I know that so many of us work from home and the biggest challenge that we face is that we often have to figure out how to do this and stay organized as well as find that dividing line between work and non working hours. I am sitll working on that myself, but have begun to follow a few sites that are geared just at getting organized and staying organized.

I love Organizing your Way and their post today is so great — tips for working from home!

Then through there I found Penelope Loves Lists — well who wouldn’t love lists!

Finally I am just drooling over all the supplies on this site, See Jane Work — but they are so FUN and will give my office make over those final useful but fun touches! Like this file box that can sit on a shelf –pretty but functional!

Enjoy — leave a comment with your favorite sites for organization and office inspiration!~

I know that most of us struggle with skin tones, in particular with those of a newborn.   The fun thing about photoshop is that there are a million ways to get to the same results.  I stumbled across this tutorial the other day, and it was a way of working with color that I had not seen before. What I loved about it was that she pointed out what we all know, or well we should know, is that color issues are more prevalent with improperly exposed images.  So the old adage of get it right in camera is so true!

Tutorial

Enjoy!

Shannon

This is the time of the year that we all look into updating things with our business. This can be as simple as doing face lift using current branding or envolve a project to completely redo everything from head to toe.

It can also be when we buy new equipment, plan to attend a workshop or just acquire new skills or photoshop actions.

There is now the added appeal to every purchase by those offering to send funds if you purchase X to one of hundreds of charities providing releif support.   However, before you click buy (with or without the relief effort) take a few seconds to do your homework.

There is not a one stop fits all for finding out information, but there are a few ways you can get constructive feedback.  The first is to post on a forum you trust.  The people there will give you their honest opinions and help guide you in your purchase.  The next thing is to check out their review on Photog Vendors.

Just be safe and make sure you are careful about your purchases — which can only help you give more in the end!

Blog Etiquette is something that is evolving.  I thought today I would just outline a few guidelines that I think make blogging and reading blogs fun.

The first is try to leave a comment on the blogs you read.  Search engines use the number of comments to help rank the relevance of a topic, so this is important not only as feedback for the blog writer, but it will also help them with their search ranking.

The next question asked is do you leave a link to your website.  This will depend upon the blog and you own personal feelings. Leaving your url and using your business name can help you in your search rankings.   It can also allow the blog writer to view your site and also give you some “blog love’. However, you want to also be careful that if you comment on photographers who are local to you that not leave your website out of respect.  I have not concrete reasons for this belief other then professional respect.

As a blog writer there are some things you can do for those who leave comments.  You can activate your comments to allow search engines to follow the links left, this will help both you and your readers get a better rankings.  You can take the time to follow the links left by commentators and comment back on their blogs.  This alone is one great way to acknowledge that you appreciate their blog support!

The final thing is if you find a blog/photographer you just love, give them the ultimate compliment by not only commenting on their blog but blogging about them and linking back to their website.
Shannon

Happy New Year everyone!  This is the first official work day of 2010 and I have lots of exciting things to share with you.  This is the time of the year everyone should be thinking about their business and getting things in shape for the new year.

One of the things I was thinking about getting (but did not get to yet) was to subscribe to the website My Photography Business.  This is a great website. George is a fantastic photographer and an amazing business person.  He is giving you training videos that range in topics from how to see light to how to manage your business. I think this is a must for getting yourself ready and your business in shape for the new year.  It is just $15 and you can access all the videos he complies for the entire year (for an extra fee I think you can get access to last years as well).

This entire month I am going to bring your resources, ideas and ways to organize your business for the new year!

Take care and let me know what you think of Georges site!

Till next time -

Shannon

Congrats Alanna & Addie!   Email Dawn via the link below and she will send out your hats!

Christmas Eve today…so off to do the crazy Grocery thing!  Aarghhhhhh, I so wish I had gone at midnight last night!   Now I have to face the hoarding crowd, I’m hanging out for  a StarBucks Frappacino, I mean seriously….that would involved me driving to a Mall on the other side of the city….on Christmas Eve!  …and yet I’m still contemplating going!  What is about Starbucks that has us so in love?  and don’t say branding…I’m not going for the logo!  They really do have a great product, unique out here, worth driving for…and there in lies a lesson for all of us in 2010.   Do great work, do it well, and offer such a unique product/service that people will drive crazy distances on manic days to get it!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

We love the Album Cafe!  Not only are they inventive, fresh and unique but they are always looking for new ways to make a Photographer’s Life easier! LOL…something you just got to love, right?   I recently got their All About Me album, and have been busy doing it as a boudoir sample for the studio…yes that’s right, I said as a Boudoir product!  I loved that the frames were funky, fun and pretty, and with the ability to be able to change backgrounds, etc, I knew that the layout etc would look beautiful with some sassy sexy shots in them!  I’ll share the results when I’m done!

When looking at sites that sell products for photogs, try and think outside the square!  What if you took a set of birth announcements and used them as mini canvases on the wall above a baby’s cot?  or a page out of a 12×12 album as a Mat for a framed print?  The possibilities are endless, but more than that, it gives you a unique product that will stand out in a market that is saturated by the same old, same old.  So go check out Album Cafe!   and just to make your life even easier…how about a giveaway?   Post your favourite product from their site in the comments section, and be in to win the album template of your choice!  Wow, thanks Brandi and team!

Speaking of unique…..the award for the most unique christmas tree this year goes to……..Stace Chomlack!  Seriously no one but her & Chad would paint their tree on the wall…and let their kids be part of it….and then leave paint pots out so all their visitors could add their own decorations to it!  Guys…you are tooooo coolllll! 

12 Days is continuing on Beyond with lots of fun, sharing and generosity from Vendors…so look for some more discounts and prizes in the coming days!  ..and of course it’s time to share some Senior images from some fab Beyond members too!

Amanda Andrews, David Quisenberry and Ali Hohn

Kim Burnham, Kelly Vella (above) and Chelsey Mach, Denise Snyder below

Our clients think that if they rock up wearing anything, then we will take their photo and they will look awesome…..well, yeah, right.   As photographer’s we know that wearing the RIGHT clothes makes a huge difference to how their photos turn out!   When they are in co-ordinated clothing, colors that pop off the background location, etc…then the images are much much better than the tried-and-true but oh so boring denim and white shirt brigade!

With that in mind Dawn Weisenger (amazing Beyond member and truly fab photographer!) has opened her new Store….The Nest. Beautiful clothing, hats, etc for children.  It doesn’t matter what age the subject is, if the clothing is “right” and the hat is oh so cute, then the images are always going to look better than an outfit thrown together! ….so whether you are a photographer looking to put a few cute outfits in your kit/studio or a client thinking about your next session and what to wear, go check out Dawn’s new site! …..and right now Dawn has a sale of 25% off all Special Occassion dresses!!!   (Be sure to check out the adorable peapod hats while you are there!)

A special thank you and shout out to Kendra for the help you have given Dawn in launching this venture…and the gorgeous image of the baby in the beautiful long pink hat!   Multi-talented woman!

OKAY did you go check out the PeaPod hats?  aren’t they adorable!  …..well now you can win one!  Dawn is giving away two right here!  So leave a comment and Dawn will select two winners on the 23rd!  Right in time for Christmas.

First up in the Beyond 12 Days of Christmas Extravaganza was Nichole Van with a $75 Voucher giveaway (Congrats Shannon!!)…. and now we have gifts for all the wonderful Blog readers who have supported us all year too!  For the next 12 Days we will share the 12 Days Love with everyone here too!

Nicole’s work is simply stunning!  The wide open plains of Utah, the gorgeous buildings, temple, and superb lighting are all featured in her work, but her style and eye is unique and she has made a name for herself through consistently producing Images that “wow”.  I attended Nicole’s workshop in Australia recently, and was blown away by her honesty, her knowledge and her wonderful sense of humour.  The Workshop book she provided us with, was without doubt the best I have been given at any workshop I have attended…you know what it is like!  your brain is so exhausted after three days of intense information and shooting, that to have something in your hand that you can go home and read at your own pace, is a God-send!  Well that is what she provided!  …and I’m delighted to tell you that she sells it now!   The Workshop in a Box is fantastic…and right now you can get it at $50 off!!!  Just enter code:  BJIBOX122509

Many of our members also use and love her textures, actions and frames….and so it wouldn’t be a celebration if we didn’t give you a discount for the Flourish Emporium as well!   15% Discount when you enter code : BJI122509 (both codes are valid until 24th December!)    Nicole is sharing on the Forum in 2010 and we know it is going to be fantastic….because she is!

Go check out her blog and be inspired!  …and while you are there do some last minute Christmas shopping…for yourself

Another announcement tomorrow!

Okay those two things have absolutely nothing in common! but one is necessary, and the other pure fun!

So let’s start with SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).  If you have ANYTHING on the web that requires people to find you….website, business, shopping, etc, then you need to know this SEO stuff.  I totally confess that “SEO” sends my brain into a ‘freeze’.  Whilst I know that it will help me get more business, I also do not want to have to go and study up on what I deem to be a whole lot of  “goobly gook computer jargon”…I want to just cut to the chase (so to speak!) ….have someone tell me WHAT I actually need to know in order for my Website to rank high to the clients I’m looking to book, HOW I do what I now know! ….and WHEN to maintain/change what I’ve just done!  Make sense?

Well that is where Shannon Steffens has come to the rescue!  Her book turned up in my Inbox at exactly the right time for me.  We are going through a change in logo, rebrand, new Studio opening and with it a new website…we also, like many of you, are fighting against people who constantly undercut rates, deliver everything for nothing and all the new professionals popping up each week.  So I wanted to get ahead of the game!

Shannon broke all that “jargon” down into easy to digest parts…she went over the terms and then delivered a step-by-step guide to how to get better results from my SEO.   I no longer felt impaired, or like a complete anti-geek.  Terms like Google, Page Rank and Meta Tags just used to leave me cold…but now I get it!

Included with the Field Guide are details on how to create a basic splash page (no html or design knowledge required), it also includes a template to do your own. Literally this is a basic how-to manual for the SEO impaired!  (anyone like me!)  Her goal was to teach others that while SEO is a huge part of getting ranked it does not have to be a difficult task and I love that she is continuing to work on making sure she keeps you informed with tips and tricks on her Blog.  Things change in the SEO world…but this will help me stay up-to-date.

I can not say enough about this great resource, and right now she has it at a great introductory price. The first 50 people get to purchase for just $50!!  A great book available for those who want to do it themselves.

Finally if you love the idea of better SEO, but don’t want to do it yourself, pop over and email Shannon. She does freelance work as well and can let you know when she can fit you into her schedule.  This turned out to be a great option for me, because while I loved the book and now “got it” and knew why I was doing the things I needed to do, and what I needed to improve on…time is my enemy!

http://www.seophotoguide.com …be one of the first 50!

Next week is the 12 Days of Christmas celebration at Beyond!  WOOO HOOO!  Every year the Beyond members hang out and party on these last few days before Christmas….most of us have finished our sessions, delivered our final orders and this is our chance to celebrate the past year, and share and discuss our plans, dreams and desires for 2010…all in a great party atmosphere.   Our Vendors really are some of the most amazing people on the planet!  Seriously!  Go check them out!  They all offer amazing products, services and rates!  This year, while the “prize” of the Day is only open to a Beyond member because of the need to have access to the forum….we also wanted to share the love here!  So make sure you keep your eyes open from the 13th to the 25th December…as we post Specials from some of the most amazing Vendors on the planet!  Great discounts on all the things you love and need to take your business to the next level in 2010.

On a personal note, I just want to thank everyone that has made both the Blog and the Forum what it has become over the last few years.  A forum (any forum) is not built by the administration or owner, it is just a “platform” that without members is a piece of computer coding.  It is the members that make a forum a home, a place for others to want to be, and those same members that generously offer their advice, help, experience and support to others day in and day out.  Thank you to all the members and outstanding Teacher’s, that have done all of the above and MORE this year.

May you all be richly blessed this Christmas, and move into a very prosperous New Year!

…two images from Beyond members as well..firstly Dawn Weisenger who has a big announcement coming in next couple of days! and secondly Amanda Andrews…featured photog on the ColorInc Blog!  Fantastic!