Photography Museum

Archive for the ‘Articles’ category

Unique Wedding Venues – Museums

January 29th, 2011

Planning a wedding? Then you know how hard it is to find a venue for your reception. After awhile all those hotel banquet halls begin to look alike. Why not put your creative thinking cap on and expand your thinking? Why not try something unique? Why not try a museum?

Museum Wedding Venues

Many museums rent out their spaces for weddings and other events. And, if you think having your wedding at a museum would be boring, think again. Consider the attractions your guests would be surrounded by at some of the following museums:

Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois

For a unique wedding venue in Chicago, consider the Museum of Science and Industry, located at 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive. The Museum of Science and Industry has so much to offer that it’s hard to know where to begin. You have your choice of numerous unique spaces within the Museum, such as the U-505 Exhibit, where your guests will have the opportunity to dine alongside a 252 ft. submarine. But not any submarine. This submarine was the only German submarine captured during WWII. Seating capacity is 120 guests.

Another space within the Museum is the Rotunda, which is a spectacular hall of marble, featuring a 120-ft. domed ceiling. The seated capacity in the Rotunda is 800 guests.

The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago also has several themed venues within their space which would make any wedding or reception stand out. These include “The Bronzeville Blues Club” with a theme of Chicago’s musical roots. Entering through the Rotunda, guests will enter the “Bronzeville Blues Club” awash in candles and blue lighting; dine on Creole inspired hors d’oeuvres, while enjoying the sounds of an authentic Blues Trio.

Or, perhaps you’d like to try the “Hollywood Canteen” – a recreation of The Hollywood Canteen, which opened its doors in 1942, and quickly became a hot spot for servicemen and Hollywood’s biggest names. Your guests will be welcomed into this recreation by a long red carpet, lined with red velvet ropes.

The Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona

Located in Central Phoenix, the Heard Museum has been a Phoenix institution for more than 75 years. Encompassing more than 130,000 square feet of gallery and education space, the Heard Museum has one of the finest collections of Native American art and cultural exhibits. And, the exhibits aren’t the only things worth seeing at the Heard; there’s also the interesting architecture and grounds, which include arched walkways, brick patios and lovely courtyards, which serve as picturesque backdrops for your wedding photos.

The Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, Massachusetts

The Higgins Armory Museum is the only museum in the Western Hemisphere devoted to arms and armor, housed in an Art Deco building with a vaulted Medieval Great Hall. Talk about a unique wedding venue! How many people have their wedding amid suits of armor from the Renaissance?

Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, Florida

This tropical wedding venue is historic as well as beautiful. You can get married on a bridge overlooking a koi pond, then provide your guests with a private tour of Ernest Hemingway’s home. For guests who cannot attend, they can watch the wedding on the Museum’s live web cam.

The Stagecoach Inn Museum in Newberry Park, California

For those history buffs who love stagecoaches and the American pioneer period, the Stagecoach Inn Museum is for you. Located off the 101 Freeway halfway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, the Stagecoach Inn has a rather long history and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum is actually a replica of the original Stagecoach Inn built in 1876, as well as spacious grounds which feature replicas of a pioneer home, a Spanish-Mexican adobe and a Chumash dwelling. Live oak trees, flower gardens, wooded areas and rose arbor grace the lawns.

Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia

The Poe Museum is dedicated to, who else, Edgar Allan Poe, the American author of short stories, detective fiction, poetry and science fiction. Imagine the theme wedding one could have by getting married at the Poe Museum! Treat your guests to a wedding and reception in Poe’s Enchanted Garden, which can accommodate up to 100 guests. The garden was inspired by one of his poems, “To One in Paradise.”

Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio

If the two of you are into football, why not consider the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Instead of a bouquet, the bride can toss a football. Well, it’s just an idea.

No matter where you live there is bound to be a museum near you that hosts weddings. Museums offer a truly unique venue which your guests will remember years after the wedding. The museums can be historical, fun, or downright odd and you’re sure to find one which suits your tastes. Now, if only the Spam Museum would offer weddings…. Oh, well, one can’t have everything.

By: Shari Hearn

About the Author:

Shari Hearn is a writer and website creator. Go to her websites and learn more about planning a wedding and destination weddings.

No comments »

Posted in Articles

Tags: Planning A Wedding

A Brief History on Photography

January 29th, 2011

It may seem like an oversimplification to say that a camera is nothing but a box with lens at one end and a sensitive surface at the other, together with some means of controlling the latter’s exposure to the light passed by the lens. Yet that has always been, and still is, the basis of a camera. In the early days of photography before the 1840′s cameras were simple, wooden, light-tight boxes having a lens and a slot or slide to take a sensitised plate. Exposures were made by removing and replacing a cap over the lens, and the camera had to be taken into the darkroom to be unloaded.

In the 1840′s slide holders were introduced and other improvements such as bellows or sliding boxes, one inside the other for focusing purposes, made cameras a little easier to use. Primitive shutters to control exposure timing, together with ‘stops’ consisting of brass strips punched with holes of various sizes to control depth of field, arrived soon after.

Many very fine photographs were taken with these cameras and examples can be found in several museums. Nevertheless, one almost needed the strength of an ox to carry all the equipment to a desired location and, since plates had to be developed
and coated on the spot, a portable darkroom was required. One of the most famous pioneers, Roger Fenton, had to convert a horse-drawn baker’s van into a darkroom to take to the Crimean War in 1855; so one needed a deep pocket as well.

For sheer quality and artistry it would be hard to beat many of the pictures taken in the first thirty or forty years of photography, which goes to prove that it is the man (or woman!) behind the camera that counts. Modern cameras, even the modestly priced ones, are marvels of sophistication when compared with the early models, but the basic function is still the same.

By: Linda McDermott

About the Author:

I enjoy writing articles and reviews on many subjects, I enjoy sharing my personal experiences with family and home experiences. I also enjoy reviewing products, enjoy my latest reviews on what you need to know about choosing 108″ curtains and balloon valance window treatments for your bedroom.

No comments »

Posted in Articles

Tags: Depth Of Field

When Pictures Paint a Thousand Words

January 29th, 2011

Portrait photography is probably the best kind of photography that defines human interest. Although it is considered as the easiest area of photography compared to others, portrait photography appeals to many people and photographers alike because it is quite interesting and challenging.

Since it’s all about taking people’s photos, a portrait photographer should possess a genuine interest in people that would eventually become their subjects. They should care about people and are natural conversationalists to break the ice.

Above all else, portrait photographers should also possess the skill to observe their subjects’ characteristic gestures and expressions and can easily identify a person’s best side and angle.

GETTING STARTED

If you think you have what it takes to be a portrait photographer, then you should familiarize yourself with the different areas of portraiture. Basically, there are different types of portrait depending on the usage or purpose.

Some of the common categories in which portrait photography falls into include amateur portraits of friends and family, photos of people in a social gathering, editorial portraiture where pictures are taken by photographers for newspapers, magazines and other publications’ use, fine art portraiture where photos are taken specifically for display in museums and galleries, formal portraits where subjects pose for the purpose of a photograph and informal portraits or ‘action shots’ where the subjects do not intentionally pose for the camera.

THINGS TO CONSIDER AND RECONSIDER

Many photographers would agree that the intention of the photographer is what sets a photograph apart from a portrait. If you would want to try portrait photography, here are some of the things you might want to consider:

1. Camera. In portraiture, any 35mm SLR (single-lens-reflex) are fine. If you can afford a Digital SLR, it’s better because you can save on film and processing. Never opt for a zoom point and shoot because it can’t provide sharp outline and accurate results.

2. Lenses. There will be times that you need to emphasize or de-emphasize a specific feature of your subject at a certain distance. These are what the different kinds of lenses are for-to highlight or conceal any good or bad feature of the subject.

Many professional photographers suggest 300mm or 600mm lenses but for starters, typical portrait lenses that are between 90 and 135 millimeters long for 35mm cameras are okay. Nikon 105/1.8 (MF only), Canon 100/2 USM, and Canon 135/2 USM are some of the recommended portrait lenses available in the market.

3. Film. Since digital cameras no longer require the use of rolls of film, this should not be a big trouble for you. All you need is to look for a good compact flash that has high memory to produce high-resolution photos. But if you have a manual or SLR camera, purchase black and white and color films to provide choices to your clients.

4. Location. An ideal location for any portrait photography shoot is a studio. Aside from providing enough working space to work at, having a photo studio also ensures the safety of your equipment. But if you can’t set up a studio yet, it is advisable to find a space that can provide you a working area.

In setting up a studio, consider the rental cost, size, accessibility to target market and the facilities offered. If you take environmental portraits, you wouldn’t need a studio that much because your shoots will depend on the surroundings that create great impacts on your subject.

5. Lighting. If you have a portrait studio, consider the sources of light that would flatter your subjects. If your shoot is outdoors, it is advisable to choose an overcast day to avoid shadows in your photos.

By: Low Jeremy

About the Author:

Low Jeremy has been a hobbyist writer for a number of years now. During this free time, he contributes informative articles on various topics like health, electronics and product reviews for websites. Visit his latest contribution over at http://www.drumlampshades.org where he reviewed different types of drum lamp shades and other lamp accessories.