We have two winners to announce today...

First let me say I love getting emails from you folks, they are always so pleasant, polite, and fun to read. It just reinforces that I have the greatest audience in the world.

Now for the winners.

First the film, the 8 rolls of assorted color film is going to Dennis De Naut who wrote "I would gladly accept the free film to be used by students in my photography class".

Really? Who could say no to that, to have even the slightest of opportunities to impact the life of a budding photographer.

You go Dennis, the film is all yours.


Now for the Facebook "like" contest.

The person who won the book "Black and White: From Snapshots to Great Shots" by John Batdorff is Mark Soderlund.

Now Dennis and Mark, you each need to send me an email letting me know where you would like your prizes sent.

Congratulations to both of you, and thank you for taking the time to be part of this blog, it is richer because of you.

Another soldier and his dog...

Watch this soldier being greeted by his dog after being away for 8 months... hard to tell who is happier.

(Really (really) sorry if you have to watch a commercial first (not my doing), but trust me, it will be worth every second of the wait.

Review of the Flashpoint Remote Flash Trigger Kit...

We had the pleasure of getting our hands on the Flashpoint Remote Flash Trigger Kit and started falling in love as we were unpacking it.

Once we began actually using it the love was complete.

Here are just a few things that we really like about it.

1. The receiver comes with 3 firing options, a hot shoe, a PC sync socket, AND a 3.5mm mini jack which gives you with multiple options/choices for firing flashes. You can put a flash on the hot shoe and have it fire your other flashes, or (what we did) we put a flash in the hot shoe, attached a cable to the PC sync socket followed by a "Y" cable that allowed us to run cable to two different flashes so every time the transmitter fired so did all three flashes. Every single time.




2. On the bottom of the receiver you'll find a standard female 1/4-20 thread so you can attach it directly onto the top of a light stand or a tripod, another option is to attach the shoe mount that comes with it so you can mount the receiver onto a flash bracket (like this Speedlight soft box) or cold shoe adapter (like a Frio locking cold shoe).



3. You can use these for to fire Speedlight's (or any small flash) as well as for firing standard studio strobes.

4. It has OVER a 500 foot firing range.

5. It comes with a nice variety of cords and accessories so you can start using it right out of the box, you don't need to go buy anything else.

6. And I liked the price, the complete kit is just $99 (which includes free shipping).

Below is out video review, I think I screwed up and said something about a "AA" battery, but in fact this kit uses 3 "AAA" batteries, 1 battery in the transmitter and 2 batteries in the receiver.

Keep in mind these are strictly for triggering your lights, there is no TTL option, so you will manually be adjusting your light levels (which is exactly how I use my fancy shmancy Pocket Wizards). If I was starting all over and looking for flash triggers, this is what I would own.

If the video doesn't come through with your subscription notification you can head directly to our YouTube channel and watch it there.

Part 3 of the series "Web Marketing Workflow"...

Just in case you you are coming to the part late here are links to the first three articles in the series, part 1 "Naming and Branding Your Images", and part 2 " Web Marketing Workflow Guide to An Individual WordPress Blog Post".

Here is part 3: "The Protocol To Announcing and Releasing on Facebook Timeline"

Congratulations, you've made it to Step 3!

That means you're halfway there to integrating web marketing into your already productive photo workflow. If you're picking this up for the first time, be sure to review Step 1 (link to Step 1) and Step 2 (link to Step 2) before reading on. Today, we're going to chat about releasing your blog posts to Facebook. It's easy to think, hey...I know that...that's easy! You may already be doing this but just in case...read on.

Over time, Facebook has limited the ability to tag personal pages (or your clients in this case) to just images. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that that feature never goes away too. I remember when you could tag clients in your status updates as well but those days are long gone.

Moreover, because links inundate the news feed and photos capture more of your readers eye, the system I'm going to lay out utilizes the most eye capture combined with the most reach.

First, in your brand page status update, choose 'Upload A Photo' and pick one of your branded blog images to be your main preview image. Because of the new Timeline layout, having an image where the subject is in the center of the frame works best but they do allow you to reposition the photo after upload if you want too.

After you've selected your image, create an eye-catching or entertaining update and a text link to the full blog post. For example: "BLOG POST: See where Jack proposed to Jill at GasWorks Park! We revisited their special place for their engagement session. See the location and all the images at: http://www.yourcompany.com/blog/jack-jill-gasworks-park-engagement-photography-seattle-wa." Here, you can see we've identified what the status update is, "BLOG POST:" or "FEATURED:" or "COOL LINK" or whatever you want to post. Then, we've created some entertaining text to showcase what to expect when they click on the full blog link. That text may also include tagging other business pages if you shot at another venue that has a business page. Remember, extend your reach as much as possible. Lastly, we've given them the link to click.

The only remaining thing to do is to click on the image after you publish the status update and tag your clients.* (*I'm assuming that you've already friended your clients on Facebook!). Once you tag your clients, you can also add the location of 'GasWorks Park' and voila! Now you have a Facebook post that gives you the most reach (your clients and their friends will see it on their profile) as well as the most eye candy (your image, or images if you create an album).

From there, feel free to 'highlight' the post (thus creating a double column highlight and turning your image to a pano - see Example 1) or 'pin' the post, which puts the post at the top of your feed for 7 days in the traditional single column layout. Play around with both to pick which is best.

Because the goal is to drive traffic to your website and blog, it's my recommendation that Facebook is always used as a teaser instead of redundantly posting the same images on your blog as you do Facebook. Grab them with a Facebook teaser and direct them to your blog...then at the end of your blog, direct them to your website to book a session. It's a beautiful, well-crafted tap on the back to drive them through the door.

Now that you've mastered the new Facebook Timeline announcement of your blog, it's time to move on to Step 4: Adopt and Promote Pinterest Pinning. Stay tuned for the next post which covers the highly debated use of Pinterest for photographers.

Example 1


That wraps up Part 3, see you next week for part 4 "Adopt and Promote Pinterest Pinning".

You can contact Wendy for a 1 on 1 coaching session, purchase her e-book or just stop by and say hi on Facebook!

Wendy Roe has spent the last 10 years ingrained in all things web marketing – from design/development to search/social media. In May 2010, she decided to quit the corporate life and join forces with her husband, Byron Roe, to shoot full-time one of life’s ultimate highs – weddings! She now focuses on business development and her role as a second shooter for wedding photographers, Byron Roe Photography, based in Bend, Oregon.

She is the co-author of "55 Smart Web Ideas for Photographers” e-book, a 2-time speaker at WPPI Photographer’s Ignite, and has traveled through west coast speaking and consulting with photographers on web marketing. She’s known as an "interpreter", changing technical language into easy to understand information. Above all, she’s an educator at heart and believes: “Web marketing and wedding photography are two passions that drive bringing the best out of beauty and brands.”

You have until noon tomorrow...

Tomorrow (Friday 3/30) is when we will draw the winner for the book "Black and White: From Snapshots to Great Shots" by John Batdorff.

If you would be so kind as to hit the "thumbs up" on our new "Facebook Like" option that can be found in the right-hand side menu column (directly under Adorama) we'll say thanks in return by giving one of you this book.

Not that we need the ego boost, but by doing so it increases our visibility on Facebook, which in turn makes it easier for other people to find us.

And if one of those people (who "Like" us) will be chosen at random to receive this book, why not you?

Would you like some free film?

Seriously, it's free.

I have 8 rolls of assorted color film that I am happy to give it to one of our readers.

If there are a couple folks who want it I will split it it between them.

Should there turn out to be a significant interest I will put everyone's name in a hat and draw a "winner".

Just drop me an email and I will announce the films new owner(s) on Monday.

Yes, it's another "Wedding Wednesday"...

And this week we have the distinct pleasure of having a guest blogger today, wedding photographer extraordinaire (and very good friend) Stacey Kane.

Stacey started out in photography like so many other folks, taking pictures of her children... then taking pictures of her friends children... and today she travels the world with her camera doing what she loves, capturing life.

But you can listen to me ramble any day, so let's get to why we are here, my fellow photographers.... Stacey Kane:



All photographers have a style that is uniquely theirs. For some it happens at the click of the shutter... for others it's in post processing. Some photographers have a very defined look. You can identify their images immediately. Other photographers have more of a "hodge podge" collection.

Neither is right or wrong but to be successful, and equally as important (if not more so) happy in your work, it is crucial that your style and approach match the expectations and desires of your clients.

If you were asked to pick just one image that defines your work could you? If you asked someone else to pick an image of yours that they think best represents your work would it be the same image?

Here is what I consider to be one of my "signature" (wedding) images:



Think about what this image says to you. If you were a bride looking for a traditional photographer... posed formals, etc... would I be on your short list? If you love the "vintage" processed image trend would I be your first choice?

I hope not.

This is important to understand. It shouldn't be about filling shoot dates on a calendar. I am not the photographer for the client that is looking for that style. They are not the client for me. Neither of us would be happy working together. It's ok. There are other photographers that would be a perfect match for them. Both would (and should) be rewarded by the other.

The client that should embrace and react to this image is one that wants a more editorial/documentary approach from their photographer. Someone that wants their photographer to capture moments, relationships, personalities, emotions, etc.... A photographer that is less of a participant in the day and more of an observer. This client wants what's real... funny faces and all.

The image above is the foundation upon which my bio(s) were written and my website and blog were designed. It is one of the signature images of my "brand".

Here is a bio that was written about me:

Any discussion of Stacey Kane's wedding photography should begin with an acknowledgement of her integrity and her knack for producing heaping helpings of laughter. She brings an intensely fresh style to capturing your event, but under no circumstances does she bring anything that feels forced or rehearsed.

Stacey's career as a photographer was borne of a varied, multidisciplinary path that produced a style best described as "photojournalism with a sense of humor." In just about any wedding scenario one can imagine, her demeanor and ease are welcome relief, but she's never stoop to crack a joke just to capture a bride or groom's smile. No, it's her emphatic belief that she's there to document you and your wedding, something she achieves largely through a finely-honed photographic instinct. That instinct has won her major awards, helped her garner the trust of celebrity clients, and given her significant exposure in well-respected publications.

However, what's most important to Stacey is simply this: Emotions are inherent to the traditional nature of weddings, therefore, they needn't be coaxed or conjured - only beautifully presented.

Does the image above match up to this bio?

How about this sketch and tagline featured with that image on my website and on my business cards?



Here is what I consider to be a "signature" image for my portrait work along with the accompanying sketch and its tagline:


(click on any image to view larger & in a new window)

Do they evoke the same thoughts and reactions regarding my work?

It doesn't matter what type of a photographer you are.....landscape, commercial, wedding, portrait, etc..... find your signature image and build on it. Choose key words or statements that describe your style. Make sure that everything is cohesive and not in conflict. If you need help ask others to look at a portfolio of your images and see if they can find a common thread that emerges. Go back through the images and choose the one that best matches it. If your style runs a wider gamut choose a series of images and market yourself to a broader audience.

Present yourself honestly and without apologies. You'll attract the clients that will appreciate you and you'll be a happier, more successful photographer because of it.

So.....what is YOUR image? We'd love to see it!

Thanks Stacey for taking the time to share this with our readers, and yes, we would love to see you "signature" image (and share it with our readers), so please upload it to our Flickr group or email it to us.

If you wanted to see some pretty outstanding images from Stacey be sure to checkout her website and her blog.

Can't see the forest for the trees...

I saw this image and the accompanying story and found it amusing for several reasons.... one of which is I can see this happening to me.

There has been a time or two in my life when I was so engrossed in what I was doing that I "lost contact" with what was going on around me.

This is a great lesson in both photography AND life, every so often we should take a step back, and look around.

You can see the original post here, where you will also find a link to a horrible story of another photographer not paying attention to his surroundings.

Check out this Manfrotto carbon fiber tripod...

(click on any image to view larger & in a new window)

This Manfrotto is a great tripod, it's strong, it's lightweight, it's well made, AND it comes with a ball head.

I know these things because it's a Manfrotto 7322YB M-Y with Carbon Basalt Tripod Legs and a Ball Head, and just so happens to be the same tripod I use and love.

I bring it up not to brag, but because it's on sale for almost half off. The sale runs through this Friday (3/30) and the price is just $129 with free shipping at Adorama.

All you need to do is enter the coupon code "S1299330" during checkout and the price will miraculously drop from $229 to $129.

So you have until Friday to become a proud owner of a great Manfrotto carbon fiber tripod at an outstanding price.



In the past several folks have said they had a difficult time finding out where to enter coupon codes so here's a screen shot. When you "Proceed to Checkout" you will find the spot to enter your coupon code right under "Payment Information".

Hope that helps.



Another sale item you might be interested in is a 16GB Lexar compact flash card. It's the 200x Platinum II High Speed Series, are only $29.95, and they too come with free shipping.



Something else I use (and love), is the Hakuba digital media storage wallet that holds 4 compact flash cards. I LOVE these wallets and you can read my review (and everything I put them through during testing) right here.

Once you've read it you'll understand why I have been using these media wallets for years and have no plans on using anything else.

Sadly they are not on sale, but they are only $8.50 and worth every single penny.

Would you like this book for free?...

Seriously, because this book could very easily be yours.

We are giving away "Black and White: From Snapshots to Great Shots" by John Batdorff this coming Friday (3/30).

We have added a new "Facebook Like" option that can be found in the right-hand side menu column (directly under Adorama).

If you would be so kind as to hit the "thumbs up" it would be so greatly appreciated.

Not that we need the ego boost, but by doing so it increases our visibility on Facebook, which in turn makes it easier for others to find us.

And one of those people (who "Like" us) will be chosen at random to receive this book, so why not you?

And our reader reviewers are...

Yup, finally picked the six folks who will be participating in our first series of reader reviews, and yes, there will be more to follow.

So, here they are and what they will be reviewing for you, the rest of our readers:


Nick Van Zanten - Off-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Photographers by Neil van Niekerk

Jerry Weber - Storytellers: A Photographer's Guide to Developing Themes and Creating Stories with Pictures by Jerod Foster

Melissa Johnson - Adventure Sports Photography: Creating Dramatic Images in Wild Places by Tom Bol

Maureen Hamilton-Graessley - Wildlife Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots by Laurie Excell

Matthew D. Kauffmann - Mastering Adobe Photoshop Filters: Learn by Video with Olaf Giermann

Eliot R. Rosenkranz - Digital Photos from Concept to Completion: Learn by Video with Tim Grey

The packages will start going out today and as soon as we start getting the reviews back we'll begin sharing them with you.

And remember, if you submitted your name but were not selected for this round of reviews, we kept everyone's contact info and you will be in the running for the next time around.

Join the Adobe Photoshop CS6 public Beta...

Yesterday Adobe announced the public beat of Photoshop CS6.

The CS6 beta includes all the features available in both Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CS6 Extended.

Here are just a few of the things you can expect to find:

Content-Aware Patch — Patch images with greater control using the newest member of the Content-Aware family of technologies. Choose the sample area you want to use to create your patch, and then watch Content-Aware Patch magically blend pixels for a stunning result.

Blazingly fast performance and a modern UI — Experience unprecedented performance with the Mercury Graphics Engine, which gives you near-instant results when you edit with key tools such as Liquify, Puppet Warp, and Crop.* Plus, a refined, fresh, and elegant Photoshop interface features dark background options that make your images pop.

New and re-engineered design tools — Create superior designs fast. Get consistent formatting with type styles, create and apply custom strokes and dashed lines to shapes, quickly search layers, and much more.

Here is the link for both the Windows and Mac downloads.

In the video below Russell Brown will walk you through his 6 favorite features in Photoshop CS6 beta, the new capabilities of Adobe Camera Raw 7.0, the new adaptive Wide Angle feature, Field Blur, Iris Blur and Tilt-Shift.

If the video did not come through with you subscription, follow this link to watch it.

Yet another "Wedding Wednesday"...

And this post has as much to about recovering images that weren't so good to begin with and how using black and white conversion can help salvage them.

They were both taken before I got my hands on a Nikon D3 and my camera at the time (a Nikon D300) really had zero high ISO capability.

If you look at these two images as they downloaded off the memory card they are not all that impressive (and that is being generous), but I knew that before I ever hit the shutter release.

Both were taken in non-ideal situations and I had to figure out what I had to work with at that moment and what I could do in post-processing.

In the first image the bride is standing in the doorway of the church with her dad while mom is behind her adjusting her dress. It's one of those shots that you don't have too much time to think about and certainly no time to fiddle with equipment or the moment will be gone as quickly as it came.

I am standing in a dark entryway facing the door, I can't use a flash to light her, and it is a bright sunny day outside (behind her). If I adjust the exposure for the bride that background is waaaaay blown out, and if I compensate too much for the outside I will end up with a silhouette of the people, so I opted to adjust the exposure between the bride and the bright outdoors behind her.

The exposure gives me some detail in the people and I know I am going to convert it to black and white to get back even more while at the same time keep the bright background from being the focal point of the image (as it is in the original).

In the second image the couple is at the altar and I was presented with several challenges, it was dark and what light we did have came from several different light sources (temperatures) making it difficult to get a correct white balance.

To get the shot (without using flash) I jacked up the ISO, but this added noise to my bad white balance, so things are going from bad to worse.

Black and white to the rescue again, it gave me back more details, overcomes the bad white balance, and the noise simply makes it look like an "old time" black and white.

Noise can be much more easily overcome (or explained away) in black in white than it can in color.

Are they "perfect" images? No, far from it, but it can still end up being a treasured memory for the client.

(click on either image to view larger and in a new window)

These images are over three years old and since then software has greatly improved (as have my editing skills), so assuming they were taken today (but still) with a camera without a high ISO option, we have better noise removal and certainly better black and white conversion tools that would result in a better outcome.

It doesn't change the fact that we should get it right in camera, but sometimes circumstances just don't allow for that, so this could be considered a "fall back" plan.

You like me... you really, really like me...

At least I hope you do.

We have added a new "Facebook Like" option on the right-hand side menu column (directly under Adorama).

If you would be so kind as to hit the "thumbs up" it would be so greatly appreciated.

Not that we need the ego boost, but by doing so it increases our visibility on Facebook, which in turn makes it easier for others to find us.

And just to sweeten the pot next Friday (3/30) we will randomly select one of our new Facebook friends and send them a very cool prize.

Thanks everybody.