A Willingness to Share Wisconsin

Thanks to the Internet, email, PDAs, teleconferences, webinars, podcasts and the like, our world has become a virtual classroom, where ideas can be exchanged, problems resolved, and issues explored on a global scale.

Yet despite technology's awesome capabilities, it is a distinctly human endeavor to help others turn their dreams into realities, to triumph over personal and professional adversities, and to share the war stories of hard-earned successes. Part of what makes the photoimaging industry such a tight-knit community is the willingness professional photographers have for sharing business and technical tips, insights and information, with one another.

This issue of Studio Photography offers a wide range of photographers' tips, suggestions, and reviews. Starting with our cover story on Jeff Heger, "A Colorful Journey", in which Heger tells us why switching from travel photojournalism to corporate travel and location photography has been such a good business move for him.

The profile on wedding photojournalist Mary Steinbacher, "Staying Connected" explains how Steinbacher has earned a place of honor with brides by being ready and responsive to all their needs before, during, and after their big day. In "Beauty, Brazilian-Style," you'll read how Caesar Lima turns his commercial photo shoots into spirited celebrations that always produce the results he and his clients are after.

If you've had it with the "good enough" crowd, you'll enjoy Greg Schrader's "Doing Things the Right Way." If you're looking for a way to enhance your portrait studio profits, read "Franchising Can Turn Downtime Into Prime Time," by Michael Meuret. Or if you are in the market for an e-commerce solution to your proofing and ordering needs, be sure to read William Love's review of seeyourphotos.net, this month's Online Opportunities selection.

Speaking of online opportunities. . . If you're thinking about launching a blog for your studio, see what other Studio Photography readers have to say about blogging in this month's Peer2Peer recap.

If it's time to replace your well-traveled bags and cases or to add to your collection, you might find what you're looking for in "On the Case," our annual Bags & Cases Roundup, including product trends and user testimonials.

Photographers in the market for a strobe system that's light enough and smart enough to deliver on location and in the studio may want to read why Al Parker will only use Quantum's latest Strobe System to help him capture his winning ballroom dance competition images. And find out how to make the most out of any lighting conditions in D.J. LaDez's article "Light Your Subjects Quickly with Little or No Help."

Among the most powerful tools a photographer has at his disposal is software. Read Eric Neilsen's review of Imagenomic's Noiseware, Portraiture, and RealGrain to find out about a software suite that saves valuable time in post-production.

Last year, Studio Photography's Special Report: Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business—hailed industrywide as a valuable keepsake—epitomized information sharing in this industry. What made the report so valuable was our readers' willingness to take the time to explain in generous detail what their winning marketing programs entailed, how they were developed, and how their success was quantified. We hope you find our second annual marketing strategies report—coming in August—equally as worthwhile.

Enjoy your summer and take us along. Be sure to visit our website, www.imaginginfo.com, regularly for online exclusives, brand-new Buyers' Guide, growing video network, and industry updates. While you're online, subscribe to our biweekly enewsletter if you're not receiving it now.

Remember: Studio Photography means business.

Alice B. Miller
alice.miller@cygnuspub.com