Make Money with the Apple iPad

What is the Apple iPad. Apple describes it as a magical and revolutionary device, at an unbelievable price. Well, what does that really mean. Before it’s launch, there were a great many people who said that it would be a flop. Many companies had tried to make a “tablet” style computer device before, and failed. Many of the so called experts said that they did not believe that Apple could come in and make a similar device, and have it be a success. These so called experts used the ill fated Apple Newton ( one of the first hand held, portable, touch screen computing devices ever made) as an example of how Apple would fail with the iPad. Of course, this argument fails to consider how much of a technological leap the Newton made for its day. It may have been a commercial failure, but it was a technological leap, way ahead of anything available at the time.

Well, in less than 28 days, the Apple iPad has been a resounding success. In fact, it is estimated that Apple has sold more iPads than similar products combined in the last decade. So the question is, why. What has Apple done that has made the difference?

The answer is simple and yet complex. The simple answer is that Apple has done what they always do. Made the complex simple. In this case, they have taken the tried and true operating system from the iPhone/iPod Touch, and extended it into the iPad.

For many users, browsing the Web and checking emails is the main task for their computers, and this can easily be done on the iPad, with much greater ease and speed. And with it’s light weight and portability, and the built in Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity, these tasks can be done wherever you are.

But the Apple iPad is so much more. It is an extremely capable and professional device. Apple has shown how capable with the introduction of a suite of applications for creating slide shows, spreadsheets and page design. The Apple iPad is also an amazing presentation device. Show your sales pitch, annual report or just a bunch of personal photos, on it’s beautiful big screen.

By designing its own chip technology inside the iPad, Apple has been able to design a device that has exceeded the expectations of many of the industry’s experts. The iPad contains a very fast processor, designated the Apple A4 chip. This chip design has enabled the iPad to perform at extremely fast speeds, making the iPad very intuitive in operation. When you do something on the iPad, it responds instantly, making the experience very fulfilling.

And the user experience is what Apple is all about. When you use an Apple product, you can see why the design team, and the CEO (Steve Jobs), are so particular about even the smallest of details. And as a user, when you use Apple products, it just makes sense that they work the way they do.

The Apple iPad will again, revolutionize the mobile computing industry. Developers are already creating some of the most amazing programs for the iPad. Where previously, an investment of several thousand dollars may have been required to perform certain tasks, the iPad enables the same productivity or better, for just a few dollars. You can visit my blog to see some pictures of the iPad and how it could be used as a picture presentation device. Imaging, being able to show big beautiful colorful pictures to friends and family, wherever you go. Or to be ready to make a sales pitch, get directions or make reservations at a nearby restaurant. Yes, the Apple iPad truly is a Magical and Revolutionary Device.

The RAW Facts, RAW or JPEG

RAW file opened in Apple Aperture.

Using the Loupe to inspect the image.

Converted to Sepia Tone.

You may be looking for ways to make some extra cash in these hard financial times. If you own a digital camera system and can edit images on your computer, you may have all the skills you need to make a good second income. If you have a passion for taking photos and sharing them with others, you might be able to make a good second income with digital photography. And, if you are interested, you may even be able to make a new career with your photography skills. Many of the top professional photographers began their careers taking photos for friends and family. They had a passion for the creative potential of photography, and enjoyed taking photos whenever the opportunity became available. If that sounds like you, then you too may be able to start a new career, or at least make a good second income.

The technology of digital cameras has come a long way in a very short period of time. Cameras today can tell when a subject is smiling, they can tell when a person enters the image area (you set the camera on time release and when you appear back in the photo the camera senses that and will then take the photo) and they can even tell you if someone blinked when the photo was taken so you can take another and get everyone with their eyes open. Amazing technologies.

But, a question most beginners ask is what file format to use. You may be aware that the smaller, less expensive compact cameras do not have an option, other than JPEG and the ability to take lower resolution images. Cameras today are typically ranging in the area of 8-12 megapixels. By allowing you to use say a 3 megapixel option, you can take many more images, but they cannot be enlarged nearly as much as taking an image at 12 megapixels.

The higher end compact cameras and virtually all DSLR ( Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras, will allow you to select either RAW or JPEG. Note, when shooting in the RAW format, the camera will always use the maximum resolution of the sensor. Although you can get very good quality images shooting at high res. JPEG option, you will lose many of the editing options whan processing these images on the computer. It is always advisable to shoot in RAW format, to give you the maximum flexibility when editing your images on the computer.

There are many options for editing your RAW images. In most cases, the camera maker will supply some software for your computer, and there are numerous software companies producing software for editing RAW images. Two of the most common include Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Aperture from Apple.

If you goto the blog mentioned at the bottom of this article, you will see some sample images taken from an editing session using Aperture. You will notice on the left side of the first image, many of the editing options available when editing a RAW file. You can more easily restore detail in both highlights and shadows, because the RAW file retains every piece of information that was captured at the time of taking the image. With JPEG, you lose image data, because JPEG files are compressed, and hence, some data is lost when the file is created. This data can never be recovered. It is gone for good.

In the second image in the blog, you will see a drop down menu in the Adjustments pane, and the Sepia Tone option is about to be selected. The third image shows the resulting Sepia Tone image. Now, while this can be done with a JPEG file, the beauty of the RAW format is that the original file is never lost. The software just makes these adjusted images to Proxies of the RAW file, so you can always go back to the original RAW file anytime.

Another advantage of shooting RAW files, is that you will always have the maximum amount of data available for enlargeing your images and making great quality prints. Even if you need to print an 8x10 photo from just a small area of the file, you will usually have enough detail to do so. Remember, you can always create smaller files from your large RAW files, but you can not create large files from a small JPEG image, and expect to get a good looking print.

If you need to email your files, the software will also allow you to Batch Process a whole folder of images, creating a small JPEG file from each RAW file automatically, saving you a lot of time and hassle. Then, for anyone that needs a larger version of the emailed file, it will be an easy task for you to provide such an image.

These days, the cost of memory cards has come down so much, that the cost of memory cards is no longer an issue when taking photos. You should always take your photos at the highest resolution your camera will allow. Memoery cards of 2gig and 4gig are now so cheap, you can purchase several and have always have a spare with you. So, happy shooting and have fun taking photos.

Like many professionals, Tom Jackson began his career by shooting weddings. You can make a substantial income shooting weddings with very little overhead. You can get more info on wedding photography, cameras and computer image editing, and see examples of his work, or get more info on how to start your own business, please visit my site here.

7 critical steps for good photography

In this post, I will concentrate on just one of the things I have mentioned in previous posts, and that is the Memory Card you use to capture your images.

In the old days, there really was not much to be concerned about when it came to taking photos of family and friends, special events or creative photos, such as landscapes etc. You went to the drug store and bought a roll of film, either 24 or 36 exposures, popped it in the camera, and started firing away. At the end of the roll, you took the film out and returned it to the drug store to be processed. In a day or two, or in more recent times, an hour or two, you came back and picked up all your beautiful prints. These were ready to show everyone who would look at you beautiful new photos. There was not much guess work, you just made a choice on the number of photos you wanted to take, and the speed of the film, whether you were taking pictures outside in bright light, or inside say, at a reception.

In those days, losing a roll of film, either because you misplaced it, or the drug store screwed up on the processing, was not always too big of a deal, as you usually had several more rolls of film with other photos to choose from. But in this digital age, just one memory card can store hundreds of photos, even thousands if you shoot in low resolution mode. So, if you lose a memory card, it can be a really, really big deal. That’s why it is important with digital, to have a special case to store your memory cards, to help avoid losing one.

One of the biggest problems though, is, unlike film, memory cards can be very sensitive to the way they are treated, and hence it is very easy to accidentally lose a lot of photos. In this article I will try to spell out some of the precautions you need to take to avoid problems.

Step 1. Always try to purchase a good quality card, from a camera store if possible. The staff at the camera store will usually always be able to offer good advice and a quality card for your camera. A good quality card can sometimes cost a little more, and I am talking about just a few dollars more, than a cheap budget card from the drug store. Sometimes, the drug store card may be ok, but I think it is always prudent to make sure you have a quality product, one that you can get advice about from an expert, and where you will not have any problems returning the card if you have to for any reason.

Step 2. The first thing you need to do when you purchase a new memory card, is to format the card in your camera. This step is crucial. Digital cameras are not all the same, and the card can cause problems, even if you format the card on your computer, instead of the camera. If the card does not format, or you get errors when the camera tries to format the card, then you need to return it immediately to the store for a replacement. Note that not all cards are compatible with all digital cameras. Most of the low end and even high end compacts, have an upper limit as to the memory size of the card that can be used.

Step 3. Never take the card out of the camera while the camera is still writing the file to the memory card. Often, people will take a photo and then almost immediately take the card out of the camera. This can easily corrupt the card and make it impossible to get the images off the card into the computer. If you need to take the card out after taking a shot, just wait for several seconds to make sure the file has been written completely to that card, I usually suggest about 20-30 seconds. This should ensure that the file is safe and sound on the card.

Step 4. Never take your memory card and put it into another camera without formatting the card on the new camera. This means of course, that you need to back up all the files on the card, then put the card into the other camera and format the card before using. As I mentioned earlier, not all digital cameras are the same, and the way they write the files to the card can be different enough that you will corrupt the card and make it impossible to recover the files you already had on the card.

Step 5. Try to keep the contacts of the memory card protected from the elements and any dirt or grease. If the contacts become oxidized or too dirty to work effectively, then you will not be able to record the photos you think you are taking. This can be very embarrassing later when everyone wants to see the results.

Step 6. Always make sure that the camera batteries are charged enough so that the camera can write the files to the card correctly. If the camera battery dies during the process of writing the file, you will lose the file and possibly all the files on the card at the time of the problem.

Step 7. As a precaution, you can purchase software specifically designed to recover images from memory cards. This software is quite inexpensive, and may come in very handy if ever needed.

I have used many memory cards, but have yet to have a problem with one. I have met other photographers who have had problems, but those problems fell under one of the steps above. I think the most common problems are due to that photographer not formatting the memory cards before each shoot. Always back up the card before any shoot, then format in the camera. This will usually avoid problems or at least allow you to detect a problem before any serious damage is done.

If you are interested in making money with your digital camera, please visit my website for everything you need to start your own photography studio. If you have any questions, you may email me at tomjackson@howtoshootweddings.net