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Here are a thirty gift ideas for photographers. The suggested price range is also listed. Happy shopping!
1. Portable Reflectors. A photographer can't have too many light modifiers. Reflectors come in so many sizes and configurations. Snoop around to see what they have and choose a model they don't have. Many of these fold up into tiny cases. Or think of buying a reflector holder for one they already own. (-0)
2. Chips and more chips. Not the potato kind - the memory card kind. Find out what format their cameras take - Compact Flash, Smart Media, whatever, and buy a couple more. They are very inexpensive to buy in large capacities. Pop out one from their camera or chip carrier and note the maker and model, and try to buy the same or larger memory capacity. (-0)
3. Portable Hard Drive / Image Tank. These battery-operated devices are pocket-sized and will copy the pictures from a camera chip and save a duplicate on the hard drive. Some of them also have a nice preview screen and TV output so you can enjoy the photos as a slide show. They act as a hard drive when plugged into a laptop. They are perfect for on-location shots or long vacations where you don't have your computer with you. (0-0)
4. Another Lens! If your photographer has a Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera, then pick their brain about lenses they have and want. This is one area where photographers are very picky, so may want to go as far as having them describe the specific make and model. If you want to go "all out", get them to tell you about their dream lens - it's the one that they really want, (but probably don't need), and won't buy for themselves. (0-00)
5. Filters for lenses. There are a variety of filters or modifiers that can be put on lenses. You'll want to know what size lens (measured in millimeters), and what they have or want. A couple ideas are: a circular polarizer (which reduces glare and deepens sky colors), close-up lenses (to magnify and get close to small stuff), and neutral-density filters (which reduce light in some or all of the image). (-0)
6. Monopod and swivel. A monopod is like a walking stick with a thread on the top. It's a great stand-in for a tripod when you can't use it. Better even, get a swivel head for the top of the monopod and your photographer can rotate the camera from horizontal to vertical and still get the benefits of the stability of a monopod. (Monopod: -0; Swivel: -0)
7. Inexpensive waterproof point and shoot digital camera. Regardless of their main brand, having a small pocket-sized waterproof digital camera is great for everyday use, scouting locations, and the spontaneous shoot opportunities. These cameras have great resolution and make nice images; some even shoot video. Waterproof means you can swim with it, shoot in the rain, and leave it in your sweaty pants pocket all day. (0-0)
8. Subscription to online photography forum or training. There are some great pay sites on the net. DIgital Wedding Forum is tailored to new professionals as well as seasoned wedding and portrait photographers. Web Photo School is great for learning the fundamentals of photography and editing. Find one that matches their interests and they will have hours of online learning and enjoyment. (0-0/yr)
9. Subscription to photography magazine. There are many good magazines out there. You may want to consider going to a good book store and picking up one copy of several different magazines with a note attached that you'll buy a subscription to their favorite one. That way they get to check out many publications and you'll be sure that they will really enjoy the subscription. (-)
10. Destination Vacation. OK, this one may cost you some time and money, but as long as you're patient and let your photographer stop and shoot the flowers, you'll both have a great time and they will really appreciate the opportunity to travel and shoot. ($cheap-$not cheap)
11. Photo Sharing Gift Certificate. If they already use a favorite online site or local lab, get them a gift card or certificate. Otherwise, check out the best stores and sites and choose one to load up a starter account or gift card. ($you pick)
12. Make a product from their work. My wife once made me a calendar from some of my images and I loved it. Think about how you could highlight their work. Check out some of my other articles on creative ways to display or use photographs. (-0)
13. Hook them up with a mentor. Find out who they admire in the photographic world, and arrange for them to meet them. Or, try to get a book or video of theirs signed or personalized. Best case, see of their mentor would bring them in for training or some coaching session. ($large range)
14. Gift certificate to a framing shop. You can never have too many framed prints. (-0)
15. Gift card to major photo store. Whether it's your local store or one of the large ones like Adorama or Beach Camera, your photographer will find some great stuff to buy. (-0)
16. Gaffer's Tape. Black tape that won't leave a residue like duct tape. It's pricey but it's great stuff. (/roll)
17. Camera case or backpack. As they get more stuff, they will need more or larger camera bags. Or roller cases or bags for lights and other stuff. (-100)
18. Flash bracket for camera. These are also a bit personal to fit their needs, but if they shoot with external flash, a bracket may be great for their needs. If they don't have an external flash, that may also be a good idea. Make sure you get their camera specifics for the flash and bracket. (Bracket: 0-300; Flash: 0-0)
19. High-end printer. There are some truly amazing printers for amateurs and professionals. Some will print on large size paper and create output rivaling the large labs. Variations on this theme are paper samplers, note card stock, and combination printer-scanners. (Printer: 0-00)
20. Slide Show software. Who doesn't want to watch slick slide presentations with music? Does your photographer make or sell slide shows yet? ProShow Gold is a great start, and Proshow Producer is even better. (-0)
21. Color Calibration. Every monitor is different. It is essential to be able to see true colors on your monitors. These devices will calibrate screens and sometimes even printers and other devices to known settings so the color seen on the screen is accurate. (0-0)
22. Photographer's Vest. Yes, very nerdy, but also very functional. (-0)
23. Camera clothing. Weather protective covers for cameras will help in a drizzle or other inclement weather. Waterproof housings allow the camera to be used underwater. Blimps will reduce the shutter sound to allow use in very quiet situations. These are custom fit to camera and sometimes lenses so be careful to choose the right products. (-0)
24. Find them a gig. Use your network and influence to get them a photographic opportunity that they would love to do. This is better for starter photographers - professionals may have different ideas. For more ideas, check out my article on 10 Great Ways to Grow as a Professional Photographer.
25. A New Body. Camera body that is. If they have an SLR, consider buying a duplicate body or one model up, if they take the same lenses. Having the flexibility of a backup camera or two lenses available immediately will make your photographer smile. (00-00).
26. Photography Books. There are great "how-to" books about every type of photography. Or consider getting them books on business or technology such as Photoshop or web design. Or pick up some coffee-table books with great photography that they can use for inspiration. (-)
27. Blank DVDs. Many photographers back up work on DVDs, and use them for slide shows. They'll appreciate having extras. Don't forget jewel cases if they use them. (-)
28. DVD/CD label printer. These are pretty specialized devices. They will allow the user to print any image on a special DVD or CD. If they present DVDs to anyone, this may be a great item for them. Note that some newer printers will also print directly on these same DVD or CDs. (0-0).
29. Proof Books or albums. If they print lots of proofs, don't hide them away in a box. Get them several albums so they can display them and use them to show others. There are some neat "self-stick" albums that let you press the print on an adhesive background and create a very professional album. (-0)
30. More Power! This can be lithium AA batteries for those flashes and point and shoots, extra batteries for their camera model, portable batteries to run their lighting, and extension cords and power strips for all of their electronic toys. You can never have too many cords! (-0)
How do you pick the right gift? You can print this and leave it out where your photographer will see it and get the hint and maybe circle a few things. You can ask them to build a "wish list" on one of the popular online merchants such as Amazon. Or, you can have one of their associates pick their brain on your behalf and report back.
To save some money, check out sites like eBay, Craigslist and other areas where people may be selling items. Also check out local camera stores for consigned or used equipment.
In any case, enjoy choosing and presenting one of these gifts to your photographer. They will appreciate the time and effort you spent!
Great Gift Ideas For PhotographersThe 35mm slide scanner is a boon for people who were born well before the advent of digital era and have stocks of 35mm slides and negatives stored away in cupboards, garages, attics or under the stairs with lots of memories captured in them. The purpose for doing so is to re-live and commemorate those precious moments again on special occasions and family gatherings. However, that seldom happens and the negatives and slides are left untouched for years. This is mainly because it is just not that easy to recover and set up the 35mm slide projector and the screen. Well, today you don't have to go through such troubles every time you want to share the forgotten memories with your friends and family.
With the advancement in the technology, you can now very easily resurrect your older slides and negatives by using a 35mm slide scanner. A negative and slide scanner allows you to convert your older slides and negatives into a digital format that can then be stored on your PC. You can easily share these saved files with your friends, relatives and family members in different ways like you can email them, post them on social network sites like MySpace or Facebook, burn them to CDs or DVDs, or just get them printed in different sizes and formats.
So, if you have loads of 35mm slides and negatives, and want to restore them so that you can share them with others then you should get a slide and negative scanner. That brings us to the important question - "What is the best 35mm slide scanner for older slides?"
Well, there are lots of models and brands of slide scanners that are available in the market. Fundamentally, they can be classified in two categories - dedicated slide scanner and multi-purpose flatbed slide scanner. The difference between the two is that the dedicated scanner can only scan slides and films while the flatbed one cannot only scan slides and films but also documents and photos.
Some of the leading brands you can choose from include Cannon, Nikon, HP, Epson, Kodak, Polaroid, Olympus, Microtek, Minolta and Leaf. The scanners from are available in different price ranges from low to high end. However, focusing only on the price and brand won't help you get the best. You also need to consider the features, quality and the use of product before buying one.
One of the important aspects you need to consider when buying a scanner is the purpose for which you are going to use it. If you simply want to scan the older slides that you have, then a low end product will do. On the other hand, if you are a photographer who takes pictures regularly, then you should opt for a mid-range product. However, if you run a publishing and printing business that requires you to scan huge quantities of films and slides, then you should certainly need a high-end product.
The resolution of the scanner is another thing that you should consider. The higher the resolution is, better the end product will be. The software that comes along the scanners is another important feature that you need to look for. Make sure that it will help you to accomplish your tasks like scanning, storing and editing easily.
Selecting a best 35mm scanner for older slides not only depends on pricing and brand name of the product but also its features and purpose. Go for one that fits in your budget and fulfills your needs.
What is the Best 35mm Slide Scanner For Older Slides?Wallace Nutting sold more hand-colored photographs during America's 1900-1940 "Golden Age of Hand-Colored Photography" than any other photographer of his time. It is estimated that between 5,000,000-10,000,000 of his pictures decorated the walls of middle class American homes during the early 20th century. Why was Wallace Nutting so successful? And why are his pictures still being widely collected today? This article represents a basic introduction into the world of Wallace Nutting Pictures.
It was shortly after 1900 that Wallace Nutting retired from the ministry due to ill health (he was a Congregational Minister in Providence RI at the time). As part of his recovery, he began touring the New England countryside by carriage or car, taking photographs of rural New England. Nutting was one of the first to recognize that the American scene was changing. Industrialization was altering the way our country looked and our pure and picturesque landscape would never look the same again. He seemed to feel it his divine calling to record the beauty of America for future generations.
Beginning first in Vermont, then Massachusetts and Connecticut, and eventually throughout the rest of New England, Nutting began photographing country lanes, streams, rivers, lakes, orchards, blossoms, birches, and mountains. Wallace Nutting would take the photograph, assign a title, and instruct his colorists how it should be hand-tinted. Each picture that met Nutting's high standards of color, composition, and taste would be affixed to its matting and signed by his employees with the distinctive "Wallace Nutting" name. (He hardly ever signed any pictures by himself). Those pictures that did not meet his strict standards were destroyed. Beginning first with outdoor (Exterior) scenes in New England, Nutting eventually traveled throughout the United States and Europe, taking photographs in 26 states and 17 foreign countries between 1900-1935. Overall, he took more than 50,000 pictures, 10,000 of which he felt met his high standards. The balance were destroyed.
It was around 1905 that Nutting began taking his first indoor (Interior) pictures. Supposedly one day while it was raining outside, Mrs. Nutting suggested that he take a more "Personable" picture indoors. So, he set up a colonial scene, near a kitchen hearth, had an employee dress up in a colonial fashion, and took several different pictures. These sold relatively easily which encouraged him to expand more into this area. Nutting's love of antiques, his passion for the pilgrim period, and his unquestionable desire to turn a profit led him to eventually purchase and restore five colonial homes:
Webb House, Wethersfield, CT Wentworth-Gardner House, Portsmouth, NH Cutler-Bartlett House, Newburyport, MA Hazen-Garrison House, Haverhill, MA Saugus Iron Works (Broadhearth), Saugus, MA
Nutting purchased these homes because he felt each represented a different period of early colonial American style and taste. It was here, along with his own homes Nuttinghame (Southbury, CT) and Nuttingholme (Framingham, MA), that the majority of his Interior pictures were taken. Nutting's desire to provide the most correct and appropriate settings for his Interior scenes led him in his quest to gather one of the best collections of early American furniture ever assembled. He would use the best examples of early American furniture in his Interior scenes and, when he couldn't find it, he would reproduce it. (We'll focus on his reproduction furniture in a subsequent article).
Working in Southbury CT from 1905-12, and then in Framingham MA from 1912 until his death in 1941, Nutting sold literally millions of his hand-colored photographs. He claims to have sold around 10,000,000 pictures although, knowing his habit of exaggeration, that number is probably somewhat high.
Whatever the true number, it was large. Wallace Nutting pictures were sometimes called "poor man's prints". Sold throughout the first quarter of the 20th century, well before the invention of color photography, these pictures initially sold literally for pennies. His market was primarily the middle and lower middle classes...those households which could not afford finer forms of art. Because of their low price, Wallace Nutting pictures were purchased in large numbers. By 1925, hardly an American middle-class household was without one as they were purchased as gifts for weddings, showers, Christmas, birthdays, and for just about any other reason imaginable.
Nutting sold many pictures directly through his studios where he also provided his own framing services. But he also sold his pictures through many other outlets as well: department stores, drug stores, and gift shops, all around the country. He even had full-time salesmen on the road whose sole job was to sell his pictures to these retail establishments. Salesmen whom, he claims, sold enough pictures to retire quite handsomely themselves.
The height of Wallace Nutting picture popularity was 1915-25. During this time Nutting had nearly 100 colorists in his employment, along with another 100 employees who acted as framers, matters, salesmen, management, and assorted administrative office personnel. Let there be no mistake about it...Wallace Nutting's pictures were big business. But by the late 1920's, people began to tire of Wallace Nutting. As with any other fashion or style, tastes began to change with time. Wallace Nutting pictures became passé and sales showed a steady decline. Even the introduction of different matting styles, greeting cards, pen-type silhouettes, and lower priced machine-produced process prints could not rejuvenate sales.
The Wall Street crash of 1929 and the following depression all but sealed the fate of the Wallace Nutting picture business. Although it remained in operation even after his death, the output was inconsequential after the early 1930's. Over the years, millions of Wallace Nutting pictures were probably thrown away. Many of those that remain show the signs of 60-90 years of wear after being stored in attics and basements, with water stains, broken glass, dust, dirt, and mildew.
As the original owners of Wallace Nutting pictures have grown older or passed on, their Wallace Nutting pictures have also been passed on to another generation. Some were given directly as gifts, others were inherited by children and grandchildren. Those that weren't passed along to families were sold at auctions, estate sales, tag sales, and flea markets where they re-entered the collectibles mainstream during the 1975-2000 period.
What are collectors looking for? Just as in Wallace Nutting's time, Exterior scenes have the widest appeal. Interior scenes have a more limited appeal, but since they are rarer, they typically command a higher price than Exterior scenes. However, we have seen that as America's fascination with the "Country" look has diminished over the past 5-10 years, interest in Nutting's Interior scenes has softened as well.
The most desirable pictures to serious Nutting collectors are Miscellaneous Unusual Scenes. These are pictures which fall outside the more standard Interior and Exterior scenes: Architecturals, Children, Florals, Foreign, Men, Seascapes, Snow scenes, and a select few geographical rarities. Nutting's original sales in these categories were significantly lower than with his Exterior and Interior scenes, hence their "/i>rarity" attracts collectors. Just as in other areas of collecting, the rarest examples, in the best condition, are the easiest to sell, regardless of price. But just as important as rarity and subject matter is condition. Collectors want pieces in excellent condition and imperfections such as water stains, blemishes, poor coloring, or damaged frames can all significantly reduce value.
As of 2010 the Auction record for a Wallace Nutting hand-colored photograph stands at ,300.00, which is quite reasonable within the high-priced world of Antiques & Collectibles. However, as the economy has softened, so too have Wallace Nutting prices and perhaps 90% of Wallace Nutting pictures are selling in today's market for less than 0-0. And many can be had for - or less. Which means that if you appreciate Wallace Nutting Pictures, this is probably the best time to buy them in the past 25 years.
In photography, while it is true that having your own reliable and trusted equipment helps in producing beautiful photographs, it helps even more if you clearly set your mind even before the moment you take a shot about what you are trying to catch or capture in your photographs. Having wonderful photos involves nothing more than a bit of thought. However, to help people who are novice, non- artistic, or non- technical picture takers, a set of guidelines is mentioned below intended to improve their photography.
First is to move in closer. In order to have a better shot of your prospect, it is suggested for you to move closer. Having your subject fill almost the frame allows better details of your photo thus making it more interesting than an overall view. This also makes your viewers appreciate and understand more your photo. In this way, you will be secured that the photo will truly reflect your subject.
Second is to be quick. There are situations in which your subject is in motion. In this case, it would be better to shoot right away.
Third is to keep the balance. A picture with balanced elements with one level or another is better appreciated. Even though you don't intend to sell the picture, it is important to have an effort to keep the picture balanced and beautiful.
Fourth is to be selective. You need to reflect on what really are your interests. You may place your efforts in attaining the best photograph of this prospect. Then be certain that there are no distractions in your picture. A way of doing this is to watch the borders your camera.
After that, recompose if anything appears distracting to your picture. Finally is to look at the light. To look at the light does not mean to look directly into the sun, but it is to see what kind would you be working with. Which way do the shadows fall? Unless there is a need for a silhouette effect, it is suggested to shoot with the sun behind you. In knowing how to handle the light that is present is the best way for you to achieve a picture that you really wanted.
These are only some of the tips in photography that can be used in order to have beautiful photos that can be for keeps.
Basic PhotographyYou're a man. Your sexual buttons are pushed easily, as marketing experts, pornography producers as well as Hollywood moviemakers will prove daily. Almost anything - that is advertized with the man in mind - has a hidden sexual motive. Nearly any movie has hidden persuaders deliberately incorporated and pornography of course is obvious. While the objective usually is to make you buy someting - a car, a movie ticket, a soft drink or whatever - the side-effect is that you get turned on subconciously frequently during the day.
Within a BDSM context the daily "turn ons" are even bigger, since you will - conciously or subconciously - be attracted to many more fetishes, such as leather, high heels or even a dog collar.
Fetishism is perfectly normal
The social conditioning, that we talked about earlier, brought about something else: stygmatizing "fetishism" as abnormal. Of course, if sex is a reward for good social behavior, you (the government or the religion or whatever other regulator) don't want other incentives that produce a similar effect to what you want to achieve, so you condemn everything else as "wrong".
The current double social standard is that fetishism and non-mainstream sex are still largely condemned by such powerful and influential social entities as governments, religions, feminist action groups and others, while society at the same time will praise Steven Spielberg (ever wondered why "Jaws" is so appealing?) as a contribution to society, Hollywood still is the major source of visual entertainment (which includes movies such as "Basic Instincts") and girl-popstars like Britney Spears try to convince the world that their "ooohs" and "aahs" have no sexual connotation whatsoever and they're NOT a sex symbol.
What is fetishism?
A fetish is a sexual turn on and it can be anything: the sight of a girl on the beach in a bikini, the thrill of a well-turned leg, the sight of a smoothly rounded bottom in a tight pair of jeans, the tempting crevice of a cleavage disappearing into a blouse, you name it. Quite often a fetish doesn't have to be such an explicit image as the above. Leather upholstery in luxurious sport cars for example has everything to do with the fact that the scent and feel of leather - even outside the BDSM-realm - to many is a (hidden) sexual turn on.
Several years ago a Japanese camera producer - Asahi Pentax - had difficulty selling telelenses. A marketing-psychologist was brought in to try and dertemine what the problem was. His first conclusion, after research, was that the vast majority of men - interested in buying long range telelenses, did NOT by these because they wanted to make pictures of birds and other animals, or wanted to do sports photography. Their hidden motive appeared to be that almost every men - potentially interested in buying a telelens - wanted to do so because he hoped to make a snapshot of his neighbors' wife or daughter in bath or otherwise naked. As a result: the psychologist advised to advertize the lenses in UPRIGHT positions only (i.e. as a phallus symbol). As a result the salesfigures of telelenses suddenly skyrocketed!
You might be saying - what is there that doesn't turn men on? And you'd be right - somewhere, someone is being turned on right now by things you never even thought of. It is the peculiarity of the male sexual being that so many things, so little understood, can be sexual stimuli. Your girlfriend may have long flowing locks and long hair may become a compelling stimulus. Other men report similar effects of their first sexual experience - as if, in some way, the various sights and sounds present at that first crucial moment become an imprint for later turn-ons. (Better tell your son to be careful where he first makes out - best if he does it at home in a safe, loving environment with contraception at hand)
Then there is the stimulus of naughty talk - a reaction, perhaps, by the child inside us to being prim and proper, so that simply using naughty words is exciting and stimulating: the same logic might apply to making love in forbidden or risky situations where there is the risk of discovery - the additional adrenaline may simply heighten the excitement and make all the stimuli more intense. This isn't really high science, though, it's more like common-sense. What is more difficult to explain are the - what psycholigists, psychiatrists, legislators and doctors will still quickly label - "paraphilias" - in their (outdated) opinion "the bizarre or outlandish sexual stimulii" such as cross-dressing, exhibitionism, voyeurism, high heels, red lingerie, BDSM and so on.
Various ideas have been put forward to explain all this: for example, that men feel guilty about sex and seek somehow to transfer their sexual feelings to objects like underwear, or high heels, which may or may not have an obvious sexual connotation. ALL THIS IS UTTER NONSENS!!! and you shouldn't worry about it. What de facto is the matter is that from an evolutionary/genetic point of view reproduction (which requires sex) is the number one obligation for any species and that hidden or less hidden persuaders are as normal to birds or elephants as they should be to us. Birds are often multi-colored for that purpose. Squids even produce bio-energetic light to attract the other species. Frogs wake entire towns literally "yelling" out their hornyness and so do crickets.
SEXUAL SIGNALS ARE AS NORMAL AS TRAFFIC LIGHTS. Their main function is to make a man (elephant, shark or mosquito alike) horny so they will feel the urge to reproduce. True, we're humans and not animals but that doesn't mean the signals and effects aren't there.
Of course, it's great to feel the rising tide of sexual excitement that results from being near a loved one, or a sexual partner, or even a friend with whom a comfortable sexual relationship but little emotional commitment exists (the nice idea of the gay "fuck buddy" comes in this category: a relationship based on sexual pleasure alone - a relationship which many straight men would accept instantly if it were on offer to them: think of it - sex with no commitment. Wow! Now - is that stereotypical male thinking, and if it is, does it come from our genetic make-up or our learned experiences and attitudes? ). The subtlety of male arousal is such that even a glance, the touch of a lover's hand, the smell of a lover's hair, the sight or scent of their clothes (especially fresh off their body), can stir a man's sexual interest.
That is one of most exciting aspects of being a man - that sudden sexual excitement, the spontaneous erection, the surge of desire that takes one by surprise, the sheer urgent, sexiness of it all. While in the end emotional connection is more satisfying, and, with the right partner, can reinforce one's sense of self and one's sense of masculinity, the "instant pleasure buttons" any man has shouldn't be ignored or denied. Yes they can be - and should be - fun and there is no reason why you shouldn't just enjoy this innocent sexual pleasure.
Listen to your body
There is nothing wrong with listening to your body. Your physical sexual respons to your environment is a very complex process of hormonal reactions, most of which is yet to be mapped and understood by science - the process as well as the complex set of triggers, reactions and mental and physical responses.
As a result, the most important as well as sensible thing to do is - within the context of your personal situation - to listen to your body, get the monkeys off your back and open yourself up to your sexual needs, desires and reactions.
And, talk about them! Tell your partner when you feel aroused and - if you know - why. Not only does that bring about a better understanding of what you are and what turns you on, it also makes it clear to her when your aroused (horny) and why and very likely BOTH of you will enjoy the moment. While that doesn't HAVE to result in actual, instant intercourse, there is nothing wrong with a quicky on the kitchen table either and that can and will sometimes greatly improve your relationship.
Your partner is probably a fetish
It is very likely that your partner, as a person or (parts of) her body are a fetish to you. This might be anything, but very likely it will be her hair, mouth, neck, breasts, butt, legs or something and usually more than one thing. While we are (social conventions again) NOT to like and desire women for their body, that is exactly one of the things that you should learn to communicate about.
We need to explain yet another double social standard. We - men - are indeed taught not to like women for their body. While at the same time we're bombarded with conflicting signals: from sexy dresses, to perfume - from hairdo to just about any commercial. Of course all of that is NOT an open invitation to rape and sexual harrassement! But is IS a signal that you will respond to and are supposed to respond to (albeit in a civilized way). The opinion - spread by feminist groups and others - that women are allowed to dress the way they want to and that men are not supposed to interpret that as a sexual signal is far to easy and actually both pretty cheap as well as untrue. Of course is short skirt is a sexual signal - so is a bikini, so is lipstick, so is perfume. It may very well not be JUST and ONLY a sexual signal, but it is a pretty naive idea that you can put on a perfume that has all the hidden aromatic persuaders in it and expect men NOT to respond to it.
So, do respond to it (towards your partner that is, not the female sitting next to you in the bus!). If you like her legs - tell her!
On top of that - most men fantasize about "different ways of having sex" - different as in having oral sex, anal sex or cumming between her breasts, all over her face or in her hair. The fact of the matter is that most women fantasize about exactly that (fantasies about being raped, abducted or being used as a sexual object or being a whore or a slut are the most common ones among women). So don't be afraid you'll shock her if you tell her about your fetish, because it is very likely she'll have the same one or at least a similar one of her own.
And here is another helpful hint: the vast majority of women fantasize about what they will describe as "male men" (truckdrivers, man smelling of diesel, freshly cut wood and - VERY IMPORTANT - fresh sweat as well as men in business attire). So, be male - down to earth feet in the clay male - chances are she'll love you for it.
Physical and mental attraction
Many people try to make a difference between physical and mental attraction. In fact: women (while communicating they want to be valued for their mental attraction) put a lot of emphasys on their physical ability to attract men (and in the process sexually compete with other women). That can often be very confusing. The important part is in "attraction", regardless where it comes from. Attraction is the bridgehead - for sex, for communication, actually for the entire relationship. Attraction is what started it between the two (or three of four) of you.
Fact of the matter is that there is actual very little difference between phsyical or mental attraction and that every sexual/emotional interaction between men and women is a combination of both. Picture this: this gorgious blond suddenly walks into your life and while she's physically everything you ever desired, she has this horrible accent and can only talk about her mother and TV-soaps. Will she still attract you once she opens her mouth? Probably not. And that is what it is all about.
What scientists will tell you (man) is that you are easily aroused and aroused by many different things, either solo or in combination. And that it happens hundreds of times a day. Scientists believe the male mind is drawn to some sort sort of sexual stimulation as often as 700 times a day. In very simple, very unscientific terms: you are pretty trigger happy bastard, to put it mildly. And we started this chapter with telling you that you're probably aroused more times through reading Life Magazine or looking at the billboards or watching a movie.
What is important first of all is to understand that this happens and that - the two of - you might as well use it to your advantage, for starters by telling each other about it. That is you telling her. By doing so, even if at first she may feel threatened by it, you're telling her a lot about how that happy trigger works. Information she can next use to pump up the volume, so to speak. Women are not exactly stupid and there is nothing wrong with telling them what turns you on. The idea of course is SHE turns you on. Because that is what brings things back to basics and allows you to follow what your genes are basically programmed for. This is not the same as having her belly-dance every night of course - the idea is to share and use useful information that BOTH of your can use to your mutual benefit.
Once you've gotten there, actually the only other thing you need to master is to ASK her, about what turns her on. Do both - tell and ask - and you're very likely on the road to a very happy sexlife.
Male Sexual Arousal & Desire
From a box brownie to a Nikon D3 in 50 years
I have been a professional photographer for over 30 years and the changes that have taken place over that time are just incredible.
My first pro camera around was a Rolleiflex 2.8 which I still have to this day - in working condition as well. I used these cameras - Rolleiflex, Bronica and Mamiyaflex over the years for Weddings, Portraits and Press Photography.
In the early 70's I bought a Pentax S1A and a Nikon 35mm camera but only used them for certain jobs mainly because of the quality I could get from the 6cm cameras.
So most of the time until the 90's I still used the medium format cameras for weddings and portraits but gradually moved over to Nikon cameras for press work.
Towards the end of the 90's things changed so quickly with the introduction of digital cameras, so much so that gone are the hours and hours in the darkroom processing films and printing photographs in black & white for the press.
Now, I use Nikon digital cameras for virtually all the photography that I undertake. So now, instead of standing in the darkroom for hours I now sit in front of a computer for hours doing everything digitally.
Obviously, it makes things easier with retouching photographs etc., moving heads and figures and converting colour pics into black & white or sepia at the click of a mouse but it doesn't save me hours & hours of time in work. That is progress for you.
Before you purchase a set of binoculars, it is important to fully understand their purpose, any special requirements or features you will need and have a price range in mind. Example: if you are an avid day hiker or back-packers in the outdoors you might think about compact, lightweight binoculars that are waterproof and shockproof. If you are purchasing your optics for sheep hunting you would want rugged, high power magnification, large objective high quality lenses for long distance viewing with critical eye relief (less straining on your eyes as you view).
My experience has proven to me that when buying binoculars, all things being equal, you get what you pay for. If you are buying binoculars for your grandkids there are plenty of brands offering inexpensive, attractive and quite functional optics perfect for the beginner. However, if you are buying for yourself it is my recommendation to do some homework, look around and compare different brands, features and price ranges.
Then while making your decision on the right set of binoculars strongly consider the fact that this purchase is an investment that you will have for your lifetime. This is not the time to go economy and shave the budget. Believe me, a great set of binoculars are more money but very well worth it.
Now, let's discuss how to define what a good set of binoculars is and what features you should consider:
Warranty: this is a good place to start. A limited lifetime warranty is very important and something you want. If you narrow your search down to two pairs of binoculars sometimes the warranty can be the tie breaker.
Quality of Lenses: understand the type of lenses, materials used in the lenses and what benefits the lenses offer. Most lenses are made out of glass, crystal, plastic or high-tech composites and have some type of coatings offering various types of advantages. Better quality binoculars will have a higher level of clarity and resolution providing the greatest advantage over the inexpensive binoculars.
Waterproof: a good set of binoculars will be waterproof which is always a good idea since most are used outdoors where the elements can turn nasty. To have a nice set of binoculars ruined because they were not waterproof would be a disappointing event. Waterproof binoculars are usually filled with nitrogen which helps them to stay moisture free. Waterproofing is actually done with the construction of the binocular and if it is fully waterproof it will be printed on the binocular. Most of the waterproof binoculars are also available with individual eye focusing system.
Shockproof: having the benefit of shockproof binoculars is a good idea. We do not intent to be rough on our optics but events happened in or out of our control that could permanently damage binoculars. I dropped my favorite set of binoculars many years ago and they were permanently distorted. Nothing I could do but throw them away as I mourned.
Rubber Armor: this is not a must but it sure is nice to have exterior rubber armor on your binoculars. It provides some shock resistance, helps tremendously with your grip and reduces the tendency of sliding while lying on table tops or similar.
Objective Lenses: generally, the larger the objective (the size of the front lenses) the more field of view you will have and the more light that will be collected in low light conditions such as dawn and dusk. If you have not experienced this it is very neat. It can be almost dark out and look through your binoculars with large objective lenses and you can mysteriously see like an owl.
Eye Relief: Eye relief is the distance from the eyepiece to the point where you can see the whole picture. Small compact binoculars have more challenges with eye relief than most others. People who wear glasses often have trouble using binoculars, because their glasses hold the eyepiece too far away from their eyes. People wearing contact lenses or people who do not need prescription glasses should not experience difficult eye relief issues.
People who need glasses but do not have astigmatism can look through binoculars without their glasses, adjusting for their nearsightedness or farsightedness merely by adjusting the focusing device. Generally, in this situation you take your glasses off before raising the binoculars to your eyes.
Weight: hunting or hiking all day with a large heavy set of binoculars can get annoying and not to ignore the fact about chaffing the back of your neck from the carrying strap. Weight should certainly be considered when selecting the right pair of binoculars.
Carrying Case: you want to protect your investment in between uses. A good hard shell protective carrying case is recommended.
Purchasing a good set of binoculars is an investment you will enjoy for a lifetime. Do you homework, consider all your options, make your investment and then enjoy!
Binoculars Tips You Need to Know Before Purchase
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Picking the best camera brand is very hard, and is something that varies greatly. Some may say Canon, while others may say Kodak. It all depends on what the camera is being used for.
Technically, there is no best camera brand, and it really just comes down to individual preference. Nonetheless, there are quite a few brands that really do dominate in many ways. These brands include Olympus, Leica, Panasonic, Minolta, Fuji, Pentax, and Sony. As you can see, it is hard to pick just one brand, as there are many brands that are right up there as "the best camera brand".
As for quality, this may be a bit easier to rank. At the top would be Leica, followed by Panasonic, Minolta, Olympus, Yashica, Practika, Pentacon, Fuji, and Zeiss. There are several other brands, and just because they are not on this list does not mean they are bad brands. In fact, in this time there is really no such thing as "bad camera brand", but there are just certain brands that really shine.
Overall, many would say that the Leica could be the best if it was smaller. Many people do not like it because it is not one you can fit in your pocket. Though, it is said to be a great film and digital camera nonetheless. Olympus is probably one of the best digital SLR, and if you are willing top pay big bucks for lenses, then this is your best bet.
One thing that should be considered closely is what category camera you want as well. Some brands do not have good SLR cameras, while others may not have good ultra compact cameras. There are five categories, and before picking a specific brand you should definitely know which of these you will likely want. The categories include ultra compact (very small), compact (small), creative compact (a bit bigger than the compact cameras), SLR-like (larger), and the SLR (the largest). Some brands will not have good SLR cameras, so if you want a good SLR camera, some brands may not be an option for you. Generally, Sony caries ultra compact cameras, while Olympus is better known for SLR cameras. Picking a brand is not always something that someone can help you with. Often times people pick a camera on what they find is appealing. Try out some different cameras; see how you like their look, and their interface. It really comes down to individual preference over anything.
What is the Best Digital Camera Brand For 2009?
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