IUSA - The Reason You ALWAYS Need Comfortable Shoes!

A day in the life at IUSA thanks to "Map My Walk"

by Skip Cohen

​I just got back from IUSA last night, and what a kick it was to be at the convention. Although attendance was down a little from last year, nothing changes the value of great programming, networking, and simply catching up to old friends while making new ones! As I've written so many times in the past - it's all about recharging your battery.

One personal highlight is above. Sheila and I use "May My Walk" on my phone daily to track our distance, speed, and calorie burn on our morning walk. I decided to turn it on and off each day while at the convention. The mess you see above on both illustrative and satellite maps shows my path throughout the day. Nothing earth-shaking, just fun to do.

Meanwhile, I'll share more over the next few days, but one of the highlights was catching up to everyone at the Marathon booth. Yes, Marathon is a sponsor of SCU today, but I first got to know them as a client when they printed the book I did together with Don Blair in the 90s. Today, their product line has expanded into so many different areas, and I was blown away by what they're doing in every area of support for photographers.

I'm just hitting one component of their product line today - books. Why? Because most of you will, at some point in your career, want to do your own book. Whether it's a limited edition short run or a higher volume publication, Marathon can deliver! 

From your own short-run personal book or a more extensive printing for a fund-raiser, for example, your best images deserve to be shared. I can't think of a better gift for your own family members than a compilation of your very best photographs put together in a coffee table book. Even more impressive is that Marathon's staff can help you tell your story.

Everyone is looking for ideas on how to grow their business and brand awareness. Take a second and think about all the possibilities for how a book project can help. It's especially effective as a fund-raiser. For example, for those of you who are pet photographers and active with the local animal shelter in your community, here's an opportunity to put together a publication that tells the shelter's story and then ties to a fund-raiser.

The benefits are enormous - especially for building your brand within your community. Everybody supporting the shelter will be seeing your work as a photographer. And remember, the hierarchy of why people hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social categories goes brides, babies, and pets for the top three! Click on any of the books above to link to Marathon's website - or better yet, call them at (800) 228.0629.

As a sidebar to using Map My Walk...here's a great weight loss tip - I forgot to shut it off on the way home and burned over 7000 calories! No special diet, no exercise - just the burn.  LOL ​