Creativity Or A Slow Death? By Nick Rice

I read somewhere that the best test for creativity in business was simply to ask “are you creative?” So I tried it. And for the majority of people it seemingly proved true. The people that we all see as creative (designers, PowerPoint gurus, out of the box thinkers) said yes; and the planners, project managers, sales people said no. So I naively believed it to be true.

Watching my two year old daughter run around and play reminds me that we’re all creative. We all have boundless imaginations. We always have. Unfortunately our educational system has progressively worked that aspect our being out of our nature. No educational system on the planet puts as much emphasis on creativity as they do logic. Think about the number of math and science classes you took versus the arts and humanities. Not that logic is bad. In fact, it’s a critical element of life. I just believe that we are over-balanced on logic compared to creativity.

I believe the lack of creativity is slowly killing business. That lack is driving everything to a commodity price-driven market. It’s creating an environment that puts cost cutting before customer satisfaction. Without creative thinking how will the engineering team discover the next breakthrough product? How will the marketing team develop messaging that stands above a crowded market place.

Creativity isn’t solely the realm of designers and ad agencies. It shouldn’t be associated with art. It does not equal wild and crazy. It doesn’t equal foolishness. And being “creative” not a job title.

When you hear “out of the box thinking”; that’s the call to creativity. It’s your management team asking you to come up with a new approach. It’s daring to think differently. It’s not copying the competition. And after all, when you boil it down isn’t creative thinking what we’re paid to do? If everyone has the same view, the same ideas, the same approach, and the same results why are we all still here?

To succeed in business is to be creative in your role. Growth demands creativity. It will separate you from the competition. As humans we’re trained to only notice what’s different in our environment. Therefore, standing out is the best way to raise awareness. The lack of creativity across the board is not only hurting your brand, it’s ultimately hurting your profitability. And it’s hurting your employees.

Creativity isn’t a special gift - we’re all born with it. It never leaves, it’s just hiding behind years of logic. I challenge you to find time to let the two year old inside of you come out and play. Your employees, customers, and shareholders will thank you.

Nick Rice is an accomplished visionary marketing mentor with both client and agency experience in marketing, sales, strategic planning, communications and branding. For 13 years, Nick has given marketing and advertising advice to large companies like IBM, Sabre, Adobe, Lexmark International, Farmers Insurance, Salvation Army and Dell as well as dozens of small professional service businesses. www.nick-rice.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Rice

 

Increase Your Creativity: Work in Other Mediums by Susan Fuller

Are you looking for ways to increase your creativity?

Many years ago a group of music students at the Boston Conservatory of Music taught me this lesson. Every one of them was working in some medium other than their music. Some of them were acting, others painting and still others dancing, but all agreed their music was improved as a result.

This is true for all "creatives." Improve your creative process and output by singing if you're a painter, by dancing If you're a sculptor, or by painting If you're a writer.

By working in a secondary medium you have a chance to be a beginner, to loosen your creative muscles, and to bypass performance anxiety. Since it's "just for fun," you get to play and experiment in ways you may not allow yourself in your primary medium, or at least you haven't for a very long time.

Think of it as a warm up exercise. The fun you have playing in a new medium is contagious and will energize your creative work.

The cross pollination that happens between mediums also inspires new creative possibilities. Looking at art, listening to music or watching a performance can inspire, but actively engaging, in a hands-on sort of way, will catapult you into a whole new realm of creative inspiration.

I recommend working in another medium for all "creatives," but it is an especially helpful technique when you're feeling uninspired or just plain blocked. We all go through dry spells. So rather than beating yourself up about being blocked, take a class in something you've never tried or go to the art store and buy some materials to play with.

Whatever you choose need not be extravagant or expensive. Knitting and gardening are favorites among my clients. Other possibilities are drawing, painting, photography, dance, acting, pottery, cooking, sewing, quilting, singing, writing poetry, or playing a musical instrument. You get the picture. Any and all creative mediums work.

If you're not already working in another medium, the best place to start is to look for something you always thought might be fun but never gave yourself permission to try. Follow your heart and your dreams, be willing to experiment and, most importantly, take some action to get your creative juices moving in new and exciting ways.

What new medium are you going to try today?

Copyright 2007 All rights reserved Susan Fuller and susanfuller.com

About the Author

Susan Fuller is a creativity coach who helps artists, writers and performers, achieve creative and financial success. She is a visual artist. writer, and entrepreneur, who has taught The Artist's Way for over a decade, and recently introduced the Creatives Cafe Coaching Group and the Creatives Café Online Membership, where "creatives" come together to take creative action.

For more ways to increase your creativity, you can download "

 

Digital Camera Specifications

 

Width	Height		Pixel count	Megapixels	Camera examples
320	240		76,800	0.1
640	480		307,200	0.3	Apple QuickTake 100 (1994)
832	608		505,856	0.5	Canon Powershot 600 (1996)
1,024	768		786,432	0.8	Olympus D-300L (1996)
1,280	960		1,228,800	1.3	Fujifilm DS-300 (1997)
1,280	1,024		1,310,720	1.5	Fujifilm MX-1700 (1999)
1,600	1,200		1,920,000	2	Nikon Coolpix 950
2,012	1,324		2,663,888	2.74	Nikon D1
2,048	1,536		3,145,728	3	Canon PowerShot A75
2,272	1,704		3,871,488	4
2,464	1,648		4,060,672	4.1	Canon 1D
2,560	1,920		4,915,200	5	Olympus E-1
2,816	2,112		5,947,392	6
3,008	2,000		6,016,000	6	Nikon D40, D50, D70, D70s
3,072	2,048		6,291,456	6.3	Canon 300D, Canon 10D
3,072	2,304		7,077,888	7	Olympus FE-210
3,456	2,304		7,962,624	8	Canon 350D
3,264	2,448		7,990,272	8	Olympus E-500,Olympus SP-350
3,504	2,336		8,185,344	8.2	Canon 30D, Canon 1D II, Canon 1D II N
3,520	2,344		8,250,880	8.25	Canon 20D
3,648	2,736		9,980,928	10	Olympus E-410, Olympus E-510, Panasonic FZ50
3,872	2,592		10,036,224	10	Nikon D200, Nikon D80, Sony Alpha A100
3,888	2,592		10,077,696	10.1	Canon 400D, Canon 40D
4,064	2,704		10,989,056	11	Canon 1Ds
4,256	2,832		12,052,992	12.1	Nikon D3
4,288	2,848		12,212,224	12.2	Nikon D2Xs/D2X,Nikon D300
4,368	2,912		12,719,616	12.8	Canon 5D
4,608	3,072		14,155,776	14.2	Sigma SD14
4,992	3,328		16,613,376	16.6	Canon 1Ds II
5,616	3,744		21,026,304	21.1	Canon 1Ds III
7,212	5,142		39,031,344	39.0	Hasselblad H3D-39

 

 

 

What To Look For When Buying A Digital Camera by Lane Smith

So, you're out shopping for the holidays and you've decided to buy a digital camera for a good friend. There are literally hundreds of different models and types of cameras to choose from. Should you trust the salesman? He's only there to help urge you to buy one. You need to know what you want before going to a store. Don't get discouraged, just read on. First, you'll need to decide on what type of camera to buy. What types of things will the person you're buying it for use the camera for?

The most basic type of camera is called a point-and-shoot. These are the typical type of compact camera with built in lens and flash most people have. They're great because they're extremely portable, but if you don't know what to look for, they might not always produce the best results. Buy a point-and-shoot for someone who just wants to take pictures for fun.

Next up on the list are SLRs (which stands for single lens reflex). These cameras feature interchangeable lenses, the ability to add an external flash, some even support wireless connectivity to your computer. These are typically used by professionals, but in recent years, the cost of a decent SLR has dropped drastically and more people are starting to use them. SLRs typically produce very good photographs, but the learning curve can be quite steep, so they aren't for everyone.

Back to point-and-shoots (because this is what the majority of you are probably going to buy), the main determining quality is their sensor. Even cellphones with built-in cameras that have plastic lenses are able to produce some pretty decent results in bright sunlight, but they will almost never work well in any low light condition. This is because they have a very small sensor and sensors work by letting in light. The bigger the sensor, the better the image quality, which is most noticeable in night photography. Camera companies very rarely list the size of their sensor, so the best and easier thing to do is simply to look for a point-and-shoot that works well in low light, and it will no doubt shine in every other aspect.

Megapixels are actually very irrelevant nowadays. Most salesmen will lure into buying a camer me size, those prints are going to turn out grainy. As long as you don't need to print anything larger than an 8x10, look for a camera in the 3-6 megapixel range. Anything more or less and you'll be disappointed.

But what about camera features? That's right, many of you want the red eye reduction, facial recognition, auto exposure, and color correction tools built right into your camera. There are actually very few cameras that offer both good image quality and a good feature set. Really, it all comes down to letting the camera do the work for you. You can either learn to use a slightly more complicated camera for better results or let the camera do everyone on its own for somewhat less spectacular results.

About the Author

Lane Smith, Digital Camera

Art Prints By Kent Pinkerton

Art prints are reproductions of an original work of art like paintings made by a photomechanical process. Art prints capture the rich and vibrant colors of original artwork. Unlike posters, art prints are made using special heavier print stock that is mainly intended for prints.

Compared to posters, art prints are highly durable. A high-quality art print can last for several years. Even though they are longer lasting than posters, they should be treated with special care to prevent fading and discoloration. Certain art prints can be washed with glass cleaner.

Most people think of art prints when they have to decorate a room or a new space. Art prints play a vital role in decorating your rooms. Selecting art prints is very important as they can change the look and feel of a room. Using a carefully selected art print, one can achieve the illusion of lengthening, broadening or heightening the room.

A well-chosen art print reflects the taste and style of the family that occupies the house. Art prints made in different art styles such as Asian, American masters, art deco, expressionism, folk art, gothic art, modern renaissance art, and vintage are perfect to complement one’s room decor. In addition to decorating rooms, art prints are a good gifting option. For instance, bird art prints are ideal gifts for nature lovers.

In the early days before the internet became a marketplace, art prints were available only through galleries or museum shops. Today, art prints can be shopped online at a reasonable price. Art prints available online are categorized by artists, subject, colors, and art styles. Gift certificates for art prints are also available.

Most of the websites offer a wide range of online catalog of art prints of famous artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne, Leroy Neiman, Rene Magritte, and Jack Vettriano. Art prints based on different subjects like American life, animals, architecture, fantasy, humor, landscape, spirituality and religion, music, and world culture are available as well.

Art Prints provides detailed information on Art Prints, Fine Art Prints, Framed Art Prints, Original Fine Art Prints and more. Art Prints is affiliated with Fine Art Galleries.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Pinkerton