Photos From My “LIVE” Wedding Shoot

Good Afternoon Everybody,

We landed safe and sound in sunny Orlando late Monday morning.  We’ve been going a million miles an hour since we arrived, but we’ve been having a great time. 

I had my “LIVE” Wedding Shootout scheduled from noon till 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday.  Tuesday was looking like it was going to be a long day as I had a special meeting with Adobe in which they present all the latest, greatest new features of upcoming software releases. The instructors received instructional information on the new Lightroom 5 features – way cool. I’ll cover some of my favorites in an upcoming post.

I wasn’t able to stay for the whole meeting since I had to leave early to get ready for my noon class.  We had quite the crowd gathering in the meeting room – about 45 people attended the pre-con class. The students that gathered was indeed an international group. We had photographers attending from not just across many states in the US, but also from the Dominican Republic, Canada, France, and even Australia! It was quite an honor to be presenting to such a wonderfully exciting, international group of photographers.

Heading Out On The Shoot

Over the course of the next six hours we covered lots of material.  One of the things I like to do for my class is to provide an edited set of my images from the pre-con so I always ask the attendees to concentrate on capturing the overall views with their cameras time-synced to my camera. With my images and their reference photographs, the two sets of images together provide a wonderful learning resource. 

Here are a few images from the class. All images were produced with my Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital Camera and Canon Speedlite 600EX-RTs, natural light, and my Zumbrella.  Main lenses included my Tamron 28-300mm Lens, Canon 24-105mm, and my Sigma 12-24mm wide angle lens.

Image 1:  We found a beautiful natural light pouring in through a large window in the convention center begging for a photograph to be captured. I loved how the white wall behind her was well illuminated too – a simple yet perfect high key background.

I used my Tamron 28-300mm Lens and zoomed in close to the bride. 

Image 2:  I had planned to photograph the groom on the third floor but the sun over lit the area where I wanted to make his portrait. I quickly resurveyed the scene and found another area that I thought offered a dynamic background, full of angles and lines, behind the subject.

Image 3:  This next image is just a simple classic bridal portrait of the bride in the church sanctuary. I enhanced the photograph with a few new features in Lightroom 5.  I’ll tell you about them in a later post.

Image 4:  This photograph was made outside the church on a very bright, sunny day. I knew I wanted to use hi-speed flash sync to illuminate the bride and groom. I positioned the couple in the shadow of the  church. I then made my exposure for the clouds and sky above the church and then added the power of three 600 the XRT strobes to the bride and the groom to balance the exposure.

Sometimes the gear appears in the photograph as it originally did in this image but, by using the “content aware” tool in Photoshop the gear was easily removed.

Image 5:  This next image is a portrait of the groom in the Orlando Convention Center. The image was made about 5 hours later in the day and the bright sunlight was no longer a problem.  My lighting is coming  from camera right from 1 Canon  600EX-RT Speedlite fired through my Zumbrella.

We had a great day on the road and then returned back to the classroom for my wrap-up. During this year’s session I covered our sales presentations and marketing strategies for the class. This was a new experience for me and for the attendees who have attended my classes in the past. The class seemed to thoroughly enjoy the additional information.  The class even ran over about 25 minutes, but nobody really seemed to mind ;~)  I’d like to THANK everybody and I hope all enjoyed the experience.

_________________________________________________________________

Hey gang, that’s it for me today.  Time is tight around here but I’ll plan to do another show update from the cruise ship over the next few days.  Yep, LaDawn and I are heading across the Atlantic tomorrow morning. 

See ya’ from the middle of the Atlantic, David

Big Happenings On Friday!

Good Morning Everybody!

We’ve got lot’s happening before we jump the jet to Orlando, Florida early Monday morning.  So let me tell you about some good things coming your way.

Our Budapest Master Class Officially Announced

Last year Clay Blackmore and I and 52 others (24 students, spouses, and friends) had a blast in Tuscany, Italy. We decided to do it again, but this year we’re in Budapest!  Clay and I just barely announced our next Master Class to be held in Budapest, Hungry September 9-16, 2013 [link] and the class is over half booked already.

I have to say, it is the education bargain of the century. In addition to eating, sleeping, and breathing photography, lighting, and composition with Clay and myself for several days your registration also includes: 

• 7 full nights in Budapest nestled on the beautiful Danube River,
• Lodging at the famous Danubius Hotel Gellért and home to the world’s most famous spa,
• A day trip to the stunning city of Vienna,
• Most meals,
• And plenty of fine wine.

I think there are about ten spaces available so if you are interested in a fantastic trip of a lifetime check out all the details right here or call this number right away 202-448-2895 to make your reservation.

BTW, here are a few links below to my blog posts about our Tuscany Master Class experience – checking out those posts will give you a flavor of the class.  I think Budapest is going to be even more exciting!

[link 1]     [link 2]     [link 3]    [link 4]

Heading To Photoshop World

I can’t believe it’s that time of year again!  But in a few short days we’re off to another fun filled and brain frying week at Photoshop World.  Photoshop World is one of our favorite conventions to attend.  The amount of information one gets is overwhelming; the attendees are great to meet – we make new friends each time we attend; and the energy of the event is just outright contagious!

I’ll be instructing my wedding Pre-Con on Tuesday, and them two more programs during the rest of the week.  You can also catch me at the PeachPit Theater presenting two additional programs.  Just check schedules when you arrive.  And, please be sure to come on up and say HI if you see me running around the show. Here is the link to all the Photoshop World details right here.

Dave Cross Coming To Creative LIVE

Hey gang, my good buddy, Dave Cross will be appearing on creativeLIVE [link] for 2 back-to-back 2-day Photoshop classes. On April 25 & 26 Dave will be covering Photoshop Automation & Productivity, and Photoshop Creativity on April 27 & 28. As always, it's free to watch live from anywhere in the world. Enroll now and join Dave for 4 days of Photoshop fun and education. Hope you can make it.

Session 1: Photoshop Automation & Productivity: April 25 & 26 [link 1]

Session 2:  Photoshop Creativity: April 27 & 28 [link2]

On Twitter: Join @davecross for 4 days of #Photoshop training on @creativeLIVE April 25-28. Enroll now & watch live for free. http://bit.ly/Xioioq

Tim and Beverly Walden U - Best Portrait Class Ever!

LaDawn and I recently had the opportunity to sit in on Tim and Bev’s class and, I have to tell you, we walked away with pages of powerful and effective sales and marketing ideas that were worth their weight in gold!  You can get all the info right here.

Walden U will be held July 28th and 29th, 2013 at the Walden's Photography studio in Lexington, KY. Sign up before April 28th, 2013 and receive the early bird discount of $100 when you enter the promo code EBWU.

The investment in Walden U is about the best thing a photographer can do for their business.  This class is for any photographer wanting to take their business and profits to new heights.  The entire experience - Bev and Tim’s warm hospitality, the generosity and passion of their sharing, and their insights and strategies to marketing portrait photography – make for a not to be missed learning experience!

Also, don’t forget to check out Bev’s blog [link] – tons of good info there too!

______________________________________________________________

Hey gang, that’s it for me today.  I’m still planning to get a Technique Tuesday and Business Day Thursday posted before we leave on Monday.  I’ll post them with Tuesday and Thursday’s dates so they will appear before this post on the DPT blog.  Hope you enjoy them.

Have a great weekend and I’ll see you in Orlando next week,  David

Business Day Thursday: Sales Success Secrets – The New Series: #2 – Show Them What They Want!

Good Morning Everybody,

I've got a brand-new Business Day Thursday coming your way that I think you're thoroughly enjoy. Last week I started my new Sales Success Secrets series and posted a great marketing idea by my good friends and outstanding portrait photographer, Greg Daniels and his wife Lesa. You can check out last week’s post entitled “Market Styles, Not Specialties!” right here.

In preparing that post I had a chance to really survey Greg's website. Not only are Greg’s image galleries beautiful but one of the links on his site must be indispensable for him in building the success that he enjoys. That link entitled “In Homes” shows his framed portraits hanging in his client’s homes. The beauty of having these “portrait installs” shown on his website is that it builds anticipation for his current clients and gives them a very clear idea of how to use his portraits in their own homes.

Portrait One:

Take a look at our first photograph below. It's a beautiful portrait of a young girl hanging above the fireplace in the clients home.

As he can see, this is a very nice home. But, this is type of clientele that Greg markets to. So, when he shows a photograph in this home setting he clearly intuits to his current and future clients that they should do the same thing with their portraits.

Portrait Two:

I love the presentation of this second portrait. My guess would be that the size of this portrait is 60 inches tall by 24 inches wide – a very large piece of wall decor.

Look how beautifully it fits the space. In Greg’s portrait session he consults with each of his clients as to where the final portrait will be hung. That way he's easily able to make recommendations with this client about size and frame color.

Portrait Three:

This next image shows a smaller portrait, I'm guessing 24” x 36" hanging in a different part of the home where the wall space was much smaller. The placement of the portrait in this space still insures the client’s enjoyment of this image.

It appears to be in a heavily traveled part of the home where all the family members can enjoy it every time they pass.

Portrait Four:

This next image again shows a special wall treatment for this family portrait. I particularly like the piece of wall decor hanging above the portrait.  It seems to help round out the space on the wall. As you can see, portraits can be hung anywhere in the home but it takes careful planning with your client to be sure that the size of the portrait and the placement of the portrait in the home all work together.

I think it’s clear from these images that Greg and Lesa really have their act together when it comes to making those kinds of suggestions to their clients.

Portrait Series:

As you continue to explore Greg's images on his website notice to that he's not just trying to anticipate the wall portrait sale. He's also showing his clients many other options that they have with their photography. I love this next series of six images beautifully displayed on the wall next to the grand piano.

The secret to Greg's hefty portrait sales lies in the fact that he builds anticipation for the client by showing them just how images of their family and children to be displayed in their home.

Wall Portraits Are More Important and Impressive On A Client’s Wall Than On Facebook

I've always said to my clients. Even if one had purchased a completely new set of living room furniture, the first thing anyone would notice when they walked into that new living room would be the magnificent wall portrait hanging in that room.  They always agree and it’s always the case.

So, the take away from today's post is that you need to show your client’s what options they have.  Don't just show them a few sample photographs and frames. Show your prospective clients how your past clients have enhanced their homes with your beautiful works of art. We need to constantly build that client expectation!

Isn't that essentially what happens when we shop a furniture store? The room settings are always impeccably displayed. That’s to give us, the buyer, an idea of how we might bring those piece into our own home. That's exactly what Greg has done with his “In-Homes” tab [link] on his website. He has clearly made the point for his clients as to how beautiful and exciting portraits can look hanging in their home. I think it behooves each and everyone of us to create a page like Greg's on our site to give our client’s an idea of what we can do for them as well.

I sure hope you enjoyed today's post. I thought there was some tremendous ideas to be learned from Greg's website. I'll hope you'll go back and explore his site again, not just to enjoy this beautiful photography but, to also see how well he presents his photography for his clients and builds anticipation in them.

_________________________________________________________________

Hey gang, that's it for me today. We got a busy week so I get back to work.

See you soon, David

Technique Tuesday: Big Lighting From Small Speedlights

Good Morning Everybody,

It's a busy week for us since we will be traveling for the next  five weeks.  Not only do we have Photoshop World to get presentations polished, power points reviewed….we also have to pack for four more weeks of travel after that. But, more on that later.

Technique Tuesday: Big Lighting From Small Speedlights

Hey gang, I’ve prepared a pretty cool Technique Tuesday for you today. I'm going to keep it short and sweet but I think there's a good lesson here. And it shows the added versatility that we can bring to our speed-lighting techniques.

Recently I had to the opportunity to photograph of family portrait. We were outdoors with the beautiful vineyards in the background. The problem was that the vineyards were in direct sunlight so I had to place my subjects in the shade.  As a result, the direction of the natural light was flat and not flattering on my subjects.

Most of the time I prefer to use flash whenever I'm shooting outdoors. It just guarantees that I'll get the direction of light on my subjects exactly the way I want it. That was also the case in this portrait session – I wanted directional light on my subjects. But, I wanted that directional light to be a very, very soft and flattering light as well. Remember I’m in direct early afternoon sunlight. 

The way I handled the lighting situation is what I demonstrate in our tutorial today. Why not hit the PLAY button below and enjoy the show. I hope today's lighting lesson helps bring greater flexibility to your speed-lighting as well and I hope you get even better portraits than ever before.

___________________________________________________________

Hey gang, that's it for me today. It's back to work getting ready for our next BIG adventure.

Everybody have a great rest the day and I'll see you soon.

Adios, David

”Stop and Smell The Roses"

”Stop and Smell The Roses"
©David A. Ziser

This image is from our 2013 calendar LaDawn designed for several of our family and friends this past Christmas.  I know I may have posted this image earlier this year but I wanted to put it out there again because the sentiment the verse describes is what most of us need to remember more often these days, me included. 

Life is too short and too many of us go through life missing too many of those special moments. Even when I started my business many years ago, I always tried to “stop and smell the roses.” But then as one advances in career and success, those moments become even more fleeting and often more difficult to find. I’m working harder each day on changing that situation for me.

Life comes at us a million-miles-an-hour and sometimes the days can seem overwhelming.  It’s during those overwhelming moments that sometimes the best solution is to just pause.  But, you need to pause long enough.  If you do, you may pick up that faint wonderful aroma of “roses” in the air.  And, that pause you have just taken may be the most refreshing moment of your day. Ahhhhhhh……Food for thought.

Camera specs; Canon 5D Mark III fitted with Tamron 28-300mm lens at 42mm, F10 @ 1/250 second, ISO 1200.  Enjoy!  -David

You’ve Got To Check Out My New DigitalProTalk Flip Mag!

Good Morning Everybody,

I hope everyone had a great weekend.  We sure did.  We took Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off and didn’t even check emails any of the three days – what a welcomed break from our regular “new millennium” data filled days!

The Ball Game Of All Ball Games!

I’ve only attended two baseball games since the last 1994-1995 baseball strike – yep, I did hold a sports grudge of sorts after the players eight strike/lockout since 1972. Anyway, I began to get over, miss this American pastime sometime during  last year’s baseball season and decided to purchase tickets. Great friends Kent and Sarah Smith were headed into town for the weekend and we felt the game could be a fun afternoon activity.

This past Friday we also had another couple of good friends coming in for an overnight stay and again decided to attend our second Reds Baseball game in many, many years and it proved to be the game of all games:

• Reds win 15-0!
• 6 home runs!
• 1 grand slam home run!
• Foul ball just barely slips through LaDawn’s hands!
• A (well oiled) Reds fan jumps the fence, runs across left field, slides into second base and is hauled off the field handcuffed by four police officers. I’m guessing his game ticket ended up being very expensive!
• And it’s Friday Night Fireworks – a 30 minute dazzling display to be sure.

It really was the game of all games, a bit chilly, but very exciting.

Saturday was spent continuing our visit with friends and Sunday with family – it couldn’t have been a better weekend!

p.s. All ballgame images captured with my trusty 24-1200mm Canon PowerShot SX50 HS Digital Camera camera – a fine tool for fun sports photography ;~)

DigitalProTalk Flip Mag Now On Flipboard!

Folks, you’ve got to check out my new DigitalProTalk Flip Mag available at Flipboard. Just download (if you haven’t already) fire up your Flipboard app [link] on you iOS or Android device and search for “David Ziser” or “DigitalProTalk.”  My mag should “pop” and then you’ll be able to follow my reads.

Over the past several years, I’ve been pointing you towards some of the more interesting things I find on the web with my Quick Hit Monday Series here at DigitalProTalk.  Flipboard’s new “Flip-it” feature makes it easy for me to do the same thing even more conveniently for you to read those same stories. 

Once I get started with my “surfing” I tend to get carried away a bit and before long I’ve got way too much information for the DPT blog and I’ve had to trim the content down substantially.  My DigitalProTalk Flip Mag eases that content restriction and lets me put it all out there.  Hey, my interests may not be exactly like yours but if you’re a regular DigitalProTalk reader I really think you’ll enjoy the diversified content you’ll find over at DigitalProTalk Flip Mag – ENJOY!

p.s. Let me know what you think in the Comment section below. Thanks, DAZ

______________________________________________________________

Hey gang, that’s it for me today. 

Have a great rest of the day and I’ll see you soon.

All the best, David

 

Sales Success Secrets – The New Series: #1 – Market Styles, Not Specialties!

Good Morning Everybody,

LaDawn and I were recently honored with an invitation to attend the Camera Craftsmen [link] annual meeting this year held in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Camera Craftsman is a small group of some of the best photographers in the country. It is also one of the oldest and longest organized associations as well. Most of the members have been not only my friends but also my mentors for many years. I was really looking forward to spending some time with them.

The group has been holding these annual meetings for over 100 years during which the members share together any number of ideas from photographic inspiration to marketing success. Each of the 50 or so  attendees take about 15 to 20 minutes to make their presentation to the rest of the group. You get the idea that there is some fabulous learning going on for all present during the three days of the conference.

I took notes on just about everybody's presentation but, one marketing presentation really stood out for me. The presentation was given by my good friend Greg Daniels [link] who hails from Titusville, Florida. Greg is one of the finest portrait photographers in the country and just a few years ago received one of the highest photographic honors for his fabulous photography. He was awarded the ASP Fellowship [link].

Greg is not only a fine photographer but he and his wife Lesa also run one of the most successful high-end portrait studios in the country. Their portrait photography is astoundingly beautiful. You can check it out for yourself at their website right here. But, let's get on with the reason for my post today.

Market Styles, Not Specialties!

How many times have you heard or seen photographers running their seasonal specials? I know photographers who run baby specials, high school senior specials, families portrait specials, etc.  This seems like it would be the right thing to do at first glance. Heck, it’s what we learned in photo seminars for decades! And many photographers continue to think it is the right way to achieve marketing success in their business of photography.  Me included till I heard Greg’s wise words of advice a few weeks ago.

Greg pointed up the one glaring fallacy of that assumption. He said that if we are going to market just for baby portraits we eliminate all of our other clients that might be looking for something other than baby portraits during the seasonal special. Greg's point was that we should never limit our client base during any of our seasonal promotions!

Greg suggested that during our seasonal promotions we should be selling styles instead of specialties. He suggested that by marketing styles we reach our entire target market every time we run a promotion. His idea hit me like a bombshell. He cannot be more on target with his advice.

All these years I've been attending seminars learning how to run baby specials or high school senior specials. Greg Daniels hit the nail on the head and clearly pointed out that all of us have been severely limiting our marketing possibilities and our sales potentials by limiting our target audience!

Greg defines his styles in three separate categories: Today’s Classics Environmental, and Fine Art. When he runs a seasonal promotions he features one of those three styles. In doing so he can reach his entire target audience with each and every one of the promotions. He's not limiting his audience in any way by offering, say a baby special for the month of June. By offering his environmental style promotion during the month of June he can reach his entire client base – a much smarter way to promote than the way most of us have been accustomed to marketing in the past.

The more I thought about it, it was like a breath of fresh air when it came to marketing photography. Why shouldn’t we try to reach out to our entire client base every time we market instead of just a limited segment of our client base? I think Greg hit the nail on the head with how he decided to transform his marketing strategy for his studio.  His sales success has certainly proved his point.

So, How Are You Going To Make That Happen In Your Own Studio?

I suggest that you sit down with your friends, staff, fellow photographers and brainstorm some of the different styles that your studio could offer. Heck, don't want to spend the time doing that? Then just copy what Greg Daniels is doing in Titusville, Florida. Like they say, why reinvent the wheel?  All kidding aside, I’m sure you could come up with your own styles that fit you and your studio’s “personality.” It’s important with any new marketing strategy that you get  started NOW!

Greg’s presentation offered a great insight into how each and every one of us can be much more successful in our own studios. High-fives to my good friend Greg Daniels for one of the best marketing tips I've heard in years!  I also recommend that you be sure to check out Greg Daniels website right here to get a better idea of how he is defining and differentiating his styles and also how he presentations has worked with his clients. Greg’s work is gorgeous and you won’t be disappointed by spending a few minutes hanging out there and viewing his galleries.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Hey gang, that's it for me today. I hope you enjoyed the post and I certainly hope it brings you some margin of success in your own business. On that note, I'm out here.

Everybody have a great weekend and I'll see you soon.

Adios, David

Technique Tuesday: “Babyface Kisses”–A Lighting and Lightroom 4 Tutorial

Good Afternoon Everybody,

Can you believe it, a brand new Technique Tuesday today.  I can’t believe it’s been so long since I’ve posted one. It actually felt kind of good getting the post together today, even with the computer hic-cup during the process. And since I haven't posted a while I thought to make it kind of a long Technique Tuesday too ;~) “Really, he just can’t stop talking” from LaDawn All joking aside, even though the tutorial runs about 33 minutes I think you’ll really enjoy the information. It covers Portrait Lighting and Lightroom 4 techniques.

The Shoot – The Simple Lighting Set Up

As I mention in the tutorial we recently had a portrait session at the studio. The portrait involved us photographing a newborn baby, actually young Jacob was about five or six weeks old. We photographed Jacob’s big sister about three years ago – you’ll also meet her in the lesson today.

I wanted to make the portrait process be a smooth and as comfortable as possible for the client. When working with babies you have to remember that babies just don't have the patience of older children, high school seniors, or brides and grooms. You have only a few minutes to get the photographs.  Babies also have a habit of “messing things up” in a portrait session.  And that “mess” can come from either end of the baby ;~)

We only had to deal with one mess (and upper mess) since the mother had just fed the baby right before the session.  But Jacob was in good spirits throughout the session and we got some great photographs.

The point of this tutorial is to show simplicity and ease of my lighting set up. My lighting set-up allowed me to shoot very quickly and efficiently – a necessity when photographing babies.  And the lighting set-up along with a few Lightroom tweaks allowed us to get some great images for our clients.

Keep Your Post-Production Simple!

The second part of a lesson shows those Lightroom tweaks.  I demonstrate how quickly I can use Lightroom in my postproduction to create a wonderful series of “preview” images for our clients. The techniques I demonstrate in the second part of the tutorial are not rocket science. But, what I do show you is how to work efficiently during the postproduction session so that you can get a series of images that are pretty close to the final result when producing the final images for your clients. 

The process was simple, fast, efficient, and produced results that the clients absolutely loved.  A few comments from Mom and Grandmother:

 “The pictures are amazing!!! All of them. It is going to be hard to choose. And we had so much fun visiting you too!” Jacob’s Mom

“These photographs are so beautiful they make me cry…Lilly and Jake are so precious.”  Grandma

Why not hit the PLAY button below, sit back relax, and enjoy Babyface Kisses.

_________________________________________________________________

Hey gang that's it for me today. I hope you enjoy today's tutorial and guess what, I plan to be back here again this Thursday with a very cool Business Day Thursday.

Hope to see you then.

All the best, David

Related Links:

Westcott Spider Lights and 4x3Ft. Softbox [link]

MORE Photos [link]

A Very Personal Invitation To 2013’s Best Seminar Series!

Good Morning Everybody,

I hope everyone had a great weekend and a Happy Easter /Passover .  Things have been busy as usual around the studio and are looking to become even busier these next few weeks.

We’ve got Photoshop World coming up in just two weeks – one of the most exciting, educational and fun conventions we attend each year.  I’m currently fine tuning my programs for my three presentations .

After Photoshop World LaDawn and I are planning some more serious travel across the Atlantic and onto England. We’re traveling 14 days via the Celebrity Eclipse from Ft. Lauderdale down thru the Bahamas, across the Atlantic then continuing up to Norway for 8 more days – Wow! Three weeks on a cruise ship. I have to say, after last year’s Mediterranean cruise I’ve never found anything so relaxing in the whole wide world. We are really looking forward to it.

Hey, just a quick head’s up.  I’m planning a pretty cool Technique Tuesday episode entitled “Baby Face Kisses” coming up tomorrow so plan to stop back and check it out. The tutorial will cover photography, lighting and Lightroom.  I’m putting the finishing touches on it right now – pretty!

OK, time to get on with some great news about the best tour of the year coming your way. Let’s get to it!!!

A Personal Invitation To 2013’s Best Seminar Series!

Today I am offering a very special, personal invitation to all my readers.  I mention them to notify you about something I feel is really special and is a wonderful educational opportunity you simply won't find anywhere else.

I have to tell you, I'm really stoked about the brand new Look Fabulous Tour featuring two of the the industry's leading photographers, Lindsay Adler and Lou Freeman.

First off, I know Lou and Lindsay personally and they are two of my favorite people in the industry. Lindsay is one of the new "young gun rock stars" who makes headlines wherever she presents her programs.  Lou is a consummate professional in every sense of the term and one of the nicest people I know.

Their brand new Look Fabulous Tour kicked off last week in Fairfield, NJ right after WPPI. This week they're traveling the southern loop through Louisiana, and Texas. You can see their entire schedule right here.

In addition to being one of the hottest tours of 2013, I also get to offer our DigitalProTalk and Newsletter readers the best price anywhere for the tour - how about over 40% savings! Here is the deal:  The regular discounted price is normally $69 but with PROMO CODE LFTDPT the price is only $39. This is a "no-brainer" for a seminar of this caliber.

Here is why I'm so excited about this tour.  First, both Lindsay and Lou are fabulous photographers. They both have an easy, engaging style that audiences love.  They have jammed packed more information into a 4 hour program than you can ever imagine. Plus Lindsay and Lou are offering a full day workshop the next day.  The same promo code LFTDPT will save you $50 off the day long program! Just check out the Look Fabulous website right here. The site itself is super cool; their images will knock your socks off; and the door prizes and goodies are amazing.

Here is the quick lowdown on the seminar:

Lindsay covers the concepts of fashion photography, the many elements used to create stunning images for clients. She discusses how to utilize concepts, locations, styling, props, and posing to differentiate yourself from the competition with examples from previous portrait and wedding clients.

Given the importance of telling a story with each shot, Lindsay advises how to engage clients, capture personalities, and forge relationships on the fly. In the midst of it all, photographers can sometimes feel confined by the traditional rules of photography, so Lindsay reveals her favorite in-camera creative techniques and some of her most striking studio lighting to illustrate how breaking these boundaries can generate images that stand out from the crowd.

Lou shares the art of creating controlled, candid portraits for lifestyle photography. By examining samples of her best work, you learn exactly what makes these images profitable. Lou guides you through the concepts that lead to relaxed, successful photography shoots and sets you on your way to creating great lifestyle photos.

She reveals the tricks to creating natural-looking light in full sun and with on-camera flash units, as well as how to direct people and create ambiance so that your images sell. While it's important to produce work that intrigues your clients, Lou also focuses on the aspects of photography that keep it fun and exciting for years to come.

This tour is once again being backed by my good friend and tour producer, Jeff Medford. Over the years Jeff and I have had many discussions about how to bring the best value to the seminar experience for all seminar attendees. He produced a number of very successful seminars that have received RAVE reviews from all that attended.  That's why I know this tour will be one you won't want to miss! 

Jeff was also very gracious to offer my Digital Newsletter and DigitalProTalk blog readers not the regular $69 price but the absolute BEST PRICE ANYWHERE - only $39! Folks, once again, this is the best price you'll find anywhere on the web for this tour! Use PROMO CODE LFTDPT when registering [link] to get the special $39 price.

The Look Fabulous Tour is happening NOW! Don't wait to register - register now!  The tour is traveling to 35 cities around the country.  Hey, if one of the stops is not right next door, just grab a friend or two and make the drive to the nearest city.  I promise you, it will be worth it! You can find all the info and register right here.

Remember, be sure to use the PROMO CODE LFTDPT to register for only $39! 

I hope to see you there!  -David

_________________________________________________________________

Hey gang, that’s it for me today.  Plan to stop by tomorrow for a brand new episode of Technique Tuesday – I know you will enjoy it!

See you then,  David

All Is Good In DigitalProTalk World Headquarters!

Hello Everybody,

The comments have been getting a bit more serious lately and a lot of folks are wondering what is going on in my Digital ProTalk world.  The blog has been quiet, I’ve been off the radar to some extent, and photographers are beginning to wonder “What’s Up”?

OK, today I’m here to answer that question.  Things are really good at DigitalProTalk world headquarters.  I can’t say I’ve been taking it especially easy and every day seems jammed packed with activity.  But, If I had to be honest, I would have to admit that I have slowed things down i n my life.

That said, let me bring you up to date on exactly what's been happening around here.

PhotoPro Expo 2013 Was A Hit!

That’s right, I just did the numbers this week and the results are in.  PhotoPro Expo 2013 was attended by nearly 1,200 photographers from over 21 states around the country – WOW!

That’s about 20% more that last year!  PhotoPro Expo is quickly becoming the best value photographic event in the country and people are beginning to notice.

The trade-show was also 30% larger with 114 booths fully occupied by exhibitors from around the country and Canada.

I hope to have a full convention report up sometime next week so please stay tuned.

I Presented a Brand New Lighting Program For Google

That’s right, we wrapped the convention activities on Tuesday and then LaDawn and I jumped on a jet to beautiful San Francisco on Friday of that week – 2.15.13.  We were planning to spend some time in San Jose then a few more days in the city of San Francisco.  Fortunately for us, my daughter, Elizabeth joined LaDawn and I on our week-long visit.  We certainly needed a vacation after the very busy days of PhotoPro Expo 2013 .

During our visit I presented a brand new lighting program to the good folks at 1600 Amphitheatre Way in Mountain View, CA – Google. It was Elizabeth’s first trip to Google and she really enjoyed the visit.  My program went great and we even hung around for a while to chat with some of the attendees.  My thanks to my good buddy, Mike Wiacek for setting up the program and being an extremely gracious host during our visit.

Now On To Mexico – Sunny Cabo San Lucas, Mexico That Is!

After leaving Elizabeth to enjoy the Chinese New Year celebration in San Francisco, LaDawn and I boarded an early flight to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  Cabo is one of LaDawn’s favorite places to visit on earth. I know we were just there last December for three weeks but Camera Craftsmen, a very esteemed group of photographers, asked LaDawn and I to join them at the annual meeting which just so happened to be in Mexico this Spring. THANS to Kent and Sarah Smith for their awesome hospitality!

I have to admit, I was really looking forward to the trip.  The members of Camera Craftsmen have been photographers I have looked up and admired throughout most of my career.  It was great to be able to hang with them for an entire week and renew the friendships forged so many years in the past. Want to check out some great photography from some of the members, you can find the link right here – enjoy!

I picked up a few tips from many of the morning programs I attended.  I’ll plan to share a few of them with you in some upcoming posts.

From Sunny Cabo To Snowy Park City, Utah

After a great time visiting with friends in Cabo for over a week, it was time for the next leg of our journey – Park City, Utah. My son Aaron moved  there about 6 months ago.  We haven’t seen him in over a year so it was good to catch up. THANKS to good friend Dennis and Sherry Walsh for their warm hospitality!!!

Aaron works a the Park City Ski Resort and set me up for a day off skiing the high peaks of Utah. I love skiing but coming in from the Cabo sunshine to the snow covered slopes of Utah was definitely a bit of a body shock ;~)  Still a good time was had by all.

The highlight of the trip was on Day 2 of the visit.  Aaron arranged for the three of us to ride the Olympic  bobsled run at the Olympic Park.  Yes, the REAL Olympic Bobsled run on the REAL bobsled track that they used for the 2002 Olympics and still use today for Olympic training.  It’s like the second fastest bobsled track in the world!

So, just how fast do the Olympians travel down that treacherous ice covered track – about 85MPH!  How fast did we travel for our hair-raising 54 seconds death defying adventure – over 80 MPH.  And, let me say – there are NO SEAT BELTS in a bobsled! You just hang on for “dear life!” as you fly through 15 turns (you lose count after 6) experiencing up to 4G forces on your body which BTW, asks why in the world you do something like that on purpose.

I have to say, it was quite the RUSH – so now I can cross that one off my bucket list ;~)  LaDawn and I were up for the Skeleton run but unfortunately we were leaving too early the next day to make that happen – maybe next time.

Finally Heading Home

We finally headed home last Friday after our three week journey/adventure.  We covered a lot of geography and had some great experiences during that time, I know I wouldn’t have traded the time for anything else.

We’re back in town for about four weeks and then it’s off to Photoshop World – also a grand adventure in itself.  So things are calm around here for a few weeks and I’m hoping to get a post or two up for our loyal DigitalProTalk readers.  I sure hope you’ll stop back.

Have a great one everybody.

See you soon,  David

Watch Joe McNally “LIVE” Plus Rick Sammon, Kevin Kubota, Zach & Jody Gray, and More!

Good Afternoon Everybody,

WOW! What a Weekend!

PhotoPro Expo 2013 just wrapped and I’m stoked and exhausted all at the same time. We had a fabulous speaker line-up and they all rocked the house! If you were NOT a part of the more than 1,100 photographers that attended PhotoPro Expo 2013 this past weekend – here is just a taste of what you missed.

One of the highlights of the convention is the fact that we streamed it “LIVE” for most of Sunday. Sandy Puc, the genius behind the brand new SPTV called me last Wednesday and proposed the idea to me. In the next few days we arranged for her to be on site and stream Joe McNally’s presentation along with several interviews from our speakers. 

These next three videos, courtesy of SPTV’s “LIVE” streaming of the show on Sunday will only be available for viewing for one week, that is till next Wednesday, February 20th, so don’t delay, watch them today ;~)

Video 1: This first video is from Joe McNally’s standing ovation presentation on Sunday.

Video streaming by Ustream

In addition to Sandy’s ”LIVE” streaming of the programs, she also interviewed several speakers and honored guests. Don’t miss Zack and Jody Gray, Kevin Kubota, Rick Sammon, George Larson, and even myself.  Watch the next two videos – you won’t be disappointed!

Video 2: Featuring Zach and Jody Gray, Tim Walden – current Professional Photographers of America President, yours truly, and Kevin Kubota.

Video streaming by Ustream

Video 3: Featuring the second part of Kevin Kubota’s interview; an interview with lighting innovator, George Larson; and completes Video 3 with a great interview with Rick Sammon.

Video streaming by Ustream

Each of these videos is a special treat and you don’t want to miss any of them.  Just sit back, relax, and enjoy at least a part of PhotoPro Expo 2013. 

Win an iPad Mini – Register Early For PhotoPro Expo 2014 For Only $129

Oh, and by the way, you can sign up for next year’s PhotoPro Expo 2014 right now! The dates are February 7, 8, and 9, 2014 with a FREE Bonus Day of Thursday 2/6 and an all day program 2/10 to be announced.

We opened registration early.  If you are one of the first 100 to register, you are eligible to be in the running to win an iPad Mini. I just checked and there are still 59 spaces available. Registration to next year’s event is only $129 till tomorrow Thursday, February 14th at midnight.

REGISTER HERE! ONLY 59 Seats Left!

I can personally promise you a dynamite line-up just like this year’s rock star speakers. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of next year’s super exciting event – PhotoPro Expo 2014!  See you there!

________________________________________________________________

Hey gang, that’s it for me today.  I’ll see you again tomorrow with an additional recap of the event.

Thanks for stopping by,  David