Photography Courses Film VS Digital

Photography Courses Film VS Digital Should You Learn Film Photography or Digital Photography? ChaptersThe Pros and Cons of Digital PhotographyThe Pros and Cons of Film PhotographyA Study in Close UpIt is human nature to follow the latest trends. That is why we brandish our smartphones, every chance we get.For instance: taking pictures of the food we ordered in a restaurant to post on social media â€" itself another popular trend.Of course, there are always those who buck the tide: opting for a flip phone with minimal digital capability. Oddly enough, in some cases, that creates enough of a stir to merit headlines.Kate Beckinsale is just one example of people reverting to phones being for phone calls; not used as hand-held computers!What does all of this have to do with cameras and photography?Well, that's just it: on the one hand, you have people who crave the latest gadget, laying out cash for something that, perhaps, they won't derive the full benefit from.And then, you have the  people who prefer what is considered by the mainstream to be passé: objects or activities that seem to have no place in these modern times. Maybe some activities are best left in the past: we dread to think what would happen to children playing hoop and stick in today's crowded streets!The debate rages in the realm of photography:  film vs digital? What about analog photography? do film SLR cameras have any place in this increasingly digital world, where Photoshop edits images more efficiently than any darkroom retouching ever could?Let Superprof now chime in on the merits and drawbacks of each of these forms of artistic expression.Advances in digital photography permit crystal clear shots Source: Pixabay Credit: Piro4Dshooting in black and white.Compared to film shots, digital black and whites seem strangely lacking in depth!4. Finally: there is a lower start-up cost with film photography, but one must inevitably factor in the cost of replenishing film stocks and developing images.Film SLR ConsThe most obvious disadvantage to shooting with film is that you must wait for dev elopment to see if there is a money shot among anything you've snapped.Second to that comes the continuous cost of film and developing... and the question of whether you would trust your work to a lab!Lab developing means that you have absolutely no control over how your film gets developed, and you would have no opportunity to retouch any photos.A sign of the times: many companies have discontinued production of several types of film, meaning that there is less of a selection available.That creates a constant challenge for film photographers who have for years been loyal to a certain brand, or whose particular style of photographic art demands a specific type of film.Film SLRs tend to be bulkier than their digital counterparts, and one must account for proper storage of film â€" out of the heat and away from damp.If you are a photojournalist or travel photographer, every bit of extra weight matters, especially when trekking across vast distances  while on assignment!It sounds like we're making the case for digital over film, doesn't it? Read on before deciding!Learn about the history of photography.Look for photography courses  in all the major UK cities on Superprof:Photography courses LondonPhotography courses GlasgowPhotography courses ManchesterPhotography courses BirminghamPhotography classes LeedsOnce considered cutting edge, cameras such as these are now called vintage Source: Pixabay Credit: Richard LeyA Study in Close Up1. Anyone earning their living as a photographer â€" be it specialising in portraiture or photojournalism, will tell you that it is exponentially easier to store memory cards than rolls of film.2. It is obviously easier to upload digital images, and image editing is a snap with editing software â€" provided you learn how to use it.There are tricks and a certain level of creativity to using Adobe Lightroom that quite nearly demand an instructor to learn them from.3. On the other hand, digital images lack the nuance that, to this day, e ntrances fans of film photography.Digital images have an in your face quality: they dare you to challenge their veracity, after having worked so hard to compensate for flaws inherent in the natural world.We love those flaws! We need them to reflect our less than perfect selves â€" which has been a bone of contention  of software photo editing since its inception.Too gorgeous, too skinny models dramatically draped, flawless complexions and fabulous hair...By no means are we saying that fashion models shot with film were never enhanced in post processing; only that the practice exploded and has actually caused harm with the advent of digital image editing.4. Whereas a professional photographer who works with digital equipment can press the shutter button as often as s/he'd like â€" memory cards can store countless images, photographing with film requires extra mentation.A roll of film has, at maximum, 36 exposures, meaning that framing a shot, posing a subject and metering light all r equire deeper consideration.Unless wasting film is a favourite pastime, the SLR camera photographer will carefully consider every element of the shoot before taking a single picture.This aspect of film photography is the crux of the argument for capturing images on film.5. Knowing how to photograph using this medium takes every bit of artistic instinct and photography skills you possess.Rules of composition, lighting techniques â€" even out of doors!; how to shoot in any conditions: these are all vital skills for any photographer, but weigh especially heavy on the shoulders of the film photographer.6. These days, everyone is armed with a camera of some sort, from a Smartphone to a tiny, monopod-mounted Go Pro action camera.That is why some photographers are returning to film: in this digital world, taking quality pictures on film is a silent, screaming testament of technical skills married to fine art.This is a real photo that I shot on film myself â€" Edgar England, West End Camera sOther reasons for film over digital photography include:grain: film images look less polished â€" more gritty and real than digitally captured imagesformat: film delivers a higher dynamic range; similarly capable digital cameras are substantially more expensivecontrol: photographers like being involved with every little step in the creative process of image capture, from analysing subjects to determining ISO â€" what speed it should be captured atIt is a bit like transitioning from manual to automatic gears in a car; with the former, you have a measure of participation in driving: you are one with your machine.The magic of seeing the image you've captured called forth in its chemical bathThat alchemy that, even now, when we know the science behind it seems magic, is what inspires passionate photographers to pursue perfection with every shot.Those who learn to shoot with film apply fundamental photographic techniques with every click of the shutter.They are more focused on their art , avoiding the constant back and forth between taking a shot and inspecting it for viability on the camera's LCD screen, deleting as necessary.Through film, their passion for purity in imaging serves to enhance their storytelling ability.Is film photography right for you? You won't know until you try it.Why not sign up for a photography course or workshop; get hands on with developing: discover for yourself the feeling of awe as your pictures emerge out of what was blank paper.Investigate the Film Photography Project; become a follower and help keep this art form vital and alive in this digital age.Who knows? After lugging around a set of digital cameras for so long, you too may find in yourself an avid film photographer just begging to fly!Discover 20 famous photography quotes.

Learn To Love Biology Lessons

Learn To Love Biology Lessons Learn To Love Biology:  Things Your Biology Tutor Will Teach You And Some Things They Won't! ChaptersHow Biology Shapes Your Daily LifeThe Biggest And Most Recent Breakthroughs In BiologyThe Evolution Of Biology As A SubjectThe Essential Vocabulary Of BiologyExamples Of Art In BiologyBiology, a natural science and a subject of study, is truly amazing as it is the science of life and therefore explores ideas and concepts that every single human being can relate to.Many people, young or old, are continually fascinated by our race, including how we all came to live on the planet we call Earth. Biology is concerned with the evolution of humans but also sheds light on how us beings interact with other organisms.Being a living organism that has the proven ability to think, analyse and retain knowledge means that we have a natural, intuitive curiosity about life and what is happening underneath our skin as well as all around us.Not only are we keen to understand the human body and how it functions, but to some extent we also feel the need to know how to take care of our bodies and to spot signs that something might not be right. In addition, we are born with the urge to nurture so we also want to identify ways that we can look after our environment.Biology is present every second of our day yet what makes it all the more interesting is that, depending on the view you take, you can learn about concepts that seems miles apart from others, such is the breadth of the science.For instance, you might one minute be exploring how your body is fighting off an infection and then in your next lesson you could turn your focus to how nutrients from food grown in the ground can strengthen your immune system. Just like 'the circle of life', everything seems to go in a full circle with Biology, with so many aspects relating to one another.Even though they probably already know it in the back of their minds, pupils studying the subject are often blown away by how varied the topics of Biology are and how much diversity they see from one lesson to the next.While Biology is very much about learning about yourself (i.e. how to keep up your health, how your body functions, how it fights off illness, etc...), it is equally about the universe and your place within it.By learning about living organisms and their relationship and reliance on other organisms at school or with a biology tutor, we can discover how to take better care of ourselves and the environment all around us.Hire a biology A Level tutor now.Last but not least, you may not realise just how reliant we are on Biology in our homes. Although renewable energy is on the rise, we are still collectively using up fossil fuels to provide us with heat, such as oil and coal.These fuels are the remnants of living organisms that graced our planets hundreds of millions of years ago, which are subsequently turned into energy sources like oil, natural gas and coal.Now aware of the dangers of carbon dioxide, however, which is released as waste from these fossil fuels, humans are now investigating new Eco-friendl y sources like solar power.The Biggest And Most Recent Breakthroughs In BiologyWhile much of what we know about us and the world we live in has come from years of discovery and research, the last 25 years have seen us through a range of groundbreaking discoveries.One such breakthrough, which you will no doubt learn about during the course of your studies, is the cloning of Dolly the sheep. In 1996, scientists successfully cloned a female sheep for the very first time using adult cells from the mammary glands in a process called nuclear transfer.The sheep, subsequently named Dolly, grew normally and fully and went down in History as a scientific marvel. Since then, scientists have been able to clone further animal species, even attempting to reproduce extinct animals using the scientific technology to try to save endangered or newly extinct species.Dolly was the name of the first ever cloned sheep. Photo credit: dun_deagh via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-SACould the time ever come when we are discussing the cloning of human beings? Listen carefully in your Biology lessons and you could find out!Much like the above discovery, many more scientific research projects have come under the microscope, shall we say, in regards to their ethics. One extremely controversial topic is the gene-editing research in early human development which has the ability to modify the genetics of a human embryo.Gene-editing could bring an end to inherited diseases, which is of course a very valuable procedure, but many fear that the science could get out of control and might end up with people making choices about their unborn child. For example the concern is that people will be given the freedom to determine their baby's gender, which many feel is taking nature out of the world’s hands.However, while some may be against the interference of scientists with the human body, many great things have come from this ongoing research and many are still yet to come.Two more significant breakthrough s  in Biology are the research into stem cells, which can be transplanted to treat blood and bone marrow diseases, disorders or cancers, and the biomedical research which has led to robotic limbs being controlled by the brain using neural signals. MahimaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlishaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaifBiology Teacher 5.00 (9) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FrankBiology Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HeavenliBiology Teacher £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SiobhanBiology Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MackenzieBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Evolution Of Biology As A SubjectJust like the evolution of the science, Biology as a subject has evolved over the years to reflect the many new discoveries found and research methods used by biologists.For instance, as mentioned above, every GCSE Biology syllabus teaches students about Dolly the sheep, who marks a scientific breakthrough that wouldn't have been thought possible prior to 1996.While the 90's may seem very distant to you, having not even been born in that decade, 20 years is not a very long time when you relate it to other things from the time (like Take That and The Spice Girls, for instance!).  That said, lots can happen in 20 years, and we don't mean Take That splitting up and getting back together again!Some of the ways the content has advanced with the times is with the addition of new modules covering things like growing crops, which we now know much more about thanks to developments in the research of cultivation, breeding and harvesting of crops. Not only has our knowledge widened, but our outlook has too and the subject is taught with a whole-world economic focus.In addition, as biotechnology move s forward, teachers now consider the use of larger-scale bio-fermenters and how enzymes are now used commercially.The Essential Vocabulary Of BiologyAs we have discovered, Biology is a very broad subject covering a huge number of topics. As such, there is also a vast amount of terminology to get your head around.As with most subjects, Biology has its own vocabulary of subject-specific terminology to remember, and it is not all that straightforward. The good news is that, by grasping the key terminology of GCSE Biology, then you will find the lessons and the complex vocabulary that comes with them far easier.Words and that you must get your head around are Aerobic respiration, Artificial selection, Ecosystem, Genetic engineering, and so on. You can find a glossary of keywords and definitions on revision sites dedicated to GCSE Biology.Examples Of Art In BiologyBioArt, is a relatively new art practice whereby scientists are creating pieces (mainly in the lab but also in studios and ga lleries) made from live tissues, bacteria and other living organisms. Pioneers of this branch of art are determined to transform the science into works of art by using their bodies and other living things and by adopting the help of engineers and scientists.One of the wackiest forms of biotechnology is the shocking and provocative transformations of Orlan, a controversial artist who uses her face and body as her canvas.Is this art? A new breed of artists use their bodies as their canvas. Photo credit: Andy G via VisualHunt / CC BY-SAOrlan uses cosmetic surgery procedures to change her appearance to resemble famous images of women in art, using the procedure as part of the performance. Her aim to focus on the power of technology to transform our physical appearance, Orlan’s work also pushes boundaries in terms of human health with her numerous experiments with going under the knife. That sure is dedication to one’s craft!

What is it Like to Attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania

What is it Like to Attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teachtheyre sharing their college experiences as well. Luke is a Philadelphia tutor and 2005 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He holds a bachelors degree in history and tutors several subjects, including English tutoring, history tutoring, and writing tutoring. Check out what Luke had to say about his time at Indiana University of Pennsylvania: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Luke: The campus setting at Indiana University of Pennsylvania is quite picturesque. Indiana, Pennsylvania is a small, rather quaint town surrounded by rolling hills and forest. Although the town is located in a rural area, the campus is centrally located and accessible from almost anywhere in the area by bus, bicycle, or even on foot. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants at Indiana University of Pennsylvania? Luke: The professors and academic advisers at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, on the whole, are very available and dedicated to the needs of their students. This is achieved largely through the relatively small class sizes at the university, which average 25-30 students or less per class. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Luke: Dorm life was also very pleasant at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The rooms and dining options were very adequate and accessible to the average needs of a student, and there was ample opportunity for socialization due to the small, close-knit atmosphere of the campus. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Luke: Indiana University of Pennsylvania is well known across the state of Pennsylvania as a top-notch teaching-oriented institution. It has a strong liberal arts background, and is also well known for its nursing and criminology programs. I majored in history and minored in political science as these were, and still are, my main areas of expertise. The university did a superb job of supporting me in my studies, and our history department had a wide assortment of top-tier professors with doctorates from Harvard University, Yale University, Georgetown University, and Cambridge University, to name just a few. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Luke: Im a rather gregarious person, so it wasnt very difficult for me to meet people and make friends as a freshman. But even for those who are less naturally extroverted, Indiana University of Pennsylvanias relatively small, tightly-knit campus and diverse student body easily facilitates socialization and cultural exchange. Greek life does play a large role in campus social life, but it didnt for me. How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services at Indiana University of Pennsylvania? Luke: To be truthful, I didnt utilize the Career Center at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, as I instead planned on attending graduate school. However, I can attest to the reliability of the faculty and student support services in helping me make the transition to graduate study. How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Luke: Indiana University of Pennsylvanias Stapleton Library is perhaps not of the highest caliber, but it was rarely overcrowded and reasonably spacious. The latter can certainly be said for the much larger and more modern dormitories and student union center. Describe the surrounding town. Luke: If you enjoy a quiet, quaint, small-town environment, then Indiana, Pennsylvania is the place to be. If, however, you are more accustomed to a fast-paced urban environment, you may find Indiana quite boring, or even stifling. Despite this, there is a lively nightlife in the small downtown area on evenings and weekends, and quite a few good restaurants to partake in. In my experience, students typically spend more time off-campus. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes at Indiana University of Pennsylvania? Luke: Indiana University of Pennsylvania has a good-sized student bodyabout 15,000-20,000 students in a town of only about 12,000 people. As I mentioned before, I was extremely pleased with the generally small class sizes, and I definitely felt this translated to a richer, more personal experience with curricula and professors alike. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Luke: Ill never forget Classical Political Thought taught by Dr. John Sitton. Despite being a 6:00-9:00 p.m. course, the class was extremely dynamic and enthralling, and the time flew by. Students were encouraged to speak their minds with questions or comments whenever applicable. I knew Dr. Sitton really cared about his students when he shared with us his attendance policy on the first day of class. He told us he worked his way through college and graduate school and, therefore, would never fault a student for missing class, as he gave us the benefit of the doubt that if we had to miss his class, it must be due to something of greater importance, such as perhaps a job or some personal emergency, and penalizing someone for something that may have been out of his or her control (i.e. life interceding) was not something he felt to be morally justified. Check out Lukes tutoring profile The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Human Resources for Halloween Business English

Human Resources for Halloween Business English This silly video has a ton of really good business English language and it is appropriate for Halloween!  It uses several English idioms, phrasal verbs, and words that are important in HR and business in general.Below are some important phrases from the video. Did you understand them all?Could you please send him?Mummy, thanks for coming, please have a seat.Your numbers are down.It isn’t just a slump.You’ve been underperforming for years now.All of us in the front office have been rooting for you to turn things around.Werewolf isn’t on fire but, he has support from every major demographic out there.This is purely a performance based issue.We are going to have to let you go.We’ve put together a very generous severance package.If you are hearing these phrases in English in real life, you might be a bit concerned because this is how HR talks when they are about to fire you!Look at some of the phrasal verbs that are used:rooting forto support someoneturn something aroundin this c ase it means to improveon firein this sense it means popularlet someone goto be told that you do not have a jobput togethercreatedNow look at some of the vocabulary related to business:numbers are downyour sales numbers are lower than they should be.slumpa bad financial/economic cycleunderperformingwhen your job performance isn’t good.major demographic-large number of different groups of people arranged by race, gender, age, ect.severance packagethe money that you get from a company when you have been fired or laid off.

Other Words for LIKE in English ?? - Learn English with Harry

Other Words for LIKE in English ?? - Learn English with Harry why do you need to use some other words for LIKE?  The word LIKE is a very popular word in the English language and is used as an adjective, a  verb and even a noun. The only bad thing about the verb LIKE is that we use it way too often. Some students may wonder whether we have any other words for LIKE in English? In fact, there are many, many ways to say LIKE.  So here are some English words and  phrases that you can use as alternatives to I LIKE.We use I LIKE to express our feeling about somebody or something. For example:I like ice cream. I like  Mathew.Of course, we could add various English adverbs to give more meaning to it. For example:I really like ice cream. I  really like Mathew.I genuinely like Mathew. I totally like her.But it can be a little boring to always use the same words or expressions  so here are some suitable alternative words you can use instead of  LIKE. Other Ways to Say I LIKE in English Other Words to Say LIKE in English I LOVELove indicates something a bit stronger than like.ex. Would you like a cup  of tea? I would love a cup of tea.I AM FOND OFFond of indicates a strong liking for someone or something but not as strong  as love.ex. Kathy is very fond of her Aunt Jane she always looks forward to her visits.I ADORELike love adore always gives a deeper meaning than like.ex. James adores his  new job. He has always wanted to work in the city and this gives him the chance to do that.I AM PARTIAL TOA very British English expression. To be partial to something means you  prefer it over some other choice. Daniel was always partial to homemade cakes. He enjoyed  the cakes in the local bakery but a home made cake was his favourite every time.So here are the words we can use instead of LIKE   LOVE, I AM FOND OF, ADORE or BE PARTIAL to anything or anyone.Some more informal ways of saying LIKE include the following:TO DIG SOMETHINGThis is a very 1960’s or 1970’s expression. People used to dig the  new m usic by The Beatles. So   this is really something related to the hippy years.I AM INTOVery informal and almost slang expression. This is used frequently to tell some  one what you like.ex. The teacher asked Kevin what music he liked. I am really into U2 the get  it right every time.I CANNOT GET ENOUGHAgain more informal meaning you just want more of what you like.ex. Do you like that new brand of coffee? Oh yes certainly we just cannot get enough of it!Or as Depeche Mode sing  I just cant get enough

Beyond Education

Beyond Education Beyond Education Beyond Education is a language learning centre based in Hangzhou, China and wasfounded in 2013. With joint Chinese-Britishmanagement and ownership, our goal is to provide a quality language teachingfor our students and an enjoyable working environment for our staff. Our students ages range from 4-adults and we have a variety of courses which all of their learning needs. We also have several subject classes taught in the English language such as science, drama and art. In addition to this we have a educational travel program, where our studentsgo to the UK every year to immerse themselves into the laguage and culture. We understand that education is an industry like no other and the positive, or negative, impact we can have on our students lives is enormous. Therefore, as a company founded by educators, not businesspersons, we truly put quality of education at the forefront of everything we do.As a high-quality language learning centre, we differ hugely from what is on offer from teaching positions all around China. Our small classes, with a maximum of 8 students, provide an excellent immersive language environment for students at different stages of their English language development. In January 2019 we moved to our brand-new, flagship centre, with over 1000sqm of space and a modern design. As we expand we are looking for passionate, dedicated and ambitious teachers that want to grow with us and become an integral part of our organisation.

New Years Language Challenge Video Pledges (Part IV)

New Years Language Challenge Video Pledges (Part IV) See Who’s Taking this Year’s Challenge Page 4! If you are taking this year’s challenge we’re  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge.Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And don’t forget to sign up for yourself, and get 2015 of to a great start! This is  the second blog listing of New Years  Language Challenge Video Pledges.  Watch the videos from the previous posts below. Weve had so many that its better to just make multiple posts so they dont get too long! This is our 4th page of Public Video Posts! We love that so many of you are willing to make that extra commitment (and earn a bonus 50ITC)! Part I Here Part II Here Part III Here seven.seagulls  from Ireland is learning  Chinese seven.seagulls (whose real name is Alex) is learning Chinese. Shes actually taking part in another Challenge called the #Add1Challenge and is taking part in the New Years Challenge as well! All that matters is that she reach her goal in improving her Chinese. We like Alex makes some very practical and very achievable goals. For example, one of her goals is to be able to order food in Chinese at the Chinese restaurant. You can cheer her on here. Nildo  from Brazil is learning  English Nildo really wants to improve his English skills. His goal is to be able to have a conversation with his American friends and tutors on italki. He also wants to focus on his confidence. Please send him some words of encouragement in his notebook entry here. Paulo Ribeiro  from Brazil is learning  English Paulo Riberio is also from Brazil and also is taking the challenge to improve his English. Hes been studying English for his entire life and he really wants to get rid of his accent or at least improve his fluency. He also really wants to get rid of his stuttering. Lets wish him the best by commenting on his notebook entry here. Pawel  from Poland is learning  Dutch Pawel really wants to improve his Dutch as he is now living in Beglium and wants to be able to use it to speak with his co-workers. Hes completing a research internship there and has always had a strong love for language learning. Wish him the best by commenting on his notebook entry here. Click here to watch his video on Youtube daisu saikoro  from the United States is learning  Chinese daisu saikoro has been to China very recently and is determined to learn Chinese in 2015. Hes also looking for some help. If you can send him an italki gift card, hed really appreciate it as he feels the Challenge is going to be a bit difficult as hes also taking care of his great grandmother who is very sick. Please wish daisu saikoro the best by commenting on his notebook entry here. Helga  from Russia is learning  Spanish, Italian, Japanese and English Helga is one of our Professional Teachers who teaches Russian. Shes taking the Challenge to develop some good study habits. Shes studying 4 languages for the Challenge! Wow. Her English, Spanish and Italian are pretty decent but cant really speak yet in Japanese. Check out her video below and send her your well wishes by commenting on her notebook entry here. ???  from the United States is learning  Korean ??? is from Georgia and lives near a large thriving Korea town there. He speaks very decent Korean already but his goal it to take his language ability to the next level and have a meanful conversation in Korean where he doesnt need to stop and think or ask the Korean speaker for clarification. Send him some words of encouragement by commenting on his notebook entry here. AliciaTGlenn  from the United States is learning  German Alicia is also taking the Add1Challenge and is using the italki New Years Challenge to help her achieve her goal of speaking German. Shes always wanted to learn German but for one reason or another always came up with excuses not to learn it. Shes finally made the decision to finally learn it! Wish her well by commenting on her notebook entry 513301. Odette ???  from the United States is learning Korean. Odette wants to improve on her speaking abilities in the next month!  She hopes to be able to speak more fluently, using longer and more complex sentences than she currently does.  Korean is not an easy language and we wish her the best of luck in achieving her goals!  You can wish her luck as well! JaneyPdiz from Bangkok, Thailand is learning Spanish. Janey is hoping to improve her Spanish during the New Years Language Challange.  She wants to increase her fluency.  She is a veteran on the italki website and even became a tutor in December, so were sure she will do great.  We wish Janey the best and you can too on her notebook entry. Julio from the United States is learning Spanish. Julio is a brand new student to italki!  He is hoping that the challenge will help drive him and keep him motivated in learning Spanish.  Hes hoping that he will be able to go to Puerto Rico with his father, meet his family members that he has never seen before, speaking with them in Spanish. We hope that the language challenge gets him on his way to reaching his goals!  Wish him luck!   Yada from the United States is learning Chinese, Hindi, and Japanese. Yada has set some ambitious goals for herself: to improve her Chinese, Hindi, and Japanese.  This is certainly no easy task but we have faith in her to complete her goals. The italki office is Shanghai gives her a big ??!Wish her the best yourself on her notebook entry. Søren from the United States is learning Catalan and German. Søren is no rookie to italki challenges; he has competed in all of them!  He made his video a little late, but has already succeeded in taking one lesson in each language.  We hope he continues to improve as time goes on!  Wish him luck on his notebook entry. Strolb57  from the United States  is learning French. Strolb57 is going to France before too long and he wants to be able to  speak to native speakers there.  He thinks that the italki challenge is a great way to do that.  His goal is to be able to have a conversation with a French person without stumbling too much and with decent pronunciation!  We wish him the best and you can as well by commenting on his notebook entry.  Baggio from Hong Kong is learning Korean. A veteran and community tutor on our site, Baggio has pledged to take the italki New Years Challenge to learn Korean.  He is currently a beginner, but is hoping to reach an intermediate level  by summer.   We wish him the best of luck in completing the challenge and you can too by leaving a comment on his notebook entry! New Years Language Challenge Video Pledges (Part IV) See Who’s Taking this Year’s Challenge Page 4! If you are taking this year’s challenge we’re  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge.Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And don’t forget to sign up for yourself, and get 2015 of to a great start! This is  the second blog listing of New Years  Language Challenge Video Pledges.  Watch the videos from the previous posts below. Weve had so many that its better to just make multiple posts so they dont get too long! This is our 4th page of Public Video Posts! We love that so many of you are willing to make that extra commitment (and earn a bonus 50ITC)! Part I Here Part II Here Part III Here seven.seagulls  from Ireland is learning  Chinese seven.seagulls (whose real name is Alex) is learning Chinese. Shes actually taking part in another Challenge called the #Add1Challenge and is taking part in the New Years Challenge as well! All that matters is that she reach her goal in improving her Chinese. We like Alex makes some very practical and very achievable goals. For example, one of her goals is to be able to order food in Chinese at the Chinese restaurant. You can cheer her on here. Nildo  from Brazil is learning  English Nildo really wants to improve his English skills. His goal is to be able to have a conversation with his American friends and tutors on italki. He also wants to focus on his confidence. Please send him some words of encouragement in his notebook entry here. Paulo Ribeiro  from Brazil is learning  English Paulo Riberio is also from Brazil and also is taking the challenge to improve his English. Hes been studying English for his entire life and he really wants to get rid of his accent or at least improve his fluency. He also really wants to get rid of his stuttering. Lets wish him the best by commenting on his notebook entry here. Pawel  from Poland is learning  Dutch Pawel really wants to improve his Dutch as he is now living in Beglium and wants to be able to use it to speak with his co-workers. Hes completing a research internship there and has always had a strong love for language learning. Wish him the best by commenting on his notebook entry here. Click here to watch his video on Youtube daisu saikoro  from the United States is learning  Chinese daisu saikoro has been to China very recently and is determined to learn Chinese in 2015. Hes also looking for some help. If you can send him an italki gift card, hed really appreciate it as he feels the Challenge is going to be a bit difficult as hes also taking care of his great grandmother who is very sick. Please wish daisu saikoro the best by commenting on his notebook entry here. Helga  from Russia is learning  Spanish, Italian, Japanese and English Helga is one of our Professional Teachers who teaches Russian. Shes taking the Challenge to develop some good study habits. Shes studying 4 languages for the Challenge! Wow. Her English, Spanish and Italian are pretty decent but cant really speak yet in Japanese. Check out her video below and send her your well wishes by commenting on her notebook entry here. ???  from the United States is learning  Korean ??? is from Georgia and lives near a large thriving Korea town there. He speaks very decent Korean already but his goal it to take his language ability to the next level and have a meanful conversation in Korean where he doesnt need to stop and think or ask the Korean speaker for clarification. Send him some words of encouragement by commenting on his notebook entry here. AliciaTGlenn  from the United States is learning  German Alicia is also taking the Add1Challenge and is using the italki New Years Challenge to help her achieve her goal of speaking German. Shes always wanted to learn German but for one reason or another always came up with excuses not to learn it. Shes finally made the decision to finally learn it! Wish her well by commenting on her notebook entry 513301. Odette ???  from the United States is learning Korean. Odette wants to improve on her speaking abilities in the next month!  She hopes to be able to speak more fluently, using longer and more complex sentences than she currently does.  Korean is not an easy language and we wish her the best of luck in achieving her goals!  You can wish her luck as well! JaneyPdiz from Bangkok, Thailand is learning Spanish. Janey is hoping to improve her Spanish during the New Years Language Challange.  She wants to increase her fluency.  She is a veteran on the italki website and even became a tutor in December, so were sure she will do great.  We wish Janey the best and you can too on her notebook entry. Julio from the United States is learning Spanish. Julio is a brand new student to italki!  He is hoping that the challenge will help drive him and keep him motivated in learning Spanish.  Hes hoping that he will be able to go to Puerto Rico with his father, meet his family members that he has never seen before, speaking with them in Spanish. We hope that the language challenge gets him on his way to reaching his goals!  Wish him luck!   Yada from the United States is learning Chinese, Hindi, and Japanese. Yada has set some ambitious goals for herself: to improve her Chinese, Hindi, and Japanese.  This is certainly no easy task but we have faith in her to complete her goals. The italki office is Shanghai gives her a big ??!Wish her the best yourself on her notebook entry. Søren from the United States is learning Catalan and German. Søren is no rookie to italki challenges; he has competed in all of them!  He made his video a little late, but has already succeeded in taking one lesson in each language.  We hope he continues to improve as time goes on!  Wish him luck on his notebook entry. Strolb57  from the United States  is learning French. Strolb57 is going to France before too long and he wants to be able to  speak to native speakers there.  He thinks that the italki challenge is a great way to do that.  His goal is to be able to have a conversation with a French person without stumbling too much and with decent pronunciation!  We wish him the best and you can as well by commenting on his notebook entry.  Baggio from Hong Kong is learning Korean. A veteran and community tutor on our site, Baggio has pledged to take the italki New Years Challenge to learn Korean.  He is currently a beginner, but is hoping to reach an intermediate level  by summer.   We wish him the best of luck in completing the challenge and you can too by leaving a comment on his notebook entry! New Years Language Challenge Video Pledges (Part IV) See Who’s Taking this Year’s Challenge Page 4! If you are taking this year’s challenge we’re  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge.Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And don’t forget to sign up for yourself, and get 2015 of to a great start! This is  the second blog listing of New Years  Language Challenge Video Pledges.  Watch the videos from the previous posts below. Weve had so many that its better to just make multiple posts so they dont get too long! This is our 4th page of Public Video Posts! We love that so many of you are willing to make that extra commitment (and earn a bonus 50ITC)! Part I Here Part II Here Part III Here seven.seagulls  from Ireland is learning  Chinese seven.seagulls (whose real name is Alex) is learning Chinese. Shes actually taking part in another Challenge called the #Add1Challenge and is taking part in the New Years Challenge as well! All that matters is that she reach her goal in improving her Chinese. We like Alex makes some very practical and very achievable goals. For example, one of her goals is to be able to order food in Chinese at the Chinese restaurant. You can cheer her on here. Nildo  from Brazil is learning  English Nildo really wants to improve his English skills. His goal is to be able to have a conversation with his American friends and tutors on italki. He also wants to focus on his confidence. Please send him some words of encouragement in his notebook entry here. Paulo Ribeiro  from Brazil is learning  English Paulo Riberio is also from Brazil and also is taking the challenge to improve his English. Hes been studying English for his entire life and he really wants to get rid of his accent or at least improve his fluency. He also really wants to get rid of his stuttering. Lets wish him the best by commenting on his notebook entry here. Pawel  from Poland is learning  Dutch Pawel really wants to improve his Dutch as he is now living in Beglium and wants to be able to use it to speak with his co-workers. Hes completing a research internship there and has always had a strong love for language learning. Wish him the best by commenting on his notebook entry here. Click here to watch his video on Youtube daisu saikoro  from the United States is learning  Chinese daisu saikoro has been to China very recently and is determined to learn Chinese in 2015. Hes also looking for some help. If you can send him an italki gift card, hed really appreciate it as he feels the Challenge is going to be a bit difficult as hes also taking care of his great grandmother who is very sick. Please wish daisu saikoro the best by commenting on his notebook entry here. Helga  from Russia is learning  Spanish, Italian, Japanese and English Helga is one of our Professional Teachers who teaches Russian. Shes taking the Challenge to develop some good study habits. Shes studying 4 languages for the Challenge! Wow. Her English, Spanish and Italian are pretty decent but cant really speak yet in Japanese. Check out her video below and send her your well wishes by commenting on her notebook entry here. ???  from the United States is learning  Korean ??? is from Georgia and lives near a large thriving Korea town there. He speaks very decent Korean already but his goal it to take his language ability to the next level and have a meanful conversation in Korean where he doesnt need to stop and think or ask the Korean speaker for clarification. Send him some words of encouragement by commenting on his notebook entry here. AliciaTGlenn  from the United States is learning  German Alicia is also taking the Add1Challenge and is using the italki New Years Challenge to help her achieve her goal of speaking German. Shes always wanted to learn German but for one reason or another always came up with excuses not to learn it. Shes finally made the decision to finally learn it! Wish her well by commenting on her notebook entry 513301. Odette ???  from the United States is learning Korean. Odette wants to improve on her speaking abilities in the next month!  She hopes to be able to speak more fluently, using longer and more complex sentences than she currently does.  Korean is not an easy language and we wish her the best of luck in achieving her goals!  You can wish her luck as well! JaneyPdiz from Bangkok, Thailand is learning Spanish. Janey is hoping to improve her Spanish during the New Years Language Challange.  She wants to increase her fluency.  She is a veteran on the italki website and even became a tutor in December, so were sure she will do great.  We wish Janey the best and you can too on her notebook entry. Julio from the United States is learning Spanish. Julio is a brand new student to italki!  He is hoping that the challenge will help drive him and keep him motivated in learning Spanish.  Hes hoping that he will be able to go to Puerto Rico with his father, meet his family members that he has never seen before, speaking with them in Spanish. We hope that the language challenge gets him on his way to reaching his goals!  Wish him luck!   Yada from the United States is learning Chinese, Hindi, and Japanese. Yada has set some ambitious goals for herself: to improve her Chinese, Hindi, and Japanese.  This is certainly no easy task but we have faith in her to complete her goals. The italki office is Shanghai gives her a big ??!Wish her the best yourself on her notebook entry. Søren from the United States is learning Catalan and German. Søren is no rookie to italki challenges; he has competed in all of them!  He made his video a little late, but has already succeeded in taking one lesson in each language.  We hope he continues to improve as time goes on!  Wish him luck on his notebook entry. Strolb57  from the United States  is learning French. Strolb57 is going to France before too long and he wants to be able to  speak to native speakers there.  He thinks that the italki challenge is a great way to do that.  His goal is to be able to have a conversation with a French person without stumbling too much and with decent pronunciation!  We wish him the best and you can as well by commenting on his notebook entry.  Baggio from Hong Kong is learning Korean. A veteran and community tutor on our site, Baggio has pledged to take the italki New Years Challenge to learn Korean.  He is currently a beginner, but is hoping to reach an intermediate level  by summer.   We wish him the best of luck in completing the challenge and you can too by leaving a comment on his notebook entry!