Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Monday, February 27, 2017
11 Essential Camera Accessories Under $250
While having an unlimited photography budget would be nice, there are quite a few camera accessories that will make a dramatic impact on images without a dramatic impact on the wallet. Here are 11 accessories under $250 that make a big enough difference in your photos to justify the cost....
The post 11 Essential Camera Accessories Under $250 appeared first on Expert Photography.
source https://expertphotography.com/11-essential-camera-accessories/
Sunday, February 26, 2017
8 Reasons Why Everyone Should Have a 50mm Prime Lens
Do you notice that despite having a dSLR, your images kind of look like ‘snaps’? Well, maybe it’s time you tried a 50mm prime lens. When first starting out in photography, having the flexibility of a zoom can be very helpful and feels a lot safer, but it also has many...
The post 8 Reasons Why Everyone Should Have a 50mm Prime Lens appeared first on Expert Photography.
source https://expertphotography.com/reasons-everyone-needs-50mm-prime-lens/
Saturday, February 25, 2017
White Balance and Colour Temperature Perfection: A Brief Guide
Colour, it all seems so simple. We take a picture, the colour looks great… if we have the perfect white balance. How often have you returned home, uploaded images and thought, ‘Hmm I am sure that sunset was more golden’ or ‘this snow was much whiter’? The way our eyes...
The post White Balance and Colour Temperature Perfection: A Brief Guide appeared first on Expert Photography.
source https://expertphotography.com/perfect-white-balance-colour-temperature/
Friday, February 24, 2017
7 Fun Photography Projects to Do with Children
You and your child can benefit from doing a few simple, photography projects together. This article will give you seven different photography explorations that you can do with your child to build a closer relationship together and improve your images. Your children can gain self-confidence, improve their creativity, and build...
The post 7 Fun Photography Projects to Do with Children appeared first on Expert Photography.
source https://expertphotography.com/7-fun-photography-projects-children/
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source https://expertphotography.com/dghdghdghdghd/
Thursday, February 23, 2017
10 Travel Photography Tips: Come Home with Stellar Photos
It was the trip of a lifetime, ten days around the beautiful country of Iceland. Despite the promise of spectacular landscapes and wildlife, I did the unthinkable and opted to leave my full frame Canon camera home.
The post 10 Travel Photography Tips: Come Home with Stellar Photos appeared first on Expert Photography.
source https://expertphotography.com/10-travel-photography-tips-stellar-photos/
Photography client enquiries – what to do when they leave a number!
Most photography client enquiries these days are online. They come via email, via a contact form on your website or via social media messages. Sometimes the potential client won’t leave their phone number so you have no option but to reply online too. Hopefully you always send a really fast, friendly and professional reply (we’ll talk about that another day) BUT, what about when a potential client enquires with you and leaves their phone number – how and when do you respond?
Well watch this video and learn how to handle it like a pro so that the decision to hire your business is a no-brainer
TRANSCRIPTION
Let me start with this – clients who leave their phone number tend to be more serious about their enquiry. This is an important thing to them. They also tend to be higher spenders. So because they take it more seriously, because it’s important to them, because they know they might be spending a lot of money – they want to TALK to someone before they book.
I know these are clients you would like to work with, right? It’s a no-brainer really. They value what you do, they’re prepared to spend more. They’re usually a joy to deal with.
If so then stay with me for this one. First of all I want you to take your business owner’s hat off for a moment. For the next few minutes you are a customer, ok.
So just for talk’s sake let’s say you are looking for a cleaner. You’ve reached the end of your rope with your chaotic house and you’re desperate to make things easier. Something I can identify with all too strongly. But lets also say that despite what it looks like at the moment – your home is pretty important to you and you want to make sure that you hire someone very professional and trustworthy and skilled. Let’s say you’re not just looking for the cheapest cleaner you can find. Let’s say you’re looking for quality. So you do some research by asking around and also looking online and you find three different domestic cleaning businesses to get in touch with. You send them each an email and you leave your details, including your phone number.
So you’re actually a good bit down the line with each of them. You’ve either had recommendations or you’ve been impressed with what you’ve seen online. You’re now just waiting to see what happens next with each of them and then you’ll make your decision.
Let’s call them cleaning business 1, 2 and 3. I know – I’m super imaginative!
Well cleaning business number 1 gets your email but they’re right in the middle of something. They read it then quickly forget about it. A couple of days later they suddenly remember about it and compose a quick reply on their phone and send it out to you. It is a brief message with an idea of price and availability and an invitation to get in touch if you want to go ahead.
Cleaning business number 2 handle things slightly better. They reply to your email after just a few hours. They have a template email and an eBook that they send out for these things. It has lots of great information in it and it’s pretty friendly and professional. They also invite you to get in touch if you want to know more or go ahead.
But guess what? It doesn’t matter.
Because within an hour of sending out your enquiries your phone rings and it’s cleaning businesses number 3. The lady on the phone is super friendly and professional and asks you all sorts of questions about your home and your family and your needs. You have a great conversation with her and you feel that she really understands exactly what you’re looking for. After she’s asked you all about your needs she then goes on to tell you what you can expect from her business if you choose to go ahead. She tells you about the products they use and the extremely high standards they set for themselves. She tells you how you will feel when you return home after your weekly clean has been carried out, she paints the picture of how life will be for you now that you don’t have to worry about cleaning your house. She gives you all the information you need and, whilst you’re chatting she sends a brochure to your email with all the frequently asked questions and their answers and all the pricing information so that you can discuss it with your partner if you need to. But the chances are you won’t even need to discuss it! The chances are that you arrange a visit right then and there, right? Because she’s taken you the rest of the way. Remember, you were nearly there with each of those businesses anyway. You had done your research. But she brought you the remainder of the way and a whole lot more. And she did it all whilst you were still in the buying zone. She struck whilst the iron was hot and knocked your little socks off.
You’re nearly begging her to take your money. Why did you choose cleaning business number 3? You chose that business because this is something that matters to you. You’re not bargain hunting.
You VALUE this thing you’re purchasing. The minute that business reaches out to you by phone your subconscious is telling you – they are professional, they are trustworthy, they are reliable. Then halfway through the very friendly, helpful conversation your subconscious is telling you – they actually care about what they do, they are going to look after me and my home, they are going to enhance my life.
Now let’s step back into your photography business. Honestly, in terms of responding to enquiries, which cleaning business are you most similar to?
Are you like cleaning business number 1 with your delayed response time and your generic email? Or are you more like cleaning business number 2 with your relatively quick email response and eBook?
Because if you really and truly want to work with clients who value what you do then you need to be more like cleaning business number 3.
Yes of course its quicker and easier and less scary to just email someone back. But as with everything in life – taking the quicker, easier, less scary path will never lead you to success.
When a potential client leaves a phone number with their enquiry – they’re sending you a pretty strong message that they would like you to phone them. Or at the very least – they don’t mind if you phone them. So phone them!
Because whilst you’re responding via email or Facebook messenger – another photographer is USING that phone number! They’re swallowing down their phone phobia and they’re winning that customer over by making a far stronger, human connection with them than you’ve been able to make with your written message.
So you have a choice. Continue to avoid the phone at all costs and kiss goodbye to great clients who spend more. OR get over it already! Answer the phone when it rings or call people back when they leave a number. Show them how important they are to you. Make the time and make an impression.
If you really want to get great clients – you need to get on the phone!
This is one of ten steps I talk about in our latest webinar which is all about how to have fantastic clients lining up to do business with you (even if you’re more expensive). Check it out and grab a spot.
What about you? Are you phone phobic or do you love calling your potential clients to talk about their enquiry? Let me know in the comments.
The post Photography client enquiries – what to do when they leave a number! appeared first on Tea Break Tog.
source http://www.teabreaktog.com/video/photography-client-enquiries-leave-number/
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Book Review: The Moment It Clicks, by Joe McNally (Must Read)
source https://photofocus.com/2017/02/22/book-review-the-moment-it-clicks-by-joe-mcnally-must-read/
Macro – A selection of images from our #ThursdayTheme
Our #ThursdayTheme last week was Macro images. We are totally overwhelmed with the standard of images you are giving us week in and week out. You certainly like to keep us busy – keep it up!
Our #FridayFoto was this absolute belter of an image by Hadi Prayudi.
Here’s what Julie had to say about Hadi’s image:
“This was a bit of a no-brainer despite there being LOADS of awesome entries.
I think my favourite thing about this image is the low perspective. It really puts us there in the grass with the snails. I feel like I’m in ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’. I love the soft soft foreground of green grass which gives real added depth and colour to the scene.
And that light coming in from above and behind and shining through the shells and the bodies of the snails – how awesome! I’m not sure if you added the rays in post Hadi but if you did then it’s subtle and expertly done.
There is richness, atmosphere and magic in this image. A glimpse into another world. I have to admit I’m not a fan of snails but they are majestic in this image (and in love???! 
)
Love this so much. Thank you Hadi”.
Thank you to everyone who took part!
Aga Wlodarczak
Alison Smith
Ange Murray
Annemarie Clinton
Chantal Macleod-Holdsworth
Colette Larson
Deirdre Eaglesham
Donna Rigg
Elena Garcia-Hernandez
Elizabeth Mandato Youngs
Heather Durnad
Jennifer Johnson
Kate Wojdak
Lesley Smith
Lin Loy
Lloyd Patterson
Lone Kiter
Marie-Noelle Cloutier
Marina De Wit
Michelle Wright
Paul Chapman
ReAnna Nicole Negron
Russell Bain
Ruvka Katz Braverman
Samantha Elizabeth Moses
Sharon Hughes
Tamara Lentz
Teresa Sumerfield
Which is your favourite?
Pop by and request to join – you’ll love it! 
The post Macro – A selection of images from our #ThursdayTheme appeared first on Tea Break Tog.
source http://www.teabreaktog.com/blog/macro/
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Photographer of the Day: Arenkert
source https://photofocus.com/2017/02/21/photographer-of-the-day-arenkert/
Monday, February 20, 2017
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Friday, February 17, 2017
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Why pay for photography training online when you can get it for free?
In today’s online world there is unlimited photography education and information at your fingertips. And most of it is totally free! Like never before we’re now able to self-teach, and become pretty skilled, without paying a penny! So why pay for photography training in 2017?
In this video let’s thrash out the pros and cons of FREE versus PAID…
TRANSCRIPTION
Nowadays businesses and individuals are producing vast quantities of free educational content so that they can connect with you and prove themselves to you. If you like their content and trust in them then the hope is that you might eventually buy into a paid product in the future. It’s exactly what we do at Tea Break Tog!
Most people won’t though. Most people will never buy a thing. They will consume that free content and be satisfied. And that’s totally ok. That’s generally what I do too. I usually find free content that does the job and I pick and choose what I learn and who I learn it from.
So why would you pay? Why would you put your hand in your pocket and part with your hard earned cash to learn something that you can just learn online for free nowadays?
Well I believe there is a place for both free and paid photography education and training. They can both offer enormous value. But there are some key things to consider when you are deciding which route to take. So stay with me because I’m going to help you out with some pointers for the next time you’re deciding whether to stick with free or cough up some cash.
Free is great for specific questions you have. Look it up – choose a tutorial you can identify with and job is done. Gone are the days when you had to pay to get the answer to a reasonably simple question you had. Now you type it into google and you choose from hundreds and thousands of articles on the subject.
Whereas if you’re looking to learn something a little bit more complex then you might find that you need to do a good bit of digging around over a long period of time to get a very clear picture of the topic using free content. In situations like this it often makes much more sense to pay for a course so that you know the lessons will be delivered to you in the correct order and in the same style and you won’t have any gaps in your learning. The time you save searching the web for decent free content on the whole subject will probably more than make up for the money you spend.
On the flip side, if time is an issue for you then free stuff is generally shorter and more to the point. You can consume it quickly and you don’t need to set aside lots of time for it once you find it. Paid content tends to be more in-depth and takes a little longer.
Another great thing about all this readily available free content is that it allows you to find the educators you can really identify with. Free content has made these people accessible. That’s pretty cool. So make sure you use all this free to find your favourite teachers. Because you can be pretty sure that if you find someone who’s free stuff is good – their paid stuff is going to blow you away.
But what about quality? You might assume that free content is poorer quality than paid content. But that simply isn’t true. Some of the best tutorials I’ve ever worked through have been absolutely free and some of the WORST – I’ve had to pay for! So there’s never a guarantee on quality.
However, one thing that paid content does tend to have that free content doesn’t – is an opportunity to read or listen to testimonials from past buyers. Really it’s hard to make a bad purchasing decision these days if you’ve done your homework. Customers leave very public reviews these days and they’re not hard to find. I mean you can make a pretty confident decision about a course that comes with 1000 five star reviews.
But this doesn’t tend to happen so much with free content. We generally have very little indication of whether other people found it useful or not. You need to take a more pot luck approach and go with whatever google chucks at you first. And if you’re pretty clueless on the subject you’re researching then you might not even know that what you’re reading or watching is a load of absolute drivel.
Free is great for learning ‘what’ to do. There’s no real need to pay for ‘what to do’ information these days. The free stuff is really good. However the real nitty gritty ‘how to do it’ stuff. You’ll find that most educators save that for their paid resources. Why? Because that’s valuable stuff. That’s the stuff that they have busted a gut learning themselves and they’re not willing to give that away for free. That being said, every now and again you’ll get lucky and find someone who is.
So as you can tell I am all for free AND paid photography education. But there is one last point I’m going to make about free versus paid and I saved it for last because it is by far the most important.
The biggest difference between paying for your education and getting it for free – is YOU. It’s simply a fact that when you pay for something you take it far more seriously. You show up, you listen well, you take notes, you make it count. Why? Because you spent money on it! You’re not going to let that go to waste!
When something is free we simply don’t give it the attention that we give to something we had to spend money on. Because it was free! You’ve way more likely to not turn up, or skim the content or multi-task. After all – there’s nothing to lose. Subconsciously you place very little value in it because you didn’t have to pay for it.
So my philosophy is that I pay for what matters most to me. I pay for what will save me time. I pay for what will make me money. I pay for what I value. But everything else – I just search and grab it for free. And whilst I’m on the subject of free stuff – you can check out my free online classes right here.
So what about you? Do you ever pay for your photography education or do you swear by the free stuff? I’d love to hear from you! Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe…
The post Why pay for photography training online when you can get it for free? appeared first on Tea Break Tog.
source http://www.teabreaktog.com/video/why-pay-for-photography-training/
IMAGE ALIGNMENT ISSUE
Cameras are complicated. I remember when I bought my first DSLR: I was frustrated that I couldn’t just capture what I saw through my viewfinder. It took a ton of trial and error but I kept at it and, when I finally managed to work everything out, I started being...
The post IMAGE ALIGNMENT ISSUE appeared first on Expert Photography.
source https://expertphotography.com/image-alignment-issue/
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Moody Portrait – A selection of images from our #ThursdayTheme
Moody Portrait was our #ThursdayTheme last week. I hope you like black and white as we have an abundance of moody B&W images, but then who doesn’t?! There is also one or two delightful colour ones thrown in there as well! Great work from everyone who took part, this week’s theme was fab!
Our #FridayFoto was this particularly moody portrait by Hayley Hay.
Here’s what Julie had to say about Hayley’s image:
“This was a tricky one to pick but in the end I was really captivated by this unique portrait.
There is a curiousness to this image which made me stay for a while and look closer. I got a bit of a ‘Lord of the Flies’ vibe from it – just me?
It looks like this has been shot through some leaves which are beautifully out of focus in the foreground and provide a great natural frame for the subject. The B/W conversion is superb – I love the grittiness and that the skin hasn’t been perfected. It all adds to the edgy, raw feel of this photograph. And that eye looking right at the viewer. I’m so drawn to it. There’s a real wildness to the expression and it fits the environment and the pose perfectly.
Such a compelling image Hayley – thanks so much for sharing it!”
Thank you to everyone who took part!
Agnes Moreschi
Chantal Macleod-Holdsworth
Denise McDaniel Pruett
Devon De Poy Atkinson
Elisa Birkett
Fyon Mackay Macleod
Janis Hedley
Jenni Whyte
Jennifer Law Lynch
Jessica Boehl Clark
Jessica Parnell-Smith
Jim Davies
Justin Stapleton
Justyna Kolodziej
Kathy Davis Linford
Kimberly Collins
Lisset Perrier
Lynne Grant
Mahli Bee
Manuel Alavarez
Marta Andrew
Mel Forman
Sammy Ross
Shoney Grasso
Victoria Anne
Victoria West
Whitney Anderson
Which is your favourite?
Pop by and request to join – you’ll love it!
The post Moody Portrait – A selection of images from our #ThursdayTheme appeared first on Tea Break Tog.
source http://www.teabreaktog.com/blog/moody-portrait/