“We cannot command nature except by obeying her.” Francis Bacon
Whether you’re taking a picture of a geranium in your backyard garden or a grizzly bear in the Rocky Mountains, capturing a great photo outdoors means working with Mother Nature, and not trying to impose your photographic will upon her.
So many factors come into play when taking a nature photograph … sun, clouds, wind, rain, sleet or snow … and if you’re photographing animals in their native habitat, you’ve got noise, odors, and movement to deal with.
It can get complex, but the enjoyment you’ll get by taking nature photography seriously will far outweigh the extra time and effort you put into it. Rather than just clicking a snapshot of your sugar maple in all its fall glory, you’ll have a photo you’d be proud to hang on your wall as a piece of art. Or, you might even become so good that you’ll find yourself selling some of your better photos.
After all, everyone loves a great nature photo. It’s easy for viewers to put themselves into the picture. Even if they’ve never been to the mountains, people enjoy looking at pictures of mountains because it transports them, at least for a brief moment, to a peaceful place.
So in order to help you get the most out of the time you spend outdoors with your camera, here are five fundamental tips for taking better nature photos. As a photographer, I’ve learned that if you approach your outdoor photography with the right mindset, you are certain to succeed -- oftentimes in ways you never expected.
Tip number one: Understand the nature of nature. There’s an old saying, “You can’t fight Mother Nature.” Plan on working with the elements of the natural environment you photograph. A backyard squirrel might not blink at the sound of your shutter. But a rarely seen black squirrel sitting in the woods 50 miles from the nearest road might run upon hearing the same click.
Animals, trees, bushes, grass … everything associated with nature functions uniquely in different weather conditions. If you’re looking for a “money” shot, you need to understand the conditions you’re working in, and the subject matter you’re photographing.
I recall walking along a large pond in a forest clearing many years ago. I was looking up for a shot, but saw nothing remarkable. Then I looked down and realized there was a fantastic shot right at my feet. It was of some green algae that had formed in the corner of the pond. It was a beautiful color, and contrasted nicely with the water. Itended up being one of my most popular shots.
Tip number two: Be prepared. Study the area you plan on photographing, even if it’s your own backyard. Watch how the light plays on your flowers at different times of the day, and under different cloud conditions. Pay attention to the patterns of birds. Animals are creatures of habit, and weather and light is somewhat predictable.
The same goes if you plan on venturing out into the wilderness. Get familiar with the local surroundings by talking to locals, watching weather reports on the Internet or TV, and by just taking some time to familiarize yourself with your surroundings.
Tip number three: Know you’re equipment. If you’re trying to get a close up shot of a deer in the wild, even if you’re using a telephoto lens, turn off your autofocus, autoflash and motordrive. Get to know you’re camera settings, from the f-stop and shutter speed to the ASA and ISO settings.
Experiment at home and in the field. After buying a new camera, I like to take number shots just around the house, in a variety of conditions. Spend about an hour or so walking around your home and yard, instruction manual in hand, and try out all the features. Use different exposures and settings. Do this as a refresher from time to time as well. It is well worth the effort.
Tip number four: Be patient. Natural events happen when they happen. You are not going to rush that beaver out of his watery den any faster. The perfect glint of sunlight playing off your prize rose bushes will not happen any sooner or later than you want it to. Keep your camera at the ready, and don’t force the shot. You may arrive five minutes too late for a great shot, but you may be five minutes early for the perfect shot.
Tip number five: Have an outcome in mind, but be ready for the unexpected. If you go out looking for cardinals in the forest, you’re likely to find some. So be ready by having a telephoto lens, a tripod if necessary, perhaps a birding book to help with recognition, and something comfortable to sit on. Take food for yourself – don’t feed the animals! – and water. Picture the shot you want in your mind’s eye. You’ll often get something close.
But don’t close your mind to other possibilities. The sun may be absolutely perfect at that time of day, and you could get a stunning picture of rays of sunlight piercing the forest canopy. Ansel Adams’ famous “Moonrise over Hernandez” was taken while he was driving down a highway. He stopped the car, jumped out, grabbed his camera, took one shot … and nailed it because he was ready for the unexpected.
I had a similar experience. It was night, and I was just walking around the area I live looking for a good picture. I had been walking awhile, ready to give up and go home, when a flash of light caught my eye. I came upon a construction site of a multi-story building. The welders were getting in some overtime, working on the 8th or 9th floor. The sparks from their welding were arcing out from the side of the building and down to the ground. It made for a beautiful picture, and one I would have never gotten if I hadn’t been ready for the unexpected.
When it comes to photographing anything in the great outdoors, don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking you can control your subject matter. All you can control is your equipment and your knowledge about the subject matter. So with the right camera, an understanding of nature, and some patience, you’re likely to get the recognition you’re looking for as an outstanding outdoor photographer.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
What Health Reform Means for You
1. What's happened so far. Health can no longer impose lifetime caps on coverage, a boon for those with expensive chronic health problems like cancer or heart who find themselves bankrupt after their insurance runs out. Parents who have group policies through their employers are allowed to continue coverage for their unmarried children, as noted above—a pressing need especially now, with unemployment sky-high among recent college graduates. Health insurers must cover certain preventive services like osteoporosis screening for women over 65, smoking cessation counseling and interventions, colonoscopies, high blood pressure screening, and screenings for diabetes and sexually transmitted diseases. Seniors were previously required to pay part of the cost of Medicare services, including cancer screenings and annual physicals, but the law makes such preventive services free for most beneficiaries. People with serious health conditions that have prevented them from obtaining coverage will be eligible to purchase a policy from a high-risk pool in a government-subsidized exchange, at a cost similar to what healthy folks pay for their premiums. (Private insurers can still deny applicants based on pre-existing conditions up until 2014, when the exchanges open.)
2. You will have to if you don't have any, or face a penalty. As of 2014, anyone who is currently uninsured must purchase a policy or pay a penalty. Individuals who don't qualify for government subsidies should expect to pay about $5,000 a year for a policy on the exchange, while families should expect to pay about $15,000, according to John Goodman, president of the National Center for Policy Analysis, a nonprofit public policy research organization based in Dallas. (Subsidies to reduce these premiums will be available for individuals making between about $15,000 and $43,000 and for families making up to nearly $90,000 on a sliding scale based on income. Subsidized plans for a family of four, for example, range from $1,300 per year up to $8,400 per year.) The penalty starts at $95 or up to 1 percent of income for individuals, whichever is greater, and in 2016 rises to $695 or 2.5 percent of income, whichever is greater. Families pay heftier fines—$2,085 or 2.5 percent of income by 2016. "Many are arguing that these fines aren't high enough," Goodman says, "and that middle-class families may simply choose to go without insurance and pay the fine."
3. You won't lose coverage if you suddenly get sick, or be denied a new policy because of a pre-existing condition. Starting in 2014, insurers won't be able to deny applicants based on, say, an earlier diagnosis of cancer. And they're already no longer able to drop existing policyholders unless they can spot a clear case of fraud—like someone who failed to disclose that earlier case of cancer. In the past, insurance companies often rescrubbed policies after individuals were diagnosed with expensive health conditions.
4. You can expect longer waits to see a new doctor. That's the downside of providing millions of Americans with more access to care without concurrently increasing the number of healthcare workers. In Massachusetts, where health insurance is universal, Boston residents have to wait about twice as long to see a doctor as people in any other U.S. city, says Goodman. Over time, though, increased demand and employment opportunities could bring more doctors and nurses flooding into the workforce, helping to alleviate this problem.
2. You will have to if you don't have any, or face a penalty. As of 2014, anyone who is currently uninsured must purchase a policy or pay a penalty. Individuals who don't qualify for government subsidies should expect to pay about $5,000 a year for a policy on the exchange, while families should expect to pay about $15,000, according to John Goodman, president of the National Center for Policy Analysis, a nonprofit public policy research organization based in Dallas. (Subsidies to reduce these premiums will be available for individuals making between about $15,000 and $43,000 and for families making up to nearly $90,000 on a sliding scale based on income. Subsidized plans for a family of four, for example, range from $1,300 per year up to $8,400 per year.) The penalty starts at $95 or up to 1 percent of income for individuals, whichever is greater, and in 2016 rises to $695 or 2.5 percent of income, whichever is greater. Families pay heftier fines—$2,085 or 2.5 percent of income by 2016. "Many are arguing that these fines aren't high enough," Goodman says, "and that middle-class families may simply choose to go without insurance and pay the fine."
3. You won't lose coverage if you suddenly get sick, or be denied a new policy because of a pre-existing condition. Starting in 2014, insurers won't be able to deny applicants based on, say, an earlier diagnosis of cancer. And they're already no longer able to drop existing policyholders unless they can spot a clear case of fraud—like someone who failed to disclose that earlier case of cancer. In the past, insurance companies often rescrubbed policies after individuals were diagnosed with expensive health conditions.
4. You can expect longer waits to see a new doctor. That's the downside of providing millions of Americans with more access to care without concurrently increasing the number of healthcare workers. In Massachusetts, where health insurance is universal, Boston residents have to wait about twice as long to see a doctor as people in any other U.S. city, says Goodman. Over time, though, increased demand and employment opportunities could bring more doctors and nurses flooding into the workforce, helping to alleviate this problem.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Health Care And Health Insurance Costs Can Be Controlled Through Lifestyle Choices
As you probably know all to well, the cost of healthcare and health insurance premiums continue to increase at levels substantially above the general inflation rate. The reasons given for these extraordinary cost increases are numerous and include: technological advancements in the medical field, increased demand for medical services and prescription drugs, the aging of the population, cost shifting caused by the uninsured and governmental reimbursement rates, state and federal mandates, and costs associated with medical related lawsuits.
As individual consumers, we have very little control over some of the factors contributing to the cost of healthcare. However, all of us have control over lifestyle related health insurance claims. A simple formula of eating a balanced diet, getting the appropriate amount of daily exercise, participating in annual physicals and other recommended routine care, limiting alcohol consumption, and eliminating the use of tobacco products will no doubt reduce our personal healthcare costs. In addition to reducing medical costs, the other benefits of following such a formula include more energy, self confidence, less stress, and increased productivity. If you are not doing so already, I encourage you to consider practical ways to promote a healthy lifestyle for you and your family. For example, one of the individual health insurance companies my organization works with has an option that will offset 25% of the annual cost of a health club membership. Simple things such as taking a walk, bike ride, or going swimming promote both a healthy body and mind. If you have a sweet tooth, consider limiting yourself to eating desert once a week. You will enjoy it more and your body will thank you.
Health insurance premiums will continue to increase as long as the cost of healthcare continues to go up. The best way to reduce the overall cost of healthcare is to decrease our need for healthcare. Healthy lifestyle choices and prudent use of the healthcare system are the best and easiest ways to get a handle on our healthcare expenditures. Perhaps the greatest benefit of a healthy lifestyle is our ability to enjoy our precious time here on earth to the fullest.
As individual consumers, we have very little control over some of the factors contributing to the cost of healthcare. However, all of us have control over lifestyle related health insurance claims. A simple formula of eating a balanced diet, getting the appropriate amount of daily exercise, participating in annual physicals and other recommended routine care, limiting alcohol consumption, and eliminating the use of tobacco products will no doubt reduce our personal healthcare costs. In addition to reducing medical costs, the other benefits of following such a formula include more energy, self confidence, less stress, and increased productivity. If you are not doing so already, I encourage you to consider practical ways to promote a healthy lifestyle for you and your family. For example, one of the individual health insurance companies my organization works with has an option that will offset 25% of the annual cost of a health club membership. Simple things such as taking a walk, bike ride, or going swimming promote both a healthy body and mind. If you have a sweet tooth, consider limiting yourself to eating desert once a week. You will enjoy it more and your body will thank you.
Health insurance premiums will continue to increase as long as the cost of healthcare continues to go up. The best way to reduce the overall cost of healthcare is to decrease our need for healthcare. Healthy lifestyle choices and prudent use of the healthcare system are the best and easiest ways to get a handle on our healthcare expenditures. Perhaps the greatest benefit of a healthy lifestyle is our ability to enjoy our precious time here on earth to the fullest.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Nature’s Health And Wellness
The world that we live in is filled with great gifts from nature that aid in our health and wellness. These wonderful natural resources abound, however not too many of us know the basics about where to find them or how to use them to improve ourselves and our well being.
We are offered products all the time that tout the great things they can do for us. We hear about how they can improve our physical appearance, help us feel better and improve our lives, but all too often, these great products are filled with additives and preservatives. These added ingredients might irritate our skin and cause problems in our bodies.
Our love of and faith in science can explain why many of us choose synthetic chemicals over natural products. We believe that with science, nearly anything is possible and that if the “scientific experts” have created a product, it is somehow better for us and safer to use.
While science does indeed benefit humanity enormously, sometimes it does not produce the healthy ingredients that we expect. Sure, the preservatives and other ingredients used in many products give them a longer shelf life, but what are they doing to our bodies?
We use all kinds of cosmetic products and later hear media reports explaining how they contain substances that may be harming us. With the recent reports of high amounts of lead in lipstick to the use of hydrogenated oils in our food being linked to heart disease, it’s difficult to know which products and foods are safe and healthy to use.
Fortunately, we can find trustworthy and healthful products that are derived from the very force that has been caring for and fueling us since the beginning of human times: nature.
We can eat organic produce and Herbs that are grown with abundant sunshine and pure water. We can use hair formulas and toiletries that are made from natural ingredients, and see and feel the effects that these wholesome products have on our bodies almost immediately.
These powerfully healthy foods and products provide our bodies with valuable Vitamins and meet many of our other essential nutritional needs, but in today’s fast-paced world, many of us do not have time to fix fresh, home cooked organic meals. The produce and other ingredients can be expensive and time consuming to prepare.
Many of us are trying to eat as healthfully as possible and wish to reap the benefits of using natural vitamin supplements to boost the nutritional value of our diets. We buy Discount Vitamins and Discount Herbs to save money and ensure that we are taking much-needed nutrients into our bodies on a consistent basis.
While these vitamins can aid us in keeping our bodies healthy, they are not meant to treat disease, however several studies have shown that they may protect us against some diseases.
Antioxidants found in many vitamin supplements prevent or slow the oxidation or free radical production in our bodies that is known to damage cells. This cell damage prevention can aid in keeping us looking and feeling better on the inside and out.
We can find vitamins and supplements at almost any store, but a better place to look for healthy and discounted natural vitamins and supplements is online. A quick web search will find Vitamin Sales and Herbal Sales that save us money and time. Many web sites offer the finest in natural heath care products at deeply discounted prices.
Whether we are searching for natural bladder supplements, such as Echinacea with its antiseptic and antiviral properties to help fight off bladder infections, or brain nutrition, such as foliate and b-vitamins to keep us sharp, we can find it all for sale online or at our local vitamin or health food stores.
The advantage of shopping online is that we can compare many products at once and research these products using helpful online guides and references to find the best natural products for us. Also, there is no need to wait in lines to speak with a clerk who may or may not be able to help.
When we are looking for digestive supplements, joint support, weight loss products such as healthy alternative sweeteners or any natural products to support and boost our health, we can find the information that we need about them online and almost instantly.
These online guides are free to use and with them we can discover very insightful information such as how essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 work to keep our hearts and brains healthy and how coenzyme q10 helps to keep us energized.
This invaluable wealth of information is available at our fingertips. It allows us to more easily discover the vitamins and herbs that can benefit our health and wellness, which are derived from the natural world.
It’s an exciting time to live in as we have in the past moved so far away from nature, but are now discovering how far away from health that path has taken us. Luckily, nature is welcoming us home again with open arms and healthy alternatives.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
eating healthy and living right is easy and delicious
In today's world of 2 minute instant cup of noodles, there are lots of speculations about how to adopt to achieve those healthy families. A healthy eating plan is helpful to a great extent as it includes major calculations about the nutrients and ingredients that a human body needs. One of the most important points of healthy living is never to skip breakfasts as they are the most significant part of a day's meals and they are able to keep you going for the entire day. Another big problem people cant seem to remember is not to eat so many big meals. Instead, meals should be broken down into several smaller meals per day so that the body is able to absorb the food more efficiently. Many healthy families have reported that as a part of healthy lifestyles, they follow a regular time table for their meals and by having meals at the right time daily, they are able to keep themselves in perfect shapes.
When we talk about healthy food and health, the very first thing that comes to our mind includes fruits and vegetables. No doubt but they should be a mandatory part of a person's diet without which, a proper nutritious diet is not possible at all. While looking for healthy eating foods, you should ensure that they are natural and organic as far as possible. You should try to avoid artificial and canned foods as far as possible and also make sure that you consume some cereals also for your breakfast. These are healthy foods to be eaten in the morning as they are able to provide enough energy to the person's body. It is also better to eat green foods as much as possible as they are extremely rich in nutrients like calcium, fiber and vitamin C.
Some of the most popular healthy food items include Broccoli, wild salmon, grape tomatoes, milk and sweet potatoes. It is wise to make a list of which foods you should eat and which foods you should avoid so that it will become easier to understand which foods you should consume. The main type of food that should be avoided are fats and foods that contain too much of sugar. Healthy foods such as different types of nuts not only provide a lot of energy to the body but also a great deal of body strength.
People who believe in healthy lifestyle and healthy living are looking for ways through which they can prepare food at their own home. We all know the unhealthy ways of dealing with food in restaurants and unreliable quality of grains ground in grinding mills in the market. Several healthy food equipments are available in the market including juicers, flour and grain mills, blenders, sprouters and cookers so that you can prepare your own food with your own hands and eliminate any chances of adulteration and unhygienic methods of cooking. All these healthy cooking equipments help the consumers to carry out all methods of cooking at their own home including sprouting, roasting, baking and blending and adopt a healthy lifestyle of living.
When we talk about healthy food and health, the very first thing that comes to our mind includes fruits and vegetables. No doubt but they should be a mandatory part of a person's diet without which, a proper nutritious diet is not possible at all. While looking for healthy eating foods, you should ensure that they are natural and organic as far as possible. You should try to avoid artificial and canned foods as far as possible and also make sure that you consume some cereals also for your breakfast. These are healthy foods to be eaten in the morning as they are able to provide enough energy to the person's body. It is also better to eat green foods as much as possible as they are extremely rich in nutrients like calcium, fiber and vitamin C.
Some of the most popular healthy food items include Broccoli, wild salmon, grape tomatoes, milk and sweet potatoes. It is wise to make a list of which foods you should eat and which foods you should avoid so that it will become easier to understand which foods you should consume. The main type of food that should be avoided are fats and foods that contain too much of sugar. Healthy foods such as different types of nuts not only provide a lot of energy to the body but also a great deal of body strength.
People who believe in healthy lifestyle and healthy living are looking for ways through which they can prepare food at their own home. We all know the unhealthy ways of dealing with food in restaurants and unreliable quality of grains ground in grinding mills in the market. Several healthy food equipments are available in the market including juicers, flour and grain mills, blenders, sprouters and cookers so that you can prepare your own food with your own hands and eliminate any chances of adulteration and unhygienic methods of cooking. All these healthy cooking equipments help the consumers to carry out all methods of cooking at their own home including sprouting, roasting, baking and blending and adopt a healthy lifestyle of living.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Mommy & Baby: How To Establish Good Sleeping Patterns
Do you want your child to be smart and excel? Help him to establish healthy nighttime sleep patterns as an infant! It sounds lofty and unattainable, but I assure you, it is not.
Dr. Marc Weissbluth, author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, references the intelligence research of Dr. Lewis M. Terman. Dr. Terman’s research, completed in 1925, is unchallenged even today, according to Dr. Weissbluth. Using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, Terman looked at over 3,000 children. In every case of superior intelligence, there was one singular link: all of them experienced healthy sleep at night.
Fatigue is the primary cause of fussiness, daytime irritability, crankiness, discontentment, colic-like symptoms, hypertension, poor focusing skills, and poor eating habits. In fact, some researchers even believe there is a cause-and-effect relationship with poor sleeping habits and the increasing rate of Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD).
Now that we’ve established the importance of achieving good nighttime sleep, let’s talk about some things that get in the way of it:
Intentionally nursing your baby to sleep: this practice, although it can be comforting, provides an unnecessary dependence on mommy to fall asleep and prevents your baby from learning how to fall asleep on his own.
Rocking your baby to sleep: it used to be just a rocking chair, but now parents will put a bouncy seat on the dryer or take their baby for a ride in the car to encourage sleep. While these droning noises and motions do encourage sleep, your baby will quickly wake up and be unable to fall asleep again without the motion that encouraged him to drop off in the first place.
Shared sleep: sleeping with your baby puts him at physical and emotional risk. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, bed-sharing might actually increase the risk of SIDS. Additionally, there is the risk that your child might develop long-term sleep disruption from co-sleeping. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have noted that the families with the most sleep-disorders in their children are also those who practice co-sleeping.
Dr. Marc Weissbluth, author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, references the intelligence research of Dr. Lewis M. Terman. Dr. Terman’s research, completed in 1925, is unchallenged even today, according to Dr. Weissbluth. Using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, Terman looked at over 3,000 children. In every case of superior intelligence, there was one singular link: all of them experienced healthy sleep at night.
Fatigue is the primary cause of fussiness, daytime irritability, crankiness, discontentment, colic-like symptoms, hypertension, poor focusing skills, and poor eating habits. In fact, some researchers even believe there is a cause-and-effect relationship with poor sleeping habits and the increasing rate of Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD).
Now that we’ve established the importance of achieving good nighttime sleep, let’s talk about some things that get in the way of it:
Intentionally nursing your baby to sleep: this practice, although it can be comforting, provides an unnecessary dependence on mommy to fall asleep and prevents your baby from learning how to fall asleep on his own.
Rocking your baby to sleep: it used to be just a rocking chair, but now parents will put a bouncy seat on the dryer or take their baby for a ride in the car to encourage sleep. While these droning noises and motions do encourage sleep, your baby will quickly wake up and be unable to fall asleep again without the motion that encouraged him to drop off in the first place.
Shared sleep: sleeping with your baby puts him at physical and emotional risk. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, bed-sharing might actually increase the risk of SIDS. Additionally, there is the risk that your child might develop long-term sleep disruption from co-sleeping. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have noted that the families with the most sleep-disorders in their children are also those who practice co-sleeping.
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