It's so appropriate that this blog post appears in October, the month Halloween is celebrated in the United States.

Danny Iny, is an author who quickly became known as The Freddy Krueger of blogging.

He is most recently the author of two seminal and free marketing e-books, Engagement from Scratch and Naked Marketing Manifesto.

Danny, as busy as he is on a variety of projects, agreed to audit my site, Tiffinbox based around these essential questions:

Who are you and what do you do? [01:15]

When did you start the site and how has it grown since? [02:05]

Can you give us a sense of what the numbers are like? [02:40]

Who is your target audience? What do you offer that is appealing to them? [03:20]

How are you getting the attention of your target audience? [04:55]

How does the site make money? What kind of things does the site promote? [08:15]

What is your conversion rate? [10:50]

How do you go about creating a cycle of commitment and reward, asking readers for an increasingly large commitment and in turn offering a bigger reward, and so on? [13:20]

If you could go back in time and give some advice to Seshu of 2003, what lesson would you give? [21:25]

Now, I know what you are thinking. You are saying to yourself, “Gee, this is all about Tiffinbox, what does it have to do about me and my business.”

Well, what you'll hear in the audio applies to you. Trust me. I learned a ton about how to approach my photography business from Danny, even though we were talking about this photographer's community.

[podcast]https://s3.amazonaws.com/nakedmarketing/nm_audit_seshu.mp3[/podcast]

For example, check out his advice on how to leverage Pinterest. Sure, that's something I could do for Tiffinbox, but it could very well apply to our collective marketing efforts for our own businesses.

Soon after I spoke with Danny, Angela Pointon and I collaborated on a webinar series (this is on going and you should totally sign up) with Tamara Lackey, Rosh Sillars and Skip Cohen as guests. Danny's suggestion of offering a FREE webinar was brilliant. Over 100 people registered for it.

This is a candid chat with a guy who knows his stuff. Not only does he ask some very poignant questions, but he gives me some very specific solutions too.

Give it a listen now and tell me one thing you learned from our chat that you will apply to your photography business. You can also read the transcript.

Heber Vega is an editorial and humanitarian photographer. Originally from Chile, Heber has been based in northern Iraq since 2003. He specializes in documenting the work of humanitarian organizations and also in portraits of people through editorial photography. Heber works primarily as a freelance photographer, working on assignment. He has been commissioned by various organizations, and lately by magazines as well. He is on Twitter and Facebook. You've got to follow him.

Photography is for the soul. It is therapy for the heart.

Zack Arias: Yes, the well known photographer that we hear a lot of these days. I respect him deeply and consider him an online mentor to many of us. I appreciate his generosity, sharing his insights of this industry, and building a community. He once said: “Those of us who make a living with a camera aren't curing cancer”. Actually he’s said that many times… and I totally understand what he means. Sometimes we take everything in this field far too seriously.

Without taking his words too far out of context, I want to propose the idea that photography can heal our own souls and the hearts of others. Photography can help us rise up out of whatever circumstances we find ourselves.

I love photography; I always have. But I’m from Chile, and the Chile of my childhood was a third world country. I never had the necessary resources to own a camera. My best option was to borrow any that I found. Once I became an adult, I totally forgot about those childhood dreams of becoming a photographer. I moved to northern Iraq (Kurdistan) nearly 9 years ago, and began to live and experience life as a humanitarian (NGO) worker.

Kurdistan is an autonomous region filled with people who sadly know too well the meaning of words like pain, genocide, persecution, death, gas attacks, etc. These people have been under every imaginable hardship, yet have been able to survive. Resilience is what has formed their character as a nation and today that resilience has allowed them to create a new era filled with peace and hope, where they have become self-sustainable and finally respected as a nation. The experience of learning about the Kurds, just like experiences I had back in South America, introduced me to the stories of people and places worthy of filling hundreds of books. The frustration of coming across so many important but untold stories led me back to photography. It has become my tool for telling stories, for expression, for giving dignity and for giving (if only for a few minutes) freedom to people with chained souls.

Since then I’ve been pursuing this passion. I’ve been able to work for other NGOs and charities in Iraq, as well as my home country of Chile. Today I’m specializing in portraiture as a way to understand and reveal more of the souls of my subjects. A year or two ago, I had a dream of using photography for people trapped in difficult situations. Why? Because through the years I’ve witness the power and freedom that a camera can give, in the right hands.

This dream led to the creation of The ONE-SHOT Project. I regularly see the healing that can happen. I want to share some of those untold stories and give you the chance to experiment yourself, and perhaps to help empower someone else with the liberating
experience of owning a camera. The names below have been changed, but the stories are very real.

Felipe: I met him through the internet; he was desperately looking to own his first camera. I helped him, gave him some advice, but then I asked the important question “Why? Why a camera?”

His answer hit me. He said, “I’m a cop and I deal with a lot sh** every single day. I’ve been severely depressed for 2 years, and I need to focus on something else. I need to breathe; I need to find myself and spend some time alone.”

Within a few weeks, Felipe got his first camera and is doing much better. He’s taking weekends off and spending them making landscape images…

Muhammed: He is one of the children we have worked with through the ONE-SHOT Project. He’s an orphan and dealing with a lot of pain from his past. Muhammed took part in a photography workshop with us for a couple months, and during the closing ceremony he approached me to speak in private. “Am I good enough? Am I good at all? Did I do a good job? Am I good enough?” He was so insistent that I had a hard time answering back. Why? Because I knew he’d been labeled as a “problem” many times in his life. He struggled at school and was probably a difficult child to deal with. But you know what? Over the months of the workshop, he was one of the most talented students….

A camera, an opportunity to explore and express his curiosity, plus the therapy that comes with caring was all he needed to do well. That day I told him honestly “You are brilliant! You’re one of my best students. You did an incredible job!” Those words are still resonating with him today, in part because he’s so rarely heard those words.

Rasheed: He was a problematic child, more than anyone in his class. I thought it was going to be difficult to keep him in the class; he didn’t pay attention, he was constantly moving, and sometimes was aggressive with the other kids. After a few classes with a camera in his hands, he found focus. He was all about photography: creative like no one else, finding new angles and perspective that only an artist could see. A camera and the experience of making images has made him into a new child. He went from being the most problematic student to the one that arrived 30 minutes before each class, organizing the space so that everything would work well…

Ana: She’s a beautiful person, but after knowing her for a while you can tell that she’s been dealing with a lot of baggage from the past. Behind her warm, candid smile and all the friendship she’s able to share with whoever may happen to need company, she hides pain and problems with self-esteem. Photography for her has been huge. She now advocates for other people with the same problems, especially women. She’s been using her camera to empower people, and today she’s able to share her story knowing that it may help others as well. Step-by-step she is learning how valuable she is for the rest of us….

Myself: For years I wasn’t able to speak in public or a class. I was frightened about what other people would think of me. I was afraid to try new things; afraid they would become the next new failure in my life. I had very poor self-esteem and was incapable of believing that difficult things could be made possible. I was deathly afraid of meeting new people, engaging in conversation. In some ways this is still me, but more and more it describes the stage in life before using a camera broke down those walls.

We are all dealing with a lot stuff. That “stuff” is reflected in our daily lives, in our businesses and in our relationships with the rest of this world.

My call today is to grant you permission to allow your camera to lead you into new situations, and to push out the boundaries of your own life; to allow yourself to experiment with life in a new way. I know that cameras don’t talk, but our souls do. Take a moment (an hour, a day, a week), GO ALONE with your camera, and let it go free. Unleash the talent in your heart. Go somewhere else, maybe the other side of the world as in my case, and allow that camera to discover your surroundings. Allow that camera to discover your true self. Don’t let fear drive you. This is time to connect with ourselves, and to live in the moment with a new pair of eyes.

Travel, seek, analyze, observe, connect, admire the world around you. If you step out so far that fear fills you again, HIDE! But hide behind a viewfinder, until you gather the courage to try it all again. Keep your eyes there, gazing through a lens… and breathe. Breathe deeply.

Ask questions, ignite your curiosity, be gentle and keep doing this, day after day. Don’t worry about all the technical details; learn how to take one photo at a time. Then add something. Ask the next question of your subject; challenge yourself with a new technique or experience. Before you know it you will be immersed in this new world of frozen moments, a world of beautiful details, a world with a window to the souls of those you meet. Photography is a license to get rid of fear. Photography cures, not cancer, but our souls.

Be the next story on the list. Be who you really are!

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I am kicking myself. Hard.

Why? Well, I went on a social media spree and posted about a webinar series I am co-hosting with Angela Pointon, called Swift Kick: Four Things Every Photographer Should Know About Business. Those who follow me on my Twitter and Facebook saw the posts and signed up quickly.

But I didn't really get you guys involved until … now. I am so sorry!

Well, the good news is, there is still time to register for the webinar series that will expose you to the marketing fundamentals most photographers miss.

I am sure you are curious what the webinar series is going to address and how it will help you. Let me tell you a story and I promise to keep it short.

After graduating from journalism school, with a strong emphasis in photography, I thought I was ready to take on the world and offer my photography services to anyone who asked me to photograph them or their event. Sad truth was unless I opened my mouth and told people that I was a photojournalist, no one really knew what I did for a living.

That's the case even today, except I am much better at marketing myself.

As I have already mentioned I have a fairly strong presence on both Twitter and Facebook (and I am exploring Google+). But that's really only online. What about off-line marketing, otherwise known as good ole' networking? I recently signed up to become a member of a local BNI chapter. I expect to renew my local chamber of commerce membership. I am joining other groups where members refer clients back and forth.

All that's great, but even those forays require some structure.

Angela Pointon, with whom I am co-hosting these webinars suggests that we begin by acknowledging our gut instinct. If a certain connection feels right to you, go for it. You really need to listen to what she has to say about this (and this first webinar is free).

The next webinar, with Tamara Lackey as our guest, will delve into the topic of “Discipline.” Without discipline, I am finding rather quickly, one's focus can get distracted. (on October 3, 2012, 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm … that's TODAY folks!)

Rosh Sillars, based in Detroit, Michigan, comes on board to talk about “Branding” (which hopefully we all know means how our business is perceived or thought-about rather than the existence of a logo. (on October 17, 2012, 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm EST)

Lastly, Skip Cohen, a marketing maven in the photography industry joins us to talk about having the “Right Tools,” to market our business. (on November 7, 2012, 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm EST)

Details about each of these sessions can be found here. If you are getting your business off the ground or you have been at it for a few years and want to know more, register for ALL FOUR sessions for just $25 now.

As an added incentive, ProDPI, Fundy Software, Song Freedom, Photocrati, ThinkTank Bags and Sticky Albums have all come on board as sponsors and have some exciting prizes that they are giving away.

ProDPI is giving away a 20″x30″ canvas per webinar.

Fundy Software is giving away Action Hub (a $79 value) to those who enter their email address into a special form which also enters you to win the Total Studio Pack (valued at $499).

Song Freedom is giving away one license for a song on their site, per webinar.

Photocrati is giving away one WordPress theme per webinar.

ThinkTank Bags is giving away one SlingShot 20 bag per webinar.

Sticky Albums has a special code to receive $30 off of their annual plan.

When you register for all the remaining webinars, you'll receive all the recordings PLUS you have at least three chances to win one of the prizes mentioned above.

So, what are you waiting for? Register now.

This guest post is by Josh Solar, a wedding and family photographer based in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to running their own business, he and his wife, Jenny, help other photographers run their businesses. Read also about their Happy Family Movement. For even more positive energy follow Josh on Twitter. Good vibes all around!

Workshops, conferences, trade shows … being a photographer, you've got many options when it comes to choosing where you go to learn and grow. It's all a bit overwhelming when you think about it.

The thing I've learned about these events in the photography industry is to trust your gut. If you feel a pull towards one over another, trust it. That's how I found myself at a Life as An Artform workshop with Jesh De Rox three and a half years ago, and that's how I ended up at the Beloved Collective Festival two weeks ago in Palm Springs. My life has been forever changed.

I was treated to 3 days of fun in the hot California sun. I heard Jonas Peterson share his story…that you should be the best possible you, you can be. Kristen Kalp made us laugh, made marketing fun, and we collectively jumped in the pool with our clothes on. Bob Goff was there smiling and sharing some of the wonderful stories that have shaped his life (Speaking of Bob, if you haven't read his book, Love Does, you should). Jeff Goelitz from Heart Math helped shed some light on how our hearts are connected in more ways than we can possibly imagine (mind-blowing). Marianne Taylor, Jeremy Bircher, Nicole Polk, Liz Arcus, Amy Seeley, Brooke Snow, and James Moes all gave inspiring, deeply personal talks with a similar overarching theme as the other … be yourself. Follow your heart. Trust your gut. Love life.

And, the fun didn't stop at the speakers. The reason I will attend every single Beloved Festival is for the conversations that happen throughout the day and well into the night. All the wonderfully kind souls in attendance, willing to open their hearts, searching for meaning and purpose in our lives. The why's behind the way we live. For the community built on connection and honesty and delivering THAT to our clients. I will attend for the sunrise concerts, the evening concerts (both planned and unplanned). It's just a great time to kick back, relax, be yourself and celebrate our precious life together!

I was asked to share a few images from Palm Springs, but I didn't actually take any. So, enjoy a few images from my most recent Beloved session. Her name is Teresa. She's had some major changes thrown her way by life, and we spent a few hours belly-laughing, telling stories and celebrating that we get to be alive.

Beloved has forever changed my life. I hope it gets to you as well. The next one is planned for October 21-23, 2013 in Los Angeles.

Will you be there to learn, get inspired and celebrate life with us?

Emily Potts at Moms With Cameras is launching a brand-new online workshop, The Mother of All Mentoring. The workshop runs from October 23-November 13 and usually costs $379. Class is limited to only 50 participants. So please be sure to register early to reserve your seat!

She says the workshop is a comprehensive program designed to help you build an incredible photography business starting from where you are this very moment. Emily believes in teaching easy-to-implement strategies that allow you build the photography business of your dreams.

The Mother of all Mentoring is a series of four lessons that run over the course of four weeks. Each week you will receive a 90-minute recording plus a series of tasks that will give you both the education and the tools you need to run a successful photography business.

Registration opens on Wednesday September 26, 2012, but you have an opportunity to win a spot before you can buy it! She’s given Tiffinbox a complimentary seat to give to one lucky reader! Here’s how to enter:

1. Like Tiffinbox on Facebook and Follow Tiffinbox on Twitter.

2. Like Moms With Cameras on Facebook and Follow Moms With Cameras on Twitter.

3. Leave a comment below.

4. We will announce our winner on September 25th, 9 pm EST.

Good luck everyone!

If you’re not the lucky winner, don’t fret. Emily is also offering all of our followers $100 off of the tuition price when they use the code MM100 by September 30th, 2012.

As an added bonus, the first twenty-five registrants will receive a thirty-minute phone consultation with Emily Potts!

With your enrollment, you’ll receive the following:

Four 90-minute sessions full of information on that week’s topics.

A weekly pdf outlining your goals for the week and offering spaces on which to take notes to refer back to.

A set of digital templates to use for your promotional materials and products.

In-house forms to streamline your workflow and keep track of clients.

Special offers and promotions from our favorite vendors.

While this course is being offered by Moms With Cameras, I am sure Emily would welcome guys into this online mentoring program as well. So, if you are looking to get a solid footing as you set up your business, this online mentoring program might be your ticket.

[Just so you know, I am not financially benefitting by announcing this opportunity here on my site.]

This is Russ Klettke's interview with Brian Dilg, who is Chair of Photography at the Photography School at the New York Film Academy. In addition to 20 years of professional teaching experience around the world, Dilg's work has been published in The New York Times, Time Out, Village Voice and covers of books published by Simon and Schuster, Random House and Hyperion. He has also worked in post-production for major fashion houses, consumer products manufacturers and media organizations. He also has won awards as a filmmaker and worked as a director, cinematographer and editor of narrative, documentary, music video and commercial films.

Q: What do you tell photography students about careers in the industry?

As an instructor at a New York-based school of photography (The Photography School at the New York Film Academy), I regularly provide advice to student commercial photographers and photojournalists about the kinds of careers they may achieve. It is hugely beneficial for them to envision the heights to which they can aspire – we are is New York, after all, where you can become the best of the best in almost every endeavor – but it is also essential to consider the entry point at which one can enter the profession.

I have a quick way of summarizing what a career in photography likely will entail. In your first job, you probably will be someone’s assistant, and a lot of your time will not involve taking pictures. Across the later arc of your career, you are likely to be self-employed and therefore must have business skills – in addition to your acumen and artistry as a photographer.

Q: So, they are to start from the ground up – but does that mean actually taking photos?

Let’s discuss first things first. The role of the photographer’s assistant, or someone who works in the administrative and support side of photography, is not just about paying dues. You will learn vital parts of what makes a photographer valuable to his or her clients and their craft. Between what you shoot and what is ultimately used in print editorial, multimedia advertising or online publications there is a lot of editing, organizing, legal documentation, processing and selling. Long-term, every photographer has to know how this works and how to manage it.

Q: We suppose this varies, depending on the type of photographer the student hopes to be one day, yes?

The specific path you wish to take – smaller-scale commercial (including weddings), larger-scale commercial (fashion and advertising photography), and photojournalism – would likely involve these entry level positions:

Smaller-scale commercial – Most established photographers need assistants to help with lighting, equipment, on-location support and administrative tasks. Work with a pro and learn to be a pro. Often, the assistant will price out a job (some use contract templates found on Blinkbid.com) and handle client contact to some extent.

Larger-scale commercial – The digitech assistant on advertising, high-end fashion and other large-budget commercial shoots may appear to be the most popular person in the production. As they work on the computer tethered to the camera, clients and talent might be clustered around them as they identify whether or not the shoot is getting them what is intended – in real time. The work doesn’t end there, as a lot of organizing and file backup is required post-production, along the path that selected images take to become a final product.

Photojournalism – While the budgets for photojournalists are shrinking for print media, rare is the project where the assistant can travel with the photographer to newsworthy locales – unfortunately. But there is plenty for the photojournalist’s assistant to do in the office: editing, cropping, backing up files, processing prints and communicating and invoicing are all in their role. This person gets a first-hand look at what clients (media) want and need, and the value they place on good images.

Of course, assistants in each category need to be working on developing their own skills and portfolio, even when that is not their full-time responsibility. For example, the photojournalist should seek out local media assignments, enough to develop credits and tear sheets. Commercial photographers-in-training should jump at any opportunity to work with smaller clients.

Q: Is it essential for the photographer to also be a businessperson?

Concurrent with developing a portfolio, the photographer needs to become comfortable with the business imperatives of a photography career. Indeed, the first job for photographers is to get to know the business. In addition to the skills development mentioned above, the future independent photographer needs to understand the importance of selling in their career. By selling, we mean relationship development. You’re only as good as you hope to be and working as much as you want when clients know you and trust you. That boils down to a personal style, your professionalism, how fun you are to work with and your ability to establish reasonable expectations on the part of your clients – on top of providing top-quality photography.

Do you agree that the first job for photographers who are either professionals or want to go pro should be to get to know the business? Sound off below in the comments section. Your voice counts!

Alethea Cheng Fitzpatrick is a family photographer with nestingNYC and photography coach for parents with Photosanity. She is on a mission to help parents more fully experience the precious fleeting moments of their children's lives through photography. She teaches The Photosanity Workshop, a twelve week online photography workshop for parents, and also offers custom one-on-one coaching and NYC area family portrait sessions. Alethea is also mom to two boys, Liam, aged 3.5, and Jack, 9 months. Follow Alethea on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Do You Struggle To Get Your Potential Clients To Understand And Appreciate The Value Of What You Do?

If so, you are not alone.

I hear from a lot of professional family photographers who struggle with this. How can we communicate the value of beautiful portrait artwork that retains meaning over a lifetime in this age of “Groupon” shoot-and-burn photographers who are giving away their sessions complete with a disc of high resolution images for under $100?!

How My Experience As A Mom Lead Me To Figure It Out

I struggled with this same issue when I first started my family photography business.

At the same time, I was a new mom who not only fell in love with her first baby, but fell in love with photographing him.

However, as a mom, I quickly became overwhelmed by how many photos I was taking and how little time I had to do anything with them.

I also noticed, as I started to talk to and work with more and more parents, how so many of them loved photographing their kids too, but were frustrated with the results. I could see how some simple strategies and tips that even the most sleep-deprived parent could learn would make a huge difference.

So, I set out to figure out a) what parents needed to know to take better photos of their kids and b) how on earth could we as parents get control over all the thousands of photos that we were now taking so that they were organized and out in the world to be shared and enjoyed rather than gathering dust on a hard drive?!!!

I also had a hunch that, just as I myself gained an increasing appreciation for the value of professional photography the more I got into photography myself, so too would my workshop participants.

And thus The Photosanity Workshop [affiliate] was born, where I teach parents how to take better photos, and organize, edit and share too.

The Surprising Result Of The Workshop

I'll be honest – my dad thought I was crazy, teaching people how to take better photos, and I still get questions from photographers about whether I'm worried that in teaching parents my “secrets” I will lose them as potential clients.

I'm not worried at all.

In fact, the opposite has been true. Last year my photo sessions sold out to local workshop participants and referrals before I even got the chance to offer them to the rest of my e-mail list, let alone the public. Some of my workshop participant turned portrait clients have kids in elementary school and had never hired a professional photographer before. Through my workshop, they gained an increased appreciation for the value of photography and were willing to invest. And even if they were starting to take great photos of their kids, they still needed a professional photographer to take photos that included them, with their families.

After all, even professional photographers need other professional photographers to photograph them! I make sure my family is photographed at least twice a year by a professional photographer – this is something that has only become more important to me over time, not less.

My Primary Mission … And The Happy Secondary Result

Now I'm not saying that everyone who takes my workshop becomes a portrait client – far from it. Professional photography is not for everyone, especially the highly customized services that I offer, and that is totally ok.

My primary mission with Photosanity is to help parents get more enjoyment out of photographing their kids – this is completely rewarding and fulfilling to me in and of itself and I love doing it. In fact, as much as I believe in the value of professional photography, I feel like I can have an even greater impact on someone's life if they work with me through my workshop or one-on-one coaching.

I have no expectation that my workshop participants become portrait clients. However, I am always happy when they do – they are GREAT clients, and I'm actually hesitant now to take on clients who haven't taken my workshop, just because I know there will be more education involved up front.

Don't Alienate Your Clients – Make Your Passion Accessible So They Fall In Love With Photography Too

I think as professional photographers, it's very easy for us to try and set ourselves apart from the rest of the crowd who don't know what they're doing, and to try to create value around what we do by making it seem unattainable and inaccessible … but that's a really great way to further alienate your potential clients.

Instead, in my workshop, I draw very heavily from my own experiences not as a professional photographer but as a mom photographing my own kids. I talk about how much the experience of photographing my own kids means to me – how it has transformed me as both a photographer and as a mom.

I talk about how I more fully experience the precious fleeting moments of my children's lives through photography, and how photography can change the way you see and feel so that even if you don't have your camera with you, and you don't take a photo, your senses, emotions and memories are heightened.

I talk about how my photos are an expression of my love for my kids and for everything that I love about my life and that they are a love letter of sorts. I explain that when my kids look back at my photos of them, I want them to see just how much they are cherished and just how important the moments we have together are.

I believe that ANY parent can learn to take amazing photos of their kids that have incredible emotional power and that capture natural moments that would otherwise fade into a blur and be lost forever.

And I do advocate that workshop participants include regular professional family photo sessions as part of their plan for documenting their family's life, along side their own photos, but this is a really small part of the workshop, more of a postscript actually.

I teach parents to take better photos and organize, edit and share too, but what I really teach them is how the experience of photographing their kids can change their experience as a parent.

Because of this approach, my workshop participants fall in love with photography, and in doing so, gain an increased appreciation for its value.

How Can You Apply This To Your Business?

I encourage every professional photographer to share your own personal experiences with photography so your passion for what you do is infectious. Inspire and empower your clients and potential clients to fall in love with photography by taking their own photos, and they will need and want you more than ever before.

And if you don't have time to create an entire twelve week online workshop for parents (believe me, it's a lot of work!) I would love to have you tell your family portrait clients and potential clients as well as all your non-photographer parent friends about The Photosanity Workshop.

In fact, I'm giving a FREE live online workshop for parents called Quickstart your Photosanity [affiliate link] this coming Tuesday September 18th at 9pm EDT. I'll be giving participants tips and strategies they can use right away (including some of my best material yet!) as well as offering a preview to The Photosanity Workshop, and signups for the paid workshop will open right after the call.

I'm offering a generous cash commission per referred sale so if you're interested in becoming a Photosanity Affiliate, you can find out more and sign up here.

Back in October 2010, I posted a review of Tamara Lackey's DVD “Inside Contemporary Children's Photography.”

Almost two years later, I have in front of me a book and DVD called “Capturing Life Through Better Photography.” While it too was published in 2010, I think it is appropriate that I am mentioning it now.

In the last two weeks, I have been approached by well-meaning parents who are frustrated by the challenges they face when photographing their children. And it was Tamara's book, “Capturing Life Through Better Photography,” that I recommend to them.

The book is concise. At less than 100-pages, it is a quick read. In fact, there are so many incredible examples that illustrates Tamara's points, that there is less reading and more seeing. As a budding photographer, I subscribe to this method of learning. We all need to do more seeing.

Tamara's other promise on the book is – “Simple tips & tricks to turn everyday snapshots into little works of art.” The basics, are for sure covered. Exposure, composition, timing, direction of light etc. But on page 43, she urges us to look at body language.

I know of no other book that makes this very important point. Body language, be it of a child or an adult says so much about their personality or their current circumstance. So, if you like nuggets like that, this book is for you.

The book is peppered with “Fun Facts” that draw the reader back in. Be they historical quotes or short scientific explanations (the one about why a balloon makes that popping sound was something new to me), Tamara's crisp and lucid writing will leave you reaching out for your camera to try and replicate what you see in her book.

The 90-minute DVD that is a part of this set is a MUST watch. Why? Well, if you somehow miss Tamara's high-energy and passion for teaching photography in the book, you'll definitely feel it watching the DVD. The 90 minutes zip by quickly. It's exquisitely produced. Tamara worked with Rex Ballard, the Director of Photography for ABC's Emmy award-winning Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, to create this DVD.

From my perspective I feel the DVD complements the book but not the other way around. So, think of the DVD as a real bonus.

If you buy the entire set through Amazon, you'll get what is called a “Quick Reference Guide.” I did not receive this so I don't know what is in it. But given the two other products that I have had the pleasure of reading, viewing and using, I bet the reference guide is just as good too.

Now, I do have to say that the book and DVD is directed towards those who have just bought or are thinking about buying a digital camera – a DSLR like the new Nikon D600 [affiliate].

Here is the link to the Deluxe kit where you get the book, the DVD and the quick reference guide for $59.99. There is so much information packed into each of these that I think parents or amateur photographers who want to start making images on a more solid footing will be remiss if they don't buy it. [I make absolutely nothing for promoting this set.]

Want to have access to more of Tamara Lackey's photography wisdom? Join us on October 3 when she will be our guest during our Swift Kick webinar. Sign up for that webinar alone or register for all of them in the series for only $25.

Today’s featured photographer and guest blogger is Appleton, Wisconsin based Brett Stoddart. He shoots abandoned buildings. He shoots people. Sometimes he combines the two. He is a husband. A father. A traveler. An art and music lover. He says he has a wicked sense of humor, albeit an odd one. Check out his blog. Follow him on Twitter and or friend him on Facebook.

Recently I wrote about my experiences exploring and shooting in abandoned buildings. These places offer a plethora of interesting and unique shooting experiences. There are ornate interior design elements of days gone by; from peeling paint to exposed lathe and plaster and even the occasional hideous wallpaper (hideous by today's standards).

As photographers we are always searching out the next best location to shoot our clients, whether that is truly on location or a backdrop that has been procured to transform our interior shooting spaces to something they are not.

For me, the locations of choice have become those buildings that I so passionately explore. The grit, the grime, the decay; they have all become interesting elements in my portraiture.

I began my journey into portraiture at the urging of a friend and fellow photographer who also happened to be a model for many local merchants. Up until that point I was aiming a camera at another person or limited to your traditional snapshots at bars and parties. Now, I had practiced a little, I had studied, I kind of knew what was going on and I had watched others soaking it all up, but I never fully intended to become a portrait photographer. People scared me: they move, they talk. My buildings, not so much.

So it was with reluctance and great trepidation that I acquiesced.

A client and I drove out to a local farmhouse that had been abandoned for over 30 years, nearly empty of all remnants of human occupation. I set up my one light and softbox and shot that first frame. Wow. I was stunned. Who knew? The textures of the walls popped and at that moment I knew that I was on to something. We continued shooting and even went to a second location to shoot more. Three years later I still have 2 of the images from that day in my portfolio. Luck? Maybe.

Shooting on location always presents us with many challenges that we don't have to worry about in-studio: the logistics of getting there, hauling everything in, powering it, set up and tear down, etc. Many location shooters have probably been told to ‘move along' at some point in their career. It usually happens just when you've gotten into that groove and things are flowing nicely.

For me that is the risk 95% of the time when I shoot on location. Everyone wants their portraits at one of the abandoned buildings I shoot. But there are inherent risks in bringing a client into a structure that is not truly ‘safe'. In addition to potential structural damage, there could be health concerns, legal issues, and a myriad of risks that most people don't have to contend with. I try to obtain permission whenever possible if I will be shooting clients in these places. I have no problem signing waivers of liability that prevent me from taking action if something were to happen while on their property. Having the necessary legal documents tends to show that I am serious and not just a random trespasser. I carry blank forms with me for just this reason and it always helps to carry a book of my work. But finding owners is not always easy and truth be told it is rare that I get a chance to obtain permission.

I mainly shoot models in these locations, however this year I started shooting high school seniors too. The demand was too high to ignore although I have a different set of criteria for suitable locations for each.

For seniors, I really go the ultra-safe route by going to places where I know that our being there won't cause ‘trouble,' or have de facto permission from owners. They are the ones that are structurally sound, free of the most common health risks and in general: safe. The associated risks and nature of location are always discussed in depth beforehand.

When I'm with models, we will take a few more chances. We will go to the locations that are riskier, but with that risk there is certainly reward. In my opinion, a place rarely seen greatly enhances the value of an image. Models also understand the risks associated with these shoots, and I would never put them – or anyone – into a particularly dangerous situation. But we definitely push the envelope.

I am not a natural light shooter, I use off-camera flash. I don't like shooting natural light portraits; it doesn't give me the drama I like to create and presents a whole other set of logistical nightmares. How do you ‘sneak' into a building carrying 4 strobes, stands, modifiers, etc. and not be seen? Chances are you can't.

I usually have a good idea going into the shoot of what type of images I want and that allows me to plan my gear accordingly. Very frequently it is just one light, one stand, and one modifier. Travel light, get in, shoot and get out. Also, I always like to know the location I will be using beforehand. I don't like going into a fashion shoot location blind. It's not safe for me or the models.

Whether I choose to take a model in a $5000 wedding dress to an abandoned gothic cathedral, or clothe her in heroin chic and stick her in a filthy corner of a nasty factory, there are options to compliment or even contrast the look we are going after. I am in love with the juxtaposition of classic beauty mixed in with the beauty of decay.

Sure I can take safe studio shots of models and composite them into my abundance of already shot images from locations, but that would take all the fun out of it, and I don't like to continually be cooped up inside. I feel constant studio shooting drains me of creativity, although winter is approaching the Midwest faster than I would like.

Hmmm, maybe it is time to start to practicing those compositing skills … until next time, happy shooting and stay safe.

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Will Wohler resides in Portland, Maine. He is a photographer, musician and optimist at Life is good®. A high school photography course started his journey in the photographic arts and has been his only “schooling” other than the wonderful internet. Portraits and fine art images are his favorite to shoot and has been slightly obsessed with his iPhone. Find him on his website, Twitter & Facebook.

I was recently in a fight, with myself and my life and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. It left me battered, figuratively of course, but my mind has never been clearer.

This fight that ensued has been a long battle back and forth with what I thought I was supposed to be doing with my life. My two passions were in competition for my attention and life had it's way of telling me which way to go but I didn't want to believe it. Kind of like the devil and angel on each shoulder telling you why their side is better. My schooling is in music education and after spending, and still paying, a lot of money to get this degree and be in a field I thought I was going to enjoy for the rest of my life I'm pursuing other things. Things that make me happier and that have been screaming at me to follow for quite some time.

I am happiest when I am photographing, whether it is with my iPhone or on a client session. I enjoy every minute of the creative process behind the camera. Though the guilt and dollar signs from my college days kept shadowing that passion and trying to push me back to teaching after I was let go after only 2 years in my first position. I have not been able to land a single interview since. This struggle has taken the better part of three years. The final blow to my teaching wants happened this past month when I was discussing this with my brother, who is younger but his view point was one that is educated in marketing and social media. I told him that I didn't think I wanted to teach any more. His response was “I could have told you that two years ago, look at what you post online and what you talk about all the time, it's photography, that's you!” He was right. The path was laid before me and I was aimlessly walking down it with out even realizing it. The realization below is what resulted during my path to recovery and a new exciting, yet scary endeavor.

Every time, and I do mean every time, I made the decision to focus more on my photography and not on teaching felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could be me again. I focused on myself more and thusly happier in all aspects of my life. I also used that new found motivation to do more for my fledgling business and every time it helped me, the business grew. I'm not going to get into business practices or anything like that because I do not feel like I have enough experience to talk deeply about it, but I will say that it started with doing what I loved and that was photography. I did it for myself first and found that I really enjoyed portraiture so I took steps to make that happen. All while still enjoying what I did. It did take a bit of time for me to get to a place where I could share my experiences with others but that is all part of the growth. If you enjoy what you are doing then you are on the right track. If you are not, then what steps can you make to doing something that you enjoy? However small a step forward is a step forward. I remember the first step I took toward the portrait side of photography. I was a nervous wreck but that one image that came out just how I envisioned it in my head pushed me to do another one. If you enjoy it make the time to do it. Momentum will build and soon you will be walking and enjoying the scenery.

That one image, like I said, pushed me to do another session with a friend and then another and soon I was almost running down that path. It was like I was flying in a dream. Then I got scared that I was going too fast and headed down a familiar yet dark and overgrown path. Be mindful of these things and if you feel like you are moving too fast then slow down and go at a comfortable pace. No one is telling you you need to run full speed all the time. I eased into it and I am thankful that I did because otherwise I may have burnt myself out. Take your own pace and then you can effectively manage roadblocks and pass on the dark overgrown shortcuts back to where you came.

My path in photography is just beginning, and I know the path never ends but only becomes easier to navigate the longer I am on it. Building my skills in weak areas has made my business and my photography grow even faster. Get the training or read about areas that you are weak at, like sales. That is one thing that I am not good at; even though I do that as a sales associate at a clothing store. Selling your own work is tough but having the knowledge has made a huge difference in my confidence and that is the beginning of everything. Blogs, forums, books, and online video workshops have all been how I have obtained these needed skills. Skills can be acquired in places you may not realize. My teaching background helps me work with people and problem solve to get the desired result. Music has brought another art form into my creative thoughts and often helps when creating. Those experiences will always be with me and I don't think I will ever loose the teaching or musician part of me. It just adds to what I can offer. Think of it like getting a pair of waterproof boots for when you come across a stream.

So now that you have the proper equipment for the journey, know your comfortable pace and recognize potential distractions from the main path and are thoroughly enjoying your trip, how do you know it is the right path for you? Even though the path may change it is always in front of you. You just have to take the steps. Listen to your gut, it is usually right in line with what your heart wants.

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