Intro by Skip Cohen

Photodex doesn't just make great software for slideshows - they help make great artists. If you haven't checked out their blog lately, there's a lot of solid content, and often about topics you wouldn't expect to find. Looking through their recent archives, this post by "Kathy" hit me because of its strong diversity.

I know many of you don't think about macro or closeup photography, but even the most dedicated wedding photographer has to know how to get a good ring shot, flower images or other details that help tell the story of the wedding day. Understanding macro photography, at least a basic understanding, needs to be in your skill set.

Check out the post from Kathy below as she shares ten outstanding blogs to help you capture stunning macro and closeup images. 

Notice her very last couple of sentences. Photodex would love to see your ProShow macro-themed slide shows and so would SCU. Click the button below to hit the Photodex contact page and remember to select "Blog Submission" from the drop down window under Inquiry.  In fact, this is the way to submit slide shows on any topic, in addition to macro. 

And, ProShow 8 is here with a long list of new features. There's a very detailed post about everything that's new in the blog and it's only a click away.

by Kathy:

Get up close and personal with the little things around you. Seeing the world from a different point of view is pretty amazing and macro photography helps us do just that.

Check out a roundup of macro photography blogs, tips, and inspiration. Included are stunning photo galleries, workshops, photography tips and more.

1. Splendour Awaits: Adrian Thysse shares his love for complexity in nature through a macro lens. His main focus is insects, spiders, and other invertebrates. Check out his tips on technique and equipment or join one of his workshops.
2. Mike Moats: Tiny Landscapes – Pro Macro Photographer: Michigan based award-winning macro photographer, Mike Moats, is a macro photography expert! He’s published several books, won numerous awards, and also offers Close-Up/Macro Photography Workshops.
3. MacroPhotoBug: Experiment with Bryan using some of the techniques and tools he uses to capture exceptional macro shots.
4. Mirrorless Macro Photography: An incredible collection of macro shots including spiders and other creepy crawlies!
5. Notey: Macro Photography: Notey features a hand picked collection of blogs and articles for many topics. Check out their macro photography category for great tips and inspiration.
6. Learn Macro: Clay and Paul make sure you don’t overlook the small and easily overlooked. They share nature and macro photography to allow you to witness the incredible behavior of species that most people never see.
7. Extreme Macro: Follow John Kimbler on his blog or his 500px gallery of all his little critters. John calls himself the gatekeeper to the small world.
8. 50 Mind-Blowing Examples of Macro Photography: Browse through 50 fascinating photos and you’ll see there’s more than meets the eye. Discover the hidden beauty in these amazing macro shots.
9. The Ultimate Guide for Macro Photography Beginners: Read up on tips and tricks, gear you’ll need, lighting, and other settings to capture great macro shots.
10. 5 Tips to Macro Flower Photography: Looking for tips on how to shoot flower macro photography? Check out these 5 great tips.

We’d love to see your macro shots! Make a ProShow slideshow and share it with us to be a spotlight on our blog. Be sure to select the blog submission option.

Intro by Skip Cohen

We've come a long way from the days of calling a client and letting them know their proofs were ready. In fact, thanks to technology and Photodex, there is virtually no limitation on the creativity and excitement you can bring to creating the wedding album. For that matter, the idea of a slideshow preview is like a teaser campaign for a soon to be released feature film. It can be applied to any assignment where you're delivering a set of images - any event, a Day in the Life shoot, or even a family portrait session.
 
I found this post from January by "Kathy" at Photodex. It's all about Eric Hoffland and how he uses ProShow Producer to create a sneak peek for clients to think about their album.

Kathy wrote:

"He uses ProShow Producer to create “album layout slideshows” to demo his albums to clients as part of a final production approval. Once they see the album pages moving on the screen paired with a beautiful song, they’re hooked."

One of your biggest challenges is finding ways to separate yourself from your competitors. You have to make your work look different. If you can do it in a way that's unique, fun and exceeds client expectations then you've got a good shot at hooking your clients every time! This is about making yourself habit-forming and since we're a word-of-mouth business, there's very little that can top excited clients telling friends about their album and the fun experience of working with you.

There are hundreds of incredible ideas in the Photodex blog. Each one sharing techniques and strategies to help you build a stronger business. Photodex doesn't just build great software - they're here to help you build a stronger brand!

The Photodex blog is just a click away. And, while you're there, don't forget to check out the newly released ProShow 8!

Want to sell more albums? Try creating an album preview slideshow. That’s exactly what Houston-based photographer Eric Hoffland does and his clients love it!

Eric created this beautiful wedding day slideshow using ProShow Producer. He uses ProShow Producer to create “album layout slideshows” to demo his albums to clients as part of a final production approval. Once they see the album pages moving on the screen paired with a beautiful song, they’re hooked.

We use ProShow Producer to create stunning slideshow album previews for our clients and it helps us sell albums. It’s a tool that helps us make more money!

About Eric Hoffland
Eric Hoffland of Hoffland Studios specializes in creating one-of-a-kind memories, natural and vibrant fine art images that are timeless and natural looking by fostering relationships with their clients. Photographs that express their personality and their love rather than forced generic poses.

by Skip Cohen

We started this series as a fun way to help artists build a stronger business. But, there's been a wonderful sidebar as each guest has shared their insight into building a more powerful brand, ideas to help exceed client expectations, and in general demonstrated some incredible entrepreneurial spirit.  

Matt Thompson joins me on this new podcast as we talk about the importance music plays in building a strong slideshow. Matt's the President and co-founder of Songfreedom. He's been a good buddy of mine for a long time, but that friendship grew out of the respect I have for his role in the industry. Songfreedom isn't just about great licensed music, but the ease for artists to find what they need.

Slideshows, especially with hybrid technology and your ability to combine still images with video are one of the very best ways to make yourself habit-forming with your clients. Plus, they're a way to build a stronger revenue stream and increase top-of-mind awareness with your target audience. 

Matt and I had a lot of fun on this podcast, but just to clarify one thing I talked about: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is seventeen minutes long, and the drum solo runs just under three minutes. You'll understand when you listen to the podcast. LOL

A BIG thanks to Matt for taking the time to join me on Building Your Business. Matt, along with the Songfreedom team need to be on your radar. They're all just a click away.
 
As always, a BIG thanks to the team at Photodex. They're dedicated to helping artists raise the bar on their presentations and business and are always focused on education!  Just click on the ProShow 8 thumbnail on the right and check out the newest creative tools to help you become an even better storyteller! ProShow 8 was just introduced last week, and you need to know what all the buzz is about!