Games for Mind Strengthening

Who doesn’t like to play games over the internet or purchase PC games as they are believed to relax some people’s mind? Online games are a rage for kids as well as adults these days, as they are considered to be one of the best stress busters today. But apart normal strategy games, brain teasers which help in exercising the brain cells and strengthening the mind has gained widespread popularity among masses. They not only prove to be a great source of entertainment but also train you brain muscles to keep them active and polishing to help them function better and an in intellectual way. Here are some games which prove really helpful for the mind.

“Inside and Outside”, “Two in One” or “The monkeys and Brain Games” help improving your attention span. These games basically test as to how sharp your attention towards things is. How much of importance you think paying attention is and how paying attention by the end of the day pays off is best proven by these games, as they hone the activity of exercising the cells which help in improving our attention skills.

“Picasso” or “Brain Teasers for the weekend” are the best examples for improving your memory to a large extent. Simple yet very helpful games to help you exercise your memory power and to test you as to how much more you need to work on the memory span of your mind.

“Towers of Hanoi”, “The Blind beggar”, “The Empty triangle” and “Tipping the Scales” improve the planning strategies of your mind. They are basically patter recognition and planning based games which help you think and plan things in a better way and help develop your brain to think of situation planning more.

Visual brain teasers like “Men­tal Imagery and Spa­tial Rota­tion”, and “Train your Frontal and Pari­etal lobes” test the limits of your peripheral vision. It helps you to solve puzzles based on how strongly you see and observe the visual. It connects the intellectuality of the eye and mind.

“Words in your Brain”, “Party for Polyglots” are some Language and Logic  brain teasers which test and exercise your mind based on your language and logic. It mainly tests your logic based on how well you understand things. Develops a lot of logical sense and builds in relating your language skills and your logical reasoning to solve teasers.

Crossword puzzles, Sudoku puzzles, and Jigsaw puzzles can actually increase brain power. Learning something challenging also helps. Games such as these help in keeping the brain mentally active and help us in coping up with all the daily stress we go through at school, college or work.

“Fork in the Road” or “The Unkind­est Cut of All, Part 1 of 2” are some Math puzzles which help in exercising the brain in a very efficient way.  They act as big time stress buster, fun to play, and also train your mind and activate your thinking cells in a very effective way, that would help you think on issues in a much easier and sorted way, as they help in developing your thinking process and activate your grey cells for their efficient usage!

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Top 5 Mind Power games

Our brain is a powerhouse and along with physical health, it is equally important that we take small efforts to keep our brain active and alive.Your brain is a complex muscle – use it or lose it.

Here are some games that help improve your brain power and are equally fun at the same time.

1)      Scrabble

Scrabble helps in memory improvement and acts as a mental workout. The thought process that goes into your head before forming words on the square tiles can actually benefit you and help you with your daily activities in life otherwise.

2)      Puzzles and word puzzles

Working on puzzles boosts your thinking powers and your problem solving skills. It acts as a high quality mind game that is not only an effective pastime but also activates corners of your brain.

Word puzzles like crosswords, brain teasers , anagrams etc  keeps your mind pumping along with updating your vocabulary.

3)      Chess

Chess is a game that trains your brain and increases your thinking speed , reasoning abilities and brain creativity. This is the perfect brain gym that can keep you engaged and hooked onto the game for hours.

4)      Jenga and pickup sticks

To play jenga or pickup sticks , you need to strategize and plan in your head before every move you make. Also taking a block or stick out from the pile requires massive amounts of concentration.Focusing and concentrating are aspects of the brain that are easily covered by this game.

5)      Memory games

Memory games in reference to places , names , objects , sentences etc is an excellent way to sharpen your brain and improve your memory and retention skills. Long term memory span problems are common these days. Sometimes it’s even hard to remember things in daily lives such as names , phone numbers etc. Memory games played on a regular basis will help solve this problem.

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Creative ways to get product ideas

Consumers are always on the prowl for creative and innovative products in the market. People get tired of mundane products and are always on the lookout for something new and exciting. Therefore it is very important for a company to keep coming with creative product ideas in order to attain success.As they say , “ When you stick to conventional ideas , you get conventional results”.Here are some of the ways in which companies can make sure that they are doing exactly that.

1. Current trends and familiarization

Observing surrounding situations and learning more about current trends will always be beneficial for you as a company. Making the product relevant and related to “what’s in “is a very important factor to the immediate success of the product.

2. Reincarnation

It’s natural to run out of ideas when it comes to design and innovation. In this case you should think of taking up and existing product and reinventing it to atleast appear like its something new.You can either play around with its features and characteristics to give it a new dimension. Reincarnation may also involve removing certain aspects of the product to make it special and indispensible.

3. Combine

It is always a good idea to think of combining the physicality or properties of two products and sell that as an entirely different new product.

4. Surveys and research

Talk to consumers and find out what their need is. Then you can develop the product to satisfy their needs and thus gain from them too .Try to offer the consumer a package which he wont get from your competitor in the same field.

5. Brainstorming

It may happen that only half an idea subconsciously lies in your head. In this case , brain storming helps in combining your idea with someone else’s half and creating something absolutely unique. They also help in corrective discussions and ideas that may be a failure can be more easily spotted.

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Things to consider while buying a camera

Going on a camera shopping can prove to very stressful indeed, obviously for people who aren’t tech savvy! Thousands and hundreds of models are stacked up those shelves and it can result in a perplex task.

Every camera takes good pictures! But the more skill you have, your camera helps you further more. There are quite a number of things to consider while buying a camera; this article informs you on several things to keep in mind while choosing a camera.

Why do you need a camera?

This is a question you need to ask yourself before buying a camera. What kind of photography you would be doing? Whether it’s going to be landscape or portraits etc. What is you budget? How experienced are you with the camera? What type of feature you are looking for?

These are several questions you would ask when you consider before buying a camera!

1. The size of digital cameras goes from “slim enough to fit in your jeans pocket” to “big enough that you need a separate bag just to carry it.” They say the bigger is usually better when cameras are concerned.

2.  People these days buy a camera depending on the megapixels.

One of the main questions to ask when it comes to megapixels is ‘Will you be printing shots’? If so – how large will you be going with them? If you’re only printing images at a normal size then anything over 4 or so megapixels will be fine. If you’re going to start blowing your images up you might want to pay the extra money for something at the upper end of what’s on offer today.

3. Hunt down.

Ten different shops will have 10 different quoted prices on that particular camera you require. So make sure you have done adequate market search. Do not zero down on your options instantly.

4. Read reviews

Before buying a digital camera take the time to do a little research. Don’t JUST rely upon the advice of the helpful sales person (who may or may not know anything about cameras and who may or may not have sales incentives for the camera they are recommending).

Read some reviews in digital camera magazines or online to help you narrow down the field. There are some great websites around that give expert reviews.

5. Hands down experience.

Once you’ve narrowed down your search to a handful of cameras head into your local digital camera shop and ask to see and play with them. There’s nothing like having the camera in your hands to work out whether it suits your needs.

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E-books

With the growing arenas in technology , even the traditional habit and activity of reading has upgraded itself to a completely new level.Electronic books , popularly known as e-books are basically electronically displayed copies of regular printed books.There are devices ie- e-book readers are specially designed only for the purpose of reading such books. However e-books can also be read on laptops , computers , tablets etc.

Advantages of E-books
1)  Portability
With the help of an eBook reader , laptop etc it is possible to read multiple books on a single device. It gets rid of the problem of trying to accommodate  multiple books in limited space while travelling or even for storage purposes.

2)  Lighting conditions
In the case of an e-book , it is possible to read it under all lighting conditions especially in the absence of light because of the prevailing background  light in the electronic device which contains the e-book.

3)  Easily Readable
It is easier to adjust the e-books according to your convenience like adjusting the fonts , page size , zoom functions etc.

4)  Great for new releases
E-books are a great option in the case of new book releases. Not only are they available for cheaper but you can also avoid the problem of sold out copies which are often prevalent during the initial launch of the book.

Disadvantages of E-books
1)  Strain to eyes
Looking at the screen of an e-book for long hours can be a huge strain on the eyes. Apart from causing temporary irritation , constant and prolonged  exposure can lead to more serious eye problems.

2)  Power
Ebook readers , laptops,tablets or other devices have a power of maximum 2-3 hours and you may not always have access to power supply. This is a negative point considering how the paper books does not require any other supplementary device.

3) E book formats
A wide variety of ebook formats are available.Many of them are specific to certain ebook readers only whereas one particular book may not be available in all formats.

4)  Destroys the novelty of books
Many argue that no technology can replace the pleasure of flipping through pages of the book .The smell of pages and the feeling of printed paper holds a special place in the hearts of many and it’s hard for such people to change their reading habits.

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Must Read Novels of all Time

Some people find it a real daunting task to read novels, as reading if the one thing which requires love, patience and passion. Although the internet has become a replacement for many things today, online reading still doesn’t stand a match to the same feeling and enjoyment which a novel lover derives out of reading a physical hard cover book. Right from suspense to romantic comedy, novels still till date stand for knowledge and wisdom as the art of book reading is still alive today. Here is a list of some best novels, which I believe, is a must read for any person involved in the art of reading.

• Tale of Two Cities: A classic novel by one of the most famous classic novelist, Charles Dickens, this book is set in the backdrop of before and during the French Revolution in London and Paris. The novel depicts the plight of the French peasantry during and after the French revolution, giving a clear description as to how this strong revolution changed and affected the lives of many. With well over 200 million copies sold, this novel stands out as one of the best fictional books one must read.
• The Da Vinci Code: It is a mystery detective novel written by Dan Brown.It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu who investigate a murder in Paris’s Louvre Museum and later find the victim’s body posed and framed like Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous drawing, the Vitruvian Man with a cryptic message written beside his body. This book was not well reviewed by critics because of its negative appraisals concerning its literary value and its portrayal of history.  The novel nonetheless became one of the bestselling novels in 2009, selling about 80 million copies worldwide.
• Lolita: A novel written by Vladimir Nabokov, this novel became best known for its writing style in the year 1955 and in other part of the world in 1958. It became very notable for the controversial lines it was based on wherein a middle aged literature professor Humbert becomes obsessed with the 12 year old Dolores Haze (Lolita) with whom he gets intimately involved after Lolita ends up being his stepdaughter. Lolita became one of the most controversial pieces of literature of the 2oth century, being one of the famous classic novels of all time.
• Angels and Demons: The bestselling novel of the year 2000, written by Dan Brown, it became one of the best fictional mystery suspense novels of all time. The novel tells about a Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon, of how he works to solve a murder and prevent the city of Vatican against a dangerous terrorist attack.
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: This is one powerful, simple and inspiring novel for people all across the world. This book has been successful in inspiring a devoted crowd in many part of the world. A truly life=-changing novel, Paulo Coelho’s writing and imagination would make you change your perspective to look at things, making the book an eternal testament to the transformation power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.
• Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer:This Novel talks of two men and their lust for power and success. They are locked in a relentless struggle to build an empire, fueled by their all consuming hatred.  Born in two different environments and living totally different lifestyles, after many glorious years they find each other fighting and battling for the success and triumph only one man can have.

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Top Digital Cameras

Here we have provided you with a list of top digital Cameras in India 2012 with their latest update.

1. Samsung MV800

Samsung has just released the new MV800 Multiview Camera which has a 3 inch flip out display screen, 16.1 megapixels, *5 optical zoom and a wide angle shot with 26mm lens.

2. Canon PowerShot SX210 IS

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS comes with a 4.1 megapixel and 14* Optical Zoom. It has optical image stabilization, 8mm wide angle lens. It’s got 3.0 inches wide LCD screen and a rechargeable lithium ion battery.

3. Canon PowerShot S95

This camera comes with manual control blur free shooting, ultra slim, 10.0 megapixel sensor, 3.8* Optical zoom, 28 mm wide angle lens, Digic 4 Image Processor, 720p HD video Recording, HDMI Output, Intuitive manual control and upgradeable memory.

4. Canon Digital IXUS 130

This camera has 14.1 megapixel quality with 4* optical zoom. It has optical image stabilization, 2.7 inch LCD display, HD video recorder, 28mm wide angle lens, smart shutter technology, and motion detection technology, face detection, on screen hints and tips and finally HDMI connectivity.

5. Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX9 H

Sony cyber shot DSC-TX9 H comes with 1/2.3 Exmor R CMOS sensor, Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar, 2.0 Hi-Speed, Self Timer, Optical Zoom for movie recording, auto focus illuminator, Lithium ION Battery, Battery Remaining Indicator, Power Cord, Wrist strap and multi output stand.

6. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370 B

Sony cyber-shot DSC-W370 B comes with a Bright F3.6 Sony Lens, 14mm wide angle lens, 7* optical zoom, Sweep Panorana, 3.0 inch LCD Screen, Optical zoom during video recording, Lithium ION Battery, NR slow shutter, Self Timer, Pre-flash, auto daylight Syncro, Face detection, slide show play back, auto review and index playback.

7. Panasonic Lumix DMC LX5

This camera has a self timer, Image stabilizer, external flash, LCD Display and Li-Ion Battery. Panasonic Lumix consists of 40MB internal memory.

8. Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

This camera has 12.1 megapixels CMOS sensor, 2.7 inch wide Vari-angle LCD, Optical Image Stabilizer and Hi-Speed USB.

9. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35

This camera has a smooth joystick control, 2-speed zoom, optical image stabilizer, focus range display, AF assist Lamp and quick menu.

10. Panasonic Lumix DMC FH5

This camera has a 2.7 inch LCD, USB cable, color filter, spot metering, PicBridge and image stabilizer.

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Top 10 indoor games

From ages people have invented various types of indoor games. Apart from amusement, Indoor games bind the members of the family. There are card games, indoor sports, board games, and table top games. Here is a list of ten popular indoor games.

• Chess: Chess is popular since centuries. A board game, chess involves a lot of patience. You have to be clever and calculate your moves. There are two opponents, each has 16 pieces and there are 64 squares. The ultimate aim is to “checkmate” your opponent’s king. It’s interesting and it won’t let your brain rust!

• Carrom: Carrom is played on a board and there can be a maximum of four players. There are three coloured coins: black, white and red. Red is the queen. You have to ‘pot’ all your coins before your opponent does. It is also called finger billiards.

• Tic tac toe: Very common and almost known to everyone, tic tac toe game needs minimal setup. It is a paper pencil game with 2 players. There is a 3*3 grid and each player takes turn for filling X and O. Placing three respective marks in diagonal, horizontal or a vertical line can make you win.

• Table tennis: Also known as ping pong, in this a lightweight ball is hit by two or four players. A hard table and tennis rackets are required. You have to quick as the play is fast.

• Foosball: It is also called table football. It is a table top game based on football. A coin toss usually decides the initial service. There are 8 rows of ‘foos men’. Whoever scores the predetermined number of goals, wins the game.

• Darts: It is throwing game where ‘darts’ are aimed at a dartboard fixed on a wall.

• Hide and seek: It is a very old game but is still popular. A player, designated as “it”, counts till a pre-decided number while in the meantime other players hide somewhere.  The player “it” finds other players and when are sought, they assume the role of “it”.

• Card games: There is a pack of 52 cards, four suits: spades, diamonds, clubs, and hearts. There are picture cards of jack, king and queen. Different games are played with varying number of players. Bridge, Rummy, 28, are among the popular ones.

• Table hockey: It is also called rod hockey or board hockey. It is a game of two players and is derived from ice hockey. It is also similar to the concept of air hockey.

• Scrabble: A 15*15 game board in which two or four players score points by forming meaningful words. The words are formed in a crossword fashion, across and down. The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary has words which can be used in the game.  This game is available in 29 different languages.

In today’s technological world, internet has everything available on it. All these games are available on internet also. In fact, there are countless other games too. Few websites for online games are:http://www.gameguru.in/  , http://www.pagat.com/ , http://www.mastersgames.com/index.html

You can choose any game of your type and have unlimited fun.

Note: the information is collected through secondary research

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Are you Photographed or Photoshoped?

There is a huge debate among the photographers as to whether photography presented in its purest form is dead! Many argue that the quality of photographs captured is deteriorated tremendously. This is because on the other hand people think their captured images can be and are a lot better than the originally clicked ones. So, since the dawn of photoshop and other editing softwares like picasa photography has lost its charm and authenticity behind the effects of these softwares.

Once we click a picture, the quality of that image is determined within a minute. Early years, just like traditional processing Photoshop is not the last resort or even considered to be a resort to edit pictures. But a common phrase is well known among all young photographers, “I’ll fix it later, in Photoshop!” Does the young generation mean that they are more comfortable in front of a computer than in back of a camera? More than an ethical photographer, many love to enjoy the feedback given after editing the images in Photoshop, the manipulation software.

I came across a phrase a photographer shared, “Photoshop is like the new-age cosmetic to your original image”. How true is that! But if students say that they are more comfortable on the computer, they are losing the charm of real photography and they mean they have a better meaning to photography when they use photoshop! Photoshop is leads a great business in the list of any professional/formal training of photography.

There are many photographers who CANNOT do without using Photoshop and the consequences are that they fail to present a beautiful picture instead of a ‘good to see’ captured image. And, to make a larger story such kind of photographers cannot impress larger audience/networks. In initial stages, the images appear fantastic but gradually they get boring and create disorientation and some people may not follow his/her pictures, future.

Realistically or practically Photoshop and some other softwares are a great tool to change the photographic image. The issue is among the young budding photographers and their addiction to these softwares and tools. Photoshop cannot be underestimated commercially because it has been successful in replacing the traditional processing of images since the early years of history.

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Sample Movie Script

If you aspire to share a story in the industry and see it built into a film, it is essential for you to write your story down with as much details as possible, in order for the professionals’ better understanding and visualization of your story. This written work for the film is called a script.

Two types of scripts are: spec script and shooting script. A spec script is the elemental work and once the film maker approves of this script, the screenwriter then proceeds to write the shooting script. The building blocks of your script should be clear enough to make the reader understand the setting, characters, dialogues, actions taking place and the transitional elements. One also needs to ensure that the descriptions need to be short and crisp. It is advisable for beginners to read as many film scripts as possible to draw the basics out.

Before writing a script it is important for you to know the industry standards and format of writing one. The script acts as the blue print of a film and across the industry there are several layout and formatting guidelines one needs to follow. Ignoring this would make your piece look unprofessional and not garner the kind of reactions you expect to have. To make this task easy, a number of script writing softwares are available online like: DreamaScript, Final Draft, Movie Outline etc.

As an example, here’s a part of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey’s script:

THERE IS NOTHING BUT SILENCE.

C111
POOLE’S FIGURE SHRINKS STEADILY AS IT RECEDES FROM DISCOVERY.

BOWMAN
Hello, Frank… Do you read me, Frank? Wave your arms if you read me but your radio doesn’t work. Hello, Frank, wave your arms, Frank.

C112
POOLE’S BODY TUMBLES AWAY SLOWLY. THERE IS NO MOTION AND NO SOUND.

12/1/65

C113
CENTRIFUGE

C114
CLOSE-UP OF COMPUTER EYE.

C115
POINT-OF-VIEW SHOT FROM COMPUTER EYE WITH SPHERICAL FISH-EYE EFFECT. WE SEE BOWMAN BROODING AT THE TABLE, SLOWLY CHEWING ON A PIECE OF CAKE AND SIPPING HOT COFFEE. HE IS LOOKING AT THE EYE.

C116
FROM THE SAME POINT-OF-VIEW WE SEE BOWMAN RISE.

12/1/65

C116
CONTINUED

AND COME TO THE EYE. HE STARES INTO THE EYE FOR SOME TIME BEFORE SPEAKING.

C117
THE CAMERA COMES AROUND TO BOWMAN’S P.O.V. AND WE SEE THE DISPLAY SHOWING THE EARTH OFF-CENTRE.

C118
CUT AGAIN TO FISH-EYE VIEW FROM THE COMPUTER.

HAL
Too bad about Frank, isn’t it?

BOWMAN
Yes, it is.

HAL
I suppose you’re pretty broken up about it?

PAUSE

12/14/65

C118
CONTINUED

BOWMAN
Yes. I am.

HAL
He was an excellent crew member.

BOWMAN LOOKS UNCERTAINLY AT THE COMPUTER.

HAL
It’s a bad break, but it won’t substantially affect the mission.

BOWMAN THINKS A LONG TIME.

BOWMAN
Hal, give me manual hibernation control.

HAL
Have you decided to revive the rest of the crew, Dave?

PAUSE.

12/14/65

C118
CONTINUED

BOWMAN
Yes, I have.

HAL
I suppose it’s because you’ve been under a lot of stress, but have you forgotten that they’re not supposed to be revived for another three months.

BOWMAN
The antenna has to be replaced.

HAL
Repairing the antenna is a pretty dangerous operation.

BOWMAN
It doesn’t have to be, Hal. It’s more dangerous to be out of touch with Earth. Let me have manual control, please.

HAL
I don’t really agree with you, Dave. My on-board memory store is more than capable of handling all the mission requirements.

12/14/65

C118
CONTINUED

BOWMAN
Well, in any event, give me the manual hibernation control.

HAL
If you’re determined to revive the crew now, I can handle the whole thing myself. There’s no need for you to trouble.

BOWMAN
I’m going to do this myself, Hal. Let me have the control, please.

HAL
Look, Dave you’ve probably got a lot to do. I suggest you leave it to me.

BOWMAN
Hal, switch to manual hibernation control.

HAL
I don’t like to assert myself, Dave, but it would be much better now for you to rest. You’ve been involved in a very stressful situation.

12/14/65

C118
CONTINUED

BOWMAN
I don’t feel like resting. Give me the control, Hal.

HAL
I can tell from the tone of your voice, Dave, that you’re upset. Why don’t you take a stress pill and get some rest.

BOWMAN
Hal, I’m in command of this ship. I order you to release the manual hibernation control.

HAL
I’m sorry, Dave, but in accordance with sub-routine C1532/4, quote, When the crew are dead or incapacitated, the computer must assume control, unquote. I must, therefore, override your authority now since you are not in any condition to intelligently exercise it.

BOWMAN
Hal, unless you follow my instructions, I shall be forced to disconnect you.

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Documentry Film Making

In the simplest of terms, a documentary can be defined as a non-fictional film. Although, the art of documentary film making has seen some rapid changes in the recent times, documentaries have a lot of history associated with them.

The term ‘documentary’ came into existence from the late 1920s. However, artists familiar with recording pictures in motion had started experimenting with documentary films as early as 1900s. One of the pioneers of documentary film making was Robert Flaherty, known for his 1922 release, ‘Nanook Of The North’. The idea behind documentaries in 1920s was to ‘document’ the happenings, that is to ‘document’ history as it was being made. Travelogues were also widely made in those days as one could see development all around. Although a documentary is meant to be completely non-fictional, directors from the earliest of times have in a lot of ways tried to stage the action onscreen or even re-enact certain scenes.

Then came the city symphonies, where documentaries were made around the globe to show people living their daily lives in their particular environment. These had a lot of learning value as one could witness how people from different cultures and traditions went about living their life. People started witnessing a new trend in documentary film making just about then, called ‘Kino Pravada’ which used newsreels to show the reality people were living in. Then came the most disappointing phase in documentary film making history, when countries and people in power started to use documentaries for political propaganda with the world on the verge of a second world war. This trend started off in Germany with Leni Riefenstahl making the ‘Triumph of Will’ under Nazi supervision. Soon this style of documentary film making caught up in other countries like America, France, and Italy etc.

Technical advances has then on evolved the art of documentary film making greatly as film makers were able to efficiently use lights, sounds and set-ups in order to create a professional look for their documentaries. This gave rise to the more recent style of documentary film making called ‘Cinema Verite’ where the camera acts as the viewers’ eyes and participates or observes an action through the camera. Pioneers of this technique include Allan King, Richard Leacock, and Michael Moore etc.

Like making a feature film, documentary film making also requires one to go through the three stages of pre-production, production and post-production thoroughly. To begin with, one can watch and learn from the rich resources available these days. Tracing the documentary film history could be extremely beneficial for any aspiring film maker as there’s a lot to learn about the different styles of documentary film making. It is important for any aspiring film maker to be familiar with the technical tools as these come in handy while recording challenging shots or scenes. Technical finesse only makes the film look better. Also, before making a documentary film it is important for you to know your topic inside out. Since a documentary is not feature film, one needs to form a structure for the documentary before making one, as it holds the narrative together and presents the documentary as one cohesive product.

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How to choose a guitar for a beginner

If you are interested in learning how to play the guitar then you need to buy one. In order to buy a guitar, while considering yourself as a beginner you will need to consider quite a few things. You need to find out what kind of music you are interested and what sound do you want from your guitar. You should also remember that if you are a beginner and you do not need to spend a lot on your guitar. Make sure you purchase a less expensive guitar with good quality which will last and will not lose its sound. Something that you should remember while purchasing your first guitar is, not to choose your guitar according to the color or how it looks. The quality and the sound is the most important feature you should be looking for. You should also remember that you are not going to be able to play your guitar comfortably in the beginning as you need to do some adjustments.

Takamine

One of the best beginner acoustic guitars is a Japanese brand called Takamine. There are great acoustic guitars with good folk sound by Takamine. These guitars are quite perfect for a beginners and finger style playing. These guitars are in quite a reasonable price range.

Epiphone AJ

Another great acoustic guitar for beginners is the Epiphone AJ. This guitar is one of those which will stick with you no matter what. These guitars are perfect guitar for beginners and they are priced quite reasonably.

Ibanez

Ibanez acoustic guitar is a great beginner guitar with a good tone and a nice shape. These guitars seem superior look wise but at the end it is all up to you how you want your guitar to look like. This guitar is quite popular. It is reasonably priced and it makes a good beginner guitar which will last you for a long while.

Yamaha

Yamaha is probably makes the best beginner guitars. You can buy a Yamaha guitar as your first guitar and it will probably be your last. There are Yamaha guitar packages which include tuner, strap, cover, manual, and a tutorial book.

These are some of the best guitars that you can buy as your first. Keep on rocking!

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How to write a diary

Diary Writing is more popular than you think it is! A lot of people have meticulously been writing away every detail of their lives while you are zooming through life with no records of your personal growth! Its not too late though..start writing today!

• You could do it the old fashioned way, with a fat, fancy notebook and a teeny lock on it or you could use your personal computer. For the net savvy folks, a blog is the way to go! There are also websites dedicated to online diary writing which provide e-calenders, mood buttons n photo upload features! (edailydiary.com)

• Make sure the content is secure. Passwords, keys, that secret drawer in your cupboard, use all the sneak you have and HIDE your diary. This is because if your diary is vulnerable to prying eyes, you won’t be able to be completely honest. And that’s the whole POINT of a diary.

• Write in solitude. No rules regarding time though! Write whenever you feel the need to and have a few minutes at hand. The whole after-brushing-pre-sleeping diary routine is cliched and unrealistic.

• Include dates, events, specific reactions to events, ambitious lists you might draw up, goals, weight loss targets! These records turn into a great private joke book as the months go by!

• You can write real names of the people you interact with or name them with a code that you alone can tell who you are referring to. Reason why name codes should be used is that, often, people make negative comments in their diaries that are later on discovered and can hurt other people’s feelings.

• Diaries help you vent. Anger, disappointment, fear…the Diary God makes it go away. Often when you write, you can think clearer and you may find the actual cause of your negative emotion and find ways to deal with it.

• With Diaries, the better the mood you are in, the less often you tend to write.Details of ‘good days’ often get forgotten. So when you can’t write coz you are busy having the time of your life, put in photographs and other memorabilia in your diary.

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Books you must read before you die

Books are a great way to spend your time as you can learn a lot through reading books. By reading a book you can see the world the way the author does. There many books that you read but some of them have changed your life. Some books can completely change your perspective and views on politics, religion, money, love and many more. Books can be about adventures, war or manners etc. and each of these can inspire you for the rest of your life. Here is a list of some books that you must read in your lifetime.

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This book is an American classic novel which was set on the east coast in the 1920s. This book teaches us the sometimes to want something is better to posses it. It is very much relevant to the real life. It also teaches us that one true friend is worth much more that numerous associates.

2. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli

This book is considered as one of the most influential books of all time. This book suggests letting your people have their property and women, but they must know what you are capable of doing if they step out of their limits. Here is a part of the book – “From this arises an argument: whether it is better to be loved than feared. I reply that one should like to be both one and the other. But since it is difficult to join them together, it is much safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking.”

3. Slaughterhouse – Five

This book is about how terrible it is when humans do not use their free will to avoid simple and easy violence and killings. It is basically a conflict between the way heroism is conveyed through stories and how a situation could have been prevented with a small act.

4. 1984 by George Orwell

Have you ever wondered how much information your computer actually collects from you? Read this book and you will either feel good or you will throw your computer out in the garbage. This book teaches us how to maintain your privacy and fee will and how to blend in and go with the flow at the end just to prevent things for yourself and family.

5. The Republic by Plato

Every person uses philosophy in his everyday life. The legitimate western thought might be a good place to start in philosophy. This book teaches us the fundamental understanding of Government, Justice and political theory.

Other Recommended Books:

The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
THe kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
Pride and Prejuduice, Jane Austen
To kill a mockingbird, Harper Lee
The alchemist, Paulo Coelho
The Godfather, Mario Puzo

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Photography Equipment

Photography is one of the most popular hobbies. Moreover, the right type of equipment really makes huge difference. So, it is important to learn which type of equipment should one use which fits your budget as well. There are two types of photographers and hence photography. Either you just take a camera and go on clicking pictures or use the basic of photography and tutorials will help better! You can find some great tutorials online and can also find some great photography equipment listing online.

Mentioned below are some varied types of photography equipment and their usage according to your preference and kind of photography.

For beginners, one should invest in a point and shoot camera. The best point and shoot cameras available, in my opinion are Sony, Cybershot series. You may buy one which fits your budget. They have featured good reviews, affordable budget and better quality in its class. Available in different models, you can always read reviews to figure out your preference and the perfect model for you. You will also need one memory card, about 4GB is good enough since the pictures clicked in a point and shoot camera are not that spacious/they require very less space.

Photography equipment for serious Hobbyist- if you have already used and experienced point and shoot cameras, it is time for you to move up to some higher camera that allows you to click some really quality pictures. If you wish to experiment more, using the manual settings, invest in a DSLR camera. It is a good idea to also buy a tripod stand along with a DSLR cam, because there are many shots which would require support of clicking some varied pictures. Canon DSLR 1000D is one affordable camera!

For people who have their studio, or planning for one, there is a whole lot of professional photography equipment available. You will definitely need 2 or more different types of cameras and special portrait camera lenses. Loads of lights are prime requirement when it comes to starting a studio, or developing it. Certain equipment like reflectors, various lights like fluorescent, halogen or strobe light should be up on the list.

For Underwater photographers the foremost things you need is a waterproof digital camera. Without that one it is impossible to even think of taking a dive underwater and taking some beautiful pictures. You can opt for some rugged cameras like Olympus Stylus 8000 Black Digital camera and PowerShot series from Canon, the D10 Blue Digital camera.

This was about the equipment and few cameras you can opt for, according to your preferences.

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Photography: hobby as well as business

In this article is not about commercial photography, which is an entire different subject. There are thousands of people who would really like to make some extra money from taking photos. Some consider photography as a hobby and others as a source of income. As the technology expands day by day and people’s interest in photography as way of earning livelihood increases, we see thousands of new semi-professional family photographers around the world.

For instance, a house wife who left her career to stay at home with her kids would be looking for a way to do something creative during their free time and preferably earn some money as well. This is how it starts and once it comes to their realization that there are hundreds of people, who would pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars to someone to take their children’s pictures on various occasions; they make family photography their permanent job. You might not even realize how fast you can grow in this type of career and make it big.

There is quite a lot of money to be made in photography and it does not seem too difficult to make it. All you have to do is to purchase a good camera, take some pictures, clean them in Photoshop and you have got yourself a couple of hundreds of dollars. Perhaps after a while taking photography as a career you can get better known in your city and make a lot of money on a regular basis. The best part about this is that this is a small business where in you are both the boss as well as the employee.

You should remember that Photography as a career is great, but you must be patient as it might take a little time. You should learn the ways of photography and photo editing to make your photos look perfect. After going through this small graduation done by yourself, you should make a portfolio in which you present all your work in a very classy and good quality. In order to make your portfolio you will need photos taken by you. You can ask your friends and family to pose for your photos to keep in your portfolio. Make sure that the pictures in the portfolio are very attractive and appealing with high quality.

In the beginning try working for free for a while to build a name and a reputation for yourself as a photographer until the day that someone is ready to pay you for your services. After finding a paying client, make sure that your fee will commensurate with the equipment and the quality of your services. Do not charge too much and provide good services in the beginning to establish a good reputation for you as a family photographer.

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Photography Magazines

Apart from a lucrative career option, photography as a hobby is growing rapidly amongst every corner of the world. With the ever developing technological innovations and multifaceted software’s, photography is gaining a new edge. However with a wide variety of cameras and other hardware people are confused as to what they must buy and how they can be used to its maximum potential. Photography magazines solve this problem. For people who want to venture into photography, or develop their skills here are the top 10 photography magazines in the world to help you do so.

1.  Shutterbug

This American photography magazine is handy for professionals and amateurs.With a question and answer column, latest equipment reviews and techniques, this popular magazine is a must read for any budding photographer.

2.  The British journal of photography

Being one of the oldest photography magazines in the world since it was established in 1854, the British journal of photography is also online since 1997.With interviews, reports, trials and of course innumerable pieces of brilliant photography, this magazine stands out from the rest.

3.  Outdoor photographer

Like the name suggests, this is the magazine you want to buy if you’re into nature, wildlife or any other form of outdoor photography. With useful tips, suggestions, and reviews, this magazine is a worthwhile read and a useful guide at the same time.

4.  Aperture

This magazine is a publication of the Aperture foundation started by a group of photographers , curators and writers.Described as “the most serious and the most valuable periodical in the photographic world”, this magazine is as good as it gets with everything you want related to photography.

5.  Professional photographer

Being a 100 years old , this magazine  provides cutting edge lessons from the world of photography and helps you in giving more definition to Portrait , landscape , commercial and wedding photography.

6.  Nature’s best photography

Containing works of the world’s best photographers, this magazine is a solution to all your photography fixes with its expertise advice and how-to tips.

7.  Amateur photographer

This weekly magazine is actually considered as one of the most “ influential magazine in the U.K” and consists of regular features on digital, monochrome photography etc.Hitting the newsstands since 1884, this magazine is one of the oldest magazines in the world and has been helping photo enthusiast ever since.

8.  Better photography

India’s first photography magazine dedicated to the “arts and science of photography”, this magazine leaves an international mark. With a variety of column digging deep into every aspect of photography, this is what every photographer needs.

9.  Practical photography

This magazine from the UK is a prerequisite read if you have a digital SLR.With its constant endeavors to always have something new, this magazine is a must-read for every passionate photographer.

10.  Popular photography

Popular photography rated as one of the “world’s largest imaging magazine” promises excellent clicks by following their simple tips and techniques.Not only does it help with the purchase of cameras but also associated gear such as lighting , printing , lenses etc.

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