Archive for April 2008
If you’re using your photoblog (or any blog for that matter) for business and you want to drive more traffic to it, then you really should read what the photocritic has to say.
You’re working as a photographer, you take fantastic photos, and you’ve even got a pretty sweet website to show off your work… So why is your web server just sitting around in the corner, smoking a fag and nipping at a cup of coffee? Why aren’t the buyers running the door off its hinges, and, come to think of it, where are your damn groupies, already?
The internet is a cold and heartless place, and the biggest source of traffic to any website should be coming from search engines (Photocritic, for example, gets about 70% of its traffic from search engines. Mind you, it’s mostly people looking for pictures of nude women. Go figure.)
Luckily, there are quite a few things you can do as a photographer to make your site really zing in the search engines – and for the sake of making a nice round figure (and, of course, so the Digg and Reddit crowds will love it like a kitten loves tuna fish) – here’s a lovely top-10 list to get you started!
In honor of Earth Day which was earlier this month, Photojojo offered this advice:
- Go Digital
- Reuse your film containers
- Switch batteries–use rechargeable
- Carry a charge–a solar charger camera bag
- Donate–your old camera
- Recycle–your old camera
- Make some money
- Switch paper–use 100% recycled inkjet paper
- Reuse unwanted photos
- Use your camera for good
Read the article to find out more about any one of these ways in which you might become a greener photographer.
Another great article from dPS.
The right lighting can make or break an image setting the stage for others to see it as a snapshot or a photograph.
Just as finding and seeing a subject is challenging, so too is finding lighting conducive to taking dramatic photographs. The Golden Hour is always referenced as a great time to take photos, but its not the only time to take photos with dramatic lighting. Training your eye to see dramatic light and the different variations of it takes some self-training.
You’ll have to read the article to get a description of each type of lighting, but briefly they are:
- Side Lighting
- Back Lighting
- Rim Lighting
- Ambient Light
- Soft or Diffuse Light
- Hard Light
- Spotlight
- Artificial Lighting
- Various Combinations of Lighting
Photoblogging
Posted on: 27 April 2008
dPS has an article offering ten reasons for why you might want to set up a photoblog.
Briefly (you’ll have to read the article for the full detail) they are:
- Motivation
- Progress
- Feedback
- Marketing
- Publicity
- Relationships
- Announcements
- Networking
- Testimonials
- Fun
If you don’t already have a photoblog and after reading this article you decide to go out and create one, you may want to read this follow-up article on ten things to consider when building your photoblog. [again via dPS]
Briefly those things include:
- Keep it fresh
- Link to other blogs and photographers
- Be respectful
- Keep it real
- Keep it simple
- Use large images
- Watermark your images
- Chill
- Know your numbers
- ?
Keep in mind that these are suggestions; things to consider. Everyone has their own priorities and considerations. While my list of priorities may differ from yours and some of these things may seem more important than others, they are all worth noting and reading over. Enjoy.
Strobist Hits It Big on USA Today
Posted on: 26 April 2008
I can’t believe I missed this one. David was on USA today. The story came out a few days ago and I missed buying the paper. Congrats to The Strobist!
COLUMBIA, Md. — All David Hobby wanted to do was pass along photo lighting tips to a friend.He jotted down some ideas and posted a blog —Strobist— to show how any beginning photographer could get beyond ordinary shots by using inexpensive, $300 flashes, just like pros.…
…Then the world found out about him.
Hobby now has 200,000 mostly amateur photographers as devoted readers. His site attracts 1.6 million page views a month.
You’ve got to read the rest of the story.
ChromaticSoul :: The Blog 