Creativelive with Mathew Jordan Smith

What is beauty?
+Beauty is all about the face, hair, skin (The business of photographing skin care, hair care, makeup and jewelry
In every picture there is a hero of the shot.
less is more 85 to 100macro....in editing, select shots that work together.

Casting models for beauty-
great skin

T.E.A.M.- Together each Achieves More

Fashion vs. Beauty
Fashion-Swagger, energy, Clothes come alive, swim wear,
High-end magazines-the clothing is the hero
Beauty-clean, beautiful light

storyboard-what is happening in your life now
yin&yang
find concepts-shoot what you love
favorite books, movies, etc...
magazine layout>2 pages: you don't want two images that look the same. the language of opposites
big/small, motion/still, b/w/color

irving penn...measure light, which card to use,

pitch to client-1 ideal pitch

beauty gear: 100 macro + 85mm

Cast and Crew
Model Mayhem....




Day 2
using one light, getting different effects.
Beauty shot: iso 200,
metering 16.3, 16.2/16.1/1 (very even) shooting at 16
16.5-dark skin and shoot for 16
He wants to know the tenths....exactly between 11 and 16
13-11 1/3 15-11 2/3
a third open for beauty shot. if the meter is shooting at 16.3, he shoots at 16
sweet spot-concentration of the light-center of the face (nose)
shooting men-show texture in the skin (silver beauty dish-gives harder look, shows more texture)
shooting women-porcelain skin (white beauty dish-softer look)

1/125th of a second, f/16 iso 200

once all of the settings are in place, work with the model...don't lose the model, work with them

Day 3 fashion

hard light: pop
Magnum reflector on profoto head-1 main light f/22
focus can be on face or on garment
light is very high (12 feet) to increase the texture on the outfit
background lights: f/22.7 (4 lights)
V-flat
Foam core: Art stores 4x8
4x8 clear white plexi (shiny wood panel)
gaffer tape
platform with shine


traveling gear (get carnet):
2 heads
2 c stands
battery pack
rope
gaffer tape
sunbounce

long lens with f/4 girl in focus and blowing background out (even on location)

mistakes to avoid>
the client wants the photographer to select model
forget gear
leaving things off that i needed to "save money"

The clients are paying you to shoot, not permission for every picture you take.

Creativelive with Tamarah Lackey

Guest Speaker:Matthew Jordan Smith
Favorite tools: Pro photo beauty dish 362.00 + 22" Diffuser Sock 29.95
Passport Color Checker
Magnum Reflector

Put on an exhibit

Creativelive with Penny de los Santos

lens choices

35mm
85mm
good photograph:
light, color,composition, food subject

light direction: best! from the side, quality: diffused
what needs to be done to modify the light?


infuse energy in your food photographs

shoot the whole process of preparing food

if your food doesn´t have color, then you should add it with utensils, backgrounds, etc....

apertures: typically 5.6
camera angles for visual pacing and explore subject:
shoot vertical
overhead: use ladders
3/4: foods that are high

cutting into the food

1) establishing shot: show your environment
2) environmental moments

Creativelive with Zack Arias

Camera considerations:
full frame vs. crop
iso performance
AF performance
Ergonomics
Megapixels

Learn how to fin recipricals in: aperture, shutterspeed and iso

metering the amount of light:
%18 gray

bride coming out of the limo to the aisle:
AP priority
Evaluative metering mode
Exp. Comp.

human eye viewpoint: 50mm
body language vs. posing

classic headshots:
1)commercial (smile) 2)film (serious) 3) theatre(b/w) more dramatic lighting
8x 10

shutter speed: ambient
Aperture: flash exposure

iso100 shutter speed: sync aperture: spot meter-zero out
with sky

reflective vs. shoot through umbrella


2.8 dof
JVS-wedding photographer
vivitar 285-wedding dance photos

*I didn´t take many notes during this creativeLive session, though I learned a lot and am very happy with the class. I was too busy using the classroom chatroom.

Exposurevariables:
shutter speed: ambient continuous light in your environment (sky, lamps, window)
sync speed:cannot use flash faster than sync speed 250
?include ambient light, does it matter
aperture: flash exposure
over-exposed-shut aperture, under-exposed-open aperture
Flash power:manual mode-consistency, 1/1 full power, 1/2 half power, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, 1/128
Flash power 1/1 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16
Aperture 16 11 8 5.6 4
Flash to subject distance:inverse square law


Portfolio critiques that Zack and Meghan do for some people:
1)Wedding portfolio critique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWNLg01ZHsY&feature=related
on-camera flash should be the last option you use
at least bounce the flash for more flattering pictures
consistent exposures

Creativelive: Building your Wedding Photography Business

Teacher: Jasmine Star

DAY 1: Building Blocks

"what you give me, is what I am going to give back"

Website: used a 20-30 video intro
created an emotional connection:slideshows (4-5 minutes with music)
unique bio section

online forum: www.opensourcephoto.net/forum
www.thebschool.com discount: JSTAR25

Making photographer/client allies online:
profile pic, equal participation, comment on blogs, leverage your assets, facebook, twitter

Second Shooter Faux Paus: do not hand out your personal business card, nor tag on facebook, do not do talk about how things should be differently, if asked to carry bags, carry bags
Second Shooter dos: must establish TRUST, copyright issues: 1st shooter owns copyright, find photography mentor, 200-300 of best plus what you will be blogging

Creating a Business with her spouse:
husband/wife conversations vs. 1st shooter/2nd shooter conversations
1)set clearly defined roles, goals, schedule
2)be patient
3)play to each strengths

Business financing
initial investment: $3000
1200 canon 20D, 1400 24-70 2.8, 500 business cards
filing for a business license + tax ID: sole Proprietor
Paying taxes (quarterly)
insurance on equipment:because you carry your equipment on your back
back up gear...2 sets of everything! ($25,000 in a bag) GPS locator in bag!
Hill & Usher: photographer insurance company

Mental checklist:
check iso
aperture
adjusting shutter speed
posing with action


"magic setting": iso 100, shutter speed 2500, aperture 2.8
posing and shooting attracted the type of people she wanted

How was the photo illuminated? natural, natural w/bounce, reflector, studio?
How was the photo captured? 35mm, crop factor, f-stop?
How was the subject posed? photographer get them to pose that way? How do the subjects feel beautiful?
How was the story told?
How was emotion conveyed? only ask them to repeat the action twice or they will think that theya re doing something wrong.


"We are selling the idea of a beautiful wedding day"
model contracts: guests have an understanding that they may have pictures posted online, if anyone does not want their pictures online, they must tell the photographer.

What goes into a contract?
john morelas.sells contract template, free contract: Tofurious.com
timelines for responsable of images (1 year after wedding date)
how wedding album
copyright...featured on blog
disc and their rights
buying digital negatives
something happens on wedding day...accident, being sick

deposit (retainer):
deposit is refundable
retainer is nonrefundable


Put people at ease...remember bestman´s name


Prices:
outsourcing...post production edit
bookkeeping
gas
online proof gallery
shipping
fixed costs: $325

Variable costs always change

1st year profit per wedding:1,128

2nd package: 10 hours coverage, 2 shooter, engagement session
basic package (collections): 10 hours coverage, 2 shooters, engagement, disc of negatives
raise pricing every 3 weddings by $300

Doing weddings below your prices could be considered good will or desperation: depending on how your react.

11x14 album 15-20 pages, disc, engagement session
charges per picture rate $15


contact photographer only via blog or website

Day 2:

Try to do everything in advance to avoid the first meeting together as a sales pitch.
Let the clients marinate the first meeting: doesn´t accept money during initial contact.
her blog and website: overabundance of her. She wants to show you who she is to avoid a mismatch down the road.
then: corresponds via email, sending contract
schedule conversation via skype or phone
the cyber storefront:branding and marketing
1)prompt e-mail responses
2)showing them you care
3)engaging the client:them feeling like they know me

she meets with clients in a videographer´s studio,starbucks, hotel
create conversation, not monologue
come in as couple: how are you doing? traffic? thank them. show images, albums. be genuinely interested. review prior e-mails. talk with confidence about their day. how did you guys meet? , starting with the guy, recounting their story about themselves...she is now an onlooker.why her? what she was wearing? personal questions.
she knows how they love.
first 20-25 minutes

importance of an engagement session:
practice run
what to wear...what makes you feel beautiful

save the date cards, albums,online proofs...
processing time...

wedding photography...
explanation of approach, 2nd shooter


Shooting first wedding as a 1st shooter:
syncing cameras: makes it easier to organize photos after (sequencing)
same day slide show: she wants her photos to be the first one that her bride sees
slideshow: some retouching, 40-50 photos on laptop on bar.

workflow + outsourcing:
shoot,write+be happy

outsourcing:
bookkeeping, accounting, postprocessing, print fulfillment, album design
uses photographersedit.com for post processing:jstar2011
100 photos an hour for 2 shooters

marketing:
opportunities:social networking, community, image, you
vendor promotion: incentive
netmaking
image: WEBSITE! personalize your business
plus sites: for FACEBOOK clients (story + slide show)
attract and repel a very specific clientele
create validity on the web: reflect your brand
starting point:know what you want, use critical eye

Finding a photographic style, voice, Aesthetic
how was the picture taken, and why was it taken
confident subjects, relaxed, natural light
create actions for your actions
tell a story to narrate ideas
practice in advance
make active strides to have your business storefront online
learn all of the venues, haciendas


making clients feel beautiful:
showing them how to pose
show clients you know what to do
educate them


contact client 5-6 weeks before wedding to have rough idea of what the timeline should be

1)check due
2)timeline
3)talk through the process

first look shoot
bridal party shoot 25 minutes
family photos
sunset photos
6:30 reception details
6:45 grand entrance
6:55 first dance
father speech
7:15 first course
first toast
second course...setting up slide show
8:25-9:30 dance
cake cutting
garter
10pm end

Recommended book: War of Art

Youtube Video Reviews

Topic: Tattoo Photo Shoot

1. Tattooed Pinup girl:2 minutes

2. Suicidegirl poses

3. More Suicidegirl poses

4. Modern Pin up Girl Poses

5. Anita Ekberg

6. Talking a model through a photoshoot

7. Two Pin-up girls in one shoot

Youtube Video Reviews

Topic: Just One Light

1. View of complete photostudio: 2.3 minutes
2. Comparison of natural light, one light with different shutter speeds:5 minutes
3.Describes how beauty dish works, explains 3 catchlights in eyes,post process production:10 minutes
4.Two speedlights, portraitshoot in hotel room:6.30 minutes
5.soft box (flat light) vs. umbrella (contrast, focused light):5 minutes
6.raw light with reflector in studio:4 minutes

and then I went on a Annie Leibovitz marathon! :)

chasejarvisLIVE: A Photography Conversation with Zach Arias

chase jarvis and zach arias on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loYF3528gP4

Equipment must-have: TSC Quantum Turbo SC

Battery packs...ugh!
For a non-gearhead like me, buying new equipment can be stressful. I don´t want to spend money unnecessarily but at the same time, I want to be prepared for jobs that require special equipment.
One moment that I want to avoid is not being able to use my flash consistently throughout wedding receptions. Most wedding receptions take place in areas that are sparcely lit. It is inevitable that I will be using flash throughout the reception, which means 4 or 5 hours of coverage.
Most flashes that I use require 22A batteries. I have invested in rechargeable batteries, and carry around with me extras at all time. Nonetheless, the recycle time of the flash between shots is long AND I am never aware when the flash is losing battery power.
I invested in the TSC Quantum Turbo SC Slimpack about a year ago to resolve these issues. Using this battery pack attached to my waistbelt during weddings is a great solution to any problems I had in the past. I am able to take at least 400 pictures using full power flash AND the recycle time that I can take the next picture is less than 3 seconds. I am also able to monitor the power of the battery because it comes with a power gauge.

That being said, I am very happy with this purchase and feel more complete for weddings. I can shoot all day without any worries of battery fail. In the future, I will try out this pack for time lapse photography.

Bambi Cantrell´s Three Day Workshop on Creativelive

Day 1
Wedding photographer: Every time you are sitting there waiting for something, you are wasting time.
If something isn´t perfect, look for a way around it to take your picture.
"photography is my profession, not my religion"
"I don´t mind if they hate a picture I took, I just don´t want it to be boring"
"That´s what we´re here for, to connect families and document their spirit."
*Hey, the bride and groom requested that I sit in this seat. Do you mind saving it for me?"-what to say to sit in the second row of the church (70-200mm lens)
Working with fabrics: boudouir shots, pregnant women
Flat lighting-flattering for wrinkled skin

Typical portrait session-60-70 edited images in 1 1/2 hours
4 portrait sessions per day



Day 2
Equipment: (main light) Octo150 for Bowens continuous lights + (back light) Softstrip 140x40, 4-ft ladder,
Lightroom postprocessing recommendation: Marcus Bell B/W 22

Concepts can be applied because we have already rehearsed them.
Bride/Groom poses
*hug with your cheek
*put her hand in his hair
*him-take both of her hands and lean them up to your chest
when hugging:
bride...lean back and make him work for the kiss
bride...get flirty with your skirt (hold skirt w/thumb and middle finger)

Groom solo:
walk-kick one foot in front of the other

Friends poses
lean into her with your shoulder
wrap your arms around each other and lean into the photographer with chest

*push hip away from camera-makes person look thinner
*bend most limbs, leg forward
*roll onto front thigh
*tall with your back
*gaze upwards-chin up or down can make a huge difference (opening eyes without showing so much of the whites of the eyes)

Family sitting poses (bridal party):f/5.6 (5-10ft in focus)
lens:24-70 focus:on person in center of pic
look for triangular shapped compositions with bodies
sit at edge of couch (to keep legs from spreading out)
*edgy portrait-not everyone in the same direction
*very traditional portrait-symmetrical
*I make it my business to know who is in all of the group pictures...mom, dad, sisters, grandparents. Communicating with your clients before the wedding.


Outdoor light with flash:
use flash light one stop down from ambient light
example: camera/5.6 flash: 4

Clamshell lighting: flat light very flattering
Glamour shots
Main Light source above the camera with fill (reflector) below camera

Camera tilt: makes vertical lines softer
Step 1: what lens (what will be in the pic)
Step 2: shutter speed and f-stop (meter to rehearse)
Light-it gives everything its shape (highlights & shadow)

Day 3
Find the location depending on where the best light source is first
*Use unique backgrounds to create imagery---anything can be a background
*the overall experience is just as important as the photograph
*if the picture itself is so powerful, we can overlook mistakes
*multiple catchlights...not natural, retouch one out (BUT a single catch light in the eyes draw you in to the soul of the person)
*"Gobo"-something that blocks portion of the lightsource to the subject, changing the direction of the light source
Reflector-silver (darker skin), white (lighter skin), black (thinning), gold (warms up picture, but never uses it)
Taking portraits without it being a portrait session...so if she isn´t a bride that doesn´t like to pose
If grainy...(ISO 3200), add more grain in Photoshop

*time so that step ladder is set up for dance, with video light 45* from camera while assistant takes standard flash pictures

Camera angles that flatter:
1)drop chin and photograph from above: eyes look larger, shadow under the chin

Shooting in sequence to help with the story
Silouhettes tend to hide mistakes on walls, etc..

Photoshop tips:
clone in lighten mode will only erase the darken lines(for wrinkles)
clone in darken mode will erase highlights from sweaty spots
Liquify tool-brush density 20 and brush pressure 20 (small facelift on left side of chin

workflow...
a)download cards onto portable hard drive during wedding...look at them, back them up, no problem cards
b)import into lightroom, rename files, rough edit (pulls out blanks, keep it/lose it)
c)formal pictures-best 2 pictures of each group, edit best 600-700 wedding pics/60-70 portraits
d)convertions to black/white or other effects
e)rename with last name of group, put them in sequencial order

Recommendations:
photoshop actions
nikcoloreffectspro..with brown eyes (color infrared)
yervants b/w

Showings:
portraits: 2 weeks to show clients 1st time
weddings: 3 weeks to show clients 1st time

start wedding job 3 hours before wedding at bride´s house
1 hour before wedding...groomsmen
ceremony...low profile
group shots 20 minutes
reception...photograph all people, details of party
stay to almost the end of reception

charge enough to show up
concept: calculate to do the job (albums, assistant, proofing, sales tax, retouching,etc...)
+ profit for skill level and time

bounce flash off wall during reception...10-15ft is fine from white wall
farther away, higher ISO

5 years into career, accepting wedding payments:
1/3-reserve services
2/3-90 days before wedding
3/3-one week before wedding

Fro Tips

DX must have lens for NIKON:
17-55 nikkor lens

FX: must have lens for NIKON:
70-200 VRII
24-70 nikkor lens
14-24 nikkor lens

D-Town Episode Briefings

#64 Episode tips
1)don´t worry about histogram, concentrate on Highlight clipping
2) cheap V-flats can be made out of black gaffers tape + coroplast
3) beauty dish-Jeremy Cowart uses it with Prophoto Grid
#65 Episode tips:
1)cold weather problems: feet insole warmers keep camera batteries warm to avoid losing charge quickly
2)In Lightroom, the recovery slide helps with clipped highlights
3)Digimarc (paid service in Photoshop) provides very effective watermarks.

MIT OpenCourseWare | Writing and Humanistic Studies | 21W.749 Documentary Photography and Photojournalism: Still Images of a World in Motion, Spring 2009 | Home

This class looks the most interesting so far...
MIT OpenCourseWare | Writing and Humanistic Studies | 21W.749 Documentary Photography and Photojournalism: Still Images of a World in Motion, Spring 2009 | Home

MIT OpenCourseWare | Architecture | 4.A21 Stories Without Words: Photographing the First Year, Fall 2006 | Home

and yet another class!!!
MIT OpenCourseWare | Architecture | 4.A21 Stories Without Words: Photographing the First Year, Fall 2006 | Home

MIT OpenCourseWare | Architecture | 4.341 Introduction to Photography and Related Media, Fall 2007 | Home

and another!!!
MIT OpenCourseWare | Architecture | 4.341 Introduction to Photography and Related Media, Fall 2007 | Home

MIT OpenCourseWare | Urban Studies and Planning | 11.309J Sensing Place: Photography as Inquiry, Spring 2006 | Home

Another class offered at MIT about photography!
MIT OpenCourseWare | Urban Studies and Planning | 11.309J Sensing Place: Photography as Inquiry, Spring 2006 | Home

MIT OpenCourseWare | Anthropology | 21A.348 Photography and Truth, Spring 2008 | Home

I just found this class offered at MIT about photography. I will be looking through the material next week and adding more thoughts. If anyone has taken this course, or is interested in reading through the material and discussing it with me, please leave a comment.

MIT OpenCourseWare | Anthropology | 21A.348 Photography and Truth, Spring 2008 | Home

www.smugmug.com

This business has really helped organize our photographs so that clients can easily access them online. Since most of our clients live in different cities and cannot visit our studio, our smugmug membership provides a place for us to upload the images onto the Internet and let people view our work. We are very happy with all of the features smugmug offers such as unlimited storage space for our photos, the ability to sell downloads and prints and especially the privacy control of our photo albums. I have used many other online photosharing websites, but nothing that I tried compares to the smugmug´s quality.

Kindle Book: the Hot Shoe Diaries by Joe McNally

Favorite quote from his book: In a world where every day passesas as fast and disjointed as an MTV video, where even your average TV show jars the viewer with about three camera angles per second, and where life is a series of quick cut from the cellphone to the landline to the e-mail to the text message to the rush to the airport for the redeye for the early call...sheesh...and you´re out there with a frikkin´camera trying to stop everything. Suspend everything. Hold a moment. Pause. Breathe. Look.

This book was one of the reasons why I decided to start ordering kindle books to read on my PC. I used to think that the enjoyment of reading is lost by reading books on the computer. My new thought is that a good book is a good book, whether I am able to hold the book in my hand or read it on a screen. And that is what "the Hot Shoe Diaries" is for me, a REALLY good book!

Joe first shows the gear he uses. He says that he uses aperture priority, which I think is practical for someone with the D3 because it has extremely high ISO potential(200-6400). Joe does not push his camera to high ISOs very often because he has a steady hand and takes pictures at slow speeds very well. He ALWAYS shoots in RAW.

EV on Camera vs. EV on Flash
Camera exposure benefits:
1) flat sky-underexpose for more color and punch
2) dark subject-overexpose for high key rendition
GLOBAL ADJUSTMENT!

EV controls on flash benefits:

SELECTIVE ADJUSTMENT!

REAR SYNC SPEED: subject has power, focus and speed
Very important for slow speed photos (1/30th of a second)

Joe recommends putting the flash in iTTL mode
Pre-flash:double lightening bolt symbol signals to all of the channels in use
Balanced Light (BL): foreground and background roughly same exposure
High Speed Sync benefits: (25oth of a second or higher)
1)high noon, graduation portraits with good sky colors

Dispersion of Light: Dome Diffuser
shows environment, lifestyle and context
5ft-12ft away

Long distances w/out DD
800SB:max 105mm away
900SB:max 200mm away

FV Lock and Flash Off:must program the buttons
FV Lock off-no pre-flash to avoid blinkers
Gel only work when hot-shoes or on cord (SC-28 or 29)

"dragging the shutter"- keeping the f-stop constant for the flashed foreground and changing the shutter speed to accomodate the ambient light. The slower the shutter speed, the softer the flash effect will look

D-Town TV

Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski are two well-established photographers that do a lot to help upandcomers. Among their thousands of projects that they are involved with, I really have liked the weekly online tv show they put together. During the fifteen minutes, they cover a bunch of interesting topics such as Nikon camera tips, "Cheap shots", shooting tips from guest photographers, etc... Most of the time, I learn at least one new idea from each episode. KelbyTV has a few more online tv shows such as NAPP News, Ask Dave, and Photoshop User TV. Though I have yet to check them out, Scott´s reputation for quality information makes me think that I should soon.


Here is the D-Town TV link: http://kelbytv.com/dtowntv/

Contests for 2011

I recently entered a photo contest and really enjoyed the experienced. There is something about competition that makes me work a little harder, so I think it is a great idea for me to put my work out there amongst other photographers (and hopefully win one or two). Here are the contests link that I have collected so far:

Feb. 06, 2011: http://by158w.bay158.mail.live.com/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0

31 January 2011 : Fotoblur Magazine Spring 2011
31 January 2011 : The Julia Margaret Cameron Award
31 January 2011 : 2nd edition The Jacob Riis Award
06 February 2011 : Portrait and People – The Worldwide Photography Gala Awards
15 February 2011 : 10 BEST 10 International Competition
17 February 2011 : PDN Photo Annual 2011
18 February 2011 : TBM “The Family” Photography Contest
28 February 2011: Convozine Photography Challenge “The Last Place”

28 February 2011 : Travels Around The World 2011
01 March 2011 : Leica announces Oskar Barnack Award 2011
11 March 2011 : fContest Portrait Photography Competition
31 March 2011 : The Street Photography Awards
11 April 2011: http://www.photocompete.com/

July: www.blurb.com
September 2011: Nikon Photo Contest International 2011-2012

www.sethgodin.com

Seth Godin has made a big name for himself lately as a social media expert. I heard about him first from an excellent photographer named Chase Jarvis. He provoked me to buy Seth´s book, "Linchpin:Are you Indispensable?". It is a great read about how to sell yourself and most importantly, the book inspired me to recognize that passion for your work is more important than wealth. I enjoyed his explanation of how society pressures us to choose a path that my not be our own, and how we cannot fold under these pressures. After finishing this book, I book another one of his titled,"Graceful". I felt like I was reading the same book as the one that I had finished, so it was not as inspirational. Nonetheless, he has a lot of positive things to say and I really feel like he supports the artist dream.

On his blog, he has posted many e-books for free for readers to enjoy. I have them bookmarked for future reading. I think it is a good idea to read something from him once a month because his words help me focus in on my authentic path of being a photographer.

Check it out: www.sethgodin.com

www.pittelliphotography.com

The Pittelli´s are a husband and wife photography team who take incredible shots in the New Jersey area. Craig and I went to WVU together, and I can testify that he attracts fun wherever he goes! In addition, Autumn has the professional and creative edge that gives their business the special touch that any client will appreciate.
Roberto and I had the pleasure to work as second photographers for them last summer, and I learned so much from their style. They combine both a photojournalistic style with contempory poses so that their wedding albums are full of emotion and beauty. We even had a couple portrait session with them and the time we spent together was nonstop laughter and good times.
Craig and Autumn have already won various awards from wedding companies and are recommended in many magazines. I know that they have made a name for themselves in the photography world already, and their work is continuously evolving.
Check them out: www.pittelliphotography.com

www.froknowsphoto.com

I found out about Jared Polin, "the fro", through Facebook about a month ago. Among other daily posts, he makes youtube videos with his college buddy that are very cool because they do live edits of RAW photos taken by their fans. This is a great opportunity to hear and see other photographers edit from beginning to end using Lightroom 3. There are a lot of posts on his websites, and he seems to be connected to a lot of different mediums of social media such as ustream, e-mail, Facebook, youtube, etc... His fans are extremely active in his forums and he is very responsive to their questions and comments. This is one site I look at everyday.

Check him out on his Facebook page: FROKNOWSFOTO

www.photojojo.com

This site wins for using photographs in the most ingenious projects. Everytime I check out their newsletter, forums or store, I end up spending my evening fantasizing about future projects that I must try! I hope they continue to do what they do for a long time, because their style is upbeat and refreshing. It is nice to have a photography website that doesn`t fret over how to get the most technical photo. They focus on overall style and satisfaction of the photography project.

Photojojo is hip and fun! Plus, I want EVERYTHING they sell at their online store!!! hahaha
Check it out: http://photojojo.com/

www.creativelive.com

Throughout 2010, I participated in many online photography courses taught through the CreativeLive website. I am already looking at the 2011 schedule to find out who will be my teachers this year! Many amazing photographers have given workshops using the CreativeLive website including Zach Arias, Vincent Laforet, Tamara Lackey and Jasmin Star. The range of photography techniques has been from shooting weddings to shooting rockstars! Wow...I can´t learn enough from this site. And best of all: The live classes are FREE! (B&H Photo is their biggest sponsor which has made it possible to offer classes without charge. THANK YOU B&H! I love your products!)