Where to Find Great Black and White Photography Online

Black and white photography looks great in any décor. You can find just about anything, in any size, to match just about any room. Plus, the neutral tones of black and white photography ensure that it will match just about any color scheme. Here are some of the best places on the web to purchase black and white photography.

AllPoster.com

AllPoster.com is a fantastic site for cheap artwork. Now, cheap doesn't mean poor quality - quite the contrary, in fact. You can find just about anything - traditional paintings, classical art, black and white photography, large posters of bands, musicians, movies and more. They also offer framing.

My Top Pick: "City Street Signs" by Nelson Figueredo - $24.99 (Price doesn't include shipping and handling, or optional framing.)

Why I Chose This Piece: I love New York, more importantly - I love Broadway. Of course, Broadway and West 34th Street is practically the center of the theatre district. It's a great way to bring a little bit of Broadway right into my own home.

The Wall Art Store

This online store has a lot of fantastic, very 'artsy' black and white photos. They offer free shipping and all of the photos come framed, they even offer a few different selections for matting and frames. However, prices can run you from $55 dollars and all the way up to $919. Ouch. However, the quality is very high - so you can be sure you're getting your money's worth.

My Top Pick: "Stonehenge Sunrise" by Matthew De Haven - $50.00 (Price does not include shipping, handling or frame.
Why I Chose This Piece: I love Stonehenge, it's a fascinating place. The fog adds to the mystery of the structure and it's a great piece to add to a global photography collection.

Artful Home

This website offers a lot of wonderful photographs, but the prices run fairly average. The bottom line photographs start at $110 dollars and run up to several thousand dollars - so this isn't the most budget friendly site. However, if you've got the extra cash lying around, it's a great option and chances are you'll spend similar amounts at local art studios, especially if you live in a metropolitan area.

My Top Pick: "Winter Trees I" through Phoenix Galleries - $299.00 (price includes free shipping as well as framing and matting.)

Why I Chose This Piece: This particular photograph would be great for my fiancé's office. He loves the look of trees in the winter, so this is a great piece for him.

AbsoluteArts.com

Absolute Arts caters to the United States, the UK, China and more - and their prices range anywhere from $10 to $1,000,000. With more than 2500 works of art, you'll be sure to find exactly what you're looking for with this website.

My Top Pick: "Merced River Ice" by Ron Gallmeier - $330, Small; $665, Medium; and $1000, Large.
Why I Chose This Piece: Again, this is another piece I know my fiancé would really appreciate. Plus, I love the look of the water, the snow and the trees - so it's something we would both really enjoy in any room of our home.

So whether you've got $10 or $10,000 - you'll be sure to find the ideal pieces of black and white photography to fit your home décor and personal tastes.

<i>1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die</i> a Must-Read for Film Buffs

Cinema is an art form that's over 100 years old. Hundreds of thousands of films have been produced of all shapes and sizes and of all genres all over the world. As lovers of cinema, we are often confused and dumbfounded as to which films to watch. As an answer, Stephen Jay Schneider and a group of film critics and theorists around the world put together this compilation of 1,001 culturally, technologically, artistically and historically significant films.

Arranged in chronological order and covering over 100 years worth of history in film, from the early 1902 Georges Milies science-fiction film "A Voyage to the Moon" to last year's Oscar Best Picture winner "Million Dollar Baby", the book covers a very wide range of forms and genres of film: From huge Hollywood epic spectacles like "Gone with the Wind" and "Spartacus" to gritty independent pictures like John Cassavetes's "Faces" and Samuel Fuller's "Shock Corridor"; from famous mainstream blockbuster features like "Titanic" and "Jurassic Park" to obscure, daring short films like "Blonde Cobra" and Luis Bunuel's "Un Chien Andalou"; from kid-friendly "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" to disturbing, daring films like "Salo" and "In the Realm of the Senses". Significant effort was made by the editors and the contributing writers to represent nearly every genre of film out there. In addition to featuring the well-known, highly regarded classics of horror, drama, comedy, science fiction, fantasy, etc. sub-genres as varied as Chinese kung fu movies ("Shaolin Master Killer"), blaxploitation ("Sweet Sweetbacks Baaadaassssssss Song") and mockumentaries ("This Is Spinal Tap") are also represented. Also impressive in this book is that it took the effort to feature significant films from all over the world even in countries which are not primarily known for their film industry like Senegal, Egypt and Jamaica. All in an apparent effort to cover as wide a range of the art of film as possible.

All the great directors, both of the past and of contemporary times, have several of their films on this book: John Ford, Steven Spielberg, Billy Wilder, Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu, Luis Bunuel, Jean-Luc Godard, Pedro Almodovar, Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman etc. among others. Alfred Hitchcock has the distinction of having the most films with 15 from his oeuvre profiled. Each film is given an essay written by the various contributors detailing the film's significance, it's history and various interesting tidbits of trivia as well as a critique of the film in an intelligent non-pretentious or overly scholarly manner. Though the book is by no means perfect, the questionable inclusion of "Meet the Parents" is one of the more glaring of its flaws and arguments can be made for the inclusion and exclusion of several other movies, this book probably comes the closest to being the most definitive list available that's accessible even to the average film goer. Quite a number of films featured in this book are not currently available on video or DVD. Perhaps their inclusion in this book would help them get released on DVD and thus finding a wider audience.

Whether you are a budding teenage film buff or a veteran film scholar, there is plenty to love about this book which gives a straight-forward, non-snobbish take on film history that would make the art of watching movies truly enjoyable. This is the book all lovers of film should have on their bookshelves.

Yucandu Studio Just West of St. Louis, Mo.: Turning Junk into Works of Art

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Maybe it’s just another roadside attraction, folk art, or maybe some folks that have too much time on their hands. Just motor west on Route 66 and check out the art that imitates life. There’s the guy who twists tree limbs into various shapes and animal forms, a welder whose land is littered with rusty iron beasts of every description and form. 

The Cadillac ranch down in Texas with the cars buried halfway into the ground, tailfins pointing up to the sky, the giant ketchup bottle, and of course, tributes to Elvis everywhere. Check out the world’s largest ball of string, rubber bands, videotape, and aluminum foil. This predilection for collecting a large number of everyday items and piecing them together has even invaded the church. At the Shrine of the Black Madonna near Eureka, Missouri, a dedicated Father spent some forty years collecting small rocks, pieces of broken glass and seashell to build the shrine.

For those of us who feel a little arts and craftsy but don’t want to spend an entire lifetime at it, there is a neat little “hands on” art gallery in Old Webster just west of St. Louis where you can satisfy your craving to piece together and help out the environment all at the same time: the Yucandu Art Studio takes ordinary things that others throw away and turns them into creative works of art and interesting displays. 

Some of the materials include cardboard, old windows and doors, and the mandatory bits of broken glass and china. Instead of calling a supplier for their art materials, dumpster diving is the stock up of choice. This summer Yucandu is planning several “rescue” art projects for their summer art camps. Old trophies that they have been collecting for a couple of years will become armatures for “Family Tree” sculptures.

Yucandu specializes in bringing art into your life by providing all of the materials and the teaching so Yucandu it. For the summer they have special classes on how to make mosaics for your garden. By using bits and pieces of all kinds of materials like tiles, china, glass, pottery pieces, and stones you can make many different and unique decorations that will last for years to come. Yucandu has projects that include mosaics, decoupage, glitter, and paint. Prices range from $5 to $150. By paying an hourly studio fee you can be assisted by staff, borrow tools, store unfinished projects, and best of all, leave all of the mess behind.

Thinking about making one of those clay ashtrays to get started? Here’s an interesting recipe for making the clay: Take 2 cups of dryer lint, firmly packed, and mix with 1/3 cup warm water, 6 tablespoons white glue, and one tablespoon of clear dish liquid. Measure all of the ingredients into an airtight plastic bag and knead thoroughly.

Yucandu Art Studio is at 20 Allen Avenue in Webster Groves, Missouri. For more information you can call them at (314) 963-4400.

Make Your Own Baby Food With a Grinder

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Baby food is a necessity for infants and small children but you can save money on purchasing jars and jars of baby food by making the foods yourself. Of course, in order to make all-natural baby food you'll have to start with all-natural foods. You can check the local grocery store aisles for foods that have no added sugar or salt.

Baby food is easy to prepare while fixing your own meals or to store for the baby's daily meals. Using a blender is a lot of trouble for small portions of food. Another idea is a baby food grinder. They are available in styles where you use a hand crank or electric ones. They work like a blender but hold small portions and are easy to clean.

Babies can eat many of the foods we eat if they've been pureed. Try cooked carrots, peas, green beans and other vegetables in the grinder. Mix them together or make them separate. Simply put them in the food container and attach the grinding mechanism. Hand-grinders are simple because you give the machine a couple of cranks and the mashed food appears before you, ready to eat. If the food, after going through the grinder, appears too thick simply add a few drops of formula or milk, or even broth, depending upon the age of the child.

Vegetables are the easiest foods to prepare in the baby food grinder. Fruits like apples or pineapples are difficult to grind completely. The grinder will often leave "threads" of the pineapple that could cause baby to choke. Other fruits like pears and peaches do fine after the peeling is removed.

Use the grinder to mix foods together, such as oatmeal and peaches. Try mixing milk and mashed potatoes in the grinder when the baby is old enough for starches, to make the mashed potatoes a more appropriate consistency for the baby. The grinder can also make some cereals perfect for the baby. Cereal that is made like flakes can be put in the grinder with some fruit and milk and prepared for baby.

Some meats, like hot dogs or ground hamburger, can be placed in the baby food grinder but most meats are not suitable for baby grinders. Hamburger that has been made in spaghetti or other pastas will usually do okay in the grinder, though. Canned pasta meals are perfect for the baby food grinders. After grinding the food store the large portion in the fridge for later usage and serve a small portion now. Or, grind just a little for baby and serve the rest to older kids.

When you make your normal family dinner try to add side dishes, like macaroni and cheese, that can easily be put into the grinder, as you sit at the table. Most of the grinders have a "dish" that holds the food after it is ground, making it easy to feed baby at the table. Go online to find the grinders or check your local department store.

Digital Photography Home-Business Opportunities

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For the next seven years, digital photography is forecasted to remain steady as a job opportunity for those that are interested in this field. While the competition is expected be strong amongst photographers and the demand for jobs will fall below the number of photographers there are expected to emerge in this field.

The most successful photographers exhibit traits in being creative, able to adapt rapidly to technology changes, and management proficiency. There are digital photography business courses available to help you gain the competitive edge. You will be able to start your own full or part-time business when you develop a good business sens and keep up-to-date on the rapidly changing technology.

There are many areas that you can pursue in a digital photography home business. I will cover a few of the areas for digital photography businesses.

Real Estate
Each year there are millions of homes sold in the US and real estate agents use at least one picture to advertise the property online, in magazines, in brochures, and in newspapers. As a digital photographer you could earn $50 to $100 a house working with real estate agents or others involved in real estate.

Portraits
There are many locations that you can use for a photo shoot. Many people like to have a professional portrait done of themselves for various reasons. The common charge for a shoot is $100 per hour and an additional $50 to $100 for prints and enlargements. There is also a strong demand for pet and children's portraits.

Sports
Being a photographer for sporting events can be profitable and exhilarating. As a sports photographer, you can submit your photos to event organizations, to participants and publications, local news agencies, and a variety of other types of news and sporting sites. The local minor league teams could pay $50 to $200 for team photos with extra sales potential for prints, premium items such as photo trading cards, T-shirts, and reprint. Do not forget your local school teams either as there is a hidden potential for a photo shoot for these teams.

Commercials
Every year there are billions of dollars spent on product advertisements. Commercial photography is normally limited to the more experienced photographers who can charges as much as $2,500 a day for high end product shots. There is also an opportunity for those that can also do shoots for the local chamber of commerce for their websites, local businesses for websites, and a wide array of other ways to earn as a commercial photographer.

Glamour
There are many beauty salons, hair dressers, and modeling agencies that use photos to help promote their services and products. While it is not uncommon for them to pay more than $150 an hour for promotional shoots with images that can be used for brochures, online advertising, point of sale materials, and business cards. There is an opportunity for those that wish to have photos of their staff and customers photographed for in house promotions or for conventions.

Stock Photography
There are agencies that specialize in stock photos that they resell to business for promotional purposes. For you to have your work listed with them they normally require a minimum submission of 300 to 500 photographs. As a stock photographer you can submit photos such as travel photos, landscape, people, animals, still life, and various other types of images that will appeal to their customers. The commissions for stock photographers can range from $5 to $100 for images that their customers purchase through their agencies.

News and Events
Many local newspapers, magazines, and newscasts often look for interesting human interest stories and pictures. The requirements for each of the types of periodicals will vary, but it is possible to have your pictures published, receive credit as a tag line, and possibly a payment for your photo.

Wedding Photography
There are photographers who will establish a wedding package of 25 to 40 prints that will retail for $1,500 to $3000. Normally this a type of shoot will take two days to work, the first day is to shoot the event and the second day is to process and prepare the album.

Graduation
There are parents who wish to have a professional photograph took of their graduate walking down the aisle and across the stage at graduation. The charges for photos could range from $5 to $10.

The Budget Bride's Guide to Saving Hundreds on Photography

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If you are planning a wedding, you already know how much things can add up. From invitations, venues, catering, decorations, and so on, you can quickly spend thousands of dollars on your wedding day, without even realizing where all of it went. In fact, according to theknot.com, the average wedding cost is $27,800 per couple! Think of how that money could have come in handy in case of an emergency, in putting down a down payment on a new home, or in financing a fantastic honeymoon! However, if you take control of your budget now, you can have a memorable, elegant wedding while saving thousands for your happily ever after years.

The first thing you need to do when you are planning a wedding is to decide on how much you can reasonably afford and then discuss which items are the most important to you. Many couples decide that photography is at the top of their list. Follow the tips below to have memorable pictures, while staying on budget:
Shop around for photographers

The first step in saving money in general is to find out who offers the service and how much they charge. Never accept the first offer that you receive. Call various photographers and ask them what they charge and what their service includes. Be sure to consider how much the entire cost of photography will be. For example, a photographer who charges less per hour who charges more per each picture may not be a good deal. Search through your phone book and go online to see photographer's blogs and samples of their pictures.

Think outside the (office)box

Although there are plenty of photographers who specialize in photography and have a career in photography, there are also many skilled photographers who have different day jobs, pursue photographer as an interest, or specialize in other forms of photography. Check around for people such as these who have experience in photographing weddings, but who do not depend on it for their bread and butter. Think about anyone you know who fits this criterion: someone who takes pictures for the local newspaper, a sports photographer, a friend who has taken a few photography courses, etc. They will often charge much less than photographers who make their living from inflated wedding packages. Typically anything associated with weddings is more expensive than something without the wedding association. So try to find a photographer that has similar experience with a much smaller price tag.

Get digital prints

Ask your photographer if he can photograph you with a digital camera. Any type of special effect like using sepia pictures, black and white pictures, red eye removal, coloring in certain elements like the flowers while leaving the rest of the picture muted, and so on can be completed by just a few buttons. So you won't have an effects expense passed on to you. Also, ask your photographer if he can give you the digital prints on a cd or memory card. If he does this, you will need to be sure that he has signed over the rights of ownership to you so that you can develop the pictures yourself. This step could save you hundreds, maybe even thousands, and you will only be paying for his hourly rate and the ownership rights, rather than a certain dollar amount * the amount of each picture.

Consider limiting the photographer's time

Consider the actual amount of time that you want to have the photographer around. Keep in mind that many photographers will also charge you for the time it takes to travel and set up for the pictures. Some brides want the photographer to take pictures while they are preparing for the wedding, but if you are not interested in these types of pictures, don't ask the photographer to be around during that hour. Consider having your photographer take your pictures during the important parts of the ceremony and formal posed pictures after the wedding. Then just have him stay for the first hour of the ceremony, rather than the entire event. You can still get in many of the important photos during this time, such as the first dance, the receiving line, and the cake tasting. But you can save hundreds of dollars if you do not keep the photographer around for the next 1-3 hours of the reception. And with many photographers charging hundreds of dollars an hour, this is easy money that you can pocket for your future.

Opt out of the reception

Consider not having your photographer take reception pictures at all. This will save time on moving between venues, set up, and hours off of his rate. Many brides today are opting for more photojournalistic pictures, rather than posed pics. Place a couple of disposable cameras on each guest table and ask for their help in taking pics at the reception. Be sure to leave a convenient basket for them to drop the cameras off at before they leave. For the cost of a few $5 cameras, you will wind up with hundreds of pictures to choose from without the hefty photographer's fee.

Compare packages

When deciding on a package, be sure that you are comparing what each photographer is offering you. Sometimes you will save money by going for a package deal, sometimes you may be better off deciding on a certain number of pictures, rather than a package. So carefully scrutinize the charges for each package. Also be leery of unnecessary charges: a $100 wedding photo album is not worth it when you can go to your local supermarket and buy one for $10. According to Elizabeth and Alex Lluch in Planning the Most Memorable Wedding On Any Budget, you can also save big if you place the pictures in the wedding album yourself. It might take a little time, but make a day of it with your new spouse to look back at your happy memories.

Skip the engagement photos

Although it might be nice to have pretty picture to send with your invitations or to the local newspaper for your engagement announcement, you can use alternative methods, rather than pay the hefty studio and professional photography fee. For example, if you already have existing formal photos of you and your fiancé, use those instead of opting for a multiple hundred dollar studio session. Alternatively, ask a friend with photography experience to set up a muted background or go to a natural setting and have her photograph you and your fiancé for your engagement photos. Finally, check a local family photography studio, such as Wal-mart, Sears, or JC Penny. They will have appropriate backgrounds, but charge much less than a wedding photographer.

Barter, barter, barter

If you have met with several photographers and you liked one more than the others, but he was a little too expensive, let him know that you received a better offer and see if he comes down on the price. Also, before you commit, be sure that you ask "Is this the best deal you can give me?" for even more wiggle room. In this economic time, more and more people are learning powerful negotiating skills and businesses are suffering from unprecedented losses. See how flexible your photographer will be with the price. If you can't quite get the deal you want, go with another photographer or see if your first choice can throw in a freebie, such as a free parent's album, rather than a reduction in price.

Barter some more

If you have any type of service that you complete, see if you can exchange your service for the photography or a portion of his fees. Also, if you blog or you are involved in advertising or website development, see if you can get a discount if you provide free advertising for the photographer after your event. This type of service exchange can be posted in a local newspaper ad or on craigslist.com. Alternatively, if you have a friend or relative getting married, see if your photographer will give you a discount for a positive recommendation and referral.

Consider a student photographer

Yes, it might be scary to put the future of your only wedding pictures in a non-expert's hands, but you can save big by asking a student photographer to capture your wedding day. Additionally, students are more likely to give you digital prints (see above) in exchange for them gaining experience and increasing their portfolio contents. Be sure that they have some previous experience and make sure you look at their previous work. Also, be sure that your expectations are clearly stated and make sure that they can be depended on and that they are punctual.

Regardless of which photographer you go with, be sure that you get recommendations for him, check his portfolio, and make sure that you both know what you will be getting. Be certain that any adjustments are in writing, especially if the photographer has reduced the price. Then rest assured that you have done your best to get the pictures you want, and the peace of mind you need as you begin your new life with cash in your pockets.

Starting Your Own Professional Photography Business

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So now you have the desire and determination to make it work, but what will you do? Photography is your passion, or is it? There are hundreds of photographers out there no matter where you live; what makes you so different from all the other photographers?

* Do you have the unique style necessary to attract the crowds to your camera?

* Can you survive in the cut-throat business of shooting day in and day out whoeversteps in front of your camera?

* Are you original and creative enough to think of different poses, create various styles of portraits of babies, families, couples and single people and still think sanely?

If you answered these questions positively, you may be on your way but that’s not all it requires. Though photography seems a fairly easy business where in movies and television you see a young man photographing beautiful women in studios or on exotic locations, selling all the images to magazines or having huge billboards displaying his pictures, that’s just a dream. Reality can be quite different from what many think of this profession.

It takes more than a fancy camera in this day and age to make a person buy your pictures, let alone to make a business out of it, surviving on income made with your photography. If you live in Spain or anywhere else, if there’s other photo studios then you’re competing against those already established with a good clientele. How can you compete against them?

Here are some recommendations to help you build your dream of working as a photographer:

a.       Create an unique style that stands out from the other photographers

b.      Be professional at all times

c.       Display only your best images to possible clients and change these often

d.      Offer specials to advertise yourself and your photography

e.       Have exhibits of your photography to help spread word of your new business

f.        Be patient and be sure to have a good supply of backup funds in the case they don’t come

Let’s discuss the above points….  This will help you to understand how to succeed.

Look at those you will be competing against; what do they offer in their photographic services? Can you offer the same or more? Most importantly, how does your style of capturing a scene or a face stand up against theirs? You will need to establish that style before you can start with a business. Be sure in what you do and do only that.

When you work with a client, you must maintain a professional environment at all times. In my many years behind a camera, I have seen amateurs make many mistakes during events, weddings and other assignments. In some cases, it wasn’t a mechnical or technical error but a public relations mistake – some people just don’t know how to work with the public. If you do the same, you will not last for very long. While people talk a lot of good images, they talk even more about how terrible a session was. You don’t want that type of advertisement. Research your assignments, know the light. If you have new equipment, then be sure you know what they can do and how you can use it. There’s nothing worst than finding out the hard way a flash or a new lens isn’t completely “right” in your hands.

Advertising yourself is the most important thing you can possibly do; no matter how good (or bad) you think you are, if nobody knows of your services or product, then you wont sell many if at all. When you display a poor image, then others will see the faults also – never display an image that is in bad taste. Show only your best work and watch people contact you. If they see bad results, they will stay away. Your best form of advertisement is word-of-mouth from a satisfied client!

While you may be one who doesn’t believe in the “store specials”, this method of advertising does work, and you can make it work to your benefit. A special attracts people who normally wouldn’t buy a product but does due to the price offer, or does buy and sees a special pricing as a reward for their loyalty. Act on that thought and you will see more customers contacting you!

Many people go to art exhibitions to see art – when this exhibit involves portraits of people for example, it can draw in customers from a different area you never thought possible. While many go for two main reasons – to see art and enjoy it, or to buy art for themselves – having an exhibit consisting of portraits for example, encourages possible interest in becoming a subject for your camera. It also works in a different direction, establishing your track record and building on your resume to show people interested in your experiences and awards, etc. in photography.

Lastly, starting a business is not easy or as “easy” as you may think photography may be. This profession is no exception to the rule. These days everyone having a digital camera makes them a “photographer”. Who will pay you to create their memories to last a lifetime? Before you actually start your new life in photography, be sure to have a good sum of reserve cash banked away to maintain your living expenses through the lean months – if that is the case. In most new businesses, the first two years can be the hardest and patience can save your sanity! The biggest mistake here is that after two or so years of little or no business, new businesses will close, but that is wrong! That’s the worst time to close as now you already have yourself in people’s minds: seeing the storefront, knowing you’re a photographer, etc. stick it out just a bit longer!