helps

Great Photography Resources

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:53:31 +0100

There are so many questions to answer concerning photography. There are inspiring tutorials for the science minded photographer as well as the artistic muse. Check out this resource of 100 photography tutorials for an Alice in Wonderland sized rabbit hole. Enjoy!

Where to put Business Earnings

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:33:01 +0100

So, now that I've thought to post these ideas (instead of bury them in e-mail messages to myself) for business and life in general online, I'm on a roll.

What do I do with the money I make in the business? What's a good budget/breakdown Dave Ramsey style for proceeds from my work?

Here's the plan:
(By the way, sales minus cost of goods sold = gross profit)

retain 30% of gross profit - taxes
retain 20% of gross profit - retained earnings
retain 10% of gross profit - put into business for new equipment
leaving 40% for operations and personal salary

I think I'll have notes in my checkbook register to note the amount of savings for each category. I do think I'll move everything in the categories except the 40% out of checking and into savings.

How does Dave Ramsey actually tell companies to allocate profit so that they run smart and get out of debt? I've heard him chat with someone on a podcast about it. He broke it down as follows:

take your living wage out of the gross profit
divide the remaining net profit into two parts
80% of net profit goes to pay off debt
20% of net profit is retained earnings

How to Start a Book Business

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:42:48 +0100

I figure that it would be both helpful and motivational to write down my steps of discovery as I work on this book writing venture. I have done work for many clients to promote their services and products, but rarely have I promoted my own. I'm moving from the service business of web design, graphic design, content management, and photography for hire into the product business of creating a brand and promoting the purchase of those items that represent the brand.

First, I need to know how I'm going to "run" the business. I found a great article on "How to Register a Publishing Business" at eHow. From that information I determined to obtain the EIN for a DBA I currently maintain as well as a tax ID from the state. I also need to find out what kind of state business license is needed for a book publishing business.

The legal structure that I'll adopt as I get this thing off the ground will be a sole proprietorship and I can "upgrade" to a sub chapter S corporation later, if there are assets to protect or liabilities to further shelter myself from. I heard on a Dave Ramsey podcast that he began his business as a sole proprietorship and would recommend the sub chapter S corp as the business gains momentum. He also recommended liability insurance. So, I'll have to see what kind of liability book publishing could require.

I found a deep and thorough resource on Self Publishing at fonerbooks.com. From my reading there, I determined that it would be a good idea to get an ISBN number from Bowker. Fonerbooks priced a block of 10 numbers at $225, at the time the article was written. He also suggested that one obtain official copyright registration for the finished book from the US copyright office for about $30. Copyrighting a book sounds a lot like copyrighting photographs: send in identifying information and money, and receive peace of mind that you have "proof" in your back pocket should the need arise for it in court.

The writer at Fornerbooks also highlights that "If you want to go into business as a publisher, then you must obtain an ISBN block from Bowker ... then you have to design and layout your book, hire an editor, proofreaders etc. That's the easy part. The hard part of publishing is marketing your books ..." Which I take to heart. That's the exact reason I'm thinking about publishing a book, I have the tools to market it.

I also have quite a to do list to get the process started!

Foolproof Data Backup

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:38:46 +0100

Nerd alert! This tidbit is for the strong of heart folks who want to know THE way to backup data. Specifically, backing up their images. I know you've been dying to locate the best practices developed by the Library of Congress. Head over to dpBestflow and learn what true data security should look like.

Here's an dp Bestflow info graphic that begins the right backup thought processes:

Ready to jump in? I promise, knowing a good process and following it regularly lowers your anxiety levels! A good backup is like life insurance for your photo memories. Best wishes!

What's in an image?

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:36:14 +0100

The most important numbers in your photograph regarding image resolution are the pixel length dimensions. Does that sound like gibberish, or what?

Upload an image to picnik.com, it's a simplified online version of Photoshop, and click on the edit tab and then the resize button. You'll see the pixel dimensions of your photograph there.

The sensor in your camera has a pixel dimension. Every photograph your camera makes is this fixed dimension. Think of the grid as a line of single pixels along the bottom and the side of each digital file. Multiply the two dimensions and you'll have the surface area, or the megapixel measurement of your camera.

Marketers have latched onto "megapixels" as the definition of digital camera quality; unfortunately, it is not the actual value of a digital camera. Look into features that effect the shutter lag or the speed at which the camera can write to the card, instead. The lens quality has a huge effect on the clarity of a final image. Many of the first digital cameras had tiny sensors, and the images produced with them are equal in quality to the skill of the photographer who made them.

DPI (Dots Per Inch) is a subject for a much longer discussion. Don't pay attention to DPI as the guide for image quality, either.

I'll post later about the recommended dimensions required for different print sizes.

When will I see the photos?

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:53:05 +0100

We recently returned from a fun week on the beach. One afternoon, Grant and I photographed my sister and some of her girlfriends - super fun photographs! It was an exciting event and everyone was looking forward to the results.

My mom was a huge help throughout the session and couldn't wait to see the final images. Since we all stayed together, she asked me about the images when she thought about them.

It made me realize how "slow" the image processing work flow can feel. She was as enthused about the images as I was, and because she had to wait for the final online gallery, I could sympathize with her long wait. After all, we can see previews on the back of the camera the same second the photograph was made. What's the holdup? Why does working on images take so long?

Here's what the work flow looks like:

capturehttp://sitebuilder.yola.com/ide/index.jsp?siteid=8a4986c826a4e7be0126abc59a584707
upload to computer
catalog in Lightroom or Aperture or something similar
pick, reject, flag and make adjustments
export jpgs for upload to online gallery (I use SmugMug and love it - use qiVmKlMk6BjOz as a $5 coupon code)
export a smaller set of watermarked images to facebook and/or a blog and flickr
copy the whole folder (original photo files and catalog and newly created jpgs) to a second hard drive
reformat the CF and SD cards in camera
copy the whole folder to a third hard drive (this one I should move off site)

Whew! Poor Mom had to wait until step 5 to see any photos. It is a long wait.

Unfortunately, I think it's the only way I can make sure I don't lose the data right now!

Until the photograph files can be dependably wirelessly transmitted directly to an online gallery from the camera (check out a MiFi memory card if this sounds too good to be true), this is the way to get an archive and distribute the favorite images.

The tip for this little monologue: Stick to a consistent process until you see a need to adjust it. Then stick to the new and improved process. It helps you find photos months and years down the road.

The bonus tip for this monologue: Upload your photographs to your computer quickly after every photo session. It will help out your own memory, not just your memory cards.

Resources for using Lightroom

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:39:44 +0100

Do you need 21 Reasons to Use Lightroom? It's a good overview of the benefits of working with digital photographs in Adobe Lightroom.

Why do you need a software system to enjoy your photographs? Mostly because you want to have a life and keep photographing. Trust me, you want to choose between Aperture, Lightroom and the many other options. You want to keep up with the cataloging. You want to enjoy your photographs. And you want to make more photographs!

Check out 21 Reasons to Use Lightroom.

Good Advice in Fewer than 140 Characters

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:13:48 +0100

Read the non-sale related posts on the Twitter feed from White House Custom Color (#whccpro) to collect great tips on photographing smarter.

Tidbits can save you many missed opportunities. Here are a few examples:

Use your meter's spot focus option in backlit or difficult mixed lighting situations to read off the subject.
Writers get better by reading, photographers get better by looking at lots of photographs.
Lightroom running slow? Try replacing *or trashing* Lightroom prefs. Also try running w/ smaller catalogs.
Stuck in a rut? Find a theme. Colors, shapes, weather, transportation, water, rock, wood, etc.
Pano best practices. Use a tripod. Constant aperture & WB. Shoot overlapping shots by 20-30%, keep cam level

Check out the archive for past posts (hit the 'more' button), or if you're brave, search the hash tag photog (#photog) on twitter to generate a serious amount of reading material...

Great Tips for Improving Your Photography

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:06:40 +0100

Check out Scott Bourne's site Photofocus (specifically the tips) for great helps and insight. Take a tip for a test run every few photography excursions and watch your results improve!

Resources for Using Aperture

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:05:26 +0100

Check out apertureexpert.com for help and instruction on Apple's Aperture.