. It’d be a bit of strange photo competition otherwise.
  • Don’t do anything icky – you know, be obscene or defame someone or sell your granny to get the photo.
  • We (that being me and Haje) get to choose the winner and we’ll do our best to do so within a week of the competition closing.
  • You get to keep all the rights to your images. We just want to be able to show off the winners (and maybe some honourable mentions) here on Small Aperture.
  • Entry is at your own risk. I can’t see us eating you or anything, but we can’t be responsible for anything that happens to you because you submit a photo to our competition.
  • We are allowed to change The Rules, or even suspend or end the competition, if we want or need to. Obviously we’ll try not to, but just so that you know.