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: