Successful Travel Photography

Travel photography is quite different from other photographic endeavors especially if you plan to make a living from it.

Most successful travel photographers are writers as well. Actually in the print world, you can't separate words from pictures. They complement each other.

What the picture can't show, the words explain in greater detail. So it's no surprise that some travel articles are sometimes from husband and wife teams.

That's the perfect job for couples. Think exotic locations, the love of your life with you and endless adventures together.

My biggest problem with travel photography is that a lot of the imagery you see have been so photographed that they're the equivalent of visual clichés. What comes to mind when you think of China? Great Wall of China, or the Forbidden City in Beijing? Egypt? The Great Pyramids. India... the Taj Mahal. Indonesia...Borobodur. Cambodia...Angkor Wat.

As in most printed media, the pictures tend to be more important than the words. A visually striking image will draw a casual browser of publication into reading an article even if the headline is not well-written.

A great selection of pictures of one destination can save a article with mediocre writing. But the same can't be said if the pictures are of poor quality.

No matter how good and compelling the writing, if the pictures are just mediocre, readers will not be drawn to the story.

Poorly composed images, especially ones with lots of technical flaws like low resolution, artifacting and digital noise cannot be rescued. As powerful as Photoshop is, it simply can't fix or add something that isn't in a picture.

Even if it can, there is the ethical question of are you allowed to? Most magazine have strict guidelines against such manipulation of images especially in their editorial content.

But poorly written articles can be "massaged" and fine-tuned by editors into some quite readable.

Tips for a successful trip:

1. Careful planning and research of your destination.

Obvious yet a lot of people don't consider this when making their plans. Festivities like Oktoberfest in Germany, Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, California takes place annually at the same time.

And by planning I don't just mean planning for the length of time you are going to be at your destination. If you're a digital photographer, you'll need power to charge your batteries and a way to download and clear off your memory cards or you will be up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

If you're headed abroad where electrical power is different from home, you'll also a voltage converter. I recommend the Kensington 3317 International All-in-one Travel Plug Adapter.

2. Precise note-taking.

Whether you use a laptop or pen and paper, having good habits like keeping receipts and other bills incurred during the trip is important.

Even if you're not writing the article, precise notes on how to get from town A to town B, how much the fare was, the duration of the drive are all details which add value to your pitch to magazines or collaborative effort with a writer.

Remember your recall will not be so good once you're home. Foreign names have a way of sounding the same when you get home, so good note-taking is critical.

Your article will have more credibility if you provide details since a travel article is part "how-to" and part narrative. Another reason for those notes is documentation when you claim the trip as a business expense.

3. Digital SLR with wide and telephoto zoom lens

Think "light." If you're lugging around a lot of gear, you'll be too beat to use your camera. Traveling light doesn't mean you leave essentials like a healthy supply of extra memory cards, batteries and flash units at home.

If you're bringing along a laptop, then a supply of writable CDs or DVDs is important.

Even if you don't have a chance to edit your images after you download them to your computer, you should burn those images as a backup and mail them to yourself.

That way if all your gear is stolen, you'll still have images to show when you get home.

Prior to his arrival in the US, before attending college, Riverside portrait photographer Peter Phun traveled extensively, documenting his travels through photography.

He specializes in location portraits, weddings and editorial work. He writes about photography, Macs & the internet. He also designs websites and is a stay-at-home dad.

Previously, Peter worked as a staff photographer for 18 years at The Press-Enterprise, Southern California's 4th largest daily newspaper. He is the webmaster for the Mac user group in the Inland Empire.

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Cash From Your Camera - 5 Steps to Write Your Way to Successful Photo Sales

If you are able to write quality articles on a variety of subjects and then shoot quality images you are far more likely to be able to find a market for your images. The magazine market especially are looking for good articles that have the associated images as part of the deal. If you can do this then you can storm to the front of the queue.

One of the problems that magazine editors face today is shrinking budgets. Getting together a great article on a relevant subject and then sending out a staff photographer to shoot it or pay a freelancer, is always a budgetary headache. If you can solve that problem then you will stand a great chance of finding someone who will buy your images together with a quality article. So how do you write your way to success?

1. Find a niche

Here you'll have to do a bit of a self evaluation. Find out what you enjoy doing and what your passions are, something that really interests you. Something that you have already been shooting for fun. Write articles around what you have already shot. If you like boating or dogs then you'll probably know which magazines focus on these topics. If you don't then research your market. Find out what magazines are available in your specific area of interest and what types of articles they focus on. Do they have photos in the articles? You want to ascertain whether a good article contains how many images. Then once you know this you will be able get ideas for articles. Of course it's better if you are a regular reader of the magazine and know what articles have appeared and when.

2. Contact the magazine editor

This is often the most difficult as we are not partial to rejection. What you need to do is come up with a few story ideas and then pitch them to the editor. Give a brief outline or summary of the story so that it gives the editor an idea of the article structure. If you already have images, work the story around them and then shoot any additional to fill in the gaps. With these ideas you may just give the editor some ideas that he hadn't thought of. Don't go to the editor and ask what they need. Remember that you are an unknown and a risk at this stage as they don't know what you can deliver.

3. Work on your ideas

Create something that is dramatic and outstanding that will catch the editor's ear first. If he can picture a finished article once you have submitted it then he will be far more open to looking at the photos that accompany it. The article needs to be professional and polished although the editor may refine it and cut out bits that aren't relevant or make the story too long. Don't rely on the magazine's editorial staff to make corrections to spelling and grammar. This may be the cause for the article getting rejected. Once your article is formulated, corrected and polished then it's ready to go to the next level.

4. Work on your images

Look through your portfolio of appropriate images. Select only the ones that are outstanding, that is, your best. If the image doesn't cut it or you are not sure, leave it out. You are showcasing your images, in some cases, to a national magazine who have very high standards. If you aren't sure then reshoot an image. Rather have too few that are of high quality than including one or two extras that lower the standard of the portfolio. If the editor likes your story they may ask you to provide additional or specific photos of a subject.

5. Evaluate the final product

Look at the article you have just created and visualise it in a magazine. Would it catch your attention. Would you read it? It's imperative that you evaluate the article carefully. Get a friend or associate to read through it with the images in place and give their opinion. Don't use family as they might give an emotionally biased opinion. You only have one chance to give a great first impression. This might be the break you have been waiting for so give it all you have.

If you really give you heart and soul to writing great articles, they will give you a foot in the door for your photos. But, make sure that your photos are as good as your articles and would deserve to be published in a quality magazine.

Do you want to learn more about photography in a digital world? I've just completed a brand new e-course delivered by e-mail. Download it here for free: http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/ To learn how you can take your photography from ordinary to outstanding visit http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/21steps.htm

Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography.

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How to Create a Successful Business Card Design

What does your business card design say about your business? After meeting with a potential customer or a business associate, your card is many times all that is left to represent your business or product. This is why it is important to seek an image that best represents you and your company.

Of course, during these economic times, many businesses just don't have the resources to hire a graphic designer. Business owners faced with this task should keep some important rules in mind. For starters, there are internet sites where you can build your cards and design from the beginning to the finished product.

What is it that sets you apart from your competitors? Your aim should be to make a business card design that stands out and grabs the attention of your customer or client. Design your cards in a way that will make your services unique and will captivate and be impressive to the market you are trying to reach.

Your new business card design should not only include who you are, what you do and how you can be contacted, but it is a chance to include more than just your basic contact details. Grab your customer's attention with a catch phrase, and sell your product with your words. What can you do for your customer?

This seems like a no brainer but many people miss putting important contact information on their business cards. Don't forget to include an email address, a phone number, an 800 number, a cell phone number, a FAX number, and your address. Also remember to include your website address; this is a great way for people to find out more about your business.

Use a font that is easy to read, and 2-3 colors (plus black and white). The color red doesn't work with all designs, but really stands out. Try highlighting part of the text to make the words jump out at your prospective buyer. Find an image or a clip art that is related to the business or theme. Your business card design should be neat, and convey an image of trust.

Your theme (or logo) is the cement between you and your company. Your logo should reflect the professionalism your business is known for. Whatever you decide to use should be a clear symbol of high quality to enhance the image of your company. This symbol will become an important element in building brand recognition.

Keep in mind; you could be using both sides of the card. Improve your image by adding a checklist, a quote, or a testimonial to the back of the business card design. The cost to use both sides in not that much more, and sets your card apart from most business cards.

Don't bore your customers or clients by telling them how great you are. People don't care about that. They want to know what it is you have to offer. Give people a reason to contact you by knowing what it is that makes them buy. Develop an image of quality and professionalism with a great business card design.

David Dumas
Squidoo: This is my Squidoo Lens On Business Card Design.
Blog: http://bestprintpro.com/blog
Email: dave@bestprintpro.com

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