How to Promote Yourself Online

February 9, 2012 7:57:04 PM

How to Promote Yourself (Without Being Sleazy)

lifehacker.com

Whether due to modesty, timidity, or just a desire not to annoy anyone, most of us suck at self-promotion. But the fact is, promoting yourself and getting your name out there is an essential part of getting the job you want, making new contacts, building your network, and meeting the people who can help you make the most of your talents and abilities. After all, no one's going to do it for you, and no one's going to make sure you get the credit you deserve. The problem: How do you promote yourself without coming off as a sleazy pest? Here's how.

If you want to make a good impression or stand out from the crowd, you need to sell yourself. We've discussed ways to establish your online identity , but that's just the starting point. In this post, we'll detail how to turn your online identity into a portfolio you can use to showcase your talents. After that, we'll talk about how to get your work in front of the people who can offer you the opportunities you want, and for that, you'll need to promote yourself without coming off too strong or being too timid. Here's how to promote your work and skills without coming off sleazy or slimy in the process.

First, You'll Need to Build Your Online Portfolio

The first step to getting your name and ideas where other people can see is to build some kind of personal portfolio where people can learn more about you and your work. We've discussed in the past how valuable personal profile pages can be , like the types offered by About.Me and Flavors.me , and many of them—especially About.me—are great free options for setting up a single page on the web that's all about you, has a memorable URL, and serves as a jumping off point to other places on the web where visitors can learn more about you. If you're a photographer with a Flickr porfolio, or a blogger with your own Wordpress site, or an indie filmmaker with a YouTube account, you can use a personal landing page as a funnel to get eyes on your work.

If you really want to build your personal portfolio however, you'll need your own domain name, and your own self-hosted website—or at least a free host that allows you to use your own URL, like Wordpress , Blogger , or one of the landing page services above. There's no substitute for having an email address from your own URL, a photo gallery on your own site that's populated with your own photos, or a blog with your own URL that's full of your ideas and thoughtful articles. You can even usethe code we've provided to build a personal landing page on your own domain, or supercharge your domain with these clever tips , many of which will help you if you're trying to build a professional web presence, or just make a name for yourself.

When you have your photos hosted somewhere and ready for view, your new blog all set up and full of great content that's not available anywhere else, or insights that you're ready to share with the world, you're ready to move on to the next step: talking yourself up and sharing your work with others.

Build Meaningful Relationships Instead of Broadcasting Aimlessly

We asked Gary Vaynerchuk , entrepreneur, business owner, social media maven, and author of the books Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion and The Thank You Economy , for some tips on how to build an online presence without being putting off the people you want to draw in, and here are a few tips he's shared with us.

• Be honest and genuine . Don't pretend you're someone or something you're not, and be honest about the message you want to send and why people should pay attention. If you add a title to your Twitter profile like "SEO Expert" or "Social Media Guru," be ready for the eye-rolling those phrases incite. Gary suggests you ask yourself whether you've ever actually built a business on your advice or consultation in the past before you call yourself a guru—just because you pulled a 6 month stint as a real estate agent, for example, does not make you a "sales expert."
  
  
• Respond and engage . Even if you have a profile that broadcasts new stories, or tells everyone when you've added new photos to your gallery, make sure you as a person get involved with the people who are looking and offering their feedback. Gary notes that he spends a great deal of time replying to people who tweet at him or send him emails, and it's that conversation with others that makes people really interested in what you have to say. "You're more likely to be heard by listening than talking," he says. "@ replying someone based on information they need is going to convert [people], pushing out into the Twitter firehose isn't."
• Don't be spammy . It can be difficult, especially if you take a lot of photos and you want everyone to see them all, or if you write a lot of articles and want everyone to read all of them, but you have to resist the urge to blast your potential audience with updates, emails, and messages from you. Don't overwhelm your Twitter followers with retweets and auto-DMs, annoy your Facebook subscribers with four or five posts an hour, or email the same people multiple times a day begging for their attention. As Gary noted, you'll make more meaningful connections with individuals than you will by broadcasting, so be modest and listen—if people say they're overwhelmed, rein it in.
• Know when to give up . If you've reached out to connect with someone, or mentioned you think you'd be a great fit for their company and you'd love it if they'd take a look at some examples of your work, and you're met with silence, don't pester them, or try to up the ante by calling them out. That's a surefire way to come off slimy and desperate, and it's energy better spent elsewhere making new contacts and introducing yourself to new people.
• Know where the line is . Most people have a natural compass that will sound an alarm when you're about to do or say something stupid, or when you're pushing your luck. If you're trying to promote yourself in a non-sleazy way, it's more important to listen to that compass than ever. That's no excuse for not hustling and doing as much as you can and meeting as many people are you can, but if you're starting to behave in a way that you know would come off irritating or overzealous if the roles were reversed, it's time to back off. When you're promoting yourself, the best thing you can do is keep the other person's position in mind as often as possible, and try to endear yourself without overwhelming them.

Build a Network of People Who Support Your Ideas

As you meet people, engage them, and interact with them, you should take care to keep track of those individuals who have offered you the most meaningful criticism, support, and encouragement along the way. Those people are your network, and they can help you launch your ideas and find opportunities to bring those ideas to bear. We've discussed some ways to build a professional network, even if you hate the idea of networking in the past, but however you go about it, it's important to build one.

This great piece on networking for introverts from Dale Thoughts also has a few great tips for building a professional network, but the takeaway we thought was most important is that you don't have to go to massive networking events, dinners, or cocktails parties to build a professional network. If that's your style, go for it, but a better way for many is to find a professional society, club, or group that you're passionate about, and join them. In a previous life, I was a project manager, so I joined the Project Management Institute (PMI) to connect with other PMs. When I decided to start writing for a living, the best thing I could do is comment on interesting stories, meet other writers, and learn from their experience. If you're trying to get your name in front of people who can help you find opportunities in your field, meeting others in your field who have something to teach you and can support your efforts is a good way to start. Plus, you'll always be sure you're talking to people who share your interests, instead of people who could care less.

As you build a network, make sure your relationships aren't a one way street. A fast way to come off sleazy is to use people for what they can give you, and to view them as "resources" to be used when you need something. The reason it's called a "network" is because you're a part of it, and connected to other people. Jason Shengave this excellent presentation on personal branding where he explains how important it is to give back whenever possible. Make your network realize and remember that you're a valuable person who cares as much for them as they do for you. It evens the playing field, and as long as you're working on great things with great people that you're passionate about, and that you boost those people as much as they boost you, you'll be unstoppable—and perhaps more importantly, respected.

Don't Underestimate Talent and Passion, and You'll Do Fine

Another point that Gary Vaynerchuk shared with us is that there's a lot to be said for talent. If you're trying to promote yourself in a field that you're not necessarily any good in, or that you're not passionate about, you're not going to get far. Even worse, you may try too hard to make up for the fact that you're not really passionate about what you're doing, and you'll turn people off. If there's anything people—especially on the internet—have grown especially capable of sniffing out, it's BS.

Make sure you're building your portfolio around your talents and strengths, communicating with the right people, building lasting relationships with people who can both help and teach you (as well as benefit from your help and teaching), and make sure you're promoting your best talents—the ones you want the world to see. Not everyone will succeed, but you'll stand a better chance if you're ready to buckle down, hustle, and do the hard work required to make your ideas come to life. You'll be more motivated to do those things if you're working on things you're passionate about and have a talent for, and you'll be more sensitive to making the best possible impression without being disingenuous in the process.

February 9, 2012 7:52:48 PM

RIAA Chief Whines That SOPA Opponents Were "Unfair"

yro.slashdot.org

First time submitter shoutingloudly writes "In a NY Times op-ed today, RIAA chief Cary H. Sherman accuses the opponents of SOPA of having engaged in shady rhetorical tactics . He (wrongly) accuses opponents such as Wikipedia and Google of having disseminated misinformation about the bills. He lashes out at the use of the term 'censorship,' which he calls a 'loaded and inflammatory term.' Most /. readers will get the many unintentional jokes in this inaccurate, hypocritical screed by one of the leaders of the misinformation-and-inflammatory-rhetoric-wielding content industry lobby." A gem: "As it happens, the television networks that actively supported SOPA and PIPA didn't take advantage of their broadcast credibility to press their case. That's partly because 'old media' draws a line between 'news' and 'editorial.' Apparently, Wikipedia and Google don't recognize the ethical boundary between the neutral reporting of information and the presentation of editorial opinion as fact."

The 25 Documents You Need Before You Die

February 9, 2012 7:50:40 PM

Designing Your Death Dossier - WSJ.com

online.wsj.com

By SAABIRA CHAUDHURI

It isn't enough simply to sign a bunch of papers establishing an estate plan and other end-of-life instructions. You also have to make your heirs aware of them and leave the documents where they can find them.
Consider: At least 10 states have been investigating whether some of the country's largest insurers are failing to pay out unclaimed life policies to beneficiaries. California and Florida have held public hearings on the issue in recent weeks.

Insurers say they are behaving lawfully. Under policy contracts, they aren't required to take steps to determine if a policyholder is still alive, but instead pay a claim when beneficiaries come forward.
You can avoid such problems by securing important documents and telling your family where they are stored.
Jean Parr is grateful that her mother obsessed about the subject. "I really didn't want to think about it," says Ms. Parr, 54 years old, a manager at the American Chemical Society in Washington. But when her mom died in 2005, she knew exactly where to look for the will, the key to a safe-deposit box and documents indicating her mother had paid and arranged for her own funeral.
The financial consequences of failing to keep your documents in order can be significant. According to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, state treasurers currently hold $32.9 billion in unclaimed bank accounts and other assets. (You can search for unclaimed assets at MissingMoney.com.)
Most experts recommend creating a comprehensive folder of documents that family members can access in case of an emergency, so they aren't left scrambling to find and organize a hodgepodge of disparate bank accounts, insurance policies and brokerage accounts.
You can store the documents with your attorney, lock them away in a safe-deposit box or keep them at home in a fireproof safe that someone else knows the combination to.
That isn't to say you should keep everything. Sometimes people hold onto so many papers that loved ones can't find the important ones easily.
In 2008, Jane Bissler, a counselor in Kent, Ohio, approached her then-87-year-old mother about organizing her documents. Because her mom was a widow with relatively simple finances and two homes, Ms. Bissler, 57, says she figured it would be a relatively simple task.
Instead, it took an entire year for Ms. Bissler and her mother to go through all of her papers, which included documents from eight bank accounts, utility bills from the 1950s and reams of canceled checks.
The two of them pared down the stash from four four-drawer filing cabinets to one two-drawer cabinet, shredding anything extraneous. Ms. Bissler and her mother visited banks and brokerages to ensure she was listed on all of her mother's accounts. Her mother died in May 2009.
"It would have been a total nightmare if we hadn't gone through it all with her," Ms. Bissler says. "It was that Depression-era stuff where you keep everything and hide other things." Ms. Bissler estimates that having the documents organized ahead of time spared them from ordering an additional 15 copies of the death certificate and "years" of time.
Here is a rundown of the most important documents you'll need to have signed, sealed and delivered. You should start collecting these as soon as possible and update them every few years to reflect changes in assets and preferences. Some—such as copies of tax returns or recent child-support payments—need to be updated more often than others.

The Essentials

An original will is the most important document to keep on file.
A will allows you to dictate who inherits your assets and, if your children are underage, their guardians. Dying without a will means losing control of how your assets are distributed. Instead, state law will determine what happens.
Wills are subject to probate—legal proceedings that take inventory, make appraisals of property, settle outstanding debt and distribute remaining assets. Not having an original document means this already-onerous process could be much more of an ordeal, since family members can challenge a copy of a will in court.
Rick Law, founder of estate-planning firm Law ElderLaw LLP in Aurora, Ill., says estate planners increasingly recommend revocable trusts in addition to wills, since they are more private and harder to dispute. "Every will is like a compass that points toward the closest courthouse," he says.
A revocable living trust can be changed anytime during your lifetime. After you transfer ownership of various assets to the trust, you can serve as the trustee on behalf of beneficiaries you designate. Provided you do so, there aren't any ongoing fees.
If your family can't find the original trust documents, you are "basically setting your estate up for litigation," says Duncan Moseley, vice president of Sanders Financial Management in Atlanta.
A "letter of instruction" can be a useful supplement to a will, though it doesn't hold legal weight. It is a good way to make sure your executor has the names and contact information of your attorneys, accountants and financial advisers. While the will should be stored with your attorney or in a courthouse, the letter of instruction should be more readily accessible, particularly if it contains instructions on funeral arrangements.
Also, make sure your heirs have access to a durable financial power-of-attorney form. Without it, no one can make financial decisions on your behalf in the event that you are incapacitated.

Proof of Ownership

You should keep documentation of housing and land ownership, cemetery plots, vehicles, stock certificates and savings bonds; any partnership or corporate operating agreements; and a list of brokerage and escrow mortgage accounts.
If you don't tell your family that you own such assets, there is a chance they never will find out. Mr. Moseley says in such an event, clients must perform their own detective work, watching the mail for real-estate tax bills or combing bank accounts for interest payments, for example.
File any documents that list loans you have made to others, since they could be included as assets in an estate. Similarly, keep a list of any debts you owe to avoid surprising your family. Wills and living trusts generally are drafted to include provisions for how debts should be settled, and creditors have a stipulated period of time in which to file a claim against the estate.
Make the most recent three years of tax returns available, too. "Looking at last year's returns offers a snapshot of what assets we should be looking for this year," says Lesley Moss Mamdouhi, a principal at estate-law firm Oram & Moss in Chevy Chase, Md. This also will help your personal representative file a final income-tax and estate return and, if necessary, a revocable-trust return.

Bank Accounts

Mr. Law recommends sharing a list of all accounts and online log-in information with your family so they can notify the bank of your death. "If nobody ever takes any more out or puts money in, it becomes a dormant account and then becomes the property of the state," he says.
Be sure to list any safe-deposit boxes you own, register your spouse or child's name with the bank and ask them to sign the registration document so they can have access without securing a court order.

Health-Care Confidential

Possibly the most important health-care document to fill out in advance is a durable health-care power-of-attorney form. This allows your designee to make health-care decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated. The document should be compliant with federal health-information privacy laws, so that doctors, hospitals and insurance companies can speak with your designee. You may also need to fill out an Authorization to Release Protected Healthcare Information form.
If you are incapacitated and your family can't locate a health-care power of attorney, they will have to go to court to get a guardian appointed.
Porter Storey, executive vice president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine in Glenview, Ill., says it isn't enough to establish a health-care power of attorney unless you have explained to your designee how you would like to be treated in case of incapacity. He also recommends writing a living will detailing your wishes.
After Diane Dimond's mother had a series of strokes in 2006, Ms. Dimond knew there was a signed living will tucked away in a safe at home. Ms. Dimond, 58 and living in New York, recalls the Sunday she watched her mother in a coma and was able to fulfill her wishes never to be kept on external life support. "It was gut-wrenching," she says, "but I took the physician aside and said, 'I want to take her home.'" Having her mother's living will enabled Ms. Dimond to do just that.
The living will and the power of attorney constitute what are called "advance directives"; some states consolidate these into a single form. (AARP offers a state-by-state listing of advance-directive forms on its website.) Terminally ill patients may wish to have their doctors sign a do-not-resuscitate order.
Certain companies, such as Advance Choice Inc.'s DocuBank, will keep copies of health-care documents for a fee. Subscribers get a wallet-sized card and, in case of an emergency, a hospital will call DocuBank, which will fax over the information.

Life Insurance and Retirement Accounts

Copies of life-insurance policies are among the most important documents for your family to have. Family members need to know the name of the carrier, the policy number and the agent associated with the policy.
Be especially careful with life-insurance policies granted by an employer upon your retirement, since those are the kind that financial planners most often miss, says David Peterson, CEO of Denver-based Peak Capital Investment Services. New York state alone is holding more than $400 million in life-insurance-related payments that have gone unclaimed since 2000, according to the state comptroller's office.
Estate planners also recommend that you draw up a list of pensions, annuities, individual retirement accounts and 401(k)s for your spouse and children.
An IRA is considered dormant or unclaimed if no withdrawal has been made by age 70½. According to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, tens of millions of dollars languish in unclaimed IRAs every year.
If your heirs don't know about these accounts, they won't be able to lay claim to them, and the money could languish. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that each year tens of thousands of workers fail to claim or roll over $850 million in 401(k) assets. You can track unclaimed pensions, 401(k)s and IRAs at Unclaimed.com .

Marriage and Divorce

Ensure your spouse knows where you have stored your marriage license. Mary Cay Corr, now 74 and living in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., couldn't locate hers when her husband died. "I had to write to New York, where we got married, and pay for a new marriage license to prove that I had been married to my husband before I could claim anything," she says.
For divorced people, it is important to leave behind the divorce judgment and decree or, if the case was settled without going to court, the stipulation agreement, says Linda Lea Viken, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in Chicago. These documents lay out child support, alimony and property settlements, and also may list the division of investment and retirement accounts.
Include the distribution sheet listing bank-account numbers that accompanied the settlement to avoid disputes about ownership or payments due. Also include a copy of the most recent child-support payment order. In the majority of states, the obligation to pay child support still exists after death.
Ms. Viken also recommends filing copies of any life-insurance papers. In many states if you have a policy that benefits your children, it can be set off against the ongoing child support.
You also should include a copy of the "qualified domestic-relations order," which can prove your spouse received a share of your retirement accounts.

February 9, 2012 7:42:08 PM

Chrome Update Adds Omnibox Prerendering and Scanning Protection

www.ghacks.net

Google has just released an update for the Chrome browser's stable branch that fixes several security vulnerabilities and adds several new features to the browser. The two most prominent feature additions in Chrome 17 are Omnibox Prerendering and Download Scanning.

Omnibox Prerendering basically preloads some of the pages that are presented to you in the browser's address bar. This reduces the time between hitting the Enter key on the keyboard and seeing the page fully rendered in the browser window. It is not clear how Chrome selects those pages, but it is likely that your previous browsing history and bookmarks may have something to do with it. This does create some overhead though, especially if the browser does not select the right pages that often.
The second new feature is the automatic scanning of executable files like exe or msi in Chrome to warn you if you are downloading a malicious file or a file from a host that is know to host a high percentage of malicious downloads.
Google maintains a whitelist of files that are not checked. All other files are checked with Google to retrieve more information. While not a fail safe approach, it can warn users if they are about to download known malicious files. The concept looks similar to Microsoft's SmartScreen Filter. It does not seem possible to disable the feature right now in the browser.
In addition, a total of 20 security vulnerabilities were closed in Chrome 17 of which one received the highest possible severity rating of critical.
You can read up on the changes at the official Chrome Release blog . Chrome updates should already been applied to existing Chrome Stable installations. You can verify the version with a click on Wrench > About Google Chrome. There you can also download and apply the update if the browser has not been updated yet.

Hot, High Paying Career Jobs and Futures

February 9, 2012 7:35:44 PM

Hot, High-Paying Career Sectors

www.mint.com

In today's labor market, a well-paid, lucrative job may sound like wishful thinking. We have all heard grim stories of unsuccessful job hunting, but the news is not all dire. According to career site PayScale.com, the good news is that certain industries are still offering fast growing jobs in this otherwise slow-growth economy.
Not all jobs are "hot," but those looking to start a new career might be helped by looking specifically at certain jobs that pay well in growing industries. These jobs are largely specialized roles that require dedication and are traditionally available to those with a bachelor's degree.
The following list uses data from PayScale to rank the top 10 jobs in terms of the pay you will receive after you have gained some years of experience, the necessary education (traditionally a bachelor's degree), the job's commonness and the years of experience that it will take to reach your plateau.

Mechanical Engineer – $73,200 After Three Years Experience

For people just starting their careers, mechanical engineering is a good place to begin because it is one of the broadest and most in demand of the engineering disciplines. In short, mechanical engineers use science and mathematics to plan and design tools, engines and machines. Many of these engineers work in manufacturing – chiefly for companies that make primary and fabricated materials, machinery and electrical and transportation equipment. Others work for government agencies, colleges and universities and consulting firms.

Software Developer – $82,400 After Four Years Experience

Software developers build the modules or layers of code that create software programs to run on computers or electronic devices. They are currently in high demand because tech startups and giants like Facebook and Google can't recruit enough top in-house engineering talent fast enough to keep pace with rivals. Developers needs to have strong communication, creative problem solving and analytical skills.

Financial Analyst – $62,600 After Three Years Experience

Financial analysts help businesses, individuals and organizations to make the best possible investment decisions. The industry is currently hot because of increased complexity and global diversification of investments and growth in overall amount of assets under management. Hiring is being conducted by private firms, hospitals, non-profits, local state and federal governments and colleges. According to Mindflash, there is a 20% projected hiring growth and 49,600 projected openings in 2011. Interested applicants should show a mind for research, strong communication, analytical skills and proficiency with borrowing structures.

Electrical Engineer – $84,700 After Four Years Experience

A job in electrical engineering involves designing, developing and maintaining electrical systems and/or components to required specifications, focusing on economy, safety, reliability, quality and sustainability. They may specialize in areas such as power systems, equipment manufacturing or building design. Although jobs in electrical engineering are competitive, statistics show that there is an exponential increase in electrical engineering salaries after just a few years of experience.

Web Developer – $60,900 After Three Years Experience

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, the overall job outlook in the field of web development is expected to grow "much faster" than other occupations. Web developers and web designers can choose to freelance (the job pool is vast and varied) or they can work for corporations, schools, non-profits, government organizations or for design firms. Not only do they need to understand technology, they need to be creative problem solvers with strong communication skills.

Financial Advisor – $93,900 After Four Years Experience

Financial advisors provide clients with advice on financial matters, making recommendations on ways to best utilize their money. They provide a broad range ofbudgeting , tax, investment, and estate advice and there are many career pathways such as working for large financial services firms, boutique advisory practices or as solo practitioners. Financial advisors can enjoy a very high ceiling on income potential as their expertise grows.

Employment Recruiter – $55,400 After Three Years Experience

Certain industries are benefiting from the challenging job market, and it should be no surprise that employment recruiters are in high demand for their services to assist the unemployed in finding a suitable job. Employment recruiters' daily duties consist of searching out candidates for specific job openings, reviewing resumes, interviewing candidates, administering employment tests, keeping up on rules regarding employment and possibly marketing services to independent companies. For this role an outgoing personality and an understanding of the nuances of the market is a necessity.

Construction Estimator – $67,400 After Four Years Experience

Construction estimators create cost estimates for construction companies based on materials, labor, location and projected timelines. They may work on residential, commercial or municipal building projects. Those interested in this field need to demonstrate strong math and analytical skills, an eye for detail and interpersonal skills for coordinating team members.

Project Engineer, Construction – $69,200 After Three Years Experience

Project engineers plan, design and oversee the construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities. The ideal candidate is a strong leader who is organized and has some practical experience in the construction business. The project engineer has the responsibility for making sure that the project is finished on time and they have to coordinate everything from workers to heavy equipment rental and materials delivery.

Manufacturing Engineer – $73,900 After Five Years Experience

As the final engineering category in our grouping, manufacturing engineers design and improve manufacturing systems. They may work with commercial and industrial designers to increase production, decrease costs and refine a product's design and may also look into solutions on how manufacturers can edge out the competition. As well as understanding the technical engineering aspects of the role, an ideal candidate must have an interest in understanding the international marketplace and logistics.

The Bottom Line

All of these jobs only require a bachelor's degree, but there is always room for increased income with more expertise and possibly a graduate degree. If you're trained for a career in engineering you stand to be well compensated right out of the gate. Engineering dominates the list of top-paid majors, according to results of a new survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). All top 10 require the practical application of math at some level. Most importantly, they all require dedication to learn a craft, so interest and enjoyment in your chosen career is essential.

"Hot, High-Paying Career Sectors " was provided by Investopedia.com

5 Photography Tips and Tricks Everyone Should Know

February 9, 2012 7:25:04 PM

Pro Tips for Regular People: Five Photography Tricks Anyone Who Owns a Camera Should Know

lifehacker.com

A camera is only as capable as the person using it, but snapping some awesome images doesn't require years of training. Here are five photography pro tips that everybody ought to know.

Think Before You Shoot to Compose Your Images Like a Pro

Taking tons of pictures may seem like a good idea when you're trying to capture the perfect moment, but when you transfer all those photos to your computer and start looking through them all you're going to wish you hadn't. Too many images is always a burden later. Unless you need to act fast, it's almost always better to think before you shoot. If you take the time to compose your shot, rather than hold down your shutter and hope for the best, you'll end up with the photo you want and less work to do when you're back at your computer.
The most common composition technique is known as the rule of thirds . The basic idea is that you split your frame into three equal horizontal sections and three equal vertical sections. This creates a grid of nine boxes and four main points of intersection, as you can see in the example on the right. Those four points of intersection are areas that tend to draw the eye, and that's where you want to place your subject. As you can also see from the example, there's a star on the point of intersection that draws your eyes right to my friend's face (or, more specifically, her eyes). Your goal with the rule of thirds is to do the same.

Another option is to use a Fibonacci spiral to find an optimal location for your subject. If you imagine the spiral on top of your frame, you'll want to place your subject in the smallest point. This is where the eye of the viewer will go. You can see an example to the right.
These are just a few simple tips for getting better composition, but composition involves more than just knowing where to place your subject. Perspective, objects other than the subject, and the message you want to convey all play a role in creating great images. For more helpful composition tips, read this .

Shoot with the Light Behind You

If you've ever looked directly into a source of light, you know it's not only unpleasant but makes it harder to see much else around you. This is why we have the phrase "blinded by the light." This same problem applies to your camera. If you point it at a light source, it'll have trouble seeing everything else. Whether it's the sun or just a bright lamp, whenever you notice a bright light in your frame just move so the light is behind you rather than your subject. Sometimes this will take a little rearranging, but it'll make your image more visible (because it isn't being backlit) and generally add nice light on your subjects. It's a win-win.

Know Your Settings to Achieve Better Low Light Images

Nobody is carrying a lighting kit around on their back for everyday photos, and most people don't want to use a flash to brighten up a scene because it washes out the photo and generally makes things look worse. That said, you have to do something when you're in a low light situation or your image will end up too dark to be worthwhile. Pros know how to optimize their camera's settings to make the best of a poor lighting situation and you can use that same knowledge to do the same.
The video on the left will explain these different settings and what they do, but here's the gist. The three settings that matter are aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Almost every camera (with the exception of some cellphone cameras) will allow you to control the ISO. This is a number that represents how sensitive each exposure is to the light it captures. The higher the number, the more sensitive it is. In general you want to use a lower ISO because higher ISOs result in noisier photographs and lights that look like they're blown out. That said, that extra sensitivity can be a huge boon when you're lacking illumination. Simply set your cameras ISO to a higher number (400 is pretty standard for indoors, but you might go up to 800 and 1600 under darker circumstances) and snap the photo. This will help pull a little more light out of each picture.
Aperture and shutter speed are not user-settable on every camera, but they are on some. Aperture refers to how wide open the lens is, and a shutter speed refers to how long you expose the camera's sensor to light. A wider aperture means more light is let in to the camera. This also produces a more shallow depth of field (meaning less of the photo is in focus, which is often a desired result). If you can widen the aperture on your camera, you should when you need more light. This offers the fewest compromises in quality. If you still need more light, reducing the shutter speed can help but it comes with the disadvantage of potentially blurry photos. You can usually get away with a shutter speed as slow as 1/30th without worry about camera shake. That shutter speed will be too slow if you have a moving subject, however, and so you'll have to boost it up in that case. In general, 1/250th of a second is sufficient for capturing motion realistically. If you're using a slower shutter speed to capture images in lower light and you are experiencing blurring because you can't keep the camera still, pressing the shutter while exhaling can help to solve that problem.
Overall, low light photos are always going to turn out better if you've got a camera that's known to handle it. Nonetheless, utilizing these settings to your advantage should help you get better photos despite minimal illumination.

If You Have to Use a Flash, Use It Properly

As previously discussed, flashes bring about all sorts of problems. You'll generally end up with washed-out subjects who are far more illuminated than anything else in the image. Flashes are also the cause of red eyes. In general, it's best to avoid them whenever you can but there are some things you can do to get a better image if they're your only option.
In general, diffusing the light is your best bet and something any camera can do. If you've got a nice big flash, you can build a DIY softbox out of a piece of paper . It doesn't really get any cheaper than that. If your flash doesn't stick out or pop up, but rather is a little LED light integrated into your camera's body, you can still diffuse with paper (or white sticker or even a spoon). All you have to do is cover the flash with paper and your flash will produce softer light. Diffusion will reduce the brightness of the light your flash produces, but this change is minimal and should only make a positive difference.
If you're using a big flash that has an adjustable head, you can point it towards the ceiling. This is very useful because it bounces the light off an empty surface and spreads it across the room. Much like diffusion, this will provide less light than if you pointed the flash at the subject directly, but if your flash's head is adjustable it's most likely bright enough to compensate. This is one of the best and simplest tricks for flash photography that doesn't require any attachments.

Keep Your Lens(es) Clean

This may seem obvious, but dust and smudges can ruin photos (or at least offer up some tedious work in Photoshop later). It's important to clean your lens(es) regularly and know how to do it properly . For the most part, you can get by with a soft cloth (microfiber is ideal) and some rubbing alcohol. Simply apply a little rubbing alcohol to the cloth and wipe your lens' glass in a circular motion. As you get to the edges, try to pull the dust off as you lift up. Check out the video to your left for some additional tips and tricks.

February 9, 2012 4:06:40 PM

FAA Bill Authorizes Surveillance Drones Over US

yro.slashdot.org

fyngyrz writes "Congress passed a bill this week that makes it easier for the government to fly unmanned spy planes in U.S. airspace . From the article: 'The FAA Reauthorization Act, which President Obama is expected to sign, also orders the Federal Aviation Administration to develop regulations for the testing and licensing of commercial drones by 2015. Privacy advocates say the measure will lead to widespread use of drones for electronic surveillance by police agencies across the country and eventually by private companies as well.'"

War on Drugs Infographic

February 8, 2012 8:54:40 PM

War on Drugs Infographic | EgoTV

egotvonline.com

We've all been hearing about the War on Drugs for 25 years now. Most of us went through D.A.R.E. in school. But how have the billions of dollars, hours, and resources that the U.S. has invested in the War on Drugs actually affected theDrug Trade Industry in the U.S.? This infographic has all of the information you'll need to figure it out. Here's an awesome War on Drugs Infographic:

Body Painted Women

February 6, 2012 13:16pm

Body Painted Women Airbrushed, Spray Painted Body Art