Ricky and the Blue Balloon.

Photographs from my latest afternoon in the studio.

I wanted to have some fun with expression and balloons in this little set.

Please don't take without permission!

Hope everyone is well, 

Jessica

Should wealth be inherited?

 Inheriting wealth rather than earning wealth is gaining money through material goods through the means of a person passing or gifting you money and material possessions. It’s a popular practise in upper-class families, and keeps the wealth constant through the family history- usually passed down through the family in order to keep a house or to keep the family at a constant class level. It’s very much “keeping it in the family”, however, there has always been controversy about money and it’s a very controversial subject. It is sometimes seen as unfair, with not everyone getting the same opportunities to gain wealth or get a head start in life that money may bring them. There are some people who inheriting family businesses, gaining millions and yet there are people who work hard day in and day out just to keep their heads above water. The debate about whether wealth should be inherited has happened for centuries, causing family splits and bitterness among people. Not all is bad however, with families having the opportunity to give loved ones a gift at the sadness of their passing, and giving them more opportunity in life. People who have worked all their life, only to get inheritance tax by the government are in uproar. Why should their hard earned savings be put in the hand of the government? And isn't their money theirs to give to whomever they please? It’s an issue that is individual to each person, and it’s only possible to scratch the surface in this article about the different circumstances or issues that may come about when inheriting wealth.

  There are plenty of pros when it comes to inheritance. It gives people a head start in life. It’s hard enough to get on the property ladder these days; so many young people rely on inheritance from elder family members in order to get a financial head start. It also keeps your money in your family; which may mean protecting the family name and wealth you may have built up. It’s a popular practise in middle class or upper class families, and it keeps their class constant throughout history. Even a small inheritance can go towards education or business opportunities that bring a better life to all. There is also the fact that it won’t go in the governments pockets (well, at least some of it won’t); and why should someone’s hard earned money that they have saved all their life go into a system where they don’t know where it will end up? It gives a person control over their life, and a purpose for saving or buying an estate. It is a person’s money, and after all it’s theirs to spend how they choose. However, it’s not all as clean cut. Some people inherit millions from family members, yet seem to have no prospects or purpose. They are simply known for being rich- which tends to give them a privileged air over others. It’s argued that these people are undeserving of their wealth- and everyone should be given the same start in life.

  This brings us to the cons of inheriting wealth. Inheriting wealth can create a divide between classes and people. It’s sad but true that money does open a lot of doors in life- you just have to look at the difference between third world countries and first world. Why shouldn’t everybody be given the same start in life? Obviously that would be insanely difficult to put in place- but to an extent it is an extremely valid point. Inherited wealth creates more advantaged people with more opportunity. Those who have worked hard all their life may feel belittled or scorned meeting somebody such as Paris Hilton, who, by chance has walked into a life of luxury and mansions just because she was born into her rich fathers Hilton network. You can also inherit a money mess. When a loved one dies, it’s one thing to have to go through a basement full of boxes and quite another to get stuck with the departed’s debt. A person could have died unexpectedly, intending to sort out their debt beforehand. Tax liens and debt could be now your problem. This leaves us wondering, if it’s not all sunshine and rainbows- how much responsibility do we have for someone else’s wealth?

 The government stance on inheritance is pretty much, as long as they get inheritance Tax they are happy to let inheritance happen. The inheritance Tax threshold is currently £325,000 and stands at 40% of anything above this threshold. The executor of personal representative for the person who has died pays the inheritance Tax using the funds from the estate. This has to be paid within 6 months from the end of the month of which the person died. The money is split between the individuals if the person has written a will, and if not it will go to the married or civil partner of the deceased. If there is no surviving spouse or civil partner, it’s distributed between any surviving children- and goes throughout the family in order of blood line. Eventually, if the money has no place to go- it goes to the government who puts it into government funds.

 There are plenty of famous faces who are famous for inheriting wealth. Some people call inheriting wealth luck, and others just say that it’s being born into the right circumstances. Sam Branson is the son of Sir Richard Branson, and is worth an estimated $3.8 billion. He is the man behind Virgin, a well known company that is famous for Virgin Records, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin fuels. These are not all they provide and the list is endless. Sam is due to inherit the wealth, but it would be interesting to see just how involved he is in his father’s business- something that I believe will show his true character when it comes to the sensitive subject of money. Then there is Ivanka Trump- the daughter of Donald Trump. She is due to inherit all her father’s personal wealth and estate. However, she is very involved in the family business and is vice president of real estate development and acquisitions of the Trump Organisation. It’s good to see someone with such wealth still working in life, something that I feel would really lack in a person’s character if they simply just lived the life of luxury with no real input into working and gaining independence. Paris Hilton is a very famous heir, and seems to have forged a career for herself simple from inheriting money. Critics say that Hilton epitomizes the title of being famous for being famous and she is an example of the modern phenomenon of the “celebtutant”… this is the celebrate who is famous not because of their talents but because of their inherited wealth. Hilton sees herself as an icon, and personally, it’s not an icon I’d like any future daughters adoring.

 Socially and economically, it’s sad to see that individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds receive less inheritance and wealth. It’s common throughout history that individuals with a substantial amount of wealth often intermarry with similar classes- therefore creating a cycle of privilege. This creates a hierarchy system, which ultimately divides society.

 There are some things to think about when it comes to inheritance.

-          Who deserves money?

-          How to you differentiate?

-          Should we all have the same chance in life?

-          Should those inheriting wealth be forced to live a certain type of lifestyle?

-          If it any different to winning a cash prize?

-          Should hard working individuals get taxed, even whilst dead?

 I decided to conduct a survey to find out what people thought. I conducted my survey using an online survey website, survey monkey. 10 people answered my survey, with 7 people saying “yes, money should be inherited”. Some of the reasons included: “I think the person whose wealth it is should have the choice. In a way they already have. They can chose to spend their savings on themselves when they retire of can chose to save it for their children for example.” Another said, “Yes, you should be able to inherit but it would be prudent to cap it at something like 2 million”. 3 out of 10 people however said no, they didn't think wealth should be inherited. The most popular reason for this answer was it was “unfair”. Sadly, not many people who said no gave a reason as to why it should not be inherited. There are a few issues with the survey, such as it was based on a small demographic and I am unsure of the age/background/class or wealth of the people who answered.

 In conclusion, I do believe that wealth should be allowed to be inherited. If your parents want to leave you money, then why not? As long as people work hard in life and never lose sight of what is real, there should be no problem. I don’t believe that wealth should be a “career” however, and feel embarrassed by people who are famous for simply just having money and spending it crazily. In this world, it’s important to know the value of money and never leave sight of that. If you do inherit billions, the moral thing to do would be to help out the world with things such as poverty and charity. There is never enough money when it comes to such issues. This is all dependant on how much you get, of course. A “regular” person may just get enough to perk their life up, enable them to go to University or purchase their first home. Some people in life of course won’t get any, but I don’t feel they should let it control them, in the same way that people who may get inheritance let it consume them. You shouldn't rely on it, and never let it change your character. Life is full of ups and downs, and sometimes it’s unfair. This will never change.

 Jessica Martin 

Togging!

Pictures by myself from a recent shoot.

Model: Laura
Location: photography studio 

"Happy Days"

 This was a fun concept, and I really loved the balloons- very fun to work with!


Please ask permission before using my images and please credit.



Jessica Martin 

Happiness.

Happiness.

  It is something that many humans strive to gain in their lifetime. For 1000s of years, the subject of happiness has been spoken about and spoken about not just among peers- but it’s even a subject that the government takes a great interest in. This isn’t surprising, as studies show a happy society creates a better functioning society and people also tend to be more productive when they are happier in themselves. In the last 40 years or so, thousands of studies have been carried on just on the subject of happiness. Everyday people have been involved in studies and surveys, and the level of their happiness has been measured. Their daily lives have been put under the microscope, and the balance of happiness has been scrutinized. Daily activities have been studied to see how daily activities affect people’s happiness. These included working, seeing friends, doing household chores or doing every day messages. On the other side of the coin, income, money, religion, family and location have also been studied in the pursuit to finding out what makes happy people. It lets us find out also what creates dissatisfaction in people.

 There are of course, both strengths and weaknesses in these studies and it does make you question can happiness actually be measured. Who or what makes the ultimate happy human being? The government claim these studies are to maintain the well being and happiness of their citizens. In the UK, happiness is also measured daily by our government. The statistics are easily found online and posted for everyone to see and compare. According to the Annual Population Survey collected between 2011-2013, the area of the UK you live in also effects the happiness and well being of its citizens. This is something that will be looked into in more depth later on.

When broken down on how happiness is measured, the Annual Population Survey says the following factors are used in the collection of the data.

·         Unemployment rate.

·         Percentage who were somewhat, mostly or completely satisfied with their job.

·         Percentage who volunteered in the last 12 months.

·         Percentage who were somewhat, mostly or completely satisfied with their amount of leisure time.

·         Percentage of people who have engaged with, or participated in, arts or cultural activity at least three times in the last year.

·         Adult participation in 30 minutes of moderate intensity sport, once a week.

It also looks at associated data such as stress at work, work-life balance and free time activities. There has been evidence to show that a good work/leisure balance does create happier people. Part of the study of national happiness includes looking at the leisure and physical sport activities of individuals.

‘Participation in both physical and non-physical leisure activities has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety, produce positive moods and enhance self-esteem and self-concept, facilitate social interaction, increase general psychological wellbeing and life satisfaction, and improve cognitive functioning’ (Haworth - Life, Work, Leisure and Enjoyment: the role of social institutions).

 You may wonder why the government measures well being. The National Statistic office states that they need a full picture of the economic and social progress of the country, including the impact on the environment. They believe that developing better measures of well-being and progress is a common international goal. Within the UK, they believe there is a commitment to develop wider measures of well-being so that government policies can be tailored to serve the people and they can focus on the things that matter. It gives the government a chance to make better decisions about the people and our future.

 Not only are happy people better for a better functioning society, they also live longer too and tend to be healthier. An example of this is a study released in 2000, where scientists analysed the records of 839 patients who have been psychologically tested 30 years earlier. Those who scored highest on a scale of pessimism were roughly 20 per cent more likely to die prematurely than optimists. People who are stressed, angry or distressed are more likely to suffer from health problems.  There have been various studies into the link between happiness and a longer, healthier life. In another recent study of 3,800 people aged 52-79 who stated they were the happiest, were least likely to die in the following five years than those who stated they were not so happy. Prof Andrew Steptoe, who led the study, said: "The happiness could be a marker of some other aspect of people's lives which is particularly important for health. For example, happiness is quite strongly linked to good social relationships, and maybe it is things like that that are accounting for the link between happiness and health.” There is no definitive proof that happier people live longer and healthier, but the evidence does stack up in their favour.

  When it comes to location and happiness, it’s interesting to see if the grass really is greener on the other side. Professor Richard Florida once surveyed 27,000 people questioning the effect of location and their happiness. He later quoted that location was “the third leg in the triangle of our well-being, alongside our personal relationships and work”. To me, location can be a great factor in determining someone’s happiness. Some areas have higher unemployment rates than others. This causes an off work/leisure balance which in turn has been proven to create unhappier people. There have been various surveys throughout the last few years in order to find the happiest city in the UK, showing that location does have an impact on the happiness of a group of individuals.  According to the Office of National Statistics, people living in remote Scottish islands are home to the happiest people living in the UK. Could it be true that a laid back, remote life surrounded by nature is the secret to successful happiness? In comparison, people in Stoke-on-Trent or in the West Midlands have very low levels of happiness and life satisfaction, and much higher anxiety levels. These figures were calculated recently, in October 2013. Unsurprisingly, the hustle and bustle of London city does not create happy citizens. Although London has good employment, and a lot of disposable income, there is very little life satisfaction and very high anxiety. This could be because of the very demanding, stressful jobs and also trouble in the mortgage department and living costs. The data was collated by polling 165,000 people. It paints a picture of well being across the UK, as explained before. The highest amount of people, who gave the top scores of life satisfaction, worthwhile and happiness where in Northern Ireland, compared to England who had the lowest proportion of people who gave themselves top scores for happiness and life satisfaction. Scotland had the lowest anxiety scores. They finished the survey by saying that the factors most associated with personal being were health, employment and people’s relationship status. It may be true that a more laid back approach to life and staying out of a high flying city may make a person happier, but it is down to the individual in some cases.

 Another massive measure and issue when it comes to happiness is money. Money can make the world go round. The economy has a big effect on the happiness of people. They say money cannot buy you happiness, however, a recent study has shown that money can actually buy people happiness- but only up to a point. National happiness actually raises as a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita climbs. However, this tails off when the rising wealth creates higher aspirations, leading to a sense of disappointment. The study took place at Warwick University. “As countries get richer, higher levels of GDP lead to higher aspiration. There is a sense of keeping up with Mr Jones next door as people see higher levels of wealth and opportunity all around them and aspire to having more,” as quoted by Dr Eugenio Proto, the leader of the Warwick University study. “Any economy which  gives its citizens lots of aspiration cannot truly be a bad economy, but this aspiration gap – the difference between actual income and our desire for things like nicer homes and consumers goods – eats away at levels of life satisfaction. According to the most recent figures, the UK had a GDP per capita of roughly £22,700, which is above the level at which satisfaction appears to dip. There is also a question of inequality to consider here. It could be possible that our hypothetical Mr Jones is way richer than you, and your aspiration of keeping up with him is totally unrealistic. So it’s no surprise that the happiest countries are Denmark, Sweden and Finland – those that are most equal.”

 In developing countries with a GDP per capita below £4,100, people were 12 per cent less likely to report the highest level of life satisfaction than those in countries with a GDP per capita of around £11,000. This can be linked in with the measure of a location and the happiness of a person. However, even though wealth is linked to happiness, it’s strange how depression and anxiety is actually a lot more common these days. Either that or depression is more documented than it ever was in the past. As stated in “The Happiness Hypothesis”; “As the level of wealth has doubled or tripled in the last fifty years in many industrialized nations, the levels of happiness and satisfaction with life that people report have not changed, and depression has actually become more common.”  (Dr Eugenio Proto, 2013).

 It is common knowledge however, that a country riddled in debt with a low economic industry and hardly any jobs- is a lot more prone to have unhappy citizens. However, some people have contradicted this and said cutting off modern life and living a sustainable, low cost life has made them the happiest they have ever been in their life. Going green, and cutting out the cost has become a way of life for certain people- this is why I think it’s hard to measure how much money does actually improve someone’s happiness and whether or not they are just trying to keep up with society and what it has become. “Green” and “sustainable” living are becoming pretty popular in our rat race society, so maybe money isn’t the answer to happiness and is not much of a measure. Take this gentleman, for example, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-6eDQ8c-A. Who is to say he is not happy? A self-sufficient, low budget, happy family.

 When you come to thinking about happiness, and who ultimately studies it, you think of Psychologists. After all, they spend their life studying humans and their ways. Maslow created a hierarchy of needs table, simple for people to understand. Maslow wanted to understand what made people tick, and what ultimately made them happy. He believed there was a base to happiness, and used the simple form of a triangular diagram to prove basic human needs. This diagram is extremely popular and was invented around 1943-1954. The most important human needs are at the bottom of the triangle, and the needs work up from there in a hierarchy. Here is the hierarchy of needs according to Maslow:  

Every human has the desire and need to move up through this hierarchy according to Maslow. However, Maslow believes only 1 in 100 people in society will ever be fully satisfied and fill all desires. Although the above movements are shadowed in society daily, only 1 in 100 will fill all of the above so making only certain people self actualized according to Maslow. This may prove that there is no society on earth who will be complete with happy and content people, and it is up to the individual and their own circumstances on how their happiness is measured.   

'It is quite true that man lives by bread alone — when there is no bread. But what happens to man’s desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is chronically filled? At once other (and “higher”) needs emerge and these, rather than physiological hungers, dominate the organism. And when these in turn are satisfied, again new (and still “higher”) needs emerge and so on. This is what we mean by saying that the basic human needs are organized into a hierarchy of relative prepotency'. (Maslow, 1943).

 In order to measure a man’s true happiness, he needs a bit of everything in life to keep his desires full. Maslow is basically saying there is no point in having all the money in the world but no one to love or no self esteem. A person will not feel so happy when this occurs. A person needs balance to be ultimately happy. Everyone has different choices however in what their creativity fulfilment may be, some people may love playing sports whilst others may love painting or arts and crafts. The hierarchy of needs is different for everyone thus proving that different things make people happy. He also believes you must fulfil one need before you move onto the other.  Although Maslow has a point, his studies can be criticized as he mainly based his studies on men and not many women were involved. You could also argue that some creative person who is extremely happy yet has lived in poverty all their life time will not fit the hierarchy. It is also possible for people living in poverty to love as well. Again, it goes back to the point that happiness seems to be an entirely individual thing which I am finding out more and more as I research the subject.

 I do believe there is some truth in the fact that you can measure happiness, however, I do believe it is on a very general scale and it would take forever to measure the perfect recipe for all people to be happy. It is understandable why the government measures happiness by doing surveys every year- it has been proven that the happiness of a country is important in keeping it orderly and functioning properly. Psychologists all over the world will tell you that happiness is measureable, and there are ways to become happier. Doing things such as getting the perfect work/leisure balance, keeping active, doing voluntary work, having great friendships and relationships, having a wonderful family and job, and also living in the right place are all apparent factors to the measure of how happy an individual can be. However, I also strongly believe that despite how similar all humans are, we are all different and happiness can come in different forms for different people. What makes one person tick may disgust another. There is also proof that clinically depressed people actually have a physical chemical imbalance, which may show that happiness is not always something people can control. In short, I believe following my research, that yes, happiness can be measured to an extent but we should never take away the fact that every human is an individual and always will be. As long as the majority of people come back with a positive outcome; I hope the government continue to measure happiness yearly. Life is the most important thing you’ll ever possess so it’s good that our well being is taken in to account! Some of the problems with measuring happiness may be the fact that someone you do a survey on may be having a tough day, and just put down how they are failing on that day in particular. The survey has to be done over time I feel, and an average could be taken to measure the individual’s happiness. It also needs to be done on a wide range of people, both employed and unemployed and people with different family life. You may send the survey out unknowingly to a large amount of unemployed people, or a large amount of employed and the replies back may not be the same for everyone. Maybe someday, somewhere- someone will find the perfect recipe but for now all the studies on the subject of measuring happiness are helping build a better world.



 By Jessica Sarah Martin. Opinions are my own.

Things I wish I could have told my teenage self...

1) You are still pretty young. Even though you think you are at your prime, you're not. There is a lot more to come. So calm down. You don't have to experience it all in a few years.

2) You don't know it all. You are 19 for Gods sake. Wisdom is something that comes with age and experience. Heck, I don't even know it all 5 years on- I'm barely scratching the surface.

3) There will be sh*tty people in life. Ignore them. That's life. No matter how pleasant you are, some people just have it in them to be jerks. Just feel sorry for them instead. They're not God. Don't let them get to you. 

4) You probably haven't met the love of your life. Sure, in a dream world, you meet an amazing guy and spend the rest of your life with him. But this is reality. Love is out there, there's no rush. Plus, having fun with your friends and being relaxed is way more attractive to the opposite sex. Your friends will soon get pretty peed off hearing about your messed up relationship woes every other day. Speaking to people, one of the things they regret most in their teens is spending so much time and energy on one person! 

5) Grab things. Anything. The chance to travel. Opportunities. Social events. Local events. 

6) Learn how to say "no". Don't be a people pleaser. Sure, being kind is extremely important, but sadly, as quoted in point number 3, some people are just... jerks. Some people will sadly use you for your money or just even use you for company. The sooner you start sticking up for yourself, the better.

7) You can't be happy 100% of the time. This isn't human. Take the good with the bad. 

8) Don't rely on the internet to keep up with friendships. Unless Geography bridges the gap in communication, never lose touch with "real" meetings, outings, even going for a coffee. Nothing beats real communication. 

9) Stop stereotyping people. That person you would NEVER even talk to 'cause they listen to a different type of music to you? They may be the nicest person you've ever met. 

10) To have friends, you have to be a friend. It's harder to maintain relationships out of school, but never lose sight of your actions as well as others. Sometimes it can be your fault for friendships disintegrating. 

11) Stop putting things off. You want to learn to drive? Do it. You want to go see that film? Go and see it.

12) Stop pussy footing about. If you miss someone, tell them. As young as you are, the years will go pretty fast. 

13) Qualifications do matter. Even if your dream job doesn't depend on them, they're nice to fall back on in the future. Again, it's never nice having to redo something you already had the chance to do. Luckily, I have never had to re-do any exams, but seriously. I wasted too much time not starting college after high school! If you want to go straight to work after high school- that's cool. But at least get your general secondary exams over with! 

14) Don't worry if you don't know what career you want. It's fine. My tip- think of something you love and go from there. But on the other hand...

15) Don't waste time. And by that, I mean, don't sit at home doing nothing. Even if you do a silly course you will never use in life, chalk it up as experience. Or even some job you don't love. It gets you out there.

16) You don't owe anyone an explanation unless they're a loved one, or you work for them. It's no ones "right" to know every little thing about you. Some people are just nosey.

17) Stop spending so much! You WILL want to get a house one day... enough said. 

18) Don't drink so much. I wish I had filled my time with more productive things. 



 At the end of it all however, it's definitely a learning experience! Everyone has regrets. What would you tell your younger self if you could go back in time?! 


 Have a brilliant week!


Jessica

The Joy of Pet Ownership

 The other night at around midnight, I decided to head up to by chamber. As you do. Tired and weary eyed, I just wanted to flick on Netflix and watch pointless life affirming films. But no. Sometimes, pet ownership does not allow this to happen. My gorgeous, relaxing bath was about to be ruined. I was about to break out a sweat over a creature that, to my admission, is slightly overweight but still small none the less. And this little thing wanted to play a game of hide and seek.

 I was first alerted to the disaster in waiting when I noticed my cat, who usually wants nothing to do with my room unless the sun lights are open and he can play "Don't Look Down"*. Sat, looking suspiciously smug, he was loitering around the bottom of my bed. Strange. Suddenly I realised the object of his desire. There, in the corner, was a fat little hammy toying with my old moggy. Sat there. Not in his home. Free. Free to be eaten at any moment, free to get squashed by someone unsuspecting. Doesn't he know he is in that little house of his for his own safety?! 

I was hoping he would just come to me, and understand he shouldn't be running around unsupervised. Nope. Two hours later. Two. He was safe, back in his home. And I was left with a dismantled double bed, a crushed hamster ball and popcorn over the floor... (the popcorn was to lure him in. The cheeky bugger grabbed it and hid under the bed, his favourite hiding spot). 

 You can imagine it wasn't the best way to spend my night. But he does make me smile. Knowing my luck, I will head up again soon enough and the same fiasco will happen again- despite the reinforced door I have now created.

 The cheeky chap, however, was fine.


Pets!

The accused. Butter wouldn't melt. 

*"Don't Look Down"... http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dont-look-down/4od I watched this with my heart in my mouth. Not advised with those who fear heights. 

A Cloudy Paignton, Devon. October 2013.