Print on Demand Publishers (For Photographers)

As far as I know, there are currently 3 printers being used for print on demand Photo books:

Xerox iGen (toner-based); HP Indigo (4 color inks, though it is possible to upgrade this to a 6 color printer); and Kodak NexPress (toner).

I don't believe that any of the books ordered are using NexPress.

There are some things I'll never know - such as how the quality of the book changes from one order to the next, since as I rule out various POD publishers, I'm not ordering any books from them.

I began with Lulu.com (3 years ago) and wasn't happy with the results. I then decided on SharedINK.com as the best solution for me. I have signed up for their Premium Professional Photograper Program. Although this has all taken a lot of time and effort, if you are serious about giving your prints a good home - then SharedInk is the place. Second on the list would be MyPublisher. (Since writing this, I've switched to MyPublisher.com for all my printing).

With all of these printers, a lot of the quality depends on paper choices, and especially on often and carefully the machines are calibrated. This is a major issue with print on demand technology as opposed to traditional off-set printing. I don't imagine it's such a big deal if you're printing your latest novel, but it is a big deal with professional-looking photo books and even more of an issue if you are using a four-color system for a black and white printing.

For black and white printing, you have two choices: 4 color (cyan, magenta, yellow, black); or strictly black and white with either one toner color or ink (black).

The tonal range with four color is wider than with all grayscale printing - but you then take the chance of color shifts, or various types of color added to the b&w photo.

Grades are from A+ (the best) to F (awful) and are slanted towards the final result. Ease of use, turnaround time, price, I don't give these as much weight as I give the final quality of the final product. For example, if the turnaround time is great, and the book looks like crap, then I don't give turnaround time much credit. Somebody else might look at these grades and say, I loved my Blurb book. Or I couldn't stand using SharedInk. In short, as much as I'm trying to quantify this, a lot has to do with my own biases, and esp. my biases towards black and white printing (which is a big factor).

VioVio was a softcover book, not hardcover like the rest. And I haven't put Lulu into the grid because I tried them almost two years ago. I still have the physical book I did with them, and they were the worst: streaking magenta, grainy, and thin paper. But as I say, that was two years ago, and so I haven't included them in this chart. This grid includes books produced during the last two months or so. The other

Online vs. Client software. Online means that you upload Jpegs, or PDF file (could be both) and arrange the book online. Client side means that you download and install software on your PC / Mac and eventually upload it through the software to make the book.

Blurb is sort of odd because their client software still is marked as Beta. Although I didn't have any major issues with it, their forums are filled with people who are having issues going from one version to the next; along with program lockups etc. Sometimes these issues don't arise until you've done a book with lots of pages. On the other hand, some of the other forums have more moderation, so there could be similar issues that I'm not aware of.

None of the client software is perfect. For example, MyPublisher is easy to use, and seems stable and well-thought out. But the supplied templates aren't as flexible as say the Blurb or Digilabs software. But MyPublisher has many features that Blurb doesn't offer. If you are doing your project with client-side software and haven't done an upload and the program stops working for you - then you could be in the position of losing your work. On the other hand, none of the web-based interfaces were as easy to use as the client-side software.

Turnaround time is more important than I first realized. If you are doing Print on Demand and it takes two weeks to get a book produced, and you are shipping to clients, than this can be an issue. You may decide that you need to order a bunch of books at one time, rather than order one each time someone requests a book. On the other hand, if you have "built-in" clients, such as what a wedding photographer has, and you know about how many books you'll need, then slight differences in turnaround time may not be a big deal.

In my own case, MyPublisher was so quick, that I'd feel comfortable ordering individual books as the orders came in. The other plus, and an issue to keep in mind, is where the company ships from. MyPublisher, shipping from New York, saves me money on shipping since I'm in New York. Also, if you are doing a bunch of test printings, then cost and time to get the book is equally important. At any rate - turnaround time in the grid doesn't include ship time. Also to keep in mind, is that turnaround time may be related to the complexity of the book, and of course - time of year.

Consistency from Order to Order. This is something I can only guess at. But as a general rule, the larger and more diverse the POD publisher, the less likely that you are going to get consistency from order to order. Blurb books are sent out to various printers, as was Lulu. And whenever two books were ordered at different times, the color management and printing were different. I still have two books done by Lulu, one leaning towards magenta, the other one towards green. With Blurb, I returned the first book because it was overly magenta, and the next book arrived, with still traces of magenta - but with better (less grainy) printing.

Other notes: SharedInk - I'm using the Professional Photographer program.

PRINT ON DEMAND PHOTO BOOKS: CONCLUSION

I'll fill in some of the empty cells in the grid, at least for Digilabs as I go along. But the bottom line, is that I'm hooked on SharedInk. It's true that they don't supply client software, but the process is also very simple. You create the page according to their specs as a " 10 quality" jpg and upload it. This can be via FTP or through their web interface. You can rearrange the pages online with drag / drop.

You preview the book, make your material choices, and in about ten days you receive a very beautiful book.
SHAREINK also offers the use of the G7 curve, which is a relatively new way of getting neutral gray. I just order a few sheets printed this way to see what the difference looks like, along with a swatch package which includes sample paper and sample covers, etc. Read more about the GrACol G7 process.

The old saw about Garbage in, Garbage Out, still goes; and one of the things that you need to realize about making POD fine art books, is that you've become the printer. You need to know how to "open the shadows" for printing; the best sharpening techniques; and of course - how to make an interesting book. If you were working with a good fine-art printer, you'd be looking at proofs and teling them what you'd like done to tweak the images. Now there's no one to tell - that's going to be your job. You're responsible for calibrating your monitor. You're in charge of page layout. The more you know - technically - the better your chance of producing a high-end book - so long as the folks on the other end are also artisans.

Other quirks: Blurb was especially annoying because they give you an estimated ship date, and then miss their own estimation by a couple of days. You pay 10% extra for their "silk paper"but frankly this paper crinkles easily. As you turn the pages, if you are doing double-sided printing, the image from the backside shows though. They say that there product is like a coffee table book you'd buy in a store. This isn't true. At least VioVio is honest about what you should expect.

MyPublisher has the best client software, but unlike some of the other client software you can't move the template containers around on th page. MyPublisher also forces you to pay (order) before uploading. You also can't add fames to the image container.

[Note, since I wrote this I've also ordered a book from Picaboo. Haven't received it yet - but their client-side software is every bit as good as MyPublisher, maybe better. However, I haven't figured out if there's a way to have automatic page numbers inserted. Their pricing is about halfway between MyPublisher and SharedInk. MyPublisher just has so many discounts that it's hard for anyone else to compete. But, it should be noted that Picaboo does have a professional photographers program with a 20% discount on all orders. Not quite the 40% discount that MyPublisher routinely offers, plus MyPublisher cost per page is cheaper - still if Picaboo quality is better than it's worth a look.]

Picaboo: The first book I received from Picaboo had some ink smear on two pages. The quality of the printing is good, on par with MyPublisher. One thing I'm not crazy about is that the window in the cover opens onto the first page of the book. That's not great in terms of protection. All-in-all, since their pricing is higher than MyPublisher, and the print quality is about the same, I can't rate them highly. (I'm not taking points off for the smeared ink, which I guess can happen with any printer, though it never happened with MyPublisher and I've done many more books with them as of this writing.)

In short, I'd cross Blurb off the list. VioVio is a maybe for a softcover book. MyPublisher for a hardcover book that is moderately priced. The MyPublisher softcover is small, and the cover isn't great - not a laminated cover - but the print quality is the same as the medium-sized book and the price is right.

SharedInk for the best quality (and support - assuming you are doing this through their Professional Photographer program. I don't know what if any are the differences for the general consumer process). But pick two PODs and do sample books that are as close to the "real" book you're planning. That's the best advise I can offer.

One note about Digilabs. I don't know what paper / printer they used, but it had a distinct "photo quality" look and fairly heavy sepia tone. None of this is bad if that's what you want; but it didn't feel like a book to me, more like a collection of photographs that had been bound together.

CONCLUSION: The best bang for the buck is the Deluxe book from MyPublisher. It uses the heaviest paper (other than SharedInk) and the overall quality is great. You can usually get it at a 50% discounted price.

Future Holographic Projection Movies - Turn The World On Its Head, What Is a Good Ceiling For?

In the future, your living room will become a virtual-reality playground for multimedia entertainment. It will include holographic projection and spectral imaging. Why do I say this you ask? It's simple, because as the founder of a think tank, we spend quite a bit of time looking ahead into the future, and we are hardly alone. For instance, IBM has invested $5 billion over the next 5 to 10 years on holographic projection technology. If you doubt it is coming, believe me it is, and it's coming to a living room near you. Okay so let's talk about this shall we?

Now then, I know you are probably one of the hundreds of millions of Americans who now watches your TV and cable movies and DVDs on a large flat panel display. Consider if you will that 5 to 10 years ago those really didn't exist at a price point where the average American could even afford one. Today they are in nearly every home. It will be the same for holographic spectral imaging in the future. You might think this is all science fiction, but I guarantee you it is our future. Not only will it be used for living room entertainment, but also for simulation and training, and for education in our schools.

Okay so, this throws a huge loop in the world of filmmaking, it gets even crazier when you consider that much of the holographic projection will come from the ceiling, after all you can't put it on the floor without disrupting your furniture, and it will probably need to come from multiple points within your living room to make it work properly, and for you to get the full effect. This means your entertainment experience will fill the room, it might also cause couch potatoes to get a sore neck looking around at their new creative environment, and virtual-reality viewing.

Does this mean your living room will need to be rewired, that is to say you will need recessed holographic projection equipment in your ceiling? Yes, that might be required, or perhaps a set of mirrors can be mounted onto the ceiling to redirect the photons of light to create the images and the lifelike virtual-reality experience to allow you to suspend your belief system so you can enjoy the best entertainment system money can buy in the near future. Indeed if you'd like to discuss this at a much higher level you may shoot me an e-mail. Until then, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

The Importance of a Business Location

Although you wouldn't always think it, where to locate a business is a defining feature which managers have to make. It can have an impact on many different departments of a business and, therefore, on the profitability and chances of success for the whole firm. It is also important to remember that location decisions are:

Strategic, moving location is a long term decision and must be planned.
Not easily reversed as the costs of relocation are high
Taken at the highest management level they are not delegated to subordinates, this can cause problems with staff.

When are location decisions necessary?

There are a great number of situations and reason why a business might need to relocate or find a location. A few example situations are listed below:

Newly formed businesses will have to consider where to set up their first premises. This is often close to the owner's area of residence because the owner normally knows the area well and feels most comfortable there because of the proximity to home, a good example of this is the body shop.

Expanding firms may need a new site to allow for growth or to set up a branch in a different location. McDonalds is a good example of this.

Firms faced with uncompetitive costs may have to find a cheaper location.

Businesses expanding abroad to become multinationals must select appropriate countries and locations within them.

Factors of location
When choosing a location the business must take into account the costs of moving or establishing their business in the location. Such things they have to consider are;

Labor Costs
Site and capital costs
Transport
Proximity to suppliers
Workforce disruption
Language factors
Exchange rates

Labor Cost relates to which country your in as places like India will accept lower pay for the same amount as work, although this may give the brand a bad image, unemployment is also a factor, in a high unemployment area you are likely to pick up the labor number you need as well as the ability to replace workers who leave. If the location has low unemployment the reverse will inevitably occur.

Site and capital costs are the costs that price the land will cost the amount of rent per Xyear's or the costs of building from scratch. Capital costs come into play if the production methods the firm uses are transferable or not, if not the costs will increase in order to buy new capital equipment.
Transport is crucial for all businesses especially businesses that have perishable goods, if it takes you 5 days to get to the market place and the vegetables goes bad after 2 days is it smart to be that far away?

Proximity to suppliers is not always essential as you can always change suppliers but if the business has a trusted supplier and they run on Just-In-Time then the closer the better.
If the company has to move to a location that is not accessible to its current work force there is likely to be a great deal of upset in the workplace and the costs of making those people redundant need to be taken into account.

If a business decides to move abroad to a new country with a different currency they will need to know if in this new area if their currency better i.e. is the currency worth more then before or if its worth less (prices are more expensive in the new location).

Language doesn't only refer to just French, Spanish, English, but to accents as well, some people are unable to under stand some accents because there not use to them and this can cause problems with communication.

Learning Note

Location is not normally the full basis of an essay but it is useful to note down the key points form the above article and apply it to case studies you have, although it might not be a full essay it is a useful area to know and apply to all types of questions, questioning the location of the firm in case studies is useful, especially if they do not state a real location, this way you can explore possibilities and adapt it to what you think whilst showing off your knowledge, for example, if it says the firms suffering from high labor turn over maybe its in a very low unemployment location so businesses are competing for labor with higher wages or perks.

How to Use a Jigsaw Puzzle - Artists and Photographers

Jigsaw puzzles aren't just for kids. There are a plethora of fun and creative ways kids and adults alike can use them, both personally and professionally. This is just one of those ways.

If you're an independent artist or photographer - or both - creating the piece or developing the picture and delivering to your client doesn't have to be the end of the road. Sure you could wait for them to come back to you for another job, but maybe you can bring them back by showing them how a picture or work of art can take another form, like jigsaw puzzles.

With so many independent artists and photographers to choose from, the onus is on you to stand out from the crowd with great work and creativity. Adding jigsaw puzzles to your product offerings is one way to show that creativity. And it doesn't have to be complicated or add to your workload either as there are companies who can take on this task for you while you continue creating your masterpieces. If you've been looking to freshen up your product offerings or even looking for a new way to do the same old thing, consider puzzles.

You can offer puzzles to your clients using their images or use your own works to create a new source of revenue. The puzzles can be used to upsell a current photo package or to create a whole new offering to your clients, like using the photo puzzles for fundraising. Organizations and schools can particularly benefit from this.

You've got great art at the tips of your fingers. Use it!

Embrace The Latest In State Of the Art Photo Albums

Before photography became almost wholly digital in nature, it was a pastime which was much more limited in nature. In part, this was due to the nature of the way in which the images were actually captured. Since older cameras used physical rolls of film the number of exposures captured on each tended to be limited to either 24 or 36 exposures. Compare this to modern cameras and you'll see instantly just how limiting it was. Rather than simply snapping away in the knowledge that you could then go through the images later and select the best, you had to pick and choose your moments carefully.

Not only were the opportunities for taking photographs limited, but you wouldn't actually be able to see the images you'd captured until you'd gone through the long and somewhat arduous process of having them developed and printed. If it then turned out that the picture didn't work, then there was nothing you could do about it you'd already paid for the film and to have it developed, and couldn't very well travel back to the holiday and have another go.

The contrast with digital photography couldn't be more extreme, not only in terms of the number and quality of photographs you can now take, but also when considering how you set about storing them. Having created a body of images which capture your most precious memories, it's only natural that you should want to store them in a manner which is safe and accessible but which also shows them off to their very best effect. The easiest way of achieving this is to create personalized photo albums, but the albums in question will be a long way from the scrap books type volumes into which photographs used to be stuck.

Having collected your favorite images you can turn them into photo books online as quickly as simply having them printed off. The books in question will be put together to the kind of high standard usually found in books dealing with the lives of celebrities or the work of famous photographers. The paper will be glossy and thick whilst the images will be printed with stunning clarity and depth, with the whole being put together and bound to a highly luxurious standard.

Many people choose this option when putting together a baby album, a volume recording their child's first year of life via all those special moments, whilst others take the chance to create an alternative wedding album. Whilst an official photographer may well capture all of the traditional wedding images, a book which you put together yourself, using images taken by the guests sharing your day, will be one which genuinely captures the flavor and mood of the day.

Once you've selected the theme and subject of your book, and the images which this calls for, then you just have to upload them to the website you're using. The software required to design your book has been built with the total beginner in mind. By making a selection of a series of simple options such as the size and shape of the book, the makeup and look of the cover and the layout of each page, you'll be creating something which is truly unique. The key aspect is flexibility, and by choosing from a huge range of backgrounds, frames and so on, you'll be achieving exactly the look and feel you're aiming for. If you want to share the concept with family and friends then you don't have to print them a book each, since making personalized greeting cards in the UK is just as easy and the results are equally stunning.

Learn Digital Photography - 3 Steps to Learning Photography

The concept of learning to many of us as we grow older is linked to school or college. Learning as we get on with our lives is not something we do naturally. With photography you have to learn or get left behind. If you are going to improve the quality of your images you need to continually learn and maintain learning journey.

Coupled with the desire to learn is passion. You need lots of it be a photographer as with anything in life. There is always an opportunity to create the perfect image but getting you to the place where your feet are standing on the perfect vantage point is the difference. Passion brings you to that point at 5am and allows you to shoot the magnificent sunset or sit through the heat of the day to shoot the elusive endangered animal. 

It's this desire or passion that will motivate you to learn those tips and techniques that you would otherwise not be bothered with. So here are some keys to learning or improving your photography:

1. Feed your passion

How do you make something grow? By feeding it, a very simple but very neglected concept in photography. Let me simplify it even more. If you love birds then spend time where birds are, buy birding magazines, join a bird watching club that has a strong focus on photography. When you rub shoulders with passionate people and spend time focusing on your passion, it grows. I love photo galleries, especially wildlife and nature and after an hour looking through the images, I want to take my camera and shoot. So how does feeding your passion help you learn? It gets you out taking more photos and thereby practising more and meeting people who are motivating and more experienced. So the bottom line is that your learning curve shoots straight up.

2. Evaluate, compare and improve

You will never learn unless you look at your images and evaluate them against a set of criteria. The main teaching method in my latest book is evaluating your images. By doing this you can see just where the quality issues and technical problems lie and rectify them. You need to have a mentor, a book or course to understand what these criteria are. Then, compare yourself to others that are known to be much better than yourself. These people can be from clubs, authors or photographers with online galleries of note. See what they are doing and shoot similar images. Then work at improving. What pointers can you take out of your books and other materials and incorporate into your images? If you aren't improving then you aren't learning. It is essential to constantly and consistently look at yourself and your photography and ask the question, am I evaluating, comparing and improving.

3. Specialise

Oops! Isn't this going against the basic principles of learning photography or anything for that matter? What I mean is that as part of the learning process work at it using bite sized chunks, one step at a time. Confucius says that the journey of a thousand miles starts with just one step. Focus on one issue like learning how to place your subject correctly. When you've mastered that then move on to the next point and so on. All of these little specialisations put together will make the whole learning process easier and fit together quicker. You know the old adage, "jack of all trades, master of none"? Master your hobby by doing it in a lot of small steps.

Photography is a process despite what many might think. You have never really reached the top of your game and there is always something you can do to improve your shots. Dedication and discipline is much easier if you focus on the little things and gradually expand until you are handing the bigger things. Take one step at a time and work hard at each of the disciplines of photography. And, before you know it you'll be taking shots that will leave you dumbfounded at your own talents.

Remember that you are key to your own photography success. Work hard at applying yourself and the rewards will come little by little. Don't be disillusioned if it doesn't all happen at once, we all had to start somewhere. Happy shooting. 

Discussing Home Based Business

Many of us have considered setting up a home based business. It's fast, it's convenient, and the money's good! Today, there are a staggering number of over 11,000 home based business opportunities available, so making the right choice is obviously difficult. One must always look for solid product, benefiting compensation, and great training and support, when it comes to choosing a home based business. Now let's take those points one by one.

Firstly, you need to find a product with a solid product - is it something people actually need? Will it sell? Or is it just another run-of-the-mill product? Consider that carefully. Secondly, you should find a company with a compensation plan that should benefit you. And lastly, you need good training to work from home. Ensure you have mentors, ensure that you have all the support you need, and never settle for a company that doesn't provide any training.

There are many ideas we shall give you, for setting up your own home based business. You can be a Personal Trainer (in which case you should check out the National Federation of Professional Trainers) or a Yoga Instructor (share your expertise with Yoga classes), or you can even try tutoring at home. Advertise your classes at local schools, shops, and other places which families frequently visit. One could even set up a home based business of consultancy - in various industries like finance, marketing, or public relations.

Then there's also the option of content writing, if you have good command over a language, or even proof-reading, if you are quick in spotting errors. Another home based business is medical and legal transcription - you can check local community colleges or the Web for transcription training courses. If you are artistic and technology-friendly, you could become a Web designer, as there is a huge demand for designers.

Desktop publishing is another opportunity for home based business, if you are creative and can put together brochures and newsletters. Offer your desktop publishing services to other small businesses, a word of caution though - softwares are often expensive, so do your research and try to give trial runs before investing in one. If your photography is good, you can open your own studio, and you could even try remodeling homes, if you are gifted at interior design! The American Society of Interior Designs Web site provides resources for those who want to become interior designers, and also includes a list of each state's requirements for licensing.

You could also become a Chef, or go into the catering business, design gift baskets, etc. If you have an eye for jewelry, you can become a custom jewelry designer, and if your taste in clothes is good, you could become a personal shopper for the rich and famous!

However, the important thing to remember is that you must invest time in your home based business, and your commitment must be very high. There are certain pros and cons to home based businesses. The main pro is that for the most part, you are your own boss, and you can decide your own hours and payment, depending on the work you are doing. The con is that the work can sometimes get a little boring and repetitive.

How to Prepare for the Best Colleges

If you want to enroll in the best colleges, you have to do your part by working hard during high school. Aside from having good grades, you should also take part in extracurricular activities. Juggling a lot of things at the same time will be hard and challenging, but it will all be worth it once you get accepted in the top universities in the country you're in, or maybe even in another country. Work hard and take an extra effort in doing different school activities. If you want to make a good impression in different schools, you have to show them that you are hard working and exceptional. Here are a few tips on how to prepare yourself for college life.

• Your guidance counselors are the best people that can help you get into the best colleges. If you want to achieve your goals, you have to maximize their help. Take all the career assessment evaluations that they offer, because this will lead you to a number of college courses that you can choose from. You also have to check your academic status, so that you can pay attention to areas that need more improvement.

• Look into your schedules carefully, and find out if you can add elective classes. These subjects will help you cross the gap, once you take in more complicated subjects in college. Remember that every school has their own way of teaching. If you want to make sure that you are equipped to move on to the next step, taking these classes are important.

• If you're just about to enter senior year, and you feel that you have a lot of catching up to do, try to enroll for summer classes. This will allow you to catch up on things that you need when you make your applications.

• When choosing your subjects, it would be good to go for the challenging ones. Getting good grades from these classes will make an impression to different colleges that you are applying for. Aside from that, this will also be a good foundation that will back you up when you start with your college classes.

• Take note that most institutions look into the number of school activities that you have participated in. Try to do as much as you can, by volunteering and taking an active part in outreach programs.

• When you involve yourself in different activities, make sure that you stay committed. Don't go through with it if you don't have a plan to finish the task that the activities require. It's very important that you finish the whole process, especially in times when things are difficult. This will create a good image on your drive and commitment as a person.

Enrolling in college courses needs a lot of preparations. That's the main reason why in high school, most teachers encourage students to work hard all the time to allow them to prepare for the next stage in their lives. If you want to have a good future, the best time to start preparing for it is as early as possible, once you graduate from high school. Maximize the things that you have, and involve yourself in different activities that will allow you to learn and grow. At this point, there is no way but up!

Tips To Photograph Women Standing

Every woman is different and many complain that they don't look good when photographed standing. When you are taking a photo of a woman standing, you need to be really creative to be able to take a shot that will flatter her figure. Once you manage to take the best shot of her, one that she will love, she will become your client forever simply because it is just so difficult to do this job of making a woman look just the way she wants to be seen by the world in photos. So here are a few tips to help you photograph women standing so they look at their best.

• 
  Get her to turn her hips away from the camera while her shoulders are back to it so that she will get the image of a waist that is shaped full of curves. This is accomplished due to the fact that the hips will show the thinnest width to the camera and the shoulders will be at their widest. Every woman will have a curvier shape in any photograph by using this small tip. If you also tell her to put her hands on the waist, she will be able to project quite a confident image to the camera.


• If she places her hands on her waist instead of her hips, she will have a strongly defined hourglass impression that can easily hide away any imperfections at her waist.


• Tell her to put her weight fully on the back leg so that she become stable and can then place her front foot in several flattering positions especially that there will be no actual weight on her front leg. This will make her look much more slender and with a nicer figure.

FAT (Field Analysis Test)

Students are the future leaders who, after their matriculation needs proper supervision about the field to embark upon. Field opting is quiet difficult nut for students to crack. Amateur selection without having curiosity in that field leads towards dreary future.

The main psychological problem which most of the students faces is an inappropriate knowledge about the fields to select from.
In this article, you will not only discover yourself as your own mentor to select the best Intermediate group, but would also know your capabilities and skills, with the help of FAT (Field Assessment Test).
Remember that you will have to spend two years to achieve HSC (Higher School Certificate).

Let us first review the groups you can jump in after your matriculation.

Pre-Medical: One of the best and highly prestigious fields for all those, who want to serve humanity in their future.

Biology, Chemistry, Physics are the major subjects, which will be taught to you during your Pre-Medical.

This Higher certificate would lead you towards the following major fields in the future:

Bachelors in Dental Surgery (BDS)

Bachelors in Medicine, Bachelors and Surgery (MBBS)

Bachelors in Science (Bio-Technology, Nursing, Zoology, Botany, Genetic Engineering, etc.)

Bachelors in Pharmacy and Doctorate in Pharmacy (D.Pharm)

Pre- Engineering

For all those, who want to be a Computer Scientist, Pilot or an Engineer, they should select Engineering group for their bright future.

Instead of Biology, you'll have to study Mathematics. The other subjects are same.

This course would lead you towards the following major courses

Commercial Pilot License (CPL)

Bachelors in Electronics (B.E)

Bachelors in Computer Science (BCS/BS)

Bachelors of Engineering in Tele Communication

Bachelors in Architecture, Aeronautical Engineer, Mathematics, etc.

Computer Science

If you love spending most of your time on computer, not just for chatting, but also for learning new ideas about Artificial Intelligence, Robots, Web Designing, Computer Languages, etc., then your Computer Science is waiting for you.

Instead of Biology, you'll have to study Computer. The other main subjects are same.

After pursuing your Intermediate, you could move on to either of the following:

Bachelors in Information Technology (BIT)

Bachelors in Computer Science (BCS/BS)

Bachelors in Digital Media

Commerce (I.Com)

If you like to manage your home account, or are interested in stock exchange news and reviews, then enter Commerce.

If You Choose Commerce you will have to study Economics, Accountancy, Business Mathematics, Commercial Geography and Principles of Commerce during two years of time.

After pursuing your Intermediate, you could move on to either of the following:

Bachelors in Commerce (B.Com)

Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA)

Bachelors in Public Administration (BPA)

Bachelors in Management Mathematics & Statistics
LLB

Chartered Accountant (CA)

Associate of the Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

Humanities

Are you artistic? Do you like criticizing things around you? Do you have an imaginary skill? If yes, then you should opt for Humanities group.

You will have to select any 4 subjects out of a wide range of options, including, psychology, education, Islamic studies, history, sociology, economics, etc.

After pursuing Intermediate, you can move towards either field:

Bachelor in Mass Communication

Bachelor of Arts (General Group)

Bachelor of Library and Information Sciences

Bachelors in Journalism

Bachelors in Fashion Designing (BFD)

Bachelors in Education (B.Ed)

Bachelors in Hotel Management

Bachelors in Arts (could select any subjects of your interest)

Home Economics

This group is famous among girls in our society, who likes home decoration, cooking food, sewing, etc.

You will have to study Food and Nutrition and other elective subjects.

After Intermediate, you can move towards any field as of Humanities with an inclusion of fields like food and beverages degree, hair cutting or beautician degree, etc.

DBA (Diploma in Business Administration)

This diploma is equivalent to intermediate and offers wide range of courses of Commerce. After this course, you can move towards any field as of Commerce.

DAE (Diploma in Associate Engineering)

This Diploma is also famous for those, who are technically interested, rather than studying course books. You can move on to any field of Engineering afterwards.

There are many more unlimited liberal fields with unlimited opportunities for all of you after Intermediate, like Movie Directing, Photography, Politics, Freelance Writing, E-commerce, Operators, Administrators, etc. You should concentrate on it after completion of your Higher Secondary Certification.

Centralised Admission Policy, (CAP) form will be made available soon in all the banks. Under the CAP rules, the prospective students of first year classes at the government colleges and higher secondary schools will be required to produce his/her matriculation mark sheets for obtaining the admission booklet and placement form.

Students have to fill out their relevant information about their matriculation. They have to select five best colleges of their choices and would have to write their names in respective columns.
You can also choose any of the private colleges offering Higher School Certificate, whose admission has already been started.

If you are still confuse what to do and where to go; just consult some Student Counsellor in your area. I am presenting FAT (Field Analysis Test), which has been designed after an extensive research conducted by me. This short-term test would readily help you greatly to know your interest, so that you could select the best field without being hesitant.

Answer the following questions:

1. Which one of the following would best describe your interest?

Movie and Music

Cooking

Surfing Net

Web Designing

Playing Games

Experimenting Things

Outing

Playing Mind Games

Making Creative Things
None

2. Which one is your Favorite subject?

Mathematic

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Computers

Economics

Commercial Geography

English

Urdu

Islamiat

Pakistan Studies

Home Economics

Art and Craft

None

3. Which Subject you hate the most in your school life.

Mathematic

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Computers

Economics

Commercial Geography

English

Urdu

Islamiat

Pakistan Studies

Home Economics

Art and Craft

All

4. What were your results in your Secondary school classes

Outstanding

Very Good

Good

Average

Poor

5. Select the trait that applies you the most.

Conventional

Reasonable and Reliable

Responsible, Organized and Calm

Productive

Practical

Sincere

Reserved

Hospitable

Warmhearted

Innovative

Open Minded

Short Tempered

6. Whom do you inspire the most?

Athletic coach

Hair stylist

Physical therapist

Astronomer

Banker

Politician

Doctor

Pilot

Web Designer

Counselor

Librarian

Social worker

Teacher

Engineer

Movie Director

Minister

Nurse

Food service manager

Carpenter

None

7.How many hours could you spend on studies?

Less than 1 hour

1-3 hours

3-6 hours

6-9 hours

You do not need a psychologist or a counsellor to evaluate your questionnaire.
Just fill out the questionnaire and give it to your siblings or your parents to vividly know your interest, which could be revealed, if most of the answers to the questions are similar in nature.
Copy down your answers separately on a sheet and evaluate the similarities.

Here is an example to evaluate your interest:

If most of the answers are related to artistic things and creativity, with open mindedness, then Humanities or Home Economic is good for you.
In the same manner, do for the rest.
Best of luck for your future endeavors to embark upon!

Young World Traveler Hopes To Inspire Others To Travel Through His Photography

Andrew Ingersoll is well known to readers of Rick Ingersoll's popular blog, The Frugal Travel Guy, for the images of people, places and cultures he's captured around the world. At age 29, Andrew has already visited 47 countries and, armed with all the free and frugal travel techniques he's learned from his father, he's not about to stop.

"The tips I've picked up from 'Pops' have allowed me to continue traveling at reasonable prices and to share my experiences through my photography," Andrew said recently.

Rick Ingersoll is a retired mortgage banker who became a "travel hacker" as a hobby so that he and his wife, Katy, could spend his retirement years traveling the globe. He began blogging about his tips and techniques for gathering frequent flier miles and other free-travel techniques in 2007 (his current "bankroll" of frequent flier miles is up to 1.5 million) and authored the book The Frugal Travel Guy Handbook in 2010. The hobby became a business as readership grew and the travel industry began advertising on it.

It wasn't long before Rick's entire family joined "the game," as he calls it -- including Andrew, who quickly learned that "the world is a fascinating place, and I want to be able to share some of its glories with others who are not able to pick up and go."

He uses his photography to do that - photography whose quality defies Andrew's "amateur" status.

"It would be great if I could inspire others to travel through my photos," he said. "Traveling and experiencing cultures and customs opens up minds and challenges the ignorance and prejudices portrayed by the media."

Growing up in Traverse City, Michigan, Andrew graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Nursing degree in 2004. He started traveling to Europe in holidays and during summer breaks while he was in school.

"That's when I discovered that the world was so much larger than white, middle class America," said the slim, sandy-haired photographer who is currently ensconced in Antarctica. "This inspired me to absorb as much from other countries and cultures as possible."

Andrew began his photographic journal with a "point and shoot digital camera," he said, and picked up a Nikon Coolpix in a Malaysian market, "mostly because the price was right." But when he made the decision to visit all seven continents before he turned 30, he knew an upgrade was in order.

"I got a great deal on a Nikon D5000 at Costco this last December and Antarctica was my trial backdrop."

He moved to Seattle, Washington, after he graduated from Michigan State. "It was at this time when we, as a family, started discovering the true benefits of frequent flier miles," he said. "My first trip to Asia was on a United Mileage Plus reward ticket that took me from Seattle to Tokyo to Singapore. My eyes were now fixated on cultures so different from Northern Michigan, I was hooked. And to this day, I love Asian culture."

On a 28-day Intrepid Tour of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, Andrew met an Australian man who gave him the idea of pursuing a postgraduate degree overseas.

"When I returned to Seattle, I found the Masters of International Public Health program at the University of Sydney," he said. "Calculating the cost benefit analysis of attending a university in Australia versus America, I was ready to jump ship. I made the commitment to pursue Australia, but not without ticking off one of the things on my 'bucket list' first."

Andrew's "bucket list" - which he insists he made long before the movie "The Bucket List" came out -- was actually a Top 25 list that a friend suggested he make. She could see he was struggling with what direction to go in his life after he'd received his undergraduate degree.

"So she had me jot down the top 25 experiences I wanted out of life," he recalled. "I still have that list today."

The list inspired him to join a medical mission to Mali, West Africa, where he worked alongside local Malian doctors and nurses at a hospital for women and children. His job was part of a relief team that assisted local staff with high-risk childbirth.

"Again, my eyes were opened and my mind raced. I was so grateful for the opportunities I had been granted," he said. "So after some very emotional times in Mali with some of the most amazing people, I joined another Intrepid tour to spend 15 days in Morocco. That was my first taste of Arabic and Muslim culture. And I wanted to experience it as unbiased as possible."

In February 2008, Andrew moved to Sydney, Australia, where he received his MIPH degree and occasionally worked as an evacuation and repatriation nurse -- nurses who bring sick and injured people to Australia from South Pacific islands for treatment they couldn't receive otherwise.

"This is great fun and very rewarding -- flying off into the South Pacific to pick up someone and bring him or her to Australia for treatment," he said. "I've gone to New Caledonia, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Kirabati, Tahiti, Norfolk Island, Tonga and Vanuatu."

Andrew is now working part time in clinical research before he begins pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at the University of New South Wales in February, a three-year postgraduate law degree designed for professionals entering into a career in law. "I'm confident The Frugal Travel Guy blog will continue to provide me with the necessary tools to allow me to fulfill my personal goals of travel," he said.

What's next on his agenda? "Caving in Malaysian Borneo and camper-van travel in New Zealand," he said. "And I'm still in the planning process of visiting the Great Wall of China with dear old Dad."

Also on his wish list: Nepal, Ghana, Bolivia, Mongolia, Croatia, and Maldives. No one doubts that he'll fulfill his wishes, least of all his father.

"I wish I had the courage to undertake some of the adventures Andrew has been on," Rick said. "Not only does he see the world at prices he can afford, he does it at times in the most basic of native accommodations. He really gets in the culture more than I have ever been capable of. I'm just a tourist when I compare my travels to Andrew's. He is a true world traveler."

Andrew posts his travel photos and humorous commentary on The Frugal Travel Guy blog every Wednesday and Sunday. To see an archive of his posts, visit http://frugaltravelguy.blogspot.com.

The Multiple Uses Of Personalized Magnets

Magnets have always been interesting objects, whether one discovered them early in toys and was entertained or was introduced to magnets in a science class during one's school years. Most cannot help but be attracted to magnets. Magnets are very versatile objects and are used in multiple applications from the highest of academic fields to the well known spot on the kitchen fridge. Magnets are available in all sorts of designs, ranging from letters of the alphabet, cartoon characters and art to humorous images, travel destinations and even three dimensional. Magnets appeal to almost everyone, but how can you make a magnet really matter? The answer lies in making personalized magnets.

Many different styles can be constructed, including anything from a simple name plate magnet to a new and interesting personal three dimensional design. Making your own custom magnet is far easier than one might imagine. This is a wonderful project for children to take home from school to put on the fridge. Whether you just need another magnet for the fridge, a new arts and crafts project to do with the younger ones, or a possible new hobby; personalizing magnets can be a wonderfully fun activity.

First off, it is necessary to have a space to work with and a few basic materials. A large and clean desk can be useful, as it provides one with space to work with materials and experiment more with one's own creativity. Having an open area for your crafts means less accident causing clutter, easier material management, and better supervision when performing arts and crafts with younger individuals. A multitude of decorative objects can be added to magnet crafts. One might add glitter, ribbon, paints, family or personal photos, fake gems, and so many more options that can personalize one's magnet to perfection. All of these materials can be found at any craft store worth its trade. Some craft stores even carry blank magnet templates to make your personalized magnet arts and crafts project even easier! For those who do not have this convenience, many marketplaces online offer a multitude of different magnet styles and templates. These can range from a sheet of magnetic rectangles or circles that one can draw on to rare earth magnets that come in all different shapes, sizes, and strengths. Customized rare earth magnets are a perfect way to make a personalized magnet unique as they are all one of a kind. The possibilities are endless when it comes to making your own unique magnets.

When can a unique, handmade magnet come in handy? A handmade magnet is the perfect gift for someone who has everything. A personalized magnet is one of a kind and is a present that takes time and consideration. A magnetic family portrait or photos of one's children make for great inter family gifts. A handmade magnet either as a fridge ornament or just a general gift can brighten the day of almost anyone. Make sure to make each magnet unique! Not only does this keep the process entertaining for you, it makes the receiving party feel equally as unique and special for having someone take the time to personalize a gift. Whether handmade magnets are made for personal use, general fun, or to be given as gifts; be sure to make them all as unique and special as can be.

Photo Collection As a Family Hobby

Every photograph has its own story to tell thereby connecting you to the past. It makes you feel like you are in the scene when you took the picture and captured the unique and special moment. It is a visual link to treasured memories and emotions of the days-gone-by.

Cherished and colorful photos add warmth and brighten a room no matter where you place them. Photographs taken during vacation trips, beach holidays, birthday and wedding celebrations, graduation exercises, school events, baptism rites, visits to a zoo, festivities and other special events may be placed in photo albums, scrapbooks or book projects to be enjoyed and remembered especially in the later years of your life. A classroom picture during your elementary or high school days, pictures of your pet dogs, cats, love birds, doves or parrots, family orchids, beautiful sunset or sunrise, clouds, waterfalls and other landscapes or cityscapes may be displayed prominently in your living or bedrooms.

Beautifully framed photos of your family such as a graduation picture, a wedding portrait or portraits of your ancestors bring nostalgic or glorious moments of the past and these usually occupy the most conspicuous place in the house such as on the center or side tables of your sala set, on the piano, on your corner stands, or are showcased in your bookshelves or hanged on the walls of your living room.

Your collection of beautiful pictures, particularly landscapes, trees and flowers, can also be a good source of income. These can be displayed to be admired at or bought in art shows, galleries and local venues.

Family photographs, especially ancestors' portraits, are subject to deterioration, fading and yellowing. To preserve a black-and-white prints, scan them and print copies with a printer that uses pigment inks because these withstand light, humidity and temperature variation. Moreover, print only on good, acid-free photo papers which are usually available from office supplies stores. If the photos were taken by a digital camera, get them off your camera and onto your computer then burn them onto a compact disc (CD) to ensure greater longevity. For insurance, duplicate the CD and store it in a separate location. However, see to it that only high-quality archival CDs that are intended for long-term storage shall be used. As technology changes, be prepared also to update your digital storage medium.

Photo collection, as a family hobby, allows you to share your joys and passion for capturing beautiful moments and events that can be relived, enjoyed and shared to your family, your future generations and friends.

How to Make Money With Digital Photos

Digital photography is one of the great ways to earn money from home. If you're an enthusiast and have the passion in clicking your camera and take photos, you can double the benefits: make money with digital photos and enjoy you're interest.

Then again, if you're interested in photography but are not confident with your skills, you can learn anytime. All you need is enough time to practice, have your digital camera, Internet connection and the zest to explore and gain knowledge of digital photography.

If you are really serious in turning your passion into money, and put all your practice and goodies you've frittered on to work, try to acquire a professional digital camera. This would be your functional tool and your constant companion --- tuck into your bag and lead you to success in this endeavor.

Digital photography could be a freelance job or maybe you would like to convert your digital photography hobby into a fulltime business. If your financial assets are skimpy to create an independent studio, you can begin from small. You can even start without a studio. These following tips could help you to start your business and make money with digital photos:

Make an artistic Portfolio. Having your own portfolio to display your talent in digital photography is very important to succeed in your endeavor to make money with digital photos

Choose your most excellent shots you've taken and print them. They could formulate your hardcopy portfolio, your exceptional tool to persuade prospective clients that you have the capability to take photos of important events.

Make the most out of your Internet connection. Upload your photos as your online portfolio. If you have enough money and time to make your endeavor bigger, built your own web site and market your passion in photography. Nonetheless, if you have deficiency in financial resources or not want to invest for your website, you can still make your online portfolio through social networks. FaceBook, Twitter, Multiply, MySpace and Friendster provide you an opportunity to boast what you have got.

Have the buoyancy to publish your photos. You never know, that fresh and catchy shots from your digital camera could arouse lots of publication's interest. Chances are... Those photos could be a start of your big break in digital photography.

Submit those photos for website. There are many firms that affiliated in developing, designing and optimizing websites that in need of photographers.

Surf through internet for the photography jobs and contact them to learn how you can make money with digital photos by participating in their team as a freelancer photographer.

If you want to extend your social network and gain potential buyers, begin to book your exhibits. Share that artwork with your family, friends or former officemates and let them know about your photography services.

In this way, they could help you book gigs with occasions such as birthday, wedding, launching of products, anniversaries, retreats, baptismal and other similar parties. Use your hardcopy portfolio to promote your business. To get yourself on the road on the way to make money with digital photos, consider these tips and relate it to your digital photography venture. Convert that preview photos into cash... Goodbye to wasted money on prints and trash... Hello to new career and earn extra money with your stored digital photos.

Profitable Business Ideas To Start Your New Career

There are many ways to create a profitable business whether it happens to be online or an offline business you need to have some basic ideas before getting into this venture. There are probably over thousands of different profitable business ideas that you can think of, but you want to find ones that you know will be profitable for you. In this article I will discuss some easy and amazing ideas that you may be interested in to start your own business. These ideas can be used right away especially if you have an interest in these different business ideas.

Art Supplies

One profitable business idea that may interest you is an art supply store. Art is a wonderful hobby and many people are into this type of living. There are not many art supply stores around and having one of your own could open up niche where people are looking for these supplies but there is nothing where they live. This is a great idea for anyone who loves art and is experienced in this type of field. You don't have to be good at art, but if you like it this niche will be much more fulfilling for you. If you are good at any type of art including sculpting, painting, photography, and others you can even have your own classes to make some extra money on the side as well. Having an art supply store can open up avenues that you have never thought of.

Auto Performance

Do you like cars especially really fast performing cars? Well if you do then maybe creating an auto performance center may be a profitable business idea for you to consider. Many people love to get the best parts for their particular car and having a performance center dedicated to this particular market can really bring in some high paying customers. This niche is full of people willing to lay down hundreds and even thousands of dollars to get their automobile running at peak performance. You can even sell specialty parts that you can't find in any auto parts store such as spoilers, audio equipment, high performance engine parts, and much more. If you are into building high performance cars and automobiles then you should do some research for this profitable business idea.

Cosmetics

The last profitable business idea I would like to discuss is the cosmetic industry. Creating your own business selling cosmetic supplies gives you an opportunity to share in the profits of a multi-billion dollar per year industry. With people trying to look their best many will resort to purchasing cosmetic supplies that they need to look good. The problem is people are looking for a solution to looking better, and you could easily give them the solution to their problem. This is a typical marketing strategy that you can use to generate large amounts of profits. Although this industry is very large there will be some competition that you will have to deal with in order to get to the top of the herd.

Try out these profitable business ideas and see which one you like the most and go for it.

A Unique Style of Wedding Photography

When you consider engaging a wedding photographer to photograph at your wedding it is important to remember that every photographer has a different ability. With the advent of sophisticated digital slr cameras at affordable prices there has been an explosion of individuals who have purchased a medium range or even a fully professional digital slr camera and set up shop as a wedding photographer. Some of these photographers are actually extremely good at what they do, even to the point of being able to make it as a professional photographer. However the vast majority do not have the technical expertise or understanding that will enable them to capture the perfect wedding picture time and time again. Wedding photography is actually one of the most difficult areas of photography because there is so much that is out of control of the photographer. From poor lighting to crowded venues, from a tired bride to a screaming child, inclement weather to guests who refuse to have their photograph taken there are literally hundreds of things that can cause a problem for the average amateur. Everyone needs to gain experience but do you really want them gaining the experience at your wedding?

Every wedding is unique and your wedding is no exception. You can find a really cheap photographer who may well have an expensive digital slr camera but unless the photographer actually understands how to use and control the camera then there can be a real problem that will affect the results of your wedding photographs. Most of these amateur photographers use the camera in either full automatic mode or programme mode. For taking snapshots when you are on holiday the his options are fantastic for the amateur, letting the amateur photographer create decent images just like using any other point and shoot digital camera. A little anecdote at this point may help to illustrate an extreme of this happy amateur photography. I was taking photographs of a newborn baby when the mother said that her oldest daughter was at college studying photography. She asked if her daughter could take some photographs two, of course I said yes, I've always try to accommodate the requests of my clients as long as it does not affect my work. I asked her daughter what camera she was using for her photography course. Her reply was something of a surprise, "I use an iPhone" she remarked. I'm not too sure I was able to hide my amusement, but you could just imagine the reaction I would have got turning out to photograph this new baby if I then pulled out my smart phone and started taking photographs. There is far more to photography can simply pressing a button and this is especially true when it comes to events that can never be repeated such as weddings.

Every bride and groom has an idea, or should I say usually has an idea of what they expect from the photography that their wedding photographer will give them. Unfortunately there are so many bride and groom's who have been so disappointed with the results of the photography they have received from a so called professional photographer who actually was an amateur who set up his own or her own website after purchasing a digital slr camera. Some brides want the photographer to capture the whole day from having their make-up and hair done right through till the first dance. For others they are only looking for the wedding ceremony to be photographed. Occasionally the bride or wants photographs of the groom getting ready rather than herself; as I said earlier I'd try to accommodate the wishes of the client and when it comes to the photography that they require. I have been known to arrive in order to photograph the groom and best man getting ready for the wedding only to be turned away due to the fact that they were still in bed and an asked to return in a couple of hours when they have finally sorted themselves out.

Sometimes the bride and groom are happy to be led by the photographer and when this is the case there is a real opportunity for the photographer to really show why it is of such value to book an experienced wedding photographer. There are of course some cheesy photographs that some brides asked for, the one that is often requested is where the bride is lifted horizontally by all of the groom's man. I'm perfectly happy to take said photographs but for myself I never suggest it. Now there are some images that I have taken that I get requested by a other bride and groom's to take because they think the images are perfect or standing or original. The problem with anything that is original is that the venture he is copied. So I'd try to take some images at each wedding where the bride and groom are happy to let me have a little free rein, that are as unique to that wedding as the bride and groom our unique. Sometimes of course when you client sees a particular image they can't understand why such a photograph would be taken or indeed why somebody would want to have a particular image. This is perfectly understandable, but because I spent a time getting to know each client I have never taken and image where the client has said why have you taken that. This again is something that comes with experience as a wedding photographer. I once had a couple of clients who were getting married near Leicester who only wanted what they termed 'traditional wedding photographs'. The groom commented that one of my images from a previous wedding was a "waste of a photograph." So what was this disaster of a photograph? It was a picture of four Bride's Maids all of whom were under 12 years of age. Needless to say they had no children at their wedding; they were not an old couple but were in their twenties.

So having established with the client exactly the style and result that they are expecting from their wedding photos I then set about trying to be as creative as possible within the boundaries and constraints that are set by the bride and groom's expectations. The purpose of wedding photography is to capture the story, joy and the uniqueness of the wedding day. There is nothing better than bringing a sense of delight to the bride and groom when they recall the events of the day while looking through the wedding photographs I have taken for them. By understanding how to control the camera in order to get the very best results possible by using the Manual settings and customising the results for each photograph of a professional wedding photographer is able to produce a record of your wedding that can far exceed your expectations. You may have 'uncle Bob' with his new super duper digital camera standing over the shoulder of a professional photographer taking almost exactly the same photograph from the same place in the same light, yet each with totally different results due to the fact that the professional wedding photographer understands how to control the camera to create the result that is designed, while uncle bob simply takes a snapshot with inexpensive camera.

Any real professional photographer will have developed a particular style of photography, but with an understanding of the client he or she also has an expectation that may require that style to be subtly altered in order to create the effect and results that are expected by the photographer and exceeding expectations of clients. There is a lot of advice on the Internet regarding finding the cheapest possible wedding photographer, but I would recommend that you consider the fact that this is one day there will not be repeated and therefore you need to make sure that you have booked a photographer that has the technical ability and artistic creativity to capture your wedding or other event in such a way that will give you the very best memories.

Please ensure that your photographer is a member of a professional photography body.

Documenting the Civil War: Some Famous Photographers

One element of photography that I learned while a student in photography school was that of photojournalism. However what really drew me in was the numerous images taken during the Civil War. As arduous a process as photography was in its infancy, there were no photography schools at the time, the development of photography in the 1830s and 1840s gave many budding practitioners the ability to practice their craft. With a new technology at their fingertips, many of the images produced during this area were mainly portraits. Yet once the Civil War started in 1861, many photographers immersed themselves in covering the war, producing photographs that have had a long-lasting effect.

With the Civil War having a nationwide reach, many photographers made a name for themselves covering the war, the most notable of them being Mathew Brady, who some consider one of the first photojournalists. One of the first individuals to open a studio and teach photography, Brady was an award-winning photographer, known for his portraits. During the Civil War, Brady had his employees travel throughout the country to document the war; they traveled in carriages which served as portable dark rooms.

Using daguerreotypes at first, recent developments including the ambrotype and the albumen print which was a paper print produced from large glass negatives that made it more convenient to document the war. Brady's first photographs of the war involved the Battle of Bull Run; however since the exposure time was very slow, no action photographs could be produced, so many civil war images are of soldiers, portraits or images of the aftermath of battle. An exhibit of his photographs, The Dead of Antietam, was held in 1862 that shocked many observers who had never seen the horrors of war up close.

The overall experience of covering the war was dangerous; many thought the Civil War would last only a few weeks and people used to assemble gatherings where they bring picnic lunches and watch the battles with morbid curiosity.

While almost everyone in photography school was familiar with the work of Mathew Brady, there were many other equally distinguished Civil War photographers who took equal risks in covering the war and, in the end, created some extremely powerful images.

Alexander Gardner was actually an employee of Brady's who was brought on to cover the Union army under General George McClellan.Gardner took numerous photographs of the battles of Antietam and Fredericksburg. However, his most famous photograph is Home of the Rebel Sharpshooter,which was taken at Gettysburg and depicts a dead Confederate soldier laying behind a stone wall constructed between two huge boulders; the image has an eerie but peaceful quality of a soldier left alone to die. Even more horrific was when Gardner revisited the same spot during the consecration of Gettysburg Cemetery, to find the untouched, decomposing remains of the soldier. Gardner was also responsible for the now famous 1862 image of Abraham Lincoln's visit to the Antietam battlefield as well as his portraits of the conspirators who had planned to assassinate Lincoln as well as their subsequent execution by hanging.

Other photographers who made an impact include Timothy O'Sullivan, who had worked with Brady at a young age and was one of his many associates to photograph the war, including the Siege of Petersburg and most notably The Harvest of Death, a grim image of the aftermath of Gettysburg in which dead soldiers are graphically strewn across the battlefield. O'Sullivan would later collaborate with Gardner in to create the first major publication of Civil War photographs,Gardner's Photographic Sketch Book of the War, which appeared in 1866 and was one of the seminal texts I studied in photography school.

In the south, Confederate photographer George S. Cook, also an associate of Brady, earned praise for his wartime daguerreotypes of Charleston, South Carolina and Richmond, Virginia. In addition, Cook also gained notoriety for his images of Union prisoners and the destruction of Fort Sumter. However, his 1863 photographs of Federal ironclad ships bombarding Fort Moultrie in South Carolina are considered to be the first combat photographs ever taken.

Sadly, not all of the work of these (and many other) photographers survive, but what does survive is a remarkable document of a harrowing time in American history. After extensive study of these photographs in photography school, I realized that The Civil War was instrumental in helping set the precedent for future photojournalism.

Ontario Sports & Olympic Youth Academy (OOYA) Shape Our Leaders Beyond the 2010 Winter Olympics

Leadership in our Canadian youth is pervasive and active. As a volunteer, I was witness and observer to an extraordinary 4-day conference hosted by the University of Ottawa (May 11-14). This year's theme was "Making a Difference". The delegates to this 2006 Ontario Olympic Youth Academy, were fifteen Ontario students representing their high schools. These students confirmed that our youth will bring a new order of leadership to this country, their province and their communities.

OOYA is sponsored by Sport Alliance of Ontario, OFSAA, and the Canadian Olympic Committee. The Ontario Olympic Youth Academy is held each year and serves 2 purposes:

1. To share the magic of The Olympic Games in a 'hands on' format by debating, discussing, discovering, meeting, networking, playing, laughing in an active & dynamic 4-day conference.

2. To meet Olympic athletes, coaches, organizers and managers and hear them speak about the impact The Olympic Games has had on their lives.

Working long hours, this group of engaging teenagers were involved in interactive presentations and group workshops. Through the team sports of Dragon Boat Racing and a modified Olympic Games event, the group showed their ability to focus as a unit and meet goals. The delegates developed Sports and Exercise programs that can easily and immediately be introduced in their respective schools and communities. Programs are like:

1. "Clean Play Starts with a Clean Place to Play",

2. "Mini Olympic Days" to promote a healthy and active lifestyle to Grades 5 & 6, are designed for both athletes and non-athletes and help shape high school students into leaders.

Appearance by guest speakers included:

1. Sue Holloway, Honorary Chair of OOYA - Silver and Bronze Olympic Medalist for kayaking (1980-Los Angeles). Ms. Holloway is the first female to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics (1976 - kayaking and cross-country skiing).

2. Shaunna Burke - second Canadian female to reach the summit of Mount Everest (spring 2005).

3. Pierre Lafontaine, CEO Swimming Canada - recently, Head coach for Australian Institute of Sport, and before that the Phoenix Swim Club of Arizona. Mr. Lafontaine led 4 and 8 medal swimmers to Olympic victories in 2004 and 2000 respectively.

4. Marg McGregor - Chef de Mission 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.

5. Greg Joy - Silver Medalist and world record for high jumping 1976 Montreal Olympics.

6. Marc Leger - 2005 Canadian delegate at the International Olympic Academy in Greece.

7. Dr. Gene Sutton, Chair OOYA and National Olympic Academy, Director of the COC Board, and Canada's Chef de Mission for the 2003 Pan American Games team.

8. Michael Chambers - President Canadian Olympic Committee (COC).

These speakers had a profound impact on the delegates. The Academy ended on a high note with an emotional closing ceremony during which each delegate lit a candle from the 1988 Calgary Olympic Winter Games Torch!

However subtle, a key message was woven throughout the conference presentations by the Canadian Olympic athletes, Olympic coaches, and Sports executives. And that message: to have these future leaders consider sports management, sports coaching, and sports education as career options. This message was effectively introduced and appreciated by the delegates. Some delegates openly shared their renewed consideration for sports education/management as a career choice.

Currently, there are a number of active Provincial/Territorial (PTOAs) Olympic Youth Academy Programs:

1. Quebec Youth Olympic Academy

2. Ontario Olympic Youth Academy

3. Alberta Youth Olympic Symposium

4. BC Olympic & Paralympic Youth Leadership Academy

5. Nunavut Youth Olympic Academy

As a youth sport educational forum, the various Olympic Youth Academies, are an excellent way to introduce Canadian Youth to career and volunteer opportunities and rewards associated with national, provincial, community sports management/coaching, and sports education. The Olympic Youth Academies provide an expanded opportunity to share the Canadian Olympic Dream whether as an athlete, a coach, an organizer or a volunteer.

Expanding and funding the Olympic Youth Academy Programs to each and every Canadian Province and Territory has been an ongoing initiative of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC). Each province should now embrace this youth leadership forum. It is a perfect program to parallel the COC initiative, Own the Podium 2010.

The School Prom is One of the Most Important Nights of Your Entire Life

School days are always filled with fun and excitement. It is needed that the beautiful memories are stored in a proper manner. A good high school senior portrait is a precious memory. Today's portraits are much different in comparison to the earlier ones when people were asked to visit a studio and mug shots were taken.

Today schools are hiring professional photographers and the photographs are very casual but molded likewise that they become best companion for you after years. The last year in a high school is an important time. It is a time for making memories before everyone splits apart; a time for applying to newer avenues.

The requirement is now to search for a one-stop shop for school photography, which can photograph individuals, siblings, class groups, sports groups, year groups, plays, prospectus and special events. It should be someone that you can trust. The images should be always of top quality both in the expression on the children's faces, and in the quality of the school photos and products that we sell. The schools who have switched to such professionals have never looked back.

Some types of photographic styles that are preferred by many schools and parents are discussed here under. Almost all good school photography service providers give these services.

Individual Portraits:

In this type portraits of individual school children are clicked with a "mother's eye." The number one mission is to produce portraits that one would be proud to display on their mantle piece. The motive is always to get the best expressions possible, and encourage the children to be neat and tidy.

Siblings Photography:

Most of our schools have sibling photographs taken on the same day as individual photographs. Now there's a challenge! Getting two, three, and occasionally four siblings all smiling and looking towards the camera at the same time.

Class Group Photos:

Class group photography is all about symmetry, order, and speed. Our mounts are blocked with the name of the school so that they look smart and professional.
A dual aperture mounts can also be supplied for those schools who wish to display the class group photograph together with either an individual's photograph, or the names of the children in the crowd.

Sports Groups:

Sports groups are a favourite in the summer term, and are often shot at the same time as class groups.
Year & House Groups

Generally a group of 100 people can be photographed by a good professional photographer, often using the architecture of surrounding buildings to add interest to the shot. Traditional erect staging looks odd.

School Plays:

Sometimes do you wonder if parents really see school plays as they are all hidden behind cameras and video recorders? Restore decorum to your school plays by allowing to shoot a rehearsal and selling prints to parents before and after the play itself!

Prospectus Images:

Happy, smiling faces are what parents like. Compelling images of happy, smiling children in your school prospectus and on your website will help sell your school to prospective parents. Thus should be the prospectus images.

Special Events:

Don't trust recording the opening of a new sports hall or any other historical event in the life of a school to a well meaning amateur like the chemistry teacher.

Class groups for corporate:

This sounds really silly, but often it is seen that parents are asked if photographs can be clicked of class groups for corporate clients. So be tensed free and look for a professional photographer who can handle your requests - in the best way!

Outside Scholarship Search

A very important part of the college financial aid planning process is searching for scholarships. Although college bound students should apply for financial aid by filing the FAFSA and working with their college financial aid office, students should also be proactive and search for additional scholarships from sources outside of colleges. This article is devoted to discussing the outside scholarship search process.

Look beyond what colleges and universities may have in terms of available scholarships. Students should take a proactive approach in obtaining outside scholarship monies and put some time into searching for additional scholarship sources.

There are a variety of different sources of outside scholarship monies available to students and these sources of scholarships may be closer to you than you think! Below is a summary of possible scholarship providers that you can pursue in your search for college financing.

Local Scholarships: At the majority of high schools, your guidance counselor will have information and applications for available local scholarships to graduating seniors. A high school guidance department office will have information and applications available to students during the school year, so it is very important that students visit their guidance office to seek out scholarship opportunities that are managed at the high school level. The student should make a point of listening to the guidance department announcements, reading the guidance newsletter, checking the guidance website, and stopping by the guidance office to look at the available scholarship resources. Some local scholarships need to be applied for directly and some are awarded by the guidance department or special committee in the town. Typically there are a number of local scholarships available, thus checking in with the guidance department is a MUST DO activity for the high school senior.

Check in with your guidance office in your senior year to inquire about the local scholarship application process, application deadlines, and related requirements.

Community, Business, and Civic Organizations: Many community organizations, clubs, and groups provide scholarships to college bound students. Check with any community organizations that you are involved with and inquire about available scholarship programs. Examples of community organizations include your local rotary club, chambers of commerce, better business bureau, elks club (or similar type of membership organizations), or other community clubs and membership organizations.

Religious Affiliations: If you have a particular religious affiliation, you may want to inquire if there are scholarships available for participating members. For example, students or family with a connection to a specific church or temple or that have another religious or spiritual connection should inquire about available support for college.

Employers: Many employers, especially those with a large number of employees, offer scholarship programs for dependent children of employees. It is important to contact your Human Resource Department and inquire whether they have scholarship programs and what the respective deadlines and application procedures are to apply.

Military: Every branch of the military services offer scholarship programs of some kind. These program offerings may change often and definitely have specific qualification requirements, procedures, guidelines and commitment details. The U.S. Military is a provider of a number of scholarship programs, thus if you think you may qualify and have an interest in what they have to offer, check with a military recruiter and the following website:

Scholarship Search Databases: The final option for acquiring monies for college that I will mention is a scholarship search through a reputable database. Before I tell you where to turn for this, I want to mention that you should NOT pay any company to do a scholarship search for you as students can seek out scholarship opportunities for free from a number of sources. Reportedly, there are SCAMS out there that will charge families to conduct a scholarship search and don't give you any information that you can't get yourself for FREE. PLEASE be wary of scams and do not pay a company (or individual) to do a search for you.

Free scholarship databases are dynamic search engines and give students an opportunity to create a profile, share demographic information, and input specific academic interests and talents into the search engine. In turn, students are provided with a list of possible scholarship opportunities that match the criteria that they entered into the database. After reviewing the results, students can then decide which opportunities they realistically should pursue. Each scholarship opportunity will require a separate application and has a set of requirements associated with the application. YES the outside scholarship search process is time consuming, however, one that should not be overlooked. At minimum, create a profile in one of the search databases and get a sense of the various options available and then decide whether to apply for selected opportunities.

Students should also check out college financial aid websites for outside scholarship information. Many colleges provide information pertaining to outside scholarships and some provide helpful information on scholarships that their students have previously received. Students should also think outside of the box and research companies that work in the student's proposed area of interest. For example, photography majors should check out Nikon and Minolta, computer science majors should check out HP and Apple, and journalism majors should check with media companies and publications.... you get the picture! Be creative and think about all the options!

Use a trusted source ~ a reputable scholarship search tool such as http://www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/scholarship

Yearbooks: Are They A Necessity?

Yearbooks are mainly designed with one purpose in mind and that is to help students remember all of their most important and life-changing memories. Yearbooks can be a lot of fun to have and to look back on. The way a yearbook looks changes year to year and also varies from school to school.

Sometimes yearbooks are given out for free but in most cases, the students will need to buy the yearbooks for a certain amount of money. It is not that the school wants to charge students for the yearbooks but creating and designing a yearbook can cost the school a lot of money along with a lot of time and effort that is put into the creation.

Some people choose not to buy a yearbook because they do not feel as though it is a necessity. While it may not seem important at the moment, yearbooks are definitely something you should have as a keepsake for the future, especially if you are a sentimental person. This is something you will have to show your family and friends along with your future children and possibly even grandchildren. They will surely think it is cool.

Think of all the time and effort that your fellow classmates put into creating that yearbook for you and the other students. They spend the entire school year putting the yearbook together, strategically placing pictures in the right spot, and making sure all information and content inside of the yearbook is accurate. The students who put the yearbook together have to be precise.

With the hard work and dedication put into the yearbooks by your fellow students, it would be very unfortunate for you to not buy a copy of the yearbook. Not only will you support your school and the students who spent time putting the yearbook together, you will have a keepsake that can last you a lifetime.

The yearbook is something you will always have to look back on. It can remind you of all the good and bad memories you had growing up. These situations and memories that were once a part of your life are what has made you who you are today which is why you should hold on to all of those memories that are dear to your heart.

So when the question is asked, is a yearbook a necessity? The answer should always be YES! Yearbooks are fun and interesting and will help you remember the names and faces of people who were once in your life.

People that you went to school with in the past will move to different areas, head off to college, and grow up because that is just how life goes. However, the images, the photographic evidence, and all the content in the yearbook never moves or changes.

Beginners Photography - A Simple But Powerful Way to Up Your Game

Most books or guides for the photographic novice start by using the complicated jargon, better suited to the technical colleges. Always remember that beginners photography is visual rather than technical,you don't need to know the formulas, metering,exposures,the manual adjustment of complicated cameras,shutter speed, focus lengths and how to develop your own film. Most people starting out, want to take pictures, not care about the inner workings of the camera, if you want to, by all means enroll in a class and learn all you want. It is though a creative process, inspiring and good for the soul, you can shoot the animals without hunting. Learn to appreciate the simple visual elements of our beautiful world. Beginners photography can get you involved in the environment, or to interact with others,the on location experiences develop your style, but the action takes place out of the house, unless you concentrate on studio portraits.

There is nothing quite like taking dozens of shots at the weekend,coming home and looking through the images and finding the one unusual,interesting frame that ignites your passion for photography. Cameras challenge you to make successful pictures of what you see around you. The digital camera is the wonder of automation, computing all the settings, it then, metaphorically stops the clock on a moment in time. Why can two people standing next to each other, not see the same interesting subject? The camera cannot search out the inspirational shot, observation and creative vision is something the human brain learns with experience.When in a familiar setting,perhaps talking to friends, the details in the background play no part in your thoughts,no brain records too many unwanted details, so train your eyes to search the frame for distractions, before pressing the trigger. Learn to master your camera and the lenses provided, because sure enough lens lust, will strike the unsuspecting photographer, for the must have new optical goodies.

The modern photographer can technically express themselves, the real difference in great photos are after the shooting,when processing the images on the computer, doing the final arrangement,fine tuning the images, taking them to the next level.The now easy to use image software, can take beginners photography up to the heights of the professionals.

Tips For Managing Photography Business Costs

Here are a bunch of tips for up and coming photographers to help manage the cost of operating a photography business.

1. Image Editing Software.  You'll pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars to stay current with Photoshop products.  If you haven't made the commitment yet, try Paint Shop Pro. It's as feature-rich as Photoshop, with nearly all of the capabilities, and some of its own that are unique and allow you to be creative and productive.  You can also use most Photoshop plugins in this program.

2. Desktop Office Suite.  OpenOffice, a free suite, available from OpenOffice.Org, has spreadsheet, word processing, database, presentation and other tools.  You can read and write Office files.  This will keep you from needing to pay hundreds of dollars for Microsoft Office products, and you are supporting the open source community.

3. Studio Lighting.  If you are starting off with studio lighting, Alien Bees are tough, functional and not prohibitively expensive.  You can add a light each year and grow your capabilities slowly.  And  they offer great light modifiers such as umbrellas, stands, soft boxes and more.  They even have portable power and ring flashes.

4. Print Fulfillment.  There are many good and affordable labs.  Most of them can print far more efficiently than you or the shop across town.  Find one which will meet your price, quality, product and service needs and will give you a generous sample print experience.  The ability to accept orders from your computer and ship quickly will be important to you.

5. Inexpensive Online Communities.  There are some free forums such as dpreview.com and studiolighting.net which are great sources of information on cameras, lighting, editing and other technical aspects of photography.  Digitalweddingforum.com is a reasonably priced and very professional forum for sharing all manner of business, creative and technical information regarding most people photography.

6. Professional Organizations.  Society of Sports and Event Photographers (SEP) is oriented to event photography such as sports groups, but there are overlaps to other business areas as well.  Their annual cost is very reasonable.  Professional Photographers of Americal (PPA) is affiliated with SEP, and is more business oriented.  They share venues for their annual conventions.  PPA also offers some insurance and legal protection.  Wedding and Portrait Photographers Internations (WPPI) also offers reasonable annual fees and access to great resources and conventions.  Attending a convention periodically will get you charged up and it's often a great way to get discounts on gear from the trade shows.

7. Insurance.  You need to decide what to insure and for how much, but as a photographer, I strongly recommend Liability Insurance of at least $1 million.  You can decide whether you want to cover your equipment separately or modify your homeowner's policy to cover it.  Often, bundling car, home, liability and equipment to one insurance provider will save you money.

8. Storage.  External hard drives are now under $100 for 500 gigs.  You can't afford not to back up your data in multiple places.  Also buy DVD blanks and burn copies of your client and business files to store offsite.

9. Midwinter seminars.  Often a large national lab or group of businesses will sponsor a "tour" of one or more photographers, and provide a mini trade show.  Often costing under $100, you get a solid day of education, dialogue, ideas and product awareness.  You'll come back with a notebook full of ideas.

10. Conventions.  There are probably a dozen large regional or national level photography conventions each year.  Pick one every year or two, and manage your travel costs by sharing rooms with other photographers and planning your transportation and dining carefully.  You can often save more on the product purchases than the cost of the convention and travel.

11. Web Site.  Inexpensive web templates can be purchased for under $100.  These templates can be customized by you to include your images, words, color scheme, logo and design elements.  Often hosting can be bundled with this, or purchased separately for under $100/yr.  You will want your own domain name on a site that doesn't have someone else's ads.  Also consider building your own shopping cart and gallery capability if you don't have one now.  Using fotoplayer.com and the Jalbum engine, you can create great albums on your own website with integrated cart and Paypal payment for under $100.  And you can build a blog on your site or another site for free.

12. Studio from Home.  It goes without saying that a home-based studio has far lower operating costs than a separate property.  You can also potentially take tax deductions for business use of the home.

13. Hired Help.  Paid internships are great opportunities for younger people to gain experience, and for you to have talented assistants.  Consider contacting schools and universities in the area, or hiring a local person who has great work ethic to assist you.

14. Energy.  This is both financially and environmentally important.  Change your lighting, heating, driving and office practices to lower energy costs.  Compact fluorescent lights, setback thermostats, good tire pressure, hybrid cars, trip management, computer shut-down logic and your printing practices can all be utilized to lower your operating cost.

So, now you know how to save a bundle and keep your bottom line strong!

Look for the Best Online Art School for You to Enroll

Many people believed that the occurrence of the internet has totally drowned the people's interest for the arts. In fact, every new technologically advanced gadget that the world comes up with seems to slowly make people forget about the real essence of the arts. However, all these notions are not true because despite the efforts of technology to make people forget about the arts, the whole packaging of the gadgets rely on art to sell. They say that there is no money in art but the truth is that many people who engage in art are not in it for the money. They enroll in the top arts schools because they want to reward themselves for working very hard.

Mostly, people who enroll in the top art schools that are included in the art school rankings, which only mean that they stand out from all the other schools, are those people who have pursued other career paths but still found themselves yearning for what art could do for them. Although some people might say that an artist will always be starving if he pursues his career in the arts, there is still no amount of money that could make people happy especially the artist who finds the joy in producing art.

On the other hand, when you think of it, artists have also learned to embrace the gifts of technology because they have seen how it could help them promote what they do and at the same time earn for a living. This shift had not made the top art schools lose their meaning but rather, it has helped people learn more about what the art schools offer and how it could benefit the general public. The top art schools that make it to the list of the art school rankings are the schools that offer people the chance to explore what the world could offer them. Perhaps this embrace has helped people understand what art really is at the same time helping the top art schools around the globe to strengthen their contribution to society.

Most of the artists of this generation excel not only in the art that they do but they excel in producing materials that are artsy but at the same time functional. Those who are into visual arts often find comfort in working for an advertising firm creating product and image designs for clients. Not only are they able to help people but they are also earning money out of it. Did you know that compared to how much artists before are paid, the artists of this new generation are earning more than what others like them ten years ago have always dreamed of. They are paid well and that is enough compensation to produce art forms using new media and touching lives of as many people as possible.

The top art schools have helped changed the career of most artists instilling in them the importance of having a good and stable job and at the same time practicing the craft. There is nothing wrong with artists who work for advertising agencies on online web designing because these are jobs that secure the future of these artists. They do not have to start anymore and practice their craft. They can both earn money and at the same time make a world a better place with their art.