Introducing Coin Collection as a Hobby for Children

If you have a son and you want him to have a hobby that he could carry until he turns into an adult, collecting coins is a good option. Instead of giving him another toy to play with, give him a chance to experience what this type of hobby brings. You can introduce this hobby to him by giving him a nice set of 50 coins to start with. You can give it on special occasions like their birthdays or on Christmas Eve, so he will know that this present means a lot to you.

However, do not be shocked if ever he does not appear to be excited or burst out in tears of joy when he receives his gift. You can explain him the pleasure brought by coin collecting and tell him stories about these coins. Through this, he will become interested and would develop his passion for this hobby.

It does not matter what age or gender your child has, but it is better to introduce this kind of hobby to them early in their lives so that they can feel more successful they would feel about their collection when they grow up. If they begin the process of collecting at a young age, they will be able to collect different kinds of coins throughout their lives up until they reach adulthood.

Furthermore, this kind of hobby will teach them the importance of saving money. You can also teach them the virtue of being thrifty by training them to save money for themselves. In addition, coin collecting can also be a method to let your children learn about the history of your country and other countries as well. Older coins from your own country would serve as a memorabilia about the history of your country.

Moreover, letting a child learn about the stories and reasons behind a coin’s history would build their interest and let them know its importance in everyday life. It can also give you the opportunity to bond with your child and have a stronger relationship. You can do this by examining and elaborating the details present in the coin – the symbols, people, and places. Use a magnifying glass to enlarge the coin and let your child see the particulars of every coin.

However, before you do this, you must be prepared to answer questions that will likely be asked by your child. You can research about the coins included in your child’s collection through the Internet. It is a much cheaper method of gathering information rather than spending lots of money on books about this kind of hobby.

Finally, by the time that he had acquired the hobby, you must teach them the important things that come with this hobby such as the proper storage method, cleaning, scouting for discontinued coins, and collecting. This may turn out to be a life enhancing experience for your child so you must always support him.


LESSON IN LIFE:
"Teach your children something worthwhile; it will enhance their worth."

Types of Coin Collectors

According to a survey, close to ninety percent of the whole world’s population made coin collecting one of their hobbies at some point in their lives. Some of these people turned this hobby into a passion that gives them a certain kind of joy and accomplishment every time they add new pieces to their collection. The leisure pursuit known as coin collection has been a hobby throughout the course of human history. This kind of hobby, when taken seriously, would also take some of your time and effort.

The American Numismatic Association has organized a convention known as The World’s Fair of Money, which is one of the best places to learn and see the world’s best numismatists, most recent discoveries, rarities, and every aspect related to this particular hobby.

There are no particular rules or guidelines when it comes to this type of hobby. Some prefer collecting coins from their own country only. On the other hand, others like to collect different coins from around the world – old, new, commemorative, historical, or just the present currency in a particular country. Some people also like to add coins that have errors in it because they are considered as rare collectibles.

There are several types of coin collectors - the casual type, the passionate hobbyist type, the historical type, and the advanced coin collectors. The casual type of collector is the type that collects random coins regardless of the coin’s value and where it came from, while a passionate hobbyist collector goes beyond the casual type of collecting and makes a conscious effort to improve his collection.

Some even buy coins from dealers to add them up to their coin sets. The advanced coin collectors on the other hand are different from the two kinds of collectors earlier stated. These collectors have in them an impressive line of collections such as medals owned by an emperor from the Egypt that are several centuries old and very rare coins from earlier civilizations. Historical coin collectors are those who are more into error coins and historically relevant coins.

In conclusion, whatever type of coin collector you would be in the future, this hobby requires dedication, patience, dedication, effort, time, and at some point, money. You will feel a sense of fulfillment every time you add another piece in your collection. You may never know, it could also be an inspiring hobby for your friends or relatives to try this kind of hobby too.


LESSON IN LIFE:
“We have different approaches to the same thing; respect others’ preferences.”

The Rule of Thirds

Many camera owners nowadays use their cameras to simply point on a subject and click on the capture button without even studying how the image would look like. However, a basic technique known as the Rule of Thirds would surely help those who want to incorporate substance and depth to photographs. You could use any kind of camera that you want. It would not matter if it is a Digital SLR or the disposable ones.

The concept behind the Rule of Thirds is the position of a particular subject. The positioning of a subject in a particular photograph is very important. The common thing done by casual photographers is to place the subject in the center of the picture, which would make it quite mediocre. That is why you must make use of techniques such as the Rule of Thirds to enhance the quality of your pictures.

The first tip is to use a visual aid in order to envision the Rule of Thirds in your mind. To create the idea in your mind, you can use an index card and any kind of pen. Place the card in front of you in a horizontal position. Draw two vertical lines in the card that will divide the page in three equal parts.

Afterward, draw another two lines, horizontal ones this time. You will notice that you have nine rectangles in the card, and the center rectangle serves as your ‘magic box.’ This particular box is the one that you need to focus on when you look into the viewfinder of the camera. It is advisable to avoid placing your subject inside the magic box, but place it along its corners or boarders instead.

Take this situation for example. Imagine a scenario where in you are taking a photo of someone from a medium distance. If you place the face or head of the subject inside the ‘magic box,’ it would leave a considerable amount of empty space above the subject’s head, which would not look good in a photo. Therefore, it is better to set the subject’s head on the top boarder of the magic box that will fill the photo with the subject’s image. This will bring forth a better photo.

Finally, there are other examples of using the Rule of Thirds. Placing the subject on the upper right or left side would create interest not only on the subject but on the background as well. Think of the endless ideas you could create with the use of this technique. Experiment with this rule and you will discover the photographer in you.


LESSON IN LIFE:
"Where do you stand? Stand still and give your best."

What to Look for in a Digital Camera

Would not it be nice to have a camera to capture those precious moments with family and friends? However, you still need to have the appropriate digital camera to do so. You do not just go to a store and buy a camera; you have to know what qualities a camera possesses to make sure that the features of a camera is worth your money. Here are some of the features that you need to consider before purchasing your own digital camera.

Megapixels – The number of megapixels a camera has effects on the outcome of a photograph. The higher the megapixel rate of a camera has, the photos taken with it will come more detailed and much clearer. Different cameras offer various ranges of megapixels; some has 2 megapixels up to 8 megapixels. If you are the ‘point and click’ type of user and is planning on posting the photos on the Web, a 2 or 3 megapixel camera might be the best choice for you. However, if you are planning to print the photos that you are going to take, a 5 megapixels camera is more advisable. Moreover, 7 to 8 megapixel cameras are the best buys for professional photographers who want more detailed and clear photos.

Zoom – There are two types of zoom; the Optical and Digital Zoom. Optical zoom is the kind that utilizes the physical capabilities of the camera’s lens to zoom in or out of a subject (the person, object, or landscape’s image being captured). Digital zoom, on the other hand, makes use of a microchip integrated inside the camera to zoom in or out of a subject in a digital manner. When you compare the two, a digitally zoomed photograph would not look as good as an optically zoomed one. Therefore, you must determine the zoom range that you need.

Memory – You must determine the size and efficiency of the memory card or stick that you need. If you are planning to take high-resolution photographs, it is recommended to have a bigger (4 GB to 8 GB) and faster memory card.

Ease of Connectivity – Before you purchase a camera, you must first verify if it is compatible to different brands of computers and printers. Moreover, you must also remember to check if the camera has a cable that you can use to connect it to a computer or a printer.

Exposure Settings – It is best to know if a camera has many shutter speed and aperture options. However, some cameras also have presets that you can use in order to achieve the results that you want. Nevertheless, manual settings for exposure are more preferred by professional photographers because it gives them the freedom to further enhance the quality of a photograph.

Size and Usage – Nobody would want to use a heavy, bulky, and complicated camera. If you are a casual photographer and would only want to take pictures to capture moments and memories, it is advisable to buy a user-friendly and does not weigh that much.


LESSON IN LIFE:
"Be responsible to the consequences of every decision you make out of your options."

Lighting Techniques

If you are at the first stages of your dream to take stunning and remarkable photographs by yourself, a factor known as Lighting has a big influence to the outcome of any picture. The beauty of a photograph does not only rely on the subject and the surroundings alone, the lighting must always be perfect.

Aside from the fact that it makes the subject and surroundings visible, light also gives you the liberty to evoke mood or emotions. Try these tips and it will surely boost your skills to another level.

You must learn about the right layout of light sources. According to professional photographers, light should come from three sources; this method is called Triangulation.

In triangulation, the first light source must be placed behind the person taking the photograph (you); the second one must be placed behind the subject. The third one are called fill lights, the light source that can be placed anywhere, depending on the photographer’s choice. Fill lights are used to provide the needed lighting onto the subject, depending upon the situation. These lights are said to decrease shadowing, create depth, and perspective on the subject of the photograph.

Moreover, the settings used when you take pictures in a room (controlled lighting environment) are different from shooting outdoor. In a situation where you are shooting in direct sunlight, fill lights will serve as key light. However, if the surroundings are a little bit gloomy, you could use the sun as your fill lighting source. In addition, shooting indoors at night would require a deeper knowledge on how to make use of the light sources; how to manipulate them and make them work together.

You must learn to manage the light and shadow that you would need in order to produce a much better image. It is recommended that you set the key light as the brightest one of the three because you can manipulate make the necessary adjustments on the other two light sources much easier.

Fill lights and back lights must be dimmer than your key lights to get that sense of balance of lighting needed to produce high quality images. The flash, a common technique used in professional and amateur photography, is also very important. Some shots can appear much better when the flash is used as a fill light. However, always provide the proper lighting on the subject to reduce the occurrence of red eyes.


LESSON IN LIFE:
"In life and in photography, nothing will come out of darkness."