Unprocessed Image

Processed w/Totally Rad Lightroom Presets

Unprocessed Image

Processed w/Totally Rad Lightroom Presets

Unprocessed Image

Processed w/Totally Rad Lightroom Presets

Unprocessed Image

Processed w/Totally Rad Lightroom Presets

Unprocessed Image     

Processed w/Totally Rad Lightroom Presets

Any of you that know me are very aware of my addiction to all things Apple Computer. They are the coolest products out there and I have a problem.. I admit it.. But I have no plans to try and fix it. I am fully invested and I'm pretty dang proud to say it. I find it really funny when I hear people trying to bash them or tell me that they don't get what the big deal is. Are you kidding me? The truth is that the products that Apple comes out with set the bar for everyone else and everyone else is usually falls short. First, the iPod. They own the consumer music market. Why? Because the product is the best at what it does on every level. Second, the iPhone. From a design and function stand point, they have changed the smart phone market forever and have caused more manufacturers to rethink how they design their products. Now, folks love to argue about the ATT thing, but the truth is, there is no perfect carrier. They all drop calls is certain areas and we all deal with it. Nuff said! As far as the Apple computer products, they are the best designed, best functioning, best built, most user friendly computer products around. Sure, they aren't the cheapest, but who cares. Why should the best be the cheapest? You get what you pay for. You wouldn't go to a BMW dealership and ask them discount their cars and if you did, they would laugh at you. They aren't about market share as much as they are about quality. 

With that in mind, here are my Top 10 reasons why Apple Computers RULE!!:

#1 cause they work with everything.. No need to load printer drivers!!

#2 cause they don't crash

#3 the iPhone.. Duh!!

#4 the iPad

#5 No viruses.. Haven't had virus protection for 4 years and I don't need it!!

#6 cause the federal govt doesn't use them.. why would anyone want to use a product that a failing system would use anyway?

#7 cause they support the creative community and they dare to be different!!

#8 cause they make my business work more efficiently

#9 cause they inspire

#10 cause they look cool!!!

In a time that people are watching their money more than ever, the key word is value. We as a society still spend money. We just pay alot more attention to the "Value" of anything that we spend money on. That's a good thing. To me, something that maintains its value for a long time is more valuable than something that is fleeting and only provides me pleasure for a quick moment in time. As for the wedding industry, a bride & groom have alot of things that they have to spend money on for their wedding day. They have to buy a dress, rent tuxedos, order a cake, order food & drink, hire a DJ, rent a reception hall, pay for the wedding venue and hire the photographer. There are always extra's that pop up as well. Pretty overwhelming isn't it? So when you look at this list, what do you think are the only things that last past the wedding day?................... Have you thought about it? The dress and the photography. After the wedding day, the tuxedos have been returned, the food and drink have been consumed, the DJ has packed up his gear and all of the guests have gone back to their lives. The only thing that is left is the memories that were captured by the photographer and the dress. And the dress won't even be worn again for at least 20 years if the bride & groom have daughter and she wants to wear Mom's wedding dress. The only thing that can bring happiness every day for the rest of your life is the wedding album and the moments that were captured on the wedding day. Pretty darned valuable!!.. Don't you think? With all of this said, there is one thing left to keep in mind. Because of the value of what we do, we must make it a priority to produce spectacular images, provide amazing service and go the extra mile with our clients. Just because we have a camera and a little skill doesn't make us and what we do valuable. There are alot of people out there with digital cameras that can push a button and they like to call themselves a professional. That doesn't mean that they have your passion or vision. They are a commodity... you aren't. There is only one you.. Practice your craft daily, maintain your passion, deliver world class images, and exceed your client's expectations. If you concentrate on that, everyone wins!! Until next time... Be Blessed!!

The other incredible aspect of WPPI 2010 is that I got to meet and hang my favorite vendors and thank them for all that they do for my business. The incredible thing is that they were more interested in hearing about how they could help grow my business than hearing kudos about their awesome products. I also got to attend classes with Kevin Kubota, Jerry Ghionis, Doug Gordon, and John Michael Cooper. It blew me away at how humble and sharing these guys were. My mind is still running at 1000 mph with all of the information that they shared. Anyhow, to those folks that doubt whether they can justify the expense to attend next year, all I can say is that you owe it to yourself and your business to attend. All of the other conventions are cool, but none can compare to WPPI. Again, special thanks goes to my friends Moshe, Hadar & Inbal for convincing me to go and a big shout out of love goes to my new friends Angela, Zhia, Mark, Emily, Will, Vithaya & Diana. I can't wait to get together with you all soon and share our thoughts about the week. Below is some photographic evidence of the this incredible experience. Enjoy!!...

 So.. how can I do this with my business? I have a few ideas.. First, I've been basically running a 90% paperless business for a year or so. I email all info (Quotes, Contracts, Price lists, etc.) to my clients and I take notes on my iPhone's note pad and email them to myself. Then when my clients choose their package, the contract is printed signed and scanned so I can create an archival copy. The benefit?.. less paper used, less paper thrown away. Second, I offer "Green" albums to my clients as an option. Couture Book offer an album called the Earth Book that is manufactured in a totally "Green" manner. For more info on these books, click on the link above. They are very unique and they look awesome!! Of course I still offer those beautiful leather albums that I always have, but I wanted to offer a "Green" option. Finally, I've been toying around with the idea of doing away with traditional business cards and replacing them with digital business cards. Sure, there are "Green" card options, but it still leaves more junk in the trash can. My prefered method of exchanging contact info is the VCard format or using an iPhone App called "Bump". You and another person with an iPhone just bump knuckles and the info is transfered to the other persons phone and address book. Pretty cool!!

So here is the "Million Dollar Question"... How do you feel about this issue and what ideas do you have to be more "Green" as a business. I really want to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment below so others can see it and/or send me an email at paul@psquaredphotographic.com Until next time...

So, you may ask yourself what wedding photographers do when the season is slowing down. While all of us plan for next season, work on website designs and next year's business plan, some of us get together for some photo excursions. This was the case for Moshe Zusman, Ron Jones and myself in November. Since its so cheap to go from DC to New York thanks to Megabus ($17 each way!!), we decided to take a day and head to NYC. The plan was visit the photographer's Toys R Us, B&H Photo and just hang out around the city. We had a blast and had some great food at Mesa Grill! Below is some photographic evidence of the fun we had. These images were shot with my newest equipment purchase; the Canon 1D MkIII!! This camera ROCKS!! Love to have the new MkIV, but this one will do just fine. Thank you Moshe!! Enjoy!