Information & discussion on: Photography, Science(s), Economy, Discovery, Sailing & Sound-boarding.
Monday, January 16, 2012
KPep Photography: Protecting your camera from condensation in the wi...
KPep Photography: Protecting your camera from condensation in the wi...: After an outing with my photo club to a butterfly conservatory this morning I thought I would post a reminder about shooting in extreme temp...
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Pricing Photography: How To Keep Your Customers & Stay Open For Business
In this day and time, we photographers can't just go out there and start shooting. Gone are the
days where we could pursue our passions and dreams without giving serious thought as to how
we will survive! Now, it's all about branding, strategies, social media, the economy and learning
how to run a business...not just about learning the features on your camera. One of those
"must learn" items is how to price our photography.
What I'm writing about today is what I've learned (the hard way) since starting my small
photography business a few years ago and has been one of my most difficult tasks to date.
The fact of not beginning this little venture with large funds, has been the catalyst for me to
continually fine-tune EVERYTHING I can to ensure that I remain in business. It can seem
daunting and complicated, but I promise, you CAN do it without going insane!
I am not an expert, but this is my finely-tuned list that has worked for me.
1. Have a solid base of customers:
If your customer base (realistically) consist of a few repeat clients - then put off increasingprices for now. Otherwise, you'll probably lose the few customers you have, rather than gain
more. Work on getting that solid base so you'll have enough customers to support the
increase in fees.
2. Price according to cost:
This was one of the hardest things for me to do, and sometimes it still is. If you have a large,agreed upon contract price for a project...well, it feels great, right? So - what did it COST YOU?
What is your time worth? software? expenses? i.e. gas, food, travel, etc.? How much per hour
are you making if you shoot for 2 days, then edit for 1 1/2 weeks? Lets not forget the level of
skill and knowledge it takes to edit properly and with care. (subject for another time)
3. Price the competition around you.
Check out not only other photographers, but include the 'box photography studios' likePictureMe Portraits, (CPI Corp)
Olin Mills (LifeTouch)
JC Penney Studios (LifeTouch)
Sears Portraits (CPI Corp)
Portrait Innovations
They run specials all the time, but hopefully, a.) You're staying in contact with your customer
base and b.) your photos are unique, beautiful, and set you apart from box store
photographers.
You can run specials too, you know. Do it. Your customers will love you for it and it'll make
them even MORE loyal to you.
4. It doesn't hurt to ASK.
By that I mean, survey your customer base, asking if a % increase seems reasonable to them.You don't have to go into every detail as to why - but you could say due to software upgrades,
new technology/equipment cost, etc. if you feel you have to say something. Most customers
will appreciate the personal notification, and will feel like you've included them in your personal
circle....which in one way - you have. I have found that having a personal chat with my
customer(s) has proven over and over to be a key ingredient in my success.
5. What type of photography you are producing affects pricing:
1/3 of how to determine pricing is the TYPE of photography you produce. Obviously, cost aredifferent for a studio-only photographer, a nature photographer, action/sports photographer,
photojournalist, or wedding photographer. You can't just add a % multiplier to your cost and
expect to come out on top of the pricing game!
6. Your Business Model:
What are your profit goals for the year? How would your prices change with a change in thenumber of sessions you do per year? Would prices increase or decrease? Are you prepared
with a Game Changing Plan B? Do you have additional income or savings set aside to help you
start your business and keep it running until you are ABLE to increase your prices? These
numbers should be included in your initial pricing model.
7. Accurate package pricing:
You must know what your costs are, which includes personal branding printing cost, shipping,materials to ship your photos in, etc. You need to know these costs before you can accurately
price your packages. One way to reduce cost is online proofs, which has become pretty much
the standard; however, I deal with a lot of older customers who prefer looking at printed proofs,
so keep that in mind. Online package pricing should also account for any additional credit card
or PayPal fees you incur with each transaction.
8. Video:
So often now, with snazzy software and cameras that offer 1080/HD video, everybody wants avideo - of everything. Be sure to include in your price quote the cost of that task i.e. buying
DVD's, labels (that cost extra if you have them printed) or for ink to print them yourself. All of
these costs add up! Again - what is your time worth?
My first video was a nightmare. Me and my business partner shot video for 3 days at an event.
I bought the software to put the video together, but also had to buy an additional, advanced
software for splitting sound and video 'bites' that I didn't think of previously. Plus - the kicker - it
took me 1.5 weeks to put it together. Needless to say, we lost our butts on that deal!!!!
9. Fixed expenses:
Although most of your fixed expenses should be included within your Business Model, Idisagree that some of them should be paid for by your customers. By that I mean, taxes,
business licenses, equipment, studio space, office materials - all are part of small business
items that you'll be able to take off on your taxes. So to me, including those things in your
pricing is like double-dipping and I don't do it. That's just the accounting auditor in me.
10. Your market:
A photographer in a small town that charges lower prices for family portraits, but has a steadycustomer base (repeat customers) can often end up making more per year than the
photographer that travels for shoots and does - say, 1 big shoot per month! Know your market.
Obviously, customer base and location should be another 1/3 of your pricing model.
11. Hourly vs. Contract:
Admit it, we all do it. For some customers, we'll charge an hourly or lower rate for a shootrather than a contracted / studio price. When, depends on a few things: a.)difficulty of the shoot
(Animals & some children require longer and sometimes requires these types of fees.) and
b.) What the customer can afford at the time. I'm not saying give it away for free, but to keep
our base customers, we need to show that we are there for the long haul.
I have a customer (a steady customer) who lost her job. She needed pictures for Mother's Day
but couldn't afford my regular studio fee. Solution: Hourly fee & in cash. She paid less for her
pictures and I kept a customer. She has since found another job, and continues to be one of
my best customers. She knows I'll work with her to keep her as a customer and to me - that's
everything in business. Everything.
12. Use some plain common sense:
Build up your prices over time. DON'T just go from 'barely there' to 'world-renownedphotographer' pricing. Increase your pricing as your skill level, as well as your customer base
increases.
In summary, we photographers have an unbridled passion to share how we see EVERYTHING
with the world, whether it's good, bad, beautiful, ugly, disturbing or comforting.
We are the record keepers and time preservers. We are passionate about our craft and more
often than not, will fail to find any substitute for it.
However, realistically, we need to be smart about our business as any small business does, so
we must pay attention, make an effort to learn how to do things better and more efficiently and
by doing that, hopefully - we stay in business. Efficient pricing is just one of the tools we can
use - like a carpenter uses his tape-measure to build a house - so too can we build a great
photography business.
Some suggestions for pricing software:
1. Start Smart Pricing Software - for the amateur going professional photographer,
with lots of modules if you are a studio 1 person,
studio 2 people, wedding, wedding & portraits, etc.
http://howmuchdoicharge.com/2011/02/start-smart-portraits/
2. fotoQuote Pro &
fotoQuote Pro 6 - This software is the industry standard for stock and
assignment photography estimating.
http://www.cradocfotosoftware.com/fotoQuote-Pro/
3. BlinkBid - This is for the Video professional. Includes Estimating
production & invoicing software.
http://blinkbid.com/
4. HindSight Photo Price Guide - This software can be adapted to suit your needs, but
you'll need to be knowledgeable in spreadsheets. One
great thing is it has currency conversions, it's versatile
and you can download a trial version.
http://www.hindsightltd.com/products/PriceGuide.html
5. NPPA Cost Of Doing
Business CDB Calculator- This software is custom made for the Photojournalist.
http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/cdb/cdbcalc.cfm
Monday, December 12, 2011
Learning To Be Social Media Savvy: Day : (I Forget)
Yes. I KNOW it's been a while since I've written about learning to be Social Media Savvy, but
that doesn't mean I haven't been as busy as a bee trying to figure it all out.
To catch you up, I've been studying my insites on Facebook, joining the ranks of Klout (more
about that one in a few minutes) and trying to be smarter on Twitter by targeting my audience and
fellow photographers.
On my last post, I received a reply comment from Rosh Sillars. T H E ROSH SILLARS. (One of
my HEROES) He gave me great advice; this is what he said:
"Don't give up.
There is a lot of information out there. Don't become overwhelmed. Social media is not direct marketing (email, Google ads and direct mail). It's not rocket science either.
Here are three basic thoughts to remember.
1. The more quality information you share in the social media the more benefit you will receive. Both quality and quantity are important.
2. If you focus on championing other people the more engagement you will earn.
3. Social media is a marathon not a sprint." (Bolding is mine)
Social media IS a marathon. It's a continuation of efforts and the persistence in the art of fine-tuning and targeting your audience.
Product and customer service after the sale have always been 'JOB ONE' for me. Lately, I've re-contacted some of my original customers and asked them to answer a few questions: (Yes, I realize this is like Marketing 101)
1. Why did you choose me for your photography needs?
2. HOW did you find me?
3. Rate your experience with me from 1-5, 5 being the best.
4. Did you tell your friends about your experience with Ginger Z Photography?
5. What can I do to improve?
6. What type of incentives would you like to see offered by my company?
7. Will you be back?
During this experiment, I only received 1 complaint, which was that my pricing had changed
too dramatically for them and they felt they could no longer afford my services.
This customer was one of my very first customers. They allowed me to use their photos for
my portfolio in return for a small studio fee, rather than regular prices. So, to this customer I
made an offer to do another session - again for a smaller fee, but proposed a different subject for the shoot. They loved the idea! They get more pictures, I get an expanded portfolio and they tell their friends. Happy Customer.
My definition of Social Media:
To get the word out there, I've taken out Facebook ads, to put the brand out into the world. I've also networked with (in particular) my shared groups within LinkedIn, and by agreeing to support each other, we are sharing technology, industry news, how-to's - you name it, in addition to supporting each other's FB pages, Twitter, etc... I like that. We're not competing with each other - - we're helping each other.
I have begun to share articles, pictures, industry news - anything that can help us as an
'industry' to survive, I'm sharing. We have become a community in of ourselves, and I have to tell you, it's a good feeling.
My klout score has increased, although there is a growing controversy on whether or not Klout
score even matters, being that it's so fickle, but I'm watching mine grow - and it feels good, even if it may be for a short while. It makes me think I'm on the right path, you know?
I know more people are talking about my Facebook Fan page. I include not only my pictures, but those of my comrades. I give Kudos to photographers I think really have the gift, and I share articles from those who have the gift of the written word. I feel better having this network of photographers. I'm not alone in my quest - seems we're all trying to figure this Social media thing out. At least I don't feel so alone in my quest to understand Social Media within my particular industry, and not only have I increased my network, I've increased my circle of friends.
Quite frankly, I think that's pretty damn cool, don't you? Yep....I believe I get it now.
that doesn't mean I haven't been as busy as a bee trying to figure it all out.
To catch you up, I've been studying my insites on Facebook, joining the ranks of Klout (more
about that one in a few minutes) and trying to be smarter on Twitter by targeting my audience and
fellow photographers.
On my last post, I received a reply comment from Rosh Sillars. T H E ROSH SILLARS. (One of
my HEROES) He gave me great advice; this is what he said:
"Don't give up.
There is a lot of information out there. Don't become overwhelmed. Social media is not direct marketing (email, Google ads and direct mail). It's not rocket science either.
Here are three basic thoughts to remember.
1. The more quality information you share in the social media the more benefit you will receive. Both quality and quantity are important.
2. If you focus on championing other people the more engagement you will earn.
3. Social media is a marathon not a sprint." (Bolding is mine)
Social media IS a marathon. It's a continuation of efforts and the persistence in the art of fine-tuning and targeting your audience.
Product and customer service after the sale have always been 'JOB ONE' for me. Lately, I've re-contacted some of my original customers and asked them to answer a few questions: (Yes, I realize this is like Marketing 101)
1. Why did you choose me for your photography needs?
2. HOW did you find me?
3. Rate your experience with me from 1-5, 5 being the best.
4. Did you tell your friends about your experience with Ginger Z Photography?
5. What can I do to improve?
6. What type of incentives would you like to see offered by my company?
7. Will you be back?
During this experiment, I only received 1 complaint, which was that my pricing had changed
too dramatically for them and they felt they could no longer afford my services.
This customer was one of my very first customers. They allowed me to use their photos for
my portfolio in return for a small studio fee, rather than regular prices. So, to this customer I
made an offer to do another session - again for a smaller fee, but proposed a different subject for the shoot. They loved the idea! They get more pictures, I get an expanded portfolio and they tell their friends. Happy Customer.
My definition of Social Media:
Social media is social interaction by means of technology-based communication venues between communities, organizations and individuals, turning one-way communications into interactive dialogues.
This means TALKING to your customer(s), and making sure the dialogue between your customer's network and yours is positive, interactive, and resolute. To get the word out there, I've taken out Facebook ads, to put the brand out into the world. I've also networked with (in particular) my shared groups within LinkedIn, and by agreeing to support each other, we are sharing technology, industry news, how-to's - you name it, in addition to supporting each other's FB pages, Twitter, etc... I like that. We're not competing with each other - - we're helping each other.
I have begun to share articles, pictures, industry news - anything that can help us as an
'industry' to survive, I'm sharing. We have become a community in of ourselves, and I have to tell you, it's a good feeling.
My klout score has increased, although there is a growing controversy on whether or not Klout
score even matters, being that it's so fickle, but I'm watching mine grow - and it feels good, even if it may be for a short while. It makes me think I'm on the right path, you know?
I know more people are talking about my Facebook Fan page. I include not only my pictures, but those of my comrades. I give Kudos to photographers I think really have the gift, and I share articles from those who have the gift of the written word. I feel better having this network of photographers. I'm not alone in my quest - seems we're all trying to figure this Social media thing out. At least I don't feel so alone in my quest to understand Social Media within my particular industry, and not only have I increased my network, I've increased my circle of friends.
Quite frankly, I think that's pretty damn cool, don't you? Yep....I believe I get it now.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Learning To Be Social Media Savvy: Day 2
I realize it's been a few days since I've written about my progress, although I've been trying,
I do not feel I've made that much progress, really. I HAVE been doing my homework.
I'm reading tons of information from Jeff Bullas. Lately, I'm reading about how to take my
company's Facebook Page from 0 to 40,000 fans.
The link for this article: http://www.jeffbullas.com/2011/03/14/how-to-take-your-companys-facebook-fan-page-from-zero-to-40000-fans/
Basically - in 4 stages, you too, can be a Facebook mega-star. What are the 4 stages?
Stage 1: Why Use Facebook?
Stage 2: How Do You Start?
a. Defining your market
b. Getting the 'tone' right
c. Identify the engagement fundamentals
d. Treat it as a long term investment
e. Keeping it Real, Relevant and Relaxed
Stage 3: Making It Happen (how to update)
Stage 4: Monitor, Measure & Report
I'm working on this so I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Another thing I've been working on is a new blog and website. At the present, I really only
have a smugmug account to show off my work. It has served it's purpose up until now, but yea,
I'm at the point where I want more - I want a REAL website. My next question is how many
marketing dollars do I want to spend and is it possible to do it yourself?
I set out with full intentions of creating a website from scratch by myself. I've done little sites
for the garden club, why can't I do this? I mean, I should be able to do this..right?
I began by attempting to set up my domain name (previous post advice) and I did through
Site Ground Hosting. Prices quickly added up for when I shopped to get 3 things: My own
domain name, a website and a blog (a flashy - fancy blog). Everything I've been reading said
I really needed a flashy site(s) so I thought 'Well, what the hell could it hurt?" Long story short
was that afterabout 4 hours trying to get the design how I wanted it (limited templates - unless
you want to buy more which I did) the content transferred over, or the pictures I wanted, I was so
frustrated that I gave up, called customer service and canceled it. I still have the domain name
for 1 year, so I'm going to try it again but with another service.
Unless you're tech savy, I think it's difficult to create a really cool flash site and it's probably
worth the money to have a professional help you with this part. Really - what's your time worth?
I needed to be editing photos from a wedding, but totally lost part of a day trying to figure it
out quickly. Oh, and by the way, I thought I was going through WordPress - then it was
Joomla - then it was Site Ground...yea - go figure that one out!
I'm doing a little more research before I take the dive and have a professional help me out,
so next, I'm going to try Wix. I've heard great things about them, so I'll let you know.
What's interesting to me in this journey, is that basically - all of the ground work has to be
in place before you can connect the dots and get your social media campaign going.
[sigh] I hope it's worth it; I think it will be.
I do not feel I've made that much progress, really. I HAVE been doing my homework.
I'm reading tons of information from Jeff Bullas. Lately, I'm reading about how to take my
company's Facebook Page from 0 to 40,000 fans.
The link for this article: http://www.jeffbullas.com/2011/03/14/how-to-take-your-companys-facebook-fan-page-from-zero-to-40000-fans/
Basically - in 4 stages, you too, can be a Facebook mega-star. What are the 4 stages?
Stage 1: Why Use Facebook?
Stage 2: How Do You Start?
a. Defining your market
b. Getting the 'tone' right
c. Identify the engagement fundamentals
d. Treat it as a long term investment
e. Keeping it Real, Relevant and Relaxed
Stage 3: Making It Happen (how to update)
Stage 4: Monitor, Measure & Report
I'm working on this so I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Another thing I've been working on is a new blog and website. At the present, I really only
have a smugmug account to show off my work. It has served it's purpose up until now, but yea,
I'm at the point where I want more - I want a REAL website. My next question is how many
marketing dollars do I want to spend and is it possible to do it yourself?
I set out with full intentions of creating a website from scratch by myself. I've done little sites
for the garden club, why can't I do this? I mean, I should be able to do this..right?
I began by attempting to set up my domain name (previous post advice) and I did through
Site Ground Hosting. Prices quickly added up for when I shopped to get 3 things: My own
domain name, a website and a blog (a flashy - fancy blog). Everything I've been reading said
I really needed a flashy site(s) so I thought 'Well, what the hell could it hurt?" Long story short
was that afterabout 4 hours trying to get the design how I wanted it (limited templates - unless
you want to buy more which I did) the content transferred over, or the pictures I wanted, I was so
frustrated that I gave up, called customer service and canceled it. I still have the domain name
for 1 year, so I'm going to try it again but with another service.
Unless you're tech savy, I think it's difficult to create a really cool flash site and it's probably
worth the money to have a professional help you with this part. Really - what's your time worth?
I needed to be editing photos from a wedding, but totally lost part of a day trying to figure it
out quickly. Oh, and by the way, I thought I was going through WordPress - then it was
Joomla - then it was Site Ground...yea - go figure that one out!
I'm doing a little more research before I take the dive and have a professional help me out,
so next, I'm going to try Wix. I've heard great things about them, so I'll let you know.
What's interesting to me in this journey, is that basically - all of the ground work has to be
in place before you can connect the dots and get your social media campaign going.
[sigh] I hope it's worth it; I think it will be.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Learning To Be Social Media Savvy: Day 1
" You can't do today's job with yesterday's methods and be in business tomorrow."
"Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision."
-- Peter F. DruckerAs I wrote in my previous post, I'm taking the information that is coming across my Timeline in Twitter,
and LinkedIn, using those tips, tricks, steps, secrets, etc. and I'm going to see if I can use them
for my small business...my VERY small business and write about the results. I'm going to
attempt to take at least one piece of advice per day and apply it to my little one-man-show.
One person I follow on Twitter is Brian Moran, Executive Director for the Wall Street Journal,
and an expert on small business. His mantra is: "Social Media is a 'means to an end'. I've
watched his 'Tweets' and have watched as he relentlessly takes questions through Twitter from
around the globe on the subject and recently relayed to his audience 6 reasons why we, as
a small business should engage in Social Media:
Lead Generation, Customer Service, Market Research, Competitive Analysis, Networking and
Public Relations. It's within those 6 categories that I'll be measuring my level of success or failure
during this project.
Another great resource I follow is Jeff Bullas. www.jeffbullas.com Jeff's blog is completely
about everything to do with Social Media, Online Marketing, Blogging, Facebook, YouTube,
LinkedIn, SEO and Inbound Content Marketing. Today, I'm following his "37 Tips for Optimizing
Your Blog" which he relays via TopRank Online Marketing Blog, written by Lee Odden. You can
read what I'm reading through this link: http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/03/blog-feed-seo-sesny09/
Some things I'll need a little assistance with, like adding 'deep links' to my RSS Footer, so
for those things, I'm making a list for when I see my geek niece, who understands that stuff better
than me.
My next marketing tip(s) are coming from Rosh Sillars, who I also follow on Twitter. Today,
he has shared "Six ways photographers earn income through Facebook". The link to his
blog is: http://www.roshsillars.com/2011/01/six-ways-photographers-earn-income-through-facebook/
1. Network with other photographers to trade leads and referrals. (I do this already)
2. Share photographs on Facebook as a passive form of advertising. (I do this too, and find
that it really is a great way of advertising your work.)
3. Tag people. Offer clients a free image to share if they like your Facebook page, which
will lead to more referrals. (I haven't been doing this, so this is one item to begin today.)
4. Use Facebook to advertise and directly target your demographic, make adjustments
quickly, and control budget costs. (I think this is the whole reason you have a
Facebook page, so I don't really see the value here; correct me if I'm wrong.)
5. Promote other people related to your industry. Theory being that when you promote them,
they will promote you. (I do this already also - so this one is a 'check')
6. Create events. Facebook has an excellent event notification system, so take advantage
of it to invite people to your next show, party or networking event. (I'm going to use this
advice and perhaps create a photography exhibition event with fellow photographers; I'll
keep you posted.)
Next, an advice post on Word Of Mouth Marketing by Zenologue. Website link:
http://www.zenologue.com/blog/2011/11/photography-business-word-of-mouth-marketing-solutions/#more-5144
(Yes, I know it's a very long link)
The one thing that really stood out for me in this column was a quote about changing the game on
word of mouth marketing. "What will change the game is actually changing the game. Changing
the experience of talking about you so fundamentally that people will choose to do it."
That's a powerful statement. We need to create something worth talking about! Is the experience in
my studio so great that people will talk about it after they've completed their session with me?
I realize word of mouth today, isn't what it used to be. It's not likely to be Rose who sees
Martha at the meat counter in the local grocery store, telling her about the studio shoot she
had in my studio. Today, that word of mouth has morphed into 'word of thumbs' - texting
and Twittering her experience to her friends (The article uses the phrase "word of mouse") and you
can COUNT on Rose putting her experience up on her Facebook wall! Another great point
within this article is this excerpt: "Interestingly enough, the closer the referring person is to you in social terms, the more likely
you are to act on the information they give you. In other words, the influencing power of the
message is dependent upon the social distance of the messenger from the receiver."
I agree with this statement to a certain point; however, I have gained clients through sharingphotos on Facebook; the person in the picture shares with cousins who live far away, and have
been asked to photograph the cousin when they come to town. So - -
The end point is to build a WOMM Strategy (Word Of Mouth Marketing). The book that will
expand on this idea is called "Word Of Mouth Marketing Secrets For The Professional
Photographer" and is available in three different versions (Kindle, Nook or PDF.
I believe this book will have a great impact on my marketing efforts. If you buy it and you like
it, let me know.
All of the articles from above are about marketing efforts - getting the word out about your
brand or product, targeting your demographic and the resulting interaction between your
clients and THEIR audience - - of whom hopefully, will become your future clients.
Not too shabby for Day 1. Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Sea of Social Media & My Very Small Business
Recently, I began to ponder the true effects of Social Media sites like Twitter, Facebook and
LinkedIn - within the small business world, the VERY small business world.
Yes, there are literally THOUSANDS of articles on how you too can become a
Marketing Mega-Star, best tactics, lead generation, how to engage your audience,
and it goes on and on.
Strategically, any business I believe thinks about the best way to reach their demographic.
The question I have is do we [ me ] really need to follow these media experts and jump on
every social wagon out there? Almost daily, there's a new 'latest and greatest' that somebody
tells me I need to be a part of. Quite frankly, sometimes it makes my head spin and I begin
to envision little mice running from one corner of a box to another in packs!
As you probably already know, I'm a photographer. My small business staff consists of,
well - me.
I'm not a famous photographer by any means, but my little business has started to grow,
and I'm actually able to make a living from it, albeit barely. So, how will all of this social media
mumbo-jumbo help somebody like me? I have a Facebook page for fans to "like" and I
jumped head-first into the Twitter world; which, by the way has allowed me to make fast
friends within my field and out and for that fact alone, I'm grateful. I don't have a huge
following yet, but I've decided I'm not going to pay any agency to help me find followers
and I'm not going to say "I'll follow you if you follow me." ...I think that's bullshit. I want folks
to follow me who are truly interested in what I do for a living and what I have to say about it.
I also want to find comradery in special interests I have, such as sailing, music, discovery,
and global news. I follow lots of professional photographers from around the globe and
follow almost anything to do with sailing -oh, and don't forget the comedians.. I do love to laugh.
But does that really do anything at ALL towards marketing efforts and my business? I don't think
so. What it does do for me is this: It brings information TO ME.
Is that narcissistic? Probably, but hear me out. I'm a one-person show. Marketing with a big
budget just isn't in the cards for me right now but within this particular venue, some of the
best of the best are giving me FREE advice on how to build my business. All day long,
there's a steady stream of professionals who have made it and want to share with you how
they did it; some used social media, some did not, but either way, they want to share that
information with me, you and the world!
One day, I'm sitting at my desk editing photos from a shoot and half paying attention
to the Timeline on my Twitter. I wondered....what if I tried to actually take all of the advice
that came through my Timeline in a day and actually do it. ??? Would it improve my business
and how? Whose advice would prove to be the best? Perhaps I should have been doing
all of these things all along? Why HAVEN'T I been doing these things? Well, for one thing, I
know where my audience is; about 1/3 of that audience doesn't use a computer
for anything other than to receive email from grandkids, but the other two-thirds do, and
that's who I'm going to target. In the past, the best marketing for a photographer has been
word of mouth, slowly building through the years, and exhibition venues. Let's see how
photography fairs in this fast-paced sea of social media.
Everyday, I'll tell you who's advice I'm following, any links that are offered, how long the
anticipated results should take and if they do, and within what venue i.e. Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, etc.
If you decide to do this with me, I want to know and I want to read your comments.
Ready? Let's do this.
LinkedIn - within the small business world, the VERY small business world.
Yes, there are literally THOUSANDS of articles on how you too can become a
Marketing Mega-Star, best tactics, lead generation, how to engage your audience,
and it goes on and on.
Strategically, any business I believe thinks about the best way to reach their demographic.
The question I have is do we [ me ] really need to follow these media experts and jump on
every social wagon out there? Almost daily, there's a new 'latest and greatest' that somebody
tells me I need to be a part of. Quite frankly, sometimes it makes my head spin and I begin
to envision little mice running from one corner of a box to another in packs!
As you probably already know, I'm a photographer. My small business staff consists of,
well - me.
I'm not a famous photographer by any means, but my little business has started to grow,
and I'm actually able to make a living from it, albeit barely. So, how will all of this social media
mumbo-jumbo help somebody like me? I have a Facebook page for fans to "like" and I
jumped head-first into the Twitter world; which, by the way has allowed me to make fast
friends within my field and out and for that fact alone, I'm grateful. I don't have a huge
following yet, but I've decided I'm not going to pay any agency to help me find followers
and I'm not going to say "I'll follow you if you follow me." ...I think that's bullshit. I want folks
to follow me who are truly interested in what I do for a living and what I have to say about it.
I also want to find comradery in special interests I have, such as sailing, music, discovery,
and global news. I follow lots of professional photographers from around the globe and
follow almost anything to do with sailing -oh, and don't forget the comedians.. I do love to laugh.
But does that really do anything at ALL towards marketing efforts and my business? I don't think
so. What it does do for me is this: It brings information TO ME.
Is that narcissistic? Probably, but hear me out. I'm a one-person show. Marketing with a big
budget just isn't in the cards for me right now but within this particular venue, some of the
best of the best are giving me FREE advice on how to build my business. All day long,
there's a steady stream of professionals who have made it and want to share with you how
they did it; some used social media, some did not, but either way, they want to share that
information with me, you and the world!
One day, I'm sitting at my desk editing photos from a shoot and half paying attention
to the Timeline on my Twitter. I wondered....what if I tried to actually take all of the advice
that came through my Timeline in a day and actually do it. ??? Would it improve my business
and how? Whose advice would prove to be the best? Perhaps I should have been doing
all of these things all along? Why HAVEN'T I been doing these things? Well, for one thing, I
know where my audience is; about 1/3 of that audience doesn't use a computer
for anything other than to receive email from grandkids, but the other two-thirds do, and
that's who I'm going to target. In the past, the best marketing for a photographer has been
word of mouth, slowly building through the years, and exhibition venues. Let's see how
photography fairs in this fast-paced sea of social media.
Everyday, I'll tell you who's advice I'm following, any links that are offered, how long the
anticipated results should take and if they do, and within what venue i.e. Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, etc.
If you decide to do this with me, I want to know and I want to read your comments.
Ready? Let's do this.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
More on the America's Cup Racing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHIAFfpHRYk&feature=player_profilepage
AMERICA'S CUP RACING
ABSOLUTELY MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR!
Don't know about you, but I LOVE watching the Americas Cup / AC World Series. I'll try to post updates from their websites. Forgive the RSS Feed size, I don't have much control over this one.
Don't know about you, but I LOVE watching the Americas Cup / AC World Series. I'll try to post updates from their websites. Forgive the RSS Feed size, I don't have much control over this one.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
OUTBREAK NOTICE: Polio Outbreak in Tajikistan, Cases in Russia, Risk of Spread to other Central Asian Countries
Current Situation:
The Tajikistan Ministry of Health continues to respond to an outbreak of poliovirus imported from India. The outbreak was confirmed on April 21, 2010, by the World Health Organization (WHO). It represents the first importation of polio into the WHO European Region since it was certified polio-free in 2002. All countries in the Central Asian region and the Russian Federation are at risk of additional poliovirus importations until this outbreak is over. Central Asian countries include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Transmission in the northern Caucasus area of the Russian Federation indicates a possible risk of spread to the Caucasus countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
Tajikistan
Tajikistan reported 712 cases of acute flaccid paralysis in 2010. Of these cases, 457 have been laboratory-confirmed as polio. Of the confirmed polio cases, 298 are in children under 5 years of age; 29 deaths in 2010 were attributed to confirmed polio As of June 7, 2011, 12 additional acute flaccid paralysis cases with onset in 2011 had been reported but none have been confirmed to be polio as of date.
Confirmed polio cases have been reported in the capital city of Dushanbe, Districts of Republican Subordination, and Khatlon Province, all in central and southwestern Tajikistan, and one district and the provincial capital city Khudjand in the northern Sogd province. The government of Tajikistan has received technical guidance and support from WHO, which is communicating with neighboring and other countries about the outbreak. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and the People's Republic of China to the east.
Russia
Russia has reported 14 polio cases to date, 5 of which are linked to travelers, but a substantial spread in the country has not been reported. Cases have been reported in Moscow, as well as Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, and Khabarovsk regions, the Chechen Republic, and Republic of Dagestan. The latter two are Northern Caucasus republics that have each reported 3 cases of local transmission, without any known travel link to Tajikistan. The most recent confirmed case in Russia had onset on September 25, 2010, in the Republic of Dagestan. A total of 166 cases of acute flaccid paralysis have been reported since January 1, 2011, and 115 of those that have test results have been negative for polio.
Turkmenistan
In 2010, Turkmenistan reported 50 cases of acute flaccid paralysis, including 3 confirmed cases of polio. All these cases had onset in June and occurred in Lebap province, which borders Uzbekistan. As of June 7, 2011, 10 additional acute flaccid paralysis cases with onset in 2011 have been reported, and all tested negative for polio.
Kazakhstan
In 2010, Kazakhstan reported 113 cases of acute flaccid paralysis and 1 confirmed case of polio, with onset August 12, 2010. The case was reported in South Kazakhstan close to the border with Uzbekistan. As of June 7, 2011, Kazakhstan reported 41 acute flaccid paralysis cases with onset in 2011. None of the 30 cases that have test results tested positive for wild polio.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan reported 147 cases of acute flaccid paralysis in 2010, including some near the country’s borders with Tajikistan,Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, but none have been confirmed as polio. As of June 7, 2011, 66 additional acute flaccid paralysis cases with onset in 2011 have been reported.
Kyrgyzstan
In 2010, Kyrgyzstan reported 68 cases of acute flaccid paralysis. As of June 7, 2011, 19 additional cases with onset in 2011 have been reported. No cases of polio have been confirmed.
Recommendations for US Travelers to the Caucasus countries, Central Asian countries and the Russian Federation
Polio is a disease that is most often spread through contact with the feces of an infected person. Poliovirus can also be spread through oral fluids, contaminated items, water, and uncooked food. The disease mainly affects children less than 5 years old, but unvaccinated people of any age are at risk. Signs and symptoms of the illness may include paralysis of limbs and respiratory muscles.
Travelers should take the following steps to protect themselves from polio:
Get vaccinated for polio
* Talk to your doctor to find out if you are up to date with your polio vaccination and whether you need a booster dose before traveling.
* Even if you were vaccinated as a child or have been sick with polio before, you may need a booster shot to make sure that you are protected. If you are traveling with children, be sure that they have been appropriately vaccinated, too.
Follow safe food and water practices
* Eat foods that are fully cooked and served hot.
* Eat and drink dairy products that have been pasteurized.
* Eat only fruits and vegetables that you can wash with safe water and peel yourself.
* Drink only bottled or boiled water or beverages that have been bottled and sealed (carbonated drinks or sports drinks). Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice.
Practice good hand hygiene
* Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, you can use an alcohol-based hand gel.
* Wash hands especially before eating, drinking or preparing food and after using the bathroom, and changing diapers and coughing or sneezing.
Information for Health-Care Providers
Vaccine Recommendations: Infants and Children traveling to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Russian Federation
* The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all infants and children in the United States receive 4 doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), administered at 2 months, 4 months, 6–18 months, and 4–6 years of age.
* If accelerated protection is needed, the minimum interval between the first three doses is 4 weeks (28 days), and the minimum interval from dose 3 to dose 4 is 6 months.
* A dose of IPV should be administered at age ≥4 years regardless of the number of previous doses.
Vaccine Recommendations: Adults traveling to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Russian Federation
* Travelers who have received the complete series with either IPV or oral polio vaccine (OPV) as a child without an adult booster dose (either OPV or IPV) should receive another dose of IPV before departure.
* Available data do not indicate the need for more than one lifetime IPV booster dose for adults.
* Travelers of any age who are unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or whose vaccination status is unknown should receive 3 doses of IPV (2 doses at 4– to 8-week intervals, followed by a third dose 6–12 months after the second dose). (See Chapter 2, Poliomyelitis, CDC Health Information for International Travel 2010, for details.)
The Tajikistan Ministry of Health continues to respond to an outbreak of poliovirus imported from India. The outbreak was confirmed on April 21, 2010, by the World Health Organization (WHO). It represents the first importation of polio into the WHO European Region since it was certified polio-free in 2002. All countries in the Central Asian region and the Russian Federation are at risk of additional poliovirus importations until this outbreak is over. Central Asian countries include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Transmission in the northern Caucasus area of the Russian Federation indicates a possible risk of spread to the Caucasus countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
Tajikistan
Tajikistan reported 712 cases of acute flaccid paralysis in 2010. Of these cases, 457 have been laboratory-confirmed as polio. Of the confirmed polio cases, 298 are in children under 5 years of age; 29 deaths in 2010 were attributed to confirmed polio As of June 7, 2011, 12 additional acute flaccid paralysis cases with onset in 2011 had been reported but none have been confirmed to be polio as of date.
Confirmed polio cases have been reported in the capital city of Dushanbe, Districts of Republican Subordination, and Khatlon Province, all in central and southwestern Tajikistan, and one district and the provincial capital city Khudjand in the northern Sogd province. The government of Tajikistan has received technical guidance and support from WHO, which is communicating with neighboring and other countries about the outbreak. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and the People's Republic of China to the east.
Russia
Russia has reported 14 polio cases to date, 5 of which are linked to travelers, but a substantial spread in the country has not been reported. Cases have been reported in Moscow, as well as Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, and Khabarovsk regions, the Chechen Republic, and Republic of Dagestan. The latter two are Northern Caucasus republics that have each reported 3 cases of local transmission, without any known travel link to Tajikistan. The most recent confirmed case in Russia had onset on September 25, 2010, in the Republic of Dagestan. A total of 166 cases of acute flaccid paralysis have been reported since January 1, 2011, and 115 of those that have test results have been negative for polio.
Turkmenistan
In 2010, Turkmenistan reported 50 cases of acute flaccid paralysis, including 3 confirmed cases of polio. All these cases had onset in June and occurred in Lebap province, which borders Uzbekistan. As of June 7, 2011, 10 additional acute flaccid paralysis cases with onset in 2011 have been reported, and all tested negative for polio.
Kazakhstan
In 2010, Kazakhstan reported 113 cases of acute flaccid paralysis and 1 confirmed case of polio, with onset August 12, 2010. The case was reported in South Kazakhstan close to the border with Uzbekistan. As of June 7, 2011, Kazakhstan reported 41 acute flaccid paralysis cases with onset in 2011. None of the 30 cases that have test results tested positive for wild polio.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan reported 147 cases of acute flaccid paralysis in 2010, including some near the country’s borders with Tajikistan,Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, but none have been confirmed as polio. As of June 7, 2011, 66 additional acute flaccid paralysis cases with onset in 2011 have been reported.
Kyrgyzstan
In 2010, Kyrgyzstan reported 68 cases of acute flaccid paralysis. As of June 7, 2011, 19 additional cases with onset in 2011 have been reported. No cases of polio have been confirmed.
Recommendations for US Travelers to the Caucasus countries, Central Asian countries and the Russian Federation
Polio is a disease that is most often spread through contact with the feces of an infected person. Poliovirus can also be spread through oral fluids, contaminated items, water, and uncooked food. The disease mainly affects children less than 5 years old, but unvaccinated people of any age are at risk. Signs and symptoms of the illness may include paralysis of limbs and respiratory muscles.
Travelers should take the following steps to protect themselves from polio:
Get vaccinated for polio
* Talk to your doctor to find out if you are up to date with your polio vaccination and whether you need a booster dose before traveling.
* Even if you were vaccinated as a child or have been sick with polio before, you may need a booster shot to make sure that you are protected. If you are traveling with children, be sure that they have been appropriately vaccinated, too.
Follow safe food and water practices
* Eat foods that are fully cooked and served hot.
* Eat and drink dairy products that have been pasteurized.
* Eat only fruits and vegetables that you can wash with safe water and peel yourself.
* Drink only bottled or boiled water or beverages that have been bottled and sealed (carbonated drinks or sports drinks). Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice.
Practice good hand hygiene
* Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, you can use an alcohol-based hand gel.
* Wash hands especially before eating, drinking or preparing food and after using the bathroom, and changing diapers and coughing or sneezing.
Information for Health-Care Providers
Vaccine Recommendations: Infants and Children traveling to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Russian Federation
* The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all infants and children in the United States receive 4 doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), administered at 2 months, 4 months, 6–18 months, and 4–6 years of age.
* If accelerated protection is needed, the minimum interval between the first three doses is 4 weeks (28 days), and the minimum interval from dose 3 to dose 4 is 6 months.
* A dose of IPV should be administered at age ≥4 years regardless of the number of previous doses.
Vaccine Recommendations: Adults traveling to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Russian Federation
* Travelers who have received the complete series with either IPV or oral polio vaccine (OPV) as a child without an adult booster dose (either OPV or IPV) should receive another dose of IPV before departure.
* Available data do not indicate the need for more than one lifetime IPV booster dose for adults.
* Travelers of any age who are unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or whose vaccination status is unknown should receive 3 doses of IPV (2 doses at 4– to 8-week intervals, followed by a third dose 6–12 months after the second dose). (See Chapter 2, Poliomyelitis, CDC Health Information for International Travel 2010, for details.)
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Why Facebook's Friends May Fade
Just when businesses are catching up with social media through Facebook, I think I'm sort of "fading off". Why? I don't want to "like" every single website, or news article I'm reading. I don't want these businesses jumping into my personal social life! I don't want them to steal my Friends List and start spamming them!!!
Is it just me? In addition, Facebook isn't really that user friendly. Apps don't work correctly half the time, and I've received more virus threats through those posts like "If you're an American, you'll repost this...." I hate those.
This morning, I came across this article regarding Facebook, Google and customer satisfaction Index. I thought it was worth reposting.
Writen by : Mikal E. Belcove for Entrepreneur
THE DAILY DOSE
Why Facebook's Friends May Fade
This won't come as welcome news to the folks at Facebook, but its customer-satisfaction ratings aren't much to boast about.
Among its social-media peers, Facebook landed at the bottom of the keeping customers-happy list, according to the 2011 American Customer Satisfaction Index E-Business Report. With a score of 66 out of 100, only airlines, subscription TV and newspapers fared less favorably with consumers.
If you're unfamiliar with it, the ACSI E-Business Report enables businesses to track customer satisfaction in three categories: social media, portals and search engines, and online news. And -- as in last year's report -- social media sites continue to lag significantly behind other e-businesses in maintaining consumer satisfaction rankings. The category earned a paltry 70 score out of 100.
While Facebook remains at the bottom of the heap, the social-networking utility did actually make a modest 3 percent gain over last year's score of 64. ACIS surmises that Facebook's size domination might be a factor in the improved figures. After all, Facebook is approaching one billion users. Wikipedia and YouTube scored 78 and 74 in the latest report, respectively.
So what does this mean for you and your business?
In my experience, consumer dissatisfaction with e-businesses comes from user concerns about their privacy and security. They also appreciate when businesses understand the difference between social networking and social selling -- generally, consumers don't like hearing a sales pitch when they're not expecting it.
Keeping these and other concerns you're aware of in mind when developing and executing your business-communications strategy is key. And it's more important now than ever. If you're old enough to remember when email first emerged and then evolved as a marketing tool, you'll recall that similar concerns surrounding spam, phishing, viruses and formatting plagued consumers right from the get-go. My thinking is that as email evolved to include certain protections and standards, so too will social media-related platforms, but only you -- the business owner -- can set the tone surrounding the proper mix of social networking and social selling.
Even though Facebook remains the dominant player in the social-media spectrum, the ACSI study does suggest that they may need to worry, as users have few other choices for social interaction. In particular, the recent launch of Google+, a social networking platform that boasts an enticing video-conferencing feature, among other things, is expected to give Facebook a run for its money.
And, since Google routinely scores at the top of the ACSI report in the search engine and portals category -- climbing to an astounding 83 rating in customer satisfaction this year -- a continued poor showing by Facebook could give Google the leverage it needs to topple the social-networking giant.
Is it just me? In addition, Facebook isn't really that user friendly. Apps don't work correctly half the time, and I've received more virus threats through those posts like "If you're an American, you'll repost this...." I hate those.
This morning, I came across this article regarding Facebook, Google and customer satisfaction Index. I thought it was worth reposting.
Writen by : Mikal E. Belcove for Entrepreneur
THE DAILY DOSE
Why Facebook's Friends May Fade
This won't come as welcome news to the folks at Facebook, but its customer-satisfaction ratings aren't much to boast about.
Among its social-media peers, Facebook landed at the bottom of the keeping customers-happy list, according to the 2011 American Customer Satisfaction Index E-Business Report. With a score of 66 out of 100, only airlines, subscription TV and newspapers fared less favorably with consumers.
If you're unfamiliar with it, the ACSI E-Business Report enables businesses to track customer satisfaction in three categories: social media, portals and search engines, and online news. And -- as in last year's report -- social media sites continue to lag significantly behind other e-businesses in maintaining consumer satisfaction rankings. The category earned a paltry 70 score out of 100.
While Facebook remains at the bottom of the heap, the social-networking utility did actually make a modest 3 percent gain over last year's score of 64. ACIS surmises that Facebook's size domination might be a factor in the improved figures. After all, Facebook is approaching one billion users. Wikipedia and YouTube scored 78 and 74 in the latest report, respectively.
So what does this mean for you and your business?
In my experience, consumer dissatisfaction with e-businesses comes from user concerns about their privacy and security. They also appreciate when businesses understand the difference between social networking and social selling -- generally, consumers don't like hearing a sales pitch when they're not expecting it.
Keeping these and other concerns you're aware of in mind when developing and executing your business-communications strategy is key. And it's more important now than ever. If you're old enough to remember when email first emerged and then evolved as a marketing tool, you'll recall that similar concerns surrounding spam, phishing, viruses and formatting plagued consumers right from the get-go. My thinking is that as email evolved to include certain protections and standards, so too will social media-related platforms, but only you -- the business owner -- can set the tone surrounding the proper mix of social networking and social selling.
Even though Facebook remains the dominant player in the social-media spectrum, the ACSI study does suggest that they may need to worry, as users have few other choices for social interaction. In particular, the recent launch of Google+, a social networking platform that boasts an enticing video-conferencing feature, among other things, is expected to give Facebook a run for its money.
And, since Google routinely scores at the top of the ACSI report in the search engine and portals category -- climbing to an astounding 83 rating in customer satisfaction this year -- a continued poor showing by Facebook could give Google the leverage it needs to topple the social-networking giant.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Tropical Storm DON: Gulf of Mexico Offshore Waters Forecast
From the NOAA Weather Station National Hurricane Center in Miami Florida:
000
FZNT24 KNHC 291529
OFFNT4
OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO
SEAS GIVEN AS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT...WHICH IS THE AVERAGE
HEIGHT OF THE HIGHEST 1/3 OF THE WAVES. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
MORE THAN TWICE THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT.
GMZ089-292130-
SYNOPSIS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
.SYNOPSIS...TROPICAL STORM DON NEAR 26.2N 94.9W AT 10 AM CDT
MOVING W-NW AT 12 KT. MINIMUM PRESSURE 1002 MB. MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS 45 KT GUSTS TO 55 KT. DON EXPECTED TO MOVE TO
NEAR 26.8N 96.7W THIS EVENING AND THEN INLAND TO NEAR 27.7N
99.1W BY SAT MORNING. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
PORTIONS OF THE WESTERN GULF BETWEEN 25N AND 28N W OF 93W.
GMZ080-292130-
NW GULF N OF 25N W OF 90W
INCLUDING THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING S OF 28N...
.THIS AFTERNOON...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITHIN 90 NM OF
DON. MAXIMUM WINDS 50 KT GUST TO 60 KT. HIGHEST SEAS 20 FT.
ELSEWHERE NE OF DON...E TO SE WINDS 20 TO 33 KT. SEAS 7 TO 11
FT. ELSEWHERE NW OF DON NW TO N WINDS 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 3 TO 6
FT. SCATTERED RAINBANDS AND TSTMS S OF 27N. WIND AND SEAS HIGHER
NEAR SCATTERED SQUALLS AND ISOLATED TSTMS N OF 27N.
.TONIGHT...S OF 28N W OF 95W TROPICAL STORM WINDS WITH MAXIMUM
WINDS 50 KT GUST TO 60 KT EARLY. HIGHEST SEAS 20 FT. WIND THEN
DIMINISHING TO SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 10 TO 15 FT
PRIMARILY IN SE SWELL. ELSEWHERE E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS
5 TO 8 FT EXCEPT 8 TO 10 FT S OF 28N E OF 92W. SCATTERED
RAINBANDS AND TSTMS S OF 28N W OF 95W.
.SAT...E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 6 FT.
.SAT NIGHT AND SUN...E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.
.MON AND TUE...VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
GMZ082-292130-
SW GULF S OF 25N W OF 90W
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
.THIS AFTERNOON...N OF 24N S TO SW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS
BUILDING 6 TO 10 FT. ELSEWHERE N OF 22N S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 20
KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. S OF 22N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3
TO 5 FT. NUMEROUS RAINBANDS AND SCATTERED TSTMS N OF 23N.
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ELSEWHERE W OF 93W.
.TONIGHT...N OF 24N W OF 95W SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6
TO 9 FT. ELSEWHERE E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...NE TO E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT.
.MON AND TUE...N OF 22N NE TO E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. S OF
22N N TO NE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
GMZ084-292130-
MIDDLE GULF BETWEEN 85W AND 90W
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
.THIS AFTERNOON...N OF 25N SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO
15 KT LATE. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 5 FT LATE. S OF 25N
E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS N
OF 27N.
.TONIGHT THROUGH SUN...NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT EXCEPT 5 TO 10
KT N OF 27N. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.
.MON AND TUE...N OF 25N VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 1 TO 2
FT. S OF 25N E WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
GMZ086-292130-
E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
.THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SAT...N OF 25N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15
KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. S OF 25N E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4
TO 6 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...N OF 25N VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 1 TO
2 FT. S OF 25N E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.
000
FZNT24 KNHC 291529
OFFNT4
OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO
SEAS GIVEN AS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT...WHICH IS THE AVERAGE
HEIGHT OF THE HIGHEST 1/3 OF THE WAVES. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
MORE THAN TWICE THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT.
GMZ089-292130-
SYNOPSIS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
.SYNOPSIS...TROPICAL STORM DON NEAR 26.2N 94.9W AT 10 AM CDT
MOVING W-NW AT 12 KT. MINIMUM PRESSURE 1002 MB. MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS 45 KT GUSTS TO 55 KT. DON EXPECTED TO MOVE TO
NEAR 26.8N 96.7W THIS EVENING AND THEN INLAND TO NEAR 27.7N
99.1W BY SAT MORNING. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
PORTIONS OF THE WESTERN GULF BETWEEN 25N AND 28N W OF 93W.
GMZ080-292130-
NW GULF N OF 25N W OF 90W
INCLUDING THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING S OF 28N...
.THIS AFTERNOON...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITHIN 90 NM OF
DON. MAXIMUM WINDS 50 KT GUST TO 60 KT. HIGHEST SEAS 20 FT.
ELSEWHERE NE OF DON...E TO SE WINDS 20 TO 33 KT. SEAS 7 TO 11
FT. ELSEWHERE NW OF DON NW TO N WINDS 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 3 TO 6
FT. SCATTERED RAINBANDS AND TSTMS S OF 27N. WIND AND SEAS HIGHER
NEAR SCATTERED SQUALLS AND ISOLATED TSTMS N OF 27N.
.TONIGHT...S OF 28N W OF 95W TROPICAL STORM WINDS WITH MAXIMUM
WINDS 50 KT GUST TO 60 KT EARLY. HIGHEST SEAS 20 FT. WIND THEN
DIMINISHING TO SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 10 TO 15 FT
PRIMARILY IN SE SWELL. ELSEWHERE E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS
5 TO 8 FT EXCEPT 8 TO 10 FT S OF 28N E OF 92W. SCATTERED
RAINBANDS AND TSTMS S OF 28N W OF 95W.
.SAT...E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 6 FT.
.SAT NIGHT AND SUN...E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.
.MON AND TUE...VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
GMZ082-292130-
SW GULF S OF 25N W OF 90W
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
.THIS AFTERNOON...N OF 24N S TO SW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS
BUILDING 6 TO 10 FT. ELSEWHERE N OF 22N S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 20
KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. S OF 22N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3
TO 5 FT. NUMEROUS RAINBANDS AND SCATTERED TSTMS N OF 23N.
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ELSEWHERE W OF 93W.
.TONIGHT...N OF 24N W OF 95W SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6
TO 9 FT. ELSEWHERE E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...NE TO E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT.
.MON AND TUE...N OF 22N NE TO E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. S OF
22N N TO NE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
GMZ084-292130-
MIDDLE GULF BETWEEN 85W AND 90W
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
.THIS AFTERNOON...N OF 25N SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO
15 KT LATE. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 5 FT LATE. S OF 25N
E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS N
OF 27N.
.TONIGHT THROUGH SUN...NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT EXCEPT 5 TO 10
KT N OF 27N. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.
.MON AND TUE...N OF 25N VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 1 TO 2
FT. S OF 25N E WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
GMZ086-292130-
E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W
1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 29 2011
.THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SAT...N OF 25N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15
KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. S OF 25N E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4
TO 6 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...N OF 25N VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 1 TO
2 FT. S OF 25N E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Violin For Sale: Otto Benjamin 4/4 with Pernambuco Bow
I usually wouldn't use my blog for this type of thing, but husband thinks it's a good venue - so, I'll give it a try. If you know of anybody (or students) looking for a violin, please consider this one.
Sale Price: $1,100.00
Otto Benjamin Violin 4/4 with Pernambuco Bow,
Oblong Case.
Model # ML-500
Serial # 58066-64
Fully hand-carved from highly select tone-woods.
Hand-applied beautiful amber varnish.
Pernambuco bow with fully lined ebony & Mother-of-pearl Frog.
Deluxe case with hygrometer, but hygrometer was lost. Lined in green velvet
With plenty of room for storage and comes with shoulder strap.
I paid $1900.00 for the violin alone.
Only used for 4 months.
Has new strings
Comes with:
2 Rosin Blocks,
Adjustable 4/4 KUN Violin Rest
1 Sabine Zipbeat Quartz Metronome ($60 value)
Please send email if interested, only serious inquiries please. It's
already hard enough to have to sell this violin.
gingerz@charter.net
Sale Price: $1,100.00
Otto Benjamin Violin 4/4 with Pernambuco Bow,
Oblong Case.
Model # ML-500
Serial # 58066-64
Fully hand-carved from highly select tone-woods.
Hand-applied beautiful amber varnish.
Pernambuco bow with fully lined ebony & Mother-of-pearl Frog.
Deluxe case with hygrometer, but hygrometer was lost. Lined in green velvet
With plenty of room for storage and comes with shoulder strap.
I paid $1900.00 for the violin alone.
Only used for 4 months.
Has new strings
Comes with:
2 Rosin Blocks,
Adjustable 4/4 KUN Violin Rest
1 Sabine Zipbeat Quartz Metronome ($60 value)
Please send email if interested, only serious inquiries please. It's
already hard enough to have to sell this violin.
gingerz@charter.net
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Video: Cannon Turns 1 Today
I had the opportunity to photograph little Cannon for her newborn photographs as well as her 1 year old milestone. This video is the result.
GingerZ
GingerZ
The Moon Over the Ocean. N. Myrtle Beach, SC
This is a picture of the moon over the Atlantic ocean in North Myrtle Beach, SC on July 18, 2011.
I've never seen one so red, so beautiful.
Check out my gallery for Beach pictures to see more or go to
gingerz.smugmug.com.
I've never seen one so red, so beautiful.
Check out my gallery for Beach pictures to see more or go to
gingerz.smugmug.com.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Six planets Now Aligned in the Dawn Sky
The picture depicts how the planets lined up on Saturday, April 30, 2011 as seen from Los Angeles, California.
CREDIT: Starry Night Software (reposted)
Information provided by: Geoff Gaherty, Starry Night Education
OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS you'll be treated to the sight of all the planets except Saturn arrayed along the ecliptic, the path of the sun through the sky.
For the last two months, almost all the planets have been hiding behind the sun, but this week they all emerge and are arrayed in a grand line above the rising sun. Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter are visible, and you can add Uranus and Neptune to your count if you have binoculars or a small telescope.
Astrologers have always been facinated by planetary alignments, and the doomsayers of 2012 have been prophesying a mystical alignment on December 21, 2012.
The modern tools of astronomers, such as planetarium software, show otherwise: absolutely no alignment at any time in 2012. BUT, they also reveal a beautiful alignment visible during the month of May this year.
Six planets at one time.
While astrologers view planetary alignments as foretellers of disasters, modern amateur astronomers look forward to them as nothing more than grand photo ops.
If you go out any morning for the next four days, you'll be treated to a view of the crescent moon and all but one of the naked eye planets.
Because the moon moves rapidly from one morning to the next, it will only be part of the lineup for the next four mornings, but the four naked-eye planets will be there for the next few weeks.
Venus is, as always, the brightest and most visible of the planets, and it can be your guide to spotting the others. About half way between Venus and the rising sun is Jupiter, the second brightest planet.
Mars will be a tiny speck just above Jupiter, and Mercury another tiny speck about half way between Jupiter and Venus. Uranus is slightly more than one binocular field above and to the right of Venus, and Neptune is much farther to the right, about 40 degrees away in Aquarius. The Moon will be just above Venus on Saturday morning, and just above Jupiter and Mars on Sunday morning.
How to photograph the planets.
Capturing a photograph of this gathering of the planets couldn't be easier!
Just about any camera will do, though a camera with a telephoto lense setting will be better. Let the camera's exposure meter be your guide, though a slight underexposure will help bring out the colors of the dawn sky.
Try to place the silhouette of some foreground object to lend depth to the scene. The best pictures will be on the next few mornings, while the crescent moon is part of the grouping.
This article was provided to SPACE.com by Starry Night Education, the leader in space science curriculum solutions.
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