With the dawn of mall culture in Gurgaon the whole way of shopping for enthusiast shoppers has undergone a complete makeover. Forging its pre-independence image of sleepy suburb, today Gurgaon is highly upgraded with the upscale shopping malls which are equivalent both in design and services like any other overseas mall. There are nearly two dozen operational shopping malls in Gurgaon and more 140 new shopping malls are in the pipeline to be developed in upcoming days. Gurgaon shopping malls are at par excellence with any mall from any corner for the developed world.

Now Gurgaon malls are acting more as one stop location for most shoppers who prefer to buy products specifically based on a particular theme under one roof to save on time. To grab the attention of such smart shoppers, many intelligent real estate developers of Gurgaon shopping malls now are focusing on specific demands like high-end products related to marriage, jewelry to further boost up their sales. Moreover, it is also estimated that the whole retail bustle will face a complete alteration if shopping malls in Gurgaon continues to mushroom at this steady pace. Beside this, the profile and face-value of real estate in the vicinity of the Gurgaon malls has also lifted because of the mounting fascination of people towards the properties located in the Gurgaon city.

Gurgaon malls are the most auspicious location not only for the purpose of shopping, but are perfect hangout spot for youngsters as well. The long series of mushrooming shopping malls in Gurgaon starts with DLF City Centre, Gurgaon Metropolitan Mall, Sahara Mall, DLF Grand Mall, Gold Souk, Mega Mall, The Plaza, OMAXE Plaza, Vishal Mega Mart, DLF Gurgaon South Point, etc.

As far as foot falls is concerned, Sahara Mall, Mega Mall and Gurgaon Metropolitan Mall surpass other shopping malls in Gurgaon. Sahara Mall is first super brand mall and is established in March 2001. it is spread over the area of 3.89 acres and comprises of company owned product outlets having a wide variety of latest offerings. Sahara Mall is located on the Mehrauli-Gurgoan road and is renowned for its distinctive design and latest facilities. The wide spectrum of merchandises ranges from stunning jewelry, elegant clothings to stores of prominent brands including Pantaloons and Raymonds. On the other side, Gurgaon’s Metropolitan Mall is a fully air-conditioned mall with a seven screen multiplex, departmental stores and food joints. It is extended over the area of 400, 00 sq.ft and has big brand stores like Nike, Shoppers Stop, McDonald’s, PVR, and Benetton. And Mega Mall of Gurgaon City is another interesting location for the enthusiast shoppers to visit. Being a Multi-storied mall, it is affluent with a three screen multiplex, a food court and major brand stores such as Nakshatra, Reebok and Dominos. Offering great ambience and terrific visual splendor to guests, Mega Mall of Gurgaon is spread over the area of 30,000 sq.ft.

Cards are as individual as the people who send them. Some are humorous, and meant to give us a smile. While others challenge us to stop and ponder this life we all share. Whatever the intent, a card tells you the sender was thinking of you, and wanted you to know that.

In the current marketplace, we can find quite a variety of cards from which to choose. From the hand-made pieces (right down to the paper),… to the totally innocuous e-cards we are seeing more and more of. Each in it’s own way, says something about us when we send it.

I have several friends who have signed up with e-card companies. You fill in certain birthday/anniversary info on their form, and they will remind you of the impending date, or just go ahead and send an e-card in your name. Now, I know their heart is in the right place, and they have very busy schedules, but this type of card is one short step above “I don‘t have time for this”. (It’s cute for the moment, but there’s nothing personal to save.)

It’s completely different when you physically find something (that isn’t a bill or an ad), in your mailbox. A hand-addressed envelope with a real stamp, can quickly get somebody’s attention. It says that someone took the time to pick out something that moved them in some way, … and they wanted to share it with you.

Still, … finding a card that speaks to reality, instead of some dead poet’s frilly account of things, can be a bit challenging. Something that reflects our modern existence, requires a whole new attitude in the card industry.

We need to be able to find a card that says what you might have said in real life (if you were having a very good brain activity day). It’s becoming a viable niche in the industry. Cards for the everyday life situations in which we have all (for good or bad), found ourselves.

They should be thought provoking, and able to adapt to various interpretations, according to the wishes of the sender. For example,… the picture of an old toy truck, would give each of us a different “memory trigger”. This “triggering” can be accomplished just as easily with words.

Words paint a definite picture in our mind’s eye. The same card can say a variety of things, if it’s crafted properly. Remembering a Spring day, might produce a warm smile or a melancholy memory of what might have been. Laughing at someone’s foibles might be a sharp jab, or a jovial nudge not to take life so seriously. It just depends on who sends it, … and who gets it. Their personal intent becomes the trigger.

In this world of Home Depot & Wal-Mart size companies (where everyone and their grandmother can have the same screwdrivers and bath towels, no matter where they live), it becomes a challenge to find something individual and unique. You don’t really want to send the same card, on a friend’s recent promotion, as their Great Aunt Hattie. (You probably have a whole different take on the event.)

The card industry needs to produce more pieces that fill this ever growing “hole” in the market. Honest statements of everyday life, that are meant to be shared/aired. Expanding their offerings to include this segment of the population’s needs, will enable us all to truly say what’s on our minds. (And hopefully, do it with a little class!)

With Prison Break heading into the Spring of its second season, I think it’s a good time to look back and reflect on what has turned out to be one of TV’s most unlikely successes. Prison Break premiered in the summer of 2005 as one of FOX’s optimistic series, something that was high-concept and probably didn’t have a lot of hope for future success.

However, with the success of 24 as a serial TV show, you never know what’s going to happen. And, surprise surprise, Prison Break caught on and for good reason. The first season was elaborately built escape from prison. The mystery and the precise planning of the escape, as long with the conspiratorial intrigue, gave viewers more than enough to keep them guessing throughout the season. The problem I saw was this: what about season 2.

The main characters were no longer in prison. How can a show survive when its second season is nothing like its first. Two extremely different formulas. Now, in the second season, Prison Break has turned into The Fugitive. This isn't to say that this is a bad thing: Prison Break and FOX are pulling it off quite well. I just find it astonishing that they were able to change gears into a totally different show from one season to the next. So, I say to the fans: enjoy what’s left of season two, because season three will be totally different. Or at least that’s the plan. I’m guessing everyone will be back in prison next year, but you never know.

An online community which pays artists for their original work such as unpublished videos, music, images, literature and games, and also allows fans to discover new artistic talents.

Artistic Pursuit accepts all types of original, unpublished work for consideration. Upon receipt, the company will provide each artist with an acknowledgement, work evaluation, and suggestions for improvement, as needed.

Every month, the company will select and distribute, by publication on its Web site, 100 of its top-rated videos, music, literature, images and games, and pay each artist for their work; compensation is based on the work’s “Top 10 List” rating by category.

“Currently, artists have an array of avenues to pursue for recognition and possible distribution, however, inadequate publicity often makes it difficult for consumers and fans to locate new artists and talent. At the same time their are fake social networks misusing the Australian brand "Artistic Pursuit" says ” Paul Alliott, Chief Executive Officer of Artistic Pursuit. “Most unknown artists quickly learn that individual promotional attempts are slow and do not always bring the needed level of recognition and income. But innumerable social networks like the Brunswick Artistic Pursuit's belonging to the Alexander is registering talents in the name of Artistic Pursuit.

Artistic-Pursuit.com will bring together thousands of artists with millions of fans on one single platform; its mission is to fill a void in the current entertainment marketplace without maintaining any subscription models.

By creating a single network of independent artists that include musicians, photographers, writers, videographers, game developers, and other creative types, Artistic-Pursuit.com will provide a venue for artistic collaboration that might not otherwise be possible.

Each artist’s work will be readily available to fans, industry professionals, and other artists. Unlimited opportunities are available for fans to discover new artists within easily navigable genres, categories and subcategories.

“Publishing an artist’s work on the Web site may be just the beginning of what Artistic-Pursuit.com will be able to offer,” Shelton Alexander, Vice President of Dreamstart Media Services, said. “Artists whose work resonates with fans may be further promoted as we envision unlimited opportunities such as connecting aspiring directors with Artistic-Pursuit.com-selected, up-and-coming writers, videographers, composers and other artists. The finished product, or individual components, could then be submitted for possible publication, licensing, and marketing.”

Artistic Pursuit.com seeks the best in undiscovered talent to provide quality content to their subscribers. For a minimal subscription fee of $5.0 per month (less than the cost of downloading a music album on other sites), Artistic Pursuit provides unlimited opportunities for artists to support themselves, while distributing unique entertainment.

Subscribers will also receive unlimited downloads of content, and access to social networking options like personal blogs, community forums, a meeting place, e-mail, private messaging, chats and classifieds. They may send personalized greeting cards, and opinions about love, life and other pursuits.

“Artists are charged a $2.00 processing fee when submitting their work for consideration. In addition to offsetting Artistic Pursuit’s processing expenses, the fee will encourage artists to invest only in their best work,” Paul Alexander, Vice President for Sales, Marketing, said. “By investing in only their best work, each artist will achieve the greatest return on a very minimal investment, and Artistic Pursuit may more efficiently use its resources to select and aggressively pursue only the artists’ best, top-rated material, for licensing and on-line promotion.”

When people buy event tickets on sites like they sometimes forget that are buying tickets inexperienced and unreliable ticket sellers. If something should happen that makes it difficult for these "brokers" to fill your order, they do not have the resources or know how that a professional seller does.

They also don't have much on the line as far as reputation and integrity go. With professional this isnt the case, these guys make a living in an industry that was once considered very shady, their reputation means more to them than people in most other professions.

Sites are a great place to find reliable ticket sellers that have built top notch reputations in the ticket secondary market community. This site provides links to the 6 top ticket sellers in the business today. They also have special discounts on all orders from all 6 brokers which are available on their website. These guys have everything from tickets to see the Yankees to tickets to see Arcade Fire at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston. All 6 of these sellers also specialize in Broadway show tickets,they have the best available seats to everyshow from the Produsers to Wicked.

Commercialization is a word which evokes ambivalence not in every sphere of human life. But talk of sporting events and there you are. Debates have shrouded over this topic ever since the business of enchasing entertainment began. Let them do the talking as long as we are able to keep the spirit of fun and entertainment intact and march ahead on the subject of sports event ticket and the ways to grab them.

Sports, since the days of yore has been seen as an underlying source of live entertainment. The air of uncertainty, sense of excitement and spirit of passion make sporting events a true crowd puller and one can not deny the fact that in certain countries some sports and the events hosting them enjoy a much elated status so much so that the level of expectation may cause breakdown or underperformance for a few sport stars. Sporting events are arguably one of the most rewarding and followed event entertainment.

If this is how sports and the events are performing, for sports aficionados, the arrangement of sports event ticket leaves a big question to be answered. Days before the D-day, tickets are completely sold and in case the event is hyped, this figure could go up to weeks. In this scenario Internet comes to the rescue of fans.

There are many websites flooding the web these days who offer sports event tickets without much fretting out and generally prove to be cost effective as these websites offer discounts and cashbacks to boost their sales figure. Easily available tickets have already given these websites a yielding launching pad and they are all set to soar as their business is entwined with entertainment which was, is and shall be quintessential to human life.

Lately I am thinking about the power that music has to influence especially the young generation.

I can say that some people are addicted to their ipods and their favorite artists are their new idols. Many of them are thinking that music is just a part of somebody’s entertainment, but to me music looks a lot like a new religion.

Music is getting people together and music is separating people, music is bringing a new culture and music is ending a culture, music is mobilizing people for war and music is making them cry. Yes, music is more than few keys joined together, music is a strong tool that deeply changes the young generation.

Teenagers don't want to be like their dads (like in the past), but they want to be like their favorite artist. They don't faint when they see so much suffering around them, but they faint when they see their idol. It's like their idols are taken by their music into a whole new world - the world of fame and glory.

If you want to be successful, if you want to impress the people around you, you have to look and act like a famous singer. The same tendency comes to the Christian music too, almost everybody is looking and prefers to be like one of the singers they love.

I've been to a Christian concert and I was shocked to hear that some of the well known Christian artists are doing a "special favor" to the present pastors, giving them an autograph... It's such a pitiful idea... Why does a pastor need an autograph ? We are suppose to worship Jesus and not people! The main role for Christian music is to praise God and edify His people.

Almost every actor needs to be literate and able to understand language from a variety of eras. A good actor can become anything he or she wants to be. If you want to really stand out as an actor, you will have to make your resume stand out for you.

When you look at all the famous actors out there they all have one things in common they all were passionate about becoming an actor, you need to be passionate about acting to become and actor. Plan to study your craft and become good at it; create your talent and persevere even if you are not getting parts and then share your knowledge and learn from others who share the same passion.

When working with agents to get work you should conduct yourself professionally in a setting. Actors need to promote themselves anyway they can, they need to hone their craft, try creating your own projects or joining a community theatre, co-op productions or doing anything that will help you get your name out there in the public and will help find an agent or someone who will notice your talents. Include a small thumbnail headshot of yourself on your resume.

What does the term acting mean, the definition is a person who portrays someone else or a character either on screen or on stage. When choosing an acting school you will need to notice that they offer many different programs that allows for flexibility when choosing the time to take the class this allows the student the ability to meet the requirements. The perfect forum is acting school it embraces the actors/actresses with the ability to enhance their talents to become the best they can be. When taking classes in a Universities they teach the finer points of how act and improve students craft of acting, they sharpen your skills but they do not spend the time showing actors how to get work on a consistent basis, or how to make a living as an actor.

The range of skills that an actor must have to be effective is very wide. To prepare for the skills to act you will need the following: you will need to connect to directors, producers and other actors and to listen to all of them.

When people talk about a hidden acting agenda they are referring to a term that describes a phenomenon where actors hide a condition or some trait or a quality of theirs because one of these things was the source they use that occurred earlier in their lives.

When actors perform in theater halls they were designed to have incredible acoustics, the reason for this was to help actors and performers so the audience are able to hear them and to give the performers and actors natural reflections when performing. People watch TV, go to movies or theater to be entertained. You need to start some place when becoming an actor, you should look into short films or independent theater and you should take a few simple classes, this will help you on your way, it is just the beginning.

Although, there are some exceptions, normally agencies will not work with actors that have no experience, it is very rare that they will consult inexperienced actors or take them in as clients.

It's that time of the year for Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, American Music Awards, Grammys, Country Music, Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild, MTV, Peabody, Soap Opera, Tonys, Writers Guild, TV Guide, People's Choice -- and those are just show business's annual backslapping events. We even have the Darwin Award for doing the most stupid things. We should give awards that really matter using today's standards: fake ones. Like these --

The Not-a-Chance Award -- to Michael Jackson for being the only male in the world not claiming to be the father of Anna Nichol Smith's baby.

The Hannibal Lecter -- to Congress for dis-membering former representative Mark Foley.

The Joan Rivers -- to Katie Couric whose face is getting so tight, her eyes have begun to slant.

The Rockefeller -- to Tom Cruise for buying his own studio because his old studio wouldn't give him a raise.

The Pipe Cleaner Award -- to Paris Hilton's legs.

The Picasso -- to Hillary Clinton for painting out the parts of her life that don't suit her in today's political climate.

The There's a Ferret on Your Head Award -- to the hair of 60 Minutes' Leslie Stahl.

The Dracula -- to Barack Obama for wearing shirts with loose collars that expose his slender neck so appealingly, you want to suck on it.

The W.C. Fields -- to Lindsay Lohan's special celeb in-house privileges which evacuated Wonderland Rehab of "ordinary" resident drunks.

The Jennifer Wilbanks -- to runaway brides who disengage from their fiances, and then sue them.

The Ashton Kutcher -- to younger men with older women who don't complain when the guy admits he never heard of the Beatles.

The Rodney Dangerfield -- to George W. Bush for getting no respect.

The Titanic Award -- To Mel Gibson's career

The Abu Ghraib -- to Jack Bauer for torturing terrorists so creatively that they formed a 24 Fan Club

The Ouchie -- to Harry Wittington, the guy Dick Cheney mistook for a quail and shot last February, for acting as though it didn't hurt.

The Plausible Deniability Award -- To John Kerry for claiming his vote in favor of the invasion of Iraq was as well directed as Vice President Cheney's bullet.

The Sigmund Freud -- to Kramer, who needs psychiatric help even more than Michael Jackson.

The Courtney Love -- jointly awarded to herself and Paula Abdul for following in each other's footsteps.

The Mike Tyson -- to Ryan O'Neal for the smackdown of his own son.

The Taxpayer Award -- to retired congressional reps who will continue to receive as much as 80 per cent of their salaries plus health and life insurance, also taxpayer subsidized, and that includes members of Congress convicted of a felony.

The Seabiscuit Award -- to Rocky Balboa for finally crossing the finish line.

The Jiffyhab -- to Britney Spears for her drive-thru pass at sobriety. Britney's speed feat beats out Lindsay Lohan's because Britney removed Kevin Federline first and all her hair second.

The Oddest Celeb Award -- to Barbara Walters for actually asking a Hamas suicide bomber in prison, "So you're saying all you want to do is kill Jews? Haven't you wanted to get married?" and topped that with her next question, "If you had succeeded in your suicide mission and been killed, where would you be today?"

Performing magic tricks has always been one of the most popular past times enjoyed by a lot of people from all walks of life. There are various kinds of magic tricks. One of many kinds of the usual scene-stealing tricks is a paper trick. There could be innumerable ways to deliver a paper trick. Here are a few of those paper tricks that can be easily learned by a new magic aficionado:

1. A paper-tearing trick is a clever method of tearing and bringing back the form of a sheet of paper. You can do this trick mostly on tissue papers. This could be a little different compared to other paper tricks.

You will hand out two kinds of tissue papers; it can be color white or black. You will tear both the papers and fold them into tiny squares. When he opens the paper, the two are still there, but surprisingly it is formed into a large white square and in the center, there is a black square.

You wonder why there are no torn traces on the paper. The have an idea on the trick, the restored paper is already formed by sticking a black square on each side of the large white paper. On a particular side, the black part is paste all three edges and one edge is left open.

The paper formed is then folded into a tiny square, and the outside have an opening. It is then laid on the table for about 5 seconds. You will get the restored form and place it behind his back.

The paper is divided into four pieces of squares, and the whole is bundle is again shown in the front, the tricky part on this is that you will make a little wave in his hands, making the two torn pieces together, and then slowly opening the restored torn paper. This takes a narrow chance to poke the torn pieces into the secret pocket. Ending the trick with showing both hands and they will find nothing.

2. Another trick is called the generous offer. You will need a piece of paper and hand it out to a person. Ask him to tear it into quarters. It must be torn equally, you will then get the papers and give him back a quarter of it. He then thinks that the task is easy enough, and then he may ask for a prize for doing it.

You will then applaud him and give his prize of another quarter of the paper. From there you gave the person one of the four pieces of the paper, which was supposed to be a quarter also of the sheet of paper. You can use a different way to approach this trick in using slang expressions of offering or donate two bits. In this approach two pieces of paper is given to him, as it presents the two bits you said.

3. The next trick you may learn is the look easy trick. Find a sheet of paper and tear it in two thirds. It is required not totally tear the end sections. It should be a little loose, and the outcome will be a slit parallel sheet of paper with three flaps.

Give it to the person and tell him to have a hold on the edge of the flaps and hide one in each hand. From the center of the paper, you will make him tear the end flaps. It seems to be a piece of cake, but it is not. When he tries to work on it, only one edge of the flap is torn. The pull is purposely even distributed.

4. The floating paper ball needs to be performed under proper situations because it requires a little experiment. You need to crumple one piece of paper into a ball and you will have to hold it using your left hand with your right hand on top of it. You will remove your left hand, and have the paper just floated in the air moving upward to your right hand.

The trick is done because of the black silk thread. The thread is placed over your right ear forming a loop in one of the ends. The other end is tied loosely to your black coat button. They do not have the idea that you squeezed it around on the loose end, before the paper ball is formed.

When you move your right hand upward, you will use your right thumb to catch the thread. You will then draw the thread tightly so that when you take off your hand, the ball automatically floats. Move your hand forward, then raise the ball. Bringing it back lowers it. On the last part, you will have to get the ball on your left hand and untying it from the thread. The right hand brushing your hair will lift the loop from your ear, and the thread just falls down on the floor, without one noticing it.

Abstract art can be very exciting. By nature it must be avant-garde and often it comes with an amazing array of colors and textures. Unfortunately, it can also be intimidating. Who is to say what the painting really is worth or if it is just slop that monkeys could have orchestrated? We have all heard someone say of an abstract, "I could do that," or the all to common "My kid paints just like that."

What is it then that sets apart high quality, investment abstract art from low brow random expressions of color's that have no dollar value?

The first distinction between these two groups is your own personal fulfillment that is provided by a painting. You are completely in control of this phenomena. Does it move you? Can you imagine looking at that painting every day?

Second, we have time as the dividing line for these two categories. Only with time will some artists rise or fall in to the priceless and worthless fields. Unfortunately, most abstract art doesn't stand the test of time.

Many artists get caught up in one style or theme that holds them back from finding the center of their artistic soul. One artist, Sudargono or Gono does not struggle with this at all. Gono constantly redefines himself and his art; every few years he has evolved in medium and approach. He ventures often into realism to hone his skills and continues to grow. Already, he could rest in what he has achieved, being that he is one of the fathers of abstract art in Indonesia. Still, he reinvents! Last year he began working on his most original series to date, best described as an oversized pointillism. The textures and colors are magnificently intense!

Another separation in abstract art is education and experience. Is the artist a real painter? Many people try to copy the great abstract painters however, there is a great difference. Often it is simply the way the colors mix together, or the manner of textures in the abstract expression. These are subtleties learned from studying the masters and the time taken to experiment. Gono has quite a background in studying and painting.

Another well learned painter and experimenter is Élan Vital. Élan is based out of Maui and paints some of the most original art I have ever seen. He has an unbelievable resumé that includes engineering, psychedelic lighting design, fashion design, sculpting and painting. All of these things led him to his secret style. Élan paints with pigments and gemstones ground into powders and mixed with aerospace enamel. This is the same enamel that is used to seal the stealth fighter. He paints using all this knowledge to make his own materials and 'engineer' his paintings with absolutely no use of a brush. Each painting has between 30 and 100 layers of his process. It is like a liquid gemstone psychedelic explosion. Utterly brilliant.

I have learned another important thing about abstract art: your opinion is valid. One doesn't need to be a renowned critic to be a good critic. Every thing you see or feel is valid. I try not to ask the artist what he was painting. Instead, I first tell the artist what I see. Every thing you think you see is actually there! This is why I love abstract art. Abstract paintings involve the viewer in the creative process. The imagination of the art lover is just as important as the painter's.

Thomas (Tennessee) Williams was brought up in a puritan family, and his first love experiences were very chaste. He loved without understanding what exactly this feeling was, and there was not even a hint to the physical side of these passions. Tennessee was a puritan, and even to kiss a guy would be impossible for him. The undisguised homosexuality of the men he met always stunned him. The same can similarly be attributed to Brick from the play. It is quite possible that in the epoch of Puritanism, this young man, as well as his friend Skipper, could not even find a name for his feelings, and even if he realised to some extent what the nature of their mutual fondness was, could he possibly admit that?

We do not know what Skipper thought about their relations, and if he felt the same as Brick. However, we may presume that Skipper had undergone the same as Brick; their destinies intermingled and reflected one another. And the result of their feelings being broken by the social norms and morals is one and the same: attempts to escape from the reality, seeking the remedy in a bottle of whiskey.

In Williams’s life, the death of his true love, Frank Merlo, was a serious shock that changed his life and work. Just as Brick or late Skipper, Williams began to seek oblivion in drugs and alcohol. These parallels between the life of Tennessee Williams and his character Brick are obvious, and we may rightfully presume that the reasons and motives for their actions are also the same. Moreover, we should keep in mind that Williams was prone to self-analysis, and never wrote about anything that did not reflect the hidden and deeply rooted emotions of a personality.

If you are interested in becoming a model and joining one of the most incredible and interesting types of work available, you will have to meet certain requirements. It’s not enough to have perfect measurements, the right height, a pretty face, being a model is much more.

First you must decide what type of model you want to be, this will depend on your physical appearance, your age and the reason you want to be a model.

The requirements to be a model are not just physical, they are also psychological.

Physical requirements include being tall enough, having the correct weight in proportion to your height (depending on what type of model you are), nice clean skin, nice teeth and healthy hair.

The most important psychological requirements include: Self esteem and belief in yourself, punctuality, and a charismatic personality.

Once you have decided what type of model you want to be, you can begin the fight to become one. Becoming a model is not something you can manage from one day to the next. It requires dedication, persistence and patience. Don’t wait to be ‘discovered’ are for someone to offer you work. That only happens to supermodels.

Depending on what you like in the world of modeling, you can take classes to learn it. If you want to be in runway shows, you should learn how to walk. If you want to be photographed, you need to learn to pose for the camera. If you would like to work in television, you must study acting.

In the world of fashion and modeling the competition is stiff. Don’t expect to succeed unless you are well prepared.

The next step is to make yourself a model portfolio and comp card to take with you to see agencies and look for work.

Don’t get upset if you are rejected by some agencies, it happens all the time. The important thing is to keep trying at every agency you can. Also be sure to attend as many castings as possible that fit your modeling profile.

Nowadays, getting your pictures to agencies is easier than ever with the Internet. If you upload your photos to a Website you can be viewed by any agency in the world. All you need to do is e-mail to let them know your pictures can be viewed online.

Against the background of a golden throne hall projected onto a gigantic screen with the melodious music of the Qing Dynasty, a group of beautiful Manchu “geges” emerges elegantly in a line from one side of the stage, wearing deep blue Manchu midi, dalachi-style headgear, and typical Manchurian-style “flowerpot shoes” with three-inch heels. Walking out in small graceful steps, they started dancing delicately.

With the stunning “gege dress,” the graceful music coupled with the strong color of Manchu and the exquisite choreography, the brilliant young dancers from the Feitian Dance School and Lotus Art Group beautifully display the virtues and elegance of traditional females in the “Flowering Age of Kang Xi and Qian Long.”

The gege dance eloquence and graceful style is actually amazing! It connotes not only the virtues and grace of the noble females, but the entire ‘Flowering Age of Kang Xi and Qian Long’ is able to match the great age in the Tang Dynasty. The audience could get a true feeling for the portrayal of substantial prosperity, confidence, and spiritual tolerance.

Some of the shows, such as the "Ladies of the Manchu Court" performed by the Fei Tian Dance School, were also eye opening for the Chinese members of the audience. Some were commenting about the fact that they had never seen anything like this before. I could hardly believe my eyes, that those dancers could actually dance gracefully and in harmony wearing those horseshoes also called flowerpot shoes. When the huge curtain slowly falls down, the classy “geges” gradually disappear in front of the audience, leaving a magnificent, historic, and permanently lasting picture in their memory.

Besides the traditional Chinese dance and music, this year's show includes depictions of the Chinese heroine Mulan, loyal Song Dynasty general Yue Fei, and many more. It also includes an artistic portrayal of a Falun Gong practitioner being beaten and killed by police in China. The practitioner ascends to the sky after being killed, whereas the policemen who beat her face retribution.

Why not celebrate the Year of the Pig in a Spectacular way and treat yourself to a sumptuous feast of ancient Chinese culture – the NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular.

Imagine a backdrop of a vast ocean with surging waves for a grand dance called “The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea”. Or picture a fairyland landscape and palace for a dance called “Grinding an Iron Pestle Down to a Needle”. These are but two of the many classic creations used as a backdrop by NTDTV for its Chinese New Year Spectacular show playing at New York City Radio City Music Hall from February 14 – 17.

Tranquil artistic concepts from Chinese paintings and the magnanimous charisma of Western paintings are combined with a hi-tech application of traditional art, photo-electricity and projection used as backdrops. The combination makes for a rare delight of artistic performances. It is not surprising that the show ranked 7th on Billboard Magazine’s top 10 shows in Feb 2006 based on ticket sales for the 2006 shows at Radio City Music Hall.

Li Wencheng, head of the New England Monte Jade Science and Technology Association, said, “The backdrop for the NTDTV Chinese New Year Show is indeed rather unique and the skillful application of projection and photo-electricity has to be the creation of an expert.”

“The backdrop makers of the NTDTV show have extended the effect of our backdrops to its extreme,” noted Radio City’s Manager.

The enormous background screen used during NTDTV’s Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall has the effect of bringing the audience into the performance. In a typical stage setting, it is difficult to create a multidimensional effect, even with a large number of performers. The space on stage has limitations, and stage props also often give people a feeling of things being faked.

However, when Soprano-Alto Yang Jiansheng sings a vocal solo, she stands alone on the stage with no accompanying dance or stage props. However, the magnificent backdrop makes the audience feel as though they are right in the midst of the performance.

For example, in the 2006 Chinese New Year Spectacular, throughout the show the backdrop kept changing along with each performance, from misty rain, pavilions and towers, to the water-bound country in south China to shining spears and armored horses and famous mountains and rivers; from green bamboo and red flowers and the change of four seasons to the sun, the moon, the stars and the auspicious clouds in the highest heavens.

Colorful events that took place in the thousands of years of Chinese history were replayed to perfection on stage. The design of the backdrops was definitely the creation of an expert. The backdrops did not use dominant color themes to supersede the performers on the stage. Instead, they provided a very logical and harmonious artistic atmosphere.

Being a blackjack pro entails many benefits Cash rewards for a winning blackjack expert range from thousands to million dollars. You'll also gain the respect of your friends and co-players. So how exactly does one win at a blackjack game? Read on and discover how.

It is easy to learn how to play blackjack. Like any other game, discovering the correct techniques and when best to utilize them is a crucial element in succeeding. And in blackjack, card counting is the choicest strategy every card player should discover.

Why is card counting famous among blackjack players? Anyone enthusiastic to win in blackjack can learn how to count cards. Card counting is a uncomplicated system of adding or subtracting 1. Card counting entails that a player assigns a particular value for every card in the deck. Neutral cards are given zero values. Let's use this simple example: if a three-value card is given, you add 1. If it's a ten-value card, you subtract 1.

A blackjack expert using the card counting technique never splits his 10s. No matter what card is shown by the dealer, he splits all values of 8 and aces instead. Mastering card counting doesnt assure anybody of a sure win. He knows that the strategy only provides him a bigger chance of winning, but he needs to do his part of properly applying it on the game.

Different casinos in different places observe varying rules. Other casinos even prohibit the use of the card counting system, while some others change the number of cut cards making card counting inefective.

Present-day technology now provides demonstrations on how to do the strategy right in DVDs. These videos offer interactive games that demonstrate helpful techniques on standing, splitting, double down, and a lot more. Other easy-to-learn tricks are highlighted in the videos.

Blackjack cheat sheets are also utilized by starters to see the development of their games. As with any other game, the method likewise involves constant practice.

Every games output varies with each players strategy. If you know whats best to use for every game, then you have more opportunities of bringing home the bacon. If you dont, then more practice will perhaps do the trick.

So, the million dollar question in every actors mind is usually "how do I get a part?" Well, let me tell you all about it...

The basic path goes something like this. Someone needs an actor, so they hire a casting director to find one. The casting director puts out a notice on 'Breakdown Services' (a company that specializes in providing 'legitimate' talent agents listings of what roles are being cast currently) that will list the physical attributes requested, a brief description of the role and whether or not 'sides' (a small portion of a script containing the audition material) are available and where.

Those talent agents then scour through their rosters and try to match suitable talent to the job description and submit that talent to the casting director by sending them a head shot and resume. In days past, the head shot would arrive by messenger service. Today, more often than not, the head shots, resumes and sides are all digitally delivered through services such as showfax.com, gobetween.com (and sister company screenplayonline.com) and actorsaccess.com. Newer services such as LA Casting and Now Casting are also providing those digital delivery systems as well.

It is very important to understand that casting directors receive thousands of submissions per part that they are casting for! Your head shot will literally receive a glance that will last about 1.5 seconds, if that. To give you an idea of the sheer volume and how hard it is to stand out, I recently cast a project where a friend told me in advance that they were submitting and I overlooked them five times before I even saw that they were there! Even if you think you are perfect for a part, don't be discouraged if you don't get picked...your face is literally swimming in a sea of humanity. Anyway, the casting director will strive to narrow those thousands down to a manageable number to audition (usually about a tenth of the submissions) and they will call them in to 'read'.

Now, recognize that the term 'read' is very misleading. If you are given sides in advance, you are expected to memorize the lines and deliver a full, emotionally realized performance. This is called a prepared reading and most actors out there fail to realize the importance of this. The casting director is looking for a few things during the audition, the most important being your PROFESSIONALISM. Their reputation is at stake and they will only choose actors that they can confidently get behind. Showing up to a 'prepared' reading unprepared will put you in the 'no' pile faster than you can say 'doh'. The next most important thing is how well you ACT, followed by how you LOOK. Most actors get that all backwards and wonder why they have trouble booking work.

If you were fortunate enough to have your head shot picked, the audition is the time to demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt your ability to do the job. Knowing your lines is the bare minimum effort you have to take! After you have them down, spend the time to interpret the material and understand what you are acting. When you come in, don't hold back! Bring the material to life and show off your chops. Remember that everyone in the room wants you to be good! A vibrant, professional, expressive performance really stands out, even if you're not right for that particular part. Don't worry about getting the job, focus on showing that you are a competent professional and you will become one of the actors that the casting director will actively think of when a new part comes up. This is affectionately referred to as the 'A' pile and that's where you want to be, because once you land there, the work can't help but follow.

As we usher in the Year of the Pig, the divine beauty of the ancient East will come to life in NYC with the now legendary NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular! The 30-city world tour Spectacular will play at Radio City from February 14 – 17.

Featuring the best of Chinese culture and world-class performers, this unique show portrays genuine traditional Chinese culture and includes classical Chinese dance as well as various traditional dances. Performers have worked hard to emulate the musical style of the ancients—classical melodies filled with the power of compassion. Showcasing grand stage designs, hand-painted backdrops and authentic costuming from ancient Chinese Dynasties, the theme of Myths and Legends weaves a tale of the proverbial battle between good and evil through theatre, music and dance.

NTDTV’s main goal is to revive lost Chinese culture from the ancient past. As you may be aware, in 1949 when the Chinese Communist Party took power in China, its leaders did everything possible to sever the people from their 5,000-year-old culture. Everything moral and spiritual was suddenly uprooted from people's lives--temples and buddhas were destroyed. The arts became a tool for fulfilling political aims, evoking the dark side of human nature. China's folk music was used to serve the communist revolution.

Unfortunately, those born after 1949 have opened their eyes to a spiritual desert. They are no longer familiar with their own heritage, which has been decimated and replaced with the communist-atheist model.

Judging by the growth and success of the Chinese New Year Spectacular, now in its fourth year, I believe that NTDTV has lived up to its word. The Spectacular really does have the effect of removing the communist "wrapping paper" around the essence of traditional Chinese values and beauty. It is not surprising that the show ranked 7th on Billboard Magazine’s top 10 shows in Feb 2006 based on ticket sales for the 2006 shows at Radio City Music Hall.

The Spectacular is a delight to Chinese and Western audiences alike—a truly heartwarming event not to be missed. “The Chinese New Year Spectacular is the best show ever to appear on stage in North America,” said former member of Parliament Simma Holt. “I saw the show in Canada and I would like to say to the Chinese Consulate officials, who made a statement saying that the show is political, the fact that some of the atrocities committed by the Chinese regime were re-enacted in the show is nothing unusual; interpretative dance is a feature of all great symphonies, operas and ballets.”

On February 23 a movie by Joel Schumacher, starring Jim Carrey, will be released entitled ‘The Number 23’. The story centers around a book given to the main character ( Carrey ) that seems to echo the events in his life and features prominently the phenomena that has come to be known as “The 23 Enigma”. The 23 enigma is the belief that every event is somehow related to the number 23. This is sometimes misattributed to the science of Numerology although, that is incorrect. Like the ‘9-11’ phenomenon wherein coincidences of the number 911 are charted and listed, the 23 enigma may be nothing more than a particular example of the confirmation bias in cognitive theory know as apophenia – the experience of finding connections or patterns in random, meaningless data. The adherents of the 911 phenomenon find a good portion of these coincidences by manipulating numbers to arrive at a desired outcome ( negating the possibility of true coincidence ) and many of the examples given in the numerous lists regarding the 23 enigma share this trait. Robert Anton Wilson himself, whose work explores some of these interesting coincidences regarding the number 23, comments that the phenomenon merely shows how the mind can find ‘truth’ in anything if it wishes to see it.

However there are some genuine coincidences ( or synchronicities ) that feature the number 23 and these are often interesting to ponder as harmless amusements, a few of which we will list here. Owing to popular culture there are also many instances where the enigma is intentionally evoked in artistic works that feature some reference to 23. If you should decide to provisionally accept the phenomenon as a true example of synchronicity in action do not be surprised if you begin to see the number 23 everywhere as it becomes what is know in psychology as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Whether you see it or not, have fun. 23 times over!

Curiosities of the number 23

The physical biorhythm cycle is said to be 23 days. It takes 23 seconds for blood to circulate through the human body. The male and female each contribute 23 chromosomes during conception. A full turn of the DNA helix occurs every 23 angstroms. The number of joints in the human arm is 23. There are 23 vertebrae in the human body. Tantrists believe the male sex cycle is 23 days.

Shakespeare was born on April 23. Shakespeare died on April 23. Two 23's equals 46 and, that's how old Shakespeare was when the KJV was published. Grab a King James Version of the Bible and turn to Psalm 46. Count 46 words and you arrive at the word 'shake'. Turn to the end of the chapter and count 46 words backwards and the word you end on is 'spear'.

The Ancient Egyptians hailed the New Year on July 23 - the day Sirius rises behind the sun.

The ideal orbit, Clarke's Orbit, for a satellite is 23,000 miles above the earth.

The first prime number wherein both of the digits are prime and add up to another prime number is 23.

The 23rd letter of the alphabet, W, has 3 points up and 2 points down.

Two-thirds or, 2/3, is equal to .666.

The first Morse code transmission is reported to have been “What hath god wrought?”. A Biblical quote from Numbers 23:23.

Alexander the Great was 23 when he cut the Gordian Knot and Caesar is reported to have been stabbed 23 times. The Knights Templar had 23 Grand Masters.

The “Day the Music Died” was February 3 or, 2-3. This was of course the day Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper died.

Devin Hester, whose jersey number is 23, becomes the first person to return the opening kickoff for a touchdown in a Super Bowl ( XLI ).

African American art is a broad term which can be used to describe the visual arts of the African American community. It was influenced by many diverse cultural traditions, including those of Africa, Europe and the Americas. Traditional African American art forms include basket weaving, pottery and quilting to woodcarving and painting. Many slaves arrived from Africa as skilled artisans. The earliest recorded African American artists were actually slaves who worked as potters, blacksmiths, cabinetmakers, quilters, basket makers and silversmiths.

With the passing of the Civil War, it became more acceptable for African American created works to be exhibited in museums, thus artists steadily produced works for this purpose. Such works mostly followed the trend of European romantic and classical traditions of landscapes and portraits. Of this time, the most popular were: Edward Mitchell Bannister, Henry Ossawa Tanner and Edmonia Lewis. However within the states of America, African American art was subject to discriminatory limitations. However, overseas the artworks of African Americans were much better received. In Europe, especially in Paris, these artists could express much more freedom in experimentation and education concerning techniques that stretched beyond traditional western art. Freedom of expression was much more prevalent in Paris as well as Munich and Rome to a lesser extent.

Perhaps The Harlem Renaissance was one of the most notable movements in African American art. Concepts of freedom and liberty ideas that were already widespread in many parts of the world had begun to seep into the artistic communities of the United States during the 1920s. Famous artists at this time period included photographer James Van Der Zee, painter Palmer Hayden, Aaron Douglas, Richmond Barthé, Archibald Motley, William H. Johnson, Sargent Johnson, Malvin Gray Johnson, and Hale Woodruff.

With the advent of African American Art and Postmodernism by the mid to late 1980s earlier definitions of African American art would be replaced with postmodernist concepts of cultural relativity, art-as-performance, critical inquiries of art and society through one’s work, and interrogations of identity, geography, and history.

A Chorus line is a musical that portrays characters based on the lives of Broadway dancers. This is a revival show that first opened at Broadway’s Shubert Theater on July 25, 1975 and closed 6,137 performances later, after nearly 15 years, on April 28, 1990. It was the longest running show of its time until Cats surpassed it in 1997, and The Phantom of the Opera in 2006. Today, that musical is the fourth longest running show in the history of Broadway, after The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, and Les Miserable.

The revival show opened at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater on Oct 4 this year, after it previewed on Sep 18, and is directed by Bob Avian, the choreographer of the original 1975 musical. Broadway Chorus Line tickets can be purchased from the theater’s box office, and from various other sources.

The Original Show

The original show, which opened in 1975, became the longest running show on Broadway on Sep 29, 1983, with its 3,389th performance, and held this record until 1997. In 1976, it was nominated for 12 Tony awards and won 9, including for: Best Musical, Best Actress - Musical, Best Featured Actor – Musical, Best Featured Actress – Musical, Best Director – Musical, among others. A Chorus Line has been performed in 23 other countries, to date.

In 1985, the movie - A Chorus Line - was made, directed by Richard Attenborough.

The Current Production

This is a show by the Broadway performers on Broadway dancers. It is about the casting for a new Broadway musical, where the field has been narrowed down to 17 dancers, from which 8 dancers have to be chosen. For these 17 dancers, this audition is a chance of a lifetime. To act on Broadway – this is an opportunity they have all dreamed of, every day of their lives, and with every drop of their sweat. This is their chance to dance their way into a job on Broadway – the ultimate stage for an actor.

Before a final decision can be made, the director of the play asks them to talk about themselves, about their hometowns, their reasons for being dancers, about their families, friends, lovers, ambitions, and their careers. The show is about these 17 dancers sharing their most inner and intimate moments of their lives. Some are shy and reluctant, whereas others are more outgoing and reveal their innermost thoughts. Some stories are funny and some heartbreaking.

Tickets For A Chorus Line

Broadway Chorus Line tickets are on sale through the box office, and so are the group tickets. For group bookings, you need to purchase a minimum of 12 tickets. Tickets for the popular shows on Broadway are sold out months in advance.

If you are visitor to New York, you may have to explore other avenues to obtain your tickets. Your best option is purchasing tickets through a Broadway Chorus Line tickets ticket broker. Through the services of ticket brokers, you are assured of premium Broadway Chorus Line tickets, and they are delivered through Fed Ex, or a similar agency, to your very door.

I have found many decorative collectibles at art auctions over the years. I have a display cabinet filled with all of my finds. My favorite of all of the decorative collectibles are Pendelfin rabbits.

Pendelfin rabbits captivated my interest when I was a young girl. My dad was stationed in England and my mother bought me my first of many decorative collectibles at an art auction. The bookends that she bought for me are extremely rare and I recently had them appraised at more than fifteen hundred dollars.

I’ve been searching at art auctions in my area every time that decorative collectibles are advertised as being up for sale. My greatest hope is that I can find a Pendelfin item named The Shoe. I’ve been looking for this particular piece for about five years.

The larger pieces of decorative collectibles seem to get really expensive really fast at an art auction. I’ve seen three people at once bidding up the Pendelfin rabbits to a point where the price is just out of my reach. I love these rabbits, but I have to stay on budget when I attend an art auction.

There is one Pendelfin item that I found at an art auction early in my collection that I spend a lot more money than I wanted to. I just had no idea how much a love of decorative collectibles could end up costing. The item I bought was a three inch by four inch little plaque with Robert the rabbit depicted.

I sell decorative collectibles with online art auctions. I find the items at art auctions and sales that I attend in person. I have never resold a piece of Pendelfin. I keep them in my own private collection. My husband bought me a Pendelfin figurine named Auctioneer. I love it.

Almost all of the rabbits produced by Pendelfin are small. These decorative collectibles have retained their value for a long time. Art auctions are a great place to hunt for really cool pieces that are larger and rare. I’ve been looking for one named Aunt Ruby for a couple of years, now.

Aunt Ruby is one of the large size rabbits. I already have Uncle Soames and Mother. These were actually some of the first pieces of decorative collectibles. I found them at an art auction I attended with my husband before we married.

There was an anniversary piece put out by Pendelfin. I don’t think that it is worth what I keep seeing it for new and in stores that sell decorative collectibles. I’ll just keep looking for it at a reasonable price at the art auctions I attend.

I was so excited when I found two big pieces of Pendelfin decorative collectibles at the last art auction I attended. I bought both the one named Toy Shop and the one named The Castle Tavern. They look great with all of the others that I’ve bought and won at auctions over the years.

My sister called me from an art auction last year to tell me that she had found a treasure trove of decorative collectibles. She said that there was one lot that contained nine Pendelfin pieces. I authorized her to pay up to four hundred dollars for the lot because some of the pieces were chipped. I was shocked when the lot went for eighty dollars, the opening bid.

Art is the expression of beauty and sensitivity. Numerous people have a special taste and interest for pieces of fine art. And for this reason, Mirek Klabal has been catering to the thoughts and likes of people for so many years. Being a master of art and a renowned person, he has understood the importance of art in a person’s life. Fine art dealers are concerned with how people perceive the sense of art. There are various fine art dealers available in the market. But, you should take care that you don’t fall a prey to any fraud art dealers.

Fine art captures moments, pictures or breathtaking scenes in a canvas. Well, it can just be about anything. A painter tries to express a feeling or his desires through the spread of colors. Are you planning to buy art master pieces from fine art dealers? Well, looking for genuine fine art dealers is a tough task. It is like selecting the most precious piece of diamond from a coal mine. Art lovers can check out the Mirek Klabal art gallery for creative masterpieces. An important thing about Mirek Klabal is that its collection of painting has a special quality.

The world of art has a life beyond human imagination. It is the base and platform of creativity that calls for art lover’s attention. Mirek Klabal is one of the best fine art dealers in New York. If you are looking for rare Chagall collection then you can find it at Mirek Klabal’s art gallery. Mirek Klabal has a thorough understanding of art and dealing with him puts you in the safe hands. Moreover, it is all the more important that you buy art masterpiece from an authentic dealer.

Fine art dealers know that art is a perfect blend of creativity, vibrant colors, thoughts and expressions in the painting. There is a sense of life in every painting and this is what an art lover gets to see in the collection of Mirek Klabal. With Mirek Klabal, fine art gets to have a tag of a quality product. It is quite common among the art lovers that pictures express more than simple words. This is what is seen in the painting collection of Mirek Klabal. Moreover, art brings gaiety in ones life because it conveys joy and different aspects of an individual’s life.

Fine art dealers have a special network of quality painters and art masters. In fact, they act as the platform of recognition for art masters. Fine art dealers also have contact with distributors, who have a special interest in the field of art and who have a real understanding of it. Fine art dealers have an understanding that art lovers have a passion for art masterpieces and they have to cater to a large number of masses. It is because of this thing that these fine art dealers carefully with painters. The world of art has its own lifestyle. If you are an art lover, then you can enjoy the complete enthusiasm. Mirek Klabal can be your one stop shop for best art pieces.

Here are 4 ways you can mix the crafts in your craft show booth and add a little variety to your business:

1.) Open a seasonal booth – People spend millions every year on seasonal items. If you can provide a stocking cap for the winter, or Halloween or Christmas items, then you are going to find real success. If you enjoy making festive items, the sky is the limit – you can make items for the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Mother's Day – whatever you want!

The beauty of being seasonal is that you aren't bound by the same cookie cutter sort of crafts that some crafters make for their booths. Your creativity and your supplies are the only things holding you back. If you come up with an idea that is craft-related, then you can take it and run with it.

2.) Mix similar items together – You can have a variety of different sized crafts, or they can be different colors, or maybe there are slight design differences in each of the crafts. All in all, you are adding a little variety to your craft show booth, but still sticking with the general idea of your crafts.

3.) Mix items that work together – If you have crocheted a hat, maybe you would also include scarves and mittens in your craft show booth as well. That's the idea of making crafts that will work together. Like hand towels and a wooden towel rack, or reusable grocery bags and then a bag holder – you can come up with so many different ideas of crafts that work together. Put them together in a craft show booth and you might have a recipe for multiple sales!

4.) Open a theme booth – How about "Crafts for Kids," or, "Kitchen Crafts" – this is another way you can add a little bit a variety to your craft show booth. Once you decide to open a theme booth, you can just about create any craft you want that is going to fit into the booth's new theme.

You don't always have to make the same crafts for the craft shows you attend. For many crafters, that might get a little monotonous and take some of the fun out of making and selling your crafts for a profit. Having the opportunity to challenge yourself creatively might just be the spark you need to help boost the sales in your craft show booth.

With today’s sophisticated digital cameras it is relatively easy to take good digital photos. This is especially true if you are using s point and shoot digital pocket camera. However even with such a camera you can follow some tips that will result in better higher quality digital photos. These tips become much more important when using high end SLR cameras in manual mode.

There are many things that can go wrong when taking digital photos. Many of those things could be easily avoided if only the photographer was aware of them. Here is a list of things that can go wrong and some simple ways to avoid them.

Blurry digital photos: Also known as out of focus digital photos the objects in such digital photos look blurry or smudged. Many people think that by using the automatic focus feature of the camera all digital photos will come out sharp and clear. This is not true. There are some scenes that are harder to focus on. Such scenarios can fail even the most advanced digital camera. Moreover with most digital cameras (excluding SLR) you do not really see how focused the camera is when taking the photo. Looking at the LCD shows you how the photo would be composed but not how focused and sharp it will come out. Even by reviewing the photos on the small LCD it is hard to see on those small screens if the digital photo is focused correctly or not. With digital SLR cameras this becomes easier as looking through the viewfinder provides an accurate focus feedback through the digital camera’s lenses. Digital cameras provide some sort of feedback – either audible or visual – when they are focused. They also display a green rectangle (or another shape or color) around the area of the photo that they focused on. It is important to make sure that this area is where the objects you want to focus on are especially when there are multiple objects in different distances from the camera.

Blurry photos can also result from shakings of the camera. Such shakings are mostly a problem in conditions where a long shutter time is used. When the shutter opens for a very short period small shakings would not be noticeable. If the shutter is opened for longer period usually longer than 1/250 of a second shakings become an issue. To avoid such shakings learn how to hold the camera steady using two hands and leaning on your face. If the shutter speed is very slow try to stabilize the camera preferably using a tripod but if you do not have one you can improvise using any stable surface such as a table or a wall.

Dark digital photos: Digital photos that look dark are usually a result of underexposure. They are dull and lack details. In most cases the camera can automatically set the exposure to produce good quality digital photos. In some scenarios however the camera sets the wrong exposure. Learning to identify these scenarios can help you compensate for such camera errors. If there is a very bright light source in the photo it can confuse the camera to believe that there is enough light in the scene for a low exposure setting. It is a good assumption that scenes that have extreme lighting differences between different areas will confuse the digital camera. In such cases you can manually correct the exposure. If your camera supports bracketing a good option would be to take a few photos of the same scene in different exposure settings and later on to choose the best one.

I have a shop that sells art glass. My favorite art glass is paperweights. I have a lot of fun attending art auctions and buying art glass. I try to pay attention to what my friends and clients like and dislike.

I usually give people art glass paperweights that I find at art auctions for milestone birthdays and anniversaries. My grandmother turned eighty last October and I found a wonderful art glass paperweight for her.

The art glass paperweight that I found for my grandmother was made by Baccarat. I was extremely lucky that this was one of the last things auctioned. A lot of people had already left the art auction when this item went on the block. My grandmother appreciated the pansy design because the pansy is her favorite flower.

My cousin loves frogs. She has managed to decorate her home tastefully with her favorite item. I have been on the lookout for an art glass paperweight for her for years. I finally found one at an art auction I was at last year. The art glass paperweight featured a frog sitting on a lily pad and the frog was surrounded by blue water. It was really pretty and my cousin started using it on her desk immediately.

My aunt collects art glass paperweights. I have been asked by her on numerous occasions to find pretty art glass paperweights for her while I’m attending art auctions. Of all of the pieces I’ve won for her over the years, one memory sticks out in my memory more than any other.

By far the prettiest art glass paperweight I’ve ever won at an art auction has to be one that features a blue and gold Macaw. Rick Ayotte was the artist that created it and it was even featured in a book of his work. He has created many lovely art glass paperweights.

I have an art glass paperweight in my shop that just won’t sell. It has been in the store the longest and I think I may have it priced too high. I won the paperweight at an art auction several years ago for one thousand dollars. The paperweight was created by Paul Stankard and it should have easily sold for twice what I paid for it.

I have no trouble at all selling art glass paperweights that were made by Rick Ayotte. His work seems to draw the most interest. I try to win any auction I find for art glass paperweights he made. I won one not long ago that was pink roses. They looked so delicate and sweet. I know that this art glass paperweight will sell quickly.

There have been some inquiries at my shop for art glass paperweights by Richard Marquis. I haven’t found any in any of the art auctions I’ve attended recently. I looked at some of the pieces he’s made and I’m not especially impressed.

I will keep looking for the art glass paperweights at the art auctions I attend, but I will not be going way out of my way to track them down. I will just remember that Marquis is an artist that some of my clients are really interested in. I’m sure that I will find an art auction with one of his pieces in it at some point.

There were some inquiries about nautical themed art glass paperweights a couple of years ago and I found a fantastic artist that made them. I buy every art glass paperweight I can find that was made by Rick Satava. My favorite has to be the coral orange jellyfish that I found at an art auction an hour from my home. It was really pretty.

The coral orange jellyfish art glass paperweight was just the first Rick Satava piece that I’ve found at various art auctions. I’ve also found jellyfish in ruby and blue. They are beautiful by themselves or when they are put onto a black light stand that has been built especially for them.