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Its a natural thing to enjoy: snapping a few pictures here and there. Its a gas to capture the people and places around, especially if said people are off their gourds. Most of never get really serious about photography. For most of us, keeping it a hobby is good enough and if we crop off a head or can never figure out how to get rid of red-eye, so be it. Then there are the people who are absolute photography nuts. Im talking about people who pull their hair out if they use the wrong f-stop. Most of use dont even know what an F-stop is. For these obsessed, driven few, a career in photography is probably a good idea. At east theyll get out your air and criticizing your snaps.

Though dyed-in-the wool film photographers were claiming the end of photography as an art had come with the invention of the digital camera, photography as a career offers a lot of opportunities. Magazines, newspapers, news blogs, and even movie studios needs photographers. There are even CSI types jobs with law enforcements agencies. Or you can set up shop as a wedding photographer and get your fill of wedding cake every weekend.

Education is the key here. The difference between a hobbies and a professional is the same all over: education. I mean, you could make a way as a photographer without a formal education, but youll have to work twice as hard and, well, be really, really talented. Otherwise, a good school will have the tools it takes to train you properly. Youve got to know F-stops from depth of field and youll even learn to manually develop film ” can you imagine? Film! You may even get a crash curse in black and white photography! Amazing!

Enrolling in a few classes can help you get your feet wet. See what you like, see what kinds of cameras work best for you, and see what kind of shooting genre you like. I know there is no such thing as shooting genre but every photographer as a preference for what he or she likes to shoot and how its shot. Youll also learn the software that has managed to plant itself to the art. A picture is never just a picture anymore ” now you have color corrections and touch-ups. Forget to light the session? No worries, kick up the contras in PhotoShop.

A school worth its salt can teach you the fundamentals of lighting, framing, and design. Youll even learn what all the buttons and knobs on your camera do. Point and shoot will seem like driving an automatic car. You will be reborn a total art kid photographer ready to snap the next cover of Time. The good thing about some photo schools is that you can enroll online and get the new career ball rolling like today.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by James Gilbert Pynn
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Showing off your talent while being able to earn a little extra income is a good aspiration for a lot of people. Friends and family will support and be appreciative of your art, but the sense of satisfaction gained from other people enjoying your work is truly an enjoyable experience. As such, many get a spot or booth at festivals to showcase their wares.

But going to a festival to proudly display your talent is not just a simple case of renting a stall on placing your crafts there. Certain things need to be considered, and someone who doesn’t do his research might end up with negative revenue after everything is said and done.

First, what is the event about? Talking to the organizers is always advised and it’s a good idea to ask questions. Is it annual? How many people do they expect to turn out? Is this the first time, and if so, how are they promoting the event? You want to set up a booth somewhere with a decent turnout of people, and failing to do so will be a bad turn for your expected extra income.

Next, you have to figure out the specifics of the stall itself. Would you be making shakes, for example? If so, then you may need an outlet for your blender, and thus you’d have to ask if the organizer would provide access to electricity during an event. Ask for the availability of tables and chairs as well. Many events would provide these things, but some won’t.

Your crafts help define who you are, and being able to share it with many people is a rewarding experience. However, as any person with some sense, you’d want to earn something out of it. So gear up, check out the festival opening near you, and wade into it with your talents bared.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by Sam Weyland
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The 3G iPhone is a sleek wonder. It just is an awesome tool to have that combines e-mail, phone calls and music all in one piece. Trust this phone to be an owner’s pride and neighbor’s envy when it comes to the features. Before you get shopping for the 3G iPhone, you must take note of some tips before buying the Phone.

I recommend these tips before buying the phone, as the 3G iPhone has been causing dissatisfaction amongst some customers.

Tip 1 – Make sure to buy the Phone from a good electronic goods dealer. Preferably, if you buy this piece from a branded shop, it will help. You would be spending quite a bit on this phone and hence, you got to be absolutely sure that your piece is genuine.

Tip 2 – Check for all the features and their working. The iPhone is known for its exhaustive set of features. It may not be possible for you to check all those features while shopping for the phone. That said, you could do a quick dip-stick check on the phone to see if all is fine.

Tip 3 – Most customers using iPhone have reported issues with the working of the phone. Issues like menus responding without request, phones cranking off without notice etc have been reported on many occasions. There is absolutely no way you could tell if your “to-be-had” iPhone would not have any of the issues. What you could do is ask all these questions to the phone dealer.

Tip 4 – Check for originality and guarantee on the Phone. Trust me, the iPhone has already created a lot of ripples in the market. I am sure some unscrupulous suppliers have already come up with their duplicate versions. I saw a duplicate version few weeks before in the market. Fortunately, on closer inspection I found that the dealer was cheating me.

Tip 5 – Preferably, go shopping for an iPhone with a person who knows a thing or two about iPhones. The 3G iPhone is a complex tool and would require a tech-savvy person to solve some queries. For starters, it has GPS Mapping, Microsoft Exchange etc in its tools gallery. Don’t worry if you do not make sense of these things. Just make sure to take an iPhone expert with you.

The 3G iPhone is indeed a revolutionary device. It has all the features of the original version and has add-ons too. New gallery features like GPS Mapping, Microsoft Exchange will ensure that this piece will be your all-season phone. Again, a phone looking good in the shop and the one actually in your hand are different sides of a story. You could ensure good functioning of your iPhone, if only you follow the mentioned 5 tips before buying the iPhone.

Remember, you would be paying some money to own one of the best mobile phones in the market. You definitely do not want to own a cheap gold watch only because you neglected some basic rules of shopping for the 3G iPhone.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by Dave Sanders
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In the Heart of the New York Catskill Mountains, there is a place called Nicks Waterfall House. I have been there many times and it has become one of my favorite places of all time to ride to.

There are times when the stress of our lives and jobs can get even the best of us a little down. If you are a straight lace citizen you go to a Doctor and get some pills or maybe see a shrink. If you are a Biker you hop on your Motorcycle get the motor running and you head out to a place like Nicks Waterfall House.

It does not matter where you are or what direction you come from. The ride threw the NY Catskill Mountains is going to relax the stress away from the depths of your very soul. As you ride to Nick’s threw long winding roads up over and into the heart of some of the worlds most majestic Mountains, with the Sun shining down on you and the fresh Mountain air filling your lungs you will start to get a feeling of what one can only describe as pure joy.

As you get near Nicks Waterfall House located on Route 990v, Gilboa New York 12076, either alone or with a group of friends. You will feel as if time and space are no longer a factor in the Universe, and it only gets better from there! As you ride in the first thing many think is they have reached some old time lost resort, but have no fear Nicks is a Biker bar.

When you walk threw the front door you will no longer have any doubts you have arrived at the right place. If Nick is not there to great you himself, there is a good chance he is in his large kitchen cooking up some classic Biker grub. I recommend the first thing you do is order an Ice Cold Beer and go sit by the large windows over looking a Waterfall that looks as if it was stolen from the year 1492. If there is any stress or negative emotions left in your body after the ride to the Waterfall House after only a few minutes watching the water fall down and roll over the rocks it will soon have all washed down stream.

Then it is time to meet the locals, grab another Beer and maybe some of that great food (My favorite is the Waterfall House Cheeseburgers) or maybe shoot a game of pool. The crowd at Nicks is a mix of friendly Bikers, locals and good ole boys. This is a place to exchange stories and Adventures from the road. Often the sharing of stories can go on for hours.

It is easy to have what some may call too much fun at Nicks Waterfall House but with rooms up stairs starting at only $25 a night, there is no reason to worry! Now I want to make sure that you know when I tell you there are rooms at Nicks you understand these rooms where created for road weary bikers. If you bring your old lady with you make sure she is a real biker Chick because Nicks is no Yuppie bed and breakfast! It is a real bikers, biker bar and what you get when you rent a room from Nicks is a communal living room a bed to sleep in and a shower to wash off the road dust! One other thing you get from a night at Nicks is a renewed Spirit of Adventure and a willingness to face what ever maybe up around the next bend in your life!

I have many local Bars that I think of as home and I love to go to and cut loose, but when I hear that call of the road it is often telling me it is time to go to Nick’s Waterfall House!!!

For more info or directs call 607-588-9891 and ask for Nick.

Your Bro LJ James AmericanBikerX.com Listen to my Radio Show at BikerLowdown.com

Tags: Writing & Speaking by LJ James
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Gourd painting is lapped up today as a well celebrated art form. Gourds can be painted and wood burned depending upon the skill of the worker. Today, gourd painting is quite well received and hence it is resulting in mass customization. Few gourd painters would vouch how they were initiated into gourd painting as the agricultural harvest had been high and they had no means to dispose off the gourd except throwing them away.

Gourd art is the method of painting on dried gourd shells. This is done through applying pointillism. The surface of gourd is treated through various procedures. It can be sanded, polished, wood burned or dyed depending upon the painter. While it is followed at large by tribes of Asia and Africa, it has also caught the imagination completely in western society and specifically America. Gourd carving had begun as normal hand carving but it has transcended a lot since then as an art

Electrical wood burners are used today for giving gourd art a technical edge. Art has blurred into science. Paintbrushes have married pencil drills. This way, painted gourds have become a subject of art galleries and magazines. Through internet, it has also spread over many gourd art forums.

Using pyroengraving, weaving and natural adornments, the gourds are crafted into masks, wallets, bowls, vases, and many other objects. It is recommended to use gloves while you paint the gourds. The idea is to keep oneself absolutely free of gourd stains. It must be remembered that dyes must be chosen with a lot of care for it to last on the surface. Dyes work quite quickly though. Alcohol base dye for gourd art and particularly painted gourds are considered quite above par.

Alcohol based dyes are known to function with high speed and also surround a greater surface area. Painted gourds can look perfect if oil or an acrylic paint is chosen as a medium. Yes, its duly important to choose the perfect paintbrush. Fine brushes means that you can work meticulously on smaller areas. Wide brush means that larger areas can be covered.

Now gourds can be different. For some gourds, the base coat has to be strong. Moreover, such gourds need two coats. The second coat brings in the color you have always desired. Few organic hard-shelled gourds can even be used for musical instruments, baskets, and weaved products. Few translucent acrylic mediums work best for crafting birdhouses. Painted gourds in the form of such birdhouses, bowls, and adorned dippers are massive sellers.

Is the question on your mind how to dry gourds? we have a simple solution for it. Let nature talk in a big way. Gourds should ideally be harvested at the end season. Extra soil must be eliminated and the gourd shall be hung in a dim-lit area. The area should be properly ventilated though. The molds of gourd shall be removed through a bleach solution of 10 percent strength. Once a pat creates a hollow sound, you know that your gourd is ready to be worked upon.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by Alan Chan
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Just in case you failed to see the movie Four Christmases in movie theatres, you can still download Four Christmases Movie online and watch it in the comfort of your own home. The movie has earned raving reviews, and anyone who has watched it already can claim that they certainly enjoyed it. The movie will make you laugh or cry or both.

Any movie freak will certainly enjoy the movie, so download Four Christmases movie online now. It does not even matter if you are not a big fan of Vince Vaugn and Reese Witherspoon because the story itself will tickle your fancy without being mindful of who is playing the part.

As much as possible, know how and where you can download it safely. Do not just go to any site. Make sure that when you download the movie, there is no need on your part to worry about bootlegs and piracy. Many sites will give you such hassles, particularly those that are illegitimate and operates illegally.

When choosing a downloading site so you can watch Four Christmases online, make sure that it is not only legitimate but virus-free as well. It is only essential that you have to be choosy with regards to finding a site to download from because certain sites contain malware applications that can damage your system.

Malware applications often abound in free sites and not in paid sites. Thus, to ensure a safe download, download the movie Four Christmases only from paid membership sites. Usually, the amount you need to pay is not that much, and most often you will be asked just a one-time payment fee, following which you can watch any kind of movie to your heart’s desire.

There is no limit as to how many files you can download and you can make a download any time of the day. The only thing required of you besides paying the membership fee is a computer with a large capacity to contain all the files that you want to download. Movie files aren’t just the type of files you can download. You can have a variety of choices such as videos, music, games, and so on.

If you were able to find a good movie download site, particularly one that will give you unlimited bandwidth, you can start to download the movie Four Christmases online. And then, you can sit back, relax and watch it at the comfort of your home with your favorite popcorn flavor. It can even be your treat to the whole family.

Learn of many other ways you can download the movie Four Christmases online in my site.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by Davion W
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A T by any other name would smell just as sweet, dont you think? Am I obsessed, to a fault, with comfort? Have I gone off the deep end with my single-minded, heated obsession with the glorious, humble T-shirt? Perhaps. I have a problem, I can admit that. But if you grew up watching James Dean, Marlon Brando, and Monty Clift slouching about, yelling in the rain, and looking disinterested, youd have a fixed obsession with this piece of clothing.

In the entirety of human history, by which I mean the last 60 years, there are only a handful of iconic pieces of clothing. You can count them on one had ” maybe two. Theres the Schott biker jacket, Levis jeans, Members Only windbreakers, Converse All Stars, and then ” drum roll, please ” the glorious T. Now, Im sure some of you fashionistas could expand my list ” more power to you. You could twist my arm and add Doc Martens, pea coats, and even the trusty wing tip, but my aim here is to make it very clear how much I love the simplest of garments, this under-vest, this T-shirt.

The rightful definition of a T-shirt is very specific. Dont let the big guys fool you (read as Hanes or FTL) into thinking anything thats not a button-down Oxford qualifies as a training shirt. It doesnt. A tank top is just that ” not a T-shirt! A long-sleeved T-shirt is not a T-shirt; its a knit shirt. Or something like that. There is no such thing as a short or long or collar T! Anything longer or shorter than the classic crew neck (I will give you the V neck) is something else.

By and large, a T-shirt is made out of cotton (sometimes polyester, sometimes both) that is knitted together with a jersey stitch, which gives this godly garment its distinct, unrivaled texture. Ah, the sweet relief of sliding on a fresh clean T ” you would be hard pressed to find such a singular sensation. I dare you! It is the ultimate in comfort, despite some formalists who decry the T as some kind of symbol of the degradation of the Western world. The fall of Rome, signified by the proliferation of the lowly T-shirt. Preposterous.

Sweet T-shirt, my love, my life! These ingenious garments create what people in ad agencies call human billboards. Yes, the corporate grubs love to silkscreen their logos and slogans on finely knitted T-shirts, but lets not forget how the T can be the most powerful grass roots tool. All you need is a felt-tip pen (I suggest a Sharpie) and your Philosophy 101 book thats been collecting dust in the basement. Presto-bingo: instant slogan and social relevance. Hopefully. Cool T-shirts are whim away. Get whimsical!

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by James Gilbert Pynn
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It might seem tough to become an expert at violin playing. But the truth cannot be further from that. If one is dedicated enough and practices regularly, the violin can be learned by anyone willing to put in the time and effort.

It might not be enough to reach professional levels since that requires some talent. But it is still comforting to know that the violin is not a harder instrument to pick up compared to the guitar. You basically need to observe a few points in order to speed up your development.

A violinist has to take care of his equipment such as the various accessories other than the instrument itself. Without them, one cannot expect to develop and improve as a player. While it might be more comfortable for a beginner to rely on budget accessories, a better long term solution would be to invest in quality ones from the start.

How good and well kept your violin bow is will determine the progress of your development. Anyone will realize that without the bow, the violin will not be able to create any music. The only way to use it then is to treat it like a stand-up bass instrument.

How can you achieve proper health of your violin bow? Make sure the hairs of the bow never come into contact with any other surface other than the strings and chalk. The risk of them coming into contact with body oils can shorten the bow’s lifespan.

Another thing to do that also helps to maintain string health, is to use rosin on the violin bow regularly. With the proper amount of rosin, the violin bow and strings will come together to create a perfectly harmonious tone and sound. Without it, both accessories will experience degradation at a faster pace.

Achieving the correct posture when playing any instrument is vital to becoming successful with it. This applies equally well to playing the violin. Many violinists struggle with the right way of using the chin rest and holding the bow. Have your teacher correct any wrong posture and practice regularly to get it right before attempting to master any other technical skills.

Even with most beginning guitarists, the start is always the hardest to overcome. This applies just as strongly to learning the violin. The most important thing to ensure at the start is to perfect the smaller details such as proper equipment care and posture. You will find yourself moving along faster once those have become part of your extension as a violinist.

Tags: Music by Ria Yuka
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Getting a music video that you have saved on your computer’s hard drive on to your new iPod is not as simple as you might think. Apple has done an excellent job of making it difficult to put non-iTunes products onto their devices. The goal, of course, is to force you to download music videos from iTunes and increase their bottom line, but there are, of course, ways around this problem. You just need some specific software and a little bit of patience.

The Specs

The first step towards getting that download music videos onto your iPod is making sure it is in the right specs. The iPod supports MOV, M4V, and MP4 formats, and the video must be no more than 768 Kbps, 30 fps, and 320-by-240 pixels. If your video has an audio track, it must be AAC-LC and must be 160 Kbps or smaller. If you downloaded the video off of the Internet, it is probably in the correct format, although some downloads are WMV format. However, if the video came from a video sharing site, you may have a video that is in MPG or AVI format. You are going to have to encode the video to use on your iPod.

Encoding the Video

You will need to use QuickTime 7.0.3 (or a later version) as the codec to code your video. This is available to download for free from the Apple website. It may take quite a while to encode the video, so if it is a large file, you may want to let it work overnight, or your computer will be out of commission for a while.

The File Transfer Using QuickTime Pro

One of the easiest ways to get the video to your iPod is to use QuickTime Pro. It combines the codec you need with a simple uploading interface that makes it easy to get the file into iTunes and onto your iPod. This program works with Windows or Mac. It is not free, however, but it is the easiest to use. You will pay $30 for it, and you will have to pay $30 again when Apple upgrades the program.

With QuickTime Pro, all you need to do to upload the video is open the movie, select “file” and then “export,” and choose the option for “Movie to iPod.” The program will then automatically create a 320-by-240 M4V file with the correctly coded audio tract and place it on your desktop. The default settings in the program work well for most music videos, but you can fine-tune them if you want to change the way the video displays.

There are other third-party programs you can use to convert the video to the correct file format, but this one works the best. If you are going to try a free program, be sure to practice with a small video first to make sure there are no bugs in the program.

Getting the Video onto the iPod

Once the video is converted to the correct file format, you will need to import it to iTunes. To do this, open iTunes, choose “Movies” and choose “File” and then “Import.” Select the movie, click on it once, and select “Advanced, Convert Selection for iPod.” This will create a new file in your iTunes library. Once the new file is there, simply sync your iPod with iTunes the video will download to the device.

If you do all of these steps and find that the file has no sound, there is a problem with the original music video file. This is called having a muxed sound file. If the format on the original video is MPEG1 Muxed or MPEG2 Muxed, it will not play sound on your iPod. The only fix is to find a third party application that can convert this file to an AAC-LC file. You’ll soon be watching your favorite videos the way you want!

Tags: Music by Amy Nutt
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