Tuesday 8 September 2009

Tips For Photographing Your Cat


Every cat is proud of his or her friendly feline. Cats make perfect subjects in which to photograph. You can catch your cat and a variety of interesting and fun poses when you know how to take pictures of your cat. If you are interested in photographing your cat, here are some tips to help you get the best shots.

Catch your Cat Napping
Nothing looks quite as relaxing as a cat taking a nap. Cats do sleep a lot, so if you take a picture of your cat napping, you have plenty of opportunity. The best time to take a picture of your cat is to catch it when it is asleep. You can take close-ups of your cat either as it sleeps, or gently wake your cat up for a relaxed look. For a nice shot of your cat, try gently rubbing your cat’s belly right when you want to snap a picture. This will encourage your cat to roll over on its back.

Natural Sunlight
When you think of a sleeping cat, where do most cats enjoy sleeping? You can usually find a cat napping in the sun. If you have a window that gets full or filtered sunlight during the day, then try to open the curtains or blinds to encourage cap napping. As soon as you see your cat sit in the sun, try to take a few pictures. When the sunlight is good, try a few shots without using your flash. This will give your picture a nice natural glowing effect. In addition, natural light often works best anyway because if you use a bright flash, your cat will usually close his or her eyes or the eyes could end up looking red.

Forget Posing and Planning
Cats are much for posing. You cannot really ask that a cat stay and sit. When you take pictures of your cat, you should always have your camera on hand for candid shots. Look at your cat during the day and determine your cat’s schedule and favorite places. Work around your cat and you will get better pictures. Try to be spontaneous, and above all stay patient. It may take several tries to get a couple of great shots, but posing your cat rarely works.

I have tried to get my three cats to pose and let me take a picture, but even though they sleep together, play together, they cannot stand or in this sit next to each without someone starting something. If I had three people to help and set back out of the picture, it might work. As you can see, cat’s needs to do what cats do and take your pictures that way.

Get Help
Another good tip for taking pictures of your cat is to get help. You can get great pictures of playful cats and kittens by having someone help you wiggle a string, the throw a ball or call the cat’s name. It is very difficult to try to play with your cat and take pictures at the same time. Your pictures will turn out much better if you get someone to help you. In addition, if you are trying to get a picture of your cat looking directly at your camera, have someone stand above you can call the cat's name, or make a noise that will prompt the cat to look directly above your head.

If you are a patient and willing, you can get some excellent shots of your cat. Cats are so fun to take pictures of because you never know what they will do. Keep your camera handy and ready to go as soon as your cat springs into action. Cat’s normal activity seems to make us smile and laugh, their antics always may wonderful pictures. Pictures of kittens playing from birth on also make for some great pictures. If you have the camera, you will never miss the perfect picture.

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Word Count 656

Videography Tips from the Pros


Making videos or “videography” is a different animal from photography. When you are trying to capture great pictures for a portrait or an event, you think in terms of still shots. In your mind the objective is “what will make a great picture.”

Video opens up whole scenes to be captured on film, for better and for worse. But it also opens up a lot of opportunity for mistakes, unexpected results or interruptions and surprises. Not only do you have to continue to think about what makes a great shot, you now have sound and movement issues to factor in. So while videography is much more fun, it also can be a lot more work.

You are trying to find a middle ground when you start offering video as part of your services. You know that anybody can bring a camcorder and capture video streams. These days they can even do it with their phone. But you want to create a more professional shot than the high school kid with a camcorder. Then again, you are not trying to win an academy award here. So the level of professionalism has to be better than amateur so you can justify charging for it but it doesn’t have to be great art to be a good video that the customer will be happy with.

To accomplish this mix of perfectionism and compromise, a few tips from the pros who have already set up a video business can help a lot. Here are what many of the old pros tell us to focus on especially as we are getting our video business up and running…

The cornerstone advice that the pros give about making great video is plan ahead. The more you know about your shoot, the better equipped you are when you show up. If you are shooting a wedding, visit the chapel, perhaps the reception hall and plan where you will set up to capture the best images. Plan your routes as you move around so you can create a smooth flow that works with the wedding procession rather than interrupts it.

The same is true of any event. Even a sporting event, as spontaneous as that is, will offer some less traveled areas where you can position yourself to catch the action. If the best location for capturing video is above or a distance from the activity, then you know you will need to use zoom and focus differently than if you can be in the middle of the action. This helps you plan how to prepare your equipment and your crew who will be supporting the shoot.

Lighting is something that must be part of your preplanning so you have sufficient light so the action and facial reactions are easy to pick out on the video. Outdoors, keep the sun behind you if at all possible. Indoors, scout out how the existing lighting will look on video during the hours that you will be shooting. If they are not sufficient, you should get in there and set your lights in place well in advance of the event and work with the event organizers so they know your lights will be on during the event. The people who hired you want a great video so they will work with you. But you have to let them know what is going on.

A good video is a combination of stability of the camera and constant movement. So use a tripod to stabilize the shots when the video is being actively shot. But you have to be able to move the set up quickly to a new location. So make sure that your equipment is well maintained and that cameras, tripods and that all supplies are quickly accessible for field changes or repairs.

One of the most valuable insider tips is to shoot with the intention of editing. In that way, you will shoot more footage than you need, knowing you are going to edit it together later. You can go back and capture connecting video shots to smooth out the action and you don’t have to get upset if you get some bad footage. These and many other talents you will develop will take you to that level of professionalism you want to reach. And your customers will notice it too and come back for more of your talented videography.

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Panasonic-Air-Purifiers-Reviewed


When you think of Panasonic, what comes to mind? If you are like many other individuals, you would think of batteries, televisions, radios, or DVD players. Panasonic is a popular company that is often viewed as a media or an electronic company. While Panasonic does place a lot of focus on entertainment, it is not their only focus. In addition to some of the previously mentioned products, you will also find that Panasonic makes and sells a number of different air purifiers.

Panasonic air purifier comes in a number of different models. These models currently include the Panasonic HEPA Air Purifier, the Panasonic F-P10HU1 Air Purifier and the Panasonic F-P10HU2 Air Purifier. The cost of these air purifiers, as well as their replacement filters, will all depend on which model you purchase. On average, Panasonic air purifiers can be purchased for around $200 to $300. The cost of replacement features, as mentioned above, will vary.

Despite the fact that Panasonic has a number of different air purifiers available for sale, you will find that most of their air purifiers have the same features; features that you can likely benefit from. One of those features is HEPA filters. As you saw above, one of the Panasonic air purifiers specifically mentioned HEPA in its name. Even though the other Panasonic air purifiers are not outright labeled as being HEPA products, they are. All Panasonic air purifiers should come equipped with the popular and well performing HEPA filters.
Panasonic air purifiers come equipped with the latest technology. In addition to HEPA filters, you will find that many Panasonic air purifiers have modernized controls and sensors. One of those sensors is a micro dirt sensor. A micro dirt sensor allows the air purifier and its fans to adjust to the indoor air. Essentially this means, that the air purifier may reduce its strength or increase it, depending on the air quality in the room it is being used. This also works in conjunction with a twenty-four hour air control monitor, which most Panasonic air purifiers come equipped with. You will also find that most air purifiers also have control timers.

If you are a cigarette smoker, or if someone inside your house is, you will also be able to benefit from a Panasonic air purifier. This is because most Panasonic air purifiers not only work to clean up the air, but they also work to clean up the smell of the room which they are in. This is done with a special deodorizing filter. The deodorizing filter will remove a number of smells, which includes the smells associated with cigarette smoke.

As mentioned above, you will need to purchase replacement filters for your Panasonic air purifier, should you choose to buy one. What is nice about most Panasonic air purifiers is that they only need to have their filters changed every couple of years. In fact, according to Panasonic, in normal conditions, each air purifier filter should last around three years. This is amazing, especially when compared to most of the other air purifier replacement filters. It is not uncommon for other air purifiers to need replacement filters every couple of months or once a year. Essentially, this means that you may be saving yourself a decent amount of money, in the long run.

If you are interested in purchasing a Panasonic air purifier, you will find that you have a number of different options. You can buy an air purifier directly from Panasonic; you should be able to do this online or over the phone. In addition to buying directly from Panasonic, you should also be able to shop online at a number of different online retail stores. If online shopping is not your style, you should also able to find Panasonic air purifiers at a number of storefront retail locations. These locations may include traditional department stores, electronic stores, as well as home improvement stores.

For more information on Panasonic air purifiers or to make an online purchase, you are urged to visit Panasonic’s online website. You can find that online website at www.panasonic.com.

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Word Count 682

Over-scheduling kids


Several studies are expressing a growing concern that after school
programs are pressurizing kids to do too much too soon. They point out
that when a child's afternoon is filled with classes, trips, sports and
other forms of organized activities, kids do not really get the time to be
just kids. They are even being deprived of the cherished family time.

Undoubtedly, there are children who are being burdened with a schedule
that places too much demand on their time. This leads to increased levels
of stress on the child and the family. As regular studies cannot be
ignored, children are almost always on the run to achieve more. Such
children are really bearing a burden that is too heavy for their frail
little shoulders.

In an ideal world, all children would go home directly after school to
loving and caring parents who are waiting for the children to come home.
But the social and economic realities show that many children have to
attend after school courses because there is no one available at home. For
such children, these classes are a boon.

Parents should however restrain themselves from reading too much into
these activities. After school programs are complimentary in nature. They
give additional support. Therefore, their importance should also be
limited.

(word count 213)

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