The Process is Almost Complete

I promise as soon as the gallery opening is over I will get to writing more marketing info. I've only had that opening on my mind and that is it. I am selling some as just prints, but still using special glass showcase frames to display and sell them in.

I've also learned how to flue a picture to a sturdy foam board to keep it flat in the frame! What irks me though? Dust. I have a dog a cat and two birds. The horses live outside, thank God. My bf has a cat too. Thus, no matter how clean it is it is still dusty. Thus, I can't get all the dust out of my frames. It annoys me to no end.

I am going back to hobby lobby tomorrow to get the last of the stuff I need for the rest of my pictures. I am heading downtown tomorrow to hand out fliers during the new years eve festivities. Tuesday my mom is flying in to help and to visit. I haven't seen her for a year so I am excited. Then I will have to deliver some of the items to Enve and check out how I am going to set things up for Friday.

Friday I am getting my hair done w/ mom at Enve before set up. Kent is in charge of the drinks and food. I got the stuff I need for my phone to take credit and debit cards.

I am going to have price catalogs in English and in Spanish. I'm having the door prize too. People will put there names in a fish bowl and at 7:45 I will draw a name. If that person has left, then I will draw another name.

It will be interesting to see how many people make it. I hope it's a lot. I think it will be fun for everyone. Remember it is from 6pm to 8pm on Jan 7th and it's family friendly :)

New Page Update

I just updated the wording of my main web page. I also tweaked the whole user experience. I hope to do more at some point.

I also just filled out the Florida state tax forms. It is stupid I had to choose yes to hiring employes in the future. It gave me no way to answer no. I don't know what I'll do about that eventually. I am sure it will turn into a red tape nightmare at some point, but I can't sell my art in the state as a pro w/ out that paperwork so I had to put something in for it to process in their online form.

Oh well. Someone just had their head up their butt when they designed that online thing.

Anyway check out the page www.bevinsdigitalwonderland.com to see the changes.

Marketing Vol 2: Why People Buy Art

Now, last time we went over the different groups and subgroups of possible marketing consumers. Now I want to enhance that by answering the question: Why do people buy art? I will use the info I found form various sites including, again, DanHeller.com and others like Sears Studio , Ezine Articles , Art Business , Smart Business Coaching , Art Corner

One reason people purchase art is due to the "environment". Such things like: lighting, type and color of the frames, the group of people around, cleanliness of a place, and so much more. In fact, this plays a very big role in the sale of art. For instance, lets say you have an art show and you have one print set at $1000.00 and the rest in the $200 range. It raises the "perceived
value of the cheaper work to other people. In fact, they may even be willing to buy the cheaper works for even more money, just because they are located near the higher priced work.

That's one great way environment can work in your favor. People also are more likely to buy art if we frame the work similarly and keep the same theme going in placement of the art. If you have a lot of farm pictures and city pictures, keep them in their own groups. Don't put them together. It confuses people. It gives them too much to think about. It makes it harder to decide and harder to find what they want. Make things easier for them or they might just walk out on you. We all know the people who ask a million questions on an item that is self explanatory in line at the store and then they are so confused about the item no matter what they are told about it that they never buy it. Don't let that be you, make it easy, make it simple, and keep things self explanatory.

Always think about your customer and every single question they could ask or anyway they could become confused and FIX IT. Or you'll be dealing w/ a lot more confused customers who never buy a thing.

Also, find out what color schemes your customers like. Paint your store that color so it's more inviting. Find out what music they like to hear and play it in your store. Find out how they dress and dress similarly so they feel connected to you. Obviously don't mimic them to a tee so try to do it in a way that still brings out who you are.

There are many other ways the environment can effect your customers, if in doubt ask them, because people love to talk about themselves. They'll tell you all you need to know.

Now, Dan states that research into wine is similar to the way people will purchase art, because both purchases are made using disposable income. IE, they are not something people need and many people don't really understand either of them.

When people buy wine they tend to purchase 2/3 up from the bottom. Not the most expensive, but not the cheapest. Again that is "perception" of value. People go by price because they have no other way to determine the "value" of the wine. Unless of course they are professional wine taste testers.

The same goes w/ art. Have one piece of large expensive art displayed in the same theme as the other art, but priced high. Don't expect to sell that piece, use it to sell more of the lesser priced pieces. Now, have some items that are very cheap and then have most of your work priced 2/3 higher than the cheapest work. People will most likely buy that art. They will perceive it's value as higher and the quality better and be able to make a comparative analysis of it that will help your pocket book. They key, is to make sure you do this w/ in each theme of your work so they can make that decision within each one separately, making it easier for them, the customer.

Now, lets get to pricing. Here are two problems that Dan Heller lists when it comes to pricing and what he did that worked for him (note: what he did may not work for you or anyone else, it is most important to try ideas on your own whether someone elses or your own, remember test test test and what works stick w/)

The 2 Problems

• low prices attract a lot of tire kickers, who require considerable time for various discussions, yet rarely buy anything (note: Marketing Vol 1 gives some tips on how to spot these people from my own personal experience)
• sales don't make an artist better known or spawn new sales (being better know happens when you enter the public eye in some other way)

Dan Heller raised his 8x10 prints from $25.00 to $200.00 and added a 40x60 w/ huge prices. Sounds like a huge leap right? One would think that he would be kicking himself in the rear by doing that, but the opposite happened to him.

Instead of loosing customers, he gained them. Not only did he gain sales, but the tire kickers went away. That means, that he made more money and wasted less time. Think about all the extra time you'll gain to do real sales and more important things in your business and personal life.

Dan Heller says

• the unsophisticated buyer is more likely to spend $50.00 or less on a print
• those used to fine art don't wince at higher prices, they also don't ask the kinds of questions the others do, because they already understand the art market
• price plays a big role in the customers perception of value (remember this)

Now that we have gone over how can we make sense of it in terms of how the customer views us. Well, cusomters like to see themes. Themes in framing, matting, and the work itself. They prefer frames and mating that are neutral so that it will match their own decor in the home or office. However, do make sure the frames and matting, even if in neutral shades, matches each particular picture. Remember, think about the customer. One might have a bright red wall another a stone white so make sure whatever colors you choose they can work on both customers wall.

For instance, say you have that farm theme. The farm theme has a lot of different scenes and colors in it. Well, how do you frame them? Do you just use the same frame on them all? My suggestion is no. There are lots of neutral colors to choose from. There are also lots of the exact same style of frame and mats in different shades. Why not use the same frame and matting in the best neutral color for the color of the picture? It could be, that you end up w/ several different neautral shades w/ in the same theme. Of course, you can also stick w/ just black frames and an off white mat. Either way can work, just test test test and and ask what your customers like best and go from there.

When framing it is also to keep in touch w/ the trends. Some years people like no matting. Others a mat so big that picture looks like it is in an ocean of it. If in doubt, again, ask your customers. It's simple, easy, and they will always steer you in the right direction if you want to make the most bang for your buck, time, and energy.

Customers also want to have feeling for the art. They want to relate to it. How can we get them to relate to it? Well, first we have to talk to them. We have to go up, say hello and then talk to them a bit about something other than the work itself. Ask them non yes or no questions. Get a feel of who they are first, while at the same time, developing a plan of approach in your head.

Say the customer is looking at your farm themed prints. You ask them if they grew up on a farm. They say no, but their grandparents did and the photos remind them of the old photos of their grandparents farm. A "bing" should go off in your head. Develope the conversation and relate your work to that memory. Tell them a little about your experience during the shoot. How it made you feel, but still let the customer do most of the talking. Don't get too detailed, because you don't want the customer to start relating it to your own personal experience so only give them enough info to get the gist of your love of farms too.

There you have done two things. One, you have related the farm to their memory. Two, you have bonded w/ the customer on a personal level because of a shared memory or experience. Now, when doing this, do not be fake. Don't just say things to make a sale. Say them because they are truthful. Customers can sense sincerity.

Now the customer says she really likes one particular photo, but it is a bit expensive for them. Now, here is where you make a real friend, connection, and permanent customer who will spread your name by word of mouth. Offer them a discount or offer to throw something in for free. Yes, you read that right. It's called meeting an objection. You've fixed the problem and now the customer will walk out w/ the picture smiling because she will know that you heard her and cared about her and she will tell her friends how nice you were and she will remember to come to you next time she wants a photo.

I own another business called AboveParr Equestrian. My clients are my friends. As in real friends. If I don't think I will get on w/ one then I send them elsewhere, because I want to be able to get along w/ my riding students. There is huge trust involved w/ riding a horse. That person has to be able to trust you w/ their lives. To have that trust you have to be more than a trainer and instructor. you have to care about them as people. you have to get alone w/ them well enough that they will do exactly what you tell them on that horse or else somebody could literally die, which is why if I feel I can't develop a relationship w/ the person I let them go, because I will never be able to get the kind of trust I need to keep them safe.

I know it sounds hard, but it's my philosophy and it is why I have so many safety awards. That's why I suggest you make friends w/ your customers. Genuinely care about each one of them as human beings. Don't just look at them as a way to make money. I've seen many people who do that in their businesses unfortunately and when I see it I leave and I never go back. More people do that than you'd think so keep the genuineness in mind.

Remember it costs 6 times more money to get a new customer than it does to keep one. It will pay to make them your friends. Believe me.

Customers also like guaranties and to be able to return prints if they don't like they expected them to look when they get them home. When I saw the answers to questions from a survey done by overstockart.com those two things came up over and over again. Offer a guarantee. It could be anything so I wont tell you what you should guarantee.

However, I will recommend a good return policy should be a must. Even if they are online orders. Once one of my customers prints had a blip in it. I had ordered it for them and caught it before I gave it to the customer. I spoke to the customer and explained that their print had a blip in it, but that I contacted Smugmug, my printer for that print, and they were sending me a knew one for free and they didn't require me to send the bad print back so they could have the problem photo if they wanted, but that I would be getting their corrected print soon and I did. I had it in three days.

That good return policy was helped by having a great print service backing me. The print service offers everyone a great policy on bad prints. If someone orders form the site and the print is bad, Smugmug not me would be the one they would contact if the print was bad.

They could contact me too and then I would contact Smugmug and sort it out for the customer myself. The point is. If you sell online and it is through a print company, make sure they offer a good service for dealing w/ mis-printed prints. IE, a good return policy.

Another thing that came up time and time again from the overstockart.com survey was why people decided to buy online. There reasons were: time, selection, price, quality, ease of use, ability to pick their frames and see how their chosen art would look in them, and the above listed reasons. That's a lot of good info since more and more art is bought online.

It is in fact a fast growing segment in the photo industry. The results show that when picking a site, if frames are offered, that they allow the customer to see how their prints will look in them before they purchase. Pick a site that's base and or yearly price is as small as possible for the best quality. If possible get sample prints to check the quality, types of paper, and make sure your monitor is calibrated right. WHCC sends out 5 free 8x10's to check all of that and a small pack of all their papers w/ test prints on them so when you order you will know which paper will match your or your customers print the best. Smugmug doesn't do that, but I still use them for my online side of my business.

Also, make sure the site is easy to use. The less a person has to click to get from place to place the better, because it saves time. Also, pick a site that lets you put your art in themes and sub-themes. That helps them value the prints and find what they want faster.

Well, that about covers this volume. I know it's long, but it was all important and I know it will help you understand your own market better. I haven't decided what Vol 3 will be yet, but you can bet it will be just as informative as this one was. I hope you all remember to test test test and ask your customers questions. Until next time, happy sales :)

Marketing Vol 1: Who is the Buyer and Why They Buy

Ok, so I picked what I would start w/ for the first informative marketing post. I will begin w/ who our target audience is in a broad term.

The Audience

From DanHeller.com we find four basic groups: Collectors, Aficionados, Consumers, and the Spontaneous Buyer.

Who are in these groups and what draws them to purchase a peace of art? Well, here is what I found at Dan's site and a few other sites I forgot to write the name down of.

Art Collector

• collect well known works
• purchase for investment reasons
• extremely well informed on art
• may purchase for intrinsic beauty and other qualities
• hope to eventually make a profit from the work
• money is rarely an object
  

This group sticks w/ well known artists and photographers, because these tend to bring the highest investment over a period of time. They are generally not interested in the new or emerging artist. My personal opinion is to not market to this group. At least until you are more established and your works are bringing in big bucks or become very recognizable or if you do as an artist. Otherwise, again in my opinion, it would be a waste of marketing money that could be better spent on more financially productive target marketing.

Art Aficionados

This is a group according to Dan Heller that subsets of three sub-groups. As a whole group they tend to buy art for arts sake and resale value of the art is secondary to why they purchase it.

1. High End Aficionados

• know the art world well
• do not collect or invest due to limited funds (I will throw in that I think this may or may not be the case since I have met many people w/ funds and limited knowledge on art, let alone other things, no offense meant, but you can also find people w/ less money who really know their artists)
• provide and opportunity for the accomplished, yet still relatively unknown artist who's works have been well received
  
• To get this group to notice you exhibit at TV or Radio events, high brow events (use your imagination), educational events, elite functions, or even by donating some of your art to charity and fun raisers

2. Pretend Aficionados

• this group doesn't know much at all about art, however they act like they do (so don't embarrass them if they make a misspeak on the subject of art, because that could alienate them from you as a customer. Use tact if you decide to correct them or just let it slide, because really, how important is it to be right all the time? Plus, it is possible you come could come across as a know it all and no one likes one of them whether you are or not)
• they buy from artists that are good, but not yet "experienced"

3. Aficionado Wanna-be

• ambitious about art
• they are still learning about it
• tend to be overly cautious when picking out the art they want and often take a long time to decide what to get and end up taking a lot of time from the artist during a possible sale, be patient w/ them as hard as it can be, but be wary of not wasting to much time w/ them, because you could be missing out on real sales while this person is taking forever to decide to buy from you
• their tastes are inconstant and undeveloped
• they aren't worried about the price of the art, however tend to spend less expensive work
  
• accessible to emerging artists
• you can find these consumers at: fairs, street markets, and other places that exhibit art

So... in my opinion this would be a great group to target your market to if your starting out or have yet to really make a name for yourself. They are ready to buy and interested in what's out there and learning about it.

Consumers

• have NO appreciable knowledge of art, and the tend not to want any
• this group prefers to buy their art as: postcards, calenders, posters, photo books, trinkets, and from tourist shops
• tend to spend $50.00 or less on art
• though they don't buy high priced items they tend to buy in volume
• they require a large quantity of art to choose from
• It is suggested that the best way to sell art to them is through distributors of retail or stock photography (unless you want to do your own distributing of products you put your art on)find them at: art fairs, art venues, and competitions looking at who has recognition value

I think this is an ok market to target to, but only if you have other ways to sell your art, besides prints. However, some of these people may need to decorate and choose to purchase prints at some point so always keep that in mind.

Spontaneous Buyer

• buy on vacation
• buy because they need something
• they are unpredictable and unreliable in terms of their purchases and whether they make purchases or not.
• they can account for appreciable sales
• OFTEN buy from unknown artists
  
• do NOT push them outside their comfort zone, let them look, let them decide when they are ready to buy

You must learn to recognize this group of consumers, because they can be time wasters. Plus, they tend to not want you to sell to them. They may want to buy, but they don't want pressure used. In my own experience, these people tend to tell you how much they love your work and can't believe how you can even do something like create art, but will not buy anything at all. They tend to be more into the social aspect of it. As in, just talking to someone for conversation rather than because they are interested in making a purchase. I've seen this type a lot. In my opinion, I wouldn't set them as a target market, but I wouldn't discount their importance to possible sales either. Just don't get sucked in to the conversation when you could be making real money w/ interested customers.

Marketing

I have been looking for info on the marketing of photography. Statistics and so on. I can't find anything, besides on Dan Hellers page (see the links to visit his site). Everything else seems to be stuff I have to buy. Up to $800 for basic info.

Now when I looked for horse info for the horse industry I found it free all over the place. I didn't understand this. I still don't understand it.

That's why I have decided to start sharing any info I find. Whether it's how to market in general terms or for the photo industry and I am going to supply all that info on this blog for as long as I have this blog.

I will list, also, things that work out for me. Things I have found on my own w/ my own marketing. Or things I have found from other sites, books, and so on. I will also include brainstorming type ideas.

I don't think this is info we should all have to pay for and I think there should be a place, a central place for us to be able to go and find a whole lot of info.

Now, I would LOVE it if others would share their findings too. After all, the more info we have, the better we can more options. Keep in mind one marketing trend or advice may not work for someone else. However, at least we have something to test and try and hopefully at some point some statistics and cold hard facts.

Again, I will do this in bits and pieces and as I find and or think of. If I find info I will site it's source too. Anyone who does this, please do the same if it is taken from someone or someplace else. It's just good business and that's what we are about. Now, in the next few days I am going to decide what my first post will contain. Look for it over the next 7 days.

Kewl Unexpectedness

Well, the other day I found out that the picture above had been chosen to be use on the front page of Redbubble. http://www.redbubble.com/people/aboveparr/art/5617408-1-meg-sitcking-her-tongue-out-for-the-camera#comment-37157391.

The most amazing part is that only 3 of 1000 works are picked for that honor. Not only did I get that news, but I learned it was featured in two Redbubble groups as well: "Show us Your Pets" and "You Big Softy". If you would like to purchase this print you can do so on Redbubble or for an even wider selection of print types from http://bevinsdigitalwonerland.smugmug.com/Animals/Horses-at-Leisure/13069955_rfHo9#947413299_6sf4d.

I never, ever, ever, ever in a million years ever thought I would be featured on the front page. In fact, I never even considered it. As in, it never even occurred to me.

However, the fact that it was really made me feel like I wasn't a wanna be photographer, but that I actually had talent and could do it. It's like, when you do something... and people tell you you're good and should go pro and inside you're like, " I don't know, they are just being nice." It's so hard to be subjective of ones work I think. No matter what it is so this honor kind of really made me feel like... possibly I have what it takes, in skill anyway. As for marketing... that remains to be seen, lol.

Life and the things we do in life and the other things that just seem to happen to us take a lot more than just skill. Most of it seems to take luck, because one thing I've learned having skill and working your ass off doesn't always mean things are gunna go your way. Anything and everything can happen along the way for better or worse so I guess, maybe we should just be happy w/ what we do. I mean, we should just do things that make ourselves happy and if that works out for us then that's great, but if it doesn't it doesn't. Obviously put your heart in it and market it, if it is something you want to make money from, but do it for the sake of enjoyment not because you want to be a gazzilionair or famous, you know? And... I think that's just what I am going to do from now on.

In fact, I think we should all do it. Let's all do that and see what happens. In fact, again, put it in a comment on this blog. If there is something you are doing that you love, write about it as a comment and lets follow each other progress together. Let's try to keep it in the perspective of happiness and joy and not get jaded by the money side of it, ever, and let's just see how far that takes us? We can keep tabs and get inspired and share triumphs and failures and help each other work past all of it to maintain the joy, the real reason we are doing it. Come on, let's do it!

Gallery Showing at Enve Hair Salon!

I have my first, only me, showing at Enve hair salon downtown Ocala, FL Jan Friday the 7th, 2011 from 6 to 8pm. Wine and cheese will be served. Am I nervous? Hell yeah I am!

Why did I pick a hair salon? Well, I had gone there for almost a year since my hair stylist got work there. It is thee place to get your hair done if you care anything about hair fashion. It's hard for stylists to get jobs there they are so picky about quality. Plus, they are always busy. I mean BUSY. My stylist was booked for two months straight in fact.

Also, it is in a prime location, being on the square downtown. They already play awesome music. They have two TV's in the windows at the entrance. The inside decor is like no art studio or gallery in the area too.

Plus, it is unexpected. I mean who has heard of a gallery showing in a hair salon before? It will be fun for the staff and customers. I had been looking for the right place for a long time. In fact, I was on my way to another gallery as I passed by and it hit me, ask them, all they can say is no. Well, by the next week I had my proposal ok'd and a signed contract for the show.

Now comes all the hard work. Getting tables and easels on the cheep. I'll need fabrics, plates, glasses, advertising materials, and more. I think it will be fun seeing my ideas come to life.

On another note, more pics are up at http://www.bevinsdigitalwonderland.com so check them out!

New Photo's Up

Check out some of the new pics I have gotten up at: Some new pics up at: http://bevinsdigitalwonerland.smugmug.com/Animals/Horses-at-Leisure/13069955_rfHo9#1050811639_VSnNb

How To Give Great Customer Service

How To Give Great Customer Service

This is interesting I think

Hallmark settles with Hilton over 'that's hot'

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39373425/ns/business-us_business/


This definatly relates to satire and the arts. Check it out.

Sony DSLR A550 Review

Ok, first, let me point out that I love this camera.

However, I do not think it is as ergonomic as my A100 at all. This is disappointing. However, the pictures it takes is superior. They are clearer and sharper. Even w/ cheaper lenses. I wish, though, that it had ISO 100. It only has ISO 200 and up. I think that stinks!

The view screen is so handy and so monuvorable, but it is so delicate that I will say it is an absolute MUST to get a screen protector for it. It also juts out slightly so it is hard to use the eye piece so I also recommend getting an eye piece extension so you're not always ramming your face into your viewfinder screen.

Setting it up is easier than w/ the A100, but I wish it had that extra dial that they did away w/ in all other versions of the camera line. I liked that dial. It made things that little but more understandable and easier to work w/. That is part of the ergonomics I think, which is another reason I think it's bad ergonomically.

I also think they should make it easier to hold in two hands. Perhaps adding a left hand holding area to it. That's been an issue w/ all of the Sony DSLR's though.

I also don't think the body feels as tight as the A100. It is actually a bit lighter. However, the material feels a little cheaper. Still, it has more modern functions I have read than ever the A700 so it is a lot of bang for the buck in terms of features.

I have yet to use and explore all of the features, but if you look on my main site, you can tell which pictures were taken w/ the newer camera, because they are much better so in my opinion it is well worth the money, but saying that. It is well worth keeping the A100, if you have one, on hand for use when you need that ISO100 setting.

Oh, and on a final note, the battery lasts forever. I loved that about the A100 too. They actually take the same battery, but they, made the shape different so that you can't use them interchangeably. Nor can you use the recordable disks that way either. Still, you can use the same charger for the A100 and the A550.

I think the battery life is important to mention, because I had a friend w/ the A230 or something and their battery life was just terrible. So, if you want the best battery life go for the A100 or the A500 or A550 and you wont be let down by that battery!

Oh, and another final note. It does not take video, but I don't care about that. If I want to get video I use an actual video recorder not a camera. Well, maybe my small hand held camera, but not for great outstanding video's, just random stuff. I don't see a need for it in a big camera like a DSLR though. I want that to focus on picture quality and photo features, not video recording, but if you must have video recording capability do not get this camera as it will not do it at all.

Are you a business that would like to have some art on your walls?

Contact me at bevinallison@gmail.com or call me w/ a detailed message at 352-208-2558. If you use 10 pieces or more your business will receive one free 8*10 framed print of your choice out of the photos used to keep for display. On top of that, as long as my art is up in your business all of your employees will be given a 20% discount on any pictures of any size from my main website www.bevinsdigitalwonderland.com and free shipping on it as a way of saying thank you.

Note: This includes only Florida businesses at this time. Also, employee purchased prints will not come framed. Employee orders should come through me not from the site to get the discount. The should mention the name of the business and the secrete code I will provide. I will accept credit and debit cards and checks (that clear before I will place the order) and cash (that must be received before I place the order).

My Work is Now on Display at the Belleview Chamber of Commerce in FL

It went up on September 8th and will be there for 2 months. Later this month a reception will be held there. I will be in attendance as well. All work there is for sale at very reasonable prices and is also already framed. There are 11 pieces that are either 8*10 or 5*7.

I will let you all know the date of the reception as soon as I know. The Newspaper may be there as well, which would be very exciting. However, this is not for sure yet as far as I know.

Gallery Showing

Ok everyone. Get ready for this. I was invited by the Art Club of Bellview to be in a gallery showing for 2 months at the chamber of commerce in Bellview. Twelve pieces of my work will be shown and for sale. I am very excited about this opportunity and am shocked I even have it, only because I expected something like that would take a long time to work into.

Still, I am very happy and excited. The work will go up Sep. 8th. Now I just have to get some work printed and framed. I was so not prepared for this, lol! Oh well, I will get it done.

Why did I put a scratch on my camera the first day?

Yes, WHY!?

I mean, you know when you do something you know isn't right. Like, you know, but you do it anyway for whatever reason. Then it ends up bad. Like w/ a scratch on the live view screen.

I could kick myself.

Anyway, I haven't used it much yet, but I have a little bit. I have been learning about it instead. However, the few pics I did take came out lovely. Very crisp. I do prefer the design of the a100 better by far, but the shots from the a550 surpass the a100 so far. I was miffed that they made it so the battery was a different shape even though it was the same battery. I also wish they kept an option for the bigger memory card use. Not that I mind a smaller card, but I just like the bigger ones. Not as easy to loose in my opinion.

I am glad that the new shaped battery charges in my old battery charger, because it was shipped w/ a UK plug. Obviously, I cannot use that here in Florida, but if I ever go back to the UK I will be all set so it isn't a bad thing that I have it.

To be, the a550 doesn't feel as sturdy as the a100. The live view screen is great, but it is too far out from the eye piece. That is one reason it scratched. I suggest a protector for it. I think they should just come in the box, but they don't. My a100 is in the body, granted it doesn't swivel or show live view, but it is more protected and actually have very few scratches on it after 4 years of use w/ out a camera case.

Anyway, there is my review so far, expect more!

Happy and New Camera Armed, or am going to be...

So the owners, did not take the house deal and wouldn't even negotiate. Ok, I will keep looking, but that doesn't get me down too much. Why?

Because for my birthday both my parents and my bf combined their money and got me the dream camera. Yes, after months of wanting this camera. After drooling over it. After dreaming about it. After speaking about it non stop as my birthday grew closer. I, Bevin Allison, was given the money to order it!

So immediately I set my sights on ebay, the land of deals. I then ordered a brand new body for the Sony DSLR A550! I am waiting for its arrival and chomping at the bit. No, it isn't a supper dupper high end tank of a camera, but it is the one I can have and will do what I need right now and it is a huge upgrade from the DSLR A100, which will be my new back up camera.

In fact, a friend got an A230, I believe, after seeing how good my A100 was. Then I say her pics w/ the same lenses I was using and the pictures where so much crisper and clearer that I just know, that the A550 will do one hell of a good job for me.

I remember when first getting my Sony I was nervous at first. The A100. It was new on the market. Sony hadn't made a DSLR before. It was the first. Then I heard two things that sold me. 1. It was formed out of a partnership w/ Konika and Sony. 2. It had an internal dust blower and I worked in a barn and used cameras a lot in barns and the others did not have that.

Why did the fact that it was Konika technology that impressed me? I worked for a photo place in the UK that used Konika print film. I would buy it for myself too. I found it to be thee best 35 ml film I had ever used for the camera and for print jobs. I am not kidding. When I came back state side and it seem non existant I saw my pictures take a nose dive in quality. Colors where drab, focus was bad... using the same camera, just using Kodak or Fuji film or printing.

I knew, that Konika, and yes I am probably spelling it wrong since I am a bad speller, was what I wanted in my camera. Turned out I made a great choice too. I would be a sales person for this DSLR if I could, I love it that much.

I went for the 550 not the 500 because I wanted the 14mgp. No, it isn't a great difference from 12 for visual quality of most prints, but if you want a larger print it is worth it in my opinion and not for that much a cost difference either. I think Sony's offer far more for their price than other cameras too.

However, I think that is due to the fact that not as many people buy them, because they haven't been making them as long. I think if they had a stronger foot in the door, like Nikon say, they would indeed cost more. Strangely, especially their higher end cameras, their quality of late has been ranked higher than many stronger saled brands. That does not surprise me in the least, as Konika was always a better film, yet not as utilized in this country.

Thus, the lesson here is that, just because someone has been doing something longer or a company has been making something longer. It doesn't mean the product will be better. It just means it has a stronger name brand recognition in the industry. This is true w/ service industries too. It is true in anything.

Anyway, when I get it, I will be taking pictures like it is going out in style to learn about it and get used to it. I will be reviewing it on here as well. Stay tuned, I am sure I will be gushing for quite some time.

Gallery Planning 2

So, I am looking for local Florida music and musicians w/ cd's that I can use for a 3 hour opening the weekend after New Years. My mom, who is kindly doing free research, as she does research for her job anyway, on this and other aspects I need for the business and such. She has found a neat sound straight from the Miami club seen developed w/ in the state itself. It sounds promising, but I have also heard blue grass is big here so I just have to sample different bands and see what sounds like it would suit my exhibit the best. Not to mention get permission to use it.

I may end up w/ a rather ecliptic collection.. I called numerous music stores as well and they either did not call me back or couldn't help. One did give me the number of a local Jazz musician. That's an idea too.

The owner of the place I rent now said I could probably use his home and his wife could cater it. he said she loved doing that. He also said I could live in this place of his forever as far as he was concerned and would hate to see me leave if I go the 3 acre property that we are bidding on now.

The owner also mentioned a place called the Tea Room, but it was just sold so he doesn't know if they'd still be open to s showing like that. he said the Wine Experience would be could, but the owner would charge me as she was a bit stingy like that or something. I've met the owner a couple times and she was a bit off putting, but her cheese and other stuff was great. I would think, though, if an art showing would bring in people to taste wine and then maybe leave w/ purchased wine would be a better way to make money than charging someone for an opening if I provided my own caterers and so on.

My goal though is to show the Florida no one thinks of which is why I want to showcase local band music and traditional Florida music and advertise it in the brochures. And I think using Florida based wine would be perfect too.

So I am sold on using at least gold in my color scheme. But am not sure about the other colors, or whether to switch them up for each section of the themes or to leave them the same.

I have begun to order pieces of my work so I can get them framed gradually rather than getting them all at once. That way, I can really think about my best pieces and have time to take more pics that might be better.

But how to reach the audience I am trying to reach so they show up will be tricky. I am kind of working from the outside of the puzzle to the inside. Starting w/ then end in mind. I am hoping Kent will be here and I can get my mom to fly in to help as well. Maybe enlist some friends too as I have found I will need 5 people total including myself. I will have my laptop handy so I can have orders placed online and so people can see work that isn't included in the Gallery itself.

A lot to accomplish, but I know I can do it. I just have to stay focused, but I am going through this faze of unfocused right now and it is making things really hard. I have also just been invited to attend an art fair type thing in Belview, which I think I will attend, but unsure if I will set up a booth or not. It would be a loss, as usually those make no money these days, but it would garner attention and get my name out and I could let people know about the opening in January.

Awe, well, like I said before 90% of it is the business side and well, for some reason I am being told form many sides I am a great salesmen, which I don't feel like, but I mean it has more to do w/ how others see me and that I have the talent and should go for it. All I am being is myself and I a so glad I finally found a place that people like me as myself and foster and help me spread my gifts, including w/ the horses, rather than always putting me down and making things that much harder. Maybe it is the type of people I am surrounding myself w/ now. Before I didn't really srouound myself w/ the right people in a lot of aspects, but I finally got the courage to go for it and really be picky and just be me and stop trying to hide it and it's worked wonders.

If I had one thing to say to people who keep feeling like they are butting their heads against the wall of life it would be this, "don't give up, be yourself, it may take over 10 years as it did for me, but it will happen. It will trust me. Never give up who you are or what you want to be or where you want to go. You may just need a change of scenery, because sometimes the grass is really better on the other side. And remember too, it maters who you associate w/ and it took me a long time to learn that. Associate yourself w/ people who have real talent and they will see yours and help you, because they were in your shoes once and they know what it was like and don't like to see it happen to others. They are some of the best inspiration. Don't hide, chin up, do what you do, and start removing the negative from your life if you can."

OMGoodness

Why did I only take the 70-300mm lens to go house shopping? I got hundreds of pictures of either vast landscapes or tiny little spaces, lol! Oh well, live and learn, but I did get a couple great shots. One was a close up of a grasshopper w/ orange legs. Another is a bamboo bush. Working on those edits.

How did it go w/ the house shopping? Well, I am looking at another for comparison today and still on the look out for others, but I spotted a 3 acres 5 fenced pastured w/ 3 stalls and an air conditioned w/ toilet outbuilding place. It's a long shot, but it is my top choice and a serious contender for the thrown.

The best part was spending great fun w/ my Realtor in her car (I was told to go to her by my trainer Karen last winter). She drives a Jaguar w/ air conditioned seats, which is much appreciated on a 96 degree day when the seats are leather and suck heat from the sun into them. You know the kind that burn your butt in the summer time? Who knew there was such a thing? She is so fun to spend time w/ and I know she hated me at first, because I got lost and was late on our first meeting, but I know she likes me now. I am glad I was able to redeem myself. Not sure how I did that though. I guess just by being myself. What is cooler is she wants me to do her Christmas card photos. I am so looking forward to that.

Anyway, I could see that location as a great place to run my photography business base too. W/ all the natural light and open spaces all around. However, there was another place w/ a conservatory. It reminded me of the ones in the UK. A conservatory is a place like a porch, but surrounded by glass instead so you can have it heated or air conditioned, but still go "outside". You can also open the glass up so you can let air in once the temp outside is perfect. I thought that would be perfect as a studio as well due to all the natural light, yet w/ protection from the elements and giant Florida bugs.

I also learned that the kind of spiders in my previous pics are Banana spiders and they get huge. I mean like the size of your head huge. I guess they bite, but are not poisonous. More like a giant colorful garden spider. At least those giant bugs are protecting me on either side of my cottage from other more dangerous giant bugs right? Plus, they are just stunning to look at and so colorful. As they get larger I will get more pics. it will be interesting to see how they mature.

Spider Shots

http://bevinsdigitalwonerland.smugmug.com/Florida/Wildlife/11994286_wuj8d#949954427_g36o2

I just got the most awesome spider shots. You can find them at the link above. I am currently perfecting on of the shots stills so it may not be up tell tomorrow, or Wed. There spiders have gotten bigger and bigger every week. Just goes to show everything is bigger in Florida. I just hope they don't get as big as my, because the each live at the corner of the cottage I am staying in while looking for a new home to get. I had one lined up, but it was a short sale and well they take up to a year of waiting to get so after 6 months of waiting we decided to start looking for other options. Thus, I go out w/ my Realtor, who I just adore, she is so nice, tomorrow to view 5 places.

The rents have ordered me to get pics of those places so may have some interesting work to put up on architecture too after that. Who knows?

I did get the new tires yesterday, and I love them. They grip better, stop better, and don't make the squeaky sound in the Walgreen's parking lot anymore when I turn, lol. I have to say the Sear customer service was splendid. Totally recommend them for tires in the Ocala area. They even have a huge slat screen TV w/ cable, that WORKS w/ the remote! This is actually quite a rare thing. I met and talked to a really nice guy about what we were watching too. Everyone here is so nice! I cannot get used to it and I just love the slow pace as well.

Not to mention Florida has the most perfect natural light to get great shots. Now I know why professional fashion photographers choose locations in tropical places so often. You can't beat the lighting.

Another neat thing I am going to be dong is scanning in Karen Licciardi's old pics from shows for her, editing them to make them pop and then emailing them to her so she can add them to her facebook to show people what she has done. I am so privileged that she asked me to do that for her. She's very busy so it may be a bit before I get hold of the originals, but that's fine. Again, it's the southern pace and I love it. Even though they are her pics, I am excited to get to further practice my scanning and editing skills.

Plus, I love marketing, and in a way it is like marketing. Helping her market herself to a wider audience. I adore stuff like that and that she trusts me w/ it is just, well, you have no idea how wonderful that makes me feel and what an honor it is, because she really didn't do much marketing of herself before I came around. I mean, other sites add info on her. Like stables she trains from besides her own her her personal clients, but I mean none she's really done on her own as I understand it so it is great to be involved in anyway I can in that.

What is more exciting is she said for me to write up a reference for myself and she would sign it tonight. She brought it up herself. I told her it would be better if she wrote it, but she said she wanted me to, because everything I'd put in it was true and she really wants to do it for me and she is too busy to write one up herself for me. Which she is. I am thinking I will add photography and training and instruction in it, but I will take a couple days to think and talk to her about it more to grasp her thoughts on it as much as I can. I am however, just thrilled at having my first photography refrence and a refrence for a Grand Prix Dressage trainer about training horses and giving lessons. Never in my life have I ever thought anyone of her caliber would be so support of me and what I do. I owe her so much and can't say enough about her.

My journey as a photographer starting out in Florida and restarting my horse business down here is so interesting and so positive. Course like all things, it has it's ups and downs, but way more ups that I have ever had. This state is like a magic kingdom in itself. I've met so many people who moved down here because of that very same feeling about it so I guess I am saying, if things get tough, move to Florida! It is the sunshine state for more than just having so much sun in it. It's also the sunshine state because everyone has such a sunny disposition too.

AAH Miracle

I have new photos up here: http://bevinsdigitalwonerland.smugmug.com/Animals/Horses-at-Leisure/13069955_rfHo9#947413299_6sf4d

They are from Karen Licciardi's barn where I give lessons, get lessons, have my horses, and am currently barn sitting at. I got some of my dog Foxy Lady too, but they are not up yet. I still have so much behind the scenes work to do that I don't have half of what I have up yet.

Things I am up to? I am getting new tires today though! That and getting to go shopping. See due to some recent things, well harassing emails (that smartly on their part have stopped) all because I wanted credit for my pictures (which shows that how far people will go just because you ask for something you deserve), which I have proof of as I am saving them all, my dad felt sorry for me and decided to send me some shopping money knowing, as a woman, I love to shop. Now that I am most excited about.

I am not sure what I will get, but I do know my birthday is on the horizon and I have asked for an Sony DSLR A550, which my dad said I may or may not get. Honestly I don't expect it, but there is always Christmas too. Or maybe I will rent to own it, who knows, but I have my eye on that camera!

Needless to say my favorite camera brand is the Sony DSLR Alpha series. I own the very first one they made the A100, which still does a fantastic job. I have had severa pros walk up to me, literally, and just gush over it, even though they had much more advanced cameras. That poor camera has been dropped, rained on, subject to mass dust influxes from barns (though cleaned professionally once), and then some, but it keeps on ticking. That is why I love those cameras so much.

Do you have a favorite camera? If so what is it and why is it? I'd love to know!

Make Lemonade out of Lemons

Well, wince my last post the photos in question have still not been removed from the business site, despite them telling me they HAD removed them. I had begun searching for lawyers specializing in copyright law when it occurred to me after consulting w/ some people another option.

See, I was once paid to do their website, and 90% of the photos I put up were mine that I took voluntarily at the time, because the stable had no real pictures I could use to advertise them on the site. Now, it is three years later and they have a "friend" doing a new site for them using my photos so in essence I can call them clients.

In fact, I can note, now they have been photography clients, mostly during my amateur years, for 3 years now exactly in total. Thus, turning lemons into lemonade. Not only does this save me time and money, but it gives me something to advertise. Even if the don't link to me or credit me, I can link to them, or the exact page my photos are on, and credit them for being clients and then if they stop using them, past clients that where with me for a very long period of time indeed.

Of course that all looks great on a beginner pro photographer resume. In fact, this is great news! I immediately let the business know about my plane in letting them use the photos, but that they would then be clients of mine and that I looked forward to being able to credit them as such. I have heard nothing back from them so can only assume they are now ignoring me, but it doesn't matter, because they are still using my work and I am sure they'd rather have this option than to have a lawsuit I would most likely win since I keep meticulous records and do have the email stating they were down "I understand your concern with the photos. They are no longer on the website so no need to worry or be concerned about them being downloaded. Congrats on your photography business." (which wasn't the only reason I gave them for wanting them down or to be credited)

Thus, now I am happy to announce my client of the past three years Dittmer Stables. You may see the work I have done for them here "http://www.dittmerstables.com/facilities-boarding.html" and the picture of the two horses were my horses at the time I took them. They were and still are very happy with the work I did for them, because they are still using my pictures to this day, at least as of writing this. If I ever notice they are down they will turn to past clients and I will notify everyone via this page.

Please note: I have no problems with people using my images for business use. My concern was not about that at all. It was about their right to use them ending once they had the new page up, but they used them anyway w/ out informing me or giving me credit or taking them down after they litterally said they took them down. If you are interested in using any of my photos for business or personal use or whatever, please just contact me so we can discus the terms and how you'd like to use them and how you'd like them delivered to you.

Lesson Learned

Several years ago there was a stable that I made a webpage for when I began boarding with them. I wont say which one. I voluntarily took barn pics and show pics for them and had them, of course, on the page. I only had a written agreement saying that I would be given $50 of board a month for maintaining the page and they could use the pics I got on it as long as I was boarding and that if I left, they could use the pictures still and I would turn the page over to them and help in that process.

I'd been making pages since 1996 so I was quite adept at it, though by know means as good as many out there. I do have an eye for things though so it looked very nice and so did all the shots I did for them. I never gave them the photos and I took them voluntarily and boy did I take a ton of them.

About a year later several things, like the owner being jealous that I fixed a horse she couldn't, and her going behind my back and steeling those clients away from me after she was the one who wanted me to work w/ them because she didn't think the horse was any good, which it was, turned the whole barn sour towards me for some reason. I will never know why, because I trained that horse and student only for the use of the horse as a leson horse, which I did once, and to show, which I did maybe 3 or 4 times that summer.

The barn did things like not feed my horses enough to keep them from getting so think they could barely walk. Not tell me they were dead lame, but still put them out. Refused to even speak to me when I came to ride and so on and so forth. Yet, I still worked on the page, the owner was more and more unhappy w/ all the time so I stopped taking pictures, because also the board went up more frequently than I had ever seen in 10 years of being at barns and which made my $50 mean less and less.

Finally, the previous spring of 2009, I decided to save up and move to Florida after I visit I had. Well, somehow the stable was keeping tabs on me and found out and told no one to tell me. In that time between then and when I put my official notice in things got worse and worse for me there. I even had things go "missing".

When I left, I deleted several pictures from the site, but left the main ones, only because they were part of a photobucket account I had had and I wanted to let go of the past. I wanted to wash my hair of all of Iowa by this point. I helped the owner as I said I would transfer the page to her and allowed her the use of my photos, not transferring ownership of them though.

A year has gone by and I reminded her the domain name was about to expire and wanted to make sure that it went through her account ok or if she needed help as I didn't want it going through mine, but I also emailed her because she was using my pics on a newly built site w/ no credit to me and she was using my tow horses that I had owned while there in close up pictures advertising her site, which, I did not want as I did not want my property to advertise anything of theirs. I didn't mind if they used my other photos and I never said a thing about the pics of my horses, because I figured no one would remember them much and they have new homes so I no longer own them.

I did tell the owner though that my images where still owned by me and she needed to credit me and link to my email if she wanted to keep using them as they are mine and very good pictures as well. Plus, I am starting a business in photography so I need people to know its my work.

She responded telling me her boarder Sharie's horse was in some of my advertisements under horses that I have trained, which I did for basically nothing for 9 months and they verbally agreed I could use those pics before things went sour. She said they were selling Joe and that I needed to credit Sharie if I used them, which I mean was ridiculous and Sharie needed to contact me about it not the barn owner, but at this point I don't want people to really know I worked w/ him, because he was beaten by the rider, literally, several witnessed those events, and ruined him. That is my name on the line and I don't want to be associated w/ bad training. Secondly I was using them as a physical proof of work that I had done in the past. Anyway, I deleted the photos just because it wasn't worth dealing w/ them anymore and the training issue.

The owner then said she had taken my photos off the site. I checked, refreshed, checked again, opened a new browser, checked again, no, they were not off. I was very displeased and told her I hoped she wasn't lying as this was all in writing. I didn't tell her I was going to look into a copyright lawyer to ask him about all of this.

She emailed saying it was a misunderstanding and she would get the person to make sure they were off. I will check again next weekend to see, but by accepting that she would take them down, I now had in writing that she accepted the terms that she couldn't use them w/ out crediting me which I had not had anything that said before.

I didn't ever say she had to remove them, just credit me or remove them. She choose to say she would remove them. My lesson here is this, and everyone please follow closely on this...

Get everything in writing as close to the beginning as you can to any work you do. Spell it out, what the rights to the images are in regards to use. I didn't know my rights or what to do at the time I did all that work, because I just did it cause I loved it. Now I am in busines so I have to learn about copyrights and so on and that's when I realized the huge mistake I had made and now it is haunting me.

This is important for non pros too. Simply because you never know what the future holds for you. Nor do you know if a relationship will turn sour. Everything can be great and all the sudden, boom, it isn't anymore. Always think of yourself and your time. As this has also cost me time, which is money, because I could have spent my time doing anything other than this.

I always thought she would credit me, because she used to tell me I should always credit myself, because my work was good and I spent a lot of time on it. She even said I should advertise myself on her site and mine more. Just shows how south it went, but it also shows that people don't always mean what they say, but just say what you want to here so you think more of them than you should. Not that you should not trust anyone, but you have to look at the bigger picture. You can only 100% trust yourself in business, because it is about money more than love for many people, even if it is not personal so take heed of my experience. Protect yourself as much as you can and make people and businesses earn your trust after a long relationship together. Never just give it to them. If they aren't as skeptical as you or careful at the start then they are probably just telling you what you want to here and don't mean a thing of what they say. Remember the honey moon period. It applies in all aspects of life. Trust yourself, be yourself, and protect yourself.

Discovering the Consumers of Photography

I recently asked a friend several questions. Such as, but not limited to: if she were in a place that sold photographic art and bought a piece, what type of atmosphere was it in that made her buy it, the lighting, the music, the customer service and how much she got and what turned her on and off about it and so on. What I got was a surprising answer.

My friend said she didn't own one piece of photographic art that someone else had taken. She said, she never shopped for pictures, though the things she liked were things that drew her into the piece. That made her feel part of the piece, not looking from the outside in.

This was interesting, because she enjoys taking photographs herself. Which, leads one to assume she likes art and would have purchased one piece from someone else. However, this was not the case. I did not follow up and ask her why she did not purchase others work, but it lead me to wonder a little about the aspect of vanity of ones own "talents" in creating what they need. Also, the aspect that a person could feel they were more a part of their own work, whether any good or not, than to someone else's.

Then, there is another question that comes to mind. Two actually. How does one overcome the hurdle of vanity to create a need? Also, how can we make photographic art that makes people feel part of the image? I think to do the latter one would have to put feeling into the picture. Some kind of emotional element. Still how can we do this and not alienate the feelings others might want to experience in the work?

How, also, do we overcome such a strong sense of vanity and turn it into need? Vanity is huge and a very strong feeling. In fact it makes the buyer even more picky, but at the same time, in my opinion, makes the buyer even less knowledgeable about actual art and what art actually is and whether they are in fact looking at it or just another non artistic piece.

Then you have two problems, a very picky buyer, but also a buyer who doesn't know what art is. Then you add that they want to be part of the image feeling wise. Thus, you add the element that feelings to the work are more important than whether the work is any good or not.

I am interested in trying to find ways and ideas to bridge this gap and create a more sell able item, but to not sacrifice quality of the image. How can this be done? Obviously, a person like that would not be able to tell me, because of the limitations in their own perspective. Also, the sales technique would have to be subtle. If my friend ever reads this, I hope they don't become offended. I am merely writing from my perception and trying to device marketing strategies.

Of course, maybe this is not a person I should market too, but she would be a "consumer". As in part of the "consumer" base that IS part of my marketing plan so maybe... I should narrow down the consumers type as well. Please note that consumers are different than art aficionados or art buyers. I learned that thanks to Dan Heller.

Anyway... this is part of the place I am at now. Trying to find a marketing stratigy. One thing I did do was to give my cards to the beautician of mine at the premier beauty shop in Ocala w/ the instructions to hand one to each customer as my webpage is on the back of each. She runs into way more people than I do and a higher class of people "financially" who are interested in fashion and art through her own business location and talents. She also is letting me do headshots of her clients in test shots to produce added genera to what I can do and a portfolio for her to showcase to her clients. Also, I would be able to net work and meet people.

I have also decided to run my business as a hobby while I build its foundation very slowly, have a gallery opening based on FL in the fall and open the doors to official business on Jan 1 2011. Now, I have to just fill in how to get to those points by working backwards, and sometimes forwards... depends on when ideas pop into my head and for which time period.

Anyway, part of this blog is to share my journey and to help others in theirs, which is why I am listing my ideas and plans here.

Wow, I never expected this, but it mademy night!

Dan Heller, actually had looked at my work unbeknown to me. I never asked him to, but I forgot I had my sites on my sig. HAHA, oh well. Well, I didn't know why he said I was talented so I asked him why. Well, he said he'd been to my pages and seen my work, and that is why he said it.

This person of wonderful standing and credit in the photog industry thinks I am talented! OH MY GOD! I never, ever would have ever suspected that. I wasn't looking for that, but it happened and I really needed it. I never asked him to check it out, because I wasn't looking for a door in or for anything like it. I just wanted answers to some questions, which he was so kind and polite about answering for me in depth.

If you read this Dan, thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me. Honestly. You here it from people. I do. I hear how good I am, but they aren't people who really know photography so I can't really judge my talent totally by that. However, I can judge it by what you said or others like you say a bit more, since you and they are more likely to know a good creative shot and I also know you wouldn't say anything to anyone that you didn't believe was true and sometimes friends say things you do are good not to hurt your feelings, which does someone no good. Wow, I will keep going and I will keep learning and I will see what happens. At least now I know it is worth my time to try rather than a waste of time I could spend on something else. Again, thank you.

Great Info on Photography

I recently found this site: http://www.danheller.com. It is very in depth and large and I am still reading through it and taking notes. I even ordered two of this mans books on the photography industry. I can't wait to get them.

So... what makes Dan Heller so awesome. What makes him different than the other photography people that gives information online. Well, because he doesn't tell you what you want to hear. He tells you how it is and what his experiences were and are. He doesn't want you to follow his advice because he says to. He just wants to give the budding photographer something to think about. He doesn't hold anything back and explains things in a very straight forward, and for me, an easy to understand way.

What is cool about Dan Heller himself is that if you have a question he takes the time to respond. Not just respond, but respond quickly. He is polite and does not make you feel intimidated or stupid. I don't just suggest his site for professionals either. I suggest it for EVERYONE who is interested in photography so check it out. I think you'll be glad you did.

Some new Photos up

Howdy, recently at the show I showed in I got some cool pics of a horse named Jayden. They are under the animals section at www/bevinsdigitalwonderland.com and as all my work there, the prints are for sale. Also, some of the pics are up on Cafee Press as products such as mugs, shirts, and more so click on the link in the links section to get to that site and check them out.

New Banner!

I am very excited to announce a new banner! Actually, it is the first banner for Bevin's Digital Wonderland.

I am also eager to announce what I have decided to make my photography focus. I have decided to focus on art photography. That doesn't mean I wont do advertising work or customer prints for personal use. Absolutely not.

The nice thing about art photography is it can be used in so many ways. It can be used for editorial, advertising, portraits, and more. Plus, it gives me a creative outlet. A way to express myself.

My hope is that one day, my art will be in peoples homes and businesses. I would also love to see it in tourist brochures and websites as well as several other places. In fact, yesterday I ordered two portfolios to provide some examples of the work I have already done so people can see it. My hope is to have a seperate portfolio for each type of work I can do in order to keep it catagorized and to be able to send it out to the correct people and places based on their needs.

I am sure all of that will take some time, but at least I have a goal. Now I am just hoping they print up well and look good. You never know tell you get what you ordered how it will be. The quality and so on. I look forward to finding that out!

What Is My Style?

One person said it was poetic. Another said Naturalist. I did a search on Naturalist and learned it was a very old form of photography. The idea was the photography could never be art and that pictures should be taken in the way that the human eye should take them. For instance, when we look at anything, some of it is in focus, and other parts are not. Thus, only the subject should be in focus and the rest blurred, but under no circumstances should the way the picture looks be altered to resemble anything else.

Then I came across Pictorialism. This was a spin off of the Naturalist style. However, this new style was hotly debated, because pictorialists felt that photography was an art. They would manipulate their work as much as they could to give it a painted affect. They believed in fact that the work should resemble paintings of the day.

Now when some said I had a Naturalist type of art, they were referring to how I am great at nature shots. They said I had a very good awareness of my surroundings. This is why I looked up that phrase. I was thinking I would find nature works and see how my work related to that style, but what I found was a whole new artistic history and style base.

Strangely at the same time I found my style. I hadn't known what it was. I was trying to find it and was asking different people what they thought it might be after reviewing my work. However, now I know, because of a freak occurrence. So, what is my style? It is Naturalist and at times Pictorialism depending on how I see the work in my head. I do believe though that photography is art. That is why some people can take great shots and others can't. Some are good artitst with a good eye and others aren't and I am glad that today it is easier for people to find their inner artist than it was even 10 years ago.

Several New Prints Up

The Florida gallery has several new prints up at www.bevinsdigitalwonderland.com.

Not all are up, but several are.

In other news, I have been doing a lots of research in regards to photography this past week. Today I purchased two books from the bookstore on the subject too. Should keep me busy. I will get in depth with those books once I am done reading, which I almost am, my haunted Florida book.

Adventures Abound

I am just starting to edit photo's from my trips to St. Augustine, Cedar Key, and Homosassa Springs. I was excited to even get a photo of a Black Crowned Night Heron in Cedar Key. This is because a lady who had lived there since the 1970's had never seen one there before.

Now I will be very busy indeed getting through this lot and the previous lots of photos. I have to say, I was stunned at how warm the Atlantic was as well as the Gulf. Just a month ago, the gulf at least, was still cold.

I have to say my favorite place was St. Augustine. There is so much to do. It will take several trips. It happens to be the first city in North America so there is a lot of heritage behind it. They have several art shops and tourist activities. It was just awesome.

I have put a couple of the photos up already on my smugmug sight under Florida/Wildlife. I'll update this blog as more are added.

Imagekinds Responce to my E-mail about Their Log in Issue

I thought you all might find this interesting.

Dear Bevin,
I'm sorry to hear you still haven't been able to access your account.

You are correct, this is a bug on our end and are working to get it fix as quickly as possible. The suggestions we've offered are just work arounds until we can permanently fix the issue on our end.

Once again our apologies for the inconvenience.



Best Regards,

Tracy M

Imagekind Care

Gallery Planning

I am planning on having a gallery opening for my work done in FL. It's goal will be to, obviously make sales, but also to show people the abundance of nature in Florida. There is so much to Florida that most people don't know about and I want to make it my goal to showcase that.

How will I do that? For starters I am going to as many places as I can. Some are well known, some out of the way, others well we'll see!

I need help though. I need people to help me pick out my best work for this show. I am planing to have it in the Fall so there is a lot of time, which is good because I still have loads of places to go. Also, I need help deciding what kind of frames might look good with the different pieces.

Another thing I am doing is trying to decide where to have it. I am on a beyond tight budget. Any ideas on this would be helpful too.

The gallery opening will consist of: photos of Florida w/ Frames, flower caption cards (each person that comes will receive one free card until I run out), whine, coke, cheese (accepting other ideas so let me know), the ability to place orders on peices already sold or maybe you would like to get w/ out a frame, sales will be made directly to me in check or cash (I think for checks I will wait tell they clear then allow the person to come pick up the work, what do you think?), credit card sales are available, but only for online sales straight from the computer.

Anyone have any other ideas? Please let me know. I've not done this before.

Imagekind Review

Ok, here goes. I opened an Imagekind account 2 days ago. It offered prints w/ great framing a customer could really see. Problem 1. it rain SLOOOOOWWWWW. Problem 2. It refuses to let me log in and I learned this has been an ongoing problem since 2008 at least.

Seriously! It is owned by Cafepress, which has a fast sight that lets you log in so what's the problem? I have no idea. I want to close my Imagekind account now and I can't even log in to do it.

I have emailed customer service a million times and they don't help at all. Delete cookies, delete history, use a different browser, is your browser the newest one, blah blah blah blah. No, this is a bug in YOUR system so that means YOU have to fix it.

My review? Awesome products. Great concept. Still looking for something like it or close to it. Want to stomp on my computer w/ a big boot when I try to use it so I don't recomend anyone bother w/ it for fear that there may end up being a lot of computers in bits and pieces.

Until I find something similar I am happy w/ I suggest you get a print from Smugmug and then buy a frame you like to match from Wal-Mart or Target or anywhere else that sells frames. Also, if you see a print you like, but don't like where the signiture is placed, let me know and I will move it. I place my signitures a bit far into the print in case someone wants to use them as a card and cards get cropped on the sides, which can cut a sig in half or remove it totally. If you let me know, I can reposition it for you into a better location on the print. Tell me before you order though please or else there isn't a lot I can do about it.

I was featured on Redbubble

I have been featured several times on Redbubble already, but I am only going to list the one I just got today so that I don't have to backtrack too much. Currently you may buy a print of it on my Smugmug sight or from my Redbubble site.

Stillness

CafePress?

Since I have just started to try to see if I can sell my work, I keep trying new places to do that. Each one offers so many different things. It makes things tough though. Like, what would the customer like better? What do I like better?

I guess the only way to look at it is this: that it will be kind of like a year of marketing research to see what works best and a way to broaden my market so people can see what I have to offer. It feels like a kid in a candy store. It is nice to have so much to choose from though so that in the end you guys can decide what you like the best since my aim is to make things easier for all of you and give you the kind of things you want. I'll put the new link up soon!

A Blog is Born

Hi, my name is Bevin Allison and I have started this blog in order to introduce myself to the public and to let people know about my new business, Bevin's Digital Wonderland. It is an art/photography business. I specially in prints, but I am also available for events local to Ocala, FL or other situations that call for a photographer.

Right now I have three main sites I sell from Smugmug(very good quality prints and cards, also used for pass-worded event photos), Zazzle(lots of nice products with quality print on them to choose from, even tennis shoes), and Redbubble(cards, framed prints, and very nice shirts). You may notice one site is more expensive or less expensive than another. That is because of 1. quality or 2. the base price of the product. Also, because of how Smugmug is set up I must charge Florida sales tax on products. Florida sales tax is either 6 to 7.5% depending on the purchasers local tax(this is something the state made up to make life more difficult I suspect) and I can't differentiate between the differing tax rates in the system and even if I could the number of different rates per location is do daunting it would take me months and months to sort out and get right so I have a flat rate of 7% for Anyone living in Florida who places an order through them. However, if you do not live in Florida, no tax applies to the order. I know weird, but that is just how the tax laws are set up and I have no control of that.

Generally things like cards are cheaper if ordered through me directly. For instance if I get a lot of requests for a particular card I can buy it in bulk which lowers the retail price, but I still have to charge sales tax, which I just include in the markup on the card. Many times I will just order a supply of bulk cards with out requests and let my friends and clients know which ones I have available for sale or I will go around trying to sell them on my own. This only works for people local or close to Ocala so that I wont have to add a shipping charge. If you need a card right away though, I suggest ordering it from one of the sites above to make sure you have what you want when you want it as it could take me a month or more to get a new batch sent to me and it may not be something I included.

I also run a horse training and instruction business called AboveParr Equestrian. I train using Dressage techniques and specialize in adult beginner to intermediate riders. I have found on my own journey as an adult rider that I wasn't treated as well as the kids coming up. I wasn't taken seriously and people were in fact quite condescending and mean. I decided I wanted adults to have the chance to learn how to ride and not feel intimidated about their ages. Saying that, I also want students who really want to learn and take it seriously, because horses can be dangerous and one must keep that in mind always and be respectful of the horse who allows them to ride on their backs. It is a gift the horse gives us, not something that we have a right to.

Anyway, hope you like my new blog and the other sites as well! Also, below see some samples.