TAKING PICTURES OF PEOPLE AS A FASCINATING STUDY OF HUMANITY
January 20th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
When you think of photographing people, you may think of your family reunion or the Christmas party at work. These types of pictures of people are records of fun events with nice memories. Let’s take a look at another idea for taking pictures of people, with an entirely different slant.
Much as anthropologists study the diversity of characteristics of people in cultural, ethnic and environmental contexts, some photographers record these aspects of people in their pictures. If you’ve never thought of photography in this way, you may find this a fascinating new genre to explore.
Alfred Stieglitz was an early 20th century photographer whose life’s work was instrumental in popularizing pictures of people in their daily lives. His great talent was in capturing the emotions and humanity of people, such that the photograph draws the viewer into the subject’s experience at that moment in time.
Taking pictures of people with this goal in mind makes the photographer and the viewer grow in the understanding of human nature. For example, a photograph of a young man trying to hitch a ride in the rain can speak volumes about the experience. His poncho sparkles with the raindrops flowing in a steady stream to the ground. The lights of passing traffic highlight the contrast between the warm, dry drivers, heedless of his misery. In the same vein, a picture of a child curled up for a nap on a bench at a busy train station can capture the innocence of childhood contrasted with a bustling world of hurried grown-ups.
If you’d like to experiment with this form of photographs of people, look for ordinary people in contrasting environments or contexts. Children and the elderly pose extraordinary possibilities. The lined faces of the aged often make great subjects, reflecting character and wisdom. People are such interesting subjects. Facial expressions can convey a thousand moods and feelings.
Candid shots of family members is a good place to start. Instead of the usual snapshot of Dad posed at the barbecue, try getting a shot of his thoughtful expression as he samples his latest salsa creation, unsure that it’s quite right. Catch a shot of Grandma napping in a lounge chair with the baby.
Taking pictures of people with an eye to the feel and magic of the moment will make you a better and more enthusiastic photographer. You may find yourself so taken with this new experience, you’ll be wanting a darkroom and all the trimmings to pursue this hobby in a serious way. Photographing people is an artful endeavor. Take the leap!
Rolling Stones Tickets
January 20th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
I had always wanted to buy Rolling Stones tickets, but it seemed like, whenever they came to town, I was busy with something else. The first time I ever wanted to go to a Rolling Stones concert was almost 10 years ago. One of my good friends was getting married, and it seem like a small sacrifice to skip a concert for the marriage. Nonetheless, when they didn’t come around for a few years, I regretted missing a Rolling Stones show. I resolved to make sure to see them the next time they came around.
Unfortunately, when that happens, I just didn’t have enough money for Rolling Stones ticket prices. I was going through hard times back then, and Rolling Stones tickets don’t come cheap. There was just no way to justify spending more than 40 dollars just to see a concert. I went to the stadium and listened from outside, but it just wasn’t the same. The music came through a little bit, but it was muddy. Besides that, I didn’t get to see the stones in person. After all, isn’t that the whole point of going to a concert?
That is why, when they came around last year, I resolved to get Rolling Stones tickets. All those guys are getting pretty old and, although they can still rock, it is unclear how long they will be rocking for. I put off seeing the Grateful Dead until it was too late. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake with the Rolling Stones.
I waited in line for hours for the Rolling Stones tickets. Back then, I wasn’t as tech savvy as I am now. I thought that the best way to get tickets was to be right outside when the doors opened. Unfortunately, by that point a lot of them had already been sold to online buyers. Nonetheless, I still got good seats. I had a lot of money saved up, and was able to spring for the really premium viewing options. When I walked away with my Rolling Stones ticket, I was as happy as I could be.
The concert was a lot of fun. I went with a good friend of mine and had an absolute blast. I can’t remember the last time I danced like that! All in all, it was definitely worth the wait. I can’t wait until they come around on their next tour. I’ll definitely be there to see that.
Technorati Tags: rolling stones tickets
Related Tags: No Tags
Smart Retail Strategies For Retail Market
January 20th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
In the retail market, small changes can make or break you. This is what makes some people love owning retail stores and other people loathe it. You see, retail strategies are pretty unique. They really require a light touch, a sensitive eye, and constant attention to the smallest and most insignificant details.
Retail strategy, in fact, encompasses almost every aspect of running and operating a store. When the market was good, you could afford to let little things slide. You could put off updating your retail displays, for example, or not use cutting-edge advertisements. It didn’t matter – there were so many customers that everyone was getting enough business to stay afloat. Nowadays, however, people are much more careful with their money. Using the most effective and the most cost-effective retail strategies is crucial.
Selling retail clothing, I am hit pretty hard by changes in day to day, month to month, and year to year market conditions. I am completely ruthless with my retail strategies – I do everything that I can. Even things that seem to not do much good, such as sending out e-mail marketing newsletters, still help secure customer now and then. An even better idea is to shift from giving out discount coupons to selling inexpensive membership cards. Usually, a shopper will be willing to pay a couple dollars to buy a membership to your retail store. Once they do, they will feel brand loyalty – they will want to get the most use they can out of their membership.
Retail display setup is also an important aspect of good retail strategy. Product placement is everything. Put smart, sensible, down to earth products where smart, sensible, down to earth customers are likely to look. Have your “impulse buys”Where people are likely to be impulsive. This is why so many stores have apparently sloppy retail displays on the counter. If they make them look sloppy, impulsive, and last minute, people are likely to make sloppy, impulsive, last-minute decisions about them. People buy cute little items from these cases all the time.
When it all gets down to it, although marketing and advertising change from year to year, retail strategies are still about human psychology. If you have a good location, capitalize on it. If you don’t have a good location, go to great pains to emphasize that people willing to put a little more effort into their shopping will get better results. Your retail strategies should make your customers feel special for shopping with you. Then they will come back again!
A Reviewed of the Book “Tunnels” by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams
October 17th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
This book is 512 pages and has been handpicked to be Harry Potter’s successor by none other than Barry Cunningham - the former Bloomsbury editor who in 1996 first gave writer J.K Rowling a chance on her book about a boy wizard.
Tunnels is about 14 years old Will Burrows, who discovers a secret world hidden under the streets of London. It combines the glamour of archaeological adveture (think Indiana Jones) with good old fashioned battles between good (Will) and evil (the underground ruling calss called the Styx). A sequel is in the works.
Technorati Tags: books review, Brian Williams, Roderick Gordon
Related Tags: No Tags
Low Cost Ways to Expand Into China
September 15th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Are you thinking of expanding your outsourcing business to China? So what are your options for a low-cost solution?
The solution will differ according to the nature of your activities, which can generally be classified into two types:
Sourcing, distribution and exporting; or manufacturing.
For sourcing, distribution and exporting business, you could consider setting up a representative office in China for the following reasons:
- No registered capital required;
- Low incorporation costs; and
- Short incorporation procedures.
For manufacturing businesses, you can consider setting up a wholly-owned foreign enterprise or find an original equipment manufacturer for contract manufacturing.
Setting up a wholly-owned foreign enterprise will require the commitment of a certain amount of registered capital.
A Review of the Book “The End Of Mr Y” by Scarlett Thomas
September 15th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
British novelist Scarlett Thomas bears the burden of being a Bright Young Thing, part of the controversial New Puritans movement, and voted by the Independent as one of the best young writers of 2001.
If any proof was needed that his 35-years old lives up to the hype, then this book is it: a breathless narrative that propels you forward relentlessly like a bullet train; meaty ideas about love, life and the universe; and a delirious valentine to the pleasures of reading.
“The End of Mr Y” is all this, and you get a crash course on metaphysics to boot.
The protagonist Ariel Manto is a smart young woman, a PhD candidate who reads voraciously, sometimes to the detriment of life and the whole business of living.
Any bookworm can identify with her when she says: “Real life is physical. Give me books instead” Give me the invisibility of the contents of books, the thoughts, the ideas, the images. Let me become part of a book; I would give anything for that.”
She soon gets her wish when she stumbles upon a rare copy of The End Of Mr Y. The book is written by an obscure Victorian writer, Thomas Lumas, about whom Ariel is writing a thesis.
She discovers within its pages the secret to accessing the “Troposphere”, a sort of universe of the collective unconscious where she can leap into the minds and bodies of other living beings. She rapidly becomes addicted to trawling through this space but there are deadly dangers afoot.
This book is like a literary equivalent of the science-fiction hit movie, The Matrix, where a rollicking adventure story conceals a sneaky raft of ideas about sub-atomic particles, existence and reality.
As she gets sucked into the pleasures of living vicariously through the Troposphere, Thomas draws adeft parallel with bibliophiles who preere the thrills of armchair travelling to experiencing real life. In introducing real world threats which cross over to the Troposphere, however, she acknowledges that reading can be the most dangerous pursuit of all. After all, it is a never-ending quest for knowledge and you know where that led Eve.
If there is a complaint about this book it is that characterisation takes a backseat to plot and ideas. Ariel, despite, or perhaps because of, her erudition, is a mixed up mess in her personal life, embroiled and completely unable to sort through her finances.
Still this is a minor quibble given the other riches in this novel. You know a book is a keeper when it has succeeded in shifting your universe a stomach lurching degree off its usual axis.
