Another pic of Jama Masjid

 

Photographer:Anirudh Khusape

You can blame Matt Damon for this post...

I saw the commercial below tonight and really felt the need to share it... it tackles a very serious topic with just a little levity.

And it made me think of my own experiences. We know there is hunger out there but until we see the actual faces of the people standing in line at the food pantry, it's really rather abstract, a bit impersonal.

A couple years ago years ago I started using part of my Sundays to pick up food donations from some very generous stores and restaurants. There are days that my minivan is filled from the back of the drivers seat to the rear hatch and from floor to ceiling.

Then on Monday morning I deliver to local food pantries.

It seems the most important thing I deliver is bread, sliced bread.

One Monday I was running a little late and when I arrived there was a good amount of people who had gone through the line (as they had their bags) but were still hanging around, come to find out they were waiting for me. They were waiting for "the bread man".

It truly dawned on me that day the importance of what I was involved in. If not for those Monday morning deliveries these people would be going home without something most of us take for granted. A few slices of bread.

Then there are the days I see people I know... you never know who is at risk, who doesn't have enough food.

I don't usually talk about this, I don't do it for the recognition, I don't want a pat on the back. I do it because I can, and because the thought of children going to bed hungry haunts me.

But I am beginning to ramble, the point of this post was to share this commercial with you. In 30 seconds it drives home a very serious point AND makes you smile, that doesn't happen very often.

For you people new to the blog and are wondering what this has to do with photography, it has nothing to do with taking pictures. Chances a extremely good that on the weekends (if I post) I will wander of topic, sometimes WAY off topic, writing about whatever moves me.

So, now you've been warned, be prepared for anything on weekends. Tomorrow is Monday and I promise to be on topic then.

;)

For subscribers, as usual you will need to return to Weekly Photo Tips to see the video as they still don't get pushed through with your subscription.

the BEATLES...

For those with children, you will (hopefully) appreciate this post, for those without children, probably not so much.

Don't you just love it when your children come to you with something not so new (or not so unknown) that they think 1.) they were the ones who finally discovered it and 2.) we are too stupid to have ever known about it on our own.

That's how my girls are about the Beatles, every time they find a new Beatles song the feel the need to come tell their silly old dad who is obviously too unaware to have known about it before.

But being the good dad I nod my head in agreement "wow, that is good", while inside I am thinking "yup, that was good 40 years ago too".

Thank goodness for the enlightenment that our children bring to us.

;)

Smiling Dragonfly

Photographer: Kapil Raichana

What version of Photoshop are you using?

I am one of those people who upgrades my software as soon as a new version is available (if I need it or not), and I assume everone else does as well.

But I know that the truth is quite different.

So if you are not using Photoshop CS5 yet I want to give you some resources that will help you determine if upgrading is for you and if it is, options that will make it less painful to your wallet.

Resource #1: Terry White. There are a bunch of reasons to visit Terry's blog (like his must have iPad apps for photographers, 3 ways to show your work to clients, and taking advantage of Virtual Copies in Lightroom 3 to name just a few) but the first thing I want you to see there is his walk through of the new features in Photoshop CS5.

The video is over 45 minutes long and in it Terry gives us a detailed demonstration of the new and cool features of CS5. I like the fact that you can download the video to your computer (or mobile device) for future viewing at a time most convenient to you (or when you don't have internet access).

Resource #2: You don't think I could talk about Photoshop and NOT mention the Photoshop Guys, do you? Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski, Dave Cross, and the rest of the crew put together a series of video tutorials over at the NAPP CS5 Learning Center demonstrating content aware fill, HDR Pro, improved noise removal, lens correction, and more. Not only will you find some great videos here, you'll also find links to other Photoshop CS5 resources available on the web, including their (NAPP's) 5 day CS5 launch webinar that has about 8 hours of tutorial/instructional CS5 videos.

Resource #3: Okay, so you visited all the links above and realize that life is just not worth living without Adobe Photoshop CS5, but you really don't want to sell one (or more) of your children in order to get it. The full version of CS5 is around $650 - $750 but if you have a student or teacher in your household you can purchase the full version of Photoshop CS5 Extended for just $198 at Journey ED.. You will need to provide proof of eligibility to Journey ED when you order the product and then again to Adobe when it arrives, so there are two small hoops to jump through but the savings are well worth it.

If you own a previous version of Photoshop (you can only go as far back a CS2), you can upgrade to CS5 for $190.

Don't have a previous version of Photoshop (or have a version earlier than CS2)? You can buy used version on eBay in the $100 - $150 range. You just need to make sure you are buying from a reputable seller, the two things I look for in a seller is a high positive feedback (97% or higher) and one that has a return policy (which tells me they back their sales). Buying from a seller with a return policy will work in your favor if you ever need to involve Paypal.

Butterfly on a flower

Photographer: Thomas Philip

VIVA LA WEDDING RECEIVES WEDDINGWIRE'S BRIDE'S CHOICE AWARDS™ 2011

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, recently announced that Viva la wedding has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planning/Coordination!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Viva's past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Viva stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Viva la wedding for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Viva la wedding is among the very best wedding planners/coordinators within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. Viva would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011. To see a complete list of this year's winners click here.

Some words you should hear..

It's always nice to have something you've said affirmed by another.

That's what happened to me the other when I received an email from the winner from our latest contest.

Anika sent me an email regarding her prize, the OneLight Workshop DVD:

"Hey Scott,

I just got done watching the workshop for the second time. This is the best workshop I have ever seen and I'm really learning a lot. I thought my photography was ok, now I know how much I still have to learn and that I'm not even close to being ok as a photographer.

I have to agree with you on naming this DVD the best purchase 2010, I think this workshop should come with every camera and every single photographer needs a copy.

Thank you so much for doing the give away! I can't even say how happy I am to learn from Zack and you!

Anika"

So if you have been looking for a learning tool and was on the edge about what to get, I hope Anika and I have convinced you.

Be sure to check out her site "A little piece of me" and it will only take an image or two to realize that it is aptly named.

Getting better light from your umbrella...

I came across a great demonstration over at The Photophile site on how to get a better, softer light when using a small strobe with a shoot through umbrella.

Lanthus was using a single Nikon SB-600 with an umbrella to light the Santa shots he was taking at the mall this past Christmas.

In the first shot he was shooting "bare bulb" and you can see a distinctive hotspot in the middle of the umbrella.


He then flipped down the built in diffuser of the SB-600 which automatically sets the flash to a 14mm wide distribution of the light (zooms out).


As you can see in this next shot there is a much more even distribution of light across the entire surface of the umbrella.

Obviously if you are shooting with a flash that does not have a built in diffuser you can (most likely) manually set your flash to zoom out to a 14mm wide light pattern (or as wide as you flash will allow). If you are not familiar with using the "zoom" feature of your flash check your manual for operating details.

A BIG thanks to Lanthus Clark for letting me share this information (and his photos) with you and be sure to check out his site, The Photophile, you'll find some good stuff there (including the ever popular topic of DIY).

Abstract

Photographer: Anirudh Khusape

This picture...

Pretty much captures the feeling of the day.

You know it's cold when...

The first thing my dogs do when they come in is to bed down in front of the pellet stove.

As if being blanketed with over two feet of snow in the last couple weeks wasn't enough, today high is supposed to top out at around 10 - 12 degrees. Oooooh, break out the shorts and sandals.

;)

It gets even better, tonight's low will hit (or sink to) -10! With Tomorrows high in the (low) single digits.

To make myself feel better I am placing my seed order today to start the process in motion for this years garden.

But I have to go, my dogs just signaled me that it's time to drag in a few more bags of pellets.

terracotta Figurines

Photographer: Anirudh Khusape

Holy $*#&! A Gitzo ball head for just $24!...

Yup, you read that correctly, a Gitzo magnesium center ball head for $24.95.

But wait, there's more, it also has free shipping! (sorry, but this offer does not come with any Ginsu knifes, pajama jeans, or snuggies)

This is not a mamby pamby ball head, it will hold up to 8.8 pounds and considering a Nikon D3 weighs under 3 pounds I can't imagine any body/lens combo that would exceed the weight limits of this ball head.

Now as usual the devil is in the details, the final price for this Gitzo ball head for $24 after an $80 rebate. The current Adorama price is $109, they give an addition $5 off during the order process, and then the $80 rebate brings the final price down to $24. Again, there is free shipping on this item as well.

You can find the product details here and information about the rebate (including the form) here.

The rebate is good through February 28th (of this year).

Did I mention the free shipping?

Should you work for free?..

If it involves shoveling my driveway then yes, yes you should work for free.

;)

I saw this flowchart which made me smile AND think (the latter being a bit painful).

First about the chart, it is the brainchild (and work) of Jessica Hische, a designer, typographer, and illustrator. Be sure to check out her site as she does beautiful work.

Second, the thinking... "Should I work for free"...

My experience concurs with Jessica's chart, "NO!". For those who think I wasn't clear enough, "HELL NO!".

I promise you this, you will never turn a free client into a paying client, you may have given them stunning photographs but they hold little to no value to the "potential" client because they gave nothing of value in return (money).

Two studies that help support that statement, in one study the participants were given what they were told was new pain medications with one being significantly more expensive than the other (in fact both medications were the exact same placebo). In another study folks were asked to rank the quality of different coffees, again all the coffee was exactly the same, the only difference was what the study participants were told regarding the price per cup.

The results of the pain medication study showed that the participants believed the more expensive the pill the better it worked, and the coffee study was the same, the most expensive coffee was ranked the best, the least expensive was at the bottom.

That being said, let me share two instances when I worked for free and got paying customers.

1. I learned that there were several seniors at a local high school who could not afford to have portraits done, this was troubling to me so I called the person in charge of the yearbook and offered to do free portraits for those truly in need. Well, when seniors (who could afford portraits) came to this person and asked for recommendations for photographers guess whose name she gave them.

2. For those who have read this blog for very long know I love my dogs, which led me to a shelter to do some free photos of animals looking for adoption along with staff portraits. The word got out to some of their donors who liked the work I did which brought in several paying jobs.

In both cases I did the work for free because I wanted to, I was looking to help, I was NOT looking to make a customer.

Bartering is NOT working for free.

I did some food photography for a restaurant that was opening and was paid in "credit" in an amount equal to what I would have charged, this worked out great for me, great for the restaurant, and as the restaurant grew I was paid cash money for future work.

Sometimes I hear from folks who are planning to give away their work because they need to build their portfolio, if that's the case give your work to those who will appreciate, do the portraits for your friends and family, they will appreciate your efforts and praise you to those who see it.

Okay, move back, I am about to step off my soap box.

Here is the flow chart from Jessica, clicking on it will open it larger and in a new window... which will make it waaaaaay easier to read.

WINTER WEDDING INSPIRATION AT STONEFIELDS HERITAGE FARM

Every year we do an inspiration post on Winter Weddings and with the end of January fast approaching many have wondered... What are you waiting for? Well, we think you will all agree, this inspiration post was well worth the wait.

Ottawa photographer Melanie Rebane was the brains behind this styled winter shoot. After working with her on past weddings and seeing her creativity first hand, it comes as no surprise that she was able to round up a number of fabulous vendors at the drop of a hat and put this shoot together in a matter of days. For those not already familiar with Melanie, she offers a contemporary documentary style photography, documenting moments as they unfold naturally and spontaneously. Influenced by her fine art background, her images have been described as elegant, sophisticated and timeless. In Melanie's words "I truly believe a connection with my clients is essential to create beautiful images. I look to capture authentic moments in the day and veer away from contrived posing to a great degree. I focus on the interaction of my clients with each other, their guests and others they hold dear. Capturing the spontaneous moments is a real artform. Creating the space for my clients to be themselves, to connect with each other and truly be in their special moments is a focus of my work." Below are some of the breathtaking images Melanie captured. The details are to die for!!

Toronto Photographer Jon Rennie took the images below. Specializing in wedding photography that is contemporary and captivating, Jon combines wedding photojournalism with fresh ideas and delivers the kind of photos you will cherish for years to come. In Jon's words "I try to document every moment of a photo shoot from a creative angle, allowing the personalities of the bride and groom to shine through. Each image, to me, is a piece of art that lines up with the next to document the whole day."

These images were taken at Stonefields Heritage Farm in Carleton Place and yes, the lovely ladies modelling these gorgeous gowns from With Love Bridal Boutique should look familiar. They're none other than Sarah Walsh who has been a long time preferred vendor of ours when it comes to makeup & bridal jewelry and Melissa Johnston whom we had the pleasure of working with back in 2009 on Krystel & Ivan's wedding at Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello. Melissa's images of their wedding were later featured on Style Me Pretty. Other vendors whose talents were captured in these photos are Full Bloom Floral Design, Isobel's Cupcakes & Cookies, and The Cake Whisperer.

Sorry...

I have heard from several people that when they visited the Zack Arias blog they were bombarded with malware. It is my understanding that Zack is in the process of moving his site from his current hosting company for this very reason, they are unable to keep their servers clean and because of that their clients (like Zack) are suffering.

Pleas know that the links to CreativeLIVE and the OneLight Workshop are clean, so feel free to visit them any time.

His new website and blog are not yet live, but they should be shortly.

Sorry to those who took hits... really.

Joy Of Being Friends

Photographer: Appu Prabhakar

And speaking of Zack Arias...

Here are two posts that you really want to check out.

1. A white seamless tutorial (Part 1 here, part 2 here), in it he covers what gear you need, how best to set it up, and a bunch of other tips that are important to know and at the same time make life a bit easier.

2. During his 3 day workshop (that was free) with CreativeLIVE Zack shot with a ton of modifiers and softboxes and in this post he shows (with images) how they will light your subjects differently. It's one thing to understand (intellectually) how a softbox will work and another to see them compared side by side in pictures. It's interesting to see how much different the light is between a 7 foot and a 4 foot octabank, it was more than subtle.

Yet more proof he is smarter than me, but you knew that.

;)

Back to the CreativeLIVE studio lighting class, I watched it live AND bought the video downloads, it was worth every minute (and penny), you can still purchase the 3 day information filled seminar for just $149.

Weekly Photo Tips 2010 product of the year!...

We get more than our fair share of photography "stuff" to review and share with our readers and of all the things we got this year the leader of the pack was the OneLight Workshop DVD from Zack Arias.

The OneLight DVD will give you the foundation to become a photographer, where as many of the other products we got would simply help us be a better photographer... a big, big difference.

There is no firmer foundation on which you build your skills as a photographer.

If you try to start a career in photography without mastering the knowledge Zack presents on these two DVD's it would be like trying to build a house by starting the construction on the second floor.

Just ain't gonna happen.

Not only is it essential, it's affordable too.

You can read our entire review here and when you're done you can use this link to head on over to the order page.

THE PLACE TO BE THIS WEEKEND

Viva isn't usually a fan of recycling blog posts but with so many of our 2011 brides-to-be heading to the Wedding Palace Bridal Show this weekend, we thought our previous 2009 post "Wedding Show Survival Guide" might come in handy. Enjoy!!

Wedding Shows are attended by thousands of brides-to-be (and future grooms) each year. Not only can they be a fun way to spend the day, they’re also the perfect networking tool when planning a wedding because they allow you to meet with so many vendors in a short period of time all under one roof. But in order to make the most of your day and keep it as fun and stress free as possible, you need to have a game plan.Click on the image above for details on The Wedding Palace Bridal Show taking place here in Ottawa this weekend and review the tips below before going to ensure your day is an enjoyable and productive one.

1. The early bird gets the worm - Find out when the doors open and be one of the first brides there. If you wait until the afternoon it will be crowded and harder to get around with longer waits to talk to the vendors you’re looking to hire.

2. Slip on your Uggs for this event - Hard concrete floors mixed with hours of walking around from booth to booth can make for very sore feet at the end of the day so your shoes should be comfortable ones.

3. H2O – A simple bottle of water can cost over $3 so throw a couple in your bag before leaving the house in the morning. It can get hot, the air can get very dry and after spending the day sampling cake and chocolate covered strawberries - you’re going to need it!

4. Don’t bring the whole posse - While it may sound like a fun excuse to get all the girls together there are going to be A LOT of people there and it may be difficult at times to navigate through the crowd. Sticking to a group of two or three is best, otherwise your time may be spent trying to find your crew instead of focusing on finding vendors for your big day.

5. Map it out - All Wedding Shows have a website that lists the vendors who are going to be there and usually include a floor map with their booth location as well. Take a look at the list and map if available before hand. Check out the vendors’ websites ahead of time and try to determine which ones you want to talk to. Highlight them on the floor map so they’re easy to find and when you’re at the show, only take the business cards and brochures from the vendors you’re interested in. It will make it less confusing when you’re weeding through your bag at home.

6. Q & A – Prepare questions ahead of time and bring a pen to take notes. You will be talking to many vendors all with different services to sell and information to give. Make quick notes after talking with each of them so you will remember what they said and what you liked/didn’t like about them.

7. Patience is a virtue - If you really want to talk to a vendor don’t get discouraged if their booth is crowded by other brides-to-be. Walk around and come back later. If the crowd around them doesn’t ever seem to get any smaller, wait for the fashion show to start. The floor usually thins out a little when the show is on.

8. Don’t give into the pressure - You’re sure to run into vendors who will tell you that they only have one opening left for your wedding date. While the best vendors do book up quickly, there are a lot of vendors at the show to talk to so don’t feel like you need to sign with the first one you come across.

9. Draws, draws and more draws - If you’re hoping to win one of the many draws a Wedding Show has to offer come prepared with pre printed cards that have your name, address, phone number and email address on them. This will save you time at the show and make entering the draws a piece of cake.

10. Have fun! - After all, you’re getting MARRIED!! Whether you’re going with your fiancé, mom or maid of honour make the most of it. Go early, get down to business, and then head out for a great lunch and a cocktail or two to thank them for sharing in a productive day.

It finally happened and it's all your fault!...

We started the Weekly Photo Tips YouTube channel a year ago and today we nudged past 100,000 visitors.

One hundred thousand!

Incredible.

Of course (and as usual) when it comes to all the milestones we reach here it's you good people using your most precious resource, time, to visit us that drives our success, that makes us who we are.

So please accept my heartfelt thanks for visiting Weekly Photo Tips, for watching our videos, and (the most fun part for me) for taking the time to leave your comments and writing your emails.

It seems unfair because it feels like I get back far more than I give.

Thank You!

Inside jama masjid

Photographer: Anirudh Khusape

Speaking of the Maine Photographers Coalition...

This past Monday we had the second meeting of the Maine Photographer Coalition and it was a rousing success, in this case we measure success by sharing... sharing information, techniques, and ideas.

The Riley Brothers (Tim and Chris) were our guest speakers and presented an overview of their Lightroom workflow and even the most seasoned Lightroom users at the meeting were able to take home new tips in improving their own workflow.


On top of this we had some great photo gear to give away to those in attendance... things like:

1. RPG Keys (customizable keys that will help you speed through your Lightroom editing)

2. Kelly Moore Bags (beautiful and functional camera bags)

3. Epiphanie Bags (fabulous camera bags for women)

4. Shootsac (a great lens bag)

5. Spider Holster (a belt system for carrying 1 or 2 cameras while keeping your neck and shoulders strap-free)

6. Black Rapid Straps (stay-put straps that allow you to comfortably carry multiple cameras).

Our next meeting will be in March and I will share more details with you as the date gets closer.

If you are attending any of the following shows/gatherings - SWPP (in England), Imaging USA (in Texas), After Dark (in Vegas), WPPI (also in Vegas), or PPINE (Hyannis, MA) the Riley's will be teaching workshops on their Lightroom workflow techniques, so be sure to check them out.

In the mean time, below is video 1 (in a series of 5) that will give you a taste of what is contained in their classes, you can see all 5 videos by following this link.

(for those of you who subscribe you will need to return to the blog to see this video)

Taking pictures and helping others...

It doesn't get much better than doing something you love AND having the opportunity to help others.

Here's your chance to do just that.

Thirst Relief is running a mentor auction that includes a session with the top dogs in the fields of wedding and portrait photography.

From their website:

"The mission of the Mentor Auction is twofold, to save lives and change the world by tapping into the incredible talent and generosity of the wedding industry and to create better and more successful photographers. To accomplish this goal we've asked some of the best and brightest in the wedding and portrait world to donate 90 minutes of their time and anything else they feel like giving to be auctioned off to the highest bidder!

100% of the proceeds directly benefit Thirst Relief International, saving lives and changing the world! Add to that the incredible wisdom and talent that is being shared in the one-on-one mentors sessions and you have better and more successful photographers! So, not only are lives being saved but the lives of many photographers are being made better! It's truly a win win for everyone involved!"

So you will get to hang out with a phenomenal photographer, you will have a great learning experience, you will be helping others, AND you will get a tax write-off.... does it get any better?

There will be many names you will recognize participating in the auction like Jasmine Star, Mike Colon, David Jay, Kevin Kubota, and Sarah Petty but I want to draw attention to personal friend (photographer extraordinaire) and fellow Maine Photographer Coalition cofounder Michelle Turner.

Being a great photographer does not necessarily make you a good instructor, but with Michelle you get both (I have personally seen her teach a one hour course without ever inhaling, not even once). Below you will see just a few samples of her outstanding work.

You can head over to the auction page and browse through all of the photographers listed, or you can save some time and head directly to Michelle's auction page.

;)

But seriously, please consider participating in this worthy cause as it will not only help you and could very possibly save the life of another.