PhotoBiz is so excited to announce the release of a one of a kind new feature that will blow you away! This feature cannot be done with any other template system in our industry. In fact, if you want to do something like what we are doing, it would require extensive coding knowledge and quite a bit of money!
What does it look like?
Our new light box is a beautiful overlay on top of your PhotoBiz website. As it displays right on top of your website, users can tell that they have not left your site and they can still see your moving photos transition in an opaque view throughout the background.
What can it do?
What can’t you do is probably a better question. You can have absolutely any link, video, website, contact form, social network, slideshow, or anything else online imaginable, appear directly on your website! This feature is available under ANY menu item with your PhotoBiz Flash and/or HTML website!
Are you on Facebook? Instead of just a link to your page, how would you like to bring Facebook to your Website?
Do you Blog? How powerful would it be if your customers can view and interact on your blog while they are still on your website?
A simple link to Twitter is never enough! Your customers want to know what you are doing! Bring the power of your twitter updates directly to your website with a number of Twitter widgets!
Do you use any studio management software? How would you like to harness the contact management system directly on your PhotoBiz Website!
How would you like to have a completely customizable calendar embedded on your website? Google has a great option for you but literally any web based calendar system that you use can now be brought to your PhotoBiz website!
What about a Chat function that allows your customers to chat with you while they are on your website? With many embeddable chat features out there, your customers can initiate a chat directly on your website! Using any smart phone, you can be mobile and keep in contact with you prospective clients.
Please don’t let our very brief ideas here restrict your creativity! There are virtually unlimited options at your disposal with the new PhotoBiz “Smart Light Box”! Try it out for yourself and leave a link back here with how you intend to use it!
How Customizable is it?
You are given complete control over the size of this “Smart Light Box”. Simply insert the size you would like it to appear and it will automatically be centered over your website. If the color customization is something you are worried about, there’s nothing to worry about with PhotoBiz! All of the colors that you see on this embedded page can be 100% customized with our enhanced color picker! Further customization includes a new roll-over caption feature is enabled on each embedded content page so that you can give a little bit more information to your viewers. Colors and fonts choices again come in abundance. Lastly, you can choose to disable background music from your website or not. PhotoBiz is the King in giving you fully customizable features!
Where do I begin?
Now that you are excited to start using it, remember that as a PhotoBiz customer; there are no upgrade fees are hassles to add this feature. As PhotoBiz is the only web template company that is truly cloud computing, this feature is already enabled in your web based drag and drop control panel and ready to use. Here are some screen shot to point you in the right direction.
Step 1 is to add an External link in the “Web Pages” section of your control panel.
Step 2 This External Link is added to the bottom left. Simply click on it to start your customizations.
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***There is a known Security measure in place with using the Facebook Page (Not Widget or Fan Badge) and Twitter Pages (Not Widgets) that may prevent optimal use of this feaure. We are recommending that you use the Facebook Fan Badge and Twitter Widgets for best results.***
As we discussed last time, there are generally two types of SEO: White Hat and Black Hat. Black Hat SEO utilizes unethical methods to artificially inflate search engine placement. While White Hat SEO on the other hand, involves ethical techniques which conform to a search engine provider’s guidelines with no deceptions. We are first going to focus in a little more on the White Hat techniques…
There is no specific ruleset for good SEO. The general guideline is this: the more accessible and readable your website would be to a live human being, the better it will rank on a search engine. Search engines specifically want to catalog pages that humans will use. The best thing you can do, therefore, is to make your content clear, accessible, easy to find, relevant and up to date.
Let’s look at some other things you can do to improve your searchability.
Links
One of the best things you can do for your site’s rank is to have a lot of good quality pages linking back to you. Keep in mind what the search engines consider “good quality”. Links from real sites are quality. Links from legitimate social media pages are good, too. read full blog entry…
Plus, you will be automatically entered to WIN $10,000 in products of your choice and other additional prizes. Each of the four sponsors provide one gift certificate worth $2,500. >>Click Here to View All Prizes
Plus+, you will also receive a FREE GIFT instantly -
“The Smart Business Power Pack” a downloadable PDF with 10 must-have “Professional Photographer” articles that will help you build a stronger business and work smarter.
1. What equipment you do you use?
I shoot with BOTH digital and film believe it or not. I use all Nikon cameras and lenses. My digital cameras are the Nikon D700, and Nikon Dxs. I’m planning on purchasing the D3. My film cameras are Nikon F100 (I have 3 of them). I have lots of lenses. My favorite standard portrait lens is my 105mm f 2.8. I think every portrait photographer should invest in this lens. I also have a few zoom lenses. I have an 28mm -105mm macro zoom f 4.5/5.6. This is my party lens. I use it for candids and tight spaces with lots of people mingling around because I can zoom in and out. My other zoom is my 80mm-210mm f 2.8. I use this when I’m at a distance and need to zoom in and blow out the background completely. It’s a heavy lens but its serves it’s purpose. Occasionally but not often I’ll shoot with my 50mm on my Dxs (which becomes a 70mm) when I am in a tight space but need the extra speed for the 1.8 lens. I also have a collection of antique film cameras with imperfect lenses I occasionally use for my vintage looking imagery.
My lighting system is suprisingly simple. Since I live in sunny, warm, southern California on the beach and near some magnificent location settings like the mountains, parks and some historic western towns and buildings not far there are endless outdoor locations I rarely shot in studio these days. I opt for using natural light whenever possible and simply modify it by using a reflector or flash fill. I use Nikon SB900 and 800 flashes with a light modifier mini soft box over the flash head for a very natural, diffused light. It’s awesome and simple. Sometimes when I’m indoors or low-light situations I’ll use multiple flashes in a wireless system slaved with one of my flashes acting as the main controller. This enables me to get a key backlight and front fill light when I have to improvise natural light. When I shoot interiors I LOVE using my Omni hot light kits. I have 4 heads. They’re compact, lightweight and all fit into a suitcase size that can easily be tossed onto a conveyor belt at the airport. The light is warm and beautiful and looks great for interiors and I can see the light and adjust it ever so slightly where and when I need to. The lights however are too hot for portraits. In this situation I’ll use either strobes, (profoto) and adjust the output for each head accordingly, or a bank of kinflows. These are cool, daylight balanced lights (non flash/strobe) but their output is not very powerful and the appearance is very different from strobes or hot lights. I use
apple computers with 2 cinema display screens and Epson printers.
2. How long have you been shooting?
I’ve been shooting professionally for 23 years since graduating from Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. I started my entrepreneurial career however shooting back in high school as a teenager. I took a photo darkroom class and then started shooting pics of my boyfriend’s band. I would make prints and then sell them at lunchtime to groupies for 25-50 cents.
3. Where are you located?
Marina del Rey, CA
4. What type of photography do you take?
I am a primarily a “people” photographer with an intimate, soulful style. This style lends itself to many applications. I shoot advertising, high-end weddings and events, high production and very unique engagement sessions, stock and fine art. I also shoot interiors which I really enjoy very much. It’s a great balance that keeps me on my toes. In the advertising world I am known as a lifestyle photographer – travel, leisure, hospitality and pharmaceutical. While I shoot a lot of different things my style remains consistent and this is very important. This is what the clients pay for. Like a chef in a fine restaurant, they want a photographer who can repeat a style and guarantee results, not someone how just gets lucky with a good shot here or there.
5. Price range of events?
* Weddings: $5500 - $30,000
* Party-events: $1500 - $3000
* Portrait sessions: $750-$1500
* Advertising & Editorial jobs: $3500-7500 day rate
* Interiors: $850-$1500 per day
6. When did you notice that you had passion for photography?
I was an artist from the day I could walk (accordingly to my parents). I didn’t play board games or have dolls. All I wanted to do was draw, paint, sculpt, design and create. I even won some local town contest for a drawing I did when I was in 2nd grade. In 1978 when I took my first high school photo class. I had a crush on my instructor and a boyfriend in a band so those two motivated me to continue. After highschool when I went to college I had to choose a major. Everyone knew I would be an artist so it wasn’t even a second thought. I chose photography because it seemed like it would be a career field I could make actually make a real living at.
7. Is there anything unique about what you do?
Business and creativity go hand in hand and I am constantly having to balance the 2. I teach my interns and workshops students that evolving and growing as an artist is a life long journey one should enjoy and not rush. However, focusing on business skills is imperative.
8. What’s the funniest thing that ever happened during a shoot?
I’ve had a few. One of them was shooting a press shoot of a Turkish celebrity for an editorial magazine. I asked her to ride a bicycle down the street. She wore glasses normally but decided to remove them because she felt it would make a more attractive photo. I didn’t know how blind she was and asked her to ride towards me for a better shot. She rode the bicycle straight into me and nearly knocked me over! I did get some great shots though!
9. Most awkward moment during a wedding?
I asked a bride to position herself for me in a place where I could get a better shot of her tossing the bouquet to the bridesmaids. I didn’t realize how high she would throw the bouquet and also didn’t consider the chandelier was above her head. When she threw the bouquet she threw it so high it hit the CANDLE chandelier and all the candles came crashing to the ground, (and her head!) wax and all! I learned my lesson from that one! Look around (all around) before positioning anyone anywhere!
10. What’s the scariest thing that ever happened during a shoot?
This was many years ago but my main camera got accidently set on the multiple exposure button,(don’t ask) and many of the shots got double exposed! I always carry multiple cameras so I did have some back up shots but after this happened we taped that button in place so it would never happen again!
11. What’s the best moment of your photography career?
I’ve had a few. Being your own boss, running a freelance photo business is not for everyone. Its hard and unpredictable but every now and then we’re reminded why we sacrifice a lot when something amazing happens:
I was en route to northern Norway for a combination work/pleasure trip. After living many years in Paris I had developed many European friends. One of my friends is Norwegian and lives on a remote island above the Arctic Circle. It was my first trip to Norway and certainly the farthest place north on the globe I had ever been. My objective was to shoot some stock, visit with her and her family and get some much need R&R. The airplane we took from the mainland to the island was a small 20-seater. The flight was full but because my friend worked for the airlines she had some clout. She explained to them I was American and a photographer so they proudly agreed to allow me to sit in the only available seat, the jump seat in the cockpit! (sometimes being a photographer has its perks. Many people seemed fascinated by our profession!). For those of you who have never flown an actual airplane riding in the cockpit is an incredible experience. It’s very different then flying in the rest of the cabin. This is like being on the wings of a bird! Despite it was mid summer this day like many others in the arctic was cloudy and drizzling rain. As the plane flew low over the ocean and the numerous tiny islands the pilots eagerly allowed me to shoot my cameras and even moved their heads from shooting range so I could get a better shot. I was speechless at the majestic beauty of this strange and ominous landscape. I envisioned why the Vikings kept rowing further and further north. Just before we were about to land the sun burst through a cloud and a magnificent, enormous rainbow stretched between the tiny adjacent island to the miniscule landing strip of the island we were just about to land on! It was absolutely spectacular! I just kept shooting and shooting! It was one of those moments in life that I realized how blessed I was to be a photographer. It was a truly a remarkable experience!
12. How many shoots do you photograph each year?
It varies from year to year because I also teach workshops, do guest speaking appearances, do private consulting and write for my book projects. When I’m not shooting commissioned jobs I’m working on my personal fine art projects and am preparing for some gallery shows. I’m also a member of Kodak’s advisory board and have recently been asked to direct my first short film! I’m ecstatic about because I have always felt I should be directing. It’s just an organic transition.
Last year I did the following:
6 advertising jobs
20 portrait shoots, (these include families, individual, pregnancy, kids, seniors)
12 weddings
9 engagement sessions
5 stock shoots
6 personal project shoots
13. Have you had to changed anything to adjust in current economic times?
In the past I did very little advertising or promoting of my services for jobs. Jobs simply just came to me by word of mouth. Now I’m marketing a bit more and revamping my websites (thanks to phtobiz, to offer my clients a more user-friendly method of viewing my images. I’m also offering them mini websites (another great Photobiz feature!). Instead of reducing my rates substantially I’m increasing my product value giving my clients more for the same price. Photobiz has really helped!
14. Describe your shooting style?
I’m known as authentic “people person.” Establishing a safe, trusting relationship fast is something I’m good at. I’m a natural nurturer and I’m sympathetic to the uneasy feeling many people have around photographers, be it a person behind the lens (even a professional model) or a property owner who is spending thousands to document their interiors. I am very intuitive and read people easily. I can usually find something we have in common to relate to and that instantly helps them relax. I’m very confident in what I do and I think they sense and feel this so that helps too.
*Are you interested in becoming a featured photographer of the month with PhotoBiz?
Send an email to: Blogger [at] photobiz [dot] com. Include a paragraph stating why you think that you should be considered for this feature and a link to your website. (You must be willing to submit an interview and video testimonial if chosen)
With over 15,000 photographers using PhotoBiz, we realized that there is an abundance of talent and knowledge here. The goal of our blog is to share our news, share industry news, and educate. With that said, what better way to educate than to utilize some of the best photographers in the world.
About Hiram: I have been involved with photography for about 15 yrs. I have always been infatuated with photography. From childhood I use to love the photography of the 1920’s thru 50’s. All the images where so captivating, from cinema to the great depression every image told a story. I bought my first camera at the age of 17 from a pawn shop. Most of my early photography was shot and developed guerilla style. I would buy old film (yes film) from camera stores and would develop them at the univeristy campus darkroom even though I did not have a photography class. I got caught a few times, but I paid my way in by helping clean the room or anything they needed. I finally ended up taking a position at the university news paper and worked my way to becoming one of the sports editors. A professor at the university saw some of my photographs and added me to an art exhibition that his senior students were having at a local gallery. It was there that a soon to be bride approached me and asked of I would do a bridal portrait, I had never shot a bride before, but I gladly said yes. After that I decided to learn more about the industry and just felt in love with the idea of creating art pieces for such a great occasion.
After working and learning under some great wedding photographers I decided to do it on my own. I began honing my skills by learning everything in sight about wedding photography the likes and dislikes of it all and how I would take my artistic approach to this industry. We created a couple of stand alone pieces for a friends’ wedding soon after that we had our first client and Hiram Trillo Art-Photography was born.
-First off, I want to thank everyone for the great comments, emails, and friend requests I have received since I started writing these articles. I really enjoy it and you guys have been very kind. This month I thought I would write something a bit different. In the other two articles I touched on two subjects that we can all relate to. Developing a brand or name is always a work in progress. Why? Well it takes time to develop that name and recognition, and once you have it you have to work hard to maintain it. The other is gear; we all need it, however it’s not how much gear you have, but how much you do with what you have.
-This article is going to give you another tool. Last month I purchased a copy of the new David duChemin’s book VisionMongers. As many of you know duChemin is a professional photographer who specializes in humanitarian projects and world photography. His first book “With in the frame” was well received in the photographic community and it also helped cement deChemin as a true visionary for his knowledge and passion for photography. VisionMongers is a real, stay true to the art read. From the introduction the author tells it like it is. That is one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much. The tone of the first chapter set the tone for the book. Many will take it as a negative, duChemin through out this chapter warns amateur and hobbyists about the negative side of going into photography as a profession. I have had many tell me that it was discouraging to read about how negative the book sees the professional photography world. I completely disagree. The author warns of the negative side of becoming a professional photographer. He does not sugar coat the facts, he just presents them. It is hard to make it in this industry with out (as Larry Perez’ article read) finding your niche. You must educate, build, and discover yourself before heading out to venture into an industry that is saturated already.
-Once you get passed the first chapter you will discover a world of knowledge. VisionMonger, short of doing it for you, is a blueprint for how to as the title says “make a life and a living in photography.” David dedicated a great portion of this book in developing your personal brand. Branding is everything now and duChemin gives you the tools to develop it, with advice on your logo, business cards, and social media such as website, blog, and twitters. David is an active blogger and twitter (@pixelatedimage). He recognizes the importance of trends and following it. Social media is heading in a direction where it will soon surpass traditional media such as print and television. We literally have the power at our fingertips. More and more people are going online to find what they need, and unless you meet them there you will be missing key clients. It is wise to establish your web presence. Remember it’s free so use it.
- VisionMongers deals with the work that needs to be done in order to succeed. The author encourages the reader to stay a hobbyist until one is ready to venture out. He speaks of education and the importance of it, he discusses the business aspect and its operations, such as contracts, negotiation and even sponsorships. You will get a very clear understanding of the business side of photography and how to better yourself as a business person. Business is the backbone of photography. If you are planning on making a living in the industry then you must balance the business side of things with equally great photography.
-One of the things I truly enjoyed about this book is the biographies within. David gives an insight into the beginnings of some of the great photographers in the industry such as: Kevin Clark, Darwin Wigget, Dave Delnea, Gavin Gough, Zach Arias, Karl Grobl, Grace Chon, and Chace Jarvis. All of these are success stories and all have an incredible web presence.
-This book is a must read for any level of photographer. If you have been in business for years, it will refresh your attitude towards your business as well as modernize it, and if you are an inspiring pro photographer then it will guide you through and explain key aspects necessary for your success. Unlike David’s first book “With in the Frame” this book is not intended to better yourself technically, it is a book to help you make a living out of your passion and what you need to support your hobby and make it in this great industry.
-I truly enjoyed this book. I have been a duChemin fan for many years. The only down side to this book is that it was published after I started my own business. It was great to see how on target I was on many things, but also how I could have avoided many headaches. Although I believe you are never truly done building and maintaining your brand, David duChemin hit a homerun with this book, and it shows how dedicated he truly is to the industry. If you have a chance I highly recommend picking up a copy as well as visiting his website and blog pixelatedimage.com/blog. For now I leave you with a quote that has always inspired me to stay creative, “Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.” Albert Einstein.
