Students Of Success

Flexibility is quite often a misunderstood principle, but most
of us know it is important to golf. Before we discuss
flexibility and its relevance to golf we need to start with:
“What in the #$%#%$#% is flexibility anyways?”

It is a simple question yet one that is not easy to answer. I
imagine that most of you come up with some definition that is
something to the effect of “Flexibility is stretching, right?”
That answer is partially correct. Flexibility training
incorporates stretching techniques. However, it is NOT limited
to traditional stretching, and the two terms cannot be used
interchangeably.

We Should Talk About What Flexibility Means

According the National Academy of Sports Medicine, flexibility
can be defined as the normal extensibility of all soft tissues
that allow full range of motion of a joint. You will note that
nowhere in the definition of flexibility is the word stretching
used. To help further explain, understand, and clearly define
flexibility, let us take the definition and break it down into
three parts. The first part of the definition, “the normal
extensibility,” is best understood by thinking of the muscles in
your body. Each muscle in your body has what is termed a “normal
length-tension relationship.” When the muscle is at its “normal
length-tension relationship,” it functions correctly. When the
muscles contract and extend (i.e. when you “flex” your bicep in
the mirror, your bicep muscle is contracting and your tricep is
extending) they enable you to create movement of your skeleton.
Often, athletes cause a disruption of the “normal length-tension
relationship” through training, which leads to one muscle
becoming shorter or longer than its normal length-tension
relationship. When this happens, the body begins to have
difficulty moving the skeleton in a safe and efficient manner,
which will be magnified when trying to perform athletic
movements.

The second portion of the definition of flexibility discusses
“all soft tissues.” This part of the definition is quite easy.
As you know, the human body is comprised of numerous types of
cells and tissues. Soft tissues are simply a categorization of
certain types of tissues in your body including muscles,
ligaments, and tendons.

The final part of the definition reads: “that allow full range
of motion of a joint.” Every joint (where two bones are
connected in your body, i.e. shoulder, hip, elbow, etc.) moves
through a specified range of motion determined by the design of
the joint. The anatomical structure of a joint determines the
amount, direction and type of movement through which a joint
moves. This is known as the range of motion. To achieve a full
range of motion, the surrounding muscles and connective tissue
have to be flexible enough to allow the joint to move through
that range of motion. To demonstrate what a full range of motion
is, bend your elbow as much as you can (brining your hand as
close to your shoulder as possible) and then straighten it. Each
joint in the body has a range of motion that is unique to the
design of the joint. For example, the shoulder joint is
classified as a ball and socket joint, which has a range of
motion of 360 degrees (a much greater range of motion than the
elbow).

Once broken down, flexibility is simply defined as: every
ligament, tendon, and muscle (soft tissues) in your body, having
the correct length-tension relationship (normal extensibility)
to allow every joint in your body to move through its full range
of motion. This concludes the first part of this article. We now
have a pretty simple working definition of flexibility. In the
next section of this article we will discuss the question: “Why
is flexibility important to the golf swing?”

The Real Meat of the Article…Flexibility and the Golf Swing

So now we have a “working definition” of flexibility. We
probably need to discuss the golf swing briefly to create the
connection between “your” flexibility and “your” golf swing.

Breaking down the golf swing, we know that it is categorized
into different phases: address, take away, back swing,
transition, down swing, contact, and follow through. Your local
swing coach has probably discussed the importance of these
phases of the swing in order to create a good swing. I am sure
you also are aware that the body must “move through” these
phases in a certain sequence for a correct swing to occur. The
key phrase when it comes to the golf swing and flexibility is
“move through.”

Go back to the definition of flexibility. What does it tell you?
In general, it says that every muscle, ligament, and tendon in
your body must have the correct range of motion within itself to
perform the activity you ask of it. Take that definition and
place it upon what movements are required of the golf swing. It
essentially states that your individual body MUST have the
required flexibility parameters within every muscle, ligament,
and tendon to execute the golf swing correctly.

Now the kicker question: what happens if your body does not have
the needed flexibility parameters to swing a club on the correct
path? Is the answer, “Forget about golf and go grab your fishing
pole?” No, that is not the correct answer. Your body is a little
smarter than that one wise-crack answer. If you ask your body to
do something, nine out of ten times it will “try” to do what you
are asking it to do. When your brain tells your body to do this
and this and this in a certain order, your body is going to try
as hard as it possibly can to complete the task. The task (in
our case the golf swing) may get completed, but probably not
exactly as we would like. In the golf swing, this results in
shots that we are really not happy about (slices, hooks, blocks,
etc.)

When the body does not have the needed flexibility to swing a
club on the correct path is what we term “compensation.”
Compensation is the body’s way of making up for inefficiencies
it may have within it. If you do not have the flexibility
properties in, say, your hamstrings for the golf swing, your
body will create compensation patterns in your swing to “make
up” for the lack of flexibility in your lower body. So the
reality of the situation becomes that, regardless of how hard
you work on your swing and how much you practice, until you
correct the flexibility issues within your body it will be very
difficult to correct your swing. So there you have it! The
connection between flexibility and the golf swing is a very
important connection if you are looking to make good shots on
the course.

How do I get it?

We have discussed flexibility and the golf swing. You now have
an understanding about the definition of flexibility, the
importance of flexibility as it relates to the golf swing, and
what happens if you do not have it (flexibility for the golf
swing, that is). Now the final question to answer is: “How to I
get it if I don’t have it!” That is a question to answer in
another article, or take a look at our web site
www.bioforcegolf.com for more answers.

At the Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, Ariz., guests find
healing in the water. The resort’s 11,000- square-foot Aquatic
Center features three Watsu pools, a cross-training pool with
conditioning equipment, two aquatic therapy pools and a
whirlpool. There is also a complete Water Workout Station and it
is making a big splash with guests.

“Water is the wave of the future,” said Karma Kientzler, an
aquatic therapy expert and outside consultant for Canyon Ranch
in Tucson. “People are using their bones and joints to such
excess that water will become the means for most people to stay
healthy. It is a means to life enhancement and enrichment,
especially in a spa and health care environment.”

The Aquatrend, a scientifically designed piece of stainless
steel equipment, was installed at Canyon Ranch about 10 years
ago to help take the “work” out of workouts, Kientzler said. It
makes working out a pleasurable experience, especially for those
suffering from arthritis, knee and hip replacement or sports
injury recovery. The power of water has become an integral part
of spa relaxation and rejuvenation — it’s a healer, a stress
reducer, and an amenity that everyone can enjoy regardless of
age or physical condition,” she said.

For the physically challenged or non-swimmer, water exercise is
safe because there is always something nearby to hold onto. On
the flip side, those who are more fit or who are interested in
the resistance benefits from ‘Aquacise’ or aqua therapy can use
a water workout station to work isolated body areas to lose
weight and inches, and to facilitate aerobic and anaerobic
training. It provides the basic exercise everyone needs to
strengthen cardiovascular and respiratory systems while building
strength and endurance.

‘The Value of Aquatic Exercise’

According to the Aquatic Exercise Association, Aquatic fitness
is defined as activities performed in the water that promote and
enhance physical and mental fitness. Aquatic fitness is
typically performed in a vertical position in shallow or deep
water. There are numerous applications to appeal to a wide
variety of participants.

Here’s how it works . . . and why it works. Water buffers the
body from gravity and makes a person virtually weightless when
they are totally submerged. When a person’s head is out of the
water, he or she weighs approximately 10 percent of normal body
weight. Therefore, exercising in the water offers protective
cushioning that land-based exercise cannot.

Researchers tell us that exercise injuries are usually related
to impact. Every time a person’s foot comes in contact with the
floor, impact occurs. Because a person weighs so much less in
the water, the impact on the body is reduced. Water has the same
advantages to toning as it does in cushioning. In order to get
muscles in shape or “toned,” a person has to work against
something. On land, a person fights gravity, but water limits
the effect of gravity on the body.

Aquatics: ‘Hard to Resist’

Mike Jandzen, Aquatics Director at the Sea Colony Resort in
Bethany Beach, Delaware, who is responsible for managing water
fitness programs at the property’s 12 pools and fitness center,
said hardcore athletes are drawn to exercising in a gym because
they prefer a more gravitational type of resistance for muscle
toning and strength training. However, Jandzen said he is seeing
more and more interest in the property’s aquatics programs, such
as water aerobics and water exercise, because they can be
enjoyed by young and old alike and offer cardiovascular
conditioning, strength training and muscle toning while greatly
reducing the impact on muscles and joints.

“Over the past several years we’ve seen aquatics becoming the
exercise vehicle of choice,” he said. “We’ve had a water
exercise unit in our aqua therapy pool for many years, and it’s
constantly in use. Our senior guests enjoy it for therapy as
well as for strength training and muscle toning. The water
aspect makes it low impact. It’s easy to use, easy on joints and
easy on muscles because buoyancy relieves the demands placed on
all body parts.”

Every time a person gets into the pool, he or she is losing
weight from the resistance that water provides, noting that the
resistance of water is 12 times that of air. When exercising in
water, the body still creates extra heat because muscles are
being used. However, the body has a much easier time
transferring your exercise heat to the water than it does to the
air. The result is a workout that immediately feels refreshing
and cool, and not hot and soggy from sweat.

A quality Water Workout Station provides Body Sculpting
exercises, including standing squats, lateral pull ups, hanging
leg pulleys, closed-grip pull ups, forward dips, single knee
extensions/curls, leg diamonds, abdominal press, reverse
abdominal and straight abdominal curl. Cardio Circuits provide
13 exercises, including: squat and lift, reverse lunge, chin
ups, cardio-sprint, single bicep curls, body swings, cardio
bobbing jumping jacks, single knee tucks, seat push ups,
cardio-seated bicycle, oblique reach, reverse leg pull-downs and
cardio-seated bicycle. There is also a Power Circuit, which
incorporates aerobic and muscular conditioning, including: lat
pull up/body swing combo, closed grip pull-up/reverse curl
combo, cardio hurdles, reverse dip abductor/adductor cross
combo, hanging curl-skate kick combo, cardio-cross country ski,
body pike push-up combo, cardio seat down sprinting, straight
curl-alternating elbow and cardio - seat down leg flurries.

Omega 3 capsules, taken as a dietary supplement, may prevent coronary heart disease. Research has shown that DHA and EPA fatty acids found in omega 3 supplements, particularly those containing fish oil, may increase levels of good HDL cholesterol in the blood stream, while lowering triglycerides.

Doctors and scientists believe that good HDL cholesterol helps to remove bad LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream, preventing artery-blocking build-up known as atherosclerosis. Omega 3 capsules also lower triglyceride levels which are high in most people who have coronary heart disease.

In other words, the use of a daily omega 3 supplement may help guard against heart disease and possibly strokes.

But it gets even better….

The brain also benefits from the DHA and EPA fatty acids found in omega 3 capsules. About one third of the brain’s mass is DHA. The body does not produce DHA on its own. It must be consumed in the form of foods like fatty fish and leafy greens or in the form of omega 3 supplements. Studies have shown that increasing DHA levels in the bloodstream, by adding an omega 3 supplement to a patient’s diet, may help to lesse the symptoms associated with mild depression and attention deficit disorder.

Omega 3 fatty acids help to maintain and rebuild brain cells and tissues. In patients who have arthritis, omega 3’s in the form of fish oil may reduce the need for anti-inflammatory medications. (Talk to your doctor about this).

It is important to choose omega 3 capsules that contain high quality molecularly distilled fish oil or what is sometimes called pharmaceutical grade fish oil. Omega 3 supplements which contain fish oil are most easily used by the body.

A really good choice is an omega 3 supplement from New Zealand which contains the oil of the Hoki fish. The Hoki fish is naturally high in both DHA and EPA fatty acids and because the waters around New Zealand are so clean, the chance of this fish containing contaminants like mercury are extremely low. On top of coming from among the world’s cleanest waters, the product ungoes molecular distillation to move any chance of impurities in the fish oil.

Evaluation of some inexpensive fish oil omega 3 fish oil products which were not molecularly distilled showed unsafe levels of mercury. Levels of contaminants are particularly high in fish swimming in the Atlantic Ocean.

Flax seed oil omega 3 supplements do not contain DHA and EPA fatty acids, but a precursor known as ALA. The body must convert ALA to DHA and EPA for use by the brain, heart and other organs. This is why doctors and scientists generally suggest fish oil omega 3 capsules.

Visit us to learn about the omega 3 capsules and omega 3 supplements we take ourselves after extensive product comparison and research.

Online poker software is a poker game with real people. That’s the most important lesson you should learn from our article. We’ll be teaching you guidelines and concepts you’ll be able to use with great success, and you’ll quickly become a very good player. But, if your ambition is to become a great player, a top flight Pro, a superstar … you’ll need to really understand your poker opponents. You’ll need to get inside your opponent’s head and be able to estimate with a high degree of certainty what his check, bet or raise really means … and what hand he’s likely to be playing.

Being able to do that accurately isn’t easy. But you can do it if you’re alert, observant, disciplined and if you concentrate whenever you play (whether or not you’re involved in the pot). Using our advice and the advice of our expert collaborators, you’ll find that the “task” of unmasking your Online poker software faced poker opponents will become easier and easier.

When you’re able to put your opponent on exactly the hand he’s playing (because you know him almost as well as he knows himself) you can select the best strategy possible for that particular Online poker software situation. When you reach that level of skill, you’ll be a complete player.

That’s what Online poker software’s all about. People…and the strategy you use against them. More than any other poker game, Online poker software depends on your understanding your opponent. You’ve got to know what makes him tick. More importantly, you’ve got to know what makes him tick at the moment you’re involved in a pot with him. What’s his mood … his feeling? What’s his apparent psychological frame of mind right now? Is he in the Mood to gamble … or is he just sitting there waiting for the nuts? Is he a loser and on tilt (playing far below his normal capability) … or has he screwed down (despite his being loser) and begun playing his best possible poker game? Is he a cocky winner who’s now playing carelessly and throwing off most of his winnings…or is he a winner who’s started to play very tight so he can protect his gains?

When you can accurately answer questions like those (and there are many more like them) … and employ the other ideas, principles, rules, techniques and strategies We’ll teach you in this article you’ll be one super tough Online poker software player.

Put all of it together and your playing ability will border on being World Class. It takes a lot to play winning Online poker software at a World Class level because Online poker software is such a complex poker game more complex than any other poker game … or any other form of gambling.

For example, the difference between playing good Online poker software and playing good Blackjack is as vast as the difference between squad tactics and grand strategy in warfare. You can beat a Blackjack poker game by knowing exactly what to do in every situation…and doing it. That’s tactics. But in Online poker software you may face an identical situation twice against the same opponent, handle it two different ways, and be right both times. That’s strategy.

And that’s why there’s never going to be a computer that will play World Class Online poker software. It’s a people poker game. A computer could be programmed to handle the extensive mathematics of a Online poker software poker game. But the psychological complexities are another matter. A system figured out by computer can beat Blackjack because there the dealer has no options. He has to stand on 17, he has to hit 16.

A computer could play fair to middling Online poker software. But no computer could ever stand face to face with a table full of people it had never met before, and make quality, high profit decisions based on psychology. To do that requires perception and judgment. It requires a human mind.

The way I accumulate knowledge of a particular player is by listening to him, and looking at him, instead of talking

Nicholas Drach - Online poker software companies content writer.

And for Poker Portals: Poker Jeux Belgium and Poker Spil online - Dansk

Most college students are eager to begin their lives as independent adults. Part of this journey is learning how to be financially stable and responsible with a student credit card. If you are looking for a good deal on a student credit card and you are a big fan of your particular university, you might checkout the MBNA credit card for students. You can visit the website at http://www.mbna.com and click on the card section of the site. There you will find information about the various credit cards offered by MBNA and how each one compares to the other. The student credit card is listed separately and you will be able to apply for and accept credit card online all in one visit to the website.

MBNA Credit Card

One of the most attractive features of this card for students is the fact that they offer a wide variety of designs to suit each student’s taste and collegiate affiliation. MBNA allows the consumer to select from a number of college logos so that the credit card reflects the university that the student attend.

The following is a list of all the colleges available:

Arizona State University
Auburn University
Clemson University
Trustees Of Dartmouth
Florida State University
Georgetown University
Indiana University
Iowa State University
Loyola College In Maryland
Michigan State Alumni Association
Ohio State Association
Penn State Alumni Association
Purdue University
St John’s University
University Of Texas A&M
University Of Arizona
University Of California At Los Angles
University Of Delaware
University Of Illinois
University Of Miami
University Of Michigan
University Of Missouri
University Of North Carolina
University Of Pennsylvania
University Of Southern California
University Of Texas
University Of Utah
University Of Wisconsin
Villanova University

Once you choose the college you wish to feature on your student credit card, you proceed to the application page. Here it is very important that you scroll to the bottom of the page and read the information about rates and fees before you accept credit card online.

Card Features

When you select the MBNA student card, you are using the exclusive card of your university. This is a great way to show your support for your school.

Every MBNA credit card comes with fraud protection. This means that if your card is stolen or lost and used without your knowledge or approval in a purchase, whether online or at a retail location, MBNA will not hold you responsible for these unauthorized charges.

Also, a convenient feature for students who are frequently on the go is the fulltime access to account information online. You can access your monthly statement, schedule payments online, and check your balance from any internet access around the globe. If you have trouble remembering to pay your bill on time, go to the website and set up an automatic withdrawal from your checking account so that you never miss another payment and never have to worry about late fees accumulating on your card and accruing interest.

Overall, the MBNA credit card is a great deal for college students establishing their credit.

Need A Credit Card.Checkout www.search-quality-credit.com
For The Best APR’s And The Hottest Reward Programs!

Juniors cheesecake restaurant was founded in 1950 by Harry Rosen, and named Juniors after his two sons, Walter and Marvin. Harry and Eigel Peterson, the master baker, hit upon the secret formula for Juniors cheesecake recipe and it has been part of the Rosen family for three generations.

Juniors cheesecake New York is located in Brooklyn and is a favorite restaurant of many New Yorkers. It was rated #1 by New York Magazine in the 1970’s and people started to come from all over for an award-winning slice. In 1982, Governor Mario Cuomo declared May 27th as Junior’s Restaurant Day.

In 1989 Juniors cheesecake became available through mail-order and can now be ordered online. It can be shipped frozen anywhere in the United States. Each 8” large Juniors cheesecake arrives in a special, stay-fresh container guaranteeing freshness.

Today people still come from all over to have their favorite slice of famous cheesecake. For over 50 years the saying is still true: You haven’t lived until you’ve had cheesecake at Juniors.

For those of you that want the juniors cheesecake recipe here is the Famous No. 1 Juniors cheesecake recipe.

Pure Cream Cheesecake — “The Best of the Best”

1 recipe Thin Sponge Cake Layer (see below)

For Cream Cheese Filling:
4 (8-ounce) packages regular cream cheese, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 extra-large large eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F (180*C) and generously butter a 9-inch spring form pan. Make the batter for the sponge cake as the recipe directs. Evenly spread the batter on the bottom of the pan and bake just until set and golden, about 10 minutes. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool (don’t remove it from the pan).

2. While the cake cools, make the cream cheese filling: Place one 8-ounce package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Then beat in the remaining 3 packages of cream cheese.

3. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups of the sugar, then beat in the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating the batter well after adding each one. Blend in the heavy cream. At this point mix the filling only until completely blended (just like they do at Junior’s). Be careful not to over mix the batter.

4. Gently spoon the cheese filling on top of the baked sponge cake layer. Place the spring form pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Bake the cheesecake until the center barely jiggles when you shake the pan, about 1 hour.

5. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it’s completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the spring form pan. Slide the cake off the bottom of the pan onto a serving plate. Or if you wish, simply leave the cake on the removable bottom of the pan and place it on a serving plate. If any cake is left over, cover it with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Thin Sponge Cake Layer for Cheesecake

One suggestion: keep an eye on this cake while it bakes. There’s not much batter, so it needs only about 10 minutes of baking — only enough time for the cake to turn light golden and set on the top.

1/2 cup cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 extra-large eggs, separated
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 drops pure lemon extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F (180*C) and generously butter a 9-inch spring form pan. Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

2. Beat the egg yolks together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 3 minutes. Then, with the mixer still running, gradually add the 1/3 cup of the sugar and continue beating until thick light-yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts.

3. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand until no more white flecks appear. Then blend in the butter.

4. In a clean bowl, using clean dry beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high speed until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites should stand up in stiff peaks but not be dry). Stir about 1/3 cup of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites — don’t worry if a few white specks remain.

5. Gently spoon the batter into the pan. Bake the cake just until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched, only about 10 minutes (watch carefully). Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack while you continue making the cheesecake filling. Do not remove the cake from the pan.

Serves 12 to 16.

Source: From the cookbook, “Welcome to Junior’s! Remembering Brooklyn With Recipes and Memories from Its Favorite Restaurant”.

Enjoy Juniors cheesecake one way or the other, you won’t be sorry.

Copyright © 2005 Perfect Coffees.com. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

This article is supplied by http://www.perfectcoffees.com where you can purchase quality coffee online, tea, cups, mugs, coffee makers, delicious desserts and sugar free desserts online. For a free monthly coffee newsletter with articles like these go to: http://www.perfectcoffees.com/newsletter.html

Celtic music for a wedding reception is the way to raise the roof of any wedding with whirling reels and beautiful love songs. The CDs below are the way to go.

A Celtic Renaissance Wedding by Brobdingnagian Bards. A beautiful and mesmerizing album of romantic Celtic wedding music, and The most popular wedding albums for sale on MP3.com. Here’s what one happy couple had to say about it:

“We had planned on having a string quartet at our wedding. While looking on the web for groups, we ran across The Bards. We immediately called Karen’s dad, since he was footing the bill, and played Tolkien over the phone. It was an instant hit and we later chose it as the solo for our wedding ceremony. We decided to be a little different and use Maids in the Meadow for the recessional. It was wonderful!” -K. & E. Hayden, Newlyweds

Celtic Wedding: Music of Brittany by The Chieftains. If you are looking for Irish music that rocks with reels, then the first place any Celtic music lover should look is to The Chieftains, the official ambassadors of Celtic/Irish music. This CD is actually one of traditional Breton tunes, but nonetheless great music for any Celtic wedding. You will find the perfect songs to get people dancing when your Celtic reception begins and you are ready to celebrate.

Haste To The Wedding by Anne Roos. Anne Roos performs Celtic music on the Celtic harp with accompanying instruments. The tracks flow in the order that music flows at a wedding. Ideal for future brides and lovers of Celtic music alike. This unique CD was recorded live in a church, without overdubbing, to give the feeling of a live ensemble performing at a wedding.

Marc Gunn is an Irish and Scottish folk singer with a strange affinity for Celtic ballads, drinking songs and cats. He is the lead singer for the Brobdingnagian Bards who perform at numerous Celtic weddings in Central Texas. He is also Celtic music podcaster and Irish music magazine publisher and promoter.

When it comes to simple basic Still-Life Tabletop Photography, as far as the novice ‘wanna-be-photographer’ is concerned there is often a mental block, when really it’s quite simple, so much so that if you start to do it professionally, after a few years the trick is to stay awake.

I asked UK photographer Phil Selfe why he sold his very successful studios a few years back and he answered, “I just got bored Rog”.

I remember when he was my assistant back in the seventies, I would set up the first still-life shot, then say to him, “Shoot off the rest Phil” and go out for the rest of the day.

Of course not all still-life is so mundane and in fact some still-life shots are very exacting, requiring careful planning, construction of the set and attention to lighting details, which would include running test shots to acquire the effect that was needed. Sometimes this could take a day or two to successfully complete.

If you were shooting room sets as I use to do some time back, this would require a lot more work and would involve the use of many assistants, carpenters for set building and in many cases taking days to successfully complete. You would also need some serious studio space to accomplish this type of specialist work, as I use to have.

But as UK comedian Ronnie Corbett would say “I digress”, lets get back to the basics of still-life tabletop photography.

For lighting you will need an attachment to your studio flash unit called a ‘Soft Box’. This is as it sounds, a box constructed in fabric, which is reflective on the inside, with a diffuse panel at the front, providing a directional soft defused light to illuminate the subject. An umbrella attachment is not sutible for this work as the spread of light is to wide.

If you don’t have a studio flash unit you can buy a soft box that will attach to a hammer head flash gun. If you have a second flash head you can put this to good use by simply bouncing it off the ceiling, to help fill any shadow area.

What you will need for Still-Life Tabletop Photography.:

1. Medium Format Camera and a ‘macro’ lens (close focusing). Better still a 5×4inch. View camera, which has tilt and swing front and rear panels for ease of focusing.

Did you know that only one in fifteen NEW cameras sold to day, are film cameras, this means there are great bargains to be had in the use film camera market, take advantage of that right now.

2. Soft Box Attachment.

3. Tripod, a good solid one.

4. Lighting Stands, you will need two or three.

5. White Card as reflectors or as a background, size 1mtr.x70cm. from your art shop, get three.

6. Background. muslin or material, off white or neutral in color.

7. Low table about 2ftx2ft. 18 inches high.

8. Light Meter for flash exposures.

What to do:

Set up your soft box at an angle of 45 degrees to the left or right of camera and slightly to the back of the set. This should be for small still-life objects and the light should be no more than a meter away from the subject, so you are able to stop down, (set the lens aperture), to at least f22, to get as much depth-of-field as possible so the image will be in sharp focus. If you have a second flash head, use it bounced off the ceiling to help to fill any shadow area.

Fix your reflector, (white card), the opposite side to the flash and an additional reflector the other side underneath the soft box.

Use a good lens hood, such as a bellows lens hood, to keep the light from the soft box hitting the lens. It’s also good practice to fix a small piece of black card, suspended over the lens of the camera to prevent any light causing flare from the lens, taking care that the black card doesn’t clip the picture area, or effect you meter reading.

Make test exposures to find out the best result and after some experimentation, you will find the results that you want. It’s also good to “bracket” your exposures, which means to make three exposures, one at half a stop, (f.stop number), above the reading and one at half a stop below, choosing the best density of the three exposures made. Most pro photographers, even after a tests, use this as standard practice. Film is cheap and digital is nothing.

Now if you think that there is some other ‘magic’ formula that the pros use to shoot simple still life, your WRONG. This is the most used pro photo still-life set up, but of course there many exceptions to the rule and not all still life work is table top.

Final comment: The best way to become an accomplished photographer in still-life or other work, is go work for one as an assistant. It’s the way most good pro photographers make it.

Happy shooting.

To check out the story and images about Still-Life Tabletop Photography go here: Still-Life Tabletop Photography

I’m from London. I started out in the days of the Swinging Sixties and London was quite a place to be. In those days we use to shoot catalog fashion shots with a 10×8 inch View camera, so the color transparency images would be the same size as the image on the catalog page, I have to tell you right now that took quite some doing. Now I spent most of my time with my website: Pro SECRETS of Money Making PHOTOGRAPHY, writing about and teaching photography, occasionally shooting assignments.

To check out more info about Still-Life Photography, go here: Pro Still Life PHOTOGRAPHY

Are you like many people who put off what you know you should do in your daily life? Is the basement, the closets, your office, the garage, the yard work all demanding your attention? We all delay doing some chores, but if you are finding yourself with more and more undone projects, maybe you are a victim of “procrastination”. This gets to be a really demoralizing situation. If you accept the challenges that life provides, then you are more likely to live many years longer than those who spend their lives stressing about “getting things done” and never making the necessary moves to accomplish what needs doing.

If you are not being challenged in your daily life by your work or your living situation, then maybe it is just fear holding you back and you need to accomplish much more. Fear grips you so that you are not able to accomplish what you desire and so you put it off, making excuses not to accomplish the project. Eventually this can become a habit throughout all your facets of living. This article will attempt to reinforce your zest for a challenge, to enable you to take chances, to overcome rejection and to step up to the plate when you know you have things that need attention.

Here are some steps to take immediately:

1. Be organized - I know that this is a hard goal to reach. But, start out small to accomplish the larger goal. Make a project chart for your larger jobs and put the smaller projects on your daily chart. Organize your day with a “TO DO LIST” and put the items down as rapidly as possible and do not worry about what order until the page is filled up. Then go back and rank what is most important and circle the item, make a star by that item, or otherwise note their importance. This way you can let the other items fall below what is most important and you can get to them later. What you do not get done one day can be added to the next day’s list. I know this can be a hard habit to get into, but once you do it for a week or two, you will find it will be hard to get to sleep without your list made for the next day.

2. Divide Major Projects - If a project seems overwhelming, then have a major project list and divide each segment into smaller tasks. For instance, let’s say you want to clean out the garage. (At my house, that is a MAJOR project!) On Monday, you can go through the stuff that looks like it should be going to Goodwill and box that up. Tuesday, you can do an easy chore of taking it to Goodwill. Wednesday, you can arrange all like items in separate piles. For instance, yard tools, lawn furniture, sports equipment, household tools like step ladders, tool cabinets, brooms and mops, things of that nature. On Thursday, you can map out how much room to allow for each category because maybe you have too much lawn furniture based on the space you have or maybe you want to devote more space to lawn furniture and less to sports equipment. Whatever your lifestyle is, this is the way to organize it within the garage area. On Saturday, move everything that you plan to keep out of the garage and clean the shelves and floors and windows. Then put it all back and arrange neatly based on the space sketch you have. On Sunday, enjoy having a place to park the car, finally. It is all a matter of doing little bits of associated action and keep moving to the final goal.

3. Just get started - When you find yourself making excuses and putting things off, then you know that you are letting yourself go down the road to being a prisoner of the demon called procrastination. Just do not let yourself provide excuses. Start with your easiest task and proceed from there. You will have a greater sense of accomplishment when you make small insteps to the greater project than if you do nothing at all.

4. Outside help - Enlist outside help if you find it necessary to finish a project. There is nothing wrong with having help, whether you have to hire outside help or whether you encourage your family members to help on some projects. The idea is to make a goal sheet and keep on the projects you know are needed around your place and pick a start date so everyone knows how to schedule their time to be involved. A family that cleans together keeps the place cleaner for the next time!

5. Reward Yourself - Finally, reward yourself and your crew when you finish a project. Getting a job done has taken a lot of effort, and you need to be good to yourself for fighting the procrastination demon. There is a wonderful feeling which comes over us when we know we have done a good job and can see the fruits of our labor. That is how the world works. As it has been said, this is a kill and eat world. You have to know how to make yourself set goals, work through the human desire to put things off, and finally to feel the sense of accomplishment and reward with completion of a project.

Ok, now, get out those pens and papers and take a mental trip across your home, your business life, and your personal or religious life. What needs to change? How soon? Will you take my advice and banish the procrastination demon and finally feel the reward for accomplishment that you may have been lacking recently? And make no mistake, the procrastination demon can come on you at any time, in varying degrees, and you must take a stand and banish the demon with whatever steps you feel necessary. Do not put off having the things you want in life because you procrastinate. Give yourself the satisfaction of accomplishing the things you need and doing them within your goal period.

© 2005 www.your-offical-guide.com; All Rights Reserved

Steve Hall is the owner of http://www.your-official-guide.com, your one-stop location for getting the information you are looking for on a wide ranging and ever-growing list of subjects.

Need to get more time? Try the Soundview Executive Book Summaries.

Learn to Manage Your Time Effectively ==>Click Here

I received an email this week with a question (below) which caused me to think about the wisdom of pursuing trading as a career. Regardless of your trading time span, the skills and concerns of active short-term trading are relevant to all market particpipants.

Question: “There are a lot of people who say that day trading is for “fools” and that it is very difficult to make a living from Day Trading. What are your opinions?”

Trading is like most business: it requires commitment and perseverance. It is never easy to make money, but people who have mastered a skill make it appear easy. The really successful pit traders that I have known made trading look very easy, tantalisingly easy; but they all had many years of experience behind them. For every successful trader there has probably been a few hundred who have tried and failed.

I think people fail at any business if they approach it without an appreciation and understanding of what is required for success. The majority of traders fail because they have no such appreciation and they have unrealistic expectations of themselves. Any trader who starts with the expectation of becoming an instant success is setting himself up for failure. No one would decide to become a golf pro and assume that they could just pick up a bag of clubs and start winning tournaments. Yet novice traders do this all the time.

Just to start with the understanding that trading is a skill that is developed over time, through experience, puts a novice trader way ahead of the competition.

There are 2 core skills in trading, first the ability to anticipate the market (read the market) and second, having the discipline to execute your plan. To learn to read the market you may as well use a trading simulator and only start to trade when you have demonstrated to yourself that you can anticipate the market. Discipline, though, has to be developed and tested in the real world. Discipline is really the crux of the matter and it is here that most traders fall down. Their failure is mainly due to the fact that they are not really aware of its importance. Just starting out as a trader with the intention of developing your discipline puts you way ahead of the average trader. If you can trade with discipline (i.e. stick to your own rules and limits) you are 95% there!

So I would say that for the average aspiring trader, trading is a fool’s game; but for those of us who approach the business as a business, with a clear understanding of the unique challenges that trading offers, it is a rewarding and fulfilling career.

Malcolm Robinson
LIFFE Pit Trader & Electronic Trader
InstinctiveTrader.com