MARKETING: SEO is key

I'm sure ya'll have seen Sprint's tv ad that was shot at Wayfarer's Chapel. I love it! It makes me smile every time. As you all know, I am VERY new to the blogging world and have no idea what I'm doing, but I did tag my inaugural post with strategic keywords and managed to drop those words a couple times in the body of my post. I think the repetition of key phrases really helped me out. It took almost two weeks, but I am now pretty much above the fold (or usually on the first page) on google searches for anything such as "Sprint/Nextel wedding commercial," "Sprint stunt groom wedding," etc. And I'm getting random hits from all around the world. That's fun. I hope it translates into some work, though! :)

Do ya'll have any tips for SEO? I think I'm gonna do some more research, as this can be a powerful tool to generate new business.

my blog (still very much in development)
And here's the spot.

First Comes Love...

COMPETITIONS: A fun way to expand your market

Hey guys!

I randomly came across a couple photo competitions the other day (thanks, gmail advertisements!) I think entering contests would be fun and encourage us to highlight personal images we might otherwise overlook amidst the thousands of wedding files we're always sifting through. I might even start shooting and designing specifically for some contests just to expand my normal subject matter (I'm slightly competitive ... just ask my family). :)
And when we all win every competition we enter (of course!), the awards will not only make us feel good about ourselves but also serve as credibility and an avenue to reach new audiences.

Here are just a few I found:

• National Geographic
  
• Blurb
• Google
• Communication Arts

And since blog posts are more exciting with photos ... here ya go!

I borrowed a friend's 5D. These shots were with 2.8 28-75mm. Color adjustments in LR 1.3 - no PS.

Canon Firmware Update

You MkII boys will be quite pleased this June 2! Check this out.

and this.

INSPIRATION: the Fong Dong

So Gary has finally succumbed to the common labeling of his products:  

www.fongdong.com

the fine print: well, actually...it's just marketing at its best? sleaziest??? genius? haha

Sprouted Kitchen

Ok, so, Sara kills foods. She's got what some would call "skillz." We've just launched a blog called Sprouted Kitchen, and she's going to be using it as a platform to explode peoples taste buds while simultaneously shrinking their waist sizes. It's crzy. Srsly. And, it's been said that you eat with your eyes, so, since you all can't get any flavorz off your computer displays, you can feast your eyes on some images (see, this is click appropriate...). And maybe if we drop enough comment love on her blog she'll make us something bodacious for the next meeting. Here's a couple of my favs from this weeks recipe:

mini-Horse & His Boy

Some 90mm t/s shots I sniped at Mike's editorial shoot in Malibu Canyon last week.

INSPIRATION: Rodney Smith

this guy is pretty inspiring. mysterious. sophisticated. genius. check out his work.  maybe you've heard of him?  he's new to me.  read his bio below and check out his fine art wonderful work here at his website.

"Rodney Smith studied photography under Walker Evans at Yale. In 1975 he received a fellowship, which enabled him to live in Jerusalem for three months. The world he photographed while there resulted in the book “The Land of Light”, published by Houghton Mifflin. White sandwashed walls, lean-faced men with hupnotic eyes, glossy brown eyes women and children with brilliant smiles. This collection achieves an even more powerful effect today. After its publication Rodney Smith was asked to lecture at Columbia University, The University of Mexico, University of Madrid, Harvard University and Goethe University. Adding to his mystery, Rodney Smith declined all invitations, insted riding slow trains in India, bicycling through the Camarque, strolling the streets in Paris (where at a flea market he buys the Duke of Windsor’s Luggage tags). Eventually he returns to Yale to earn a degree in Divinity and become an adjunct professor. And finds time to photograph landscapes and portraits throughout the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Mississippi Delta. Followed, of course by a mid-life crisis at age 28. He still watches nothing but movies made before 1947.

Today, Rodney Smith is celebrated photographer with a wonderful breadth of subject matter and feeling. He’s had dozens of shows. Won 75 awards. Is collected by Carnegies, Whitneys, and Rockefellers, plus, scads of orchestra and museum patrons and a few enlightened rock stars. Nan A. Talese/Doubleday published his second book, “The Hat Book”  in 1993 (in-between working with Norman Mailer and Jimmy Carter). His work is represented in every important gallery across the globe; in some very exotic (and not so exotic) places."

gonna start offering videography in my packages

and here's how i'm gonna sell the first bride. no problem.

Game Over

Can you tell which part of this photo is really me? I sure can't! I laughed more with Mike Stonis yesterday on his editorial shoot than I have in a long time. I dedicate this shot to Mike. I'll post some background shots soon...

Well, you were all wrong...
It was my face!! Ha, you got totally burned!

Textures

Hey Guys, I went out and took a few photos of the Jeep in it's current state. What do you think of the processing?
This spot could be good for and engagement location too and is right in San Clemente.

New Favorite OC Location

found this location today - fluffy tall grass, wide open, hill top, trees, canyon view, perfect... and littered with "NO TRESPASSING . PENAL CODE 602" signs. sweeeeeet.

Stimulation/ off camera lighting

There are a ton of these fun videos on youtube.com and profoto.com. Good times...

Always here to help

Troy, I'd just run it like this. Inspired by Matthugh's tutorials

HELP: I can't choose

I got a couple cool images shooting for Miah and I can't choose which one to give to the client.
Can you help. Please be critical of which one would be the best one to give.
Thanks!

Seriosuly Joking

Greenberg has taught me so much...it isn't enough to capture the child's anguish, you must exploit them by adding insulting props.

Fun/Shiloh has a big forehead

I love my daughter's hairline.

Inspiration: photojournalism/Zoriah

Hey dudes. Just watched this pretty sick tv show on war photographers, which I recommend you check out. Just from some of the samples shown on the show, I immediately had my curiosity pricked and went online to check out one of the photographer's impressive site. A lot of his tones, his images, and composition were inspiring to me. His image content is amazing. Hope you enjoy and check out his blog too if you want to see more work from him and some other very talented photojournalists. All images taken from Zoriah Photojournalist.

Gangs of New York

I guess Leonardo's back for revenge...again.

...check out the maggots fighting with the ants. DUDE!