- In Focus -
SONOPP's March Newsletter, 2008 |
Calendar of Events
MONTHLY MEETINGS
(Fourth Monday of each month)
4181 West 150 St.
(In front of the Holiday Inn
at I-71 & 150 St.)
216-671-4681
Board Meeting at 6:00 p.m.
(All are invited)
Dinner 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Meeting begins 8:00 p.m.
March 24
Patrick Rice
"Wedding Photography 2008"
March 30
Dale Kincaid
"Wedding Photography DLSR Boot Camp"
More...
What's Happening???
Come to my talk at this month's meeting and find out!
It (or me) will
give you chills and goose bumps, but you will be energized.
(Check out the sample below.) Just think of
it: chills and goose bumps mixed with energy!
You gotta put
Monday on your list!
Dale Kincaid's Workshop
Just Around the Corner!
Here is a fabulous opportunity to increase your
Wedding Photography skills, from planning, preparation, posing, and
processing, presented by a highly knowledgeable and respected SONOPP
photographer. It'll happen on
next Sunday, March 30th, so you
need to sign up right away! Click on the image below for more details.
The SONOPP Spring Seminar
with Michael Ayers
It's true, it's true, we're gonna have a
seminar! And it's only 2 months away:
Sunday, May 18!
Michael will take us through an entire Wedding Workflow, from image capture to
Photoshop print preparation. Here's the poop:
MASTERING WEDDING SUCCESS 
A Day With Michael Ayers
Michael J. Ayers, MPA,M.Photog.,Cr.,CPP,API,Hon-ALPE,FSWPP
President, The Ayers Incorporated
Photographic Artist and Lecturer
Lima, Ohio www.TheAyers.com
(OFFICES IN WESTERN OHIO AND GREATER CHICAGO)
Breezewood Manor, 2477 Breezewood Lane, Lima, OH 45805-3862
www.TheAyers.com 419-222-9377 fax-419-222-9477
"The World Leader in Albums"
International Photographer of the Year--WPPI
Fellow of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers
e-mail address:
mja@TheAyers.com
Program Description:
If you have ever set a goal for being your area's best in
weddings and earning a serious income in photography, then you
will not want to miss this class! Running one of America's most
successful studios, Michael Ayers will open the door to the
world of high-end wedding photography. From an exciting initial
client consultation, to the events of the big day, to the
delivery of an exotic wedding album, Michael will journey
through this entire process with you! He will also focus on
wedding image workflow: emphasizing creative candids and fun
group poses to finishing flawless prints and special
presentation techniques. Best of all, Michael will demonstrate
how to STAY CAUGHT UP with all your studio work. BRING YOUR
LAPTOP and be ready to learn how to MASTER WEDDING SUCCESS!
BIOGRAPHY: Master Photographic Craftsman and "America's fastest
photographer," Michael J. Ayers, is regarded as one of the
world's best wedding album designers and a leading expert on
image workflow. From his studios in Lima, Ohio and offices in
greater Chicago, he has developed a widespread reputation of
artistry and success, including honors such as WPPI's
International Photographer of the Year, a Leadership Award from
the United Nations, and a Fellowship from SWPP. Michael is the
only United States resident to have completed Canada's Master of
Photographic Arts degree. His exotic wedding albums have been
viewed at exhibitions all over the world and he has lectured to
more than 50,000 photographers in a dozen countries. Check out a sampling of Michael Ayers'
work in our gallery;
then to make your reservation (and do it now, 'cause space will be
limited), just
click here for the signup form!
Space is Still Available!
As you can see, we are renting out this space in the Newsletter. Send
in a contribution that will excite and delight SONOPPers (newsy news
or thoughtful thoughts) plus a publication fee of $10, and if
your contribution is accepted, you'll see your words here next
month. (The $10 is like a wedding deposit: non-refundable.)
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In This Issue
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March 24 Meeting
Wedding
Photography 2008
The State of the Industry
Today, the wedding photography market is experiencing
changes that few photographers predicted only a few
short years ago. As studios fail and full-time
photographers find second jobs outside of photography in
order to make ends meet, it is time to start finding
solutions to keep all of us in business.
Patrick Rice is a controversial and
outspoken advocate for true professional photographers.
His thoughts on the state of the industry are widely
published and discussed by photographers across this
country and abroad. Whether you agree with his ideas or
not, they are certainly thought provoking.
In this program, Patrick will
outline many of the challenges facing wedding
photographers and provide his insights from discussions
with photographers all over the country. With each
discussion point, Patrick will encourage interaction
from the audience. The purpose of the discussion is not
necessarily to change your mind, but to get everyone to
consider several solutions to any given problem. |
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Wanna hear the whole story? Come to this month's
Meeting! |
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This Month's Featured
Links
Design your new Dell computer with help from PPA:
http://www.ppa.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=789.
Still a little confused about TTL from last month's SONOPP meeting?
You might want to take a look at this discussion from wildlife-photographer Moose Peterson's blog:
http://www.moosepeterson.com/techtips/flash.html.
Also see
http://www.chem.helsinki.fi/~toomas/photo/flash-faq.html, which is short
on information about TTL itself but long on information about how flash
units work.
Tired of upgrading Photoshop every couple of years? Think that there
ought to be a better way?
Well, keep your eyes on Phoenix and FotoFlexer.
They're not ready for prime time, but check out this
review.
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I keep getting inquiries about the Zoomify Tool that has been included in
Photoshop CS3.
Okay, folks, just
click here
for a discussion of how to use it.
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Ever take a picture like the one below on the left? Ever wonder how to
make it look like the one on the right?
Answer: go to this month's
Photoshop Corner!
You can see a complete list of previous techniques in
The Photoshop Corner. |
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Member News |
We received this note from Monica Thomas:
Thank you to SONOPP for thinking of Bob and me
during this difficult time. Once again we
realize the support of all our friends in the
wonderful photographic family. We have been
overwhelmed by the concern, prayers and
kindnesses that have come our way. We are truly
blessed. Hope all is well with you.
Best regards,
Monica
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The members listed in the box on the right all have
birthdays this month.
Please bring a
cupcake for each of them to the March Meeting! |
Marth Rossi
Patrick Rice
Chuck Macuga
Herb Schieman |
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Commentary
WILLIAMSPORT, Maryland: -- Fujifilm Holdings Corporation
says the shift to digital photography is prompting it to close film
processing plants in Maryland and Indiana that employ a
total of 230 people. The Fujicolor Processing plant in
Williamsport will close March 12, idling 125 workers. The plant in Crawfordsville, Indiana, with 105 workers,
will close March 19. Fujicolor customer service director Darla Camman said
the plants process film for Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and other U.S. retail stores. She said the work will be moved to other Fujicolor labs.
Camman said the plant closings will better position the
company for the rapidly increasing shift from film to
digital photography.
Fujifilm is based in Tokyo. Its U.S. headquarters
is in
Valhalla, New York.
StudioCloud
International Inc. Press Release
StudioCloud is excited to announce the release of
their new cutting edge studio management software for photographers. This new solution has merged the benefits of online anytime,
anywhere access with offline on-location capabilities. With its
pre-release thousands of photographers have been impressed by its
functionality and ease of use and many of them are eagerly awaiting
the release of the remaining StudioCloud products.
StudioCloud is providing photographers with
customized, user-friendly software that includes client management,
scheduling, point-of-sale, reporting, workflow tracking, as well as
in-studio previewing and online galleries. Their services automate
and integrate all of these photography business processes. StudioCloud enables the photographer to manage his or her company
online--anytime, anywhere for a reasonable monthly fee with no
upfront investment or costly support packages.
Their online model alleviates common complaints
regarding IT maintenance, software installation, computer
networking, and the cost of expensive upgrades. This model allows
compatibility with both Mac's and PC's. Plus, photographers no
longer have to worry about data loss or performing data backups
because StudioCloud automatically backs up their data for them. For
the convenience of photographers, StudioCloud also provides two free
products that allow customers to have access to and modify their
data without an internet connection.
StudioCloud uses Adobe's latest technologies
including Flex and AIR to create Rich Internet Applications. These
new technologies provide customers with a beautiful, dynamic,
interface that provides real time updating. StudioCloud's products
only require an internet connection and a browser, which offers
instant support and automatic upgrades. StudioCloud is currently
showcased by Adobe at
http://labs.adobe.com/showcase/air/studiocloud.html.
StudioCloud's streamlined solution gives
photographers the ability to organize and streamline their processes
which drastically reduces the time spent on management
responsibilities and tasks, allowing photographers to stay perfectly
focused and framed for success. StudioCloud offers a 30 day
free trial with no obligations. To learn more about StudioCloud
products refer to http://www.studiocloud.com. StudioCloud, It's Just
That Easy!
StudioCloud International
223 W. Bulldog Blvd
Suite 503
Provo, UT 84604
PPA custom-configured Dell
computers
Choosing the right computer for your studio is tough.
Knowing what you need can get pretty confusing. But PPA
and Dell have made computer buying easier and more
affordable for members. Working with the Dell design
team, we created computer solutions that will do what
you need to do, with service, support and a discounted
price available only to PPA members.
There are four systems to choose from:
- Imaging Raid 5 Workstation
- Dell Imaging Workstation
- Dell Sales/Presentation Workstation
- Dell Studio Mobile Workstation
For more information read
Choosing the right computer for your studio in the
Benefits section of PPA.com |
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March 13, 2008 | Talk with your attorney lately? |
Dear PPA Member,
What do you think are the most common
information and assistance for which PPA
members ask? Surprisingly (for a
photographic association), we don't get
calls about lighting, color balance or
composition. The most common questions are
legal in nature:
- Someone is copying my work.
- The client is unhappy with the photos
and their attorney called.
- I need a contract to use with my
clients.
- Where can I get a model release, and
when do I need to use one?
- How can I use music legally on DVDs?
- The divorced husband wants senior photos
of his daughter, but the Mom says no. What
do I do?
What do you do? Where do you go for help?
You are a small business owner, probably
without a legal department on standby or an
attorney waiting for your call (and if you
did, it could cost you a fortune).
Fortunately, you are a smart, small
business owner and PPA member.
PPA is the only professional
photographic association with the experience
and resources to have a unique Malpractice
Protection program and a full-time Copyright
& Government Affairs department. Go ahead
and give us a call via the Service Center at
800-786-6277. While we can't act as
attorneys (staff members are not
attorneys and cannot give legal advice),
we are knowledgeable, experienced, can point
you to some excellent resources, and will
get involved directly if the situation
warrants.
And did you know that you actually have a
free "law library"? Check it out in the
Members-Only area at
www.ppa.com, click on the Members-Only
Download left-hand link, and scroll down to
the Legal section. (Use your last name and
PPA ID number for access.)
Professional photography is not only
creating fantastic images---it is your
business. You can depend on PPA to help you
navigate the stormy waters of being a small
business owner.
Sincerely,
Al Hopper
Director of Membership, Copyright &
Government Affairs
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