MCP Thoughts
30+ Creative Studio Backdrop Ideas for Photographers on a Budget
If you do not have excess money to spend but want cool looking backdrops, we have more than 30 great ideas to get you started.
A Lot Has Changed In The Past 10 Years
Happy Birthday to Ellie and Jenna! Today you turn 10 years old. WOW. No more single digits. 10 years ago this morning, with my stomach protruding more than you can imagine, I drove myself to the hospital thinking you’d be in this world in a few weeks. A short time later I was informed that…
Get in Photos with Your Family: There are NO Second Chances
As photographers, we often neglect getting in photos. Now is the time to make a commitment to get in more. Here’s why.
40 Years Ago Today
4o years ago today, I was born at 5:11 AM in a New York City hospital. I probably was thinking “why am in this bizarre metal thing? Is someone about to eat me?” This photo from my first hours of life shows my personality perfectly – I look so curious. From the day I was…
Edit Wars: Lightroom VS Photoshop – Which is Best and Why
In the battle for the top spot in today’s photo editing marketplace, there are two clear winners: Photoshop and Lightroom. Learn which is better and why!
Learn from the Paparazzi for Your Photography Business
Change the way you approach photography by learning from the paparazzi.
Should You Mix Personal and Business on Your Blog and Facebook?
Should You Mix Personal and Business on Your Blog and Facebook? When you write a Blog post or Facebook status update about your personal life on your business sites, it sends a message. Is it the one you want to be sending? Only you can answer that question. In yesterday’s MCP Actions blog post, titled…
The Holiday Disaster – Award Winning Story by Ellie Friedman, Age 8
One of the proudest moments a mom can have is when she watches her daughter reach for her dreams – and she accomplishes them! One of my twin girls, Ellie, dreams of being an author when she grows up. She envisions writing and illustrating children’s books, non-fiction stories, and even realistic fiction. If she is…
9 Photographer Cartoons to Make You Laugh or Cry!
If you are a professional portrait or wedding photographer, you will probably relate to some or most of these animated cartoons. Even some hobbyist photographers may get a laugh from them. Enjoy – but try not to take any of it too seriously or too personally… Warning: If slang/bad words bothers you, there are a…
Proud To Be A Hobbyist Photographer: Reasons NOT To Go PRO
Proud To Be a Hobbyist Photographer: Reasons NOT To Go PRO This article is by Mandi Tremayne. She writes…I have been a follower of the MCP blog for several years now. I like to call myself a “craptacular photog hobbyist”. I’ve been thinking on the subject lately of amateur photographer/hobbyist vs. (true) professional photographer. I…
MWAC Is A Four-Letter Word
MWAC Is a Four-Letter Word: {Mom with a Camera} by guest blogger Kara Wahlgren Before you dismiss yourself—or anyone else—as an MWAC (mom with a camera), here’s why you should rethink the label. MWAC (noun): 1. a mom with a camera; 2. new moms with new half-way decent cameras suddenly thinking they are pros and…
Snapshots vs Portraits: What Do Your Customers Really Want?
Snapshots vs Portraits: What Do Your Customers Really Want? A while back on the MCP Facebook Wall, I asked photographers if they prefer portraits or snapshot for their own pictures. Many answered that they prefer portraits so they have works of art for their walls and pictures that are timeless. Surprisingly though, a much greater…
Photoshop Alone Does Not Make a Good Photographer
Thought of the Day: Photoshop Alone Does Not Make a Good Photographer I consider myself a professional when it comes to Photoshop. I teach Photoshop and develop products that work inside Photoshop. And yes, occasionally I use Photoshop to fix a problem on a less that perfect photo. Photoshop is a powerful tool for photographers. …
What is a Professional Photographer in the Digital Photography Age?
What is a Professional Photographer in the Digital Photography Age? In the age of digital photography, when anyone can go to the nearest discount store and buy an SLR camera and Photoshop or Elements, the lines between professional, amateur and hobbyist photographer are blurring. Years ago, when I was a kid, the definition of a…
Pricing Photography: Too High? Too Low?
Pricing Photography: How high should you be prices be? Last week I ran across a photographer online who listed her prices in the sidebar of her blog/website. Her bio indicated that she was a “professional photographer” which of course is often used loosely in 2010. She said she had 5 years of experience shooting weddings,…
Retouching with the Liquify Tool in Photoshop: Is It Right or Wrong?
I sit here with microphone in hand. I was about to record a tutorial showing how to use the Liquify Tool in Photoshop. But then I stopped. I paused. And I decided rather than teach you how to use it, after all you can Google Liquify Tutorial, that I wanted to better understand how photographers…
Cherish Your Snapshots ~ Make Every Picture Count
Snapshots: It’s a word that makes many professional photographers cringe. As defined by Wikipedia, “a snapshot is a photograph that is “shot” spontaneously and quickly, most often without artistic or journalistic intent. Snapshots are commonly considered to be technically “imperfect” or amateurish–out of focus or poorly framed or composed… Common snapshot subjects include the events…
How to Keep Artistic Control as a Professional Photographer
Do you feel professional photographers should control their images? As a pro photographer, you are the artist. You create a vision and make it come to life. From posing, to lighting, to post processing, you control the look and feel of your images. Your style defines who you are as a professional photographer. You have…
Which Camera to Take on Vacation: Point & Shoot Versus SLR
As many of you know by now, a few weeks ago I was away on Spring Break. I posted the Sunrise photos this past weekend. So check those out if you missed them. And today I will share some more pictures from my family vacation. But first, I will answer a frequently asked question: “What…
6 Reasons to Wake Up Early on Vacation
I am an erratic sleeper. I go stretches where sleep means the world to me. And other periods of time where I forget what sleep is. When I travel, I often have trouble sleeping. And my most recent trip was no exception. I fell asleep most nights earlier than I would at home since I…
Unconnected ~ Imagine No Internet or Cell for a Week
For the past week, I was taken back to a simpler time in life. Back to a time with no cell phones, no Internet and almost no TV. I was not stranded on a desert island, in jail or on the show Survivor. I was on a spring break family vacation on a cruise in…
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