PhotoExpo, RE:WORKSHOP, Drobo, Clients Albums

So I'm sitting here not being able to do much... so a rambling I shall go. I'll explain the work stoppage at the end.

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NYC

Last weekend I went down to NYC for the PDN Photo Plus Expo. I took the train in with a few photographer friends. I walked the whole expo floor with my assistant Greg. The show was just ok this year. I did pick up a few products that I wanted to get, but didn't really see anything impressive on the album end of things. First, I'll continue to use Memory Link as my standard line of albums. It looks like they just finished their new website. I've been using them for years, pretty much since they started up. Their quality has been top notch and so have been their prices. This is how I keep my clients costs low on the albums while keeping the best quality. Then I wanted to see my high end album company and the 2 other high end album companies. Unfortunately all 3 were not at the show! I guess I'll see them at the WPPI convention in Vegas. Another no show was Apple! APPLE!!! There weren't there promoting Lightroom (not that any of us seem to be using it), nor there to promote their cinema displays. Every photographer I know (except 1) are using Macs. Plus photographers and videographers are using Apple TV to present their work on large displays! But don't worry, I went to the Apple store after the show.

Speaking of after the show, we had a reservation for 28 photographers at Carmine's on West 44th. SOOOOO Good. Then it was off to a bar with a few friends, and then to hang out with Kelley's friend Courtenay, and her sisiter, who live in the city. We got back to the hotel at 2:30am! It's New York!

The next day we shopped the city, stayed for dinner, and drove home. I found some AMAZING deals at the Macy's sale where we spent a good portion of the day. I don't even want to know how many miles we walked. OH! The biggest bummer of the trip was not getting together with Chris and Katie Humphrey's who were in town. Simply put, my cell phone battery died and I never got their messages until 2:30am. If you don't remember, Chris and Katie photographed my wedding in San Diego. Sorry guys!!!! I'll see you in February at WPPI!

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RE:WORKSHOP

I had my Hartford RE:WORKSHOP / PPA Super Monday class on Monday! It was awesome. I got a lot of great response from it. What can I say, I'm a very giving person and I love to help out my fellow photographers. I give away my secrets! OK maybe not all of them. But thank you to everyone that came out. I have already heard that a few of you are implementing some of what I do, and are using the files that I gave out! As always, e-mail me any questions.

For those of you not in CT who want to attend the RE:WORKSHOP, why not host it yourself? I've already had one in Sacramento, CA host by Carmen Salazar which was a huge success. You supply the space, notify your area photographers (I'll help too), and I'll be there! Check the website: http://www.rephotodesign.org

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Drobo

This is going to get technical... So this week I decided to check my RAIDed hard drives to make sure everything was going well. Well... no. Both RAID's failed. This isn't the first time they have failed. I've been doing it through Mac's Disc Utility with Lacie Drives. I've pretty much have had enough with this setup. It would probably take me 5 days to restore everything. So instead of dealing with all this, I bought a Drobo and all new hard drives to store next years files, backup this years, and to store last years files. 6TB total. So as I transfer this years files, I can't really use them. The changes may or may not transfer, depending on where the transfer is at the time of the changes. So I'll sit here and wait the 7 hours for the transfer. Then I have to transfer 2 other drives. Joy.

Now I have FOR SALE: Completely working, no issues, 2 - 500GB USB / Firewire 800 Lacie Desktop Drives, and 1 - 1TB Lacie Big Disk USB / Firewire (That could also be a 500GB RAID). Make me an offer. I may have 2 more 500GB drives in the closet.

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Albums

Lastly, and I should probably put this first cause I'm sure your bored reading this by now, are my clients albums. I'm done editing photos for a month after this weekend. So now it's all about designing the albums that I have lined up to do. Believe me there are a lot. But work on them starts on Monday! I hope to have everyones designed by the end of November.

Why the backup? I didn't expect EVERYONE to choose a new option called the "Photographer's Line" which puts all the work on me. And I do mean everyone this year. But I can't complain because knowing that my clients trust me to do a good job has been the best thing ever.

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So those are the updates! Tonight: A halloween party!!!!! What will I be for halloween?? wait and see!

PPA Super Monday & RE:WORKSHOP

1 week away!

Two worlds collide! My RE:WORKSHOP is a PPA Super Monday course for Monday October 27th.

Here's the link to register: PPA Super Monday Registration

Look for: CT30-PRE-PRODUCTION & DIGITAL ORGANIZATION

It's only $129 for a full 8 hour day!

Headed to Boston!

Tomorrow I head to my old stomping grounds of Boston. Well, more like Waltham, MA. Matt Grazier invited me up to give a little talk to the Boston PUG group at the Center for Digital Imaging and Arts about using video to promote their photography business. I used to be a feature story editor for WHDH in Boston, having won a few Emmy's for my work. Now being a photographer, I've combined my knowledge of both fields to promote my photography business through online video. I'll go through basic scripting, recording, simple editing, converting for web, and posting video online. It should be a great time! Can't wait to meet everyone in Boston!

RE:WORKSHOP Testimonials

I've been getting a lot of great responses from the RE:WORKSHOP in Sacramento. How can I not share a few?!?!?!

If anyone wants to host the RE:WORKSHOP at your studio, let me know! I'm available across the US!

"I first wanted to thank you for the fabulous workshop in Sacramento. You were great! ... Your workshop was just what I needed. A good kick in the pants to get going! I've had a website that I've been meaning to update for a year. Plus, no real "plan" set. Thanks. You've inspired a few sleepless nights already because I'm just too excited & motivated! So thanks! I am so grateful! More that you'll ever know!" - Jo Merandi

"Thank you so much for sending all this information. You taught me so much during our time together. Thank you for being so open and candid. I truly appreciate all that you did for me. And sharing your files so freely has just saved me so much time. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" - Jennifer Moon

"Thanks so much, RE. It was great to meet you and learn from someone who takes the business of photography so seriously. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself with us as it really was refreshing to learn what you do without any hesitation. I never felt you were just telling us a few little things to get us by.... I've already used the materials you provided to gather more details about the day and to help keep me on task. I love it and I feel like the bride already sees more value in what I am providing her. Thanks!" - Caryn

"Thank you so much for your presentation and ever giving spirit. You were so generous to go over the extra hour and to give us so much information. I was most interested in the organizational aspect of your presentation. I have started to check my email twice a day and keep my inbox clean. This is an example of it. I just sat down to check emails and I am now dealing with them. That has created a huge space in my brain because once I have dealt with the email, I don't have to keep trying to remember to do it...IT'S DONE. I'm still working on folder structures, but I'm progressing. Thanks also for the extensive examples of the technical camera setting stuff... Thanks again so much for your time." - Mark Dong

"Thank you sooo much! These are going to be so helpful as was your workshop. I'm totally overwhelmed and feel so unorganized but at least now I know where I want to end up. You gave us tons of good and needed information and I can't thank you enough. I hope to see you soon" - Crystal Jones

RE:WORKSHOP Sacramento

I'm back at the hotel after a really long and TOTALLY AWESOME day. The RE:WORKSHOP took place today and I couldn't have been happier about it. It was a great group of photographers. I crammed so much information into the day. It even went an extra hour! That was followed by more Q&A over dinner! I've never talked so much before. It was awesome. I'll get some pictures posted when some of the photographer's send me some :-) I'm headed back to San Francisco in the morning and meeting up with Brian and Jen for their engagement session!

RE:WORKSHOP

Here it is! I can finally announce the RE:WORKSHOP being held in Sacramento California. I will also be doing the same workshop for PPA's Super Monday classes in October here in CT. The website is launched! It is www.rephotodesign.org (for organization)! Signup has begun!

Carlos Rivera's 13 Questions

While out in Vegas in March I made a few new friends. One of them being Carlos Rivera. He has this thing on his blog where he asks photographers 13 questions. CLICK HERE for his blog post about me! Thanks for the shout out! I'm planning my Sacramento workshop now!

Workshops Being Planned!

I'm in the process of planning two all day workshops! It seems the dates are just about set. Both seminars will be the same, just on different coasts!

I want to tentatively announce one that myself and the coordinating photographer, Carmin Salazar, are planning for Sacramento, CA. The date should be July 9th, we are still going over plans.

The second will be in October and is being setup by Professional Photographers of America, PPA. Pre-Registration is $99. I will let you know how to register when I find out.

Both seminars are 8 hours long and will be about:

First half
- Keeping track of your business life
- Having a productive day
- Organizing and scheduling your clients wedding day
- Digital organization

Second Half
- Preproduction
- Shooting to minimize post production
- Workflow
- Open Q&A

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Rockstar Roadtrip

I went to NYC yesterday for Corey McNabb and Amber Holritz's Rockstar Roadtrip workshop. There ended up being a few photographer's there that I knew, so it was great to hang out with everyone. Besides, it was great to hear what Corey and Amber had to talk about. It just reaffirms the changes I need to make in my business. Here are some shots!







We headed to dinner around the corner from Jason Grupp's studio where the workshop was held. This is the only shot I took around the city! I usually love photographing in NYC.





Photographers and their phones... sharing contact info and portfolios.

Eric's many stations.






Joy Moody and Shyla Dalirifar.


I've never seen such a classy paper bag ceiling light before.


Then it was time for a little X Box Guitar Hero. Eric was admiring my Mark III and snapped this shot of me in deep concentration.

Thanks for an awesome time everyone! Wish I could have stayed longer, but I had a train to catch!