Get Connected: Attending SMUG tonight!

Thank goodness my friend and fellow photographer buddy Chester mentioned this on a Shutterbug forum we frequent because I had totally forgotten about it:
Hosted by SmugMug's chief marketing dude Jeff Jochum
The next Denver SMUG is meeting tonight! Here's what's on tab for discussion:

New Coupons! Hot Toddies?!

It is holiday time! This month, Jeff will be on-hand to show off the new Coupons feature just added to the SmugMug Pro bag of tricks, as well as buy a round of hot toddies (or whatever you drink) for everyone who attends. So, bundle up and come out to hang with your fellow SMUGgers (and don't forget your cameras, because the best blackmail photos are usually shot at holiday parties.)

Denver SMUG
Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009 | 7:00-9:30PM
Blake Street Tavern (map)
2401 Blake Street (@ 24th)

Denver, CO

SMUGs are free and open to everyone who loves photography.
No RSVP is needed, but SPACE is LIMITED, so get there early for the best toddies.

Get the Goods: SmugMug Packages and Coupons finally on the way!

SmugMug's chief marketing guru Jeff Jochum confirmed that packages and coupons are in "final tests now." He admitted that it was a "major fail" that the features promised two years ago have not come to fruition. Yeah! I knew my good ole' SmugMug would come through!

Jochum made the announcement last night during Denver's first SMUG. He said it was the second largest group behind Orange County, and I know several other folks that were planning to show up but couldn't make it.
As the local company rep, Jochum said he wants to make our area SMUGS be business oriented, and completely focused on how to make money at photography. To that end, he spent the evening challenging us to take on "photo" fusion for sale product and indirect marketing. Fusion is video that can include stills and sound.

I've been playing around with creating slideshows with Animoto, but I have yet to make an actual video with my camera. I did find out last night that apparently my G9 has high resolution video capture -- a feature I've never used. The presentation showcasing videos such as this one created by Bebb Studios was incredibly inspiring and made me imagine how I might tell my own client's stories through video.

"Still photography is great, but sound and video imagery can evoke emotion," Jochum says.

Check out Vincent LaForet's Nocturne shot entirely with a prototype Canon EOS 1D Mark IV:

Get Connected: Finally a Denver SMUG!

Yeah! Just got an email today letting me know that a Denver SmugMug User Group (SMUG) has finally been organized!

The First Denver SMUG meeting is:
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 | 7:00-9:30PM
Blake Street Tavern (map)
2401 Blake Street (@ 24th)
Denver, CO

SMUGs are FREE and open to everyone who loves photography.
No RSVP is needed, but SPACE is LIMITED, so get there early for the best seats.




New SMUG leaders Chris & Katie Humphreys and Sara Frances & Karl Arndt welcome Smugmug's chief marketing guru Jeff Jochum. Jeff will reprise his Igniting Fusion presentation at this month's meeting. Featuring incredible videos videos by Bob Davis, Robert Evans, JVS, Chris MacAskill, The Bebbs and The Bui Brothers, as well as the NEWEST video from Vincent Laforet's SmugMug project in Hawaii - Igniting Fusion was a big hit at this year's Collision Conference, hosted by the LA Film School, a few weeks ago. If you are wondering "WTH is Fusion (and why should I care)?" - this is the meeting for you.

Learn how it's done (good, bad and ugly) and how to GET STARTED in this next generation market opportunity. Old Skool is still cool, but the success of the Canon 5D MkII (and excitement around the new 7D), coupled with the exploding consumer demand for vid-media (thanks to Animoto.com and the Apple iPhones and iPods) is driving Fusion photography as the next BIG step up in the world of digital photography. Become a Fusion leader (or find one) at this month's SMUG.

So what the heck is a SMUG? It's a place where you can learn, teach and meet up with other photographers who share your passion. Attendees will get the naked truth straight from the source and preview stuff in the pipeline like new features, bug fixes, and promotions. (Can anyone say PACKAGES and COUPONS!!!!! Hint, hint!) Now you can finally put a face to all those strange usernames on the Dgrin Forum. I'm thenimirra!

Guest speakers will light up the room with their wisdom for shooting great images and making money with photography. Attendees also get to share our opinions about features and potential business deals. It's a bulletproof way to know the SmugMug Gods are actually getting our message, the way we want to be heard, unfiltered and face-to-face. Plus, SMUGs are a great way to connect with other photographers and add a few weapons to your creative arsenal.

After the initial launch meetings, local volunteers will take over as SMUG Leaders. They will organize and announce monthly SMUGs times, locations and topics.

Want to find a SMUG in your area? Check this link.

Want to start a SMUG in your community? Contact Jeff so he can help you get one going.

Or, if you would like to start a SMUG in your community, talk to Jeff, SmugMug's chief marketing dude, about getting one going. Here is his information:

Jeff Jochum: smugs@smugmug.com 310.773.0770 Twitter: MugToMug

Hope to see you there.