NoBs Digital Dogbowl
The NoBs Digital Dogbowl Newsletter:
Keeping you up to date and informed on the latest, coolest, and outrageous happenings inside the world of NoBS Photo Success.
Loaded with Free photography tips, Photoshop tutorials, photo reviews,
and other totally relevant essentials. Be sure to check out the whole thing!
Hungry for more? Visit our digital photography forum.
December 2009 Digital Dogbowl
2009: A Year Like Any Other?
2009 was a challenging year for many trying to survive the continued worldwide economic downturn. For those who lost their jobs, it became a time to re-evaluate what they would do with their lives. Some continued to look for the same type of work they had always done and others saw it as an opportunity to go for their dream and work at something they love. This was certainly true of some members here at NoBS.
Being forced out of their jobs was the impetus they needed to finally go for it and make their dream of being a full-time photographer a reality. While there are never any guarantees of success, the resources and the support available here at NoBS have made the road a lot less scary. In addition to the online resources, NoBS also puts on an annual three-day seminar, the Inferno, where members are treated to information on everything from marketing, studio design, lighting and posing, to post processing. As usual, members also participate in regional get-togethers to further hone their skills and expand their knowledge base.
Suffice it to say that the burden of succeeding with no safety net is a little less stressful thanks to NoBS and it's supportive members. If you are not yet a member, why are you waiting? It could be just what you need to make that next step to making your dream come true or to making your business more successful than you could have imagined even in a bad economy.
Sleeping Children Around The World: Results of NoBS Efforts
For the past three years, NoBS co-founder James Hodgins has spearheaded efforts to raise money for the nonprofit organization Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) to purchase bedkits for needy children in third world countries.
As many of us are well aware, donations have not been what they used to be thanks to the recession in most parts of the world, but NoBS members were still able to band together to donate over 140 bedkits this past year (total donation of over $5000). Thanks to all who contributed; your donation means another needy child will have a bed to sleep on tonight.
2010 Upcoming Events
If you've been reading the forum lately, you may have heard that Rob and James have decided to add a second Inferno in Chicago. The dates are April 19-21, 2010. Everything is pretty much in the planning stages at this point, but Rob has some awesome speakers lined up for this event. This is the tentative link for details. It is not complete yet, but keep checking back as plans are finalized: Inferno Workshops Best of all, Sandy Puc will be giving a workshop on the 21st and Rob hopes to tie in the last day of Inferno with Sandy's presentation. This is one Inferno you won't want to miss!
Also on the agenda for Rob and James is the NoBS Photo Success Cross Canada Road Show. They'll share how they achieved their success and what you need to do to take your photography to another level. To see the dates, locations, and details, go to this link.
December Member of the Month: Sarah Murphy
Our last, but certainly not least, NoBS member of the month and photo of the month winner was none other than SarahM (aka Sarah Murphy). Here in her own words, Sarah tells us her story.
"I am one of the luckiest people in the world! I have my DREAM job of being a full-time photographer. I've always had the dream of becoming an entrepreneur but never knew what I wanted to do.
Photo of the Month
Sandy Puc and Mike Long Team Up!
In what could only be described as a dream collaboration, renowned photographer Sandy Puc, who happens to also be a NoBS member, asked fellow NoBS member Mike Long to photograph her for her 2010 and 2011 tours as well as help create her new Animoto ad which should be appearing in trade publications in January. Mike could hardly contain his excitement when making the announcement on NoBS.
"Hey folks,
I have kept the fact that I'm even on this mission a secret from the board (although I did tease my Facebook friends) but I'm writing this from a hotel room in Denver...
I'm here to shoot the one and only Sandy Puc!! She is going to be featured in an ad campaign for Animoto, and she chose me as her photographer.
Not only was I floored, flattered and massively intimidated, but I grabbed the opportunity with both hands (and my feet too) and here I am..."
To see a couple of the images Mike did and retouched for Sandy in his famous pinup style, go to this NoBS link.
Speaking of dream collaborations, Sandy just recently revealed that her 2011 tour will team her up with wedding photographer extraordinaire Jerry Ghionis. Stay tuned for more details!
NoBS DIY - Eyelighter
NoBS member Riff was inspired to build this after seeing Scott Crosby's and how much sparkle this adds to the eyes. Yeah, he could've spent the $500 on the real one that Larry Peters sells, or spend the $20 and do it himself. Most of the materials you probably already have, and after a quick trip to Lowe's you'll have everything else you need to build this.
Here's the link to the detailed instructions.
What Would You Do? Contracts and Rights
NoBS member Yo Paulie recently shared with the forum an issue he was having with a corporate client over contract wording and rights for usage of the images he was going to be taking at an event they had hired him to cover. You'll want to read this as he got some great advice and info on dealing with corporate attorneys. Here's the NoBS link.
Rob met Canadian photographer John Ratchford at WPPI and after hearing him speak, he knew he had to interview him for NoBS. According to Rob, John created a senior market where none previously existed. He has also managed to succeed in a market with an unemployment rate of 49%. To hear this interview, go to this NoBS link.
Sandy Puc has generously extended a discount to her 2010 Family Tour for NoBS members. To get your discount code, you must access this NoBS link: DISCOUNT .
Here's the last studio tour of 2009. In this video, Brian Coleman gives us a tour of his photography studio in Timmins, Canada.
If you've ever been curious to learn or understand how differently a DSLR processes a RAW file versus a JPEG file, here's a very informative diagram provided by NoBS member Scott_n_Valerie on the forum recently. To see the link, click here. Scott also very generously provided a similar link for Lightroom diagrams.
A hearty NoBS congratulations go out to NoBS moderator Neil Copeland who recently shared some wonderful news. He was recently hired as an Adjunct Instructor at North Georgia Technical College. Neil detailed his journey throughout the years to finally realize his dream of teaching. To read more about Neil's story, click here.
PDN's Estimate Doctor, John Harrington, recently interviewed NoBS member Bill Foster for an article titled, "Improvising from a Vague Brief and Unspecified Budget". In the article, Bill shared a recent experience he had in coming up with an estimate for a commercial client. Because of how he negotiated with the client and because they were pleased with the results of the initial job, Bill managed to turn the job into a steady gig with the client. To read more go here.
Ideally, you'd like to get everything right in the camera when you are shooting, but sometimes things don't go quite right. This includes getting catchlights in the subject's eyes. Here's a tutorial from James which will show you how to add catchlights in post production. Click on this NoBS link.
...from Mike Long and Mama Shan.
Launched at the NoBS Inferno in Nashville last month, Pindora's Box is now available, and feedback so far is an overwhelming 'AWESOME!'
Pindora's Box is filled with tools and training to take your photography and post processing to a much higher level. Although the focus is on pin-up photography and illustration, the tools and training provided can easily be applied to your regular retouching workflow.