Hi 

I just got back from the PhotoPlus Expo show in New York City, where I covered the event for The Photoletariat. If you haven'€t been following, you should check out the week's worth of posts that I did.

Anyway, after four days of attending seminars on lighting technique, business efficiency and social media, and checking out all the latest photography gear, I have just on thing to say:

I am inspired.

I walked away from the show completely filled with excitement, not just about my own photography, but about all of photography. Even as the global economy gives itself a supreme makeover, it€'s still a great time to be a photographer. In fact, I will say that there is no better time in history to be a photographer.

The truth is that we're standing on the dawn of a revolution that is only starting to give us the most incredible technology and tools to realize our creative vision and produce and share our imagery with the rest of the world. With great advancements in technology, we'€re seeing some incredible new devices and tools that make it easier, faster, more efficient, and heck, more fun to take, edit, store, and view our photographs.

And it'€s not just the photos themselves, with new devices like the iPad, and companies like Blurb and AsukaBook, the presentation options for books, portfolios and eBooks are unbelievable these days! Of course, books themselves are far from dead, with awesome new titles from companies like Peachpit and Focal Press coming out every single month. 

In fact, while I was there, I picked up Joe McNally'€s latest book, The Moment it Clicks. Look for a review on the blog soon, or else just buy it because you know that anything that Joe writes will help you become a better photographer.

So be inspired. Be excited. Be completely and totally awed by and in love with photography. Jack Hollingsworth said something in his awesome New Media Marketing seminar that rang true with me, and I€'m sure it will ring true with you. You can see all of the slides here. Definitely worth watching.

He said that in order to succeed in this business, "you must love photography more than you love breathing."€ 

I would bet that even if you'€re not trying to make photography your career, you still love it that much. 

Going Fast With Light Contest

Remember, there'€s still one more week to get in on the Going Fast With Light contest and possibly win a $500 gift card to B&H Photo. Everyone who buys the book by next Wednesday, November 10 is automatically entered. 

Also, if you want to become an affiliate and review or promote the book on your own blog or social media site, click here. One affiliate sold 76 copies in the two weeks since it'€s been out. There are certainly opportunities for you to make good money helping to promote a book that's only picking up in steam! If you do decided to promote it on your site, remember to mention the B&H contest. The chance to win $500 is usually a pretty strong motivator.

New Flickr Groups

Finally, I'€ve started two new Flickr Groups. The Outdoor Adventure Photography Group was created  for my blog and Facebook followers to connect, share and learn, although it'€s open to anyone. I plan to feature select images that really stand out. Join, post and start some discussions!

I also started the Fast With Light group, which was born out of the material surrounding the book. If you bought a copy of Going Fast With Light, join and share photos that you create with some of the tools and techniques that you learned in the book. Even if you didn'€t buy the book, join anyway, you might find inspiration there.

Enjoy this weeks blog posts and take care!

Dan