Okay okay, I didn’t really fly the balloon – but I certainly rode in it, and while the experience of a balloon ride is always something worth doing – this was unique in that I was in the heart of the Rocky Mountains!  As it was in December, we had a decent amount of snow, so the Rockies were flush with powder!  It wasn’t so snowed in that we couldn’t navigate, as you’ll be able to see in a minute, but was merely the perfect amount to make for some amazing scenery!  This was done courtesy of the folks at Camelot Balloons.

The experience started early one Saturday morning when I trekked 45 minutes west of Vail to the launch site.  Some warm sips of coffee and a fascinating observation of what it takes to get one of these things off the ground was in and of itself an education and experience!  But then I got to ride in it too!  The pilot – named Merlin – was quite the experience as well – both before and during the flight he was a fountain of informatino – during which I learned he is the only man to cross the Continental Divide on one balloon flight twice!  Additionally, I learned that hot air balloons are registered aircraft with the FAA – they even get their own tail number!  Afterward, he waxed on with more, saying the Ballooner’s Prayer, and toasting with champagne while we nibbled on cheese, crackers and fruit!  (All very tasty too!)

I’d try to say more, but the photos really speak for themselves, so without further ado:

A couple people I’d also like to single out from this trip that were also just a pleasure to share the experience with.  First off, the gal running the photography side of the operation – Amy Boggs offers her photography skills so if you want to put your own camera away and just enjoy – she has a great selection of shots when all was said and done.  If anyone is interested in contacting her, let me know and I can share an email address.  She was totally cool with me taking my own shots, and even sent me a gratis copy of one she shot of me while I was doing my own thing:

A nice touch of black and white to offset the colorful day (plus you can almost not even tell it’s me – which I always like!   )

The other to thank is the couple I shared my ride with – Buzz and Laurie McDonald from Oregon!  They were in the area for Buzz who was on a business trip and they were just a joy to share the ride with.  Of course, we traded a few shots from while we were in the air, so to thank him appropriately, I guess I need to share the shot he took of me!

In my defense, I was thinking mountains+winter+extra altitude = freezing cold air, so I really didn’t care what I looked like!

It wasn’t the most cost effective use of funds, but sometimes, to check items off your bucket list – you just gotta pony up, and this is one where you’ll be glad you did!  Now, I gotta tackle the next item on my bucket list in 2012 – a kayaking trip in the UP/Boundary waters area.  Not sure I will find the time off work or the resources to get a guide and needed gear, but it’s on my bucket list for 2012!  Sometimes, it takes the onus of actually sharing such goals with others to make you really take the resolution seriously!  So, consider this a chance to share your own goals, bucket list items, or things you are shooting for in 2012 – sound off in the comments as I’d love to hear others goals for the year!

Today is most definitely a day for that.  If you have some time, read through a few of these pieces and tributes…Martin Luther King Jr. should be a source of inspiration for all of us – all he ever wanted was a better world, a peaceful world, and for everyone to live in harmony with one another!

Back to regularly scheduled programming tomorrow, but for today at least, let’s take a moment of pause and consider how one person has changed us – forever!  Consider this – even in the field of photography, imagine the impact if you devoted yourself to the craft with the passion, intensity, determination MLK had for social change…

When I go to a blog – I am going there for information and/or an education.  I am not going there to be “sold”.  I get enough email, snail mail, phone calls, and such promoting various products, outfits, and services that the last thing I want to do is go and seek it out. So, if blogs become promotional arms to other ends, there is nothing inherently wrong with that – but it’s not what I want to read in either my inbox or my free time.  Having given that side note, it’s time to reveal (in no particular order), my choices for The Top Ten Blogs for 2012:

1.  Flying With Fish – This blog came to my attention a few years ago when some travel tips for photographers was highlighted.  Since then, I’ve continued to follow it as I’ve been interested in travel generically.  The notes, news, and other pearls that are shared here really add value, understanding, and insight to an aspect of my business travel that would otherwise be severely lacking without this resource!

2.  Digital Photography School – What started as a blog has morphed into an amazing website and community of talented photographers and writers.  The inspiration comes from Darren Rowse, author of the also popular Problogger.com where I’ve picked up some tips and tricks that have been implemented here as well.  It’s an amazing repository of information and a fantastic community.  If you had to pick one resource on the web to go to with questions and get answers, this would be it.

3.  DIY Photography – Having done a few DIY things in my own day, including a gridded snoot, a 10-stop filter, and most famously a star tracker (which was even featured on their site!), DIY resource sites are like flames for this moth.  If you have a hankering for DIY stuff, and love to learn about anything and everything, then this is the perfect site to segue with your photography interests!  Absolutely love it!

4.  Photopreneur – Anyone who’s ever picked up a camera has wondered – “Can I sell my images?”  It doesn’t matter if you’ve sold images or not, the thought of whether you have what it takes is always something you wonder.  For those who are ever interested in blending a career with photography, this is one site to keep in your favorites.

5.  The Lightroom Queen – Victoria Bampton came to my attention after Adobe released Lightroom 2, and I realized that Lightroom was the future of photography post production.  Victoria saw this much sooner and became an expert pretty much before anyone else did, and has kept herself at the forefront of the developments in the product line.  I keep wondering when I can get her on the podcast, and perhaps this will nudge things along a little more!

6.  1001 Noisy Cameras – If you want to know the latest developments and releases in the industry, this has become pretty much the go-to resource for pretty much everyone in the industry.  Whether you have a penchant for Canon (me), Nikons, or any other vendor, and irrespective of DSLR, P&S, or these new 3rd gen cameras, 1001 Noisy cameras has the latest and greatest on all the camera news one could ever hope to soak in.  An endless resource for the gear hound in all of us!  (In the interests of full disclosure, they’ve also been generous when I’ve done gear reviews in giving some link love to me, so thanks to them for that! )

7.  Strobist – Now the only resource around for those interested in the details of off-camera lighting, it almost goes without saying that Strobist by David Hobby should be in your bookmark list.  Some days are more interesting than others, but there is always something worth learning (or re-learning if you want a refresh on anything).  Make sure you check out the Lighting 101 series – a beginner’s guide to off-camera lighting.  I can’t believe I had the opportunity to work with this guy a while back and had to decline because of a work conflict – was so bummed about that!

8.  Light Stalking – An impressive repository of writers and articles that covers everything from technique, to gear maintenance, and everything in between.  Some of the articles are a bit shorter than I would like to see, but there’s almost always good content, and it’s in my emailed list of sites that I permit into my mailbox.  Not only do I learn things from here myself, but it’s also a source of inspiration for article ideas and expanded content!

9.  F-Stoppers – What a talented set of photographers, videographers, writers, and project artists!  These guys will totally blow you away with the projects they put out over at F-Stoppers.  I am inspired and impressed with their footage, results, and behind-the-scenes perspectives that they all share every time they press the “Post” button!  If you haven’t stopped over to them yet, do so and add them to your inbox now!

10.  A Photo Editor – Coming from the perspective of a magazine editor, this is the place to go for photographer profiles, industry news, and great insights on the industry as a whole.  With so many resources out there, this has become a pretty authoritative outlet, and information resource so make sure you add it to your own list of sites to visit regularly.  I do and am sure you will come to rely on Rob’s content too!

*****

So, there you have it – 10 blogs and websites to make sure you take some time to visit for 2012.  Now, as I alluded to at the beginning of this post, some noticeable blogs are absent that used to be perennially listed.  Specifically, Scott Kelby’s “Photoshop Insider” and Joe McNally’s blog.  This is not to say that these are not worth visiting.  It’s just that the content there I am finding less interesting and useful.

The former is not what it used to be – a good resource for Photoshop and photography tips.  Instead, it has become a pulpit for delivering promotional content to the Kelby landscape of products and services.  I am not criticizing this at all – after all, the services and products that come from Kelby Training and NAPP have served me well for years, but Scott Kelby’s blog is no longer something I learn from – it’s where I go to get news about NAPP.

As for McNally’s blog – that too has become more of a promotional venue.  I enjoy his writings and images that he shares, but don’t really feel that I am learning much from that outlet.  My visits there are now completely for entertainment.  I do watch the Kelby Training schedule to see if and when he will be hitting Denver so that I might be able to attend a workshop, but the blog is just not a good learning resource.

• Maps Module *yawn* Other software does this already
• Books Module *yawn* Should have been there in a 3.x update imho
• Shadow/Highlights tools to add fake dynamic range for the HDR crowd (surprise surprise) – nice enough, but not enough to entice to buy
• Video file support *shrug* How much would one use LR for video anyway?
• Soft proofing *meh* I don’t print out of LR much anymore as my vendor takes care of prints for me….
• Adjustment brush additions *meh* While the additions are welcome, again, hardly incentive to pony up for this…
• Email photos direct from Lightroom *Huh?*  I know, this is surprising that it took this long to incorporate something this simple into the 4th generation of a product line

Will I buy the update?  Probably yes, because I am already “current”, and the price of not updating is more expensive long term ($99 versus $300)…  Also, in the interest of keeping current tutorials and such here on the blog for the readership is also present, so, that kind of colors my decision-making process.  For what they are releasing though – and the plethora of already existing outlets to do these additional tasks, I am not sure the regular photographer types will be justified in the upgrade pricing of $99-$120 (especially considering the economy right now…)

What about everyone else?  Worth the upgrade or not?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

1.  I was traveling…a lot…over the past few weeks.  When I say a lot, that’s no joke.  From Denver to Tucson, back to Denver, then out again to Indianapolis, then up to Grand Rapids, then over to Toledo, down to Dayton, across to Springfield, back to Indianapolis, before returning to Denver again…..phew!  Suffice to say, the travel bug has been busy in my bonnet.  Add to that another trip back to Ohio coming up very shortly, and it’s safe to say, I’ve not added to the blog’s postings for a while.

2.  As a result, the blog has been depleted of “in the can” posts.  You see, running a blog that publishes five posts a week takes a certain amount of time to get together all the material needed to really put good content together (and you all deserve nothing but the best!).  Well, over the last three weeks, that good material has been completely published, and I am behind the 8-ball to start the new year!

No worries, though…I have several posts planned (I just need to sit down and get the words together) for the rest of this week, and moving forward.  Here’s just a hint of what’s to come:

December Bonanza Winner! -  I am sure you are all anxiously awaiting the announcement of the winner for the December giveaway.  It’s coming tomorrow…

Top Ten Blogs for 2012 – It’s become something of a tradition here on Canon Blogger to point you to some good folks that put out really good content, and I would be remiss not to get this out soon (expect it Friday or Monday).

Photo Lessons – An idea that had it’s genesis over the holidays, I am going to try (think New Years Resolutions kind of try) to put together a post every month that teaches something completely new on the blog – something that I have never covered or even hinted at before.  A few nuggets are already in their “research” phase and I suspect the first will come out next week.  With easily 4 or 5 more planned, I am halfway into completing that annual task already!

Podcasts! – I know, December was empty (think empty can again), but some good ones are planned very soon, including a photo magazine editor, a well-regarded photographer and writer from a very popular photo magazine, and much more.

There’s also other stuff coming up I hope, but as things are not yet firmed up, don’t want to even tease it lest the exciting news not come to pass, so hang with me all – more to come, I promise!  In the mean time, I hope everyone’s holidays were as enjoyable as mine were – the trips were all with family and loved ones in mind, so hoping you all took a break too and spent time with your own loved ones.  Happy New Year, and here’s to a great 2012!  What’s in your hopper for 2012?

I hope everyone’s Christmas season was merry, and that you maintain the sense of cheer and family as we head into New Year’s weekend!

I say that because before you know it – the season will be over.  For some of us, that can’t happen soon enough! The Holiday season always seems to bring out a frenetic mentality.  People resort to pepper spray to buy items they want to give as gifts.  We whirl through traffic, trying to get to the grocery store for that one last item needed to complete a meal, or that specialty store forone last stocking stuffer.  Screaming for parking spaces, scrambling for gifts, and rushing about in almost a panic – it can certainly be stressful, can’t it?

A mantra I hear quite a bit lately is “Just tell me when the holidays are over!”.  It’s kind of sad too…the holiday season, more than anything else, should be a time of joy and merriment.  After all, you are spending time with the ones who you supposedly care about the most:  family, friends, and loved ones.  Sooner than you know, the  season will be over and it will be back to the daily grind, your work routines, and ever so shortly after that, the mentality will change to “When can I get a vacation form the daily grind?”

You have that vacation from the grind – right now!  Enjoy it while you can, because before you know it – it will be over.

That wasn’t really what I wanted though, so I decided to table the project as the holidays were rapidly approaching.  Then earlier tonight, while tucking away some Christmas presents in a place I know Tracy will never go, some video cables zip-tied neatly into a shoe tupperware fell out into my office.  I looked curiously at this one called the Diamond Multimedia VC500.

It had been purchased a while back to help convert some old VHS tapes to digital (circa 1998 and 1999), then put away indefinitely…until tonight.  I then went searching for the video cable to one of my EOS cameras…after all, I am a pack rat!  And sure enough, after ten minutes, found it and started kicking the tires.  With my rudimentary video editing skills, I was able to cobble this together:

This should work pretty much anywhere too…whether you are viewing on a computer, laptop, iPad, or phone…the vid has been made as cross-source supported as possible, so let me know if you can’t see it!  It’s, of course, a very cheesy first attempt, but suggests that there may be more of a library to come in explaining SLR settings to help demystify things!

Not much other news here – a few more projects in the final steps of review to put out this week, including the AluminArte from Image Wizards, another eBook, and a couple other nuggets as we inch closer to the holidays!  (Are you ready yet?)  Stay tuned, and if you have suggestions on how to clean up that video noise at the bottom of this test video, I am all ears!

Last but not least, the Holiday Giveaway Bonanza is getting pretty hefty, and ready for your entries – get a photo in for a chance to win an amazing package of prizes!  Submit your photo today!

On days like this we also reflect on what it is we are thankful for.  So, here you go.  I am thankful for my health, my life, my wife, my job, my family, my friends, my freedom, football, and of course, all of you dear readers!  Call it hokey, but it’s true!  What are you doing today, and what are you thankful for?

9:02am is now permanently stuck in my memory.  After a recent trip through Oklahoma City, I had an opportunity for some sight-seeing after the work day was done, so my colleague and I stopped at the first place that came to mind – the site of the Oklahoma City bombing some 16 years ago.

It was a powerful memorial, and while I had always abstractly knew of the tragedy surrounding the events of OKC on that fateful day, seeing the memorial was quite a somber experience.  The site now consists of two walls, one oat each end of an infinity pool, and the marker on each wall with the time-stamp of 9:01 and 9:03, signifying the moment before and after the explosion.  The infinity pool represents the moment frozen in time.

In each wall, along with the time-stamp, is an opening leading to the skies beyond with light pouring through.  With evident symbolism, it was a quiet place where people come to pay their respects to the victims and to remember family and loved ones.  One gentleman I spoke with said that he comes to the site every day to remind him.
The other notable feature of the site is a series of high-backed chairs to the south side of the infinity pool.  With nearly 200 chairs in the chained-off area, there is one chair for each victim.  Taller chairs represented adults, and smaller chairs for children.  There were a lot of shorter chairs.  The whole scene was quite a bit to take in, and I had not expected such a rush of emotion after a day of training.  We left quietly, remembering the day anew.  Yet the residents and surviving friends and families likely remember every single day.  My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to those people.

Here are a few of the photos I was able to muster from the experience:

That’s no longer the case. I am now in a role that takes my technical experience and history and leverages that against my educational and teaching background (I used  teach college level classes).  So, a new role has me teaching technology and multimedia to others!  That is both good news and bad news for the blog.

The good news is that education, training, and teaching are much more front-focused in my mind.  This means that the quality and angle of most blog posts will likely be more educational in their “angle”.  This is a good thing because the website has always been intended to be a way to sort of give back to the photography community.  So now content will likely be even more useful than ever!  Here it bears mentioning that even though I shoot Canon, content is always generated so it is as vendor neutral as possible so Nikonians, Pentaxians, and Olympains etc., rest assured, nothing will change in that regard!

As you likely have guessed from the lead image for the day, the bad news is that I will be traveling a lot… How much will be a function of the school year and their schedules, but in between getting trained myself (train the trainer) and actually getting out there, postings may not be as regular as things have been in the past.

I will tr to keep ahead of the post dates as much as I can, but cannot guarantee that the well of posts “in the can” will stay as full as it has.  So, with that in mind, I’d like to make today my first post in this new “era” as I hit the road to train others in the use of technology.  Just as the seat back in front of me advises:

Buckle up, and keep your seat belts fastened as we’re taking off!

We all have Circadian rhythms or body cycles that are tuned specifically to us…whether you identify that as being a morning person or a night owl.  This also applies to your creative rituals too though.  Because our body clocks all operate on a unique pattern of restfulness and alertness, we have different times when we are the most creative.  Our mind is able to focus on creative ideas and energies, and the distractions of the rest of the world aren’t nearly as distracting.  The windmills are out there and we tilt away at them with every fiber of energy!  Do you know when your creative zone occurs?

For me, that time often comes right around midnight.  If I am not too sleepy, or I power through the initial desire to just go to bed, my mind suddenly becomes much clearer, my vision focuses, and I get so much done from my creative space, it’s kind of eerie.  Tracy woke up once to find my literally typing a million miles a minute…the thoughts couldn’t get out of my brain fast enough.  After about 3-4 hours of it though, my entire body just shuts down.  The exciting thing though, is that I’ve been able to identify this creative zone.  I know if I need to get some writing done, or some post production work on photos, or anything creative – those are the hours when I get the most accomplished.

We’re all different though, some people have this rush of creativity in the morning, or in the middle of meals or other activities.  I’ve talked to so many people who still are unsure of when they really are at their creative best.  When people attend workshops and get immersed in a creative world, the ideas flow much more naturally.  The same holds for conferences, seminars, and any type of learning environment.  It’s like the mind knows that other creatives are around and the energy for learning and expression is much higher than what we are normally exposed to.  The trick comes in being able to identify when your creative zone normally happens when you are in that daily routine.  Is it right when you wake up?  After that first cup of coffee?  Right before you go to bed at night?  Or is it on those sleepless nights at 2am when your creative juices just start flowing?

When is your creative zone?

Since we weren’t shooting in any sort of “official” capacity, i figured it’d be a good time to kick the tires on this new lens (sorry, can’t reveal it just yet).  Suffice to say, I was not thrilled with the shots.  As luck would have it, I had swapped out between my 70-200 Canon and this lens right before the race, and inadvertently left my 1.4 TC on.  The end result was that the shots were just “off”.  The entire ten second scene was exciting to watch, and a few great shots presented themselves to me, but because of the gear selection and conditions – I got nuthin’!

However, always with education in my mind, this was a great story for two reasons.  First and foremost – it’s a reminder that if you are shooting an important event, always shoot with tried and true gear you know, and have had positive results with before.  Second, it’s always a good idea when testing new gear to try it in various configurations to make sure you know what you are getting before your return period expires.  Imagine if you purchased a lens, had enjoyed it, then past the return window, you decided to then test it with accessory items like a TC, only to get less performance than you expected. Oh well, chalk it up to an expensive mistake (glass is never cheap, and even good glass can not work for your particular style of shooting!).

As sort of a bonus tip, I also learned that when shooting sports, always keep your aperture above the minimum for a couple reasons.  First, a deeper depth of field will give a better sense of place, and second, if your focus is even slightly off and you happen to be shooting at a higher number, the chances of getting at least part of the scene in focus is better than if you shoot like I did – at 1.4!  While I normally don’t share bad shots – in this case, it’s helping to serve as an example of what not to do:

As you can see, nothing is really in focus, and my suspicion is that it was due to the presence of the TC as further studio testing produced results consistent with what I would normally expect without the TC.  And with the TC, the oof results also continued in studio – with a lot of difficulty in even achieving focus on objects unless the contrast was especially evident.  Even then, it jiggled a lot betwenn two focusing points, so the lesson I got in all of this is that when using a __________ (thought I was gonna say it, didn’t ya?_, don’t use the TC!

Hope everyone else had a great weekend too.  What did you shoot and what were your lessons learned?  Sound off in the comments with your own thoughts, ideas, tips, and tricks!  Until tomorrow – happy shooting!

The thing with sunsets and star trails is that they need conflicting environments to really work.  Sunsets work best with clouds to catch the colors of the sky as the sun drops behind the horizon.  Star trails, on the other hand, need clear skies to really work…otherwise you get these streaky clouds that can often just become a globulus mess.

So, when we went out to Jones Pass, I wasn’t sure which to wish for.  The group had about ten people and ironically, split about 50-50 between guys and gals.  The gals ended up staying at a lower elevation for some fields, fences, and the like for sunset, while the guys went further up.  Where we ended up the sunset was pretty cool, and after some decent shooting, headed back down to meet with the ladies for some beer  beverages, cheese, crackers, chips and salsa while waiting for the moon to rise.

Of course, the moon rising meant star trails were unlikely as well, so when we had clouds for both sunset and moonrise, it turned out to be a good thing all around.  While some left early due to the cloud cover, a few of us remained to see how things shook down, and it was good that we did.  The heavy clouds broke into small patches that the moon would peak through.  With the pine trees in the foreground, it made for some pretty interesting compositions.  These are tricky to expose correctly, so you really do need to just get out and experiment, as I found success (and failure) with a number of different settings.

Here’s a few of my keepers from the excursion:

The educational takeaway from this post was a good one too:  when a shoot takes you down an unexpected turn, the best thing isn’t necessarily to walk away and shoot another day, it could be to change your game plan.  Star trails clearly were not gonna happen, but that didn’t mean there weren’t opportunities for photos…we just changed our goal, and it worked!

Like the shots?  Share your thoughts?  Got your own plans for the end of summer heading into autumn?  Feel free to share plans and ideas there as well.  In the meantime, keep on shooting and we’ll see you back here next time!  Have a great week!

So, in the interests of not hitting the email subscription base with a lot all at once, I’ve pulled the remaining posts and will have them go live next Monday (possibly over the weekend as well), to ensure the gear reviews get their fair share of “air time”.  I know some will be very interested in reading about the Sigma 85mm f1.4 I’ve had on loan for a few months here now (being returned to Sigma on Monday).

In any case, thanks for all your patience as I sort out these snafus and hopefully return to a regular blogging schedule come Monday!  Have a great weekend all!

Today, no such luck.  I had neither the resources to create anything (camera gear is all packed up – you’ll see why shortly), nor the time to really review or research industry happenings.  Instead, just a quick video of what I ended up doing all weekend!  (Trust me, it was not just frogging around and being lazy!)

And for the record – I [b]hate[/b] carpet tack strips!

What did you do this weekend?  Share your own weekend frivolities, photo escapades, or other nuggets in the comments!

Happy shooting, and I promise to be back again with some real content and not this frivolous stuff (although these are usually the ones people seem to enjoy the most – go figure!)

After nearly 10 years with one hosting company, I’ve decided to up and move.  They just aren’t getting it done.  The blog was/is running slow, and the folks at my current provider are about to get kicked to the curb.  They didn’t seem that interested in helping me resolve performance issues – all they wanted was more money.  It’s never about satisfying the customer, it’s only about more money.  With that in mind, I’ve always been of the opinion that you reap what you sow.  Since they weren’t all that keen on keeping me, I’m moving this weekend.  On Monday, Canon Blogger will be better, stronger, and most importantly – FASTER!

So, say goodbye to Dreamhost, and say hello to Hostco.  In the meantime, here’s a fun little video that I took on a recent canoe trip.  My seat on the canoe broke on me, and at the time I was sure surprised.  Afterward, the video of it was even more surprising.  Less than ten minutes to watch, but a fun diversion for the weekend.  Have fun, happy shooting, and we’ll see you back here on Monday!

My wife’s birthday is right around the corner – literally.  The next time I post, her birthday will have passed.  The funny thing is, she has received her typical stipends from the parental units and now has some extra cash to spend (which is odd enough in this economy), so finds herself in a bit of a pickle.  What to do?

She has a point…take a look at our current technology library:

1.  Windows XP desktop (Dell Optiplex)

2.  Windows XP VOIP system

3.  Linux Video Camera Surveillance system

4.  Macbook Pro OSX

5.  Acer Netbook

6.  Motorola Android X Smart Phone

7.  LG Smart Phone

8.  iPod Touch (2nd Generation)

9.  Amazon Kindle

Know what the one thing is that’s missing?  Yup, you guessed it – the iPad.

We all know about them, more know about them, and some even fawn over them…claiming they are the only device in their category – the iPad is it’s own category.  So, when she had this extra money for her birthday, she came to me and said, “I don’t know what to do..there’s nothing I really want or need…any ideas?”  My response was:  Get an iPad!

Then she said, “Why”…and recited the list to me.  She has a point – we really don’t need an iPad. It looks so cool…but, is it something that we need?  Probably not.  It is something we’ve thought about, but given our connected nature already, do we really need it?  My truthful answer is, “No.”  She asked me to put together a list for her of why she should get an iPad.  I came up with tons of reasons – for me…

So, it looks like the iPad will not be coming to the house any time soon – simply because, as Tracy put it:  “How Much is Too Much?”  So, with that in mind, I’d really like to pose a question to the reading audience:

How much gear do you own?  When would you draw the line?  How much is too much?  Sound off in the poll:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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Don’t forget – the eBook just came out so if you get a chance, stop over and consider getting the DIY Legal Kit – it can save your bacon, and it’s on sale for only $15! Or just buy from the Cart button below:

Having said that, I am starting to get more right than wrong lately, and the portion of my income that is generated by the blog, podcast, and writing has seen something of an increase relative to my “real job” revenue (in IT).  So, what’s been my secret to “finding clients”?  Here are 4 methods I’ve used the most to attract people to the blog, the podcast, the contests, and my writings:

#1 – Be personable

With so many people out there that offer products and services, there’s bound to be someone that can do exactly what you do.  Or, they can do it better.  For the same price!  Or less!  Or free!  How can anyone expect to compete with that in today’s day and age?  It should come as no surprise to most that what sets you apart from others isn’t your service, it isn’t your product, marketing, revenue, client list or anything like that – at the end of the day what sets you apart is you! People will come to you because they like your approach, your personality, and how you treat them.  In my case, that means people come to listen to the podcast, or read because they like my attitude as much as my content.  The same holds true in your business – so rule # 1 is to be yourself!  I do that by socializing with fellow photographers through meet-up outings (like photo walks), user groups (like DALPUG), and basically staying engaged and connected with my peers and colleagues.

#2 – Be reachable

Let’s face it, with Twitter, LinkedIn®, forums, websites, email, instant messaging and smart phones all giving us 24/7 access to whatever we want anymore comes with a price.  With our access to others comes a certain measure of reciprocity, which means others also expect some measure of access to us.  While you don’t have to give answers or respond to inquiries within seconds or minutes – make it a general rule to respond to people within 24 hours during the work week. After all, with e-commerce moving at lightning speeds, not responding to an email or message in a timely manner can be a deterrent as much as anything else, so be reachable!

On weekends if you prefer to shut off, that’s fine, but let people know.  On Friday, set up an out of office message and say that.  “I’ll be spending the weekend with the family – looking forward to the down time.  I’ll be back on Monday!”  This lets people know that you like to hear from them, and will respond, but that it isn’t as immediate as you normally are.

#3 Be approachable

I spent an afternoon with someone a while back who was pretty well known in local circles.  The subject of conversation was photography of course, and in the course of discussion just got a sense that this person not only was well-known, but knew it.  I wasn’t talked down to by any means, but I got the distinct impression that I should be “honored” to be graced with his presence and flattered that he gave me a few hours to talk.  While it was all well and good, the conversation made it seem like I should be quick, get to the point and don’t waste time.

While we all have multiple commitments, and are moving at what feels like the speed of light just to keep up, it often can come across as an attitude.  Make sure when you are with colleagues, clients, or potential clients (because you know to treat everyone the same, right?), that you slow down, listen as much as you talk, and pay attention to cues that you might be giving off the wrong vibe.  This guy was so engrossed in talking about his latest project he just assumed that I was interested, would be flattered to even be considered for inclusion in it, and didn’t realize that I hadn’t talked for almost20 minutes.

Suffice to say, he was a little surprised when I did the wrap up.  “Well, thanks for your time, it was fun talking to you.    I’ll have to pass on the project right now as I’ve got too many other ‘irons in the fire’, so to speak.  If I have more time next year, I’ll let you know then.”

#4 – It’s okay to not know everything

There is nothing wrong with showcasing and highlighting your strengths and minimizing your weaknesses in anything whether it be a pitch to a potential client, or even showcasing your body of work or resume to a potential employer.  It is another thing altogether though, when in discussions to say “I can take care of that” to any question that comes up.  If your knee jerk response is to say yes to everything, you could be in for a serious problem come delivery time and they realize your InDesign® skills are far inferior to your Photoshop® and photography skills.

Clients can (and will) ask for the world.  It’s important to keep them on track and your time scheduled carefully.  Taking on anything and everything to get the gig will not only reduce your total revenue for the job in terms of labor hours, but quality will suffer, and the client will often leave unhappy.  Unless you want scores of unhappy former clients giving less than stellar feedback, because you promised ABC and D, but only really gave them A and B, it’s a good idea to not promise the world.  In my experience it’s always better to under-promise and over-deliver rather than the other way around.

So, there you have it – four tips for finding clients.  It may not be the most sexy thing in photography, but it can increase your revenue streams to those ends exponentially.  I’ve found that these principles and a dose of common sense can be a good foundation for starting any business, but it especially works in the field of photography…based on what I’ve seen thus far.

Having said that, I am of course not an expert in the field, so I’d like to turn the question outward – what techniques have others used to find success in their markets?  Others have told me that networking among peers is a good thing – when a friend can’t take a gig, it helps to be in regular contact with that friend, because then they might refer the potential client to…yup, you!  But that’s just one I’ve heard from colleagues.  What about other tips and tricks for finding clients?  Sound off in the comments!  Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you here next week to wrap up the Month of May! (Which means someone is gonna win a Hoodman Loupe too – have you entered your own image yet?  It’s not too late to enter:  Flickr thread here!)

In exactly one week, I will have completed a month of blog posts that have all been written, and scheduled in advance! This is a first for me – I’ve never been that far ahead of the game…and I gotta tell you, not only do I feel more organized, the pressure of putting good quality content out has been lifted substantially. The question is – did you notice?

And finally, in week the latest newsletter will be released with some big news! For those keeping score, last month the newsletter went AWOL, but it’ll be back with a bang! I can’t say what yet, but it’s sure to turn a few heads and eyes! A few hints may come out via Twitter and Facebook, and if you’re also a reader of the well-regarded PhotographyBB magazine, you’ll find out there early! (Just sayin’! )

So yeah, the seven day mark from today will be some pretty fun news announcements here on the blog! Any guesses? I’ll give a hint: it’s photography-related!

Nevertheless, since photos have not been at the forefront, I wanted to dedicate an entire post to sharing some photos from the trip here with you.  So, without further ado, some selects from the trip!

To finish things off, a quick reminder that today is Webinar Wednesday!  Kerry Garrison (Camera Dojo) and I go live tonight at 7pm Mountain Time, 6pm Pacific.  If you’ve got time to stop in and check out the show, or even want to share the info with friends, it’s always free to join!  Here’s the sign-up page…see you tonight!

So, without further ado – here’s a few samples/selects from what I am affectionately calling:

The Fire House Shoot

And to close out the series, one that struck me while there was a scene that reminded me of why we have these courageous men to serve and protect us…

The poses that Devin struck were directed courtesy of yours truly (stop back in later this week for more details on the posing techniques I used), and all post processing was done using your favorite photo editor (and mine):  Adobe Lightroom!

Thanks to Tim Tonge for organizing the event, and to the brave men of Castle Rock Firehouse for tolerating our presence for an afternoon!

My Droid2 smart phone bit the bullet (this was the third one of these to die prematurely), and Verizon in its wisdom decided I needed to go to a different model phone.  After several logistical problems with getting the correct battery shipped for the correct model to the correct address, I finally got a battery for the new phone, powered it up and activated my number on the new line.  Imagine my surprise when I found out that this new phone has…yup:

8 Megapixels!

It staggers my mind that they can fit the same number of pixels on this teensy sensor that used to fill a sensor for an SLR.  My hesitancy at embracing this MP count is that there will be excess noise, and pixelation on the images.  While the smart phone features (phone, email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) look to perform adequately, the camera is always a point of contention for me as I wish these phones could adapt somewhat and figure out a way to have an adjustable aperture.  If you can fit that many pixels onto that teensy a sensor, surely the aperture could be adjustable!

This could just be me ranting on quixotically though – so, here’s a sample image at full resolution (click it to see full size).  Does this seem decent enough for a camera phone?  Sound off in the comments with your own thoughts on cell phone cameras – what features are good, what should be thrown out, and what should be improved?  (No carrier bashing please – try thinking of this as carrier agnostically as possible!

When it was done, the house sure did smell good from the caramelized sugar, bananas toasting, and who doesn’t like bread?  (I know, I know – lots of carbs aren’t good for you…)  But, every once in a while it’s fun to indulge.  As luck would have it, this particular loaf of bread had some nice colors and tones to it, so naturally, I started thinking about my other hobby – photography!

With bread there’s so much you can do from capturing details, to using a shallow depth of field, to creative lighting and shadows, everything becomes a cornucopia of possibilities.  Here’s a few of my selects from just ten minutes of prep, 60 minutes of cook, and ten minutes of shoot time!

Want a slice?  What tasks have you taken and turned them into photo opportunities?  The lesson learned here today (hopefully anyway) is to take something you have to do and make it something you want to do!  In this case, it was a win-win scenario for me, but what about you?  Sound off with your own fun-filled (or food-filling) photo projects!

David Ziser, the quintessential wedding photographer did an excellent write-up in two parts (here and here) as a guest blogger over at Scott Kelby’s blog.  Not only is he an incredible photographer, his writing is among the best in the industry too!  I would highly recommend reading these two posts because even if you aren’t a fan of “The Kelby Kool-Aid”,  (although I must admit, I take a sip of it every now and then…) because these specific writings give insights and directions for all of us moving forward.  While the insights and perspective-changing considerations to take into account (including drive, motivation, work ethic, etc.) are definitely helpful, the more serious question that lies at the root of all of it seems to find a cornerstone in one simple question:  WHY DO YOU TAKE/MAKE PICTURES?

Without getting into the semantics of taking versus making pictures – my point here is that we all pick up the camera for different reasons.  And only in understanding those reasons can you really determine where you want to go and how you want to get there from where ever you are now.  We may pick up our camera to capture a moment in time, with dew glistening off the petals of a flower in the morning light:

Does that make us nature photographers?  Absolutely!  But, by the same token, does that define us?  Of course not!  We may also enjoy capturing that beaming bride as she smiles and kisses her husband on their special day!  Or, we may revel in the laughter of children as we capture those moments in time!  By the same token, we may also be pulled on some deep and intangible level by the power of a sunrise or a sunset in some place!  Heck, maybe it’s even the place that moves us.  As David DuChemin says, “…vision is better!”

There are so many scenes and images that surround us every day, but yet so often we do not trip that shutter, because we likely are not tuned in to a particular vision or perspective.  So, the question then becomes:  What is your vision?  Do you see the beauty inside that awkward teenager who only smiles for family?  Or what about the majesty of a skyline timed so perfectly?  The fact is, we can find it everywhere, and while we can blog and twitter, and Facebook until the cows come home about our latest project, or to promote and network across so many sectors of the economy (whether it’s improving or on the downturn), what ultimately matters is what motivates you to shoot in the first place?

When push comes to shove, the foundation for creating photographs (I believe) is something that comes from inside.  You have to want to be there, capturing that moment in time in order to the vision to really come to life.  Whether it’s a sunset, a smile, a skyline or anything, if you’re not true to your own roots, then twittering about it all becomes less than inspirational.

Of course, I could be completely half-cocked, and off base entirely here.  What do you think is at the root of photography?  Is it for the passion, the fame, or the glory?  Or is it something else altogether?  What drives those like David Ziser, Joe McNally, Zack Arias, David DuChemin and the rest to such degrees of excellence?  Time and again, what makes them and folks like them rise to the top?  Share your thoughts, comments, and feedback below!

You see, not only is it trash night, but this also is going to be one of the coldest nights I can remember in Colorado – we are on pace to be at 17 below zero by morning!  Like I said – bone-chilling!  In our house, that translates to fires in the fireplace.  A bundle of wood costs around $3 and it heats the entire house to where we almost have to open windows.  So, we needed no encouragement to add the warmth of a fire last night.

Also, as an admitted “guy”, there is nothing more fun than poking and stirring a fire, whether it be in a fireplace or in a campsite.  So, my face was naturally glued to the fire for most of the evening.  Twist twist, poke poke.  Then a log here and there…and some old cardboard I tore up to throw out (remember, it was trash night).  The smell of the crackling wood and ash is still lingering in my mind too.  That, combined with a nice red vino made for probably one of the most relaxing evenings.

It was quite relaxing too…and even Tracy joined me for a few minutes of quiet time just gazing at the embers before finishing things up for the night (a.k.a. the trash).  The flames from the fire, still flickering inside my head, were doused by the chill of the air on stepping out to the garage.  The frost already on the door was right there, in my face, reminding me of how cold it actually was/is outside.  (Bone-chilling, in case you didn’t get that yet.)  And right then, it hit me – frozen snowflakes of ice on the window – with the light coming down behind it…just gorgeous!

When thinking about these two images, and how much I liked them, it dawned on me further that these are great examples of how juxtaposing themes can work really well together…and it all came from taking out the trash!  The point:  keep your eyes open, the next dose of inspiration can come from anywhere, even the most mundane task on the planet!  And wit an amazing contest going on now – this is as good a time as ever to keep your artistic eyes open!