Contest images from our readers... Part 2...

Here are a few more images from our latest contest, some very good stuff.

It's easy to enter, all of the details here.

Just click on any of the images below to view larger and in a new window.

Contest images from our readers... Part 1...

The theme of our latest contest is "reflective" and our readers have taken it in directions I had not anticipated or expected, which proves (yet again) that our readers are waaaaaaay smarter than me.

;)

Below are a few of their images.

You can view these and more of the great photos from our readers over at the Weekly Photo Tips Flickr group. But don't just look at them, jump in and submit your images too!

The rules are pretty simple and you can get all of the details here. The contest ends March 31st so don't wait too long.

Just click on any of the images below to view larger and in a new window.

Quick, the Westcott 28" softbox is on sale!...

The Westcott Apollo 28" small strobe softbox (for Speedlights & Speedlites) is on sale AND comes with free shipping!

It's umbrella style design makes for quick opening and closing, easy set-up and takedown.

The double ribbed metal construction makes it very durable and the recessed front gives you great control for feathering your light.

The Westcott Apollo 28" softbox is a very well made, portable lighting tool, that's why we own four of them.

You can learn more about why we are such big fans of this softbox by reading our complete review (with additional info and images) here then head over and buy your own.

Neil van Niekerk is a fan of these as well and demonstrates the kind of light it throws (and the images you can get) with this post over at his blog.

Below is our video review, subscribers will need to return to the blog or head directly over to our YouTube channel to watch it.

If you are a dad...

The first time I saw the commercial below I thought "they get it" because it captures exactly what it's like for me (and I am sure other parents as well), I have 3 young ladies in high school but when I look at them I see my little girls in their jammies.

This is my reality:

This is real reality:

And if they see this post I am a dead man.

;)

You can come back to Weekly Photo Tips or head directly over to YouTube to watch it.

Snow images from this morning...

Here are a few shots I took from my porch this morning, I didn't go any further because I packed my boots away yesterday when it was 70.

;)

Click on any image to view larger and in a new window.

Spring is soooo close... I thought...

Spring arrives officially on Monday and no one is more excited about it than me.

Yesterday it actually reached 70 degrees here... I was seeing parts of my lawn I forgot existed.

As I dragged myself into the kitchen this morning to make my coffee (and attempt to reach my target heart rate) I looked out the window only to see it was snowing... and snowing hard!

The lawn I saw yesterday is gone, covered with a blanket of white and it's still coming down.

I am blubbering like Lassie just died.

In the video below I feel like the guy in the yellow parka.

And for subscribers (as usual), videos don't get pushed through so you'll need to come back to Weekly Photo Tips or head directly over to YouTube to watch it.

"RC" Concepcion's latest book reviewed...

Just a few days ago we reviewed the book "Taking Stock" so when I saw the title of RC Concepcion's latest book "Get Your Photography on The Web" I was still thinking stock.

It's not, it has nothing to do with stock and everything to do with creating a web presence that will show you and your work in the best possible light.

But before I go on about how much I love this book let me tell you what I like about RC.

If you read his dedication and acknowledgement at the beginning of the book he shares with us what is truly important to him, it's not Photoshop, not his job as a Photoshop Guy.... it's his family, and he's man enough to put into words why they are so important and exactly how he feels about them.

It tells me that RC is the kind of person I would be proud to have as a friend, and certainly more than happy to learn from.

Now, onto the book.. who is this book for? If you are trying to put together your web presence for the first time, or already have a website (and/or blog) but want to make it better, this book should be in your hands.

I have been writing Weekly Photo Tips for over 4 years and know more than most about the do's and don'ts of blogging (not because I'm smart, but because I made most of the mistakes) and I was surprised how much I was able to take away from "Get Your Photography on The Web" and it even has me doing something I never thought I'd do (more on that later).

Being a visual guy I like images not words and this book has waaaay more images that words. This makes learning so much easier because you're not looking at your screen wondering "is this right,is this what he meant?", you can see that what is on your monitor perfectly matches what RC has in the book.


I love how the book is setup, but even better is the content, the content is king.

RC gives us the complete meal, from appetizers to the post desert cigar and glass of port.

Here is just some of the content:

Chapter 1: "Domains & Space" walks you through creating a Godaddy account, purchasing your domain name, and setting up your online space.

Chapter 2: "Getting Your Images Ready" takes you from resizing and sharpening your images in Lightroom, adding metadate, to protecting them with watermarking and copyrighting. He even shows you how to create your own customized watermark.

Chapters 3 - 7: will teach you how to setup your site using WordPress, how to add content, what menus and plugins are most useful for photography sites, very cool HTML tips and tricks, and how to differentiate yourself using themes.

He then moves on to printing images online, creating portfolios, how to use social media and so much more.

Wondering how to setup and use Google Analytics? RC will show you. How about adding web galleries using FTP? Yup. Don't know what a widget is? You'll learn that too.

If much of this is new to you, you will learn without being overwhelmed, if you are familiar with many of these terms, you will learn without being bored.


But there's more, throughout the book you will find mini-interviews from folks like David Hobby, Scott Kelby, Joe McNally, and others.

But if you order in the next ten minutes RC will include three case studies (Moose Peterson, Michael McCaskey, and Kathy Porupski) on how using the techniques in this book will take large, disjointed portfolios and organize them into a site much easier for both the photographer and the visitor to use.

So what is it RC has me doing that I was sure I never would? Using WordPress. He so thoroughly demonstrated the power, the ability to customize, availability of plugins and themes, and the ease of use of WordPress that I am in the process of setting up my own WordPress site.

You only get one chance to make a first impression and "Get Your Photography on The Web" will help you make the best first impression possible.

(click on any image to view larger in a new window)