 |
| Angelina Jolie |
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| Avril Lavigne |
Bred Pitt The Elder
Cameron Diaz
Catherine Zelta Jones
Colin Quinn
Gwen Stefani
Janet Jackson
Jessica Simpson
Jude Law
Justin Timberlake
Kirsten Dunst
Paris Hilton
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Top 10 Corrupt Countries
10. Equatorial Guinea – 2.1 [Wikipedia]
Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest countries in continental Africa. The current president of Equatorial Guinea is Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The 1982 constitution of Equatorial Guinea gives Obiang extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties and calling legislative elections.
Diplomats and even ministers have been caught smuggling drugs, sometimes using diplomatic bags and even the president’s baggage on state trips. The incumbent president has never equalled the bloodthirsty reputation of his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema whom he overthrew. On Christmas of 1975, Macías had 150 alleged coup plotters executed to the sound of a band playing Mary Hopkin’s tune Those Were the Days in a national stadium.
9. Uzbekistan – 2.1 [Wikipedia]
Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the Soviet Union. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south. Uzbekistan possesses the largest military force in the Central Asian region, having around 65,000 people in uniform.
Much of Uzbekistan’s GDP growth comes from favourable prices for certain key exports, especially cotton, gold, and increasingly gas, but the revenues from these commodities are distributed among a very small circle of the ruling elite, with little or no benefit for the populace at large.
8. Bangladesh – 2.0 [Wikipedia]
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh is a country in South Asia. It is surrounded by India on all sides except for a small border with Myanmar to the far southeast and the Bay of Bengal, part of the Indian Ocean, to the south.
The Prime Minister, as the head of government, forms the cabinet and runs the day-to-day affairs of state. While the Prime Minister is formally appointed by the President, he or she must be an MP who commands the confidence of the majority of parliament. The President is the head of state, a largely ceremonial post elected by the parliament. However the President’s powers are substantially expanded during the tenure of a caretaker government, which is responsible for the conduct of elections and transfer of power.
7. Chad – 2.0 [Wikipedia]
Chad is a landlocked country in central Africa. It borders Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west.
Chad’s constitution provides for a strong executive branch headed by a president who dominates the political system. The president has the power to appoint the prime minister and the cabinet, and exercises considerable influence over appointments of judges, generals, provincial officials and heads of Chad’s para-statal firms. In 2005 constitutional term limits were removed. Most of President Deby’s key advisers are members of the Zaghawa ethnic group, although southern and opposition personalities are represented in government. Corruption is rife at all levels.
6. Democratic Republic of Congo – 2.0 [Wikipedia]
is the third largest country by area on the African continent. It borders the Central African Republic and Sudan on the north, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania on the east, Zambia and Angola on the south, and the Republic of the Congo on the west.
After 4 years of interim between two constitutions that established different political institutions at the various levels of all branches of government, as well as different administrative divisions of the country, politics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are settling into a stable presidential democratic republic. The transitional constitution established a system composed of a bicameral legislature with a Senate and a National Assembly. The Senate has, among other things, the charge of drafting the new constitution of the country. The executive branch is vested in a 60-member cabinet, headed by a pentarchy of a President, and four vice presidents.
5. Sudan – 2.0 [Wikipedia]
Sudan is the largest African country by area. The country is situated at a crossroads between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the Northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the East, Kenya and Uganda to the Southeast, Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic to the Southwest, Chad to the West, and Libya to the Northwest.
A letter dated August 14, 2006 from the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch found that the Sudanese government is both incapable and unwilling to protect its own citizens in Darfur and that its militias are guilty of crimes against humanity. The letter added that these human rights abuses have existed since 2004. Some reports attribute part of the violations to the rebels as well as the government and the Janjaweed. The US State Department’s human rights report issued in March 2007 claims that “All parties to the conflagration committed serious abuses, including widespread killing of civilians, rape as a tool of war, systematic torture, robbery and recruitment of child soldiers”
4. Guinea – 1.9 [Wikipedia]
Guinea is a nation in West Africa, formerly known as French Guinea. Guinea’s territory has a curved shape, with its base at the Atlantic Ocean, inland to the east, and turning south. The base borders Guinea-Bissau and Senegal to the north, and Mali to the north and north-east; the inland part borders Côte d’Ivoire to the south-east, Liberia to the south, and Sierra Leone to the west of the southern tip.
Guinea has had only two presidents since independence was declared on October 2, 1958. Retired general Lansana Conté took control of the country in 1984 in a coup d’état after the death of Sékou Touré. Conté was elected to rule as President in 1993, then again in 1998 and 2003 while promising to reform the country. But the validity of these elections is contested, since Conté has guarded his position and has not tolerated potential adversaries.
3. Iraq – 1.9 [Wikipedia]
Iraq, is a country in the Middle East spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the southern part of the Arabian Desert. It shares borders with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the west, Syria to the northwest, Turkey to the north, and Iran to the east.
Since the the invasion in 2003, a Multinational coalition of forces, mainly American and British, has occupied Iraq. The invasion has had wide-reaching consequences: increased civil violence, political breakdown, the removal and execution of former president Saddam Hussein, and national problems in the development of political balance, economy, infrastructure, and use of the country’s huge reserves of oil
2. Myanmar – 1.9 [Wikipedia]
Myanmar is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. It is also known as Burma. Myanmar is bordered by the People’s Republic of China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Andaman Sea to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest.
Its political system remains under the tight control of the State Peace and Development Council, the military government led, since 1992, by Senior General Than Shwe. The Burmese military has dominated government since General Ne Win led a coup in 1962 that toppled the civilian government of U Nu. Several human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have reported on human rights abuses by the military government. They have claimed that there is no independent judiciary in Myanmar. The military government restricts Internet access through software-based censorship that limits the material citizens can access on-line. Forced labour, human trafficking, and child labour are common.
1. Haiti – 1.8 [Wikipedia]
is a French and Creole speaking Latin American country located in the Greater Antilles archipelago on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. A former French colony, Haiti became the first independent black republic and the only nation ever to form from a successful slave rebellion. Haiti became the second non-native country in the Americas (after the United States) to declare its independence, on January 1, 1804.
Haiti has recently undergone a state of transition following the forced ousting of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on February 29, 2004. The circumstances surrounding his departure from office are disputed. René Préval was elected president in his place on February 7, 2006, and took office in May of that year. Préval has promised to bring peace and stability to the country.
Just out of interest, the top 5 least corrupt nations are Finland, Iceland, New Zealand, Denmark, and Singapore. The USA appears as number 20 least corrupt on the list with a score of 7.3. The entire index can be read here.
Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest countries in continental Africa. The current president of Equatorial Guinea is Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The 1982 constitution of Equatorial Guinea gives Obiang extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties and calling legislative elections.
Diplomats and even ministers have been caught smuggling drugs, sometimes using diplomatic bags and even the president’s baggage on state trips. The incumbent president has never equalled the bloodthirsty reputation of his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema whom he overthrew. On Christmas of 1975, Macías had 150 alleged coup plotters executed to the sound of a band playing Mary Hopkin’s tune Those Were the Days in a national stadium.
9. Uzbekistan – 2.1 [Wikipedia]
Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the Soviet Union. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south. Uzbekistan possesses the largest military force in the Central Asian region, having around 65,000 people in uniform.
Much of Uzbekistan’s GDP growth comes from favourable prices for certain key exports, especially cotton, gold, and increasingly gas, but the revenues from these commodities are distributed among a very small circle of the ruling elite, with little or no benefit for the populace at large.
8. Bangladesh – 2.0 [Wikipedia]
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh is a country in South Asia. It is surrounded by India on all sides except for a small border with Myanmar to the far southeast and the Bay of Bengal, part of the Indian Ocean, to the south.
The Prime Minister, as the head of government, forms the cabinet and runs the day-to-day affairs of state. While the Prime Minister is formally appointed by the President, he or she must be an MP who commands the confidence of the majority of parliament. The President is the head of state, a largely ceremonial post elected by the parliament. However the President’s powers are substantially expanded during the tenure of a caretaker government, which is responsible for the conduct of elections and transfer of power.
7. Chad – 2.0 [Wikipedia]
Chad is a landlocked country in central Africa. It borders Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west.
Chad’s constitution provides for a strong executive branch headed by a president who dominates the political system. The president has the power to appoint the prime minister and the cabinet, and exercises considerable influence over appointments of judges, generals, provincial officials and heads of Chad’s para-statal firms. In 2005 constitutional term limits were removed. Most of President Deby’s key advisers are members of the Zaghawa ethnic group, although southern and opposition personalities are represented in government. Corruption is rife at all levels.
6. Democratic Republic of Congo – 2.0 [Wikipedia]
is the third largest country by area on the African continent. It borders the Central African Republic and Sudan on the north, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania on the east, Zambia and Angola on the south, and the Republic of the Congo on the west.
After 4 years of interim between two constitutions that established different political institutions at the various levels of all branches of government, as well as different administrative divisions of the country, politics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are settling into a stable presidential democratic republic. The transitional constitution established a system composed of a bicameral legislature with a Senate and a National Assembly. The Senate has, among other things, the charge of drafting the new constitution of the country. The executive branch is vested in a 60-member cabinet, headed by a pentarchy of a President, and four vice presidents.
5. Sudan – 2.0 [Wikipedia]
Sudan is the largest African country by area. The country is situated at a crossroads between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the Northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the East, Kenya and Uganda to the Southeast, Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic to the Southwest, Chad to the West, and Libya to the Northwest.
A letter dated August 14, 2006 from the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch found that the Sudanese government is both incapable and unwilling to protect its own citizens in Darfur and that its militias are guilty of crimes against humanity. The letter added that these human rights abuses have existed since 2004. Some reports attribute part of the violations to the rebels as well as the government and the Janjaweed. The US State Department’s human rights report issued in March 2007 claims that “All parties to the conflagration committed serious abuses, including widespread killing of civilians, rape as a tool of war, systematic torture, robbery and recruitment of child soldiers”
4. Guinea – 1.9 [Wikipedia]
Guinea is a nation in West Africa, formerly known as French Guinea. Guinea’s territory has a curved shape, with its base at the Atlantic Ocean, inland to the east, and turning south. The base borders Guinea-Bissau and Senegal to the north, and Mali to the north and north-east; the inland part borders Côte d’Ivoire to the south-east, Liberia to the south, and Sierra Leone to the west of the southern tip.
Guinea has had only two presidents since independence was declared on October 2, 1958. Retired general Lansana Conté took control of the country in 1984 in a coup d’état after the death of Sékou Touré. Conté was elected to rule as President in 1993, then again in 1998 and 2003 while promising to reform the country. But the validity of these elections is contested, since Conté has guarded his position and has not tolerated potential adversaries.
3. Iraq – 1.9 [Wikipedia]
Iraq, is a country in the Middle East spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the southern part of the Arabian Desert. It shares borders with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the west, Syria to the northwest, Turkey to the north, and Iran to the east.
Since the the invasion in 2003, a Multinational coalition of forces, mainly American and British, has occupied Iraq. The invasion has had wide-reaching consequences: increased civil violence, political breakdown, the removal and execution of former president Saddam Hussein, and national problems in the development of political balance, economy, infrastructure, and use of the country’s huge reserves of oil
2. Myanmar – 1.9 [Wikipedia]
Myanmar is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. It is also known as Burma. Myanmar is bordered by the People’s Republic of China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Andaman Sea to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest.
Its political system remains under the tight control of the State Peace and Development Council, the military government led, since 1992, by Senior General Than Shwe. The Burmese military has dominated government since General Ne Win led a coup in 1962 that toppled the civilian government of U Nu. Several human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have reported on human rights abuses by the military government. They have claimed that there is no independent judiciary in Myanmar. The military government restricts Internet access through software-based censorship that limits the material citizens can access on-line. Forced labour, human trafficking, and child labour are common.
1. Haiti – 1.8 [Wikipedia]
is a French and Creole speaking Latin American country located in the Greater Antilles archipelago on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. A former French colony, Haiti became the first independent black republic and the only nation ever to form from a successful slave rebellion. Haiti became the second non-native country in the Americas (after the United States) to declare its independence, on January 1, 1804.
Haiti has recently undergone a state of transition following the forced ousting of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on February 29, 2004. The circumstances surrounding his departure from office are disputed. René Préval was elected president in his place on February 7, 2006, and took office in May of that year. Préval has promised to bring peace and stability to the country.
Just out of interest, the top 5 least corrupt nations are Finland, Iceland, New Zealand, Denmark, and Singapore. The USA appears as number 20 least corrupt on the list with a score of 7.3. The entire index can be read here.
Five reasons why the world will not end in 2012!
Will the world end in 2012? Well let’s break down 5 possible reasons why 2012 will not be the end of the World as we know it. Hold on to your seats as you’re taken through a scientific journey into 2012.
Remember the Y2K scare? Everyone and their momma’s were bracing for a worldwide computer crash that could’ve set off nuclear missiles, ending life on earth, but nothing happened. Why? Because of adequate planning and analysis of the situation?
NASA scientists have studied Earth long enough to know this. The world will not end on Dec. 21, 2012 despite what the Mayan calendar shows us.
Here’s 5 reasons why:
1. Just like Y2K, 2012 has been analyzed as well and the science of the end of the Earth has been studied thoroughly. So when asked if the Mayan calendar is true, here’s what scientists at NASA have to say:
“Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then, just as your calendar begins again on January 1, another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.”
2. When asked could some kind of phenomena occur where planets align in a way that could impact Earth, Nasa says no, not in the next few decades anyway.
“There are no planetary alignments in the next few decades, Earth will not cross the galactic plane in 2012, and even if these alignments were to occur, their effects on the Earth would be negligible. Each December the Earth and sun align with the approximate center of the Milky Way Galaxy but that is an annual event of no consequence.”
3. Will Planet X or Eris approach the Earth and threaten our planet with destruction?
“Nibiru and other stories about wayward planets are an Internet hoax. There is no factual basis for these claims. If Nibiru or Planet X were real and headed for an encounter with the Earth in 2012, astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade, and it would be visible by now to the naked eye. Obviously, it does not exist. Eris is real, but it is a dwarf planet similar to Pluto that will remain in the outer solar system; the closest it can come to Earth is about 4 billion miles.”
4. When asked if the Earth is in danger of being hit by a meteor in 2012? It is unlikely.
“The Earth has always been subject to impacts by comets and asteroids, although big hits are very rare. The last big impact was 65 million years ago, and that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Today NASA astronomers are carrying out a survey called the Spaceguard Survey to find any large near-Earth asteroids long before they hit. We have already determined that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs. All this work is done openly with the discoveries posted every day on the NASA NEO Program Office website, so you can see for yourself that nothing is predicted to hit in 2012.”
5. Is there a danger from giant solar storms predicted for 2012? Uhh uhh.
“Solar activity has a regular cycle, with peaks approximately every 11 years. Near these activity peaks, solar flares can cause some interruption of satellite communications, although engineers are learning how to build electronics that are protected against most solar storms. But there is no special risk associated with 2012. The next solar maximum will occur in the 2012-2014 time frame and is predicted to be an average solar cycle, no different than previous cycles throughout history.
Convinced yet?
NASA says, “Where is the science? Where is the evidence? There is none, and for all the fictional assertions, whether they are made in books, movies, documentaries or over the Internet, we cannot change that simple fact. There is no credible evidence for any of the assertions made in support of unusual events taking place in December 2012.”
There you have it. Five reasons why the world will not end in 2012!
Remember the Y2K scare? Everyone and their momma’s were bracing for a worldwide computer crash that could’ve set off nuclear missiles, ending life on earth, but nothing happened. Why? Because of adequate planning and analysis of the situation?
NASA scientists have studied Earth long enough to know this. The world will not end on Dec. 21, 2012 despite what the Mayan calendar shows us.
Here’s 5 reasons why:
1. Just like Y2K, 2012 has been analyzed as well and the science of the end of the Earth has been studied thoroughly. So when asked if the Mayan calendar is true, here’s what scientists at NASA have to say:
“Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then, just as your calendar begins again on January 1, another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.”
2. When asked could some kind of phenomena occur where planets align in a way that could impact Earth, Nasa says no, not in the next few decades anyway.
“There are no planetary alignments in the next few decades, Earth will not cross the galactic plane in 2012, and even if these alignments were to occur, their effects on the Earth would be negligible. Each December the Earth and sun align with the approximate center of the Milky Way Galaxy but that is an annual event of no consequence.”
3. Will Planet X or Eris approach the Earth and threaten our planet with destruction?
“Nibiru and other stories about wayward planets are an Internet hoax. There is no factual basis for these claims. If Nibiru or Planet X were real and headed for an encounter with the Earth in 2012, astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade, and it would be visible by now to the naked eye. Obviously, it does not exist. Eris is real, but it is a dwarf planet similar to Pluto that will remain in the outer solar system; the closest it can come to Earth is about 4 billion miles.”
4. When asked if the Earth is in danger of being hit by a meteor in 2012? It is unlikely.
“The Earth has always been subject to impacts by comets and asteroids, although big hits are very rare. The last big impact was 65 million years ago, and that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Today NASA astronomers are carrying out a survey called the Spaceguard Survey to find any large near-Earth asteroids long before they hit. We have already determined that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs. All this work is done openly with the discoveries posted every day on the NASA NEO Program Office website, so you can see for yourself that nothing is predicted to hit in 2012.”
5. Is there a danger from giant solar storms predicted for 2012? Uhh uhh.
“Solar activity has a regular cycle, with peaks approximately every 11 years. Near these activity peaks, solar flares can cause some interruption of satellite communications, although engineers are learning how to build electronics that are protected against most solar storms. But there is no special risk associated with 2012. The next solar maximum will occur in the 2012-2014 time frame and is predicted to be an average solar cycle, no different than previous cycles throughout history.
Convinced yet?
NASA says, “Where is the science? Where is the evidence? There is none, and for all the fictional assertions, whether they are made in books, movies, documentaries or over the Internet, we cannot change that simple fact. There is no credible evidence for any of the assertions made in support of unusual events taking place in December 2012.”
There you have it. Five reasons why the world will not end in 2012!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
7 Tips for Shooting Great Digital Photos
So how do you begin to take good photos? Well, the first thing to remember is this: It's the photographer that takes great photos, not the camera. Think about that for a minute. It's true isn't it? I've seen some people take great photos with a simple point-and-shoot camera, while some take lousy shots with the most expensive SLR.
Fret not! Read these tips on shooting digital photos and apply them the next time you have a chance. Before long, you'll be shooting photos like a pro!
2. Learn to Control the Flash
One of the most important things you need to know about digital photography is to control the flash. Personally, I hate to rely on the automatic flash that comes with the digital camera. Depending on the situation, you need to switch off or switch on the flash.
For example, when taking outdoor photos, it is sometimes good to turn on the flash to illuminate the subject, especially if he or she is in the shade. On the other hand, you can also choose to turn off the flash when taking indoor shots. Sometimes, using the flash indoors will result in unnatural skin color and harsh glare in your photos.
6. Play with the ISO Setting
I find the ISO setting in digital cameras very useful. The ISO setting of a essentially camera controls it's sensitivity to light. If you're taking a photo of a still object, like a flower, then always use a low ISO setting. It allows for a longer shutter speed and produces a cleaner image. If you're shooting a moving object, like a baby playing with a toy, then a higher ISO setting of say 400 would be better. Do take note, however, that a higher ISO setting gives a faster shutter speed and requires less light. This will produce noiser photos.
Fret not! Read these tips on shooting digital photos and apply them the next time you have a chance. Before long, you'll be shooting photos like a pro!
1. Know Your Camera
Does this sound familiar? You buy the latest digital camera out there, come home, rip off the box, then proceed to fiddle with the device. You briefly flick through the hundred page camera manual and then never look at it again. Not a good idea! If you buy a digital camera, you owe it to yourself to understand its ins and outs. Learn how to control exposure, how to use different camera modes and how to use the flash. The knowledge you gain about the camera will be invaluable when you're out in the field taking those special photos.2. Learn to Control the Flash
One of the most important things you need to know about digital photography is to control the flash. Personally, I hate to rely on the automatic flash that comes with the digital camera. Depending on the situation, you need to switch off or switch on the flash.
For example, when taking outdoor photos, it is sometimes good to turn on the flash to illuminate the subject, especially if he or she is in the shade. On the other hand, you can also choose to turn off the flash when taking indoor shots. Sometimes, using the flash indoors will result in unnatural skin color and harsh glare in your photos.
3. Play with the Macro Mode
Almost all digital camera these days have a macro mode. This setting is ideal for taking close up shots of objects like flowers or insects. On my Canon PowerShot S500, it's represented by a flower symbol. What you do is to pick a subject, turn on macro mode, then get as close to it as your camera will allow. Make sure you allow the camera to focus properly before depressing the shutter button fully.4. Hold the Camera Level
A basic rule of photography is to hold the camera level. Since most digital cameras come with a LCD, you can use it to properly frame your shots. Next time you're taking a shot, try to look for the horizontal lines and use them as guides. A good example is to make use of the horizon when you're taking a photo of a sunset.5. Use The Tripod
I recommend this tip to all budding photographers - camera tripods are an essential tool in your photography arsenal. When will you need a tripod? Well, it's useful if you're taking shots under low-light conditions or trying to capture fast moving objects. I like to use a tripod when taking night shots city streets, for example. Always try to look for a tripod that's convenient to carry around. For personal use, you don't need a huge one - just a simple compact one that's easy to pack.6. Play with the ISO Setting
I find the ISO setting in digital cameras very useful. The ISO setting of a essentially camera controls it's sensitivity to light. If you're taking a photo of a still object, like a flower, then always use a low ISO setting. It allows for a longer shutter speed and produces a cleaner image. If you're shooting a moving object, like a baby playing with a toy, then a higher ISO setting of say 400 would be better. Do take note, however, that a higher ISO setting gives a faster shutter speed and requires less light. This will produce noiser photos.
7. Have Enough Memory Capacity
Just like you must have enough rolls of film when using traditional cameras, make sure you always have enough memory capacity in your digital camera. It's terrible to be on a holiday taking great photos and suddenly realizing you've no memory space left. Here are some general guidelines for digital camera storage.How to know a good photographer.
Nearly everyone who picks up a camera wants to take a great photograph that makes people say, “Wow! That’s incredible!” But alas, few people manage to get much more than, “That’s really nice.”
Why? Perhaps it’s because not many people know what makes a photograph incredible.
So let’s take a look at five elements that make a photograph great.
1. Good photographs are well composed.
There have been entire books written about composition, and you should certainly spend some time seeing what they have to offer. In the meantime, though, here are a few simple things to keep in mind:
There have been entire books written about composition, and you should certainly spend some time seeing what they have to offer. In the meantime, though, here are a few simple things to keep in mind:
Move in close to a subject. If a particular rose has caught your eye because of the dew holding on to the petals, move in on that rose. The rest of the rose bush will distract the viewer. On the other hand, if you’re photographing the joy on your child’s face after his or her team won a big game, show a bit of the baseball field behind your child so the viewer sees the full picture. Your picture isn’t about a happy child, it’s about a child who is happy about winning a game. Let the viewer see that.
Frame your subject. If you are shooting a landscape, try using the branches of a nearby tree in the foreground. The “frame” doesn’t have to be perfectly focused. You can also use frames effectively when photographing people. Perhaps you can frame a group of children playing in a park by using a tire swing in the foreground. Be creative.
Use the rule of thirds. This is much more simple than it sounds. Draw three imaginary lines horizontally across your photograph. Draw three imaginary lines vertically across the same picture. Where those lines intersect is where the most important part of your subject should be places. Try taking a photograph using this principle. Try it by centering the subject. You’ll see how much more drama the photograph that adheres to the “rule of thirds” holds.
If you’re shooting a landscape, try to find an “s” curve to incorporate into your image. Streams and rivers meander. Rather than situate yourself in front of a “straight” section of the stream, move around until you capture the gentle curves the stream takes. Same with a garden; find the winding paths and use them to add movement and interest to your photograph.
Use diagonals. A strong photograph often composes the subject in a diagonal line. Look at classic paintings of still lifes to see this used well.
2. Good photographs are well exposed.
A poorly exposed photograph will never make a great photograph. Even enhancing your photograph with software won’t give you an image that is as good as one that was correctly exposed to begin with. Take the time to learn how to use your camera’s meter. It will be well worth your effort.
A poorly exposed photograph will never make a great photograph. Even enhancing your photograph with software won’t give you an image that is as good as one that was correctly exposed to begin with. Take the time to learn how to use your camera’s meter. It will be well worth your effort.
3. Good photographs evoke feelings.
A good photograph stirs up emotions. From a good laugh at a silly kitten tangled in thread to a feeling of horror over an image of war, photographs should make the viewer feel something strongly. So before you release your shutter, ask yourself what emotion you want your image to evoke. Awe at the beauty before you? Hope when your viewer sees someone helping a homeless person? Identify the feeling before you shoot, and your photographs will likely improve.
A good photograph stirs up emotions. From a good laugh at a silly kitten tangled in thread to a feeling of horror over an image of war, photographs should make the viewer feel something strongly. So before you release your shutter, ask yourself what emotion you want your image to evoke. Awe at the beauty before you? Hope when your viewer sees someone helping a homeless person? Identify the feeling before you shoot, and your photographs will likely improve.
4. Good photographs tell stories.
This might be a little hard to believe at first, but a good photograph always tells a story. If it’s a photograph of a person, a good photograph is about “who” the person is. School photographs record how a student “looks,” but seldom say who your child is. A landscape tells a story about the land; it shows the viewer whether the land is tranquil or in upheaval, whether it is resting quietly in winter or bursting with activity in spring, whether it is pristine or spoiled by man’s intrusion. Just like you should know the feeling you want to evoke, know the story you want to tell.
This might be a little hard to believe at first, but a good photograph always tells a story. If it’s a photograph of a person, a good photograph is about “who” the person is. School photographs record how a student “looks,” but seldom say who your child is. A landscape tells a story about the land; it shows the viewer whether the land is tranquil or in upheaval, whether it is resting quietly in winter or bursting with activity in spring, whether it is pristine or spoiled by man’s intrusion. Just like you should know the feeling you want to evoke, know the story you want to tell.
5. Good photographs say something about life.
Memorable photographs tell the viewer something more than just how something looks. They show more than the subject you are photographing. A truly good photograph says something about life itself. It makes the viewer stop and think. We’ve all seen those cute animal pictures that make the rounds through email. These have enormous appeal because they tell us that life can be playful, that it is still full of fun and innocence. Photographs of the Grand Canyon are no more than pretty pictures unless the viewer can also see more than the rocks themselves. A cliff says that life can be dangerous. Rocks caught in early morning light show that even something as solid as a rock also has a gentle quality. Use your photographs to communicate things you know about life to be true.
Memorable photographs tell the viewer something more than just how something looks. They show more than the subject you are photographing. A truly good photograph says something about life itself. It makes the viewer stop and think. We’ve all seen those cute animal pictures that make the rounds through email. These have enormous appeal because they tell us that life can be playful, that it is still full of fun and innocence. Photographs of the Grand Canyon are no more than pretty pictures unless the viewer can also see more than the rocks themselves. A cliff says that life can be dangerous. Rocks caught in early morning light show that even something as solid as a rock also has a gentle quality. Use your photographs to communicate things you know about life to be true.
Any one of the five elements above will move your photographs a step away from “That’s nice.” The more of the elements you use in one image, the closer you are to getting a “Wow! That’s beautiful!” Use all five and you will be able to create a masterpiece.
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