Task Management

I haven't had a chance to try it yet but it sounds perfect for me

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/fusiondesk-deluxe-12/

from Giveaway of the Day Blog:

FusionDesk is project management and time tracking software for individuals and small teams. Its power is well disguised behind a simple and elegant user interface. Its flexibility allows it to adapt to your way of doing things, instead of forcing you to adapt.

Message from the publisher (Virtuoza Software)

FusionDesk Deluxe is a version not yet available from our official web site. It will cost $59.95 but only today you get it for free thanks to GiveawayOfTheDay.com.

In functionality it sits between our Starter and Pro version.

In addition to all features available in the Starter edition it contains:

• Reminders: Normal and Recurring
• Work Timers
• Filtering
• Smart Views
• Manual Sort

It does not include the following features that can be found in the Pro version:

• Dozen different reports
• Sharing
• Sync with Outlook
• Sync with Smart Phones
• Import & Export from many formats
• USB Drive Deployment

Important! Today you can also get 50% discount for FusionDesk Professional. Click this link to purchase the software with special GAOTD discount coupon.

You have to download and activate it today! They have a daily freebie so you may want to bookmark them!

Kayla

Gorgeous New Line of Books

IRISbook is a Canadian based boutique-style photo book company for professional photographers. I haven't ordered from them yet but I'd love to soon! They print the photos on fine art silk paper and have linen covers in black, cream, red, green, robin's egg, and taupe. Up to 100 sides and you can choose from slip case, clam shell case, or presentation box, You can even get custom die cut on your covers. Check them out at http://www.irisbook.ca/ or follow their blog. It looks like they offer 50% off of studio samples, email them for a price list. I'm really impressed and going to have to try them out!

Kayla

DIY Accordian book

I came across this project today and may have to try it soon!

designspongeonline.com

I borrowed the image from their DIY Guide to show you how cute it is! They have lots of other great projects and design ideas. And a book out "Show Me How: 500 Things You Should Know Instructions for Life From the Everyday to the Exotic" that looks like an awesome resource.

Kayla

More cute camera straps

Another photographer shared this on a forum and I thought I'd share here

http://phatstraps.com/

Really cute camera straps, wrist straps, lens bags, even guitar straps and lanyards. You can even get them custom embroidered with your studio name for a great price "Embroidery is $8 for up to 10 characters, $12 for 10-20 characters and $16 for 20-30 characters." Use code MPIX15 for 15% off at checkout.

Kayla

Portrait "Rules"

Ever wonder what the "rules" are for posing? I came across this page that has some great tips! Sadly I have so many tabs open I honestly can't remember how I got there but I seriously recommend it! http://lumitouch.com/benstudiotutorial/rules.html Be sure to also look at the other lessons on there as they provide some great tips as well.

Kayla Renckly

Experiment!

I haven't put myself out there business-wise since November and haven't even picked up my camera much since then. I hit a creative wall. It was time to get back to it so while I am revamping everything, I started looking for a new subject. Lucky for me, my baby brother just got engaged and they wanted to do photos before he goes to bootcamp next month. We spent 8 hours together, most of it spent walking, and got to try knew stuff. It was so great to have a willing subject! Anyway, my point is that when you get in a slump, take a break to regroup if you need it and then try something new. Whether it's off-camera flash, a new location, a new post-processing technique, or even just a different time of day. Here's a few of my faves:



Kayla Renckly

Tilt-Shift

This is mostly for fun, if you can find a useful way to use I'd love to see the results, maybe something that needs more selective focus. Tilt-shift cameras are expensive and are often used in landscape work, but on the right photo it can create the illusion of miniatures. It works best on photos from a wider angle (further away) and somewhat downward, and even better without people.

Here's an example:

Before

After

Here's the link to the action if you wanna play (it's half directions, half action) *link fixed now*

Terms of Use: Have fun but don't redistribute, sell, or claim as your own.

BTW I can't take credit for taking the photo. My mom took this photo on a trip to Ireland, I just color-corrected, sharpened and cropped it and then ran the action.

Kayla

List of Tutorials, Actions, Brushes, Textures and More

I got bored with my logo and went on a search for inspiration and resources to create a new one. As usual, my ADD struck again and I wandered all over the place, but I came across a great list compiled of tutorials, actions, brushes, textures and other great resources over at noupe.com There were a few sites I already knew about but a lot more that I didn't. I still have no idea how I got there but I'm glad I did!

**Remember-Look at the Terms of Use (TOU) to see how you are allowed to use them. Some will say use them as you please as long as you give credit or don''t claim as your own. Others will say personal use only which means you can not use them in any way for your business. If you aren't sure, contact the creator and ask them; some just want to know how they will be used and others may want a small fee for a commercial usage license. It's not worth trying to get away with it, people have a way of finding out!**

Kayla Renckly

PIF Photo

PIF (Pay it Forward) Photo is a great resource for photographers between giveaways, shares, interviews and more! In fact our very own Arya Wiese has a b/w action share on there right now!

Biff Ulman recently did an interview on PIF talking about the costs of doing business as a photographer. It is a great read for anyone starting out or anyone that just needs to revamp their prices to *GASP* actually make a profit! The biggest mistake most photographers make is undervaluing their work and in turn devaluing the industry. I'll raise my hand as a guilty party there and I'm redoing mine by the end of the month.

Kayla Renckly

Kayla Renckly Photography ~ Phoenix, AZ

Hey there, my name is Kayla Renckly! I'm almost 26 and I'm a photographer in the Phoenix area (in the west valley). I've been married 5 1/2 years to my best friend from childhood and we have two sons, Ethan is 4 and Collin is 18 months, but we'd like to add more.

I have always been the crazy girl with a camera since I can remember, starting with a turquoise Kodak point-and-shoot. I wanted to be a stay-at-home-mom after I had my son and I loved taking pictures of him. I bought my first DSLR in 2005, a Konica Minolta 7d. I started portfolio building in late 2005/early 2006 and really felt I could call myself a professional photographer in late 2007. I upgraded to a Sony A700 and absolutely adore it!

Looking back, I took one of the hardest paths towards this dream and I'm still trying to undo several of those mistakes business-wise. I go through some of those "awesome" photos I took and laugh, I feel like I've come SO far! I'd love to be able to save someone else some of the headaches and hopefully being as inspiring as I am inspired by these seriously talented photographers!