All Things Photography Newsletter June 2013

Wasabi Batteries for Go Pro, Nero Trigger 2, Wedding Blueprint Offer…

Hi all,

What an extraordinary few months that was!

Never before have I been quite so busy which has led to some neglect of the ATP Newsletter I’m afraid…work to be done and bills to be paid and all that but I’m back again.

I have been busy teaching photography, videography and website creation up and down the country. I have been photographing numerous engagement shoots, photographing and videoing weddings in castles, shooting luxury, country estate properties and all sorts of other things.

I have had meetings with suppliers with some very cool products I want to tell you about and I want to pass on all the information, tips and advice I have learned along the way so grab a coffee and read on!

I hope you have had a great first half of the year and that you are in full swing whether you shoot for a hobby or a business. The weather in the UK has been abysmal but I kind of got lucky on all my shoots in that the weather held for the most part but I really would like some sort of summer soon please.

I have kept my eyes and ears open over the past few months but to be honest, nothing major has caught my eye in the camera/lens world. Sure, there have been the usual and numerous releases and upgrades but nothing has really made me sit up and say “wow”!

However, if there is anything that has caught your eye or made you think “Wow”, please let me know.

Maybe the new “Google Glass” is something special about to happen but if I am honest, for $1000, I am not so sure. I think they will be banned from many places including whilst driving, theatres, cafe’s, bars and restaurants and so on…oh and public conveniences too. Jury is out on that one.

I think that no matter what technology is released or new, innovative software, we can all do with going back to basics now and again and enjoy the true meaning of photography. For me, that is simply going out with my kit and a few ideas and seeing what happens. People, places and goings on are always good to capture and I have done a lot of that so far this year.

Is the “gadget freak” in me dying? Hope not…

Anyway, in this newsletter…

WPB 2.0 DVD’s on offer at Clickbank – 10 available
Review Nero Trigger 2
Review Wasabi Batteries for Go Pro 3
Review of “The Frame” for Go Pro HD Hero 3
Article – Wedding Couple’s request for images
Article – The importance of an engagement shoot
Having an all round great photography website that gets found
Bookkeeping and business advice for photographers
Make your own Photobooks

1. Wedding Photography Blueprint 2.0 Offer

The DVD’s both on and offline have been selling incredibly well since the launch and feedback has been positively excellent. In order to spread the word further, we decided to add the DVD’s to Clickbank in the hope of attracting more affiliates to help us sell the course.

Clickbank has a strange ruling that means the author cannot remove funds from sales until he has at least 5 sales from 5 different credit cards…weird I know!

I have had numerous sales trough Clickbank but the majority are from people using PayPal so…

For a very limited time, I am offering the Blueprint DVD’s over at Clickbank, using the site and links below for just £57 ($86.75) instead of the usual £77 as long as you use your credit card.

Please note: The site will still say £77 but when you go to checkout, the price will be £57 ($86.75).

Once I have the necessary sales to release funds, this offer will end so please grab a copy soon.

www.weddingphotographyblueprintdvd.com

2. Review Nero Trigger 2

Having reviewed the original Nero Trigger and finding it a very useful and easy to use gadget, I was keen to try out the latest update, being the Nero Trigger 2.

The manufacturers took on board and the critiques and comments from the original device and decided to completely rebuild the Trigger and it is now very cool indeed.

Check out our review below:

Nero Trigger 2 Review

3. Wasabi Spare Batteries for Go Pro 3

The main criticism of the Go Pro HD Hero 3 had to be the battery life and how poor it is.

Now, in Go Pro’s defence, they have made the unit smaller and added more to it (Wi-Fi built in) which would obviously mean more power usage for a smaller battery. Still, maybe they could have worked on improving the batteries they use but hey ho!

One workaround is the Anker Power Packs but that isn’t always possible due to the size. So, I recently ordered some spare batteries, at a much lower price that the official Go Pro batteries, and tested them out.

Check out the review below:

Wasabi Batteries for the Go Pro HD Hero 3

4. Go Pro HD Hero 3 Frame Review

The Go Pro HD Hero 2 had available, a handy shell casing that allowed you to protect the camera whilst still being able to plug in external mics, USB cables and so on. The Go Pro HD Hero 3 only recently has this as an optional extra at £49.99.

Instead, they have produced an pricey alternative in “The Frame”. Is it worth the cost? How is it used? How does it work?

Check out our review below:

Go Pro Hero 3 Frame Review

5. Article – When Couples Ask for Copious Amount of Image styles

This is a common problem when shooting weddings…give a couple too much scope for their photography and you may end up hanging yourself with it all. Read more below:

Wedding Couples Photo Requests

6. Article – The Importance of the Engagement Shoot

Are you a new or inexperienced wedding photographer? Maybe you and/or the couple are likely to be nervous on the big day. Check out our new article on the engagement shoot and put your (and their) mind at rest.

The Importance of the Engagement Shoot

7. Photographer’s Websites – How is Yours Doing?

If you plan to sell your images or services, the first place you should look at is your website. This is like your calling card or your shop window. Fail here and your entire business model could fail.

I have recently been teaching photographers how to build and maintain a website that not only looks professional and clean but a website that also attracts relevant traffic, and lots of it. Read more below:

How to Build a Photography Website

8. Bookkeeping and Business Advice for Photographers (UK only)

If you have just started up your own business or have been running one for a while and your books are a mess, you need a decent bookkeeper. However, bookkeepers are 10 to the dozen these days so how do you find the right one…one that can also provide valuable business advice too?

One of the team in my business group here in Dorset is a gentleman named Frank Stevens. He has many years experience in finance and business as well as many other high profile industries.

I have seen firsthand, examples of his work including how he turned around a business that was losing £10k a year to one that is now creating profits in the region of £24k per annum…not bad huh!

I have found that having someone take care of the invoices, bookkeeping and other boring admin tasks each month, it frees up my time to allow me to do what I love and should be doing…generating new business.

If you need someone to help with your bookkeeping and if you would like a bookkeeper that can also give sound financial advice to boot, then please give Frank at Bear Bookkeeping a call or get in touch via his website below. As well as being a business coach, another thing about Frank that stands out is that he charges a one-time monthly fee meaning you don’t have to panic when calling him up mid-month for advice…it’s all included.

Bear Bookkeeping Services

9. Make Your Own Photobooks

Last but by no means least…

As a business owner, I am always looking for new ideas, things that will secure me contracts over other photographers, things that make me a market leader in my area. I recently visited a business in the South of England and after 4 hours, I came away pretty excited.

You will have already heard about photobooks and what they can do for your business but sometimes, the aggravation that comes with having them made can put you off creating them. What if there was a way for you to produce them right from your home that was not only affordable, but a way that makes perfect business sense?

Read on below:

Create Your Own Photobooks From Home