Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures

Do you wish you were a better photographer? All it takes is a little know-how and experience. Keep reading for some important picture-taking tips. Then grab your camera and start shooting your way to great pictures.

1. Look your subject in the eye
2. Use a plain background
3. Use flash outdoors
4. Move in close
5. Move it from the middle
6. Lock the focus
7. Know your flash's range
8. Watch the light
9. Take some vertical pictures
10. Be a picture director

Look your subject in the eye

Direct eye contact can be as engaging in a picture as it is in real life. When taking a picture of someone, hold the camera at the person's eye level to unleash the power of those magnetic gazes and mesmerizing smiles. For children, that means stooping to their level. And your subject need not always stare at the camera. All by itself that eye level angle will create a personal and inviting feeling that pulls you into the picture.


Use a plain background

A plain background shows off the subject you are photographing. When you look through the camera viewfinder, force yourself to study the area surrounding your subject. Make sure no poles grow from the head of your favorite niece and that no cars seem to dangle from her ears.


Use flash outdoors

Bright sun can create unattractive deep facial shadows. Eliminate the shadows by using your flash to lighten the face. When taking people pictures on sunny days, turn your flash on. You may have a choice of fill-flash mode or full-flash mode. If the person is within five feet, use the fill-flash mode; beyond five feet, the full-power mode may be required. With a digital camera, use the picture display panel to review the results.
On cloudy days, use the camera's fill-flash mode if it has one. The flash will brighten up people's faces and make them stand out. Also take a picture without the flash, because the soft light of overcast days sometimes gives quite pleasing results by itself.


Move in close

If your subject is smaller than a car, take a step or two closer before taking the picture and zoom in on your subject. Your goal is to fill the picture area with the subject you are photographing. Up close you can reveal telling details, like a sprinkle of freckles or an arched eyebrow.
But don't get too close or your pictures will be blurry. The closest focusing distance for most cameras is about three feet, or about one step away from your camera. If you get closer than the closest focusing distance of your camera (see your manual to be sure), your pictures will be blurry.


Move it from the middle

Center-stage is a great place for a performer to be. However, the middle of your picture is not the best place for your subject. Bring your picture to life by simply moving your subject away from the middle of your picture. Start by playing tick-tack-toe with subject position. Imagine a tick-tack-toe grid in your viewfinder. Now place your important subject at one of the intersections of lines.
You'll need to lock the focus if you have an auto-focus camera because most of them focus on whatever is in the center of the viewfinder.



Lock the focus

If your subject is not in the center of the picture, you need to lock the focus to create a sharp picture. Most auto-focus cameras focus on whatever is in the center of the picture. But to improve pictures, you will often want to move the subject away from the center of the picture. If you don't want a blurred picture, you'll need to first lock the focus with the subject in the middle and then recompose the picture so the subject is away from the middle.
Usually you can lock the focus in three steps. First, center the subject and press and hold the shutter button halfway down. Second, reposition your camera (while still holding the shutter button) so the subject is away from the center. And third, finish by pressing the shutter button all the way down to take the picture.


Know your flash's range

The number one flash mistake is taking pictures beyond the flash's range. Why is this a mistake? Because pictures taken beyond the maximum flash range will be too dark. For many cameras, the maximum flash range is less than fifteen feet—about five steps away.
What is your camera's flash range? Look it up in your camera manual. Can't find it? Then don't take a chance. Position yourself so subjects are no farther than ten feet away. Film users can extend the flash range by using Kodak Max versatility or versatility plus film.


Watch the light

Next to the subject, the most important part of every picture is the light. It affects the appearance of everything you photograph. On a great-grandmother, bright sunlight from the side can enhance wrinkles. But the soft light of a cloudy day can subdue those same wrinkles.
Don't like the light on your subject? Then move yourself or your subject. For landscapes, try to take pictures early or late in the day when the light is orangish and rakes across the land.


Take some vertical pictures

Is your camera vertically challenged? It is if you never turn it sideways to take a vertical picture. All sorts of things look better in a vertical picture. From a lighthouse near a cliff to the Eiffel Tower to your four-year-old niece jumping in a puddle. So next time out, make a conscious effort to turn your camera sideways and take some vertical pictures.


Be a picture director

Take control of your picture-taking and watch your pictures dramatically improve. Become a picture director, not just a passive picture-taker. A picture director takes charge. A picture director picks the location: "Everybody go outside to the backyard." A picture director adds props: "Girls, put on your pink sunglasses." A picture director arranges people: "Now move in close, and lean toward the camera."
Most pictures won't be that involved, but you get the idea: Take charge of your pictures and win your own best picture awards.

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How to save on home heating bills (All About Useful Tips)

Even if you are renting these suggestion are useful!

Homeowners don’t have to spend a bundle to keep their energy costs under control. A few simple steps can result in significant savings.

Want to keep warm this winter without burning stacks of money? You should start by taking a look around the house.

Regardless of whether you heat your home with an electric space heater that gets electricity from a natural gas-fired power plant or with a little blue flame inside a high-efficiency furnace, skyrocketing natural gas prices will make it more expensive to keep your toes from turning into icicles this winter.

Increasing demand for oil and natural gas means that most prices will go up. The cost will hit consumers right where it hurts -- in the wallet.

Whatever your heating source, you can take some simple steps to keep your bill from burning a hole in your wallet this heating season.

Be a draft dodger

Drafty rooms are the enemy of a warm house.

One culprit: Your duct system. The consumer's guide from the Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) says that unsealed ducts in your attics and crawl spaces lose air and uninsulated ducts lose heat. Both waste energy and money.
Get a professional to check your house for air leaks.

But if plopping down several hundred dollars to find some air leaks doesn't sound like a fun way to save money on heating, you can accomplish roughly the same results with a little time and a box of incense sticks. Light an incense stick and walk through the house, moving the stick near spots where the walls meet your floors, windows, doors and the ceiling -- preferably on a windy day.

If air is getting through, the smoke will show the leak immediately.
The worst leaks will be found near the floor and the ceiling.

You can also do this easy test: Close a door or window on a sheet of paper. If you can pull the paper out without tearing it, you're losing energy, according to the EERE.

Once you find the leaky culprit, seal it up with caulk, spackling compound or foam weatherstripping that you can buy from any hardware store. Within a year, it will pay for itself in savings.

Stopping a draft has more effect than any other home improvement when it comes to heating and cooling.

Ask for help

Once you have the drafts under control, you can turn to the utility company for some help keeping the sting out of your bill.

For example, Florida Power & Light offers a program known as "on call," which involves installation of a box on major appliances, such as the air conditioner, furnace or water heater. The box allows the company to switch the appliance off during times of high demand on its system and can save you anywhere from $10 to $63 a year, depending on what major appliance you choose to have cycled on and off. The company says it will switch each appliance off for a maximum of 15 minutes at a time and rarely has to commandeer your heater.

Senior citizens, low-income and unemployed customers also may be able to get assistance from their state public-service commission or the utility provider. In Michigan, for example, all state-regulated natural gas and electric utility companies offer assistance and/or shut-off protection programs to assist families in need. Low-income homeowners and renters may be eligible for the Michigan Home Heating Credit.

Do some R&R (repairs and renovations)

If you are up for spending a larger amount to save more money over the long run, some big-ticket purchases can pay real dividends.

For more instant gratification, check with your state or utility company, which often offer tax credits or rebate programs for making those energy-efficient upgrades.

To qualify for such programs, you often have to work with an energy rater or other professional inspector who will help file the proper paperwork and ensure all the protocol is being followed correctly.

You can also look for future energy savings when it comes time to replace large household appliances.

The Energy Department sponsors the Energy Star program, which certifies the most energy-efficient appliances on the market. They typically cost more, but can save you enough money on energy to more than pay for the difference. For advice in making your home more energy-efficient, visit the department's home energy adviser and try its home energy yardstick to see how your energy use stacks up against the national average.

If you are not up for big-bucks upgrades, some simple steps -- such as wrapping hot water pipes with foam insulation and replacing weatherstripping around doors and windows -- will still help keep you warm without draining your bank account.

Buyers beware

Before you spend your nest egg insulating your homestead, make sure your expenses are worthwhile. Watch out for unusual and strange devices and "miracle" schemes that promise to cut your bill in half. Check references, ask people in the industry for opinions and visit the Better Business Bureau's Web site to make sure other people were satisfied with the products and the service. It never hurts to get multiple quotes, either.

Here are more tips to ensure your home is ready for those cold north winds:

• Have a professional test your duct system for air leaks. The Energy Department says gaps, cracks and disconnections in home duct systems are responsible for losing 25% to 40% of the energy generated by the central furnace, heater or air conditioner.
  
• Get your heating system professionally cleaned and tuned to reduce the chance of breakdown midwinter. This simple step improves safety and pays for itself through greater efficiency.
  
• Install a programmable set-back thermostat. Used properly, a programmable thermostat can save you about $100 per year, according to the Energy Star program.
  
• Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. Wear warm clothing indoors during cold weather. An electric blanket is much less expensive than heating your bedroom.
  
• Consider heating your home with a passive solar heating system. Passive systems make use of home design and climate and forgo the need for pumps, fans and electrical equipment.
  
• Insulate your water heater. This will pay for itself in about a year. Be careful not to set the thermostat above 130 F for electric water heaters with an insulating jacket or blanket -- the wiring may overheat.
  
• Open draperies and shades in winter to let in sunshine and close them at night to hold in heat. Remove awnings from sun-exposed windows in cold months. Prune any trees or shrubs that block sunlight.
  
• Install storm doors.


• Heat only those rooms that are in use.


• Avoid the use of kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans, and keep the fireplace damper closed when not in use. Turn off heat when the fireplace is being used.


• Never use the range or oven to heat the kitchen. This can be dangerous as well as energy-inefficient.


• Apply weatherstripping around your attic door to prevent heat from escaping.


• If wood is plentiful where you live, have a professional install a wood-burning stove.
  
• Dust or vacuum all radiator surfaces frequently. Dust is a wonderful insulator and tends to build up on radiators and baseboard heat vents, keeping heat from dispersing.

By Michael Giusti, Bankrate.com

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5 More Reasons to Walk (All About Useful Tips)

All About Useful Tips

Walk up to 30 minutes a day to prevent disease.

• 17 minutes reduces depression symptoms 41%.
  
• 17 minutes reduces colon cancer 31%.
  
• 18 minutes reduces coronary heart disease 36%.


• 21 minutes reduces stroke 43%.


• 30 minutes reduces type 2 diabetes 30%.

(and you can save a lot of money by improving your health and not needing medicines and extra doctor’s visits! Just remember to check with your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine!) Read more.....!

Find out 30 advices on saving MONEY (All About Useful Tips)

All About Useful Tips

1. Cook at home often:
If both the husband and wife work, this is likely to be very difficult. Start out with the habit of cooking at home once a week and slowly increase the frequency until you find a balance between saving money and getting stressed out.

2. Make your own coffee:
Everyone seems to have heard of the latte factor. Even though the author may have overestimated the savings from skipping a latte at Starbucks, don’t underestimate the ding it puts in your pocket in the long run. You don’t have to entirely ban drinking coffee but skip it as often as possible unless you make it at home.

3. Brown bag lunch at least a few days a week:
Lunch times are great opportunities to network and make connections that could improve your career growth. So unless there is a common eating area for brown baggers, you may choose to limit brown bagging lunch to three days each week. Find a balance between saving some money and making the connection. In my case, I take my lunch with me 2-3 times a week and eat out the rest of the time.

4. Make a list before going shopping:
They call it impulse buying for a reason. Humans simply have a very tough time resisting the temptation to purchase extras while shopping. Without a list you will buy items that you simply do not need. Even worse is when your forget to purchase the actual item you came to the store for in the first place. If you plan on cooking at home, pre-plan a rough menu and make a list before you go grocery shopping. Getting all that you need in one trip can help avoid another unnecessary trip and temptation.

5. Go grocery shopping while you are in a hurry:
Maybe you need to go out in a couple of hours. Or your favorite show is going to be on TV after a couple of hours. Try to squeeze in the grocery trip in that intermediate time. Armed with your grocery list, you should be in-and-out very quickly with little time for meandering and getting tempted to buy things you don’t need.

6. Watch out for expiration dates on perishable goods:
This one seems intuitive when you read it, but I am surprised at how many people do not pay attention to expiry dates. No point getting a gallon of milk if it is going to turn sour with a couple of days. Same goes for meat, eggs, yogurt, spreads, frozen items, deli/bakery items etc. Some people say you can use a few items a few days after expiry – but I personally value my health more than money and would rather avoid buying such items in the first place.

7. Buy in bulk whenever possible:
When it comes to non-perishable items, buy in bulk whenever you find something on sale. The items I usually stock up on are, cereals, tinned goods, rice, beans, pasta, coke, toothpaste, body wash, shampoo, toilet paper etc. For such items, shopping at warehouse stores like Costco, Sam’s Club etc can save you quite a bit of money, provided you stick strictly to your shopping list when you shop at these places.

8. Buy generic products whenever possible:
Does it really matter whether your cereal is made by Kellogg's or is the store brand? Does it matter if your milk is Oak Farms or the store brand? For a few things (like soda in particular), I prefer brand name products. For others, I do not mind generic store brands if they can save me money. Find what works for you and switch to generic brands for at least a part of your grocery list.

9. Use grocery store bags to line trash cans:
This may not work if you use a massive trash can but we use a small sized one for which the grocery bags are a perfect fit. This not only helps us save some money, but reduces our environmental foot print and avoids the kitchen from stinking from a huge overflowing trash can.

10. Consolidate and pay off debt as soon as possible:
If you carry any debt, focus on consolidating it to a lower interest and paying it off as soon as possible. Money paid in interest is money thrown away! Why spend your hard-earned cash to make the financial institutions rich?

11. Pay your bills on time and avoid late fees:
Get organized about your regular bills. If possible, automate the payments. Most utilities and other recurring bills can be set to be charged to a credit card or deducted from a checking account these days. Also, many banks offer free bill pay programs. So there really is no excuse for forgetting to pay a bill on time and forking out the late fees. Say, by chance you do forget a bill, if you are a first time offender, call the company and request politely to waive the late fees, and more likely than not, they will oblige.

12. Be aware of your bank balance and avoid over draft fees:
If you use your checking account often or have some bills that are paid automatically from your checking account, be aware of the balance and avoid overdraft fees.

13. Avoid ATM fees:
Be aware of the ATM withdrawal fees charged by your bank. While some banks waive fees for all ATM transactions on any ATM machine, most don’t. So be sure to use only those ATM machines where your bank will not charge the fees, or withdraw directly at your bank.

14. Avoid credit cards with annual fee:
Credit cards with their cash back bonuses and reward points are a great way to save some money. Just make sure that the card does not charge you any annual fees! There is no dearth of cards that offer fee-free reward plans, so there really is no reason to pay the annual fees.

15. Disconnect land line if possible:
Unless you have small kids in the house or older people to take care of, it is more than likely that you will be able to survive with only the mobile phones and can get rid of the land line. We have survived without any problems for over 4 years now with out a land line. Our Internet comes via cable.

16. Instead of buying books, borrow books from the library:
Whenever possible, borrow your books instead of buying them. The card to your public library is free and the libraries are generally well stocked. In my city, the chain of public libraries is connected and the available books can be checked online. If there is some book that I cannot find in my local branch, I can make a request online for it to be brought in from one of the other branches to mine which is very convenient.

17. If you have to buy books, check if you can buy it used:
Used books do not quite give the same feeling as leafing through the crisp pages of a brand new book. But considering that you can get used books for almost as much as half the price of a new book, it is a small price to pay. My favorite place to buy used books is a local chain called “Half Price Book Store”. Check if you have something similar in your city. For text books, look online on bulletin boards, mailing lists etc, and price compare.

18. Price check before buying anything expensive:
For other items that are expensive, do a price check before buying the item. If you can wait for a while you can track the prices and grab a great deal when it comes along. Frequently available online coupons make it even more easy to save some money. This is especially true while purchasing any electronics.

19. Avoid impulse buying:
Make it a habit to avoid impulse buying. Many of the things you want to buy do not seem all that necessary, if you only you wait for a day or two. Also, waiting means you will be able to check prices and make an informed decision to buy it at the best possible price.

20. Bottle your own water:
Drinking water is good for your health. I always make it a habit to keep some at my desk at all times. Bottled water is the most convenient since it can provide protection against accidental spills. That said, buy bottled water only once in a while, and then reuse that bottle to fill your own water. If you are not happy with tap water, invest in a Brita Filter in the long run it can save a lot of money.

21. Avoid the vending machines:
Almost everything that is dispensed via vending machines has a huge markup (and is rarely healthy). However, if you suffer from snack attacks at work, consider creating a secret stash of snacks. If you like drinking soda and have a fridge at the workplace, save a refrigerator pack in the fridge with a post-it with your name on it. If you have a long commute, consider a stash for the car as well and avoid a quick drive-thru visit.

22. Keep your car as long as possible:
When possible, try to keep your car as long as possible. Find the balance between the money spent on repairs versus the monthly installment on another vehicle and choose to run your old car as long as the repair costs are low.

23. Do regular scheduled maintenance on your vehicles:
Do not skimp on or forget to do regular oil changes. Remember to check the air in your tires often. And use the grade of fuel that the owner’s manual recommends. These small acts can significantly lengthen the life of your car, giving you years of use.

24. Avoid buying a new car:
When you eventually buy a car, see if you can make do with a pre-owned vehicle. A new car depreciates significantly the moment you drive it out the dealership. Is the new car small really worth thousands of dollars? Pre-owned cars that are only a few years old with low mileage are the best bargains. Regardless of the purchase, learn to negotiate with car dealers.

25. Ride your bike or carpool whenever possible:
In many of the cities in the US it is hard to get by without a car. That said, just because you have a car does not mean you have to use it every day. Whenever possible, ride your bike or share a ride with a colleague or spouse and save both on gas and reduce the environmental footprint.

26. If you watch a lot of DVDs, get an online DVD store membership:
Membership to online movie stores like Netflix or Blockbuster Online can save you a lot of money compared to buying DVDs or renting it from a local store. You need to wait once you order the movie, but if you watch a lot of movies at home, then you can easily get into the habit of ordering ahead of time so you always have something at home. If you are patient and your library has the resources, check to see if they have a movie section. You won't get anything very new, but they are free.

27. If you like watching movies at the theater, go before 6:00 pm:
This is one of our soft spots when it comes to spending. We really like watching movies in the theater with the big screen and the great sound effects. But instead of paying ~$10 a pop for the ticket, we usually go before 6:00pm when the tickets are a little less expensive. Also, for movies that we don’t absolutely want to watch right away, we just wait until it screens on the discount theater where the tickets are $2 a pop. We avoid the temptation to buy snacks, by usually going for a theater some time soon after our lunch or sometimes sneaking in our own snacks in the purse.

28. Regulate your electric use.:
When not in use, unplug electric appliances. Apparently, unplugging the TV instead of just switching it off can save a lot of electricity! When not in a room, switch off the lights and the fan. Use a programmable thermostat to control your A/C and heater usage. If that's too much, at least know what each appliance uses and unplug a few of them.

29. Plan vacations ahead of time:
Vacations are a necessary part of saving our sanity in the busy lives that we lead. But vacations are also a huge drain on the family finances. You can cut the cost of a vacation significantly by planning and booking ahead of time. Bookmark travel sites for finding inexpensive airfare, hotel etc., and book at least two weeks in advance.

30. Finally, keep distance from lavish, high-roller friends:
If you have lavish friends who buy a new car every other year (or worse still, lease it), have large screen TVs and every other conceivable electronics gadget, eat out at fancy restaurants every other night and just live way beyond their means, keep the distance. They may be nice people and mean you no harm, but hanging out with such people often can lead to a lot of unnecessary desires and discontent. What’s more important – your friends or your peace of mind?

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Save Even More Fuel With These 10 Simple Steps (All About Useful Tips)

All About Useful Tips

Fuel economy in automobiles is the amount of fuel required to move the automobile over a given distance. While the fuel efficiency of petroleum engines has improved markedly in recent decades, this does not necessarily translate into fuel economy, if consumers prefer or are required to buy larger and heavier vehicles that are more comfortable or have more mandated safety features.

Belows are a few useful tips in order to save more fuel and very easy to practice:

1 - Avoid High Speeds

As your speed increase, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62mph (100km/j) vs 75mph(120 km/j) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

2 - Do not Accelerate or Brake Hard

By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady accelerating and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.

3 - Keep Tires Properly Inflated

Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tyre under inflated by 2 PSI, increase fuel consumption by 1%.

4 - Use Air Conditioner Sparingly

When the air conditioner is turned on, its put extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%).

5 - Keep Window Closed

Windows open, especially at Highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%

6 - Service Vehicle Regularly

Work for both. Proper maintenance avoid poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plug or low fluid levels.

7 - Maintaining a Constant Speed

Maintaining a constant speed overlong distances often saves gas.

8 - Avoid Heavy Load

Remove sand bag from your trunk in the spring and pack lightly for long trips.

9 - Avoid Long Idles

If you anticipate being stopped for more than one minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.

10 - Do not Warm Up Your Engine

Drive off immediately at a low speed after starting your car. This way, the engine will warm up faster and lubricate better.

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