Intro by Skip Cohen

Photodex never slows down in raising the bar on the tools they give you for creating stunning presentations. If you haven't checked out the new ProShow9 just click on the banner below, but the software is only part of the story. You've got to  have great photographs and video to enhance your presentations.  Suzette Allen is back this week with another technique to help you change it up!

Her first post in the series was about changing your camera angle.  This week she's hitting on infrared, which is a kick to add to your skill set and technique.

In today's competitive market you need to make your work different from everybody else. Even a wedding photographer has the ability to add a couple of exciting infrared scene-setter images to an album or video and enhance the story. 

Think of the idea to change it up as if you're working to become a great chef. Suzette is giving you another seasoning - a spice to change the flavor of whatever dish you're making!

You've got two goals with every client - to exceed expectations and make you and your work habit-forming! What better ingredient than capturing images and creating presentations that leave them awestruck?

by Suzette Allen
 
While we are on the topic of Changing Perspective and showing people a fresh take on common scenes, we really have to cover the aspect of Infrared Photography! It gives us a view of the world (in black and white) with different light and uncommon drama!

What I love the most is the dramatic light in sunshine, the outrageous light emitting from all green living things (plants), and the black skies which make the clouds incredible. Faces of people are a bit ghostly, so I don’t do many portraits, though. I always joke about duct-taping my Infrared Lumix to my head so I can see the world that way all the time!
 
The trick is to take an old camera and send it to LifePixel and have it converted. It is permanent, and it transforms the sensor to only register Infrared light (which we cannot see with the naked eye). Using a mirrorless camera is the way to go because you get to see it all IN infrared before you shoot! Viola! It makes all the difference!

​The cost for converting my Lumix G7 was under $300 and sooooo worth it! Now I shoot in the sunshine and the middle of the day on a regular basis! My last trip to the Grand Tetons, was incredible and I found myself shooting IR as much or perhaps more than color! ( class was Land Sea and Sky by Joe Brady workshops! )

Here are a two of my favorites from Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. 

Sunshine and shadows bring drama, but usually contrasty, ugly drama! But not so with Infrared! All of a sudden, we have a whole new segment of our day to shoot with great light!
 
Once you shoot with IR for a while, you will learn to recognize scenes that will be dynamic, even if they are incredibly dull in color. Here is an example of a horribly dull color image that is gorgeous in IR! The key is visualizing the backlight sun, knowing that the black needles will be pure white in the sun and make the image come to life! 

Stay tuned for more ways to Change it Up with fresh perspectives and techniques to keep your photography and vision alive! 

Photodex never slows down in their goal to keep making your presentations easier to create and at the same time more professional and entertaining for your clients. While I've repeatedly shared links to the new ProShow 9, I realized this week that I hadn't shared the video they produced showing what's new!

But ProShow 9 is only part of the story I hope you'll think about. Over the years, working together with Photodex, we've created some pretty unique contests, and one of my favorites is back - our search for the best self-promotional video.

Thanks to technology in the hardware side of photography and Photodex's non-stop development of new features, you've got the most creative tools in the history of imaging to be a storyteller, and most important of all, share your own story! Today, one of your very most potent marketing tools is video, and we're searching for artists who tell their story the best using still images, video, and great music.

Go back just ten years ago, and you only had a few options - meet a client in person, speak on the phone or have them see your website. While meeting in person had the highest potential it was only realistic to a small percentage of your total target audience.

Today, everything has changed. Just to make my point I took a scroll through Google searching for the number of Internet active households in America. Pew Research Center had some really interesting data. In just the US alone, it's estimated nine out of ten American adults use the Internet.

​Now, put that into how it has an impact on your business. You can tell your story to thousands of potential clients. Even more important are the tools you have at your fingertips. While a face to face meeting is still the most reliable way to build trust with your client, you still have to plant that first seed of confidence. There's no better way to do it than a slideshow featuring a mix of your personality and your work.

We're coming down to the wire for the submission deadline, but you've still got plenty of time to tell your story!

​We'll be sharing the winning video just about everywhere, including a full press release. Plus, there's a better than good chance we'll share a few of the other entries as well. And, to make it worth the effort the winner is about to put in, there's a prize package worth close to $2000!

• A Lumix GX85K complete with Vario 12-32mm lens from Panasonic
• A Tamron SP 45mm F/1.8 Di VC USD lens (available in Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts)
• A $250 credit towards Bella Art Prints from Marathon Press
• From Photodex a year subscription to ProShow Web Premium
• The industry's FIRST bluetooth light and color meter from Illuminati Instrument Corp.

Some of you think of slideshows as old technology, but they're anything but that with your clients. A well done self-promotional video is the best way to introduce each potential client to who you are, especially on your website or blog. 

We're coming into the seasonality of the fourth quarter and it's the perfect time to share a self-promotional video with your target audience! November 1 is just ten days away. You snooze, you lose! 

Intro by Skip Cohen

Suzette Allen is back with the perfect post to head into the last quarter of the year and the seasonality of 2017 - a solid reminder of how important it is to change it up and look at capturing images from a different perspective.

Whether you're a relatively new photographer or a veteran artist, everyone tends to get too comfortable in their technique. You forget to change the recipe and experiment with the way you capture images.

It's only natural since so many people live by that old line of, "If it ain't broke don't fix it!" Well, years ago business author Tom Peters said, "If it ain't broke, you haven't looked hard enough!"

For most of you, Suzette's suggestions are pretty basic, but she's not sharing the ideas to teach you photography, but remind you to step away from the routine, and work to give your images a different perspective.

That same philosophy is the backbone of Photodex! Slideshows are hardly a new idea, but the creative tools they've developed together with today's camera technology has given thousands of artists the ability to change it up with their presentations to clients, new products for their clients and an incredible tool for self-promotional marketing. They never slow down in their efforts to help you raise the bar on the quality of your storytelling.
 
Click on either of the banners below for an introduction to all the new features in ProShow9 and the Photodex/SCU contest to search for the best self-promotional video.

by Skip Cohen

Two of the most fun aspects of this industry are the companies and people you work with along the way. Over the years Photodex and SCU have worked on a lot of different projects together, always with the same purpose, finding ways to help artists build a stronger business. 

"Building Your Business" is an exchange of ideas thanks to some of the most successful, passionate and creative people in photography. I'm always surprised at the diversity behind each photographer's story and their dedication to education and sharing what they've learned on their journey.

Mike Moats joins me on today's podcast. He's no stranger to SCU and last year shared one of his images on an episode of "Why?" There's probably nothing Mike can't photograph, but his passion lies in the closeup and macro world. So many of his most beautiful images are things we see all the time, but rarely look close enough to appreciate. Click on any image below to visit Mike's website and his galleries. 

In the podcast, he talked about the image that launched his career, which is the first photograph below. He also talked about the new Macro Photo Club. It's just a click away if you'd like to find out more. 

Today, whether creating your own marketing video or slideshows for clients, you can make sharing images a memorable experience. Take the time to check out Photodex and the NEW ProShow 9 with a click on the thumbnail to the right.

And, don't miss the new Photodex/SCU contest - we're in search of the best marketing/self-promotional video, and there's a grand prize worth close to $2000! Click for more information.

Photodex is always focused on education to help you build a stronger business, and ways to help you raise the bar on your presentations.