Underwater Camera Bag - A Great Alternative to Expensive Underwater Cameras

A lot of snorkelers and divers would tell you that it's a whole new world underwater. You should really make it to a point to experience the diverse environment under the sea. You'll see a wide variety of marine wildlife that you can never see on land. Well, except on pictures. Fortunately, we can see underwater pictures taken by expensive underwater cameras.

This is why as a photographer, you should consider underwater photography. There are a lot of possible subjects and possible locations. You can be a travel photographer that focuses on underwater photography. But there is a little roadblock. You would need to invest in an expensive underwater camera. These cameras are built to withstand underwater pressure.

But if you don't have the budget for it, that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy taking pictures in the water. With an underwater camera bag, you can turn just about any digital camera into an underwater camera. Sure, there are limitations to the depth and the amount of time that you can stay underwater. But with the right location, you'll be able to encounter a lot of fishes, corals and the likes. Besides, taking underwater pictures of you and your friends is fun.

Here are some of the more popular ones that you can choose from:

1. Aquapac 404 Camera Case

This is a very popular underwater camera bag because of the fact that it's very inexpensive. It's priced below $30 but it can get the job done. It's designed for the smaller digital cameras that don't have zoom features. You don't have to worry about your pictures being blurry. It uses Lenzflex material that ensures clear and great-quality pictures.

2. Nereus (DC-WP10)

This is a newer model that is designed for several Canon Ixus and Ixy cameras. The best thing about it is you can use it for as deep as 30 feet. It uses a UV coated polycarbonate lens that gives you clear pictures. It also allows you to easily control the camera with easy access to the buttons. You also don't have to worry about losing your camera underwater because it will float. Just remember to check to see if it's compatible with your camera.

3. Overboard

This is a good choice if you don't want to spend too much. This is an inexpensive underwater camera bag just like the Aquapac. But unlike the Aquapac, you can use it for cameras that have zoom features.

Explore the wonders of the sea or just have fun taking pictures in the pool with a camera that is protected by a waterproof bag. You don't need an expensive waterproof camera in order to do so. You can use your existing camera with the help of one of these three.

Schools In Thailand Face Challenges

The 15 year old daughter of a Thai friend of mine had basic English lessons in a school in Thailand for five years, and she is not able to say a single sentence in English. How is this possible? I took her under my wings and started talking with her and had her say words and sentences in English. Within a few weeks she could carry on a simple conversation in English. What happened here?

Imagine sitting in a classroom where the teacher is talking at you constantly. Culturally it is considered inappropriate to ask questions, come up with creative ideas or suggestions, and there is no active, lively exchange between teachers and students. It is a one way lecturing style of education.

The Thai educational system has some cultural handicaps. One is the authority concept in Thailand. The teacher is an authority figure and as such should not be asked any questions since this could be perceived as a challenge. Nobody wants to admit not knowing something. So the student does not want to show that he does not understand, and the teacher does not want to feel that she is being put on the spot. In order for no one to lose face, asking questions is often seen as an inappropriate challenge and is to be avoided.

Teaching is one of the few professions in Thailand that benefit from a retirement pension. Teachers are respected authority figures. They are not in danger of losing their jobs, even if their performance is below standard, and the system is set up for them to maintain an unchallenged authority position.

Losing face is a big issue in Thailand. Nobody can ever be put in a situation which requires one to admit any wrong doing. Nobody can be criticized openly. Nobody can be challenged. Nobody can be told directly that they are wrong. The right thing to say is whatever allows everyone to save face, even if that does not correspond to the facts.

The children in school are not encouraged to actively participate, but rather just listen passively. Questions are seen as provocative, and a real exchange between teachers and students is rarely happening. Many older teachers don't want to see any change, and the sometimes more open minded younger teachers are up against the seniority and authority of the older ones who want to preserve the status quo.

Here is another problem with the system. Often the children in Thailand's government schools don't learn enough, and this has spawned a flourishing industry of after-school tutoring. Those tutors are mostly the same teachers from the schools pursuing a lucrative second job.

Teacher pay for tutoring is considerably better than for their school job. Therefore it is more profitable for teachers to provide quality education after hours in private schools than during regular school hours in public schools. The strange situation exists that it pays to not teach the kids as much in school in order to keep their profitable after hours jobs in the tutoring industry.

Here is the third problem with the system: blatant cheating. In western schools this is not acceptable, but in Thai schools it is quite the norm. Everyone is copying from each other. It is not seen as anything bad. The children don't feel compelled to really understand the material since they can freely copy homework or test questions from someone else.

My friend's daughter often had quite difficult English homework and she had no idea how to go about it. So her Thai mother, who speaks good English, did the homework for her. I asked her how the other kids who did not have English speaking parents could do their homework assignments. She told me that they could not, but they simply copied it from her daughter who had it done by her mother.

Thais are by nature shy people and children are not encouraged to express spontaneity or creativity or inquisitiveness. The status quo is maintained as long as everyone gets to save face, the teachers maintain their authority status, the kids manage to hand in their copied assignments, and the parents pay for the after-school tutoring.

Private schools are generally better than the government schools, but they are considerably more expensive. On the positive side the cultural attitude towards authority in Thailand prevents many of the excesses of aggression and even violence that sometimes take place in western schools. Despite the challenges in the Thai school system, there is a younger, and often more open-minded generation of teachers who hopefully will slowly tweak the system to a better performance.

Turn Your Photography Passion Into Money

People take photographs every day. Nearly everyone has a camera of some sort and snap pictures of just about everything---from their children at the pumpkin patch to an interesting crack in the sidewalk. Maybe you are the type of person that lives your life through the lens on your camera. Have you ever thought that these pictures could make you a supplementary income, or even create an entire career? Using simple tools and the amazing resource of the internet you can start making money taking photographs.

Benefits of Making Money Taking Photographs

• This type of job is completely independent. You have no co-workers or boss to contend with and answer only to yourself.


• Selling your photographs allows you to set your own hours and only work when you want to so you can work around your life rather than living around your work.


• There is absolutely no limit to what you can photograph so this job is always exciting and always different.


• The income earned through selling your photographs is residual. Once you post that photograph for sale you have no more responsibilities but to collect your pay.


• Selling your photographs allows you to express yourself artistically in an accessible platform. It can be used for further advancement of an artistic career, or just as a way to get the creativity flowing occasionally.


• You are constantly able to earn more by adding more photographs to your account so this job has little to no risk of a plateau.


• Because you sell your photographs through a maintained website there is no need to interact with people or "sell" anything.


• No inventory, products, store or services to sell mean extremely low overhead and little hassle.

Start-up Costs

Making money selling photographs has a very low start up cost in comparison to other types of businesses. For many people, the necessary tools are already in their homes and all they need to do is utilize them.

• You will need a camera in order to take the pictures to sell. Which type of camera you use is totally up to you. Some people use simple digital cameras, others prefer to use film cameras and scan their photographs into their computers, believing they have deeper dimension and higher quality.


• A computer with internet capability allows you to upload your photographs and post them to the photograph-selling websites. It doesn't matter if this is a desktop or laptop as long as it can handle the files and use the internet.


• A home office with your computer and filing capability can be useful if you are very organized and want to make selling your photographs a serious enterprise.


• If you choose to use a film camera, you will need to purchase film as well as pay for film processing.


• It is possible that you will want to photograph places away from your immediate area. You will need to take into account gas, travel expenses and any admission fees or donations that may be required for your desired destination.

Earning Potential

Something wonderful about earning money selling your photographs is that you could make money quickly and easily with very little effort.

• The amount you earn obviously depends on the quality of your photographs and how many people choose to purchase them. Focusing on creating high-quality, creative and interesting photographs, will keep potential customers looking for your work.


• For some customers, to simple, every day and even mundane can be exactly what they need. Think about the pictures you see on advertising, websites, brochures and other formats constantly. This is where your photographs can end up!


• There are many websites that allow you to upload your photographs and sell them. When you first begin selling your work you should consider placing work on several to gauge traffic and sales patterns. You may even want to continue using several to gain maximum exposure.


• Selling your photographs can open you up to a world of artistic opportunity. If someone particularly likes you work you may be commissioned to create more of the same strain. Be open to bigger potential and keep growing.


• Remember to have fun taking your photographs and let each have a message or audience in mind. Every picture you take is not going to sell immediately, or maybe not at all, so each one should bring you some personal pleasure and be of good enough quality that people will want them.

Many times people look at the pictures used in advertising or decoration and don't even consider that someone actually took that photograph. Taking photographs and selling them online can be a wonderfully fulfilling, highly profitable venture. If you keep your integrity and put in a little effort, people will be drawn to your work and want to purchase it.

How To Use Green Screen Digital Photography

When you go to a movie and you see Spiderman swinging along the New York skyline most people these days realize that this is done by CGI. But, how was this type of special effect performed many years ago prior to the development of CGI? How did Christopher Reeves fly around the world believably in the old SUPERMAN: THE MOTION PICTURE? In the old days, the process that was utilized via a blue screen or green screen image and if you wish to duplicate this type of special effects process you have the option of using green screen digital photography. This is perfect for those who do not wish to invest the excessive money required to duplicate a highly complicated CGI based special effect and such green screen digital photography is widely available for public use.

What it is

For those not familiar with what green screen digital photography entails it simply refers to photographic your subject matter directly in front of a green backdrop. Later on, the green is removed and replaced with any type of image you prefer. This is done via computer effects as two images are merged to create a very unique single image. This is a relative quick and easy process that could create an image of you standing in a bathing suit on top of Mount Everest! Actually, it can create any type of image that is only limited by your creativity.

Corporate and Business Use

Often, the use of this particular technology can be used to create any number of wonderful visual images and presentations for business and corporate use. This can prove to be a make or break help for those looking to impress business entities into doing business with you. As such, this is technology that should be taken serious...even though there may be some detractors out there.

A Gimmick?

Is green screen digital photography merely a gimmick that is designed more for fun than any serious venture at using special effects for any serious purpose? The answer to this is as follows: who cares! If you wish to use your green screen digital photography for fun or a hobbyist pursuit then so be it. It would be your photographic technology for you to use as you please. So, do not be put off by any nay sayers who may have a problem with your purchase of any software or technology that can facilitate such pursuits.

SPORTS- Best Homebased Business Ideas: Part 3

Sports photography opportunities abound. There are many varieties of sports photography business ideas, from the freelance selling his/her works to local and national media, to building a consistent gig offering sports photography to the multitude of schools and recreational sports leagues.

Sports photography can be an exciting world to live in. Hectic, sometimes chaotic, but rewarding. There are many small startups that do great business in sports photography. We'll hopefully give you a "clearer picture" on this outstanding business opportunity!

Sports photography and you

Building a photography business will take some skill and salesmanship, but it can be pretty profitable. As little as a local community college class can usually give you a quality foundation, even if you've never taken photos professionally before. From there, you can learn as you go (and there still will be much to learn).

Equip yourself with the best equipment from the start, so you don't handicap yourself. Your local specialty photo store should be able to point you in the right direction.

We'll break down a few business ideas for the aspiring sports photography expert!

Sports photography- photo day- Every little league, high school, college, and recreational league has a photo day. Contact schools and league offices to find out if you can bid for the job- photographers fall out of grace all the time, and you may be able to squeeze in. Taking a LOT of photos, developing (wouldn't hurt eventually to establish your own darkroom) and then selling packages will be your assignment here.

Sports photography- freelance- Don't plan on freelance stuff paying the rent right off the bat, but add this to your arsenal of business skills, and you're giving yourself yet another chance to succeed. Freelance photography is pretty competitive, especially if you huddle around college and pro sports. Local athletics and selling your pics to local papers would be a good place to start.

Photo Novelties- Very popular lately! Taking photos, and then transferring those images to items such as photo sculptures, keychains, t-shirts, and such is a big money maker. Every one loves to see their name up in lights!

Another photo novelty that I love is the sports card photo. These are big hits with younger ball players, and their parents. They get their image on a "real" sports card. What could be better! Boy, I wish they had those things when I was playing ball!

Sports Event Organizer

This article takes a hot idea and makes it even better! Event organizing has become a huge growth industry, and many people have built solid and profitable businesses with event organizing.

This type of industry takes a strong ability to listen to your clients, very good customer service and "host" skills, and a keen ability to multi-task and see a big picture.

The sports industry generates interest on many levels; that's the primary reason that this business idea is such a fertile area. Whether it is card collecting and other participatory activities that fans engage in, or merely watching the games, athletes and teams in action, there is lots to do for the avid sports event organizer.

There are two distinct types of sports event organizing ideas that we will cover- the first is event organizing, as it pertains to organizing and running sporting activities, usually for profit. This can include sports tournaments, bar games and contests, etc. that someone either hires you to organize, or you gain permission to run and profit from the events themselves. Many of these events will be joint ventures, with you and the client negotiating a profit split.

The second organizing business type is party planning. This involves planning and organizing parties with sports themes. This can involve anything from birthday parties, corporate functions, even community events.

Wedding Photography - 4 Specific Styles and Techniques

Each photographer has his or her own style of taking pictures. After many years of shooting, you usually can narrow the various techniques and approaches into different style categories. I have narrowed it down to four different typical formats of wedding photography that we cover. We are completely and fully comfortable shooting each one and allow the couple to choose which style best represents their personality and personal flair!

1. Wedding Photojournalism

A wedding photojournalistic style of photography involves the photographer not being involved nearly as much as normal. The story is told though the photographs and emphasis is taken off of the typical posed and planned pictures. With this style of wedding photography, we tend to stand on the sidelines and shoot from the background, becoming as unobtrusive as possible. However, the photos we capture put the viewer right in the mix of what is going on. We capture natural moments that happen in reality without the typical setting up and posing a picture. With this style of photography, we consider ourselves to be "photographic storytellers," guiding the viewer through the "story" of your wedding day. This is our choice format of wedding photography. We truly enjoy finding those definite moments of significance that often pass by too quickly and capturing them within our lens.

2. Traditional Wedding Photography

Unlike the wedding photojournalistic style, this style of photography has much involvement from the photographer. Many of the portraits are set up and posed, incorporating a more traditional approach to wedding pictures. The wedding photographer acts as a director of sorts, guiding the wedding party and guests into formations and poses for photos. Although the main style of shooting for our studio is the Wedding Photojournalistic style, we do have experience in directing and leading wedding parties into the posed group and individual formal pictures.

3. Fashion Wedding Photography

This style of wedding photography rings true with its name - it is focused on the element of fashion. Brides who request fashion wedding photos to be taken often book studio time outside of a normal wedding day shoot. This allows the photographers to plan out a session incorporating more lighting and creative techniques. Doing a fashion wedding shoot in studio also allows the bride more freedom in moving into typical fashion poses (such as the hands on the hips, hunched back pose) paired with a more serious and "fashion-like" facial expression. Both brides and grooms request this style of wedding photography to add something different and dramatic to their wedding photo album.

4. Trash The Dress Wedding Photography

Synonymous with its name, this style of wedding photography involves the "dirtying" of wedding dress worn after the fact. This style of wedding photography is also called "fearless bridal" or "rock the frock." Typically, brides choose this after everything is said and done to offer a creative alternative to storing away their wedding dress that they will never wear again. A bride can venture out to a beach or a fountain, take pictures in city streets or on railroads, in abandoned buildings or fields, or even get muddied up in the woods. Often times, brides feel that this helps them release the deep tension from the wedding. It can be a bride's declaration that the wedding is done and the dress will never be worn again, so why not be creative and artistic with it? At our wedding photography studio, we are more than happy to work with brides who would like to "Trash The Dress!"

Milestones in Photography

Milestones

"When is the best time to have my child photographed?" As a photographer, I get this question often. I'll go over a few important milestones so that you will never miss a minute of your child's all too fast childhood.

Newborn

Ahhh! The newborn stage. So precious, wondrous and truly fleeting. Best done within the first 14 days of life, photography can capture beautiful memories of your newborn and all her sleepy, precious, fast growing baby parts. Even those awkward cross eyed expressions will be treasured in years to come. You can read why the first 14 days are most optimal for scheduling here. Another plus to having photographs taken during this time are having a photographer capture the interaction of you as a new family with your baby or including older siblings in the portraits.

6-9 Months Old

This stage is also what photographers will refer to as sitting up, but not yet crawling. A perfect time to photograph! Your baby is inquisitive, curious, smiling depending on his personality. But whatever disposition your little guy happens to be, this age is all about giving natural looks for the camera. As a photographer and a mom, I find that this age is what I always remember when thinking of "my" baby. Roly poly, happy and drooling. You definitely want to photograph this!

1 Year

Another time to photograph is when your child is one year old. Often she has begun to toddle or even walk, but is definitely on the move and busy. Sessions at this age are often very photo-journalistic because your little one can't sit still for very long and a custom photographer will be very in-tune to this. Balloons, playing bubbles or just wandering around your backyard are all big adventures to photograph. This is a fun stage to capture because she is still your baby, but you are beginning to see glimpses of a toddler. Also, at this point, you will surely notice how quickly time is flying. Being able to look back at your child from birth to one year is just priceless.

Anytime

I am going to discuss now my favorite time of all for capturing your child with custom photography...now! There is no need to wait for the "right" time. Because honestly, with children timing is always perfect. Photography is a powerful way to pause and check in from our busy lives for a moment. To stop and notice all the change that has been going on right in front of our eyes.

Now is perfect because next month he may have moved on from his long time Thomas the Train obsession, she may stop wearing that skirt she insists on wearing every day, his teeth may come in or fall out, and it is not holiday card time. To me it's the every days that make up our lives and what we remember most. Photography done "anytime" can capture this and leave you with meaningful artwork sure to be a family heirloom.

Life Is Easy, If It's Not, You're Doing It Wrong

I started writing this article a few months ago, and like I do with many articles, set it aside until I felt the inspiration to go ahead, and now I do, so you're in for big trouble. I write this column joyfully because I know that maybe in some small way I can help others to understand those elusive hidden realities that they always knew existed, but never knew how to find. In a way. It's like unconsciously knowing there is a Supreme Being, knowing that a God exists, but not being able to understand who or what He, She, It is, how and where does He exist, and many other aspects of this Divine Energy Source. If you are like most people, you probably never expected to find answers to many of the secrets of God, the universe and beyond.

In these articles, you will finally find some answers and some of the answers you find will not be easy to understand since they will be unfamiliar concepts for the human brain to grasp, but even though you may not totally understand what is said here, you will find some affirmation of its truth in your heart. I cannot prove what I say here in terms you are used to, with scientific facts backed up by hard physical data that you can empirically dissect, measure, weigh and analyze, but I have an advantage over scientific facts, and that is, I pass on knowledge that has existed since time was originally formed, when matter was more fluid and plastic, when gravity was not quite so pervasive and when living consciousness was still in the sorting out process, and I will try to explain why this knowledge is not new to you.

In reading what is written here, bear in mind that I do not claim originality with this material and never did. It was given to me, and as I begin to understand it, I give it to you, and as it has changed me by my possessing it, so you will change it by reading and becoming part of and making that knowledge yours. As you will find, this material is difficult, sometimes almost to the precipice of the ability of the physical brain to understand, but understand you will in time, and in so doing, will expand the reach of your consciousness, opening new doorways to worlds you never knew existed before.

As many of you know, I don't speak symbolically, so you won't find those willy-nilly, so called spiritual exclamations here that leave you wondering what the hell did he just say. You will not be asked to tithe as I direct heavenly ushers to pass the collection basket. I promise not to attempt to sell you holy water, prayer cloths or indulgences and I certainly won't pray over thousands of letters you write before I toss them into the dumpster and promise cures that never seem to manifest or wealth that never seems to appear.

I will never ask you to touch your television screen while I pray to Deities in your behalf as I invoke their name and demand a cure, even for the little lady in Omaha who is now developing arthritis in her third vertebrate. Now, there is a cure for that little old lady, and as most of you suspect, it lies within her own being and she must learn to access her own inner healer and utilize the Helper within, and I hope to be able to show you how working through your own God given life, you can learn more about the workings of your inner world.

You will read and begin to understand the grand design of nature as it co-operates with itself to bring about the best possible outcomes to all problems, given the leeway to operate unimpeded by distorted and faulty beliefs, within the current probabilities available to you at any time. You will begin to sense your integral part in nature itself. You will begin to understand the natural aspects of your life, and know that YOU are at the very center of the universe, as is every other living identity, and so being, that universe is at your disposal when you know how to navigate within its parameters.

There are universal rules that are inviolate within your world, and operating within those rules, everything that is possible is probable to some extent. You have a responsibility to live your life in Knowledge, to search for it and to learn to speak for nature itself as all of nature dreams for the entire world. You may seem to stand apart from nature, but you cannot stand apart from that which you are. Knowledge is not given to those who do not look for it.

You were not given the awesome gift of life to squander it, but if you choose to do that, you lose nothing more than time, oh, and one life. (smiling). You were made "consciousness living in matter" by your Soul/Entity and there was no instruction booklet given, lest it compromise or color your life experience. You are bound to learn that operating confidently within the natural world, you will find that life flows easy and to your satisfaction and to the satisfaction of mankind. I have said this before, and I am sure some cringe when I say it, but I can assure you what follows is true and not some Pollyanna statement, and it is not one of those "Symbolic" statements that are just too good to be true.

You are given the gift of the Gods, but why shouldn't you, since you are a distant descendent of All That Is (God). When I said that you were privy to this Knowledge, I meant it. Your consciousness, the same consciousness that is intertwined throughout your being today existed before your "Earth" was in place, maybe not in the same form, certainly not self aware consciousness, but still eternal, ever changing, every growing and expanding into new worlds. There was only a given amount of consciousness that was available in the beginning, before universes, worlds and time itself, and that consciousness is still fragmenting, dividing and expanding, yet we are still dealing here with the same identical consciousness that saw the beginning of the universe. In a very real way, you are "Soul Stuff" in physical garb, operating in time and space for a given length of time. What you do with it is purely up to you.

So, that is why occasionally you will catch yourself saying "I KNEW THAT" as you read these articles, because indeed you did, but you have just forgotten your Divine heritage. This division of consciousness has of course, expanded to create countless universes, dimensions, worlds and planes of existence, yet not one speck is watered down or less than it was originally. I am then, more of a "reminder"than a teacher, since I am hopefully bringing to the surface, information that you have long ago forgotten and helping you remember who you really are.

As in so many computer operations today, there is a back-up system, a protection, so no data is lost, and do you think for a moment anything you have known in the past is lost. I think not. All data of all reality systems, all worlds and all universes since the first speck of matter was formed is still flawlessly, electrically recorded in an inner electrical field so precisely configured that should the physical universe that you know today be destroyed, it could be reconstructed with this existing electrical data. That data is also a part of the inner psychic genetic structure of each and every minute speck of consciousness that is part of every electron, that is part of every atom, that is part of every cell, chromosome and by inference, every insect, bird, mammal and human today. (A Human being a specialized mammal for our discussions).

So, you are not some accidental physical creature in a universe formed by chance, but a purposeful creature in a purposeful universe that sought physical life to venture out into a strange new world like no other, encounter challenges, gain experience, grow in knowledge and wisdom and evolve into more that you ever thought possible. This could not have been accomplished if you had retained full knowledge of your heritage and protections. In order to learn the "Earth" lessons, you, in a way, had to be set adrift in an unknown world and learn to fend for yourself. If you were consciously aware that you were protected, that your identity was eternal, then no lessons could be learned in precisely the same way.

In a way, "All That Is" had to figure out how to bring about a sense of separation from His creations, or knowing their heritage, the created identities would have never ventured out into the true First Frontier of a newly formed universe, alone, but unknowingly, not alone.

Knowing this, you can getter a better perspective on living your life in a much more relaxed way, knowing that you simply "Can't do it wrong". You're only requirement here is TO BE. There are no other rules to follow, and the BEING itself is the reward. The real secret is to learn enough that you can begin to trust your own inner feelings and emotions and live with the knowledge that there is nothing to fear you are always protected. The intellect is a wonderful adaptation for the human species, but it alone cannot navigate the inner passageways of the mind, and all realities are mental.

You must learn to trust your inner feelings and emotions and not what others tell you. Do not listen to teachers, clergy or scientists that tell you things that just don't feel right in our heart. Words can lie, and often do, but your inner self, simply put, is not capable of leading you in the wrong direction. I have recommended before; Do not believe what I write here unless it has a ring of truth from your inner self, the inner self doesn't make mistakes. As you learn, this trust will increase as you become more aware of your abilities. It is also likely, that as you learn to trust your "inner nature", you will find your "extra sensory" experiences increasing.

When you finally learn to trust that "Inner Voice", you will begin to steer your life in the right direction and resistance will cease. Sure, there will still be challenges, but their significance will be minimal and best of all, answers will be forthcoming, and you will be able to live your life without fear. Life really is easy, when you know how to do it, and when you are done doing it, you get to do it again.

Graduation Gifts - Great Gifts to Give a Graduate

Somebody you know has recently graduated, but you are having a tough time figuring out what to get them. If this is the case with you, then you are not alone. Graduation is a very big and important accomplishment. It marks the end of one part of the person's life and serves as the beginning of the next. For such an important ceremony, you will want to give a memorable gift that is also commensurate with the type of celebration that it is marking. Therefore, for many, finding one can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there are a plethora of graduation gifts available that fit this description.

First of all, you will want to make sure that what you get is personalized for the one graduating. This could mean getting a gift that reflects the level of education the person is graduating from or the specific school they attended. If the person was fond of their school, then good graduation gifts for them might be alumni gifts which are personalized with the school's name. If the person is transitioning into a higher level of education, then it might be good to consider getting the graduate a number of gift items which reflect the school he or she will be going to next, such as a sweatshirt and mug with the school's name printed on each.

The graduate in question might be starting their career soon. In this case, you could get that person something that will help them with their job. For example, a practical gift for a person who just graduated from medical school might be a pager. On the other hand, some people might appreciate more sentimental graduation gifts. If that is the case, then making a photo collage of memorable moments from the honoree's high school or college years might be the way to go. You could buy a graduation photo frame to put the collage in to make the graduation theme even more apparent. Creating a poem about graduation might also be a good idea for these people.

If you don't know the person graduating very well, then general graduation gifts might have to do. Thankfully, though, these types of presents are widely available, such as a graduating bear or a mug with the phrase "#1 Graduate" or a similar saying printed on it. You could also find a website which specializes in these gifts and either buy or get ideas for presents from it. Whichever gift you end up getting, make sure it's a heartfelt one.

Photography Today Vs The Days of the Old

Photographs nowadays can be manipulated through digital format. There is no debate that this advancement in technology has made photography more acceptable to many. Unlike in film formats where only those who are really eager to know the basics of composition, aperture, focal length, exposure time and film ISO, are the once producing wonderful photographs. Nowadays, there could be the new terms like crop, saturize, and many other digital terms that are used by many so called photographers to enhance their photographs.

Come to think of it, photography has come a long way. Before the technologically advanced digital SLR's and the handy digital point and shoot cameras, there came a time when cameras where actually gargantuan in size (literally). Photography simply means, the art of drawing with light, and with the technology during the beginnings of photography; there is no such thing as a hole placed in a handheld device called camera. Everything before was bulky as they come. It was only later in years when the development of twin lens reflex cameras, rangefinders, and single lens reflex cameras turned cameras to becoming handy.

But if people will take a closer look, the fad of digital cameras is actually the beginning of photography's demise. Nowadays, there are the resurgence of the Lomo cameras, the cheap film cameras originally produced by the USSR. Now why would someone regress from advanced digital photography to film photography? If Hansel Adams were alive today, he will definitely be saddened by the lack of skill photographers generally have today compared to the good old days. According to purist photography enthusiasts, film cameras are expressions of what we are. And with the eve of digital photographic manipulation, it seems that the machines took over instead of us. If Hansel Adams was actually taking note of every single detail from aperture, to composition, to film ISO to shutter speed; digital photographers on the other hand would mindlessly shoot on subjects and let the software do the job afterwards.

Going back to the original definition of photography, it seems that they are really not the same anymore. Is it really just simply drawing with light? Or is it more than just drawing with light but instead, drawing with a software? Nowadays, machines took over our own identity as human beings, even to the extent of our creativity, the skill that makes us different from other species of animals. Instead of showcasing our skills and talent as a person; technology has blurred the line between talent and non-talent.

This is the reason why I personally think that film cameras will never die. Though faced with massive layoffs in their industry, there will still be the old pros and the new blood that keeps on getting into the turned subculture of film photography. Photography will remain an art for the longest of time, but with the way things are going with the digital age; it could be possible that even someone without the knowledge of photography could produce photos that are superficially stunning.

I cannot go to school. I can not go to school.

Grow Your Small Capital Seed - How to Turn 1000 Into a Million

In this day and age seed capital of around $1000 would be considered to be quite small, with its investment, with the aim of growing it into a meaningful sum, proving to be quite a tricky feat.

For starters, $1000 is a nice, round figure which would inevitably get eaten into by the procurement processes involved, like bank and other transaction fees.

In that respect then $1000, which is set aside for any type of investment, should be accompanied by a little bit of extra funds which we could call the "supporting funds" and this need not be in excess of only $100 more.

Investing $1000

While $1000 may indeed be considered very little seed capital to work with, that notion is true only in a certain context.

$1000 seed capital is more than enough to thrive on, as an investor, if you know exactly what it is you're going to do with it and it can even eventually help you gain entry into absolutely any field of investment you want to ultimately find yourself in.

Obviously you can't go out and start a venture capital fund with a $1000, but if you play your cards right, systematically working your way up the financial ranks, you could well end up running your very own venture capital fund, starting out with only $1000, or even less.

Right now though, $1000 is what's available as your investment seed capital, and you'd probably love to just add two zeros at the end of that figure, but how do you go about doing so?

It is no secret -- the fastest way to grow money is via investment, but not just any investment. Your investment will have to be passive.

In other words, there is only so much a person can do in a day so, how to turn 1000 into a million is a process that will have to be active even when you, as the investor, are busy doing something else. Money has to keep coming in even if you're on holiday somewhere on another continent, and this cannot happen if you're directly involved with the physical, day-to-day running of the actual mechanisms that generate more money from that which you've invested.

There are only so many hours in a day and there is only so much one person can do to generate funds, so you want to have an automated process in place that does all the work for you.

Choosing the Right Investment

If you are going to succeed in turning 1000 into a million, you will have to give your investment time to grow, after selecting the right one, of course.

Your best bet is to pump your money into the various structures parallel or peripheral to this Information Era we are living in. Make use of the mechanisms that drive the procurement of information as these happen at the speed of light and a whole lot of them can take place instantly, at the same time, so you'd want to align yourself with these mechanisms for maximum profitability.

More specifically, processes such as selling information, better known as electronic commerce, in the form of videos, electronic books or memberships to some exclusive, valuable information, all make up the gist of where the money changes hands online.

You can get in on the action by setting up your very own sales page, which is very easy these days, and selling an information pack that offers real value to the buyers.

On a more technical level, getting into things like online shares trading and transactional technical operations, like currency conversion or electronic payment exchange programs, is probably the best route to take if you want your 1000 to grow into a million very quickly.

Something like E-currency conversion services requires some extensive technical knowledge, but that is the type of knowledge that $1000 can buy you an abundance of.

Top To Do List For Freelance Photographers

Making money from your photography can be a great way to make a living. As a freelance photographer you can travel to exciting locations, work your own hours, and actually enjoy your work. Here are some of the top things to do that will ensure you are profitable as a freelance photographer.

One of the most important things you can do as a freelance photographer is to take a lot of pictures. One of the best ways to do this is to follow your passions and ask yourself an important question. What types of pictures do you like to take? Taking a lot of photos of your favorite subjects can help get you comfortable with your camera equipment and create images people want to see.

Think about the type of photographer you want to be. This should be based on your skill level, talents and interests. To really let your creativity come out you should concentrate your attention to the types of photography jobs that interest you. Keep in mind that many photographers take photos of a wide range of subjects. However, by focusing on doing what you love your creativity and passion will shine through in your portfolio which will open a lot of doors for finding the photography job of your dreams.

Obtaining technical abilities with your camera should be a high priority for any freelance photographer. You can do this by studying photography, getting a degree, vocational training, and on the job internship with a professional studio or photographer. Many aspiring freelancers will want to take courses on small business management so they can properly understand how to run a business of their own.

As a freelance professional you'll want to develop a winning image portfolio that shows off your best work. Many potential employees or clients will want to see what types of work you are capable of before considering working with you. Another important thing to consider is to submit your work to magazine and photo contests. Getting some publicity is a great way to jump start your success as a freelance photographer.

Wedding Photographers Are Profiting From This Knowledge in 2012

Wedding Photographers, who are still selling wedding albums for a profit, know that the choice of photo book they sell, determines whether their album selling is successful, so it is critical that they choose the right album that will aid, and not frustrate, their success. If the wrong book is chosen, the result is either no sales at all, or sales at such a low price, that there is no financial reward and therefore no point in selling the album in the first place.

The first step in making the right photo book choice is to understand your competition. The competition you must know about to help you make the right album choice first time, are not fellow wedding photographers, but are the big department stores and shopping centres. This is because the Australian chain store giants have made a serious push into the wedding album market, and have been successful in capturing coffee table book sales. The retail moguls machine print albums fast, on mass, at the lowest prices, and they promote and inform wedding couples of their books, in store, online, and in print, radio and television media. Wedding Photographers who are still selling photo books for a profit, know this, which is why when it comes to choosing the right album to sell, they immediately eliminate Coffee Table Books. In fact, based on this knowledge, they immediately eliminate all books that can be machine printed, because chain stores have this market sown up, and a photography business cannot compete against a chain store giant, and there is no point trying.

In knowing your big and powerful competition, you now know the type of books you can never successfully sell for a profit, and knowing the books not to sell, brings you half the way to knowing the right book to sell and profit from. You now know that the book you need to sell, must be a wedding album the chain stores cannot quickly machine bind and sell as cheap as chips.

So, what type or types of albums are off limits to the chain stores?

Before answering this key question, it is essential that you understanding some important features of the wedding industry, in particular, the album market, and how and where different albums fit in the wedding market place. An example from the food industry may help you see the album market and the consumers' perspective, more simply and clearly. This knowledge will help you avoid the disappointment of wasting your resources on bad album choices that will return you no profit.

Most of us have chosen Fast Food at a Take-Away, and most of us have eaten in a comfortable sit down restaurant. Let's look more closely and compare the two choices and experiences.

Fast Food is quick, cheap, and made to a price, while the restaurant is an experience you remember because of the food, the people with you, and the service. The restaurant costs more, but you get so much more. The Fast Food is fast, but the restaurant meal is worth the wait. The Take-Away meal is so quick and efficient, it looks and tastes like it was made in a factory by a robot, The restaurant meal you chose from a menu, and it is prepared as a one-off by a Chef who most likely personally selected and purchased the ingredients at the markets early that morning. More thought and care went into your restaurant meal, which is the reason why it looks, smells and tastes delicious, and why it costs more and is worth more. Fast Food has its purpose, and is great for the kids or if you are in a rush, but for a special occasion, for a romantic one-on-one precious time to remember together, you will choose your fine restaurant every time.

When successful Wedding Photographers choose the right photo book to sell, their considerations are similar to choosing between a Take-Away meal and a meal at a restaurant. If they choose a Coffee Table Book, it is like choosing the Take Away Fast Food. Yes, it is cheap and quick and has pictures in it, and it will do for the kids birthday, but it pales when compared side-by-side with a beautiful wedding album that satisfies the expectations of wedding couples and also lives up to what is expected of a family heirloom for future generations.

Besides the Coffee Table Book being unsuitable to play a role as a true wedding album, it never was a profitable book, as you cannot add a reasonable profit, because its low price was always a factor in couples choosing the Coffee Table Book, so there was never real profit to be gained by Wedding Photographers selling it. Now of course, there is no point in selling them, because shopping centres can retail them to couples for $50 to $200.

So now, let's discuss the album choice that can profit you, which has to be an album that shopping centres cannot make by fast machine binding.

The type of photo book that is still profiting Wedding Photographers is known as the Compression Page Album, and it can only be hand bound, so you are not competing on price against the books printed by the retail giants. Compression Page Albums still provide photographers a profit niche protected from the big retailers. These albums are in a class of their own, looking nothing like machine bound books, and instead they have a charming elegance and style, a little like the comparison between the bustle of a drive-through at your local take-away, and the romantic ambiance that sets the scene for intimate and private sharing between a man and a woman.

From first glance, you know you've discovered a book that is completely different to the common crowd of photo books. A book set apart from the rest, not just because of the look, but also because of the quality that runs deep. Similar to the restaurant Chef who chose the ingredients for your delicious meal which wasn't simply eaten but instead savoured and remembered as exquisite, so the expert hand binders chose the glues, papers, cardboards, vinyl colours and textures, carefully creating the permanent library bound strong spine to last, so the Compression Page Album looks gorgeous for many long years.

In case you have never heard of Compression Page Albums, let me define this class of photo book.

Firstly, they are named due their compression page, which begins life as thick cardboard, before being compressed under many tons of pressure for a 12-hour duration. This pressure achieves a strong stiff and long lasting page. Before the compressed pages are ready to be used by the binder, they are hand trimmed and sanded until the page edges are smooth and flat. The smooth and flat edges make it possible to colour the page edge. The pages edge make an important contribution to the overall look and style of these albums, which is not possible in other types of photo book.

Of course, couples who are looking for a special wedding album and are prepared to pay accordingly, desire additional photo book features too. Features that attract couples to pay more for a photo book include, understated elegance, hand bound professional quality, compression pages, flush mount, stiff pages, lay flat spreads, no cut photo centre, professional photo paper, finger touch photo protection, richer colours and blacker blacks in image quality, long lasting album durability, and long 5-year replacement guarantee on binding strength. A photo book that looks rare, distinctive, and unique is also more likely to be perceived by couples as being worth a higher price.

Because of the proliferation of common machine bound photo books sold cheaply today, the Compression Page Album shines all the brighter, giving the discriminating wedding photographer a golden opportunity to capitalise and still earn good profits in 2012.

The stiff page makes the best showcase for a wedding photographer's work, while also being synonymous with luxury and superior quality. In fact, these photo books are the strongest form of binding and the longest lasting type of albums.

Wedding photographers also get far more word-of-mouth referral from compression page photo books, because just like the ease of remembering a delicious dish, comfortable decor, and charming service for far longer than queuing for your Take-Away, so it is that these albums make a lasting positive impression. Be sure to include your logo and web address in your closing design page, because friends of the brides will not forget this album, and your business will experience more growth.

Smart photographers know that the cheap albums now sold in their millions through big retailers, are not an enemy to profits, but are actually a friend and the biggest profit opportunity for many years, because most photographers today are either giving up and leaving the industry, or are capitulating to shoot and burns and making no profit from album sales. Compression page albums give photographers a greater opportunity to profit.

To profit from this absence of photographers selling wedding albums, you will have to work harder and smarter, because more than ever before, Brides have to see your albums to see the difference in your albums compared to common machine bound albums. This means you will show your compression page albums on your home page so that Brides know the instant they arrive on your website, that you sell unique albums. You will make your first impression as a photographer, by photographing your photo books to show off their class, style, and elegance. The smart profiting photographer today, prompts a huge 'WOW' response in the first second the Bride enters their website and sees their album product. After all, everyone who makes a profit out of photography has to sell a product, and the photographers' product is their photo book. A wedding photographer is in commerce, so don't waste your website, get commercial. Product comes first and makes the first impression. If you sell cars you show cars on your website, and the same applies to those who sell houses, flowers, coffee, or anything. Second, be proud of your prices. Have two or three albums featured on your home page showing album features and prices. Have images on your website that show your albums both inside and out, along with your album prices.

Your photography should take second place to your photo books. Show a few of your best shots from a few of your best weddings. Don't overdo your number of photographs. The best 'WOWs' are achieved from the first few images. Remember that you are only whetting the Brides appetite for your photography, so don't turn a tempting taste tease into an all-you-can-eat pig-out, or it will cost you big time. You want the Bride's experience on your website, to be a small and delicious taste of what is to come in your Photographic Studio.

Be sure to include some 'WOW' page designs, but again, not many. Remember, your website is an important savouring exercise, designed to elicit phone calls or emails requesting appointments in your Studio.

In your Studio, have two or three amazing Compression Page Albums. Never have more albums than that and never have any other type of album in your studio if you want to make profit from photo book sales. Display a few 'WOW' wall prints, but not many or you will dilute their impact.

Display your very best 'WOW' album in a premiere position on the far wall of your studio, placing it on a distinctive album stand under a light that attracts all eyes to it.

At the Studio appointment, first seat your couple, go through the formalities and the courtesies, and have bubbly already poured in two unusually attractive glasses. Have soft lighting, gentle music playing quietly in the background, and seat the couple on a comfortable lounge. Your two other 'WOW' albums should be on a coffee table in front of the couple.

After your introductions and indicating their drinks, let them know your will leave them for a few minutes to give them a little time to relax and settle, and invite them to watch some of your work. Set the display of your work in motion on a big screen. All the while the couple will have the feature album on the stand catching their attention and developing their interest. The five-minute view of your work should progress at a relaxing pace and needs to include some romantic wedding photography, some photo book spread designs, and finish with some product shots of your albums in the hands of couples. On the coffee table, also have swatches showing samples of available album cover choices.

That initial five minutes for the couple to be alone, is important because it allows them to relax and settle after their drive to find you, and as they make themselves comfortable, they are making themselves feel at home, and feeling at home, helps them connect to your work, connect to your albums, and connect to you.

When you return to the couple, ask them about themselves and what they are hoping for their wedding day. Take a friendly interest in their choice of gown, shoes, hair, makeup, etc. It is important to chat and share with them like a friend about location and date. It is also very important to compliment the bride and bride's mother about personal things that will look beautiful in your photographs. The bride and bride's mother must know that you feel that they are photogenic and the photographs you will take will look beautiful.

Ask them if they saw anything on your website that they liked, and ask them if they have had time to see your photo books, and invite them to walk over to view your feature album. It is important to have your feature album positioned so they walk over to it and stand as they view it. Always have all your albums closed so your couples are the ones who open them to view them.

At this point, tell them you will leave them again for a few minutes to view your wedding books privately. Give them five minutes alone, return with some finger food, and refill their glasses without being invited (if they decline, offer juice or water). While they enjoy your finger food, talk about your albums, describing the available choices, album features, print and binding qualities, describing to them what a Compression Page Album is, and informing them of the many benefits it means to them.

Remember to emphasise the benefits in everything you do and sell. Display on your website a standard 10% discount if they book a photography and album package, and the 10% discount should be presented showing 10% off the photography and 10% off the album so it sweetens the package. In your Studio, reward couples with a 20% discount if they book and deposit immediately before they leave, and again the 20% discount should be presented showing 20% off the photography and 20% off the album, so it sweetens the package.

Present the 20% discount offer at the end of the Studio appointment, and excuse yourself for five minutes, letting them know you want them to have the privacy to discuss their decision together. On your return, simply ask the couple what decision they have reached.

Never make the mistake of talking technically or going into detailed descriptions of your camera and lens equipment. Simply let the couple know that all your cameras and lenses are professional quality and produce impressive quality photographs, and you have enough back-up equipment on the day so equipment failure will not be a concern on their big day.

If you exhibit at wedding fairs, make your display look similar to your studio. Remember that less is definitely more. Always show only what will deliver an instant knockout 'WOW,' but don't overdo it, or you will reduce the impact you're wanting to generate.

Promote and exhibit your albums everywhere you can, and always work in a manner that delivers a service experience that exceeds couples' expectations.

Don't pressure sell or up sell. Great albums sell themselves. It is more about setting the scene as described above. Once you have everything in place, then it all hinges on you. Be friendly. Be helpful. Be nice. Don't waffle. Have a simple step-by-step process as described above.

You can expect to pay $500~$1,000 (AUD) wholesale for a compression page photo book from a supplier, and depending on how well you execute the advice in this article, will determine to what degree you profit, because retail prices set by Australian wedding photographers range from about $2,000~$5,000.

You can profit in 2012, just like other wedding photographers, but it does not happen by chance.

I hope this wedding album selling advice will help you to increase your profits from your wedding photography in 2012.

Picture Perfect: How To Create Your Own Fashion Photography Spread

Often, designer fashion labels will hire photographers to shoot fashion spreads in order to showcase or advertise for their new lines. However, taking photos to represent a fashion line isn't just as easy as one, two, three... In fact, a successful fashion photography spread takes a lot of detail-oriented thinking, time and planning. That's pretty much the way everything goes in fashion design and this is no exception. If you're interested, here is your fleeting introduction to the whirlwind that is professional fashion photography.

First, as the photographer you'll need to set up a brief. In other words, you will need to meet with an editor or art director to discuss the concept of the photo shoot. In this stage, you work as a team to determine the theme or the type of emotions you want to convey in the photo shoot. Keeping the budget in mind, you will discuss all creative aspects of the project, including the color scheme, set, makeup, hair and the look of the models. All of this will come together to create the overall feel of the photo shoot, and the messages you will send to the viewers.

Once you have come up with a clear vision for the photo shoot during a brief, you can move forward with the project by employing a stylist and casting models. A stylist is a really important part of any photo shoot. He or she is the one that makes sure the models are dressed from head to toe in the most perfectly-fitted, cutting-edge looks. A stylist's primary responsibility is to make sure that the clothing on the models reflects the overall feeling agreed upon during the brief. Casting the right model is equally as important as the responsibilities of the stylist. No matter what clothes he or she is adorned with, the model's face and general demeanor must also fit the mood of the photo shoot.

On the day of the shoot, you must work within a clearly mapped-out time schedule to finish the job. The best way to figure the schedule out is to work backwards. Once you have established what time you must be off the set, you can figure out the time it will take you to pack up. Then you know what time you have to wrap up the shooting by. From that time, you can estimate the time it will take to actually shoot all of the photos you need. From there you can determine set-up time and so on until you're back at the beginning.

During the actual shoot, you will need to make sure that everyone on set is focused on their particular job. The collaborative aspects of a photo shoot are what make the result so beautiful and special. While you are focused on getting the exact pose from the model and lighting that you need to make the perfect photograph, make sure your set designers are focused on every aspect of the set looking perfect, while the stylist and hair/make-up artists are focused on making sure each thread and hair are in place.

All of this combined effort will leave you with a fashion photography spread that will have fashion school students all over the world swooning into the pages of their magazines!

Work At Home - Turn Your Hobby Into A Home Business

When you want to start your own home based business, it can be hard to decide what sort of business would suit you. If you have never had a business of your own before, how can you tell what you might succeed at? It can be easier if you start by considering your existing skills and interests. Could you turn your hobby into a business? Here are ten popular possibilities.

Cookery

If you can reliably produce delicious cakes and pastries, you could start a baking business with very little initial outlay. You probably already own all the basic tools. If your talent runs to making jams or pickles or bottling fruit, you will find your wares very popular at farmers' markets and fetes. If you live in the vicinity of offices or factories, a sandwich service offers a simple way to make money. The key to success with this business is being reliable; people will become regular customers if they know you will always be there to provide lunch whatever the weather.

Interior Decorating/Design

If you are good at painting and decorating, you can earn good money with your skills. This might not be practical if you are caring for young children, but if you have a flair for home decorating, perhaps you could offer an interior design service. A variation on this idea is offering a garden design service.

Gardening

If you enjoy gardening, you could raise seeds and cuttings and offer them for sale. Growing small plants does not need much space. If you have plenty of ground space, you could also grow some vegetables for sale. You could also produce seasonal gifts such as spring bulb arrangements for Mothering Sunday and Christmas table centrepieces.

Crafts

If you enjoy craftwork, creating gift baskets for special occasions can be very satisfying. Gift baskets are highly popular and can be made to suit just about any occasion. Candle making is another popular source of home based income. The modern environmentally friendly soy based candles are ideal for manufacturing at home. They don't have any smelly messy ingredients and it is easy to produce lovely scented candles that can be sold online or at craft fairs, fetes and markets.

Sewing

If you are handy with needle and thread, there are all sorts of possibilities. For example, you could make wedding dresses, offer a garment alteration service, make soft furnishings to order and produce soft toys.

Photography

If you enjoy photography, your hobby can easily be turned into a lucrative home based business. Photographic equipment is no longer horribly expensive and this is a business that does not take up masses of space or create a mess in your home. Wedding photography in particular offers a very satisfying career.

Antiques and Collectibles

If you know something about antiques and collectibles or are interested and prepared to learn, the buying and selling of these items can be a great source of fun and profit. Car boot sales and antiques fairs are good places to find saleable items at reasonable prices and to sell your own finds. You can also sell things through online auctions such as eBay.

eBay

Buying and selling items on eBay auctions is very popular and people can make a lot of money with comparatively little effort. People often start by selling a few unwanted items they happened to have at home and then finding themselves hooked on the experience. It has been said that you can sell anything on eBay and I honestly think that people really will buy anything they see there if the price is right!

Surveys and Competitions

Do you ever complete surveys in return for a free pen and a place in a prize draw? Do you ever fill in a missing word and send a prize draw coupon off to a breakfast cereal company? These are a couple of examples of fun and free ways to make a profit in the form of cash or goods. You might be surprised to learn that there are people who make a full time living just from entering competitions. Taking paid online surveys is one of the easiest and most popular ways of earning money on the Internet.

Child Care.

Ok, I admit I fudged this one a bit: looking after children is considerably more than a hobby. The desire to keep their children out of day care is the main reason people give for wanting to work at home, so I wanted to include this option. If you are at home looking after children anyway, why not add a few more? Places in good day care facilities are always in demand and it is no more difficult to look after four children than one or two. If you cater for guests in the same age group as your own children, they will play together and entertain each other. All you need to provide is a safe environment and a few extra toys.

Don't be put off the idea of having your own business by thinking your skills are only at amateur level. Private tuition (including online courses) is available for most subjects and many local colleges offer very cheap evening or summer courses. For a very small outlay, you can easily develop your level of expertise sufficiently to be able to offer a professional service. The important thing is to be doing something you enjoy.

Copyright 2006 Elaine Currie

Producing One Picture By Joining Different Parts Of Various Pictures

In olden days editing any photograph was something next to impossibility. This was looked upon as a cumbersome and complicated exercise. Making the picture bright was an ordeal. However the revolutionary developments that are taking place in the field of Photography and digital art have opened up a world of creative possibilities. With the advent of computer technology and several state-of-art digital software images editing and manipulation are being considered as some of the most sought after art forms in digital photography. One such photo editing technique is the art of creating a picture by putting together several pieces of completely new and different pictures. This photo editing technology is the ideal way to customize a new gift for your loved ones. Here one large stunning image is created out of several smaller images that are called cells. An effective combination of shapes, textures and colours of the larger image needs to be brought out to make the big picture a perfect one. This process is bears a close resemblance to one that is called pointillism where small individual points of colour or value are made use of to fool the eye into looking at a full image instead of the small points.

Photo editing techniques are becoming popular all over the world. Image manipulation is basically done on a digital photograph as well as other kinds of photograph. Here the photograph is actually divided into equal rectangular sections to create a visual effect that appeals your visual senses. In this sense image manipulation technology can be considered as a kind of an imaging art. The basic purpose of image editing is to enhance the quality and significance of the photo.

Different kinds of image manipulation -Images can be artfully manipulated in various ways. The most important function of an image manipulation technique is blending one photo with another. You can also use this image edition technique to add beautiful frames, flowers or animated images to your picture. Image manipulation is done to give a dreamy effect to your picture. This makes the entire image look sensational. One should be an expert in handling various image manipulation experts like colour, art, light, texture etc in order to provide the best effect to the picture. Photo editing is also used to make the face look smooth in the picture. For instance if your face looks a little dull you can make use of a particular photo editing technique where in you can reduce the dullness and make the picture look bright.

With various advancements made in the field of digital photography, image editing is the most sought after technology when it comes to enhancing the quality of any photograph. Image editing has totally changed the approach to digital photography. With the help of the various image editing tools like clipping path, colour correction, removing unwanted objects from the picture etc the properties of the image can be changed to improve the overall quality of the image. In all photo editing helps to create outstanding images and has totally redefined digital photography.

Professional Photography Degrees Are Fit For Marvelous Careers

All too often people come up with a lot of misconceptions about professional photographers. They often view them as privileged, having access to people and events others just dream about. They may think that photographers are always flitting off to tropical destinations for photo shoots. They look at photographers and wonder how they scored such a cushy job, just carrying around a camera and shooting pictures all day.

It may be easy to look at photography as a profession and develop that misconception. After all, photographers find themselves in some pretty exclusive situations. Photographers are needed to cover professional sporting events, star-studded celebrity affairs, political campaigns, terrible disasters-they are always right in the thick of the action, clicking away. How can people not be green with envy?

The truth is, photography requires a great deal of expertise and education. Photographers have to accumulate a large body of technical and artistic knowledge to ascend to the height of their profession. Just look at any professional's camera. The number of manual adjustments necessary to get the light and focus right before shooting can befuddle most mortals. The average Joe is contented to set his camera on automatic and never experiment with such things as shooting fireworks against an inky sky or capturing a downhill skier in the dead of winter.

To be sure, photography is a rewarding profession. The ability to take superb photos is highly rewarding in and of itself, and many camera buffs take it up as a serious hobby. With all the possibilities afforded by digital cameras and unbelievable computer programs with which to manipulate photographs, the profession is affording new possibilities all the time.

If you have a knack for photography, professional photography degrees have been the start for many people who are not in a position to attend a traditional trade school or college. Instead, there is a fantastic online program rooted in one of the nation's oldest and most respected photography schools. You can train for a photography career without interrupting your current schedule or breaking the bank. Online classes are a great solution for busy, budding photographers.

High Definition Makeup - Cosmetic Companies Paint an Unclear Picture!

At makeup counters, I'm a skeptic. Because I worked in marketing for 13 years, I can sniff out the ploys cosmetic companies use to pull the wool over our eyes. They've realized that in the land of video and photography, high definition techniques have pushed makeup artists and directors of photography toward changing their methods to account for the much clearer pictures we are now seeing on our TV sets and out of our still images. So the makeup companies have jumped on the band-wagon and tried to put the term "high definition" in as many products as they can to make a buck. The problem I have with it is that they don't perform and many labeled "high definition" can't actually be used in high def situations.

What is all of the buzz about high definition and filming anyway? High definition concerns for filming and photography are really the same as they have been in real life when we are looking at a person's face. What we see live is what we now see on the new high resolution TV screens or in photos. For TV especially, makeup artists and talent used to be able to get away with piling on heavy foundation to hide the ills of the skin. And doing a quickie makeup application was okay because a wayward lip liner was never noticeable for film, but that's not the case now. But it's never been the case when women are seen face to face in makeup. So the new "high definition" revolution really isn't a revolution at all; it's simply about film and photography crew putting more of a spotlight on achieving those fresh and natural looks we've always worn in our homes, offices and on the streets-everywhere outside a studio. They now have to capture reality. We only are hearing it labeled as a high definition situation because buzzwords are powerful attention getters. We stand up and listen and cosmetics companies know we will.

If you take out the term "high definition" to define our makeup, we are left with familiar descriptions of the way we've always wanted to appear in makeup, whether it's called "high definition" or not. We really are talking about makeup that performs well so that the skin still looks like real skin, pores aren't really noticeable, blemishes are hidden naturally, but the powder we use to hide them is also invisible; there are no obvious seams where a colour stops and starts-meaning the blend of the product is really smooth, there are no mismatches in the colours of the face with the neck, the shades are true to real skin and not too pink. And the makeup doesn't make the hairs on the face and jaw-line look like peach fuzz!

HD in the products means that cosmetics manufacturers have tried harder with foundations to make them fill in lines on the face, so often they contain silicone that is like spackle filling cracks on a wall. It feels beautiful but I find that silicone is too slippery and the foundations with this base, don't last as long; they almost seem to repel the makeup instead of allowing it to grab onto the skin.

HD in face powders means they are finely milled and when you touch them you can barely feel them on your fingers; one of the popular ones I've tried filled the lines around my eyes, smoothing them nicely but when I had my photo taken there was a huge white ring below.

The bottom line is that many of the products on the market are called high definition but when I've tested them in high definition situations, they don't perform. A popular one sold at a leading makeup mecca (no names mentioned. Don't want to pick on them too much) was way too pink and went on a little thick. Many of them also contain SPF which means you can't have your photo taken without a white ashy face flashing back in the final shot.

Here are what your high definition makeup looks should be aiming at and my favourite products to accomplish it. Sorry, they aren't the ones labeled high definition.

Skin that looks real. MAC Face and Body Foundation, Georgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, Cinema Secrets Cream Foundation, Kett Airbrush makeup systems (great when you are having someone else apply makeup for you)
Pores that aren't noticeable: Blot with MAC Blot powder
Blemishes covered naturally. Use Makeup Forever Full Coverage Concealer
Mascara that doesn't clump: Maybelline Great Lash
Under-eye concealers that aren't too thick but still cover your darkness: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector
Blushes that blend smoothly: L'oreal Bare Naturale Mineral Blush. "Pinched Pink" is a great universal colour

For women to get that high definition, "ready for my close-up" look, they need to augment their makeup shopping with a great skin care routine that includes skin moisturizers and treatment creams that are chemical exfoliants. I suggest a daily retinol cream; ROC makes nice ones as does Neutrogena. They must be packaged in metal containers to protect their active ingredients from decomposing. And about 3 times a week, use an Alpha-hydroxy Acid Cream of 8% strength. These powerful face products will keep the skin at it's best and ready for the products that actually do work, whether or not they are labeled high definition.

Live Music and Rock Photography Tips

Why Live Music Photography is different:

Three songs, no flash, low light, other photographers jostling for position, security guards like Rottwiellers, adoring screaming fans.... and a picky editor the next morning... a lot to deal with.

Stage photography is by nature different because you're capturing a performance where practically anything can happen if you haven't seen the show before. And the performers are going to be as dynamic as they ever get.

Its in a class of documentary photography. What happens may only happen once and it is therefore both difficult and fun. What follows is my take on how I feel about it.

I will cover preparation, being ready, passes shooting modes and in particular manual mode.

Gigs are also difficult because of low light and this will in turn dictate your equipment, along with the fact that it's a gig, what you can take with you is heavily dictated.

Photo Passes The difference between taking photographs and having to take photographs

The ratio between my shooting with or without a pass is about 50 50. If it's without one then the band will be made aware of my presence beforehand and this is enough in small venues.

If you don't have experience of shooting artists on a bigger stage then there is little point in trying to get a pass to do so.

Larger stages are different in that there is more scope but you need to work MUCH faster and be practically invisible to artist security and fan and you still need to keep composed enough to be creative. Its great fun and you should get as much of this experience as possible.

However, you need to be able to deliver so get local experience first and for years to come you should not refuse any opportunity to get more experience and a good one is local music publications (both print and online) This is because freelancers not connected to a publication are not considered a priority if at all.

Music Photography Equipment Gear for shooting live events in low light

Rock Photography is always better if you are shooting on a pass. If you get one or if you're meant to be there for the band then great. The equipment list is going to be one thing and the places you'll be able to get to will b superb.

However, if you're not meant to be taking gig photos there then you're physical position may be poor and the and the equipment you can take in will be limited to a little compact or some such.

Fortunately security don't bother taking these off people because everyone has a camera on their phone anyway but don't expect as good a set of shots. If that's a problem then decide if you're going to take a camera at all.... After all, you will have paid to see this band, presumably you like them so do you really want to spend the gig struggling for shots.... why not just enjoy yourself?

If you're using one of a number of Digital SLR cameras then, and this is just an opinion, don't bother opting for anything outside of the well trodden ranges of either Canon EOS Digital SLR which offer a huge range of available lenses for practically every type of photography or the excellent offering from Nikon

I am currently producing another lens which discusses equipment in full. probably two in fact.

Preparing to shoot a gig. Tips for getting ready for Rock Photography

I hate arriving unprepared. Might as well not bother. Rock Photography is no different and I'd like to share what I've learn't. Some of it is just ideas and maybe you wont care. your call.

First, for the love of god charge your batteries. Obvious yes but I've seen photographers batteries die on them. I also take a spare battery.

Next is Memory Cards. Use mid sized ones so you don't have all your shots on one card, bring spares and make sure whatever was on there before is safely stored in your systems and the cards are empty. This is good discipline and it forces you to ingest shots between gigs and get them into workflow. It means I am at a gig with a full set of cards to use.

Take with you all the contact details of everyone involved. You will need then about 50% of the time and security will if in doubt not let you in, and they also won't try to communicate with your contact if they are busy, or maybe even if they are not.

Wear black. The stage crews and roadies wear black, security wear black. this is so they aren't seen and distract from the performance. you should extend the same courtesy.

Auto Focus in Servo Mode shooting music with a DSLR

I tether the auto focus point to the metering point and I then shoot with AI Servo Mode, being prepared to mode the AF point.

The reason I do this is that frontmen/women move very fast, in and out of the plane of focus. If you shoot in other modes (such as half pressing the shutter then re-composing) this leaves you always running the risk of getting the point of interest (usually the eyes) out of focus.

This method works only if there is enough light to use the non-central auto focus points. If there isn't I go fully manual. What helps is to shoot with as wider aperture as possible. this doubly emphasizes the need to use autofocus on servo mode, because your depth of field is likely to leave you with very little space to play with.

Using spot metering for live music Choose your subject and allow the background

Live music lighting varies enormously making it impossible for in camera AI to determine the correct lighting because they are programmed for a very thin range of types of photography.

A bright light behind a performer may be what you want but your camera, set to evaluative metering will take it upon itself to over expose the background giving you a silhouette you may not want.

This is why I only shoot in manual mode, expecting under exposed shots (according tot he meter) because of the darker nature of a live music performance.

Shoot gigs in 'manual' mode. The camera cannot make decisions for you

OK so there are things to be said for shooting Live Rock Photography in aperture or shutter priority modes.

I once tried to shoot a gig in AV mode. I had spent money on f/2.8 lenses and I wanted to ensure I used it. This wasn't successful..

I then tried TV but hated it mainly because i ended up asking for aperture which was unobtainable.

Ultimately both these modes make the camera evaluate light and then adjust something to 'correctly' expose based on your exposure compensation settings.

But on those incredibly dark gigs or where the light is dynamic I found that I really needed control over ISO as well. This plus a belief that to shoot in manual mode all the time is good practice for a learning photographer makes me shoot manually all the time and I over time get a sense of things

Digital Photography - Backing Up Your Images Without Losing Quality

One of the biggest benefits of digital photography is that you can take as many pictures as you want at virtually no cost - with no developing and printing or film to pay for there's nothing to stop you shooting away to your heart's content.

And today's personal computers come with such huge hard drives that it'll still take years until you fill them up with your digital photos. But there is a downside to keeping all your irreplaceable photos and memories on your computer's hard drive; what happens if (or some would say when) it goes wrong, or is lost through accident or theft? You're left with nothing - especially if, like most people, you print only a small proportion of your photos. With this in mind, here are a few tips on making sure your precious JPEGs are as safe as they can possibly be.

Backing up

By far the best course of action is to back up all your digital photos. Virtually all modern PCs can burn CDs, and you'll be able to fit from around 100 to over a thousand images (depending on resolution) on a single disk costing under 50p. If you really value your photos I would recommend making two copies of each CD you write, and storing one of the copies somewhere safe - or at least somewhere separate from the computer itself.

In an ideal world you'd have one set of CDs at home and one at work, but of course this might not be possible. If you take a lot of high resolution photos you might want to consider using DVD%2B/-R as an alternative to CD%2B/-R (DVDs hold around seven times more data than CDs). If you need access to your images regularly, you might consider a large external hard drive (with a FireWire or USB 2.0 connection) to store them on (in addition to the CD or DVD backup) - that way if the computer fails you'll still have access to your images.

Other backup options

If you don't shoot a huge amount of images you can back copies of your images using an online photo sharing site, such as fotki., which offers free uploading for modest collections or unlimited web storage for a small annual fee. Such sites also have the advantage that you can access your images from any computer with web access, anywhere in the world, and many also offer mail order printing of your pictures. Of course storing your images online is only really practical if you've got fast internet access in the first place so broadband is a distinct advantage. It's also worth checking with your ISP to see if they offer a similar free service.

The file format of every image file has a suffix in order to show what type of file format the file is - like this:

Image1.jpg or Children.Gif or Wedding.Tiff or Windmill.bmp etc

In digital photography, however, the files used are normally in jpg, tiff or raw format. Unless you have altered your camera settings, your camera will save your images as jpg (or jpeg), pronounced jaypeg.

JPEG files also have the advantage that they can be opened and read by virtually all popular software packages. But by far the most important thing about JPEG is that it allows photos to be 'compressed' - squashed down so that they occupy much less space on your memory card or computer hard drive.

A typical 3 megapixel digital photo contains around 9 Megabytes' worth of information. So if you've got a 64MB memory card you'd be looking at a maximum of seven shots before it was full. However, JPEG uses some very clever maths to reduce the file size to as little as 1/100th of its original size without reducing the number of pixels in the image, thus allowing you to save many more pictures.

But there is, inevitably, a downside. In order to make such space savings JPEG has to discard some of the information in the original photo. This is referred to as 'lossy' compression, (because something is lost). But it's nowhere near as bad as it sounds! JPEG offers the option to vary the amount of compression, and the less compression used, the less noticeable the loss of quality is to the human eye.

The problem is that each time you open a jpeg and resave it, you take a little of the image quality away from it. Viewing without resaving is OK but if you want to crop, rotate or edit the image and resave it, you will suffer a loss of image quality each time.

It is best to save a separate copy of the modified image and experiment on that and only use your original images for viewing. However, there is a better way of storing your original images (and edited ones) whilst retaining maximum image quality - but more of this in another article (Editor permitting).

Aerial Photography Using RC Helicopters

Over the last year the use of remote control helicopters for aerial photography applications has taken a massive leap forward into the mainstream. This is mainly due to more exposure in the press and thus more people knowing what is possible. The basic technology has actually been available for a while now, although recently it has become cheaper, more reliable and with a few new innovations, much safer.

So how can you go about getting your own aerial photography rig in the air? There are three main elements to consider:

* The helicopter airframe you wish to use.
* The camera gimbal, control and viewing system.
* Stabilisation and autopilot technology.

The best way to decide what remote controlled helicopter to use for your aerial photography project is to first decide what camera or camera weight you would like to use. If you decide to go for a budget option with a small point-and-shoot, then you can get away with a smaller helicopter to lift the weight. However if you want to go all out with DSLR aerial photography, then you will need a larger helicopter, at least a 600-class to lift the required weight. Stick with electric motors the benefits being less vibration and noise. The helicopter should be of a good build quality, being able to endure heavy lifting, and then modified to your requirements, the Align and Maxi Joker series are a popular choice.

Once you have a helicopter ready to go, make sure you can fly it comfortably. Then you can look at the best way to mount your camera system - in front or under slung. Both will work better in different situations, however I prefer a front mounted system, as this is easier to isolate from vibration, and allows a better angle for filming. The weight can easily be offset by mounting the batteries below the tail. Vibration isolation is very important; it is most certainly worth buying a more expensive mount that does a better job of this. Control can be achieved through a second radio system (and a second operator is recommended). Controlling pan, tilt, roll, shutter and many other functions is possible as well as video down links so you can see and frame you shots from the ground.

Flight stabilisation for remote controlled helicopters has moved forward very quickly recently, with great new innovations as well as military UAV technology making its way into the commercial market. I would recommend at least a basic system, as it will provide a much more stable platform to shoot from. If you are an experienced pilot, this will be enough. However if your budget can accommodate the outlay, there are autopilot systems capable of flying your aerial photography helicopter with no manual input via pre-programmed GPS waypoints. Safety is also a great benefit of these systems, from holding the helicopter stable if communication is lost, to returning it to its take-off point automatically with the more advanced systems.

A final word must be said about insurance and permission to conduct aerial work within the UK. So far as I know there is no equipment cover available for small unmanned aerial photography vehicles in the UK, there is however cover available for public liability and professional indemnity, both of which I recommend taking out. Finally the Civil Aviation Authority requires that any aerial work carried out in the UK has permission from them to do so. They are considered the leading body in this field and thus many other countries are following their approach.

Fun Valentines Day Gifts for Guys and the Best Valentines 2011 Ideas

Valentine's 2011 is approaching, and while some may only start shopping last-minute, planning a really special, non-cliched Valentine's Day takes a little bit of effort! This is especially the case when you're shopping for the perfect Valentines gifts for him and you're tired of being cheesy or boring, but you have to stick to a budget. If that's the case, check out these fun budget-friendly ideas to spice up your V-day!

CREATIVE VALENTINES IDEAS FOR ALL THE MEN IN YOUR LIFE

No matter what his interests are, or whether you're trying to make it a happy Valentines for your Dad, husband, or boyfriend, here are some of the best Valentines ideas to bring a smile to anybody's face and transform a holiday that can sometimes be a bit cliched from dull to delightful.

• The way to a man's heart is through his stomach: Everybody loves a home-cooked meal, so it's hard to go wrong with this idea for V-Day! It's also less expensive than dining at a fancy restaurant. For a special finishing touch to the evening, get a fondue set like the Toastess Fondue Maker from Buy.com and enjoy some delicious chocolate fondue, or brew up a latte for your loved one with the funky Espressione Cafe Retro Espresso/Cappucino Machine from Sears.com.


• Long-distance love: If the man you love lives in a different city or country, you can still make it a special Valentines 2011 by sending email gift cards. It's also a great way to save as there are no shipping costs on online gift cards.


• Personalized presents: Incorporating your memories into a gift is always a great way to add a unique touch to your Valentines gift. For instance, if he's missing your home-cooked meals, you could put some of your favorite recipes onto an iPad for him, or put a fresh spin on the mixed tape by uploading music from fun times you've had together onto his iPod.

If you're looking instead for the perfect Valentines Day gifts for guys based on personality, check out the following gift ideas, sorted by type.

HIGH-TECH VALENTINES GIFTS FOR THE GADGET GUY

• Blu Valentine: There are a lot of portable DVD players on the market, but with Blu-ray quickly becoming the standard for movie-watching, consider getting a portable Blu-ray player for the tech guy on the go - the Samsung BDC8000 Portable 3D Wi-Fi Blu-ray Player from TigerDirect is a terrific option, with a 10.3" screen and both 3D and Wi-Fi capabilities.


• Kinect with him: The Microsoft Kinect motion-sensing system for Xbox 360 is one of the hottest gadgets on the shelves right now, so if your guy is a big video game buff, get him the Microsoft Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect and the Kinect Adventures game, available at Kmart.com!


• Photo finish: Digital SLRs are becoming really popular as more people want to have quality photos for their blogs and for social networking, so if you're buying for a man who's a little artsy and a little high-tech, check out a camera like the Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR from Sears.com!

SPORTY VALENTINES DAY GIFTS FOR GUYS WITH ACTIVE LIFESTYLES

• Take a hike: If your man loves the great outdoors, help him stay warm and dry during his hikes with the North Face Atlas Triclimate Jacket from Shoebuy.com! The fleece interior jacket is removable so he can use it in multiple seasons, and it has a waterproof breathable outer shell.


• Camp out: A good, lightweight three-season tent makes for a great Valentines gift for the camping enthusiast - try something like the Texsport Phoenix Tent from Sears.com for your next romantic backpacking adventure together.


• Stay on track: Don't get lost while venturing off the beaten path - get him a GPS navigator like the Garmin eTrex Venture HC Portable Navigator, available from Mwave.com.

THE PERFECT FIT WITH STYLISH VALENTINES GIFTS FOR THE WELL-GROOMED MAN

• Off the cuff(link): Cufflinks make for elegant and classy Valentines Day gifts for guys. For a fun twist (or if you're shopping for a guy's first pair of cufflinks), try the Blue Button Mother-of-Pearl Silver Plated Cufflinks from Forzieri.com.


• Watch it! Every guy can do with a nice dress watch, and you can really make a big style impact with something like the Caravelle Men's Stainless Steel Chronograph Watch with Diamond Accent from Sears.com, which is set with eight genuine diamonds.


• Here comes the sun: Sunglasses are the perfect accessory for any man, especially if you choose a bestselling classic style like the Ray-Ban Aviator Outdoorsman Sunglasses, available at AC Lens!