Tips To Help You Achieve Quality Landscape Pictures

Many people are under the impression that photography is just as easy as picking up the camera and clicking a button. This is a huge misconception that will not provide you with successful results. If you are interested in improving your photography skills or becoming a professional photographer, you will need to start with an extensive search inquiry. To achieve quality landscape pictures, you will need to become familiar with your equipment and every aspect of photography. Below, you will discover several tips to help you achieve quality scenic images.

 

Image Credit - Cannon

Get Acquainted With Your Camera

Many professional-style cameras have a complicated user interface, especially for a beginner. Before you go out there and start snapping pictures, you will need to get acquainted with your camera. Read the included instruction guide thoroughly and if necessary seek the advice of a professional photographer. Once you do this, you will feel more confident that your knowledge will lead you to the next level.

Center Is Not Always Best

It is only natural to think of centering the primary subject, but this is not always the best option. Instead of sticking with the centerline, you should consider mixing things up a bit. Try different positions and compositions to see what you can come up with. Another tip never get in a rush, because achieving perfection is a gradual process.

Always Be Prepared

Capturing the quality scenic images can be challenging because there are so many obstacles to overcome. First of all, you will always be challenged with the weather and Mother Nature. This is why it is crucial to be prepared in advance by always making sure you have sufficient power, memory and film. If you do this, you will be able to catch the sun in the perfect position to achieve a quality scenic shot.

Nighttime photography tips can help you achieve the most awesome night photos ever, ones that will make you the envy of your counterparts.

Simplifying The Photo

Do not think that you have to include every aspect of the scenery in the photo. A quality scenic photo will not be extremely busy. In fact, it will contain simple, but very attractive details. Always eliminate the things that are unimportant, because any professional will tell you “less is more.”

Rely On A Handheld Light Meter

A handheld light meter is a simple tool that is capable of measuring the amount of light a specific environment. While these devices have lost some popularity over the years, many experts continue to utilise them. A light meter with digital electronic circuit will be your best option because it will help you find which f-number and shutter speed to achieve optimum exposure. This little device will take the guesswork out of every lighting situation.

Safety First

Of course, you will want to capture a shot that has never been done before. With this said, many people will go to the extreme just to capture an image that will earn a professional label. However, it is crucial to always think safety first and avoid shooting near rocks, trails, cliffs and streams. It would not take but a second to look off the course to become involved in a tragic accident.

Maximize The Depth Of Field

It is only common to experiment with narrow depth of fields, but if you choose to do this, you may be limiting your skills. By choosing a small aperture setting or large number, the greater the depth of field will be in your shots. However, small apertures may mean that less light will be hitting your image sensor. In this case, you will need to lengthen the shutter speed and increase the ISO or in some cases, both.

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Chloe Ferry Matte Lipstick

If you're anything like me and have very little free time, then you probably don't get much time to watch reality TV. If I'm perfectly honest, I knew Chloe Ferry was in the Geordie Shore but didn't really know much about her, other than the fact she has a new liquid lipstick range that sounded every inch the perfect Kylie Jenner Lip kit rival.

'By Chloe Ferry' has 12 matte shades and I was lucky enough to be sent one to try out. I'd seen a few people brag about these online, and being a sucker for something new, I was more than happy to test it out. Introducing ROUGE, a mid red that can be dressed up or down.

I love the that the packaging is black and white, quite chic looking and inside the box is the brilliant bright red matte lipstick which really is quite stunning. Now, I am not a red wearing kind of girl, it just does not suit me at all and I have lost count of the number of reds I have tried with different undertones. However, I have swatched this and it is just beautiful, it swatches incredibly well, glides onto the skin (and my lips) really easily and it comes out as red as it shows in the tube and dries after a little while, which I like in contrast to something which dries immediately. Not at all drying or cakey once applied and even though I only wore it around the house, it lasted for around 6 hours and at this stage I would have re-applied it.

Pricing for By Chloe Ferry products start from £14.99 and all products are cruelty-free and suitable for vegans.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

How to exercise for the best results

With hundreds of workouts, regimes and new fitness crazes out there that can easily confuse you into wondering what it is you really should be doing. They all promise to give you the magic results you have always dreamed of, but do these fancy moves and routines actually work?

Image Credit - Today.com

Don’t worry; the fitness world can be overwhelming for the most experienced gym goer’s, let alone someone just starting out their fitness journey.

Weightlifting is formerly known to be for just the Arnold Schwarzenegger look-a-like, but the basis of his training is now becoming more and more popular among young women, women aged 40+ and all in-between. There is still space in your fitness regime for cardio, but if you want effective results the best road to go down is the weightlifting one.

This article will explain how to use cardio, and weightlifting in your fitness regime for the best results.

Cardio

Cardio is short for cardiovascular, this type of exercise can sometimes be long, slow and boring. Practice includes running, cycling, rowing or even walking and all of them test your stamina over a long duration.

Most people find cardio very difficult, especially running, and it can sometimes cause them to give up on their fitness journey before it has even begun. It is also difficult to create a balanced physique through cardio alone, which can also throw some people off. Let me explain…

When losing fat through cardio, you have no control of where the fat comes off. Usually, it’s all over, thus creating a smaller version of your current self. Most people attain this goal and then are still unhappy because they have achieved no shape or curves.

However, there are some pros to cardio exercise; these include that fact that there is little need for rest in between sessions in comparison to weight training. Cardio also has a low barrier to entry and many different activities can be classed as cardio, often it can be easy to perform cardio without realising it.

Weight training

Weight training is a quick and effective way to change your body shape, and it is also really fun as well! Even the very unfit will have no trouble getting into weight training as it is easily adjustable, you can start with really low weight and increase your way up.

Strength training also offers you the ability to be able to grow muscle and burn fat simultaneously. Remember when discussing cardio, I mentioned that you cannot control where the fat comes off, well with weight training you have more control over this. You can choose to train certain body parts that will increase the muscle mass of the chosen area, toning and firming this area.

Lifting up weights also causes a sustained spike in metabolism, meaning that you continue to burn calories after you finish training. This means you can be burning calories while sitting still, watching TV and even sleeping.

The only downfall you may experience with weight training is an increase in hunger; this can make it difficult to control your diet. However, in order to have the strength to lift heavy weights, you do need to eat enough calories, but they should be from good sources. These are lean proteins, good carbs, fruits and vegetables.

Verdict

The overall verdict is to contribute an 80/20 approach to your workouts. 80% should be weight training and 20% should be cardio. Use the cardio at the beginning of your workout to get your heart rate up and ready your body for weight training, but don’t spend too long on it.

A 10-minute jog or a 15-minute brisk walk is plenty to warm your body up and get all the benefits of cardio. Then move on to weight training, create a strength training plan and follow it on every workout.

Fitness is the first step in increasing your confidence, health and overall well-being. There are lots of other health and beauty tips to help improve your health and well-being and increase your confidence. Look after your mind, body and soul for a blissful and content life.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise / This is a Guest Post

Merci Handy Refreshing Face Mists

If you read my blog regularly then you will have, on many occasions, seen the mention of Merci Handy Hand Cleaning Gels which I am slightly obsessed with.  New to the family come three 30ml Refreshing Face Mists and over the last few weeks, I have had them sat on my desk in the office to try.  

A desk must have for me us a facial mist and I currently have these three plus two others that I use at any one time. Why? Well being sat for most of the day at my computer with heating coming on and off, our wide blinds being opened and closed and the light from my screen blaring at me, I find my skin can become quite dry, I get hot and bothered and mid afternoon when the slump hits, I need a bit of a wake up and a refresher - Face mists do all of those for me and more.

Merci Handy Face Mists are incredibly light when spritzed and doesn't leave you looking like a damp squib by releasing too much product at once, instead, it does exactly what it is meant to do - refresh.

• Flower Power, which has a purple patterned can, does, as the name might suggest has a really light floral scent to it, no one flower stands out in my mind, but it is a nice scent.
• Hello Sunshine which has a bright yellow pattern on the can and is designed to smell like summer. I am not too sure how Summer should smell in a can, to me, it is the smell of BBQ's and Citronella candles which this is most definitely not, instead it is more of a clean scent, perhaps something that is more akin to the scent of being on the beach.
• Chill Out has the cool turquoise blue pattern on the can and is my favourite of the three. Lightly scented with fresh mint and green tea, it is the most soothing and refreshing on the skin and the scent of mint is also one which really gives you a kick.

These sprays have such a fine mist, it is only perfect as it never soaks the face which is great for when you use after you have applied your makeup. I know that I am going to be using these so much during the summer and on beach days as they are so refreshing and as they have a hydrating element, it's going to add moisturise back onto the skin after spending the day out in the sun. These are on the smaller side just like the hand gels and I love the packaging with the white theme and bright colours to match each of the scents. 

Made in France, these three mists are free from parabens and alcohol so they aren't going to be at all drying on your skin and they are the perfect handbag size for carrying around, having on your desk or to take away with you. Found in stores such as Topshop and Fenwicks, they are worthy of looking out for.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise