Here is the trail in Fernie called Binlogden.
Today I found out I have a bulging disk in my lower back. I have idea how this happened maybe years of biking, my new sport of roller derby, or the hours I spend sitting at my desk answering emails and editing photos.
After a 3 hour trip to Lethbridges wonderful ER i was told keep doing what your doing and 90% of the time it will go away. The doctor did not diagnose my back injury at all. I looked into get a chiropractor to look at me. After a very painful drive to the Chiropractors office due to sitting is extremely painful. once I arrived after stretching and finding all pressure points. I now have a long road to recovery. I have a doctors appointment and going to request a MRI to hopefully see any and all damage to my back. Then I am trying out Body Talk. I hopefully can figure my back out before summer so I can ride bike.
My goal is to manage this pain with the least amount of drugs and try to strengthen my back more then it is. I would love to hear comments and what might have worked for you with similar injuries.
cody
Why pay full price when you can get the same thing for less.
Posted: December 19, 2011 in PhotographyAs a full time photographer I spend a lot of money on equipment. I am also a gear head so I have lots of little thing nic nac’s that help me with my job. One little piece of gear I now love is my “Q” Strap. Or if you payed full price the “R” Strap.
I have always hated the stock camera straps that come with your DLSR body’s. They are more in your way then really helping you.
I had a “R: Stap given to me from a friend because he up grade to the new “R” Strap. After the wedding season was over this year i missed placed it. So it to buy a new one. I wasn’t about to go spend $53.95 plus s&h for a new one. So I went to my trusty site http://www.dealextreme.com/ and found the same thing with a better camera braket.
Here is the Brake down:
RS-4 CLASSIC
R strap from black Rapid $53.95
The RS-4’s smart design is lightweight and low profile. It features a quick access, secure pocket for storing two extra memory cards in their protective cases. Like all R-Straps, the RS-4 is incredibly comfortable and quick on the draw.
Quick Strap Shoulder Strap for SLR/DSLR Cameras
Q strap $16.60 + free shipping
Catching funny pictures is great as long as they are not of you. Often times pictures are taken at the most inopportune time, leaving you with that awful look on your face, or catching a picture of you when you fall down and make a fool of yourself and so on. Now it is time for revenge, always be ready for those payback shots of your friends clowning around with this handy shoulder strap. No more sore neck from holding that SLR camera. This sturdy shoulder strap is made of high quality materials for an ultra long lasting life. Be sure to be ready to catch those candid shots today.
– Material: polyester
– Ideal for carrying your digital camera
– Stylish and comfortable padded design reduces carrying stress to the neck
– Ideal for carrying your digital camera
– Stylish and comfortable padded design reduces carrying stress to the neck
Pros and Cons
Both straps do the same thing. They are made with the same design and the same material.
The on thing I like more about the “Q” strap over the “R” strap is the camera mount. Its clean, smooth and out of the way.
More gear head stuf to come in the new year.
Cody
Now a days photographer’s are thinking of new ways to be different, Unique, and ground breaking. But at the end of the day some might have done something the same, same style, look, or just a bit different. At the end of the day its what WE do to sell our self to be different. We get inspired by other photographers, designers, nature, the human body, ect to do something that me might have not thought about and try to recreate it in a way that we shoot and our style.
DROP your EGO, all photographers have one big or small, its just who we are. Our egos/personalities is what sells our work. Don’t go around puffing up your chest when you see other photographers come around because guess what they might know something you don’t. You might even learn a thing or 2 from someone else.
This has always been the way I have seen other photographers. I act humble and really just my self with a few walls up because trust is gained, and I talk to them and hopefully learn something, and hope they learn something from me.
All in All there is no MVP, Super Star, or #1 in the photographer world because when you turn around that corner there is some one that might do something different then you, that clients like more then what you are doing. It’s life. Why do you think there are some many clothing companies, Car dealers, Drinks, Computers, Cameras they all does the same thing just doing it in a different way.
Do what you do and keep the drama out of it Were all just taking/making Pictures. Just find the client that likes you and your work, don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. If were all making a living then were doing something right, Right?
Today i got a Zeiss ikon. Looking on getting some film. Keep looking hopefully soon i will have some Images up.
Melissa and I went up near Edmonton to visit her family for christmas. Here is not much to do in a town with a population of under 500 I’, not lying maybe even under 300. It was really cold but it was great to see the family. We went for a little walk so i took out the camera with me. Again there is nothing here so I only got a few Photos.
Just in case you weren’t feeling too old today ………
The people who are starting college this fall were born in 1992.
They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.
Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
The CD was introduced two years before they were born.
They have always had an answering machine.
They have always had cable..
Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.
Popcorn has always been microwaved.
They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
They don’t know who Mork was or where he was from..
They never heard: ‘Where’s the Beef?’,
‘I’d walk a mile for a Camel ‘ or
‘de plane, Boss, de plane’.
McDonald’s never came in Styrofoam containers.
They don’t have a clue how to use a typewriter.
Pass this on to the other old fogies on your list.
Notice the larger type?
That’s for those of us who have trouble reading.
P.S. Save the earth. It’s the only planet with chocolate.
The Photography industry is seeing this more and more fly by night photographers now that DSLR’s are becoming cheaper. But this just blows my mind how some people are under cutting the industry. I have talked to people about this before about the $500 Wedding Photographer but this is just crazy. I just don’t know what to say to this $7/hr to shoot photo’s and give the client the images over email or D/L them to their computer ? What is minimum wage now $9-$10 ? your selling your self short and making the photography industry look bad. If this is what you want to do for a living and your Passionate do it right, Don’t sell your self short. If your worth $7/hr you mite as well shot for nothing and just be a hobby photographer.
Cody
Work Smart NOT Hard
I have been working for a Professional Photography studio for the past 3 years and the last year of that I have being the owner. With working for some else I never though much about the little, big things that go on that I brushed off as employee.
It has been a year now with me working for myself and I have loved every moment of it. Everything is rewarding. But it has opened my eyes a lot in the past few months ever since I got back from my summer holidays.
When I took over the studio I wanted to have a community of friend/photographer that we go hang out all the time take photos collaborate on shoots, learn new things, and so on. There is nothing wrong with that at all. But if you finds your self doing that all the time you mite as well close your doors and just shoot photos as a hobbyist or get a fulltime 9-5 and shoot on the weekends because most collaboration only benefit your mind not your wallet or your businesses bank account. I love the though of collaborating working with other photographers, different shoots, new Clients, and so on but if it only really benefits the photographer that set everything up what’s the point? At the end of day I love my Job, Career, Lifestyle, and everything Photography bring to the table. But I have stepped up to the plate bought a business, paid my due to the city and my clients, with that said you can’t shoot for free. This will just ruin the industry. Figure out what you are worth as an Artist/business person. NOT a Photographer, why do I say this? Because of the digital age of camera’s every one thinks they are a photographer and will do work for free or a few hundred and give you the disk of uncorrected, Un-sharp, overexposed, underexposed, grainy/noise, shot on full auto let the camera do all the work images. An take your money and run, if you don’t like what they gave to you to bad you paid $200 for everything for your wedding/family photos.
OK I know that was a little over the top but it is true. I thrive on quality to its highest form. I have gone to conferences; I currently belong to PPOC (Professional Photographers of Canada), WPPI (Wedding Portrait Photography Institute), and looking for a few more that will benefit my Studio and my Clients. I’m in this industry because I’m an artist and love what I do because it puts a smile on Peoples faces and fules my mind. The weekend warriors just does it for something to do or to put a few more bucks in their pocket to get that flat screen TV at the big box store.
So what I have learned this past year of being a studio owner? I am no longer a Photographer I’m an Artist/business owner that displays and sells my work with a Camera. With being a one man show I have found my self pushing 14-16 hour days when I could delegate things to web designers, graphic designers, accountant, and do what I need to do more Shoot photos and deal with my clients. Then once that is all done I can spend time with the things that are close to me in life, my wife, my dogs, my family, and friends. This is the hole reason I am working for my self to a some freedom in my life, not to be stuck behind my desk, after studio hours updating my website, doing my books, while the things in life that matter most to me are wondering where I am and when I’m coming home.
So to end this all off find ways to work your business Smarter not harder. It took me a year to figure key things out and most likely I will learn a lot more next year and the year after that. Always keep your eyes open and if you want to do something don’t do it half way. Go all the way get that business space, get that business license, register that name, and quit that 9-5 and do what you love just don’t do it on your free time. I have been doing what I love for the past 3 years now and love everyday no matter how stressful some days can make me feel.
Get out there and do it right, Work Smart not hard, Enjoy the things in your life,
Cody
Shutterbug Photography
Owner and Artist with a Camera
FaceBook, Twitter, Flickr, some on and so on, These are all great tool to build you web presence and get your name out there. But they take alot of time out of your work day. I know for me I alway ran them in the back ground and worked at the same time. Alot of the time people spend more time on the Social media sites then actually working. Then find them selves working longer hours not meeting deadlines or just getting things in at the nick of time which leads to stress. I was just recently at a conference that touched base on this subject and with the average Photographer working 70hr a week here is the break down.
Shooting 9hr
Editing 6hr<— crazy (building albums, editing photos for blogs, advertisements ect.)
Photoshop 25hr <—– crazy
Admin 10hr
Social Media 11hr <—— Crazy
Selling 5hr
Mettings 3hr
Marketing 1 hr
Essence of business .75hr
I took a minute and mapped out my work week and its was different but i found same place that new less time and some that need more time.
I hope this helps everyone revamp a few thing.
Work smarter not Harder.
Cody
Cody Belter Blog 