Big news first: I have a brand New eBook on the way! 

 

You love photography. Judging by the level of excitement that I’m guessing it brings you and how much time you could probably spend taking photos, looking at imagery and reading about photography, it would likely be fair to say that you have a passion for photography.

 

However, as with anything, passion only gets you so far. In order to take things to the next level, not just from a creative standpoint, but also from an insightful one, you need focus. Focus leads to dedication, and the intelligent decisions that are necessary in order to push your photography forward and take it where you want it to lead you in your life.

 

That’s what my brand new eBook is all about; Turning your passion into focus. I’m still doing final editing and layout, but as of right now, it’s about 75 pages of photos and rock solid insight that I’ve developed over my seventeen years as a working pro. Some of the chapters deal with creative ideas, other with the photo industry and the specific concerns that you need to be on top of if you want to try and earn money with your camera.

 

It's meant to be a well-rounded collection of insight from someone who dove in head first into the world of photography many years ago, fought his way to the surface and who is still swimming in an ocean of very big waves. 

 

I don’t have a release date set yet, but I’m hoping to have it out within two weeks. As a subscriber, you’ll be the first one to know as soon as I have a date set. 

 

A few months ago, Adobe shifted their entire business model to subscription based software. For the record, I’m not very excited about the whole thing, and I’m not alone with my analysis. I don’t like the fact that if you stop your subscription, your software stops functioning. Unlike previous versions, where you could skip a version if you didn’t need all the new features, or if you wanted to save some cash, Creative Cloud doesn’t give you this choice. You get all the upgrades as soon as they’re released, providing you keep paying the monthly fee, which for a single app like Photoshop, is $19.99/moth.

 

To be fair, there are some benefits to Creative Cloud. For one, the new version of Photoshop is even better and more powerful than CS6. Also, given that a new version of CS6 costs $699, $19.99/month is a lot easier to swallow than ponying up for the entire seven hundred bucks at once. So, if you’re looking to be a brand new user, this may be a more economical solution for you.

 

 

 

Last week at Photoshop World, Adobe announced a brand new pricing structure for Creative Cloud: $9.99/month for existing Photoshop users (CS3 and later.) The price includes Photoshop CC, Lightroom 5, 20GB cloud storage and all future software upgrades. This is indeed a much more reasonable deal that accommodates many of us who use both Photoshop and Lightroom. 

 

In order to get this price, you have to sign up by December 31, 2013, and you have to already have at least Photoshop CS3 or higher installed on your computer. Adobe is unlikely to return to their previous model, so this is the new way forward. If you’re a PS and LR user, then I’d recommend jumping on this deal. Read more here.

 

 

On September 13-14, over 450 bloggers from all over the world will gather on the Gold Coast of Australia for the Annual Problogger event. This two day seminar will feature over 30 hours of inspiration and training on how to build a bigger, better and more profitable blog.

 

Obviously everyone can’t plan a trip down under later this week, which is why they’re offering a Virtual Ticket to the event. This virtual ticket is essentially an all-access web pass to the entire event. You’ll be able to watch all 30 hours of teaching sessions by blogging experts like Darren Rowse and photographer guru Trey Ratcliff, download all the slides from the event and participate/listen to an hour long Q/A webinar session.

 

You’ll also get an exclusive one hour webinar in additon to all of the main presentations.

 

I’ll be right up front. This is not for everyone. It’s for people who are serious about taking their blogging to the next level. Much of what I’ve accomplished with my blog is due to what I’ve learned from Darren Rowse and the kind of information that will be presented at this event. 

 

Consider this a solid investment in your blogging and business model. It’s not cheap, but when you consider what blogging can do for your photography and how it can add to your business model, you may think that the price is well worth it. What you learn can easily be made back many times over if you work hard and implement these ideas into your blog. Click here to learn more about the even and see what you get with the Virtual Ticket. LIke I said, it’s not for everyone, but it just may be the right thing for you.

 

 

Nikon has a brand new set of “Buy Together and Save” rebate deals. Through Sept. 29, you can save up to $500 when you buy a Nikon DSLR and lens combo. 

 

The deal includes the awesome new 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lens, which I consider to the be the “Adventure Photographer’s Dream Lens.” It’s half the weight of the 70-200mm f/2.8 version, a thousand dollars less and yet it still has full on pro quality ED glass. I’ve been using this lens for most of 2013 and it’s an excellent performer. 

 

If you want a pro quality zoom that’s easier to carry into the backcountry, this is the one. Pair it with a Nikon DSLR and save between $350-500 on the combo, depending on the body.

 

These deals are available at both B&H Photo and Amazon.

 

 

Who doesn’t need more memory cards? I’m a huge fan if Sandisk cards. They’re the only cards I’ve ever used in any of my cameras. Right now, you can save up to 60% on certain SD cards, including the Extreme 8GB, 16GB and 32BG cards.

 

 

Here’s a selection of great articles and blog posts that I’ve found around the web this week:

 

Breaking Away from the Paradigm Life, found on Anne McKinnell’s blog. I’ve been following Anne for a few years now and I love her attitude about life. It’s allowed her to go far and it’s quite infectious. Beware, though, if you read this guest post on her site, you’re likely to start planning a whole new life for yourself. Consider yourself warned. 

 

10 Things I Learned from Jay Maisel. Jay is one of most respected and prolific photographers around and this post details 10 things that one person took away from his five hour training class. 

 

Fuji XM-1 vs. Sony Nex 6: a user comparison. I’m a huge fan of the little Fuji X-Trans sensor cameras and the XM-1 is the newest one in the lineup. On the other hand, my best friend loves his Sony Nex-6. Here’s a shootout between the two. If you’re thinking about getting a small-medium sized camera, these are both good choices.

 

The Creative Flow And How To Find It In Landscape Photography, by Robert Rodriguez Jr., read on Outdoor Photo Gear Blog. I’ve seen Robert’s work around the web, and I like it. Plus, he’s got some pretty good insight. Worth checking out.

 

 

David duChemin has just released a massive 200-page eBook called The Visual Toolbox: 50 Lessons for Stronger Photographs. Use discount code TOOLBOX and you can save $3 when you download the book. Be sure and read my review of this great new title in this week's blog post. 

 

The other day, while driving home along the Seward Highway, I turned a corner and saw this. Luckily, I had a camera on the seat next to me and was able to get it in my hand in about two seconds. Not saying that it’s the safest thing to do while driving at 60mph, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

As always, thanks for reading! Enjoy the recent blog posts below and be sure and share this newsletter with your friends! Stay tuned for my new eBook!

 

Best,

Dan