Most of you know my love for this industry is about the business and marketing aspect of professional photography. I don't make a living as a photographer. However, after a lifetime in the industry and working with some of the finest artists in imaging, I know more than I let on. At the very least I'll match my passion with a camera in my hands against just about anybody. My career in photography started at Polaroid. I was there for almost eighteen years, leaving to take over as president of Hasselblad USA. Even though Polaroid has changed dramatically from the 20,000+ employee powerhouse it was over thirty years ago; I still have a soft spot for the company. When I got a press release a few months ago about their portable softbox studio, I had to contact them for a test drive. It arrived a few days later, and for an inexpensive product like this, it's pretty respectable. The upgraded pro version comes with: two daylight LED lights with small light stands, four colored backdrops, a tripod stand, the 20x20 softbox "tent" and its own nylon kit case. It sets up in a minute or two, and the whole thing only weighs 6 pounds! I've got a good friend who sells estate jewelry online, and it's perfect for small-scale eCommerce projects. I've used it several times for blog posts and experimenting with a few items here at home. Remember, I've got virtually no experience in tabletop work, and to a pro, I know it shows. But here's my point: I needed a shot of the GH4 with a lens for a blog post, the Polaroid softbox studio was perfect for the job. I set it up in my office and just shot it. To do the job right, I really need to learn some of the techniques for solid table top work. However, we're talking about a $99 product ($89.99 at B&H this morning). But the most fun experimenting was this ring of Sheila's. I shot it in the softbox with a LUMIX GX85 and the 30mm macro lens. The ring is on an upside down shot glass on Polaroid's black background. There's minimal manipulation. I brought down the exposure to darken the base of the glass and then cloned out the base's reflection. Like everything in my life there's a story behind the ring that's fun to share. My Dad bought me the ring when I was twelve in New Mexico on a cross-country family trip. I thought I'd lost it over the years, and found it recently in a box of old photographs and letters. Building a tree house with friends when I was a kid, I slipped off the ladder and caught my ring on a nail. I came close to losing a finger, and the ring had to be cut off. Fast forward fifty+ years later and I found it recently. Kay Jewelers cleaned it up and fixed it for me, and Sheila's having fun wearing it as a pinky ring. In terms of a more complete product review - There are only a couple of things I'm not crazy about - first, the background material is a lint magnet and you want to be careful how you store them. They need to be rolled to avoid creasing which will show in your final images. Also, I wanted the lights a little lower and for the ring shot I wound up laying them on their side. They're LEDs so there was nothing to worry about, but it would have been nice if I could have just lowered them on the stands.
While I know many of you are working pros, and might look at this as a more amateur product, this little kit does the job. It's inexpensive with a lot of bang for the buck. It's perfect for photographing small objects and imagine how much better my images would look if I took the time to perfect my table top technique. Interesting in checking out other fun products from Polaroid? Just click the thumbnail below:
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It's a typical Sunday morning. I'm up early doing "fun" work, Sheila's still asleep and Molly's curled up on her bed in the corner. I love the quiet and peace that seems to come with Sunday mornings. The house is silent, it's cold outside - a bone-chilling fifty degrees and my old buddy Bob Nunn sent me a picture of his backyard on the Jersey shore after I complained about the weather! It's one of those days when all is right in our world - not the whole world, just our little corner of it. Over the past couple of weeks a few old friends have popped up, Bob being one of them. It's Sunday morning and being reflective, I started thinking about the friendships over the years and how they make this business special. This is a great industry for making lasting friendships. First, there's the common interest in imaging and everyone's mutual love for the craft. Second, so many of us have multiple companies we've worked for in the past, and with each new career path another circle of friends and associates have come into our lives. The longer you're in this industry the more those circles start to overlap like the Olympic rings! Third, we all go to the same conventions, workshops and rubber chicken dinners! Every year there are opportunities to connect face to face. Last but not least, social media has changed our lives. For me it's become the mortar that holds us together. It's the way we keep track of many of the ups and downs in each other's lives. As sappy as it might sound, it's also the way we laugh and cry together when we're thousands of miles apart. A few years ago we started a "Friend Wall." It all started after a trip to AZ and staying with Michele Celentano,and her husband Paul for a few days. When we got home we started a new tradition - a grab shot with close friends when we're together. The wall has become a daily reminder of how lucky we are and brings back a lot of smiles. And there's my entire point this Sunday morning. It's our friends, both old ones and new ones we make along the way who give our lives a better sense of purpose! Over the years I've been accused of being the perpetual optimist and somebody actually thought they were insulting me when they called me "the industry cheerleader." Well, it's a title I take seriously, and if nothing else I'm a perfect example of that old line about, if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. Like so many of you, I love what I'm doing and while it's not always easy, it's never without passion. So, on this beautiful crisp morning in south Florida, I'm wishing you a perfect Sunday. A day filled with the time you need to remind a few good friends how much you love having them in your life, and time to kick back and smile with a big stupid grin like Alfred E. Neuman. Don't worry about work today - it'll all be there tomorrow. Hug whoever's near you right now and make it a day to remember - not because you have to do anything exciting but because you're taking the time to appreciate everything in your life right now! I shared the perfect quote for today on Twitter a few minutes ago... Sunday clears away the rust of the week! Happy Sunday everybody and don't forget those eleven-second hugs!
Now and then Facebook does something very cool. This morning when I ramped up to do a little work, my Facebook page came up with a post I shared seven years ago today: Found a quote from Shakespeare: "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." Okay, it's a little heavy but work with me - think about the things you've tried that didn't work. Just because they didn't work doesn't mean you were wrong to have tried - or better yet, try something new again. Edison said, "I've failed my way to success!" This is a very short post this morning with just one point: A new year is right around the corner. As you go into the new year, think about all those challenges in the past that might be making you more cautious than you need to be. It happens to all of us, and before we know it we're managing by the exception. We got burned on a bad decision or something that wasn't up to expectations, so we pull back. Earlier this week Lori Nordstrom and I announced a one day workshop we're doing before WPPI in February. Lori and I have talked a lot about projects and events in both our careers that didn't give us the results we wanted. However, each failure became a stepping stone to ideas that did work. They just needed a little fine-tuning. Let's make 2018 your best year ever and put everything you think of as a "failure" on the back burner. There's no such thing as a failure if you learned something to change your approach the next time around. There are so many of you loaded with the passion for success, and there are so many of us here to help you achieve your goals! Don't be afraid to ask for help. You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past.
You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space. Johnny Cash
The motivation behind "Photodex Fridays" is to plant a few idea seeds as you head into the weekend. Even if you're a wedding photographer, you've still got time here and there to think about ideas to help grow your business.
It's always been a challenge finding new ways to market yourself, but in the last five years, the concept of digital marketing has exploded. Today there are so many different ways for you to expand your reach and effectiveness. I love working with Photodex because so much of the content they share is about building a stronger business and not just selling software. "Candace" recently shared this video on the ProShow blog. It's only two minutes long, but it hits on one of the most critical directions ALL of you should be going with your business!
"Video is changing the way we do business!"
Yes, it's an infomercial, but it's also loaded with ideas to help you build a stronger business. I've commented in the past about photographers having more creative tools today than at any other time in the 175+ year history of photography. Well, Photodex is responsible for a large selection of those tools!
At the same time, while the concept of video isn't new; it's the next BIG thing! It's exploding because of so many different ways it can be used to enhance your business. You have an opportunity to incorporate video into your marketing plans and product line. Think about these ideas for a start:
The list goes on and on, but here's the point: You're working hard to capture the most exceptional images of your career and always fine-tuning your skill set. Video now gives you a chance to share what you're doing with a broader audience and in the most effective way to tell your brand story! So... What's your digital marketing strategy? ​And, if you haven't checked out ProShow 9, now is the perfect time! While there's a special holiday promotional offer of 15% off, if you use SAVE20WITHSKIP in the code box you can increase the discount to 20%. Just click on the thumbnail to the right and make Photodex one of the best building blocks for your business! Please Note: As a result of several unforeseen conflicts this program has been postponed. Stay tuned to SCU for future updates.Think back over the years about the workshops and seminars you've attended. How many programs have you sat through, taken lots of notes and then returned home never to implement the ideas you were so excited about? It happens to all of us. We’re sitting in a workshop, and we’re in the “zone.” We’re excited about making some changes and additions to our business, but we return home, and life gets in the way. The next thing you know those ideas are tucked away in the equivalent of a shoe box of old photographs that’s been kicked under the bed! That's all about to change! Together with Lori Nordstrom, we're doing a full day intensive business building workshop on February 24, followed by an online webinar two weeks later! It all starts just before the WPPI convention at the Hampton Inn Tropicana in Las Vegas.
Our goal is to help you develop a plan of ideas you can implement, some of them immediately. We're going to share ideas on marketing, promotions, blog content, customer service, publicity and more. We'll provide each attendee with a workbook loaded with the ideas we're going to share, so you head home after the event and stay on track. We're dedicated to helping you make 2018 your best year yet, but we're not going to work with you on your plans and then leave you! On Tuesday, March 13 at 7:00 PM EST we're going to do a follow-up online webinar exclusive for attendees. We want to help you stay on target. We'll help you with questions that have come up after the workshop, and continue to be there to help you build a stronger business. I couldn't be more excited to be doing a program like this with Lori. Great marketing ideas are part of her signature, and together we've got one goal - to help you make the new year incredible! See you on February 24! The idea of traveling, especially when hiking, with just one lens is one of those visions so many of us can't imagine. We've all been conditioned to taking several lenses and a tripod, adding plenty of weight to that backpack. I love the technology Tamron has put into their new 18-400 Di II VC HLD lens. The 18-400 zoom gives you the range. I grabbed a few images from the video for the photos below, and while they're screenshots, they still make an excellent point about the versatility of this new lens. It's got image stabilization and moisture resistant construction. And, among interchangeable DSLR lenses, it's the "first 22.2X ultra-telephoto high power zoom lens." Imagine being able to hand-hold a lens like this and still get outstanding images! Check out the one minute video below and then click on any of the still images to link to Tamron's product page which includes more information! Tamron never slows down on manufacturing outstanding optics, and giving photographers the tools they need to capture some of the world's finest images.
This is also the perfect time to check out other lenses in the Tamson lineup. There are some outstanding rebates going on right now and through the December holidays. Just click on the banner below to find out more and then visit your Tamron dealer. Yesterday, together with my co-host from "Mind Your Own Business" Chamira Young, we recorded an upcoming podcast with the "King of Lighting," Tony Corbell. It was a great little interview talking to Tony about the new studio he's opened with two other artists, one of them his wife, Mandy. Lots of great insight, and during the conversation the topic of lighting came up and Tony mentioned Profoto. The new A1 is having an incredible impact on his creativity, capturing images in a way he's never had the ability to do before. So, I thought it would be fun to share two videos, one is the A1 trailer, which is all high-impact. Nothing but great images and video clips of eight different artists in action; six lines of text and one three second narrative - that's it. It's only a minute long, but as you watch it, think about how you'd tell your story in sixty seconds? It's a great little marketing exercise to think about. The second video features Hideaki Hamada, a Japanese photographer shooting in an old house outside Tokyo. It's all done with English subtitles, but in all honesty, you don't need anything but music to appreciate watching Hamada-san at work. I've spent a lot of time in Japan over my career and there's something about the stunning soft fine art simplicity of his portraits. I grabbed a couple of screen shots to share in this post, but to really appreciate his style, click on either one and you'll be on his website. And, as all great artists, his creativity never slows down. I loved watching him experiment with his application of incorporating the A1 into his natural light portraiture. Images copyright Hideaki Hamada On the Profoto blog there's a full story about the shoot. Just click on either image below to read the story and the detail of the day with Hideaki Hamada. "People rarely buy what they need. They buy what they want!" Seth Godin It's holiday time and a time of year where logic seems to take a back seat to spending. Everybody knows about "new car fever" - that burning idea you get in your head that eventually burns through to your wallet. Well thinking you need new gear is the same, and photographers start believing that once they're afflicted it's impossible to cure without a purchase!
In talking with a lot of seasoned professionals over the years, when you start digging into mistakes they made early on, somewhere along the line equipment always comes up. Very few people seem to have done it right. Before you buy any new gear, do you know how to use what you currently have? Great camera gear doesn't make you a professional. However, understanding how to use whatever you have in any situation and using it right defines a pro. So, let’s start with some must-haves. There are great holiday specials going on right now at most of the imaging dealers. You need back up gear, one of the biggest things new photographers miss. I know what the manufacturers tell you about their warranties and great replacement policies, but here's the reality: They’re not going to be there at midnight at a reception when you have a problem. And, gear problems come in all shapes and sizes from a camera being dropped, to a technical issue to "walking away." So, have a backup body. It doesn’t need to have all the bells and whistles of your primary, just the features to get you through a crisis, sort of like that mini-spare in your trunk. You also don’t need to buy it new. Look around for photographers who are upgrading equipment. Check out eBay and check with your local camera retailers. Most wedding photographers, if they only could afford one lens, would probably go for a 24-70mm or equivalent if you're shooting micro four thirds. Two lenses, they'd add in something longer, like a 70-200mm and three would be adding a 50mm. Pay attention to the quality of the glass and go for fast optics. Depending on your shooting style, it’s always good to have back up lights, whether on-camera strobes or studio lights and extra power. You want to have a little depth, just in case. This is also where buying the best equipment you can afford really makes a difference. For example, it's so rare I ever hear of anybody having problems with Profoto gear. Don’t forget about renting equipment you might not have, even for the most routine jobs. Let’s assume you’ve got an opportunity to shoot a reasonably big wedding and it’s early in your career. There’s nothing wrong with renting equipment to get you through the job, rather than buying it and tying up your cash flow. Which brings me to the concept of leasing. You don’t have to own everything outright to grow your business and be able to shoot the way you’d like. You can lease, often with a minimal buy-out at the end of the lease. This also gives you the opportunity to use the leasing company’s assets without depleting yours. Exotic lenses are a kick, but until your business volume is high enough to justify the cost, renting will serve you well. Just about every seasoned photographer has a story about something exotic they bought early on. Joe Buissink, one of the finest wedding artists in the world, talks very openly about a tilt/shift lens he bought early on. He barely used it, and it tied up his cash flow when, just getting started in the business, he could have used on other things. He eventually sold it for a substantial loss. One more solution to buying some of the more exotic equipment you need - find a friend! I've heard so many great stories about photographers working together and sharing the cost of specialized expensive gear, large format printers and even studio space. The concept of back-up gear doesn't just apply to camera, lenses and lighting. Back in your office or studio, NEVER underestimate the ability of your computer to crash just when you need it the most. Back up your files! I remember Don and Gary Blair telling me stories about when their studio blew up. This was before digital, and they lost everything. All their negative files were lost in a fire when a woman lost control of her car and drove through their studio’s front window, hitting a gas line. Imagine the position you’d be in today if you lost EVERYTHING. Take a look at your system for backing up files, images – anything and everything that’s critical to your business! But let's take it one step further - What if you’re out of commission for an emergency. Who's your backup? Who handles your calls? Your email? Your phone messages? Have a back-up plan for yourself! Now and then do a "fire drill" – and just like the drills when we were kids, you need to go through all the what-if scenarios. Sometimes being prepared will help you think through your entire workflow, including gear and support/backup systems. Anybody not know Murphy’s Law? It’s simple: If anything can go wrong, it will. Now here’s Murphy’s Second Law: Murphy was an optimist! It's Sunday morning and at 6:30 a.m. I was wide awake and much to Sheila's dismay, bounded out of bed like I do every morning. Unfortunately, I woke her up in the process, but it's Sunday, and like kids in nursery school when we were little, at 2:00 pm we'll take a nap. There are concepts from childhood that get reinstated when you get older! LOL Just before I got out of bed, I was thinking about so many photographers I've talked to lately who are frustrated with their "jobs." While they have some good streaks of happiness, overall things aren't going the way they planned. They're not happy and are becoming unfocused. I don't have the answers, but there are a few things I've learned on my business journey to date.
Here's my point this morning. I spent a lot of years in what so many of you thought was the perfect job! While there were some aspects I loved, I was living vicariously through all of you with the entrepreneurial spirit. Starting my business in 2009 was the scariest thing I've ever done. It was the right decision, but just like you keeping pace with technology, my "job" keeps changing and morphing into so many different and exciting directions. Take a look at your career path. You've chosen to be an artist. Creativity is vital in virtually every aspect of your "job." If things are getting in the way and not allowing those creative juices to flow, the smile on your face when you started is eventually going to disappear and along with it the passion you have for the craft. So, If lately the spirit just doesn't seem to move you - take some time off, whether it's an hour or a few days. Think about what it was that brought you into this business in the first place. Spend some time answering the question, "If I could do anything in business what would it be?" This is just a single post on a lazy Sunday morning, and I can't cover everything that's helped me build a life I love, but my points above might help you think through the ingredients you need to smile more. Wishing everybody a terrific Sunday and as usual, a day filled with peace, love and time with some of the people most important to you. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and remember to give yourself a big pat on the back. Another year is coming to a close, and even if you have a little fine-tuning to do in your business, you've chosen a pretty fantastic industry to be part of. "You can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings, if your own heart isn't in it!"
Skip Cohen Intro by Skip Cohen Suzette Allen is back with another great idea on how to bring more excitement to your holiday message this season. It's all about taking advantage of the creative tools in ProShow Web by creating a holiday newsletter. It's so easy to do and depending on your target audience you can change the images you're sharing. For example, if you wanted to send something to a client list that had a stronger business theme, it's so easy for you to use images from this year's events, people and products you photographed. On the more personal side with family and friends, pictures of those special moments in your life over 2017 become a great theme. And, if you just want to keep with a more festive theme, then find a great quote and build images around it. For example, I put out a tweet this morning, "Let your smile change the world, but don't let the world change your smile" Author Anon. If I was building a slide show around that theme for a holiday newsletter to family and friends, I'd start with this shot of me and Sheila taken by our good friend, Sherry Hagerman last spring. The only point Suzette made that's different in our house, out of all the friends who send out newsletters, we've only got one we really enjoy. They're all sincere and they mean a lot to us, but most of them are too dry and often too long. But a slideshow newsletter would be so much fun to watch and have a far greater impact on contributing to the good wishes of the holiday season. If you haven't checked out ProShow 9 yet, click on the thumbnail to the left. Photodex keeps adding new features and tools to help you create presentations with impact. And don't forget to put SAVE20WITHSKIP in the code box for a 20% discount! It’s that time again… figuring who is on the list for cards, for presents, for THE Newsletter….Our abridged version of Life in 2017, neatly folded in quarters so it fits in the greeting card. Honestly, we really look forward to the Christmas Newsletters we get from friends, highlighting the best events and moments of the year… the graduations, the big moves, the accomplishments and glory moments. We have a few friends who send “the year in pictures” sheets, which are even better! And, as photographers, we especially appreciate the visual versions of the stories, right? We would much rather SEE the story than hear it, and many of us are professional storytellers with images, much more than wordsmiths for sure! But EVERYONE loves photos! I always say Photography is America’s Number One Hobby! (and by the way, did you know that 67% of all statistics are made up on the spot?) It seems plausible to me! J But if you dare not take the risk of boring your friends and relatives, but really want to share the lovely places, faces and moments of the year in a way that is sure to entertain, try making a truly COOL Christmas newsletter and either sharing with a photo (use Live Portrait to play the video from a print) or save the postage and send the link to the video via email! It’s really easy to “step up your Christmas Newsletter game” and be cool-- we made one last year. We traveled a lot and, the truth is, no one wants to read: “in July we went to Sedona and it was hot. In August we went to Minnesota and it was green and we got bit by mosquitos quite a lot. In September it was back to school……”, But, you COULD share three great pictures to tell those stories and make people smile! Set it to music and you might get them to be-bop just a little in their chair while they enjoy the show! Check out our card from 2016, and see how we just tossed in a few fun selfies and then a lot of cool images from the year’s adventures. We could have added videos too but it would have been too long. (it starts with two slow pics then it goes pretty fast!) Definitely worth watching. To tell all these stories would be a short novel! This was SO easy to make with ProShowWeb. We picked a theme, [Simplicity Zoom Dark] uploaded them all [by dragNdrop] and picked music from the selection provided [Blue Factor], hit Build, and a little bit later, had a show worthy of sharing!
Take the time this season to REMEMBER the moments and SHARE them with others. Don’t let your phone be the only one to see the fun you had. Even our snapshots capture our lives and help us hang on to the things we would probably forget because life blurs by faster each year. Make the time to Find the images, Build that show, and Share those memories! This summer we had the chance to spend a few days with Skip and Sheila and one of Skip’s greatest talents is the way he remembers people--he tells stories and keeps memories alive. It’s a true talent and skill (besides being a great writer). I’m guessing that is part of the reason he believes in Photodex, because it is such a fabulous tool for recording, creating and sharing life’s beautiful images and moments. |
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