Why watermark your photos?

With more and more people having access to digital photo editing software and online image processing stores, the issues of copyright and intellectual property are becoming increasinly important to professional photographers.

One technique that photographers use to protect their copyright is to only provide small file size / low resolution images for customers to preview. While this technique prevents the customer from printing high quality images themselves, it also reduces the quality and therefore the appeal and desire to purchase the photographs.

Another, more popular, technique is to use watermark software. Adding a picture watermark ensures that you are marking your copyright on each image and means that you don't have to compromise quality of image when giving customers a preview disc / web slideshow.

There are several free photo watermark software sites available for you to use. Well worth stamping your mark on your work to protect your copyright.

Is it a toy or a watch?!

While looking for a birthday present for my husband the other day I came across the Van Mildert website. In addition to well-known brands like Firetrap and G Star, they stock a brand called Toy Watch which, I confess, I was not that familiar with but am now loving!

The watches are certainly not toys and definitely not for kids as the name might imply. The range includes funky coloured watches that have a good sense of fun about them as well as cool gun-metal coloured watches and even those with a bit of bling too.

With prices starting from £125 they are pretty good value as well and would make a nice addition to the hubby's fast-growing watch collection. I'm liking the gun-metal grey metallic watch pictured, I think he'll love it!

5D Mark iii

Very excited about the new Canon 5D Mark iii. It looks absolutely fantastic and, knowing Canon, it almost certainly is even better than it looks. I've heard people refer to the 5D Mark iii as the most eagerly anticipated camera ever and I can understand why.

After the incredible success of the 5D Mark ii it's hard to imagine something beating the image quality and performance of the bestselling professional camera.

This latest camera from Canon features an exceptional full-frame 22.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor (the highest resolution in the Canon line) and a 61-point auto-focus system. It can shoot up to six frames per second and includes all the video features of the brand's flagship camera, the 1D X.

I cannot wait to get my hands on a Canaon 5D Mark iii and try out all the new features, the advanced autofocus, the new shooting modes and the HD video function. Until then I will be happily honing my skills with my EOS 550D. Gotta love Canon!

Designer wish list

I've been browsing the web over the past week or so compiling a list of designer must-haves. Along with the vintage Chanel quilted bag that I've been hankering after since I was a teenager, I would like to add the following:

• A pair of sparkly Jimmy Choo summer shoes; wedges / slingbacks / sandals...who cares, they're all fab!
• A Vivienne Westwood handbag, I've got my eye on the Chancery Croc bag (pictured) in black by the Queen of British Fashion!
• A head-turning D & G dress, after all who doesn't love Dolce?

What's on your designer wish list?

Underwater magic...

I was watching a very old episode of ANTM yesterday and was reminded of the water shoot the girls did in Hawaii with Russell James.

I've always been fascinated by underwater photo shoots, there's a whole extra dimension to the photo that allows for a very simple scence to look incredibly impressive.

Now that I've got my superb Canon EOS camera, maybe I'll look into getting a decent underwater camera so I can have a play with some underwater shots. I doubt I'll get anything quite as stunning as his shots but at least I can give it a whirl and I'm sure I'd have some fun trying!

Also, just read a funny story about a girl who dropped her underwater camera in a lake in Australia, it was fished out a week later in perfect working condition! I will definitely register a rugged camera so if it does get lost, the manufacturer can get it back to you.

Stone Island - luxury men's fashion

I've often heard it said that there is a lack of reasonably priced men's designer fashion available in the UK but with so many up and coming labels, this seems to be changing at a rapid pace.

Stone Island is one example of a menswear label that offers exceptional quality and modern styling at a reasonable price. For example, Stone Island denim starts from around £130 for a pair of jeans, which is not significantly more than the average high street price.

The Stone Island design team is led by artistic director Carlo Rivetti and his multicultural team of senior designers such as Aitor Thorup and Trevor Jackson. Together they produce collections of Stone Island jackets, shirts, accessories and Stone Island jeans that are proving extremely popular across Europe.

You can now find Stone Island products online at Cruise Fashion with sizes available from S to XXXL to fit men of all shapes. Well worth checking out.