What a beautiful autumn we’re having in Alaska. I went trail running last evening over pathways of fallen yellow leaves that were lit up by long rays of golden sunlight streaming through the trees. I hope that it’s the same wherever you live, and I hope that you’re getting out with the camera whenever possible. Fall is such an awesome time for image making, don’t you agree?

 

 

In case you were busy playing outside last week and missed the announcement, I released my brand new eBook. It’s called ZEN PHOTOGRAPHER: Turning Your Passion into Focus. It’s 81 pages of photography insight, ideas, valuable tips and motivation, all designed to ignite your creativity and your attitude about photography today. The information in ZEN PHOTOGRAPHER has been pulled from my 22 years as a photographer, 17 of which I’ve spent as a working pro in a very tough industry. 

 

My goal with this book is to help you turn your passion for photography into a dedicated focus by engaging your brain with though-provoking ideas and providing you with highly charged motivation. I wrote it for all levels and styles, so it doesn’t matter what you shoot or if you’re a pro or enthusiast, there’s something for everyone here.

 

Here’s what one professional photography industry editor has said about ZEN PHOTOGRAPHER:

 

 

You can read more about ZEN PHOTOGRAPHER here, or you can just take my word for it that this book is well worth your time and money and download your copy here. (It contains less than 50 cents worth of info for every year that I’ve been shooting!) I put months of work and a great deal of thought into ZEN PHOTOGRAPHER and I think that you’ll really get a lot out of it. Plus, photography and writing is how I make a living, so if you’re a fan of the stuff I write on my blog, this is one huge way you can show your support. If you buy right now, you’ll save $2 and get it at a special introductory price

 

If you’ve already purchased ZEN PHOTOGRAPHER, then I want to extend my sincere thanks to you. Also, I’d love to hear what you think. If you’d care to send me a short testimonial, I’ll post it on my blog.

 

 

My friend Anne McKinnell released her new ebook last week as well. It's called The Compelling Photograph: Techniques for Creating Better Images, Book 2.  It's a concise, easy to read manual that will show you the elements of good image design, essential camera skills, and fun photographer techniques. With 8 self-paced lessons and 8 assignments, The Compelling Photograph is a fun and easy way to stretch your compositional skills. Click here to see what the first volume, Book 1 is all about. 

 

It's normally priced at $9.99, but Anne has extended a special coupon code for my subscribers. This brings her book down to only $5.99. That's 40% off the normal price! No one else is getting this deal, just my readers, so take advantage of this deal and show her some support!  

 

Simply get your copy of ZEN PHOTOGRAPHER, then come back here and click to get Anne's Book. Be sure and use discount code danbailey25 in your shopping cart to get the savings for her book.

You can grab either volume, The Compelling Photograph, Book 1 or Book 2,  or click here to get them both as a bundle for only $14.99.

 

Please note, this special offer is only good through midnight on October 2. After that it goes back to full price. Click the button below to get Anne's book at the special price.

 

 

I’m excited to announce that I’m working with another photographer to create a series of Alaska photography workshops tours. The thing about Alaska is that it’s really big. And everything is pretty far away from everything else. The logistics of planning a trip to Alaska are complicated enough even factoring in the issue of HOW and WHERE to get the best possible images. 

 

Since we’ll be working with some of the best tour operators in the state, we’ll be able to get you to some fabulous shots in the ideal times for photography. Plus, you’ll have the chance to learn from two established Alaska photographers who shoot and teach for a living. 

 

As of right now, we’re still building our website and fleshing out itineraries, but if you’re interested in hearing more about about these Alaska workshop photo tours, then drop me a line and I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as our site is up and we have more info to share!

 

 

Amazon sent me this link for the Most Popular Nikon DSLR lenses. I thought, ok, so this what people are buying. I could easily refer these to my readers. However, I’m interested in helping you get popular gear. Popular is average. Average isn’t exceptional. I want to help you get the best gear and make exceptional imagery.

 

With the exception of a couple models, most of these are all mid priced kit lenses that aren’t very fast. When buying lenses, I always recommend getting the fastest lens you can afford for any focal length. It will cost more, but you’ll be happier in the long run, and you’ll make better photos. You’ll be able to shoot in more conditions, and they’ll generally hold up better since the more expensive lenses contain more metal than plastic. 

 

With the exception of my new Nikon 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lens, most of my lenses are all many years old and they’re still holding up fine. Buy a good lens and it will last. It will be sharper and produce crisp, more highly defined images with less fuzziness at the edges and reduced chromatic aberration. A good rule of thumb is to stay away from the lower end, cheaper zoom lenses. Don’t be popular. Be the best.

 

 

With that in mind, here are the latest round of Canon lens rebates. You can save up to $300, and there is a very good selection of lenses represented in this batch. 

 

 

The Fuji XE-1 has dropped in price again. Right now, it’s only $999 for the body with 18-55mm lens. This probably means that an updated is on the way, but of course, an updated means a higher price tag. The XE-1 is still an awesome camera and that’s a great price for the package. I just bought a last year’s model bike, saved quite a bit of money and still got an awesome bike. I almost always buy a generation behind in computers, so there’s nothing wrong with buying last year’s model, especially if it’s as good as the XE-1.

 

 

Make Your Own Photo Calendar: Here’s a great post by nature and outdoor photographer Robert Rodriguez Jr. that details how he makes his yearly photo wall calendars. Calendars are awesome and this one is a great tutorial. Robert uses Evernote, Lightroom and Photoshop. Worth a read!

 

189 Business Building Ideas for Photographers, by Rosh Sillars. I always love Rosh’s posts, he’s got killer marketing insight. Also check out 33 Ways Photographers Can Use QR Codes. I don’t use QR codes, but after reading this, I just might have to start!

 

Magazines are Back! by Ron Engh. Ron is a stock photo industry expert. With 25-50 new publications born each week in the English speaking world, there are a lot of new potential markets for photographers. Ron’s article runs down 9 ways that you can build relationships with photo buyers. 

 

You Make Your Own Luck, by Maria Popova. I stumbled across Maria’s site Brain Pickings this morning and this post really resonated with me. I think this way and believe that in today’s world, a mindset like this will help you go far.

 

As always, thanks for reading, enjoy my recent blog posts and don’t forget to share!

 

-Dan