This is a guest post by Washington, D.C. photographer Sunny Mathur, of Photographick Studios.

Every wedding photographer dreams of the day when all their clients will completely and honestly open up to them, let their guard down and let their emotions flow; tears and all. Every wedding photographer is looking for the magic phrase that will allow this to happen; it's a novel concept that seldom comes to fruition without some assistance and hard work (sorry no
magic phrase).

From a client's perspective it is difficult to open up to a stranger. It is even more difficult to tell this stranger intimate details about you, including how you met, proposed and details about your partner. Put yourself in their shoes, it's already awkward to pose for pictures but intimate
pictures is a completely different story. Although this cannot be a direct correlation to our job as wedding photographers it does provide some insight into some clients perceived “stiffness.” To gain this all access pass into the lives of our clients we must earn it. This all access pass well worth its cost.

One solution that we particularly enjoy due to the financial reward as well as the emotional connection we build with our clients is to meet them before the wedding during an engagement session. We ask the couple to think of a location that is particularly important in their relationship, whether the location of their first date, where the groom proposed or simply somewhere they both love going. This allows your client to associate those great memories to their engagement session and thus their feelings towards you, the photographer. We ask them to reminisce about the location and more times than not the future bride will glow and recount all her favorite memories.

The groom will chime in with a few of their own and before long they are talking, laughing, smiling and kissing. This allows us to do three items all at once; befriend our clients, show them our value by taking some amazing pictures and prove to them that they can trust you.

At each engagement session we probe about their wedding preparations, ask them if they need assistance, provide vendor recommendations, bring up current wedding trends and past wedding ideas. We try to connect with the bride and groom to show them we are truly invested in the success of their day and the images captured. We work hard to build a strong rapport with our clients. Through this not so magical formula we build their friendship, their trust and after we blog a few of their images from their engagement session we gain their love. Through this connection, this memory and their understanding of our dedications towards them, we are no longer looked at as a vendor but as a friend who can share in their emotions, their love and perfectly capture their perfect day; tears and all.

Resource Tip From Seshu: If you are ever stuck for ideas on how to pose your couples, reach for the Design Aglow's Inspire Me Cards: Modern Engagement Posing Guide. Those should fuel your imagination!

This is a guest post by Gerik Parmele. He is the director of photography at the Columbia Daily Tribune. Prior to moving to Missouri in 2005 to work at the Tribune he worked as a staff photographer at the Grand Island Independent, in Nebraska, for eight years.

The economy is tough, especially in photojournalism. As a photo editor in charge of a staff at a small newspaper it can be pretty stressful dealing with things like budgets and workloads.

But recently one situation came up that really drove home the point of what it's like for photojournalists, especially those vying for newspaper jobs, in this new economic climate. It's what happened when one of my staff gave his two week notice to move on to another newspaper.

The last time I hired a photographer here at the Columbia Tribune was in 2007. I had the luxury of mounting an extensive search for the right candidate. I posted on job boards and list-serves. I used my network of friends and colleagues to find candidates who would be a good fit. I gave it weeks.

Once I found a candidate that I felt was perfect for the job we were even willing and able to wait several weeks for her to finish a previous obligation before joining our staff. Those were the days.

Then things took a slight turn. Our budgets got pinched and our staff was reduced by one photographer, the one we waited weeks to hire a 19 months earlier. Our workload was increased with new initiatives to produce more web content. You've heard it all before I'm sure.

So for the last year we've been doing more with less, but getting by. Well, that is until I got the two week notice.

With the reality of having to replace a photographer in two weeks while already short staffed I thought back to the days of 2007 when I had the luxury of methodically sorting through more than 70 portfolios of photographers wanting to work here.

Not this time.

I knew I needed to act quickly and decisively.  I wanted to get someone on board as soon as I could. I was scared our open position would be frozen. I knew our sanity would not last long with 50 percent less staff than we had 2 years ago while covering the same amount of assignments.

Thankfully there was someone right here in Columbia who is a great photographer, who I was familiar with, who was interested in working here and who was available. We offered him the job days after we knew we'd need a replacement.

So what's the take away for you if you are a photojournalist looking for work in this weak economy? Here's a short list of my opinions and things I learned the hard way.

1. As a photojournalist looking for work you need to have a very clear idea of where (city, state, region) you want to work and for who (newspaper, specific photo editor or agency) you want to work for.

2. Do your research about these places and be very familiar with them.

3. Make sure they know you want to work for them and why.

4. Be in touch frequently, but not to frequently.  A postcard now and again is good. Phone calls every other day, bad. One of the things I've found that photojournalists were not good at was staying in touch with potential job prospects, even when I asked them “Please, stay in touch.”

5. Take a chance and move to the location you desire to work. It's easier to network and become known than if you lived 1000 miles away.

6. Be excellent in what you do. Remember a couple of paragraphs higher I wrote I received more than 70 portfolios for one entry level job opening? The competition is pretty tough.

Jobs don't open very often on the photo staff of our paper. I would guess that is the same for most around the country. But when they do, are you the first person that photo editor will think of when they need to hire someone right away?

You may also want to read this article from the National Press Photographers Association about Getting Started in Photojournalism.

This is a guest post by Alicia Candelora, a wedding photographer based in Connecticut.

I was raised in a family where we were taught from a young age that you should give and share with others as much as humanly possible. As the eldest of three, that principle is not always something I liked following. After all, what kid enjoys sharing things with their younger siblings? My parents not only consistently taught us to do so through their words, but also through their actions. They have spent their lives helping others and giving to others. I remember many times where we had young mothers, or families in need come live with us. We always hosted dinners for people.

When I was 15 I decided to go on my first missions/relief trip to Guatemala. I did not know anybody else who was on the team, but I was excited to be the first in my family to leave the USA! During that trip, my eyes were opened to a world that I never dreamed was possible. I witnessed children living in the most primitive of conditions, many of them not knowing where their next meal would come from. I met people who had never seen a flushing toilet, a car, or a computer – things that we “can’t” live without here in the USA. My world was rocked. My life was changed. From that point on, I realized that I could no longer live my life just for ME. I had to have more purpose than just fulfilling my own hopes and dreams, because there was a world out there of people who are starving, dying, and without hope.

At the age of 18 I went to school to study bible and theology, while still staying very active in relief work in third world countries. After 3 and a half years of studying, I had an opportunity to move to Copenhagen, Denmark to teach leadership classes and to lead teams into third world countries doing relief work of various sorts. This was, and continues to be my heart and my passion.

About a year ago I decided to move back to the USA, after living in Denmark for 4.5 years, to pursue photography while still staying active with relief work. When I opened my business, I wanted to base the business model on the theory that “giving is better than receiving.” I had a lot of people tell me that I should not start a business that way, as I would quickly end up in debt. Most of us are taught that in order to “make it” in the business world, we have to adopt a In a dog-eat-dog mentality. From a young age we are urged to be a better “go-getter.” I want to challenge you for a few moments tonight to open your mind to the possibility of, instead, becoming a go-GIVER.

Recently I stumbled across a book written by John Mann and Bob Burg called The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea. This book has since become my business bible, as it clearly and practically outlines the principles that I had already been living by and running my business by. Through a compelling narrative, the author outlines the “Five laws of stratospheric success” as follows:

The Law of Value: Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.
The Law of Compensation: Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.
The Law of Influence: Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.
The Law of Authenticity: The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself
The Law of Receptivity: The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving

Alright, so some of you might be thinking “This all sounds good in theory, but how does this apply to ME?” Well I am glad you asked! I have compiled a list of what it looks like on a practical level to be a go-giver.

Ten ways to spot a go-giver:

1. A Go-Giver does you a favor and is not looking for compensation.
2. A Go-Giver helps you just because they want to and is not keeping score.
3. A Go-Giver listens carefully to how your day was, or how a project is going.
4. A Go-Giver helps you without caring whether your status is high or low in life.
5. A Go-Giver makes connections for you because they believe in you.
6. A Go-Giver over-delivers on a job because they want you to be happy (and tell your friends).
7. A Go-Giver recommends a competitor if they are a better fit.
8. A Go-Giver is someone that others spontaneously and enthusiastically rave about.
9. A Go-Giver goes out of their way to help others.
10. A Go-Giver always seem to be connecting with the right people to make good things happen.

In conclusion, I have to ask myself – what would it be like if we adopted the mindset of being a go-giver? What would happen to our businesses, our careers, our marriages, and our relationships in general? My challenge for you is this: Become a go-giver and watch it drastically revolutionize your business and your life.

As always, your comments are welcome. Tell us about how you give back. You may be featured in our sister blog, OpenShade, if you are currently pursuing a community project or a cause that is near and dear to your heart.

Learning to light is one of those big steps that you will take as a photographer. True, there is a lot you can do with ambient light, or if night time photography is your thing, then investing in a tripod makes sense.

As a wedding photographer or portrait photographer, I am called to a variety of scenarios and I have to make quick calls to whether to use the existing light or enhance it with a flash. I recall buying two Nikon SB-800's and then asking myself, “now what?” I didn't know much about flash, how apertures and shutter speeds and ISO's all worked in tandem, or that my images would truly rock if only I took the flash off of the hot-shoe on my camera body.

Subjected to wedding after wedding where the reception lights were getting dimmer and dimmer, I was desperate to learn to light. Through the Digital Wedding Forum, I learned about Zack Arias, an Atlanta-based photographer who had cut his teeth photographing bands and music concerts. Zack was and is photographing weddings with another fabulous photographer named Marc Climie (more on him in a future post). When I heard about Zack's OneLight Workshops, I had to attend. The description matched my needs to a T. It was meant for those who wanted to learn from the ground-up, to light.

Well, some weeks back, Chase Jarvis and friends inaugurated CreativeLive.com, a website for photographers to learn from the very best photographers in the world.

On June 11, 12 and 13 (yes, this coming weekend), Zack, will be presenting at CreativeLive. If you can't make it you can buy his presentations as a digital download for $79. That, my friends, is what I call a STEAL. Get it!

And you've got to watch this by my man Zack:

I have to be on the road for that weekend, so I have ordered the download. If you are anywhere near Connecticut, bring some popcorn; we can watch it over at my place. I hope it is in HD! I am sure it will be a treat and a great learning experience. Perhaps we can even watch it and then go out and practice like real Strobists.

So, in full disclosure – I have attended two OneLight Workshops by Zack – one in Boston and the other in New York. They were both fabulous and I recommend them to anyone who is just starting out. If using your flash freaks you out (I was one of those to be totally honest), you should go. If you don't know what “off-camera lighting” means, you should go. If you want to create images with a greater depth, by using lighting, you should go. Well, you get the picture, right? [grin]

Unlike a lot of workshops where you sit and stare at an instructor and take furious notes, Zack broke it up and had us go out and shoot and practice and practice and practice. He split us into groups, had models stand in and made his equipment available for our use. He isn't just a photographer, he is a teacher. And by that I mean he talks and shows and makes darn sure you GET IT, before moving on to the next topic. One of the first things he declared was that there were no “stupid questions.” All was fair … from the very basic to the very technical. And if Zack didn't know the answer, he would say that he didn't know rather than bullshit his way through it.

Well, with this workshop now on CreativeLive.com, you don't have to travel far. The workshop comes to you online. That's bonus number one. And as I have said, if you are busy or away from your computer or you are still running on dial-up (God save you!), you will want to get that download for $79. That's bonus number two. Both will lead you to bonus number three, which is your desire to go and see the man in person at a workshop near you.

I don't make a dime for saying all this, so rest easy, sit back to watch and learn from a lighting guru. Your comments (after you watch the live event, which is FREE, by the way) would be greatly appreciated.

Mario Mattei is a photographer, visionary, & president of IGVP, based outside of Istanbul, Turkey.

I’m the kind of person who likes to ask “what if…” I’ve learned that I’m not alone in this and not alone in asking one particular “what if,” one that my friends and I were asking in 2008 …

In light of the tragedies on 9/11 and the fear-based reactions so often caused by worldviews shaped in onslaughts of “shocking” visual media, what if humans instead got consistently exposed to “other” cultures through photography and media themed on dignity, hope, and common humanity? Would the world be a different place?

This idea developed and is now known as “visual peacemaking.” All this year we’ve been moving it from dreams to action. Visualpeacemakers.org will be launching very soon. It’ll be a place to “get exposed” to the world’s peoples. And to get involved in contributing.

With this larger-than-life vision, my closest and most brilliant friends (Logan McAdams, John Machado and Jim Mullins) became co-founders with me in initiating, creating, and recruiting the International Guild of Visual Peacemakers (IGVP).

The vision spread through emails and Skype conversations. Matt Brandon, Nicole Gibson, and David DuChemin were in on the ground-level. It became our dream to form an organization and cross-promotional website that would advance the cause for visual peace and leverage photographers from around the globe to “SHOOT FOR PEACE.”

Not much time passed and we soon invited Gavin Gough, Matt Powell, Ami Vitale, Jeffrey Chapman, and Kerry Lammi into the Guild. These world-class photographers, and do-gooders, immediately clicked with the call to “peacemaking and breaking down stereotypes by displaying the beauty and dignity of various cultures around the world.”

We quickly ran into a wonderful “problem.” Everyone wanted in. We had some strategies in mind for how a small guild could operate, so we created a second, connected strategy. We’re forming a branch of the Guild called the Visual Peacemakers Community, able to grow wide in numbers and deep in impact. These will be members on our site with Peacemaker Profiles, galleries, etc.

Today we’re defining visual peacemakers as photographers/ videographers who especially:

• Document our common humanity
• Display the beauty & dignity of people
• Make an unknown culture known to another.
• Tell stories of hope
• Bring new perspectives where harmful stereotypes exist

Their images foster peace by building bridges of awareness & understanding between ethnic, cultural, & religious identities.

On the website each photographer will have an in-depth profile and portfolio. It’s being developed as a place to create, connect, and catalyze through tools & social media. Resources for photographic growth will be available like ebooks, podcasts, articles, mentoring, portfolio reviews, grants and world workshops. This aspect has really been developing and has been rewarding to see just how much visual peacemakers can and will be equipped to make a difference.

Each and every member will be inviting their friends, co-workers, and family to take part by signing a half-page Charter for Visual Peace that expresses what it means to be a socially conscious viewer of visual media. And here you have the beginning of impact beyond our group of visual communicators.

Without glossing over tragedy and conflict, IGVP is seeking to show more than human hardships. We’re displaying all that is beautiful about us, and all that connects us. Visual Peacemakers treat humanity’s similarities as sacred and our diversities things to be honored. We’ve got a long list of photographers to be notified of the launch. So, though this seems to have been going on for awhile to some of us, for most, it all really begins on launch day!

Will you join us?

This guest post is by Visithra Manikam is a photographer based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Dance has been one of my favorite subjects to shoot and I’m particularly fond of shooting live performances but they’re not the easiest to shoot. There’s myriad expressions, body language, hand gestures and fast movements to keep you busy.

Planning and knowledge helps to make a dance performance shots look extraordinary. So how is a live dance performance different from shooting a music concert and what should you look out for?

The Venue

Auditoriums, community halls, small function rooms each have different space and restrictions to work around. So arrive early and plan your shoot with the organizer if possible. Or, find a seat with a good shooting range. Check out the stage light settings so you can gauge where the light will fall.

The No Flash Rule

Usually we’re requested not to use flash, even if it’s an off body set up as it may distract the dancers. Unless you’re doing motion blur shots of the dancers, use a higher ISO so that you can shoot at a reasonable shutter speed as dancers are usually quick and swift on their feet. Plus unless you have a light set up on the stage it’s totally useless to shoot with a flash from a seated auditorium setting. Do remember moving right up at the stage may just get you doused by rotten eggs [grin]

Pick A Strategic Spot

You’re usually requested to shoot from one location throughout the duration of the event as to not distract the audience. So again arrive early and pick a good spot to station yourself without blocking others. I know I keep repeating this but it really matters. Sometimes you may encounter other photographers who block everyone’s view by standing, so try to get them to politely move or just get up and move because it can be impossible to explain to someone they’re a disturbance.

Knowledge

A technically perfect shot is useless if the photo is caught at the wrong time. Hand gestures, expressions and body movement play a big part in getting a good photo. A dancer usually holds a pose only for a few seconds and sometimes executes a dozen poses and movements in less than 30 seconds. So unless you have knowledge of the style of dance, watch and time your clicks so that you get the right shots. A shot of a dancer’s hands in between a pose would just look clumsy and no dancer would want that. Read any information you can on the dance style beforehand so you can anticipate their moves.

Lighting Crew

Your photos can he helped or hurt depending on how good the lighting crew are. If they’re fond of flashing different colored lights on the dancer you’re going to have white balance issues with funky colored photos. Work with the situation and try to correct your white balance during the shoot rather than once you’re back as editing those images can be a pain. I’m always shooting events where the lighting crew love to flash red during an angry expression scene – problem is red drowns out the expression so much sometimes I just wanted to strangle the crew [grin]

Backgrounds

Keep them clean, so plan your location based on what’s on the background. Community hall performances tend to have a lot of decorations and words in the background, so try to minimize their appearance in the shot as it will be distracting. You can of course use them to your advantage in some cases.

Stage Lights

If they are prominent and stream out interesting ray trails, use them in your compositions. It will give your shoots an added edge. By switching your angles and compositions according to the dance movements you can help dramatise your shots using these lights.

Watch

Don’t forget to watch the performance while you’re getting the photos, dance can inspire you in your other photography work. Watch their minute expressions and body movement to incorporate into your other photography work.

So plan ahead and brush up on your dance knowledge and you’ll be getting the shots in no time.

This is a guest blog by photographer Elena Hernandez from Dallas, Texas. As a professional photographer for the past 30 years, Elena has been through various evolutions in fine tuning her craft. In the beginning, her passion was in the purity of photojournalism and worked as a freelance photographer for several local newspapers for a few years. Evolving into commercial work then transitioning into school and wedding photography. Her journey has led her into seeking out the new ways to stay creative and bring her clients into the evolution of her vision and art. Elena has won various awards such as the Fuji Masterpiece Awards to Kodak Gallery Awards. She earned her Masters of Photography degree, Craftsmen and Certification degrees from Professional Photographers of America. She is one of only a a handful of Latin women to have those degrees. I am extremely honored to have her pen some thoughts about underwater photography.

“Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera” – Yousuf Karsh

What causes a person to be inspired to go beyond what is normal into the extraordinary? For some, it is Love. For some, it is Boredom. Others might find it is because they are in a situation that demands change. I found myself one day needing a change. I needed to go beyond my comfort zone and do something totally foreign to me. I needed to take a leap into my art and do a ”free fall” of sorts. I know it is scary to venture out into the unknown. Yet, it is also exciting …

“What if I tried to shoot an underwater portrait session? What would I do to go about making that happen?”

One night, in 1999, I was having a drink with a friend named Rex, and we were discussing “what if's”… What is the one thing in photography that I have not done that I would like to? I mentioned that I attended a PPA convention one year, and met Gigi Clark and she had done some lovely underwater images of brides that reminded me of a book I had called “Pool Light”. By an incredible photographer by the name of Howard Schatz. It was fine art fashion portraiture underwater. I mentioned I would love to be able to do that someday. Then the thought occurred to me …”What if I tried to shoot an underwater portrait session? What would I do to go about making that happen?”

So began my quest to do something different and unique that was challenging and very VERY out of my comfort zone. Just so you know, there is nothing new in photography that has not been done before when photography was in it's infancy. Before Howard Schatz tried to photograph models underwater, there was a woman photographer by the name of Toni Frissell who was a society/fashion photographer in the 1920's who shot for Vogue and the New yorker. Her images were very glamorous and one in particular that really excited me was shot in Florida, underwater of a model for a fashion shoot. If you get a chance, look up Toni Frissell. Here is the image below:

Keep in mind, this is before they invented cool underwater housings and cameras. She probably shot this inside of a float-able fish tank and probably shot this with herself being underwater and the camera inside that fish tank contraption just barely below the surface. There is no real data about how or with what this is done with, but just looking at this image made me try to figure out those questions.

As luck would have it, I had a woman ask me to photograph her nude indoors then outdoors. She just got some new ‘upgrades' if you know what I mean. I then asked her if it would be possible to do an experimental underwater session at the end of the session and that if she did not like those images she did not have to purchase them. She agreed.

Now I was committed to a project I knew nothing about. Zilch. Nada. Zero.

I figured that I would ask a fellow photographer friend, if I could borrow his underwater Nikonos camera to play around with. He said “Sure, but it has not been used in years and I think the O ring is leaking”… I said to myself: “Hmm what is an O ring?” I later found out that it is a rubber piece that keeps the camera from flooding with water …(we'll get to how I found that out later.)

I wanted to test the camera out so I bought some 35 mm film and went to a pool and immersed the camera underwater and shot in broad daylight.

Four things I noticed:
1) The camera underwater magnifies things.
2) I do not like the squiggly lines that happen in broad daylight.
3) Everything is off color blue.
4) This is a fixed focal length lens so there is no room to move around.

I decided to shoot at night.

I then also decided to immerse my $300 dollar black muslin into the pool to create a dynamic contrast that I felt this type of photography needed. (the chlorine bleached my lovely background. don't ruin a perfectly lovely background like I did.)

One thing I make clear is safety. We get in and out on one side and the electronics are on the other side.

Once I got the film back, I was really excited about this upcoming session because the images, even though they were kinda blue, looked really magical. The day came. We photographed indoors and then outdoors. I had to have two assistants with me as a “look out” for the outdoor session, because all of a sudden men were tromping in the woods where I was photographing this nude woman. I photographed those images very quickly. By the time we got back to the studio it was dark. It was great that I had a private pool to work in and so the nudes were not observed by anyone but my assistants and myself.

I lit it with 2 Photogenic lights with strip soft-boxes on the one side of the pool. I slaved the lights. I wanted a direction for the lighting and so all the electronics are on one side of the pool. One thing I make clear is safety. We get in and out on one side and the electronics are on the other side. I was halfway through the session when all of a sudden the lights were not firing. There was a short in the camera's flash system. So I went to plan B. I shot Bulb open and lifted my hand out of the water so that I could have the assistant trigger the lights manually. The problem was…when I lifted my hand out of the water it made me unbalanced and as a big girl … my butt kept floating up to the surface … (I know laugh all you want it was funny.)

My second assistant then got into the water to hold me under the surface … (lesson number two was to get a weight belt). Once I was finished with the session she went home. I tried to get the film out of the Nikonos and realized the camera was flooded slightly. (sigh … remember the O ring issue?) I immediately took the underwater roll to the lab and they processed it that night. I only lost about five images but the rest were fine. One image in particular was exceptional. I titled it “Free Fall.” It hung at PPA and was published into the showcase collection book.

This was a very difficult session with all of Murphy's Laws coming into play but I am so glad I tried. I would rather try and fail than go through life saying “would have, could have, should have.”

From this one session, I started to get more people requesting underwater imagery. Then my clients started to get more creative with me in the final Art Pieces. I raised my prices for those sessions because they were so labor intensive.

I also learned something important about myself and that is I am tenacious … I want to thank those pioneers who inspired me to want to be different … I hope that what ever idea or dream you might have that you do not give it up no matter what the challenges.

Elena is on Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to connect with her. And you should know that she and I would greatly value your comments below. Hit her up questions about what she did and why? She may be able to give you more pointers on how to get started on photographing underwater.

This is a guest blog by Boston-based photography consultant, Selina Maitreya.

For months many photographers have been laying low, few of them actively marketing citing financial setbacks and slow economic times. However proactive photographers have been working on their portfolios, updating databases, sending out direct and visual email and going on sales calls.

Who’s going to be in the running when the assignments start rolling in? My guess would be our proactive friends. No surprise there.

If you chose to cut back on your sales and marketing efforts in the last months or even years, NOW is the time reboot your business. Here is my checklist (in order) that you can use as a reference as you seek to re-charge your efforts.

VISUAL PRODUCT: Your body of work is your product. Make sure you have a deep body of work 25-40 images that represent your visual approach to your subject area. Go back and make sure all examples are current, and applicable to your vision. Edit and repaginate.

DATABASE: When was the last time you used your database? If it’s been a while, check with your provider and restructure your contact list. Make sure you have enough contacts for your outreach efforts (direct and visual email) to show a healthy return (1000-1500 names). If you don’t have a list. Invest in one. Contact AgencyAccess.com. They have a super team.

Develop Sales and Marketing Tools:

1) Get a print book fill it with the same images that is in your main web gallery and use it.

2) Choose locations 1 hour North, South, East and West of you and choose 75-100 contacts from your database and create an in person sales call list.

3) Set a goal for yourself for appointments you need to have per month and get going.

4) For my wedding folks your numbers for contacts will be smaller but if you look to see function hall contacts, wedding planners etc. you should have lots of in person leads.

5) Develop inexpensive post card mailers and plan on sending one every other month.

6) Develop and plan on sending out emails on month’s direct mail does not go out.

Social Networking:

If you have been a bit intimidated by social networking or only communicating with other photographers get your self-educated about the use of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn as business applications. These helpful contact tools cost nothing but your time and attention.

I’ve given you what may seem to be a very large task, but if you take these suggestions one at a time and facilitate them you will be in great shape when the economy turns, and my wish is that it turns in your favor!

Follow Selina on Twitter, connect with her on Facebook and or LinkedIn. She is also the producer and voice behind The View From Here, an audio (MP3) program for photographers. If you found Selina's post here useful, you are going to LOVE The View From Here. Simply use “FOSSES” when you check out, to get it for $199 $99! (Yes, that's an affiliate code)

Duluth, Minnesota-based photographer Max Caven posted this quick guest blog about using his iPhone and the WordPress application to publish articles to his blog.

I just wrote this short tutorial so that you may post anything to WordPress (your blog) from your iPhone. It doesn't have to be just images, however.

1. Grab your iPhone and download the WordPress app from the Apple app store. It's FREE!

2. On your computer head over to your WordPress Admin console, and click the ‘Writing’ section under the ‘settings’ tab. Check the box next to “XML-RPC” to allow mobile publishing.

3. Open up your newly downloaded WordPress app, click the ‘+’ button to add a blog, and then input your credentials.

4. Hit the ‘Posts’ button on the bottom on the screen, hit the new post button on the top right of the screen and write your post!

5. When you’re all done and ready to post, change the status from ‘Local Draft’ to ‘Published’, hit ‘Save’ and you’re all done!

After the success of the “Name The Tune” contest, where I gave away two incredible photography-related books, I am doing it all over again. This time, though, I am giving something away that is much bigger.

Some months back, I randomly won a Twitter-based contest that Arizona-based photographer and teacher Mark Wallace and PocketWizard hosted.

I won the MiniTT1 (Transmitter) for Canon and the FlexTT5 (Transceiver) for Canon. They are both part of the PocketWizard ControlTL system. Here are some videos by Mark Wallace showing you how the system works.

If you are looking for an off-camera TTL flash solution, the ControlTL is one option.

Here is a video of Mark Wallace and friends pulling my name out of the hat:

Ok, so, I won. But my excitement lasted only so long until I found out that this system is currently only available for the Canon Speedlite system. PocketWizard swears that the Nikon version is coming and is in the midst of beta testing. Fingers crossed that they do deliver soon. As a Nikon shooter, I am salivating, but I also do want them to work out all the bugs before those units ship out.

Mark and I talked about this conundrum and the solution was simple – I would give it away. I finally received the NEW units and now want to spread the love. You in?

This is what I need you to do. It's not as simple as naming a tune this time.

STEP 1

I want you to sing the first three sections of the song, “Don't Stop Believing” by Journey into a video camera and share it with me/us. Are you still with me? I did say I was going to make this fun, right?

Here are the words to the first three sections of that epic tune:

Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train
Goin' anywhere
Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train
Goin' anywhere

A singer in a smokey room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching
In the night
Streetlights, people
Livin' just to find emotion
Hidin', somewhere in the night

(song continues)

STEP 2

After you record your video – it can be on your camera phone or a Flip video camera, or even something more elaborate – share it with me/us through Twiddeo. You will require a Twitter account to get started there.

STEP 3

Twiddeo will create a link after you upload your short video. Remember all I need to see and hear is the first three sections of the song – what you see above.

Use the link you are provided in a Tweet and follow this format:

I just sang “Don't Stop Believing” for @PicSeshu's Tiffinbox.org contest – “YOUR UNIQUE LINK” – #PocketWizard #Tiffinbox Please RT!

STEP 4

Drop a comment below saying you are in or you think this is the craziest thing you are going to do to win these PocketWizard units. Your thoughts count!

STEP 5

There is no Step 5. You are done. Go drink a beer or wash your hair out if you used way too much hair spray in the video [grin]

I'll look at every single entry and judge them for creativity, humor, quality (no, you can't totally suck and think you can win this) and enthusiasm. Cool?

Not that I am counting, but the total value of this giveaway is $425.00. Winner announced on June 3 – happens to be my parent's 43rd wedding anniversary! – so, bonus points if you create the video that wins AND sends them your wishes in the comments section below

Here are some other important things to keep in mind:

1) Only one winner will be announced (be a Canon shooter or else these units will not work for you)

2) These units are brand, spanking new and are as such the responsibility of PocketWizard if they fail to operate

3) Shipping and handling will be covered by me, so rest easy this isn't some scam to fork over $39.99. No, Ginsu knives will not be part of your package.

4) You are free to blog, Tweet or otherwise announce to the world any number of times about this contest but see #1

5) This contest is good only for those living in the US & Canada. Sorry, the frequencies may make it impossible for them to work anywhere else (I really don't know for sure) and I don't want you to be disappointed. Yes, I do care about ya!

6) The winner is obligated to share images shot with this unit for a future guest blog post (hey, you will get a link back so, it's a good thing) where she/he can also review it freely (giving it a yay or nay vote – totally up to you)

So, what do you think? Are you still in? Let's get rolling folks. I want to see what you come up with and so do a lot of other people.

If you sense there are holes in the way I have presented this contest, some kind soul please tap me and let me know so that I can correct it right away. And if I am breaking any unknown laws by conducting this contest, I ask for forgiveness now and plead complete and total innocence.

Who knows there might be more goodies to give away in the future. So bookmark the site, subscribe to the newsletter, Tweet about Tiffinbox and spread some good vibes in whatever way you would like. This site is for photographers around the world.

Thank you for playing. Don't stop believing in Tiffinbox!