The Photobloggies: See them all...

Grab a favorite beverage and entertain your eyes for a while.

The Photobloggies: "The Photobloggies is an annual award ceremony celebrating photoblogging around the world. Through the Photobloggies, you can find some of the best photoblog sites on the internet, chosen by photobloggers and photoblog readers."

Winner: Photobloggiies / American

Copngratulations to "orbit1". Beautiful blog.

Orbit 1

This makes me so confident...

that absolutely no one gives a damn about real security... theirs or yours. AZ leads the nation in Identity theft, and yet this type of thing goes on all of the time. I had a card that I never signed for nearly 4 months before someone actually turned it over and asked me why I hadn't signed it. Actually, truthfully, simply forgot... didn't think of it cause NO ONE ASKED to ever see it. So I signed it right in front of her. She then took it and looked at the receipt I had signed previously. She smiled and handed it back to me. If you don't get what just happened, read it again. We all pay a heavy price when employees and the companies they work for are so asleep at the wheel... Never mind. You must read this wonderful article.

The Credit Card Prank II: "'The Credit Card Prank' took on a life of its own, vaulting ZUG into the national consciousness. Since then, some thirty million people have read that article -- some of them, it turns out, from the credit card companies themselves. Surely, then, they must have learned their lesson. Right?"

novice portrait

novice portrait
Originally uploaded by phitar.

Testing the Flickr Blog post is way more fun when I can send you to a Flickr site with really great content. phitar's photos are strong, with great portraiture a specialty. See more of his work here.

Pierre Magne - Images You Should See

Not a clue what he is saying here. Good news is that the images are beautiful and very well presented. I love the power of the image to transcend most other communicative methods. Music does it well too. Hmmmm a life of images and music. Yes, I think I like that proposition.

Pierre Magne Photographe Nu Artistique
Tous droits réservés sur les photos de ce site, toutes publications sur internet ou ailleurs sans accord écrit de l'auteur entraineront immédiatement un dépôt de plainte sans pré-avis.

Brooks Ayola is a Smart Photographer

Found his blog at blogexplosion, then clicked through to his site from the blog. He is actively creating a very powerful space on the web that shows his work and his design. Notice the link to his blog featured prominently on the home page. Good photography, good marketing equal increased visibility. Hey, I'm telling you guys about him... get it?

Brooks Ayola Photographer

The Power of Viral Marketing

This is a great little story about being the best, working toward a specific goal and getting people to tell your story for you. Marketing is becoming more about the story (part of the power of design), and getting other people to tell your story for you. Viral marketing is telling lots of people the story who tell others. In arts the story usually has some flair to it. Grab a bottle of Tito's and start to think about you own story. BTW... if the story starts to include leprechauns or Paris Hilton, stop drinking the Tito's...

The Austin Chronicle Cuisines: Beveridge Man: "Everyone said it couldn't be done. Imagine the suits at Smirnoff or Absolut or Stoli sitting back and laughing over the prospect. 'Texas vodka? Who the hell would buy a vodka from Texas?!' They probably laughed until their faces turned beet-red. Now imagine their chagrin when Tito's Handmade Vodka won the 2001 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirit Competition, signifying that all of the judges had picked Tito's as the best. It was unanimous."

This is Really Exciting Creativity

When creativity meets technology with this level of excitement, it is a definite "must see" site. Makes me want to get one of these old technology cameras.

NYC21 - Eyemodule 2 Motion Graphics: "
'NYC21' is a motion graphics movie created from still photos made by Michal Daniel with the Eyemodule2 camera, exploiting its rough look and minimal resolution of 0.3 megapixels."

Seth has a Good Article on Why Things Should Look Great

You should read the entire Blog.

Seth Godin - Liar's Blog: "The lesson? Your menu (whatever your menu is, and yes, you do have one) is at least as important as your beans or your bread or your spreadsheets. Not because I say so, but because your customers demand it."

I Loved Bobby Short's Music

I remember hearing him in NY many (too many) years ago. Jazz has few pioneers still around. A profound loss to us all.

OpinionJournal - Leisure & Arts: "Another musician who heard Mr. Short at a tender age is funky rocker Lenny Kravitz. 'I've known Bobby Short since I was five years old,' he says. 'He was the person who coaxed my mother into marrying my father.' Mr. Kravitz admired Mr. Short's impeccable style--'the classiest gentleman I ever met in my life.' But above all, he loved the way Mr. Short put across a Gershwin or Porter tune. 'Bobby Short will remain my favorite artist of all time.'
By all accounts, Mr. Short was unfailingly gracious. He didn't retreat to a dressing room between shows, but lounged in the 'gallery,' a small lobby between the Carlyle's caf� and its bar. There, relaxing with friends, he would chat amiably with the patrons, whether they had come up to shake his hand or just to ask for directions to the hotel's obscure bathrooms."

Hey... ya wanna buy a shirt?

I love these guys. They are pragmatic and very good marketers. I may even buy a shirt...

What things are you doing to market yourself when you are busy doing other things? Imagine how many calls come in from folks who see these shirts and wonder what they are about. There are many, many ways to make this type of thing work for you. Shirts, balloons, hats, fuzzy slippers with eyeballs..., well, skip the fuzzy slippers... You get the idea. Visit CafePress for some great ideas.

NOBS Apparel: "Just want NoBs T-Shirt? "

New Plugin af Fred Miranda

fredmiranda.com: Specialized in digital cameras, photoshop actions, and digital darkroom: "New Resize Pro Series released!
We are proud to announce the release of our new Resize Pro Series of plugins. This professional tool specializes in interpolating and downsizing your images. It runs fast (at any print size) and produces high quality prints. Resize Pro takes interpolation to a new level by focusing on pixel contrast and your individual camera files for superior results."

Advertising Agencies should be Ashamed...

...when they do stuff like this. Can you imagine how this was sold to the folks at American? Talk about stupid. And the marketing folks at American should be facing a review panel on wasted dollars.

Sample questions:

• What research did you use that would indicate a bus sign on that street would reach folks wanting to choose an airline to take them to Tokyo?
  
• On what research/demographics do you base Bus Stop ads featuring non-stop flights to exotic locations?
  
• What increases in Tokyo flights have been noted since this placement?
  
• Compared to placing the same message in places where interest in flying to Tokyo is actually on the minds of the viewers, what is the cost-benefit of placing it on this street - at a bus stop?
  
• Which of you morons really thought this was a good idea?
  

I think advertising is in real trouble and this kind of mindless waste just proves me right. (thanks Seth, good catch)

Seth's Blog: Pre-bankruptcy marketing: "Let's say you run an airline with a horrible cost structure and you're facing bankruptcy on an almost daily basis."

Article on Websites for Photographers - at Burns Auto parts

Burns Auto Parts - Consultants

So, first 'rule': unless you have a background in design and enough technical knowledge to program it well, you should hire a professional to do your site. The initial design and programming should be done by someone who specializes in this sort of work - you are a photographer, not a designer and not a programmer. Photographers have a tendency to try and do everything themselves, this is not one of the places where that is a good thing. Hire a pro and get it done right.
That being said, I suggest working with your designer with this goal in mind - to create a clean, simple site that loads quickly, shows your work well, and that you can easily maintain and update..."

Another hat tip to Steve D... keep 'em coming Steve!

A Well Written Article on Pricing

Rolando over at Garage Glamour has given us some excerpts from the Tom Zimberoff book on pricing photography. I am reading it now, and recommend you do as well. (Hat Tip to Steve D for the link)

Photography: Focus on Profit--Competitive Pricing: "Although price is seldom the only factor considered in hiring a photographer, it always plays a role in determining where and when you pop up on a buyer�s radar screen. If publishers are looking for the highest quality, they�re not likely to start out by looking for the lowest prices. Therefore, up to a point, the higher the prices you charge, the greater will be the perception of the quality of your work.

Still, some buyers are influenced by low prices more than others. (Please note, however, that this kind of consideration is based on overall price, not just your assignment fee, or "day-rate.") Some buyers might not be sophisticated enough to realize the difference between a great shot and merely a good one, so quality is less of a factor.However, even with top-echelon buyers, and when all other things are equal (i.e., photographic talent, studio facilities, personality - your caterer! - whatever), price can indeed become the deciding factor."

James Cowlin's "US Route 89" Photoblog

James is a friend of mine. His passion for the natural world and making images that tell its unique story is unmatched. Take a look at his photos as he carefully documents the wonderful road "US Route 89". A very distinctive and diverse little highway that traverses our state and beyond. Leave him a comment or two and encourage him to keep posting. With the price of gas, it may be one way to see the sights without spending a fortune. Good job, James!

US Route 89: "US Route 89 runs from Canada to Mexico through the interior west. Along the way you can experience the colorful history and geography of this fascinating region. Join me on a journey to explore the west's most western highway. -James Cowlin"

"Naked in the Boardroom" looks like a very good read

This interesting looking book is a must read if you really enjoy thinking about business and the design of business (note: not the business of design). The ebb and flow of dynamic business is fascinating to me, and this book is a must read. Get a copy over at Amazon. Naked in the Boardroom.

• Naked Truth #12: Before worrying overly about your job's lack of challenge - and certainly before complaining about it - concentrate on delivering.
  
• Naked Truth #3: Don't meet with a male colleague in a hotel room or private residence. Intentions may be innocent, but s*it happens.
  
• Naked Truth #55: Just as you script the conversation with the person being fired, have a plan for immediate communication with the survivors: the people who report to, and worked with the departing person.
  
• Naked Truth #57: You know more than you think you do.
  
• Naked Truth #61: When in doubt about how to proceed, just rely on your good manners. You wouldn't spring an unwelcome surprise on a business partner; that's common courtesy.
  
• Naked Truth #65: Men try to protect pregnant employees and end up doing the opposite.
  
  Finally:
  
  
• Naked Truth #75: If an idea is a good one, more than one person will have it. Don't freak out! Consider it a marketplace validation of your concept. Win through superior execution. It's not about being first, but about lasting. "

She Gets It...

I shot this wonderful young lady when she first started out. Fantastic model, great person. And look how savvy she is... downloadable screen savers and desktops, news, all kinds of wonderful stuff. Good job Kayla!


"Hello and welcome to my site! Feel free to browse my portfolio, check out the galleries, download wallpapers and screensavers, trade links, and just enjoy my photos." 

Extreme Home Makeover was Fun

"How'd They Do That?"

Well, it aired last night. Funny how a full week of work was synthesized into a 45 second spot, but they did a good job of it. We were shown shooting Carly Patterson, talking about the project challenges, working over at Mighty Digital and finally the installation with Ty. David Smith was shown shooting Carly and Daniel was featured in the "Photoshop Magic" part of the show. I was chosen as 'spokesperson' for the team.

All in all, I belive the spot ran a little over a minute. My kids were excited and my wife commented that my 'potbelly' made me look friendly. I know that the folks of ABC, the producers and talent, made us feel very comfortable and were genuinely nice people. They work really hard and we never saw a glint of "I'm a Star" attitude. Paige really is a fantastic carpenter and even though her tool belt is pink, she knows her way around power tools.

Four things I know for sure from this experience...

1. The world of TV is still too much 'hurry up and wait' for me
   
2. If I was to work on a TV show, this is the type of show I would like to be a part of
   
3. Ty is really as crazy funny off camera as on. The young man is living his dream and enjoying every single moment of it
   
4. Personally I think I have a great face for radio work
   
   
   Please visit the Velocity 3 site to see more information and photographs of the day we shot Carly.

Who cares....

... as much as you.

Even though he is talking about the average web user, this statement rings true for many of us, eh?

Seth's Blog: "People aren't stupid. They just are too busy or too distracted to care as much as you do about the stuff you care about."

Ouch...

When you think about it, it really makes you wonder about the ethics of our profession. I know I have done some of these. Maybe I will think about it a little more after seeing it in this context.

Read the whole thing.

Seth Godin - Liar's Blog: "Milton Glaser is a Liar
Milton Glaser is a world-famous designer. Here is a list (some are lies he and his clients participate in) (from an old speech):

1. Designing a package to look bigger on the shelf.
   
2. Doing an ad for a slow, boring film to make it seem like a light-hearted comedy."
   

Nostradamus Predicted... the iPod?

Yeah... off topic. But the cult that is growing over iPods is - well - wierd. At least to me.

Homeschool Blogging: "Behold a great thunder in the ears; an orchestra in a deck of cards,
Falling from the wondrous tree of fruit.
The empire of the gates trembles at the white spaghetti noodles of the head.
Futile is the resistance, the base of all your earth harmony, belonging to a potato.

ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition and Us

It started with a phone call. ABC needed a photographer / designer, digital printer and custom art finishing expert to do something special for their Extreme Makeover Home Edition. We were happy to help. The team was comprised of Velocity 3 (Daniel Magallanes, Don Giannatti and David H Smith, Mighty Imaging (Peter Fradin and the Mighty Imaging Team) and Brad at Decorative Edge in Phoenix.
Read more here...

... and we are supposed to be on tonite as well (March 14th - "How'd They Do That?.")
 

They do, well... stuff

You gotta take a few moments to see this site. What is it for? I have no idea, but I laughed my a** off. I actually know people like this. You do too. Unfortunate for both of us, but even more for clients who fall for this crap after it was hidden under layers of 'market speak'.

My favorite thing is the use of lame 'stock photos'. It is a subtle gag, but very effective.

We do stuff.: "Our name will confuse you, but, you have to admit, the logo design is pretty cool. And we're good at turning regular words into 'e-words,' such as 'e-consulting,' 'e-business' or 'e-sexual harassment.'

Our office is really modern and we've got nice computers and stuff. If you ever saw it, you'd say 'Wow, cool office. These guys are legit.'"

Apple - iTunes - Download - Thank you - for nothing....

Wow. Would be great if it WORKED. Been going to the page to get my daughters free tunes and everytime I click on the "free download" page I get an error page :: "can't be found". Wonderful. You wonder if they know, care or what. Servers are still tricky, but when you four or five intro pages and the stuff wont download... you just make customers edgy. And that should be a concern.

UPDATE: Well, it works fine in FireFox. Should be only using it instead of IE anyway.

Apple - iTunes - Download - Thank you: "Install iTunes & Import Your Music Library
Installing iTunes is easy. Just launch the iTunes Setup Assistant and follow the on-screen instructions. During installation, iTunes will offer to find and import your current music collection. It's an easy way to get all your music in one place."

There's No Alternative to Alternative Marketing

Alternatives to the same old postcard, annual, email campaign? You betcha...
WARNING: not for the faint of marketing!

There's No Alternative to Alternative Marketing: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

Nice Photography and a Great B&W Conversion Technique

When a photographer makes a decision to shoot in black and white, it is but one of millions (billions) of decisions that are made to create that shot. It is one of the most deliberate choices we make, and this is a small article that gives us a glimpse into what this photographer thought processes were in the B&W option...

Great Photoshop Conversion process is a plus...

Design by Fire: Santorini in black & white: "For this series of photos, I decided to employ a digital color to black & white conversion technique created by Greg Gorman's photo retoucher, Rob Carr. Greg is an internationally recognized photographer whom I had the pleasure of working with last year while researching a project at Adobe. I've added the technique to the end of the article."

I'm a 16-1257... Wow

Regal. Inspiring. Powerful.
Wait'll my kids find this out. And shouldn't my wife already know it?
Oh well... Hey... color is one of the most important aspects of our experiences, one that we usually have no control of in an environment. Color and its affects are certainly interesting and this fun little page from Pantone introduces color as an object we can use.

The most interesting thing to me is that they, Pantone, keep positioning themselves not as an 'ink' company, but a design partner focused on knowing everything about color. They are marketing the knowledge and aesthetic first and the ink secondarily.

Become a leader in your industry, a guru, an expert, a partner or peer, and you can also become a powerful distributer. Knowledge and position can power-lead the way to sales of goods and services

::: COLORSTROLOGY :::

I just can't help it...

... Mount St. Helens fascinates the hell out of me. Wonderful pics at this photoblog as well.

euphorochrome - 03.08.05 - guest: st. helens blows: "Well, after many months of nothing since Mt. St. Helens reawoke, we finally got a pretty nice blow today around 5:15pm. I rushed home but was too late to get photos. Thankfully, Paul was diligent and got a few nice ones from the roof."

I just can't help it...

...Mount St. Helens fascinates me. I like toy dinosaurs and electric trains... but thats another topic. Wonderful images here.

euphorochrome - 03.08.05 - guest: st. helens blows: "Well, after many months of nothing since Mt. St. Helens reawoke, we finally got a pretty nice blow today around 5:15pm. I rushed home but was too late to get photos. Thankfully, Paul was diligent and got a few nice ones from the roof."

Come on...get involved

An Online magazine for / about photoblogs.

Matt (Eggplant) has put together a strong first edition. Quoting Photoblogs.org...

Matt showcases the work and writing of photobloggers who work within a theme, giving these very deserving individuals a chance to talk about their photography and philosophies in depth. Check out the first edition of the magazine which showcases...

Go see the magazine. Go now.

Photoblogs Magazine Home

Mac Folks - Bookmark this page!

Trouble shoot your mac before the trouble shoots you. (Hat Tip: Mike Maersch)

Macworld: Feature: Prevent Mac Disasters, Page 1: "The mixed-up menus. The sudden crashes. The ever-spinning beach ball. They�re all signs that your Mac is headed for trouble�maybe big trouble� if you don�t do something soon."

Andrew isn't Impressed by the iPod

I must admit to have resisted the iPod craze. I really don't know why. I don't fear them, nor do I have anything against them. I guess I have never fallen in love with closing out the world with headphones. I love hearing the world, even traffic has its own rhythms and such. Music in the background (on the radio etc...) just adds another layer. Just me - not a rant at all.

Andrew Sullivan makes some points here that are worth reading and thinking about.

Comment: Andrew Sullivan: Society is dead, we have retreated into the iWorld - Comment - Times Online: "Yes, I might as well own up. I�m one of them. I witnessed the glazed New York looks through my own glazed pupils, my white wires peeping out of my ears. I joined the cult a few years ago: the sect of the little white box worshippers."

Jef Raskin Dies. RIP "Father of the Mac"

I love my G5. Thank you Mr. Raskin.

News: 'Father of the Mac' Jef Raskin Dies: "Jef Raskin, the man who pioneered the original Macintosh computer project, died at the age of 61 on Saturday night from pancreatic cancer. Jef created the Macintosh computer as employee number 31 at Apple in the early 1980s, revolutionizing computer interface design. Jef invented 'click and drag' and many other methods now taken for granted by computer users. He named the Macintosh project after his favorite variety of apple, the McIntosh, modifying the spelling for copyright purposes."

Old Hollywood Glamour - and a great slide show

Virginia Postrel, one of my faves, has written a great article on the images of George Hurrel. Over at Slate.

Old Hollywood Glamour - And the man who invented it. By Virginia�Postrel: "Old Hollywood Glamour
And the man who invented it.
By Virginia Postrel"

Veddy Eeenteresting... and affordable...

This looks like a great little addition to any digital lens group. Very sharp and clean (I've seen shots)... and for only $235....??? Gotta have one of these.

Peleng 8mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens: "The Peleng Fisheye lens is a must when taking pictures with a large field of view, such as architecture, landscape, and group scenes. You can use this lens for shooting color, black-and-white, and infrared films. It provides meter coupling to your camera�s exposure meter, so you maintain through-the-lens metering. The Peleng 8mm lens is a precision optical piece derived from the Russian defense and space technologies. "

Doing it Another Way....

Reading at Seth's blog about how real estate commissions have soared, not because the realtors have learned to work harder, but by the simple escalation of home prices. (Seth's Blog)

Photographers have seen a stagnation in fees in many areas. Maybe it is because the pricing model we use is a standard 'last century' model? What if we charged by the hour with a base 'aesthetic' fee? What if a photographer requested a percentage of the increase in revenue to the client that his picture was able to help create? What if a photographer, upon hearing the job requirements, replied that she would take a small commission up front with an escalating commission quarterly so as to spread the payments out over an extended time? Lots of 'what-ifs'.

But I can tell you that if you are doing the same amount of work and getting paid less - or even substantially more - it bears some examination and planning.

I don't think consumers will continue to see flat 6-7% commissions for real-estate agents as the houses in Phx double or triple in price over the next 5-8 years. There will be real estate agents that will exploit the disparity and do very well in the process.

Photographers learning a thing or two from Real Estate agents? Who woulda thunk it?

NYPL Digital Gallery Launches OnLine Access

A huge collection of images, paintings. drawings and more for those who want to peruse historical grahics without the annoying 4 hour flight and two hour taxi ride into NYC... Seriously, it is a fantastic collection of work that you will find captivating. Make sure you have enough time when you click.

NYPL Digital Gallery: "NYPL Digital Gallery provides access to over 275,000 images digitized from primary sources and printed rarities in the collections of The New York Public Library, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints and photographs, illustrated books, printed ephemera, and more."

Well, I did get a chance to work with Ray at Body Zone on a catalog. These are the models, Tanya and Summer. Fun? You betcha! 

I really enjoyed speaking at the ASMP Arizona Chapter

Some email excerpts from attendees.

"Don's ideas always make me just a little angry, a little depressed but always very excited. All those thoughts going around and around.... makes my head hurt."

"As usual, your presentation at the ASMP stock panel stimulated a lot of
thought. Now I want to get started on some of those ideas."

"We enjoyed the dialog very much at the meeting last night."

"I enjoyed your presentation last night!"

It is my intense love of the still image and the incredible talents that create them that keeps me looking for new ways to help them succeed. Sometimes doing it the same old way isn't productive. Sometimes you have to approach it from the other direction. Instead of treating the images as precious icons, try putting some together to give away.

Fighting the hard fight against the tide sometimes becomes more productive if you turn in the direction of the tide and ride it a bit to get an idea of where it is heading.

My ideas for stock shooters is to:

• Give some images away. And make a big deal of it! (keyword: some - not all)
  
• Join some of the stock sites like iStock Photo where the cost of images is absurdly low, but the exposure is incredibly high.
  
• Shoot things that aren't in your main interest area. You can bring lots of great eyes to something that may not be seen by someone who is close to it.
  
• Buy a Point-n-Shoot Camera (6-8MMP) that you can use to make grab shots and use those shots to make some buzz.
  
• Create a Photoblog. Tell everyone about it. Keep it up. Have fun.
  

I believe that these few items can turn the tide with the photographer and new clients and opportunties will present themselves.

Thanks again AZASMP for a chance to be provocative.

Now that's Brand Loyalty

The poor guy needs to realize that the love of some things will drive victims to protect their posessions with vengeance!

Wouldn't it be nice to instill this type of love of product (or at least the perceived value of the item) in all our products and service.

Yahoo! News - Japanese woman tackles burglar to save designer wallet: "TOKYO (AFP) - A drunken Japanese burglar became a cropper when he tried to steal a young woman's designer wallet.

Are you a Cog or ?...

Please read this very well thought out explanation of why you should innovate instead of stagnate.

Seth's Blog: "The end result is that it's essentially impossible to become successful or well off doing a job that is described and measured by someone else."

Overstock.com Ad Increases Recognition with Simple Technique...

Sultry spokesperson, clever word play, subtle interest... Great Ad. Cause it works. Read the article for stats on how high the recognition level of Overstock.com has increased.

What's With That Overstock.com Ad? - So low-budget it's - mesmerizing. By Seth Stevenson: "3) It's all about the music. This simply can't be the theme song for a retail store. Where's the up-tempo power-pop? The jangling Stratocasters? The pounding beat? This piece sounds more like an elegy for a long-departed lover. "