Everyclick Counts for Charity!

Raising cash at the click of a button!

This is taken from one of my hubs on the hub pages http://hubpages.com/hub/Everyclick-for-Charity and it's not about photography, but is still something that interested me so I hope it interests a few other people too!

I'd never heard of http://www.everyclick.com/ but I've checked it out and I don't see how it can be wrong, so I'm in! Have a read of my blog post here, and if you think it sounds interesting, have a look at everyclick and see if you want to get involved too.

How it all started

I was cleaning the bathroom at home yesterday, and it got me thinking. I'm not wealthy by UK standards, far from it, but... I am rich beyond words compared to those many millions of people who are living on the very edge of existence in developing regions all around the world!

As I turned on the taps to rinse the cleaning agent from the bath and the sink, I thought about what I was doing. I actually have taps, with fresh, clean water running from them whenever I choose. Hot or cold, heck, I can even mix it and get warm water if I want!

I have a toilet that flushes into a sewerage system to carry all that harmful waste away from my home, away from my family, away from the place I live, and where I eat and drink and sleep.

I don't have to walk five miles to get water and then have to carry it five miles back home, while all the time it's warming up and providing breeding grounds for malaria-carrying mosquitoes, or any other number of disease-causing organisms.

I don't have to wonder if it will be someone in my family that dies today of dehydration, or through lack of sanitation, or because of disease, starvation or poverty-driven civil war, or if will it be the family next to us that dies today.

To give or not to give

There is an argument for both sides. I have had many conversations over the years with many different people and opinions appear to be pretty much polarised.

"Why should we give to charity when our governments are wasting so much money and feathering their own nests?" An argument that is more poignant in the UK at the moment than perhaps it has been for quite a number of years. How many pumps for safe, fresh water could have been installed in rural communities across the developing world with the money our own politicians have fiddled out of the taxpayer over the years? How many childrens lives could have been saved?

"Why should we give to charity when the governments of the very countries we are trying to help are so corrupt. How do we know the money ever gets to the people we want to help?"

"Why should we give to charity when there is poverty and abuse and a need for charity in our own countries?"

My own thoughts have always been that I can't change corruption; I can't change the minds of the protagonists of war; I can't save everyone and I can't feed the world. But I might, just might be able to save one persons life. Or maybe two, or three... who knows?

It may not be much, but it's pretty much everything to that person, and to their family... and to the child they may have who can grow up healthy and free of disease because there is fresh water and sanitisation in their village, and access to primary healthcare and education.

A sort of ripple effect that started with a tiny drop of cash and a life that was saved.

Rose-tinted spectacles? Maybe.

Does that worry me? No!

Am I doing this and writing about this to make me a wonderful person and to salve my conscience for having the luxury of a bathroom to clean? Maybe.

Does it matter to the person whose life I may save? Probably not!

There are so many complexities to life and existence within this world. We are here for such a short time, why should I worry that people disagree with me?

People will always disagree and I will disagree with an equal number of people in turn. I can only do what is right for me and my beliefs. So long as I respect your opinions I hope that mine may be respected in turn.

To disagree is not to disrespect.

So what is Everyclick then?

Well, when I had finished cleaning the bathroom, I came in to search online for a charity called WaterAid. I found it, but also found a link there for something called 'Everyclick'.

It's a relatively new idea (I believe it started in 2005), and is a way of raising money online without actually doing anything except register and use their search engines. Every time you search for something, a donation is made to charity. Simple.

The money isn't taken from you. You give no bank details or private details.

I only found it yesterday so I don't have a great deal of knowledge about it, but I registered and I've used the search facility already and it all works fine. Hurrah.

What about WaterAid?

With Everyclick, I can choose to donate to any of the registered charities there, including WaterAid, or I can organise fundraising events, or I can simply raise money for the charity just by clicking the mouse!

I have done many things for charities before and I shall continue to do so as long as I live, but this is something that I can do without even thinking about it. Something I do several times every single day so that it will become habitual.

Even if it is only a fraction of a penny that is donated each time, so what? It will all add up and it is one more fraction of a penny than they had this morning!

Who knew cleaning the bathroom could lead to all this... maybe even save a child's life? By 'eck!

http://www.wateraid.org/uk/
http://www.endwaterpoverty.org/

All Good Plans...

You may recall that I mentioned a beach shoot with Irena that was planned for last Friday. Well, this is Scotland... need I say more?

It had been beautiful all week, so warm and sunny and gorgeous sunsets, it should have been perfect! Oh well.

Friday dawned wet, grey and windier than my other half after a chicken dhansak!!

The rain fell heavier & the wind grew stronger as the day wore on and all hopes of a beach shoot were well and truly dashed... as we would have been against the rocks if we'd tried to venture out in that weather!

But, Irena is a real star and before I could even finish saying "what about doing..." she was agreeing to a studio shoot in Dundee.

All thoughts of shorts, bikinis and fine art nude portraits at the coast were put aside and instead, we embarked on a three hour shoot indoors.

Irena is fantastic. She always works with me, never against me, and contributes all she has to the session. It's hard work looking effortlessly beautiful, but Irena can do it and then some! So many people wonder "how hard can it be getting your picture taken?", believe me... it's hard! So many poses that look natural and effortless are the most ridiculous positions to hold. You use muscles you never knew you had, and all the time trying to look gorgeous and relaxed.

Thank you Irena, you're amazing and I am so looking forward to working with you again... and we will get that beach shoot done!

rebecca@rtphotographics.co.uk

Rambling across Rannoch Moor

Thursday 14th May 2009 was a very good day! A very, very good day!!

I travelled across Scotland to meet up with my good friend Margaret for a day out on Rannoch Moor. We met at the Clachaig Inn, had a coffee and a wee (as women always do when out & about) then, leaving Margaret's husband and friends behind, we headed back through the mountain pass to Rannoch Moor.

Situated 1142 feet above sea level, and at the south eastern (ish) end of the very impressive Glencoe mountain range, Rannoch Moor can look an extremely bleak and uninviting part of the Scottish highland landscape. It is certainly wild, but not always described as beautiful.

Intrepid adventurers that we are, Margaret and I decided to tackle the barren and boggy terrain in search of something wonderful. We found it!!

It had been a slightly uncomfortable trek for me, although a rather humourous one for Margaret, who offered no assistance whatsoever when I sank practically knee-deep in the bog while trying to find a safe route across!

Before I could finish saying "it's alright Margaret, I think this bit's saaaaaaaaafe....." (squelch) all I could hear was her roaring with laughter. Upon extricating myself and my boots from the bog, I turned round to see her doubled over, wiping the tears from her eyes and at the silent laughing stage... thanks Margaret!!

It was certainly worth it though. We found a beautiful little beach with views across the lochan to the mountains beyond. It was perfect. The sun was shining, we were the only people there and we could have stayed all day! As it was, we had a couple of hours before heading back to Glencoe for a very welcome meal of haggis, neeps & tatties and clootie dumpling and custard at the Clachaig Inn. Yum!

It was a fantastic day out, made perfect by Margaret's company and I can't wait for the next time. Thanks Toots!

Thanks for visiting my blog and I shall be writing again very soon!

Rebecca

rtphotographics.co.uk

Photography Holidays

Well, that's my second hub published in the 30 hubs for 30 days hub challenge!

I chose 'Photography Holidays' as the subject because it's something I'd love to do and is such a great idea for a vacation!

Just think, you can spend a whole week in beautiful locations with an expert on hand to give you all the tips and tricks of the trade... and your family can enjoy a holiday without you constantly badgering them to 'hold it', 'smile', 'say cheese'! Everyone's a winner!!

I haven't been on one yet, but I'd love to. My choice would be a week with Colin Prior on the west coast of Scotland. He also does short courses at Dunkeld here in Perthshire. A beautiful place right enough, but as it's practically my own back yard I reckon I'd rather go somewhere different!

I'm rather hoping that Simon at prophotoinsights.net will be organising some workshops in the future. He is such a great guy and has a way of explaining things that makes you believe you can do it too! http://www.prophotoinsights.net/

So, photography holidays, I think they're a great idea... one day I'll go on one and I'll let you know all about it!

Cheers

Rebecca

www.rtphotographics.co.uk

My Hub Challenge!

Well, I've joined the ranks and have taken up the 30 hubs in 30 days challenge!

I started writing for hub pages 2 or 3 weeks ago, but had only managed 3 hub pages in that time. I believe in quality rather than quantity and wasn't prepared to write nonsense or put up pictures of half naked women just to get viewing figures up, so took my time and tried to write something that would be useful to some folks at least. I appreciate that half-naked ladies would be very useful to some people, but I think I'll leave that thought right there!

So, now I've got to find 30 topics in 30 days. I like a challenge.

First one is done already http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-get-the-best-out-of-your-photoshoot

It's written for anyone who wants photographic portraits done but doesn't know what to wear, how to pose, or what to do! Having been on both sides of the camera I reckon that I can help there and so that's what the hub is all about.

Talking of photo shoots, I've got a great one planned for Friday! A beach shoot with Irena... watch this space for more about that later!!

Here's Irena, she's gorgeous and she works pretty damn hard so I reckon we're going to have a great time...

Well, that's all for now,

Take care out there and see you again soon,

Rebecca,x.

Hello and Welcome!

This is my first ever blog, so I'll keep it short and simple.

Just saying hello and hoping that you'll pop by to see what's new as I write more blogs! I'll try to update here at least twice a week and I hope we'll have some fun and laughs along the way.

See you soon,

Rebecca,x.