It’s amazing how far digital photography has come in the last decade! When the technology first came out many photographers were very skeptical and they believed that it was going to destroy the world of photography forever and they were scared that everyone was going to be able to become a photographer and remove any kind of professionalism associated with this art form. We all know this isn’t the case and in fact digital photography has done more for the world of photography than anything else in history.What we’ve come to realize is that digital photography and print photography have been split into two different categories and that neither of the two are better than each other. Going back to that belief that many photographers had about digital photography ruining any form of professionalism, this is of course not the case. There are many professional digital photographers who do amazing work and use this piece of technology to its fullest extent.So How Do I Get Involved In Digital Photography?Well it’s so simple, all you have to do is go out and buy a digital camera and start shooting! No but seriously though, there are some things you have to know first but they are pretty basic. First of all you are going to need to get a camera with a decent lens. Fortunately most professional cameras come digitally nowadays so you shouldn’t have any problem finding one. The benefit of having a camera with a great lens is that you will have the ability to focus on different things in your shots. This is the real art of photography, being able to show something that stands out and has meaning. That meaning you will of course have to find and explain yourself through your pictures.Benefits of Digital PhotographyThere are many benefits of digital photography but perhaps the most obvious is that you will have the ability to see what you have taken and choose whether or not it is worth keeping or discarding. The second benefit is that you can also upload your pictures onto your computer so you can edit and change them around. There are lots of different pieces of photo editing software out there that allow you to do amazing things.If you are just deciding to start digital photography now, then you have started at the right time as we will only start to see more and more advancements in this form of technology in the future which of course we will have the privilege of first trying and testing. Good luck!
What Should a Reference Page Look Like?
There are multiple documents involved in the job-search process: your résumé, your cover letter and your follow-up or thank-you letter. If you haven’t done so already, consider adding one more item to your application package: a reference page. Since prospective employers almost always ask for references, it’s smart to have a list immediately available for them to look over.Employers use a number of strategies to get to know job candidates and make a determination about the candidate’s suitability for employment. Contacting references is a key part of the process. However, listing references on your résumé is a bad idea. It’s better to use every inch of your résumé to showcase your skills and education; putting references down could appear as filler. The best way to share your references is by showcasing them on their own page.A reference page is much simpler to write than a résumé or cover letter, but don’t overlook its importance. This step requires nearly as much thought and analysis. You must use care, thoughtfulness and communicate openly with the people you’ve chosen as your references. More than one person has lost out on a position for failing to properly vet references. While you don’t want to be portrayed as a saint without imperfections, you want to make sure your references share your goal of helping you find new employment, and keep that in mind when speaking to potential employers.The accepted standard is three professional references, such as supervisors and co-workers, and three personal references. Personal references, which allow prospective employers to see another side of you, can be people you know from volunteer activities, church, or school. Avoid choosing personal references that are too personal, like spouses and parents.Once you’ve contacted your references, obtained their approval, and collected their information, you need to create your reference page. Don’t simply type out the information; remember you’re creating a package of documents to represent you to your employer. The same level of care you put into your résumé and cover letter should go into your reference sheet. As a résumé writer, I give the reference page the same heading as the résumé, and use the same font. I use bold text and italicized text sparingly, to emphasize job titles or places of employment, and follow the same format for each reference:NameTitleOrganizationAddressE-mailPhone/FaxAs with your other job-search documents, you want to make sure you proofread, focusing on the contact information for each reference. A misused letter or number could result in missed communication, causing embarrassment for you along with a possibly missed opportunity.Try to view the reference page as one more item to represent you to employers, and give it the same care and attention you give the rest of your application package.