Each weekend across the land there are sporting events that offer huge picture potential. Local sports, for example soccer and rugby, are far simpler to access than the major stadium events, and they are a fantastic opportunity to master key action techniques and improve your composition.At little, non-professional venues you can shoot from the touchline and get close enough to the action using little more than a 70-300mm telephoto zoom.The weak daylight in the United Kingdom can make it impossible to shoot action successfully at low ISO settings. It’s far better to freeze the action and put up with some noise or grain than have blurred pictures.To stop the action in its tracks, employ a shutter speed of 1/250 sec or faster. Remember, the longer the focal length you are using, the more critical it is to set a quicker shutter speed to deal with the danger of camera shake.Cluttered, distracting backgrounds are one of the most common issues you can face when shooting local sporting events. Classic Problems are parked automobiles, buildings and fences. Walk around the pitch to discover a viewpoint that permits you to take photographs with a clean background. More distant objects are less of a difficulty than those close to the pitch as they are less complicated to chuck out of focus ( beyond depth-of-field ) using a wide aperture, such as f/4 or f/5.6. Finding a focus to get the viewer’s attention is often the key to a successful shot. The expression and effort that is shown on the player’s face could make or break this kind of image.Try and ensure that the ball is visible in shot as it gives the image context; also try to get the player in possession sharp and clear for maximum impact. Accurate composition is not possible, of course, but the better you know the game you are covering, the more you’ll be able to predict what might occur and be in a position to capture it.Why don’t you try a sequence shot while you are at it? Try to shoot in bursts of 4 or five frames per second, rather than setting the camera to launch away speedily.I love photography and I believe digital photography is an art. Taking beautiful pictures is my hobby and my passion. I hope the information you read here will help you take beautiful pictures. Check out my lens, Understanding Digital Photography!
The Bucks in Your Pockets – Benefits of Pet Grooming Training
Are you fond of animals? Then taking up a career in pet grooming would probably be a good option for you. Of course, you will need to complete a pet grooming training regimen. But that should be a snap for the person who already loves animals.Pet grooming is a job that involves overseeing the overall appearance and general health of a pet. From time immemorial, there has always been a bond between humans and animals. People love to keep domestic animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, and many other such species as pets. However, maintaining these animals entails lots of care. Supervision in keeping them as healthy and as well-groomed as possible is what pet grooming is all about.Fortunately there are a number of training schools that conduct pet grooming training courses. Essentially such courses help participants to undergo training in learning to take care of pets properly. This includes checking on the nails, fur or coat, eyes, skin etc. These are part of the pet care training course curriculum and have to be mastered by each student under the general health conditions heading. In addition, the learner must also develop proficiency in the areas of pet safety and pet training.In other words, the grooming of these extended family members entails much more than simply bathing and clipping the toenails of these precious family members. As a pet groomer, you become part of a system of hygiene and healthy lifestyle of each member of your pet clientele.During training sessions, learners are taught how to groom in the best possible ways. This include the art of clipping nails of pet animals, how to brush furry coats, and skin maintenance for pets whose coats are not to be brushed. But since the overall health of these furry friends is at the core of the services pet groomers provide, general health issues are also taught as part of the training. So at the end of the training, you will be equipped to be part of the early detection team, able to spot potential problems like eye and ear infection, plus insect infestation. You are not expected to treat many of the issues you may find. Instead, your keen insight allows you to recommend that owners take their pets to a veterinarian in order to avoid chronic or catastrophic problems.Those looking for a career in pet care usually undergo apprenticeship to enhance their skills and provide necessary hands-on experience. The government-aided training schools also conduct various programs, workshops, conferences, and seminars for further enhancement of knowledge of how to groom pets. Attending such organized programs will no doubt help those interested in pursuing a career in pet care.Hands-on experience involving direct handling of pet animal related problems is one of the best ways to get educated in providing these kinds of services. On completion of pet grooming training program, the participants usually join pet stores or animal clinics as apprentices. Experience in the line of pet grooming is vital once the classroom training program is complete.Aside from taking care of the animals, another duty that is expected from pet grooming training incumbents is to handle general administration work related to the animals. This includes attending to the phone and maintaining of proper files and documents with regard to each of the pets. As you consider various pet grooming instructional programs, you want to ensure that this administrative aspect in not overlooked.The durations of pet grooming training courses usually vary from approximately two weeks to several months or even a year. The basic education level required to enroll in most pet grooming training programs is a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Starting an Event Planning Business – 7 Real Steps to Becoming an Event Planner
You’ve decided you want a career full of excitement and fun. You know that you are organized, social, and creative. So you decide you want to start a career as a meeting and/or event planner.Now what?You start doing research, and you find article after article telling you “how to start your own event planning business, today!” They outline how to get organized, how to set up your office, and to print your own business cards.You wait for the phone to ring. Maybe, if you’re really on the ball, you join some network associations and get your name out there. You make a website. And maybe, just maybe, you get your first client.Uh oh. Now what?Exactly.I am going to tell you something you might not want to hear. But, unlike all those other articles selling you false dreams, I’m going to tell you the truth.You absolutely, positively, can not start your own event planning business without at least three to five (or more) years of experience.The good news?Yes, you can become an event planner. Yes, it is a fun and exciting job. And no, it does not require any further schooling or certifications. But being an event planner is so very much more than just picking out fun décor and great entertainment.The bad news?It won’t — it can’t — happen overnight. Organizing legitimate, large-scale events and meetings requires extensive knowledge and years of experience. There can be thousands, or hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars at stake. Why would you ask a client to trust you if you haven’t had the appropriate experience? And, more importantly, why in the world would you do that to yourself?Even if you think you want to start out by organizing smaller events, you must know how to select venue space, negotiate vendor contracts, organize registration, create itineraries, organize vendors, select menus, and so on. Not to mention you need to know how to charge for your services, write legal-binding contracts protecting yourself and your vendors, select insurance, and how to manage the final billing.We are an impatient society. We want everything, now. We believe we can lose weight by taking pills, and bust cellulite by applying lotion. And, we believe we can actually go out and start an event planning business without ever having worked an event.Would you trust a pilot who wanted to start a business offering “flying tours of the Grand Canyon” without ever having flown a plane? Would you trust a surgeon to operate on you without ever having assisted on a surgery?Of course not. And, therefore, neither should you hope to run your own events without ever having worked one.Forget those websites that tell you, “Yes, you CAN start your own event planning business TODAY! Take our two-day course and be set up by Monday!” They are merely trying to sell you their course or their ebook.Most smart, educated people realize that anything worthwhile takes a little effort. You are intelligent enough to look into the future and realize that, in hindsight, dedicating the next two or three years to learning about this industry you love is well worth your time, in order to guarantee that the rest of your working years are spent doing what you enjoy.And that’s the irony. So many people want to get into event planning, but aren’t willing to do what it takes to get there. If you truly love events, then you should be excited at doing anything it takes. You should also realize that, as with any job, it is necessary to learn from the bottom up.Here are the true, real-life steps you need to take in order to work toward becoming an event planner.
Understand, truly understand, that it will take at anywhere from one, to three, to five years or more to get the experience you need to become an actual Event Planner (depending on your current experience and how hard you work at learning). Make your mistakes on another planner’s dime. You will thank yourself in the future!
Understand that you can still be a part of events, and work any number of jobs in the event planning industry, while you learn. Yes, you CAN start a job in event planning by the end of the month; you just won’t be the event planner. Let go of the need to be the Head Cheese or the need to open your own company right out of the gate, and enjoy the ride! (Actually, many people find that they don’t want the responsibility of being the head planner, and are perfectly happy in support positions; allowing them to still be a part of great events, without all the pressure and stress).
Start reading everything you can about the industry. The world of meetings and events has its own language, and the sooner you understand it, the more quickly you will learn.
Go on some “Informational Interviews” and/or find a mentor. Informational Interviews entail finding a person in the field and asking them if you could have 20 minutes to one hour of their time. Offer to take them to lunch, and have a list of questions prepared. This interview is for information on the industry, not for a job.
Join a networking association. There are many in your town or city; contact your Convention & Visitors Bureau or research the Internet.
Start volunteering for local special events. Find an event that will happen in the next 4-6 months, find the planner, and call them up, and ask you might volunteer your time to help them. Let them know you are in this for the purpose of learning about events, and hope to build a career on it. Not only will you gain experience, but you will open endless doors with the many contacts you will meet.
If you don’t need to make a ton of money, get a job either catering or working for a Destination Management Company. If you can’t quit your day job quite yet, work on the weekends. Again, you will gain priceless experience, and meet contacts that will open many doors of opportunity. If you follow these steps, I guarantee you that you will start your dream job in event planning in no time at all. After a few years of experience, you can open your own event planning business. Remember, anything worthwhile takes time…and before you know it, you will be living the career of your dreams!© Copyright 2007-2008 Sirena Evans, Careers In Event Planning. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Pet Contests
Pet contests are now held in every country as a sport for the pets and their owners. It is always fun to have pets around, be it cats, dogs or squirrels. Most people prefer dogs for their obedience and their ability to be trained easily, but cats and other animals are no less. Pet contest is a topic of excitement among all the pet owners of the globe. They want to flaunt their pets and after all, winning a prize is no less a reason. It provides a way of involvement and enjoyment for both the pets and their owners. It also increases the bonding and mutual confidence and co-operation between the owner and his mate.Benefits of a Pet ContestIt is proved scientifically those keeping pets have a healthier heart as compared to those who don’t because the presence of the beloved and pampered pets keeps the owner happy. These contests also ensure that the pets and the owners enjoy themselves to the fullest extent possible. They have all sorts of competitions giving equal chance to pets to show off their talent and make their owner proud. Winning or losing the contest is only parts of the game, memories are made by the happiness and enjoyment experienced. Most contests have prize money for the winners. Some clubs organize a pet contest every week and give away $1000 or any latest gadget such as a camera as prize to the best performers.Ways to approach a pet contestPet owners can register onto these pet contests online. There are websites available which list out the various pet contests all over the world and ways of registering in them. One can also get phone numbers of the organizers and can personally contact them in case of any query about registering. One can also go to the actual site of the contest (if nearby) and directly get themselves registered to the contest. With the wide use of internet, most people register via the various websites as it is the most convenient method. These websites also provide the particulars of the pet contests such as the venue, date, time, contests and the prizes to be given to the winners. One can also contact the authorities via e-mail which is also provided in those websites. Through this we also get to know about the competitions held the previous year and the difficulty level of these pet contests.Competitions for pets in a Pet ContestPet contests have all sorts of competitions. The most popular one for dogs is a race among all dogs. The one which reaches the goal first is the winner. This is used to determine not only the speed but also the muscular strength of the dog. Another popular competition pet fashion contests where owners dress up their pets in different ways like making them wear little frocks with a small hair band on the top of its head, or a miniature jersey with little boots making the pets look stylish and different. The one dressed best according to the judge is the winner. There are also other competitions like responding correctly to a command given by the judge, competitions determining the co-ordination of the pet with its owner etc.Competitions for Pet OwnersPet contests also have various competitions for pet owners like photography. Pet owners have to take interesting photographs of their pets in various poses so as to get an award. The best picture would be awarded by the judge. Owners gear themselves up with the best equipment and train themselves with various techniques to make them skilled enough for the competition. Some pet contests include uploading the photographs on the internet and let random visitors vote on the photograph the find best. This type of selection considers the viewpoint of the audience. The photograph that gets the highest number of votes amongst all is the winner. These websites also give tips on the ways to make the photographs better and more attractive to the viewer and ways of making them more presentable.Pet contests are not only a source of winning prizes or money or fame, but also a means of providing pure enjoyment with your beloved pet. These also increase the self-confidence in the pet. Such contests should thus be attended by every pet-owner not only for money but for enjoyment and those blissful moments.