How to be photogenic or at least try

A photograph won't steal your soul, but a bad one can certainly kill your ego. Especially once it's tagged, posted online and emailed round the office before you can

say “cheese”.


Unflattering photos are no joke in the digital age. We use the internet to organize our social life’s,stay in touch, meet new people or even look for love. So your pixellated portrait hold a lot of power.

Heres a few tips for looking picture perfect or so

1. Stand up straight



When someone whips out a camera and yells “smile,” you'll feel immediately self-conscious and start exhibiting defensive body language such as slouching and shrinking. Which is a shame, because that's exactly the kind of thing that makes you look bad in photos.

If you want more flattering pics, take control of your posture. Ditch the slouch and stand tall. Pulling your shoulders back doesn't just make you look sleeker and slimmer, it also makes you feel more confident. But do remember that this is a photo, not a military exercise. Don't stand so tall that you can't breathe.



2. Stop gurning



Self-consciousness also has an unflattering effect on your face, as you'll know from those pics where you look like a contorted bulldog. It's a vicious circle: you gurn when a camera appears because you hate photos of yourself, and you hate photos of yourself because you gurn when a camera appears.

Break the cycle by getting a grip on your gurn. When you see a camera pointing your way, close your eyes. Breathe. Relax your facial muscles. Open your eyes in time for the click, and you will look fresh, confident and at ease. (Worst case scenario, you will have your eyes shut, but at least you won't be gurning.)

3. Ask for a countdown



Timing is all. Half a second can make all the difference between a winning smile and a total face fail, so make sure you know when the click is coming. Don't be afraid to ask the snapper for a “3, 2, 1” when they're taking the photo. If you're nervous, keep your eyes closed and your mouth relaxed until after the snapper says “2,” then break out the smile and open your eyes. You'll look a lot more relaxed than you feel.

4. Know your best face



Everyone has a best side and a best smile. Don't think you do? Then you haven't paid enough attention to old photos of yourself. Go and look through some right now. Why are the bad ones so bad, and why are the good ones not so bad? Don't get fixated on things you can't change (eg “the good ones were taken before 1988”). Instead, look for angles and expressions that flatter you.

Warning: the “best side forward” habit can be hard to break. Mariah Carey allegedly insists on being photographed only from the right, while Barbra Streisand reportedly likes it from the left, as did 1930s Hollywood actress Claudette Colbert, who had entire sets rebuilt to flatter her. Claudette passed away in 1996, a year before the cameraphone was born. Probably just as well.


5. Put away your double chin



Even the skinniest necks can grow a little flesh pillow

when there's a camera in the room, so banish the wobble with this old modelling trick: touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue when you smile. Practice in front of the mirror a few times to make sure that you're getting the intended effect (taught chin, long neck, winning smile) rather than the unintended effect (lunatic with fat tongue).



6. Do the red carpet pose



Here's another trick from women* who get paid to be photogenic. When a camera threatens to photograph your entire body, don't face it head-on. The resulting photo will make you look broader than you are. It'll be like Gok Wan in reverse.

Avoid this by standing side-on and turning your upper body towards the camera. This posture slims your body and emphasises your waist. True devotees of the pose tend to stick one leg out the front and put their hand on their hip – voila, thinner-looking pins and an elongated upper arm. For more details, see Victoria Beckham.(* Men who try this pose will just look like they're running away. Fellas should face the camera squarely and avoid making silly hand gestures.)



7. Have a laugh



Fake smiles rarely look real and are almost never flattering, but laughs are much easier to manipulate. This is partly because a laugh is a great tension-reliever, and a forced laugh often leads to a real one. Occasionally ridiculous; always effective.



8. Smile with your eyes



If fake laughs and toothy smiles are too cheesy for you (or you just don't like your teeth), don't worry: say it with your eyes instead. Body language can be extremely powerful in photos, and your eyes are the strongest weapon in your body language armoury. Smiling eyes beguile people for all the right reasons.



9. Beware glinty glasses



In person, your specs make you look gorgeous and smart. In a flash photo, your specs make you look like you're wearing mirror shades. Unless this is the look you were going for, we'd recommend removing the bins and showing off your eyes.



10. Direct light bad, indirect light good



Specs wearers and vampires aren't the only ones who should be wary of light shining right at their faces. A faceful of bright sunshine makes you squint, frown, sneer and screw up your features in a kind of double-chinned grimace. So remember, kids: don't look into the sun, especially if someone's got a camera.



Despicable

In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru, planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon! Gru delights in all things wicked; he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad.

More info at

http://www.despicable.me

'Despicable' tops US box office

rottentomatoes.com

Dear Susan,

Yes, its now official,

We can confirm that Susan Boyle will be performing at Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park before His Holiness Pope Benedict XV1 on September 16Th

I'll just have a small Salad thanks

Singapore’s The Salad Shop opens,

Its a new Raffles Place with a great slogan that reads ‘for herbivores, carnivores, and everything else in-between’,

A fast-food/ready-to-go restaurant that, yes you guessed it… majors heavily in all things salad.

Baby spinach, grilled eggplant, egg, feta cheese, bacon bits, brown rice, pumpkin, pesto vinaigrette, avocado dressing and a hint of citrus.

"Ummm absolutely divine!"

Of course it’s not just the healthy food, nice as it may be, that’s caught our eye – it’s the rather lovely interiors, courtesy of the supremely talented Singapore design studio, Asylum

– they who also designed the amazing Chocolate Research Facility that opened sometime last year.

Brilliantly oversized forks and spoons act as window masks, whilst an array of illustrated, bespoke designed stools that add colour and fine character.

The dining space itself is all streamlined industrial and the finishing touches to this eclectic interior are those wickedly hip ’scenic’ fabric lampshades. Modern, vibrant and endearing, Asylum once again have created a playful, inviting space that’s sure to be successful.

Hop on down...

Normal ?

O M G !

Burger King is set to launch the Pizza Burger next month.

A two-in-one dish that contains more than 2,500 calories and is four times the size of the chain's Whoppers !

Like thats what America really needs right now ?

The meal will delight fast-food fans when it is exclusively introduced at Burger King's Whopper Bar in Times Square, New York, in mid september

Besides the beef and a 9.5-inch sesame bun, the Pizza Burger is topped with pepperoni, mozzarella, Tuscan pesto and marinara sauce.

It also comes in six slices, just like a pizza.

According to blogger Me So Hungry, it is the perfect mix between a pizza and a burger.

"The visual highlight was the New York Pizza Burger... it's not bad. Tastes kinda like pizza, but also like a burger," Mr blogger said.

It has been dubbed the "fat bomb" because, for $13 (£8.40), customers can bite into 2,520 calories - the recommended daily intake is 2,500 calories for men and 2,000 for women.

One Pizza Burger contains 144g of fat - 59g of which is saturated. It also has 3,780mg of salt, which is more than double the daily limit for adults.

John Schaufelberger, Burger King's vice president of global marketing, insisted the Pizza Burger is "intended to be shared".

But he also admitted that it "demonstrates the type of menu offerings our guests can expect".

According to Mr Schaufelberger, the Pizza Burger is a homage to New York, the home of Burger King.

Luv your Garden !

If you a beginner gardener on a small budget,

Here are a few money saving tips for all green-fingered wannabees

Since we only have a small garden, my gardening exploits are limited to whatever fits onto it, which is a bit of a shame as I love trees, so i've still managed to cram in a small apple tree and a little pear tree to.If your careful you can make any space work as a garden you will like.

I'm really a total amateur and working with a tight budget, but I really enjoy pottering about planting seeds and generally getting covered in compost.

If you don't have much space - or money - or gardening know-how - the whole idea might sound a bit daunting. But it really doesn't have to be.

Here, I'm going to have a look at how beginner gardeners can get the ball rolling as cheaply and easily as possible.

I'm also going to highlight lots of flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs that are relatively cheap and very easy to grow.

Preparation

Equipment: You can pick up second-hand gardening equipment (like pots and tools) quite cheaply - and sometimes even for free. Many people are usually keen to get shot of these bulky, heavy items just to make a bit more space.

So - before you buy anything new, ask for what you're looking for on Freecycle. Everything on this website is free, donated by Freecycle community members in your area. And don't forget to check out local charity shops and car boot sales.

And try and think ‘outside the box' (or pot). For example, dustbins and compost bags with holes are great for growing potatoes.

A friend has an old Belfast sink which looks fantastic filled with flowers - and other gardeners I know also use tyres, apple crates and wellington boots!

If you do want to buy equipment new, high street stores are likely to be cheaper than your local garden centre. Lidl, Aldi, Woolworths, Wilkinsons, Robert Dyas, Netto and your local pound shop are all worth a look.

Compost: The cheapest compost is the stuff you make yourself. Have a look at this DIY guide.

Seeds, bulbs and plants: Read this excellent article for lots of good advice on how to get hold of the cheapest seeds, cuttings and plants.

We also find eBay is a good place to look for specific seeds, because there are loads on offer and you won't have to pay much for postage.

And check out Garden Swap Shop, where you can swap your excess seeds and plants with other website members for just 20p.

Easy, cheap plants for beginners

If you'd like to have a go at growing something - but you don't know where begin - just start small.

Choose cheap plants that need the minimum of care and equipment - and are very hard to kill!

This way, if you decide gardening really isn't for you, you won't have spent all your savings on high-tech bits and bobs.

Do you fancy a little herb garden? What about having a go at home-grown food? Or perhaps you'd like some nice bright flowers and shrubs? Here are some ideas to get you started.

Herbs

Mint and lemon balm are both good for beginners because they work well in pots, grow quickly and are difficult to kill.

If you don't have much money or space, thyme is also worth a try. It grows to fill small spaces (like paving stone cracks) and spreads well on its own - so you don't have to by lots of plants.

And rosemary and sage are good ‘two in one' options, because they also produce pretty flowers which attract bees.

Visit The Herb Society for lots of good advice on how to grow and use herbs.

Fruit and veg

If you fancy yourself as a future Tom or Barbara:

Potatoes, kale, radishes and garlic are quite hardy and you don't need to buy much special equipment (like greenhouses or climbing frames).

If it's fruit you're after, currant and gooseberry bushes grow happily in (big) containers and produce year after year.

This sort of soft fruit is really expensive in the shops - so after your initial outlay, you could end up saving quite a lot of money on posh desserts!

And if you become really keen, you might want to think about getting your own allotment for a relatively small fee.

Grow Your Own is a great website with lots of advice on what to grow fruit and veg to grow, and when.

Flowers and shrubs

Growing flowers can be a great way to keep children cheaply entertained too- especially if they're really colourful and can withstand some prodding and poking from little fingers.

Sunflowers, sweetpeas, crocuses and daffodils are all good in this respect.

If you don't have much space, lobelia and marigolds are quite cheap to buy and perfect for pots and window boxes.

Also geraniums and fuchsia are particularly good for hanging baskets.

If you have bare ground, fences and walls - but don't want to spend much on ‘covering' plants -Ivy and campanula are good because they're resilient and spread like wild fire.

Finally, lavender is also affordable and a great way to introduce scent and colour. You could even save money on gifts for family and friends, by using it to make pot-pourri.

Still sound too ambitious?

You can even try some cheap and easy gardening indoors. Basil, coriander, parsley and chilli peppers can all be grown on a warm windowsill, from seeds costing a few pence.

I hope I've given you a few ideas. Now do excuse me - I'm off to tend to me parsnips...

For more helpful info try: Get Gardening!

Also you can visit The Fool's Gardening discussion board for chat, help and advice on all things green-fingered.