Have you considered using YouTube for your marketing?

Did you know that YouTube is the fourth largest search engine in the world? Not only that, if you haven't noticed lately, Google search results include more and more videos from YouTube. With only still photographs, what is a photographer to do? That's right, create a slideshow and upload it as a video. This morning I created a slideshow in iPhoto of my 2010 Maximum Ferrari Calendar. To the slideshow I added a soundtrack a created in Garageband. Then I exported it and uploaded it to YouTube. Set the export to the highest resolution possible. Also make sure you are using appropriate keywords and tags. This way people can find your work of art!

Arrived in Philladelphia for Ferrari event in NJ

Ok, I do know what I am doing. Even though I am staying an hour from the track. I am staying at the aLoft in Philadelphia. It looks like an hour drive to New Jersey Motorsports Park from here. And that's about how far I stay when I go to Atlanta or Road America.

But it just sounds strange to be staying in a different state. Plus, there are other benefits. I get the room essentially for free. I have the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express. This earns me points towards free stays at Starwood Hotels, of which the aLoft is a part. Also, whenever I can stay in an aLoft that is preferable. Free wifi is good, but even better is the hotel change and the hotels themselves are brand new. Nothing like a new hotel to stay in. The rooms are a great new design, that is definitely the anti-regular-hotel. Hard to explain but it's modernistic with plenty of modern conveniences - place to plug in your ipod to play music through the TV, tons of outlets and a comfy bed. Down in the lobby is a great lounge area, with fantastic eats and great couches to open up the laptop and crunch out blog posts. Hehehe!

No Media Credentials for the Ferrari Challenge and Historic Challenge at NJMP

My bad. Chalk it up to being a noob at securing media credentials. The media contact has not returned my requests via email or phone for credentials, so it looks like I am going without. Dang!

SO here is a little note to myself about this:
1) Do not wait until the day before the cut-off to send in a request
2) Read number 1 again.

I'm also going to be a little proactive at the beginning of next year and send my media contacts a marketing kit. Since I work for my own publication, no one seems to think I am legit. I am not trying to get free admission! I really need access.

I will make the best of the situation. Time to pack

ThinkTank Photo launches new website

I received a tweet from a friend that ThinkTank Photo had redesigned their website. This is not something that is normally worthy of a post. I use their stuff and it's great, but they probably don't need any publicity from a little blog like mine. Anyhow, I think their "Sharethemoment" section is excellent. They allow customers to send in photos of themselves using the products.

This is not only a fantastic way to show off product uses, but is a great way to get testimonials. If you've ever tried to get customers to send an email with a couple sentences about what they think, you'll know what I mean. But put out an open call for photos, and people flock.

Check it out:
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/share-the-moment.aspx

Finished the Maximum Ferrari site (for now)

I've decided the upcoming 2010 calendar featuring my photos from this year's Ferrari Challenge events will be called "Maximum Ferrari". So the site where my images are hosted (and the calendar will ultimately be sold) has been changed to www.maximumferrari.com.

Can't wait until the calendar is ready to go!

If you like colors (who doesn't) here's a photographer you'll like

My friend Maura has her new website up (common theme these days!). She has some wonderful images of flowers, cityscapes and people. Here photo of Picadilly Circus is a favorite of mine.

Well done Maura!

Great meeting today with the Classic Car Gallery in Southport Connecticut

I met with Alan Goodman at the Classic Car Gallery today. We've been discussing some type of show to display my images in his showroom. This meeting he brought up a great new opportunity, a "Carbecue". They aren't roasting old Ford Pintos, but they will have a meetup of local car enthusiasts, classic car guys and the like. He'll serve hot dogs and hamburgers and invite one of the local radio stations to broadcast from the event.

So Alan offered me the opportunity to have a vendor tent and sell images. Wooohooo! Mark your calendars... August 30th from 10:00 - 2:00 we'll be havin' a blast at the Classic Car Gallery.

What to do with $150

Last week I answered a trivia question in a Berlinetta Motorcars email. I got the answer right, and for being the first person to respond with the correct answer I won $150 gift certificate to the store of my choice. I usually go with Amazon, but to help build my photo business I figured it would be best if I had the credit at a photo store So I chose Adorama.

Adorama carries just about anything I need for the camera, so it seemed like a good choice. Now what do I get? $150 is a lot but not enough to get what I really need (body, tele-zoom, etc.). Oh well, it's a good problem to have!

Five photos in the Fairfield Arts Council show

During July I have five photos in the Fairfield Arts Council show: Fairfield in the Movies. This was a juried competition, however nearly 200 images made the cut. Anyhow, I am glad mine are on display. The show runs through the end of the month. More information at http://www.fairfieldartscouncil.org/

Moving to PhotoShelter

Early last month, I attended a seminar at Adorama about photo websites and SEO. The seminar was hosted by Allen Murabyashi, the CEO and one of the founders of PhotoShelter. I was expecting the seminar to be a sales show for PhotoShelter's advantages. But it wasn't. Or was it?

I'm not really sure, truthfully, Mr. Murabyashi did not talk much about PhotoShelter. But what he did talk about made me realize my current site (a scrappy Dreamweaver site married to a Backprint ecommerce platform) was not working hard enough for me. And to get it SEO ready would take a lot of work. Plus, the site just looks so 1997.

Yesterday, I bit the bullet and started uploading galleries onto PhotoShelter. I really like the integration with Aperture and the pulling in of the meta data. There is a lot of customization available that I have yet to explore, but so far it looks a lot easier than creating this on my own in Dreamweaver.

I guess the proof will be in how many photos I sell. First I need to finish the site. Stay tuned!