Saturday, October 12, 2013

Education Career - Top 10 Online Education Career Opportunities


Pursuing a career in education is one of the most noble career options. What better way to have a fulfilling life and career than by educating young minds? A mind must be nurtured and taken care of in order for it to achieve something. That is why having the right education one to reach one's true potential. Education goes a long way in shaping not only one's career but also one's mind. The benefits of education are endless. Not only does having a higher education earn you respect and a position in society but it also prepares you to face the challenges that life has to offer.

For many people who are working or are managing their homes, going to college or university was an impossible option. If you are one of them but still wish to achieve the education that you missed out, then using the tools and technology around you such as the internet might take you a long way. Online education is the next big thing as this allows you to learn at your own pace and according to your own timings. With the spread of internet all over the world, colleges and universities have decided to offer online education in order to help those who are unable to be physically present when it comes to attending classes.

Students who are in need of higher education will find the answer to their prayer with the advent of online education. This gives you an official degree that will help you in later life. Using the internet as a tool has many advantages as this lets you research the topics you are studying. Online education is a great option for those who are unable to attend college for some reason or the other. Even at an older age one can enroll oneself in an online education course. This has a greater intake of students that traditional courses thus higher chances of getting selected for the courses. One can choose from a large number of online schools to select the one that is the best suited for him/her.

The opportunities for pursuing a career subsequently are endless.

Online education programs allow you to enter the teaching field. There are numerous jobs available for those trained in an online course to enter a teaching job. If teaching is your passion unlimited opportunities are open to you.

Online programs can enable you to embark on a psychology course that will later allow you to take up psychology as a career option. If delving into the human mind is your passion then this is the right career option for you.

One can also do an MBA online and enter into the field of management.

Online education allows you to achieve a doctorate degree that lets you work in the field of research on the topic of your interest.

Online film courses can help you become a successful film maker with the expertise that you have gained in the course of your online education.

Photography courses are also available. This can give you the necessary guidance to pursue your passion as a photographer.

Other courses that you can opt for include:

• Food science
• Engineering
• Mass communication
• Journalism

Who is Peter Varghese


Peter Varghese sounds just like another mallu name doesn't it, but it's not. The Peter Noozhumuri Varghese I'm referring to is a key person; both for India and Australia.

A few facts about Peter:


  • He was born in Africa(Kenya) in 1956

  • B.A(Hons)from Queensland University

  • Joined service in Department.of Foreign Affairs in 1979

  • Since then has held key positions including International Adviser to the PM in 2003

  • Married to Margaret O'Sullivan and has one Son

What makes him special are two facts, namely: he being the first Indian to be deputed from Australia as High Commissioner to India,and India currently on an economic boom. The thing that immediately comes to mind is the attacks on the Indian students a few months ago and more recently the Indian students being left high and dry after many colleges close down courses. And not to forget the issues with Uranium being refused, on what grounds, is anyone's guess. Economic Pundits have been proclaiming India as the inevitable economic giant for years now, but the way it is positioned in another 10 years, India may finally arrive.

Now that half of the world seems disillusioned with China's games at helping only themselves, their doubt able stance on Tibet, supporting Pakistan to spread terror in India and their own military enhancements; powers like the US are looking at redefining their relationship with India. Lets be honest, its all about vested interest's.There is no free lunch and Hillary's visit to India was a multi purpose one; some of it we can only guess, but some were obvious. China may well be the Frankenstein the US wants to ignore, and India the pacifist democracy with a booming economy. We have a lot to gain and so does the US, from the alliance.You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. But a line needs to be drawn. Now, Australia also wants a share of this giant pizza( I prefer that to pie). No harm in it, its business after all and we all have something to gain.

Now, what can Peter do for India and Australia is the big question. He has a tight rope walk ahead of him. He will be doubted as Pro-Australian in India and maybe the same in Australia,that of being soft towards his country of origin. Only time will tell as he may have been hit as soon as he assumes office, by the attacks' issue as that is fresh in memory and will take predominance. He will need to be very tactful, as this has become a very sensitive issue for Indian's. It will be safe to assume that his deputation is a wise move by Kevin Rudd to try and appease India. Whether it pays off or not remains to be seen. Its going to be one of the toughest deputations for Peter and more so because of the high hopes pinned on him from both sides. Lets wait and watch if his shoulders are strong enough to carry this responsibly and smoothly, or he will crumble under pressure. I read that he has a very sharp mind,hope that comes in handy. I will sign off by wishing Peter all the very best and that God gift him the strength, wisdom, courage and vision to see him through. Jai Ho 

Definition of Engraving


Engraving has been a practice since ancient times. Ancient people use engravings to produce images or sometimes tell a message. One of the most popular places in the world that is well-known for engravings is Egypt. History will tell you that Egyptians communicate through engravings. This is how they record the sacred events that happened to their place or their people.

By the way, what is engraving? Engraving is the practice of incising a design on a flat surface to portray a particular symbol or image. The common material that is used for engravings are; glass, Different kinds of metal, wood, gold, silver, copper, and other kinds of metals. Also, in history, engraving is a very important tool since it's a method that is use to provide images in the paper, both in artistic printmaking and commercial reproduction and illustration for books and magazines.

In our generation today, engraving has eventually been replaced by photography for the reason that it's difficult to learn the technique. But the traditional engraving is still continuously being practice by goldsmiths, glass engraver, gunsmith, wood maker, and others. They still do this for a living. But now, because of the advanced machines that were invented, there is now an available engraver machine in the market. These machines were invented to make everything easier and convenient for people.

The tools being used in engraving are specialized tools. These tools have different sizes and functions as well. They are still available in the market even though there are already some advanced machines but other people still prefer to do it manually. One reason is that, there could be cases that other people still want to customize the engravings that they want. They want to make it more personal and unique. Like for example if you are buying a ring for your girlfriend and you want to engrave some message around the ring.

Engraving has been a very important part of our history and also in commercial history. Today, engraving has been included as part of arts since there are people who could engrave different arts of images. This is very common in wood engravings that are usually used for house decors. There are also schools available if you want to learn about engraving, sculpturing, and other arts. The method and techniques may not be as easy as you see them. You need to be dedicated if you want learn how to do engraving.

The Questions of Esthetics, Mind and Ethics, In Hugo Munsterberg's Understanding of the Film Medium


Eight months before his death, Hugo Munsterberg published his seminal and influential book the Photoplay: a Psychological Study; a work that is viewed by many commentators as the first systematic analysis of the art of film. Unlike the Photoplay, previous studies of films were unformed, impressionistic and most importantly were characterized by what Annette Michelson calls 'euphoric epistemology.' Munsterberg theory (as explained below) is illustrative of silent film theory, particularly the question of whether and by what means film could be conceived of as an art form. Indeed, the whole book is an attempt to provide an answer to this question through a comparison of the photoplay (film) with theater, a comparison that proves to be both fruitful and problematic. In answering this perennial question Munsterberg emphasized the ethical dimension of the photoplay, contradicting to some extent his understanding of art as isolated from it practical use. This paper will provide a detailed analysis of Munsterberg's film theory.

Film as Brain:

Munsterberg's book is divided into three sections, an introduction that presents a short history of film's 'outer' (i.e. technical) and 'inner' (i.e. aesthetical) developments and two main parts, respectively the Psychology of the Photoplay and the Esthetics of the Photoplay. The first part as the title illustrates explores the psychological dimensions of the film medium, essentially its ability to objectify the mental reality. Munsterberg explores both the role of the spectator's mind in the production of motion and the ability of film to translate mental processes such as memory, attention, and imagination. While the equivalent of the psychological process of attention is the technique of the close-up, memory is objectified through flashbacks. The flash-forward technique objectifies imagination. Film in this sense and in contrast to theater obeys the laws of our mind.

Film as Art:

The second part of the book, the Esthetics of the Photoplay, attempts to establish the film medium as an independent art, worthy of attention. Following Munsterberg, film is not a mere imitation of reality; it rather reconstitutes whatever it records, transforming reality. To prove this view, he distinguished two modes of thinking, the scientific, scholarly and the artistic. Whilst the scientific thinking. The difference, in Munsterberg's own words, is 'connection is science, but the work of art is isolation." On the one hand, science isolates its object of study to connect it to other elements. Art, on the other hand, places emphasis on the particular. Science yields general knowledge through studying cases. But for art, the particular itself is that which is valuable.

Film and Ethics

The ethical question is central in Munsterberg's theory, particularly his hints to the negative sides of cinema (its negative impact on audience) and his emphasis on the role of the photoplay in education, instruction and esthetic cultivation. The social reformer in this sense should focus his interest "still more on the tremendous influences for good which may be exerted by the moving pictures."

4 Tips for Making a Portfolio Photography Website


A portfolio is the best way to showcase your work, skills and testimonials to employers, prospective clients and others. Technology has become an integrated part of the creative industry where writers, artists, photographers, graphics designers and film technicians use specialized software to bring out the best in their creations. Building an online portfolio is equally important to showcase your work and achieve better response and greater interest. An online portfolio is ideal for professional photographers as well as hobbyists, who can save a lot of time and effort involved in making physical copies or CDs.

It is not so difficult to create a photography website on your own. The best way to get started is to get your own website and starting building your online portfolio around it. A photography website design involves a combination of your photography skills plus exposure to web designing. However, for those who are not familiar with technical aspects of web design, there are simple free website building tools to help you get an outline of your website ready in minutes. For photographers there are specialized photography website design templates for photo gallery, albums and portfolios.

Creating an online portfolio is easy, but creating a successful portfolio requires meticulous planning, designing and execution to achieve your goals. To build a good portfolio it is important to follow the following four key principles as discussed below:

1. Identify Portfolio Goals:

It is important to articulate your goals in any business, and this is true for your portfolio too. You can have a vision or mission statement followed by a set of goals. If you find different portfolios serve different purposes you can create different sets of objectives for each portfolio, which for instance can be Sales Generation Portfolio, Freelancing Portfolio, Networking Portfolio, Personal/Hobby Oriented Portfolio, etc.

2. Design for Target Audience:

It is important to design keeping your target visitors and audience in mind. For corporate clients and customers from traditional industry backgrounds provide professional, formal and clean layouts without any fancy or edgy designs. Focus more on what your prospects want and cater to their needs, for instance a photographer specializing in corporate events will have a different audience compared to those of a fashion photographer. So the right choice of design for your website and portfolio is critical here.

3. Navigation:

This is high priority for your visitors and prospects because if they have difficulty in viewing your portfolio or browsing through your web pages, then it is a definite put off. Even if you manage to get thousands of visitors, poor navigation or design will pose huge obstacles in achieving your goals.

4. Planning & reviewing your Portfolio:

Your portfolio should be professionally managed and reviewed like any other client project. Since this is a showcase of your work, spend more time on planning, updating and reviewing your online web pages and components of your portfolio on a regular basis.

Following these tips for your online portfolio design would help you win more projects, build a strong client base and achieve your professional goals.

Make Money Taking Pictures - How You Can Make A Profitable Photography Business


Photography these days can be a profitable business you can venture to. Although there are many people who can take great pictures, you can still be on the competition to get your own market share as photography services often require you to be near your clients. If you want to learn some great tips on how you can make money taking pictures, here are a few things that might help you have a good start.

- Put up your own studio. If you have enough resources to put up your own studio, you can actually make money taking pictures of people who come to your shop. However, you have to keep in mind that people may want their photos for various purposes, so take time to learn the various specifications in taking photos for IDs, for passports and other purposes. You can also start with your own home-based studio to save space rental as well.

- Focus on something that you do best. If you are very good in portraits, you can make this your main focus of your business. You can venture into baby portraits or family portrait that you want to focus. If you are skilled in wedding photography, you can also focus on taking wedding pictures and you can even maximize your potentials by adding more products other than your photographs.

- Spice up your photos with additional services and products and maximize profits. Say, you can put your photographs in mugs, or print them on shirts, souvenir items or any other products. This will help you gain more profits than just plainly giving your clients the plain pictures. One of the most lucrative niche that you can venture into when it comes to photography is venturing into wedding photography. With wedding photography, you can put your shots into a wedding album or frame them as well and make better profits out of it.

- Sell your photos to magazines and newspapers and even to website owners. Indeed, magazines and newspapers regularly need photos for their publications. One of the most lucrative businesses when it comes to this particular venture is taking pictures of celebrities or news events.

- Selling pictures online. Websites need pictures as well. From blogs, to entertainment websites, to travel websites, your photos can be what they are looking for. If you want to make extra money out of your photographs, you can sell them online as well. You can also set up your own website where you can post your photos and charge online visitors who want to purchase large printouts or other products they want with your photographs, like putting it in calendars or posters.

In putting up your photography business, keep in mind that you do not just make money taking pictures. You have to make sure also that you take pictures that the clients would love to have. Especially if you want to venture into wedding photography, it is important that you want your clients to be satisfied with your work as this can happen only once in a lifetime, and of course, wedding pictures are among those you want to share to your next generations as well.

Scott Mead's Work Accepted to the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition


Best known for his philanthropy and an extensive career in investment banking, Scott Mead has recently become more visible in the fine arts world, actively creating and showcasing his fine art photography most recently at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition in Piccadilly, London.

Scott Mead was born in Washington, DC. When he was 13 years old, he received one of his grandfather's cameras and a lifelong passion for photography was sparked. As a child he took photographs around his home, spending hours in the family darkroom developing prints and exploring the photography art form. Later, as an undergraduate student of American History and Literature at Harvard College, Scott Mead also studied visual arts and art history. It was during this time when Mead had the unique opportunity to study under some of America's most well-known photographers: William Eggleston, Emmet Gowin and Minor White. In 1975 he used a complex photography technique to shoot a series of black and white photographs capturing rural New England. By combining a large format camera with a smaller lens and using advanced darkroom technology, Scott Mead was able to create images that were otherwise nearly impossible to achieve when taken. In 1977 he graduated and continued his studies as a Harvard Scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University where he earned his M.Phil in 1979. And finally, in 1982 Scott Mead concluded his academic career with a law degree from University of Pennsylvania Law School.

After deliberating between a career in photography or in the investment banking field, Scott Mead decided to put his artistic pursuits on hold and accepted an offer to work at First Boston Corporation. From there, he moved to Goldman Sachs & Company, first working in the New York offices starting from 1986, and later relocating to London in 1988 to continue to expand and grow the company's European presence. Mead worked at Goldman Sachs until 2003, worked a few years at Apax Partners as a senior advisor and chairman of the technology and telecommunications advisory board, and finally at the start of 2009 Mead co-founded a private merchant bank, Richmond Park Partners. As Scott Mead's professional career grew over time, Mead always expressed a continued interest in the fine arts world. This passion was recently rekindled in 2009 when Mead discovered old negatives from his works in 1975, which had been in his attic and long forgotten for many years.

In 2010, Scott Mead displayed works from these years at Hamiltons Gallery in London. The solo exhibition, Looking Back, included 25 black and white prints taken from the time period between 1974 and 1977. The prints, mostly circular images inspired by his teacher at the time, Emmet Gowin, were created with a special technique that allows the viewer to see the identical perspective as seen through the eyes of the photographer, without the cropped edges that are commonplace in most rectangular photographs. All proceeds from the exhibition were donated to the Great Ormond Street Children's Charity, specifically for the Gene and Cell Therapy Laboratory at the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

In 2011, two of Scott Mead 's photographs were accepted by the Royal Academy of Arts for its annual Summer Exhibition. One of the photographs, Evening Light, is part of the series of photographs taken during his college years also presented in the Looking Back exhibition. The second photograph, "Untitled" is another black and white photograph showing the ocean and closed beach umbrellas, under a cloudy sky with a haunting mood.

From the year 1769 to this day, the Royal Academy of Arts in London has held a summer exhibition recognizing the works of rising new artists in the contemporary art world along with established artist. This year marks the 243rd Royal Academy Summer Exhibition which showcases 1117 works including paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, films and architecture. The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is known for being one of the largest open-submission exhibitions, allowing artists from all over the world to submit their works for consideration. This year the academy's hanging committee received over 12,000 submissions from 27 countries and chose a select few from the pool of submissions to create the exhibition.

The Royal Academy of Arts was established by King George III in 1768 in order to promote the arts through education and exhibitions. In addition to its ongoing public exhibitions, the Royal Academy of Arts manages an academic institution, The Royal Academy of Schools, and also has a public library. The Royal Academy is governed by 80 artists who are also known as Royal Academicians. The requirements for an Academician include being a practicing artist wholly or partly in the UK. Each Academician is also given the opportunity to display his/her works during the Summer Exhibition. Some notable Academicians include David Hockney, Tracey Emin and Anish Kapoor. This year's summer exhibition included works from Academicians Jeff Koons, Tacita Dean, Allen Jones, Jenny Saville, Anish Kapoor and Tracey Emin.

In addition to his professional work and artistic endeavors, Scott Mead is also an active philanthropist, donating time and money to support causes close to his heart including education, medical research, athletics and fine arts. Scott Mead founded the Mead Foundation in 1996 in order to provide grants and donations to a wide range of educational, medical and artistic initiatives. He also established the Mead International Fellows Program that provides financial support to law students who specialize in projects that support human rights and economic development within regions around the world. Scott Mead is on the executive committee of the Tate Foundation, helping with financial responsibilities in overseeing the Tate museum's endowment across its four museum locations in the UK. Most recently, Scott Mead became a board member of New Look Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by recording artist Usher to help disadvantaged youth learn leadership skills and inspire a change in their local communities. Last, Mead donates to his alma maters, Harvard,Cambridge and the University of Pennsylvania supporting academic and athletic programs.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Popular Modern Artists of This Century


The Twentieth Century had produced many renowned artists who include Painters, Musicians, Instrumentalists, Rock Artists and Sculptors. It has been a decade since the new century was born and many magnanimous and versatile artists have already started to conquer the mindsets of masses. These include artists from US, Europe, Russia, India and Australia.

Beginning with Sculptors, the name of Andy Goldsworthy is significant. He was born in 1956 in Cheshire, UK and is a Photographer and Environmentalist too. He is accredited with producing site-specific sculptures and land arts situated in natural and urban settings. David Hockney, born in 1937 is another leading British artist and has been voted the UK's most popular living artist.

Another name to worth mentioning is Lucian Freud who was born in1922and is possibly Britain's greatest living painter and portrait artist. All his works are protected by international copyright laws until at least 70 years after his death.

Antony Gormley is another sculptor who has explored the human image using his own body as a subject, tool and material over the course of the last 25 years. His work has been exhibited extensively both in the UK (such as the Whitechapel, Tate Modern, Hayward Galleries, British Museum and White Cube) and abroad. Gormley was awarded with the Turner Prize in 1994, South Bank Prize for Visual Art in 1999 and Bernhard Heiliger Award for Sculpture in 2007.

In US, the name of Chuck Thomas Close as a modern painter tops the list. He is known for his self portraits and portrait paintings. Other popular artists from US of international repute are Kiki Smith, Stacy Brown, Irvin Bomb, Kimberly Conrad, Rebecca Darlington, Marcus Jansen, Ray Yano, M.E.Whitehill, Karen Jacobs, Iwaski and Michael Khandros.

Indian contemporary art in the break of 21st century is as varied as it had never been before. From the elitist business houses and royal families, it has now entered the drawing room of the middle class buyers and from domestic market, it is now traveling offshore to fetch immense; often astronomical prices. Some of world famous artists of this century are M.F. Hussein, Jatin Das, Satish Gujral, Ghulam Mohammed Sheikh and A Ramachandran.

Russia too continues it's legacy of artistic richness. Prominent and World famous Russian artists include Alyona Dergiliova, Ilya Kaverznev, Ekaterina Moré, Nataliya Ivanovna Duritskaya, Nikolay Tretyakov.

Marc Riboud, Georges Rousse, Pierre Toutan Dorbec, Bettine Rheims, Ange Leccia and Sophie Calle are World famous French photographers who have been successfully able to transform photography into an art. Popular French artists of 21st century include many heavy weights like Patrick Mimran, Y Liver, Jeylina Ever, Andre Vanden Busshe who is both a sculptor and a Painter. Dominique Sanson (who currently lives in Spain), Jacques Pellegrin and Zaven Pare, Gilles Rouaut, grandson of the famous French artist, George Rouaut are the promising artists from France. From Italy, the land of Picasso, many new artists have come up like Carlo Maria Mariani, Francesco Clemente and Sandro Chia. Popular German artists include Markus Lupertz, Gerhard Richter and Anselm Kiefer.

The list is endless and will be added on to as the years go by.

The Future of Stock Photography is on the Internet


When my brother John started his photography business about 35 years ago... there was no such thing as an answering machine! Nor did individuals have fax machines... He remembers being very excited about getting a fax machine... because now an Art Director could send him a layout without using a bike messenger or Fed Ex!. Now, here he is shooting without film, digitally enhancing his images on a computer and delivering them via the internet.

For twenty years he shot assignments. A huge part of the business was marketing him self to ad agencies and design firms. Thanks in large part to his foray into digital manipulation of his images; he was very successful at his marketing. He was selling stock photos through "Tony Stone", later to become Getty Images, and through "The Stock Market" along with my line of greeting cards being sold through Portal Publications. He was shooting assignments, but he was very picky and only took assignments that really interested him.

If you were an advertising agency you went to Tony Stone, The Stock Market, or a tiny handful of stock photography houses. There was no internet and thus no way for small businesses to easily purchase stock photos for their advertising needs.

After the dot com bubble burst he found him self without assignments for a couple of months...but it didn't matter because he was making plenty of money with stock photography. One gig ended and another took over. Of course, today that industry is in turmoil... first royalty-free stock photos impacted the business... and now micro-stock. I even see pay per click ads that cost the advertiser money... advertising free stock photos! I guess he doesn't have much to worry about that now because the prices can't go any lower than that free!

I remember when it took a week and buckets of money to get a good print from a photo lab! Now, if I want to print a funny animal picture I just hit command-p on my keyboard and get almost free prints that are of far better quality than anything I used to get from the lab! I can make fine art prints that are even more archival than what the labs could offer right in my own office...and these prints are in my hands in just a matter of minutes.

A few years ago my brother bought a house...a beautiful house on a hillside overlooking a valley. He was surrounded by horses, deer, wild turkeys, and even bobcats and coyotes! He planned living in that house till the end of his days. A close friend cautioned him though, that he should not count on living there forever. "One day you will sell that house" he said. My brother laughed. As I write this He is planning on selling the house in the spring.

John's greeting card business was growing like crazy. Each quarter his royalty checks were getting larger and larger. People loved the cards...the company was thriving and he was their number one greeting card artist. Still, a business consultant friend of his suggested that he create a worst-case scenario plan for his business just in case something went wrong. John found it difficult to do because he could not possibly see any worst case scenarios on the horizon. Eventually he forgot about the backup plan for his stock photo business.

Fast forward five years... the greeting card company no longer exists. It was purchased by a venture capital firm that made some bad decisions and the business for all practical purposes died. He is now with a different greeting card company and they are slowly rebuilding the business. One thing is different this time... he no longer assumes that the greeting card business will be around forever.

Two new 35mm digital cameras have just been announced... one by Nikon and one by Canon, that both shoot, in addition to extremely high quality digital stills, HDTV motion. Videos are becoming increasing popular... as evidenced by YouTube and other internet sites for sharing video clips. There is an emerging market for stock video clips.

The stock photography business is changing rapidly. More and more small business's are turning to the internet and purchasing their stock photos online and even getting free stock photos! Digital cameras are not only prolific, but producing better images and in some cases they produce images of higher quality than you could shoot with a film camera.

I believe the future of stock photography is online. Photographers need to adapt to changing times and learn to market their work on the internet.

Who was it who said the only constant is change? That is so true... but I do have a method for coping with all this change. My secret is a good attitude and continuously reminding myself of the need to stay open and flexible.

Considering Taking a Photography Course?


There is a big portion of people who take photos on a regular basis. Whether it's at a family doo, birthday party, evening out or a trip to the park. More and more people are taking pictures and sharing them on the many social platforms that are available today like Facebook and Flickr.

After a while they may want to improve their skills so they can take better photos or enjoy photography so much decide they want to try and make a living from it. Now the only way to really improve is to take a course of some sort. May be a classroom at the local college or a home study course. There are many different photography courses out there now so picking the right one can be quite difficult.

You have to decide how far you want to go and how much you're willing to spend on a training course and also how much personal time you can commit. These are very important factors to consider before enrolling on a course. After deciding on these factors it's time to find a suitable course for you.

Classroom training

If this is your preferred method then you will need to phone up or go and visit your local colleges and training centres. Because classroom training requires you to attend at certain times make sure you are able to commit to this as the classes can be pricey and you really wouldn't want to miss any. If you are taking photography to use the skill as a way to make a living then I would look for a course that offers some sort of qualification or certification at the end. This will help attract potential clients and shows you are trained in photography. It will add creditability to you and your business.

Home Study Training

This has become the preferred method for a lot of people now. The main benefits are the flexible study times and course costs. The costs are considerably lower than classroom training because you don't need to cover costs for the classroom etc and along with the scheduled class time commitments makes home study courses the preferred option. There are many home courses that lead to recognised qualifications and certification now and even though you generally would be studying alone you will find forums and discussion groups taking the same course so you can still exchange ideas and notes with other students.

The Process of Imaging in the Photography Business


The business of photography is still on its limelight because people are not losing their interest in taking photos of themselves and the environment. Pictures are important to the way of life and culture of people in one place. Pictures can serve as proof and remembrance of important events and occasions. There are diverse processes of imaging used nowadays. The advancement of technology plays a big role in making things possible.

In the olden days, pictures are printed as they are. There is no manipulation whatsoever. In these modern times, pictures are highly manipulated with the use of different software and application which can enhance the beauty and clarity of pictures. If you have skin blemishes and fine lines because of aging, it can be resolve through image processing. Images are being process just like other products to enhance their qualities.

If you are in a photography business, there is a strong need for you to go with the flow and use advance technology for processing pictures. You will not succeed in your photography business if you don't have the latest software which will enable you to edit photos, you will run out of customers. Most people nowadays like their photos done right before printing. People want to look good in their pictures especially for their ID pictures. Some want their pimples and skin blemishes to go away with the use of photo imaging.

Photography business is actually a good business to start nowadays because of the high demands of good quality pictures. Your client is not only limited to individuals who want their personal pictures done; you can also grab the market of corporate businessmen that want to enhance the effectiveness of their marketing strategy with the help of high quality pictures of their products and services. The following are added work which can create huge profit for your photography business.

Brochures- you can create effective brochures which corporate businessmen needs to promote their products and services. Photo processing will give you an opportunity to create attractive brochures with enhanced photos.

Billboard- editing photos for billboards is in demand. If you have the right kind of software, you can stretch picture to a size of a large billboard without affecting the quality of the images.

Website photos- photos for website are important for online business because these items are responsible for attracting consumers to stay inside a website and explore products available. This is big opportunity for a photography business like yours.

Pamphlets- this are small readable materials which can promote a business. With the help of photography business, they can enhance the photos of their products and services to increase their profit.

Indeed, imaging process is big help in all kinds of industries around the world. The effectiveness of photos is undeniably helpful in promoting businesses. Now is the right time for you to used technology and take advantage of its benefits for your own photography business. This is the most effective and easiest way to enhance any kind of photos whether old or new.

Wedding Photography Poses - Part Two


What you can't get enough wedding posing ideas?

Another traditional yet cool shot is of the groom getting advice from Dad. This makes such a good shot that you might even consider staging it. It's easy, the dad can straighten the grooms tie or point his finger at him while the groom crosses his arm and rolls his eyes as if not listening. There are so many fun and creative ways that you can compose those all-important before shots.

The father and groom together before the wedding are a wedding standard. And the groom and best man will probably be chatting alone off in a corner somewhere. This also makes a fantastic groomsman before shot.

If the bride and her party are getting ready at the site of the wedding, which is entirely common then the arrival shots of them in their street clothes bringing in their cloths and supplies is another great shot.

By all means capture the bride arriving to the wedding location and before she's in the gown.

You can take exterior shots of the wedding location along with portraits of the inside of the church or hall. Is there a gorgeous portrait hanging in the entry way? Take the photo. Are the isles decorated with lovely floral arrangements, don't forget to take those close-ups. Are the pews decorated? Take some unique photos of everything and anything. You can never go wrong with more photos vs. a few.

Group shots are another staple of wedding photography. The couple will want shots of the groom with the best man, with the best man and groomsmen with his parents, grand-parents, brothers and sisters and possibly with the bride's family too.

Later, you'll want pictures of the groom with the maid of honor and bridesmaids, but this will have to wait until they're ready. You can throw in a few fun ones too. This is where you can let your (and the wedding party's) imagination flow.

If you run out of ideas and feel inspired, why not ask the wedding party or families if they have any ideas for creative poses. You'll make a lot of new friends this way and possibly other wedding photography referrals. When the group sees how hard you've worked to create the perfect pictures you'll be the talk of the town.

There's no shame in making sure the bride and groom get the best possible wedding portraits. So whatever it takes do it! Trust me, you'll be appreciated for your efforts.

What Does RAW Mean in Photography?


Many photographers that are just starting out always wonder how they can have more flexibility and power over the photos they took. How do you go about correcting the white balance of your shot without long and tedious hours spent in an image retouching program? One way is with shooting in your DSLR's RAW setting.

What does RAW mean in photography? A quick definition for RAW is a higher quality file format to shoot your photos in. The default setting on most cameras is to shoot in the .JPEG format. RAW is just another format for pictures. When you upload a RAW image to your computer, you will have to convert it in an image retouching program to be readable by the computer. After the RAW file is converted, it will most likely have the file format of .TIFF attached to it. The difference between .JPEG and .TIFF is that while .JPEG will compress the image more, .TIFF will not. Since .TIFF is not compressed at all, the photo will be of higher quality.

This will give you the ability to do more editing with your photos with less effort. When you shoot in RAW, you can easily change the white balance of the picture with the click of a button instead of messing with the levels of the picture for hours. You can also edit the exposure of the picture while doing minimal damage to the pixels when you shoot in RAW.

There aren't very many drawbacks to shooting in RAW, but there is one main negative impact of shooting in this format. RAW files, or .TIFF after converted, take up considerable more space than .JPEG pictures do. Many RAW files can take up to 20 megabytes of space. Because of the large amount of space that RAW photos take up, you need to make sure you have considerable memory on your computer and SD/CF card to shoot in this format. Otherwise, you will only be able to take a very limited number of pictures. The reason for RAW files being larger is because RAW files aren't compressed.

I hope that now you have learned the answer to the question "what does RAW in photography mean" and try shooting in this unique file format. Shooting in RAW is only helpful if you utilize all of the advantages that it provides you such as more editing flexibility.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

How to Become a Great Landscape Photographer


Landscapes are one of the most appealing areas of photography and with so many beautiful scenery it's easy to figure out why. You may want to escape from the city for one day and taking the camera with you seems natural. You will probably come home with some nice photos, but how you transform them into really inspiring pictures?

The first thing to keep in mind is that good lighting is essential. You usually need sunlight to take a good landscape photo, but harsh light should be avoided. When the sun is high above the sky, the light is too strong and colors and details are lost because there is too much contrast. The best times to take photos are early in the morning or in late afternoon. On a sunny summer day you should avoid the 9am to 4pm period, which is almost all day. In other seasons you have more hours to take photos because the sun is lower. If the sun is low on the sky the objects have longer shadows, which reveals their shape, giving a three dimensional feel to the picture. This will make for much more inspiring photos compared to those taken with the sun up, which appear more flat.

You will generally want to capture a wide area of the landscape. You need to use a wide angle lens or choose the widest setting for your zoom. This way you can fill up more of the frame. It will also distort perspective by bringing close objects even closer and distant ones looking farther away. However, you shouldn't always use wide angle. Sometimes the scene provides you with the opportunity to zoom in to a certain object. For example, if you are above a small town looking at some nice roof tops with a church in the middle spiring above trees, you can zoom in to capture the most interesting area.

Viewpoint and composition also play significant parts. Creating depth will make your photo much more interesting. A good way to do this is by finding a focal point, such as a bridge, stream, tree or boulder. Think about how the image will look like from different heights. Don't just take all the photos from your head height. Include interesting objects and look for streams or footpaths to draw the viewer's eye into the picture. Diagonal lines generally have the best effect.

Color can make a big difference in a photo. Look for colors such as bright flowers, a hillside covered with trees or a stone wall with green moss. A red phone box may even be interesting if it fits in the surroundings. Finding bright colors may be more difficult during winter. You can take photos early in the morning when it is very cold and frosty areas are in shadow, creating a cool blue shade which can look beautiful.

There are also some accessories you can invest in to help create better landscape photos. A monopod or tripod will make for sharper images and slow you down, allowing you to focus on the composition. Filters can also have good effects. A polarizing filter will improve those photos taken during midday, increasing saturation. Graduated filters are very popular as they can darken the sky and thus reduce the contrast.

Pre-scanning the area is also very useful. When you arrive somewhere, walk or drive around the area to see where the good photo opportunities are. If there's too much sun you can return at a better time. Also bear in mind that a totally dull landscape during summer can become a beautiful scenery in autumn colors. The best way to learn is through experience and the more time you spend shooting the more chances you have to get some very rewarding pictures.

Golf Course Marketing Strategies


How to be a Big Fish in Any Pond

Many golf courses attempt to gain a competitive advantage by continuously dropping their price. This marketing strategy will inevitably fail over time because you create a perception of being a discount golf facility. You will begin to attract the ''Bottom-feeder Golfers'' who rarely spend any cash in your proshop or bar and usually carry baloney sandwiches in their golf bag. Why not just become more appealing to people who like to spend money for quality services? There are several good lures you can use to catch these golfers with money:

1. Throw in the Towel

DON'T DISCOUNT YOUR PRICES - INSTEAD - ADD VALUE! Price cutting is ultimately a losing game. A better approach is to add value so you can increase rather than decrease prices. Your focus should be on finding creative ways to differentiate your golf course and your customer service. Increase demand so much that you no longer have to compete with the price cutters. Simply do more effective marketing and get so busy that you have to raise you price.

All your ads should create value propositions that provide enticing offers and premiums for a great golfing experience. You can ''Throw in'' a golf towel, hat, complimentary lunch (Hot dog & Coke), range pass, yardage book, poster or a screensaver. By adding these types of premiums, you can easily raise your price to more than cover the cost of the premium and create a higher perceived value at your club. However, you may want to limit these promotions to your tee spots that are already in high demand (such as weekend mornings) so you can raise your fees considerably without it affecting your traffic flow. Consider how the Airlines do this with ''Space Available'' in First Class.

The exception to the rule of discounting is to use it as a reward for your most loyal customers. Give financial incentives to people who buy in volume and pay upfront. Have discount programs for the players who want to buy a 20 round pass or a series of 10 lessons.

2. Make it like Disneyland

Think about how much fun it is to go to Disneyland, ''The Happiest Place on Earth.'' The Park is always immaculate and the staff are highly trained to make people smile.

Disney is in the entertainment business - and really, so are you.

Everything at Disney is designed for fun and creating memories. It's more than just a theme park with rides. In the same way, your golf course should be more than just golf - it's about the experience you help them have.

Think about how you can raise the level of customer service and improve the ''WOW'' factor at your golf facility. How can you make the whole experience at your course more enjoyable and entertaining.

How about making sure your washrooms are impeccable (Women rank this as the #1 most important value in a quality golf course).

Why not serve vanilla scented towels at the turn? Make them hot in a microwave on cold days and icy cold on hot days. Very refreshing.

How about having a friendly guy that greets you as soon as you arrive and takes your bags to the range or starting tee? Dress him in white coveralls like at the Masters.

What about giving your Marshalls Instant Replay vouchers for disgruntled clients? Have them give balls away to people hunting for their lost balls! (This really helps improve slow play and just makes people feel better. The marshall is now seen as a friend rather than a policeman).

How about fun, cute Cart Girls who have been given great training and know how to make people smile.

Why not take a digital photo of every golfer at your signature hole and send it to them by email? (How's that for collecting email addresses? Disney now does takes digital pictures with some of their rides - and even charges you if you want the printed photo!)

What about having a few more ''Fun Tournaments'' with crazy prizes and great social events afterwards. Build a sense of community.

The point is, you should make it your goal to have your golf course become ''The Happiest Golf Course on Earth!''

3. Do it Like Cheers! Remember the TV Show Cheers? Why did people keep going to Cheers? The answer is in the song, ''Where Everybody Knows Your Name.''

It teaches a great lesson - Build loyalty through incredible personalization. Here's several personalization hooks you can use:

Create a Preferred Golfer Loyalty Program where you reward your best customers. If you'd like to see more about a complete loyalty marketing program we've developed, view details at www.preferredgolfer.com. Train your staff on how to remember names. Create photo directories of your members for staff review. Have a rewards and incentives for the best ''Name Rememberer.'' Create all kinds of special social events at your club where it's very easy for people to get to know each other in a fun, informal way. Make sure there's some ''Intentional Interaction'' so it makes it easy for people to connect, even if they're new to a group.

4. Become Heroes In Your Community How would you like to make a positive impression on your community and earn the right to get some ink from your local media? Here's a few ideas:

Have programs for kids to build birdhouses through the school woodshop for your golf course. This program can be especially effective with special needs kids - allow them install the birdhouses on the course and make a meaningful contribution to their community. Have your staff become experts: Let your chef host cooking classes. Have your superintendent host workshops on flower gardens, pruning, thatch control, lawn fertilization and maintenance. Have your golf pros teach etiquette classes to the juniors - complete with a nice graduation ceremony.

5. Use Exceptional Photography to Create an Indelible Impression You only have one chance to make a good first impression. Great golf course photography is critical to improving your image and branding. Make sure you have at least one outstanding photograph of your signature hole so that people will be enticed to play your course. Great photography is the easiest lure you can use to catch golfers with money.

Want to see some stunning Golf Photgraphy? Check out the work of 2 times "Golf Photographer of the Year" John Johnson at www.golfphotos.com Using these 5 strategies will allow you to differentiate your club from the competition and you will

BECOME A BIG FISH IN YOUR OWN LOCAL POND!

Cheers

Colin Goehring

You can view this article with HTML, graphics and stunning golf photography here

Small Business Opportunity


There are many small business opportunities right under your nose. But you have to look at the world around you with fresh eyes and listen with newly tuned ears. New local ordinances may help you come up with an unheard of business Where others see trouble, look for opportunity to start a new service or to make an innovation in an old business model.

A small business opportunity may be waiting in the talent of your hands. Do you garden, fix your car, or do bead work? Whatever you know how to do there's a market for it, especially if you add a new twist to your idea. You can sell those plants at auction sites like a friend of mine. How about starting an emergency car repair service and bring your shop with you. Expand that bead work talent into making and selling art jewelry. There are sites where you can sell your jewelry art.

As a small business entrepreneur the world is yours. The green industry is wide open. Do they have recycling where you live? If not, consider starting a recycling business Or if there is a private one already, then start a pickup and delivery service for people's recyclables. Are you inventive? Your invention could make a mint. A friend of mine has invented new tools for her craft and sells them online.

To help yourself with finding the small business opportunity that's right for you think about these personality traits and see which is like you.

· Are you concerned with improving the things around you? Maybe you can modify some type of business to make it better.

· Do you like to give advice? Perhaps you can teach people to do something and sell your e-book. It could be a small business advice book.

· Do you have a dynamic personality? Then as a small business entrepreneur, you're business will be branded by your charisma.

· Are you creative? Your small business opportunities are available on the internet at sites where you can sell, photography, music, screen savers, and your writing skills. Many colleges offer a small business advice service so be sure to check out what is offered locally. These are usually free of charge. The internet offers a variety of advice that may help you. These cover areas like startup plans and marketing, forums, proposal writing, branding, various ways to use the internet to advertise and grow your business

The Small Business Administration is chock full of help for the small business entrepreneur including a plan tutorial and outline, financial assistance, local resources, and a lot more. There are many ways on the internet to promote your small business online. You can post ads, talk in forums, join social marketing sites, use traffic exchanges, and banner exchanges, add your signature to all of your emails and so forth. Linking is a good way to get traffic to your site whether you're promoting your internet business or using a site to promote your brick and mortar business This small business advice should get you rolling and building your entrepreneurial future.

Slide Duplicating Film in Film Photography


Duplicating film is one of the finest film and are well known around the world for their superior ability to capture the best contrasts and finest details. All duplicating films are supplied as transparency material.

The advantages of this film are that they possess low contrast, exceptional grain structure, and wider-than-normal exposure latitude. However, there is also some down side as they are very slow, rated at about ISO 12 or even lower.

When making high-quality duplicates, be aware that exact reproduction of an original is just about impossible. However, excellent duplicates that are even improved versions are not too difficult to manage. And another good thing about it is you don't need sophisticated equipment, either. The actual procedures is slightly complicated, but if you have some means to make 1:1 or greater magnification images and a 3200K light source, you should be able to make good dupes. Granted, higher tech solutions are available; however, they will not always ensure better results.

It is quite hard to find the films on the market nowadays but there use to be four duplicate films that can be commonly found in the market. Three are made by Kodak and one by Fuji. Kodak films differ from one another in several ways. Ektachrome Type 5071 is a film intended to be exposed under tungsten light, and its sibling, Type SO-366, is daylight-balanced. In most other ways the two films are alike. Kodak also makes a duplicating film, Type 8071, specifically intended to duplicate Kodachrome originals. This film has been found a necessity in dealing with the image-forming dyes used in Kodachrome, dyes very different from those used in Ektachrome and similar E-6 films. Essentially, Type 8071 duplicating film closely matches the spectral response of Kodachrome originals. When duplicating other makes of film, such as Agfa, Konica, Polaroid, or Scotch, a duping film intended for E-6 films is preferable to Type 8071. Fuji Film also offers a slide duplicating film, Type CDU. This emulsion is an E-6 film for use under tungsten illumination, and has an extended slow exposure time tolerance reaching all the way down to twenty seconds. Fuji Film originals and CDU are perfectly matched to one another but any other E-6 film original can be successfully reproduced with this film.

As with all other duplicating films, use of an ultraviolet-absorbing filter, such as Wratten 2B, is strongly advised. Like its Kodak counterpart, Type 5071, Fuji CDU produces excellent quality duplicates, featuring high definition and excellent color purity.

Photography - 5 Gigs That Pay!


For most photographers, getting a paid gig seems to be getting increasingly more difficult. With the advent of affordable DSLR cameras, nearly everyone is a photographer now and the market seems saturated.

The savvy photographer, however, realizes that the market is still thriving and well... if you know where to look.

Just as times change, markets change too. Below are five markets that are easy to penetrate if you have a plan and some drive. The best part? They're all hungry prospects looking for photographers!

1. Corporate functions/Event photography

Corporations are constantly looking to document events. Likewise, events are always taking place. Whether it be a fund raiser, a holiday party, a college graduation, or a mixer for the chamber of commerce, companies and individuals alike are always in the need for web photos and even prints.

Find yourself a niche in this market by joining organizations, participating in mixers, and using word of mouth to promote yourself. Other possible revenue streams could be: Corporate Head shots, architectural photos for print ads, and employee events/portraits/weddings.

2. Club/Bar Photography

Bars, restaurants, and clubs are always looking for photographers to document their hip new locations and trendy club-goers. They're looking for photos to use in fliers, website promotion, and possibly even wall art!

Find yourself a niche in this market by targeting restaurants and bars you frequent often. Start small. Ask the owners if they've ever thought about using photos to enhance sales for their restaurants. Once you've received a few paying gigs you can use the images as promotion to other club owners. Other possible revenue streams could be: Fashion work if you see the right person, stock photography (don't forget a model release!), and abstract art.

3. eBay Photo Guru

Every day, millions of people log onto eBay.com to find the perfect gift, toy, or collectors item. However, many items go overlooked because they don't have a photo. Help some people liquidate any items that might fetch a premium to the right buyer on eBay and other classified sites by offering to take photos of goods using a mobile studio. The mobile studio need not be extravagant, simply a white poster board and a flash could be sufficient.

Find yourself a niche in this market by working with sellers that list items frequently but have poorly designed listings, often with no photos. Use word of mouth along with posting ads on popular local classified sites like craigslist.org and backpage.com. Other revenue streams could be: catalog work for entrepreneurs that sell jewelry and widgets online. Also, you may find goodies you just can't live without and be able to negotiate a deal before it hits eBay!

4. Rock Band/musician photographer

Do you know of anyone that is in a band or performing arts? Big name bands pay big bucks for tour photographers. Shrink this philosophy to a local scale and charge a band for a nights worth of photos that they can use for their demo album, myspace page, and other promotions. Band photography can be tricky, so be sure to do some reading online before you accept a paying gig. It might be wise to do a few shoots for free just for experience.

Find yourself a niche in this market by making contacts at open mic night and larger band performances. Often opening bands are up and coming in the rock world and if you can get in early, you might be able to ride on the coat tails to a national tour! Other revenue streams could be: Night club, bar and venue photography contacts, other bands, fan print to order pictures, and newspaper submission abilities.

5. Real Estate Photography

Due to recent market changes, Realtors are looking for anything and everything to improve their chances of selling a home. There is nothing that helps a home stick out on the MLS more than a professional quality listing photo. Take the time to make the home look top notch and the Realtor will be nothing short of ecstatic with you. Get up early and use the early morning (or evening) light to work in your favor for exterior shots, and use a tripod or flash system to light the interior shots. If you can get the hang of this, you won't have time for any other business.

Find yourself a niche in this market by making contacts in the real estate industry. Stop at real estate branches and use morning meetings, fliers, and phone calls to get in touch with decision makers. Create a couple packages for agents to choose from to make the quickest sale with the least headache, then organize a time to gain access to the home. Realtors are huge on word of mouth advertising, so make sure to use it the best you can. Also team up with lenders and title agencies (if you have them in your area) for joint marketing campaigns. Other revenue streams could be: Office party event photographer and business head shots for promotional materials like business cards and web sites.

Like any endeavor, a business should have a plan and requires follow through and hard work. The reward, however, can be monstrous and well worth the effort. Be sure not to make promises you can't deliver upon, and handle yourself in an ethical manner. Also, always have a spare business card handy!

Photo Birth Announcements - Photo Paper Or Card Stock?


There are many decisions to be made when choosing and ordering your Photo Birth Announcements. Where will you order from? What type of design? Which photo of your baby will you use? But another important decision that shouldn't be overlooked, is choosing what type of paper on which to have your Announcements printed.

Some online Birth Announcement stores only offer their cards printed on photo paper. Others only offer press-printed card stock cards. But many online merchants will offer you both of these options. It's necessary to understand the differences between these options in order to make the best decision for your personal preferences.

Photo Paper
Birth Announcements printed on photo paper will be an actual photograph. This means the back of the card will be like any other photograph you've seen - bearing the manufacturer's logo, and perhaps a printed copyright or other identifying text from the printer.

Regarding image quality, printing on photo paper will represent your image most accurately. This can have positive or negative results. If your image is good quality, high resolution, well lit and in sharp focus, photo paper will show this quality at its best. However, if your image is of poorer quality, low resolution, or slightly out of focus, photo paper will also make these imperfections more noticeable.

If choosing a photo paper option, make sure the Birth Announcement company you have chosen uses only professional grade photo paper such as Kodak Endura Professional Paper, and that they print their cards at a professional lab. Matte finish works best for Photo Cards as they are easier to view and resist fingerprints.

Card Stock
Having your Announcements printed on card stock will cost a little bit more than photo paper, but card stock will give you a more formal look and sturdier appearance. An additional benefit is that you can often request to have the back side printed as well - perhaps with additional photos or a message of your choice. Or if you leave the back blank you can hand write your own messages.

Most online Photo Birth Announcement companies that offer press-printed card stock cards, typically offer several options to choose from. Many offer sample packs of their stocks but usually charge a small fee to ship these. Understanding the differences between the card stocks will help make choosing your preference easier.

Semi-Gloss - a heavyweight card stock with a smooth finish. This stock is not very glossy but has a slight sheen. Depending on what type of pen you use, this stock can be more difficult to write on than the matte stocks.

UV Coated Semi-Gloss - adding a UV coating to the Semi-Gloss stock will give it a high gloss (shiny) finish. Most companies will charge a bit more for this finish.

Matte Linen - a medium-weight matte stock with a slight linen texture. This stock can have a very elegant and formal feel, due to the linen texture, and is a very popular choice among consumers.

Matte Watercolor - a lighter weight stock with a slight pebbled texture.

Some stores also offer Metallic and Pearl finishes which give the card stock a metallic or luminescent finish, respectively. These finishes, while unique, can make some images look distorted when viewed at different angles. These printing finishes often look better for landscapes, abstracts, or artistic portraits, rather than for a baby's Birth Announcement photo.

When deciding where to order your Photo Birth Announcements, be sure to review all of the options offered by the online merchants you are considering. Having a sound understanding of the differences between these options will not only make your decision easier, but will help ensure that you are pleased with your final printed product.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Photo Documentaries - How to Create a Powerful Documentary Series


Photo documentaries are a way to tell a story exclusively, or almost exclusively, through pictures. In most articles you find photo graphs that compliment lots of words and paragraphs, in a photo documentary the goal is to have small amounts of text that compliment lots of pictures. In this article I'll give you some tips on how to get started creating an effective photo documentary series.

The easiest way to begin is to look for events going on in your area, or an event you or someone you know will be involved in. My first photo documentary was on a local fishing derby in my community. You should identify an event with several key stages. Using my fishing derby as an example, I wanted to photograph the following stages: the participants signing in with all of their gear, people fishing off the dock and getting into their boats, bringing the fish in, measuring them, and then handing out prizes.

Plan out the photos you want to get, but don't limit yourself to these. You might have something really cool come up that you hadn't planned for, don't hesitate to snap pictures of anything that you think will help tell the story. At the fishing derby a neighbor played his bugle to signal to everyone on the lake that they needed to come in and time was up. I took a picture of him playing while looking out onto the lake. I hadn't planned on this, but it made a beautiful picture and worked into my story very well.

When setting up your prints to tell your event's story make sure that there's a flow to them that makes sense. I set most of my documentaries up like magazine article pages. They have a title at the top, and pictures moving left to right and top to bottom on each page to tell the story. An important thing to note is that you should only put captions under pictures you think need an explanation, it is usually more powerful if the photograph can tell a story on its own.

I hope this advice helps to give you an idea of how to set up your photographic documentary endeavors. Remember to pick events and photos that interest you and above all, have fun!

50 Legitimate Work From Home Business Ideas and Opportunities That You Can Start Easily


Starting a business from home can be a bit straining given all the different possible business ventures available. There are a lot of ideas for business from home nowadays and if you have limited resources, you might find yourself a little too confused at which to choose. Or if you already have an idea of what you want to offer, you might be hesitant because of some legal considerations that you need to think about.

The easiest way to choose what kind of business to start from home is to think about your basic strengths and assets. From this, you will be able to determine the kind of business from home that you want to start. You will also need to think about the pros and cons before you start your own home based business. It is okay if it takes you a lot of time to think about what business venture to choose. After all, it takes patience to achieve success.

If you are still a bit confused then let me give you a few business ideas that you could try.

Here are 50 legitimate works from home ideas that you can refer to if you are quite confused on where to begin.

Simple Services As A Home Based Business

This kind of business venture is most ideal for those that have lesser capital or to those that have none at all. This is usually just small scale and may require most of your time. For this type of home based business, you won't need to utilize much space at home as well. Although there may be times that you will need to conduct your service at home like in babysitting or in pet care servicing.

Service-oriented businesses may range to the simple services that you could offer like babysitting to the more skilled type like painting or electrical repair services. Your initial clients are usually friends or neighbors. However, do not be bothered if business is not a mega success at the beginning. Once people see the quality of service that you offer and provide clients will just come faster than you expect.

This is the type of business venture that is easiest to start because of its nature. Basically, you won't need much supplies or materials to start service-oriented businesses. Take note though that although this type of business venture requires low capital, it might require a lot of your time. In some cases, this may require you to provide services at the homes of clients.

Although this is way easier than the other business ventures that you can try, this also requires more effort on your part. Your performance will be the sole determining factor that will encourage people to hire your service. To develop your business, you will also need an endless supply of creativity to constantly improve the service that you provide. Your creativity is particularly handy when you want to start pet care or painting services.

Some services may also require an appropriate amount of training like computer knowledge when you want to start a bookkeeping service business. There is also training needed when you want to start a repair service business. However, in this type of business, you won't need any license, though that may increase your probability of being hired.

If you are the type who has big plans in the future but doesn't have a capital to invest in a home based business, this could also be the perfect business venture for you. It's true that it may take time for this type of business to grow but trust me, couple with determination and the nest quality of service, your business might grow into a lot more in the future. Think that most huge and established businesses that offer these types of businesses started off as small-scale. This could be your stepping stone in making it big in the service oriented industry.

  1. Child care

  2. Elderly Care

  3. Home cleaning services

  4. Yard cleaning services

  5. Bookkeeping services

  6. Repair services

  7. Pet care services

  8. Painting Services

Knowledge and Expertise Based Business from Home

If you are the type with the skills and expertise that you want to share, then this is the type of business venture that you can start. Most people nowadays prefer to take up lessons in private, whether at your home or in their homes because it is more convenient for them. This is advisable for those that have more time to spare or for those that don't have kids at home that could disrupt lessons or your work.

This is ideal for those with the talents and readily available instruments or materials needed for the business to start. This type of business may also require a lot of your time but if you share your skills that was your hobby before, starting this business could be stress relieving and enjoyable for you.

In this type of business, particularly with those that provide lessons and tutorials, you will need to invest a lot of patience because most of your clients will be young people. This is because most parents would want their kids to acquire talent while they are young. So besides your incredible skills, you will need a handful of patience as well. You will also need to make sure that you are able to communicate properly because that will be one the factors that might or might not motivate clients to hire your service.

This is also easy to start because you won't need much material. You don't have to worry much about legalities when starting this kind of business because this is usually small scale. However, if you are planning to venture into a food business, you will need to consider asking local authorities regarding permits that you will need to secure.


  1. Private tutorial

  2. Music Lessons

  3. Dance Lessons

  4. Arts Lessons

  5. Arts and Crafts

  6. Baking

  7. Catering Services

  8. Events Planner

  9. Networking

  10. Buy and Sell

Professional Services As A Work From Home Business

There are more and more professionals nowadays that prefer to work on their own rather than working for a company. It gives them more authority and gives them more opportunities to manage their time. This type of business mostly requires permits and some form of training and certification so you could start. However, if you are already a licensed professional and has established a good reputation for yourself already, all you need is just a little capital to invest for materials and supplies that you would need.

In starting a small business from home that offers professional services, you would usually need to spare a room or a space from your home that will serve as your office. This is because clients that seek your services will need to consult with you. Although there is a possibility for you to utilize online resources for some of the home based business that require professional services, most still need personal contact or conversation.

You will also need to invest in advertising since there is also an increase in the number of professionals that put up their own home based businesses. There may be a need for you to hire staff if you have some capital to spare. This will just lessen your trouble with filing and documentation but you can always just start off without any. This will just depend on how much you can afford to spend initially.

When it comes to legality issues, you will need to coordinate with local authorities regarding required permits that you need to secure. This is because some of the type of professional services that you would need to offer need certification. Good quality service will be your winning edge compared to your other competitors.

  1. Landscaping

  2. Counseling

  3. Interior Design

  4. Accounting Services

  5. Real Estate

  6. Plumbing Services

  7. Photography Services

  8. Family Clinic

  9. Tax preparer

  10. Sewing and Alterations

Home Based Businesses That Require Space For Putting Up Shop

If you have a room or space to spare at home, then this is the type of business venture that you can start. You don't have to build a whole new establishment when starting this kind of business. Although in this type of business, you will need to make sure that you live within areas where people usually go by. This is because the type of business that you will put up needs to be visible to people for you to attract clients. You will also need to invest relatively a lot.

In this kind of business venture, you will also need to emphasize on your marketing strategies since this type of business requires the best marketing and advertising strategies to work. Furthermore, you may also need to invest on hiring staff since basically; you won't be able to run this type of business all alone.

This kind of business is ideal for those that are willing and have available capital to invest. Although this business requires a lot of investments from you, this also is the type of business venture where you can see returns to your investments faster.

This is the type of business where you will need to utilize your connections more. When I say connections, it does not only refer to seeking possible clients but it also refers to possible suppliers that can help you establish your business. In putting up small scale shops, you need to make sure that you are able to locate suppliers that are affordable and efficient so that you don't jeopardize the quality of service or products that you will offer once your business already operates.

Bear in mind that in putting up a shop, you will need to compete with a lot of different shops as well. These competitors may be home based and most will be shops that are already established. You will need to ensure that what you can offer is the best product of service. This is where good business planning is most needed.

You may need to secure legal documents when you want to start this type of business from home. It isn't exactly that complicated because legal permits are particularly because your business has the tendency to attract people thus increasing the amount of traffic in your area. Also, it may require some permits to secure. But just like I mentioned, with the proper planning, this kind of business can return your investments faster than the others.

  1. Car wash

  2. Boutique

  3. Family Restaurant

  4. Laundry Shop

  5. Library or bookshop

  6. Auto Mechanic Shop

  7. Beauty Shop

  8. Flower Shop

  9. Small retail shop

  10. Pet shop

  11. Candy Shop

  12. Bed and Breakfast

  13. Party Needs Rental Services

  14. Food stand

  15. Spa and Saloon

  16. Woodcraft

Online Business Opportunities That You Can Do From Home

This type of business venture is one of the easiest to start if you have the skills, knowledge and resources. People rely on technology nowadays. Because of the change in the lifestyles of people today, they tend to rely on computers for their convenience. With this in mind, you will be able to know how to approach the field of online business wisely.

Although this is one of the easiest, it also may require some form of training especially of you plan to start a computer consultancy business. People don't just need assistance but they also would need quality services. With all the demand for online jobs these days, you will also have more competitors to outshine making this type of business the most competitive among all.

You will only need a little capital to start this kind of business. Firstly, you will need your knowledge and skills with computers. You will also need a computer and a fast and reliable internet connection. People expect quick and efficient service so it is strongly advisable that you invest in good quality materials if you want your business to succeed.

You also won't need to think much about legalities since there are only a few legal considerations when it comes to putting up online businesses. There are a lot of articles and books that you can check online for guidance and reference.

Computers are today's main source of convenience. This makes it easier for you to market your service since most people nowadays own computers. Furthermore, besides being amazingly knowledgeable with computers, you will also need to be creative.

There are a lot of people that has skills and knowledge but only a few have fresh ideas and creative talents to offer. This should be your major marketing strategy to enhance the probability of attracting clients.

This type of business does not usually require you to do home service except for computer consultancy. That is why you will also need to educate yourself regarding accounting matters. This is with regard to the payments of your clients. Unlike with regular businesses where they deal with clients on a personal basis, you only deal with clients online. This makes it harder for you to ensure that your service is being paid. An adequate amount of reading and research will help you overcome this challenge.

  1. Online Shop

  2. Graphic Designing

  3. Print advertising shop

  4. Online tutorials

  5. Copy reading services

  6. Computer Consultancy

Home based businesses can range from service oriented business to those businesses that would require you space to put up a shop. There is also some businesses ideal for professionals and there are some businesses that can be started without much training from school.

There are a lot of ideas for starting a small business from home. It may be confusing but with the just the right amount of determination and planning, you will be able to know where to start. Your skills should always be your most important determining factor when you are unsure of what business venture to choose.

You can also think about the resources you have available. This will help you decide. In starting a small business from home, you need to make sure that you are fully prepared. This means that besides the brilliant ideas, you will also need careful planning and wise implementation.

Thinking about the legal considerations in starting your business should be part of the planning process. Although starting a home based business is practically easier to do than starting a huge business, you must still make sure to cover all the necessary requirements so you won't encounter any problems in the future.

The decision to start a business from home could be one of the wisest things that you can do. It is one of the easiest types of business ventures yet it's also one that requires a lot of determination and will. Since you are the only one that is solely responsible for all the decisions made in your business, you will also be the one most stressed and pressured. But don't take this negatively. The nature of starting this type of business must be a challenge for you. It is very easy to start a business from home but it could also be very challenging.

After thinking about what type of business venture to go into, you must prepare yourself for all the possible risks and challenges that you might encounter. Planning is one thing, implementation is another thin. After you know how to start a business from home you must also think of ways on how to maintain that business. After all, being successful in a home based business is not determined on achieving your goals alone but it's also on how you maintain that success.

Mass Communication Courses - Spells Immense Money, Power and Freedom


In today's time of ultra modernization and avant-garde gadgets, everybody yearns to keep him/ her up to date with the latest advancements and developments happening in virtually any nook and corner of the globe. In such turbulent epoch, one powerful vocation is mass communication. One can start treading on these success steps by first pursuing mass communication courses. These courses essentially trains an individual to make apt usage of media such as TV, radio, magazine, newspaper to make the mass aware of the latest developments in various fields.

One also gets to choose his/ her specialization such as advertisement, promotion, public relations, cinematography, radio jockeying, print media, event management, fashion photography, sound engineer, film making, journalism, animation, etc. There are a large number of institutes which proffer mass communication courses in Delhi such as the International Institute of Management, Media & IT, The Delhi School of Communication, Editworks School of Mass Communication, Pran's Media Institute, Center for Research in Art Of Film and Television to name a few. For those who want to carve out a niche for them in the film line can take up apt film courses which will be the fist stepping stone towards their journey into Bollywood.

The options of courses are also varied; for example one can pursue Bachelor of Mass Communication (BMC), PG Diploma in Mass Comm (PGDMC) or Master of Mass Comm (MMC) in such educational institutes. It is highly advisable to do a bit of intricate research on the World Wide Web before plunging into the all important decision of choosing an apt mass communication institute. One should look into the history of the educational institution, its placement records, experience and expertise of faculties and the amount of exposure it proffers its students. The rise in the number of newspapers, news channels and TV channels has virtually opened a bank of vacancies for mass communication students. Not only does this vocation proffer immense power but also the authority to make mass effects.

In these times of cut throat competition where every one is hungry about news, bringing them to people has become the most sought after vocation. Some of the essential traits which will give you an edge are broad mindedness, a keen eye for details, good listener and speaker, imaginative, resourceful, extrovert, etc. In a developing country like India, the role of media has taken an unprecedented place by making its populace aware about the economical, political and social issues.

Youngsters today are flocking educational institutes which proffer mass communication courses as it is their ticket to a career which gives them freedom, power and most essentially money. One also gets to enhance his/ her network once he/ she join a mass communication institute. Not only journalism, radio jockeying, acting and ad manager are also some vocations which falls under this category and are fun too. One has the option of pursuing such courses part time or full time. If you are a scholar who is split on choices as to which career to pursue, this article will definitely help you.

Careers Or Jobs in the Advertising World - The Choice is Yours


With the falling economy, entertainment industries like restaurants need all the help they can get. Advertisement is a popular way to attract business, and what better way than to show your customers how appetizing the food looks. Food photography has proven to be an effective technique to promote any type of eating establishment. In addition, talented food photographers can be found worldwide, so getting the pictures is simple and it has a great impact. It's not only the food industry that has taken to product photography, however; almost every industry out there provides quality photographs as their main advertisement-and it never seems to fail them.

Advertising is a tricky-and expensive-business. People in the advertising business are spread all across the board, working in areas such as cultural study, planning and design, graphics and marketing. Many factors play into an advertisement, but studies show that without a doubt, sight is the most influenced sense when it comes to appeal. For this reason, product photography is a huge part of the advertising industry. Food photography is one of the most popular types of product photography, because it appeals strongly to the viewer's sense of taste.

Food photography is not a simple as some may think. Taking picture of food requires an artistic outlook of a mundane setting. For example, food can be found anywhere, but not all food is worth photographing. Artists look for a few things: color, texture and lighting. First, colors should be rich, not dull. Customers are more enthralled by fresh looking foods, not foods that look old and stale. Food photographers try to pick foods with rich natural color, like fruits and vegetables.

Next, texture is important for variety and excitement. Berries are popular because they have an interesting texture, as well as creative dishes like chocolate mousse. Mixing up textures makes the photograph more interesting, and more appetizing.

Finally, artists consider lighting in product photography. Light, sunny filtering makes viewers happy, often adding positive connotations to the advertisement.

If you enjoy photography and you think food is interesting, then a food photographer may be the career for you. Many art institutes offer courses on photography; some even have programs channeled specifically toward food. If not, another aspect of the advertising industry may suit you better. Either way, the advertising industry is always looking for new employees, as demands for advertisements continue to grow.

Photography is an important aspect of advertising and the photographers are highly regarded. Product photographers need a keen eye for detail and a meticulous attitude toward their subject. Not everyone is cut out for the job, but those who are tend to be talented.

If a job as a product photographer, or any other job in advertisement, interests you, there are many ways to get involved. Most colleges and universities offer courses and even majors in marketing and advertising, and many firms offer internships to give it a try. Advertising is a well rounded career-it allows the creative juices to flow while helping others, creating the ultimate reward.

The Step-By-Step Guide To Planning Your Model Train Layout


Model Train Layouts are wonderful works of art that could be properly constructed. All you need is to discover how to go about the construction. There are some points to bear in mind when you plan to put your Model train layouts in order. Let's take a look at some tips you need to bear in mind.

繚Know the basics
There are some basic facts you need to know about Model Train Layouts. These include the model building, the sculpture involved, the painting aspect and even the electronic engineering involved. You need to take note of these basic facts in order to construct nice layout for your train. You need to have a blue print of what you plan to achieve. Put all the facts down and get set to work out a plan.

繚Get Prepared
Before you set out to construct the layouts, you need to design your track layout with quality templates. You can achieve this when you make use of CAD computer programs. You still need to make use of computer graphics especially if you desire to create miniature signs and billboards for the model train layouts you have in mind. Again, when modeling a real location, bear in mind that photography has a big role to play in the preparatory stage. With this in mind, you're sure to succeed in the venture.

繚Take note of other necessary facts
Apart from the points discussed above, there are other necessary facts you need to bear in mind when you want to construct your model train layouts. You need to create the bench work and draw the layouts sites. You still need to arrange the electronic gadgets needed. The track and the scenery must be in the right order.

Having seen the above, here's a typical way to plan your model Train Layouts:

1. Assemble your train set
2. Get the Train tables ready
You can prepare a 4 x 8 foot table. It's usually advisable for you to begin with temporary layouts for a while. This will help you to discover how best to prepare the permanent layouts. Let your scale be large enough as this can make the tables to look sturdier.
3. Use cables and pulleys to lower the tables from the ceiling. This can also help you to raise the tables for storage.
In all, you can actually prepare your model train layouts by yourself. However, if you're not good in construction works, it's advisable to engage a goof model train layout contractor to assist you.

The Basics Of Professional Photography


To become a professional photographer, it is important to learn some of the basic guidelines to follow. This is because in the photography field, it is not just about glamour but also about hard work, to attain optimal results get recognition as a reputable photographer. For this reason, the following advice should guide any aspiring individual through the process of attaining this goal.

Education
Though inborn talent is important in this field, anyone who wants to join the professional photography field must understand that this works better when backed up by formal education. To meet this end, it is advisable to pursue at least a degree in photography from a reputable school. This is tantamount due to the following reasons.



  • For starters, you will learn some of the technical aspects that govern professional photography. This will include the zoning system and basics on lighting and chemistry and their affect on the product. While there are instances when you can learn these on your own, it important to note that the taught word is more effective and to cap it all, it places you at the vantage of interacting with other people who share the same interests.


  • It aids shapes an individual towards becoming a business minded person. This is for the simpler reason there are other subjects taught in these schools and are of utmost importance as well. These include marketing and sales, which aid in marketing your work. In addition to this, there are also art history classes, which are just as important.


  • In professional photography, getting a degree gives an individual a certain edge. This is especially true if the photography school is a reputable one.

Gathering Experience
After graduating from school, it is ideal to ensure that the right measures are in place to gather insurmountable experience. In this regard, it is advisable to work under someone who has been in the industry for a longer duration. This is attributed to the fact that it avails the opportunity to explore some of the techniques they have used over the years to get to where they are. Though this is the case, it as an aspiring professional, it is important to ensure that you build your own vision. This will be your driving force and it will propel you in the right direction at a faster rate. To cap it, it is important to note that it is possible to divide professional photography into several categories, hence the need to specialize in a specific field. For instance, one could choose to venture into food photography, wedding photography, interior photography and glamour among others.

Basic Skills Required to Be an Animator


Today Animation is witnessing a significant growth and various channels of Entertainment coming in to the market; this field has become enormously large. Animation courses are in great demand among the people interested in building their career as an animator. There are chains of animation institutes in Delhi (government and private). Career in Animation promises multiple job opportunities in various media channels such as TV, movies, advertising agencies, Website etc. However, to be a successful animator is not a child's play. One requires following skills and talents to make a landmark in animation field.

To be an animator you need to be good at your creativity skills and must possess an artistic approach. To be well versed in drawing is very advantageous when it comes to make animated figures. Your technical skills play a chief role while doing animation course. Animation is the fusion of creativity and technical knowledge and to be a high paid animator you are required to be technically creative and sound.

For any animator it is an important part of his job to be fully innovative and full of unique ideas and arts. This field demands constant changes and with the increase of animation movies in the market and to beat the competition, it becomes crucial to be prepared with fresh and different ideas.

To be an animator your hard tangible skills and soft tangible skills are required equally. Abode Illustrator, Flash, 3D Studio Max, Swish, Rhino, Maya, CAD Abode after Effects are just a few name in hard tangible skills. These skills are technical and are important in your animation profession. Soft tangible skills are your communication and presentation skills which are as important as hard tangible skills. To keep you in the organization and to leave a mark on your employers both the skills contribute equally. To have a good soft skill is bliss for the success of your career.

For an animator it is an important to check that the images are being captured properly and with an artistic style. Therefore, for an animator skill in photography is an important aspect to learn. In addition with this, cinematography is also required to know the basic shots and use lighting rightly.

Besides the above skills, the most important thing is to put lot of effort and tremendous hard work while working as an animator. To taste success in your career you must dedicate and devote yourself to work and keep patience.

To get a big break an animator may create his portfolio where the sample of his artwork is available. There are different types of field available in animation such as movies, TV commercial, websites, and video games. You should focus on the specific area you would like to go for, keeping your interest in mind. Cartoon film is the most primitive field of animation and it is still very popular among audience especially kids. The other fields where one could find abundant scope and lucrative job opportunities are Video Games and Websites. These two are the fastest growing field of animation and require limitless animators. The basic requirement of animation course is similar but the fields differ entirely from each other.

However, all your skills and effort might go waste if you do not find a proper animation institute. Animation schools play a vital role in enhancing your inner talent of animation. Choose a reputed institute which would provide you well-rounded education and quality training. The animation institute must have competent and qualified staff with well equipped graphic labs.