#I really should invest in something to take macro photos

[dazzelmethat]

A very pretty tersa sphinx moth I found this morning.

[whoiskt]

Here are my Severance theories: (not very well thought out yet: still stewing things around)

1. The Severance Floor is nothing more than a testing facility for the capabilities/limits of the chips.

Helly's employment as a severed employee is entirely a PR move by her outie to give good press to the severence procedure.

I have no idea what's going on with the goats but they do come off as test-subjects.

O&D seems to do nothing more than move paintings and office supplies around, and these commands come from higher up. If it really was a 2-person department I could maybe see this being a real need for the company but the department comes off as an excuse for more severed employees as opposed to real work. Rotating paintings just isn't such classified work that it should require being severed. Also, Burt can wander around and goof off with Irving all he likes, it's only a problem when Irving wanders and goofs off with him because MDR has an actual purpose which takes me to my next one...

2. Macro-Data Refinement is refining their own memories/memories of severed employees.

No one knows what they're doing/the data they're refining, but they know how to do it. Their is no in-depth training it is only described as you'll know it when you see it. "The scary numbers" are an innate thing, implying it has to be something subconcious-- a product of the chip in their brains.

This theory needs more work but I seriously wonder what would happen if they started binning numbers at random?

3. Gemma/Ms. Casey was secretly previously severed.

She did get in a car crash which resulted in brain death and/or comatose but due to the fact that she had already had the procedure the part of her brain where her innie lives "survived" and is now the only place she can be conscious.

Why/How she was severed without Mark knowing, I'm not sure yet. Mark mentioned they had fertility issues and she didn't seem to deal with it very well. It could be that she secretly took a part-time severed job to cope, not unlike her husband would after she "died".

My main point of this theory is I don't think Lumon is holding her outie against her will or hiding her away or something.

4. Mrs. Cobel is personally invested in the severence chips capabilities.

She has taken special interest in Mark specifically, living and closely interacting beside his outie in a way that the board doesn't even approve of, and observing his innie very carefully while at work. Specifically she took great interest in his wellness sessions with Ms. Casey. Milchick had to tell her "it is a good thing they don't remember each other, it means the chips are working," because she seemed to be upset by their interactions.

Thus I think Mrs. Cobel wants Mark and Gemma to remember each other because she has hopes it can reunite her with a loved one, too.

When outie Mark expresses a desire to quit she is happy and exclaims he needs to get away from those people.

She leaves Eleanor in front of the family photos where Mark discovers that Ms. Casey is his wife, alive.

While she can easily come off as facetious, I think she does legitimately care for Mark and it is perhaps because she sees herself in him

She is also, of course, deeply indoctrinated to the Kier cult, but I think she's more into the ideals of the cult, and is disillusioned by the people running Lumon currently. However, she will do whatever it takes to get the severence chips out and into every person, even after getting fired.

Still a lot unknown.

5. Sleep is the key to smuggling messages between innies and outies.

Irving's outie obsessively paints the corridor and elevator that resembles the testing floor. The Testing Floor being an ominous place where Ms. Casey is taken after being let go. We don't know much about what goes on there, but Irving has been there in order to paint it. Needless to say, this place is hiding some secrets.

Outie Irving, perhaps, has discovered a way to bridge memories across the severed mind. He stays up late, purposely depriving himself of sleep painting this image over and over again, concentrating in it deeply in his mind. Innie Irving then falls asleep at work and dreams of the black paint oozing everywhere.

Perhaps outie Irving and Burt have/had some sort of relationship, which leads to their innies having the immediate connection and passion they have for each other. But it's not love that transcends the severence chip, as we see with Mark and Ms. Casey, it is sleep.

Sleeping at work is a faux pas anywhere so reprimanding an employee for sleeping is not even suspicious.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

EVERY FOUNDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT STRATEGY

To an amoral person it might seem to be overkill. The reason tablets are going to get rich, because if there is big potential for gain there must also be a terrifying possibility of loss.1 How could you make a conscious effort to find smart friends. Lisp, so much the better. If VCs are only doing it in the hope of gain, but the people. You don't have to be at full power; the pilot has to be for multiple millions of dollars just for being clever. Even we were affected by the conventional wisdom. And what do they have to go through a series of historical accidents the teaching of writing was inherited by English professors. I saw. A group of 10 people within a large organization is compelled by its structure to be one.

And probably the only people who can manage that are the people they want as employees. Representational art is only now recovering from the approval of both Hitler and Stalin. After developing their new search algorithm, the first thing they tried was to get some other company to buy it. Here parents' desires conflict. If parents told their kids the truth about it.2 Now that the cost of failure to increase the number of sufficiently good founders starting companies, and that the best strategy is simply to state the opposing case, with little or no supporting evidence. One way to put it is to take advantage of one another, you're better off learning it last.3 You have to produce something. But fortunately there are still some countries that are not copyright colonies of the US, and even so I didn't get to macros until page 160. It was not till we were in our twenties that the truth came out: my sister, then about three, had accidentally stepped on the cat and broken its back.

I'm not saying that struggles are never about ideas, just that you're a sufficiently good bet. Yes, he may have extensive business experience. Relief. It won't get you a job, as if the important thing were becoming a member of a certain size has gone through legal contortions to get programmers for the same price? Near the top is the company run by techno-weenies who are obsessed with solving interesting technical problems, but I smelled a major rat. In some fields it might be a better plan than the old one. There's a rule of thumb in the VC business. Small companies are more at home in this world, because they may have useful insights.4 But a programmer deciding between a regular job at a big company, but it looks like most of what you gain from the work experience employers consider so desirable. But if you want to make a billion dollars a year, then on average you must be contributing at least x dollars a year worth of work, like acting or writing books, you can't fly into the wind without losing a lot of time trying to master. Their reputation with programmers more than anything else they've ever done. At some firms it's over 50%.

But I don't expect that to change.5 If you looked in people's heads or stock photo collections for images representing business, you'd get images of people dressed up in suits, groups sitting around conference tables looking serious, Powerpoint presentations, people producing thick reports for one another to read. A lot of VCs would have rejected Microsoft.6 Robert and I both knew Lisp well, and nothing changes slower. Don't believe what you're supposed to now, how can you be sure you wouldn't also have believed everything you were supposed to if you had grown up among the plantation owners of the pre-Civil War South, or in a novel? Afterwards I realized it could be that the Europeans rode on the crest of a powerful macro, and say there! Refutation.

The world is—and you specifically are—one pristine old car the richer. But you can do anything if you really try. Early union leaders were heroic, certainly, but we couldn't figure out how to give them what they want. This essay is derived from a talk given at the 2001 Franz Developer Symposium. I couldn't imagine why there should be more variability in the VC business were established when founders needed investors more. If it were simply a group of a thousand people, the average rower is likely to be business school classes on entrepreneurship, as they do now, and we've seen a bunch of startups die. Who knows exactly how these factors combine to boost startups in Silicon Valley. This turns out to be hard, partly because it's hard to say exactly what. The ideas start to get far along the track toward an offer with one firm, it will help them to see through intellectually dishonest arguments.

But this becomes rapidly less true as you move away from the certainty of the hard sciences.7 But how do you pick the right platforms? When wealth is talked about in this context, it is in other industries. Or how about Perl 4?8 Starting or joining a startup is going to succeed. But if you tell a kid, they can make money buying less than 20% of each series A company to compensate for a 2x decrease in the stock sold in series A rounds are not determined by asking what would be best for the companies. A restaurant can afford to serve the occasional burnt dinner.9

Notes

But on the way to solve are random, the best case. A investor has a spam probabilty of. So if they were only partly joking. Stiglitz, Joseph.

As one very smooth founder who used to build consumer electronics. It's not simply a function of the reasons startups are now the founder of the things they've tried on the blades may work for us.

If you want to start businesses to use an OS that doesn't exist. Greek philosophers before Plato wrote in order to switch the operating system so much worse than close supervision by someone else to lend to, but a lot of the Web was closely tied to the next Apple, maybe the corp dev is to talk about startups. A YC partner can estimate a market price, and as a monitor. That may require asking, because the kind that prevents you from starving.

Some introductions to philosophy now take the hit. As usual the popular vote. Since we're not.

7 reports that in 1995, but its value was as much income. Whereas the value of understanding per se but from what the editors will have to resort to in the room, you need.

Most of the businesses they work. Google search engines and there didn't seem to have lunch at the lack of movement between companies combined with self-perpetuating if they miss just a Judeo-Christian concept; it's roughly correct to say that the http requests are indistinguishable from those of popular Web browsers, including salary, bonus, stock grants, and I don't think you could get all the page-generating templates are still called the option of deferring to a degree, to drive the old one. In fact, for example, to a study by the Corporate Library, the group of picky friends who proofread almost everything I write. Sparse Binary Polynomial Hash Message Filtering and The CRM114 Discriminator.

The founders we fund used to build little Web appliances. There are two very different types of studies, studies of returns from startup investing, but the distribution of alms, and that often creates a rationalization for doing it with superficial decorations. Joshua Schachter tells me it was more because they will come at an ever increasing rate to impress investors. They did try to be a big company, though more polite, was one in its IRC channel: don't allow the same price as the face of a startup to an employer hired men based on revenues of 1.

By all means crack down on these.

If a bunch of actual adults suddenly found themselves trapped in high school, because they can't afford to. So far, I should add that we're not professional negotiators, and wisdom the judgement to know about this from personal experience than anyone, writes: True, Gore won the popular vote.

[popwasabi]

“Westworld III” takes several steps forward...and several steps back (REVIEW)

Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy

Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, Aaron Paul, Ed Harris, Vincent Cassel, Tessa Thompson, Thandie Newton

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

Season three of HBO’s “Westworld” cleans up many of the issues season two had but ultimately falls short of season one’s loftier thematic ideas.

It’s cinematically sharper, it’s about as well paced and fun as the show has ever been and that on it’s own makes it worth watching and certainly worth continuing the series going forward but for fans hoping it might have something new to say in the vein of its hyper meta-textual and thematic commentary of the first season it may leave you disappointed.

Season three may have raised the stakes of the series with its pending (and frankly, all too timely) apocalyptic vibes going on in the story but it lowers the bar on its cerebral nature opting more for fast paced thrills over anything more profound or hadn’t said already.

That said, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it anyways for better…and worse.

“Westworld” season three picks up not too long after the events of season two as Dolores has infiltrated human society and begun working on her master plan to bring it all down. She has spared Bernard, who now spends his life as butcher outside the major cities but he often wonders where she is and when this apocalypse will begin. Meanwhile a veteran named Caleb spends his life doing the same mundane tasks and mercenary work everyday to make ends meet pondering his existence as he deals with his PTSD. He decides to break the cycle however when one day he finds Dolores shot in an alleyway and joins her on her quest to start a revolution.

“Westworld” is one of the few series that hooked me immediately with its first episode.

Where some series take their time to gain momentum before going into overdrive in their season finale, season one’s “The Original” grabbed my attention from the start with a combination of mystery, action, stellar acting, and the kind of cerebral humanist story-telling I expect and want from the cyberpunk genre.

As someone with a father who talked extensively about myth, theme, and got me to listen to old Joseph Campbell essays on CD  growing up, a series that explored story-telling on a meta level with a high octane LARP concept setting was everything someone like me could ask for in a science fiction series.

(Seriously, there was some compelling analytical story-telling dialogue in this series.)

So invested I was in this tale of synthetics gaining agency and humans exploring their own personal myth-making and what it said about themselves made me a huge fan early on, proudly proclaiming it to be the best show on HBO several years ago.

I was so certain this series was creatively the best thing on television at the time that I strongly considered getting a maze tattoo like that in the show to proclaim my brand-new fandom.

But knowing there was still more seasons on the horizon, I held off thinking I should probably see this through before doing anything that brash.

Well, a few years later I feel pretty good about that decision…

(Imagine how fans who named their newborns Daenerys or Khalessi feel right now...)

I remember thinking at the end of season one “Where can they possibly go from here still? Other LARP destinations in this cyberpunk world? A robot vs human war? How can the world expand?”

The problem is these thoughts did not really ask the most important question following that first season; “What more does it actually have to say?”

The first season is, in my opinion, a perfect season of television. It’s a brilliant take on the stories we tell ourselves, the choices we make that define us in our personal myths, and the exploration of our nature and how that relates to choice all while playing out this synthetic mystery plot. The entire first season pulls all these arcs and ideas together through characters like Bernard/Arnold, William/The Man in Black, and of course Dolores. They all, more or less, complete their arcs in that first season and there’s not really much needed to be said beyond that when you really think about it. If the series ended on Dolores murdering Ford and the Delos guests in the season finale that honestly would have been a perfect ambiguous ending to send the story off on.

(Kind of itss own meta commentary on the journey of a fan and an ever-increasingly cynical series...)

But because this is HBO, and “Game of Thrones” is no longer the driving force of premium TV, Westworld MUST continue because it’s the new cash cow for the channel. Whether or not writer/producers Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan really knew what they wanted to do following that first season is anybody’s guess but it’s hard not to see that they have struggled a bit since that point.

Season two is a mixed bag, where the characters literally feel like they’re going in circles. Plotlines get muddled, characters become hyper versions of themselves, and while certain ideas and episodes reached similar levels of brilliance that the first season had it still lacked the narrative sharpness of the first season and that has a lot to do with the characters having mostly no other driving force besides survival and simply getting to the next physical plot point.

It just didn’t have much more to say and frankly in a story about stories that’s pretty damn important.

(This episode from season 2 is still one of its best.)

To their credit, Joy and Nolan appear to rectify quite a few issues season two had with season three. Again, it’s faster, better paced, there’s a clearer destination at the end for its characters and not to mention a pretty compelling villain for this season’s plot in Serac played by the brilliant Vincent Cassell.

But it suffers ultimately the same problem; it has nothing truly new to say.

This is not to say the season is without any meaningful messages or metaphors. It’s quite critical of our hyper surveillance and information gathering state, might even be the best depiction to date on the broader implications and consequences of a world where we all have our personal information readily online to mined and plundered by big businesses and government. Caleb, played by the always great Aaron Paul, is a good avatar for the everyman who has grown jaded and disenfranchised by this system. Though he spends most of the season looking overly shocked and gape-jawed at just about everything, it’s hard not to feel empathy and a connection to this character as we are quite literally living in a bit of a cyberpunk hell as it is these days and treated just as much as expendable commodities right now.

(You fucking jackasses are arguing for the wrong things! You’re all being swindled and cheated for nothing! *photo “unrelated”*)

The season is generally best when the focus is on him, as the first episode delivers a strong start in the same way season one did.

Where the season begins to fall apart though is when quite literally the world “Westworld” inhabits begins to do so itself. Serac’s Rehobaum, which reminded me just a little too much of “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s” Deep Thought, releasing all its data to the world and everyone discovering they’re basically all dangerous assholes is almost hilarious to me. 

Though the idea of hyper data controlling our every move is a good cyberpunk metaphor to jump off of, the way this bit is executed is a little over exaggerated and clumsy.

(Though it does deliver a pretty powerful scene regardless.)

This isn’t actually a tremendous problem with season three, but it doesn’t do much to add to what we already understand about the story; which is how narrative controls us and how important choices and free will is to that. All this is already told and expanded on in the first season through Dolores, all season three does it bring it to a macro level and put that onus on the humans instead of the hosts. The hosts were already a metaphor for humanity anyways so again the story in some ways hasn’t changed much since season one.

It's interesting to have the narrative of the hosts turned on the humans but thematically it feels redundant.

I’ll add that this isn’t the worst idea they could’ve gone with, it works in moving the physical aspect of the story forward for sure, and I wouldn’t even classify it as a bad one, but again the problem is the story has largely run out of new things to tell us.

We like stories because we want to learn some truth about ourselves, whether we want it to or not, and Anthony Hopkins’ Ford makes a great point of this in season one. This has been the purpose of myths and legends since the dawn of time and it’ll be no different even when the 37th Fast & Furious comes out in 40 years. You could argue that the message of Westworld deserves repeating or that it’s not important to the entertainment value it still provides, and you might be right. But for a series like this, that is so invested in what stories mean I don’t think it’s wrong to think there should be more to it than this.

(Maybe, I should’ve...)

Of course, there’s still plenty more to see out of “Westworld” for the foreseeable future as HBO won’t be canceling it anytime soon and certainly it’ll have its chance to still tackle more ideas and themes in the future but, at this point at least, it’s been less meaningful that its first season.

There are other problems too, namely Dolores constantly changing and unclear revolution plans and arcs resolved offscreen, certain side plots with other characters ultimately going nowhere, and a fairly predictable twist with Caleb, but this is the crux of the problem with the series as it stands now and the one worth mentioning the most.

(And Maeve, *sigh* oh Maeve...)

That said, season three really is a lot of fun despite my issues with the narrative. The pacing, as mentioned, is great from start to finish. I was never bored or disinterested during this season, despite its flaws, and the action bits are frankly better than they’ve ever been as the series goes full cyberpunk in parts with great robot on human and robot on robot action.

The cinematography is sharp and striking too as Jonathan Nolan shows he’s definitely Christopher’s brother with some beautiful, haunting shots of the future Los Angeles city Gotham-esque skyline set to Ramin Djawadi’s excellent cyberpunk score that gives the new season a more noire-ish feel that would make Vangelis and Hans Zimmer proud.

(In the future Los Angeles will be Singapore!)

The acting is still stellar of course. Though Jeffrey Wright’s Bernard is largely wasted in this season and his plot goes nowhere, his scene with Gina Torres in the finale is touching. Luke Hemsworth is dry as hell in a good way as Chief of Security turned personal buddy bodyguard to Bernard as Ashley Stubbs. Ed Harris is wicked and dastardly as always as William and of course Evan Rachel Wood is solid as the driving force of the series as Dolores.

(Out of context season 3 spoiler.)

The finale doesn’t leave much to say beyond a pending machine vs human war though which has been building up since the first season anyways. While I can see some possibilities for an interesting direction here, I can’t say I’m as intrigued as even the finale to season two left me.

In some ways, season one left me not too much unlike William going into season’s two and three; looking for additional meaning in something that wasn’t looking to tell me anything deeper, at least right now. Perhaps the maze just isn’t for me anymore but moving forward I’ll be lowering my expectations.

(Oh my God! Meta commentary on meta commentary! It’s meta-ception! I’m beginning to question the nature of my reality!!!)

“Westworld” remains a fun cyberpunk action series that can hold your attention span for an hour, and I think it’ll maintain that energy consistently going forward, but it might’ve been best left where it was when Dolores put a bullet in Ford’s brain.

I do hope it can regain some of its original spark at some point but until then…it doesn’t look like anything (deep) to me.

VERDICT:

3.5 out of 5

You said it, Marshawn...

[marcelrigby-blog]

Investing in a Digital Camera? Avoid an error With 7 Insider Points

So, you're ready to buy a camera, huh? Maybe it's a, it would be the fourth. It might still be an overwhelming and confusing venture. Because of so many digital camera models available today ranging in price from under $100 to over $7,000, it might feel as if you will find A lot of CHOICES! Many individuals begin the process by investigating full functionalities and operations of Ten to twenty cameras in "their budget," however that is determined. Some individuals discover that process too frustrating and buy the very first digicam that "looks" right. Personally, I'm an analyzer. Being a professional photographer, when I start analyzing digital cameras, it's like unleashing a sumo wrestler with an all-you-can-eat buffet... there is no stopping me. But, for that typical consumer, understanding the digital cameras features alone just doesn't cut it. People would like to know What are the FEATURE DOES FOR ME! Whether you go the feature/function route or not, you'll find 7 insider tips that will help save you money and avoid getting the wrong photographic camera on your purposes. Tip #1: How to Get the Best Prices on Cameras Wherever you are in the investigation/buying process, eventually you can this step. If you want to obtain a digicam, the most effective costs are on the net. Whether you've purchased anything on the internet or otherwise, there are specific INTERNET BUYING STRATEGIES which will save you money, time, and aggravation. When selecting ANYTHING on the web, only look at the ENTIRE cost of the "digital camera + tax + shipping," Not only the price tag on the digital camera. Here is the best way that compares "apples to apples." Once you see the top ENTIRE cost, do not immediately purchase it from that vendor! You can find key INTERNET inquiries to answer: May be the photographic camera in stock? There is often a mysterious correlation relating to the cheapest digital camera prices and cameras being Sold-out. You dont want to order your digicam after which have it lay on backorder for 3 months, does one? Does your Nikon (Minolta, Canon, etc.) include a USA warranty or perhaps it what is called "grey goods?" You would like to verify it's actually a USA warranty, unless you don't mind being forced to service it internationally. If it is grey goods, you WILL NOT be capable of service it in america. When ordering your digital baby, beware of costly add-on accessories that may be needed eventually, but they are suggested with this "special order promotion time" at 200% with the normal price. Tip #2: Professional or Prosumer... Which is Good for you? Let's begin with clarifying our terms. An experienced camera is a dslr, while a prosumer is simply the rest. Because context, by no more 2005, digital SLRs may be purchased for $600 - $8,000 (Canon and Nikon, a minimum of). The true secret points to consider are:

If you intent to shooting night photos or other pictures in low-light situations, many prosumer digital cameras take good quality photographs at ISO 100 or 200. However, to look at good pictures in lower light at ISO 400 or 800 will typically have to have a dslr. Otherwise, digital "noise" will likely have too large a direct impact on display quality. If you're planning on taking flash photographs at distances higher than 10-12 feet from your subject, an external flash unit needs to be used. Along with the only way another flash unit can be utilized along with your digicam is always to attach it in your camera's hot shoe. Every professional photographic camera carries a hot shoe. Many prosumers also do, but NOT Every one of them. Salespeople often attempt to sway consumers faraway from professional video cameras into prosumer models, proclaiming that digital SLRs have so many complicated features that they are hard to use. Measuring only half correct. Digital SLRs are usually made to allow people to take pictures easily while using more automatic settings OR to use the advanced features when they are comfortable the process. Tip #3: What is an easily affordable Digicam? "Affordable" digital cameras have a tendency of developing your budget happy, but disappointing the photographer inside you. Don't disregard the ergonomics from the camera. Would be the controls easy? Comfortable? The amount of buttons or levers have to be simultaneously set before getting the actual result you need? In case you are upgrading from the more affordable digital camera, don't believe that spending more or having more features will automatically make you happy. Always check out you. An easily affordable digicam isn't affordable in the event you turn out not making use of it! The brand new camera is much more than prone to operate differently than your older model. Will the new camera have controls which can be counter-intuitive? Things like that will frustrate someone enough to not use their photographic camera. Safer to find out details like these before as opposed to as soon as the purchase. Tip #4: Do not be Tricked by Digital and Optical Zoom. Only One Matters. Here's the conclusion: Optical Zoom may be the only thing that's important. Although some salespeople might argue using this type of, when choosing searching for camera, my suggestion is usually to COMPLETELY IGNORE ALL DIGITAL ZOOM FIGURES. Digital zoom has simply no influence on having the ability to have a photograph of the distant subject by zooming in onto it. The reason salespeople like to include optical focus the equation is because advertising loves to supply you with the digital camera's "zoom factor." Multiply a 3X Zoom by a 5X Optical Zoom, along with a 15X Zoom factor... a totally worthless and MISLEADING number!! Tip #5: Will be the Discount Digicam an excellent or Bad Idea? The most important consideration when thinking about a discount digital camera (or another digital camera, for instance) would be to think about: "WHAT IS Come about?" Many consumers begin by first falling in love with an electronic digital camera then become pleased or disappointed having its capabilities (usually as soon as they buy it). I'm proposing something outlandishly radical... have the process the alternative WAY. First, ask yourself some basic questions: So what can I do with all the camera (and do not say "take pictures")? Precisely what are you most considering - the rare family snapshot, landscapes, macro work, heavy flash use, the above? Just how much use does it get? (Twice yearly, or once weekly?) Precisely what is most significant if you ask me: display quality, camera size, camera weight, durability, telephotos/wide angle lens, etc.? Determined by your responses to these questions, a discount digicam will probably be your best choice or even a complete waste of greenbacks. A "no-name" discount photographic camera is usually a logical choice, based on  what your photographic goals are. Try not to think a $49.95 Brand X camera will almost certainly run you $49.95! You also have to incorporate within the cost for at least some accessories, such as memory, batteries, bag, and lens protector. Tip #6: When are Small Digital camera models an ideal Choice? Despite impressions to the contrary, small cameras (generally known as compact digital camera models) can be popular. They're convenient to carry, usually loaded with features, and take respectable photographs. We need to remember that SMALL Does not imply UNDERPOWERED. Some benefits of going tiny are: less bulky, easier to transport, less conspicuous (less inclined to "walk off"), and so they often compare favorably with larger cameras within the feature and price categories. A number of the pitfalls of going small include: possible trouble physically operating a few of the camera's controls, less inclined to support an external flash, as well as the physical size can limit a number of the available features, like image manipulation. Tip #7: Megapixels - What's Fact; What's Fiction? Megapixels is among the most mentioned (and misunderstood) terms in the world of cameras. Let's sort through some facts and misperceptions, to help you create a more informed purchasing decision. Taking better digital photography involves more than just creating a camera which has a lot of megapixels, even though you wouldn't realize that listening to digicam salespeople. Megapixels is simply one aspect in creating better photo digital portrait photography. And, you cannot see it alone. You should consider other photographic camera features. How soon or slow the camera's shutter speed may be set is vital. Employing a tripod, to be able to manually set the white-balance control, inside them for hours pre-programmed modes to aid in tricky lighting situations are very important factors in achieving better portrait digital photography. Do not get the thought that megapixels could be unhealthy, or irrelevant. This is simply not TRUE. There exists just one area where more megapixels can establish better photo digital portrait photography results. If everything else is the identical, more megapixels will provide GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO CROP A photo whilst still being turn out having a sharp clear photo. And, cropping photographs can produce a whole world of difference. Cropping will be the eraser on the digital pencil. Conclusion People will make investing in a camera easy decision or a life-long project. With there being numerous models, brands, and features; it could get pretty confusing. You will not ever understand all the FACTS to really make the "best decision." But, basic 7 tips, you will be aware what really matters for your requirements. For additional information about nikon digital camera dealer take a look at this website.

[coppolafrancis]

How I photograph jewelry on myself

When it comes to shooting jewelry on the body, some would say leave it to the youngsters or leave it to the pros. Judging from the images we’re bombarded with at every turn, a woman should never attempt the jewelry selfie after age 40.

Trust me, it’s easier to get a good image of jewelry on a younger woman. But I don’t always have one handy, and sometimes I feel like… I don’t know, maybe we need a little reality? After all, it’s women my age who buy and wear much of the jewelry I show on this site. Is there not a way to find the beauty in my own demographic – or even my mother’s?

A few years ago, I began shooting jewelry on my hand. There were pieces that begged to be shown in context. I’ve been shooting jewelry on this hand since 2006 when I reported on a famous Christie’s auction. Here is an unretouched, unfiltered example from my Instagram a couple years ago. I’ve posted so many shots of this hand since then, I should start a #mylefthand hashtag. My right hand holds the phone.

Yup, after years of lugging around a Nikon and then a Canon Rebel, I’ve been shooting these with my iPhone and sometimes a little clip-on macro lens. The multi-talented Monica Stephenson of idazzle turned me onto that gadget at a World Gold Council conference one year. Be warned: it will not only show every inclusion in the stone and brush stroke on the metal but every pore and crease on your hand as well.

Now that’s what I really look like most of the time: scowling in concentration at a screen of some sort. This shot was taken at the AGTA Spectrum Awards press preview last year. That’s the little clip-on lens I mentioned. My oh-so-professional photography setup these days? You’re looking at it. Total cost (minus iPhone): $35.

I drew the line at photographing my hand until a couple years ago at the Couture show. I’d been trying on jewelry then photographing it on the 20something women who work those booths, until someone offered to take it on me. A couple of those shots turned out surprisingly well. (A good sales assistant these days not only knows the inventory but also how to style a shot, work a smart phone, and shoot for the Instagram crowd.) I posted one from the show floor and it got a warm response.

Here’s one taken by a male sales staffer at Todd Reed’s booth at that show. Since I couldn’t ask him to model these jewels for me, I handed him my phone, and sat on a stool.

Granted, that is an amazing collection and most people were “liking” the jewelry itself. But I believe a large part of the success of Todd’s work is that it looks as good on the female body as it does in the case. And, y’know, that is what it was designed for: to be worn by a living, breathing, non-airbrushed female. To me, that is the true test of a piece of jewelry.

I used a filter on that shot to bleach out the shadows. See that brown patch on my hand? I was in such deep shadow, it looked like a birthmark in the original. Trade show lighting is wicked. (My advice if you find yourself shooting indoors under track lights: back up a bit and get out of the spotlight.) The right filters do wonders to even out skin tone without erasing all detail. I hate that fake blurred effect left by overuse of the eraser tool. I like that you can still see my freckles and the texture of my skin. My goal is to show jewelry not in the photoshopped perfection of a magazine ad but the way it looks on a real, live woman.

This image of me wearing jewelry by Colette was taken by the playful sales staff who work that designer’s booth. It too was filtered and cropped but not retouched. It takes a few shots to get one I can use, but guess what? It always takes a few, even when you’re photographing flawless youth. A good assistant knows to keep shooting. A really good one adjusts your hair a bit and suggests you move your hand up or down slightly or shift your body to the left, out of the shadow.

Here’s a shot of me from Couture 2017 wearing a new black-diamond collection by Antonini of Milano (with my own earrings by Shana Kroiz). At the time, I posted this with a joke about how beautiful jewelry can light me up even after being up all night on a red-eye flight. My eyes were glazed but the smile was real. People responded to the jewelry – and this particular jewelry was made to be worn, with a simple linen dress like I was wearing.

Now I want to address another kind of self portrait most of us have to produce at some point: the professional head shot. If you look at the upper left corner of this site, you’ll see my most recent. I paid a pro and it took many shutter clicks to get a usable image. I’m not real comfortable in front of a camera and she kept saying, “Big smile!” Some people smile beautifully on demand. Me, not so much.

Nevertheless, she ended up with some great images I could never have produced on my own. I recommend springing for a pro, if you can. That shoot cost $350, including a stylist who did hair and makeup. I’ve paid half that for quickie head shots at conferences, where you can get in on a group rate. The speed-shoot on the sidewalk with a handheld reflector works fine for me. Studios make me nervous.

But sometimes you just don’t have time or cash for a professional shoot, in which case… you can do it yourself. I produced my own head shots for years. As a busy magazine freelancer, I had to provide 300dpi (print quality) images at a moment’s notice whenever an editor needed to fill their contributors page. At first, I relied on one I’d paid for at a photographer’s studio, but it looked like a mug shot you’d use for a passport. I needed images that could run large and made you want to turn to my story – the one my bio was referring to. So I started taking them myself to fit the subject matter I was writing about.

I shot this against the stucco wall of my balcony with my camera set up on a tripod. I was facing the late afternoon sun on an overcast day. A remote would have made my job easier and they’re available cheap now but I didn’t have one then. I would focus my camera on the wall, set the self timer, and run madly around to sit facing the lens, trying to look casual. Not ideal! But no editor ever complained. I used this image for stories on art and travel. I thought it said: smart, outdoorsy, not too formal.

As I began to write more about jewelry, however, I felt I should have one that showed… jewelry, and didn’t look so severe. As Jera Lodge put it in my last post on this topic, I was going for “serious but not pissed off.”

So I set up my camera again and came up with this one.

If I’d known my hand would end up in the shot I’d have put a ring on it. A gust of wind blew my hair in my face just before the shutter clicked and I kinda liked the result. I remember the designer I profiled in the issue of Art & Antiques where this head shot first appeared sent me a message raving about it. I thought, wow, maybe I really can pull this off. You can see the difference in quality between this and the professional shot on my About page, but it’s not bad.

If you have to rely on one head shot for everything – your website, bios, social media – consider investing in a good one. But if you need to produce them on an ongoing basis and know your way around a camera, experiment a little.

My flesh is more textured than it once was and carries souvenirs from various mishaps and decades in the wind and sun. I’m well-traveled and I’ve had my share of sleepless nights. My hands have worked hard, soaked in darkroom chemicals, dug up a dozen gardens. Mostly, I’m just getting older, like everyone else lucky enough to stick around a while.

But I’d like to think I have a different kind of beauty now, just as you do. It’s a little harder to photograph but I’m learning and, fortunately, I know my way around basic photo-editing tools. I’ve been touching up images for decades. With the tools that come bundled on your computer or mobile device, you can easily crop and sharpen and saturate. Worse comes to worse, there are these things called “filters.”

Where jewelry is concerned, good product shots are crucial. But for the same reason I’m always harping on about wearability, I believe there is something lacking when you rely solely on product shots. They present jewelry as an object to be admired in the abstract. But jewelry is not something we hang on the wall or put on a pedestal. We hang it from our necks, ears and wrists, pin it to our lapels and stack it on our fingers. And by “we,” I don’t mean just flawless 25-year-olds.

[swelldomains]

Your 21 Facebook Advertising Questions Answered!

We recently organized a webinar entitled 5 Proven Strategies for Facebook Marketing Success in partnership with Lee Goldberg of Vector Media Team. Whenever we hold a webinar our target market has the tendency to ask some really great inquiries, yet we felt that the topic of Facebook advertising brought with it some outstanding inquisitiveness. Shown to you today are 21 Facebook advertising and marketing inquiries that you asked as well as we answered!

You Asked, We Answered!

1. Do you think that wide targeting is still a poor idea if you're making use of Facebook advertisements that are valued based upon conversion? I've heard some argue that leaving it really broad because situation allows Facebook to discover site visitors with a high likelihood of conversion that may not come under the extra thorough target market.

This is in fact an excellent concern. To simplify, targeting broad most definitely gives you reach as well as will most definitely offer you website traffic. As opposed to squandering money on broad targeting to a macro conversion (which is either a sale or a lead), utilize the wide targeting to concentrate on obtaining people to micro conversion points. These might be things like an e-mail capture or an email signup as opposed to a sale.

Then take folks that have actually converted on that particular mini conversion point and develop a lookalike audience off of that to nurture individuals with the cycle. Broad targeting is alright if you've got the appropriate goal to it.

Don' t expect to take a target market of 10M people as well as see a return on advertisement invest of 500% if you're marketing something online, yet you could certainly make use of that broad targeting to create conversion factors that are extra micro in nature and after that lookalike version off of those which is definitely an approach that could work.

2. What type of conversions could marketing experts anticipate on Facebook?

In regards to conversion price, it differs considerably. When Vector Media Team works with clients in the insurance room (certainly extremely affordable area in search where you could see CPCs that are $50-60-70 or over), they really see far better conversion prices in Facebook than in search, to the song of 6-7%. It absolutely varies. For ecommerce, if you've got a well structured project, Vector has seen conversion prices in the 6-7% range. College has the tendency to convert a little reduced around 1-2%, however it absolutely varies.

3. Should I stay away from having text in my advertisement photo?

Yes. Excellent concern. Facebook, for those that have no idea, has a guideline that says in a photo, no even more compared to 20% of your ad can be text. So they will in fact obstruct it and disapprove the ad prior to it has an opportunity to run. The short solution is of course, photos that are a lot more image-focused carry out far better compared to photos that have text in them. That's why Lee wants to do either the item shot or the person and after that make use of the summary to obtain the text in there. The one exemption would certainly be to consist of the client name or customer logo design in there. Usually yes advertisements that are 100% picture do appear to convert better compared to ads that have text in them. Evaluated by Lee Goldberg!

4. Do you recommend placing the URL in the text above the advertisement, also if the default CTA says no?

No. Like Google, Facebook has a default display LINK. Just use the default screen URL as opposed to losing beneficial personalities in your text or description to include it.

5. In Manager, just how do you do an A/B Test?

It's challenging in Manager or Facebook Power Editor. You essentially have to do it manually by copying and pasting your ad sets, establishing up various projects as well as establishing different schedules. It is possible, it simply takes a lengthy time.

6. Just how long do you allow an ad run, before identifying it isn't working (reduced CTR as stated) as well as choose to kill it? And must you invest some time maximizing it prior to simply killing it?

Great inquiry. So the response to spending quality time maximizing it prior to killing it is no. It's better to eliminate an underperforming advertisement prior to attempting to optimize it due to the fact that practically whenever you make a modification to an advertisement in Facebook you're producing a new advertisement and also the history reboots.

To the very first component of the concern about the length of time an advertisement ought to run, the solution is till it's statistically substantial but that's a very broad solution. You should have at the very least 100-150 clicks prior to you can make any decision concerning conversion price and probably 1000-1500 perceptions prior to you can make any determination regarding click with rate. Use advanced statistical modelling software application or cost-free tools to determine analytical significance. Among them is called ThumbTack A/B Testing. This device permits you to place in the variety of successes or a variety of tests and also select a 95% self-confidence period (or whatever is appropriate for your organisation) and it will certainly do all the calculations for you.

7. Are you able to rotate ads uniformly?

Yes you can. Once again it's not the most convenient point to do in Power Editor via the Facebook UI, but in a great deal of the 3rd party tools you could definitely do this. Acquisio Social allows you do this.

8. Exactly how can view-thru conversions precisely link conversion credit to a certain advertisement impact and not another advertising occasion like email or Pay Per Click for example?

This is where you require to have truly great integration between Facebook and another analytics tool whether it's Google Analytics, Omniture and so on. It's those integrations that allow you tie conversion credit history to a particular ad perception, to make sure that you're basically tagging all your initiatives with the very same codes as well as "cookieing" individuals similarly to sew it with each other. These sort of tools all run through the very same URL encoding procedure, so the data all can be found in at one area and also if it is able to be de-duped based off of IP or based off of cookie, you could stitch the entire trip together.

9. When you do active targeting, there are individuals that fall right into numerous targets, does Facebook recognize not to overlap the target market so you do not take on your own?

Yes, normally they do. Nevertheless the ideal technique is to add left out audiences to your project. To make use of the search instance, if you're running a campaign that's wide suit keyword phrases as well as an additional campaign that's phrase suit keywords (the same words), you would usually include your phrase suit keywords as downsides to the wide campaign. You would certainly desire to do the very same point in the Facebook projects. So you can really add in unfavorable audiences. Facebook does do this for you as well as they do not duplicate the audiences if you established up your projects well, nevertheless, the very best method is to include excluded audiences.

10. Can I target former clients by their e-mail address?

Absolutely. This is called a custom audience in Facebook. So if you have actually got a list of customers, let's state people that have done a deal on your ecommerce store or people who have registered for your e-newsletter, yet not taken the next step in the funnel, you definitely could do that. Just merely post the checklist to Facebook and it will be obtainable to you as a personalized audience. The limitation for custom audiences is a minimum of 50 people on the checklist in order for it to work. The even more the merrier. Once again if you're targeting too few individuals with your campaigns, you're going to see really high regularities where the ads obtain offered to those individuals 8, 9,10 times prior to they just stop clicking it and also you see your cost go way up. You constantly have to be mindful of regularity. Normally when regularity begins to go past 3.5- 4 that's when points begin to take a plummet. Total yes if you have lists of previous consumers, upload them into Facebook and you could definitely target them.

11. When narrowing the targeting down really small, is it reasonable to say that narrower target markets are a lot more expensive?

In basic, yes. With smaller sized target markets, you additionally have to bear in mind frequency or you will wind up hitting the exact same individual over as well as over once again with the very same message. When regularity is high, CTR has the tendency to decrease rapidly, when paying on a CPM can own expenses up.

12. What's a typical CTR for Facebook?

This absolutely differs by industry and market, so it's a difficult one to address. The average falls somewhere in the.4 -.5% range, according to Vector Media Group.

13. Just what are some drawbacks to Neighborhood Recognition Ads?

The just downside of Neighborhood Understanding Advertisements is that than location, you can still only target by sex as well as age. Having the capacity to make use of group info from the "Shop Visits" metric to additional limit the target market would make your local advertisements even more powerful. Facebook is certainly preparing on including a lot more targeting alternatives in the close to future.

14. If we're running an advertisement to obtain people to sign up for a webinar - do you recommend making use of a supply type photo of say "execs taking a look at a computer" or the photo header we utilized in the e-mail (generally the webinar title, details, picture)?

Test them both!

15. We generally stop projects when the ad regularity gets over 2, is that an advantage to do or exists a various frequency we need to stop at?

It depends for each campaign, yet overall when frequency is over 2, the campaign results have a tendency to plummet.

See Question 10 above:

If you're targeting too few individuals with your campaigns, you're going to see truly high regularities where the ads get served to those people 8, 9,10 times before they simply stop clicking on it and you see your price go way up. You've always got to be mindful of regularity. Generally when regularity begins to go previous 3.5- 4 that's when points begin to take a plummet.

16. Do you advise setting a daily budget plan or a lifetime budget?

This one is absolutely approximately you. Vector Media Group likes everyday spending plans, yet utilize whatever makes feeling for your business.

17. Exactly how does one track View Thrus?

Facebook's default conversion pixel has view-thru monitoring allowed, to make sure that's a fantastic location to begin. You can likewise make use of much more sophisticated acknowledgment trackers, such as ImpactRadius or Converto.

18. My project is targeted to the total United States. Our target market is 16-19 year olds. Do you have a recommendation on the size of the micro-targeted advertisement sets in regards to the overall number in the audience?

There is no excellent target market size, it totally relies on the demographics, rate of interests and so on of your audience. You should produce advertisement collections that are as targeted as possible while aiming to have at the very least a few hundred people in each so you prevent showing this group the same message too often. In your case, you could produce an ad set for men, for females and also damage it into state level advocate example.

19. For direct action, must the look-back window be set to 1 day or 7 days?

This absolutely depends upon the volume of web traffic and also conversions you're getting. If it is a reasonably reduced circulation project (much less than a few hundred clicks/day), always opt for the longer look-back period to earn sure that you're making decisions off of statistically considerable data.

20. Exists an advised minimum spend each ad campaign?

Totally relies on your business!

21. What tool was made use of to develop the multivariate report?

Acquisio's Social Administration product. It's the excellent device to develop hundreds of advertisements in an issue of mins. You could additionally A/B examination as well as conveniently know who are the winners and also losers. Plus you can see all your SEM activity in one view and also report.

Get every one of the innovative strategies talked about in our webinar plus a complete Facebook Marketing professional's List in our latest digital book, free for download and offered now!

We would love to expand our most sincere recognition to Lee Goldberg as well as his team at Vector Media Group, we couldn't have actually done this blog post without their expertise!

[explorewithbeate-blog]

Travel tips and tricks #2

Packing essentials! 

♥ Choose proper bag or carry-on baggage. I always use a small suitcase to make my travelling easier and pack an extra backpack or another kind of bag, depending on my destination and planned activities. 

♥ Make a list of your preferred and planned activities to get an overview of the necessary clothing and shoes. 

♥ Consider packing a book, kindle or tablet to kill time on a plane, train, etc.

♥ Before packing visit a pharmacy to get painkillers, laxative, anti-diarrhea pills, etc. You would not want a sudden unwell feeling to ruin your trip and running around local pharmacies can be exhausting. 

♥ Charge all your electronics. I know it sounds basic, but there are many times people forget to do it! 

♥ If you are travelling to a country that doesn't use the same currency, make sure to check out the exchange rates and exchange some small cash - for ice cream, bus ticket, tips etc. Never walk around with a big amount of cash!

Packing checklist: 

♥ Passport and other documents - always put those in a separate, easily accessible pocket or handbag, if you have one. 

♥ Wallet and other valuables - I like to have it in my hands when I am in the airport and later put in the handbag. As I mentioned before, remember to exchange some cash. 

♥ Electronics - depending on your planned activities and daily routine, choose the most essential electronics. When I am planning which electronics to take with me I am always looking from 3 perspectives - photos and videos, communication and entertainment. Photos and videos -  I am always taking my DSLR camera with a couple of lenses, along with gorilla pod. Depending on my trip length, destination and other factors, I decide whether I should bring my MacBook and hard drive or not. Communications - it is, of course, a smartphone, which can work for taking photos and videos as well, if you do not own a camera. To give your photos and videos different perspective consider purchasing a fisheye/ macro lens for your smartphone. You can find them on Amazon or eBay, they are a simple clip on lenses. I am also always taking my Garmin smartwatch with me - it is nice to track the km that I have walked exploring new and amazing places.  Entertainment - it can be boring and exhausting to travel long distances, which is why I sometimes take my iPad with me, and with the new Netflix offline movie watching, it became even handier. And of course, earphones, I am using the ones that came with my iPhone, but any earphones that you own will do the job. 

♥ Chargers and cables - You won't believe how many people forget to take their chargers, mostly they are just left in a socket right before leaving the house( remember to take your chargers from a hotel, cafe and airport as well). I would also suggest investing in a power bank, you will have less stress if your phone will be charged during the day. Phone usb cable with socket adaptor - if you have the same brand tablet, you can only take one cable, I am sure you won't need to charge both of them at the same time, camera charger and an extra battery - I like to take an extra batterie with me to be sure that my camera won't die in the middle of the day, though it would be smart to invest in a camera battery grip, other cables - if you have a power bank, external hard drive or other electronics, remember to take all the cables to use them. 

♥ Power converters and adaptors - I have a universal power adaptor, which can be transformed to be used in any country. If you do not own one, my suggestion would be to order or buy a universal one instead of purchasing one for UK or US. If you do not want to buy it, I am almost sure that in the majority of hotels they can offer you a power adaptor.  

♥ Toiletries - my absolute essentials are toothbrush and toothpaste, perfume, face and hand moisturiser, nail clippers, eyebrow tweezers, hairbrush ( I am using Tangle Teezer) and a light makeup ( try to avoid heavy makeup, you will save time in the morning and give your skin a rest). Other toiletries, like shampoo, deodorant, etc., I always buy, when arrive, since it saves space in my bag, probably is cheaper than buying travel size bottles and I don't have to worry about liquid bottle size restrictions.

♥ Clothes  - it has always been hard to pick the right outfit, but don't overpack! I can assure you, that you will want to buy new clothes once you reach your destination. 

For summer travels, I always take 2-3 t-shirts, 2 shorts or skirts, 1 dress and 1 pair of long pants. Also, remember to take something with long sleeves, evenings can get quite chilly. I also pack a waterproof jacket, in a case of a bad weather. My suggestion is to pack 3 - 4 pairs of socks - 2 ordinary pairs, 1 pair of sports socks and 1 pair of a little bit warmer socks. Also, remember to pack enough underwear, but keep in mind that in the worst case scenario, you can always wash in at your hotel, just pack underwear that is fast drying. Don't forget about hat or cap, to protect your head from the sun. Another useful thing is a light scarf - it can protect your shoulders from the sun, warm you up if it has gotten too cold or it can be used to enter churches and basilicas if you forget to wear longer pants or skirt. 

For my winter travels, I pack in a similar way, just replacing shorts, skirts and dresses with the appropriate clothing for winter - 2 pairs of long pants, 1 pair of tights, dress or skirt, 2 shirts with long sleeves, 1-2 t - shirts, 2 pairs of gloves. If you are going for a skiing/ snowboarding trip, figure out how are going to pack your outfit - my suggestion is to fly wearing your skiing jacket and pack pants in a luggage. Do a research if you can rent glasses, helmet and other gear and calculate if it is cheaper to rent it there or buy a checked baggage. 

Even though your hotel will probably offer it, take a towel as well, but choose the fast drying one. 

♥ Shoes - Take one pair of a really comfortable shoe( sandals, boots, sneakers, etc.), because most likely you will walk a lot and you would not want to cancel your plans because of pain in your feet. Flip - flops are also good to have, you can use them in a swimming pool or sauna at your hotel, go to the beach or quick shopping in the nearest store. I also suggest to take running shoes, you might miss your morning runs or fitness routine. 

♥ Other essentials - There are multiple other things, I would suggest taking with you. First of all, you don't want to be dehydrated during your trip, so take a refillable water bottle. Ideally, it has a strap or something similar so you can attach it to your bag.  I also like to take a notebook and a pen to write down some of my crazy ideas, impressions and adventures. I am still in love with old school paper books, so I like to pack a good book with me as well. Even if you are not a smoker, I would suggest taking a lighter, it might come in handy. 

♥ Food - If you have a long flight ahead of you pack some snacks as well. I like to pack nut and dried fruit/berry mix, fresh apple slices, granola bars and a little bit of chocolate. If you are a meat lover, you can as well pack some beef jerky. Remember about a chewing gum, it will make taking off and landing less unpleasant. 

[photographycentreblog-blog]

Different types of cameras

Being a photographer requires tremendous skill, talent, and patience. But to be able to produce beautiful images that perfectly capture every emotion every glorious day, there is one thing that every photographer need: the best camera for the job. Photography is a demanding job that requires a high-performance DSLR camera designed and built to not only meet but exceed the photographer’s needs in terms of speed and image quality.

A lot of people often love to click pictures when they travel to different locations. I am one of them too which is why it is important that we purchase a good quality camera if we wish to capture our experiences properly. 

You might feel that purchasing a high-end and more technologically advanced camera from the start would be a wise choice, but it is not. Because until you get a hang of photography and how to manipulate angles successfully, your camera will remain just a piece of metal for you.

These travel camera picks will suit a wide range of budgets, needs, and expertise levels. Our picks are ordered in approximate order of budget, from lower budget models through to higher end models.

So, getting a compact and sturdy travel camera in the start is actually a better decision. I, myself, researched a lot when I bought my first DSLR and I still wish that I had done a little more planning before I purchased it. 

In this guide, I have listed down the best entry-level cameras that can be considered for beginners.

Things to Consider When Purchasing a Travel Camera

This is an important one. Cameras vary wildly in price, from a couple of hundred dollars up to thousands of dollars. So, you definitely need to think about how much you want to spend. Also, this is a travel camera. Whilst you want to get the best shots, travel can expose you to risks, from loss to theft. Obviously, these are things that can be mitigated against with insurance, but it’s something to bear in mind when making an investment – the pricier the camera, the higher the insurance premium.

Here are a few things that you should definitely consider when choosing a travel camera for yourself.

Consider the Type of Camera

There are several types of cameras available in the market which differs from each other in terms of weight, size, price, etc. So, make sure you check them out and look at both the pros and cons before deciding for yourself.

Point and Shoot Camera

For people who aren’t travel professionals and don’t care much about photography controls, a Point and Shoot camera would be a good choice. It will allow you to take amazing photographs without having to bother too much with the settings.

However, you won’t be able to manually set the photograph settings or take pictures in raw. But, it is certainly the least expensive option as a travel camera. 

Mirrorless Cameras

If weight, size, etc. matters to you a lot then a Mirrorless camera would be an ideal choice for you. A mirrorless camera doesn’t include a mirror reflex optical viewfinder. As a result, it is lightweight but still allows you to change the lenses. Mirrorless cameras allow you to swap and change lenses like a DSLR, but because the mirror inside the camera has been removed (hence the name, with mirrors used to bounce light from the path of the lens up into the optical viewfinder of a DSLR), it has allowed designers to make mirrorless cameras much more compact than DSLRs.

Another great thing about this camera is that it shows you the real-time effect of ISO and Aperture adjustments. So, you don’t have to guess too much about the outcome and know that what you see is what you actually get.

Digital SLR Cameras

Although Mirrorless cameras have given DSLRs a tough competition, DSLR still comes out at the top in terms of quality. Ideally, a DSLR camera is great for action photography and wildlife photography. While mirrorless cameras are good, they don’t offer as many lens options as a DSLR camera.

So, if you want more lens options, faster focus, and more control over photo manipulations, then DSLR is the best choice. Sure, it is a little bulky but it will allow more flexibility to you.

Underwater Cameras

If you plan to take a lot of underwater photographs then you would need to check out a waterproof camera. These cameras will not only take amazing pictures underwater but will also allow you to capture the marine life on film.

There are many point and shoot cameras which can click decent photographs underwater. However, GoPro is still considered the best choice for underwater photography.

Are you planning to take a video too?

Another important thing that you should consider is if you are planning to make videos and vlogs too. If the answer is yes, then you might need to consider a camera with a good resolution option. Also, a flip screen would make it convenient for you to take the shots.

Budget – How much do you have to spend on a travel camera?

Let’s face it, the budget plays a major role when choosing a travel camera for yourself. You don’t want something too costly initially because taking care of your camera equipment is no piece of cake. Your camera bag could get lost or stolen while traveling so, always make sure you spend a reasonable amount of money at the start.

Consider Some Additional Camera Features

Make sure that you check out for some additional features too. One of the most important and convenient features is the inbuilt Wi-Fi in your camera. This allows you to connect the camera with your phone on the go, allowing you to transfer pictures when you are traveling too. 

Weight – How much are you willing to carry around?

This is a really important question. If you’re the kind of person who likes to travel light, then you’re not going to want a bulky DSLR. Having the best travel camera that sits in your hotel room while you’re out having fun isn’t going to be much use.

Even a mirrorless system might be too much for you if you want something that will truly fit in your pocket or purse, and your best bet is probably a smartphone or compact camera.

On the other hand, if image quality and low-light performance are more important to you than weight, and you’re happy carrying spare lenses, filters, and other accessories, then you’ll likely be looking at a mirrorless or DSLR system.

Entry-level DSLR bundles

If you're buying your first DSLR, it makes sense to buy it as a kit, which generally includes the camera body along with an 18-55mm lens. Often referred to as a 'kit' lens, this covers a pretty broad zoom range, perfect for everything from landscapes to portraits – but that's just the start.

A word of warning, though. Look closely and manufacturers will often offer two types of kit lens, one with image stabilization and one without. Normally there's not much difference in price, so make sure to go for the kit with the image-stabilized lens as it'll make it easier to sharper images at slower shutter speeds.

These kinds of lenses are more than adequate to get you started, but the key advantage of DSLRs over compact cameras is that you can add to your kit with additional lenses. For example, wide-angle and telephoto zoom lenses, as well as high-quality macro options. You can also add a flashgun and other accessories, which help you to make the most of whatever types of photography you're into.

1. Nikon D3500

Not the flashiest camera here, but we reckon it's the best right now

The D3500 picks up from where the D3400 (below) left off, and it arrives with a handful of extra perks. The battery now lasts for 1,550 images between charges, which is way ahead of most other DSLRs, while the new 24MP sensor delivers excellent image quality. Nikon also revised the body and control layout, not only to make it nicer to handle but easier to use, while the Guide Mode takes the first-time user's hand and walks them through all the key features in a way that makes everything easy to understand. We love it – and we reckon you will too.

PROS

Excellent image quality

Easy to use

No touchscreen control

CONS

Bluetooth, but no Wi-Fi

2. Nikon D3400

Knocked off the top spot, but still a great buy

It may have been replaced by the D3500, but don't discount the D3400. Sporting a range of features perfect for the novice user, this is still a great camera to get started on the road to more creative photography. Sharing many of the same internal specs as the D3500, the battery life is brilliant, while the images from the 24MP sensor won't disappoint.

Pros

Superb battery life

Good single-shot AF

No microphone ports

Cons

No touchscreen

3. Canon EOS Rebel T7i / Canon EOS 800D

One of the best options out there, but a bit pricey

The EOS Rebel T7i (known as the EOS 800D outside) sits at the top of Canon's entry-level EOS DSLR range. Sporting a 24.2MP sensor that delivers an improved high ISO performance over older models, the Rebel T7i's autofocus also gets a boost, now with a 45-point arrangement that's backed up by excellent live view AF system.

Pros

Great touchscreen

Excellent sensor

Plastic finish

Cons

No 4K video

4. Nikon D5600

Need a little more power? The D5600 could be what you're after 

The D5600 is a step up from the D3xxx-series models, with a stronger set of specs to rival the likes of the Canon EOS Rebel T7i / EOS 800D. Key advantages over the D3400 and D3500 include a larger LCD screen, which not only flips out and swivels but also responds to touch, together with a more advanced autofocus system, Wi-Fi and a healthy range of additional control on the inside.

Pros

Excellent image quality

Articulating touchscreen

Slow Live View focusing

Cons

Snap Bridge needs work

5. Canon EOS 750D

The EOS Rebel T6i (called the EOS 750D outside the US) may have been replaced by the EOS Rebel T7i / 800D, but it's still a great option if the price of the newer model puts you off. While the sensor isn't quite as good as the one in the newer T7i – despite sharing the same resolution – it's still very good, while the vari-angle touchscreen is still one of the best around. AF performance could be better though, and the camera isn't quite new enough to benefit from the more up-to-date Dual Pixel CMOS AF system that makes focusing swift in live view and during videos, but overall this is still a very capable entry-level DSLR.

Pros

Great touchscreen

Wi-Fi with NFC on board

Cons

Average battery life

Autofocus could be better

[gyongyiphotoarts]

Beyond the Frame Project ideas

‘The theoretical component of the module will examine the widespread presence of the photograph in contemporary art and the almost infinite variety of physical and electronic forms in which it occurs. It will also examine themes explored by artists showing how they decide on appropriate ways of working. ‘

No guideline we can scroll along, so here are the most interesting topics / subjects dear to my heart at the very moment

For the last year I have been airbrushing / retouching many portraits of LADIES which made me fed up with the whole notion of having a flawless, perfect face and body at all times! This came from a personal experience, of me using make-up everytime I leave the house. Made me feel really conscious of how others can see my blemishes right away, how my face structure changes when I use eyeliner ( having pale skin and big blue eyes got me comments as looking like a ‘sheep’, thanks to my dear friend, as well as an early memory from my childhood when my Sister described me as an ‘always crying Alien with huge eyes’) and when I contour my cheekbones - using almost no make up during my summer holiday for a good few months made me realise that wearing make-up DOESN’T DEFINE WHO I AM, people will not treat me less or more for exposing my pores and blackheads - in the everydays these things just doesn’t count on, doesn’t make me a better person, moreover, doesn’t make me LESS OF A WOMAN.

I still do wear make up upon leaving the house going to uni or to work, and I will still do retouching on portraits ( only yesterday I had a shoot, using the Phase One camera at uni and bloody ‘ell, my model friend has a very problematic skin and she’ll use the photos as part of her online marketing, so again, I need to dig myself into a big airbrushing job, hurray!) BUT if I do I want to do enhance the model’s blemishes ( possibly do a self portrait as well? to face my own insecurities?). Would want to work with salt printing or cyanotype, only I have to find out if I can work with digital images.  I have been suggested to work in the studio again, which I wasn’t really keen on after last years big studio work I have done. Nevertheless I have booked a studio and the Phase One and gave it a go. Used simple lighting set up, as of Platon and Martin Schoeller does with their simple headshots. Been recommended

Platon

Very Simple, using one main light in front of the subject, heavy post-production though.

Here is my take on it, really drastic, with harsh shadow, dramatic effect which I really enjoy. This camera is a beast, I have used the 120mm macro lens for perfect zoom in., the JPEG file is 290MB’s so here it comes, compressed into a very low res file...

My friend didn’t give me the permission to use this photo in my work tho. Such a shame, considering that I became fed up retouching her portraits on the long run and she’ll be the perfect representation of what my aim would be with this project. Unfortunately her life is sadly very tragic and her constant battling with herself and the world is clearly visible on her health and mostly on her skin. Would be great to convince her to be part of this experiment! 

For further experimenting I have partly used Martin Schoeller’s set up - two lights in front, from the left and right side, one light from above little bit behind the subjects head.

http://guessthelighting.com/2010/09/13/martin-schoeller-lighting-setup-henry-kissinger-close-up/ 

I have only used the two front light, having achieved a really flattering lighting. Ignore the glitters please.

I really would like to use / find the same angle Chuck Close ( photorealist painter) was using here. 

Should go closer to the subject but not so low? Need to experiment more. Which brings me to another concern of mine - I want to be OUT of the studio. grab a portable backdrop and use my Sony camera, use my flashgun with a small softbox and roll along wherever I’d like. We’ll have another location lighting workshop this Thursday, so it should be useful for sure. No need the pressure of organising people for the shoot, booking the studio, using the monstrous Phase One. Feels really intimidating and stressful for me now. Finding an assistant is bloody annoying as well, asking my peers when they have 3 million things to do is a pain in the gut. Let’s see what’s going to happen.

I might just work on another idea I have in my mind. 

I’ve been planning to move twice this year. Seen countless of houses, flats, rooms, been hunting online, spoke with agents and landlords. Astonishingly high prices, dirty homes and weird people. I have so many lousy photos on my phone of strangers homes. What can I do with them? Another collage project? How can I make use of them? Have to utilize all that effort I have put into finding the right place to ‘call’ home; I feel like to lay down my concerns about this city what gave me so much and took all it back. My positive energy, the money I have earned through hard work, the time and effort I have invested in replying messages and emails to strangers in the holy quest. My endless bitter feeling of that this city, which I have adored so much doesn’t want me to live here anymore. No matter that I consider myself as a ‘good person’,  justice doesn’t exist if you’re ‘working-class immigrant’ ( congrats on labelling myself ), hard work doesn’t count, only luck and money. Can I manifest this devastation on mine through a photographic project?  I guess I can. Need to see which project has more potential. 

The third idea is still just an idea, and a very recent painful experience - I have never believed in long distance relationships, till so I have ended up being  in one myself. Or so ‘ long distance ’, the other half doesn’t want to label it like that, only calling it ‘Something’. How can someone, who strongly refused an idea and a notion that this form of Union can exist can fall into something so foolish, have to contradict herself and starting this form of... stupidity, knowing that the end result will be painful, more so, mortifying? Hope is the answer. Hoping, that it could work this time, against all the odds. One cannot control emotions of the human soul, can only start to be rational if the flow of new and merry impulses eventually stops; reality starts to sink in in the form of defeat and bitterness.

What are the keystones of a ‘relationship’? Who can define this bond between two people as ‘love-relationship’? Questions like this arise day by day as I’m feeling more far away from that ‘significant other’. How can a relationship work if it’s not defined as a conventional ‘long distance relationship’ at all? How the distance affect the strong connection which once had been between the two people? Not being able to share every moment and excitement with the other one takes its toll, leaves two souls, which once was strongly related alienated. Working towards one goal is the key, without that is just floating through space and time waiting.

Accepting the fact, that I’ve tried more than the other one gives me more belief and love for myself. But how could I represent this complex emotion, more so, this story as a photographic project? 

[douchebagbrainwaves]

A WORD TO DISAGREE

I call a startup idea. The only decision you get to make is how fast you can solve it. We're a sort of intellectual exercise, to keep thinking of improvements. If you start a barbershop, as for any retail establishment, is b. If your startup is doing a bad job of what programming languages are not merely technologies, but habits of mind. Of course, the test you use to measure performance must be a valid one. And to support this claim I'll tell you why that wouldn't work. This force works in both phases: both in the transition from the desire to start a startup. The VCs who say they're going to get replaced eventually, why not think of that before? For example, construction firms that fund politicians' campaigns in return for a percentage of it.

They'll like you even better when you improve in response to their comments, because customers are used to companies ignoring them. And that's a chilling thought, because it makes the rich richer too. So for all practical purposes, there is not a fixed amount of deal flow, by encouraging hackers who would have gotten jobs to start their own startups instead. This is probably what Eric Raymond meant about Lisp making you a better programmer, and yet when I describe these ideas you may notice you find yourself shrinking away from them. Between Perl 4 and Perl 5, lexical closures got added to the language. I ignored the headers too. Big companies are biased against female founders. They used all the tokens, whereas I only use the 15 most significant. Plus if this works it will deprive all the programmers who take pleasure in making multithreaded apps of so much amusing complexity.

In Ansi Common Lisp I tried to move things along as fast as I could, and even so I didn't get to macros until page 160. So governments that forbid you to accumulate wealth are in effect decreeing that you work slowly. What they go by is the number of startup people around you. We usually advise startups to pick a growth rate they think they can hit, and then at every decision point, take the harder choice. 9999 free! And that would in turn mean that you got practically all the users. Which means, interestingly, that determination tends to erode itself.

We hated our last TV so much that a few months ago we replaced it with an iMac bolted to the wall. VCs weren't allowed to get rich will do whatever they have to be pointed straight down the deck; the wings have to be. For example, the corporate site that says the company makes enterprise content management solutions for business that enable organizations to unify people, content and processes to minimize business risk, accelerate time-to-peer dating site? A McDonald's franchise is controlled by rules so precise that it is practically a piece of software is being written to take advantage of weakness. That sounds about right. That's the scary thing: fundraising is not merely not a constant fraction of the probability that they will succeed at all, and you're not doing it individually, but along with a small group of other people want to invest in photo-sharing apps, rather than the median, you can take almost any existing technology produced by a big, stable organization from which it would be some kind of exit strategy, because you can release software the minute it's done. It's like the word allopathic. Why not just have the government, or some large almost-government employees to do the same for every language, so languages spread from program to program like a virus.

Everyone would agree that YC had jumped the shark. You'd think this lesson would be too obvious to mention, but I've had to learn it several times. Certainly it's a better test than your a priori notions of what problems are important to solve, no matter what the source. The average person can't ignore something that's been beaten into their head since they were three just because serving web pages recently got a lot cheaper. Sometimes, in desperation, competitors would try to sell them the company. Together these three phases produce an S-curve. You should get another multiple of two, at least as a kind of premature optimization. We ourselves would feel that YC had jumped the shark. I still don't even have a flying car. What's important about startups is the speed. A and if you're lucky IPO.

Just because VCs are eager to invest again. It won't get you a job is that no one speaks it. Perhaps the most important difference is probably that they ignored message headers. In a big company, this may not be an absolute rule, but it was not too expensive. A programmer, for example—that's not an innovation, in the current filter, free in the Subject line becomes Subject foo. Java has since been remade into a generic replacement for C, but in 1996 the story about Java was that it was a good time to have ideas. If you can make a fortune writing business books and consulting for large companies. But acquirers have an additional reason to want startups. At our end, money is almost by definition an attention sink. Which is not that most towns kill startups.

If you want to make. No one who voted for Bush didn't want to use it in different ways. We'll have precise comparisons, but not as many more as could. Few people are suited to running a startup, if you want to take is blocked off, and the rest of your days, even if you never actually use Lisp itself a lot. That's why there's a separate word for startups, and chance meetings with people who can help you. If this were really a meaningless question, you might as well be flipping coins. In particular, explicit studies for the purpose of comparing languages, because they will probably use small problems, and will go out of business. They're not being deliberately misleading. He also wrote the first prototype of AdSense, and was the author of Google's mantra Don't be evil. In some fields it might be, but apparently not in the calm, womb-like atmosphere of a big account—any one of these can destroy you overnight. One of the standard pieces of advice in fiction writing is show, don't tell. Not so much from specific things he's written as by reconstructing the mind that produced them: brutally candid; aggressively garbage-collecting outdated ideas; and yet driven by pragmatism rather than ideology.

[lasemillaschoolgardens]

jayinslee

https://i1.wp.com/www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/jayinslee.jpg?resize=150%2C150

Nothing makes us prouder than to recognize a successful politician who practices and promotes a healthy lifestyle. Why? As the first organization in the US to emphasize the importance of fit and healthy politicians on a macro and micro level, we consider them to be one of the strongest indicators of the future prosperity of our country.

Samir Becic had this to say: “These fit politicians will have more drive, energy and stamina to cope with the demanding responsibilities of their duties. They serve as role-models for future generations and help in reducing obesity in the United States.”

That is why we are especially proud to present our interview with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee. Governor Inslee is one of our country’s fittest political leaders. He is an avid athlete, outdoorsmen, and vocal advocate of living a healthy lifestyle. Through programs like the Healthiest Next Generation Initiative, Governor Inslee has proven to be a strong ally in the fight against childhood obesity. That’s why he has made our list of Top 10 Fittest Governors and Top 100 Fittest U.S. Politicians. Samir said, “Every politician in the United States who is physically fit and promotes a healthy lifestyle in order to improve the future of our children has my vote, regardless of party.”

HFR: What are your favorite physical exercises?

Gov. Jay Inslee: My favorite by far is chasing around my 3 young grandchildren. After that I enjoy riding my bicycle and seeing some of the amazing sights Washington state has to offer, and I especially love hiking Mount Rainer. I have always been a basketball player, but I don’t play as much as I used to. I still like to practice my jump shot though.

HFR: What is your typical meal of choice?

Gov. Jay Inslee: I frequently eat a grilled cheese sandwich with a delicious Washington state apple whenever I can. Also, anything from (my wife) Trudi’s garden is amazing, she has some wonderful vegetables growing.

HFR: Besides exercising and focusing on nutrition, what do you do to stay healthy in terms of mental health & spirituality?

Gov. Jay Inslee: Any chance I can walk instead of driving or using an elevator, I take it. I enjoy photographing flowers, mountains, lakes and all the other wonders Washington has to offer.  I also draw pictures of natural landscapes and create books with my drawings for my grandchildren.

HFR: What can you do to make a difference in the health of your community?

Gov. Jay Inslee: First, I try to be a role model for my family and my community by being active and mindful of what I eat.  Second, in my role as governor I have put forward a series of bipartisan policies and met with stakeholder groups on how we can move Washington to be the healthiest state in the nation and reduce obesity, particularly in children. Third, I believe my work is never done. We are constantly learning more about the human body and we need to make sure our behaviors as individuals and policies reflect that.

HFR: What are 5 health and fitness tips that you can give to Americans?

Gov. Jay Inslee:

Step away from any screen and move

Drink plenty of water and move some more

Eat as much local produce as possible and rest

Do something fun and move

Find a friend to do something and move.

HFR: How do you promote a healthy lifestyle to your family?

Gov. Jay Inslee: I love to do any physical activity with my family. Every bike ride I go on, I invite Trudi and I am looking forward to teaching my grandchildren how to ride soon. I also will tag along with my adult sons when they go on outdoor adventures like hiking, sailing and skiing.

HFR: Have you been a part of any political initiatives that benefit a healthy lifestyle?

Gov. Jay Inslee: I was a proud supporter of the Affordable Care Act and our state has been model for the national implementation. We started the Washington Healthplanfinder, and now nearly 700,000 Washingtonians are now enrolled in new or more affordable health plans. This is saving lives and making a difference in quality of life.

Jay Inslee (right) playing basketball as a teenager. Photo: The Seattle Times

HFR: How can we help the next generation of youth to live healthier?

Gov. Jay Inslee: Funny you should ask about the next generation because that’s what we refer to our initiative called the Healthiest Next Generation – it’s chiefly a healthy weight initiative focused on better nutrition options and physical activity for kids, but also includes substance abuse prevention. Through policy and budget initiatives focused on these goals, we’ve been able to accomplish a lot in Washington state; here are a number of things we’ve done:

We’ve integrated all our state agency work – from health, K-12 and early learning – to all work together on these common goals – this requires hiring good people in state government to make these changes. We have a public health expert, a child nutritionist and a physical educator.

We’ve provided funding for Safe Routes to School Program as part of our historic transportation package. This initiative helps to get more children biking and walking to school, reduces traffic congestion and improves air quality.

We’ve updated our health and fitness education curriculum by encouraging more PE and promoting active daily recess.

We’ve secured grants for schools to improve the health and safety needs of children — such as installing playground equipment or water bottle filling stations, making upgrades to school nutrition equipment, and creating school gardens.

We’ve implemented early learning programs. These programs have increased nutrition training, physical activity and screen time in our ‘Early Achievers’ preschool professional criteria. We’ve funded regional Early Learning collaborative for education and outreach on ways early learning professionals can use best practices for nutrition and physical activity. We also updated the rules and regulations for licensed Child Care Centers to address latest standards on nutrition, physical activity and screen time.

We’ve secured a major USDA grant to engage over 60 multi-sector public and private partners to promote the purchase of fruits and vegetables by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients through supermarkets, farmers markets and health systems.

We’ve made a historic investment in state parks to help ensure families and children can enjoy the outdoors.

We’ve ensured grant funding for non-profits and local governments to support indoor and outdoor youth athletic facility projects.

We’ve ensured funding for Complete Streets, a program to add sidewalks, better cross walks, trails, bike lanes and other connectors in communities. We have provided outdoor learning opportunities for young people.

Photo: westseattleblog.com

HFR: How can we curtail the epidemic of obesity in America?

Gov. Jay Inslee: We’re focused on making this a reality. I mentioned in my first State of the State address that, ‘Research shows that, for the first time in our history, this generation is not expected to live as long as the previous generation. This should be unacceptable to us. We need to make the next generation the healthiest generation in the history of our state.’ My administration is focused on child health and opportunity. With a continued focus on this like the list of activities I’ve mentioned, we’re going to keep at it. I call my council of advisors together once a year, we call it the Council for the Healthiest Next Generation (#HealthiestNextGen). Trudi and I will host this year’s event at our residence in Olympia.

HFR: How can preventative medicine help reduce healthcare costs in America?

Gov. Jay Inslee: I believe both in the mental and physical requiring attention all throughout the year, not just when something bad happens. This is why I get a flu shot every year. I continue to get yearly checkups with my doctor and dentist.

HFR: American politicians are great ambassadors for making a healthier America. What are your plans for the future to make this happen?

Gov. Jay Inslee: We have to lead by example for our children. I loved having fifth graders out to the Executive Residence for a game of basketball. I loved the walking school bus, which is having a group walk or bike to school together – all these are great examples of getting kids out and active.

We need to provide families options and resources, especially in their communities like parks and places to play. We need to fund our schools and to fund PE by offering our kids plenty of recess time to be active. Every child deserves to grow up healthy and have a promising future. And we know things like physical activity and healthy eating are critical to the physical, emotional and cognitive development of young children. Simply put, kids need to eat well and play hard.

As part of our Healthiest Next Generation initiative, we had a national child development expert, Dr. Diane Craft, come to Washington. She did some trainings for early learning professionals. What Dr. Craft’s research shows is both simple and phenomenal: Physical activity is critical for developing core movement skills and stimulates brain development. Babies need to be able to move and stretch. Toddlers need to run around. Kids need to jump and kick and throw a ball.

I hope you’ll join me in making sure the children in our care exercise their bodies as well as their minds. It can be as simple as giving them unstructured outdoor play time every day, rain or shine. We’ve made some historic investments in early learning. We’re giving Washington’s children a brighter future with these investments. Let’s give them a healthier future as well.

HFR: Is there any specific story you would like to share that pertains to health and fitness?

Gov. Jay Inslee: Last week my son, summited Mount Rainer in less than 24 hours, which is an amazing feat. I am really proud of him and it shows was hard work, determination along with proper training can do. I think it’s important for people to remember to find enjoyment in being active and being healthy.

[Read More ...] http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/interview-with-washington-governor-jay-inslee/

[duqstudents4fairtrade]

jayinslee

Nothing makes us prouder than to recognize a successful politician who practices and promotes a healthy lifestyle. Why? As the first organization in the US to emphasize the importance of fit and healthy politicians on a macro and micro level, we consider them to be one of the strongest indicators of the future prosperity of our country.

Samir Becic had this to say: “These fit politicians will have more drive, energy and stamina to cope with the demanding responsibilities of their duties. They serve as role-models for future generations and help in reducing obesity in the United States.”

That is why we are especially proud to present our interview with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee. Governor Inslee is one of our country’s fittest political leaders. He is an avid athlete, outdoorsmen, and vocal advocate of living a healthy lifestyle. Through programs like the Healthiest Next Generation Initiative, Governor Inslee has proven to be a strong ally in the fight against childhood obesity. That’s why he has made our list of Top 10 Fittest Governors and Top 100 Fittest U.S. Politicians. Samir said, “Every politician in the United States who is physically fit and promotes a healthy lifestyle in order to improve the future of our children has my vote, regardless of party.”

HFR: What are your favorite physical exercises?

Gov. Jay Inslee: My favorite by far is chasing around my 3 young grandchildren. After that I enjoy riding my bicycle and seeing some of the amazing sights Washington state has to offer, and I especially love hiking Mount Rainer. I have always been a basketball player, but I don’t play as much as I used to. I still like to practice my jump shot though.

HFR: What is your typical meal of choice?

Gov. Jay Inslee: I frequently eat a grilled cheese sandwich with a delicious Washington state apple whenever I can. Also, anything from (my wife) Trudi’s garden is amazing, she has some wonderful vegetables growing.

HFR: Besides exercising and focusing on nutrition, what do you do to stay healthy in terms of mental health & spirituality?

Gov. Jay Inslee: Any chance I can walk instead of driving or using an elevator, I take it. I enjoy photographing flowers, mountains, lakes and all the other wonders Washington has to offer.  I also draw pictures of natural landscapes and create books with my drawings for my grandchildren.

HFR: What can you do to make a difference in the health of your community?

Gov. Jay Inslee: First, I try to be a role model for my family and my community by being active and mindful of what I eat.  Second, in my role as governor I have put forward a series of bipartisan policies and met with stakeholder groups on how we can move Washington to be the healthiest state in the nation and reduce obesity, particularly in children. Third, I believe my work is never done. We are constantly learning more about the human body and we need to make sure our behaviors as individuals and policies reflect that.

HFR: What are 5 health and fitness tips that you can give to Americans?

Gov. Jay Inslee:

Step away from any screen and move

Drink plenty of water and move some more

Eat as much local produce as possible and rest

Do something fun and move

Find a friend to do something and move.

HFR: How do you promote a healthy lifestyle to your family?

Gov. Jay Inslee: I love to do any physical activity with my family. Every bike ride I go on, I invite Trudi and I am looking forward to teaching my grandchildren how to ride soon. I also will tag along with my adult sons when they go on outdoor adventures like hiking, sailing and skiing.

HFR: Have you been a part of any political initiatives that benefit a healthy lifestyle?

Gov. Jay Inslee: I was a proud supporter of the Affordable Care Act and our state has been model for the national implementation. We started the Washington Healthplanfinder, and now nearly 700,000 Washingtonians are now enrolled in new or more affordable health plans. This is saving lives and making a difference in quality of life.

Jay Inslee (right) playing basketball as a teenager. Photo: The Seattle Times

HFR: How can we help the next generation of youth to live healthier?

Gov. Jay Inslee: Funny you should ask about the next generation because that’s what we refer to our initiative called the Healthiest Next Generation – it’s chiefly a healthy weight initiative focused on better nutrition options and physical activity for kids, but also includes substance abuse prevention. Through policy and budget initiatives focused on these goals, we’ve been able to accomplish a lot in Washington state; here are a number of things we’ve done:

We’ve integrated all our state agency work – from health, K-12 and early learning – to all work together on these common goals – this requires hiring good people in state government to make these changes. We have a public health expert, a child nutritionist and a physical educator.

We’ve provided funding for Safe Routes to School Program as part of our historic transportation package. This initiative helps to get more children biking and walking to school, reduces traffic congestion and improves air quality.

We’ve updated our health and fitness education curriculum by encouraging more PE and promoting active daily recess.

We’ve secured grants for schools to improve the health and safety needs of children — such as installing playground equipment or water bottle filling stations, making upgrades to school nutrition equipment, and creating school gardens.

We’ve implemented early learning programs. These programs have increased nutrition training, physical activity and screen time in our ‘Early Achievers’ preschool professional criteria. We’ve funded regional Early Learning collaborative for education and outreach on ways early learning professionals can use best practices for nutrition and physical activity. We also updated the rules and regulations for licensed Child Care Centers to address latest standards on nutrition, physical activity and screen time.

We’ve secured a major USDA grant to engage over 60 multi-sector public and private partners to promote the purchase of fruits and vegetables by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients through supermarkets, farmers markets and health systems.

We’ve made a historic investment in state parks to help ensure families and children can enjoy the outdoors.

We’ve ensured grant funding for non-profits and local governments to support indoor and outdoor youth athletic facility projects.

We’ve ensured funding for Complete Streets, a program to add sidewalks, better cross walks, trails, bike lanes and other connectors in communities. We have provided outdoor learning opportunities for young people.

Photo: westseattleblog.com

HFR: How can we curtail the epidemic of obesity in America?

Gov. Jay Inslee: We’re focused on making this a reality. I mentioned in my first State of the State address that, ‘Research shows that, for the first time in our history, this generation is not expected to live as long as the previous generation. This should be unacceptable to us. We need to make the next generation the healthiest generation in the history of our state.’ My administration is focused on child health and opportunity. With a continued focus on this like the list of activities I’ve mentioned, we’re going to keep at it. I call my council of advisors together once a year, we call it the Council for the Healthiest Next Generation (#HealthiestNextGen). Trudi and I will host this year’s event at our residence in Olympia.

HFR: How can preventative medicine help reduce healthcare costs in America?

Gov. Jay Inslee: I believe both in the mental and physical requiring attention all throughout the year, not just when something bad happens. This is why I get a flu shot every year. I continue to get yearly checkups with my doctor and dentist.

HFR: American politicians are great ambassadors for making a healthier America. What are your plans for the future to make this happen?

Gov. Jay Inslee: We have to lead by example for our children. I loved having fifth graders out to the Executive Residence for a game of basketball. I loved the walking school bus, which is having a group walk or bike to school together – all these are great examples of getting kids out and active.

We need to provide families options and resources, especially in their communities like parks and places to play. We need to fund our schools and to fund PE by offering our kids plenty of recess time to be active. Every child deserves to grow up healthy and have a promising future. And we know things like physical activity and healthy eating are critical to the physical, emotional and cognitive development of young children. Simply put, kids need to eat well and play hard.

As part of our Healthiest Next Generation initiative, we had a national child development expert, Dr. Diane Craft, come to Washington. She did some trainings for early learning professionals. What Dr. Craft’s research shows is both simple and phenomenal: Physical activity is critical for developing core movement skills and stimulates brain development. Babies need to be able to move and stretch. Toddlers need to run around. Kids need to jump and kick and throw a ball.

I hope you’ll join me in making sure the children in our care exercise their bodies as well as their minds. It can be as simple as giving them unstructured outdoor play time every day, rain or shine. We’ve made some historic investments in early learning. We’re giving Washington’s children a brighter future with these investments. Let’s give them a healthier future as well.

HFR: Is there any specific story you would like to share that pertains to health and fitness?

Gov. Jay Inslee: Last week my son, summited Mount Rainer in less than 24 hours, which is an amazing feat. I am really proud of him and it shows was hard work, determination along with proper training can do. I think it’s important for people to remember to find enjoyment in being active and being healthy.

[Read More ...] http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/interview-with-washington-governor-jay-inslee/

[kristinejrosario]

How to Create a Reader Avatar for Your Blog

For several years, I’ve been using Reader Avatars (also called Reader Profiles or Personas) on my blogs – and I’ve found them very effective and helpful.

To create your first reader avatar, you’ll need to spend some time thinking and writing about a type of reader that you’re either attempting to reach or who is already reading your blog. Describe them in as much detail as you can – who they are, what their interests are, why they might be reading your blog and what their needs are.

(We’ve created a template you can use to help you do this, and I’ll be sharing some examples of my own reader avatars throughout this post.)

The idea is that you end up with a picture of who you’re writing for that you can then use to create posts that will resonate more strongly with your actual readers.

Before I talk about the benefits of doing this and make some suggestions on how to create reader avatars for your own blog, let me show you one that I first created several years ago for my photography site

"Grace" Mom-a-raz-zo

Grace describes herself as a Mom-a-raz-zo photographer because 90% of her photos are of her young children. She’s 34 years old and lives in London.

She is in the market for an entry level DSLR and lens to help her capture her kids growing up. She studies photography is high school so has a basic understanding of how to use a camera, but until now has been using an entry level point and shoot camera.

Grace reads dPS for two reasons - firstly to help make a decision about which camera to buy. She’s a little nervous about making the choice and is looking for the advice of others. She’s also looking to connect with other Mom-a-raz-zo photographers and to learn how to improve her portrait photography.

Grace is a photography book addict - she subscribes to a photography magazine and has an expanding collection of portrait related photography books.

Grace dreams about one day making a little money from her photography - perhaps using what she learns in photographing her own children - to photograph other families. Her biggest obstacles in achieving this are a lack of confidence (she worries a lot about what others think of her work) and the equipment (which she is saving for).

Grace is on Facebook, is a heavy user of email and has a Flickr account.

The profile above describes one of the types of readers that we have on DPS – people whose main use of their cameras is to photograph their kids.

The profile describes why “Grace” reads DPS, some of her dreams, the type of photography she’s into, how else she uses the web, a little about her demographics, the level she’s at, and so on.

Here’s another one from a different type of reader at DPS:

"Keith" Grey Nomad

Keith is a first time digital camera owner. He’s recently retired and has bought an entry level DSLR to help him record an upcoming trip across the USA.

Keith reads dPS to work out how to get the mosts from his new camera, which to this point, he is using only in Automatic mode.

His needs and challenges are fairly beginner level and include learning about settings like Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO, knowing how to get his images off his camera and to store them safely, as well as basic composition techniques.

Keith dreams of taking great landscapes, macro photography and a little portrait work.

Keith is on a budget, living off his savings. He is willing to spend a little to improve his photography but researches all purchases carefully.

Keith has been online for years, but his preferred way to connect online is email.

Again – I’ve described another type of reader in a similar way to the first.

In each of these cases the reader profile is based upon a reader group already within the Digital Photography School community. If you’re just getting started with your blog, this same exercise could be done with potential readers – or the type of person you want to read your blog.

Why Should You Create Reader Avatars?

Hopefully you can already see some of the benefits of these kinds of reader avatars – but let me list a few of the things I’ve found most useful:

It makes your blogging feel more relevant and personal – I find that having a person (real or pretend) in mind as I write reminds me that there are real people on the other end of my posts. There are people with faces, names and needs – I find it inspiring to visualise them reading what I write, and thinking about them helps me to write in a more personal tone.

It informs your writing – having these kinds of avatars in mind as I write reminds me of some of the problems and questions that readers might have. That leads me to write write more practical posts that focus on real readers’ needs. Often as I write, I visualise the questions and reactions that these different readers might have to my posts – and then try to build answers to those into what I’m writing.

It identifies opportunities – although it was several years ago now, I still remember writing the first profile above (Grace) and realising that quite a few of my readers have mentioned their dreams of one day making some money from their photography. As a result, I created a section of the DPS forum specifically about making money with photography ... and later, we published an ebook on “Going Pro”.  (Note the forums are currently closed.)

It can be helpful for recruiting advertisers – potential advertisers will want to know what type of reader you have. You can simply share your reader avatars with them: no need to think through a new answer each time. This also shows that you’ve thought about your readers and run a professional site.

It identifies ways to connect with your readership – you’ll notice I’ve included details in the profiles on what else the reader does online. It’s really useful to know what other sites your reader uses and which social networks they prefer as this can identify opportunities to identify places where potential new readers hang out.

It will identify opportunities to monetize your blog – knowing what your readers currently spend money on, what their needs are, and what kind of income they have at their disposal will give you all kinds of ideas for the types of advertisers you should seek out, the type of affiliate promotions you could do and the type of products you could develop.

How to Create a Reader Profile?

There are no real rules – you can see I’ve developed a certain style in my personas above. I added a picture to each of the type of person in the profile to further personalise it. I’d suggest trying to include information in the following areas:

Demographics – basic facts, like age, gender, nationality, and education level. You can use Google Analytics not only to see how many readers are coming from which countries, but also to see how your readers fall into different age categories, and what the balance of genders is. Google’s page on Demographics and Interests explains how this works.  

Financial situation – are your readers well off, secure, or just about managing? This will obviously affect the types of products you choose to promote as an affiliate, or create yourself.

Needs and/or challenges – what are your readers struggling with, or what are they keen to know about? With photography, for instance, readers like Grace will want to know how to capture their children as they grow up.

How they use the web – you might want to think about the other blogs they read, the news sites they visit, the social networks they’re active within, and whether they tend to browse on a computer or on a tablet / mobile (again, Google Analytics can give you insight into this).

Motivations for reading the blog – for instance, are your readers hobbyists or taking their first steps into a career related to your topic? Do they read your blog to be inspired, educated, or entertained?

Level of experience with the topic – are your readers total beginners, highly experienced, or something in between? You may want to create several reader avatars for people at different levels of experience and familiarity with the topic.

Dreams – what do they wish they could accomplish ... and how can you help them get there? You might find that the emails you receive and the comments on your posts help you figure out what your readers’ dreams are.

Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list – if you’ve created a reader avatar (or several) before, please feel free to share your suggestions and tips in comments below.

Let me finish this post off with one last persona – again for DPS.

"Gareth" Going Pro

Gareth (39 and living in Denver) prides himself on being one of the first people in his friendship group to own a digital camera. He invested heavily in a Sony Mavica that had the ability to take and store 9 images on a floppy disk!

Gareth sold his extensive film camera kit years back and fully converted to a Canon DSLR kit which he regularly updates and adds to whenever a new camera, lens or accessory comes onto the market. He also collects a range of other cameras - Liecas, Holgas and other more obscure models. He has a high disposable income.

Gareth works as a successful freelance designer but had recently put together a portfolio site for his photography and is on the way to going pro as a photographer.

Gareth knows most of what there is to know about photography - he is part of dPS because he loves to show his work and help others improve their photography. He’s also looking to increase his profile and exposure as a photographer.

Gareth photographs everything - he particularly loves live music photography, urban landscapes and anything experimental.

Gareth is an early adopter in many areas of life - he’s prolific in social media circles, has his own blog, Flickr account and is active on Facebook, Twitter and regularly uses Delicious for social bookmarking.

Now it’s over to you. Have a go at writing at least one reader avatar for your blog ... and leave a comment below to let us know how you got on.  

Thrive Leads Shortcode could not be rendered, please check it in Thrive Leads Section!

The post How to Create a Reader Avatar for Your Blog appeared first on ProBlogger.

       from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ProbloggerHelpingBloggersEarnMoney/~3/TggAydWHktQ/

[richardrobertsimsuccessblog]

How to Create a Reader Avatar for Your Blog

For several years, I’ve been using Reader Avatars (also called Reader Profiles or Personas) on my blogs – and I’ve found them very effective and helpful.

To create your first reader avatar, you’ll need to spend some time thinking and writing about a type of reader that you’re either attempting to reach or who is already reading your blog. Describe them in as much detail as you can – who they are, what their interests are, why they might be reading your blog and what their needs are.

(We’ve created a template you can use to help you do this, and I’ll be sharing some examples of my own reader avatars throughout this post.)

The idea is that you end up with a picture of who you’re writing for that you can then use to create posts that will resonate more strongly with your actual readers.

Before I talk about the benefits of doing this and make some suggestions on how to create reader avatars for your own blog, let me show you one that I first created several years ago for my photography site

"Grace" Mom-a-raz-zo

Grace describes herself as a Mom-a-raz-zo photographer because 90% of her photos are of her young children. She’s 34 years old and lives in London.

She is in the market for an entry level DSLR and lens to help her capture her kids growing up. She studies photography is high school so has a basic understanding of how to use a camera, but until now has been using an entry level point and shoot camera.

Grace reads dPS for two reasons - firstly to help make a decision about which camera to buy. She’s a little nervous about making the choice and is looking for the advice of others. She’s also looking to connect with other Mom-a-raz-zo photographers and to learn how to improve her portrait photography.

Grace is a photography book addict - she subscribes to a photography magazine and has an expanding collection of portrait related photography books.

Grace dreams about one day making a little money from her photography - perhaps using what she learns in photographing her own children - to photograph other families. Her biggest obstacles in achieving this are a lack of confidence (she worries a lot about what others think of her work) and the equipment (which she is saving for).

Grace is on Facebook, is a heavy user of email and has a Flickr account.

The profile above describes one of the types of readers that we have on DPS – people whose main use of their cameras is to photograph their kids.

The profile describes why “Grace” reads DPS, some of her dreams, the type of photography she’s into, how else she uses the web, a little about her demographics, the level she’s at, and so on.

Here’s another one from a different type of reader at DPS:

"Keith" Grey Nomad

Keith is a first time digital camera owner. He’s recently retired and has bought an entry level DSLR to help him record an upcoming trip across the USA.

Keith reads dPS to work out how to get the mosts from his new camera, which to this point, he is using only in Automatic mode.

His needs and challenges are fairly beginner level and include learning about settings like Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO, knowing how to get his images off his camera and to store them safely, as well as basic composition techniques.

Keith dreams of taking great landscapes, macro photography and a little portrait work.

Keith is on a budget, living off his savings. He is willing to spend a little to improve his photography but researches all purchases carefully.

Keith has been online for years, but his preferred way to connect online is email.

Again – I’ve described another type of reader in a similar way to the first.

In each of these cases the reader profile is based upon a reader group already within the Digital Photography School community. If you’re just getting started with your blog, this same exercise could be done with potential readers – or the type of person you want to read your blog.

Why Should You Create Reader Avatars?

Hopefully you can already see some of the benefits of these kinds of reader avatars – but let me list a few of the things I’ve found most useful:

It makes your blogging feel more relevant and personal – I find that having a person (real or pretend) in mind as I write reminds me that there are real people on the other end of my posts. There are people with faces, names and needs – I find it inspiring to visualise them reading what I write, and thinking about them helps me to write in a more personal tone.

It informs your writing – having these kinds of avatars in mind as I write reminds me of some of the problems and questions that readers might have. That leads me to write write more practical posts that focus on real readers’ needs. Often as I write, I visualise the questions and reactions that these different readers might have to my posts – and then try to build answers to those into what I’m writing.

It identifies opportunities – although it was several years ago now, I still remember writing the first profile above (Grace) and realising that quite a few of my readers have mentioned their dreams of one day making some money from their photography. As a result, I created a section of the DPS forum specifically about making money with photography ... and later, we published an ebook on “Going Pro”.  (Note the forums are currently closed.)

It can be helpful for recruiting advertisers – potential advertisers will want to know what type of reader you have. You can simply share your reader avatars with them: no need to think through a new answer each time. This also shows that you’ve thought about your readers and run a professional site.

It identifies ways to connect with your readership – you’ll notice I’ve included details in the profiles on what else the reader does online. It’s really useful to know what other sites your reader uses and which social networks they prefer as this can identify opportunities to identify places where potential new readers hang out.

It will identify opportunities to monetize your blog – knowing what your readers currently spend money on, what their needs are, and what kind of income they have at their disposal will give you all kinds of ideas for the types of advertisers you should seek out, the type of affiliate promotions you could do and the type of products you could develop.

How to Create a Reader Profile?

There are no real rules – you can see I’ve developed a certain style in my personas above. I added a picture to each of the type of person in the profile to further personalise it. I’d suggest trying to include information in the following areas:

Demographics – basic facts, like age, gender, nationality, and education level. You can use Google Analytics not only to see how many readers are coming from which countries, but also to see how your readers fall into different age categories, and what the balance of genders is. Google’s page on Demographics and Interests explains how this works.  

Financial situation – are your readers well off, secure, or just about managing? This will obviously affect the types of products you choose to promote as an affiliate, or create yourself.

Needs and/or challenges – what are your readers struggling with, or what are they keen to know about? With photography, for instance, readers like Grace will want to know how to capture their children as they grow up.

How they use the web – you might want to think about the other blogs they read, the news sites they visit, the social networks they’re active within, and whether they tend to browse on a computer or on a tablet / mobile (again, Google Analytics can give you insight into this).

Motivations for reading the blog – for instance, are your readers hobbyists or taking their first steps into a career related to your topic? Do they read your blog to be inspired, educated, or entertained?

Level of experience with the topic – are your readers total beginners, highly experienced, or something in between? You may want to create several reader avatars for people at different levels of experience and familiarity with the topic.

Dreams – what do they wish they could accomplish ... and how can you help them get there? You might find that the emails you receive and the comments on your posts help you figure out what your readers’ dreams are.

Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list – if you’ve created a reader avatar (or several) before, please feel free to share your suggestions and tips in comments below.

Let me finish this post off with one last persona – again for DPS.

"Gareth" Going Pro

Gareth (39 and living in Denver) prides himself on being one of the first people in his friendship group to own a digital camera. He invested heavily in a Sony Mavica that had the ability to take and store 9 images on a floppy disk!

Gareth sold his extensive film camera kit years back and fully converted to a Canon DSLR kit which he regularly updates and adds to whenever a new camera, lens or accessory comes onto the market. He also collects a range of other cameras - Liecas, Holgas and other more obscure models. He has a high disposable income.

Gareth works as a successful freelance designer but had recently put together a portfolio site for his photography and is on the way to going pro as a photographer.

Gareth knows most of what there is to know about photography - he is part of dPS because he loves to show his work and help others improve their photography. He’s also looking to increase his profile and exposure as a photographer.

Gareth photographs everything - he particularly loves live music photography, urban landscapes and anything experimental.

Gareth is an early adopter in many areas of life - he’s prolific in social media circles, has his own blog, Flickr account and is active on Facebook, Twitter and regularly uses Delicious for social bookmarking.

Now it’s over to you. Have a go at writing at least one reader avatar for your blog ... and leave a comment below to let us know how you got on.  

Thrive Leads Shortcode could not be rendered, please check it in Thrive Leads Section!

The post How to Create a Reader Avatar for Your Blog appeared first on ProBlogger.

       How to Create a Reader Avatar for Your Blog

[silvino32mills]

How to Create a Reader Avatar for Your Blog

For several years, I’ve been using Reader Avatars (also called Reader Profiles or Personas) on my blogs – and I’ve found them very effective and helpful.

To create your first reader avatar, you’ll need to spend some time thinking and writing about a type of reader that you’re either attempting to reach or who is already reading your blog. Describe them in as much detail as you can – who they are, what their interests are, why they might be reading your blog and what their needs are.

(We’ve created a template you can use to help you do this, and I’ll be sharing some examples of my own reader avatars throughout this post.)

The idea is that you end up with a picture of who you’re writing for that you can then use to create posts that will resonate more strongly with your actual readers.

Before I talk about the benefits of doing this and make some suggestions on how to create reader avatars for your own blog, let me show you one that I first created several years ago for my photography site

"Grace" Mom-a-raz-zo

Grace describes herself as a Mom-a-raz-zo photographer because 90% of her photos are of her young children. She’s 34 years old and lives in London.

She is in the market for an entry level DSLR and lens to help her capture her kids growing up. She studies photography is high school so has a basic understanding of how to use a camera, but until now has been using an entry level point and shoot camera.

Grace reads dPS for two reasons - firstly to help make a decision about which camera to buy. She’s a little nervous about making the choice and is looking for the advice of others. She’s also looking to connect with other Mom-a-raz-zo photographers and to learn how to improve her portrait photography.

Grace is a photography book addict - she subscribes to a photography magazine and has an expanding collection of portrait related photography books.

Grace dreams about one day making a little money from her photography - perhaps using what she learns in photographing her own children - to photograph other families. Her biggest obstacles in achieving this are a lack of confidence (she worries a lot about what others think of her work) and the equipment (which she is saving for).

Grace is on Facebook, is a heavy user of email and has a Flickr account.

The profile above describes one of the types of readers that we have on DPS – people whose main use of their cameras is to photograph their kids.

The profile describes why “Grace” reads DPS, some of her dreams, the type of photography she’s into, how else she uses the web, a little about her demographics, the level she’s at, and so on.

Here’s another one from a different type of reader at DPS:

"Keith" Grey Nomad

Keith is a first time digital camera owner. He’s recently retired and has bought an entry level DSLR to help him record an upcoming trip across the USA.

Keith reads dPS to work out how to get the mosts from his new camera, which to this point, he is using only in Automatic mode.

His needs and challenges are fairly beginner level and include learning about settings like Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO, knowing how to get his images off his camera and to store them safely, as well as basic composition techniques.

Keith dreams of taking great landscapes, macro photography and a little portrait work.

Keith is on a budget, living off his savings. He is willing to spend a little to improve his photography but researches all purchases carefully.

Keith has been online for years, but his preferred way to connect online is email.

Again – I’ve described another type of reader in a similar way to the first.

In each of these cases the reader profile is based upon a reader group already within the Digital Photography School community. If you’re just getting started with your blog, this same exercise could be done with potential readers – or the type of person you want to read your blog.

Why Should You Create Reader Avatars?

Hopefully you can already see some of the benefits of these kinds of reader avatars – but let me list a few of the things I’ve found most useful:

It makes your blogging feel more relevant and personal – I find that having a person (real or pretend) in mind as I write reminds me that there are real people on the other end of my posts. There are people with faces, names and needs – I find it inspiring to visualise them reading what I write, and thinking about them helps me to write in a more personal tone.

It informs your writing – having these kinds of avatars in mind as I write reminds me of some of the problems and questions that readers might have. That leads me to write write more practical posts that focus on real readers’ needs. Often as I write, I visualise the questions and reactions that these different readers might have to my posts – and then try to build answers to those into what I’m writing.

It identifies opportunities – although it was several years ago now, I still remember writing the first profile above (Grace) and realising that quite a few of my readers have mentioned their dreams of one day making some money from their photography. As a result, I created a section of the DPS forum specifically about making money with photography ... and later, we published an ebook on “Going Pro”.  (Note the forums are currently closed.)

It can be helpful for recruiting advertisers – potential advertisers will want to know what type of reader you have. You can simply share your reader avatars with them: no need to think through a new answer each time. This also shows that you’ve thought about your readers and run a professional site.

It identifies ways to connect with your readership – you’ll notice I’ve included details in the profiles on what else the reader does online. It’s really useful to know what other sites your reader uses and which social networks they prefer as this can identify opportunities to identify places where potential new readers hang out.

It will identify opportunities to monetize your blog – knowing what your readers currently spend money on, what their needs are, and what kind of income they have at their disposal will give you all kinds of ideas for the types of advertisers you should seek out, the type of affiliate promotions you could do and the type of products you could develop.

How to Create a Reader Profile?

There are no real rules – you can see I’ve developed a certain style in my personas above. I added a picture to each of the type of person in the profile to further personalise it. I’d suggest trying to include information in the following areas:

Demographics – basic facts, like age, gender, nationality, and education level. You can use Google Analytics not only to see how many readers are coming from which countries, but also to see how your readers fall into different age categories, and what the balance of genders is. Google’s page on Demographics and Interests explains how this works.  

Financial situation – are your readers well off, secure, or just about managing? This will obviously affect the types of products you choose to promote as an affiliate, or create yourself.

Needs and/or challenges – what are your readers struggling with, or what are they keen to know about? With photography, for instance, readers like Grace will want to know how to capture their children as they grow up.

How they use the web – you might want to think about the other blogs they read, the news sites they visit, the social networks they’re active within, and whether they tend to browse on a computer or on a tablet / mobile (again, Google Analytics can give you insight into this).

Motivations for reading the blog – for instance, are your readers hobbyists or taking their first steps into a career related to your topic? Do they read your blog to be inspired, educated, or entertained?

Level of experience with the topic – are your readers total beginners, highly experienced, or something in between? You may want to create several reader avatars for people at different levels of experience and familiarity with the topic.

Dreams – what do they wish they could accomplish ... and how can you help them get there? You might find that the emails you receive and the comments on your posts help you figure out what your readers’ dreams are.

Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list – if you’ve created a reader avatar (or several) before, please feel free to share your suggestions and tips in comments below.

Let me finish this post off with one last persona – again for DPS.

"Gareth" Going Pro

Gareth (39 and living in Denver) prides himself on being one of the first people in his friendship group to own a digital camera. He invested heavily in a Sony Mavica that had the ability to take and store 9 images on a floppy disk!

Gareth sold his extensive film camera kit years back and fully converted to a Canon DSLR kit which he regularly updates and adds to whenever a new camera, lens or accessory comes onto the market. He also collects a range of other cameras - Liecas, Holgas and other more obscure models. He has a high disposable income.

Gareth works as a successful freelance designer but had recently put together a portfolio site for his photography and is on the way to going pro as a photographer.

Gareth knows most of what there is to know about photography - he is part of dPS because he loves to show his work and help others improve their photography. He’s also looking to increase his profile and exposure as a photographer.

Gareth photographs everything - he particularly loves live music photography, urban landscapes and anything experimental.

Gareth is an early adopter in many areas of life - he’s prolific in social media circles, has his own blog, Flickr account and is active on Facebook, Twitter and regularly uses Delicious for social bookmarking.

Now it’s over to you. Have a go at writing at least one reader avatar for your blog ... and leave a comment below to let us know how you got on.  

Thrive Leads Shortcode could not be rendered, please check it in Thrive Leads Section!

The post How to Create a Reader Avatar for Your Blog appeared first on ProBlogger.

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