lbōbi : the Little Blog of Big Ideas

Ask lbobi Tuesday: After session, when to show images on social media...

2010-09-07T18:52:34Z

Editors Note: Every Tuesday I will make a post of general questions we get from time to time. Here is a good example. Jeff

lbobi,

This may seem like a stupid question, but its one of those technical questions that photographers seem to just "get" and no one tells you, so forgive me if this is an obvious one....This is a question for everyone/anyone- I was wondering when do you post some edited photos after a session onto your facebook profile, tagging the client?

After you do a photo session, you have to edit the photos, have the Ordering Session, actually give the order to the client, and you want to also post those photos onto Facebook or your blog....So which comes before the other? It seems posting a few edited images on Facebook and tagging the client would generate more responses and excitement, but then again the client may not appreciate that their photos were posted on the internet before they actually received their order. However waiting to post the photos until after you edit all the photos and deliver them to the client could take months! What do the other photographers out there do?

keylitestudio

Does Social Media Make Us More Connected... or More Narcissistic?

2010-09-04T16:32:20Z

Today I was on Facebook (how apropos for this entry), where a friend linked out to this CNN article, Facebook feeds narcissism, survey says

It's pretty much a study about how "Generation Me," as sociologists are calling it, have become increasingly self-promotional and narcissistic in their social media behavior. The sheer fact that today's youth has "social media behavior" is something I'm sure not all of us can relate to when we look back fondly on our childhood. This generation is the first to be born with social media already being a central part of their lives. It's not emerging or on the fringes, for only geeks to spend time with. No, it's completely and utterly mainstream. It's the fabric to many of our lives. My 16 year old cousin, for instance, got an iPhone before I did and checks it constantly. She also recounts nearly every story about a crush or a tiff with a friend by stating "Well, first (s)he posted this thing on Facebook that..." It's strange that as technology advances, the rate at which it accelerates and changes picks up speed as well.

The technological changes that happened in my youth (which mind you, weren't THAT long ago), happened every so often and were noticeable. Now things change with the launch of a product. May it be the MySpace ---> Facebook switch, or the abandonment of CD collections in lieu of iTunes purchases, today's world is changing as quickly as our DSL connection allows it to. Which brings me back to the CNN article. A very compelling quote in the article stated that: "For the average narcissist, Facebook 'offers a gateway for hundreds of shallow relationships & emotionally detached communication... People who scored higher on the study's narcissism test also spent more time on Facebook and checked it more times each day than their less narcissistic counterparts."

This kind of leads me to beg the question: what purpose does social media truly serve? I think it's a great way to stay connected, but it also seems like a great way for people to stay connected to an inflated sense of self-importance (without ever having done anything worthy of that... except maybe updating their Facebook status). Social media is like an amplifier that takes your thoughts and puts it out there for as many people who are willing to friend/follow you to see. With the central emphasis on social media being YOU, I can't help but wonder if it makes US fixate on our own lives more than the world that is going on around us. It also makes me question what this will lead for us as individuals. I would be lying if I stated that when I update my Facebook status I wonder if it'll go ignored in the world of saturated newsfeed nonsense or get "liked" and commented upon.

So, similar to how TV sculpted the personality and habits of the children who were first born into having such a technology in their homes, I often wonder what the internet will bring for the generation that is younger than me. Will they use the internet to peak their curiosity on life's most interesting mysteries, questions and events, or will they use it to let the world know they just ate a sandwich?

Becky

The Messy vs. Tidy Debate - The Virtual Desktop

2010-09-01T23:22:42Z

I am listening to lbobi radio (Well done guys!) - and Brian is suggesting we share our virtual workspace - if you shared your physical one. An interesting discussion on whether they are both clean, both messy or one is the opposite.

I fall in the tidy desktop camp, my physical office gets cleaned out once a week and a quick pick up at the end of the day. My virtual workspace.. Mmmm.. not so much.

My virtual desktop is a nightmare. I tend to save to desktop when working.. opps. So masses of files get there quickly. When it gets too full I make a sub folder called ..'stuff' and start shoving older files in it. Then it become 'stuff stuff' etc.. You can see how messy this gets quickly. Every now and again I have to sort through and clean out but it certainly doesn't happen weekly..

Having said that though, I have a very strict filing and back up system. Back up. Back up. Back up. I laughed at Jeff's comment about the truck coming to pick up copies. I literally place back ups in a bank vault. We bought a case and store hard drives there. If only a truck would come and pick up the drives!

So here is my desktop this morning... what does yours look like?

Your Mayor: Jeff Rodgers
Lanne, thanks for getting this started. My desktop has gotten progressively worse over the last couple of months. Seems to me since we did the PPA tour I am behind in organizing. I just need to take the time and fix it.

To see your buddies Virual Desktops click here:

]]> I keep it very tidy and I make sure to go through it all the time. All my downloaded files go into the Download folder (that's the default location) so it keeps it fairly tidy. If I do a screen shot, I will throw it in the Download folder. There are a ton of subfolders within Picture Time and Photography Business so it's easy access for me.

Architect Todd Steele
Yes, I use a PC. Go ahead and laugh. Ok, now that that's out of your system I'll continue. I keep my desktop clean, clean, clean. It's usually white or black with just the few program icons and project folders I routinely use. Sometimes I'll add a wallpaper (background), but it's got to be something special and usually runs parallel with the phase of life I'm in. Being a man, that changes frequently. But mostly, it's just a field of white space.

Mentorship

2010-08-31T01:24:13Z

Hey Lbobi!

I'm writing this to try and get my second lbobi podcast shout out.

Just kidding.

Maybe.

But on that note, Jeff, loved the "somewhere in Arkansas." I agree, Arkadelphia isn't the easiest to remember for those who have never been here!

So here's the situation, and I'd like some feedback. None of this, "yea, let's read the post and not say anything back." I dont care if you think your response is going to be used, it'll be valued, and that should be enough to motivate you to type something back.

I'm going to be skipping some details, because I dont know what I'm legally allowed to say, and what is best left unsaid, legal or not. Long story short, through my "day job" in youth ministry, I've been asked to help mentor a student. He's a 17 year old senior in a college prep high school in my area without a father figure or any respect for authorities or boundaries. One school administrator has given him the ultimatum, "One more screw up and you're gone."

However, he has shown an interest in photography, and the administrator is hoping to use that as a means to give him some positive feedback, an outlet, and a bit of mentorship. Skipping more details, I was asked to be the guy.

I've looked for a way to combine my passion for photography and my calling to ministry for a long time now (let's leave religious debate out, just take it for what it is if you don't agree. no harm, no foul). I definitely see this as a great way to use my photography to give back. Here's the question. I dont know what to do. I have 45 minutes with this kid each week for at least a semester. I can't take him off campus, obviously. I've never taken a single photography class, and I've never had a photographer mentor, so I feel like the blind leading the blind.

So far, I've given us a goal to take a picture a day and we're going to talk about them next week, but that's all i've got. And even if that was enough for the "photography side," whether the student realizes it or not, that's not the end game, just the means.

SO, you're in my situation, what do you do?

And for those of you waiting on it, here's my traditional video inclusion.

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Google + Arcade Fire + HTML5 = Awesomesauce

2010-08-30T18:38:16Z

Google, Chris Milk and Arcade Fire have collaborated to create a gorgeous, interactive film that features your own home or any place you like. You're asked to enter the address of where you grew up, but any address will do. We entered the studio address. Basically, Google will then grab satellite images and Street View images from the area surrounding this address and implement them seamlessly into the film. All this happens while Arcade Fire pumps happiness through your earholes and directly into your soul.

To view this experience, you need to download Google Chrome if you don't have it already. I personally use it every day as my main browser. Once you have Chrome open, simply go to this address:

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

The film will open multiple windows, so don't freak out and start trying to close pop-ups. It's supposed to happen.

Here are some quick screenshots of "The Wilderness Downtown". Notice the beautiful "lbobi" text that we hand drew with the mouse during the video. :)

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

lbōbi radio: Episode #2 of the little blog of big ideas podcast.

2010-08-30T17:50:15Z

Episode #2 is in the can. See? Now that I am making a radio show I can say cool things like "In the can". This episode covers listener feedback and my post on Messy vs. Tidy work desks.

It was fun recording this weeks episode. I was more relaxed this time around and SLIGHTLY less non linear. I don't think I will ever be a straight to the point kind of guy but that is what's great about have Brian as the co host, he is focused like a laser on creating solid gold ear candy for you.

As we mentioned in the episode, I would love to hear back from you guys about what your virtual desktop space is like. I am much more meticulous about my computers desktop than my real desktop. Also, I want to hear your suggestions on how you are keeping track of personal images you shoot. If you are anything like me you shoot a lot and just dump them in iPhoto.

THANK YOU for listening,
Mayor Jeff

music by: Jeremy Horn

Art + LEDs = Fun

2010-08-30T17:22:40Z

Court Ave Pedestrian Bridge in Memphis, Tennessee from Aaron Siegel on Vimeo.

A new Pedestrian Bridge connects the new University of Memphis Law School in downtown Memphis with Confederate Park. The Urban Art Commission selected an artist, Electroland out of Los Angeles, to light the bridge with programmable LED lights. They perform random patterns but also interact with pedestrians as they walk across the bridge. Enoy.

Love, Todd

How far should the "the customer is always right" go?

2010-08-23T16:56:18Z

Problem without a solution.

I am stuck here, at my desk, pondering whether or not to throw my hands in the air and say, "you're the customer/client, I will do whatever it takes to make you happy". Here is the deal, a beautiful family session, white dresses, bare feet, green grass and beautiful images... oops: mom doesn't like the face of one of the children in the awesome pose. She likes the other faces, but not this particular one. "So, can we do a head swap? Because I LOVE everything about this image except this face." I say, "of course". I explain what a head swap is and that I will not be doing it myself, it will be outsourced, etc... and sometimes it can look a little weird because it's a head swap, not the actual face in the original image. She's okay with this.

I outsource, using my awesome printing company, for the head swap. It comes back, only as a "face swap". The mom is not happy now. She notices the bow is the same in the "I don't like the face in this picture" image. So, I resend it {and ask if there was a head swap or face swap}. They claim they did the entire head. I order another image anyway, to make mom happy and I double check to make sure they do the entire head. They did the entire head and it's great. We get the new, beautiful image in, on canvas, and I think it looks fabulous!

I drop the image off to the mom and she sees it, doesn't say anything and then calls after she gets home. "They did NOT swap the entire head. The forehead looks too big, the bow is different but the hair still looks the same!" *Sigh* {head falling down} = me. I offered a reshoot- at no cost. She doesn't want that {she wants *them* to do the job they're supposed to do - photoshop the entire head}. I called to triple check that there was a head swap {there was and I trust what they're saying}. I want my clients to be 150% happy with what they purchase. My business is about customer service and giving the clients an experience they will never forget. Now what? When do you say, "it's either we re-shoot or you have to keep the canvas as is". It could mean an angry client but I will not be out hundreds of dollars... again.

At what point is the customer cut-off and told, this is the way it is, take it or leave it? At what point are WE right and they're wrong? Oy.

Much love, A.

The Messy vs. Tidy debate or Great minds think alike.

2010-08-20T19:00:00Z

What does you desk top look like?

I would like to say mine is all tidy and uncluttered but that couldn't be further from reality. It is messy. It's always messy. I have had some very buttoned up types lately, tell me I need to change my ways. This got me thinking about messy versus tidy. I found some interesting articles and a LOT of books about it. Obviously there is a much wider debate here than I have bothered paying attention to.

There are several studies that show the messy deskers are more educated, have a higher salary and are more creative than their tidy counterparts. Of course there are studies that show the opposite to be true but I like the first one better.

Here is a picture of my desk as it looks right now. This is the typical state of my desk, sometimes worse, and sometimes better. By the way I shot this with my iPhone 4 using the Pro HDR app.

Here is the most famous messy desk of all time, Albert Einsteins. I like his quote, "If a cluttered desk signs a cluttered mind, Of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?".

Here are a couple other famous messy deskers, you might have heard of them.

Sigmund Freud
Abraham Lincoln
Alexander Fleming: Discovered Penicillin while straightening up his messy desk.

Mayor Einstein

email me a pic of your desk and I will add it to this post. wow (at) lbobi.com

Click here to see your fellow lbobians' desks:

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Photographer, Breanna Powers

Photographer, Matthew Vanecek:
Based on my astrological sign, I'm predisposed to function best in neat,
organized workspaces. Conversely, I am NOT predisposed to actually
*create* a neat, organized workspace. It's a constant struggle, with lots
of ups and downs. But I do really prefer an organized area--it helps me
function better and find the things I need quicker with less frustration.

Photographer, Jeremy Murdock:
I am the messy creative in my office and get made fun of all the time.

Photographer: Phil Holden
I make myself be tidy, otherwise it gets out of control, plus with a small workspace I don't have much choice.

Photographer: Clark Sanders
If my desk was larger...it would probably definitely be a lot messier! I do, however, have my Yoda bobble-head watching over so the "darkside" of the force doesn't rear it's ugly head!

Photographer, Missy Bachmeier:
I wonder which one mine is...

Photographer, Jenifer Rodgers:
Ok....I'm kinda super ashamed to send this in, but I am trying to be more accepting of myself and just own who I am instead of always trying to be someone else. lol

So....here is a shot of my organized chaos (because I know pretty much where everything is....lol)

Architect: : Todd Steele
"My desk is a door, held together with plywood and a wall cleat. It has all the essentials: Computer (because who draws by hand anymore?), rolls of drawings, a big, black hard hat, a cool task light that I never turn on until daylight savings falls back (or forward, I forget which), a steel book, a dictionary and product manuals, a glass of water and a fan, because I like my work space extra cool. It's also sprinkled with photographs by the coolest photographer I know, Mrs. Jeff Rodgers."

Photographer: : Lanne Beattie

I try to keep what lives on my desk fun but practical (except for one photo). Everything I do keep lives at the back so I have a larger work surface at the front.
I keep everything else in storage systems to my left and ongoing projects in a organizer to my right.

DC comics artist: : Mike Norton

Lots of coffee...

Mr Quickeys & Photographer: Dave Cheung

Photographer & Wonder Twin: Joy Bianchi Brown

Photographer: Amelia Lyon

NOT a Photographer & SPA founder: Andy Bondurant

Photographer: Annabella Brandon

Mammoth Man & Photographer: Matt Sloan

Photographer & King of Cool: Sean McLellan

THE Geek Lair.

Publisher|Editor-in-Chief of Southern Weddings® Magazine: Lara Casey
This is how it is 90% of the time... Two Mac's, two pairs of glasses, lots of mail, disks, and currently a copy of "Butter My Butt and Call Me a Biscuit". It's magazine prep time, so I'm getting my Southern on. And I pretty much always have a candle lit on my desk. I have to keep things pretty clean with all I have going on. My car is a completely different story.
Do NOT do a post on people's cars.

Photographer: Tina Wilson
My desk feels messier than it looks.

Oni Press (home of Scott Pilgrim), Associate Editor & Photographer: Charlie Chu

Photographer & the genius behind Joy of Marketing: Sarah Petty

Mad genius at Animoto Productions: Rebecca Brooks
Mine's not nearly as messy as some of the others...

Marvel Comics Colorist & Married to Mitch: Bettie Breitweiser
My desk is like a game of Clue. Special guest: Mr. Hamley

Marvel Comics Artist & Married to Bettie: Mitch Breitweiser
Semi-tidy workstation.

Photographer: Savannah Kenney

I keep my desk pretty clean. Clutter drives me nuts. I actually built my desk because I couldn't find one that fit my office just right. Amydog likes to reside under my desk.

Creator of ShakeitPhoto & CrossProcess, Motion Designer, Photographer, My hero: Nick Campbell
I like to try and keep my desk clear. It eases my mind. I freak out some days and push everything that doesn't belong off my desk. Then, I go though the crap on the floor late.

Mr. WHCC & one of the nicest guys I know: Mike Hanline
Here it is fresh upon returning from out of town.

Alternate Mike Hanline desk image... "Jeff takes over and signs Jeff a check".

Photographer & Lover of Espresso: Jeff Woods
Here is my desk at 2pm and 4 Espressos later.

Captain of Industry & Photographer: Laura Novak

Direct descendant of The Lone Ranger & Photographer: Farrah Braniff

Photographer: Joseph Chiocchi

Photographer: Jeff Sharon

Photographer: Meghan Feyerabend

Photographer: Jonathan Blocker

Photographer: Josh Malahy

Photographer & SPA founder: Kia Bondurant
On one side, I do all my blogging, advertising design, the studio books and email answering on my non-shooting days. I also have our 2 year old who pulled up a chair and brought his blankets over to be comfortable and keep me company while I work. By the way, this is very, very tidy for me.

The back side of my desk is the kitchen area where I've been working on canning tomatoes and wild plum jelly - my first jelly over. When I saw your post and considered photographing my desk, I realized it wouldn't be complete with only 1 image.

Graphic Designer: Josh Steffey
Desk: Looks a little like Europe after WWII. And this is relatively clean! Yes it's so bad I had to give you 2 photos to see how it's making it's way to another (empty) workspace. I think it's a sure sign you're busy and really nothing to do with your organizational skills. My home workspace is no where near as bad. In fact at home you can see most of the desktop.

The Polaroid Land Camera adventure.

2010-08-18T19:50:27Z

A couple of weeks ago I got a crazy idea. Why not see if any of the old Polaroid Land Cameras we have still work. Easier said than done.

At the studio we have four that showed promise. I selected the one that looked least damaged and started to clean it up. The bad thing was the battery. It had completely corroded over so I used the old Coke trick and cleaned off the battery acid. The battery was an odd shaped thing and after a quick visit to Radio Shack they told me I could order it at radioshack.com. You will have to look in your camera compartment for the exact size you need.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2715649

The film came from Adorama.

On to the pics. I don't know why I think they are so cool but I do. Maybe it's the analog processing. The archaic focus and simple click. Pulling the film out and waiting for it to develop. Then the big peeling back to reveal what you shot. It's far removed from taking a quick pic with my iPhone. The image is usually too dark and most times (due to my lack of skills) slightly soft. The image has this roughness and old feel to them that I love. My favorite photo apps for my iPhone mimics this look. Shakeitphoto

The color is shot on the FP-100 and the BW with the FP-3000.

Mayor Jeff

Question from a lbobian: Should I advertise in the The Knot?

2010-08-18T14:50:02Z

I'm thinking about advertising on The Knot. It's expensive for us. The goal would be to raise our percieved value and attract client having destination weddings in our area. Do you advertise on The Knot? Has anyone seen a great benefit for the cost?

lbōbi radio: the official podcast of the little blog of big ideas. Ep #1

2010-08-16T17:11:44Z

I am very proud to announce the very first episode of lbōbi radio: the official podcast of the little blog of big ideas.

Allison and I have been talking about creating a podcast for more than two years now but I could never nail down the proper format and structure for the show. Ever since we launched lbobi in January I knew that a podcast built around the blog would be a perfect format. This past weekend I recorded this episode with my good friend Brian LeTendre. He has been doing his own podcast for almost 4 years now and it's his expertise that has enabled me to launch this.

This episode deals mainly with two points. The first point is a brief history of lbobi and the second is what I want the podcast and blog to grow into. It stems from the recent State of the Union post I made on lbobi.

On each lbobi radio episode we will talk about the best posts and comments of the last two weeks. We will also be interviewing people from different creative fields. I want to find out what their creative process is for what they do. Architects, Painters, Novelists, Art Directors, Film Directors etc, they all have something to share that can help everyone else. Allison will occasionally grace the show with her wit and charm but for the most part it will be Brian and I.

I hope you enjoy it.

Leave comments and be kind, it's my first attempt.

Mayor Jeff

Proclamation of a Pseudo-Professional

2010-08-11T04:45:46Z

Proclamation, defined as, "a public and official announcement." Deep, isn't it? This post has been stewing for weeks, whether I knew it or not.

As always, there's no order or structure to my post, but rather an outflow of thoughts that have been shooting around in my brain for a while and just need a place to go. I'd rather my clients not see this, so to lbobi I ran.

DISCLAIMER: I do want you to know, before reading this, I am insanely passionate about what I do. I don't put myself out there as something I'm not, and I don't wish I didn't do this job. I absolutely love it and I'm always honored and humbled every time someone compliments me, and even more so when I get hired. This is not a "I hate myself" or even, despite what it sounds like, a "I suck" post. I love photography. I LOVE weddings. I'm just in a rut, and needed to vent.

Sometimes, and by sometimes (lately) I mean often, I have the hardest time considering myself - and even more so, my work - professional. There it is. It's on the internet. No matter how much I try and eat my words, it is out there. Whether or not the mayor of lbobi deletes the post or keeps it, its shadow lives on forever. I am not confident in my work. I didn't even realize this until last weekend when I literally said to myself, "Oh man, her cousin has a 5D Mk II and a 27-70 f/2.8L?!? I hope he doesnt' get better shots than I do. Wouldn't that be awkward?!" Sometimes, I count my work only as pseudo-professional.

Let's rewind.

About a year and a half, two years ago, I started taking portraits. I loved it. I knew I wasn't good (please don't take the time to double check my initial skill level, it'll turn your stomach over how bad it was), but I enjoyed it. Over time, I started taking more and more pictures, people started to pay me, and then it happened. A friend in distress asked me to shoot their wedding, they were in a bind. I spent literally a week debating, and finally said yes.

I'm SO glad I did. It's opened the door to a profession I love and am very passionate about. As I started getting more and more into photography, I realized more and more that I was clueless, and wanted to learn from the best. SO, to the blog-stalking addiction I went. I found photographers that inspired me with their work, their emotion, their depth, and their talent. I used this inspiration not to mimmick, but to try and learn.

Fast foward back to around this very moment. I've been shooting all summer and loving every (not every) minute of it. Ok, another confession: headshots suck. I hate doing them. anyways....

I have surrounded myself with some of the best photographers in different ways. Some of which are photographers in my area (Central Arkansas) which I have had an AWESOME time learning from and becoming friends with. Other photographers of higher fame I would consider friends in the business, like Jeff and Allison. Though the feelings may not be mutual, haha! I wouldn't put them down as a reference, but if someone asked if I knew them, I'd refer to them as some of my photographer friends. Other shooters I play words with friends with (which, by the way, I've just about had my yearly quota of that game), like the Sloans, and blog-stalk them as well. Finally, I also blog stalk other, in my opinion, modern day greats, such as Tony Hoffer, Chenin Boutwell, Sean Flannigan, etc, etc, etc.

The point of all of that is I am constantly looking at, dissecting, and being moved by the works of literally the nation, and arguably the globe's best photographers. Then...I go to do touch ups on mine. It's the most discouraging thing. I'm constantly forcing myself to charge a decent rate, but sometimes it's hard. It's hard to charge for something I'm not proud of, greatly because of my knack for comparing myself to and expecting myself to produce perfection. Because of that, I could very easily be one of those photographers who have blog posts titles "QUIT DOING CHEAPO WEDDINGS YOUR KILLING OUR INDUSTRY" titled for.

And it'd be really easy to say, "Well, maybe wedding photography isn't your thing." It is. I love it. EVERY wedding I've ever shot, been in, seen, or saw pictures of, when I see the look of the mother of the bride and mother of the groom as they leave the venue, I get choked up. I love every part of the process, from client meeting to album design and everything else in between. It's not that I hate my job by ANY stretch of the imagination. I'm just in a rut I guess you could say. Maybe I need to realize that not everyone is going to be the nation's top 10 photographers, even though I want to do photography with excellence. Being hyper-self-critical and a perfectionist isn't easy.

Pity party is now over.

If you've been here before, where you look at your work and dont know what it is about it, but you just dont impress yourself, I'd love to know your story.

If you're here now, know you're not alone.

If I am alone, that's fine. I'm not looking for hand outs, i'm not looking for compliments. I just needed an outlet.

Thanks for reading. I'm off to clean my lenses, I'm shooting an old friends wedding this weekend near Memphis. I'm super excited about it! Just hoping to shed the secret, self-inflicted "pseudo" soon.

Social Media

2010-08-05T14:00:00Z

Well, lbobians, it's been a while. I'm back, and with more than just a video to take up your time. That's not to say I'm not writing this with WEEKS worth of work on my desk from photography, school, and my "real job." So anyway, I just wanted to get some feedback on something I've been thinking about for a while.....

First off, it seems these days everyone is claiming to be a social media guru. I am not. I don't even know what a Digg means. I used to have that "Sexy Bookmarks" plug in, but then when I opened up the preferences on my Wordpress blog, I had a conniption and didn't know what any of it was, so I deleted it.

I've heard a lot of people lately saying, "I'm just ready for something that will integrate ALL of the social media options into one easy to use thing. So I can just do that instead of Twitter, tumblr, Facebook, flickr, LinkedIn, etc. Because right now, I'm just so tired of using all of that!" While I can understand what they're getting at, here's my hesitation about all of that:

Why would you want to combine all of those? Those are separate outlets of the same species. Variety is what breeds originality, if you will. That's like saying, "I just can't wait till ESPN, Nickelodeon, ABC, FOX, and Discovery Channel all make one mega channel. It's just too much of a hassle to push that stupid button to go from SportsCenter to Shark Week." Each one of those channels is a means of viewing/advertising, but that doesn't mean they negate the need for each other.

I use my Facebook personal profile to connect with friends from school, students in my ministry, clients I've connected with, and family from all over.

I use my Twitter account as an outlet to hopefully bring some humor to people, as well as interact with photographers that inspire me, challenge me, and sometimes make me feel inept by the work they produce.

I use my Facebook Photo fan page to advertise different blog posts I have, and also just have a way of letting my clients give easy references and referrals to me. As the adage goes, "It's not true until its Facebook Official." Sure, that's used in teenage language mainly to refer to relationships, but it's becoming more and more true about other things. If it's not on Facebook, it doesn't exist. I want my art and work to exist.

I have my wordpress blog to post work to show off for clients. They can send the link to their friends and family to show the work, and it gets me business. That's not news.

I use my Tumblr page for not much, to be honest. I just opened it. Sometimes I have these thoughts that I know aren't appropriate for my blog. Not that they're dirty, they just aren't relevant. Usually, things like that go to tweets, but often times 140 characters wont cut it. So I got that. Right now, I think there may be only two posts. I plan on using it as something just to have. If no one ever sees it, fine by me. Almost like a journal......because I'm a dude, and dudes dont have diaries.

All that to say, I'd lose my mind if I rolled all of that into one. Each one, though social media, has a distinct and separate purpose and role. Am I crazy for thinking making it into one is counter productive? Sure, things like the Flipboard app are great, but having that doesn't make it in to one social media outlet, and it doesn't mean I don't check Facebook or log in to TweetDeck.

Sometimes I'll put something on facebook and later tweet about it, sure. People may get annoyed by my tweets, but they don't have to follow me. My business, my self esteem, and my success don't depend on the number of followers, friends, or stalkers I have. And to those who say they get tired of updating all of their social media accounts....stop? You don't have to if you don't want to. Put your big boy or big girl pants on, and if you don't want to do something, don't.

So...rant/outpouring of my soul is done. What are your thoughts? Do you WANT to see a mega-social media combination? Am I way off course here?

Oh....and since a post of mine wouldn't be complete without a video or two...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxGuig7pxvw

Or for the more musical among us...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw

Secrets of Photography Business for Newbies

2010-08-04T14:49:25Z

Well, not new to photography. I was on yearbook staff in Junior High in the 80s, and during a stint in the Navy and truck driving, was very avid with my picture-taking. Most of those images are gone, now, unfortunately--ah, the brashness and carelessness of youth! :( During college in my latter years, and after, I was the de facto photographer for family events (thankfully my mother-in-law is retired and now does that to fill her time... ;) ). So, I know a little about photography in general, and am learning more every day these days.

What I'm trying to do is migrate a part-time videography business (very part-time--I think I've actually paid for one of my video cameras by now...) into a full time media production establishment. I love photography; my video work was mostly in support of dance events my wife was in. Business blossomed a bit, because I'm super-anal about quality, but it's just not as fun as taking pictures.

Looking around, there's a BUNCH of information on the Web and in books about getting a business going. I attended Allison's and Jeff's presentation on the PPA tour. There's Skip Cohen and Scott Bourne doing GoingPro 2010. Scott Kelby has invaluable resources. David duChemin is absolutely fantastic; I LOVE LOVE his work--both writing and imagery. So much information! How to take pictures; how to compose, how to color-correct, lots of information on customer service, accounting, making the sale. Very, very useful stuff!

What seems to be missing are the tiny little secrets. I'm a firm believer that attention to details is a key foundation trait for a successful business person and artist. I'm also extremely dedicated to preparation in advance (that drives my wife nuts sometimes!). Being able to effortlessly flow in the environment with confidence and skill truly demonstrates professionalism (when coupled with the customer service, etc.).

So what I'm missing are some of the small niggling details, that everybody assumes everybody knows, but that are surely nice to have spelled out. As a software developer by current trade, I truly understand the pitfalls in assuming that everybody knows the simple things (e.g., like, what a variable is. It blew my mind to learn some fellow old-time programmers didn't know that!). So the silly little simple things, like, when using seamless paper, do you tear it off and toss out the tear-off when done shooting, or roll it back up? When processing images, Allison says ARP take 2 to 3 minutes per portrait. So where do Topaz Adust, Color (and Silver) Effects Pro, et al, come into play? How do you decide which image gets the Technicolor treatment, and which gets the dramatic? 'cause y'all all know, it's certainly possible to spend hours perfecting one image! All these actions and presets--when during the busy workday do you just sit there and play around to create those? (like Allison is dragged home right at closing time for family time...my wife would likely do the same).

I can handle the big stuff--the networking, the marketing, the technical and artistic aspects of composition and shutter-pressing, of placing the flash or strobe at just this or that angle. It's the little tiny insignificant details that everybody "knows" tribally that I'm missing. And as long as I'm a 1-person show (with a wife, and occasionally a friend, to help once in a while), those details are my responsibility. But I'm not even sure what details I don't know. I guess today, I'd be happy with an answer on the seamless paper question. Seems kind of a waste to just tear it off and throw it out if it isn't dirty or torn...

Anyhow, I've thought about the angle of being a camera assistant or something, and do know a few photographers around. But I'm a full-time-plus exempt employee (which means, toss out the time card, because it ain't got enough space for all the hours!), and, well, my wife does deserve at least some of my attention! So, do people just wing it on the tiny things? I'd really love to learn from somebody else's mistakes (why make my own, when somebody else is already making the same ones I would!!). My problem is, I want to *know* everything NOW, but don't know what I don't know. And I have this obsessive need to be as prepared and competent as Matt-ly possible before I leap off that diving board into the pool.

These are things I think of on a daily basis, so I thought I'd vomit them on the lbobi blog. But you know, if somebody had sage words of wisdom, I really do like learning from others.

Have a great rest of the week!
Matt