Now that you have decided on the purpose of your group trip, where you want to travel and what time of the year, you will now be faced with the task of planning your group tour. There will be many questions to answer, lots of details to complete and numerous deadlines to meet. Knowing what to tackle first, what decisions to make and what support you will need throughout both the planning period and on the trip will help make the process run smoothly. The key is to plan far in advance.The planning all begins with a timeline. Following are some general guidelines for mapping out the period from when the seed is planted until the departure date. Note: This timeline may differ depending upon your type of group, what destination you have chosen and when you may be traveling.18 Months Prior to DepartureWho will be invited to participate?
Determine the approximate length and dates of the trip.
Begin researching your chosen destination to find out what attractions, museums, theme parks, outdoor adventures, water parks, etc. you would like to attend and the costs associated with each.
Begin researching transportation, hotels, vacation homes, dining and shopping (if applicable) and the costs associated with each.
If this is a school trip, talk with the school principal and/or administration to receive their approval.10 to 12 Months Prior to DepartureSet firm dates.
If flying, final pricing may not be available until 10 months prior to departure. Also, arrange transportation to and from the airport when you have secured your flights.
Motorcoach/minibus companies also work 10 months in advance. If traveling by motorcoach or minibus, you should begin the quoting/booking process now and choose a transportation company.
If you are traveling by van(s) from your hometown, then begin the quoting/booking process from van rental companies.
Begin the hotel/vacation home resort quoting/booking process. After receiving the quotes, choose a hotel/vacation home resort and book it!
If you have decided to include meals in the trip, begin the group-friendly restaurant, dinner show quoting/booking process. After receiving the quotes, choose which restaurants your group desires and book them!
If shopping is important to your group, this will be a good time to request a meet/greet to obtain discounts from the shopping center/retail store.
If you are a youth group, determine who your chaperones will be which may include parents, teachers, sponsors, etc.
Project the estimated/approximate cost per person.
Announce the tour including the cost per person and start promoting it by means of email, flyers, posters, website, social media, newsletters, etc.
Set up a deposit and payment schedule for each member in your group as they sign up.
If participating in a music/dance/theatre festival, fill out all paperwork and submit.
If you desire travel insurance, now is the time to research, fill out paperwork and submit.6 to 9 Months Prior to DepartureContinue promoting the trip via newsletters, social media, emails, meetings, etc., keeping interest alive in those who have signed up and possibly attracting a few more to sign up.
If you are a school group, scouting troop, youth group etc., begin fundraising activities if needed.
If your trip is an educational tour, create a list of reading materials or study exercises to prepare students for the trip
Distribute a copy of the itinerary to all members of your group (meetings, association, youth group, scouting, religious, reunion, etc.)
Participants should be signed up with deposits paid.
Confirm all reservations including hotel/vacation homes, transportation, attractions, dining, shopping, travel insurance and anything else.4 Months Prior to DepartureContinue promoting the trip via newsletters, social media, emails, meetings, etc., keeping interest alive in those who have signed up and possibly attracting a few more to sign up.
Contact anyone who has shown an interest but still has not committed.
Continue fundraising if needed.
Collect payments per your payment schedule.3 Months Prior to DepartureFinal payments are due from those who have paid deposits, made payments, etc.
Finalize lists of all participants and choose roommates for hotels (if applicable), seating arrangements on the motorcoach (if applicable), and/or seating arrangements on your flight if flying
Purchase all theme park, attraction, water park and dinner show tickets and begin making final payments to your chosen hotel/vacation homes, restaurants, transportation companies, etc.1 Month Prior to DepartureSchedule a final meeting to confirm the details of your trip including packing lists, travel tips and any last-minute information.
Make sure you obtain emergency contact, medical and allergy information from each traveler.
If you are a youth group, make sure parents have your emergency contact information.
Make sure all permission forms, travel insurance forms, etc. are completed for each traveler.As previously stated, the above timeline is a general guide and can differ depending upon your type of group, what destination you have chosen and when you may be traveling. Use this timeline as a guide to map out your trip from the start of planning to the departure date. By employing this step-by-step process, you will be able to successfully plan each stage of your group trip resulting in a smooth tour without any surprises.
Group Travel Tips for Direct Groups: Part 2 – Planning Your Trip Timeline
3 Time Management Tactics Every Real Estate Agent Should Know
In today’s world of breakthrough technology it’s easier than ever to stay connected. Laptops, Blackberries, and iPhone’s combined with social networks like Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter provide business professionals (especially real estate agents) with powerful tools to not only establish many new relationships but also to stay up to date with those relationships on a consistent basis.Although these new methods of staying in touch may provide new opportunities for expanding our personal network, they also present many challenges when it comes to staying productive and focusing our energy into activities that really improve our business and our lives. For real estate agents, this is especially crucial because selling real estate is all about relationships.What can agents do to manage, not only their relationships, but also their time, energy, and health? In this article, we are going to look at three ways that you can begin to manage your time, energy, and relationships in a way that keeps you and your clients most productive.1. Focus on your biggest opportunities instead of getting caught up in busy work. It’s so easy to get caught up in the “doing-ness” of day to day activities that we lose sight of what’s really important in our life. All the little things that need to be done cry out for our immediate attention and before we know it the whole day is gone. Sometimes we are left asking ourselves, “where did all the time go?” or “what did I accomplish today?”The problem stems from a mistaken belief that if we are “doing” lots of stuff, that we are being “productive”. It turns out that how much we do is not necessarily important; it’s also what we do that counts. The specifics of this will be different for each agent, of course. You will have to figure this out based on your own approach to real estate sales, your expertise, and where you have the most success.For example, you could spend two hours working on fancy business cards and letterhead, or you could call up some prospects that you met at the last open house. Which activity is more productive in the long run? Which one will benefit your business the most? Usually our biggest opportunities lay in wait while we attend to menial day to day busy work. It’s not until we identify our biggest opportunities and make a focused effort to work on them, that we will make real progress in building our business. So ask yourself, “What are my biggest opportunities?” See if you can list 5 activities that will lead to real business results.2. Take care of yourself and your clients by setting clear boundaries If you close your eyes and imagine the ideal “successful” agent, you will probably find yourself imagining a person who is not only busy, but also on their phone constantly. A phone that rings often can be a wonderful thing for an agent (especially in this market). So it would make sense for an agent to make him or herself available as often as possible, right? Well, maybe.We want to be by the phone when that important call comes in, (such as a call from a referral or a call to close a deal), yet we don’t want to be waking up at 2 am to answer calls from wrong numbers or even freaked out buyers (so they can freak us out too). Where do we draw the line when it comes to taking business calls versus unplugging and getting some rest and relaxation?On the one hand, we want to be available to our clients and serve them as best we can, yet on the other hand we also have to take care of ourselves both physically and mentally. If we mistakenly believe that being a real estate agent means that we have to sacrifice everything (including our well-being) to serve our clients and get the listing, then our health will start to suffer. Then, consciously or unconsciously, we may begin to resent our clients, our work, or our life in general.If we don’t keep our energy tank full by maintaining health self-care, then we can become sick and tired and unhappy. Guess what that does to our business? Yea, it’s not so good. How can we expect to take care of our clients if we aren’t taking care of ourselves? The answer lies in finding the right balance of work and rest. This means setting clear boundaries when it comes to taking client calls and checking emails.I can hear the questions already, “but real estate agents must always be available, it’s part of the job, otherwise they may miss out on all the deals!” This type of reasoning is usually coming out of an anxious part of ourself, the one that acts out of scarcity and need.People like agents who are friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. If you set clear hours of when you are working and communicate them to your client, what you are communicating is your standards of integrity. They may not like it (especially if they go into an emotional frenzy and can’t get a hold of you) but at a deep level, they will respect you. And best of all, you will respect you.By setting clear times when you are taking calls and checking emails, you establish boundaries and focus your energy. Without clear boundaries, our mind (and energy) becomes scattered and we soon feel like we are being pulled in every direction. Some people call it A.D.D. but frankly it’s just a lack of ability to focus and set boundaries.Our body will usually tell us when we are done; we get very tired, can’t concentrate well, and become easily distracted. By becoming aware of when our body usually checks out of work, we can create a schedule of times of the day when we are available and when we are unavailable.Of course, when deals are closing and things get down to the wire, you can make adjustments. The key is to service your clients as best you can while still taking care of yourself. Ask yourself, “what boundaries do I need to set with my clients so that I can be healthy enough to best serve them?” Remember, you are the deal maker, and when you are in a vibrant state of mind with a ton of energy, good things happen!3. Build recovery into your work routine This one is related to the last tactic in that we have to stay conscious of our own energy level if we intend to perform with maximum effectiveness. They key with any real estate agent is to figure out “when am I going to stop working and recovery my energy?”For most regular jobs, a person works Monday through Friday then gets the weekend off. For real estate agents, the weekend is where all the action happens! Yet, during the week is when all the paperwork and follow up calls happen. So it becomes very easy for agents to work 7 days a week without set days for them to rest. Combine this with constant phone calls, emails, and inconsistent commissions; it’s no wonder many agents live under constant stress.If we are going full speed without any rest, then it’s only a matter of time before we burn out. This is why it’s crucial to set aside time to recover. This means to completely unplug from work and “do nothing” for a little while, at least. Now the amount can vary depending on your level of business and your preference. For some, this may mean taking a month off in another country at the end of each year, for others it could be taking a weekend getaway after a big deal closes, or for others it could simply be a 20 minute power nap midway through the day.They important thing is to build in this period of recover into our work schedule, one in which we completely disconnect from cell phones, email, and work altogether. We can read a book, meditate, do some yoga, whatever. The idea is that we have to recharge our battery. A good rule of thumb is to take 5 or 10 minutes rest for every hour of intensely focused work.When we go too long without full periods of recovery, then our capacity to do work slowly and consistently diminishes. So while a certain work-related activity may take us 20 minutes, if we are overworked and low on energy, that same activity could take 50 minutes. Compound this effect over years and you get the idea. By building in set periods of recovery, we return to our work with renewed vigor and clarity. We may have slightly less “work time”, but our capacity to work will be much greater and we will likely do even more work that we could have done otherwise.Professional athletes are very familiar with this concept. They train hard and then they recover. Then, the next time their capacity to perform is even greater. In the real estate business it’s the same. If you are worried about losing leads during your recovery period, see if you can direct calls to a fellow agent while you rest and do the same for them. Get creative, there is always a solution. It’s just a matter of making your energy and health a priority. So there you have it, three simple yet counter-intuitive secrets to becoming more productive in your real estate business.
The Best Cities in the US & Canada to Do House Flipping
Flipping a house can be a great real estate investment. But in order for you to begin any serious house flipping you need to have a great credit score. Many people are addicted to the house flipping shows on television and are really interested in learning how to flip a house. If you really want to learn how to flip a house there are many places you can go for information. There are websites and you can even find seminars at your local community college or hotel conference room to learn the art of house flipping. But the best way is to find someone who has been doing it for a while and see if you can work for them.
Flipping properties is when an investor purchases a house, fixes it up and/or brings it to code and then sell it for a reasonable profit. The process of flipping properties has created a huge rush in the real estate market. Both the United States and Canada have a number of cities that would be great for flipping a house.
In the United States there are ten cities that are great for flipping homes. These cities are: Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Raleigh NC, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Boston, NY City, and last but not least Portland. Now we move on to Canada. The best cities in Canada for flipping homes are: Calgary & Saskatewan.
All of these cities have great potential when it comes to flipping homes. But as with any investment you need to do your research and be careful. With the low cost of homes now it could be better than ever to buy homes to flip. You may need to wait a little while until the market kicks back up again to sell the homes. But if you have the money and can afford to wait longer than thirty days to sell you may find yourself with a great investment and a nice fat bank account.
Fitness Tips – Try Walking With Poles
There is regular exercise and then there is exercise by taking a walk. Fitness walking is not simply forcing yourself to exercise but is a type of walking whereby the person uses poles that are very similar in nature to ski poles. This type of exercise is sometimes referred to as Nordic training. Competitive Nordic skiers who practiced by training on dry land first did this type of exercise. It has been used for decades now.
Nordic training is a very basic form of walking that can be done by practically anyone in any type of climate. The upper body in particular becomes well conditioned in much the same way that it does when an individual is involved in Nordic skiing.
This kind of exercise can provide a full body workout and burns more calories than training minus the poles. For example, fitness training involves more energy consumption than regular walking. It is in the area of 46 percent. Upper body muscle endurance can be increased by 38 percent using the poles in a matter of 12 weeks.
The fact that more muscles are engaged in Nordic training is why more calories can be burned. The chest, shoulders, abdominal muscles, biceps, triceps and all other core muscles are put to the test when the exercise is done.
Fitness exercise has some advantages over walking without poles. These include:
· An increase in endurance and strength in the upper body as well as all core muscles
· A tremendous increase in heart rate
· An easier time when climbing hills
· More calories are burned at a faster pace
· Balance and stability are improved thanks to the use of the poles
· There is density preserving stress that takes place to the bones
· Ankle joints, knees and hips do not suffer as much weight on them
It is important than you buy poles that are appropriate for your height and body frame. Poles that are not the correct length can give rise to pain and discomfort in the knees, back and hips. Incorrect sized poles can also reduce the effectiveness of using poles in the first place.
Business Video Production: Selecting a Video Production Company Part 1: Planning Information
In this first article on the process of selecting a video production company, we are going to explain some of the “information you should have“ when making the call to a company because you’re thinking of doing a business video production. In subsequent parts, we’ll get into information you should know when; planning a presentation recording, training video, trade show video, and several other types of video for business projects. We’ll also cover what you need to know and ask about the video production company you are contacting.
We’ve found that often when a company calls or looks to meet with us about video production, a lot of times they’ve never been involved with the actual production process and aren’t quite sure what to ask or how to go about getting the answers they need. More often than not they haven’t really thought out what they want the video to do for them and/or what should be in it. We try to help people like this by leading them through a series of questions and giving information designed to crystallize their thoughts. We try to make the process as easy to understand and stress free as possible.
Hopefully information we are providing in this article will help.
With all the videos people see on YouTube some think that the way it works is that you show up, shoot, and a video is magically created. This can happen for some types of video projects, but for business video to be successful it requires a lot of planning both before and continuously throughout the process.
The three phases of video production are; pre-production, production, and post-production. They can and will differ depending on the type of project that you want.
Any legitimate and experienced video production company you call will want to ask you questions about your project. If they just say, “OK, we’ll show up and shoot your job”, that should raise a big red flag.
The same warning signal applies if the company can give you a price without knowing the details of your needs. Invariably, when this happens they won’t be able to do the job or there will be more charges later.
Doing a business video project is like doing any other business project in that you need to first decide what you want to do and then gather information and plan how to accomplish your goal. A video production company should start by asking potential clients questions to learn about what is needed.
Questions We Ask
A video production company should start by asking a client;
Why do they want a video?
Hopefully, this will uncover a reason where the video will satisfy some need. It could be that they need to show viewers why their product or service is better than the competition, publicize what they do, or train on something where they want the best practices taught in a correct, repeatable message. More often than not, today it is because a company needs to use video to explain something for marketing purposes on their website. They recognize that video gives them tremendous return with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) value and can get their message to millions of people.
Sometimes it is to satisfy a requirement that is mandated on them. An example of this is that in certain states, when operating equipment is installed in buildings, the equipment manufacturer/installer must provide a training video as part of the bid.
Knowing the reason will shape the direction the video will take. So using the above state requirement example, whatever video is done must conform to the structure and directives that state gives, and anything else is a waste of time and money. If we didn’t know the reason it would be easy to go down the wrong path.
How do they want the video delivered to viewers?
A video made for a TV Commercial which is limited to less than 30 seconds and has to deal with broadcast specifications is different than a video which is designed to be on a website, where the exact length isn’t as critical.
Who is the audience?
Different demographics require different treatments. If the target is a Spanish speaking segment, then a video in English wouldn’t make much sense. If it is a certain category of workers, then the video needs to target what is important and use the jargon familiar to convey to that category. If it is to appeal to a customer base, it usually needs to be structured to give them either an appeal or reason to buy, or information they need to use.
What do you want the viewer to do after watching?
This is extremely important because the entire video has to be directed at this goal. If it is a sales video, we need to make the appeal to buy not only attractive, but that it is something they feel will really solve a need they have. If it is for training, we need to be certain it is designed to train and that we insert training theory such as repetition and summary throughout.
What collateral material do you have?
If a company has a particular image with graphics branding, that would usually need to be maintained. If they have successful marketing material that they feel can be used, we want to try to use it. If it is for training and they have practices they want us to develop into a script, we need that. If they have other videos they want to match in style, we need to know that. If they have an outline or rough script, we can start with that. If they have a PowerPoint presentation, that is often a start. Sometimes there will be specific company people, customer testimonials, company locations, or subject matter experts that need to be worked in. Going back to our state requirement example, we might need blueprints of the site, or operation and maintenance manuals to develop a script.
Often in this questioning vein, the company should ask the caller;
What makes you different from your competition?
Why do your customers say they like your company or product?
These questions must be asked in hopes to uncover what their competitive advantage really is. If they don’t know the answer, we’ll ask them to ask their customers. All this material and ideas gives a sense of the direction and what the video can be.
What is your budget range?
After the necessary information described above is covered, we can determine if the budget range the client wants is reasonable and discuss what can and maybe shouldn’t be done regarding their budget. We can work with any budget large or small, and what we ultimately design will be dictated by the budget.
I can’t tell you the number of calls we’ve gotten where people who really don’t know all that is involved with video production want months worth of work by multiple people and the use of hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment, and they expect it for a few hundred dollars. In their defense, they’ve never been involved before and have no familiarity with the process so we try to help them understand. A video production project is variable, like choosing a car with the many brands and options available. Depending on what goes into it, the cost will vary. A web commercial can require a half day of shooting by a 2 person crew and a portion of a day editing, and ultimately may only be around $1000. Or, the same web commercial could require; a month of scripting, multiple locations, multiple shooting days, a 3 member video crew, a full 3 member lighting crew with a truck of equipment, a teleprompter and operator, a makeup technician, multiple cameras, a green screen studio, etc. Of course with all these added resources, the latter project will cost more.
Start Selling Online With the Shopping Cart
You want to shop for a week’s supply at Wal-Mart and as you enter the store, you notice that all the shopping carts are gone. How would you feel? Of course, you’d feel like not shopping at all and switch to other stores where shopping carts are available. The same applies for online shoppers who wanted to make a more organized and one-way shopping, most especially if they’d purchase multiple items. A customer would always want it the easy way out and one way of letting them shop the easy way is through online shopping carts.
Shopping cart softwares have improved a lot as years passed and as e-commerce boomed to overcome a lot of tangible business out in the business world. Having an Online Shopping Cart Software is important and will reap you a lot of benefits both in short term and in the long run. Through a shopping cart, you would be able to cater the best shopping experience to your online customers like they’re in a virtual shopping mall picking up what they want and stashing it inside the cart for the cashier to bill them out.
Free vs Paid Shopping Carts
There are a lot of shopping cart softwares available; most of them are pay-to-use while some few are for free. Free shopping cart softwares may be very tempting to avail of because they are absolutely free of charge. Take note, however, that these free shopping cart softwares may be a good option while starting a business, when the customers are not that overwhelming yet. But try to anticipate when your business made it into the main stream. Surely, the free shopping cart software won’t be able to handle the demands of multiple customers in the long run. As compared with paid shopping carts, free carts are less stable and have less customer support available for technical difficulties.
Multi-Tasking Carts
There are available shopping cart softwares which come in a package making them more versatile than ever. Shopping cart packages allow for the users to perform multiple tasks at once.
Suggestive carts- Aside from the usual shopping cart where all the items to be purchased are stored temporarily, current carts also generate information about the customer’s history of previous purchases and offers them similar products which could catch their interests- this is through the power of cookies which collect previous information of users and dig them up for future use.
Search Tool- Search tool is also integrated in some shopping carts so shoppers won’t need to scour over the list of items. They can also sort these items out so that they can compare the prices, and all other essential information.
Cross Selling- Some carts can also be designed to do cross-selling such that there would be Hot Listed Items on a part of the cart which could raise the interest of a customer.
Computations of Fees- One important feature of a shopping cart is to make the job of the online seller easier so that before it reaches the Internet Merchant Account service, everything is already ironed out and ready for billing. Computation of taxes, shipping costs, discount rates and all other necessary calculations can be done by a shopping cart and this helps a lot in making the transaction smoother and more convenient.
Reporting- A shopping carts task doesn’t just end once the customer leaves the site and billed out by the IMA. The cart should also display reports to the online seller about the hottest items on the list, the overall sale for a certain time, the information about the traffic, the type of customers and all essential information necessary to improve the store.
Customizability of Design
The flexibility of the shopping carts is important so that it could be well adapted and customized according to the design or layout of the online store for which it is designed to work. By this feature, you can easily change the look of your store if it starts out to feel dull and monotonous. You should also see to it that the interface is user-friendly so that those persons with no idea about HTML or web designing can easily tweak the design up. There are also some shopping cart software providers who can customize the carts for you- all you need is to give them a logo of your store or tell them how you want those shopping carts to look like.
Shopping carts are very vital in the functioning of an ecommerce website. It gives heaps of benefits for both the seller and the customer. For this reason, be very careful and strategic in choosing the right shopping cart for your store. Just bear in mind those tips and points which should be looked into and surely, you’ll get the best shopping cart service suited for your business.
How to Set Up a Great Work Station at Home
Whether it’s by choice or by force, many of us have gotten used to the idea of a home office, or at least a work station at home. In countless fields of employment, working from home is not only acceptable but sometimes encouraged, as it is a way for people to take care of family issues without sacrificing a day’s productivity. Consequently, gone are the excuses that you were “sick in bed.” Couldn’t you still send a few emails and fax reports? Of course you can, but sometimes a home office can be forbidding in its bland character. Here are the five ways to set up an office at home and get the job done.1. Get the desk right. Many people will take short cuts when it comes to their desk in a home office. There is no reason to compromise style and comfort, just because it’s an office. Think of it like the desk in your room: the look and character of it are just as important. Head down to a furniture store and see some of the classic models that are easy to work on and comfortable at the same time.2. Have the technology to deliver. Until you get truly high speed internet, more than one phone line and a high performance computer, it’s not really an office. Make sure your weakness doesn’t come from technology. If you have to make a compromise, make it on space. Have all of your pieces of the puzzle fitting together: when you need them the most, you’ll be able to deliver.3. Leave the cubicle in your office building. Dress up your work station like it’s a real part of your home. If you feel banished in a cubicle, your overall performance will suffer. Make the place comfortable. Put up some pictures on your desk. Make sure your chair is comfortable — though not nap-worthy — and schedule breaks in the day when you can perform chores around the house.4. Focus on lighting. Of course, natural lighting is best and keeps everyone working at a good pace and feeling positive in the process. It’s not always possible, however, so consider a second option. Fluorescent lighting may be cost-effective and environmentally sound, but some types can also give off truly ugly lighting. Use strong bulbs with light-tinted shades, making your work space a productive environment, without feeling like you are in a clinic.5. Don’t make it too comfortable. You want to make your home office or work space the opposite of drab and monotonous, but you don’t want to set up the Taj Mahal, either. Assume that you’ll need to stay focused and work at a reasonably fast clip, like you would at the office. Have your back well-supported, keep your posture upright and bask in the surroundings. However, don’t cross the line into unfettered coziness. Always dress like you’re going to walk through the doors of the office. This way, if your boss pays you a visit, you’ll make a good impression.
Significance of Back Lighting in Cosmetics Product Photography
A lot of people try to shoot their products themselves. While it is a good thing to do, they actually do not have the skill set needed to get a good picture. Amateur photographers too due to lack of experience can leave a lack in a good picture. Decade of experience is a great teacher than just some photography tutorials. That is exactly where a professional photography service company like EtherArts Product Photography comes in to picture. This is what is necessary along with a professional photography gear and some knowledge of Lights and Reflections. In this article, we will share some light on the reflective Cosmetics product photography – Liquid Cosmetics in particular and what are the most important factors that you need to pay attention to for a successful photograph.Lighting the product takes most of the photographers attention. Every photographer would make efforts to light the product up appropriately. Some go beyond this to light it up so much that the product gets overexposed and is washed out in the pictures. Such images are poor photography. A smart and experienced photographer will pay attention to lighting up the product along with something called backlighting. Backlighting essentially means lighting the back portion of the product Or the background of the product. To do this it is necessary to pay attention to the below mentioned aspects of the product.Product Nature- Most important is the nature of the product to be photographed. Solid products differ a lot than the liquid containing cosmetic products. Hence we need to be careful while choosing the correct set up.Background- A lot of times, Ecommerce photography requires white background. Amazon requires a seamless white background for all their listings. This is a mandatory requirement. In order to get this white background, a lot of photographers tend to use extreme bright lights or use a high camera Aperture number. This results in the product getting ‘white-washed’ and practically disappears in to the light. The contrasts are low and the edges of the products look foggy. For Aroma Oil cosmetics photography, all we need is just the necessary amount of light in the background to get just the correct amount of seamless white. So be careful while trying to get the white background. A photo-editing software will be helpful in clearing what is left of the greyish-whitish background.BackLighting- Amateur photographers focus less on lighting. They believe that the daylight (sunlight) is the best environment to shoot products in. But they are mistaken. Studio Daylights are different. Use Daylight (white light) bulbs for the lighting. A dark room is a must for product photography. This allows the photographer to control lights as needed, mostly depending on the type of product is shot. For Aroma Oil Cosmetics Photography in particular, try using a low strength daylight bulb as a backlight. This gently illuminates the liquid inside the glass containers giving it the most enhanced look. The yellow or colored oil starts showing a nice color to it, instead of just a black or transparent liquid. This brings out the colors of the oils giving them the much needed wow factor to the photograph.