Blu Domain Sale

Just in case any of you are interested in getting your website going... Thought I would pass on the Blu is having a sale on their new site Sofie, it's only $100 instead of the normal $400.

Another cool tip. They post on their blog daily - when they miss a post they usualy have a sale! So if Sofie is not the one for you, check regularly and you just might get a great deal!

Photography Acronyms

Have you ever wondered what a fellow photographer is talking about? Someone spouted out it's SOOC or responded RTFM or just got confused with AV, AP, AI, AE and AS (to name a few)? We have our own little language full of abbreviations leaving many a newbie stumped. Well I went out to find/make a list of these abbreviations and acronyms to be able to share with you.

First I googled and found a few helpful sights than I went to one of my favorite places to get answers, TwoPeas and posted the question and of course, I got great feedback! Melissa (a fellow pea) was kind enough to share a list she has compiled and with her permission I now pass it on to you all.

Here is your very own acronym cheat sheet download!

You can also book mark these helpful links:

WonderfulPhotos

Canon Forum

Reactions to my FACTions...

I feel a little sheepish with this post but...

I really, really like comments. And I think everyone who has a blog should be able to relate. So you will forgive me for my less that tactful post. Have you ever done a shoot, put up the sneak peak and gotten no comments? than you can relate. I do all the time, they always seem to email me back instead of leaving a comment - but I really like comments. Good, bad, ugly (okay I will admit I prefer good) but all the same ...

I appreciate the feedback, I'd love to know what you would like me to focus on or write about or get much better photographers than I to write about. So if you are one of the MANY (and I know there are MANY because I use google analytics) please leave comments when something really pops out for you. It gives me encouragement for this blog and since this is just a side thing I started to help fellow photogs it's important, it's what will keep this blog going strong.

Comment, comment, comment... And don't forget if you don't have words you can at least offer a reaction, just check awesome, will try or huh.

Thank you!

Ever get stumped for a pose?

Do you ever hit a mental block in the middle of shooting? I seem to! I get close to the end of the shoot and my mind just starts to draw a blank and I NEED more ideas... I saw some cool posing books online and thought about buying one but wasn't sure how much i would love the images... As new photographers we are constantly looking at other photographer... And when say others, I of course mean those who we aspire to be. Well I have made quite the collection of favorite images and filed them by session type/category. I had contemplated printing them but new the quality would be horrible as they are all saved for the web and didn't really feel like contacting each photographer for permission. Well I finally have a place to put them...

I love it. I can stop wasting trees to print directions to new clients homes and just map it out on my phone, I have an app to track orders and even an app for animoto in case I want to show a potential client a quick video (your phone just became a marketing tool - sweet!). Now I'm not trying to advertise for apple - it just happen to be what I have, I know other phones do the same thing!

So the best part. I can go into my photos, pick the album that matches my shoot and *quickly* flip while we walk and talk and get new ideas and nobody is the wiser.

I love that I found a perfectly great way to justify my new phone - *wink*. But seriously, it's all about growing the biz and making yourself better. And this is one simple little way to throw out your own life ring when you forget how to swim momentarily.

Photography Forms & Contracts

I just found a really cool resource that I'm super excited to tell you about. I have been trying (key word) to get my contracts all figured out. I've posted on a couple of forums to find out what others were doing for welcome packets, contracts, etc. but didn't get any feedback except other photographers saying they'd love to know what I find out/come up with. Well once again... I was looking at some favorite blogs and stumbled across a new one... Photographic Foundations.

SOOOOO, For the sake of my readers... he he he, I felt I just had to get it and let you know if you should too. :) So here are my thoughts...

First: She really does cover all the bases! There are 44 documents in the file and they include:

Client Information Form

Skye's "How to Take Better Pictures of Your Children" Workshop Outline/Notes

Skye's Vendor Resource List

Portrait Agreement for Portfolio Building Photographers

Senior Info Forms - Parents & Students Version w/ Tips

Reproduction Release Form - Holiday Cards

Reproduction Release Form - General

Reproduction Release Form - Wedding (All digital files)

How to Add Your Logo/Design Forms in Photoshop w/ Sample

Marketing Planner

Client Communications Form

Client To Do List

Wedding Contract

Baby Plan

Maternity Newborn Session Combo Contract

Client Telephone Help Sheet

Newborn Info Form - Studio Version

Newborn Info Form - On Location Version

Baby & Child Info Form - Studio Version

Baby & Child Info Form - On Location Version

Maternity Info Form - Studio & On Location Version

The Prints & Product Information Sheet

The Welcome Letter

Portrait Agreement with Model Release

Model Release Form

Business Policies Form

Family Session Info Form

Copyright Info Form

Display Proposal

Skye's Tips for a Successful Display Proposal Slideshow

Display Permission Contract

Basic Client Survey

Basic Order & Invoice Form

Detailed Order & Invoice Form

General Clothing Suggestions Form

Delivery Receipt Form

Go to her website under The Forms and scroll down to get a better overview of each form. OK - so you get a lot. Now you probably (at least I wouldn't) just open the file, press print and hand it out to your next client, not to mention "YOUR BUSINESS NAME HERE" may look slightly unprofessional. *wink* But these are way more than just a starting point! Next you can start thinking branding (which just makes me gleeful thinking about... I'll get into that in a whole different post very soon - it's in the works).

If you have all of your contracts and forms already AND your happy with them, then I would say these may not be for you - but then again they just mite. I already had several of the forms she included (contract, welcome letter, release, client info form) but just seeing her wording and realizing things that had been forgotten on my end has been great!

If you are starting up and don't have any of this stuff - this is IDEAL for you! Don't under estimate the need for contracts (even among your friends) just make the habit to give EVERYONE a contract and especially a RELEASE FORM so that you can use their pictures for marketing, blog, etc.

Ok - so you get a TON of forms for newborn, family, delivery, wedding, commercial, etc. But you also get some really cool other stuff thats just for YOU. Like her tips for Display proposals. This really interests me because it something I want to pursue but wasn't entirely sure how, her form starts...

"This form is unlike the other forms you’ve purchased, because this form is for you, the photographer. Disclosed in this form are my personal tips on presenting the best possible display proposal and portfolio slideshow to your local...."

Here is my final thought, over and over as I read the contracts, forms, outlines it got my brain moving in a new direction that I hadn't thought of before and that my friends is what Building the Bus is ALL about! So go explore her site and see if it might be just right for you too.

And because posts are better with pictures... All Images are from her (sky Hardwick's of Photographic Foundations) dvd blog.

GIVEAWAY - Camera Strap

AND THE WINNER IS RPATTERSON (Comment 15),

selected with Random.org - CONGRATULATIONS!!

Meet Karie. Karie is dreaming of a new lens and she's hoping to get closer to that new lens with these cute camera straps. I stumbled on her blog and felt sympathetic to her cause, creativity is often at it's finest when motivated by desire! So I offered to do a giveaway so that (a.) one on you will be sporting a new fun strap and (b.) more people might see them, want them, buy them and get her closer to that lens. Only $12.50 or $10 each when you buy 2 or more.

The Rules:

For 1 vote leave a comment and make sure your email is available.

For MORE voting power link this blog to your blog, facebook, twitter or myspace than post a comment with the links. Each link is more voting power!

*Most importantly - make sure I can get ahold of you if you win!*

All entries must be in by Monday, July 13th. I'll draw the winner on Tuesday, July 14th.

Good Luck!

FREE Lens Giveaway!

pass it on:

Jodi at MCP actions (who has given a video tutorial for this blog) is doing an AWESOME giveaway on her blog for a Tamron Lens! Oh how I would LOVE to get my hands on this baby!!!

Go take a look!!

The Pioneer Woman - FREE ACTIONS by TRA

I love actions... LOVE THEM! If I could I'd spend thousands on actions and textures and digital papers and digital stamps and okay - you get the point. So as you can imagine, I get REALLY happy when I can get my hands on some FREE ACTIONS!! Oh do I ever. So I downloaded some free actions a couple weeks ago from The Pioneer Woman and wanted to test them out a bit before I recommended them... And well, they are SOOOO worth recommending! They were created by Totally Rad Actions (which I do have 1 set from) especially for The Pioneer Woman Site and they really are great! Here is the link, read the info and scroll down to the bottom to download. Also take some time to explore the sight, there are great tutorials and so much more available to learn!

Here are 2 examples of my own use from a couple shoots over the weekend....

For the pixie: I used SLIGHT LIGHTEN and FRESH AND COLORFUL.

With the F&C Action I used the 2 eye layers to enhance the tree bark, tutu and overall color. I wanted to bring out the white on the trees so using the eye brightener was a perfect answer.

(BTW - I did add a gold texture overlay to the top)

Here is the SOOC (straight out of camera) image. I would normally NEVER crop from a portrait to landscape or vice-versa but in this case it was my best choice to really create a whimsical forestry pixie land. Also notice how drab the trees are in the original.

I used LOVELY AND EARTHEAL on this one among other things. I LOVE that I can go into each layer and adjust to fit the overall mood I'm trying to set. Thats the mark of a great action!

And the SOOC

I'm going to have to continue with this theme! I've found a few other awesome free actions and tutorials worth mentioning. Soon I hope.