By Ryan K Lim

A home based photography business can be a lucrative business. You can earn as much as $40,000 per year or even more. The best thing is you don't need fancy stuffs to get started. All you need is just a simple digital camera preferably 8 megapixels and above, adobe photoshop software, computer and an internet connection.

1. Start Taking Pictures

The first thing you need to of course start taking pictures. You can take any picture but make sure the picture that you take is professionally looking. That's why you will need adobe photoshop, to polish your picture a little bit.

2. Identify Your Business Model

There are two types of business model for home based photography business. Those who take order for special events such as wedding or sweet 17, and those that sells their pictures for royalty income.

You can also sell your photos to online stock photography sites where you can get paid on a recurring commission each time someone buys your photos.

What is your strength and weakness? Are you a single mom or college student? Can you afford to travel for days?

Answering those questions will help you uncover your business model.

3. Promote Your Business

No matter how good your product, you need to spread the words about it. Your product will not promote itself. You, as the creator of the product, that will need to promote the product.

After you identified your business model, now you can choose how you would like to market your service.

If you choose to take order for special events, you might want to create simple website and put advertising at your local newspaper or through pay-per-click search engine such as Google AdWords.

Because you offer your service directly, you can afford to charge higher price even though the job will make you feel more tired.

Another alternative is to sell your pictures for royalty income to websites such as Istockphoto.com or Fotolia.com. Through these websites, you can earn passive income for selling your photos for royalty income.

By Trina Allen

Subject: Sixth Grade Language Arts - Segregation and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Time allotted: 90 minutes

Organization: large group

Objective: Students will demonstrate the understanding of the components in a narrative by using pictures about segregation to write the narrative.

Student worksheet available at http://www.trinaallen.com/rollofthunderstudent.html

Teaching Mode: Direct

Provision for Individual Differences: Students are heterogeneously mixed. The combination of modeling by the teacher and students will help to meet the needs of the varying abilities in the classroom. This assignment is open-ended enough for all students to find success "where they are" (Gardner, 2004).

Teaching Strategies: Some lecture, dialogue, modeling, discussion, group critique, planning.

Teaching Behavior focus: Focus will be as facilitator. Students will direct the lesson by creating the model used to demonstrate narrative writing.

Materials needed for this lesson:

oOne copy of a picture depicting segregation for each student-- ideally with larger copies available for fine details.

oPaper- pencil

ooverhead, board and markers, or chalk

oGeneral classroom supplies

Lesson Activities:

Step 1. Anticipatory Set: (Motivation)

oAs review, ask students to write a definition of segregation. Volunteers will state their definitions. Write the definition on the board for students to refer to as they write their narratives. (Students should have read and discussed segregation and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry prior to this lesson).

oDistribute pictures depicting segregation- one to each student. Or ask students to bring pictures from magazines that demonstrate segregation or reverse segregation. Hang several larger pictures on the wall so students can use them for greater detail.

oStudents will examine their picture individually for five minutes, writing details on the worksheet.

Note: Newspapers and magazines are good sources of pictures for this lesson as well as the following online museum Web sites.

Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/news/jimcrow/index.htm

Norman Rockwell Museum http://www.nrm.org/

Online Tours of the National Gallery of Art http://www.nga.gov/onlinetours/index.shtm

Web Museum, Paris http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/

Step 2. Objective (Overview of learning outcomes to pupils):

Students will use pictures about segregation related to their unit of study for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry to:

odemonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of narrative writing by writing a narrative.

odemonstrate connections between images and words by using narrative writing to build understanding of content.

ouse detailed vocabulary in writing their text.

Step 3. Presentation (Input) of information:

Students will review the following characteristics of narrative writing as a whole class: developing plot, character and setting using specific detail and ordering events clearly using chronological order.
Direct students' attention to one picture on the board. As a whole class have students brainstorm possible events and characters this picture illustrates about segregation. Place the words or phrases under the following headings on the board as students share their ideas. Have students fill this information in on their worksheets.

Characters Setting Situation Feelings Vocabulary

Step 4. Modeling/Examples:

Use one character from the class table. Model writing a narrative on the board from the character's point of view by calling on students to give the details. Encourage students to describe the picture and to invent an original story related to the segregation illustrated in the picture. Decide as a class whether to tell the story that leads up to the picture, or to narrate the events that follow the picture. Write events in chronological order on the board as well as including the character's feelings and thoughts.

Step 5. Checking for Understanding:

Have students evaluate the story written on the board that they created by checking the blank before each element of narrative writing that they find in the class story about segregation.

1. _____ One character's point of view.

2. _____ Details about the character .

3. _____ Details about the setting.

4. _____ Details about the situation.

5. _____ The story was in the correct chronological order.

6. _____ The narrative contained feelings and thoughts.

Circulate as students work to check for understanding. Call on students to share their evaluation to be sure all students understand the content.

Step 6. Guided Practice:

Using the picture that they were assigned (or the one they brought from home) students will brainstorm possible events and characters by filling their ideas in the same table used in step 3:

Characters Setting Situation Feelings Vocabulary

Circulate to check for understanding.

Step 7. Independent Practice:

Have students choose one character from the table and write a narrative similar to the one modeled for them in step 4 from that character's point of view. Students will invent an original story related to the segregation illustrated in the picture. They will decide whether to tell the story that leads up to the picture, or to narrate the events that follow the picture. They will write events in chronological order and write about the character's feelings and thoughts.

Step 8. Closure:

Students will be evaluated using the same rubric used in step five, Checking for Understanding. Refer students to that evaluation rubric and ask students to give the example from the story previously written on the board to illustrate each area from the rubric. The stories can be assigned as homework or completed as class work as per the preference of the teacher.

Note: This lesson is modified from Gardner, T. (2004). A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words: From Image to Detailed Narrative, from http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=116.

By Rohn Engh

There are several answers to this question, depending on whether you live in the USA, China or Iraq. I choose to be facetious because many American photographers, in these times, seem to forget that they still have First Amendment Rights. There are enough discussions exhibiting confusion about model releases in the Kracker Barrel Archives to fill several volumes. All of it, like all legal matters, is open to interpretation.

My comments on the subject of model releases are always directed to the use of your photos in editorial situations.

The real test of this question about whether you should be trying to get a release for photos of children in public is the book, newspaper, or magazine publisher (the basic customers of editorial photographers) who would be the target of a legal case. A community art show or photo exhibit is not unlike your local newspaper publishing a feature photo in its Home Life section, or on its website. And in my forty years of observing editorial stock photography it's very rare that a parent (or the child) doesn't enjoy seeing their child's picture in an exhibit or published in a magazine or book. No attorney on a contingency basis would ever accept a case where real invasion of privacy is of concern.

Our USA First Amendment covers this issue.

Frivolous lawsuits of this nature used to happen, it seems, more often back in the 70's or 80's. You'd think it would happen more now-- what with all the sensitivity and fear that's prevalent in our society these days. It may be that there are fewer instances -- that many stock photographers have become gun-shy. They believe that they will get some "grief" from parents if they photograph in public and then exhibit the photos at a show, but failed to get a model release.

What's the result if you, as a stock photographer, photographing in the area of child development, domestic violence, social issues, child abuse, child safety, child welfare, etc. - if you don't capture poignant scenes of what's happening in your community?

What happens is, the other side wins. The pictures are not published and the corporate or governmental interests who would wish you didn't expose their blemishes are happy.

Eugene Smith, Henri-Cartier Bresson, Margaret Bourke-White, never walked around with a model release pad in their pocket.

I repeat again, it's the publisher not the photographer who gets in trouble if an irresponsible art director uses a picture in an insensitive way in the magazine's layout, in a way that distorts or misrepresents the original nature of the picture. In other word's, your neighbor's child's picture is used in a story about teenage gambling. Then a parent should rightfully take that publisher to court, and win - if the implication indeed is not true.

This would usually hold true also at a neighborhood art show or photography exhibit. When in doubt, apply the Golden Rule and ask yourself, "does this picture embarrass a friend or neighbor?" If it does, you might choose not to exhibit it.

True, there are always extenuating circumstances, and different interpretations of the law in different parts of the country. You'll often find burly security guards demanding that you not take pictures in their shopping mall. Well, it so happens that's where you're going to find excellent subject matter on the subject of community life. For a security guard to attempt to take your film or camera or even hassle you unnecessarily, calls for a phone call to the police on your cell phone; the guard would be arrested for attempted theft of your camera.

By the way, be sure to carry around a "Bust Card" in your camera bag. It's available in PDF form at http://joshdale.com/bustcard.html> It's a card you can carry with you and refer to on any encounter with the police.

But to be timid about photographing a child in public because "you've heard stories that you could get in trouble, is to deprive the viewing public of your talents and the way you see the world. You have to ask yourself the question, "Is this picture worth it? There's a 1% chance that it'll result in great hassle for me, and a 99% chance that it'll belong in a retrospect of my work."

Editorial stock photography is not easy. If it were, everybody would be doing it. Here's a challenge for you (I give this challenge about every five years because a new crop of photographers emerges who have heard (usually by uninformed photography instructors and photo columnists) that they shouldn't be photographing children (or adults) in public because the photographer needs a model release for that picture to be published.

So here's the challenge.

If you can document a case for me where a photographer was taken to court (whether they won or lost), for publishing a picture (regular editorial usage) without getting a model release, I'll reward you with a year's subscription to any of our services here at PhotoSource International.

Take note that I've said, "documented," and regular editorial usage (not sensitive misrepresentation). Photographers, Internet gossips, and my fellow photo columnists continually perpetuate the myth about model releases and all the trouble you can get into when taking pictures in public. But when asked for follow-up documentation, it's never forthcoming.

So there. Photograph in public freely. Exhibit your work and sell your images in the spirit of "informing the public." No judge in a court of law is going to fault you for that if you are sincerely interested in editorial photography. It's your right. Even more so, it's your duty to protect that right, by challenging those who would jeopardize it.

By Jeffrey Lawrence

Planning

Watching a movie in your own home theater is a great way to escape reality without leaving the house. But before forging ahead with a home theater construction project, you'll need to put serious time into planning the system. The biggest decision will be what room to put your home theater in. Next comes the selection of video and audio components, as well as the accessories that bring everything together. And then there's the issue of cost: Setting a realistic budget for the project and sticking to it will save you plenty of headaches in the long run.

Another decision to make when planning a home theater is whether to personally install the equipment or hire professionals to handle the project. If you're a tech-savvy DIY type, there's no reason why you can't do things on your own. Along with saving loads of money, you'll gain intimate knowledge of the gear -- a big plus when troubleshooting any future problems. On the other hand, a custom installation company can design the system for you, steer you toward the latest and greatest toys, and then integrate everything in such a way that the equipment doesn't clutter up the room.

Your home theater doesn't have to be the only space in the house where you watch movies and listen to music; you may want to also consider a multiroom system that lets you access tunes or TV from any room you happen to be hanging out in. And if you're really serious about sound and picture quality, there are several room treatment options to consider that can take your system's performance to the next level. All of these topics and more will be covered in our guide to home theater planning. Hopefully, reading it will help you to avoid some common installation mistakes -- ones that can cost both time and money.

Setup

Okay, you've decided to install a home theater by yourself. Now you'll need a game plan for getting all that equipment set up and running smoothly. The following guide will walk you through the main points of home theater setup, from finding the right distance to sit from the TV's screen to adjusting room lighting to get the best picture quality.

After deciding on a TV, the most basic setup step is to determine how far away you should sit from it. High-definition programs on cable, satellite, and disc are packed with picture detail, so you'll want to sit close enough to see it -- but not so close that you can detect the individual pixels that make up the image. Our guide will provide a few examples of recommended seating distances for common TV screen sizes.

The next step will be to unbox your components and run all the cables that connect them to the TV and speaker system. A wide variety of A/V furniture, wall-mounting hardware, and cable-concealing solutions are available to help streamline this process. We'll cover those bases, and also offer some tips for achieving a clean, professional-looking installation.

The final part of your home theater setup will be tweaking the system for the best possible picture and sound. Although some of these adjustments can me made by using your own gear's setup menus along with commercially available test DVDs, there are times when you need to call in a pro to take things to the next level. And then there are the esoteric areas of home theater setup -- things like room correction and lighting automation. We'll give you the lowdown on those subjects and more in the following section.

Accessories

A home theater system can be as basic as a bigscreen TV and speakers squeezed into your current living room. It can also be an elaborate, custom-designed movie palace with plush seating and a projector and screen that slide out of the ceiling. The end result depends on how you choose accessorize your system, and the following guide will give you an overview of what kinds of home theater accessories are available.

Basic accessories that we recommend for any home theater include a power conditioner and learning remote control. The first one gives you a place to plug in all your gear, and the second can take over the functions of your other remotes to eliminate coffee table clutter. And while headphones might seem like an odd addition for a home theater, they'll come in handy for late-night listening when you don't want to disturb others in the house.

To help simplify your home theater's operation, you'll want to check out more advanced types of remote controls. These usually have large liquid-crystal display screens and can be programmed to perform functions like turning on the whole system and starting a movie with a single button push. They can also control room automation systems that perform tricks like lowering a motorized projection screen and opening curtains.

Finally, there's home theater furniture. Comfortable, theater-style seating can make the difference between an ordinary home theater and one that you'll gravitate towards night after night. Read on and find out about the world of home theater accessories.

Components

TV has come a long way since the days when you simply plugged in an antenna and clicked through the four or five channels you could tune in. The range of video source components now includes high-definition disc players, home theater PCs, and game consoles that expand the activity of TV-viewing well beyond settling down to watch CSI. The following guide will highlight the various kinds of A/V sources that are available, and take a sneak peek at what's around the corner as well.

The question of whether to subscribe to cable or satellite is one that many people find themselves asking these days. We'll cover the advantages and disadvantages of both, and also talk a bit about the new hard-disk digital video recorders that are used to record programs with either option. Next, we'll get into some of the finer points of the various decks used for watching movie discs -- a group that includes regular DVD players, high-definition disc players, and a special category of players that process regular video signals on DVD to help them look like high-definition TV.

Videogames, too, have come a long way since the days of Asteroids and Space Invaders. With their sophisticated graphics, soundtracks, and storylines, the best titles have something to offer both kids and adults alike. And then there are Home Theater PCs -- computers designed to fit in an A/V rack and play both DVDs and digital music, record TV, and browse the Web. Tune in and we'll bring you up to date on all of these devices and more.

Connections

Compared to just a few years ago, the average TV or receiver has an alarming number of audio and video connections populating its back panel input section. Analog audio and video, digital audio and video, computer connections -- just name it and it's there, waiting for you to plug in. Keeping track of all those jacks is hard work, which is why we're going to spell them out in detail in the following connections guide.

The most common A/V connections carry basic analog audio and video signals. They're the ones that you use to plug in those red, white, and yellow color-coded cables that come free with your new DVD player or TiVO recorder. After briefly discussing those jacks, we'll next dive into the advanced connections that transmit high-definition video and multichannel digital audio signals in a high-performance home theater. Not all of the digital audio and video connections on TVs and other gear are compatible with one another, so it helps to know the features and capabilities of each when you're putting together a system.

Most systems need to juggle a variety of audio and video source components. In a typical installation, the signals need to be routed to a single TV and amplifier, which is where A/V switchers come in. After describing the various types of switchers on the market, we'll finish off by talking about signal extenders -- a useful device in a large home theater where the projector is set up a sizable distance from the rest of the equipment.

Receivers

A receiver is arguably the most important component in a home theater system, switching audio and video signals, driving the speakers, and performing a number of other essential tasks. Each new generation of products comes packed with a menu of new features, processing modes, and A/V connections, so it's important to keep up on the latest developments on the receiver front -- something we'll help you do in the following guide.

When shopping for a receiver, it will be a good idea to learn the names and capabilities of the various multichannel audio-processing modes that each one offers. We'll cover all the latest modes -- everything from DTS-ES Discrete to Dolby Headphone -- and also explain the differences between 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1-surround sound. Next, we'll get into the particulars of receiver setup, and then move on to the subject of amplifier power specifications -- another key thing to look at when comparing models.

Along with A/V switching, signal processing, and amplification, many receivers offer convenience features like recording loop outputs and multizone audio connections. We'll be covering those, too, to help you learn how to get the most use out of your receiver. Next, we'll get into the Auto-EQ processing found on some high-end models, a feature that can help improve sound quality by compensating for your listening environment's overall acoustics. Finally, we'll discuss the advantages of buying a separate home theater preamp/processor and amplifier combination over a standalone receiver.

Speaker

Buying speakers can be hard work. Not only are there a huge number of brands to sort through, but there are also several different technologies to consider, all of which have their own distinct sound. Speaker design is definitely changing with the times. You can still find plenty of boxy, traditional-looking systems, but most manufacturers are now pushing slim, wall-hugging models that fade into the background beside a large flat-panel TV. Confused about what kind of speakers to buy? Read our guide to speakers -- it will hopefully steer you in the right direction.

After listing the various speaker technologies and discussing the relative merits of freestanding and on-wall designs, we'll next go through the types of connections that you'll find on the back of both affordable and more costly models. Then we'll talk about newer speaker categories such as in-wall and in-ceiling models -- products designed to literally blend in with their surroundings. And the final stop on our speaker tour will acquaint you with the various surround speaker options for home theater.
While familiarity with the various speaker types can simplify shopping, it will also be helpful to learn some of the technical terms that show up in speaker specifications. We'll cover two of the most common ones: frequency response and impedance. Finally, we'll talk about speaker placement -- a discipline that's an equal mix of both art and science.

Video Signal Formats

The arrival of digital and high-definition TV via over-the-air broadcasts, cable, and satellite has changed the television landscape for the better. At the same time, the diversity of formats contained in the new digital standard has made TV technology more complicated than it used to be. If you're in the market for a new high-definition TV and are confused by the jargon you're coming across -- terms like 1080i, 720p, widescreen, and 4:3 -- our guide to video signal formats will hopefully make the picture a little clearer.

Not all digital TV signals are created equal. High-definition programs get produced in a number of different formats, and there also some lower-resolution standard-definition ones that are in use as well. While chances are that any new set you buy can easily display all of the digital TV formats, it will be helpful to know some background on the technology before you make the jump from regular TV to high-definition. It's our aim to give you the information you need to speak digital TV fluently.

Moving past signal formats and into heavier technical topics, we'll discuss the color space differences between the old NTSC TV system and the new ATSC digital one. Assuming you're still with us at that point, we'll next get into the advanced digital video compression codecs used for satellite TV transmission as well as disc production in the high-definition HD DVD and Blu-ray disc formats. After that, you should qualify as a full-fledged digital TV expert.

By Ron Donnelly

A relatively new product in the digital imaging industry is what has become known as the digital picture frame. These clever devices use a flat-panel TFT (usually just referred to as LCD) screen to electronically store and display digital photos, which can be transferred directly between the picture frame and your digital camera. They can be powered by either batteries or an AC adapter power supply that plugs into your mains wall socket, and are capable of storing between thirty and more than a thousand digital photos, depending on the frame, the size of the files, and the capacity of the memory card being used. While most people are probably aware of the numerous advantages of digital photography, there have always been a few areas where modern digital imagery simply didn't offer what people wanted out of their photos. With only a slightly wider profile than a normal picture frame, a digital picture frame retains all the benefits of digital photography, combining them with the convenience and most of the features people liked about conventional paper photos.

Digital picture frames solve most of the remaining problems people have about digital photography in a simple, easy to use, and cost effective manner. One of the main problems people have is that they don't have the time, opportunity, or knowledge required to view their pictures on the computer any time they feel like going through their albums. Digital picture frames solve this easily, as all prominent models on the market can store multiple images, and display them as a slide show. Most models allow the user to flip through each photograph one by one, much like they would with an old photo album. Older users, or the very young, who may not be familiar with computers, or may have no desire to learn, will enjoy the practical and straight-forward interface offered by these products. Learning how to use one could be compared to learning just the basic functions of a new television remote-control.

Digital picture frames allow the user to leave a photo on display for the long term, much like a conventional picture frame. This eliminates the cost of maintaining a printer and buying consumables, and allows you to have your picture of choice on display without tying up the computer.

When making a purchasing decision, you should compare the feature set offered by the different models available, with regard to your budget, and what you want from digital picture frames. Some things to consider include:

· Media types: The number of different storage media that a single device can use - for example, SmartCard(TM), CompactFlash(TM) etc, and whether the device can accept multiple types. Remember to check which media type your existing digital camera uses.

· Power options: How long the photo viewer's batteries last, what type of batteries it takes, and whether it has a power supply to run plug straight into the wall socket are all important to consider.

· Physical dimensions: What size it is, how heavy, the look you're after, and how you intend to use it. If you want to carry a digital picture viewer around in your briefcase or pocket, you'll want a smaller, lighter model.

· Data transfer interfaces. Some models allow you to transfer pictures between your computer and picture frame via serial or USB interface, in addition to the normal camera memory cards.

· Various advanced features: The ability to connect the device directly to the Internet, and use it to send pictures to someone else who also has one is an example of just one deluxe feature.

Having laid down the criteria, it is possible to have a quick look at some of the products on the market today. The very cheapest digital picture frames start at about $85. These offer a very narrow feature set, with a tiny viewing area, rarely no larger than 3", with relatively low quality image reproduction. For something of this size, you're probably better off simply viewing with your existing digital camera, or viewing its image on your television, a task most digital cameras are capable of doing to some capacity. Most of the frames on the market, however, fall between $200 and $450, so we'll have a very brief look at three such items.

VideoChip Wallet

While being a smaller model, the VideoChip Wallet has an appealing set of features, and is probably the choice for portability. If you prefer to carry your photos around with you wherever you go rather than setting a frame up on a side-table, then this is probably the one for you. The Wallet uses only CompactFlash card media, meaning that the number of photos you can store is limited only by the size of the JPEG or Bitmap files (.jpg, .bmp), and the storage capacity of your CF card. While the viewing area is just 4" with a 230x200 pixel display, it still manages to impress, weighing in at less than 11 ounces! It can be run directly off the included AC adapter, which also charges the internal 3 volt lithium batteries. This allows 3 hours continuous viewing between charges, and you don't have to worry about changing batteries, as you can simply just plug it in again to recharge, much as you would a cell-phone. VideoChip Wallets offer rudimentary viewing options, either as a static image, a slide-show, as well as the option of several animated image transitions. They can be bought for about $350, making a Wallet a hefty purchase, considering that the main feature is its compact profile. But if you're always on the move, or delight in showing your friends and family your photos wherever you are, then maybe this is the one for you.

Ceiva Internet Connected Picture Frame

This really is a remarkable product. Ceiva boasts this as the world's first web-enabled digital picture frame. When you buy one of these, Ceiva signs you up with a subscription for their service for a period of time - usually a year - then you simply plug a spare phone line into the rear of the frame. At a scheduled time, say, at night when you're not making calls, the frame's integrated dial-up modem connects directly to Ceiva's servers and synchronizes with your account on their service, which you can configure from your home Internet connection, or by phone if you don't have a PC! In this way, you can download new pictures every day, or send them to family and friends also on the service. The frame itself stores only 30 JPEG images, however, your Ceiva account can store thousands, in almost any digital picture format you care to name. Viewing options are wide and flexible, with a full complement of features. The frame is powered only by an AC adapter for constant use, meaning it is not especially portable. It features a large 8.2" LCD display, making it easily one of the biggest on the market. Ceiva is currently offering a deal for three frames plus a free digital camera with new subscriptions for $340. For what is included this is an excellent purchase, however, if all you want is a digital picture frame, and you are not so much concerned with the Internet capabilities, then you may find the small storage capacity and lack of other more rudimentary features too restrictive.

DigiFrame DF-560

If what you're after is a medium sized viewing area, with high-quality image reproduction and the most flexible range of features, then the DF-560 is for you. The DF-560 accepts both SmartCard media and CompactFlash cards, stores up 1,500 images on board, which display on a 5.6" high resolution 640x480 pixel LCD display. Also designed for constant, or all-day use, it is not battery powered, but runs off the included AC adapter. It offers changeable cosmetic frames, which allow the user to have a wood finish, if they're after the authentic look, or something sleek and modern, giving an impression of brushed stainless steel, as well as everything in between. Again, you don't need a PC to run this, as it has everything it needs on board, and images can be transferred via either of the storage card slots. However, if you do wish to use it in conjunction with a PC, it has a 9-pin serial port on the side, and includes a cable and software to allow you to transfer files directly between your PC and the frame, at a theoretical maximum transfer rate of 128kbps, or slightly better than twice the speed of a dial-up Internet connection. The DF-560 offers the widest range of slide-show transition effects, and allows you to prepare a number of customized slide shows using the images of your choice, all on the same card. As well as scaling large images down on the fly, which it is able to do with the inclusion of its relatively powerful processor, this digital picture frame packs a host of other features. All of this comes at a price, however, and while the feature set is great, the DF-560 retails somewhere around the $560 mark.

If you're in the market for something to put your digital photographs on display or to show to friends, then one of these could be for you. There are more than just the three digital picture frames reviewed here out there, and this brief examination is by no means exhaustive, but it should give you an idea of what the different features on offer are, and what to base your decision on. If you're after portability, then VideoChip's Wallet may be for you. If the idea and the possibilities of an invention such as an Internet digital picture frame really appeals to you, the Ceiva frame is a logical choice, and cost effective at that. If all-round solid performance and flexibility is what you're after, and you've got a budget to match, then give the DF-560 serious consideration.

By Vickie Morrow

You've moved into your new home, unpacked the boxes, arranged and rearranged the furniture, hung a few things on the walls. Hmmm. You know, or think you know how you want your rooms to feel but can't get from the builder white walls and your old stuff to that wonderful comfy inviting look you got when you were in the model of the home you purchased?

Before you panic and true anxiety sets in know there are more easy solutions at your fingertips than ever before. There are decorator magazines, home decorating shows, web sites, retailers, great books with very good instructions. Visiting model homes again will help. "Okay, " you say, "I see them, I buy them, I visit them, I like them, but how do I do it? I don't know where to begin."

Start with one room you love in a magazine or model home. We'll call it your dream room. If you can go to the model home to feel and study the space or the room you will get the best results. Ask if you may take pictures in the models too. This will help when you get home and when you shop. Take a tape measure and a spiral notebook with you to make notes and draw sketches. I like the ones with plastic tabs and pockets inside.

Let's start decorating by seeing what we like.

Are all the walls the same color and the ceiling too? What color(s) is the room? Write this down. Is there a chair rail or decorative molding at the ceiling, wall covering or faux painting? What is on the floor? Is there tile, wood, carpet, area rugs? What color and texture and pattern? Is the area rug braided or a Persian rug or a contemporary design diagonally placed partly under one of the chairs and sofa?

What style is the furniture? Is it all a matching set? Do all the woods match? Maybe the sofa and club chairs are the same style and wood finish but the chairs have a patterned upholstery and the sofa is a solid or striped fabric. Write this down.

How is the furniture arranged? Does the sofa sit in the middle of the room separating the conversation area from the game table, or is all the furniture pushed up against the walls? Draw a little floor plan so you don't forget when you get home.

The windows. Are there blinds, shutters, a valence or draperies? Are the rods large or small, wood or metal with huge finials? Make a note of it. If there are panels at each side of the window, do they go all the way to the floor? What color are they? Do they match the walls or are they the same fabric as the toss pillows on the sofa? Is it the drapery hold back that catches your eye? You will have to consider the exposure and privacy out your own windows when you make your final window treatment selection.

The pizzazz is the accessories. This is often what many people love most about the model homes or magazine pictures that inspire them. The details, the little things we all love to collect and buy when we shop. This is what pulls the room together and gives it your personality. In the room you love, what kind of lamps are there? Is there a place to store the things you will need to put away? Are there several things grouped on the coffee table? What sizes are they? Is there something pretty tall, a large round platter set on a stand and a box all grouped together? If there are photographs on the end tables, how big are they and how does the frame style work with everything else in the room?

What is on the walls? Is there one large picture over the sofa or is there an arrangement of black and white photos in different size frames? What color is the matting and how much space from the photo to the frame? Details, details, details. Draw a sketch of the picture arrangement and the sizes in your notebook.

Congratulations. You have just completed the first step to decorating your own home.
You know what you want, how it goes together and what it will look like. You don't have to break the bank now to create your room. You probably already have the furniture pieces and accessories. You may already have the lamps and area rug as well. You may just have to recreate and rearrange.

Get started. Go to the paint store and select the paint chips you think best match your dream room. Grab several samples, color can be deceiving and they can look different depending on the light. Take them back to the model home and see which ones match the best. Buy the paint and paint the room.

Your window treatment. If you copy your dream room exactly make sure you have the right privacy and exposure considerations covered. This is where a lot of people go astray. They think they like shutters and buy them. Then they don't like them and also wonder how their dream room went wrong. Your dream room may have been more airy with a shade and drapery panels on large wood poles. The wrong blinds, shutters or draperies and hardware can be a costly mistake that you probably won't change.

Arrange your furniture for conversation, TV watching, family fun, reading, eating or homework keeping in mind your dream room. Was all the furniture lined up on one side of the room? Your sofa may be the wrong color and your chairs may need to be redone. That doesn't mean you have to buy all new; consider slipcovers. You can buy them or make them. Be sure your accessories are things you want around you and are of a grand enough scale for your space. Voila! You're on your way to decorating confidence and living in the home that makes you and your family happy.

By Don Glasgow

If you are trying to sell an empty home, you may have found this to be a blessing and a curse.

An empty home is easy to show. Buyers might like that fact that they can move right in. Potential buyers might even have an easier time seeing themselves in the home.

On the other hand, an empty home may feel cold and impersonal. Buyers are looking for a home that they can fall in love with. Even if your home is the nicest home that they buyers look at, if they don't "feel the love"; they will probably buy someone else's home.

How I got started staging homes

I started staging homes several years ago. I had gotten my real estate sales license during a dreadful buyers market. The market was so bad that most well priced homes were taking six to twelve months to sell.

I started staging my new empty home listings after selling a home that had been staged by the owners. It was the owners second home and the decorations were perfect. This home sold and closed in six weeks! Not only that, but I had other buyers in the wings ready to buy, if the first buyers failed to close. I realized I was on to something.

I bought and studied a book called "Dress Your House for Success" by Martha Web. Her book helped me to figure out how to repeat the "six week home sale", over and over again. The fast sales made my clients happy! The fast commissions made me happy.

I bought staging items which cost me about $300. Then I staged and empty home that I had listed for sale. Shazam! The home sold in six weeks despite the buyers market.

Home staging doesn't always work as expected, but if the home is priced right and has enough showings, six weeks is my average time to sell an empty, staged home.

How you can easily stage an empty home so that it sells quickly

First of all, I make sure the home is sparkling clean. You want everything to look as close to new as possible. All chrome must shine. All stains, from every surface, must be removed. Windows, the window screens and window sills should sparkle. Touch up paint or repaint as needed. The flooring, including tile and carpet, must look and smell clean. Dust and cobwebs must go! Clean like you've never cleaned before!

An empty house can be staged without moving any furniture into the home. To stage my listings, I only have to move in four plastic boxes of light-weight decorative items plus several silk or plastic plants.
What I am trying to do is to create a "model home" look, but without the furniture. If you're not sure what I mean, visit a few model homes. Model homes are a wonderful and quick education in staging. Ignore the furniture in the model homes, and instead concentrate on the decorations. Take a camera with you, to take pictures, if you want.

The following is a room by room description of the items I use to stage a home. You can decide where each item should be placed, and how many to use. Don't over do it, but "stark" is not a good look either. All staging items must be new or look new. No exceptions! Make sure the silk plants are cleaned regularly.

Staging the front door:

o Place a brand new, fun door mat in front of the door. I buy a new one for each home I stage.

o If the door has a hook to hang seasonal items on, do so when appropriate.

o The front door area has to look neat and clean. Sweep the steps and side walk and wipe down the door if needed. Make sure the front door light and doorknobs shine. First impressions count.

Kitchen staging items:

o Place exciting and interesting kitchen towels and oven mitts that match the towels on the kitchen counter.

o I place veggie / oil filled decorative glass jars, grouped together on the counter.

o Silk plants and silk plants in baskets: one for the top of the fridge, more for on top of the cabinets, and if appropriate, one for the counter top.

o Decorative (empty) soap and hand cream dispensers.

o I have put together a gift basket (for decoration only) which I put on the kitchen counter. It includes all sorts of fun kitchen items, towels and knick knacks. I do this to add emotional appeal to the kitchen and home.

o Other interesting items to suit your tastes.

o I also replace any burned out light bulbs.

Bathroom staging items:

o Big, soft, fluffy new towels, large and small, tied up with raffia or decorative cords.

o Decorative soaps

o Matching soap dishes, toothbrush holders, cups etc. Buy some that are fun for the guest baths, and buy some classy, romantic ones for the master bathroom!

o Lots of candles and candle holders. Don't be cheap on these. Get the nicest you can buy.

o More silk plants

o If you feel it will help, buy and use a new rod and shower curtain. I have done this before. You will know when and where to use these.

o I replace all burned out light bulbs. If the bulbs wattages are too low, I will replace them with brighter lights.

Items for the living room, the family room and bedrooms:

o Large and small silk plants placed to enhance nice areas or placed take the eyes of the buyer away from areas that you don't want the buyers to concentrate on.

o More silk plants for any plant shelves.

o When ever possible I use classy wall art: framed pictures and posters, etc.

o I have also used rocking chairs, wooden rocking horses (kid's room), pottery, and vases filled with dried plants.

o I have rented live plants for larger homes. Ten large, beautiful plants cost me $150/month. The plant company took care of the plants. This was well worth the cost. I can highly recommend this for adding to the emotional appeal of a large, empty home.

o Make certain that the curtains or window coverings are open and the windows are clean. I want the home to be bright and inviting. This helps to create a positive feeling to the home. In addition, the "drive the neighborhood" homebuyers can see in and decide if they want to get into the home! Every potential buyer counts.

The items mentioned are just a starting point for staging. I am continually adding more items and getting rid of items which have "aged". So far over the years I have spent about $1,000 on staging items and now have enough items to stage two homes. I have made my investment back many, many times over.

I can highly recommend staging to both homeowners and real estate agents. Your home or home listings will sell faster and for more money.

By Robert O'Shaughnessy

When researching potential new home builders to hire, you need to rely on quality, professionalism, customer service and relevance to your wants and budget. Because most new home searches begin online, evaluating a home builder’s website is crucial to deciding whether or not the home builder deserves to be contacted. If you want to purchase a house, this helpful article offers home buying information and ten tips for evaluating a home builder website.

Because the website of New Home Builder Orleans Homes exemplifies many features indicative of a quality homebuilder website, it was used as a model for what a potential new home buyer should look for in a new house builder website.

House & Floor Plans

When you are considering the purchase of a new home – maybe the biggest purchase you will ever make – you need to know the house is what you want, inside and out. To save potential home buyers time, some homebuilder websites let visitors preview new home plans online. A typical home builder will offer several floor and house plans and a home builder whose website boasts interactive floor plans suggests both technical savvy and awareness of what site visitors want of a residential home builder.

Printable Brochures

Just as the availability of house and floor plans show an awareness of what those in the market for a new home want, the ability to print plans and brochures reinforces that awareness. If you print a plan, you have something tangible to use for reference and to use if you choose to tour new model homes.

Words, Pictures & Interactivity

A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the saying goes, but different people gather information in different ways. Some people are visual, others interactive while still more prefer to read to gather information. A home builder website should be equally open to these various ways of gathering information. And for those visual site visitors, if the pictures are of decent quality, it likely means the home builder invests in quality in other aspects of their business. One additional note on the pictures that appear on homebuilder websites: if the picture doesn’t show the actual home interior or exterior – shows instead a flower vase, say – it may mean the homebuilder is hiding something.

Usability & Navigation

For government and government contractor websites, the site must be accessible to persons with disabilities. Websites not obligated to this level of accessibility – but that are accessible nevertheless – are indicative of a company sympathetic to the needs of all potential site visitors. This is good, naturally, but accessible and usable websites also lead to a more rewarding site visit. In short, an open, easy-to-navigate website likely means open, easy-to-navigate homes.
Solid site navigation suggests, in addition, an awareness of how visitors will move throughout the website and a desire to make this process as intuitive as possible. A thoughtfully designed website means a thoughtfully designed home so look for sites that are both usable and accessible.

Interactive maps

To find a home, you need to know where it is. Maps, obviously, make the search for a new home easier. Furthermore, an interactive map – one where you can simply click on a location to view homes available in that area – makes the home search that much easier. When a website gives you multiple tools to find a new home for sale, it reinforces the notion that the homebuilder wants to make the search for a new home or new home development easier.

Easy-to-Find Content

Visitors to a homebuilder website may be looking for several unique types of information: new homes, home plans, home locations, financing information, company history, employment information, and home care tips. The content sought by a visitor should be easy to locate in a few simple clicks. Site maps, search fields, information architecture – these all help the visitor through the site. Again, an easily-navigable site suggests the homebuilder knows how to build well.

Search by Various Factors

A visitor in search of a single family home for sale, for example, may be seeking unique features. It so follows that a website should allow visitors to search by various factors such as location, neighborhood, price range, number of rooms, amenities, etc. There are many types of people in the market to buy a new home and a homebuilder should offer information to a variety of individuals. Even a luxury home builder builds a variety of models and a site that lets you search for factors pertinent to your home search suggests the company may be one worth further investigation.

Site Speaks to your Wants and Needs

Just as a site should allow for you to search according to your unique new home needs, a site should also speak to your new home wish list. If you are a first time homebuyer looking to buy a new house, evaluate the site content to see if they speak to needs similar to yours. If the site does not – there is no need to contact the home builder.

Links

A link is a vote for a website because, if there is a link to the site, the linking website owner decided the site content was worth referencing. So check to see if the site is linked to because links are essentially votes of confidence.

Financial Information

It is often said that the decision to purchase a house is one of the biggest most people will ever make. Most people have to think very carefully about investing in a new home, and how to finance it. Even if you have your own plans for financing a new home purchase, look for homebuilder websites that offer financing and mortgage information. It demonstrates a familiarity with the financing process and the ability of the company to give you good, reliable information. Some sites even offer a mortgage calculator [http://www.orleanshomes.com/buy/calc.cfm target=] – a very helpful tool to use during a new home search.

If you evaluate home builder websites based on these factors, you are better prepared to decide which new home builders to contact. One final note. If you like a home builder website, look for interest list forms or forms to request additional information. Filling out these forms not only ensures you are only provided relevant information, they will likely automatically qualify you for special offers, discounts and VIP openings. If you like what you see, fill out the interest list.