New Photoshop Software

I finally got my Photoshop CS5 software installed.  I played around with one of my photos this evening. Wow, I must say that learning photoshop in depth is a very tedious task!  Hopefully I start picking some of the tips up that I've been reading about.  (much easier watching than actually re-doing.)

Here is the photo BEFORE:

Camera Comparisons

Lindsey's Top Ten: Holiday Gift Guides for Photographers

I'm channeling Letterman with this post in my Top Ten Holiday Gift Guides for Photographers:  (except I'm starting with #1 as my favorite websites)

No. 1 - The Ultimate Photographers Gift Guide - Lens Pro To Go
The Lens Pro ToGo holiday list is a great list with a whole range of prices and products.  I found this list to be very helpful with basic to technical camera gear, lighting gear, software, and educational tutorials.  I found this list very helpful.  There are many things that caught my attention and I also would like. 


No. 2 - The Official 2011 Holiday Gift Guide - photo.tutsplus.com
The Photo Tuts list is on of my favorite lists because of the different price ranges and beginner to professional categories.  They have grouped items like camera straps, camera bags, clothing & accessories, tripods, DSLR cameras and basic digital cameras, lenses, memory cards, vintage cameras, and even some fun stocking stuffer ideas.  Sign me up for the Nifty Fifty lens.  I really want the Canon 50mm f/1.4.  :)

Taking Photos of Christmas Ornaments

Last year I was trying for a bokeh effect with the Christmas ornaments on my parents' tree. I like how these turned out, considering I'm using a kit lens, and I didn't use any photoshop techniques on them. White lights are definitely a plus when photographing your christmas tree. It gives everything a nice ambiance.

My tree at home this year has blue LED lights and its not nearly as warm and bright as the white lights on my parents' tree. (I took some pics of my tree at home this year. I'll post them soon.)

Lens Hoods - What is Their Importance?

The Day a Hot Air Balloon Landed at My House...

When I was little I had a very big imagination and was always curious about things. I remember in 3rd grade, I was laying in bed with the thermometer in my mouth...pretending to be sick so I could stay home from school. I remember trying to make my mouth as hot as I could to make my temperature rise. I guess kind of like telekinesis, but I didn't know it was called that back then. I laugh at that now...thinking I could use telekinesis to make the temperature rise...

Do You Make These 7 Mistakes When You Blog?

Very interesting tips. Thought I would share them.

Do You Make These 7 Mistakes When You Blog?
Courtesy of http://virtualphotographystudio.com

This past week I’ve been teaching classes on blogging and becoming web savvy with your marketing. And the questions students asked reminded me of some of the top mistakes bloggers make with their blogs, especially if you’re new to blogging and haven’t really cracked the code of increasing traffic enough to bring in new clients.

After blogging for years, and writing well in excess of 1,000 posts, I have made most of the mistakes top bloggers make – numerous times. And whether you are new to blogging or have done it for years, you can learn from these mistakes, and change the way you approach your own blog.

Mistake #1 You don’t post enough
How often do you post? If you haven’t seen the results yet, chances are you’re not blogging enough. If you’re not posting at least once per week at the bare minimum, you’re probably losing momentum. Frequency is what keeps people interested, and keeps them coming back. The more you post, the more traffic you’ll see. Commit to your frequency, and make sure you do it every week.


Mistake #2 You don’t write to engage your reader
After you’ve written a post, step back and read it one more time. Will people have a reason to comment on it? Did you ask questions? Is there something a little controversial? If not, go back and add a sentence or two that gives people a reason to comment. I love to ask questions along the way, and ask people what their opinions are. Make sure they have a reason to connect with you.


Mistake #3 Your post offers too much content
When people read a post, they usually have a minute or two to spare. Not 30 minutes to read a novel. Try to make your posts a minimum of 200 words for traction within the search engines, yet less than 800 words to make it readable in just a few minutes. I also like to split up my posts into bullet items, tips, or suggestions to make it more readable. And memorable.

Mistake #4 You don’t use comments to start the conversation
Comments are a great way to start up conversations. I usually login once or twice a day to check out my newest comments. I have to approve comments before they live. I do this to make sure spam comments don’t end up on my blog, and also so I can answer questions, make comments, or further clarify things if people have more questions. It’s a great way to further educate your readers on your business.

Mistake #5 Your headline is weak
Want to know what the most important part of your post is? Its your headline. Your headline is what attracts people, makes them want to click and read what you have to say. What can you do to make it exciting? What can you do to make people want to click and read? Using the same title again and again won’t do it. Instead, find ways of adding more to each one.


Mistake #6 Your summary is weak
If people read your title and like what they see, they’ll give you a few more seconds of time. They will read the first few lines and see if that grabs their attention too. After you write your post, head back to the first few lines and find a way to make it more enticing. It will keep people on your site longer, and increase your chances of gaining more clients down the road.


Mistake #7 Your post isn’t branded
What do you normally write about? Photography of course. Yet occasionally do you head way off topic, and write on something that holds little interest in anything your clients want to read? While it is important to develop your own personality, its equally important to give people what they want. Even if you want to talk about something you love, find a way to tie it back into what your clients love too.

http://virtualphotographystudio.com/photographyblog/2011/10/do-you-make-these-7-mistakes-when-you-blog/

My First Newborn Photoshoot

I took this photo almost 2 years ago, but love it so much. You can see the milk on his lips still. Happy newborn. I had some lighting issues as I couldn't find a good spot in his house, but I've learn some lighting tips since then. Overall, considering I had no experience, I felt pretty good about how this one turned out. I was just thinking I should probably soften his skin up with Photoshop and compare it.