Just Checking In–Only 7 Days To Go!

Hi Gang,

LaDawn and I just returned from a wonderful 9-day trip to New Orleans celebrating St. Patrick's Day/Weekend with fun parades, colorful characters, good friends, and great food!

We then headed down to the French Quarter for a photography conference with some of the top pros in the industry - talk about an inspiring experience - WOW!

We're in town this week and then it's off to Orlando next Tuesday (March 28th) where I'll be presenting a new and exciting program for the Legends of Photography Tour which after a short break is traveling the country as we speak.  I'm excited and looking forward to seeing everybody again so I really hope you'll stop in to see me. Hey, for $20 bucks with code below - it's a steal of a deal! See all the details below.

Also, don't forget my Geek Tip Of The Week at the end of this quick newsletter.

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See You In Orlando Next Week! 

Hey Gang, you can catch me in Orlando on March 28, 2017 for the brand new Legends of Photography Tour [link].  I've got a few new program surprises in store for you and as always, we will have Door Prize Time!

You can reach the hotel, aLoft Orlando in downtown Orlando, at 407.380.3500. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. and the program wraps up at 10:30 p.m. Plan to stick around and let's have an adult beverage together after the program.

Need more details about all the speakers - just hit any of the links or the image above. Registration has been reduced to only $20 with my secret code - Secret Code: DZ20 Like I said, you'll find me in Orlando on Tuesday March 28, 2017. I hope to see you there!

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Maybe Just Four Seats Left! February 22 - March 4, 2018

We still have just a few seats available for our African Safari [link] for February 22 - March 4, 2018. This is a 10 Day/9 Night All Inclusive Safari - yes, beautiful lodge accommodations, meals, and safari excursions are ALL included for only $7999 for two people! (airfare not included)

If you have priced Safaris, you know this is a steal of a deal! Please give Kevin a call at 505-345-6322 or his cell at 505-401-2988 for all the exciting details so you don't miss out - it's going to be a great trip!

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After All These Years In Wedding Photography, I'm On Cloud 9! Well, Amazon Cloud Drive - Which Is Close

I have so much "stuff" stashed on computers, hard drives, tablets, and phones for the studio and my personal images it's getting crazy to back everything up. I decided to do something about it. I signed up for Amazon's Cloud Drive.

Sure, I've been a big fan of Dropbox for years but it's just too expensive for large backups. That's where Amazon Cloud Drive comes in - unlimited all-you-can-eat backup for only $59/yr.! You can even try it FREE for 30 days.

Amazon just added the "Sync Folder" feature which now puts it on par with Dropbox too - pretty cool. OK, I will admit, uploads can take a while with a slow internet connect but even with our moderate speeds at the studio it's still a great solution for our client's finished images. I'm still "playing" with it but things are really looking promising. Once we hit the higher speeds, I'm sending everything up to the "cloud".

DAZ NOTE; No, I don't receive commissions from the referral but I do own a few shares of Amazon stock so if you do decide to check it out my stock may rise a few pennies and help my retirement package ;~)

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Hey Everybody,

That's it for me today. I hope you have a great rest of the week and I look forward to seeing you next week in Orlando.

Adios for now, David

Good Morning Everybody! What’s The BIG DEAL?

Hi Gang,

Yep, I’m back with some great news! 

First of all a quick update. LaDawn and I have been traveling down the long European rivers and high seas for the last two months. We started with a wonderful, tulip-filled week in Amsterdam. Then we traveled from Amsterdam to Budapest on a wonderful 2-week  river cruise, spent a few days in Budapest, then flew over to the Cotswold’s in England for 10 more days of spring flowers, amazing rolling scenic hillsides and quaint rustic villages.

We then drove  to Southampton and boarded the beautiful Celebrity Eclipse for a two week ocean cruise through the Baltic including, Estonia, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm up to St. Petersburg, Russia. It was quite the trip and I’d love to share some stories and images with you in these upcoming weeks.

But first I have to tell what’s happening right now!  While on our cruise I received an email from my good friends Mia McCormick and R.C. Conception about a hugh opportunity they were putting together for photographers everywhere.  It’s called The Big Deal 2016 [link].  I was involved in last year’s project and it rocked the socks off everyone who participated and raised as I recall about $80,000 for charity. I told Mia and RC to count me in again this year.

Well, I have to tell you, this year’s Big Deal really blows past last year’s deal – only $99 for $3000 worth of videos, presets, eBooks, Software, and much more! Mia tells me they have 25 of the top photographers and trainers – Joe McNally, Peter Hurley, Rick Sammon, Matt Kloskowski, Tamara Lackey, yours truly and many more - involved in this year’s offereing.

This bundle is evenly balanced with a wide range of training on Photography, Post Processing, Design and Video and the training comes from some of the icons in this industry.  These are people who’ve made this their life’s work and they are passionate about teaching it.   Plus there’s enough training included to keep you busy until next year.

The software included this year is just outstanding. Think of it this way….  While Lightroom and Photoshop are invaluable tools - photographers out there working in the space swear by the sheer speed of Photo Mechanic. That’s a $150 dollar tool you’ll immediately add to your arsenal in the Big Deal.  Add in Clarity and ParticleShop - and great images will come easy.

I read through the contents of the entire pachage and was blown away by everything included!  There are hours upon hours of video training videos, 100’s of presets and special brushes for Lightroom and Photoshop, software offerings from some of the top vendors, plus so much more! 

Once again this year’s BIG DEAL raises money for three very special charities and I think that’s great!  Not only do you pick up a fabulous $3000 collection of educational resources, post-production shortcuts, and FREE software and discounts for only $99, you also get to help those in need. You really have to check it out [link]!

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Hey gang, that’s it for me today. I know a lot of folks are sad to see me fall off the grid a bit but I have to say that life could not be better.  LaDawn and I continue to travel extensively around the world, photograph a few special events and we miss you all.  I promise I’ll try to get a post or two up about our recent travels.

All the best everybody,

David

Summer's Ultimate Photography Bundle is Happening NOW! - Only 3 Days Left!

OK gang - here is the back story of one of the most fabulous photographic educational/value offers EVER!  I get a call from one of my buddies over at Think-11, a major player in many things photographic – training, actions, gear, etc.

They tell me they plan to put together the BIGGEST offer EVER for photographers wanting to take their photography to the next level with 100's of  hours of training videos, eBooks, and over 825 Presets an Actions, 6 full 1 Year subscriptions, and more from over 30 of the industry's best photographers and trainers.

First let me say - I was honored by the request to be part of the great educational adventure. And, not only that but the whole deal was going to raise a 10's of 1000's of dollars for two great charities. Hey, they raised over $30,000 in the first few days!!!

For all the details

or click on the image below.

Just check out who's all involved in this summer's amazing photography bundle - I told you it was the "who's who" of world class photographers and trainers.

* Lindsay Adler - Designing an Image & Studio Lighting Guide, Subscription to NEW website

* Jared Platt - Comprehensive Collection of 400 Lightroom Presets & Lightroom Webinar

* Mylio - 1 Year Subscription

* Dave Cross - 1 Year Subscription

* Tony Sweet - 13 Videos Covering Macro Photography, Texturing, Infrared, Mirroring plus more

* Rick Sammon - Master the Art and Craft of Bird Photography Video

* Simply Color - Simply Cash

* PhotoshopCafe - Photoshop Destination CC LIVE

* Lee Varis - Online Course in Mastering Image Creation & Photo Illustration in Photoshop

* Bobbi Lane - Posing & Directing Video

* Craig Minelli - Retouch Toolkit & BeautyBar Pro set of Actions for Lightroom/Photoshop

* Phlearn - PhlearnMethod Bundle, Photoshop 101 & 201, Beginners Guide to Levitation

* SharkPixel - Landscape Photography Presets for Lightroom

* Lesa Snider - The Skinny Ebooks Series

* Scott Wyden Kivowitz - E-Book: Time Is On Your Side: Exploring Long Exposure Photography

* Lance Sullivan - Architecture Power Pack of Presets

* Tyler Meade - 73 Sports and Commercial Photography Lightroom Presets

* Sean Duggan - Photoshop CC Essentials: Selections, Masking & Compositing Video

* Nik Pekridis - Video Training Course: Wedding Photography in Action

* Gavin Gough - Photographers Workflow: Ebook & Videos

* Perfectly Clear - Photoshop and Lightroom Plugins

* Cris Duncan - Photography Business Starter Set: Ebooks & Video

* Dane Sanders - Fast Track Photographer Audiobook

* Andrew S Gibson - Mastering Photography & Understanding EOS Ebooks

* ViewBug - 1 Year Membership

* Eyefi - 1 Year Cloud Subscription

* Peter Eastway - Subscription to Better Digital Photography & Photoshop Layers Class-

* David Ziser – Over 10 hours of Training Videos

* Stephanie Cotta - Mastering the Art of Newborn Photography

* Kelby Media - KelbyOne Photoshop and Lightroom Creativity Bundle

* Richard Sturdevant - SturDaVinci Art Tools Photoshop & Corel Painting Bundle

* Photofocus -  Develop Great Images in Lightroom & 72 Essays On Photography Ebooks

The generous contributions from all the partners allow FotoPromos to give back 20% of all sales to Team Jessie Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and SeedLight charities.

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Hey gang, That’s it for me today. I really hope you check this out.  For only $99 it really is a "no-brainer" for this "best in class" educational/value opportunity.

Adios for  now, David

My Brand New Apps Are Ready To Go At Only $1.99 each!

Good Morning Everybody,

I know I’ve been laying low for a while but  I’m writing today to get the news out about my brand new $1.99 Photography Apps!

Here is the backstory. Last year, my good friend and great photographer Rick Sammon,  asked me to be part of his Mobile Masters Group and twisted my arm to produce three wedding apps [link]. Rick is really an App Master.  I finally completed the project and they look great! Read the rest of the story on the very first set of David Ziser Apps [link] below. You're going to love them

My Brand New Apps Are Ready To Go At Only $1.99 each!

As I mentioned above, I am thrilled to be announcing my brand new Wedding Apps on Lighting, Lenses, and Composition [link].  Each App contains 25 of my favorite images per App topic along with the back story, exposure data, and lighting diagram for each image. I think you'll love them!

For years we've been offering  the Hot Shots Series available at my DigitalProTalk Market Place in a printed version. Now we can offer them at a fraction of the cost - only $1.99 each - in their new App form! The printed version was very popular years ago but technology marches on and now they are a "steal of a deal" for less than two bucks each! 

We offer three titles so far:

David Ziser's Hot Shots Lighting - Lighting creates the mood and feeling in a photograph. Learn from the master, via end-result images and lighting diagrams, how you can create images with impact though the use of lighting.

David Ziser's Hot Shots Lenses - Lenses help photographers tell a story - their story and the story of the subject. Learn how to use lenses - from wide to telephoto - wisely to capture the all-important, once-in-a-lifetimes event for the bride and groom.

David Ziser's Hot Shots - Composition - Learn how to successfully compose an image via end-result images and illustrations that explain composition techniques. Camera, lens and exposure info is included too.

I hope you love the Apps. One more time – here is the link to the apps.

Enjoy!  David

p.s. Don't forget - LaDawn wanted me to let you know that she has marked things down again at our Digital Resource Center [link]. Get the deals - some up to 80% off - while they last as we will be closing the Digital Resource Center in this summer.

Beautiful Andalusia, Spain: High Noon Landscapes That Still Look Good

Good Morning Everybody,

I know it’s been a while since I checked in with everyone - so I figured it was about time I did just that. As I said in an earlier post, we spent a week in the Malaga, Spain surrounds and did a lot of exploration and photography – sort of our regular modus operandi as we travel.

We also did a little R&R as we had been going non-stop for the first four weeks in our travels. Our apartment at the Heritage Resorts at Matchroom Country Club was perfectly situated in the complex with a beautiful view from our balcony porch out over the pool and even further the golf course.  And the sunsets were gorgeous as you can see in the photo above.

Southern Spain is jammed packed with world class golf courses.  Alas, I don’t play much these days.  But when I did, I got my money’s worth – I got more strokes per hole that most golfers out there;~)

A Photo Safari Through The South of Spain

The first day at our resort we sat in on a meeting which showcased things to do and see in the area. We opted for the photo safari through the mountains, along the river steams, and many other places heretofore unknown to the both of us.

Our travels began with a stop at a quaint little town of steep, narrow streets and whitewashed houses. Folks who have traveled the back roads and small towns of France and Italy often reminisce about the utter historical European beauty of these small towns.  I’m here to tell you that Spain has more than it’s fair share of these wonderfully quaint towns as well.

In the southern part of Spain the mountain foothills are alive with olive trees, chestnut trees, and miscellaneous fruit trees including the pomegranate tree – a very interesting species to see. Terry, out driver had us trekking high across narrow mountain trails and the low back roads of the fields below.  It was a fascinating 10 hour safari.

That’s LaDawn and I above posing for Terry, our guide, under a 500+ year old olive tree, one of the oldest olive trees in Spain. I couldn’t believe the narrow, dirt roads we traveled by jeep that day through the mountains. But I think we captured some great images and learned much about the area, plants and history thanks to Terry’s rather diverse itinerary.

Onto The Cliff City Of Ronda

Ronda is one of the most fascinating cities we visited while in southern Spain. You can read about the city’s 4,000 year old history right here.

With the town perched up on a cliff, the views were magnificent as you can see in the image above and the image below.

Once again we left early in the morning and made the ninety minute drive through some really large mountains.  Needless to say, the views were magnificent. It’s interesting to note that there are natural free flowing “fountains” along the route which the locals use for refreshment and cooking.  LaDawn is enjoying a cool sip of water from one of the fountains in this image to the right.

Another cool fact about Ronda is the fact that it is home to the largest and one of the oldest bull fighting rings in Spain. It’s called Plaza de toros de Ronda. In fact it is said that Ronda was the birth place of modern bull fighting. I have to admit, there is a certain thrill just standing in the ring while imaging the history and excitement that has taken place with these confines over so many hundreds of years. This pano image below can only begin to hint at that feeling.

The way down the mountain was an equally fascinating journey.  First off, the vistas were just beautiful.  Secondly, on the way down Terry, navigates the jeep into a small pull off area, invites us to get out, motions us to look at the hazy vista before our eyes, and then tells us what we can barely discern in the distance about 40 miles away. We are looking at the Pillars of Hercules – The Rock of Gibraltar to the right and to the left on the continent of Africa, Jebel Musa in Morocco. You have to really stare at the image below to see both landmarks.  Look closely, both are there. This is one of the only locations to be standing in Spain while simultaneously viewing the United Kingdom, Gibraltar,  and view an entire different continent of Africa.

Our next two stops on our travels today included the village of Mijas Pueblo, a cute, busy (and touristy) little town with fabulous views out across the valley and ocean. Our last stop included a visit to Puerto Banús, home to the very, very rich and famous.

You can check out the images from those two stops and many more images from our Andalusia travels in the album and slide show below.  Please enjoy!

		Travels In Beautiful Andalusia VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

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Hey gang, that’s it for me today. After our visit to Malaga we headed to Gibraltar and again back to Portugal.  I’ll fill you in over the next few days.

Have a good one and I’ll see you soon, David