Hi ,

Although there are a huge number of "trusims" out there in the photography world, many of which get tossed around every day on Facebook and Twitter, rarely does anyone throw one over the plate like fellow Alaska Photographer Carl Donohue did yesterday. 

He ran this post on his blog, A Photographer's Guide to SEO and Social Media, and it’s the most honest to goodness social media marketing advice that I’ve seen in a long time. Definitely check it out. Even if you're not all that into SEO and find places like Twitter and Google+ to be a bit overwhelming, go ahead and skip to the very last sentence. I promise you, it’s as true as it gets.

Here’s another great post I found this morning over on Strobist, called Learning to See Light. A good eye opener about being more perceptive about what natural light really looks like, so that if and when you try to light a scene with strobes, you can get it to look as good and diverse as the real thing.

Now that we’re past Thanksgiving, we can look forward to lots of Cyber deals and sales on photography related gear, books, ebooks and accessories. Today I’ve even got my own Cyber Tuesday deal- 40% off any and all of my eBooks. To get the discount, use coupon code CYBER40 in your shopping cart. And keep in mind, it’s today only.

Now onto this week's blog posts. As you can see below, I’ve been shooting with a Lensbaby lately. Of course, I tried it out last week in some really challenging conditions, but hey, that’s how I roll. They’re quite fun little gadgets that offer great optics and some very interesting creative options. (Here’s my absolute favorite Lensbaby shot by travel photographer Nevada Wier.) If a Lensbaby has been on your radar, B&H Photo has $50 rebates on select Lensbaby models right now.

Also on the blog this week, I ran a comparison of Canon Flashes, including the newest model, the 320EX. Basically it boils down like this: If you’re need a top of the line model and full wireless capabilities, you should probably get the 580EX II. If you’re looking for one or two extra remote flashes, the 320EX might be your option, since they’re pretty competitively priced. If you’re just looking for a single, inexpensive flash that you can stick on the end of a sync cord, which will still give you great results, then the 270EX II is the most economical model in the lineup.

If you’re thinking about picking a Canon flash, now would be a great time, because B&H Photo also has instant rebates on Canon Speedlites that run through the first week of January. 

Finally, I ran a review of a great book by Chris Orwig, called People Pictures. I think it’s an awesome book that will absolutely get your creative juices flowing. Face it, we all want to take better people pictures, and this book lays out 30 exercises that will get you to try new things and approach portrait photography from some new directions. 

I went ahead and got the Kindle version for my iPad. Why? Because even though I love traditional books, I like the idea of having this great reference right at my fingertips when I’m on go even better. What’s a tool if it’s just going to sit at home on the shelf? Either way, I’d have to say that this is my favorite photography book of late.

I’ll leave you with this. It’s a post that I ran last year called The 4 Ingredients for a Great Image. Whether you’re shooting people, landscapes, sports or Legos, these are the necessary elements that will help you create compelling imagery. That’s what we all want, right? That’s why you’re here, right? You and I both strive to make images that forcefully drive themselves into the visual memory of our viewers. It’s not an easy thing to do, but it really helps if you keep these four things in mind. 

Great photography is an active pursuit, not a passive one. It certainly requires effort, but that's why it's so rewarding when you do nail that one fantastic image after trying out a new technique or approach. And speaking of new approaches, (Ok, just one more thing!) check out this video by Chase Jarvis. It's a great little mini workshop. Lots of great ideas in there.

Enjoy the rest of the week and hit it hard with your camera! And, if you get a chance, post a favorite shot or two to one of my two Flickr Groups, The Outdoor Adventure Photography Group or the Fast With Light Group. You see my work all the time, I’d love to see yours!

Take care,

Dan

Trying Out the Lensbaby in Alaska Conditions

It’s always great to challenge yourself and push your own creative boundaries. Sometimes you do this with different techniques, sometimes you do by photographing new subject matter, and sometimes you do it by using different gear. I recently got my … Continue reading →  Find out more

Tutorial: Interpreting The Moment With Topaz Adjust 5

Digital Imaging Tips by Dan Moughamian Introduction Topaz Labs recently announced Topaz Adjust 5 plug-in for Photoshop, so I thought it would be useful to follow up on the prior Adjust 4 tutorial to show another example of how it can … Continue reading →  Find out more

Which Canon Speedlite Should You Get? 580EX II vs. 430EX II vs. 270EX

Canon has three Speedlites in their current lineup, the 580EX II, the 430EX II and the 270EX, each of which varies in features, power and relative price. By comparing each model, you can determine which one is right for you … Continue reading →  Find out more

People Pictures: 30 Exercises for Creating Authentic Photographs

I was at the bookstore the other night, mostly getting some early holiday shopping done. Of course, I managed to find myself in the photography section, and as I was staring at the shelves, this book jumped right out at … Continue reading →  Find out more