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Special occasions such as weddings or birthdays are perfect for photo sharing. The events always involve friends and family, and dozens of snapshots are taken throughout the entire event. So many moments are captured — whether it’s a tender kiss between a bride and groom, or Uncle Al stuffing a whole piece of birthday cake into his mouth.

Create albums for each event

Most photo sites allow you to upload only those photos you would like to keep and arrange them in separate albums, making it easy to browse individual events. Make an album for weddings, another for birthdays and yet another for vacation photos. This way, all your photos are organized and easy to view for the whole family. The trip to Mexico may have 50 photos, where as the dance recital has only 10. Giving each its own album also puts each event in its own spotlight for everyone to enjoy.

The good, the bad and the ugly

One of the best features of digital cameras is the ability to take as many pictures as you want without worrying about paying for prints that didn’t come out right. Let’s face it, looking over snapshots of any event offers a variety of pictures that range from priceless to absolutely awful. Yet sometimes, the awful pictures are priceless.

No matter what your photography prowess, digital photos are the perfect way to catch the moment no matter what the circumstance. Online photo sharing lets you upload only those pictures you want and share them with friends and family. So next time your friends to something silly, cute, funny, or stupid, you can snap it and share it.

Personal paparazzi

At every event, friends and family are constantly snapping photos, trying to preserve the moment forever. At the end of the day, dozens of fabulous photos are waiting to be viewed. It’s like having your very own paparazzi!

Of course, it’s the kind of paparazzi everybody likes. Photo sites let everyone upload their own photos and share the love. Enjoy those birthday or wedding moments from different points of view as you can save and swap your favorites with other guests at the party. Never let a magic moment slip by again when armed with your digital camera and an easy photo sharing site.

A special moment becomes a special gift

One of the best features of an easy photo sharing site is the ability to turn those priceless pictures into extra special gifts and keepsakes. Parent and grandparents adore getting personal gifts such as storybooks and greeting cards that feature their favorite little birthday boy or girl.

Online photo sites make it easy to create and order these special items that make great gifts. Create a photo calendar for mom, or send a personalized photo album to grandma made just for her.

No matter what the occasion, photo sharing sites make it simple to share each moment with those that were there, as well as with those that couldn’t make it.

CJ Carroll writes for a variety of clients, including Hoorray, a photo sharing website that offers a free online photo album to new members and is the easiest place to create a digital photo album, calendar, and more.

It seems like everybody is sharing photos online. But it also seems as if it’s less about sharing memories, and more about sharing a funny photo they found on the Internet, or just putting a bunch of photos from a vacation into a file folder for people to view.

That’s a little like dropping an envelope of prints on someone’s desk and expecting them to understand what’s going on in the pictures. If the person wasn’t with you when the photos were taken, they’ll have no idea what they’re looking at.

When you share your photos, be sure to include a story about them. Some sites allow for easy storytelling, some don’t. Search “easy photo sharing” on the Internet, and you’ll find sites that let you tell stories quickly and easily.

Below are some tips you can use to make your photo sharing a little more meaningful for family and friends. These are ideas you can use to bring the photos you share to life for the people you send them to.

Share memories from your life. This is especially important as parents age and kids grow up. Both are important times filled with milestones you’ll want to remember. Without a doubt, there will be people in your circle of friends who will want to see pictures of your mom, dad, or relatives whom you have a significant relationship with. People love stories about people, especially when they have deep meaning.

Share your passions. If you’ve got a hobby, child, husband or something else you’re particularly proud of, be sure to catch a special moment with a photo and then share it.

For example, if you’re husband’s a woodworker, be sure to capture shots of him working on a project, then get a picture of him with his finished project and show it off! You can document the project start to finish in photos, and then add just a little bit of text to each one.

Share a wonderful moment. With digital photography, it’s so easy to snap a quick picture and send it off in an email. So if your dog does something cute, or if you child does something even cuter, capture the moment and send it off to grandma, a favorite aunt, a friend … whoever you think would love to share the moment with you. This is a really fun thing to do. It engages your friends and family in your every day life, and is a great way to stay connected.

Share a day, a month or even a whole year. Easy photo sharing sites make it easy for you to organize your photos so that you can share magical memories from a day, or the events and milestones from an entire year. That’s the beauty of online photo sharing – you can catch people up with your life in an instant!

Plus, you don’t have to wait for a special occasion to do so. People love to hear about what’s going on in your life, so don’t be shy. If you have a particular milestone or event you want to share, or a series of events you want to catch people up on, go ahead and share!

Share memories across the years. This is perhaps the greatest untapped part of online photo sharing. Just think of all those old photos you have sitting in a box or in photo albums. Why not break them out, scan them into your computer and start sharing them with the people in your life in a new and exciting way.

That’s right, in this modern digital age, you can connect with the past faster and in ways you never dreamed possible. Imagine reaching out to an aunt you haven’t seen in decades with pictures from the summer days you spent with her.

Think of the joy your loved one will feel when they receive photos from days gone by. And you can share this joy with a simple email or you can lovingly create a Photo Album or other printed Keepsake and send it directly to the person you’re reaching out to.

There are a lot of different ways you can share photos, but the key is to add enough information so the recipient of the photo will know the story behind the photo – and everybody love’s a good story!

Matt Smolsky writes for a variety of clients, including Hoorray, a photo sharing website that offers a free online photo album to new members and is the easiest place to create a digital photo album, calendar, and more.

On the 4th of July, people all over the nation come together to celebrate Independence and freedom. That makes it a great day to take a lot of photos. After all, there’s so much going on – parades, picnics, water sports, camping, barbecues, baseball games, and fireworks, of course.

It’s also a great holiday for easy photo sharing online. Any time you combine large gatherings of people, food and fun activities – well, those are good times everyone wants to remember and share.

So here are five ways you can make this 4th of July extra special, and extra memorable.

Tip number one: Be confident about taking pictures. Keep your camera in your hands, ready to go. You never know when a moment might occur between a child and a pet, or when that truly unique parade float will roll by. You don’t have to be in everyone’s face with your camera, but you don’t have to be shy about it either. You’re there to record the fun.

Tip number two: Get email addresses from the people you know. And if you don’t know someone, get an introduction from a friend so everyone can enjoy the photos you’ll share. People want reminders of the fun events they take part in over the course of a year – the 4th of July isn’t any different.

Tip number three: Treat your celebration like a birthday party for our nation’s Independence. Take as many photos with patriotic themes as possible – a child or young person with red, white and blue face paint … people dressed as Uncle Sam … other symbols of America, such as shots of hamburgers, hot dogs, apple pie.

Then, when you share your photos, intersperse these patriotic photos with regular photos of people have fun. It’ll keep the flavor and spirit of day alive however you share your photos, whether it’s in a slideshow, a photo album, or even in just a collection of prints.

Tip number four: Get close to the action. If you’re at a baseball game, get as close to the batter as possible. If it’s a parade, you might want to walk along side for short while and get shots of the crowd from the perspective of the people in the parade. If you come across people eating watermelon, sit across from them and get in on the fun.

Tip number five: Don’t forget the fireworks. Some people don’t want to take pictures of fireworks because they don’t think they’ll turn out. And while every shot may not turn out, you might be surprised at the great pictures you do get.

Just be sure to hold the camera as still as possible while getting a mix of close up and faraway shots. Also be careful about your surroundings – you don’t want to get burned, and you don’t want a bunch of tree limbs or phone wires blocking an otherwise wonderful picture.

One other thing you’ll want to keep in mind – make sure you find a reliable photo sharing site that allows you to share by sending emails and printed keepsakes such as photo albums, calendars and cards.

After all, you’ll be documenting a memorable day for a lot of people – one they’ll want to cherish for many years to come. Consider building a nice online photo album and email that to your family and friends. That way, they can order printed copies of your album if they so choose.

Of course, if you do a really good job, you’ll be asked to document next year’s 4th of July celebrations. And what photographer wouldn’t want a job like that every year!

Matt Smolsky writes for a variety of clients, including Hoorray, a photo sharing website that offers a free online photo album to new members and is the easiest place to create a digital photo album, calendar, and more.

“We cannot command nature except by obeying her.” Francis Bacon

Whether you’re taking a picture of a geranium in your backyard garden or a grizzly bear in the Rocky Mountains, capturing a great photo outdoors means working with Mother Nature, and not trying to impose your photographic will upon her.

So many factors come into play when taking a nature photograph … sun, clouds, wind, rain, sleet or snow … and if you’re photographing animals in their native habitat, you’ve got noise, odors, and movement to deal with.

It can get complex, but the enjoyment you’ll get by taking nature photography seriously will far outweigh the extra time and effort you put into it. Rather than just clicking a snapshot of your sugar maple in all its fall glory, you’ll have a photo you’d be proud to hang on your wall as a piece of art. Or, you might even become so good that you’ll find yourself selling some of your better photos.

After all, everyone loves a great nature photo. It’s easy for viewers to put themselves into the picture. Even if they’ve never been to the mountains, people enjoy looking at pictures of mountains because it transports them, at least for a brief moment, to a peaceful place.

So in order to help you get the most out of the time you spend outdoors with your camera, here are five fundamental tips for taking better nature photos. As a photographer, I’ve learned that if you approach your outdoor photography with the right mindset, you are certain to succeed — oftentimes in ways you never expected.

Tip number one: Understand the nature of nature. There’s an old saying, “You can’t fight Mother Nature.” Plan on working with the elements of the natural environment you photograph. A backyard squirrel might not blink at the sound of your shutter. But a rarely seen black squirrel sitting in the woods 50 miles from the nearest road might run upon hearing the same click.

Animals, trees, bushes, grass … everything associated with nature functions uniquely in different weather conditions. If you’re looking for a “money” shot, you need to understand the conditions you’re working in, and the subject matter you’re photographing.

I recall walking along a large pond in a forest clearing many years ago. I was looking up for a shot, but saw nothing remarkable. Then I looked down and realized there was a fantastic shot right at my feet. It was of some green algae that had formed in the corner of the pond. It was a beautiful color, and contrasted nicely with the water. Itended up being one of my most popular shots.

Tip number two: Be prepared. Study the area you plan on photographing, even if it’s your own backyard. Watch how the light plays on your flowers at different times of the day, and under different cloud conditions. Pay attention to the patterns of birds. Animals are creatures of habit, and weather and light is somewhat predictable.

The same goes if you plan on venturing out into the wilderness. Get familiar with the local surroundings by talking to locals, watching weather reports on the Internet or TV, and by just taking some time to familiarize yourself with your surroundings.

Tip number three: Know you’re equipment. If you’re trying to get a close up shot of a deer in the wild, even if you’re using a telephoto lens, turn off your autofocus, autoflash and motordrive. Get to know you’re camera settings, from the f-stop and shutter speed to the ASA and ISO settings.

Experiment at home and in the field. After buying a new camera, I like to take number shots just around the house, in a variety of conditions. Spend about an hour or so walking around your home and yard, instruction manual in hand, and try out all the features. Use different exposures and settings. Do this as a refresher from time to time as well. It is well worth the effort.

Tip number four: Be patient. Natural events happen when they happen. You are not going to rush that beaver out of his watery den any faster. The perfect glint of sunlight playing off your prize rose bushes will not happen any sooner or later than you want it to. Keep your camera at the ready, and don’t force the shot. You may arrive five minutes too late for a great shot, but you may be five minutes early for the perfect shot.

Tip number five: Have an outcome in mind, but be ready for the unexpected. If you go out looking for cardinals in the forest, you’re likely to find some. So be ready by having a telephoto lens, a tripod if necessary, perhaps a birding book to help with recognition, and something comfortable to sit on. Take food for yourself – don’t feed the animals! – and water. Picture the shot you want in your mind’s eye. You’ll often get something close.

But don’t close your mind to other possibilities. The sun may be absolutely perfect at that time of day, and you could get a stunning picture of rays of sunlight piercing the forest canopy. Ansel Adams’ famous “Moonrise over Hernandez” was taken while he was driving down a highway. He stopped the car, jumped out, grabbed his camera, took one shot … and nailed it because he was ready for the unexpected.

I had a similar experience. It was night, and I was just walking around the area I live looking for a good picture. I had been walking awhile, ready to give up and go home, when a flash of light caught my eye. I came upon a construction site of a multi-story building. The welders were getting in some overtime, working on the 8th or 9th floor. The sparks from their welding were arcing out from the side of the building and down to the ground. It made for a beautiful picture, and one I would have never gotten if I hadn’t been ready for the unexpected.

When it comes to photographing anything in the great outdoors, don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking you can control your subject matter. All you can control is your equipment and your knowledge about the subject matter. So with the right camera, an understanding of nature, and some patience, you’re likely to get the recognition you’re looking for as an outstanding outdoor photographer.

Matt Smolsky writes for a variety of clients, including Hoorray, a photo sharing website that offers a free online photo album to new members and is the easiest place to create a digital photo album, calendar, and more.

Okay, so you want to race remote controlled cars? Cool! Welcome to the world of RC racing, good to have you aboard! You’ll find that this hobby can offer almost all the rush of racing professionally in real cars, without the risk of major bodily dismemberment if you splash on the track. Plus, it also gives you a chance to twirl your hobbyist tools around if you’re into making models, since you can build your own RCs from scratch (later, when you get more experience, at least!) and customize your devilish little engines of speed with a many accessories as you can safely tack on without compromising performance. Or even compromising it just a weeee bit, if it’ll make your baby look loads better than everyone else’s RCs…

Okay, gushing moment over, let’s get into the gritty details of what you need to know to pick out a winner from the shops. The stuff I’ll be recommending here will be for newbies to the sport, so you can relax and not worry about info overload.

Fist off, you have to know the specs of the RC you’re buying. Ask the shop owner if it’s made as a kid’s toy (avoid those!), for casual racing, or for pro racing. I recommend getting a casual-racing spec RC first, but make sure that the model you buy has support parts and options from it’s manufacturer that will allow you to mod up later.

Next, choose the engine (uhm, I mean motor!) type. RCs run either with electric motors powered by a rechargeable battery or on mini-engines fueled by a milder form of gasoline, referred to as nitro racing cars. Both see active use in the tournament circuits, though nitro RCs have an edge over battery-operated ones in terms of power unless the battery-op has enough mods on it. If getting a battery operated RC, be prepared to spend more on mods later. If buying a nitro RC, be prepared to spend more on the RC initially, as well as more money on the fuel itself over time every time you race.

Next, keep in mind that there are ready-made RC kits out there, and do-it-yourself kits you can put together yourself. Unless you’re really good with your hands, getting a pre-made kit to start with is a safer bet. Over time though, you’ll be better off with a car that you assemble yourself, since you can tweak it to your specs. If you want something done right…

Also decide what type of remote control unit you’ll be most comfortable with. The two most common types of RC controls are old-fashioned twin-joystick type ones, one stick used to control acceleration and braking, the other for steering. The other type of remote control is a pistol-grip type, with a “trigger” for adjusting speed and braking, and a wheel set on top of the pistol-grip for steering. Choose something your hands will be comfortable with. Also make sure that the frequency of the antenna on your RC isn’t in the same range as radio stations in your neighborhood, as these can sometimes interfere with your control’s signals.

Lastly, do your research before making your purchase. Read racing magazines, and surf the internet and check out RC racer forums for veteran racer’s opinions on what are good purchases for beginners, and ask for their advice. Once you set your eye on a prospective model to buy, don’t pick it up yet. Check out the manufacturer’s website and make sure that you get something from a reputable dealer, preferably one that specializes in post-purchase customer support and offers racing upgrades to the model of RC you’re eyeing.

Jack Vallieres is the professional freelance writer. He’s also the webmaster of Talkofthecar.com

Remember the old saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words? For the reason, almost people decide to hire professional photographers for the important moments of their lives. Wedding time is one of the important moments and memorable events of your life. Brides and grooms alike are now enlisting the professional photographers to get the best wedding photography for the special time. Because of they would surely want to get the best photo taken so that the best memories will be preserved as long as they live.

Professional photographers should be able to produce wedding photography that will express the special moment such as joy, love and intimacy between a couples. But it doesn’t come easy.

Wedding photography is not limited to only portrait style, or only indoor style in the church, it also includes formal photography in the studio, outdoor, posed and candid shots of the wedding couple and their guests at the ceremony.

Below are a few basic techniques to get the best wedding photography.

1. Choose the right background

For taking a picture of a couple or any intended target. You can use the decorations in the church or in the reception areas as a background for your photos. Make sure the environment is not so crowded, if it is hard to focus on the couple, you may shoot them from shoulder up.

2. Avoid the glaring effect

Looking for any kinds of glass, may it be jewelry or wine glasses. They will cause a reflection or brightness include in the picture.

3. Taking candid shot

Because of candid shots are very dramatic. These candid is a powerful photography. In fact, many professionals do this to capture intimate and memorable moments.

4. Maximize the memory

Should be equipped with maximum memory card for ensure that no great moment is missed. Other advantage of maximize the memory card it is best to review every shot taken.

You can plan to preserve your memory card by using the data below.

- For 3 mega pixels – use minimum 1 GB memory card

- For 4 mega pixels – use minimum 2 GB memory card

- For 6 mega pixels – use minimum 4 GB memory card

- For 8 mega pixels – use minimum 4 GB memory card

- For 10 mega pixels – use minimum 6 GB memory card

- For 12 mega pixels – use minimum 6 GB memory card

5. Keep the best shot for digital wedding photography practice

You can apply the best shot with special techniques by digital photography software to make your creation more.

For digital wedding photography practice, the list below is the simple effect to make your creation.

- Black and white effects.

- Vignettes effect.

- Soft focus effect.

- Multiple exposure effects.

That is not a secret for the best way to learn any type of wedding photography. In additional you should learn more about:

- Traditions even (The wedding cake, Confetti, etc.)

- Who pays for what? (The groom’s family, The bride’s family, etc.)

- Duties of the main players (Duties of the Bride, Duties of the Groom, etc.)

Jack Vallieres is the professional freelance writer. He’s also the webmaster of Manyfoto.com

Headwear has always been popular. Whether you are at work, at home, at a ballgame, or somewhere in between, wearing headgear is a popular part of our culture and history. Headgear has changed over the centuries, but there has always been a new trend or fad where headgear is present. Carhartt women’s caps and hats just happen to be something we have today that is better, healthier, and more fun to wear. In addition, these styles and designs are perfect for home or work.

The traditional baseball cap is a popular choice. You will love this one! This is designed with the woman in mind. Whether protecting your eyes from the sun or your head from the rain, a good old-fashioned cap is a favorite choice for everyone. This is great because it is built durable and tested to be perfect for work regardless of the situation of conditions. The brown color sports the manufacturer logo in beautiful detail. These are easy to clean and easy to wear forming to your head’s specific needs for a better fit and feel.

Of course, who does not appreciate a good solid knit hat? These are exceptional in design and fit allowing you the chance to wear these longer gaining the benefits provided. What can you expect? You will find this is the perfect headgear to tackle any of those nasty outdoor chores or jobs. These are great to wear fishing or to the park, and if you go jogging or walking, one of these will fit perfectly into your workout routine. Available in an array of colors, the rib knit design is a favorite.

This solid knit neck gaiter is growing in popularity as well. You will appreciate the solid design that goes with you allowing you to perform at your best. You get your choice of colors, but one thing always remains the same – the comfort factor is undeniably the best in the industry. You will want these for all of those activities where warm headgear is necessary. In fact, these are so comfortable and protective you will appreciate these for wearing under heavier types of headgear such as hardhats.

Another popular cap is the work-dry mesh cap. This is amazing! You will love how these keep you cool as well as dry throughout the day. Designed to look and perform like a basic baseball cap, the added bonuses insure you a more productive workday thanks to a drier and cooler head. Definitely a favorite when it comes to Carhartt women’s caps and hats.

Choosing these for your own gives you the choice of colors, designs, and features. Appreciating all of them is easy; choosing just one is difficult. The great news is that you do not have to choose just one because these are available at such low prices you will appreciate the choices you do have a whole lot more.

When it comes to getting more for your money, you can depend on Carhartts women’s caps and hats to provide you an easy method to stay warm and dry. In fact, there are specialties designs promoting these even better.

Max Johnson of The Uniform Connection Carhartt Apparel. Click for more Carhartt Women

It’s not easy to have a “perfect” OOAK sculpture, meaning that the work is good, it is clean, smooth and free of lint, dirt and spots. As a matter of fact, in my experience, it cannot be achieved by itself. Even if you use a tent or latex gloves, there is always that particle in the air that is going to stick to polymer clay.

First, there are several things you should do to make the best of what you have. Always use clear clothes like a white t-shirt and shorts. Think of it as a uniform you’ll use to sculpt. It’s easier to see lint in a white shirt that in a green one. Keep your “uniform” always clean. You can buy white cheap t-shirts and use them just for sculpting and painting your piece.

Never sculpt in a place where there’s a lot of lint circulating, such as the AC or furnace ducts. That is a huge source of all kinds of lint and dirt. The moment you see a piece of dirt, lint or a spot in your raw clay (Clay that has not been fired or cured) take it off immediately with any kind of tool that will allow you to do it without ruining your sculpture.

Once you have done all this and before baking, you must smooth your piece. There will be multiple finger prints, minuscule marks and your sculpture will be uneven from sculpting.

There are several ways to smooth raw clay:

Softening Oil is one of them. This is a special oil that you can use to soften your clay. you can put a drop on your fingertips and smooth only on one direction, for a short time. If you smooth in both directions, you will only create more flaws by carrying the clay from one side to the other and the time you do it is important too. If you keep smoothing very long, the clay will become mushy and then you will have to wait until it settles to smooth again.

Alcohol. You can smooth your sculpture with alcohol as well but the same principle applies. Move your fingers only in one direction and for a short time.

Cold water. Put your piece under the cold water tap and smooth in one direction only. With cold water, it doesn’t matter if you take longer, because the cold water will not allow the clay to become mushy.

Refrigerator or freezer. You can place your sculpted raw clay piece inside the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Same thing with the freezer and then take it out and smooth with your fingers and with softening oil or alcohol. Although you will not need any of these things. Your sculpture is going to be very hard and you can smooth it easily, again, in the same direction always.

When you have smoothed the piece it will start to look shiny and really even. Then you can start the baking process to clean your piece even more.

Set you oven at 265 Fahrenheit, with and oven thermometer. Once the oven is at the set temperature, put your piece in a dish that has some polyfill underneath. You don’t want your piece to come out with a flat and shiny spot. Then cover the sculpture with more polyfill and put it in the oven to bake for only 10 minutes. Not more, not less.

Once your sculpture has been baking for 10 minutes, take it out and let it cool. This is very important. If you don’t let the sculpture cool, you will only ruin it by scratching and sanding.

Now your sculpture is cold and ready to go. When we sculpt, even if we wash our hands many times, the clay will get dirty, no matter what. So, take a utility knife and start scraping, combing or sweeping the sculpture only in one direction in a steady motion. Do it very gently. You will see very small layers of clay coming off the sculpture, but they are so tiny, you will not damage it in any way. You will see as well, the clay appear clean under the surface and in its original color.

When you are done, you will sand your sculpture. I use black sanding paper number 350 or 400. Remember that with the sanding paper the higher the number, the finest the sanding paper is and the lower the number, the coarser it gets. This time you can sand your piece with a steady motion, under the cold water tap in both directions, like up and down or side to side.

Don’t sand up, then to one side, then down, etc. If you sand this way, you’ll leave minuscule scratch marks and It will be more difficult for you to polish them off. If you sand in opposite directions but only up and down or side by side, your marks will be practically invisible and you will be able to polish your piece to a pristine look. Open the faucet so that you can have a drop of constant dripping water and sand. When you finish you’ll see that the clay has like spotting or marks that are darker and lighter.

This means that the piece was still a little uneven and the sanding will take that off. Concentrate on the places where the clay is a different color and keep sanding softly until they disappear and the sculpture is one even color.

Open the faucet and rinse your sculpture. At this point you can use some dish soap and a very gentle brush to take off all the dust you created by sanding. Make sure you brush the crevices and folds so that you don’t have any sanding dust. When you finish, dry your sculpture with a paper towel.

Finally, I use a 1000 black sand paper, to polish and I do the same technique all over again, but this time, you will see that your piece will achieve a “porcelain” texture and look. If you sculpted a very old person or a baby that have lots of folds, just be careful when you sand over them, You don’t want to take those character marks off of your sculpture. Do it under the dripping water faucet and when you’re done, rinse your piece thoroughly, use your soft brush and soap to take off all the dust. Dry your piece with a paper towel and let it dry completely.

The results of a clean polymer clay sculpture are amazing and the clay has a “porcelain” even clean look and it’s soft to the touch. Now you are ready to paint.

Arts ‘n Dolls is an online community where you can buy, sell, or trade arts, crafts, OOAK and reborn babies. You can also see our free tutorials and visit our arts, dolls, & crafts forum.

Personalised number plates mean different things to different people. Some are content to have the anonymity of a standard plate while others like to flaunt it with their initials, a nickname or even something a little racier. You may think that number plates are a recent invention but even as far back as the late 1600’s road vehicles required a licence for hire while the later Hackney Carriage Act of 1861 required stagecoaches to be correctly numbered and have numbered plates.

Somewhere in the early part of the 20th century a revolution occurred and automobiles began to appear on the roads of Britain in significant numbers. While initial uptake was understandably slow, by 1904 there were sufficient numbers for the government to introduce the Motor Car Act of 1903, which legally obliged any car owner to display a car number plate. The fate of the legendary “A1” number plate (first registered to Earl Russell in December 1903) remains shrouded in mystery and many car number plate aficionados see this as the holy grail of private number plates. Whatever its fate, were the “A1” ever to turn up in the public market you can be sure that it would fetch a bob or two.

From January 1st 1904 every motor vehicle used on British roads required a registration number with each local council assigning their own code – London was A, for example. When single letters ran out, two letters were used (although some double-letter combinations were discounted because it was considered they could cause offence, or, as in the case of “ER” already had a designated significance.)

Of course, as the numbers of cars gradually began to increase, so the efficacy of the old numbering system began to decline. By 1932 the system had expanded to include three letters and three numbers – after the Second World War this was changed around to three numbers and then three letters. These plates are still widely available and prices range from a couple of hundred to several thousand depending on the letter/number combination.

By 1963 a totally new system was introduced with a letter allocated for each plate denoting the year of registration (DWS 234 A, for example, with the A denoting the year. Since then August 1st of each year has become the changeover date – and, as you would expect, there is a peak in car purchasing at that time, as people rush to become the first to own a new car.

This demand for the newest plate prompted a growing interest in what became known as personalised number plates – the early plates in particular becoming much sought after, particularly those with “special” numbers or car model numbers.

While dealers had been buying and selling sought after car number plates for many years it wasn’t until the DVLA introduced the “Select” scheme in 1989 that buying a special private number plate became more widespread. These days anyone can choose a number plate to suit their name, interests or car model – sometimes for less than £99 – while special number plates can fetch several thousand pounds.

Jayne Henry of Speedy Registrations Ltd

Being an only child has its benefits. I always remember Christmas being a particularly good time of year with lots of presents and no-one pestering me to play with them. Without doubt, the most coveted moment in my childhood was unwrapping a brand new, shiny toy car. Quite how pushing a lump of metal around the floor for hours on end kept me amused I’m unsure, but the road tax was a damn sight cheaper I know that much. Well I long for those heydays again and Jeep may have come up with the answer.

The Jeep Patriot is essentially a mini Jeep, a matchbox toy version of the Cherokee or Grand Cherokee. It’s Jeep’s aim to entice as many families into the Patriot as possible and are marketing it as a sensible, affordable alternative to the family saloon.

A few things are instantly obvious. Despite the ‘mini’ (and I mean mini compared to a Boeing 747) proportions, the baby Jeep is still most definitely from the same family as its bigger brothers. The seven slot front grill and round headlights are as synonymous with Jeep as the contoured nose on an Aston Martin. The styling combines on road aggression with off road tradition, although the front does sit quite low to the ground meaning any serious off road action could be a problem.

Switchable four wheel drive is included which is de rigueur for any wannabe off road contender. There’s also room for all the family (handy as this is the target demographic) with plenty of boot space and a washable interior allowing for even the messiest weekend outings to be enjoyed without a large valeting bill upon your return.

A pretty economical 2 litre diesel engine is found under the bonnet of the ‘diesel sport’ derivative and makes a fair fist of things when out on the road. In fact an average run will return roughly 42mpg; a statistic you don’t need Einstein to decipher, to know that for an off-road vehicle it’s exceptional. Of course the flipside of this economy means the low rev range isn’t the punchiest and you need to use the full rev range to make any sort of rapid progress, but you won’t have the look of horror as your fuel gauge drops before your eyes. The six speed gearbox doesn’t let the side down either and allows the Patriot to make the best use of those revs you’ll be chasing.

The car’s height is also more adolescent than adult and this stunted height allows the Patriot to tackle corners far more effectively than other 4 x 4 compatriots. The smaller proportions don’t just help eliminate body roll though, the handling is responsive and has a nimble feel that has you forgetting what type of vehicle you’re driving.

The interior is perhaps the one aspect that has had reviewers reaching for their red pens, but I don’t agree. Admittedly the build quality isn’t going to compete with the Germans, let alone the flair of the Italians but we’re missing the point. As touched upon earlier, the Jeep can take anything a family can throw at it and stay pristine. Throw mud, Ribena and Ice-cream on the dashboard (disclaimer: no responsibility taken from this author should you do so) and it’ll wipe clean in seconds.

This 4x 4 is the antithesis of Italian flair, the Bruce Willis of the metro sexual world we live in. The front is square, the back is square – even the wheel arches are somehow square. In fact with the exception of the wheels and the headlights that must’ve crept through the conveyor belt at the assembly plant, there isn’t a curve on the car – and it’s all the better for it.

The rugged intent is matched by its go anywhere, take on anything reality. The Jeep really is a serious alternative to the other family cars on the road. At £15,000 ($30,000) the price tag doesn’t put you off either. Perhaps crucially though, it really is a small 4 x 4 and as a result, the usual off road vehicle haters let you slip by unnoticed.

In summary the Jeep Patriot makes you feel like the manliest man ever, whilst gently wrapping its protective arms around your family. It may have the 4 x 4 proportions of a matchbox toy, but this is one car that wants to be taken out of the box and pushed around the floor until the pile is worn out.

Ieuan Knox is an automotive writer currently working to promote the range of Jeeps which are available from Cheap Chrysler Jeep.