Travelling and Photography

September 18, 2009

Child Photography

Filed under: Photography — Tags: , — arkan @ 7:53 am

The field of child photography is challenging but also both enjoyable and profitable – if you like children. Don’t bother pretending, if you really don’t. You may fool a parent – but not the little one.


Tips to help are:

The techniques used in most other fields of photography do not always apply in child photography. The phrase “hold it” or “freeze” carry very little weight with children. They typically do as they please and if they please. Your assignment is to anticipate what a child may be about to do and capture it.


YOU can turn this into your advantage: Since children don’t always do what you want them to do, or what you expect them to do (actually they rarely do!). A solution often is: don’t expect them to become a cooperative little adult merely because you want to take their picture. Trick them – expect them to act like children. Don’t expect anything in particular. DO this and you can enter the fun and profitable field of child photography.


Know your stuff -

Before you start booking sessions with children you must know exactly what you are capable of doing – what your camera is capable of doing – what all your equipment is capable of doing. Operating your camera and equipment must be second nature. Have your style of photography down pat, so when you start a session your mind is on the child(ren). This takes your complete focus. This is not the time to be fiddling with you camera, or trying to figure out your light setup. Children take 100% of your concentration. For some children the entire shoot may only last 10 minutes – though you feel you have just run a marathon – so you have to be able to get in position , get the most cooperation from the child, get great shots. At times, this has to be done very quickly, BUT you cannot make the child feel they are being rushed.


Know your subjects -

With children, you must expect the unexpected. At different ages children are capable of doing different things. The more you know what they typically do during some of these stages, the better images you are going to capture. And the happier you make your clients – which, in turn, makes you financially happy.


During a session photographing children you can get a variety of poses, expressions and antics. In no other field of photography are you liable to get such variety. The more you learn about little ones the better child photographer you will be. Children are not just children until they become adults -they come in all sizes. Between four months and four years you can place them into quite a few categories: 4-6 mos, 6-12 mos, 12-18 mos, 18-24 mos, and then you can lengthen out the age span. Awareness of these ages are needed to help you – the photographer – be aware of the limitations children (especially little ones) have.


Listening to the parent can help toward a successful session.

You can learn specific things about their child that will make it or break it:

Are they afraid of certain things or sounds?

What are their special likes?

Do they like books?

How comfortable are they with a stranger approaching them? You do NOT want to spook a little one; the scheduled time may not allow for you to win their confidence.


Be ready with that camera when you first introduce something new -you do not get a second chance to get first reactions!


In most areas of photography a tripod is great for sharp photos. However with child photography you do not always have such a luxury. Once they reach the moving around stage, a tripod limits your ability to capture expressions and poses. Be mindful of your camera settings – keep that shutter speed fast enough to prevent blurring – and be ready to move quickly!


Child photography allows for close-up portraits as well as the child engaged in some activity – taking their socks off – in a box / tub with toys – climbing on or out of something. There is really no limit. As you continue to gain experience in working with children of various ages you will become more adept at learning what typically works with different age groups.


Child photography is a challenge – but don’t worry sometime it turns into children photography. Mom has twins – big brother / little sister – maybe three little cousins. The list goes on! Imagine two sister and they both have triplets! Other than the obvious difficulty of getting multiple little subjects in any semblance of position, conducive to a memorable photo you need to bring everyone’s eyes to a central focal point. Tricky, but not impossible. Adding something NEW to catch their attention, at the moment you press the shutter, can work. Use this sparingly, because when child photography turns into children photography getting all their attention on the same thing is quite a feat. The beauty of digital is no limits to the exposures you take and you can take a quick peek on the spot.


Parents can be quite helpful during the photo session. Children often are more confident with a parent nearby. Also, do not overlook the value of older brother and sisters. They have a relationship with the little one like no one else! Often they can get their little brother or sister to giggle, make faces, hold things and a host of other things that may be exactly what you need. Plus, you have the opportunity of including more subjects in the photos, which translates into a larger photo package for the customer!


As you advance in child photography you will want a lighting setup and a backdrop. A three light setup – consisting of a main light fill light and a background light – is ideal. However if you are just beginning you can do great photography with a lot less. Experiment, and add as needed. If you are using a backdrop keep the child at least four feet from the backdrop (if possible). This eliminates shadows and prevents the backdrop from competing with your subject.


Take your act on the road -

You can do child photography at the park – on the beach – in the backyard, just as easily as in a studio or home – maybe more so – and nature will take care of the lighting for you, as long as you select open shade.


Items to have on hand:

Depending on the ages and whether you are shooting indoors or outdoors you need a supply of items to catch and keep their interest and that look great in a photo:

rattles

feather dusters

soft toys

dolls

hats

mirrors

a telephone (the bigger the better)

a big whistle

duplicate toys (for twins & overly competitive little ones)

treats & snacks


There is much more to be written on child photography. For more information on this, and other related subjects, you may want to read the article

http://www.you-can-do-great-photography.com/child-photography.html


This article authored by: You-Can-Do-Great-Photography.com

This article was authored by You-Can-Do-Great-Photography.com

How to rent your vacation home

Filed under: Vacation Homes — Tags: , , — arkan @ 7:37 am

Are you one of the people who want to turn their properties into successful vacation rentals, but still confused where to start from? Then read on, this article is just for you.

If you have a nice property to rent it out for vacations, then it s time to tell the whole world about it. Today, in this ‘online age’, you can easily introduce your vacation property to a large number of people who can be your potential guests.

It is really important that you provide more and more information about your vacation property as it is an important part to market anything. You can get a good insight when you put yourself in the shoes of the potential guest about what they may want and where they might look for. You should post enough information like anything from local restaurants to the historic attractions and from medical facilities to the theme parks. You might be thinking that one person may not ask so many questions like these, but then you forget that there are thousands of people who look for different kinds of information according to their taste and interest.

Now, first decide what amount of money you are willing to spend to advertise your vacation property? It is important to set the annual spend relative to the expected returns.

You can join the online property marketing sites and forums after them the rates for annual membership to display your property. Here an important thing to note is that suppose if your area is seasonal, then it become highly unlikely that you will go for the full one year listing at premium rates.

At the vacation property listing websites, you get the value for your money as they really work hard to expose your vacation home to thousands of vacationers globally. The online advertisement works much better compared to the print media as now it has wider reach to the people.

Also you can go for your own website. It may sound a bit difficult, but investing in this could boost the earnings. You can set up the website either with a simple design or opt for a big, glitzy one, the more you invest, the more you get. Initially the will have to compete with other countless sites to attract visitors; it may not be possible to beat the property marketing sites in terms of search engine rankings, but it is proven fact that owing a personal website shows a professionalism in the eyes of potential vacation guests.

You can mention the website name on your business cards and ads, it will really help. And if you decide to have your own website plus an ad space on a leading vacation property, then you can make it beneficial two ways. The ad on a property listing site will have the URL of your site, so the visitors will definitely visit your site from there too if they find the initial information interesting. So, having a personal vacation property website will always help to market your property.

Next point is that advertising on multiple sites always benefits as more people come to know about your property. Just look for the best available deals for price, traffic and other things.

Always plan the advertising in advance and not at the last minute before the available dates. It helps generate interest and bookings too.

Make sure the utilities work properly and add any extra comforts you can like DVD’s, books etc. Always remember that word of mouth works best for repeated business, so the more excellent service you give to the guests, the more guest you get through him.

Last, but not the least thing, keep in mind that first impression really matters. People spend their hard earned money on their vacations to have good times. You should show as much as possible photos of your property and they should be actual and clean. If a guest does not find an amenity that was advertised in the ad, then it is 100% sure that not only he will never return in the future, but also you will get a ‘bad word’ as he will post negative comments on the site about you and your property, so please refrain from such tricks.

So get our free service to online your vacation homes at www.vacation-now.com, A Diretcory for Europe vacation rentals. Give much exposure to your holiday home and get maximum revenue on that.

Maldives Travel Tips

Filed under: Travel Tips — Tags: , , — arkan @ 7:36 am

Maldives is a year round destination. To spectacle the picturesque beauty of Maldives, travelers throng to this adobe of nature frequently. If you are soon planning to fly off to Maldives to enjoy perfect family vacations, then go through our Maldives travel trips.

Maldives Currency:

The official currency in Maldives is Maldivian rufiyaa. One rufiyaa is equal to 100 laaris. Banknotes are issued in denominations of MVR500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5, while coins come in MVR1 and 2, and 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 laaris.

Credit Cards:

In Maldives Credit cards are widely accepted as a form of payment. All the major credit cards are widely used in hotels, restaurants, tourist shops. Even foreign currency like Euros and Sterling are accepted in Maldives.

Maldives Currency Exchange:

Travelers don’t need to worry about the currency they are carrying with them. In Maldives currency exchange is a quick and a hassle-free process. Cash and cheques can be exchanged in hotels and hotels at best rates.

Maldives Tourist Information Offices:

The Maldives Tourism Promotion Board is the body that caters to the needs of tourists. Its main office is located in the island capital of Malé.

Address: 3rd Floor H. Aage, 12, Boduthakurufaanu Magu

Malé, Republic of Maldives

Visa and Passports:

Tourists with a valid passport valid for at least six months are granted a stay of up to 30 days in Maldives.

Maldives Language:

The official language spoken in Maldives is Dhivehi. Even English is widely spoken. French, German, Italian and Japanese travelers can easily find efficient guide in the tourist area.

Maldives Customs and Traditions:

Maldives people are warm and loving. A handshake is the most common form of greeting when meeting a local. It is accompanied by the Arabic expression ‘Assalaam Alaikum’.

Maldives have a strict approach towards the tourists who try to harm the natural environment of the country. No one is permitted to take coral, tortoise shell or other marine species out of the country.

Tourists are not allowed to bring alcoholic drink into the country or even purchase it prior to the arrival.

These handy Maldives travel tips will help you plan an unforgettable Maldives vacation.

For more information on Maldives, we invite you on our site “Tourism in Maldives”. The article has been written by Divya, an expert author at tourisminmaldives.com, your one stop source for all the information you need about Maldives.

Day Skipper sailing courses

Filed under: Sailing — Tags: , , — arkan @ 7:33 am

RYA Day skipper with Mustang Sailing

RYA Day Skipper is a sort of ‘foundation course’ in seamanship and navigation. It has two elements, theory and practical. Suitable for those with limited experience it is effectively an ‘entry level’ course, though while you don’t need any theoretical knowledge you do need to know how to sail. The RYA stipulates that Day Skipper candidates should have 100 miles logged. In our experience it doesn’t matter what sort of boat you have sailed, so long as you can sail. Dinghy sailing years ago is just as relevant as last years flotilla holiday in the Med! http://www.mustangsailing.com/

If you are not confident about your sailing ability you may want to consider taking an RYA Competent crew course first. Five days training alongside Day Skipper students or Yachtmaster exam candidates is sure to give you a feel for cruising under sail and hopefully a thirst for more. Alternatively you could take a berth on one of our mile builders, again five days but with an emphasis on going places rather than intensive pilotage and boat handling. The Channel Islands and France are favourite destinations for mile building out of the Solent.

When you have gained the Day Skipper theory and practical tickets you can consider yourself well on the way to being a safe and competent yachtsman. The RYA Day Skipper practical certificate entitles the holder to an International Certificate of Competence (ICC). These certificates and a VHF Radio licence are all you need to charter boats in the finest sailing areas the world has to offer.

More important than the certificates in themselves is the knowledge you will acquire on the way. The Day Skipper theory course covers chartwork, chart symbols, Lat & Long, compass, tidal theory, pilotage, safety, meteorology and so on. The theory element can be taken as a five day ‘stand alone’ course or combined with the practical (on the water) training in one 9 day course. This offers the opportunity to achieve both Day Skipper theory and Day Skipper practical tickets with only five days off work, an important consideration for those with busy lifestyles.

Mustang Sailing have been delivering these courses for long enough to know how to get the theory across in a painless, stress free way. Not everybody is comfortable in class, and for some it has been a while…

On a 9 day combined course we split the theory into two, two day blocks at either end of the course. The first and last two days are spent in class. The first two laying the foundations so to speak, then it’s down to the boat (we’ll take you if you don’t have transport) for five days of sail training.

Sailing from Universal Marina on the Hamble River we criss cross the Solent and venture to Chichester to the East and Poole to the West, depending on the weather. Day Skipper practical involves many short passages, involving lots of passage planning and pilotage as well as boat handling under power and sail. When Friday comes it’s time to leave the yacht and head back to Ringmer to finish off the theory.

Collision regulations and meteorology are the two big subjects for the last weekend; you will have been living and breathing sail cruising all week so the final sessions are pretty easy. Two exam papers are despatched on Sunday morning, a quick debrief and off home with two new certificates, miles in your logbook and memories to last a lifetime.

Mustang Sailing are a small sailing school with a big range of courses which we run all year round. We moved to Ringmer nr Lewes three years ago and have expanded steadily. We take no print advertising, relying on our website and word of mouth recommendation to grow our business. This year we have doubled our classroom capacity, and added a dedicated diesel engine workshop at Ringmer, and bought a 40’ yacht to cope with the demands of our expanding customer base.

Our training centre is housed in converted agricultural buildings close to the South Downs. The central location close to major road and rail links and conveniently located for the London airports makes us the obvious choice for sailors in the South East and London and for international students looking for quality courses at a convenient location. The quiet rural setting makes it easy to get down to studying the subject in hand.

Mustang run all the RYA Cruising and Yachtmaster shorebased courses at Ringmer and all the practical sail cruising courses from Universal Marina on the Hamble. Probably the nicest marina in the Solent, a pleasant rural location with an old-school feel it is a great place to be, relaxed and civilised.

Mustang Sailing Credentials

Mustang Sailing is a South East based sailing school growing fast through delivering high quality courses. With no print media advertising or boat show presence the school is expanding fast largely through word of mouth recommendation.

With an emphasis on quality through small course numbers and top notch instructors Mustang has developed a reputation for straightforward, no-nonsense training.

This year has seen a doubling of classroom facilities, the establishment of an on-site diesel engine workshop and the acquisition of a 40’ training yacht.

Principal Paul Stringer has been around boats all his life, living on a Thames sailing barge as a child, getting into dinghy sailing and then yachting. “Cruising under sail with friends and family has to be the best way to spend leisure time. Our role is to provide proper training so that people make the right decisions at sea. A competent skipper engenders confidence in his crew, and that makes for a happy, safe ship”.

Mustang Sailing offer the full range of RYA Cruising Scheme and Yachtmaster courses, all year round. Shorebased theory training takes place at Ringmer nr Lewes. Practical on the water courses are run out of Universal Marina on the Hamble River. See credentials august.doc. To contact Mustang Sailing call 0845 6809 069 – 7 days a week.

Flight Planning Software

Filed under: Flights — Tags: , , — arkan @ 7:32 am

Flying an aircraft is a complicated task in and of itself.  Navigating from one point to another over unknown terrain can be even more complex, but trying to do both at once quickly becomes overwhelming.  This is why proper flight planning is such a necessity to any good pilot or airman.  Luckily in today’s world, flight planning software exists to help speed the process along while maintaining accuracy.  By entering such variables as wind speed and direction, aircraft weight, course and temperature, flight planning software programs can calculate a host of important information such as wind correction angle, true airspeed, runway crosswinds, and magnetic variation.  Great aviation websites like Student Flying Club even offer pilots a free online E6B flight computer!

For many new pilots, mastering the E6B flight calculator is one of the most complicated tasks to learn.  And although becoming a pilot requires learning how to use such a great tool, online flight planning software including an E6B can help speed up the learning process.   Any calculation that can be made on a manual E6B can usually be made on an online version of such flight planning software.  Temperature conversions from Fahrenheit to Celsius and wind chill calculations are possible, as well as density altitude, pressure conversion, heat index, dew point, and relative humidity percentages that help determine whether or not a flight is viable that day.  Magnetic variation calculations for flight planning also help determine course corrections by entering the latitude and longitude needed for different parts of the Continental US, Europe, and even Alaska.  In the past these figures needed to be calculated either manually or through a hand-held E6B calculator, but with new flight planning software this information is available with just a few short keystrokes.

Aside from the online E6B computer, pilots can take advantage of other pieces of flight planning software available to them as well.  Airport Distance calculators are a great tool for determining the distance and heading between two distinct airports.  Some of these distance calculators go through great lengths to maintain a large database of airports – not only those larger ones in class C and D airspace but also the smaller, non-tower controlled airports.  This helps student pilots in flight planning by allowing them to plot several different courses from their own home airport, regardless of how small it may be.  Learning to fly while based at a larger airport can be daunting, and most pilots get their private license flying out of smaller home airfields.

Online flight planning also includes takeoff and landing distance calculators, as well as complicated weight and balance charts.  These online flight planning tools take most of the manual mathematics out of the picture, allowing for less margin of error.  Aviation flight planning of course may also include the filing of an actual flight plan with local airport towers or FSS (flight service stations), and such a flight plan is required for IFR routes.  While there’s currently no direct online way to file a flight plan, some flight planning software offers helpful printable forms that can be filled out from your keyboard and then printed on paper.  Required fields and form checking help maintain that such  forms are properly filled out before being submitted to the proper authorities and filed as flight plans.

Finally, one of the most important aspects of planning a flight is the observance of up-to-date current weather conditions.  Flight planning software comes in extremely handy here, where most every website or application can now be easily linked to the NOAA’s National Weather Service.  Forecasting is still never an exact science, flight planning tools and applications can usually come pretty close to determining near-future weather conditions.  Immediate airport condition reports from across the US and even the world can be instantly collated into a central location and displayed for pilots right before a flight so they can make a go or no-go decision right before scheduled takeoff.  And as satellite-driven GPS technology becomes sharper and smaller, such GPS units become more readily available to today’s pilot.  He or she can fly their aircraft and get up-to-the-second weather information simply by looking at their externally mounted GPS units or even their glass cockpit displays.

Flight planning software has come a long way in a very short period of time, and there seems to be no limit to the amount of good it can do.  Technology has made today’s pilot a safer, more educated airman.  Planning a flight has been made easier and more error-free, and keeping track of flight plans has become a lot more manageable.  In the end, as long as technology continues to advance, piloting an aircraft will continue to be made safer.

Be sure to visit Student Flying Club for FREE flight planning software including a fully functional online E6B calculator! Browse their aviation articles, flight training tools, airman journals, and even pages of fun pilot humor.

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