Get the Job Done: New layouts for business website and blog

If you've taken the time to visit either my blog or my business website today, you will notice some drastic changes that have been made to accommodate my new logo designed by photographer and graphic artist Paul Martin. As a side note, if you need a business logo, I would highly recommend contacting Paul to purchase one of his custom designs. He had that logo ready for me in just a few hours!



I think the new look is clean, streamlined and modern. I can't tell you how hard it is for me to have a white background instead of a black one. I'm the kind of person who has seven pairs of black paints and 5 black shirts...even if other colors were available for me to choose from. But Paul's design as well as fellow photographer Jason Peckovitch's new layout inspired me to try something different. As tough as times are right now, I believe in the power of colors to affect our moods....ie, brighter colors can bring about happier emotions. I think the white offers a sense of something new, a blank slate to recreate the life (or business) that you want. I am still tweaking the page to look similar to my website by using the same color, fonts and coding. Look for more changes to come as I learn how to the CSS coding for them! If you are a Smug Mug member, look over this great thread to get tips on how to streamline the look of your blog and business site.

Long story short, after some long reasoning and most likely overthinking the issue as I'm prone to do, I finally decided to go wit the "no skin" logo version for all the reasons my most trusted allies explained. I think it's more prudent business decision for me right now to have the boudoir photography just be a service among others that I offer without bumping it up in prominence just yet. So far, I've only had four clients who have wanted those services, which is a good start, but definitely not enough interest for me to promote it yet over my general potraiture and weddings (which is the bulk of my paid sessions).




I also decided to move the boudoir gallery away from the family portraiture, as was suggested by photographer Mark Hayes. I think it fits there better because those galleries are all about the sexy and glamourous nature inherent in fashion and modeling. Plus, in order to beef up my boudoir gallery, several Model Mayhem members have contacted me asking for a chance to TFCD to improve their portfolios. If I can generate more interest in this type of photography, I will consider Mark's idea of creating a separate business simply for my boudoir and artistic nudes! Thanks for the suggestions Mark, as well as that cool idea for a new domain name for the boudoir site.

Have some suggestions for bettering the layout of the blog or my website? Please share and I welcome critiques!

Instructor's Tip: KISS Method Part 5

I hope you enjoy this week's "Instructor's Tip" by one of my favorite instructors, award winning nature photographer Russ Burden. To learn more about how Russ captured this image, join him on one of his photo tours. Visit Russ Burden Photography to get more information.

"KISS Method: Keep It Sweet And Simple PART 5


Use Long Lenses to Isolate Your Subject From the Background:
Most people purchase a long lens for the most obvious reason - to pull in subjects that are far away to create larger images of them. What they may not realize is the added benefit of having narrow depth of field to isolate their subject against a soft background especially at wide open apertures. Sports, nature, and portrait photographers exploit this phenomena constantly.

As the focal length of the lens increases, the depth of field decreases. For example, if you stand at the same spot with a subject at a constant distance and one frame is shot using a 100mm lens set to f8 and another with a 300mm lens set to f8, the frame shot with the 100mm will have more depth of field. Therefore, if your subject is approachable and you want to have it “pop out” from an unobtrusive background, opt for the bigger lens."

-Russ

To take a class with Russ or a fellow Digital Photo Academy instructor in your area, check out the Digital Photo Academy. I took Russ' intermediate and advanced courses last year, and he continues to be a strong source of knowledge and encouragement as I progress in my photography.

Don't forget to check Take Great Pictures for Russ' most recent tips. On the home page, click on the "Photo Tips And Techniques" button in the left hand column. Additionally, check out his "Digital Tip of the Month" found by clicking on the Digital Photography button.

Breaking News: Finally snagged a top-level domain for my business!

After more than a year of waiting, I was finally able to secure a top-level domain name for my business.

Out with the old: www.picture-yourworld.com

IN WITH THE NEW: www.pictureyourworld.net

I originally tried to purchase the .net domain, but it was already taken. But last night when I was changing some CNAME code on my Godaddy account, I checked to see if the .net and .com versions were available.

Pictureyourworld.com is still owned and being used, but the .net was free and in the clear! So I quickly purchased it and will have it be renewed for the next five years. Goes to show you that you should check back often if you are clamouring for a top-level name.

So what does this mean for you? The new domain is currently up and running on my Smug Mug business website. So you can access all my galleries at: www.pictureyourworld.net

It will take another 24 to 48 hours before the DNS changes will begin forwarding traffic from the old domain to the new, so don't be worried if you try the old domain and all you get is the Smug Mug home page instead of my business site.

Business Briefs: Help Me Choose My New LOGO!

Yippee! After several failed attempts to try to create my own business logo (have I mentioned how terrible I am at graphic design?), I think I finally got a winner!

Paul Martin, the "PM" of the AM/PM Photography duo, my photo colleague and graphic extraordinaire, has created two fabulous designs for me to choose as my official logo. Both of the logos play up the name of my company and my skills extremely well, I think. I love how Paul took the globe and used some of my favorite photos as the continents. I think it pops, grabs attention and will be memorable...everything a good logo should be.



But I need your help in making the decision. Here's the conundrum: "Skin or No Skin," that's the question. The first (shown above) is more general-use friendly in the sense that it doesn't showcase any of my boudoir and artistic nude photography. However, the second version features "Teri's Rose" as South America. I think the difference is very subtle.



I and Paul both worry that the image might offend some. I didn't used to worry about that kind of thing before until I got an email from a friend who said he was afraid to look through my site at work because of several artistic nude shots that appear on my website slide show. Since so many people make purchase decisions while they are at work, my friend worried that I might be hurting my business. I wasn't willing to remove the images that have produced my largest profit in individual artistic print sales, but I did move one several pages further into the slide show, making it less likely that casual viewers will come upon it.

And even more recently, I watched numerous attendees (namely female) at an exhibit shy away from one of my boudoir images as if they were ashamed to even been seen looking at it. Others (namely males) spoke about it as if it were some kind of guilty pleasure to be secretly enjoyed. It's hard for me to separate the fact that people's reactions to nudity or sensuality, especially in America, might have nothing to do with whether or not my images are good. Sex in this country is taboo. That's just the way it is. As long as that's the case, it's clear these type of photos are not going to be appropriate in every setting.



It probably sounds like I've already made up my mind NOT to use the logo with "the skin," but if that's the case, then why does it still bother me so much? I LOVE that photo of "Teri's Rose," and boudoir photography is definitely one of the things I want to continue to develop. I am torn, and I love the way Paul was able to place it inside the continent focusing on the rose. This is probably one of those kind of decisions where I might have to forgo my own personal tastes in lieu of what is more beneficial for my business, but if it's MY business and my choice, then any decision I make is right, right? RIGHT? Oh crap....someone please help me out!

Saturday Morning Cartoons

Enjoy today's installment of Aaron Johnson's photocentric comic strip "What the Duck." I had a hard time picking my favorite this week, as to of the strips resonated with me, so I think I will treat you to both for double the pleasure.



I haven't had the chance yet to shoot pets during a family portrait session. But if my own dogs are any indication, you can bet that getting them to sit still is extremely difficult unless they've just come back from a day-long doggie daycare stint, only the best doggy-treats and a long walk to boot! I've had more luck with shooting children. One of my tips...let the children handle your camera under close supervision, maybe even allow them to take a few shots if your heart can handle the fear of letting go of your own equipment. It only takes a few minutes, and every time I've ever done it, the children seem instantly more invested in the process of posing with their 'rents. I also like to let them play and rough house if their folks are up to it because it tires them out and you get some great candid shots!

"What the Duck" is an online comic strip. Viewers are welcome to link, post, copy/paste, or save the strips to their own sites, blogs, forums, newsletters, etc. Aaron also allows viewers to suggest titles for his individual strips, which I think is a great way to interact with his blog readers.



This one just cracked me up! No further explanation needed (although when clients take their clothes off for me, it's intentional during a boudoir or artistic nude session! hehehe)

An Aside: Consult a Tax Expert

I've been getting several questions over the past week from readers who are anxious about getting their income taxes done, and they've asked for more information. I totally understand your anxiety especially as we march closer to the due date, but I just want to stress that I'm not an expert.

Be sure to consult with your own CPA or tax advisor who has knowledge about current tax laws. It's a slippery slope out there, and I'm not talking about the blizzard that hit the Denver metro area yesterday! There are so many ways to make mistakes, especially when you graduate from an EZ form to an itemized deduction format. I've worked with my CPA for more than a decade. He's quite aggressive, but I've learned to trust in his decisions. Find someone in your area that you can trust in too!

Get Out There: Take your blog from blah to big time!

This email came across my desk last week, and I found the information to be extremely useful for growing my blog. Use these strategies from Jason R. Rich, author of "Blogging for Fame and Fortune" (April 2009, Entrepreneur Press) to create a blog readers will stick with:

1. Stay in Tune with Your Topic

Any good blogger should get into the habit of regularly reading other blogs, websites, newspapers, newsletters, magazines, trade journals, etc. that cover the same topic. In addition to helping you stay up-to-date about your topic, this allows you to keep tabs on other sources your audience might already be turning to for information.

From these other sources, you can figure out what approaches work in terms of communicating with your audience, plus you can more easily brainstorm innovative and original ways to better provide your audience with relevant, current content. Figure out what your competition is doing and discover ways to do it better, more efficiently, and/or in a more entertaining manner.

2. Create Emotional Ties

Develop and publish content that your readers can strongly agree or disagree with, learn from, or somehow become emotionally invested in. Encourage your audience to then share their own thoughts and opinions by posting comments to your blog entries, take part in online questionnaires or surveys, and become part of a small online social networking environment that you create around your blog.

Consider adding a specific call to action within your various blog entries. The call to action might be providing an open invitation to agree or disagree with a blog entry, attend a real-world event, make a donation to a charitable cause, purchase a specific product or service, or simply to tell friends about your blog in order to help you generate more traffic.

Photo credit: Jurjan Huisman

3. Keep It Real

If you have an opinion on a topic, state it and then support it with facts, research, and strong arguments, while encouraging opposing points of view. Whatever you do, be consistent.

Don’t one day adopt an opposite point-of-view simply to get attention or create controversy or disagreement. This will take away from your credibility and could damage your reputation.

Instead, invite others with strongly opposing beliefs to write or create guest blog entries, or post comments with different points of view that you can address within your future blog entries in order to create controversy and make your content more enticing.

4. Make It Your Own

While you might not be able to come up with something that’s 100 percent new to say or blog about in terms of an overall topic, you can put your own spin on your topic, share your own personal opinions, and package your content in a way that’s different from everyone else.

It’s how you package the material and make it engaging, interesting, informative, memorable, valuable, and/or entertaining for your audience that will allow you to stand out as a blogger and flourish.

Focus on creating original content by interviewing other experts, doing your own research, and sharing your findings, and by allowing your unique voice and opinions or ideas to be heard. These are just some of the strategies bloggers use to create engaging and unique content.

5. Transform Yourself Into an Online “Personality”

Visit other blogs and vlogs, you can easily distinguish between people who simply create a blog and those who establish themselves as a personality that distinguishes them from other bloggers—based on their appearance, attitude, voice, opinions, knowledge, and experience.

There are thousands of entertainment gossip blogs that populate the internet, but there’s only one Perez Hilton (perezhilton.com). Within seconds of visiting his blog, it’s easy to see that every aspect of Perez and what he has to say is unique and different. Obviously, Perez Hilton is an extreme example of what can be done to transform yourself from a run-of-the-mill blogger into a personality. However, valuable lessons can be learned from his success and applied to people blogging about any topic whatsoever. While in some cases, it’s important for the blogger to fit in perfectly with their audience, in some situations positioning yourself as anything but ordinary might prove beneficial.

Whatever online personality or persona you choose to adopt, make sure that it’s something that you believe in and relate to, and that it’s an extension of who you really are as a person. You should be 100 percent comfortable with the online persona you create for yourself.

Instructor's Tip: KISS, part 4

Photo credit: Russ Burden

I hope you enjoy this week's "Instructor's Tip" by one of my favorite instructors, award winning nature photographer Russ Burden. To learn more about how Russ captured this image, join him on one of his photo tours. Visit Russ Burden Photography to get more information.

KISS Method: Keep It Sweet And Simple PART 4

Move In Close: When shooting macro subjects, it’s imperative to move in close to fill the frame. Different ways of accomplishing this are via the use of extension tubes, bellows, close-up filters, reversing a normal or wide angle lens using special adapters, and of course, macro lenses. Each have their pluses and minuses. My choice is a Nikon 5T or 6T double element close up filter that’s sharp and versatile and full automation of the camera’s metering system is maintained. By moving in close, the peripheral areas around the subject are lessened narrowing your ratio of distractions to subject. This doesn’t mean that you can become remiss in checking the entire viewfinder, but it does focus your attention more on the tiny main subject. Keeping the film plane parallel to your subject and working with apertures of f16 and smaller are critical to maintaining depth of field on the entire subject.

-Russ

To take a class with Russ or a fellow Digital Photo Academy instructor in your area, check out the Digital Photo Academy. I took Russ' intermediate and advanced courses last year, and he continues to be a strong source of knowledge and encouragement as I progress in my photography.

Don't forget to check Take Great Pictures for Russ' most recent tips. On the home page, click on the "Photo Tips And Techniques" button in the left hand column. Additionally, check out his "Digital Tip of the Month" found by clicking on the Digital Photography button.

Business Briefs: A Painless Tax Session

Photo credit: Paul Keleher


My tax session Saturday with my long-time CPA Jerald Harris was a breeze and a great learning experience for me. I have to admit, I'm still a little shaky on some of his explanations of things, but I pay him the big bucks to know exactly what he's doing. I also appreciated his sincere efforts to try to help me understand things such as depreciation, what does and doesn't count as income or as a deduction.

I was better prepared for answering Jerry's slew of questions, but I still need to keep better detailed notes and records for this 15-point tax return checklist:

1) mileage to and from assignments
2) cost of office supplies, including printer ink, batteries, CF/SD cards, paper, software, etc
3) any kinds of equipment repairs (such as what I paid to get my 580 EX II repaired after it blew last year)
4) fees for staying in hotels during assignments
5) fees for food eaten while on assignments
6) costs of developing or printing photos for clients
7) costs for entertaining clients or giving gifts
8) vehicle repair
9) dues/subcriptions
10) computer and internet charges
11) bank charges
12) advertising/promotion
13) vocational literature
14) insurance
15) accounting and legal

If a part of your home is soley being used for an office, get the square foot of the home, monthly rental or mortgage, insurance, square footage of the office, annual utility bills and property tax. I have already moved my studio into my basement and I plan on moving my office into the extra guest bedroom in the basement as well, so I would be able to deduct expenses related to that entire space next year. Starting now, I need to go back and make some notes about the largest assignment I've had so far this year, my work in Snowmass for the National Brotherhood of Skiers. And Quicken has definitely made it a lot easier to stay organized, so it was worth the time to learn how to use it.

Jerry's ultimate words of praise: "You did pretty good kid, keep smiling!" And good luck to all of you, my readers during the 2008 tax season.

Tips of the Trade: Shoot Like a Photojournalist

I really loved this month's newsletter from Digi Pixels' Digital Photography 101 episode. I think in my heart of hearts, this portraiture photographer longs to be a photojournalist. My roots as a print journalist always have me seeking that candid, storytelling shot that I make sure I capture during every session. So I thought I'd share this episode with you in case you long to be a photojournalist too:



Have you ever glanced at the front page of the paper and seen a photo that told you everything you needed to know about the lead story? Photojournalists have the job of doing exactly that: telling a story or capturing a moment in a photo that needs no further explanation. Today I'd like to tell you a little about shooting like a photojournalist and how to apply it to your own photography.


Framing and Angles
A successful photojournalist will take full advantage of his or her frame, and will use angles to capture or omit details of the image that help tell the story. For example, a close up of a crying 5 year old child invokes emotion and sympathy, but when the same image shows the child crying as she gets onto a school bus, the photo becomes humorous. When you review your own photos, ask yourself, "does this photo need a caption or does the image say it all?"


Commentary through Photos
Taking a picture is more than just capturing a moment; when you take a picture, you are commenting on how a situation makes you feel, and translating your reaction into a photograph. For example, a picture of an elderly woman on a park bench can mean several things, depending on how you shoot the photo. If you frame the elderly woman on the far side of the photo with an empty bench next to her, that photo could represent loneliness or longing. But, if you frame the woman on the bench surrounded by cars and people on the go, then she could symbolize a moment of peace in the midst of a busy day. Finally, if you shoot the picture vertically with an old weathered tree behind the woman, you are making a statement about aging. Another example is a boy with a toy rocket ship -- if you frame the shot so the boy and his rocket ship are in the bottom with a lot of blue sky filling the rest of the shot, then you are saying something about the youthful innocence of our dreams. We as photographers have so much control over the emotion of a picture; the key is to ask yourself what you want to convey, then find the angle to capture it.


Taking the Shot
You need to learn to be quick on your feet when shooting as a photojournalist. I recommend this approach: as a situation is unfolding in front of you, take one or two pictures quickly, just to make sure that you get the shot. You can always go back and edit those later if you don't end up with anything better. Then, if there is time, examine the scene to look for the right angle or approach to express the feeling or statement you are after. Move your position, change angles, and mind the background and foreground. Keep shooting until the moment passes or until you are sure that you got the perfect shot.

On Deadline: Blog Monthly Assignment Due on Sunday

You are officially ON DEADLINE! All entries for the March Blog photo assignment: YOUTH and MATURITY are due to my email by Sunday, March 22 at midnight.

Please email images to srwheelr@comcast.net. Include: a link to your photography site, Flickr page, etc. and a watermark to protect your image. Images should be no larger than 800 on the longest side.

Brush up on the rules by reading this previous post.

Instructor's Tip: KISS Method: Keep It Sweet and Simple Part 3

Photo Credit: Russ Burden

I hope you enjoy this week's "Instructor's Tip" by one of my favorite instructors, award winning nature photographer Russ Burden. To learn more about how Russ captured this image, join him on one of his photo tours. Visit Russ Burden Photography to get more information.

KISS Method: Keep It Sweet And Simple PART 3

Concentrate on Details:
"While traveling in Ecuador, a group of photographers with whom I was traveling came upon a cluster of extremely photogenic elderly ladies. After shooting a half roll of wonderful portraits, they all began to pick up the corn cobs that were in front of them and resumed their jobs of stripping the kernels. Right away I knew there was the potential for a great story telling shot. I simply dropped down to my knees and scooted a few feet closer to tighten up the composition. To me, this image better depicts the experience of the fifteen minutes of shooting time we all had than the images of the faces. Always go beyond the obvious and pick out details in your travel images to complete your trip not only in memory, but in photographs."

-Russ

To learn more about this subject, join Russ on one of his photo tours. Please visit www.russburdenphotography.com to get more information.

To take a class with Russ or a fellow Digital Photo Academy instructor in your area, check out the Digital Photo Academy. I took Russ' intermediate and advanced courses last year, and he continues to be a strong source of knowledge and encouragement as I progress in my photography.

Don't forget to check Take Great Pictures for Russ' most recent tips. On the home page, click on the "Photo Tips And Techniques" button in the left hand column. Additionally, check out his "Digital Tip of the Month" found by clicking on the Digital Photography button.

Business Briefs: NBS President Wants Me Back Next Year!

After reviewing the photos that I captured during their summit held in Snowmass/Aspen in February, the president of the National Brotherhood of Skiers verbally agreed to hire me again next year as the event's official photographer. That will make three years in the row that I have worked for the organization that finds and develops African American Olympic caliber skiers.

NBS President Haymon T. Jahi

"When people ask, I will tell them that we already have a photographer for the event," said current NBS prez Haymon T. Jahi. That's great news! And it's good to know so soon in advance as well so that I can make plans for the event which will likely be in Winter Park.



One of the reasons why I enjoy shooting this weeklong event is because of how much it challenges me both personally and professionally. Think of any difficult shooting situation you might find yourself in, and it's likely that I had to deal with those circumstances covering the NBS summit:

Shooting at high-noon against the backdrop of blazing white snow. Yep
Shooting indoors at night in barely-lit night club settings. Yep
Shooting indoors mixing flash with less than flattering tungsten lights. Yep

Talk about testing a photographer's mettle. I always walk away from the NBS events with a greater understanding of both my strengths and weaknesses as a growing photographer.

As far as personally -- well, I've lived in Colorado now for nearly 14 years and have yet to ski! I know, I know! I can hear all of my readers grumbling already, but I have to admit that I was afraid of the notion of speeding down a mountain side on two pieces of wood and metal. But covering the NBS means getting outside of that comfort zone, and I vow to take lessons next year!



Here's a shot of me wearing about 6 coats and some workout pants because I hadn't yet bought an appropriate ski gear. Hey, at least I had some waterproof Thinsulate boots! It's a work in progress, but at least next year I will have pants and a great ski jacket I purchased while in Snowmass.

Saturday Morning Cartoons

Enjoy today's installment of Aaron Johnson's photocentric comic strip "What the Duck." What the Duck is an online comic strip. Viewers are welcome to link, post, copy/paste, or save the strips to their own sites, blogs, forums, newsletters, etc. Aaron also allows viewers to suggest titles for his individual strips, which I think is a great way to interact with his blog readers. I don't think I'm witty enough for that kind of thing, but I bet you are....

This Weekend: Getting Taxes Done

Photo Credit: The Connie Taylor Group

Tomorrow afternoon I will be meeting with my accountant to get my taxes done. I don't envy my accountant. Not only will he have to plow through all of the paperwork associated with my day job as a reporter at the Denver Post, but he will also have to work through everything associated with my photography business.

"You've got to be able to show that this is a real business and not just a glorified hobby," he said to me. If a business reports a net profit in at least 3 out of 5 years, it is presumed to be a for-profit business. If a business reports a net loss in more than 2 out of 5 years, it is presumed to be a not-for-profit hobby. That puts the burden of proof on me!

Photo credit: OC Weekly

One of the best things I did last year was to make my company an LLC and open a separate bank account and federal tax identification number (separate from my social security number). According to NOLO, a limited liability company (LLC) is not a separate tax entity like a corporation; instead, it is what the IRS calls a "pass-through entity," like a partnership or sole proprietorship. All of the profits and losses of the LLC "pass through" the business to the LLC owners (called members), who report this information on their personal tax returns. The LLC itself does not pay federal income taxes, but some states impose an annual tax on LLCs.

Since I am an LLC single-owner, the IRS treats one-member LLCs as sole proprietorships for tax purposes. This means that the LLC itself does not pay taxes and does not have to file a return with the IRS. However, as the sole owner of my LLC, I must report all profits (or losses) of the LLC on Schedule C and submit it with my 1040 tax return. I will be sure to take notes during the income tax session and blog about the results here.

I also followed directions my accountant gave me to stay organized: Keep paperwork separated into three large envelopes to sort expenses and receipts, income and documents needed to file taxes, such as mortgage statements, mileage reports, etc.I think this process will be easier in 2009 since I started using Quicken as a personal finance program, plus I don't have nearly as many expenses now as I did when I was starting the business buying equipment and paying for classes.

Photo credit ideaphotos.com

Some of the expenses to consider are according to About.com are:

Advertising – this includes business cards and web-marketing
Insurance – for life, property & casualty, or business insurance. Do not include health insurance under this category.
Other interest – credit card or loan interest, such as interest paid on your computer loan.
Legal and professional services – such as fees your accountant will charge
Office expense – anything other than routine supplies.
Rent or lease other business property – rent paid on a writer's studio, for example
Repairs and maintenance – repairing your computer, for example
Supplies – routine office supplies like paper, toner, pens, pencils, notepads, etc.
Travel – the cost of traveling to a convention, meeting, or business trip
Meals and entertainment – the cost of business meals, but be careful not to go overboard
Utilities –electricity, gas
Other expenses – such as Dues & Subscriptions, Web development, and Business telephone expenses.

I have also spent money on educational and resource books for my craft, a website, high-speed Internet connection, a computer, various software programs, and maintaining a small home office where I do my editing and photo processing. Then there are all the magazines I've subscribed too, including Professional Photographer, Layers and Photoshop User. Whew, I'm tired just thinking about it. I guess that's why my Tax Guy gets the big bucks!

Get the Job Done: Facebook fosters sales

Yesterday while on Facebook, I posted up all 10 of the links to galleries showcasing my edited photos from the National Black Skiers 2009 Summit in Snowmass/Aspen last month. Turns out the organization has a Facebook page regularly visited by 440 members!

Just a few hours after posting up the links on the page, I got my first print sales from the event! In this instance, Facebook was definitely a great free resource for marketing my services and generating sales. I am hoping they will be the first of many more in the coming weeks as more members view the photos.

SmugMug, which hosts my business site, allows their professional users to view their sales. While reviewing the order a client placed yesterday, I noticed that she accidently chopped off several heads in the photos when she tried to crop the images to a 5x7. Once I realized her mistake, I emailed her, explained the situation and then sent her the correctly cropped images in the size she wanted. Excellent customer service is a given at Picture Your World Photography!

Wanna check out the images? Here are the links:

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009superbowl

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009welcomeparty

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009concert

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009openingceremonies

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009annualmeeting

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009comedyshow

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009presidentsdinner

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009picniconthehill

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009skiraces

http://tinyurl.com/nbs2009lectures

Get Out There: Photographers, name your dream shoot!

U.S. Photographers: Dream Big - Then Grab Your Passports
Lenovo® and Microsoft team up for first-ever "Name Your Dream Assignment" Contest

Grand-prize is $50,000, a digital camcorder and the Lenovo® ThinkPad® W700ds with Microsoft Windows Vista®

Daydreaming about Anguilla's coastline at sunset? Taking a canoe down the Taramakau River? Or standing inside Mount Kenya's Ice Cave? If you're a U.S. resident with a camera and a vision, you could make your dream come true in Lenovo's first-ever "Name Your Dream Assignment" photo contest.

From March 3 to April 3, 2009, U.S. residents of any skill level will have a chance to win $50,000 to shoot a dream photo assignment anywhere in the world. In addition to $50,000, the grand-prize winner will also receive a digital camcorder and the Lenovo® ThinkPad® W700ds with Microsoft Windows Vista® to take on the journey. Photographers can enter their ideas and with clear, succinct explanations here.

Each participant may submit up to three ideas. Take the time to read through some of the ideas that have already been submitted. I found inspiration from just reading what others dream of shooting.




Participants don't just enter this contest - they'll help select the winner. A public online vote and a panel of expert judges will determine the outcome. The panel will also take into consideration skill and experience. Two runners-up will also receive the Lenovo® ThinkPad® W700ds with Microsoft Windows Vista®.

To continue daydreaming with other hopefuls, please join the contest's online community at its official Facebook fan page and on Twitter.

Get contest rules and information here.

About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers. Lenovo's business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Instructor's Tip: The Kiss Method, Part 2

I hope you enjoy this week's "Instructor's Tip" by one of my favorite instructors, award winning nature photographer Russ Burden. To learn more about how Russ captured this image, join him on one of his photo tours. Visit Russ Burden Photography to get more information.

KISS Method: Keep It Sweet And Simple PART 2

Every time you raise your camera to your eye, remind yourself to not only look at your subject in the viewfinder but to also concentrate on what the camera sees to the left, right, top and bottom of the subject. Is there an obtrusive twig in the top right corner that will cause a distraction? Is there a glaring bright spot somewhere in the frame that will be detrimental to the image? Is part of another animal’s body awkwardly appearing in part of the viewfinder ruining a great shot of a bull elk because another elk’s rear end is in the bottom right?

The next time that you go out creating images, before you depress the shutter release, remind yourself to check the entire viewfinder for distractions and keep the accompanying tips in the forefront of your mind to create images with more drama and impact. As a matter of fact, make a copy of the article and stuff it into your camera bag. Every time you open it, you’ll be reminded of just how satisfying a KISS is.


To learn more about this subject, join Russ on one of his photo tours. Please visit www.russburdenphotography.com to get more information.

To take a class with Russ or a fellow Digital Photo Academy instructor in your area, check out the Digital Photo Academy. I took Russ' intermediate and advanced courses last year, and he continues to be a strong source of knowledge and encouragement as I progress in my photography.

Don't forget to check Take Great Pictures for Russ' most recent tips. On the home page, click on the "Photo Tips And Techniques" button in the left hand column. Additionally, check out his "Digital Tip of the Month" found by clicking on the Digital Photography button.

Congratulations! Social group peers get sales during benefit exhibition!

Featured: photographers Jim Murphy, Sheba Wheeler (me), Sarah and Sean Donnelly, Paul and Amy Martin

As "Group Mom" of the Mile High Digital Photography School Social Group, I am proud to announce that several members of the group sold prints last night at the Art for Endometriosis benefit! Not only did they make a sale, but this was the FIRST time they ever displayed their work in a public setting like this. Congratulations to Sean Donnelly, and Amy and Paul Martin! Plus, a minimum of 40 percent of their proceeds were donated to a great cause supporting research for endometriosis, a disease that attacks women's reproductive system.

I wanted to let everyone know about this because I think there's a valuable lesson in this experience. When my friend Sean first asked members of the social group if they would like to submit some pieces to the benefit, he was disappointed that no one originally responded. He knew I was on board because I was the only one in the group who had had previous experience showcasing my work since Jeffrey Rupp created some opportunities for Denver Darkroom students to show their work. I think others might have been intimidated and/or maybe they thought their work didn't measure up. (Note: since this blog post, I received a comment from a group member that lack of time and a busy schedule prevented her from participating inspite of her willingness to do so).

One of the members that night admitted what many of us were feeling: it is very intimidating and nerve wracking to have strangers (made up largely of other photographers who submitted their own entries) pouring over your work. During the evening, I stood upstairs and watched below while people looked over several of my images. What I found interesting was the way many women reacted when they saw my artistic nudes/boudoir shots. Most of them skimmed it and looked away quickly. Others were fascinated by them and I got several comments about how lovely and classy they thought the photos were. Overall, the experience made me wonder if I should have submitted more landscape shots instead of the boudoir photos that have sold so well in other settings. Sarah Donnelly said she thought the boudoir images stood out and made a great statement among the sea of nature and wildlife shots. Sean told me that there's another benefit for a women's shelter that needs art donated that I could enter my images in there as well.



Amy and Paul both decided to submit two photos taken from their travels in Thailand. Less than an hour into the event, one of the Martin's photos got a coveted "SOLD" in bold letters! Before the end of the evening, the second photo was being considered for sale as well. What's also interesting to note is that Amy told me during the event that one of those shots was a last minute "I'll just snap this real quick" before being forced to continue on with a tour. She didn't even realize what photo she had captured until much later during the editing process!



Meanwhile, Sean sold a great shot of some Spaulding skis! It's funny because he wasn't even sure he should have submitted that entry because it initially seemed out of place with his other landscape images. As it turns out, you never know what image will resonate with a client! That photo was snatched up to with a resounding "SOLD!" too.



So what am I trying to say? Be willing to take a risk and put your work out there for people to see and experience. It's a great boost just to be able to watch and hear what people think as they check out your work. It can help you grow as a photographer and help you gain confidence. You can also learn a ton about how to properly display your work. Sean had a heck of a time trying to figure out aspect ratios, printing and matting. Here's what Sean said he learned about his experiences: (and for the record Sean, you did an amazing job!)

I learned I really hate pre-cut mats. Seems different places have a different idea of what is meant by X by X opening.

I learned I really don't like Costco Photo Processing except for things like classwork. They seem to have their own ideas about auto cropping and enlarging despite me checking the "do not correct box."

I learned to never choose any of the "border" options with Costo printing. doing so will rescale your image to allow the border to fit.

I learned to pay attention when selecting and pasting photo "A" and pasting it onto background "B." If they are not both the same dpi the imported photo will automatically rescale to the same dpi. This can lead to unpredictable results.

I learned from submitting my own photos that you need to give yourself at least 3 weeks lead time to get them done the way you want, particularly if ordering larger prints or uncommon sizes.

I learned that Canvas has to be stretched onto a frame which is also a custom order. If you don't pre-order the frame you are putting it behind glass which, while nice, takes away from the objective of printing it on canvas to begin with.

I learned that when you pay for 1 or 2 day shipping on prints that only means 1 or 2 days after they print it. They may not get around to printing it for 3-7 days.

All in all getting stuff prepared and delivered to Audrey has been very time consuming, frustrating and (in the case of my work) expensive. I didn't realize the costs I was setting myself up for when I chose to make big prints that would require custom matting.

On the bright side though, it was one of those "life experiences" where you at least no better about what to expect in the future.

Saturday Morning Cartoons

This one made me crack up! I always tell people that I keep shooting until I get kicked out or arrested. I haven't been arrested yet, but I run pretty fast!

Enjoy today's installment of Aaron Johnson's photocentric comic strip "What the Duck."The popular comic is celebrating it's 2nd year anniversary. Congratulations Aaron! And thank you for encouraging me and others to seek comfort in our sense of humor when the ebbs and flows of the photography business threaten to overwhelm us. The comic is available now for syndication as "W.T. Duck," appearing in a local newspaper near you!

From My Portfolio

I'm just about done editing all of my photos from the National Brotherhood of Skiers 2009 Summit, with just two more events to go! I've been uploading them to my business website so my client and choose the images she wants me to put on a DVD. You can see the galleries at the top of my CLIENTS page.

This shot is one of my favorites for its simplicity, composition and motion. I love how the colors of his ski suit standout against the white of the snow, and that rush of snow kicking up behind him captures the excitement of the moment. Even though I cropped out the trees in the far left-hand side of the frame to stop them from cluttering the background, I love the shadows they cast in the image, lending some extra texture.

Get Out There: Your Photo on the cover of Professional Photographer's Magazine

Talk about the ultimate in marketing and world-wide exposure! Here's our chance to get one of our images featured on the cover of Professional Photographer!

The magazine is hosting it's annual cover contest. In addition to landing the cover of a 2009 edition of Professional Photographer, the winner will also be awarded a selection of prizes from our generous sponsors: Bogen Imaging, Canon, Eastman Kodak, Emotion Media and White House Custom Colour.

Click here to enter. But take note: you can only submit one image! The magazine was overwhelmed last year by all the entries it received for its 2008 contest, so they will only take one pic per entrant, showcasing an example representative of the work you sell for your clients, be it portraits, weddings, commercial, sports, events, etc.

Upload digital files by MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2009.

I looked over previous years winning entries and studied past covers to get a better idea of what kind of photos the magazine could be looking for. A vertical perspective seems obvious, but I was trying to figure out what I could offer that hadn't already been done before. Then it came to me...I didn't see any shots related to boudoir or artistic nude photography. I'm guessing that's because it's difficult for a shot to be artistic instead of pornographic.



But since Teri's Rose has been such a great seller, I'm thinking I might turn that one in. Plus, there is tons of open space on the sides of the Teri's body where a magazine cover can put mastheads, titles and other layout essentials. It might behoove all of us who are entering to spend some time studying a magazine cover layout and what kind of images suit this better.

Best of luck to everyone!

Get the Job Done: Digital Downloads are Big Sellers

Over the weekend, I got an email from Smug Mug alerting me that a customer had purchased prints from my website. But it turns out that instead of actual prints, a customer purchased four digital downloads from the wedding engagement party I shot in the fall! I think the downloadable digital photo file is a convenient and easy way for today's savvy computer client to purchase photos and a quick way for you to generate more sales. If you aren't already offering this service on your website, then you should be.

Given the current state of the newspaper industry and the folding of my daytime's competitor, the Rocky Mountain News, I think we are all afraid than ever that we could be witnessing the days leading up to the Death of the Print. I'm praying that that won't ever be the case...at least not in total, but I can't deny that the digital downloads offered on my business site have been increasing while additional print sales are down, especially for those agreeing to a purchase with a personal use licence.

When a client buys a digital downloan from my website, he/she gets limited use of the images right away instead of having to wait for prints to arrive. Plus, the pricing is based on the size and resolution of the download, as well as its use -- either for personal (uploading onto Facebook, Myspace, desktop wallpapers and in emails, etc) or commercial (buying all the rights to the usage of an image). Smug Mug offers both.

Personal images can be protected by the legal license that a photographer offers to the buyer. For example, in my agreement contracts, I always stipulate that both I and the client have dual ownership of the images and that I am allowed to sell and use them on my for promotional purposes on my website. What's cool about this license too is that if an infringement occurs, I can have a basis for suing.

Here's a screen shot of one of my digital download purchase pages from my website.

An Aside: Another photography related dream

So last night I dreamed that one of my photographer instructors, Efrain Cruz, was telling me that I tend to oversharpen my images, and that I need to cut back on all this fancy smanshy Photoshop work I've been doing! Cruz is the director of the Illuminate Photography workshops where I have taken two Photoshop courses and can't wait for Part III in the series with instructor Armando Martinez.

It's funny because one of my fears is that I DO tend to oversharpen or overdo just about everything in post processing with PS. I want to have a gentler touch but at the same time, I am just LOVING all the cool techniques I'm learning. Maybe after a while when I begin to integrate all these things into my work flow on a regular basis, I won't feel like a kid in a candy store so overwhelmed with all the possibilities that I get sick from lack of moderation.

As far as the sharpening goes, I used to use Unsharp Mask alot but I'm starting to use Smart Sharpen more (on a separate layer) because I can tweak the changes better and then change the layer's opacity if I overdo it. I can't seem to stop thinking about photography and how I can get better at it even while I'm sleeping. Is that dedication or what? Well, dedication or obsession, but when you are trying to run a business is there a difference between the two? ;)

Blog Monthly Contest Extended from February

I don't know about you guys, but February was a crazy busy month for me. So crazy indeed that I didn't have enough time to shoot an entry for my own blog's monthly assignment topic! Seems as if other photographers were in the same boat as well, as no entries were turned in last month for the topic.

Since I think the topic was a good one and the lack of entries wasn't because of a lack of interest in the topic itself, I think the best way to handle things is to just extend the topic through March. That way, my blog readers have TWO months instead of one to challenge themselves to shoot the topic chosen by January's photo assignment winner Amy Martin. Even Amy had to miss out on shooting for her own topic since she had shoulder surgery last month.

So here it is: March's assignment is: YOUTH AND MATURITY. I asked Amy to explain her topic so everyone would get a better idea of what to photography. Here's what she said:

"Sheba,
I was envisioning youth and maturity together. Example would be a mother and baby. I got the idea from a photo I purchased. It had a young green plant on the window sill of an old window with peeling paint. It looks like it was taken in a village in Italy. Another example would be a young kitten sleeping with an old dog. With there being an endless number of combinations of youth and maturity, I thought people could find something that interests them. Hope this helps."

You have from NOW until March 22 at midnight to turn in an entry. The photo must be taken during this time frame, as the goal of this assignment is to keep us all out shooting regularly and working on our conceptualization skills.

Please email entries to srwheelr@comcast.net

Entries should include EXIF data and be no larger than 800 on the longest side. Watermarks are optional to help protect your photo from unauthorized usage.

Instructor's Tip: KISS Method, Part 1

I hope you enjoy this week's "Instructor's Tip" by one of my favorite instructors, award winning nature photographer Russ Burden. To learn more about how Russ captured this image, join him on one of his photo tours. Visit Russ Burden Photography to get more information.

KISS Method: Keep It Sweet And Simple PART 1
Like a good stone or wood sculptor, a photographer must meticulously chip away at what it is that confronts him or her and chisel away at the scene until only the absolute essentials remain. With the camera readied on the tripod and randomly aimed at what it is that awaits to be recorded, it’s time to sort out the chaos and whittle away at the negative to remove the clutter. These are the beginning steps of creating a successful image.

In photography, I’m a stout proponent of less is more. By judiciously choosing a more beneficial camera angle or being more selective about what lens with which to shoot, you’ll learn to create images with more impact by having them stand out from the background with no distractions tearing your eye away from the main subject.


By moving in close or by using a wide open aperture and/or using longer lenses, you create less depth of field to offset your subject from the background. The use of artificial backgrounds while out in the field along with the creative use of flash are more techniques you can incorporate into your repertoire of ways to utilize the KISS Method.


Other means of incorporating the KISS Method into your photography are to silhouette your subject against a neutral background, to pan at slow shutter speeds to keep the main image sharp while blurring out the background, to use sidelight and /or back light to offset your subject against a dark background and to use flash as a main light to create a black background to have your main subject stand out. By no means are these the only ways of achieving simplicity in an image. It’s also quite often that I include two or more of the techniques into a single shot.

-Russ

To learn more about this subject, join Russ on one of his photo tours. Please visit www.russburdenphotography.com to get more information.

To take a class with Russ or a fellow Digital Photo Academy instructor in your area, check out the Digital Photo Academy. I took Russ' intermediate and advanced courses last year, and he continues to be a strong source of knowledge and encouragement as I progress in my photography.

Don't forget to check Take Great Pictures for Russ' most recent tips. On the home page, click on the "Photo Tips And Techniques" button in the left hand column. Additionally, check out his "Digital Tip of the Month" found by clicking on the Digital Photography button.

Growing Pains: Blogging for Business

Quickbook Intuit's website offers a great list of the "20 Tips Every Business Should Know" to its customers to help them create a more efficient and profitable company. I wanted to begin offering this resource on my blog every Sunday in the "Growing Pains" post till we make it through all of them. Here is the next tip in the series:

Blogging for Business

A blog is a journal-style series of posts on a website. They're casual in nature, and readers can post responses or comments to blog posts. Blogs can be used to:

Let readers know about upcoming business product releases.
Test the market on new ideas.
Address customer concerns and issues.
Present a more personable face to the customer.
Provide resources for information on the industry.

My blog has been extremely beneficial for my business, allowing me to receive emails from clients interested in my services. I am also learning how to monetize my blog. I joined the B&H Affiliate Program where I receive commissions from B&H product sales generated through clicks on my blog. Basically, you keep your readers up-to-date on new product releases and sales, and earn a commission on the revenue.

This month, I received my first proceeds check for the sale of a 70-200 2.8 lens. My records don't show who purchased the lens, but I want to publically thank whomever of my blog readers who made that purchase! It was a great help to me in these trying financial times. And I will be sure to keep everyone updated on new B&H deals.