2006 Comcast Outdoor Film Festival!

Yay!  The Comcast Outdoor Film Festival, North Bethesda, MD is such an awesome annual event.  Not only do viewers get to enjoy 10 days in a row of great movies for adults and children alike but it's free!  That's right!  You get to sit outside under the warm night sky and watch a great movie with hundreds of your closest friends!  Let me explain a bit more of how the film festival program works.

The grounds are open to the public but nothing is available to eat or drink until 6:30.  Local restaurants and patrons provide all kinds of goodies from hot dogs, pizzas, cotton candy and ice cream!  And the local restaurants include names like Baja Fresh and Hard Times Cafe!  How awesome is that?  Great movies and quality food!  I know what you're thinking - but it's supposed to be free!  Well, you'll be happy to know that part of the proceeds are going towards a great cause.  Comcast has teamed up with a number of different charities and are donating a portion of the proceeds to the NIH Children's Charities - Children's Inn, Camp Fantastic/Special Love, and Friends of the Clinical Center.  If that won't make you buy more popcorn, I don't know what will.  

The movie itself starts at 8:30 and that time stays the same for each day the film festival is showing a movie.  There are a few things to keep in mind when planning on coming to a showing.  Try to be there early!  I would suggest being there within an hour but no later than a half hour before the movie.  Parking has become a bit of a problem.  The past few years the public was allowed to park at the metro right next to Strathmore Hall (the location of the film festival) and is right off of Rockville Pike.  However, last year, the only way you could park in there was to buy a metro pass.  Although that is an option, it might be better to park on the side street of the neighborhood within walking distance of the metro.  This way, you won't have to pay a dime and will get five extra minutes of exercise walking to the field where the movie will be shown.

Also, because the Comcast Film Festival, North Bethesda, MD is held on a grassy field, make sure to bring a blanket or better yet, a low slung chair to watch the movie in.  Make sure to get something portable so you won't feel the pains of lugging a huge chair back and forth from your car to the field.  Also, a comfortable blanket and chair would be key since you will more than likely be watching a movie that's two hours long or more.  

Anothoer note - I didn't notice a huge mosquito of fly problem but I would still suggest wearing an insect repellent just to be on the safe side.  Because of all the food and drinks available, there may be a chance of getting bit and no one wants that!

Other than that, this film festival is great because it's free and they show great movies!  Another plus is that they do show kids movies so it's great to take your whole family!  The movies usually range from kids animation to classics to movies that are a bit more on the adult side.  Make sure to check out the listing of what they are showing so you know when to take your kids before exposing them to a movie that may be a bit too adult for their taste.  This year, there are a number of great films I'm sure you'd be excited to see, such as, Maltese Falcon, Madagascar, King Kong, Walk the Line and my ultimate favorite, Batman Begins.  I can't wait to watch The Dark Knight on the big screen once again!

The complete 10-day movie listing can be found on the following website: www.filmfestnih.org.  Included on this site is a phone number if you have any further questions, however, the website should be able to answer any questions that you may have.

Make sure to take advantage of this film festival as it's only over the course of 10 days and it's only one time a year!  Don't miss it!  See you out there!

Photography Insights and Techniques

One might ask what photography is. What is the purpose of taking a photograph? For some, just a simple snap shot will do but, for others, there is more of a destiny to experience in the photograph. Photography captures a split second in time or, simply put, a moment captured in a blink of an eye. Photographers create illusions of realism which resembles the existent world with content and form that are inseparable. In effect, the photographer has generated a story all their own. 

Photography is made from anything perceived. Seeing is believing when the moment is captured on film regardless of the subject matter. No matter how many pictures are taken of the same subject by different individuals, the photographs will never be the same “style” because the subject is in the eye of the beholder. For example, you may like that shiny red 57’ Chevy in the front of the coffee shop, so you take a photograph. Your friend loves the seat in front of the coffee shop window with the reflection of the 57’ Chevy in the glass. There are two distinctly separate shots of the same subject but, emotionally, they are very different images. No two artists are identical and different viewers will never see the same photograph in the same manner. Photographs generate a mood that creates an emotion and they can be background or landscapes or nothing but a mere rust spot with texture. 

Photography not only captures that instantaneous moment in time but also captures a visual reality. Photography, when it was first invented, was used to represent the world accurately with little room or depiction of artistic ability. Thus, the photographer could have been anyone in the crowd, and that person brought forth the way things looked at the time—showing the world what is to be perceived. 

This is not the ways of photography in the 20th century. Photography is now a truly unique art form, and a photograph can hold two and three dimensional space, as well as a one point perspective. Photography gives us the opportunity for aestheticism our everyday world. Our attention is focused on what we would normally dismiss our attention focuses on seeing beyond the believable giving a visual sensation to our minds. A photograph can be captured in one-sixtieth of a second by the shutters of the camera. In effect, art happens in the “blink of an eye”. 

Since Kodak introduced the first hand held camera in 1888, giving photography a new mission and meaning, the world has never been the same. However, the technological advances have affected photography. It has strengthened the use of a camera and allowed the photographer far more precise subjective perceptions of the subject matter. According the book The World of Art, Life Magazine started publication in 1936, and American photography used photography as their tool of disclosure. “Pictures can be beautiful, but must tell facts too,” reveals the text. Photographers must include real life recognition with lines and rhythms of the surface because, without this, the photograph would be unresponsive. As an interesting insight, a horizontal photograph is peaceful; a photograph with less foreground brings dramatization and a photograph with more foreground shows nature connected with unity. 

Photography is different than other art medium, yet the classical compositions brought together by the artists of yesteryears are still used. Photography has many techniques and art forms that differ greatly. For instance, there is black and white photography that the photographer can develop easily in even a small amount of space. According to photographer and Professor of Art Mike Wonser, a dark room can be set up in a bathroom. The light must be blocked out, but the photographs can be developed in the bath tub! So, you do not need much space to work and it is magic to watch the photograph appear. Another simple technique was shared by George Jolokai. He stated “a photographer can carry a bottle of water to add shininess or reflections on the subject matter”. The magic of photography is endless. 

Another tool used in photography is the use of slow or fast shutter speeds. Slow shutter speeds can blur water, but the use of slow shutter speeds requires a tri-pod to prevent blurring the entire photograph. The water will blur because water is in constant motion but the background or other subject matter in the photograph remains still. 

Another form of photography is that of color photography. Color brings depth and musical rhythm and is a very powerful tool to the human senses. Color photography creates a complex interplay between form and content that can create dynamic color contrasts. The photograph process takes time because critical technical decisions must come from the photographer before the release of shutter that results in the capturing of an essence of time and mood on film. 

The basic elements of style, composition, and technique are the photographer’s tools for structure; it is the photographer’s imagination that leaves an impression embedded the minds of the viewer.

References 

Joloki, George (2004, Spring). Lecture Art 101, Central Oregon Community College, Bend< Oregon 

Sayre, Henry M. (2004) A World of Art (4th ed.) Pearson Prentice Hall. 

Wonser, M. (2004, Spring). Art History 203, Central Oregon Community College, Bend< Oregon

Babya's Production Suite Coming in 2007acomplete Video & Audio Production Suite for the Film and Music Industry

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Babya today announced Production Suite 2007-a complete video & audio production suite for the film and music industry.

Production Suite 2007 conbines the existing Babya Logic Pro and OneVideo with new video production applications-including Babya bMovie Pro and Babya Presenter DX.


Production Suite 2007 will consist of:
Babya Presenter DX:
Babya Presenter DX is a drag and drop DirectX based slideshow creator, that creates stunning video & image based slideshows.
Transitions available include:

Barn
Blinds
Burn Film
Center Curls
ColorFade
Compositor
Curls
Curtains
Fade
Fade White
Flow Motion
Glass Block
Grid
Inset
Iris
Jaws
Lens
Light Wipe
Liquid
Page Curl
PeelABCD
Pixelate
Radial Wipe
Ripple
Roll Down
Slide
SMPTE Wipe
Spiral
Stretch
Threshold
Twister
Vacuum
Water
Wheel
Wipe
WormHole
Zigzag


Babya bMovie Pro:
Babya bMovie is a graphical tool for creating Microsoft DirectShow Editing Services timelines and editing of Babya XTL format slideshows

It can do the following tasks:
Loading and saving XTL project files
Adding, editing, and deleting timeline objects
Previewing a timeline

Babya Logic:
Babya Logic is an powerful suite of pro-quality audio production software, included with Production Suite which includes Babya Logic, a 8-track music creation application-that enables you to create and compose music and also includes Babya Jam Pack: Studio tools, Babya MicroKit and UltraSynth.

Babya Riff Editor (create and play custom guitar riffs)
Babya Visual Music (record your own music using a on-screen keyboard and a scripting language)
Babya bMix Notater (make and print sheet music)
Babya Keyboard (a on-screen keyboard ideal for working out a song you'll make in Babya Logic )
Babya Sound Canvas (edit Roland® SC55 files or MIDI files)
Babya Easy Guitar Tuner (a useful way to tune your own guitar)
Babya Logic and Logic Pro also includes:
Babya MicroKit-percussion sequencer software
Babya UltraSynth-a standalone virtual synth application
Logic Scorer:
Compose and print music scores & sheet music
Babya SampleStudio:
Mix and record sound samples
Instruments & Synths:
Babya CS80
Casio style MIDI keyboard instrument
Babya UltraSynth
Generate quirky and intriguing sounds with this DirectX based synth
Guitar Amp Pro:
Create & tune sweet custom guitar chords from arena to funk, live or in studio
and control MIDI instruments.
Babya EXM:
Generate the wildest sounds imaginable using 2 oscilloscope with support for
custom defined envelopes
Babya EFM:
Play cool and classy FM sounds using this keyboard based synth.
Babya ESE:
Funk and techno sounds of the 1980's can be recreated with Babya ESE-a beep based synthesizer with a custom music generator application included.
Babya EVB1:
Easily create binaural music tones with this interesting synth.
Effect Plugins:
Babya Audio Effects Studio:
Quickly audition sound files with gargle or echo effects
SoundGen:
Quickly produce PCM audio files with ADSR support
Bass Maker:
Create electrifying & thunderous bass based music

Babya OneVideo:
OneVideo features QuickTime authoring, and iPod export plus YouTube video downloading in the one package.

OneVideo includes Babya QuickTime Studio, which is a powerful application which uses QuickTime 7's COM Control to display and manipulate movies, using a familiar Apple QuickTime movie controller.


Babya QuickTime Studio has the following capabilities:
Standard QuickTime 7 features available in Babya QuickTime Studio are:
- Movie playback with a movie controller container
- Open, Open from URL, Close
- Cut/Copy/Paste/Undo
- Display movie info. such as duration, track types, track formats, etc.


QuickTime 7 Pro features you can use in Babya QuickTime Studio are:
-Full Screen mode
- Export, Export with dialog
- Quicktime Event handling
- Fullscreen playback


Babya's A.A. Fussy said,"Babya Production Suite is our new and professional video and audio production suite aimed at professional film makers and muscians. Using Babya Logic, they can score and compose a compelling soundtrack and with the the video editing software included, they can combine pre-recorded footage transferred from a DV or HDV camcorder and turn it into a great film. Then they can master it to DVD or to the web."

Pricing and Availability:
Babya Production Suite will be available in early 2007.

Organic Food Bad for Baby?

baby clothes gifts

Believe it or not, Which? Magazine and The London Telegraph have reported results of a study undertaken by the former which indicated that organic baby food is less healthy than previously believed.

The report showed that iron content was low in organic baby food; too low, argued the Which? piece. In addition, under current legal guidelines dictating the composition of baby food labeled "organic," the addition of iron is prohibited. As a result, commercially prepared organic products contain some twenty percent less iron, thereby implying that baby will need to consume twenty percent more to get the daily recommended allowance of the mineral.

Some mass-produced organic baby food products have been found to be oversaturated, causing a reduction in other nutrients as well. And just because those additives are natural doesn't mean they're good for your baby.

Also brought to the attention of the consumer was the danger in parental complacency regarding organic snack foods. Because the restrictions regarding food designed for those over one year in age are significantly loosened, sodium and sugar contents increase. Indeed, because of their well-known characteristics as flavor enhancers, these two ingredients can easily be abused by an organic production company wanting their food to be as tasty as possible.

Of course, one consideration must be made when looking over the Which? survey results is that all products studied had one thing in common: They were all products.

The fact of the matter is that, ultimately, should you want ultimate control over what and how much your baby eats, you have no choice but to make it yourself, plain and simple.

Organic baby food must be prepared at home from organic fruit and vegetables (and, if you are comfortable with the source, meat products) selected by you. Fresh food - absolutely not frozen, even if it happens in your own freezer - contains the maximum amounts of nutrition. It is also believed by some that creation of food at home inspires good habits in young children, who do not gain such an appetite for junk food.

Should you find feeding your baby commercially-produced organic food, there is little cause for worry. There is, however, great cause for reading labels and researching. Remember that baby can't read and you can. Do so until it becomes habit, and you baby can receive all the benefits of organic baby food.

Undertaken at about the same time as the Which? survey was an article appearing in "Coronary and Diabetic Care in the United Kingdom," 2004 edition. Working with commercially-available organic baby food, Policy Project Coordinator James Cleeton confirmed all that organic food adherents already know. The piece stated that an organic diet reduces intake of toxins; eliminates intake of genetically modified organisms; nearly eliminates intake of additives, preservatives and coloring; and increases vitamin, mineral and nutritive intake. An organic baby food diet may also, concluded the study, reduce the chances of heart ailments, cancer, allergies and hyperactivity.

Studies and statistics aside, the most effective tool in the fight to keep your baby's diet clean and organic is your mind. The importance of knowing what goes in your baby's mouth cannot be understated, and in today's world lay more potentially dangers in the grocery aisles than ever before. A little education can go a long way. And remember, organic baby food all means simply a happier and healthier baby.

10 Great Tips to Make Any DIY Winter Wedding Photography Successful!

Photo Credit: celtics baby clothes

This winter many couples are choosing do it yourself wedding photography in an attempt to save money. Wedding photography is tricky because if not done right there will be no good documentation of the special day. My dad does wedding photography as an amateur hobby; wedding photography is not skill less, but can be done easily with practice by almost any amateur photographer. This article will take a look at 10 tips to make DIY winter wedding photography successful; however keep in mind DIY wedding photography takes copious amounts of editing after the ceremony.

1. Camera

Taking wedding photographs should be done with the right camera, not a regular point and shoot camera. I recommend using the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi, it takes high quality pictures and is relatively easy to use. This camera can be found at www.buy.com for $569.95, but you should check to see if anyone in the wedding party can provide this camera or a similar model to save on money.

2. Flash

Relying on the built in pop up flash in any camera is a recipe for failure; you will want to use an external flash for low lighting pictures, such as a church or an evening reception. Winter conditions outside will not require a flash due to the reflection of the snow, but it can be used if done right; however inside you will want a powerful flash. I cannot give a recommendation because certain flashes work for different cameras; therefore the flash will be determined by your digital camera choice. www.ritzcamera.com has a good variety of flashes, lenses, and cameras.

3. Lenses

Unfortunately DIY picture taking is not cheap and requires the proper zoom lenses for great photos from anywhere in the room. Buying any secondary lenses is not necessary, but they will make the pictures better. www.ritzcamera.com has a good selection of lenses; it is where I purchased mine.

4. Go Digital

The hardest part of DIY wedding photography is getting professional looking shots. Going digital allows for touchups on the pictures after they are taken so that they come out perfect. Going digital also saves on prints since all the photos can be saved on a flash drive or a CD.

5. Choose an artistic guest for the job

Capturing the right moment is what photography is all about; having a guest that is willing to take pictures who has an artistic eye is the best way to get quality shots. Do not expect a gift from the photographer as it takes hours of work to take and edit great shots.

6. Be aware of lighting conditions

Winter is the hardest time of the year to take photographs outside due to the reflective nature of snow and the brightness of the sun. Be creative on the angles of your photographs; many high end cameras also show the contrast ratio on the photos taken, look at the contrast to make sure the photos are coming out correctly.

7. Be aware of where the sun is

Do not shoot towards the sun or objects that are in the sun, it can cause shadows and some funky looking pictures. Just be aware of the sun and preview one or two pictures before taking more.

8. Capture photos with the theme

If your theme is a winter wonderland then capture that theme in the photos! Try to include shots of the bridal party and newlyweds in the natural theme of the wedding; also try to include guests in the same theme. Be creative with the shots, you may have to shoot at different angles to get the desired results.

9. Use the flash

Even in snowy conditions you should experiment with the flash for better pictures, the bright the background the more the object you are photographing will stand out. This may not always be the case; therefore you should check the pictures being taken to make sure they are coming out professionally.

10. Edit, Edit, Edit

No DIY photography is complete up completion of the ceremony! There are countless hours of editing that must be taken on to get professional looking results. If you do not have the proper computer skills try to find a guest that would be willing to help edit in exchange for their wedding present.

This site has some extra DIY tips that can help during a winter wedding; I did not cover many these tips, so it may be a good read: http://www.squidoo.com/weddingphotographyguide

Sources:

www.ritzcamera.com

http://www.squidoo.com/weddingphotographyguide, DIY Winter Wedding Photography

Amazing Secrets of Underwater Photography

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Do you like underwater photography? Do you want to know how it is done and what are the different things you should look out for when taking underwater pictures? Then you have come to the right place to learn what really underwater photography is. We all know that underwater photography can be a great fun and enjoyment activity and it can be more enjoyable experience for you if you really know all the nitty-gritty about underwater photography.

If you want to take beautiful underwater pictures then most importantly you should have a powerful digital camera which can work underwater without any hassles. Because it is not like that you go underwater and immediately start taking pictures. Rather you have to take care of many things when taking pictures in the deep water. If you do not take enough care then your pictures can become blurred and quality can be compromised. You should always look out for the direction of the sunlight underwater as sunlight travels differently in the deep water which affects the picture quality. You have to adjust your camera angle properly with the direction of the sunlight when you are underwater.

Then there is the impurity in the ocean water like mud and dirt which can really affect the picture quality underwater. This dirt can make the water so impure that you can not see properly in the deep water. But this happens most of the times only in the lakes and rivers. But many of the oceans are so clear and pure that you can see longer distance without any problems and your pictures most of the times comes as a quality product.

Many people who try underwater photography; takes their own friend's and families pictures and this can be more entertaining and really memorable experience for the family members to cheer for long time. But one of the most important factor every underwater photographer should remember is that the underwater currents and their effects. It is the most unpredictable factor which really affects our picture quality when you are underwater. When you are underwater it is extremely difficult for everybody to stand still in the same pose. And with the dynamic nature of underwater currents it becomes more difficult to give the still pose for the photo. So you should always keep in mind the direction of the underwater currents while taking pictures.

With the advancement of different types of digital cameras it will become easier in the future for us to take underwater pictures and really enjoy the experience of underwater photography.

Boppy Pillow Photography Prop

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Photography props are expensive and many times are not even worth the investment. A Boppy Pillow however, even if bought at full price, is well worth the investment. You will get years of use from your Boppy Pillow and as a photography prop the Boppy Pillow can be used for babies and pets. The Boppy Pillow is also washable so it can be cleaned inbetween uses. You can purchase Boppy Pillows new at stores such as Target or used at resale shops and rummage sales.

Boppy Pillow Photography Prop Pose #1: Baby On Back
Place the Boppy Pillow on the floor of coffee table or other raised surface, not to high since you will be photographing from above. Cover the Boppy Pillow with a backdrop, blanket, material, etc. Gently rest the upper body of the baby on the Boppy Pillow, the baby's bottom should be near the open end. This position is perfect for newborns that can not support themselves.

Boppy Pillow Photography Pose #2: Baby on Tummy
Prepare the Boppy Pillow as above on a raised surface. For this pose the table can be high or low since you will be photographing from in front of the baby. For this photography pose you will be facing the open end of the Boppy Pillow away from the camera. This pose does require some upper body strength so it works best for babies 2 months and up. Place the baby stomach down with the upper body resting slightly forward of the Boppy Pillow. You now have a perfect head and shoulders position.

Boppy Pillow Photography Pose #3: Baby Sitting
Prepare the Boppy Pillow as described in pose 1. As in pose 2 the raised surface can be high or low since you will be photographing from in front of the baby. The Boppy Pillow opening should be facing the camera. Sit the baby inside the hole with the baby's legs coming out the opening. The Boppy Pillow will help support babies that can sit unassisted. In this pose the Boppy Pillow is mainly used to keep the baby sitting tall. Photograph the baby from the front. This pose will help you capture a nice head and shoulders photo of babies six months and up.

Boppy Pillow Photgraphy Pose #4: Pet Laying
Again prepare the Boppy Pillow as stated above. You will be photographing from in front of the subject so a high or low table will work. The Boppy Pillow opening should face to the left or right of the camera. Lay the pet with the front paws on the Boppy Pillow. The body should be laid into the center and if large enough out the opening. Stand behind the camera in front of the subject and get the pet to turn their head towards the camera. I use a rubber chicken, not a squeaker toy. A squeaker toy will scare most animals and usually makes a dog jump up and want to play. You only want to get the animal to look in your direction with their head.

I have included a couple of photos that show the Boppy Pillow in use.