A key component of every marketing program I’ve ever presented has included talking about photographers using their own images for holiday cards and stationery. Think about it for just a second. There isn’t a better, easier or more subliminal way to use your images. You’re just there, soft sell, no pressure, just showing your work.
This [...]

I’m sitting here in the dealership waiting for my car to be serviced and I’m amazed by the process.  I had a 7:00 am appointment. I was assigned to a customer service manager, who greeted me and handled all the paperwork.  She went over the estimate and off I went to the customer lounge to [...]

Wikipedia states the following about Labor Day:
Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer.  In high society, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white.
While Labor Day was originally founded out of respect for the [...]

Up until a few weeks ago I knew absolutely nothing about The F.I.L.M. Project (Family Images for Lasting Memories), but I’m proud to say I sure can’t say that any longer!
Just prior to Summer School I got a call from Leah Hoskins, of F.I.L.M., asking about being involved in Summer School and exhibiting. As we talked I learned [...]

Projects like Summer School don’t happen without incredible support from lots of different people. Every year I feel like I write pretty much the same thing…I thank the speakers, then everyone who helped make it possible and the vendors, then I move to a few isolated individuals. Along the way I probably offend somebody I miss.  This [...]

When I headed out on my own just over two years ago I really thought I’d have more free time. I actually thought doing more freelance work and getting out of the corporate world would give me more time just to sit back and chill now and then…NOT!
But here’s the point, I have absolutely no complaints. Being [...]

We all tend to pick up on different things in everything we read and watch. This post byJoe Farace is a good example. While many of you will be focused on Joe’s technique and the explanation of how he’s using a Westcott Spiderlite, for me it’s all about the interaction with his subject.  I love [...]

A while back my daughter asked about the lighting set up that Gregory Heisler used for my head shot. He used one of those long narrow softboxes set up vertically about six inches from the left side of my face.  In fact, I later wrote about it on this blog. What I forgot to tell her [...]

I get to look at a lot of albums, mostly wedding, although the topic of scene setters can apply to Day-In-The-Life portrait work as well. This is about enhancing your storytelling ability with images that help set the stage. I love the way Clay Blackmore’s images tell one aspect of the story about high-end weddings.  However, don’t think [...]

I’ve repeatedly talked about the importance of showing great images on your website. In fact, more than once I’ve used that old line about a picture being worth a thousand words. You can’t grow your business without a website today and your website can’t be effective without a message about who you are!
I found this video [...]