I decided to write these two articles to help you be aware of light sources at a wedding to help you correctly white balance your photos. To review a little from the first article, at a wedding you will find many sources of light that are competing with each other to be the main light in your image. If each of these light sources has a different color temperature then your photos will have a color cast and will not have a correct white balance.

Visualize a room that is illuminated by a fluorescent ceiling fixture, and in the corner of this room there is a table lamp with a tungsten bulb. These different light sources have vastly different color temperatures, and will give a color cast to your final image. You can keep this from happening by noticing the different sources of light around you. As I stated in the first article, you do not need a colored gel for your flash if you are using it to fill where the main light is daylight. Now I am going to talk about how to correctly choose a gel for your flash in more complex lighting situations.

Indoors you will normally be faced with one of three main light sources. These are: daylight, florescent, and tungsten. When you enter a room you will need to be able to identify the main source of light, then match it. I talked about daylight in the previous article. If your light source is florescent, they you will need to put a florescent gel on your flash and set the white balance on your camera to florescent lighting. Nowadays there are many different types of florescent lighting with different color temperatures. This means you will need to carry a few different florescent gels with you. Likewise, you will need a few different CTO gels to match different types of tungsten lighting. These tungsten gels are: full CTO, 1/2 CTO, and 1/4 CTO. As before, put a CTO gel on your flash and set the white balance on your camera to tungsten. With either a florescent gel or CTO gel, try different ones out and see what matches best the main light in the room.

When going into a room, if you see more than one source of light with different color temperature, you will need to try to fix the situation. Think about the opening scenario of a room lit by fluorescent lighting as well as candle light. In this case you can either switch off the fluorescent light, or blow out the candles if you want to be able to achieve correct white balance. Your best case scenario would be the candles would not be in frame, or are not throwing out enough light to affect your white balance. Likewise, if I were to go into a room with tungsten lighting I know I cannot just use my bare flash since it has a different white balance than the tungsten lighting. Therefore I would have to but on a CTO gel to match this tungsten light source.

Lastly, sunrise and sunset is not normal daylight! This means when shooting the wedding couple with the sunset in the background for example, you will need to use a CTO gel on your flash. Which one? As stated above, try different ones, and see which one best suits the light the sun is giving off at this particular time and place. Hope these tips help. Good Luck!

Kevin Heslin is one of the principle Wedding and Commercial photographers in Costa Rica. To see more of his photography tips click on his blog Costa Rica Wedding Photographer Or to see destination wedding photos from Costa Rica, or travel and cultural portraits from Central America click on his website Photography in Costa Rica. Free reprint available from: Wedding Photography Tips for Beginners – How to Properly White Balance Your Photos Part 2.

In the past when thinking of mens wedding bands, most people didn’t consider design options beyond a plain domed or flat gold band, and many jewelers selections didn’t offer more variety than these basic styles either. Luckily, the mens wedding rings market of today features a much broader selection in general, and web stores in particular showcase some of the most elegant and attractive weddings rings for men anywhere. All in all, men now have a vast selection of metals and styles to choose from that will reflect their lifestyle and personality!

One way to make an attractive modern statement is two tone and tricolor handmade rings. Tricolor and two tone wedding rings have a very distinctive look, and the use of multiple color scheme in designing these rings holds limitless possibilities. The beauty and originality of tricolor and two tone wedding bands in a number of styles have won over many a future bride, groom, or couple in search of the perfect wedding ring.

Some of the most popular and widely sold styles of two tone and tricolor mens wedding bands just simple variations on some classic designs, with the added feature of a contrasting metal color as a border, center, inlay, or accent.

Mens Celtic rings, featuring beautiful traditional knotwork and Irish folk symbols like the claddagh, are among the oldest forms of a special type of jewelry that denoted one’s tribal, family, and trade affiliation. In a tradition that dates back millennia, Celtic jewelry artisans are still known today for their fine design and amazing crafting of exquisite Celtic rings for men, along with many more types of jewelry. Celtic knot wedding rings in gold or platinum, which quickly become a treasure to people who own them, are known for their uniqueness, beauty and symbolism.

Even online retailers often provide great results in designing two tone diamond wedding bands for your special day, so if you don’t see the ring you’ve been dreaming of among a shop’s inventory, it never hurts to ask about custom orders! Custom made ladies’ and men’s two tone wedding bands or platinum and gold wedding rings are also an option when you feel your wedding day or other special occasion calls for an exquisite two tone wedding band unlike any other.

Our unique rose gold mens wedding ring styles ensures the perfect wedding band for anyone.. This article, Current and Traditional Wedding Bands for Grooms: Choices for Your Wedding Day is available for free reprint.

If you’re new to bead craft, or think you might be interested, one of the first questions that might spring to mind is where you can buy beads online. Fortunately, there are a number of reputable online vendors, but before you race to find them, it might be worth taking a moment to consider the advantages and disadvantages of ordering beads online.

The main advantage to ordering beads online is, of course, convenience. From the comfort of your chair, you can browse a staggering array of selections (everything from glass to wooden, to semi-precious and several specialty beads), drop what you want into your shopping cart, and with the touch of a button, they’re on their way to you, quick and painless, but there are two disadvantages to ordering beads online.

First is shipping cost. You can avoid these altogether and get a better deal if you frequent your local brick and mortar shop. Of course, some vendors of beads online offer free shipping if you order over a certain dollar amount. Always look for deals like this is buying beads online.

The second main disadvantage of buying beads online is the fact that bead craft is, at its essence, a tactile hobby. When shopping for beads, part of the fun is getting to reach out and touch them. To get a feel for them and see if you really like them and if they’ll work for you in your projects. The way most brick and mortar shops are laid out, the beads are out in the open and on display, encouraging this hands on approach. You simply don’t get that when ordering beads online.

My personal recommendation would be this:

If you have a brick and mortar bead shop in your local area, check out what they have available as a first course. Perhaps even browse beads online to get an idea for things you want to look for at the brick and mortar shop.

If you don’t have a store in your area specializing in bead craft and beading supplies, then check out some chain stores to see what’s available (Michael’s is a good source, and even Wal-Mart’s craft section has some beading supplies). Once you have exhausted the options of the local shops, then definitely turn your attention to buying beads online.

One final note, and a nod in favor of online bead vendors are specialty beads. The brick and mortar shops are excellent sources for standard supplies, but you may find that they don’t carry certain specialty designs (just simply not enough local demand for it). So if you’re looking for something rare or specialized, buying these beads online is almost certainly your best bet.

Get more great beading ideas by visiting us on our website,http://www.beadcraftideas.com/

You have purchased some lovely canvas pictures to hang in your living area. Now how can you retain these images as colourful and striking as the day you obtained them.

Here are some top rated ideas to maintain your lovely artwork in top shape.

Okay, the following advice is based on the assumption that you will be hanging your images onto a wall or no less than displaying them in a certain fashion. Why we state this is because the simplest way to stay clear of your artwork fading is not to show them, but to store them in a cool, darkish area, preferably covered or wrapped loosely with a light linen material. Nevertheless this guide explains the simplest way to continue to keep your artwork on show in tip top shape.

First of all, the most important threat to your canvas pictures will certainly be any light source, like sunlight by way of windows or synthetic light from light bulbs and so on. Any source of light breaks down the canvas content which impacts the inks on it. This brings about discolouration plus a brittleness into the picture. Consequently it is best to keep immediate sunlight away from your canvas pictures as possible. Stay away from hanging artwork specifically near windows, where an incredible source of sunlight might be coming in from. Also when working with artificial lights make sure that it is as gentle as possible around your artwork.

Another threat to your canvas pictures is air humidity. A damp room where humidity is significant creates mold and mildew. This may destroy your canvas artwork so check your room humidity and retain it as low as you possibly can. You may regulate room humidity by repeatedly opening up windows and vents, making sure clean airflow comes into the area continually, as moisture accumulates when there is a lack of fresh air in circulation. You can also acquire a humidity monitor from most Do it yourself stores. This tends to remove any doubt encompassing area humidity.

Last but not least, your canvas pictures are fragile therefore you must consistantly treat them as that, particularly when dusting. Avoid using any cloths to directly wipe any particles away. If you really have to make contact with the canvas, please use a clean, lint free and dry cloth. The best cleaner to work with would be a professional duster made of normal fibres like feathers. Under no circumstances use any chemical compounds or even h2o to clean the surface area of the canvas. This tends to smudge the print, whether or not it is safeguarded by a laminate sealant.

Conclusively these tips will prolong the lifestyle of your canvas pictures and will preserve your art looking as vibrant and as colourful the day you purchased them!

Sarah Green Smith has been manufacturing canvas pictures for over 15 years in the United Kingdom. For more words of wisdom on choosing and maintaining your canvas art and to see the latest creations visit canvas pictures.