The OKLU Blog

Destination weddings are increasingly fashionable these days because of the many low cost holiday wedding packages available from a legion of travel companies. For Steve Stevanovich, and others, it’s all about great choice in great destinations. A wedding in an breath-taking venue such as New York or London, or a soothing wedding experience on a Mexican beach, means there is something available for everyone.

To Steve Stevanovich, various kinds of destination weddings are accessible to fit a multitude of tastes. To those who are planning this type of event, they can weigh big-cities, beautiful beaches, or broad imperial views as their destination of choice. Of course, this is on top of the many other choices of the quaint and not-so-quaint type available to vacationers. For big-city destinations, there’s New York, London, Paris, Toronto, Los Angeles, Melbourne, and Abu Dhabi. There is also, Hong Kong, Munich, Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, and Athens, among others.

Imagine the awe inspired wonder that results from having rich wedding photos in hand from a National Park locale. Consider the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail in Hawaii, or Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Imagine the grandeur of the Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado, or the Appalachian National Scenic Trail from Maine to Georgia for destination weddings and other life affair festivities.

Couples often look back on a wedding vacation and see that the nicest part of it was the fact they stuck to no schedule. Enjoying their lovely accommodations, they went with the flow. This implied lazy mornings over coffee and fresh fruit in their room. It also implied long beach days with nary a look at a watch. Steve Stevanovich and all who value quality R & R, definitely relate to this way of vacationing.

Steve Stevanovich can see how those planning destination weddings look to regions that offer quality amenities with spectacular natural beauty. It can certainly be worth the time and effort to explore the multitude of opportunities available in this regard. Steve Stevanovich and others who debate the variety of countries accessible for destination weddings know that affordable wedding vacations in abundance in the world’s most breath-taking regions.

Quality digital cameras are becoming affordable for just about everyone these days. Kodak’s entry into the low cost end of the market is their CX7300 3.2 mega pixel model. You just may be surprised at what a terrific value it is. Please read on.

As recently as two years ago, if you were shopping for a 3.0 mega pixel or greater camera, you would have paid approximately $249. for one. Today, prices have tumbled and it isn’t uncommon to find cameras in this category going for $150 or less. Recents sale prices I have observed have brought this price down further with one retailer selling the Kodak CX7300 for just under $100.

As you may know a 3.0 meg camera is ideal if you are taking pictures to post online. Anything greater isn’t necessary, so there is no need to expend the extra bucks for a 5.0, 6.0, or even 7.0 meg camera.

This particular Kodak model is no bare bones model either. Top features include:

3.2 million pixels

3x digital zoom

1.6″ color display

Red eye reduction

Self timer

Color modes

Multiple scene modes

Movie mode

16 MB internal memory

Easy Share software

The CX7300 is easy to use and picture quality is very good. Kodak also markets this model camera as a C300, so shop around and see what your retailer is offering.

Matt Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of topics. You can view his site at http://www.thearticlewriter.com

There are a few very important tasks associated with using the digital camera. The most important is of course capturing a beautiful photograph. The next most important task is that of transferring this image somewhere from where it can be printed. The most suitable place is hence the computer. Now, here comes another area of importance that needs to be analyzed and sufficient knowledge is required to be imparted to the users to make ample use of such an important feature. This discussion is thus generally focused upon this mechanism to transfer the digital camera images to the computer, and the various types of such a transfer. Looking from a very simple point of view, there are two methods for transferring the digital camera images to the computer; they are firstly by attaching the digital camera directly to the computer (a process that is popularly called tethering) and secondly by the use of a memory card reader.

In the present world most digital cameras are endowed with arrangements for a comparatively nippy USB connection. USB is basically an interface between a computer and peripheral devices like keyboards, telephones, scanners, and printers. In the current case this peripheral device is the digital camera. This USB feature enables the computer to be directly connected to the digital camera and transfer the images via the USB port present in the computer itself also. Many of the computer operating systems (like the Windows XP) have features for in-built tethering support for this purpose solely. One major problem of this feature of tethering is that it consumes a huge amount of power from the batteries. For this reason, many of the digital cameras are provided with AC adapter that powers the camera. The appropriate software installed within the computer and the digital cameras provides the entire task for making a successful transfer of the images from the digital camera to the computer.

Regarding the software associated with such a digital image transfer from a digital camera to a computer, it is important to state that digital cameras come equipped with CDs containing driver files, image viewers and photo editing software. It connects to the computer via a USB or other port. Some digital cameras come with a PCMCIA interface also.

The next feature for making a successful transfer of image from the digital camera to the computer is via memory card readers. These memory card readers make image transfers without consuming a lot of the precious digital camera batteries; this is the best part of this method. Two important points define the memory card readers; the first is the type of memory card the digital camera uses for storing images. Secondly, the type of connection the digital camera has with the computer. USB is the most predominant kind of card reader available in today’s world. In some cases, many computers are equipped with certain slots that take in cards directly inside the computer or may be with the help of a PC card adapter too. Then the transfers of images are made appropriately from the digital camera into the computer memory efficiently.

All the features and the technology discussed in the above lines are focused towards uncovering the various efficient and suitable methods for a better transfer method of the images and photographs from the digital camera into the computer memory. As technology advances with years, these would get further improved and the popularity and flexibility of this fantastic device, the digital camera, would get even more all the rage!

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snapjunky.com. Visit his digital camera guide and learn how to take better pictures with your digicam.

Any filmmaker will tell you how important it is to have a quality bag to carry all the necessary gear. A good camcorder bag affects how the filmmaking process occurs. There are many different brands available, but one company in particular, M-Rock, has pulled out all the stops on the best camcorder bags. M-Rock has thought of all the details and has included all the most crucial components. M-Rock has developed first-class camcorder bags that have filmmakers around the world catching some amazing scenes.

M-Rock has been making their unique line of camcorder and camera bags for over 10 years. The line consists of 15 modular camcorder bags that can be used alone or in conjunction with other M-Rock camcorder bags. The wide range of products size is perfect for any type of filmmaker. Small camcorder bags are great for active filmmakers who are always on the go. Large camcorder bags are perfect for long filming expeditions. No matter what type of adventure you have planned, MRock has the right camera bag.

M-Rock sets themselves apart because of all the attention to detail they put in all their camcorder bags. Almost any camcorder can fit into an M-Rock bag. They have no space limitations and can be easily maneuvered to fit all kinds of gear. Try doing that with a competitor’s bag, which has Velcro strips that define where gear goes, and can also harm delicate equipment.

M-Rock uses only the most optimum components for camcorder protection, including ultra-soft felt, scratch resistant material on the inside, and ultra-tough, weather resistant material on the outside. The result is a camcorder bag that protects all types of camcorders, and has unsurpassed toughness, even in the most extreme conditions.

M-Rock camcorder bags are the right type of bag for any level of filmmaker. MRock has the quality and the price to meet any filmmaker’s budget, and provide them with a product that will only improve their filmmaking ability. M-Rock leads the way in high standards. Visit M-Rock today and give them a try.

Angela Oliver is an author for www.M-Rock.com, maker of the most multi-functional and user-friendly camcorder bags. Visit M-Rock today to see why filmmakers everywhere are switching to MRock camcorder bags.

Historically the Cocker Spaniel in the United States has reached the top of breed popularity in the A.K.C. a number of different times. It is small so it is a great size for a household companion and has a perpetual puppy look about the face. It has a merry and happy personality and seems to be the perfect companion for children. In part due to this popularity, the dog has been so widely bred that it has lost much of its original hunting instinct and is seldom used in these days as a hunting dog. Dogs historically who have enjoyed this extent of popularity often lose not only the instinctive qualities for which they were bred, but also the temperament can become unstable.

The American Cocker Spaniel, previously considered by many to be a darling dog with sweet disposition, developed some unreliable temperament over the years and presently has been noted as one of the smaller dogs which is unreliable in temperament and can frequently be a “biter”. Unfortunately not enough notice is taken of this since it is a smaller dog, however, in lists of dogs that bite in studies taken across the U.S., the Cocker is high on the list.

The English Cocker Spaniel is a close cousin. Both dogs derive their name from the practice of using these breeds to hunt the woodcock. Their smaller size and agile bodies could penetrate the thickets and brush which is the woodcocks’ habitat. The English Cocker has retained more of the hunting instinct and is still used as a gun dog.

In the conformation show ring of the United States, due to the huge popularity of the Black Cocker, the Cocker Club applied to the American Kennel club to show this dog in a separate group, so as to allow for the other varieties, the Parti-Color and the ASCOB (any solid color other than black), to have their chance. Thus the American Cocker Spaniel is one of the very few breeds which is shown in separate classes even though are actually one breed. As a result, in the Sporting Group, there will be three representatives of the Cocker Spaniel being shown.

The coat of the Cocker Spaniel is luxuriant and flowing. It has been somewhat over emphasized when breeding for show, and can be quite unmanageable for the folks who have this dog as a family pet. Usually a pet Cocker is kept trimmed . If care is not taken to maintain the coat either through brushing or trimming it can become a serious problem, full of mats and tangles .Buyers who purchase puppies need to understand the necessity for coat care in this breed.

The breed is also susceptible to a number of disease conditions, including skin problems and allergies, eye problems, epilepsy and ear infections. Many of these problems stem from the over breeding of the dog in commercial breeding kennels, where little emphasis is ever placed on health and temperament, and now it will take a number of years to eliminate such problems from the genetic pool. Breeders who are concerned about this have made a strong effort recently to breed not only those dogs who have been tested for health problems but also those dogs who have a stable temperament.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Animals

What is Shutter Speed? In very simple terms, shutter speed is the time it takes for the shutter on the camera to open and close. When the shutter is open, light is let in to the sensor and when it is closed, no light gets in.

The longer the shutter is open, the greater the amount of light that is let in. The more light, the brighter your image will be.

Conversely, the shorter the shutter is open, the less light that is let in.

Shutter speeds are typically recorded in fractions of a second: second is a long shutter speed (more light) and 1/1000 is a short one.

Usual values are: 1 - 1/2 - 1/4 - 1/8 - 1/15 - 1/30 - 1/60 - 1/125 - 1/250 - 1/500 - 1/1000

There is also often a “B” (or “bulb”) setting which allows the user to hold the shutter open for as long as they wish. In addition, digital cameras often have shutter speeds in-between the values shown above and can also often be set for 10, 20 or 30 seconds.

With a fast shutter speed, the shutter is open for only a short time. This helps especially in two ways. First, it helps to freeze the movement of a fast moving subject. Secondly, it reduces the chance of camera shake. A slow shutter speed will allow blurring of movement and will enable much smaller apertures to be used.

Of course, shutter speed settings are combined with aperture settings in setting the amount of light that comes into the camera. You can see it as the aperture determining the intensity of the light hitting the sensor and the shutter speed determining how long it hits the sensor for.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com

A splash of scarlet poppies among lush green fields in the foreground, a medieval hill town in Tuscany, the red brick warm and glowing, in the background - the photograph travel brochures dream of. People will flock to see fields of poppies. Finding the perfect combination to photograph together in real life, even in Tuscany, isn’t always easy. (See my article Poppies in Tuscany - the Digital Photography Alternative if you’re tempted to try to create the shot digitally).

Everywhere you drive among the Tuscan hills in late May, early June the fields of poppies cut a swathe of picturesque colour and strike a chord of nostalgia in those from countries where agriculture is now dominated by herbicides and pesticides. So the poppies are everywhere, medieval towns are scattered liberally over the countryside, but to find the two strategically placed at the right angle to each other, with the right light, to get the ultimate shot, involves a lot of driving down tracks and dirt roads.

Drive south from Siena, towards Montalcino, San Quirico d’Orcia and Pienza and you will find endless vistas of rolling hills, cypress trees, small towns on hills with Monte Amiata gently curving on the horizon. Here and there splashes of red lure you into finding a strada bianca (dirt road) to get closer - could this be your shot? After bumping miles down tracks only to find that the promising poppy field has no view of the town beyond you are ready to consider alternatives. Perhaps a background of a lone Romanesque church with a couple of sentinel cypress trees or a tumble-down farm-house.

It is very much a matter of luck and perseverance to find the right components of the shot - the skill lies in choice of lens (telephoto or wide-angle), angle (lying low down amid the flowers or standing up to gain the panoramic view), depth of field, time of day (morning or evening light).

Look at the shot through wide-angle lens first for greatest depth of field, make sure the background town doesn’t dwindle to nothing, fill the foreground with a sea of poppies. The telephoto gives more prominence to the town or church allowing a bright smudge of colour from the poppies in the foreground. Choose early morning or evening light - once you have found the right place to take the shot, you will have to calculate which is better and wait it out - midday sun will bleach out all colour and atmosphere.

Once the light is right shoot every possible combination of lenses, angles, apertures and framing (vertical and horizontal) that you can think of. By next week the poppies may be over or harvested and next year a different crop may have taken its place. So your shot will be unique, the definitive Poppies in Tuscany photograph of the year.

Kit Heathcock copyright 2006

Kit Heathcock - worked and travelled in Italy for many years, is passionate about food and loves being a fulltime mother. Co-creator of A Flower Gallery home of original flower pictures and Food and Family!

Filters are used in photography to bring back an image to the way our eyes have perceived the original scene. Some times it’s not possible for our cameras to record an exact scene - so we have to rely on the manufacturers of camera products.

Filters also help us to create mood in our images and bring out the best in a scene. A small selection of filters is well worth packing when heading off for a trip. They don’t take up too much space and will definitely add a bit of spice to your images.

Filters work by being placed in front of your camera lens. You can also place several filters in front of your camera at any given time.

Lets take a look at the most important ones to use.

Neutral Density Filters (ND): Neutral Density filters will certainly help you with tough exposures. These filters work by cutting down the light that reaches your lens. These filters come in a variety of strengths with the most popular being 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 - these filters will help with exposure without affecting colour.

One half of these filters is dark and the other is completely clear. They basically work by reducing brightness. The different numbers stand for the amount of brightness they reduce - 0.3 ND reduces light by one stop - 0.6 reduces light by 2 stops - 0.9 reduces light by three stops.

Lets say you arrive at a high contrast scene, - you take a light reading of the sky and get an exposure reading of F/22 at 1/8 second; you take a reading from the ground in front of you and get a reading of F/22 at 1 second. This is a difference of three stops of light. You need to reduce the brightness of the sky. By using the 0.9 ND you will reduce the light in the sky by three stops without affecting the light hitting the ground in front of you.

Polarizing Filters: A polarizing filter should be top of the list - a polarizing filter can be used with colour or black and white and is probably the most important filter on the market today. The polarizing filter will also darken the blue sky to give it a strong rich colour. It will make mist stand out and can be also used to give fast flowing water a misty effect. This filter is most effective with side lighting.

Warm-up filters: In overcast conditions, don’t put your camera away. This is an ideal time for you to switch your attention to landscape detail. On an overcast day images often appear cold and dull. Try using a warm-up filter. These filters will remove the dull effect that you get shooting without the sun.

The 81-series are the best choice and will give your images an extra bit of life. An 81A warm-up filter is ideal to use in adding extra warmth to low light images.

Filters for B/W photography: Just because you use black and white film it doesn’t mean that you can’t use filters - there are several filters for B/W photography. The polarizing filter is one of the few filters that work for B/W and colour photography. It will help to darken shades of grey in your final print.

The red filter is one of the most popular. This filter will darken the sky giving your image more impact. The most common red filter is the number 25. Filters for B/W work by transmitting light of its own colour, and holds back light of the other colours.

There’s a large amount of filters available; these are the most important filters for landscape photography.

There are also several filters on the market today that will do very little for your photography. Colour graduated filters should be left at home or placed in the bin - colour graduated filters work by creating un-natural colours, destroying your final print.

TJ Tierney. Award winning Irish Landscape photographer. If you are looking for more photo tips visit http://www.goldenirishlight.com/photographytips.html To view some of his images visit his on line gallery @ http://www.goldenirishlight.com