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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Featured Vendor + Giveaway: Neil Enterprises

We are so excited to welcome Neil Enterprises to the Rock the Shot Blog today! Take a moment to learn more about all of the AMAZING products they offer for photographers. Also… be sure to enter the GIVEAWAY for a chance to win a $100 Gift Certificate to Neil Enterprises.

About Neil Enterprises
Neil Enterprises, Inc. is the largest provider of innovative photo novelty items in the United States! From self-stick albums and CD/DVD folios to photo snow globes and key chains, Neil Enterprises offers quality and affordability. Our easy to assemble products are perfect for the do-it-yourself photographer.

For the photographer looking to stand out from the pack, using our photo novelty items can help you brand yourself. Using products like photo keychains and photo drinkware you can display both a photo and your company logo. Your customers will be showing these personalized items off to their friends which can lead to refferals!

Neil Enterprises also has a line of elegant self-stick albums and CD holders. Favored by wedding and boudoir photographers these are a fantastic solutions for photographers on a budget. The CD holders can hold anywhere from one to four discs plus showcase a photo and the albums come in a variety of styles ranging in size from wallet to 10” x 10”.

All of the products are sold by the case at wholesale prices. You won’t find a better deal anywhere else!

About Allison Fine: Allison is the Marketing Manager of Neil Enterprises. She is part of the third generation of the Fine Family in the business. The company was started by her grandfather, Jerry Fine in 1961. Having grown up around photo products her entire life, she has become an expert in turning blank products into works of art using digital scrapbooking, photos, and even craft materials.

Visit Neil Enterprises at their WEBSITE and FACEBOOK pages today!!

For a limited time only, all Rock the Shot Fans can receive 10% off their order. Use code ROCK at checkout (Exclusions apply. Expires 5/25/2012)

Here’s How Enter the Giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Gift Certificate to Neil Enterprises. (Can be used on any of our products! *Not valid on button machines or Sony products. Entire gift card value must be used at once. Valid for 1 year from date of receipt.)

Please leave ONE comment for each item you complete. You have up to SEVEN chances to win:

1. Follow Rock the Shot on Facebook.

Extra Entries (Optional): Please leave additional comments on the blog for each of the following items you complete.

2. Follow Neil Enterprises on Facebook and if you like, let them know Rock the Shot sent you.
3. Become a member of Rock the Shot Photography Forum
4. Sign up for our Newsletter!
5. Follow Rock The Shot on Twitter
6. Follow Rock the Shot on Pinterest
7. Share about this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter. Type the following: “Go check out @rocktheshot at www.rocktheshotforum.com & enter to win a $100 Gift Certificate to Neil Enterprises”.

There you have it! 7 chances to win this FABULOUS Giveaway from Rock the Shot and Neil Enterprises!

Hurry! Giveaway ends Tuesday, May 22nd at 11:59pm CST. Winner will be announced on Friday, May 25th, 2012.

LEGAL STUFF: This promotion is in NO WAY sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You will NOT be notified publicly via Facebook if you are a winner. You MUST be 18 to participate. By entering this giveaway, you are providing information to Rock the Shot and NOT to Facebook. Prizes do not have cash value. There will be no returns/exchanges on any of the items.

Posted in Featured Vendor, Giveaways

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Monday, May 14, 2012

Photographer Spotlight: Sue Bryce

Posted in Photographer Spotlight

This week Rock the Shot welcomes Sue Bryce! Voted Australian Portrait Photographer of the Year 2011, Sue is an amazingly talented photographer, and a brilliant business woman!! We are so excited to have Sue share her work with us today and hope you enjoy getting to know her better!

Where did your inspiration for photography begin?
My Mother was a professional retoucher and she was my inspiration. I worked in the art room at a lab for 4 years as a retouch artist. When I saw my first glamour shoot come through I said to myself “I want to do that!” I got my first start in shooting portraits in a studio at the age of 22.

How would you describe your photography style?

Contemporary Portrait. Modern Glamour or Fashion Inspired Portraits

Did you study photography in school or are you self taught?
I have no formal education in business, marketing, sales or even photography for that matter. I had a huge drive and incredible passion doing something that I loved. All lessons were learned along the way, sometimes the hard way. The point is learn and keep evolving.

Are you a Canon or Nikon lady? And what is your favorite lens?
I’m a Canon lady and my favourite lens is the 35mm 1.4. I’ve always had a 24 – 105mm too it’s the most versatile close quarters lens for what I do.

Do you use natural light or studio lights?
Absolutely a natural light photographer! Natural light seems to scare people but I think not as much as flash does. I am so narrow minded when it comes to flash, when I see models shot with flash I say FASHION when I see everyday women shot with flash I say BAD GLAMOUR yuck yuck. Natural light for me is the essence of what I do. I have sheets of Polystyrene they are the best reflectors in the world and the bounce the most beautiful light then I always have about 4 metres of chiffon in my camera bag its light and easy to carry and you can pin it anywhere to soften hard light.

How did you come to specialize in “Glamour Photography”?
What I loved about the photographic industry in 199O’s was ‘Glamour’ so I worked hard and got a job with New Zealand’s leading Glamour studio. As a young woman who was a girly girl, I thought the whole glamour genre was just fabulous, but just as I began shooting my first studio portraits, “Glamour“ soon became a dirty word.

In 1990 Family portraits were becoming the new big thing and weddings were commanding sales in excess of $5000. Then it changed and we weren’t allowed to say Glamour anymore. The studio was evolving at an incredible rate but I was young and didn’t want to shoot babies, families or weddings. I convinced my boss at the time to keep the makeup artist and although for 6 years I continued on shooting family portraits and babies, I also kept a small glamour side of the business alive. It was what I loved more than anything and important for me to maintain my passion whilst trying hard to move away from the glamour stigma that was dogging us. Like everything if you wait long enough it comes back into fashion.

How important is pricing when starting a new business?
Pricing is VERY important because you don’t want to come in too low and undercut the market but you also have to find your feet. It’s one of the biggest things people struggle with I would recommend finding a mentor or someone who has a lot of years of experience in the industry to help you with this.

How do you sell value to your customer when the price tag may be higher then they expect?
Price is only an issue in the absence of value.

I’ve been lucky enough to experience walking into GUCCI on the Champs Elysees in Paris and spending 3000 French francs on a Handbag and I realised in that moment I am a luxury item. I cost more than a GUCCI handbag. So I set out to create the Gucci experience. In the end it’s all about SERVICE.

The longer I take to pre consult and educate my client and the more I LISTEN to what they truly want, the more they spend. The longer I take to shoot and connect, the more they like me. The faster I turn around a quality product, the referrals skyrocket. My shoot quality has to be exceptional. The less shoots I do per week at a higher quality, doubles my average. Not to mention taking the time with every client is a wonderful experience for me.

What is a good lesson you have learned this year in photography or in your business?
Service is everything!

If you could encourage a new photographer in one area, what would it be?
I can’t pick one: To balance the creativity of being a photographer with Business acumen and goals. Or personal development. Believing you are good enough to sell your work and stop comparing yourself to others and of course, service to lift the quality of our industry.

What do you love most about being a photographer?
I think I have the coolest job in the world. I stop time for people and I show them how truly beautiful they are.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
World Domination….Leader of The Global Glamour Revolution!

On a more serious note, I hope to be still growing, still shooting and evolving more illustrative, creative work.

About Sue: My name is Sue Bryce and I have been a Portrait Photographer for 22 years. I am not a trust fund baby or a rich wife (yet!) I built a business that went from zero to $20,000 per week in turn over in my country garage. I have no formal education in business, marketing, sales or even photography for that matter. I started shooting at the height of the 90’s Glamour trend. I have seen many fads and styles come and go including my own entire genre Glamour when this happened I developed my own style and worked hard to forge a new path into contemporary portrait. I have a huge drive and incredible passion doing something that I love.

Visit Sue at her WEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK page today!!

Posted in Photographer Spotlight

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Friday, May 11, 2012

10 Great Gift Ideas for your Favorite Momtog on Mother’s Day

Posted in Uncategorized

Don’t know what to get your for your FAVE Photographer on Mother’s Day? Well, we’re here to help! We’ve put together a fantastic list of 10 Great Gift Ideas for that special Momtog in your life. These fun and unique gift ideas are perfect for any photography enthusiast!

1. The Olloclip is a quick-connect lens solution for the iPhone 4/4S that includes fisheye, wide-angle and macro lenses in one small, convenient package that easily fits in your pocket. Nestled in the palm of your hand, the olloclip connects to the iPhone within seconds so you’ll be sure to capture the image you want if you don’t see the picture you’re looking for just flip it over to switch lenses. This is a really FUN and easy way to get creative with your iPhone photos.

2. Kelly Moore bags are a FABULOUS way to carry your camera gear in style! Who wouldn’t love a bag like this for Mother’s Day? Kelly Moore bags come in a wide range of styles and include bags for both men and women!

3.Check out the Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom and place your camera on almost any surface! Its sturdy prehensile legs help you achieve a steady shot with your SLR camera and zoom lenses. It attaches to any virtually any SLR, video camera, or tripodhead. The Gorillapod SLR-Zoom can support an impressive 6.6 pounds, yet it is remarkably compact and lightweight. A perfect tripod to have on hand for all your family photos where YOU want to be in the shot too!

4. How about a Holga? This simple, medium-format film camera is a great way experiment with some new techniques. A cult favorite with a fanatical global following, the Holga produces extraordinary low-tech works of art with the bare minimum of mechanical function. Soft focusing, full double-exposure capability, intense vignetting, and unpredictable light leaks all contribute to the Holga’s incredible photo effects. Each Holga is unique and produces signature images and peculiarities of its own. Uses 120 film.

5.If you’re not using Lightroom 4, you are really missing out! We cannot recommend this program highly enough. This is an indispensible workflow tool that will help you organize and edit your images quickly and easily. If you’re a teacher or student be sure to check out the Student and Teacher Edition for a steal of a deal!

6. Another great editing program we highly recommend is Adobe Photoshop Elements 10. This is a powerful editing program, and a much more affordable alternative to Photoshop CS5.

7. Spyder 4 Express is a fantastic tool for photographers! We get a lot of questions about how to calibrate monitors and this is a wonderful way to do it. Product Description: The Spyder4Express is a simple, affordable solution for calibrating a display. Featuring a patented, full-spectrum seven-color sensor that can accurately characterize a variety of wide gamut and normal displays, Spyder4Express lets you use the same sensor to calibrate your monitor, laptop computer, iPad, and iPhone. The fourth-generation sensor uses double-shielded filters for long life and optimum performance. It is designed for Photo Enthusiasts, Advanced Amateurs, Passionate Photographers and DSLR users of all kinds.

8. With more than 350,000 copies sold, Understanding Exposure has demystified the complex concepts of exposure for countless photographers. Now updated with current technologies, more than one hundred new images, and an all-new chapter, this new edition will inspire you more than ever to free yourself from “auto” and create the pictures you truly want. This is a perfect book for anyone wanting to learn the basics of Photography.

9. Express your creativity with the Lensbaby composer for Canon or Nikon. Product Description: All Lensbaby™ selective focus SLR camera lenses provide photographers with a new way to control depth of field by bringing one area of a photo into sharpest focus with that Sweet Spot surrounded by graduated blur. By bending the Lensbaby lens, the photographer moves the sharp area around the photo for customized creative effects!

10. Photo-opoly is a FUN idea for the entire family!! Choose 22 of your favorite photos and create a game for a birthday, a family reunion, a wedding, a party, a baby shower, an anniversary, or ANY EVENT. For 2 to 6 players. Ages 8 & Up.

LEGAL STUFF: This promotion is in NO WAY sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. All of these gift ideas are items we recommend and some are affiliates to our company.