How to Plan a Wildlife Photography Trip

How to Plan a Wildlife Photography Trip Making Sure You’re Ready for Your Wildlife Photography Trip ChaptersDo Your ResearchSelect Your KitBudgeting Your TripKeep Your Expectations RealisticIn spite of ‘wild’ being built right into their profession’s title, wildlife photographers are a very risk-averse, detail-oriented bunch.To be sure, there is a certain amount of risk involved in facing off with creatures that weigh substantially more than you do and have no code of ethics â€" in the wild, it is eat or be eaten.We’ll discuss in a moment how those risks are mitigated.Besides the risk of attack, there are environmental factors to consider.For instance, an underwater photographer must be sure his diving equipment is integral while a photographer in the arctic must have proper protection against cold weather â€" both for himself and for his camera and lenses...In light of all that, you may be sure that seldom if ever does such a photographer simply grab his camera bag and head out into the wilderness to capture images of whatever animal permits itself to be photographed.To th e contrary, every excursion demands careful preparation: which animal to target, what kit to bring, and when to go.If you are just starting out in wildlife photography, you may need a few pointers on what to consider when planning your first major expedition.If you have already won a few photography awards for your photographs of animals, maybe you could add a few tips in the comments section.No matter how much experience you have in taking trips to photograph wildlife, you may find value in this list of factors to consider when planning your wildlife photography trip. AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TimothyPhotography Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Rosi ePhotography Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDo Your Research As keen as you may be to set out, be sure to learn about your quarry and its environment Image by ArtTower from PixabayWe are delighted that you wish to take photos of animals and can’t wait to see your work! Which animals do you want to photograph?Indeed, that should be your very first question.For instance, photographing birds indigenous to your area is vastly different than taking pictures of wildlife in other parts of the world, for a long list of reasons.We posit that there are two major factors to consider in researching your next venture: your quarry and where it lives. First, let’s talk about your subject matter.AnimalsWhat type of animal do you intend to pursue?Let’s say you want to photograph big cats in the Kalahari â€" leopards, cheetah... maybe a regal male lion with its magnificent mane.Common sense says it is a good idea to stay away from these predatory carnivores but, beyond that, you need to know when they hunt, eat and sleep; what time of day they are most ac tive â€" the time you are most likely to get your money shot.Did you know that lions always yawn when they wake up? Discover other tips and tricks that will help advance your photography skills...Knowing your quarry’s mannerisms and habits will save you from wasting a lot of time waiting for it to appear and/or do something picture-worthy.Researching the animals you hope to photograph will also keep you from lugging a lot of unnecessary kit with you â€" you may only need your telephoto lens; but most importantly, studying up on your target animal will help keep you safe.That might be the best reason to do research!EnvironmentKnowing what environment you will deploy your kit in will not only protect your photography equipment but help you prepare it for optimal use.For instance, if your plans take you to the Serengeti during the rainy seasons, you should bring a rain cover for your super-telephoto lens.On the other hand, if you’re headed to the Scottish Highlands to photograph so me of the great wildlife there, you may do better having your lens and camera camouflaged.And, naturally, if you are planning on underwater photography, you need waterproof equipment.The lighting, terrain and colours may all challenge your current conceptions of photo composition and balance.That is why it is best to learn as much as you can about your proposed destination and preferred animal before setting off.Select Your KitIf you are relatively new to capturing wildlife images, you may not have a lot of kit in your camera bag yet.  Find out what essential items you should have in there!However, if you are a seasoned wildlife photographer, you may have a piece of kit for every occasion... but, as you surely know, you don’t need to bring it all with you.Here again, this is where research comes in handy: if you know where you’re going and what you can expect, you’ll know what to bring with you.At the minimum you should have:SLR or DSLR camera bodies with enough batteries and memory cards (or film)an assortment of lenses (only those you might need)some sort of support: tripod, monopod or bean baga camera bag to carry everythingAdditionally, it would be nice to have a gimbal tripod head, teleconverter and an assortment of filters.Packing for YourselfHave you ever gone on holiday only to realise you forgot to pack your bathing suit or walking shoes?This may seem obvious but many people, especially those new to planning holidays around their taking wildlife photos tend to overlook their own packing in favour of going over their equipment packing list one more time.It's really of no great consequence, forgetting to pack some essential article of clothing or accessory for your holiday, especially if you are somewhere where you could buy a replacement.However, in preparing for a jaunt into the wild, forgetting could mean the difference between the trip you’ve long envisioned and a quick return home with nary a snap to show off.From high-top boots to protecti ve clothing, your packing list deserves as much scrutiny as your kit’s list does.And don’t forget to pack your first aid kit and maybe some protein bars! Running out of money when far from home would make anyone crabby! Image by Elijah Lovkoff from PixabayBudgeting Your TripAgain, this seems like common sense but you would be surprised at how many people envision a glorious trip for themselves and find they’ve run out of money before it was finished.  To budget adequately, we offer a few points to consider.Where are you going?It might seem counter-intuitive but it could cost you more to photograph urban wildlife in London than photographing wild animals in a national reserve away from a big city.No matter where you go, you must budget for food and accommodations; even if you camp out you will have to pay for a permit to do so.You might have to pay a bit extra to get your camping gear on the plane, too!How long do you plan to be gone?This question too impacts your trip budget; the longer you stay the more out of pocket expenses you will likely incur.Another factor to consider: whether merchants at your destination accept credit cards . Such card readers are ubiquitous in big cities but more remote locales may only accept cash... and then, only in their currency.So, if relying on plastic is your backup plan, you may need to rethink it.What type of photoshoot are you going on?At one extreme you have guided photography tours; say a safari in the Masai Mara reserve.In this case, you should expect to tip your guides, animal handlers and anyone else who might contribute to making this event a one-of-a-kind, unforgettable experience for you. You may also consider making a donation to their wildlife fund...The other extreme might see you in Norway or Newfoundland to photograph a pod of whales.If you’re going out solo, you may consider staying in a hostel rather than a more expensive hotel, especially if you're going at the height of whale-watching season.Here again, research pays off; you might get a really good price on accommodations if you’re going during the off-season for tourists.Contingency plansIf heavens fo rbid, anything should happen to you or your photography equipment while on a shoot, there is really only one way to take care of the problem efficiently: throw money at it.Any time you budget for a trip to take photos of wildlife, you should automatically plan for at least 20% of the trip’s total cost to be spent on emergencies.You might be surprised at how inaccessible or inhospitable some of the best places for wildlife photography can be.While that provides the potential for stunning shots, it also opens the door to possible complications such as injury and damage or loss to your equipment.Rather than calling your whole trip off or declaring it a waste, it would be wise to build money into your travel budget for such instances that you might need it.Far from being a predictor of gloom and doom, that just makes sense... as does this next piece of advice. Even though these zebras look posed, animal portraits seldom come out quite like this Source: Pixabay Credit 12019Keep Your Expectations RealisticWildlife photography is a very iffy business.No, we’re not raining on your parade; we’re putting up an umbrella for you.Animals don’t care that you have a bag full of expensive equipment to capture their likeness with and they have no interest in the fact that you’ve travelled away from your comfortable home to meet them.And they really don’t care that you’re currently questioning why you ever decided to become a wildlife photographer as you wait for them to do something amazing that you can capture on film.The idea of wildlife photography has perhaps been greatly romanticised, both by gorgeous layouts in magazines like National Geographic and by epic films such as Out of Africa and Gandhi, where the wildlife seems easily accessible and compliant.The reality of wildlife photography is that it is an art form wholly dependent on i ts capricious subject matter, on the weather and on your tenacity in pursuing photographic perfection.As long as you keep a firm hold of these points, there is no reason you shouldn’t succeed in your mission to capture wildlife on your camera’s memory cards.Who knows? If, after you achieve your goal, you might consider â€" as long as you’re on the road, going a bit further to see what other kind of wildlife you could find and photograph.

How to Participate in a Class Discussion

How to Participate in a Class Discussion If you think you can get by in a class without actively participating, you may want to think again. More and more often, teachers are making classroom participation an integral part of your final grade, leaving the shyest of students quite nervous. The good news is, anyone can master a class discussion, you just need the right attitude and vision. What you must do first is not let any anxiety get the best of you. Even if youre not the most talkative person in school, taking part in the class discussion is nothing to feel embarrassed about. Raising your hand and sharing some insights will not be seen as unusual because everybody is required to do it at least, if they want a good grade. There is no reason to feel nervous or awkward about sharing your thoughts with the class; just like with class presentations, remember who your main audience is: the teacher. The teacher expects you to participate and more importantly wants you to participate, so why would you feel out of place doing so? The rest of the class has their own participation grade to think about, so dont worry about them. Your own grade is at stake, so do what it necessary to protect it. You may also want to check out these tips onhow to give a school presentation. Next, it is vital that you are prepared to talk about this subject accurately. The last thing you want is to show up with confidence to speak only to realize you have no idea what is going on. Whether the class discussion is to be focused on an assigned novel, a lab project, or a history chapter, you had better be certain you read and/or completed the appropriate materials. Here are some great tips on how to interpret a reading assignmentthat you may find useful. However, the substance of your participation certainly relies on more than just simple reading it relies on how thoroughly you studied it. For example, reading through a book once and then the next day only being able to recall the basic plotline and character names is not sufficient for a strong discussion. It is understandable that you have a busy schedule and may not feel you have the time to excessively go through every little bit of the reading; but thankfully, that is not necessary. After all, no teacher expects or wants one student to dominate the entire discussion with an extensive recap of everything there is to address. The point of a classroom discussion in the first place is for every student to be able to share what stood out to them most and also clear up topics they are confused about. This discussion is not a test, but an open forum to pick apart ideas that will later be on a test. It is the perfect opportunity for you to wrap your head around the bulk of the class is one session. Dont view it as a stressful endeavor, but as a helpful one you should take advantage of. With that being said, as you go through your preparation material the night before, mark or write down concepts that you genuinely find interesting or would like to know more about. Pick a few areas that you would really like to hear the teachers thoughts on and bring them to the discussion. You will easily be able to give a deep perspective on them if you truly took the time to look at them in detail. One thing to remember is that teachers can immediately recognize a general comment that is just being said to get the participation points. You will not fool anyone by making a couple of bland statements that lack any evident in-depth analysis. This is all the more reason to take the assignment seriously and find at least one portion that speaks to you in some way. A classroom discussion is open to all sorts of different opinions, so dont be afraid that your thoughts will be seen as wrong or dumb. As long as you base it on factual content that is relevant to the subject being discussed, you will have a genuine contribution to the conversation. You may also want to check out these 5 habits to avoid during class. In the end, pushing up your participation grade is a pretty simple thing to do. No need to feel any pressure to come up with some brilliant insight that nobody has ever brought up before just converse in an honest and educated manner. It truly can be as relaxing as that.

A 5 Point Review of 2 Minute GMATs Daily Email Service

A 5 Point Review of 2 Minute GMAT's Daily Email Service GMAT MBA Admissions Blog A few months ago, the founder of 2 Minute GMAT contacted us at MyGuru about forming a partnership involving guest blogging and other shared marketing activities. As a provider of customized, in-person and online one-on-one GMAT prep, we are always looking for high quality partners who offer products and services that nicely complement GMAT tutoring. So, we took him up on the offer, but not before asking for a free trial of his product. Our quick summary â€" for $29.99 for three months of emails about the GMAT and business school, the service is pretty good, but not great. That said, for $29.99, I wouldn’t expect great. It provides legitimate GMAT practice and business school advice, but some of the information provided gets relatively simple and would be free in dozens of other places. That said, the price is right and it’s not a bad study tool at all (especially for $29.99). 2 Minute GMAT is a service that sends you 10 GMAT questions every day for 3 months via email. In addition, each email comes with a few quick facts about the GMAT or applying to business school. Given that a test prep book typically costs at least $25.00, a test prep class costs $1,000+, and private GMAT tutoring costs between $50 and $250 per hour, 2 Minute GMAT’s price of $29.99 for this three month service seems reasonable right off the bat. In our mind, the best use of this service would be to layer on 2 Minute GMAT over your existing prep plan. In other words, simply take 15 minutes each day to complete the 10 questions. After three months, you will have completed 90 days x 10 questions a day = 900 more questions than you otherwise would have. Of course, if the emails and questions you get every day aren’t useful, it might be worth paying $29.99 to avoid having the emails clog your inbox, but based on our review, $29.99 is well worth it for the service for 5 basic reasons: The GMAT questions you get each day are reasonably difficult. We had a 700+ GMAT scorer answer the questions each day for a few days, and he was scoring 8-9 out of 10 each day. So, these obviously aren’t the most difficult GMAT questions, but they force you to think. The GMAT questions cover all sections of the GMAT â€" so, it’s a nice broad overview of the GMAT. The emails do sometimes provide helpful GMAT tips. For example, this tip on GMAT sentence correction is not bad at all: “Sentence Correction questions often have long sentences where the main subject and the verb are separated by many words. With these questions, you must identify the subject of each sentence and make sure the verb matches it in number. Typical errors have a plural noun taking a singular verb and a singular subject taking a plural verb. To study for these questions, practice identifying the subject and verb of every sentence correction question.” The business school facts in each email are sometimes interesting (though not always). Here are some examples â€" “A part-time MBA is ideal for the individual who wants to earn an MBA but cannot take time away from his or her career. Part-time programs will enable you to balance school on a part-time basis with your full-time job. An individual will graduate with the same degree and education, although frequently it takes a longer to complete the curriculum…part-time programs typically take two or three years to complete. and “At the Tuck School of Business, in 2009 the average GMAT score of incoming students was 710, and the average undergraduate GPA was 3.4.” and “The Northwestern JD-MBA program is completed in three years, as opposed to the four years required at most institutions. The price is right - $29.99 for three months of information about the GMAT and business school, topics you are obviously interested in, isn’t bad at all. We hope you found this review of 2 Minute GMAT helpful. Comments are welcome. Also visit our MyGuru GMAT Tutoring page to learn more about our services.

Idioms and a Magic Roundabout

Idioms and a Magic Roundabout I recently spent time in  Medellín, Colombia, where a roundabout in the road meant driving into a clustered mess of cars, darting out when you see your exit and hoping for the best.  However, in Swindon, England they  really hit the nail on the head.  It seems that adding more circles to a roundabout would only make it more chaotic, but in the following video youll see how well it works.  Watch this short video, then answer the questions in the comments section to practice your listening comprehension and some commonly used idioms.What does England like to call some of its intersections?Why would you think the Brits are off their rockers upon seeing this roundabout?For how many years has this roundabout been working?How can people avoid traffic in this roundabout?You just _____ your vehicle ______  where you wanna go, _____  to cars already in the _____  of the magic, then Brexit on the other side.How did Swindon use the roundabout to celebrate a town anniversary?Now, lets take a look at some commonly used idioms:lose the plotcant understand what is happening. (He has lost the plot.)at the drop of a hatinstantly (I would go to that show at the drop of a hat.)beat around the bushavoid the main topic (Dont beat around the bush.)hit the nail on the headdo or say something exactly right (You hit the nail on the head.)off ones  rockercrazy (You are off your rocker.)Your challenge this week: use all of these idioms in one short story/paragraph.  Well respond and share the most creative or humorous  responses!

3 Signs Its Time To Transfer Colleges

3 Signs It's Time To Transfer Colleges Photo by Buro Millennial from Pexels #1. You Finished Your Associate’s Degree If you have finished your college studies up to the point that you have achieved your Associate’s Degree, then you are at a really good stopping point to transfer schools. An Associate’s Degree basically encompasses all of your general education requirements, without necessarily going (or going too far) into your major’s requirements. A big concern with transferring schools is that you will lose credits for classes that you have already takenâ€"just because you transferred does not mean your credits will. But an Associate’s Degree is a good springboard that will help more of your classes be accepted if and when you do transfer schools. The degree basically offers you a lifetime lock on the credits you have already completed. It is often cheaper to get your Associate’s Degree from a community college and then transfer to a four-year college or university for the specialized classes from your major. Why pay more for the same classes? And if you find that your studies are not a great fit, you transfer schools and it is still not a great fit and you decide to leave school if you did not first earn your Associate’s Degree when you leave school you will have nothing to show for it. If you use your Associate’s Degree as the turning point, you will always at least have that degree on your resume. #2. Your Major Program Is Not What You Wanted Maybe you are super psyched about being a theatre major. Or a business major. Or whatever major it is that you chose. But something about the program your school offers makes you sort of hesitant. If you are a theatre major, maybe the program does not offer enough support to those students interested in aspects of the field besides acting. If you are a business major, there is not enough emphasis on entrepreneurship, which is what you are most interested in. Yeah sure, you could get by, but you are not getting what you wanted or needed from the program you are enrolled in. If you are not getting what you are paying for our of the program, it might be time to transfer colleges and into a program that better matches your goals. #3. The College Just Is Not the Right Fit Sometimes, the best-laid plans go awry. Maybe you researched the heck out of this school before you chose it. Maybe you visited campus a dozen times before you started there. Maybe you talked to several people who do or have attended the school. But once you were actually there, enrolled as a full-time student, you just knew something was not quite right. Maybe you thought you would like a small student body, but now you feel as if you know everyone but can’t find the right people to fit in with. Maybe you thought you could handle harsh weather, but once you were living in it, you hated it. Maybe you thought an urban or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, a rural environment might be best for you but once there, you knew it just was not the right vibe. Sometimes, a school will simply not be the right fit for you. There’s nothing wrong with thatâ€"you just need to find a better fit! pexels.com In the end, only you can decide if it the right time for you to transfer colleges or if transferring colleges is really the right fit for you. But keep a close eye on the signs because you want to make your future as bright as possible while keeping yourself happy and healthy too. Keep in mind that everyone’s college journey is a little bit different and there is no shame in doing things at your own pace and in your own way. Good luck!

Online USMLE Tutor

Online USMLE Tutor Meet our new Online Tutor Rose T. She specializes in Elementary Science, Biology, USMLE. Rose is a current fourth year medical student from Texas. If you need help or would like to talk through certain subjects involving USMLE Step 2 or Step 1, please, do not hesitate to get in touch with her or other USMLE tutors at TutorZ.com. Rose has experience tutoring throughout college and now have time to tutor in medical school. She is a very calm, patient teacher. Her personal strengths are in GI, Endocrine, and Surgery, but she can help you in all subjects. Online USMLE Tutor Meet our new Online Tutor Rose T. She specializes in Elementary Science, Biology, USMLE. Rose is a current fourth year medical student from Texas. If you need help or would like to talk through certain subjects involving USMLE Step 2 or Step 1, please, do not hesitate to get in touch with her or other USMLE tutors at TutorZ.com. Rose has experience tutoring throughout college and now have time to tutor in medical school. She is a very calm, patient teacher. Her personal strengths are in GI, Endocrine, and Surgery, but she can help you in all subjects.

Super Last Minute College Application Guide - TutorNerds

Super Last Minute College Application Guide - TutorNerds Super last minute college application guide As seniors progress through their final year of high school, they will have started an arduous but essential process of applying to college. There are so many unknown factors when it comes to college admissions that most students these days apply to around ten different colleges or universities to ensure success. However, there are a few seniors who havent thought about college just yet. Students who want to go to college without taking a gap year after graduation need to start thinking about their college applications immediately. Students can still apply to college right up until the final deadline for admissions, so its not too late yet. 1.   Sign up for the SAT or ACT The last chance to take college entrance exams for seniors is in December. They may not even be able to see their scores before they apply but at least they will have taken the exam. Because students in this situation only have one chance to do well on their SAT or ACT, its important they purchase a practice book and get started with their test prep right now. Even students who dont have much time to prepare will be able to work on their test prep skills and learn about universally helpful techniques such as identifying trick answers and process of elimination. 2. Consult a professional College counselors have all sorts of insider information thats helpful to seniors applying to college last minute. College counselors will know which schools have rolling deadlines, which accept late applications or are willing to put students on a waiting list, and so on. They can also help students learn about their junior college options and how to transfer to a four-year university after one or two years of community college study. Seniors who are applying to last university minute should make an appointment with their high school college counselor as soon as possible (READ: 5 Things to do Before You Go Away for College). 3. Consider the common application The typical application is great because it allows students to apply to several colleges at once while essentially only writing one or two essays. For the most part, universities have additional supporting questions or a second essay they want students to fill out, but using the standard application will save a ton of time. There are dozens of colleges currently using the common application so last minute students will still have ample choices. 4. Research deadlines Students who have decided to apply to college last minute should make sure they research deadlines before they start their process. They should also be realistic about what they will be able to complete within the time they have left. There are usually more things to finish than students originally think so they should have a timeline of what they need to do each day or each week to meet deadlines. If students are having trouble finding the information on their own, they’re encouraged to talk with a college counselor or tutor who can help walk them through this stressful yet important process. 5. Take a virtual tour of campus At this point in the year, its probably too late to take an actual college tour unless the student is visiting their local in-state university. However, students can learn a lot about what life will be like on a particular campus by taking a virtual tour online. Many schools have videos, pictures, and other research materials available so students who are unable to visit in person can get an idea of what goes on around campus. This is a great thing for students to do before they start filling out applications because it helps them eliminate colleges that might not be quite a right fit. Our Orange County college admissions consultants have   a 97% success rate. Call us today and get into your dream school! All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.