CultureCategory Archives

Learning to Take Photos with the Nikon 300s

If you’ve ever thought that you’d really like to take up photography, one of the first things you’ll likely want to do is to start exploring cameras. There are some really great introductory, which means easy to use, models though that also means limited freedom, and many pros will recommend you seek a more sophisticated model. That’s in part due to the fact that learning how to use a camera is essential to taking great photos, and also because a more dynamic camera is going to offer greater options and freedom of focus. This is part of the overall composition of photos and is important in becoming a competent photographer.

That’s why Nikon is a frequently recommended name among camera professionals as well as instructors. The Nikon 300s is a great camera for students, and professionals alike. This is one of the reasons it’s great to study with. It is easy to learn to use and the features are accessible for all skill levels. The camera’s DX format offers a high degree of creative versatility and dynamic photos. The LCD monitor offers great live views that help the novice compose their photo. There is really nothing about this camera that isn’t great to work with or suitable to learn on. Many people think that photography is all about instinct and an artistic sensibility. That is definitely part of great photographs , however, learning the basics of quality photo composition, and the use of light and focus are the key elements to any photograph.

Lisa

March 23, 2011

Culture

0 comments

great photographs

Bookbinding in New York City

The literary tradition is very much alive and well in New York City these days. In an era where the virtual word is taking over the printed word very quickly, it’s a difficult business for anyone that still likes the idea of holding the object in your hand without it lighting up on its own. It’s been a very tough time for all the major publishers, even, not to mention all the fantastic small presses that were blossoming in the 80s and 90s. Used bookstores are also feeling the hit, but there’s hope that the novelty of reading books online will eventually subside, and things will return to earlier levels.

It’s difficult to know for sure, but for a culture that’s oriented around the subway system, printed matter is still a welcome relief for a long subway ride, where an open laptop might be a little risky when contending with the crowds. Organizations like the Bookbinders Guild in New York are still very active, and have a real place in the culture here. It’s great for locals who still value the artifact over the replica, and visitors can choose from a very substantial number of professional bookbinders all over the city.

One can have their own manuscripts prepared in a wide selection of styles and forms, and the limits are only set by the imagination. Bookbinding is a very old art, and one that is continually reinvented by the generations who love to read. The smell of a leather binding, and the feel of raised bands adorned with gilt are timeless pleasures, and they’re certainly not lost, even in this day and age.

Books do offer a certain solace, to locals as well as travelers, relaxing after a long and busy day in their NY hotels , where one can escape the electronic pulses and enter into the electronic sparks of the life of the mind. And while the ghosts that still haunt Booksellers Row in the Bowery, there is an old energy here that still maintains that knowledge is power.

Lisa

June 8, 2010

Culture

0 comments

ny hotels

Traditional Japanese Attire

“I don’t have a thing to wear!” Boy, haven’t I heard those words before. Growing up in a house full of women, I think I heard this phrase every Friday and Saturday night, if not more often. Where am I going with this? Well, to Japan of course, to discuss the kimono, their traditional garment. The kimono literally means “thing to wear.” Although it sounds like something you could throw on in a minute, it is quite the opposite. Most Japanese women are unable to put on a kimono without the help of another. It has twelve pieces that must be worn, matched and secured precisely, requiring many to hire a professional kimono dresser. There are many types of kimono styles and fabrics that can be worn depending on the formality of the event. For a casual event the fabric is cotton, while for a formal event, silk. A kimono will use one bolt of fabric which comes in a standard size and is sewn by hand. While some kimonos are dry cleaned, historically all were un-sewn prior to washing and then re-sewn. Imagine if you had to do that for all your clothing! This was a very expensive process and may have caused a decline in its popularity over the years.

Men’s kimonos (yes, men wear them too) are much simpler and consist of five pieces. The colors are traditionally dark and subdued for formal events while the casual kimono utilizes slightly brighter colors. For the most formal events the kimono is black and is worn with white undergarments. Not quite a kimono tux, but the same idea. A child’s kimono is much like the adult’s, only smaller. They are just as elaborate and usually very colorful. Many take as long to put on as the adult kimonos. Kimonos are seasonal as well. Much like American fashion, colors and patterns are worn based on the season. It is common to see bright and floral patterns in spring, autumn colors and patterns in fall and bamboo or pine tree patterns in winter.

Occasionally, you can find a restaurant where traditional Japanese attire is donned by the servers. Fuki Sushi in Palo Alto, California is one such place. Patrons are charmed and awed by the lovely kimonos. So the next time you think you do not have a thing to wear, think of the Japanese kimono and I am sure you will find something.