My Dream Camera

I just got a notice from Wolf Camera (online camera store) ) on their Top 10 selling items.

I'm a Nikon fan and have maintained a pretty decent kit of Nikon gear over the years. I swear by Nikon for its great lenses and camera durability. I was once high up on a crane and dropped my Nikon F2 and lens over 5 stories. I was expecting to find a totally smashed up camera with the lens blown to smitherines. What I recovered was a camera that worked perfectly. The only damage was a small dint in the lens hood. THIS is only one of a hundred reasons I'm a fan.

What I didn't expect in Wolf's Top 10 list, was to see 8 out of 10 Nikons! There was only one Canon and a very unusual item in the 3rd position. In fact my reaction to #3 was quite funny. When I was going down the list I saw this ... "Garmin StreetPilot C330 GPS ." I said to myself "Is this a new kind of camera? Weird name! " When I checked the link, I had a big laugh ... and I'm still wondering why on earth a GPS locator is one of the Top 10 items being sold at a camera store.

The Number 1 seller just happens to be MY DREAM CAMERA, a Nikon D200 Digital SLR Camera with 18-200mm lens. If you'd like an address to send it to, just give me a call!


Are you curious about the list? Here it is

1. Nikon D200 Digital SLR Camera with 18-200mm
2. Nikon D50 Digital SLR w/Quantaray 28-90mm F/3.3-5.6 Lens
3. Garmin StreetPilot C330 GPS
4. Nikon D200 Digital SLR Camera, Body Only
5. Nikon D70s Digital SLR Body Only
6. Nikon D200 Digital SLR Camera with 18-70mm AF-S DX f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED Zoom Lens
7. Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT SLR 8-MP Camera w/Canon 18-55mm AF Lens
8. Nikon D2Xs Digital SLR Camera Body
9. Nikon D70s Digital SLR w/18-70MM F3.5-4.5G AF-S DX Lens
10. Who knows! They didn't have a number 10. Glad I'm not the only one who Murphy and his Law visits from time to time!

So I'm surprized that the list is so heavily occupied by Nikon and I'm even more suprized to see that none of the consumer grade cameras show up in the list. I would have thought that cameras in the $200 to $300 range would be selling better than camers in the $1000++++ price range.

What's YOUR dream camera??

What can you legally photograph?

Here's some great information from USA Today columnnist, Andrew Kantor on what's legal to shoot and what's not.

Digital cameras were one of the hot gifts these holidays — the first one for some people, an upgrade for others. Cell-phone cameras are everywhere too, and sites like Flickr and Buzznet — not to mention photoblogs — make it easy for anyone to share the zillions of photos they're taking.

With all these cameras snapping around us, I started to wonder about the laws regarding using them. Where can you shoot? What can you shoot?

Read the whole article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/2005-12-29-camera-laws_x.htm

How to Shoot and Sell Photo Essays - Online Course

Eighteen months ago Renate Siekmann was an amateur photographer who simply wanted to take better photos. She met and took a course from Blair Howard, an experienced and well published photo journalist.

History was wrote. Eighteen months later Renate has Today, she has sold more than 130 photographs and 85 newspaper and magazine articles. She has traveled on assignment to Bermuda and is now helping Blair teach some of his workshops.

Blair's next workshop will be in Vancouver, BC Canada ... and I will also be facilitating along side him and Renate. Mark Sept 6th to 10th on your calendar ... and email me if you want to get on my Vancouver Workshops List. editor@proofpositive.com

If you can't make it to Blair's LIVE WORKSHOPS ... his email course is the next best thing. You will get regular course installments and personal coaching from Blair and Renate.

The Photo Essay – Getting Your Foot in the Door: A Complete Course for Photographers who Want to Make Real Money Selling Their Images. CHECK OUT THE COURSE

My Stock Photography Bible

Rohn Engh's book SELL & RE-SELL YOUR PHOTOS was what got me started in stock. I practically memorized it. In the end I took a big pile of his advice ... followed the steps he laid out and got started. I have been shooting and selling stock ever since and actually ended up writing 4 source books on WHERE to sell your photos.

When I got started, I specialized in shooting GARBAGE and built a huge file of "people at work."

You heard me correctly ... yes I did say garbage. It was at a time when toxic waste and dump sites were in the news constantly. Not many people shot heaps of garbage, or visited toxic disposal sites. I did. GREAT sales!

AND I also sold ... wildlife, scenics and all the stuff I was passionate about taking pics of.

I STILL love Rohn Engh's book. He has some very good advice and helps you look at stock as a business. He has a more moderate view of the industry than many of the other "how to" stock books I have on my bookshelf. Yes, he sells the "dream" and he also talks about the "reality of the business." A great combination.

BUY THE BOOK ... it's a stock photographer's blueprint for success! If you are going to be in this business it is a MUST HAVE.

Sell and Re-Sell Your Photos

PBase.ca Stock Photography Site

This is a great stock site if you have fabulous photos of Canada, Vancouver, Toronto, and Victoria.

Their prices range from $39 to $129 depending on the size (resolution) and they take a 35% to 50% commission for doing the sales end of the job.

You need to upload high quality jpegs. Minimum 1500 pixels (height and width) and max 6 megabites.

To be considered you must upload 5 sample images. The editors will return their GO/ NO GO verdict in about 5 days.

Great looking site. I'm going to give it a try in the next month or so and I'll keep you informed about my experiences.

If you have appropriate photos give it a try ... and let us know how you are doing!


pBase.ca

Melanie

Getting Started

This blog is all about SELLING YOUR PHOTOS.

I'll be discussing a wide range of topics including WHERE to sell and HOW to sell. I'll include loads of tips and information on what sells, how to shoot saleable photos, where to get the best equiptment, what stock photo agencies you should consider ... basically everything about selling your stock photos. Over time I will provide you with ALL the resources you need to set yourself up to make money with your stock photography.

I'll also feature successful stock photographers and guest columnists.

And ... YOU are part of the blog! Be sure to ask questions and give us all links to great new resources.


In the mean time, look at some of these great book resouces from Amazon on Stock Photography ...