Travel Italy – Highlights of Italian Art and Architecture

Every year millions of visitors trek through Italy in search of ancient culture, great food, art, architecture, and more. The allure is immediate even to those who have never been.There is more art and architecture to see in Italy than one person could possibly
experience in a lifetime. Rome, Florence, and Venice alone offer an unending array
of design excursions. Highlighted here are some of the must see designs of both
ancient and modern Italy. Talk a trip, bring a sketch book, and see the gorgeous art
and design that is synonymous with Italian life.The Coliseum – An architectural marvel, the coliseum was built beginning
in 72 A.M. Originally used as a source of entertainment (usually forced barbaric
combat) the Coliseum is still an amazing site. Strangely, although it could be
considered a source of embarrassment of the past, it has been come to known as
one of the ultimate icons of ancient Roman greatness. Location: the Piazza del
Colosseo, Via dei Fori Imperiali, RomeVatican City – This tiny country is perhaps one of the most remarkable
aspects of Rome. Vatican City is the heart of Catholicism, both spiritually and
politically. St. Peter himself was crucified on this spot, and St. Peter’s basilica was
built directly above the ancient hill. Both the Basilica and St. Peter’s square are still
studied today in architecture and art history classes. You can wander the Vatican
Museums for days, including a visit to the Sistine Chapel, to see some of the true
masterpieces of Roman art. Location: Entry through Saint Peter’s Square, RomeIl Duomo (The Cathedral of Santa Maria Dei Fiori) – Il Duomo is considered
by many to be the grandest achievement in Renaissance architecture. The octagonal
dome, originally designed by Brunelleschi was the largest in the world when built.
Since then, Il Duomo , which took nearly six centuries to complete, has become
Florence’s symbol. Climb the 414 steps of the bell tower, and Renaissance Florence
will be laid before you. Location: Piazza del Duomo, Florence.Piazza San Marco – Piazza San Marco is still studied today by architects
and urban planners as one of the most beautiful and successful public squares. The
square is surrounded by cafes, shops, and of course the Campanile and St. Peter’s
Basilica. Visitors and locals alike sip espresso in its cafes, meet to talk, and climb
the Campanile to see an amazing view of Venice. Location: Piazza San Marco, with
the Basilica at the wider end, Venice.The Peggy Guggenheim Collection – In a city world renown for its
ancient art and architecture, the Guggenheim Collection houses one of the greatest
collections of modern art. her collection includes works by Pollack, Picasso, Klee,
Rothko, Chagall, Mondrian, and more. There is also a gorgeous sculpture garden
housing even more works. Location: Calle Venice dei Leoni, Dorsoduro, Venice.The Brion Vega Cemetery – The Brion Vega is considered one of Carlo
Scarpa’s masterpieces. Scarpa was and still is often considered the premier modern
Italian architect. The memorial is a great concrete and landscaped form if rectilinear,
stepping, and sculptural concrete elements. It is an amazing pilgrimage for the
architecture buff. Location: San Vito d’Altivole.You can wander Italy for ages and never take in all of the art and architecture. Still,
the sites listed above are some of the must sees for lovers of art, architecture, and
travel. Open your eyes and see the Italian design that has been around for centuries,
and that which continues to flourish today.

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What Subjects Do I Need to Study to Become a Palaeontologist?

Parents and Guardians Enquire About PalaeontologyMany children have a fascination for fossils and extinct creatures. Some children, girls as well as boys, become obsessive about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. They love finding out facts about these creatures and learning all about them, as a result, they begin to show an interest in studying science subjects at school. Many parents and guardians are keen to encourage this interest and our teaching team are often asked what school subjects students should take in order for them to pursue a career in palaeontology?A Wide-Ranging Scientific SubjectPalaeontology or as Americans would say “paleontology”, is the study of ancient life. This term covers a very wide range of disciplines and areas of academic interest and there are a huge number of career paths the students can follow. Palaeontology itself is a bit of an “umbrella term”, it covers a number of related areas of research such as palaeoanthropology, the study of human evolution, palaeobotany, the study of plants and such like. Then there are areas such as palaeoenvironmental studies (research into past environments), not to mention related disciplines such as geology and genetics. A number of universities offer degree and post-graduate courses in aspects of palaeontology, but what advice is there for parents wanting to encourage their ten-year-old daughter or their thirteen year-old son when it comes to choosing study options that might help them with a future job studying dinosaurs and other fossilised remains?Education By a Simple PrincipleThe first thing we always say is to consider the enormous range of skills required to help display fossils in a museum. Parents and guardians can easily relate to this as they would have visited such institutions with their families. There are of course, the vertebrate and invertebrate palaeontologists, but these individuals are supported by research assistants, skilled preparators, curators and other staff to help excavate, prepare, clean and ultimately display the fossil finds in an informative way.In addition, there are all the staff required to run a successful museum. The administration team, fund-raisers, management staff as well as marketing, public relations and human resources specialists.By explaining this, parents and guardians can begin to see that there are a whole range of career options available for those people who want to develop a youthful interest into the basis for a long-term, rewarding career.The Skill Set Required for PalaeontologyIf pressed further, the next question asked by eager mums and dads is which subjects should their child study in school if they want to become a palaeontologist? The first point to make, is that an academic background is not necessarily needed to become a scientist, many amateur fossil collectors with little formal training have made very important contributions and discoveries in this branch of the sciences. However, to become a career palaeontologist there are some essential requirements when one considers full-time, formal education. A grasp of mathematics is very important and if you are going to become a scientist, then being able to study science subjects in school is absolutely vital. However, a broad, well-rounded education is also helpful.Surprising Qualities RequiredWhilst recommending an emphasis on the sciences, it is also useful to point out that other qualities are important too. For example, many palaeontologist work closely with computer programmers and modelers to help understand how long extinct creatures once moved and behaved. A colleague of ours works closely with a photographer to help map fossil locations in the field and to then record and catalogue individual fossil bones. A surveyor more practiced in handling a theodolite might be surprised at how closely a fossil excavation resembles a construction site, especially in the early stages of mapping and recording the extent of the excavation area.A Role for the Arts?As well as emphasising the importance of studying science and mathematics, we take care to recognise the important roles that others who may lack a scientific background can play when it comes to studying fossils and dinosaurs in particular. Mary Anning, the pioneering fossil collector and one of the founders of the modern science of palaeontology had no formal training, but she taught herself to record her observations systematically. In addition, she also illustrated her fossil discoveries, producing finely-detailed pencil drawings of fossils, viewed from several angles. In this age of the digital camera, being able to draw with care may not be quite so important but scientists advise if you really want to get to know a fossil, sketching it can be a great way to really observe it and to understand its nuances and anatomical characteristics. Again, if you consider the dinosaur fossil displays in museums, these exhibits are very often supported with skillfully created backgrounds and information boards. There is most certainly a role for artists and designers when it comes to palaeontology.Making Dinosaur ModelsMany museums attempt to give their visitors and idea of what the prehistoric animal might have looked like when it was alive. This desire to recreate extinct creatures has led to the development of an entire industry specialising in making replicas of museum specimens, some of these creatures are even animatronic and move.Concluding ThoughtsThe best advice is to study what you genuinely enjoy. If your child loves drawing dinosaurs, then this is fine, it might not lead to a career, but the child will grow up with an understanding of scale, perspective, colouration and with excellent observation skills. If your son or daughter likes reading about dinosaurs, then this is fine too. They may not become palaeontologists but they will develop a quest for knowledge and a love of books. Perhaps the greatest gifts teachers can bestow upon their students is to provide them with an environment where their own particular talents can be nurtured and to help them grow up whilst retaining an enquiring, inquisitive mind.

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Starting a Photography Business: The Principles

A passionate zeal for photography can capture the imagination of people worldwide. It depends entirely on you what kind of pursuit you have attached to your fervor for photography. One of the best platforms to showcase your photography skills can also be started from the comfort of your home. In order to earn a substantial amount of income from photography, I’ll wager that it would be hard to beat opening one from home – at least to start with anyway! This way you have a better chance of survival as you build your wealth alongside your business.If you are thorough with your plan to establish a photography business from home, you must be thorough in your research towards not only the kind of equipment you would need but also the most important and critical element of setting up a sound business foundation, your marketing skills. This will govern how well you are able to promote your business.All pros and cons of setting up a photographic business must be pondered carefully. In any case, here are some of the guidelines that may prove helpful to you in establishing a successful photography business from home.Make a blueprint of your photography business.Guideline 1: Blueprint is a plan or proposal about a business that you are intending to set up. In the case where the business is being started up from home, there should be an approximate estimation of all the required elements. Finance is another important part because it’s too easy to fall flat on your face if you haven’t considered the essentials for the journey. Plan a period of time which shows no income at all – say three months to start with. Renovating that portion of your home from where you mean to carry out your business, estimate on the number of people to be employed and their basic salary (if any). Another important thing that needs to be kept in mind while doing business from home is the kind of photography business you intend to start, such as portrait photography, underwater photography, pet photography, sports photography and wedding photography, etc.Guideline 2: The marketing process is as important as all the other things. Marketing included two primary levels. One, when you have setup a new business and want to promote it and the other is the marketing being done to further profit your business in the established circles of existing business. Advertising is one of the best ways to promote your business from home. Especially when you’re starting out.Equipments requiredGuideline 3: You must have the right kind of camera and other studio and lighting apparatus. Don’t adopt laxity in the photography business you are opening from home because you must have a competitive professional environment as is found in other commercial photography businesses. Light, shadow, contrast and appropriate camera angles all require equipment so do your homework on relevant costs.Advantages of possessing Digital Camera & Photo-Editing softwareGuideline 4: The advantages of digital cameras are enormous. Firstly, you don’t need to set up a separate photo lab for processing a camera reel and photographs. Secondly, a less amount of time is required for the maintenance of a digital camera. Thirdly, photographs taken from a digital camera can be used as the actual printed photo or can also be fed into the computers for transferring them free of cost via electronic mail (e-mail).Guideline 5: New technology has eliminated the extra cost incurred in processing and treating the photographs. Photo-Editing software is extremely useful in treating various anomalies that often develop such as red-eye, show problem, extra shine, etc. These software applications treat photographs as originals and are also useful in adding extra special effects.Developing a website as a part of your marketing strategy.Guideline 6: Constructing or developing your own website is the next step for a photography business because websites can help promote your business much quicker than working without one. Websites can also be easily managed even if you are operating from your home. For this purpose, you need to take the help of an accomplished website designer. An ideal Website must include all your best photographs, have a vibrant, impressive appearance and contact details.

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