Promotional Parker Pens - The Definite Advertising Tool

If you were businessperson, then you would probably know that suitable advertising strategies are necessary to send your business to people in impressive way. Unless proper advertising is done, people will not get to know about the business venture in the proper way. This will lead to the business suffer badly. The success and failure of a business depends mostly on the way advertising and marketing is done. Unless proper marketing technique is applied, the business is bound to meet with negative reviews. There are a number of marketing strategies used to highlight a business organization and to create a brand name in the market.

One such strategy is to distribute promotional items like umbrellas, mouse pads, pens, printed mugs, caps, t-shirts, key rings, etc. All these products are given away while imprinting the business organization logo and name over the body of the items. Although each of the above mentioned items are good ones to give away as promotional gifts, but none can match the fine carvings and excellence of promotional Parker pens.

The renowned name of Parker is enough to make these pens make an instant favorite among the receivers receiving the gifts from the hands of the donor. Parker pens UK features for class, excellence and sophistication. Therefore, giving away these naturally generates enormous curiosity among the people about the type of company that are giving away such expensive products.

However, it is only the brand name that makes these items expensive. Therefore, distributing low-priced edition of these is not at all a bad option when thinking of distributing ideal promotional gift items. The Jotter and Vector are two fine items that comes out from the house of the Parker Pen Manufacturing Company. These two are less expensive in pricing but features for fine looks along with great writing experience.

The items don't come without casing. Each and every Parker pen comes with an attractive casing. The higher ranges also come with fine gift boxes. The most common colors available are red, white, black, and blue. The recent market has seen a lunching of printed Parker pens. They have great designs imprinted over the body of the pens to give them a unique fancy look.

Giving away these items as promotional gifts helps in uplifting the status of a company. Moreover, maintaining a great business status in the market (that is so full of competitions) helps in making the business flourish with a greater success ratio

Spring Is the Perfect Opportunity to Take Adult Education Courses

Spring is rapidly approaching, and you are probably preparing to enjoy the outdoors. If you are looking for a new hobby, or want to resume an older one, it is never too late. If you do not possess the experience you feel is required, that is not a problem either. Many schools offer adult education courses, where students pick up new hobbies and crafts. If you are looking for something new to learn this spring, let this article give you a few ideas, some of which are listed below.

Photography
With the upcoming season brings longer days, as well as more picturesque settings like various colored leaves. Adult education courses exist to teach you how to not only use a digital camera, but also learn the various settings, and how to perfect your photography. You learn the meaning of terms like aperture, International Standards Organization (ISO), and shutter speed. These courses will teach you the basics, and get you on your way to becoming a shutterbug, or even a professional.

Gardening
In the spring, many people head outside to do a little gardening. If you have never done so, but want to get a "green thumb", take a few courses to learn how it all works. In addition to planting a few lovely flowers, you could also grow some fruits and vegetables. If you resolved to eat healthier this year, let a homegrown garden be the key to you maintaining your resolution.

Home Improvement
Just like with gardening, many wait until the weather improves to make repairs around the house. But before you get on the roof or replace any windows, you may want to take a course to get a feel of what you will have to do. You may also have to obtain a permit from city council beforehand.

Outdoor Activities
When the weather warms up, going on outdoor excursions is always a good idea. Adult education centers offer various exercise courses, including those related to cycling, hiking, and swimming, all of which are popular outdoor activities in the spring. You may even learn new workout tips to help keep yourself in shape throughout the year, and thus reach your New Year's resolution.

If you work or go to school during the day, adult education courses are very conducive to your schedule. You could easily take evening classes after dinner. These evening classes are usually once or twice a week, allowing you to get back to get back to your family.

The Crisis of Fine Arts Education

In these days of budget cuts and limited resources, it's often the case that fine arts classes are the first to be cut. This is unfortunate, since a well-rounded education must include the arts. Studying the arts, whether in the academic study of art appreciation, or learning how to actually do art, is crucial to teach young people how to think creatively and independently. Some studies have shown that students that participate in a strong art education program demonstrate higher performance in other academic areas. Expert conjecture this is due to the fact that when people do art, they exercise the right hemisphere of the brain, where higher reasoning functioning occurs.

Art education is an area of learning based upon the visual, tangible arts, such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and design in jewelry, pottery, weaving, and fabrics. These days, it includes photography, video, film, design, and computer art.

The first art schools were mentioned by Plato in 400 B.C. Art was taught in Europe through the Method system for centuries. Artists, like most guilds, took on apprentices who learned their trade. During the Renaissance, more formal training took place in art studios. Design was emphasized more than the fine arts, so schools of design were founded throughout Europe during the 18th century. In modern times, art education takes place across the generations in community-based institutions and organizations like museums, local arts agencies, recreation centers, places of worship, social service agencies, prisons, and schools.

There are thousands of art education curricular models, or ways to teach art appreciation and how to do art. Some experts insist that drawing is the basis of all Western art education, at least since the Renaissance. Once you teach someone how to draw, they say, you can teach them all other forms of art because drawing is an empirical activity that involves seeing, interpreting, and discovering the appropriate marks to reproduce an observed phenomena.

Many state that an important part of a well-rounded education is at least a basic understanding of art history, including the numerous movements in art throughout the ages. A good understanding of art history, however, includes more than memorizing artists, their works, and when they were created. It involves an understanding of the trends in the art world. Even artists should have a good comprehension of the history of art, if they are to find out how they wish to express themselves to the world.

A good artist needs both an in-depth education in the history and appreciation of art and lots of studio time. Most art schools devote thirty percent of their coursework to academic fields of study, like art appreciation and art history. How can you develop your artistic vision if you don't know what's gone before?

It has been said, "We stand on the shoulders of giants." This is especially true in the art world. You need to be able to answer when someone asks who your influences are. What does it mean to be a post-modern painter, for example? Or an abstract impressionist? Only a well-rounded education in the arts will help you answer those questions, and how they apply to you and your work.

High School Cheerleader Senior Pictures

Cheerleader senior photos are an incomparable way to remember that special time in the life of a cheerleader. A time before the demands of the real world forced career decisions and school choices, a time before family burdens, a time in which mom and dad's little girl was just a the crossroads of being little and being a young woman out on her own. These moments are often too short, and they can pass right by you if you are unprepared. Once those moments are gone, they are well and truly gone and will never return again, which is why getting senior photos of cheerleaders is so important.

Cheerleaders are special people with powerful charisma and charm that they use to rally the crowd and inspire a team, and capturing that charisma and charm is extremely difficult. Why is it so difficult? For the same reason that looking at a picture of a sports game is not nearly as good as watching it live or even on television, a photograph of a highs school cheerleader must be just right in order to catch the very moment at which the apex of charisma and charm combine to create inspiration.

A sub-par set of senior pictures will fail to capture that inspiration and will look, well, un-inspiring. That is why you need to take care when choosing your photographer, as only the most skilled and well-equipped photographers have the vision, experience, training, and gear needed to produce the amazing cheerleader senior photos that will last a lifetime. A lifetime might seem like a long time, but the truth is that once high school ends, the real world begins for most students. This might mean a job, school, a job and school, or other responsibilities. With an incredibly suddenness, the life of a cheerleader can be replaced by the life of a pre-med student, or the life of a fast food restaurant manager. In short, life will probably take a while to get better than that experienced by the average high school cheerleader during their senior year.

These changes to life can be sudden for the cheerleader, their friends, and their families, which makes having those precious moments capturing in stunning photos even more important. Sitting around a table reminiscing with the help of photos can certainly help cheer everyone up, but they can also help show new friends and acquaintances just who you are based on who you have been. Being a cheerleader is important, and it helps others to understand how dedicated you are by seeing a wide variety of senior cheerleading photographs.

Luckily, the natural environment in Tampa often helps turn otherwise great senior photographs into simply stunning memories captured and crystallized forever in the form of photographs. The clear blue skies, the amazing views, lush environments and more don't detract from the beauty of our Tampa senior cheerleaders, they actually add to that natural beauty. Few cities are lucky enough to be blessed with such amazing views and such amazing young people willing to inspire their friends, families, and classmates. That's worth at least a few photographs, don't you think?

My First Canon 450D

After sometime I finally get myself the first Canon 450D. Here is my SLR.

I find it quite fascinating taking pictures around with DSLR. It is indisputable for this new Canon 450D. The pixels, functions, the Live View also help a lot and it convenient me from taking pictures in different angle. If you are not an advance photographer which your photos require higher resolutions and pixels and you are always wanted to learn SLR, either you follow because your friend get a good photos or it is for your own little hobby, don't doubt anymore. Go and get it! You may get some useful information of this Canon 450D from Canon's official site.

There are few tips I would like to share how I start to learn photo taking. I am sharing for my experience how I started.

Tips for beginner - DSLR

YOU ARE ONLY A BEGINNER and I don't agree that you spend too high to get an expensive DSLR. You may make your survey now around the market and you may get one below MYR2000 which usually it comes with a kit lens. You can just get the basic DSLR one in this price range. Once, I were advised that old models does not mean the camera is not functioning well, you may just get the basic first and get used with the functions and learn to shoot only for basic pictures.

I READ MAGAZINES AND PHOTO BLOGS to know more about photography. Reading materials do help because a lot of well known photographers usually share their words and pictures through their own blogs or they might write it in the magazines. Not only pictures, most of the reading materials do provide full information about the differences of SLR and its lenses. I suggested this as for the most economical way of learning about photography and skills for photo shooting. You may spend a little to attend classes or seminars held by photographers too. I may recommend you to this blog which it provides full details about photography. If you are in Malaysia you may visit this forum for discussion and sharing.

ALWAYS GET A THEME of what kind of picture you want to shoot. You would not know what to take if you do not have a theme. The direction of the photo is important as each photo tells a meaning Again do not scratch your head the best theme as this will consume a lot of time for taking pictures. As for example there are photographers shooting for weddings, natures, birds, or portrait. At least with a theme you know what is your mission or goal for the day else you will just end up holding your DSLR but you would not get the best pictures you want. Prepare yourself a portfolio or plan then slowly you will see the result.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND PRACTICE until you gets used with your new DSLR. Apply your knowledge you have learned in photos you are taking. What I do usually I use pictures that I have taken and share it in the forums. Through forums there are more advance photographers to comment on your pictures and from the mistakes, you learn again. Enjoy!

A Listing Of The Top Photo Shoot Locations Los Angeles

You could find every design of architectural mastery. You can take a trip up and down the seaside to check out every single distinctive beach locations. You can also visit different parks and canyons to flee the feeling of LA totally to discover nature hikes, jungles, and even waterfalls. Photography enthusiasts in Los Angeles looking for photo shoot locations other than the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Union Station as well as City Hall will discover a higher possibility of unique photos at the following sites. The following are the lists of photo shoot locations Los Angeles.

1. Olvera Street is a historical strip in downtown LA located across from the Union Station. A mini version of Mexico, it is colorful and full of culture. Stores as well as restaurants dot the modest locale where one can find clothes, sombrero hats, hotcakes, churros, mariachi performers and the whole bit. Bright doorways as well as adobe buildings produce some incredible backdrops for professional pictures.

2. Inside the grounds of Chinatown is a classic location for taking photographs as it is rich in culture, color and architectural mastery. Rush Hour featuring Jackie Chan was shot right here.

3. Los Angeles Arts District is in the midst of undergoing an urban reconstruction following being gentrified, but there are lots of fascinating scenery to take advantage of before additional revamping happens. Search out the place for artsy graffiti, vibrant walls having random wild plants growing in nooks and crannies and other gritty areas that are hidden gems. Once upon a time referred to as Warehouse District, the Arts District is situated between Alameda, First, Violet streets and the Los Angeles River.

4. Barnsdall Art Park is home to the Independent Shakespeare company every single summer and a center for developing the arts. Many of the structures on the park are specially designed by the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The park is filled with nature, hillsides, stairs and wonderful views of LA.

5. Metro train stations give fascinating backdrops for photo shoots as each is unique with assorted designs and wall art. The North Hollywood station located on Lankershim Boulevard and Chandler Boulevard is a vibrant option. Shoot during off-peak time.

6. The Standard Hotel Rooftop Bar creates a wonderful background for portraits-hip as well as trendy with a swimming pool as well as lovely vistas of the city's skyline. Getting access and authorization for a professional photo shoot may take some work, but it will probably be worth it.

7. Viceroy Hotel Santa Monica is a perfect location for indoor photo shoots. Trendy interior with posh design and style, the hotel is really a luxurious urban retreat spot as well as situated right next the beach front.

Listed here are the top ten Los Angeles engagement photography sites:

1) Venice Beach
2) Griffiths Park Observatory
3) Walt Disney Concert Hall
4) Manhattan Beach
5) Millard Canyon
6) Santa Monica
7) Downtown LA
8) The Getty Museum
9) The University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
10) Corona Lake.

Before going to these photo shoot locations Los Angeles, remember to handle any red tape beforehand in order to avoid getting into permit problems. It's also a great idea to go to and see the location in advance to generate a mental note of how to construct as well as compose each photo.

Ansel Adams - American Photographer

Ansel Adams was born on February 20, 1902 in San Francisco. He became one of America's most well-known and beloved photographers during his lifetime. Adams is acclaimed for his detailed black-and-white images of landscapes, especially throughout Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, but his work actually covers everything from natural landscapes to architectural photos and even shots of Los Angeles freeway interchanges.

His style is stark black-and-white, with an obvious appreciation for shadow, light, and the many nuances these elements can produce in a well constructed photograph. He treats each image as a detailed and extremely sharply focused view from edge to edge, but the most striking thing about his photographs is his obsessive concentration on shadow and light, using natural light to highlight just the trunk of a tree or the sensual curve of a freeway on ramp. Adams was a master of light and darkroom development, and that is the style he developed and is most remembered for during his career as a photographer.

His severe black and white images showed greater depth and detail than other landscape photos of the day, which helped make his work unique and very collectible. He worked all of his own negatives in the darkroom, dodging and burning areas that he wanted to highlight or downplay. He could spend entire days and nights feverishly working until he got his intended results from the negatives.

As he became a more experienced photographer, Adams gradually developed a system for creating and developing his negatives that he called the "Zone System." This system was a scientific system that he used to effectively manipulate the tonality of the photo. A photographer could see an image, and perfectly recreate it in the finished photograph. The system revolutionized the way photographers shot and developed their work, and photographers everywhere began to use the system that is still in use today.

Adams also helped form a ground-breaking photography group, called Group f/64. It was named after the lens aperture that allows the greatest depth of field and detail in photography. The organization only lasted formally about a year, but it made history by encouraging photographers to use detail and to create photography that only celebrated the art of the photograph.

Although Adams died in 1984, his work is still extremely popular today, and it has been reproduced in everything from calendars to posters and coffee table books. He felt deeply about using his photography as art, and totally understanding the medium and its technicalities, in order to produce the best work possible. Some of his most famous works include "Moon and Half Dome," "Sand Dunes - Death Valley," "Nevada Fall, Rainbow," and "Canyon de Chelly."

Cheap Photo on Canvas Prints - The Cheapest Way to Turn Photographs Into Works of Art

If you have ever searched around for pictures for your home, then you will know how shocking it is when you see the price tag attached to good quality prints nowadays. Well, thanks to recent advancements in printing technology there is now a more personal and affordable option. Cheap photo on canvas prints made from photos that you have taken yourself.

Why buy over-the-counter, standard, mass-produced images on canvas to hang on the walls of your home when you can now purchase cheap, unique, personalised canvas prints that make far superior looking pictures, tailored specially to your taste and at a third of the price. But don't be fooled. Just because these prints are cheap, it doesn't mean they look cheap. The materials used to make them can range in quality from very good to very poor, but provided you buy prints from a company with a good reputation and not a low quality manufacturer, the canvas print should have a look which is perceived as much more expensive than it actually was.

As digital cameras are now capable of taking photographs at such high-resolution, we can now take photographs ourselves that could have only have been taken by a professional photographer 10 years ago. This opens up a whole new opportunity for us all to step away from the mainstream manufactured prints and surround ourselves with high-resolution images of our own personal experiences instead. With 10 megapixel cameras now the standard, that breathtaking sunset image that could once only be seen on a shop wall with a hefty price tag, can now be created cheaply as a one-of-a-kind piece of art, especially for you. (All you need is a camera, a beautiful backdrop and a sunset!... Shouldn't be too hard to find in England!)

With the economy the way it is today, many people are seeking cheaper alternatives to long-established forms of art. With digital photo frames still very expensive and standard glass/wood picture frames now quite dated, canvas prints have become a very popular alternative for many who are looking for ways to add character to their homes.

What better way to decorate the walls of your home than to transfer your favourite images onto canvas. Whether photographs of scenery that you have taken yourself, family photographs, photos of famous landmarks taken whilst on holiday, photos of special occasions or wedding/christening photographs, whatever the occasion/event/special memory, printing that image on canvas will create something that not only you will cherish, but that others will cherish for years afterwards. This is because if you buy a good quality canvas print it will have a lifespan of over 75 years.

As well as a fantastic option for displaying images around your own home, photo on canvas prints also make perfect gifts for friends and loved ones.

If you would like to transfer a photo to canvas, be sure to pick an image that is high in quality. Although images of a slightly lower quality can still be transferred onto canvas with great results, high-resolution images or images that are taken on a camera which is 5 megapixel or above, will produce much crisper and clearer results.

Facebook Model Search Can Benefit Photography Studios

As many photography studios are finding out, Facebook is an excellent marketing tool for photographers. Once a photographer has a number of friends, those friends will expose their friends to the photographer's specials, videos and pictures. One of the challenges of course is getting started. Once you already have a corpus of people who mark you as their friends, all of your wonderful work will be distributed through those people to encourage other people to become friends; however, the question arises how do you quickly get a number of friends to get the ball rolling.

One way to accomplish this goal is to seek models in the market in which you would like to become a Facebook member. For example, if you are seeking to expand out into the senior market you can use senior models. There are a number of ways in which you can find these models. You can send out direct mailings to high school seniors seeking Facebook models; or a flyer on a permitted on campus event might be a good way to find models. Once you've decided on how to find the desired models, you need to be selective in who you choose. You want someone who will represent the product you are trying to portray in a positive way and is active in their Facebook account. For example, if you are trying to present a positive upbeat image, you don't want to choose someone who has a Facebook page covered with negative remarks. Also as is usually the case in any photography advertising, you want to find someone who is attractive.

Once you've identified your models offer the models and incentive for posting the pictures you take on Facebook. For example, you could offer them a $30 print credit if they post their pictures. Offer a free video collage of their pictures if they are willing to post it to their Facebook account.

After you've posted the pictures, don't go out and ask all of your model's friend to be your friend. Wait for them to come to you. Remember you are a guest with your models Facebook friend. Only become friends with those who seek you out. You need to keep a positive reputation in the community.

Remember your pictures should have your logo somewhere on them so that those looking at them will know where and how to contact you.

Facebook is a great marketing tool for photographers and photographers can use senior models to effectively begin to build their marketing base.

Sharper Photos Using a Table Top Tripod As a Chest Pod

Most photographers today, both amateur and professional, have a Table Top Tripod in their gadget bag for use when photographing small objects on a "table top," or for bracing on top of a car, wall, or fence when a full size tripod isn't available or practical.

There are times, however, when you want the support and vibration stopping of a tripod, but the subject is moving around way too quickly - you just can't get reoriented fast enough to get the shot: just think about shooting photos of an active child on a playground. But you really do want the steadiness that a tripod affords for sharper photos that can be blown up big and still be eye-catchingly sharp.

Enter the classic table top tripod.

By twisting it around into a novel configuration with the tripod against your chest and the camera to your eye, you can brace the camera to get much of the stabilizing power of a tripod on the floor - but the flexibility to move around quickly with fast moving subjects.  It also can be braced on a wall, fence, the side of a house - anything that gives you the stability you need for the sharpest photos.

I have two. First, a classic Leitz Table Top Tripod with Large Ball and Socket Head. I think this is no longer made (mine is over 40 years old - Leica makes good stuff!). It has one disadvantage.  You cannot set the ball head for limited or smooth drag. It is either loose or locked. And though it folds flat, it doesn't fold compact (unless you separate the two parts - which makes it more difficult to set up quickly).

I used this setup several times photographing Indy Type race cars going by at over 200 miles per hour! I was standing about 50 - 60 feet from the track and just panned my whole body, with the chest pod supporting the camera, and released the shutter while I was moving through the pan. Great action shots - and sharp! (Bonus tip - with this technique, you can slow the shutter speed down to 1/60 or 1/125 or so, and when you pan with the car going by, releasing the shutter during the pan, you get a picture that just SHOUTS SPEED!)

And, of course, slowing down a bit, you can use it on hikes to increase the stability and sharpness of your photos while lightening the load you carry. And it sets up more quickly than a full size tripod.

My other, newer model is the Slik Mini-Pro. These folks make many, many tripods in all sizes, weights, materials - you can select just the right one for your needs. The tripod folds up very small, and comes with a typical (though small) pan head. The small pan head is great for basic table tops, but it is somewhat awkward for chest pod use.

Far easier and more effective, I recommend a Kaiser Lightweight Ball & Socket Head to replace the pan head that comes with the tripod (don't throw the pan head away, you will always find times when you still want to use it). When you are actually using the ball & socket head, you may not want to totally lock up the ball head, just use a slight drag. This gives you much more flexibility to move with the subject, while giving you the extra support for extra sharp photos.

Since the Leitz model is no longer available (unless you find one used), the Slik/Kaiser combination will make a valuable addition to your gadget bag, giving you freedom for photographing fast moving subjects while keeping the camera stable enough to encourage large prints you'll be proud to display. This is especially true if your camera has image stabilization.

By all means try this valuable technique. It will really help you get more great photos to make really big prints.

Professional Headshots - Finding The Best Headshots That Can Help You Even If You Aren't An Actor

Professional headshots are something that you can use even if you are not an actor or an actress. Today, there are many websites where you are allowed to post a profile picture. These sites are usually dating sites or social networking sites or forums but most sites allow you to post a picture. Many times people upload low quality or silly pictures of themselves online. However, you can be taken seriously on a site such as LinkedIn if you use your professional headshot as your profile picture. This can lead to obtaining more business connections and job opportunities.

Why do I say this? Well, you have to think about the quality of the picture. Do you think that a picture of you taken while you were drunk with your friends at a karaoke party where your head is cropped out in Photoshop is better than a professionally taken one where you may have paid $200 for it? You can be almost 100% certain that professionally taken headshot is going to be the picture that looks better.

You may even want to tell the people working at the DMV to put that picture on your driver's license! That was supposed to be a joke but now that I think about it, it might be a good idea.

There are multiple concerns that you should think of when considering getting a professional headshot. How much should you pay for your headshot? What is the correct number of headshots that you need to obtain? Should you get color, black and white or both? Personally, I would go with both. Should you hire an individual from a classified ads website such as Craigslist? Should you go with a company that specializes in headshots like ones that you would find in New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas or Miami? I would avoid places that are really expensive such as that place in the mall that charges thousands of dollars for pictures that could be taken with a digital camera for free.

You need to do some research to answer the questions above that I did not give an answer to but it is important that you take action. Before buying a headshot, explore a variety of options by reading reviews on the internet and asking your friends. I'm sure you have a friend that is or was involved in acting and has gotten a headshot taken before. You can check the community bulletin board at local colleges that have acting programs. There are often flyers and posters scattered around large cities offering deals on headshots.

A headshot is something that is going to be valuable for models, those in the entertainment industry, online date seekers, job seekers and more. You should dress to impress when going for your headshot, but remember that usually you will get an 8x10 headshot with you facing forward, expressionless and you will not be able to see much of your clothing.

You want your headshot to be as high quality as possible. Never use a disposable camera to take your headshot. Digital cameras are a good choose but make sure it is at least 5 megapixels. That means that you shouldn't use a camera phone either! I know smartphones are getting better cameras built-in, but please use a real camera for now!

As a final tip, ask if the person taking your headshot has professional experience in computer graphics / digital image editing. If they have extensive experience with some of the Adobe Creative Suite area of products such as Adobe Photoshop, then this may be the best person to take your headshot. Red eye removal and color correction are some of the tools that can be applied by using photo editing programs.
I hope that you have learned about the importance of professional headshots and how to go about finding the best place to get one.

Advantages of Digital Photography

These days digital technology is can be found everywhere due to its affordability. We are all exposed to these digital movies, photographs, and music that have made their way into new forms and designs of digital formats. One of these new formats is digital photography, which is becoming more common and popular all the time with photographers of all experience levels.

Digital photography is popular for many reasons simply because it is so versatile for taking all types of pictures. Digital photographs can be sent to family and friends through e-mail, they can be displayed on web pages, they can be copied to CDs, and they can be easily stored on your home computer. Digital photographs can also be modified to slide shows and can then be viewed on your computer monitor or your television. The other advantage about digital photographs is that you can print them in non-traditional forms that you can then use them to create greeting cards and personalized calendars as well as copy them on t-shirts and mugs.

Perhaps the biggest advantage for most photographers is that digital photography means you don't have to process the pictures like traditional photos. You can avoid that visit to the photo shop to develop your pictures since you can easily view your pictures on your home computer as well as on the digital camera itself. Digital photography eliminates the developing process, which can save you a lot of money, and doesn't use harmful chemicals that harm the environment.

Still another advantage to digital photography is the ease with which photos can be edited and altered. You can modify digital images in a variety of ways through the use of many types of computer software. Some of the alterations you can make include cropping, enhancing and changing colors, adjusting the contrast of the picture, eliminating imperfections, and combining two or more photo images to create interesting and new designs. All of these modifications can be made in just a few minutes with just a few mouse clicks and key strokes.

The best way to take advantage of digital photography is to use a digital camera. And if you are a beginner to digital photography what better way to get started than by buying a used digital camera. However, you can also use a classic camera and then modify the picture negatives into digital photographic format. Converting your classic picture negatives will give you a good idea of whether or not you want to invest in a digital camera. This way you can determine if you want to learn more about digital photography without having to spend a lot of money on new camera equipment. Most photo developing stores will offer the service of converting your classic film negatives into digital format.

Classic cameras are much more limiting than digital cameras. A digital camera provides you with a viewing screen that you can use both as a picture finder and as a view finder. This digital camera feature lets you look instantly at the picture you have just shot. If you aren't happy with the picture you can delete it and start all over again. A digital camera also allows you to crop some sections of the picture before you save it into the memory of the camera. Some digital cameras, both older and newer models, can be used as video recorders so that you can take video footage with sound.

If you think that all of the above comes at a heavy cost you will change your mind when you look at the reasonable cost of buying a used digital camera. Digital photography is very affordable for most buyers when you consider the technology that comes along with it, allowing you to take great pictures. The money that you will save buying a used digital camera can be quite considerable. And don't forget the money you will save by not having to develop all those negative from your classic camera. Digital photography is both affordable and practical, as well as a great way to advance your interest in photography.

5 Kids Digital Cameras Frequently Asked Questions

The emergence of kids digital cameras has allowed parents to introduce their children to photography from a very early age.  If you are considering a kids digital camera purchase for your child, the answers to the following frequently asked questions should help you get started.

1. When is a Child Too Young or Too Old for a Kids Model?

Digital cameras for kids are usually suitable for a child as young as three years and as old as 7, 8, 9 or 10.  The lower age limit is reliable, as these gadgets are rugged toys that can be tossed and dropped without being broken.  At the youngest ages the main focus is having fun pushing buttons and looking into the large picture screen.

As children get older, they can take better care of a camera, and the picture quality may become more important.  When and if a child wants to move on to a beginner adult model depends on ability to take care of an expensive item and interest. Some children enjoy a camera for play acting and hamming it up when young, but will not focus on more serious picture taking activities as they mature.  An early introduction prepares any child for basic photography skills needed for school and eventually, employment.

2. What are the Benefits of Kids Digital Cameras?

The benefits of these electronic devices for children can be summarized as follows.  They are:

• Durable-no need for parents to worry about protecting their investment-most models are shock resistant and some models are waterproof.


• Easy to Use-large buttons, rounded sides, two-eye viewfinders, and large viewing screens are the sorts of features that make a digital camera for kids easy to use.


• Fun and Interactive--children can take pictures and immediately see what they have taken on the camera screen.  With help from parents (as needed) they can print out photos to share with others.  Children love to pose for pictures and create funny shots.


• Learning Tools-taking pictures naturally develops powers of observation.  Photography is an art that can develop into a lifetime hobby.  It is also a skill that is often indispensable for school projects and business communications.

3. Are Kids Digital Cameras Real Cameras?

These are real cameras that take real pictures.  They are simplified so that a child only needs to learn how to hold the camera without moving, point, and press a shutter button.  There is often an automatic flash option.  If you are concerned about picture quality, check the number of megapixels. Usually a camera with more than 1 megapixel (mp) will  produce pictures that are adequate for standard sized prints.

4. Is a Kids Digital Camera Expensive?

A good quality model can cost from $50 to $80, which will be under or just approaching the cost of a cheap adult model.  When assessing the cost, take into account the unique features of a child's model-durability and design features that make them easy to use for small hands and inexperienced photographers.  You may also want to consider optional features that are sometimes included, such as a large internal memory, water resistance, games, and kids photo editing software.

5. What is the Best Digital Camera for Kids?

There are a number of high quality models on the market.  To find the best one for your child look for qualities that will be most important for your child.  Also consider factors such as budget and computer compatibility.  Excellent sources of information, found online, are kids digital camera reviews and forums.

How to Break Into the News Photography Business

We now live in a world where people choose to get their news from their iPhones, Blackberrys and online, the newspapers taking big financial losses. Newspaper subscriptions and advertising revenues are way down and some newspaper are even closing up shop altogether. For those newspaper that are still operational upper level management are cutting back staff at a remarkable rate. Many professional photojournalists, editors and reporters are being laid off or forced to do twice the amount of work they were originally hired to do. However the demand for quality news photos and videos remains high. With reduced amount of staff photographers newspapers must still provide photos for their newspaper daily, but it isn't always that easy.

As newspapers continue to struggle to provide the best news coverage with their reduced staff they often turn to freelance photographers also known as Stringers to fill the pages with breaking news photos as well as video clips for their website. These newspaper Stringers earn anywhere from $75-200 per photo and sometimes even more for video content that is used on a national television show.

Breaking into the news photo business isn't as hard as it may sound and you can actually get started today if you have the proper equipment and motivation.

What are some of the things you will need to get started?

1. Digital SLR camera


2. Police Scanner


3. Cellphone


4. Laptop with wireless access


5. Reliable vehicle


6. Long zoom lens 70-200mm is fine

As a Stringer you will be spending a majority of your time monitoring your police scanner and listening for major car crashes, fires, shootings, SWAT stand offs and even severe weather such as brush fires and tornadoes happening in your town.

The objective is to get to the scene and make dramatic photos of the scene before newspaper or television photographers get there. The best time to hunt for news is late at night from 12am-4am as this is when most of the news staff is off, meaning no competition for you. It is possible to get exclusive content during the day but is usually more difficult because of the increased competition and traffic.

A reliable stringer with proven results can also accept photo assignments from newspapers, magazines and TV stations around the world adding to the money you make nightly chasing spot news.

Photo Lighting Equipment - Tips To Achieve Amazing Photo Quality

A great deal of information about the photo lighting equipment subject is already known by photography school students and avid photographers, but not really by those that might be hoping to enter the field from the beginning. These tools can be used to further enhance a picture beyond what is otherwise possible with only editing software (and a good camera, of course). Combining all of these factors together can create truly astonishing photos of amazing quality, but this all begins with proper photo lighting equipment.

An all-new level of quality is easily achieved by those with either the wallet to buy new items, or those with the mind to buy used photo lighting equipment items. Either way, once the items are acquired, you must then learn how to use them. The first thing you should learn to use is the external photo lighting (or a photo lighting kit). This allows you to highlight the subject of the photo, whether it's a product or a person, and also to manipulate the light in such a way as to capture an image of the subject's best features.

Photo lighting equipment typically comes in two varieties. Strobe lighting, or camera flash, is the more technologically advanced of the variations and requires complex synchronization. Once the shutter and strobe light are synchronized, the picture can be taken safely. This is advantageous because it doesn't provide a constant bright light that can cause squinting. The other type of lighting is continuous lighting, or "hot lights". These provide a constant stream of high-quality light for repeated shots, and are usually advantageous for objects (or other subjects that are unaffected by bright lights).

Continuous lights can be further broken down into two categories: halogen and fluorescent. Halogen is usually the more popular of the two because of the amount of brightness it can produce, but raises the temperature of the studio while in use. It is also far less energy efficient. Florescent photo lighting equipment is usually much cheaper and more efficient because it consumes less electricity. It generates almost no heat and is used to simulate more natural lighting (ie. the sun). Florescent photography bulbs also last a lot longer, maxing out at around ten thousand hours.

Ways to Use a Photobooth Rental

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. However true this may be, most of the time, when we go out, we forget our camera and then the potential photo that would have been worth a thousand words and a million memories is lost. No matter what the event may be, you now have the option to rent a photo booth so that you will never have to worry about missing those thousand words again. There are many events that you can use a picture stand for, here are just a few.

Birthday Parties
If you have a special birthday party like your sweet 16 or 18th birthday or perhaps you chose an awesome cowboy theme and you want everyone to have the opportunity to get some great photos with friends, alone or as one big group. Renting a photo booth will give everyone the chance to get silly and let his or her hair down. Whether this is your first birthday party or your 112th, having pictures to remember the event by is a must and what better way to do it than renting a photo booth?

Weddings
Most people hire a wedding photographer for their photographs, but their biggest complaint is that the photographer never takes the candid shots that they were hoping for. With a picture stand rental, you can have all those great spur of the moment pictures that just happen. Captions can be added so that everyone knows that that spontaneous moment was taken at someone's wedding. You can still have all the formal photos that are traditional but with the picture stand, everyone has the chance to have their photo taken, not just the wedding party.

Prom
Prom is a special event for every teenager. With a picture stand, teens can have fun, candid photos with their friends or their dates, or both with no additional charge like the photographer would charge you. You will have all the nice traditional photos as well as the chance to get creative in the photo booth with a friend. That way, you will never forget how beautiful you looked in your prom dress or how handsome your high school sweetheart looked in his chocolate brown dress in his awkward way of attempting to match your eyes.

Company Parties
If you are a large corporation looking for a fun event while you are at your company Christmas party, renting a photo booth may be just the thing that you were looking for so that you can get the whole crowd to loosen up and have some fun. Add a few spirits in the mix and there will not be a single person in the crowd that will not visit the photo booth at least once.

No matter what the event that you have chosen to rent a photo booth, you will get a lot more intriguing photos in the end than you ever would by hiring a photographer. With a picture stand, everyone has the chance to go in and snap a set of photos. When you have a photographer, you have to hope that they found someone intriguing enough to take a photo of them. Not everyone makes it on the camera when you have someone taking the photos for you.

Canon Rebel T3i For Macro Photography - 4 Helpful Hints

Are you ready to dive into macro photography with your new Canon Rebel T3i? Macro, or close-up, photography is at the top of many I want to learn how to do this lists, but, for some reason, it gets pushed to the back burner. Well, there is no time like the present to get started. And, the good news is that with your T3i, it is easier than ever before.

If you have a dedicated lens for these pictures, great. However, if you don't own one of those expensive lenses specifically made for close-up work, have no fear, extension tubes are here! Almost any lens can qualify for this chore if you have a cheap set of extension tubes. Basically, they extend the distance from the lens to the sensor so you can move your camera closer to the objects you are photographing.

One of the best things about taking extremely close pictures of objects is the detail that is revealed. There are facets of nearly every subject that are not normally noticed by people at a casual glance. But take a close up shot and you will experience many OMG moments.

On a personal note, yours truly actually became hooked on photography when I took my first macro shot with an old point and shoot camera. As nearly everyone else who makes this discovery, I took pictures of every bug and flower that I could. I didn't realize that there are so many other interesting subjects to shoot in the tiny world of close up photography. There are buttons, zippers, door knobs, human eyes, animal eyes, and the list is infinite. The only limitation is your imagination.

Now that you are convinced to get started, here are a few hints:

*Start shooting. This seems quite obvious, but most of us tend to get bogged down with the learning process. Yes, there are many classes and tutorials available online and off line, but just go out and take some pictures. You will learn as you go, and it will be so rewarding. Photography is a skill that is best learned on the job.

*Allow yourself to make mistakes. This goes along with the first hint. If you are afraid to make mistakes, you will never experience the thrill of what you discover through those mistakes. Some of your best shots will come as a result of something you did "wrong"

*Use a tripod. As you get closer to an object, the chances for blur increase exponentially. Personally, I use a tripod and a remote shutter button, but when I don't have the remote, I use the 2-second timer on the T3i.

*Use Live View and focus manually. The Canon Rebel T3i has a fantastic feature that makes macro photography so much easier than most other cameras. It is the digital zoom feature when in Live View. The way it works for this kind of photo is to set your lens on manual focus, then use the digital zoom at 5x or 10x so that you can fine tune your focus. This one feature is what sold me on the Canon Rebel T3i.

That's it. Pretty simple, right? Hopefully, these few hints will get you started (and hooked).

Online Appointment Scheduling Software - What it is and Who Needs It

Mention the term "online appointment scheduling," and different thoughts come to mind. Setting appointments in Microsoft Outlook? Using Google Calendar to communicate with friends and business acquaintances? Seeing the calendar pop up when you book a flight or a room?

Or maybe you think of the online software an increasing number of doctor's, health clubs, colleges and many other businesses large and small are using for their clients, patients, students and customers to more easily book their appointments.

Most of us utilize the Internet in our daily lives, and we're familiar with the seemingly endless array of calendars, time and date drop-down buttons, and location fields found on most Web sites. This technology makes it easier to manage the important events in our busy lifestyles, and it's the basis for online scheduling services.

"Jane Jones, a mother of two young children, leads a very fast-paced life. In addition to her 9-to-5 office job, she also has the daily responsibilities many of us share: attending to family member needs, preparing meals, paying bills and scheduling appointments. She needs to book an appointment with her hair stylist, but this is usually a challenge, given her busy daytime schedule and the stylist's limited office hours. Fortunately, her hair stylist now offers online self-scheduling."

Online appointment scheduling, in the true sense of the term, is a software as a service (SAAS) program that allows individuals, businesses and organizations and their customers, patients and clients to easily book appointments online. Whether it's for a service appointment or registering for a class, Web-based scheduler services give both providers and customers the flexibility to manage their calendars more efficiently and effectively on their own time.

We all lead very busy lives, and oftentimes something as trivial as a phone call to book an appointment can turn into an added hassle, especially if we're put on hold for an extended period of time or are unable to speak with somebody during non-business hours. With all the technology available, why not take advantage of it for these simple, yet important, tasks?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

"Jane is ready to book her appointment with her hair stylist. With her personal calendar in hand, she accesses the stylist's Web site and clicks on the appointment button. A calendar appears, and she see's what dates and times are available. After checking her schedule, she clicks on the day and time she'd like to come in. Her appointment is booked. No phone calls. No e-mail inquiries. It's as easy as that."

Online appointment scheduling software comes in many forms, but most incorporate several basic principles.

Most organizations who allow customers, clients and patients to book services online typically steer them towards their Web site, which will have a button link or banner to access the online scheduling page. Some sites require the user to register first before making an appointment; these individuals are usually issued a login name and password for future appointments. Other sites do not require it and permit their customers and patients to schedule freely without logging in.

Once on the registration page, the user typically will view a calendar to see what days, times and locations are available to schedule their service. Unavailable dates are typically indicated on the calendar. The user selects a time by clicking on a date in the calendar. Depending on whether the individual has logged in and the system recognizes him or her, the service may prompt the registrant to provide information such as first and last name, address, e-mail and phone. Once confirmed, the appointment is automatically booked in the system. It's as simple as that. No fuss, no waiting, no taking additional time out of our lives to make appointments.

Some scheduling services offer appointment reminders for both registrants and the service provider, usually 24 hours prior the scheduled date. These can be in the form of e-mail and/or text message. As most people have cell phones and Internet access, these reminders are invaluable in informing them of their upcoming appointments and, conversely, help the service providers reduce the number of "no-shows."

Although self-scheduling can be a tremendous benefit to both users and service providers, some organizations opt not to provide this and instead utilize the appointment scheduling service for internal scheduling purposes only. They'll still take appointments by phone, fax and e-mail, and then manually input them into the service. Online scheduling programs are perfect for this method as well, since it gives these small business owners the tools they need to better organize their appointment calendars and appointment reminders.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Using a pen or pencil and notepad to take down appointments by phone or e-mail is becoming a thing of the past. Online appointment-setting services are helping individuals, businesses and organizations nationwide and around the globe improve staff efficiency, save money and provide customers more flexibility. Let's examine how.

o Staff Time. Taking and setting appointments can eat up a large percentage of a staffer's workday. The time wasted could be used more productively. An online appointment-scheduling software system can free up a staffer for more important tasks, which benefits the overall operations of the business or organization. Additionally, companies that do not allow self-scheduling still benefit by utilizing an efficient, easy-to-maintain internal appointment system.

o Money Savings. Referencing the above bullet item, a company that offers self-scheduling can save money by removing appointment-setting duties from staff members, thereby eliminating the need for a staff member whose primary responsibilities include setting appointments. Additionally, Web-based self-scheduling systems typically cost substantially less than custom-programmed systems.

o Customer Flexibility. An increasing number of your customers and clients-both current and potential-are expecting convenient online services. Not providing these could put your organization at a disadvantage, especially if your competitors are offering it. It may not seem like a deal-breaker, but many individuals are looking at service providers' online features before making a decision.

"When she booked her appointment, Jane requested both an e-mail and text reminder. A day before her session, she receives both. Jane values the online appointment service offered by her hair stylist, and expects more of her service providers-including her doctor, dentist, personal trainer and chiropractor-to offer it as well. Some already have. It's certainly benefited her and her busy lifestyle."

WHO NEEDS IT?

The short answer is most businesses. Users of this technology encompass a wide range of industries, from small businesses to large Fortune 500 companies. If an organization provides a service that requires an appointment or specific time and location, chances are they can offer online scheduling for its patients, clients and customers. Let's take a look at some of these industries and how they utilize online appointment scheduling services.

o Physician, Dentist and Chiropractor Offices. These facilities use online scheduling to book patient appointments and services, thereby freeing up receptionists and support staff for more important tasks.

o Photographers and Photography Studios. Photographers can more easily manage their existing customer appointments and attract new clients with an online scheduling presence.

o Massage Therapists, Salons and Spas. Online appointment scheduling is a great benefit for individuals who utilize these services and treatments, especially regular clients who can easily schedule their next appointment online without having to pick up the phone.

o Federal, County and Municipal Agencies. These government bodies use it for a variety of purposes, from scheduling flu shot clinics to booking sports practice fields and park facilities.

o Colleges, Universities and Educational Institutions. Many of our educational institution clients use online appointment software to book rooms, schedule student appointments at counseling and other facilities, and coordinate seminars and lectures.

o Personal Fitness Trainers. Online scheduling allows them to spend less time on manually managing their training schedule and more time focusing on their clientele.

o Freight and Delivery Services. Companies that specialize in freight and delivery are really benefitting from online scheduling, as it provides an easy way to assign dock times and locations for its drivers.

o Health Clubs. These groups typically offer aerobics, yoga and other activities, a perfect fit with online scheduling software.

o Tennis and Golf Facilities. Individual tennis and golf lessons are important services at these businesses, and online appointment software helps trainers book and manage their clients and lesson times.

o Counselors and Tutors. Whether they work at an educational institution or out of their homes, online scheduling software helps them properly manage their clients and students.

Last, but certainly not least, the service benefits the customer and client, the reason why organizations and businesses exist. If you provide a service deemed valuable, chances are they'll remain loyal to your operation. Something as simple as online appointment scheduling could be that valued service.

Moneymaking Ideas and Successful Online Businesses You Can Venture Online

If you are looking for some golden opportunities to help you find extra income or supplement your family's income, you may want to explore some of the profitable and successful online businesses that you think you can also do. It doesn't have to be something that is so complicated. In fact, simple things can be profitable online, for as long as you have the dedication, the time and effort to make it succeed.

Creative businesses. If you are creative, then you can actually find a number of good opportunities for your skill online. You can learn web designing and put up a web designing business. You can start with a simple blog or website, show your portfolio and find clients. If you love photography, you can also promote your photography skills online and get more clients and customers. If you love quilting, knitting or jewelry making, then you can also put up your own website showcasing your products and sell your products anywhere in the world.

Consultancy and tutorial businesses. If you are a master of something, you can also put up successful online businesses with what you know. You can be a credit and finance consultant, you can be a business consultant or a computer consultant. If you are skilled in music or playing any musical instruments, you can also put up a members-only tutorial website where you can teach people your expertise. Of course, a lot of people want to learn fast and most prefer to learn on their own at the comforts of home. Getting a music teacher may be costly, thus one good alternative for many is to go for tutorial websites and online tutors, so take advantage of this need as well.

Writing. People are looking for valuable information online and if you are an expert on some areas of knowledge, you can also write own book and sell it online. Aside from informative eBooks, you can even write fictions or autobiography. But of course, if you want to make good profits with eBooks, focus on information that are very useful for people. From natural healing wonders of herbs to books about pregnancy and child care, you can actually help a lot of people who are looking for valuable information, at the same time you also make profits out of it.

Selling and retailing of goods. If you are good in selling, then you may want to venture into selling stuff online. You can sell your collections, or you can sell some of the things that you do not need anymore. You can also sell any kinds of things online for as long as they are easy to transport and deliver. Keep in mind that you are selling to a worldwide audience so you may need some lightweight items for shipping to be a little convenient and avoid losses as well. One of the successful online businesses you can venture if you are good in selling is to make use of eBay, but of course, you can always set up your own online store as well.

Photography - The Transition From Traditional To Digital

To be a successful portrait photographer, it takes more than raw talent and new equipment. You have to analyze the competition, establish your market and offer a unique in-demand product. The competition is probably now all coming out of the dark ages and dabbling with digital technology. It must be remembered that advanced digital technology lets photographers offer a really unique photograph. These photographs are perfectly geared toward an intended market whilst allowing the photographer to maintain his control over his work.

Once the digital challenge has been accepted anything is possible for your growing portrait business. But once accepted you will have to stay on top of the curve to stay on top professionally and to do that you will need to analyze the changes in the industry.

There is no doubt that going digital changes the way that you do business. Digital technology will allow you to create images that you never dreamed of. Digital imaging makes in-house retouching possible therefore giving photographers more creative freedom than traditional film photography.

To move over to using digital technology will require an investment but going digital will allow for improving your images and your production process. In the long run the cost of not investing will be more substantial.

There are so many advantages for moving over to digital photography. One indisputable advantage is that the digital image offers instant gratification. Photographers can see their images straight away, which allow total control over their work at every stage. From capture to the final image.

With digital imaging photographers no longer capture the portrait session in twelve or twenty-four exposures and then send them to a processing lab. They can now perfect the images to the fullest extent of their imagination. They can control cropping, make color corrections, correct common problems like low light situations, bad angles, blemishes and any other perceived imperfections.

Once the decision has been made to take the plunge into the world of digital photography you need to educate yourself. You will find that there are many resources available to you. When you are first starting out you will find there are national organizations, publications and seminars, all of which can be invaluable.

The next thing to consider in this new venture is what equipment will be needed. It is always helpful when starting out to ask to see other digital photographers equipment. That way you can compare the results achieved with different equipment.

Three of the most important factors in selecting camera equipment are features, specifications and pricing. You will find that the most commonly bought cameras have common characteristics. They offer features that make capturing images easier, accept your existing lenses to minimize the initial investment and yield sharp, high quality images.

If the decision has been made to begin using digital technology then a plan must be put in place to make this transition as smoothly as possible. Time must be split between education and work. That way nothing will get ignored and your business will continue to run smoothly and without hitches.

How to Make Money Online With Photographs

Do you have a passion for photography and have loads of photos, stored in your PC? You have the option to transform your hobby into a source of income and make money online from home with photographs. You just have to upload the images on websites which allow showcasing photographs by amateur photographers. The buyers are allowed to select from the thousands of photographs, available on the sites and if someone downloads your photo you can make money online from home with photographs.

Recommended Websites:

繚 bigstockphoto.com

繚 dreamstime.com

繚 fotolia.com

繚 istockphoto.com

1. To make online money at home with photographs, you need to sign up and create an account in the above mentioned websites. It does not have any fees or membership charge.

2. Before you start uploading images in the sites, you need to keep a few things in mind like submit photos which are completely yours and they must not contain copyrighted material such as copyrighted logos, photos, advertisements or art.

3. Usually, the websites fix the minimum image size that should be uploaded. In order to upload in dreamstime.com, your photo must be 3MP in size or more, while fotolia.com requires minimum of 1600 x 1200 pixels for web use. To upload photos in istockphoto.com, your images should be minimum1200 x 1600 pixels. The file types that these websites would want your photos to have are usually EPS, JPG, AI or PSD.

4. When you upload your images onto the website, they are typically reviewed by the team, to ensure that the images comply with their rules and regulations. Once, your files are approved, you will see them in your personal account.

5. When users download your photos, you make money at home online with photographs. The rates offered are different for each website. For, while bigstockphoto.com will pay you a 30% commission, dreamstime.com offers 25 to 50% revenue share to the photographer. Whereas, fotolia.com will give you a royalty payout, which can range from 20% to 63%. Payments are generally made through bank checks, PayPal, or MoneyBookers.

Pros

You have the flexibility to work according to your convenience and make money online from home with your photographs. You will enjoy working when your hobby becomes your profession.

Cons

There are a large number of photographs in the websites, which increases competition, and the chances of your photo getting downloaded become less. This can result in earning a lesser amount of money.

To ensure a steady income when you make money online at home with photographs, it is important that you do an online research to understand which type of photos are being downloaded the most and are more in demand. You can click similar pictures to ensure that you have more buyers for your photographs.

Photography Course Online - Adverse Weather Can Ruin Your Valuable Camera

Cameras need constant care and attention to keep in optimum operational condition. They generally require daily attention if you are traveling and even more in adverse conditions. Here is a guide to help care for your camera when conditions become extreme.

Extreme Cold

Carry your camera equipment in a hermetically sealed metal case; a complete seal is important. Gaffer tape can be used as a sealant against fine snow and is effective down to -10 degrees C. Take great care when touching metal parts especially with the face. Skin sticks to frozen metal and can be torn off to remove; this is extremely painful.

Try to keep your equipment at a constant temperature as much as possible. Relocating into a warm room straight from the cold causes condensation to form. When taken outside again the moisture freezes on contact with sub zero temperatures. Both the moisture and ice in your camera will almost certainly cause problems. A way to avert this is to put your equipment in separate sealed plastic bags with packets of silica gel. Examine your camera design thoroughly by means of a photography course online and learn how to deal with the issues of extreme conditions and the impact on your camera equipment.

Extreme Heat

Ground temperatures in many deserts can exceed 50 degrees C. Cameras and associated equipment left in these temperatures can become untouchable. In addition direct sunlight on a camera may melt the cement and glue holding components in place. Today, many metal parts have been replaced by plastic; these can also melt under these temperatures. Keep equipment in silver colored cases to reflect the sun away from your equipment. Clean and maintain your equipment at night when its cool. A camera wrapped in chamois leather at night will stay cool well into the day.

High Humidity

The tropics give high humidity and this is also a major problem for camera equipment. Moving between air-conditioned buildings and the outside humid, damp air fogs glass and takes a long time to clear. Keep all equipment constantly outside rather than inside is best if possible. In the damp heat fungus grows on many materials used in your camera. Small insects may decide to make your camera home.

After returning from a trip to India my Nikon SLR metering system failed. I subsequently sent it off for repair. The camera was returned with a note saying a family of spiders took up residence. They were alive all this time and feeding off fungus. Sealing your camera in a plastic bag is the best way to prevent this from occurring. Learn about the impact of humidity on camera equipment through a respectable photography course online and take the appropriate precautionary action.

Excessive Dust

This is a huge problem for SLR cameras particularly if you use prime lenses and changing them frequently. Dust gets inside and makes its way to the sensor and stays put. It can be extremely difficult to remove if not impossible. You may have to send the camera away for professional cleaning and this is expensive. Gone are the days when a blower brush would get you out of trouble. Keep your camera in a well sealed bag when exposed to dust. Consult a reputable photography course online to find out the specifics of your cameras controls and design.

Sea Water

Salt water and even sea air can cause permanent damage to your camera equipment. If you are working in a sea side location you need to take precautions. The best protection again sea water damage is good insurance and a water proof housing. If your camera falls unprotected into sea water, the best thing to do is to throw it away and buy a new one. It will be utterly ruined. If you wish to try and salvage the camera, rinse it thoroughly in clean water and take it immediately to a professional repairer. I have been able to salvage mechanical cameras this way, but with electronic it's much more difficult.

By taking the precautions mentioned here you will be able to avert the many problems that adverse conditions present. This is important to you as high quality cameras are expensive and are vulnerable to the elements. Examine your camera design thoroughly by means of a photography course online and learn how to deal with the issues of extreme conditions and the impact on your camera equipment. Reduce these risks and enjoy years of use from your cameras and lenses.

Photography Courses Online - An Overview

Today, photography courses online are of great importance instead of the conventional classes. You can attend these online classes from the ease of your home and can fix your own schedules. These online photography courses are perfect for both the fresher and experienced students since the syllabus of such courses vary from person to person depending on their requirement.

There isn't any interactive experience in an online class and the lack of students around you makes it a little harder for you to work independently. On the other hand, online photography courses have a lot of benefits that draw hundreds and thousands of students to online schools each year.

Learning Experience - Online classes cover a wide range of areas and have better course outline than the conventional ones. There are a lot of specialized courses for students to select from. Students who are in search of very particular areas of studies, online courses are the best resource for them. These courses are updated regularly and an insight to the up-to-date tools and technology in photography field is provided.

Techniques - There is more than one technique to capture the same subject. The techniques for capturing vary and for each of these techniques you will see different results. A good online course can give you a proper insight to different techniques of photography, which can be used on the same subject. Depending on the kind of technique you follow, the result will vary.

Dealing with your Subject - For any kind of photography whether it is still life or fashion photography, the method of handling your subject varies a lot. Your model's mood swings does not matter when it is about still life photography but you have to give proper instructions to your model. This requires a lot of patience and practice. Likewise, it is easy to have command on your model depending on different lightning conditions but for still life you have to follow complex setups to rearrange lighting settings.

Photo Editing - It is a difficult process nowadays, particularly when you take photographs in RAW format. Photographers take RAW format pictures so that they can make some corrections without losing the quality of the picture. It is a common belief that it is important to take RAW format pictures if you want to retain the quality after editing but it is not true anymore. High quality JPEG format is also very efficient nowadays. There is a limit on the number of corrected you can do and you must always stay within the limits. Accurate editing techniques can help you in enhancing the visual aspect of every photo. Therefore, learning editing techniques is very important.

Know the Good and Bad - There are a number of pictures which appeal to us when we are amateur but when seen through an expert's eye, just a few of them are of good quality. Factors like composition, blur, exposure, lighting, and number of objects in a frame play a vital role in deciding whether a photograph is good or bad.

How To Make Great School Newspapers

Are you ready to move your school newspaper forward, making it more exciting and interesting than ever before? If the answer is yes, then this article can help you to jump-start your project with the top five things that a good school newspaper should include.

1. News. This one seems like a given; however, it can be tough to come up with good news items. Unless you are writing a student column, try to veer away from world-wide issues, instead focusing on things that pertain to school or will be of interest to readers. Anybody can print an newspaper about a flood in a foreign country; only you can write about the cement being laid for the new gym or have an interview with a new teacher. Always keep an open eye, watching for news tips that involve the school, school activities, or students.

2. Student columns. Okay, it's easy to realize that very few school students will want to write a column once a week or even once a month; even the most dedicated writers will often find themselves swamped with extra-curricular activities or simply burnt out of ideas. Rather than have the same students write every month, consider rotating, allowing a wide-variety of aspiring writers to participate. Three columnist sections will let a lot of students experience writing if rotated among classes. Names of columnists can be randomly drawn, allowing everyone an equal experience at writing.

3. Sports. Sports are a big part of any school so, obviously, they need to have some time devoted to them. While winning the biggest game of the season might be front-page news, sports sections can also be devoted to reviews of practices, introductions to players, and even games that are lost. Reach out to even those who aren't interested in sports by explaining what the game is all about and encouraging them to come watch.

4. Photos. Having photos in your paper adds an extra special touch. Not only will they help readers to connect with the stories, but they also make the paper more attractive and more people want to read it. You can choose to just have one dedicated photographer or split the responsibility up with several students.

5. Additional submissions. Try to incorporate as many students as possible for newsletter submission. If you know someone who is good at drawing, see if they would be interested in in doing a comic strip. By having lots of different students submitting to the paper, their friends and family members will be more likely to read.

By including a wide variety of other students, adding good content, and trying your best, your school newspaper will be a wonderful success!

How to Sell Dog Pictures Online

Dogs are great animals. Everybody's got to love dogs and taking pictures of them. But did you realize that you could sell dog pictures online and actually make money doing it? If you have a dog and have a digital camera why aren't you making money taking pictures of your dog!

You may be wondering how you can sell dog pictures online and the answer is through micro stock photo websites. These are websites where they let anybody submit photos and earn money from them. Of course, your photo must be accepted and be good quality. But once it's in the website then anybody can download it and for each download you make some cash.

Many people on the internet need photographs of dogs for their websites, advertisements, etc. You can submit a photo of a dog and have it end up on a website some day! Or it could even end up in advertisements in magazines. People use these stock photos because they don't have the time or skills to go out and take quality photos for whatever they are doing.

Picture Quality

You must have photos that are of good enough quality. There's no need to go out and pay money for some photography school or get your bachelors in photography but if you know how to take better photos your photos will be much more highly desired.

As with posing models, dogs must be posed properly. You must make sure that your dog is authentic looking and relaxed. The lighting also must be good quality. Unless you have a big studio, shooting outdoors with the sunlight is the best option. Don't shoot at 12 PM because the sun will be directly overhead making bad lighting. Try early in the morning or later I the afternoon.

Taking one single picture of your dog can make you a little bit of money but you will want to take more than one. Try to get photos of all your dogs and even the neighbor dogs. Build a dog photo collection of all the dogs from your friends and family. Ask them for the rights to the photos and in return you'll give them copies of the photos you take. Making money selling dog pictures online is real and many people are doing it earning lots of money already.

Sell Your Photography Online - Is it Easy Or a Pipe Dream?

I'm constantly getting questions on how to sell your photography. Particularly trying to sell your photography online through stock photography agencies.

Many of you take gorgeous landscape, flower and insect photos and when you see a lot of the photos that are "out there", you start to think, "My photos are better than that! I should sell them online!"

I enjoy shooting close-ups, flowers and etc. too! In fact, the very first accessory I bought for my first camera was a set of close-up lenses. I understand how intriguing it can be.

It IS possible to sell your photography online and through various stock agencies. The problem is, in order to make any decent amount of money, you have to have MASSIVE amounts of photos available for purchase.

Before the internet came along, the rule of thumb in dealing with stock photography was that you would average about $1 per year, per photo. So to make $30,000 dollars a year, you would have to have 30,000 photos being promoted through the stock agencies.

All well and good if you have 30,000 high quality photographs lying around.

(Don't forget, each one has to be of high enough quality to be accepted by the agency, AND high enough quality to actually be something a buyer would want to purchase.)

Those were the dream days...now with the internet, virtually every photographer in the world, pro and amateur alike, is listing photos in the various stock sales outlets.

I haven't heard a recent rule of thumb, but the prices have dropped so much, that I doubt you could average more than a few cents per year, per image.

Check out the various online stock photo agencies to see what I mean. There are literally millions of stock photos that can be bought for about $1.50. (Or less.)

What are the odds that any one person's photo would be picked? And then if it is, they only make about a buck! (Don't forget that the agency gets a cut of the proceeds.)

I just went on one of the more popular stock websites and entered the search term "lady bug". I got 4066 results. And that is only one of literally thousands of stock agencies a photo buyer could go.

PLUS...When a buyer is looking to buy a lady bug photo, they aren't going to look at EVERY lady bug shot. They will look at the first page or two, pick one and move on. Even if you have the best lady bug photo the world has ever seen, what are the odds of it being found by your particular buyer?

Slim to none.

When I recommend NOT selling online, it has NOTHING to do with quality or your photo abilities. It is simply a numbers game.

Imagine how much competition there is for a more popular subject than lady bugs!

There's just plain too much competition to make a living.

I recommend that you put all of your photos in stock agencies as a lifelong project, but not as any sort of income strategy. If you put thousands of photos online every year, for your entire career...you might make enough to make a house payment in your retirement years.

Maybe.

So, what to do?

If you can do amazing pictures of flowers, landscapes and insects, you can do amazing pictures of someone's pet! I've made literally hundreds of thousands of dollars with pet portraits.

Start a little part time pet photo business and you will very quickly get a customer base of happy people throwing money at you. Plus, then get a signed release from each client and you can post the pictures to the stock companies too!

As artists, we tend to be introspective and shy. we hesitate putting ourselves out there...

You wouldn't know it now, but I was once painfully shy! Heck, just being in the same room with a pretty girl would give me the jitters and within minutes I would be literally drenched in sweat.

My pet photo business brought me out of it.

Now I have no problem with working with perfect strangers...even world class beauties. Having moved past my horrible shyness is probably the single best thing that has ever happened.

It is probably worth starting a Part Time Photography business just for that!

I don't want to dash anyone's dreams...I just want to be realistic.

If you want to shoot bugs, and flowers - DO IT! But, think of your photography as a hobby where you might pick up one or two bucks every once in a while.

If you want to make a living (it's not difficult), then you have to shoot in areas where people are willing to spend money.

How to Get Started in Digital Photography

Whether you are a seasoned photographer or a novice, or just someone who want to do photography as a hobby, the first thing you need to be clear on is, what exactly is digital photography?

Digital photography is the use of a digital camera to capture / take an image that can be viewed on a computer screen. The main benefits of digital photography are:

You can see the result of your work right away

You can delete unwanted photographs instantly

You can easily and cheaply edit your photographs by improving the tone, retouching some areas, adding background etc.

Digital photographs can be send instantly via email

Except for batteries you do not need to constantly buy items to use in digital photography such as films.

Next you will need to decide on the type of digital camera to buy. This will of course depend on the following factors:

How much money you can spend

What is your goal, that is, why do you need to take digital pictures: business, hobby, personal
What functionality do you want with your camera

There are two basic types of digital camera, the DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) and automatic. If you are really serious about digital photography you will want to get yourself a DSLR since this type of camera gives you more control.

In making a decision on type of digital camera also explore the types of storage media available and see which one may be best for you. The two most popular storage media for digital camera are flashcards (digital film) and microdrives. The storage media in a digital camera is really important; it is what holds the pictures. It is important to read reviews and talk to other users of digital cameras to determine the type of memory, and the capacity of the memory (how much images can it hold) you will need. I recommend flash cards since they have no moving parts and are more reliable.

After you have decided on the type of digital camera to purchase, you must now look at the other types of equipment you need to make a success of digital photography. A good personal computer and printer is needed, especially if you do not wish to pay to have your pictures printed elsewhere.

Your computer is important because this is where you will download, store, edit, review and any number of other things to your photographs. If you are using an older computer, make sure your operating system is compatible with the camera and software you will be using.

If you plan to do this professionally, you will also need to invest in software to help you get the most out of your digital photographs. Software used by professional digital photographers include Adobe Photoshop and ImageReady.

How to take great digital photographs

There are seven main steps to ensuing that you take professional looking digital photographs. These are:

Subject: Pose your subject with care. Even with the best software some faults cannot be totally corrected.

Lighting: Right light is important in digital photography as the appearance of your subject will be affected if lighting is wrong. Too harsh a light will show up wrinkles

ISO calibration: To ensure that your pictures don't come out looking like they were done by a total novice, check to ensure that your camera is properly calibrated. Getting the right camera setting can be the difference between brilliant pictures and blah.

Composition: Good photography is an art form, so your background is as important as your subject. Too much clutter in your picture will make the result look unprofessional.

White balance: If you want to ensure that your photograph has natural looking colors, then make sure to manually set the white balance.

Don't be afraid to experiment: Do creative crazy things with your camera, the results may just surprise you. Remember, with a digital camera you can always delete the images if you do not want to keep them.

Zoom and flash: Practice using these features until you find what works best in different situations.

One point to remember about digital photography is that it cannot turn a lousy photography into a professional overnight, but with practice and learning you can become good at photography using a digital camera. And, with enough talent, business savvy, luck, downright determination and love of the craft you might even be able to turn it into a business venture.

Common Programs and Courses at Community Colleges

Community colleges are educational institutions that offer alternative courses and programs to those who are interested in taking them up. These courses are usually less formal than the ones taught at universities and other higher education facilities. There are some that do offer similar programs and courses as more formal schools.

Transition Programs

In many of the community colleges, there are transfer education degrees which are a sort of initial step to the four-year program that the student has his or her eye on. These courses often have the basic education necessary for the original four-year program that the student wants. In most cases, if not in all cases, the student completes the first two years of most bachelor's degree programs that are offered in universities and other formal schools. Usually, the requirements for general education are often met by those who finish the course in these educational institutions as well as some of the major requirements that may be tackled in these schools. When the student finally gets to the university where the four-year program is being offered, he or she will not need to repeat the requisite initial two years because of the courses that he or she has taken at community colleges.

Developmental Programs

These kinds of programs are aimed at high school graduates who may not be ready to enter higher education at the moment. Some college level courses are more difficult than others and many students are not academically ready to tackle these even after they have graduated from high school. The courses that are offered in these educational institutions are usually aimed at developing the skills and adding to the knowledge of the student to make the entrance to college level courses easier and less stressful. One might consider these courses as remedial courses to make the student understand the subjects better in addition to improving their skill level.

Career Programs

These kinds of courses are offered at community colleges to help high school graduates enter the workforce even though they are not college graduates. Those who enroll in these programs and finish them will have associate degrees and will be able to look for jobs immediately after they have graduated. The courses that are offered are usually two year courses which are usually focused on manual skills and training. These will enable the students to find work as soon as possible.

Continuing Programs

These courses are aimed at personal development and personal interest. Institutions and facilities usually offer these because the students or the prospective students are interested in the subject and would like to learn more about it. Some examples of these are foreign languages and other elective courses in high school or higher education. Other courses may not even be related to formal education such as photography, cooking, baking and other such subjects.

Many community colleges post what they have to offer on their information boards and websites. It is a good idea to check these out frequently.

Are There Any Free Courses Offered in Photography?

I am a research writer by profession. A few years back, as part of a regular exercise to enhance my skill portfolio, I decided to learn photography. I felt that it could be an added feather to my cap of existing achievements. I did set out on a mission to find an apt photography school. A photography school that will not wipe me off my years of savings as well as deliver the goods as promised. Did I find one? That is part of another story. 

However, there are a few key findings which I thought I need to share with people around so that you don't end up committing the same set of mistakes that I did. For instance,

1) I highly recommend photography as a career path only for those with an artistic sense and see the beauty beyond what your eyes can see.

2) If you have been looking out for free courses on photography, let me explain what these actually are. Most of these so-called photography schools try offering an inexpensive and less valued courses for free to generate leads. The moment you are into the school they try up-selling some of their most expensive courses which people eventually end up buying. This is purely a marketing gimmick.

3) If you are totally new to photography and have never handled a camera in your lifetime, I recommend that you get started with any school that offers you these basic courses. This step will primarily help you kick start your career.

4) As a next step, I recommend specialization in a photography career. When you say that you are a photographer, you might not gain much credibility. This is like saying that you are a scientist. What people might be interested is to know if you are a nuclear scientist, space scientist or say a biologist. If you are not sure of the specializations available within photography, here are some: Portrait Photography, Wedding Photography, Motion photography, fashion photography, landscape photography, sports photography, underwater photography and even doll photography. The list goes on.

5) While learning a new skill, classrooms do certainly have an edge over their online counterparts. This is not to undermine the effectiveness of online schools. However, a live classroom based session, is more effective in terms of doubt clarification and sharing of ideas. Regular classes come in real handy while studying concepts of lighting, composition, and other basics. If time is a constraint at your end, you can always opt for these online versions.

On a final note, I would like to re-iterate on the fact that photography can be the most rewarding career that you might ever choose. When you learn the basics, ensure that you get it done from the best in the business. Any course that can provide you hands on training with real situations should be your first choice of selection. I wish you all the best for a bright and illustrious career.

Turn Adversity Into Opportunities - The Dr Blenda Wilson Story of Overcoming Severe Discrimination

Blenda Wilson grew up in a small New Jersey town in the 1950s. Most people believed that the best Blenda could hope for was a low-paying office job, and that college was unrealistic and beyond her economic reach.

Blenda's family had experienced racial discrimination. Her mother "was a bright black woman who had graduated from 'normal school' in the racially segregated deep south" of America, during the Depression. According to Blenda, her mother was a "very, very intelligent woman, [with a] powerful mind and fortitude." She said, "My mother moved from Georgia... the north didn't accept normal school [teaching] credentials, and so she became, throughout her working career... a white-collar worker, [a] salesperson at Sears, an elevator operator... [and] a girls' supervisor in a juvenile detention home."

Blenda's father "went to technical vocational school... completed the [electrician] certificate, and in those days, to become an electrician, you had to be apprenticed. He was black and he could never get an apprenticeship, so he could never be an electrician." He became a laborer instead of an electrician.

Blenda shared that her mother, who had experienced racial discrimination, insisted that her children "didn't go out of the house dirty and slovenly... because she [had] lived in a really segregated south." Her mother shared "stories where, if they were in town, and a white person was walking down the street, black people stepped off into the curb."

Blenda then described her own experiences with racial, gender and age discrimination. Despite her membership in the National Honor Society at her high school in Woodbridge, New Jersey, her guidance counselor refused even to talk to her about going to college. Blenda's comment was, "God, she was really mean to me. She never, ever gave me any counseling about college; she never invited me to college prep stuff." Wilson said that on the contrary, "Actually, she told me to 'take a typing class'... then said, 'You're nice looking, and you might be able to become a secretary.' Now that's supposed to be a compliment."

Wilson decided to take things in her own hands. Blenda was convinced that she could find such a college for herself and a way to pay for tuition, books, food, and housing. Wilson wrote many colleges, seeking more information, applied for admission, and asked for full scholarships. She received scholarship offers from several major colleges, but initially they offered only one-year scholarships with a series of renewals.

Blenda commented, "I was determined to get a full four-year scholarship, to ensure that I could get completely through college, since I knew my parents could not afford to pay for me to go." Ultimately, "Cedar Crest guaranteed me four years' tuition, [a] travel budget, and a job." She graduated from Cedar Crest College with a major in English and Secondary Education. She went on to earn a Master's degree in Education from Seton Hall, and then a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Boston College.

Early in her career she experienced gender and age discrimination from African American males, both in the community and within her organization. Though she was more qualified and more educated than her competition, some people were vocal in their opposition to her getting the job as Executive Director of the Middlesex County Economic Opportunity Corporation. Blenda said, "The African American men in the community were [quite upset] that a woman would get this role.... One of the criteria was that they wanted someone with a Master's degree. I had one. None of the African American men did." So Wilson got the job over their loud protests.

Blenda "was youngest Senior Associate Dean in the Graduate School of Education at Harvard," and once again she encountered age discrimination. Wilson shared that she had "worked with and was tutored by Dr. John Gardner" after leaving Harvard. After she left Harvard she became Chancellor of the University of Michigan. After that she became the President of California State University, Northridge for seven years, from 1992 to 1997, and led the university's recovery from the Northridge earthquake in January of 1994.

In addition to having served as a Getty Foundation Trustee for over a decade, Dr. Wilson is the President and CEO of the Nellie Mae Educational Foundation in Quincy, Massachusetts. She is also a past chair of the American Association of Higher Education. Dr. Wilson serves as a trustee of the College Board, and she is Deputy Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Dr. Blenda Wilson still takes time out of her busy schedule to mentor and coach select prospective female prospective leaders. Her story offers a real message of hope and inspiration of how she decided and was successful in her effort to overcome adversity and turn adversity into opportunities. Br. Blenda Wilson is an outstanding example to everyone, especially women and minorities of becoming a successful prominent leader, as well as show grace and class to give back to the community and helping to build a better world.

Copyright 2009 © Howard Edward Haller, Ph.D. and The Leadership Success Institute