5 Easy Steps to Starting Your Own Photography Business

1. Decide on a business structure:

The first thing you'll need to do is decide how you want your business to be structured. Your choices are Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Corporation, Subchapter S Corporation and Limited Liability Company. I recommend starting as a sole proprietorship because it is the easiest and least expensive.

2. Get a DBA & Tax Resale Certificate:

You'll need a DBA (Doing Business As) if you want to name your business something other than your name. Getting a Tax Resale Certificate allows you to charge your clients sales tax. You will also need it when purchasing products for resale to your clients.

3. Purchase equipment:

You really don't need a lot of fancy equipment to start your business. In fact, you could very well get started with only a manual camera and nothing else. All you have to do is shoot your sessions outdoors with nature as your backdrop. A couple of other basic things that are recommended are things most people already have anyway: a computer and printer.

4. Get insurance:

You should always do everything you can to make your equipment safe for those being photographed, by using sturdy backdrop stands and instructing adults about not allowing their children to touch your lighting equipment. But as careful as you are, accidents still do happen. It is important to have insurance for your business to protect yourself in case anyone ever gets injured during one of your sessions. You will also want insurance to cover your equipment in case it gets damaged.

5. Start Marketing:

You can start with a simple display in a local business, for example displaying cards or brochures in a florist or bridal shop. To find businesses to display your information, think about where people in your target market shop. Approach the owners about setting up a display in return for a free session.

That's really all there is to it! You'll probably add more equipment and continue to develop your marketing plan through the years, but the important thing is to just get started and go from there.

Belonging to High School Fashion Clubs Can Help You Set Your Own Future

If you have ever wondered about the origin of some of the popular fashion clubs, high school would probably be the most appropriate place to look.

Many high school students don't know that this is what they are doing, but by joining certain clubs they are seeing how it would like to be a member of the working class in that particular niche, and whether or not they enjoy that type of work.

Such is the case with high school fashion clubs. High school fashion clubs serve different purposes; some of them are just an excuse for girls to get together during school hours and talk about clothes, and other fashion clubs actually design outfits and put them together.

Some fashion clubs' classes may even put on a fashion show for the students, or in conjunction with another school. People just do not seem to understand the importance that clubs' high school aged members are bringing to the fashion industry.

It's About Starting Early

When it comes to clubs, high school students may potentially be setting themselves up for a huge life change sometime in the future. While teenagers think they know what they want to do, many of them have glorified images of what their chosen profession is going to be like.

Once the college years set in, many people make the decision to do something that they love-whether the money is better or the money is worse or money just doesn't matter at all, people tend to change their minds during these formative years. When it comes to fashion clubs, high school clubs often turn into college clubs or organizations and that is a great thing. The more experience you get working as a member of a team in the fashion industry, the better off your career is bound to be in the end.

Use Those High School Fashion [http://www.fashion-school-info.com/high-school-fashion.html] Years to the Fullest

When it comes to fashion clubs, high school students tend to think that things like that are un-cool or a waste of time. In all actuality, they can be a great use of time that more people should only get the opportunity to participate in. If more fashion high school students participated in these clubs, high school years may have been a more useful period in time for them and college may have gone easier; who knows?

There is no denying the fact that when it comes to any clubs including fashion clubs, high school students get invaluable experience in a potential career field that they might not otherwise have ever been exposed to. Don't underestimate the power of local clubs; high school is where some of the most talented minds in the world finally came to fruition.

Understand the Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Photography Gallery

Nowadays internet has become a popular tool to share and promote everything, including photography works. You may also think the same and thus you want to establish an online photography gallery. This article gives the advantages and disadvantages of online photography gallery so you can be prepared on what you expect to get and problems that you will face.

The advantages of an online photography gallery

The most important advantage of an online photography gallery is the global audience that you can reach. This is an effective and the easiest way to introduce your photography works to the world. Internet is an excellent marketing tool if you understand how to use it properly. In addition, you can place an e-commerce capability in the gallery so visitors can buy your works directly from the site.

Making a personal online photography gallery is a good start, but you should not stop here as you need to display your talent as much as possible. The next step is to join several groups of online galleries so more people, especially people who are experts in this field, will know about you and your capability. In addition, these groups also a good way to share experiences and tips to improve your photographic skills and techniques.

The last advantage is its momentum. It serves as an ever present platform to show your works. It gives momentum because it shows what you have achieved over the years. You can see how you have developed and progressed after many things that you have faced all these years. This is a good way to keep motivating yourself whether you are an amateur or a professional.

The disadvantages of an online photography gallery

Even though an online photography gallery seems to be a very good idea, they also have disadvantages that you need to be aware of. The most common problem is that your works will almost certainly appear in other sites without you receiving any money. Therefore, it is important to mark the photographs with your symbol or you should disable the downloading option.

If this experience happens to you, you should not get angry immediately. As long as the sites that show your works do not gain profit from them, you should not be too upset. In fact, it can be a good thing because it shows that they like your works and it also acts as a free publicity.

However, if your works appear in business sites and you do not receive any money from them, then it is time to be serious. In a worse case, your photos are used by others to do frauds. This is common to happen among portrait and clothing catalogue photographers. In today's digital world, it is easy to scam someone behind someone else's portraits.

The last thing to consider is that if you do not want to make your own online photography gallery and opt to use existing online gallery services instead, you will need to pay a fee that can range greatly. This fee does not mean that you will get a transaction either. There are some free services out there, but usually the quality is questionable. They have a lot of limitations or they put a lot of advertisements in the page.

As you can see, an online photography gallery has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, you should consider carefully before you make any decision. You should develop a strategy to maximize the advantages, while minimizing the disadvantages.

Capture Your Graduation Moments With Some Perfect Photographs

Your graduation day is certainly a big day to put on your convocation gown & mortar board and to look your best for that day. You are definitely the centre of attraction amongst your family and friends when it comes to capturing those moments of celebration on a camera. While you can take some candid shots to capture the lighter and more heartwarming moments of the day with your family and friends, why not use a professional photographer to capture those moments of celebration. You can be confident of professional results in capturing those all important moments. This is a big day for you and you'll require lots of energy to stay tuned. So sleep well the night before the Graduation day. You will need to wear the graduation costume that might contradict the weather and temperature. Try to avoid too much crowd & rush to get recharged and fresh. There will be numerous photo-capturing situations and having a professional photographer of your own will ensure that you will not miss capturing a celebrated moment. Besides your hired photographer's camera, there would be your friends' cameras, your parent's focused lens, school's professional portrait photographers, newspaper & magazine photographers and even local professional photojournalists there to cover the event extensively. You won't have the access to surf through all the photos that made you a part, yet you should try to collect photographs from your friends' collection. Thus you can create a rich archive that will cover every angle of the event and graduation memory.

If you have special preference to capture some shots all by yourself, be choosy to do so. Not necessarily you should be taking photos all day and not becoming the part of those photos. It's your day, and after all you are the focal point of your graduation ceremony.

It is important to select the right poses to portray you at your best while wearing the gown. A full-length shot will definitely convey a strong sense of power and achievement compared to a half-body shot. For formal portraits these portraiture shots are best preserved through framing them professionally. Apart from portrait shots, your certificates can also be framed. Apart from framing canvasses and articles, professional framers can do the perfect job in preserving those precious portraiture shots. With a wide selection of frames and designs, your framed portrait shots can be displayed beautifully and elegantly in any home or office. Your portraits can also be transferred onto canvas and framed for a majestic effect.

Choose your appearance according to the weather and the costumes you would be wearing. Full length photos will highlight your costumes. So if you have the option to bring your own graduation dress or rent it, choose the one that's not too slick or dull and certainly comfortable to wear for the whole day.

Reflect the subject rather than the surrounding for the portrait photos. For the long shot adjust the camera zooms to cover the details. For the archive, sort out the photos you and your parents would like to hang on the walls, for your most favourite and personal album, CD/DVD version, album to show your relatives and finally for the version you want to share on your social networking sites. Though this selection and sorting takes some time, yet it's necessary to categorize all the photos to makes things easier for the later use and avoiding an unexpected situation like sharing a very personal photo in the social networking site publicly.

To make those photos shine brighter even more and accentuate those moments, you can rely on some professional services to create framed photos, artistic effects, certificate frames, canvases, elegantly designed montages and lot more. Finally, keep both the digital and printed version of the photos for preservation. Hang the portrait versions on the wall and share your group graduation photos on your social networking site.

Your graduation photos are undoubtedly precious to you and an advance planning and few steps can save you from regretting for a long. Make your golden graduation photos a part of your preserved memory.

Unleash Your Brain's True Potential With Mental Photography

Mental Photography 101: The Power of Photographic Memory

Have you ever had a moment in your past (possibly in your childhood years) that may or may not have been significant, but you can, for some reason, recall it as fresh as you can recall yesterday's events in detail? It's one of those recollections that are so vivid and so visceral, almost as if it were happening at present. It is that high level of mental state, so rare, that some even consider it to be a supernatural ability. And of course, it would not have earned such mysterious and controversial perception from people if it is something that everyone can easily do every day.

You may have encountered it once or twice in your lifetime without even being fully aware of it; but photographic memory is one of the many wonders of the human brain. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a special ability that only a few are gifted to have. Mental photography is indeed a naturally built-in capacity of the human brain. In other words, anyone has it in them; it just has to be unleashed.

Definition: How it Works

Mental or subliminal photography is the process of capturing mental images, or the ability to tap one's photographic memory. It entails rapid absorption of information within a short amount of time. Intricate visual details from source of information-either from a particular event, a book read, or a film watched, is immediately absorbed by the brain. The information can be stored in the brain for a significant amount of time, and can be recalled quickly and clearly. The process can be related to how a computer stores data in its memory.

Photographic memory is more of an intuitive recollection rather than a logical response. It comes naturally to children, usually during the first five years of their lives. This is why a child is known to have a brain that works like that of a sponge. However, a child tends to lose this ability as they grow older due to new ways of learning acquired. Hence, it is a rarity to witness an adult that makes use of photographic memory. It requires coordination between the conscious and subconscious mind.

Photographic Memory as a Method

Although there have been prior studies made on photographic memory, the concept of mental photography was founded in 1975 by Richard Welch as a new technique for speed-reading. In order to test the new method for learning, he designed a course intended to teach students how to increase their reading speed through developing their photographic memory.

An average reading speed is said to be about 250 words per minute. His initial experimentations in teaching the course have yielded astounding reading speed results from his students, varying from 25,000 to 1,000,000 words per minute, as well as a 90% memory retention rate. The technique has indeed increased the speed of reading without actually reading "traditionally" in the process; pictographic memory simply took place.

Richard Welch was able to successfully teach his students to immediately store a substantial amount of information in their long term memory. His experimentation has then turned into a scientifically proven phenomenon. And since then, he has been introducing the course on Subliminal Dynamics and Brain Management everywhere.

Benefits of Use

Mental photography is a powerful tool that enables a person to fully comprehend something with less effort, if mastered. It serves as a vital element in the process of learning; it improves memory retention, increases speed in gathering information, and in turn further develops a person's comprehension and knowledge.

Since photographic memory is innate in man and is the natural learning method during childhood years, it can be easily accessed once a person discovers how to switch it back on. The following are some essential elements behind the exercise of mental photography:

• Attraction

The concept of mental photography is very similar to the law of attraction. This refers to a metaphysical belief that positive thoughts attract positive results, and negative thoughts attract negative results. It is a theory that implies "like attracts like". In the same manner that a person practices playing an instrument, or learns how to drive, if there is a positive mental state in achieving his/her goal, it will yield positive results as well. A photographic memory can primarily be achieved through the application of mind over matter.

• Concentration

Man's tendency to lose the ability to access his photographic memory, is also often caused by loss of focus. As man grows older, he becomes susceptible to distractions brought on by the "real world"; unlike children who are still na簿ve and worry-free. Consumed with many responsibilities, influences, and interests, man tends to develop a divided attention, and loses focus on one thing. Accessing ones photographic memory entails 100% concentrated attention.

• Meditation

In order to easily gain full concentration, one must know the process of meditation. A meditative state is the elevation to a higher state of mind, and is similar to mental photography. Accessing a pictographic memory entails a by-pass of the conscious state of mind. The learning techniques taught in school are traditional methods which make use of the conscience or logic. The process of mental or subliminal photography however, directly stores information in the long-term memory by skipping or immediately transferring from the conscious to the subconscious state (hence the term "subliminal").

Mental or subliminal photography is a power that everyone possesses. It is an ability that has long been buried, ever since man became disconnected with his roots. Man did not lose the power, but rather the key to unlock the power. And the key lies within a person; it lies in his ability to get in touch with his natural instincts. The key lies in the inner mind. It entails initial positive reinforcement, focus, as well as elevation to a higher state of consciousness. It is an innovative technique that is universal, and can be applied to any kind of learning.

Creative Landscape Photography - Landscape Photography 101

To apply the lessons of creative landscape photography, one must first acquire them. These days, most people the world over turn to the internet. Why? There's a huge wealth of knowledge and resources to be had - video training, for one thing... and the fact that these courses are administered electronically allows these courses to be wildly inexpensive for there intense value.

Why try to learn from thick manuals when you can have someone show you all you need to know about cameras and capturing scenery? Learn from example, and from experience. Take the advice of those teaching excellent techniques in creative landscape photography, and put it to good use. Gain your experience while you gain your knowledge.

Try this; experiment with some creative filtering techniques, and wrap an old cellophane candy wrapper that's lightly tinted with color around a lens filter for an interesting effect.

Try taking a photo with much subject matter at the horizon (or in the horizontal center of view), and not much going on above and below. Now you crop the top and bottom of the image for a dramatic panoramic or "letterbox" type of photo.

Try taking some photos of the landscape in the early mornings and late evenings - the low-level sun works better to pick out shadows and bring out the detail in the various textures of the landscape... this is creative landscape photography.

Will you be able to take breathtaking photos with the camera that you have? Expensive camera sets are excellent tools, yes. But in order to take superb photos of the quality to be considered worthy of National Geographic magazine, you can use any camera at all. Super-pricey cameras, cheap and simple cameras, or digital cameras as well, even the most basic kind. To develop a better sense of creative landscape photography, and to gain an artist's eye that can truly see, is what courses found online help you achieve.

College Town Retirement in South Carolina

South Carolina has plenty to offer as a retirement relocation option. Northerners may be looking forward to thawing out earlier in the year, while those from the Deep South may be looking forward to four distinct seasons. Nearly everyone moving to South Carolina appreciates the low cost of living and the high quality of life.

Many retirees have found another one of South Carolinas allures, charming towns with colleges that provide an exciting retirement environment. A college town's mix of youthful energy, academic achievement, and cultural stimulation is instantly appealing, and a great number of older people are finding out, it's not just for the young, but also for the young at heart.

From the cobblestone streets, to the gas lights glowing in front of antebellum homes, it's hard not to fall in love with Charleston. Charleston has a strong economy, with the fourth busiest port in the nation, and a great medical care system.

The College of Charleston's 9,700 plus students make up the largest portion of the undergraduate pie, with Trident Technical College following with over 6,000 students. There are a few other schools with approximately 2,000 students each, including Citadel Military University, the Medical University of South Carolina, and Charleston Southern University.

The College of Charleston has two programs for seniors: a Center for Creative Retirement, similar to the program found in Asheville, NC, and the Elderhostel Program. The Center for Creative Retirement is a member led organization with weekly lectures, discussion groups, educational tours, social activities, and other programs to stimulate interest, without the participants having to worry about assignments and grades. The Center also helps newcomers understand more about Charleston by providing informative history lectures on the area and its people. The Elderhostel Program is a non-profit, fee based organization that organizes experiential based learning and travel activities for older adults.

Heading up the coast, our next town is one you may not have heard of before, Conway. Set just about 16 miles northwest of Myrtle Beach, Conway is a great town for retirees. The cost of living is remarkably cheap, for its close proximity to the beach. Residents of Conway can also worry less about seasonal hurricanes, as their inland location takes some of the force out of the storms. Conway has its own hospital, located in town, as well as being located 156 miles from Myrtle Beach's facilities. The town of Conway, located along the Waccamaw River, with a population of around 13,500 people, is showing strong signs of growth. Coastal Carolina University is located in Conway, and with over 4,000 students is an integral part of the community. Seniors can find courses in the Lifelong Learners catalog. The courses run anywhere from one session to multiple classes.

Columbia may be known as the state's capital, but it is also home to a number of colleges. The largest, with an enrollment of about 20,000 students is the University of South Carolina at Columbia. Other colleges in Columbia include, Midlands Technical College, with about 6,000 students, and Benedict College, with about 3,000 students. Now, because of the size of the city of Columbia, many people won't consider it your quintessential college town. But, with around 30,000 students in Columbia, you'll certainly have plenty of opportunities to get in the classroom. USC Columbia is your best bet for continuing your education in your retirement. There are non-credit certificate programs, online courses you may take from the comfort of your home, and the traditional curriculum which is open to students of all ages. If you want to live in a college town for the events it provides, Columbia is a great place to choose. USC Columbia has competitive teams playing football, basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, and more. USC's football program is one of the best in the nation, consistently fielding great teams and sending players onto the NFL. There are concerts ranging from a cappella groups to piano or guitar masters recitals. .

For your classic definition of a college town, head up into the mountains, and visit Clemson. Home of Clemson University and the orange covered Clemson Tigers football team, with their rabid fans, come football season you'll be in the midst of some of the best collegiate football the country has to offer. The town of Clemson is small, encompassing the school's campus, a main street and a few other small streets. Offerings for nightlife and restaurants in town are somewhat limited, but do show a cosmopolitan flair suited to a college town. For more options you can take a short drive over to Seneca, which is a growing town near the banks of Lake Keowee. Greenville is only 45 minutes away, so you won't be too far from the airport and more options for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Residents of the Clemson area are lucky, as the college hosts a branch of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). OLLI centers can be found across the country, and focus on enhancing the social, recreational, and educational development of elder citizens. It is a membership based group, with nominal fees for a wide range of classes.

Greenville has a total of around 13,000 students, spread out in three colleges. They are Greenville Technical College, Bob Jones University, and Furman University. Downtown Greenville is a tree lined, walkable area, perfect for newcomers and long time residents alike. There are plenty of options for shopping, dining, and nightlife. With the Greenville area experiencing rapid growth, now is a great time for retirees to research the area.

The largest college in Greenville, SC is Greenville Technical College, with about 6,000 students, followed by Bob Jones University, which has about 3,500 students, and Furman University, which accounts for about 3,000 students. Greenville Technical College has a continuing education department which has a number of vocational based courses such as computer and business, or healthcare courses. Bob Jones University is a great place for events and cultural happenings. There are art exhibits, bible conferences (it is a Christian college), plays, and plenty more. Bob Jones also has a nice continuing education department with a variety of computer classes, digital photography courses, scripture study, and health and fitness classes to keep you in shape between courses. Furman University steals the show when it comes to community involvement. There is the Furman Golf Club, a hiring service that places undergraduates with residents needing help with a job, and a great continuing education department coordinated by the Furman University Learning in Retirement (FULIR) division. FULIR is associated with the Elderhostel program mentioned above in our Charleston section, and provides a safe, enjoyable learning environment for seniors.

Choosing any of these South Carolina college towns for retirement is a great idea. Cities like Charleston and Columbia will give you access to colleges, as well as a full range of city entertainments, while places like Clemson and Conway are a bit more laid back. Greenville is a great mix of the two. No matter your preference in size and pace, staying active is the key to a successful and enjoyable retirement. Good luck in your search to find your Best Places to Live in South Carolina!

Letterhead Templates - How to Find a Template Online

When beginning to draw up your promotional materials for a home business or other venture, having personalized letterhead can be a great way to instantly lend professionalism to your correspondence. It's now easier than ever to find letterhead templates online, which are usually available without charge and can be customized to suit every possible need. The first step is to find a website that specializes in different templates. Some are geared specifically towards letterhead, whereas others will have more of a variety of customizable printed materials. This can be accomplished with a simple search engine, to find the initial set of sites that offer templates.

The next step is to narrow this large list of template sites down to one that will best suit your needs is to think about what exactly your needs are. If this stationery needs to be for a business, for example, you will probably want to keep the design fairly simple. For invitational purposes, you may want a more entertainment-oriented design, to draw the reader in and let them know that this is going to be a festive occasion. Simply taking a look at all the different options of letterhead templates may spark some new creative ideas.

Some letterhead templates come with the agreement that you will also include the logo or other advertisement of the website, or cost money. Because there are so many other sites that offer these templates for free, you may want to avoid the ones that require payment. This will all depend of course on what you are looking for out of your letterhead options. Think of the stationery you have seen others use to gain a clear idea of what types of designs that you particularly enjoy, and then try to find a template that best emulates this.

You are not bound to the exact rules of these letterhead templates. Oftentimes you can simply use them as a source of inspiration or a basic outline of the stationery design, and then input your own ideas and designs into the boundaries that they provide. If you prefer a different type of font or color scheme, for example, that can be worked into a variety of templates. It is your project after all, so there is no need to stick to just one template. You could incorporate certain elements from one template with the coloring from another, to create an entirely new design.

Photography As A Business - Adapting To The Commercial Angle

So you wish to start a photography business? Well that is not as difficult as some people make it out to be. You could start your photography service right from your own home, with almost no expense at all, if you already own the gear. And we believe anyone considering starting their own photography business will probably already own a good flash and camera.

The right approach -
It is easy to say that you are going to start shooting commercially, but it takes a bit of experience to be as dedicated as a commercial photographer. Even if you are an advanced photographer, and have never charged for a photograph all your life, you have a couple of things to learn still.

Remember, when you are charging a client a fee there is no excuse for a bad photograph. We do not mean to judge your capability as a photographer. All we are trying to say is there may be situations where you will go ahead and shoot outdoors in low light if you are shooting for free, but you should think twice about such situations where you are charging a fee. One bad image and people will start calling you a bad photographer. It is therefore much safer for you to be a little fussy and do not shoot at all unless you know you will get the perfect lighting and composition. That is the mark of a professional, and only time will tell you when you have reached that point. When you are shooting for your own self you try and make do with what you have available. When you are shooting for money, you do not settle for anything other than the best situation.

The Miscellaneous expenses
When you do begin a photo business, you will need to print stationary and business cards. A website is a great idea to promote your service, as is leaflets and brochures. Since you probably already have the major expense of equipment taken care of like we assume, these should not pose a big threat to your wallet. Take the time to design all areas of your business and the 'office' if at home or outside. If you have a basement area you can convert into a studio there's nothing like it. Build your collection of accessories when you can. Get a slave light now and a back ground cloth then. This is a cost effective way into the business. The approach would be totally different when you want to open a commercial photo studio where your livelihood depends on it.

What we have put down is a plan for you to ease your self into the market while you still have your day job. If all goes well, and you have a few regular clients, then go ahead and take the plunge by dedicating all your time to the new venture. All the best!

Types of Digital Photography

Are you interested in pursuing a career in digital photography? If so, you have many photographing opportunities available to you. Digital photography is becoming an increasingly popular trade in today's society, with a wide variety of paths to choose from. If you are interested in digital photography and would like to learn more about your options, you have come to the right place. Throughout this article we will discuss the different types of digital photography that exist so that you can begin researching and learning about the area of photography that you enjoy best.

The first type of digital photography that we will speak about is portrait photography. This is one of the most popular types of digital photography available today. Portrait photographers are those who you often see in photography sections of popular stores and who are photographing graduation portraits, family portraits, or passport photographs.

If you enjoy travelling or working outside, you may enjoy landscape and travel photography. The job of a landscape photographer is to create a memory of a scene. Through the use of colors, lights, and angles, a landscape photographer will easily draw their audience into their photograph. Travel photography also involves drawing the audience into your photography by photographing moments that capture the culture of a certain place. Travel photography is great for both a full time job and a hobby. If you love to travel and you take some beautiful photographs during your journey, it is easy to make some extra cash by selling your photographs.

For those of you who love animals, you may consider looking into a wildlife photography career. This job can be very exciting and rewarding but, depending on what type of wildlife you are capturing, can be very dangerous. Wildlife photographers often put themselves into dangerous situations, approaching very closely to wildlife in order to get a good shot. If you are interested in wildlife photography, be sure to take a good training course to ensure that you are aware of all potential safety risks and hazards.

Fashion photography is also a popular choice for photographers. Although extremely tough to break into, fashion photography can offer a very attractive monetary compensation. Fashion photographers must have several traits including a love for fashion, the ability to capture amazing portrait photographs, and the ability to market and sell products.

The field of photography offers a wide variety of career options. Portrait, landscape, travel, wildlife, and fashion photography are only a few of the options available to professional photographers. If you are seriously interested in pursing a career in digital photography, be sure to learn about all of the different types of digital photography. From there, you can pick an avenue that interests you and find a good educational center to teach you the techniques you will need to begin a successful career in the field of photography.

Learning To Use a Digital Camera For Beginners of Digital Photography

Looking to get a digital camera or you already have one like a point and shoot camera, and you are considering upgrading to a digital SLR camera, you may find it difficult to decide on what camera is best for you. Understandably, with all the new features that digital cameras have, it can be confusing of what all those features are used for and how to properly use them to take really good digital photographs. Learning to use a digital camera can be a lot of fun and excitement once you have a basic understanding of how your digital camera works and what desired effects certain features and settings produce.

Digital cameras already come with programmed automatic settings for focus, shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, and selected scene positions. To learn how to use a digital camera to take professional looking quality digital photos, you will have to venture into shooting in manual mode. It really is quite easy to learn.

So here is a brief "snap shot" of some of the features you will be using:

Aperture - The camera's aperture is the opening of the lens. You can change the depth of focus by adjusting the aperture setting. A large or wide aperture is used when you want the background to be out of focus so the emphasis is on the main subject, such as in a portrait. A smaller aperture allows for the background and foreground of the subject to remain in focus.

Continuous Shooting - This is the setting that professional paparazzi use to take multiple shots in rapid sequence and decide later on the best shot to print. For your use, this is ideal for taking photos of moving subjects, such as sporting events, moving or running wildlife, parades, etc.

Macro - Used for close-up photography. A tip when shooting in macro mode and using the flash, is to remove your camera's lens adapter ring. If the adapter ring is not removed, you will find a shadow image at the bottom of your final print.

Shutter Speed - How long or fast the shutter remains open depends on the sense of motion you want to capture. Taking a picture of someone performing a bicycle jump over a ramp, as an example, you would need to use a fast shutter speed to freeze the subject over the ramp and capture the subject's "hang time". A slow shutter speed is great to use in twilight or at night where there is a limited amount of light present. Really cool effects can be made under these shooting conditions.

Learning to use a digital camera to take quality professional looking photos with some more advanced tricks and techniques can be a lot of fun and make great looking scrap books and photo albums. Just by making a few simple adjustments to the proper settings, and the correct use of flash and focus, you too can shoot digital photos like a seasoned professional. So now that you have an idea of how to use your digital camera's basic features, you can start getting creative with your picture taking.

Professional Arts and Crafts - Looking for a Craft Website for Serious Crafters?

Have you recently discovered the world of professional arts and crafts? If so, you may be looking for ways to improve your skills so you can begin making crafts that can be sold at a local crafts show. One of the biggest challenges to doing this is that most people don't have the time or resources to take the necessary classes at local at a local arts center. Similar to online universities, there are a craft websites that will allow you to learn the techniques you need at your own pace. This type of learning is becoming a most convenient and affordable way to become an "expert crafts person".

If you search on "craft websites" on the Internet search engines, you may be somewhat disappointed by what you find. Mixed in with a selection of serious crafting website choices will be several amateur "how-to" sites that may teach you "how to draw a race car" or "how to make things out of pipe cleaners", but finding a "real" craft website doesn't need to be a challenge. Simply search on "Online Art & Craft University" and you will find a complete selection of crafting instruction video websites. You will find an expansive variety of options, from the basics of drawing and color to the most advanced techniques in polymer clay jewelry making, with a little bit of everything else in between.

Still wondering whether you can really learn from a craft web site? Think of it this way; when you need to have the instructor repeat something or you just want to see a technique demonstrated one more time, you will no longer need to ask or worry about looking stupid in front of your peers. All you need to do is move the video arrow back a bit and watch that part of the video again.

Often "Online Art & Craft University" websites allow you to preview a video before you buy it, so you won't be stuck learning something you already know. Plus, most of the videos come with downloadable PDF instructions for future reference.

Art Portfolios

An art portfolio reflects the artist's vision and represents his or her technical and artistic skills. The artist's understanding of the technical aspects as well as the business and the seriousness of art are judged through the portfolio. Thus, the portfolio of an artist plays an essential role in deciding the success of the artist and evaluating the business. An impressive art portfolio can ensure the acceptance by renowned art colleges and win scholarships for the artist.

In order to develop an interesting art portfolio, an artist should maintain a diversity of illustrated subjects. The work may represent independent projects, classroom assignments, or selected pieces from a sketchbook. They could be displayed through any medium, such as watercolors, pastels, photographs, or oil. Although submission of a minimum of ten pieces of art work is recommended by most of the prestigious art colleges, it is essential not to compromise the quality of the work.

Apart from maintaining diversity to ensure the right impression, art portfolios must be clear and properly organized. The artist should ensure that the paintings are well dried, before including them in the portfolio. They need to be labeled properly, including the name and address of the artist.

Only the best work of the artist, presented and organized professionally, can ensure an impressive art portfolio. There has to be continuity in the flow of the artist?s vision. The portfolio needs to have a proper introduction, thanking all the reviewers and discussing the artist and the work. Prior knowledge about the gallery and the kind of art it represents can also help in ensuring a proper portfolio. The creation and the presentation of a portfolio help the artist to reach a wider audience and potential customers.

eBay Stores and e-Commerce Website Choices - Build It In-House or Hire a Professional?

When you have made the decision to get your products online via eBay and/or your own eCommerce website, what is the next step?

First Question: Build it in-house or hire a professional?

Yes, you can build your companies eBay store and website with talent already existing within your organization.

Website design is taught at most high schools or community colleges these days so, chances are good that your employee pool may have budding web designer talent. Are you ready to trust your company marketing and image to that in house talent is the real question?

eBay provides numerous tools and a great deal of information for anyone to accomplish the task of getting a store up and running. The question is... does eBay provide these tips and tricks to help you as a business or to help their business? Obviously, if you are a seasoned business professional you will soon realize that a company such as eBay does nothing without a reason.

eBay Stores

Most of eBay's teaching tools and to a certain extent, eBay's entire growth strategy is based upon making the process of setting up an eBay selling account and consequently an eBay store easy for home based businesses. eBay wants mom & pop to go garage sale shopping with an eye towards making a few extra bucks for the cookie jar. To that end they want to get mom & pop up and running with an eBay store as soon as possible (and funneling fees into eBay).

Just because eBay has based a majority of their marketing focus on home based businesses does not mean that an eBay store is not a valuable asset for any established brick and mortar retailer or other "real" business concern. eBay is simply going after the largest number of potential users of their products. Unfortunately this also leads to numerous eBay store failures...

These home based eBay store owners do not have the prior background, sources or resources to take advantage of the world wide marketing giant and revenue producer now known as eBay. Therefore, while getting your company eBay store up and running may seem to be an easy in-house task for any intern, or kid just out of college with a great computer science degree... the real nuts & bolts set up and operation of an eBay store or e-commerce solution or both in tandem (the best option) is better left to professionals who work with eBay and e-commerce each and every day. If you are reading this because you are interested in moving your business more into an Internet sales based program you should consider the wisdom of hiring eBay and Internet marketing professionals to help you and your company get a head start toward those goals.

Still Thinking About Doing it yourself?

Building an online business requires ability in several completely different arenas: graphic design, programming, database development, Web design, copywriting, photography, and online marketing. This is just a short list of what is required to start from scratch or to add Internet marketing to your sales operation. If you have these skills in-house or if you plan on learning them yourself, please take this advice to heart.

Make a list of your employees' available skills as well as which skills they can learn. When you have a choice between learning a skill that will directly translate into making more money for your company or learning a skill that will let you do cool stuff on the Web, make a careful choice. Decide how much time you really want to devote to learning and doing things that really don't help you sell more products. Do you want to be an online retailer, or do you want to be a Web developer? The highest and best use of your available time & resources probably isn't learning the ins and outs of XHTML, but taking care of customers, finding new products, and promoting your business.

Making it Happen

Anything you can do yourself on a website design or to a eBay Store can be delegated or outsourced. You can hire eBay Stores Certified design professionals to design your eBay store from the ground up, create a custom logo, develop a corporate identity with unique colors and fonts, build your store product database, take product photos, write sales copy, perform search engine optimization on your site, custom-build XHTML templates that do almost anything you want them to do, and even manage your orders and perform customer service. It all depends on your budget.

After you've decided that you need help, you have lots of choices to make. The first decision is the size of your budget, which determines who you can hire. You can find prices for "building a eBay Store" that range anywhere from $300 to $5,000 and up. You can get a bargain using offshore designers (working anywhere from eastern Europe to India), college kids, or even professional designers moonlighting out of their basement. If you want a more "professional" experience, expect to pay up to $15,000 for a complete branding, marketing, and design package from top-drawer eBay store and Internet marketing firm. Both your web e-commerce site and your eBay store should present your branding and image as you expect them to. Getting the eBay image and your website image to mesh almost seamlessly is your goal, this can be quite difficult for even experienced web designers.

Using a CMS or Content Management System type of website design can significantly reduce your web design costs. There are a huge amount of new and exciting options available for web development, do not think you must use a "hand coded" html site to get your branding and image in front of the public. Some companies are even using simple blogging platforms like Wordpress or Typepad as the basis for corporate websites. These blogging platforms are very inexpensive to set up and the software is free. These CMS or Blogging platforms may also be used in conjunction with an eBay store or a with an eCommerce plug in (or both) to craft a unique Internet marketing funnel for your company.

You get what you pay for...

eBay store designs can run between $2,000 to $5,000 from a qualified eBay Stores designer. eCommerce website designs sometimes run in the tens of thousands of dollars with continual maintenance costs and webmaster fees. If your budget makes you choose between the two options, an eBay store is the more economical and faster route to success when managed correctly. Subsequently an off eBay eCommerce site can be developed for your best selling items. This allows you to use the power of eBay for marketing and SEO purposes while saving eBay fees on sales made through your own eCommerce website.

The best part of an eBay stores set up is that once it is installed as you want it, you have very few outside maintenance costs. Your company will have complete control of the products presentation (with the use of a template) and the inventory management is a simple to learn affair on eBay. Advanced tools are available to help with the management of large inventories and to help you create a listing just as you would within a word processing program or text editor.

When you get a quality eBay Stores design, sometimes the results are more than just superficial. Qualified designers improve the shopping experience, which can dramatically increase sales from your existing traffic by increasing your conversion rate. Also, many designs, when set up correctly improve the way your site looks to search-engine spiders, too! (This is the power of an eBay stores "me" page and other exclusive features and benefits of eBay stores packages).

After you determine what parts of the store building process you can do and what you can't do or would rather not do, you're ready to look for some help with the heavy lifting. First, you have to decide what type of vendor you want to work with because there's a big difference between working with a freelancer or independent consultant and working with a large design company or eBay Stores certified design specialists StoresDesigner.

eBay Stores certified design specialists - eBay Stores Designer

eBay Stores certified design specialists (certified eBay stores designers) provide the best overall experience. Your company will get the personalized attention it deserves and you will know that the design is based upon eBay marketing principles. Look at the portfolios of these certified eBay stores designers and decide which firm best represents your companies' image. Stay away from home based eBay stores designers with frilly eBay templates and flashy bouncing mouse pointers. You should be looking more for a corporate image that sells product and more importantly, cross sells more products for your company.

Look at the online stores you frequent in your daily life, think about the type of image and features you would like to emulate for your eBay store. Look at the designer's portfolios and or ask them if the features you think are most valuable are available in their design packages? Some eBay stores designers can deliver very advanced packages designed to promote more than one primary product at a time. If you are looking for growth in your Internet sales segment, these are the designers to contract with. Talk with several designers to find the one you are most comfortable with and the one who you think will represent the image of your company best with an online design. If the same designer can also develop your off eBay website e-commerce design, you should place that designer high on your list of candidates.

Having a web presence for your company which flows from eBay to your own website with the same "look and feel" is very important. Your goal should be to make your customers feel confident in your products and your company. If you (and your design company) have made an effort to create a nearly seamless shopping experience between eBay and your own e-commerce website, the confidence of the buyer will increase and your conversion rate will as well. Drawing eBay shoppers to your website from within eBay is not only possible, but very probable with a eBay store design done correctly.

Ask your prospective design firm the right questions and you will know immediately if you have made the best choice. Example Questions:

• Are you a certified eBay Stores Designer?


• Do you have examples of cross marketing designs?


• Can you create an eBay stores design which matches my existing website or can you create an e-commerce design to match your eBay stores design?


• Is SEO important for eBay?


• How important is a eBay about me page?


• Do your templates appear correct on all of the major browsers?

What kind of changes can be made to the design after your job is complete? (Can I offer a special sale item in my listing template?)

If your chosen designer is not informed in these questions you should look further. Not every eBay or Internet design firm has the necessary skills or background to help your company effectively cross-market your products. Find the right design firm which will give your firm a solid foundation from which to grow and prosper in the new world of Internet retailing.

Simple Tips to Help You Get a High Limit Credit Card

Getting a credit card with a high limit is not a difficult process, if you know how to go at it and follow some basic advice.

Here are some simple tips to help you get a high limit credit card:

First off, check out the information provided by the credit card issuer about their product. You may need to read the fine print in the terms and conditions section, as the maximum credit limit is not always advertised prominently. If you need a high limit, take a look at the "Gold" or "Platinum" cards offered by the issuer, those can have limits up to $100 000 in some cases.

Also, make sure that your credit report is accurate and free of negative information, such as late payments or written-off accounts. Credit issuers base themselves in large part on your previous credit history in determining how much credit you qualify for.

They also use your annual income in that determination, so make sure you factor in income from all your sources, not just your primary employment. For example, if you do freelance photography in addition to your regular day job, include your freelancing income as well.

If you already have had a "classic" credit card with a bank for some times and have been consistent with your payments, you can ask them if they can upgrade you to a "gold" or "platinum" card with a higher limit. Most of these types of cards start off with a high limit, typically $5000.

To conclude you could also apply for multiple cards to reach your desired credit limit, but this can be a risky venture due to fact of multiple fee factors and varying interest rates. As a result this may make it difficult to stay on top of your monthly balances and bills.

Media Publicity Tips For Artists - Top 10 Ways For Artists to Get Into the News

If you're uncomfortable tooting your own horn to the public, media coverage is a perfect alternative for you. Understand that journalists, editors and producers need stories to perform their job and fill up space on the air, in print or on their sites. Hand them a promising story idea and they do the rest of the work singing your praises to the world!

Here now are the easiest, most relevant 10 ways for artists - sculptors, painters, photographers, craftspeople, cartoonists and performance artists - to get into the news.

Publicity Hooks for Artists

1. Something new. By definition, "the news" consists of things that are new, and where you as an artist are concerned, this includes an opening, a new installation, publication of a book or article about your art, the fact that you won an award, your venture into a new medium or a new topic area, technical innovation you've created with your medium, and so on.

2. Something trendy. I recently read an article once about someone who'd devoted himself to art after taking early retirement from a corporate career. The article said this was a trend. That always makes one person's story far more interesting to more people and coverable far beyond the local area. Consider demographic, commercial, lifestyle and aesthetic trends and how you fit with those.

3. Something charitable or heartwarming. Have you donated work to the local pet shelter or orchestrated an open studio or demo as a benefit for earthquake relief? If so, tell the media. They love highlighting good works and good will.

4. Something surprising. This means featuring something that the average person doesn't know, or going against expectations. For instance, here is a headline from a Pennsylvania newspaper: Conshohocken Sculptor Makes his Mark in Butter. Most people don't think of art being created in a medium like butter.

5. An event. Because an event takes place at a specific date and time, it's news, while an ongoing or everyday process may not be. Your newsworthy event could be an open studio, auction, lecture or exhibition. Research calendar sections in publications in your area. Submit calendar listings for your events prior to the deadlines, and nine times out of ten, you get at least a listing and sometimes a feature.

6. Visual potential. Some things just cry out for photography or TV coverage - especially when they have movement, color, action or drama. For instance, I once read about an artist who constructed a work indoors and needed specialized equipment to move it out of the building to a gallery. Someone (maybe the artist?) notified the local paper to come photograph the process of maneuvering the work out the doorway.

7. Timely. Can you make your work relevant to what's happening today or this week? Think about ways to tie what your art is about to a holiday, a milestone or a commemoration. For instance, is your work inspired by Van Gogh? Vincent's birthday comes around every year on March 30.

8. Controversy. Art often makes the news when it includes borderline or outright obscenity or blasphemy, or when it skewers some sacred cow. However, anything on which people like to take a position pro or con can be controversial. If your art includes any aspect that people might condemn or disagree with, highlight that to the media - and get rewarded with a lively story.

9. Local. The media consider it relevant when something is right here, made here, about here or concerning "one of us." Use this principle to approach local papers, city/regional magazines and college alumni magazines with your story.

10. Human interest. Amidst all the war, economic gloom and ecological doom, journalists like to sprinkle stories about human challenges and triumphs. The emotions in such stories are things the average person easily identifies with. For example, a sculptor client of mine once won media coverage by sending a colorful postcard or her work to magazine editors with the hand-written message, "Ask me how making these sculptures helped heal me of cancer."

Because of your creativity, you as an artist tend to have greater media potential than, say, farmers, bookkeepers and auto mechanics. Channel a little of that creativity into seeking media coverage and enjoy the resulting exposure, credibility and fame.

How to Make Money Taking Pictures - 3 Great Ways to Make Money With Your Camera

Are you currently strapped for cash? Wish you had another source of income? Well, if you have a digital camera on hand, then your problems are solved! All you need to do is learn how to make money taking pictures.

Learning how to make money taking pictures is easy. You don't have to become one of the paparazzi in order to get paid well for your photos. If you're interested to make some extra money, read on!

1) Submit to Stock Photo Websites.

These days, a very simple way on how to make money taking pictures is by submitting your photos to stock photo websites.

Millions of people are always browsing around the Internet for photos. From students to advertisers, they are all willing to pay good money for simple images!

Shutterstock is one of those websites who currently accept stock footage. If you have time on your hands, visit their website now!

Other stock photo sites include:
Photostockplus.com
Canstockphoto.com
Fotolia.com
Bigstockphoto.com
Istockphoto.com

2) Sell Used Cars.

Not directly, anyway. Another method on how to make money taking pictures is by offering your services to used car dealers. You can take pictures of their cars and upload them to eBay to increase the business' reach.

A lot of people click on eBay looking for brand new and secondhand items. It's a win-win situation for both parties.

3) Join Photography Contests.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And who knows, your photo just might be the best according to the judges!

There are many photography contests being held, both local and international. All you have to do is keep your eyes peeled for posters and announcements in newspapers, magazines and websites.

Now that you know how to make money taking pictures, it's safe to say that you don't have to worry about looking for another part-time job soon. After all, you're now earning money while doing something you genuinely like. How many people can honestly say that?

Online Photography Schools

Have you been a photography hobbyist for a very long time? Are you now thinking of enrolling in photography school to enhance your skills but do not have the time? What is your choice of equipment? Do you prefer using those analog/manual type cameras or are you a techie who loves the flexibility that your digital SLR gives you? Whichever equipment you use, the principle you need is the same, and there are online schools you can enroll in and take classes at your own pace.

Learning photography from an online school would not limit you because of your age. As long as you have an Internet connection, you are good to go. By enrolling yourself in an online photography school, you will get access to their virtual library on the best techniques to utilize and what equipment you can use to enhance your pictures. You will probably begin by learning the basics using a manual SLR camera. With this kind of camera, you can easily see the different components of photography - from the aperture to the shutter speed, exposures and cropping.

With a digital camera, you will learn that you can opt to produce sepia images with ease. You can access tutorials on lighting techniques and the different lighting utilities and lenses for photo enhancements. A lot of websites offer tips for even the most casual photographers.

You can find lessons on creative techniques used by professionals and how they produce photographs for different genres such as portraits, fashion, documentary, sports, landscape, macro, wildlife, travel, night photos, advertisements and the like. These techniques can help you capture breathtaking images to capture special moments in a person's life or even something historical.

If you use your computer to help you in your photography, you can also find lessons in digital file management and basic layering and masking using your photo editing software.

Career Information about Photography

Career information about photography is important to access and focus on initially because it is a competitive market where the work is often attractive to many people. The photographer must have "a good eye", imagination, and some creativity to do well in this field. That's not all. Photographers love going into their own business. Accordingly, they must be able to maintain a business and to take advantage of opportunities provided by rapidly changing technologies. While seeking career information about photography you should first speak to one of your local photographers for information. You can ask questions about the job market in your area and how much training was involved before he/she considered themselves ready. You'll find your local photographer will offer you insight that will be helpful in most cases.

What as a photographer do you plan on achieving? Most would agree, the photographer is an artist, historian, and news event person. Perhaps you had already planned on your career and how you wish to achieve it. Career information about photography will prepare you for specific jobs but you should be aware of other elements related to the work. A photographer produces and preserves images that paint a picture, tell a story, or record an event. The successful photographer is required to have the ability to present a subject to achieve a particular effect while also selecting the appropriate equipment. A good photographer may enhance the subject's appearance with natural or artificial light, shoot the subject from an interesting angle, draw attention to a particular aspect of the subject by blurring the background, or perhaps using different lenses to produce desired levels of detail at various distances.

This is just an example of some of the requirements that a good photographer should possess. Career information about photography will vary according to what type of photography interests you. Underwater photography is becoming an exciting field of unexplored areas. Other photographers specialize in areas such as portrait, commercial and industrial, scientific, news, or fine arts photography.

Portrait Photographers: The one's we see most often who usually come with those special family events. They normally take individual pictures, group pictures and often work in their own studios. A lot of photographers specialize in taking wedding pictures, religious ceremonies, or school pictures.

Commercial and Industrial: Career information about photography includes professionals who specialize in commercial and industrial photography. These photographers take pictures of various subjects, such as buildings, models, merchandise, artifacts, and landscapes. Why would a photographer go around taking these pictures? This is a specialized field wherein a lot of money can be made. The pictures are used in a variety of media, including books, reports, advertisements, and catalogs. The industrial photographer is usually hired in advance and knows what his assignment will be. He does not take pictures and try to find a buyer. The industrial photographer takes pictures of machinery, products, workers, and company officials. The pictures taken are usually for a specific purpose. In the future these pictures help engineer's analysis projects, publicity, or records of equipment development or deployment, such as placement of an offshore oil rig.

Field of Science: Career information about photography is common in the field of science. The recording of scientific data and procedures is often done by a photographer. The field of unusual phenomena or sometimes called ghost hunting uses special type of equipment and is necessary to help prove the existence of perhaps a haunting. Many things evolve when you work in the scientific field that is why a photographer must have knowledge in one or more areas of engineering, medicine, biology, or chemistry.

Photojournalism: Photojournalists are people who take pictures of newsworthy people, places, and sporting events. They are news photographers who often cover political and community events for newspapers, journals, magazines, or television.

Career information about photography would not be complete unless I reminded you of working conditions. The working conditions vary considerably from one type of a job to another. For instance, photographers who work for the government and advertising studios usually work a 5-day, 40 hour week. News photographers often work long, irregular hours and must be available on short notice. Some photographers work part time or on variable schedules.

One last thing - Career information about photography should include the fact that a lot of photographers spend a small amount of time actually taking pictures because they spend a lot of time editing photographs on a computer and trying to find new business especially when they are self-employed.

Starter Guide to Photography

Looking for a starter guide for photography can seem really easy. Go to any book store and there are dozens of books out there. Unfortunately, most of them are filled with pictures and nothing else but little captions with little value. This article will direct you through a step by step process of taking better shots.

The first step
To start, the first thing you are going to want to do is grab your camera. It doesn't matter if it's a point and shoot, a digital SLR, or your cell phones camera. After you have your camera, now you are going to want to learn everything you can about how to use it. Learn what every single button means. This is a critical step for photography. As a painter knows how to use a paint brush, you should learn how to use your camera.

Photography is much more technical than just pushing the shutter button. The more you know, the more control you have over your shot. It's nice to occasionally take an awesome shot that looks perfect, but you'll enjoy it much more when you know exactly what you did to make a photo look beautiful and have the power to do it over and over again.

The Second Step...
The next thing you are going to want to get good at in photography is how to compose photos. Composition is key to making a photo look pleasing and nice. Start following some techniques on photography and get yourself a good program that covers all of the techniques in depth. Go through it and practice every day with the techniques you learn.

The Third Step..
When the first two steps are complete, it's time to get to a more advanced and artistic level. It's time to start developing your own personal style and creating powerful messages through your photography. Sure, it's nice to take photos that look good, but taking a photo that makes people think about their lives or feel certain emotions is unbelievable.

Best Photography Schools

The Best Photography Schools are Established Schools

While a school that is relatively new may very well be able to offer you an exceptional education, you would probably be better off finding a school that is established, and has proven itself to be a reputable photography school.

Additionally, you want to look for a school that is accredited. When a school is accredited, that means that it has been evaluated by an organization that has determined that the school meets certain standards and criteria that ensures the school provides a quality level of education. Furthermore, a degree earned from an accredited school will be accepted almost anywhere, whereas a degree earned from a non-accredited school may not. If the school you are considering is not accredited, chances are it is not one of the best photography schools available, and you should look elsewhere to earn your education.

The Best Photography Schools are Comprehensive

Being a professional photographer involves a great deal more than just pointing a camera and clicking a button. In order to receive the best education in photography, you will want to choose an institution that offers classes in a wide variety of areas.

Classes should cover both practical and theoretical studies in photography. There should be instruction on everything from color theory, different styles of photography such as landscapes and portraits, dark room techniques and more. Additionally, a good photography school will also offer business classes to the student, so that they will have the business management knowledge they need, in order to turn their love for photography into a profitable career.

The Best Photography Schools are Up to Date

While a quality photography school should not only teach the student the history of photography, and the art of early photography methods, the best photography schools will also provide their students with up to date information on new technology that is being introduced in the photography field, and where to future technology of photography seems to be heading.

With the digital age moving forth in leaps and bounds, students should learn how to properly use digital technology in the work, including digital cameras, computers and more. When choosing your photography school, you should inquire about the equipment that they use for teaching, as well as the equipment that they teach about. If the equipment that is used for teaching purposes is more than a few years old, consider looking for a school that offers more up to date information. The photography industry is a very competitive one, and you want to make sure that when you graduate, you are armed with all the necessary information you will need to be able to make it in the photography world.

Animal Photography - How to Take Amazing Animal Photos

If you love taking pictures of animals then this article will be sure to give you some practical tips that you can immediately start using. Animal photography, also called wildlife photography, encompasses the entire world of animals from your pets to polar bears. This article focuses on photographing wildlife, but you can apply many of these tips to photographing Muffin or Fido. To learn how nature photographers get those fantastic images of wildlife, read on...

The photography basics for taking great pictures of wildlife begin with these tips. As always there are exceptions, but the following go a long ways towards ensuring successful animal photography:

o Use natural lighting to your advantage.
o Fill the frame with the subject.
o Focus on the eyes.
o Shoot from various angles.
o Capture personality.

Perhaps you are wondering how you can, without a humongous lens and SLR safely get close enough to a wild animal to "capture personality" or "fill the frame"?

Actually even professional wildlife photographers don't always take their winning photographs in the wild. Most of the wonderful pictures you see of wolves, polar bears and other wild creatures were taken at wildlife sanctuaries and zoos. Cheating? Maybe, but it's safer for the photographer and doesn't disturb their free roaming cousins' mating and feeding cycles.

Some of the wildlife sanctuaries offer special tours for photographers, but even without the advantages these tours offer (often being allowed to get closer shots and without all the people), there are many things the hobbyist with a compact can do to take professional looking photographs of wildlife.

Animal Photography Tips for Wildlife Sanctuaries and Zoos

1. 
   Simplify the Composition: If the background is distracting, use a wide aperture or Portrait mode to blur it. Or use a photo editor like Photoshop to clean up or blur the background.


2. 
   Go Natural: Avoid showing cage bars, fences, humans, signs, etc. If it is safe and not against the rules to do so, point the lens through a gap in the chain link, so you can take the photo without the fence showing. Sometimes there will be a vantage point that allows you to shoot over the top of the fence. Look for these opportunities. Again, use a good photo editor to blur what you couldn't eliminate while shooting the photo.


3. 
   Fill the Frame: Use zoom (optical for best quality) or a telephoto lens to get close up.


4. 
   Use Sports Mode: Use sports mode or set shutter speed priority to around 1/250 to freeze movements.


5. 
   Use Light and Weather to Best Effect: Overcast days are often best for animal photography. If the overcast isn't too bright, it will prevent glare from light colored or watery backgrounds. If the overcast is too dark and you have an SLR, raise the ISO. With the right amount of overcast, you can get well exposed, sharp pictures with your compact, and the animals won't be squinting. Since the eyes are usually very expressive and the best place to focus, you really want to avoid squinting. Another way to eliminate this is photograph when the animal's back is to sun. In this case you will need to use fill flash (turn off automatic flash and set to "On") to prevent underexposure or a silhouette, and you will need to use a lens hood or wear a broad brimmed hat to prevent lens flare.


6. 
   Try this When Shooting through Glass: When you want a picture of a terrarium or aquarium critter, turn on the flash and shoot from an angle. Be sure to check your manual for the safe distance when using flash to photograph living beings without damaging eyes. Or turn off flash and gently press your lens right up against the glass.


7. 
   Plan your Visits for the Best Photo Ops: Others will especially love seeing your animal photography when it includes baby animals. Often sanctuaries and zoos post on their websites when new babies are arriving, or you can call and check. Another good photo op is feeding time. Animals that stay in hiding throughout much of the day will come out to eat. Finally, if you're visiting a sanctuary or zoo when the weather's hot, go early in the day when the animals will be most active, not napping.


8. 
   Use Context: While usually it's best to fill the frame with the animal, sometimes the context is too interesting to bypass. Examples of using context: a child and baby animal looking at each other, a giraffe, long neck bent as it peers down at a car in front of yours at the drive-through safari park.


9. 
   Capture Expressions: Animals, whether our pets or wildlife, make the cutest expressions. Be ready with your camera! Even just normal expressions like a wolf pup yawning or a tiger licking its lips are cute or interesting. The more you learn about you favorite species, the better able you will be to be ready for their fun shots.

So, the next time you're ready to take some wildlife pictures, use these animal photo tips and you'll be amazed at the difference applying this tips can have on your photos.

Enhancing Photography Skills With A College Degree

Photography Majors

Earning your Bachelor's degree in photography can be exciting for students who enjoy working with different types of cameras and discovering more about the photo process. The evolution of the world of picture taking, including discussions about the function of photography as an art form, are intriguing and invites you to become a part of the conversation during your four years in college.

Layout of the Program

The 48 months that you are in college will take you through various courses that will enhance your creative expression through capturing images. Liberal arts work will act as the foundation for your education as you slowly ease into working with the equipment. Colleges often have many supplies for rent for the use of students, so accessing different types of cameras and lenses will be a benefit of your education.

When you get deeper into your program, you will find yourself learning about the history of this medium as well as its use today. Practicing different techniques and creating effects with the camera based on the skills you have learned will allow you to use the knowledge in a unique way that incorporates your perspective.

Getting into College

Many programs of this nature will ask you to demonstrate your experience with photos, and even submit a portfolio. Showing your own encounters with photography will show admissions staff that you are ready for the commitment to this field. Completing your high school education, or your GED, are always prerequisites for a four-year program like this. Test scores are also often requested, most commonly the SAT.

Different Cameras

There are two major populations of camera, and they are film and digital. Up until recently, people have used film cameras to capture their special moments, but with the rise of digital photography, people have more control over their own pictures and find that they save money on getting pictures developed. The dark room is becoming somewhat of a novelty, left for enthusiasts. Your college education will give you the opportunity to experience both types of photography.

Careers

Job prospects are quite varied in this field. You can choose to be a photographer for newspapers or magazines, known as photojournalism. People also find jobs capturing images at events like weddings, school pictures, sporting events, and so on. These are just a couple of examples of places you can seek employment.

Also, you can choose to work for a company or start your own. Over 50 percent of people in this field are employed independently. Doing freelance work in addition to working for another photography company is also an option. Scheduling can be unpredictable due to the nature of this occupation, but jobs are fulfilling for people who enjoy working with cameras.

Improve Your Photography Skills By Signing Up for a Digital Photography Class

Millions and millions of digital cameras are sold every year, but few of us actually have the skills to use them. In fact, not many people even bother to read the user manual that came with their camera. But the truth is that digital cameras, as easy as they may seem to use, are very complicated instruments and that in order to get the best photographs possible, you should be signing up for a digital photography class as soon as possible.

Of course there is a certain amount of experimentation in any art, but you have to understand the basics and by signing up for a photography course as soon as you buy your camera, you will then be armed with the tools you need to take the photographs that you really want.

There are several ways that you can go about learning photography, the first of which is going online. There are several very high quality online courses that will teach you everything you need to know about your camera, the differences between digital and film photography, and even how to manipulate and display your photographs after they have been taken.

Most local colleges and recreation centers are now offering some kind of digital photography class, although the amount of information you get may be a bit limited and meant for the true beginner. But, for people who are only looking for the basics, this is an affordable way to learn.

Finally, never forget that your camera came with a manual. Too many people never read the manual that came with their camera and they miss out on a lot of very good information. In fact, your user manual will provide you with almost as much information as your basic college course! So, make sure you read the manual and look online for more information, especially from a digital photography class.

4 Digital Photography Tips For Best Camera Settings

Digital photography will deliver the very best results if you are able to focus your attention on the subject as well as having complete control of your background. Apart from making your subject the key element within the frame you must also pay a lot of attention to correct exposure and focus.

Whether you are shooting top models or moving pets, if you are able to master just 4 simple digital camera settings, you will manage to shoot some excellent photography pictures, so today's digital photography tips will concentrate on the best 4 digital camera settings which will guarantee you perfect photos every time.

1) The shooting mode
The most popular shooting mode for digital photography is aperture priority, and for using this mode just set the f-stop and your camera will choose the correct shutter speed. This will in turn control the depth of field, so you are able to blur the photo background, which will focus more attention on the photo's subject. Also, if you use the Manual Mode you are able to control both the aperture and shutter speeds.

2) The Importance of exposure
If your photos are let's say slightly overexposed, you will easily see that the background elements are washed out and that the skin tone of your subject appears a lot lighter. I would suggest that you first take a photo by using the suggested exposure settings, and then take a few more by increasing the exposure settings by 1EV or plus 2EV, and you will see a huge difference in your final results.

3) Your focus settings
The perfect mode for shooting photos is Single-Shot AF, and if using this Mode you will need to choose a single auto focus point. So for example, when you are trying out portrait photography, just focus on your subjects eyes as a focal point. If you are taking a photo of an object, then you will get best results by focusing on the most central point.

4) White Balance Tips
For day to day photos just use the auto white balance setting, although you may find that taking photos in certain environments things might turn out wrong, as in the case of shady subject areas. Also when you take pictures in predominantly white blue or green settings such as on the beach or in the countryside, the subject's face tends to reflect such colors, so set a customized white balance for better results.

Bear in mind that you are able to change the white balance setting and apply correction, if you shoot in RAW mode, so if you only have one chance to capture that photo, don't take any chances and use the RAW mode.

The Gyroplane and its Benefit to Developing Nations

The gyroplane was a development from the 1920's, then known as an autogiro, and was the first practical rotorcraft the world had seen. To many industrialist nations such as England, the United States, Germany, Japan and Italy the gyroplane would provide very economical solutions to further help develop these nations into economic powerhouses.

Aside from the technological advances to rotorcraft development toward vertical flight aircraft, specifically the development of the helicopter, the gyroplane also provided many other well needed services for the time period.

Before we can appreciate what the gyroplane has done we need to look at what all great nations through history have had in common. Lasting empires all had the ability to feed the people and in many of these nations the ability to sell excess foods. While many of us forget in our modern times of relative peace and international world trade is the importance of logistics in times of war, famine or natural disaster. Egypt as told in the Bible fell from power do in part by fallen crops from draught and other phenomena. While the Greek and Roman Empires fell from political struggles from within there can be little debate of the economic hardship they both faced in trying to feed the peoples of their vast holdings.

Gyroplanes at the turn of the Twentieth century were used for fertilization and pesticide application right alongside the barnstormers in their biplanes. The agility and speeds with which the gyroplane normally flies provided a better application with less wasted chemicals than its fixed wing counterpart. In many countries the agricultural use of helicopters fills this role. Problems with helicopters and agriculture in developing nations stems from the expense of the helicopter itself in terms of purchase costs, maintenance and available fuel availability within the nation itself. Gyroplanes on the other hand are far cheaper to operate and maintain and use a fraction of the fuel that helicopters use. This means the food sources can be grown at a far cheaper cost in comparison to other methods of crop control.

The gyroplane of today is as much of an aviation oddity as it was when it first made its appearance almost a hundred years ago. Companies back then took advantage of the strangeness and aura that the gyroplane made by using it for commercial advertisement of its products much like blimps are used at major sporting events.

From its inception the gyroplane was found to be a very good observation platform for both survey work, geological and mapping studies, air route planning and aerial photography work. Many of these services are still needed around the world not just in developing nations and again the gyroplane is even better suited today to fill these roles than it was in its earlier history. The development of Global Positioning Satellites or GPS navigation has added a far greater degree of accuracy to all aviation and navigation applications.

As can be deduced from what we have covered here a small nation can readily afford several gyroplanes for the cost of one helicopter. These gyroplanes can map, survey and provide aerial photographs of the nations agricultural belt thus providing critical data and visual proof of the effectiveness of its agricultural and land space usage assets. These same aircraft can be dispatched to areas that have insect outbreaks for pesticide application/eradication before the effects become out of control.
Some nations that come to mind are some of the war torn countries of Africa were the gyroplane is still being made in flown in rather strong numbers. The impact that these small and affordable aircraft have to offer would not only help to feed the people but possibly help turn the economics woes of the nations in a new direction.

In addition to the agricultural uses of the gyroplane in developing countries, the gyroplane has and continues to be used for law enforcement roles around the world in both developed and under developed countries. With budget restraints and the high costs of fuel and parts, as well as insurance, many municipalities and cities have turned to using gyroplanes to provide the needed air support for their law enforcement agencies. Duties can run from national defense and protection roles, harbor and port safety, patrol of critical national or economic sites such as powerplants and dams, code enforcement duties such as environmental services.

As can be seen the gyroplane can fill many roles of the helicopter and do it for a far cheaper cost thus making the gyroplane a valuable resource in the development and growth of any nation.

Bad enough that a nation is trying or struggling to grow in a world where technology can quickly pass them by but when a small country then must face natural disasters on the forms of floods, fires or earthquakes again the gyroplane can be put to effective use. From surveying the damage, dropping supplies and delivery of medical assistance and supplies. While a gyroplane cannot hover as the helicopter can, the gyroplane can land in a very small patch of real estate and get airborne again typically in only a few lengths of the aircraft. Because of this short take off and landing capability the gyroplane makes an effective machine to making contact with the smaller outlying communities and can be supported with very little support equipment to remain on station for extended periods.

A role for which the helicopter does have much more practical use is in the emergency medical services. While a gyroplane can transport patients in the larger versions such as the Groen Brothers Hawk gyroplanes, a helicopter can hover over an area and get into much more confined operating areas. Developing countries that build and utilize their own gyroplanes can further the research and development into other rotary wing aircraft designs further developing the aviation market within their own country and providing valuable jobs and technologies within their own borders.

Who is to object? Most developed countries do not view the gyroplane as a threat. True that any vehicle can be turned into a machine of war, the gyroplane is not regarded as a military weapon even though it can find many uses within the military.
Gyroplanes could be made larger and outfitted with guns, rockets or used in observation roles for other air, infantry or artillery assets. These are aviation needs for any modern military force but one that can still leave the taxpayers with something in their pockets.

Fiscal responsibility does not seem to be a major factor for superpower countries but for those nations trying to trim the fat for more immediate concerns the gyroplane has plenty to offer that other platforms cannot do at such an affordable rate or as efficiently. Imagine a nation such as Ethiopia with a small fleet of gyroplanes to help develop crops, control crime and provide an effective military platform at low cost.

When we review the operating costs of some of the developed countries around the world and the expenses that cities spend on aviation assets they alone can rival that of some nations. Many cities large and small around the world are finding the economical benefits the gyroplane offers over the helicopter in law enforcement and insect control programs.

In review, the gyroplane is affordable and cheaper to operate and maintain than helicopters. The gyroplane can perform a majority of missions that the helicopter also performs. The cheap and efficient use of gyroplanes can help increase food production, control pests and be used in law enforcement, natural disaster, and military roles as well thus helping to provide a stable form of government for which economic growth can spur.

For more information on gyroplanes, their construction, history and much more visit http://www.gyroplanepassion.com. This site provides an incredible amount of data on gyroplanes, gyroplane kits and plans, supplies and gyroplane organizations. Loaded with photos and videos to bring this incredible machine to life.

How Does Green Screen Work? Explained Easy in Plain English

How Does It Work?

Using software, images or movies remove the green screen background, while superimposing the new picture so that the subject could stand against a backdrop or another layer of background video.

Examples of Images Edited with Chroma Key (Chromakey) Technique

Wedding Photography - Wedding photographers benefit from shooting pictures using chroma key technique and swapping images with scenes couples request. Posing in front of the screen, all of the sudden, couples can appear on the beach, inside the church, in Las Vegas, in countryside or whichever location possible.

Weather Broadcast - Weather men/women and news anchors stand in front of green screen inside the TV studio, and radar map or temperatures appear in place of the screen, enabling news crew to engage in interactive broadcasting.

Special Effect Movie Scenes - Video editing tools, such as Final Cut, Sony Vegas, and Adobe Premiere allow even the small budget production to add Hollywood style movie effects.

What Tools Are Required to Chroma Key?

1. Background - First and most importantly, a green screen. It can be a painted wall or rolled fabric, even a ready made product purchased from an online retail store will work.

2. Images - Images and backdrop to replace. Movie if replacing another movie clip.

3. Light - Lighting is the most challenging task. The subject needs to be evenly lit, and if there is not adequate light shooting indoor, shoot outdoor instead. Preferably, overcast weather days provide the right amount of light source.

4. Software - Tools such as Green Screen Wizard effectively removes the screen to superimpose an image or movie file.

Green screen allows a subject to appear in front of an image with the use of chroma key technique. Chromakeying enables the removal of the screen, and by layering another image underneath it, the subject appears over the image as she is actually in the image.

Learning a Different Kind of Visual Art

Aside from paintings, photographs have been considered as one of the most interesting visual means of communication there is.

As times pass by, those who were not endowed with the natural knack for drawing or painting were able to shift their "eye for the beautiful" using not brushes and paints but a camera-an apparatus that records images on photographic negatives called "film".

PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS BASICS

After discovering the beauty of photography, more and more people became interested in the craft, devoted their time in discovering and rediscovering its major components, and became self-taught photographers.

Since not everyone does not have enough time and will to learn everything on their own, they often resort to attending photography classes to gain or improve their knowledge in the craft.

But before enrolling into any photography class, you must decide first what kind of photography you would want to explore and things you can expect from that class.

These are the usual things you can learn in a photography class:

- The Camera. Essentially, a camera is a light-tight box containing a piece of light-sensitive material-either film or digital sensor-inside it. The "box" has a hole (lens) to allow light to enter, a viewfinder and a shutter.

Usually, two types of cameras are being introduced to the students during a photography class: the SLR (Single-Lens Reflex) or manual and the Digital Camera. While SLR cameras require the use of rolls of film, manual loading and rewinding, and manual photo processing, digital cameras use a digital memory car, which allows larger image storing and can be processed/ manipulated through the use of computer.

- Photography terms and other equipment basics such as shutter speeds that define the length of time the film is exposed to light, aperture which refers to the opening of the lens, kinds of films and film speeds rated by ISO numbers, batteries either alkaline or lithium, tripod or monopods used for camera support, F-stops or depth of field which refers to the distance between the nearest and farthest points that appear in sharp focus, the significance of camera meters, and lenses which are used to gather and focus light rays to form an image and its various kinds with basic explanation and application of focal lengths, tele-extenders, filters, flash and etc.

- Photography theories and application.

- Outdoor and indoor activities are also expected.

- Styles and tips in shooting different photographs like framing and composing the subject, and what to photograph are taught.

- Camera health, protection, and caring tips.

- You can also learn how to publish your photos as well as your money and photo rights.

If you're planning to enroll in a photography class, make sure that you peruse the syllabus or course outline so you can come up with a list of expectations. You may also ask people who have enrolled in photography classes before and ask about their experience so you'll have an idea what goes on.

Online photography classes are available in the Internet if you opt not to attend a regular photography class.

Make Your Friends Happy With Sweet Gifts!

Friend in need is a friend indeed. It's a universal truth, whenever we feel sad or we are having any trouble in our life then the one person we go to is our friend. It is natural that we want to make our friends happy no matter how old and young we are. Jerome Cummings said a very nice thing about friends i.e. "A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway." It's true and we love our friends anyway as well.

It is a well-known perception and now it has become reality that exchange of gifts increases love, one thing I should make clear is that love and friendship is not subject to gifts but giving gifts increases the love and friendship it is because whenever we see the gifts our loved ones have given us, we naturally remember them.

OK now coming to the main topic, how can we make our friends happy with gifts.

Whenever we receive gifts from our friends, only three universal emotions comes out of our mouth i.e., WOW!!, GREAT!!, ITS BEAUTIFUL.!! even if we don't need and like that gift.

There are many gifts which we can give to our friends they will love it but there are some personalized gifts that friends will love to receive, this season Friendship bracelets are the great gifts which you can give to your friends and make them happy, friendship bracelets and bands are very sweet gifts to receive, they are like no other gifts such as fancy gadgets and other things because they last long, I still have the friendship band that my friend gave to me when I was in 8th grade. Whenever I see it, I recall all the memories of my school life and fun me and my friends used to have. The emotional value of these gifts is priceless.

Now a days many companies are making stylish friendship bands and bracelets for both male and female so this gift is equally good for both genders you can give it your girl friend or boy friend as well as a symbol of your love and friendship.

Friendship bracelets for male are made thick and of dark colors that is because men are strong and they like to wear things that look tough and rough. Men's bracelets are made with different materials and of different styles to make them more attractive. Different colors are available in market so you can pick the color of your choice, well! friends knows about the colors friends like and the colors they don't so its best to give those colors which they like. You can get a good quality friendship band at $14 but there are low prices bands also available and their price is as low as a dollar or two, so there are lots of choices in this category, you can choose from very low price to some high prices as well, it all depends on budget. As we all have limited budget. :(

Friendship bracelets for females are made sleek and delicate to give them feminine touch and women also like to wear smart things that's why women wrist watches and bracelets are delicate and small as compared to males, women friendship bracelets are made to give it a little jewelery touch so it has more designs and lot other materials are used to make the bracelets more stylish and attractive, the major purpose is that the bracelet should look good on wrist. This is one example of bracelet which you can give to your female friends and it will look good and they will love it. Bracelets and bands are personalized gifts and giving bands is a universal expression of friendship and love.

This article is dedicated to the students of high school and colleges, if you haven't yet bought a gift for your best friend and you don't know what to give then just buy him or her a good friendship bracelet, you can make him/her happy and it will strengthen your friendship. These gifts can also be given to brothers and sisters.