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About me - Chris d'Aquin

I am a Journalism graduate who turned his fascination with the Internet into a better paying job as a software engineer. But I miss writing, and Helium seems like a godsend!

I currently work at HowStuffWorks.com and I love it. While I am not a writer for HowStuffWorks,

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Arts & Humanities > Photography Good ways to get started in photography: 6 of 23
So you've decided to get started in photography, but where do you start? Here's a simple guide for you.READ YOUR MANUALThe best place to start is with reading your manual. You may consider this a boring prospect, but understanding how your camera works and how to manipulate it is crucial to getting started in photography.Sit ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Photography When to use scene modes in a digital camera: 1 of 3
When it comes to general photo opportunities, point-and-shoot cameras are amazing. You point, shoot, and most of the time the photo comes out looking wonderful.But what about instances when it's difficult for a point-and-shoot camera to guess at what you're shooting? That's where the scene modes come in. You can tell your cam... More..
Arts & Humanities > Photography Explaining the camera RAW image format: 1 of 3
Remember the good old days of film photography? You would load your cameras with film, shoot 24 or 36 photos and then have to pop the film out and drop it off at a lab. When they were done, you would get a packet of prints along with a sleeve of negatives.While you might never use the negatives, they were always there just in... More..
Arts & Humanities > Photography Setting focus when panning action shots: 1 of 3
When shooting racing sports, the best way to capture the sense of speed and action is by panning. In panning, you lower the shutter speed and follow the subject with your camera as it goes by, snapping pictures along the way. For simplicity, this article will talk about panning a car race, but you can also use panning in othe... More..
Arts & Humanities > Photography Flash accessories you should have: 1 of 2
Some won't consider this an accessory, but those who have made the leap to buy a digital SLR should invest in the most vital thing that will improve their nighttime and indoor photography - a dedicated flash.If you don't know what a dedicated flash is, just picture the large flash on top of the paparazzi's cameras as they tak... More..
Arts & Humanities > Photography Point-and-shoot flash options in a digital camera: 3 of 5
While a flash can make a decent photo look much better, it can also turn a great photo into junk. That's why it is important to know how to use your camera's flash settings.This simple guide will cover the four most common settings - automatic, red-eye, always on, and off - to get you thinking more about when you should or sh... More..
Computers & Technology > Cameras Five differences between a DSLR and a normal Point and Shoot camera: 6 of 7
Everyone knows a digital SLR camera has interchangeable lenses and is bigger, heavier, and costs more than a point and shoot camera (P&S). But what are the differences between the two types of cameras that translate into real, tangible results in the photos you take? Here are five differences between a DSLR and a P&S camera.1... More..
Arts & Humanities > Photography Tips for avoiding blurred photographs: 12 of 12
Everybody has had it happen. You think you've captured a perfect photo, only to realize later it's blurry and worthless. What causes blurry photos? There are three main culprits - camera shake, motion blur, and having the wrong focus point. The first two are caused because your shutter speed is too slow. Shutter speed refers ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Photography Using the white balance feature in a digital camera: 3 of 3
If you want to get the best possible color from your digital photos, it is important to understand how to use the white balance features in your camera.You may not have thought about it, but there are different shades of light. The light from the noonday sun is different from when the sun is setting, just like a fluorescent b... More..
Arts & Humanities > Photography Avoiding over- and under-exposures: 3 of 3
Do you ever wonder how, no matter what the coloring or lighting situations are in your photo, your camera will almost always get the exposure right? Understanding how auto-exposure works will help you compensate for when your camera doesn't get it right.In the vast majority of photos, if you took all of the colors in the phot... More..