Hi ,
I hope you’re enjoying your December so far! It’s been cold (single digits) here in Anchorage, but at least we have snow, so that’s a good thing.
I’ve spent most of my “away from my desk time” lately riding my snow bike and flying the little Cessna; I did two aerial photography flights last weekend and got some really cool images. Below are couple shots from those flights.
Photography Tip - Don't be Afraid to Go in a New Direction
|
I wanted to share a quick photography tip with you and let you know about a couple of December deals you might be interested in.
Sometimes when you’re out shooting, especially in beautiful locations, it can be a challenge to narrow down your subject matter.
Last week while out riding my bike, I found myself in a pretty cool location right at sunset, with just a few minutes to spare before the light faded.
I shot the first photo above, and while it has stunning light, it just doesn't have as strong a visual impact as what I saw with my eyes. Even though the color was really nice, the contrast levels made the scene kind of difficult.
This is when I like to keep looking for workable subjects that can help me narrow down the scene.
I didn’t have a long lens with me, just three primes, the XF14mm, the XF35mm f/2 and the 90mm f/2. The 90 wasn’t quite long enough to bring those mountains in, (plus the light was fading), so I put on the 35 and decided to focus on the trees.
Those
scrubby boreal forest pine tress have some pretty cool shapes- they’re almost Dr. Seuss-like, aren’t they?
By ditching the mountains and spending a few minutes looking for interesting tree shapes I could use as silhouettes against the opposite sky, I was able to create what I feel are much more clean and compelling images. When compared to my initial image, to me, these trees have much more visual
impact.
So, the moral of the story is to be OK with the idea of ditching your original subject, even if it’s really cool. Keep your options open, and if you really like the original thing, you can always plan to go back when you have more time to work that particular scene.
Luminar - Major Update & Holiday Sale
|
I’ve been pretty excited about Luminar lately, the new photo editing software for Mac. (It works as a standalone program or as a plug-in with Lightroom.) I’m using it quite a
bit, because it’s fast, easy, very customizable, and it produces great results.
Up until now, that was all just talk on my part. Now, I'd like to show you an example of how I use the program. Below are two images, each two versions- straight with no processing, and one that’s been processed with Luminar.
I spent less than a couple of minutes
processing each photo, and even with that short time, I was able to quickly tweak my images in such a way that they pop quite a bit more.
I do use the sliders, but I often make use of the super-easy presets that Luminar offers, and the really nice thing is that you can choose one you like and then deal it back as much as you like until you get the look you’re going for. Again, super easy. That’s what I did for both of these
images.
What eMail Marketing Service I Use
|
I wanted to let you know what email service I use, because I know that some of you might want to start building your business by sending email campaigns to your own subscribers, followers and clients. Having tried a few different services, I’ve been really happy with Aweber, which I’ve used exclusively for about five years.
Aweber lets me create easy drag-and-drop emails, send automated emails, like the link to my Fuji guide, and it has a ton of great looking templates. It also give me
unlimited photo storage and it converts my blog’s RSS feed right to my email newsletters.
I really like the customizable signup forms, and I’ll attest, they work! You’re here, right? :) You can even link Aweber to your Facebook, Wordpress and PayPal, and they even have an iOS signup form and a some other very useful apps. (I know that some of you have singed up
on my iPhone and iPad! )
Finally, Aweber gives me great anylitics and tracking, and it’s a pretty reasonable price that slides based on your subscriber numbers.
I know that not everyone needs this kind of service, but for those of you who do, I figured it might be helpful for me to give you my recommendation.
You can try Aweber free for 30 days, and if you have any questions about the service, feel free to ask me, or download this free guide that will show you how to
get started running a success full email campaign.
Some of you have been reading my emails for a few years now; others have just signed on recently. Either way, I hope you’ve enjoy my messages. My email campaigns have turned out to be a vitally important aspect of my photography and social media.
Not only
does it let me to inform my followers about upcoming workshops and gear that I recommend, but it’s actually allowed me to meet and keep in contact with some of you guys around the globe.
During my recent Romania bike trip, I actually met up with two of my subscribers while I was over there, and I’ve met a number of you at some of my presentations during the past year. This really fulfilling for me; I enjoy
putting names to faces and getting to know you as people and fellow photographers. :)
--------------------
|
Sincerely,
Dan Bailey
dan@danbaileyphoto.com
|
|
|
|
