The reason there are so many golf putter types is simple, lets face it, people are all different and unique individuals. People come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, not to mention the variety of styles and preferences we condition ourselves to acquire. So for this reason, it is almost necessary for there to be a wide selection of golf putter types available to accommodate golfers of every level, style and configuration.

When speaking of golf putter types, many different things may come to mind. Some of these things may include the length of the shafts. There are long putters, short putters and mid-length putters sometimes referred to as “belly putters”. There are also putters you can buy off the shelf, as well as custom made putters for the more passionate players. Whichever type of golf putter you choose, keep in mind that the face should be made of a softer-type metal, to provide better feel and distance control.

We hope we have been helpful in providing some information in order to be more familiar with differences golf putter types may conceive. Remember, just because your best friend has a certain type of putter, that doesn’t mean it will work for you. Your safest bet is to go out and demo several putter types, and whatever works for you the best may be your wisest choice. Would you rather impress the rest of your foursome with a flashy new putter, or with a low score due to sinking more putts? We thought so. Happy putting.

Dean Cecere is author, avid golfer and owner of “golf-equipment-accessories.com”

Please take the time to visit us for a wide array of Golf Putter Types at Very Affordable Prices.

Thank you and please feel free to use this article providing the above link remains functional.

Imagine how much you could lower your scores by getting the kind of distance you know you’re capable of.

Adding distance to your drives changes the way you attack a golf course. And those extra yards give you a competitive edge. That’s why most of the top players in the world are so focused on finding the right equipment to increase distance.

It’s no secret that most of us want to hit it longer. Golf club manufacturers know this and try to produce drivers that push the distance envelope. The problem? Most drivers sold at retail outlets are built to specs that simply don’t work for most players’ swings.

What can you do to find the right driver?

The answer lies in knowing what the most important club fitting parameters are and using them to match the right equipment to your swing speed.

There are four club fitting keys I can think of that you need to focus on for maximum distance and consistency: loft, shaft flex, club length, and ball spin.

1. Loft

Selecting the right loft may be the most important fitting parameter when you’re looking to increase distance. What’s the biggest mistake most us of make? Going with too low a loft.

Today, drivers play true to loft. That’s a big change from just a few years ago when everyone was hitting 8* Great Big Berthas. Realize that those days are over. Today the unofficial “standard” loft may be about 10.5*.

If your swing speed is below 100 mph you’ll do much better with higher lofts. Swing speeds that are 90 mph and less do well with lofts of at least 12*.

Slower swing speeds don’t generate the spin rate needed to maximize distance. Higher lofts give you more hang time and more distance with the same effort.

Higher swing speeds? They do better with moderate or lower lofts. Look for lofts of 10.5* or less. Swing speeds in excess of 105 mph naturally generate more spin, and that translates into higher trajectories.

2. Shaft Flex

It’s a fact: about 8 out of 10 players select a flex that’s too stiff for their swing. How does this affect distance? All shafts have to bend in order to get the ball airborne. Players with lower swing speeds need more flex to launch the ball on the right trajectory.

Try to find the most flexible shaft you can handle with accuracy. More flexible shafts offer a couple of advantages:

>> You increase distance with less effort because of the shaft’s extra kick.

>> You’ll get better feel with less harshness.

Better feel means more confidence, and that translates into better ball striking. Shafts that are too stiff produce weak shots that are pushed offline.

Remember this:

Not everyone fits this profile. If your swing speed is over 105 mph or if you have a quick backswing-to-downswing transition, then you’ll probably have trouble unless you use fairly stiff shafts.

High swing speeds have trouble with control when shafts get too flexible.

3. Club length

A lot of us don’t pay much attention to club length.

You probably think all clubs are built to standard lengths. The fact is, there are no standards when it comes to club length. Club length can change from brand to brand, or even from model to model within brand.

Most drivers sold today are built to a length of 45.5″, and many drivers reach 46″. That’s because longer lengths usually produce longer drives. You’ll hit occasional bombs at these lengths but your consistency suffers.

How come? Your percentage of on-center hits decreases pretty quickly once you go longer than 45″. Miss the sweet spot by just a small amount and you can easily lose 17 yards on a drive.

My guess is, if you go with a driver length of 44.5″ your average drive will be longer, and more of those drives will stay in the fairway. That’s the reason most tour pros stay below driver lengths of 45″.

If you’re struggling with your driver have a clubmaker shorten the length to about 44.5″. You’ll be surprised at the results.

4. Ball spin

What are the hottest selling golf balls? Just about any ball advertised as a “distance” ball. They’re all pretty similar; they don’t spin much, feel hard at impact, and are usually pretty inexpensive.

Distance balls do work, but ironically, not all that well for most average players. The reason? Distance balls spin less. Slower swing speeds don’t generate the spin needed to make these balls effective.

Players with fast swing speeds can take advantage of a distance ball’s lower spin rate. Slower swing speeds do better with more spin. Look for two piece balls that are softer and spin more; you’ll find they work a lot better in several ways:

>> They stay airborne longer, maximizing carry.

>> They spin more and that helps you hold greens better.

>> They feel softer when hitting chips and short pitch shots.

I’m not sure about you, but I don’t like the high pitched click and hard feel of typical distance balls when I’m putting.

Look for softer two piece balls with spin and you’ll get the advantages of a player’s ball at a reasonable price.

Summing things up…

Good swing fundamentals are a must for hitting consistently long drives. But with drivers and golf balls that don’t fit your swing speed, you’ll never reach your distance potential.

Use these four fitting keys and you should be able to develop a short list of drivers you can field test at the next demo day!

Ken Lopez writes articles for Pure Impact Custom Golf. If you have questions or want assistance in selecting custom golf clubs, you can reach him here:
http://www.pureimpactgolf.com/golf/Default.asp

The wrestling training plays a very important role in shaping a wrestler, the amount of time he/she spends in training and practicing in summation will show up at their performance.

The following steps can be helpful for getting started with wrestling practice:

Work out the posterior chain muscles

The posterior chain is the powerful area of the body that comprises the glutens, and hamstrings, is a key section to concentrate on for overall wrestling performances. There shall be will notice a marked improvement in speed and power in the neutral and bottom positions once strength improves in these areas. Some really good exercises to enhance the posterior chain are good-mornings, stiff-leg dead lifts, dead lifts, barbell squats (bar low on shoulders). For ultimate in working out the posterior chain muscles, reverse hyperextension and the Russian glute-ham-gastroc machine are advised.

Wrestle fast

Wrestlers those that try to move a barbell quickly in their workouts use momentum to help move the weight. To wrestle fast one should minimize the momentum, and maximize the amount of muscle that gets worked by slowing down. It depends on fast or slow one move a weight during the strength training.

Building up the protein

You need to add on proteins rather than carbs, whether you are trying to cut weight or go up a weight class, you need regular feedings of protein. Protein helps to repair and rebuild the muscle tissues. It is vital to keep up protein feedings if you are trying to cut weight unless of course you don’t mind losing muscle and getting weaker. The difference lies in the carbohydrate intake. If you need to lose weight, you should begin slowly dropping carbs, but never completely. You can’t wrestle if you don’t have energy to burn. Carbohydrates are you body’s preferred source of energy.

Find more wrestling resources including wrestling singlets and TNA impact wrestling on http://www.allwrestlingworld.com/

These moments are not in any order but a symbol of how they enhanced the beautiful game.

1. Togo’s players celebrating their first goal in the world cup against South Korea in their opening match.

2. Philip Lahm perfect goal against Costa Rica in the 6th minute led way to a high scoring World Cup.

3. Argentina second goal against Serbia & Montenegro arguably one of the best goals in world cup history. It constitutes 24 passes, a backheel to create space in the 18 yard box, 8 outfield players touched the ball in the move and a superb finish by Cambiaso.

4. Maxi Rodriguez superb volley in extra time to dispose off Mexico in round 16 is one of the most beautiful goals at such crunch stage.

5. Koreans fans cheering their team will all noise making instruments and continuously jumping for 90 minutes to test the suspensions of the stands.

6. Mexican fans singing their national anthem with salute like star trek and erupting in Mexican wave.

7. Zidane celebration after scoring goal against Spain reminded a Spanish bull just released from shackles into a green field.

8. Huge success of fan mile and jovial nature between fans from across the world.

9. Carlos Tevez goal against Serbia Montenegro after dribbling two players and slotting the ball into left corner of goal keeper.

10. Diego Maradona supporting Argentina team like no other superstar ever did. He reminded us of a school boy out there to enjoy football.

“Given my travel schedule and steroids and everything else, I’ve been sidetracked.” This was a quote from Major League Baseball’s Commissioner, Bud Selig, as given to the Washington Times on November 18, 2005. He was referring to the ongoing interview process of potential ownership for the Washington Nationals baseball team which was re-located to Washington, D.C. from Montreal, Canada, just prior to the 2005 season and now makes RFK Memorial Stadium its temporary home. But Mr. Selig’s quote only references part of the ongoing troubles of a ball club in total limbo, forcing it into a state of unpreparedness for the 2006 MLB season.

Not unlike the on-again off-again dash to finalize an agreement with the city of Washington, D.C. in December of 2004, the end of 2005 looms as a potential death knell to getting a stadium built, a lease agreement finalized and the installation of an owner or ownership group in the near future. In order for a General Manager, field manager and coaches to be named, the future owner must be chosen and ratified by 29 MLB owners. As long as MLB continues to haggle over the 2004 agreement with the city of Washington, D.C., which was rushed and was arguably a poorly drafted document according to D.C. City Council members and community activists, the Washington Nationals have less and less opportunities to sign free agents and attract management personnel.

The agreement made between the city of Washington, D.C. and MLB last December was dependent upon the city to build a stadium for the Nationals by 2008. In order to do so, the city must raise the capital through the sale of bonds to publicly finance the $535 million price tag. However, the cost of the stadium has risen due to unanticipated construction and raw material expenditures and now the key features which the original plans called for such as an underground parking garage, escalators and elevators, improved roads outside the stadium and expanded Metro train platforms, jeopardize the success of not only the stadium but the gentrified area surrounding it.

The aides of Mayor Anthony Williams, who negotiated the stadium agreement with MLB, estimated that the stadium of 41,000 seats would cost $395 million. However, no money was allocated for infrastructure such as the roads and Metro platforms as they assumed that the federal government or Metro itself would pick up the tab. Additionally, Natwar M. Gandhi, the city’s CFO, raised the estimated cost since the water for the stadium was not included in the original agreement. The architects chosen for the stadium’s design also escalated the original cost of $244 million to $337 million as land costs could now be as high as $98 million, but not certain. The ceiling now for the stadium, based upon whose calculator you believe but supposedly set by the City Council, now stands at $535 million.

With a final stadium architectural plan still yet to be approved, the mayor believes that either MLB, the federal government, private developers or even the new owner should pick up the tab on the ancillary costs not accounted for in the $535 million bargain. Should MLB, private developers or the federal government not chip in, then the taxpayers of Washington, D.C. will be left holding the bill for the balance, which was what started all of the arguments a year ago. Therefore, millions of dollars earmarked for other projects for the city of Washington, D.C., such as improvements in homeland security first-responders, would be sacrificed.

But it gets better. Have your eyes glazed over yet trying to comprehend the numbers? Well, here are some more. Also holding this whole thing up is a $6 million lease agreement which the city says that MLB is responsible for but is being contested by MLB. And the stadium’s financing is contingent upon the lease agreement as bond raters will not provide grade ratings until the agreement has been executed. The complete financing plan must be in place prior to Christmas 2005 in order to begin the process of selling bonds. It will be another race to the finish line much like last year. However, had not Bud Selig procrastinated last year there would not have been such a rush in the end and the agreement would have had more time given for better cost estimates and more time for bids on an architectural design. Such failures have come back to haunt the Nationals a year later.

At issue with the lease agreement is MLB’s argument that the lease agreement must be in place prior to selecting a new owner for the team, while the city wants a guarantee in writing that MLB will pay $6 million a year for the lease of the stadium. Yet, MLB says the agreement was to have included money for the lease. In addition, the city is asking for a $24 million letter of credit from MLB in the event the stadium cannot be completed due to a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or even a MLB strike. And should other resources fail to come through, they are also requesting MLB for an agreement of $20 million for the underground parking.

But the missing quotient in this whole scenario is the missing owner. Had there be an owner in place by now it would then be up to such owner whether or not they want to pay for a lease. At the very least, they could offer input on the design of the stadium and cost containment and work directly with the city rather than the city indirectly asking promises of MLB, which may never come to pass.

But Selig has been “sidetracked.” MLB has missed six of its own self-imposed deadlines to appoint a buyer for the team. To date, Commissioner Selig has only interviewed five of the eight interested groups having failed to address any more prospective candidates since September. So is that the fault of the city of Washington, D.C. too? First Selig said he would choose an owner by the spring of 2005, then it was the 4th of July, only to replaced by the date of the All Star Game, and since then we have seen the date of the beginning of the MLB playoffs, the World Series, and the November owners’ meetings come and go as other promised deadlines, to no avail.

The reality is, that regardless of the details of the agreements on construction and financing, the longer MLB drags its feet on getting an owner in place for the Nationals, the closer it gets to the 2006 season without management in place. And as it is the prerogative of the new owner to choose new management, without it, deals and trades cannot be accomplished. Manager, Frank Robinson, as well as General Manager, Jim Bowden, are twisting in the wind regarding their jobs. But even more importantly, and even if they are dismissed, it will take time for any new manager or General Manager to get organized let alone basically re-build the team all over again. New players are not looking to go to a team with no management or guarantees of potential salaries or management’s ability to ensure that a good team awaits blue-chip free agents.

As good as the Nationals were in their over-achieving first half of 2005, with a 50-31 record, they tailed off dramatically after the All-Star break with a record of 31-50. Nevertheless, they finished with a .500 record. But trading for additional personnel was part of the problem during the season and is crucial to the Nationals now. For a team being sold by MLB in the amount of $450 million, a payroll of $50 million pales in comparison.

“It’s not fair to this ball club and this organization to be put in this position for the coming season because we’re behind on moves and things we can do and approaching players, the free agent market, either signing free agents or even really seriously talking to them. Just overall, the feeling and the atmosphere around this ball club is that we’re at a disadvantage,” according to manager, Frank Robinson. He has been the consummate professional in taking over the helm of the disenfranchised Montreal Expos and now Washington Nationals during the past four seasons, which initially was to be a one-year deal for him and then perhaps going to the front office to help manage the transition between cities and the release of MLB ownership of the club to a new owner.

Frank Robinson’s coaching staff has been directed by Jim Bowden to start looking for new jobs. This has also angered Frank, and the Nationals are very close to losing Robinson, even if the new owners wish to retain his services. He has worked with virtually no payroll, and in two different cities in two different countries, for four years. And in one of those years his team played a third of their games in Puerto Rico. But Robinson is not the only upset party in this twisted tale, which could largely have been avoided. The Mayor of Washington, D.C. is upset, certain members of the City Council are at odds, the residents of Washington, D.C. are concerned with absorbing potential cost overruns, and the candidates who want to own the team are anxious.

Finally, the players, manager and coaches of the 2005 Nationals deserve better and fans of MLB are being taken for granted. Without ticket prices set nor a television contract in place it will be difficult to continue to generate as much interest in 2006 as in 2005 in Washington, D.C., since fans want a good team put on the field too. And now that its maiden voyage is over, any success the Washington Nationals enjoy in 2006 will be in spite of Commissioner Selig, not because of him.

Diane M. Grassi is a freelance columnist, reporting and writing commentary on current events of the day providing honest and often politically incorrect assessments. From U.S. public policy to Major League Baseball, she is an eclectic thinker, and demanding of her readers to reflect on their own thinking patterns from an alternative perspective. Whether you agree with her or not, Diane M. Grassi will have you coming back to note her opinions, and if at best she wakes you up, then her goal will have been accomplished.

Ms. Grassi is featured with the online publications: The New Media Journal; American Chronicle; the Federal Observer; Opinions Editorials; the Conservative Voice; the Las Vegas Penny Press; Mich News; the Sierra Times as well as several others. She also writes regular columns on Major League Baseball where she is a featured online columnist with The Diamond Angle Baseball Ezine and Sports-Central.org.

The golf swing places high demands on the shoulders. The repetition of the swing also helps to make the shoulder a prime target for strain and injury. Stretching and improving the muscular strength of the shoulder area can do much to not only improve and prevent injury, but it can also improve your golf swing.

Repeated motion of the golf swing over many years may irritate and wear down the tendons, muscles, and surrounding structures of the shoulder. The resulting conditions may be tendonitis, bursitis, and impingement syndrome of the shoulder. These conditions may occur alone or in combination.

As always, prevention is the best cure. Exercises that involve stretching and strengthening the muscles in the shoulder area are a good way to help to prevent common shoulder problems. If one of the above problems is present, once inflammation has subsided, exercises will help to restore normal movement.

Stretching your shoulders is important to perform before practice or a round of golf. Most golfers don’t spend adequate time stretching and warming up the muscles before play. This can easily lead to strain, injury, and poor performance on the course. Unconditioned muscles become weak and inflexible causing them to be more susceptible to strain and injury.

Here are a few exercises to help strengthen and maintain more flexibility in the shoulder area.

Back Cuff Stretch - Place left hand on right elbow and right hand on left shoulder. Gently pull back right arm. Repeat on left. Hold for 15 -20 seconds.

Front Cuff Stretch - Hold your hands behind your back and slowly raise your arms. Don’t bounce. Hold for 15-20 seconds.

Rotator Cuff Exercise - Do 20 slow arm circles to warm up. Hold a small dumbbell in each hand. Point thumb down and raise arms out to the side and slightly forward. Do not raise past shoulder level. Repeat 10 times.

Susan Hill is a nationally recognized golf fitness trainer and Chek golf biomechanic. She has written articles for Golf Illustrated, Travel Golf, and Resort Golf among others. Her work has been featured in Self magazine and on ESPN. For more information on golf specific programs, visit www.fitnessforgolf.com.

Using a golf training club is one of the most effective ways to increase golf swing speed and power. You can’t get anymore golf -specific than using a golf training club.

There are many golf training clubs on the market and new ones coming out every year; but the one I’m talking about is a weighted golf training club. When you can literally mimic your athletic movement with resistance, you stand the make the biggest improvement…and quickly.

The goal of most strength coaches and trainers is to come up with exercises that closely resemble that particular athletic movement, but with some for of resistance. It could be handweights (dumbbells), medicine balls, tubing, or even a stability ball.

The direct impact on a golfers swing using a golf training club is an almost immediate increase in driving distance. This is because you are training your golf muscles during the movement, through the same (or even bigger) range of motion, with many repetitions.

A secondary benefit of using a golf training club that’s weighted is promoting an increase in backswing and follow through range of motion. This equates in more power at impact. Golfers are always trying to find ways to improve golf flexibility and power; and this is one way to do it.

Using a golf training club won’t be the cure to all your physical ailments and limitations, but will give you a head start on swinging with higher clubhead speed.

Just think about it! Swinging a golf training club won’t improve hamstring flexibility, nor will it strengthen your lower back. There are many specific areas of the body that don’t get worked when swinging a golf training club.

This is where you would do specific golf exercises, stretches and drills to isolate those weak areas to greatly improve your overall golf performance and prevent future injuries.

Another benefit of a golf training club that’s weighted is a quick warm up before you hit balls at the range or even play. Swinging it 20-30 times will quickly get your golf muscles prepared to hit balls more effectively.

Just beware! When you swing it before practicing or playing, you’ve got to swing your regular clubs, and hit balls with them, to make sure your sequence of motion is correct, before you hit the course.

As you can see, there are many benefits of using a golf training club; so go out and get one. They are a great training aid as part of your ‘off-season’ training program.

About The Author: Mike Pedersen is the featured expert for Golf Magazine’s GolfOnline.com site, one of the top golf performance experts in the country, author and founder of several cutting-edge online golf performance sites. Take a look at his just released golf performance dvds and manual at his golf swing tips site - Perform Better Golf.

The most storied of the possible AFC Championship games would have been a matchup between the Colts and Patriots. There is a tremendous amount of history between these two teams in the playoffs and the media would have been in a frenzy if these two teams were squaring off.

The more exciting teams of the NFC would be the Bears and Giants because of their big market appeal. Instead, the NFC has a Seattle team that few care about and a Carolina team that is new to the NFL.

One can definitely make the argument that this year’s NFL Playoffs is shaping up to be a less than spectacular football season for the media but for the average fan, it is far more exciting.

Nobody can deny the great season the Broncos have had at home. Nobody can deny being in awe of what Big Ben is able to do in his second year with the Steelers. Nobody can deny the great season that the Seahawks have had nor can they deny the amazing run the Panthers are on.

No matter what the tv ratings will be for the Championship games, these games are still exciting and the desires of the teams still playing is very real.

I am glad the Colts are no longer playing because we do not have to listen to Peyton talk anymore. I am glad that the Bears are no longer playing because we do not have to listen to how their defense ranks amongst the best defenses. I am glad the Patriots are no longer playing because we do not have to listen to how clutch Tom Brady is. Hopefully now we can focus on football.

Check out our reviews on the best Online Sports Betting Sites if you want to start winning money by predicting the outcomes of these games.

Introduction

Modern cameras are highly automatic in operation. They have auto focus and auto exposure. The camera will focus on the subject - often identified by a small circle or square at the centre of the viewfinder - and calculate an appropriate exposure by detecting the level of reflected light - usually from the same spot. A slight pressure on the shutter release will activate those two functions, without taking a picture. Further pressure on the shutter release will result in a photo being taken.

1 Take care to Focus and Expose on the Subject of the Image

Imagine you are taking a picture of your girl friend against the background of an interesting harbour. Your girl friend is six feet away while the harbour is around 50 feet away. You position your girl friend carefully - she is important to you - at one side of the picture with an interesting view of the harbour in the distance. Now do you want to focus on the harbour - or your girl friend? Position the square or circle at the centre of the viewfinder over the spot that you want to focus on and correctly expose - take a slight pressure on the shutter release - and keep that pressure while you move the camera to frame the image you want to take - then, and only then, push the shutter release fully down and take the photo.
If you want to have everything in focus - then see 7 Depth of Field.

2 Carefully Compose Your Shot

Before taking the picture take a careful last look through the viewfinder. Check the composition, and particularly that heads and feet are included, and that all faces are visible in anything other the smallest of groups. With the camera taking care of focus and exposure - you have the time to concentrate on getting the composition perfect. Photographic amputation of limbs is unforgivable!

3 Set the Colour Balance Correctly on the Camera

Digital cameras have controls that allow the operator to set the nature of the lighting illuminating the subject. In general they will default to daylight, since shots are likely to be taken outdoors. On this setting, pictures taken indoors under artificial tungsten lighting will look yellow - they will have a yellow cast. Pictures taken under strip lighting will look green. Setting the camera appropriately will produce consistent balanced photographs. Look in the camera manual to see how to set the control - it is very easy. Flash guns produce a light, which is very similar in colour ‘temperature’ to that of daylight.

4 Don’t Expect Too Much from the On Camera Flash

The on camera flash is designed for convenience when shooting a small group of people. It will not illuminate a hall. When watching public events on the television it is somewhat surprising to see members of the audience in the Albert hall take a pocket camera out and shoot a picture with their flash. This is unlikely to be successful. Better to turn the sensitivity of the camera up - say to 800ASA - the ‘film speed’, or sensitivity. This might produce a better result. Do not confuse sensitivity of the camera with shutter speed. They are different.
An on camera flash will illuminate only a short distance - as a guide pick up your cat firmly with two hands by the tail and swing it around at arms length - that is the sort of distance the flash will illuminate!

5 A Tripod is Essential for Long Distance Shots

Most modern digital cameras come with a zoom lens that can take both wide angle and telephoto shots. This is extremely useful. However remember that when the camera is on its furthest telephoto setting, camera shake will become a problem. If you are taking a telephoto shot and the camera chooses a slow to medium shutter speed, the result might be blurred due to the movement of your hands while taking the exposure.
Use a tripod - all wildlife photographers use them. They are a pain to carry but improve quality by orders of magnitude.

6 Fast Moving Subject Require a Fast Shutter Speed

The shutter is that part of the camera which opens briefly to allow light to strike the sensitive surface of the detector to produce an image. Fast moving object require extremely short shutter speeds in order to capture a crisp sharp image. Slower shutter speeds will produce a blur as the object moves.
In general outdoor photography a shutter speed of 1/60th or 1/125th second will be acceptable. In contrast, shooting a formula one car in motion will require shutter speed of say 1/1000th of a second.

7 A little About Depth of Field

In days past, a photographer would measure the level of light at a location with a light meter and then calculate the best combination of shutter speed and aperture to correctly expose the film.
This is now done automatically by the camera. Aperture is the measure of how much light is passing through the lens. The lens has an iris, which can be ’stopped down’ to reduce the amount of light passing through the lens. A fully open lens will pass the greatest amount of light - full aperture - but this also reduces the ‘depth of field’. The depth of field is the band of distance over which the subject is in focus. In 1 above, with full aperture either your girl friend or the harbour is in focus - but not both. By ’stopping down’ the lens - reducing the aperture - both can be brought into focus. But as a consequence the amount of light passing through the lens is reduced. The length of time which the shutter is open will have to be increased to compensate.

8 When taking Landscapes Avoid Putting the Horizon Across the Centre of the Image

Drawing the picture horizon in the middle of the image simply looks naff. It divides the picture in to two and fails to engage the viewer. Best to concentrate on the sky or the foreground. Photograph a setting sun with red sky, or a rainbow with the horizon low in the picture. Or concentrate on the landscape and place the horizon high in the picture.

9 Be Aware of the Effects of Back Lighting

Let us go back to the example given in Hint 1. Imagine that in the picture of your girl friend in front of the harbour, the sun is setting, casting its golden rays across the sea and reflecting on the masts and other metal objects of the harbour with white clouds illuminated red in the dying rays of the sun. An evocative and romantic shot.
Taking the shot with the camera will result in a beautiful background but a black shadow of a girl friend! Now that might be appropriate should you have had a particularly bad day with her and it might correctly reflect the mood. However using the on camera flash to fill in the darkness - to illuminate her face and show her features might be more appropriate on a better day!

About the author:

Christopher Thomas is both keen photographer and company director of Viewlink Ltd based in Amersham, Uk. The company focusses on digital photo developing for both amateur and commercial photographers. For more articles by Christopher Thomas please visit the company website at http://www.view-link.com

As the steroid talk swirls around baseball like the juice surging into Jason Giambi’s veins, America’s favorite pastime continues to be bruised, right when spring training is getting started. First, it was Giambi’s admission of taking the muscle-enhancing drug. Then, Jose Canseco shocked the sports world with his tell-all book about his use of steroids, swinging a syringe with better accuracy than he ever swung a bat. Now, it’s baseball’s homerun king, Barry Bonds, making us despise the sport’s most talented player, with his strange ramblings at a preseason press conference, laced with perfunctory glances at interviewers, lame defenses of his own lousy image, along with distracting accusations aimed at various targets.

Man, is this guy easy to hate. “I don’t know what cheating is,” he says about the potential help steroid use gives to baseball players. How can adding dozens of pounds of muscles increase ones production, Barry wonders? This coming from a guy who entered the league weighing roughly 180 pounds before adding 46 pounds to his frame in a little over three seasons. Furthermore, in his first seven years in the league Bonds never hit 35 home runs. He was a 19 to 25 HR guy, except for two seasons of 33 and 34. Now, the ballooned up Barry, the one who doesn’t believe steroids can help hitters, bashes 45 or more homers each season, as if he were hitting super balls. But he’s not cheating, he claims.

In addition to the pitiful, “I don’t know what cheating is” statement, Bonds managed to blame all of his woes on the probing media and, of course, on racism. “Babe Ruth was a great player,” Bonds says, “but he wasn’t black. I’m black, and it’s tougher for blacks.” Only some tears would make his act more incredible. Again, I say, this guy is easier to hate than cancer. First of all, what problems does he have? Millions and millions of dollars in his pocket? Playing a game for a living? Incredible popularity? A few questions from interviewers? This is the life of Barry Bonds, and this guy has the audacity to pull the race card? Every African American and baseball fan should join me in hating this racist crybaby. “But I’m not a racist,” Bonds says. I wish I had a dollar for every person who ever made a comment like this one and then followed it up with “But I’m not a racist.” I’d probably have as much money as Barry.

Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player ever, hounded every waking moment by the media, never made such a ridiculous statement about black people in sports having it tougher. Jerry Rice, the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, hands down, never whined about discrimination making his life more difficult than his white predecessors. It’s because these guys didn’t use steroids, and these guys were true, hard-working, non-cheating professionals. Not to mention the fact that they were gentlemen.

This is not to say that racism doesn’t still exist in America. It obviously does. In fact, it may even exist in some sports. But it does not exist to the extent that Barry suggests. Does Barry deal with death threats, like Hank Aaron did the entire season he approached Babe Ruth’s mark? Of course not. In fact, for some bizarre, inexplicable reason, there is a large contingent of Bonds fans actually rooting for this jerk to break Aaron’s record. It’s hard to figure. Aaron never complained about racism, and he entered the batters box nightly, fearing for his very life. And now, 30 years later, he is one of the most revered leaders the game has. Aaron, like Jordan and Rice and Ruth and a myriad of other great athletes, has a legacy. What legacy does the cheating racist, Barry Bonds, have? I think the answer lies within the question. He’ll be remembered as a baseball player, who could have been one of the greatest ever, if he hadn’t been a cheater and a liar and a racist.

Meanwhile, the more Bonds and others like him talk, the bigger baseball’s black eye gets.

Mark Barnes is the author of the new novel, The League, shocking, sports-related conspiracy. Learn more about his suspense thriller at http://www.sportsnovels.com. He is also an investment real estate and home loan finance expert. Get his free mortgage finance course at http://www.winningthemortgagegame.com