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Snap Shots: WYSIWYG
- the key to good photography?
by Harry Flashman
I am a great believer in WYSIWYG (“wizziwig”). What
You See Is What You Get! Unlike looking for a lady, full of disappointment
when the make-up (or the alcohol) wears off, WYSIWYG works with picture
taking. It just needs one thing - you have to train your eye to look
critically through the viewfinder.
 We
all tend to ‘imagine’ what is in front of us, rather than ‘seeing’
what is really there. I remember my art teacher father showing me drawings
of houses done by young children. Inevitably, there would be more than two
walls. Children know that houses have more than two walls, so draw houses
accordingly. However, when you look at any house, from any angle, you can
only see a maximum of two walls at one time. Small children do not use
WYSIWYG.
Unfortunately, neither do we. Especially photographers.
Hands up all readers who have received prints back from the
photo-processors and been disappointed? All of you, if you are telling the
truth - and that includes me!
What was wrong with those photos? Were there trees
growing out of people’s heads, giving them strange reindeer
‘antlers’? Did some have such harsh shadows across the person’s face
that you could not see the eyes, and in fact, the face looked grotesque?
Did some have the person so small in the picture that you cannot tell who
they are? Shall I continue, or since you have probably ticked the box for
“all of the above”, let’s not prolong the agony, but get down to
what we have to do to fix the problem.
The answer is very simply WYSIWYG, but you have to
train yourself to ‘really’ see. We all know what we want to see in
this once in a lifetime photo, but ignore the fact that what we are seeing
in the viewfinder is not actually what we want. It’s the child and the
house with three sides again.
You have to train yourself to look critically at what
is in the viewfinder before going ‘click’. This is actually harder
than it seems. You have to scan the small viewfinder to see if there are
trees growing out of people’s heads. You have to squint at the faces and
see if shadows are ugly. You have to be prepared to put the camera down
and recompose the shot before clicking that shutter, remembering at all
times that what the camera ‘sees’ is not necessarily what you might be
seeing with the naked eye.
That may sound a little weird, but it isn’t really.
What the camera sees depends upon the lens you are using. The
“standard” (50-55 mm) lens gives a field of view coverage
approximately the same as the human eye, but the “wide angle” lenses
(24 mm and 28 mm, are the common ones) give a distorted viewpoint compared
to that seen by you. Likewise, the “long” lenses give a very narrow
viewpoint compared to what you see with your own eyes.
This is probably one of the best arguments for the use
of SLR cameras, because when you look through the viewfinder, you are
actually looking through the lens that is screwed on the front of the
camera. The compact cameras where you are not looking through the
camera’s lens have a compensation for this, but it is a poor substitute.
Who remembers which set of lines you are supposed to use as the edge of
the shot when you are taking it? Nobody.
99 percent of serious photographers use SLR’s, and the main reason is
WYSIWYG. Which brings me to the next important item. The Preview Button.
Do you use it? Do you actually know where it is and how to use it? This is
‘real’ WYSIWYG. Did you realize that when you look through the
viewfinder, you are looking through the lens with the aperture wide open?
But your shot may be recorded at f16. The preview button allows you to see
at f16 exactly what will be on the final print. Use it! What you see is
really going to be what you get!
Modern Medicine: We’ll just run a few tests...
by Dr. Iain Corness, Consultant
One of the common questions that doctors get
asked, after any patient has had a blood test, is “What was my blood group?”
or even, “How was my AIDS test?” It may come as a surprise, but neither
blood groups or HIV testing are ‘routine’ examinations.
The tests we order are designed to assist the treating doctor
work out the “Definitive” diagnosis from the initial or “provisional”
diagnosis. Unhappily for the doctor and the patient, this can sometimes be a
complex and expensive detective story.
Take someone who presents with unexplained bleeding.
Haemophilia? Sure, it might be - Factor VIII, Factor XI, Factor XII or even
Factor XIII. Unfortunately the cause might also be from metastatic carcinoma,
drug ingestion, poisons, kidney failure, systemic lupus erythematosis, von
Willebrand’s disease or even something called the Bernard Soulier Syndrome,
about which I could write all I know on the back of a matchbox and still leave
room for the national anthem (long version).
Tests are ‘tailored’ to identify, or exclude, the
diseases that the doctor feels are ‘possibles’ after the initial clinical
impression. If the ‘most likely’ causes turn up negative in the initial
batch of tests, then the doctor has to rack his or her brains a little more and
start going into the ‘less likely’ ailments and testing for those. This is
why you may need more than one round of tests to come up with the definitive
diagnosis. And then after that you will need repeats of the tests to see if you
are in fact getting better.
Another poorly understood concept is that of the “Normal
Range”. Just how or where do we get this “Normal Range”? Actually it is
relatively simple. We examine the blood of 1000 people, take off the bottom 25
low results and the top 25 high results, and we keep the 95 percent in the
middle. That now gives you the Normal range, but this does not mean that it is
the “healthy” range!
Take Cholesterol as an example. If you live in a Western
community that has a diet high in Cholesterol, the majority (the 95 percent in
the middle) will have higher levels than a similar community living in the East
that has a diet low in saturated fats. So the “normal range” can be
different between communities (and even between laboratories). So what may be
considered within the guidelines for one group, may be outside the 95 percentile
limits for another. So if you just “scraped in” under the top level for the
Normal range, I wouldn’t bee too complacent about it!
However, blood testing has even more traps for young players.
If the tourniquet is left on too long while taking the blood, the Cholesterol
can be falsely raised by up to 20 percent! If the sample is too small, the
Potassium will appear to be elevated when it is not. Samples kept too long in
the fridge can also be inaccurate as far as blood sugar is concerned. Some
medications, including the (so-called) health store ‘natural’ medications
can also affect the tests, giving false positive or negative readings too.
No, interpretation of tests is a veritable minefield out there - that’s why
we have specialist Pathologists to lead us through that minefield! Now getting
back to your blood group - if you want to know you will have to ask the doctor
to add it in - or even better, go and donate blood and they will tell you what
you are.
 Heart to Heart with Hillary
Dear Hillary,
If the bars are to close at midnight it means that my eardrums will not have to
suffer the onslaught of unmitigated noise masquerading as music, it means that
I will have every opportunity to go home to bed in a somewhat sober state, it
means that if I feel lonely after midnight I won’t have to pay bar fines, it
means that I will be able to wake up in the mornings feeling fresh and alive.
Yikes! The thought of waking up in the mornings rather than late afternoons,
the thought of having good eardrums capable of hearing my landlord bashing on
my door for his rent money, the thought of becoming sober and actually feeling
my hangover, the thought of attracting a pretty girl and falling in love is
enough ruin my very existence. Is there something in between these extremes
that could be regarded as appealing?
Mighty Mouse
Dear Mighty Mouse,
Still traipsing around the bars I see. Still getting drunk. Unable to get up
till the afternoons. Oh Mighty Mouse, what are you doing to yourself? You used
to be such an upstanding member of your community. Perhaps the people you
associate with have pulled you down to these depths, Petal. I hope not. But
help is at hand from Hillary. There are many alternatives, Mighty Mouse. For
example, you can stay at home and watch old detective movies on the late night
cable TV. They should appeal to you. Leonard Teale was such a nice detective,
remember him? Or even Blue Heelers. You don’t have to be lonely either, as I
believe the Ministry of the Interior will be manning an after midnight hot line
(perhaps that will be a ‘warm’ line, on reflection), for lonely people such
as yourself, with no particular place to go, as Chuck Berry once sang (before
midnight naturally). Of course you will have to be older than 35 years of age
to be out at night after midnight, even if it is just walking home by yourself,
but I’m sure you knew that already. Mighty Mouse, think of the money you will
be saving. Think about what you can do with that money too - but make up your
mind before 12 midnight, that’s a good Mouse!
Dear Hillary,
I sent you an email Sunday night regarding an imposter using my name in your
column. In reviewing the message I found a few typos that I would like to
correct on the off-chance it finds it way into print. They are as follows;
1.) first letter in Pseudonym should be lower case.
2.) In aiming for the “i” in “tertiary” I missed and hit the “u”
instead.
3.) In typing the word “transgression” I came up one “s” short.
4.) Eliminate unnecessary comma after “name” in the phrase “ and the use
of my name in what appears to be”.
Sorry to bother you with such trifles, but my secretary, who normally edits my
correspondence is away to our corporate offices in Bermuda for a seminar on
creative accounting. It seems as I approach middle age I am more prone to such
errors ... and the martinis don’t help. Thank you,
Tully
Dear Tully,
Too late, my Petal, too late! Yours was such a heart rending tale that I
published the letter immediately, sending it to the printers that afternoon. I
did comment on your less than excellent punctuation, syntax and spelling I’m
afraid, but never mind, I am printing your corrections now. Actually, a man of
your experience, breeding and education should really edit his own mail, not
your secretary, no matter how many fingers she uses while doing the accounting.
After all, it is your image that is being tarnished, not hers. “Brasso”
helps they tell me.
Dear Hillary,
How long does it take these people to get drunk? Since everyone is complaining
that 6 p.m. until midnight is not enough time for the bars to be open, I have
to wonder. It certainly doesn’t take me six hours to get off my face, so what
is the secret that the people who are complaining about the new closing times
have? At one beer every ten minutes, that is 36 beers. I don’t know about you
Hillary, but they’d be carrying me out feet first long before that. Even if I
slow down and only have one every 15 minutes, that’s 24 beers. It’s feet
first again. If these people want to drink after midnight (I don’t know how)
then let them take their beers home.
Not a Wowser
Dear Not a Wowser,
Right from the beginning, I have to think you are either pulling my leg, or
just simply telling lies. I have yet to meet a man who will admit that he
cannot drink all night! What a wimp you are, Not a Wowser. Can’t drink 36
beers in one sitting? Every other man I have spoken too is hung like an
elephant and can drink two barrels of Guinness every night for a week. Are you
telling me that this well known fact may actually be fiction? Hillary is
astounded! I think I’ll have to lie down and have small drink and a choccy to
recover.
A Slice of Thai History: Front Palace Crisis of 1874-1875
Part Two: Resolution
by Duncan steam
At the beginning of January 1875,
Prince Wichaichan sought asylum with the British Consulate, claiming he
and his family and supporters feared for their lives. Thailand looked to
be hovering on the brink of civil war.
On 5 January, King Chulalongkorn sent a note to the
Uparat: “The present events are great and unprecedented and I am much
grieved, why should Your Royal Highness have gone to stay with the British
Consul? ... I had no intention to kill Your Royal Highness... I am not
angry with Your Royal Highness, but Your Royal Highness is angry with me
and I am very sorry it should be so. By such events as these the
reputation of this reign is imperiled for both of us. What further do you
propose with a view to a reconciliation ... If you have any proposal to
make for good order and the end of doubt and restoration of happiness,
write to me and tell me.”
Thomas Knox was on holiday in Europe when the crisis
erupted. In a memorandum to the British Foreign Office dated 16 January
1875 he wrote that Chulalongkorn was surrounded by what he termed “...a
very bad set and he himself [Chulalongkorn] a mere puppet in their
hands.”
The various foreign legations in Bangkok had requested
naval support and within a week, there were three warships, one each from
France, Britain, and the United States lying in the Bangkok roadstead.
According to one diplomat, “... The presence of these vessels, and the
fact that the 2d King was in Asylum at the British Consulate, assured
peace, and confidence was partially restored, but business languished: in
fact, while negotiations have been going on, trade has been flat.”
In mid-February, Sir Andrew Clarke, the governor of
Singapore, arrived with two British warships while the following day,
Admiral Ryder, the commander of British Naval Forces in the East Indies,
arrived from Hong Kong. The British pair, with the added help of the
American envoy in Bangkok, set about mediating the dispute between King
Chulalongkorn and Prince Wichaichan and after spending more than a month
ensconced in the British legation, Uparat returned safely to his palace.
Chulalongkorn managed to cling on to power, but
realised his campaign of radical reforms would have to be put on hold
until such time as he could gain control of the various arms of his
government. Knox believed “the whole affair was an intrigue on the part
of the King to make himself despotic...”
The U.S. envoy was of the opinion that, “The troubles
were undoubtedly fomented in the first instance, by the Acting British
Consul-General here, with a view to increase English influence...”
Whatever the truth of the incident, Chulalongkorn remained politically
vulnerable and had to wait until 1888 before all the key positions within
the government had been filled by his personal appointees. It was only
then that he was able to re-embark on the series of reforms stifled in
1875. One of these was to eliminate the position of Uparat (who had died
in 1884), thereby removing the potential for future conflict within the
ruling Chakri dynasty. The dissolution of the office was dramatised by the
simultaneous carving up of the Front Palace. A section was given over to
the army, another substantial area became the site of the National Museum
and a smaller portion was set aside to house the daughters of the last two
Uparat’s. Their sons were excluded, perhaps to forestall any suggestion
of an hereditary right to the now defunct office.
Personal Directions: Destination Success
Your pathway to a brighter, new future
by Christina Dodd
For those of you who have been reading my column for some
time, or who have only seen it a few times, you will realize that perhaps
the underlying theme to the whole fabric of life – as I see it – is the
individual and the importance of “self”. I have in the past expressed my
total and absolute belief in the power of each individual human being, and
would like to take the opportunity today, through my column, to invite those
of you who are like-minded, to consider the following program – Destination
Success - which I shall be running very shortly.
In this program, as in any program I run, there are three
things, however, that I ask of the audience:
First-up: to have an open mind and if possible to
empty it of the way they usually think about things and people for just a
little while. It doesn’t mean that their way of thinking is wrong, but
with this kind of program it is so necessary to be free of pre-conceived
ideas and to be completely receptive to new ideas. It is a small sacrifice
to make if you are looking for results and answers.
Secondly: remember, when you embark on any new
venture (and this program is probably that), a lot of the time the
“output” will depend on the “input”. Simple mathematics. But it is
something we need to be reminded of because for most of our lives we expect
that everything will be done for us and that the end result is related to
what others do for us! The results of this program depend just as much on
your participation as mine, so I normally request that those attending such
programs participate at the highest possible level and this means with a
genuine enthusiasm.
And thirdly: have fun and enjoy yourself – you do
deserve it!
If you think you can handle these three requests, then we
look forward to seeing you at the program.
These two days are “time out” for every one
concerned. How often in life do we have this time to ourselves? Very rarely
indeed and as I walk around the streets and as I visit offices and as I just
live my life every day I can see so many people reaching out for some private
time when they can really think about themselves and their life. This is
not the same as the five minutes private time you spend in the shower every
morning either! You know it and I know it – this time out is very
essential for happiness and well-being!
Destination Success has been for many people an
introduction to a new way of living. Based on established principles of
human and personal achievement, this two-day program is a dynamic and
powerful form of training that gives the individual the opportunity to see
themselves - and their lives - in a way they have never been seen before.
For many who have attended this program, it has been
likened to a much-needed “wake-up call” that has finally allowed them to
put their lives back in focus – or into focus for the very first time! It
opens the mind to new thinking, new ideas, and taps into new energy,
creating at the same time, new friendships, new opportunities and new
results.
The program is a messenger of the spirit of Positive
Thought and the Power of the Individual. It is a driving force of
inspiration and motivation that spurs positive results. It is a form of
training that re-ignites the passion, the fire and desire within each
individual to “reach for the stars” and to achieve a certain level of
success and happiness in their lives - that make life totally worthwhile.
Through various activities and techniques that promote
optimum interaction and participation, the individual is taken on a journey
of self-discovery in order to find out who they really are; know what they
really want in life; and what they should do, from now on, in order to
realize their dreams.
Destination Success helps the individual become aware
of themselves and their self-image. It helps them to build upon their
self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth. It helps them to understand
their inner beauty, their strengths and capabilities and how to bring them
out and maximize their potential! It explores human behavior, conditioning
and attitudes and the importance of positive relationships in every aspect
of life. It examines personal values and ideals, dreams and goals. It
creates bonds of trust and friendship that promote co-operation and
communication … across all barriers.
This unique form of training has been an inspiration to
many people from all walks of life and from all business backgrounds in many
countries, to seek out greater opportunities for a much happier, more
meaningful and more successful life. It has equipped them with a greater
understanding of their own personal direction, a winning “I Can Do It”
spirit, and all the necessary tools required to build a brighter, new
future.
With this program you’ll
learn more about…
Success and Failure and Your Life Up Until Now
The Power Within You And How to Maximize Your Potential
Your Dreams and Your Goals
Making Positive Changes and Setting Your Personal Action
Plans
The Consequences of Behavior and Attitude
The Human Mind and Heart
The Importance of Positive Relationships
PMA - a Positive Mental Attitude - and the “I Can Do
It” Spirit!
Are you interested? Are you willing or wanting to take
“time out”? If you are then do something about it now and let me know
your thoughts by e-mail. The two-day program will most likely be held over a
week-end to accommodate those who have to work during the week and the venue
will be in Pattaya or the surrounding area. Usually participants don’t
stay at the hotel overnight unless we do this as a “retreat”. In this
case though, if you would like to join, you can attend the program during
the day at the hotel and go home afterwards.
Until next time, have a great week and I look forward to
providing you with more details such as dates, times venue and costs very,
very soon. My e-mail is Christina.dodd@asia trainingassociates.com if you
want to join Destination Success, or if you simply require any
information about our training services.
The Massage In The Moon: Sun in Sagittarius/Moon in Leo
A star is born
by
Anchalee Kaewmanee
Our Sag-Leo natives are not to be ignored. The Leo Moon
stabilizes the Sagittarius flightiness and inconsistency, but since both
signs are ruled by fire, these individuals are enthusiastic, ambitious. They
work hard to be popular because they feel they are cut out to be leaders and
set far-reaching goals for themselves. These people have plenty of
imagination and creative drive and even at an early age know that somehow,
they stand out in a crowd. Others naturally respond to their cheerful
disposition and friendly manner and respect their honest approach to life.
Open minded and uninhibited, this combination lacks many
of the hang-ups and insecurities that plague the rest of us. The Sag-Leo is
blessed with boundless energy and optimism. Aggression is usually channeled
into positive and constructive activities. All of these natives have a
child-like quality about them and although this means they can be na๏ve
at times, it also allows them freedom of expression without fear of
criticism. A sense of adventure keeps them on the move and their fascination
with people and places makes it hard for them to settle in one place for
very long.
Natives born into this Sun-Moon sign value their freedom
and independence. Discipline and perseverance are not beyond their
abilities, but are often abandoned because they demand certain abstinence
and restriction. A wise Sag-Leo would do well to find a lifestyle or career
that will fulfill their creative longings. If they plan wisely they can have
it all.
This is a harmonious combo, but there is a tendency to
take the easy way and depend too much on charm and wit to get by. The world
is full of carefree, pleasure-seeking drifters. I wonder how many of them
were born into this sign. Introspection is not a strong point here, and
often these individuals are so caught up in the moment of living they
don’t stop to look back and learn from their mistakes, or take time to
think about the future.
Of course not all Sag-Leos are homeless wanders and
dumpster divers. Most are serious and goal oriented. Proud and fearless,
they do have a hard time bending to the will of others, but most find the
means to develop their many talents and reach the top.
This combination can find success in almost any endeavor,
but do best in the creative or performing arts, public speaking, as
corporate employees whose work deals mainly with people, any job which
requires travel, and business ventures that demand imagination and
ingenuity.
These natives make super sales persons, actors, and do
well in all positions which put them in the public limelight. Craving
admiration and applause, they will perform most productively when they have
an audience. They make great actors, terrific lecturers, and canny
politicians. Let them take the stage or podium. Sit back and watch the show.
Humdrum, repetitive and physically restrictive jobs
should be avoided by the Sag-Leo. Depending on the circumstances, many will
stay locked into a job they hate for a short while. But sooner or later
their souls will whither. All the sparkle and shine of this winning
personality will dull and slowly wink out. Fortunately this feisty sign
won’t suffer being buried alive without a fight. Fierce pride and a
healthy sense of self-esteem usually save them from a life of drudgery.
This intense individuality and demand for freedom also
carries into their love life. These natives are often hard to pin down when
it comes to romance. Well matched with a mate who shares their appetite for
change and variety, they make good partners. Generous, passionate and
energetic, there is rarely a dull moment with a Sag-Leo lover. But I must
issue a warning to the slow of foot and dull of mind. If you’re a homebody
whose idea of bliss is home and hearth, forget this combo. Find a
domesticated Cancer or a regimented Virgo. A Sag-Leo would rather gnaw off
his own foot to escape that trap than settle into a life of predictable and
endless routine.
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