Photography Tips, Art, and Music
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Art and Oil Paintings: How Do I Choose Artwork That Is Suitable For a Room in My Home?
Jan 26th
Oil paintings and artwork always seem to make a room come alive with color and feeling, especially when you know how to choose art that compliments a specific room in your home.
Whether you walk through an art gallery, or you look at oil paintings offered at an online store, one thing is certain: you will immediately know if you like a painting. Perhaps the scene creates an emotional sensation within you that is pleasing, and you imagine that you would enjoy that painting hanging in your home for many years, without tiring of looking at it.
Let’s consider if the painting you’ve fallen in love with will fit into a room in your home. Since lines and colors in the artwork can energize or calm you, consider if the lines, such as tall trees or standing people, are vertical, or if the lines are horizontal such as a beach scene or a person who is posed in a sitting or reclining position. If you have your heart set on buying a painting with horizontal elements, then you’d do well to place it in a room that is meant for relaxing, such as a sitting room, parlor, or a formal living room.
If the painting has vertical elements, such as tall trees, buildings, or people standing or dancing, then you’ll want to place that type of artwork in a room that has movement and is energized—a front hall, or an entrance wall into your living room, dining room, or kitchen. Ideally, it’s best to hang oil paintings in an area that reflects what will happen in the room.
Another example that might help you to decide where to place an oil painting is if the artwork has a feeling of action in it, then wherever you hang the painting, it will energize the room. Your mind will awaken when you look at the action in the painting. Likewise, for a bedroom, den, or study, you would want to choose a more calming and somber painting that might cause you to slow down and relax.
Be sure to consider the length and height of the painting. Will it correspond with the furniture in the room where you intend to display it? For example, if you want to hang it above a long and low sectional sofa, the duplicate horizontal lines would make the room quite attractive. In addition, try to choose paintings that have a similar color family as the rooms where you will display them.
A unique strategy for choosing the perfect oil painting for your home is when you already have a motif or a theme that compliments your lifestyle or location where you live. Any type of artwork that is similar to the décor of your home or heritage will make you and your guests instantly feel comfortable.
Below you will find five art themes you might want to consider for your home, when choosing artwork.
Cityscape Artwork—Reflects famous locations and cities, such as the white stone buildings in Greece, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or the countryside in Israel.
Seashore and Beach Oil Paintings—Reflects a particular city or town with its seashells, palm trees, sand, hammocks, cerulean blue water, or a lone lighthouse.
Flowers and Still Life Paintings—Reflects a natural beauty and charm found everywhere in the world; from creamy white lilies to orange and red poppies.
Landscape Artwork—The horizontal lines in any landscape art painting make a small room feel much larger. It’s as if the landscape art simulates a window; thus, the artwork opens up a room to create a serene setting.
Cuisine Art—Every kitchen is enhanced by the artwork the homeowner selects that depicts food, fun, frivolity, a beverage, or a local farmer’s market. In addition, vivid colors can light up and enhance any kitchen’s décor.
When you follow these guidelines for purchasing artwork, you’ll discover that each subsequent purchase gets easier, and your home will feel more cozy and comfortable when you match the painting with the room.
Author’s Resource Box:
Have you ever felt that a painting was so real you could feel yourself walking into the scene? Maya Green invites you to explore some of her painted treasures at: http://www.yessy.com/maya
Ms. Green is an artist who creates bright and energizing art with intensive colors that express emotional feelings of reality.
Photography Tips For Newbies
Jan 25th
This article explains a few things about photography, and if you’re interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don’t know, especially when you want to join some of forums and discussions about this topics, then this article will be useful for you more or less, in order for you to get some of new ideas from the discussions you have joined.
As there are so many photography novices are very concerns about their techniques to get good quality photographs. As we all know that there is no one who can be called the photograph expert, who could come to us and give some tips and techniques for novices like us, unless you pay a bit of money to join photograph school. What we are doing when we take photo graph is to find the best quality camera, and believe that that magic functions of the camera (as advertised) will help us to get good quality pictures without having other specific technique of photography.
In fact, this is quite true but just some part of the whole truth. We take photograph by ourselves only when it is informal occasions, such as when you are traveling to other places with your friends or take photographs during family part. However, in our life time, there are still so many occasions that need formal picture and may need a photograph professional to take care of this stuff, the example of there occasions are weeding ceremony or wedding reception, graduation ceremony etc. That is precisely why at most important occasions people hire the services of a professional photographer.
Therefore, we may need a professional for these occasions but in the mean time, the cost for hiring a professional photographer is very high and very difficult for someone who has very limited budget. So for many photograph newbies, then try to find photography tips in order to help them to get good quality pictures without paying fortune for professional. Here is some tips for you, which I have gather some of them for professionals that I have known recently.
Firstly, try to get everyone into the picture frame. It is the fact that sometimes when novice taking photograph, they did not ask everyone who want to take a picture included in the picture frame, then when the film is developed there is someone is not included in the picture and this is really ashamed. For you, as a beginner this mistake is usually happened, Therefore you have to make sure that you guide everyone to include themselves in the frame before taking a shot because they will never know until the photographer tell them.
Secondly, when you shooting outdoor, many of beginners have trouble with sunlight direction which really effect to the quality of picture. You have to make sure that you will not shooting directly with the sunlight, which will create the dark shade on the picture. You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about photography. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far.
Photography Sales Secrets Revealed – 3 LAWS That Increase Photo Sales Fast
Jan 21st
If you want to be successful at selling your photography, without using pressure or trickery of any kind, then this is going to be extremely valuable to you.
There are three major laws in the world of selling that many photographers violate. Becoming aware of these three laws, and using them in every sales presentation you do in your photography business, will assure you of higher photo sales averages, and more closed sales today.
Here are the three photography sales laws, along with a quick example for each:
1. The “Ask Questions Law” – You first must build rapport and trust by asking questions. Don’t do all the talking. Find out what she wants, and then show her how you can help her to get it. You see, she doesn’t care how much you know until she knows how much you care. And one of the best ways to show her how much you care is to ask her questions, in a friendly, enthusiastic, sincere manner.
For example: Here is one of the most effective questions I use all the time. I call it the “Qualifying Question” because it really let’s you get a feeling of just how “qualified” the prospect is. Let’s say you’re talking with a prospect about family photography. Here’s the question: “If you don’t mind me asking, how important are these family photographs to you?”
See how the answer to that question will immediately tell you whether or not she’s really a good, qualified prospect for you? If she says that the photographs are really important to her – that she wants to have something really nice that captures the feelings and relationships between everyone – then that tells you she’s probably looking for something very well done. But if she says they aren’t really all that important to her – she just wants some quick “pics” and doesn’t care about anything but the cost, - then that tells you something totally different.
2. The “Trial Close Law” – Use trial closes throughout your presentation. So what is a “Trial Close?” A trial close is a question, the answer to which indicates where the prospect or client is in the sales process. The answer gives you valuable feedback.
My favorite Trial Close is this: “How do you feel about that?” The answer to that question is priceless each and every time you use it.
For example: Let’s say you’re still talking with the woman about family portraits. You say something like “One of the things that separates our photography from all the other studios in the area is we will meet your children ahead of time, so they feel comfortable with us on the day of the photography. This way, their expressions will be so much more natural.”
Now, if you just stop there, and don’t ask her a Trial Close, you will have no idea of where she stands concerning this. But if you ask her, “How do you feel about that?” Then she will answer with something, which will let you know how she feels about what you just said. See how powerful this is? If you use Trial Closes throughout your presentation, you’ll have much higher photography sales averages.
3. The “Guarantee Close Law” – Close the sale with your guarantee – remove all the risk from your prospect, if you want her to make a decision today.
Here’s a fact of Human Nature: Most people do not like making decisions. It’s risky. What if they make the wrong decision?
So the easiest way to help people make a decision today is to remove all the risk off of them and put it squarely on you.
For example: Let’s continue with our family portrait example. Let’s say she is hesitating to make a decision to hire you today. So you say something like this: “You know what? One of the things that separates us from all the other photographers in the area is this: We absolutely guarantee that you will be thrilled with your portraits – not just “satisfied” – but THRILLED. If you aren’t thrilled, we will do whatever it takes to see to it you are thrilled, including creating additional images, or if we can not thrill you, we will give you all your money back. No hard feelings either. You can’t lose.”
Then you use a Trial Close: “How do you feel about that?” And chances are really good she will say something like this: “Well, if you guarantee them like that, then you are right, I have nothing to lose. Let’s do it.”
Now, can you see that this is not pressure. It is not trickery. You are not trying to get her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. All you are doing is helping her through the mental process necessary for her to go ahead and have you create her family photographs, rather than going to some other photography business.
These three laws of selling are extremely effective in photography. I urge you to start using them today, and watch your photo sales go up and up.
Author : Charles Lewis
Close Up Photography, an Emotional Approach to Nature Photography
Jan 19th
From wide open spaces to rugged mountains, rolling meadows to dramatic coastlines they all play an important part in the nature of landscape. However, with such a view it is often hard to appreciate the beauty because there is nowhere for the eye to settle and concentrate on.
Why not take a fresh approach to nature photography and concentrate on part of the view and take time to consider color, shape and texture to really appreciate the finer features of the scene.
Enter the world of close up photography that lies just beyond the familiar but so rich in detail and beauty. If we look through our close up lens with an open mind, imagination and childlike curiosity there are many close up photography opportunities for us to consider.
As nature photographers we can take this concept further, for example that distant bright yellow patch becomes on closer inspection a riotous stand of broom flowers. Closer still we see clearly the intricate detail in each flower and seedpod that we can record in our close up photography.
Now go really close, look at the seedpod with its gossamer covering of fine hairs and we start to appreciate how things fit together. Whilst this is not a scientific approach it provides a raw and basic understanding, offers enlightenment and lets us become an integral part of nature. So by going close up and concentrating on a small part of the whole we have simplified our close up photography subject, made it basic, powerful and memorable,.
There is no need to go far, finding close up nature photography opportunities should be seen as a journey of the soul, inner vision and contemplation rather than visiting a far off place. Often the deeper we look into our close up photography subjects the more rewarding they become. Without hesitation they reveal their treasures allowing us time to admire their quality. With this awareness the nature photographer with a passion for close up photography is indeed privileged.
Appreciating that all these parts form an important relationship with each other makes it is easier to understand that the whole is made up of many unique parts and like pieces of a jigsaw they combine together to create a complete picture. Indeed, only by appreciating the significance of the smallest parts of our surroundings can we can start to make sense of nature as a whole and incorporate this awareness into our close up photography.
Emotion and drama and be found in often overlooked close up photography cameos, like a delicate flower growing defiantly in a boulder crevice, its tenuous grip on life dependent on the sustenance from the crevice debris. Yet it lives on year after year, testimony to its determination and resilience. It is this inter-action that is so enduring and compelling that makes these interesting subjects perfect for nature photography.
As a close up photographer getting close up to nature allows a greater understanding and appreciation of the beauty of the natural world. For example a cold clear winter day with breathtaking crispness can be ideal for close up photography, in these conditions there are magical patterns in snow, frost and shimmering icicles. Ice patterns make perfect winter close up photography subjects; they literally capture a moment frozen in time. Depending on the prevailing weather conditions some have smooth curves whilst others show harsh jagged lines providing creative close up photography opportunities.
Early morning in spring and summer can be a wonderful time to find close up photography subjects. Flowers and grasses covered with dew or fine rain make fascinating close up photography studies, the fine hairs hold onto droplets of water almost defy gravity. In the right conditions there may be insects that after a night’s inactivity have become encrusted with minute droplets. Butterflies make excellent close up photography subjects and look stunning covered in dew as they sparkle like a myriad of jewels.
Light quality plays an important role in our close up photography, if it is too harsh the increase in contrast will actually block out the very close up detail we are trying to photograph. It is far better to have diffused light that occurs with high thin cloud cover. It provides a much softer quality of light and allows the detail, texture and nuances to be clearly seen and recorded in our close up photography. Color also influences our interpretation of the subject, vibrant colors like red and yellow for example suggest dominance and power, whereas muted tones like grey and browns convey basic, earthy and tranquil feelings.
So, if we approach our close up photography with childlike wonder and a renewed vision the natural world is undoubtedly a beautiful place. To fully appreciate it requires a little time and an inquisitive mind, it will reward you with the knowledge that even the simplest of things can bring satisfaction, contentment, harmony and inner peace.