I had an aha moment last week, it was a big one, it was a grateful one and it was almost, how could you have been so silly? Since having the idea of the business finding reliable suppliers has become one of the most important parts. The website was pretty much sorted as soon as I came across Smartdecat, job done; the printers were another question.

I wanted a printer and a framer in one rather than having to run between two places, and doing an internet search I came across a fantastic company, not too far away from me who just felt right from the moment I saw their site. Have you ever had that where you just instantly know, without even knowing too much about something?

I met the salesman and the owner at a trade show earlier this year and took to them both, professional, personable and friendly, yet when a fellow photographer told me they’d had small problems with this particular printers I ignored my gut instinct that was saying ‘these are good guys’ and went looking for a different company.

Printers seemed to be few and far between and finally finding one that was also cheaper than the rest I contacted them. The first meeting with the salesman should have told me all I needed to know but new to doing business on my own behalf I had so much going on in my mind I just didn’t read the signs, he arrived with just one frame moulding in two different colours rather than a bagful which was of course the most expensive. In my head a voice was saying ‘what about the other printers?’ I silenced it. When I had to constantly chase the salesman for information & samples I ignored the insistent voice. Read More→

Ruth Bayley

Living in the beautiful rural county of Yorkshire it was perhaps natural for Ruth to have an affinity with the countryside and its wildlife. Creativity is Ruth’s driving force finding an outlet in television & radio she worked for many years as producer for BBC & ITV.

However a love of photography and for being surrounded by nature called her to go back to her photography training and bring pleasure and joy to people through her connection with our planet.

Staying in the moment when taking her images allows her to experience the natural magnificence unfolding before her eyes. It is this moment of mediation, of gratitude, that she evocatively conveys through her images.

www.healingwithphotography.co.uk

I’m wanting to sit and write this article to tell you how wonderful Twitter is and how you should definitely think about using it for a business marketing tool but I’m getting distracted by er, Twitter! Well Tweetdeck to be exact.  And that is a wonderful thing about Twitter such is it’s phenomenon that people write different software for it and you can have so much fun with the different applications.

Just in case you haven’t yet signed up to Twitter let me give you a quick answer to is it worth it? Oh yes, indeed it is! I signed up when someone whose teleseminars I listen to said she sometimes gives away free gifts on Twitter.  I can’t say I was hooked immediately; this new world was complicated.  It took me two weeks to be certain I’d sent a @message, only when they replied was I sure.  And all this #FF business drove me insane for a couple of weeks too until I realised it’s something that happens every Friday when you recommend people who are good to follow.

But pretty soon it became addictive and I saw how it could be very useful to me when I set up my business.  So I began to follow people that I was interested in and then follow the people that follow them so I could get more of a niche following.  But it’s not all about marketing for me there have been some great advantages of being on Twitter, I have met some lovely people who over time have become friends, and it’s a fantastic place for being in contact with other people in your field of work.  There are numerous photographers on Twitter who are happy to answer questions and give advice on suppliers or just have a chat.  And I’m writing these articles now because I was on Twitter at the right time when Trevor was asking for contributors.

After a year with the bird, (I wonder if it sends an anniversary card?), I’m becoming more selective about only following people who actually have conversations so I can have a chat with someone and build up a rapport – though I do have the odd guilty pleasure in there too.  The accounts that only send links to webpages leave me cold & I also avoid like the plague the links to ‘click here and get 100’s of followers.’  I’m not certain but when you look at some peoples followers they have plenty of faceless companies and porn stars listed, I get the feeling they may have come from these type of links. Read More→

Ruth Bayley

Living in the beautiful rural county of Yorkshire it was perhaps natural for Ruth to have an affinity with the countryside and its wildlife. Creativity is Ruth’s driving force finding an outlet in television & radio she worked for many years as producer for BBC & ITV.

However a love of photography and for being surrounded by nature called her to go back to her photography training and bring pleasure and joy to people through her connection with our planet.

Staying in the moment when taking her images allows her to experience the natural magnificence unfolding before her eyes. It is this moment of mediation, of gratitude, that she evocatively conveys through her images.

www.healingwithphotography.co.uk