Shutterbug Life podcast

Hi there, this is Lyn from the Shutterbug Life podcast, and you must be thinking…this is a blast from the past.   Well I’m back to let you know that I’ve launched a new podcast and invite you to join us.   It’s called the EOS Photographer podcast and we will cover a lot of the same kinds of topics we did here in Shutterbug Life. The main difference is that all my examples will be focused on Canon gear.   As you might know, I spent the last two years working with Canon USA leading their Live Learning workshop program. I’d like to put that experience to its best use, so I’m focusing the podcast.    Our episodes will feature:   Interviews with great photography instructors Q&A with technical experts Photo Challenges; and Real world gear reviews   This podcast first and foremost is about photography. It is for creators. People who go out with your cameras in your hand and try to create amazing art from the world in front of you. We’ll help you sharpen your skills and reach your goals faster — on the gear we all own and love.   If you’re not a Canon shooter, you’ll likely find helpful information in our expert interviews and photography teaching, but Canon photographers will get the most value.   With that, please subscribe to the EOS Photographer podcast.    Hope to talk with you there.   Listen on iTunes | Listen on the website   Lyn

Several months ago, I got a call from a potential client. She worked in the marketing department of a camera manufacturer and wanted help creating a marketing plan for them. We talked about a coaching program that would help her conduct the market research for her plan. "Have you done this kind of thing before," she asked? Of course. I gave her some highlights of my resume and pointed her to some links. One of the links was to the work we have done together on Shutterbug Life. On her next call to me, she was so excited. "I looked at your work, and you seem perfect for this!" I had another situation with a big camera retailer. They were struggling to create an educational program for their customers. After a reviewing some of my ideas and links, they invited me in to talk about how I could help them. They were excited to get started, they said. You all know how this one ends. I saw that Canon was looking for someone to lead their workshop and learning program. Canon must already know who they want for this, I thought. I sent them my stuff anyway. I recount these three experiences for one reason. They could never have happened six years ago. These opportunities were available to me because I created and worked the marketing system I want to explain today. If you use it properly, it will help you show, share, or sell your images more efficiently. If you are are an emerging photography enthusiast, entrepreneur, or freelance photographer, it can help you cut through the clutter and attract the right people to your work.  Listen to the podcast

Sitting on the floor in a room full of pictures, I let out a heavy sigh and began the tedious job of sorting the image packages into envelopes. My Dad and I had just picked up the prints from a high school prom shoot we completed, and now we had to prepare them for our clients. There was no simple way of doing this. Fill each envelope, cross reference it against the names, and make sure they had paid. Then Dad would deliver the photos to the parents. I wish we had today's solutions back then. Today, I've completed much more complex jobs without ever touching a print or wading through envelopes. How? The technical part of selling your photography has never been easier than it is these days. You have a range of solutions to help you promote, sell, and collect for your images. None of them require any technical knowledge or ability.

I've got some more advice for you that doesn't have anything to do with f-stops or apertures. I'm not weighing in on DSLRs vs mirrorless or Canon vs Nikon. Today we are ignoring all the typical photography topics yet sharing some timeless advice. Here are three decision points that all photographers face. If we can choose right at each intersection, I think we can improve our work considerably.

With all due respect, we know that churches and cathedrals are places of worship, but they also are incredible structures to photograph. The architecture, light, and history all provide opportunities for you to photograph. Those same characteristics also create challenges for many photographers.  If you want to create memorable images in your cathedral or church, follow these tips. Listen to the podcast

Several years ago, I followed up on what I thought was a great lead for my photography business. I crafted a warm introductory email and requested that we schedule a phone conversation. Then came the response that totally deflated me. "Just send your prices." Like many photographers, that was the very last thing I wanted to do. I didn't want to talk about prices before I had an opportunity to have a conversation. I didn't want to quote a price before I had a chance to understand the full scope of their needs. After all, once he knew my prices, he could just leave.  After going back and forth a few times by email, I sent some prices. As I suspected, he disappeared. The moral of the story is not what you might expect. Just show your prices on your website. Listen to the podcast

He had a different reason for asking, but we were looking for the same result.   "How do you keep photographers motivated to keep shooting?" asked a camera industry salesperson. "It seems photographers aren't shooting as much. "How do we address that?" This got me thinking about a problem we are all encounter. There is so much noise, so much distraction. It's tough for even the most dedicated photographers to find the motivation to keep shooting. Here are a half dozen ideas, from easy to hard. Listen to the podcast

In the Squarespace Super Bowl ad, John Malkovich is screaming into the phone at his namesake. John wants to launch a website, but the hard part is not in creating a website. It is in getting his name. You know the message coming will be this...The easy part in creating a website will be creating a website. If you are a photographer, by now you know you should have a website. The easy part in creating a website is in creating a website. The difficult part is in creating a website - that works.

It doesn't matter if you have been shooting for two weeks or 20 years, most photographers are constantly mulling the question, 'which lens should I buy next?' Your frustration only gets worse when you find that there seems to be an endless supply of options. Even within the same brand, you can get lost in a sea of f-stops and millimeters.  Here is an approach to help you understand and simplify the lens selection process. Listen to the podcast

When do you need a model release? That's the latest question I received from one of our listeners: "What guidance can you give us regarding releases? Both for people (for instance, if they are potentially identifiable) and locations (for instance, trademarked property, federal property)? I seem to recall this gets complicated. What if it’s a crowd such as demonstrators in DC? Assuming a release is required, as a practical matter do you obtain it during the shoot?"

If you are learning photography now, I have good news and bad news. The good news is…you have a wealth of information availability to your in just about every form. Here’s the bad news. You have a wealth of information available to you in just about every form.  How do you sort through it all? When do you seek formal training? And how do you know what workshop to take next? I discuss all these topics with Joe Edelman.  Listen to the podcast

Peering out the window of a coffee shop, I saw a very familiar process unfolding. People were arriving with big signs. I saw what looked like costumes, and over time a small crowd started assembling. In Washington, DC, that usually means a protest is about to start. It also means prime photography opportunities.  No time to finish my coffee, I grabbed my DSLR and headed out to the park to start my shoot. Whether you happen upon a protest demonstration or even a parade, you have a perfect opportunity to practice street photography that tells stories. Listen to the podcast

It’s always cool seeing your best images on your blog or social media, but for a real rush, imagine seeing them in the glossy pages of a national travel publication. Even better, imagine getting paid to place them there. I'll tell you how your can publish your travel photos in this episode. Listen to the podcast.

If there was ever such a thing as a photography impresario, Heather Goss would be it.  She curates images. She creates photo gallery shows. She runs an online photography community. She just celebrated 10 years organizing a citywide photo contest. She edits a major photography blog. She organizes monthly photography Meetups. All this from someone who doesn't even consider herself a photographer. Why? Listen to the podcast

Did Santa bring you a new camera body for Christmas? Maybe you want to take advantage of some down time to reacquaint yourself with your existing camera. You’ll want to listen to this episode and take some notes. We are setting up your new camera or resetting your old one. Listen to the podcast

I was struggling through Christmas portraits, but I did not have the Christmas spirit. My boys were young then, between 2 to 10 years old. I thought I would have them take Christmas portraits, but just as I was getting started, one of them got a giggle fit. Then just like a virus it spread. Before I knew it, we had spent way too much time shooting, and I had not one good portrait to show for it. They continued taking turns giggling and being serious until I decided to get over myself and photograph them in all their goofiness.  Maybe your holiday photography challenges are much simpler than mine. Whatever they are, you will want to capture the best of your holiday traditions and decorations. Here are some tips to help you this season. Listen to the podcast

What's it like to be on the first and only photography reality show? There are only five people who can answer that question, and today I am talking with one of them. Roxy Rodgriguez made a splash on Top Photographer with her unique point of view and signature shooting style. In fact, by the end of the show both the host, Nigel Barker, and guest judges were gushing about the "Roxy photo." If you watched any of the Top Photographer episodes, you might wonder what really went on before the camera started and after it stopped. Roxy gives us a peek into the creation of Top Photographer. Listen to the episode.

The world is overflowing with boring pictures, and if you don't want to contribute another one to the pile, ask one more question. So what? You took another picture. So what? Why should we care? Why should we stop what we are doing to look at it? Is it just another boring collection of pixels? Today's question is the last one you ask before you release your photo to the wild. Use it to decide if your photo goes or stays. "I created another photo. So what?" Listen to the podcast

Top Photographer wrapped up their first season and crowned a winner last week, and it wasn't who I would have expected. In the final episodes, the photographers got to go anywhere they wanted and shoot anything they wanted. Even better, they got to load up a backpack with their dream Canon gear for the shoot.  With all this freedom and flexibility, what did they choose? Let's review the final episodes and look at nine ways they can improve season 2. Listen to the podcast

In episode 3, Top Photographer challenged contestants to create a landscape photograph from the tip top of the Empire State Building. The photographers started at sunrise with this charge - how do you make your photo stand out from the masses -- and each other. That's a challenge you can probably relate to if you have ever done a photo walk. How do you make your photos stand out from everyone else. Listen to the podcast

Dave didn't want to hear what I had to say. He struck up a conversation at the PhotoPlus Expo that ended with him asking me which camera he should buy. "How much do you want to spend?" I asked. "Maybe a few hundred dollars," he responded. "You need to move a decimal point over. For what you just told me about yourself Dave, you should plan to spend at least $2,000." His mouth almost hit the floor. That's not what he wanted to hear. In many instances, I might tell you that you don't need the most expensive camera to create great photos. But not in all instances. There are times when you really should plan to buy the more expensive camera. Here's why and when.

In episode 2, Top Photographer challenged contestants to create a fashion photography image. How did they do? Let's talk about how each photographer interpreted the challenge and what we might learn from this episode.

Photographers have officially arrived. Photographers join cops, lawyers, and doctors as professions who can see themselves on the big screen. With Top Photographer, we have our own glitzy reality TV show, even if it isn’t technically on TV. I watched the first episode a few times to dissect it for you. Is it worth your time? And if so, what will you learn?

In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and her friends embark on a magical journey to the Wizard of Oz, searching for qualities they thought they lacked. As it turns out, they had them all along.   This weekend, photographers will journey to a big camera show in New York City and camera stores all around the world, searching for abilities they think the lack. Just like the crew searching for Oz, many of the photographers already have the potential they seek.   If you want to improve your images, you don't need the magical powers of new cameras or lenses. Here are 10 ways to improve your photography with the gear you already own.    

When I ambled onto the Tidal Basin one fall day, I faced what many photographers confront every day — a view that millions of people will recognize immediately and the challenge of how I could make it look interesting. In photography, as in life, the results we get are often a result of the decisions we make. At the Tidal Basin, or wherever you happen to be shooting, your decisions make the difference. Try these 12 composition decisions can help you improve your odds of capturing more interesting photos. Listen to the podcast

What will you really see, photograph and learn at the Fall Photography Weekend in the Big Apple? How is it different from the photo tours and Meetups we have been doing in New York City? Steve Rosenbach and I recently chatted by Skype call to talk about the workshops in detail. If you have been wondering about the details of this weekend workshop, just listen in. Listen to the podcast

When I was growing up, you could always find stacks of photo albums under our coffee table. You know the albums where you stuck your photos under that thin film of plastic? We had more than 20 of them, full of photos that documented every facet of our lives. Today’s photographer has a more sophisticated option — a finished book that goes on top the coffee table.  Is it time for you to publish your own photo book for your coffee table? Here are the many options you should consider.  Listen to the podcast

If you want to get the low down on latest new cameras hitting the shelves, you need to find your way to a launch event. Launch events are where camera stores invite reps from the camera manufacturers to come out and answer your questions while you play with the store models. I got an invite to a launch event for the Canon 5D Mark IV and Fujifilm X-T2, and I decided to take you along. While we are in launch mode, I'll share some new photo tours as well. Listen to the podcast

If you want to have your photography stand out from the millions of picture takers flooding the internet, Levar Burton has a message for you.  You will have to do more than be the artist and creator. You will have to be your own advocate. You will have to learn how to promote and distribute your work. You will have to hustle. And only when you are willing to hustle, will you demonstrate your commitment to getting the job done. That's what Levar says. What will that mean for you? We unpack the quote in this episode. Listen to the podcast.

What should you be doing now if you are trying to get to the next level with your photography? That depends on what stage you are currently in.  Stages of Platform Growth and share some details of the first stage. Listen to the podcast

When 6-year-old Desiree took my microphone to sing a song, she unwittingly belted out the theme of the day. "You are so beautiful to me..." she sang out with all the emotion she could muster. I couldn't help but think that was the theme of the day. We assembled 21 volunteer photographers and photo editors to create portraits of homeless families in Washington, DC. More than that, we wanted to share Desiree's message. You are beautiful and special to us. You don't have to take my word for it. I share interviews with our volunteers and the Edgewood Brookland Family Support Collaborative staff. Listen to the podcast.

Have you ever tried to make sense of the Auto Focus alphabet soup on the back of your camera? You aren’t alone. This frustrates so many DSLR shooters, yet it is something we need to master. Very often, the right setting here is the difference between getting blurry images and sharp images.  Listen to the recording.

It's time to talk gear again. Where were some of the most interesting industry announcements in the past month or two? Let's talk about the new gear and technology and what we think about them. Listen to the podcast

You'd think that storytelling is natural and obvious skill. We all grow up listening to stories and even falling asleep to them. You might have even been wrapped up in the dramatic stories of the big screen. Storytelling with your camera can be just as engaging and can be an effective way to create images with impact. Not all great photographs need to tell a story, but the ones that do tell a story often stand out. Listen to the podcast

So you decided to create your photography blog, but something still isn't right. Maybe you only hear crickets when you post. Maybe you aren't getting the feedback you'd hoped from your visitors. You're not sure exactly what is going wrong, but something needs to change. Here are 13 common mistakes photographers make when starting blogs. Let's see where we all measure up with our efforts. Listen to the podcast.

I was catching up with an old friend in a crowded coffee shop in Washington, DC, when she asked a question many of us wonder privately but don't say out loud. "Why do you think one person will get so many likes and great comments on a photo when another person with photos just as good gets nothing? How do some people get so popular and others don't? "Seriously? I don't get it." I know it can seem arbitrary, but often it can come down to your personal branding choices.  Listen to the podcast

By her own admission, Emily Carter Mitchell was just a girl with a camera who loved to go shoot. "I got my new DSLR about six years ago, and I was trying to find out what was going to be my passion," she said. "It took a couple years to start down the road I'm on now, which is nature and wildlife photography." Emily's journey of self-discovery took her down the path of creating a photography blog, Bella Remy Photography. "Short of putting my photos on my computer or maybe on Facebook, I wanted to have a platform where I could share your experiences. That's where the idea of starting a blog came from. It gave me a creative way to share my work when I'm out exploring." Along the way, Emily's blog has opened many doors — to get published, create a Meetup, and lead workshops. Oh yeah, it helped her find who she was as an artist. Listen to the podcast

Let's start with the end first. When I asked Parish Kohanim what advice he would give to a photographer who aspires to make a real impact, his advice was succinct. "Listen to your own voice... Don't listen to people. They will give you a hundred different opinions that don't speak your voice." That might seem like easy advice to dispense from a photographer with a resume like Parish has — a commercial photographer for more than 30 years and a Canon Explorer of Light, one of only 40 people in the world with that designation.   But there were other voices — a famous fashion designer who told him to give up photography because he had no future in it. And his first college instructors who never liked anything he created.  That kind of feedback could give even the most confident photographers second thoughts. You know how the story ends. He proved them all wrong, but how did he get there? Now let's take the journey. Listen to the podcast

Like so many photographers, I was introduced to photography in a home where cameras were commonplace. Credit it to nature or nurture, when a child grows up in a home of a photographer, it seems photography comes naturally. For Father's Day weekend, I wanted to tell the stories of photographers and their fathers. In part II, I interview Emily Carter, a nature photographer in our community. Emily's dad was a Latin American anthropologist who used his camera to document the lives of Indians in the Andes Mountains. I share the story of Sheldon Katz, who remembers his early life with his dad. Finally, I interview my three boys to see how the third generation of photographers is faring. Listen to part II.

Like so many photographers, I was introduced to photography in a home where cameras were commonplace. Credit it to nature or nurture, when a child grows up in a home of a photographer, it seems photography comes naturally. For Father's Day weekend, I wanted to tell the stories of photographers and their fathers. My selfish reason, of course, is that I get to interview my dad and share his story. Listen to Part I

“What’d you do today?"   “Excuse me?” I responded.   This wasn’t an innocent or idle question. I’d been fretting to a colleague that I didn’t reach a goal I’d set for myself. Her response was curt and dispassionate.   “What’d you do today? What did you do yesterday?”    She never said anything else but just let me live with my own responses.   If you want to make a difference with your photography, your degree of success is often found in the actions you took today. And yesterday. It’s your level of effort. It’s your hustle.   I was listening to Chase Jarvis interview Levar Burton on the 30 Days of Genius series when Levar dropped this truth bomb.   You have to not only be the artist and creator, you have to be the promoter, too. The distributor. The chief bottle washer. You have to sweep up. You have to hustle. You have to hustle. And I believe one’s hustle is a sign of the degree to which one is really passionate about getting it done. So where is your hustle game?   Let’s unpack that quote because in it Levar Burton gave us the opportunity, the prescription, and the challenge.   Listen to the episode

Karen said she needed to call me with some exciting news, but what she told me broke my heart. She had an exciting opportunity — a request from a national TV publication to use her photo — and she planned to give her photo away. Karen decided that her photo wasn't worth any money because of her lack of experience and because she shot it with an entry level camera. I know the feeling because I have thought that myself. This photo can't be worth much because I didn't really work that hard to get it. I don't deserve payment. Fill in your own reasons. If you have ever nursed one of these seeming innocent untruths, I have three messages for you. Listen to the podcast.

When Mike Bowen ran through Constitution Gardens and down to Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, he completed his goal of running 58,282 miles — one mile for each name on the wall. And that is where I will begin my personal photography project, Warriors at the Wall. In today’s episode, I practice what I preach. We will talk about how you can create a personal photo project, but it won't be just theory. I will use the framework to create on a photo project for myself. Create your photo project, too. Let's build them together.

I dreamed I bumped into a younger version of myself. It was me from college, the guy taking his first photography class. I saw the younger me in the French Quarter working on a photo assignment, so I stopped to say hello. I wanted to tell him to stick with that photography thing. It works out in the end. You'll end up teaching right here. But before I could say that, younger me asked a question. "Based on what you know now, what helpful advice can you share?" Good question. Here's what I told younger me. Come to think of it, this advice is just as useful for me, the old guy, too. Listen to the podcast

As a bonus, I am also sharing a selection of an interview with gallery owner Cory Woods. I interviewed Cory several years ago during a photography webinar. Many of his insights back then are valuable in this context.  Listen to the bonus interview

It took almost a year for Bridget Murray Law to finally agree that it was time to hang her photos. It's not like she shouldn't have known. Bridget is an accomplished Washington, DC  street photographer who loves to document the transformation in many of the local neighborhoods. She has even attracted an Instagram following of more than 5,000 fans. But she didn't think she was ready. "As a photographer, you’re always going after the perfect shot. A lot of times I don’t think of my photos as a collection. I’m always going after the next perfect shot." Her fiancee, Gary Nabors, knew better. He said, "why don’t you look at what you have already done?" After a year of pushing Bridget to do a show, she relented. Listen to the podcast.

Some people might go to their local bookstore to find books. Others might go to read magazines or sip coffee. Steve Rosenbach went to his local bookstore to hang a photography show. But he didn't stop there. He hung shows at a local library, a city hall, and a camera club. In fact, after more than six photography shows, he has learned a few tricks. In our interview, he shares what works and doesn't and how you might hang a photography show in one of your neighborhood businesses. Listen to the podcast.

I have a big ole hug for thehanterman1. He says my video put him to sleep. I also have a big ole hug for snapjockey. He said my video sound was "crap".  You ought to save some hugs for your haters, too.  I just read the book "Hug Your Haters," by Jay Baer. With his subtitle, "how to embrace your complaints and keep your customers," Jay is clearly speaking to business owners and marketing professionals.  But I wondered, doesn't this message apply to photographers as well?  Listen to the podcast

Part of my ritual when I return from my weekend workshop is to do an After Action Report. It’s an old habit from my Army days where you document what you learned after each exercise, and more importantly, what you can improve.   After my most recent trip, I also thought about some random photography principles as part of my lessons re-learned.   Here are five lessons that occurred to me in New Orleans that will work for you anywhere you travel. You can even use them in your home city.   Listen to the podcast

What's it like to pack up all your photography gear and drive across the country photographing anything that looks good? That's what Mike Lennett hopes to find out. He recently embarked on a two-month bucket list photo trip. He was one day into his excursion when he stopped to chat about his expectations. Listen to the podcast

In a rooftop graveyard overlooking Flemington, NJ, Matt Hill created a ghost with his camera — and was hooked on night photography. Listen to the podcast