Studio Blog
Welcome to the Demand Studios Blog – a resource for writers, contributors and freelancers alike! Come here for answers to your questions, Studio news, writing tips and more.
Studio Blog
We don't always get out of work on time, but we do make sure to catch the news. Robyn was lucky enough to capture this near-depressing photo of the team watching the LeBron annoucement last night on Johan's iPhone. Thought you guys would enjoy it. Have a great weekend everyone!
...and yes, Johan did cut his hair.
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
Hi, my name is Aaron Wardell. I have a master's degree in music and am currently pursuing a career in opera. Between auditions, I sing as a cantor and soloist and am also in a professional chorus. I also annoy my neighbors on a daily basis when I practice at home. I've always enjoyed writing, even though it's not my main career path. I’ve won a few writing awards and even had a play performed after I entered a playwright contest on a whim. I'm thankful to Demand Studios for allowing me to work from home rather than wait tables or make $5 coffee drinks all day. Thanks Demand Studios.
Hi, my name is Aaron Wardell. I have a master's degree in music and am currently pursuing a career in opera. Between auditions, I sing as a cantor and soloist and am also in a professional chorus. I also annoy my neighbors on a daily basis when I practice at home. I've always enjoyed writing, even though it's not my main career path. I’ve won a few writing awards and even had a play performed after I entered a playwright contest on a whim. I'm thankful to Demand Studios for allowing me to work from home rather than wait tables or make $5 coffee drinks all day. Thanks Demand Studios.
From the Desk of Former LIVESTRONG.com Editor, Krisserin
Posted by MaryK | July 8, 2010 | Comments (5)
Hello everyone,
I am very excited to announce that Sarah Metzger (SarahMetz not to be confused with our beloved community moderator, SarahH23) is the new LIVESTRONG.COM editor. You might recognize Sarah from the Demand Studio's Editorial team, where she ran the writer enrichment program and helped out in the general forums.
Starting this month Sarah is taking on all of my responsibilities on LIVESTRONG.com. If you have any questions or need clarification please feel free to contact her. I am very excited for Sarah, and know that I am leaving all of you in very capable hands.
I loved the time I spent with you guys, and I look forward to working with you on future opportunities!
All the best,
Krisserin
I am very excited to announce that Sarah Metzger (SarahMetz not to be confused with our beloved community moderator, SarahH23) is the new LIVESTRONG.COM editor. You might recognize Sarah from the Demand Studio's Editorial team, where she ran the writer enrichment program and helped out in the general forums.
Starting this month Sarah is taking on all of my responsibilities on LIVESTRONG.com. If you have any questions or need clarification please feel free to contact her. I am very excited for Sarah, and know that I am leaving all of you in very capable hands.
I loved the time I spent with you guys, and I look forward to working with you on future opportunities!
All the best,
Krisserin
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
I am Joyce Starr and have dreamed of being a writer my entire life. I have had articles printed on gardening, camping and other outdoor activities in newspapers, newsletters and on the Web. I own a landscaping company and garden center. Demand Studios has allowed me to share my knowledge with others. When the economy took a nosedive, Demand Studios was there, and for that, I will always be grateful. I will never be able to say enough about my feelings toward this company. Between saving my home, fulfilling a dream and allowing me to write what I want, when I want, Demand Studios surely rocks!
I am Joyce Starr and have dreamed of being a writer my entire life. I have had articles printed on gardening, camping and other outdoor activities in newspapers, newsletters and on the Web. I own a landscaping company and garden center. Demand Studios has allowed me to share my knowledge with others. When the economy took a nosedive, Demand Studios was there, and for that, I will always be grateful. I will never be able to say enough about my feelings toward this company. Between saving my home, fulfilling a dream and allowing me to write what I want, when I want, Demand Studios surely rocks!
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. When you are traveling with friends or family, the photos taken are usually some of your most valuable keepsakes. So why not learn a few tips that can help you take better photos while on vacation? Here are some tips that should help you on your photographic endeavors!
1. Incorporate the background
When you are traveling there will definitely be places with great photo opportunities at iconic places (think Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, Walt Disney Concert Hall, etc.). So when you are taking a photo of a friend or family members, make sure to incorporate the background in your shot. You want to try and aim for a good combination of both the background as well as the person. Look for example of this in the image above that my girlfriend took of me while traveling in Rome, near the Spanish steps.
2. Use the Rule of Thirds
My cousin Holly at the LACMA in Los Angeles. Notice how her face is at the intersection point at the top left corner.
There is a general photographic composition rule called “The Rule of Thirds” in which you take images that are aligned to a grid split into thirds. Although you do not always have to follow this compositional rule, it is definitely something that can help when working on improving your shot. Therefore if you are taking photos from far away, try your best not to center your subjects in the middle of the frame. It often makes the images look very dull and boring.
3. Have fun!
My friend Melody at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, in front of a huge photo of one of Picasso’s sculptures.
The worst thing you can see when looking at friend/family photos is a candid, unflattering shot of the group. So make sure when you are taking photos to get your friends and family to show off thier personality. Try out some classic “jumping photos” and definitely make sure everyone is smiling. Experiment with different props that you may have, and encourage everybody to be as silly or wacky as they want.
4. Don’t use the flash at night if possible
My friend John at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Notice how I didn’t use flash which allowed the background lights to show up quite nicely.
I am sure you guys have all seen it before. Those hideous, unflattering images when a flash is used which shows all of one’s facial imperfections. If you are taking your travel photos at night, try to take images without flash if possible. Not only do you get more ambient light from the background, but the images often look much more pleasing. However when taking photos during the night without flash, you will often need to stabilize your camera either by propping your elbows against a flat surface or using a tripod.
5. Fill the frame
Filling the frame--quite literally.
There are going to be times when you won’t necessarily want to get a picture of your friends or family with the background. During these times, try your best to fill the frame! Try to get all of your friends and family to squeeze in together and get really close to them when taking the image. Try to get only the people in the image and nothing else.
That’s it! Hope that you guys find these 5 tips helpful when taking photos for your friends or family when on vacation!
Feel free to share this list with anybody you may know! Also for more tips, check out my blog at http://erickimphotography.com/blog, like me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter at @ericjohnkim
1. Incorporate the background
When you are traveling there will definitely be places with great photo opportunities at iconic places (think Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, Walt Disney Concert Hall, etc.). So when you are taking a photo of a friend or family members, make sure to incorporate the background in your shot. You want to try and aim for a good combination of both the background as well as the person. Look for example of this in the image above that my girlfriend took of me while traveling in Rome, near the Spanish steps.
2. Use the Rule of Thirds
My cousin Holly at the LACMA in Los Angeles. Notice how her face is at the intersection point at the top left corner.
There is a general photographic composition rule called “The Rule of Thirds” in which you take images that are aligned to a grid split into thirds. Although you do not always have to follow this compositional rule, it is definitely something that can help when working on improving your shot. Therefore if you are taking photos from far away, try your best not to center your subjects in the middle of the frame. It often makes the images look very dull and boring.
3. Have fun!
My friend Melody at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, in front of a huge photo of one of Picasso’s sculptures.
The worst thing you can see when looking at friend/family photos is a candid, unflattering shot of the group. So make sure when you are taking photos to get your friends and family to show off thier personality. Try out some classic “jumping photos” and definitely make sure everyone is smiling. Experiment with different props that you may have, and encourage everybody to be as silly or wacky as they want.
4. Don’t use the flash at night if possible
My friend John at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Notice how I didn’t use flash which allowed the background lights to show up quite nicely.
I am sure you guys have all seen it before. Those hideous, unflattering images when a flash is used which shows all of one’s facial imperfections. If you are taking your travel photos at night, try to take images without flash if possible. Not only do you get more ambient light from the background, but the images often look much more pleasing. However when taking photos during the night without flash, you will often need to stabilize your camera either by propping your elbows against a flat surface or using a tripod.
5. Fill the frame
Filling the frame--quite literally.
There are going to be times when you won’t necessarily want to get a picture of your friends or family with the background. During these times, try your best to fill the frame! Try to get all of your friends and family to squeeze in together and get really close to them when taking the image. Try to get only the people in the image and nothing else.
That’s it! Hope that you guys find these 5 tips helpful when taking photos for your friends or family when on vacation!
Feel free to share this list with anybody you may know! Also for more tips, check out my blog at http://erickimphotography.com/blog, like me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter at @ericjohnkim
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
My name is Kyle Lanning. I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science in business. I started law school last fall, and it has been a time consuming endeavor. I joined Demand Studios in November after a close friend recommended it to me. I love the flexibility working for Demand Studios gives, because I am able to work on a couple articles here and there and still get all my work done.
My name is Kyle Lanning. I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science in business. I started law school last fall, and it has been a time consuming endeavor. I joined Demand Studios in November after a close friend recommended it to me. I love the flexibility working for Demand Studios gives, because I am able to work on a couple articles here and there and still get all my work done.
Check out the Demand Studios Facebook page dedicated to our travel writers. It's a great place to learn about new writing opportunities and get to know fellow travel writers.
If you haven't been, it's worth the trip!
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
I'm Novella Thompson, a personal trainer, life coach and educator who lives in Charlottesville, Va. I’m very excited to be a part of such a wonderful company. I've written a fitness column and several academic publications. The flexibility and vast amount of article possibilities are what attracted me to Demand Studios. And it seems I have at least one thing in common with several other writers: I enjoy working in my pj’s from time to time.
I'm Novella Thompson, a personal trainer, life coach and educator who lives in Charlottesville, Va. I’m very excited to be a part of such a wonderful company. I've written a fitness column and several academic publications. The flexibility and vast amount of article possibilities are what attracted me to Demand Studios. And it seems I have at least one thing in common with several other writers: I enjoy working in my pj’s from time to time.
Earlier this week we featured some beautiful pictures by photographer Eric Kim. We asked him if he had any tips or tricks for capturing those beautiful explosions in the sky that we could share with you. Here are his tips for capturing fireworks on film:
If you have a point and shoot:
- Use the "fireworks" setting in your camera if you have it to get sharp photos of fireworks.
- If not, try to lower your exposure by -1 or -2, while raising your ISO to 800 or above for a faster shutter speed.
- Try using a tripod to have steadier shots. If your camera is on a tripod, you can get cool light-trails by lowering your shutter speed which is achieved by lowering the ISO to about 100-200.
