Digital Photography Home-Business Opportunities

For the next seven years, digital photography is forecasted to remain steady as a job opportunity for those that are interested in this field. While the competition is expected be strong amongst photographers and the demand for jobs will fall below the number of photographers there are expected to emerge in this field.

The most successful photographers exhibit traits in being creative, able to adapt rapidly to technology changes, and management proficiency. There are digital photography business courses available to help you gain the competitive edge. You will be able to start your own full or part-time business when you develop a good business sens and keep up-to-date on the rapidly changing technology.

There are many areas that you can pursue in a digital photography home business. I will cover a few of the areas for digital photography businesses.

Real Estate
Each year there are millions of homes sold in the US and real estate agents use at least one picture to advertise the property online, in magazines, in brochures, and in newspapers. As a digital photographer you could earn $50 to $100 a house working with real estate agents or others involved in real estate.

Portraits
There are many locations that you can use for a photo shoot. Many people like to have a professional portrait done of themselves for various reasons. The common charge for a shoot is $100 per hour and an additional $50 to $100 for prints and enlargements. There is also a strong demand for pet and children's portraits.

Sports
Being a photographer for sporting events can be profitable and exhilarating. As a sports photographer, you can submit your photos to event organizations, to participants and publications, local news agencies, and a variety of other types of news and sporting sites. The local minor league teams could pay $50 to $200 for team photos with extra sales potential for prints, premium items such as photo trading cards, T-shirts, and reprint. Do not forget your local school teams either as there is a hidden potential for a photo shoot for these teams.

Commercials
Every year there are billions of dollars spent on product advertisements. Commercial photography is normally limited to the more experienced photographers who can charges as much as $2,500 a day for high end product shots. There is also an opportunity for those that can also do shoots for the local chamber of commerce for their websites, local businesses for websites, and a wide array of other ways to earn as a commercial photographer.

Glamour
There are many beauty salons, hair dressers, and modeling agencies that use photos to help promote their services and products. While it is not uncommon for them to pay more than $150 an hour for promotional shoots with images that can be used for brochures, online advertising, point of sale materials, and business cards. There is an opportunity for those that wish to have photos of their staff and customers photographed for in house promotions or for conventions.

Stock Photography
There are agencies that specialize in stock photos that they resell to business for promotional purposes. For you to have your work listed with them they normally require a minimum submission of 300 to 500 photographs. As a stock photographer you can submit photos such as travel photos, landscape, people, animals, still life, and various other types of images that will appeal to their customers. The commissions for stock photographers can range from $5 to $100 for images that their customers purchase through their agencies.

News and Events
Many local newspapers, magazines, and newscasts often look for interesting human interest stories and pictures. The requirements for each of the types of periodicals will vary, but it is possible to have your pictures published, receive credit as a tag line, and possibly a payment for your photo.

Wedding Photography
There are photographers who will establish a wedding package of 25 to 40 prints that will retail for $1,500 to $3000. Normally this a type of shoot will take two days to work, the first day is to shoot the event and the second day is to process and prepare the album.

Graduation
There are parents who wish to have a professional photograph took of their graduate walking down the aisle and across the stage at graduation. The charges for photos could range from $5 to $10.

The Creation of Art is Subjective

The Creation of Art: A Review

The Creation of Art: New Essays in Philosophical Aesthetics edited by Berys Gaut and Paisley Livingston is a great book. As a person who loves art, I was excited to read a book dealing with art from a philosophical perspective. I was particularity impressed with the essays talking about genius and creativity. Therefore, these essays will be the focus of my review.

According to Guyer, genius is a gift for invention. This gift leads to originality in representation (Guyer116). He also claims that what the genius does is that he uses art to represent the freshness of nature (Guyer122). By stating this, I believe that he wishes us to see that when the genius uses nature as his canvas he wants whatever he paints or sculpts to be as fresh as the outdoors themselves.

I agree with Guyer's definition of genius. A genius doesn't just make a copy of what he sees in nature. Anyone with a small amount of artistic talent could do that. A genius seems to be able to take what he sees and shape it in such a way as to make it his or her own. For example, an artistic genius might paint a rose blue instead of red or pink. A statue may be sculpted out of gingerbread cookies instead of clay. A poem can describe the sunset as ‘rainbow sherbet melting in the sky'. Artistic genius seems to spark imagination. I also enjoyed the way he described Kant's view of what a successful work of art entails. A piece of artwork qualifies as a success when it brings human beings pleasure because its form and content starts a free play with our imagination and understanding (Guyer 127). This makes sense because some of the poetry that I write is inspired by what Kant calls ‘successful artwork'. For example, the first time I saw Van Gough's "Starry Night", I wrote a poem entitled "Imagine the Night Sky."

I also like the fact that Cohen states that human beings who appreciate fine art must posses a bit a genius (Cohen 145). This is because it seems that we are geniuses when we can appreciate Shakespeare or Van Gough. It seems that being a genius isn't ass hard as first appears. It seems that all it takes to be a genius is the ability to change the ordinary or the ability to appreciate the extraordinary. However, it is unclear what it takes to be an appreciator of fine art or to have something labeled an appreciator of fine art. It is also unclear how much an artist must change something to be called a genius. Therefore, being labeled a genius isn't a clear cut decision. In other words, many factors may play a part in being labeled a genius.

Olsen does good job talking about creativity. I like the way that he uses Shakespeare to describe what poets do. Shakespeare claims that a poet's pen "gives to an airy nothing a place and a name" (Olsen 192). This description reminds me of Plato. According to Plato, the Muses are vital to poets: "If anyone comes to the gates of poetry and expects to become an adequate poet by acquiring expert knowledge of the subject without the Muses' madness, he will fail" (Phdr 245a). The Muses seem to help the poet's pen give life to nothing.

The discussion of the creative personality is provocative. Creative people may have non-conventional thoughts. This may be due to a need to resist being mainstreamed on society. A creative person wishes to give into his or her own unique nature (Olsen 196). I think that a creative person can have a unique nature and still create a painting, poem, or short story using a very structured regimen. In other words, creativity doesn't have to give way to convention and structure. One thing that a creative person might create is a fictional character. However, many philosophers have argued that fictional characters can't be created. I don't agree with the idea that fictional characters have no reality at all. It makes more sense to believe that fictional characters come into being only because of the mental and physical acts of an author. Because of this, fictional characters have become part of most cultures.

While most of this book was informative and interesting, one essay that I read was boring. The essay deals with the origins of creativity. The explanations of the origins of creativity are cognitive, biological, and social. The argument seems to be that creativity comes from all three sources. This comes as no surprise to me. In addition, the biological portion of the essay was a bit confusing.

This book is worth reading because it stimulates and educates readers. Also, it has put art in a new perspective for me. For the most part, people will not need a background in art to understand and enjoy this book; therefore, I recommend this book.


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Film School - Chapman University's Groundbreaking New Facility

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Chapman University located in Orange, CA is a small private school but lately it has been making headlines. Why you ask? Well, as of June 2006 it is the first film school in the world to have it’s own backlot studio. Chapman’s 800 undergraduate and graduate film students, part of the Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, will now be housed in the Marion Knott Studios, a beautiful 76,000 square foot complex. 

The notion of a studio lot where students could get more hands-on experience and be in the atmosphere they would someday work in came to the thought of Dean Bob Bassett years ago. It took some time and money ($31 million), but his dream is now a reality. With a 4,000 square foot sound stage and it’s baby brother, a 2,500 square foot sound stage that students will have access to, they can shoot cinematography projects, create set-ups for broadcast journalism and film special effects on the green screen stage. 

The facility will also house a foley stage for creating sound effects, 36 editing suites, sound booths, motion capture capable rooms, set construction rooms, audition spaces, Dolby surround sound mixing stages as well as numerous classroom and viewing/seminar rooms. 

Also impressive is the 500 seat Folino Family Cinema theater where students will be able to screen their work, both 35mm film and digital film. 

Chapman University offers film degrees in screenwriting, film production, film studies, public relations and advertising, broadcast journalism, and producing. An emphasis within these majors is also available. All of the faculty are currently employed within the industry as well as professors. 

As a recent graduate of Chapman’s film school I must tell you, it is the most amazing film program. I loved every moment of it. From the first orientation when Bob Bassett told us to enjoy our last week of sleep because we wouldn’t be sleeping for the next few years to the grueling morning hours trying to finishing editing a film before it’s 8 a.m. deadline. It was the best experience I could have possibly had at a school. 

The classes are mostly 10-12 students, with the exception of the lecture/seminar classes which get as big as 45-50 students. For a university class, that’s still incredibly small. If you’re looking for personalized education by professor who really actually care about you then Chapman is the place. All of my professors were always available to help students outside of class and even after graduation. Most give their students their cell phone numbers and private email addresses so they can be reached at any time. Chapman hires professionals who not only know their craft but are able and willing to help the next crop of aspiring filmmakers. 

Chapman’s film program also has a few special programs to further enrich the curriculum. Among these is the Filmmaker-In-Residence program where one filmmakers comes and spends the semester with a select group of students chosen through an application process. These students meet the filmmaker weekly to work on their projects. It is this kind of personal hands on teaching that makes Chapman special, and will, I believe propel it to the top of the list as the best film school in not only the nation, but the world.

Novel Baby Gift Ideas for the New Mom or Parent to Be

celtics baby clothes

Anyone who has ever shopped for a baby gift - whether aimed at the child itself or to either or both new Mom and Dad - knows how tough it can be to get a present that 15 other people have not already given. Most of us, too, have had to buy for a mom or parents that we don't even know all that well, making a tough purchase that much harder to get right.

That's not to say that traditional baby gifts aren't very much appreciated. Every parent knows all too well that they can never have enough disposal diapers and extra blankets and towels always get used. One too many baby books or silver spoons, however, cry out for store return.

Also, it can be extraordinarily satisfying when you're able to present a gift that is a particularly good value for you as the giver while also being something the recipient(s) will truly appreciate. Add to this the delightful buzz you get when you give something the recipients brags about for months to come, and it can become worth your time to invest some creativity into the process.

But before you buy anything, it helps if you can determine if there is anything the recipient really needs. All too often, many expectant parents do a large amount of shopping - or getting hand-me-downs from family and friends - but they may arrive at the delivery room realizing they have no baby bottles or formula or even the all-vital crib or carseat. Always try to go for parental need over almost any other type of gift.

Once you discover they're fairly well set for necessities, stop and think about what you do know about the expectant mom or parents. A gift that the dad can enjoy equally with the mom is a big plus; men frequently get forgotten at baby gifting time even though they're essential to the process.

Consider some of these ideas for unique, incredibly useful, and/or much appreciated baby gift offerings, grouped by expense categories that include budget, moderate and higher end. But don't forget that you can afford a more expensive gift if you get a few people also planning to buy a gift to go in together with you. It's a great way to get something nicer without breaking your bank account and eliminating the problem for several gift givers at once.

Budget:

A special ornament for the child's first Christmas or other holiday

Combine a smaller practical gift like baby bottles or a blanket with one or two prepared meals to help the new parents get through the first hectic week with the newborn

Start a tree or plant in advance and then, when large enough, place in a nice pot to give the new parents with a little poem or salutation that emphasizes the new life of your gift as well as their child

Put together a keepsake box you decorate or appoint yourself that you can start for the new parents before you present it; a crafts store will have just about everything you need

Buy copies of newspapers or visit the newspapers online and then print a copy of some of the biggest news stories on the day the child is born. Once you have them, assemble the clippings into a scrapbook with the birth date and name of the child listed on the front

Put together a book or portfolio of pictures that document the months before the baby arrives which can become a great keepsake for both parents and the child

RedEnvelope.com and several other shops offer different versions of a baby care kit which includes a comb, a tiny brush, medicine spoon, teether, and other much-needed accessories that new parents don't always have when the child first comes home; for a little bit more, you can usually put one of these kits together yourself, personalized for the specific needs of the parents and child

Use your computer and printer and desktop publishing software to create an artsy or cute booklet of coupons for "services" the new mom or parents can redeem. Here are some suggestions for coupons:
-Three or four coupons for an evening or weekend day of babysitting
- Volunteer to grocery shop or pick up the dry cleaning
- Offer a home made dinner or a drop-off breakfast or lunch
- Offer to return unwanted baby gifts and/or help with thank you notes
- If the new family has not finished their baby room, volunteer to paint or wallpaper or wax the floors
- Offer a morning of house cleaning, rug shampooing, or garage organizing
- Volunteer to groom the family dog when the pet gets a little too dirty to be around the baby

Moderate:

A book store gift certificate (new parents often want to buy books or tapes to learn more about parenting)

A tree or plant or stepping stone that can be placed in the garden or elsewhere in the yard to commemorate the new addition to the family

An assortment of pillows suitable for use with a baby to protect them on a bed or keep them in one place on the floor

A duo or trio of beautiful picture frames that would be great to use with some of the baby pictures; you can find some great buys in used furniture shops that can clean up well

A roomy lap blanket that Mom, Dad and Baby can use as they curl up on the sofa together

A basket of easy to prepare foodstuffs and snacks to help the parents out when they can't get dinner because the baby is fussing

Buy a great carry-all that you fill with great take-along items like baby wipes, diapers, baby lotion, energy snack bars for the parents, and more

Higher End:

A week of prepared, possibly frozen meals that can be reheated

A basket of high energy snacks

A gift certificate for a professional photography session for a baby portrait

Prepaid cell phone for the new parent without one

A super easy digital camera they can dedicate to baby pictures

Scour used furniture shops for a decent rocking chair that can be cleaned up into a beautiful, vintage gift

A gift certificate for an hour of massage, a session at a day spa, or a nice dinner out