San Diego Life Online

Photography, Arts and Life in San Diego

Welcome to Mukashi San Diego! Have news tips on Art, Real Estate, or Entertainment? Let Us know.

« Older Posts
Newer Posts »

Photography Lighting Tips

Filed Under : Photography by admin
Nov.12,2009

In this day and age of digital cameras, you’ve probably heard or thought that all you have to do is push the button and great pictures magically appear.Hold on, don’t go so fast.The fact of the matter is, you can have the best digital camera, but if you have no clue in what you are doing, you are gonna take horrible shots.

I would love to give you some good tips to help you improve your photography skills. These tips are coming from years of experience shooting weddings in San Diego. These tips all involve lighting and they are going to be some of the biggest keys to your success in taking your photos.

First tip you will use in regards to lighting. Now if you are taking shots outdoors during the day, natural sunlight provides some of the best lighting possible. Now you are probably thinking, “that’s easy, when you are a San Diego photographer since it is always shiny there”, when in actuality really bright sunlight can cast harsh shadows. Or it will wash out the face details while the sun is overhead.

Overall, most of the shots you are going to want to take with the sun behind you.This eliminates any harsh shawows from effecting your shot from the sun.There will be some times when you want to take shots from different angles when you do try to get some shadows into the shots.

Now that we have addressed the shots during the day, what about those night shots?

The key technique for night photos is actually turning off your flash.Of course if it is absolutely dark with no light you will need it, but for times when there is some lighting, use the lighting around you, but make sure the shutter speeds are slow enough to let light in.Also, stay steady when you are taking your photograph or you will cause the picture to blur.Doing these tricks should make a significantly dramatic difference when you take night shots.

The final tips to using lighting for great shots is using the golden hour. Now there is a time that photographers refer to as the “golden hour” or “magic hour”, and that is during sunrise and sunset.

It is during this time of day when you will capture great shots that capture more warmer colors. You will be able to capture that golden lighting you won’t catch any other time of day.

There you go.Probably the biggest tip in taking beautiful photos is to make use of the natural lighting around you. Knowing what techniques to use for different parts of the day, or just scheduling a photo shoots to capture those times of day will help you become an excellent photographer.

  Tags : , ,

  Read more...

Applying for College in San Diego

Filed Under : Instructional, School by admin
Oct.22,2009

7 Essential Resources to Help You With Applying to College

For many, the college application process is full of stress and anxiety. Before you go into panic mode, check out some of the best resources around to make your college application process easy and ultimately successful.

1. A is for Admission Book – Though the focus is on what you need to do to prepare for the application process to ivy league schools, it can work for any college or university. These tips are pulled from real life students who share their experiences, as well as professionals in this field. This can be a helpful resource for students and parents alike who want to figure out the insight required to be successful in the college application process.

2. College Confidential –What’s great about this site is that it is chockfull of articles, books, and any other tip that you may need within the college application process. You can read real life accounts or just stay tuned to what colleges are really and truly looking for. This is an excellent resource to make the college application process a great success for you!

3. Next Student Advisor – This can help you even before the application process, so that you are clear on exactly what you need to get into the university of your choice. If you use the resources on here along the way, it will make the application process a breeze. This resource can even help with various aspects of the actual college experience, so it travels along each step with you.

4. College Connections – Written from the perspective of a real life professional in the field, this resource is not only comprehensive but straightforward. If you ever had any doubt as to how the process works or what you need to do to ensure that your application is what gets you in, this is an excellent resource to consult.

5. Getin2College – Go right to the source with this site! You can get application help, gain a better understanding of what your application really says about you, and work with the information provided to create a dynamite application. You can find some great resources and tips here, so it’s a must visit in the application process!

6. Apply Wise – Though the focus isn’t just on the application process specifically, there is much valuable information to be found here. You can educate yourself on specific application processes or just work to improve upon your skills that are required for this important step.

7. National Association for College Admission Counseling – Find a counselor to help you through the process or simply pick up some helpful tips. You can’t go wrong with this site where you can learn how to be in the driver’s seat of your college application process.

Applying to college is a huge step, and an important one at that. It can be quite helpful to know not only how to approach the process, but to be well versed on all of the “ins and outs” so that you are sure to get into the college of your choice.

Learn more about how to apply to get an online undergraduate degree.

  Tags : , , ,

  Read more...

The Cricut Electric Die Cutter

Filed Under : Arts and Crafts, Instructional, Scrapbooking by admin
Oct.10,2009

A Scrapbooker’s Best Friend

Often, when newer, updated versions of products are released onto the market they overshadow the original design. In the case of the Cricut electronic die cutter, however, this is not so. Provo have released two updates to this product but the original Cricut machine is still going strong, proving to be just what the Arts and Crafts community wants in spite of recent updates.

The main reason for the Cricut’s continuing popularity is its simple usability. Creating a stylish cutout with the Cricut couldn’t be simpler. All users have to do is insert a cartridge into the machine, select a design, and feed the paper or card material into the machine. At the push of a button the design is cut into the material. The number of designs is almost limitless, and almost any material can be cut.

The original Cricut is the smallest of all the Cricut machines and also the lightest, weighing in at only seven pounds. This makes it easy to carry and easy to store, a big advantage in the eyes of crafters, who are often crowded by a bulk of materials and crafting tools. Amateur crafters also appreciate this as they often do not have a dedicated crafting station and work from their dining room tables. The Cricut can be quickly cleared away and stored in a small space without fuss, ideal in an age where both families and their hobbies seem to be taking up more and more space.

The downside to the Cricut’s size is that it limits the size of cutout you can produce. However, the original machine is actually the most precise of all the machines. Cutouts can be created as small as under an inch and to a professional standard, and up to 5 and a half inches. Other Cricut machines, such as the Cricut Expression, are able to cut larger designs, but for precision, the original Cricut is still the best.

Being the smallest Cricut machine available, the original Cricut is also the least expensive. With a suggested price tag as low as $300, choosing an original Cricut machine over the newer versions could save you upwards of $200. The original Cricut is still available at hundreds of stores and on craft and retail websites across the web.

As with all Cricut machines, the original machine uses the fantastic range of Cricut cartridges to provide the designs. All of the cartridges can be used with the original machine so you will never be limited. The cartridges available are endless and offer every type of design, font and image you could ever want. The original Cricut is sold with the George cartridge as standard. This cartridge is a great all-rounder and includes a full font, ten phrases, several shapes, and special features to get you started.

You don’t have to buy the newest model of crafting technology to get the benefits. Sometimes the originals are just as good. OK, so the later Cricut models, like the Cricut Expression and Cricut Create, do have some extra features, but they cost a lot more and you might end up paying for something you don’t need. The fact is that the original Cricut is a classic and is still popular for a very good reason; because it’s just as good as it ever was.

  Tags : , ,

  Read more...

San Diego – Arts and Crafts

Filed Under : Arts and Crafts, Instructional, Scrapbooking by admin
Oct.9,2009

The Cricut: Your Scrapbooking Buddy

Pronounced like the insect “cricket”, the Cricut is a popular brand that has long been manufacturing the most useful and competitive tools used in scrapbooking that we know in the present. From the line of the famous scrapbooking supply producer Provo Craft, Cricut makes some of the best tools that allow you to make shapes from a variety of materials without the need of a computer to operate. For more than forty years now, Cricut has been very triumphant in redecorating the look of scrapbooking and its model to many scrapbooking aficionados.

The Cricut machines come in different sizes but all these use the same Cricut cartridges. One machine is the cutting machine that alone can already prove the efficiency of Cricut tools. Using the cutting machine, you are assured of finishing any quantity of work in the slightest amount of time. Cricut products would make handcrafting an album very easy. The designing part would not be a problem at all. Cricut embellishment tools provide you the opportunity to make the most intricate designs and complete the most diverse handiworks.

One of the best-selling products of the Cricut is its scrapbooking machine. One cartridge would do the rest of the work for you. Do some of the most unreal and incredible designs to decorate the pages of your scrapbook. With over 250 designs to choose from, you can do a lot of cutouts in different shapes and sizes to allow you to play with various looks and color schemes for your scrapbook.

The great thing about this is that you only need a single machine to do all the tedious work for you. The clutter issue brought about by having too much ornaments, adornments and scrapbooking supplies is eliminated. No more going back to the scrapbooking store to get your needed materials. One machine is enough to do the job.

For anyone who loves scrapbooking, products from the Cricut line are perfect gifts. If you happen to have a BFF who needs help in restoring his/her scrapbook pages, you can let him/her experiment with the electronic cutter. This would allow him/her to make a number of cutouts in eight different designs, making it possible for the two of you to generate the most amazing shapes and patterns.

Furthermore, the Cricut Expressions line embraces some of the most competitive tools used for scrapbooking embossing. You can experiment with various designs and create different shapes, numbers, and other patterns using a wide variety of materials like paper, cardboard, foam and a lot more. You no longer have to buy the ready-made embellishments from craft stores or worry about having to employ a professional to create the designs for you.

You do not need to connect your machine to a computer for it to function. Once you have loaded the cartridge, you are good to go. All Cricut machines come with a built-in LCD screen that allows you to see the development of your patterns. You can key in particular instructions and measurements as to how you want the finished product to look like.

The other things you can do with Cricut products are handmade greeting cards, seasonal decorations, foam stamps, vinyl wall decors, school projects for the kids, fun home accents, and so much more. Cricut machines are very user-friendly and would definitely save you a lot of time and effort. With its unparalleled designs, you are certain to make the most unforgettable keepsake that you can keep with you for years to come.

  Read more...

« Older Posts
Newer Posts »

Copyright 2010 San Diego Life Online