Pictured Above: The Herd Mentality of the Target Market

There is a fine line between the need for new gear, and succumbing to marketing hype. If the following scenario sounds familiar, don't worry, you are not alone. A new camera is released and it has 3 more 
megapixels than your current body plus a few new features you may or may not use.  You go online to your favorite photography forum and  dozens of members claim to have placed their pre-order already. They 
boast that this will be light years ahead of the model you currently  own.  The phrase "game changer" is tossed around liberally.  In scanning a few threads, the popular sentiment seems to indicate that all previous models have become  worthless overnight.  You check the well known blogs and sure enough, they have already been using the new test model for several months now. Of course they also claim it to be the hottest, fastest, smartest, feature rich camera they've ever seen.  Discouraged, you log off and watch some TV only to be disrupted by the mailman.  Your latest issue of xxx photography magazine has arrived and much to your surprise, the cover is a frame filling photo of the new two thousand dollar camera. The headline proclaims it to be the next big gun you just have to buy if you want to shoot like the pros.  You flip to the inside article but the text is identical to the press release from the camera manufacturer. It's nothing but an ad disguised as an article. You know there is nothing really wrong with your current camera, but you don't want to be left behind. Defeated, you log back online and charge the next best thing to your credit card.  You hide it from your spouse as deep down you know it really wasn't necessary. The camera is delivered and you test it out. The first thing you notice is that your memory cards fill up much faster. You make a mental note, "need bigger memory cards". When you get home and download the images you realize the files take up more space on your hard drive. Another mental note, "need new computer". Your shiny new camera sits beside you as you log back on and resume shopping. Six months later you finally finish paying off the credit card bill.  You are about to lace up your hiking boots and grab your camera, but decide to check your email first.  There in your inbox is a message from your friendly camera store. Your heart sinks as you begin to read.  Your new camera is already old news.  The next best model has just been announced and promises to be better than anything you can imagine!  You slump in your chair and start researching the new camera. Suddenly you don't feel much like hiking after all.
 
Thankfully there are some simple ways to avoid this vicious cycle. First, if your favorite blogger raves about a new camera but is also conveniently featured in advertisements from the same manufacturer, do yourself a favor and unsubscribe from their feed and newsletter right now.  They are being paid to sell you something and do not have your best interests in mind.  Next, un-bookmark those forums that are filled with rumors and speculation about the next dream camera.  Then, write to the editors of the photography magazine you subscribe to and let them know you want more information on how to take better pictures, and less advertisements disguised as articles.  Once you've eliminated these distractions, you can spend your time mastering every aspect of your camera. Upgrades should only be done when you are technically limited by your current model.  Instead of purchasing every new camera, wait for every third model. This will work out to roughly every three years. Use the savings to visit a nearby State or National park. This is where you will really get a chance to better your portfolio.  Only by spending your time and energy on photography will you truly improve.  Just as a new guitar won't turn an aspiring musician into Jimmy Page, no camera can transform you into the next Ansel Adams.  For inspiration, check out this article about Alex Majoli, an award winning photographer who achieved great results using two pocket sized point and shoot cameras to photograph conflict abroad.  Study the work made by Henri Cartier-Bresson, who primarily used one camera and lens during his long and prolific career.  Consider this quote by photographer Ernst Haas who said, "the limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are." 

The next time you come across a glowing review of the latest "must have camera", let the masses flock to it like sheep.  While they are busy testing ISO noise levels with charts and debating the merits of autofocus systems, you can get back to what's really important; taking pictures. 

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If you like Gmail's simple interface, but want to use your own professional domain to send and receive email, you are in luck.

To give your company a professional appearance, you never want to email a client from a third party account.  For example, would you think your money was secure if your bank emailed you from goofywill@aol.com? The same idea applies to your photography company.  Instead of settling for me@gmail.com, or me@yahoo.com, create an email address that stems from your domain name.  For example, if your website is mywebsite.com, your email could be me@mywebsite.com.  

Here's how to set this up in less than 10 steps!

1) In Gmail, go to "Settings" then click "Accounts and Import".    

2) Under "Send Mail As", select "Send Mail from Another Address".

3) Enter the name and email address for the new account.

4) You will see an option to send the email with Gmail's servers or through your domain's server.  Choose the second option.  If you are not sure of your SMTP Server, Username, Password, and Port, you may want to call your domain provider as they will be able to assist with this.

After filling in the required data, hit "Add Account".  You will then be required to click one final link in a confirmation email.  That's all there is to it!

Forward All Email Accounts to Your Gmail

When someone emails you at me@mywebsite.com you can have it automatically forwarded to your Gmail inbox.  This eliminates the need to check several email accounts, as it all gets consolidated into one convenient place.  To set this up, the process is similar to the above mentioned steps.  

1) Start by clicking “Settings” in Gmail, then click “Accounts and Import”.       

2) Next, click “Add POP3 email account”.

3) Then enter the email address of the account you wish to get mail from.

4) Finally, add the username, password, and POP Server information.  Again, you may need to contact your domain service for this info.  

I've been using this system for quite some time now and I can tell you it works quite well! 

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Here is a short video in which I detail the gear and techniques used to photograph the Veterans Day parade in New York.  The piece ends with my tribute to our men and women in uniform.   

By now, you've likely seen those clever Apple commercials which present a variety of situations before boasting, "There's an app for that." With over 100,000 options to choose from, their claim is remarkably accurate. As a small business owner, I'm always on the lookout for new ways to maximize my productivity with cutting edge technology.  Over the past year, these are the apps that I've relied upon heavily.  Each one is available as a free download from the App store with the exception of "My Writing Nook" which sells for $1.99.   

1) My Writing Nook

I'm writing this article while riding a train to New York City. Instead of carrying a laptop, I've opted for an iPhone app called "My Writing Nook". Besides the ability to work in landscape or portrait mode, this simple program allows users to sync content with a desktop computer. After my train arrives at the station I'll be able to access the material from any computer with Internet access. Some other convenient features include an integrated thesaurus, dictionary, and word count.  For those of you who forget to hit save, the Writing Nook has you covered. It auto-saves every two minutes so you'll never lose another masterpiece again.  You can also email your written pieces directly from the app.   

     
                                             

2) Evernote

Do you have important information scattered across a collection of yellow sticky notes and scraps of loose paper? Have you ever jotted down a great idea and ended up washing it in your jeans? I constantly find myself trying to maintain a streamlined solution for my creative, and business ideas. Yet, when inspiration strikes unexpectedly, I inevitably end up with valuable notes scribbled on a napkin or business card. I was in desperate need of a new system and did some research. I came across a website called "Evernote" and created a free account. I'm pleased to report that it has totally revolutionized the way I keep track of things. 

Here's how it works:  You can log into your account from any computer with an Internet connection.  Then, create a few different "notebooks".  I set up areas for client management, photography techniques, inspiration, and more. You can make as many notebooks as you'd like. Anytime you need to remember something, just log in, enter and save it.  When perspective clients call, my first step is to create a file about them in Evernote. This will include their contact information, details about the job, and any other information I feel is relevant. I can then access this data later using the Evernote app, or a desktop computer. This is the equivalent to having a large file cabinet with me at all times.  The content automatically syncs between the two devices.

Evernote does more than just text notes.  One of the most useful features is the ability to snap an iPhone photo and geo-tag it while in the app.  You can then add notes to the image, and view the longitude and latitude.  This is a great tool for photographers who scout locations.  For those fleeting thoughts that you have to get down in a hurry, try the voice recording option.  Simply hit record, talk into the phone, and save for later. This process also works well with Twitter.  When you hash tag a tweet with #en it will automatically be saved to your Evernote files.  You may also want to try their "Web Clipper" feature which is an add-on for Firefox (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/8381).  This extension provides a toolbar button to easily add a selection or an entire page to Evernote.       

A free account provides users with a 40MB monthly upload allowance.  This has been more than sufficient for my needs.  However, if you find yourself approaching the monthly storage limit, an upgrade to 500MB is available for $5 a month.   

3) Google Mobile App

Think of the Google Mobile app as Grand Central Terminal for your iPhone. It's the main hub from which all of Google's products are launched from. This includes Gmail, Docs, Calendar, Tasks, RSS Reader, Maps, and the new Google Buzz.  For this reason, it's one of my most clicked on apps.  Google has also added a feature that brings a whole new meaning to "hands free". Instead of typing in your search terms, you can speak it into the phone. This convenient feature has helped me out of a jam several times, especially while driving.  It's remarkably accurate, and fun to use.  To get started, download it here: http://www.google.com/mobile/google-mobile-app/

4) Photoshop Mobile

With so many photo editing apps to choose from,  it's difficult to narrow it down to just one selection.  However, after using Photoshop Mobile to edit my iPhone pictures, I can highly recommend it.  With a well designed interface and fully adjustable tool set, it goes well beyond the basic presets common in other editing apps.  Some of the options include cropping, contrast adjustment, saturation, color correction, special effects, and borders. You can then "save as" to keep your original image intact.  Although it's not required, you can create a free account with Photoshop.com and upload your mobile photos directly to the web from the phone.  You can also keep in touch with your contacts by uploading to various social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and more.  In the example below I used the app to adjust the exposure, add contrast and saturation, a slight vignette, and a sloppy border.   For more info on the app, click here: http://mobile.photoshop.com/iphone/ 

                                                                                   After                              

5) Dropbox

Recently I read a Facebook post from a photographer friend who had a computer meltdown.  She likely lost over 6,000 of her photos.  Her wall post ended with, "I want to vomit."  Don't let this happen to you. I've been testing a user friendly cloud solution that protects your images, and allows you to sync your files between multiple computers! It's called Dropbox and they give you 2 FREE Gigs of storage space with an option to upgrade. 

Dropbox refers to their cloud storage and syncing solution as a "magic pocket".  It all starts with a folder on your desktop computer or laptop. Any file you put in the dropbox is stored safely to their cloud. You can then access the file from any online computer. Best of all, you can now access them with your iPhone using the Dropbox app. For small businesses this is an incredibly useful tool. It works with every file type imaginable including documents, photos, video, and music.

To get your free account click our referral link: https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTQzMTA2MTE5
Here is the link for the app: https://www.dropbox.com/iphoneapp

If you use an excellent photography related app that you'd like to share, I'd love to hear about it. 

Recently I read a Facebook post from a photographer friend who had a computer meltdown.  She likely lost over 6,000 of her photos.  Her wall post ended with, "I want to vomit."  Don't let this happen to you. 

I've been testing a user friendly cloud solution that protects your images, and allows you to sync your files between multiple computers! It's called Dropbox and they give you 2 FREE Gigs of storage space with an option to upgrade. I've used a lot of cloud storage solutions (like Mozy) but this is by far the easiest!  If you do sign up, please use this link as we'll both get a little extra storage space.

https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTQzMTA2MTE5

Besides having a secure backup of your files, Dropbox allows you to access your files from any computer.  They even have an iPhone app!  This basically eliminates the need for flash drives, and cd's. 

Many photographers argue that online cloud storage is simply not necessary. They claim their images are tucked safely away on assorted DVDs and external drives. While this sort of redundant system is sound practice, it only provides one half of the solution. Catastrophes like theft, fire, and flood can erase years of hard work, and bring a business to its knees. By keeping an entire catalog of precious files in one place, you risk spectacular disaster. In order to create a truly secure archive, digital files must be saved to an off site location.

Online cloud solutions have become much more affordable in recent years. In fact, Mozy.com provides unlimited storage space for just $4.99 a month. The price is the same regardless of how much data you upload. Best of all, Mozy can handle nearly every file type imaginable. This includes RAW images from every camera manufacturer, in addition to DNG, TIFF, JPEG, PSD and more. You'll never have to worry about losing photos, video, audio tracks, or text documents again. Online cloud storage provides photographers with peace of mind.

Mozy has created an uncluttered interface that makes the actual backup process quite simple. It works well with both Mac, and Windows operating systems. Start by logging in to your secure account and choosing which files to back up. Users are given the choice to select individual images, or an entire folder. For my work flow, the folder option is the most effective method. Of course, every photographer will have to develop their own unique system to best suit their individual needs.

It can take several hours to back up large amounts of data. The precise upload times are largely dependent on the speed of your internet connection. With a cable modem, five gigabytes took approximately six hours to finish. The process can also slow down the entire computer. For this reason, I find the best time to backup is right before going to sleep. Just be sure to turn your screen saver on, as the computer must be left to run during this process.

 
The backbone of a good workflow is organization. If your images are scattered haphazardly throughout several drives, archiving will be a tedious process. Thankfully there are several programs designed specifically for photographers looking to maintain an orderly catalog. Adobe Lightroom and Apple Aperture are widely used throughout the industry. While Photoshop's strength is in image editing, these programs really shine in their organizational features. The expression "garbage in, garbage out" certainly holds true with digital photography. If you begin with a well kept library, it will be much easier to retrieve files when you need them.

To start the image recovery process, select "restore files" from the menu. After you choose which files to extract, you are presented with an option. Do you want to copy the files directly to your computer, or order a DVD? The web restore is free, but a DVD is accompanied by an additional set up charge of $30, plus fifty cents per gigabyte. and $40 for next day shipping.  Although the DVD restore is expensive, it's recommended for users trying to restore large amounts of data as a web restore could take several days to complete.

There are several alternatives to Mozy.  While we have not tested all of them, here is a brief overview.  Carbonite offers unlimited storage for $54.95 a year.  This actually works out to be less than five dollars a month.  Amazon S3 offers tiered pricing based on usage.  They charge for transferring data both in and out of their servers.  To see how they structure their fees, check this link.  Swiss Picture Bank differs from the competition in that they do not charge an annual fee.  Instead, users pay a one time fee for storage capacity of 1GB to 100GB.      

For those who still feel online backup is not worth the effort, I recommend using a simple alternative. Create a "greatest hits" folder comprised of your favorite RAW images. Copy these files to a flash drive and store it at work, or another area away from your home. You can pick up four or eight gigabyte drives for less than fifty dollars. While this is not necessarily a high tech solution, it does provide you with an extra level of protection.

I like to think of cloud storage as a 401k plan for photographers. It's not a fool proof system, but it could be a very wise investment towards the future.  Mozy's terms of service state "Mozy, Inc. cannot guarantee complete security". While this statement does not necessarily inspire confidence, they claim their "servers are located in several world-class data centers across the globe. Each data center adheres to the highest standards of security for optimal data protection".  Basically this means that despite Mozy's best efforts, there is a chance for data to get hacked, or lost.  Personally, I'm hopeful that I will be able to reproduce and share my images over the long term.  How will you preserve your photos in the digital realm?

If you are already using a cloud solution, I'm curious to hear about your experience, and the company you use.  Thanks!

Do you have important information scattered across a collection of yellow sticky notes and scraps of loose paper? Have you ever jotted down a great idea and ended up washing it in your jeans? I constantly find myself trying to maintain a streamlined solution for my creative, and business ideas. Yet, inspiration strikes unexpectedly, and I inevitably end up with valuable notes on a napkin or business card. I was in desperate need of a new system and did some research. I came across a website called "Evernote", and created a free account. In a few short days it has totally revolutionized the way I keep track of things.

How it works:
You can log into your account from any computer with an Internet connection. First I created a few different "notebooks", setting up areas for client management, photography techniques, inspiration, and more. You can make as many notebooks as you'd like. Anytime you need to remember something, just log in, enter and save it. Of course this would only work if you had access to a computer.

Thankfully, Evernote has created an App for the iPhone, Ipod Touch, and Android. The interface perfectly mirrors the desktop experience. Best of all, they sync automatically! It allows a user to save a note using their phone, and access it later from any computer in the world. This level of versatility sets it apart from any other solution.

In addition to text notes, you can save photos, and voice recordings to your notebooks. They can be geotagged within the program.  You can also share your notes by clicking the email, or print icons.  There are many other features in Evermore which I'm sure I will explore further.  For now, I'm just glad to have all my stuff in one place! 

If you could use a little help staying organized, I encourage you to try this out.  Learn more about how it works here. 

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The video is now completely done and includes voice overs, and more.  If you've ever wondered what it's like to photograph a political rally I think you will enjoy this.  I talk about the gear, but more importantly the technique, and philosophy involved in the shoot.  Special thanks to Alex Baker for his hard work with all of the editing.  I think he did a fantastic job.  This was made as part of an "On Location" series for NYIP.

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A while ago I posted my first gallery of iPhone pictures.  I got some great feedback from people expressing their interest in this emerging trend, and decided to do a whole article about cell phone photography.  Click below to read it.

 Also, the complete set of videos I did with NYIP at the Photo Expo are online here.

This was by far one of the coolest, and most useful products I saw at the Photo Plus Expo. It's called the Memory Kick Si. In this video, Anthony Link from Memory Kick gives us a quick hands on look at how it works. To me, these kinds of field drives are so convenient for long trips, or location shoots where a laptop is simply not convenient. If you fill up all your memory cards, just insert them into the device and copy the contents over. From there you can format the cards and keep shooting. While I have two similar devices from other manufacturers, I was really impressed by the download speed of the Memory Kick. I also really liked the fact that it will work with CF and SD cards in addition to my Flip Video. A few of the other key features are that it accepts RAW files, and has very large storage capacity.

Below, I've listed some technical specs from their press release.

The MemoryKick Si is the most advanced Photo Backup, Photo Viewer, Video Player, MP3 Player, Card Reader, and complete Portable Data Backup Solution available, all in one compact, stylish device. The MemoryKick Si is available in capacities of 160, 250, 320, and 500GB.

The MemoryKick Si offers the fastest transfer speeds on the market. It can transfer any type of files (photos, videos, music, data, etc.) from memory cards, at blazing fast speeds up to 40MB/s utilizing its proprietary Direct Access File Management System (DA-FMS) technology, enabling it to transfer as much as 2.22 gigabytes per minute.

As many as three memory cards and one USB device can be connected simultaneously to the MemoryKick Si. You can easily transfer both to and from the MemoryKick Si, and virtually all of the memory cards and USB flash drives used today. You can also transfer directly from memory card to memory card, USB device, or computer hard drive.

The MemoryKick Si’s 3.5” QVGA LCD color screen is ideal for vivid, detailed viewing of photos and videos. The built-in G-sensor automatically orients images for horizontal and vertical viewing. With its ability to zoom in and out, create and display slideshows, and view RAW photos and EXIF information, the MemoryKick Si will be every photographer’s indispensable digital assistant.

“The MemoryKick Si is a major advance in portable media centers. It provides the best functions of a Photo Bank (Epson, Hyperdrive, etc.), at a significantly lower price per megabyte. It features a large high-quality viewing screen with auto-orientation, zooming, and intuitive navigation,” explained Mark Roth, CEO of Argraph. “On top of that, the MemoryKick Si also boasts the best capabilities of an MP3 player, Memory Card Reader, Video Player, and even a Laptop by enabling you to create folders, copy, paste, and move images and rename them, all in one pocket-size, lightweight device. Nothing else comes close.”

“Large storage capacity, the fastest transfer speed available, reliability, multimedia functionality, and the ability to share quickly is what the MemoryKick Si is all about” added Anthony Cole Link, CEO of NionCom. “It is an essential necessity of digital life”.

The MemoryKick Si enables you to:

MemoryKick Si Key Features
Fast Transfer Speed from Memory Cards up to 40MB/s
160 / 250 / 320 / 500GB
3.5” QVGA LCD Color Screen
Insert up to 3 Cards + 1 USB Simultaneously
Photo Backup / Viewer / Player
RAW Decoder / Viewer
Zoom In / Out
G-Sensor Auto Orientation
Copy, Paste, & Create Folders
Rename Files & Folders w/ QWERTY Keyboard
Video Player
Music Player
Audio / Video Out
Earphone Included
EXIF Information + Histogram
Built-in USB OTG (USB Host)
Backup 250GB on a Single Charge
Lightweight: Only 9.87 Ounces