Thursday, June 27, 2019
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
10 must have baby photography props for professional baby photographers
Being an event photographer means your clients are trusting you to capture one of the most important days of their lives. However, there are a few things you should be worried about; an equipment meltdown, horrendous light, and weather of course. When it comes to events, take no chances to any kind of breakdown. Prepare for the worst and keep a backup for everything and plan everything beforehand. Your client is not going to get married twice just because your camera or lenses or your memory card broke.
Next time you are preparing to shoot an event, you can use this list as your basic packing reference and ultimately you may find yourself adding or subtracting as your needs grow. We call it the Duh list. 
List of essential tools and equipment for event photography.
- Cameras
- Lenses
- Tripod
- Off-camera flash
- SD cards
- Batteries
- Flash Diffuser
- Studio Strobes and Umbrellas
- Lens Cleaning Kit
Cameras
Always take at least 2 cameras with you one as a backup. It’s essential to have an extra in case something goes wrong with your primary camera.
Ideally, you want to find a camera that doesn’t get in the way of your creative process. Things to consider before you buy a camera.
Sensor – Understand the sensor of your cameras. Larger sensors undoubtedly produce more detail. If you want to keep the same depth of field, while, larger sensor sizes do not necessarily have a resolution advantage.
Shutter speed – Camera shutter speed is also important. Depending on the nature of your event, you need a camera that has a high shutter speed that you can capture photos in milliseconds.
Weight -The weight of your camera. A camera is a commitment. When shooting outdoors, every ounce matters. DSLRs are about twice as heavy as mirrorless cameras and approximately 40% bulkier
Lenses.
Medium Zoom Lens – As medium zoom use a 24-70 f2.8 lens. For wedding portraits and photojournalism, this focal length is great, offering both broad and tight perspectives. The fairly wide opening of the aperture gives you some flexibility in spaces that are not very well illuminated. It is a very versatile lens and it should be one of the first lenses you should consider buying. It is expensive. If you are on a tight budget consider the 24-105 f4. Also, you can look at third-party brands which provide compatible lenses to your camera.
Telephoto Lens– You’ll need a longer lens to capture events from a distance, mainly the ceremony. You should stand toward the back or sides so you are not blocking anyone’s view. Also, when you are taking pictures from far you will get more natural poses as the people you are taking pictures of will not be conscious about the camera. Use 70-200mm, also use that lens for close-ups.
Wide Angle Lens – The wide angle can get you shots of architectural details or big groups. These are not that important as a 24-70 will be able to achieve them group shots you want to take.
Prime Lens – In case it is a night event, the prime lens lets you shoot in dark spaces and gives you dreamy depth of field. These are fixed focal lenses so there is no zoom in these lenses. But these lenses have the widest aperture which means a smaller depth of field and more light to the sensors. These are the cheapest lenses you will find. But definitely, something that you should have in your collection. They are great for portraits.
Also if you are interested in portraits you should definitely check out the macro lenses, they bring out soo much detail in your subject, your client will be very impressed with it.
Tripod stand
If you are low in light and need a little more stability, a good tripod saves you. It is also useful if you’re working in extremely low light. The light stands are also useful: they can be fitted with your speedlights and allow you to adapt the positioning of light. Shooter-through parasols are also useful when you do portrait work with light stands and speedlights.
Off camera flash
Consider using a hot-shoe flash rather than using the flash on your camera. It is a nice piece of equipment which you can hold in one hand and in the other your off-camera cable for your flash. It is impossible to get a red eye this way. Ensure you have at least basic knowledge of how to use it since if you have it in the wrong settings you could ruin the entire photo.
Please, Please, Please DONT use your Camera Flash
SD cards
Bring more cards than you think you need. Professional cameras normally have 2 slots. If you are into any sort of freelance photography you want 2 copies of files on 2 separate SD cards just in case 1 of your card fails. Make this a standard practice and make sure you buy a camera which has 2 slots. Also, you will usually shoot between 50 and 60 GB of images for an event. Having extra cards will also not make you worried about running out of space.
Batteries
As you are unable to know how long or how much you will have to shoot, you are to be prepared. Have ready and charged at least 3 battery charged packs. If you already have a battery grip, ensure you have freshly charged batteries inside, and at least one set of spare ones, I would strongly advise Sanyo Eneloop batteries. If you’re planning to work on events, you’ll get several chargers.
Flash Diffuser
You can put the Gary Fong Lightsphere on top of your flash. It helps to diffuse the light and makes photographs on the fly better when there is no time to set up lights.
Studio Strobes and Umbrellas
They have more power than speedlights. They often have the power and speed of strobes in a dark place to light a large group of people evenly.
Lens Cleaning Kit
Your lens is likely to get dirty or wet as you shoot a quick-moving event, so keeping a cleaning kit or lens towelettes on hand is smart to stop smudges from ruining your shots.
It’s not always as hard to photograph general events as you might think. Once you’ve stocked up with the items we’ve discussed on event photography equipment and tools, you’re good to go.
The post 10 must have baby photography props for professional baby photographers appeared first on Bawabba Blog.
from Bawabba Blog http://blog.bawabba.com/photographers/10-must-have-baby-photography-props-for-professional-baby-photographers/
Saturday, June 15, 2019
What is the best free logo maker?
7 Best Free Logo Makers for 2019
In order to survive in the already very competitive field of businesses, you need something that people can identify you with. A sign that can create and build good relations with your clientele. Companies often use logos for visual identity while standing as a symbol of memory to your customers. It has been proven that a good logo has the potential to attract customers while still retaining them.
Designing a logo for your company can be quite costly. High-end software for making quality logos require a lot of expertise and knowledge for one to use. Furthermore, it may force someone to employ a graphic designer to create for them a logo using sophisticated software.
The best free logo makers are simplistic in nature, helping you create world-class logos easily and quickly. Below is a list of the top 7 free logo makers.
With a wide array of options to choose from, Canva is not your average free logo maker. The drag-and-drop editor has many customizable designs to pick from. This site can be used to create top company logos, posters, cards, and many others.
If worried about its complexity, there are a number of templates which can help you get started. To match your needs, you will need to specify some dimensions at the start and fill in some other details which will be required of you.
You can customize graphics, images, texts, and many other aspects vital for making and creating great logos. If pressed for time and need a good logo made within minutes, there is a dedicated Canva Logo Maker which you only type in your company name, choose the category (e.g. sports, music, etc.), and pick your preferred style before your logo is automatically tailored for you.
This logo maker which is specifically made for people who are on very tight budgets and still need quality company logos. With Oberlo’s Logo Maker, you can channel your focus to tasks which require much of your time and still get the perfect logo.
There are numerous navigation options which allow you to customize the logo to meet your preferred style. Details such as your company name will have to be keyed in before you play around with the different templates, color, frame, size, positioning, etc. It is absolutely free!
This editor helps users make their own logos according to their own style and preference. The site provides a number of effects such as shine, shadow, reflect distress, and many others, which are usually only found on paid editors. The site is absolutely free. All you need is to register, create an account, and a link will be shared with you on how you will download the logo.
With a pretty clean user interface and a seamless process of logo creation, you can easily create the logo of your choice and download it in zip version. Although it might be in low quality, the logo will do just fine. If you need to access a clearer and quality logo, you can do so while parting with a few bucks.
Creating a competitive logo with Hatchful is quite simple and super-fast. The only thing you do is choosing your business space and the category your business fits into. You are, afterward, offered a chance to choose your preferred style of logo while writing down the name of your business and slogan if you wish to. You will be presented with a number of icons to choose from which you can further customize.
Ucraft is a company which specializes in building websites while offering free logos to other users. All you need to do is sign up with them, create an account, and proceed to make the logo that best fits your style. With numerous icons and templates to choose from, you can easily get your logo ready within 10 minutes! After that, you can easily download your logo in high quality .png format.
This website has a very appealing and user-friendly interface making your navigation quite easy. You can build your own logo for free within just a couple of minutes. All you have to do is fill in the details required of you such as the business name.
You can also choose a category which best fits your business from the over 30 options. While saving you lots of bucks by guiding you on how to create the perfect logo all by yourself, you will have to part with some fee in order to download a high-quality vector-based file which can be used for large-scale printing.
Take away
Finding the right free logo maker will no longer be a big worry to you. Use our list to pick the one which works best for you. In order to receive better high-resolution results, it is advisable to first consult graphic design in Dubai.
The post What is the best free logo maker? appeared first on Bawabba Blog.
from Bawabba Blog http://blog.bawabba.com/graphic-design/what-is-the-best-free-logo-maker/
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
7 Most popular Best Web-based Accounting Tools in 2019
Accounting can be a very boring, time-consuming activity which no business can escape from. Regardless of the focus area of the business, accounting is one of the core factors which keep it running. It is important that startups should focus more on accounting tools in order to ensure that their company is headed for the right direction. This will help them change some ways which prove not to be working for them.
Why does accounting really matter?
Every successful business owner will tell you that having to know and keeping track of your accounting will definitely improve your income. In the long run, having a strong financial plan will help you avoid and maneuver the tougher aspects involved in running a business. There are a number of reasons why you should have an accounting program up and running as soon as your business is started. Some of the reasons include;
- Establish a baseline
With accounting, it is easy to budget for your business. It gives you a clear picture of how well your business is doing and what finances are required to upgrade it to the next level. This will help you to set realistic and achievable goals for your business.
- Save on time
Manually performing accounting tasks takes time, not to mention it might be a boring repetitive task. You need the right tools to help you take care of the said tasks in time. As a result, it will aid you focus your time on other projects. Your working speed is also going to be accelerated.
- Perfection at work
Humans are prone to making errors. In accounting, it is very easy for one to go wrong while doing some calculations. One mistake with a simple figure can have devastating impacts on the business. Using accounting tools will help you avoid such worries and increase perfection in your work.
- Securing your data
Accounting tools cannot be accessed by just anyone as you must have the right login credentials in order to be allowed access to the data. This ensures that your data is well protected unlike during the case of too much paperwork which can accidentally fall into the wrong hands.
- Make smart decisions
We always may not make the right decisions regarding how businesses should be run but all these changes with accounting in place. By analyzing financial reports on a regular basis, one is able to identify the aspects of the business which generate more ROI hence doubling the resources and time on such. For the aspects which do not bring in any profit, you will be able to cut down on that spending.
- Expense tracking
With accounting, it is very easy to track down your spending and expenses which comes in handy when required to pay taxes. This ensures that you can have every write-off and deduction you are entitled to when paying taxes stretching your investment to a great extent.
- Forecasting
Having the right accounting tools not only helps in making the right financial decisions but also helps in forecasting how the future of the company will be.
- Helps to minimize personal liability
In case of a lawsuit, your personal assets will be risked if at all there is no accurate account of all business income and expenses.
- Getting funding
When you have all your business financial data on your fingertips, attracting investors or getting loan approvals becomes easier. This shows that the level of seriousness and commitment is high.
Today’s ideal accountant should have access to four main things; A computer, mobile phone, software, and of course, the internet. All these factors greatly contribute to how a business is run and ensure the smooth running on different levels.
Web-based Accounting Tools
When one opts to use online or web-based(also known as cloud- based) accounting tools the data of the business and everything associated with it is hosted by the vendor’s servers. Data is stored in secure servers and backed up. The flexibility of these systems attracts small and medium businesses, especially due to their capital investment requirements.
With over a hundred online accounting tools to choose from, one can be confused about where to start and what to get. Below are the best and very vital web-based tools your business ought to have.
Types of online accounting tools
Accounting tools track typical financial data of businesses. The features include;
- General ledgers
- Payable and receivable accounts
- Payrolls
- Reporting modules, etc.
Web-based accounting tools are, as the name implies, web-based. They do not require to be installed locally into company computers and are designed to be used over the internet. This puts less pressure on the Information Technology (IT) department of the organization as needs such as server hardware, maintenance, backups, etc. will no longer be needed.
This fact shifts the initial capital investment to a much less costly amount. However, to continue using the services or tools, a subscription is required and is paid weekly, monthly, annually or according to how the terms of agreement of that particular tool are.
There are two types of online accounting tools namely;
1.browser-based software-as-a-service (SaaS)
2.application service providers (ASPs).
SaaS solutions can be accessed from an internet browser such as Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer. The information can be accessed from anywhere using any computer and the information remains the same. Changes can also be made remotely, away from the office. ASPs are examples of client-server systems where the business installs some small software into the computers. This enables them to access the data they require but with an internet connection.
Most ASPs can be accessed from the browser but will come with a number of drawbacks as they are not specifically built for that purpose. All in all, both SaaS and ASPs tools are hosted by the vendor’s remote servers.
Top 7 best web-based accounting tools
Whenever you search for the best financial management tools online, FreshBooks will always appear on the list, if not on top. This is because of its effectiveness, usability, and user-friendliness which is backed up by thousands of positive reviews all over.
This tool can be well integrated with other business applications such as MailChimp, Basecamp, Gusto, PayPal, Zendesk, WordPress, and more, enabling a streamlined process of accounts management. FreshBooks is a complete suite and there is no need for additional software to make it work.
To make work even easier, you can access it from your desktop or from the free iOS and Android mobile apps. Since the software is cloud-based, you do not need to worry about backups.
Some of the key features include;
- Impeccable invoicing management with invoice to payment capabilities. It has the ability to pinpoint exactly where and when a recipient opens the invoice.
- Billing history management as it pulls previous and current bills. Unpaid bills can be pulled out of the system.
- Online payment abilities which allows businesses to receive money through a number of ways.
- User-friendly and sleek interface.
- Time tracking
- Expense tracking
Pricing
A 30-day free trial is available if you decide to get the software. After that, there are 3 options you can choose from; lite, plus, and premium.
- Lite
Pricing is $15 per month and $13.5 billed annually. Only covers for 5 clients.
Services include;
- Invoices
- Estimates
- Time tracking
- Expenses
- The ability to accept online credit card payments
- The ability to import expenses from your bank account.
- Plus
Pricing is $25 per month and $22.5 billed annually. Supports up to 50 clients.
Services include;
- All lite services
- The ability to send proposals
- Provides recurring invoices
- Automatically send payment reminders.
- Premium
Pricing is $50 per month and $45 billed annually. Supports up to 500 clients.
All lite and plus services are available.
- FreshBooks Select
Customizable pricing to users with more than 500 clients.
With instant access to employee, client, and vendor information, Intuit QuickBooks is one of the best accounting tools the market has had. Just like in the case of FreshBooks, there are many other apps which help add more features to the tool such as inventory management, job scheduling, Shopify integration, Customer Relationship Management and more. The software has proved to be useful to small business owners, accountants, auditors, finance officers, and freelance bookkeepers in Dubai.
Popular integrations supported by the software include; the Intuit GoPayment and QuickBooks Online Payroll.
One of the most notable features of this software is its ability to synch business profiles automatically into a single dashboard. A number of users can therein access the reports and view those corporate accounts. The tool has the capability of generating profit & loss trade sheets, invoicing, and billing. All these can also be accessed via mobile device apps.
One is able to also create custom feeds and reports from the dashboard.
Pricing
There is a 30-day free trial offer when you sign up for the services. For paid versions, there are 4 different categories which all have more advanced services as you go up the ladder.
- Simple Start
Pricing is $10 a month
Services include;
- Tracking income and expenses
- Capturing and organizing receipts
- Maximizing tax deductions
- Send estimates
- Invoice and accept payments
- Run basic reports
- Track sales and tax
- Essentials
Pricing is $20 a month
Services include;
- All services offered by a Simple Start subscription
- Manage bills
- Track time
- Self Service Payroll
- Multiple users (up to 3)
- Plus
Pricing is $35 per month
Services offered;
- All the above services
- Track project profitability
- Track inventory
- Manage 1099 contractors
- Multiple users (up to 5)
- Advanced
Pricing is $60 per month
Services include;
- All the above services
- Smart reporting
- Accelerated invoicing
- Custom user permissions
- Premium care with Priority Circle
- Multiple users (up to 25)
With a 30-day free trial for you, the premium offers are so much tempting that you will just end up subscribing to a plan in the long run. Sage Business Cloud Accounting is one of the best accounting tools every business should have in order to ease all their accounting workloads.
With a subscription which has a starting value of a decent amount, there are plenty of features one can take advantage of such as;
- Modules which help manage quotes
- Invoices
- Handle and submit VAT online
- Smart bank feeds & reconciliation
- Cash flow forecasting
- Detailed reports
- Multiple currency support
- Project tracking etc.
All these services can be accessed via a desktop or through their user-friendly mobile phones apps. All these features are easy to use but should one ever hit a roadblock, a 24/7 mobile and email support services are available.
Pricing
There are two pricing options namely Accounting Start and Accounting.
- Accounting Start
Pricing starts at £6 per month. You will be able to save 40% for the first 3 months before paying £10 + VAT per month
Services offered include;
- Create sales invoices
- Track what you are owed
- Connect to your bank
- Act on real-time reports
- Submit VAT returns
- Use advanced mobile apps
- Accounting
Pricing starts at £6.60 per month. You will be able to save 70% for the first 3 months before paying £22 + VAT per month.
Services include;
- All the above services
- Generate quotes and estimates
- Record Purchase invoices
- Review cash flow statements
- Prepare cash flow forecasts
- Managing inventory
- Manage more than one company
- Create invoices in multiple currencies
- Use different analysis types
- Create proforma invoices
- Generate statements
- Send remittance advice
- Create credit notes
- Generate delivery notes
This is one of the best cloud-based accounting software perfect for those who are worried about meeting deadlines. The software helps businesses deal with common issues such as late payments, non-compliance, administrative overload and other problems which might occur due to human error. With Tipalti, you are assured that the time you would have spent on financial management is significantly reduced, error-free.
Providing a myriad of financial controls, the tool supports an automated payment facilitation. It supports over 120 currencies with over 5 payment methods. It also collects W-9 and W-8 tax forms and withholds payment to non-compliant illegal parties.
Key features of the software include;
- Invoice Management
- Payment Reconciliation
- Global Supplier Payments
- Multi-Entity Support
- AP Reporting
- ERP Integration
- Tax Compliance
- Supplier Management
- PO Matching
- Early Payments
- Fraud Detection
Pricing
There are 3 basic payment options and packages. However, you can contact customer support to have the payment tailored to meet your needs.
- Tipalti Express
Pricing is $299 a month
- Tipalti Pro
Pricing is $699 a month
- Tipalti Elite
Pricing is $1,599 a month
Before subscribing to any plans, it would be wise to contact support in order to know how a plan can be tailor-made to suit all your needs.
Zoho Books is one of the best and often overlooked cloud-based accounting tools which matches or even offers better services than more popular tools such as FreshBooks and QuickBooks. One of the most enchanting aspects of this tool is the pricing as it is almost half the quotation for major tools.
The software comes with unbeatable services such as;
- Invoices
- Project time tracking
- Contact management
- Expenses
- Sales & purchase orders
- Inventory management
- Automatic bank feeds
- Collaborative client portal
- Accounting and taxing
- Online payments
- Invoice templates
- Analytical reports
Furthermore, businesses can automate recurring activities such as payment reminders, billing, and payment thank you notes.
Pricing
Zoho Books has a 14-day trial for any of their paid plans. There are 3 plans which are generously charged and you can l the subscription at any time.
- Basic
Pricing is $9 a month and is available to 1 user.
Services offered include;
- Unlimited invoicing
- Unlimited estimates
- 50 contacts
- Expense tracking
- Project management
- Time tracking
- Reports
- Tax support
- 5 automated workflows
- Standard
Pricing starts at $19 a month and supports 2 users.
Services include;
- Unlimited invoicing
- Unlimited estimates
- 500 contacts
- Expense tracking
- Project management
- Time tracking
- Reports
- Tax support
- Accounts payable
- 10 automated workflows
- Professional
Pricing is $29 a month and can accommodate up to 10 users.
Services offered include;
- Unlimited invoicing
- Unlimited estimates
- Unlimited contacts
- Expense tracking
- Time tracking
- Reports
- Tax support
- Accounts payable
- Sales orders
- Purchase orders
- Inventory
- Custom domain
- 10 automated workflows
Having been in the business since 2006, Xero has given other established accounting tools a run for their money. Coming through for small and medium-sized organizations, the software has helped many companies perform complex accounting functions.
Its mobility plans have greatly contributed to the growth of many businesses due to the no limit set on the number of users. It also has an improved UI for its cloud-based system unlike the traditional ones for other web-based accounting software.
The key features include;
- Bank reconciliation
- Integration with 700+ apps
- Keep track of suppliers and customers
- Expense claims
- Attach documents to your financial data
- Financial reporting
- Free and unlimited email support
- Advanced inventory
- Create & send invoices automatically
- Cloud-based meaning you can access it from anywhere
- User-friendly mobile apps
- Supports multiple currencies
- Payroll
- Purchase orders
- Receive bills electronically
- Ability to segment contacts based on purchase history
Pricing
Xero provides a 30-day free trial and 3 other pricing plans one can choose from.
- Starter
Pricing is $9 a month.
Services include;
- 5 invoices and quotes
- You can enter 5 bills
- Ability to reconcile 20 bank transactions
- Standard
Pricing is $30 a month.
Services include;
- Unlimited invoices and quotes
- Unlimited bills
- Reconcile multiple bank transactions
- Premium
Pricing is $60 a month.
Services offered include;
- All standard features
- Handle multiple currencies
Ever since it burst into the accounting scene in 2008, Kashoo has been able to competitively offer cloud-based accounting services to all their clients globally. Designed to fit small businesses perfectly, the software has impeccable features which every company or freelancer should take great advantage of.
Some of the key features include;
- Collecting online credit card payments
- Track expenses and sales tax
- Import bank transactions
- Supports unlimited users
- Secure access
- Supporting many different currencies
- Billing and invoicing
- Payroll management
- Accounts payable and accounts receivable
Pricing
Kashoo has a single payment plan with a 14-day free trial. The payment is paid monthly but if you pay annually you stand to get a discount of a month or two. The subscription can be canceled at any time.
Price is $19.95 a month.
Services offered include all the above-mentioned services. Extra charges will be incurred if you wish to register multiple companies or for Payroll services. Payroll plans for up to 10 users start at $54.99 a month.
Final Word
If searching for the best accounting tools, cloud-based software are always the best as you do not need to worry much about their security or accessing them remotely. Use our list above to get the accounting software which will cater to your needs. If you are a freelance accountant in Dubai, UAE, then sign-up on Bawabba to get freelance accounting jobs.
The post 7 Most popular Best Web-based Accounting Tools in 2019 appeared first on Bawabba Blog.
from Bawabba Blog http://blog.bawabba.com/accounting/most-popular-web-based-accounting-tools/