You know the pictures and the captions: From “scrawny to brawny,” are you a “hard gainer”? And my favorite“from this to this in 90 days”. It’s almost like magic they are so amazing. So, how do they do it? Well if you are the magician…….you know the “magic”.
The first thing that I have to admit is that all of the before and after photo’s that I am aware of are in fact real. Not photo shopped, or altered to any great degree. The physical transformations that they represent did and do actually take place. It’s just not portrayed exactly as it happened.
Let’s start with the skinny guy transforming into an Adonis. The hard gainer. The facts are that when it comes to muscle building, we’re all hard gainers. You don’t add 30 lbs of muscle easily. No one does, or everybody would do it, wouldn’t they? Now some people’s genetic predisposition and body type makes it somewhat more difficult to add size, but everyone will, eventually. And therein lays the first trick.
The before and after photo’s of these fantastic transformations are taken YEARS apart. Not months, weeks or days. Years. If you notice the photos closely there will always be a difference in facial features, though they try to avoid direct straight on face shots. The hair style is different, often different color, shading and lighting will be changed and skin tone is usually darker in the after. These are all done to enhance the after, and it work’s, and to take your attention away from the fact that the skinny before photo is 5 or more years old.
News flash: Lift a lot of very heavy weight often, eat a lot of protein and work hard at it and in 5 years ANYBODY will pack on muscle. No miracle weight lifting routines
Then there’s the Doughboy before photo becoming Mr. Universe in the after, and doing it in 90 days. Well, this DOES happen. Have you ever seen what a professional lifter looks like if they go 30 days without lifting and add 15 lbs of blubber to their body? They look a LOT like the people in the before shots. Big, beefy, even chunky,very soft and smooth looking. But if you have ever had 3% body fat before, you can get back to this number 10 times faster than doing it for the first time. Same with muscle memory in lifting. It can take you years to get to a certain level of weight for bench or whatever, then injure yourself and have to take months off. When you hit the weights for the first time you might be able to handle 60-70% of what you were doing. But it comes back in just a few weeks. Same with fat loss. These before and after photo’s usually will be literally identical in every way. That’s because these will have been taken 60-90 days apart. But the before photo isn’t some schlub off the street. He’s a very muscular dude with 25 lbs of fat to drop. Been there, done that.
Lastly I have learned that the internet is loaded with useful, helpful FREE information. You just have to look for it. If you are too lazy to do that, and instead opt for some costly “program”, realize that buying it doesn’t make you NOT lazy anymore. Save your money.
Steve Robbins is editor and main contributor to www.muscleandhealth.org, www.gain-muscle-weight-fast.com and http://muscleandhealthorg.blogspot.com/. He has been a lifelong fitness enthusiast and has the rare ability to bench press twice his body weight and run a marathon in the same day. At the age of 51.
Printing your photos to canvas is an excellent method of recapturing treasured memories; with the technologies that are currently available there is a multitude of effects that can be used. A canvas print can be a fantastic addition to the artwork in your home; you can achieve a tasteful piece that will be unique and commented on by all your friends and family.
A printed piece can be a cost effective way of personalising your home with original art that does not cost the earth. Now that the festive season is over, recapturing a warming moment can lift the spirits when generally people are feeling a little flat.
A photo printed onto canvas is a lovely idea for a thank you gift, say you have visited relations over the festive season and they have footed the expense of putting you up and laying on all the food, this type of gift will really say thank you and will be warmly received.
It is not difficult to obtain a photo canvas print; many companies offer a service on-line where you can post your photo or negative to be used to them. Many photo-shops also offer printing photos to canvas and will be able to advise you on what the effects available will look like.
Some companies are able to digitally produce your photo onto roller blinds or a large wall mural which can dramatically change a room in the home or a workspace. This could be a viable alternative to completely redecorating and can totally alter the feel of the space.
Canvas is a good material to work with as so many effects can be created using it and if looked after correctly will last and last without fading. Printing onto canvas is not limited to purely photograph a Child’s first drawing can be captured on canvas, holding onto that precious memory.
There are many occasions that could easily warrant the importance for being captured on canvas, such as, a birth, a marriage, a great holiday, Christmas and New Years. As well as this you could capture the family pet or favourite scenery that inspires a feeling of well being.
If wishing to transfer a photo to canvas it is possible to have red eye and blemishes that are in the photo removed from the image that will appear on the canvas. This enables a greater choice of which photo to use as we all have photos that would be great if not for some red eye or blemish that spoil it. Another option is to have a photo converted to either black and white or different tones of the same colour. These options can help create a piece of art in superb quality colour. It may be possible to pre-view these effects especially if visiting a photo-shop, which are normally extremely helpful. It is possible to create a collage of photos onto one canvas, using this method you can capture many memories in one or even tell a story. One idea is to use photographs from each stage of a child’s life, so a newborn picture, a photo of the child crawling, the child’s first steps and so on, capturing each important hurdle in the child’s life. Great gifts for grandparents or for parents to hang in their home as children are our pride and joy.
Jenny Austin is an expert in Canvas Prints , for further information on how to choose your Canvas Print , please visit http://www.novaprints.co.uk.
Caricatures, like a picture of a panda or an illustration in the middle of a stuffy book, have an immediate draw, catching people’s eyes in an instant. By definition, caricatures are pictures which look like cartoons, illustrating real live models. Most caricatures center on public figures, illustrating the comic side(s) of their character. Indeed, capturing the comical element in life is the nature of a caricature. People are immensely gratified as they witness the way public figures, politicians and celebrities alike, are reduced to ordinary human beings with flaws and reasons with which we may laugh at them.
Caricatures from photos are basically cartoon-like drawings of models generated from pictures or photography. Professional caricaturists may work on pictures sent by a company to create an attractive advertisement. A picture of a beloved pet may also be turned into a caricature to surprise a friend or a loved one. You may want to have a friend’s picture made into a caricature for a humorous present, a token given at a retirement party or a birthday party.
Keep in mind however, that caricatures emphasize the comic feature(s) of a person, magnifying things others find funny but may be something the model is insecure about. Make sure that the one you’re doing a caricature of is someone who does not mind laughing about him- or herself. The internet supplies you with a lot of sites offering to create caricatures from photos at very reasonable prices. Sites which offer free online tutorials are not in shortage either.
Not so long ago, cameras came with films. Yes you can take pictures, but only up to what your film can cover. And you can’t see the results unless you print it out. You are not even certain if all the pictures you took are upright ones. And worse, there’s even a possibility that it is “exposed”. Meaning the shots are useless. But today, with digital cameras, there is no edge to the number of shots you can acquire. And the best thing about it is you can see the pictures right away. If you don’t like the shot enough, you can always delete it and take another one. You need not print out all the pictures for developing as you can choose among the best. You can even enhance the photos that you took with the help of editing software’s such as photo shops. With the technology today, digital photos are limitless!
If you are new to digital photography, you really have to start from scratch. You can’t skip the beginning line and go on to the further advanced levels since before you attain that level, you’ll have to go by the basics. And the basic thing that you have to acquire is how your digital camera works. You have to familiarize yourself with its basic functions and you have to explore the different settings. You can make use of the manual to guide you to the mechanics of your camera.
Next step is practice. You can start with the simplest shots. With your raw knowledge about photography, you can initiate taking pictures of the people or things around you. You can take random shots of the things that you see everywhere. Try to collect digital photos so later on; you can track your shots as you learn new things. You will be able to see how you improve with new techniques each day. There is really no harm in taking as many photos as you can as long as you have the space in your memory card.
Next thing that you should do is experiment with your camera. Try to switch into different settings so you’ll know the difference and you will be able to distinguish which settings are better for certain scenarios. Try to take pictures of the same subject using different settings. That way, you will be able to compare your shots later on. Try to experiment with the flash on or off, with the zoom, or with the other settings available in your camera.
As you go on learning, attempt to take down notes or simply take note of the new techniques you get. As a beginner, it won’t be easy for you to remember all the things. Which is why it would assist if you list down your latest learning’s so the next time you take pictures, you can apply what you’ve learned from your proceeding practice sessions?
Learning is always a gradual process even in digital photography. And there is no such thing as an instant photographer. So don’t pressure yourself too much to become a professional at once. Always remember that great things start from small beginnings. Master the basics first before leveling-up. It is solely through exercise and patience, that you will acquire new techniques, and finally, become better at taking digital photos.
To help you even further you may want to take a look here at Digital Panoramic Camera to learn about the new point and shoot digital camera from Sony that will have you taking amazing digital pictures in no time. In fact this is the same camera, the Sony Cybershot TX7 that Taylor Swift uses on her TV commercial.
Photos of family, friends and favorite places add a touch of personality, style, flair, and jazz to any room. Sometimes however it’s difficult to think of inventive and creative ways to display your treasured pictures.
First you need to take a good look at the photos you want to display. One of your favorite photos might be a large group picture, but it may not actually display well when hanging on a wall. Save that one for the scrapbook and look for pictures that have vibrant images that convey a message or a thought.
Older photographs can be brought to live with the advances in photographic reproduction technology. If you have a favorite old photo that’s fading, or has been damaged or crinkled through the years, take it to a photo shop to have it restored and reprinted. You might even be able to do this yourself at home with photo imaging software. You might want to consider added a special effect, enlarging or cropping the photo differently to add a new perspective to a familiar photo.
Mixing frames of different styles and sizes can be fun, but takes some planning and forethought. Lay the framed photos on a tabletop or the floor and rearrange until you find a workable arrangement, then employ a friend or family member’s help when measuring and preparing to mount on the wall. Have your level ready to be sure that a picture that looks straight actually is straight.
Photos don’t have to be limited to the walls. Tabletops, desktops, bookshelves, and your family entertainment wall unit are all great places to add a picture frame. Even a dressing screen can make a clever and unique backdrop.
You can even decoupage photos onto a table lamp base or mirror frame for an added jazzy effect. And by using fabric transfer sheets, you can even transfer a favorite photo onto a pillowcase or wall hanging. Photo collages of friends or family members make great placemats. Simple arrange and laminate. This is also a great way to hang a collage on the wall or corkboard above your desk or in your office. Individual laminated photos can be affixed to magnets to put on the refrigerator and other metal surfaces in your home.
If you are like me you will do everything you can to make the conditions for taking your pictures as perfect as possible. Putting your subject in the perfect position to capture the best lighting, eliminating distracting elements, these are only a few of the steps necessary to take the best possible photo. Unfortunately, not everything works out perfectly the first time around. This is where this photoshop training course comes in.
Even amateur photographers can now make an ordinary digital photo to look professional using today’s technology. How can they do this? You can use the power of Adobe Photoshop and turn an ordinary photograph into a masterpiece. The truth is that even professional photographers use Adobe Photoshop to air brush so called imperfections in the pictures they took with their SLR camera.
Photoshop allows you to do many things including adding or removing items you\’re your photos. If you want to add a sunny blue sky to a cloudy day it is possible with Adobe Photoshop. The imperfections we all have can be easily removed. Scars, wrinkles and even pimples can all be airbrushed away to make everyone look cover model perfect. These techniques are often used by studio photographers to make their subjects look perfect.
You can even make people who are overweight look as if they are the sexiest people on earth. Such is the magic of Adobe Photoshop. Everything is possible with this photo editing software.
Expensive cameras, while nice, are not even necessary in order to produce high quality photographs. Using your computer you can use any ordinary camera and turn an average photo into a masterpiece with a few clicks of the mouse. Photoshop can take dull, lifeless photos and turn them into vibrant pieces of art.
Photos that were once relegated to the trash bin can now be saved through the magic of Photoshop. You needn\’t worry about red eyes any longer as these can be edited within seconds. Dark pictures can be lightened with a few clicks of the mouse. Simply adjust the brightness and contrast and your pictures will look like you took it in a perfect lighting environment. Back lighted pictures are no longer a problem with Adobe Photoshop.
One of the best things about Photoshop is that it is relatively easy to learn. Learning the program won\’t happen overnight however once you become comfortable with the environment you will be able to edit pictures like a professional.
Hopefully you now understand that you no longer need a digital photo studio in order to make your dull pictures look amazing. Adobe Photoshop will take your great pictures and make them magnificent. Even with a typical point and shoot camera, you can be sure that you will be able to take great pictures with the help of Photoshop.
So, if you want your photos to look as if they were taken by a professional then Adobe Photoshop is the program for you. You can do all that I have mentioned plus more using Adobe Photoshop. Not only can you change the background of your picture, you can even replace someone\’s body with another person\’s body.
Our recommended Photoshop training course available on the Internet is without a doubt the David Peters Photoshopfasttrack series. There are a variety of user levels and excellent step by step video tutorials, which can be applied to any Photoshop version. The newbie Photoshop training course is called \”learn photoshop Now\”, so why not download a FREE Photoshop Training Course Report on the following web page, and get started today;-
Did you enjoy this article? Interested in finding a Photoshop Training Course? Well now you can by reading this Photoshop Free Report…what are you waiting for? Discover This Recommended Photoshop Training Course Today!
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Printing photos from home has never been easier. Taking trips to the photo shop takes time and money so why not make it easier on yourself and print your favorite photographs right off of your home computer? With these tips, doing so is easy.
1. The best photo prints come from the highest resolution images. Both on your camera and your computer, it’s important to choose the best quality possible. 2 Megapixels is good for most smaller size photo prints like 5 x 7’s and wallet sized photos. But for larger projects like calendars or full size 8 x 10’s, 3 megapixels is the minimum.
2. Changing the format from a JPEG to TIFF results in higher clarity and better resolution. Although these files are larger, the size is worth it when you’re printing.
3. Any photo editing program can correct blemishes or color problems with your pictures. Softening edges, cropping the size and removing red eye are all advantages to printing at home.
4. Working with your printer helps you to achieve the best quality photos. A way to do this is through updating the current drive, which is what allows your computer and your printer to talk to each other. By checking your printer manufacturer’s web site, you can see if there are any new updates to install.
5. DPI, or dots per inch, is a feature that is very important to high resolution photos. Ideally you want at least 600 x 600 dpi. If your printer doesn’t print this well, you might want to think again about how you get professional looking photo prints, by either investing in a new printer or going to the photo store.
6. Configuring the print settings of your printer will help you achieve the best results. In the control panel of your computer, find the printer icon and open the folder. Under Printing Preferences you should be able to change the print quality accordingly. If you have any difficulty, don’t be afraid to consult your printer’s instruction manual.
7. Choosing the right kind of paper is important. If you’re printing macro shots with high resolution, you probably want inkjet glossy photo paper. Inkjet glossy photo paper will gives you the shine and gloss you want your photos to have. If, on the other hand, you are printing something with text, or a photo that doesn’t require as much detail, you can go with premium matte photo paper.
8. Make sure that your print cartridges are aligned and that your printer is working properly to avoid wasting expensive paper and depending on the size, fit as many photos on one page as possible in order to conserve waste.
9. As far as ink goes, it doesn’t really matter, but just to be on the safe side, get ink from the same company that made your printer. With these tips you should be well on your way to printing professional style photos. Printing photos has never been easier. Good luck!
The holidays are once again upon us. Which means that my wife is going to go crazy printing out photos she takes of all the events, parties, kids, and grandkids. We discuss this on every holiday, the difference in cost between getting prints done by the local drugstore, photo shop, or online services and printing them at home.
And the time it takes to print each photo is brutal, even at a 4″ X 6″ print. Printing 30 or 40 photos can easily take over an hour if everything goes just right. But that never happens around our house. You run out of ink, the photo doesn’t come out as expected, or the software does something weird and it slows you down.
In my case, I’m just as happy to view the photos on the computer or television for free. But I understand how some people want to hold the photo in their hand and show it to anyone they can corner. And many people keep photo albums and scrapbooks so they want a physical print.
Printing photos at home with your inkjet printer can get expensive. If you just do a few, the convenience is probably worth the few extra dollars. But if you have lots of photos to print, you will pay up to 5 times the cost of getting them at some retail photo printing center or online.
Now I have made some progress in this never-ending battle of the holiday photos. I have finally convinced my photo-loving wife to review the photos and take out all of the ceiling or floor shots. And to be a little more selective and not print out five different photos of the same subject matter. That cut down the number of prints by at least 20%.
The math is pretty simple. If you buy 100-sheet pack of glossy photo paper that is 4″ X 6″ it runs about $13. Each set of inkjet printer cartridges (one black and one tri-color for our printer) they cost about $40. They say you can get about 75 4″ X 6″ prints out of each cartridge but that never happens at my house. More like 45 or 50 tops.
So if you add the $40 and the $13 you get a total cost of $53 and if you get 45 prints the cost is $1.17 each. Ouch, that hurts the billfold. If you go down to the local drugstore or retail photo printing store you can usually get 4″ X 6″ prints for about $.15, and they often have specials for $.10 each.
Now it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to see that you can save about a $1 per print if you wait for a few hours to get your prints. Even if you go with alternative ink cartridges and no name photo paper for half of the brand name prices you still save $.50 per print at the retail stores.
But the economics of printing at home start to tip to the home printing side of the equation on the larger print size. On an 8″ X 10″ print, the retail price per print is around $4. Even with the expensive inkjet ink and glossy paper, you can generally get the cost of 8″ X 10″ print down to around $3 or a little less doing them at home.
Of course you may wait 10-15 minutes for each one to print, so it’s still not fast. And you may only get about 8 to 10 prints out of most sets of ink cartridges. And you don’t want to start a print unless you know there is enough ink in the ink cartridges to finish the print. Always check the level of ink; most of the newer inkjet printers give you an ink level reading.
So the bottom line on saving money on photo prints is to not do the 4″ X 6″ prints at home, go to the retail printing places and get them for 10 to 15 cents each rather that over a dollar each at home. On the 8″ X 10″ prints, the cost is less than the retail photo shops but don’t be in a hurry since they take a long time to print.
Why settle for good photos when you can take great ones that help sell your products more quickly. The human eye is almost always drawn to a picture before text so photos should be eye-appealing. Take photos that stand out in a crowd. Many photographers agree that one of the best times to take photos is during the golden hour, when light can be breathtaking and even simple subjects take on an added glow.
You can make money even if you have absolutely not photography training to speak of because my proven and tested system introduces you to several photography opportunities that are so easy even the newbie’s can and will make money with them.
I am going to hold your hand and help you step by step with the information.
Digital photography is actually fun to do and even more fun for me when I see all the extra money being deposited in my bank account month after month.
You can work as much as you want or as little as you need. Set your own hours and work whenever you want to.
The “Photo Wealth How to Make Money” contains everything you need to know in order to start making lots of money with your digital camera!
There are several ways for you to go about selling your photo work.
Use ebay and other online auction sites. Sell to stock photo websites. Sell directly to the public or to individual clients. Sell to magazines and newspapers. Sell to book publishers. Create your own photo shorefront online.
Keep this in mind, every image you sell must have been shot by you, and not protected by copyright or trademark laws.
For more information on getting your own copy of Photo Wealth How to make Money, Contact me at a-z-bizwoman@live.com.
Thank You
Gaye Johnson-Dennis
June 7, 2009
Hello My Name is Gaye Johnson-Dennis. I have owned my own digital camera for 9 years. I have been making money online selling my photo’s for the last 2 years.