What’s loud and spectacular and occurs every year at the same time in the United States? That’s right Fireworks!  Ever since I was a child, I could not wait to get everything ready to view the fireworks. I still have not lost that child-like fascination with fireworks. I have photographed them ever since I was a kid, sometimes it worked other times it did not. I’m a little bit wiser and a little bit more prepared, but I thought it was a great idea to have someone share their quick tips with us on shooting fireworks.

Meet Jay Caruso of Caruso Photography. Jay has been making pictures since the days of film in the early 90′s starting with his first SLR camera, a Canon T-60. Now armed with Nikon digital equipment, Jay still enjoys shooting what he did in 1993 – portraits, events and landscapes. When he’s not shooting, he’s doing business consulting and spending time with his wife and his teenage son and daughter.

Here are Jay’s five quick tips.

Now that summer is in full swing, I’m sure many of you have been tending to your gardens.  As an avid gardener, I’ll often take time out to photograph the flowers I work so hard on helping grow. However, I am the first to admit, my flower photography is lacking.  This is where I met Justin Jayubo  to help me and others who might be challenged in this area of photography. I met Justin on Twitter and soon started to follow his photography. He is a student of the arts and freelance photojournalist based in Northern California. While keeping a diverse style in shooting,  his main subjects include landscapes, nature, sports, and street photography. Aside from photography and school, he enjoys collecting art, traveling, comic conventions, video games, and spending time with family.

Justin breaks it down for us into five easy tips on how to photograph flowers.

1. Familiarize Yourself with the Environment – I usually find myself doing macro shots in the morning or late afternoon. The direct light on flowers can really throw off the colors I look for. Shadows and highlights can be hard to avoid during the day when the sun is shining on almost everything. If wind is a problem, then I avoid using a tripod, and use the lens image stabilization.

2.Water the Plants/Flowers – Water can give the petals a more rich and healthy color. The droplets add a new dimension with their reflection, which I always find interesting. Don’t hose the flowers soaking wet, but enough to make it look natural.

3. Know Your Bloom – Find out what exactly you’re shooting, what time of year they bloom, and what they look like at all stages of life. If you’re shooting something that blooms once a year, then make sure you get what you want before the flowers wilt. I always make sure to get pictures of cherry blossoms once spring arrives.

-4.Smaller Aperture – Having a smaller aperture will bring more of the image in focus. If you want more of the flowers in focus, then more depth of field can give you what you want.

5. Experiment – Try composing shots at various angles and distances. Explore the possibilities and creative process before moving on. I try to find new ways to compose shots each time I go out and take pictures of flowers.

If you would like to see more of Justin’s work you can find his website HERE. You can also find him on these social media channels, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook,  and Tumblr.

Fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, pesto. Mmm… I love a good mouthwatering photo, don’t you?

Grab your camera and fork – get ready to dig in and kick your food photography up a notch with a few of these mouth watering tips.

Bam!

Food Photography Tips

Find the light.

Light is the single most important element in photography. Take advantage of available light by placing your dish near a window or under an overhead light in dimly lit restaurants or rooms.

Think before you click.

Think about the placement of your subject within the frame before clicking. Create interest, depth and draw the viewer’s eye (and taste buds) in by placing your food to the left or right of the frame, shooting from above or from the side. Experiment. Get creative.

Photograph the work-in-progress.

There’s so much beauty in the creativity process. Photograph the process of creating your family’s favorite meal. Eating out? No problem. Photograph the process of eating your meal. Take photos of your half eaten dessert, fallen crumbs on the side of the plate, etc.

Details, details, details.

Show me the yummy! Get up close and personal by focusing on the details – parsley flakes, grill markings, sprinkles on a cupcake. Are you drooling yet?

Keep it simple, stupid.

Eliminate unnecessary distractions and make a bigger impact. Forget the props, forget the fancy setup. Don’t be afraid to keep it simple.

Food photography can be a bit intimidating at first, but you’ll be well on your way to taking mouthwatering photos with the help of these easy-to-follow tips.

What are some of your favorite foods to photograph?

AdoramaPix Contributor: Kristi Bonney is a writer, photographer and speaker with a deep-seated love for all things social media. Her blog, Live and Love Out Loud, is a beautiful and inspiring hub for photographers of all skill levels – featuring photography tips and tutorials, freebies and inspiring photo challenges. Kristi’s passion for photography is matched by her love of parenting and empowering women.

It’s mid January and by now you might be a little New Year’s resolution-ed out. I’m not. I love fresh starts and new beginnings, especially when it comes to photography. The start of a new year is the perfect excuse to assess your progress and set attainable goals. Here are some of my personal photography goals for 2013. Hopefully they get you thinking about what you hope to accomplish as a photographer in 2013.

Don’t follow photography rock stars.

I could spend hours staring at the work of my favorite photographers. It’s inspiring and fun. However I notice a lot of photographers emulating the popular internet photographer du jour’s style and suddenly the blogosphere is saturated with a ton of clones. I understand that trends come and go. I don’t want to be one of them. Through trial and error I’ve learned that emulation (as it relates to the artistic qualities of photography not technique) doesn’t get a photographer far.

I don’t want to be a clone of Miss Three Million Facebook Fans photographer. I’m happy for her success and enjoy her work but I am not her. That’s okay. The less time I spend comparing myself to someone else the more time I have for personal growth. It’s impossible for me to discover who I am as a photographer while I’m constantly forcing myself under the shadow of someone else. Not in 2013.

Master off camera flash.

I adore good flash work. My Speedlite will not conquer me. I recently upgraded to a full frame camera and adore the flexibility the high ISO gives me but I refuse to let my flash get dusty. Natural light is beautiful but with proper technique so are other light sources. I want to explore them all.

In 2013 I will learn how to use off camera flash properly.

Stop conforming.

I’ve mastered the technical basics of photography. I know where my work is strong and where my work is weak thanks to a critical eye and a few helpful portfolio reviews. It’s time for me to take risks and stop worrying about how my work will be received by my peers. It feels great to hear positive feedback from friends and family but if the work doesn’t speak to my soul then it isn’t worth doing.

Photography is my passion. This year I will shoot what I want how I want. If clients book me that’s fantastic. If they don’t that is okay too. Eventually I will find a clientele that is a good fit for my photography style. If I don’t then at least the walls of my home will be adorned with pretty art.

What are your photography goals for 2013?

Veronica Armstrong is a guest blogger for Adoramapix. She is a freelance photographer and writer.. a double threat. Her young ones keep her busy but she never loses her passion for family, photography and education. Thank you Veronica for your inspirational words and motivation. If you would like to see more of her work you can go HERE.