news news

It’s been a while since I did a news news posting so time to catch up with everyone on a few things.

• Two more days until I leave for Japan–sugoi! It has been 15 years since I was last in Japan so it will be interesting to see how much it has changed. Of course the biggest difference will be that I will be making images with more intent and a digital camera. This is the first time I am traveling overseas with all my camera gear and for the last two weeks my brother-in-law and I have been debating what to take. Since we both shoot with Nikon, it should be easy to decide but it isn’t. At the end of the day I think I will stick with my combination of lens (18-55mm and 55-200mm plus our new wide angle Sigma 10-20mm and my macro lens). The main reason is that all my filters fit my lenses and I would need to buy new filters if I were to use my brother-in-laws 18-200mm. Sure I could purchase filters while I am in Japan–it is the home of Nikon after all–but with today’s exchange rate, it isn’t worth it.

• I am eagerly awaiting David duChemin’s new book Within the Frame. The soft launch was last week when they tempted us with a few pages from the book. With the foreword by Joe McNally and the afterward by Vincent Versace, the book has pedigree and it promises to be a classic so be sure to pre-order your copy from Amazon or Chapters. If you are like me, you’ll probably want a signed copy. David has answered that call and is offering his book with three 6×9 prints for the cover price plus shipping and handling. I think it’s a great deal but it may not be for everyone.

• Lately I’ve been spending time on Twitter making new friends and hopefully some fans. This Web 2.0 viral marketing stuff has been part of a whole new learning curve for me and one that I hadn’t even contemplated when I first took up photography. If, like me, you are a new photographer, you need to pay attention to your web presence. What started out as a blog to keep my family and friends updated on my journey to become a photographer is slowly evolving into a potential business presence. Carefully crafting your space not only as a photographer but on your piece of virtual real estate cannot be underestimated.

• To this same end I joined +10,000 others in Darren Rowse’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog. Each day an email arrives in your Inbox with tips and practical exercises to improve your blog. I plan on waiting until the 31 days are completed before planning any changes to this blog.

That’s all for today folks.