We've decided to get a headstart on spring by coming out of hibernation early and introducing some wonderful navigation/layout updates on ShutterBudd.  Here are some highlights.

Some people like to shoot landscapes, some like to shoot flowers, and some like to shoot wildlife. Then there are other people who like to walk around in urban areas looking for something called "urban decay." Usually when you think of urban decay, you think about run-down cities, areas where buildings are being torn down, or where there's a lot of trash. While urban decay can easily be categorized as trash and decrepit buildings, you may be surprised to find that it's probably easily within reach to anyone no matter where they live, even out in rural areas.

The holiday season may be over, but it doesn't mean that you can't keep giving to local organizations. While you could easily donate your time to a cause and do any old volunteer work for them, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities that involve photography. Depending on what you want to do, you could stay local, travel, and even help a child in need of a little guidance. By giving your time and skills to help a cause you believe in, you can hone your photographic skills while also feeling good helping others. Whether you donate your photographic skills, mentor a young person in need of a bit of encouragement, or help out at a local art competition, you can always find a volunteer opportunity to help fill your desire to give of yourself to others.

Thank you to everyone who submitted to the "Everyday" show for December 2008. The photos have been received, matted, and framed, and are now hanging in their respective locations. We encourage everyone to take a look and check them out in downtown Mountain View if you have the chance!

The selections were based on the overall merit of the photo, print quality, appropriateness to the theme, and uniqueness. It was tough to choose from all the beautiful photographs since we really liked them all. Click through the jump to see the selected photos and where they're showing!

'Tis the season of holiday decorations. The air is getting cooler, the sun is setting earlier, and the holiday lights are slowly being put up. It sure seems like it happens earlier and earlier every year, and this year the lights are out in full force even before Thanksgiving is done here in the States, which is great for photographers because it means we have more chances to get those sparkly, pretty captures. Here are just a few ideas on how to best capture the twinkling magic of the season.

Boy do we have some great news for you guys! As you might have noticed, we're currently accepting submissions for a December, but we never said what would happen in November. The good news is that the two venues we're using in Mountain View have agreed to let us keep showing photos in their spaces. The bad news (well it's not really bad) is that the deadline for the December show is fast approaching on November 7th, 2008, and you have less than a week to submit!

Photography is all good fun, and a wonderful hobby, but how do you make that leap from it being just a hobby to getting paid for your work? You don't have to be a pro to get paid for your photography, but of course that all depends on how you define a "professional photographer." Your friends and family might already consider you a pro, even if you haven't been paid for a single job yet. You might have a sense of your own worth, but how can that translate into a price for a print? If you go to art shows, you can find all sizes of prints for any price range, from $10-300. What if you're not someone who sells at art shows? If someone asked you to sell them an 8"x10" print, how much would you ask for it?

Thanks to all the people who submitted to "Life in the Bay," ShutterBudd's first art show.

We are very pleased about the amount and quality of photos we have received from the many photographers. All of you have made it a really special experience.

185 submissions were received and from among those, 41 photos were selected to be reviewed as prints.

We've all seen (and drooled over) those gorgeous photos of food that make your mouth water. The tasty dish might be from a restaurant that does a beautiful presentation and the photographer just had to capture its beauty before taking a bite. This article won't be discussing the tips for professional food photography, like using glue for milk. In some cases for professional food photography, the food might not even really be food at all, but just some kind of lovely looking dish resembling food. Instead, let's go over a few tips for making wonderful food photos while eating out at a restaurant.

No single technique or tool will improve your photos on its own, but mastering the use of many techniques and tools can certainly help you together. Learning to use and correctly interpret a histogram is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to digital photography. It can help you figure out how to expose for difficult situations, and reduce the amount of images you end up tossing in digital post-processing. For those of you who shoot film, don't feel left out; you can still take advantage of the histogram on a digital camera if you use it to check your exposure before taking a shot. Whatever the medium, a digital histogram can be a useful tool when it comes to getting correct exposures.