Curious as to whether you should host your own blog, or choose a free blog provider like BlogSpot? This is a question more and more people are asking themselves after witnessing just how far their blog has come.

Although there are advantages and disadvantages to both, having your own web hosting server is always better at the end of the day. Here are to simple (and extremely valid) reasons why you should avoid using a free blog provider:

Reason #1: Limited Resources

Posting content through a remotely hosted blog requires that you relinquish a tremendous amount of control over how messages look and work. This is mainly because a remotely hosted blog by design is built to accommodate hundreds of thousands of bloggers.

For such a big volume of activity, it can only afford to offer the very least. A blog that offers an extensive amount of features to a large number of people consumes much more resources than what its own servers can provide — ultimately running the risk of major crashes.

Even something as simple as a low-graphic poll can consume an insurmountable amount of bandwidth if over 100,000 bloggers decide to offer one to their visitors. A popular blog already consumes more bandwidth than you can imagine.

Resources simply aren’t an issue with a self-hosted WordPress blog these days. With your blog web hosting, you can deck out your blog with as many plugins and widgets as your heart desires without having to fear server crashes or time outs.

In fact, you shouldn’t consume any more bandwidth with your own hosted blog than you would consume with your own hosted website.

Reason #2: Limited Monetizing Opportunities

We couldn’t count the number of people who want to monetize their blogs if we wanted to. The simple fact is that everyone and his “mom” wants to monetize their blog but the ugly reality is that many (free) remotely hosted blogs don’t allow it.

If you host a blog at WordPress.com for example, you’re prohibited from using any form of direct advertising like Google AdSense or affiliate links. (more…)

Polarising Filters: Why You Should Have One (And Know How To Use It).

In nature photography, filters are a must for some photographers and an absolute no-no for others. Some photographers insist that everything must be captured exactly as it was in nature, while others love the effects and enhancements they can get from a variety of filters.

I fall somewhere between the two camps. I always try to capture my subject in natural light without artificial effects…but sometimes conditions prevent me getting the shot I need without a little help. That’s why I have exactly one filter in my camera: a polarising filter.

A polariser is not much different to polarised sunglasses. It does not colour the photo, but it reduces glare and reflection. As a result, natural colours can appear stronger and more vibrant in your photos. The most obvious place this can be seen is in the sky, where a hazy sky can become a rich, saturated blue.

The difference between using the polariser and a blue filter, is that the polariser uses the natural colour of the sky, while the coloured filter adds artificial colour. A blue filter, for example would also turn white clouds a shade of blue, whereas the polariser leaves the clouds clear and white.

The polarising filter also increases the contrast between the sky and the clouds, making the cloud formation stand out more clearly against the background. An attractive cloud formation can be enriched to become a feature of real impact in your photo.

Polarising filters can be rotated on the lens to adjust the level of polarisation. It is important to practice with your polariser to get the most natural effects.

A polarising filter in the hands of an inexperienced photographer can be a frightening thing. You see, at maximum polarisation, the filter can produce some fairly extreme effects. The contrast in the sky can be so strong that some areas will become navy blue, even black. The saturation of other colours in the photo can also be exaggerated beyond recognition. These effects certainly add power and impact to a photo, but they can go far beyond any sense of the natural.

The trick with a polarising filter is to find a level that reduces the glare and provides a nice saturation of colour, while maintaining a natural appearance. This is a simple matter of rotating the filter on the camera until you find the right level, and with experience you will get the hang of it. (more…)