Photography High Up In The Skies

Taking still shots of moments capture a moment in time and preserve it in paper for a long time. Photographs allow us to look back on the past with feelings of nostalgia and longing. But photography has changed a lot over the years. For starters, you don’t need negatives anymore ever since the rise of digital photography. Better yet, smartphones allowed us to take photos anytime we want and we can even edit it now using Photoshop or various filters from apps. It’s the reason why the word “selfie” was coined because people became more in touch with their narcissistic nature because of smart technology.

The camera features of smartphones have significantly improved over the years. DSLR and GoPro cameras improved professional photography. Now, drone photography has taken the world of photography to the next level. Aerial photography gave everyone a new perspective on taking photos from the sky. Photographers can now capture a different view we never had access to in the past. Landscape shots become more alive and its natural beauty highlighted as we can see more of the place that regular photography can’t offer.

More news outlets are recognizing that drones are a relatively inexpensive way to capture aerial photography and videography, especially compared to previous methods (namely, helicopters).

How can journalists learn to use drone technology to tell compelling stories? That’s what Code for Africa aimed to do in its latest workshop on drone journalism in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

The one-day workshop covered how to use drones for breaking news stories, collecting data, and covering difficult-to-reach places. Seven journalists from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda attended, and will be working on developing their own drone journalism projects over the next two months.

(Via: https://ijnet.org/en/code-for-africa-drone-camp-for-journalists)

Drone photography may be an excellent option for photographers who can afford to buy a drone but taking photos can’t be done in a snap like with your average camera or smartphone. You have to prepare in advance and ensure you are skilled enough in operating the drone before you can even try using it for photography.

Drone photography has become popular and one of the exciting developments at this time is the use of drones in capturing unique images and perspectives of various subjects. The technological advances and affordable cost of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) and quality of on-board cameras helped their growing popularity and usage.

Regardless of how much they are being used for recreation and other purposes, the fears associated with drones are always there. Before flying a drone in your area, you need to know the proper guidelines and you should be an expert controller. A small mistake could cause big accidents.

Here are some awesome ways drones are being used today.

Capturing live events. Drones are being commonly used these days to capture addresses by politicians, concerts, and live sports events. They can provide a perspective to the audience that no other technology can provide.

(Via: http://lifestyle.mb.com.ph/2017/05/23/special-feature-soar-high-with-drone-photography/)

Photos mean a lot to all of us. It gives us a glimpse of a certain moment in time. And with the help of drones, it allows photographers to be more creative and enable them to tweak certain angles and gives everyone a bird’s eye view of a certain landscape. Just make sure that the weather cooperates and the elements are in a good mood too during your photo shoot. But more importantly, you can maximize different shots depending on the type of drone used. Hence, familiarize yourself with the type of drone you have or choose a drone that fits your needs to get the shots you are looking for and share your artistic talents with the world.

The article Photography High Up In The Skies was originally published to https://www.SEMP.us

source https://www.semp.us/photography-high-up-in-the-skies/

Blogging Mistakes To Avoid For A Standout Blog

Blogging used to be unheard of in the past mainly because there was no medium that allowed bloggers to openly express themselves and reach a wider audience with ease. With the continued advancements in technology, we now have devices that allow bloggers to pursue their passion and share it with anyone who is willing to listen to what they have to say. It’s not actually easy to be a blogger. You pour your heart out on a regular (almost daily) basis and at times you also have to do a lot of research (you can’t just sound stupid on your blogs because anything that’s posted on the web lives on forever).

An abbreviation for “weblog”, blogs evolved to become a modern lucrative career for a few lucky ones. Aside from getting sponsored posts, some get to travel the world for free and get paid to do it too. Not all bloggers become successful, though. It is why it helps to find out the dos and don’ts in blogging early on so you have higher chances of making it big in this big wide world we know that is the web.

As your one of your greatest marketing assets, your blog can showcase your deep scope of industry knowledge and give readers a glimpse of your brand’s unique personality – all while driving tons of traffic to your website. All this applies, of course, only if your blog is done right, which means it’s totally free of the top 10 blog mistakes we consistently see.

Just because some of these mistakes may seem tiny doesn’t mean they don’t have a grand impact when it comes to nosediving the effectiveness of your blog.

Misspellings and grammatical errors. It’s tough for folks to believe you’re an industry leader who really knows his or her stuff if your blog posts are filled with all kinds of misspellings and grammatical mistakes. Like using “they’re” when you meant “their” or “there.” Or going for “than” instead of “then,” “it’s” instead of “its,” “to” instead of “too.” Have several people proof the post before it’s published.

Content makes little sense. Although blogs can be somewhat laid back and casual in tone, that doesn’t mean they should contain random stream-of-conscious writing that really has no point. Treat your blog posts like mini-articles, basing them on a solid outline and ensuring they provide something of value to your reader. Focus on your company and your industry.

(Via: http://www.business2community.com/blogging/top-10-blog-mistakes-make-blog-flop-01859649#TvFdKRPwlhkr2V75.97)

Many bloggers compete for the public’s attention today. Aside from writing compelling and really interesting blogs regularly, avoiding these blogging mistakes can help your blog stand out from the crowd. Soon enough, constant sharing of your posts can grow your followers and more brands will pursue you to get their products and services featured (for a free, of course). Having a strong social media presence also helps speed up the process because that’s where the millions of people frequent on a daily basis.

Expecting Immediate Results

When you decided to start a blog, were you expecting it to be an instant success? Business blogging is part of marketing, and it’s not a sales tactic. Yet, you’ll still see so many businesses shut down or misuse their blog because they’re not seeing the instant results they expect.

Mistake: Thinking Your Blog Can Bring In Immediate Sales

If you’re the marketer in charge of a business blog, you probably have leadership looking to you for proof that your efforts are worth their investment. They may ask you questions like:

“How long will it take to generate leads?”

Or worse…

“Why are we not getting hundreds of sales leads by now?”

These executives don’t have a clear understanding of how blogging works, so it’s important you prepare the best ways to explain its value to them.

(Via: http://www.business2community.com/blogging/7-blogging-mistakes-will-cripple-efforts-01853542#IWUVzSxBg6ipDAyy.97)

While most started blogging as a hobby, many have now shifted their priorities and they want to make as much money as they can from their blog posts. However, only a handful becomes profitable over a short span of time. Many bloggers struggle to get their name out there and be noticed by people. In short, don’t expect immediate results because you are in for a big disappointment. It takes some time to accumulate enough blogs to lure people into your site and just as much time in building your name and gaining followers. But if you avoid the blog mistakes mentioned above, you’d be able to expedite your journey although don’t just expect too much at first. While the journey may take some time and get bumpy, all your efforts are worth once you establish your reputation as a blogger and social media influencer.

The following post Blogging Mistakes To Avoid For A Standout Blog is available on The SEMP Blog

source https://www.semp.us/blogging-mistakes-to-avoid-for-a-standout-blog/

Flooding In America Is At An All Time High

The world is quickly heating up. Greenhouse gasses are trapped in the atmosphere, thereby making the world hotter than it was before. Climate change and global warming are often used interchangeably nowadays and for good reason. Both are responsible for many of the worst disasters we have faced as of late and probably of much more in the years to come, agrees Dave Davidson from Northern Attitude. However, global warming actually precedes the other. The accumulation of greenhouse gasses results to the changing of climate patterns. It is the reason why the natural calamities we experience nowadays are far stronger and unpredictable than in the past.

Rising global temperatures consequently cause the sea level to rise because ice caps are melting faster than it did over the past century. It also resulted in an increase in rainfall and flooding in various parts of the globe. Like any other nations experiencing the wrath of Mother Nature, America has experienced its fair share of catastrophes over the years. The country had more floods last year than any given year on record.

2016 really was the year of the flood in the U.S.: In total, 19 separate floods swamped the nation last year, the most in one single year since records began in 1980.

This is according to an analysis by Munich Re, a global reinsurance firm.

The worst flood was in August in Louisiana. At least 13 people were killed and roughly 60,000 buildings were destroyed. The disaster cost $10 billion, Munich Re reported, which noted it was the worst natural catastrophe in the U.S. since Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

"We had a lot of severe flash floods in heavily developed areas," said meteorologist Mark Bove of Munich Re.

Other major flood disasters in 2016 included those in West Virginia in June, Houston in April and Maryland in July. "We did get very unlucky" last year, Bove said.

The 19 floods in 2016 were an increase from 2015, when there were 15.

(Via: https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2017/01/04/floods-natural-disasters-2016/96120150/)

We can no longer just shrug off our shoulders and ignore global warming. The quality of our lives will forever be connected to the climate. Severe flooding can result in loss of human lives, deterioration of health, damage to property, loss of livestock, and destruction of crops that is worth millions to billions of dollars just all wiped out.

Days of heavy rain have swamped homes and businesses in North Carolina and Tuesday brought more rain into the forecast.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning until 11:30 p.m. for Raleigh, the state capital, and surrounding counties. It warned that many roads are still closed and said the waters will be slow to recede.

CNN meteorologist Pedram Javaheri said 5-7 inches have fallen in parts of the state since Monday.

Nick Voss said he had about 30 inches of water in his garage on Tuesday morning. His house is elevated to meet flood standards, so his living area is safe and dry. He had also moved his vehicles to higher ground before the flooding.

(Via: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/25/us/north-carolina-flooding/)

Flooding can be catastrophic especially with sudden and powerful flash floods that happen with such short notice that can destroy homes, structures, bridges and vehicles. Your home is no longer your safe haven as it can not always protect you from the force of these raging waters. Your health is also at higher risk because floods can contaminate bodies of water with chemicals and other toxic substances that are spread by the water’s current.

You can easily become homeless as well. The Louisiana flood during the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 is the worst experienced in America followed by Hurricane Sandy otherwise known as “Superstorm Sandy” that hit the East Coast in 2012 and the second costliest storm in the history of America. Those two hurricanes brought with it severe flooding that wiped out cities and communities and left thousands of families homeless and completely dependent on federal assistance.

All Americans can see the trend quite clearly now. Calamities are getting worse and destruction is costlier than ever. 19 major floods hit the United States in 2016 alone. Will the number go up this year when the Trump government decided to cut back funding on various government agencies he considers not that relevant in rebuilding the greatness of his America? It includes budget cuts on the arts, education and various environment programs established by the Obama administration to help counter the threat of continued global warming and climate change.

The following post Flooding In America Is At An All Time High was originally published to SEMP.us Blog

source https://www.semp.us/flooding-in-america-is-at-an-all-time-high/

Asian Monsoons Are Becoming More Intense

Asia is the biggest continent on the planet and is home to numerous nations that are geographically, culturally, linguistically and physically diverse. This continent also witnesses plenty of catastrophes, both natural and manmade, year in and year out. Monsoons are especially common in the South of Asia where countries are made of island nations. Storms form all year round in the Pacific and they have been a part of the lives of most Asians while droughts can be seasonal challenges too.

Monsoons are actually seasonal wind reversals along with precipitation changes in various parts of the world. However, it commonly refers to seasonal changes in the atmosphere that are closely linked to the warming of the land and of the sea nowadays or even seasonal changing patterns during the rainy season. The Asian monsoon is divided into several subsystems depending on location. If the US has tornadoes, Asia has storms brought about by these monsoons.

South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF) has forecast a normal monsoon for South Asia including India. It indicates neutral ENSO conditions are likely to continue through middle of the monsoon season, while weak El Niño conditions are likely to develop in the second half of this year.

"The outlook suggests that during the 2017 southwest monsoon season (June – September), normal rainfall is most likely over much ofSouth Asia. More specifically, below-normal rainfall is most likely over broad areas of north-western, central and southeastern parts of South Asia and above-normal rainfall is most likely over broad areas of eastern and the south-western parts of the region. Normal rainfall is mostl likely over the remaining areas,” stated the SASCOF release.

(Via: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/south-asia-to-get-normal-monsoon-says-sascof-forecast/articleshow/58380658.cms)

A weak El Niño is expected this 2017. It’s better to be privy to these details now before making any plans later in the year especially if it is for a vacation in an Asian nation that is heavily affected by monsoons. While rain is a welcome reprieve for countries suffering from issues like drought, too much rain can mess up crop production and affect the overall supply of food staples in the market. However, what is more important is the present, right? Well, we can brace for a hot summer for sure.

If it’s this hot in March, what will it be like in April, May or June? That has been the near inevitable conversation starter in large parts of India and Pakistan over the past few weeks.

As temperatures crossed the 40-degree Celsius mark in many places in the second half of March, wistful thoughts of spring vanished in the heat and dust.

There is more substantial damage as the heat is worsening the drought in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in southern India. Farmers from Tamil Nadu — including from the Cauvery delta, traditionally known as India’s rice bowl — have been sitting in protest in national capital New Delhi for weeks, carrying skulls which they say are of farmers forced to commit suicide.

The state’s high court has ordered that loan waivers be extended to more farmers. Elsewhere, the new Uttar Pradesh government has announced a large-scale loan waiver for farmers.

By March 30, the water available in India’s 91 largest reservoirs monitored by the Central Water Commission was already down to 52.632 billion cubic metres, 33 per cent of the total storage capacity of these reservoirs.

The water bureaucracy has not pressed the panic button yet because this is marginally above the average availability in these reservoirs over the last 10 years.

(Via: http://www.eco-business.com/news/south-asia-braces-for-intense-heat-this-summer/)

Seasonal changes like monsoons are always a challenge for everyone. Sometimes the change may be for the best, other times it isn’t. The best we can do is to keep ourselves updated on the news to find out if there are any urgent changes we should be aware of. While we can rely on technology for us to stay informed, connection and power are still big issues in most struggling Asian countries especially in the midst of a calamity. Monsoons, for starters, have changed over the years mainly because of climate change. And once Mother Nature strikes, that’s when we realize how vulnerable we are to the elements.

Asian Monsoons Are Becoming More Intense is republished from https://www.SEMP.us

source https://www.semp.us/asian-monsoons-are-becoming-more-intense/